Eleventh Grade Burns(14)

Vlad’s trial, it turned out, had never been scheduled. Call it a miracle. Vlad certainly did.

As they pulled into a spot in the mall parking lot, Henry cleared his throat. “So it looks like you’re over Meredith, huh? That was fast.”

Vlad raised an irritated eyebrow. “For your information, Snow kissed me. Not the other way around. And what’s with the attitude? Weren’t you just saying I needed to see other girls?”

“I was thinking someone less ... scary.”

That was it. Vlad raised his voice in protective defense. “Snow is sweet, smart, and pretty, Henry. The only thing scary about her are her military boots, and that’s only because she could put a grown man down with a single kick.”

Henry snorted. “Whatever. You’ve been acting so weird since you started hanging with the Halloween brigade.”

“Kinda like how you’ve been acting weird ever since you became Melissa’s pet?” As Henry opened his mouth again, Vlad shot him a glare. “I’ve changed my mind about the movie. Take me home, Henry. And don’t say a word until we get there.”

The drive home was quiet, and Henry didn’t so much as glance at him, but Vlad couldn’t care less. Henry was acting like a prime-time jerk.

By the time the car had pulled into the driveway, Henry looked as if he was ready to explode. Vlad opened the door and got out, but not before Henry muttered something rather unpleasant in his general direction. Vlad ignored it. After all, Henry had called him out, and then he had called Henry out in return. They were pretty even, and saying anything back to his grumble as Vlad had exited would’ve only continued the tense moment between them.

As for directly ordering Henry to take him home and keep his mouth shut ... well, it didn’t make Vlad feel good to boss his drudge around, but he wasn’t about to sit there while Henry insulted his friends. So what that they wore black? So what that they liked hanging out in cemeteries and lighting candles? They were nice. And perfectly normal, as far as Vlad was concerned.

He made his way up the porch steps and opened the front door, only then realizing that the lights were all off inside and a note was taped to the front door.

Vladimir—

It is of the utmost importance that you come to your parents’ house the moment that you read this note. I will explain later why I did not contact you in the usual manner. Please make haste.

Yours in Eternity, Otis



Vlad read the note over again, focusing intently on “in the usual manner.” Otis hadn’t wanted to contact him through telepathy, but why? His words had sounded shaky, nervous, frightened. Vlad could only imagine what kinds of things could manage to scare his uncle.

With a deep breath, Vlad turned from the door and made his way down the stairs, hoping that Joss hadn’t had time to unpack his stake while he and Henry were arguing over Henry’s really stupid prejudices. As he stepped from the porch, the scent of something carried by the breeze caught his attention. It was dark and ancient and made Vlad shiver, despite the warmth of the evening.

Vampires. There were vampires in Bathory.





6





THE VAMPIRE DORIAN


VLAD MADE IT ACROSS TOWN without incident. He’d been tempted to walk by the house that Joss now called home, just to see for himself that the slayer was now an official resident of Bathory, but his good sense won out over his curiosity. He found his way quietly to the back door of his old house. He knocked—which felt very weird to do, but something about his uncle living here made him feel that knocking was warranted—and when there was no reply from within, he pulled open the door and stepped inside.

Muffled voices were coming from the front of the house. He hesitated, then strode forward, making his way to the living room, where the voices were coming from. At the arched entryway to the living room, Vlad paused. The large room was host to a dozen or so vampires.

A few glanced at him, but otherwise, the conversation continued as if he hadn’t entered the room at all. Vlad scanned the room and found Otis perched on the arm of the couch. He met Vlad’s eyes and gestured to an empty seat near the entryway to the kitchen. With more than a few questions on his tongue, Vlad sat and spoke to Otis with his thoughts. “Otis, who are all these pe—”

But Otis cut him off abruptly.

Vlad looked at him, but Otis merely shook his head and returned to listening to one vampire in particular, who was speaking in Elysian code—something that Vlad still didn’t quite understand. As if remembering this, Otis cleared his throat. “Please, Cratus, speak English so that we can all understand.”