Blood Brothers

Chapter 3: Sorrow

Vlad

After I finally pulled away from Cass, I realized that my blood craze wasn't in overdrive like it usually was. I pushed her face into my chest gently and held her there, squeezing my eyes close in a moment of peace. Cass's hands found mine and we twined our fingers together, wrapped up in each other. I completely forgot about my promise to Nelly and squeezed her waist, hugging her tightly to me.

She sighed softly, nuzzling her head against my chest. "Vlad…We have to get home…"

I shook my head, kissing the top of her head and letting my lips rest there. "I know…I guess we should get going, huh?"

She nodded, smiling and I tucked her under my arm as we started walking towards her house. I knew that we were about eight blocks from her place so I thought of ways to keep a conversation going when she interrupted my thoughts.

"Vlad, would you like to know more about how my parents died?" Cass asked suddenly, her eyes staring straight ahead in a way that almost creeped me out.

"Cass, you don't have to tell me about that…I know how much you hate—" She cut me off my kissing me once.

"I want you to know, Vlad…It's only fair since Henry already told me about your parents…" She murmured, looking sheepishly at me. "When I was 5, Mom and Dad decided it was time to take a camping trip to the big lake upstate-we lived in Massachusetts at the time-and I was so excited. Abi and her family were coming as well, which made the trip seem even more fun. It was going to be perfect…

"Halfway there, we stopped to look at the view of the northern Atlantic Ocean, taking pictures and all that…" She bit her lip and I knew that the worse part was coming. I rubbed her arm, urging her to go on. "I begged Mom and Dad to let me ride with Abi the rest of the way, so we could play games and talk and all that…They let me, so I got in the back seat, leaving Mom, Dad, and my baby brother, Alex, in his car seat of our own car…

"We had to drive up a hilly road, up towards the cliffs where the campgrounds were at…Abi's dad drove the car behind my parents' and I noticed my dad driving a little faster than he usually did…It was then that I saw the deer run out in front of the car…" She sniffled and I wrapped both of my arms around her. "But Daddy swerved the wrong way and the car went through the guardrail, crashing into the rocks and ocean a 100 feet below…" She started to sob quietly and I stopped walking, pulling her to my chest, trying to calm her.

"Oh, Cass…You didn't have to tell me…" I whispered in her ear, kissing it softly before pulling back to meet her tear-filled eyes. "Shh…You'll be alright…"

She nodded, wiping her eyes. "After the police searched and pulled the car from the ocean, they said no one was inside…They said that my whole family had drowned…Even little Alex…" Her voice broke on her brother's name and my heart cracked.

I held her to me, letting her cry, and I squeezed my eyes closed, feeling so stupid to believe that I was the only kid that had lost their parents…I hated myself for being so selfish…

"Vlad? Cassy?" a voice rang out and we both looked up to see Henry walking towards us, from the direction of his house, with a big grin on his face. But it slapped off when he saw Cassy crying. "Whoa, what happened?"

I scowled at him, scoffing. "You idiot, you did. Thanks for ditching us at the movies, Henry. You're such a great friend." I snarled, feeling my anger rise.

"Vlad, don't…" Cass put her hand on my shoulder and I calmed down instantly before she turned to look at Henry. "What do you want?"

"Aunt Debbie sent me out for you…Abi said you were with Vlad so I started towards his place." He explained, like it was no big deal.

"Why didn't you just drive?" I growled. "You seem to love your car so much that you just leave us at the movies so you can drive away with the biggest whore in the whole school?!" My voice had risen to a shout and Cassy wrapped her arms around me, trying to calm me again.

"Look, dude, I'm sorry…But I've been trying to go out with Melissa for four years…Don't start ragging on me 'cause I finally got the chance." Henry stepped up, sounding equally mad as I was, like it was my fault.

"No, you've been wasting your time for four years, idiot. Gah, you're unbelievable!" I looked down at Cassy and sighed. "I'm gonna head home. I'll text you, alright?" She nodded and I leaned down to kiss her softly, ignoring the stupid sound Henry made. After about ten seconds, I pulled back, glared at Henry, and the kissed her forehead before walking towards my house.

Cassy

As soon as Vlad turned the corner, I reached up to touch my tingling lips before turning to glare at Henry. "Um, what is your problem?" I crossed my arms, letting my eyes form slits at him.

"Right now, he is." Henry scowled, nodding his head in the direction Vlad had just gone.

I gasped. "Why?! You're the one who ditched us, Henry!" I cried out in exasperation and stomped past him, running up my porch and slamming the door behind me. "I'm home!" I called out to Abi's parents, who were sitting on the couch, watching Saturday Night Live.

I ran up the stairs to my room, where Abi was sitting on the top bunk of the bunk bed we shared. "Hey!" She grinned, looking up from her laptop. "I saw Vlad kiss you just now!" She squealed a little, jumping over the railing, landing lightly on her feet. "Was it good?"

I rolled my eyes, blushing a little. "Abi, that's not your business."

She scoffed, grinning. "Is to." She plopped down on my bunk, smiling like an idiot. "Soo…are you gonna tell me?"

I sighed. "Abi, yes, he kissed me, and yes, it was…amazing." I bit my lip, thinking about Vlad.

She smirked as if she knew what I was thinking about exactly. I slapped her arm and my phone vibrated in my pocket. I gasped and took it out, seeing that I had one new text message.

