At the chateau.
"So let me get this straight. You think that Duval was the original vampire from the legend? And that he's a shape-shifting vampire…" Freddie started, looking at Velma like she was insane.
"It would explain how vampire Duval and Darian look different. Darian Duval was adopted as a baby, found literally on the doorstep of the Duval chateau. He could've shape shifted into…"
"But what about the vampire that chased Lucien and me?" I asked, glancing at the young boy. My hear broke for him, but he wasn't that surprised when he learned who his brother really was. He knew Darian had never cared about him and the only time he paid him any attention was when someone else was watching.
"Hologram, I even found the machine that…"
"Why was he so obsessed with Daphne?" Fred demanded with a glare meant for Duval, not Velm. I rested my head against his shoulder, locking my arm in his.
"The redheaded, beautiful Blake that got away from him," she explained. "Duval probably saw the same temper, spirit, fire, passion, independence, untamability, and beauty in Daph that he saw in her. Vampires are very proud. He probably saw Daphne as not only… attractive, but also a way to 'regain his honor,' a justice of sorts. He couldn't have her ancestor, but he could have Daphne."
"English 'as too many words," Lucien announced. "But oui. Darian 'as liked Daphne for years," Lucien said nonchalantly, staring at his feet.
I shuddered, disgusted and hating this. I was the biggest, blindest fool ever to…
"Don't even think it," Fred whispered in my ear, kissing the top of my head and making me forget what I had been thinking… "Do you think he'll come back?" Freddie asked Velma, frowning in worry.
She shrugged.
"Who knows. He may, he may not. Hopefully he won't come after Daphne again because he knows he can't touch her as long as you're there, Fred. Pierre's going to look after Lucien and I doubt he'll come back to the chateau. The police are searching Notre Dame and the tunnel I found…"
"Tunnel? What tunnel?" we asked simultaneously.
"Didn't I tell you? I discovered a tunnel in the library. It goes on for miles, all the way to Notre Dame."
"Is Sister Marie Claire dead?" Lucien asked, looking at Velma.
"Probably," she answered and there was a moment of silence as our hearts broke for the woman, and as we all beat each other up for not seeing through Darian Duval and preventing her death…
"I have to admit I'm amazed, Daphne," Velma said, changing the subject. "I'll never know how you managed to keep from being charmed by Darian. A vampire's trance is so powerful and you haven't been able to get him out of your head for days. It took everything he had to hypnotize you…"
Not charmed? Please. How many dates had I gone on with that monster? If I pushed him from my thoughts for one second it was because of Freddie, not the strength of my own mind, though the others didn't seem to think so.
"Where's Shaggy and Scooby?" I asked, just now realizing they weren't there.
As if in answer, we heard crashes coming from the kitchen.
"Oh no!" we all cried simultaneously, rising and running to stop the guys from eating everything in sight.
"I cannot wait until we're out of France," Freddie sighed as we ran, brow still wrinkled in concern.
"Velma got a call about some werewolf in England, but there is no way we are leaving the city of love without one date," she said, turning to me, those beautiful, bright, fiery, endless, aquamarine eyes of her sparkling, smooth, perfect lips begging me to kiss her. "Dinner at the Eiffel tower or a boat ride down the Seine?" she asked, half-smiling as her eyes glowed…
The end. Please review your reactions, and if you have any questions PM me.