The slayers are back!

And I apologise to any Twilight fans who read this, there is some Twilight bashing done. But it's for fun! :D

The rumours were flying around school: Mr Van Helsing was dead. There were dozens of reasons why, he was in a car accident, he was mugged by a gang of teenage thugs who had traced him back from his old school; he was really a MI7 agent who was on the run form an old enemy who had finally caught up with him. There were several holes in this last theory which many people used to pull the guess apart.

Jonathon hadn't come back to school since the word got around that his dad was dead. Esta had been down to their trailer with her aunt, but Jonathon and Mina hadn't been in the first time and had the drivers of the black van there the second.

There was a memorial service at school in honour of the late woodwork teacher. Robin was dragged to it by his parents, but for once he hadn't complained when they had told him that he was going, "and that was final". It had surprised them when he hadn't complained.

He met Esta at the door. She was wearing the white dress her aunt had turned into her priestess Halloween outfit two years ago. She had adapted it since and now the plain white dress was adorned with embroidered petals along the hem and sleeve cuffs. She smiled at Robin as he joined her.

For once the black in his wardrobe was coming in useful. He was dressed in a black shirt with black jeans and a black jacket and nobody was batting an eyelid. The rest of his family had come dressed in colourful, but muted colours. Black was the only colour Robin owned (apart from blood red or grey, but both were deemed improper by his mum for such an occasion).

'Hey,' Esta said in a quiet voice, 'I've seen Jonathon and Mina here. But they've got extra company.' She pointed out the rest of the Van Helsing family as they walked down the school hall to the seats Esta's aunt had saved for them. Jonathon and Mina were seated in the midst of a lot of men Robin didn't recognise. Jonathon noticed them and gave them a nod of recognition, then returned to gazing at his lap.

Robin and Esta exchanged glances as they sat down.

The service started, slow and dull. Several people got up and talked about their memories about Mr Van Helsing. They said how good a teacher he had been, how he had inspired the kids. Robin couldn't help raising an eyebrow or two at that. As far as he remembered, Mr Van Helsing hadn't been inspiring. He had spent most of the time Robin knew him trying to vaporise his best friend's dad. But he had to put that behind him, he thought, Mr Van Helsing couldn't harm the Count where he had gone.

A nasty thought struck him and he turned to stare at the people around Jonathon and Mina. He wasn't the only person to be doing so. He studied them closely.

Many of them were dressed in leather. Most of them had bulging pockets. Many of them had hard expressions. As Robin's eyes scanned the crowd, they alighted upon someone Robin recognised with a jolt.

Sitting in the middle of the group, just behind Mina Van Helsing, was the guy who had asked his family for a lift from the castle the last day they saw the Draculas. He had since disappeared from Stokely, the first to be listed as a black van disappearance. Robin stared at him. Memories were popping into his mind. A gun on the guy's back, firing bullets of light. He had a funny way of talking to his wrist, Robin remembered.

He was a slayer.

Robin's eyes widened as the man's attention suddenly snapped from the speaker at the front, to him. He tried to make a causal grin and stop staring, but found it difficult to focus on the person at the front of the hall.

The man was a slayer.

Did that mean they were all slayers?

Esta seemed to realise that something was troubling him. 'What's up?' she whispered.

'There is a slayer with the Van Helsings,' Robin mumbled back, 'I recognise him from the day Vlad disappeared.' Esta tried to lean forwards to glance at the Van Helsings but Robin pushed her back. 'Not now!'

'What is he doing here?' Esta asked in a low voice.

'I don't know,' Robin admitted, 'he's supposed to have been the first "black van kidnap victim".'

Esta stared at him. 'What?'

'He's the first…'

'Yeah, I heard,' Esta said hurriedly, 'but still… what's he doing here?'

'I don't know…' Robin glanced around at the guy again. He was still staring at him.

'The black van probably belongs to the slayers,' Esta said, lowering her voice again. 'That's why they take the bodies of Ingrid's victims. It's also why it's begun to be associated with disappearing people. They're dead after all; they're unlikely to come back. But that means…' she trailed away.

'The Van Helsings used to be slayers,' Robin pointed out.

'That wouldn't be a reason for the slayers to approach them… unless it means that Mr Van Helsing was killed by vampires.'

Robin's jaw dropped. 'Are you saying that Ingrid killed Mr Van Helsing?'

'No,' Esta said quickly, 'we don't know it was Ingrid. There might be more vampires for all we know. Didn't you say that Ingrid once turned a human into a vampire?'

'Will,' Robin nodded, 'but Ingrid wouldn't be turning people to vampires. She has no reason to.'

'Besides, they'd probably remind her of Will,' Esta said in a distant voice that Robin connected with deep thinking.

