Town Chapter Four Vampire Versus Part Two

 Sleep Drain

Melinda woke, her vampire nightmare was over. She felt a smile and tears spread across her face. She felt finally refreshed and her mind was clear like a flat lake on a windless day. She never could quite know what a relief it would have been to see natural light and see the sun in the sky. She opened her window to feel the ice cold winter wind spread across her face.

She sat up, she was still feeling cold and weak, but the very fact that she was out of that hell hole gave her a great strength that she just could not understand. She slipped out of bed and then felt more tears of joy as she realised she was not only alive but also the vampire thing was all over. Yet she felt her neck knowing that the wounds were still there.

She saw Danté was sleeping next to her bed. He must have been here the whole night. She then looked beside him in her draws, clean and ironed and neatly folded. She smiled as she picked it up. She sniffed the scent of the laundry powder. She did not realise just how good they smelt. 

This quiet moment was interrupted as she was yanked back and spun. Her eyes met those of Matilda. She even heard her crying too as she pulled her in close. She hugged her tightly as if she was afraid to let go. She hugged her back.

“Mel, are you alright? We were all so worried. I’m sorry that it took so long. It would have taken faster but, whatever Vytautas used was powerful enough to keep him out cold for over a day! But are you alright? Are you still human too?”

She let out a chuckle.

“Am now, and yes I am still human.”

She pulled back. Melinda felt a smile spread across her lips.

“I hope that I haven’t missed too much school.”

“School? School?” She laughed. “Of all things!”

“Hey, I ain’t letting this town affect my future!” She commented.

She then went to the bathroom to change as she did not want to wake Danté. She looked at herself in the mirror and was alarmed at how aggressive Vytautas's bites looked compared to Dantés’s. It was all too clear that he wanted to drink from her as painfully as possible, yet Danté tried to do it as painlessly as he could. Yet she tried to keep her mind focused on the preset as she put the plaster on her neck.

When she went down the stairs she noticed that she did feel tired but she knew that it would not be as much as she would have been if she was rescued a day later. 

“Mel? Are you sure you’re strong enough to-”

“Yes, I think it would help.”

Also, I do not want to let this event affect my grades.

Her features softened.

“Alright. But don’t push yourself.”

She smiled warmly.

“Okay, but I will push myself enough. After all, I hope that it proves to be a good distraction.”

Jaden's jaw dropped.

“‘Distraction’? After all these months, you need help!”

She let out a sigh.

“Do you think that anyone would believe me?”

Her eyes became jaded as they averted her gaze. She looked at her and opened her mouth.

“Hell, I didn’t believe it, remember?”

“Yeah, I do. Just be careful and have a good day." She said, hollowly.

She gave her sister a salute.

“I’ll do my best, but first I’ll be getting my breakfast.” She said, rushing to the kitchen."Seriously, he only gave me one or two meals.”

She laughed.

“Alright, I’ll do it.” She said as she went to the kitchen.

She made her porridge with golden syrup. She looked into the bowl but the moment that it touched her mouth it tasted like rich, sweet heaven and with a thick hot texture. She ate in silence and was done. It satisfied and filled her.

“That was surprisingly good.”

They went to school and, during her breaks, she caught up with all her work and she was back on top of all her work. The whole day passed so fast that before they knew it they were soon back home and doing their homework. She then played video games along with Matilda. The girls were soon laughing. Melinda could not remember when, if any, she had so much fun!

So this is what it’s like to have a friend! She thought. I like it!

They soon had dinner and continued playing the game until they got bored and started to play with Alice and the other dolls. She found herself laughing and started feeling like a normal girl. So when it came time for bed they were too tired to refuse. She set her alarm and her eyes closed the moment her head rested on the pillow her eyes closed.

She was walking down a cold street. She shivered as she brushed her arm. She was seeing through the eyes of someone wearing a beautiful white velvet dress. She could feel that it had no sleeves and it was smart that it came to above her knees. She knew that she was seeing through the eyes of someone similar to her height. They were crying too.

She turned left to see the mansion that Vytautas held her in. She then walked on at a fast pace. She turned left to see a street of mansions that were all identical to that mansion. She had seen this street was somewhere near the edge of the town. She then walked in the middle of the street, by the tears and the fast erratic walk, whoever it was must have been broken hearted and upset.

She soon saw a woman ahead. She was in a black suit with a well ironed skirt and a coral red flamboyant silk blouse. She had long light champagne blonde hair with curly tips. Her eyes were scarlet with a cat-like slit, though it was not noticeable. She had a small sharp nose and pale white skin with coral red blush and crimson lips. She had the beauty of a modest model with a strange warm feeling about her, like a mother. Yet there was something else about her that screamed to her to run away and run away as fast as she possibly could.

She smiled a warm and welcoming smile, revealing a pair of snow white fangs. She hummed an enchanting tune that was soothing as she approached, her high heels echoed in the silence of the night. Almost like a beat to the hum. She placed a hand on her shoulder. She felt a strange blissful warmth which drove away the screams of terror. She did not mind what she was doing. In fact she liked the sensation though she knew that it was dangerous.

When she woke up she felt weak but not noticeable. Yet as she came around she felt disappointed. She wanted to see that woman again. She wanted to feel that strange warmth again. She just wanted to feel her arms around her and hear her humming that enchanted tune.

