“What did he say?”

Vlad unfolded the parchment, revealing Vikas’s perfect cursive, and read aloud.

Vladimir-

I was both elated and disappointed to receive another letter from you. I had my hopes raised that by now you might have been able to overcome the distance between us and reach me by telepathy. But regardless, it was wonderful to hear from you, Mahlyenki Dyavol.

But I return your good tidings with sad confusion, as I am still unable to locate your uncle. The last I heard from him, he had planned to visit, but when he did not show, I took it to mean that his plans had changed. Regarding your concerns, please allow me to put your fears to rest. Your uncle has not been arrested. If he had been, I would have learned of his arrest immediately, as I have friends in each of the councils. You may call them “spies.”

You asked about the relationship between your father and D’Ablo-a question I admittedly find most curious.

It is true, Tomas and D’Ablo were friends. But they were not friends in the same way that Otis and Tomas and I were friends, or that you and your drudge are friends (something that, I admit, boggles the mind). They were friends in the way that a mentor and one who is mentored are friends. D’Ablo looked up to Tomas, and rightfully so. Your father was an ingenious man. And D’Ablo desperately wanted to be like him.

As for your nightmares, I am convinced that those are brought on by the stress of your uncle’s absence. Do not worry, Mahlyenki Dyavol. I am certain Otis has his reasons for such silence, and that he will be in touch shortly.

In Brotherhood,

Vikas

Henry spoke quietly, his words sending a shiver down Vlad’s spine. “So, they were friends?”

“More mentor and mentored, it seems, but yeah.” Vlad folded the note and returned it to his pocket. “I wonder what my dad would think of his onetime friend trying to take his son’s life.”

“Repeatedly.” Henry met his gaze, his eyes brimming with concern. “Why didn’t you tell me you were still having nightmares?”

Vlad shrugged. “You were distracted. But yeah, I’m still having them. Not to mention the weird visit I got from a vampire named Ignatius.”

Henry gave him a look, and Vlad poured his guts out, filling his friend in on all of the details that he’d missed out on. After he finished, Henry hesitantly said, “Listen, Vlad. About me not wanting to be your drudge anymore…”

“It’s okay, Henry.” Vlad wet his lips. His mouth felt horrifically dry. “I get it. I do. And it’s okay. But releasing you involves another bite-”

A momentary flash of fear crossed Henry’s eyes.

“-and right now I’m just not sure that’s such a good idea.”

“Okay. But we’ll talk about it later, right?”

Vlad winced at his friend’s reaction, but understood it completely. “Of course. I should get home. Nelly’s going to be irate that I was out so late.”

Henry shrugged, as if the solution were obvious. “Why don’t you just crash here for the night?”

“And tell her what?”

“ Tell her it was my fault you got in so late, and I begged you to sleep over.”

Vlad mulled this over for a minute. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d stayed at Henry’s house without letting Nelly know in advance. Of course, there was the maddening scent of Henry’s blood to be considered…

“You’ll be safe. I promise,” he said. “I won’t attack you or anything.”

Henry frowned and grabbed one of the pillows from his bed. He tossed it to Vlad. “Who are you trying to convince, Vlad? Me or you?”

Vlad bit his bottom lip and lay down on the floor, curling up on his side. He was too terrified to admit that he didn’t know the answer to Henry’s question.

Vlad tried desperately to tug his arms free, but the straps held fast, digging into his wrists and ankles, refusing to release him.

The shadowed man lifted the blade over his chest and plunged it deep between his ribs. Vlad screamed, howling from the pain. As his torturer pulled the knife out and stabbed him again, he lost his voice, unable to express with mere shrieking how unbearable the pain was. Blood gushed from his torso, spilling onto the floor below.

His torturer leaned forward, into the light, and Vlad was not at all surprised to see his face, which was twisted in an expression of immense satisfaction.

D’Ablo.

“Vlad! Vlad!” Henry shook him awake from his nightmare.

Vlad sat up, eyes wide. His hands were trembling as he combed back the hair from his sweat-drenched face.

“You were screaming. Are you okay?”

Vlad shook his head. It was his nightmare again. His never-ending nightmare. “ The journal, Henry. He wants the journal. And he won’t stop sending me these nightmares until I give it to him.”

“I thought you were convinced the dreams were a vision of the future.”

“I think maybe I was wrong. I think they’re a threat.” Vlad gasped, trying to calm his nerves, and failing miserably. “I’m giving it to him. I just can’t take this anymore.”

Henry’s tone softened. “Are you sure you want to do that? You know he probably has some pretty twisted reasons for wanting it.”

Vlad lay back down, phantom pain still lighting up his chest. “I don’t think I have much of a choice.”

Henry paused, then said, “Well, do what you gotta do, man. Now get some sleep, okay?”

Vlad curled up on his side, his fingers still trembling. That was it, then. The decision was made. He had to hand over the journal to D’Ablo.

He tried to comfort himself with the knowledge that he’d memorized every page and there was nothing within it that D’Ablo shouldn’t necessarily see. But still sleep came very slowly. And when it did, it was filled with more nightmares.

The worst Vlad had yet experienced.

NELLY’S VOICE HAD RISEN SO HIGH that it had left the realm of hysterical about five octaves ago. “ Vladimir, I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately. First, you nearly bite Meredith. Then you get detention for skipping class and kissing in the supply room-”

“It was a broom closet, and I wasn’t skipping class.”

“-and now you’re hanging out with a new set of friends who keep you out all hours of the night, with no explanation of where you’ve been or what you’ve been doing.”

Vlad took a deep breath, buying time to go over his and Henry’s story once more in his mind before speaking it out loud. “I told you, Nelly. We went to this club in Stokerton, and afterward I ran into Henry. He said he’d give me a ride home, but he got distracted by a girl, and then I stayed over at his place so I wouldn’t wake you up.”

Nelly shook her head. “And just how long did it take you and Henry to come up with that feeble excuse?”

Vlad pursed his lips. Nelly was smarter than he’d been giving her credit for.

When she spoke again, her voice cracked. “And exactly why is the front of the shirt you wore last night covered in what looks like dried blood?”

Vlad stared at the shirt for a moment, trying to find the right words. There was no way he could tell her the truth, no way he could burden her with his horrific, beastly act. Meeting her gaze, he saw suspicion lurking in her eyes. He replied with a blatant lie, mostly so they could both go on pretending that he was a normal teenager. Better that way. Let Nelly have her delusions. “I got sloppy with a snack pack, okay?”

The hurt expression on Nelly’s face cut Vlad deep, but it was better than telling her the truth and seeing fear there instead. She dropped his shirt back into the laundry basket and lowered her voice, as well as her eyes. “You’re grounded. One week for doing whatever you were doing last night. And one week for lying to me about it. Now go upstairs.”