Vampire's Breath

17.

I tried to hold my breath, but it didn't help. The stench from the rising mist seemed to seep into me

leathers. Across the room, I saw Cara eup tightly cover her nose and mouth. His dark eyes were terrified. He waved his other hand frantically, trying to fan that smelly mist from her

I choked on it. My eyes started burning. Closed it. I felt hot tears seeping down my cheeks. When I opened my eyes, I could not see the car

any more. The fog had grown too thick. I could see Count Nightwing's purple robe, dark within the fog. And then disappeared too. And I'm alone. Alone in the thick, steaming

cloud. I kneel. Covering my face with both hands. I try not to breathe. I can feel the mist on my tongue! How long have I been kneeling there? I'm not sure. But when I finally opened my burning eyes,

the fog faded. Count Nightwing's purple robe was again visible as mist descended to the floor. And I saw Cara across the room, protecting her face with one hand.

The fog continues to melt. The room was again in focus.

And I realized that I was staring at air hockey

the game. I blinked a few times. A pool table stands

middle room. Billiard table? Air hockey?

The way it ran towards me, its dark eyes flashed with excitement. "We're back, Freddy!" he exclaimed happily, "We're back at your base!"

"Yes!" i cheered. I clenched both my fists into the air: "Yessss!"

I staggered across the room and hugged an air hockey game. Then I kissed the wall. I really kissed the wall!

"We're back! We're back!" How to sing, jump around. "Vampire Breath-it brought us back to your house, Freddy!" "Nooooo!"

I turned to look at Count Nightwing to support his beads on the long and furious wall. He twirled the exp behind him, then clasped his hands tightly

-Tidaaaak! Nooooo! This is impossible to happen, he shouted in a hoarse voice. Cara and I snuggled together as the vampire approached us

"I don't want to be here!" he stated. "1 munt back. I have to find my fangs! Without my fangs, it wouldn't survive.

I He rose up over us. His eyes burned angry down at us. His dry lips quivered. He stretched aut his cape as if to trap us inside it.

"I have to go back!" he croaked. "Where is Tampire Breath? Where's the blue bottle." My eyes quickly looked around the room. There's no sign.

"That's not coming back with us" Cara announced. The old vampire tilted his head back while wailing furiously.

Then, lifting his robe even higher, he swooped down to attack us, he said,

Cara and I staggered back to the pool table.

The vampire moved quickly, wrapping his heavy purple robe around us both.

We're trapped. There's nowhere to move. Then, suddenly, the robe came off. Count the Night-wing backwards a step. His mouth opened in surprise

I followed his gaze—and saw Mom and Dad rushing into the basement. "Mama!" I cried. "Dad! Watch out! He's vampire! He's a real vampire!" Count Nightwing narrowed his eyes at my parents, his mouth still open in shock. He locked his eyes on my mother. "Cynthia-" she exclaimed, "Cynthia, what are you doing here?" Mom smiled at him. "Dad, you're finally awake

"Dad, you've been sleeping here for at least a hundred years" he said. "We don't know whether to wake you up or let you sleep."

Dad came rushing over, too, a big smile on his face. He put his hand on my shoulder. "Have you met our son Freddy?" he asked the wings of Count Night. "This is your Freddy-grandson." A granddaughter?

Me? I'm a vampire granddaughter? Count Nightwing looked at me, shaking his head. I could see that he was as confused as 1

Cynthia-7" she told my mother. "Cynthia-my fang, I lost my fang."

Mom wrapped her arm around the vampire's waist. "Dad, your fangs are not gone" he said. "They're in the bathroom glass. Right where you left it."

"here. Here," said Father. He led the way to a small bathroom in a corner we never visited

A few seconds later, Count Nightwing stepped out, adjusting the fangs above his gums with both of his thumbs. "Well. That's better," he said. "Now let's fly out of here. I'm so thirsty! It's been a hundred years!"

Mom and Dad looked at me. "We'll be home soon" said Dad. "Make a sandwich for yourself upstairs, okay? Make it for Cara."

I looked back at him, unable to forget my surprise. "But if you and Mom are vampires, am I a vampire?" ask me with a vibrating voice.

"Of course" answered Mom. "But you're too young to get your fangs, Freddy. You should wait at least another hundred years!"

I want to ask you a million more questions. But the three of them started to flap their hands. Up and down. Within seconds, they turned into bats and flew out of the basement window. I stared at the window for a long time, trying to calm myself down, trying to slow down my heartbeat. I started to feel a little more normal. I turned to Cara "Wow," he said as he shook his head, "Wow"

"I don't believe it either" I replied He grinned at me. "I know you're weird, Freddy. But I didn't know you were that wind. I want to laugh at him. But I was still too shocked to laugh, or cry, or scream!

I turned away from Cara and went to age twenty, trying to calm myself down. It's not easy to know that you're a vampire I really think Mom and Dad could be

news to me in a slightly better way. But I guess they don't think it's any hig

Agreed. The bathroom door opened as I walked in. "We never use this bathroom, I murmured. "We used the bathroom across from the basement. How to follow me in. The mirror door to the medicine cabinet partially opened. He pulled it open all the way.

The shelves were crowded with all sorts of jars and bottles. Strange drugs and ointment tubes.

I saw a green glass bottle on the top shelf. "What's that?" I wondered. I stretched my hand up to pull it down.But How to take it first. "Returned!" I cried. I pushed him, he pushed me back. He flipped the glass bottle in his hand and read the name on the label to me: "WareWolf sweat

R. L. Stine is the most popular writer in Amer.'s wife, June, and

teen boy, Mat.

"How-to-return!" I commanded. "No. Really am. Put back. Let it go, Cara. Don't open. Don't-" He teased me. While grinning, he pretended to be attractive

from above. "No-1" I shouted.

I rubbed. Trying to pull it out of his hand. But I missed it - and instead pulled the top. "Whoooooo!" How to scream when the yellow liquid sprayed us both.

I rolled my eyes. "Now what?" I cried. "Now what do you think will happen?" "Grmorrr!" Answer way.