I've Got a Nice Big Vampire Problem - [Chapter 1] -

I want to see what you think Conan and Abigail look like. Send me the pictures and I'll post all the pictures in a poll and if you'd like, you may vote on which picture looks the most like what you think they look like. Well, I hope you guys take the time to participate. And if you've got any prize ideas message me as well!

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I smiled, embarrassed.

"And what would you do if I cried every time you smelt me?" I asked playfully.

"I would smell you anyways."

My smile disappeared. "But I'm crying," I said. "Hypothetically, of course." Didn't he know that making a girl cry is never a good thing?

I felt his head nod. "You look very pretty when you cry," he stated. I laughed. "You do. It's not only that you are naturally attractive, but I think it's the air that surrounds you when you cry. You seem more innocent and vulnerable."

I cocked my head, thinking about what he said. Well crying is what happens when you want to get everything off your chest; when you're willing to show someone you are sad and want some comfort. The vulnerable makes sense, but normally when I cry it is because I did something wrong and had gotten in trouble for it. Either that or when I get very mad, so I didn't understand how the innocent came to play.

"Thank you," I said finally. He gave a nod.

We remained silent for a little while, the forest scenery soaring by. "Conan?" I whispered.

"Yes?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

Silence followed. The question had been eating away at me, so I needed to know. Was it that he liked me? Was it because he wanted to get really mad so he could beat the other vampire in the alley? Though I wasn't sure how kissing me would get him angry, it still was a possibility. Was it because he thought he was never going to see me again?

"That is discussion for another time," Conan said in a soft voice.

I think it was his tone of voice, how soft and nice it was, that made me say, "Okay." Maybe he didn't want to talk about it with all of his vampire friends running around us.

"We're almost there, Abigail," he said.

"Okay," I said again.

Conan continued running for about thirty seconds before he said, "Close your eyes."

I did as he told me, knowing he was going to stop. "You may open them now."

Once I opened my eyes and was set down, I surveyed my surroundings. The ground was filled with wet leaves from the previous rain, the tree tops blocking out the gray clouds above us. There was a dip in the ground right in front of us that subtly transformed into a tunnel. I would have never found it if I hadn't been placed right in front of the tunnel.

Conan placed himself behind me, all of the vampires lining up. Evan was first, Gavin in front of me with Mackenzie still in his arms, Greg behind Conan and Falvor at the end of the line. Evan led us into the tunnel.

Unlike the hideout Percy brought me to where all the tunnels were pitch black, the tunnel was lit with torches. I thought of how Percy had guided me through the tunnels without making me bump into one wall.

"Conan?" I whispered.

"Yes?"

"Can vampires see in the dark?"

"Yes."

"Will I get that perk when I become one?"

"Of course," he said.

"K, good."

"Why?" I could hear his smile.

"Well if I'm going to be sneaking down to the kitchen in pitch black I won't have to worry about bumping into things."

"Why would you need to go down to the kitchens in pitch black?" He asked, his confusion showing itself clearly in his voice.

"To sneak some cookies, of course," I replied, smiling.

"But why would you need to sneak cookies?" Gavin asked, just as confused as Conan was.

"Cookies taste better when you sneak them." Mackenzie's now raspy voice sounded horribly pained. I gave a sad smile.

Gavin looked down at her, and since he was in front of me I couldn't see his facial expression.

"Is that right?" He asked. Slowly I saw her hair move in a nodding motion.

"Every thing is better-" she gasped and shuddered. I winced, my gut squeezing itself. I felt so bad. Once she settled down she continued. "Everything is better when you sneak it."

I gave an inaudible sigh. If anyone ever called Mackenzie weak I would kick them. She's in indescribable pain and she is still cracking jokes.

The tunnel suddenly became a maze. Other tunnels sprouted out of the original tunnel and the original tunnel turned into just another tunnel. Evan led us through the maze. I saw no indication of a trail, or markings that would tell you which tunnel would lead you to Cornet.

Finally, when I thought the maze would never end, along with Mackenzie's cries of pain, we turned a corner to a single tunnel that was slowly expanding as we continued down it. I sighed in relief. We were closer to a doctor for Mackenzie.

Once out of the tunnel, I got a chance to gape at my surroundings.

It was beautiful. Gorgeous. Timeless. The hall was gigantic, possibly one of the biggest indoor spaces I had ever seen. No, not possibly, definitely. It was the width of a football field and the length of three, with pillars running down the length of the hall. The pillars themselves were probably ten feet in diameter and ran all the way up to the ceilings of black marble. The ceiling was probably 100 feet above us; through I was never a good measure of distance. All I knew was that it was very, very high.

The floor and the walls were made with black marble as well, the specs of white looked like stars. It looked like we were walking through the universe, well, minus the pillars and flames somehow mounted on the wall to light the huge room.

Vampires wandered through the hall, none of them really noticing us. I watched as one walked over to the wall and put his hand on the marble and a small door suddenly opened for him. He walked through it and the door closed behind him. I gaped.

"Conan!" I breathed, grapping his sleeve and tugging on it to get his attention. I pointed to the place where the man had walked through the piece of the wall. "Conan, that guy just put his hand on the wall and it, like, opened for him!"

Conan nodded. "Yes, that's the door that leads to library."

"That's a door?"

"Yes."

"Well how did he find it?" I asked, still dumbfounded.

"When you live in Cornet you must memorize where all the doors are," he said. "It doesn't take that long, just a few months." I looked at him. He looked completely serious.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked nervously. I had a terrible memory and this place was huge. And from what I've seen all the walls look the same.

An unbelievably sexy smirk spread across his lips. "Yes, I'm kidding you. There are clear markings where the doors are."

I sighed, clutching my heart for dramatics, though it was going wild after seeing that smirk. "Kay, good."

He placed his hand on my lower back and my heart thumped. He grinned at me and took a step forward. "Come on, I want you to meet Salvador."

I bit my lip and looked over to Mackenzie.

She suddenly went completely rigid in Gavin's arms, inhaled and cried out, obviously in a lot of pain. I turned and looked at Conan. "Salvador can wait; my best friend is turning into a vampire."

Conan nodded, now completely serious. Gavin turned to Conan, keeping a tight hold of Mackenzie's withering form. "I'm bringing her to the infirmary."

Conan grabbed onto my arm and swung me onto his back, saying, "We'll be right behind you."

"Thank you," I said as we suddenly took off.

We paused to get through one of those non-doors, right behind Gavin and Mackenzie.

And as we took off again, gratitude soared through me in one of those overpowering emotions that seem to startle you, leaving you breathless.My eyes stung. I blinked them back furiously. I had done enough crying. I had cried practically every hour on the hour today.

There would be no more crying.

"Anything for you, Abigail," Conan said quietly. I barely caught it, but it was enough to throw me over the edge.

I buried my head in his neck and my tears spilled over.

Damn him.