"Of course you wouldn't remember me. But I remember you..." the voice whispered again. "Don't vorry, you'll remember soon...very soon..."
Something kissed my cheek so softly i wasn't sure if it was lips or just a slight breeze. I opened my eyes drowsily, but my vision was so blurry i couldn't see who it was. The person looked at me, sighed, then turned away without another word, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
"Wait..." I mumbled desperately, only to have a wave of tiredness wash over me again. I fell back onto my pillow, sleeping as if i had never woken...
That was 6 months ago.
I was doodling in my notebook in the middle of class, of werewolves and vampires, mostly. Math was a horrible subject, and i didn't even bother learning it. The teacher stopped bothering with getting me to pay attention, since all i would do was hiss at him. My dad was furious with me. He said i was such a good girl till my 'best friend' showed up. Of course, it was probably an imaginary friend, one that i wouldn't remember, but he still reacts furiously when i misbehave. So what, i'm dark and i'm unruly. Its not like i'm smoking pot and shooting people on the streets. Once my page was filled with little scribbles, I turned to the next page in my notebook. A piece of paper fell to the floor, instantly catching my attention. No one ever gave me notes. I picked it up off the floor, looking at it cautiously. The paper was old and wrinkled, and the words on it looked like it was writen hundreds of years ago.
Dear Mina Harper,
Leave your windows open.
Sincerely,
The Count
I looked at the paper funny, wondering if this was that nerd Chester's brilliant idea. He's had a crush on me for the longest time, and i continue to find his antics of asking me out rediculous. 'Is he trying to play on my fasination of the supernatural?' I wondered. I was about to crush the piece of paper into a ball, but something held me back. The delicacy of the paper, the fine penmanship, i couldn't tell, but something about it all seemed familiar...
The bell rang like a fog horn through my conciousness, making my mind clear. I quickly put the the paper in my note book and shoved it into my backpack, going off to my next class.
That night, i laid in my bed, looking at the note again, admiring it. I was a sucker for anything relitively historical, but this paper seemed ancient. If this was Chester's idea, how could he have gotten paper this old? Or how could he learn to write so well, when he has the penmanship of a second grader? I still had my doubts about the note, but i left my window open anyway. What could the harm be? If it was some mysterious count, i'd figue out what he wanted.
And if it was Chester, I could beat the sh*t out of him.
I looked over to my alarm clock. 12:00, midnight. I sighed, jumping off of my bed. I walked over to my window, looking out into the night.
"Guess no one's coming..." I murmured disappointedly.
"Vhy, are you expecting someone?" a voice asked. I jumped around, falling against the window. There, in the dark corner of my room, stood a tall, skinny man, wearing a long, dark cape that made my heart jump...
And he was blue
"Who are you?" I snapped, grabbing my metal baseball bat Please Mina, I mean no harm!" The man said, waving his arms. I glared.
"Chester sent you, didn't he?" I accused, swinging the bat over my shoulders. "Well whatever he sent you for, just go home! I'm not interested!" The man shook his head, a look of uncertanty crossing his face.
"Mina, please, vill you just listen?" He asked. I scowled.
"To what, Chesters undying love poem?" I asked. "I already said, I'm NOT INSTERESTED!" I ran up to him, ready to swing my bat, when i stopped in midair.
"I'm sorry Mina, but there's something you need to see." The man said, holding his arm out. "Something you need to remember."
And thats when it all flooded back to me.
"Vlad, why can't we play tonight?" I asked, my voice as high and sweet as it was when I was 9. Vlad shook his head, patting mine.
"Because, Mina, I have, uh, business to attend to." Vlad said in a weak voice. His voice was growing weaker over these last few months. His skin wasn't its usual blue, either, it was a decaying, rotting, gray. I pouted, crossing my arms across my chest. Vlad sighed and kissed the top of my head.
"Ve vill play tomorrow, Mina." The Count said. "I promise." I looked away, the same scowl on my face. The Count sighed, turning into a bat with a huff of smoke. He left out of my window as a bolt of lightning hit the ground. I looked away, trying to choke down the tears. Me and Vlad had played for every night for 2 years, why couldn't we play tonight? Did he not realize that this what my escape, the only thing fun in my life? My dad yelled at me for napping once I got home from school, and that was all so I could see Vlad! And he doesn't want to play?
No.
I jumped off of my bed, looking out the window, a determined look on my face. The bat shaped figure flew over the town, landing in a spot about 6 blocks over.
I smiled evilly, jumping down and grabbing my jacket.
My best friend was in for a surprise.
I found the house immidiately once i got there. The light of the house was dim, and the front door was wide open. I walked through the door cautiously, looking around. "Count?" i called out, looking around. I could hear a soft high pitched moan from the other room, where the television flickered. I walked to the living room,
then screamed so loudly it woke up the whole neighborhood.
