New Boy in School...And He's a Vampire?!

New Boy in School...And He's a Vampire?! [Chapter Thirteen]

KAIDEN’S POV

Okay so my plan backfired. Badly.

I’d been hoping that we could cut my parents off before they got to their mansion, but they’d gotten a better portal than us and had gone straight there. We’d had to search for ours and it had taken too far away.

“Well, we’re in the right world, at least.” Joshua muttered, picking up a stone and throwing it far.

I started grumbling to myself.

“Can we make a plan now?” Joshua asked, putting his hand in front of me to stop my pacing. I nodded and we sat down, staring up at the big castle looming over us in the distance. It was probably about 50 miles away and it was still visible because it was huge.

We talked it over for a while before we could come up with anything worth trying. Joshua still didn’t look like he thought it was work well but he did look determined and I was grateful for that, at least.

We decided to wait until night to put the plan into action so we got closer to the mansion then sat down in the cover of a big tree.

“What do you think they’re doing to her?” I asked quietly. I was curled up with my knees pressed to my chest, trying very hard to reassure myself.

Joshua thought for a moment. “They’ve probably drugged her and put her in the dungeon. I don’t expect they’ll harm her as they’re using her as bait for you.”

I shuddered, remembering the time I had spent locked up and drugged in that hell hole.

“We’ll get her out.” He said with feeling. I nodded, feeling slightly better.

“And Malachi?” I asked, truly worried this time.

Joshua sighed. “They’ve killed him already, I expect.” He put his head down in tribute.

“Unless they’re keeping him around as bait too.” I argued, not willing to accept it.

“Why would they do that?” He asked, giving me a doubtful, sad look.

“Maybe they think it’s possible that Celia’s not the girl and I won’t come get her. Maybe they think I’ll come get Malachi and not her.” I was grasping for straws and Joshua knew it. He agreed half-heartedly.

A few hours went by while Joshua and I sat in silence, both wrapped up in our own thoughts. I couldn’t get Celia out of my head.

What if they did something to her? I’d never forgive myself for leaving her alone. I should have sent Malachi to find Joshua but I expected more resistance from him.

Celia’s a fighter, I thought. She’d never just lay down and take it. She’s alright, I know she is.

Finally it was dark and Joshua and I stood, giving each other a silent good-luck.

We walked up to the castle together before he ducked around the side and I snuck through the front doors.

It wasn’t a very well thought out plan, I’ll admit. But we didn’t have a lot of time or ideas, so it would have to do.

“Master Charles said that she’d be back around morning.” Someone was saying. I peered down the corridor to my right and say a few of the servants. “She went out to get some new humans and bring them back.” A man was saying.

They must be talking about Rose. Usually she’s the one that fetches the victims, unless they go out to eat.

I crept forward, trying to a trace of Celia. It was my job to find Celia and Joshua’s job to find Malachi. I knew that if Malachi wasn’t dead he’d probably be in the dungeons, as would Celia. I doubted that they’d be together, though. My parents would want them separated so they couldn’t scheme.

I caught the briefest hint of Celia’s perfume in the main sitting room, the huge red room that visitors were brought too. As I neared the blue room off that, a room usually used to hold victims or sometimes as a makeshift kitchen, Celia’s smell doubled. I sensed Charles, so I didn’t dare go in, incase he was in there. There was no sound from the room.

Walking slowly around I found a faded trail that led through a dark hallway for a ways until there was a spiral staircase. The moment I hit the staircase I was running. I could smell her but that’s not what was leading me. I could feel her. She was here.

Before I could get down the long staircase completely I ran into someone. It was a guard. He smirked at me. “Come to rescue you’re beloved? Too late.” He sneered. I quickly shoved him against the wall, punching him in the face so hard his head knocked back against it too. He collapsed, knocked out.

He was lying, he had to be.

I took the stairs five at a time, running as fast as my body would allow me. Finally, I reached the bottom and ran through a wooden door. I looked around me and saw that Joshua was here too, leaning over another body. Malachi.

Joshua looked up when I entered and smiled, pointing at the cell across the room where I saw Celia. I was there in a second, grasping the bars on her cell. Joshua threw me the keys to the cell and I unlocked it.

When I entered I could finally see her properly. She was pale; paler than me, even. She was wearing a tiny white dress that was very flattering on her but also not her style at all. It looked odd on her. Her hair was curly and thin from lack of washing and her face, hands and bare feet were dirty. One sleeve of her dress had crusted, red blood on it, as did that side of her neck. Her eyes were closed and there were bruise-like shadows under them. There were streaks across her cheeks where tears had cleaned some of the dirt off her face. I couldn’t stop the tears that rose to my eyes as I looked at her. She looked so defenseless, so weak.

I chocked back bile as I examined her neck. It must have been Charles who’d bit her. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying very hard not to imagine what it must have been like. She must have been in so much pain. And it was all because I was stupid enough to bite her.


I leaned in and lifted her up, half hoping that she’d wake up. She didn’t.

