Let's Kill Tonight

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“He should be killed for what he’s done.” Brendon rolled his eyes as the newborn spoke, “He’s refused to follow William’s orders.”

“I did follow them asshole.” Brendon snorted, “Most of them.”

“You know, the newborn is right.”

Brendon turned around seeing William in the center of the main room in the Dandies’ estate. Not only was Brendon surrounded half of the clan but here was his leader in all his glory. William had his arms folded looking rather displeased from the scene earlier tonight.

After Pete had fled the scene with Grace the vampires had turned to Brendon. Brendon had claimed he had nothing to do with it, he didn’t even really know Pete. William wasn’t impressed with Brendon’s response and sent him home while the others fed.

Brendon couldn’t deny that he was in trouble but he had to admit he did what William asked. Brendon wasn’t exactly sure understand why William still looked so livid. However, for the first time in a long time Brendon felt uneasy.

William unfolded his arms and slowly started to circle Brendon, “Brendon I’m disappointed.”

“I don’t see why. I did exactly what you asked.” Brendon paused, “Well, until the hunters got there.”

Brendon found himself on the floor holding his jaw. He didn’t even see William’s fist as it collided with his face. The force hit him before he could blink. It had been a while since Brendon had been sent to the floor in pain let alone hit by William.

“Why are you punishing me?” Brendon looked up at William in disbelief, “I didn’t know they were coming nor did anyone else with us.”

“I’m not punishing you. I wanted you to take the situation seriously.” William let out a sigh, “My room. Now. And if any of you even open an ear to listen I will tie you to one of the pillars on the front porch.”

William disappeared without another sound and Brendon picked himself off the floor feeling all the stares of the vampires on him. He looked in the dark corner of the room and could see Mike grinning. That bastard would get his in the end and hopefully Brendon would be able to do the honor.

It took a blink of an eye to appear in William’s room, “I am sorry.”

William was leaning against the old oak desk in his room, “I’m too old for this.”

“You’re not even five hundred yet.”

William gave a chuckle before looking up at Brendon, “I feel like I am.”

“I know this may be out of place but what the hell is going on? Beckett, I’m confused. I mean one day you say it’s okay to go after Grace. Then you change your mind. Then I’m in trouble and then there was tonight. You looked like we had grown second heads when we were talking about the blood tasting different.”

“I wasn’t sure until tonight.”

Brendon furred his eyebrows seeing his creator’s body language. William looked weak even after feeding. Something was wrong with William and Brendon had a feeling it was starting to show physically. Brendon felt a pang of guilt. He had been so wrapped into his obsession with Grace that he hadn’t even notice William’s change in health.

“William what-?”

“My body and mind is unable to maintain itself.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It’s finally decomposing.”

Brendon took a step back, “How?”

“Being dead seems to help.” William let out a chuckle, “I’ve been around the block a couple times and my body has reached its limit. I haven’t been able to control a lot of my abilities.”

Any anger Brendon had seemed to fall away. William, his creator and leader was dying. It seemed impossible. William had always been a strong powerful vampire that was too stubborn to die. William was still so young even with the two century lead in age; Brendon was questioning how William’s body could be giving out so soon.

“Brendon, we must make arrangements.” Silence filled the room for a mere second, “I don’t want to go out without my dignity.”



“That bastard! How dare he!” Pete’s voice was no longer a whisper, “I swear the next time I see Brendon he’s dead.”

Grace let out a light laugh, “Well he kinda already is.”

“You know what I mean.” Pete tuned to look at Grace before turning to gaze out the car window, “He will be history.”

“How old do you think he is?”

“Why do you care?”

Grace shrugged and Pete could see it through his peripheral. They had been sitting in Joe’s car for the last hour at the local drive in. Patrick had heard some tip that the drive in had a little infestation of vampires and needed to stake out the area. Andy and Joe were probably off patrolling leaving the two in the car. Pete refused to leave Grace alone and insisted since he was the strongest she would remain next to him. Pete had a bad feeling that the Dandies would return for her.

“Can we turn on the heat? I’m freezing.” Grace pulled her knees closer to her body on the leather seat, “My goosebumps have bumps.”

“Sorry,” Pete didn’t even blink, “We can’t attract attention to ourselves. Hence why the car is off and you can’t hear the movie.”

Grace sighed and continued to shiver. Pete eventually unzipped his hoodie and peeled it off his body. It’s not like he needed item of clothing anyways. Pete went to offer the hoodie and Grace took it with needy hands. She half hoped it would be warm but to no real surprise it was cold. She had to remind herself that Pete wouldn’t have any body heat.

He was also the only vampire she trusted at the moment, “So you’ve been having nightmares?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I’ve been waking you guys all up. I don’t mean to.”

“I really can’t hear it. Mostly some banging but I sleep through it most of the time.”

“That would be me in my box.”

“You sleep in a box?”

“Well it’s not really a box. It’s just this wood container that I sleep in so that the sun that comes in through the basement doesn’t burn me.”

“What? Too cliché to buy a coffin?”

