A/N: The book I'm beginning my story with is "Eleventh Grade Burns". The reason for this is, well, not only is that my favorite book in the entire COVT series, but also because it fits the tone and ambience I'm trying to apply to my OC's. The story will follow very closely to the book at first, but will slowly and surely separate itself when the characters are first introduced. Just in case you're wondering, considering that this is a PJatO/COVT crossover, there will be mentions of Percy, Annabeth, Travis and Connor, and Nico. THERE WILL NOT BE A PERCABETH COUPLING. There will be my own OC for that too. Don't worry, it will all be explained through out my story, and I will be posting a PJatO story as well with the same couplings as the ones that appear in this one, however, that will be starting from the VERY BEGINNING. That story will kind of be a filler for those who wish to understand the background stories of my OC's with a bit more clarity as to their connection with Percy, and for those who are simply curious about the true depth of the roles of Percy and his 'crew'. With that said, I hope you enjoy my story. ADVICE AND FLAMES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. (I mean, what is a writer without criticism, constructive or otherwise? Noone is perfect ). Thanks and sorry for that crazy long note. ~~DarknessisKey~~

Disclaimer: The characters of COVT and PJatO strictly belong to the amazing authors Heather Brewer and Rick Riordan respectively and deserve credit for their creation. I do not claim rights to those characters. I only claim my OC's and my story plot. Thank you.

"Vlad, this has to stop."

Vlad glanced up a Nelly from his seat at the dining table. He hadn't been really paying attention and assumed that she was referring to his absent-minded tapping on the tabletop, so he simply placed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and resumed spacing out.

Nelly sighed tiredly and ceased cooking momentarily to walk into the dining room. She sat adjacent to Vladimir and gazed at his face sympathetically. After a few seconds, she took his hand into hers and gently rubbed circles with her thumb, pulling Vlad from his mental wallowing to her.

"I wasn't talking about the tapping, but thanks anyway. It was making me nervous. Anyway, ever since Freedom Fest, you've been in this constant skulk-and-sulk routine. You're 15, almost 16, year old teenage boy. Kids your age are out partying, going out to the theatres, playing video games, goofing off with their friends, normal teen stuff. You should be enjoying your summer vacation with Henry, doing those types of things."

Vlad simply rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the ceiling fan above them, attempting to catch one of the blades with his eyes and watch it spin. Nelly couldn't possibly fathom the sadness and utter hopelessness she felt. Each day seemed more excruciating than the last. First, he and Meredith break up at Freedom Fest, then Henry visits to tell him that Joss is returning next week, most like to finish what he started freshman year. Finally, as if his life wasn't already as fucked up as it could possibly get, he and Otis were no longer speaking. Vlad had turned to his uncle for advice, then compared him to, as Otis would put it, 'a legion of hypocritical murderers'.

As if having an epiphany worthy of a Nobel Prize, Nelly suddenly gasped and reached into her pocket, and pulled out her wallet. Retrieving 4 twenties from its contents, she handed them to Vlad.

"Why don't you call Henry and catch a movie or something? End the summer with a bang, Oh, and invite the new neighbors' kids too. I saw them moving in last week, and they all seemed to be your age. Invite them to dinner for me too. I would love to get to know them better and show them a proper Bathory welcome."

Vlad just stared at his aunt, completely shocked. No one had lived in the house next door for over 5 years. Apparently, the house was suddenly infested with termites and the couple living there just decided that relocating to another state was easier than calling in an exterminator. 'Maybe the termites have been taken care of….' Vlad thought to himself, somewhat curious. Nelly noticed his confused face and rolled her eyes.

"You would have noticed that if you weren't so busy being a blood-sucking hermit," said Nelly, pointedly.

"We've talked abit about having dinner together when they first arrived, but we haven't really had a chance to arrange it. They are a young couple, Rei and Valys, with a daughter, Garnette, and a set of fraternal twins, Venom and Viper, although I think they're their niece and nephew. They all seem very nice. Maybe you and Venom will hit it off? He reminds me so much of you, it's sort of alarming… Or," she looks at me sheepishly, "maybe Garnette? She seems like a very repectable girl. If not, then Viper? She seems to match visually and her….air, I guess, is similar to yours."

"Nelly….."

"Vladimir, there is more to life than that of Meredith and her ever-so-pink self. Heart break doesn't last forever. You should go out and enjoy yourself. Move on. You did what you had to do. Besides, just because they're girls doesn't mean I want you to date them. After all, a girl can be friends with a guy and never develop feelings for you, and vise-versa."

"Whatever. Sure, I'll go."

"Thanks hun. And I meant what I said. Make nice with them or I'll make you play nice, alright?"

"Yes, Aunt Nelly. I'll go set up my play-date. Oh, do you want me to grab some juice boxes and cookies before I go? I'm gonna go on the big kids slide this time and I don't want to miss snack time." Vlad replied, fake excitement dripping from his every word.

"Vladimir Tod….."

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Anything else you want me do before I go?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment. Have fun, sweetheart. And come home safely, kay?

"Ok."

Vlad got up from his seat at the dining table and proceeded out the door, not realizing that awaiting him were not only his new neighbors and potential lifetime friends, but his only hope of protecting the world from an unforeseen force that not even he, the Pravus, can ever hope to defeat, even with the aid of all vampire-kind.

~Until Next Wednesday, my fair readers. COMMENTS, REVIEWS, OR SUGGESTIONS are welcome!

~~DarknessIsKey

P.S. Venom is the cover!