The Berk Undead: Blood Sport
A/N: Well what do you know? I actually managed to finish the third installment of the Berk Undead series like I said I would, what, over a year ago? Yeah, sorry about that, but seriously by this point I don't think any of you are actually surprised it took me this long.
Anyway, here it is: "Blood Sport," the third installment of my vampire AU The Berk Undead. Enjoy!
The forest path was dark and dreary. The moon above was full, and its light bathed the winding trail in an ethereal blue glow. Not a breath of wind stirred the leaves of the trees, and the sleeping creatures of the woods were all silent. Perfect. Silence suited me just fine.
The path suddenly turned and opened up, and I emerged from the forest into open night. A few paces before me was a small cul-de-sac, with houses that lined both sides of the street. While not a rich neighborhood, the occupants of these homes were obviously fairly well-off. I could tell from the way they were all meticulously maintained, and while none were over two stories tall, they all had an aura of refinement about them. I smiled. Yes…this was the place.
Feeling bold and not the least bit worried about being spotted, I walked briskly up to the closest house and peered in through a first-floor window. The room beyond, a den or living room, was dark and vacant. Excellent. The family was asleep. I shouldn't have any trouble.
I dug my fingertips into the grooves between the bricks of the house's façade and hoisted myself up, scaling the wall without having to exert any effort at all. I soon found myself at the base of another window, and I peered excitedly, yet a little cautiously, inside. There was someone asleep in the bed. It was too dark to make out details, and besides, the person was hidden under a thick comforter. But I could see a tangle of blond hair, and judging from that, I could guess that it was a woman, most likely a teenager, facing away from the window.
So far, so good.
I deftly opened the window and slipped inside, taking slow, silent steps toward the figure in the bed. My heart thudded with anticipation, and my fangs began to elongate. My eyes turned scarlet, and I raised my hands to pull back the bed sheets…
"NO!"
I woke with a start, sitting bolt-upright and shaking, sweat pouring down my brow. I looked around wildly as if expecting to see the creature at my own window. But of course it wasn't there.
I groaned and lowered my head, cradling it in my hands. It was happening again. The dreams. No, not really dreams. More like flashes into another mind.
The mind of my creator.
"I hate this mind connection," I grumbled, lying back onto the bed and closing my eyes. But the images from my vision were still too vivid and fresh to allow sleep. I swore under my breath and threw the sheets off of me, standing up and walking over to the window. The night outside was completely peaceful. Not a leaf twitched or stirred, and the moon…
…the moon wasn't full.
I stared at it for several moments. In my dream, vision, whatever, the moon had been full and completely visible. Now, however, it was partially hidden behind thick gray clouds, and it was only partially full.
What did that mean?
"He's plotting something," I muttered, my breath fogging up the window. "But what?"
I screwed my eyes shut and focused, trying to conjure the last few images from the vision. It was rather like trying to cup water in my hands. The more I struggled to retain the memory, the faster it trickled away.
The girl…
There had been a moment, just before I awoke, that I got a good look at the girl's face. It was the shock of seeing it that had made me wake. I knew her. She was in one of my classes.
My heart suddenly sank as I realized what it all meant.
He was hunting her. And that meant…
"He's back," I breathed. "Dear God in heaven, he's back…"
I didn't sleep again for the rest of the night.
…
"Henry, are you all right?" Finn Ingerman asked the next morning when I came down the stairs for breakfast. "You don't look so well."
I yawned widely and gazed blearily at my friend. "I didn't sleep well last night," I replied, sitting down on the couch beside Finn. "I had…I had one of those dreams."
Finn's eyes widened. "You mean…you saw Dagur's mind again?"
I nodded. "It's one of the worst things about being a vampire," I grumbled. "This stupid mind connection is driving me mad."
"You could always renounce him, like I did with Alvin," Finn suggested.
I hesitated and then shook my head. "No. I may not like it, but it lets me know where he is and what he's doing. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to stop him before…" I trailed off, unsure of how to finish.
Gunnar Benton, who had been elected leader of our little clan of vampires after Alvin's death, walked into the room. "Better hurry up, boys," he said. "You'll be late for school."
One of the things Finn and I had accepted as requirements for joining this clan was the fact we had to act younger than we actually were and attend high school. The theory was that we could stay in Berk for a few years longer if everyone in town believed we were in our teens and not our early twenties. Since we don't age, we need to relocate every few decades so as not to arouse suspicion. The younger we pretended to be, the longer we could stay. And since I liked Berk quite a lot – I had been raised in this town before being turned into a vampire – I wanted to stay for as long as possible.
Finn and I nodded in response to Gunnar's suggestion and rushed off to retrieve our bags. On our way out the door, Finn asked, "So what is Dagur up to now?"
I told him about his dream-vision, putting special emphasis on the shape of the moon and the girl in the bed. "I think he's planning on attacking this girl on the night of the full moon," I said. "Finn…I can't let it happen. I've watched Dagur do some terrible things because of this mind connection, suffered at his hands, and I haven't been able to do anything to stop him. But this time, it's different. He's in our territory…or he will be soon, anyway. I think if we play our cards right, we might just be able to stop him once and for all."
"Sounds great," Finn agreed, nodding. "So what's your plan of action?"
I was a moment in replying. "I guess the best thing to do is try to protect the girl."
"Are you sure about that?" my friend said, sounding very uncertain as he climbed into the driver's seat of the Lug, his beloved car. "You know we can't reveal ourselves to humans."
"I know that," I said, waving my hand as Finn cranked the car to life. "But I can…I don't know, get closer to her, and maybe I can keep a better eye on her that way. She never has to know what I'm doing. And on the night of the full moon…" My hands clenched into fists. "I will face Dagur myself and end it."
Finn didn't reply to this ominous statement.
When we pulled into the school parking lot a few minutes later, the first thing I saw was the girl. She was getting out of a battered old station wagon and shouldering her bag. She was pretty: her long golden hair was tied in a braid running down her back and her eyes were a bright, lively blue in color. Her face was a little pale, but not at all unpleasant, and her body was slim and modestly curved.
Finn noticed the object of my attention and said, "I don't think I've met her before. Have you?"
