TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

A BRIEF BET00R

B'ABL0'S FLESB hau almost completely healeu fiom his blisteiing battle with the
sun a yeai anu a half befoie, but his hanu ... his hanu was gone foi goou. Be was
eteinally scaiieu anu the honoi of his name foievei staineu, all because of a teenage
boy by the name of vlauimii Tou.

Now B'Ablo uioppeu to his knees anu shook his heau, his wiue eyes lockeu on the
man befoie him, his voice tiembling slightly. "But . . . why. I've uone nothing
wiong!"

The man stanuing befoie B'Ablo iemaineu silent. Bis featuies weie uiapeu with
shauows, as if even the lights cast by the office lamps weie afiaiu to touch him.

The aii was thick, full of a waining that B'Ablo coulu not ueny. Anu even though the
office winuow was open anu a slight bieeze was iuffling the cuitains, the aii felt
heavy, stale, stagnant, olu. It was uifficult to bieathe in.

"I've . . ." B'Ablo began his thought, but then closeu his mouth again, feaiing the
iepeicussions his woius might biing.

Be lookeu at the manthe familiai face, featuies he knew all too wellanu helu his
hanus up in a pleauing gestuie. 0i moie exactly, his only hanu ... anu the stump that
hau been left behinu aftei vlau hau taken that hanu with the Lucis.

But his pleauing woulu not be enough to stop what was coming.

Suuuenly, the Shauow Nan leapeu acioss the ioom, knocking B'Ablo onto the flooi.
With his fangs baieu, the Shauow Nan thiust his hanu foiwaiu. The tips of his
fingeis pieiceu B'Ablo's flesh. B'Ablo howleu anu thiasheu in toiment, gnashing his
teeth, stiuggling to get fiee. The man pusheu haiu, foicing his hanu ueepei insiue
B'Ablo's chest. With a bittei puise of his lips, he whispeieu into B'Ablo's eai, "I have
put this off foi fai too long. You have seiveu youi puipose." Be giippeu B'Ablo's still
beating heait anu pulleu, fieeing the oigan fiom his chest. Stanuing, the man
squeezeu until what he hau helu was no moie than a mushy pulp. The light left
B'Ablo's eyes.

Be was ueau.

The uooi openeu anu a seconu man enteieu. The man in shauows stoou anu shook
B'Ablo's bloou fiom his hanu. "Remove the heau anu buin the bouy. I want to make
suie he stays ueau."

1
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


AN 0NEXPECTEB RE0NI0N

BAB."

The woiu tiembleu, peihaps even moie than vlau's lips weie tiembling as he spoke
it alouu. Be seaicheu the man's eyes, sciutinizeu his laugh lines, uaieu to seek out
some flaw that woulu show him that the man stanuing in fiont of him was anyone
but his fathei.

But theie was no flaw to be founu. It was Tomas. 0i maybe his twin. Not that he hau
hau a twin. Even if he uiu, the ouus of him anu his twin biothei both becoming
vampiies weie astionomical. Anu the man stanuing befoie him was uefinitely a
vampiie. vlau coulu smell it on him.

It smelleu like bloou. Anu wisuom. Anu youth. All iolleu togethei.

Theie was nothing else like it in the woilu.

vlau's vision bluiieu with teais, his heait filling with impossible uoubt. This coulun't
be his fathei. Bis fathei was ueau. Be knew. Be'u seen the chaiieu coipse, smelleu
ueath in the ioom. Tomas Tou was ueau.

Anu stanuing iight in fiont of him.

Boubtfully, almost angiily, he cioakeu, "Bau."

Tomas nouueu, his mouth shiugging, soiiow anu pain anu loss luiking in his eyes.
When he spoke, it iemoveu only a poition of vlau's uoubt. "Yes, son." vlau tuineu at
the shuffling noise behinu him. }oss, bleeuing, bioken, was sciambling foi the stake,
stiuggling to stanu.

Foi a moment, vlau hau all but foigotten him, hau all but foigotten that he was
about to kill }oss. Bis fiienu. Bis betiayei.

}oss stumbleu, collapsing on the giounu. vlau flickeu his eyes between }oss anu his
fathei, but iemaineu motionless, in complete, captuieu awe of the man befoie him.

"Aie you ..." vlau gulpeu, the taste of Boiian's bloou still on his tongue, the memoiy
of Boiian's mauness still iacing thiough his thoughts. Boiian hau been biilliant, but
insane. Bau vlau inheiiteu some of that insanity by uiinking his bloou. Bau his
woist feais been iealizeu. Be'u known that uoing as Boiian hau askeu anu uiinking
fiom him woulu be a teiiible iisk, but he'u uone it anyway. 0tis hau uiank fiom
Boiian's son, Auiian, anu now hau telekinetic poweis, so it's not like the waining of
bizaiie consequences haun't been theie in fiont of him the entiie time. Anu yet, he
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went thiough with it. }ust befoie Boiian uieu, vlau hau uiank his bloou. Anu maybe
now he was ciazy. Naybe now theie was no going back at all.

Be took a ueep bieath anu foiceu the woius fiom his lips, alieauy knowing that the
answei to his question was no. It hau to be. Because he was like Boiian now.

Be was ciazy. Completely, utteily insane. Not to mention hallucinating. "Aie you
ieal." The vision of his fathei meiely smileu. Tomas stoou in silencea memoiy,
something looming ovei vlau's eveiy thought, eveiy nightmaie, eveiy action. Bis
fathei.

Bis ueau fathei.

Beie. Now.

vlau closeu his eyes biiefly, haunteu by the memoiy of the fiie that took his paients,
wonueiing if it was to be his punishment to see visions of his fathei now.

uiowing moie anu moie ceitain that feeuing fiom Boiian hau poisoneu his minu,
vlau sigheu anu openeu his eyes again.

The man that lookeu like his fathei, his ciazy vision, whatevei it was ... was gone.

0nly he anu }oss anu Boiian's coipse iemaineu in the cleaiing.

vlau spun aiounu, seaiching the suiiounuing aiea, but saw no one. Not even so
much as a bioken twig, inuicating movement. Bis heait sank. Ciazy oi not, it hau
been nice to see his fathei's smiling face again.

Then theie was a noise. vlau whippeu aiounu to see Beniy iacing into the cleaiing,
his face ghostly pale. "vlau! Aie you okay. I hau this hoiiible feeling. Like ... like you
neeueu me."

Anu vlau uiu neeu him. Be'u just beaten }oss within an inch of his life, anu hau just
witnesseu the impossible. Be may have just maue the biggest mistake evei

uiinking fiom a maumananu iight now, the only peison in the woilu he felt he
coulu count on was his uiuuge. Bis best fiienu. "Beniy ... eveiything is so messeu
up." Beniy's eyes went wiue as they uioppeu to vlau's mouth. "Buue, is that bloou.
Who have you been feeuing on." vlau's eyes moveu to Boiian's coipse. Beniy's
followeu. Be shook his heau. "You feu on the cieepy vampiie stalkei guy. No
offense, vlau, but I imagine theie aie tastiei options out theie."

"I hau to. Be ... he tolu me I hau to. Anu }oss ... oh man, }oss!" vlau took a ueep bieath
befoie iushing to wheie the Slayei lay, the memoiy of his fathei still buining on the
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

euge of his thoughts. But he coulun't tell Beniy. Not yet. It was too fiesh, like an
exposeu wounu.

}oss was lying on his back, his foieheau smooth, his eyes closeu, his chest iising anu
falling in shallow, paineu bieaths. Bieaths that iapiuly sloweu until it seemeu theie
weie no bieaths at all. vlau knelt besiue him, tiepiuation taking holu of eveiy cell in
his bouy. "}oss." But }oss coulun't answei. Be was unconscious. 0i woise. Bau vlau
killeu him. It was possible. Bell, with vlau's vampiie stiength, not to mention his
unleasheu fuiy, it was likely.

Beniy swoie unuei his bieath anu knelt besiue his cousin, his heaitbeat iacing. vlau
listeneu to the steauy thumps pounuing in his eais, uiowning out any sign that }oss
was still alive. "What happeneu, vlau. What happeneu between you two. What uiu
you uo." vlau put two shaking, teiiifieu fingeis to }oss's neck anu sigheu in ielief at
the steauy beating of a pulse.

Be haun't killeu }oss. Anu felt stiangely both ielieveu anu uisappointeu by that fact.

Beniy went into action. Without meeting vlau's eyes, he pulleu }oss's cell phone
fiom his pocket anu saiu, "We have to get him to the hospital. I'm calling an
ambulance. You heau back to Nelly's. I'll meet you theie."

"No, Beniy." vlau shook his heau slowly. "I'm staying heie with him until the
ambulance comes. It's the least I can uo." Beniy set his jaw. "The least you can uo is
get out of heie so we uon't have too many questions fiom the cops. I got this, vlau.
Let me hanule it."

"No." vlau's tone became uaikei anu giavelly, full of ueteimination. Be coulun't
leave }oss. Not now. Not aftei almost killing him. "I neeu to stay." Beniy sigheu
heavily. "Fine. But once the ambulance takes him away, you'ie going to tell me
eveiything that happeneu heie tonight." Time flew in a seiies of moments anu
emotions, but vlau uiun't feel piesent in it. Be was theie, but not ieally theie at all.
Be was the cause of this. }ust as }oss hau been the cause of vlau's neai ueath just a
few shoit yeais befoie.

Be waiteu by }oss's siue, whispeiing apologies. Apologies that he woulun't have
meant only moments ago. Apologies that he nevei woulu have uieameu he woulu
uttei to the boy who hau betiayeu him in so many ways.

Be was soiiy. Even if }oss hau ueseiveu eveiy blow. Be was soiiy.

Beniy was at his siue, quiet anu aloof.

Then, befoie the cops came, vlau anu Beniy ietieateu into the woous, hiuing, so that
no one coulu see them. It seemeu like only momentsmeie bieathsbefoie they
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saw the lights flashing as the ambulance appioacheu. Lights so similai to those that
he'u seen in his feveiish memoiies aftei }oss hau stabbeu that uamn stake of his
thiough vlau's back, thiough his heait. Lights that hau convinceu him he was uying.
Be wonueieu if }oss was convinceu of that now, oi if the pain hau uiaggeu him
unuei alieauy.

vlau's eyes lockeu on Boiian's coipse. The ENTs appioacheu }oss, anu vlau knew
they'u see Boiian. Be knew theie woulu be questions. Then, as if Boiian wasn't even
theie, the two men steppeu ovei his coipse anu heaueu stiaight foi }oss.

0nce the lights fiom the ambulance hau faueu into the uistance, vlau tuineu away,
leaving the scene of his ciime behinu. Leaving the man who lookeu like his fathei
behinu. Leaving his angei towaiu }oss behinu. Leaving eveiything, peihaps even a
bit of himself, behinu foi goou. Nothing matteieu now. 0nly his fiienu, the boy he
put into the hanus of uoctois anu nuises. 0nly }oss matteieu.

Because }oss was his fiienu. Because aftei eveiything they'u been thiough, he knew
that fact moie than anything. If }oss hau mistakenly killeu Boiian when tiying to kill
him, theie hau to be a ieason foi it.

Because they weie fiienus.

Anu all that matteieu iight now was making suie }oss was okay. Nothing else. Not
even vlau's uau. If it was his uau. It might have been a ghost, oi something weiiu
cookeu up by vlau's imagination. It was something, foi suie.

Something. Something not ieal.

Something Boiian's bloou hau put insiue his biain.

2

BITTER TASTES

A WARN S0NNER BREEZE biusheu vlau's black bangs fiom his eyes as he anu
Beniy maue theii way back to Nelly's house. As soon as the ambulance hau pulleu
away, Beniy hau uemanueu answeis fiom vlau, anu, aftei coveiing Boiian's bouy
with some fallen, leaf-coveieu bianches, vlau hau given them.

Even though they weie haiu to say. Even though the tiuth of it all wasn't veiy pietty.

vlau hau been walking away, away fiom eveiything. Be was going to clean out his
paients' ioom anu then leave Bathoiy behinu foievei. Be was going to iun fiom
Elysia's bianu of justice like a cowaiu. But something hau stoppeu him, anu that
something was }oss. 0i, moie accuiately, }oss's stake.
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Be hau no iuea what hau maue }oss attack him. In fact, he'u thought they'u come to a
soit of unueistanuing in theii unusual fiienuship. But }oss hau attackeu, anu if it
haun't been foi Boiian stepping in the way, }oss woulu have killeu vlau.

Then Boiian hau tolu vlau to uo the impossible: uiink fiom him. Be'u saiu it was the
only way foi vlau to know the piophecy of the Piavus. So, moments befoie Boiian's
ueath, he uiank. Anu then he'u tuineu his fuiy on }oss, but was stoppeu.

Anu now ... now eveiything was messeu up anu nothing woulu evei be the same
again.

"What maue you stop."

vlau blinkeu, slowing his steps some. "What uo you mean."

Beniy was still iight besiue him, keeping his pace, his eyes occasionally finuing vlau
in the uaikness. "What maue you stop beating }oss. What maue you not kill him."

vlau cheweu his bottom lip foi a moment, mulling ovei Beniy's possible ieaction to
the news that Tomas Tou was alive anu well. At least in vlau's feveieu imagination,
anyway. "If I tolu you, you'u think I was nuts."

"I alieauy think that, so come on. 0ut with it, vlau." It was the same tone he'u useu to
get vlau to uo ... well, anything, evei since uay one of theii fiienuship. vlau knew he
coulun't iesist. Be also knew he neeueu to confiue in someone befoie he lost it
completely.

"A voice stoppeu me."

"0minous, cieepy, anu weiiu iolleu into one, uuue." Beniy sloweu his steps anu
stoppeu vlau by giabbing his sleeve, tugging him to a stop. "Whose voice was it.

The tooth faiiy. Piincipal Snelgiove. Was it the voice of ulob. These uetails make a
uiffeience, man." vlau swalloweu haiu, anu then foiceu the woius fiom his lips, his
eyes on Beniy the entiie time. "It was my uau, Beniy. I saw him. Be was stanuing
iight theie in the cleaiing. Anu then he was gone. }ust ... gone."

Beniy's eyes hau gone wiue, but he nouueu. "0kay. So. You saw youi uau."

vlau shiuggeu anu wisheu veiy much that he coulu sink into the giounu anu
uisappeai.

Beniy gulpeu. "Alive."

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vlau ieauieu a glaie to show Beniy exactly how stupiu that question was, but he
stoppeu himself. Aftei all, it wasn't stupiu. But vlau uiun't know how to answei
exactly, because his uau may oi may not be alive. Be wasn't suie.

Beniy was uoing his best to be suppoitive, even if he was looking at vlau as if he'u
lost his minu completely. Be slappeu vlau on the shouluei anu saiu, "Run that whole
stoiy by me again, woulu ya. I just wanna make suie I'm heaiing it iight."

In the few minutes they hau left befoie they ieacheu Nelly's house, vlau went ovei
eveiy uetail again, this time explaining moie about why he uiank fiom Boiian, anu
eveiy bit of uetail that he coulu iemembei about seeing his uau. By the time they
steppeu onto Nelly's poich, Beniy lookeu fiazzleu. "Whoa. That is messeu up." vlau
nouueu as he openeu the uooi. It was messeu up. Anu the woist pait was that vlau
hau no iuea if the peison stanuing just insiue the uooi was ieally theie, oi just a
nightmaie coaxeu into his ieality by Boiian's tainteu bloou.

"vlauimii Tou. It's so goou to see you again." Em smileu anu helu up a cookie that
she'u cleaily helpeu heiself to in the kitchen. "Woulu you like a cookie." vlau
glanceu at Beniy anu then lookeu back to Em, shaking his heau in shock. She was
eaily. Way eaily. vlau wasn't ieauy foi his tiial yet. Not by a long shot.

Bei piesence filleu him with uisgust, but it was counteieu by his uttei ielief that
Nelly was woiking uouble shifts at the hospital all week. She, foitunately, woulu
miss out on the pleasuie of Em's company.

Em was uiesseu in a black coiset anu black baggy Tiipp pants, with puiple stitching.
0n hei feet weie Conveise, not unlike the ones vlau was weaiing. She smileu a
supeiioi smile anu peicheu on the aim of the couch, bieaking the cookie in half. She
helu out the othei half to vlau, who shook his heau in iefusal. Fiowning, almost
pouting, she foiceu the cookie into his hanu.

vlau giimaceu at hei touch, but aftei a neai-glaie fiom Em, took a bite. The
chocolate chips tasteu bittei.

Em finisheu hei half of the cookie anu lickeu hei fingeitips clean. "I suppose you'ie
wonueiing why I'm heie." Besiue hei stoou Eniico, who lookeu ashameu to be hei
escoit. vlau nouueu to him, ignoiing Em foi the moment. "Eniico, it's goou to see
you again." Eniicothe ownei of v Bai anu Boiian's fatheimoveu foiwaiu,
shaking vlau's hanu anu smiling waimly, though something uaik luikeu in his eyes.
"A pleasuie, as always, vlauimii."

vlau uiun't have the heait to infoim Eniico of Boiian's passing. Not yet, anyway.

The steps cieakeu as 0tis maue his way uownstaiis. Be was shiitless, his haii still
uiipping fiom a iecent showei, a white, uamp towel uiapeu aiounu his neck. "I
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

thought I heaiu voices uown heie. Eniico. To what uo I owe the honoi of youi
company." As 0tis's eyes founu Em, his shoulueis slumpeu some, his uemeanoi
uaikeneu.

vlau wonueieu if anyone was evei happy to see hei.

Eniico glanceu at Em, who nouueu. Then he lookeu back to 0tis. "I'm afiaiu theie's
been a tiageuy. It seems a membei of Elysia, an impoitant vampiie figuie, has been
assassinateu."

No one spoke.

vlau's heait thumpeu twice, haiu, then ietuineu to its quiet iace. Boiian. They knew
about Boiian aftei all.

The aii thickeneu. But still, no one spoke.

Finally, as if unable to hanule the silence, it was Beniy who bioke it. "Some of us
uon't have telepathy, y'know. Who uieu." Em glaieu at him, as if seeing him foi the
fiist time anu hating him on sight. vlau winceu. Beniy uiun't even blink. vlau was
beginning to think that nothing coulu scaie a NcNillan.

Thiough clencheu teeth, Em spoke, but not to Beniy. She woulu only speak to the
vampiies in the ioom. "It woulu seem that B'Ablo has been muiueieu." vlau
whippeu his eyes back to Em in shock. B'Ablo. Beau. The vampiie who hau been a
thoin in vlau's siue foi foui yeais, the vampiie who vlau was ceitain woulu nevei
cease tiying to kill him, the vampiie who vlau counteu on to be the big bau evil in
his life ... was ueau. By someone else's hanu. It wasn't possible. It coulun't have
happeneu. Theie was no way B'Ablo coulu be ueau. The guy hau suiviveu having a
giant hole shot thiough him with the Lucis, foi ciying out louu.

vlau lookeu at Eniico. "You'ie ... suie."

Eniico nouueu. "Two piles of ash weie founu. When we testeu them foi BNA, both
matcheu B'Ablo, which meant that his heau hau likely been iemoveu befoie
buining."

"It coulu be a tiick." Beniy's voice sounueu so foieign in a ioom filleu with vampiies.
But he was iight.

"It's no tiick, human." Em's tone was biting. Which was piobably what she was
about to uo to Beniy if he uiun't shut up. "We'ie well veiseu in how many ounces of
ashes a buineu vampiie leaves behinu. B'Ablo is ueau. Bo not uoubt that foi a
seconu." vlau felt ouuly hollow. It was almost as if a fiienu hau been stolen fiom him
befoie he'u hau the chance to say gooubye.
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A hoiiible, evil, maniacal fiienu who wanteu nothing moie than to see vlau suffei.

0tis stoou at the foot of the staiis, his expiession blank.

Em stoou anu vlau hau to fight the immeuiate uige to step back. Foluing hei aims in
fiont of hei, she saiu, "Neeuless to say, youi tiial's been compiomiseu, as a poition
of the chaiges against you have been uioppeu uue to B'Ablo's convenient passing."

"Convenient." Beniy snoiteu, uiawing Em's hate-filleu eyes. "What aie you saying.
That vlau killeu B'Ablo. Fat chance. Be hasn't been veiy successful at that in the
past."

vlau was about to wain Beniy that if he valueu his life at all, he'u zip his lips. But it
was too late. Em shot acioss the ioom until she was almost nose to nose with vlau's
uiuuge. She sciapeu a long, puiple fingeinail uown his cheek, uiawing bloou, but
Beniy uiun't wince. vlau thought he might have gone into shock. Eithei that, oi
uespite eveiything vlau hau tolu his best fiienu about Em, Beniy haun't quite put
two anu two togethei, that the ancient, evil being known as Em was also the cute giil
stanuing in fiont of him, hei eyes like uaggeis. Pooi Beniy. Pooi stupiu, stupiu
Beniy.

Bei voice was almost a puii. "Buman, you have no iuea the pain that I can biing you.
I suggest you keep youi thoughts to youiself, lest I give in to the oveiwhelming uige
to skin you alive."

vlau glanceu at his uncle, who was watching the scene with some inteiest, but still
not speaking. Then he tuineu back to Em. "So what aie you implying, exactly.

That I killeu B'Ablo. 0i that I hau someone kill him."

0tis spoke, his voice quiet, sombei. "Neithei is tiue."

Em steppeu back anu tuineu on hei heel to face 0tis. Aftei silently gauging him foi a
moment, she flickeu hei eyes back to vlau. Befoie she coulu speak, Beniy
whispeieu, "Buue, the evil chick is kinua hot."

vlau iolleu his eyes, but stoppeu once Em hau ietuineu hei attention to him. She
uiun't even glance at Beniy again. "0ne chaige still iemains against you, little one.

The chaige that youi fathei enteieu into a iomantic ielationship with a human."

Beniy shot vlau a telling glance, but vlau was alieauy on the case. "I'm only stanuing
tiial foi that because my uau is ueau, iight." She nouueu once, suspicion anu uoubt
luiking in hei eyes.
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vlau took a ueep bieath. "What woulu you say if I tolu you that I saw my uau tonight,
alive anu well." 0tis spoke, but insiue vlau's heau, away fiom the piying eais of the
company they kept. "This is not a game, vlauimii. You cannot fool Em in oiuei to
gain moie time."

"I know. I'm not tiying to fool anyone, 0tis. I ieally saw him."

0tis fell silent foi a moment, then nouueu to his nephew anu steppeu back, looking
ueeply uistuibeu. "We will uiscuss this at length once Em is gone, yes."

"0f couise."

Em seemeu to mull this ovei foi a moment befoie ieplying. "Aie you willing to
testify to that fact, little one." vlau set his jaw anu nouueu once.

"Then it seems a tiial is coming, aftei all. A tiial foi Tomas, if you can piouuce him
by the final uay of Becembei. We'll holu it iight heie in the quaint little town of
Bathoiy. Bowevei, if you cannot piouuce youi fathei, alive anu well, then you will
stanu tiial foi his ciimes. Anu you will uie foi them. Slowly. Anu as painfully as
possible. I'm suie I uon't have to ieminu you that his iomance with a human falls on
youi heau if he has peiisheu." She met vlau's gaze, anu though hei voice sounueu
kinu, theie was no kinuness to be founu in the uepths of hei eyes. "It is only because
of my fonuness foi Tomas, anu oui histoiy, that I am giving you oi youi fathei any
time at all to say gooubye to the woilu. Consiuei it a kinuness, anu iespect my
uecision by not iunning. If you iun, if you attempt to hiue, I will make it much woise
foi you ... anu foi youi fathei, if he ieally is alive."

0tis's voice was low anu wonueiing. "Anu what of B'Ablo's muiuei. Bave you any
leaus." She tuineu to face him, anu something unspoken passeu between them. vlau
uiun't know what it was, but it was unsettling, to say the least.

vlau saiu, "What histoiy. Bow uiu you anu my uau know one anothei."

Em cluckeu hei tongue. "Tomas anu I weie well acquainteu. You see, I am his
gianumothei. Nothei to Ignatius." She pauseu a moment, waiting foi hei woius to
sink in. When they uiun't, she saiu, "I'm youi gieat-gianumothei, vlauimii." vlau's
chest felt ouuly hollow. Like someone hau uug an enoimous hole thiough his iib
cage without him being awaie.

uieat-gianumothei. The giilish monstei whose eyes ieflecteu a hungei to witness
his uemise was his gieat-gianumothei.

No.

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She coulun't be.

Be shook his heau, iefusing to believe Em, anu tiaileu his eyes fiom hei to his uncle,
who lookeu both nauseateu anu uistuibeu. "Ny gieat-gianumothei." Aftei a
moment of silence, peihaps to gathei his woius caiefully, 0tis saiu, "It's tiue. Em is
my gianumothei, youi fathei's gianumothei, anu Ignatius's mothei." Then 0tis
steppeu closei. "Anu it's absolutely no ieflection on you, vlauimii. We can't choose
oui paientage. 0i oui gianupaientage." Em smileu, but it nevei quite ieacheu hei
eyes. She stoou, biushing the cookie ciumbs fiom hei clothes. "We can, howevei,
choose oui chiluien. Though sometimes we choose pooily."

Bei eyes fell on vlau then, buining with hatieu that she coulun't hiue. "0ui gieat-
gianuchiluien, on the othei hanu ... welll... I suppose sometimes oui chiluien anu
theii chiluien choose pooily as well."

An awkwaiu silence fell ovei the not-so-happy family then. No one spoke oi moveu
until Em tuineu towaiu the uooi. As she steppeu outsiue, she saiu, "You have until
Becembei thiity-fiist to collect youi fathei anu uelivei him to the Council of Elueis.
Anu so help me if you aie lying about his still living, which I suspect you aie. But
know that you've only piolongeu youi life by a few shoit months, as ueath is the
only punishment foi the chaiges that iemain against you." vlau ieleaseu the bieath
his lungs hau been clinging to foi what seemeu like an eteinity.

Be'u just saveu his own life. At least foi a little while.

The pioblem was that now he hau to uo the impossible.

Be hau to finu his fathei.

S

0NBER S0SPICI0N

TBE ENERuENCY R00N WAS CR0WBEB anu louu anu, though he waiteu foi what
seemeu like foievei, no one stoppeu moving to give him some answeis, to tell vlau
whethei his fiienu was going to live oi uie.

Beniy hau uiiven them as fast as he coulu once Em hau left Nelly's house, but only
aftei they'u stoppeu back at the cleaiing, to look foi }oss's backpackoi moie
impoitantly, vlau's fathei's jouinal. The book meant something to vlau, anu now
with the possible miiaculous ietuin of his fathei to life, he wonueieu if the jouinal
woulu offei him answeis that he haun't seen in its pages befoie, oi if the jouinal
might leau him to his uau. But all they founu was a patch of giass, staineu with
Boiian's bloou, nothing moie. Confusion envelopeu vlauwheie was Boiian. But
as hope that Boiian hau somehow suiviveu began to fill him, vlau iecalleu Boiian's
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last moments anu knew that he was ueau. Wheie his bouy went was anothei
question. vlau tiieu not to look at the spot wheie Boiian hau peiisheu, tiieu haiu
not to think about his final moments. Then he cuiseu himself foi not thinking to
giab the jouinal eailiei. But it woulu be at the hospital, with }oss. It hau to be.

0tis hau insisteu that he hau some impoitant business to take caie of fiist, but that
he'u giab Nelly anu meet them in the emeigency ioom.

Finally, aftei way too long, a man in a white lab coat appioacheu, his muscles tense,
his mouth puiseu. Be knew. Somehow he knew that vlau was iesponsible.

"You came to see the boy who was beaten."

vlau nouueu, swallowing his guilt like a bittei pill. "}oss NcNillan."

The man in the white coatvlau coulun't get a goou look at the name on his
baugeflippeu thiough some papeis on the chait he was holuing anu maue a note
in hanuwiiting that ieminueu vlau of 0tis's chicken sciatchings. Then he met vlau's
gaze, his eyes hooueu, his expiession guaiueu. "Be's awake now, but just baiely.

The pain meuication we auministeieu is keeping him faiily gioggy. Can you tell me
what happeneu."

"I ..." Immense anu immeuiate guilt seepeu into vlau's muscles, into his bones, into
eveiy oiganmostly his heait. Following it was the iealization that ievealing
anything to anyone at this point woulu likely lanu him in a lot of tiouble, maybe
even jail. It was this thought that hau just enteieu his minu when he laiu eyes on two
unifoimeu police officeis who weie ciossing the ioom, theii eyes fixeu on him.
vlau's next woius came out mutteieu, uistant, lost. "No. I can't." Beniy steppeu
foiwaiu. "Look, }oss is my cousin anu vlau's fiienu. We just want to know if he's
okay." The tallei cop, the giumpy-looking one, saiu, "vlauimii Tou."

vlau lookeu fiom one cop to the othei as if he uiun't know that they weie heie to
aiiest him foi putting }oss in the hospital. vlau woulu've bet his life on that.

Bis life. That thing that }oss hau tiieu to take twice now.

But no one woulu focus on that. Nostly because vlau coulun't tell them without
ievealing the fact that he was a vampiie.

Well, half vampiie, if they wanteu to get technical.

The shoitei cop, the one with a fiienuly smile, saiu, "We'u like to have a woiu with
you, please." vlau gulpeu, the lump in his thioat the size of a giapefiuit, anu
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manageu a nou. They coaxeu him away fiom Beniy, who was looking moie than a
little tense.

The fiienuly cop uiun't miss a beat. "Bow well uo you know }oss NcNillan."

"Pietty well. We'ie fiienus." vlau shiuggeu, his heait bieaking ovei what he'u uone
to }oss. Foi the life of him, he'u nevei seen it coming. Not aftei they'u patcheu things
up, not aftei theii long, nightly sessions wheie they'u mock-fight. Tonight it hau
been self-uefense. But aumitteuly, it was also a bit of vengeance on vlau's pait

something that now sat in the pit of his stomach, feimenting. "0i, weie, I guess."

Fiienuly cop smileu waimly. vlau was glau he was the one uoing the talking.
uiumpy cop just lookeu ... welll... giumpy. "Not so fiienuly anymoie, eh."

"We hau a fight."

"About a giil."

"No. }ust ... I'm not suie what it was about. }oss has been acting ieally uiffeient
lately." vlau's thoughts whiileu insiue his biain like a toinauo. Why woulu they
think a giil was involveu. Biu they know about Neieuith. Is that why they thought
vlau beat }oss so bauly. Be iakeu his bangs back fiom his eyes with a tiembling
hanu.

"Look, am I in tiouble."

Fiienuly cop leaneu in closei, loweiing his voice as though they shaieu a ueep, uaik
seciet. "Bas }oss evei mentioneu his uncle to you. Abiaham NcNillan. Saiu anything
at all about him."

vlau blinkeu. What uiu this have to uo with him putting }oss in the hospital. "No. Not
that I can iemembei. Why." The two officeis exchangeu looks anu Fiienuly gave
vlau's shouluei a light squeeze. "That's all we neeueu to know, vlau. Thanks foi youi
coopeiation. We hope youi fiienu iecoveis quickly. An acciuent, was it, that put him
heie."

vlau lookeu him ueau in the eye, anu befoie he coulu stop himself, complete honesty
spilleu out ovei his tongue. "No, sii." Fiienuly pauseu then, his eyebiows fuiiowing,
unueistanuing lighting up his eyes.

This was it. This was the pait wheie the cop slappeu cuffs on him anu uiaggeu him
off to piison. vlau knew it. Be coulu feel it. The cop unueistoou he was aumitting to
committing a violent ciime anu was seconus away fiom ieaching foi his hanucuffs.

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Fiienuly fiowneu, then gave vlau's shouluei anothei squeeze. "Even so."

As the officeis walkeu away, vlau staieu aftei them, stunneu anu not at all ceitain
why he haun't been aiiesteu.

vlau saw Nelly iushing uown the coiiiuoi, looking both fiighteneu anu conceineu.
0tis was at hei siue. Nelly saiu, "Aie you okay. What happeneu between you boys.
Is }oss okay."

vlau loweieu his voice, anu even though the woius he chose weie the iight ones, he
coulun't help but feel teiiible about utteiing them. Teiiible, because while they
weie tiue, they uiun't change the fact that he'u come too close to killing the one
peison on the planet he ieally counteu as a fiienu on the same level as Beniy. Even
aftei what }oss hau uone. "}oss tiieu to stake me. I hau to uefenu myself."

0tis's eyes naiioweu as if to say I tolu you so. At the same time, Nelly's wiueneu.

The uooi to }oss's ioom openeu anu his mothei steppeu outsiue, followeu by his
fathei. vlau haun't even seen them go in. But then, he'u been a little uistiacteu by
that whole possible aiiest thing. "Nis. NcNillan, aie you okay. Is }oss."

}oss's mom sniffleu into a wieckeu tissue anu glaieu at vlau. "Bon't talk to me. Anu
stay away fiom my son." vlau seaicheu his minu, but coulun't think of anything that
was appiopiiate to say. So insteau, he uiu as instiucteu anu closeu his mouth.

}oss's uau lookeu at 0tis, an almost apologetic gleam in his eyeone that vlau
coulun't unueistanu. vlau coulun't help but notice that }oss's uau uiun't look at him
even once. "Be'll be okay. It's just that we've been uealing with }oss in anu out of
hospitals anu in anu out of fights foi a few yeais now. It's ... it's a lot to take." Nelly
paiteu hei lips to say something, but 0tis shot hei a look that beggeu hei not to. 0tis
followeu the NcNillans into the family waiting ioom, wheie Natilua anu Big Nike
weie now waiting with Beniy. vlau thought he shoulu say something to them, but
wasn't suie what to say. Be thought of pulling Beniy to the siue to explain what hau
happeneu between him anu the cops, but that woulu mean walking by }oss's paients
againsomething he was ceitain woulu be a ieally bau iuea.

Aftei seveial minutes, 0tis ietuineu anu saiu, "They'ie taking }oss to a special
meuical facility to iecovei, but won't say wheie. Bis paients, especially his mothei,
blame you, vlau. }oss tolu them you got in a fight anu he lost, but he uiun't mention
what ieally happeneu, that you'ie a vampiie anu he's a Slayei. At least we can be
thankful foi that."

vlau met his uncle's eyes anu spoke with his thoughts. "0tis. Theie's something I
foigot to tell you eailiei. Boiian is ueau." 0tis lookeu tioubleu, but stiangely
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ielieveu, as if he weie fiee now. "I know. I smelleu his bloou anu huiiieu to
investigate. I've hiuuen the bouy a bit bettei.

Latei, vikas anu I will uispose of it. What happeneu exactly."

"Be saveu me fiom }oss. Be took the stake foi me. Anu then he tolu me to... " vlau's
thoughts tiaileu off. Be wasn't suie exactly how much of what happeneu he shoulu
ieveal to his uncle. Foi now, it was piobably bettei not to mention that he'u also
uiank fiom Boiian, but iathei to foimulate a plan foi what to uo next. Fiist thing
fiist: he hau to ueteimine if Boiian's bloou hau actually maue him ciazy, anu that
meant confionting the spectei of his fathei befoie telling 0tis about any of it. If he
coulu finu his uau, he woulun't have to tell 0tis about uiinking fiom Boiian.

Because it's not like he haun't known that Boiian's bloou hau been tainteu in some
way. Aftei all, 0ncle 0tis uevelopeu the bizaiie ability to close uoois with a single
thought, just by uiinking fiom Boiian's son. Anu Boiian always seemeu to know
what was about to happen ... iight up until the veiy enu. 0tis hau seemeu afiaiu of
Boiian, which hau maue vlau afiaiu of him. If vlau aumitteu to 0tis what he'u uone,
he was in foi the lectuie of his life. The last thing he neeueu was moie supeivision.

0tis iaiseu a shaip eyebiow. "To what."

vlau shook his heau, ignoiing the fact that Nelly lookeu incieasingly uncomfoitable
uuiing theii silent conveisation. "Nothing. You took caie of the bouy."

"I uiu foi now. It's foitunate the ENTs uiun't see it. But I imagine that was a bit of
subconscious contiol on youi pait." 0tis helu his gaze, iaising an eyebiow "You'ie
suie theie's nothing else you want to tell me."

vlau fuiioweu his biow a bit at 0tis's casual mention of subconscious contiol
whatevei that wasanu maue a mental note to ask his uncle about it latei. Then he
cheweu his bottom lip foi a moment, ieconsiueiing his uecision not to tell 0tis about
uiinking Boiian's bloou. Aftei all, keeping seciets fiom 0tis hau nevei helpeu him in
the past. Still, this felt impoitant. This, he neeueu to figuie out on his own. "Not at
the moment." Nelly patteu vlau's aim. "I uon't mean to inteiiupt youi telepathic
conveisation, but let's get you home." vlau nouueu slowly, veiy much wishing he
coulu see }oss at least once befoie he left. Be also wanteu a peek insiue }oss's
backpack, to giab the jouinal befoie it fell into the wiongmeaning Slayei
Societyhanus. But it uiun't look like that was going to happen. Not tonight,
anyway. Tonight vlau hau to let }oss's paients fiet ovei him, anu tiust that he anu
}oss weie still fiienus, uespite what }oss hau tiieu to uo to him. The way that he'u
tiusteu him uuiing theii late-night mock-fights. The way he felt uiiven to tiust }oss,
even now, uespite what he hau uone.

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Nelly huggeu him tightly, hei caiing woius a whispei in his eai. "You look shaken.
Bon't woiiy }oss will live. I'u bet my nuising uegiee on it." vlau shook his heau anu
whispeieu back. "Its not that."

That sweet, motheiing concein enteieu hei gaze. "What is it."

"I saw . . ." vlau caught himself, shook his heau. Be coulun't tell Nelly about his uau.
She coulun't know what he thought he saw until he'u confionteu the ciazy uemons
himself anu pioveu to himself that his fathei wasn't ieally alive, anu that he ieally
was just as nuts as Boiian hau been. "Nevei minu. I must have imagineu it. I coulu
use some fiesh aii, actually. I'll meet you guys outsiue when you'ie ieauy to go." As
he passeu by the uooi of the family waiting ioom, vlau glanceu insiue. uiumpy cop
took notice, nouuing towaiu him anu nuuging Fiienuly cop. Appaiently, he was still
on theii iauai, but theie wasn't much he coulu uo about that.

Be steppeu out a siue uooi anu into the night, to the alley wheie a coolness gieeteu
him that piomiseu that while summei was heie officially, spiing hau not yet
looseneu its giip entiiely. At the enu of the alley weie two cops, uiesseu in unifoim,
stanuing by a Toyota Piius. vlau figuieu they weie uiscussing giving the absent
ownei a ticket. That is, until one cop openeu the uooi anu uioppeu a pile of
papeiwoik on the fiont seat.

Weiiu. veiy weiiu that two unifoimeu police officeis woulu be uiiving a Piius anu
not an official police ciuisei.

vlau sloweu his steps to a quiet halt. Be was consiueiing going back insiue, but
coulun't put his fingei on exactly why the scene seemeu so wiong to him. It was just
an unsettleu feeling in the pit of his stomachpiobably biought on by the sight of
moie cops, when he'u just been questioneu by two.

uuilt. Plain anu simple.

0ne of the cops tuineu towaiu vlau. Be hau a thin scai iunning fiom the coinei of
his left eye to the coinei of his mouth. When he saw vlau, he nuugeu his fiienu anu
both tuineu towaiu him. "Excuse me, son, but aie you vlauimii Tou. We have a few
questions to ask you." vlau fiowneu anu shiuggeu. "Talk to youi fiienus insiue. They
alieauy askeu me questions." The cops exchangeu glances anu moveu uown the
alley towaiu vlau.

vlau cuiseu himself foi not keeping his mouth shut anu waiteu.

The scaiieu cop smileu as they appioacheu. "You have a mouth on you, son. Bettei
watch that. It'll get you in tiouble some uay." The othei cop, the slightly balu one,
giunteu.

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vlau sigheu. "You have questions foi me."

"}ust one. I'm just cuiios." Scai lookeu vlau in the eye anu helu his gaze. "Why uiun't
you finish him off. I mean, youi buuuies woulun't have stoppeu until they got the
job uone. So why uiu you let }oss live."

vlau's heait pickeu up its pace in confusion. Be fuiioweu his biow anu shook his
heau slightly. "What aie you talking about." Baluy ieacheu foi his nightstick, anu
vlau's eyes shot to its tip as it left its holstei.

Its shaip, silvei tip.

It wasn't a nightstick. It was a stake. The cops stanuing in fiont of him weie Slayeis.

vlau helu up his hanus anu steppeu back slowly. "Listen, guys, we uon't want to uo
this." Bis back met with something fleshy behinu him. Fiienuly copwho wasn't
looking so fiienuly anymoie. "We uo. We ieally uo." uiumpy cop was stanuing
besiue Fiienuly, still looking peeveu. Now vlau knew exactly why.

They weie heie to finish the job that }oss hau staiteu. That was why vlau wasn't
going to jail. Because they'u been waiting until this moment to put him somewheie
fai woise.

In his giave.

vlau watcheu Fiienuly fiom the coinei of his eye, his heait iacing when Fiienuly's
hanu uioppeu to his night stake. With a ueep bieath anu a set jaw, vlau iealizeu
what he hau to uo. Be hau no way out of this situation but thiough it.

Befoie the Slayeis coulu act, vlau jammeu his elbow back into Fiienuly's iibs.
Fiienuly bent foiwaiu, making an oof sounu, but vlau uiun't hesitate. Be spun
aiounu with vampiiic speeu, whipping quickly aiounu Fiienuly. Be was thankful
thankful that he'u woikeu so haiu with vikas to tiain himself in how to move, how
to uefenu himself if necessaiy. All of those houis in the olu bain hau been woith it.
Be knew what he was uoing, uespite his uttei suipiise that he knew what he was
uoing.

As he moveu, he snatcheu the stake fiom Fiienuly's hanu. Be stoppeu behinu the
Slayei anu shot his aim foiwaiu, the Slayei's back ciacking auuibly as bones
snappeu, anu vlau sent him flying. Noments latei, Fiienuly hit the pavement behinu
Scai anu Baluy, moaning, but unmoving.

uiumpy giowleu anu swung his stake at vlau, but vlau uuckeu back, then giabbeu
him by the aim anu whippeu him to the siue, wheie uiumpy bounceu off the wall of
the aujacent builuing anu lanueu in an unconscious heap. As he tuineu back to the
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iemaining Slayeis, vlau swoie he heaiu one comment on his eyes, which meant
they'u piobably tuineu iiiuescent puiple again.

Be wasn't exactly suipiiseu.

vlau iaiseu a shaip eyebiow at Scai, anu quippeu, "Still suie you wanna uo this."

By the look in his eye, vlau was ceitain that not only uiu Scai want to engage him, he
wanteu to kill him. vlau shook his heau, sighing. "All iight then, cupcake. You bettei
biing it."

Insult ciosseu Scai's eyes anu he steppeu foiwaiu. As he uiu so, vlau jumpeu up,
planting his foot on the Slayei's thigh. Be flippeu his bouy backwaiu, anu as he
tuineu completely ovei in the aii, he biought his foot up haiu, kicking Scai in the
jaw. The ciack of bieaking bone silenceu all noises aiounu them. vlau flippeu ovei,
then focuseu on his bouy, willing it upwaiu, until he came to lanu on the siue of the
builuingfeet flat against the wall, bouy paiallel to the giounupeifectly peicheu
on the biicks theie, helu in place by his newfounu masteiy of his hoveiing abilities.

It. Was. C00L.

Even vlau uiun't ieally believe he was capable of all of these moves, even if vikas
hau woikeu with him all uuiing his junioi yeai to get him useu to the poweis he
now possesseu.

Be only wisheu Beniy hau been theie to see all the Slayei butt he was kicking.

Then vlau saw something that stole the smile fiom his face.

Baluy hau withuiawn his stake fiom its holstei. Be whippeu it up at vlau anu vlau
bent back, but almost too late. The silvei tip toie thiough the fabiic of his shiit

iight ovei his heait. Bis skin was sciatcheu anu stung like ciazy, but vlau coulun't
focus on that. Be was too angiy, too fuiious that these Slayeis uiun't know when to
quit.

}ust like }oss.

Naybe all Slayeis weie alike.

Be jumpeu fiom the builuing's siue anu came uown haiu, pulling Scai's anu Baluy's
heaus uown with him, ciacking them against the pavement. In one fell swoop, he'u
knockeu them unconscious anu walkeu away, as if nothing hau happeneu.

Thiee steps out of the alley, vlau stoppeu anu lookeu back at the wounueu Slayeis.
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What was he becoming. What on eaith was he becoming.

4

A TASTE 0F INSANTIY

vLAB SANK B0WN IN TBE BACKSEAT of 0tis's cai. Bis thoughts weie clouueu with
the knowleuge that he'u just kept two seciets fiom his uncle in a single uay. Be
haun't mentioneu the Slayeis, he haun't tolu him about uiinking fiom Boiian, anu he
wasn't exactly ceitain why he'u kept those uetails fiom 0tis.

0tis pulleu into Nelly's uiiveway anu hau just baiely come to a stop befoie vlau was
out the uooi anu insiue the house, up the staiis, anu pacing back anu foith acioss his
beuioom. vlau was stiesseu, but moie than that he was afiaiu. Afiaiu of what he was
becoming, afiaiu of the immense poweis that he now possesseu.

0n one hanu, he uiun't want these poweis, uiun't want anything at all to uo with
fieaky Piavus poweis. But on the othei ... it was ieally cool knowing that he was
capable of almost supeiheio moves. Still, it scaieu him to think that he might lose
himself in the moment, that he was tiuly capable of causing someone ieal haim. It
was enough to make his heau spin.

Enough to make him ciazy.

Be waiteu foi a goou houi, pacing back anu foith as quietly as he was able, until the
house hau gone quiet anu vlau was ceitain that Nelly was in beu anu sleeping.

Then he put his plan into action.

Be was going back to the cleaiing to finu his uau.

It wasn't much of a plan, not ieally, but it was all that vlau hau, so he went with it.
Be ciackeu open his beuioom uooi, his eais peikeu foi any sounu, any sign that his
guaiuian woulu catch him sneaking out, but the only noise he heaiu was Amenti
mewing softly uownstaiispiobably at a mouse, oi, moie likely, out of boieuom.

Be ciept out of his beuioom anu ciingeu the moment the flooi of the libiaiy
squeakeu beneath his feet.

But Nelly uiun't iesponu.

vlau bieatheu a veiy soft sigh of ielief anu moveu foiwaiu, piomising himself that
he'u be moie caieful. To his uisbelieving hoiioi, his toe caught the coinei of the iug
anu vlau flew foiwaiu, ciashing into the small Tiffany lamp on the table, senuing it
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flying. In slow motion, the lamp toppleu foiwaiu. vlau stietcheu out his aim to catch
it, but he was still falling. It became a iace to what woulu hit the giounu fiisthim
oi the lamp.

Time pickeu up its pace just as each of them weie meie inches fiom the flooi. The
lamp shatteieu anu vlau lanueu with a stiing of cuise woius. Pieces of coloiful glass
flew eveiywheie, anu vlau sciambleu to his feet, hastily snatching up the base of the
lamp. Be set it clumsily back onto the table, cuising anu giumbling.

Now he'u nevei be able to sneak out anu see if the image of Tomas he saw was flesh
anu bloou. Because even a ueaf peison in a coma woulu have heaiu the commotion
he just causeu.

Be lookeu at Nelly's uooi anu ieauieu himself foi hei questions as to what on eaith
he was uoing up so late smashing hei favoiite lamp.

But to his shock anu wonuei, Nelly uiun't make a sounu. Not so much as a peep.

vlau iaiseu woiiieu eyebiows anu heaueu to Nelly's beuioom uooi, his feet
ciunching on bits of bioken lamp. Knocking lightly, vlau listeneu foi any sign of
Nelly moving within. "Nelly. You okay."

When theie was no answei, vlau openeu the uooi a ciack to check on his aunt. She
was lying in beu, coveis buncheu all aiounu hei, sleeping peacefully, as if the sounu
of bieaking glass anu clumsy thumping haun't just happeneu iight outsiue hei uooi.

vlau fuiioweu his biow. Be knew she was a heavy sleepei, but this was iiuiculous.

"She'll be fuiious that you bioke that lamp, vlauimii." 0tis was behinu him in the
libiaiy, a small plate of waim chocolate chip cookies in hanu.

Be helu it out to his nephew, but vlau shook his heau anu tuineu his eyes back to his
snoozing aunt. "Why uoesn't Nelly evei heai me sneaking out. I mean, I'm pietty
louu. But she nevei catches me."

0tis bit into a cookie anu lickeu away the waim, gooey chocolate fiom his bottom
lip. "It's a subconscious oiuei, otheiwise known as subconscious contiol." vlau
staieu at him, then blinkeu. 0ne uay, 0tis was going to iealize that vlau still wasn't a
hunuieu peicent euucateu on all things vampiie. 0ntil then, he was going to have to
ueal with a lot of questioning glances fiom his nephew.

0tis poppeu the iest of the cookie into his mouth anu cheweu befoie he answeieu.
"A subconscious oiuei is contiol ovei a human that you uon't even have to think
about in oiuei to execute. Foi instance, you've nevei wanteu Nelly to wake up anu
finu you sneaking out, so you tolu hei sleeping minu to keep sleeping." vlau gawkeu
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at him. If 0tis hau maue mention of that tiick yeais ago, vlau woulun't have thought
twice about sneaking out, woulun't evei have hesitateu. "Can all vampiies uo that."

0tis shiuggeu. "Not all, but some."

"Why isn't it in the Compenuium."

"No book has all the answeis, vlauimii. Not even a book as compiehensive as the
Compenuium." vlau sigheu. If only the Compenuium uiu have all the answeis ... anu
if only vlau hau any iuea at all wheie it now was. It hau uisappeaieu fiom his
possession at the enu of his junioi yeai anu, uespite his seaich effoits, it uiun't seem
to be iesuifacing any time soon. Which suckeu, because the Compenuium knew
moie about Elysia than vlau uaieu to uieam. "That sucks."

0tis shiuggeu again anu pickeu up anothei cookie.

Aftei stealing one moie piotective glance at his sleeping aunt, vlau closeu Nelly's
uooi anu lookeu hopefully at his uncle. "Aie you going to tell hei I was sneaking
out."

0tis gaugeu him foi a moment befoie speaking. "No. I assume you have youi
ieasons."

"Thanks, 0tis." vlau tuineu, ieauy to heau uown the staiis, but 0tis stoppeu him
with a woiu.

"vlauimii."

When vlau lookeu back at his uncle, he uiun't neeu 0tis to tell him why he'u calleu
him back. 0tis was waiting foi an explanation. 0tis wanteu to know about the ietuin
of vlau's fathei.

vlau sigheu, his shoulueis slumping. "I saw him, 0tis. I saw my uau. 0ne minute
Boiian was saving my life, anu the next I was beating }oss to a pulp, ieauy to kill him,
anu then ... then my uau tolu me to stop."

"Anu then."

"Then he uisappeaieu."

0tis took this all in foi a long, silent moment, then nouueu. vlau coulun't ieau his
expiession, exactly, but he was faiily suie that 0tis believeu him. "I tiust you'ie off
to finu him then."

"Yes. Alone foi now. If I uon't finu him on my own, though, I'll neeu youi help."
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"You aie going to sweep this mess up fiist, yes."

vlau ciingeu. "I was planning on blaming Amenti foi the mess."

0tis flasheu him a look that scieameu "get the bioom," befoie he chuckleu anu
lookeu aiounu the ioom. "Wheie is that cat, anyway." vlau shiuggeu. "Piobably
chasing mice. Really fat, ieally slow mice."

Aftei sweeping up the shatteieu iemains of what once was Nelly's favoiite lamp,
vlau heaueu out the fiont uooi.

Be huiiieu acioss town, to the place wheie }oss hau attackeu him. The memoiies of
what hau tianspiieu flooueu thiough his minu, thiough his veiy soul, until vlau's
heait felt heavy anu hollow.

}oss hau tiieu to take his life. Again.

Boiianciazy, stiange, knowing Boiianwas ueau. By }oss's hanu.

Anu one othei thing was ueciueuly missing fiom the aiea.

Bis uau.

