:::::::::::: Mabel's POV ::::::::::::

It had been 3 years and 7 months since my brother was taken to the castle. Almost 4 years in which I couldn't look at my reflection without thinking of my twin.

Pacifica had returned a year after Dipper was captured and she told us about the conditions in which the humans lived. I was happy to have her back with me and to hear that my brother hadn't lost his character but... I was very worried about what Bill could have done to him after she had escaped, especially after I had found his hat on the day of my last birthday.

I didn't feel like celebrating without him, so I went into the woods with my friends and family. Ford had sensed abnormal levels of magic from there and we went to investigate. We arrived in a strangely snow-covered clearing. We followed two people's footprints and we soon found my brother's hat.

Luckily there were no traces of blood or his body, so he hadn't been killed but I had a bad feeling. There could have only been two reasons why the hat could be there: or it was a trap or my brother tried to escape.

The strange thing in all of this, however, were the footprints. Although there was the hat of my brother, the footprints certainly belonged to two vampires, this because after some footsteps the tracks were very distant from each other, a sign that the vampires had used their superhuman speed.

I doubted that a vampire's stolen my brother's hat and then they left it there, and the traces were interrupted just outside the castle door.

We had tried to understand the reason for two years without understanding anything.

The following year, we managed to capture a blonde vampire dressed all in an aqua-green suit, with two keyhole-shaped earrings, and a red nose. He'd managed to capture three people and he said that he wanted to give them to Bill for his wedding the night after as a gift. The news surprised us a lot for various reasons and the vampire managed to escape an hour later teleporting himself.

We took the three guys to their home but the next day we discovered that they had disappeared anyway.

In those almost four years, Ford had begun creating anti-vampire weapons. Apparently, he had lost almost all the projects and weapons he had before because of the vampire king, so only a few of them were effective.

A month and a half after the vampire's capture, we were ready to attack the castle directly. It was a suicide mission, something no one had ever tried to do but we had to take the risk to save my brother. Thanks to Pacifica and McGuckett we also had a map of the place, even if very inaccurate and incomplete.

We were finally ready to get my brother back or die trying, but hopefully we will all make it out alive. Our team had me, Stan, Ford, Soos, and Wendy and we all were determined to get Dipper back. We set off after packing everything we'd need and started on our way through the forest to the vampires' castle.

On our way I started thinking, 'the vampire we captured said Bill got married. Why would that heartless monster participate in a human ritual of binding oneself to another forever? And, to who?' I guess we'll just have to give them our congratulations when we're there. It shouldn't be too long now, the castle is only a few miles away if I remember correctly.

●○◌◦ ~ TIME SKIP ~ ◦◌○●

We went through various corridors, one more luxurious than the other. If it hadn't been in our enemies' den, I would have probably loved that place but it wasn't time for that.

The castle looked like a maze but we managed to orient ourselves enough thanks to the indications of Pacifica, who however hadn't come with us. She started to study medicine, so she was able to treat our possible wounds at the end of the inevitable fight.

We managed to not get caught and we saw a vampire carrying some prisoners holding them by a chain around their neck.

We finally arrived at a large door. On the map, it was marked as "throne room".

As soon as we entered, I noticed that the room was completely dark. The only source of light was the window that lit up someone dressed in yellow.

B: Shooting Star! Sixer! How long! I wasn't expecting your visit! What can I do for you?

M: Stop being an idiot, you know that already. Where's my brother? What have you done to him?

The vampire chuckled.

B: I doubt that you want to know.

I gripped the handle of the pistol so tightly that my knuckles became white.

M: I'll ask it once again. Where. Is. He?

B: Try to defeat me, maybe you will convince me to tell you!

Wendy tried to hit him with her ax, Ford tried to hit him with his crossbow, Stan tried to punch him and I tried to shoot him.

It was all useless.

Bill created a giant blue flame and he pushed us all against the wall.

We continued to fight without being able to hit him.

If only I had managed to hit him once... just once... a well-placed blow... and we could have slowed him down enough to give him a fatal blow.

Ford fired an arrow with his crossbow. Bill was distracted to dodge Wendy's attack and he noticed too late the arrow that I managed to hit him on his side.

He fell to the ground screaming. He tried to remove the arrow but it seemed that even touching it caused him pain. As soon as he removed the arrow he threw it away and I saw the horrible burns around his wound and his hands. His eyes were red and full of hate.

The time seemed to slow down. I listened to my heartbeat. That was my chance. I took a deep breath. I took aim and I prepared myself to shoot.

The door opened at the same time. I heard someone screaming and I pressed the trigger without even realizing it and the bullet struck someone...

... someone I never expected to see at that time...

:::::::::::: Dipper's POV ::::::::::::

I had a bad feeling. I was walking around the castle when I felt that something was wrong. My bond with Bill seemed to tense like a thread.

I walked toward the throne room, a little confused as the feeling increased more and more. I accelerate the steps. I began to run towards the throne room. My chest was hurting. I knew that Bill was in danger. I could feel it. I needed to help him! I had to hurry!

