CHAPTER 1

Daytime and nighttime are not the same. People will tell you that nighttime is the same as the daytime only without the light on. They say anything that goes on at night can also be done during the day. That has been proven wrong so many times. Many things that happen at night would never be attempted in broad daylight. Some of the worst sins are only attempted under the cover of darkness. Night was the best time to start things, especially terror.

It had waited until the sky had taken on a dark blue hue before setting out. If it had done so in the daytime somebody would have seen it. It did not want that. The hour wasn't exactly midnight but it couldn't wait any longer. Time was short and it needed the energy. It came down from the sky like a giant black hawk, perching on the roof of an old warehouse building, its glowing red optics focusing on the two bulky security robots below. It's dark face twisted with a look of disgust.

Pathetic earth robots. The thing smiled, showing off a pair of white metal teeth, two of the bicuspids longer than necessary. Wasting all their fuel and power on the same thing every night. The thing stood, it's red optics focused just on those two robots. A pathetic existence. I should end their suffering.

Without hesitation the thing jumped down from the roof and landed just behind the robots. Both sensed its presence and turned around just as a black something with a white grin pounced on them.

"Prowl! Prowl!" the youthful voice was screaming from somewhere below. "Prowl!"

The Autobot named Prowl didn't move or bother making his presence known in anyway. He didn't feel like moving, not yet. It was too early and he wasn't finished with his morning meditations.

"Come on, Prowl!" that voice shouted again. "At least move the branches so I know you're up there!"

Still the mech didn't move, though he felt annoyance creeping in. It was like this every morning and he should be used to it by now but when would he ever be? When would the voice just get the hint and leave him alone? It wasn't so hard to figure out that he didn't like being bothered so early in the morning.

"PROWL! If you don't answer me right now I'm going to chop down your tree!"

That brought on some kind of reaction. Prowl tipped himself over on the branch and hung upside down from it, his head the only thing that peeked out of the leaves. "You cut down this tree and I'll cut off your stingers, Bumblebee," he said, casting an annoyed look down at the speaker.

Bumblebee, the little yellow mech, looked satisfied that he got a response. "So you were up there," he said. "Why didn't you answer me?"

Because I was hoping you'd take the hint for once and go away. "Because you should know by now that I don't go anywhere until after I'm done up here," he replied.

"Oh yeah," the yellow mech said, smiling. "You have to be "still" for at least half an hour until you are ready to "move" through the day. I get it."

"Good, then why don't you come back in a half hour?"

"Cuz by then I'd be gone," Bee replied. "You wouldn't see me spending half an hour sitting in a tree and being still." he moved around, looking like he was doing some kind of jerky dance. "I gotta move."

"It might do you some good," Prowl said, frowning.

"Nah, I'll leave that kind of thing to you," Bee said, still moving jerkily around the room. "Though I have no idea why you make such a big deal about it."

Prowl said nothing. He'd already tried to explain it to Bumblebee once, he wasn't going to do it again. There was just no penetrating that thick head of his. "Maybe if you stand still long enough to give it a try you might find out how relaxing it is," he said patiently.

"Relaxing?" Bee asked, punching the air. "What do I need to relax for? If I wanted to relax I could find a better way than sitting in some old tree, staring at the clouds."

Prowl already knew Bumblebees form of relaxation. Playing Guitar Hero or some other video game with Sari. The ninja bot just couldn't understand how anyone considered that relaxing especially since the new console required you to stand and swing your arms around. "Could you at least do your fake kung fu somewhere else?" he asked.

"Why?" Bee asked, kicking the air. "It's not like you're using the floor for anything."

"I can't concentrate with you in here," Prowl informed him. "Now kindly leave before I make you leave."

Bumblebee finally stopped. He looked back up at Prowl. "No need to get violent," he said. "If you wanted me to leave you should have just said so."

"I did," Prowl said flatly. "You didn't listen."

Bee smiled and shrugged, turning away and heading out the door. Before he closed it he stopped long enough to look over his shoulder and said. "You know, Prowl, one of these days you're going to realize that all that stillness and concentration isn't doing you any good."

