Two months later, on the morning of my 15th birthday, I sneak into mom's bedroom and go to the foot of the bed on dad's side. I kneel down and watch as he grabs his phone. He still has his socks on. Weirdo. I grab the tip of his left sock and tug at it. I duck down as he looks down my way. I bite my lip to keep from laughing. He goes back to his phone and I yank at his sock again, getting it completely off this time. I duck down and bite my lip really hard. I hear him growl. He lets his phone fall to the side table and I hear him get out of bed. Oh, ship.262Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0qLEHGBGy
I watch carefully as he looks at his feet and says, "Where's my other sock?"262Please respect copyright.PENANA53ybMQ2NIP
I crawl towards the door and manage to sneak out the back door. I run to the trees and hide behind a tree. I watch as he opens the back door and steps out onto the back porch. He bends down and picks up his sock that I dropped. I bite my lip.262Please respect copyright.PENANAKHZPH2W9o9
"Okay, young lady. This isn't funny."262Please respect copyright.PENANA0r58L2xgDN
I step out from behind the tree and a grin spreads across my face. "Good morning?" I try.262Please respect copyright.PENANAgM7HPe1Rph
He sighs and opens his arms. "Come here."262Please respect copyright.PENANAIjL0k1uHcA
I take a few steps and stop. I give him a suspicious look. I walk up the stairs and into his hold. He hugs me.262Please respect copyright.PENANAi4AaXs9orT
"Happy birthday, daddy."262Please respect copyright.PENANAwLMRMojvOg
"Happy birthday, Nightingale." He pats my head. "I love you."262Please respect copyright.PENANAIuGpdht8ls
"I love you too."
We go back in the house.262Please respect copyright.PENANAQccuU4FZcp
I go into mom's bedroom with dad and kneel at the foot of the bed. I tickle her feet. She kicks and I duck down. She moans. I get up and find dad looking at me.262Please respect copyright.PENANAMWPTFYTodX
"What?" I whisper.262Please respect copyright.PENANA9hxUC5LuTG
"Stop it," he whispers back.262Please respect copyright.PENANAfnhb6ScDbz
I shake my head and tickle her feet again. This time she bolts upright looking at me.262Please respect copyright.PENANAZLY6PgDjJO
"Hi," I say, wiggling my fingers at her. "How are you? Did you sleep good?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAL9vplW3rzk
"Until you woke me up, yes." She looks over at dad. "Would you please put that phone away? Seriously. You say you won't get addicted to the fricken thing but every time I look at you, you're on it."
He looks up at her and sighs. He slams the phone down and climbs onto the bed. He pushes her down and kisses her. "Shut up," he whispers and kisses her again. He slides off the bed and walks over to the closet. He opens it up and I immediately notice that he has a small blanket draped on the inside of the door. Hm. Go figure. He hates mirrors. I look around and find his cape hanging on the wall. I sneak over to it and reach for it.262Please respect copyright.PENANAoU0Kodedeo
"What do you think you're doing?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAJbKdvvZpia
I stop and turn around. Dad looks down at me. Well, not so much as he used to. "Hi," I say, waving my hand. "How are you?"262Please respect copyright.PENANA4S0AsREwUT
"Hm. Leave my cape alone. It was funny when you were younger. It's not anymore." He turns away and walks back to the closet.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJSw10x9Udv
I go back to my room and shut my door. I lean against it and sigh. Why do I have a feeling that today is going to end up being a bad day? I sigh again. Well, I guess I just have to prepare for the worst. I walk over to my closet and pull out a pair of black jeans. I lay them on the bed and grab a black tank top. I lay that on my bed and go down to my sock drawer. I open it and grab a pair of black ankle socks. I throw them on my bed and grab a pair of black panties. I throw them on my bed and close the drawer. I get dressed and grab my heeled boots that go just above my ankles. I put my boots on and grab my jacket. I lay it on my bed and grab a hair tie. I put my hair up in a messy bun and grab my jacket. I go to the back door and go outside. I look up at the sky. It looks like today's going to be a gloomy day. I pull my jacket on and zip it up. I walk to the trees and just stare into the vast expanse.262Please respect copyright.PENANA8FZIM7k7Ms