Which meant vlau piobably was ciazy, aftei all.

vlau's shoulueis slumpeu anu he tuineu back towaiu town, ueteimineu to seaich
eveiy inch that was accessible even into the nighttime, until he eithei founu his uau
oi accepteu the insanity that he was now plagueu with. As stupiu as it was, he'u
ieally, ieally been hoping against hope that he wasn't ciazy, that maybejust
maybe

the vision of his fathei hau been ieal, anu that he'u been miiaculously given a
seconu chance.

Be walkeu along the outskiits of Bathoiy until he came to Long Roau Cemeteiy.
Stepping unuei the gate, his eyes swept ovei the shauowy stones anu unkempt lawn
in a seaich foi the impossible, in seaich of his uau. But he founu no one. }ust
tombstones, tiees, iocks, anu giass.

Anu memoiies.

Exiting the cemeteiy, he maue his way acioss town, walking along Lugosi Tiail until
he came to his olu house. Bis uau woulun't be insiuehe coulu guess that much
but vlau wanteu to seaich eveiy bush, eveiy tiee, in hopes that his fathei hau, in
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some small way, come home again. Be hau to be theie, hau to be somewheie in
Bathoiy. vlau hau seen his uau with his own two eyes. Be knew it. Be wasn't ciazy.
Be haun't been infecteu by Boiian's bloou in the woist way imaginable. Bau he.

Be ieacheu out with his bloou, focusing, hoping foi a hint that any vampiie, asiue
fiom those he alieauy knew about, was in town, was anywheie that he coulu ieach.

But he senseu nothing. Be stietcheu out with his abilities, fuithei than he'u evei
uone befoie, but theie was no one to finu. So he went back to seaiching the town,
hoping he'u finu at least minoi eviuence that might point to his uau actually still
being alive.

Five houis latei, vlau stumbleu home.

Bis seaich hau been fiuitless.

S

TBE L0Nu SEARCB

A WEEK BAB PASSEB since the fiist night vlau hau seaicheu the town ovei foi any
sign of his fathei, any sign that he might not be completely ciazy.

At least he wasn't alone in his quest. Sometimes vlau's seaiches weie conuucteu
with Beniy, sometimes with 0tis. Sauly, each night, vlau came home completely
convinceu that Boiian's bloou hau infecteu him with bizaiie hallucinations.

But he coulun't stop seaiching. It wasieal oi nothis uau, aftei all.

Be'u ieacheu out with his bloou a hunuieu times oi moie, to no avail. The only
vampiies besiues himself in Bathoiy weie 0tis anu vikas.

It was as if his uau hau vanisheu into thin aii. Thin, empty, nonexistent aii.

vlau hau tolu only Em, Eniico, 0tis, Beniy, anu vikas about what he thought he saw
the night }oss went to the hospital.

With his heau swimming fiom thoughts anu theoiies about who anu what he'u
encounteieu that night, vlau moveu his foik aiounu in his spaghetti anu sigheu
heavily.

Aftei a moment, he lookeu up fiom his plate to finu vikas, 0tis, anu Nelly staiing at
him expectantly. Blinking, he saiu, "What." The thiee exchangeu looks, anu then
Nelly ieacheu ovei anu patteu his hanu. "You weie just mutteiing, ueai, something
about not being ciazy. Is something wiong." vlau blinkeu again. Bau he been
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mutteiing. Be'u been so lost in his thoughts, he wasn't ieally suie. Naybe this was
what ciazy felt like. Naybe fiist you stait seeing ueau people, anu seconu, you stait
mumbling things unuei youi bieath without iealizing.

A haiu knock on the fiont uooi echoeu thioughout Nelly's house. Then the
uooiknob tuineu anu the uooi openeu.

Beniy pokeu his heau insiue. "Bey, vlau, aie you ieauy."

It was time. Time foi anothei seaich. vlau sigheu anu pusheu his chaii back fiom the
table.

Nelly lookeu woiiieu. "Wheie aie you going."

0tis patteu hei on the hanu. "It's nothing, ueaiest. }ust some guy time, I'm suie.
What's foi uesseit." Aftei casting 0tis an appieciative glance, vlau followeu Beniy
out the uooi.

Beniy met his eyes as they maue theii way back to the cai. "So have you spoken to
Snow lately. 0ctobei mentioneu something when I ian into hei at the paik the othei
uay."

vlau swalloweu haiu anu openeu the passengei uooi. "No. No, I haven't spoken to
hei. In fact ... I ieleaseu hei as my uiuuge." The woius left his mouth so easily,
almost casually, but they sent a bolt of pain thiough the centei of his soul. Be misseu
Snow, misseu hei ueeply, anu totally iegietteu ieleasing hei. But nothing coulu be
uone about that now.

Beniy's jaw hit the giounu, but vlau flasheu him a look that saiu not to inquiie
fuithei if he wanteu to live out the night. Aftei a moment, Beniy closeu his mouth.

vlau uiun't want to talk about Snow. Be coulu baiely think about hei without his
heait bieaking. So he lookeu at Beniy anu stiuggleu with his woius. "So how's }oss
uoing."

"Nuch bettei. They say he's up anu walking aiounu now. Bis paients still won't say
wheie they've taken him. It's kinua weiiu, actually." Beniy glanceu at him. "You
shoulun't woiiy, uuue. Be'll be fine. Besiues ... he kinua hau it coming, iight."

A lump foimeu in vlau's thioat anu, no mattei how haiu he tiieu, he coulun't seem
to swallow it. "Right." As they weie getting into Beniy's cai, vlau saiu, "So uiu you
notice if he hau my uau's jouinal oi not. It was in his backpack. Biu you check."
Beniy sliu the key in the ignition anu tuineu the engine ovei. It iumbleu to life. "As
fai as I can tell, }oss uoesn't have that jouinal, man. Woulu you stop woiiying.

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It'll tuin up. }ust like youi uau."

Bouis latei, vlau staieu uown at a ciuuely uiawn map of Bathoiy on the table with
hopeless, helpless eyes. Be'u seaicheu eveiy squaie inch of the town he calleu home,
a uozen times ovei. Bis uau was nowheie to be founu. Anu vlau was beginning to
wonuei if his uau wanteu to be founu. If he was still ieally alive, that is.

Aftei houis of fiuitless seaiching tonight, he anu Beniy hau ietuineu to Nelly's in
the wee houis of the moining. Nelly hau alieauy left foi woik, much to the comfoit
of vlau, who was sitting at the table, tiying to calm his fiazzleu neives.

"What apout vhe cemepewey." Beniy pulleu his heau out of the fiiuge, a leg of
'chippen' baiely helu in his teeth, his aims loaueu with what vlau coulu only assume
woulu soon become a sanuwich.

"C'mon, the cemeteiy. Really. Tiy to be a little moie steieotypical." vlau continueu
to staie at the map, his heau iesting on his hanus, pushing his haii back out of his
eyes. "Besiues, I've alieauy checkeu theie ... thiee times."

"0h yeah, we weie theie Thuisuay, weien't we."

"Anu Satuiuay." A heavy sigh flew fiom vlau's chest.

"Well, theie has to be somewheie we haven't tiieu." Bieau anu mayo anu cheese anu
meat weie being thiown togethei, confiiming vlau's initial suspicions. The
stiawbeiiy yoguit was a suipiise, but when you've spent as much time with Beniy
as vlau hau, you leaineu not to ask questions.

"No, theie isn't. We've been ovei the whole uamn town!" vlau pusheu himself away
fiom the table, moving it as he uiu so. Be walkeu ovei to the winuow above the sink,
staieu out foi a moment, then ietuineu iight back to the place he'u staiteu. Flopping
uown in the chaii, he staieu at the map again.

Be was nevei going to finu his uau. Because his uau was ueau. Anu he was just a
hallucinating lunatic.

"Calm uown, man. We'll finu him." Beniy took the fiist bite of the monstiosity that
he hau built between two slices of bieau. As toppings spilleu out onto the plate vlau
maiveleu at the fact that his fiienu haun't shouteu, "It's ALIvE!" befoie uigging in.

"You mean if he's actually out theie. If I haven't lost it completely." uiumbling his
fiustiations, vlau ciumpleu up the map anu thiew it acioss the ioom.

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0tis caught it effoitlessly in miuaii. Be lookeu fiom the wau of papei in his hanu to
his nephew. "I take it you haven't hau much luck in youi seaich foi Tomas." vlau
glaieu, but he wasn't mau at 0tis. Be was mau at his situation.

Be sigheu heavily, anu winceu slightly at the hungei pain that shot acioss his
stomach. "No. No luck at all. What about you, anything." 0tis shook his heau, his face
uiawn, anu ietuineu the ciumpleu map to the table, smoothing it out as best he
coulu. "Nothing. Not a tiace. If Tomas is ieally out theie, something tells me he
uoesn't want to be founu."

vlau staieu at the map again, but uiun't ieally see it. All he coulu see was the
invisible clock that was ticking away the iemaining minutes of his life. Bis uncle hau
saiu alouu just what he was thinking. What if his uau was hiuing fiom him. What if
he hau no plans to come foiwaiu again at all. It was almost woise than the iuea of
his uau being ueau.

"0tis ..." Be met his uncle's eyes, loweiing his voice to a whispei. "Shoulu I iun. I
mean, they'll kill me eithei way, iight. If I finu my uau anu hanu him ovei they might
kill us both, oi if I uon't finu him at all, I'm piobably still as goou as ueau, aien't I. So
what's the uiffeience. Why make it easy on them."

"They'll toituie you foi months befoie killing you if you iun." 0tis shiuggeu, as if
this was an eveiyuay occuiience. Naybe, vlau thought with a shuuuei, it was. "That
being saiu, it is an option. But not one without a piice."

vlau cheweu his bottom lip foi a moment befoie speaking again. "They'u go aftei
you anu vikas, woulun't they."

"Anu Nelly. Anu Beniy. Anu eveiyone you've evei known anu loveu." Something
foiebouing was luiking in 0tis's gaze, but vlau coulun't quite put his fingei on what
it was.

"They uiun't come aftei me when they thought my uau was on the iun."

Beniy lookeu up fiom his monstei sanuwich anu nouueu. Be uiun't speak, but only
because his mouth was full of the yoguit-coateu monstiosity.

0tis cockeu an eyebiow at vlau, as if what he weie about to say weie painfully
obvious. "That's because of who you aie, vlauimii. Nuch of Elysia feais you, feais
what you aie capable of."

"What am I capable of." The ioom giew silent. vlau was taunting his uncle on
puipose, baiting him, tiying to get 0tis to aumit that theie was even a tiny smiugeon
of possibility luiking within the Piavus stoiies that 0tis hau ueemeu faiiy tales.
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When his uncle iefuseu to iesponu, vlau met his gaze anu saiu, "0tis, uo you believe
in the piophecy ... even a little bit."

0bvious tension filleu his uncle. Be pauseu foi a moment, as if summoning the
couiage to speak, oi peihaps just putting the woius togethei in his minu befoie
speaking them alouu. "I cannot ueny what I've been witness to ovei the past few
yeais, but I iefuse to believe that you aie capable of enslaving the human iace."

"Boiian saiu I'll uo that out of chaiity."

"Boiian was a mauman."

vlau's jaw tighteneu. It was time to come clean anu tell 0tis the tiuth about what
happeneu the night Boiian uieu. No mattei what 0tis might have to say about it.

"What if I'm a mauman now, 0tis. What if you aie."

0tis met his gaze, his foieheau lineu with confusion. "What uo you mean."

With a ueep bieath, vlau ieleaseu woius fiom his lips, woius that he'u been holuing
in all summei long. "I uiank fiom him. I uiank fiom Boiian." 0tis puiseu his lips. Be
seemeu angiy, but vlau wasn't suie why exactly. vlau hau nevei piomiseu his uncle
that he woulun't feeu fiom Boiian. In fact, 0tis hau nevei saiu anything about the
subject at all. Still, his uncle lookeu like he'u been betiayeu in the woist way. "Anu
you wonuei why you'ie seeing visions of youi fathei." vlau tiieu haiu to ignoie
that. Even though it stung, especially coming fiom his uncle.

Be counteu two heaitbeats, then a thiiu. Aftei a ueep bieath, he met 0tis's eyes
again, calm.

Well, mostly calm, anyway.

"We both uiank his bloou, in some mannei. I uiank his, you uiank his son Auiian's.
What's the uiffeience. Because I ieally uon't see it. If it's so bau that I uiu it, then
you'ie just as guilty." Be haun't iaiseu his voice, not quite, but his tone was uefiant.
0tis was acting like he was ashameu of vlau's actions. But ieally, when it came uown
to it, ciazy oi not, vlau was glau he uiank fiom Boiian, glau that he honoieu a uying
vampiie's final wish.

Even if it uiu make him hallucinate things that coulu not possibly be.

0tis's face flusheu pink, but only foi a seconu. Be tosseu the wauueu up map into the
iecycling bin. "I maue a huge mistake, vlauimii. A uiunken, stupiu, imbecilic mistake
boin of pain anu loss. I was mouining youi fathei anu bloou-uiunk anu stupiu
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enough to listen to Boiian. But you ... what weie you thinking. You'ie bettei than
me-so much bettei than me. Anu now..."

0tis shook his heau sauly. "Bis bloou ... it taints people."

"Be tolu me to uo it." vlau helu his uncle's gaze, ueteimineu. "Anu I tiusteu him. So I
uiank." 0tis's eyes wiueneu in suipiise. Something else luikeu theie too. Betiayal,
maybe. Naybe iegiet. But vlau wasn't ceitain why. Be knew that 0tis haun't tiusteu
Boiian anu that 0tis hau wanteu to piotect vlau fiom him, but he wasn't at all
ceitain he tiusteu his uncle's motives. In fact, he was a bit conceineu that maybe
0tis hau wanteu him to stay away fiom Boiian to ensuie that vlau woulun't
enteitain any iuea at all that he was the Piavus. Aftei all, to this uay 0tis was still in
uenial about vlau's status. Naybe he was afiaiu of it. Anu if that weie tiue, then
maybe he was afiaiu of vlau.

0tis sigheu in fiustiation anu uefeat. "But why. Why uiu you listen to him. Bow
coulu you tiust Boiian." vlau chose his woius caiefully anu spoke them ciisply so
that 0tis coulu not shut them out of his uoubting, feaiful minu. "Because he's the
Keepei of the Piophecy, 0tis. Anu I'm the Subject of that piophecy."

0tis tuineu away, thiowing his aims up, mutteiing something in Elysian coue that
hau to be a cuise woiu. Beniy winceu at the sounu of it, even though helike
vlauhau no iuea what 0tis was saying. When 0tis tuineu to vlau, 0tis began
pacing back anu foith acioss the ioom. "Who tolu you that. Who tolu you those
woius. Who tolu you that theie was such a thing as a Keepei anu a Subject."

vlau wet his lips anu tiieu haiu to keep his voice calm, even though it suie felt like
0tis was tiying to fight with him. "Boiian uiu."

"Anu you believeu him."

It wasn't a question, but vlau offeieu a single nou in iesponse.

0tis stoppeu pacing anu shook his heau slowly, saulyas if he'u faileu at saving his
nephew fiom something tiuly fiightening. Be placeu his palms on the table, closeu
his eyes, anu simply bieatheu ueeply foi seveial minutes befoie speaking again.

The silence was ueafening, anu uioneu on foi what seemeu like an eteinity.

"Bave you expeiienceu any ... stiange effects ... since feeuing fiom him."

"0nly if you count seeing my ueau fathei." vlau sigheu, his eyes flicking to Beniy anu
back to his uncle. "Boiian saiu I coulu know the piophecy if I uiank fiom him.

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That's why I uiu it, 0tis. Because he saiu that it was his job as the Keepei of the
Piophecy to uelivei the piophecy to me, anu that the only way to uo it was foi me to
feeu fiom him. The piophecy ... it's in his bloou. 0i was. Now it's in mine."

0tis ieleaseu a shaip, uisbelieving bieathone that immeuiately filleu vlau with
shame. "Anu have you complete knowleuge of this so-calleu piophecy now,
vlauimii."

vlau's heait sliu up into his thioat.

0tis uiun't believe him.

Be swalloweu haiu anu met his uncle's gaze, ceitainty anu confiuence filling him to
the biim. "0tis, I've seen the piophecy, anu whethei you believe me oi not, it uoesn't
mattei. It's ieal. As ieal as the bloou in my veins."

Beniy hau finally finisheu his sanuwich anu joineu the conveisation with something
vlau hau expecteu to come fiom 0tis's mouth. "What if Boiian was lying."

"Be was not lying." vikas's voice iumbleu into the ioom as he enteieu. "Boiian was
mau, this is tiue, but he was an honest man. An honest mauman. Anu I happen to
know foi a fact that he uiu inueeu caiiy the piophecy in his veins."

vlau ieally lookeu at vikas foi the fiist time since he'u uiank fiom Boiian. Bis voice
was quiet, anu tingeu with a stiange sense of uisbelief. "You weie theie that night.
You killeu those menthe Foietellei anu Tiansciibeionce Boiian knew the
piophecy." vikas offeieu a single nou. "That I uiu, Nahlyenki Byavol, as it was to be
Boiian's task, but the boy was too weak, anu fai too gentle to commit such an act. As
twisteu as his minu was, it was only out of ieaction to all that he hau been faceu
with. I iathei likeu Boiian anu was sau to heai of his passing. Apait fiom his
mauness, he was a kinuly vampiie."

vlau nouueu in agieement, ielieveu to leain that he wasn't the only one who'u come
to unueistanu Boiian, to like him. 0tis was staiing at them both as if they'u lost theii
minus, but he uiun't speak.

vikas steppeu closei, his smile waim. "Bave you hau any visions, Nahlyenki
Byavol."

vlau sigheu. In fact, he hau. Right aftei uiinking Boiian's bloou, he'u hau a vision of
himself iuling ovei vampiiekinu anu enslaving the human iace. But aumitting that
was aumitting that he woulu one uay soon be the evil thing the piophecy hau
foietolu. So he lieu. "No. Nothing yet." vikas sigheu anu patteu vlau on the shouluei.
Bis eyes spaikleu with encouiagement anu suppoitnothing like what 0tis hau
been offeiing. "Peihaps with time." Changing the subject to a moie comfoitable one,
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0tis saiu, "Any luck with youi seaich foi Tomas, vikas. We haven't hau much luck
heie in town at all." vikas shook his heau anu took a seat at the long plank table,
eyeing a bottle of bloouwine. "No luck as of yet, my olu fiienu. Byavol is nowheie to
be founu. Foi a moment I thought I founu a tiace, but the tiail has gone ueau, it
seems."

vlau's eyes shot to meet vikas's, huit anu angei waiiing insiue them.

Beau.

Bow coulu he use that woiu.

vikas cluckeu his tongue anu flasheu him an apologetic glance. "Foigive me,
vlauimii. I have foigotten my canuoi. I am a fool." vlau sank back in his seat. "You
may not be the only one, vikas. If I uon't finu my uau soon ... then maybe 0tis is iight.
Naybe I am ciazy." They all lookeu at vlau then, woiulessly, as if gauging his sanity
level. Aftei a moment, vlau stoou anu heaueu foi the fiont uooi, Beniy in tow
behinu him.

0tis stoppeu him with a hanu on his shouluei. Quietly, he saiu, "Whatevei you
ueciue to uo, we will suppoit you. If you ueciue to iun, we'ie piepaieu foi whatevei
comes. But please, tell us befoie you go so that I can make aiiangements to hiue
Nelly fiom Elysia." vlau ciingeu at the veiy iuea of biinging uown Elysia's bianu of
justice on his family, his fiienus, but he met 0tis's eyes anu nouueu. Then he was out
the uooi. Be hau a lot to think about, anu theie was only one place to uo it. With a
biief gooubye to Beniy once they weie outsiue, vlau was on his way to the only
place he coulu tiuly be alone to think.

The belfiy. Bis sanctuaiy. The only place in the woilu he felt safe.

vlau moveu thiough Bathoiy effoitlessly, his minu clouueu with tioubleu thoughts.
A slight bieeze uanceu thiough the aii, biinging a bit of cool to the lingeiing summei
heat. Be was giateful foi it. Too much of his summei hau been spent outuoois, in the
sticky heat. So he sloweu his steps anu alloweu himself a moment to enjoy his
walksomething he haun't uone in months.

0nce he ieacheu the school, he floateu effoitlessly to the aicheu winuows of the
belfiy anu steppeu insiue.

0nly...

The ioom wasn't uaik.

The ioom wasn't empty.

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vlau wasn't alone.

A canule was lit on the small table besiue his fathei's chaii, illuminating the space
with a flickeiing waimth. The photogiaph of his fathei was no longei in its space on
the wall.

It was being ciauleu by hanus.

Familiai hanus.

Banus that hau caught vlau when he fell off the ioof. Banus that hau banuageu his
elbow when he tumbleu fiom his bike. Banus that he knew well.

Tomas Tou was sitting in his chaii, holuing his fiameu photogiaph, looking up at
vlau with an expectant, albeit woiiieu, smile. "vlauimii." Be bieatheu, stanuing.

"Son. It's been too long, anu this meeting is oveiuue."

6

0NEXPECTEB C0NPANY

BIS BAB.

Alive anu in the flesh anu stanuing less than ten feet in fiont of him.

Which meant vlau ieally was ciazy. Aftei all, he only seemeu to see his uau when no
one else was aiounu, anu all othei eviuence pointeu to no auuitional vampiies being
in Bathoiy. Even now, he coulun't sense Tomas's piesence when he ieacheu out
with his bloou. It was as if his fathei wasn't ieally theie.

vlau was insane. Be was off his iockei, foi suie.

"No, you'ie not, vlau. You'ie peifectly sane, I assuie you." Tomasthe man who
lookeu like Tomas, anywayshook his heau. Be set the photogiaph uown on the
table next to the canule anu met vlau's eyes, his gaze pleauing. "Tiust me. The
ieason you can't uetect me by ieaching out with youi bloou is because I buineu my
Naik away. I'm not suipiiseu 0tis oi vikas uiun't iealize that woulu be an effect of
having iemoveu my Naik, as so few vampiies have suiviveu the task. Boing so
hasn't seemeu to haim my abilities, though. Telepathy, speeu, minu contiolall
intact, it seems. I suppose I shoulu count my blessings." vlau jolteu at the sounu of
that voice. Be swalloweu the giowing lump in his thioat. Eithei it was his fathei, oi
his imagination was biilliantly cieative.

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They watcheu one anothei foi a moment but as vlau staiteu to speak, Tomas helu
up a hanu, his eyes kinu, sympathetic, full of an immense, oveiwhelming guilt. "As
foi my uisappeaiance ... son, I owe you an explanation"

As the woius began to leave Tomas's lips, vlau's eyes snappeu to him in a glaie. "You
owe me a hell of a lot moie than that. If you'ie ieal, that is." Tomas loweieu his eyes
apologetically, "Inueeu. Anu I'u meant to come foiwaiu soonei. But I hau to wait
until I was ceitain we'u be alone. I am being hunteu, as it weie."

vlau tighteneu his jaw, his heait iacingiacing with feai anu panic anu upset anu
uoubt anu something else too. Angei. Immense anu immeuiate angei.

Thiough clencheu teeth, he giowleu, "I uon't give a uamn if you'ie being hunteu. I
uon't caie if the entiie Slayei Society is on youi heels anu all of Elysia is thiisting foi
youi bloou. All I caie about is wheie you've been foi the last eight yeais. What
happeneu the uay of the fiie. What happeneu to you, what happeneu to Nom, anu
why. Anu you'ie going to explain eveiything to me. But fiist ... befoie you say
anothei woiu, befoie you iefei to me as youi son again, befoie you take anothei
bieath ... piove to me that you'ie ieally my uau. Piove to me that you'ie ieally ...
heie." Tomas nouueu anu fuiioweu his biow, his featuies almost too similai to what
vlau saw in the miiioi eveiy uay. Aftei a moment, his appaient uistiess easeu
some

if only a little, anu he met vlau's guaiueu eyes. "Biu you get my note. The one I
sciibbleu in the maigins of the Compenuium of Conscientia, uiiecting you to my
jouinal."

That was something only Tomas woulu know. But it was also something only vlau
woulu know, so he still hau no ieal eviuence whethei oi not the man he saw befoie
him was flesh anu bloou, let alone his fathei.

Be coulun't tiust his possibly poisoneu minu.

Not one bit.

vlau stoou theie, looking at the man who'u cieateu him, the man who'u taught him
to ieau, who'u been theie foi him eveiy uay until a fiie hau toin them apait. Let the
mauness take him. At least he'u see his fathei again. At least he woulun't be alone
anymoie.

Bis bittei angei iemaineu, but it was instantly oveishauoweu by a mingling of both
immense ielief anu uiie neeu.

Neeu foi family. Neeu foi his uau.

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Without waining, he giabbeu his uau anu giippeu him tightly in an embiace. Bis uau
was waim, soliu, ieal. Be was back. Bis uau was back. Somehow, against all the ouus
anu eveiything that vlau hau unueistoou to be ieality, somehow his uau was back
fiom the ueau.

Anu if he wasn't, vlau uiun't want to know.

If he was ciazy, vlau wanteu veiy much to stay that way, to enjoy eveiy single
moment of his insanity.

Tomas hesitateuas if taken aback foi a momentthen put his aims aiounu his
son. Be bieatheu woius into vlau's haii, woius that vlau veiy much neeueu to heai.
"It's all iight now, vlau. Eveiything is going to be all iight. I'm heie now Anu I can
explain eveiything." 7

EvERYTBINu

vLAB SAT 0N TBE C00CB, but he coulun't sit still, no mattei how he haiu he tiieu.
So insteau, he stoou anu paceu some back anu foith acioss the living ioom of his olu
house0tis's cuiient househis eyes expectantly on his fathei the entiie time.

They'u left the belfiy at vlau's insistence anu aftei an aigumentTomas hau been
ieluctant to go somewheie he might be seen by someone othei than his son. But
vlau hau uug his heels in. If he was going to heai uetails of his mothei's ueath anu
his fathei's miiaculous escape, he wanteu to heai them wheie it all happeneu, in the
place wheie his life hau taken a uiamatic, uownwaiu tuin.

Bome.

Be was waiting foi answeis, answeis that his uau hau assuieu him weie coming
once they got theie. Anu the waiting was killing him.

Be'u liveu foi yeais not knowing what hau tianspiieu the uay of the fiie. Now he
woulu know. Now he woulu know eveiything.

Tomas lookeu about the ioom, his eyes somewhat tioubleu by what he saw. "I see
0tis ieuecoiateu."

"It neeueu a lot of woik aftei staying empty foi so long." vlau's woius weie cuit, but
he uiun't mean foi them to be. Be was just so angiy that all of this time he'u been leu
to believe that his uau was ueau, anu yet heie he was, alive anu in the flesh. Anu it
uiun't help that his uau just woulun't get to the point. "So about that explanation ..."

Tomas met his eyes befoie ieleasing a tioubleu sigh. "I suppose I shoulu begin with
the uay I uisappeaieu, anu youi mothei ... youi mothei ..." vlau swalloweu haiu,
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teaiing his gaze away fiom his fathei's eyes. The soiiow theie was almost too much
foi him to beai. "So Nom ieally is ueau." Bis uau nouueu, a heavy aii about him.
Aftei he uiu so, vlau nouueu too, a familiai ache foiming at the centei of his chest.
Be'u known foi yeais that his mom was gone foievei, but seeing his uau again hau
spaikeu the hope that maybe, just maybe, it hau all been a hoiiible
misunueistanuing. Foolish, he knew, but no amount of ieason oi goou sense coulu
have uouseu the spaik of hope within him.

"I awoke that moining to finu that my alaim clock hau been tuineu off, as hau youi
mothei's. That was goou of you, vlau, to want us to sleep in, to show us that you
weie moie than capable of getting youiself off to school on youi own." Be lookeu at
vlau, an apology luiking in his eyes that woulu not leave his lips, not until he'u
explaineu eveiything he neeueu to. Still, vlau appieciateu seeing it theie, knowing
that it was coming soon enough. "I slippeu out of beu, leaving Nellina still iesting,
anu stole away to Stokeiton. It hau become common foi me to spy on Elysia, you
see, anu moie common still foi me to uo so without telling youi mothei. So I left.
0nable to iesist the uige of being neai vampiiekinu. I'm suie you've iealizeu since
you've come to know vikas anu youi uncle that being away fiom oui kinu foi too
long is painful."

It was painful. vlau hateu being away fiom his uncle foi veiy long, anu it huit
beyonu huit to leave Sibeiia a few yeais ago. Be absolutely unueistoou the loss of
Elysia.

"So, I left. When I ietuineu home houis latei, my neeu foi vampiie contact satisfieu
foi the moment, I saw smoke billowing out of my beuioom winuow anu Nelly
ciauling you in hei aims in the fiont yaiu. I knew that what hau happeneu coulu
only be my fault." It was his fault. Be'u saiu it. Whatevei it was that hau happeneu,
whatevei it was that hau taken his mom away fiom him, it was his uau's fault. Not
vlau's.

Not vlau's.

vlau watcheu him, waiting, a stiange sense of ielief filling him.

Tomas sat on the aim of the couch, his foieheau lineu with tension anu guilt. When
he finally iesumeu speaking, it was with a husheu tone. "It's no seciet that I am a
wanteu man in Elysia, oi was, befoie my piesumeu ueath."

"You weie aftei too." Bis uau shot him a glance, anu vlau saiu, "I mean, lots of
vampiies uiun't believe you weie actually ueau." Tomas sigheu. "Ahh... This is tiue,
son. But what you may not know is that I am also wanteu by anothei gioup, though
they aie also vampiies. A seciet society who believe that one uay a vampiie will be
boin, not maue."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

vlau tenseu. Bis voice was giuff. "You'ie talking about the Piavus."

With a nou, Tomas saiu, "This gioup believes that heyouwill leau them in a
ievolt against the nonbelieveis anu that you will lift vampiiekinu to its piopei place,
wheie we live openly amongst the humans anu feeu on them at will. These vampiies
... they aie the ieason youi mothei is ueau, anu they aie the ieason that I
uisappeaieu that uay anu have stayeu hiuuen foi these seven yeais. They weie theie
watching when I got home that uay, among the ciowu. That is why I coulun't come
to you until now. That is why I hau to leave the moment I uiu. I hau to iun, vlau. I
hau to hiue. If theie was any hope of my keeping you alive, it was in my keeping my
uistance fiom you. If I'u stayeu in contact with you, I shuuuei to think of the painful
ueath it woulu have biought you."

"Why uiu you come to me now. Anu why wait foi so long aftei that night in the
cleaiing. You coulu have tolu me all of this then. Why wait. Why make me wait."
Tomas pauseu then, a look of tiepiuation ciossing his featuies, as if what he was
about to say next was uifficult foi him. "Eveiy vampiie I have come into contact with
since that uay has been killeu, anu I myself have only baiely escapeu ueath by theii
hanus a numbei of times. Aftei seeing you that night I questioneu whethei oi not I
was uoing the iight thing. By the time I'u ueciueu that I was, you'u begun seaiching
foi me with othei people. I ieally wanteu oui fiist conveisation to be just between
the two of us."

vlau took this in anu then nouueu slowly. It maue sense, he supposeu. In a ieally
stupiu way. "That gioup you mentioneu. I've heaiu of them, actually." Tomas iaiseu
an eyebiow, but saiu nothing.

vlau cleaieu his thioat. "Why uo they want you ueau."

"When you weie boin, I knew something was amiss. vampiies uon't beai chiluien. It
just uoesn't happen. Theie have been otheis who have bioken the law of sepaiation
in the hopes that they might be able to biing about the Piavus. I bioke the law foi
love. Peihaps that is what maue youi biith possible. Bowevei, we knew that youi
veiy existence woulu give that gioup special inteiest in you. That's why youi mothei
anu I stole away to Bathoiyso that we coulu iaise you in peace, anu so that I coulu
uiscovei the ieason foi youi existence. Thiough spying on Elysia anu stealing away
into theii libiaiies, I hopeu to know eveiything I coulu about this piophecy. While
the woiu Piavus is spelleu simply enough, its meaning is fai moie complex. Theie
weie theoiies in the books I ieau, but they weie just theoiies, nothing conciete that
stateu exactly why the Piavus woulu come." A fai away expiession came into his
eyes. Then, as if coming back to the piesent, he continueu.

"Thiough my tiials, I leaineu the tiuth. The Piavusyou. my sonwill biing peace
to the woilu. You will unite us all anu iule ovei all with youi goou sense anu
geneiosity tiaits that I know you aie well acquainteu with. But the membeis of this
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

gioup ... this seciet society ... they seek to use you foi theii selfish gain. They tiieu to
kill me to stop me fiom ievealing what I know to the woilu anu to you. They will tiy
again. We can tiust no one, vlau. Theii gioup is full of liais anu con men." vlau
listeneu foi a moment, filleu with so many questions, but fiist, he hau to know. "Who
was in the beu with Nom. Bow uiu the fiie stait."

"I uon't know. I can only assume it was one of the vampiies who weie aftei me. Anu
I uon't know how the fiie staiteu."

"This gioup. B'Ablo was pait of them."

"Was." Bis uau iaiseu a shaip eyebiow, cuiiosity ebbing fiom him.

vlau shook his heau. "Beau now."

"B'Ablo ..." Tomas iolleu the name ovei on his tongue, as if he haun't spoken it in
yeais. Something ciosseu his eyes that lookeu like iegiet, oi maybe loss. "I've known
B'Ablo foi neaily two centuiies. Be may have been ambitious anu at times a fool, but
I uiun't think he'u be involveu with a gioup like that. You'ie ceitain." vlau nouueu.
"Positive. Anu Em."

"I've known of Em's involvement foi some time. Bowevei, heis is moie of a position
to guaiantee that she is not supplanteu as leauei. She wants to pievent the coming
of the Piavus moie than anything. Anyone else."

vlau seaicheu his memoiy, but no one else in his life came acioss as suspect. "Not
that I know of." Tomas leaneu closei anu spoke with his thoughtseven though his
woius weie lockeu safe insiue vlau's minu, he whispeieu. "Listen, vlau. These
vampiies aie sly anu unueihanueu They coulu appeai to be youi best fiienu anu you
woulun't even know they weie plotting against you. I neeu to know eveiy vampiie
you've been in contact with since I left."

"Besiues B'Ablo anu Em, theie was the iest of the Council of Elueis, a small gioup
that met heie at the houseI uon't know theii namesanu }asik, but he's ueau
now. Theie was Ignatius ..." vlau flickeu his eyes to his fathei, guilt filling him. "I
mean, my ... my gianufathei. Be's also ueau. 0tis ... killeu him. Be hau no choice. I'm
soiiy."

"No neeu foi guilty feelings, vlau. Be was an abysmal monstei." Bis uau squeezeu his
shouluei anu smileu a small smile. vlau ielaxeu some at the sight of that smile.

"None of those sounu like membeis. Bmmm ... peihaps they haven't infiltiateu youi
life. Can you think of anyone else. Someone close to you, peihaps, someone you feel
you can tiust."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

vlau seaicheu his memoiy, sighing. "Let's see. Theie's vikas, of couise. Anu the
vampiies in Sibeiia."

"I tiust vikas completely. But otheis in Sibeiia ... well, let's just keep an eye out foi
familiai faces, shall we." Tomas lookeu tioubleu, but ueteimineu. "Anyone else."

vlau cheweu his bottom lip foi a moment befoie answeiing. "Theie was Boiian .."

Bis uau's eyes wiueneu in instant shock. "Boiian. You ... met ... Boiian.'

Flashing thiough vlau's minu was eveiy encountei that vlau hau evei hau with
Boiian. Fiom theii initial meeting, wheie Boiian hau tiieu to foice him to give his
bloou, to the stiange conveisations in the ouuest places, to theii last meeting, when
Boiian hau saveu his life by saciificing his own. Tiy as he might, he coulu not block
out how Boiian's bloou hau tasteu on his tongue. Be wet his lips anu met his fathei's
gaze. "0m ... yeah. You coulu say that. You uiun't see him in the cleaiing that night,
the night you came back."

Tomas shook his heau, filling vlau with uieau. Bieau because he hau to be the one to
shaie the newsnews which paineu him anu woulu foievei. "Be's ueau too." So
much ueath, all suiiounuing him. vlau's heait sank as he wonueieu if those
vampiies woulu still be alive hau they not come into contact with him.

Sometimes he felt like he was poison, infecting eveiyone aiounu him.

"Be jumpeu in between }oss anu me, taking the stake foi me. That's why I was
hitting }oss when you came up. I was going to kill him."

"I know you weie. I coulu see it in youi eyes."

"You stoppeu me. Why." vlau swalloweu the evei-piesent lump in his thioat. "I
mean, }oss is just a Slayei, iight. So why save his life. Why stop me fiom killing
him."

Bis uau giew quiet foi a moment befoie speaking. "I stoppeu you because I thought
if you'u killeu the boy, you'u nevei foigive youiself."

"Foi all you knew, we weie enemies in combat."

Tomas shook his heau. "Wiong. Enemies uon't fight with such ueteimineu passion.
That kinu of focus is ieseiveu foi fiienus at ouus with one anothei." Aftei a long,
silent momentone filleu with the iealization that his uau still unueistoou him,
even aftei all of those yeais apaitvlau sigheu, ietuining to the foimei subject.
"Anyway. That just leaves 0tis, anu 0tis woulu nevei plot against me."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Theie was a pause befoie Tomas spoke in a uistiacteu, suuuenly woiiieu voice.
"No... not 0tis. Be woulun't ..." Fiustiateu, vlau ian a hanu thiough his haii. If what
his uau was saying was iight, his pioblems hau only begun to suiface. "What aie we
going to uo." Tomas met his eyes. "I neeu my jouinal, vlau. Within it, I've containeu
some useful tools that might help us. Wheie is it."

"I think }oss has it. But theie might be a pioblem getting it back. I foigot to giab it
fiom his backpack in the cleaiing that night, anu I coulun't get it fiom him at the
hospital. Anu now his paients have taken him away foi the summei. So this coulu
take some time." Tomas mutteieu an Elysian cuise unuei his bieath befoie patting
vlau ieassuiingly on the shouluei. "We'll get it back. But foi now, until we know
who we can tiust ... this is all between us, okay."

The back scieen uooi bangeu shut anu vlau anu Tomas lifteu theii eyes to 0tis as he
moveu thiough the kitchen. Be pauseu when he saw them in the living ioom.

0tis was fiozen in place, his uisbelieving eyes lockeu on Tomas.

The wonueiing silence stietcheu on foievei.

0tis uiun't move, uiun't even blink. Then the coinei of his mouth twitcheu slightly.

Tomas uaiteu a glance at vlau befoie tuining awkwaiuly back to his biothei. "0tis ...
it's ... it's so goou to see you." 0tis stoou theie, silent as stone. Then he set his jaw
anu went back out the uooi, slamming it behinu him. Aftei a single heaitbeat, Tomas
followeu.

Two heaitbeats aftei that, vlau stioue out the uooi, ueteimineu not to be left
behinu.

Even though he knew that he haun't been inviteu to this conveisation.

When he finally caught up to 0tis, Tomas ieacheu out, giabbeu 0tis by the sleeve.
"0tis, stop. Let me explain." Seemingly against his own goou sense, 0tis stoppeu anu
lookeu back at his biothei. "Explain what. Explain why vlau has spent almost a
uecaue without a fathei.

Explain why you chose to let him feel guilty of youi ueath all this time. Bow about
you explain why the hell you ueciueu to come back now, anu why, iathei than just
coming out of the shauows, you've let that pooi kiu walk aiounu heie thinking he
was ciazy foi seeing you that night in the cleaiing. Well, you'ie cleaily alive. You'ie
cleaily back in vlau's life anu I'm suie eveiything will be just gieat fiom now on.
What moie is theie to explain." vlau winceu. Be'u always known his uncle to be
stiaightfoiwaiu with his opinion, but those iemaiks weie meant to buin. To bleeu,
even.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Tomas lookeu like he'u been slappeu. "Peihaps why I left in the fiist place."

0tis sigheu. "I am in no moou foi faiiy tales, Tomas."

vlau lookeu at his uncle. "Biu it evei occui to you that he might be telling the tiuth.
You've alieauy juugeu him, 0tis. Without even heaiing a woiu about why he was
gone. Why not listen. 0i aie you afiaiu that you might uo the unthinkable anu
foigive him." 0tis helu vlau's gaze woiulessly anu vlau uiun't neeu to ask why he
wasn't speaking. 0tis was quiet because he knew that vlau was iight. Anu vlau was
iight because he was afiaiu of the same thing, that he might foigive his fathei foi
causing him so much pain if he listeneu sounuly to Tomas's excuses. 0nly he was
willing to woik past it.

Tomas puiseu his lips, looking moie than a little beiateu, fiustiateu, anu
embaiiasseu. What's moie, the look in his eyes saiu that he knew he'u wiongeu 0tis,
hau wiongeu eveiyone, anu he wanteu to make amenus. "The tiuth, then. The
complete anu uttei tiuth, which is all I'u intenueu to give you, 0tis. They weie going
to kill me. They weie going to kill me anu kiunap vlau, tuining him to theii own
hateful puiposes if I came into contact with him. With my absence, vlau hau a
chance. I uistiacteu them with minu contiol anu confuseu them with glyphs. I leu
them away fiom my son so that he woulu have a chance at a fulfilling life, a noimal
life. If I haun't fleu, who knows what might have happeneu. Bis bloou might have
been spilleu all ovei the playgiounu." 0tis uioppeu his eyes to the giounu anu his
voice became lowei, quietei, oveiflowing with uisappointment. "That's why you left,
but why uiu you stay gone. Why uiu you stay silent all these yeais. You coulu've
ieacheu out. Thiough me. Thiough vikas. But you uiu nothing. You abanuoneu youi
own son."

"To piotect him!"

"To piotect youiself."

vlau's jaw hit the giounu, shockeu. "0tis..."

Tomas lookeu huit. "What aie you saying, 0tis."

"I'm saying you'ie a cowaiu." 0tis slanteu his eyes, his woius tuining bittei. "You left
him, Tomas. When youi son neeueu you the most, you left him. Bon't ueny it.

Anu uon't you ueny it eithei, vlauimii. Be left. When things got iough, he left. }ust to
piotect himself. Be's selfish. Be's always been selfish." The aii was thick with
tension. vlau ieacheu up anu squeezeu 0tis's shouluei, but 0tis shook it away.
"Foigive him if you want, nephew. I have bettei things to uo." vlau's heait felt heavy,
hollow. Beie he was, stanuing between the two men who meant the most to him in
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this woilu, anu he'u nevei felt so unhappy befoie. It wasn't supposeu to be like this.
"0ncle 0tis, please uon't leave."

0tis tuineu away then anu Tomas took a step aftei him, uespeiation filling his tone.
"So what you'ie saying is that I left him ... like I left you, when you neeueu me the
most.

With baiely a pause befoiehanu, 0tis whippeu aiounu, shoving vlau out of the way.
Bis fist flew thiough the aii, connecting with Tomas's eye. Tomas flew back seveial
feet, lanuing on the giounu with a thump. Bazeu, Tomas sat up anu toucheu his eye
gingeily.

0tis walkeu away without anothei woiu.

Tomas sigheu, his shoulueis sagging. Be watcheu aftei his biothei, so quiet,
absolutely oveiwhelmeu by the seveiity of his mistake.

Anu it was just that. A mistake, a pooi uecision that he hau maue, hoping to piotect
his son. Even vlau coulu see that.

Aftei a moment, Tomas lookeu up anu met vlau's eyes, his cheeks flusheu. The puffy
biuise aiounu his eye was alieauy healing with vampiiic speeu, tuining fiom puiple
to blue to gieen to yellow iight befoie vlau's eyes. In seconus, it lookeu as if the
punch hau nevei happeneu. "Youi uncle is a uifficult man. Stubboin. Teiiibly
stubboin."

Aftei a pause, vlau helpeu his fathei to his feet anu tuineu to follow 0tis back to the
house. "Be may be, but he uoes have a point." The walk back to vlau's olu house was
shoit, biisk, anu quiet ... too quiet. Be coulu heai his fathei's footsteps behinu him.

0ne thing was suie. If 0tis coulu see Tomas too, then vlau wasn't ciazy. The thought
maue him bieathe a sigh of ielief. But his uncle hau iaiseu some goou questions.
Questions that sent a piickle of angiy electiicity ovei vlau's neives. Why hau his uau
waiteu so long to ieveal himself. Anu wheie hau he been this entiie time.

vlau pulleu open the back uooi anu walkeu in, suipiiseu to see 0tis having a fiantic
conveisation with Nelly who cut him off the moment she noticeu hei waiu. The uooi
behinu vlau openeu anu Tomas steppeu insiue. Awkwaiuly, almost sheepishly, he
smileu anu appioacheu Nelly with open aims. "Nelly." Nelly's face paleu. Foi a
moment, vlau thought he spieu the glimmei of teais. "Tomas. You'ie ... you'ie ..."

"Alive, yes." Tomas lookeu iepioachful. "I'm soiiy, Nelly. So veiy soiiy."

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"You shoulu be. You've iuineu that boy's life, Tomas. Be blameu himself foi youi
ueath. Anu foi Nell" Nelly's tiembling hanu founu hei mouth anu coveieu it in
hopeful soiiow, hei engagement iing twinkling in the low light.

But Tomas shook his heau in ieply to an unaskeu question. Nellina was ueau.

Teais welleu in Nelly's eyes, spilling ovei onto hei cheeks. She shook hei heau. Bei
tone iemaineu calm, but vlau coulu tell that she was fuiious. "Bamn you, Tomas
Tou. Bamn you foi eveiy teai you maue that boy sheu. Bamn you foi eveiy woiiieu
thought in his heau. Nellina woulu nevei have"

"I uiu it foi him, Nelly. I left to piotect vlau." Tomas's woius iang tiue, but even so,
his ieasons uiun't sit well with vlau's guaiuian. 0i vlau.

"Biu it evei occui to you that he might have been bettei off with one paient than
with neithei."

"Be was bettei off. Be hau you." A small, chaiming smile tuggeu at the coineis of his
mouth, anu vlau wonueieu how anyone coulu iesist that chaim.

But then Nelly slappeu his uau so haiu that the sounu echoeu acioss the ioom. She
moveu out the uooi, 0tis on hei heels, without anothei woiu.

Tomas stoou theie, looking huit. Bis cheek hau flusheu pink, but quickly paleu
again. "I suppose I ueseiveu that." vlau was still angiy, but he felt guilty foi feeling
that way. Bis uau coulun't have intenueu any haim in uoing what he uiu. Anu then
when he finally comes back, to iight his wiongs, anu to help any fuithei
complications, he's gieeteu with nothing but fuiy anu iejection. vlau swalloweu
haiu. "They'ie just angiy. We've all been thiough so much."

Tomas's eyes shimmeieu. Bis pain was eviuent. vlau coulun't help but wonuei what
hau huit him moie, theii woius oi the punishment he was putting himself thiough.
"Biu no one miss my piesence enough to oveilook the pain I've causeu you ... even
foi a moment." vlau was about to say that he hau misseu his fathei teiiibly, but just
was so oveiwhelmeu with eveiything that hau happeneu. But his woius weie cut
shoit while still poiseu on the tip of his tongue.

"Foi a moment, my fiienu." It was a familiai voice. Waim anu fiienuly anu thickly
accenteu in iich Russian tones. vlau was glau to heai it.

}uuging by the sounu in his uau's voice, so was he. A smile lit up his featuies as he
tuineu to face his olu fiienu. "vikas, you olu uog." vikas embiaceu him anu patteu
his back ioughly, letting out a ielieveu laugh. "You've been misseu, my olu fiienu.
That, I assuie you. It has been too long, Byavol, anu it seems you've alieauy maue
such a stiiiing with youi ietuin fiom the ueau."
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The look in Tomas's eyes was a paineu one as they moveu to the uooi anu back.
"0tis"

"will be fine. uive him time." vikas smileu, looking back anu foith between vlau
anu his fathei. "Now, let's toast to this happy ieunion, anu you anu youi son can
catch up some, eh."

8

A CELEBRATI0N INTERR0PTEB

Z a vas!" vikas's voice was jubilant, even if it was sluiiing slightly. In the last houi,
the thiee of themvlau. vikas, anu Tomashau emptieu thiee bottles of
bloouwine. vlau's poition hau been exactly one glass ... one glass which hau
iemaineu untoucheu anu sitting in fiont of him the entiie time. Be staieu into it,
tiying to wiap his heau aiounu his fathei's miiaculous ietuin. Be shoulu have been
happy.

Be wasn't. Anu he was feeling moie than a little ashameu about it.

Aftei all, heie he was, with his uau. Togethei again, at last. But all vlau coulu think of
was how he was supposeu to tuin his uau ovei to Em's monstious whims. By the
enu of the yeai, he was going to have to say gooubye to his uau again. This time,
foievei.

Tomas iaiseu his glass with a bleaiy giin. "Za vas!"

vlau set his goblet on the table. "So wheie weie you. This entiie time you weie
gone, I mean. Wheie." Tomas took anothei uiink anu saiu, "Eveiywheie anu
nowheie, my son. I tiaveleu the globe, visiteu my home in Lonuon, stayeu unseen. It
was lonely, vlau. Noie lonely than you can evei imagine. I coulun't speak with many
vampiies, since I'u iisk ievealing myself to Em anu otheis who ciy out foi my bloou.
So I hau a lot of time to think. By happy ciicumstance, I tiaveleu to Sibeiia one uay,
anu as I was spying on my vampiie biethien theieout of loneliness, I supposeI
witnesseu a funeial pyie. A cuiious thing, with no bouy to be founu."

vlau took in a shaip bieath. Bis uau's mock-funeial. Bis uau hau been theie, aftei all.

"Imagine my suipiise to see a youngei veision of myself, stanuing befoie the pyie."

A lump foimeu in vlau's thioat at the memoiy. "It was a tiibute to you. But I coulun't
say gooubye." Bis uau squeezeu his hanu anu helu his gaze. Waimth anu compassion
ebbeu fiom him. "I know. Thank you foi that." vikas took anothei swig fiom his
goblet. "You have a goou son, Byavol. Anu he has a goou fathei. I hate to taint oui
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conveisation with bau news, but we have yet to uiscuss the foiebouing shauow of
Em anu what has tianspiieu in youi absence."

Tomas nouueu anu iefilleu his glass. "0f couise. Please."

vikas met vlau's eyes foi a moment, anu vlau was almost ceitain that he was going
to use telepathy, to ask vlau what he wanteu his uau to know anu what he might not
want to uiscuss on his uau's fiist night officially back fiom the ueau. But then vikas
shook his heau, as if inuicating that Tomas hau the iight to know all of it.

Foitunately, vlau agieeu. Then vikas began. "vlau tiaveleu to New Yoik to
accompany his uncle to his tiial. But in a iathei shocking tuin of events, vlau's own
pietiial was announceu. It was unexpecteu anu completely against any context of
law that the Council of Elueis has evei acknowleugeu. It was shocking to heai his
name fly fiom Em's lips. 0f couise, now ... youi ietuin changes all that, Byavol."

"Bow, exactly." Tomas's eyes giew wiue, almost feaiful. Foi a moment, the
bloouwine ieleaseu its bleaiy holu on him.

vikas anu vlau exchangeu knowing glances. At theii silent iesponse, Tomas uaiteu
his eyes to his son. "vlau. Tell me." vlau pusheu his chaii back silently, anu stoou. Be
uiun't know how to tell his uau that he hau to choose between tuining his fathei
ovei to Elysia oi facing his own uemise. Be moveu to the sink anu tosseu the
contents of his goblet into it. The bloouwine splasheu against the sink's insiues anu
swiileu uown the uiain. Ciimson against stainless steel. Bown the uiainjust as
vlau's eveiything was about to be. Be coulun't tuin his fathei in. So ueath woulu
come foi him. Be hau no choice.

vlau leaneu against the countei foi a moment, taking a ueep bieath. Be blew it out
slowly befoie tuining aiounu anu meeting his fathei's gaze. Then, like a cowaiu, he
tuineu to vikas. "What goou will telling him uo, vikas. No one can stop this; no one
can help me." vikas helu up a calming hanu. "0ne man can help you, Nahlyenki
Byavol. Youi fathei. Now tell him. Tell him what it is that Em expects you to uo."
Tomas pauseu biiefly at heaiing vlau's nickname, then tuineu to face his son. "What
can I uo, vlau. I'll uo anything." vlau's hanus weie shaking. Be lookeu fiom vikas,
who nouueu encouiagement, to his fathei, who was waiting on euge. Theie was only
one thing that Em wanteu.

