CHAPTER TWELVE:
Danny wakes up around noon; he seems dizzy the moment his eyes open. I close the blinds swiftly. “Are Du okay?” I ask stupidly, already knowing the answer. Danny is in unimaginable pain on the inside. The infusion I gave him was quick, thus the change was slightly different than most. “Horrible.” He mutters, grabbing his head. I lean over to look at him. The change has affected him, I note, and there may be different after effects. After all, his transformation into a vampire was as I mentioned before, highly unusual. “Ashley.” He says, finally placing a name to my voice, I imagine. “Danny, Du need to rest.” I tell him. “Where’s that guy?” Danny asks weakly. “The one who sliced open my stomach?” I reach over and stroke his hair. “He’ll get what’s coming to him.” Danny takes a deep breath. “What about Harold? He sagte he’d go after any other friend Du made here.” I sigh. “I’ve broken off contact with him.” I tell him. Danny sighs. “I’m not going to be able to go Home am I?” he asks me. I am shocked at this. “Why do Du say that?” I ask. “Because he attacked my parents before he grabbed me.” My eyes widen, and once Mehr I find myself disgusted with Pike’s activities. “Like I said, I’ll make him pay, and I’ll enjoy it too.” Danny nods, and I see him does off again. I realize it’s time I got Danny away from town. I decide to drive him back to my place in Santa Barbara. As I begin to pack my phone rings. I pick it up, somewhat reluctantly. “Hello?” “Hey Ash.” Comes a voice I loathed from the other line. “What do Du want Pike?” I ask. “You know. I told Du the other night. I need the blood of a telepath.” He says. “Now I know there’s one in town, I just don’t know who. But I’m betting Du do. Du always had a special connection with those individuals that I lack.” I am silent for a moment, then “Screw Du Pike.” I shout into the line. I sense him grinning on the other end. “I was hoping you’d say that. “I have something Du want. And I know you’d hate to miss it. Meet me at the docks at nine o’clock tonight. If Du leave town, the individual I have with me will die. And I’ll tell Du this much Ash, it’s someone Du know. So I’d recommend not leaving town. See Du tonight, and bring your friend with you.” I hear him hang up, and I slam the phone down. It’s got to be Harold. I think, and I realize if it is, I’m screwed, then again, who else could it be? Danny, who is now awake due to the shouting, asks me what’s wrong. “It was him. The man who attacked you. His name is Pike. That was him on the phone.” Danny is shocked. “You know him? Why?” I sigh. “It’s a long story, but trust me Danny, I want him dead. Possibly Mehr so than Du do.” Danny looks at me, and nods after a moment. “What’d he want?” he asks. “He’s got someone. It’s Harold, I’ll bet Du anything. He wants to meet us both tonight at the docks. He sagte he’ll kill his hostage if we leave town.” So who is he? How do Du know him?” Danny asks. The afternoon passes as I explain my history with pike, hecht to Danny, who is initially skeptical of vampirism, until I remind him that I cured his cut open stomach with my venom without even leaving a scar. As dusk sets in, Danny seems to have accepted everything. “So do I have to kill people now?” I shake my head. “No. Du can feed without killing. If we survive Pike’s plans for tonight, I will Zeigen you.” As eight-thirty reels in, I motion to Danny that it is time to leave. At eight-fifty six, I park my car at the docks. Pike, I note is there when I get to the edge with Danny. “You’re early Ashley.” He says smiling. “Where is he?” I shout. pike, hecht smiles, so you’ve figured out who “he” is have you?” He smiles and pulls something out from behind some crates. I am shocked to see it is not Harold, but Vincent. The other new kid. Vincent is bound and gagged, and looks at Danny and I in horror as pike, hecht playfully holds a silver dagger to his throat. “Alright Ashley. I know you’ve befriended this young man. And if Du don’t bring me my telepath, he’ll die. His parents already did.” pike, hecht says smiling. Danny makes his presence known at this point. “Let him go.” pike, hecht smiles. “Ah. Daniel! How’re Du doing? Better than your folks I’d imagine. They were such screamers when I ripped their throats out.” Danny lunges at Pike, who stabs Vincent in the shoulder. Vincent screams in pain, despite the tape over his mouth, and Danny stops. pike, hecht smiles. “I want my telepath Ash. And if Du don’t bring him to the school where Du met these two tomorrow night, Vincent here dies. And we both know Du don’t want me to do that.” Danny looks at Pike. “Why do Du do this?” he shouts. pike, hecht shrugs. “I like killing. It fills the place my soul would occupy.” pike, hecht laughs, “If I had a soul.” pike, hecht smiles. “Twenty four hours Ash.” He says smiling. With that he takes Vincent, who is still screaming, and throws him into a car. pike, hecht hops in, and drives of into the night.
Danny looks at me. “What’re we gonna do? He’s going to kill Vincent if we don’t bring him a telepath. Why does he think we would know one any way?” I look at Danny. “Because we do.” I say sadly.