Im so ashamed for making everyone wait so frickin long! I'm really sorry guys!!!!

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of voices coming from the entrance. I sat up and was greeted with a sharp scent. Human blood. Someone was here. The voices became distinctively clearer as I left my makeshift bed and drew in closer.

"We don't know which one the leader is! I guess we'll just have to kill them all. We'll start with the little one."

"First come, first staked."

Realization and panic hit me like an eighteen wheeler. Frog brothers. Marko. The little one… MARKO!!

With a burst of speed, I sprinted to the Boys to find Edgar lingering in front of Marko, stake in hand. He gritted his teeth and raised the stake. "Good night bloodsucker!"

Just as his arm came crashing down I screamed "EDGAR NO!!"

He stumbled but the stake still impaled the sleeping vampire. Marko's shot open, his screams blending with my own. A thick, gooey, fluid spurted from his wound and into the Frog's faces, and they tumbled off their precarious ledge screaming.

Marko's body collapse on top of the two teenage vampire hunters with a thud. I ran to his side and fell to my knees, a flood of tears streaming. I felt utterly helpless as he writhed in pain.

"EVIE??" a new voice cried. I looked up to find Sam staring in horror. "What the hell?"

I felt myself shaking uncontrollably. I felt sick and repressed the urge to vomit. No, he couldn't possibly have anything to do with this! Traitor, liar! I felt my fangs elongate and I bared them menacingly. "GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!"

"Jesus, she's one of them!" Alan cried. "Lets get out of here! Go, GO!"

The three remaining vampires were wide awake now, their faces transformed into the monstrous masks from before. "YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!" David roared in fury and dropped from his perch. Sam and the Frogs continued to scream and darted out of the cave, with David hard on their heels.

I knelt next to Marko, holding him, weeping, telling him he'd be all right. His screams were agonizing, and to my despair, rapidly growing weaker. I begged him not to die. Oh god, if I lost someone again…

Paul and Dwayne surrounded us, their eyes red and stained with tears. Marko gave one last twitch and I choked. He was gone. I felt someone's arms wrap around me soothingly and pull me in. It was David. I buried my head into his chest and we wept.

What seemed like hours passed before we pulled away, and the hatred began to overcome the desolation. There was talk of revenge, a full-out bloodbath was in store for Sam, Edgar and Alan. And I wanted in.

"You'll regret this Sam." I croaked. "I'm coming for you."

Dinah's POV

The sun blared through the curtains and into Dinah's eyes. She sat up and scratched her nose. It wasn't long before she noticed that her guardian was missing from her bed. "Evie?" she called out sleepily.

"Dinah." a male voice beckoned to her hurriedly.

The five-year old whipped around. "What are you doing here Michael?" she demanded.

Michael shook his head. "There's no time, you have to come with Star and Laddie and me."

Too tired to protest, she allowed him to pick her up and carry her outside. He dropped her in the seat of a blue convertible and commanded that she stay put. Dinah leaned back into a bundle of blankets. The bundle jerked as she came into contact and the little girl jumped.

"Laddie? Is that you? Where are we going Laddie?" she whined, growing anxious. She was answered with a grumble and sharp nudge.

Within minutes, Michael reappeared holding Star in his arms possessively. He placed her gently in a seat and climbed into the driver's side. "Hold on a little longer Dinah, we have a few more passengers left." he assured her. He then curled up and shut his eyes.

Soon enough three boys ran out of the cave screaming. "Start the car! Mike! Mike! Start the car!" a spiky haired boy yelled continuously. He sprinted to the car and tried to wake Michael.

The remaining two stumbled frantically down the steps. They seemed to be covered in something wet and sticky.

"We blew it man, we lost it!" The dark haired one with a beret exclaimed, clearly panicked.

"Shut up!" the other snapped. He donned a red bandanna around his head, and scowl was etched permanently into his features.

But dark hair didn't let up. "We unraveled in the face of the enemy!"

"It's not our fault," bandanna protested "they pulled a mind scramble on us. They opened their eyes and talked."

It occurred to Dinah that they were talking about the Boys, but what on earth had they done?

The spiky headed to offered to drive, only to be denied by the others. "We don't ride with vampires."

Dinah's little brow furrowed. "Vampires?" she asked quizzically. "But they're not real."

Bandanna scowled. "Don't bet on it kid."

Spiky hair shrugged. "Fine, stay here."

The two exchanged panicky glances. "We do now. C'mon Sam lets get out of here!"

The car jerked forward nearly plummeting off the cliff and into the ocean. Bandanna cursed and the one called Sam yelled at him furiously. Dinah clung to her seat, terrified and confused as the convertible did a one-eighty and sped off.

