Chapter XIII

It was snowing the next morning. When I woke up, I looked out the window to see Ariel building a snowman. Smiling to myself, I pulled my jacket over the clothes that I had slept in and went outside, planning to sneak up on her. (I didn't need the jacket, it was just to look normal.)

I took the elevator to the first floor and went outside, then made my way to the square. Thats where I had seen Ariel from my window.

I caught sight of her snowman, but no Ariel. We were alone. I leaned down to make a snowball, so that I could ambush her, but something cold and wet pelted me in the arm. Taken by surprise, I looked up to see Ariel by the corner of the large hotel building. She was laughing at me. I smirked, gathered up the snow into my palms, and chased after her. She ran behind the building away from me, giggling, out of sight.

After about a minute of chasing her, I realized something was weird. I couldn't see her at all, as if she had suddenly vanished. Her laughter, which had been filling the air only a moment ago, had died by now.

A sudden ear piercing scream made me jump and drop the snowball. It was Ariel- She was in trouble! But where did she go? I ran ten times faster then I knew I could, but it didn't help. Nothing but snow surrounded me.

"Ariel!" I screamed.

Soon, I could hear her whimpering, but growling at the same time, and it sounded like she was fighting someone away. I pictured someone trying to grab her, and she was struggling, trying to push them away; Punching, fighting and kicking. I knew that's what was going on, but I didn't know who that someone was.

"Fuck you!" I heard her scream, while weeping. "Get away from me! Get-" Her voice was suddenly muffled.

After that, the racket weakened, then completely died.

"Ariel?" I screamed out at the top of my lungs, my tone filled with rage and panic. I looked down, and what I saw stopped me from running.

This is where they had been standing. Her footsteps came to the spot in front of me- they were visible in the snow- and then stopped when they met larger footsteps. Drops of blood had soaked up some snow.

Looking up, I could see the person who confronted her seemed to have jumped from the nearby rooftop. I looked back down, and could see that the footsteps clumped together, but then she was dragged away. I knew that dragging Ariel couldn't have lasted long- not only because I knew that she would definitely fight back, but also because the dragged footsteps disappeared. Her capturer must've picked her up after- I assumed- knocking her unconscious.

I sped after the footsteps that conformed that her had capturer ran away, but they became fainter and fainter, until they completely disappeared. After spinning around in a circle, trying to catch sight of someone, I fell to my knees.

Ariel was kidnapped. I let them get away, and now she's gone.

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I had no idea what to do. Panic had seized my mind, causing my thoughts to whirl around in my head like a tornado. I felt dizzy.

Without thinking- because my mind was pretty much set on auto pilot, my body overcome with rage- I began to search the entire city. I looked every where: Every alley, every park, every god damn street I could think of. I left no stone unturned. Unsuccessful. By the time I was done looking everywhere, (and I started at about ten in the morning) the sun had climbed low towards the horizon. It was getting ready to set.

My legs were tired. Well, that wasn't what mattered- my legs had grown tired awhile ago, but the frantic searching had kept my mind off of it. Now, they could barely carry me.

Scratch that: They couldn't carry me. My knees collapsed. I fell onto the paved road of a quiet street somewhat near the hotel, and laid on my side without bothering to get up.

"You will be Ariel's keeper, as she has placed her complete trust in you."

Mr. Crepsley's voice echoed in my thoughts, over and over again. The words wouldn't leave me alone.

"Shut up!" I screamed, standing up, holding my head. I started to cry.

That's when I thought I heard someone chuckle. I whipped around to see who it was, but no one was there. I was alone.

"I like your pretty little girlfriend, Darren Shan," A voice giggled, proving me wrong. I realized that it was coming from someone under the sewer bars, beneath my feet. I dropped back down to my knees and grasped the metal bars.

It was Murlough, the mad vampaneze!

I stared at him in disbelief. It was dark under the street, so I could barely see him, but he was there all right.

"I could just eat her up," He giggled. "What's your girlfriend's name, hmm? She wouldn't tell me, she's not good with formalities. Not at all."

"You have Ariel..?" I growled.

"Ariel! What a pretty name." He squealed. "I could just eat her up."

"Where is she?!" I barked.

"Who? Ariel? Ari?" He did a strangle little half dance under the vent. "She's tied up. Tied up pretty good. Murlough's good with those ropes, yes he is."

I remembered the blood that I had seen in the snow earlier and gave a fit. "You hurt her! I saw the blood in the snow! You bastard!"

His smile faded. "Your little girlfriend hit innocent young Murlough! You think I hurt her? My feelings are hurt!"

"Good for you!" I hissed. "You better not lay a fucking hand on her or so help me I will-"

"Oh, dear, no!" He giggled, his voice full of fake fear. "The little half-vampire is going to hurt me! Please don't hurt me little half-vampire! I'll do anything you say!"

I threw my head up and roared, shaking the bars of the vent, trying to pry them off. "Where is she?!" I screamed.

"Tell me, where are you and the vampire living now?" He asked, completely ignoring my question. "Ari hasn't told me yet, no matter how many times I used her skin to sharpen my knifes." He smirked, quite delighted with himself. "I like it when she squeals."

I spat at him through the bars and started screaming and cursing him off. "Stay the fuck away from her! I'll kill you!"