When I walked back to Malachi’s cell I saw that he wasn’t in any better condition. His hair was dirty and matted with blood. His lip was cut open and his clothes were torn. He was dirty as well and he looked about as pale as Celia.

He was awake, staring up at me sadly. “I’m sorry, Kaiden.” He choked out, looking at Celia. “I tried to stop them but Charles grabbed me before I could do anything.” His voice was slow and weak and he seemed on the verge of passing out.

“Don’t apologize, Malachi. You couldn’t have done anything.”

Joshua pulled Malachi up and supported him. “Let’s get out of here.” He said quickly.

We ran as fast as we could, Celia and I ahead of Joshua and Malachi as Malachi couldn’t go very fast, but we were still caught at the door.

Charles was blocking our exit, glowering at me. “Did you really think it would be that easy?” He scoffed. He looked at Celia then up at me. “I see why you chose her.” He said, licking his lips.

I almost dropped Celia and lunged at him but before I could move Joshua snorted.

“Bet you got off like you never have. That what does it for you? Fear and betrayal?” He dropped Malachi and was in front of Charles so fast Charles completely missed the movement, as did I.

Joshua was kind of unique. He was super fast, not to mention an amazing fighter, and he was pretty ruthless when it came to fighting. Charles had never met him or heard of him, so he didn’t know how fast Joshua was.

He managed to take him by surprise long enough to plunge his knife through his stomach. It wouldn’t kill him but it made him collapse so we could get by.

Joshua hauled Malachi up again and we took off, both of us running as fast as possible.

“Nearest portal?” I demanded, panting. Joshua nodded to the left and we took off that way.

We found it quickly. It was small, a blue oval hanging in midair. Running into it, I gripped Celia tighter to me. My head spun a little as we passed through and I almost tripped once we landed in the forest.

“Well that’s convenient.” Josh muttered, coming out next to me. We’d ended up not far from Joshua’s house.

“Malachi and I will seal it up, you take Celia back to the house. David can help her.” He ordered, putting Malachi gently down and walking back towards the portal.

In order to seal a portal you had to pay tribute. For example, you could give blood or a precious object. In moments of desperation, people had been known to give people too. Whatever it was you gave was sent back through the portal and then it closed behind it. Your stuff never reached the other side of the portal, though. If you could just go get the objects later, it wouldn’t be much of a tribute.

I tried to be as fast as Josh on the way to his house. I could only barely hear her heartbeat anymore. She started to stir as I brought her inside the house. David was sitting at the kitchen table and he jumped up, clearing everything off it and onto the floor in his haste to make room for her.

David was pretty skilled for a human. He cooked, cleaned and was Joshua’s personal doctor.

I laid Celia down on the table as David went to get a first aid kit and some water. Celia opened her eyes but quickly shut them, cowering into the table. After a moment she opened them again, staring up at me in wonder and confusion.

David appeared then, with a bunch of things. He told me to sit her up and handed her a glass of water. I put my arm protectively against her and let her lean against me. She took a couple sips of water, hesitantly.

David took a wet cloth and tried to wipe some of the blood off her neck. She flinched so badly that she dropped the water and spilled it all over herself.

“Okay! I’m sorry! I don’t need to touch it!” He said quickly, dropping the cloth on the table.

His hands fluttered around helplessly for a moment before he looked up at her. “Are you hurt? Does anything hurt?” He asked, giving her a one-over. She did seem to be okay, other than being pale, tired and too skinny.

She shook her head and he nodded, walking over to the fridge. He handed her food but she shook her head. “Just water.” She picked up the glass feebly. “Please.” She added.

When she spoke I almost lost it. Her voice was so sad and shaky and weak.

David hesitated but decided against arguing and nodded. He refiled the glass and handed it to her. Fear flashed in her eyes for a split second before she controlled it and took the glass.

What had they done to her?

Malachi and Joshua came in then and Joshua led Malachi into the guest room. David followed them.

“Where am I?” She asked, struggling to sit up on her own. I let her as much as I dared too.

“At my friend’s house. The one I went to go get.” She tried to get off the table but I held her back. “Don’t try to stand yet.”

She sighed and went limp again, closing her eyes. It was a minute before she spoke and I wondered what was going on with Malachi.

“You came and got me.” I looked down at her and met her eyes. There was confusion and fear and sadness all mixed into one. It was an expression that broke my heart.

“Of course I did.” I said, not understanding. “What did you think I was going to do, leave you to rot?” My voice slightly incredulous.

She didn’t say anything, just looked at her hands. “Would you have come and got me if Malachi hadn’t been there, too?” She asked quietly.

I put my hand underneath her chin. “If Malachi hadn’t been taken with you, the only that would have change would be that we’d have gotten you sooner because we’d have had one more guy on our side.” I said, almost angrily. Why was she thinking these things?

She still didn’t look reassured but she didn’t say anything. “Why do you doubt that?” I asked, quieter now.