Before long, nature disappeared from the scene and was replaced with the urbanization of Santa Carla.

An unsettling urge to vomit sat deep in the pit of Dinah's stomach. This wasn't right. Where was Evie? "Stop the car." But nobody seemed to hear her. The car made a turn onto a busy road and slowed for the thickening traffic. "Let me out." she tried again.

Bandanna turned his head and stared. "What do you want, kid?"

"I want to go home. Let me out." she pleaded.

"We can't stop now!" Sam exclaimed. "You have to stay with us."

Dinah's lower lip began to tremble. "No. Let me out, I want Evie! Please!"

"Pipe down, we're almost there!" Bandanna threatened. He cursed under his breath and turned back around.

From there on out, Dinah sat quietly in her seat, tapping her foot impatiently, and gnawing on her bottom lip until it was ragged. The car finally arrived at a big house, the yard completely filled with bizarre ornaments and statues. Michael finally sat up and scooped up Star in his arms bridal-style, and carried her into the house. Sam and the dark haired boy did the same for Laddie and herself as they rushed inside. They were stopped abruptly on the stairs as an older man called out to them, saying something about the car and the gas tank, but Dinah's drowsiness had begun to take over and she missed out on the conversation. It wasn't until she felt the familiar comfort of a soft bed that she finally drifted off again, her poor, five-year-old mind filled with worry.

The next sound that reached her ears was screaming. She sat up bolt right and scanned the room. She was alone, but concluded that the screams were coming from outside. She fled the room and stood at the top of the stairs to find everyone standing at the front door, screaming for Sam.

"MICHAEL, THEY'RE COMING!" Star screamed in terror, struggling to hold Laddie back.

She pulled him inside, followed by Dark Hair and Bandanna, followed by Sam and Michael who were scrambling desperately to close the door and get their dog inside. Star and Laddie ran up the stairs frantically when a sudden explosion erupted form the fire place.

A dark figure sprang up and hung from the ceiling. Dinah gasped. Was that Dwayne? His face had been twisted into a hideous mask, fang-toothed and snarling. It didn't take long for Dinah to register that he was a great threat to her. To everyone. She needed to hide. She located a blanket closet further down the hall and hid herself inside, trembling and crying.

It seemed ages before there was a great pause of silence. An achingly familiar voice reached Dinah's ears. "Evie!" she whispered. She flung open the closet door and darted to the top of the stairs crying out hoarsely "EVIE!"

Evie's POV

I had him. I Sam by his throat when that sweet sound floated through my ears. My head snapped around. "Go away Dinah." I commanded. "Go back now."

I returned my attention to my ex-friend. "You hurt me Sam. You betrayed me." my voice wavered with fury and sadness. "I thought you were my friend." I tightened my grip and leaned in close. "But you killed him."

"Evie!" he gasped. "I didn't … know…! I'm… sorry!" He started to turn blue as he struggled in my monster-grip.

"Let him go, you blooding sucking bitch!" Edgar snarled. Alan and Michael loomed beside him, anticipating my moves. I only growled ferally and held on.

"Evie! I don't know what happened, but you can't do it!" Dinah cried. "Don't hurt him!" she scrambled down the steps and wrapped her small arms around my waist. "You're not a bad person! Don't hurt him!" she pleaded.

I stared hard at Sam. I wanted to let go of him so badly. But I wanted to hurt him, like he hurt me. Hurt Marco. But God, oh God, my poor baby was right. I couldn't do it.

I released his throat and we both dropped to the floor, him gasping for air, and myself, sobbing in agony. I had lost so much. My parents, Eli, Marco. David and the others were dead now too. I was truly alone.

"Sam." I choked suddenly. "I'm so sorry." I stood shakily and turned towards the door when Lucy came bursting in. A tall man with glasses followed suit.

"Sam!" she cried "What's happened?" Sam and the Frogs rushed over, a jumble of explanations pouring out.

Lucy's gentleman friend ran over to the spot where David's body lay, his broad chest impaled by two great antlers. I pulled Dinah back as the man reached out tenderly to touch David's face. Something smelled wrong about him.

Michael had fallen back into the shadows with Star, too ashamed of his condition to appear before his mother and brother.

"I'm sorry Lucy. This is all my fault. David and my boys misbehaved. I told you boys need a mother." The tall man spoke unexpectedly.

"Max," Lucy said "What are you talking about?"

Max turned towards the fire place lazily, ignoring the question.

"I knew it! You're the head vamp!" Sam accused. Lucy scolded him, until Star stepped forward.

