Visiting Heather's funeral woke Charles' memories of the past. Her sweet smile, the teddybear 'Cuddles' she would keep near at all times and her musical laughter whenever he would let her ride on his shoulders or be thrown briefly in the air. Charles sighed to cope with the weight of those fond memories while walking through the drizzling rain, dug his hands into his trench-coat pockets and readjusted his grey fedora. Although it was the streets of London, the cobblestones and tenant houses reminded of his old days in Yorkshire before the World War. He kicked a pebble that lay in the way.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDvwMDXc0P
Suddenly the pebble hit something hollow and gave a 'clink' sound like glass but not that of an empty beer bottle. It sounded different from Charles' sensitive ears. He halted and searched for the source of the sound. Right beneath the rim of the sidewalk lay a large marble and it shimmered like a prism in the light. Carefully he picked it up and held it against the nearest streetlamp. It shimmered as it did before, emitting a gentle light from itself and creating the prism glow although at first glance it appears like a simple crystal clear large marble and when inspecting closer, there are some strange engravings within the marble.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUb8jHyfFq
"Make a wish, any wish but one only." Whispered a woman's voice and the engravings morphed to familiar letters that Charles can read, mentioning the same words as he heard it. He blinked and reread the content to be sure his sharp sapphire-blue eyes were not deceiving him. Immediately passed through his mind, the thought of seeing his daughter again as a little girl and himself as a human and father. "I wish to relive one day of the past as a father I was then, seeing my daughter again." He pauses, realizing how gullible he is and scoffs. "As if that were ever possible." Charles doubted.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqdOUSFhWS
Immediately the marble in his hand began to glow brighter than the sun and made him close his eyes and hold up a hand to protect from the stinging brightness. Suddenly he heard an annoying ringing sound at the ears, and a burning pain started to spread from his chest through his entire body. As the pain spread, it became over time bearable and warm, but it felt strange and heard a strange rhythm at the ears that matched to what he felt in his hands. A thought passed his mind and opened his eyes to see. The bright light and marble was gone; he soon found himself sitting on a stool near the burning fire at the fireplace. He looked down at his hands. His sight was at times blurry, but it soon cleared. Charles placed a finger at his inner-wrist; there was a pulse. "I'm- I'm human. I'm alive." He muttered to himself, surprised and faced the fire. Feeling its warmth against his skin and face and smell the coal slowly burning away. "If it heard my wish, that means I'm for one day no vampire and-"
"Daddy! You're awake." Giggled his daughter and ran to him with her teddy at hand.
"Indeed, I am my sweet Heather." Charles laughed and took her into his arms.
Heather hugged him. He held her in for a long time that soon tears welled, and a sob escaped from him.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" Asked Heather concerned.
"Nothing, I'm so happy to see you."
"Did you have a nightmare? Tell me, and it should be gone." She smiled.
Charles smiled and wiped the tears away with the back of his hand. "You could say a nightmare, but I'll tell you later. Do you know where Mommy is?"
"She went out and asked me to watch over you. Play with me, Daddy."
"An excellent idea! How about we go outside, the sun's shining." Suggested Charles.
"Yay!" Cheered Heather.
Charles laughed and placed Heather on his shoulders and pretended to be a horse, galloping out the room and house onto the streets. Heather giggled gleefully and gave a squeal of joy and held onto Charles' cheeks gently.
They galloped down the street until Charles' eye caught a mirror at a barbershop. He halts and places Heather down but holds her hand while approaching the mirror. "What is it, Daddy?" Gave Heather concerned.
As Charles looked into the mirror, he recognized his reflection. "I think I need a shave." He runs a hand over his cheek and chin, feeling the stubs. But he was actually focused at his eyes; they weren't sapphire-blue anymore with sliced pupils like a cat's. They were human and grey-blue. Quickly he rolled up his upper lips to be utmost sure the vampirism is gone; there were no oversized canines.
Heather giggled to his words. "It does sting at times." Soon Heather noticed some other children playing on the streets. "Can I play with them?"
"Go ahead and be careful. I'll be here taking a shave." He grinned at her while searching through his pockets for some change that should cover a quick shave. Heather ran off to the children to play with her teddybear at hand. Charles greeted the barber and handed the change for a shave. He took a seat at the chair that enabled him to have a clear overview of the street via the mirror in front of him. For once Charles had a barber who loved the sound of his own voice and spoke a lot of gossips and Charles was not much for gossip unless it were related to a case he would be working on. Instead of trying to listen, he kept a sharp eye on the mirror, seeing how his daughter and the other children played and got along.