I sigh. "I wonder if we're going to do anything today for dad's and my birthday," I wonder aloud. "I doubt it."262Please respect copyright.PENANAccZhApwWeP
"Nightingale? Nightingale, where are you?"262Please respect copyright.PENANASf8qYeTvyL
It's coming from the front yard. I stay silent. I'm not in the mood. You can never joke around with dad. He takes you too seriously. I sigh.262Please respect copyright.PENANAdo77l8kZBW
"Nightingale? Nightingale! You scared me to death. Come on. Your mother's waiting in the car." He sighs. "Nightingale?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAdkJnrhVGNW
I pull up my hood and put my hands in my pockets. "I'm not interested. I'd rather stay home."262Please respect copyright.PENANAioHEuBSLC0
"Oh, come on Nightingale." He sighs again. "We're going to the beach."262Please respect copyright.PENANA2UH9uUNfmQ
"Okay. Whatever. I'll walk." I turn around and head towards the road.262Please respect copyright.PENANASi2V7nYSjq
Dracula's point of view
I watch as Nightingale walks towards the road and stops. She pulls her hood back down and looks up and down the road. I sigh. Oh, Nightingale.262Please respect copyright.PENANAZvu3wZjzVJ
She turns onto the road and breaks into a jog. I walk out to the road and watch as she speeds up to a full-on sprint. I feel someone's hand on my shoulder.262Please respect copyright.PENANANVbvgfWWzn
"You okay?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAF3PLKJL6BJ
"Yeah, sure." I turn and walk to the car. I get in the passenger side and shut the door. Nikki gets in and starts the car. We go to the beach. Once at the beach, I get out and can't find Nightingale anywhere. I look at Nikki. "Where's Nightingale?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAZsA8JL7O9j
She shrugs. "I don't know." She walks down to the beach. I follow her and immediately recognize this as the beach that I met Zoe on for the first time. I smile and pull Nikki close.262Please respect copyright.PENANAw1I9Cq4Vji
Oh, memories.262Please respect copyright.PENANAtWJLS6cD2S
Nightingale's point of view262Please respect copyright.PENANAD94OoQ7djW
I walk along the beach line, kicking up the sand. Why do I have to have such a miserable life?262Please respect copyright.PENANAThCBK2n730
"Nightingale?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAhuDiHJfzy3
I turn around. "Hi," I say, annoyed.262Please respect copyright.PENANAPfdQIyQTub
"Your mother just left. Her boss called her. He said some of the co-workers needed her help. So it's just you and me here now."262Please respect copyright.PENANABzAHjoaA5B
I look away. "I'm sorry I got upset. I was just trying to joke around."262Please respect copyright.PENANAHvvw6Vbq1n
"It's fine. Sometimes I just take it too seriously. I'm not used to being a happy normal family yet. You're my first child in this life. It's something I've been trying to get but didn't get ready for or really expect." He sighs and smiles at me. "We even?262Please respect copyright.PENANAl12gDau0ct
"Yeah." I smile.262Please respect copyright.PENANAgoAthNuWBK
Thirty minutes later, I can't find dad. "Dad! Dad!" I look around. "Dad! DAD!!" I'm beginning to get worried. I run along the beach and find dad standing in front of the water. He looks over at me and smiles. I smile back. "You scared me."262Please respect copyright.PENANAqETsAWy3bY
He yells and falls on his knees.262Please respect copyright.PENANAzDFNxipuFT
"DAD!!" I drop to my knees. He moans and falls face first on the sand. He goes unconscious. I hear a chuckle and look up. I look straight at a man wearing all black.262Please respect copyright.PENANAYRmf6LwKoz
He steps onto the sand and pushes me back. "Back away child." He motions to two other men and they come down onto the sand. They set down a casket and open it up. They pick up dad and put him inside of it. They shut the lid to the casket and pick it up. They walk off with it and put it in a vehicle. They get in the vehicle and drive off. I follow the vehicle for two hundred feet and stop as it disappears around a corner.262Please respect copyright.PENANAwc5UroF10A
"Dad! Please! Come back! DADDY!!" I fall to my knees as tears pour down my cheeks. "Dad," I whisper. "Daddy." I sit back and wipe the tears away. Blood tears. Because that's what we vampires cry. Blood tears. I sniffle. "Dad. No. N-not. Daddy." I hear a car screech to a stop behind me. A door slams shut and I feel a soothing hand on my shoulder. I look behind me and see mom.262Please respect copyright.PENANAkGsRPQueXO
