A/N: Well, I hope I didn't leave this one sitting around too long. As you can see I've finished up Vengeance, so now I'm devoting most of my time to completing this fic. A special thanx to all the reviewers. You guys have been wonderful and I appreciate all the suggestions and feedback. I'm probably *crosses fingers* going to be posting the rest of this fic up soon. I've been working on it feverishly, so expect one or two more chapters by the end of this week… I believe that is all that is left. Anyway, the disclaimer is on the first chapter, and who knows which other chapters I put it on, but it's clear I do not own Digimon. Alright, on w/ the fic!

Rating: hmm..PG-13…I don't think there's anything too bad in this one. *shrugs*

Long after their visit to the hospital, the teenagers returned home, and by a special request from Tai, the two brothers were allowed to spend the remainder of the night at his house.

Kari was already nestled in the top bunk fast asleep, having dozed off during the car trip home. Likewise, Matt and T.K. were curled up in sleeping bags on the floor, leaving one person unaccounted for.

Tai gazed out his bedroom window, an exhausted look taking precedence over most of his features. Even his brown mess of hair lacked the vitality it once had, drooping over his trademark goggles. His chocolate brown eyes scanned the horizon of flickering streetlights and lonely tall buildings, as his mind wandered elsewhere. He faintly heard his sister's light breathing in the background, accompanied by some soft snoring from his best friend, and slight groans from T.K. as he rolled over in his sleep.

It seemed even the city could sleep soundly, as the night grew quieter, the silence being broken only by the chirping of crickets, or the rustling of leaves, as a small breeze made it's way through the treetops. So relaxing, Tai thought, so serene. Yet so utterly miserable…without Sora here to share it with, he concluded.

A depressed sigh escaped the teenager's lips. Not one, but two of his friends had been attacked, had been the victim of that demonic cur. And what's more, the single individual who seemed to make his life complete was violently taken from him.

It pained his heart so, for he still felt as though he could have done something to prevent it. A clenched fist pounded the window frame in frustration, as his body wracked with silent tears.

T.K.'s crystal blue eyes fluttered open, as he slowly began to stir. Groggily, he rolled over to face his brother; at first assuming the noise was coming from him. Sleepily he studied Matt's face, finding him to be deep in slumber. Craning his head, he noticed Tai's bed was empty; furthermore it had not been slept in at all, as the sheets were neatly tucked into the corners.

The younger blonde quietly sat up and pushed himself out of his sleeping bag. With great covertness he stood up and proceeded towards the lonely figure at the window. He paused at the edge of the bunk beds, glancing up at Kari. Inhaling deeply, he took in her scent; she was sweet smelling like fresh flowers on a spring day. T.K. let out a sigh and shook his head as he smiled to himself. When would he ever muster the courage to tell her something like that? He shrugged and stealthily made his way to the pool of light on the carpet that came in through the open window.

"Tai?" he asked timidly. If Tai was anything like Matt he knew his good intentions would be met with animosity, especially if Matt were the one crying in a corner in the middle of the night.

"Yeah?" Tai sniffled, quickly wiping away the tears that betrayed him. He hadn't wanted to be caught sniveling over his lost love. After all he had a reputation to uphold, he was the bearer of Courage, and courageous people just didn't break down and cry when they were most needed to be strong.

"It's okay to cry." T.K. whispered. "I don't think any less of you because of it. You're only doing what comes natural at…" his mouth went dry; as he tried to choose his words carefully, "…at a time like this." he finished.

Tai's head sank down, as he rested his forehead on his arms.

"I have to be strong…for Sora's sake." He muttered.

T.K. took a few cautious steps towards him.  "We all have to be strong…at some point in our lives." He began. Tai blinked and turned to face the younger boy.

"I think right now, you have enough people being strong…for you. So it's okay to relieve some of the excess stress you're putting on yourself." T.K. stood nervously, tugging at the bottom of his T-shirt as he awaited Tai's response.

"Yeah." Tai said, forcing a smile. T.K. returned it with a sincere one.

"You're right." Tai nodded, actually feeling a little better.

"Look, we're all here for you. If not in physical form, then in spirit." He said, referring to Izzy. "That's what friends are for, you know that. And we'll find Sora, we'll defeat this new evil, Izzy will pull through, because I believe in us." T.K. stated firmly.

At this speech, Tai had to smile, genuinely. "Nice pep talk coach." He grinned, as he ruffled T.K.'s hair playfully.