Suddenly Charles spotted at a dark alley a sinister figure lurking and eyeing at the children with a horrid smile and spotted the oversized canines. An icy dread went through Charles as he knew what that figure is, a vampire. Rapidly Charles sprung to his feet before the barber could comb his short blond hair and sprinted out. "Oi! You!" He shouted from across the streets while sprinting at him. Suddenly a car honked and Charles had to jump back to avoid getting hit by a car. As he turned back to the vampire, it was gone, and some people and children on the streets looked at him, confused. He grunted angered. "Is there really no rest for the wicked?" But was relieved to see the children and his daughter alright. He gave a loud whistle with two fingers, and when Heather turned to him, he waved his arm to gesture her to come. "Come on! Time to go!"
When Heather approached, she asked. "Can't I play a little longer?"
Charles crouched down. "Maybe later, let's go home and see if Mommy is back." He smiled, hiding his concern of what he saw and getting the feeling of being watched. Charles carried Heather in his arms as they walked down the street and to their home. The street was busy with cars and horse-drawn wagons moving around and the newspaper boy calling out the latest news what was happening across the channel in the "Third Reich". It was all like the old days, Charles recalled what his fears were back then, the outbreak of another war across the world, but now it's the vampire eyeing for his daughter. Once they were in their house, Heather started to call for her mother while Charles locked the door and windows.
"Daddy, I can't find Mommy anywhere." Gave Heather concerned and ran to Charles, holding at his leg.
"It's alright. Maybe Mommy is caught up longer in her work." Assured Charles and stroked her head but feared that he wouldn't get the chance to see his wife on this single day. He recalled only wishing to see his daughter so it would make sense, but why must a vampire turn its attention to his daughter on this day?
Suddenly Charles froze at a thought, and an icy shudder went down his spine and felt a pit in the stomach. His knees slightly buckled, he lets himself crouch down to Heather and looks into her apple-green eyes. He swallows as he composes himself, "Heather, tell me what day is today?"
"Wed-nes-day and tomorrow is my birthday." She giggled excited and hugged her teddybear Cuddles.
A gasp escaped Charles' lips to the horror of his knowledge and memory. He became a vampire shortly before Heather's birthday. Quickly he formed the gasped to a grin. "I see you're excited for tomorrow, can you tell me how old you're getting?"
"This much!" Heather held out her little hand and showed by the fingers her age. "Fife."
He chuckled to her response and joy. "Then we must get things ready for tomorrow. Do you want to help me?"
"Yay!" Heather hopped around and danced her little circle of joy with Cuddles as her dance partner.
"Alright, I want you to check all the windows are closed and clean in this house." Instructed Charles calmly with a grin. Once Heather heads off to do her mission, Charles sighed and hit a fist softly to the ground. "Out of all days! I should have been specific. Well, I doubted magic would enable that but apparently not, my friend Vlad made it clear and now I see why. Everything has its price." He scoffed and slowly stood up to inspect the windows and doors locked from the inside. Avoid, however, possible of letting the vampire in. As a precaution, he grabbed from the kitchen a sharp knife and placed an iron rod near the fire. Knowing too well it won't kill a vampire but stall time and wound it or at least distract it. He found his gun still hidden behind the night-table and decided to leave it there; it would only arise more attention or worse bring Heather into danger. "Once a fool, always a fool." echoed Vlad's voice in his mind. "Yeah, always have been." Scoffed Charles to himself before finding Heather in the living-room trying to close an open window with the help of the stool near the fireplace. He recalls too well the windows in the living-room were closed as he left. Rapidly Charles sprinted to Heather and faced the room, searching carefully for the vampire. His right hand ready at the handle of the carving knife while holding Heather's hand.
"What is it, Daddy?" Wondered Heather slightly afraid, holding tighter to his hand.
"I fear we have an unwanted guest." He quickly helps her down the stool. "Stay here; close your eyes and ears. That way, the guest will vanish. Can you do that? It will take a while, so try to think about what you want to do tomorrow on your birthday while closing your eyes and ears. Can you do that with Cuddles? I will take care of the guest in the meantime."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpI5qCpqOc
Hesitantly and slowly, Heather clasped her ears and closed tight her eyes as a man's voice hissed from across the room. "That is sicklily adorable the love between a father and daughter."
