Chapter 7

As Peter let go of Charley's hand, Charley looked down at him and felt a wave of panic.

"Peter?" he said, and placed his hand on his shoulder and gently shook him. When he got not response, he shouted his name and shook him again, this time harder, and Peters eyes briefly opened, he looked at Charley and tried to speak, but gave up on the attempt and closed his eyes again. Charley was gripped by a thought that terrified him – that Peter was slipping away...

And then Elissa and April hurried into the room and he looked to the pair of them desperately.

"Do something! He just passed out on me!"

"I will if you get out of my way," April replied, and as he stepped aside he was surprised to see her place a doctor's bag on the bed and take out a stethoscope.

"Where did you steal that from?"

She glared at him.

"This must be a new urban myth – vampires are thieves now?"

And then he said nothing more as she listened to Peter's heart and then put the stethoscope away.

"He's getting weaker," she told him and he saw Elissa put a hand to her mouth as she stifled a sob, "He needs blood," April continued as she looked to Charley, "Now only fresh warm blood will be enough to revive him. He's weak, he won't be able to get through the transition without it. I mean, he needs blood straight from a vein. Charley, he will die without it. Would you be willing to help him?"

He didn't hesitate with his answer.

"Of course I will – but don't you need to make sure our blood groups are compatible?"

"There is no need to do that," she assured him.

"But if he needs a transfusion -"

"No Charley," April said, "He doesn't need a transfusion. He needs to drink it."

He stared at her.

"You want him to bite me?"

"No, I want to draw some blood from your arm using a needle and then get him to drink it."

Charley breathed a relieved sigh – for one terrible moment he thought he would have to choose between taking a vampire's bite, or losing his best friend.

That was when it hit him:

Yes, Peter Vincent had become his best friend. They had been through too much together, now they could be nothing but the best of friends – and he didn't want to think about the terrible choice he would have had to make to save him if Peter had needed to bite him in order to survive...

Charley was so glad he had been wrong about that assumption that he barely felt the needle as it dug into his flesh, and as he watched the blood flow out of his arm and down a tube all he could think was, at least one of them would be leaving this house come sunrise – and he wasn't sure if he ought to feel guilty about being so glad it was him, because he still wished he could have saved Peter from taking that bite...

A short while later he felt slightly dizzy, and wanted to lie back on the couch in the front room as he took some time to recover from losing a little of his blood. April had left the room, and moments later she and Elissa went up the stairs.

Charley closed his eyes, deciding after all the assumptions he had first made on arriving that actually, he was safe to fall asleep in this house of vampires.

But his sleep did not last long.

He was woken by Elissa, who looked tearful and worried.

"Charley," she said, "Please, come with me – Peter won't drink. But I think he might take the blood if you gave it to him. Will you do that? Please, say yes – he needs your help..."

Moments later Charley was upstairs in the master bed room, sitting at Peter's bedside. He seemed even worse than he had an hour before – he was weak and pale and growing weaker still.

"Peter," he said, "Look at me."

And Peter looked at him and it took a moment, but then he recognised him.

"You have to drink," he told him, "Please, just trust me and drink. You will die if you don't do this."

And Peter saw Charlie beside him, and heard his words and understood, and then he raised his head from the pillow and Charley raised the glass to his lips, and Peter Vincent drank blood for the first time.

As soon as he began to taste it, as soon as he swallowed it, he felt his weakness start to fade, the chill that had crept through his bones began to give way to warmth, and suddenly he felt comfortable and free of pain and weakness.

As he rested against soft pillows he gave a contented sigh and savoured the last of the taste of the warm blood that had revived him, and as something dark and powerful took over he ran his tongue over sharp fangs, saw the room blur as his eyes felt different, and he knew he was taken over by the vampire within. Then he looked at Charley, who was staring at him.

"Where ever that came from, I'd like some more, please," he said, and he wondered why he caught a flicker of fear in his friend's eyes.

Then Elissa placed her hand on his shoulders and eased him downwards, he felt like sleeping so he let her make him comfortable, and then he saw tears in her eyes, but now she was weeping from relief not sadness as she turned away and April hugged her.

"I don't know where it came from," Charley lied, "Elissa gave it to me – from the refrigerator."

Peter smiled.

"Are you sure about that? Because it tasted very warm to me."