"Yes," I said, not looking away from the girl's retreating back. "Her name's Astrid Hofferson."
I could sense Finn's surprise. "How do you know that?"
I tried to keep my voice level as I replied, "She's in one of my classes and we've spoken a few times."
I knew Finn was staring at me and I refused to look his way. He could sense I wasn't being totally honest. The truth was that I was strangely fascinated by Astrid. From the moment I'd first seen her, with the sunlight reflecting off her golden braid and her eyes sparkling with pleasure over some unknown, private thought, I had sensed that there was something extraordinary about her. I didn't know what it was, but for some reason it drew me to her, and I couldn't help but speak to her whenever I could. She'd been wary at first – I got the impression she often had boys fawning over her and she thought I might be just another guy interested in nothing but her beauty – but over time as we'd gotten to know each other better she relaxed and soon we'd developed a tenuous friendship. It wasn't a strong bond – we didn't know each other that well, after all – but it was pleasant nonetheless, and I often hoped that I could learn more about her.
I just hadn't banked on Dagur's hunt forcing me to speed up the process.
I sat beside Astrid that day in math class, and she smiled at me as I greeted her. We didn't say anything else, for class started almost immediately after. I spent the entire period trying to come up with some way to initiate a conversation with her, one that would hopefully put me in a position to be near her without her getting suspicious.
Fate was being kind to me that day, for our teacher provided the perfect excuse for me to speak with Astrid. We were to have a test in two days. So when class was dismissed, I turned to her and said, "Hey, Astrid."
She looked up in surprise. "Yes, Henry?"
"I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to study for this test with me," I said, gazing into her eyes and silently willing her to agree. Time to turn on the old vampire charm, I thought.
Astrid blinked, momentarily stunned by the force of a vampire's hypnotic gaze. "Oh…yeah," she said after a second or two. She shook her head as if to clear it. "That sounds good. Where and when?"
"The town library, right after school?" I suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Astrid replied, smiling pleasantly. She picked up her bag and walked toward the door, calling, "See you later, then," over her shoulder as she left.
I shouldered my bag as well and joined the throng of students in the hallway, heading in the direction of the cafeteria for first-period lunch. Finn was waiting for me at one of the round tables by the window. "How'd it go?" he asked without preamble as I sat down beside him.
"I'm meeting her after school at the library," I replied. "After that, I don't know. But it's a start."
Finn nodded. "One step at a time, Henry."
I didn't reply.
…
As promised, I headed to the library immediately after school let out, pausing only to drop Finn off at the house. "Be careful, all right?" Finn asked through the open car window.
I knew what he was talking about, but I tried to insert some humor by joking, "Don't worry, the Lug won't get a scratch."
Finn rolled his eyes. I'd convinced him to lend me his car for the evening as part of my I'm-a-human-no-really-I-swear routine. I lived a little too far away from the library to convince Astrid I'd walked the distance. "She'd better not," he replied, grinning, but then he turned serious and added, "Listen, I know vampires like Dagur. Alvin was just as bad, and he was utterly vicious. So please take care, won't you?"
I nodded. "I will," I promised, and I drove away from the house, returning to town. The library was a few miles away from the high school, and Astrid was already there, waiting for me by a bookshelf near the entrance. She smiled when I entered, and I returned it with – if I may say so – slightly more dizzying effect. I'd have to watch the whole vampire-hypnosis thing, keep it in check.
We sat down at a table in the back, pulled out books from our bags, and started studying. Or, more accurately, Astrid started studying while I, who pretty much knew the material by heart, pretended to study while keeping my senses on high alert. I knew it was a few weeks from full moon, but the fact that Dagur had already picked Astrid out as his victim showed that the bastard was in the area, watching her. He might change his plans, or maybe he was stalking her. In any case, I felt better making sure that my creator was nowhere nearby.
The afternoon passed uneventfully. We quizzed each other on the material, and I gently corrected Astrid when she made a mistake. "I really hate math," she sighed once, vigorously erasing a wrong answer from her paper.
I allowed myself a grin. "Me too."
"At least you're getting them all right," Astrid pointed out, nodding to my perfect paper with a jealous frown.
Oops.
"I, uh…it just comes naturally," I explained quickly. "It doesn't mean I enjoy it."
Astrid chuckled. "Yeah, it usually works that way, doesn't it?"
I smiled, relieved.
And then at once, I stiffened. Nothing about the scene had changed: people still browsed the shelves for books, the librarian sat behind her desk checking out material for the customers, and a general hush still prevailed. But a tension had permeated the air, so minute that mere humans couldn't detect it. There was someone else here, lurking out of sight, watching us.
I whipped my head around, and my eyes fell on a shape in the shadowy area between two towering bookshelves. A human shape. With bright, glowing red eyes.
The next second, the shape was gone, as if it had never even been there. The tension left the air just as quickly as it had come, and everything returned to normal. But I didn't relax my stiff posture. I was tensed, ready to attack at a moment's notice. Where was he? Where would he come from…?
"Henry? Are you all right?"
I looked back at Astrid, who was gazing worriedly at me. I blinked. "Oh…yes," I said, relaxing and hitching a smile on my face. "I just thought I saw someone I recognized back there. I was mistaken."
Astrid frowned, as if there was something about my voice that she didn't find entirely convincing. Perceptive, I thought. Perhaps too perceptive.
Then she looked at her watch. "We should be going," she said. "It's almost dinnertime. My folks will be waiting for me."
I nodded but didn't say anything as we packed our books into our bags. My heart was pounding uncomfortably hard. That shape had been a vampire, I was sure of it. And there was only one vampire who could make me tense up the way I had…
Astrid led me out the door and headed toward the parking lot. "Did you walk?" I asked on a whim.
"Yes," Astrid answered, looking surprised and a little wary. "I live only a few blocks away."
"Please, let me drive you home," I said, the earnestness in my voice surprising even myself.
"Oh, um…" Astrid looked a little uncomfortable. "It's all right, really. It's not too far."
"It would make me feel better," I said, trying to grin. "Humor me, please."
Astrid hesitated, and I realized she was indeed worried about an attack…from me. Oh, Astrid, if only you knew… I thought with a mental sigh.