Before the ninja bot could ask what he meant, the younger mech stepped out of the room. Prowl sighed, pulling his head back up into the leaves. He fixed his position and tried to relax once more. But now that Bumblebee had interrupted him he couldn't clear his mind like he wanted to. The younger mechs words kept returning and he shifted, trying to get into a more comfortable position.

Relax, take a few deep breaths, he did so. Now focus... He listed for a moment, his audio receptors picking up the sound of a bird that was somewhere in the branches above him. The sound helped him relax. He smiled. Maybe he'd be able to finish up after all...

No such luck. Something hard and heavy smacked into one of the walls. The sound filled the room like a gunshot. He nearly feel out of the tree in startlement at the sudden sound and shaking caused by the impact. Another explosive noise hit the wall and then another. It sounded like two giant somethings throwing each other around.

He moaned in annoyance, knowing now he wouldn't be able to get back into that relaxed state again even if he tried. Sighing in annoyance he unfolded his legs and draped them over the side of the branch. Pushing with his arms he dropping out of the tree and landed catlike on the floor.

When the noise hit the wall again he groaned and put his hand over his face. Sometimes he wondered why he even hung out with these glitches.

Standing up, he took a deep breath to brace himself for the chaos that was sure to meet him when he stepped outside, then stepped into the main room. When he did he had to duck as a giant green ball came flying toward him, the duck saved him from a bruising as the object sailed over his head and smashed into the floor of his room.

"Oops, sorry Prowl," the Autobot Bulkhead said, putting his hand on his cheek. "I'll fix that for you."

"There's no need," Prowl said, straightening and casting a forlorn glance at the ruined floor of his room. "I'll take care of it myself."

"No," Bulkhead said. "I insist on fixing it." he yanked on the cord attaching the ball to his arm. "URGH!" he groaned, straining backward.

The ball came loose and flew back. Prowl ducked again as the thing sailed over his head and back into the bigger mechs hands. Both looked back into Prowls room. A crater marked the spot where the ball at been loged. "Sorry Prowl," Bulkhead said again when the ninja gave him a look.

"Shh!" Optimus hissed, turning to the other two bots and putting a finger to his lips. "I'm trying to hear this." He was standing in front of the large TV screen over by the old couch Sari and Bumblebee had drug into the old warehouse sometime after the Autobots moved in.

"What is it?" Prowl asked as he and Bulkhead joined the other Autobot in front of the screen.

Prime turned the volume up.

The reporter on the screen stood in front of the camera making her report. "Once again Detroits machine population has fallen victim to a mysterious energy depletion."

"Energy depletion?" Prowl asked.

Prime gestured at him to be quite. The reporter turned and waved at the two security robots being lugged into a van. She walked over to the van with the camera bot following her. It zoomed in on the bots as the reporter continued. "Last night someone or something jumped these two robots and stole their energy." the camera zoomed in on puncture wounds on the robots structures. To someone with an overactive imagination they could have looked like teeth marks. "As you can see; whatever it was, it punctured the power areas of the robots and sucked out all their energy." the camera returned to the woman's face as an image appeared on the screen next to her. A blurred image of something crouching on the roof of the warehouse and another just under it, this one a little clearer of the same thing lunging at the two robots. "We are not sure what this is that were are seeing but the police believe it is our suspect." the woman looked a little worried as she said. "experts have confirmed that the thing in the pictures is too big to be a human. They aren't sure what it is yet but from what they can guess it is some kind of machine."

"A machine?" Bulkhead said.

"It could be a Decepticon," Prime said, still watching the coverage. He raised a hand and rubbed his chin, thoughtfully "Though I dont' know why it would be stealing energy from earth robots."

"I bet I know," Bumblebee said suddenly

The other bots looked at him. He held up a paperback book with a glossy cover. "It's a vampire!" he explained. "That's why it's stealing energy."

Prowl gave him a look. "A robot vampire?" he asked. "There's no such thing as vampires."

"You say that now," Bumblebee said, looking excited at the thought. "But when it comes after you next and sucks out your brains you'll wish you had listened to me."

Prime walked over to the smaller mech and snatched the comic book out of his hands. "I think you've been reading too many comic books, Bumblebee," he said, looking at the cover. "It's getting to your circuits."

