Fan Fiction ❯ The vampire's Tale ❯ Part III ( Chapter 3 )

Part III

"Leave him!" She shouted, my other sisters and Vitorrio following us right behind.

Vitorrio, of course, wasn't using his full speed; he was only a yard in front of my sisters, quick, but not as quick as he could go. I sensed Gabriella knew this, but at least he wasn't with Nicholas.

"I cannot!" I finally shouted back, loosing my breath from such speed I wasn't ready for.

She stopped and looked at me in the eyes. "You love him more than I, or your father?" She asked, in a rushed voice, but serious.

"Yes" I admitted in a sad, low voice.

Gabriella smiled and pushed me forward, "Then go to him, I will distract the others. Go, now!" She shouted back; staring at Vitorrio and the others in all of their cold, dead gray eyes.

I nodded; I love you I said to her, sending the love through mental words. She smiled at me and ran to Vitorrio. I never saw any of my now evil sisters again.

I raced back to the village where Nicholas hopefully, still lye waiting for me to help him. Only, when I got there, he was not alone. Vitorrio held him up by his neck, starring at me with a smirk. "You've caused me an awful lot of trouble…" He said softly. "You should have never been made. A vampire child is strictly against the rules!" He shouted now, he gripped Nicholas' neck tighter, and Nicholas let out a dry cry.

"Why, why are you doing this?!" I cried, taking a step further, my eyes watering with blood.

Vitorrio only smiled at me. "Because justice must be kept in our race. If one child vampire is made; so will another, and then the vampire race will be mocked. The old vampires always kill the young. Just like your precious Gabriella did your sisters. Of course, I had to destroy her as well… I don't allow betrayal." He let out a high-pitched laugh and squeezed Nicholas' neck tighter, and tighter. Poor Nicholas.

Vitorrio was so satisfied by what he had caused: total chaos. What a monster he is! I couldn't take it anymore. Out of pure anger, I ran to him. How amusing, a child running to a grown man by means to try and defeat him. He lunged Nicholas at me, and I felt my head hit the back of a hard stonewall; Nicholas' body was in my lap, unconscious. My eyesight blurred. The last I saw was Vitorrio's cold, ruthless smirk. Then I dreamed.

Not the same dream this time, please? I asked myself, as I fell out of consciousness. I was in luck. It wasn't

I was standing in Nicholas' tower and mine; I was dressed in a beautiful white, laced dress, my hair was done beautifully, like art. But best of all, I was older! I was at least 18 years old; my mortal age would have been should I have never been "turned". Nicholas was there beside me. He was dressed in a plain white shirt with a black leather jacket, long, black pants, and a long black coat the almost touched the ground that was lined with white satin. He had his arm around me and was smiling. I leaned up and kissed him on the lips. My love. Not only Nicholas, but also my sisters were there, all of them, and my brothers, even my father and mother. We were all happily laughing, and drinking wine. I was in love with Nicholas, and my mother was still live, my father was happy, my sisters were happy, my brothers were happy. It was beautiful! But then, just as nothing could get more perfect, Vitorrio came in. He had a furious look on his face. He looked at me, then at Nicholas and the rest of my family. Out of anger he killed them. He killed my brothers and sisters and my mother and father. A horrible sight it was! I cried and cried and cried. I could do nothing to stop it. Nicholas only held me close, kissing my head and telling me not to look. "It's not real Madeline." He whispered, stroking my long, golden hair. "Your only seeing everything you feared most. I'm so sorry Madeline. Please forgive me from ever making you a vampire." He began to cry, real crying. I'd never seen him so sad.

I wanted to tell him I loved him, and that I forgave him, but I suddenly woke up. I was lying on the ground of a cell in an abandoned prison next to Nicholas. He looked bad, he was gasping weakly, and he looked so skinny. I looked skinny too, and I was pure white. I knew what was wrong with us, we needed blood, but Nicholas needed it more than I. I raised his up and touched his face. He almost instantly looked up. As soon as he did, tears filled his eyes and stained is cheeks. "Don't cry…" I said softly. "I forgive you, and its because I love you. Even though I am still a child." I felt immense sadness. Sadness even Nicholas couldn't cure.