"You're the secret David was protecting." she breathed. Max nodded smugly.

"Who's this? Lucy questioned, but was thrown off when the Frogs finally stepped in.

"But you passed the test!" Alan yelled, unnecessarily.

Max turned and smirked. "Never invite a vampire into your house, you silly boy!" he spoke to him as though her were a mentally deficit child. "It renders you powerless!"

Sam turned to Edgar accusingly. "Did you know that?"

"Of course." he said unconvincingly. "Everyone knows that."

"Liar." I mumbled, and he turned to glare daggers at me.

"Has everyone gone crazy around here? What's the matter with all of you? Why is Rosie here? What's going on?" Lucy demanded, clearly flustered. Who could blame her?

It was you I was after all along, Lucy." Max said suddenly. "I knew if I could get Sam and Michael in to the family, there's no way you could say no."

"What? Where's Michael?" Lucy cried.

But Max ignored her. "It was all going to be so perfect. Your boys… and my boys." He turned his gaze over to David's body, his back now to us.

"Great, the blood-sucking Brady Bunch!" Edgar snapped.

"But I still want you Lucy," Max turned his attention back to us, already transformed, or as the Frogs would say "vamped out." He grinned wildly and flashed his serpentine tongue out at us. "I haven't changed my mind about that!"

It was only then that Michael came to the rescue. "I didn't invite you this time Max!" he snarled savagely, and lunged at the vampire.

But Max merely shoved him away, knocking him back several feet. Star threw herself at him next, furiously. Max knocked her back as easily as Michael had. Even the Frog brothers were tossed aside like rag dolls.

It wasn't until he had Sam in his grasp that I was more than ready to intervene. "Let him go, creep!" I hissed, pushing Dinah behind me. "Or you'll hafta deal with me!"

Max's yellow eyes flicked over mine for only a second before losing interest. He extended his head and held it out to Lucy. "Don't fight Lucy. It's so much better if you don't fight."

Sam's pleas fell on deaf ears as she stepped forward with a heavy reluctance to allow Max to grab hold of her. His fangs had barely brushed her neck when a strange sound like a broken car horn sounded.

Michael by this time had immediately understood something I had not and leapt up, tackling Sam and his mother away from their attacker. And at that moment the wall across form them was blown away, crumbling to pieces as a car, yes, a car, came smashing through.

My first instinct was to protect Dinah, and I whirled around to cover her. The next thing I knew a deafening sound exploded from the fireplace, flames licking the air for a good near five seconds.

A smoky silence sat thick in the air as everyone attempted to recover. "It's over…" I heard Star whisper.

Over for you maybe, I nearly said aloud, but I set my mouth in a grim line and gently stroked Dinah's hair. It was just beginning for me.

Suddenly Laddie came flying down the stairs, shouting for Star. Everyone, save the Frog brothers, all grouped together in a massive hug. Dinah and I remained alone, feeling awkward and out of place.

Sam's grandfather emerged from the car and trodded towards the kitchen. I raised a brow. He seemed totally unfazed as he made a beeline for the fridge. The old man remained silent and took a swig from a bottle of root beer. "One thing about livin' in Santa Carla I never could stomach." he said finally. "All the damn vampires."

Everyone stared in a bewildered silence as the fridge slammed shut. The old man brushed past the crowd and, to my absolute horror, made his way past the rubble over to me. "You've made a terrible mistake, young lady." he announced. His words were blunt, but his voice was sympathetic. "You've no place here anymore."

He mean myself. Only myself. He wanted me to leave Dinah behind here, in Santa Carla. But who would take care of her?

"You know, I'm really not much of a T.V. viewer, but I did happen to catch the news today at my girlfriend's house." he sniffed. "Your friends left their foster families, and I'm sure they're here in Santa Carla looking for the two of you."

My head snapped up. He meant Church and Victor and Suzy. "You're sure?"

He nodded smoothly. "Yes, in fact, I met them on the way back here. They're outside right now."

My heart dropped as Dinah let out a whoop of joy. "CHURCH!!" She scrambled out the front door screaming for Church over and over, but I remained still.

"Aren't you gonna go see them?" Sam demanded quizzically. "Evie?"

"Sam…" I whispered miserably. "Don't."

And with my supernatural speed, I turned and fled the house, back to the cave. I could never face them, after everything that had happened. I could never explain myself, or apologize enough to truly feel loved around them.

I finally entered the cave and threw myself down on my knees, when my throat tore open a blinding scream, and I pounded my fist against the ground over and over until the scream turned to pathetic, ragged sobs. I buried my head in my lap and cried until I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder.

I flinched and straightened myself. "…M-Marco?"