Dracula and Nicola walked up to the library together arm in arm, their love for each other growing every moment. They opened the door to find Carl finishing up on the plan and Van Helsing teaching Arene proper defence against a vampire... she was still trying to get the hang of it.

"15 years old and going after vampires," Van Helsing had murmured to himself. "What next?"

"How about hunting werewolves?" Arene asked as she saw her friend and the Count.

Van Helsing simply gave her a half smile and said.

"Fine... just pass Carl's Italian exam first."

"I knew there was a catch," Arene grumbled.

Nicola smiled at this.

"So... what did you guys find?"

Carl came up to her, keeping a good amount of distance between him and the Count.

"Well, we most definitely have a plan and several escape routes. All we need to do now is make Aleera jealous of Arene."

"How are we gonna do that?" Arene asked.

Every person in the room turned to her, the same look on all their faces. Arene simply looked to Carl.

"The next time I want to bring someone back from the dead, please hit me over the head with something sharp and hard!!"

Carl looked shocked.

"Why would I do that?"

Arene gave him a small smile.

"Sarcasm is really a foreign language to you, isn't it?"

"Let us began," declared the Count grandly, breaking up the moment.

"Well...yes...very well," muttered Carl. "First we need to put Nicola into a trance. The brides need to think that she is unguarded and vulnerable. Then it's up to the Count and Arene to...hmm...draw Aleera's attention," he couldn't help faltering as he said this but continued anyway, " and once Aleera has moved off we force the other brides to leave using these crosses and Holy Water and finally, when only Aleera is left, we...well we kill her," he finished uncertainly.

"How do we kill her?" asked Nicola

"That's where you come in Count," Arene said. "I take it you know a way?!"

"Of course I do, my bonded one," he declared sweetly, enjoying her cringe. "If I can get a hold on her and drain her she will no longer have power to materialise in this world."

"There must be some other way!" declared Gabriel quickly.

"But why...what's wrong with this plan," question Carl in confusion.

"He is worried about my becoming stronger from Aleera's blood, are you not Gabriel," the Count suggested. "Well you need have no...fears...on that account. Her blood will offer me no sustenance. It is life that I crave and she is little more than a spirit now...not even true undead anymore."

The Count's suggestion that he was afraid angered Van Helsing and drove him to action.

"Very well, let's start," the Knight stated and they all moved to their positions.