He only stared at me, his eyes piercing my heart; I leaned down and kissed him on the lips. I didn't let go, not yet. Just a little longer. But then I heard footsteps. I immediately raised my head to see Vitorrio standing over me. He grinned and grabbed my by my ragged dress that was just a few hours ago, beautiful and clean. Nicholas was too weak to protest, he only cried some more as he lay limp on the ground.

I however, was struggling to get out of his grasp "Let me go you jerk!" I shouted, kicking his rock-hard chest and tugging at his long, blond hair.

He smiled at me, "Madeline, oh Madeline. When will you ever learn? I was going to simply kill you, but you don't deserve such luxury…" He showed a ghastly smirk, and I could see his two, long, white fangs just bellow his fresh, pink lips. He has fed recently.

Suddenly, without warning, I was thrown across the cell and hit my back on the wall behind me. The two vampires from the play were there, and the others too. They were playing with my hair and licking their lips. "Get off of me! Leave me alone! Don't touch me you hag!" I kept struggling and trying to break free, but they bound my wrists and ankles to metal bars. The other vampires still laughing slightly and caressing me with their claw-like hands.

Then I saw Vitorrio walk towards Nicholas; he did this to make me angry, I know. "Leave him alone!" I shouted at the top of my vampire lungs. I must have shattered al least every glass in the whole prison.

Vitorrio showed me a brave smile and then lifted Nicholas into his arms and kissed him! Right on the lips! In front of me! Nicholas was desperately trying to push him away, but Vitorrio was holding him with a tight grip. He was stroking his hair and rocking him back and forth. "As for you, my dearest Nicholas," He said sweetly, "I will be merciful. After all, you suffer enough, and you have not defied my will yet. I will allow you to stay with me." He looked back up to me. "But as for you, Madeline… suffering. You will remain in those shackles until the end of time. Perhaps it will take centuries." I could hear the laughter of those around me, still stroking my face and licking the blood that substituted for sweat and tears.

I was terrified. Vitorrio carried Nicholas up to my face, I could feel his lips on my neck, and I knew what Vitorrio meant him to do. Just then, I felt the sting of his fangs in my small neck. Nicholas bit me! The blood ran down my neck, it was warm and red, and once again I knew what it felt like to have my blood drained, just like it was 8 years ago. But it was slightly different now… It began to hurt. Vitorrio meant for me to starve in this burnt-down prison, and for Nicholas to become his escort. Just before Vitorrio pulled Nicholas away from me, I saw his eyes. His eyes were filled with tears of red blood. Nicholas bites me then weeps?! I thought. But I then realized, Nicholas never meant to bite me. The thirst controlled him, and he went against his will. I wanted so badly to touch him, but my arms were bound, and my feet I could not lift. I simply gave him a sad look, and then bowed my head in defeat. This thrilled the others. They began to laugh louder and louder. They looked up at Vitorrio as if asking for permission for something. When Vitorrio smiled and gave me a farewell look, they began to bite me all at once.

My screams filled every single stonewall of the basement of the prison. The hopeless cried of a 10 year old child who has been given immortality, and will remain young forever. How sad. There were times when I cried for Nicholas, cried for Gabriel, and others when I simply just screamed. I had three of them feasting on my tiny bound arms, two others on each side of my neck, and even one on my leg! "God, help me." I whispered. I was unable to die, even from my lack of blood, but I still suffered.

I could hear Vitorrio talking to Nicholas. He had to bind him down with ropes to keep him seated. He was shouting my name and trying to break free. But all that reached me were echoes from a far away room. I could hear every other world though, I heard Vitorrio say, "Nicholas, … join …, I swear… harm you. …always….her you…, …know I can."

Nicholas was still yelling for me; and the pain kept increasing as the three vampires on my arms let go, satisfied and not wanted any last drops. I could feel my strength decrease with every gulp from the others, and then something happened. I'm not sure how, but it just did. My body ached and ached and ached until I couldn't take it anymore. I let out the loudest scream I could. It shattered all of the glass in the whole prison, no matter what is was or how thick it was, it cracked until it shattered into a million pieces. The vampires around me covered their ears as they started to bleed. I continued to scream. From the other room, I could her that Nicholas and Vitorrio were not talking at all anymore, and Vitorrio was suddenly at the doorway, looking at me aggressively, his eyes burned like coal. His ears bled, but he didn't cover them. He ran towards me and covered my mouth; distorting my scream. Then I bit him on his finger with my fangs. I drew as much blood as possible, but also made him and the other vampires very angry. Vitorrio cried out, as I wouldn't let go of his finger, he slapped me, scratched me, and punched me. Ow! The other vampires lunged at me, ready to attack, but Vitorrio was in the way, and they couldn't get around. I could hear Nicholas screaming again, struggling to free himself.

