Etty Steele and the Vampire Plague

By Grayson Grave

The sequel to Etty Steele Vampire Hunter - LoveReading's 'Indie Book We Love' and BlueInk's 'Notable Book'.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Grayson Grave
• Release date: May 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781999358624

Grayson Grave

Grayson Grave is a primary school teacher who's been writing for over a decade (since he was 15). He has worked as a school's literacy lead and he owns hundreds of children's books. Grayson has a white, fluffy dog called Snowy who hates going for walks. Instead, she sits by his feet while he writes.

Book preview

Chapter 1

I pulled open my bedroom window, ready to climb out. Glancing back at the door, I listened for Dad coming up the stairs, but the reassuring sound of clattering pans came from the kitchen. He was still cooking.

My bedroom was gloomy in the weak daylight with its grey walls, black sheets and black furniture – a depressing colour scheme according to my friend April who loved anything bright yellow or orange. I couldn’t explain why I didn’t feel the same. I knew most girls liked pink and yellow, and wore make-up, but that just wasn’t me.

Outside, the October sky was grey; not the best weather for a day out. I rubbed my hands on my leggings, then climbed out of the window. Carefully, I wrapped my arms around the drainpipe then steadied my feet against the wall, trying not to imagine the look on Mum’s face if she caught me sneaking out like this.

I slid down the pipe, the cold plastic leaching the warmth from my fingers. When I reached the ground, my legs twinged in pain.

When will I fully heal? I thought, annoyed. It’s been three weeks!

An image of Skull’s face loomed in my mind. I remembered, with a shiver, how we’d fought three weeks ago.

He annihilated me.

My body had been pulverised. Now my bruises had faded to pale yellow, but my legs and arms still ached whenever I trained.

I need to be stronger.

In truth, I already was much stronger and faster than the average ten-year-old, but I was a hunter – a vampire hunter – and that meant I was supposed to have super-strength and super-speed.

But my hunter powers hadn’t come.

Ever since that fight with Skull, his thin, corpse-like figure had been branded onto my brain. Even now, as I pressed my back against the wall, out of sight of the windows, I tensed with anger.

He beat me! I wasn’t strong enough!

I shook my head to clear it, not wanting to think about Skull’s leering face any longer. I was meant to be sneaking out; I couldn’t let myself lose focus. So, with quiet steps, I sidled along the wall of the house, then stopped at the edge of the front lawn. Even though I knew Mum was out on a mission and Dad was busy in the kitchen, I checked and double-checked the front garden, then glanced into the windows to make sure no one was watching. When I was sure the coast was clear, I hurried across the grass.

At that moment, a 4×4 screeched onto the drive, leaving tyre marks on the road. I tried to hide, but it was too late. Mum had seen me.

Where are you going? she barked as she climbed out of the car. Her black hair was sweaty and loose strands had fallen out of her ponytail. She slammed the door so hard I thought the window would smash. Get back in the house, right now.

I stood my ground. You can’t keep me here every weekend, I told her. I’m seeing my friends.

April might be your friend, she said. The other one is a parasite.

His name is Dimi, I reminded her, and he’s my friend, whether you like it or not. We’d had this conversation so many times. I didn’t want to have it again. Instead, I turned my back on her and started walking towards the bus stop.

We’re vampire hunters, Henrietta! she called after me. You should be hunting that boy, not making friendship bracelets with him!

But Dimi wasn’t any old vampire. She knew that. He couldn’t drink blood. It couldn’t touch him, couldn’t even go near him. Some unknown magic repelled it from him. Dimi was pure-hearted – a born vampire who had emotions and a conscience – and Hunters didn’t hunt pure-hearts.

Take one more step, she shouted, and I’ll make sure Grigore Nox never leaves hunter headquarters!

I froze. Grigore Nox was Dimi’s father. After the Hunters’ Corp found out he was a vampire, they’d stormed his mansion on the cliffs just outside town. Willingly, he’d let them take him away so they could assess him, make sure he wasn’t dangerous. Now, he was being kept at headquarters (wherever that was), and I could only hope he wasn’t being harmed. Dimi, on the other hand, had been allowed to stay in Brightwood. Since blood couldn’t touch him, the Hunters’ Corp had deemed him harmless. With his dad gone, it had been left up to Dimi’s tutor, Maggie, to look after him.

I hear Grigore isn’t doing very well, Mum said. The hunters on guard duty keep forgetting to feed him.

