I Think My Boyfriend's a Vampire

By: Snapplelinz

Bailey's POV:

"I'd never given much thought to how I would die – though I'd had reason enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this… I knew that if I'd never gone to Forks, I wouldn't be facing death now. But, terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision..."

My eyes flitted away from the page I was reading and I sighed loudly. Addison had finally gotten me to crack. The one book that I had sworn I wouldn't read now lay conveniently in my lap.

I'd convinced myself that I didn't need to get sucked into the latest teenage fad, especially when it involved vampires. But somehow, Addison had still found a way to suck me into her
latest obsession: Robert Pattinson.

Don't get me wrong, the guy's gorgeous, but I've never been into the whole vampire saga. That is, until Addison and London dragged me to an exclusive preview of the film 'Twilight' on board the S.S. Tipton during our semester at sea program one Friday night.

It wasn't at all what I expected. From that moment on, I was irrevocably hooked. Something about the overall plot just struck a chord with me.

Maybe it was the lack of usual blood and exaggerated gore that came with traditional vampire flicks. Or maybe I could identify better with the romance between Bella and Edward now that Cody and I were dating.

Ah, Cody Martin. He is everything I could possibly want in a boyfriend: smart, funny, cute, sensitive, loyal, great hairline. I still remember that first kiss we shared back on the S.S. Tipton.

Hannah Montana had come aboard for a special concert and Cody had done everything in his power to get tickets just for the two of us. It was seriously the best night of my natural born
life.

From there on out, we'd been inseparable, that is, until he and Zack came back to Boston for the summer to spend time with their mom, Carey. I went back to Kettlecorn to visit my own family and our farm.

Cody and I kept in touch via every form of technology: text messaging, email, web-cam. And just when I was beginning to miss him intensely, he invited me to come visit him in
Boston at his home, the Tipton.

At this point in time, I was both excited and tremendously relieved. After our last conversation a la web-cam, Cody just
hadn't seemed right to me. He smiled and joked like usual, but something seemed different.

He had looked absurdly good-looking; to the point that it made it hard for me to look away from him even for an instant. But his complexion was a ghostly pallor and he had noticeable bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in weeks.

So as soon as I got the okay from my parents, I packed several suitcases (I'm still a girl, right!) and took the next flight out to Boston.

My fears practically dissipated when I found Cody waiting for me at the airport, flowers in hand and that same adorable smile I'd grown to love. I can't believe it took me so long to realize how good we were together.

I threw my arms around him and kissed him like we'd never have to come up for air again. My skin practically erupted into goose bumps because of his cold hands, but I shrugged it off at the time as my body's way of telling me that I had missed Cody's touch.

And this is where I find myself, sitting in a suite on the 23rd floor (arranged by Mr. Moseby, who had returned to his old
job), reading my newest favorite book and listening to the pitter patter of soft rain outside my window.

Zack and Cody had also invited Woody along too, for a visit to Boston and I could tell he was stoked. Woody didn't have that many friends and he seemed genuinely attached to the twins.

Besides getting to spend time with my awesome boyfriend, I was excited about the prospect of hanging out with London Tipton, my former roommate aboard the S.S. Tipton and good friend, as well as some of Zack and Cody's friends like Maddie (Zack's somewhat cougar crush), Max and Bob.

I'd been looking forward to hanging out with all of them and exploring Boston during my visit. But the rain seemed to hamper all of my outdoor plans.

There was at least one advantage to this: I got to spend more time during the day (and after-hours) snuggling with Cody indoors.

The drawback: listening to Woody trying to tell me about the number of instruments he was learning to play at the same time
during the summer vacation, one of them being the bongos.

It was the rainy weather that first alerted me to the strangeness of the situation. Granted, it wasn't unusual for there to be a lot of rainy days in Boston in July. In fact, it kind of reminded me of the not-so-fictional town of Forks, Washington.

What amused me initially was Cody's sudden fondness for walking, sometimes running, in the rain and often dragging me along too. But after getting drenched during one particularly bad thunderstorm, I decided to put my walks in the rain on hiatus.

Growing up in Kettlecorn had taught me to love the sultry summer months and I looked forward to when sunlight would peek
through the persistent clouds. But when it finally did, Cody wasn't as enthusiastic as I thought he would be.

He literally dug in his heels every time I suggested a walk in the park. It's like he was afraid that if he stepped out in the sunlight, he'd burst into flames.

