Chapter Eleven

Ed had returned to his best friend's. He wasn't sure what to believe but knew something serious as going down with his buddy and the whole vampire idea. He found Charley where he and Amy left him, immediately explained what happened with Peter Vincent.

"So, did he or didn't he get the letter?" Charley asked, the panic clear across his expression.

Ed simply shrugged then answered, "I don't know, Brewster, Amy might've given it to him."

Charley slapped his hands over his face. Why him? He questioned to himself. His life was going damned great up until the night had to see that damned coffin being lowered into the neighboring house. Why did he have to have such a fascination with vampires?

"Sorry," Ed spoke up and stepped to the bedroom room that faced the neighboring house. He parted the curtain and peered over at the well lit house. Yeah, he's loved vampires and Peter Vincent all his life, the one thing he could truly enjoy in his little mediocre existence that suburban hell. For years that was the one thing he and Charley always had in common but lately things changed once his best friend finally got himself an upscale girlfriend.

Ed's eyes frowned, caught glimpse of headlights pull to the curb. He leaned in closer, his eyes squinted and there he saw his idol, Peter Vincent. "Brewster." he spoke out.

Charley's hands slid down from over his face and he looked to Ed.

Ed lifted his hand and waved Charley his direction.

Charley sluggishly rose up from the edge of the bed and stepped up to the window. He asked, "What?"

Ed glanced at Charley but kept focused on the image of Peter Vincent the Great Vampire Killer going towards the neighboring house. He said what he saw, "Peter Vincent is heading to your neighbor's."

Charley gasped, "What?!" He nearly slammed against the window and caught the final glimpse of Peter then watched the actor disappear at the front of Dandridge's house. Dread filled him as his wide eyes stared vacantly though the window. "They're gonna kill him." he heavily breathed then turned his head and looked to his confused best friend, "Dandridge is gonna kill him because he hit Thea with his car."

Ed frowned then questioned, "How you know that?"

Charley swallowed hard then confessed, "I was there. She was confused and I guess she stepped out in front of Peter's car."

Ed continued to frown, not sure what to believe.

Charley's eyes looked forward at the ominous window. His hand pressed against the window pane then he leaned his forehead against the window. "I tried." he sighed, "I really tried. I don't know what to do."

Ed heard the sincere weight of horror in his friend's tone. "Brewster," he spoke up, "You've been telling the truth, haven't ya?"

Charley simply turned his head and looked to Ed. He nodded then said, "Yeah but I wish I wasn't."

Ed looked at the adjacent window next door. All his life he was fond of the gory tales of vampires but were those gory tales now in reality?

"He wasn't always a monster." Charley drolly stated, "I saw him as a man. It's different now because I know who he once was, a man." He felt devastated, at a loss. He turned away from the window and flopped on the edge of the bed. He knew there was nothing he could do for Peter Vincent. His eyes heavily saddened as they filled with tears.

Ed stared at his friend.

Charley again sighed followed by a little sniffle then he explained, "I've seen things that no one would believe. I thought what I did would've stopped him from becoming a vampire but I failed and now it's my fault that he still became a vampire." his eyes stared down at the floor, "He still became a vampire because of me, because Thea was taken away from him because of me. But dammit," he shook his head, "I said for them not to look but, dammit, she looked and ended up here with me. Dandridge was saved from Yolanda but he went ahead and did it anyways so he could live forever to find her."

Ed stood silent, his frown tense across his brow. Could he truly believe what Charley was saying? He took a look to the neighboring house, watched the lights suddenly go out. His face drained of color, sensed Charley's fears had just taken place.

"He really loved her, Ed." Charley somewhat sobbed, "Something I thought was evil, he wasn't always evil and really loved her."

Ed nervously swallowed then interrupted, "Brewster, the house is dark."

Charley's head quickly lifted and eyes looked to Ed. He gasped, "It's over."

Ed looked to his friend and grimaced, "Brewster, you shit, you're giving up?" He had to believe for things make not a lick of sense. Typically when shit made no sense, he thought, it was real. Well, that was what he convinced himself.

Charley shook his head and stated, "I have no choice, there's nothing we can do to stop this. I've tried!"

Ed shook his head then scolded, "I'm surprised, Brewster, because you never once gave up to get Amy as your girlfriend! I never thought ya had a shot in hell but you proved me wrong."

"Peter's dead by now, Ed!" Charley stated loudly, tears glistening in his eyes, "Dandridge killed him, I know it, or had Thea do it! I know he turned her because that's what he's always wanted, what he's waited for."

