Fantasy Vampire Stories

What follows is a complete fantasy vampire story, suitable for all ages. It is a short tale, but a chilling one. Not one you'd want your kids to read alone, especially with the lights turned down low.

What happens when two friends take on a dare to enter the town cemetery on a full moon? And just who is this tall, dark, and devilishly handsome prince Alicia keeps telling Jasmine about? Does Jasmine want to meet this guy, or is it just another one of Cathy's practical jokes?

All these questions will be answered by reading the tale. Just remember to gargle with garlic, and leave the lights on!

A Fantasy Vampire Story by Dennis Moore

Jasmine stood at the rusted open gates of the cemetery looking in at the silhouetted outlines of the tombstones rising up against the blackened sky. She moved from foot to foot, wanting the fear in her heart to run away. It wasn't working. Alicia, her best friend since kindergarten, was missing, and Jasmine feared the worst had happened.

Alicia had gone inside on a dare. Not from Jasmine , but from Cathy, their friend from school. Alicia was not one to back down from a dare, especially from Cathy, no matter what the risks of danger were. Alicia showed no fear, and didn't think anything of being cautious. The thought of Alicia in the cemetery alone on a dark night just didn't sit well with Jasmine. But Alicia insisted on going in alone.

She worried that Alicia's lack of concern for her own safety had finally caught up to her.

Fifteen minutes. That's all Cathy told Alicia to be in the cemetery for. Jasmine called out to her from the cemetery gates, but only silence responded. Jasmine had not wanted to follow Alicia into the cemetery, owing to the fact that her cautious side did enough worrying for both girls. Standing alone outside the gates was as close as Jasmine wanted to get to the resting place of the dearly departed.

Left behind at the gates, with too much time on her hands, Jasmine began to think back on the behavior Alicia had been showing the last few weeks. Jasmine couldn't place the odd behavior, but knew that there was definitely a change in Alicia's personality. She was more bold, with more spring in her step.

She kept going on and on about the new man in her life. Not the "boys" they both knew at school. This new man was nothing like those doofuses. This man, much older than what they were used to, had made a marked change in Alicia's personality. She would spend hours away with this mysterious stranger, going only they knew where. But Jasmine never saw this new man, this Prince Charming. Ever. Could Alicia have been making him up? Jasmine wondered.

Whenever Jasmine inquired about him, Alicia would just say how devilishly handsome he was, although he did have his bad side.

Jasmine just couldn't understand why, even though devilishly handsome, Alicia would want to put up with any negative side effects to this man. Alicia just pointed out how his bad side could be overlooked just by looking into his intoxicatingly beautiful blue eyes.

But Jasmine just didn't seem convinced that Alicia did overlook Mr. Tall (did she say he was tall?), dark and devilishly handsome's bad self. She seemed reluctant to mention it much to Jasmine . And she didn't make eye contact when she did. This was not the Alicia Jasmine knew and loved.

The only other thing Alicia would say about Mr. Devilishly Handsome was that he was unlike anyone Alicia had ever met, that he carried himself with an air of quiet confidence that just drew her to him. This kind of talk worried Jasmine . Alicia was so naïve and gullible, that this character could be thinking of the most terrible things to influence her friend. But Alicia had just shrugged and laughed the whole thing off as no big deal.

"You'll see what I mean," Alicia had announced that afternoon. "Cathy dared me to meet him in the cemetery on the night of the full moon."

"Why the cemetery?" Jasmine had asked her friend. "And what does Cathy have to do with anything?"

"Cathy was the one who introduced us."

That was when Jasmine 's blood froze. Nothing good ever came from Cathy's involvement in anything.

During the past few weeks, Jasmine had forgotten all about him, until the tonight, night of the full moon, had arrived, and Alicia had been gone inside the cemetery longer than Jasmine had hoped she would be. Worse, the air started getting a lot colder, so much so that Jasmine could see her breath forming in misty clouds in front of her face.

And, of course, when Alicia didn't answer her increasingly frantic calls from outside the gates, Jasmine began to think the worst had happened to her. Could Cathy be playing a nasty joke on Alicia? Maybe Jasmine was the butt of her joke this time. What if this "devilishly handsome" man of Alicia's was on America's Most Wanted?

Ridiculous, Jasmine tried to convince herself. Alicia simply went wandering too far in, too far off the beaten path. She got lost at the mall, for crying out loud. But hearing her voice talking about this man's "bad side" failed to console Jasmine 's growing fear.

