He stumbled, dizzy from blood loss, but tried hard not to fall over into the freshly fallen snow. “Are you . . . are you going to kill me, Jasik?”
Jasik’s metallic laughter filled Vlad’s ears. “No, little one. I am no killer—there are laws, remember? I am but a thief.” He held up the vial for Vlad to see and then slipped it into his jacket pocket.
Blood squeezed out from between Vlad’s fingers. His wound was taking its time to heal. What was that chemical mosquitoes used to keep blood flowing from their victims? He’d just read about it in science class.
Anticoagulant. Mr. Gaunt would be proud.
“Jasik.” Vlad wavered and finally collapsed on the ground. He thought he asked his attacker “do you feel bad?” before he passed out, but he couldn’t be certain.
What he did know was that he heard Jasik’s laughter again and watched his footprints in the snow as he walked away.
16
THE HEALING POWER OF BLOOD
VLAD’S HEAD FELT LIKE it was being crushed by a large rock. He tried to lift it, but it was pinned to the pillow.
Pillow?
He cracked open one eye and looked up at a very concerned-looking Henry. He tried to open his other eye but couldn’t, so he gave up and closed them. Henry shook him gently. “Hey, are you okay?”
He licked his lips and forced open his eye again. This time the other eye opened, too. “Henry?”
Henry nodded, a dark cloud of concern hanging over him. “I had this weird feeling like you were in trouble, so I
came over and found you lying facedown in your driveway, surrounded by a bunch of your neighbors. Mr. Templeton said he was gonna call 911, but I stopped him.”
“How’d you manage that? He’s got to be the most stubborn old man on the planet.”
“I told him that you’d been sick with the flu and that I was supposed to be looking in on you while Nelly was at work. I said I’d call her as soon as I got you inside.”
Vlad bit his bottom lip and gave Henry a pensive glance. “Did you call her?”
Henry shook his head. “Nah. I wanted to talk to you first. What happened?”
Vlad tried once more to lift his head but failed. He took a deep breath. His skin felt like it was on fire. What had happened? His memory was fuzzy at first, but then he remembered fangs and a flash of pain. Jasik had been his attacker’s name. Vlad reached up to his neck. The puncture wounds had already healed, leaving only smooth skin behind. In a disbelieving voice, Vlad said, “A vampire bit me.”
Henry rolled his eyes. “Funny.”
“I’m serious.”
Henry looked him over for a moment, and then nodded. “Any idea who it was?”
“He said his name was Jasik. I’ve never seen him before.” Vlad thought for a moment and then met Henry’s eyes. “What did it feel like when I drank from you?”
Henry thought for a moment, and then said, “Like a paper cut, to be honest. Your fangs were really sharp, so the bite made me wince, but after that it was okay. It was a little dizzying once you started drinking, but not painful or anything. Why?”
Vlad rubbed his neck where Jasik had bitten him. “When Otis gave me my mark last year, it barely hurt. I felt a little dizzy, but that was it. I wonder why when Jasik bit me it hurt so much and left me feeling so weak.”
“Well, you just tasted my blood, and Otis was just taking some of yours. Maybe this Jasik guy took more.” Henry’s voice shook some. “Maybe he was trying to kill you.”
“No. He said he was a thief, not a killer.” Vlad lifted his head and tried to sit up, but he was overcome by the most nauseating dizziness, so he lay back down.
“Can you sit up?” Apparently, Henry had amazing powers of intuition.
“No.” Vlad gestured to the door with his eyes. “I need blood.”
With an assenting nod, Henry moved out Vlad’s bedroom door. Vlad heard him cross the library and move down the stairs. The house was quiet for a moment, and then Henry jogged his way back up the stairs and into Vlad’s room. He laid an armful of blood bags on the bed. “There were four in the freezer. I brought them all.”
Vlad brought one bag up to his mouth and bit into it. It was only then that he realized his fangs had elongated.
He sucked the bag dry and reached for another, continuing until they were all empty. But something was missing. He should feel better but didn’t. Vlad squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. “I feel weird.”
“Well, you are weird.”