"Well…okay, I guess," she finally conceded.
I smiled a little more fully, trying to put enough good humor in the expression to ease her worries and locking eyes with hers for a moment. Again, she faltered a little at my vampiric gaze. Then she turned around and walked toward Finn's car, with me by her side.
We chatted about random, unimportant matters on our way, and I kept an extra-sharp lookout, eyes and ears straining for the slightest sign that all things weren't well. But the evening was quiet, and I could tell that we were not being followed. We reached Astrid's house in the cul-de-sac I'd seen in my vision, and I said good-night. Evidently relieved that she hadn't been attacked, Astrid smiled and said, "See you tomorrow, Henry," before retreating into the light and warmth of the house.
"Yes," I murmured, not driving away, watching the door. "Tomorrow."
Tomorrow. When the cycle of watching her, protecting her, and guarding her would begin anew. What excuse would I come up with for being with her this time…?
I turned out of the cul-de-sac and returned to town, on my way back to the house. I turned the radio on in an attempt to drown out my thoughts, but of course it didn't work. Dagur had been at the library tonight. Why? To keep track of his prey?
Or to check up on his creation?
The vision filled my head so suddenly that I gasped and jerked on the wheel. The car swerved, narrowly avoiding a tree, and I slammed on the brakes. The Lug skidded to a stop just outside the entrance to the dirt driveway that led to our clan's house. I could see myself, sitting at a round table under fluorescent lights, reading out of a textbook, checking answers. Beside me, Astrid was doing the same thing. And then the Henry in my mind looked up and turned his head, and our eyes met.
The vision changed just as swiftly. It was of Astrid's house in the cul-de-sac, and Astrid was lying in the light of the full moon, her skin pale and bloodless, her eyes open and blank. Beside her, my vision-self was sobbing, grief and rage shaking his entire frame as tears slid down his cheeks, all while I watched on, laughing…
My sight returned to me as the vision faded, and I took several deep breaths, trying without success to remain calm. I knew without having to think about it what it meant. The first part was what Dagur had seen: the two of us at the library. The second part was what Dagur imagined happening in the future…what he was planning…
There was a rap on the window, and I jumped, looking around. Finn was outside the car, peering in through the passenger-side glass, looking worried. With shaking fingers, I unlocked the door, letting my friend into the vehicle. "Henry, what's wrong?" he asked.
I took a deep, trembling breath. "I…I just saw into Dagur's mind again," I explained.
"Have his plans changed?" Finn asked, alarmed.
I shook my head. "No, he's still planning on hunting Astrid on the night of the full moon. But his motivations have changed."
Finn blinked. "I don't follow."
"He saw me at the library," I moaned. "And he thought…I don't know, that we were together or something. And now…oh God, what have I done?"
"Henry…" Finn reached out and shook my shoulders. "Focus. What is going on?"
I looked over at Finn. "He's going to hunt her because of me. To hurt me. I've turned this into a game, the most delicious game Dagur has ever played. He knows I'm going to try to protect her with all I've got, so he's going to become much more brutal, toying with both of us before he goes in for the kill." I slammed my hands on the steering wheel. (Finn flinched but didn't remark on this abuse to his precious car.) "If I hadn't intervened, he would at least have been quick about it! But now I've made everything worse!"
"Not necessarily," Finn countered. "Don't give up so soon, Henry. At least you know now. You'll be more prepared. And you're not alone," he added with a small grin. "We'll tell the others, and we'll help you." He motioned for me to move. "Come on, I'll drive from here. You're too shaken up."
I couldn't help but wonder if this was more because he was protective of the Lug than the fact I was obviously so shaken up, but in any case I couldn't argue with him, so I got out and circled over to the passenger side as my friend slid into the driver's seat. Finn drove up the path until it opened into a clearing, revealing the Victorian house we called home. Parking the car, Finn looked over at me. I was staring out the windshield but not really seeing it. "It'll be okay," he said. "Everything will work out, I'm sure of it."
I didn't reply but opened the door and stepped out into the night. Sighing, Finn imitated me, following me into the house.
Gunnar and the other four members of our clan were all congregated in the den, watching some inane sitcom on the television. My old friend looked up at our entrance and seemed to realize at once that something was wrong. He stood up and said, "What has happened?"
"Gunnar," Finn said, as I was still rather catatonic, "Henry's creator Dagur is in the area."
Gunnar stiffened, and the other vampires looked around. Steven, the second-in-command and Gunnar's close friend, stood as well and asked, "Has he done something?"
"No, not yet," Finn answered. "But Henry has seen into his mind and knows what he's planning. He's after a girl named Astrid Hofferson from the local high school, and he plans to attack at the full moon."
Gunnar looked over at me, and I managed to nod. Gunnar frowned, apparently sensing that there was something he was missing. "Is there more?" he asked, directing his question to me.
I looked up at him, hesitated for a moment, and then explained everything, starting with the dream-vision of the previous night and ending with the later vision in the car. When I was done, the other vampires were all staring at me. All except Gunnar, who was gazing out the window, forehead creased in thought. He was silent for several long minutes. Then he looked back at me and said, "Don't worry, lad. We will protect Astrid at all cost."
"There are seven of us and one of him," Steven said briskly. "He doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell."
I couldn't help but smile a little. "Thanks," I murmured.
"Don't mention it," Gunnar replied, waving a hand airily. "Hmm…I suppose we could post guards around her house. We have to protect her family, too; we don't want him to be able to use them to get to her. And of course, she'll be safe at school as long as you and Finn are there. And on the night of the full moon, we'll post our best fighters at her house to finish him. Don't worry," he added with a faint smile. "Dagur will not harm anyone in our territory."
I nodded and felt bolstered by my friends' encouragement. Maybe we did stand a chance after all.
…
Of course, that didn't stop me from worrying. Nor did it stop me from dreaming. My night was filled with images of Astrid lying in a pool of blood, her eyes staring accusingly up at me as I watched, helpless, as Dagur drained her of her very last drop…
"You look terrible," Finn observed the next morning.
