"Here, you must be thirsty," the doctor said, handing me a glass of juice. I nodded my thanks while I drank.

It was morning and all my visitors had gone a long time ago. My parents had said their goodbyes He sat by my bed.

"Cassie, before you leave I just wanted to say that it was a pleasure meeting you. Yours truly is an interesting story. I also wanted to explain some things about your new life."

The juice had a funny taste, but I ignored it and gave the doctor my attention.

"The Hunter's have a flexible household, and I'm sure they'll be able to provide whatever you need food and health wise. But, as you know, vampires are nocturnal creatures and you're going to have to conform to that lifestyle if you're going to live with them."

There was a pause. "Ok?" I said. "That's easy. I stay up late all the time."

"In your current state, it would be extremely detrimental to your health if you tried to make yourself nocturnal naturally. Luckily for you there's a serum made exactly for that purpose. You drink it and it completely reverses your body clock while you sleep."

"Ok, sounds good."

"Unluckily for you, it causes unimaginable night terrors and nightmares that you will not be able to wake from until the process is complete."

"….Yeah. That's ok. I'm fine with my health being dentrimentalized. I think I'll take my chances naturally."

There was a long silence and he stared at me. Suddenly a giant aluminum caterpillar with a human face dove beneath my bed.

"The serum was in my juice, wasn't it?" I asked.

He roared at me, sprouted wings, and then flew into a cloud of barbwire condoms.

Holy cow.

"She should be waking up now. Look how bright the moon is."

"She smells so good! Could I just have a little-?"

"Hey, back off!"

Terry. That was Terry's voice. Or it could be the dog faced crow that's been stalking me. Maybe I should just sleep a little more.

"Would you guy's calm down? The doctor said it should be wearing off right about now…yuck. Is it me or is her arm getting worse?"

"Yeah, what did you do? Try to tear her arm off?"

"Shut up."

Death? Yeah, that was death's voice. Definitely stay asleep. I was beginning to recognize the voices and it didn't seem like I belonged in that conversation. There was Terry, Jack, Emilie and two other voices I vaguely knew.

"Ok guys, leave baby alone. Or he'll start crying."

"I've been reviewing this contract, and it doesn't say anything about her not being able to sue us. Including you, Liam."

"What? Whatever. She's not going to sue me."

"So? She was all too happy when she thought her father was suing us." Emilie said.

"And? Jack, I'd sue you just because you look the way you do. Seriously, wear a mask or something. I'm going to vomit that brunette."

"You're right. Liam's a major dick," Terrie whispered harshly.

There was a silence. "Do you think he heard me?"

I shifted and suddenly felt the softness of the bed. The sheets were thicker and warmer; the bed was wider and softer. The air smelled like cream and honey, my favorite smell.

"Guys, I think she's waking up," Terrie said. "Cassie? Are you conscious?"

"Don't hit her again! Zombie teeth don't grow back!" Emilie yelled.

I opened my eyes slightly, and I wasn't in the hospital. I was in a lush, wooden high ceiling room. It was like the hospital room, except cozier with more home accessories.

"Terry?" I asked.

Her face appeared over mine, "How are you feeling? Think you can sit up?"

I tried to pull myself up, but there was a searing pain in my arm and then déjà vu.

"Whoa! Calm down! We don't want another incident. Here, let me help you," Emilie said and pulled me up.

At the foot of my bed sat Jack, a vampire girl and a vampire boy. The two strangers were dressed in very fancy, high class clothes. The girl smiled broadly, but the boy was smirked like a pervert.

I'm sorry, but after living with my father all my life anybody trying to be sexy is a creepy sexually threatening pervert.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Your new room!" Emilie said. "You like it?" She spun around, gesturing to everything.

"We asked Terry to come here and help us pick everything out. We were in a rush so we could finish before you woke up, but then we thought you were never going to wake up. You've been out for four days," Jack said.

His voice was soft and he was sitting stiffly like he didn't want to startle me.

'Ahem.'

We turned to the strangers. The girl walked over and sat by my side. "Good Morning, I'm Countess Claire de Glenn. I just want to apologize for what happened to you."

"Why?" I said cautiously.

They all turned to look at the boy vampire. He rolled his eyes and then smiled at me. "Good Morning, I'm-"

"Prince Liam," I finished. I recognized that trademark smirk from all those news reports and TV interviews.

He smiled again and ambled over to my bedside and shoved Claire down. He brought my hand to his lips and smiled graciously. "Yes, I am. Enchanted to meet you. I am so sorry about your present condition. It's all my fault."

"Your fault?" I asked and cast a wary glance at Jack. He coughed and looked away.

Liam gave me a sheepish grin. "Well, even though I'm not the one who drained you of your blood, or got myself blown up or entrapped you in a hellish contract to my family for the rest of your life, I am the one who threw the bomb."

I exchanged looks with Terry. "Bomb? There was a bomb involved in all this?"

"Yeah," Claire said. "Ever heard of the game manhunt? Usually it's not dangerous when we play with a group, but it was just the four of us. We were playing with weapons of minor destruction."

I racked my brain for any images I might have seen on the news about weapons of destruction: missiles, atomic bombs, nuclear warheads. "Minor destruction?"

"Yeah, like paint guns, sedatives, bolas, powder bombs. Stuff like that. But somebody, LIAM, thought it would be cute to bring a real explosive. That way when he inevitably lost he would be able to go out with a bang. Isn't that right?"

She turned to look at Liam, and then frowned.

"Excuse me?" He said softly. She rolled her eyes and went back to her seat, "I apologize for my insolence, your Royal Highness."