“My heart is racing, and I can’t pick up my head without getting dizzy.” Vlad licked his lips, relieved that it had been Henry who’d found him passed out in the driveway. He met Henry’s eyes. “I’m pretty sure I need more blood. Man, how much did he drink, anyway?”
Henry slipped his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m calling Nelly.”
“No!” Vlad made a feeble grab for the phone, as if that could stop Henry from calling. He cast Henry a worried glance. “You can’t call her. She’ll worry.”
Henry sighed and sat the phone on the bed. “Vlad, another vampire just tried to have you for dinner. We have to tell someone, and I’m pretty sure the Red Cross doesn’t handle these types of situations.”
Vlad licked the holes in the last blood bag clean and lied, “I’ll be fine.”
He didn’t know if he’d be fine or not. The whole experience made him feel extra guilty for having ever bitten Henry.
Still, he couldn’t deny how hungry he was.
Henry was quiet for a moment, then rolled up his sleeve and held his arm out to Vlad with determination in his eyes. “Take some from me.”
Vlad shook his head. “No.”
A large blue vein drew a delicious line down Henry’s arm. Vlad looked away.
Henry met his eyes. “Hey, what good is being your drudge if I don’t have your back when you need it?”
Vlad tried hard to ignore the scent of Henry’s blood. He thought of Tristian and the way Vikas barely looked at him. “I don’t think of you that way, you know . . . like my slave. You’re my best friend.”
Henry smiled. “I know. Now shut up and drink my blood before I change my mind. Geez—there’s nothing worse than a sappy overlord.”
Vlad pursed his lips. “No, Henry.”
“Vlad, I’ve wanted to tell you something since the third grade.” Henry smirked and moved his arm closer. “Bite me.”
Vlad looked at Henry’s vein again and shivered. It looked warm, inviting, and delectable. He flipped open Henry’s cell phone and punched in the number to the hospital. “Hey, Aunt Nelly. Could you come home real quick and bring me some blood? We’re out.”
Henry slowly unrolled his sleeve and whispered, “What are you going to tell her about the other vampire?”
Vlad covered the mouthpiece. “Nothing. And neither are you.”
Relief left Henry’s eyes, replaced by bemusement. “Yes, master.”
17
TRAPPED
VLAD’S STOMACH WAS RUMBLING again, and it was taking every ounce of focus he had to keep his fangs in check. Clearly, lunch hadn’t been enough, and his bloodthirst was getting the better of him. Maybe he needed to start sneaking extra snacks in during the day . . . or maybe get a note from Nelly saying he had to stop at the house for his “medication” for about ten minutes every afternoon. Either way, something had to be done to curb his appetite . . . and it had to be done fairly quickly.
His eyebrows scrunched together in irritation as Stephanie Brawn, cheerleader extraordinaire and kisser of all boys with a pulse, sashayed over to his locker. “Hi, Vlad.”
He didn’t reply—he’d known Stephanie far too long to trust her motives—but instead, he ducked his head inside his locker and pretended to be busy looking for something. He didn’t know what, but he was sure that he wouldn’t find whatever it was until Stephanie had seen something shiny and followed it down the hall.
Unfortunately, there must have been a distinct lack of shiny objects in the hall th
at day, because Stephanie wasn’t going anywhere. “Did you see the senior lockers? They’re painting them black and red, can you imagine? But then, I suppose it says something for school pride to use our colors.”
Vlad sighed and pulled his head out of his locker far enough to raise an eyebrow at her. “Are we supposed to be friends or something? Because I missed that memo.”
Stephanie’s eyes grew wide in that fake way they always did when she was trying to impress a new teacher. “I’m just trying to reach out.”
Vlad rolled his eyes. “Well, don’t, okay? My life is complex enough without you trying to befriend me with some lame freshman outreach program.”
“Don’t you mean dork outreach program?” She smirked and moved her eyes to something behind Vlad, but it was too late for him to turn.
In a moment, Tom had Vlad pinned against his locker while Bill whaled away on Vlad’s back with his fists. Vlad cried out in surprise and wondered for a second if Joss would save him this time, but then Tom picked him up by his shoulders and carried him down the hall, stopping only to toss him through a small door and down several steps. With laughter and taunts of, “Have fun, ladies!” Bill and Tom shut the door as Vlad landed on the bottom step of the boiler room.
