The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

"Oh just about a mile," she said. "Just go left until you hit an intersection and then I'll tell you where to go"



He pulled onto the road and drove down the quiet street. The rays of golden light from the street lamps flooded in and out of the car, starting at the windshield and disappearing suddenly when the lamp was out of reach of the car. He kept sneaking glances in the rearview mirror to make sure none of his wounds had started bleeding or something. Then he glanced at her. She had her head rested on the window, looking outside. She still clutched the water bottle he had given her. She looked as tired as he was. This was another thing that had been a change for him. Since he had been released from the hospital, he'd been a lot more tired, although he figured this was to be expected.



He soon came to the intersection she had spoken of and did not have to ask where to go, as she informed him as soon as he stopped at a light.



"Ok just made a right and then a left three stores down." she said, and he nodded and did just that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Christabel had followed them out the door, as she could not pass through them yet, and was silent as they walked down the street. She was sure Carlos could see him, but she kept her head down, as she was also sure he was angry with her. She lifted her feet and drifted lightly just a few inches above the ground. She didn't feel like walking. Her feet had barely become wisps of matter, and she had vanished completely by the time they reached a store, although she still followed.



Carlos walked into the little convenience shop and grabbed a few bottles of water. Niki waited at the front of the store, watching the owner count out money from the register. He came back and bought the water, handed her one, and they walked outside, where they just stood. After a while, Carlos spoke.



"Um..so I should probably take you home....if you like."



Niki nodded and took a sip from her water bottle. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble. I'll just tell my mom I was working late."



"Ok."



They walked back toward Forsythia's house in silence, but only for a short while, as Niki had questions.



"So what was that just now?" she said.



Carlos kicked a rock as he walked. "Maybe I'll tell you later. I think I should get you home for now."



"Ok," she agreed. "Well what about that guy?"



He smiled. "Why don't I just stop by with Kora tomorrow and I'll tell you everything? Is that ok?"



"Yeah! Sounds good."



"Good."



They had reached the house, but did not go inside. Carlos went straight for George's car, but then realized he did not have the keys. He opened the door for Niki, and then quickly ran upstairs to his room for them. Fawn managed to catch him in the middle of his frantic searching.



"Hey, where were you?" she asked.



He did not turn around, sifting through his desk drawer. "Uh nowhere, just had to take care of something with Sheri."



"Oh," she said, "Well I saw this thing earlier....kinda spooked me. Hard to explain but-"



"Yeah um, I can actually explain that. But...later because I gotta- just later ok? I'll be back soon."



She seemed puzzled. "Well where are you going now?"



He pocketed the keys and started to walk out of the room. "Nowhere just- ok can I PLEASE just tell you later? I really have to leave."



She looked at him in surprise, but then started giggling uncontrollably. He didn't quite get the joke.



"What? What's so funny?" he asked.



She answered him in between gasps, doubling over and resting her hands on her knees.



"You're going to go out- no. You've BEEN OUT looking like that?"



He was still unsure of what she meant, until it hit him. He ran down the hall and into the bathroom, looking in the mirror. To his horror, he realized that he had conpletely forgotten his condition. He stared, wide eyed, as he took in, again, his appearance. His hair wasn't so bad, it had begun to grow back already, although it was still sparse in some places. His face, however, looked raw and sickly. The many beatings he had taken from himself left him scarred, bruised, and scabbed. He ran his fingers over the gashes, some still hadn't clotted. He hoped with everything in him that Niki hadn't seen him, given how dark it was. Either that, or she was very polite. Fawn came slowly down the hall, still cackling and howling with laughter, her head thrown back all the way. He wanted to tell her she looked possessed and ridiculous. He just cut his eyes at her.



"Here," she said, throwing something at him, "I think you'll need this."



He caught it, a piece of cloth, a sock-like thing. He turned it this way and that a couple of times before he realized it was a hat. As soon as he did, he threw it on and raced back to the car. He got in, out of breath, and put the key in the ignition.



"Sorry about that," he said, "Just ran into someone that kept me for a few minutes. Now, where are we headed?"

"Why is it so important?" he asked.



She stepped closer. "Only a vampire with the strongest sense of self control would refrain from-"



Aeduuard interrupted. "Who's to say that he-"



"AEDUUARD. I thought I bade you be silent!" she snapped, then continued: "Would refrain from licking the blood off. This is the sign of a true leader. Please." She held out the necklace.



He reached for it, but just as he took it from her, the girl underneath the sheet moved. His eyes slid to the sheet, and there was a hand pawing around, seeming to be trying to remove the sheet. Sheri noticed him looking and whipped her head around, seeing the object of interest. She dropped the necklace, leaving it dangling between his thumb and forefinger, and turned to his mentor.



"Aed. If you will."



Aeduuard walked over to the girl, a new syringe in his hand. Carlos had not seen where it had come from, but he didn't particularly care. He dropped the necklace and stepped quickly toward him. Sheri caught his arm, and he spun around.



"What are you doing?!" he said.



"Why are you frantic?" she asked.



He was baffled. "You can't just DO THAT! Leave her alone!"