“Are you alright?” Danté asked. 

She looked at him with that strange bliss.

“Yeah, you?”

“I don’t know. Are you feeling strong?”

“Yeah, come on, I think while Jaden’s asleep you can feed.”

“No. There’s something wrong. You did not dream of another vampire did you?" He asked, worried.

She smiled as she thought about her.

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“You seem very light headed.”

“Well, it was someone else that was taken. Speaking of which, you need to feed.” She said, pulling the plaster off.

He smiled to himself as he leaned in.

“But please, don’t tell Jaden. We don’t need her worrying, not unless we know I’m the target.”

He nodded and drank, yet there was no pain this time. In fact she found it strangely pleasant. When he pulled away he looked at her concerned but said nothing.

“Alright, but if you dream of that vampire again, tell me.”

“I will!”

She went to school the next day. Yet she could not focus on anything, even the mild weakened state that she was in. All she could think about was seeing that woman again. That was all she wanted to do. So when she got back home, she started to draw her. Yet she felt like she could fall asleep any moment. By the time it was bedtime she did not even complain and her eyes closed.

She was seeing through a smaller person’s eyes this time. She was looking up at the place. She could feel her stomach possibly rumble. When she passed the mansion she started running. She could feel the fear of a child younger than her. She looked in the window and saw that she was looking through the eyes of a small child and by the bony face and dirty torn clothes, homeless or abused one.

That was when she saw the woman again. She smiled at her and crouched to her.

“Where are your parents, young one?” She asked in a posh Queen’s English accent.

“They threw me out. They hate me.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes miss.”

She smiled and held out her hand.

“I will feed you!” She said as the little girl took her hand. “And a place to rest your head.”

They walked on. They had arrived at the final mansion at the end of the street. They walked in and then guided the girl in. She guided the girl up the stairs up to the top floor. She then pointed to a trap door above them and the vampiress looked at her, clearly not seeing the child, but her.

This woke her up. She felt notably weaker. She felt alright but she knew that one thing, there was another vampire about to attack. She looked around for Danté and soon found him. She soon spotted that he shared some of the facial features of that vampiress. He held the drawing that she did in his hand. Yet she had noticed that sorrowful darkness in them as he looked at it. Yet she knew that woman had a different kind of darkness about her. One that was very alluring and put people at ease even though there were very loud alarm bells going off.

He looked at her.

“Is this the vampire that you dreamed about last night?” He said with a choked up voice.

“Yes. I just dreamed about her.”

“Valli Dracula.”

“That her name?’

“Yes?”

“She your sister?”

“Mother.” He said as a red single tear ran down his cheek.

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know.”

“Does she work?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know.”

The Other Vampire

“Your mother?” She asked, baffled as she looked away and more to herself. “Why am I-no why am I being targeted by your mother?”

She suddenly felt the dread of what was to come sank as rapidly into her as Vytautas's fangs. Part of her felt scared of what that meant and another was angry. She had just made it home safe and now, now, there was another coming to pull her away from the safety of this place! She felt the temperature of the room rise a little as she felt like her blood was boiling.

Danté wiped the red tear away and he gulped as he took a breath.

“It probably has to do with the fact that I killed Vytautas. And as you are-”

“Are you telling me that we have to deal with another one?!” Shouted Jaden, almost pulling her hair out.

That was when Melinda spotted the tears in her sister’s eyes. This pushed all her anger away and suddenly she was stunned by this. Yet she realised that she wanted to protect her but she could not. Both sisters knew that they just could not protect each other but neither had the power to protect themselves! They were failing each other and nothing could stop that.

“Yes.” Said Danté with an apologetic tone, yet even he had started to tear up.

He can’t always protect me for long either.

“Should we expect-” She stopped herself from finishing the sentence.

“No. We should expect worse.”

“Why?” She asked, sternly as she folded her arms and started tapping her finger on her arm. She closed her mouth and tried to gain control of her tears. 

He looked at her with anxiety and slightly hurt.

“Vytautas was her favourite and I was father’s. Who only liked him because he was just as cruel as her,  yet she never made sure he became crueller. In fact she used to use me as a subject for Vytautas to practise his cruel acts on. She used to tell me to let him do it. Foolishly thinking that it would make her love me. Yet it wasn’t until I was one hundred that I knew that she would never love me. No, she showed more love to the children she would raise to eat than she ever did me.” He said, in a whisper, trying to suppress how upset he truly was.

“So should we make the same arrangements then?” She said sharply.

“I don’t think that would be necessary. None of us can make those types of preparations. She would do something that would throw those completely off. She usually works late and, if there's one good thing about her is that, she’s a workaholic.”

“And where does she work?”

“I honestly don’t know. I have tried to avoid her as much as I could.”

“Then let’s find it and put an end to this before what happened with Vytautas will not happen again!”

“Please don’t confront her. After all, you would be no match for her. I don’t even know if even I can stop her!”

“Wait, aren’t you the vampire king? Doesn’t that mean that you get cool powers or something?”

“Yes, but they take time to develop. Which could be from a month, if we’re fortunate, to a year or two!”

“What! But that’s insane!”

Danté shrugged.

“Those are the rules.”