She giggled and Pete shook his head smiling, “No, I wouldn’t want a coffin. I guess it kinda is. Like the ones they used for all the people who are buried unidentified. Patrick made it. It has two doors and it’s cozy. I think it’s so they can keep me in there if I do go crazy.”

“I highly doubt a padlock would keep you in forever.”

“I know.” Pete’s smile faded, “I think it’s more for a warning. They’ll hear me break out if I try.”

“I see.” Grace started to play with the ends cuffs of Pete’s hoodie. There was a small hole for her thumb. She slipped it through trying not to stretch it out, “I’m sorry about the nightmares though. I know it’s tough.”

“They feel so real. That’s what makes them so horrible. I can’t escape them. It takes so much out of me to just wake up.” Pete gripped the steering wheel and looked up at the movie screen, “I don’t understand why these are happening. I’m actually scared. Patrick says it’s my body trying to cope with all the changes.”

“It might not be your fault Pete.” Grace’s remembered how Brendon had been able to appear in her room without actually being in there. Brendon clearly had some telepathic power and William could force Brendon to the ground without moving a muscle. Who knew what all William could do. “It could be William. I mean Brendon has some telepathic powers and he told me William did too. I’ve seen a little of what William can do. The both of them could be doing it on purpose.”

Pete nodded, “Makes sense since William is in them all-”

Pete froze mid-sentence and looked out his window. He rolled down the window just a crack and sniffed. He looked around again and Grace stayed quiet observing Pete’s actions. She pulled up the hood of the hoodie and tried not to make any unnecessary movements to attract attention. If this place was genuinely infested she didn’t want them to find out she was a human.

“Grace I need you to push the seat as far back as it can and slip down under the glove compartment. Cover you head and don’t come out till I say so. Whatever happens don’t come out. No matter what you hear, do not come out.”

“Pete you’re scaring me.”

Pete’s voice was low but she could hear the annoyance, “Grace! Do it now.”

She reached down between her legs for the small lever and felt her seat slide back. She slipped down trying to find a comfortable position. Grace covered the back of her head with her hands in the small space and she could hear Pete growl.

Grace let out a small squeak as she heard glass break. She looked to her right seeing Pete being pulled out of the driver’s side window. Pete let out a snarl as he tried to remain in the car. The other vampire pulling Pete out had his fangs barred ready to bite Pete.

“I have him; the vampire that killed Aaron!”

Grace watched as Pete finally gave up fighting to stay in the car and landed outside the door with a thump. It didn’t take long for Pete to overpower the attacking vampire. Grace raised her head a little to see the commotion. She heard Pete howl in pain as a female vampire pounced on his back driving a wooden stake into his back. Pete reached behind him to grab the female. Pete successfully latched onto the women and threw her off of him.

Pete’s yell didn’t sound human, “Patrick!”

Pete quickly pulled out the stake in his back with a grunt. The female clearly had aimed higher up on his back. Pete was thankful for her aim but the pain was still present. Pete lounged for the vampire who had originally attacked him. Pete shoved the stake into the vampire’s chest. The vampire let out a yelp before exploding into a pile ass.

Grace let out a small sigh of relief thinking Pete just had the female to worry about. To her surprise the window on her side shattered. Grace let out a small scream as she felt someone grab onto the hood of the hoodie. She tried to pry the hand away from her. She felt herself being pulled up and out of the car. Grace stated to dig her nails into her assaulter’s arm.

With no success Grace was pulled completely out of the car similar to how Pete had been moments before. Grace quickly pulled herself out of the unzipped hoodie and dived for under the car, not caring for the way her skin was being torn up against the gravel. Grace could hear Pete jumped on top of the car and smoothly land on the passenger side of the car. She looked back to see the scuffle of feet moving as the two vampires fight.

Within seconds another pile of ash fell to the ground and she could see Pete’s tattooed arm reached for the discarded hoodie and stake, “Come on out. It’s safe.”

Grace whispered, “You sure?”

“Yes.”

Grace looked around for any other sets of feet before crawling out from underneath the car. Pete offered a hand and helped pull her on her feet. She dusted her self off trying to remove the dirt and rocks. Grace pulled the back of her shirt down feeling several small rips in her shirt. She was convinced it must have been from the car.

“You know I’m really regretting coming with you guys tonight.”

Pete continued to look around, “Me too.”

Grace could see Pete was still uneasy, “What’s wrong?”

“They’re all looking at us,” Pete paused as Grace looked at the surrounding cars. Sure enough, Grace could see several sets of eyes reflecting the movie from different cars now looking at them, “Get in the car.”

“What about the guys?”

“They’re not here.”

Grace turned around and reached through the window to unlock the door and slipped in trying to avoid the glass, “What do you mean they’re not here?”

Pete appeared in the diver’s seat and started the car, “I can’t smell them.”

Pete started the car and shifted gears to pull out. The car scraped up some gravel as Pete pulled out of the parking spot. Several vampires had gotten out of their cars and now looked ready to ambush the car. Pete floored the pedal and the car took off not giving the vampires the chance to reach them. Grace’s body slammed into the passenger door as Pete took a sharp turn to exit the drive-in.

