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Note from the authors: Well, we just want to say thank you to all who have reviewed and read this story so far! You're keeping us motivated!

Night 3: Guilt

There, Robin stood at the window with a look of utter horror as he witnessed Starfire bending over to take the blood of an innocent woman. His face then turned into an enraged snarl as he turned his sights upon the 'monster' responsible for corrupting the alien princess that he loved so dear.

The woman, who was to be Starfire's intended prey, woke up with a start and was about to scream in horror when she stared into the red eyes of Shadow. He whispered in an almost ethereal voice, "Sleep," and as soon as those words escaped his lips, she was out like a light.

Starfire cowered in fear when she heard Robin's outraged cry. She was too afraid to look at him and hid behind Shadow in shame and fear. What would the Boy Wonder whom she loved dearly think of her now? Would he think of her as a parasite?

"Fledgling, let's go," Shadow said to Starfire as he took her hand. He then addressed Robin, "If you have something to say to me, meet me on the roof of your Tower," and with that he vanished into a swirling portal of darkness with Starfire.

Robin clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He reached into his utility belt and pulled put his grapple gun before shooting a grappling hook and swinging away like his mentor usually did. Now there was a score to settle…

Reappearing in her room, Shadow gave Starfire a simple command, "Stay here," and a look that told her not to argue with him. Starfire could only reluctantly nod and then she sat down on her bed. Shortly after, she began to cry, palming her face as tears of shame escaped her eyes and trailed down her face. Shadow looked away, not bearing the idea to look at the girl's crying face, and then vanished through a shadow portal. It would be the most painful wait she would have to endure as her Master and her best friend would most likely argue over her, which would then result in a fight. She had nothing to fear for her Master but Robin would have to be careful not to antagonize or provoke the vampire.
Shadow reappeared on the roof to see Robin glaring at him. "Punctual, I see," Shadow commented. Robin got out his Bo-staff, and twirled it around with martial prowess. He then brought the staff into a classic fighter's pose, beckoning a challenge from the vampire.

"I see you would prefer action rather than words." If Shadow had any emotion in his voice, he would've sounded amused.

"You're corrupting her," Robin accused. "And I won't let you."

"Corrupting her?" Shadow repeated. "And how did I, as you say, "corrupt" her?"

"You were going to force her to take the blood of an innocent woman," Robin answered, his grip on his staff tightening.

"I was teaching her how to hunt for prey and feed," Shadow said. "It's something she needs to know. She needs blood, if you remember."

"But why not blood banks or blood packs?" Robin asked. "Those are better!" Shadow shook his head to disagree.

"It's not the quantity of the blood that matters, but the quality. Boy, let me tell you something about what blood really means to a vampire. The blood carries a person life force and that is what a vampire needs to survive. Blood from blood packs merely quenches our thirst and satisfies out hunger, but they lack that life force we need to survive. We drink the blood from the living to survive, to live," Shadow explained calmly. "I would've explained that to her if you hadn't interrupted us."

Robin wouldn't let up. He was still stubborn as ever. "You almost made her kill someone."

"Kill? You are ignorant. Not all of us kill when we feed unless it's a wild animal," Shadow said to Robin. He eyed Robin's stance and if he could laugh he would. "Were you expecting to fight me?"

"I have to protect her from you," Robin said. Shadow rolled his eyes. This human was just too short sighted and wasn't really worth his time. Then again, it would be very amusing if he could beat the sense into the insolent spiky haired brat who dressed in the colors of a traffic light. Shadow made a mental note to taunt the irritating, stuck-up Boy Wonder to go shopping later, which brought an amused smirk that threatened to break onto his face.

"And I pledge myself to protect her, my fledgling, as well," Shadow said before throwing off his cloak, almost melodramatically, and getting into his own battle stance. "And if you must fight me, I must warn you that I have far more experience than you."