"Hey, I'm not making this up," Bee said, snatching the book back. "Vampires are real. They just come out at night when you can't see them until it's too late." he raised his arms and made a sinister face. "Then they sneak up behind you and sink their fangs into your neck and suck out your blood!"

"We don't even have blood," the ninja bot said.

"Well it doesn't matter," Bumblebee said. "You heard what the reporter lady said. This thing sucks out energy and it's a machine. It could be an energy vampire."

Prowl shook his head. Bumblebee always had an over active imagination but this was ridiculous. "Prime is right. You've been reading too many comic books."

Bee set the comic aside. "Believe what you wish," he said. "but I'm telling ya. If those security robots start walking around like zombies you're going to wish you'd listened to me."

"No matter what it is we can't let it attack anymore robots," Prime cut in. "For all we know it might go after humans next."

"So what do you intend to do?" Bumblebee wanted to know. "Set out soeme bait and wait for it to come and get it?"

Optimus smiled. "Not a bad idea."

"Uh who's going to be the bait?"

"I can't believe they made me the bait!" Bumblebee grumbled a few hours later. He was sitting on a crate outside one of the warehouses on the seaport in plain view of anyone who might be watching. Bee looked over his shoulder toward the spot where Prime was hiding. "Hey Prime! Why can't Prowl be the bait?!" he called. "I mean why do I always have to?"

"Because you have bright colors and would be easier to spot from far away," Prowl said into his comlink.

"Prowl's right," Prime told him. "Now just sit tight."

"But what if the vampire bites me?" Bee asked nervously.

"Don't worry," Prime said, sounding like he was trying to hold in his laughter. "If a vampire comes after you we won't let that happen."

"I hope not," Bumblebee said, looking forward. "Because I don't have becoming a zombie in my weekend plans."

"Oh stop whining," Prowl said into his comlink. He was perched on the roof of one of the warehouses. He could see and hear Bumblebee from where he was without any help from it but he wasn't about to shout down at him, especially since they were trying to avoid being spotted. "and could you please quiet down? I can hear you from all the way up here."

"Fine," Bumblebee said, closing his optics and pouting. "But these might be the last words you ever hear me say."

"That I wouldn't mind in the least."

'Hey! You could at least try to sound sympathetic!"

"Enough you two,"Prime cut in. "If you keep this up it'll never come."

The other two bots fell silent.

00000000

The distant sound of a church bell tolling the hour told Prowl that it was midnight. He glanced up at the sky, suddenly feeling a chill course through his circuits. He sensed something. He opened lifted his arm to speak into his comlink when the moon blinked out as a shadow passed over it. He froze, his optics focused on the night sky. There were no clouds in the sky so that couldn't be what had caused it. Only one answer came to mind. Whatever it had been, was probably the thing they were after.

"Prowl?" the voice of Optimus startled him and he nearly fell off the roof. He quickly regain his balance and spoke quietly into his comlink. "I think I-" he began but Optimus cut him off. "I saw it too. That might be what we're after."

"I think so too," the ninja bot agreed. "Should I-"

"Negative," Prime interrupted. "Stay where you are. If it comes after Bumblebee then move."

"Affirmative." The connection ended and Prowl got back into position, focusing his full attention on the area near and around Bumblebee. That's when he spotted it, or what he thought might be it. He saw a shadow on the other side of the parking lot by another warehouse, with nothing to cast it. "Optimus," he said quietly into his comlink. "I think I've spotted it."

"Wait until it shows itself," Prime said. "I don't want anybody confronting that thing before we have to."

Prowl focused his full attention on the shadow. It was moving stealthily toward Bumblebee. "Prime..." he said.

"Stay where you are."

The shadow was getting closer to the unsuspecting Bumblebee's location. The ninja bot gritted his teeth and tried to follow the order. His mind screamed at him to do something. After a moment he couldn't stand it any longer. He jumped down from his perch and rushed quietly toward the shadow. "Prowl!" Primes voice rasped into his comlink. "What are you doing?!"

Up ahead the shadow froze as if alerted by the sound of Optimus' voice. Prowl ducked behind some crates before it could see him. Prowl found he was breathing heavily all of a sudden. He knew why. When the shadow had turned to look at him all he saw was two glowing red eyes and the look of hunger in them. It gave him a very unpleasant feeling. He chanced a peak. The shadow had turned from him and resumed its course toward its intended victim.