The moment Vlad stopped rolling, he groaned, clutched his side, and slowly got to his feet. His back throbbed where Bill had pounded it, but his side hurt more—likely from his tumble down the stairs. He’d made his way back up to the door when a small voice called from below. “Don’t bother. They’ll block it from the outside, just like they did before.”
Vlad tried the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Running the tip of his tongue over his canines, he turned and made his way down the stairs. Eddie Poe was sitting on the floor, with his back against the wall, adjusting the cracked lens of his camera. Vlad wondered if it had broken during Eddie’s tumble down the stairs. “So how long have you been down here, Eddie?”
Eddie shrugged, not meeting Vlad’s eyes. "Since this morning.”
Vlad glanced up at the door. He really didn’t want to spend his day trapped in a glorified, hot-as-Hades basement— least of all with a boy who was on the verge of learning his deepest, darkest secret. His stomach rumbled, as if reminding him about his appointment with a blood bag. “Have you tried banging on the door, getting someone’s attention?”
At the sound of Vlad’s voice, Eddie flinched. A shard of glass fell from his camera lens to the floor, eliciting a groan. “Tried that. It’s pretty soundproof. You know, to keep out the noise of the boiler and stuff.”
Vlad looked around the room. There was nothing in it that would prove even mildly helpful for their escape. The best they could hope for was that Mr. Brennan, the school janitor, would have to check some gauges or something and would unwittingly come to their rescue. With a sigh, Vlad sat on the bottom step and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, brushing it out of his eyes for a moment.
Eddie met Vlad’s eyes once, and then dropped his attention to the floor. He didn’t look happy to be sharing the space with a monster.
Vlad forced a smile. He wasn’t exactly pleased with the arrangement himself, but if he played his cards right, maybe he could have Eddie convinced he was nothing but human by the time the door opened. “So, that was some article you wrote. I didn’t know you were a writer.”
Eddie was quiet for a long time. And just as Vlad was about to ask him if he’d been kicked off the school paper, Eddie stood up and stretched. When he was finished, he cast a nervous glance up at the door and then returned his gaze to the floor. When he spoke, it was so low that Vlad had to strain in order to discern words from the whisper of Eddie’s breath. “I always knew you were different. But I thought you were just an outcast, like me.”
Vlad’s lungs locked for a moment, refusing to allow air either in or out. There was no question in Eddie’s slumped posture, or an ounce of doubt in his words. He knew Vlad’s secret.
The air returned to Vlad’s lungs in a gulp. He couldn’t speak. What do you say to someone who’s not just guessing but has witnessed your deepest secret in action? Vlad looked back over his shoulder at the door and sighed, wondering how long they’d already been down here. He imagined it was nearing the final bell, but without a watch, it was difficult to tell. His stomach rumbled loudly, demanding to be satisfied, and Vlad groaned. Great. Just what he needed. Trapped in a room with a human when he was thirsting for blood.
To Vlad’s immense surprise, Eddie met his eyes. “I still don’t know what you are exactly. But I read a lot of comic books, so I know I can figure it out.”
He straightened his shoulders, a thread of confidence creeping into his words. “Your eyes flashing purple were the first solid clue that you weren’t human, and then when I followed you to the school and you floated up to the belfry . . . well, I kind of freaked out at first. But I was smart. My mom says I’m not, but I am. I waited and took that picture of you coming down. I could have named you in the article, but right now I just want to find out what you are. I thought maybe you’d tell me after you saw the article.”
Vlad shook his head. “There’s nothing to tell, Eddie. I don’t know who or what you saw, but I’m as human as anybody in this town.” When he looked once more at Eddie, he made sure his words were crisp and forceful. “You should be more careful, dude. Stuff like that could get you kicked off the paper. Or worse.”
Vlad held his gaze, making certain the threat was understood. He was tempted to try mind control, but he knew he didn’t need to go that far with Eddie Poe. The guy always backed down when confronted. Always.
As suspected, Eddie’s eyes widened in fear. Eddie took a step back, and when he bumped into the wall, he slid down to a sitting position on the floor, his arms clutching his knees to his chest. He watched Vlad for the next several minutes, as if frightened that Vlad might pounce on him and drink his blood.
