The Vampire's Heart II - The Dying Heart (Phan)

Chapter 6 - Face to Face

Dan's POV

Frozen. I couldn't move anything. My entire body, right up to my face, was stiff and locked in place. I could only dart my eyes, blink and breathe. Other than that, I was as useless as a rock.

Storm kept peeking out of her cave, looking at the sun. "It's almost dusk," she reported to me. "It's sunset now." "The sun is gone. It's nighttime."

She, as a vampire like Phil was, still had to check the sun to be able to go out or not. She would otherwise burn to death. For a moment, I wished she would.

"Dan," she said to me. "I think it's almost time."

For what? I thought nervously, as I was unable to speak.

"I think I'm about ready to become human. Very soon."

What?

"You see," the she-vampire said, leaning down to her fire where she was beginning to cook up another substance, "I had my heart broken a long time ago. When I was bitten and became a vampire, I had a perfect boyfriend at the time who said he loved me. When he saw I was bitten, he left me. He left me alone to go through that myself. I was so scared by the changes happening to me, and despite my begging for him to return, he called me a freak and left, and I never saw him again."

Storm looked sincerely saddened by her loss. I was beginning to pity her.

"But you," she continued. "You aren't like him. I know what you did for the other male vampire and what you'll do for me. And I love you for that. And I know you'll love me too."

Why can't she get it in her head that I most certainly will not? What type of insane denial is this?

She sighed. "I will give it more time for us, just so you can lighten up a bit. As soon as I know you're ready to tell me you love me, I will be ready too."

Okay, one, how am I supposed to tell you anything when I'm paralyzed head to toe? Two, why do you think I would love you in the first place? I broke Phil's curse, yes, but do you expect that to just go away and change? My mind was buzzing with thoughts. I desperately needed to find my way out of here... as soon as I could lift my legs.

Outside, a noise began to rustle and stir. An animal? Wind? It was getting closer. My back was facing the entrance to Storm's cave-like home, so I could not see the outside.

Storm, however, grew a sour look on her usually shyer or excited face. She twisted my chair so I was facing out of the cave. I hadn't realized that she had specially moved around rocks and such to make the cave sealed off. In this new view, I could see how some rocks and boulders were stacked on top of one another, and how some were missing to create windows. The entrance had one large port, but it would be difficult to climb through it. It was heartbreaking.

"It's coming from here," a familiar voice said. "Come on!"

"I am coming!" another exclaimed. "You're the one who wanted to go at night!"

"I told you, I felt like it would be better."

"Mortals," Storm spat quietly, her face twisting angrily. She walked up to the outside port of her entrance.

A scream was heard when she unveiled her face. It was a familiar female shrill. I knew it all too well. Cynthia!

"Wait, CC!" the other voice said. I assumed Cynthia had hidden somewhere.

I watched the entrance. Standing at a distance was him. Phil. Phil was right there, coming and searching for me. I was in awe partially, and my body twinged and locked up as I tried to stand up to hug and kiss him.

He saw me too, staring straight past Storm. "Dan! Are you okay? Dan!" he shouted, running fearlessly up to where Storm was.

"Who are you?" she hissed.

"I'm Phil, " he said. "I'm Dan's boyfriend. Who are...?" he was about to ask when his eyes darted down slightly. He saw the fangs. "You're a vampire."

Storm sighed, both annoyed and distressed. "Yes, I am. Now, if you don't mine, I'm in the process of breaking that curse right now. Please leave."

"What? Why do you have Dan?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"I think I would."

"Just go away."

"I'm not leaving without him."

"You're either leaving right now or you're never leaving again. How would you like to be bitten by a vampire and never see the light of day again?"

"I've been there and done that, actually."

She crossed her arm. "Hmm. I know that too."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Storm. Now get out."

"Storm, I used to be like you. I was a vampire too. I lived alone, wandering from place to place until Dan came to me and became not only the person I love, but my best friend. Please, please have it in your heart to let him come back to me?"

The way he spoke to her so calmly and collectively was intriguing. He was up there trying to get me to safety, and he was so smart about it, trying to appeal to her nature. He knew better than to fight against her.

"No. My heart is dying. Without someone to love me, I know I will die soon. I have a dying heart and there is only one thing to do about it. Dan is mine. If he loved you, don't you think he'd get up and run to you?" She stepped back to reveal me better. "He's right there," she taunted. "If he loved you, wouldn't he get up and come to kiss you? Or anything? Even say your name?"

No. No, you can't do that, I thought. That's not fair. I cant move!

Phil looked nervous. He didn't respond.

Phil, you know I love you and I would run away with you right now if I could. Please, please Phil. You know this. Don't deny it. Don't let her mess with your head. You know I love you.

Phil's POV

I stared at Dan sitting in the chair, completely motionless. If I knew anything about Dan, it's that he would be fidgeting with something - his hair, his hands, his shirt, anything he could just touch or do so he wouldn't have to sit still. Something was very wrong.

"Dan?" I called to him.

His face was terrifyingly blank. He barely blinked and didn't twitch or anything. He only made eye contact with me. His eyes looked scared.

I knew something was wrong. I would have to taunt it. "Dan," I said, right past Storm, "please, give me a sign that she's wrong. Please do something to tell me I'm right and you love me!"

Storm laughed. "You're pathetic. I suggest you take your hopeless love and leave."

I blanked her out. "Dan? Please?!"

He didn't move.

Storm's hands shoved my chest and made me fall back. "This is the last time I'm asking nicely! Get the hell away!"

I stood up, turned around, and began walking away to search for Cynthia. She was hiding close to the cave.

"Cynthia, come out," I said.

She did. "I heard everything. Is that a female vampire in there?"

"Yes, and she's got Dan. She's trying to become mortal by using him."

"But... that isn't possible, right? She can't become mortal unless he loves her, right?"

"Right. She's so ignorant and oblivious to the fact that it will not work that way! We have to get Dan out of there before she does something stupid."

"But... he didn't run to you. He was just sitting there, and -"

"There's something wrong. He was too still. She froze him or something."

She looked down and scratched her head. "What are we going to do?"

There had to be something. I had to get in there. I began to think of things to do to get Storm to let me in. I pictured Dan's emotionless face. I had to get him out.