Then things started to get a little strange…and stinky. Ew, Woody just cut the cheese again, and this time to 'Claire de Lune'. That song is totally ruined for me now.

At first, there were little things that set my suspicions on high alert. But then, piece by piece, I began to sift through the things that had unfolded, things that didn't make sense in the natural world. And it all started with Zack and London's mysterious illness.

When I first arrived in Boston, I'd barely seen either one of them. Cody told me on the cab ride to the hotel not to expect to see too much of them at first since they were both bedridden for at least 3 weeks.

The doctor who examined them said that they had caught a bad case of the flu while travelling abroad on the S.S. Tipton. Cody explained that it had taken several weeks for any visible symptoms to appear such as sinusitis and a high fever.

Since the diagnosis, Carey and Mr. Moseby had made sure that Zack and London had stayed in their rooms, having minimal contact with people and the outside world in general.

When Zack finally did recover and I got to see him, I felt a subtle tension between him and Cody. But I shrugged it off as I leant in towards Zack and hugged him properly. I had to stop myself from jumping backwards from the strange jolt that went through my system.

"What's wrong Bailey? You seem 'shocked'." Zack teased lightly.

"Zack, are you sure you're over your fever? Your skin feels like it's on fire." I pointed out quickly.

"What can I say? I always knew I was too hot to handle." Zack joked with a seedy grin.

"Knock it off Zack," Cody retorted with a grin that barely reached his eyes.

Ever since meeting Zack and Cody, I'd always known that they were as different as day and night. So naturally, they would clash and bicker like an old married couple. But something was different this time, and I couldn't place my finger on it.

I tried to distract myself from this alarming thought when I finally got to see London properly. She seemed her normal perky self. But her skin, like Zack's, was a shade warmer than normal body heat. And was it just my imagination, or was London looking more tanned than usual?

That wasn't normal for someone who had just recovered from a case of really bad flu. Aren't you supposed to drop a shade or two in skin tone when you're that sick?

"Bailey, why are you looking at me like that? Are you staring at my new 18-carat diamond earrings? Daddy gave them to me after I stayed on the S.S. Tipton for 4 whole months without trying to escape once in my submarine." London explained eagerly.

"Sure." I agreed uncertainly, willing my head to stop concocting such fantastical thoughts.

Then I met Maddie, Max and Bob. I had already met Bob aboard the S.S. Tipton when he and Barbara's, Cody ex-girlfriend had come to visit the twins.

I remembered his flaming red hair and toothy grin. But what I didn't expect was the alabaster tinge to his skin, which somehow accentuated his looks. Oh my God, am I perving on my boyfriend's best friend? This was beyond weird.

If I thought I was perving on Bob, then my reaction to Maddie and Max was bordering on muff-diving. They were both exquisitely beautiful in different ways: Max with her copper skin and hazel eyes; Maddie with her almost translucent skin and wait – are her eyes gold? Gold's not a primary eye color, right?

I was beginning to feel like I had stepped into an episode of
Gossip Girl or One Tree Hill with all these absurdly beautiful people surrounding me. Well, save for Woody that is.

After hearing how Zack had spoken so fondly of Maddie during our semester at sea program, I was strangely surprised to come across them at the candy counter arguing in heated whispers. The gist of what I overheard made the cogs in my brain turn even more.

"Zack, I really think you should be more careful. This isn't something to play with." Maddie protested.

"I can handle it, Maddie, you worry too much." Zack responded tersely.

"How can you be so cavalier about this? Normal people don't act this way." Maddie hissed impatiently.

"Well, I'm not normal, remember? It's like you said, maybe it's just a phase." Zack retorted snidely.

"This isn't funny, Zack. Someone could've gotten hurt." Maddie complained shortly.

"You're one to talk, Maddie. And that incident with Liam was just a misunderstanding? And all because he found out your secret –"

"That's enough, Zack! Why are you acting like this? We've always been able to talk about anything. Don't shut me out." Maddie pleaded, looking on the verge of tears.

"Well things are different now, aren't they, Maddie? Why don't you just face facts and get over it? Things can't go back to the way they used to be. We're not the same anymore, not by a long shot."

And with that, Zack stalked off back towards the elevators, leaving Maddie standing behind the candy counter with a forlorn expression. I decided to follow him and find out what was going on. But before I got to the Martins' suite, I nearly jumped out of my skin when Zack suddenly appeared behind me.

