A/N :

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx CHAPTER 16 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Ranger's death...for that was what it was...I had distinctly felt him become one of them...no one came to see me for a whole two days except for a woman with pure loathing in her eyes, carrying a tray of food and taking out the previous one.

I don't touch the food. If it's poisoned I won't let the get the satisfaction of getting me and besides…ever since…it…I just ain't hungry anymore.

As I look lazily out the window, the sun going down on the second day without news from Dracula or his goons, the door opens and I don't even bother turning my head to their direction.

Two whole days without eating and I still ain't hungry…hmm…that's maybe not normal.

I think to myself, not sparing much thought to the vampires in 'my' prison.

"Rachel. I shall call you Nell; it is so much nicer." Dracula purrs, apparently trying to grab my attention.

I don't care anymore. Nothing matters anymore. There is a dark void where my heart and soul used to be…

"He is magnificent isn't he Nell?" Dracula says, triumph in his voice.

"That he is." I answer my throat hurting. "He is dead…he doesn't even remember me does he?"

I feel more than see Dracula and my father shake their heads, a little surprised that I already know.

"I felt it." I tell them simply, eyes still on the darkening sky.

Hey…Steph had once told me I sang well…I never did spells meaningfully but if I remember well…yes…THAT'S IT!

I jump up from my position, feeling slightly dizzy but fine all the same.

Staying seated on a window sill without moving for two whole days does a lot to you.

I will save Ranger, kill the bad guy and hopefully come out of it alive and my poor baby still kicking.

By the way...what the hell happened to Veriea?

I frown, not really realizing it.

"Uh oh. She is thinking. Not of a way to trample my delicate hospitality is it?" Dracula asks, sending a small smile to my father.

I look at Ranger who is behind both of them, staring at me with no recognition in those dark eyes, his expressions letting nothing of his thoughts or emotions show.

I'm not that good yet.

"Actually," I send my dad a smile that makes him loose his own little smile.

"I WAS planning to fuck with my dad, just to piss him off, after all. You killed the only leverage you had on me."

I cross my fingers in my mind, making sure my real hands stay at my sides.

"Ranger was not our only leverage whelp. Your dear sister is in the room right next to yours." My father snarls, unable to stop himself and for that I am grateful.

I just tricked a 3000 or some years old vampire and my jerk of a father! Yipeeeee!

Dracula however, looks closely at me, as if trying to read my very plan from my features.

I raise my eyebrow at him, hoping it would make him quit it and feeling a small smile tug at the corner of my lips as he looks away, puzzled and…is he blushing?

Holy…cow or Water? Water or cow? Hmm…that is the question.

"Eat." Is all he orders before ordering Ranger, my father and some guy out of 'my' room.

"Good riddance!" I yell just as my dad closes the door.

I almost swear I hear him clench his jaws but I only guffaw, my plan going OK.

So…heeheehee! Veriea's in the next room hunh? Heeheehee!

I look all around my room and find actually two cameras.

"Perverts." I cry at the cameras and pretending to sulk, carefully hiding my smile and look of utter joy.

I put a cloth on each of the camera's saying with emphasis as I did :

"You. May. Be. My. Dad. But. You're. Still. A. Disgusting. Pervert."

I look, satisfied at the now covered cameras and walk to the window, doing one more round just to make sure there aren't any other cameras.

I take a pin out of my hair and pick the lock carefully, it being old and rusty.

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world." I sing as I work, sure it would annoy my dad and Bat-boy.

"You can brush my hair, undress me anywheeeeeeeeeeeeeeere." I almost yelp when the window suddenly opens and Veriea stumbles in.

I hurriedly grab her and hug her, desperate for something else than dead people.

"Nell." She squeaks, already out of breath from what must have been a climb.

"How did you get here?" I ask, holding her at arm's length.

"I broke my window and climbed down like spider-man!" She laughs.

I smile, happy to see her again and go back to the window.

Fifty or some levels down there is a VERY black river, probably full of crocodiles or something.

"Okay. Here's the plan."

We talk well into the night, making sure to keep our voices lowered for any mics.

When the sun starts coming up, I quickly shove her under the bed and make my exercises to slow my heart, hoping it would blend into Veriea's own heartbeat and not give us away.

The woman, a blonde with huge curves and even huger breasts, enters, wearing only…urgh…pink…drops the plate of eggs and sausages onto the table along with a can of apple juice then goes out again, only pausing at the door once but quickly dismissing whatever she thought she heard and leaving, the door clicking shut.

Veriea lets out a heart-felt sight.

"Well that was a close call." She says, her voice muffled from under the bed.

"Yeah, especially since your heart decided to skip a beat! I had slowed mine to blend with yours." I explain, stretching out onto the bed and taking deep breaths, my heart returning to normal.

"wow."

"You know how to do it you know." I tell her, amused.

"Are you ready for tonight?" She asks a little shakily.

"Uh hunh. You?"

"Let's kick some Vampire ass!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sorry xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Forgive me but I needed to cut it here cos otherwise it sends the suspense down the drain. (there already isn't much.) Hope you enjoyed! Thanks.