A/N .:. Thanks to the following people… Shade of Temair… for being a vampire expert.

Misprint… for co-writing Total Eclipse Of The Heart with Shade of Temair (hehe) which inspired me to read Anne Rice which inspired me to write this story.

Again, to Misprint because she has the cooliest lingo that I love to steal. ^_^

Also, again to Misprint and Shade of Temair, for first coming up with the idea of a vampire/newsie story. I bow to their supremacy. Ladies, you'll be coming in this story later. With any luck. But we know how I am about sticking to my plot lines…

Court Jester… for writing the fantabulous crossover of Rent/Newsies which inspired me to buy the Rent soundtrack and from which I unabashedly stole this title from.

kimimay85… Just cuz you're my percussion/senior/work sistah. And my twin too. And yes. Because I wanted to thank you anyhow. But no more Spotty Horror until YOU update! Bwahahaha. Evil laugh says Mondie. Now watch, you updated last night. Then I'll be in a fix, won't I?

Anne Rice… Okay, so she won't ever read this, but she deserves MAJOR props for the wonderfulness which IS Interview With The Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. And for writing a terrific screenplay for IWTV that includes YUMMY Brad Pittness. Whoooo. I'd marry him if he wasn't married to Jennifer Aniston. He looked good two nights ago on the Emmys.

And lastly… to anyone who reads this. Yay for you! I heart you. Please review so I can heart you further. And give you shoutouts. Hoo ha!

NDBT Chapter 1

          Mush chattered happily with Kid Blink as the two walked slowly through the city. The selling had been terrific that day, and they'd both sold out within an hour. Now the morning stretched itself out, glorious and sunshine-filled, before them. It had rained the night before, and now the sunlight glinted in the puddles that formed in the cracks between the cobblestones. Carts rambled past every so often, and street sellers shouted their wares while the windows of nearby shops glistened with their own products. Delicious scents wafted from bakeries and restaurants all up and down the street, and the boys, with coins jangling in their pockets, looked anxiously forward to spending some on hot biscuits.

          A few of their friends, who'd also had magnificent selling mornings, were seated in a booth at Tibby's Restaurant. Kid Blink slid in next to Racetrack, and Mush pulled up a chair, sitting in it backwards, at the head of the table. Dutchy and Skittery were seated opposite Blink and Race. The three boys who'd been there for a while had empty plates and steaming hot mugs of coffee in front of them. Mush and Blink ordered their food from Wally-Frank, their favorite waiter.

          "Didja heah?" Dutchy asked, leaning forward conspiratorially. His light blond hair fell over the brim of his glasses into his eyes and, irritated, he jerked his head back so that it fell harmlessly to either side of the frames. "Spot rahpohted dat one a' 'is newsies was found dead day befoah yestahday. 'E had dis weihd wound on 'is neck. Like some'in had stabbed 'im wit' a nail a coupla times. It's da weihdest t'ing. Spot's convinced it was some'in from Harlem, an' 'e's so mad 'e's gonna send oveh like twenny a' 'is men ta soak 'em."

          "Dat's odd," Blink said, taking a deep sip from the coffee Wally-Frank had just brought over.

          "Yeah," the others agreed.

          Suddenly, a piercing noise permeated Mush's brain. It hurt him so much that he winced. Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Please answer me. Please answer me… He closed his eyes in pain, but the voice only persisted. You can hear me. Can't you hear me? You've got the gift… give in… give in… His chest began to heave heavily, and his brain felt as if it would burst from the high pitch of the voice. Please, Noah… please, answer me… His mind reeled at the fact that this voice, whatever it was, knew his name. And not his newsie name, either. Help me, help me, help me… The noise was becoming even louder, even more intense. Mush covered his ears now and let out a howl. Then his body suddenly pitched backwards in a way that he himself couldn't have done. Since he'd put the chair backwards at the table, the back of it was facing forwards, and there was nothing to keep him sitting upright as his body, out of his control, fell backwards to the ground.

          But the voice was gone.

          The four boys in the booth stared at him, as did Wally-Frank, Mr. Tibby, and the other customers.

          "Wha' da HELL was dat?" Racetrack whispered, scratching his head.

          "I have no idea," answered Skittery, staring at Mush's still body.