"Thanks," I said drily. "That makes me feel so much better." I sighed and added, "I didn't sleep well."
"More visions?" Finn asked sharply.
I shook my head. "Just dreams."
School was torturous, in part because I was so tired from lack of sleep, but also because I knew just how much rested on my shoulders. As I walked into his math class, Astrid looked up at me and smiled. I tried to return it.
"How are you?" she asked as I sat down beside her.
"Tired," I answered honestly. "Didn't sleep well last night."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said with genuine sympathy.
"'S'okay," I replied, stifling a yawn. "I'll take a nap after school or something."
Class started not long afterward, and I had a tough time keeping up in my exhausted state. I was called on twice and answered wrong both times, and the teacher glared reproachfully at me every time I yawned, but I didn't care. I only had room in my head for Astrid. I had to protect her…I had to…
The bell rang suddenly, and I jumped. I hadn't realized I'd dozed off. The teacher was still glaring at me, but I didn't gave no sign I'd noticed, gathering up my books and rushing out the door after Astrid, who gave me one concerned glance before heading off to her next class.
The rest of the day was just as slow and plodding, and as I headed out to the parking lot that afternoon, the only thing on my mind was a nice long nap.
But I was suddenly wide awake when I saw the note, pinned to Finn's car by the windshield wipers.
You won't save her by sleeping on the job. See you soon, brother.
It wasn't signed, but I knew at once who had written it.
…
"Does he know?" Finn asked later that day.
"Does he know what?" I asked, my head in my hands, not looking up at him. My voice sounded harsh, and I told myself to cool it. After all, it wasn't Finn's fault I'd dozed off. None of this was his fault.
Finn didn't seem offended by my snappish tone. "Does he know that we're all looking out for Astrid?" he clarified.
I raised my head and glanced around the room at all the other vampires. "I don't know," I said in a shaky voice. "I don't think so. He just knows I'm going to try to protect her." I shook my head. "But that's not the point. He was there! He could have gotten her at any point today, and I would never have known until it was too late!"
Naturally, the first thing I'd done was check to make sure Astrid was still safe. She had sounded a little worried when she'd answered her phone and heard my frantic inquiries, and it had taken some time to convince her that everything was okay. Vampire hypnosis didn't work over the phone.
Dagur had not yet made his move. He was just toying with his opponent. Having fun, playing his little game. He would wait, drawing out his blood sport for as long as possible. I should have known he would have pulled a stunt like this.
"But he didn't get her," Gunnar said now, trying to soothe my very troubled mind. "She's safe, and we'll increase the guard on her during the school day. Dagur will not harm her." He turned to the others. "Steven, Penelope, you two will patrol the school during class. Keep an eye on her at all times."
Steven and Penelope nodded.
I put my head in his hands again and sighed. All the optimism I'd felt the previous night was drained from me. Finn put a hand on my shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Henry. We'll get him, and we'll keep Astrid safe."
Over by the fireplace, one of the vampires, Milton, sniffed. "Oh for God's sake, why are you so worried about a human?" he asked scornfully. "I acknowledge all life is important, but you hardly even know her—"
I snarled and leapt up, reaching Milton in two strides and grabbing him around the throat. I was so fast that even I hadn't realized what I was doing until my fingers were clenched around the vampire's neck. The old man gasped and spluttered, staggering back into the wall as I pulled my lips back, allowing my fangs to extend, my eyes turning red, the pupils dilating into slits. A venomous hiss escaped through my lips. "Shut your stupid, filthy mouth!" I growled. "I will keep her safe if it's the last thing I do, and nothing you say is going to change that!"
"Henry!" Gunnar said sharply. "Let go of him!"
I obeyed and stepped back, glaring down disdainfully at Milton as he massaged his throat, breathing heavily.
"Go feed," Gunnar ordered, his voice as stern as I'd ever heard it. "You need some blood if you hope to maintain your sanity."
I'd fed only a few days ago, so I was perfectly fine and I knew it. I could tell that Gunnar just wanted me out of the house for a little while. Normally the idea might have offended me, but at that particular moment I didn't care and left the house without complaint, Finn following close behind.
We were in the city limits of Berk before I finally spoke. "I shouldn't have lost my temper," I said quietly. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Nothing's wrong with you," Finn said bracingly. "You're just under a lot of strain at the moment. And to be fair, what Milton said was pretty stupid."
"Yeah, but still…" I shook my head. "He didn't deserve…" I sighed. "I'll apologize to him when we get back."
Finn nodded, still looking at me thoughtfully. It made me a little uncomfortable. It was as though he could see through me. "You really care about her, don't you?" he murmured.
I felt my cheeks redden and didn't answer. Finn didn't ask again and the subject was dropped.
As it was still daytime, we had to wait for a few hours before it was safe to feed. We spent our time at the local used bookstore, browsing the shelves for potentially interesting reads. I found an old yet pristine copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula, a book I'd read dozens of times and absolutely loved. I opened the book to a page at random and started reading about the group of ragtag vampire hunters that had set out to destroy the formidable Count Dracula.
Dracula was speaking, taunting his pursuers:
"You think you baffle me, you – with your pale faces all in a row, like sheep in a butcher's. You shall be sorry yet, each one of you! You think you have left me without a place to rest; but I have more. My revenge is just begun! I spread it over centuries, and time is on my side. Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine – my creatures, to do my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed…"
I closed the book with a snap and replaced it on the shelf with shaking hands.
"Find anything interesting?" Finn asked from two aisles down.
"Nope, not yet," I replied, fighting to keep my voice level.
We left after a few hours' worth of browsing, both carrying a couple of books each. I was trying with all my might to maintain a strong façade, but the way Finn kept glancing at me gave me the impression I wasn't doing too well.
Night had fallen at last, and we picked a house on the outskirts of town for our feeding. Depositing our books in the bushes for the time being, we climbed up a trellis to a second-floor window. Peering in, we saw two teenage girls talking to each other. One was reclining on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling, and the other was sitting in a chair, using the computer on the desk. Finn opened the window and slipped silently into the room, and I followed close behind. Both girls looked around, eyes wide, and opened their mouths to scream, but we looked into their eyes and said together, "You do not need to fear us. We will not harm you."
