Deathly Desire *english*

23

"We have a plan about how to get a special weapon against vampires, that'll help us a lot if we get it", Dad told them, without taking his eyes off the road.

For once, he did not ignore the speed limit, apparently he did not want anyone to notice them.

"Okayy?", Miles said and Dad continued: "Well, actually it's not really a weapon ... it's a small device that shows you whether someone is a vampire or not. You just have to point it at someone and if they're a vampire, it will blink red."

Miles raised his eyebrows. If there was such a device, why did they onlyf ind out about it now? It would make identifying vampires so much easier.

As if Dad had heard Miles' thoughts, he explained: "I just recently got my hands on this device."

"And today we'll just have to complete it", Logan added.

"And how do we do that?", Miles asked and Logan turned to him: "We need vampire blood to activate it. So that's what we're doing tonight."

"Yes", Dad nodded. "I know where we'll find a vampire. The problem is that he has to be alive while we take the blood. It won't work with a dead vampire, so you'll have to hold him down while I'm activating the device."

"And... then it'll work?", Miles doubted, but Logan just shrugged: "We'll see."

"There's no actual proof that it really works, but I've heard about it a lot and if it's really true, we'll be able to work way more efficiently in the future", Dad said and suddenly stopped the car: "Where here."

They got out of the car and Claire scoffed: "Seriously? Here?!"

Miles looked around, they were standing in the middle of a quiet neighbourhood, with those typical suburbian houses and their perfect front yards.

On the sidewalk, there were still the remains of a street festival and tomorrow morning, children would walk here on their way to school, fathers would mow the lawn and wave at the neighbours and mothers would walk around with baby strollers.

And this was where they were supposed to catch a vampire?

"Yes, right here", Dad assured them and walked straight towards one of the houses. They quietly sneeked through the garden, then Dad signalled Miles to break in through the back door.

Things like these were almost completely normal to him, it was one of the first things Dad had taught them. While other children had learned about colours and shapes during kindergarten and primary school, the Lancasters had picked locks, hot-wired cars and faked IDs.

Only a few seconds later they entered the living room. You could tell that there were no kids living in this house. Everything seemed far to neat and organized, almost as if nobody lived here at all.

Suddenly a door was opened on the first floor.

Logan quickly pressed against the wall next to the stairs, Claire ducked behind the sofa and Dad and Miles hid behind the kitchen door.

Slow steps were coming closer and then briefly stopped, only to then slowly move towards the open back door.

From his position, Miles was able to see the back of the person that was now closing the door.

Miles felt his Dad's hand on his back, which then pushed him forwards, so Miles jumped at the vampire. He put a rope around the vampire's neck and pulled on it, causing the vampire to stumble backwards, gasping for air.

Logan and Claire were now beside him and threw him to the ground. His eyes were glowing bright red and he growled, kicking with his arms and legs, trying to get his attackers off of him.

"Dad!", Miles urged, pressing down one of the vampire's arms, so that Dad could put the knife on it.

"What do you want?", the vampire croaked, but they ignored him, although Miles looked at him in surprise. Usually, vampires did not talk while they were in monster-mode.

Dad cut into the arm of the vampire until blood came out, then he pulled out a smal box and let the blood drop on it.

"Stop", the vampire now begged and Logan, who by now was holding the rope, tightened it around his neck.

The pain caused the vampire to stop kicking around.

Dad stood up and began fidgeting on that device, that blinked a few times.

"I-I didn't to anything", the vampire pleaded, "Let me go!"

Claire and Miles shared a confused look and Logan scoffed: "Yeah, sure. Shut up!"

"The first vampire that pretends to be innocent", Claire laughed, but Miles was quiet.

What did he mean, he did not do anything?

"It worked!", Dad announced and Claire looked at him questioningly: "What are we doing with this one?"

"Kill him, but quickly. Then we'll leave", Dad said, already exiting the living room.

"I'll do it", Logan went through his backpack, looking for his knife.

"No, I wanna do it, pleeease! I haven't done that in forever!", Claire begged and Logan frowned: "Definitely not."

"Come oooooon!"

The vampire began fighting again, while Claire and Logan were distracted, and managed to get up. He jumped past them, but Miles did not let go, even when he was pulled into the hallway at vampire speed. Hastily, he grabbed the injection with vampire poison from his backpocket and put in in the vampire's arm, who immediately stopped and crashed into the wall.

Miles pulled him to the floor again, where the vampire looked at him pleadingly: "Please, I don't harm anyone!"

Miles frowned, could that be true? Even though his eyes were glowing red and his fangs looked terrible, he seemed kind of ... friendly?

How could a vampire seem friendly? He was a monster. He drank blood and killed people.

Suddenly Claire and Logan were next to them.

"Thank God, you're still alive!", Claire called out and Logan jumped at the vampire, who gave Miles a last desperate look: "Please!"

Miles stared at him, unable to move, but then Logan had already slit his throat. The red glowing in his eyes disappeared and his head sank back.

Claire grabbed Miles' hand: "Come on, we should really leave now!"

Miles looked at the body again. This was a success, they got rid of another vampire, another killer. But why did he feel so bad then? So ... guilty?