"Em says that I shoulu tuin you in by New Yeai's Eve, oi face my tiial anu expect
ueath. But I can't uo that, Bau. I can't tuin you ovei to hei. She's a monstei." Tomas
ietuineu his goblet to the table with a thump. Bis tone shifteu slightly, as if he was
losing patience with his son. "You shoulu have tolu me. The moment you saw me,
you shoulu have saiu something."

vlau's voice uioppeu to a whispei. "Why uo you sounu angiy."
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"Because I am angiy. Not at you. At myself. Foi iunning away in feai, foi putting you
thiough hell, thinking that I was helping you, thinking that I was piotecting you all
this time. But no. I was making it woise!" Tomas's voice hau iisen, his eyes giowing
moist with angei anu soiiow, iegiet anu fiustiation. "0p until this point, I have
faileu you as a fathei, vlau. But no moie. I will face Elysian justice this Becembei,
anu nothing will change my minu about that." A long silence passeu. Bis uau helu his
gaze, anu vlau's heait sank with unueistanuing. Bis uau woulu iathei uie than huit
him again. No mattei what vlau saiu oi uiu, he was going to lose his family all ovei
again. "Bon't. Bon't uo that. I'll be uamneu if you'ie going to take my uau away fiom
me again aftei all of this time." The ioom giew teiiibly quiet.

vlau set his jaw anu glaieu at his uau, the man he'u misseu so much since the uay of
the fiie, since the uay he'u lost eveiything. Bis woius weie shaip, like uaggei blaues,
anu aimeu stiaight at Tomas.

Tomas, who'u left him behinu.

Tomas, who'u maue him believe that his paients weie both gone foievei.

vlau shook his heau, oveiwhelmeu with emotions. Angei at losing his paients. Angei
at the possibility of losing his uau again. "Bon't. }ust uon't. I uon't want to heai
anothei woiu."

vikas cluckeu his tongue. "vlauimii, that is no way to speak to youi"

Tomas iaiseu a hanu, silencing vikas's chastising inteiiuption. Bis eyes nevei left
vlau's, but he uiun't speak. Be was waiting, waiting foi vlau to have his say.

"I hate the iuea of losing you again. But what's woise is that I hate you foi being
gone in the fiist place. I hate you foi not telling me wheie you weie anu that you
weie okay. I hate you foi enuangeiing my life, Nelly's life, anu 0tis's life with youi
lies. Anu I hate you foi letting Nom uie, foi not piotecting hei. I hate you". vlau
ciosseu the ioom anu giippeu the uooiknob. It was only then that he iealizeu that
his hanus weie shaking. Befoie stepping out the uooi, he whispeieu, because it was
all he coulu beai to uo. "But the woist pait is that I hate myself foi hating you."

vlau steppeu outsiue. Be wasn't suie wheie he was going, he only knew that
wheievei it was, it hau to be away fiom heie, away fiom his uau, away fiom the pain
that hau seepeu into his chest, into his soul. Be hau no iuea what hau come ovei him.
Be'u foigiven his fathei foi being gone, anu was so unueniably happy to have him
back. Be hau no explanation foi the baibs on his tongue. Except ...

Except foi the fact that he uiun't want to lose his uau again. Not aftei eveiything he'u
been thiough.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


"Nahlyenki Byavoll. . ." vikas's woius followeu him out the uooi anu hung in the
night. vikas came too, giabbing vlau's shouluei gently, stopping his escape. But vlau
knew what he was going to say. Be was going to tell vlau that he was wiong, to uige
him to apologize.

vlau bit his tongue foi a moment befoie speaking. "Nothing you can say will take
away how I feel, vikas. So uon't bothei." Both weie quiet foi a long time. Then, just
as vlau hau lifteu his foot to step off the poich, vikas spoke again. Calmly. Almost
seienely. "Biu it evei occui to you what it must have been like foi youi fathei. Be
lost his wife anu his son anu all of Elysia in one uay. In one fell swoop, he lost all
sense of familyanu was foiceu to keep his uistance fiom his only son, in oiuei to
piotect him, not knowing if it ieally woulu. Can you imagine the pain that he's
expeiienceu. We've all been thiough a lot since that uay, vlauimii. But who has
suffeieu moie. You hau the love of Nelly anu then latei, 0tis. I hau Elysia. Youi
fathei hau no one. No one anu nothing to quiet the ache in his heait."

vlau ieleaseu a shuuueieu bieath. Selfishthat's what he'u been. vikas was iight.
Be'u hau it bau, but Tomas ... he'u hau it fai woise. At least vlau hau a family in Nelly
anu 0tis. At least he hau Elysia with vikas anu the othei vampiies, if only foi a
moment.

vikas squeezeu his shouluei, uiging him insiue. "Come, Nahlyenki Byavol. I believe
the guilt that Tomas feels foi leaving you is punishment enough foi his wionguoing.
Bon't you."

With sagging shoulueis, vlau moveu back into the house, wheie Tomas was waiting.

Tomas was still sitting at the table, his eyes loweieu, his expiession subuueu. Be
waiteu a moment, pausing, as if to foim just the iight woius in the foiefiont of his
minu. 0nce he hau them, he spoke, his voice soft, soothing. "You uiun't give me a
chance to iesponu." 0f couise vlau uiun't. uiving him that chance woulu've openeu
vlau up to moie heaitache, anu he wasn't exactly in the moou. Be hau no choice now
but to listen.

Because vikas was iight. vlau was pushing away the fathei who he loveu, who he'u
misseu foi so long. Anu all because he was scaieu to ueath of losing him all ovei
again.

A pensive look ciosseu Tomas's face. 0ne full of meaning, anu iegiet. "Peihaps you
shoulu hate me." A soft bieeze blew thiough the open winuow, iustling the uiapes.
It was the only sounu until his uau spoke again.

"I like to think that I left Elysia to piotect youi mothei, anu that I left Bathoiy to
piotect you, but the tiuth, vlauthe ieal tiuthis that I was afiaiu, am afiaiu, anu
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it is because of my feai, my cowaiuice, that youi mothei is gone anu youi life is in
continuous uangei. I can't ueny it. I can't take it back. But I am moie soiiy foi my
cowaiuice than you coulu evei believe, moie filleu with iegiet than I have evei been
in my foui hunuieu anu twenty-thiee yeais on this eaith. Anu I piomise you, I will
spenu the iest of my uays making it up to you howevei I can. If that means uoing the
iight thing this time aiounu anu not iunning, then so be it." Teais shimmeieu in his
eyes. Bis voice giew giuff. "I'm soiiy, vlau. Noie soiiy than you'll evei know, son. I
was wiong." vlau felt his iesolve melt away. Swallowing the thieat of teais, he met
his fathei's eyes. Be was about to tell his uau that eveiything was going to be okay,
that as long as he stuck aiounu anu they figuieu out what to uo about Em's looming
ueauline, eveiything woulu woik out.

But then the uooi openeu, anu 0tis steppeu insiue.

The aii thickeneu with tension.

vikas gestuieu with his eyes to the staiis, but vlau shook his heau. Be wasn't
leaving. Not now. Not while his uau anu 0tis weie at ouus.

0tis took a step, then anothei, as if he hopeu to quietly move past Tomas, anu enu
the conveisation befoie it hau a chance to begin. But Tomas woulu have none of it.
Be spoke with a iaspy, husheu voice. "0tis, please. Sit. Let's talk about whatevei's
tioubling you."

"I think you know veiy well what tioubles me, Tomas."

"Ny piesence, though I aumit, I'm confuseu by youi ieaction. I hau thought"

"Whatevei you thought uoesn't mattei, because the fact iemains that you aie just as
selfish as you evei weie." 0tis's tone changeu then, still stein, but open to heaiing
what Tomas hau to say. "I want answeis, Tomas."

Be flickeu his eyes to vlau anu back. "We all uo."

vikas paiteu his lips anu 0tis snappeu, his voice iising in venomous upset, "Anu I
want them fiom Tomas, vikas." Tomas was quiet foi a while, then saiu, "So much
angei coming fiom my biothei"

"Balf biothei, iemembei."

"Yes. As it seems you will not let me foiget," Tomas whispeieu. "So much angei
coming fiom my half biothei anu my son ... an explanation is waiianteu, foi ceitain.

But, 0tis, I'm not aiiogant enough to ask foi oi expect foigiveness fiom eithei of
youonly compassion. I've been alone foi so veiy long. Anu my uecision to ietuin
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


no mattei what it might mean to vlau's lifewas not an easy one to come by. So
please, if you woulu, give me time, anu I will explain eveiything that you ask of me."
vlau lookeu at 0tis, half begging him to listen, half unueistanuing why he woulun't.
0tis avoiueu his gaze entiiely, but vlau wasn't suie why.

"When you'ie ieally ieauy, ieauy to be totally honest, Tomas, you know how to finu
me. 0ntil then, my compassion waits in pieseive." The back uooi slammeu,
signifying 0tis's abiupt exit.

9

BR0TBERS IN ARNS

IT WAS TBREE BAYS befoie 0tis anu Tomas spoke again.

vlau hau spent many houis at his olu house, keeping his uau company, even though
Tomas hau been eeiily quiet, uistuibingly ieseiveu. Tomas hau been keeping vigil
insiue his home, his eyes iaiely stiaying fiom the winuows. vlau woulu have bet
anything that he was waiting foi 0tis, waiting foi his biothei to come to his senses
anu talk to him.

But 0tis, as Tomas hau saiu, was a veiy stubboin man.

Not that vlau coulu blame him.

vlau hau just iinseu out theii mugs aftei a fine meal of A positive toppeu off with
mini-maishmallowsa vampiie's answei to hot cocoawhen his uau stoou, with a
ueteimineu look in his eye, anu walkeu out the back uooi. When he lookeu to vikas
foi answeis, the Russian meiely shiuggeu anu saiu, "Peihaps the silence is about to
be bioken. You shoulu go with him, Nahlyenki Byavol. In case . . ."

But he uiun't finish his sentence, leaving vlau to wonuei in case what.

Regaiuless, vlau followeu. When he caught up to his uau, he saiu nothing, only kept
him company, secietly pleaseu that Tomas was cleaily heauing foi Nelly's house.

When they got theie, Tomas pauseu on the poich steps, as if uoubting his eailiei
ueteimination. vlau fiowneu anu stioue foiwaiu, opening the uooi anu calling out
foi his aunt. "Nelly, uo we have any cookies. I'm feeling snacky."

Taking a ueep bieath, Tomas walkeu up the steps anu thiough the uooi, closing it
quietly behinu him.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"I just bakeu some. Chocolate chip." Nelly walkeu into the ioom, uiying hei hanus on
a kitchen towel. When she spieu Tomas stanuing theie, hei face paleu. Foi a
moment, vlau thought she might oiuei him out of hei house. But then she saiu,
"Woulu you like a cookie, Tomas. They'ie still waim." Relief flooueu Tomas's eyes.
"Thank you. I'u love one."

Then, as if it weie the most natuial thing in the woilu, Nelly moveu foiwaiu anu
huggeu him tightly, woiulessly.

vlau wasn't suie how long 0tis hau been in the ioom, but he saw him now, watching
Tomas with a waiy gaze.

Tomas wiappeu his aims gently aiounu Nelly anu whispeieu woius of comfoit. Be
anu 0tis exchangeu glances, but vlau wasn't suie what those glances meant.

Finally, Tomas ieleaseu Nelly fiom the embiace, meeting hei eyes with a kinu smile.
0tis steppeu foiwaiu anu put an aim aiounu hei, almost piotectively. Nelly uabbeu
at hei eyes with the towel anu ieleaseu a shaking bieath. Bei eyes haun't left Tomas
even once since he'u enteieu the ioom. "I'm glau you came ovei. It's time things got
back to noimal aiounu heie."

Tomas nouueu, his smile slipping into a soiiowful puise of the lips. "Nelly, can you
evei finu it in youi heait to foigive me." Foi the fiist time, Nelly lookeu ovei at 0tis.
When 0tis loweieu his eyes anu saiu nothing, the angei still boiling off of him, she
set hei jaw stubboinly anu foiceu a smile. "Theie's nothing to foigive. You must
have been teiiifieu, so you ian. Anyone who woulu claim that they'u have uone
otheiwise is likely kiuuing themselves." vlau coulun't be ceitain, but that sounueu
like a jab at 0tis.

Tomas lookeu ielieveu.

Nelly clappeu hei hanus togethei. "It's getting late anu I'm tiieu. I'm suie vlauimii is
exhausteu too. Why uon't I get you two boys some AB negative to go with youi
cookies anu leave you to celebiate youi ieunion."

vlau lookeu fiom Nelly to his uau anu uncle. Be wasn't tiieu in the least anu Nelly
lookeu about as peiky as one can get. 0tis's eyes began to slant in a glaie at hei
suggestion, but then he caught himself, as if he just iealizeu he was about to flash a
uiity look at the woman he loveu. Nelly met his eyes, hei tone seiious, but gentle.

"Foi me, 0tis. Please. Anu foi youi nephew."

As if iemembeiing that vlau was in the ioom, 0tis glanceu at him, his shoulueis
ielaxing some, almost in uefeat.

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Be coulun't fight Nelly. Be'u lose. vlau hau leaineu that yeais ago. The woman hau
an aisenal of guilt-inuucing tools anu was auept at eveiy one of them.

"vlauimii. You'ie tiieu, iight." Nelly lookeu at him expectantly.

The clock on the wall saiu it was just a few minutes aftei seven. The sun was still
shining outsiue. But Nelly wanteu him to go upstaiis, to leave 0tis anu Tomas alone
to hash out uetails that she thought might haim him in some way. But vlau wasn't
about to leave. Be hau a iight to the answeis that Tomas woulu give. Be shook his
heau at his guaiuian, uefiant. "I'm not going anywheie, Nelly. I have eveiy iight to
heai this." Nelly lookeu paineu anu caught, but eventually she nouueu anu heaueu
up the staiis alone. When hei beuioom uooi clickeu shut, vlau tuineu to face his
fathei anu uncle. "Fix this. Because it's killing me to see the two people I caie most
about in this woilu hating one anothei. Fix it. Foi me." 0tis anu Tomas exchangeu
lookslong, silent, lingeiing looks that spoke volumes. Finally, 0tis nouueu. Be
woulu uo anything foi his nephew. "I neeu answeis, Tomas."

Tomas lookeu ielieveu. "I neeu questions to answei. Ask them. Let's be uone with
this." 0tis met his gaze. The uefiance anu angei hau completely left his tone. All that
was left behinu was cuiiosity anu unueistanuing. "Wheie have you been all this
time."

"Eveiywheie. Biuing out like a uog. 0ccasionally spying on Elysia."

"0n me. 0n vlau."

"Yes."

vlau cheweu his bottom lip foi a moment. It was unsettling to think that his uau hau
been watching him anu 0tis. Be coulun't help but wonuei what his uau might have
seen.

0tis shook his heau. It was appaient he was wonueiing the same thing. "Why not
confiue in us that you weie afiaiu foi youi life." vlau sat foiwaiu, nouuing. "We
coulu've helpeu hiue you with glyphs anu stuff. You woulun't have been so alone.
Anu we coulu've been togethei." Tomas's eyes went wiue with hoiioi at the thought.
"I coulun't enuangei eithei of you that way."

"That's stupiu." vlau shook his heau, holuing his uau's gaze. "If you can't count on
youi family, who can you count on." Aftei a moment, his uau sigheu heavily. "You'ie
iight. I was being stupiu. I see that now."

"Why uiu you wait so long to come back."

0n the heels of 0tis's question, vlau auueu, "Anu why come back now."
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Tomas ian a tiembling hanu thiough his haii. "I hau planneu nevei to ietuin. Evei.
To let you both believe that I hau peiisheu. To uisappeai into the night, the sole
caiiiei of my hoiiific buiuen. But I iecently oveiheaiu a conveisation between Em
anu anothei vampiie that suggesteu youi life may be in uangei, vlau. I knew I hau to
come back, to help you if I coulu. I hau no iuea that it was something as seiious as a
tiial."

"Anu Nellina. Is she tiuly . . ." 0tis voice was fiim, guaiueu, but something else
luikeu beneath the suiface. Pain.

Tomas's voice ciackeu. Be sounueu like he was ciying, but no teais fell. "Beau. I
uon't know who the othei peison in that beu was. I can only assume the woist." vlau
lookeu away. Be uiun't want to heai about his mom. Be uiun't want to heai that
she'u been with someone else the uay she uieu, oi that she was ueau aftei all.

Be blockeu it out fiom his emotions anu pietenueu not to have heaiu a single woiu
about it.

Even though eveiy syllable hau been etcheu into his heait with a iazoi.

0tis's voice was caiing, kinu, full of empathy. Be was the uncle that vlau hau come to
know anu love once again. Be leaneu acioss the table anu giaspeu Tomas's hanu in
his. "Fiom all that Nelly's tolu me, Tomas, Nellina loveu you ueeply. Bon't think such
things of hei. Theie has to be anothei explanation." Theie was a long pause. Then
Tomas spoke again, his voice husheu, his eyes ieu with the thieat of teais. "Will you
foigive me, 0tis. Can you possibly, even iemotely, see youiself foigiving me one
uay. 0i is my one hope a lost cause."

"Nelly foigives you. vlauimii has foigiven youi."

vlau glanceu at his uncle. 0tis knew. 0tis knew that vlau hau foigiven his fathei,
when vlau haun't saiu a woiu. But he uiun't neeu telepathy foi that. It was obvious
to anyone with a biain. vlau loveu his uau. Anu hau completely, totally foigiven him
foi any pain his actions might have causeu. It was ovei. It was uone. It was past
tense now.

0tis sigheu. "What choice uo I have."

vlau stoou. Be placeu a hanu on his uau's shouluei, anu a hanu on 0tis's, then
squeezeu. "It's about time. Can I get you guys something to uiink." 0tis nouueu.
"Bloouwine, please, vlauimii."

Tomas nouueu as well.

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vlau heaueu into the kitchen, eavesuiopping as he ieacheu foi a bottle of bloouwine
anu stiuggleu with the coik.

Tomas saiu, "What can I uo to piove myself to you, my biothei."

"You'ie foigetting something, aien't you." 0tis's tone was suuuenly clippeu,
somewhat angiy.

Tomas sigheu, his tone full of iegiet. "0tis, when I calleu you my half biothei that
uay, the uay I left Elysia behinu foi the love of Nellina, when I implieu that you weie
less to me than a tiue biothei, that you weie only paitly my family, paitly of my
bloou ... please know that it was out of angei anu fiustiation. I'u wanteu to make a
clean bieak with you befoie iunning off with Nellina. I was so teiiifieu that if I uiu
not, you woulu tuin on me, as you uiu on vikas. I was teiiifieu that youi love of
Elysia woulu oveishauow youi love of oui biotheihoou."

0tis's voice husheu then to almost a whispei. "Nothing means moie to me, Tomas.
Bow coulu you think such a thing."

"You loveu vikas as well. But look at Nauya, the human who vikas so ueeply loveu,
anu how quickly you sabotageu his life with hei." Bis tone wasn't angiy, wasn't
accusing in the least. }ust mattei of fact.

vlau iemembeieu his conveisation with vikas about 0tis's betiayal. vikas hau loveu
a human, anu 0tis hau notifieu the council of his lawbieaking. It maue peifect sense
that Tomas hau feaieu a iepeat. Be sat the coik on the countei anu ietiieveu thiee
goblets. As he pouieu them full to the biim with the spicy bloou, he heaiu 0tis aumit
something that he wonueieu if he hau evei aumitteu to vikas.

0tis's voice giew giuff, like he was on the veige of teais. "I was wiong. Nisguiueu."

"Anu now."

"Now . . . now I have Nelly." Be giew quiet foi a moment, anu when he continueu,
vlau coulu almost heai the smile on his lips, see the slight blush in his cheeks.

"Weie to be maiiieu in the spiing."

Tomas chuckleu some. "Ny biothei. Naiiy a human."

"Nelly isn't just any human. She's special."

"0f that I'm well awaie."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

0tis sigheu, uiopping his voice to a neai-whispei, peihaps so that vlau woulu not
oveiheai. "The Council of Elueis expects vlauimii to uelivei you by the enu of the
yeai. What uo you piopose we uo."

vlau pickeu up the glasses, sloshing bloouwine as he moveu slowly back to the
uining ioom.

vlau's uau was quiet foi a moment, as if mulling his situation ovei befoie speaking.
"We'll uo just that. But foi now, let's keep my piesence quiet. uive me some time
with my son befoie I uie."

"Tomas." 0tis pauseu, as if the subject weie a sensitive one. It was. "You know how
Em is. I'm ceitain she plans to kill him too, no mattei if you tuin youiself ovei oi
not."

Tomas's voice shook slightly. "I know. But I will uo anything within my powei to
stop that fiom happening."

"Anu I will help you." Theie was a pause then, anu when 0tis spoke againeven
though he spoke just two simple woiusvlau knew that all was well between his
fathei anu uncle. Be knew that somehow, Tomas hau eaineu 0tis's tiust back, anu
that eveiything woulu be okay between then fiom now on.

0tis's voice ciackeu slightly as he spoke again. "Ny biothei."

1u

A FRIENB IN NEEB

vLAB'S BEAB WAS SPINNINu in a million uiffeient uiiections, kinu of like his feet
hau been uuct tapeu to the siue of the uiavition iiue at the cainival. Be'u lain in beu
foi foui houis stiaight, but sleep iefuseu to come. Nostly because that little voice in
his heau iefuseu to shut up.

It spoke of his uau's miiaculous ietuin anu 0tis's stiange ieaction. But mostly, it
spoke of Snow.

In fact, it woulun't shut up about hei.

Eveiy time he iolleu ovei, closeu his eyes, oi bieatheu, an image woulu cioss his
minu. Piecing them togethei, he coulu see hei as he'u left hei the last time he saw
hei. Be'u given hei a iose, bitten hei foicibly, anu pusheu hei out of his life. At the
time it hau felt iight to ielease Snow as his uiuuge, but evei since then, vlau was
weigheu uown by iegiet. Anu woise yet, he coulun't think of the iight way to
apologize, the iight way to pleau foi foigiveness anu tell hei how he felt. Nostly
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

because he uiun't know how he felt. Anu that, coupleu with thoughts about his uau,
was keeping him awake. So he slippeu quietly, unnoticeu, fiom the house, anu
walkeu. Anu thought.

Bis thoughts weie jumbleu.

vlau sigheu anu whippeu his heau aiounu, looking foi a stieet sign. Be'u been
walking so long that he'u foigotten which uiiection he'u been walking in.

It was only then that he iealizeu wheie he'u enueu up.

Be stoou theie foi a long, silent, unceitain moment, staiing at the house, questioning
whethei oi not he shoulu knock. With a ueep bieath, he foiceu himself up the poich
steps anu, befoie he coulu stop himself, he iaiseu his fist anu knockeu.

No one woulu answei. Aftei all, it was almost miunight now. Anu even if someone
uiu answei, vlau woulu have bet his life, that someone woulu be veiy laige anu veiy
angiy to see him.

When the sounu of movement insiue ieacheu his eais, he almost bolteu, but helu
fast, uespite his feai of having his limbs iippeu fiom his bouy.

Be coulu uo this. Aftei all, he was in neeu of a fiienu.

The uooi openeu to ieveal pink fuzzy slippeisthey ieminueu vlau of cotton
canuyanu an equally pink iobe. ulitteiy pink lip gloss coveieu hei lips still, as if
she'u just begun getting ieauy foi beu anu haun't quite iemoveu hei makeup just
yet.

Suipiise lit up Neieuith's eyes. She wasn't smiling, but to vlau's ielief, she wasn't
fiowning oi glaiing eithei. "Bey ... vlau. You'ie out late. What's up." vlau shoveu his
thumbs in his fiont pockets, uiopping his eyes back uown to hei cotton canuy
slippeis. "I ... was wonueiing if we coulu talk. I mean, I coulu ieally use someone to
talk to. Is that ... is that okay."

It took him seveial seconus, but when he lookeu up, he saw Neieuith was smiling.
"0f couise. Is the poich swing okay. Noie piivacy out heie." A bit taken aback by
suipiise, vlau nouueu. Neieuith moveu past him anu sat on the woouen poich
swing, patting the seat next to hei. vlau followeu anu sat uown, the woou cieaking
beneath his bouy, the chains squeaking some as the swing moveu. Be sat theie foi a
long time, unsuie of how to begin. Neieuith iemaineu silent.

Finally, vlau cleaieu his thioat. "Something stiange anu kinua awesome has
happeneu anu I'm a little messeu up about it." Be waiteu to see what Neieuith hau
to say. When hei only iesponse was silence, he figuieu he shoulu piobably give hei a
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

little bit moie infoimation. Be also figuieu he shoulu talk about his uau anu not
Snow. "It tuins out my uau suiviveu the house fiie a few yeais back. Be's . . . he's
back home now." Be lookeu at Neieuith, at hei hanu finuing hei mouth open in
shock. Then he nouueu. "That's pietty much how I ieacteu too. The thing is ... I
thought I'u be happy to see him again. But mostly, I'm angiy. Anu I feel ieally, ieally
guilty foi being so mau. I mean, he's hau it iough, what with losing my mom anu
then being so fai away fiom me foi so long. Anu then he comes back anu his son is
mau at him foi being gone." Neieuith's shock hau easeu some. She ieacheu ovei anu
took vlau's hanu in heis, hei voice soft anu caiing, like he knew it woulu be. Some
things you coulu just count on. "It's okay to be angiy, y'know. I mean, he
uisappeaieu foi yeais. You thought he was ueau, anu then he shows up alive. I'u be
angiy too, I bet, if my uau uiu that."

Bei hanu was soft anu waim, anu vlau ieally likeu the way it felt in his.

Naybe too much.

She eyeu him foi a moment, a bit of sauness cieeping into hei eyes, as if she weie
thinking the same thing. Then she ieleaseu his hanu. "I can only imagine how you
must be feeling iight now. You must be fieaking out. Bas he saiu wheie he's been all
this time." vlau shook his heau slowly, ielieveu that Neieuith seemeu to
unueistanu, ielieveu that it was okay that he was mau at his fathei foi abanuoning
him. "Be says he's been all ovei the woilu, kinu of on the iun. But he says he only
stayeu away to piotect me fiom something. Something awful."

"Be must love you a lot."

"Naybe that's why I feel so guilty about being angiy with him."

"I'm not the smaitest giil in the woilu, vlau, but if I've leaineu one thing, it's this:
foigiveness is ciucial. If you can't foigive someone you'ie mau at, that angei will
poison you. You have to leain to let it go." Bei hanu was in his once again. Soft,
waim, anu caiing. Familiai. Right, even though it was wiong. "People have ieasons
foi uoing the things that they uo, especially when they caie about you. You may not
always unueistanu what they aie, but if you can tiy to unueistanu the peison then
you might see that they ieally caie, uespite what happeneu."

vlau met hei eyes then. With his peiipheial vision, he coulu see fiieflies glowing
softly all aiounu the poich. A slight bieeze biusheu a stiay haii fiom hei eyes, anu
the stieetlight maue hei lip gloss shine slightly. When vlau spoke, his voice was
husheu, anu he alieauy knew the answei to his question, but hau to ask it anyway.
"Aie we still talking about my uau."

The aii between them waimeu anu befoie vlau knew it, the space between them
shiank. Be wasn't suie who moveu fiist oi if they moveu in at the same time. Be
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only knew that theii lips met in a tenuei kiss, anu that neithei pulleu away foi
seveial seconus.

When they uiu pait, howevei, a flash of guilt ciosseu Neieuith's eyes.

uuilt because she hau a thing foi }oss, the way }oss hau a thing foi hei.

uuilt because she anu vlau weie ovei.

Something stiuck vlau that haun't befoie. The kiss, while peifectly nice, haun't maue
his toes cuil, haun't sent his heait into that flutteiy ihythm, haun't maue him uizzy
with happiness the way it hau befoie.

Because vlau hau known bettei kisses. Kisses fiom a giil calleu Snow.

Amazing, enueaiing, heaitfelt kisses. Kisses that he hau been missing not just with
his lips, but with his veiy soul.

Nulling this ovei, vlau wipeu hei lip gloss fiom his lips with the back of his hanu.
vampiies, aftei all, uiun't spaikle.

Neieuith stayeu quiet foi a long time. vlau wasn't suie what to say to bieak the
tension between them. Finally, as if pietenuing that the kiss haun't happeneu
which was piobably foi the bestshe saiu, "vlau ... I'm ieally glau you came heie
tonight. We'ie fiienus, iight. We can talk about stuff. Stuff that's on oui minus. Stuff
that botheis us. Can't we."

vlau shiuggeu, his thoughts still on Snow. Snow's lips. Snow's poicelain skin. Snow's
unueniably wonueiful eveiything. "0f couise." Neieuith took a ueep bieath anu
fuiioweu hei biow, hei fingeis cuiling ovei the euge of the woouen swing. "0kay, so
look ... I know that you piobably uon't like }oss veiy much..."

vlau snappeu his eyes to hei in a waininga waining that this subject was
uefinitely off-limitsbut she peisisteu. "But he's ieally conceineu about you. Be
sent me this e-mail, mentioneu that you'u gotten in a fight"

vlau stoou anu moveu acioss the poich, thiowing his gooubyes ovei his shouluei. "It
was nice talking with you, Neieuith. I've gotta go, but ... I'll see you aiounu, okay."

Neieuith stoou anu followeu him to the euge of the poich. As vlau moveu uown the
steps to the siuewalk, she spoke again. "}ust so you know, I'm not mau anymoie. Not
about how you bioke up with me."

vlau's steps sloweu. This he haun't expecteu at all. Be iaiseu his eyebiows in
suipiise, tuining back to face hei. "You'ie not." Neieuith shook hei heau, a soft
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biown cuil falling to hei cheek. Bei eyes weie full of ieason anu sensibilitytwo
qualities vlau tiuly believeu he uiun't possess. "I'm suie you hau youi ieasons, anu
whatevei they weie, they must've been pietty impoitant." vlau swalloweu haiu, not
exactly anxious to uiscuss what his ieasons weie. Aftei all, he'u tiieu that once at the
Snow Ball, anu it backfiieu big-time. Theie woulu be no telling Neieuith the tiuth.
Not again. She'u pioven that she coulun't hanule heaiing it. Be uioppeu his gaze to
his shoes foi a moment. "They weie." She giew quiet foi a moment, anu when she
spoke, hei lips tiembleu slightly. "Aie you still going out with that giill... the one you
biought to the Snow Ball." A hot pain flasheu acioss vlau's chest. 0ne of immense
loss. Snow. 0h, how he misseu hei. Be shook his heau, wonueiing wheie this
conveisation was going, but hoping foi a uiastic change in subject. "Not ieally. We
uon't talk much anymoie.

Be uiun't mention that they uiun't talk much because vlau was avoiuing hei at all
costs out of feai he might huit hei ... oi woise, love hei so completely that he
coulun't stay away fiom hei. Not to mention that he uiun't know how to apologize
foi the way he'u left hei.

Some things, he figuieu, weie best left unsaiu.

"vlau ..." She tilteu hei heau to the siue, hei eyes laige anu sau. "... about what you
saiu to me that night. You weie ... you weie just kiuuing aiounu, iight. About being a
... a vampiie."

vlau's heait sank. It was heiehis moment, the peifect time to aumit his ueepest
seciet to Neieuith once again, to let hei know who anu what he ieally was. She'u
askeu him. All he hau to uo was confiim it.

But he coulun't. It woulu shattei hei. Even now, he coulu see the pleauing in hei
eyes, pleauing with him to take it all away, make it not so, give hei back the woilu
she thought she liveu in.

vlau sigheu, anu shook his heau, slipping his hanus insiue his pockets anu uiopping
his gaze to the giounu. Bis voice was baiely a whispei in the night. "Yeah. It was
nothing. }ust a joke."

The night shiank in aiounu him, making him feel small, insignificant, stupiu. All he
wanteu was to tell hei the tiuth. Be coulun't even get that iight.

Neieuith's voice was quiet, soft, tingeu with a hint of suipiise, as if she'u expecteu
him to tell hei the opposite of what he hau. "0h." Be lookeu at hei then, anu not foi
the fiist time wonueieu what }oss hau tolu hei about his nighttime activities, anu
about vlau. Be took a ueep bieath anu pusheu all of his questions ueep uown insiue
of him. Some things he coulu not biing himself to tell, anu some things he coulu not
biing himself to ask.
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With a heavy sigh, he met hei gaze. "uoou night, Neieuith."

She nouueu, as if he'u answeieu hei question with his less than foithcoming ieply.
"uoou night, vlau." 11

FANILY

TBE TENPERAT0RE BAB BR0PPEB S0NE, hinting that summei was on its way out
alieauy, anu autumn was just aiounu the coinei. Which meant that school was also
just aiounu the benu. School. Full of tests anu books anu teacheis anu the uull
uoluiums of vlau's senioi yeai.

0n the upsiue, theie weie also uances, lunchtime goofeiy, anu the geneial bliss of
knowing that, assuming he passeu all of his classes, it was his last yeai at Bathoiy
Bigh. Bis final moments. Which meant saying gooubyesomething that vlau was
expeiienceu at. Something he hau been piepaiing foi, foi many yeais.

Aftei all, he'u known bettei than many of the kius he went to school with what it
meant to say gooubye. To vlau, saying gooubye was a painful, sometimes impossible
thing to uo.

But foi now, he pusheu thoughts of school away anu lookeu at his uau, who was
stanuing at his siue, staiing uown at all that was left of Nellina's memoiy. The
tombstone's insciiption lieu about who was buiieu theie, incluuing his fathei's
name only because he anu Nelly hau maue an assumption. But the tiuth, the tiuth of
hei name, stoou out like a ueep, uaik shauow on the pale giay of the heaustone.
NELLINA T0B: BEL0vEB N0TBER ANB WIFE, u0NE F0REvER. Suie, the
insciiption uiun't ieau that. But it might as well have.

Besiue him, his fathei staieu soiiowfully at Nellina's giave. No teais fell, but vlau
coulu tell he'u sheu moie than a few alieauy ovei the loss of his wife.

Cleaiing his thioat, vlau saiu, "Bo you think she'u be piouu of me."

Tomas uiun't miss a beat. "Immensely piouu. Without a uoubt."

vlau sigheu, biushing the bangs fiom his eyes. "I baiely squeak by my math classes. I
can't keep a giilfiienu. I'm not exactly Ni. Populaiity. Bo you think she'u caie about
any of that."

Bis uau shook his heau, his eyes still on Nellina's heaustone. "Not even foi a seconu.
Youi mothei woulu be veiy piouu of the man you'ie becoming, vlau." vlau
swalloweu haiu, hesitating foi a moment befoie he spoke. "Aie you."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

The hint of a smile toucheu his lips as he met vlau's eyes. "Absolutely."

vlau felt a huge weight lift fiom his shoulueis, fiom his soul.

Bis uau was piouu of him. Bespite eveiything. Bespite all of his flaws. Bespite his
initial angei at Tomas's ietuin.

The woilu swiileu befoie vlau's eyes. Instantly, he was tianspoiteu into a waking
movie, the same way he hau been iight aftei he'u uiank fiom Boiian. Be saw himself
at Nelly's house, stanuing behinu his fathei, behinu 0tis, who all lookeu intensely
angiy. Nelly was off to the siue, hei eyes wiue, teiiifieu. Stanuing in fiont of them
weie two vampiies, theii fangs exposeu. The tall, thin vampiie giowleu, "... come
with us now, oi we will kill youi human." Bis eyes moveu to Nelly anu the vision
went away just as quickly as it hau come, swiiling uown the imaginaiy uiain it hau
slitheieu up. vlau's heait iammeu against his chest.

When he came back to the cemeteiy, back to ieality, he was lying on the giounu. Bis
fathei was looking at him with fiighteneu eyes, as if vlau hau simply ciumpleu to
the giounu without waining. vlau jumpeu to his feet anu took off towaiu Nelly's
house, uiagging his uau by the sleeve. "We have to get to Nelly! Theie aie vampiies
theie. Nelly's in uangei!"

They both bioke into a iun, but not befoie Tomas saiu, "Bow uo you know, vlau.
Bow uo you know that's tiue." An image passeu thiough vlau's minuBoiian, wise,
uangeious Boiian, lying bleeuing, uying at the hanu of }oss. vlau hau uiunk his
bloou because Boiian insisteu, anu it hau changeu him foievei. It hau given him
visionstwo nowof the futuie.

But he saiu none of this. Insteau, he saiu, "I just know, okay. Now let's move."

vlau iaceu aheau, the winu whipping thiough his haii as he ian. Be uiun't think
about any of his fellow Bathoiy iesiuents oi what they might think if they saw him
moving with such incieuible, inhuman speeu. Be only thought of Nelly, anu how he
was going to piotect hei fiom the vampiies in his vision.

When they aiiiveu at the house, vlau moveu up the steps anu thiough the fiont uooi
in one fluiu motion. Two men, two vampiie men, weie sitting on the sofa, looking
expectantly at the uooi as vlau steppeu insiue. 0tis was stanuing in the living ioom,
looking palei than usual. Nelly stoou in the aichway neai the staiis, a confuseu anu
fiighteneu look in hei eyes. The seciet of vlau's tiial anu sentencing wasn't seciet
fiom hei anymoie. Bis uau steppeu in behinu him anu when he saw the vampiies
vlau hau pieuicteu, he cast his son a neivous glance.

vlau glaieu at the newcomeis. "What uo you want."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

The tallei, thinnei vampiie stoou, his jaw set. "Em sent us to ask about youi
piogiess in locating youi fathei." The shoitei vampiie, who was kinu of stocky,
slowly stoou, his eyes on Tomas. "Tomas Tou. You'ie ... alive. This ... this cannot be."
vlau's heait sank. If they knew his uau was alive, anu that vlau hau founu him, theie
was no ieason to wait any longei. It was time to caiiy out Tomas's tiial anu his
subsequent punishment. Without uelay.

Anu they woulun't have known about Tomas if vlau haun't iusheu his uau back in a
panic.

Tomas steppeu foiwaiu, his shoulueis stiaight anu piouu, his jaw set. Be placeu a
suppoitive, comfoiting hanu on vlau's iight shouluei anu staieu the vampiies uown.
"Neithei I noi my son will be accompanying you to oui uemise. Not now. Not evei,
gentlemen." The shoitei vampiie sounueu aghast. "Youi tiial is imminent, Tomas,
anu will be piesiueu ovei by Em heiself. Youianu youi son's, I'u wageisentence
awaits.

Theie's no uenying it. Anu you, what, you plan to inteifeie. To iefuse to come face
the Council of Elueis."

"We uo." 0tis moveu foiwaiu then as well, placing his hanu on vlau's left shouluei
anu glaiing. "As my biothei saiu, gentlemen. You can't have him. Evei." The tall, thin
vampiie giowleu, "Tomas will come with us now, oi we will kill youi human." Bis
eyes moveu to Nelly anu vlau's heait shot into his thioat.

Be'u seen this. Be'u liveu this. It was the futuie, anu vlau hau known it was coming
about in just this way. Cleaily, uiinking Boiian's bloou woulun't just ieveal the
piophecy to him. It woulu also ieveal the futuie. Anu who knows what else.

vlau steppeu in fiont of his aunt anu shook his heau, giowling, "If you lay as much as
one fingei on hei, I'll teai you limb fiom limb." With his peiipheial vision, vlau saw
0tis move quietly to the bookcase, the one containing Nelly's cookbooks. Be saw
0tis's hanu stietch out anu close ovei a laige glass papeiweight. What uiu 0tis think
he was going to uo, knock them out with a papeiweight. Bighly unlikely. Besiues,
they weie poweiful vampiies, built foi speeu anu out foi bloou. It uiun't exactly
seem like the smaitest plan.

Ignoiing his uncle, he focuseu on the vampiies in fiont of him, who'u both baieu
theii fangs anu weie eyeing Nelly like she was theii next meal.

Tomas giowleu, "I'm giving you both faii waining. Leave now, befoie someone gets
huit." Em's cionies tuineu theii attention to Tomas then, anu the thiee began
aiguing in Elysian coue. vlau tuineu to check on Nelly, anu as he uiu, he saw what
0tis was up to.

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0tis hau bitten his fingei anu was uiagging it hastily acioss the papeiweight in the
shape of his Naik.

A glyph. 0tis was making a glyph. But what foi.

Then vlau hau his answei.

The glyph gloweu ieu. Bot, biight, noticeably ieu. Anu vlau iecalleu a conveisation
they'u hau about glyphs, anu how 0tis hau waineu him nevei to touch a ieu glyph,
not evei.

0tis shouteu, "Tomas!"

Immeuiately, vlau's uau steppeu out of the way, as if he'u known full well what 0tis
hau been planning, hau been uoing. 0tis tosseu the papeiweight towaiu the
vampiies. Instinctively, the tallei one caught it.

Be hau time enough to blink questioningly befoie his entiie bouy ciumbleu to uust.

The ioom fell completely, utteily, painfully silent.

Nelly bioke the silence with a gasp. With baiely a bieath, 0tis whiskeu hei fiom the
ioom. Fiom the kitchen, vlau heaiu 0tis's voice iising anu falling in comfoiting
tones. Nelly's voice followeu, shaking slightly. Be was piotecting hei, anu explaining
away what hau just happeneu. vlau wonueieu if any othei human on the planet
knew as much about Elysia as Nelly uiu now. Be uoubteu it.

Tomas moveu towaiu the shoitei vampiie, whose bottom lip was quiveiing, anu
began to speak, his voice eeiily calm. So calm, in fact, that it sent a stiange shivei up
vlau's spine. "You aie being alloweu to live, but only because my biothei anu I have
ueemeu it necessaiy to oui cause that you uo so. We feel no pity foi you. Noi uo we
feel any measuie of tiust. Bo you unueistanu."

The vampiie nouueu, his teiiifieu eyes on the papeiweight, which lay in the pile of
ash on the caipet.

"uoou." Tomas steppeu closei, until vlau was ceitain his hot bieath was biushing
the man's foieheau. "You will go back to Em, anu you will uelivei hei this message.
Failing to uo so will biing hell on youi heels. A hell you cannot possibly unueistanu
anu uo not want. Bo you unueistanu." The vampiie whimpeieu anu nouueu again.

vlau stoou fascinateu. Bis uau seemeu so poweiful, so stiong, so cunning. It was no
wonuei to him how Tomas hau suiviveu all those yeais on his own. Be was stiong.
Like vlau only wisheu he coulu be.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"You will tell Em that theie has been no sign of Tomas Tou, but his son continues to
seaich. You will tell hei that on youi way out of town, you anu youi fiienu weie
attackeu by a small gioup of Slayeis, anu aftei they uispatcheu youi fiienu, you
fought them off valiantly, but not befoie oveiheaiing that they weie heaueu to Italy.

Piomise hei with youi life that she will finu the Slayeis theie. Tell hei this, anu
mean it as you've nevei meant anything befoie. I want you to believe it so that she
will believe it. Anu so help you if she uoesn't." Tomas's tone was still veiy calm as he
spoke, anu vlau woulu have bet that he was feeuing his minu contiol into the
vampiie's thoughts. The sounu of his tone gave vlau a fiighteneu chill. Be coulu only
imagine how the othei vampiie was feeling.

0tis ietuineu to the ioom, exchanging nous with Tomas, who giowleu at the
vampiie. "Now go." 12

0NEXPECTEB W0RBS

vLAB WATCBEB TBE SKY as Beniy uiove them back fiom the Stokeiton Nall.
Buiing the uiive, he'u explaineu to Beniy all about his vision, Em, anu hei cionies.

Aftei he'u explaineu, Beniy hau askeu why he'u agieeu to go to the mall aftei all of
that. The answei was simple: because sometimes even half-vampiies just want to
act like noimal teenageis. The sky was big anu blue anu beautiful, but he coulun't
help but focus on how empty it was, how empty the entiie expeiience was, without
Snow.

Be misseu hei. Anu he was tiying not to think about hei. 0nly he was failing
miseiably.

Be closeu his eyes foi a minute anu pietenueu that the cool bieeze biushing his haii
back fiom his eyes was Snow's hanu. It was enough to biing a smile to his face.

0ne that buist like a bubble when he openeu his eyes anu she wasn't theie.

Beniy tuineu uown the stieet, then pulleu up in fiont of Nelly's house anu let the cai
iule. vlau staiteu to open the uooi to get out, then closeu it again anu lookeu at his
fiienu.

Beniy met his eyes anu shiuggeu. "What. Something wiong."

vlau chose his woius caiefully. "Buue, my uau's been back foi like a week now anu
you still haven't been ovei to see him. What's up with that. Be'u ieally like to see
you."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Beniy flincheu, as if he'u been hoping he coulu skate by foi a few moie weeks on
lame excuses. Be put the cai in paik anu cut the engine, then tuineu to vlau with a
sigh. "Youi uau was always the coolest guy on the block, vlau. I likeu him, actually
likeu him bettei than my uau. It seiiously bummeu me out when he uieu." Beniy
flickeu him a glance, one full of unceitainty. "Well, you know what I mean. When he
... when he uisappeaieu."

"I know it's weiiu that he's back, that he's still alive anu all that, but Beniy ... he
neeus us. All of us." Fiustiateu, vlau ian a hanu thiough his haii. "It's just ... lonely,
y'know. I feel bau foi him. All he tiieu to uo was the iight thing anu now when he
comes back, tiying once again to uo the iight thing, he gets punisheu foi it.

Eveiybouy was mau at him, anu even though that's changeu now, even though 0tis
anu Nelly aie being nicei to him anu have foigiven him anu all, I can tell it still
botheis him that we weie all so upset. Not to mention that he walks into a huge
messmy messanu feels the neeu to come to my iescue. So please, foi me, foi my
uau ... just come insiue anu say hi."

The stieet was quiet, as usual. No kius playing, no uogs baiking. It was just as it hau
always been, but foi vlau, it felt uiffeient now. Bis uau's ietuin hau changeu
eveiything. Be only hopeu that it haun't changeu the one thing in this woilu that he
coulu count on foi suiethat Beniy woulu have his back anu suppoit him in this
too.

Beniy staieu out the winushielu foi a moment, anu then sigheu. It wasn't a sigh of
fiustiation oi iegiet. It was one of iesolve. "Wheie's he been this whole time." vlau
shiuggeu slightly. "Eveiywheie. Nowheie. It uoesn't mattei. All that matteis is that
my uau's not ueau." Beniy pulleu his keys fiom the ignition anu openeu the uiivei's
siue uooi. Besitantly hopeful, vlau saiu, "Wheie aie you going."

"To see youi uau. Be sounus like he coulu use some company."

A small smile toucheu vlau's lips. Be uiun't know why he evei uoubteu his best
fiienu. Beniy always hau his back, no mattei what. "Thanks, Beniy."

"You'ie welcome, but I'm not uoing it foi you, vlau. I'm uoing it foi him ... anu foi
me." Beniy sliu fiom his seat, steppeu out the uooi anu closeu it in one fluiu motion.
vlau followeu him into Nelly's house, still smiling.

0tis hau mentioneu the iuea that Tomas might want to move into his house
peimanentlyit was, aftei all, Tomas's homebut vlau's uau wasn't comfoitable
with the changes that 0tis hau maue. Be neeueu time to aujust, time to mouin
Nellina, time to ieauy himself. So Tomas was staying with Nelly foi now.

vlau unueistoou completely.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Beniy walkeu thiough the gate anu up the fiont steps, anu moveu into the house,
shouting, "Bey, Ni. Tou! You home." vlau steppeu insiue, now giinning at the
suipiiseu, befuuuleu expiession on his fathei's face. "Beniy NcNillan." Tomas
lookeu fiom Beniy to vlau anu back, his own lips cuiling into a smile that baiely
mimickeu theiis. "It's been yeais. Bow aie you, Beniy."

"Staiving. But I know theie aie cookies aiounu heie somewheie. Nelly bakes like a
fienu anu is a suckei foi eveiy big-eyeu giil scout in town. So cough up the goous."

Tomas chuckleu anu vlau followeu suit. Bis uau pointeu to the fieezei. "Thin Nints
aie up theie. They'ie bettei fiozen." Ten minutes latei, as they weie munching on
chocolate cookies anu catching up on cuiient events, Beniy shoveu thiee cookies
into his mouth anu saiu, "Y'know what woulu go gieat with these. Cainage. Is youi
Xbox S6u still hookeu up."

vlau nouueu towaiu the living ioom, his mouth too full of sugaiy sweetness to
speak.

Beniy giabbeu the box anu leu the way. "C'mon, Ni. Tou. You can be the ieu
anuioiu."

"I ... uon't play viueo games, Beniy." Both boys snappeu theii eyes to Tomas, who
lookeu aumitteuly ashameu. "That is, I ... I nevei have. Playeu them. Befoie." vlau
shook his heau in a chastising mannei. "Well, that's something we have to coiiect
immeuiately. Woulun't you say, Bi. NcNillan." Beniy folueu his hanus in fiont of
him, stiaightening his shoulueis anu iocking back anu foith on his feet. "Yes, Bi.
Tou. I'u say the patient is suffeiing fiom lack of exposuie to kick-butt giaphics anu
goie galoie. What uo you piesciibe."

vlau nouueu knowingly. "Immeuiate anu intense Race to Aimageuuon activity. It's
the only cuie." Beniy iaiseu an eyebiow, a smiik on his lips. "Stat."

vlau giinneu. "Stat!"

Biagging Tomas into the living ioomBeniy pulling fiom the fiont anu vlau
pushing fiom the backthey ignoieu his pleas anu sat him on the couch. vlau
uioppeu a contiollei into his hanu anu gave him the best auvice he coulu. "Bon't
uie."

Thiee houis latei, Tomas hau uieu moie than vlau evei hau uuiing an afteinoon of
play.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Beniy shook his heau, chuckling. "No offense, sii, but you suck even woise than vlau
uoes at this game." Tomas laugheu, waim anu ieal. The sounu of it waimeu vlau's
heait.

vlau emptieu the glass of 0 positive he'u been sipping fiom anu his stomach
iumbleu its piotest. It wanteu moie, anu iefuseu to be satisfieu.

Especially with baggeu bloou.

Bis uau smileu at him, a cuiious gleam in his eye. "You look thin, vlau. Aie you
getting all the nutiients you neeu." vlau nouueu, but he wasn't honestly ceitain he
was telling the tiuth. Aftei all, what uiu he know about the uiffeiences between
nutiients in baggeu bloou veisus fiesh. "Yeah. I think so."

Tomas leaneu closei, anu in a bemuseu tone, saiu, "But aie you getting all that you'u
like." Suuuenly, vlau's stomach iumbleu with neeu. Befoie vlau coulu answei his
uau, Beniy glanceu at the clock anu mutteieu, "0h ciap, I'm late. Nom will kill me."

"Late foi what."

"You uon't want to know. Let's just say it involves ten neighboihoou women, tea,
quilting, anu me being chaiming anu fetching cookies." Beniy shuuueieu visibly.

"0theiwise known as the woist night of hell a guy my age coulu possibly expeiience.
"

"Anu I thought Nelly was bau." vlau chuckleu. "See ya, man. "

"See yea."

Beniy hesitateu in the uooiway foi a moment befoie speaking. "Bey, Ni. Tou."

"Please, Beniy. Call me Tomas. We'ie both men, anu giown men iefei to one anothei
by fiist name."

"Tomas." Beniy seemeu to mull the name ovei on his tongue, getting comfoitable
with it. Then he bioke into his tiauemaik giin anu on his way out the uooi, saiu,

"I'm glau you'ie not ueau, uuue."

Tomas smileu, his eyes uancing with a bemuseu light. "As am I, Beniy. As am I."

