Title - Night Side Of Eden
Chapter Title - Rudolph's Plan
Author - OblivionsGarden
Genre - Romance/Supernatural
Disclaimer - I do not own The Little Vampire in anyway, shape or form. I entirely own the plot for this fic and my original characters.
Rudolph, Gregory and Anna sprung to their feet immediately, shielding the others from Bart's sight. He merely laughed and took a confident step forward, his eyes flashing dangerously when Anna defiantly, moved closer to him also.
"Ah, Anna. My dearest cousin, how have you been?" He extended a long fingered hand to tuck a strand of dirty blonde hair behind Anna's ear but the young girl slapped his hand away. "Hm. Seems your brothers have been teaching you a few things since we last spoke."
"Yes. Three hundred years is quite a period to learn who to trust and who to hate." Anna spat. Her brothers didn't move their gaze from Bart but El, Eve and Tony were left open mouthed at the new side of Anna. Had she always been this feisty underneath her layers of sweet girlyness and poetic romance?
"Oh, Anna, hate is such a strong word."
"Precisely."
Bart's smirk faltered but he soon regained his cool composure. "I had hoped that everything in the past would be forgotten, Anna."
"Past? You kidnapped my brother!" Anna's small hands were clenched into shaking fists.
"That was a precaution. I knew you wouldn't give me the stone unless there was some bargaining tool."
"Gregory is not a bargaining tool." Anna was positively growling. "If you don't leave, I swear I'll kill you." El actually gasped at Anna. She was slightly crouched, as if she were a predator preparing to pounce.
Bart started to laugh. Slowly at first but it grew into a loud, maniacal laughter that echoed around the room. "Oh, Anna you always were the funny one."
Before anyone could comprehend what had happened, there was a masculine yell and a feminine shout and Anna was sat on Bart, on the floor, clawing his face and punching every bit of him she could reach. Nobody moved to stop her. The remaining Sackville-Bagg children were clearly amused and the Blackshaw-Thompson's were too shocked to move.
Eventually though, Rudolph saw fit to step in. "Anna, that's enough." He said somewhat regretfully. Anna stood up, her hair a mess and tears streaming down her face. Bart remained sat on the floor, thin line of blood forming on his cheeks. After smoothing back his platinum blonde hair, he stood up and straightened out his suit. "You," He pointed a finger at Anna. "Are very lucky that your parents have some sense left in them." He reached a hand into his inside pocket and held up the stone of attamon.
"No." Anna tried to lunge forward again but Bart merely stepped to the side, clearly expecting the reaction. Tony bravely rushed forward and helped Anna to her feet as Bart replaced the stone.
"Goodnight, children." He turned on his heel and left through the open door.
A few minutes of silence passed before Eve spoke. "Anna...I bloody love you, y'know that?"
Anna smiled weakly. "He's got the stone."
"We're so sorry children." The group turned to see Frederick and Freda in the doorway. "He's gained others who want to return to the life of the immortal. We were overpowered."
"Oh mother, it's not your fault. We'll get it back." Rudolph turned to look at his siblings who nodded in agreement.
"No, you can't."
"But father we must-"
"No. I forbid it!"
"How can you-"
"Gregory, your father is right. If you go anywhere near Bart you will end up dead."
"Better dead than a vampire!" Gregory shouted, his voice hoarse. "We can't just give up, after everything we went through to get that stone. After everything we put our friends through!"
"Gregory please! Bart is not working alone. Even with the best resources we wouldn't stand a chance."
"Wait..." Said El and everyone turned to stare at her. "I thought the stone only worked once every three hundred years. Even with the stone, how is Bart going to get it to work without the comet and the moon?"
"Predicting the pattern of the moon and stars is very tricky. Given that they change their course so much. The comet is coming back, in four days time. There is no way anyone could've predicted this."
Eve dropped back down onto her bed. "You mean, after everything, all the business with Rookery and now saving Greg from Bart...you're going to be turned back?"
The two elder's nodded silently. Anna rushed forward to wrap her arms around her fathers waist, sobbing into his coat.
"Gregory, promise me you will not doing anything stupid." Frederick stern voice returned as he stroked his daughters hair. "Gregory, please."
"After everything, you want me to give up?" Eve was reminded of the first time she'd heard Gregory and Frederick argue. Back in the crypt.
*"It matters greatly. I feel your sting."
"But you are Frederick the great. You feel nothing!"*
"Brother, maybe father is right." Rudolph sounded unsure of himself as he stepped towards Gregory.
"What?"
"If we were to try anything, we'd be outnumbered. We'll wait, until the change and then try. We'll be stronger if we change first." Eve noticed Rudolph was staring hard at his brother, as if trying to tell him something without words.
"Thank you Rudolph...Gregory?"
Gregory stared at Rudolph for a while. "Fine. But don't expect me to be your best friend." Gregory sat back on the bed. "Anna, I think we should get some sleep so you can fully appreciate the day tomorrow. We've only got three of them left."
With silent tears from Freda, the two parents closed the bedroom door and left. Eve punched Gregory on the arm. "You are horrible."
"Excuse me?"
"It's not your parents fault so stop acting like they've done something to purposely hurt you."
"Not their fault? They're giving up and now we have to do the same! You could've died the first time round and now they just expect me to let it all happen again!"
"Yes that's what they expect but it won't happen." Rudolph's calm voice stopped the bickering pair.
"What do you mean, Ru?" Asked El.
"I have a plan." The six children sat in a circle on the floor, each watching Rudolph for an explanation. "It'll be hard and we'll have to find some of the others, who don't want to change back."
"That's fine, mother made a point of staying in contact." Gregory spoke fast as to hurry Rudolph up in his telling of the plan.
"Right. We'll...we're going to have to join Bart."