"Looking' for me, sweet thang?" he enquired in a friendly tone.

"Geez, Zack, you scared the ** out of me! Since when have you had padded feet?" I asked flippantly, feeling thoroughly put out.

"I've always been as stealthy as a jungle cat, or a lone wolf." Zack remarked teasingly.

There was something about his statement that I couldn't quite put my finger on, which instantly made me uneasy.

"I came to see if you were okay. I saw you and Maddie in the lobby earlier. Did you guys have a fight?" I asked in a concerned tone.

Zack shrugged once before answering, but I could tell he was on his guard now.

"It's nothing. Maddie and I haven't been seeing eye to eye for a while on a lot of things," he replied casually.

"Zack, maybe you should just talk to her-"

"Forget about Maddie, Bailey. I'd much rather hang out with you, that's if you can pry yourself away from Cody these days." Zack quipped in an unrecognizably scathing tone. Was Zack flirting with me, be it ever so subtly?

"Cody and I are making up for lost time, Zack." I retorted defensively.

"Everything okay here?"

I whipped around and saw that Cody had entered the hallway too. Sheesh, does no one make a sound when they're walking around anymore?

"Yeah, Cody, everything's fine." I answered quickly with a smile.

"Yeah, Codery, we're just talking. Don't be such a leech." Zack
retorted with a callous smile.

"Bailey, could you please go wait for me in your suite? I'd like to have a word with my dear brother." Cody stated in a serene voice.

"Cody?" I asked quizzically, noticing that strange tension between him and Zack once more.

"Everything's fine. I just need to talk to, Zack, about something real quick. I'll see you in 5 minutes." Cody answered reassuringly.

He then kissed me quickly on the lips and opened the door of their suite. Zack followed him with an angry stance and the door clicked back into place.

I know I should've just gone straight back to my suite, but my overriding sense of logic succumbed to my burning curiosity.

I tiptoed towards the door and pressed my ear up against it, hoping I'd hear something. And yet another strange conversation ensued:

"What do you think you're doing, Zack?" Cody demanded in a dangerously low voice.

"What?" Zack asked, feigning innocence.

"You know damn well what. It's bad enough being so careless with everything that's already happened. But to involve Bailey as well –"

"Involve Bailey? We were just talking, big deal." Zack spat carelessly.

"Yeah, it is a big deal, Zack. If you get too close to her –"

"You think I would intentionally hurt Bailey? Last time I checked, you were the one who's supposed to be careful around her, being so much more indestructible, that is."

"I can't talk to you like this, you're being an ** as usual. Just keep your distance." Cody snapped angrily.

"Sure, sure." Zack retorted sarcastically.

I decided that was my cue to leave. I quickly took out my card key, opened the door to my suite and leapt in. I stood against the wall for a few minutes, thinking about everything that I'd heard today. But even the words I'd heard couldn't come close to what my eyes began telling me.

There was still a definite tension in the air. But something about all of it made me start scrutinizing Cody a lot more. He seemed distant, especially when were alone.

He still touched me and kissed me, but he seemed like he was trying to be more careful this time, like he was afraid he was going to break me. Is that what Zack had been referring to? Or was it something else?

That's when my mind travelled back to several strange things I'd already seen in the past few weeks. The first was Zack and Cody's behavior in general.

Was it just my imagination, or were they both sporting very different hairstyles? Since I'd known the Martin twins, they'd always had similar haircuts.

Now Zack appeared to have shaved his long mane of blonde hair into a military buzz cut. Cody had cut his hair too, but styled his blonde locks it into immaculate disarray. Were those orange tints in his hair too? In short, Cody looked mouth wateringly good. I couldn't stop looking at him like he was something to eat.

I'd never known Zack to be vain about his body, but he seemed to be sporting next to nothing these days. Mr. Moseby once yanked Zack by the ear out of the lobby when he dared to exit the elevators, wearing nothing but a pair of blue cut-off jeans.

Right as Zack and Mr. Moseby passed me, hissing and snapping at each other, I snuck a peek at Zack's bulging biceps and rippling muscles. Damn, what kind of Popeye diet did Carey have the twins on?

And speaking of food, Zack seemed to be shoveling in five to ten helpings of food a day while Cody didn't seem to have an appetite period. Whenever I asked him about it, all he'd say was that he'd caught a stomach virus and couldn't keep anything down.