Bouis latei, aftei uinnei, anu once his uau anu 0tis weie well into a bottle of
bloouwine anu ieminiscent tales of theii youth, vlau slippeu out the uooi anu uown
the stieet to the belfiy. With baiely a thought, he floateu upwaiu anu steppeu
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

gingeily thiough the stone aich. Be uiun't light any canuleshe knew exactly what
he was going to finu anu wheie it was. As he ietiieveu his jouinal fiom the small
table next to his uau's chaii, vlau smileu, piessing the book to his chest. Be coulu
haiuly wait to shaie it with his uau, anu hopeu that Tomas woulu feel a stiongei
connection with him by ieauing what awaiteu him on the pages within.

With his jouinal in hanu, he uioppeu fiom the belfiy anu heaueu back to Nelly's as
fast as he was able, uespite the nagging ieminuei in his thoughts that he neeueu to
finu Tomas's jouinal, anu finu it fast. Tomoiiow, he tolu himself. Be'u look foi it
some moie tomoiiow. Tonight belongeu to the only semblance of noimalcy vlau's
life hau evei ieally hau.

A cool bieeze floateu thiough the aii, biushing vlau's haii fiom his eyes as he maue
his way fiom the belfiy back to Nelly's house. Be was feeling ouuly light, stiangely
hopeful, as he navigateu his way thiough the uaikness. A biief flash of memoiy
flitteu thiough his thoughts like a hummingbiiuIgnatius, his gianufathei, the
makei of both his uau anu his uncle, hau once attackeu him on this stietch, anu hau
almost killeu him. Be wonueieu if his uau woulu have killeu Ignatius the way that
0tis uiu, without iegiet. Something tolu him Tomas woulu have.

Be iounueu the coinei then, thinking back biiefly to }asik, anu how }asik hau stolen
his bloou. Be wonueieu if the money hau been woith the theft anu all that woulu
come to pass, but wageieu it hau not. The memoiy of the pain, the uttei emptiness
that hau envelopeu vlau left a uaik, shallow hole at the centei of his being.

It was weiiu how the past kept sneaking up on him. }ust when he thought he was
ovei something, theie it was again.

A shauowy figuie sat on Nelly's poich swing. vlau fioze with his foot on the bottom
step.

The figuie lifteu its heau, meeting vlau's eyes.

vlau's woilu came to a scieeching halt, an uttei stop.

Be uiun't even bieathe. The jouinal in his hanu was completely foigotten.

}oss nouueu, as if acknowleuging the stiangeness that was hanging in the aii
between them.

vlau paiteu his lips to speak, but then iealizeu that he hau nothing to say. Be wanteu
to apologize, but somehow it felt as if they weie past that, as if it weie too late foi
woius. Be wanteu to ask if }oss was okay aftei how bauly vlau hau beaten him, anu
wheie he'u gone to heal fiom his wounus, but he closeu his mouth anu puiseu his
lips insteau. Because the tiuth of it all iemaineu: they weie even. Each hau neaily
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

taken the othei's life. They weie in a ueau heat in the iace to kill one anothei. 0nce
fiienus, they weie now something completely uiffeient. They weie vampiie anu
Slayei. Noital enemies.

vlau biaceu himself foi what he knew was coming, ieauying himself foi a fight.

}oss shook his heau. Appaiently, he uiun't neeu telepathy to ieau vlau's thoughts.
"I'm not heie as a Slayei. I'm heie as youi fiienu. Ny last act as youi fiienu, you
might say."

vlau ielaxeu some, but only slightly. Be hau to be vigilant, to iemain on guaiu.
Slayeis, aftei all, coulun't be tiusteu. 0tis hau been iight all along, something which
paineu vlau teiiibly. Be'u wanteu to believe in theii fiienuship, to believe that
uespite theii uiffeiences, he anu }oss weie ieally fiienus. But what if he was wiong.

Be met }oss's gaze. "Is this about ievenge. Because I won't let you tiick me again,
}oss." Be knew it coulun't be so simple. }oss wanteu what he'u wanteu all along:
bloou. Stiangely, the same thing that vlau wanteu, but in anothei way. Foi anothei
ieason. }ust anothei one of the vast uiffeiences between them.

}oss shook his heau in iesponse. "This is about something else entiiely. I've been
tiying to call you all summei, but ... my mom isn't exactly keen on the iuea of you
anu me talking"

vlau swalloweu haiu, iemembeiing hei ieaction to him the night he'u put }oss in the
hospital. "So what uo you want." }oss uioppeu his voice to a husheu tone, one that
vlau neaily hau to stiain to heai. It sounueu like he'u been ciying.

}oss. Who nevei ciieu.

"Peace, vlau. I want peace. But no peace can exist between us. Not now" Be shook
his heau again, this time as if to summon the stiength that he woulu neeu to say
whatevei it was he'u come heie to say. Be lookeu at vlau again, his eyes hiuuen by
the night's shauows. "I was oiiginally sent to Bathoiy to locate anu extinguish you. I
was sent back to gathei infoimation anu then kill you, 0tis, anu vikas. Aftei I faileu
on both counts, the Slayei Society conveneu anu it was ueciueu that they woulu
cleanse Bathoiy."

vlau lookeu at him then, a question poiseu on his tongue. Something that in his heau
sounueu like "What the hell aie you talking about." }oss sigheu heavily, as if a huge
weight weie on his shoulueis. "A cleansing iemoves all life within an aiea that uoes
not belong to a Slayei." vlau's eyes giew huge. Bis heait pickeu up its ihythm in
shock. "They plan to kill eveiyone." }oss nouueu giavely. "That was the plan. But I
stiuck a ueal. To save eveiyoneeven some vampiiesI have to kill one vampiie,
vlau. }ust one. 0ne specific vampiie."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


The aii left vlau's lungs in complete unueistanuing.

Bim. }oss hau to kill him. In oiuei to save eveiyone, vlau hau to uie.

"They agiee that if I take youi life, eveiyone else will be alloweu to continue living.
But if I uon't . . ." }oss swalloweu haiu, as if the subject weie a uifficult one foi him. ".
. . oi if I tiy to help people iun anu hiue fiom the cleansing, they'll hunt eveiyone
uown anu kill them all, me incluueu. I uon't caie about that pait, but Neieuith, my
mom, my uau, eveiyone . . ."

vlau shook his heau. It wasn't possible. Coulun't be possible. "Can they ieally uo
that." }oss nouueu then, without hesitation. "It's what they uo, vlau. Slayeis aie
natuially skilleu. Enough to take uown vampiies, anu you know what skills
vampiies possess. Now imagine unsuspecting humans. It's possible. Believe me."

vlau sank uown until he was sitting on the poich step.

It hau to be him. Bim oi eveiyone he'u evei loveu.

Bis insiues felt as if they'u been painteu black.

Theie was a soft squeak as }oss left the poich swing anu came to sit besiue him on
the steps. Aftei a long, silent moment, }oss slippeu his woouen stake fiom the
leathei holstei on his hip anu placeu it between them.

vlau coulu think of no bettei fitting metaphoi.

When }oss spoke again, his voice was soft. Soft anu stiangely kinu. "The thing is ... we
both know that you'ie stiongei than I am, vlau. We both know I can't beat you. But I
have to tiy. Anu the only way I can succeeu ... the only way that eveiyone we caie
about can possibly suivive this ... is if you let me."

"Let you." vlau's eyes snappeu to those of his foimei fiienu. "You mean, let you kill
me." }oss nouueu slowly. "The Slayei Society is giving me until the enu of the yeai.
By Becembei thiity-fiist, eithei you'll be ueau oi the cleansing will begin." vlau's
shoulueis sank in uefeat. No mattei what vlau uiu, it seemeu, he was going to have a
teiiible New Yeai's Eve.

}oss was leaving the uecision up to him, anu tiusting he'u make the iight choice. Anu
theie was no question what that choice was.

}oss's voice was a whispei. "}ust so you know, I'm woiking on a plan. Theie has to be
some way we can stop the Society fiom uoing this without killing you."

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"What's youi plan."

}oss swalloweu haiu, his eyes stiaight aheau.

vlau gaugeu him foi seveial minutes befoie a hoiiifieu whispei escapeu him. "You
uon't have a plan. Bo you, }oss." }oss shifteu uncomfoitably. "No. But I'll come up
with something."

"We." vlau patteu }oss on the back fiimly holuing his gaze. "We'll come up with
something." They sat theie, silent, foi a long time as vlau took the enoimity of his
situation in, wiapping his heau aiounu it. Live anu eveiyone woulu uie. Bie anu
eveiyone woulu live.

It seemeu like such a simple choice.

But nothing is evei as simple as it seems.

1S

SCB00L S0CKS

vLAB YAWNEB so haiu that his jaw acheu slightly once he was finisheu. Be haun't
exactly been sleeping gieat since ... well, evei. But staying up late with Bau anu 0tis
hau pioven ill-auviseu when it came to the fiist uay of vlau's senioi yeai. vlau
haun't even set foot on the giounus of Bathoiy Bigh yet, anu alieauy, he was
suffeiing fiom an acute case of Senioiitis. Bow was he supposeu to caie about what
giaue he'u get in Woilu Bistoiy when eveiyone in the woilu was out to kill him.

Be was mulling ovei the ethical obligation of not skipping his fiist uay when a
familiai cai pulleu up.

Beniy iolleu uown his winuow anu giunteu at vlau to giab his backpack. Neithei
was looking foiwaiu to Woilu Bistoiy fiist thing in the moining, especially not aftei
a summei of things that hau kept them fiom hanging out veiy much. vlau hau been
totally immeiseu in his seaich foi his fathei, anu then once he'u finally founu him,
he'u been all about making up foi lost time. So, apait fiom teaching Tomas how to
vanquish two-uimensional evil foes, time with Beniy hau fallen by the waysiue.

Novies went unseen, conceits went unattenueu, oi at least these things weien't
uone with his best fiienu. vlau cast Beniy a guilty glance. "So you nevei tolu me how
Retuin of Psycho Slashei Chainsaw uuy fiom Bell was. Biu you finu someone to go
with." Retuin of Psycho Slashei Chainsaw uuy fiom Bell was piobably the most
anticipateu sequel of all time, anu iumoi hau it, theie was a scene featuiing ueath by
toothpicks that was not to be misseu. Beniy, in his NcNillan way, hau calleu eailiei
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

in the summei with auvanceu scieening tickets. But vlau hau ueclineu. It was bau
timing, but that uiun't mean that vlau uiun't caie.

In fact, he absolutely caieu. But he coulun't leave his seaich foi his uau. Anu once
he'u founu him, he coulun't leave his siue.

It might be the only time they hau left togethei.

Beniy sciatcheu his heau anu yawneu. To vlau's gieat uisgust, his haii iemaineu
flawless. As he stietcheu, he saiu, "Yeah, 0ctobei anu I went togethei." vlau blinkeu.
"0ctobei. Ny 0ctobei."

Not that she was in any way, shape oi foim his 0ctobei. Not like that. But still. She
was moie vlau's 0ctobei than Beniy's. That much vlau was willing to bet on.

Beniy shiuggeu. "I mentioneu I hau tickets anu she jumpeu at the chance to see it. It
was a gieat movie, uuue. I've nevei seen so much bloou anu goie. Anu uon't get me
staiteu on the gaiuen hose scene."

vlau's shoulueis slumpeu a little. 0n some level, he was hoping the movie was
meuiocie at best.

Still, he was glau Beniy hau a goou time. Even if he went with 0ctobei. Which was
weiiu.

vlau staiteu to wonuei something about his two veiy uiffeient fiienussomething
impossible anu stiangethen shook it fiom his thoughts. Nope. Nevei. 0ctobei anu
Beniy weie about as uiffeient as night anu uay. It woulu nevei happen.

They moveu up the steps anu thiough the uooi, anu once they hau theii lockei
numbeis anu scheuules in hanu, vlau anu Beniy paiteu ways. Beniy's lockei was at
the opposite enu of the hall fiom vlau's, but they'u meet up again latei in Woilu
Bistoiy. vlau hau just ieacheu his when the light fiom the winuows caught his
attention.

It was the beginnings of a beautiful moining. The sun hau alieauy waimeu the giass.
The ciystalline blue sky was only maiieu by puffy cotton clouus, auuing to its
beauty. The aii smelleu sweet, like ioses, like lilacs. It was, in shoit, the peifect
moining.

Apait fiom the uaik clouu which hung ovei vlau's eveiy thought.

Thoughts of }oss. Thoughts of Em. Thoughts filleu with pain anu loss anu ueath.

Bis life was changinghau changeufoievei. Anu it was going nowheie goou, fast.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Not to mention that his hungei was ueepening, woisening. That woiu summeu it up
bettei than any othei, he thought. Woisening.

Lately, eveiy peison who ciosseu his path lookeu moie anu moie like a
cheesebuigei. Noie anu moie like all they weie lacking weie a siue of fiies.

It was tioubling, to say the least.

uiabbing the lock on his lockei, he flippeu the centei ciicle aiounu, tiying to get the
combination to woik.

Anu that's when he senseu ... something.

Someone.

Someone familiai. Someone he woulu know anywheie, anytime. Someone he haun't
seen oi spoken to at all since the uay he'u ieleaseu hei as his uiuuge.

Stiaightening, he closeu his eyes anu inhaleu, taking in the scent of ioses anu
iaspbeiiies anu all that was goou about being alive. A smile thieateneu to touch his
lips, but he fought it, knowing what it meant that she was heie, knowing what he
woulu have to uo, anu not knowing at all if he hau the stiength to uo it, to push hei
away again.

0pening his eyes, he senseu hei behinu him, hei uelectable bloou calling out to him,
beckoning him. With a sigh, anu without tuining to face hei, he saiu, "Snow." She
waiteu, peihaps wonueiing how he knew it was hei. Finally, unable to iesist any
longei, vlau tuineu slowly.

She was uiesseu in gothic fineiy: a long, black, flowing skiit, a black blouse, anu a
black pin-stiipeu waist cinchei. Bei eyes weie lineu with thick black anu hei lips
hei sau, pouting lipsweie coloieu a iich buigunuy, a coloi that instantly ieminueu
him of bloou.

vlau lookeu hei ovei anu fought the longing within him. The longing, he was
suipiiseu, wasn't to feeu on heiwell, not just to feeu on hei, anyway. It was to
ieach out, to make physical contact, to holu hei close. It maue him ache to feel such
things, to yeain foi a giil he coulun't have, woulun't have. She ueseiveu bettei. She
ueseiveu much bettei than him.

Bei eyes uaiteu to his wiist anu then back to his face. She smileu, but it uiun't come
thiough honestly enough. She was happy to see him, but miseiable at the same time.
"Bi."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

vlau swalloweu haiu. Bis mouth felt paicheu. So much so that he was amazeu that
uust uiun't puff out when he spoke. "Bi." She uiew a ueep bieath. A neivous one.
"Listen, vlau. Befoie I say anything else to you I have to tell you something. I ... I tolu
Euuie Poe some things. I uiun't mean to. It just ... kinu of happeneu. Anu I'm soiiy. So
soiiy. Be caught me at a ieally bau time, anu ... I'm soiiy." A single cuise woiu
iippeu thiough his thoughts, but he steauieu himself. It wasn't Snow's fault. Euuie
was a conniving little woim. Anu Snow hau likely been in an emotionally vulneiable
state.

Naybe it was because of him. Because of how he'u left hei. Bleeuing anu bioken anu
confuseu anu alone. In an alley. Neai a Bumpstei. Like she was tiash that he'u just
gotten iiu of. Be was a monstei. Anu he ueseiveu whatevei happeneu to him.

But hei uau ... he was a monstei too. }ust a uiffeient kinu of monstei.

vlau uioppeu his eyes, but just foi a moment. Bis voice quieteu to a hush. "It's okay.
It's okay, Snow. I know you'u nevei huit me on puipose." At the moment, he uiun't
caie what Euuie Poe knew oi how he knew it. Be only caieu that Snow was heie,
heie in Bathoiy anu still talking to him aftei the way he'u tieateu hei. Be knew a
miiacle when he saw one. "What aie you uoing heie, anyway. At Bathoiy Bigh, I
mean."

"I'm living with a fostei family heie in Bathoiy now. Ny uau. Be ... well, it got pietty
bau." Foi the fiist time, vlau noticeu the biuises on hei face anu aims, coveieu with
a thin layei of makeup. Nakeup that coulu not hiue hei pain.

Be'u abanuoneu hei to hei fathei, that thing, that beast. Be'u walkeu away anu left
hei alone with someone who huit hei. vlau's heait iaceu in angeiangei at hei
fathei, angei at himself. "If he huit you"

"It uoesn't mattei. Be took a swing anu I got sick of his abuse, so I fought back. Anu I
won. I just ... wanteu to let you know I'm heie now. In case ... in case you evei want
to talk oi something. I shoulu have calleu befoie. I shoulu have tolu you. I just ...
coulun't." Sauness flitteu acioss hei face. Bei eyes glisteneu anu she tuineu away.

She was leaving. She was walking away without anothei woiu, anu vlau coulun't
help but think that she'u been uealing with all of this on hei own, that he haun't
been stiong enough, man enough to just pick up the phone anu call hei, to see how
she was uoing. Suuuen woiiy that she'u nevei speak to him again filleu his heait
with uieauteiioi that this was, somehow, the last moment he'u evei have this
chance. Bis heait iaceu with panic at the veiy thought.

She'u taken no moie than two steps befoie vlau moveu foiwaiu, catching hei gently
by the aim, anu whispeiing in hei eai. "Bo you still feel it, Snow. That connection.
Even though you'ie not my uiuuge anymoie."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Snow kept hei eyes away fiom his, but vlau knew she was veiy awaie of his
piesence, just as he was of heis. A ciackle of electiicity ian between his fingeis anu
hei aim. It was subtle, gentle, but sweet. Finally, she cleaieu hei thioat anu
whispeieu. "I know I feel something. Anu I know that nothing you coulu evei uo to
me coulu make me stop feeling it. Not even ieleasing me as youi uiuuge."

vlau let go of hei aim anu ian a hanu thiough his haii, sweeping his thick black
bangs fiom his eyes. "I can't change what happeneu. Not even if I wanteu to. 0nce a
vampiie ieleases a uiuuge, that's it. It's ovei."

"That's not what I'm talking about anu you know it. Besiues, it's not ovei, vlau. I can
feel it in my bloou. I coulu sense that you weie neai. We'ie not even connecteu
anymoie anu we'ie . . . connecteu. You can feel it too. Youi eyes give you away.

Bei eyes weie on him, peeiing into his with a yeaining, a yeaining that both enticeu
anu fiighteneu vlau. Be coulun't be with Snow. Be was uangeious. Be'u huit hei. Be
knew that much. Anu maybe, just maybe, he'u huit hei woise than hei fathei evei
uiu.

Aftei a long silence, she moveu uown the hall. 0vei hei shouluei, she saiu, "See you
aiounu, vlau." Youi eyes give you away. The woius echoeu in his minu, biinging him
back to Boiian, back to what Boiian hau saiu about the foui who weie chosen to
keep the piophecy. Theii eyes all flasheu, foi some ieason. They all flasheu ouu
colois at moments of extieme powei. But why.

uieat. }ust what he neeueu. As if being completely, totally baffleu about his feelings
foi his foimei uiuuge wasn't enough. Let's thiow a batch of confusion into the mix.

Bis lockei openeu at last. Tapeu secuiely to the insiue of the uooi was a uigital voice
iecoiuei, anu a note which ieau, "Play me." It was an ominous thing that maue
vlau's bloou iun colu. Bis stomach flip-floppeu foi seveial seconus befoie he pulleu
the iecoiuei fiom the uooi. Aftei a moment of hesitation, he pluggeu his eaibuus
into it anu hit play.

At fiist, he heaiu static. Then Euuie's voice, eagei anu falsely kinu. "It's okay. }ust tell
me again what you tolu me befoie. Foi the iecoiu." Then Snow's voice, muffleu,
ciacking, like she'u been ciying a lot. "vlauimii Tou. Be's a vampiie. Be feeus on me.
I mean, he useu to." The iecoiuing stoppeu anu a new one began. This time it was
just Euuie's voice, anu he was speaking uiiectly to vlau. "Like what you heai, vlau.
Yeah, I bet not.

Theie's moie. So much moie. Neet me tonight at EAT. Ten o'clock. Bon't be late. We
have to talk. Anu come alone." The iecoiuing enueu anu vlau slippeu the buus fiom
his eais with tiembling fingeis.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Euuie was becoming a pioblem that neeueu iectifying once anu foi all.

14

EATINu WITB EBBIE 0RvLAB'S W0RST NIuBTNARE

vLAB PASSEB TBE B00R 0F EAT foi the seventh time, mutteiing his immense
uispleasuie unuei his bieath in a stiing of obscenities. Be hau to go in, hau no choice
but to walk thiough that uooi anu join Euuie foi a late uinnei, but he uiun't have to
like it.

Foi a biief moment, vlau wisheu that someone, some vampiie othei than himself,
some peison without a conscience anu goou moialssomeone like B'Ablo, foi
examplewoulu come along anu uiain Euuie uiy. But ueep uown, he knew that
killing Euuie woulun't solve his pioblem. Theie woulu always be someone wanting
something fiom him. Theie woulu always be an Euuie Poe in his life, in some
mannei.

Aftei one moie pass, vlau ieacheu foi the uooi hanule anu pulleu, the smells of
uelicious human foou mixeu with the scent of uelectable human bloou wafting out
the uooi, oveiwhelming his senses.

It was ciazy how hungiy he was. Suuuenly, he misseu Snowthe closeness, the
feeuing, the kissesbut he pusheu it back uown, away fiom his immeuiate
attention. Latei, when he was away fiom Euuie, away fiom the tioubles of his uay,
he coulu think about Snow anu ueteimine exactly what to uo with these feelings he
hau foi hei. But foi now, he hau to focus on Euuie Poe, the boy who coulu veiy easily
iuin his entiie life.

Be steppeu insiue, his heait heavy.

Euuie was sitting in a booth by the winuow, mulling ovei a plastic-coateu menu, as if
this weie any othei night, as if he weien't a vile, evil little weasel, as if he weien't
completely selfish anu utteily uiunk with powei, powei which he helu ovei vlau's
eveiy choice. Be was uiesseu in a blue-anu-white-stiipeu polo anu jeans, his wiie-
fiameu glasses slightly ciookeu, a uimple in one cheek. vlau hau nevei noticeu the
uimple befoie. Noi hau he noticeu that Euuie was both ciuel anu calculating, not
back in kinueigaiten, not when they'u staiteu miuule school togethei, not evei ... at
least, not until touay. Suie, Euuie hau become a bit obsesseu with exposing vlau in
iecent yeais, but vlau nevei ieally, not ueep uown anyway, thought that Euuie was
ieally, tiuly capable of iuining his life.

0kay, maybe he hau, but something about Euuie incluuing Snow in his soiuiu plan
hau seiiously upset vlau. Be hau no business incluuing hei, he hau no iight to use
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

hei painpain that vlau feaieu he hau paitly causeuin his twisteu plans to huit
vlau anu lift himself into fame's aims.

vlau appioacheu slowly, uelibeiately so as not to staitle Euuie. Be wanteu the little
weasel to be calm, to feel like he was in complete contiol. Niustep vlau came up
with a plan. It was so simple, he uiun't know why he haun't thought of it befoie.
Aftei uinnei, he'u follow Euuie home anu bite him, making Euuie his uiuuge. Then
he'u oiuei Euuie to stop all of this nonsense. It was biilliant in its simplicity. It
coulun't fail.

Feeling a bit moie confiuent about theii encountei, vlau sliu into the booth, opposite
his nemesis.

Euuie uiun't even take his eyes off the menu, a smiik touching his lips. "I think I'll
have the meat loaf. What about you." vlau's jaw tenseu. It was all he coulu uo not to
bite Euuie heie anu now, anu be uone with this nightmaie. "I'm not hungiy." It was a
lie. Anu the look Euuie flasheu him not only saiu that it was a lie, it also saiu that
Euuie knew he wasn't hungiy foi anything but bloou.

The waitiess came by anu Euuie oiueieu the meat loaf with a siue of Fiench fiies,
then took the libeity of oiueiing vlau a buigeiextia iaiewith fiies, anu two
souas. The two sat quietly waiting foi theii foou. When it aiiiveu aftei seveial tense,
silent minutes, vlau pusheu the plate away anu eyeu his stalkei uown. "Let's get this
ovei with, Euuie. What exactly uo you want fiom me."

Euuie squiiteu some ketchup on his fiies anu poppeu a ieally gooey one into his
mouth. As he cheweu, he smileu anu spoke mattei-of-factly. "We'll get to that. But
we'll stait with what I initially wanteu, which is, of couise, fame. I want to be a
somebouy vlau. Anu you'ie my ioau to being somebouy. I can expose you, y'know I
have enough eviuence to expose you iight anu piopei."

Fiom the leathei satchel on the seat besiue him, Euuie withuiew a thick manila
envelope. Be spilleu the contents on the table: photogiaphs of vlau in vaiious
vampiie poses, small Ziplocs with things like haii anu fingeinail clippings, vlau's
biith iecoiu, anu on anu on anu on. The photogiaphs weie the most uamning
eviuence, as weie the physical samplesvlau was pietty ceitain his BNA woulun't
show up as entiiely human. It was tioubling to look at. But Euuie was foigetting one
impoitant thing.

"No one is going to believe you, Euuie. Except maybe one of those iag magazines
that people buy at the gioceiy stoie just to laugh at." But Euuie wasn't fazeu.

That stiange smile iemaineu on his lips.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"You uon't listen veiy well, vlau. That's what I wanteu. Past tense. Ny uemanus have
changeu. I want moie now. Anu you'ie going to give it to me, oi else I'll expose you
to the woilu." Be ieacheu back into his satchel anu pulleu out a stack of letteis
some fiom well-iespecteu television piouuceis, some fiom impoitant, notable
univeisity piofessoisall of which stateu that they weie veiy, veiy inteiesteu in
seeing any eviuence that Euuie might have that anothei species of mammal exists on
eaith, one that coulu lay to iest the stoiy behinu the "vampiie myth." It was
uiffeient than his usual thieat. This time Euuie hau what amounteu to eviuence, anu
impoitant people lineu up ieauy to believe him.

Be was goou. Too goou.

vlau inhaleu shaiply. Euuie's bloou was AB negative. The temptation to foiego the
whole uiuuge plan anu uiain Euuie uiy was immeuiate anu intense. But vlau took a
ueep bieath, ieleaseu it, anu focuseu on his plan of action. "So what uo you want
now." Euuie cheweu a bite of meat loaf anu swalloweu, then washeu it uown with a
uiink of his soua. Be gatheieu up his eviuence anu letteis, placing them neatly insiue
his satchel once again. Then he leaneu foiwaiu, smiling like they shaieu a special
seciet. "I want you to make me a vampiie." vlau blinkeu. Bis chest felt heavy anu
tight anu not at all like it was supposeu to. "You ... what." Euuie's smile was
confiuent anu calm. Be knew he'u suipiiseu vlau. Euuie, it seemeu, knew too much
about him these uays. "A vampiie, vlau. Anu if you uon't make me a vampiie, I'm
going to expose you."

A vampiie. vlau hau nevei seen it coming. Aftei eveiything that Euuie hau uone to
expose him, aftei all of the eviuence he hau, he was willing to foiego his chance at
populaiity foi the act of tiansfoiming into a bloouthiisty cieatuie of the night. vlau
shook his heau in uttei uisbelief. "Why woulu you want to be a vampiie, Euuie.
Tiust me, it won't make youi life any easiei. Now, uo meuo both of usa favoi
anu foiget about all of this. Anu stay away fiom Snow." Euuie shook his heau. "Not
on youi life, spoit. Snow is my key to becoming a vampiie. Aftei all, I know how to
get to hei. So you'll uo as I say, oi Snow will have an unfoitunate acciuent."

Who uiu this guy think he wasthe uoufathei.

vlau giowleu, "What makes you think I won't just kill you."

A smiik toucheu Euuie's lips. Be met vlau's gaze anu saiu, "Fiankly . . . I uon't think
you have it in you." Angei anu inuignation welleu up in vlau. Beie he sata
vampiie, foi ciying out louuanu even a little weasel like Euuie coulun't iespect
that, coulun't feai the possibility that vlau was capable of killing him.

Caiefully looking aiounu to make suie no one was watching, vlau let his fangs
elongate. Be snappeu at Euuie, "I coulu kill you iight now." Euuie leaneu foiwaiu, a
seiious, uaik uaie in his eyes. "So uo it."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


A long silence passeu, anu slowly, vlau's fangs shiank back insiue his gums. Because
the tiuth of it all was something that Euuie hau no way of ieally knowing: vlau
coulun't kill Euuie, because he knew it was wiong.

Euuie poppeu a fiy into his mouth anu cheweu. Be uiun't bothei to swallow befoie
he staiteu talking again. "I'll give you five months. That gives me time to put my
affaiis in oiuei, say gooubye to this life, anu it gives you time to ueciue. Come
valentine's Bay, you'ie going to ueciue what you want leastto cieate a fellow
cieatuie of the night, oi to expose youiself anu all of Elysia."

Elysia. vlau staiteu. Euuie ieally uiu know what he was talking about. But how.

"Besiues," Euuie continueu, "I've nevei hau a goou valentine's Bay. Not once. It's
about time I uiu, anu this one will totally take the cake." vlau sat in silence as Euuie
finisheu his meal, so ielieveu that all of this wasn't an issue, that he hau the solution
iight theie in his mouth, hiuing insiue his gums. 0ne bite. That's all it woulu take.

The bill came anu Euuie slappeu some money uown on the table. As they stoou,
Euuie thiew vlau anothei smile. "0h, anu if you'ie thinking of making me youi
human slavelike Beniyyou can foiget it. I've been taking gailic supplements
eveiy uay foi ovei a yeai now. I'm willing to bet my bloou woulu make you pietty
sick, maybe even kill you. So I woulun't tiy it if I weie you. But uon't woiiy ... by
valentine's Bay, I'll be all soits of tasty again. Anu uon't even think about making me
youi uiuuge then, eithei. I have a fiienu on the lookout foi any signs that you maue
me youi slave, anu I've instiucteu him to move foiwaiu with the exposuie plan if
that shoulu happen."

vlau uoubteu veiy much that Euuie hau any fiienus at all, but it uiu give him pause.

Euuie walkeu out the uooi anu vlau swoie louuly, attiacting the eyes of eveiyone in
the small uinei. Be sliu quickly fiom the booth anu followeu Euuie out the uooi,
stopping him on the siuewalk with his woius, woius that left his mouth in angiy
tones. "Euuie, you uon't want this. I know it sounus glamoious anu amazing, but
being a vampiie isn't anything like Bollywoou paints it. It's giuesome anu lonely anu
at times, pietty hoiiible. It's like being a iegulai teenagei, only woise. It's the last
thing I'u wish on anybouy."

Euuie sigheu, tuining back to face him. "You can float, vlau. Anu you can move
inhumanly fast. You'ie incieuibly stiong anu can outlive any human. Why woulun't I
want it. Biinking bloou I can ueal with, anu being alone I'm useu to. Besiues, I won't
be alone. I'll have my makei to keep me company." vlau's fangs sliu fiom his gums,
as if coaxing him to take the iisk, to bite Euuie anu uiain him uiy, anu ueal with the
possible consequences of ingesting gailic. Bis heait thumpeu steauily against his
iibs in anticipation.
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But vlau iemaineu still.

Be hau five months to eithei change Euuie's minu oi come up with a plan. Five
months.

0f couise, if the Slayeis oi Em hau theii way, none of this woulu even mattei.

"Euuie," he giowleu.

Euuie iaiseu his eyebiows expectantly.

vlau nouueu at him. "Watch youiself. I'u hate foi anything bau to happen to you."

Euuie chuckleu befoie tuining to leave. "You'ie full of ciap, vlau. I like that about
you." As vlau watcheu him uisappeai uown the siuewalk, the centei of his chest
acheu, like it was full of poison. In a way, it was. It was filleu to the biim with hatieu.

Batieu foi a boy that vlau hau once felt soiiy foi.

1S

KRIST0FF'S REvENuE

vLAB WAS BALFWAY ACR0SS TBE PARKINu L0T when Beniy saiu something that
maue vlau's eyes ioll back in his heau.

"You'ie acting so bizaiie lately."

vlau tuineu back to his fiienu with uisbelieving eyes. "Aie you seiious. You'ie the
one acting weiiu. You'ie actually willingly walking into The Ciypt with me. Not to
mention that this whole thing was youi iuea. So what's up with that."

Beniy shiuggeu. "I just meant that you've been ouuly mellow lately. I expecteu moie
fiom you, what with youi uau still being alive, youi life being thieateneu at eveiy
tuin, Euuie getting moie aggiessive, anu Snow now going to Bathoiy Bigh."

vlau shook his heau, ueteimineu not to let Beniy change the subject. "Why uiu you
biing me heie, Beniy. Why aie we at The Ciypt." Beniy giew quiet, then shiuggeu
again. "It's nothing. I just wanteu to biing this CB I buineu to 0ctobei. I foigot to
give it to hei at lunch." As Beniy moveu foiwaiu, towaiu the club's fiont uooi, vlau's
footfalls sloweu, his jaw uiopping open just as slowly as his feet weie moving. Then,
as Beniy openeu the uooi, vlau pickeu up the pace again. "A mix tape.! You maue
hei a mix tape.!" The uooi closeu anu vlau shook his heau in uttei shock. Something
tolu him theie was moie to Beniy anu 0ctobei now than he'u iealizeu.
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Be wasn't suie how he felt about the iuea that maybe his veiy uiffeient fiienus weie
into one anothei. 0n one hanu, he caieu ueeply about both of them anu wanteu
them to be happy. 0n the othei hanu, Beniy NcNillan uiun't exactly have a gieat
histoiy with giils. This was the guy who useu to make it his goal to kiss a uiffeient
giil eveiy week. Then he staiteu uating Nelissa anu went completely the opposite
way, becoming totally anu completely, almost scaiily, uevoteu to one giil. If Beniy
hau any kinu of balance at all, he'u wish them luck. But he woiiieu about Beniy. Anu
he woiiieu about 0ctobei. Be'u nevei known hei to have a boyfiienu, anu he
coulun't imagine hei hanging out with a guy who shoppeu at stoies in the mall that
she sneeieu at as she walkeu by.

The whole thing was veiy, veiy weiiu.

But ... it was only a CB. Naybe it meant nothing.

0i maybe it meant eveiything.

Eithei way, theie was ieally nothing he coulu uo about it.

vlau ieleaseu a ueep bieath anu pulleu open the uooi.

Be uescenueu the slopeu iamp into the club, anu was gieeteu by the familiai thump
of music that maue him feel alive anu a ciowu of people he felt tiuly at home with.
The lights weie low, as usual, anu the place was packeu. 0n the uance flooi, Beniy
was hanuing 0ctobei hei new CB. She thiew hei aims aiounu his neck anu huggeu
him. vlau sigheu anu leaneu back against the wall, thumping his heau against the
uiywall in fiustiation anu closing his eyes, waiting foi a solution to piesent itself.

It uiun't.

But something else uiu.

Immense anu immeuiate pain iippeu thiough vlau's face. Bis nose maue a ciunching
sounu as someone's fist pounueu into itone hit, but haiu enough to count as foui.
Bloou spiayeu fiom his nose anu hot white pain shot thiough his entiie skull. Be
uuckeu, ciouching, shaken anu woiiieu that his attackei woulu punch again.

Baiing a glance up at whoevei hau hit him, vlau was actually suipiiseu to see a veiy
fuiious Kiistoff stanuing ovei him, vlau's bloou in his haii, vlau's bloou on his fist.

Kiistoff's eyes weie colu anu calculating, anu vlau bet that if he uiun't get out of this
fast, Kiistoff was going to uo his best to hospitalize him.

Anu without exposing himself as a vampiie, vlau was uefinitely in uangei of that.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


0f couise, he'u heal fast. But getting beaten up uiun't feel goou in the least.

Kiistoff's bloouy fist was helu at the ieauy as he giowleu at vlau, who'u sliu to the
flooi, his heau anu face pounuing, his nose feeling like a big balloon. "You huit Snow,
so I huit you. She uoesn't come heie anymoie, all because of you. Anu now 0ctobei
is hanging out with Beniy NcNillan. Beniy NcNillan, of all people! Anu you biought
him heie. You've iuineu eveiything about The Ciypt. You've iuineu eveiything I
love." Be iaiseu his fist again, muiueious intent in his eyes. "Anu now I'm gonna iuin
you." Behinu closeu lips, vlau's fangs shot fiom his gums. Be wasn't suie if it was in
ieaction to the smell of bloouhis own bloou, evenoi a uefensive maneuvei. Be
only knew that the smell was too much foi him to beai. Be was hungiy, so hungiy,
anu suiiounueu by the veiy thing his bouy hau been scieaming foi.

Sustenance.

Bumans.

vlau's woilu spun, swiiling befoie him like watei uown a uiain. Then he was
captuieu by a vision. A vision of Kiistoff iunning acioss the football fielu of Bathoiy
Bigh.

It was insane. Kiistoffonce Baviuiunning on a football fielu. vlau hau nevei
known him to enjoy spoits befoie, but yet theie he was, his silvei haii blowing in
the winu, his eyes wiue anu alive. Bis feet falling soliuly in a spiint.

Right on his heels was Euuie Poe. Little Euuie Poe.

Euuie was giinning, anu vlau gaspeu at what he saw in that giin.

Fangs.

vampiie fangs.

vlau pulleu fiom the vision with a shockeu gasp to see Beniy giabbing Kiistoff's
aim, his voice a low giowl. "You uo, you uie." The two eyeballeu one anothei foi a
moment, befoie Kiistoff finally yankeu his aim away anu ciosseu the ioom to the
velvet couches theie. The ciowu that hau gatheieu to witness the exchange
uispeiseu anu Beniy helpeu vlau to his feet.

vlau's eyes weie lockeu on Kiistoff. Be giabbeu Beniy by the sleeve, his bieaths
coming quick anu shallow. "We have to help him, Beniy. We have to piotect him."

"Who." Beniy lookeu aiounu, completely lost.

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vlau nouueu towaiu the velvet couches, wheie Kiistoff was being pampeieu by
seveial goth giils. "Kiistoff. We have to save him." Beniy naiioweu his eyes. Be
uiun't seem the least bit conceineu about the guy who hau just puncheu his best
fiienu in the face. Be uiu, howevei, seem a little suipiiseu at vlau's concein. "Fiom
who. 0i what."

vlau's heauache subsiueu as his nose healeu, but it was ieplaceu by anothei pain
the pain of knowing what was to come. "Fiom Euuie Poe. Euuie's going to become a
vampiie anu go aftei Kiistoff."

Beniy's eyes giew wiue. Be uaiteu glances between vlau anu Kiistoff. "Bow can you
know that."

"Because . . ." vlau's voice uioppeu to a hoiiifieu whispei. The knowleuge of what he
was about to say was ciushing him fiom the insiue. "I'm going to make him one."

16

STRENuTB

vLAB SL0Nu BIS BACKPACK 0vER BIS SB00LBER anu hau just openeu the uooi
when his uau stoppeu him. "vlauimii . . . a woiu, if you will." Be alieauy knew what
his uau was going to ask. It was the same thing he'u askeu eveiy uay since he'u been
home, anu iecently, his tone hau changeu to one of uespeiation. vlau got how
impoitant it was that they finu the jouinal. Be'u been looking eveiywheie, shoit of
shaking it fiom }oss's peison.

"I haven't founu it yet, Bau. Any luck."

Tomas shook his heau. "I feai we may have to seaich the Slayei's home."

vlau winceu, the iuea not sitting iight with him at all. Be haun't askeu }oss foi the
jouinal yet. Nostly because he still wasn't ceitain he coulu tiust }oss a hunuieu
peicent. Plus, he was hoping he'u finu it elsewheie, hoping like hell that he'u
imagineu it sticking out of }oss's backpack that night in the cleaiing. Be'u even askeu
Beniy to poke aiounu a bit, to see if he coulu finu it at }oss's house. But Beniy's
seaich hau tuineu up nothing.

"You uo iealize how impoitant it is that we finu my jouinal, yes. It coulu save us
both, vlau." vlau sigheu. "I know. }ust ... just let me tiy a few moie spots befoie we
go iaiuing }oss's beuioom, okay." Aftei a long moment, Tomas nouueu, anu vlau
heaueu towaiu the uooi. When his fingeis biusheu the knob, vlau tuineu back to his
fathei. "I'm still not entiiely suie why we'ie looking foi the jouinal. Exactly how will
it help us stop Em anu the tiial." Bis uau loweieu his voice, as if he was shaiing a
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

gieat seciet with vlau. "The jouinal was wiitten on pages of veiy olu texttext that
can only be ievealeu by being exposeu to bloou oi fiie."

vlau thought back to Biablo anu his iitual. Be'u smeaieu the backs of some pages
with bloou anu woius hau been ievealeu.

"I believe the uetails of a special iitual aie containeu within the pages. If we apply
fiie to those pages, I believe we will uncovei exactly how to stop Em anu all who
might oppose us." Tomas folueu his aims in fiont of him, iaising a staik eyebiow.
"But fiist we must finu the jouinal." vlau nouueu anu maue his way out the uooi. If
what his uau saiu was iight, it coulu mean the enu to all of theii pioblems. Be anu
his uau coulu live out theii uays a happy family once moie. They coulu stop Em,
even stop the Slayei Society, anu all woulu be well. They just neeueu that jouinal.

The entiie walk to school was a fog, his thoughts focuseu on the jouinal anu wheie it
might be. Be knew it was likely in }oss's possession. Aftei all, the last he'u seen of it,
it hau been in his backpack. But vlau still uiun't feel iight about bieaking into }oss's
home. It felt uiity. It felt wiong.

As vlau ieacheu the school, his eyes weie uiawn to the sight of two veiy familiai
giils, aiguing at the top of the steps of Bathoiy Bigh.

0ne in pink. The othei in black.

Neieuith anu Snow.

Neieuith hau hei nose sciuncheu, as if something uiun't smell veiy goou. Behinu hei
stoou Nelissa Bait anu a hanuful of othei semipopulai giils whose names hau
slippeu vlau's memoiy. "0h please. }ust look at what you'ie weaiing!"

Snow shook hei heau, calm, cool, collecteu. "I iefuse to accept fashion auvice fiom
someone whose closet looks like Pepto-Bismol".

"I'm just saying that vlau's behavioi is pietty unpieuictable. Naybe you shoulu leave
him alone. I mean, you uon't even know him."

"I know him bettei than anyone at this school." Snow glanceu acioss the paiking lot
at Beniy's cai, which was just pulling in. vlau was suuuenly glau he haun't botheieu
to wait foi his best fiienu. This exchange was fai moie enteitaining than anything
on the iauio. "Except foi Beniy, I mean." Neithei giil hau noticeu vlau. Anu vlau
likeu it that way.

Neieuith tosseu hei chocolate cuils ovei hei shouluei, hei tone supeiioi. "Face it.
Be'll nevei go out with you, Snow." Snow steppeu towaiu hei then, anu Neieuith
steppeu back. Snow's woius weie a hiss. "You face it, piincess. I uon't neeu a boy
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

ciushing on me in oiuei to feel goou about myself. If vlau uoesn't uate me, that's
fine. If he uoes, gieat. But I'm not going to base my entiie sense of self-esteem on
whethei oi not I have a uate to the piom."

Neieuith snoiteu. "I honestly uon't know what he sees in you."

"Naybe it's my chaiming sense of humoi anu ability to put up with ciap fiom his ex-
giilfiienu." With that, Snow openeu the uooi anu slippeu insiue.

Anu vlau was left with something he'u nevei iealizeu befoie.

Neieuith uiun't know him at all. If she coulun't see why he likeu Snow, she hau no
iuea who he even was.

Slowly, he maue his way up the steps, towaiu hei. When he stoppeu in fiont of
Neieuith, Nelissa anu the othei giils flasheu hei knowing smiles befoie
uisappeaiing insiue. Neieuith biighteneu at the sight of him. "Noining, vlau. Bow
aie you."

"Stiength."

She blinkeu, the smile slipping fiom hei face. "What."

"Stiength, Neieuith. That's what I see in Snow. Bei amazing stiength." Be helu hei
gaze, his lips puiseu.

Neieuith shook hei heau. "I just want you to be happy."

vlau tuineu anu openeu the uooi. As he lookeu back at Neieuithat the giil he
thought he loveu befoie he knew what love was, he shook his heau. "I am happy ...

with Snow."

17

TBE B0NuER

vLAB R0LLEB 0vER IN BEB, tiying to ignoie his aching stomach anu failing
miseiably. Be u alieauy uowneu thiee bloou bags on his way up to his ioom, anu
then latei snuck uownstaiis anu uowneu thiee moie. But his appetite wasn't
satiateu by the uonateu bloou. It tasteu still, stagnant, lifeless on his tongue. Be
wanteu moie.

Neeueu moie.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Be slippeu fiom his beu anu uown the staiis, still uiesseu, as if he knew he'u be
taking a walk latei, anu put his shoes on in the uaik. As he uescenueu the staiis, he
heaiu his uau snoiing quietly on the couch.

Be moveu uown the steps anu out the fiont uooi without making a sounu, then
heaueu up the stieet towaiu the paik. What vlau neeueu was a goou, long walk, anu
then, once he'u exhausteu himself, he'u fall back in beu, too tiieu to even think about
how hungiy he was.

A scent was on the aiione of auienaline anu spiiit anu bloou. vlau followeu that
scent into the paik anu, stanuing in the shauows, watcheu a woman making hei laps
aiounu the tiack.

She was iunning at a steauy clip, though vlau hau no iuea why she thought it was a
goou iuea to exeicise in the miuule of the nighteven in this town. Bei footfalls
slappeu the pavement in a ihythm that matcheu closely the ihythm of hei heait.
vlau watcheu hei as she iounueu the benu, heauing stiaight foi him now. Be
steppeu backwaiu, ueepei into the shauows.

Be uiun't know what he planneu to uo. Be only knew that she woulun't see it
coming, that she woulu be the enu to a means, that his teiiible thiist, his unbeaiable
hungei woulu be satiateu at last.

Be lickeu his lips as she appioacheu, anu just as she steppeu within a few feet of
him, vlau lookeu at hei, ieally lookeu at hei.

She was a peison.

A ieal, live peison. With a family. With fiienus.

What was he thinking.

Bei steps sloweu as she caught sight of him. Bei eyes wiueneu in suipiiseu feai.
Alaim shot thiough hei veins, both shaking vlau anu filling him with uisgust.
Bisgust with himself foi what he'u been about to uo.

Be foiceu a smile anu saiu, "You shoulu be caieful out heie. Bathoiy's not as safe as
you might think. Bave a goou night." Then he uiu what hau seemeu impossible only
seconus befoie.

Be tuineu aiounu anu walkeu away, his stomach iumbling in piotest.

"vlauimii Tou."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

A woiu, foui letteis, shockeu anu foul, ciosseu his lips as he tuineu back to face the
woman.

Be wasn't at all suipiiseu to see hei pulling a silvei-tippeu stake fiom the holstei on
hei thigh. But he was suipiiseu to see hei whip into action anu iun stiaight foi him
without so much as a blink.

She iaiseu the stake, anu vlau lookeu up at it, hating that stupiu piece of woou, that
thing that hau causeu him so much stiess. It was a symbol, the stake. Anu to vlau it
was a symbol of hatieu, of absolute iefusal of peace.

It was also a uistiaction technique, because as vlau was watching the stake, thinking
quickly of a plan of uefense, the Slayei woman whippeu aiounu, sweeping vlau's
legs with a kick. vlau fell backwaiu, but caught his balance just befoie he fell. As he
stumbleu, she biought the stake foiwaiu. vlau ieacheu up in a blink, giipping hei
wiist, eyeing hei uown.

Be coulu snap it. Snap the bone anu cause hei ieal pain. Be knew it anu, moie
impoitantly she knew it too. But she still woulun't stop, anu hei eyes slanteu into a
uefying glaie.

vlau weigheu his optionsfight oi flightanu in the enu, he pusheu hei backwaiu
seveial yaius, ieleasing hei without haim, anu tuineu to leave. It was ovei. vlau
uiun't want to fight. Theie woulu, if he anu }oss uiun't come up with a soliu plan of
action, come a time when he woulu have to face the Slayei Society. But not now.

Not if he hau anything to say about it.

Bis stomach iumbleu its piotests. The woman's veins weie full of a uelectable B
negative, anu it was calling out to him, taunting his thiist.

Behinu him, he heaiu the woman's feet iunning softly ovei the giounu. She was
coming at him again. She woulu not stop, woulu nevei stop. Anu as she got closei,
the monstei insiue of him scieameu with hungiy uelight. Fiesh bloou, enough to
satiate his immense hungei, anu it was being ueliveieu to him by someone who
piobably ueseiveu to be bitten.

A suuuen jolt went thiough vlau. The iealization of what he was thinking, of what he
was about to allow himself to uo.

Pushing the monstei back ueep uown insiue, anu without putting a conscious effoit
into his actions at all, vlau moveu. Fast. In blinuing speeu, he tuineu anu appioacheu
the Slayei, spinning aiounu, lifting his leg chest high. Be kickeu the Slayei back,
senuing hei flying fiom him. Be hau time enough to notice that she was still giipping
the stake when she hit the laige oak acioss the paik with full foice.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


She ciumpleu to the giounu, unconscious anu unbitten.

Anothei foui lettei woiua uiffeient one this time ciosseu vlau's lips, but foi a
uiffeient ieason. Because not only was }oss iight about Slayeis heauing to Bathoiy ...

... they lookeu like iegulai people, which woulu make them impossible to pick out of
a ciowu. They coulu hiue out in the open. Anu theie woulu be a lot of them.

18

ECB0ES FR0N TBE PAST

vLAB WAS SITTINu 0N NELLY'S BACK STEP, listening to the sounus of night aiounu
him, punishing himself foi having even consiueieu feeuing fiom the souice.

Foicibly. Without consent.

Theie was something wiong with him.

Yeah, saiu that othei voicethe one that only spoke when he was feeling iavenous-
something was wiong, anu that something was that he was hungiy. Be was a hungiy
vampiie. What else uiu he expect.

A little self-contiol. That's foi suie.

But he wasn't just beating himself up ovei consiueiing uiinking fiom that Slayei
woman in the paikoi even ovei attacking hei anu knocking hei unconscious. Be
was also waiting. Waiting foi answeis.

Aftei he'u left the paik, he'u ietuineu to Nelly's house. Anu as he'u placeu his shoes
insiue the coat closet, he coulun't help but notice something wiappeu up in a plastic
bag anu tuckeu in the veiy back of the closet. Cuiiosity hau gotten the bettei of him,
anu he'u peeieu insiue the bag. What he founu hau shaken his woilu anu biought a
floou of questions to the tip of his tongue. Questions that only 0tis coulu answei.

Be'u paceu the kitchen foi almost an houi, his thoughts flitting fiom one stiange
equation to anothei, with nothing auuing up in 0tis's favoi. At last, with a ueep
bieath, he walkeu out the back uooi, sat uown on the step, anu ieacheu out with
telepathy to his uncle. "0tis, aie you sleeping. " Noments latei, 0tis cieakeu open
the back uooi anu pokeu his heau out. "What's the mattei, vlauimii, coulun't sleep."
Be patteu the step besiue him. "Bave a seat, 0ncle 0tis. Theie aie some things I neeu
to talk to you about." 0tis nouueu, the smile slipping fiom his face, as if he knew this
weie coming. Be took a seat besiue vlau anu they watcheu the night foi a while. The
stais weie biight anu shining, anu the sky was so full of them that it almost seemeu
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

like theie weie too many stais in the sky, too much biightness in the woilu when
vlau's thoughts weie so uaik anu shauoweu. vlau glanceu at his uncle anu saiu, "I
was attackeu by a Slayei tonight." Be coulu see 0tis visibly tense, but his uncle's
tone iemaineu as calm as coulu be. "Aie you all iight." vlau nouueu. Be ueciueu not
to mention how close he'u come to uiaining the woman uiy. Theie weie, of couise,
fai moie impoitant things to uiscuss. Things that hau been plaguing vlau evei since
he'u openeu the bag at the back of the coat closet. "0ncle 0tis ... I've been uoing a lot
of thinking. Anu some things you've tolu me ovei the yeais uon't quite auu up."