She said it like a curse, and he smiled falsely and turned back to me. "Cassie, it's been a pleasure meeting you, but I'm afraid I must be leaving. Princely duties and all that. I'll be sure to visit you later when we can get more introduced." He kissed my hand and then looked at Terry with gritted teeth. "Lovely to meet you too," he said in a rush and then began walking out of the room.

"Ditto, your Royal Highness."

She failed etiquette class.

He ruffled Emilie's hair, and she growled at him.

Liam walked over to Jack who was still sitting. They stared at each other and I could see the hate sparks flying through the air and hitting people in the eyes.

Finally, Liam bent eye level with Jack and leaned one arm against the chair back. "Jack? She's as cute as you said she was. See you later, coz."

Jack stiffened and shot an accusatory glare at Claire who threw her hands up defensively.

Emilie pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

I winced and sucked air through my teeth. That was a low blow.

The ensuing silence after Liam closed the door was the most awkward thing in the world.

"PANCAKES!" I exclaimed suddenly. They all jumped and stared at me. "PANCAKES! That is what I want to eat right now. I am starving."

Emilie jumped up. "Oh! That's right. You haven't eaten yet. I'll go tell the chefs." And then she ran out. Then she ran back in. "You guys want anything?"

"I'll just have what she's having," Terry said.

"Nothing, thank you," Claire said politely.

"I'm not hungry."

Emilie nodded and ran out.

"At least that jerk is gone. Prince Liam, I mean. Not Emilie," Terry said and Claire giggled. Her smile faded when she looked at Jack's dejected expression.

"Actually, I should be leaving. It's getting pretty late and I have to get back to my sisters. They're overwhelmed enough as it is, what with the party and all. It was nice meeting you Terry and Cassie. I'll visit you later when everything's all track. Um, good bye Jack and Jenny says hi." She said the last part in a rush and then ran out.

Jack gasped and turned in his chair. "Tell her the boat is still stranded in France!"

"It's too late!" Claire called, safe on the other side of the door. "She saw you walking the dog! Nice meeting you guys!"

I pouted. "If she likes us so much, why didn't we get an invitation to that party?"

Terry slapped the back of my head. "Shut up. You don't even know them." Her voice softened to a whisper, "Hey, Claire told me that her sister has this huge crush on Jack. She told me about it while you were unconscious." She looked at Jack and then to me. "Claire told me that her sister was in love with Jack."

As you might have noticed, Terry's whispers are more like dull roars or the ocean crashing upon breakers.

Jack craned his neck and narrowed his eyes at her. She looked up at the ceiling blew up her cheeks. "Well, exc-u-u-u-se me. I'm going to go check up on the food. It's been like 5 minutes already."

"They're chefs, Terry. Not magical food fast-y makers. Terry?" I called

And just as mysteriously as she arrived, she was gone.

And then there were two. Me and Jack. Jack and me. Us. We.

The silence was deafening and awkward and I wished I had stayed asleep. Embarrassment was not my thing, and if it didn't end soon I was going to explode. I need to say something…anything to end this terrible horrible soul crushing silence.

"If it helps," I began. "I think you're kind of cute, too."

Quick thinking mouth; not exactly what my brain had in mind, but still good.

He raised an eyebrow and flashed a half smile. "Don't worry about that. Liam's a jerk. This is nothing new. It's not even his worst."

"Was bombing you his worst?"

He laughed. "Not even close! That's funny. Once, when we were younger, and my sister was just born he locked her away somewhere and then blamed it on me. My parents were just about ready to execute me. They eventually found out what happened, but he weaseled out of it like he always does."

I frowned and tried to find the funny part in that story. Nope. Not one.

"Uh, that was some story," I said. "Once, for April fool's day, my boyfriend put raspberries in my drink, and I began choking on them and-"

"You have a boyfriend?" He sounded surprised and I felt a little insulted.

"I did. A few months ago."

"What happened?"

"I'm allergic to raspberries."

He laughed even louder and I began doubting his sense of humor.

"What about you? I bet you're beating the girls off with a stick," I said.

He scooted his chair closer to my bedside and held his face in his hands against my bed. He seemed to be forgetting his original self-consciousness. "Oh yeah? Why would you say that?"

I held up my not jacked up hand and counted off my fingers. "You're handsome, and rich, and a duke…" I trailed up and looked up in thought. His smile melted off and he sat back in his seat in displeasure.

"Is that all you can think of?" He asked and folded his arms.

I shrugged and tried to suppress laughter. "What about me? What's good about me?"

He scrutinized me. "I'm not sure anymore."

I burst out laughing and nearly choked on my own tongue as my arm burst into flames.

"Are you ok?" He asked and leaned out of his chair. I shook my head and gestured for him to stay in his seat. "I'm fine. Tell me about your girlfriend."

He paused, unsure, and then leaned back. "I don't really have a girlfriend, but I have dated many women."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep," He had a self-satisfied grin. "Hundreds of thousands of exotic women from all over the world. Mostly models."

I stared at him and tried to find something nice to say, like my mother always said. Cassie was not amused, as you can imagine. Not at all.

I pursed my lips and tried not to let my annoyance show.

He saw my face and grimaced. "I'm going to check on your food."

He opened the door and in spilled Terry and Emilie who were crouched on the floor.

"Mom wanted you to come down and eat breakfast with us at the table," Emilie said. "And we weren't just pressed up against the door listening to Jack crash and burn."

Terry looked at her than at me, "Well, she wasn't."