second part of chapter 1

People were still talking in hushed voices whenever she came near, but Lou didn’t care she was discussing her future with Lord Edward. He was more than happy to finance her new fashion label; apparently his daughter loved Louise’s designs and had Lord Connington ship over clothes to her house in England. Now she just had to deal with the problem of her meddling manager. It was a nerve-wracking experience approaching the old, stuck-up lady.
“Erm, Debbie.” She stuttered, “I think we need to talk.”
“Of course we need to talk young lady.” Debbie snapped back at her, dragging her into a corner near the big french doors. “What do you think you were doing?” she demanded harshly, “Drinking alcohol with those scruffy criminal friends of yours. Then having a fit on the floor?” Lou stared at the woman; she didn’t know where to start yelling at her.
“Debbie that is none of your business. You don’t own me, your guardianship ended when I was eighteen and received my inheritance.” She was going to carry on but Debbie interrupted.
“Ended!” she screeched, attracting some unwelcome attention, “I’ve pulled you up through this industry, without me you’re nothing! Your parents left me in charge of your welfare, that will NEVER end!” Debbie grabbed Lou’s arm and almost had her pinned up against the wall when Eric and Tom reached them.
“Are you okay Lou?” Tom asked. Eric seized the older woman’s hand and forced her to let go of Lou’s arm. Unfortunately this made Debbie even madder.
“Don’t you touch me!” she screamed “I’ve told you before; I will not have your sort around here. Leave right now!” Eric laughed at her, he apparently wasn’t the sort to put up with people like that,
“Piss off Grandma.” He sneered at her. Lou pushed her way in front of him, afraid that he would punch Debbie or something.
“Debbie, I’ve had enough of you. You always think that you’re better than me and my friends. Everyone I’ve ever known you scare away. I'm nineteen now, an adult, I can live my own life. I don’t need you anymore.” She told her, loudly and firmly. Trying really hard not to shout or cry Lou turned away and stalked outside. Debbie shouted something after her but Lou blocked it out, there were more voices behind her, Eric’s and Tom’s then Debbie screamed. It sounded like she was being taken out of the room forcibly. Eric appeared beside her,
“Are you alright?” he asked, “She really was a complete bitch wasn’t she.” He said, laughing. Lou didn’t think it was funny but she found herself laughing anyway. It had been one of the worst nights she’d had in a long time.

Eric and Tom were loitering in the background, people were starting to leave. Lou and Lord Edward were deep in conversation over by the bar.
“Well, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself so far.” Eric grinned “The icing on the cake would be to witness Debbie being sacked or maybe even lamping her one.”
“You can’t hit Debbie!” Tom exclaimed in horror.
“Aww, go on. Not even a quick bitch slap?” Eric joked. Then he noticed Debbie pulling Lou away into a corner. “Come on, we’d better follow them.”
“God, you’re so nosey.” Tom told him, but they followed the two women anyway.
“What do you think you were doing?” They overheard Debbie demand harshly, “Drinking alcohol with those scruffy criminal friends of yours. Then having a fit on the floor?” The boys looked at each other eyebrows raised. Lou looked completely shocked at the old woman’s behaviour.
“Debbie that is none of your business. You don’t own me, your guardianship ended when I was eighteen and received my inheritance.” Lou replied. Tom glanced at his friend,
“Well that explains a lot.” He said quietly, before being shushed by Eric.
“Ended!” Debbie screeched, “I’ve pulled you up through this industry, without me you’re nothing! Your parents left me in charge of your welfare, that will NEVER end!”
“We’d better get over there, this doesn’t look good.” Tom said.
“Oh, Lou can take her.” Eric replied. But Debbie grabbed Louise’s arm and savagely pinned her to the wall with it. “On second thoughts.” Eric muttered as the boys rushed over. Eric seized the old woman’s hand and wrenched it away from Lou.
“Are you okay Lou?” Tom asked as Eric stepped between Debbie and Lou.
“Don’t you touch me!” Debbie screamed “I’ve told you before; I will not have your sort around here. Leave right now!” Eric laughed nastily; he really didn’t like her and was fully prepared to hit an old woman.
“Piss off Grandma.” He sneered at her. Lou pushed past him to face Debbie, whose hair was becoming less tame by the second.
“Debbie, I’ve had enough of you. You always think that you’re better than me and my friends. Everyone I’ve ever known you scare away. I'm nineteen now, an adult, I can live my own life. I don’t need you anymore.” Lou told her, obviously struggling not to shout. Then she turned and stalked away.
“Come back here right now you little slut!” Debbie had lost it, she seemed to have a lot of pent up anger inside.