So he was trying to minimize his food in-take. I could understand that if it had only been for a few days. But for a few weeks? I'd known Cody to be somewhat reclusive and introverted next to Zack's charming and bubbly personality, but I'd never known him to be musical.

On our recent bout of dates in the hotel, we always seemed to end up in the music lounge after hours. And then out of nowhere, Cody would begin playing some hauntingly beautiful tune on the piano, his fingers racing effortlessly across the keys.

But what Cody seemed to enjoy the most wasn't playing itself, but the mere fact that I was usually laying across a recliner in a sexy (and may I say uncomfortable) pose watching him play seemed to be quite the turn on for him.

It wasn't just Zack and Cody who were acting strangely. I began to notice other things about their friends too. While Zack, Max and London of all people seemed to be dressing down on a regular basis in plain jeans and t-shirts, Cody, Maddie and Bob always seemed to be sporting some new item of fashionable attire that I'd never see them wear before.

I felt like I'd stepped into an episode of 'Project Runway'. Cody and Bob didn't strike me as being particularly fashionable to begin with. And isn't Maddie supposed be poor?

It seemed strange that the six of them had split off down the middle into two distinct groups, each vastly different from the other in tastes and style. It did seem a little strange that Max came referring to her clique in plural at every opportunity, like they did everything together.

Again, there was a strange tension in the air, like the six of them were gearing up for a fight. And there was all this talk about an 'ancient battle'. Whatever was going on, Woody seemed to be completely oblivious to it. It was time to take matters into my own hands.

I began experiencing heart failure at the most trivial things. My head was desperately trying to tell me what was going on while my heart stubbornly refused to believe it.

Okay, am I imagining things, or did Cody just rip large bush from its roots just outside the Tipton's main entrance? Bob was with him too and barely flinched at the movement.

And then on another occasion, I hid behind a pot plant and saw London entering stealthily into a storage room just outside her suite, while Woody and Maddie appeared to be waiting outside in the hallway. Instead of London exiting the room, a golden brown dog with a wolfish quality to it leapt out and dashed eagerly towards Woody.

"Hey there, little guy! Isn't your fur coat just looking oh so shiny? Yes it is, yes it is," Woody crooned, burying his face into the dog's fur.

"Woody, it's a she. How can you stand to be so close to her? She stinks." Maddie put in irritably, wrinkling her nose in distaste. The dog in turn bared its teeth at Maddie and growled menacingly.

"What is Maddie talking about? You don't smell bad to me at all," Woody murmured softly to the dog.

"Birds of a feather," Maddie quipped dryly while rolling her eyes.

After escaping to the lobby, I clutched at a stitch in my side and tried to catch my breath. Was I the only one noticing any of this? As far as I could tell, Carey and Mr. Moseby were just as clueless as Woody. Maybe I really am going out of my mind.

Suddenly feeling hungry, I reached out and grabbed a mouth-watering red apple from a crystal bowl on the coffee table below me. Just as I was about to take a big bite out of it, Cody appeared out of nowhere and caught me completely off guard.

In my shock, I accidentally lost my grip on the apple and watched it as fell. But before it could hit the ground, Cody put out his foot deftly to catch it. The apple landed on the tip of his sneaker, rolled upwards, then bounced comfortably into Cody's outstretched hands. All of this happened in the space of a split second.

"You know, you really shouldn't play with your food," Cody murmured with a teasing smile.

Before I could say anything, Bob suddenly sidled up next to the two of us, closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he had the most alarming expression on his face.

"You brought a snack," he affirmed tantalizingly.

That did it. Based on some irrational fear, I murmured some excuse and literally bolted for the elevators. When I finally reached my suite, I pushed the metal clasp down sharply across the door and exhaled.

What was going on with me? This was getting ridiculous. If I couldn't talk to my own boyfriend, then who else was left? I texted him and asked if I could talk to him in his suite.

It seems that I beat Cody there because when I opened the door to the Martins' suite with his spare key card, no one was home.

I decided I would wait in Zack and Cody's bedroom to give us some privacy. But when I came to sit down on Cody's bed, my posterior somehow missed and I ended up banging my head on the floor.

Rubbing my head, I got to my feet once more and tried to find the source of my mistake. It wasn't hard to guess. I hadn't missed the bed at all. There was no bed on Cody's side of the
room.