'What did you mean earlier?'

'Hmm?'

'Before, you said that we might not be the only ones after the Draculas. What did you mean by that?'

'Think, Robin,' Esta said, not unkindly, 'if Jonno and Mina are going to be told how Mr Van Helsing died, they're going to be provided with proof. In other words, the slayers are going to help them remember. If they remember, they might remember about Vlad. If they remember about Vlad, they might go after him again. I'm certain that's why there are slayers here. They want the Van Helsings on their side, or what remains of them at least. Mina is certain to become a slayer, judging on how we think her husband died.'

'You think her husband died,' Robin corrected.

Esta turned to him. 'Don't you agree with me?'

'I just don't see why Ingrid…' Robin began.

'Esta Lyte, Robin Branaugh, stop talking this instant or I will separate the pair of you,' Mrs Branaugh hissed, 'it is disrespectful to the Van Helsings.'

'Sorry Mum.'

'Sorry Mrs Branaugh.'

'That's better.' Elizabeth Branaugh returned her attention to the front. Esta and Robin exchanged a glance and then, together, glanced over at the slayer party. The slayer Robin recognised was still staring at them, along with a few others. Something in their eyes told the pair that they didn't just think their conversation was disrespectful.

'They're suspicious,' Esta whispered. On the other side of her, her aunt went, 'shush'.

After the ceremony, Esta and Robin were held back by Mrs Branaugh and Esta's aunt and forced to listen to a five minute rant about disrespecting those who had moved on with chatter during remembrance ceremonies. At least, Elizabeth Branaugh ranted at Robin for five minutes, Esta listening in on the conversation. Her aunt had started to follow her lead when Esta had given her a look Robin couldn't quite understand and her aunt had sighed, said, 'fair enough,' and stopped talking.

Afterwards, they went looking for the slayer party under the cover of paying their respect to the Van Helsings.

On their way out, they were stopped by the slayer Robin had recognised and a couple of his friends.

'I hope you don't remember me,' the slayers said to Robin.

'Of course I remember you,' Robin said. Even Esta looked surprised.

'You do?' the slayer said. The slayer to his right gestured and the other slayer reached into his bag for something. Esta reached for Robin's arm.

'Yeah,' Robin continued, 'it was the most embarrassing evening of my life. I was dressed as a piece of fruit. We were made to sit around a campfire for three hours and sing for ages and the food was terrible. I was dressed as a piece of fruit.' Robin shuddered.

He must have really hated that evening, Esta thought, that was a very convincing shudder.

The second slayer gestured and his friend lowered whatever he had been holding. He stepped forwards, the slayer Robin had recognised backed away to allow the older slayer the floor. He's the experienced one, Esta thought, careful how you go, Robin. 'What do you remember about the castle?' the older slayer asked carefully.

Robin shrugged. 'The Counts lived in it,' he said, being careful not to give away how much he remembered. He thought back to how little he had known before Esta had helped him remember. 'Um… Vlad had the top bedroom… The day they disappeared, we had just had a meal with them. There was a party… can't remember why… but when I went up to the castle the next day, the place was deserted.' He glanced at Esta who was staring at him as if this was the first time she had heard this and then at the first slayer, who looked unimpressed. 'You were there, weren't you?' Robin frowned. 'Why were you there?'

'I was invited,' the slayer said through gritted teeth. He glanced at his older companion. The older slayer was glaring at Robin with small calculating eyes before stepping towards him. Instinctively, Robin stepped backwards, into Esta. She pushed him back into the slayer as she tried to regain her balance. The slayer grabbed Robin's collar and pulled him close.

'What do you know,' he asked in a low voice, 'about vampires?'

There was a long pause before Esta started laughing. 'Seriously?' she asked.

Robin tried his best to look confused. 'Why do you want to know?' he muttered.

'Just tell me,' the slayer growled, tugging at Robin again so that Robin could smell the scent of his breath. It smelt, just slightly, of garlic. 'What do you know about vampires?'

Robin began gabbling. 'They're a mythological creature who are said to live off life essence (or blood in most cultures). They are said to come from Transylvania because of the classic novel "The Vampyre", however it is Dracula who has now become the typical symbol of modern vampirism, despite using the characteristics of the vampire established in the first novel. It is said that…'

'Yes, yes,' the slayer cut in quickly, 'I don't want the lecture.'

'You wanted him to tell you what he knew of vampires,' Esta snapped, 'Robin is the local expert on vampires. He's been a fan of them for… how long have you liked vampires?'

'Ages,' Robin spluttered, the grip on his collar tightening, 'since I was little and I walked in on my brothers watching a horror movie. It was so cool how the vampire…' he stopped talking as the hold on his collar suddenly vanished. The slayer had let go in disgust.