Hi…I'm home now…Nell's giving me crap 'bout being five minutes late…I'll text you when I get in bed, k? :D Vlad had sent me.

I smiled as I typed my reply: Aw, I hope you don't get in trouble…Thanks for walking me home, Vlad…

I put my phone in my pocket and sighed. "Well, I think I'm gonna go crash…You?"

"Nah," She shrugged. "I think I'm gonna go downstairs on the computer…Since you won't let me use yours…" She rolled her eyes as she shut my door.

I shook my head, laughing. I plopped down on my bed and sighed, looking out the window at the full moon. My phone started singing All I Wanted by Paramore, telling me I was getting a call. I gasped when I saw that it was Vlad's number. I immediately answered, dying to hear his voice.

Vlad

"Hello?" Her sweet voice answered on the second ring and I sighed happily.

"Hey, Cass…" I breathed into the phone, running a hand through my hair. "What're you doing?"

She giggled softly and I grinned in the darkness of my room. "Nothing…Just lying in bed, even though I'm not a bit tired."

"Yeah, me either…" I chuckled, looking out my window at the moon. "I feel like going for a walk…I, uh, wanna show you something…You up for sneaking out?"

She giggled again. "Vladimir Tod, are you trying to get yourself grounded?"

"Nah…I just wanna see you…" I blurted before I could stop myself.

"Um…I feel the same way." She whispered shyly, her voice all giggly. "What time? I'll tell Abi and she'll watch out for me."

I grinned. "Alright. Uh, meet me at the park in ten."

"See you then." She breathed, hanging up.

I jumped to my feet and looked out my door to see Nelly in her room, the light on. I tiptoed down the hall towards Vic's room, which Nelly had set up while we were gone. He was sitting on his bed, flipping through a copy of Dracula.

"Hey, man…Can you do me a favor?" I whispered, gently shutting the door behind me.

He looked up, grinning. "Yeah, dude. What do you need?"

"I need you to cover for me…I'm gonna sneak out to see Cassy." I rubbed the back of my head, chuckling nervously.

"Dude, didn't you just see her?" Vic laughed. "I think you have it bad for her, my friend."

I shrugged, still grinning like an idiot. "Yeah, man, I do. So can you?"

"Sure. I don't mind. If Nelly asks, I'll just say you were hanging out in here and went to my bathroom." He nodded toward the bathroom off in the corner of his room behind its closed door.

I grinned at my little brother. "Man, you're the best." I slugged his shoulder lightly and turned back out of the room, going to my own bedroom.

I grabbed my jacket, my iPod, and my Lucis, just in case some idiot vampire might try to jump me. I checked Nelly's room to see her sound asleep so I tiptoed down the stairs and out the front door, locking it behind me. I jogged across the street and used my vampire speed to dodge my way through the trees. When I reached the back corner of the park, still hidden in the trees, I saw Cass standing next to the slide, her arms wrapped around her torso under her jacket. I grinned and walked around through the trees until I could sneak up behind her. I ran under the slide and jumped out in front of her, causing her to squeal a little and swat at my chest.

"Vlad!" She cried. "That was not--!" She was cutoff by my lips. I propped my hands against the slide behind her head and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, kissing me back softly.

After a few moments, she pulled back breathless, smiling brightly. She blushed and I wrapped my arms around her waist, kissing her forehead. "Hi…" I whispered in her ear, causing her to giggle a little.

"Hello…" She murmured into my chest. "What did you want to show me?"

My hand found hers and I twined our fingers. "I wanted to show you my parents' graves…" I breathed against her ear.

She pulled back to look me straight in the eye. "No, you don't have to—" I cut her off by kissing her once.

"No, I want to…You explained your worst moment…Let me show you mine…" I bit my lip, ignoring the fact that there was a whole side of me she never knew, the whole vampire side of me.

"Fine…" She bit her lip, looking worried. "Are you sure you're okay with me going there? Henry said it's kinda your secret spot…"

I shrugged. "I'll be fine, Cass. Stop worrying about me." I poked her side and she giggled, jumping a little. I held out my hand and she took it, letting me lead her to the far side of town. When we reached the entrance to the cemetery, I slowed down a little to look down at her. "Now, this place can be a little scary at night, alright?" I murmured, thinking about how Joss and I had fought here…I shook my head to get the vision of him and his stake raised high out of my head.

Cass nodded, swallowing nervously. I sighed, leaning down to kiss her jawbone, then her lips. "Cass, you'll fine…I won't let anything happen to you…" She blushed, biting her lip shyly. I smiled, taking her hand and leading her inside the gate, straight over to the giant tree that towered over my parents' graves…

I swallowed back the tears that threatened me and I tightened my hand around hers as I came to a stop in front of the stone, leaning over to brush off the leaves and dirt that had found its way on the base of the cross that had my parents' names on it.

"Mellina…" Cassy murmured. "Your mom had such a pretty name, Vlad." She rested her head against my arm and I nodded, trying to clear my throat without sobbing. Cass must've felt that I was near tears before she turned my face toward hers and kissed me softly, which was able to get my mind off everything…

Until I heard his voice.

"Aw…" the voice said in mock cheerfulness. "It's found love."

A/N: How was it? Who do you think the voice is? D'Ablo? Joss? Take a guess 'cuz I'm not telling you yet!!! MWHAHAHAHA!

Disclaimer: I don't own Vlad (sadly )-he belongs to the lucky woman who is Heather Brewer. I also don't own Sorrow by Flyeaf.