With a loud cry, Robin charged and went on the attack. He swung his Bo-staff and it hit Shadow in the arm, giving Robin the satisfaction of metal connecting with flesh. The impact would've fractured bones of a human, but those of a vampire's were a completely different story! Shadow then spun around and batted Robin in the back of the head with his forearm with speed the Boy Wonder couldn't keep up with. Robin recovered and jabbed at Shadow repeatedly but the youthful looking vampire dodged each hit precisely, not allowing to get hit at all, it was as though it worked on sheer will alone. Shadow then saw an opening, and with amazing speed that only Flash or Kid Flash could have seen, threw his palm hard into Robin's chest, knocking the wind out of his lungs and sending him flying and tumbling across the floor. Robin coughed and fought to bring the air back into his burning lungs. He refused to be beaten now! His warrior spirit wouldn't allow it! Struggling with all his might, he had managed to get back on his feet, albeit rather shakily.

"I'm not going to give up," Robin said as he got ready again. Shadow sighed, crossed his arms and quirked an irritated eyebrow.

"My boy, I should compliment you for lasting this long, but I must warn you that if I had used all my strength in that one hit, you would've been dead before you even hit the floor," Shadow said logically. Robin's eyes widened at this but then narrowed again. Shadow just had to be bluffing, but this was a vampire and vampires were inhumanly strong.

Batman's former sidekick had whipped up 3 explosive birdarangs in each hand, and he crossed his arms, ready to throw them at any minute, whilst Shadow took a casual stance and stared at Robin boringly.

And right before Robin would have thrown them, a familiar voice cried out, "Robin, STOP! PLEASE!"

Next thing he knew, Starfire was hugging him from behind and buried her tear stained face in his cape.

The alien princess pleaded tearfully, "Robin, please, stop this! It is not his fault! He is not a monster!"

Robin relaxed his arms, his concentration on the fight at hand disoriented as he subconsciously placed his birdarangs back in the utility belt. Shadow watched the scene from a monotonous point of view… yet feeling a stab of sympathy in his heart at this tearful moment.

"It was mine…" Starfire continued to sob sorrowfully, and when Robin finally turned around to face her, to suddenly be in her cold embrace, he somehow felt the guilt and sadness escaping her soul, and it was at this point that Robin felt disgusted with himself, at what he earlier accused Starfire to be. How could he do that? She was the one he truly loved!

The truth finally hit him like a jackhammer to the skull; he was the monster here, not Shadow or Starfire, but him. The one who held prejudice against a species whose rules and ways he knew nothing about and could only think stereotypically of.

Almost silently, these words full of shame and regret escaped his lips, "No, Starfire… it's not your fault… I'm the monster… Oh God…" He could no longer bear to see Starfire's crying face. It only continued to break his heart and snap at his conscience even more. So, abruptly he turned away from them, and walked quickly back inside. He didn't bother to close the door behind him.

And now, for once since he met the boy, Shadow actually pitied him…

'Perhaps he isn't an arrogant stuck up prick after all,' Shadow thought before walking over to his fledgling and picking up his cloak along the way. Starfire, emotionally distraught, cried against her Master's chest as he draped his cloak over her shoulders. He lifted up her face by the chin and said to her, "Let's go back inside." He wiped her tears away with his thumb and then they vanished in a swirl of darkness…

The next morning, the commotion from the previous night had settled. It was soon replaced with an awkward silence that filled the Tower… at least when it came to the Boy Wonder, the Alien Princess, and their new houseguest. Everyone, except the aforementioned, was in the Titans Common Room, eating their breakfast, and Beast Boy and Cyborg had their usual argument of "Meat VS Vegetables and Tofu."

Raven just rolled her eyes as she messaged her temples and went to have a peaceful cup of tea before she went to perform her daily meditation ritual. Cyborg and Beast Boy argued about this every single day ever since they found out about each other's food preferences. She decided to change the subject, and if that didn't work she'd rip their tongues right out of their very mouths.

"Hey, you two," Raven called the arguing duo but they didn't hear her. "Hey. Hey!" She lost her patience. "HEY!!!" she shouted loudly and this time Beast Boy and Cyborg quieted down, afraid to incur the wrath of the half demon. She gave herself a congratulatory smirk before it changed into her usual dull expression and asked, "Have any of you noticed that Robin isn't here? We know why Starfire isn't and her…mentor, well we can guess."

"Oh yeah," Cyborg said in realization, "Where is Robin and the vamp?"