Ed left the window, eyed his friend and asked, "If that's all he wanted then why the hell would he kill Peter Vincent or you? He got what he wanted, didn't he?"

Charley again shook his head then said, "He's out for revenge. He's not going to stop until he has it. That's what he does!" he pointed passed Ed at the window as he rose up, "I watched him stop at nothing to get what he wanted!"

"But you stopped him didn't you?" Ed questioned, remembered the bits within the letter that told of the story of Charley's first experience, "You and Peter Vincent stopped him, right?"

"Yeah, but Peter's dead now!" Charley snapped, frustrated with everything.

"Well, I ain't!" Ed quickly snapped back, "I'm here, Brewster!"

Charley frowned with question then asked, "Ed, do you really believe me?"

Ed stepped up to his long time chum, best friend. He gave a nod, "I ain't got no choice, Brewster, but to believe you. All this shit is bat-shit crazy but I do believe ya, Brewster." he nodded, "Yeah, it's pretty fucked up but what choice do I have?"

Charley was dumbfounded because the first incident Ed thought him nuts but now in that incident Ed believed him. He shook his head and denied, "I can't let you get involved."

"Too damned late, dick head." Ed said with a grimace, "You done sucked my ass in, so too late."

"No," Charley shook his head, "Dandridge doesn't know your involved, so it's not too late." he turned his back to Ed, "I'm the only one left so he'll go after me next. He has no need for Amy since he has Thea. I'm last in line."

"You are such a fucking pussy, Brewster!" Ed nearly cackled, "We've seen Peter Vincent stake vampire after vampire with just a blink of his eye. We can do this, Brewster!"

Charley spun around and faced Ed, "This ain't Fright Night, Ed, this is real!"

"No shit," Ed quickly responded, "We know the rules. And right now, we have one rule that will save our asses for tonight."

Charley frowned.

Ed explained, "We're having a sleep over at my place." he nodded with a grin, "Fucker ain't been invited so he can't get inside." he tossed his arms up, "So pack up some of your shit and lets get the hell outta here before," he aimed his thumb at the window, "Dracula decides to pay ya visit, again."

Charley and Ed rushed out the back door of the Brewster home headed directly for the Mustang. Thankfully the original outcome never happened to Charley's beloved Mustang but could they truly escape without Dandridge making an attempt to stop them?

Once inside the Mustang, they both locked the doors then Charley crammed the key into the ignition. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and prayed that the Mustang wasn't tampered with. He turned the key and the lovely sound of the engine roared. He sighed with relief. He smiled over at Ed then shifted the Mustang into reverse and steered it backwards down the driveway.

Charley kept his eye on the rear view mirror as he carefully maneuvered the Mustang towards the street.

A sudden thud sounded.

Charley slammed his foot on the break. His eyes stared widely into the mirror, saw nothing which meant nothing for his life was filled with creatures that had no reflection. He swallowed hard and asked Ed without deterring his eyes, "What was that?" He put the car into park letting the engine run.

Ed too was suddenly fearful as he stared forward then replied, "Shit if I know."

Two hands suddenly slapped against the driver's side window.

Charley and Ed both screamed.

Charley darted to the right practically leaned against Ed. His wide eyes peered at the hands pressed against the window. They weren't distorted beastly hands but two feminine hands which suddenly curled their fingers pressing the pads firmly against the glass. His eyes snapped wider, both he and Ed gasped at the sound of the car handle being shaken as one hand remained pressed against the glass.

"Charley Brewster," a voice called through the door.

Charley blinked, his breathing heightened and heart pounding.

"Charley, please," the voice called to Charley again, an accented voice.

Charley leaned forward, felt Ed tug his jacket.

"Brewster, don't." Ed pleaded as he shook his head.

Charley was shaken, his body trembled but he knew that voice.

The voice again spoke with desperation, "Charley, please, I cannot."

Charley's shaky hand reached for the window handle.

Ed protested, "Brewster, don't be a fucking idiot!"

Charley again startled the moment a face came into view through the window. He saw desperation within large hazel eyes and throughout the expression of Thea's face. Was it a trick?

Thea stood leaned before driver's side window. She refused as was demanded, she couldn't take the life of Peter Vincent to sustain her own. The truth of what she was she refused to accept. She ran but not far, the moment she saw Charley's vehicle she rushed. "Please, Charley," she pleaded through the glass, "I cannot be like him."