"Sweetie? What's wrong?" She looks around. "What are you doing in the middle of the road? Where's your father?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAmwpt5oLRbb
"They t-took … th-they t-t-took …"262Please respect copyright.PENANACw4ggduCc9
"Who took who? What are you saying?" She pulls me around to look at her. "Dry your tears and look at me, okay?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAsBYjYw6mdC
I do as she says.262Please respect copyright.PENANAUaa9SpLvZM
"Now, what happened? Where's dad?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAFglIFqoq4g
"They took daddy."262Please respect copyright.PENANALO8tOQZxmD
"Who took—" She gasps. She bends down and grabs something shiny. "What's this?" She reads it and gasps. "The Jonathan Harker Foundation." She looks at me. "Oh no." She stands up and helps me up. "Come on. Get in the vehicle. We've got some people to go after." I climb into the passenger seat and shut the door. She gets in and turns the car around.262Please respect copyright.PENANAMLKCNCEQuB
"Where are we going? The Harker Foundation is the other way."262Please respect copyright.PENANAkuXWX3eviV
"I have to go to town and get some things. I also have to tell my boss that I'll be quitting my job soon."262Please respect copyright.PENANAssKhh8EFXg
"Why?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAPOuxWzbuzL
"After we get your father out of that foul foundation, I'm going to sue them and then we're going back to Transylvania to live with your father. He said that there's a huge issue going on in Transylvania at the moment and that if it doesn't end soon, he's going to go straight to the governor and do something about it. And he said that if the governor don't listen, then he'll take care of it himself and that there will be hell to pay if that becomes the case."262Please respect copyright.PENANAi963a2pbZn
"Are you sure any of this is a good idea? What if we fail to get dad? What if I never see him again?"
"Oh, sweetie. At least it's worth the try."262Please respect copyright.PENANAJm0GAMgRot
"I doubt it."262Please respect copyright.PENANAtynp5dpNu6
"Oh, now, now. Quit being so negative."262Please respect copyright.PENANAC0ft5XAmhF
**********262Please respect copyright.PENANAKcXeuR90Z6
Two weeks later, at 11:30 at night, I get up and get dressed. All decked in black. I sneak to the drawing room and pull down a box. I set it down quietly and open it. I take out the pistol in it and make sure it has bullets in it. It's got only two. I fill it up and close it. I grab a box of bullets and shove them in my pocket. I shut the box and put it back. I shove the gun in my other pocket and sneak into the kitchen. I grab a box on top of the fridge and set it down. I open it up and take out a box of silencers for the pistol. I set it aside and put the box back. I grab the silencers and check into mom's room. She's fast asleep. I slowly close the door and sneak out the back.262Please respect copyright.PENANARRCM7qXdHD
I walk to the trees and look back at the house. I turn around and make a run for it. Three and a half miles into the woods, I find a clearing and pull out the pistol. I set the silencer box down and take one out. I apply it to the pistol and get up. I walk around, trying to find the perfect tree. I finally find one and back up about fifteen feet. I get into the stance and point the gun directly at the tree. Arms straight, legs spread apart at shoulder length, back straight, aim at tree, and fire. The bullet hits the tree with an explosion of wood and bark. I do this five more times and fill the pistol up. I go to another tree and do the same thing. Then, I fill the pistol up one more time and do it again. Then, I pack up my things and go back home.262Please respect copyright.PENANAHNuVvIAxi6
Over the next several months, I do the same thing every night. As I progress, I switch to moving objects such as squirrels and pigeons. Then, I go to rabbits and small rodents. Finally, one day, at dinner, I ask,262Please respect copyright.PENANA4pU1rIiFpf
"Mom, what happened to going after father, suing the Harker Foundation and moving back to Transylvania?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAHlYMw5V3wT