As soon as he said that, Robin stepped through the doors that led into the common room, followed by Shadow. They gave each other wary glances before walking over to the breakfast table. Robin picked up the newspaper while Shadow picked up a plate and filled it up with food.

"She needs to eat," Shadow said to Cyborg who nodded and after Shadow filled the plate up with breakfast food, avoiding Beast Boy's tofu like it was the plague, he went and picked up another bottle of mustard before he vanished through the doors. Beast Boy and Cyborg blinked while Raven raised an eyebrow. Robin had not looked angry, just a little guilty if you'd observed carefully.

"Ooookay?" Beast Boy said. "What was that about?"

"Hey, Rob, why didn't you start getting mad at him?" Cyborg asked his friend.

"Last night, he and I had a conversation about Starfire and it opened my eyes," Robin answered. "He's not so bad, really, once you got to know him."

Raven stared at him and said, "I thought you didn't trust him."

"I didn't, but then he's the only person who can understand what Starfire's going through and help her through it every step of the way," Robin admitted. "And, well, he did help beat the HIVE Five."

"Dude, he beat the crud out of them in like 5 minutes," Beast Boy informed him. "He's wicked cool and creepy at the same time!"

Robin read the newspaper and the front page had a picture of Shadow. It was blurry since he'd gotten out of there before the reporters could get a clear shot. The headline was: MYSTERIOUS NEW TEEN TITAN? WHERE IS STARFIRE?

Now, that was going to be something tough to explain to the public. How to answer both questions without freaking everyone out? They couldn't really say that Starfire was now a vampire and the 'Mysterious New Teen Titan' was a vampire too. It would've caused a major uproar, religious especially since vampires were always treated with scorn by those who believed in their existence…like Robin did before last night.

"Oh boy…"

In Starfire's room, Shadow had just learnt of the terrible ordeal many of the Titans have had to go through on a regular daily basis whenever Starfire wanted to either, get something, do something, or go somewhere. In other words: Starfire's nagging.

With big watery eyes and her hands cupped together in a childish manner, she asked for the umpteenth time as she was all up in Shadow's face, "PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASE, Master? Please?"

Shadow's frustration went up another notch. He silently wondered to himself of how much more could he take of this?

"Fledgling, for the last time, you are NOT going outside!"

"But, Master, I want to see the sun again-"

"And burn to death? I think not." Shadow crossed his arms and scowled at Starfire in a fatherly manner.

"But," Starfire pouted as cutely as she could, "We Tameraneans thrive on solar energy-"

"You are a Creature of the Night, now! The sun is your worst enemy. That's the way it is! I cannot risk you leaving the darkness of this Tower just so you can waltz outside and turn to ash right on the spot," Shadow argued and shook his head down. Mentally he groaned and asked himself, 'What have I brought myself into?'

But just then, when he looked up, he saw the most powerful weapon any female possessed across Starfire's face, and he paled with dread, for it was the ultimate weapon any woman had to use on men:

The Puppy Dog Pout

Just looking at Starfire with that increasingly adorable face melted Shadow's arguments and defenses into a mere puddle. He massaged his temples and inwardly moaned in defeat.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but… Fine… you can go." Starfire cheered in delight and hugged her mentor in one of her infamous bone crushing hugs. The vampire had to suck in as much air as he could and held it in. With her incredibly enhanced strength, she could perhaps easily snap his body in half.

"Fledgling… Could you please let go of me?" Shadow asked through clenched teeth. He was fighting the urge to release all the air in his lungs. He couldn't possibly believe how powerful her hugs were!

Starfire stopped, and smiled sheepishly, and let her poor mentor go. Catching his breath, he rolled his eyes and then said to the Alien Princess, "But first, you should wear something to cover your body, just incase."

Starfire beamed happily, "Oh! I have just the thing!" As quick as a flash, she opened her closet and searched through some random assortments of attires, which were suddenly piling up on her bed continuously until it became a mini pile of fashion. Shadow then noticed that most of her clothes… were just the same uniform she always wore.

"I have found it!" Shadow cocked an eyebrow and faced Starfire… only for freeze incredulously. If not for the glowing green eyes, he never would have recognized her!

She wore a yellow raincoat, a ridiculous green wide brimmed hat, purple winter gloves, yellow rain boots, and a purple scarf.