Ed shouted, "It's bull shit! She's fucking with us, Brewster!"

Charley drew his hand back, his eyes were locked with Thea's. He wanted to believe her, wished it were possible to believe her but she was now the product of the vampire Jerry Dandridge not the sweet humble household servant caught within a darkness they both experienced. He slowly shook his head. He knew what Dandridge was capable of doing, the manipulation the vampire perfected so well.

Thea again slapped both hands against the glass, her eyes heavy with the struggle for what she allowed herself to become. "Charley," she softly pleaded then confessed, "Peter Vincent lives but for how long, I do not know."

Charley slowly nodded as he brought his hand to the shifter.

"Charley," Thea again spoke, an understanding of Charley's fears could be seen in her eyes, "Emily." She suddenly darted back and vanished.

"Who the fuck is Emily?" Ed asked.

Charley firstly sat with a frown then Thea's meaning suddenly struck him. His eyes went wide and he looked to Ed with returning panic. He gasped, "Amy."

Amy darted up with a startle. Her eyes were wide as they scanned the unfamiliar surroundings.

Where was she? What happened?

Her mind was fuzzy. The last thing she remembered was stepping off the elevator and entering Peter Vincent's apartment building's lobby. Then it all went blank and now she found herself somewhere unfamiliar.

"Uncanny," a voice penetrated the silence.

Amy gasped and looked about the dimly lit room with high ceilings, nearly floor to ceiling windows covered by heavy red drapes. Her eyes searched until they looked to the open double doors that were overshadowed but within the center was an even thicker shadow. She nervously swallowed. Those words written in the letter to Peter Vincent slowly crept into her mind.

"Where am I?" Amy asked with a quick breath.

"Somewhere," the voice answered, a female voice filled with a cunning sultry melody.

"Who are you?" Amy asked, watched the shadowy figure finally move forward.

From the thick shadows stepped a stunning creature in brilliant crimson red, dark ebony hair stylishly twisted and pinned about the crown, and eyes a piercing pale brown. Regine stepped forward, studied the stunning resemblance young Amy had with a particular deceased sister in law from centuries passed.

Amy was wide eyed as she focused on the obviously gorgeous woman dressed in red.

Regine slightly tilted her head as she continued to gather the details that Amy shared with her brother's first love and wife, Emily. "You look nearly identical." she commented aloud, "And why is it he focuses on the servant girl when he could have you?"

Amy frowned with confusion and fear, watched the woman continue forward. She mumbled, "I don't know..."

"No, you wouldn't know." Regine commented, "You're positively oblivious to your part in all this which is for the best." She approached the young woman, still amazed by the extreme likeness shared with Emily. She paused, stared down at the frightened girl. "Has he seen you?" she asked, more so herself, "Has he seen your face?" she reached her hand down and lightly grazed her nail tips against side of Amy's face, her eyes deeply locked with the girl's, "He has obsessed over Thea for all these centuries and completely discarded his first true love whom you are identical."

Amy was entrapped within Regine's powerful gaze, felt numb to her surroundings, hypnotized by the woman's lovely voice.

"What will he do?" Regine continued to question aloud, "What will his reaction be once he sees your pretty face?" she slowly guided Amy's head to the right, "I am truly curious to his response when he sees another face just like hers."

Amy's eyes left Regine's and looked where she was guided. Her eyes snapped wide as she gasped with surprise.

Leaned against the wall was the portrait of the once Lady Emily Dandridge, the deceased wife of the once Lord Jeremiah Dandridge.

"Surprising, isn't it?" Regine asked. She grinned, thought the situation quite intriguing. Her brother willingly turned himself into darkness then turned her as well to fulfill a bargain with one of the true sources of their curse, all done in effort for him reunite with his beloved household servant Thea Bellamy. No, she had no reunion with her lost beloved husband Kristof but her brother now had a reunion with two loves of his life.

Regine continued to grin then commented, "How interesting this will be."

"Where is she?!" Jerry's voice shouted through the house of 99 Oak.

Billy shrugged, watched his master infuriated by another disappearance of Thea. He said, "Beats me."

Jerry skidded to an abrupt halt, discovered Peter Vincent unharmed in one of the upstairs bedrooms. He looked to his casual day watcher then snapped, "Why is it you know nothing?!"

Billy grimaced at Jerry's accusation then stated, "Hey, you never told me to keep an eye on her."

