The smile appeared on the vampire's face, revealing his sharp teeth for the first time. Daniel's heart sank.

What did I do? he asked himself. What was I thinking?

The idea was to get rid of the intruder, not inviting him into the house. However, when the vampire commanded him to invite him in, Daniel was no longer the master of his actions. His feet moved on their own accord, taking him further from the door, away from the danger. He didn't even want to imagine what the vampire might do to him once he gets inside.

When Daniel's self-willed feet took the fourth step away from the door, the eyes on the pale face flashed amber. The man dressed in black took a step forward, but didn't get far. Like he came across a glass wall, he stopped. The foot that approached the doorstep first, hit an invisible barrier.

Daniel observed the scene before him with a generous dose of apprehension. A vampire, like a mime that used to come to town every summer when Daniel was still a child, moved his hands through the air. Every time they came in line with the doorframe, they would get stopped by some unseen force.

"This is not your home," the vampire stated, slight annoyance creeping into his voice. "You have been lying to me, haven't you?"

Daniel watched as the face before him changed. The vampire's brows drew together above the eyes lit with amber. Unable to deny the power within, Daniel nodded.

"I do not care much for liars," the vampire said slowly, making sure each of his words reached Daniel's core.

Shivers spread through Daniel's body like a surge of electricity. His temples felt like someone pierced them with daggers when searing pain blossomed within.

Not now, Daniel thought. Not again!

He was getting tired of the headaches that wouldn't leave him alone for more than few days.

"Step forward," the vampire said. The command in his voice compelled Daniel to move.

First step.

The burning amber pulling him closer.

Second step.

Like a moth to a flame.

Third step.

As if the gates of hell awaited him.

Fourth step.

He found himself face to face with a demon.

In the darkness of the night, when the only source of light was the lamp inside the house, vampire's face appeared like a face of the devil. His upper lip curled to reveal his fangs, his eyebrows formed a V-shape above his gleaming eyes.

"Dear boy," he said, the word dear sounding like a profanity. "You will find out just how much I despise liars!"

The last word, spoken in the loudest voice, reverberated inside Daniel's mind, amplifying his headache. Daniel's fingers instinctively raised to his temples, starting to draw circles there. He didn't want to know just how much the demonic vampire hated liars. With the feeling of absent-mindedness he was experiencing, he couldn't tell for sure whether he was one or not.

He let his head bow, feeling the cold sweat beading his forehead. When he moved his fingers from the temples towards the center of his forehead, his gaze fell to the threshold. He was still inside, away from vampire's reach. He almost laughed at the notion, but then...

"Step outside!" the vampire yelled.

Daniel ordered his legs to remain where they were and, to his astonishment, they obeyed. The corners of his lips turned upwards; the vampire commanded him, and he resisted.

In his new discovered joy, he made a crucial mistake – he lifted his gaze.

His eyes came in contact with the amber still residing in vampire's stare and, in a matter of a second, his smile was gone.

"Step outside," the vampire repeated, this time calmly.

No matter how much Daniel pleaded his legs to stay put, they would not comply. A single tear formed at the corner of his eye, as his shaky right foot took a small step forward. The left foot followed. Before the tear rolled down his cheek, he was standing outside.

"Welcome," the vampire said, sinister smile marking his face.

Daniel's throat closed. He started to shiver, not because he was cold, but because of dread. The feeling of utter discomfort increased when an open palm of the vampire's hand slowly lifted towards him.

"No!" Daniel shouted, looking at the demon dressed in black who kept a smile on his face even when his fingers wrapped around Daniel's neck.

Spots began to dance in front of Daniel's eyes. With mouth wide open, he struggled to suck in the air, but fingers enfolded around his neck made his attempts futile. His vision went blurry, and the world before his eyes began disappearing, enveloped by a haze that came due to the lack of oxygen.

At that moment, a waterfall of silky hair splashed his face. The grip on his neck was gone when a new force collided with the vampire's hand. Daniel fell to his knees. He looked up to see a tall, long-haired woman holding vampire's wrist in one hand, while a dagger shone in the other one, lit by the light pouring through the open door.

The hand lifted the dagger, leading it towards the target, but the vampire was quicker. He contorted his torso, leaving only air for the dagger to pierce.

Daniel slowly got up, but remained leaned against the doorframe; his knees were still shaky. In that short time, when only for a moment he only averted his eyes from the woman and the demon in black, their roles changed. It wasn't her hand holding his wrist anymore; it was the other way around. Not taking his eyes off her, the vampire pulled her closer, allowing his other hand to seize her chin. The dagger was lying on the ground, next to her feet, out of her reach.

"Well, well," he said, "isn't it Anastasia? Lost for so many years... Dimitri will be very pleased when I return him his lost lamb."

He threw his head aback and laughed.

"Let go of her!" The voice came from inside. Daniel turned his head and spotted another woman. This one had her light brown hair cut shorter. She held a crossbow; silver tip of the arrow reflected the light.

"I'll be damned!" Vampire's eyes glistered. "Here is Teresa as well! Dimitri will reward me plentifully when his former clan is reunited."

"That will not happen," the woman armed with a crossbow defied. "Let go of her!" she repeated. Amber glow flashed in the eyes directed at the vampire.

He returned the look, but only for a second. His eyes searched for Daniel's.

"Stand in front of Teresa," he commanded.

Teresa, Daniel thought. Why is that name so familiar?

He didn't have the time to think about it. His shivery legs already moved, and the next thing he knew, he was standing in front of the attractive short-haired woman. The tip of the arrow was aimed directly at his heart.

She turned her attention to him. "You don't remember, do you?" she asked.

He didn't answer, he just watched her in silence. A new wave of pain gashed through his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; sometimes it helped. When he opened his eyes again, she was still observing him.

"You really don't remember." This time it wasn't a question.

"What am I supposed to remember?" he uttered.

Amber in Teresa's eyes stirred, reminded him of the oil stains on the surface of the water. Daniel couldn't look away, as if he was hypnotized.

"Monday," she simply said, and in his mind, the haze began to clear.

As the veil of forgetfulness began to rise, the events that took place last Monday were becoming more and more clear. In his mind, he could see his friends again, but the memory was anything but pleasant. With the memories unveiled, came the remembrance of the two women who were now here, with him and the vampire.

His eyes widened in horror as he relived the last moments before all his friends were murdered.

From that moment on, the memories continued to reveal themselves, like a filmstrip in the movie theatre projectors, but this was one movie Daniel would pay not to see.

When it was all over, and all the moments recollected, Daniel realized with quite a shock that this was all his idea. Another wave of uninvited pain shot through his head; he hunched forward and yelped. As if it was a sign she was waiting for, Teresa pressed the crossbow trigger, and an arrow penetrated someone's shoulder.

Here it is, anotherchapter. It took me a while to write it because I'm at a point where I have to decide who gets the shorter end.

If you have any advice, feel free to share it with me. It might help me decide which path the story should take.

If you liked this chapter, do vote for it.

Until next chapter...