Chapter 8

Glalda and I left the Vampaneze Court Hall quickly.

Glalda was grinning like an idiot, obviously happy with the outcome of the courts decision.

I was happy too but at that moment I was so relieved that it was over and it had worked out and now that it was over I was that mentally exhausted that all I wanted to do was sleep.

"See I told you everything would be fine." Glalda laughed as we made our way back to our room.

I couldn't stop myself from chuckling and replying back, "Yes but you didn't seem to think it fine when Markus said we had to wait until my body has grown, did you?"

Glalda sighed and answered, "No I didn't. Do they honestly think I can wait that long to have you? I'll bet it was that Vlad that made sure that was one of the decisions, he is just out to torture me."

I laughed gave Glalda a kiss on his birthmarked cheek and said, "Your strong, you'll find away to survive it."

Suddenly Glalda pushed me up against the wall and whispered, "I'm not that strong."

Then he started to kiss me softly, pushing his tongue into my month and wrapping his arms around my lean waist to push us chest to chest.

All I could do was gasp in shock and then melt into the kiss.

Suddenly we heard an angry growl.

Separating we looked to our left and saw that Vlad had just turned the corner and was glaring at us.

"Glalda! You are a court member!" Vlad hissed in disgust, "How dare you show such a disgusting display in public, you disgrace us!"

Glalda looked like he was about to explode with anger when suddenly Markus and one of the other court members showed up behind Vlad.

"Vlad you have been court doing worse in public then kissing a lover; leave them alone." Said the court member that I now recognised as the court member that had agreed that I was to young to mate now in my hearing.

Vlad turned to him and roared, "Victor how can you agree with the others on allowing this!? This creature is one of them!"

The gruff vampaneze pointed at me as he yelled that last part and I couldn't help but wonder what it was that had lead to Vlad's hate of vampires. I decided that I would ask Glalda or Caleb later.

The one called Victor simply answered in a level tone, "Because I have learned to let go of my anger and you should do the same brother."

Now that did shock me, did everyone have a brother here?

Glalda must have guessed what I was thinking because he answered with a shake of his head.

Looking back at Vlad, the gruff vampaneze looked like he was ready to yell at Victor some more but Markus stepped forward and said to Vlad, "Come Vlad, I wish to speck to you in private."

After Markus and Vlad left, Victor turned to us and smiled.

Glalda smiled back and said, "Nice to know that you still have your big brother under control."

Victor sighed as if he was tired; "He has gotten worse since he heard about your young lover here."

Victor turned to me and smiled; "By the way I am Victor Pindragon; it is nice to meet you Master Darren Shan."

I smiled politely back, happy that Victor obviously didn't share his brother's views on vampires and said as I shook his large purple hand, "Nice to meet you too."

Glalda turned to me and asked, "Can you find your back to our rooms on your own?"

I nodded but didn't like the idea of going around the Vampaneze Mountain alone.

"Would you mind continuing on your own? I just wish to have a quick word with Victor alone, okay little bat?"

I sighed and left hoping that Glalda wouldn't take to long.

I was thankfully that I meet nobody on my way back to Glalda and my room. I really didn't know whom I could trust here yet so I was a little weary.

I was happy to finally lie down; Glalda's bed was very comfy and even though I had planned on waiting for Glalda to return before I went to sleep my eye simply refused to stay opened and I was soon sound asleep.

When I started to wake my body clock was tell me that it was early night and I noticed that Glalda was fast asleep next to me.

I smiled at how peaceful he looked and snuggled closer to him for more warmth and had every intention on going back to sleep but then there was a knock on the door.

I hesitated on answering the knock but I didn't want them to wake Glalda and Glalda had said that it was my room to now, so I pulled myself from bed and opened the door.

I was happy to find that it was Caleb and not a vampire hating vampaneze.

"What is it Caleb?" I asked sleepily.

Caleb smiled and replied, "Its time for us to get to work."

I gave him a confused look and he continued, "Markus told me late last night that you are to work in the kitchens with me every morning and afternoon. Everyone here has their own job in the mountain. I've been working in the kitchens ever since I become apart of the clan."

It seemed that unlike the vampires, who had a quartermaster and his assistants, the vampaneze had everyone working around the mountain.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see that Glalda had awaken and was standing right behind me.

"You keep a good eye on him for me Caleb." Glalda said as he leaded down kissed me on the top of my head, then said to me, "And you be careful and listen to Caleb, I have to get ready for my duties."

As he turned to find a new set of clothes I laughed and said, "Don't worry mother. I'll make sure that the mountain has fallen apart before the night is out."

Caleb cracked up laughing and we left before Glalda could say anything else.

Before we went to the kitchens Caleb showed me around a bit, the place was similar to Vampire Mountain; it had things like the game hall and a hall that they took dishonorable vampaneze but they didn't kill their dishonorable by stakes, they locked them inside a coffin fall of little shape spike that would puncher the skin then by pulling a lever the spikes would slowly grow in length.

I paled when Caleb told me about how the victims of the spike coffin would scream. He had obviously heard it before and by the look on his face it had haunted him.

Heading deep down the mountain, Caleb told me that like the vampires they breed, butcher and grow there own food.

Suddenly a thought came to me and I reluctantly asked, "What about blood?"

Caleb gave me comforting smile and answered, "We have a group of hunters that go out once a month to find humans that are murders or rapists or drug dealers and bring them back here for us to drink."

I was relieved to hear this.

We made it to the kitchens and I saw that they looked very mid-evil. There were three kitchens, one was where the already butchered animals were cut up and seasoned, another was where bread and dairy was made and the last kitchen were most of the actual cooking was done.

