Mrs. Bartlebee's Garden

The vampire king

    Rocket walked down the long corridor, he glanced back and felt a fear he could not shake. He quickly exhaled as he picked up his pace, freezing as he entered the end of the hallway. He opened the large doors slowly, glancing back at where the strange monster had once been. The doors shut behind him loudly, the room was gigantic, dimly lit and filled with shades of red and purple. There were pictures of strange unheard of musicians, guitars, bands, drums. There was a drum set in the dead center of the space, along with a guitar rested next to a large bed. Other than the punk rock decorations, the room was empty. Rocket stepped forward and was instantly picked up by the shoulders. He screamed as he watched his feet leave the ground. An older boy revealed himself, messy black hair, black jacket, black jeans, and a small black crown gently floating on top of his head. The undead boy held him in air with a grin. He dropped the human with no hesitation, laughing at the misfortune.
    "I see you like to test the limits, huh? Everyone knows coming to my island is a death sentence! Unless,, you're a weirdo with a thing for vampires- because I can work with that!- but I'm only in it for getting a meal!- or! Or you're suicidal- but either way I- oh let's just get to the point!-" The pale boy threatened, he was slightly scatterbrained and finicky despite how he was a clear danger. Rocket found himself cornered, putting his arms in front of his face as he sat uncomfortably.
    "Wait!! I need your help!" The human cried out, shaking and whimpering, slowly standing up, still cornered, still feeling helpless. "I was told you can help me!! Please,,"
    "I can only help if you have a death wish!" The vampire hissed as he floated towards the ground, approaching the other boy, baring his fangs. He quickly got in his face and hissed again, smelling the boy's blood through his warm skin. "Sorry, kid. Whoever told you I could help just wanted your gullible self dead!"
    "M-Mrs. Bartlebee sent me!! She casted a spell on me! You can't hurt me! I-I need your help!" Rocket explained frantically, pressing himself further into the corner. The boy shook slightly as he turned his head away, expecting to get bit. However nothing happened, the vampire stood there in silence, floating quietly in place. He thought for a moment.
    "You're kidding... Who does that bitch think she is!?" The pale boy screamed as he clenched his fists together. "Why did she send you!?" The vampire spat as he pinned the other to the wall, leaving marks in the structure in a near blind fury. "Is this some kind of joke!? Does she think this is funny!?" He yelled, staring the human in the eyes, his were soulless and red, empty yet full of rage.
    "S-She just told me you could help! She d-didn't come in because she knew y-you would be mad!! W-what did she do!?" Rocket stammered, hyperventilating as he began looking for a way out, shoving the other boy and making a break for the doors. Small bats began flooding into the room, surrounding the vampire he floated to the ceiling, he was clearly uncontrollable. The doors suddenly locked and the human began slamming himself against them.
    "What did she do!? What did she do!? She casted a spell on me! I can't leave this island! There's no food here, I'm slowly wasting away and it's all her fault!" The vampire screamed as bats engulfed the room, surrounding and biting at the human, smacking into him and slicing open his skin.
    "Sir! King Venus! Sir! The cursed woman is here! Do I let her in!?" The creature from earlier called out from behind the doors. The bats quickly subsided back under the bed, the pale boy dropped to his feet, running to the door with a swagger in his movement, with a bloodlust, with anger. He stormed down the hallway and approached the front door himself within seconds, a few small bats followed him along the way. The door flew open and Mrs. Bartlebee stood at the doorway, frowning, looking worried. Rocket bolted down the hallway and slipped past the young vampire, hiding behind the witch.
    "Before you say anything. I'm not here about this, I don't need you help, Venus. Rocket does. I'm sorry about what I did, but we both know I did it to save you!" The blonde explained sympathetically, she frowned and stepped forward, the bat monster quickly intervened and growled in her face. She stepped back and looked at the boy with sad eyes. "They were going to kill you! Now you can't go to them and they can't go to you!" Mrs. Bartlebee added quickly.
    "You just got tired of me helping you, Eleanor, did I mess up too much? Did you just get tired of me?" Venus questioned with a scowl, he pushed his caretaker out of the way, he stared up at the tall girl and hissed. She shook her head and frowned more, looking hurt and saddened. "You did it for yourself! And now you're doing something else for yourself! Kid, she'll get rid of you once she's tired of the game. It's what witches do!" The vampire spat at Rocket.
    "My mom was kidnapped, I need to save her! Please,, please just help me!" The human screamed, sick of the fighting, the vampire, the untold secrets, the fact that his mom was missing, and he was just a kid. "Whoever did it is from this world! I just need someone to help!"
    "Looks like I can't. I'm stuck here."  Venus replied mockingly as he glared at Mrs. Bartlebee. "Your friend has cursed me, you'll have to find someone else." The vampire growled as he turned away and began walking back down the hallway from where he came. The monster bat began to hiss and grow, forcing the two away. "From here on out you are exiled from this island, if you return you shall die by the hands of my butler and I-"
    "What if Mrs. Bartlebee freed you!?" Rocket asked frantically, yelling at the top of his lungs. The vampire boy stopped in his tracks and turned around, staring at the two. They had his attention. The witch turned to him with a horrified expression, grabbing Rocket by his shoulders. She stared at him hard in the eyes before the other boy approached them again. "What if she un-cursed you? Then would you help us?" The human added, nervously staring up at the undead boy.
    "Sure I'd help you! But knowing that she's kept me for nearly a hundred years and has let up I doubt she'll free me for you." King Venus spat with a smirk, realizing he was crushing the boy's terrified spirit and pushing the girl's buttons. Rocket turned to her and begged with his eyes, not a word was said. Neither of them could speak their minds, say what they needed to. The vampire only scoffed and turned again only to be stopped by a delicate hand.
    "If I let you go, you have to promise me you will stay by my side until after we find Rocket's mother and return them home! And if you even try to lay a finger on that boy I swear on my very life I will re-curse you faster than you can beg me to stop!" Mrs.  Bartlebee hissed as she pulled out her wand, it began to spark as she showed the anger in her now floating hair. The young vampire quickly nodded and pinky promised the woman, she nodded and waved the magical stick, it lit up once again and shot the boy in the heart. He fell to the floor and got up, brushing himself off. "You're free now, let's go. All of us are in danger now." The witch remarked as she approached her broom, hopping on as Rocket followed. The vampire then tagged along as the broom took off into the skies, the three flew together quickly. "Where to??"
    "The queens, they'll be able to find out where your thief is!" Venus suggested sternly, however he smiled as he floated over the cities, this was the happiest he had been in nearly one hundred years. The stars gently moved above them as if it were turning daylight, however a new moon rose over the horizon as the old fell, new stars aligned themselves quickly. However the happiness turned to anxiety as a giant dragon, whispy as spirits, and quick as death flew past them. It's golden reins and armoured rider caught the witch's eyes.
    "It's the law enforcement... The judges of the judgment halls make them patrol the skies..." Eleanor explained with a whisper as she watched the magnificent beast fly by gracefully. It's face was hollow, body was transparent. Bright blue eyes and teeth glowed brightly in the dark, along with its acidic drool. The beast glanced to them, snorting as it continued to fly. It's rider turned to the woman on the broomstick, and the vampire flying beside her. He carried on, moments of silence passed before the broom was landed at the gate of a silver temple. Guards greeted them, the explanation was given, and the trio was granted access.