When I looked up at Vitorrio from his hand, I saw now why he wasn't moving, one of the vampires had handed him a torch, and he was smirking down at me. I released my attack on his hand, and let the remaining blood flow down my throat; it healed my wounds and gave me some strength. I let out a depressing and defeated sigh as I lay back against the cold wall behind me. And then there was a sudden crash from the room down the hall. Nicholas! Sure enough, my knight in shining armor came running into the cell, the ropes he gnawed off easily with his vampire speed, and was now on top of Vitorrio as quick as lightning.

The two were in a clash of strength and speed. I saw Nicholas hit the wall several times, but move away just in time before he could be pinned. Although it seemed an eternity that the fight went on, it was only a matter of seconds before Vitorrio had Nicholas right where he wanted him. Nicholas had been tossed towards the group of vampires, and one of them had the torch! It was the female vampire, she touched the flames to Nicholas' clothes, and within seconds, he had become a human torch. "No!" I screamed out, desperately trying to free myself, but no matter how hard I tried, Nicholas still burnt, and burnt, until he was nothing but ash.

Tears. Blood tears? No, this won't do… Nicholas, why? Don't go! Come back to me!

Vitorrio was standing over Nicholas, who was nothing but an outline of ash and hair. "Nicholas, my dear. This is your own fault…" He said sadly. You monster!

The realization struck me all to soon; I could see what was latched to his belt. The keys! I was furious, my eyes were almost blinded by red tears, but I was also confident, I wasn't about to die now, no. Not now! I reached out with my tiny child hands and grabbed the keys right off of Vitorrio the second I saw them! My arms had managed to rip the chains from the wall slightly, just enough to have room to unlock them. He turned around quickly, but not in time. I was already free. I wasn't sure, but I somehow was able to increase my speed, and I had the torch in my hand before anyone caught a glimpse of what had happened to me. In a glare of red that I saw out of my eyes, I set to fire the walls and painting around me, as well as Vitorrio and all of the other vampires. The Les Vampires is no more! I watched. I watched Vitorrio and the others burn. Yes, suffer! Suffer like Nicholas suffered! Die like Nicholas died! Although I took much pride in my accomplishment, I wanted to burn with them, I wanted to be with my family, and with Nicholas as well, but I didn't. I left the prison just before dawn; I also learned that I wasn't far at all from the tower. I managed to run with what little strength I had left to the tower and lay in our coffin. I guess it's my coffin now. Nicholas… I had a dream again.

I was standing alone in a long hallway, I was all alone; and there were voices all around me, but no one there. I crouched down on the floor, holding my knees and began to cry. I could hear someone behind me, but I didn't care. I was all lone now without Nicholas, and that's all that was reality. I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder gently, in a sweet, humanly voice they said, "Now, now. There chérie, no need to cry." The voice was soft, and it was a male's voice. I thought for a minute it was…. No, it couldn't have been, it was human.

And so I drifted further and further into my own despair, all alone, and weary. I ignored the human that tried to comfort me, why should I care about some mortal? I've lost all that I love. I felt myself fall back into a pool of black ink. It felt like I was falling, but my eyes were open, but black, starring into oblivion, and yet seeing nothing. I was lost. Help me. I think I heard myself say, or maybe I thought it. Either way, I heard the voice again. "I'm here Madeline. Just look for me, and you will find me."
I was confused. I was a all alone, and I was standing in the streets of Paris, lots of people passing me, on horses, on foot it was all the same. They were shadows, all of them. Then I saw one figure that stood out. I couldn't tell who it was, but I ran. I ran to them as fast as my legs would carry. When I noticed that it was Nicholas, my beautiful Nicholas! He was alive! I ran and ran and ran until I embraced him tightly. I was crying.

He stroked my hair and pulled me back to look me in the yes. "No Madeline, I can't stay." He spoke; his voice was mortal, why? And what did he mean he couldn't stay?

"I mean, that this is not real, its only illusion. I'm sorry about all of this, but I had to bring you here." He replied, reading my mind. Illusion? Did he really survive those flames?