The hypnosis worked perfectly; the girls stopped themselves from screaming and sat limply as we approached them. Finn claimed the one on the bed, and I took the one at the desk, allowing our fangs to elongate and piercing the jugular veins. We drank deeply yet sparingly, leaving both girls alive and well minutes later as we retreated into the night. Bolstered by fresh blood in our systems, we returned to the house in better spirits, our purchases tucked under our arms.
In the den, I sought out Milton to apologize, but he wasn't there. "He's at Astrid's house with Rachel," Gunnar explained. "They're keeping an eye on her and her family."
I nodded, my heart sinking a little.
"She'll be okay, Henry," Gunnar said with a sigh. "I know Milton doesn't understand completely, but he is fiercely loyal to this clan. He won't let Dagur anywhere near her."
I just nodded again. Then I left the den, intending to drop off my new books in my bedroom.
But the books tumbled from my arms the moment I stepped over the threshold.
There was a sheet of paper on my bed, and even from his distance from it I knew exactly what it was.
It was a page from a used copy of Dracula, the very page that contained the vampire's taunt.
…
The days turned into weeks, and day by day Dagur's taunts became less frequent. I figured that he had realized that they were becoming less powerful, less able to frighten me. After all, they were just taunts. I had darted off to Astrid's house upon finding the torn page from Dracula only to find that Milton and Penelope were watching her vigilantly, and Dagur had not been there at all. Astrid was in minimal danger, so the items that showed up over the next few days – a yearbook photo of Astrid with a tear across her throat, a printout from the Internet about a string of mysterious murders (almost certainly the work of a vampire), a wooden letter A painted blood-red – started to have less effect. A whole week passed without a single taunt; apparently Dagur had realized that sticks and stones had to be thrown before they hurt.
The day before the full moon arrived, and I was on full-alert. "You okay?" Astrid asked me as I sat down in math class.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, blinking. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know," Astrid said, frowning slightly. "You just seem…kinda jumpy."
I grinned. "You're pretty observant."
Astrid smiled at the compliment. "Why thank you," she said. Then she asked, "How's the book?"
She nodded to the battered copy of Dracula on my desk.
"It's great," I replied. I'd started rereading it the day after Dagur had left the torn page on my bed. I couldn't explain why, even to myself. Perhaps I was looking for a way to outsmart Dagur. But I'd found myself drawn once again into the classic story. It was by far my favorite book, and each new reading was like the first. "I'm at the part where the characters start chasing Dracula to Transylvania. The exciting climax!"
"I really need to read that book," Astrid said with a sigh. "I've seen some of the movies, but I've never actually read it. It's embarrassing. I love vampires but I've never read the most famous vampire novel of all time."
I stared at her for a moment. "You like vampires?" I verified, trying to sound only mildly interested.
"Yeah," she said, nodding sheepishly. "I think they're cool. Except the Twilight vampires." She laughed. "The whole sparkling thing is pretty stupid."
I chuckled. "Yeah…yeah, it is…"
Class started, so I couldn't ask for more information. I wondered what vampire books she'd read, what movies she'd seen, how she'd gotten into vampires… As a vampire myself, I've done a lot of research on various aspects of vampire lore, and my knowledge of fictional vampires is pretty extensive, if I may say so. It's a subject I can really get into.
When the bell rang, I asked, "So…since you haven't read Dracula, certainly the best vampire book ever written, what's your favorite vampire novel?"
"Um…" Astrid thought about it for a moment. "I don't know…I guess Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice. Although I think I liked the movie better."
"Same here," I said with a laugh. "I read the sequel, The Vampire Lestat, but it took me a lot longer to finish. I just had a hard time getting into it."
"I know, right?" Astrid agreed enthusiastically. "It's just so dense…!"
I followed her all the way to her next class, talking about vampires until we had to say good-bye. I headed to lunch in reasonably high spirits. "What's got you in such a good mood?" Finn asked a little snappishly. He'd had a test in Chemistry that morning that had been unreasonably difficult, even for a vampire who'd taken the class before.
"Astrid likes vampires," I said simply, setting down my tray and spearing a piece of ravioli on my fork. I sniffed it cautiously and grimaced. How could humans stand to eat this awful stuff?
Finn straightened. "You didn't tell her…?"
"Of course not," I replied, waving a hand. "I'm not stupid. We just talked about books and movies, that's all."
Finn relaxed. "Oh. That's okay. She likes vampires, huh? You've met a fellow Dracula fan?"
"Actually, no," I clarified. "She's never read it."
"What?!" Finn said incredulously. "How can you like vampires and never have read Dracula?"
"No idea," I said, chuckling.
I was still in a reasonably good when school got out. I headed to his car, planning on finishing Dracula curled up on the couch by the fireplace, but when I opened the driver side door, I froze.
There was a copy of Dracula sitting in the seat. Probably the same copy Dagur had torn the page from. On top of the book was a note.
Too bad she'll never get a chance to read it. See you tomorrow, brother.
I didn't realize I was falling until Finn's hands had grabbed me under the arms. "Henry? Henry! What's…?"
He saw the book and the crumpled paper in my hand and figured it out. "Henry, it's okay," he said. "Dagur's just trying to scare you, that's all. He's done this before. This is nothing new. Now come on, let's go home."
Finn led me to the passenger side and shoved me in before getting behind the wheel. As we left the parking lot, I mumbled, "I thought it had stopped."
"What's that?" Finn asked, glancing at me.
"I thought it had stopped," I repeated. "I thought Dagur had stopped trying to taunt me. It's been a whole week since the last item showed up! I…I wasn't expecting…I wasn't prepared…"
"Henry, snap out of it," Finn said. "Look, the full moon is tomorrow. We'll all be there, and we'll get him. He won't hurt her, and his reign of terror will finally end. Just one more day, Henry, and you'll be free of him forever."
"Forever…" I repeated quietly with a faint moan of longing.
…
As planned, I spent the evening reading Dracula by the fireplace, but I wasn't able to focus on it as much as I would have liked. I found myself rereading the same page over and over again without taking in a single word.