Starfire had then rubbed the back of her head bashfully and explained to her bewildered Master, "These clothes were what I wore when I went through a horrible transformation, so I had thought that perhaps they would be appropriate for this transformation as well."

Shadow gawked at her with an expression of surprise and bewilderment. Recomposing himself, he told her, "Remove those...things. I think I have something else in mind." She did as told and Shadow said, "Hold still." Concentrating silently, the vampire focused as the shadows began to creep up her body, and she felt a cold tingling sensation crawling up her skin that made her shiver uncomfortably. Starfire yelped in surprise as the shadows began to mold onto her body, forming clothing.

Unsurprisingly, her attire was all black, consisting of a long sleeved hoodie, black jeans and sunglasses with gloves and sneakers.

"This looks like something Raven would rather wear…" Starfire said timidly, hoping that instead it would be something colorful rather than just black.

Shadow said, "Well, it was made from the shadows so it would always be black, unfortunately. We could try something else, if you like."

Starfire shook her head and smiled shyly, "No, it is alright." At least she could go out in the sun. He reached over and pulled the hoodie over her head to hide her features. He couldn't allow any light to touch her. "But, Master, what about you?"

"What about me?" he asked her.

"Your clothing…wouldn't they draw a lot of unwanted attention?"

"I don't care if I get stared at, fledgling," he told her firmly but then his resolve broke as she used her 'secret weapon' on him again. He sighed, "Oh, fine," and he used the shadows to change his clothing again. He now wore a black buttoned down shirt with a red tie, black slack, black dress shoes, a black trench coat and a wide-brimmed black hat with black glasses on his eyes. Starfire blinked. This wasn't exactly what she had in mine when she wanted him to change clothing but at least it looked…normal.

"Come, fledgling," he beckoned. "Let us both venture outside."

Starfire walked beside her Master as they went out on the city. She remembered how her friends' had reacted to her attire. They barely recognized her. She barely recognized herself even.

Shadow was getting some pretty strange stares too, but again he didn't really care. Why should he? He had lived so long and never listened to the opinions of others.

Starfire looked up at the sky slightly, angling her head so that the light would not directly hit her face. 'At least I am outside, but it does not feel the same dressed like this…'

Shadow frowned. He could feel her depression. It was radiating off her. He wanted to apologize but he knew this was a lesson she'd have to learn on her own. He could walk out in the sun because he was so old, but she was new to the world of vampires. Maybe in a few years, after his training, she'd build up a resistance so that she could wear her old clothes.

A sudden explosion caused Starfire to shriek in fright. Being so close to the source as well as being a vampire had enhanced the volume for her. Shadow narrowed his eyes as they wandered over to the bank when a very large red figure was standing not too far from it with bags of money.

"Hah! Adonis is gonna rob you all blind!" the man in the red robot suit boasted, laughing away.

"It is Adonis!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Adonis?" Shadow repeated. He then saw that her eyes were glowing green. She was eager for battle and then she darted at Adonis, flying at the red robo-suited man before Shadow could yell at her to stop. "Fledgling, wait!" he called for her before he sighed and quickly followed after the alien girl.

Adonis felt a powerful explosion on his left flank as a green energy bolt hit him. Narrowing his eyes, he turned to see someone dressed completely in black with a green glow behind their shades. The black clad and flying person ordered, "Put down the bags and you will not be harmed." Adonis recognized the voice.

"Woah, did you have a fashion disaster or something?" Adonis quipped, which made Starfire narrow her eyes. He then said, "Fine, I'll drop the bags." He did so, "And of course I won't be getting hurt…YOU ARE!" His hands shot at her and grabbed her by the arms. She screamed in surprise and struggled as Adonis started to crush her.

"LET ME GO!" she demanded, legs kicking.

"Um…No," Adonis replied, grinning.

"Do as she says," spoke a cold voice and Adonis turned his head to see Shadow, glaring at him. Starfire smiled widely with glee.

'Master!' she cheered mentally.

"Does everybody have bad fashion sense these days?" Adonis said. He then said to Shadow, "You think you can take me on?" Shadow shook his head.