'I don't want to hear it,' he snapped. 'What I want to know is what you know about modern vampires?' he looked from Robin to Esta and back to Robin again. Both made an effort to keep their faces blank.

'Modern vampires?' Esta queried.

Robin blinked. 'Are they much different from old vampires?' They glanced at one another.

Esta shrugged. 'They are popular Halloween monsters,' she said, 'and recently there is an obsession to make them romantic thanks to that ridiculous Twilight series.' She shook her head.

Robin snorted. 'Yeah,' he said, 'they'd sooner drain your body of life than be in love with you.' He looked disgusted. 'Worst portrayal of vampires ever,' he muttered, 'I mean, come on, glittering vampires?'

Esta giggled. 'Glittering vampires,' she repeated, 'what will be next? Werewolves that are really dogs?'

'Nah, Twilight's managed to screw up that too,' Robin pointed out.

'At least they use Taylor Lautner,' Esta mused. 'He's kind of hot.'

'What?' Robin turned to her. 'How can you even suggest that? Just because they use some good looking bloke doesn't make it right to totally ruin the image of some of horrors classical beasts! Twilight totally ruins Halloween; you can just cover yourself in glitter and suddenly you're a vampire!'

Esta was doubling up in laughter now. People were shooting them disapproving glances, but the slayers were remaining not amused. The older slayer grunted and turned to go. His companions began to follow, the slayer Robin knew glaring at them as they went. Then the younger slayer, the slayer who hadn't spoken so far, turned back. He pulled the device out of his bag and studied it closely, then looked up at Esta.

She was gasping for air after laughing at Robin ranting about Twilight; he still was under his breath. 'What?' she asked.

The slayer grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. 'Can I see your blood?' he asked, intensely.

Esta stared at him. 'What?' she asked again, but there was a note of panic in her voice.

'Can I see your blood?' the slayer repeated, his grip tightening.

'I… I don't understand you,' Esta said, trying to pull her arm free.

'I want…' the slayer began.

'Leave her alone,' Robin snapped, trying to break the slayer's grip. The other slayers had hung back to watch.

'She's a supernatural, sir,' the young slayer said to the older, gesturing at his machine, 'permission to take a blood sample, sir.'

'Permission…'

'What's going on?' Jonathon Van Helsing had arrived on the scene. The young slayer instantly let go of Esta. Esta fell backwards into Robin, who caught her. As soon as she was back on her feet, Esta scurried over to Jonathon, eyes wide in fear. Jonathon put a protective arm around her. 'What's going on?' he repeated.

The slayers shifted awkwardly, like schoolchildren caught by their teacher. 'The machine says she's a supernatural,' the young slayer murmured.

Jonathon took the machine off the slayer and turned to Esta. 'You don't mind do you?' he asked. Esta shook her head slowly. Jonathon ran the machine up and down her, with the air of someone who was new to all of this, and then gave it back to the slayer. 'What does it say now?' he demanded.

The slayer didn't look up. 'It says she's clear,' he muttered.

'Well then,' Jonathon said as if that resolved the matter.

The slayer's face briefly creased in a frown as something blipped on the machine before turning to go. The two slayers he was with wacked him over the head and stalked ahead of him, ignoring the glares from the surrounding people.

Esta regained some courage to yell after them, 'an apology might be nice!' There was no response. 'Typical!' Esta said, turning back around to face Jonathon.

He tried to smile at her. 'I'm sorry, Esta,' he said, 'there was probably a fault with that machine.' He attempted the smile again.

'Who were they, Jonathon?' Esta asked in a small voice, 'who were they? Why were they here? What was that thing? Jonathon?'

Jonathon brushed a strand of hair from her face. 'Don't worry yourself about it,' he said gently, 'it doesn't concern you.'

'They just…' Esta began, but something in Jonathon's eyes made her stop. 'Fine,' she said after a long sigh.

'Thank you,' Jonathon said, placing a hand on her shoulder. He glanced across at Robin. 'I'm sorry, both of you. I saw them talking to you earlier.' He blinked and glanced back to Esta. 'What were you laughing about?'

Esta grinned. 'Robin on the subject of Twilight.'

Jonathon's face cracked a smile too. 'Ah!' he said. 'That would explain it.' He spotted something over Esta's head, apologised and left them.

They watched them go. 'That was close,' Esta muttered when Jonathon was out of sight.

'What was that about?' Robin asked her.

'I have no idea,' Esta told him, but Robin had a guess that that wasn't true.

;)

I'm hoping that I can get Robin and Esta out of Stokely soon, then they're on thier way to find Vlad!