The Vampire of Thornton

Chapter 10

That night, Casper's dreams were surprisingly not plagued by the shadow of Thornton. For all his life up until this point, whenever something that frightened Casper occurred, the shadow would haunt his dreams for at least a week. Tonight, there was nothing. Perhaps it was the fact that the thing he feared most was somewhere in this very manor. No, fear wasn't the right word. When Casper thought of Louis he pictured the happy, positive man who carried him back to his room after he hurt his ankle. He pictured him beating Casper at chess. He pictured Louis holding him close... A deep blush haunted Casper's cheeks and he buried himself in the sheets once more.

Simon and Daniel brought Casper breakfast but he only picked at it. He was certain he liked the library's collections of books better than those in the small shelf in his room. So he called for Liza.

"What do you wish, Master Casper." She said quietly with a small bow.

"Just bring me a book from the library," Casper casually waved his hand, "any one will do." Liza bowed and vanished into the wall, within seconds she returned with a heavy leather bound book. Liza placed it Casper's lap and left silently. Casper looked down at the title of the book. Accounts of the Vampire Council: 1265-1730. He furrowed his eyebrows but began reading. Casper soon discovered that it was basically a record of every killing the Council had performed, and there sure were plenty to keep him busy. He flipped through countless pages of alphabetical names.

Adams- 1729

Ashdown- 1278

Baldwin- 1534

Becker- 1689

Each name had a small paragraph below it describing the killings. Casper cringed as he read through them, brutal slaughters, murders, burning, and even accounts of vampire hunting parties were scrawled across the pages. Casper couldn't help himself, his sterling eyes read faster and faster; he flipped through more pages. Beech, Belton, Blakely, Caldwell, Carver, Carrington, Casper's breath hitched when he spotted a name on the list. His fingers traced over it delicately, as if hoping it wasn't really there.

Chambers- 1659 and 1675

Casper bit his lip, and began to read the neat letters below Louis' last name.

There were originally five members of the Chambers family. The head of household, Nicholas Chambers; the lady of the house, Olivia Chambers; the heir and eldest son, James Chambers; eldest daughter Rebecca Chambers; and youngest child, Louis Chambers. In 1659, the Council made a necessary movement due to suspicious activity and killed Olivia.

Casper jerked his head up to look at the family portrait facing his bed. A father, a son on the verge of being a man, teenage girl and... Casper set the book down, leaving it open on his sheets and walked over to the painting. He squinted at the smallest boy's fearful blue eyes. The brunette softly brushed the edges of his eyes. They were so full of fear and pain and loss; suddenly, a pair of very similar eyes flashed in his mind. Louis, smiling down at him; it was only for a moment, but Casper saw the same eyes as the painting. He lifted the painting off of the wall and turned it around and looked at the faded print on the back.

Chambers family, March, 1659.

Casper put a hand to his mouth and nearly dropped the canvas. So, Louis had lost his mother to the Council. And, judging by their monstrous ways, probably killed her in front of him. Blinking back a few salty drops, Casper hung the painting back up and went back to the book.

16 years later, however, the Council was forced to obliterate the Chambers family completely as they had discovered the truth behind the killing of Olivia Chambers. Nicholas, James, Rebecca and