Dr. Seward was writing in his diary about how Dracula had tricked them:
"When the telegram came announcing the arrival in Galatz I do not think it was such a shock to any of us as might have been expected. True, we did not know whence, or how, or when, the bolt would come; but I think we all expected that something strange would happen. The day of arrival at Varna made us individually satisfied that things would not be just as we had expected; we only waited to learn where the change would occur. None the less, however, was it a surprise. I suppose that nature works on such a hopeful basis that we believe against ourselves that things will be as they ought to be, not as we should know that they will be."
I shook my head and started the page again, as I had gotten about halfway down without even knowing what I'd read. …we did not know whence, or how, or when, the bolt would come; but I think we all expected that something strange would happen…
Gunnar was standing by the window, gazing out into the darkness without really seeing anything, lost in his thoughts. Finn was seated beside me, reading one of the books he'd purchased that day that felt like a lifetime ago. Stephen and Greta were seated on the couch by the fire, conversing to each other in sign language. The only ones absent were Milton and Penelope, as they were still guarding Astrid's house. The room was relatively quiet; only the sound of the crackling fire and the low hum of soft voices broke the deafening silence.
… I suppose that nature works on such a hopeful basis that we believe against ourselves that things will be as they ought to be, not as we should know that they will be…
Gunnar's cell phone rang, and he answered it. "Yes?"
As the person on the other end – probably Milton – gave him the latest report, I started the passage again, shaking my head in frustration. …I think we all expected something strange to happen…
"What?!" Gunnar yelped, and everyone looked up.
Everyone except me.
In the same moment Gunnar reacted to whatever Milton had said, the room around me vanished. I gasped in alarm as the vision overtook me: the house in the cul-de-sac I knew so well…the motionless bodies of two vampires I knew well lying on the lawn…the not-quite full moon hanging in the sky…
…Astrid, her eyes wide with disbelief and terror…
"Henry! Henry, snap out of it!"
The vision faded, and Finn's face swam into view. I remained stationary for less than a second, and then I leapt to my feet. "Dagur!" I gasped.
"He's changed his plans," Gunnar said. It wasn't a question.
"He's not waiting for the full moon," I confirmed.
… we all expected something strange to happen…
"Dagur is there. Now."
As one, we all darted from the den and through the front door, running at full speed into the night. My heart was pounding, not from the exertion from the run but from the terror of what we were facing. Dagur had changed his plans. He'd known that we'd be on full-alert the night of the full moon and had decided to attack a night early. He'd tricked us all.
And now Astrid was in danger.
We burst from the trees a few minutes later, emerging into the cul-de-sac and rushing over to Astrid's house. There were two lumpy shapes on the front lawn, and I knew without having to be told what they were.
Gunnar examined them and then straightened. "Milton and Penelope," he said quietly. "They're out cold but still alive."
I was hardly listening. I climbed the brick wall of the house and peered into Astrid's bedroom window.
Empty. Just as I'd feared.
"She's gone," I announced, jumping back to the ground. "He's taken her."
As Gunnar examined the grounds, looking for clues, Greta peered into the house's living room to keep an eye on Astrid's parents, who Dagur had left unharmed. No doubt he'd relish in their panic when they realized their only daughter was missing. Stephen was trying without success to pick up Dagur's or Astrid's trail, but the older vampire was clever; he knew how to flee without leaving a scent, a trick that none of us had mastered or knew how to counter.
I sank onto the grass and put my head in my hands. I'd failed her. I'd tried so hard to save her, had come to care deeply for her, and in the end I had failed to save her.
Finn put a hand on my shoulder. "Henry, you're the only one—"
"I know I'm the only one to blame!" I snarled, leaping to my feet and tensing up as if to strike. My voice shook with repressed rage and grief. "I know that I failed, Finn! Do you have to rub it in?!"
"No," Finn said hurriedly. "I was going to say that you're the only one that can still save her!"
I blinked.
"Look into his mind," Finn urged. "Use this connection you have with him to your advantage. Find him, and you find Astrid, and we'll go save her. We can still stop him, Henry. Hurry, look into his mind and find him!"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my wildly-thumping heart, and closed my eyes, straining my brain, thinking, Dagur Dagur Dagur find him find him find him find Dagur find Dagur…
An image filled my head: an old barn in an abandoned field, overgrown grass swaying in the breeze, the moon bathing the dilapidated building in blue light, sharpening the shadows. And from inside, a girl was screaming…
The image faded. "I know where they are!" I gasped, and without a word I took off in the opposite direction, Finn following close behind. I'd been to this barn before; there had been a party there a month or so ago. It was abandoned – no one had used it in years. It was the perfect place to commit a murder…and to leave the body…
We emerged into the field after only a few minutes. The barn sat innocently on the opposite edge, bathed in the same blue moonlight as I'd seen in my vision. It was dark; Dagur hadn't lit any lanterns. Of course not: vampires don't need light to see, and the darkness would disorient his victim.
Speaking of which…I couldn't hear Astrid…
I ran toward the barn, Finn on my heels, and burst into the old building. A second later, I was rewarded with a painful strike to the head. Stars appeared in my eyes, and I collapsed, disoriented. "Hello, Henry," Dagur said, sounding almost giddy. "It's nice to see you again."
I moaned and blanched at the sound of my creator's voice. I looked up. In the dim light, I could make out the form of the one vampire in the world that I hated. Tall, powerfully muscular, and menacing in his trench coat, bright red eyes gleaming in the darkness. "How have you been, my brother?"
"Astrid…" I looked around, my vision still a little blurred.
"Oh, your little girlfriend's over there," Dagur said, looking over his shoulder disdainfully at a motionless shape lying on the dirt floor. "I must say, her blood is quite delicious. I thought I might save some for…ack!"
He apparently hadn't noticed Finn, who had recovered from his surprise over my fall and attacked, his hands clasping around Dagur's throat. As they struggled, I crawled over to where Astrid's limp form lay. "Astrid," I said, shaking her. "Oh God…oh God, no…please, Astrid, please…wake up, please wake up!"
She didn't open her eyes. Her face was pale, bloodless. There was a twin pair of red marks on her neck, right over her jugular vein. Bite marks.