“Alright, but is there anything we can do?”

“No, not until we find out where she works now.”

“You don’t know?” Jaden asked accusingly.

“No. I’m not that close to her nor do I like the vampire community. Why do you think that I live in this part of town?” He pointed out.

“To get close to the prey?”

“No.”

“Anyhow. I found this.” She said, passing the silver cross to her.

“Thank you, where did-”

“Where you left it.” She said, patting her pocket like in the Asda adverts.

Danté looked at her genuinely amazed.

“Well, that’s a start!”

“Well, we all need something that will help us sleep. Now all of you get some sleep. We all need it,  including you Danté!”

He smirked as he nodded. They all went to their beds and slept until morning. Melinda and Jaden told Matilda what was going on. She looked at Melinda with fear and concern.

“Why do they always seem to target you? Even I didn’t get it this bad!” She asked, outraged. “It’s not fair!”

“Don’t ask me!”

When they had breakfast they cleaned their teeth and were on their way to school. As they walked,  Melinda spotted that there was someone on their tail. Melinda was about to say something to Matilda and moved closer.

“Don’t look but-”

“Yes, I see her too.”

“Could it be?”

“She like that drawing you did the other night?”

“Yeah?”

“Then yes.”

She had a determined look on her face, with fire in her eyes. It helped serve a reminder that she was once the twins that had captured her. She quickly looped her arm and quickly started to walk. They quickly came to school and headed straight to the classroom. They soon saw all the other students fill the classroom. Yet the teacher was still absent. They looked at each other frowning. They started to have a bad feeling in the pit of their guts. Then the headmaster came in.

“Sorry students, but your teacher is very ill today. Nothing to worry about, she just had an anaemic attack. She should be up and about in a day or two!” He said as lighthearted as he could.

Alarmed Matilda broke her pencil. She could feel the pounding of fear in her head. She glanced at Melinda horrified as they both looked at the door, knowing who was coming before she even came to the door.

“So naturally, we contacted the teachers union and they provided the perfect substitute. Children, give a warm welcome to Mrs Tapez.” He introduced.

As soon as she walked in, Matilda charged at her. She went to drive the broken end of the pencil into her heart, but Valli gripped her wrist. She looked directly at Matilda with an ice cold look. She then looked up at Melinda. Her stomach dropped. She gave her a slight victorious smile that soon turned into one of sympathy as her eyes dropped to Matilda and let go.

“Miss Narcissa! How dare you! After school, come to my room for detention! I will have you expelled for this!”

Valli let out a light, lyrical laugh.

“It is quite alright. You need not go out of your way. I am pretty sure that one detention with you should suffice. After all, I know why she did what she did and I would have done the same. However I still would not like it to affect her future. Alright?”

“But-”

She raised her eyebrow.

“I hope that you do not disapprove of how I choose to discipline my students? After all, I can guarantee that one will be enough.” She said as her eyes fixed upon Melinda.

He looked at her astonished.

“How?”

Suddenly she felt her heartbeat hammer against her chest plate as she knew that Matilda had just given her exactly what she had wanted.

“Trust me, I know the kind of child she is. I have dealt with a great number of them in other schools.”

“If you insist.”

“Now, if you don’t mind, this lesson will not teach itself!” She said with a smirk.

“Alright, I shall leave you to it.”

He said as he left. 

“Now, Mistress Nercissa, are you going to continue being a hassle? Because if you are, then that will reflect badly on your new family.” She said, her voice as cold as ice.

She looked back at Melinda and then looked away subdued. She let go of her and walked to her spot and was about to sit down.

“Now, I would like you and Master Cole to switch spots. And Melinda, I would like to remind you that there is a ‘no jewellery’ policy in this school.” She said, pointing to the rule poster.

She looked at Melinda feeling like she was at a funeral as she walked to the front of the class. Melinda handed in her cross. She pulled out a small box which she dropped the cross into.

“I will be keeping that until the end of my time here if you do not mind.”

“No Mrs.” She lied.

“Now, could anyone tell me who Countess Elizabeth Bathory is?”

The lesson grew on and they learnt all about the Blood Countess and other evil royals and nobles of the time. Melinda sometimes took glances at Matilda and vice versa. She could feel fangs of dread sink into her mind as the day wore on. She could see that Matilda did too. Every part of the day they spent as much together as they could, yet Valli kept the pair away from each other during class. During breaks, they would avoid Valli as much as they possibly could.

Once the dreaded moment came Matilda hugged her as tightly as she could she could even feel a tremor in this hug. It was long and filled with fear of letting go of the other. They both tried to suppress their tears as they held onto each other.

“Please make it home. Don’t think about anything else, not even me, just get home.” She said, almost like a deparete prayer.

“I will. Just focus on getting home too.”

She then turned and then walked out of the building. She then noticed that she was being followed. She did not need to look back. She already knew who was stalking her. She started to walk a little faster as she moved further and further away from the school. She would have broken out into a run but she was already cut off by Valli landing in front of her. 

“It seems that you did well in your lesson today.” She complimented.

“Thank you.” She said as she tried to move past her.

She threw out her arm.

“It seems that you are in quite a hurry, Mistress Narcissa. Now, we are out of school so I hardly need to keep up the formalities. Do I Melinda?”