The count's teeth were stuck in a young girl's neck, and the bits of blood that came out he sucked up. The Count detached himself from the girl in an instant,
an utterly shocked look on his face.
"MINA!" He exclaimed. "vhat are you doing here?" I couldn't answer, even if I wanted to, because my throat was stuck, it was hard to breath, and the only thing i could do was sob as if the world was ending.
"Hey, somethings going on!" Someone exclaimed from outside. The count looked out the window, then to me.
"Quickly, Mina, ve must get out of here!" The Count said, holding his hand out. I grabbed his hand, even though I was terrified by what I just saw. He turned into a bat, and I gripped on tightly to his feet. He flew me back to my house, changing back into his normal form once he got through the window. I landed on the floor with a thump. Tears continued to roll down my cheek, and i hiccuped so much I could've choked on them. After a moment of silence, the count hit his hand against the wall.
"Mina, I told you I couln't play tonight!" He yelled monsterously. That only made the tears fall down more. He looked at me, and his eyes suddenly turned soft.
He walked over to me, knelt down, and held me.
"Mina, I'm sorry..." he said, hugging me tightly.
"Wh-Wh-What were you d-d-doing to her?" I asked, my throat catching on every word I spoke. The Count sighed, hugging me even tighter.
"I'm so sorry..." He said. He stood up, looking down at me. I looked up, alarmed. The count looked me in the eyes and waved his hand "Look deeply into my eyes, Mina..." he said in a seductive tone. Oddly enough, I was instantly entranced. There was nothing in the world except the Count,
and his odd, black eyes.
"You vill forget everything you've seen tonight..." he said, waving his hands still. "And...you vill forget completely about me. You vill forget that I vas ever your friend." Wearily, I started to close my eyes, instant drowsiness crossing over me. I fell to the ground, but not until i heard,
"I'm so very sorry, Mina."
I broke from my trance a moment later. The Count stood there, looking at me with a sad, mournful glance. I widened my eyes.
"Its you." I whispered. "You're Vlad." Vlad smiled sadly, setting me down on the ground with his power. I instantly dropped the bat and ran up to him, throwing my arms around his neck.
"Mina?" He asked, startled. I started to cry against his chest.
"I missed you...I've missed you so much!" I exclaimed. Vlad looked down at me, utterly shocked. But he slowly hugged me back.
"I've missed you too, Mina." he said softly.
After our sob moment was over, we spent the whole night together, doing stupid stuff we used to, like tea parties and playing with dolls, things I haven't done for years, and some new things too, like sneaking out of my house and looking at the night sky.
"Vlad," i said, looking at the moon. It was slowly starting to fade as the sun started to light the night.
"Yes, Mina?" he asked, looking at the sky with me. I gulped, trying to gather up my courage.
"I understand why you made me forget about what I saw, but why did you make me forget you?" I asked. The Count stiffened, then relaxed, slowly.
"Believe me, it vas not easy for me to do that." he said, looking down. "But you vere so young. I couldn't live vith the thought of everytime i had to...
eat..." he said the last sentence like there was a wishbone in his throat, "that I vould have to make you forget. You vouldn't understand, and I couldn't just lie through my teeth. So, i made you forget about me. I thought it vas the best for you."
"Well it wasn't." I snapped, hugging my arms. "I've been alone for my entire life. Every day its either I'm called Vampira or Chester's chasing after me. I was so alone. I can't forgive what you did!" I yelled the last sentence, its volume slicing through the knife like a knife. "I came back, did I not?" he asked. I bit my lip, refusing to give in. He sighed and put his hand on my shoulder. "I made you remember, didn't I? I had no intention of leaving you behind forever. I don't think whats left of my heart could bear that." I kept my face angry for a good long moment. The sun was starting to shine over the land. Vlad winced, then sighed.
"I guess you don't vant me anymore," He said, "and I don't blame you." He turned around, holding his arms out. My eyes widened and I got up and ran to him, hugging him tighter than I ever have before.
"Don't leave me again!" I exclaimed, starting to cry again. The count looked over his shoulder, smiled, then turned around.
"I vill never leave you." Vlad said softly. "Love doesn't die that easily." My cheeks started to turn bright red, and my heart started to pump with the furiousity of a thousand bulls seeing red. The Count winced, obviously keeping himself from biting my neck, but erased the look immediately and smiled.
"You are so adorable vhen you blush." He said. I smiled a bit.
"So you'll come back tomorrow?" I asked. The Count smiled.
"Of course, dear Mina." he said. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. "But for now, I must go." I sighed and stepped back, allowing him to leave. He turned around again, transforming into a bat again, heading to the same black castle that he's always lived in, and the same black castle I'd one day live in.
"Good bye, Vlad." I whispered into the air. I turned around, about to head back home, but not before i turned around and said, " and, I love you too."