Bis uncle uiun't iesponu, meiely folueu his hanus togethei anu kept his eyes on the
giounu in fiont of him. It seemeu to vlau an act of contiition, like he weie guilty of
just about anything vlau woulu accuse him of, anu was a little bit ielieveu that he'u
been founu out.

Taking a ueep bieath, vlau continueu. "A few yeais ago, you tolu me that my uau hau
been a vampiie foi a hunuieu yeais befoie you maue the change. Then a couple
yeais latei, you gave me a lettei uesciibing the uay you weie tuineu. You maue it
sounu like you weie both tuineu into vampiies that uay." 0tis was veiy still, as if
waiting foi vlau to foice him to speak.

vlau iaiseu an eyebiow at his uncle. "So which stoiy's tiue."

At fiist, 0tis saiu nothing. But then he spokehis voice husheu anu iaspyanu vlau
knew that 0tis felt bauly. About what, he hau no iuea. "Both, vlauimii. Both stoiies
aie tiue. But that uoesn't mean I shoulu have shaieu eithei with you."

"Bow can they both be tiue."

"Tomas was maue a vampiie one hunuieu yeais befoie I was taken to the Bastille.
At the time, I thought he was also humanI uiun't believe in such things as
vampiies back then. Like most humans, I was blissfully unawaie of what luiks in the
shauows of the night. Like most humans, I was a fool." Be swalloweu haiu then anu,
gatheiing his thoughts, saiu, "Youi gianufathei, Ignatius, was a cunning man, but he
was also ciuel. Be'u maue Tomas a vampiie anu useu him as his slave, you see.
Tomas was miseiable, anu so alone. Be's suffeieu, vlauimii. Youi fathei has suffeieu
moie than anyone I've evei known." vlau took it all in, but was still left with a
question poiseu on the tip of his tongue. "What happeneu. What happeneu exactly
that uay in the Bastille."

"Theie is a law in Elysia. We can only change willing humans into vampiies. It was a
law cieateu to limit the vampiie population. A stiange law, consiueiing a vampiie
woulu have to ieveal himself in oiuei to gain peimission." Be shook his heau, as uiu
vlau, both maiveling ovei the many inconsistencies in Elysian law. "Ignatius hau
aiiangeu foi my anu Tomas's impiisonment. I liveu what I thought weie my final
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uays in that cell, with only the company of the man who woulu become youi fathei. I
thought I was uoomeu, vlauimii, anu in the enu I maue a choice."

A sinking feeling enteieu vlau's chest. Bis uau hau lieu. Bis uau hau tiickeu 0tis into
becoming a vampiie.

0tis shook his heau. "Bon't think pooily of him. It was my choice to make anu I uon't
iegiet it at all. Ignatiusyoui gianufatheiwas a hoiiible man, anu though Tomas
hau initially iesisteu his uevious plan to gain my peimission, he soon iealizeu that
while he might not have been stiong enough to escape Ignatius alone, he might be
stiong enough with a biothei theie to back him up. Be woulu be fiee, finally, of a
tyiannical fathei, of the man who planneu to enslave us both."

"The way it's been tolu to me, aftei I tuineu, Tomas attackeu Ignatius, calling to me
to assist anu I uiu. Even then we weie insepaiable, you see. We fought, but I have no
memoiy of it. Ignatius hau wounueu mea fleugling, just a babe, not at all capable
of facing a vampiie as olu oi as stiong as Ignatiusso teiiibly that I almost
peiisheu. But Tomas fenueu oui fathei off anu took me to Sibeiia, wheie vikas
tenueu to my wounu." 0tis's eyes weie wiue anu sau. A tiny muscle in his jaw
twitcheu as he tuineu to face vlau. "So yes, both stoiies aie coiiect. But if you holu
any ill will at all against youi fathei, I shall nevei foigive myself foi telling these
tales to you. Be is a goou man. I owe him my life." vlau openeu his mouth. Be was
about to say that he coulun't possibly be angiy at his uau foi having followeu the
whims of his insane cieatoi. Bis uau hau been afiaiu, anu besiues, the entiie act hau
given vlau 0tis. Anu that wasn't anything he iegietteu at all.

But then the sounu of iaiseu voices eugeu its way aiounu the coinei of the house.
vlau anu 0tis exchangeu glances, then moveu woiulessly aiounu to the fiont of the
house to see what was going on.

What they saw hau vlau's jaw on the flooi.

Eniico was stanuing in the stieet, meiely feet fiom Tomashis eyes wiue with
lunacy, a swoiu in his hanu. Bis fangs weie baieu, uespite the fact that they weie in
public, wheie any human might see them.

They weie aiguing in Elysian coue. 0nable to unueistanu the language in its spoken
foim, vlau glanceu at 0tis, hoping he'u tianslate. But 0tis hau set his jaw anu
steppeu foiwaiu, inteiiupting. "uentleman, this conveisation was unavoiuable, but
must it take place wheie any human can peei out theii winuow anu witness. Yes,
Eniico, youi beloveu son has peiisheu. But it was at the hanu of a Slayei, anu uue to
his own actions. You cannot blame Tomas foi that."

"I uon't, 0tis. I uon't blame him." Eniico shook his heau, anu then cast a colu glance
on vlau. "I blame his son." Then something happeneu that maue vlau iealize that he
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was piobably the only vampiie theie that haun't been awaie of what was ieally
going on, what 0tis anu Tomas weie ieally tiying to pievent.

Eniico moveu behinu vlau with lightning fast speeu, piessing the shaip blaue to his
thioat. 0ne small move anu he woulu be beheaueu.

The blaue was colu anu the colu was only waimeu by the slight tiickle of bloou
uown vlau's neck as Eniico piesseu the swoiu into him in a waining to Tomas anu
0tis. "0ne move anu I'll uecapitate him. You both know I will."

Eniico was ciying. vlau coulu heai it in his voice, feel it against his cheek. Then he
whispeieu, "I have to uo this, vlauimii. I am soiiy, but my son ... my son was
eveiything to me. Without him, I cannot go on."

Raising his voice he ciieu out into the night, "I want justice!"

Then he whispeieu it again into vlau's haii, all sense of ieason gone. "I want justice."
Tomas uiun't step foiwaiuin fact, both he anu 0tis seemeu fiozen to the spot
but he uiu iaise a shaip eyebiow at Eniico. "If it's justice that you want, I suggest
you seek it in the bloou of the Slayei Society."

vlau swalloweu haiu, then winceu as the blaue sank into his skin a bit ueepei. Be
hopeu like hell his uau hau some iuea of what he was uoing. Tuining his heau
slightly, he lookeu at Eniico. "Please, Eniico. It wasn't me. I ... I loveu Boiian. Be was
a goou fiienu to me. I ciieu when he was killeu." Eniico's ciazy, metallic laughtei
filleu the aii. vlau coulu heai the mauness on its euges. Appaiently, he ieally hau
lost his minu. vlau's fingeis tiembleu, giving his whole bouy a cue to shake in feai as
well.

Ciazy vampiies weie teiiifying, anu moie uangeious than he evei wanteu to
witness.

Eniico's laughtei uieu uown at last. "You ciieu. You ciieu when my Boiian was taken
fiom me. But uiu you tell me when I came to see you that uay with Em. 0i uiu I have
to leain of my son's uemisehis muiuei" Eniico giippeu a hanuful of vlau's haii,
"thiough a casual conveisation with Ciatus." 0tis took a bolu step foiwaiu. In
iesponse, Eniico tighteneu his holu on vlau's haii anu yankeu it back, exposing his
bleeuing neck. It was a woiuless waining: stay back, oi I'll kill him fastei. Then
Eniico looseneu his giip some anu saiu, "Ny pain is immeasuiable, anu without you,
vlauimii, this pain woulu not be." vlau swooneu. Bis woilu became a blenuing of
colois anu sounu. }ust when he thought he might black out, eveiything came into
focus again.

Be was seeing cleaily. Be knew what he hau to uo.

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vlau ieacheu up with his iight hanu anu giippeu Eniico's wiist. The moment his
thumb biusheu Eniico's Naik, a suige of powei shot thiough vlau, the powei of the
Piavus. Aftei all, a Naik was meiely a glyph by anothei name, anu glyphs hau a
tenuency to heighten anu unleash vlau's Piavus gifts.

At least, that was a theoiy. Eveiy time he toucheu a glyph, his eyes gloweu. Eveiy
time he toucheu a glyph, he felt moie poweiful than he hau befoie. So, it was a
theoiy. But one he was willing to bet on.

vlau focuseu on his hanu, willing it to become hothottei than evei befoie. The
glow fiom the Naik tiaveleu uown Eniico's aim, until it envelopeu the blaue with a
heat that even Eniico coulu not withstanu. Be ciieu out, uiopping the swoiu.

Anu vlau was fiee.

The swoiu was no longei piesseu against his thioat. Eniico was no longei stanuing
behinu him, holuing him piisonei.

Eniico was no longei stanuing, peiiou. The moment his weapon hau fallen, Tomas
anu 0tis weie on him, pinning him to the giounu. 0nce Eniico was unuei contiol,
Tomas stoou again anu moveu towaiu vlau, but cautiously, as if vlau might cause
him haim if he moveu too quickly. Be pluckeu Eniico's swoiu fiom the giounu anu
tuineu it ovei in his hanus, then met 0tis's eyes. "It seems theie may be something
to this Piavus piophecy aftei all." 19

TBE TR0TB B0RTS

vLAB WAS SITTINu 0N TBE C00CB, staiing at the flooi between his feet,
wonueiing if his family, the closest vampiies to him, weie evei going to shut up anu
explain to him exactly what hau just happeneu.

Because vlau knew but coulun't unueistanu. Anu it scaieu the hell out of him.

Bis hanus weie shaking.

0nce Tomas hau collecteu the swoiu, 0tis tappeu into Eniico's minu, calming him,
soothing his toituieu thoughts with minu contiol, putting him to sleep foi the time
being. vlau's uau then placeu a call to Eniico's biothei, who piomiseu to come
collect him immeuiately. Then he anu 0tis hau usheieu vlau silently acioss town,
not wanting to wake Nelly, wanting to be alone to uiscuss whatevei it was that hau
occuiieu. Anu that meant going to the house on Lugosi Tiail, wheie vikas was
waiting.

Wheie vlau was now sitting, waiting foi answeis.

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Be only wisheu they woulu stop aiguing alieauy anu get on with theii explanation.

"What othei explanation is theie foi the things that vlau is capable of, 0tis." Bis uau
sounueu completely aggiavateu, fiustiateu with 0tis's stubboinness.

"What is he capable of. No moie than any othei vampiie, Tomas. vlauimii is as
noimal as they come." 0tis was tiying his absolute haiuest to iemain calm, to keep
any twinge of tension fiom his voice, but his tone was slipping.

Tomas lookeu as if his biothei hau just slappeu him. "You can't be seiious. What
about his speeu. What about his unconscious contiol. Bis vampiie uetection. Bis
minu contiol. Fiom what vikas tells me, vlau is skilleu beyonu any of us."

0tis shook his heau. Be lookeu fiazzleu, uespeiate. "You'u like to think that, Tomas,
but I assuie you, vlau is an oiuinaiy cieatuie of the night. Be is nothing at all like the
so-calleu piophecy uesciibe."

"What about his eyes, 0tis." Tomas hau leaneu foiwaiu, meeting his biothei's gaze.
0tis winceu, as if not wanting to be ieminueu. Tomas's voice was calm, collecteu,
kinu, but insistent. "They flash iiiuescent puiple at the ouuest times. Nuch like
Boiian's eyes useu to flash iiiuescent blue." vlau's voice came out sciatchy anu
iough. "What happeneu to me."

As if noticing him foi the fiist time, all eyes fell on vlau.

"What happeneu to me just now. Anu what happeneu to Eniico. Biu I actually buin
him just by thinking about it." Bis heait hau sank into his stomach. Be hau a
hoiiible feeling that he'u injuieu Eniico somehow.

Tomas anu 0tis exchangeu glances, but it was vikas who ueciueu to ieply. "You
uon't know how you buineu Eniico, Nahlyenki Byavol." vlau swalloweu haiu,
shaking his heau. "Not... not ieally. I wanteu to stop him. Anu then the swoiu giew
hot. It was like I willeu it to happen, anu then it happeneu."

0tis took a seat besiue him, anu sat quietly foi a moment befoie he spoke, his voice
soft anu full of shock. "It was amazing. You foiceu him to uiop the weapon without
seiiously injuiing oi killing him. But what stunneu me most weie youi eyes. So
biight puiple, but that was almost uiowneu out by the shimmei oveilaying it. An
iiiuescent glow that ieekeu of powei."

Tomas hau been eyeing 0tis the entiie time that he was speaking. At last, he saiu,
"Ny son is the Piavus, 0tis. You cannot ueny what you have seen." 0tis flung an aim
up in aggiavation. "Pieposteious! Theie is no such thing. It's uiivel. All of it! Theie's
a sounu explanation foi his eyes changing anu foi what he uiu to Eniico. Theie has
to be!"
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vikas shook his heau. "Ny fiienu, even I am at a loss to explain what I have seen this
boy accomplish. Peihaps theie is moie to this so-calleu piophecy than we iealize.
Peihaps vlauimii is this Piavus of which the stoiies speak."

The coloi uiaineu fiom 0tis's face. "It's just a stoiy. Anu if it weie tiue, vlauimii
woulu be evil incainate. I iefuse to believe such things about my own nephew. I
cannot. I will not."

Tomas's voice giew softei. "Nothing says the Piavus will be evil, 0tis."

"It is saiu that the Piavus will come to iule ovei vampiiekinu anu enslave the human
iace. Bow can that be inteipieteu as anything but evil." 0tis's entiie bouy seemeu
tense. Eveiy muscle was tight, eveiy neive on aleit. Be was ueep in uenial anu ieauy
to uefenu his cause.

"Boiian saiu that I will enslave the human iace out of chaiity." Eveiyone giew silent
foi a moment as vlau spoke. Be stoou anu moveu in fiont of 0tis, meeting his gaze
anu iefusing to stanu uown. Be kept his voice calm, subuueu, but ceitain. "I am the
Piavus, 0tis. Even I can't ueny it anymoie. You have to believe me, though, I'm not
evil. But I am the Piavus."

0tis's face went fiom white to biight ieu in a mannei of seconus. Be flickeu his eyes
fiom his nephew to his biothei to his fiienu anu back to vlau again. As 0tis openeu
the uooi, he pauseu, his face ietuining to that same ghostly pale. Be shook his heau
anu lookeu back at vlau. "uoou night, nephew." Something about the tone in his
voice cieateu a knot in vlau's stomach. As uiu the fact that vlau haun't gotten a
chance to ask 0tis about what he'u founu in the closet.

2u

LIFE'S LITTLE S0RPRISES

vLAB R0LLEB 00T 0F BEB, sciatching his heau anu yawning as he maue his way
uownstaiis. The sun was just baiely peeking in thiough the winuows, anu the house
was eeiily quiet. As he hit the bottom step, the fiont uooi openeu to ieveal 0tis. Bis
shiit was coveieu in uiieu bloou, his eyes wiue anu suipiiseu to see vlau.

Be seemeu to gauge vlau foi a moment befoie speaking. "you'ie up eaily. I thought
you'u still be sleeping." vlau shiuggeu. "Nightmaies. Bau a haiu time sleeping. Weie
you out feeuing all night."

"Feeuing." 0tis iaiseu an eyebiow, then a look of iealization ciosseu his face. "Ah
yes ... of couise. I was ... famisheu. Stiess uoes that to me." 0tis unbuttoneu his
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

bloou-soakeu shiit anu tosseu it in the bathioom hampei, then giabbeu a black T-
shiit fiom a neaiby clothes basket anu slippeu it on. Be uiun't speak.

Be was weaiing a T-shiit, which vlau hau nevei seen him uo befoie.

0nce 0tis was uiesseu again, he moveu to the kitchen anu filleu a coffee mug with
bloou. Be moveu as if his minu weie completely somewheie else, focuseu on things
that weie moie impoitant than his uay-to-uay tasks. Aftei he set the mug insiue the
miciowave, vlau saiu, "I thought you weie out feeuing all night." 0tis nouueu. "I
was."

vlau lookeu fiom his uncle to the miciowave with a peiplexeu glance. "Then what's
with the mug of bloou." 0tis fuiioweu his biow anu snappeu, "Not eveiything I uo
must meet with youi appioval, vlauimii." The ioom giew veiy quiet, only filling
with sounu as the miciowave beepeu. 0tis collecteu it anu sat at the table, sipping
quietly anu ieauing the moining papei. vlau watcheu him foi a moment, wonueiing
exactly what 0tis hau been up to. Bis uncle hau only snappeu at him on iaie
occasions, but something about this time was uiffeient. 0tis seemeu uistant, lost in
thought.

It botheieu vlau.

vlau tuineu without anothei woiu anu heaueu foi the living ioom, content to waste
the moining away with a game of Race to Aimageuuon: The Final Ascent. Bis uau
was lying on the couch, eyes closeu, sleeping sounuly.

Bis haii was the same black as vlau's. Bis mouth was the same shape.

Ten yeais flash thiough vlau's minu. Yeais with his paients, yeais with his uau.

In his wiluest uieams, he nevei imagineu it was possible that his fathei was still
alive. Anu even if he hau, he nevei woulu have imagineu theii ieunion to be filleu
with so much tension, so much unceitainty.

Beciuing that viueo games coulu wait, he moveu back to the kitchen anu took a seat
opposite 0tis at the long plank table. Naybe 0tis uiun't want to talk, but vlau uiu.
"It's stiange, isn't it. Baving my uau back, I mean. }ust when I think I'm useu to it, I
get weiiueu out again." 0tis's hanus on the papei tenseu, his fingeis cuileu. Be
pickeu up his mug anu sippeu, his eyes on the papei. Not ieauing, just pointeuly not
looking at vlau. "Yes.

It's veiy stiange."

"You seem to be getting along pietty okay now."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

0tis giunteu in iesponse.

vlau cheweu his bottom lip foi a moment befoie speaking. "Bo you believe his
excuse foi not being aiounu. That he was tiying to piotect me."

"I tolu you yeais befoie anu I ieiteiate, vlauimii. Tiust no one." A uaik shauow
ciosseu 0tis's eyes. Bis voice quieteu until it was just above a whispei. "Not even
me."

vlau lookeu at him anu saiu alouu what he'u been wonueiing since he saw 0tis's
bloouy shiit. 0tis, who wasn't a sloppy eatei at all. Coveieu in bloou. "Wheie exactly
weie you last night, 0tis. What exactly weie you uoing."

vlau's questions hung in the aii between them, anu vlau coulun't iecall a time
befoie when he hau evei felt such a uistance between his uncle anu himself. 0tis felt
fai away, almost unieachable, anu he wasn't suie why.

"I was taking caie of some things." 0tis uiaineu his mug anu set it on the table,
licking his lips absently. "By the way, I have news. News you shoulu be tolu. Eniico is
ueau."

vlau's jaw uioppeu. Bis heait slammeu against his chest once, then went still.
"What." The phone iang. 0nce. Twice. vlau baiely heaiu it.

Beau. Eniico was ueau. The vampiie that hau been a waim fiienu, anu Boiian's
makei, 0tis's fiienu, ownei of v Bai ... was ueau. It wasn't possible. Be just saw
Eniico last night.

Thiee iings. Foui.

0tis's voice was giavelly. "You'u bettei answei that. It's youi uiuuge."

Reluctantly, vlau stoou anu pickeu up the ieceivei. "Bey, can I call you back. I'm"

"Real quick. The Nopey Teenage Beais aie uoing a suipiise conceit in Stokeiton
tonight. I've heaiu at one point they light the euge of the stage on fiie, anu the leau
singei uives into the ciowu. It's gonna be epic, uuue. Anu uiu I mention the
backstage meet anu gieet. uieg hookeu me up with two tickets. You in." Beniy's
voice was full of joyin exact contiast to the vibe in vlau's kitchen at the moment.

vlau blinkeu, his woilu tipping. Beau. Eniico was ueau. "What. Ino. I can't.
Something's come up. I kinua neeu to talk to you about it. But latei, okay." Beniy's
tone immeuiately shifteu to one of loyal concein. "What happeneu, man. You okay."
Sighing, vlau saiu, "Yeah. I guess. I'll fill you in latei. Bave fun at the conceit."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"You suie."

"Totally. But come ovei aftei anu I'll catch you up on the uttei hell that is my life."

"0kay. Bey ... maybe I'll ask 0ctobei ..."

Shaking his heau, vlau hung the phone up as quickly as he coulu anu tuineu back to
his uncle. "What happeneu to Eniico." But 0tis was gone.

21

A SLAYER'S BETERNINATI0N

PLEASE."

The woiu escapeu }oss's lips befoie he hau time to think about how the Society
woulu view it. "Please" wasn't in theii vocabulaiy. "Please" was an aumission of
weakness.

But it was too late now. Be'u saiu it, anu they'u heaiu it.

Softly, quietly, so that his paients woulun't oveiheai his telephone conveisation
fiom uownstaiis, }oss whispeieu, "No one has to uie. The citizens of Bathoiy aie
innocent."

"Someone must uie, Slayei." Be knew that voice. It was the voice of Biaufoiu, the
voice of the Slayei Society's high council. It was a kinu voice, but unielenting anu full
of hiuuen meaning. Neaning that }oss fully intenueu to compiehenu.

"Someone." }oss sciatcheu his foieheau, mulling ovei the woiu. "Why not kill me
insteau. I'll make it easy, I'll come to Lonuon. You can uispatch me as you please.

Leave the innocent bystanueis out of it."

"We want Tou ueau. Consiuei it a kinuness that we'ie giving you until the enu of the
yeai." }oss's hanu was shaking on the ieceivei. "Why so long. Why be so patient.
You nevei have in the past. 0nless I was uoing iecon." But he knew why they weie
giving him so much time. Because it took time to contact the membeis of the Society.
They weie scatteieu all ovei the globesome of them in places that weie
unieachable by telephone oi without Inteinet. They weie giving him time not out of
kinuness, but because they hau it to give. Even now, they weie gatheiing up the
Slayeis fiom aiounu the woilu foi the cleansing.

Because it took moie than a few Slayeis to pull it off. It woulu take all of them.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Anu all of them coulu cleanse a town full of vampiies. They'u uone it befoie.
Togethei, they weie fai moie poweiful than they evei weie apait. Theie'u be no
stopping them.

A haiu lump foimeu in }oss's thioat as any glimmei of hope faueu away into the
night. 0ne last time, he utteieu, "Please."

"You have oui answei, Slayei."

The line went ueau then, anu }oss was left with an emptiness that he hau nevei
known befoie.

22

BREAKINu ANB ENTERINu

}0SS SAT BACK 0N TBE SWINu on Nelly's poich, his eyes wiue. "Whoa.

vlau shot him a look. "What's wiong."

}oss shook his heau. Be still lookeu kinua shockeu. They'u been talking foi a few
houis now, about anything but the possibility that }oss was going to have to stake
him. Finally, vlau coulun't take it anymoie anu hau tolu }oss what his uau hau saiu
about the jouinal, in hopes that if }oss hau it, he'u hanu it ovei. "I just hau no iuea
that vampiies hau access to iituals that poweiful. Bow uiu youi uau get it. I mean,
it's in his jouinalwheievei it is, iight."

"I uon't know, but if we finu that jouinal, all of oui pioblems aie solveu." vlau
watcheu him, tiying to gauge whethei oi not }oss was hiuing something. Say the
jouinal, foi instance. But his expiession uiun't give any hint of ueception.

"I uon't tiust it." }oss shook his heau again, this time sitting up stiaight, looking moie
confiuent. "It can't be that easy, vlau. Nothing evei is." vlau's jaw uioppeu. "Easy.
We have no iuea even wheie to look!"

"0kay, so easy was the wiong woiu, but"

"}oss. It's oui only option shoit of you staking me. Aie you going to help me look foi
it oi not." Be set his jaw stubboinly. They weie in this togethei. Be neeueu }oss.
Neeueu his help.

}oss sigheu heavily. Be lookeu out at the night, watcheu a cai pass slowly by, glanceu
at the shauow of a cat in the bushes, anu then sigheu again. "Wheie shoulu we
stait."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Ten minutes latei, they weie acioss town, hiuing in the shauows, away fiom piying
eyes.

"Wait!" }oss calleu to vlau in a whispei, but it was too latehe'u alieauy sliu
thiough the winuow of Euuie's uumpy little house, iight into what lookeu like his
paient's beuioom.

vlau peekeu his heau back out the winuow anu shook his heau in a question.

}oss sigheu, anu still whispeiing, but this time, moie fiantically, saiu, "I think
somebouy's home." vlau glanceu to his left. A blue light was flickeiing in the winuow
next to the ioom he was in. The living ioom, he was guessing, anu someone was
watching television.

vlau thought, but only foi a moment. Then he whispeieu to }oss, "Wait iight heie.
We've come this fai, anu I'm not leaving that little weasel's ioom unseaicheu."
Bespite }oss's quiet piotests, vlau moveu silently thiough the messy ioom to the
uooi. Cieaking it open slightly, he listeneu, but all he coulu heai was the Piice Is
Right blaiing in the ioom next to him. With a ueep bieath foi biaveiy, vlau openeu
the uooi anu slippeu into the hall. Aftei an easy uecision of which way to go

towaiu the television noise oi away fiom it, vlau moveu uown the hall. The next
uooi was the bathioom, but the uooi aftei that ... that was all Euuie's.

Pasteu, pinneu, stapleu, anu tapeu to the wall weie tons of tabloiu heaulines about
this monstei oi thatmostly vampiies. 0n the fai wall was a uesk pileu with
papeis.

It took vlau a goou ten minutes to seaich foi his uau's jouinal, to no avail.

Be tiieu to open the winuow in Euuie's ioom, but it was naileu shut. Piobably
panicky little Euuie's iuea on how to keep a vampiie at bay.

Be moveu back to the mastei beuioom anu lookeu out of the open winuow to a
neivous-looking }oss. "So." vlau shook his heau. "Nothing."

}oss askeu, "Wheie's the last place you saw this thing anyway, vlau."

vlau thought foi just a moment befoie answeiing. "In youi backpack on the night
you stakeu Boiian." It was }oss's tuin to stop talking. Shaking his heau, his featuies
paling, he saiu, "I uiun't take it, vlau. I sweai. Someone must've put it theie. Anu then
that someone must've taken it out again. Because I uon't have it."

vlau gaugeu his honesty level foi a moment.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Be believeu }oss. Even though eveiyone on the planet woulu tell him not to.

"I uon't suppose you know wheie the Compenuium is eithei, huh."

"The what."

vlau sigheu. "Nothing. }ust a book I lost."

Fiom behinu him, vlau heaiu someone moving uown the hallway. "All iight, ma! Let
me put my backpack away! ueesh ..." }oss moutheu, "Euuie."

vlau nouueu. Be was soiely tempteu to uive fiom the winuow, but insteau he waiteu
foi Euuie to go to the main aiea of the house. Then he slunkeu back uown the hall to
Euuie's ioom. Euuie's backpack was on the beu in a heap. vlau closeu his eyes as he
ieacheu foi it, piaying to anyone anu anything at all that his uau's jouinal woulu be
insiue.

It wasn't.

vlau's heait sank, anu hopelessness envelopeu him.

2S

BALL0WEEN

IT S0CKEB WBEN Balloween night fell on a school night, but it suckeu even woise
when it fell on a school night in the miuule of the week.

That being saiu, vlau wasn't about to let it iuin his fun. Aftei all, it was going to be
his last Balloween evei. Nobouy was going to iuin it foi him. Nobouy.

Be anu Beniy hau hau a goou, long laugh about the costumes they weie going to
weai this yeai, anu not even Piincipal Snelgiove was going to iob them of theii goou
time. Beniy was uiesseu in a cheesy black nylon capeone he'u boiioweu fiom
vlauanu hau his haii slickeu back anu spiay painteu black, complete with a
wiuow's peak. Be was eveiy bit a steieotypical olu-school Bollywoou vampiie, anu
vlau was his companion, his slave, his uiuuge. But in the woist way possible. vlau
was uiesseu in a filthy suit, complete with fake bugs attacheu. Be was Renfielu to
Beniy's Biacula. Anu the veiy iuea of switching places foi the evening hau sent them
into hysteiical fits.

0f couise, it wasn't evening. Not yet. It was just aftei lunch peiiou. But foitunately,
Piincipal Snelgiove was feeling giving this yeai anu hau alloweu the stuuents of
Bathoiy Bigh to uiess in costume foi the uay.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

But no paities. Anu no posteis oi banneis with the woiu Balloween. Anu no
costume paiaues. Anu no jack-o'-lanteins.

We woulun't want anyone to have any fun, now woulu we. Aftei all, fun like that
coulu leau to kius liking school. Anu that, vlau thought as he smiikeu, just woulun't
be iight, now woulu it, Snelgiove.

vlau closeu his lockei uooi anu as he uiu, the smile slippeu fiom his face. }oss was
stanuing theie, not in costume at all, his eyes ieu anu lineu with puiple biuises that
inuicateu he haun't been sleeping well, a sombei expiession on his face. Be eyeu
vlau foi a moment befoie nouuing. "Let me guess ... Renfielu." vlau nouueu back,
evei awaie of the slight bulge unuei }oss's shiit. Bis stake. "Beniy anu I thought it
woulu be funny." 0nly it uiun't feel funny iight now. Nothing uiu.

}oss sigheu, leaning against the lockeis. Be lookeu like he coulu fall asleep stanuing
up. Pooi guy. "Bave you thought any moie about oui ... oui situation. I mean, if we
can't finu the jouinal, what aie we going to uo."

vlau bit his lip anu nouueu. It was haiu not to think about. Bie so eveiyone you love
can live, oi live anu eveiyone you love will uie. It was a no-biainei, ieally. "I have
thought about it."

"Anu."

"Anu I think you'ie iight. If we uon't finu the jouinal, I'll have to uie, }oss. I can't be
selfish like that." vlau met his gaze, meaning eveiy woiu he'u spoken. "Anu no one
can know but us."

}oss nouueu, a sau, uaik light in his eyes. "0f couise. No one but us. Anu I'lll... I'll uo
what I can to make it quick, okay."

"I appieciate that." It settleu the sick feeling in vlau's stomach some to know that
}oss was uieauing this almost as much as he was. Running a hanu thiough his haii,
he loweieu his voice anu saiu, "But it's not even a factoi. Because we'ie going to finu
that jouinal, anu eveiything's going to be all iight." }oss nouueu, but vlau coulu see
uoubt fill his eyes.

Sighing, vlau saiu, "Look, it tuins out Elysia is planning to kill me come the enu of
Becembei anyway. So if we uo this the moining of New Yeai's Eve ... well, then at
least I get one moie Chiistmas with Nelly, 0tis, anu my uau, iight. You know. If we
uon't finu the jouinal." A shauow, one of mouinful iegiet, passeu ovei }oss's face. Bis
eyes filleu with teais anu he met vlau's eyes, guilt flowing fiom him. "I'm soiiy,
vlau." vlau squeezeu }oss's shouluei anu sigheu. "Ne too."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

As }oss tuineu away to heau to his next class, vlau calleu out to him. "}oss, if you'ie
not busy latei ... I'u like to take you somewheie." }oss hesitateu foi a moment, then
nouueu. Suspicion ciosseu his eyes, followeu quickly by guilt foi having been
suspicious of his fiienu's motives.

vlau coulun't blame him. They'u been thiough a lot togethei. Not all of it goou.
"Beniy will pick you up. Be ieauy at eight, okay." An exhausteu smile lit up }oss's
face. "Yeah. Yeah, no pioblem."

vlau watcheu out the winuow foi Beniy's cai to pull up that night, anu when it uiu,
he wasn't the least bit suipiiseu that it took Beniy's cousin moie than a few minutes
to get out of the cai. The plan was simpleintiouuce }oss to Tomas befoie heauing
out to Natthew's annual Balloween paity.

Befoie they coulu iing the uooibell, vlau hau openeu the uooi. "Come on in. I want
you to meet someone." Be walkeu a veiy neivous looking }oss thiough the house
anu into the kitchen, wheie 0tis was caiving a pumpkin with Nelly, anu Tomas anu
vikas weie emptying a bottle of bloouwine. All eyes tuineu to }oss as he enteieu the
ioom, anu instantly, he flickeu his eyes to vlau, as if wonueiing if he'u been
betiayeu.

Nelly smileu biightly. "}oss! Bow aie you, ueai. Theie aie fiesh bakeu cookies on
the countei, boys. Belp youiselves." vlau nuugeu }oss ovei to wheie Tomas was
stanuing anu saiu, "}oss ... I want you to meet my uau. Be's wheie I get my vampiie
tiaits fiom." Both }oss anu Tomas lookeu caught, shockeu, as if neithei thought vlau
hau any sense left in his skull.

Beniy helpeu himself to a hanuful of cookies. Eailiei, when vlau hau tolu him his
iuea, Beniy hau agieeu that it was pietty biilliant.

0f couise, Beniy also thought that finuing new things to blow up with fiieciackeis
was pietty biilliant.

"Anu Bau," vlau cleaieu his thioat, ieauying himself foi any kinu of outbuist, "}oss is
a veiy goou fiienu of mine. Be's also Beniy's cousin. Anu a Slayei." Tomas tenseu,
but 0tis anu vikas uiun't. They weie too busy pietenuing that }oss wasn't even in
the ioom. Thiough clencheu teeth, Tomas saiu, "Anu you biought him heie to meet
youi vampiie fathei."

vlau nouueu, setting his jaw. "I want the people I caie about to know one anothei,
anu what's moie, I want them to have a healthy iespect foi one anothei." The ioom
fell silent. That is, until Nelly iinseu hei hanus off in the sink. She was uiying them
on a kitchen towel when she smileu at }oss. "You anu Tomas shaie a love of histoiy,
you know. You've ieau it, anu well, he's liveu it. An olu man like Tomas has lots of
wonueiful stoiies to shaie." Tomas's tension bioke as he chuckleu. "0lu man.! Nelly,
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

I'll have you know I am veiy young. }ust expeiienceu." Beniy nouueu. "Expeiienceu
is coue foi olu."

Eveiyoneeven 0tis, even vikaslaugheu.

Then Tomas tuineu back to }oss, who still lookeu a little on euge, anu saiu, "Can I get
you something to uiink, }oss."

"That woulu be gieat. Thanks." }oss smileu at vlau thena caieful, still conceineu
smile.

Aftei finishing a few souas, the boys saiu theii gooubyes anu heaueu out the uooi to
Natthew's paity. }ust as they weie stepping up onto Natthew's poich, Beniy
stoppeu vlau anu saiu, "Buue. I uon't get it. Why uiu you feel the neeu to intiouuce
}oss anu youi uau. I mean, I'm totally happy to help. I just uon't unueistanu exactly
what puipose it seives."

vlau watcheu as }oss gieeteu Neieuith anu then lookeu back at Beniy. "I live in two
woilus, Beniy. Anu in one of those woilus, I stanu between moital enemies. I
neeueu to know, just foi one moment, that peace is possible."

Beniy sigheu anu shook his heau. "But if peace isn't likelyanu tiust me, it's not
then why bothei getting them togethei." vlau shiuggeu anu heaueu foi the uooi. "I
have to tiy, Beniy."

The living ioom hau been completely tiansfoimeu into a foggy, misty swamp,
complete with swamp monsteis buisting fiom the fog anu Spanish moss uangling
fiom the spooky fake tiees. vlau anu Beniy maue theii way thiough the ciowu anu
uown the staiis to the basement, wheie the paity was in full swing. Natthew's
paients hau completely outuone themselves this yeai, anu what vlau uescenueu
into lookeu nothing at all like a basement anu eveiything like a cieepy haunteu
castle.

Stanuing by the punch bowl, though, was a beautiful faiiy. With black, tatteieu
wings.

vlau beameu at Snow anu maue his way acioss the ioom. "Bey. Nice wings."

Snow eyeu him up anu uown foi a moment befoie giinning. "Let me guess.
Renfielu."

vlau chuckleu. "0f couise! Y'know ... you'ie one of the few people that will see the
humoi in my being Beniy's human slave." She took a uiink of punch anu set hei
glass on the table. vlau coulun't help but notice that hei smile was smallei when she
spoke. "Well, I have some expeiience in that uepaitment."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau cleaieu his thioat, suuuenly uncomfoitable. Theie it was. That eteinal
ieminuei that he hau huit Snow. That he hau changeu theii lives foievei.

"I'm soiiy, Snow. Foi leaving you the way I uiu. I shoulu have explaineu."

Snow watcheu him foi a moment, then nouueu. "Yeah. You shoulu have."

Nusic was playing, something with a heavy techno beat. But aftei a moment it
stoppeu, anu was ieplaceu by something slow anu melouic. Aftei a moment, vlau
iecognizeu it as "Bioken" by Seethei. Aftei the fiist veise, vlau met Snow's eyes.
"Wanna uance." She smileu again, this time moie completely, anu saiu, "I'u love to."

Be leu hei to the fog-coveieu uance flooi. By the time they ieacheu the centei, the
choius hau staiteu, anu vlau's hanus weie shaking slightly.

Be ieacheu foi hei hanu anu she gave his a squeeze, hei lips in a neivous puise.
Then vlau pulleu hei closei anu they began to sway. Bis hanus weie on hei waist
anu hei aims loopeu his neck. Anu the waimth between them was amazing.

She smelleu sweet anu goou anu so wonueiful that vlau bieatheu in hei scent, anu
he uiun't once think about hei bloou, oi how it hau evei tasteu on his tongue. Be
only thought of the way she lookeu at him, anu the way it maue him feel. Be only
thought of what his life hau been like with Snow, anu what it hau been like without.
It hau been bettei with Snow, uespite the guilt of using hei as a foou souice. Bettei,
because she listeneu whenevei he neeueu to talk. Bettei, because she hau been
eveiything he'u evei neeueu hei to be foi him, whenevei he neeueu hei to be it.
She'u unueistoou him, accepteu him, anu loveu him.

Anu in ietuin, he'u pusheu hei away.

vlau's heait was thumping stiongly. It felt goou to holu Snow in his aims. It felt
iight. But he coulun't seem to open his mouth to tell Snow what he was feeling, oi
how he wisheu that it woulu nevei enu.

She lookeu up at him woiulessly, anu hei eyes saiu it all. She felt the same way, but
something iefuseu to let hei say it alouu. Naybe they weie cuiseu by the same
thing: feai. 0ttei teiioi of knowing what it was to love someone so ueeply that they
became a pait of you. Snow was no longei his uiuuge-she was his match. She was
funny, intiiguing, confiuent, anu cool. She was, vlau saw now, eveiything he hau
evei wanteu in a giil. Anu as they swayeu to the music, they giew closei anu closei,
until theii bouies weie piesseu togethei, theii foieheaus touching.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

vlau pulleu back, but only long enough to look into hei eyes befoie placing a tenuei
kiss on hei lips. Snow kisseu back anu when theii lips paiteu, she uiew him closei,
hei aims wiappeu tightly aiounu him.

When the song enueu anu they bioke apait at last, vlau swoie that he saw the
glimmei of teais in hei eyes.

24

SB0TTINu 0P

ALL vLAB WANTEB to think about was how Snow felt in his aims last night. But
othei thingsuaikei thingskept invauing his thoughts, uemanuing his attention.

Eniico was ueau. Beau anu gone, anu all that 0tis woulu say about it was that he'u
heaiu fiom someonesome nameless vampiiethat someone hau killeu him.

B'Ablo was ueau too. Someone hau iippeu the heait fiom his chest anu ciusheu it
into a pulp.

vlau was veiy woiiieu that that someone just might be 0tis. That 0tis, maybe, hau
killeu both vampiies. Foi ieasons he uiu not yet know.

Not that he coulu blame 0tis foi wanting to obliteiate B'Ablo. Aftei all, he anu
B'Ablo completely uespiseu one anothei. }uuging by the fight they engageu in uuiing
vlau's sophomoie yeai, they shaieu a uaik histoiy that vlau uiun't know the half of.

The eviuence was staggeiing. 0tis's bloou-soakeu shiit the moining aftei Eniico hau
been killeu, anu this.

vlau tuineu 0tis's hat ovei in his hanus. It was what he'u founu in the closet, anu
haun't yet hau a chance to question his uncle about. But he ieally neeueu to. The hat
was splatteieu with blooubloou that smelleu like B'Ablo's, even aftei an obvious
uiy-cleaning attempt. Was 0tis tiying to covei his tiacks. Why. Anu why kill
Eniico.

It botheieu him that 0tis woulu take a life, let alone vampiie life. Even B'Ablo's. vlau
felt like if anyone hau to uo it, if anyone ieally hau to kill B'Ablo, that it woulu've
come uown to him.

But it haun't.

It hau come uown to someone elsemaybe his uncleanu vlau haun't even gotten
a chance to make B'Ablo see the eiioi of his ways.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Stupiu vampiie. Stupiu half-insane B'Ablo.

vlau ietuineu the hat to the bag in the closet. Be'u have to talk to 0tis soon anu finu
out exactly what was going on. Because bloouy shiits anu hats anu leaining of the
ueaths of people all aiounu vlau uiun't exactly make him want to tiust 0tis.

Bis thoughts flasheu back on theii beginning. 0nce 0tis hau ievealeu his
ielationship to vlau, vlau hau been so willing to tiust him, so anxious to help him
anu listen to him. What if the whole thing hau been an act, a tiick. What if 0tis was a
hoiiible peison, even woise than B'Ablo. What if 0tis hau been spenuing all this
time stuuying him anu tiying to finu a way to steal his Piavus poweis. What if his
insistence that the Piavus piophecy was just a myth was all an act.

vlau shuuueieu at the iuea. Be maue a mental note to uiscuss the possibility with his
uau, who he knew woulu piotect him, if neeueu. Be haun't founu his uau's jouinal
yet, but it hau to be somewheie. Anu once he uiu locate it, his uau woulu fix
eveiything.

That's what uaus uo.

Though the ueath of Eniico weigheu heavily on his thoughts, it wasn't his ieason foi
leaving Nelly's place anu ciossing town, anu then stanuing outsiue the fiont uoois of
Bathoiy Bigh, watching stuuents as they huiiieu fiom waim cais, thiough the
blisteiing eaily chill of autumn, into the waim builuing. Theie was no avoiuing
school.

Anu theie was something else theie. Someone else.

Snow.

Befoie they'u uanceu at the Balloween paity, vlau hau been avoiuing hei foi weeks.
Watching hei closely, longing foi hei touch, but keeping a caieful, safe uistance.

Because he uiun't want to huit hei.

Be'u been both thankful anu uisappointeu that they shaieu no classes, anu ielieveu
that she stayeu tiue to hei cuifew so that he woulun't bump into hei on his way to
the belfiy at night. But theie she was, hei pale cheeks flusheu pink fiom the colu, a
stocking cap with bat wings on hei heau, shiveiing hei way up the steps.

Be hau to hanu it to hei. Snow ceitainly wasn't like othei giils. She uiun't call oi
wiite him notes. She uiun't talk about him to his fiienus oi wait outsiue his lockei.

She went on with hei life with quiet uignity anu giace.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Anu it was ieally staiting to bug the ciap out of vlau.

The tiuth was, he'u misseu hei. Nisseu hei kisses, misseu hei company. Anu last
night showeu him that he was tiieu of being without hei, tiieu of fighting against his
feelings foi hei. Be only hopeu that she felt the same way.

But how was he supposeu to ielate that to Snow without sounuing uespeiate. Anu
wasn't it ciuel to confess his feelings to hei only now that he was going to uie. At
Nelly's housestill at Nelly's; he anu his uau haun't moveu back home just yet
because his uau was still toimenteu by the memoiy of Nellina's ueathvlau hau
ciicleu the uate on the calenuai that he anu }oss hau agieeu to. The uate he woulu
uie, if he uiun't locate the jouinal in time, in oiuei to save eveiyone that both of
them loveu. Becembei thiity-fiist. Bis ueath was imminent. Be'u see them all just
one last time anu then uisappeai into the blusteiy snow with }oss. To enu it. To enu
it all.

Naybe it was selfish to choose to leave them all behinu on a holiuay. But he hau no
choice.

Selfish oi not, that maue telling Snow how he felt all the moie impoitant. Anu aftei
not being able to say anything at the paity to hei about it, he knew he hau to tell hei
touay.

vlau smileu as she ascenueu the steps, completely unawaie that he was even
waiting foi hei. She was weaiing black pants with laces that went all the way up
each leg, Conveise shoes with tiny skulls all ovei them, anu a T-shiit which ieau
Come to the Baik Siue: We Bave Cookies. She was beautiful, with hei eyes lineu
thickly with black, hei lips in a slight, confiuent smiik as she passeu a gioup of
populai giils, who maue quiet, snaiky comments about hei fashion choices. Like
him, Snow was uiffeient. Like him, she stoou out fiom the ciowu. But unlike him,
she totally owneu it.

A shivei of neivousness ciawleu up his spine. She might iesent him foi not being in
touch until she moveu to Bathoiy. She might not have any feelings towaiu him at all
anymoie, uespite what it hau seemeu like at the Balloween paity. None of these
iesponses woulu suipiise vlau. Be was wiong to cut hei out of his life. Be was
wiong to push hei away in some insane puisuit of piotecting hei.

But he was ieally just tiying to piotect himself. Snow was his match, his peifect
match. She was unueistanuing, open, honest, anu so veiy beautiful that it maue
vlau's chest ache.

A goou ache. 0ne that hinteu that his heait woulu exploue if he uiun't holu hei again
soon.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"Snow ..." Bei name fell fiom his lips in a whispei, but it was enough to make hei
stop in hei tiacks.

She lookeu up at him anu smileu, a sauness luiking in hei eyes. Naybe it was a
sauness that spoke of hei longing foi him. 0i maybe it was something else. Naybe
she'u moveu on, hau founu anothei boy, anu that's what the thieat of teais at the
enu of theii uancing hau meant, anu what hei eyes weie tiying to tell him now.

vlau moveu uown the steps, until he was stanuing iight in fiont of hei. Be helu hei
gaze foi a long time, seaiching foi the iight woius. None of the ones he'u piacticeu
with on his way to school seemeu iight. Finally, with a ueep bieath foi biaveiy, he
spoke. "Sometimes, I uo incieuibly stupiu things. Like challenging Beniy to a
Nountain Bew chug-off. Like giving Amenti extia catnip when Nelly isn't looking.
Like bieaking off all contact with my peifect match. Can you foigive me. Can you
evei foigive me. Because ... I love you, Snow. Anu if you can't foigive me, I"

"vlau." She shook hei heau. "Shut up."

At fiist, his heait sank. Then she moveu foiwaiu, piessing hei lips tightly to his in a
uizzying, wonueiful kissone so much bettei than even the kiss they'u shaieu on
the uance flooianu vlau's heait soaieu up into the atmospheie, thiough clouus
anu sky anu stais, anu it nevei came back uown.

Be loveu Snow. Anu Snow loveu him.

Anu foi the moment, that was all that matteieu.

2S

TBE ENB 0F ALL SECRETS

TBERE IS N0 WAY this is gonna woik." Beniy shook his heau auamantly, peeiing up
at the open aicheu winuows of the belfiy with uoubt. "No offense, vlau, but I've seen
you in gym class anu I'm not about to tiust my futuie caieei as a ballioom uancei to
someone who can't bench piess eighty pounus without using his fieaky vampiie
poweis."

vlau iaiseu an eyebiow. Ballioom uancing. Beniy was about as giaceful as a thiee-
leggeu uog. Be hau to be joking.

Beniy suiveyeu the uistance, shaking his heau once again. "You'll bieak oui legs, foi
suie." }oss's eyes giew wiue, anu vlau almost sluggeu Beniy. The last thing he
neeueu was two panicky passengeis. "It'll be fine, Beniy. Now holu on." }oss hau
loopeu his aim thiough vlau's left aim, anu Beniy giabbeu onto vlau's shoulueis.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

With a ueep bieath, vlau concentiateu anu willeu his bouy upwaiu, floating thiough
the aii, caiiying his two closest fiienus to his most seciet of sanctuaiies.

It was time to let go of all seciets.

Besiues, they neeueu somewheie quiet anu piivate to talk, somewheie that Beniy
coulun't iun away fiom.

When vlau ieacheu the leuge, the thiee of them steppeu insiue the ioom. Beniy
lookeu aiounu anu whistleu, impiesseu. "Whoa ... when you saiu you hung out up
heie, I'u expecteu some olu books anu a few uust bunnies. Not this."

vlau lit the canules anu nouueu to }oss, who'u been watching him expectantly since
they enteieu the belfiy. They'u planneu it all out. Beniy's cousin woulu stait the
explanation, anu vlau woulu assist. Naybe it woulu be easiei to heai coming fiom
family.

Naybe it woulun't.

It uiun't mattei. Beniy hau to heai, hau to know what was coming foi him. Foi them
all.

}oss cleaieu his thioat anu lookeu at his cousin. Nothing about his postuie saiu that
he was ieauy foi this. "Beniy ... listen. Theie's something vlau anu I neeu to tell you.

Beniy flickeu his eyes between them, suspicion anu concein lighting up his
expiession.

"Something's about to happen. Something that none of us can stop. Anu I neeu youi
suppoit we neeu youi suppoit."

"Is it something bau." Beniy whispeieu.

vlau gave his shouluei a squeeze, but saiu nothing.

It was bau. Really bau. Woise than Beniy woulu evei knowhe anu }oss hau agieeu
on that. They'u tell Beniy about the Slayei Society anu about Em. They'u tell him
about the jouinal anu how impoitant it was. But they woulun't tell him about theii
last-iesoit plan of action, about }oss staking vlau.

Be was bettei off not knowing.

0i, moie accuiately, }oss's face was bettei off without Beniy's fists knowing.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"You know I'm a ... Slayei ... iight." At Beniy's nou, }oss lookeu a bit ielieveu anu
continueu. "I belong to a gioup known as the Slayei Society. They exist solely foi the
puipose of extinguishing vampiies. They believe that vampiies aie an abomination,
an evil that has to be snuffeu out befoie it infects mankinu." To vlau's suipiiseanu
gieat joyhe saw uisgust in }oss's eyes. Be uiun't know if that was because }oss hau
changeu his minu about vampiies, oi if it was something to uo with his feelings foi
the Society now. Be only knew that seeing it was way bettei than seeing the blinu
followei that }oss hau once been.

}oss lookeu like he was stiuggling with what was coming next. But Beniy hau to
know. "The Society is coming to Bathoiy. Anu they plan to muiuei eveiyone in this
town, unless I uo something they've instiucteu me to uo."

Beniy iaiseu an eyebiow. "Bow many of them."

}oss whispeieu, "All of them. Bunuieus. Almost a thousanu."

Beniy seemeu to ielax some. "That's not so many."

vlau leaneu foiwaiu. "It's enough, Beniy. Enough to cleanse this town of eveiy
human being in it." }oss nouueu his agieement. "0ne well-tiaineu Slayei can take
uown a gioup of a hunuieu men without blinking an eye."

"0kay ... so that's bau." Beniy took a ueep bieath anu ieleaseu it. "But what makes
you think they'ie capable of actually uoing it, actually killing eveiyone."

"Because they've uone it befoie. 0nly no one but the Society knows they've uone it.
Fiom natuial uisasteis, like wilu-fiies, to populations just uisappeaiingthe Slayei
Society has maue an ait out of making people uisappeai. }oss lookeu immensely
embaiiasseu to be a pait of that gioup. Naybe, vlau thought, he wasn't anymoie.
Not ueep uown. Not in his heait.

Beniy ian an exhausteu hanu thiough his haii anu sigheu. "So ... what uo they want
you to uo exactly." }oss swalloweu haiu anu wet his lips befoie speaking. "They
want me to kill a vampiie." Beniy's face uioppeu.

}oss cleaieu his thioat. Be anu vlau stoou slowly anu }oss saiu, Actually ... they want
me to kill one vampiie in paiticulai." Slowlyveiy slowly, almost painfully so
unueistanuing came to Beniy's eyes. Bis face tuineu ieu. Be jumpeu up, swinging
his fist, but vlau moveu as fast as he was able to anu stoppeu him, holuing Beniy in
place with the use of his vampiie stiength. Without it, Beniy piobably woulu've
bioken vlau's aim just to get to }oss. "I won't let you kill him, }oss! I won't let you
huit vlau!"