"So…" T.K. yawned, "Give it some thought…or…don't think much about it and get some rest, your choice." He said, concluding their conversation as he dragged his feet   along the carpet, making his way back to his makeshift bed.

"Thanks T.K." Tai whispered, as he trailed behind the younger boy, heading towards the bottom bunk.

Slowly but surely, the brunette allowed himself to settle down and drift off to sleep as he wrapped his arms around his pillow.

"Is she almost ready?" Mircea called out as he hovered in the air with one leg resting on his knee, using it to prop up his elbow. "We don't have all night!" he said in a singsong voice.

"I think…she is ready!" Radu hissed from the darkness.

Sora took gentle steps as she emerged from the shadows of her dressing room.

"Well done brother." Mircea silently applauded as he took in her attire.

A midnight black dress replaced her old clothes. It was frayed at the bottom, while the top cut just below her neckline. She wore her crest proudly displaying it as the centerpiece of her ensemble, and her nails were a blood red color to match.

"My dear you look ravishing." Vlad complimented, as he pushed past the now grounded Mircea. Gracefully, he slid her outstretched hand into his own as he knelt to kiss it.

"I was hoping this would please you." She smirked, looking to Radu in acknowledgement.

"It's perfect! Shall we?" he asked, extending his arm to her.

Sora nodded and latched onto the debonair vampire's arm.

"Shall we accompany you?" Mircea asked, not in the least impressed by his brother's display of affection towards his newly inducted pet.

"That won't be necessary." He growled, "Sora and I shall handle this on our own."

"As you wish." He replied, shrugging and looking towards Radu.

"We will be here should you need us." Radu added, as the two watched their creator take to the skies with Sora swept up in his arms.

"…should your plan go awry." The youngest muttered, earning him a snicker from Mircea.

The senses she had acquired were both new and exciting to the young girl as she clutched the vampire's lapels eagerly. Every sight, every sound was crisper, more defined. Her eyes darted back and forth across the night sky like those of a rambunctious child.

She had yet to master the skill of flying, but Sora was able to hover fairly well. Her vampiric ears seemed to be the most developed, as she heard everything to the minutest sound. A caterpillar's legs, scraping across the surface of a leaf, a droplet of dew falling to the soil, as well as many other strange and exotic noises new to her preternatural sense of hearing.

She marveled at her keen eyesight, which allowed her to navigate the smallest fiber on Vlad's silk shirt. But most enthralling to her, was her vampiric sense of smell. She could hunt her victims easily with this feature. So precise was it, that she could detect the heat of many a small animal scurrying on the ground. The scent captivated her, and sent the fledgling vampire into a fit of excitement.

"Master?" she asked coyly, gazing up at Vlad with immense doe eyes.

"Yes my love." He answered.

"May I feed now? Please." She begged, giving him a most seductive look. Yet another advantage to her vampire body, for bearing the crest of love gave her unbridled power over the emotions of her victims, a gift she would soon discover.

"Not yet my dear." Vlad cooed. The feeling was all too queer to him. Never before had his heart pounded as it did that very moment. A warm feeling flooded over him, but it was not from the fresh supply of blood coursing through his undead veins.

Instantly, Vlad shook it off. He refused to give in to such weak sentiments. Though normally cruel and callous, Vlad found he had taken a fancy to this young girl. And it was because of this that he wanted to rid himself of her forever, but not until he had successfully completed his plan.

The moon was scarcely visible that night, but the stars were out to guide their way, despite the fact that it was really unnecessary. Vlad had excellent night vision, a trait he was most proud of and enjoyed showing off whenever he was given the chance.

Sora gazed up at the sky longingly; it was a beautiful shade of deep purple. She ran her tongue along the outline of her fangs in anticipation. She knew the time grew near, she could feel it. Soon, she would make her first kill, satisfying the powerful desire for blood.

If the night air were chilly, she could not tell anymore, for her skin had been drained of all its previous color, leaving her as cold as ice to the touch. In one swift motion her head jerked to the side, staring down at the Kamiya's apartment building. She knew the place by heart, even the exact location of Tai's window.

"Down there." She motioned, as Vlad swooped in lower. Sora wrapped one arm around his neck and used the other to indicate where she wished to be left off. Vlad had trusted her to do this alone; sort of a test as one might put it; a test of her loyalty.

Gently, he set her down on the ledge right in front of the window. She maintained perfect balance as her preternatural reflexes took command.

"I shan't be long." She stated, using what little telekinetic powers she possessed to slide the window open. Unlike Vlad, her powers were much weaker, being the offspring of such a dominant vampire, for each time he had given the gift, the powers he passed on grew weaker; leaving Mircea somewhat stronger than Radu, and Radu just a step above Sora.