When rationale failed to reason with fear, she gave up and headed between the gateposts. It didn't help that the rusty iron gates chose at that moment to swing outward, it's grating screech dancing up and down her nerves. She never did like dramatic entrances.

She paused just inside the entrance to steel herself, both against the biting cold growing in the air about her, and against the nagging doubt that Alicia was okay, that nothing had happened to her.

The icy sting of the air bit ferociously at her cheeks, making her regret that she didn't bring more appropriate attire for a chilly night.

Feebly, fighting against the growing chill, she called Alicia's name out. As soon as it came out of her mouth, Jasmine doubted her friend could hear it. The frosty air did a great job of strangling the sound as soon as it had escaped her lips. Jasmine hoped Alicia didn't get very far.

Ahead in the gloomy night, a large crypt rose to blot out what few stars crept out overhead. The crypt housed the remains of some unknown founders of their town, centuries at rest, gathering dust. It stood nearly in the center of the cemetery, denoting whatever importance these now-unknown ancestors held in town once upon a time. Could Alicia have been drawn to this building, called on by her man? These and many more unpleasant thoughts bombarded Jasmine 's mind as she raced toward the lifeless structure.

"Alicia!" she called.

Still moving against her, the cold wind grabbed her voice and obliterated it. She moved cautiously toward the crypt, fearful of who - or what - she might find there. The stony ground yielded nothing to her, seemed to to slow her down instead. Maybe she was just imagining this. Was the air getting colder, too?

"I'm not amused, Alicia..." she said, half-heartedly.

She reached the crypt. The door already lay open.

Beyond lay darkness, uninviting and colder still.

Her body screamed out its silent protest against moving forward. Her skin seemed to go in reverse, even as her joints pulled against it, struggling to approach the door. An uneasiness started up her spine, seizing hold on her heart in an icy grip. Suddenly, she felt someone was watching her. She spun around to see no one, just the shadows.

"Alicia, are you in here?" She still hadn't gotten her voice back, as the words died silently on her lips. She crept through the darkened doorway and into the crypt. Jasmine looked around the interior, not wanting to wait for her eyes to adjust, not really wanting to see what was waiting for her within.

"Alicia, why are you doing this to me? What did I do to you?"

Silence answered her, as cold and chilly as the air Jasmine tried not to breathe.

"I am so done with this. Do you hear me? I'm leaving...now. I'll see you back at the dorm."

Jasmine was no longer afraid for Alicia. Irritation turned her fear into a silent rage. Whatever fun and games Alicia played at - probably with help from Cathy - Jasmine wanted no part of it. Turning on her heel in the dark crypt, she stomped off toward the door.

"Have fun with your new best friend, Alicia dear," Jasmine muttered, leaving the crypt and trudging off back in the direction of the front gates.

Approaching the rusted gates again, she noticed something off to the side, within the cemetery walls, near the entrance, that caused her to stop short. The shadows made it difficult to see anything, so it surprised her that she could even see anything at all, but the frigid night wind seemed to chase the black shadows away just long enough to reveal its secrets. Disbelieving it at first, she stopped. Sitting on the ground, looking at her, was a head.

Alicia's head.

Jasmine 's jaw dropped open.

Where the rest of Alicia's body went off to, Jasmine had know idea, but the girl's head was just sitting on the ground all by itself.

Finally Jasmine worked out a scream. Alicia's eyes, staring blankly at her, wasn't the least of the eerie pose she was left in. Her jaw worked open in what appeared to be the start of a scream. Whoever had decapitated her didn't wait for her to cry out. Jasmine started inching her way backward, away from the gruesome head, unable to look away. Who could have done this, and so quickly?

The sensation she felt earlier returned again, icing her spine. She wanted to run, to get the hell out of that cemetery, but she just couldn't work up the will to send the right messages to her legs, to kick them into gear. She knew that someone - or something - had ripped Alicia's head clean off and placed it for Jasmine to find just inside the cemetery gates. She also knew that this same spectre, whatever it was, still hovered nearby, and had its sights set on her. Forcing herself to come to grips with this macabre reality, she tore herself free from her inaction and began to advance upon the iron gates.

This lasted roughly twelve seconds, before she realized that cold, stony hands reached around her waist, pulling her backwards. She screamed. A man stood behind her. Not just a man, but Alicia's supposed Prince Charming, her tall, dark and "devilishly" handsome suitor. Her killer. Turning and forcing herself to look at him, she grew horrified at what she saw. Solid black eyes, set within a face illuminated in frosty whiteness against the lights upon the cemetery walls, glared at her hungrily.