I opened the door of the throne room. The only things I saw was a weapon pointed at my love.

I screamed his name and I tried to protect him by placing myself between him and his assailant.

A blow, probably started out of astonishment, made a small scratch on my cheek.

I stood still with my eyes closed. I was trembling and my face was streaked with tears.

I knew who there was in front of me. Their smell was unmistakable. It was the same as the day I'd lost my hat and it was similar to mine.

That was my family...

There was my twin...

Mabel...

:::::::::::: No one's POV ::::::::::::

M: D-dipper? A-are you Dipper?

Mabel's hands were shaking as her eyes filled with tears and she lowered the weapon.

Dipper wasn't in a better condition. He opened his eyes but he didn't meet his gaze with his sister's or anyone's in that room.

D: H-hey Mabel...

Mabel couldn't move. She wanted to run to hug her brother but... her legs seemed nailed to the ground.

Why was Dipper protecting the vampire who had separated them?

M: Dipper... could you move, please?

He looked down and he shook his head.

M: Dipper, please... this is the right opportunity to get rid of one of the vampire leaders once and for all... then we can go back home together... It will be all the same as four years ago!

Mabel gave a little smile, even though she didn't know why.

M: You just have to move, Dipper. Please, I don't want to hurt you, I'm here to kill him and save you...

Dipper took a trembling breath and he looked at her in the eyes.

D: No, I-I can't, Mabel. I'm... I'm happy here! I-I feel at home. I've finally found someone who loves me for who I am and who asked me to marry him... as much as I miss you or others... I-I can't leave him... I-I love him!

New tears came down on Dipper's face as the silence in the room was interrupted only by Bill's gasping breath.

M: Dipper, you... you can't be serious! You...

Finally, Mabel was lucid enough to notice his clothes. Dipper wasn't wearing the same clothes the prisoners had. He had a green and elegant suit. His hair was pulled back, showing his birthmark. His eyes were brighter but the thing that shocked her most was his face. Despite the scratch I'd made on his cheek with the bullet, his face was almost identical to how she remembered it.

M: You... you are a vampire! He turned you into a monster!

D: M-Mabel wait...

Dipper tried to put a hand on his sister's shoulder but she pushed it violently.

M: I-I thought I came to save my brother... but I think he's dead now... you're just a monster with his appearance! Exactly like the monster you say you love! Traitor!

Dipper's eyes filled with hate and turned red.

D: Bill is not a monster! Bill is the only one who ever understood me and I'm not the traitor. You are! You're the one who's doing the exact opposite of what a sibling should do! The brothers are happy if the other is happy! They are happy that their brother has found someone to love and moreover they love each other despite everything! Even if this means that they are no longer human! I understand that you are angry to death with the vampires or with Bill in particular but can you be happy for me for once that I am happy?! I've released Pacifica not only because she was my friend but also because I thought about how much you could have felt happy with her again by your side! Can't you do the same with me??!

Mabel started crying again, this time accompanied by a small laugh.

M: Me? A bad sister? Heh... D-don't make me laugh... I thought about you every day since he took you. I thought he was torturing you! It's obvious that I am happy that you released Pacifica but this is a totally different thing. I don't love a monster. You've always been a freak but you only made it visible now falling for that MURDERER!

She tightens her hand on her pistol as she looked in the direction of the vampire dressed in yellow.

M: And you Bill, you will pay for killing my parents, imprisoning my girlfriend and turning Dipper into a monster worse than the ones he loved to study. I wish you a slow and painful death!

She raised her gun and she pulled the trigger without even aiming.

Dipper tried to stop her but it was too late.

The bullet hit Bill in the stomach. He widened his eyes and he remained motionless. A trickle of blood came out of his mouth. He rolled his eyes and he was about to fall unconscious but Dipper took him in his arms and he squeezed him hard.

He screamed as loud as he could and some vampires suddenly entered the room.

D: Pyronica, take care of Bill. Take him to our room and try to treat him as much as possible.

Dipper got up holding Bill in his arms. His body glowed, then the light took the shape of his crown and cloak. His already blood red eyes glowed threateningly making everybody in that room shiver.

That was a sign that he wasn't talking anymore as "Dipper Pines, Mabel's twin". He was talking as "Dipper Pines" the king of the vampires. All were bound to obey his orders.

Pyronica came and she took Bill, immediately disappearing.

Then Dipper turned to the humans.

D: You know, although I got married to Bill, I decided to keep my old surname because I loved you all. Very very much.

Dipper approached her sister again and he grabbed her arm so hard that it hurt her.

D: But from now on, every time I hear someone saying my name, I want to hear it accompanied by the word Cipher and not Pines. Goodbye Shooting Star. I won't show mercy the next time we see each other again.

Dipper made a sign with his head and one of the vampires used his magic to make the humans disappear while Dipper went to his room to see his beloved husband.

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Chapter wrote in collaboration with fayethewriter. Thanks a lot Faye!

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2189 words

21/06/18