Chloe unlocked the door to her apartment and turned on the light. She was home earlier than usual. She was supposed to have a meeting with Mina that evening but it was cancelled. All Mina told her was that she would explain later.

The sun wouldn't rise for a couple more hours. Like all other slayers, she developed the vampire's habit of working through the night and sleeping during the day.

She put a frozen breakfast sandwich in the microwave and set up her laptop. She looked through a digital file on the Draculas trying to piece together the events that eventually led to Vlad becoming a murderer. And that was what really confused her. Even after turning 16, there were no reports of Vlad harming anyone. It was even recorded he had a relationship with a human. Typically if a vampire is going to have a change in personality it would be when they transformed, but that didn't happen to him. At least not immediately.

A knock on the door made her jump. She closed the laptop and went to answer it. She looked through the peephole.

"Oh my gosh!" She opened the door quickly and hugged her older brother. "What are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you in a while," Robin hugged her back. "I tried calling you to let you know I was coming but your phone was off."

"Sorry, I've been a bit busy," she guided her brother inside and offered him a seat in the living room.

While Chloe went to grab her meal from the microwave, and prepare one for her brother, Robin looked around Chloe's home. It was a small studio apartment. The living room was also the dining area and bedroom. The walls were decorated with artwork of sunny fields and the windows had bright yellow curtains surrounding them. She had their mom's taste.

Chloe returned with a couple breakfast sandwiches.

"So why did you really visit?" Chloe was skeptical.

"I really did want to see you, but to also ask how things are going with your new job."

Robin knew about Chloe's career as a slayer. He also remembered their past friendship with Vlad. The mindwipe didn't last long on either of them and ever since Robin had been determined to find the Dracula's.

"I can't talk about my job with you, you know that," Chloe reminded him.

"I know, but you can tell me if you found Vlad can't you?"

"Robin, this is getting ridiculous. If Vlad wanted to be found then you would have heard from him by now."

"You know he erased our memories to protect us," Robin said. "He probably wouldn't reach out if that is the case."

"If he is wanting to protect you, then why are you trying to find him then?"

"I didn't come all this way just to argue about this again," Robin frowned.

"I just wish you would let it go," Chloe said.

"I can't," Robin said. "I have to make sure he's ok."

"I don't think it's him you have to worry about," Chloe mumbled.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Like you said, you came all this way. Can we just hang out and not discuss vampires for once?"

"Fine, what do you want to talk about then?"

Chloe's phone rang, interrupting them. "I have to take this. Just give me two minutes," she walked back into the kitchen.

Robin sighed and noticed Chloe's closed laptop still on the table. He looked to make sure his sister was out of sight. He opened the laptop and was surprised to see his sister had actually been looking through documents on the vampire family. He barely had a chance to read much when he heard Chloe finishing her call.

He closed the computer and put it back where it was.

"My boss needs me to come in early tomorrow night," Chloe explained. "So I won't be able to hang out much. Unfortunately you'll have to sleep on the couch if you stay here and I sleep during the day."

Robin smiled, "I know. That's why I came here so late. No worries about the couch. I'll be fine."

"If you're sure. I'm off on Saturday. We can go out to eat then if you are still around."

"I'm a freelance artist," Robin shrugged. "I can stay for as long as you will let me."

Chloe laughed, "So about 2 days. I think that is about all I can take of you."

Robin laughed too but unsure if she was joking.

Chloe hugged him again. "I'm kidding. You can stay as long as you like. I'll grab you a blanket and pillow."

XXX

Vlad sat at the dining room table reading up on past vampire battles. Dracu sat across from him watching.

"Don't speed read," Dracu reminded him. "You won't retain the information nearly as well."

"I'm not," Vlad was annoyed. When Dracu offered to train him he didn't expect to be doing so much studying. He was worse than Vlad's former tutor. He had decided he would rather take advantage of the ancient vampire's knowledge and it was the easiest way to keep watch over him. Vlad still had no intention of leading any vampires.

"So where were you last night?" Dracu asked him.

"Out," Vlad said. "Just wanted to be alone for a while."

Dracu kept staring, "Were you looking for slayers?"

Vlad didn't say anything.

"Don't ignore me," Dracu was getting frustrated.

"I'm here now like you asked so why does it matter where I am during my free time?"

"I understand your anger towards them, but if you aren't careful you could lead them right to us," Dracu said.

"They're looking for us anyway," Vlad shrugged. "Besides I've done what you asked and been pretty much everywhere hunting so they won't find us."

"I said to hunt breathers. Not slayers."

"There's a difference?"

"Don't get smart," Dracu warned. "I know you understand the danger, but I can't figure why you would be so careless."

"I'm doing this to protect my family," Vlad hissed.

"Don't pretend to be noble," Dracu said.

Dracu struggled to keep his temper. Vlad enjoyed testing him and Dracu knew he could put him in his place, but he worried that wouldn't do any good. Last time he tried it, everyone in the room turned against him.

Dracu noticed pretty quickly that Vlad wasn't the most rational being either. He acted much more on his emotions than with his brain. That seemed to be a weakness all Draculas shared.

"Just consider handling this a bit more sensibly," Dracu said.

"Fine," Vlad said half-heartedly. "Are we done?"

Dracu nodded, "I suppose."

Vlad flitted leaving Dracu alone for a moment before the Count appeared in front of him sitting where Vlad just was.

"I commend your perseverance, but you're fighting a losing battle," the Count taunted.

"You think this is funny?" Dracu frowned.

The Count took a sip from his glass of blood before setting it down on the table, "I'm not going to complain that Vlad's killing slayers. If you knew him a year ago you would be just as ecstatic as I am."

"Going from one extreme to another is not helping anyone," Dracu said. "Killing a handful of slayers out of hundreds of thousands won't do a thing but provoke them."

"I don't see any slayers at our doorstep."

"There will be," Dracu said. "And you're all fools if you think you'll be able to handle them. We need numbers, allies, a strategy."

The Count seemed to consider this, "Vlad will calm down and see reason eventually. He always does."

"I worry that it will be too late then. You need to talk to him."

"Alright," the Count said. "But he's never listened to me before so I will be surprised if he starts now."

XXX

While Chloe was at work, Robin started on some research. He didn't get to see much when seeing the documents on Chloe's computer. One name stood out though, Garside Grange.

When he looked it up he saw that it used to be a school, but closed down a couple years ago. He wasn't sure what it had to do with Vlad, but it was a start. He was going to find his friend, even without his sister's help.

He looked up the name of the former headmistress and found her email address. All he could do now was wait.