"Too risky."262Please respect copyright.PENANAPEeUFwXkrq
"But mom, I'm almost sixteen. And I really want dad here for my sixteenth birthday. It's already the middle of July."262Please respect copyright.PENANABkSUb6KtwX
"I understand that Nightingale. But it's just too risky. You could get taken; I could get killed. There's just a number of things that could happen that would be tragic. It's just not worth it."262Please respect copyright.PENANA3fQB1aD821
I sigh. "Alright. Fine." I stare at my plate. I push it away and get up.262Please respect copyright.PENANAOZ3A7TmxTN
She looks up at me. "Aren't you going to eat?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAZb71kbkoru
"I'm not hungry." I go back to my bedroom and shut the door. I close the door and lock it.I walk over to my mirror and stare at it in horror. My reflection is fading. "Aaargh!" I punch the mirror and it shatters. I scream in frustration and fall onto my knees. I sob. "Why? Why me? Why does this stupid BS always have to happen to me? I don't understand!" I let out an ear-piercing scream. I fall to the floor completely and sob into my elbow. I just don't understand. Why me? Why not someone else? Why can't someone else experience this? I just want a normal life.262Please respect copyright.PENANAIushBBgr3y
I stay in my room and don't eat or drink anything for three months. The only time I leave the house is to go to that clearing of a night to practice my aim with my pistol. Another week passes by and finally, I've had enough. On October 25th, at 10:30 at night, I get up and get dressed. I pull on my short, heeled boots and pull on my jacket. I zip it up halfway and grab my pistol. I check to make sure it's full and shove it in my pocket. I grab a hair tie and put my hair in a messy bun. I grab a mask and shove it in my jacket pocket. I sneak into my mom's room and go to the master bathroom. I quietly shut the door and turn the light on low. I grab her mascara and put it on. I put on some dark purple eyeshadow and grab mom's eyeliner. I put that on and grab the tweezers. I delicately pluck my eyebrows and put on some eyebrow liner. Then, I look through her makeup bag and find some black lipstick. I put on two layers of that and shove it in my pocket.262Please respect copyright.PENANADqJRTIHDJn
I smile at my faded reflection. "Beautiful," I whisper. I turn out the light and open the door. I creep across the floor and go out the back door. I walk to the road and look both ways. I take off down the road and break into a sprint. I get to the Harker Foundation in twenty minutes. I stop and hide at the side of the building. I put my mask on and walk up to the door. They let me in and I head back to the glass room. I hear yelling and shouting back there. I look behind me and speed up. I stop and peek around the corner. There's guards by the door. I pull my hood up, zip it up the rest of the way and pull out the pistol. I put the silencer on it and cock it. I turn around the corner and immediately shoot the two guards twice each. Once in the head and once in the heart. They drop to the floor and I check their pulses. Okay. Dead. I grab the keys off the one and look around. I try the keys and finally find the key. I unlock the door and look behind me. I open the door carefully and peek inside. I slip my hand inside and grab something to keep the door open. I go to the auditorium and find the circuit breaker panel. I find the key to it and open it. I look down it and find the one I'm looking for. I press the button and pull it out. I chuck it out the window and shut the cover. I lock it back and hurry back to the room. I get to the room and sneak inside. Everyone's freaking out while dad's laughing his head off. I snicker quietly. I pull out my pistol and take off the silencer.262Please respect copyright.PENANAH46W9ZNd2K
I let it drop to the floor. I lift the pistol up, cock it, and shoot the nearest person. The gun goes off with a pow! I cock it, let the empty bullet case fall to the floor, and shoot another person. They yell out and fall with a thud. I move slowly and cock the gun again. I lift it up and point it around at the people. I see someone at the door of the triangle thing and realize it's a guard. I pull the gun up and point at his head. He's looking around. He pulls his gun up and shouts,262Please respect copyright.PENANAgYyFtl4BcJ
"Who's there?" He points it around.