The young girl took great delight in her new powers, as she hovered into the dark bedroom.

Immediately, her senses were overtaken by the smell of blood. She lunged forward in the blackness, her eyes scanning the ground for the source. Her eyes widened considerably as her sights fell upon the sleeping form of Matt.

Silently she levitated over him, one of her tiny white fingers crept along the edge of his sleeping bag as she gently pulled it back, revealing the cluster of stitches at the base of his neck, from Vlad's previous attack. The smell seemed to hypnotize her, as she floated above him entranced.

A soft murmur coming from behind her caught her attention, as she ignored the blonde teenager for the time being to investigate.

"Sora…" Tai mumbled in his troubled sleep, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The vampire cocked a curious eyebrow at this creature. How had he known her name? She inched closer to the sleeping boy; until she was so close her breath touched his skin. It was him! The boy wearing the goggles, the one she had been ordered to kill.

"Sora…" he whispered again, this time a single tear rolled down his cheek.

He was weeping? Weeping for her no less. This did strike her as being odd. She softly brushed a stray lock of hair from his face. How handsome this particular mortal seemed to be, she thought, as her fingertips glided down the contour of his face. Finally resting on the trinket he wore around his neck. She blinked in astonishment as she held the small ornament, so similar to her own.

Something was amiss here, but she could not place what it was. Once again her mind was tainted with the urge for blood and she feared she could control it no longer. She squeezed her eyes shut as she was overcome with instinctive impulses.

No matter, she thought. It must be done. Slowly she brought her head down as her mouth opened wide, revealing the deadly fangs. Something in the back of her mind told her to make this as quick and painless for the young man as she could.

Just as she was about to sink her teeth into the soft flesh of his neck, a strange scent stopped her. Mere inches from the boy's jugular, she paused and inhaled through her nose. A small smile came to her lips as she sighed blissfully. She recognized that scent, or so she thought. It was familiar, causing her heart to beat wildly with joy.

The euphoric feeling caused her concentration to slip momentarily, as her head began to wilt. Luckily, she caught herself, and snapped her head back up, brushing her cheek against his in the process. What little blood her body did contain immediately rushed to her cheeks, as the warm sensation indicated to her that she was blushing.

Don't be a fool, she mentally chided. Her thoughts slowly started becoming diluted with a mix of raw emotion and vampire logic. If you do this, you can bestow upon him the gift of immortality. She tried to convince herself. All the while she became more and more confused. Was she not sent here to kill this being? Was he not the enemy? Her crest suddenly began to glow, horrified, she frantically tried to tuck it away in her dress, but the black garment did little to conceal its radiance.

The beams of red light burst forth, showering the room in a crimson glow. Sora searched the room excitedly for any signs of the others waking up. Her mouth stood agape as her gaze fell to the boy she thought had been asleep.

Chocolate colored eyes stared up at her dreamily, as he had only begun to stir.

"Sora?" the young man seemed to crack a small smile.

The young girl panicked and began to rise higher, unknowingly knocking her head against the top bunk.

"Ow!" she yelped, clutching the back of her head. This sound caused Tai to fully awaken. He shot up in his bed and looked up at the girl in great surprise. His breath seemed to catch in his throat as he tried to figure out whether he was still dreaming.

"Sora you're flying!?" he blurted, it was the only thing he could think of to say in his present state of astonishment.

The small jolt from Sora's impact with the bed awoke Tai's sister. Hazily she opened her eyes, as the sound of muffled voices reached her ears. Curiously, she poked her head over the side of the bed to see her missing friend hovering above her brother.

"Sora!?" she inquired, keeping her voice at a steady neutral tone.

Once again, the vampire girl whirled around for another shock.

Do it now! Do it now!! Her mind raced fearfully as her eyes glanced back towards the window, her only refuge. But Vlad would be waiting, and he would become quite angry to find she had not completed her mission.

Wasting no more time, she lunged at the boy.

"Sora, what are you doing!?" he cried, raising his hands to block her attack. As soon as she was close enough, he latched onto her arms and held her firmly. She thrashed wildly in his grip.

"Let me go!" she screamed, wriggling back and forth.

"Sora, I don't understand?" he said, both puzzlement and heartache filling his voice.

Just as he was about to ask her why, he got his answer, as she bared her fangs at him, a blood-curdling hiss escaping her.

