"So its over? That's it? We're just going to let Simon stay a vampire?" Jeannette demanded. "Well?"
"We don't have a lot of options, Jeannette." Alvin said dejectedly. "Its done. Dracula has him now."
"The books didn't say whether or not he would return to normal if Dracula dies."
"The books didn't say much of anything. Face it, Jeannette, Simon's gone." Alvin's eyes closed. "My big brother is gone."
"No!" Jeannette stomped her foot. "I will not accept that! And I'm surprised you do, Alvin. You're the most stubborn chipmunk I've ever met. You're going to give up on your brother that easily?"
Jeannette had all of their attention now. Brittany was looking at her with surprise, Theodore backed away a bit, and Eleanor seemed to be regarding her with a new sort of respect. Alvin just looked confused. "Look, guys, Simon isn't dead. He wouldn't desert us, we can't desert him."
"I hate to say it, Jeannette, but he is dead, and he just did desert us." Brittany said.
Jeannette shook her head. "I don't think he really did." She disagreed. "I think he wanted to protect us. From what Alvin told us, he didn't look all that happy about what happened. I think he didn't want a repeat of what happened with Brittany today."
"But he's a vampire now!" Alvin said. "Completely. How can we possibly know what he's thinking?"
"He's also your brother, Alvin." Jeannette pointed out, exasperated. "At some point you are just going to have to trust that." It was obvious the other chipmunk was still in doubt. Jeannette tried not to throw her hands up in annoyance. "Listen, I know this looks bad. We don't know where Simon is. We do know he's become undead. We have no idea at all of how to handle this. But has that ever stopped us before?"
Alvin's eyes went to slits. "No. It hasn't."
"Then why should it stop us now? Especially when Simon's life is in the balance?"
Jeannette could see the determination refilling Alvin's eyes, and silently thanked every god there ever was. "It won't!" Alvin said. "We'll get Dracula, whatever it takes. And if it doesn't cure Simon, well..." He gave a small shrug. "He's my brother. We'll just have to adjust."
"Yeah!" Theodore shouted.
Jeannette jumped. She wasn't used to the limelight like this –that was Brittany's place – but she couldn't give up now. "So...anybody got an idea of how to do that?"
"Yeah." Alvin said, his eyes traveling to the window. "I think I do."
OoooOoooO
Dracula watched as Simon shimmered back into his chipmunk form. "I'm here, master." He said into the crypt, his voice forlorn.
"Do not be so sad, child." Dracula said, stepping out of the shadows. "You are home."
"I guess so." Simon sighed. "I just don't know if I made the right decision."
"Of course you did. I left you with no other." Dracula shook his head, confused at the chipmunk's behavior. "You have been gone some time. Dawn is almost here."
"I'm sorry. I needed to think." Simon looked down. "About what's happened to me."
"Child, I do not see why you deny yourself so. You and your brothers have never been separated. Why should you be now? Let me-"
"No! Please," Simon entreated. "I can't let them be hurt. Please."
"They would be saved, as you were. Why are you so stubborn?"
Simon glanced away. "You can't see it the way I do. I can't see myself dooming my brothers too. Alvin as a monster...he would be unstoppable. And Theodore...I already know that his sweet nature isn't meant for this."
"But you are heartbroken without them."
"It doesn't matter." Simon said simply. "I'll survive." He thought a moment. "Or rather, they will."
The will of his newest child was strong. "Very well, we will talk of it no more tonight." He said, taking Simon by the hand. "Come with me. I have a gift for you."
"A gift?"
"Yes." Dracula stopped by the small white coffin that he had had sent to him. A child's coffin, precisely the size that Simon would need. "Your sleeping chamber."
"Oh," Simon stared. "Thanks, I think."
"You must rest now, child. The sun rises soon."
"Okay."
Once Simon was tucked safely into his coffin, Dracula paused before going into his own casket. It wouldn't do to have Simon so despondent. He wouldn't allow his family to let their mortal lives tie them to the world of the living so strongly. So what to do? Kill the brothers?
No, that would only turn Simon against him. And although Dracula was confident he could control the vampiric chipmunk, he didn't want to have to. He preferred willing children – it made everything so much easier. There was only one thing to do.
Simon needed his brothers with him. And he would have them. Tomorrow Dracula would ensure that the other two chipmunks would join them.
A small smile sat on Dracula's lips. He would rebuild his family. Three sons, instead of three daughters. Yes. That would be just as good.
OoooOoooO
Alvin and the others were busy the rest of the night. He and Brittany had been carving stakes all night, gathering broken branches from the tree that Simon had crashed into and carving them into pointed weapons. Theodore and Eleanor had gone to search out some holy items with which to ward off the ancient vampire. And still Jeannette labored over her books, trying to find anything else that might help the now-undead chipmunk.
"Holy water, some crosses, and garlic." Theodore said, coming into the room and dumping the contents of his backpack on the bed. "Do you know how hard it is to actually get holy water? Eleanor and I had to look for most of the night before we found a priest who would give us some."
"And I think he only did it because we wouldn't leave him alone." Eleanor said. "Honestly, doesn't anyone care about ridding the world of the undead anymore?"
"Most people don't believe in the undead, Eleanor." Brittany pointed out.
"Yeah, well, how'd things go with you?"
Brittany pointed to the small pile of pointed stakes. "Woodshop class went well tonight."
"Great." Theodore said. "Jeannette?"
"Nothing new. Still no confirmation on whether killing Dracula will cure Simon."
"Well, we are going to try anyways." Alvin said firmly. "Once the sun is up we'll have him at a disadvantage."
"Not much of one, if we're attacking him in his lair." Brittany muttered under her breath.
Dawn was coming. "Are we ready?" Alvin asked, grabbing a stake and a vial of holy water, trying to look more confident than he felt.
"I guess so," Theodore said, looking at the stake he had just picked up doubtfully.
"Then let's go!"
They trooped up to Dracula's castle, the sunlight just peeking over the horizon. No one spoke as they went, all of them feeling the fear that this was not going to turn out well.
But they had to try.
"How do we get in?" Theodore asked when they reached the towering edifice, looking up at it with trepidation.
"I don't know." Alvin said. The window Simon and he had sneaked in through just three days ago wasn't open anymore. He tried the knob on the front door. Surprisingly, it turned and opened. "I guess through the front door."
"Does this seem, well, a little too convenient?" Brittany asked as they walked slowly into the castle.
"Kinda." Alvin agreed, nodding. "But does anyone think that should stop us?"
"No!" Theodore said immediately. Jeannette shook her head vigorously in agreement.
Alvin felt a look of determination come over his face.
"Then let's go destroy Dracula."
End of part 9