Grace looked back at the entrance, “No one is following us.”

Pete looked up at the rear view mirror, “Not yet.”

“Should we be worried? Who were those vampires? They didn’t look like Dandies.”

“They’re not.” Pete turned on the heat as the cold wind filled the car as he sped down the street, “They’re punks. Just low risk vampires that live in abandon buildings around town. We take a lot of them out to get practice against the Dandies.”

“I take it you killed one of their buddies?”

“Yeah. They scattered before I could get them last time.”

The ride was silent for another mile before Pete slammed on the bakes. Grace braced herself by placing her hands on the dashboard trying to avoid going through the windshield. Grace looked around seeing nothing but darkness. They were still a good couple hours away from their home in Chicago.

“Pete, what is it?”

Pete didn’t answer but disappeared from his seat. Grace opened her car door and climbed out to find Pete. She saw him run from his side of the car, passed her, and into the field they had been driving by. Grace felt fear fill her as she followed trying to keep up. Pete was going faster then she could even process but she refused to be alone in the middle of nowhere in the dark.

“Don’t you dare leave me Pete!” Grace felt the tug of dead weeds and thorns as she continued to run. She prayed that she wouldn’t fall. The scraping against her ankles was enough, “Pete wait, what is it?”

Pete speed off and Grace let out a groan as she desperately tried to pick up her speed. She continued for a few more minutes before arriving at an abandoned house. She could see Pete on the front porch trying to pry off a large piece of plywood.

Pete was let the plywood fall to the porch and slammed himself against the door. The door gave way at the force however Pete was shoved backwards. Pete had landed near Grace. She helped him up as someone walked through the door. Grace felt the color drain from her face.

Grace recognized the suit the male was wearing; he was a part of the Dandies. “How nice of you to join us Wentz. I take it you’re here for your friends?”

“No, he is here for me.”

Grace looked up to the roof seeing Brendon in all his glory smiling down at the two. Pete stood in front of Grace as she reached for his tee shirt, knuckles white from the grip. She looked over Pete’s shoulder as another vampire appeared next to Brendon with Patrick in a painful hold. Patrick winced as he struggled against the vampire.

“You hurt any of them Brendon and I swear to god I’ll destroy you.”

Brendon laughed, “Relax Wentz, we don’t want to hurt them. We just need you to agree to something.”

Grace could feel the vibrations of Pete’s voice rumble through his body, “I’m not agreeing to anything you have to offer Urie.”

Brendon shrugged as he crossed his feet, “Well, you might want to hear my proposition.”

“You have two minutes before I get up there and rip you to shreds.”

“The Dandies will be on Monroe and State Street Friday night. William wishes to make a deal with you. I’ll let your friends go now and you guys can decide if you wish to go. William asked me to tell you that this would be an exchange.”

Pete looked confused, “An exchange?”

Brendon jumped down off the roof and landed as softly as a cat, “Give him what he wants and he will guarantee that the Dandies will no longer see you guys as threats.”

Grace tried to back up and pull Pete will her to create distance, the farther way from Brendon the better. Pete wasn’t convinced of this ‘deal’ William wanted to make. There had to be a catch. It couldn’t be something simple that the head vampire wanted.

“Well, do you have an answer?” Brendon outstretched his hand in offer to shake, “You won’t want to miss this chance of a lifetime Wentz.”

It took a few minutes but Pete finally pulled away from Grace and shook the offered hand, “We’ll be there.”

Brendon smiled before vanishing. The other two vampires had left just as promptly and Patrick was forced to catch himself on the roof. Pete dematerialized to reappear on the roof to steady Patrick.

Patrick shoved Pete away, “Are you nuts? Who knows what he wants?”

Pete hissed, “What did you want me to? Refuse. He’d probably kill you then. We can still say no to the deal.”

Patrick shook his head, “What makes you think that he will let you refuse?”

“Patrick!” The two were interrupted as Joe had run out the front door of the abandoned building, and stopping to a halt as he saw Grace, “Grace? What are you doing here? Why are you covered in dirt?”

“We had a little run in with some vampires and we left afterwards. Pete said you guys weren’t there…” Grace let her voice tail off as Pete and Patrick appeared on the ground safely. Patrick pulled away from Pete, clearly still angry that Pete blindly agreed to meet William. Pete turned away as he started walking towards the house to check on Joe.

Patrick joined Grace, “Are you alright?”

Grace nodded, “Just some scrapes and cuts. Joe’s car has some damage. Pete called for you but you weren’t there.”

“I know, we were but Brendon showed up and I had no way of getting a hold of Pete.”

“We should consider getting some walkie-talkies or something. Are you guys hurt?”

Patrick shook his head, “No, thankfully. We should get home though. Tonight was a very bad idea. We’re not ready to take risks this big.”

Grace watched out of the corner of her eye as Pete and Joe spoke. The both of them returned into the abandon house calling out Andy’s name. Patrick turned to the house looking worried. The two didn’t have to wait long till Pete and Joe stormed out of the house.

Patrick was ready to go into shock, “Where’s Andy?”

Joe stopped to take a breath, “They took him.”

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