“It’s about Lauren.”
Alex looked around at the three of them. “Oh god. Have you found her? Is she dead?”
“I don’t think so. I think…I believe she is a new-born vampire.”
“What?” Alex could barely get the word out. Her mind was reeling. How could Lauren be a vampire? “Ryan? What did he do to her?”
Dante nodded. “You’re on the right track. The night you and Michelle went to Ryan’s apartment was what gave it away. When I stood outside, I could smell blood of several different people, including vampires, in the apartment. Seeing as though we haven’t yet found a body, it seems the only logical conclusion. I’m sorry.”
Alex put her head down. She didn’t cry, she felt as if her sorrow was too great even for that. “I tried to get her away from there. I tried…”
“You did everything you could.” Margaret put an arm around her shoulders.
“Alex, it’s not your fault,” agreed Michelle.
Alex wasn’t sure she believed them but appreciated the sentiments. Alex nudged Margaret’s hand with her cheek and held on to it with one of her hands.
“I believe you are in danger.” Dante had clearly not finished saying all he meant to.
“You mean from Lauren?” Alex asked. “But why would that be? We are, well, we were…best friends. Why would she hurt me? You’re a vampire and you don’t want to hurt me.”
“She is not the same person,” Dante said sternly. “No vampire is the same after they have left their human selves behind. The need to consume human blood is akin to basic survival. Lauren will have powers that she does not understand, urges she cannot control and a hunger that will never be satisfied. Her strength during the first month is tripled. Her body is in hyperactive mode as it customises itself to its new abilities. Think as if she has woken up on steroids and it takes time for them to get out of her system. Such is the predicament of a vampire. We are always strong, but we are stronger and more desperate when first made and a danger to everyone.”
“That still doesn’t answer why she would want to come after me.”
“Has she ever resented you?”
“No, I don’t think so. Why? I told you we were friends.”
“Friends fight.” Dante looked at her pointedly.
“Yeah, of course. We…well yeah we did fight a bit. But it wasn’t anything serious. We always made up.”
“Alexandra, you need to be aware of the possibility. She is without her makers and very dangerous. It is my belief the reason you have not heard from her is that she is planning on getting to you. You were there the night she was turned. You were also there the night Ryan was killed. Yet she never attempted to see you. I feel there is a bigger plan around this. Something is going on. She is alone and will reach out to you. Either physically or emotionally, but she will be coming.”
“Dante, look, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I just can’t believe the girl I knew since school would actually try to kill me.”
Margaret cleared her throat. “He doesn’t actually mean that she would kill you, dear. He means she might try to push you to the breaking point and then turn you.”
Alex looked from her mother to Dante. “Really?”
“It is very possible. We need companionship, especially in our first few years.”
“Will she be able to get in here?” Alex said, shifting in her seat. She still did not believe Lauren would try and hurt her, but the fact is she wasn’t sure.
“Not if you don’t invite her in,” Michelle replied.
Alex narrowed her eyes. “You’re really going to have to give me a list of what’s real and what’s just Hollywood legend.”
“That part of Stoker’s novel was correct.” Dante said. “I often wondered if he had experience with one of us back in the eighteen hundreds.”
“So what else was he right about?”
“I hate the smell of garlic but I can’t turn into a bat or wolf. I cast a reflection and can touch a crucifix. Holy water does not bother me and neither does pure silver. Gold on the other hand, pure gold, affects vampires. Shackles and restraints made out of pure gold can’t be broken by us, regardless of how old and strong we are.”
“You don’t like, sparkle in the sun do you?” Alex asked, semi-seriously.
Margaret looked confused, and Michelle burst out laughing.
“No.” Dante gave Michelle a look of exasperation.
“Do you burn in the sun?” asked Alex.
“No, not that either.”
“But you do sleep during the day?”
“Yes.”
“Why? I mean, if you don’t burn?”
Dante scowled. “As soon as the sun rises, we lose consciousness. We drop where we stand. In effect, we become corpses.”
“So if I were to find you during the day and like…I don’t know, scream at you, or beat you over the head?”
“I wouldn’t even stir.”
“Ok. I can see how that could be a problem. So what can you do?”
“Pardon?”
“Well you have just gone on about all the stuff you can’t do, so what can you do?”
“Vampires and humans are not all that dissimilar. No two humans are the same and neither are we. For example, some humans can sing and some can’t. Some vampires can read thoughts, some can’t. We are all fast, strong and seductive. We need these things to survive; that is our evolution. We have fangs and nails because we can’t eat our food with a knife and fork. Fresh, human blood straight from the source. We can survive on blood that has been harvested for several days, but not for long. We each have an ability granted to us at random when we are created. The older