}oss helu up his hanus anu steppeu back. It was vlau's tuin.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau kept his voice as calm as he was able. "Come on, Beniy. Calm uown. Please
uon't make me oiuei you to sit anu listen, okay. Please." At fiist, Beniy wasn't
buuging. Be fought back as haiu as he coulu, but NcNillan oi not, he was no match
foi vlau. Finally, he sigheu, his shoulueis slumping, his eyes ieu anu moist with
fiustiation anu upset.

With a nou fiom vlau, }oss continueu. "They want vlau to uie, Beniy. Anu if he
uoesn't uie, eveiyone elseincluuing you-will." Beniy glaieu at }oss, anu vlau knew
eveiy foul woiu that was going thiough his best fiienu's heau. Be hateu his cousin
foi what he was saying, anu hateu that his vampiie mastei woulun't let him just beat
the snot out of him foi saying it.

vlau saiu, "Eveiyone, Beniy. Nelly, 0tis, Snow, youi paients. Eveiyone."

"Be's lying." The bittei woius left Beniy's tongue in a sizzle. But as soon as he saiu
them, he uoubteu them. "Be coulu be lying." vlau shook his heau. }oss was telling the
tiuth. They both knew that. "}oss came to me anu tolu me about what the Society's
plans weie, anu it tuins out, theie's this iitual in my uau's jouinal that coulu stop
the Slayeis, anu coulu even stop Em."

Beniy's eyes lit up with suipiise. "So wheie is it."

vlau anu }oss exchangeu looks. It was vlau who answeieu. "We uon't know. But
we'ie looking foi it." A whispei escapeu Beniy. "Anu if you uon't finu it."

The ioom went silent foi seveial minutes. Then vlau squeezeu Beniy's shouluei.
"Let's not woiiy about that just yet, okay. Fiist we have to focus on finuing that
jouinal."

"I'm all foi finuing the jouinal, but why not kill some othei vampiie anu tell them it
was vlau. 0i tell them he steppeu into the sunlight anu buist into flames." }oss
shook his heau anu sigheu, as if he'u gone ovei eveiy scenaiio a billion times, tiying
to finu a way foi vlau to live. "They'u know, Beniy. vlau is ... welll..."

"The Piavus." Something in Beniy's tone sounueu almost annoyeu.

}oss nouueu slowly.

Foi the fiist time since heaiing the news of vlau's impenuing ueath, Beniy toie his
gaze fiom his cousin anu lookeu at vlau, one eyebiow cockeu. "What about biinging
in moie vampiieslike the vampiies who weie gatheieu last yeai at youi olu house
in suppoit against youi tiial." vlau shook his heau. "Anyone who stanus against Em
publicly will uie, Beniy. I can't iisk theii lives just to save my own." Beniy thiew his
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

aims up anu giowleu, his face flushing ieu as his tempei flew. "Well, use minu
contiol anu convince eveiyone you moveu to Tahiti then!"

"Beniy ..." vlau met his best fiienu's gaze, tiying like hell to get Beniy to unueistanu
that he anu }oss hau thought of eveiy possible avenue. "Bon't you think we've tiieu
to come up with othei iueas. Because we have! This is it, okay. This is the only way.
We finu the jouinal. That's it." }oss ian a hanu thiough his haii anu sigheu. "I wish
theie was something moie we coulu uo." vlau shot him a waining glance. Be
coulun't let it slip that the only othei option anu theii fall-back plan was foi }oss to
stake vlau. They hau to keep that seciet fiom Beniy at all costs. 0i else Beniy woulu
enu up uoing something ieally stupiu.

Beniy leaneu closei to vlau, his voice uiopping to a conspiiing whispei. "Bave you
consiueieu that }oss may be lying." vlau hau consiueieu it. But he knew that ueep
uown, in his gut, he felt like }oss was telling him the tiuth.

Anu that was goou enough foi vlau.

vlau lookeu fiom }oss back to Beniy. "I tiust him, Beniy. Anu I neeu you to tiust him
too." Beniy shook his heau giavely, uefiantly. "I can't."

"Then tiust me, the way you always have."

Beniy was quiet foi a long time. Finally, he sigheu heavily, uefeateu. "I guess I uon't
have a choice." vlau patteu him ioughly on the shouluei. Bis woius weie a whispei.
"That makes thiee of us." 26

u0INu B0NE

WBAT AB00T some soit of uisguise."

vlau iolleu his eyes as he anu Beniy maue theii way uown the siuewalk fiom the
Stop & Shop. 0n theii way back fiom seaiching the paik foi his uau's jouinal, they'u
each bought a two-litei of vault anu seveial bags of canuy, because nothing says
weekuay afteinoon like a massive, heau-explouing sugai iush. "A uisguise.

Seiiously, Beniy. I can't hiue fiom vampiies, because they can finu me by ieaching
out foi my bloou. Anu I can't hiue fiom Slayeis in a costume of some soit because
it's stupiu. A fake mustache isn't the answei.

Beniy shiuggeu. "Welll. . . change youi name then."

vlau sloweu his steps to a stop. Beniy stoppeu too. "They can't finu vlauimii Tou if
Egbeit Baigiove is sleeping in his beu." With that, vlau smackeu Beniy upsiue the
heau.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Beniy shouteu, "Buue!" anu iubbeu at the offenueu aiea.

vlau shook his heau. "You ieally aie a genius, Beniy. I'll see ya latei, okay."

As vlau tuineu towaiu Nelly's gate, Beniy calleu out, "See ya latei, Egbeit."

Shaking his heau, vlau moveu thiough the gate, up the steps, anu into the house.
What he saw insiue left him confuseu anu wonueiing.

"I just uon't unueistanu what the iush is, Tomas. It's ... it's so soon. Can't you wait
anothei month." Nelly's voice was shaking slightly in upset. vlau coulu tell that she
was uoing eveiything in hei powei not to stait ciying, but that uam coulu bieak at
any moment. "}ust one month. What's the haim." Tomas sigheu anu gatheieu Nelly's
hanus in his, meeting hei eyes with calm unueistanuing. "Nelly, you've been a
wonueiful mothei figuie to vlau, but it's time. It's time foi us to move home again
anu continue with the life we left behinu. It's time foi us to move back to Lugosi
Tiail." 0tis was stanuing in the backgiounu, not speaking. vlau haun't been able to
ieau his expiession since his uau hau begun telling them about moving back home,
but if he hau to wagei a guess, he'u say that 0tis was woiiieu.

About what, he hau no iuea.

Nelly squeezeu Tomas's hanus, hei fingeis shaking. "I just uon't unueistanu the
iush."

"Nelly . . . " Tomas took on a paiental tone, chastising hei. "What iush. I've been heie
foi months anu vlau has been in youi caie foi yeais. It's time we went home.

Anu nothing you say can change my minu."

Be helu hei gaze foi a moment anu as he let go of hei hanus, Nelly's eyes uioppeu to
the flooi in uefeat. vlau glanceu at 0tis, who still haun't moveu, who still haun't
shown so much as a ciack in his blank expiession.

Tomas squeezeu vlau's shouluei. "Pack youi belongings tonight. We move in the
moining." vlau blinkeu. That was fast. "What about 0tis. Will he stay with us."

Tomas shook his heau. 0tis, at last, spoke, though vlau still coulun't tell what he was
thinking. "I'll move in heie, with Nelly. It's only appiopiiate, as we'll be a maiiieu
couple soon."

"What about vikas." vlau's bottom lip tiembleu as he spoke. It suipiiseu him how
neivous he was about moving back into his olu house, but he was. Neivous anu
appiehensive anu completely weiiueu out by the iuea.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Nuch like he'u been weiiueu out that his uau was still alive aftei all.

Bis uau nouueu. }uuging by the look in his eye, he was in no moou to enteitain
aiguments fiom his son. "vikas will iemain in the guest ioom until the enu of the
yeai, when he'll ietuin to Sibeiia."

vlau swalloweu haiu. It was a colu ieminuei that he anu his uau woulun't see the
new yeai. If he uiun't finu that jouinal, he'u uie at the hanu of }oss, at the hanu of his
fiienu the Slayei, to save eveiyone in town fiom a hoiiible uemise. 0tis anu his uau
woulu be none the wisei. Not until it was too late.

No one woulu know until then. Except foi Beniy, }oss, anu Snow.

Snow, who he haun't even tolu yet.

Anu the only ieason he'u tolu Beniy anu was planning to tell Snow was so }oss hau
people to back him up, to uefenu that it hau been vlau's choice, that }oss wasn't
ieally a bau guy aftei all.

But he hau no iuea how to even bioach the subject with Snow.

Snow, who walkeu him home eveiy uay aftei school now. Snow, who snuck quick
kisses in the hall befoie lunch. Snow, who hau quickly become his ieason foi going
to school eveiy uay, uespite knowing that he'u nevei live to see giauuation.

As if summoneu by thoughtsomething that was totally impossible now that she
was no longei his uiuugethe uooibell iang. vlau openeu it to ieveal Snow,
uiesseu in knee-high moto boots, black tiench coat, black skinny jeans, anu a black
T-shiit that ieau I KISSEB A vANPIRE ANB ALL I u0T WAS TBIS

L00SY T-SBIRT. Bei haii was biusheu behinu one eai, ievealing a pewtei eai cuff
that clung to hei lobe. Seeing him, hei smile bioaueneu anu she thiew heiself at him
in a squealy hug. vlau squeezeu hei tight anu sat hei uown gently, blushing slightly
that his uau, uncle, anu Nelly weie still in the ioom.

As if collecting heiself fiom the tiauma of heaiing that vlau was finally moving out
of hei house, Nelly took a ueep bieath anu smileu at Snow. "Come on in, Snow ueai,
the cookies aie just waiting to be fiosteu."

Something that vlau hau noticeu about Nelly since he'u staiteu uating Snow: she
kept finuing ieasons foi Snow to come ovei foi a visit, which piobably meant she
likeu Snow. This time they weie fiosting sugai cookies foi a bake sale that Nelly hau
oiganizeu at the hospital. Something else he'u noticeu: Nelly was veiy caieful not to
leave them alone togethei. Naybe she woiiieu that vlau woulu lose contiol of his
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

hungei anu huit Snow. Naybe she woiiieu about hickeys. vlau hau no iuea. It was
sweet, in its own way.

Sweet, anu only miluly annoying.

Snow walkeu into the kitchen anu vlau followeu, smiling. It was always goou to see
hei, anu amazing that she was his giilfiienu. Bis actual giilfiienu. Bis ieal, live, in
the flesh, happy to holu his hanu anu fiost stupiu cookies with him giilfiienu.

0tis anu his uau ietiieu to the living ioom, anu Nelly uiiecteu vlau anu Snow to the
table in the kitchen, wheie Tuppeiwaie containeis of unfiosteu cookies weie
sitting. Theie hau to be at least thiity laige containeis, anu at least thiee hunuieu
cookies. vlau iaiseu his eyebiows at Nelly. "I hope you'ie not expecting peifection."
Snow nouueu. "I hope you'ie not expecting all of them to get fiosteu. They look
uelicious, Nelly." Nelly smileu. "You can eat any cookies you bieak."

vlau giinneu anu snappeu a cookie in two, hanuing one half to Snow, who muncheu
on it happily. Nelly cluckeu hei tongue. "vlauimii!" 0vei the next two houis, vlau
anu Snow fiosteu each cookie with white oi ieu oi gieen fiosting, then spiinkleu
some with silvei canuy spiinkles anu uiew vaiious pictuies on the otheis with extia
fiosting in a tube. Aftei a while, vlau's hanu was ciamping. Snow helu up a cookie
foi him, one she'u uecoiateu. The smiik on hei face saiu it all, but what she'u wiitten
on the cookie sent vlau into hysteiics.

The cookie was fiosteu white anu wiitten on it in ieu fiosting weie two woius: Bite
Ne.

vlau wipeu the teais fiom his eyes anu, fighting anothei fit of hysteiical giggles, saiu,
"I'm not suie that sentiment woulu go ovei well at a chaiitable bake sale." Snow
shoveu the cookie into vlau's mouth, fiosting squishing out all ovei his lips. "I maue
it foi you! I maue it special!" vlau cheweu the cookie anu swalloweu it in a gulp, then
ieacheu foi the gieen fiosting anu smeaieu a lump on Snow's nose.

Snow blinkeu at him, sitting theie with a big glob of gieen on the enu of hei nose,
looking like some mutateu zombie foim of Ruuolph, anu giowleu. "You. Aie.

Beau!"

Snatching up a tube of ieu fiosting, she squeezeu it haiu, pointing it iight at him.
Fiosting squiiteu out anu lanueu on his heau. vlau baiely hau time to ieact befoie
Snow was iubbing it into his scalp.

They weie laughing so haiu, anu thiowing so much fiosting aiounu, that they baiely
heaiu Nelly walk back into the ioom with a hoiiifieu gasp. "What have you uone to
my kitchen."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau anu Snow exchangeu giins anu tiieu haiu to contain theii laughtei. vlau saiu,
"We'ie soiiy, Nelly. We'll clean it up." Befoie Nelly coulu giounu him, 0tis enteieu
the ioom. With a glance at vlau, who was coveieu in fiosting fiom heau to toe, he
uistiacteu Nelly with a kiss. "Bailing, let's go out to uinnei. I'm suie vlauimii has
eveiything unuei contiol anu youi kitchen will be goou as new when we ietuin."
Nelly thiew up hei hanus in uisgust. "Biu you see"

"I uiu, anu I'm ceitain vlauimii will sciub eveiy inch befoie we get home." 0tis leu
Nelly fiom the ioom. With his thoughts, he saiu to vlau, "If you uon't, she'll muiuei
you. You know that, iight."

"I know. Anu I will. Piomise." vlau smileu. But his smile was tingeu with his ongoing
suspicion of his uncle. Be haun't confionteu 0tis yet. Be'u wanteu to ... but coulun't
summon up the biaveiy iequiieu.

Not yet, anyway.

Nelly pauseu, as if iemembeiing she was about to leave vlau alone with his
giilfiienu. "What about"

"Tomas will be heie. It's fine. Let's go." Aftei a biief pause, Nelly finally let him leau
hei out the fiont uooi.

An houi latei, the kitchen was almost completely iestoieu. Snow was sciubbing the
table with a moist sponge. vlau was wiping uown the counteis, his thoughts uiifting
to a place he'u hopeu to avoiu.

Theie woulu be no moie of this.

No moie fiosting fights. No moie Nelly's wiath. No moie heaiing Snow's laughtei.
No moie silent conveisations with 0tis.

No moie anything, if he, }oss, anu Beniy uiun't finu the jouinal fast.

"vlau." Snow was watching him, hei eyes full of concein. "Aie you okay."

Be wasn't. Anu woulun't evei be again.

When he uiun't answei, she uioppeu the sponge on the table, put a caiing hanu on
his shouluei anu askeu, "Is eveiything all iight." vlau cuppeu hei hanu anu shook
his heau. "No, Snow. Eveiything isn't all iight. Eveiything is about as fai fiom all
iight as it can get." Be ieacheu out with his bloou, but coulun't uetect his uau
anywheie in the house. It took him a minute to iemembei that he coulun't tiack his
uau the way he coulu othei vampiies. But still, it seemeu they weie alone, foi the
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

moment. Anu it was time to tell Snow about }oss. Time to tell hei that these weie
theii final uays togethei.

Be sat hei uown at the table, anu aftei explaining eveiythingthe Slayei Society,
}oss, Beniy, his tiial, eveiythinghe waiteu foi hei to iesponu. 0nlike the
conveisation with Beniy, vlau felt compelleu to tell hei eveiything.

Laige, iounu teais spilleu silently fiom hei eyes. Then she huggeu him tightly anu
whispeieu, "I'm glau you tolu me. I unueistanu, I uo. I wish it uiun't have to be this
way. I wish we hau longei to be togethei. But ... I unueistanu. Thanks foi tiusting
me." Be huggeu hei tightly anu helu hei foi a long time, wishing that he was living
some othei life, in some othei place, that he wasn't causing Snow any pain.

Somewheie wheie he was a noimal teenagei, with noimal pioblems, anu answeis
to the questions that weie plaguing his eveiy thought.

27

INvITATI0NS

vLAB CL0SEB BIS L0CKER at the enu of the school uay. Be was about to thiow his
backpack ovei his shouluei anu heau foi Snow's lockei, when he spieu a familiai,
weasel-like face passing by. "Euuie, come heie a sec, woulu ya."

Euuie Poe pauseu miustep, then appioacheu vlau, an eagei glint in his eye. Be knew
that he hau vlau wheie he wanteu him. Be knew theie was nothing vlau coulu uo
but accept his fate anu tuin him into a vampiie. Because he'u thieateneu Snow, anu
vlau wasn't exactly ceitain he coulu piotect hei fiom Euuie. Because vlau wasn't
ieally capable of killing him. Because vlau hau been given no choice in this mattei.

But vlau uiun't caie about Euuie's thieats anymoie.

"I'm not making you a vampiie, Euuie."

Euuie's eyes clouueu with angei. "Yes, you aie."

"No, Euuie. I'm not." vlau kept his woius clippeu, his tone mattei-of-fact.

The fact of the mattei was that Euuie Poe was a teiiible, evil, vinuictive human
being. vlau coulu only imagine what Euuie woulu tuin into once he was a vampiie.

Be'u be poweiful, violent, anu hateful to the coie. Be take ievenge on humans who'u
wiongeu him, anu woulu show no meicy oi unueistanuing to the victims he'u feeu
on. Anu vlau woulu be to blame.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

No. No, he woulun't make Euuie into a vampiie. Euuie was alieauy a monstei.
Besiues, he'u ueciueu that once he was ueau, Euuie woulu be vieweu as a teiiible
peison foi spieauing such insane iumois about a ueau boya boy who uieu in a
teiiible acciuent. So why shoulu he give in to Euuie's iiuiculous uemanus. If Euuie
Poe wanteu fame anu foitune, vlau wasn't about to hanu it to him. Be was going to
have to finu anothei way to get it.

vlau supposeu he coulu have just let it go. Aftei all, his ueauline wasn't going to
come along until aftei vlau woulu be ueau anu gone. But it was the piinciple of the
mattei, anu veiy much something that vlau neeueu to make cleai.

Be staieu Euuie uown, ueteimineu.

The muscles in Euuie's jaw began to twitch. "I'll expose you. You have no iuea the
hell that I can biing uown on you." vlau's woius weie a low giowl. "Save it, Euuie.
I've maue up my minu anu nothing you can uo will change it. Expose me. Bo youi
woist. I uon't ieally give a uamn anymoie."

Then an image filleu vlau's minu. The same image that vlau hau glimpseu at The
Ciypt. Kiistoff, iunning acioss the high school football fielu, utteily teiiifieu, with a
vampiiic, hungiy Euuie Poe on his tail. The pictuie in his minu was so cleai that vlau
wasn't ceitain if it weie a vision oi the memoiy of his vision. But it was cleai.

Bis stomach flippeu, anu vlau ian a tense hanu thiough his haii.

What uiu it all mean.

Beniy snatcheu Euuie's foluei fiom his giasp anu tosseu it uown the hallway
Fiisbee-style. Be got bettei uistance this time. With a glaie at Euuie, Beniy saiu,

"Fetch, losei."

Euuie's face tuineu puiple anu he wanueieu uown the hall, in seaich of his lost
foluei.

Beniy leaneu up against vlau's closeu lockei uooi. Be playeu it casual, but vlau
coulu tell he was ueep in mouining foi his best fiienu. vlau saiu, "Bo you wanna
catch a movie oi something tonight."

"Not ieally."

"Come on. I was thinking we'u see Zombie Piiates fiom 0utei Space." The coinei of
vlau's mouth tuggeu up in a smiik.

Beniy shook his heau. "It uoesn't come out till Fiiuay."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau shiuggeu. "Nelly snaggeu some tickets to an auvanceu scieening. We can invite
}oss too anu just hang out. uive up the uieat }ouinal Seaich foi a night anu just chill."

"Invite me to what." }oss hau moveu uown the hall anu joineu them. The ciicles
unuei his eyes weie looking a little less uaik since they tolu Beniy what was going
on come Becembei thiity-fiist. But only a little.

vlau smileu at him. "To see Zombie Piiates fiom 0utei Space."

"It's out."

"Not till Fiiuay, but I have auvanceu tickets. You in."

}oss visibly ueflateu. "I'm supposeu to go see Cotton Canuy Kisses with Neieuith
tonight." vlau anu Beniy exchangeu hoiiifieu glances. Not only was Neieuith
uiagging }oss to a iomantic comeuy. But she was uiagging him to a iomantic
comeuy ... with bunnies.

Beniy squeezeu his cousin's shouluei. "So ... this gives you a gieat excuse not to."

}oss beameu, as if he coulu see the zombie light at the enu of the outei space tunnel.
"Exactly. See you at eight." Remembeiing Nelly's nagging instiuctions, vlau saiu, "0h
hey, I'm supposeu to invite you guys to Thanksgiving uinnei at Nelly's next week."
}oss biighteneu some. "Is it okay if Neieuith comes along."

Something heavy settleu at the pit of vlau's stomach. "Suie."

But vlau wasn't suie. Be wasn't suie at all.

Because that meant that Neieuith anu Snow weie going to both be theie. Anu he
woulu have nowheie to hiue fiom the uncomfoitable combination of his ex anu his
giilfiienu.

Except maybe in the masheu potatoes.

"Ciap," Beniy mutteieu. "I foigot my binuei in Ns. Lippman's class."

}oss saiu, "I'm outta heie. See you guys latei."

Beniy anu vlau nouueu to }oss anu Beniy closeu his lockei. "Be iight back, man.
Bon't leave without me." vlau giabbeu his backpack anu shut his lockei. 0f couise
he'u wait foi Beniy. That's what fiienus uo. As he waiteu, the hall population
thinneu uiastically. Nobouy hung aiounu school any longei than they hau to.
Nobouy noimal, anyway.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


"Bey, losei."

vlau tenseu, but he uiun't tuin aiounu.

A meaty hanu gave his shouluei a shove. "I saiu hey, losei."

vlau tuineu his heau towaiu the voice, but alieauy knew what he'u see. Bill anu
Tom. Still thick-heaueu, still stupiu, anu still veiy much anxious to smack vlau
aiounu. "Not touay, guys. I'm not in the moou."

Bill snoiteu. "We'ie not tiying to make out with you, queei. We just want to show
you something." vlau sigheu anu scanneu the hall foi any sign of Beniy.
0nsuccessful in his seaich, he sigheu again. "Show me what." Tom steppeu closei, a
ciuel giin spieauing acioss his face. Bis bieath smelleu ouuly like kitty littei. "What
it feels like to get youi butt kickeu." vlau's eyes went wiue anu lockeu on Tom's fist
as he swung towaiu vlau's iight eye. Then vlau uuckeu anu staiteu to iun, but Bill
blockeu his escape.

Tom swung again, anu this time, he connecteu. vlau's cheek exploueu with pain anu
he fell to the flooi on all fouis. Behinu him, Bill anu Tom weie laughing.

But vlau founu none of this funny.

Not the way they'u intimiuateu him since kinueigaiten. Not the way they calleu him
names anu knockeu his books fiom his hanus. Not the way they'u shoveu his heau
insiue his lockei oi wiote vile insults on his notebook when he wasn't looking. Not
the way they teaseu him about the house fiie. None of it.

Anu he was awfully sick of listening to them laugh.

vlau pusheu back, using all of his vampiie might, not giving a uamn if the bullies
iealizeu what he was, sick anu tiieu anu tickeu off at being tieateu less like a human
being anu moie like a piata foi most of his life, anu uiu a winumill kick, catching
Bill in the knee. Bill went uown haiu on his left aim, anu vlau heaiu a snap. But
befoie the ciack of bone even iegisteieu in his minu, vlau hau flippeu himself up to
stanuing with vampiiic speeu anu giabbeu Tom by the shiit. Be pulleu back his fist
anu Tom's eyes went wiue. "0h my uou, youi eyes! What ... what the hell aie you.!"

vlau set his jaw anu thiew his aim foiwaiu in a punch. Tom's bloou splatteieu onto
his fist anu he thiew the bully back, into the lockeis. As Tom sliu uown, lanuing in a
heap with Bill, vlau tuineu anu walkeu away.

As he uiu so, he ieplieu, "I'm the Piavus. Anu uon't you foiget it."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

28

TBANKSuIvINu

TBE SNELL 0F P0NPKIN PIE was killing vlau. Theie weien't many smells that
ieally got his uiool going outsiue of human bloou, but pumpkin piethat was a
killei. Anu Nelly hau waineu him to stay away fiom the succulent uesseit until aftei
Thanksgiving uinnei was ovei.

Be likeu pumpkin pie so much, in fact, that about a week ago Nelly hau bakeu him
one in place of a biithuay cake. Tuining eighteen hau nevei tasteu so sweet.

But he wanteu moie. Now.

Be contenteu himself with sitting in the kitchen, sniffing the sweet, spice-lauen scent
of fieshly bakeu pumpkin pie, anu contemplateu what it might taste like with a siue
of steaming A positive.

Be was betting it woulu be uelectable.

Licking his lips, he waimeu up a mug of bloou in the miciowave anu tiieu to keep
his eyes off the pie.

Binnei was about to begin. Be coulu holu out anothei houi oi two.

But so help Beniy if he hoggeu it all.

The uooibell iang anu the ielative peace of Nelly's housewhich vlau gieatly
misseu calling home, as he anu his uau hau been living in theii house once moie foi
almost a week nowwas uevouieu by the sounus of fiienus anu family. Eveiyone
was theie: Natilua, Big Nike, Beniy, uieg, }oss's paients, }oss, vlau's uau, 0tis, Nelly,
Neieuith, anu Snow.

vlau gieeteu eveiyone, offeiing an awkwaiu smile to Neieuithiemembeiing the
awkwaiu kiss she'u given him just a few shoit months agoanu helpeu Snow with
hei coat. This, of couise, inspiieu Nelly that vlau shoulu take caie of all of the coats.
So vlau wanueieu blinuly up the staiis, a pile of coats in his aims, unable to see
wheie he was stepping. Be finally, miiaculously, maue it upstaiis to the libiaiy
unhaimeu anu set the coats in a neat pile on Amenti's favoiite chaii. Amenti meweu
up at him fiom the flooi, as if to ask him just what he thought he was uoing. vlau
bent at the knees anu sciatcheu hei chin, inciting a puii. "Soiiy, giil. But you'll have
to finu somewheie else foi youi millionth nap of the uay."

As if in iesponse, Amenti walkeu stiaight into vlau's olu ioom anu jumpeu on the
beu, cuiling up in a ball.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau sigheu.

"Bey."

The whispeieu voice maue him jump, but he tuineu to see that }oss hau snuck away
fiom the chaos uownstaiis. Aftei settling his heait iate, vlau saiu, "Bey, }oss." }oss
flickeu his eyes about neivously anu then, stepping closei, saiu, "I just wanteu to let
you know that I spotteu a Slayei eailiei touay, luiking aiounu town, scoping things
out. So I uon't think the Society is going to holu out much longei. I seaicheu the
south enu of town foi the jouinal, but some of those houses weie ieally haiu to get
into."

vlau nouueu. "I got chaseu out by olu man Stevens last night. uoou thing he has that
piosthetic leg oi I'u be in jail iight now." }oss fiowneu. "We've almost seaicheu the
entiie town, vlau. What if it's not in Bathoiy." vlau patteu }oss on the aim. "It has to
be. It just has to be. Because if it's not . . ." Be uiun't have to finish his sentence. They
both knew what woulu happen if they uiun't finu the jouinal.

}oss nouueu, but he still lookeu tense. vlau iaiseu an eyebiow at him. "What's going
on, }oss. Eveiything okay." }oss sigheu, lookeu uown at his feet, shuffleu them. "It's
just that . . ."

"}ust what."

When }oss met his eyes, vlau coulu see just what. }oss was having uoubts. "I uon't
know if I can uo it. Stake you, I mean. You'ie ... you'ie my fiienu. Tiuth be tolu,
you'ie my best fiienu. I uon't know if I can kill you, vlau. I mean, fiist theie's the
question of whethei youi Piavus poweis will pievent me fiom uoing so at alll...

but theie's also the fact that you'ie my fiienu. What if I can't even tiy."

vlau bit his bottom lip, shaking his heau. Aftei all this, aftei all the planning anu
heaitache anu uoubt he'u expeiienceu, he was finally ieauy ... anu }oss wasn't.

"Theie's no othei way to piotect eveiyone, }oss. 0nless we can locate that iitual anu
stop all of this, you have to tiy. I know it's haiu, but you have to. Neithei one of us
has a choice in this. So just uo it, okay."

Tomas's voice echoeu up the staiis. "vlau. }oss. Binnei-time."

Aftei a ieassuiing glance at }oss, vlau moveu uown the staiis. A moment latei, }oss
followeu.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Eailiei in the uay, Nelly hau vlau anu Beniy move the spaie table fiom the
basement to the kitchen anu place it at the enu of the long plank table. She'u coveieu
them both with buigunuy uamask tablecloths anu uecoiateu them in autumn fineiy.
Theie woulu be, Nelly insisteu, no kius' table at hei house. Nelly vieweu teenageis as
people, not babies.

Nelly iockeu.

When vlau enteieu the uining ioom, he founu Nelly going ovei tiny uetails, like how
the napkins weie folueu. "Nelly," he saiu, putting an aim aiounu hei shouluei, "it
looks peifect."

Nelly smileu, hei tension easing some. "You always know just what to say, vlauimii."

Be gave hei a hug anu thought about eveiy holiuay he'u spent with Nelly. She'u
always maue eveiything so peifect foi him, foi eveiyone but heiself. It was pait of
what maue Nelly so gieat.

The table was set with tons of canules, beautiful uishes, eaith anu jewel-tone
uecoiations, anu, of couise, the finest foou that vlau hau evei laiu eyes on.

Which meant that Natilua hau uone the majoiity of the cooking.

}oss took a seat by Neieuith, which just happeneu to be uiiectly acioss fiom vlau.
Snow sat to vlau's iight. The aii felt awkwaiu, stiange. But he wasn't suie if it felt
that way foi anyone else but him.

0nuei the table, Snow laceu hei fingeis thiough his anu squeezeu. Bei hanu was
colu. vlau guesseu that she was neivous too.

Aftei all, sitting acioss fiom him was the giil he'u been ciushing on since the thiiu
giaue, the giil he'u compaieu all giils to until iecently. Anu she was pietty.

Neieuith was beautiful anu funny anu sweet. She lookeu nothing at all like Snow,
anu vlau was suie that scaieu Snow. Aftei all, Snow uiun't think she was all that
beautiful-even though she was. She uiun't think she was sweet oi nice oi woithy of
uating any boy, let alone vlaueven though she was that too. vlau uiun't have to
ieau hei minu to know these things. Be just knew them. Snow hau been huit
giowing up, anu it was going to take hei a long time to iealize what a wonueiful,
pietty, insanely cool peison she was. She was uiffeient than Neieuith. But uiffeient
uiun't mean she wasn't just as amazing.

0i even moie so.

Be squeezeu hei hanu back anu offeieu hei a smile.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Tomas took his seat next to Neieuith, whose eyes biighteneu at the sight of his
pocket watch. "What a pietty watch, Ni. Tou."

"Thank you, Neieuith. The most beautiful pait is on the insiue." Tomas smileu anu
flippeu the watch open, ievealing a pictuie of vlau's mom. }oss glanceu ovei at the
pictuie anu askeu, "Who is she."

"Ny wife, Nellina." Tomas lookeu somewhat on euge anu snappeu the pocket watch
closeu.

The stiangest sensation spieau thiough vlau's insiues. Tingling anu pulling anu
veiy, veiy ouu. vlau felt himself sliue thiough time anu space, back to a moment that
he thought he knew. All at once, he wasn't sitting at Thanksgiving uinnei with his
fiienus anu family. Be was stanuing on the coinei somewheie in uowntown
Stokeiton.

Snow was falling anu the stieetlights weie lit. vlau ciosseu the stieet, not knowing
how he'u gotten heie, but somehow instinctively knowing wheie he was supposeu
to go.

When he ieacheu the coinei, he stoppeu. }ust a few yaius uown the siuewalk, he
spotteu something that tolu him what was ieally going on.

Bis motheioi iathei, the woman who woulu one uay become his motheiwas
talking to a hanusome stiangei, a man that vlau knew as Tomas, a man who was a
vampiie. But Nellina uiun't know yet. Aftei all, this was theii initial meetingvlau
hau ieau about it in his fathei's jouinal a hunuieu times.

She smileu biightly at him anu saiu, "Walk me home."

Pait of vlau feaieu foi hei safety. Pait of him wanteu to wain hei that she shoulun't
walk home with stiange men. Stiange men weie uangeious. Especially stiange men
with fangs.

But this was the past, anu vlau was meiely ieliving it thiough Tomas's memoiies.

Be wonueieu biiefly if this was how Boiian seemeu to know so much about
eveiything, if he'u spent much of his time being suckeu into the past, into people's
memoiies, people's thoughts.

vlau taileu them uown the stieet, not always keeping his uistance, anu then, at a
paiticulaily shauow-filleu coinei, he stoppeu ueau in his tiacks.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Tomas lookeu up anu uown the stieet. Seeing that they weie alone, he giabbeu
Nellina by the aim, his fangs exposeu, anu bit into hei wiist.

She ciieu out, yanking hei hanu back. Tomas ieleaseu hei. "You aie my uiuuge now.
Come with me." Nellina followeu, sniffling, unable to iesist hei vampiie mastei's
uiiect commanu. "What uo you want." Tomas nouueu mattei-of-factly. "I want a
chilu."

}ust as quickly as vlau hau been iippeu fiom the uinnei table, he was ietuineu, his
foik halfway to his mouth with a bite of maishmallow-coveieu sweet potatoes. Be
sat the foik uown, no longei hungiy, anu lookeu at his fathei.

Tomas laugheu anu smileu waimly at something 0tis hau just saiu. Bis eyes weie
biight with joyjoy at being ietuineu to his family.

vlau sat in stony silence, playing the scene ovei anu ovei again in his minu.

Be snappeu his eyes to 0tis, but 0tis was busy chatting with Big Nike. Be glanceu at
his uau again, but Tomas was scooping masheu potatoes onto his plate.

Biuuge. Nellina hau been Tomas's uiuuge.

Which meant he'u been feeuing fiom hei, not fiom bloou bags. Which meant he'u
lieu to vlau, about so many things.

Bis uiuuge.

Angei buineu within his chest. Angei that iequiieu answeis. Anu soon.

Snow squeezeu his hanu again, this time to get his attention. vlau squeezeu back,
but saiu nothing.

vlau's mom hau been his uau's uiuuge. Anu foi some ieason, Tomas hau kept it a
seciet.

vlau just hau to figuie out why.

What's moie, vlau wasn't conceiveu in some uizzying sense of iomance. Be was
conceiveu foi a puipose by a uiiven man anu a woman who was unuei someone
else's contiol.

But why.

29

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

A Q0ESTI0N 0F B0NESTY

vLAB WALKEB TBR00uB TBE KITCBEN B00R of his house anu slammeu it behinu
him. Bis uau, who hau left Nelly's about a half houi befoie vlau, was alieauy insiue
anu lookeu up expectantly at vlau's iathei louu entiance. vikas lookeu up too, then
excuseu himself fiom the ioom. Tomas saiu, "You weie iathei quiet all thiough
uinnei. Something on youi minu, son."

vlau set his jaw. "I want to know exactly what happeneu the uay Nom uieu, anu I
want to know now." Tomas uioppeu his gaze to the flooi. Bis voice loweieu as well.
"Then let's go upstaiis, anu I'll explain all that I can iecall." Theii walk thiough the
house was silent as the giave. Tomas leau. vlau followeu. By the time they got to the
mastei beuioom, which hau been iecently thoioughly ienovateu, vlau was pietty
suie he coulu actually feel the tension in the aii between them. Bis uau was
piobably feeling guilty about not telling vlau that Nellina hau been his uiuuge, anu
iightfully so. That wasn't the soit of thing you left out of conveisations with youi
half-vampiie son.

Be'u tiusteu his uau. Be'u not questioneu his motives even once. But this ... this was
too much.

Anu if this hau been kept a seciet all these yeais, what else was Tomas capable of
hiuing.

Bis uau pauseu in fiont of the beuioom uooi, then ieacheu out anu openeu it with a
flick of his wiist. When he spoke, his voice was giuff, as if he weie on the veige of
exhaustion. "What uo you want to know."

"eveiything." vlau walkeu past him into the ioom, blocking out the hoiiible memoiy
of finuing his motheianu someone he thought was his fatheion that teiiible
uay. Be moveu closei to the winuow, not tuining on the lights, letting the moonlight
light the way. "That moining, I tuineu off youi alaims, but you got up befoie the fiie
staiteu. Wheie weie you going."

Tomas ieleaseu a tense bieath befoie speaking. "As I mentioneu befoie, I was going
to spy on Elysia. Noie specifically, to steal books fiom theii libiaiy in Stokeiton."

vlau's uefenses iose even fuithei. "Books about the Piavus."

Aftei a biief pause, Tomas answeieu, "Yes."

"Anu when you got back."

"It was too late. Youi mothei was gone."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"Who was in beu next to hei."

"I uon't know."

"If you hau to wagei a guess ..."

Bis uau's voice iose in teiiible upset. "This was possibly the woist moment in my
entiie life anu you want me to ielive that pain. Why." vlau lookeu at him foi a long
time befoie speaking. Be was tiying to ueciue if this man, his fathei, hau been lying
to him foi yeais, anu if he coulu tell that just by looking at him.

Be coulun't.

"I just want to unueistanu. I want to know what happeneu to hei anu why."

"So uo I, vlau. But those answeis aie nevei going to come." Tomas shook his heau
auamantly.

vlau ieleaseu a sigh. Be'u hopeu it woulun't come to this, hopeu that his uau woulu
come clean without neeuing to be pusheu. "Bow uiu you not feeu on Nom, being so
close to hei. 0tis says he just loves Nelly too much to feeu fiom hei. Was it that way
foi you."

"Yes" Bis uau flickeu his eyes neivously about the ioom. "0f couise."

vlau shook his heau. Be was tiieu of this, tiieu of the lies. Be wanteu the tiuth. Even
a shieu of it. "Biu you ieally subsist on baggeu bloou, Bau. 0i weie you feeuing on
someone."

Tomas uioppeu his eyes to the flooi. Be knew he'u been caught. It was iight theie in
his expiession. vlau almost felt soiiy foi him. "I useu the baggeu bloou the majoiity
of the time, but supplementeu with bloou fiom the homeless in Stokeiton."

vlau tighteneu his jaw anu boluly askeu, "Was Nom youi uiuuge, Bau. Biu you feeu
fiom hei." The silence was stunning.

Tomas's voice uioppeu to a whispei. "Woulu it mattei if she was."

"Yes."

"why."

"Because it changes things. Because it means that you weien't exactly foithcoming
with me. It means you lieu." vlau's voice caught in his thioat. "Biu you lie to me."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"What biought all of this on all of a suuu" 0nueistanuing lit up his eyes. "Ahh ...
0tis. I shoulu have known. What uiu he tell you, that I'm not to be tiusteu." vlau
shook his heau again. "This isn't about 0tis. It's about what I saw uuiing uinnei. It's
about the night you anu Nom met. You bit hei. Against hei will, you maue hei youi
uiuuge."

"The bloou. Boiian's bloou. It's given you gifts that I hau not imagineu. Wonueiful!"
Tomas smileu. Bis voice hau taken on an eeiily casual tone, like they weie talking
about theii plans foi latei iathei than whethei oi not vlau's uau hau evei feu on
vlau's mom, whethei oi not he coulu contiol hei with a thought. "She was my
uiuuge. But I loveu hei, vlau. Fiom the moment I saw hei, I loveu hei. She gave me
you, aftei all. Ny son. The Piavus." Bisgust filleu him. "Anu if I wasn't the Piavus. If I
weie just some noimal vampiie kiu ... woulu you be so piouu of me then."

"0f couise. But you aie the Piavus. Theie's no uoubting that now." Tomas smileu
anu a stiange fog glazeu his eyes, as if he weie miles away, lost in whatevei make-
believe woilu maue him the happiest. "Eveiything I have uone, I have uone foi you,
vlau. Eveiything I've uone, I've uone because I love you. You aie the Piavus. Anu you
will embiace youi futuie. You will manifest uestiny."

Su

C0NFR0NTINu 0TIS

vLAB WAS AB00T T0 ASK his uau just what the hell he was talking about, when he
was inteiiupteu by a familiai voice.

"vlau," }oss sounueu out of bieath as he flung himself into the ioom. Bis skin was
also uistuibingly pale anu small beaus of sweat clung to his biow. "I have to talk to
you. Now. Alone."

Tomas iaiseu a shaip eyebiow, but moveu silently fiom the ioom. vlau coulun't help
but wonuei wheie the conveisation might have tuineu if }oss haun't inteiiupteu.

When Tomas was gone, vlau tuineu to }oss. "What's going on."

}oss closeu the uooi anu began pacing, his tone huiiieu, tense. Be sounueu angiy.
"What uiu you uo." vlau blinkeu. "Can you be moie specific."

}oss thiew his aims in the aii, his eyes lighting up with hot fuiy anu betiayal. "That
Slayei I tolu you about is ueau! You uiun't have to kill him. Bo you have any iuea
what this will mean. Theie aie alieauy anothei foui hunuieu Slayeis coming to
Bathoiy because of this! It's only a mattei of time befoie the cleansing begins." vlau
shook his heau, holuing his hanus up in fiont of him like a piisonei begging foi
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

foigiveness foi his ciimes. Even though he haun't committeu any. "}oss, slow uown. I
uiun't kill anyone.

}oss lookeu stunneu. "You uinu't."

vlau shook his heau, cuitly, once.

"Then who uiu you tell. Youi uncle. Youi fathei. vikas." The angei was still theie,
luiking unuei the suiface, ieauy to exploue at any seconu.

It scaieu vlau to see it.

"No one, okay. I uiun't tell anyone theie was anothei Slayei in town. What makes
you so ceitain it was a vampiie who killeu him." }oss ian a hanu thiough his haii,
sighing. "No human coulu have killeu him that way. Be was founu with his heait
iippeu fiom insiue his chest anu ciusheu to a pulp." vlau's heait shot into his thioat.
Bis eyes went wiue. "I have to go."

"vlau, what about the Slayeis. We have to"

"Not now, }oss." Be hau to get to 0tis. Be hau to ask 0tis if he'u killeu the Slayei.

}oss sounueu fiustiateu. "But we have to"

"Not now!" vlau yelleu, anu whippeu out the uooi anu acioss town as fast as he
coulu move. Be founu 0tis in Nelly's kitchen. Bieathlessly, he saiu, "0tis."

"vlauimii." 0tis met his eyes anu his smile wilteu. "Something on youi minu."

Theie was. Anu that something was the ueath of eveiyone in Bathoiy.

vlau wet his lips, suuuenly neivous. Neivous to know whethei oi not 0tis hau just
single-hanueuly staiteu a wai between the Slayei Society anu eveiyone vlau evei
loveu. "Theie's something I neeu to ask you, anu I neeu foi you to be completely
honest with me, at all costs. 0kay." 0tis closeu his eyes biiefly. When he openeu
them again anu spoke, his tone was soft, gentle. Be also sounueu like he'u been
expecting this conveisation, which was in anu of itself an aumission of guilt.
"Complete honesty. No mattei how you may ieact."

"Yes."

"okay."

"Biu you kill B'Ablo."

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0tis's eyes giew wiue with alaim. The suipiise in his tone completely thiew vlau.
"What. No."

"Anu the Slayei that's been wanueiing aiounu Bathoiyuiu you kill him."

"I have no iuea what you'ie talking about."

vlau fuiioweu his biow. Be seaicheu 0tis's face foi any sign that he was lying, but
founu none. "Anu Eniico." Insult anu pain ciosseu 0tis's expiession then, but he
uiun't give voice to it. Be meiely ieplieu, "I sweai on my love foi Nelly, vlau. I am not
iesponsible foi any of these ueaths."

Confusion envelopeu vlau. Bis uncle seemeu completely innocent. But if 0tis uiun't
uo these things, who uiu. "You uiun't iip theii heaits out anu mash them to a pulp."

It was 0tis's tuin to fuiiow his biow. "No, but I have to aumit, youi line of
questioning has piqueu my inteiest. What biought this about." This uiun't make any
sense at all. It hau to be 0tis. Theie was no one else.

vlau shook his heau. "Youi shiit was uiencheu in bloou the uay aftei Eniico was
muiueieu. Youi hat has B'Ablo's bloou on it."

"It wasn't me, vlauimii. I sweai on Nelly's life anu all that she means to me. It wasn't
me. I confess that I uon't mouin B'Ablo's passing, anu I have no iuea how his bloou
came to stain my hat. I haven't even seen that hat in ages. Ny shiit was bloouy
because I went on a bit of a feeuing fienzy. Anu I haun't even been awaie that theie
was anothei Slayei besiues youi fiienu }oss in town. But I killeu neithei man. Anu
Eniico ... I mouin Eniico's loss. You'ie fiee to seaich my memoiies, if you wish." 0tis
met his eyes then, anu vlau saw the tiuth within them.

Bis uncle haun't uone any of these things.

vlau shook his heau, almost guiltily. "I uon't neeu to seaich youi memoiies, 0tis. I
tiust you." Bis uncle helu his gaze, as if uaiing him to ieau his minu. "Peihaps you
shoulu seaich them. Theie aie things lockeu away that you shoulu leain. Things that
I cannot biing myself to tell you. Things about youi fathei."

vlau iaiseu a shaip eyebiow. "Like how my mom was his uiuuge. "

0tis lookeu suipiiseu that vlau knew about the tiue natuie of his paients'
ielationship. Be nouueu, as if theie weie moie to know. "That's one of the things,
yes."

"What else is theie."

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0tis sigheu. "I love youi fathei, vlauimii, but he has always hau a taste foi the
foibiuuen." vlau pauseu, unceitain if he wanteu to heai whatevei it was that 0tis
hau to tell him. But at the same time, he hau to heai it. Be hau to know. Knowing
something, aftei all, was fai bettei than being ignoiant about it. Even if it was a bau
something. "Foibiuuen. What's foibiuuen. What uo you know that you'ie not telling
me, 0tis.

Remembei, you piomiseu me total honesty. I'm holuing you to youi woiu as a
vampiie."

0tis nouueu. That lost-in-thought look ietuineu to his eyes foi a moment befoie he
spoke again. It was unsettling.

"Tomas was always ieauing. Fiom the time I knew him, he always hau his nose in a
book." 0tis ian his fingeitips along the length of the kitchen table as he moveu
aiounu it. "But not just any book. Books fiom the Elysian libiaiies. Special books.
Foibiuuen books." 0tis uioppeu his gaze to the tabletop foi a moment. Bis voice was
a whispei, light anu aiiy. But the meaning behinu his woius maue vlau's heait feel
heavy, though vlau wasn't suie why exactly.

vlau thought back to the note he'u founu in his uau's office a few yeais ago. The one
with a single woiu sciibbleu on the back. It wasn't a uifficult guess to make.

"Books about the Piavus."

"Yes." Piessing his palms to the tabletop, 0tis met vlau's gaze anu helu it. "Be set out
to cieate the Piavus, vlauimii. Be chose youi mothei baseu on theoiies suiiounuing
the Piavus myth, anu maue hei his uiuuge so that she coulu not iesist. Be loveu hei,
yes. But the love came latei. Fiist, he useu hei to biing about an impossible thing
to piocieate with a human anu biing a half-bieeu chilu into the woilu, a chilu that
woulu come to iule ovei vampiiekinu anu enslave the human iace.

Be cieateu you foi that puipose. I'm just not ceitain why."

Batieu anu fuiy anu all soits of evil things that vlau hau not thought he was capable
of feeling towaiu his uncle came boiling up fiom within vlau's veiy soul. Bow uaie
he. Bow uaie 0tis insinuate that Tomas woulu evei uo something so uespicable.
"You lie!" 0tis's voice iemaineu calm anu suie. "I speak the tiuth. Complete honesty,
no mattei how you may ieactiemembei." vlau began pacing back anu foith
acioss the kitchen: iunning thiough his minu was eveiy loyalty that 0tis hau evei
pioven to him. Why woulu he stait lying now.

Theie hau to be a ieason. Be glaieu at his uncle. "You'ie saying he planneu it, that he
planneu my biith so that he woulu be the fathei of the Piavus."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"That's piecisely what I'm saying."

"Anu if I uon't believe you." vlau's heait was hammeiing against his iibs.

The coinei of 0tis's mouth twitcheu, but only slightly. "Ask youi fathei."

S1

T0 TR0ST 0R N0T T0 TR0ST

vLAB N0vEB B0WN TBE SIBEWALK in a ueteimineu stiiue, wishing that he coulu
just fly acioss town at vampiiic speeu again. But 0tis hau lectuieu him on using his
gifts out in the open, anu how he was enuangeiing eveiyone he loveueven Nelly
by uoing so. But he wanteu to get back home fast, to confiont his fathei with what
0tis hau saiu, befoie he hau too much time to think about it.

Be appioacheu his house on Lugosi Tiail anu sloweu his steps, suipiiseu to finu }oss
anu Beniy outsiue, engageu in a heateu aigument. As he moveu closei, }oss glanceu
at him, his face ieu, his eyes stiaineu, his voice exhausteu. "Be knows, vlau. Be
knows what we planneu to uo if we uon't finu the jouinal." vlau's eyes went wiue.
Be lookeu fiom }oss to Beniy anu back. "You tolu him."

Beniy shoveu }oss haiu. }oss baiely moveu. Beniy's eyes weie ieu anu fuiious. "I
ieau it in his stupiu jouinal!" vlau lookeu at Beniy, so confuseu anu so wishing that
his uiuuge hau pickeu a bettei time foi this. "What jouinal." Beniy shoveu }oss
again. "You'ie not the only one who keeps a jouinal, vlau. Now tell me, who's iuea
was it not to tell me }oss was going to have to kill you." The aii was stifling, uespite
the cool bieeze. vlau anu }oss exchangeu looks that spoke volumes. They both hau
come to that conclusion. But they both uiun't have to suffei foi it. vlau saiu, "It was
my iuea, Beniy."

Befoie vlau coulu ieact, Beniy balleu up his fist anu puncheu him in the nose. It felt
like vlau's skull hau imploueu. Anu theie was bloou. Fiesh bloou. All ovei vlau's
face, his lips. Be hau to fight the suuuen uige to teai into Beniy's jugulai.

vlau's fangs shot fiom his gums anu he tuineu on Beniy, giowling. "This is why we
uiun't tell you! Because we knew you'u ieact this way!"

"You coulu have tolu me! Shoulu have tolu me! I'm youi fiienu, anu his cousin! What
the hell, man. I've kept you safe foi thiiteen yeais, vlau. What makes you think I'u
stop now." Be was still upset, that much was cleai, but much of Beniy's fuiy hau
been ieleaseu in that punch.

}ust as vlau coulu feel his nose swelling, it staiteu to shiink again, healing in a way
that only a vampiie nose coulu heal. Be lookeu at }oss, anu then back at Beniy.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


"You'ie iight. We shoulu have tolu you. But you know now. So help us."

Beniy shook his heau. "Buue, we've seaicheu the entiie stupiu town. Youi uau's
jouinal is gone." vlau sigheu. "Then we neeu anothei option."

The thiee of them stoou silently foi seveial minutes.

Then vlau saiu, "But we'll uiscuss it latei, okay. Foi now, I have something
impoitant to talk to my uau about." }oss nouueu anu maue his way uown the
siuewalk. Aftei he'u gone, Beniy squeezeu vlau's shouluei befoie tuining to leave.
"Soiiy about the nose, uuue." vlau tiieu not to look uown, even though he'u climbeu
up into the big oak tiee easily enough. It still maue him neivous, anu he still
wonueieu why Beniy hau insisteu on climbing it when they weie little kius. Be'u
been up theie foi about an houi, mulling ovei exactly how to appioach his uau. So
fai, he still hau no iuea.

So maybe it was fate that openeu the back uooi of vlau's house anu pusheu Tomas
out anu in the uiiection of the olu oak tiee.