"Sora, what did he do to you?!!" Tai screamed, his eyes widening, as horrid demonic sounds spewed forth from her. But the wails and moans she elicited did not sound evil, nor did they sound angry. Her shrieks were more troubled and confused, like that of a wild animal caught in a hunter's trap.

The two boys asleep on the floor were finally roused by her wild screams. T.K.'s eyes fluttered open and quickly took in the scene.  Immediately, he was on his feet and grabbed Sora from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Kari also sprang into action as she hopped down from her bed.  "Don't hurt her you guys!" she called to T.K. and Matt who had rushed to his brother's side, attempting to assist in his efforts to pin the girl.

Unbeknownst to Sora, her transformation had gifted her with a lethal amount of telekinetic energy. Unlike the powers she had used to open the window, and not enough to control the weather and such things as Vlad was capable of, but just enough to manipulate everyday objects. With a thunderous blast, she sent the two brothers flying into the wall. They landed in a heap in the corner of Tai's room and remained still.

"Oh no!" Kari screamed, bringing her hands to her lips.

With that out of the way, her path to Tai was clear, or so she thought. A small and agile figure darted out at her from the shadows, pinning her to the mattress.

"Kari?" Tai asked in astonishment.

"Don't just sit there Tai, help me!" the girl exclaimed, trying her best to hold the vampire down. Tai wasted no time and threw the sheets off himself. Quickly, he crawled to the edge of the bed, where his sister and Sora struggled for control. He started to reach out to help her, when an ethereal force drove him back.

He could only watch in horror as his body flew back and connected with one of the bedposts. He doubled over and fell off the bed, as his midsection had taken the brunt of the impact.

"Master!" Sora cried, ceasing her struggle, as both her and Kari stared at the vampire in wide wonder.

"You have failed." His voice boomed.

Tears began to flood Sora's eyes. "No master, no! Forgive me!" she begged, dreading his rejection.

With every ounce of strength she had, she managed to throw Kari off, sending the girl through the air like a discarded rag doll. She rose up and fluttered over to stand before the angered Vlad Tepes.

With pleading eyes she approached him, never shifting her gaze. The vampire turned his head in sheer disgust. He knew she was trying to work some sort of magic on him, and he refused to be taken in…but…those eyes.

He coldly brought his gaze back to her.

"Well then my dear…" he asked, voice dripping with contempt, "how will you amend this?"

For the first time she broke her stare from his, eyes searching the ground frantically for anything that might rectify the situation.

Vlad sneered and looked towards the other children strewn about the room. This indeed had been a disaster, but his plans could be salvaged.

"I see you are not yet ready." He cooed, causing a confused Sora to study him curiously.

Tai slowly began to come to. He held his stomach tenderly as his eyes fell upon the two forms in the center of the room.

"Sora!" he screamed, pain rushing up and down his torso. Apparently his meeting with the bedpost had caused more damage than he had originally thought as he clutched his chest.

Vlad immediately swept the girl up in his arms, as she stole one last glance behind her at the disheveled boy in the corner.

"NO!" Tai screamed, "Not again!" he said scrambling to his feet. Matt was the first of the two brothers to rouse, as he watched Tai run towards the open window. He bolted upright and dove towards the brunette, catching him by the waist as he hanged precariously out the window.

"NOOO!" Tai moaned, arms thrashing wildly in the blonde's grasp. Carefully, Matt pulled him back inside.

"He had Sora!" Tai yelled, shoving Matt backwards.

"And I suppose you taking a dive from your five story apartment complex would have helped her!?" Matt retaliated.

Tai gave the boy an indignant glare and folded his arms. Matt completely ignored him and rushed over to help his brother to his feet.

"You alright?" he asked, only receiving a nod from the younger boy as they made their way over to Kari.

Tai glanced down at his digivice, which oddly enough had begun to let off a signal. He remembered that they had been unable to use them before to seek out Sora. Izzy speculated that Vlad had something to do with it, but now Tai began to think that he had somehow let his guard down, enabling the device to function again.

"We're going after them." he stated firmly to the other children, who were still trying to regain their bearings.

"Right now?" Kari asked, a bit worried.

"Yes, right now." Tai insisted. He had been driven to desperation. This had been the second time he had lost Sora to the vampire fiend, he vowed he would not lose her a third time, as he gripped his digivice in one hand. His crest beginning to glow a faint orange.

Well, I don't consider this cliffhanger material, because I've left readers at far worse situations. LOL! But expect the next chapter very soon. Thanx Someguyy2k for all your patience. ^_^