"No. I'm sorry Madeline. I can't stay with you. This, this is all illusion. I brought you here to tell you that I was sorry for putting you into this mess. Forgive me." He looked so sad, why? Why can't he stay?! I don't understand!

"No!" I shouted, shaking my head. When I looked back up, he was gone. I ran around all of the shadow figures, but I couldn't find him. No, not again. I broke out into tears.

Then, I heard a voice again, it spoke to me from far away, another voice. "Madeline. Wake up. You've got to get up Madeline; are you going to sleep all night?! I'm waiting for you Madeline!" It was a female voice. It called for me. I had to wake up; I had to answer her.

When I opened my eyes, I found dry blood on the edges of my cheeks. I touched them with my bony white hand. Had it really have been an illusion? I made my way out of the coffin, and perhaps out of a habit, I walked around the tower looking for Nicholas. Of course, I never found him. Nicholas was gone, and someone was calling for me. It took me at least an hour to regain my confidence, and I even decided it would be nice to go out to the courtyard. Nicholas loved the garden…I couldn't help but begin to cry again, I wanted him to be here, I missed him more than Gabriella… Gabriella! "Madeline. Wake up. You've got to get up Madeline; are you going to sleep all night?! I'm waiting for you Madeline!" It was a female voice. It called for me. I knew who had called for me. I was Gabriella, and she was alive.

I looked up to the stars sadly, I thought of how Nicholas died, "You may never go out into the sun again, lest you burn to a cinder!" I remembered. Burnt to a cinder. How ironic it should end this way… I felt incomplete without Nicholas. For 8 years I had loved him. I'm a child, I know, but still. I can't refuse to love him just because I have been suspended in time. "It's not fair!" I had shouted aloud, and only the moon had heard me. No, that's wrong. Someone else heard me. Gabriella. She was here, somewhere. She was still alive, and she was the only one left in the world that I loved, the only one who loved me. I had to find her!

I gathered up my mare, my mare not Nicholas' and mine. Such trivial things made me weep, how pathetic I must have looked. But I didn't care! I was going to find Gabriella, if I had to search forever! I rode into Paris as quickly as I could, I would need the rest of the night to find a place to sleep, and I couldn't just rent a room, or the sun would kill me. The funny thing is, I'm already dead! Ha, that's funny…

I raced through every alleyway in Paris it seemed! I couldn't find a single person who was alone or was an evildoer. Mon dieu! Is there anyone who feels safe enough to walk alone?! But that was when my eyes caught a hold of someone walking alone in an alley, he was limping badly, and he was leaning against the wall. He looked badly wounded, he was wearing ragged, black clothes, and it seemed he wore a hood. How pathetic this guy looks! Almost too gruesome to eat! I took a couple of steps towards him; he didn't seem to notice me as my tiny heels tapped the stone beneath me. I wanted him to notice, so I began to walk like a mortal does, crunching leaves under my heels, instead of easily softening them and keeping them intact without the slightest wrinkle, and I kept each click of my heels out of rhythm, like most mortals do. Then the figure turned and looked at me. I was terrified by what I saw! He wasn't wearing any clothes at all! His whole body was nothing but ash and crisp. Nicholas! I realized then what Nicholas had once told me, that vampires could only be killed by fire if their ashes are scattered, when Nicholas was burnt in the fire, his bodily form must have stayed intact! "Madeline…" He mumbled, so weak, so helpless, almost not even words at all.

I ran to him; I ran so fast that I caught him in less then one second. And as soon as I touched him, he fell into my small arms. I could barely lift his mangled body. My poor, poor Nicholas; sleep now, my beloved. I will nurse you back to health all before you realize you had almost died that night. I somehow managed to carry him to the horse without so much as a lick of concern of others, or suspicion, for that much at least. I held on to him tightly, his once long, auburn hair was cruelly tangled and solid black from all of the soot and ash. His once cold, soft, white skin was a now crispy, charred, layer of ash and flesh. His body was bone-thin, a horrible figure, he looked like a walking skeleton dressed in a coat of charcoal and soot. Is this what is meant by eternity?