I point the pistol at his left temple and shoot. He goes down with a thud and I watch as the head of a figure behind him watches him fall on the floor. I turn around and scan the room. I back into the glass door and put the pistol in my pocket. I turn around and take out the keys. I look up and realize that figure is dad. I unlock the door and open it. I back away and turn around. I put the keys in my pocket and pull out the pistol. I sneak out of the room and let dad out. I shut the door and lock it. Then, I put the pistol away and run down the hallway. I run out the entrance and run for my life. I basically just committed murder so many times just to save my father. I hit the beach and collapse in a heap. I pant heavily. I turn over and lie on the sand. I sigh.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJAnuXVe0Db
"Oh, Lord. That was exhausting." I look up to see dad looking down at me. "Oh, hi." I smile. "You're welcome. Even though you didn't thank me."262Please respect copyright.PENANACeV83WTwa0
His eyes wide in horror as I pull my hood down and unzip my jacket. "Nightingale? What the hell?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAepL84GxFvC
"Oh, yeah." I get up and grab the pistol. I walk up to the ocean line and throw the pistol as hard as I can. I do the same with the bullets. I put my hands in my pockets and sigh. I take my jacket off and let it fall to the ground. I take my shoes and socks off. I slowly place my foot in the water. I place my other foot in the water and just stand there. I take my hair down and let it blow in the wind. "WOOHOO!! THIS IS AWESOME!!" I look over at dad and he smiles at me.262Please respect copyright.PENANADIGujvxwZK
"Look at you." He chuckles. "Beautiful."262Please respect copyright.PENANAV3E85MzSP3
I laugh and smile up at him. I hug him. "I love you, daddy."262Please respect copyright.PENANAIU64ofVWam
He strokes my hair. "I love you too, Nightingale."262Please respect copyright.PENANAFQZmwVz8Bc
I pull away and look at the ocean. "Can you take me to Transylvania? Please?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAId12zXUzSw
"What about your mother?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAQeAjViW5s7
I shrug. "I don't know." Suddenly, I see a bright light and I bend over in pain. I collapse to the ground and moan.262Please respect copyright.PENANAwtNHzmqcEO
"Nightingale!" Dad bends down and gently touches my cheek. He sits on the sand and pulls me close. "Are you okay?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAEMXhDEaUJ4
"I don't …" I moan. "My …"262Please respect copyright.PENANAv6TkLjbA3E
"What happened?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAUECoYsR3us
"I don't know. I just … I saw a bright light and then I was bending over in pain. I don't know where it came from."262Please respect copyright.PENANAc665WNp09O
He lifts up my top lip and examines my teeth. He pulls his hand away and looks at me in disbelief. "Oh my God. You're turning into an undead."262Please respect copyright.PENANAlkguQMC4lQ
"Mom said I was born undead."262Please respect copyright.PENANA24yPb2EqHe
"You were?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAW4oDueuZRP
"That's what mom said." I sigh. "I've noticed my reflection and shadow have started to fade as my sixteenth birthday gets closer. I've woke up in the middle of the night because of this pain. I don't know what it's from. My top canines also seem to grow a little every time I yawn. I've tested it in front of a mirror. That's how I know."262Please respect copyright.PENANAz6QUYhL4yZ
"You must be turning into a vampire."262Please respect copyright.PENANA8H3Gih3iNe
