A/N:  Alright, so this one's been sitting around on the old hard drive for a while. Somehow I got caught up in completing Vengeance and let this one take a siesta, but here's the next chapter. Hope ya like…however I have my qualms about it. It doesn't seem to live up to the last few chapters, or maybe that's just me. Okay un-beta read, so there may be some mistakes and what not, that's about all. R+R please.

Mircea and Radu watched with amusement, as their brother threw open the double doors to the entrance of their domain. A cold breeze wafted in behind him, causing his cape to swirl about the contours of his vampiric body.

"Welcome home brother!" Radu smirked; knowing all too well that his sibling was in a rage.

Vlad stormed by the two vampires, his eyes intent upon one thing and one thing only. He would uncover the secret of the young girl's power tonight! Slowly, he ran his tongue over the two canine like fangs, as the snickering from his siblings made his undead blood boil. With one flick of his wrist, Radu was levitated.

Before he had a chance to retaliate, his body was flung into the nearest wall, eliciting a loud thud.

Mircea looked on in wide wonder, he had never known his brother to lash out at either of them in that manner.

Vlad casually opened his fist, causing his younger brother to crumple to the floor.

"It did no harm." Radu snarled, glaring at the figure of his sibling, as he brought himself up to a standing position and calmly brushed the dust from his clothing.

"Consider yourself lucky." The head vampire hissed before heading off to where Sora was located.

"Me thinks he has fear of something." Mircea commented, stroking his chin with his thumb and index finger.

"How could you tell brother?" Radu inquired.

"He is not one to get so riled up as he was just then. Something troubles him." He replied.

"Perhaps those children?" Radu offered.

"He has failed once again tonight. He's losing his edge." Mircea stated, as he shifted his gaze from the hallway towards his younger brother.

"What do you mean?"

"He failed to finish off the blonde…and tonight, he was supposed to rid us of the redheaded boy. In both instances, he has failed to do so." The older vampire explained.

"How very odd." Radu said, furrowing his brow. "It is not like him at all not to complete a kill. Perhaps he is right, about there being something different about these particular children."

"Shall we investigate?" the elder asked, for the notion had begun to trouble him as well. If there were something about these teenagers, that might possibly be the cause of their downfall, he wanted to know.

Radu nodded, as both slipped quietly down the hall in pursuit of Vlad.

Sora sat huddled in one corner of the room. She dared not leave it, for she knew that Vlad's brothers were lurking about somewhere, and were probably keeping an eye on her. She rubbed her tear-stained cheeks as she tried to decide what to do.

Becoming a vampire was out of the question, she didn't even need to think about that one twice. Then quite suddenly, her head perked up. She could hear soft footsteps echoing in the distance, indicating someone was coming towards the room. Apparently Vlad had wanted his presence known, for if he wished to sneak up on her he could have easily done so.

The auburn-haired girl clutched her knees and slowly began to rock back and forth.

"Oh Tai," she murmured, "Where are you?"

The slow rocking motion caused her body to relax, and as it did she let her mind wander. Visions of a certain wild haired boy with goggles entered her head. She closed her eyes and a faint smile played across her lips as she remembered the last time she had been with him. He was so nervous, trying so hard to impress her. Poor Tai, she mused. Her heart beat faster as she recalled what it felt like to hold his hand, feel his presence, and…  She shook her head in dismay at the last thought. It was one she had yet to experience. Though it didn't stop her from imagining what it would be like to kiss Tai, feel his soft warm lips against hers. The idea sent shivers down her spine.

No, she thought, as her eyes flew open. The shivers had not been brought on by such a beautiful notion; they had been the direct cause of the fiend kneeling down in front of her.

His cold breath against her skin had been the perpetrator.  "Are you ready my dear?" he asked charismatically.

"Stay away from me!" she cried, as she jumped to her feet.

Vlad gave her an evil and determined stare. His efforts would not be thwarted this time. As the vampire closed in, Sora's crest began to glow a bright red.

Vlad stopped at this phenomenon, the color red immediately catching his eye. He stared at the crest hungrily; it was just the right hue, he thought.

"And why does it glow like it does?" he asked, closing the gap between them, as Sora pressed herself against the wall.

The young girl refused to give him an answer.

"I will not tolerate such obstinate behavior!" he hissed, baring his fangs.

Sora let out a startled yelp, as her eyes widened in horror. She clutched her crest fearfully as if it might possibly help her. However, this time the vampire took no pleasure in her apprehension. Under normal circumstances, he would have relished the moment, but now was different. He was determined to find out what was so special about the trinket she wore around her neck…and why her mere presence caused his stomach to flutter.

Sora clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, knowing she could delay the inevitable no longer. She could feel him getting closer. Her eyes shot open briefly, catching his gaze before he struck. His eyes were an unnatural violet color, and they flickered, like that of an animal's, as the light from her crest caught them. She searched the amethyst pools frantically, looking for any sign of remorse for his actions, but she found none.

A sharp pain ripped through her body as he dug his pristine fangs into the soft flesh of her neck and her eyes rolled back up into her head. Unbeknownst to her, or the vampire who eagerly fed upon her, the red light from her crest began to radiate around the two bodies.