“I think she just fired you.” Eric said, leaning over and smirking at her. Tom dragged his friend away, just before Debbie’s hand hit the wall where he had been standing.
“Don’t provoke the crazy lady Eric.” He hissed. “I’ve sent for security, but I doubt this hotel has any.” But he was proved wrong by the appearance of two suited men, both pretty large. Debbie saw them and screamed,
“You can’t do this to me, I made you!” but she was cut short by the men taking an arm each and frogmarching her off the premises. The guests that still remained started to leave; only Lord Edward and his wife were waiting in the room when Eric and Tom went outside after Lou.
“Are you alright?” Eric asked, “She really was a complete bitch wasn’t she.” He started laughing, there was nothing better than a good fight to finish a party with a bang. Lou looked at him, she attempted to frown but instead started laughing too.

Eric was sitting on the steps behind her when Louise felt His presence. He was here, in the gardens, with her. Her senses sharpened. She could smell Him, her eyes narrowed, she felt different, better. Her teeth stretched, sharpening to points. Her nails grew to claws, even her hair stood up on end. Lou felt the changes and embraced them. Her Master had come for her. She heard something from behind her, a steady beating. Blood was pulsating through the boy behind her, fresh blood. It made her mouth water. She ran her tongue over her teeth, feeling their thirst. Parting her lips she hissed, turned and sprang. Leaping across the distance between her and her prey in one bound, she pinned him to the floor with one arm. His desperate shouts fell on deaf ears, she snarled at him, staring hungrily at his bare neck. But as she lowered her head somebody grabbed her from behind. Tearing her away from her meal. When she landed on the floor Louise saw who was restraining her, another boy, another human meal. But they worked together; each boy grabbed an arm and held her down. She screamed for help. Her screech echoed through the night to summon her Master. And he came for her, as she knew he would. His cloak billowing with majestic status, he growled, exerted his strength and grabbed the first boy around the neck hauling him to his feet.
The taller boy was still holding her down; she lashed out at him, scratching down the full length of his face. She saw the blood on her nails, sucked at it greedily. In the small pause it took her to taste his blood she noticed the other boy had attempted to shoot the Master. He threw something to the brunette still clutching to her arm. He caught it with one hand and pressed it onto her left wrist. Pain sprang up her arm; she blinked and stared at the boy. Tom, she stared at Tom. Her wrist sizzled and spat where the silver cross bit into the scars. Lou looked around franticly, where was Eric? She spotted him, in the dark under a tree. A dark figure had him by the throat. It turned to look at her, and smiled. There was no joy in its smile, she could still feel the thirst for blood, knew what this strange man wanted.
“NO!” she screamed, finally wrenching her hand away from Tom and throwing herself towards Eric. The cross clattered to the floor, her claws re-grew, teeth sharpened, but all she could think of was Eric. The Master fled through the gardens into the dark, still dragging Eric behind Him. When Louise caught up with them the boy was dangling over a lake. Clawed white fingers gripping his neck, his head was pushed to one side exposing smooth skin in the moonlight. Lou stumbled to a halt.
“Come my dear.” The Master whispered His voice a crackling snarl. Yet it was somehow pulling her in, she wanted to drink, it would make her strong, happy, real. “Come drink the blood of a human, it’s fresh, delicious.” He drew one fingernail across the boy’s neck, leaving a trail of deep red. Louise’s mouth watered, her tongue ran over her teeth again and she drifted towards them. But as she neared Eric moaned and coughed. His small movement snapped her back to sense, she reached towards them and struck the stranger. He dropped Eric as the blood dripped down His cheek from the slash on His face. Louise stepped between the two men, she fished around behind her and hauled Eric back to his feet.
“I will not drink from Him.” She hissed. The dark man screamed a wild sound. It echoed over and over again through the gardens, His head was flung right back, His mouth gapping open in pain.
“My daughter.” He moaned at her “My Louisa Racuvitch.” His voice pleaded to her, tugged at the newly awoken vampire inside her. Before she could falter a stinging pain shot through her arm again. Louise turned to see Eric clasping a second silver cross to her wrist, she screamed and tried to tear herself from his grasp. But he held her firm, throughout her struggling. When she could fight no more he released her and Lou collapsed. The vampire screeched out His roar again, turned and disappeared into the night.
Louise stared at her wrist, over the scar nearest her elbow there was the raised outline of a cross. The tip of it finished just below the second scar. She looked to Eric, who was on the floor beside her. Louise wanted to know what had happened, what the cross shape meant and why only one scar had gone. But even as she opened her mouth to speak Eric pressed his finger to her lips.
“Shhhhhh.” He whispered, pulling her towards him. They sat there, in the cold lake, just holding each other until Tom found them.