That night I had a fitful sleep, my body tossing weakly against my duvet covers. There was a raging thunderstorm outside and I was awoken each I heard a booming clap or the slightest creaking of a floorboard. My mind kept repeating the various conversations and incidents I'd witnessed, willing me to guess at the truth.

Maybe it's just a phase.

Just a misunderstanding…he found out your secret.

You brought a snack.

Woody, did you cut the cheese again?

After that last disturbing thought, I switched on the TV and flipped through the channels. I came across a news headline stating that a body had been found underneath the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, completely maimed and bloodied.

Squinting through that part, I watched as the paramedics wheeled the stretcher away, the man's feet the only visible part beneath the white sheet covering his body. The one thing I noticed before dozing off was how pale the man's feet were, almost the same shade of Cody's.

I dreamt I was in a secluded wooded area, Cody standing a few feet behind me. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, like something out a novel, or just cleverly CGI'dby Summit Pictures.

"Cody, how old are you?" I asked curiously.

"17." Cody responded promptly.

"And how long have you been 17?" I pressed seriously, my knuckles turning white from clutching them so tightly against my sides.

"A while…give or take 6 months, 2 weeks and 3 days to round it off." Cody added with a toothy grin.

Without warning, the jeans and t-shirt I was wearing turned into a lavish wine-red dress which fit my form down to a tee and ended at my knees. Cody, wearing an old fashioned black tuxedo, came up slowly behind me and wrapped his frigid arms around my waist.

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb," he whispered huskily, his cool breath against my ear.

"What a sick masochistic lion, with an incompetent vocal coach," Cody added desperately.

"What a retarded lamb on crack," I agreed while resting my head against his shoulder.

Then without warning, Cody opened his mouth wide, revealing pearly-white razor-sharp teeth. He plunged them into my delicate neck and I gasped at the instant pain. Warm blood seeped out of the wound and I closed my eyes, willing them to shut forever…

That's when I woke up, heart pounding and bathed in sweat. I could hear the faint echo of several violins resonating above me, searing through my brain in a haunting crescendo.

I quickly grabbed my laptop from my nightstand and logged onto the internet. I typed in 'cold one' and waited with bated breath.

What the hell! Where are all the websites I saw in the film? Are you seriously telling me this webpage on the Apotamkin is the only thing they didn't make up? And how the hell did Russell Brand get into this search?

Fuming indignantly, I switched on my lamp and grabbed my copy of Twilight. There had to be answers in this book. After I had paged through it for a good 30 minutes, my hands began trembling.

And that's when the truth hit me like a ton of bricks as the bongos began banging violently overhead, followed by the same haunting chorus of violins. My boyfriend is a vampire and his friends are werewolves…

I didn't get much sleep after that, the cogs in my brain turning all the more furiously all the way till sunrise. I finally gave up and made my way downstairs to the Tipton restaurant for an early breakfast.

The last thing I wanted to do was see Cody. It all finally fit: the strange flu that everyone had supposedly caught, the strange arguments I'd overhead, why Zack's temperature was blazing hot these days and Cody's just below Arctic conditions.

Why I saw a wolf (not a dog as I initially thought) come out of a storage room that I saw London go in. Why I kept hearing the Twilight soundtrack around every corner, unless Mr. Moseby had just purchased yet another Starbucks compilation.

Cody, Bob and Maddie were vampires while Zack, Max and London were werewolves. My friends were all mythical creatures, destined to meet in an epic battle of good vs. evil to protect the human race.

My head was spinning. I needed to tell someone, but who? There's no way Carey and Mr. Moseby would believe me. I had to confront them, but what would I say? What did this mean for mine and Cody's relationship?

The persons in question shuffled through the door an hour later just as I was finishing my toast. I needed to get some fresh air. I got up hurriedly and began walking towards the exit.

Just as I got towards Cody, he stared at me blankly. I returned his stare with a cool nod and stalked past him in slow motion.

If I hadn't been so focused on my staring competition with Cody, I might've seen where I was going before I tripped and collided with Mr. Moseby.

"Oh golly, I'm so sorry, Mr. Moseby!" I apologized profusely while trying to help him up.

"Don't touch me, don't touch me!" Mr. Moseby squeaked and slapped my hands away.

