"Joey," Rachel repeated, as she heard him roaming around in the kitchen.

Tobias smiled at her glazed over expression, "Let's go eat."

"Hmm, food," she agreed, as she drifted slowly through the doorway, "So hungry."

"Hey look who is up," Joey said, as he looked over at her, "Rach? You sure you're feeling okay?"

"I feel wonderful," she purred, as she stopped in front of him, "I'm hungry Joey."

"You want to order a pizza?"

"Not for pizza," she said, as she smiled at him and let her fangs extend, "For something else."

Joey took a huge step back, "Rachel? What's going on?"

She lunged at him, and ignored his cry as her fangs pierced his neck. Groaning as the warm blood flowed into her mouth, she held tight to Joey's slumping body. It warmed her veins, and as she lowered him to the floor, she felt his life flow into her very being.

"Joey you forgot," Chandler called out, "Holy shit! Rachel, Joey, what the hell?"

Rachel snapped her head up, and hissed at Chandler's terrified expression, "Get out of here."

He shuddered at her bloodstained mouth, "Rachel?"

"I'm hungry as well," Tobias said, stepping out from the bedroom, as Chandler stumbled back into the hallway and back into his apartment, "We'll deal with him later. Love, it's time to go."

"I'm not done yet."

"We'll find you someone else."

AAAAA

"Monica! Monica!" Chandler yelled, as he slammed and locked the door behind him, "Monica!"

"What are you yelling about?"

"Rachel is a vampire! Rachel is a vampire! I think she killed Joey!"

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"You think that this is funny? I just saw her on his neck, and then this strange man came out of her bedroom. Oh god, Joey."

"Rachel is not a vampire. Come on, I'll prove it to you."

"Don't open the door," Chandler said, blocking her path, "They'll get you too. She looked scary, Mon."

Monica shot him a humorless look, "Stop being a jerk, and if she really hurt Joey, he might need a doctor."

"He's dead. He was so pale, Mon."

She pushed past him, and looked out in the empty hallway, "There isn't anyone here, but . . . Oh shit!"

Chandler peered out the doorway, and into the open door leading into the apartment across the hall, "Joey?"

AAAAA

"Is this where you live?" Rachel asked, as Tobias led her into his townhouse.

"One of many places," he replied, stroking her cheek, "You're exquisite."

"And I'm going to stay that way," she said, peering into the mirror, "I can still see myself."

She regarded herself thoughtfully, as if she was looking at a stranger. Her normally golden skin was pale, milky, white, that made her blue eyes look larger and darker. Her blond hair had an eery sheen to it, and feel in waves around her face. Smiling, she traced her fangs with her tongue again, and felt them retract back into her gums.

"It'll fade when you kill your first meal. Unfortunately that Joey is still alive."

"Joey," Rachel repeated, as a faint pang of guilt hit her, "I hurt Joey."

"You're a hunter now. Humans are prey."

"Humans. Chandler saw us."

"Don't worry. There are a lot of us, love, we'll take care of him as well."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"You're going to be a vampire, a queen of the night. Unburdened by the pains of being human. We're a wonderful race, love. Full of beauty and power. We hunt in the shadows, and the chosen few get to join us. Like you."

"Why me?"

"I heard you calling out. You didn't want to get older, and I knew you would be perfect. I knew you would let me change you."

"We drink blood. Human blood," Rachel stated, as the word human felt odd in her mouth, "Humans."

"You're no longer one of them. You'll never be one again, as of tomorrow night. We'll find you a new meal."

"Why not now?"

"The sun is coming up. We both need to rest, and there is plenty of time tomorrow night. We might be in for a surprise. If Joey dies, you might wake up a complete vampire already."

"How is that different from what I am now?"

He stroked back her hair, "You'll see. For one whatever guilt you feel over hurting him will vanish. You will be one of us."

Rachel turned to the mirror again, and looked at herself, "Where will I sleep tonight?"

"With me my love. We don't sleep in coffins."

AAAAA

"I told you," Chandler said, as the five on them gathered in Joey's hospital room, "You saw the wounds on his neck, and he lost all that blood."

"There are no such things as vampires," Ross insisted, "It's scientifically impossible."

"Where did all his blood go? Where is Rachel?"

"I don't know! Maybe it was someone harvesting organs and blood?"

Chandler shook his head, "She had fangs! Monica?"

"I didn't see her," Monica replied, "There has to be some other explanation."

"Come on Chandler. Vampires?" Phoebe asked, "Even I don't believe in that."

"Wait until she comes for you," Chandler said, as he watched the sun come up, "Joey will back me up."

AAAAA

"What do you think?" Ross asked, after Chandler had fallen asleep on the couch in Joey's room.