Jerry glared at Billy then commented, "I thought it would be quite obvious and that telling you wouldn't be needed!"

Billy raised his hands in defeat then said, "Okay, okay, Jer. Sorry."

Jerry again started to pace, frustrated by Thea's reluctance to accept her fate as a vampire. "I'm supposed to meet up with Regine!" he grumbled, "She has Charley's sweetheart which will draw Charley where I want him!"

Billy lifted his hand and scratched his head. He had no idea what was going on and really didn't care. He casually commented, "Eh, she'll show up. She'll get damned hungry eventually."

Jerry again skidded to a stop then looked to Billy with disbelief. He urged, "Billy, do me a favor."

Billy looked to Jerry, "Hmm?"

"Shut up." Jerry urged.

Billy shrugged then agreed, "Okay."

Jerry snapped, "Get Peter Vincent. I have no time for this." he turned to fetch his gray leather trench, "Nothing is working the way it should!"

Jerry stormed through the house, snatched up his stylish gray trench. For centuries he waited for the moment he would again have his angel but things weren't quite working as predicted. He thought the moment she was permanently placed at his side that all would go on as it was meant to be. Forever he was to spend with his Thea but forever now seemed a long, long distance with someone who rejected the gift he gave.

His eyes became distant as he tied the belt of the trench. Where was his victory? Where was the reward of his sacrifice? Where was the damned happy ending he strived for throughout those long miserable centuries?

A voice spoke, "I am sorry."

He knew the voice. Slowly he turned to the side and looked to a shadowed corner. His eyes shifted downward and within that shadow was a figure seated on the floor.

Thea lifted her head, her eyes saw the disappointment clear in Jerry's always expressive eyes. She failed his expectations. Her life was no longer recognizable. She remembered solely a life that was more bright, less filled darkness, that life before Yolanda. Years of being blissfully unaware of the existence of monsters such as he was and now she was.

She lowered her eyes as she continued to sit with her arms hugged over her chest. That was not her life or world or time. "It all me a mistake." she stated with a heavy weight of exhaustion in her tone, "Not meant, none of this." she again looked up at him, "You, what you be, aye, it was meant but not me, what I be."

Jerry frowned, questioned her meaning.

She slowly rose up onto her bare feet then confessed, "I was not meant for to be here and you know this to be true."

He slowly shook his head in denial.

"I know for Charley Brewster explained so what was meant to be." she confessed further, "What was meant, Thea was not to be here but another."

"What are you talking about?" he finally asked. He remembered what Charley stated, that he was meant to kill Thea those centuries back.

"Emily," she said the name of his first love, "Emily's face was remembered not mine. You were meant to forget me." It was someone painful to speak those words, for her to acknowledge that her life with him was buried over by his previous life with his wife. "Be it you willingly forgot me or not, this be all wrong." she stepped out from the corner, her eyes weighed with sadness and hurt, "I could not understand why you would choose her memory over ours but that be what was meant. Fate chose you to forget me."

"No," he protested then turned to face her, "I never forgot you. How could I? Why would I?"

She shook her head, didn't know the answers then stated, "Charley Brewster's lady, she be the face you remember, not mine. She be the face of Emily not me."

"What?" he asked, confused by any of what she spoke of and why, "Why are you saying these things? We are here, now, together as it was meant to be. This is our fate, Thea."

She continued to shake her head and looked to him with pleading eyes. She pleaded, "Please, I cannot be this. I cannot be what you be."

"You are what I am." he firmly stated, "There is no changing that fact, Thea. You are mine forever as it was meant to be." he took a step forward, "Charley Brewster changed all our fates with is presence and this is the outcome." he lifted his arms, palms up, "I am the outcome which never changed, really. This is what I was meant to become and I embraced it long time ago and you have no choice but embrace it as well."

"I have no choice?" she quickly asked, "I chose firstly, aye, but now I chose not. I have a choice, you gave that to me."

"No," he slowly shook his head, a slight sneer formed across his lips, "You had no choice. The outcome would've been the same if you hadn't willingly accepted."

Her eyes grew with heavier sadness, the realization that the creature before her was not the man she loved. The darkness was there within his eyes and stern expression. She turned her head, lowered her eyes, it hurt deeply to know that the man she loved with all her heart had been twisted and distorted into a monster as selfish as Yolanda. "You do not love me." she finally stated then nodded, "Lord Jeremiah Dandridge loved me, not the monster Jerry Dandridge."

His eyes narrowed with frustration.