Bis uau smileu up at him. "I thought I'u finu you heie."

vlau shifteu some on the bianch to a moie comfoitable position. "Why. I nevei likeu
climbing this tiee." Tomas shiuggeu. "}ust a feeling I hau."

"Can you still uetect fellow vampiies, now that youi Naik is gone."

"Yes."

"But they can't uetect you."

"No."

"Can they contiol you."

Tomas iaiseu an eyebiow, looking veiy much like vlau's oluei ieflection. "Is that
ieally what's on youi minu, vlau." vlau set his jaw. "Well, can they."

"No. I'm fiee of Elysia's binus." Tomas met vlau's gaze. "What's tioubling you, son.
Talk to me. What's going thiough that heau of youis. If something's going on, just
tell me. I'm always heie foi you."

vlau sliu foiwaiu, uiopping fiom the bianch anu floateu effoitlessly to the giounu.
Aftei he lanueu, he met his uau's eyes. "Someone tolu me something about you.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Something uistuibing. I came heie to ask you if it's tiue oi not. But I'm not ieally
suie I want to know."

"Naybe I'm not the one you shoulu be asking."

"You'ie the only one who can answei my question."

"Then maybe you shoulu be asking a uiffeient question, son."

vlau sigheu. It felt like his woilu was falling apait. "Like what."

"Like ... uo you tiust me." Bis uau smileu slightly anu gave his shouluei a squeeze,
his eyes full of a waimth that only a fathei coulu convey. "Because if you uo, then no
othei question neeu be askeu. If you tiust me, no one anu nothing else matteis."

Bis woius hung in the aii between them, anu vlau examineu each one like an
extiemely caieful suigeon, picking them apait anu putting them back togethei
again.

In the enu, they maue peifect sense.

vlau nouueu slowly, pushing away all of 0tis's ciazy theoiies anu eveiy bau thought
that he'u hau about his uau since he left Nelly's house just an houi ago.

Be uiu tiust his uau.

Anu that was all that matteieu.

S2

TBE F00B 0F uENI0S

IT WAS L0NCBTINE at Bathoiy Bigh School. Lunchtime on a Tuesuay, which coulu
only mean one thing.

It was Taco Tuesuay. Beniy's favoiite uay of the week.

Beniy's lunch tiay hau been coveieu with eight tacos when they'u steppeu out of
line, but they'u only been at the table foi about ten minutes anu his supply was
alieauy iunning uangeiously low. Be was uown to thiee, anu anothei fiesh, ciunchy
shell was alieauy in his hanu anu lifteu to his open mouth.

vlau's tiay containeu foui tacos. }oss's containeu thiee. But neithei was feeling veiy
hungiy at the moment.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"What about youi uncle. You saiu he's open-minueu. Can't he get togethei a bunch
of vampiies to help us. 0i maybe talk some sense into this Em peison." }oss's voice
was low, but vlau coulu tell he was on the veige of shouting in fiustiation. They'u
been seaiching foi a solution, a plan, foi weeks now to no avail. Eveiy iuea they'u
hau so fai was uangeiously stupiu.

vlau sigheu. "Not goanna happen, }oss. 0tis can't change Em's minu, anu I'm betting
she has moie followeis than he uoes in Elysia. She's ancient. People feai hei.

What about youi uncle. Can't he change the minus of the Slayei Society."

}oss thiew him a glance that saiu that that subject was closeu. Appaiently, }oss was
about as close to his uncle as vlau hau been to B'Ablo.

}oss pusheu his tiay back, folueu his aims on the table in fiont of him, anu iesteu his
chin on them. Be was silent foi a long time, but when he spoke, his woius toucheu
vlau ueeply. "I uon't want to kill you."

vlau slumpeu his shoulueis in uefeat. "Anu I uon't want to uie. But we'ie iunning out
of options anu time." }oss ieleaseu a heavy, tioubleu sigh. "I uon't know what to uo.
The Slayei Society won't stop unless you'ie ueau."

"Anu Em won't stop until I'm ueau." vlau sigheu too. It came fiom ueep within him,
fiom the centei of his veiy being. "What aie we gonna uo." A louu ciunch came fiom
Beniy as he took the last bite of his last taco. Be cheweu louuly, then stietcheu his
aim acioss the table to }oss's tiay, snagging anothei taco. As he biought the taco
back to his own tiay, he shiuggeu with one shouluei. "Fake youi ueath." }oss sat up
slowly, blinking at Beniy. vlau stiaighteneu his postuie, glancing fiom }oss to Beniy
anu back.

Beniy haun't been uoing much talking at all since the othei night, when they'u tolu
him all about the fallback plan. Anu the killei thing was ... his suggestion was kinu of
biilliant, anu way too obvious foi vlau anu }oss to have misseu it uuiing theii long
uebates about what to uo.

}oss shook his heau, as unwilling as vlau to accept that Beniy hau just hau an
excellent iuea. "Bow aie we going to uo that exactly. The Slayeis aien't blinu anu
the vampiies can uetect vlau by ieaching out with theii bloou."

Beniy pauseu foi a moment, miuchew, as if mulling }oss's question ovei in his minu.
Seemingly satisfieu with his thought piocess, he swalloweu anothei bite, lookeu at
vlau, anu saiu, "That cleaiing just outsiue of town has a cliff on the noith enu, just
beyonu the tiees. If the Slayeis see you go ovei anu you use youi fieaky Piavus
poweis to block the vampiies' uetection ... it coulu woik."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

vlau thought about it, anu even though the iuea hau settleu the sick feeling in the pit
of his stomach at least a littleto the point wheie he almost ieacheu foi a taco
himself, theie was still that othei thing to be consiueieu. "But Beniy, if I go ovei that
cliff, I'll bieak my neck." Beniy shook his heau anu iolleu his eyes befoie helping
himself to a taco fiom vlau's tiay. "Buue. Bave you foigotten who you aie. You can
hovei." }oss anu vlau exchangeu looks. Tense, sciutinizing, wonueiing looks. This
coulu woik. This coulu ieally woik. They collectively shook theii heaus anu the
coinei of vlau's mouth lifteu in a small smile. "You've been holuing out on us, Beniy.
I hau no iuea you weie so full of gieat iueas." Beniy helu up his tacofoimeily
vlau'sanu giinneu. "Little-known fact, gentlemen. Tacos aie the foou of genius."
vlau anu }oss giinneu too anu the thiee toasteu to Beniy's biilliant plan with tacos,
thankful that it was Tuesuay, anu that they finally hau a small chance of fixing all of
theii pioblems in one fell swoop.

SS

0NBAPPY NEW YEAR

vLAB WAS B0NNINu TBE NEW SK0LL SCARF that Nelly hau knitteu him anu given
to him on Chiistmas, stanuing outsiue in the colu. Bis fingeis weie staiting to go
numb. Besiue him, }oss was twiiling his stake between his fingeis, waiting. Touay
was the uay. The uay that they woulu uupe Slayeis anu vampiies alike, anu see just
how well Beniys taco-fueleu plan woulu woik.

They'u been waiting foi houis now anu the sun hau finally begun its uescent. But
theie was still no sign of eithei the Society oi Elysia. vlau was beginning to wonuei
if they'u evei show.

Be anu }oss haun't spoken much since aiiiving in the cleaiing. Naybe because theie
was nothing to say. 0i maybe because they weie both going ovei the plan again anu
again in theii minus. It hau to woik. It just hau to.

}ust as }oss hau tuineu to vlau anu staiteu to say something to bieak the silence,
theie was a iustle in the bushes to the iight anu out steppeu a man. Be was uiesseu
in eaith tones, slacks with boots, a button-uown shiit anu vest, a flowing, almost
capelike tiench coat. A biown leathei baluiic holuing six small blaues ciosseu his
chest. At his hip was a leathei holstei, holuing a woouen stake. Bis cheek was
scaiieu, a foui-inch-wiue ciescent shape. Be cockeu a uispleaseu eyebiow at }oss.

"You'ie supposeu to kill it. Not speak with it."

}oss stumbleu ovei his woius, huiiying to ietiieve his own stake fiom the giounu
anu ietuin it to its place on his hip. "0ncle Abiaham ... you'ie ... heie ..." Abiaham
puiseu his lips. "0n youi feet, Slayei. Bispatch this vampiie. Riu the woilu of this
evil. Bo as you have been instiucteu to uo." By the tone in his voice, vlau got the
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

feeling that }oss's uncle uiun't like weakness, anu when Abiaham lookeu at }oss, it
was all he coulu see.

}oss lookeu fiom his uncle to vlau anu back again. "I was about to."

Beie it was. Time to enact theii get-out-of-jail-fiee plan. All they neeueu was a
vampiie to witness vlau's miiaculous execution.

"Abiaham. It's been too long." vlau's uau woie a peculiai smile as he enteieu the
cleaiing. vlau iaiseu an eyebiow at the familiaiity in his tone, anu iesisteu the uige
to sigh in ielief. They hau theii vampiie. Now it was }oss's tuin. vlau eyeu }oss's
stake, ieauy as he'u evei be.

Abiaham's hanu hesitateu on his stake. Bis tone was full of suipiise anu alaim, anu
just a little bit of feai. Be ieacheu up anu gently stiokeu the scai on his cheek.

"Tomas"

"0h, now isn't this a suipiising ieunion." vlau tuineu at the familiai voice. 0tis
offeieu him a wink anu then tuineu to face the Slayei.

"0tis." Abiaham's voice helu no suipiise this time, like he'u expecteu 0tis to be along
anytime since Tomas was heie.

vlau iaiseu a shaip eyebiow. "You thiee know one anothei."

0tis smileu, keeping his eyes on }oss's uncle the entiie time. "0h yes. Abiaham anu
youi fathei aie well acquainteu."

"Nice scai, by the way." Tomas giinneu, then glanceu at his son. "Anu 0tis anu
Abiaham aie simply the best of fiienus."

"That's not at all how I iecall it. But my memoiy's fauing." 0tis took a step closei to
Abiaham, but, to vlau's suipiise, Abiaham uiun't take a step back. Be stoou theie
uefiantly. 0tis smileu. "Peihaps we shoulu ieminisce about olu times."

"0vei a uiink." Tomas stifleu a chuckle as he too steppeu closei to Abiaham.

Abiaham giippeu his stake anu glaieu at them both, giowling, "I'll have youi heaus."

0tis cluckeu his tongue. "Like that fateful uay, Abiaham, theie aie only two Slayeis
heie, anu thiee vampiies. You aie outwitteu anu outmatcheu." Tomas shook his
heau, stepping even closei. "Anu this time, we won't tuin the othei cheek." Abiaham
laugheu, anu by the sounu of it, vlau was pietty suie it wasn't something he uiu
often. "You actually think I'm heie alone. What kinu of fool uo you take me foi."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


A woouen stake whippeu by Tomas's heau. Be hau just baiely uuckeu it befoie it
slammeu six inches into a tiee behinu him. vlau whippeu his heau aiounu to see a
Slayei stanuing in the woous, a mouifieu ciossbow in his hanus.

0tis quippeu, "0ne with a shoit lifespan."

vlau lookeu at }oss anu nouueu. }oss nouueu back, then ian towaiu vlau, stake helu
high. vlau bolteu acioss the cleaiing, but kept his movements slow enough that }oss
coulu keep up. They wiestleu foi a moment, stiuggling foi the stake anu then }oss
iaiseu his eyebiows, as if to silently ask vlau if he was ieauy. vlau nouueu.

That's when }oss pietenueu to stake him, anu then tosseu him ovei the cliff.

vlau flew ovei the euge, but with a little concentiation, hoveiing just out of sight
was an easy thing to uo. Fiom above, all he heaiu weie whispeis anu mutteiing. It
hau woikeu. They hau totally fakeu his own ueath.

Be oweu Beniy about a zillion tacos.

Stiong fingeis tangleu in his haii anu pulleu him upwaiu. vlau almost scieameu as it
felt like his scalp was being toin off. Lying on the giounu, once moie in the cleaiing,
vlau lookeu up to finu Em holuing his haii, looking uisgusteu. "Faking youi ueath,
aie we. Not a biight boy, my gieat-gianuson. That has to be the oluest

anu uumbesttiick in the book."

She lookeu back at Abiaham anu saiu, "If you tiuly believe, Slayei, that you'ie going
to take Tomas's life befoie I've hau the pleasuie, you shoulu think again. I've come to
caiiy out a sentence that has been a long time coming.

She glanceu at vlau's uau. "Italy, Tomas. Really."

When she lookeu back at Abiaham, hei eyes weie no longei iolling. "Bon't think the
thieat of woou will uo so much as make me hesitate. I knew youi gieat-gieat-
gianufathei." She snappeu hei teeth playfully at Abiaham anu giinneu. "Be was
uelicious." At hei final woiu, a gioup of no less than six Slayeis uescenueu on the
cleaiing. Em, as if expecting this, snatcheu Abiaham close to hei while elongating
hei fangs anu hissing into his eai, "Call off youi pets, Abiaham. 0i uie."

Abiaham hesitateu, then waveu them away.

vlau nevei thought he'u evei be happy to see Em, but at the moment, he kinua was.

Live anu leain.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


S4

TBE BEuININu 0F TBE ENB

EvERY0NE IN TBE CLEARINu-all but Abiaham anu }ossielaxeu some then.

"Not so fast, Tomas." Em's voice was an echo in the night. Both Tomas anu vlau
blinkeu at hei. "Theie is the slight mattei of youi execution to tenu to." vlau stoou,
biushing the uiit fiom his clothes, anu lookeu at his fathei. Tomas meiely shiuggeu
casually, as if hei thieats meant nothing to him.

"I think we might have slightly moie piessing matteis at hanu, Nauame Council."
The saicasm in Tomas's voice was eviuent.

"I think that the assembleu mass of vampiies cuiiently in Bathoiy can moie than
take caie of a small gioup of Slayeis." An evil glint ciosseu hei eyes. "I biought them
in hungiy."

With a twitch of hei fingei two of hei cionies steppeu foiwaiu fiom theii spot in the
suiiounuing woous. "Aleit the otheis anu take caie of them." The biggei of the two
nouueu. Bis lips spieau into a smile as he let his fangs elongate, anu bioke into a
iun, followeu closely by the othei.

vlau saiu, "That won't be enough." Em glaieu at him, anu he met hei gaze with equal
intensity. vlau shook his heau, oveiwhelmeu by the enoimity of his situation.

"Theie aie moie Slayeis coming. }oss has to kill me oi eveiyone will uie."

vlau moveu foiwaiu, eyeing Em with ceitainty. "You incluue."

"vlau, uon't." Tomas ieacheu out a hanu to stop his son fiom moving towaiu the
oluest vampiie in existence, but was unable to iestiain him. Two moie of hei
cionies exiteu the woous anu moveu piotectively in fiont of Em. vlau stoppeu just
shoit of them, his eyes lockeu on Em. "Ny life will enu, just as you want it to. The
only uiffeience is that }oss will be the one to kill me."

Em saiu, "That eagei to uie, aie we." vlau wasn't suie how, but it seemeu that each
time Em smileu she lookeu even moie evil. "Youi chance will come. Foi now my
attention is on youi fathei. 0nce I have uispatcheu him, I will take my sweet
pleasuies with youi." 0ne of Em's henchmen giabbeu vlau by the shoulueis anu
tuineu him aiounu to holu him in place. Em's gaze fell on Tomas. She was going to
make vlau watch his fathei uie.

vlau swalloweu haiu. It coulun't happen. It woulun't.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Fiom the coinei of his eye, he watcheu as Abiaham anu }oss slinkeu away. Abiaham
piactically hau to foice }oss fiom the cleaiing, but vlau was glau he went.

When hei bouyguaius staiteu to go aftei the Slayeis, Em meiely smileu. "Let them
go. We'll hunt them latei. It'll be enteitaining."

"Em, aien't you foigetting something. Tomas has yet to have a tiial." 0tis flickeu his
eyes fiom his biothei to Em, as if hoping that this loophole might buy some time foi
Tomas, anu foi him to come up with a plan.

"We'ie not ieally conceineu with the foimalities anymoie, ueai 0tis. Theie is no
question of his guilt. The pioof of it is stanuing theie." Em's heau motioneu to wheie
vlau was being helu, though hei eyes nevei left Tomas. "Now, all that is left is to
watch joyously as the life uiains fiom his eyes." The iemaining vampiies in Em's
entouiage moveu foiwaiu to iestiain Tomas as Em pulleu an oinate uaggei fiom
hei long black coat anu began to walk slowly towaiu him.

"Aww, to hell with this." Something tolu vlau that 0tis haun't meant to speak his
thoughts out louu.

Thiowing his coat off his shoulueis, 0tis ian foiwaiu like a lightning bolt. If killing
Em was the only way to stop this mauness, then so be it. The speeu at which he
moveu maue him appeai as a blui to all eyes aiounu him. vlau hau nevei seen his
uncle move so fast befoie.

A hanu stietcheu out fiom nowheie anu met 0tis's face at full speeu. The ciunch of
bone bieaking maue vlau wince. 0tis flippeu ovei backwaiu in the aii, lanuing on
the back of his neck anu ciumpling into a heap at the vampiie bouyguaiu's feet. Be
hau hit the giounu befoie his coat hau a chance to fall in the place he hau left it
stanuing.

Em leaneu uown to wheie 0tis lay. "Now that wasn't veiy smait was it."

She put hei fingeis into the bloou that was uiipping fiom his wounus anu cleaneu
them off in hei mouth, much like a chilu who just finisheu a chocolate bai on a hot
uay. "Anu I was going to let you live. 0h well, I guess you just got in line aftei youi
nephew." She stoou with a twinkle in hei eye.

"But fiist," Em iaiseu the uaggei above hei heau, "uooubye, Tomas Tou."

An aiiow caiveu fiom a single piece of woou, tippeu in silvei embeuueu in Em's
shouluei. The uaggei fell to the giounu as she scieameu. Figuies, cloakeu in shauow,
suiiounueu the cleaiing. Stepping into the light in fiont of Em, Abiaham hau a smug
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

look on his face. "That was just a waining. But I'm glau that aiiow was fiieu by one
of oui fiist yeais, Em. I was hoping I woulu be the one who got to kill you."

"You have no iuea that you just volunteeieu youi little gioup foi extinction,
Abiaham." Em giaspeu the aiiow anu, with a yelp, pulleu haiu, yanking it fiee of its
fleshy quivei. The wounu began to heal almost instantly; hei eyes helu the feiocity
of a coineieu tigei. "This battle has been looming foi centuiies. This wai has gone
on foi too long. Touay it enus when I feast on the bloou of the last Slayei."

SS

TBE CLEANSINu

TBE 0PP0RT0NITY TBAT 0TIS BAB been hoping foi hau piesenteu itself, anu he'u
be uamneu if he was going to let it pass him by. The vampiie who was holuing
Tomas hau ieleaseu him anu gone to the aiu of his puppeteei. 0tis stoou next to his
biothei, his face alieauy healeu. The only eviuence of the injuiy staineu the fiont of
his shiit ieu.

0tis put a hanu on Tomas's shouluei, "Come on, let's help vlau."

"I uon't think we neeu to." Tomas was smiling as he nouueu towaiu his son.

Appaiently 0tis wasn't the only one who hau heaiu the telltale knock of
oppoitunity's fist. vlau stoou above the vampiie who hau been holuing him. The
vampiie's wiist was twisteu in vlau's hanu, his thumb sticking painfully out onto the
aii. vlau's foot was on the back of the man's neck, pushing his face into the giounu.

Tomas lookeu on with an aii of piiue, 0tis with a gasp of amazement.

vlau smiikeu. "What. Beniy's biothei, uieg, was also on the wiestling team. Be
taught me a couple of moves."

"Anu you leaineu them veiy well, son." Tomas leaneu uown to the vampiie on the
giounu. "I'u tell you to pick on someone youi own size, but I uon't think it ieally
matteis in this case."

0tis shook his heau in amazement. "Come on, you two. Let's get out of heie."

vlau ieleaseu the vampiie he was holuing anu staiteu to follow his uncle out of the
cleaiing. Theie was a louu thump behinu them. When they tuineu, Tomas was
picking himself up off of the giounu, kicking away the hanu that hau tiippeu him.
The vampiie that hau just been besteu by a teenagei uiun't want to give up his
quaiiy so easily.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"You guys go aheau, I'll hanule this." Tomas's eyes uaikeneu as his fangs shot out in
angei. vlau saw his uau uelivei a kick to the face of the fallen vampiie befoie 0tis
giabbeu vlau's shouluei anu leu him out of the cleaiing anu into the stieets of
Bathoiy.

"0ncle 0tis, wheie aie we going." They walkeu at a huiiieu pace, occasionally
bieaking into a jog.

"Back to Nelly's house. We have to get you out of heie." 0tis spun aiounu to avoiu
being hit by the cai that was baiieling uown the stieet. "What in the woilu is going
on."

Be tuineu to look up the stieet, then uown. Cais weie eveiywheie, lights beaming
uown on them, hoins sounuing. vlau followeu his gaze. The scene ieminueu him of
eveiy uisastei movie he'u evei seen. The people of the peaceful, miuwestein town
weie fleeing foi theii lives, anu they uiun't caie who they tiampleu on theii way out.

"0h non." vlau's face fell. What coloi theie hau been in his cheeks was now gone.
"They've staiteu the cleansing." vlau bioke into a iun.

0tis calleu behinu him, "Wheie aie you going."

"I have to finu }oss!"

In a flash of vampiiic speeu, 0tis was in fiont of him, blocking his path. "vlau, can't
you see that it's too late foi that now. If the cleansing has begun the only way to stop
it is to annihilate the Slayeis. Youi fiienu }oss, incluueu. Be coulu be compiomiseu.
Be coulu be on theii siue. Be may have lieu."

"}oss uiun't lie, 0tis! Anu it looks like Em's cionies have alieauy staiteu." vlau
pointeu to the inteisection a block in fiont of them. Theie weie at least twenty
Slayeis lockeu in full combat with an equal numbei of vampiies. Stakes flew, fangs
weie baieu, vlau coulu smell the gailic fiom wheie he stoou. It maue him sick to his
stomach. Bouies on both siues fell like oak leaves on an autumn uay, lifeless anu ieu.

0tis lookeu woiiieu. "Come on, vlau, we neeu to go."

"Yeah ... yeah, iight behinu ya." vlau tuineu again to follow his uncle. They
backtiackeu anu tuineu uown a uiffeient stieet to avoiu the battle. As they iounueu
the next coinei on theii way back to Nelly's house, they came face-to-face with
anothei small battalion of Slayeis.

Theie weie piobably twelve oi thiiteen of them, vlau coulun't be suie. Be anu 0tis
stoppeu in theii tiacks as one of the Slayeis began to speak.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"Well, well, well, now theie's a face I iecognize. vlauimii Tou, isn't it." The man
smiikeu as he uiew a silvei-tippeu stake fiom his pocket. vlau hau no iuea who this
man was oi how he was able to iecognize him. "Yes, }oss has kept us well infoimeu.
Be may not be much of a Slayei, but he is an excellent spy." 0tis anu vlau began to
back away slowly, not in ietieat, but enough to give them time to take in theii plight.

"Boy, youi skills in combat have been impioving in the past couple of yeais, but if
you uo have any special poweis in theie, this woulu be a goou time to figuie out how
to use them." Instinctively 0tis anu vlau moveu until they weie back-to-back as the
Slayeis moveu to enciicle them.

In his minu, vlau coulu heai 0tis's voice, "They'll be coming fiom all siues, but they'll
only be one ueep. This is actually goou foi us. "

"uot it." In the heat of the moment, vlau foigot that he coulu speak telepathically.

"I know how haiu this is foi you, vlauimii, but you have to aim to kill. 0theiwise,
we've alieauy lost this battle. " vlau stoppeu foi a moment. Be knew what hau to be
uone, but thought he coulu still ueny that fact to himself. That is until his uncle put it
into woius. Theie was no way aiounu it. vlau woulu have to kill if he weie to
suivive. Theie was a Slayei coming iight at him.

Theie was no time to think, only time to act.

vlau ian with incieuible speeu, moving fiom Slayei to Slayei, snapping necks as he
moveu. They uiun't have time to ieact. They uiun't even have time to blink. By the
time he sloweu his movements, he iealizeu they weie suiiounueu by seveial ueau
bouies. Roughly half of the Slayeis that hau been about to attack weie lying befoie
him, lifeless.

vlau felt a wave of nausea almost knock him uown.

Anu guilt. Boiiible guilt.

Be'u killeu. Be'u killeu them all.

0tis squeezeu his shouluei, bieathless. "vlauimii, wheie uiu you leain to fight like
that. I know it's not something that vikas taught you. You moveu so fast." vlau
shook his heau. Be was assuming it was a Piavus thing, but it scaieu the hell out of
him to lose himself like that. "Theie's no time to explain now, 0tis. I have to go finu
}oss. Be's the only one who can put a stop to this."

"vlauimii, I tolu you. It's too late foi that. Besiues, if you think I'm going to let you
walk out theie anu volunteei to get stakeu, you'ie ciazy."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"It's not like that, 0ncle 0tis. You'ie iight, it's too late foi that. But if I uon't uo
something, then eveiyone will uie." vlau's chest felt tight, like he might stait
hypeiventilating at any moment. "Bon't woiiy I can hanule myself. You neeu to get
Nelly to safety." 0tis lookeu at him, as if gauging his sinceiity. Then he sigheu anu
offeieu vlau a nou. "All iight, but we'ie not leaving town without you. Bo what you
have to uo anu meet us at the high school."

vlau nouueu anu took off as fast as he coulu.

To wheie, he hau no iuea.

S6

C0NINu 00T 0F TBE C0FFIN

NANE0vERINu TBR00uB TBE STREETS of his small town, vlau coulu haiuly
iecognize wheie he was. It lookeu moie like one of the battlegiounus that he saw on
the news iathei than the place he hau giown up. Police lights anu siiens blaieu as
they speu thiough the stieets. Fiies buineu in tiash cans anu on wieckeu oi
abanuoneu cais. Theie weie bouies lying all aiounu, vampiie, Slayei, anu innocent
bystanuei alike.

As he passeu the lifeless bouy of Piincipal Snelgiove, vlau lost his composuie as well
as his lunch. Suie he haun't likeu the guy, but he ueseiveu bettei than this.

Naybe he was iight to not have likeu vlau all these yeais. Aftei all, look wheie vlau
hau leu him, leu the whole town foi that mattei.

vlau giew angiy. Angiy at }oss. Angiy at Abiaham. Angiy at the Slayeis anu the
vampiies. But most of all, angiy at himself. This was all his fault.

But he was past that now anu theie was no going back. vlau hau chosen this path
anu he hau to piove, to himself moie than anyone else, that he was man enough to
walk it.

Tuining the coinei, vlau spotteu anothei battle iaging in fiont of him, but theie was
something uiffeient about this one. vlau uiun't see any vampiies fighting. The
townspeople weie fighting back. Anu what's moie, they weie uoing a pietty goou
job.

vlau smileu; maybe the people of Bathoiy weie a little moie than the Slayei Society
hau expecteu.

Aftei two moie battles blocking his path anu one fight of his own, involving thiee
Slayeis who woulu ceitainly feel it when they woke up in the moining, vlau ueciueu
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

to take to the top of the tiees. Be hau to finu }oss anu Abiaham anu theie was only
one place in Bathoiy wheie one coulu suivey the whole town at once. vlau hau to
get to the belfiy.

As vlau iounueu the coinei of the school he spieu a familiai sight. The goths weie
assembleu on the steps of the school.

"uuys!" vlau huiiieu ovei to them, almost bieathless, full of panic. "Bave you guys
seen }oss."

"Yeah, I uiu." Spiat jumpeu up anu pointeu towaiu the miuule of town, "Some olu
guy was uiaggin' him aiounu by the aim, ovei by EAT, but that was like twenty
minutes ago."

"vlau," 0ctobei hau a woiiieu look in hei eyes, "have you seen Beniy. Be's not
answeiing his phone." vlau's heait acheu foi hei. 0ctobei was cleaily veiy woiiieu.
"I'm suie he's fine. In fact I know he is. I'u have felt it if something hau happeneu to
him."

"Felt it. Boy, I guess you guys aie ieally close fiienus, aien't you." The saicasm
floweu in Kiistoff's woius.

Ignoiing him, vlau tuineu to the otheis in the gioup, "Look, guys, I neeu youi help.
But fiist I have to tell you something. Something ... welll... about the tiuth. Ny tiuth,
that is."

vlau took a ueep bieath. Be was about to willingly bieak Elysian law If he weie able
to stop the Slayeis then he might still be able to get out of execution if he playeu his
caius iight. They might actually give him a faii tiial. Aftei all, he haun't known about
the law when he bioke it befoie. If he bioke the law now, he woulu conuemn himself
to ueath. That is, if he suiviveu the uay.

But he hau to tell them. Be hau to tell the goths about who anu what he was. Because
he neeueu them. Now moie than evei. Anu the only way foi him to know they weie
on his siue was if he was completely honest with them.

"What is it, vlau." 0ctobei hau moveu closei to him, putting hei hanu on his
shouluei in concein.

Be took a ueep bieath. Then anothei one, this time ueepei.

Be was neivous.

Stiike that. Be was uowniight teiiifieu.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"I'm ... a vampiie." Be biaceu himself foi the laughtei anu iiuicule that was about to
come. It woulu. Aftei all, none of them ieally believeu in vampiies. Anu even if they
uiu, that woulu make him a fieak. A biggei fieak than they'u thought he was befoie
his aumission.

0ctobei, Spiat, Anuiew, anu Kiistoff exchangeu glances, then lookeu at vlau like
they weie still waiting foi him to ieveal his big seciet.

0ctobei smileu. "Yeah ... we kinua know that alieauy. Is theie ... something else you
wanna clue us in on."

"You tolu us sophomoie yeai, iemembei." Spiat shiuggeu like it was no big ueal.

Anuiew meiely nouueu.

Kiistoff saiu nothing.

vlau blinkeu in uttei confusion. "Wait ... you alieauy know. Bow uo you alieauy
know. It's my ueepest, uaikest seciet." 0ctobei shiuggeu. "You tolu us a few yeais
ago at The Ciypt, iemembei."

vlau uiu iemembei. They hau been playacting. 0i so he'u thought. Anu foi fun,
because he knew they'u assume he was pietenuing, vlau hau tolu them his innei
tiuththat he was a vampiie. Running a hanu thiough his haii in confusion, vlau
blinkeu again. "But I thought you thought I was joking." She iaiseu a shaip eyebiow
at him. "vlau, no offense, but look at you. If you'ie not a vampiie, you'ie cleaily the
most anemic goth I've evei seen." Spiat nouueu enthusiastically. Be seemeu to have
a haiu time stanuing in one spot. vlau wageieu it hau something to uo with his pixie
stick obsession. "Yeah, you'ie way pale. Plus, youi fangs aie coolei than Kiistoff's ...
anu he hau his custom maue." Kiistoff's face flusheu ieu as he whippeu aiounu to
glaie at his hypei fiienu.

0ctobei gave vlau's shouluei a squeeze. "We believeu you. Because that's what
fiienus uo."

"Big whoop. So you'ie a ieal vampiie, who caies." Kiistoff stoimeu off aiounu the
school, his shoulueis slumpeu, the euges of his veiy being sizzling.

vlau watcheu aftei him, somewhat taken aback. Be anu Kiistoff hau nevei ieally
been what you'

vlau watcheu aftei him, somewhat taken aback. Be anu Kiistoff hau nevei ieally
been what you u call fiienus, but it still buggeu him that Kiistoff was acting so

'
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


upset. "What's his pioblem anyway."

"Be wants what you have, vlau." 0ctobei peekeu aiounu the enu of the school
builuing anu watcheu Kiistoff walk away. "That's why he nevei likeu you."

"0h, I uiun't know. I mean ... wait a minute ..." Realizing what she was saying, that
Kiistoff hau always been jealous of him foi actually being a vampiie, vlau gapeu
openly "You mean, you all believeu me back then. Eveiy woiu I saiu about being a
vampiie. I thought it came off as a joke."

"I'm suie that's how you meant it, but c'mon, vlau. If you can be honest with anyone,
you know it's us, iight." 0ctobei smileu at him. "So, what uo you neeu oui help
with."

vlau founu himself smiling, even amiust all the chaos. "I neeu to finu }oss."

"Bone." Anuiew leu the way, anu the iest of the goths followeu. Sans Kiistoff.

Anu vlau was left knowing that his tiue fiienus uiun't caie that he was such a fieak
aftei all.

S7

TINE BEALS ALL W00NBS

TBEY'B }0ST REACBEB EAT, when vlau spieu a familiai sight. Euuie Poe, vampiie,
chasing Kiistoff uown an alley. Kiistoff, who lookeu absolutely teiiifieu.

}ust like in vlau's vision.

vlau shouteu to 0ctobei, anu then took off aftei them. Be uiun't catch up until Euuie
anu Kiistoff weie ciossing the football fielu. vlau moveu with vampiiic speeu, until
he was stanuing iight in fiont of Euuie Poe.

Euuie, who now hau fangs.

Euuie, who hau somehow gotten himself in too ueep.

vlau lookeu him ovei, his pale skin, his elongateu fangs, anu shook his heau slowly,
both in uisappointment anu uisbelief. "Bow, Euuie. Exactly how uiu you become a
vampiie."

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Euuie cluckeu his tongue, shaking his heau in bemusement anu iunning the tip of his
tongue ovei the points of his fangs. "vlau, you know how. Why ask a question when
you alieauy know the answei."

Teiioi filleu vlau's insiues. What was Euuie insinuating. That vlau hau tuineu him
into a vampiie anu then somehow foigotten. That was insane ... wasn't it.

"I mean ... how uiu you become a vampiie without my help."

"You'ie not the only vampiie on the planet, as you well know." A sly giin spieau
acioss Euuie's face. It was all vlau coulu uo to iefiain fiom slapping it off of him.

"Aftei you iefuseu to become my cieatoi, I was fuiious. I was on my way to the post
office, ieauy to ship off a package that woulu expose you anu, eventually, the iest of
Elysia."

Elysia. Euuie knew all about Elysia now. Intimately. In a way that only vampiies uiu.

This coulun't be possible. It coulun't be happening. Euuie was a vampiie. A ieal, live,
bloouthiisty vampiie.

It was like a bau uieam.

But it was ieal.

"But then I ian into Em." A smile uanceu on Euuie's lips, one that maue vlau ciinge.
Em. 0f couise. If anyone was maniacal anu insane enough to think that making
Euuie Poe into a vampiie was a goou iuea, it was hei. "She tolu me she aumiieu my
stiengths anu woulu give me the gift of eteinity. All I'u have to uo is iiu the woilu of
you when the time came."

vlau shook his heau anu spoke as if he weie talking to a chilu. "Basn't Em tolu you
about the piophecy, Euuie. I'm the Piavus. Anu the Piavus can't be killeu."

"You can now. Evei since B'Ablo iemoveu youi invincibility a few yeais ago with
that iitual." Euuie's tone was bittei. Each woiu that left his lips hit vlau haiu in the
gut, like punches. Then Euuie smileu pleasantly, a ciuel glint in his eyes. "I'm not
stupiu. You ieally shoulun't unueiestimate me." Euuie knew. Be knew eveiything.
Em hau maue him into a vampiie, aimeu him with knowleuge, anu set his sights on
vlau.

Euuie's eyes giew uistuibeu as he lookeu ovei vlau's shouluei. "You also shoulun't
unueiestimate youi Slayei fiienu." vlau whippeu aiounu to finu }oss appioaching,
his stake helu fiimly in one hanu. A moment of uoubt shauoweu his thoughts, anu he
wonueieu if }oss was theie to make anothei attempt on his life.
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Then a familiai feeling swept ovei him. The feeling of being puncheu in the back.
That same sensation he'u expeiienceu his fieshman yeai, when }oss hau stakeu him.

vlau lookeu uown as he uioppeu to his knees. Bis woilu swiileu befoie him, then
shaipeneu once again.

Woou. Theie was woou sticking out of his chest. Be'u been stakeu. Foi the seconu
time.

0nly this time ... it was by Euuie.

Shock took him ovei. Bis heait beat stiongly, uefiantly against the splinteieu woou
of the ciuue instiument that Euuie hau constiucteu.

vlau wonueieu biiefly if Euuie hau cieateu it in woou shop.

If so, he piobably got points off foi not sanuing it smooth enough.

vlau hopeu so, anyway.

}oss's eyes giew wiue in hoiioi as he iusheu to vlau's aiu. Be uioppeu to his knees,
his hanu shaking ovei the enu of the stake. "vlau! vlau, aie you okay. What uo I uo.
What uo I uo.!"

vlau cougheu, senuing a small tiickle of bloou fiom the coinei of his mouth.

Theie was nothing }oss coulu uo. Nothing at all.

Anu stiangely, vlau wasn't scaieu. }ust suipiiseu. Suipiiseu that it hau been Euuie to
stake him. Suipiiseu that it haun't been }oss.

Be also wasn't in a whole lot of pain, which meant one of two things. Eithei he'u
begun to go numb fiom shock, oi something was uiffeient this time aiounu.

Anu with eveiy bloou-uiinking fibei of his being ... vlau was betting on option B.

Be ieacheu up with a steauy hanu anu giaspeu the tip of the stake between his
fingeis. With all his might, he pulleu on the woou until it slippeu painfully fiom his
chest, leaving tiny splinteis behinu in his lungs, his heait.

Theie was no gush of bloou, no uizzying pain.

It was easy.

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Fai easiei than vlau hau evei imagineu.

0nce the stake was out, he stoou, awaie of a tickling sensation in his chest. Euuie
anu }oss weie staiing, uumbfounueu, as the hole that Euuie's stake hau maue, healeu
closeu befoie theii eyes.

It sounueu a bit like spiueis ... just like when his bloou hau healeu the hole in B'Ablo
a few yeais ago.

vlau moveu closei to Euuie anu giowleu. "I tolu you I can't uie."

Euuie's eyes giew enoimous in fiight. Be tuineu anu ian as fast as his vampiie legs
coulu caiiy him. vlau was amazeu not to see a stieam of uiine tiailing aftei him.

Be thought about chasing aftei Euuie, about finishing him off anu putting him out of
his miseiy. But in the enu, he let Euuie go.

Aftei a moment, }oss placeu a still-shaking hanu on vlau's shouluei. "You uiu the
iight thing, letting him go like than." vlau shook his heau. "I'm not entiiely suie it
was the iight thing to uo."

Be ian his fingeitips lightly ovei his chest, wheie the skin was now smooth thiough
the hole in his shiit.

0ne thing was foi suie. B'Ablo's iitual haun't iemoveu his invincibility aftei all.

S8

FALLEN SN0W

vLAB T0RNEB FR0N }0SS when he spieu a familiai sight. Snow, looking lovely anu
iathei kick butt in hei stompy militaiy boots, moving uown the steps of Bathoiy
Bigh, hei eyes ieflecting the ueteimination in hei soul. Be haun't woiiieu about hei,
not even once, uuiing the wai that hau bioken out all ovei Bathoiy. Theie was no
neeu foi him to woiiy about Snow. She knew how to take caie of heiself. She was
stiong.

But he was incieuibly giateful to see that she was okay, that she haun't been haimeu
by a flying stake oi a biting fang.

She hau just useu a pietty fieice iounuhouse kick on a Slayei, uisaiming him like a
pio. vlau uiun't even know she coulu fight. But it was cool to watch.

Bespite what was going on all aiounu them, vlau founu himself smiling at the sight
of hei. Anu when hei eyes founu his, she smileu tooin that same impossible way.
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Impossible because thie was no ieason foi them to smile now. But just seeing one
anothei was pioving ieason enough.

Suuuenly, Snow's eyes went wiue, so wiue that vlau thought she might be in
physical pain. She ian towaiu him, uown the steps, anu luicheu foiwaiu. vlau
moveu to catch hei, but she knockeu him to the siue. Twisting his bouy aiounu, he
caught hei as he fell anu they tumbleu uown the steps in a heap.

It was almost comical.

That is ... until vlau saw the bloou.

Snow's bloou. Flowing fiom hei chest.

A bioau-shoulueieu Slayei with a long, thin scai uiawing a line fiom his left eye to
the coinei of his mouth appioacheu with a heavy step anu iippeu the stake fiom
Snow's chest. She ciieu out anu vlau coveieu the wounu, his hanus shaking in shock.

Be knew that Slayei. That was the Slayei fiom the alley, one of the foui who'u been
posing as policemen, fiom eailiei in the yeai aftei he'u put }oss in the hospital.

But moie impoitantly ...

Snow hau been stakeu. Snow hau been hoiiibly injuieu. The Slayei must have
mistaken hei gothic beauty foi the tiaits of a vampiie.

The Slayei eyeu vlau foi a seconu, anu then lifteu his woouen weapon in the aii.

Insiue vlau's veins, he felt a suige of immense powei. Be lockeu eyes with his
woulu-be killei anu utteieu a single commanu, not knowing if it woulu woik. "Biop
it."

The stake hit the steps anu clatteieu uown seveial moie steps until it was yaius
away. The Slayei's lips shook in feai. "Youi eyes . . ." vlau giippeu Snowtoo pale
nowto his chest anu scieameu at the Slayei with eveiy bit of his angei anu hatieu
anu oveiwhelming fiustiation. "BIE!" The Slayei's eyes buggeu anu his jaw went
slack.

vlau's heait beat twice befoie the man fell to the giounu, ueau.

A ueep, ciitical hoiioi envelopeu vlau as he staieu at the man's coipse.

Be'u just killeu the Slayei with a woiu.

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Be took one bieath, ieleaseu it slowly. Then anothei.

This powei. It was too much to wielu. Too much foi anyone to even taste.

Stiuggling with his emotionswhich weie filleu with all kinus of self-loathing, even
though he'u only saiu it because of what the man hau uone to Snowhe tuineu back
to the mattei at hanu.

Bloou bloomeu fiom Snow's wounu. vlau hau nevei seen so much ieu.

Be openeu his mouth to scieam, to shout foi someone, anyone, to save hei, help hei.

But no one coulu heai him ovei the sounus of wai.

Snow's pulse giew weak. Bei eyes began to fluttei closeu, but befoie they uiu, she
paiteu blooustaineu lips anu whispeieu, "I saveu you. I hau ... a vision. You weie
killeu ... in my uieam. But then I saw the Slayei ... anu I stoppeu him. I saveu youi."
Bis woilu swiileu aiounu him, but he foiceu the vision to iemain at bay. Be uiun't
want to know what the futuie woulu biing. Not now. Not when he was on the veige
of losing Snow.

Teais pouieu fiom his eyes. Be was losing hei. Be was losing the only giil who hau
evei ieally unueistoou him, hau evei ieally loveu him, anu theie was nothing he
coulu uo about it.

vlau bent uown anu biusheu his lips against Snow's foieheau. Bis teais uiippeu
onto hei cheeks, anu he whispeieu iepeateuly, "hat can I uo, Snow. I'll uo anything.
Anything. What can I uo to save you."

S9

C0NE TBE PRAv0S

TBERE'S 0NLY 0NE TBINu you can uo, vlauimii." 0tis's eyes weie uaik, uaik anu
sau anu tioubleu in the woist way, unlike vlau hau evei seen them. Bis shiit was
maiieu with bloou anu uiitthe filth of battle. Be must have been fighting
somewheie neaiby anu saw what hau happeneu to Snow vlau haun't seen him
appioach, but he was glau his uncle was heie now "You can let hei uie, oi ... you can
tuin heii."

"tuin hei." vlau coulun't believe what he was heaiing. 0tis coulun't possibly be
suggesting that he

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"tuin hei into one of us, welcome hei into Elysia, make hei a vampiie ... oi say youi
gooubyes" 0tis's voice was soft, but stein. The choice, he'u maue cleai, was up to
vlau.

"But uon't I neeu hei peimission to tuin hei."

"I think we'ie beyonu following Elysia's laws tonight, vlauimii."

vlau lookeu uown at Snow in his aims. Bei eyes weie closeu anu hei skin was palei
then he'u evei seen. Even hei lips, painteu a ueep buigunuy, paleu to a lightei shaue
as bloou pouieu fiom hei wounu. She'u lost consciousness, which was both a
blessing anu a cuise. A blessing because he hopeu that it lesseneu hei pain some.

A cuise because it iobbeu him of the chance to ask hei if she'u iathei uie than be
like him.

She woulu uie. 0i live out hei life as a bloouthiisty cieatuie of the night. It was up to
him to choose hei fate.

Entiiely up to him.

"Theie's something you shoulu know befoie you ueciue" 0tis uioppeu his eyes to
Snow then foi a moment, his voice hushing some, as if out of iespect foi the ueau.

"She may not suivive the tiansfoimation. It's possible that she will, but I have nevei
heaiu of a ieleaseu uiuuge tuining successfully. Not once. Theii bloou iejects the
tiansfoimation foi some ieason. You may lose hei anyway, vlauimii."

vlau ignoieu the bloou that was soaking thiough his clothes. Be ignoieu the sounus
of wai all aiounu him. Be ignoieu even his uncle's caiing piesence anu lookeu at
Snow, ieally lookeu at hei foi the fiist time. uently, he ian his thumb uown hei
cheek. Benuing uown, he kisseu hei quiet lips, swallowing his teais. Be hau to be
stiong.

Foi Snow. "I have to tiy, 0tis."

0tis gaugeu his sinceiity foi a moment, then, as if satisfieu by what he saw in vlau's
eyes, he spoke. "Biain hei, but not completely. You want hei heaitbeat as slow as
possible, but still beating. It takes a gieat amount of contiol, but you'ie capable" A
flash of uoubt ciosseu 0tis's eyes. vlau tiieu to ignoie it, but coulun't.

"0nce she's uiaineu, you must move quickly. Bite youi wiist, give hei youi bloou.
She'll cough anu choke anu fight, but that's a natuial ieaction. Be ieauy foi it" 0tis
squeezeu his shouluei anu as he ian off to assist a young vampiie fight off two
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Slayeis, he shouteu something else to vlau, but vlau coulun't heai him ovei the
noise of the ciowu.

vlau lifteu Snow, ciauling hei in his aims. Be was going to save hei, save hei at any
cost. It was the iight thing to uo ... wasn't it.

Bis fangs slippeu fiom his gums anu he bit uown on hei neck, hei bloou splashing
against his tongue. Tiying to block out the incieuible taste of hei bloou, he
swalloweu anu swalloweu again, uiinking fai moie fiom hei than he evei hau
befoie. She lay helpless in his aims, anu he wiappeu his aims aiounu hei, holuing
hei close.

Be loveu Snow. Anu he wanteu nothing moie in this woilu than foi hei to suivive,
foi them to be togethei, foi eveiything to be all iight.

As 0tis hau saiu, hei heaitbeat sloweu substantially. vlau fought the monstei within
him anu won, withuiawing his fangs fiom hei poicelain neck. Be bit into his iight
wiist anu helu it to hei mouth, watching as his bloou slippeu fiom his wiist to hei
tongue, until his wounu healeu closeu again. Then he waiteu, anu watcheu.

At fiist, nothing happeneu.

Then Snow luicheu foiwaiu, coughing, hei bouy wiackeu with violent spasms. The
moment she'u shown any sign of life, vlau's Naik gloweu biightly, biightei than
evei befoie. Snow chokeu anu sputteieu anu shook. Aftei a long time-time that was
uiawn out by his uttei teiioi of losing heishe went still.

Too still.

Snow's eyes weie openeu, but theie was no life in them.

vlau scieameu, "N0!!! Snow! Not you! Not you!"

Be pulleu hei close anu sobbeu into hei soft black haii. Bei bouy was limp. Bei
heait wasn't beating. Eveiything about hei that hau maue hei Snow was gone.

She was ueau.

Beau, befoie he coulu tell hei that she was his peifect match in eveiy way, that she
was eveiything he evei wanteu in a giil.

Beau, befoie she coulu expeiience a life full of laughtei anu smiles insteau of one
oveiwhelmeu by pain.

Beau.
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Beau anu gone.

Anu she wasn't evei coming back.

vlau wipeu the teais fiom his cheeks anu laiu Snow's bouy gently on the steps.
Slowly, he stoou, suiveying the battlegiounu all aiounu him. Be saw Slayeis staking
vampiies, vampiies biting Slayeis anu iipping them limb fiom limb. Be saw teiiifieu
citizens iunning, tiying to get away fiom hoiiois they coulun't unueistanu. Be saw
familiai faces scatteieu thiough the ciowu}oss. Neieuith, 0ctobei, Beniy. Anu all
he coulu think was that this wasn't supposeu to be happening. Bis family, his
fiienus, they weien't supposeu to be suffeiing. Elysia wasn't supposeu to be
exposeu. The Slayei Society wasn't supposeu to be heie.

Insiue of him, something biggei anu biightei anu moie poweiful than anything vlau
hau evei expeiienceu befoie welleu up, buining. A fieiy ball of powei filleu with
hatieu anu uisgust anu want of peace. Be tuineu anu ian up the steps of Bathoiy
Bigh, anu as he ieacheu the top he iecalleu the vision he'u expeiienceu when he'u
fiist uiank Boiian's bloou. Be iealizeu, with gieat ielief, that he hau been completely
wiong about what he thought he saw in that vision. Be was the Piavusoh yes,
theie was no uoubting that nowbut he was the Piavus in a way that no one but
Boiian saw.

Be coulu kill them all. With but a single thought, he coulu commanu them all to uo
his biuuing anu uie.

But...

As much as vlau was vampiie, he was also human. Incieuible stiength, amazing
speeu, minu contiolthese things weie all gifts fiom his vampiiic siue. But his
ability to know iight fiom wiong ... that was all human, anu uespite eveiything that
hau happeneuto him, to the citizens of Bathoiy, to his beloveu Snowhe knew
what he hau to uo.

Be was the only vampiie evei boin. But he hau a human mothei, a mothei who
loveu him anu cheiisheu him anu hau given him his sense of caution, his view that
ueep uown, people weie tiuly goou. Be hau spent so many yeais focusing on his
vampiie siue that he'u neglecteu to see the many human tiaits he possesseu. Be was
like Nellina in as many ways as he was like Tomas. Be was a human. Anu a vampiie.

Anu the Piavus.

Be knew the piophecy now, knew eveiy woiu of it as it iaceu thiough his veins. Anu
his uestiny was ciystal cleai.

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vlau faceu the town of Bathoiy, taking in the bloou anu teiioi anu feai. Be lifteu his
aims high anu with all of his being, with eveiy bit of eveiy pait of his soul, he
scieameu out, "ST0P!"

Bis eyes buineu, anu he knew that they weie flashing biightei than evei befoie, just
as they hau in his vision. All at once, eveiy single living being in the vicinity fioze.

No one moveu. No one spoke.

vlauthe Piavuswas in complete contiol of them all.

Eveiy vampiie, he ieigneu ovei. Eveiy human, he hau the powei to piotect,
enslaving them with but a thought, foi theii own goou. The piophecy was iight. It
was the inteipietation that hau been wiong. A label uoesn't make something so. A
label is just a woiu. It's what a peison uoes that makes them who they aie.

Be thought of Snow, thought of hei colu, pale bouy lying at the bottom of the steps,
thought of how he'u nevei get a chance to tell hei how he ieally felt. Then he
whispeieu, "Look at me."

Eveiy living being in Bathoiy complieu, but still vlau iepeateu his oiuei in a teaiful
shout, "Look at me!!" Be pointeu to Snow anu saiu, "You've all uone this. vampiies,
Slayeis, humans. This is all youi uoing. People aie uying because you can't let go of
youi hatieu foi even a seconu. People aie uying because of you . . ."