"Not so sickly as facing you, vampire." Charles drew out the carving knife.
"So, this isn't your first encounter with one of my kind. This makes it all the more interesting." Suddenly within a blink stood a young man across the living-room, smiling at him with crazed excitement. His eyes were sapphire-blue and had the sliced pupils of a cat's. Charles couldn't look away on the common traits any vampire has, and he himself had a few hours ago. For the first time, he regretted not to have his abilities as a vampire to protect his daughter. All he has is his knowledge, human reflexes and a carving knife at hand against the vampire. He must be smart to out-wit the vampire. Out matching the speed is of no chance, vampires are too fast to humans.
"Why are you here?" He asked the vampire.
The vampire gave a short giggle. "Usually, humans ask first who am I, but I get the feeling you know what I am. Ha! That makes you unique, but due to your poor choice of weapons, I assume you are no hunter. After all, they had their hay-day back in the 1880s." He pauses and tilted his head. "Answering your question is really up to you what you intend to do next."
Charles grunted through clenched teeth and gripped tighter to the knife. "If you came for her, then take me instead and spare her!"
"Such devoting words from a loving father. I never had such luxury from my family back in the days." He fierce blue eyes wander down to Heather. "There's a saying, a child's blood is the purest of them all." He licked his lips.
"Shut up! Take me and leave her! By God, if you want her, I won't allow it!" Roared Charles.
Suddenly within a blink of an eye, the vampire stood in front of Charles. "Then so it shall be." He hissed. Before the vampire had a chance to roll his upper lip, Charles swung the carving knife across the vampire's chest.
Rapidly the vampire jumped back at safties distance and clutched to his chest; a few dark droplets dripped to the floor. "You're quicker than expected, mortal." He hissed. His wound quickly healed within seconds.
Charles recognized the black drops were the vampire's blood. He threw a glance down to his knife. A thin dark line was covered in the same colour at the sharp rim of the blade.
Suddenly Charles felt something warm trickling down from his forehead. He reaches a hand and feels something moist and inspects, red blood, his blood. Charles sees no other way how to save his daughter but to transform into a vampire, alas the transformation will take days, if lucky a few hours. "Damn it!" He muttered and held up the knife, quickly ran with a thumb along the cutting edge, letting his blood mingle with the vampire's.
"You are indeed filled with surprises, mortal." Laughed the vampire and licked his fingers that were covered in Charles' blood.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN28kWk9jFj
"Then come and get me." Charles rubbed his bleeding thumb between his fingers to lure the vampire.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8IJMU1Nww
The vampire gave a ferocious snarl and leapt at him in such high speed it wasn't visible to the human eye, but at that moment Charles felt a stinging pain at his heart. It was the venom; the vampirism reached his heart; he is now dying and becoming a vampire. Suddenly he saw a glimpse of the vampire in the air and was able to assume where he will attack from. He held up his knife, poised, ready and waiting for the attack.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClpi6QDQPm
Suddenly Charles found himself flying through the air, thrown across the room. He landed hard on the wooden floor, and the knife landed few centimetres away from him, cutting into the wood with its sharp tip. He looked past the knife to Heather. She sat cowering under the window with her eyes and ears closed while the vampire slowly approached her with a deep sinister snigger.
Suddenly his heart ached so great that he gave a hoarse cry in agony and clutched a hand to his chest. "No!" He reached with the other hand to his daughter. Trying to cope with the pain and gather strength to stand up. Soon his eyes grew blurry and red with tears and blood from the pain, and his ears began to ring like before. Slowly in the distance, Charles started to hear a quick little heartbeat, a quickened breathing and soft steps moving nearby. Charles blinked and noticed how sharp his sight has become along with his other senses. He scented the familiar decay every vampire gives off, hinting their age, but there was also fear, his daughter. He quickly ran with his tongue along his teeth to be sure, he felt his sharp oversized fangs in the lower and upper jaw, like that of a cat's. With all his strength, he stood up as fast as he could and charges at the vampire before he could lay a finger on her. To the human eye, it was the speed of lightning, but to a vampire's, it looks fast like humans would perceive a fast action physically among their kind.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp5aMO31DS
Charles held the carving knife against the vampire's throat.