And then he mentally pulled back on the urge to let those fangs grow longer and the power within him blaze brightly. He knew he had overcome his fear and that drinking the blood had completed the process. He was now a vampire - and all of a sudden, he had no regrets as he looked intently at Charley, who was still staring at him. Then he turned his head and looked into the dark mirror, and saw himself reflected:

Now he knew why Charley was still staring even though he had managed to calm the thirst for more blood – he didn't just look well again, he looked at least ten years younger. The lines on his face had faded, his hair was a vibrant shade of brown, with just a trace of silver left. Becoming a vampire had made him younger and stronger, and he knew it would last for eternity.

He looked back at Charley.

"I do believe the process is complete," he said, and Charley nodded.

"You look good for it," he admitted.

And then Peter extended his hand to Charley.

"Would you stay with me for a while longer? I feel much better, but I'd like you to stay."

And Charlie looked at him, thought about taking his outstretched hand and then shook his head.

"It's getting late and I need to go home," he said quietly, and as he stood up, he caught a flicker of sadness in his friend's eyes that made his heart ache:

Peter knew.

He knew he would never be able to feel comfortable with this, he would never be able to accept his vampire killing friend had decided to become a vampire...

"But I'll see you again soon?"

Peter had sounded anxious.

Charley nodded, and felt lousy for lying about it.

"Of course you will... I'll see you around."

And then he walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs, and left the house by the front door.

After he had opened the gate and stepped outside on to the street, Charley walked quickly away from the house, and it was then he broke into a run, heading for home as tears stung his eyes and a thought ran through his mind that nothing could ever be the same again:

Peter was a vampire, and he felt sure he would never, ever be able to get used to that idea as long as he lived...

Charley had meant to go back to the house eventually.

He wanted to see Peter, he wanted to know he was okay and he was happy with Elissa, and of course, he wanted to know the baby was okay too.

But he kept putting it off until months had passed by, and the longer he left it the harder it seemed to walk up the door and knock after sundown...

He often thought of Peter Vincent, he missed him and he wanted to see him – but time had put a distance between him and the man he once thought of as a close friend. That man had now become a vampire, it had changed everything, and the longer he waited, the more impossible it seemed that he could ever bring himself to work up the courage and knock on that door and look him in the eye and say sorry for not being around...

He wanted to see him.

He just didn't want to see him as vampire, and now he would always be a vampire, and Charley could not face up to it, nor did he want to think about it...

Peter had missed Charley very much too.

But he had decided to stay away, hoping his friend would eventually accept his choice, and come back over to visit.

But that visit did not happen as the months rolled by.

And then Elissa went into labour and had nine terrible hours screaming and pushing as she brought their baby son into the world.

Peter had held her hand and stayed beside her through out her labour, and it had shocked him that vampire women gave birth suffering the same kind of agony that mortals did.

And then Elissa lay back exhausted as she tearfully voiced aloud the words Peter could not bring himself to say:

"Why is the baby not crying?"

April had quickly cut the cord and wrapped the child in a soft towel and rubbed at his skin, and suddenly the baby gave a faint cry.

She turned to Elissa and Peter as sadness shaded her eyes.

"He will not live like this. We need to call Jet Marlowe."

The vampire king had arrived within the hour, he had known it was Elissa's time and as promised, had stayed around, taking up a palatial residence not far from the house, and he had also brought with him something that made Peter's stomach turn over, even though he now drank chilled blood every night in order to stay alive...

"This," Jet Marlowe said, holding up a large glass bottle that contained thick, dark blood mixed with another substance that looked grainy, "Is fresh blood mixed with powdered bone from the corpse of Evil Ed. You must feed the child this mixture every night , even in the daytime if he wakes for food. He must drink all of it. By the end of the week, he will either be a hybrid of your child and Ed, or he will die. I have no control over either outcome but I wish you well with it."

And then as he stood in the bedroom, he looked over to the bed, where Elissa was resting.

"You don't look as sick as I expected," he said to her, "At least we know you've made it okay."

And then he turned back to Peter, who cradled his weak baby son in his arms.

"Just try and get him to feed," he said kindly, "And remember if he wont, as much as it hurts, you're eternal now, you and Elissa – that's more than enough time to have more children – vampire children, who will thrive."

And Peter looked away, back down at the child he held in his arms as he blinked away tears.

