In the living room, Vee, her family, and Miranda watched over Shaggy and Scooby who laid unconscious on the couch.
"Do you think they'll be okay?" Vee asked with genuine concern.
"I hope so." said Boris. "The last thing we need are customers scared half to death. What would the reviews say?!"
Gregoria sulked. "I'm sorry everyone. I shouldn't have opened my big stone mouth. I just didn't expect a dog to talk back! I mean, a talking dog?! That's crazy! Even for a talking gargoyle!"
Chef Remy Bones came in carrying a tray with two bowls of soup. "I made some bone soup to help our guests recover."
"I don't think bone soup is gonna bring those guys around." Miranda said.
However, the strong fumes from Remy's soup caused the guys to stir. They woke up and rubbed their heads.
"Like, man! What a nightmare!" Shaggy said. "What was in that chicken?"
Scooby rubbed his eyes and the first thing he saw was the skeleton chef. "AAAAAAAAH! Skeleton!"
"Great bouncing eyeballs! It is a talking dog! A talking human pet!" Demi said in amazement. "It's a miracle!"
"Keep your bow tie on, Demi!" said Gregoria.
"ZOINKS!" Shaggy and Scooby hugged each other, shivering tenfold.
"Guys! Don't be scared!" Vee said. "It's not what you think!"
"Not what we think?! T-There's a ghost, a talking statue, and a sk-sk-skeleton man! It is what we think! This is a haunted house!" Shaggy squealed.
"But it's a nice haunted house!" Miranda replied. "Vee and her family are nice monsters! The nicest monsters ever! As Vee's babysitter and family friend to the Hauntleys, I promise you that there's nothing to be afraid of!"
"Yes! So cheer up, my boy! Cheer up!" Chef Remy offered the tray of soup. "Have some bone soup! It'll perk you up in no time!"
Shaggy cringed at the bowl of green goop with actual bones floating in it. "Uh, like, I'm actually bone-intolerant. So, no thanks-"
"Raggy! It's good!" Scooby said as he munched on a bone. "REALLY good!"
Of course, being a dog, Scooby loved bones. But Shaggy was still hungry so he took a spoonful of soup and nervously tasted it.
"Wow! This is...actually really good!" Shaggy and Scooby finished the bone soup in seconds.
"I've never seen two people eat so fast!" an impressed Remy said. "Could I interest you in my spider soufflé?"
"Spider soufflé?!" Shaggy and Scooby looked at each other.
"Actually...we're stuffed! But thanks anyway!" Shaggy chuckled nervously. He looked around. "So, this isn't really a bed and breakfast, is it?"
"It is a bed and breakfast!" Vee said. "A bed and breakfast for monsters and humans."
Miranda nodded. "Sure, it's got a few spooky surprises. But-"
"RIKES!" Scooby jumped off the couch in fear when a giant flytrap opened it's jaws at Scooby.
"It's okay. That's just Penelope." Vee said. "She just wanted to say hi!"
Scooby shivered when Penelope reached her vine arm towards the dog, he closed his eyes and braced himself. But he was relieved when the living plant stroked Scooby's head.
"See? This is a nice haunted house." Miranda said. "There's nothing to be afraid of at all!"
"Like, wow, Scoob! This haunted hotel has to put the monster convention to shame!" Shaggy said.
"Oh! That reminds me! How was the convention, girls?" asked Boris.
"It was great, Papa!" said Vee. "There were a whole bunch of humans dressed up like monsters!"
"Were there any good looking lady ghosts?" Demi combed the wisp on the top of his head. "I wouldn't mind introducing myself."
Miranda giggled. "No, Demi. Just normal humans in normal costumes. No real ghosts."
The doorbell shrieked.
"I'll get it!" Boris rushed to the door.
"So, Vee, you're not scared living a haunted house with all these monsters?" asked Shaggy.
Vee shook her head. "Of course not. Cause I'm a-"
"VEE!" a boy's voice shouted.
Suddenly, a boy holding a phone and a girl came into the living room.
"Edgar?! Poppy? What are you doing here?!" asked Vee.
"Vee! You have GOT to see this!" Edgar held up his phone. "A real live actual vampire just attacked the monster convention in town!"
"WHAT?!" The Hauntleys watched the news report on Edgar's phone. There was a female newscaster holding a microphone standing in front of the Pennsylvania Inn.
"I'm here live at the Pennsylvania Inn where it appears to be an actual vampire had kidnapped three innocent civilians inside during the Monster convention. Security cameras caught this strange footage."
The video cut to the scene inside the convention. The room was filled with mild-mannered costumed citizens until the room went dark. A loud squeaking was heard and a flock of bats came in, terrified people ducked in cover.
And then, a red smoke billowed through the hall. People started dropping like flies one by one.
"HAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!" A horrible laugh boomed.
"Scoob! Look! It's the gang!" Shaggy pointed out.
It was. Fred, Daphne, and Velma were knocked out cold by the gas. A figure in a high collared cape swooped down and wrapped his cloak around the three mystery solvers. Then he disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.
"Zoinks! The gang's been kidnapped by a vampire!"
"I know right?! I'm heading down to that convention center and find that vampire! I'm gonna find that vampire and put him on my web show!" Edgar was almost out the door until Miranda grabbed his arm.
"Oh, no you don't, Edgar Peepleson!" Miranda said in a no-nonsense tone. "You go straight back home and stay away from that convention! It's too dangerous!"
"Oh, come on!" Edgar complained as Miranda showed Edgar the door and walked him back home.
"Like, this is bad! That freaky fang-face kidnapped our friends!" Shaggy said.
"But it can't be!" Vee said. "A vampire would never do such a bad thing!"
"And how would you know?" asked Shaggy.
"Because I'm a vampire!"
"We're all vampires!" Oxana said.
Shaggy and Scooby started trembling. "Y-Y-You are?!"
To prove their point, the Hauntleys turned into bats. The boys yelped and hugged each other in fright.
Miranda came back inside. "Alright, that takes care of Edgar. But we still have to find out about that vampire that attacked the convention!"
"And why he kidnapped our friends!" Shaggy said.
"We've got to do something!" Scooby said.
Vee changed back to herself. "Of course we will! We're going to find that vampire and take him down!"
"Took the words right outta my stone mouth!" Gregoria said. "Whoever that ghoul is, he's giving vampires a bad name!"
"I'm in too!" Demi said.
"Me too!"
"Arf! Arf!" Wolfie was in too.
Shaggy blinked in surprise. "You mean you'll help us?!"
"Of course we will!" Vee said.
"Besides, you guys can't just go charging in alone. You're gonna need reinforcements." said Miranda.
"Reinforcements indeed." Chef Remy said. "I am coming with you as well!"
Vee shook her head. "No, Remy. You, Mama and Papa stay here and take care of the Scare B&B. We can handle this rogue vampire!"
"Then it's settled." Shaggy said. "I can't believe I'm saying this. I mean, I REALLY can't believe I'm saying this..." Shaggy mustered up the courage to actually say it. "We've got a m-mystery to solve!"
newbienovelistRD: This chapter is my Thanksgiving treat for you all! I'm not feeling well so I'll be out of story commission for a while.
Nonetheless, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :)