Aftershocks

Herbert looked out at the horizon from his window. The sun was just beginning to kiss earth.

A week. It had been a week since the ball and the events that followed. A week since Alfred had fallen head over freaking heels in love with Sarah.

Sarah. Why did that bitch have to string his poor Alfred along? Why couldn't she just tell him that she didn't love him? Why couldn't Alfred take a hint when she didn't leave with him?

Herbert missed the sun. That warm golden ball of light that floated above the earth warming everything that it touched. But Herbert didn't need the warmth anymore. Being a vampire, it didn't matter if he ever felt the sun again. And he wouldn't ever feel the sun again, unless he had a death wish…

'A death wish', what is a death wish when you are a vampire? You're already dead! You just stay on the earth, never "crossing over". Cursed to forever walk the earth, sucking the life essence out of the living.

What if Herbert did walk out and feel those bright rays of sun on his cold skin? Would that knife that appeared just a week ago, be buried even more into his heart? The knife that buried its self right up to the hilt in his heart when he had found out about…

Three soft knocks at his door made him turn his attention away from the window and his thoughts.

"It's getting light out," The Graf said.

"I know" Herbert turned his attention back to the window and the rising sun.

"We should be heading down to the coffins by now"

"I know"

The Graf stood there for a few seconds before deciding to leave his son alone with his own demons and walk down to the crypt.

Herbert stood by the window for a few seconds more before sighing and pulling the heavy curtains closed. He exited his room and followed his father down to the crypt. Von Krolock stood next to his lidless coffin, about to climb in. Herbert ignored him and climbed into his coffin.

A vampire doesn't cry very often. Some don't even cry at all after they are turned. They will only cry once in a few thousand years, after something earth shattering happens. But as Herbert closed the lid to his coffin tears started to fall down his cheeks. Only 3 dropped onto the plush, lacey coffin lining. 2 were whipped away before they fell.

Maybe Herbert lets himself fall in love too hard and easily. Or maybe he and Alfred were meant to be. Or he could just have feeling for him and they were meant to be just like Alfred and Sarah, one in love and the other not. Yes, that sounds right to Herbert. He and Alfred are just like Alfred and Sarah. Meaning the end to their stories should be the same. Or the same as they could be reusing a character.

Graf Von Krolock always fell asleep easily and fast, so as Herbert lifted the lid to his coffin and climbed out, there was no way for his father to be still awake.

As he walked out of the castle, Herbert wondered if Alfred had found shelter before the sun rose up. Maybe he perished in the sun's bright rays. Maybe he hadn't….

Herbert was snapped out of his thoughts about Alfred when flames started to erupt on his skin. It hurt so bad; Herbert howled out in pain.

What if his Alfred had experienced the same pain? 'No matter', Herbert thought. 'Soon I will be able to comfort him.'

"Oh, Herbert", The Graff muttered to himself the next day, "Why did you do this to yourself?" As he stared sadly as the grey ashes that were once his son, a tear of blood ran down his cheek. It made a striking pattern in the bone white snow next to what remained of Herbert.