Chapter 4: Bloodlust

Drac flew as quickly as he could. Once he reached his daughter's room, he heard loud cries inside. He didn't even bother to knock, he transformed into purple mist and went straight under the door. When he regained his form, he was greeted by a dismal sight...

Mavis was lying on her bed, crying every tear her body was able to produce. Her eyes were still red, and her face was still as distorted as when she attacked Johnny, except sadness was the sole emotion that her face was able to express. Her entire pillow was drenched in tears.

Dracula's heart was in pain, more than if a wooden stake were thrust through it. Still, his paternal instincts kicked in, and he quickly wrapped her daughter in his cape, trying to reassure her. "What's wrong honey? Why are you so sad after seeing Johnny? I thought you would rejoice to see him alive and well..." he asked.

"I'm scared, Dad! Really, really scared!", she replied. "Scared of what, little mouse?" Dracula didn't like where the conversation was going, but he knew what was eating her daughter, as he was very familiar with it. "I'm scared of myself, Dad! Just before Johnny went to see me, every fiber of my body wanted him, his blood. I wanted, and still want, to suck him dry! I'm becoming a monster, Dad!"

Dracula really was hurt with those last words. She was becoming what he once was, a blood-thirsty vampire. He tried to put up a strong, but reassuring face, before continuing. "My sweet little blood-orange, you're not becoming a monster, you're just experiencing what is truly is to be a vampire. For now, your thirst might seem overwhelming, but with time, you'll learn to control it instead of letting it control you."

"Dad, why have you always told me that human blood tasted awful and was too fat? When I drank Johnny's blood, I felt it was the most divine nectar I ever tasted. Why, Dad, why?"

"Because I didn't want you to taste any of it, if possible. I know first-hand how addictive human blood can be for us vampires. It's very easy for us to shut down our emotions and just let the thirst take over. I wanted to avoid you that fate at all cost..."

"Whatever, Dad, just send Johnny away, I can't bear the thought of harming or killing him. Just tell him I don't love him anymore or something like that...", she said to her dad while sobbing. "No, no, no, no, no... I can't do that...", he replied, "If you end your relationship with him, you'll have regrets all of your life. You can beat your bloodlust, Mavy, you're strong, I should know, I was the one who raised you." As he said that, he gently strokes one of her bangs and slid it behind her ear.

She gave him a faint smile. "Really, Dad?", she said with her eyes full of hope. "Really. Just drink twice the amount of Blood Beaters you usually drink for a week or two, and your blood addiction should get down considerably."

She gave her dad a hug. "Thanks. Still, I don't feel safe seeing Johnny for now. Could you tell him I became sick or something?" "Of course honey. Just rest well and concentrate on becoming happy again..."

True to his words, Dracula told Johnny that Mavis contracted a vampire disease that was like the common cold for humans. He reassured Johnny, telling him that she should recover in a week or two, but that she need to rest to do so.

Johnny acted like he bought Dracula's story. However, deep down, he knew it was something much more serious than that. However, he snuck around when Dracula was busy and went to see Mavis again, determined to make her feel better.

When he knocked on her door and asked for her, Mavis gasped and shouted, "Johnny?! What are you doing here? Don't you know I'm sick?". "Yeah, Drac told me that story, but I don't buy it.", he replied, "You're not really sick, but there's something greatly bothering you, I can feel it". "Please stop, Johnny, I don't want to attack you again... Can't you see that I'm suffering right now?".

"Well, I don't, since I cannot see through walls and doors.", Johnny attempted to joke to cheer her up. He heard a slight chuckle, which gave him the strength to continue. "I'm not the smartest human being around, but even I can guess what happened to you..." Mavis froze in fear, afraid of what he would say next.

"When I fell in love with you, Mavis, I knew that could happen." Mavis replied, with a perplexed look on her face, "What are you talking about Johnny? What could happen?" Johnny swallowed, beginning to feel nervous, and continued, "I knew that the possibility of you getting attracted to my blood was very real." Mavis was getting scared of where Johnny was getting at, "Please stop, Johnny! I'm already suffering enough mustering the willpower to fight my hunger for you."

"Perhaps you don't have to.", he replied, "How much blood do you need per feeding, and how often do you need to feed? Mavis eyes were becoming red again, and she was starting to drool. "About 500 ml per feeding, and I need to feed two or three times per week."

"I see. Then, I think I can manage that. I don't want to see you suffer anymore, Mavis. I want to see your smile again." Johnny swallowed and cleared his throat, knowing what will happen next, "If that can make you happy, please bite me and take my blood as often as you need to."

Something snapped within Mavis. Less than one second later, she used her wisp form to lock onto Johnny's body. There, they exchanged a deep, passionate kiss. Johnny felt a slight sting on his bottom lip, before realizing that Mavis bit him there. He didn't care. Revitalized by those few drops of blood, she slowly and gently went to his neck, licking his skin on the way. Johnny was shivering with great intensity. Then, she bit him. This time he felt everything. True, Mavis' fangs were a little painful, but at the same time he felt a great ecstasy coursing through his body, feeling united with Mavis.

He became light-headed, but didn't faint like he did the first time. He wished he did, however, because he heard Dracula screaming at Mavis. "Mavis, how could you? Is your mind so weak to be unable to resist to your urges?!" Mavis opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get the chance to, since Dracula went to her at vampire speed and gave her a slap so strong that she went through the wall.

Dracula was heartbroken that he raised his hand on her daughter for the first time of her life, but the thought of her becoming a blood-thirsty vampire was too much for him. Before he could continue, he received a punch on the nose from Johnny. It didn't really hurt, since Johnny only had human strength, but it got his attention.

"Stand aside Johnny! I don't like this either, but I have to punish my daughter for what she did to you..." Dracula told Johnny with great sorrow. "Mavis didn't do anything! I offered my blood on my own free will!

Dracula was stunned. How could a human willingly let a vampire bite him? Confused, he looked at Mavis, which was still reeling from his slap. "Aaaaaaarghh!", he screamed, before turning in his bat form and he flew away into the sky.

"Dad, wait!", Mavis cried. Both Johnny and Mavis witnessed Dracula suffer from a breakdown, not sure how to feel. "I'm sorry Mavis, this is all my fault. I just wanted to make you happy, not be the cause of all of this..."

"No, Johnny, this is my fault as well. I accepted your offer, so the blame lies with me as well. The only thing we can do is wait for my dad to cool down, then have a good talk with him..." Johnny hugged her, and nodded, "You're right, let's rest for now and wait for him to come back as well.

And so, both Johnny and Mavis went to their rooms, trying to sleep and pondering how the next conversation with Dracula will be.