She closed her eyes in dread as she opened them when she turned back.

“Valli right?” She responded with false confidence.

“Ahh, so my son told you about me? Good!”

She shrugged.

“Yeah, though he was not your favourite though. He was too busy with other things.”

She let out that calming lyrical laugh.

“Good, good girl!” She said as she chuckled.

This made Melinda tense up slightly.

“Thank you. Now, may you move out of the way? I need to get home.”

She let that laugh out again.

“Tell me, did you honestly think that you could get home?” She asked. “Why not try?”

She felt herself gulp as she ducked and ran as fast as she could across the road. She did not allow herself to think of anything else but to get away from her and get home as fast as she could. Yet with one hand Valli caught her by the throat before she could set foot on the curb. She was choked as she pulled off the road as a car passed. If she had been a moment later she would have died! 

“Now, I will tell you this, did you honestly think that my son could have kept you away from me?”

She would have answered if the heel of her hand was not suppressing her voicebox.

“No? Then why try? Or did my Vytautas scare you that much?”

She closed her eyes so as to not give that truth away.

“Ahh! He did! What a bad, bad boy he was! Honey, I was so ever proud of him. Well-” She said as she pulled her close to her and leaned into her ear. “I will give you more to be scared about. Though that depends on how your sister, Danté and that other one behaves. I can say that your time might become very pleasant if they do not kick up a fuss.”

She tried to pull her neck out of her hand but she could not! In fact that earned her a tightening grip.

“Now, if you are a good, good girl, I will do my best to assure that Matilda has a good, good future and my Danté becomes the best vampire king the world has ever known! I may even help that woman that had won my son’s sweet little heart be a good queen for him or leave her out of these effares and protect her too! After all, I have lost one son, I might as well ensure that this one does not die over a broken heart!” She said, pulling her in closer. “So what do you say, do we have a deal my dear pet?”

 She let her go.

“Yes, just don’t hurt them!” She pleaded before she could stop herself.

She smiled.

“You good, good girl!” She said as she wrapped her arms around her and kissed her cheek as they took off. 

Vampire’s Den

They soon arrived in the middle of the street of creepy Victorian and Tudor mansions. Valli gently landed on the ground in front of the door of her mansion. She gently let her down but firmly held her hand. She opened the door and looked down at her, smiling and eyeing her like a predator.

“Get in.”

She nodded and she walked in. Her mind was playing over all that she would go though. Yet she tried not to but she could not. She was trying her best to keep herself calm. She was trying not to cry or shake. She then saw the door close behind her, shutting out the light. She had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself showing any emotions.

Then she placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Now, I have to tell you of your position, as you and that sister of yours are my son’s favourite duo and his food source, it means that there will be more after you. After all, whoever has you has him too. And as he is the new king of the vampires, they will be after you even more. Which means that if I feel like it, I can grant their desires.” She explained as they walked up the stairs. 

“And there will be nothing that I can do to stop it?”

She chuckled.

“I see you’re a smart girl! I like that.”

They soon came to the trapdoor. She pulled the ladder down.

“Get up.”

She nodded and she climbed the ladder. Yet she could feel Valli climbing too. She could feel Valli’s breath on her skin. She suddenly became all too aware of her heartbeat. She tried to focus upon climbing the ladder. She had the creepy thought that she could hear it. Oh, how she knew that she could. This made her feel exposed and also naked.

She then pulled herself up. Making sure that she did not expose anymore of herself. She was greeted by another door. Valli reached up from behind her and opened the door. She walked to the door but then she felt a hand pull her in. Soon her eyes greeted a handsome man with long black brown hair.

“Eh! I heard that your blood was to die for, but I never expected that your beauty was too!” He remarked.

“Unhand her!” Valli shouted as she threw her hand out and her nails which were now clawlike pressed through his skull. He was soon dust. 

Melinda let out a scream before she could stop herself.

That was when another group of vampires piled in and soon to her horror she saw Valli pierce vampire after vampire, turning them all into dust. She crouched and curled into a ball in fear so that she would not get hurt, yet she felt herself being hit again and again. She soon felt someone hit her in the hip. She felt a hand grab her hair and she was pulled back. She then felt a hand curled around her neck. She saw that there were claw-like nails brush against her cheek. Then, before she could even see the face he turned to dust with Valli next to her. Both of the cuffs of the blazer were dripping in blood.

She scoffed, disgusted as she took it off. She then looked at her blouse and let out a sigh of relief as there was not a drop of blood on the silky sleeves. She then took a seat.

“Get over here!” She snapped, clicking her fingers. “Fighting always makes me thirsty.”

She looked around the place and stayed where she was. She could not get over the shock of what had just happened. Her eyes were locked on the ash on the floor. She could not even follow the fight, nor did she know how many there were, here in this town.

I have no chance against them! I can do nothing to stop them! I can’t do this! I can’t do this! I can’t do this! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die here and there’s nothing that I can do about it!

“Melinda Narcissa, get over here right now!”

She snapped back into reality and looked up. She walked up to her as she flicked over the memories of what Vytautas had put her through when she was being held prisoner by him. She hoped that it would not hurt as much as that. Yet she remembered what Danté had told her. This told her to expect that it would be worse! She felt herself shaking when she got to her. 