He’s innocent, I said.

Grigore Nox is a vampire, she replied, and if you ever want to see him freed, then you’ll get back inside.

You’d really keep him locked up just so you can blackmail me? I asked, contempt in my voice.

I’ll do anything to protect you, she said, her tone matter-of-fact.

Barely containing my temper, I stormed past her, but she grabbed my arm then held out her hand. Phone, she said.

Scowling, I reached into my pocket and handed it to her. I’d only recently been allowed a phone, but since she’d given it to me, Mum had spent most of her time confiscating it.

It’s for your own good.

I didn’t answer. I strode into the house and ran up to my room. As I kicked the door shut, I heard Mum downstairs moaning at Dad – no doubt telling him off for not watching me closely enough. While they argued, I reached underneath my bed, shoved aside my carving tools and my chest of stakes, then lifted one of the grey-painted floorboards. Beneath it lay a gaudy bracelet I’d taken from the vampire ship – and an emergency phone Dimi had given me. The bracelet contained a black stone called the Lacuna Gem, a mystical object that stopped magic working, but, right now, I was after the phone. I brushed the bracelet aside.

Not coming, I typed. Grounded. I sent the message to April and Dimi then carefully placed the phone back under the floorboard and covered it up again.

Once I was done, I sat on my bed breathing heavily, trying to calm my anger. I automatically reached for my phone to put on some music, then sighed as I remembered Mum had confiscated it. Annoyed, I linked up the ancient CD player on my chest of drawers to the wireless speakers on my desk and put on my favourite heavy metal band, The Crows. While I listened, I stretched my muscles then worked on some core strength exercises, careful not to injure my recovering body. Afterwards, I lay in a heap on the floor.

I tried not to think about April and Dimi meeting up without me. I only hoped they wouldn’t end up getting into some sort of trouble – not an unlikely event in Brightwood. It was strange how many supernatural goings-on happened here. It was a sleepy seaside town with old-fashioned cobbled streets, tourist shops and farmers’ markets, but it had one of the biggest graveyards in England, and the town seemed to attract the paranormal. You’d never know by its appearance: its farmlands were lazy with cows and pigs, and Baywater Beach was always busy with families, couples and dog walkers – even at this dreary time of year. Surrounding the town were rolling fields of crops and winding country lanes. To the south-west was the harbour, which smelt of fish, greasy chips and vinegar. The docks were draped with tangled nets. Rusty fishing boats bobbed on the water.

And I have to stay inside all day, grounded.

I closed my eyes and felt the music thumping through the floorboards, thumping through my bones.

Chapter 2

I was standing on a mound of earth surrounded, on all sides, by a red sea. Floating on the water was an old rowing boat. The boat was close, but not close enough to reach, no matter how hard I tried. Inside it was Skull and April. The ancient vampire leaned over her like a skeletal predator, a sharp ironwood stake in his hand. Beneath him, April whimpered and cowered. Her golden hair clung to her face with sweat. The boat rocked ominously.

I tried to move from the island on which I stood, to jump into the red water, but I couldn’t.

I know! Skull hissed up at me in his cold voice. I’ll kill this lovely blonde one first and make you watch.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to stop him. But I was sinking into the mound of earth.

Skull towered over April. She tried to crawl away, to jump into the crimson water, but he whipped her around to face him then lifted the stake in both hands.

Without hesitation, he stabbed her in the chest.

No! I screamed.

I sank deeper into the earth, grabbing at the soil to pull myself up. That’s when I realised it wasn’t soil at all. The earth wasn’t soft in my hands. It was hard and cold. Its colour was wrong too – white and yellow.

Bones! I yelled. I’m on a mound of bones!

The skeletons suddenly transformed, one of them into Dimi, another into April, one into Bane Larkin. More and more people piled up around me and I sank beneath them.

I woke with a start, gasping for breath.

I was still lying on the floor, the same music playing. Pale daylight came in through the window. I must’ve drifted off for a few minutes.

I shuddered at the memory of the dream. Except part of it had been more than a dream. Three weeks ago, on a ship full of vampires, Skull really had stabbed April in the chest. I’d been forced to watch helplessly, injured and useless, as he drove the stake towards her heart. She’d survived thanks to her necklace, which had blasted Skull with a beam of yellow magic and knocked him unconscious.