But she was still breathing. Shallow, ragged breaths, but she was still alive. I leaned in, pressing my cheek to her chest, and felt a slow, sluggish heartbeat. Alive. She was alive. My relief was so great that I actually let out a strangled cry. But she wasn't out of danger. I had to get her out of here, return her home where she'd be safe…
Astrid stirred suddenly, opening her eyes blearily. "Hi, Henry…" she mumbled, and my heart lurched. "So…you're a vampire too, huh?"
"Yeah," I replied, smiling slightly as I touched her golden hair. "You're gonna be all right, I promise. I'm going to get you out of here."
"Okay," she said feebly, as if I'd said nothing stranger than it was nighttime. Then she asked conversationally, "So…do you sparkle in the sunlight?"
I couldn't help but chuckle. "No, no sparkling. What a lame trait to have."
Astrid giggled weakly.
There was a loud grunt, and I looked around in time to see Dagur throw Finn across the barn. My friend hit the wall, which cracked and crumbled, and he hit the floor and lay still, moaning. Dagur then advanced on me.
"Not bad," he panted. "Who knew the old bookworm could actually fight?"
I stood up, blocking Astrid from his line of vision. "How dare you," I snarled, my fangs elongating and my eyes turning red with rage. "How dare you play your little games with her! How dare you use her to get to me! How dare you torment us all for weeks for your sick, twisted entertainment!"
I lunged, and Dagur sidestepped out of the way. I rolled and leapt to my feet without missing a beat. "You won't harm her again," I growled. "You won't harm anyone ever again, Dagur. I won't allow you to."
"How very noble of you, brother," Dagur taunted lazily, a small, cruel smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
I looked swiftly around for a potential weapon, and my eyes fell on a rake propped against the wall. I dove for it and seized the rough wooden handle, spinning around to face my opponent. The older vampire looked amused. "Plan on doing some chores, Henry?"
I roared and charged, swinging the rake around. Dagur caught the tines and yanked the weapon from my hands, breaking it in half and tossing the pieces aside. "Pathetic, brother," Dagur sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed. "I expected much more from you. I thought you might present a fair challenge. I thought you'd at least fight to defend your charge. But I must say—"
He got no further, as Finn had recovered and joined the fight, lunging at Dagur with a shard of wood from the rotten wall of the barn. Dagur dodged to the side but wasn't fast enough to avoid receiving a slash in his hip. He growled in rage and pain and leapt at my friend. Finn sidestepped and attacked again, but this time Dagur was prepared and avoided the stake with ease, his coattails flapping around him as he spun around.
I dove for one of the pieces of the rake handle. One end was pointed and sharp now, the perfect weapon to use against a vampire. I seized it and leapt to his feet, turning around just as Dagur threw a punch at Finn, who staggered. Another punch, this time to the gut, made Finn double over in pain, and a third had him on his back, groaning. Dagur kicked the stake from his limp hand. "Now you're a fighter," he remarked. "You're what I imagined Henry would—"
I lunged, the point of the stake directed at Dagur's chest. We collided with a heavy thud, and the sharpened end of the rake handle penetrated the thick coat and the flesh beneath. With an almighty shove, using strength I didn't know I had, I drove the stake into my creator's heart with enough force to ram the handle all the way through his body. Dagur grunted and fell backward against the wall, and the stake impaled him to it. The fatally wounded vampire let out a hiss of agony, and I drew back, snarling in savage triumph.
"Did you imagine I could do that, Dagur?" I asked, panting.
Dagur didn't answer. He coughed and choked, blood dribbling down his chin and pouring from the wound in his chest. He looked up in utter incredulity at me, the vampire he'd created so long ago, shock and anger mingling with the pain in his eyes.
"Oh, and by the way," I added as Dagur's face went pale from loss of blood, his eyes flickering and fading rapidly, "I'm not your brother."
Dagur's mouth opened but all that issued from it was a stream of dark red blood. And then his head slumped forward onto his chest, and he stopped moving. I continued to watch as he started to dissolve to dust, starting at his hands, feet, and head and working inward. His hair fell out, and his flesh peeled away, revealing a crumbling skull. Next second, his head was gone completely, now just a puff of dust on the floor of the barn. The rest of his body soon followed suit, and soon all that was left of Dagur was a torn and bloody trench coat hanging on a stake impaled in the wall.
Finn stood up, wiping a trail of blood from his lip, and joined me in gazing at the dust on the ground. "Nice shot," he remarked.
I grinned. "Thanks."
Finn put a hand on my shoulder. "He'll never bother you again."
I looked over at him and nodded.
Behind us, Astrid mumbled quietly, hovering on the edge of consciousness. "Come on," I said, walking over to her and scooping her into my arms. "We'd better get back to the house."
…
I was honestly thinking Astrid would be out of school for a day or two following her close call. At the very least I figured she'd need some time to recuperate from her blood loss, though I also thought it likely she might want a chance to be away from me for a while. And honestly I was kind of hoping for some time apart. I needed to come up with some way to explain all this mess to her. How exactly was I supposed to just walk up to her and say, "Hi, by the way I'm a vampire, surprise!"? But every time I ran through potential conversations in my head, the end result was always the same: I envisioned Astrid's eyes going wide with fear, demanding that I stay away from her. I could see the betrayal and hurt in her expression. How could you let this happen to me? that face seemed to say. Why didn't you warn me? Why didn't you protect me?
With all this in mind, I definitely needed the extra time to come up with some acceptable story to give her. Clearly I couldn't deny the existence of vampires to her anymore, but maybe I could do a little damage control if I could just find the right words to say.
So imagine my surprise and terror when I walked into class and saw Astrid sitting in her normal seat.
She'd been staring at the door, waiting for me to arrive. Our eyes met, and I froze on the threshold, not reacting when someone collided with me from behind. I gazed at her face, but her expression was blank, unreadable. There was a bandage placed strategically on her neck, covering the spot where Dagur had bitten her, a sight that filled me with a sense of guilt that momentarily overwhelmed my surprise at seeing her there.