"It's crazy," Monica said, "Rachel a vampire?"

"Well," Phoebe began, "I know I said that I didn't believe him, but . . . anything is possible. Chandler couldn't make something this crazy up. Me, maybe. Not him."

"Where is she?" Ross asked, "Rach could clear this up pretty quickly."

"She was pretty shook up about turning 30. She might have just gone away for a few days."

"Vampires are young forever," Phoebe argued, "What if?"

AAAAA

"Rachel," Chandler said, as he saw her standing in front of him, "Please don't!"

"Chandler," she purred, stroking his cheek, "Dear, sweet, dumb, Chandler. You should have let me finish what I started. Now, we have to take care of you too."

"How could you do that to Joey?"

"He's food now. I need to kill to finish my transformation."

"What are you?"

She smiled, and saw him recoil at her fangs, "A vampire, and I'm hungry."

AAAAA

"That's Chandler," Monica cried, as she heard the screams coming from Joey's room.

The trio rushed in to see Chandler screaming in his sleep, and thrashing his arms at some invisible foe.

"Chandler!" Monica snapped, as she shook him awake, "Open your eyes, sweetheart! It's just a dream!"

"Rachel!" he yelled, as he sat up.

"It's just a dream," Monica repeated, as she held him close.

"She was here! She was going to bite me."

"She wasn't here," Ross said, "There isn't anyone here, Chandler."

"Guys," Phoebe cut in, as Joey's life support system began to beep.

AAAAA

"You're looking well," Tobias said, as Rachel woke up.

"I feel well," she said, as she pushed the heavy blankets back, "Strong. I have never felt this strong before."

"Look at me."

She turned, and he cupped her face in his hands. It's done, he thought, stroking her smooth, pale, skin. He trailed his other hand through her hair, which had grown past her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes looked darker, and her features sharper against her pale skin. Mine, he thought, all mine.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"You're a vampire," he breathed, as he brushed her lips with his, "Don't you feel it?"

She smiled at him, as he placed his hand on heart, "What are you doing?"

"You have no heartbeat," he said, as he placed her hand where his own heart was, "Feel? We don't have heartbeats, love. Look in the mirror. No reflection."

"I'm a vampire," Rachel said aloud, as the statement did no sound odd or scary to her. It filled her with a sense of belonging, as she looked at the man in bed with her. Humans, she thought, how could I have ever been human? They're weak, stupid, pathetic creatures. Food. Joey.

"I killed him," she said aloud.

"The first of many. Shall we go out?"

AAAAA

"Rachel did this," Chandler said flatly, "We have to stop her."

"Is he going to come back as a vampire?" Phoebe asked quietly.

"This isn't possible," Ross insisted.

"The marks, the blood loss, Chandler's dream," Phoebe said through her tears, "We have to find Rachel."

"We have to kill her. In my dream she said that she had to kill someone for her transformation to be complete. She isn't Rachel anymore."

"It's dark outside," Monica said, "Vampires only come out at night."

"Let's go find her," Chandler said, as anger replaced his fear.

AAAAA

"I see you have a new friend, Tobias," a woman called from down the street, "We knew you would find a partner soon enough."

"This is Rachel," he said, pulling her closer to him.

The other woman smiled, "Welcome Rachel. We're going to have a good time tonight. Have you eaten?"

"Not yet," Rachel replied, as the overwhelming hunger surged through her.

"Is she complete?"

"Yes. She killed her first last night. We're going to find the other one."

"Someone saw you? Tobias! You should know better. He could have told people about us."

"Then we'll take care of them too. More food for the rest of us. Would you like to join us Kira?"

Kira tossed her black hair back, "Not tonight. I'll leave you two alone for now. Later on we're having a get together. There will be more food there Rachel, and we can introduce you."

"I'd like that."

AAAAA

Monica leaned back against the wall on the balcony, unable to sleep after their mad dash back to the apartment. This isn't happening, she thought, vampires aren't real. Rachel isn't a vampire.

"Monica? Come inside. Are you crazy?" Chandler said, stepping tentatively outside, "This is where they can get you."

"Chandler, I."

"Come inside."

"Too late," a voice hissed from behind them, "Hi guys."

"Rachel," Monica whispered, as she looked at her friend, "Oh sweetie, what happened to you?"

Rachel smiled, as she let her fangs out, "I think you figured it out. You should have listened to Chandler. He was right."

"You're a vampire."

"And you're going to my dinner," Rachel said, as she advanced closer, "Don't be afraid, Mon, it'll only hurt for a minute."

"And I'll take care of you," Tobias said, grabbing Chandler around the neck.

TBC . . .