A Father's Gift: "She had zinged. My blood peach had zinged. I'm so happy and yet so sad. Me and Martha had hundreds of years together, but he's human and so short lived. And what will the rest of the hotel do when they find out? It will never work. It's doomed to tragedy … Unless." AU. One-shot. Dark.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hotel Transylvania.

Image: Hotel Transylvania by BotanicaXu

Rating: Teen.

…

A father's love is all I have.

It's not glittery or hip or glam,

But it will give my little girl all she'll ever need.

Including a husband, made of blood and gore and necessity.

…

"Yeah … and then there was this … oh, I don't know dude. It-it was magical. It was like my heart skipped a beat and is still caught in my throat, you know. I-it was a … zing."

The rest of Johnny's words were lost to me, his modern careless tone floating about as we both sat on the once-floating table, having crashed spectacularly. It had been a bonding moment. Our moment of fun and then … he killed it. No, no. I know it's not his fault. It was destined to happen. Fate likes to get her fingers up into everyone else's business like she owns the place. Johnny would have wandered the world looking for his zing until the day he died or settled. So many people and monsters just settle for someone. And I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, it's a simple life, but a zinged life ... there is nothing happier.

Sitting there, watching Johnny prattle on about one thing or another, his smile seemingly always present, I knew I could not take that happiness from my daughter. I couldn't just allow her to settle.

As much as it pained me, I knew what I had to do.

It would be so easy, in fact, to suddenly grab him by his shoulders and slam him down on the table. I know he would give me a frightened grin and ask what's going on D-Man, but I could do it. I could drain him, feel him kick his legs out beneath me, tears streaming down the sides of his face as I drained the life out of him. Slowly, he would start to still, his heart beat fading like a dying drum and then, just when he was about to take his last breath, I would puncture one of my wrists and let my blood drip down his throat.

Then, there would be a moment of stillness, the stillness that disturbs all creators as they wonder if they have failed or not … especially when it's one they love or for someone they love. But then as the newly reborn Johnny would gasp and like a real newborn would yowl in hunger. I would feed him my blood then for a few weeks time, slowly introducing him to blood supplements. And though he would not be a pure-blood born vampire and thus weaker than Mavis or me, he would be immortal and he would be hers.

He would be my little girl's.

And yet, where does one start?

And what of the hotel then? Even if I turned him … It would ruin the hotel. Everyone would know that he had been human and that a human had gotten into the last haven for monsters.

And yet, looking at him with his electric hair and body paint, I can't help but be reminded that his name is currently Johnny-Stein.

I hold nothing against Steins. Long lived, durable …

A part of me wanted to dwell on it longer, but being so active … he was bound to blow his cover and with Quasimodo's rat revealing what everyone else was too blind to see. It was just a matter of time, before he was discovered. And though humans might not be all bad, Johnny revealing as much, the human would have to be turned soon regardless. After all, they are about the same mental age now and I don't want her to go through the emotional anguish later and perhaps … make a bad choice. Sometimes, to spare someone a moment of suffering, a lover might make a bad choice … and watch her zing grow old and die.

I will spare her the pain and so alone, watching the teenager prattle on, I reached out a hand and gently touched the boy's cheek, gaining his full attention as he went silent.

"Yo, D-man … you are kind-of invading my personal space. Not that I mind much, having so many brothers, but-"

"Are you sure you zinged?" I asked, carefully, making sure I wasn't cursing a boy to monster-ism if he wasn't always meant for the life in the end.

His eyes glinting, a love sick glaze on his eyes, he softly murmured, "P-promise you won't drink my blood first dude. I mean, I have some things to clear up with my backpack before I go."

Smiling bitterly, I made a decision, "No, I will not drink you blood, Johnny-Stein."

Giving me a funny look, probably because I called him by his fake name, he sat back on his hands and gave the roof a dreamy look and murmured, "Yeah, I'm sure … and I'm also sure that … I really-really like her."

Watching him, a dreamy look on his face, I almost felt bad when I gently reach a hand forward … and snapped his neck.

…

I was glad that Frank was a close friend as I carried the limp body of Jonathan down to the lab. Luckily, the room was currently not occupied and I placed the slowly stiffening corpse on the slab. I knew I had to act fast before the soul left the body, because all of this would be for naught if the boy came back as someone other than himself.

Sighing, taking off my cape as to not get blood all over it, I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed a surgical knife. I had helped Frank put himself back together many times and yet my hands shook as I cut into the still warm flesh, blood pooling all about, ruin stones and pieces of metal stuffed under skin and flesh to make sure he revived properly and to make sure the soul was kept in the body.

I was impeccable in my work. He had to be perfect for my blood peach. I stayed up all day, using my powers to rush the job. I even called in a favor or two, like a weather witch and a necromancer. True, he was so much more than just a Frankenstein monster, but soon he was finished … except for one thing. A jolt of life. No one questioned the thunderstorm that night or the dimming of the lights as I threw the switch.

And for a moment, the young body still and unmoving, I thought I had failed and my face fell.

All that work for … for nothing.

Oh, how disappointed Martha would be.

And yet, as my heart gave into despair, there was a gasp and a groan, electricity spiking through the boy's hair. Then, confused and frightened, he sat up and touched his neck, fingers stalling on his stitches. He didn't react well when he saw his stitched up wrists either. And I tell you now, I will never forget the look he gave me, the hurt in his voice as he had asked what I had done.

I, in turn, sat on the slab and started at my blood covered hands. It couldn't find the right words to say … so instead I told him to look into my eyes.

I am glad I had taken out those horrible contact lenses.

…

That night, Mavis dressed in her best with her own cloak, I smiled as I gave her my present: Johnny Stein.

True, I would be giving her to another man, but at least he was a monster … and at least she wouldn't ever want to leave because all she would ever want was now employed at Hotel Transylvania. A gift she didn't know she had received.

XXX

Paw07: I watched Hotel Transylvania last night and I was struck by a dark one-shot. Everyone always makes him a vampire, but I decided to go on a different route.