Eleventh Grade Burns(68)

Joss had killed Tristian. Without reason. Without sense. All because he though Tristian might be a vampire, like Vlad. He’d killed him, and now was hoping that Vlad’s death would soon follow.

Enraged, Vlad grabbed Joss by the shirt. Joss swung forward, catching the corner of Vlad’s mouth with his fist. Vlad threw him across the cemetery. Joss hit a large tombstone and crumpled to the ground. Blood seeped from his mouth, and his arm was bending at a weird angle.

As Vlad bent over Joss and retrieved the cell phone from his inside jacket pocket, he whispered, “I know how you think of yourself as an extinguisher of evil and all, but just so you know, Tristian was human. So that makes you a murderer.”

He dialed 911 and when the operator answered Vlad wiped the blood from his lip and said, “My friend’s been beaten up pretty badly. He needs an ambulance. We’re at Long Road Cemetery in Bathory.”

Joss rolled onto his back with a moan. Vlad knelt down, the phone still to his ear, and said, “It’s okay, Joss. Help is on the way.”




Joss was lying in the hospital bed, his left arm hooked up to an IV, his right arm in a cast. Other than the broken arm and some bruised ribs, he was fine, but the staff insisted on keeping him overnight for observation. Vlad sat in a chair beside the bed, waiting for Joss to say something, to say anything, really. Joss hadn’t spoken to him since they left the cemetery.

Finally, breaking the silence, Joss croaked, “I didn’t kill Tristian, Vlad. I mean, he looked just like a vampire, and I probably would have eventually—but only for good reasons, only to help people. But I didn’t. I swear.”

One look at Joss, at the tears welling in his eyes and spilling over onto his cheeks, and he knew that there was no need for him to say anything at all to hurt Joss. He was beating himself up enough already, over an act he’d never committed. But if Joss didn’t kill Tristian—and really why deny it now, af ter being beaten so badly? Vlad had no reason to doubt his claim—then who did? But then, it was likely a lie. One that would ensure he’d live through the night. Vlad swallowed hard, trying to calm the bitter anger that threatened to well up inside of him. “Otis and Vikas wanted to come after you, but I stopped them.”

“I guess I’d have more than just a broken arm if you hadn’t.”

“You’d be dead.” Their eyes met and both nodded in agreement.

Joss swallowed hard, his voice raspy, as if he were either very thirsty or on the verge of tears. “Why did you stop them? Why are you here?”

“Believe it or not, despite everything you’ve done, despite everything that’s happened, I still think of you as a friend, Joss. Besides, I wanted to do something you wouldn’t do when you put me in the hospital.” Vlad chewed his bottom lip for a moment, remembering his hospital stay, and how much it had hurt that Joss refused to even acknowledge he felt even the tiniest bit bad for almost taking Vlad’s life. It was awful, probably even worse than the physical pain he’d endured. “I wanted to apologize.”

A look of immense shame crossed Joss’s face.

“I’m sorry I broke your arm, Joss. I’m sorry I put you in the hospital.”

Joss swallowed hard, trying to get his emotions under control. “I guess you could’ve done worse.”

“Yeah. I could’ve.” Vlad was surprised how confident his words sounded, but it was true. He was far more powerful than Joss now, and if he really wanted to, he could kill him in an instant. “You swear on your sister’s soul you didn’t kill Tristian?”

Joss’s eyes never left Vlad’s. “I swear it.”

Vlad grew quiet, thinking for a while. If it hadn’t been Joss, who else could it be? Eddie Poe? Doubtful. Eddie was far weaker than Tristian. Another slayer? Possibly. But who? Not Joss, that much was certain.

“And my dad’s journal. Did you take it?”

Joss’s eyes grew wide. “No. No, I didn’t. I don’t know anything about that.”

With a deep breath, he met Joss’s eyes and hoped for the impossible. “Joss, let’s end this. Whatever this is between us, let’s just stop. You don’t try to kill me anymore and I won’t be forced to defend myself. Let’s just get things back to the way they used to be.”

“I can’t.”

“Joss—”

“No, you don’t understand. I can’t. If I don’t fulfill my duties, I’ll be excommunicated from the Slayer Society, and they’ll cleanse Bathory of every living being in sight just to be sure they got all of the vampires.” He shook his head, his voice softening. “Besides, I made a promise to Cecile. It was my fault she died. I was too scared to stop a vampire then. I’m not too scared now. I have to keep going, Vlad.”