I finally forced my feet to move and sat beside her as usual. She didn't say anything but continued to look at me impassively. It was like she was sizing me up, trying to figure out if she could trust me. Her blue eyes were sharp, and despite my worry I couldn't help but be captivated by them…
"Well," she said at last, breaking the silence and making me start slightly, "hello, Henry."
Hello? Really? After everything she'd been through the first word out of her mouth was "hello"?
"Hello, Astrid," I replied quietly. "How, uh…how are you feeling?"
She considered this for a moment. "A little tired, I guess. And a bit weak. But okay, all things considered."
I couldn't help but smile weakly. "All things considered," I repeated. "You're very lucky."
"I know." Her eyes narrowed slightly. Oh boy, I thought, here it comes. "Henry…what exactly happened last night? Certain parts I remember but others are kind of blurry, and I have so many questions…"
Well, at least she wasn't avoiding me like the plague. And she didn't seem to feel hurt or betrayed or even scared. "After school," I said. "I'll explain everything to you then. Now's not a good time, and this isn't the place for such a conversation."
She glanced around as if surprised to find herself in a classroom. She nodded. "All right. After school. And Henry?" She paused, and I leaned in a little, unconsciously holding my breath. "I want the truth, okay? The whole truth. I want to know what happened last night."
My throat tightened slightly, and I nodded.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, much faster than any school day I could remember. By the time the final bell rang I still had no idea what exactly I was going to say. Of course I would tell her the truth, but how much of it did she need? How much could I get away with omitting?
We took a walk from the parking lot down a trail through a nearby forest. I wanted to be totally alone when I explained things to her. The last thing we needed was for someone to overhear us talking about vampires in Berk. And I ended up telling her the whole story, how Dagur was my creator and delighted in making me suffer, how he'd targeted her because he knew I would try to protect her, how he'd taunted and teased me and then finally altered his plans at the last minute, how Finn and I had finally destroyed Dagur and saved her. When I finished, she simply looked thoughtfully at me, mulling my explanation over in her head.
"So," she said at last in a matter-of-fact voice that utterly stunned me, "vampires are real, then? And they're living here in Berk?"
"Yes," I said patiently. "We try to lead peaceful existences and do not kill for our sustenance. But there are vampires out there that follow the old ways, and Dagur was one of them." I hesitated, and then I plunged on, "I'm sorry about this, Astrid, really I am. You can't imagine how sorry I am. I never imagined that Dagur would attack before the full moon. If I had, we would have been able to stop him before—"
"It's all right, Henry," she said, putting a hand on my shoulder. The contact rendered me speechless for a moment. "I don't blame you."
"But you should!" I said, pulling away. It was easier to think when her hand wasn't touching me. "I put you in terrible danger, Astrid, and all because I got too close to you. Don't you understand that?"
"Yes, you explained that already," Astrid answered calmly. "But Henry, you also saved my life. Thanks to you, I'm still here, and all I suffered was a little blood loss. Because of you, my parents don't have to see their daughter lying in a coffin. You saved me, Henry, and I can't thank you enough. You have nothing to be sorry for."
I didn't know how to reply to this, so I remained silent.
Astrid looked away, and to my confusion, her cheeks colored slightly. "You mentioned that Dagur targeted me because he knew it would hurt you. Would you…would you explain that to me please?"
Oh. That.
"Well," I said slowly. Dear God, how do I explain this to her? "You see…I…" Oh just go for it. "I…care about you, Astrid. I have for some time now."
"Care about me?" Astrid repeated faintly. I couldn't tell what she thought of the information. She still wasn't looking at me. "You mean like a…an older brother, or…?"
"No," I whispered, stepping toward her. She turned toward me again, and I heard her breath catch. "Not like a brother."
And before I could stop and question myself – because I knew if I did I would never go through with it and I would hate myself for the rest of my existence – I leaned forward, taking her gently into my arms, and kissed her.
I half-expected her to fight me, to struggle to get away, to scream, to punch me, something. I would have released her without a fuss if she showed any sign of wanting to escape. But she didn't. Instead, she leaned into my embrace and kissed me back, tentatively at first but then with more passion than I would have ever expected from her. My heart pounded hard enough that I thought it might crack one of my ribs, and my stomach felt as though it was trying to move up into the region of my lungs. I felt her warmth pressed against my body, and in that moment I didn't want to ever let her go. I'd have been perfectly content to spend the rest of eternity with my arms wrapped around her, my lips sealed to hers.
Of course the kiss had to end, and so with great reluctance I drew back, watching her eyes for any sign of anger or resentment. But there was none to be found. All I could see was a slight hint of trepidation mingled with intense joy. So I threw caution to the wind and murmured, "I love you, Astrid Hofferson." And it was true. In trying to protect her I had fallen hopelessly in love with her. I admired her beauty, her strength, her intelligence, her wit, her snarky sense of humor. There wasn't a single thing about her I didn't like. Even the smell of her blood pulsing through her warm, human body affected me differently than that of other humans.
"I love you too, Henry Haddock," Astrid replied.
I felt as though I could have walked on air, but I still had to ask, "Even though I'm a vampire?"
"Yes," she replied simply, "even though you're a vampire." She leaned into me, resting her head on my chest. "Your heart still beats as mine does. That's all that matters to me."
I was so happy I couldn't think of a single thing to say.
Then Astrid chuckled and added, "And you don't sparkle. That's a definite plus."
I could only laugh with joy and turn her face up to mine so that I could kiss her again.
A/N: There are more stories planned for this AU, but don't expect them anytime soon. I have to be in the right mindset to write vampire fiction, and the only reason this one got done at all is because it was repurposed from one of my older works, so all I really had to do was replace the names and make some minor changes here and there. The next one won't provide that kind of luxury, so it won't be here for a while, I imagine. I'm sorry to those of you who really like this AU, but that's just the way it is. For the time being, I guess you could call it a trilogy, since this one does have a pretty good wrap-up ending. But yes, there will (eventually) be more in the Berk Undead series.
Hope you enjoyed this! I'd tell you what I'm working on right now but I seem to jinx myself every time I do that, so I won't. Maybe then I'll actually manage to get something done. XD Thanks for reading, and I hope to have something new up soon!