Eric was sitting on the stone steps leading upwards to the hotel. The garden was pitch black before them, Louise was standing a few feet away from him. He sighed to himself, hoping the night’s drama was over. Eric had definitely enjoyed himself; free beer and some public humiliation was always the recipe for a good night out. He glanced up at Lou, something was wrong. She was sniffing the air, her whole posture seemed different. He really hoped that the vampire hadn’t returned. But when she turned he saw his worst fears had been realised. She smiled hungrily at him, tongue licking her newly pointed teeth. She sprang at him, jumping the distance quickly. But when she landed she pinned him to the floor with ease.
“Tom!” he bellowed, “She’s turned. Get your arse out here right now!” the Louise vampire grinned at him, thinking his screams were pleas for mercy. Tom appeared at the door and sprinted down the steps, pulling Lou off of his friend. They each grabbed an arm.
“The cross!” Eric yelled. Tom franticly searched his pockets with one hand, but he came up empty. The creature on the floor screeched in pain, or for help. Eric realised it was the later when a huge black figure flew out of the darkness. It seized Eric around the throat and dragged him away from the others.
“You’ve got it Eric!” Tom yelled back remembering earlier that evening. But Eric was having his own trouble; he punched the Vampire as hard as he could. But it just smirked at him and lazily backhanded him across the face, sending Eric crashing to the ground. But whilst he was down there he remembered the gun he had strapped to his ankle. He shot the Master vampire in the chest, emptying the gun. It laughed at him. A scream sounded from where Tom was and Eric turned to see his friend clasping at a gash that ran down his right cheek, from eyebrow to chin. Lou was greedily licking her fingers, savouring the blood on them. Eric realised what Tom had shouted at him earlier, delved into his pocket and brought out the silver cross.
“Tom!” he yelled throwing the necklace with as much strength as he could. Tom caught the necklace and pressed it to Lou’s wrist with one fluid motion. She screamed in pain as the silver reacted with the vampire scars. But in the time it had taken him to throw the cross the Master had grasped him around the neck again and was starting to squeeze.
“NO!” Lou yelled, sounding almost human again. But Eric watched as she ran away from Tom, letting the silver cross crash to the floor. The curing hadn’t worked. The dark Master leapt away from the girl and off into the forest. The grip around Eric’s neck loosened slightly and he could breathe again. He knew he was in trouble, serious trouble. But all that was in his mind was saving Louise. The vampire stopped and held Eric out over a lake. His claws dug into his neck as Eric struggled and squirmed trying to escape. Then Lou appeared in the clearing with them.
“Come my dear.” The vampire whispered to her. His voice was a vicious snarling croak, but the girl obeyed. She came nearer.
“Come drink the blood of a human, it’s fresh, delicious.” Louise looked mesmerised as one claw scraped across Eric’s neck. He felt the blood trickle down onto his collar. But he knew he had to break the connection between them. He coughed, trying to breathe better and attempted to speak. But all that came out was a moan. This seemed to work because Lou drew back an arm and lashed out at her Master, making him drop Eric into the water. Louise stepped between them and waved her hand around behind her back. Eric grabbed onto it and levered himself up so he stood slightly behind her left shoulder.
“I will not drink from Him.” She said hoarsely. Eric could sense the battle that raged inside her. The thirst for blood against the want to live. He knew he had to save her. But the only silver cross they had was back by the building with Tom. Then he remembered his mother’s voice,
“My dear son, my only child.” She croaked from her deathbed, “Take this; you shall never fall to the evil your father hunts. My son will remain pure.”
He reached up to his neck and felt the cold metal that hung there. The Master‘s screech died down and he spoke again, his voice full of pain and grief.
“My daughter.” He moaned “My Louisa Racuvitch.”
Eric took his chance; he wrenched off his necklace and clasped it to Lou’s wrist. The silver bit into her skin, but no matter how much she struggled and screamed Eric didn’t falter. When he could no longer feel the coldness of the cross in his hand he let go, let Lou fall to the floor. The Master roared at the night again and vanished into the darkness.
He sat down again heavily. Splashing the freezing water over the lap of the silent girl. She was staring at her wrist, Eric looked at it too. And he saw that he had failed. Only one scar was covered by his mother’s cross, only half the vampire had been purged. Lou looked up at him, she started to speak but Eric didn’t think he could talk. He reached up to place one finger against her lips,
“Shhhhhh” he whispered comfortingly. Then he pulled her towards him and held her close letting the hugeness of the night sink in. He had fought against a Racuvitch vampire, an original Racuvitch, and won. Almost. He leant against Louise, breathing in her scent and rested his head on hers. Together they waited for Tom to find them and morning to come.