I cursed softly and walked out of the restaurant. I got as far as the lobby and stood near the candy counter, willing myself to calm down. Before I had time to think of my next move, my six freakish friends and Woody entered the lobby, arguing heatedly.

"You take that back right now, Max!" Bob yelled furiously.

"I'm sorry if you can't handle the truth, Bob. You're a leech!" Max shrieked back vehemently.

"That is an extremely derogatory term." Bob replied coldly.

"I can't believe you went back on your word. We had a treaty! Doesn't that mean anything to your kind?" Zack snapped angrily.

"Our kind? If it hadn't been for your ridiculous gambling, we wouldn't be in this mess right now, Zack! Who bets on those kinds of odds?" Cody demanded irately.

"At least, Zack tried to do something. You all sat back and did nothing." London hissed impatiently, coming to Zack's defense.

"We tried to be diplomatic about this, London. But as always, your pack had to overreact." Maddie complained.

"Overreact? That does it, I'm going to tear you limb from limb." Max warned menacingly.

Zack and London joined Max on either side and stood facing Bob, Maddie and Cody, who too had formed a threatening stance.

The fast-paced drum beat and guitar riff of 'Super massive Black Hole' began playing in the midst of the room. Their bodies were hunched over and they glared at each other, each of their mouths curled into menacing snarls.

I knew I was probably as good as dead if I tried to do anything, but I couldn't just stand back and watch them kill themselves, especially with guests around in the middle of the lobby. I jumped in-between them and put my hands up.

"Stop it! Don't do something you'll regret!" I pleaded earnestly, on the verge of tears.

"Bailey's right, we don't need to fight. I say we draw up a line and each group sticks to their own side." Zack suggested calmly.

"Fine by me." Bob replied crisply.

"Guys, this is crazy. You have to work together. I know you're supposed to be mortal enemies, but you have to put that behind you for the greater good. Think of Eclipse." I remonstrated vehemently.

"Mortal enemies?" Maddie asked quizzically.

"What's an ellipse?" London demanded in confusion.

"It's Eclipse, London. And I have no idea what Bailey's talking about either." Zack added in bewilderment.

"Bailey, what's going on?" Cody asked calmly, coming towards me and placing his hands on my shoulders.

"I need to know what you're thinking," he added breathlessly.

"Bailey, I wish you would just say it." Cody stated painstakingly.

"Out loud," he added in a low seductive voice.

"Vampire." I murmured, my eyes dilated with fear.

"Okay, I take it back. You should've kept that one quiet. What?" Cody squeaked in alarm.

"Well you told me to say it out loud. My only other options were Meteor Freak or Leonard Di Caprio." I retorted defensively.

"I'm sorry, Cody, but I thought I just heard your girlfriend call you a vampire." Max stated in bewilderment.

"She did, why would you think I'm a vampire, Bailey?" Cody asked quizzically, with raised eyebrows.

"Not just you. Maddie and Bob too." I added plainly.

"Oh, and I know that Zack, London and Max are werewolves too," I added, much to everyone's further bewilderment.

"Werewolves?" Max asked blankly.

"Vampire, as in Dracula with a black cape and a strange Eastern European accent?" Bob asked bewilderedly.

"No way, I'm much too foxy to be a werewolf." Zack concluded with a seedy grin.

"Ew, are you calling me some kind of mangy mutt?" London demanded shrilly.

"Bailey, why would you think that in a million years?" Maddie asked seriously.

"Well, you see…"

As I began to explain my various theories and the things I'd witnessed over the last few weeks, I began to feel very foolish.

"Why did you get so upset with Zack when you saw us talking together?" I asked of Cody.

"Because, we've all been sick with this weird flu, Bailey, before you came to Boston. Zack got it the worst out of everyone. I wasn't worried about myself because I got vaccinated in time, so my symptoms weren't as bad. But I didn't want you to get sick after that time on the S.S. Tipton when you nearly got pneumonia. Your immune's system a lot weaker than mine. And I know how stubborn Zack can be about proper bed rest." Cody explained succinctly.

"I am pretty stubborn." Zack agreed solemnly.

"But what about your argument with, Maddie, here in the lobby? You were talking about risks and secrets." I countered vehemently.