Please tell me I'm not seeing this, Jasmine pleaded silently. Vampires aren't supposed to be real.

Yet, when he opened his mouth to reveal a sharp set of canine-like incisors, Jasmine knew this one was real. His sweet breath was fogging up her senses, and she grew dizzy. He hissed at her, low and steady, sounding sharp even above the shrill howl of the cold wind still blowing around them.

As she found herself being drawn closer to his large, granite frame, she could hear herself in her mind, screaming at the rest of her to break loose and run. Finally getting the hint, her arms flew out, catching the dark figure by surprise, and his grip faltered. Long enough for her to launch herself in the only direction her eyes could see clearly at the moment.

The crypt.

She darted forward, just has he tried to grab hold of her again, and nearly succeeded, but found himself with just a bit of her shirt, as she tore free of his tightening grip and ran for all she was worth. Her chest immediately heaved in sharp pain. She cursed herself for not running for weeks, something she had done every day since she could remember. So much for healthy exercise, now that it mattered most.

Sucking in more icy air, she dashed toward the crypt's still open door, the vision of Alicia's death stare, her bodiless head gaping at her with lifeless eyes, emblazoning itself in her mind's eye. She ignored the agonizing protest her body began to make at this unnatural exertion, and launched herself at the crypt.

If I could just get inside, she thought, and bar the door. He can't get me then. I'll be safe.

She barely escaped his reaching fingers as he lunged for her. Nothing short of amazing, she felt, considering the speed these creatures were known to possess. Facing death did that to a person, she guessed, as she slipped quickly through the crypt's entrance. If she could keep this vampire out of the crypt until the sun came up in a few hours, he would have no choice but to leave her alone. She could handle a few hours amongst the dead, waiting for the undead to fly...or fry.

Oddly, she smiled at her thoughts as she ran for her life. What strange things to run through her mind moments from death. This led her to think of her friend, Alicia. She only hoped her friend met a quick and painless death. The image of Alicia's contorted face left doubt about it.

She let a wave of grief spill across her senses, mourning her friend, before pulling herself together and shutting the crypt door behind her with a loud, wooded bang. Instantly, her sanctuary plunged into a hideous blackness.

It was in the confining darkness of the crypt that Jasmine 's body finally took to trembling with fear. She did the only thing her mind allowed her to consider doing. She dropped to the stone cold floor of the crypt, among the dusty coffins of the departed of her community, and wrapped herself tightly into a fetal position, letting her body work through the enormity of her ungodly circumstances. She wondered if praying would help her now. Not being much of a religious person, she felt she had to at least try.

It was in the midst of praying that she heard the scratching from the vampire's claw-like fingers, raking across the cement wall of the crypt. He was circling the building, looking for a way in. Tears began flowing freely from her eyes now, and she didn't stop to wipe them clear. She remained there, huddled in fear in a tiny ball on the floor, wondering if she would ever see daylight in this life again.

Up on the slated roof of the crypt, she heard a heavy thud. Her pursuer had landed atop the building. Was there a way in up there, she wondered, shivering. She didn't think crypts needed ventilation. It was then that she realized the roof was made of wood underneath the slate shingles. She prayed hard he didn't try to lift any of them.

She heard the sound of rocky shingles being pried up from their moorings. She quickly abandoned her futile prayers. This creature's gonna kill me, and I don't know how to stop him! She thought with despair.

She saw him above her head, staring down at her with his coal black, hating eyes. He had made it through into her sanctuary. She tried to be still, knowing how ridiculous this seemed when the creature could see her in the dark anyway. But her mind refused to work. This crypt was to become her grave. She wished she could just fade into the dark shadows of the room, and hide amongst the dead, so she didn't have to be one.

A hiss emitted from the vampire, along with a throaty growl of satisfaction. He dropped down to the stone floor with a light thud, so near to where she lay in rigid fear, that Jasmine felt sure he could hear the rapid beating of her terrified heart. She twitched, and her foot brushed up against a cold piece of metal. Not sure what the object was doing on the floor of the crypt, and not caring either, she grabbed it, hoping beyond hope that legends of staking vampires through the heart were true.

Hell, she thought, this vampire is real, so the legends better be too!

One end was cold and sharp, and hope welled inside her chest. Maybe, just maybe, if she struck fast and sure, she could run this beast through, and end its hunt for her head. Braving a move, she rose to her feet, her weapon held out before her.

