"Okay. Okay. Okay." Alvin paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back. "Two down. He has to bite you one more time for it to be permanent, right? So tomorrow night he's gonna attack you."
"Wonderful." Simon sat on his bed glumly, his tongue feeling the sharp little fangs in his mouth. It was an alien sensation. He hadn't seen the yellow in his eyes earlier- he hadn't seen his eyes - but he had a feeling that it had been those that Alvin had been so afraid of on him earlier. And consequently why Alvin was keeping a large distance from him. "So we just have to keep me safe through tomorrow night, right?"
Alvin gave him a worried look. "Not quite. The book doesn't tell how to reverse what's already happened to you."
"And so...what can I do about it?"
The red-clad chipmunk sat down heavily on the bed. "Nothing, I think."
Simon rolled his eyes. "You are oh so helpful. There's got to be something."
Alvin shrugged. "Not that I can find. And I already called Madame Raya, she's not in town." He sounded incredulous. "Her show got cancelled for some reason."
"Imagine that." Simon said dryly. She had helped with Theodore's werewolf curse – sort of – but Simon thought she was mostly a flake.
"Hey, she was our best shot." Alvin defended the horror movie queen.
"Then maybe we are better off on our own."
Alvin glared at him. "Then what's your bright idea, Einstein?"
Simon racked his brain but came up blank. "I don't know."
"Simon?" Theodore's voice came from the hallway a split second before his head peered cautiously from around the door. "You okay?"
He didn't want to worry his baby brother. "I guess so."
"No, he's not, Theodore. Dracula bit him again!"
Theodore gasped, ducking behind the door again. Simon looked at Alvin furiously. "Oh, now who's the genius, frightening Theodore like that?"
Alvin's eyes widened and he scuttled back across the bed. "Simon! Your eyes!"
"What about my eyes?" He asked, almost running for the mirror before he remembered it would be useless. "Alvin?"
"Maybe you should be careful about getting angry. They went all yellow again."
"They did?" Frustration filled Simon, and it took him a minute to force himself to calm down. When he did, he asked carefully, "Normal again?"
Alvin peeked at him from the other side of the bed. "Yeah. How'd you do that?"
"I don't know." Simon sat down on his bed carefully again. "How am I supposed to control that when I can't tell its happening?"
"Keep the sunglasses on. Then at least you can't see it."
He sighed, but did so. "Does this help?"
Alvin looked at him critically. "Surprisingly, not much. You still don't look a whole lot like yourself."
"It's the best I can do, since I can't see myself right now."
"C-c-can I come in now?" Theodore asked from behind the door. Simon cringed to hear the fear in his voice but tried to assume the most innocent posture possible. He didn't know that it actually made him look a bit more like a predatory cat than a chipmunk.
"Of course, Theodore, its your room too."
Theodore entered slowly. "So its true? Dracula bit you again?"
"Its true." He tried to grin reassuringly at his baby brother, but realized the fangs would probably not have the best effect. He gave up the effort. "But don't worry, I'll figure something out."
"Unless Dracula's curse starts to make you like being a vampire." Alvin said.
"Alvin!" Simon tried to control his irritation. "I'm still your brother. I'm still Simon. Do you think I like the idea of – uck – drinking blood?"
"I don't know. Most vampires like being vampires. Remember Theodore? He liked being a werewolf."
"I did not!" Theodore defended himself. Alvin ignored him and continued.
"Maybe these monster curses do that. Make sure you like the creature you're turning into."
"Well, if that's true, then it isn't working on me that way. I don't like the idea of drinking blood now anymore than I did a few days ago." But was that true? Did it bother him?
Frighteningly, not at all. And the fact that it didn't bother him was the most scary of all. But he certainly wasn't going to tell Alvin that.
"Now maybe we should be getting to bed. We do have school tomorrow, you know." Simon pointed out, going to the dresser to slip into some pajamas.
"School? School! How can you even think of going to school?" Alvin asked.
"Because unlike you, I care about my grades. Good night, Alvin."
But despite what he had said, Simon couldn't sleep that night. Not surprising, since he was becoming a creature of the night, but still...he had school tomorrow.
He almost laughed at that thought. School? Really, Alvin was right. That was the least of his worries. He was becoming undead. He would have to...to...drink blood. He would become a predator.
He would be immortal.
And strong. And powerful. And attractive, if he remembered right. And –
He shook himself mentally. No! He didn't want to be a vampire! He was happy being a normal little chipmunk!
