Secret Paradise

Chapter Five

Itake a step towards Vlad. Kayle reaches out to stop me but hisattempt is half-hearted. We're both in shock and neither of usreally knows what to do. This is not something we were expecting.

"Ihave a message for you," Vlad starts, everything about this currentversion is a mockery of the old. He is dressed a lot nicer thanbefore but the suit doesn't look right. "My master says thatunless you give up this foolish plan, you and everyone you care aboutwill be destroyed."

"Vlad,this isn't you."

Somethingflashes in his eyes, a look of life that quickly dies and is replacedby the dead look that he wears so much better than the suit, "Theold Vlad was weak and foolish. I'm so much more now, I'm feeling...powerful."

Andjust to prove his point Vlad looks at my house, glances back at me,and then sends his ghosts to attack the empty building. It comestumbling down. I know what he's trying to do but he picked thewrong target. I have no emotional attachment to that building,nothing good anyway.

Vladlooks back at me, expecting something from me. A reaction of somekind. I just cross my arms and stare him down. Kayle just looksbetween the two of us, confused.

"PerhapsI chose the wrong target," Vlad says, flicking his fingers anddirecting his ghostly troupes somewhere else.

Idon't say anything, I just stare at Vlad. He's destroying my townbut I don't hear any screams. Buildings crumble around me but all Iconcentrate on is getting into Vlad's head. I don't even blink,he stares back at me. Almost daring me to enter his head. I don'tthink twice and barge my way in.

Somethingin his brain leaps out at the invading presence and attacks me. I tryto fight it off but I don't have enough power. I retreat back tothe safety of my own mind but the pain follows me.

"There'sno saving me," Vlad says in a dead voice and takes a slow steptowards me. Shocked and dazed I retreat back into the comfort andrelative safety of Kayle's arms. Vlad sneers at me, "You'reweak, Blaise. You always were and always will be."

"Justleave Vlad," Kale orders darkly. "Tell my brother that you'vedelivered your message."

Vladsnorts, "Remember do not use the tunnels, do not try to escape oryou will all die."

"LikeI said, tell my brother that his dog had performed his tricks and hereally needs to get a shorter leash."

Kayleis baiting Vlad. I don't know why and I wish I could tell him tostop, tell him that it won't end well, but I can't. Vlad'smental attack has left me totally incapacitated. My ears are ringingand my head is pounding. It's the worst migraine I've ever had,plus the pain of giving birth and every other pain I've ever hadrolled up in my head.

Thepain starts to fade and I have to admit that it was a good tactic.Force the victim to relive all the pain they've ever suffered, itrenders them immobile and because I had a lot of eye ache growing upit also made me blind. I couldn't see through the pain.

Vladhas learnt some new tricks and really is Damillias' new pet. Istand up shakily, like a foal on ice, and look around. Despite therecent ghost attacks, the one where my house was destroyed, therewasn't any causalities. Does that mean that Vlad, our Vlad, isstill in there?

"Kayle,listen," I whisper. I don't want to speak any louder in case Ispoil the spell.

"Blaise..."

"Kayle,just trust me on this one," I say taking his arm and he looks atme. "Close your eyes and listen."

Heobeys, if he was a rabbit his long ears would be twitching withconcentration, "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly,"I smile so widely my face might split in two.