“Please remember whose future I have in my hands.”

She became pale as she did and nodded daring not to reply vocaly. She could feel the sickening fear pound in her skull. She could no longer stop herself from shaking. She then felt her bloody finger touch her chin. She gently raised it. She looked at the vampires in her eyes.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Y-yes, thank you and I am sorry. I-I don’t know what came over me just a moment ago.”

She smiled.

“Good, good, girl.”

At this her body froze all over. She felt the ghost of Vytautas’s fangs in her neck.

“Tilt your head.”

 She did and soon her fangs were in her neck. It hurt, yet at the same time it was not as bad as Vytautas. She felt herself relax slightly. She then felt her lips curl into a smirk. She dug her fangs deeper and deeper, this caused the pain to erupt in her neck. She gripped the girl’s arms. She soon let out a scream of pain as she felt the temperature rise. Soon the pain became worse to anything that she had experienced at the hand of Vytautas. It soon became completely unbearable. Yet she could feel that she was drinking her blood faster than him too.

“Stop! Stop! Please stop!” She croaked as her voice was being suppressed. 

Yet she did not.

“Please! It-it hurts! Stop it! Please, stop it! Get them out! Get them out! I can’t take this!”

Yet regardless of how much she begged she did not. She soon had a waterfall running down her cheeks. Her head became achy and light. She soon closed her eyes as she felt herself weaken and became faint. It hurt even more when she let go of her and she dropped. She then was caught and the only thing holding her up was this monster. She soon let go and dropped her like it was nothing. She hit the wood beneath her. She could feel an ice cold sweat coat her body. She was then pulled up by her collar and looked at her.

“Now, my pet, from now on, you are to follow me around everywhere in this house. You are to be seen and not heard. And please, have little fear during your time here. I will ensure that you are well kept up with your education. And you are to do and say everything that I tell you to. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes M-Mrs Dracula.” She replied faintly.

Mum, dad! Help me! Danté!

“Good, good girl. I can see why he likes you, you really are like my dearly departed granddaughter. Although, you are smarter than She ever was!” She said gently. “Now get up.”

She weakly did but Valli did help her. She tried to walk but her weakened state caused her to look drunk. She heard Valli giggle behind her; she then gave her a bowl of dog biscuits.

“Here, have this.”

“But I can’t eat that! It’s for dogs!”

“Eat it!”

She looked at it and she had to keep all of her disgust down as she picked up and ate one. She hated it and immediately wanted to throw up but she had no choice but to continue. She forced down each one of the grim dog food. She wondered how they were able to wolf down this gruel! She threw up immediately after finishing. She smiled as she stroked her back as she did.

“Shame. Looks like the little pet could not handle her food.” She cooed.

‘Pet!?’

She felt anger rise within her. A bitter one. One that she knew that she had to leave unquenched. 

“Oh, I get it! You want some proper food. Tough. You better get used to that.”

Danté’s right. She is worse than Vytautas!

She soon felt the tears of anger sting her eyes. She soon felt that the temperature was rising like when she was in the hospital.

“You’re not going to stop. Are you?” She scoffed bitterly.

She giggled.

“Time for your bed.” 

She soon pulled her up another flight of stairs. Where there was a plain single bed, with a single plain mirror next to a plain small wardrobe. She soon spotted that it was all clean and she saw a shower that was in a small section of the room with a toilet and sink. She was guided to the shower and Valli undressed her and cleaned her. She dried her hair, all of which made her well aware of her vulnerability and where the power lied. She then put a Victorian nightgown on her. 

“There.” She said as she made her sit on the bed, facing the mirror. “You know, I must say you really look like a noble vampire lady or princess! It gives me quite a chill.”

She leaned on her shoulder and wrapped her arm around her like a mother would a child.

“Especially when you look so much like her. In fact looking at you now, I think that you look like you belong to the world of the night, your eyes are even red!” She spoke like she was talking to a baby, tapping her nose.

She felt chills face down her spine.

Oh no. Not this again.

“W-what are you saying?”

“Maybe...no, you would be of use to me like that. I know that I prefer you to be human. You are weaker like this. Forget what I had said now Melly, get into bed.”

She nodded as she saw that she did not have any other choice but to get into it. 

“Thank you.” She added as she felt her stomach rumble.

Valli smiled as she sat on the bed next to her. She then started to play with her hair and started to hum that bittersweet melancholic melody. It was like a mother was cutting through all the walls and darkness and pulling out her real self and embracing her tightly. She felt her eyes closing and she soon drifted off to sleep. She was soon looking through someone else’s eyes. She was walking down into the street of the vampires. She soon was looking at Valli and then as she looked at her, then she looked surprised. She turned away and in the next moment she was being awakened by Valli. 

She gave her a victorious smile almost like she was looking at a rare piece of treasure.

“Well, when I heard that a child had defeated Mohan, I must admit, I did not realise that you were the one that defeated Mohan!” She said like a mother proud of what their child had done. “This changes things a little.”

She then pulled her out of the bed and walked over to the shower. She fed upon her for a short amount of time. This was only a moment of relief, yet her heart sank as she saw the other vampires.

