Chapter 4

Danny stared blankly at the navy curtains that surrounded him. A gentle breeze from the open window blew the drapery making the waves of cloth billow silently. The room was disturbingly quiet and the young man lying in the large bed found it all quite dull. He shifted on his side and turned his attentions toward the oak door that lead to one of the many hallways of the castle.

Danny picked up the duffle bag that had been brought in by the maid earlier that evening. Inside he found the cargo pants Sam had supplied him with before he left. The hunter determined that if he was going to investigate the castle he would do it while wearing more than a pair of boxer shorts and a T-shirt.

Earlier that day he had used the excuse of searching for a bathroom; he wondered if he could use it a second time. Though this time he hoped that certain billionaire would be asleep, not roaming around the hallways and catching Danny exploring.

Danny had barely cracked open the door when the all-too-familiar scent of blood met his nostrils. The boy was startled by the strength of the scent. It was more than a simple paper cut or a silly nosebleed. The youthful hunter feared that his vacation was about to come to an abrupt end.

Although he was fairly sure the scent was from a human, he was relieved that it wasn't more familiar to him. Interestingly, his powers allowed him to differentiate between the scents of blood he had and hadn't encountered before. Meaning that the blood he smelled was not from either of his parents.

He moved as quietly as possible down the dark hallway. When he reached the staircase he felt the tightening sensation of his hair standing on the back of his neck. This was a bad sign. A sense of danger washed over the youth, a feeling he had become fairly accustomed to. He flew down the stairs like a silent blur in the foreboding darkness.

A flickering light illuminated from the den where he and his parents had spent a majority of their afternoon. Danny stepped closer, noticing the lit fireplace that glowed in the shadows. Standing in front of the fire was the ever-sophisticated Dalv Masters. He held a wineglass in his right hand; his wrist moved in circular motions causing the red liquid to swirl within the glass.

Danny's eyes had locked fixedly on the wineglass. The metallic scent was coming from the clear goblet the billionaire pressed to his lips. The man's tongue slid across his upper lip before it was replaced with a crocked grin.

"My, my, dear Daniel isn't it past your bedtime?"

Danny's eyes narrowed. He felt foolish for not having realized it before. The man had not revealed himself until after nightfall; Danny had found Dalv's smooth voice almost entrancing. The hunter remembered the intent stare the billionaire had worn when he saw Jack's bleeding nose.

Danny's hands balled into fists. "I couldn't sleep – I had a nightmare. I dreamt that some filthy vampire invited my family to stay with him."

"What a dreadful idea." The wealthy character emptied his glass and placed it on the mantel of the fireplace. "Now why would a vampire invite a family of hunters to stay with him?"

The youth ignored the man's ever-present smile. "I don't know, and I don't really care. All I know is that I'm going to kick his pompous ass."

Danny leapt forward hoping to tackle the grinning figure to the ground. However Danny found himself skidding to a halt when the man who stood between him and a roaring flame quickly dodged his attack.

"Well, this seems familiar," a voice chuckled from behind him.

Danny felt a sharp tug on his shirt right before his feet left the ground. His body flew through the air and landed on the antique couch, breaking its wooden frame. The hunter leapt to his feet and brushed flecks of splintered wood from his arms. His fierce gaze focused on the vampire that stood stiffly in the middle of the large room.

"What a shame, first your father defiles my rug then you destroy my furniture. You Fentons certainly are a destructive breed."

Danny ran at the vampire again; this time he was caught at his throat and hurled into the wall besides the blazing fireplace. A sharp pain ran through his body as his head made contact with stone. He began to lift his arms to his throbbing skull when an icy hand wrapped around his neck. A desperate gasp escaped the struggling teen's lips as he looked up at the vampire.

Icy blue eyes stared unblinkingly at the hunter. Dalv turned his firm grip to expose Danny's pale neck.

" You are a very lucky boy," The vampire's silky voice made Danny feel unwillingly calm. "Had you found me earlier this evening I might not have been able to resist tearing into that soft, teenage flesh of yours. However, I have no hunger left for you. I've been feeding on that pasty maid for almost a month now. She certainly does serve her purpose well. Pity, I doubt she'll last much longer."

Danny broke the wicked vampire's gaze and looked desperately for some sort of escape. He was seconds away from screaming in aggravation when he spotted a poker leaning against the fireplace. Acting quickly, he gripped onto the handle of the sharp tool and thrust it into the vampire's abdomen, making a sickening noise as metal sliced through undead flesh.

Dalv leapt backward and roared in agonized fury, forgetting to keep his hold on the young hunter's throat. After a few hurried breaths, Danny took this opportunity to grab the older man by his collar and hurl him into the opposite wall with all his strength.

The vampire collided with the thick stone wall and crumpled to the floor, landing awkwardly on his knees to avoid skewering himself further. He stood slowly, not bothering to even glance upward. His pale hand grasped the poker, in one fluid motion he wrenched it from his body and tossed it on the floor, causing a metallic 'clunk' to echo through the den.