She somewhat grumbled, "I love a man not a monster!" She felt her own frustrations build then snapped her eyes at him, the sadness clear, "I love you not, for you be not him." she took a step back, "All you have done was done in vain, Jerry Dandridge."

He snapped back with a low growl, "How dare you!" He aimed his finger accusingly at her, "I've done all this for you! I gave up my soul for you!" he stepped forward, hate filled his eyes with their bitter red, "I survived centuries for you! And this," his eyes widened, "And this is how you repay me for my efforts, for my damned sacrifices?!"

Her eyes held their saddened expression. There was nothing that could wipe away the pain inside her. Yes, the face before her was his but what was passed that face was not her Lord. She suddenly shouted back at him, "Died, I should have died!"

He suddenly snatched her by the face and jerked her forward. His red eyes burned into hers which continued to emulate sadness. "NO!" he lowly protested, "You were never meant to die! I told you I refused," he tightened his grip of her face, "I refused to allow death to take you from me! I promised myself I would never know that type of loss again! You are mine!"

Her hands quickly snatched hold of his wrists as she attempted to shake her head in protest.

His lips again snarled with flashes of fangs then he firmly stated, "I take no refusal. You were mine the moment I saw you for the first time! I vowed to myself you were mine and that will stay unchanged!"

"Please," she pleaded, felt the grown tips of his nails begin to scrape against the sides of her face.

"No," he said, denied her release, "You are mine, Thea! You will never leave me again! You will stay with me! ME!"

"Jerry, please," she continued to plead, "Please, I beg of you, please! I am not meant for this existence! I cannot live this life!" she felt tears begin to fill within her eyes then she confessed the truth of it all, "I do love you which pains me so much because of what you allowed yourself to become." Her fingers unwrapped from his wrists then she slid her hands over his. She begged, "Please, if you love me, truly love me, find a way to release me from all this."

His eyes softened, saw the genuine tears within immortal eyes. He confessed, "I can't. I won't. I refuse."

Her eyes closed, tears rolled down her cheeks.

His eyes drained of emotion and he stated, "You promised to stay with me forever."

She saw the difference envelop his eyes, a fear began to settle inside her.

His lips slightly snarled and he stated with his voice raised, "You vowed to me that you will stay with me forever!"

She felt his grip of her face tense and grow firmer.

He took a step forward which drew her back. His reddened unnatural eyes burned into hers. He grumbled, "You will," his lips again snarled with a prominent flash of his fangs, "Stay with me," he took another step forward, "Forever!"

Without true thought, out of his frustration he twisted her head to the side. His mouth gaped wide and, without hesitation, he tore his fangs into the side of her neck. His rage ignored her loud gasp. His desperation for her to be as him, to be like him numbed him to her struggle to pry him off her.

Back against the wall he pinned her, held his fangs deep into her immortal flesh. He knew if he were to take what little immortal blood that coursed through her body, she would have no choice but to cave to the hunger.

He ripped his fangs from her neck, his lips snarled. His wide eyes shifted and looked to her face still held firmly in his hands. He slightly grinned but it quickly eased, faded from the realization of how far he had gone to ensure that she stay with him for all eternity. Regret of his quick rage, he quickly embraced her as she was nearly limp. His face pressed against hers as his eyes tightly closed. Her raspy and pained sounds raised his guilt and regret. He held her tighter and remorsefully stated, "I am sorry." he buried his face against the tousle of her hair, "Please, forgive me." he had no true control at times with the heightened anger the Darkness thrived to fuel, "I love you and I can't again lose my Angel, my Immortal Angel."

Thea's could barely feel her body as she was severely limp in his embrace. Her eyes were glazed and wide but filled with the glisten of tears. The sadness was vibrant within her hazel eyes. The weight of emotions radiated clearly with her eyes. But the heaviest emotions weighed within her now still heart.

The love that once was innocent and beautiful had been shadowed by the Darkness which now was inside her as it was inside him.

(Author)

Oops, my bad! Sorry it took me so damned long! I've been working on Fright Night: The Tale of Thea and Lord Dandridge: Stay With Me... it will be published once Twisted Fate is over and done with which might be soon... Hmm... This new story will tell how the real story of Thea and Dandridge was supposed to happen before Charley's entrance... which will end with the Defining Tragedy of the Vampire Jerry Dandridge... Also, working on artwork as well...

Again, sorry for the long delay, folks!

FRIGHT NIGHT FOREVA!