Simon threw off his covers with a sigh. He wasn't going to sleep. The room seemed too bright, anyways. He could see perfectly in the dark. He slipped out of bed.
He was halfway to the door when a flood of light stopped him in his tracks. It was Alvin's flashlight, fixed on him. Behind it, Alvin peered down over his bed. "And just where do you think you are going?"
"To get a drink." Simon replied irritably.
"Of what?"
"Of water, you nitwit!" Simon glared at him, and the room seemed brighter suddenly. "Hang on, Alvin. Did my eyes do that thing again?"
Alvin had backed up a little. Simon really didn't like the part of this that involved his brothers being afraid of him. "Yeah. How could you tell?"
"I think I might have the hang of it now." He switched back and forth between the enhanced vision a few times. "Yeah, I think I do."
"Simon, please don't do that." Alvin asked. "You have no idea how creepy it looks."
Simon grinned at Alvin, not caring for the moment that the fangs showed. "Sorry. Its just that its actually...kind of neat."
"Neat?"
Simon got control of himself almost immediately. "Just a little. I don't like feeling like I'm out of control, so I'm glad I figured out how to do this whole eye thing."
"Well, you do have a bit of a temper, so even with figuring out the 'eye thing' you should probably wear the shades."
"All right, all right." Simon agreed. "Can I go now?"
"Okay." Alvin looked at him fiercely. "Just don't bite anyone!"
"I promise."
"Okay then."
He was thirsty, but the water didn't seem to help him any. He could choke down little more than a few swallows. His stomach rumbled hungrily. Maybe he could find something downstairs that looked appetizing.
The fridge yielded nothing that really seemed to tempt him though except...no. He wasn't going to eat that. One steak that Dave had bought still remained from the time when Theodore was a werewolf. He hadn't really known why Theodore's appetite had suddenly become carnivorous, but being Dave, he had tried to please him all the same. Besides, Simon realized he didn't want to eat it that much anyways...but it was the only thing that seemed even remotely appetizing. And people all around the world ate meat every day. He couldn't go another day without eating.
He grabbed the steak out of the freezer and started to defrost it in the microwave. All the while he looked around the kitchen guiltily, as if he was being caught in an act of theft. He was only eating, for crying out loud.
"You've been gone an awfully long time for a glass of water."
"Alvin!" Simon jumped. He could hear his heart beating heavily in his ears. "Don't scare me like that." Wait a minute. That wasn't his heartbeat...it was Alvin's. Uh-oh.
"Don't scare you? That's a laugh." Alvin hopped up into his usual place at the table. "Just thought I'd check on you. What are you making in the microwave? Hot water?"
"Nothing." Ping!
"Well, your nothing is done."
Simon sighed. "Fine." He pulled the plate out, grabbed a knife and fork, and hopped up to the table. "Suit yourself. Stay if you want."
A look of revulsion was on Alvin's face. "Simon! That isn't even cooked!"
It wasn't – just defrosted. But to actually cook it sounded disgusting. "Look, Alvin, I haven't eaten all day. I'm starving. I know this is a little gross, but I have to eat something." And he couldn't resist it – he had to do the "eye thing." "Unless you'd like to volunteer."
"Uh, no. By all means, enjoy. Bon Appetit." Alvin held his hands up as if to ward him off.
Simon instantly regretted his impulsive act. "I was just teasing you, Alvin. I wouldn't really bite you."
"Sure. Sure you wouldn't."
"Are you sticking around?"
"Y-y-y," Alvin tried to gain control of his stammering. He cleared his throat. "Yes."
Simon tried to finish his meal as quickly as he could, not liking the running commentary of "ew" and "gross" and "revolting" that Alvin was giving him. He just tried not to think about he was eating and tried to ignore the sound of Alvin's heartbeat in his ears. When he was finished, he started to pick the plate to drink the last of the meat juices...the blood, and caught the revolted look on Alvin's face. He quickly placed the plate down. "I'm done, okay?
"That was possibly one of the worst things I've ever seen."
"You didn't have to stay."
"I wish I hadn't."
"Me, too."
"Listen, Alvin, why don't you just go back to bed?"
Alvin looked at him, his head cocked. "Are you?"
Simon automatically began to say yes, but stopped himself. "No, I guess not. I'm not at all tired."
"So...do you care to try a little experimenting?"
Simon narrowed his eyes. "What kind of experimenting?"
"Come outside." Alvin ordered. "I'll show you."
End of part 4