Mircea and Radu watched from the shadows with amazement at the scene before them. As Vlad took gulp after voracious gulp from the keeper of Love, the crimson light seemed to engulf them, almost as though it were forming a protective barrier.

Sora could feel the life being drained from her, as each beat of her heart pulsated the blood into the vampire's system. Her hands dropped limply to her sides, the only force holding her up was that of Vlad's strong hands.

He wrapped his arms around her frail frame, tightly embracing her. Her entire body had gone cold, the color now gone from her cheeks. And then as fast as he had started, he stopped his malicious attack.

Using one hand, he tilted Sora's head forward and watched as her eyes casually fell upon his. There was a vacant look in her gaze, which told Vlad that she was near death. Her head lolled back and forth as he held her up with one hand, while bringing the other to his lips.

Tenderly, he tore at the skin around his wrist, until the life giving liquid oozed from the wound. He stared at Sora seductively, beckoning her with the promise of blood. A soft mist swirled about in her dull eyes, as the vampire's hypnotic stare cast its spell upon her.

Though her heart tried to convince her otherwise, she gave in to the powerful urge and went for his wrist greedily. The scarlet beams of light emanating from her crest intertwined with Vlad's wrist, and began to enter his body through the open wound. A stinging sensation caused him to clench his teeth, as a bright flash blinded the onlookers. At first he was confused, he hadn't realized what had happened, and dismissed it as part of the transformation process. Vlad eagerly watched as his victim drank, her body succumbing to her newfound vampire characteristics.

Mircea and Radu flew back, shielding their eyes in the process. The light had stung their eyes, and seared the top layer of flesh on their faces.

"What is going on!?" Mircea demanded, clutching at his sore tissue, which immediately began to heal itself.

"Surely it would have killed him." Radu insisted, lightly patting the skin that had already begun to peel.

"This is wrong!" his brother replied, slowly lowering himself to the ground, while his younger brother remained in the air, still a bit startled.

"In all these years he has never bestowed the gift of immortality on anyone!" Mircea seethed. "Why now, and why to this…girl!?" he continued.

Radu agilely glided down from the ceiling to stand beside his preternatural sibling.

"I must know!" he cried, fists clenched, as his eyes began to turn a bloody shade of red. Without another word he thrust the door open, easily knocking it off its hinges.

By this time it was complete, and Vlad remained in one corner of the room, cradling his beloved within the confines of his cape.

"What have you done!?" Mircea raged, grabbing Vlad by the shoulder and whipping him around, only to come face to face with mischievous demonic eyes.

A sly smirk crossed the teenage girl's lips as two pointed fangs protruded from either side of her mouth.

Mircea's eyes narrowed at the sight, and he gave his brother a menacing glare.

"Calm down brother dear." Vladimir spoke sarcastically, as he stroked Sora's beautiful auburn hair.

Radu casually floated over to the two using his supernatural skills. He silently studied his brother's eyes as Mircea brooded on the sidelines.

"I see a plan Master." Radu grinned. Mircea merely rolled his eyes, a mortal tendency he was given to do every now and then. Radu was the only one who ever addressed their brother as master, and even though he was responsible for both their creation, the elder refused to demean himself by using such a title around him.

"What is it you see?" he finally asked, shifting his gaze from Vlad to Radu.

The younger brother let out a sinister chuckle as he reached for Sora's hands.

"Come my sister! We have much to do in order to prepare you." He said excitedly, as he swung her into his arms and dashed out the room with her, the two laughing all the way down the hall.

Vlad looked at Mircea and nonchalantly picked at his nails.

"Well, are you going to inform me?" Mircea sneered.

"My, my, but Radu is perceptive." He smiled.

"You are trying my patience brother dear." Mircea said through clenched teeth.

"The Keeper of Love," he began, "she holds a power like none I have ever come across."

"Your point?" the other vampire sighed impatiently.

"My point is this," Vlad continued, undaunted by his brother's irritating demeanor, "For this reason, it has been quite difficult to defeat these mortals. Each one of them has a special power, which I believe enables them to overcome impossible odds."

Mircea gave him a sideways glance as if to say continue.

"Now that I have your attention," Vlad said cracking his knuckles, "I feel the only way to beat them is by using their power against them. I know each one of them must carry an amazing amount of power, because I could feel it when I made Sora a vampire." Vlad stated, as his thoughts carried him back to the moment when the light from Sora's crest had entered his system. Such a warm feeling, unlike any experience he had ever had before.

"So you are proposing that we use this Sora as a weapon against her peers?" Mircea questioned.

"Exactly." His brother nodded. "I care not what becomes of her afterwards, but I do feel threatened by these teenagers. And while they walk the earth I cannot rest comfortably." Vlad paused, eyeing his brother intently. "They must die! And at the hands of one of their own!" he laughed.

A satisfied smile manifested on Mircea's face.

"My dear Mircea," Vlad added jokingly, "was thou jealous?"

Once again, a look of pure hatred settled over his features as he glared at Vlad.

"I was nothing of the sort." He snorted, turning on his heel to exit.

Vlad only chuckled lightly as he watched his brother leave. The laughter ceased as his eyes fell upon the scar that remained in the palm of his hand; a scar that still troubled him, despite his recent success in turning Sora into a creature of the night.

Should I even continue?? I'll let you decide.