"No, I don't think I can," he paused, "I know I can." Shadow then moved as quick as a flash and Adonis soon found himself face up on the ground and Starfire free, floating next to Shadow.

"Are you alright, fledgling?" he asked. She nodded but then his eyes widened a bit. Starfire noticed this too.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Fledgling…your hood…" Shadow said slowly. Her hood was no longer covering her head, exposing her face to the light of the sun, but nothing happened. She had not suddenly begun to spontaneously combust or turn to dust. She was a fledgling, yet resistant to the light of the sun. Adonis had gotten up and charged at the two. Chains suddenly erupted from the ground like shadowy liquid and held the giant down.

"LET ME GO!" Adonis roared but then Starfire floated over Adonis, smiling sweetly, before pulling back her fist and swinging it. Adonis then saw black.

The Titans arrived at that very moment and Shadow said to them, "What took you so long?"

Later, in the infirmary, Starfire was back in her usual uniform while Cyborg did a scan. The other Titans, plus Shadow, were there too, watching intently.

"Well, since Starfire's race absorbs sunlight and converts it to energy," Cyborg reported analytically, "I guess even after she became a vampire, the trait stayed with her."

"So, what would mean she can venture out under the light of the sun," Shadow surmised, nodding in understanding.

Cyborg grinned, "You got it."

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Starfire said happily, dancing in the air.

"Congratulations, Starfire," Robin smiled. Starfire didn't have to stay in the dark after all. It made him take a deep relieved breath since he didn't have to be concerned about her well being after all. To him, as long as Starfire was happy, then he would be happy for her, grateful for her, and he would support her every step of the way!

"Dude, you're a vampire that can go out in the day and night!" Beast Boy shouted but then looked at Shadow, who stared at him blankly, so he took a short awkward pause to rephrase what he said, "Well, he can too but you're a fledgling!"

"And he did say fledglings couldn't go out in the day," Raven added, a small smile grazing her pale features. "I guess you're one of a kind then."

Shadow's expression turned serious. Starfire would be considered the only fledgling able to walk out in the day. This was also terrible on a really high scale.

The Council would one day hear of this and he'd get an earful. They would want to know about any addition to their species. They were pretty strict on that account. And Shadow suddenly paled, well more so than usual, and a dreadful thought came to mind, 'If other vampires and fledglings heard about this... Starfire will be their target!'

Starfire then landed and walked over to Shadow, nearly back to her old self again, the part of her the Titans knew full and well, her cheerful smiles, the way her eyes glistened with happiness like they were sparkling emeralds. Shadow's eyes bored into hers as she embraced him, gently this time, to Shadow's obvious relief. "Thank you," she said to him from the deepest depths of her heart, "Thank you for letting me go outside, Master."

"No problem, fledgling," he said to her, stroking her scarlet hair with the gentlest touch he could muster.

"Master?" she began, frowning.

"Yes?" he responded and saw that her fangs were out, sharp and shiny as ever.

"I am hungry."

Shadow nodded and they both vanished into a shadow portal to return to her room for some privacy.

In Starfire's room, as Shadow slid up his sleeve and revealed his pale flesh to the hungry alien princess, he felt a heavy stone of dark guilt drop into his soul. He could feel the immense weight holding him down.

Should he tell her of what her existence would mean to the Council and about the vampires who would be coming after her? Should he tell her that she was practically a miracle among the creatures of the night? If not now, then when?

Shadow felt the impending doom wash over him and much to his relief the innocent (yet hungry) alien princess as she plunged her fangs into his arm, drinking in his blood like it was the sweetest nectar or the finest wine.

Shadow stared at his scarlet haired fledgling and sighed almost sorrowfully. Perhaps this could wait another day… and if there were any vampires who would come to the Tower just so they could feast on his sweet and innocent fledgling… he'd make sure to give them Hell.

Phantom Soldier: Well Ladies and Gentlemen: I hope you have enjoyed this wonderful chapter. You will see that there is much to see and explain in this story. Expect more romance and action and God knows what else!

ZK Chromedragozoid: Well, like Phantom said, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we did writing it. Without him, I bet we wouldn't been able to get this far, even if it is only the 3rd chapter. There will be more, much more. What started as a dream and an experimental fic may turn into an epic.