CHAPTER TWELVE:
Danny wakes up around noon; he seems dizzy the moment his eyes open. I close the blinds swiftly. “Are you 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, you 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 said he’d go after any other friend you 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 you say that?” I ask. “Because he attacked my parents before he grabbed me.” My eyes widen, and once more 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 you want Pike?” I ask. “You know. I told you 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 you do. You always had a special connection with those individuals that I lack.” I am silent for a moment, then “Screw you Pike.” I shout into the line. I sense him grinning on the other end. “I was hoping you’d say that. “I have something you want. And I know you’d hate to miss it. Meet me at the docks at nine o’clock tonight. If you leave town, the individual I have with me will die. And I’ll tell you this much Ash, it’s someone you know. So I’d recommend not leaving town. See you 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 more so than you 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 you anything. He wants to meet us both tonight at the docks. He said he’ll kill his hostage if we leave town.” So who is he? How do you know him?” Danny asks. The afternoon passes as I explain my history with Pike 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. You can feed without killing. If we survive Pike’s plans for tonight, I will show 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 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 playfully holds a silver dagger to his throat. “Alright Ashley. I know you’ve befriended this young man. And if you don’t bring me my telepath, he’ll die. His parents already did.” Pike says smiling. Danny makes his presence known at this point. “Let him go.” Pike smiles. “Ah. Daniel! How’re you 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 smiles. “I want my telepath Ash. And if you don’t bring him to the school where you met these two tomorrow night, Vincent here dies. And we both know you don’t want me to do that.” Danny looks at Pike. “Why do you do this?” he shouts. Pike shrugs. “I like killing. It fills the place my soul would occupy.” Pike laughs, “If I had a soul.” Pike smiles. “Twenty four hours Ash.” He says smiling. With that he takes Vincent, who is still screaming, and throws him into a car. Pike 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.