"He's going to make it," he replied quietly, "He has to, I need my son to live more than anything in this world."

"Peter," Jet said, and Peter briefly turned his attention from his sick child and looked at him.

"I lost two sons," Jet told him, "Many years ago. I very much hope you never have to feel the pain of such a loss."

Peter's eyes filled with sympathy.

"Were they half mortal?" he asked.

The Vampire king looked at him in surprise.

"Half mortal? Of course not! They were full vampire – and fell victim to a vampire hunter's stake – and don't take that remark personally, I know you would never willingly harm my kind again. All I am trying to say is, I do know the pain of losing a child – although mine were grown men when they perished, the pain was no less for it. I hope you never have to know the depth of that pain."

And then he walked out of the room, and Peter looked down at the child he cradled in his arms. The baby boy looked up at him, with dark eyes that seemed weary and hardly able to focus.

"You will live, my son," he said softly, "I will make sure that you do..."

Charley Brewster had thought about the baby and silently hoped the child was okay – but as the time the birth was due to happen had arrived, it seemed all the more impossible to knock on the door and say Hi – he did not know what sort of a situation he would be walking into, perhaps the baby was okay – or not, and if it was not, this would be a terrible time to walk in unannounced back into Peter's life.

He wasn't sure if he was just hesitant, or if he was deliberately setting obstacles in his way, but all Charley understood was that he didn't really want to go to that house again.

As much as he cared for his best friend, he still could not bring himself to accept his choice to become a vampire.

And so Charley continued to miss Peter, and he continued to stay away...

A week passed by following the birth of his son, and every day the child was fed the mix of blood and powdered bones.

And each day, the child grew stronger.

But when he looked into his eyes, it began to dawn on Peter that his son was starting to vaguely resemble another – he was starting to look like the young man who had been known as Evil Ed. The child still had Peter's rich brown hair and dark eyes, but his face was changing, and the more the changed, the stronger he became.

Elissa noticed the changes too, but she smiled every time she took her child into her arms, knowing he was now a strong and healthy baby, and the fact that he would be known as a hybrid vampire did not matter to her, because her son would live, and that was all she cared about, that she would not lose him now...

It took Elissa a month to recover from the birth.

By then she was well once more and the baby was thriving. They named him Ed Peter Vincent, and young Ed was by now a keen feeder, even in the habit of biting his parents when they lifted him from his cradle.

Then they had a guest stop by, and the night that Jet Marlowe came to visit brought a surprise, too – as Jet briefly held the vampire child he smiled and looked down at him and then handed him back to Elissa as they sat together in the front room.

"He's going to be wild when he's older," he said, "I can see you worrying he won't make it home before sunrise, on some nights. You must teach him from an early age not to bite."

And then he turned to Peter.

And now think we should leave Elissa and the children alone and step outside because we need to talk business, Mr Vincent."

"Business?" Peter wondered, and Jet led him out of the room, shut the door behind them, and then they stood together in the hallway.

Opal ran down the stairs and he smiled at his daughter.

"Your mother is in the front room," Jet told her "I will see you shortly – me and your Daddy Peter have some business to discuss."

Opal smiled and nodded and went into the front room and closed the door.

Peter's eyes lit up with joy as he looked to Jet.

"She's been calling me Daddy Peter for months!" he said happily, "I love being a father!"

"And you have made a fine job of accepting the vampire ways – the ways of my people – you drink blood, you hold back the inner vampire, you have not harmed a single human, I'm impressed, Peter. But what impresses me most of all is how you embraced all that you feared and made it work for you, just to be with your family. I'm sure that son of yours is here today because he senses his father is devoted to him."

"Thank you," Peter said, "That means a lot to me, Jet."

"And I hope this does too," the vampire king added, "As you know, I own many businesses worldwide and my employees work by night – most of them are the finest minds in the country. I have vampire scientists working on cures for human diseases, I have others developing new ways to build and run cheap and affordable housing, the list goes on. We are the immortal ones. The humans are weak and we must do all we can to protect their fragile lives. And one day, when the world is ready, they will learn of the Banished and allow us to be more of a part of their society. It will happen, Peter, maybe not now or in a hundred year's time, but one day," and then he smiled, adding, "You never know, I could even be the first ever vampire president!"

Peter smiled too.

"That's a wonderful idea, but what does that have to do with me?"

Jet looked at him intently.