"I found out that Zack had started an illegal extra-curricular wrestling club at school and was taking bets on their fights. I was worried that since Zack was fighting too, that he might get hurt. As for the secret…my dweeb of a brother, Liam, read my diary and found out that I was in a 'Miss Toucan Sam' beauty pageant for Kellogg's Fruit Loops years ago, and won. And I sort of punched him because he made fun of me." Maddie explained miserably on the last part.

"You punched your brother?" Max asked with a giggle.

"Gasp! You were in a beauty pageant? You said you hated beauty pageants!" London exclaimed indignantly.

"Toucan Sam? Damn, Maddie, your nose must've been really huge to win…I'm sorry." Bob wheezed sheepishly.

"Okay, what about you pulling that bush right out from its roots?" I demanded rapidly.

"It was termite-infested. Bob and I volunteered to check it out for Mr. Moseby. He has to call in an exterminator." Cody explained calmly.

"What about the wolf that popped out of the storage room?"

"It belongs to a friend of mine, she got it in Alaska. I snuck it into the hotel to show Maddie and Woody because they didn't believe that the wolf actually had golden-colored fur. I hid in the storage room in case Moseby came around." London explained.

"I wasn't kidding about that wolf either. It really stank." Maddie put in ruefully.

"But I've been hearing the Twilight soundtrack all over the place. It's like it was a sign." I protested feebly.

"Uh, actually, that was me. I told you I'd gotten better at playing the bongos. You must've heard me playing it one floor above you last night; I was really in the zone. I've got the entire Twilight soundtrack on my cell phone. Man, I love me some Muse." Woody commented enthusiastically.

"Who wants to hear an encore of 'Claire De Lune' on my fart-trumpet?" Woody asked dubiously with a wide grin.

"Hell no!" we all chorused in horror at the same time as well as a few guests.

Woody scowled back at us in obvious disappointment.

"What about Bob saying that I brought a snack?"

"You did have a snack, like the apple in your hand?" Bob pointed out derisively.

"Oh," I blushed.

"Wait, what about catching my apple right before it fell to the ground?" I demanded, turning my attention back to Cody.

"Uh, turns out that playing hackey-sack makes me trip. So I opted for a new trick." Cody replied sheepishly.

"What about your bed?"

"My mom got rid of my old bed. Mr. Tipton asked Moseby to refurbish all the suites on the top floor, something about a better hotel image. Our entire suite was going to get new furniture and a new sky light. My new bed's supposed to arrive today." Cody explained meekly.

"It's true, Bailey. Daddy said all the furniture in the hotel needed to be replaced with all new fabulous pieces." London agreed excitedly.

"What about the near-blood bath I just interrupted?" I asked quizzically. This time, the seven of them all looked sheepish.

"Well, we've all kind've been fighting about the upcoming Celtics game. They're playing the Knicks and we all ended up betting on different outcomes of the game." Zack explained slowly.

"We were all supposed to just bet on one outcome. But I went a little crazy and bet $200 that Rasheed Wallace could score 18 points by the end of the 3rd quarter." Bob added painstakingly.

"Which was incredibly stupid, so I said Bob couldn't be trusted? Then I called him a leech because he ate all my popcorn the last time we went to watch the Celtics play." Max put in slowly.

"Half." Bob corrected nonsensically.

"All of this fighting over a Celtics game?" I asked stupidly. "And you knew about this?" I demanded, rounding on Woody.

"I may have taken a bet or two," Woody offered lamely with a nervous grin.

"I didn't get involved. Yay Me!" London put in with a broad smile.

All of this was beginning to make sense.

"**," I muttered self consciously.

"Uh guys, why don't we give these two a minute? I'm starving." Max suggested pointedly.

The seven of them shuffled back towards the restaurant, leaving me standing awkwardly next to Cody, who was smiling.

"Go on, say it." I urged glumly.

"What?" Cody asked curiously.

"That you're dating the dumbest girl from Hicksville, USA who will believe any crap written in a book." I instructed woefully.

"But I'm not dating that girl. See, I'm dating Bailey Pickett, you might know her. She's sweet, funny and highly imaginative. And did I mention she has the cutest dimples and is breathtakingly beautiful too?" Cody asked pleasantly before enveloping me in his arms.

"It rings a bell," I murmured huskily before kissing him slowly.

"I'm sorry I got so carried away," I added meekly.

"Don't worry about it. Next time you've got a crazy theory, just run it by me okay? Then we can get carried away together." Cody suggested wisely.

