The wind howled through the branches of the sycamore tress that thrashed against the fences and the moon cast ghoul like shine over the snow filled Stokely. The soft hum of an engine stopped leaving a cold chill of silence to pierce the barren streets. A car door swung open and the twins stumbled out causing a fresh sweep of noise to brush down the road. The rest filed out and soon they were all gathered around the door with Mrs Branagh's fist raised as she knocked on the door. There was some shuffling and the noise of a light switch being turned on before it was opened revealing a young girl, still short and youthful with brilliant smile.
"Mrs Branagh!" she grinned, "Come in, Mum'll be so pleased to see you all oh and Merry Christmas." As they walked into the kitchen they saw the figure of a boy or maybe even a man sitting at the table with his back to them, next to Sally.
The woman in question looked up at them and a large smile stretched across her face, "Elizabeth, Graham. So good to see you, and you brought the children."
"Sally," Mrs Branagh replied hugging her friend, "and who might this be."
"Oh of course how rude of me-"
"This is Vlad," George replied as she tugged his arm, forcing him to turn around and stand, "my brother."
Just as Mr Branagh was about to reply Vald cut in, "Actually George we already know each other, from when I used to live in Stokely."
"Oh," Sally replied looking at her son, "That was before you turned sixteen wasn't it?"
Vlad nodded meeting her eyes, "Yes, it was."
"But," Paul began scratching the back of his neck, "How is Vlad your brother?"
Sally sighed and Vlad smiled awkwardly, "How about we all sit down and we can talk." Mrs Giles offered.
Vlad led them into the living room and sat down on the floor beside the fire, George soon taking her places next to him, leaving the couches free for the Branaghs and Sally. The whole family turned to Vlad expectantly and he huffed slightly before speaking, "A couple of years ago, just before my eighteenth birthday I found out I was only Ingrid's half-brother. At first I though 'Mum' had cheated on Dad and he was my step-father but then I realised that if that had happened Magda would've been dead centuries ago. So I confronted Dad about it and it turns out that twenty-one years ago Dad met Mum, meaning Sally, and they hooked up-"
"At Whitby Goth Festival." George added and her brother huffed a laugh.
"Yeah, at Whitby Goth Festival, and it left her pregnant with me but Mum's parents made her put me up for adoption where dad adopted me and named me Vladimir."
Chloe cocked her head slightly, "Why'd Magda let him have you?"
"Well there's the whole not having to produce a male heir thing, you know how dad's a bit eccentric about that. It does explain why she hated me though, one time Magda threw me in the oven." He said contemplatively, almost to himself, only to snapped away when George barked a laugh.
"Gosh Vlad, you almost sounded serious then, I think Ingrid's melodramatics are finally rubbing off on you."
"Oh shut up, stop aiming digs at her you're just pissy because she killed your cat." George growled at him and he simply raised a brow in challenge until Sally's voice cut through.
"Language Vlad, and George what did I tell you about making fun of Ingrid." there was a chorus of 'Sorry Mum' from the two of them before Sally nodded and stood up from her place on the couch and said to the rest of them, "I'll get us some wine."
"Don't forget the ginger beer for George." Vlad snickered.
"No! I'm allowed wine at Christmas time." George scowled.
"Actually it's only Christmas Eve and Christmas day that you're allowed any form of alcohol." the vampire smirked.
Sally sighed as she walked in with a tray of wine glasses and a bottle, "Stop it you two. George you can have a glass, but only one."
"Mum!" Vlad groaned, "That's so not fair."
"Love you, Mum." George shot Vlad a smug look as she deliberately sipped on her wine.
"I hope you choke on that and die." Vlad threatened calmly causing Robin and Chloe to share a glance as George simply rolled her eyes.
Elizabeth laughed at the pair, "You know now that I think about it you do all look similar, you and George do share more similarities than you and Ingrid ever did, Vlad."
"How is Ingrid?" the twins asked simultaneously. Vlad stared at them for a second before cracking smile, and winking at George.
"Oh you know she's managing, Dad moved to Australia with Renfield a few years ago an I'm always either here or traveling so she has the house to herself."
"She gets a bit lonely sometimes." George sipped on her wine again.
"Yeah what she really needs is to just settle down with someone." Sally pkayed into their game.
Robin rolled his eyes, "Oh don't start the twins up agin they only just got over their school crushes on her, we all thought she'd gone down with the castle to be honest."
"Robin!" Mrs Branagh scolded.
"Yeah so did we. Dad practcally threw a party when we received the news of the fire, especially at the possibility of Ingrid being dead." Vlad was smiling a little now and George let out a little giggle as he sipped on his wine, eyes locking with Robbin's as the breather gulped.
"Wait Ingrid's free, she doesn't have a boyfriend?"
"Oh I didn't say that," Vlad remarked.
"No, no. She has a strapping boyfriend, Piers and Ingrid are a match made in heaven."
George scoffed, "More like hell," she muttered, receiving an elbow to the rib from Vlad.
The rest of the night went smoothly and the Branagh left as clueless as they came, all except Robin and Chloe who were now strung with utter fear.
"Did you really have to torture them like that, I thought they were going to stake you as you were when you mentioned Elizabeth's necklace."
"Don't forget the look on Robin's face when he commented on Chloe's flush it was priceless."
Sally looked at her children disapproving before smiling warmly, "Who wants a hot chocolate?"