Now, as I lay on my bedroom floor, I saw him stab her again and again in my mind. I tried to shut it off. I sat up and slammed my fists against the floor.

Suddenly, the door opened and Mum came in. I tried to appear calm, but she looked at me with concern. She’d fixed her hair, which was pulled tightly into a perfect bun. Without a word, she walked over to my speakers and switched them off. Wondering if she was going to shout at me again, I stood up, tensed for another argument, but, to my surprise, she sat on my bed, an uncharacteristically soft expression on her face.

I’m sorry, she said stiffly. I don’t like keeping you here against your will.

Then let me leave, I said.

She sighed. Henrietta, I’m worried about you – and not just because Dimi is a vampire. She stood up, then paced over to the window. Friends are a dangerous thing for a hunter to have – I learned that the hard way. April is a witch, but that doesn’t mean she’s safe from harm.

But didn’t you have a witch friend once? I asked, remembering what Dad had told me when I found a cabinet full of ‘witch stuff’ in the basement.

Yes, she replied in a strained voice. She was a good friend. A powerful witch. But then… Her voice trailed off. You know, April was lucky to survive on that ship. It was foolish of you to bring her with you.

My dream came back to me in a rush. I flinched.

You and I fight vampires, Henrietta, Mum continued. They will always come after us. They will do anything they can to hurt us.

Are you saying I can’t have friends? I asked.

No, she replied. I’m saying that witches and humans are fragile. Never forget that. Sometimes it’s easier to work alone.

I took a step towards her. What happened to your friend – the witch?

Mum didn’t answer. Instead, she swept past me towards the door. If you really do care about April and Dimi, she said, then you’ll stay away from them. Trust me, Henrietta, it’s for the best. With that, she left.

I flicked the speakers back on and tried to drown out Mum’s words, but they lingered in my mind. Would I end up getting April and Dimi hurt? I’d almost got them killed on the vampire ship. Was it just a matter of time before they died for real?

Just because something bad happened to Mum’s friend, that doesn’t mean the same thing will happen to April or Dimi.

To distract myself, I pulled out my yoga mat in order to do some more strength training, but a knock at my bedroom door made me pause.

To my shock, the person who opened it wasn’t Mum or Dad. Instead, I found myself staring perplexedly at April. As she walked inside, I felt a grin spread across my face.

Her golden hair was styled in a plait which hung over one shoulder. She wore a white dress under a yellow cardigan. In one hand she held her violin case and in the other a sheet of music.

What are you doing here? I asked. The obvious enthusiasm in my voice made my cheeks flush.

You said you couldn’t come out, she told me, so I thought I’d come to you instead. I’m not sure your mum was very pleased, though.

She wasn’t rude to you, was she? I asked.

No, not at all, April replied as she placed her violin on my bed. She just didn’t look very happy to see me. Walking over to my desk, she grimaced. What are you listening to?

The Crows, I said. I think you’ll like them. They’re just your sort of thing.

She snorted. I know what we need!

What’s that? I asked with trepidation.

The best country singer in the world, of course!

I shook my head. No! I said.

Oh yes! She clicked a button on the speakers and The Crows stopped playing. Then she connected her phone. Immediately, April’s favourite – and terrible – singer came belting out of the speakers (a country pop star who was always singing about love and failed relationships). My eardrums bled.

Anything but this! I yelled.

She laughed as she danced around the room, her golden plait flying, her arms moving wildly through the air and her yellow necklace bouncing up and down.

I could do nothing but watch and groan, then sigh in relief when a slow number came on and she sat down on the bed next to me.

She fiddled with her ring – a gold band with a yellow, triangle-shaped gem set into it. Her expression became serious. The sky outside was darkening and my room felt suddenly shadowy.

Has your grandma told you any more about the witch stuff? I asked her tentatively. As I expected, she went quiet, covering the ring with her hand.

April, I said, there’s nothing wrong with being a—

If I tell you what I know, will you promise to stop asking me? she said, her tone serious.

Why was she so reluctant to talk about being a witch? Ever since the night on the ship, she’d refused to discuss it. I didn’t understand. Her witch powers had saved her life! Both our lives. Without her magic, Skull would’ve killed us…

Promise, Etty? she said. No more bringing up the witch stuff.

Reluctantly, I nodded.

Gran says my powers will awaken in the next few years. She uncovered the ring, which shone dully in the weak daylight. The yellow gem represents the sun, so my power comes from sunlight. Gran’s ring is blue, which means her power comes from water.

