A Vampire Thing

Chapter Three

Wolfie pushed open the large wooden doors of the castle and burst inside.

He saw Ingrid, ran to her, buried his head in her lap and cried.

Wolfie wasn't crying because Vlad was a vampire. He wasn't crying because vampires were actually real.

He was crying because Vlad hadn't told him when he'd had the chance.

When Wolfie had shared his deepest secret, Vladimir hadn't.

"What's wrong, kid?" Ingrid stroked his long, dark hair. She was genuinely worried.

"Where's Vlad?" Erin asked. It hit her that maybe that's why Wolfie was crying, "Is he okay?"

He looked up and slowly turned his head to face Erin, "He's with some girl. She's a vampire."

Erin stifled a laugh, "Wolfie, vampires aren't real."

He shook his head and buried it again, continuing to cry.

All the while Ingrid stared at the floor. Erin, her face full of confusion, raised her eyebrows at her, "What do you know?"

"Last week," Ingrid looked Erin in the eyes, "There was this man. He killed someone. Only they came back to life, then they killed someone else. And it happened again. Only they stepped into the light and turned into ashes."

"Heat intolerance," Erin forced a smile, "It's happened before."

"Not the killing part."

Vlad slammed the doors shut after he'd pushed Agatha inside, he let out a grunt of anger.

Erin stood up, "What's this?!" She demanded, looking back and forth between Vlad and the girl.

"I'll explain later," Vlad held out his arm, a calming gesture, "Just-" He turned to Agatha, "-Go upstairs and stay away from them."

The girl screwed up her face at him, "Yes, master," She sped up the stairs.

"That was... too fast," Ingrid said.

Wolfie sniffed, "I told you. Vampire."

Erin took one step towards him, "Vlad?"

"I can't..." He didn't know what to say.

Everything was crumbling into pieces. His plans, his mindwipe, his future.

"You can't?" Ingrid stood up, holding Wolfie to her, "It's true, isn't it!?"

Vlad shook his head, "She's the only one. I swear."

What could Vlad say? He couldn't let his family find out what they were. But he'd just lied. He'd openly lied to them.

"You swear?" Erin put her hands on her hips, "I don't know that I trust you!"

"Explain what just happened then," Ingrid waved a hand towards the stairs, "Go on."

Vlad put his hands on his head, what had he done?

"You won't explain, will you?"

"Ingrid," He looked desperately at his sister.

Wolfie looked at Vlad, right into his eyes. It sent one message; hate.

"Tell us!" Erin roared. She didn't understand how, but her voice echoed through the building five times louder than she'd intended.

Vlad felt tears in his eyes. It was happening.

He looked at Ingrid, her grey eyes were reddening. She had been exposed to too much. The mindwipe was disappearing. Any moment...