Don't Be A Fool

Chapter 27

Alice was now being walked home by Vlad at night, they had a date at the movies, and she was now standing at the door.

"Night Vlad," Alice stated.

"Night," Vlad lit up, they leaned in for a kiss when the door opened, and the two jolted back from each other. "Mr. Branagh."

"Vlad," Dad greeted, Mum still called him crazy for thinking that the neighbors were vampires. "Thank you for walking, Alice home. You best be on to yours."

"Graham!" Mum scolded walking up to the door. "Don't be so rude!"

"Ah, Elizabeth!" Count greeted as he suddenly appeared behind Vlad, they looked back at him. "I've been meaning to speak to you all day."

"Oh, what about?" Mum asked with a smile. 

"I was hoping to keep Alice at the castle for a couple of days," Count answered. "With my son and your daughter on this idioic marriage deal." Alice and Vlad looked at each other funnily, Count was the one that pushed for the marriage the most. "I was thinking of having her around for the next couple of days, become involved in a custom being held at the castle."

"Absolutely not," Dad denied. "We have a company picnic."

"Graham!" Mum scolded. "We were struggling to figure out who to leave home for that, now this works out perfectly. Alice stays with the Counts, and the rest of us strapping Branaghs head to your company picnic."

"Custom?" Alice asked as she whispered to Vlad.

"I don't like where this is going," Vlad answered as he glared at his father. 

"Then it's settled," Mum smiled. "This has worked out perfectly."

"I want you to call every morning, noon, and night," Dad ordered as he looked at Alice. "If I don't hear from you, I will march up there and drag you down myself...and then ship you off to boarding school...far from Stokley."

"Yes, Dad," Alice nodded.

Vlad and his dad went up to the castle as Alice spent the rest of the night packing. She was getting a lecture from Dad about being safe at the castle, wearing scarves and garlic perfume.

****

The next day came, Alice was at the castle, she was in Ingrid's room. 

"So, the crowing of the new grand high will be held here?" Alice asked.

"And you will be the first breather in centuries to witness," Ingrid said. 

"Is it really a good idea to be here with loads of other vampires?" Alice asked. "Since I am the only breather beside Renfield."

"That maggot," Ingrid rolled her eyes. "Even though he's not a full-fledged vampire, you've been marked as my geeky brother's territory. Most vampires won't make that move."

"I'm not sure if I like the word territory," Alice groaned.

"That or you'll be ripped apart by hungry vampires," Ingrid said as she looked at her fingernails. "I need to touch these up before guests arrive."

"Territory suddenly sounds better," Alice said as she sat up. Before the conversation could continue, Will walked in. 

"Will," Ingrid smiled at her boyfriend. "Alice out."
*****

Up in Vlad's room, he was in his vampiric clothes, reading the newspaper as Alice was put in a gothic green dress, she was sitting in a chair, Zoltan had his head in her lap, and she was scratching behind his ears. 

"Grand High Vampire staked by Boris Dracula," Vlad read. "Whose take-over attempt failed when he wore the Crown of Power and mysteriously turned into dust." He looked over at the other two. "Cousin Boris is all over the paper, Zoltan, and Alice.