“I have to say this, take your turn, however I will warn you all by Tal Len’s cruelty, if any one of you kills or turns her or takes more than their fair share, I will give you over to him!” She declared. “And you know I can!”

They all looked at her completely terrorfied. They nodded and every one of them fed on her. Yet the strange part was, none of them hurt. Nor did any of them take more than just a few gulps. As the time ran on Valli looked at her as if to ensure that she was alright. After an hour they were all done. She felt faint and about to collapse. Valli pulled her chin and looked at her directly in the eyes and she suddenly felt stronger even though her body was telling her a different story. She soon felt her sleepiness yet her feet walked on. Almost like a dream. She soon was looking at a bowl of her favourite cereal. Yet as she ate it her tastebuds were telling her that it was not. In fact her tastebuds were telling her what the food really was. Yet she continued as her stomach was far too hungry to care.

When she was finished, she walked back upstairs and sat in her bed. That was when the others came in. Soon she felt herself surrounded by bugs of every kind. Yet she knew that the bugs were not there, even though her eyes were telling her that they were. She could even feel them crawling up on every inch of her body. She closed her eyes and the next moment they were gone.

There another came to her and soon she was losing track of time. She soon was feeling like she was in a strange dream and even her memories seemed to be slipping away. This caused her to believe anything that they were telling her. She was soon acting like a dog and would even eat like a dog. She, for the time that Valli was working, thought that she was a dog and even barked like one.

Then Valli came back. She looked down at her with a cruel smirk but one that did not stay on her lips. She walked up to her and then started to stroke her like a dog as she whined like a dog as she bit into her. She pulled away.

“So have you had your fun?” She said like a parent just about telling their child off.

She then clicked and she snapped out of it. She noticed that it was already night yet she could only vaguely remember the events during the day. She pulled away and was feeling the fangs of the others in her neck. She was soon left trembling as she could feel herself feeling faint. She looked at Valli in her eyes and ate whatever she gave her. Afterwards, Valli then took her out of her hypnotic trance and was soon giving her all the lessons that she had missed. She taught her well into the night.

She was then back in the bed and fast asleep. She was soon walking down the street of the vampires and she did not know nor could see whose eyes she was looking at. All she knew was that whoever it was, was in distress. She was being pinned down and held by multiple vampires. She was soon bleeding and they drained her dry. When she woke, she was far too tired and was soon sinking back into sleep. She ended up weaving in and out of sleep the entire night. So by the morning her head was so light and she was so energy drained that she might have not even had any sleep.

She felt despair flood her mind as she thought over the memories of Matilda and Jaden. She then thought about her parents too. Even her life in America was nothing as bad as the life she had led here! She wished that she was back there, back where it was safe. Back where the only thing that she would have to worry about were the bullies at her school. That was when it came to her, a single, chilling thought that made her question everything, were those memories real? What if they were put into her head to keep her going? To keep her alive.

I’m losing myself! She thought as she wanted to let out a scream but she curled up and cried. 

She was not only incapable of stopping it but hating the scent of dog food on her breath. She then felt a hand on her back which made her jump.

“Do not cry, we have not given you a reason yet.”

She looked at her feeling the fear sink into her heart. She wanted to back away but she knew that there was no point. They were stronger and faster than her.

“T-tell me, are-are Jaden and Matilda real?” She cried, desperately clinging to her.

She smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, just like a mother would. She pulled her in close and embraced her like a mother would.

“My, my. You have been such a good, good girl and we have been so bad to you. Yes they are real. Though I owe you more than that.” She said, smiling a smile as sweet as sweeteners.

“Just get it over with.” She said in a horse voice.

She smiled sympathetically as she leaned in close and kissed her forehead.

“Yes, I will, but I will make you an offer. I will let you leave and go back home, but you will once you agree to become a child of the night. After all, it would be the least we can do.”

She looked aside.

“No. I don't think I want that.” She said as she remembered her parents. 

She pulled her in closer.

“Why not? It is not like the movies and books. You can walk in the sun and it hardly affects work after all, if it did then I would not even be here.”

“Not the reason.”

“What is?”

“My parents are dead. I don’t wish to be cut off from them.”

“Alright, but I will let you think about what I have said. The night suits you well.” She said as she led her to be cleaned. 

In the shower she bit into her and was able to clean her up. She then let the others feed on her and through the whole time she desperately held Valli’s hand for comfort. She then held it as she walked all the way down the stairs. She dared not to look up as she did not want to be hypnotised. She then saw the cereal. She felt a single tear run down her cheek.

“It’s dog food isn’t it?”

She smiled, pleasantly surprised.

“You are brighter than I thought!” She remarked.

She looked down longing for her eyes to be right. She then looked out of the window. Only to meet the eyes of Danté. She felt a sad smile spread on her face as this was a price of real evidence of her memories being real.

Danté’s Darkness

She then felt Valli grab her by the back of her neck. She was pulled back as the other vampires raced to the door. She felt herself being pulled further and further back into the house. Pulling her away from the light. She tried to kick back but Valli caught it. She then felt her long claw-like nails dig into her calves and shin. Causing it to bleed. She left out a grunt as she felt the air sting her wound. She then pushed her leg away like flicking a fly. 