So what is your power, exactly? I asked.

I won’t know until it awakens, she replied, wincing. But Gran told me all witches have something called a ‘Sight’.

Sight? I asked. You’ll be able to see better?

She didn’t smile. Her lips didn’t even twitch. She fiddled with the ring, pulling at it, trying to get it off. No, she replied. Every witch’s Sight is different. When mine finally comes, I might be able to see the future or the past, or see through objects or even see other people’s memories. I can’t think of anything worse than being able to snoop into people’s minds like that…

I shuddered at the thought of April seeing into my thoughts. She’d see my memory of that day on the ship. She’d watch herself being stabbed in the chest over and over again.

What about you? April asked, tapping her foot as the next song came on. Have your hunter powers come yet?

Since I saw you at school yesterday? I said. Nope. Still slow and weak.

She took my hand. You’re neither of those things.

You nearly died, I blurted. I was meant to protect you and I wasn’t strong enough. You never should’ve been there on that ship. Skull should never have…

She pulled her hand away. I’m glad you want to protect me, she said, but you have to let me protect myself.

You can’t, I thought. Vampires are stronger and faster than you. You can’t fight them.

We fell silent.

So how come you couldn’t sneak out to meet us? April asked, changing the subject.

Mum threatened to keep Dimi’s dad locked up forever, I told her, my voice sour. She said if I left, she’d make sure he never got out of hunter headquarters.

Can she do that?

Probably.

April tapped her phone, turning the music off. My room felt eerily quiet without it. Both his parents, she said, shaking her head. Dimi’s mum’s dead and now his dad’s locked away.

I realised this was the first time in three weeks that we’d been alone together without Dimi, the first time I’d had the chance to tell her my suspicions. But now that it came to it, I wasn’t sure whether I should. April, I said hesitantly, I think… I think Dimi’s mum might be alive.

What do you mean? she asked.

"When I was on the ship, the vampire queen told me she’d once had a husband and a child. But she had to leave them when they were attacked by hunters. When Dimi’s dad appeared on the queen’s ship, he knew her. And the queen started acting afraid. I swear, it seemed like she felt guilty for hurting Dimi. She kept saying, I didn’t know, I didn’t know."

April’s mouth was hanging open. So you think the vampire queen is Dimi’s mother? she asked.

It makes sense, I said. I know Dimi’s dad told him his mum died when he was young, but maybe he just didn’t want to tell Dimi the truth. If the vampire queen is his mum, it explains why Dimi is so powerful. You know the prophecy – he’s meant to become the strongest vampire in the world if he drinks blood.

If she’s his mother, then why is she – you know – all evil? April asked.

I sighed gravely. When Dimi was a baby, my mum ordered an attack on his family. The queen had to drink blood to survive. It turned her evil.

April opened her mouth to speak, but stopped abruptly when a bird-like shape came flapping through the window. I reached under my pillow, grabbed my stake, and leapt into a fighting stance.

April switched on the bedside lamp. As light filled the room, my eyes focused on the unknown creature. It had featherless, black wings and a furry face. When I saw its purple ears, I lowered my weapon. It was a bat. But not just any bat.

Dimi! April said.

I shushed her, then moved to the door, listening in case Mum had heard.

Sorry, she whispered.

The bat’s wings closed around itself and its body folded unnaturally. Then the fluffy mass stretched outwards into a purple swathe of material that formed into a purple frock coat with silver buttons. The coat hugged tightly to the slim figure of Dimi Nox. He stood in the centre of the room, beaming, his black hair styled into a perfect side-parting. His coat – his new favourite item of clothing, despite the strange looks he’d received at school for wearing it – matched his violet eyes, which were wide with excitement. I remembered when he’d first unveiled the coat, how he’d told April and me that it reminded him of the jackets the men wore in Pride and Prejudice (a film he was obsessed with, which was set in a time where women had to wear dresses at all times and all they ever seemed to talk about was finding a husband). He’d said the coat made him feel like an actor. I’d been stunned into silence by Dimi’s genuine excitement: a born vampire dreaming of becoming a film star – it seemed mad.

At present, he was wearing a similar expression of glee. Did you see? he asked. The w-window was only open a fraction! I got through it! I got through it! I’m getting better at this flying thing!

Chapter 3

Dimi rushed to hug April. When they split apart, he sent me a shy wave.

