Breathin》Stranger Things

Twenty-Three

"Took you guys long enough," Dustin complained as Steve and I caught up with the group. "Are you forgetting our mission here?"

"Sorry," I apologized before giving Steve a look. "But someone's arm is still bleeding and since I haven't had blood in years it's been, kind of, messing with my senses. So, I had to cover his arm up some more."

Dustin gave Steve a look. "Not cool, bro." Steve looked hella offended as Dustin walked over and grabbed my wrist before pulling me with him. "Let's go, Bels, you don't need Steve's nasty blood near you. If it comes to it, you can drink from me."

I chuckled. "Dustin, I appreciate the offer but I don't drink from kids."

"Still doesn't explain why you drank from Steve."

"I'm still right here," Steve said.

Lucas let out a huh. "Now that I think about it...Bela being a vampire explains a lot of things," he said before motioning to Dustin. "Like how she got to us fast before Billy almost ran us over."

"Vampire speed!" Dustin beamed.

"Super hearing," Max mumbled to herself, which I wouldn't have been able to pick up if I didn't have super hearing. "Billy came home one day all pissed off because somehow you overheard him talking to Steve and was confused how you were able to do it."

"Plenty of bitches in the sea," Steve and I recited.

I nodded. "Yeah, I almost ripped his throat out that day."

Steve asked, "Why did I stop you?"

"Because you're a good friend. And be glad I haven't met you months ago or else it would have been your hands I'd be cutting off, Harrington."

He furrowed his brows. "Why would you -" I gave him a pointed look as he realized the incident I was talking about. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh. Nancy gave me the gist about your starting relationship. Be glad we're friends now or else I would have compelled you to run around the school naked with the words dick sprayed across your chest."

"So you can compel us to do whatever you want?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah. But I can't compel you guys because of your bracelets."

"Our bracelets?" Dustin questioned.

I motioned to the bracelet I gave the boys a while back. "Yeah. Your bracelets are dipped and contain a special herb, vervain, that repels any vampire's compulsion. It does more than just that...it also burns us like acid so if you guys got any water and let some soak in it, all you really need to do is throw it at a vampire's face. It won't kill us but it will give you a few more seconds to either flee or snap our necks." This time I gave the boys a pointed look. "Any of you try this one me as some prank and I will make your lives miserable."

"I wouldn't want to mess with a vampire," Max said.

This time I looked at her. "And now I need to grab you one once we're done finding Dart."

Lucas scoffed. "If that was him." He looked at Dustin. "You positive that was Dart."

"Yes," Dustin answered in annoyance. "He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt."

"He was tiny two days ago," Max said.

"Well, he's molted three times already."

"Malted?" Steve tried to understand.

"Molted. Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms."

"I should be pissed that you guys kept this from me," I started. "But we need to find him before he molts again. Which is when?"