Prowl noticed the yellow transformer tense suddenly and slowly look over his shoulder. He stared up at the shadow that was looming over him then opened his mouth and screamed like a broken fog horn. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Prowl reacted instantly, jumping out of his hiding spot and rushing the shadow, the giant throwing stars he used as a weapon appearing in his hands. The figure turned from its intended victim and saw the ninja mech coming toward it. It reacted instantly, dodging to the side as Prowl's stars left his hands and flew toward it. Bumblebee had to duck to avoid being hit by the flying projectiles.

Prowl turned on the shadow when it tried to get behind him and swung at it. It avoided the blow and tried to grab his arm. The ninja jerked away and tried to land a kick on it. His foot seemed to pass right through it was if it wasn't even real. He fell forward and tried to regain his balance. The thing tried to grab his arm again. He turned and slapped at it. His hand contacted its face and he felt something sharp prick him in the hand as the shadow let out a yelp and fell back. He backed up and lunged at it again.

The shadow moved back then suddenly shot into the air. He tried to grab it but missed. He threw one of his stars at it, hoping to knock it out of the sky but his aim was off and it passed right by. Suddenly it paused a moment and he saw those red lights focusing on him for a moment. For a moment their optics met then the thing turned away and flew off before he could try to take it down again. He stood still, watching the dark matter disappear into the distance. What was that?

He heard footsteps coming toward him and turned his head. "Prowl," Optimus said as he, Ratchet, and Bulkhead came toward him. "Did you see it? What happened?"

Prowl nodded. "I attacked it before it could get Bumblebee," he replied.

"Where is it now?" Ratchet wanted to know.

"It got away," Prowl replied, looking back at the sky. "I tried to stop it but it flew off."

Optimus frowned at him. "If you had followed orders it wouldn't have gotten away," he said, pointing a finger in his face. "Now it's still at large and still able to attack more robots."

"I'm sorry," Prowl said. "But I couldn't just-"

"Follow orders?"

"By the time you got to Bumblebee it would have been too late," Prowl told him. "I was closer than you and this thing doesn't seem to have a solid form."

Priem stared at him. "What do you mean?" he questioned.

"I tried to hit it and my leg went through it-" he winced and put his bitten hand into his other one, hiding the mark.

Ratchet noticed. "You all right, Prowl?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Prowl said, trying not to wince again. He quickly changed the subject. "Let's check on Bumblebee."

The Autobots headed to the spot where Bee had been sitting. He was on the ground with his hands covering his head, whimpering. "Bumblebee," Optimus said. "It's okay. You can get up now."

The yellow mech lifted his head and stared up at them. "Did you see it?" he asked, his optics wide with terror. "It was right here! It was a vampire! It even had fangs!"

"Bumblebee," Optimus said patiently. "We didn't get a good look at it but it wasn't a vampire."

"How would you know if you didn't get a good look at it?" Bee asked. He pointed at Prowl. "You saw it! Tell them! You saw it's fangs didn't you?"

Prowl, his hand still over the bite mark, looked away, saying nothing. Bumblebee glared at him. "Fine," he said, angrily. "Don't tell them. But I know what I saw."

"That's it," Ratchet said, grabbing Bee from behind and lifting him off the ground. "When we get back you're going to find every single comic book you bought and throw them away."

The thing hadn't gone far. It had flown off and then doubled back, perching in the shadows over one of the warehouses. It's red optics focused on the five Autobots down in the loading yard, centering on the ninja bot it had fought with. Something about Prowl intrigued it.

Fascinating how you just came at me without hesitating, it thought, licking its fangs and tasting the hint of mech fluid still there from its encounter with him. I wonder what else you are willing to do without thinking about it? It smiled, the fangs reflecting the moonlight. If we meet again, and I hope we do, you might just regret ever coming after me like that. It licked its fangs once more. I wonder what the rest of you tastes like?

The shadow straightened and rose into the air, echoing laughter following it as it flew away.

A/N

This is a fic I've had in my head since March. Due to other projects I've had to put off writing this so if you like it updates might take awhile. That's about it for now. I hope they were in character. I try my best.