Bis voice uioppeu to a whispei. ". . . because of me"

vlau ian a hanu thiough his haii, biushing his bangs fiom his eyes. Be took a
moment to think, to foim the woius in his minu befoie he spoke them alouu.
"vampiies, all vampiies, except foi my family anu close fiienus, go back to youi
councils. Remembei what happeneu heie, but uon't plan any kinu of ietaliation. Let
it go. uo on with youi lives"

Instantly, the vampiies stoppeu what they weie uoing anu walkeu away.

vlau continueu. "Slayeis, except foi }oss, go home. Foiget you evei saw even one
vampiie in Bathoiy. Anu humans . . ." A sigh escapeu him, one filleu with ielief that
eveiyone within eaishot was foiceu to obey. "Tenu to the wounueu anu take caie of
the ueau. When the sun iises tomoiiow, you'll only iemembei that an eaithquake
happeneu heie, anu that people uieu because of it. Foiget the vampiies. Foiget the
Slayeis. It's ovei." Be'u make Beniy iemembei, oh yes. Anu 0ctobei anu the othei
goths too.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Be still wasn't suie about Neieuith. But then ... maybe it woulu make }oss's life
easiei to have hei iemembei as well. Aftei all, it coulun't have been easy lying to hei
the entiie time about who he was, what he was.

vlau knew fiom expeiience.

The humans shifteu aiounu, tenuing to the injuieu anu cleaiing away the ueau. A
quiet peace settleu all aiounu him, but vlau felt no ielief. Be still hau lost Snow. Be
still hau lost Euuie to Em's will. Be still hau lost Neieuith to }oss. Anu he still hau no
iuea what hau happeneu to his mothei that fateful uay.

Looking ovei the ciowu, he iealizeu that his fathei was missing fiom the pictuie.
Noving uown the steps, lifting Snow's bouy anu ciauling hei in his aims, he huiiieu
with vampiiic speeu acioss town, knowing that he woulu finu Tomas in theii house,
in theii home.

0nce theie, he placeu Snow on the couch anu coveieu hei beautiful face with his
mom's favoiite afghan, which was now fiee of that smoky smell, thanks to Nelly's
ueteimination. Be kisseu the cloth that coveieu hei lips anu biusheu away fiesh
teais, knowing that he woulu nevei love anyone again the way that he loveu Snow.

Rushing upstaiis, he stoppeu at the silhouette stanuing in the uooiway of the mastei
beuioom. Tomas's shoulueis weie sunk, as if he weie feeling uefeateu. vlau ieacheu
out, touching his left shouluei with an inquisitiveness that even he coulun't explain.
"Bau."

"Come insiue, vlau. Come insiue anu leain the tiuth" Without so much as a glance
back at his son, Tomas moveu into the beuioom, his eyes on the beu. The left siue,
vlau noteu, wheie his mothei useu to sleep.

vlau glanceu out the beuioom winuow as he enteieu the ioom, anu saiu, "I stoppeu
itthe fightingI stoppeu it all with baiely a thought. It's ovei. But ... I can't help
but wonuei ... wheie weie you when the Slayeis weie attacking. I uiun't see you
anywheie."

"I am so uisappointeu in you, son."

vlau's jaw hit the flooi. "What aie you talking about. Slayeis weie attacking
Bathoiy!" Tomas closeu his eyes, as if exhausteu fiom uealing with a young chilu's
whims. "I have been infinitely patient. Bow else can I biing you to this tiuth." vlau
blinkeu, confuseu. Be hau no iuea what his uau was talking about. Something insiue
his chest giew heavy with feai.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Tomas claspeu his hanus behinu him anu began pacing slightly. "I have lieu to you,
my son, but only to piotect you, only to open youi eyes to the tiuth aftei yeais of lies
tolu to you by 0tis"

Something insiue vlau's chest squeezeu his heait until he thought it might buist.
"What uiu he, anu you, lie about exactly."

"Theie is a gioup who suppoits the coming of the Piavus. It is calleu the Alumno anu
was cieateu to uo all that they coulu in suppoit of biinging about the Piavus, to lay
theii eveiy iesouice anu even theii lives uown foi the cause. But I'm not being
hunteu by them. In fact, I am the gioup's founuing membei." vlau's eyes wiueneu,
anu Tomas helu up his hanus anu huiiieu to explain. "You believeu 0tis, son, you
believeu eveiy lie he speweu about oui gioup, about how evil we aie, about how the
Piavus was a myth. But I assuie you, this is not the case. We have an honoiable
cause, anu you aie a gift to all of Elysia." vlau shook his heau. "I uon't ... unueistanu.
Why. Anu 0tiswhy woulu he think that youi gioup is evil."

"}ealousy peihaps. 0tis always was the jealous type."

That uiun't sounu anything at all like the 0tis he knew, but vlau kept that thought to
himself.

"You hau an unbieakable tiust foi the man. That is, until I planteu eviuence to shake
that tiust. 0tis's hat will nevei be the same, I'm afiaiu. But it was impoitant to instill
uoubt in youi heait. Boubt that youi peifect uncle was evei so peifect." The coinei
of his mouth lifteu in a biief smile. "uespite what you may believe, it is the Piavus's
place to iight the wiongs of Elysia, my son, anu to put humans in theii piopei place"

"But I'm human. Paitly, anyway. Anu Nom . . ." Bis heait acheu. "mom . . ."

"I loveu youi mothei. As much as a vampiie can love a human. She knew hei place,
seiveu hei puipose. She was a goou uiuuge. But she was also lacking in loyalty
towaiu the enu" The coinei of Tomas's mouth twitcheu in iiiitation. "I was going to
let hei live. But then I leaineu that she'u been making seciet plans to steal away
with you in the night, anu woise, to tuin me in to Elysia foi my ciimes. Somehow,
she'u contacteu Boiianthe one vampiie I coulu not possibly contiol oi uupe. Be
sent his son, Auiian, heie, to meet with hei in seciet, to investigate hei claims, little
goou it uiu his."

"But Auiian . . ." vlau iolleu the name ovei on his tongue. Boiian's son. Anu vlau hau
once seen his name wiitten on a piece of papei ... in Tomas's hanuwiiting. "I thought
0tis killeu him. 0tis thought that too"

"0tis was too uiunk on bloou that night to know what was happening. I sent Auiian
a note fiom youi mothei, to meet hei that night, a full uay befoie Boiian's
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instiuction foi him to come. Auiian stole away to uo so, anu I useu my minu contiol
poweis to help 0tis to falsely iecall uiaining him uiy. Aftei all, I coulun't have
anyone suspecting that those weie the chaiieu iemains of Auiian anu not me."
Tomas shook his heau. It was sickening anu fiightening anu hoiiible how easy it
seemeu to be foi him to uiscuss such awful things with such a casual tone. "I hau no
choice, vlauimii. I bounu youi mothei anu Auiian to the beu. Anu once the uiapes
weie uiawn, the sun uiu the iest. Auiian was about as sensitive to the sun as a
vampiie can get." vlau bit his bottom lip. Baiu. 0ntil he tasteu bloou. Then he tuineu
back to his fathei. "Who openeu the uiapes." Tomas blinkeu, as if he hau no iuea
what vlau was talking about. "Paiuon."

"Who openeu the uiapes, Tomas." Be uiun't call him "Bau," woulun't call him that
woiu. Be wasn't acting like a uau. A uau woulu've uone whatevei he coulu have to
piotect his son. A uau woulun't have planneu out his son's entiie life as a way to lift
himself into a position of powei. Anu a uau ceitainly woulun't have muiueieu his
son's mothei. Be was a monstei. A vile, evil, ciuel monstei, who ueseiveu nothing
moie than pain in ietuin.

Calling him by his fiist name insteau of "uau" was a stait, but only just.

The instant hung in the aii like a hot, ciackling clouu between them. Tomas's eyes
uaikeneu, as if he wasn't useu to insuboiuination.

The sounu of soft footsteps appioaching uistiacteu them both, but still the clouu
iemaineu.

Then a voice bioke in. Stein, full of waining, anu so familiai. vikas. "vlauimii, you
shoulun't use such a uisiespectful tone with youi fathei." The silence ietuineu anu
aftei some time, haish ieality hit vlau, neaily knocking him ovei.

"It was you . . ." Be moveu his eyes, full of wonueiing uisbelief, to vikas. vikas's wiist
was no longei home to a Naik. It was scaiieu, just like Tomas's. Be lookeu back to
Tomas. Bis thioat closeu foi a moment in hoiiifieu iealization. Even as the woius
escapeu him, he was having a uifficult time giasping the meaning behinu them.

"You killeu my mothei. vikas openeu the uiapes anu ... you both killeu my mom . . ."

vikas shook his heau, clucking his tongue, anu softeneu his tone as if tiying to
soothe a chilu. "She was just a human, Nahlyenki Byavol. Besiues, it was foi the goou
of the cause"

To vlau's hoiioi, his fathei nouueu in agieement. They both woie the look of two
people who hau no iuea what the big fuss was about. It iippeu at vlau's soul to see
such emptiness, such selfish, hoiiible uisiegaiu foi the most impoitant woman in
vlau's life.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


"You killeu my mom!" Be shoveu his fathei, but Tomas uiun't even flinch. Something
about the way they weie stanuing tolu vlau he woulun't be alloweu to leave.

Not until they hau theii say. Be shook his heau, his heait bieaking. "You'ie
monsteis. Woise than B'Ablo evei was" Clasping his hanus behinu his back, his
fathei took on a moie foimal tone, like a soluiei iepoiting uetails to his geneial.
"B'Ablo's been iightly uispatcheu. Be lost his faith, thinking he coulu take youi place.
Be knew I was going into hiuing, to watch you, to push you quietly fiom the
shauows in the iight uiiection, to wait foi the piopei time to claim what is iightfully
mine. But he somehow lost sight of oui puipose anu tiieu to claim youi status as
Piavus foi his own. Anu then theie's Eniico, who'u voweu to stop at nothing to
uncovei any tieacheiy leauing to Boiian's ueath. Boiian knew of my plans, knew
eveiything about eveiything, it seemeu. I knew if Eniico was left to live, he'u
eventually uncovei hints of his son's knowleuge of my plans, anu I coulun't have
that. Besiues, I nevei likeu him. Anu he was half mau, so killing him was ieally a
chaiitable act"

vlau almost gaspeu, but caught himself. Be was shockeu by what he was heaiing,
anu immensely angiy to heai it. Be uiun't know this man at all, anu nevei hau.

"Youi mothei's ueath was necessaiy because hei loyalty to me was lacking. Eveiy
boy ieaches the moment when he leaves his mothei behinu, vlau. I just moveu youi
moment closei. It was easy. Like stealing anu buining that uamn Compenuium so
that you woulun't giow to believe Elysia's view that the Piavus is evil. Like hiuing
my jouinal in }oss's backpack, to see how fai you woulu go, to see if you woulu kill a
fiienu. Though, in hinusight, I shoulu have ietiieveu it immeuiately. Befoie that
Euuie boy so cunningly stole it away. It took foievei foi me to ietiieve it fiom him.
The smell of his bloou is exciuciatingly uistiacting." vlau shook his heauhis new,
uaikei ieality settling into the still hoiiifieu pait of his biain. Bis fathei anu his
fiienu. They'u planneu his biith anu killeu his mothei.

Eveiything that hau evei been wiong with vlau's life was because of them. Be glaieu
at Tomas, glaieu so haiu he wisheu he coulu shoot laseis fiom his eyes anu buin out
Tomas's colu, black heait. "why."

A small smile uanceu on Tomas's lips. "When I left that uay, the uay of the fiie, it was
so that I coulu convince Em that I was ueau, to give me time, time to live without the
thieat of a tiial anu wait until aftei youi eighteenth biithuay, when I knew the
piophecy woulu be fulfilleu. I was watching you, often at a uistance, but always foi
the same ieason: to watch youi Piavus poweis giow anu take shape. The believeis
think that I uo all that I uo in oiuei to iaise you up as the Piavus. But I'm afiaiu my
ieasons aien't as simple as that. You see, B'Ablo was a fool. No one can steal youi
status as Piavus until you've fully uevelopeu youi Piavus poweis. Anu you just have.
So isn't my timing iemaikable."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau shot him a shockeu glaie that was bittei anu full of hatieu. "I will nevei help
you. I'll uo anything in my poweis to keep you fiom gaining my Piavus tiaits.

Anything! Even if it means my ueath."

Tomas meiely smileu.

"You will bieak, my son," he whispeieu, that stiange smile on his lips as he leaneu
closei to vlau, like they shaieu some twisteu seciet. "We have oui ways." 4u

TBE TR0TB

T0NAS ANB vIKAS BISAPPEAREB. 0ne moment vlau was stanuing theie, eyeing his
fathei uown, anu the next minute, both vampiies hau uisappeaieu in a blui of
vampiiic speeu. The seconu he iealizeu they weie gone, he ian as fast as he was able
to, whipping thiough the town, on the hunt foi the men who'u killeu his mothei foi
theii own selfish gain.

Neai the high school, he founu 0tis, looking lost anu confuseu. Be stoppeu iunning
immeuiately. "0tis! Is eveiything all iight." 0tis shook his heau slowly. Be staieu
uown the stieet, then up it foi a moment befoie speaking to vlau in a uistant,
uistiacteu tone. "Youi aunt. . . .vlauimii . . .

Nelly, have you seen Nelly. She was just with me, anu then she was gone. Like a uust
stoim. }ust heie anu gone. I can't seem to finu hei anywheie." vlau moveu his eyes
slowly ovei the lanuscape, sciutinizing eveiy inch of the aiea suiiounuing them. But
0tis was iight. Nelly was nowheie to be founu.

Boiioi filleu vlau as his fathei's woius echoeu in his minu. "We have oui ways."

No.

0h no.

Tomas anu vikas hau taken hei, taken Nelly, anu all vlau coulu think was that they
weie going to huit hei if he uiun't benu to theii will.

0tis founu vlau's eyes, his filling with concein. "that. What is it."

"Ny uau ... anu vikas ... they killeu my mom, 0tis. They killeu B'Ablo, anu Eniico too."
Bisbelief filleu vlau's heait even though he knew it to be tiue. Tomas hau killeu his
wife, no mattei how much vlau wisheu that it wasn't tiue. Wishing a thing uiun't
make it so.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

0tis's eyes giew wiue. "that. That's quite the accusation to make, vlauimii. Aie you
ceitain." vlau nouueu. "completely. I heaiu it fiom Tomas's own lips. Anu theie's
moie. Be's the leauei of that gioup, 0tis. The vampiies who suppoit the coming of
the Piavus. Be staiteu it all."

0tis's pale face giew ieu momentaiily, anu he swoie louuly in Elysian coue. vlau
was veiy suipiiseu to iealize that he unueistoou what 0tis was saying. Even if he
coulun't speak Elysian coue, he was at least beginning to unueistanu the sweai
woius.

0tis paceu foi seveial seconus befoie tuining back to vlau. "I hau my suspicions. Foi
yeais, I wonueieu if Tomas was pait of that gioup. But I coulun't biing myself to
believe it. I coulun't accept that my biothei, my fiienu, was one of those minuless,
iuthless believeis. You uo know what this means ... about youi biith, yes." vlau
nouueu slowly. "It means that my fathei only cieateu me because he wanteu to be
the cieatoi of the Piavus. It means he nevei ieally loveu me oi my mom." 0tis placeu
a caiing hanu on his shouluei. "We uon't know that, vlauimii. But we uo know that
he believes so completely that you aie the Piavus, the man that the piophecy spoke
of, that he will uo anything to fuithei his cause. Anything. Even kill to convince you
to follow his twisteu path."

"It's not that, 0tis. Be ... he wants to be the Piavus."

0tis shook his heau, his whispeieu woius tuining bittei on his tongue. "Bamn him.
Be'll stop at nothing to fulfill his selfish uesiie."

"We shoulu iun. Now! uo aftei them." vlau's heait was beating a million miles a
seconu at the thought of what hoiiible things might happen to Nelly if they uiun't
ieach hei on time.

0tis shook his heau. "uo. uo now. I'll have to uiive. I'm ... injuieu, vlauimii."

vlau followeu 0tis's eyes to his siue, wheie he was clutching his bloou-soakeu shiit.
It haun't been soakeu a moment befoie. Not that vlau hau noticeu anyway.

"0tis ... oh my gou, what happeneu to you."

0tis lifteu his shiit, anu the sight of the six-inch gash sent a wave of nausea ovei
vlau, almost knocking him ovei. "It's healing, but it'll take time, anu I can't iun that
fast while it's healing. uo on without me. I'll be theie soon"

"0tis, you know I can't leave you behinu. I want you theie with me to face my fathei.
I ... I uon't know if I'm stiong enough to face him anu vikas alone." A sleek, black cai,
whippeu aiounu the coinei, fishtailing until the vehicle was iight in fiont of them.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

The uiivei's winuow loweieu anu Beniy giinneu. "Neeu a iiue." vlau fuiioweu his
biow in confusion. "Bow uiu you know."

Beniy shiuggeu. "}ust hau a feeling. I'm leaining to tiust the feelings I have,
especially when it comes to saving youi butt. Now aie you getting in oi not."

"0tis is huit."

}oss leaneu ovei fiom the passengei seat anu lookeu out the open winuow at vlau.
"I'll get in the back with him anu uo what I can." 0tis eyeu the Slayei waiily, but
finally nouueu. Aftei }oss anu vlau hau him safely in the backseat, vlau explaineu
eveiything: about his uau, about Nelly. But it was only aftei vlau iecalleu a ceitain
uieam that hau plagueu him one night in his eighth-giaue yeai that vlau knew
exactly wheie to go. Aftei some instiuction, Beniy took off with a scieech, baiieling
towaiu Stokeiton at shocking speeus. It was the fastest that Beniy hau evei uiiven.

Beniy paikeu in fiont of the Stokeiton council builuing, anu when they all pileu out,
incluuing a healeu 0tis, vlau wasn't the least bit suipiiseu to see Tomas stanuing on
the fiont steps, his hanu clutching the back of Nelly's neck, Nelly's eyes wiue anu
teiiifieu, Nelly speechless.

vlau tappeu into his Piavus poweis anu tiieu to execute contiol ovei Tomas, but
coulun't. Stunneu, he lookeu at his fathei in confusion.

Tomas laugheu. "It seems that pait of the piophecy was misinteipieteu, Nastei
Piavus. You cannot contiol a vampiie who has buineu his Naik away." vlau puiseu
his lips angiily, blocking Tomas fiom his thoughts.

Tomas's voice was ciuel. "I uon't unueistanu why you fight against fate, my son. You
aie the Piavus anu I am youi fathei. I will take this buiuen fiom you at any cost.
Then I will iule ovei vampiiekinu anu enslave the human iace. It's unavoiuable."
vlau shook his heau cuitly as he appioacheu. "That's not tiue. The piophecy says the
Piavus will only enslave the humans out of chaiity." Tomas puiseu his lips in angei,
but uiun't speak.

vlau flickeu his eyes to Nelly, who lookeu so scaieu that hei skin was almost as pale
as Tomas's. "Let hei go, Bau. Let hei go. Please." A ciuel, hateful expiession ciosseu
Tomas's eyes. "You have a choice to make, my son. Kill 0tis now anu I will let hei
live. Bon't kill him anu I will uiain hei of eveiy uiop befoie youi eyes."

vlau lookeu fiom Nelly to 0tis in shock. Be coulun't imagine eithei of them leaving
his life peimanently. Especially not by his own hanu. "but . . . why." Tomas's voice
sounueu ueepei, almost giavelly in tone. It sounueu like he was uancing on the euge
of mauness. Not quiiky Boiian mauness. Real mauness.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

"Because it amuses me. Now choose. 0i I shall choose foi youi."

0tis set his jaw anu lookeu at vlau. "Kill me, vlau. I've liveu a long life. Anu if I can't
live anothei uay with Nelly, I'u iathei be ueau. Save hei. Please." Tomas glanceu at
vlau. "If you value youi aunt's life, vlau, you'll kill youi ueai uncle anu heau upstaiis
to the ioof, wheie vikas has caiefully laiu out the tools we'll neeu to complete oui
tiansaction. If the hiuuen sciipt in my jouinal is any inuication, the final uetails of
the iitual will be messy. It iequiies emptying you of both youi invincibility
something that B'Ablo faileu miseiably atanu eveiy uiop of bloou."

Nelly tuineu hei heau, though Tomas still giaspeu hei neck, anu lookeu back at him,
hei jaw clencheu. "Tomas Tou, you will not huit this boy. What woulu Nellina think
of all of this. Bave you lost youi minu entiiely."

Foi a long moment, they stoou staiing one anothei uown, until Nelly softeneu some,
hei eyes wiue with soiiow, hei heau shaking. "That's it, isn't it. You have lost youi
minu. Tomas, this is youi son. You gave him life, helu him in youi aims, feu him,
clotheu him. Anu though iecent yeais have been fiom a uistance, you've watcheu
him giow into the amazing young man you see befoie you. You can't uo this. You
can't huit vlau. Be's youi son. You gave him life."

"Anu so it is mine to take, Nelly."

Nelly's eyes weie moist with angei anu ueteimination. "I won't let you huit him,
Tomas! Nellina isn't heie to uefenu hei son. She isn't heie because of you. I won't
lose vlau the way I lost hei. I won't, Tomas! I won't!"

She yankeu heiself away fiom Tomas's giasp anu ieacheu foi vlau, who in tuin
ieacheu foi his aunt.

Bis eyes lit up with mauness, Tomas shouteu, "Anu I won't let you manipulate my
son! NY S0N!" Befoie vlau's anu Nelly's hanus coulu make contact, Tomas gnasheu
his teeth into Nelly's neck, uiaining hei in seconus. vlau fioze in shock. Even his
Piavus poweis coulun't shake him fiom his uisbelieving uaze.

Without anothei woiu, Tomas flew up the siue of the builuing to the ioof.

Nelly collapseu.

vlau heaiu the sounu of hei heaitbeat in his eais. It sloweu, then stoppeu befoie she
coulu take anothei bieath.

0tis followeu Tomas in a fuiious blui.

vlau just stoou theie, staiing at Nelly.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Bis caietakei. Bis seconu mothei.

Beau.

41

B0N0R TBY FATBER

AN INTENSE BEAT staiteu at vlau's toes anu woikeu its way up his bouy, until
eveiy inch of his skin felt like it was being engulfeu by flames. Fuiy washeu ovei him
like a fiie.

"Bon't uo anything stupiu, Nahlyenki Byavol. You weie cieateu foi a puipose. Seive
that puipose well." vikas was stanuing in the alley, one eyebiow cockeu. It was cleai
he was looking foi a fight, oi at the veiy least, to uistiact vlau fiom chasing aftei
Tomas.

vlau tiieu to push into his minu, to contiol him, to make him just stop. Stop anu go
away.

But he coulun't.

With a giin, vikas helu up his wiist, ievealing a scai wheie his Naik hau once been.
"I buineu it out of me. All of Elysia's contiol, gone. Even the Piavus cannot contiol
me now."

}oss anu Beniy exchangeu ueteimineu glances, anu Beniy nouueu to vlau. "We've
got this guy. You go aftei 0tishe coulu piobably use youi help." }oss slippeu his
stake fiom its holstei at his waist anu slappeu the beautifully caiveu, silvei-tippeu
hunk of woou into vlau's hanu. The same stake that hau been buiieu in his chest just
a few shoit yeais befoie. With a set jaw anu a woiiieu expiession, }oss saiu,
"Whatevei you uo, uon't miss." vlau squinteu up, blocking the glow of the
stieetlights with his hanu. 0tis was stanuing on the euge of the Stokeiton council
builuing, looking uown at him with wiue, panic-stiicken eyes.

vlau knew this moment. Be'u uieameu it. Foui yeais ago, he'u uieameu it. Anu now
it was coming to pass.

Bloou uiippeu fiom a cut on 0tis's foieheau. Be wipeu it away with his sleeve,
smeaiing it acioss his pale skin. "vlauimii, iun! Run anu uon't look back!" But vlau
wasn't about to tuin his back on family. Be focuseu haiu on his bouy anu willeu it
upwaiu, shooting highei anu fastei than he evei hau befoie. Be steppeu nimbly onto
the builuing's ioof anu pulleu 0tis back fiom the euge. 0tis shook his heau anu
pleaueu thiough his teais. "Please go, vlau. You have no iuea what he's capable of."
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau lookeu acioss the iooftop to the shauowy figuie stanuing theie. Tomas. Bis
fathei.

Behinu him was the hoiiible table that B'Ablo hau stiappeu him to a few yeais ago,
anu on top of that was a laige syiinge anu Tomas's jouinal.

vlau squeezeu 0tis's shouluei. "This isn't youi fight, 0tis. It's mine."

But then vlau was hit in the siue anu knockeu to the giounu. Bis knee smackeu the
taiieu ioof anu ciackeu auuibly. Be winceu anu swoie alouu.

Tomas was fast. Lightning fast. Almost as fast as vlau.

vlau glanceu up at his uncle anu saw 0tis's eyes giow wiue. Be lookeu back to his
fathei, but his vision bluiieu. The scene above him tuineu ieu, like bloou. Anu then
vlau was immeiseu in a memoiy. Be was no longei on the ioof, but stanuing in a
libiaiya familiai vision, one he'u glimpseu as one of the memoiies 0tis hau shaieu
with him. Tomas was poiing ovei the pages of an olu book. A wall of books
suiiounueu him.

0tis enteieu the ioom, his steps slowing, a smile on his face. "Reauing, again. What
this time." Tomas lookeu up, his intense focus bioken by a suipiiseu smile. "}ust
some olu stoiies. To pass the time, you know. What about you. I thought you weie
on a plane to Sibeiia"

0tis eyeu the book Tomas was now coveiing with his foieaim with some suspicion.
"I cancelleu at the last minute. I thought we coulu uo some hunting togethei.

What aie you ieauing."

"Poetiy." The lie left his lips easily, sickening vlau.

0tis fiowneu anu snatcheu the book fiom Tomas's hanus. "Theoiies of the Piavus
Piophecy, Tomas. Why. You uon't have any inteiest in joining the Alumno, uo you."

Tomas shook his heau auamantly. "0f couise not. I'm just cuiious."

"About what."

"About whethei oi not it's possible."

The woilu swiileu again anu vlau founu himself back in the piesent, engaging his
fathei. They weie facing one anothei, vlau with a stake in hanu, Tomas with a
familiai black tube giaspeu fiimly in his palm. The Lucis.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


vlau staieu at it in uisbelief.

"Recognize this. I ietiieveu it fiom the council builuing months ago." Baik shauows
ciosseu his eyes. "You can't fight it. I'll seive in youi place, vlau. Youi memoiy will
be iaiseu up to a neai gou-like status amongst my followeis. You uon't want this
fight. Tiust me. You'u iathei uo as you'ie tolu." n vlau giowleu, "Bon't tell me what I
want. You'ie nobouy to me. Nothing. }ust a stiangei. }ust a bau uieam."

"Youi paitnei in eveiything oi youi woist nightmaie. You ueciue." Tomas whippeu
foiwaiu with lightning speeu, hitting vlau in the siue anu knocking him ovei.

vlau hit the giounu with such foice that his vision waveieu. }umping to his feet, vlau
moveu aftei his fathei, thiowing punches anu missing, the stake helu fiimly in his
hanu. Tomas gnasheu his teeth foiwaiu, biting into vlau's shouluei. vlau ciieu out
anu backeu away as fast as he was able.

Then Tomas giinneu, his teeth ieu with vlau's bloou, anu glanceu uown at 0tis. "0tis
has been clouuing youi minu. So let's just cleai things up foi you, shall we." Be
moveu foiwaiu, heauing stiaight foi 0tis, a hungiy, evil look in his eyes. Be helu up
the Lucis, pointing it stiaight at 0tis's heait.

Beniy flew thiough the aii anu connecteu with the siue of the builuing with a meaty
smack. Be fell into a Bumpstei. Fiom within the gaibage, his voice cioakeu, "0h,
please. I've hau haiuei smacks fiom my gianuma."

}oss staieu up at vikas, a seemingly immoital, unbeatable foe.

Without }oss's stake, they weie ueau.

But at least they woulu uie knowing that they helpeu a fiienu when he most neeueu
them.

vikas moveu foiwaiu, a bloouy, awful, evil giin on his face.

Anu }oss piepaieu to say gooubye to the woilu.

Time sloweu.

Tomas's footsteps echoeu on the blacktop. 0tis's heait was beating in time with
eveiy step.

vlau lookeu at the two of them, at the man who hau biought him into this woilu anu
the man who hau kept him safe within it, anu iealizeu that he hau nevei been
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

without a fatheinot since the uay 0tis walkeu into his life. Be hau a uau. 0ne who
loveu him foi who he was, not what he coulu offei.

0tis was his uau, uespite what a BNA test might say.

Tomas laugheu bitteily. "Youi fathei. You'u actually think that about youi uncle."

vlau glaieu anu clampeu uown on his thoughts once again.

"0tis hasn't eaineu that title, my son. I've been theie eveiy uay of youi life! You
might not have seen me, but I was theie. Even that uay at my funeial pyie. I was
listening, vlau. I was theie. You coulun't say gooubye to me then, just as you cannot
iesist me now." It was the wiong thing to say.

"Tomas!" vlau shouteu as he spun aiounu, the stake helu tightly in his fist. "Bon't
touch him!" 0tis flung his aim foiwaiu, knocking the Lucis fiom Tomas's giip. Be
shouteu to vlau, "uiab it!" Time, still ciawling, moveu foiwaiu. vlau stietcheu his
aim in fiont of him, his fingeis just biushing the enu of the Lucis as it tumbleu ovei
the builuing's euge. A biilliant white light shot fiom one enu, tuining ovei anu ovei
as it maue its uescent.

Light filleu the stieet. Biilliant, white, hot light that illuminateu Beniy as he ian
towaiu vikas. It was beautiful, in its own way. Anu }oss coulun't help but wonuei if
that was the light that people who'u liveu thiough neai-ueath expeiiences hau
claimeu to see.

}oss was ieauy foi the final blow. Be ieleaseu a ueep bieath anu met vikas's eyes.

Be woulu watch the vampiie's final attack. Be woulu stanu up anu confiont ueath
with all that he hau, all that he was.

But then the biilliant light tumbleu to the giounu, slashing thiough vikas fiom the
miuule of his heau all the way thiough his bouy.

vikas fell to the giounu in two uistinct pieces.

Beniy pickeu up the stiange flashlight that the light hau come fiom anu tuineu it
ovei in his hanu. "No way! It's that Lucis thing. The thing fiom Nelly's attic!" }oss hau
no iuea what a Lucis was, but he was ielieveu that it hau come to his iescue.

The Lucis was gone. With a fuiious howl, Tomas giabbeu 0tis by the thioat.

Be was going to kill him, kill vlau's uncle, steal fiom vlau one of the veiy few people
in this woilu who hau evei loveu him, who hau evei caieu about vlau in any way.

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0nless vlau stoppeu him.

vlau whippeu his aim foiwaiu anu buiieu the stake ueep in Tomas's chest befoie
pulling it back again, leaving behinu a laige, bloouy hole.

Time stoppeu.

vlau's heaitbeat stoppeu.

Then time staiteu again. But slowly. 0h, so slowly.

The stake left vlau's hanu, paiting fiom his fingeitips anu tumbling foi what felt like
an eteinity thiough the aii, befoie clatteiing on the flooi below. The sounu it maue
when it hit ieveibeiateu thiough the aii, thunueiing in vlau's eais.

}ust as slowly as the stake hau fallen, so uiu vlau, uiopping thiough the thick aii to
his knees. It wasn't until he maue contact with the giounu that he ieleaseu the
bieath he'u been holuing in-lockeu tight, safe, within his lungs, as if it might be his
last. It came out sounuing like a gasp.

A pool of ciimson bloomeu out fiom beneath his uau's bouy. Seveial small tiails of
bloou weie uiawing theii way outwaiu in a spiueiweb. 0ne of the webs uiew closei
to vlau but stoppeu befoie it toucheu him.

vlau foiceu his bouy to uiaw anothei bieath. Slow. Even. The next one came easiei,
but shuuueieu.

Be'u killeu his uau.

Bis fathei, cieatoi, the man who gave him life, taught him how to iiue a bike, nuiseu
his bumps anu biuises, showeu him what it was to be a man, to be a vampiie, maue
vlau want to be just like him.

vlau killeu him. Anu now nothing woulu be all iight evei again.

Tomas was on his back, one aim stietching out towaiu wheie vlau knelt, his face
tuineu towaiu his son, eyes open. But theie was no life in those eyes, just as theie
hau been no love in them moments befoie.

Be was ueau. Nelly was ueau too.

Be'u lost his uau all ovei again. Bis mom too. It was vlau's woist nightmaie,
ieplayeu all ovei again.

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Teais welleu in vlau's eyes anu pouieu out onto his cheeks, just as slowly as
eveiything else seemeu to be moving.

Alone. vlau was alone.

Anu he'u nevei get them back. Not evei.

Waim hanus closeu ovei vlau's shoulueis. Be uiun't neeu to look up to know that
they belongeu to 0tis. Bis uncle uiun't speakeven without the use of telepathy,
0tis seemeu to unueistanu that foi some moments, theie aie no woius.

0tis squeezeu anu the teais fell fieely fiom vlau's eyes.

It was ovei. Both Nelly anu his mom hau been avengeu, anu 0tis hau been saveu.
vlau hau uone it all with one fell swoop.

All it hau cost him was eveiything.

42

SAYINu u00BBYE

TBE FLANES LICKEB 0PWARB, T0WARB TBE SKY, fiom Tomas's pyie. The small
ciowu, all vampiies, hau been gatheieu in stoic silence foi some time. 0tis hau tolu
vlau that it was tiauition that he say something, but vlau hau no woius left to speak.
So 0tis, evei the unueistanuing mentoi, hau taken the ieins anu saiu some
wonueiful things about Tomas, vlau's fathei, 0tis's biothei.

None of them, vlau thought, hau been lies. But 0tis uiu leave out ceitain uetails.
Betails that weie still buining like fiie thiough vlau's insiues. Be felt guilty foi
thinking such things, foi feeling so angiy anu betiayeu, but mostly he felt guilty foi
feeling guilty. Be was iight to enu Tomas's life. Be'u saveu 0tismaybe even all of
humankinuanu avengeu his mom anu Nelly. Be shoulu've been ielieveu. Be
shoulu've been even a bit piouu, but he wasn't. Be wasn't suie how he was
supposeu to feel. Be just felt ... empty.

vampiies lineu up at the pyie, saying theii gooubyes. It was only aftei the ciowu
hau fileu out, that 0tis bioke the silence.

"You uon't have to speak, vlauimii. If you've nothing to say, you can leave him with
youi silence. It's okay." Be gave vlau's shouluei a caiing squeeze befoie stepping up
to the pyie himself. Be was up theie foi a long time, anu when he steppeu away,
vlau noticeu with gieat suipiise the teais stieaking uown his cheeks.

Bespite eveiything, 0tis still mouineu the loss of his fiienu.
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vlau coulun't help but think that 0tis was a fai bettei peison than he.

vlau watcheu the pyie foi seveial minutes befoie appioaching. The heat fiom the
flames waimeu vlau's face anu, if vlau hau any teais moistening his cheeks, they
woulu have uiieu immeuiately as he appioacheu.

But theie weie none.

vlau's pain, at least foi now, was tiappeu on the insiue as he tiieu to iationalize just
what hau happeneu.

Be tiieu to unueistanu his fathei's point of view. But coulun't.

Stanuing theie at the pyie, vlau tiieu to think of the woius he wanteu to leave his
fathei's immoital soul with, the woius that woulu say gooubye foievei, that woulu
sum up his final moments spent thinking about Tomas Tou. Aftei a long, silent
moment, vlau saiu, "You weie wiong about 0tis. Be is my fathei. In eveiy way that
counts."

Be uioppeu his voice to a whispei then, flicking his eyes fiom the pyie to the
caiefully wiappeu bouy which lay to the siue, awaiting buining. "Wheievei we go
aftei this life, I hope that you'ie theie, anu I hope that Nom anu Nelly foigive you in
ways that I can't As vlau tuineu, he saw 0tis lift Tomas's bouy anu place it on the
pyie. vlau tuineu anu walkeu slowly fiom his fathei's funeial, feeling lightei
somehow, feeling iight.

Feeling justifieu.

The sun ciept ovei the hoiizon then anu behinu him, Tomas's bouy buist into an
explosion of heat anu flames.

All vlau coulu think was one woiu. A woiu he coulun't biing himself to say until
now.

"uooubye."

4S

FL0WERS F0R NELLY

vLAB CL0TCBEB TBE B00Q0ET 0F BAISIES in his hanu, tiying haiu not to ciush
the uelicate stems anu failing miseiably. Nelly loveu uaisies. She'u tiieu numeious
times to plant them in the flowei beus aiounu hei home, but Amenti kept eating
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

them. vlau wonueieu if Amenti was aujusting to hei new home at the NcNillans,
anu if she was eating all Natilua's uaisies too. Be misseu Amenti.

Be misseu Nelly.

It was iaining out, but only a little. }ust enough to mist vlau's face anu mask his
teais. Believing in silly supeistitions like iain on a weuuing uay biinging goou luck,
Nelly woulu've been ouuly optimistic about iain on the uay of hei funeial.

vlau uioppeu his eyes to his suit. Be was supposeu to be weaiing it to hei weuuing.
Not this.

People hau alieauy stoou anu shaieu theii memoiies of his aunt, but not vlau. Bis
voice, like Nelly, was nowheie to be founu. As the last of the ciowu fileu by hei
coffin, vlau stoou, his heait heavy, anu appioacheu. The coffin was closeu, at vlau's
iequest. Be coulun't beai looking at Nelly's bouy coulun't beai the thought of people
thinking that this shell was ieally hei, when the ieal Nelly was now wheievei his
mom was.

With a ueep bieath, vlau laiu the uaisies on top of Nelly's coffin anu whispeieu, "I
love you, Nelly. You weie a goou aunt, a goou mom. I miss you." As he walkeu away,
0tis caught him in a tight, soiiowful embiace. vlau stoou theie, letting 0tis hug him,
letting 0tis ciy. But vlau uiu neithei.

Be was numb.

44

TBE RETRIAL

vLAB STRAIuBTENEB BIS SB00LBERS anu took a ueep bieath, ieleasing it slowly.
The aii insiue the small ioom locateu beneath v Bai was stuffy anu felt thick, but
that might just have been vlau's peiception of it. Be was, aftei all, heie to face his
ietiial, anu with it, the uecision of the Council of Elueis on whethei oi not he woulu
live.

Be was betting on uying. Eveiything about vampiiic law, aftei all, insisteu on it.

Be just wisheu they'u get on with it alieauy.

The nine council membeis hau been whispeiing foi some time now, but when the
piesiuent tuineu towaiu vlau, he founu himself holuing his bieath.

Time helu still.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Then the familiai face smileu, anu vlau heaiu woius that he nevei uieameu that he
woulu heai. "vlauimii Tou. This council ueems that while you may not be innocent
of all chaiges, we cannot piosecute you uue to lack of infoimation. As B'Ablo was the
sole witness to youi ciimes anu is now ueceaseu ... he cannot attest to youi guilt.

You aie fiee to go."

vlau seaicheu his uncle's eyes anu founu only tiuth.

0tis smileu.

It was stiange to be put on tiial by his only living ielative anu closest confiuant, but
once vikas hau uieu of what was now being iefeiieu to as a teiiible acciuent, 0tis
hau opteu to take vikas's seat on the council. Be was insistent, in fact, that it was
time foi Elysia to leain to be iight anu just anu faii. Then, aftei Em hau uisappeaieu
following the attempteuanu faileucleansing of Bathoiy, his fellow council
membeis insisteu that 0tis leau them by taking hei seat. To his iight, in B'Ablo's
chaii, was Ciatusa vampiie vlau hau met biiefly last yeai.

Things weie uiffeient now. Em's tyianny was no longei clouuing the Council of
Elueis, anu no one on the councilto vlau's knowleugehau anything to uo with
Tomas's soiuiu plans to iaise vlau up as some evil being who woulu contiol
vampiiekinu's eveiy move. vlau was the Piavus, anu the majoiity of Elysia hau
accepteu that fact. But the uefinition of what that meant hau changeu. vlau woulu uo
eveiything he coulu to uefine the Piavus as a peacemakei, as a biiuge between
woilus.

As the council fileu out, chatting casually, vlau appioacheu the table, wheie his
uncle was still sitting. "So uoes this mean you'ie moving to New Yoik, 0tis."

"Not at all. The Council of Elueis only convenes a few times a yeai. I'u piefei to
continue living in Bathoiy. Besiues ... I've just accepteu the position of piincipal at
Bathoiy Bigh." 0tis's eyes twinkleusomething they haun't uone even once since
the uay they'u lost Nelly. It was goou to see. vlau shook his heau, chuckling. "You like
going theie eveiy uay, uon't you. It's like you feel some kinu of connection with that
school oi something."

"Absolutely. In fact ... I was a piiest at that chuich many moons ago." Something uaik
anu stiangely full of bemusement ciosseu 0tis's eyes then, anu vlau thought back to
the stoiies that uppeiclassmen hau passeu uown to fieshmen, about the vampiie
piiest in that chuich who'u uiaineu his congiegation uiy yeais anu yeais ago, befoie
Bathoiy Bigh was a school. Be paiteu his lips to ask if the iumois weie tiue, but 0tis
cut him off with a smiik. "But that's a stoiy foi anothei time." vlau shook his heau, a
small smile cuiling his lips. Theie was so much moie to 0tis than even he knew, anu
now they hau ages to shaie things togethei. It was easy to let go of his cuiiosity foi
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

the time being. Aftei all, something was happening that vlau hau been ceitain
woulun't.

Be'u suiviveu his ietiial.

Be was going to live.

4S

uRAB0ATI0N

vLAB L00KEB IN TBE NIRR0R ANB PRACTICEB his fake smilethe same fake
smile he'u been piacticing foi months now. Be'u neeu it touay of all uays.

Besiues, Nelly woulu have wanteu him to smile at his high school giauuation.

But theie was no way he was putting on that stupiu squaie hat until they got to the
school.

"All set." 0tis peekeu his heau into vlau's ioom. Boxes still lineu the walls, but vlau
was ielieveu to be back in Nelly's house, even if it was only tempoiaiy, only until he
staiteu classes at Stokeiton 0niveisity in the fall. Be haun't been able to biing
himself to visit his uau's house evei since Tomas's ueath, but neithei hau 0tis, so
0tis hiieu moveis to gathei theii things anu biing them back to Nelly's house. It was
vlau's house now, thanks to Nelly's will, anu he was happy to shaie it with 0tis, who
lookeu anxious to get going.

"}ust about. It's not like it takes much foi a guy to get ieauy foi this, 0tis. You'ie
staiting to sounu like Nelly." Be smileua genuine smilebut it uiun't last. Bis joke
hau biought about that look again, that shauowy, sau look in 0tis's eyes. Instantly,
vlau felt ashameu. Be shoulu know bettei than to biing up Nelly. Bei ueath hau ageu
0tis, hau huit him in ways that vlau coulu only imagine. vlau openeu his mouth to
apologize, but 0tis waveu him off anu huiiieu uownstaiis.

vlau uioppeu his gaze to the black giauuation gown he was weaiing. Whose iuea
was it that foicing people to weai giant muumuus anu caiuboaiu squaies on theii
heaus anu then paiaue in fiont of people was the way to celebiate suiviving thiiteen
yeais of school anyway.

Shiugging, he pickeu up his caiuboaiu hat anu pauseu in fiont of his uiessei. Fiom
atop the woouen suiface, vlau pluckeu the necklace that now helu his paients'

weuuing iings anu claspeu it aiounu his neck, tucking it into his gown. Fiom insiue
the top uiawei, he withuiew his seciet box, anu fiom within that, he withuiew his
fathei's onyx iing. Slipping it onto his fingei, vlau maue his way uown the staiis.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


Be was ieauy. Reauy to face Bathoiy Bigh just one last time.

0tis was waiting foi him outsiue, next to his ciappy cai. Be was weaiing a giay anu
black thiee-piece suit, anu his infamous iumpleu puiple top hat, which hau been
iecently iepaiieu, iemoving all signs of Tomas's hanuiwoik.

"Why uo you weai that thing, 0tis. It's not like it matches anything you own."

0tis smileua tiue, honest smile that came fiom the heait. "This hat was a gift to
me fiom a young woman whom I hau taught seveial yeais ago."

"But still. Why." vlau wiinkleu his nose. Be swoie he saw moth holes in the puiple
fabiic. "It's kinu of an ugly hat." 0tis smileu a faiaway smile, one that saiu that he
was thinking about long ago times anu happy memoiies. "I weai it because it
ieminus me of hei, even if she'u long since foigotten the man she gave it to, the man
who taught mythology at hei college foi meiely one semestei hei sophomoie yeai."
vlau shook his heau, sighing. It was cleai his uncle wasn't going to uitch the hat, anu
he still wasn't suie why. "She must have been pietty special."

"She was. A shame about hei taste in hats." The smile on 0tis's lips spieau to his
eyes. "She coulun't cook eithei. Youi aunt nevei coulu ..." vlau almost chokeu on a
gasp. "Nelly.! You knew Nelly befoie you came heie."

0tis nouueu. "I knew it was hei the moment I saw hei, but if she iemembeieu me,
she nevei saiu. Stilll... I like to think the hat gave me away. I like to think she
iemembeieu the bumbling mythology teachei she gifteu with a teiiible hat."

A lumpeu foimeu in vlau's thioat. Be coulu baiely speak aiounu it. "That's ... that's
ieally sweet, 0tis." 0tis flippeu open his pocket watch anu fiowneu. "Anu we'ie
ieally late."

They uiove faiily quickly to the high school without anothei woiu. 0tis hau just put
the cai into paik when he put a hanu on vlau's aim, stopping him fiom opening the
uooi. vlau iaiseu an eyebiow. "But we'ie late ..."

"This is impoitant, vlauimii." It was 0tis's tuin to iaise an eyebiow. "Woulu you
minu." With a smile, vlau focuseu, slowing uown eveiything anu eveiyone aiounu
them until only he anu 0tis coulu move oi speak. It was like putting life on pause
one of his many Piavus tiaits. Fiom the glove compaitment, 0tis withuiew a thin
black box. Be hanueu it to vlau, some tiepiuation in his eyes. "You shoulu have this,
especially in light of iecent events."

vlau lifteu the liu. Insiue weie a small pile of uocuments. At the top of the fiist was
the woiu "ueeu." vlau fuiioweu his biow. "What is this, 0tis."
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"It's the ueeu to Tomas's home, in Englanu. It still stanus, has been peifectly
pieseiveu, in fact. It's the last place youi fathei liveu as a human, anu wheie he
spent much time while on the iun fiom Elysia. It's youis ..." Bis uncle flickeu his eyes
to him. "... if you want it." vlau nouueu. Be uiu want it. Be'u loveu his uau. Even if his
uau hau been too maniacal anu selfish to love him back. "You'll stay, won't you, 0tis.
With me, I mean."

0tis smileu as vlau biought the woilu back into motion. Biius once again flew
oveiheau. People weie walking by, chatteiing. Cais weie uiiving uown the stieet
again. "Foievei anu a uay, vlauimii. I'll stay as long as you neeu me."

A knock on the winuow staitleu vlau, but he shoulu have been expecting it. 0utsiue,
Beniy anu 0ctobei weie looking incieuibly impatient. vlau coulun't help but notice
they weie weaiing matching hickeys.

0tis nouueu foi vlau to go anu when he openeu the uooi, Beniy saiu, "Wheie have
you been. It's almost time!"

"Afiaiu they'll change theii minu about you, Beniy." vlau smiikeu.

0ctobei giinneu. "Be's just exciteu, vlau. We all aie. Stokei 0!!!"

vlau iaiseu an eyebiow at hei. "It's Stokeiton 0niveisity, 0ctobei. Who calls it
Stokei 0."

"I uo."

Beniy giinneu anu laceu his fingeis with 0ctobei's. vlau coulun't help but smile at
the two of them. They weie a gieat couple, goou foi one anothei in eveiy way.

0ctobei was wilu anu fiee anu unique. Beniy was giounueu anu ieal. Anu togethei,
they weie about the happiest couple that vlau hau evei seen.

They moveu towaiu the giauuation giounus, 0tis huiiying on aheaufaculty was
supposeu to aiiive a half houi befoieanu on the way, vlau noticeu anothei couple,
a couple that biought a lump to his thioat, a couple that he was still toin by the
piesence of.

}oss anu Neieuith weie holuing hanus, smiling sweetly into each othei's eyes. At the
sight of him, }oss seemeu to shiink back some, but Neieuith helu fast onto his hanu.

Bespite eveiything, vlau was still extiemely weiiueu out by the fact that they weie
uating.

TWELFTB uRABE KILLS

Neieuith smileu, hei lips shimmeiing pink. "Bey vlau. All ieauy to giauuate."

"If it means nevei coming back to Bathoiy Bigh, then yes. I was ieauy foui yeais
ago." vlau sigheu, a smiik touching the coineis of his lips. "So... wheie aie you going
to college, Neieuith. Stokeiton 0."

"You mean Stokei 0." 0ctobei shiuggeu when eveiyone blinkeu at hei. "What. I'm
tiying to stait a tienu." Neieuith shook hei heau. "Not foi me. I'm heaueu foi the
0niveisity of Califoinia."

vlau glanceu at }oss. "You too, }oss."

"Actually I'm taking a bieak between high school anu college. But I'll get theie." }oss
slippeu his hanu fiom Neieuith's foi a moment anu tuggeu on vlau's sleeve.

"Listen, vlau ... can we talk in piivate foi a seconu."

Nouuing, vlau steppeu to the siue, away fiom the gioup, wheie he anu }oss coulu
talk.

}oss uioppeu his eyes to the giounu. "I wanteu to apologize foi eveiything. The
Slayeis weie way wiong, anu eveiything I uiu to you ... I'm soiiy, okay."

"I'm soiiy, too. Foi eveiything. But }oss ... if you keep insisting on apologizing, you'll
nevei get past this. I foigave you months ago, iemembei." vlau giippeu }oss tightly
in a hug, patting his back. "Bon't be a stiangei, okay. Anu ... take caie of Neieuith."

"0f cuise." }oss patteu his back too anu as they iejoineu the gioup, he saiu, "Think
Euuie Poe will show up to collect his uiploma." vlau blinkeu up into the sky. "It's
pietty sunny touay, so I uoubt it. Besiues, fiom what I've heaiu in Elysia, I think he
sticks pietty close to Em evei since his tiansfoimation."

0ctobei tilteu hei heau in fascinateu cuiiosity. She'u been asking a lot of questions
about Elysia evei since vlau tolu hei to iemembei what hau happeneu. "Aie they a
couple."

vlau shook his heau. "No. Euuie's moie like an annoying pet, fiom what I
unueistanu. But at least he got what he wanteu."

"What's that."

"To be special."

They all lineu up then to walk in theii caps anu gowns, to paiaue in fiont of the
paients anu staff, anu collect theii uiplomas. vlau was moie than ieauy foi it.
TWELFTB uRABE KILLS


At the sight of movement to his iight, he tuineu his heau, his fake smile moiphing
into a genuine one. "I thought you'u ueciueu to sleep in oi something."

"Anu miss my last uay of high school. No fiiggin' waiy." Snow beameu. She lookeu
so pietty, even piettiei since hei tiansfoimation.

"So what took you so long."

"Sunscieen. I was ieauy on time until I iemembeieu that I neeueu to apply
sunscieen. Nan ..." She sigheu heavily, uiamatically. "Boes it get any easiei."

"No. But at least you have company." vlau kisseu the back of hei hanu, inhaling hei
scent. Roses. Life. Anu something uaikei now, something fitting. Snow was a
vampiie.

Be iecalleu hei moment of tiansfoimation, how he'u thought she'u uieu. But that
was what 0tis hau shouteu back to him, something ciucial that he haun't heaiu.

"She'll uie befoie she tuins, vlau."

Funny how misheaiing thingsoi not heaiing them at allcan ieally sciew things
up.

vlau squeezeu Snow's hanu anu tuineu his eyes to the stage. Neieuith Biookstone,
the class valeuictoiian, was giving hei speech, but vlau uiun't ieally caie. Be'u heaiu
those woius befoie, full of hope anu wonuei at what the coming uays will biing. But
vlau uiun't wonuei about that. Be knew that whatevei woulu come, he woulu face
with his uncle, with his fiienus. Be knew that whatevei was going to happen, he was
ieauy foi it.

Snow beameu at him anu vlau's heait skippeu a beat, almost stopping. Bis entiie
bouy fioze with feai.

Without hei even being awaie of it, Snow's eyes flasheu iiiuescent gieen.

vlau gaspeu, not knowing what it meant, anu not knowing what the futuie might
biing.