نفس خون آشام فصل 16

Vampire Breath - Chapter 16

“But we want to go home!” I screamed.

“We don’t want to be vampires!” Cara wailed. “This isn’t fair! We helped you. Now you have to help us!” The old vampire didn’t hear us. In the flickering orange light from the torch, I saw his eyes go all dreamy. His whole body appeared to flicker in and out with the light.

“The Vampire Breath,” he whispered. “I need it—now.”

“Send us home—now!” Cara ordered him. “I mean it. Send us home!”

I balled my hands into fists. I felt so angry!

I mean, we helped him return to his castle. And how was he going to pay us back?

By biting our necks and turning us into vampires. By keeping us here forever.

I tried to imagine what it would be like living here in this castle. Sleeping all day in a coffin.

Rising up at night and turning into a bat. Flying out night after night in search of necks to bite.

Forever.

Just thinking about it made me shake with horror.

I’ll never complain about having to baby-sit for Tyler Brown again, I decided.

And then the horrifying thought made my heart skip: I may never see Tyler Brown again.

Or Mom and Dad. Or any of my friends.

“You’ve got to send us home!” I cried to Count Night wing. “You’ve got to!” He was pacing back and forth in front of us now, the torchlight dipping and darting. He didn’t pay any attention to us. I don’t think he even remembered that Cara and I were in the room.

“Vampire Breath,” he repeated. “I must find the Vampire Breath.”

Where is the bottle of Vampire Breath? I wondered. I was holding it in my hand when we opened it back in the little room.

My eyes searched the floor. No sign of the little blue bottle.

It must have disappeared when we traveled back in time, I realized.

“Why do you need it?” Cara asked.

The old vampire narrowed his eyes at her. “When he is awake, a vampire needs Vampire Breath every day,” he said softly. “We cannot live by blood alone.” Cara and I both stared at him, waiting for him to continue. “We all live together, here in my castle,” he explained in his hoarse, whispery voice. “We live here so we can be close to our supply of Vampire Breath. We each have our own bottles. We guard them closely.” He sighed. “But now I remember—the supply was running low. I was down to my last bottle. I must find it. I must!” “But what does it do for you?” I demanded.

“Everything!” Count Nightwing shouted. “Vampire Breath does everything for a vampire! It allows us to travel in time. It can make us invisible and reappear again. It keeps our skin smooth and clear. It gives us energy. It helps us sleep. It keeps our bones from drying to powder. It freshens our breath!” “Wow,” I murmured, shaking my head.

“But how will it help you find your fangs?” Cara demanded.

“Vampire Breath restores the memory,” the old vampire told her. “When you live for hundreds of years, it’s hard to remember things. The Vampire Breath will help me remember where I put my fangs.” He spun around. His eyes locked on me. “The bottle. Do you still have it?” I could feel the power of his silvery eyes. I could feel them burning into me, searching my mind.

“N-no—!” I stammered. “I don’t have it.”

“But it won’t do you any good!” Cara cried. “We emptied it, remember? We emptied the whole bottle to get you back here.” Count Nightwing shook his head impatiently. “That was in the future,” he snapped. “That was over a hundred years in the future. This is 1880, remember? In 1880, the bottle is still full.” My head was spinning. I leaned against a coffin and tried to make sense of what he was saying.

The old vampire started to pace again, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I hid the bottle somewhere,” he muttered. “I hid it so that the others couldn’t find it and use it while I took my nap. But where? Where did I hide it? I must find it. I must.” He spun away from us, his long purple cape swirling behind him. The orange torchlight bounced ahead of him as he floated toward the doorway. “Where? Where?” he asked himself, shaking his head.

A few seconds later, he vanished.

Cara and I were left alone with the rows of coffins in the long room. Cara sighed unhappily. She motioned to the coffins. “I hope I get one near the window,” she joked. “I like a lot of fresh air.” I was still leaning against the nearest coffin. I stood up and slapped the side angrily with my hand. “I don’t believe this!” I cried.

“I’m only twelve,” Cara moaned. “I’m not ready to die and then live forever!” I swallowed hard. “You know what we have to do—don’t you?” I said softly. “We have to find the Vampire Breath before Count Nightwing does. If he finds it first and gets his fangs back, we’re doomed.” “I don’t agree,” Cara replied sharply. “I have a much better plan.”

“A better plan? What is it?” I demanded.