Vladimir Tod woke with a start. The dream had felt so real, it was scary. He blinked away the feeling of being hunted, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
He started College in less than a week, and this past summer has been filled with a lot of thinking. After Nelly had been stolen from him and Otis, and after Tomas Tod was officially dead, along with Vikas, and after everything else he'd been through in high school, Vlad and Otis decided that he was old enough to live on his own, in the house that once belonged to Vlads' parents. Otis had remodeled it when he moved in Vlads' Sophmore year. Otis remained in Nellys' house, unable to part just yet.
Without Nelly, Vlad was forced to feed from the source, or have blood wine shipped to him from New York. October and Henry hung out, a lot. And she rubbed off on Henry. He started wearing darker clothes, DC vans, and listening to heavy metal. These were on Vlads' list of things he never thought he'd see. Ever. Of course, Matilda supported everything besides the metal.
Snow came over almost every day since graduation, helping him choose a career path.
Truth was, he thought long and hard about everything.
If he were to be a doctor, he could grab the expired to be blood bags. If he were law enforcement, he could tell the baddies what to do with a thought. Or, he could just follow Snow into a computer design. He wasn't all that talented at drawing, but if it meant spending time with Snow, then he'd do anything.
Of course, Snow had eternity to learn anything she wanted, and he was uncertain whether or not he'd grow in age or what. But, something he and Otis pondered about a lot was something Tomas had said. Tomas was pointing out what D'Ablo had messed up on. "The Pravus doesn't develop his full powers until he has turned eighteen." Tomas Tod had said.
So that meant Vlad had gotten whatever powers he was supposed to, he just hadn't realized it until he had to use them all in one day. But, with the full extent of his powers, did that mean he would forever be eighteen?
The question ate at him like ants on a bug. Until the phone rang anyway.
Vlad stumbled through his house, tripping over his converse and nimbly catching himself before his face hit the floor. He ran into the kitchen, picking up the phone on its' last ring, and spoke.
"Hello?"
"Hey, October and I are going to the mall. You and Snow wanna go?" asked Henry.
"Sure, let me ask Snow."
"Alright. I'll pick you up. We leave around lunch." Said Henry before hanging up. Vlad put the phone back in its carrier. He started to call out for Snow with his blood, and almost jumped when her arms wrapped around his torso. He turned around in her embrace and hugged her close to his bare chest.
"Hey beautiful." Said Vlad, kissing her. Her lips felt like rose petals on his, and he breathed in her sweet nectar smelling blood.
"Hey, handsome." She replied with a smile.
"When did you get here?"
"When the conversation with Henry started."
"Well, nice entrance, by the way. Let me go get ready." Said Vlad, stealing a kiss on her cheek and bounding up the stairs. He grabbed his black 'Vampires Suck' shirt, some black pants, and his converse and after a quick shower, he came downstairs to find Snow watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Henry pulled up in his Charger and Snow and Vlad piled in the backseat. October turned around to face Snow, and they entered a girl chat. The drive was long, but they eventually made it to Stokerton Mall, which was not that far from Stokerton University and the business building that now held way to many bad memories for Vlad; Everything from D'Ablos' maniacal traps, rituals, where Ignatius had tried to take his life, where Jasik had died while Vlad was inside his mind, Nellys' death at the fangs of his father, the death of Tomas, and Vikas. He hoped beyond hope that the building would either fall over one day, crushing all of those memories beneath broken glass and steel beams.
