18The fifth chapter of Childhood is Forever! I promised once that I'd get this done before Thanksgiving… Of course, that was before I got myself multiple groundings. But I'm so happy to have gotten so many reviews! Keep it up!
Childhood is Forever
Chapter Five: Belief
"Frey!"
Anne's frightened voice echoed in Frey's head. He twitched, trying to get his weakened muscles to move. He opened his dry lips, his fangs growing.
"I…need blood," he moaned.
Anne looked down at him, startled. "Frey?" Then she broke her paralysis and slashed the length of her little finger with his fang, a few drops of precious red blood falling down his throat.
It wasn't much, but it was enough. Energy surged through the vampire. He leapt to his feet, thrusting his hand out to crush the demon's throat.
Cliff blinked. "What―?"
"Run, Anne," Frey said. He grabbed her hand, and they fled.
"Why didn't you kill him?" she asked, when they had gotten far enough away so that they could slow down.
"You certainly are getting violent, Anne," he replied. "But I just don't have the strength. The sun is going to rise soon." Suddenly, he bent and kissed her swiftly on the lips. "Thank you, Anne, for saving my life."
She sucked her stinging finger ruefully. "It won't stop bleeding, though."
"Give me that." He licked it, and the wound zipped closed. She smiled. "Thank you."
"We have to go." They began to search for shelter.
The first rays of the sun were just peeking over the horizon when they found an empty house near the edge of town. As Frey looked at the lightening sky, he shivered. Sunlight was the enemy to his kind. He staggered inside the house, found a windowless closet, and promptly collapsed.
"Close the door, Anne, and let me rest," he said hoarsely. His energy was already spent.
She nodded, closed the door, and sat down outside it to await the darkness.
Inside the pitch blackness of the closet, Frey fretted. he hadn't realized it up till now, but he was contaminating Anne with evil by being near her. He had to take her away soon, before he turned her, and leave her with kind people. Then he would return and finish Cliff off once and for all.
After his victory, Frey realized with a sigh, he had no choice. He was a creature bred of evil. He would stand victorious over the body of his enemy and patiently await the dawn. The vampire Frey would vanish without a trace, the tortured remains of Rick's soul that still lingered set free. Anne would never become what he had, would never suffer their fate.
He drifted off, unable to stay awake for a moment longer.
Anne, in the meantime, was huddled up in a vain attempt to warm herself. The chill she felt wasn't physical.
"Frey," she whispered softly, so that he couldn't hear. "You don't believe me, do you? You don't think you have a soul."
When the light at last crept away from the hallway, the rays of the setting sun flaring briefly before dying out, she quietly opened the closet. Frey was curled up inside, sleeping like a baby. She gathered him in her arms and held him, trying with her very heart and soul to make him believe. She knew it was futile, but she couldn't do anything else now.
"I love you, Frey, whether you say you're Rick our not. I don't care what you call yourself. You're the man I love."
Her kiss burned. She let go in horror as she saw the marks she had left on his skin from her touch.
"No!" she cried. "Am I not even allowed to touch him now? Oh, God…" Anne sobbed uncontrollably. "He's not evil. He's not."
Frey wept silently as well. He had felt her burn him. 'She is too pure, and I am too corrupted. Our love may be renewed, but it's forbidden now.'
He finally spoke. "Anne, tonight is when Cliff can put his plan into action. We have to get out of here, as far as possible."
"All right," she sniffled. "But don't touch me." He flinched involuntarily before she said, "I don't want you to get hurt."
Frey nodded sadly. "I understand. Let's go."
They walked cautiously out of the house and ran together down the street towards the city limits. But instead, when they turned a corner, they found themselves unexpectedly in a cemetery. The cemetery that was in the center of town.
"We're in trouble," Frey muttered.
"What is it?" Anne asked. The fear had returned to her voice.
"He's put a spell over the city. This is where he's going to perform the ritual."
"Can't we leave?"
"No. I feel strong magic."
"Let's try! Please, don't give up, Frey," Anne begged. She ran towards the iron gates. They slammed shut. When she tried to climb them, they repelled her.
"We can't leave, Anne. He planned this all along. We're doomed." 'At least I am. If I die, I'm going to do it saving Anne.'
She glared at him. "I thought you could fly, Frey."
"I'm not strong enough," he replied grimly. "And if I take any more of your blood, you'll change, just like I did."
"Why would I change?"
Frey sighed. "To get enough strength to fly us both through the barrier, I would have to drain far more blood than you can afford to give. I don't want you to die, but I don't want to have to change you to save you." He held her close, ignoring the burning. "You don't belong in the world of shadows."
"Frey," Anne gasped. "Let go. You're hurting yourself!"
He smiled weakly as he staggered away from her. "It doesn't hurt."
"This will!" Cliff screamed, his face contorted in a mask of rage, as he drove a dagger through the vampire's shoulder. Frey yelled and fell to his knees.
"Frey!" Anne cried.
"Get away, Anne! He'll kill you!"
"I won't leave you!"
"Run!" he snarled as he stood, ripping the dagger from his shoulder. "I won't let him get you," he vowed as he charged at Cliff.
"Come on then, young vampire," Cliff snarled. He drew a sword with a blade curved like a snake. "Let's see how well you fight."
Frey staggered. 'I can't let him win,' he thought frantically. 'I have to finish him off now, once and for all.' With a hoarse battle cry, he charged at his mortal enemy.
;P I have to stop here. I'm grounded again, but I'm going to work hard over the next few days to get this done before New Year's. You guys deserve a completed story! So I'll see you soon!