"I have a vast empire. But there's room at the top for an investor. If you were to sell your apartment and sink your savings into shares in my company I can guarantee you a fine income and a fine lifestyle for you and your family forever. I could have made this offer to many vampire brothers I know, but you have earned this, Peter. You crossed from mortal to vampire and let go of your vampire killing past to become a loving father to your children of vampire blood. You deserve to be at the top, with me. I only make an offer like this to the few who have truly earned the privilege. Would you like to become a part of the core of Marlowe International?"

Peter nodded.

"You have a deal, Jet," he replied, and the two vampires shook hands on it.

And so time passed by.

After investing in Jet Marlowe's empire, the Vincent family became very wealthy – and soon their name was almost as respected as Jet Marlowe's.

Then Peter and Elissa had married at Jet's palatial home, and after the ceremony he had spoken with the many guests, all of them vampires, all of them of the Banished clan, and come to understand that every word Jet Marlowe had spoken was the absolute truth – he had vampires in every high position in society, all working quietly in the hours of darkness to make the mortal world a better place to be.

And he had wished Charley could have been there to meet these people to see the truth of this other side of the vampire culture, and when he had told Elissa that she had smiled, looking beautiful in her crimson wedding dress as she replied kindly:

"Leave him be Peter. I am sure one day, when he is ready, he will return."

And so Peter had put thoughts of Charley to the back of his mind. He had not forgotten him, but he did not want to dwell on the past, either, not when he had a wonderful life with his family to look forward to.

More time passed, and as young Ed Vincent began to grow, he was a difficult child with angry moods and frequently disobeyed his parents, becoming the handful that Jet had predicted. But Peter never ran out of love or patience when dealing with the son who was a hybrid vampire, and who looked more and more like Evil Ed with every passing day.

But Peter only saw him as his son, trying not to think about the other side of him, that other, hybrid side that came from the young vampire he had killed so long ago.

And then when Ed was three years old, Elissa gave birth to Peter's second child, this time a daughter, a strong and healthy vampire child they named Ruby.

And so for a few years, it seemed life would always be good and free of problems - until one night after the sun set, eight year old Ed Vincent woke screaming from a nightmare, and Peter got out of bed and hurried to his son's room as Elissa went to her young daughter, who had also woken, because she was confused to hear her brother screaming.

By the time Peter had reached his son's room, Opal, now sixteen and determined to be a helpful big sister at all times, was already in the room hugging him as he sat up in bed.

"He's okay Dad," she said to Peter, "He just had a nightmare."

And Ed looked at his father with confusion in his eyes.

"He was in it!" he said bitterly, and Peter knew at once what this meant – a dream of the past, of another life...

"Go back to bed, Opal," he said to his step daughter, "It's too early, the sun s barely down. I'll handle this."

And Opal left the room and Peter sat beside his son and gave him a hug, and it alarmed him that for once, Ed did not hug him back.

He let go of him and looked into his eyes.

"Tell me what you saw."

The little boy's eyes filled with fear and pain.

"I had a dream you plunged a stake through my heart!"

Peter gave a heavy sigh.

"No, not you. The hybrid side of you, the one known as Evil Ed. We have tried to explain this before, me and your mother – you were born half human and that side of you had to be taken away by fusing you with the life force of a deceased vampire. You had a dream about his life."

And then he looked kindly at his son.

"I would never, ever harm you, Ed. I'm sorry you had to dream about the life of another, but it's just a side effect of being a hybrid."

"I don't want to be hybrid."

"It was the only way to save your life," he reminded him, "But always tell me when you get these dreams, because I can explain them to you."

And then he gave his son another hug.

"Never be afraid, no matter what you dream of," he told him, "Always know that you have a mother and father who love you, and we always will."

Ed let go of him and smiled, and now the fear was gone from his eyes.

"I love you Daddy," he said.

"I love you too, son," Peter replied, and then as Ed settled down to grab a little more sleep before night fell completely, Peter left his room and closed the door quietly.

As he walked away from his son's room, the memory was burning bright of the terrible moment he plunged at stake into Evil Ed's heart. Then he thought of Charley Brewster and wished he could talk to him about the past, but Charley had been gone since the day he made the choice to become a vampire.

He wondered if he would ever see him again, and once more, thoughts of his best friend made his heart ache, because Charley had been gone for a very long time now...