The vampire was near. She could feel his presence close to her, feel the warmth of his sweet breath on her skin. Fighting off the dizziness, she leaped forward, and thrust the business end of her metal stick deep into the creature's torso. Being in the dark, she was unable to tell exactly where it entered the vampire's body.

He screeched, and she knew she had hurt him. She pulled back and thrust again, twisting the metal around, hoping to do more damage than just piercing his dead heart. She waited a moment for the warm sensation of blood to flow out from his chest and all over her hands, but stopped that thought short when she remembered that vampires were without blood.

The vampire stepped back, howling with fury at her attack. He must not have expected this short girl to put up such a fight. Jasmine took a brief moment to be pleased with herself, before thrusting the metal spear at another part of his torso. Again and again, she thrust, twisted, and pulled her weapon free. This gave her confidence, especially since the vampire did not immediately fight back. But she knew better than to get cocky with this foe. He was a vampire, for pete's sake. And what was she? A cheerleader. She couldn't very well pom-pom him to death, and he certainly wouldn't allow her to continue jabbing him like this for much longer.

One final thrust, and she left the metal rod in his chest. The vampire fell back upon the floor with a grunt. He was still breathing, so Jasmine wondered momentarily what this vampire was thinking as it lie upon the floor. Now, maybe she could get away. Maybe the wounds she inflicted on his torso would keep him here in the crypt, his breathing shallow and ragged, long enough for her to make it back to the dorms, and the safety of her schoolmates, and her room. She stepped away from the vampire and ran from the crypt.

She didn't get far, though. Passing by the site that was the final resting place of poor Alicia's head, she was stopped dead in her flight.

Alicia's head was not where it had been moments ago. All that remained was the small, circular patch of grass that had been matted down, and a limpid pool of blood.

Growing dizzy, sickened with grief at the loss of her lifelong friend, Jasmine wished more than anything that she could just lie where she stood and sleep. She fought off the growing temptation, before becoming aware of someone standing behind her.

It was not the vampire, as she expected when she turned to face the person. Instead, it was Alicia.

Head reunited once more with body, Alicia resembled nothing of the vibrant fellow cheerleader Jasmine had shared life experiences with for the last thirteen years. Thirteen, Jasmine thought grimly. Go figure.

Alicia's grin revealed a pair of sharp fangs.

Jasmine blinked, hoping this was a sick, twisted dream, that she had fallen asleep outside the cemetery gates waiting for Alicia. That her friend had found her lying there and had shaken her awake to complain about not standing watch. But, the truth yawned before her in the deathly pale face, the biting grin, the same coal black eyes shared by her murderer. The undead had come calling on Alicia.

"Oh, Alicia," Jasmine began to sob. "I'm so sorry..."

"Why?" Alicia looked genuinely puzzled. "I've found my Prince Charming at last! I told you he was tall, dark and devilishly handsome!"

"Not to mention a cold, calculating killer, and a vampire!"

"But he's chosen me, Jasmine ! I'm his bride now! And you didn't believe me that he would!"

"It's not that I didn't believe you, Alicia. I just didn't think your boyfriend was a vampire."

"A minor detail. I don't mind at all!"

"Of course not. You're dead!"

"He can help you, too, you know."

Jasmine felt a chill - not from the wind - race up her spine again. "I don't think so, Alicia."

"Sure. It'll be alright. We'll always be friends then. Inseparable." She took a step toward Jasmine , malice written across her expression.

"Not exactly what I have in mind." Jasmine began backing slowly away. She couldn't move fast enough. For some reason, her feet wanted to stay rooted to the grass.

"Imagine all the fun we could have," Alicia went on. "No more school. Just Nordstroms. Shoes..." She advanced a few more feet.

Jasmine glanced over Alicia's shoulder at the crypt. The door was opened, exactly as she had left it. But where was Alicia's vampire groom? She felt he couldn't have slipped out of the crypt through the door. She looked cursorily all around her. No one but Alicia was nearby. And Alicia was now getting uncomfortably close, her outstretched hands reminding Jasmine of all those bad 50s vampire movies they used to watch as kids. She wasn't laughing now, however.

Ducking around her friend's porcelain hands, she turned to bolt through the creeping gates.

And fell into the hardened - healed - chest of someone tall, dark, and devilishly handsome.

The End

Please let me know what you thought of my story. Many more are planned, some free to read like this one, others not so free but still as good. All criticism is accepted, both the good and the bad!