Danny drew himself into a defensive position. He had never thought of his "job" as one with cushy features. He fought vampires, bloodthirsty creatures of the night who haunted legend and folklore throughout the ages. He had never dressed it up as something it wasn't. He accepted it and almost embraced it in a way that only a true hero could. But as Danny prepared himself for the next attack in the cold castle, he felt a rush of sheer terror that made him wonder if it was all really worth it.

Chunks of Dalv's silvery hair had fallen loose from his ponytail. His head snapped upward, making Danny take an unconscious step backward. The man's eyes focused on his young opponent, the boy who dared to show boldness in the face of a man who had already suffered through death. Although the boy in question hardly looked bold at that moment.

The vampire struck before Danny could even blink. His already aching body soared through the air and slid roughly across the wooden floor. Danny had barely registered what was happening before he felt a violent tug on his leg as his body once again left the floor completely. The youth crashed through a large window and landed on the hard, grassy ground just outside the castle. His hands flew up to cover his face as a shower of glass fell around him.

Danny's hands moved away just in time to see his sinister adversary leap from the window he had just flown through. Dalv landed a few feet from Danny then walked towards the boy until he was nearly standing on top of him. The vampire knelt down to get a closer look at the glaring youth.

"You remind me so much of your father," Dalv spat as he pinned Danny to the ground, "Full of talk then completely useless in the heat of battle."

Danny struggled under his captor's hold. "What are you talking about? How do you know my dad? Who are you?"

"Your parents and I go way back. We were very close." The man leaned forward until he was inches away from Danny's face. "He always thought one of his damned hunts would lead him to a vampire. I spent years going on wild, pointless adventures with him. I wasted most of my college career listening to your father's irritating stories and ridiculous theories. And after all of that, the night he finally found a vampire, the blundering idiot couldn't even save my life."

"Vlad," Danny whispered the name of his father's old roommate, earning him a smirk from the man who held him still.

"Ah, so you aren't quite as stupid as your father. Good, it would be a shame if your mother's genes had been wasted on you."

Danny strained against this foe from his parents past. Confusion and anger swept over him as he thought about the man's harsh words. Did he really blame Danny's father for his death?

"Your mother has always been intelligent. Why she chose your buffoon of a father I'll never know. Oh don't look at me like that," Vlad snorted when he noticed Danny's displeased expression, "I already said I have no interest in stealing your precious mommy. Twenty years ago? Yes. Now? No thanks."

"Then why did you invite us here?" Danny's breath was ragged and his words came out coarsely but Vlad seemed to understand.

"Have I not made my hatred for your idiot father clear?" Vlad expression almost appeared pained. "It was because of Jack Fenton that I was in that house twenty years ago, it was Jack Fenton who was unable to get me out of the danger he put me in, and it was Jack Fenton who was responsible for my death. I brought your family here, young Daniel, because I plan on returning the favor."

Danny let out a throaty noise that almost sounded like a growl. "Don't you dare turn my dad you disgusting leech."

Vlad blinked then laughed. "You think I would turn him? My dear boy you think too poorly of me. I'm not quite that ruthless. Plus, the idea of giving your father immortality is…nearly terrifying."

Vlad stood and pulled Danny up with him, supporting the wounded teen by holding his arm. Danny felt a hand move behind his knees just before his legs were swept out from under him. He shut his eyes tightly waiting for the pain of his body colliding with the solid earth. He was surprised when he was caught and pulled into his enemy's arms.

Before the youth could protest Vlad leapt through the shattered window. He set Danny upright and took a step back, allowing the teen some space. The hunter staggered for a moment before finding his footing. His aching body trembled for a moment before he turned to face Vlad.

"Well, this evening has been quite interesting," Vlad began as he sat in the large red chair by the fireplace with a sigh, "However, I think one Fenton knowing my secret is enough. So, let's keep it simple shall we? If you expose me, then I expose you, oh powerful hunter."

"What makes you so sure my parents don't already know?" Danny flinched when the vampire let out a cold laugh.

"Oh please, do you really think I'm that foolish? Your father would have made sure the entire world knew of his 'super powered son.' I can just imagine the big oaf setting up dates to have you punching through walls on those annoying talk shows. Every vampire with access to the media would know your name." Vlad's voice hushed to a velvety murmur. "I wonder how long it would take after that before they started making visits to your house? Your friends' houses? The vampires have not forgotten the way hunters slew so many of their kind."

Danny stiffened; every word the infuriating vampire spoke was not only believable but also extremely likely. Danny had decided long ago that he wouldn't tell his parents about his abilities. At first it was because he worried Jack would be upset because he had missed out on the amazing genetic gift. However, the longer he dwelled on it, the more Danny thought his father would look at it in a more positive light. He flinched at the idea of his father taking him on nightly raids, forcing him to lead the over-eager man to his almost guaranteed doom.