H-hi, Etty, he said.

April nudged me. As I moved to hug him, his eyes went wide. At the look of fright on his face, I stuck out my hand instead. I could tell April wasn’t impressed, but what was I supposed to do?

I’d been horrible to Dimi when we first met. I’d suspected him of being a vampire, and vampires were meant to be bloodthirsty killers, unable to show kindness or love – that’s what I’d been told all my life, anyway. But it turned out a vampire could be good, as long as they never drank blood. Dimi was one such vampire.

I had a feeling Dimi had never forgotten how cruel I’d been to him when we’d first met. Worst of all was the time he’d almost plummeted to his death at Seer’s Cove. I’d been so close to letting him fall; the memory sent a pang of shame and guilt coursing through me.

I sat down on the bed as April and Dimi chatted. It was strange being friends with a vampire. Even now, I couldn’t quite believe Dimi was in my room. I just hoped things wouldn’t always be so awkward between us. I hoped, one day, Dimi would forgive me.

Soon, bat-Dimi was flying around the room while April threw sweets up into the air for him to catch in his mouth. She’d taken the sweets out of her violin case, inside which she also had a packet of pink bubble gum and a small bottle of cream soda (her favourite). Most of the sweets fell back down onto the floor, missed by Dimi’s tiny bat mouth.

Once all the sweets were either eaten or strewn across the floor, Dimi morphed into his human form and sat in the window seat, leaning against the glass. E-Etty, he said, y-your room is so grey.

Well, I like grey, I replied. But, let me guess. You’d prefer it to be purple.

Yes, he answered brightly. That’s because it’s the best colour. He batted his eyelashes, showing off his purple eyes.

April and I laughed. Dimi’s cheeks went pink.

I guess I shouldn’t really like purple, Dimi said. I’m supposed to be the most powerful vampire in the world. I should like black and grey like Etty.

April went to sit next to him. You like whatever colour you want, she told him. We don’t care.

I nodded in agreement.

Dimi pulled his legs up and rested his chin on his knees. I don’t think purple will suit me when I’m the cruellest, most evil vampire that ever lived, he muttered. All I n-need is the Lacuna Gem and some blood and I’ll become the next Dracula. A tense silence fell. It was true that Dimi could become the most powerful and cruel vampire in the world if he drank blood. Thankfully, blood couldn’t come near Dimi. But if he wore the bracelet with the Lacuna Gem set into it, blood was no longer repelled by him and he could drink as much as he wanted.

Wh-where is it? he asked into the silence, his face tense with worry. Where’s the bracelet?

It’s hidden under my bed, under the floorboards, I replied. Don’t worry. It’s safe.

N-n one can get their hands on that gem, he said. I c-couldn’t… I don’t want to become…

I leaned forward. I’m not going to let anyone take it, I promise, I told him firmly.

There’s a problem, April said. The witches want the Lacuna Gem back. Gail’s determined to find it. I think she’s worried someone will try to use it against the coven since it repels their magic.

Well, they’re not getting it back from me, I said, my tone resolute.

Dimi went quiet. He picked at a loose thread on his coat.

Seeing him so miserable, I pointed April towards her violin and mimed for her to play. She stood up, drew her bow out of her case, and rested the violin on her shoulder. The moment she started playing, Dimi lifted his head.

Dance for us, Dimi, April encouraged.

Within a minute, he was on his feet. He danced around the room, performing spins and leaps as if he was on stage at the National Ballet.

Has Maggie started teaching you again? I asked him.

Yes, he replied, executing a perfect pirouette. Ballet lessons every night. It’s nice having her look after me again. He stopped dancing. I do miss Dad, though – d-do you know when he’ll be back?

April’s violin fell silent. We exchanged a look.

I’m not sure, I told him. Soon, hopefully.

If he suspected I was lying, he didn’t show it.

April put down her violin and tapped her phone. A blue light flashed on the wireless speakers. Dimi, let’s dance together, she said.

I sighed as whiny pop music began to belt through my room, then watched as they danced hand in hand, twirling in circles, Dimi’s coat fanning around him. Despite several attempts to get me up, I stayed firmly on the bed. I wasn’t a dancer. I was likely to tread on someone’s foot or whack someone in the face.

As the second song started, Dimi beamed. I know this one! he said ecstatically. Laughing, April spun him and he whirled on the spot, his eyes crinkling.