She then glanced back to see Danté rip the door off its hinges! He then rushed in and the other vampires raced to him. With one swipe of his claws two on the left had their throats slit before they could have the chance to notice. Then some flew to him and broke the bannister off the stairs and went to drive it into his heart. He then pulled out their hearts before they could recover from the shock. He then flicked to his right and their heads came flying off and exploded as they hit the walls. Soon their bodies fell like sand.

She was pulled further away from the fight and deeper into the mansion. Giving her nothing more the sounds to go on. She then tried to punch Valli in the gut, but she caught the fist and crushed her bones. She let out a scream at the pain. She then felt Valli spin her around and then gripped her by her throat she gave it a gentle squeeze. Enough for her to feel uncomfortable, yet not enough to choke her. She whipped her hands to her wrist. Then threw out her leg and stomped on her again and again and again and this did nothing. It did not even seem to be anything more than an annoyance to her. Then she felt her grip on her neck harder. Making her feel her heart in her head as her body dropped.

She did not say anything as her eyes met the sight of more vampires racing to him. She quickly figured out that others were only there to give Valli more time to get to wherever it was that she wanted to take both her alongside tiring out Danté. She then felt her bare ankle drag as she was being pulled back further. She felt anger at her own helplessness as she spotted that there was almost a waterfall of blood spray out in front of him and there was a tail of blood and dust behind him.

Then she heard a ding beside her and, what looked like an ordinary door, opened to a small room with velvet covering the floor and walls. Yet she could barely make out what furniture inside looked like. She then was thrown inside and hit and chipped her shoulder on the wall as Valli walked in and the door closed. She spotted the buttons beside the door and Valli quickly pressed the lowest one.

Before she could get up, she felt Valli’s hand enclose around her throat again. She had a smile on her lips, as if this was all part of some sadistic plan that everything was going according to. As the lift descended she leaned in and sniffed her neck. She then pinned her arms down. She soon spotted the fangs and she tried to kick again and again and again but it was useless. She felt the temperature rise and she willed the heat and tried to make it hotter. 

Is this me? Am I the one that’s doing this or is this Valli too?

Valli smirked, again looking at her as if she was a rare treasure.

“Are you doing that?” She asked pleasantly surprised.

She then let out a giggle. Seeing that that was useless, Melinda tried to raise her body heat, like she did in the hospital but this did not lessen her grip. This was the only thing that she could do. It was her only hope.

“You are!” She laughed

She then dug her fangs deep into her neck. She then felt her force them in deeper. She knew what she wanted and she was determined that she did not let up. She felt the fans go deeper and deeper until she could bear it no more. She finally then let out the scream that she wanted and the light exploded. She kicked and kicked but this was all to no avail. She soon felt her head pound as the doors opened.

Valli pulled away and let the blood flow freely. She fell to the floor and then coughed as she gasped for air. She was then pulled up and was shoved into a large chamber, lit by nothing but candles. She saw pillar upon pillar with columns up on columns of shelves, filled with what looked like bottles of red wine. Almost like a library. Although, she knew better than to think that it was.

She looked at Valli horrified, wondering how many people were killed to have this many bottles of blood. Yet she knew that she could only imagine. She could feel the ice cold atmosphere of the chamber. Then she felt the sinking feeling that she was going to join them. She looked down trying not to show her her tears.

I’m gonna die! That’s it! I’m gonna die here and there’s nothing that I can do about it! She’s just too strong! I can’t even fight back! 

Typical! I lear that I have a power and I can’t even use it to save myself!

Valli looked at her as she just wept and laughed lightly.

“You catch on rather fast. Although, you need not worry Melinda Narcissa. You will not be one of them. If my son does what I want him to, you will never have to worry about all this. After all, both my sons and I like you. Not to mention, Melinda Narcissa does sound like a vampire’s name. Don’t you agree? You know, I think that once you become a vampire, I will make you be called Lady Melinda Narcissa! Do you like that?” She said as she walked up to one of the bottles and smashed it. 

She was about to answer but then she heard a metallic ripping sound. She looked back but before she could get her hopes up Valli grabbed her and pulled her back. She threw another bottle in front of them as she walked further and further back. They were behind a shelf and she just about saw Danté in between two shelves. 

Yet for a moment she saw his eyes light up with bloodlust and his entire body was covered in blood. His fans were longer and sharper and the lower canines were sharper and longer too. His hands were thinner than usual with nails that looked like daggers. He looked like a monster!

Valli laughed as she looked at him. She then pushed the shelf down over him. She then picked her up and then ran toppling shelf after shelf. They soon came to the back, where there was a table with cuffs on. She saw that there was a needle at every point. 

This must be where they bleed their victims. She deduced.

That was when they turned around. She saw Danté had already caught up with them.

“You took your sweet time, my dear son!”

“Give Melinda back to me!” He growled.

She cocked her eyebrow apathetically.

“Gladly.”

She then pushed her to him, holding onto the back of her neck tightly. He looked at her with an enraged frown.

“It is what you wanted, is it not?” She said as she placed her tiny finer on the wound in her neck. “You might as well get it over with. After all, you are the vampire king now Danté, so it would be inevitable. After all, we both know that if you refuse to do it, somebody else will. After all, I know this girl is destined to be a child of the night. She even looks and sounds like one of us already!”