"Also, the other day, my mom was chopping out something for dinner and cut herself. I couldn't stand it at all. I went back to my bedroom and somehow locked myself in so I didn't attack mom. I don't want to hurt her."262Please respect copyright.PENANAz4BcljVwk3
"I understand. She's your mother. I know I'm going to have to change her eventually, but I can't seem to. Of a night, before she falls asleep, I try to but I can't seem to at all. There's something about her."262Please respect copyright.PENANAwl4bOUtVbA
"What's mom's last name? She won't tell me."262Please respect copyright.PENANAUGfsyHDhNz
"Her full name is Nikki Van Helsing."262Please respect copyright.PENANAuBqdpPdysZ
"Oh my God. I'm related to that stupid nun? YUCK!" I gag.262Please respect copyright.PENANAGhkWVYKjLe
Dad laughs. "By blood, yes. She's your great-great-great-great grandmother on your mother's side."262Please respect copyright.PENANA4FGfA7hdiB
"I'm that close in blood? DISGUSTING!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAdT1p3m2uNM
He laughs again. "You are so entertaining."262Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4bXmVHmdq
I smile. "Thank you."262Please respect copyright.PENANA1sFTO8v58T
"Oh, shut up." He chuckles. "I do believe we should go home now, young lady."262Please respect copyright.PENANAeWyejL3ojp
"Aww," I complain.262Please respect copyright.PENANAGQfkeXvobr
He gives me a no-nonsense look.262Please respect copyright.PENANA5SDhvfM9VH
"Fine." I get up and grab my shoes and socks. I shove the socks in my shoes and grab my jacket. I race to the road and stop. I look behind me and smile. "Come on, snail man!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAwu6z7JKUT9
He just stands there. I turn back around and break into a jog. I glance behind me to see him somehow almost right behind me. I speed to a full-on sprint. I make it to the house in five minutes. I race to the door and open it. I step inside and shut the door. I throw my things to the floor and lock the door. I peek outside to see him walking up to the door. I pick my things up and go back to my room. I throw them on my bed and hear him beat on the door. I walk to the door and look outside. He frowns at me through the window. I laugh and point at him. He taps his fingertips on the glass and points at the doorknob. I moan.262Please respect copyright.PENANA0WEU6FzfJp
I unlock the door and race back to my room. I peek out the door and watch as he comes in. He shuts the door and approaches me. I shut my door and lock it. I hear him wiggle the doorknob and sigh. I laugh. I unlock the door and slowly open it.262Please respect copyright.PENANATx95l3rGsU
"Who is it? Hello? Who's there? Friend or foe?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAxOuBAT2LEa
"Neither. It's family."262Please respect copyright.PENANA8itxihB4e7
"Bah." I shut the door and lean against it. "Family not aloud."262Please respect copyright.PENANAfHM1xN4YhM
I hear him walk away. I open the door and peek out. He turns around and looks at me.262Please respect copyright.PENANAeesa9SmR17
"Not funny," he says.262Please respect copyright.PENANARON59SKyf8
I step into the hallway and open my arms wide. "Oh, poor you. Come here, pouty face."262Please respect copyright.PENANAGYH4mAmFQC
He frowns and I laugh. I walk up to him and give him a bear hug. I look up at him and smile. He smiles back. "You're just too funny to stay mad at you for long." He sighs. "I love you, Nightingale."262Please respect copyright.PENANAb07ShvOUWS
"Love you more, dad."262Please respect copyright.PENANAVBOf4Ul6j5
"I love you most." He kisses my head. "My little girl. You always going to be daddy's little girl?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAsg3cMTNZF3
I look up at him and nod. "Always."262Please respect copyright.PENANAVdhuBKRcGY