Aeduuard had stopped and was looking at them. Suddenly, the sly smile crept across his face once again. He laughed.



"Malin," he said, "Are you in LOVE with this mortal?"



Carlos clenched his fists, hating Aeduuard more and more with every word he spoke.



"I don't even KNOW her, so shut up. Now leave. Her. Alone."



Aeduuard smiled and dropped the syringe, holding up his hands in surrender. Carlos grabbed it before he could change his mind, opened the door a crack, and tossed it into the street. Upon shutting it again, he turned to see Sheri and Aed standing side by side, Sheri with her arms folded.



"Why must you make this difficult?" she asked. "All we ask is for you to simply-"



"No." Carlos said.



"Why?"



"I just won't. Not against her will."



Sheri unfolded her arms and placed her hands on her hips, walking toward the sheet.



"So you're telling me," she said, "That if we ask her, that will be enough for you?"



"Well.....well yeah. But...I don't really know her I me-"



"Good enough." Sheri shook Niki's shoulder, and she sat bolt upright. She looked around as if jolted from a light dream, not sure of where she was. Her eyes then fell on Carlos.



"Hey!" she said, obviously, very confused. "I remember you!"



Slightly embarrassed, he quickly picked up the necklace he had dropped and clipped it on. Then, having nothing else to fumble with, shoved his hands into his pockets, bowing his head.



"Um...hi." he said quietly.



She shifted her support to her knees and tried to stand. When she finally got to her feet, she realized standing wasn't an option, and sat back down. She crossed her legs and looked at Sheri.



"Wait...who are you?"



Sheri smiled. "Nobody of your concern. Would you be ok if Carlos here took about a pint of your blood?"



Carlos' mouth dropped open yet again. "SHERI! WHAT THE HELL!"



"What?"



"You can't just blurt that out the minute she gets talking to you!"



"Of course I can. Now, what do you say mortal?"



Niki thought for a minute. The minute seemed to go by for an hour. Finally, she looked up.



"Can I have some water?" she asked.



Sheri threw up her arms, exasperated. Aeduuard chuckled, which earned him a smack on the arm. The two of them retreated to a room which Carlos had not noticed before, tucked away in the shadows of the place. He found it odd that they had just left, but he also found it as an opportunity to get the girl out. He walked up to her and knelt down, not particularly sure what to do. She sleepily rubbed her eyes and spoke suddenly: "Where did they go? Am I getting my water or not? And where's your cat? I don't see your cat."



He had to laugh at this, as only one of those questions actually concerned where she was.



"In answer to your questions, I have no idea, yes, she's at home, and that's why you don't see her. I think we should leave before they get back."



"Good idea," she said. She was successful in standing this time, and carefully stepped toward the door, with Carlos grabbing various things as they left.



Once they were outside, he handed her one of Sheri's jackets, which had been among the few items he had taken, and the only one that was not his.



"Did I come with this? I'm so confused....wait that's not mine." She had already pulled on the jacket when she realized this.



"I know," he said, "It's Sheri's, but she doesn't need it. Now let's get out of here and get you some water."

Sheri hadnt seemed to notice the interruption. Carlos stared up at his mentor, who stared down at him with a sly grin on his face.



"So...." said Carlos, "If you're my mentor now, what about Fawn? Uh that's my....my other uh...mentor."



"Oh I gave her a good scare," the thing said. "I think we're rid of her."



Carlos' jaw dropped.



"We're RID of her? Why'd you have to scare her?"



"Because it is only custom for a new mentor to instill dominance over the old one."



Carlos stared at him in bewilderment.



"What's your name, anyway?"



"Aeduuard. It means prosperous guardian." he said proudly. "And what is yours?"



"Carlos."



Aeduuard thought for a minute.



"No, you shall be called Malin. Little warrior."



"WHAT?!"



"Yes, that is your name. Or would you rather be called Paige? That means youthful assistant."



"No! You can't just name me like that! Shari can he name me like that?"



She had been looking back and forth between the two of them.



"It is usually traditional to give your novice a name which best fits them. So yes."



Carlos sighed.



"Fine."



Aeduuard smiled.



"Very good. Malin it is."



Carlos nodded, but couldn't help but shift his eyes to the lump underneath the sheet. Sheri did notice this, and smiled.



"And I suppose this means we can go right into your first lesson. Aed, if you please."



Aeduuard led Carlos and Sheri to the center of the room and pulled off the sheet. Carlos took in a small gasp. It was the girl from the pet store, the one that asked for a playdate with Kora. She was asleep, it seemed. That's when he noticed the undisgarded syringe at her side. They had sedated her, but not without a fight it seemed, judging from her torn clothes and bruised face.



"Uh, who is this?" he asked, because he couldn't quite believe it. Aeduuard ripped her nametag off of her shirt; she was still wearing her work uniform.



"Hmm....it says her name is....Niki. No, no that will not do. She will be called-"



"NO!" Carlos screamed.



Sheri seemed taken aback. "You know this girl?"



"No! Well- yes we- I- no wait yes I do! What the hell is she here for?" he said.



