A Love Returned

Chapter 18

"We've got to get out of here," Ingrid cried in Will's arms. If being outside in the UV cage when morning was approaching wasn't so bad, being right outside your front door was even worse.  

Vlad, Erin and Robin were right inside and they had no idea what was happening. 

"They'll figure out we're missing," Will tried to reassure her. 

She nodded and did her best to smile. But it just turned into a frown. 

Inside, Erin slowly calmed down. She felt responsible for losing Nancy, she should have been looking after her. 

Vlad had told Erin that it was Nancy's fault; she shouldn't have run off, but she was just a kid. 

"Stop it!" Vlad was astonished that one stranger child could have this effect on his Erin, "Just stop! It's not your fault and it's already done!" 

But it was her fault, at least that's what she thought. 

"I'll leave you guys alone," Robin got up and opened the bedroom door, he walked outside. 

Ingrid saw Robin through the windows next to the front door, she began moving around frantically to try and get his attention. Will followed her lead. 

Robin turned in their direction and shouted. 

"Vlaaaaad!"  

Ingrid and Will sighed with relief. 

The front door burst open and Robin stood before them, staring at the UV cage that surrounded the couple. 

"Get us out of here!" Ingrid begged. 

"How... this thing..." Robin waved his hands in confusion, he had no idea how to disarm the cage. 

"I'd appreciate you doing it before we smoke!" Will urged him, seeing that the moon was slowly fading in the sun's appearing rays. 

"Vlad!" Robin shouted, "Hurry up!" 

Vlad was just settling Erin into the bed. His sudden outburst had actually helped to calm her down, make her understand it wasn't really her fault.  

"It sounds important, I better go," He kissed Erin's forehead and walked out te bedroom door. When he stepped into the hallway, Robin flung open the front door and dragged Vlad outside. 

"Ingrid! Will!" He shouted, surprised. How could this happen only metres away from him without his knowing? 

"Time for talking later, just get us out!" Ingrid wailed, beginning to feel the sun's warmth. 

Vlad nodded his head, "Okay," he went to touch the cage base ((whatever you call those things)) but it was too hot on his vampiric skin. 

"Robin," he instructed, "Pull the cage away, run with it as far as you need." 

Robin didnt quite understand the running part, but he reached down and took hold of the base and ran with it, getting further away. 

The UV cage bent and enlarged, the rays trying to connect to the base and still keep its victims trapped. It twisted, almost singing Ingrid's arm, then the cage bars disappeared when Robin reached the other side of the road. 

As this happened, the cage base let off a high frequency screech. Like what bats make when they're really, really mad. Robin just stood there holding the thing, breathers couldn't hear it. 

Will hugged Ingrid and they ran inside the doorway, glad to be free. When the sound hit them they clasped their hands over their ears, trying to block the deafening sound. 

Vlad collapsed onto the ground and used all his strength to speed inside, signalling Will and Ingrid to move in further. Vlad slammed the door shut. 

The sound still penetrated the cottage. Artur began to cry and Erin grabbed him, crawling under the bed and laying there with him. The sound was making Erin feel faint. 

All four vampires plus Artur felt their heads spinning at the high pitch tone, then they simply fainted. 

Robin still stood outside, quite confused of the strange things his friends had just done. He couldn't see them collapse inside. 

Robin placed the UV cage in a bin and sat on a bench. 

In the corner of his eye he saw a group of about twenty vampires fly down into the cottage. 

He turned his gaze completely on the home. The vampires were holding onto the bodies of Ingrid, Will, Erin and Vlad. They were speeding away with his friends. 

"Hey!" He shouted at the vampire-nappers, but they were already too far away to hear.  

Robin got up and ran in the direction they had gone. Maybe he wasn't as fast, but he was just as smart. 

He realised that the UV cage was a trap within a trap. Maybe it had a tracking device in it, maybe it had had garlic gas inside. Whatever it was, he was their only hope.  

It was time to activate Vampire-Robin!