When we finally reached the tower, I carried him all the way up the stairs to the only room with a bed and furniture, and under the light from the oil lamps, I could better see the flawed form of my once beautiful vampire lover/father. He stirred slightly as I lay him on the bed, his consciousness beginning to return, as I cradle him in my arms. He opened his poor tortured eyes and stared up at me as if I were an angel from heaven. He reached up and touched my cheek, and I could see the tears of blood flowing from the crusty flesh under his eyes. He tried to speak my name again, but he was too weak, and I shushed him by putting my two tiny fingers to his black lips. I knew I had to help him somehow. I realized then that he would need blood to get better. Reluctantly, I used my long, pointed fingernail form my index finger to slash open the largest vein I could find in my neck, and as the hot blood poured from the would, it dropped into Nicholas's ashy mouth and he swallowed it almost instantly. The ecstasy pulled him further to me and towards the wound that drained what blood I have to offer at present time. I could feel the prick of his fangs sing deeper into that vein, making the wound deeper and bigger so the blood flowed like wine from a gallon. He sucked and sucked and sucked at my neck, it seemed like time passed for hours, and yet they did not. I began to feel weak, and I also felt Nicholas's body begin to med right underneath me! "Yes, that's right my beloved, drink, and become strong again." I could hardly hear my own words; the rhythm of my slow-paced heart marching against his fast-paced heart was ringing in my ears. And I began to taste my own blood in my mouth. Is he killing me? I thought, Good, go ahead. I don't care, as long as your safe I…

Darkness. Despair, no wait, not despair! Jubilee! I was happy at last.

I awoke on the bed of red velvet and pillows of satin. I looked around for Nicholas, but I couldn't find him. "Where have you gone? Why do you leave me here alone again?" I whispered into the room, barely loud enough to hear myself. I felt the tears rise in my eyes, and I saw my vision fade to red as they watered more and more. I stood up weakly and felt the wound at my neck. It's still there! But why?! How much blood did Nicholas take?! I stumbled weakly into the other room, resting my hand against the wall as the room began to spin every couple of steps. Then I heard the galloping steps of a horse approaching. Nicholas? I stumbled to the window just in time to see this lone mane of wavy auburn hair flow into the living quarters bellow this floor. I walked weakly still to the steps and saw Nicholas standing there with a mortal man who was knocked unconscious. I was shocked at how much he had healed! His hair was beautiful again, he wore new aristocratic clothes, his eyes once again were filled with love and happiness, and his skin shone a tone of bronze-like color, not completely healed, a few scars here and there, but beautiful again. I took a step towards him, and stumbled over my own foot, falling weakly to the ground. He dropped the man and reached for me, holding my ting body in his warm arms. I almost wept at his touch, at the fact that he was alive, and he was here; again. "My Nicholas, you've returned to me. This is the most joyful occasion yet." I managed to say, gawking at his facial features I had missed so dearly.

He smiled and carried me to the bed. He set me down and then disappeared into the hall again. His departure was unbearable! I was so glad to see him come back three seconds later with the unconscious mortal man in his arms. He laid the man on the bed and told me to drink. I then noticed the burning rave of thirst for blood, and almost instantly, I sank my teeth into the man's husky neck and didn't stop sucking until the man's heart stopped in my mouth. I felt the puncture that Nicholas made in my neck fade within seconds, I loved the kill almost as much as life itself. How ironic.

I must have dozed off again, because the next thing I can remember, I was laying on top of Nicholas in the coffin, his hands were tightly around my waist, and his eyes were shut. He was sleeping that paralyzing sleep all vampires face when the sun comes up. His skin was still al light tone of bronze, and he processed a few scars still, but I just laid there on top of him in pure silence, gazing at his face. The face I saw burn before my very eyes. The face I saw in the ally that looked so tormented and sad. But before I could think anymore, his eyes opened. He looked up at me with those two big, beautiful, violet eyes. His expression was unmoved by my smile. It seemed he was studying something in my face. Then he turned his head past me as if to listen to something. Then I heard it too. Footsteps. They were footsteps of someone coming down the stone stairs. Their graceful steps let out hardly a light tap as they approached the coffin. Nicholas tensed and I was frightened. They got closer and closer and closer, until they stopped right at the coffin. They lifted the lid barely, and then threw it off completely. I looked up to see that it was dark out, and Gabriella was hovering over Nicholas and I, her long, blond hair touched the back of my neck as I strained to see her in the darkness.

Nicholas jumped from under me and rushed into Gabriella. She went down way too easy. Nicholas had held her by the hair and was glaring her in the eyes. She weakly looked at me and whispered. "Madeline…" she reached out to me with her bloody hand.