"Interesting, your transformation is completed within moments when it usually takes days, but now you can't be much of a father as before." The vampire sniggered.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwN2PuzCNzq
"You gave me no other choice, you son of a bitch!" He was about to cut the vampire's head off, but the vampire took hold of his arms and twisted it along, snaking his way out. Charles rapidly found himself lying on the ground, facing the vampire with the carving knife at his throat. "You know killing me would mean suicide for you since I am your master, you have my venom, my blood in your system. If I die, the venom decays and those created by me will die along within a blink of an eye. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust as the old saying goes." His face neared Charles' with a malicious broad smile.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDojyGmFaw
Charles laughed that surprised the vampire for a moment. "But you oversaw the most obvious fact with me. I don't fucking care!" He hit up his elbow to aim the vampire's eye. To the vampire's surprise and sudden pain, the knife flipped out of his hand and flew across the room. Immediately Charles tossed him aside and wrestled against him. No matter what, he must get to the knife before the vampire does and decapitate him.
Suddenly an idea popped in his head of his abilities; he must have them back again that would ease the fight as well as quicken it. He placed a hand on the vampire's chest and focused on building a force field to hold him in, after a few seconds, nothing happened. "Damn it!" He hissed.
The vampire laughed. "It seems you only have the basics at the moment or you are too weak!"
Rapidly Charles grabbed the vampire's head and bashed it hard against the wooden floor more than once. After the fourth time, the vampire grimaced in pain and saw how his wounds slowly healed. Quick-witted Charles sprinted for the knife and turned to face him. He was petrified at the sight that lay before him. The vampire took the opportunity of getting a hold of Heather, her neck was bare and near his broad smiling mouth and sharp fangs. "Daddy!" Shuddered Heather in fear.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDSNeTeTHS
"It looks like Daddy needs to make certain decisions now. The knife or her life." He sniggered and took a deep breath, smelling her sweet scent and fear. Charles has learned from Vlad that some vampires love that smell, and it gives them the thrills. He grunted angered, and his hands trembled in fury while eyeing the vampire. After a long while, Charles threw the knife beyond the room and walked over to the fireplace, recalling placing an iron rod nearby. "There are some things I never understand with you humans."279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6B6bJUNad6
"Well, you were one once, and that's what others would call it life." Remarked Charles slightly angered.279Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwyaYfTO9P
"Ha! Don't stoop so low with the mortals now, you're one of my kind."
"I think not!" Charles grabbed in his lightening speed the hot iron rod and charged at the vampire, scorched his hands to free Heather and before the vampire got a chance to react, Charles pierced the rod through the vampire's neck. While Heather was in the air falling, Charles caught her and brought her safely to another room. "Please stay here, Heather, I'll be back very soon. Count down to ten, and I'll be back by then, can you do that?" Charles placed a hand to her rosy cheek.
Heather blinked and soon began to cry while holding his hand but nodded to his question. "Okay." She trembled and slowly started to count down together. "One... Two..." Rapidly in high-speed Charles returned to the vampire, still struggling with the burning hot iron, "Three..." Charles twisted the entire rod with all his strength and speed to tear off the vampire's neck. "Four... Fife... Six..." Soon on the ground lay a dark pool of blood and the torn-off head of the vampire with its corpse near beside it.
"Sefen... Eight..." Suddenly his ears picked up Heather's voice counting down, nearly reaching ten. Quickly he paced off to her. The room was empty, but her disembodied voice came clearly from within the room. "Nine... Ten..." Charles scanned the room and couldn't find her. "Heather! Where are you! Heather!" He shouted.
"Charles! Charles!" Called a familiar voice suddenly, his friend Vlad.
Charles blinked and suddenly found himself staring at Vlad's concerned yet angered face. "What-what happened? Where's Heather?" Charles wondered and started to look around. He was in Vlad's living-room on the sofa.
Vlad smirked down at him. "Got caught in a magic trick." He showed him the marble. "and you fell for it like a child." He sniggered, rapidly smashed the marble by throwing it hard on the tiled floor. A high pitched shriek filled the room for a moment as the marble shattered into thousands of pieces. "You kept calling your daughter's name." Remarked Vlad and turned to him with crossed arms.
"I made a foolish wish." Charles sat up and brushed a hand through his short blond hair and sighed in shame. "Seeing her again back from my human days. Out of all days, it gave me the day I became, shortly before her birthday."
"Once a fool, always a fool." Smirked Vlad and offered his hand to help him up.
Charles took his hand and grinned as he stood up. "Same could be said with you, or you wouldn't be here as a vampire."
"Too right, you are there." Smiled Vlad.
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