          Blink got out of the booth and pulled Mush to his feet. Mush's eyes were now plastered open, and he was looking around wildly, trying to figure out where the voice had come from…

          And why he was the only one who had heard it…

          And how did the person know his name, anyhow?

          Blink paid for his and Mush's coffee, canceling their orders, and led Mush from the restaurant. The boys still at the table could hear Mush's feeble protests of "the voice".

          Race downed the rest of his coffee and stuck his cigar in the corner of his mouth. "Dat kid should take some medicine," he decided, sliding out of the booth and putting his cap on his head. "Da stress a' bein' a newsie is gettin' ta be too much fer 'im."

          Skittery let out a laugh. "Or maybe 'e's jus' seein' too many goils. I can't even stand ONE goil screamin' at me… imagine poor Mush, wit' 'is twenny-thousan' goilies."

          Race and Dutchy chortled appropriately, and the three left the restaurant too.

          That night, Mush was too shook up to go to sleep. Even though he hadn't heard the voice any more that day, he still felt overwhelmed by it. And though he'd been walking all day long, he suddenly felt the need to go walk some more. With Blink's help, he snuck out by way of the fire escape, telling Blink that he was leaving to go visit Novel, one of his many current girls.

          Instead, Mush took random turns he'd never taken before, yet he somehow seemed to know exactly where he was going. And as he reached a boulevard, he realized why.

          Standing in the moonlight was a beautiful girl. She had long auburn hair, which was loose and flying through the air. She had striking amethyst eyes, though he wasn't quite sure how he knew this from the distance he was away from her. Her body was thin and sleek, encased in a dark burgundy lacy gown, and her skin so porcelain white she seemed to glow. She was, in a word, enchanting. He drew closer to her without meaning to, just to make sure she wasn't a mirage, an image of his sleep-deprived mind.

          She laughed a little, and he could hear it throughout his whole skull. It was then that he realized she'd been sending him thoughts so obscurely he'd thought them his own. She had been the voice earlier, too. And she knew him well…

          She was even more breathtaking up close. He held out a hand, and touched her skin. It was as cool as a pane of glass, or mirror. Her light eyes held his gaze, and he couldn't have looked away if he tried. She ran her tongue over her pale, pale lips, and then leaned in to kiss his. He didn't know who she was, or what she wanted, but he gave in to the kiss, getting into it more and more until he was just kissing the air as she moved back from him. He opened his eyes and openly gazed at her. Her beauty… indescribable beauty.

          "Who are you?" he managed to whisper.

          She answered without opening her mouth. Chalereux.

          "Happiness." He translated the French word effortlessly, though he'd never spoken a word of French before in his life. He became confused, unsure of what were his thoughts and what she was projecting into his mind. She looked absolutely delighted though, and he forgot this as his main concern became maintaining her happiness.

          Chalereux took his hand in hers of glass and led him down the boulevard, pausing beneath a flowering tree. She looked up at it in wonder, and he followed suit. He didn't know how long they stood there, looking up, but suddenly she was kissing his throat.

          Mush sighed as she pushed him up against the tree, rolling his head to the side a little for her. Then there was a sharp pain, and yet there still was Chalereux. He wanted to rub at the spot to stop the pain, but didn't want to disturb her. She was so beautiful… Though the pain increased, he didn't cry out, knowing that Chalereux, at least, was happy for now.

          She seemed confused after a few seconds, and pulled away from him. Then she smiled. For the first time, she opened her mouth to talk to him, and he could see bright crimson shining on her teeth. "You do have the gift, Noah." She sounded positively elated, and she took his hand and kissed it gingerly, then led him from the tree.

          Mush felt lightheaded, though he wasn't particularly sure why. It seemed no time passed at all as the pair stumbled through the streets, back to the lodging house.

          The next thing Mush knew, he was awakening in the morning.

          He wondered if he had dreamed it all. But she had been so real… his Chalereux. His Happiness.

          And his neck throbbed. Gingerly, he touched at the spot that hurt the most. Two little holes. Nail holes… he thought ironically, remembering what Dutchy had said.

          He ignored the other boys' waking shouts and fell back to sleep. He was too exhausted to sell papers that day.

          But then again, that's what happens when someone drinks your blood.