6 - Evil thoughts can hide

Marcus had been a bear with a sore head since Vlad and Maddy left and with the sound of the car pulling up he leapt from his seat and ran down the path. Giving Maddy a hug tight enough to crush her “So how was your trip?” he asked as he glared at Vlad “It was, err, nice” Something was wrong. Leading her into the house he whispered “What did Vlad do?” Maddy shook her head “Nothing, he did nothing” she insisted as she tried to wipe the feeling of his lips on hers. Marcus gave a low growl but said nothing more, he’d find out from Vlad. That was more difficult than he thought as the minute Vlad walked into the house he left again saying he had paperwork to do.

Vlad was barely in his office when the phone rang. It was official; the boy’s death had the police now hunting two killers one of which was a Vampire. Putting the phone down he slumped into his seat, great fucking great. Things were getting messy and he had made it worse, what the hell had possessed him to kiss her? His heart was still stinging from Hazel’s rejection; he wasn’t ready for another relationship and certainly not with some punk kid.

Phoning up to the house he called Marcus and Greta down to the office. “The killing of the lad was definitely not the serial killer” Greta gasped “Not one of us, but who?” Vlad shook his head “Not who but why?” Marcus and Greta exchanged looks “You know who it is?” Vlad nodded solemnly. “Who?” Greta murmured. “Madison” Marcus jumped from his seat “NO WAY, NO FUCKING WAY” he roared. Vlad waited for him to calm down then continued “I’ve had my suspicions for a while but after the boy’s death I found a bloody knife in the bathroom” Greta tried to keep the tears back “So what do we do, hand her in” Vlad’s “NO” had more vehemence than he planned which made Marcus look at him oddly. “She can’t control what she’s doing, look the kids a mess, she seems to be fighting her Vampire part for some reason”

Greta nodded “I have never met anyone that tries so hard to be ‘normal’ Marcus said nothing, he stared at the wall and tried to blot the conversation from his mind, this wasn’t happening. Vlad’s next words got his attention though. “I think something to do with her fight is because she’s never been normal, not really” Vlad explained about her ability to read minds before her turning, that now she can feel a person’s heart beat and he wasn’t sure it would stop there. “Is that why she’s killing those kids?” Marcus didn’t think so, she seemed to be targeting them for a reason “Maybe it’s the ones that bullied her” Greta nodded and turned to Vlad “So what do we do?” Vlad slowly shook his head “I don’t know”

Maddy was watched from dusk till dawn, unable to move around in the day they knew she would be no trouble then so the three of them slept soundly. Marcus tried to read Vlad’s mind on the trip he had taken with Maddy but it seemed Vlad was trying to hide something which made Marcus even more jealous.

Three nights later Vlad sat working in the office, the bar was quieter than usual but it gave him the chance to catch up on paperwork. The back door opened and looking up Vlad jumped from his seat “Sir, I was not expecting you” Aaron waved for him to sit “I was in the area and thought I’d pop by, how are things?”

Vlad leaned against his desk and looked at Aaron with suspicion, ‘in the area his ass’ but it would be impossible to read the chief’s mind as his age had given him the power and control to block all for centuries. “Fine, I have put the word out so hopefully ….” Aaron put his hand up to stop him “I’m sure you have all well in hand, now I would like to know how Maddy is doing?” Vlad’s blood froze “She’s fine.” Aaron frowned and scanned Vlad’s mind “It seems we have a problem maybe she should come back with me, we have much to teach her and learn from her”

“Plus we can keep an eye on her better, no more wandering off and killing kids…..” Vlad cringed “She seems to be having trouble …..” Aaron dug deeper in Vlad’s mind and chuckled “So it seems, as do you my boy” Vlad looked at him confused “I?” Aaron smiled “I have known you for centuries, a distraction from Hazel perhaps” Vlad turned away “Very well, she stay’s here, leave things to me, I will deal with the ‘accidents’ she has caused” He wondered why. “Simple, she cannot be read from but can read us and can feel things that we cannot, very special” Vlad asked what the humans would do if they found out about their hiding a killer. Aaron laughed “We have been doing as we please since the beginning of time why change now”

Business over, the pair sat and drank while they discussed Vlad’s area and any other problems. Finally with the sun close to rising Aaron said his goodbyes and left telling Vlad to call if he needed help. Vlad locked up and went back to the house, with the others already in their coffins he went in search of Maddy and found her asleep on the bed. A weak ray of sunlight bathed the bed in a soft glow. Maddy lay sound asleep a fine mist could be seen coming from her body. Dashing to the bed Vlad grimaced as his arms made contact with the light, why hadn’t she woken with the pain? Gently he lifted the kid from the bed and dashed through the hall, in the safety of their dark room he placed her in the coffin and closed the lid.

Maddy was having dinner with her parents, the chatter friendly and joking, all was back to the way it was…..except it wasn’t. Clearing the empty plates she saw the reflection of herself in the window, her black eyes and fangs. She growled, softly at first then higher till it came out as a roar, turning towards her parents……

Waking with a start she threw open the lid and leapt from her coffin. The sun was barely set but she didn’t pay any attention just as she didn’t feel the pain inflicted that morning.

Sensing the sun gone Vlad pushed open the lid. Climbing out he almost tripped over Maddy as she cowered at the foot of his coffin “Hristos” he mumbled as he bent down. “What on earth?” Marcus and Greta stepped from their caskets to find Vlad holding a terrified Maddy. “What’s wrong, what you do to her?” Marcus growled in anger. “I found her laying here, god knows for how long” Greta examined the burns “Their not too bad, luckily she wasn’t exposed for too long” Marcus tried to snatch her from Vlad’s hold but the Russian refused to let go. Greta helped Maddy undress and pushed her into the cold shower while Vlad went for some blood. Marcus stood outside the door like a soldier on guard asking every few minutes if she was alright.

Reaching the top of the stairs Vlad went to go into the bathroom but Marcus blocked his way. Vlad’s eyes flashed with anger but Marcus refused to budge. Greta opened the door and took the glass from him “She’ll be fine soon, once she’s had some of this” Nodding Vlad turned and went back downstairs but not before giving Marcus a look that said ‘Don’t mess with me’ Downstairs Greta sat a confused Maddy on the sofa “Did you not feel any pain?” Maddy shook her head “No” Vlad and Greta exchanged looks then Vlad asked “Did you not even feel the warmth of the light” Again Maddy shook her head. “What is it, why can’t she feel pain” Marcus demanded. “Shut up Marcus” Vlad growled. “Shut up, hell will I shut up, why can’t we read her mind and why can’t she feel sunlight, you know don’t you but your keeping it to yourself, you want her for yourself” Vlad turned on Marcus…….

Part 5 - Real as ever                                          7 - Now your knockin'