"So do we have a deal, Daniel?" Vlad's mouth twisted into a cocky grin.

Danny walked slowly towards the entranceway. His legs shook with each step but he managed to turn around to look at Vlad one last time. His focused gaze was hard and cold.

"Yeah, sure, we have a deal. But you can forget about your little revenge plot, I'm not going to let you kill my dad. You better watch your back, Vlad, Dalv, whoever you are."

Danny ignored the amused chuckle as he attempted to walk as slowly as possible up the seemingly endless staircase. It seemed like hours before he finally reached his room. His fingers fumbled with the doorknob before he finally managed to get inside and flop on his temporary bed with an exasperated sigh.

He groaned when he felt a wave of pain wash over him. Whatever wasn't broken was bruised or bleeding; his clothes were nearly soaked with his own blood. His fingers searched his bleeding head. He began to pull pieces of glass from his hair and tossed them to the floor.

"That guy… what a fruitloop," Danny muttered as he pulled a particularly large chunk of glass from his side; a hiss of pain blew past his split lips. "Man… this vacation blows."

An overwhelming drowsiness overcame Danny as he lay there. He always healed faster when he slept and his body knew it. The bleeding adolescent stared out the large window and saw with great annoyance that the sun had yet to peak over the countless trees.

Danny's mind reeled at the thought of what Vlad could be doing at that very moment. The youth waited for the sound of agonized screams from his father. He could do nothing; his sore legs would never be able to carry him to Jack. Vlad would win and Danny could do nothing but lay in bed.

--

Morning came peacefully. Dawn's blinding light shown brightly on Danny's sleeping form. The boy blinked slowly, barely taking in the world around him. It wasn't until he tried to sit and felt a dull pain throughout his entire body that brutal awareness hit him.

He jumped out of bed and flung open the door. Running as fast as his still-healing legs could carry him down the large marble stairs.

"Danny! Is that you?"

The boy's heart skipped a beat at the sound of the cheerful voice. Danny turned towards a wide hallway. He walked slowly and peaked his head around the corner to look into a large dining hall. His mother and father waved at him happily from one end of a long table. Danny sighed with relief as he smiled at his oblivious parents.

"Sit down, son. There's bacon!" His cheery father waved a piece of fried of meat in the air for emphasis.

"Err…"

Danny looked at his bloodstained clothes that remained hidden behind the wall he was now peaking from. He highly doubted he could come up with a good excuse for why he looked like he'd been playing in heavy traffic and made best friends with an 18-wheeler.

"I think I'm going to take a shower first."

"Alright dear," Maddie began with a smile, "Oh, and Danny?"

Danny's focus drifted over to his mother. "Yeah?"

"Dalv left a note on our door. He won't be with us today – he has an urgent business conference to attend."

"I bet," Danny muttered dryly under his breath. He knew the only way the billionaire was attending a conference was if it was being held in a coffin.

"So, your father and I plan on driving into town to ask the locals about any suspicious vampire behavior recently."

Jack's food-filled cheeks bulged as a smile stretched across the large man's face. "Theresh no way we can go anywhere without inveshtigating. No vampiresh are shafe from Jack Fenton!"

Food spewed across the table as Jack spoke. Maddie handed her husband a napkin and started to discuss a new invention she'd been tweaking. Leaving Danny free to slip away before they could question why he refused to show them more than his face.

Danny rolled his eyes as he walked back towards his room. He was grateful to discover that Vlad had not actually gone through with his plans to slaughter Jack. Unfortunately, Danny felt little ease from this fact. His father was alive but who knew how long that would last. Even if he was completely healed by nightfall there was still very little chance he could stop their vampire host. Even in perfect condition Danny had failed miserably at fighting Vlad. And, as much as he refused to acknowledge it, he was actually terrified at the prospect of having to fight him again.

Danny's fist shot out and smashed through the wall of the long hallway to his room. He pulled his dusty hand from the fist-sized hole. His heavy breathing hitched as his shoulders heaved up and down. His back hit the opposite wall just before he slid down to sitting a position.

"I'm stuck in house in the middle of the woods with a vampire who has a grudge against my dad, I'm too sore to fight again and I'm probably going to end up spending the entire week trying to keep the toughest enemy I've ever faced away from my family."

Danny looked down and noticed that the gash in his side had reopened causing a small stream of blood to run down his leg and collect in a growing pool at his feet.

"I'm so screwed."

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Hey! Emy here.

You guys are fantastic. Seriously. You guys that left reviews made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! haha

Ok, my plan for this story is vague. *dies* I have ideas but tell me what you think. I value your opinions.

Updates will be random and not very close together unless I get super inspired. Sadly, I'm in school and I have to deal with all the lovely pressures of projects and homework and blahblahblah.

Fun fact: This is another chapter I already had written like forever ago and I just went through and revised it. This is the last one though. Anymore chapters uploaded are going to be completely new because, well, I haven't written them yet. lol

Hmmm, I guess that's it. I love feedback! Just saying!