Ready to oblige, Vlad’s fangs slid easily out of his gums. It took several deep breaths, but after a moment, he regained control of his hunger. One thing was for sure though . . . if he didn’t get out of here soon, Eddie was going to be his next meal.
With a deep breath, Vlad focused on Henry. He had no idea if he was capable of reaching his drudge from anywhere other than the training room in Siberia, but he had to try.
“Henry, I’m trapped in the boiler room with Eddie Poe. Hurry!”
Eddie continued to watch him. Vlad shifted uneasily but said nothing. After all, there was nothing to say. What was that saying about how it was better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt?
The door at the top of the stairs creaked open, startling them both. But then Vlad sighed in relief. He’d reached Henry after all. He made a mental note to write Otis and tell him. Apparently, Vikas was right about the ease of connecting with one’s drudge.
Sunlight drifted in from the open door, illuminating the room much better than the fluorescent lights below. Meredith called down the steps. “Vlad? Are you down there?”
Vlad’s eyes went wide, and he felt his hunger give way to the happy warmth of the knowledge that Meredith hadn’t just opened the door by accident—she’d opened it because she’d been looking for him.
Vlad cleared his throat, only slightly disappointed that he hadn’t managed to reach Henry. “Yeah.”
Eddie slid his back against the wall as he stood. He approached the steps slowly, his eyes still locked distrustfully, fearfully, on Vlad. But then he paused and looked longingly up at the stairs.
Vlad stepped back, giving Eddie free passage. He kept his jaw tight and his gaze slightly chilled in warning.
Eddie glanced down at his shoes, and when he returned his eyes to Vlad’s gaze, he seemed to be surer of himself than ever. He spoke in a loud whisper, so that Meredith wouldn’t hear. “It’s worth another detention, Vlad. It’s worth a thousand detentions to find out what you are.” He scrambled up the steps, then paused and threw Vlad a determined glance over his shoulder. “And worse.”
He shrank by Meredith without meeting her eyes. Meredith smiled at him. “Hi, Eddie. You okay?”
But Eddie didn’t answer.
Vlad moved up a few steps, shaking his anger with Eddie from his nerves. In his mind he was reliving the kiss Meredith had given him outside in the snow and the blowing cold. He wondered, briefly, if she might do it again if they lingered down here for a while. “Thanks for opening the door. We were kind of stuck.”
A small flash of anger crossed Meredith’s eyes, surprising him. “I heard Bill and Tom bragging about locking you guys down here. So I came to see if you were still here. What jerks!”
Vlad smiled. She was so cute when she was mad. The way her nose scrunched up.
Meredith looked at him. “What are you smiling about?”
Vlad glanced away. “Nothing. I’m just glad to see you.”
She brightened, and Vlad widened his eyes. “I mean, the door. I’m glad you opened the door.”
“Oh.” A small smile played on her lips. “Well, you’re welcome.”
Though Vlad’s cheeks were blushing fiercely, he managed a smile. “Yeah . . . my hero.”
The air suddenly seemed very thin. Meredith was standing just one step above him and looking at him like he was the only boy in the entire world.
Vlad wanted very much to be brave enough to kiss her pretty lips.
He wanted to be. But he wasn’t.
Instead, he smiled into her eyes and wished that the moment would last.
“Uh. Hey, Vlad . . . Meredith.” Henry was standing at the open door, fighting a grin. “You guys better get out of here. Mrs. Bell is on her way down the hall, and she’s giving out detention slips like crazy.”
Meredith blushed and walked up the steps. After a second, Vlad followed suit, not really caring if he got detention.
All things considered, losing a few hours after school was well worth a stolen moment alone with the girl of his dreams.
18
THE FRIEND CODE
VLAD DESCENDED THE STEPS in front of Bathory High after a horrendous Monday. After a moment, Joss joined him, despite the chilly glances Vlad had been giving him since the Snow Ball. Yes, Meredith had kissed him and not Joss, but that didn’t change the fact that Joss had gone out with her. They were supposed to be friends, and friends can tell when a guy likes a girl, even without the guy saying something. Even Henry had figured it out, and Vlad hadn’t told him—Henry could just tell. So why couldn’t Joss?