Snippet #2416804

Albert had yelped when the girl fell out of the tree, but she didn't seem injured. He chuckled when she asked if he was a murderer, yet before he could come up with something clever, he froze up, sensing another blood vampire nearby. When he turned to look, he recognized the vampire immediately: an Ivanov....most likely the eldest, Viktor. He hadn't seen Viktor in many years, but still remembered him. His mother kept tabs on their family all the time, seeing them as her next biggest competition besides her cousin (Albert believed the Ivanov's claim was mainly through marriage into the family, rather than bloodlines, though he wasn't sure).

Viktor, from what he remembered, wasn't the worst out of the five brothers. He had always taken on the big brother role, and was nice enough to Al. Raphael was the scary one...he remembered when his mother told him about their stepmother's death...

Yet if there was one thing Al was sure of, it was that Viktor was very practical about humans and what he thought of them. And that he was also vying for the throne.

For a moment, Albert realized that Viktor's apparent restraint might have been because the older vampire thought Al was claiming her. He started to smile, happy he had found a solution, but then the girl sprinted.

Eyes widening, he glanced back at Viktor and then the girl and then Viktor again. Albert didn't want to scare her, but if Viktor thought he was hunting the girl....

There wasn't anymore time to lose. Without thinking everything through entirely, Albert hopped down from the tree and chased after the girl, hoping he looked a little more fearsome than nervous. Catching up to her easily, he scooped her up, holding her tightly and continued running out of the field, leaping over the fence and booking it as fast as he could back towards the town, hoping Viktor wouldn't chase him.

He was breathless by the time he reached his inn. Just as he went for the door, he realized he wasn't sure whether this was the smartest idea or not....maybe he should just drop her off outside....but if Viktor was following...no, he'd let her out at noon, when the sun was highest and even he couldn't stay out for too long. He practically jumped up all the stairs to his room, opened his door (he had forgotten to lock it) and slammed it shut, locking it tightly. Only then did he finally relax and put down the girl. "You're safe now," he panted, sitting down hard on the floor and breathing heavily.