“Mother, no. Melinda will never be a child of the night.”

She cocked her eyebrow.

“Oh? Is that right? Then, how about you think about it? After all, the best way to get to you is to make her into one of us. We both know that it would be beneficial to all if she does, even more so if you are her master.”

“Mother let her go. Now.”

“Not until she sees you for the way you truly are. The way I know you are, and to make your first vampire. Your first fang child!”

“Never! I promised Jaden that will never happen and I promised my Myra that I will never make a fang child.”

He then raced to her and bit into her neck. He gripped her wrist and soon crushed it thus letting go of Melinda. He drank and drank until she turned to dust. Which fell on her causing her to shiver. He crouched to her and hugged her tightly. As if part of him was afraid to let go. Feeling that he was real, she cried in his arms.

“Shh, shh! It’s okay now! It’s okay now!” He whispered in her ear like a protective father would.

Sunrise

“Her name was Vladamyra and my wife was Vallery.” He said as he took her to sit down. “They were very much like you and Jaden. I was barely twenty when I met her. She was Vallery Valour back then and she was…”

A sad smile played on his lips as he cleaned her wounds.

“The only woman I ever loved at that age. Her hair was the colour of pail rose petals and lavender eyes. Her skin was the colour of the sun. She was human back then. That was when Vytautas found out. As my brother went out of his way to torture me at every turn, he turned her into a vampire. I took her into my home and cared for her, as she had nowhere else to go. After she had fallen in love with me, my father helped marry the pair of us in secret. We then went into hiding for a good number of years and that was when we had Vladamyra. She looked a lot like me and yet similar to you. She even acted like you too! Which, I admit, caused me to notice that Jaden was like Vallery. We grew close and closer and that was when mother and Vytautas showed up. They pretended to be different people, Vytautas even pretended to be sorry that he turned her into a vampire.”

He then hit the table.

“We opened our home to them! We genuinely thought that they were here to make amends and to get to know us and Vladamyra too. I genuinely thought at that time that mother loved me and I was desperate for that love she always reserved for my younger brother.” He covered his eyes as he let out a long and shaky breath, he then pulled out a bandage and started to wrap it around her neck. “It was a lie. All they wanted was to eliminate me and all those that stood in my brother’s way to the throne. Mother killed Vallery and Vytautas killed my daughter. She was only a year younger than you at that age. And they’ve been keeping me alone ever since.”

She nodded as he finished attending to her neck.

“Will there be more?”

“I should expect so. After all, not all vampires would like me to be their king.”

She nodded as she felt frustration rise.

I’m gonna have to find a way to defend myself.

“They’ll be coming for us won’t they?”

He nodded.

“Unfortunately.”

“I want to go home now.”

“Alright.”

He picked her up. Then he walked outside and left the ground.

“What day is it?”

“Sunday. Early in the morning.”

She nodded.

“I wanna see the sun.”

“They hypnotised you.”

“Yeah, I forgot who I was. Wondered if you all ever existed.”

“You need a proper meal by the looks of you.”

“Will that be dog food too?” She asked as her eyes dropped to the castle.

“No.” He said as he tried to keep his voice calm.

They came to their street. Danté safely and softly landed on the ground. This was the third time he had done this. Part of her hated this deep down. She wished that she could find a way to defend herself from these types of people. She wished that she could find a way to make a stand. That was when she remembered what Valli had said.

“Do you think that I would be able to defend myself better as a vampire?”

Danté let out a smile and he sighed.

“Please, trust me, it is not worth it.”

With this he turned and knocked on the door. Jaden opened. There were heavy bags under her reddened and jaded eyes. They soon lit up.

“Mel’!” She exclaimed as she threw jet arms tightly around her. Her grip was as tight as a vice as she cried. She could feel her shaking too.

Yes, this is real. I’m home again!

Soon she hugged her back just as tightly and felt years run down her face. She was relieved y to be home. She needed this after the past week. She did not want to leave this place ever again. She wanted to stay here forever where none could harm her.

She then spotted the clown looking at her. He just stood there doing nothing. She felt that he was annualizing her. She then looked away as she tried not to think about it too much. Yet she knew that he was going to start whatever it was he had planned. He then walked up to her and gave her a first aid kit.

“T-thank you!?”

He smiled and walked off then Danté ushered them inside. He opened it and spotted an armband. They put it on and spotted that her blood pressure was low, but not dangerously so. She let out a sigh. She checked her temperature but it was nothing a good sleep could cover. They cleaned her wounds and she took a shower and they attended to the wounds. Danté then helped her dry her hair and bushed it.

When she went downstairs she was brought to tears as she saw a proper meal. She tasted it and knew that it was the real thing. She then cleaned her teeth and she felt better by far.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her face looked thinner, her body was thinner and lighter than the previous week. She was pale and the deep heavy bags under her eyes gave her the look of the dead. She looked at herself in her eyes, they were reddened and had an unnerving wild look about them.

They felt pain as she felt the light of the sun hit them. Her eyes narrowed as to allow her eyes adjust to the light. A light that she never thought that she would see again. She felt a sad smile spread across her thin pale lips as she felt the warmth of the sun. She never thought that she would never be this glass to see the light of the sun. She never thought that it was so beautiful and was made of more colours than she thought.