"There's one more thing I need to know. Your sudden change in fashion and hair style?" I questioned seriously.

Cody began scratching the back of his head profusely, which meant that he was nervous.

"Actually, I did do that on purpose. You seemed to like that Rob Pattinson guy so much after you saw Twilight on the S.S. Tipton, I decided to model my appearance on him. Lame, huh?" Cody asked with a nervous chuckle.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and stared deeply into his eyes.

"Not in the least. But you know what I like better than fantasizing about some stupid Hollywood actor? Fantasizing about my real boyfriend. Cody Martin, you might know him: sweet, funny, incredibly smart, cute smile, gorgeous head of hair I could just run my hands through, adorable set of beaver teeth." I purred seductively before kissing him slowly.

"Wanna call it even on all accounts?" Cody asked laughingly, pulling me even closer towards him.

"You got it," I whispered before our lips met again.

No One's Point of View

After Cody had made sure that Bailey had gotten back into bed and slept for a few more hours; he returned to his own suite and entered the living room.

Zack found him standing there 10 minutes later, just below the new skylight built into the ceiling, gazing upwards pensively.

"Nice view." Zack commented lightly, referring to the skylight.

"It sure is." Cody agreed nonchalantly.

"What a morning. Can you believe Bailey, and her crazy ideas? Thinking we were all characters out of a stupid book?" Zack laughed uproariously.

"Crazy. Too bad she was right about everything." Cody replied woefully, finally turning around to face Zack.

"Hey, come on, lighten up. She's annoyingly smart and shrewd like you. That's why you like her so much." Zack concluded in a cheery tone.

"Still, we should've been more careful. Her overhearing any of our conversations was very reckless." Cody mused ruefully.

"Good thing you put me in charge of lies and alibis." Zack remarked stoically with a satisfied grin.

"We all need to be more careful in future. We can't afford any more distractions, or delays." Cody stated softly.

"Yeah, I know. What happened to Frank Walker was unfortunate," Zack agreed, a forlorn expression appearing on his face, referring to the man who had been found under the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge.

"So it was definitely another vampire who's responsible?" Zack
asked curiously.

"Incontrovertibly, which is why we need to patrol the city tonight? Whoever's attacking these people is a new-born and very dangerous. That reminds me, you need to keep a closer eye on Maddie." Cody instructed tersely.

"Yeah, good thing you can read minds bro. Otherwise, we might've gotten there too late when she attacked Liam." Zack mused regretfully.

"She's getting though, Cody. She just needs some time. We all do," Zack added seriously.

"I know. Who of you is patrolling the inner city? That way we don't have to cross paths." Cody stated casually.

"London. She's getting ready to go as we speak. Since she's the fastest, she'll cover more ground in less time." Zack responded frankly.

"Good. I think I'll stay by the Tipton and keep an eye on the guests, especially Bailey." Cody suggested.

"You really love her, don't you?" Zack asked curiously.

"She is my life now." Cody answered simply.

"You'll have to tell her everything eventually." Zack advised seriously.

"I know."

"She may be okay with it, you know. In fact, she may even want to join when she realizes how cool the abilities are, regardless of the smell." Zack offered with a smile.

"Thanks Zack." Cody replied graciously, matching his grin.

"Anytime, bro. I'd better get going too. I'm keeping an eye on Maddie's neighborhood."

With one last wink, Zack exited the suite. Cody closed his eyes and sighed loudly. He silently wondered if Bailey would truly understand and accept him.

With a weary expression on his face, he slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Tossing it casually behind him, he stepped forward directly under the skylight.

The cloud overhead was suddenly pierced with sunlight bursting through its shade, all the way through the sky light. The entire living room was now bathed in its glowing light. Cody looked down at his bare torso absent-mindedly, which was now shining brilliantly like diamonds.

London was on the rooftop of the Tipton, gazing down at the traffic below. She slowly began to strip off her richly adorned clothing, until she was completely naked.

Taking a deep breath, she began sprinting towards the edge of the Tipton roof. As she ran, her body began reverberating violently.

Soon, bronze flesh was replaced with golden fur as she leapt through the air and landed with a soft thud on the roof of the next building.

As she continued, she felt strangely liberated and graceful, despite being a werewolf. She was leaving London Tipton, the rich heiress far behind now.

She was certain no one below or above could see her. But even if they could, they'd never believe their own eyes. Bailey certainly didn't.