The last one was where Caleb and I would work.

I was surprised at Caleb's cooking skills and he taught me a lot within just my first hour of being in the kitchen with him.

As I was mixing a bowl full of pancake mixture I asked, "Caleb? Why does Vlad hate vampires so much?"

Caleb sighed as he replied while cooking an omelet, "Vlad and Victor have actually been vampaneze most of their lives, they were turned even younger then you, so really he has had the normal hate for vampires pushed into his head from a very young age but the reason his hate is so much more now is because a insane vampire escaped vampire mountain and torture, raped and murdered their little sister, who like them was turned at the time."

I gasped in horror.

Caleb suddenly continued with a mournful expression, "Vlad had been the one who found her, she was older but she looked only eleven years old and from what I heard the bastard didn't leave much of her to be found."

I couldn't even begin to understand how Vlad or even Victor must have felt, but I suddenly started thinking that if had been Anna, I would have been a rack.

"No wonder he didn't want me here, I can't say I blame him." I said more to myself then Caleb, and then asked, "Did Vlad kill the insane vampire?"

Caleb shook his head, "No, the vampire got away and killed himself."

Caleb and I suddenly didn't feel like talking anymore and just got on with our work, a sad and dark atmosphere hanging in the air.

-

My feet were killing me from standing on them for hours on end and my hands were stiff and sore from mixing food and cooking all night. Caleb and I had even eaten in the kitchens instant of walking up to the dinning hall to eat with the others.

I imaged that that was what it would be like if I had worked in a café or restaurant.

It was almost dawn and Caleb had finally let me out of the kitchens. I was walking through the halls, looking forward to lying snuggled up to Glalda in our nice warm and comfortable bed.

Caleb told me that the court members would has finished their daily duties a couple of hours ago so Glalda should be waiting for me.

Most of the vampaneze were either asleep or getting ready for sleep so I didn't meet anyone in the halls until I was half about half way to my destination.

And to my unhappiness it was Vlad and what was worse he looked like he was going to have a few unfriendly words with me.

The rough looking vampaneze walked straight up to me and hissed, "What are you doing lurking around here?"

I was about to reply with a smart-ass remark of 'I could ask you the same thing' but I thought better of upsetting the large vampaneze and I remembered about his sister and knew that he had every reason to hate vampires; its true that it had been an insane vampire that had done the crime but I was a big brother and I knew that I would have hated all vampires to had I been in his shoes; so I answered, "I was working in the kitchens as Caleb Mane's assistant and I just finished and was heading back to my room."

Vlad looked at me as if he was trying to tell if I was lying or not.

I made sure to look into his eyes to show that I was telling the truth.

I figured that it worked because Vlad started to walk away from me but then before I could even blink Vlad grabbed me by the neck slammed me into the hall wall.

I gasped as the wind was forced out of my lungs and panicked as I realized that Vlad's hand around my neck was stopping me from refilling them.

"God I wish that I could just kill you, you filth but everyone one would instantly look at me if you turned up dead." Vlad hissed down at me angrily as I clawed at his hand and wrist but he took no notice as he continued to speck, "But don't think that I'm not going to watch you like a hawk, you will slip up and give away your game sooner or later and when you do I'll be there."

Looking up into Vlad's hard and angry red eyes desperately, I gasped as I was reminded of Murlough; Vlad had the same crazy look in his eyes.

Suddenly Vlad was thrown off me. The moment that I was released from his grip I slide down the wall as I gasped for much needed air, knowing that my face must have been close to blue. Looking up I saw that it was Victor who had thrown Vlad off me and was now standing between Vlad, who looked like he wanted nothing more than to kill his brother for interfering, and me.

"Vlad how dare you attack him!" I couldn't see Victor's face but by the sound of his voice he was pissed.

"No, how dare you stop me you traitor!" Vlad yelled back. "You should want him dead as much as I do after what they did!"

"He NOT they! It was only one Vlad! You can not hate them all for what one did." Victor said as he turned to me and helped me to my feet with an apologetic look.

"THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET THAT MONSTER ESCAPE VAMPIRE MOUNTAIN!" Vlad yelled back.

Victor gave Vlad a furious glare but said gently, "Are we any better? We let our insane go freely to kill as they will until they die."

Vlad growled in frustration and stormed away.

Victor turned to me once again and gently said, "I'm sorry about that, me really is a good man."

I nodded and replied, "Its ok, I heard about your sister and I can understand his anger; after all I'm a big brother too and just the thought of her being hurt like that-"

I couldn't finish that sentence it hurt me just to think about Anna being hurt like that.

Victor smiled down at me asking, "I see, thank you for not holding it against him, but who told you?"

Wondered if Caleb would get into trouble for telling me but figured that Victor didn't seem the type to get angry about something like this, "Caleb Mane told me, I'm working as his assistant in the kitchens."

Victor's face seemed to brighten as I said 'Caleb Mane'.

"Really, Caleb told you…and how was he to night?" Victor asked as if hoping that I wouldn't ask why he wanted to know, but didn't have to ask I figured it out.

"You like Caleb didn't you?" The look Victor gave me told me I was right.

"W-well I-I-" Victor seemed to be finding it hard to talk.

I took pity on him and said, "Don't worry I won't tell anyone including him and he was fine by the way."

With a cheeky smile on my face started heading back to my room again, obviously leaving Victor in a surprised state.

When I was out of site I couldn't help but think to myself, Caleb is going after the wrong brother and I was going to have to fix that.

Hope you liked, I will put up the next chapter as soon as possible XD.