AN: Thanks to any favourites and follows, and to Slytherin Studios for the review. Sorry I haven't updated in a long time, I've had exams to revise for. Enjoy.

Chapter 9-

With every passing minute, the possiblilty that David and his vampires would arrive grew more frightening. I imagined the battle that would ensue and tried to imagine any result other than our deaths. We were more, but they were stronger. As the sun slipped below the horizon I could feel myself getting fractionally stronger and prayed it would be enough to face the coming battle.

It wasn't fully dark when Michael and I found the strength to go downstairs and help with the preparations taking place. We bolted the windows, lit a fire in the fireplace, anything that would buy us even a second of time. Throughout this, I avoided my brothers as much as possible and we barely spoke.

Michael and I joined Star and Laddie once again whilst our brothers filled a bath tub with garlic water. Laddie was still sleeping, looking almost peaceful, in the corner. Star, however, had awoken.

"They'll be coming for Laddie, Izzy and me, won't they?" Star asked.

"They'll be coming for all of us." Was Michael's reply.

I retired to the window seat and watched as the sun completed its journey below the horizon. It was agonising waiting for the sun to vanish, and I was conflicted; I wanted the battle to come so that I didn't have to wait anymore, but I also hoped it would never arrive. The house was eerily silent, not even the dog was barking, and it was almost suffocating.

"Sam!" I suddenly heard Michael yell, and realised with a start that they must have arrived.

Scrambling to my feet, I rushed for the front door and found myself stood on the porch with Star, Laddie, Alan and Edgar. I couldn't see any vampires, but I witnessed them hunting enough time to know they could still be out there.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"It's Sam." Alan replied, pointing down the garden.

I followed his finger and saw Sam struggling with Nanook's leash while Michael ran towards him. We all screamed frantically at the two of them, and my heartbeat hurt my ribcage as it hammered against it, a reminder that I wasn't quite a vampire yet.

"Michael, they're coming!" Star screamed.

I didn't dare look up at the sky so I kept my eyes on the Emerson brothers and they sprinted back towards us with Nanook. After a brief fall, they made it back and Alan ushered us all into the house, slamming the door.

"Take them upstairs!" Michael ordered, pointing at Star and Laddie.

I decided to make myself of some use by helping to keep Star and Laddie safe and followed the group upstairs. Crashes, bangs and laughter started from downstairs but we didn't look back, even when we reached Michael's room.

"I say we terminate them now." Edgar suddenly said, raising a stake.

It took me a moment to register what he meant and when I did, I was both horrified and confused. Why would he do this now when the past few hours had been dedicated to doing exactly the opposite. I had no idea whether Edgar's plan included me but I wasn't about to let Star and Laddie get hurt. My brothers chased Star and Laddie through the bathroom, and I chased my brothers. We'd barely made it ten feet when Paul leapt out from behind a door, trapping us.

"You're mine!" He screamed, knocking the weapons from their hands. "Paul..." I started, but he cut me off.

"You killed Marko!" He screamed at them "Yeah, you're next." Edgar replied.

"Paul..." I tried, unsuccessfully to talk to him again.

"Izzy, you betrayed your family!"

"No I didn't!" I argued, "My brothers are my family!"

We came to a halt at the bath tub, and Paul noticed us glancing at it.

"Garlic don't work." He sneered.

"Try holy water, death breath." Edgar said before splashing Paul in the face.

Paul's screams were loud and piercing. Alan stumbled backwards, causing the three of us to fall to the floor. As we watched, Nanook appeared and leapt on Paul, knocking him into the bath. Smoke rose from him and his howls continued. Watching Paul go was different from watching Marko go. Paul was the only one who'd shown Star and me any kind of compassion and kindness. He wasn't a friend but, apart from Star, he'd been the closest thing I'd to one for months.

Everything went silent. Paul's screams ceased and I watched as my brothers crawled closer to inspect the damage. Suddenly, Paul rose up out the bath, sending Edgar, Alan and I into a new chorus of screams. They fell back onto the floor, and as I watched Paul flail, I became aware of the fact that we were huddled together. Alan was in the middle and we clung together as a vampire melted in front of us. We stayed like that as blood red water shot from the sink, pipes and toilets, showering us in red rain.

"Let's go!" Alan's words caused us to help each other up and run for the bathroom door.

No noise was coming from downstairs as we leant against the walls, gasping for breath. After about a minute, Alan and Edgar began to chuckle and I found myself joining in with them. I was once again conflicted; Paul had just died, but I was one step closer to being human again. I was laughing about a murder, but things with Edgar and Alan seemed almost normal.

"Maybe we should go find Sam." I suggested.

No sooner had the words left my mouth than a series of screams echoed from downstairs. Our laughter was soon forgotten as we hurried towards the sounds of the screaming, hoping we wouldn't find a body when we arrived. We hadn't reached the stairs when we ran into Sam.

"I nailed one of them downstairs with a bow and arrow." Sam told us, his voice almost excited.

"We trashed the one that looks like Twisted Sister." Edgar said.

"We totally annihilated his night stalkin' ass." Alan added.

"Well, Nanook helped a little." Edgar admitted.

"More like we helped Nanook a little." I corrected.

Edgar opened his mouth to argue but never got the chance because Alan started up some little handshake the three of them must have worked out. I was about the question them when something flew through the floorboards, sending splinters of wood soaring. We all fell back, and I looked up to see Laddie. Only he didn't loom like Laddie; he looked like a monster.

"Laddie!" I screamed as he stepped over us, giving Alan a good kick to the stomach as he did so.

"Holy shit!" Alan turned to Sam, "It's the attack of Eddie Munster, get him." "No!" I screamed when I realised what was about to happen.

I threw myself towards him but was hit in the face by the door as Star stepped in to do exactly the same thing. My vision blurred and tears stung at my eyes, but I could still hear what was going on.

"Get away from him, you just stay away from him!" At first, her voice was high pitched, "He's just a little boy."

After a few seconds, of looking between Laddie and Star, the boys surrendered and left Laddie alone.

"Sorry, Iz." Star apologised upon seeing the bruise forming on my temple.

"Don't worry about it." I tried to smile at her as I nursed my head in my hands, "I've had worse headaches every day for months."

Minutes seemed to pass in silence.

"Where's Michael?" Star asked, cradling Laddie on her knee.

"He was with me, but I lost him." Sam said.

"How many vampires are still standing?" I asked, and then turned to Edgar and Alan, "We don't count."

"Well, Sam took one out, and we fried one." Alan counted off on his fingers.

"You killed one at the cave, so there's just one still around somewhere." I concluded.

"Yes, but that one is David." Star gulped, realising at the same time as us that Michael was facing David alone.