Chapter 5

She did not sleep. She had expected to: she closed her eyes, her breathing ('Breathing?' she thought 'Why am I breathing?') went shallow and she felt herself slipping... but she was still awake. And remained awake. But it wasn't the awake she had known just 24 hours ago - when she felt restless and fed up if she was awake while she should be sleeping... it was like a hypnotic trance, but all her sense were intact. Time didn't drag, but she was well aware of just how many hours were passing. Anf then she heard movement right next to her. And she heard a dragging sound, and then her coffin lid was pulled open.

Ramone's face loomed over Adelle's. His eyes narrowed. "How was your first night? Pleasant, I assume?"

She gulped but didn't answer.

He stared at her for a moment longer then heaved a sigh and turned away. "I should wake up your little friend now." Adelle wasn't sure whether it was all that different from his regular dry voice, but she thought she detected bitterness and sarcasm. She sat up with ease and watched him approach the coffin next to hers. He threw his hands against the weight of the lid, so it flew off and fell to the floor in a horrible crash. He didn't even glance inside, just turned away and walked back to Adelle, holding out an ivory hand.

She let him help her up and found herself more immune to the iciness of his skin. She felt it comforting, rather like the coldness of her new stone bed. She watched Celeste stumble out of her coffin, throwing glares at both Ramone and Adelle. "Well." she announced haughtily. "I'm starving. Where do we keep....?" she trailed off, looking puzzled for a moment.

Ramone raised a bored eyebrow. "The blood? Where do we keep it? What do you think?"

Celeste wet her lips nervously. "I... I don't know... nobody's damnwell told me yet!" she stamped her foot down, sending dust flying up in a cloud. "If you weren't so... obsessed with your new toy..." she regarded Adelle coldly, "Then maybe I'd know these things!"

Ramone rolled his eyes and skulked into the shadows. Adelle lost sight of him. "Did he go?" she whispered.

"Probably." Celeste said cooly. "We can do all sorts of things. You'll pick them up eventually, I imagine. 'Til then, you can watch me! Calla says I'm doing great. She says I was born a vampire!" At this she burst into a high-pitched giggle, so similar to Adelle's ears. And why shouldn't it be? She was still Celeste, if Adelle was still Adelle. And if they were who they had always been, then they must still be friends? Then... why did Adelle feel such revulsion and fear around Celeste?

"I still can't believe any of this." Adelle whispered.

"I can. It's not that weird." Celeste moved closer to Adelle and grabbed her with her cold hands. "The films and books are true, that's all. The legend isn't so unreal. It's not fantasy. It's not fiction. Vampires exist just like human beings do, they just walk different paths. Andwe walk on their path now. It's just like when we moved up to secondary school! Think of it like that." She stuck her red bottom lip out in almost a mocking way. "It's OK that you're finding it hard, Dell. Like I said, you'll catch up!"

Dell. That old nickname she'd had since they'd met. It had always been "Dell, we're not doing that today, we're going to the cinema." and "Oh, Dell, do you REALLY want that last cake?" and "Dell, why are you being so stupid?" Each one annoying. But none quite matched up to Dell, it's OK that you're not used to being a vampire yet, even though I'M used to is. No. None quite this strange.

Adelle glanced around uneasily. "Celeste... I want to ask. When we first met Ramone-"

"Ramone!" Celeste spat. "That disgusting slug. Thinks he owns the place. Calla has had it up to here with him, I'm being serious. A few of the others have too. He's the oldest, you see, so thinks he's superior or something... huh, like yeah right. And he doesn't let any of the others make any new vampires unless he... pre-approves them! Harps on about how they need to have a special sort of "character" or something! Like, yeah right, then why is HE one? He's so boring and snooty. I guess you get like that from being around four hundred years. Worse than being with my grandad!" She stopped her rant and shook her head. "Though. He seems to be taken with you. Disgusting old perve."

Adelle stared at the girl in front of her. And stared. And stared. It was the same girl. Exactly the same. The way she spoke, her hand gestures, the way she looked over Adelle. They were exactly the same. So Adelle had to continue her question.

"Why did you do it, Celeste?" she asked. "When we first met him in the alley... why did you tell him to take me?"

Celeste raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter?"

And with that she turned and left the dungeon. Adelle couldn't help but notice, she used the stairs.