Aeduuard now looked at him in bewilderment.



"Well," he said, "You must feed off her. Isn't it quite obvious?"



"I'm not doing that."



Aeduuard's face grew cruel. "And why not?"



"I'm just not. So forget it."



Sheri folded her arms, Aeduuard's fists trembled, still curled around the sheet.



"Carlos you need to, otherwise you will not be the Blood Sons' leader."



Aeduuard started to say something, but Sheri threw a hand across his chest. "Aed, don't."



He closed his mouth, opened it, and closed it again. Then he seemed to relax, and let Sheri finish.



"Do you realize, Carlos Hentze, how much I've gone through, to get the current leader of the Blood Sons to not only give up his position-"



"AFTER SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRUTE!" Aeduuard finally lost his temper, sending a chair flying toward Carlos. A leg of the chair slammed into his arm, and he grabbed it with his other hand. Sheri grabbed Aeduuard's arm.



"Did I not tell you to control yourself?" she said sharply. She took a breath and continued. "But to be your mentor?"



Carlos looked at her angrily. "I will not do this." He ripped off the necklace she had given him. "Take your stupid necklace, I don't care."



"Carlos, I do not want you to leave." She bent down and picked it up. "Please, reconsider, I wish to- You did not lick the blood off of this." she said as she turned the necklace in her fingers.



Carlos became confused at the sudden change in subject, but he nodded. "Why?"



Sheri seemed to suddenly be in awe. Her eyes became wide as she looked up at him.



"Please. Be our leader."

Forsythia had come home and was downstairs reading when he pranced up to her and sat on the arm of her chair. She looked strangely at him. He smiled at her.



"What are you doing?" she asked.



"Nothing."



"Why are you sitting like that? You never do that."



"Because I like to. Can I go outside?"



Forsythia was dumbfounded. He had never acted like this before, at least as far as she knew.



"Can you what?" He was kind of creeping her out.



He pointed to the window. "Go outside. Can I? Please?"



She looked at him skeptically.



"Sure....I suppose."



The last word was barely out of her mouth when he excitedly jumped up and ran upstairs. When he came back down, she saw that he had put on his shoes, but not tied them.



"No," she mumbled, "He is not going to ask me to-"



"Can you help me tie these?"



She couldn't help it, Forsythia's mouth nearly dropped to the floor.



"Can I what? Are you serious?" she said.



Christabel then remembered she was supposed to be older.



"Uh, no haha nevermind I can do it," she made him say. Then she bent down and fiddled with the laces. She had never had laces on her shoes, and couldn't quite figure out what to do with them. She peeked up at Forsythia. She had always liked Forsythia; she hadn't had siblings of her own. She did not want Forsythia to think oddly of her. She figured it was too late, however, as the look on Forsythia's face was that of utter disbelief.



"Uh, teehee," Christabel said, before realizing that Carlos would never have uttered such a thing as "teehee" . "Um, I'll just tie them outside." She left before Forsythia could say anything.



Once she was outside, she strolled off toward Sheri's meeting place. She had followed Carlos there when he had been given his offer, and decided to confirm. She thought it might be fun for him, and that she could borrow his body once in a while. She wasn't sure what a Blood Son was though. It sounded like an adventure.



She soon strolled up to the two heavy doors and knocked confidently. For about a minute, there was silence. Then, the bolts on the door clattered and a girl she understood to be Sheri stood in the doorway. She kind of intimidated Christabel, the way she scrutinized Carlos before finally smiling.



"So," she said, "You're back. Come to take me up on the offer?"



Christabel made him nod. "Yes miss."



Sheri raised her eyebrows. "Miss? Well, I suppose that will certainly do." She smiled. Christabel shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at his shoes, which she still had not tied.



"Why don't you come in?" Sheri held the door open wider. It was lighter than last time, more candles had been lit. Suddenly, Christabel felt as if someone had tugged on her hair. She was recieving resistance from Carlos' concious mind. In that instant, she became irritated that she couldn't quite fill his body. Nontheless, she forced it back and stepped inside. It was the same as it was, despite the few extra candles that had been brought in. She guess that this was so that she could get a nice clear look at the man in front of her. Rather, she thought, the creature. He was nearly eight feet tall, with long black hair and long, clawlike fingers. His eyes were as blue as the deepest ocean He smiled down at her, bearing much more than just two fangs.



"Carlos," Sheri said, "Meet your new mentor."



At this exact moment, while her own mind was weakened at the sight of him, she was plagued with an intense pressure and found herself thrown to the floor, out of Carlos' body. He stared angrily at her from several feet up. It took a while for her to remember she was no more than four feet high. She cowered under his menacing glare.



"Get in the corner and stay there," he hissed. She scrambled to the darkest corner she could find, right beside a sheet. There was a lump under this sheet, and it appeared to be breathing. She reached out and lifted she sheet slightly, making sure no one was looking. All she could see was a head of mussed blond hair. Then, to her horror, she realized: There was a reason Carlos wasn't the same. There was a reason she hadn't been able to find his soul. And there was a reason he was now drinking a dark liquid from a glass. Carlos was a vampire.