The next morning, it was like everyone had woken up hung over, which was strange because there were no alcoholic drinks at the dance—none that the authorities knew of anyways (hehe just kidding). All the same, grunts and groans echoed though the halls of the dorm building, as students mustered the energy to care.

One by one the doors opened, groggy faces marching out, from the early-birds all the way till the bell, though few were foolish enough to sleep in that long.

Most of the day passed quickly, fading from the kids' thoughts with the ethereal quality of a dream. Even at lunch, the cafeteria was a hum of low murmurs, compared to the usual moderate chatter.

Out of the blue, Yumi began to giggle. It was actually a little strange. The others were watching her from their seats at the table, with worried and unsure looks, like she might have lost her mind.

"What's so funny?" Jeremie finally asked what the others were surely hoping to find out too.

Yumi set down her sandwich, continuing to chuckle mindlessly. "It's hilarious how no one will ever know about that vampire hoax, especially after Halloween." She grinned, as if feeling superior over the masses because of classified knowledge that she possessed. "And especially you guys, actually showing up as vampires. It's ironic really."

As Yumi gestured to Odd and Jeremie, the first tried with all his might to keep his face from looking incriminating, where as the latter had years of lying experience. "Yeah, heheh."

• • •

The day seemed like it was over before anyone realized, and Odd and his roommate were lounging around in their dorm, not doing much, when an incoming text literally shook Odd out of his daze.

He un-pocketed the mobile and read:

Surfer Zombies 4 on tonight. Wanna go? I'll buy popcorn

It was from Yumi, but as he read it over and over again, his eyes couldn't help but drift to his best buddy across the room, curled up with a book. It was then that the wave of guilt washed over him. He realized that the tide had definitely turned, and turned against him. What was he supposed to do?

Maybe he should say no. It was Ulrich's girl he was talking about, and it felt just wrong to violate that friendship, and his trust.

But, on the other hand, it wasn't like their relationship was sailing smoothly, especially as of late. In fact, they seemed to be more fed up than in love, at least most of the time.

It could be that Yumi just needed a friend, someone to make new memories with, and rekindle old ones. And something to take her mind off the imperfections of the world, like a movie. Looking at it that way, it would be wrong for him NOT to accept.

With quick fingers, he replied to her, and moved Kiwi off his lap, standing up.

Sure. C U there

Ulrich glanced over his shoulder with a "where to?" look. Odd waved, hiding guilt behind his friendly smile, and slipped on out the door.

• • •

Upstairs, Aelita was sitting at her desk, math book long since set down because her thoughts were in a different place. She was thinking about that third vampire. Was it actually true?

Well obviously it was true, Odd couldn't have turned himself into a vampire, and Jeremie's alibi was solid, so there must be a third vampire somewhere.

This fact was almost a little surprising to Aelita. Somehow, she must have overlooked that there were more vampires in the world than just Odd and Jeremie. It was almost a little frightening. As if the world didn't have enough criminals, murderers and mad men, now they had to worry about vampires too. And not many people Aelita knew carried garlic at all times.

Vampires at Kadic. How many were there? The first time she asked Jeremie, he had said none, but that turned out wrong. So how many of them might there be? Two or three more? Four or five? Ten? Twenty? Was the whole school made up of vampires and Aelita the only human?!

She pushed the irrational thought aside, reasoning that Azra, Emily and Sissi couldn't be vampires either, and it was highly unlikely that Ulrich or Yumi were. Although...

Aelita shook her head, trying to get back to her original thoughts. What she knew was that there was definitely a third vampire somewhere on the campus, and what she needed to know was who it was.

Odd had said that when he was turned, it was surprisingly unlike any horror movie he had ever watched. There were no disembodied footsteps following him, or creaks and cracks, or moans and groans, and no menacing whispers or evil laughter. All he could remember was taking the scenic route back to his room, and then nothing until he woke up on a park bench, to Azra calling his name.

Despite being a little late for their date, Odd's evening was fine up until he and Azra parted ways, because they didn't really. All through the date he kept having this strange feeling, and as Azra started walking off, he got this weird urge. He said that before he knew what he was doing he, bit her. That's when he figured something wasn't right.

Luckily for him, XANA complied by launching an attack, therefore utilizing a return to the past, so none of it every happened, except the fact that Odd was a vampire. But that still didn't solve their problem.

Aelita pondered for a while longer, glancing eventually out the window and back—

"Holy cow!" She jolted, loosing her balance on the rolling chair and ending up on the ground. Right outside her window sat a dark, sinister-looking crow who was staring at her eerily. How long had it been there? she wondered, trying to calm herself down again. And why was it there in the first place?

She quickly scanned for XANA signs anywhere on the animal, but found none. It was just an ordinary crow after all.

Ordinary maybe, but certainly not normal. It may not have been possessed by XANA, but it was definitely possessed by something.

After another second, the crow decided it had had enough, and flew away with a caw.

Aelita slowly settled herself back on her chair, picking up her math book again. She nervously tried to joke about her previous statement. "Holy cow? Holy CROW is more like it."

• • •

The sky was grey and the mood just as colourful, as the rest of the day progressed. Aelita's thoughts as clouded as the weather, she strolled around the school's perimeter with her two fanged friends, in relative silence.

Until Odd broke the ice absent mindedly. "Have you guys ever noticed that Yumi likes black licorice?"

"No," Jeremie replied bluntly.

"Really?" Aelita asked, showing 10 times more enthusiasm than Jeremie.

"Yeah," Odd nodded.

"Yuck, I can't stand the stuff," she remembered the one time she had tried it and was spitting it out seconds later.

"Me neither," Jeremie agreed.

"Huh, I don't mind it..." by the sounds of it, Odd's thoughts were in other places. The others didn't mind and didn't bother to interrogate him, knowing that if it was of any importance he'd surely share it. That, and they were lost in thought too.

"Hey, what do you guys think of that new kid?" Aelita asked, remembering a new face that had appeared in some of her classes.

"Who? Charlie Muler?" Odd recalled (he was always good with remembering names).

She nodded.

"That guy gives everyone the cold shoulder. The other day I said hi and he stared me down like I had kicked his puppy or something."

Jeremie concurred. "Yeah. Mrs Hertz told me to fill him in on what we had been studying this term in science, and he totally ignored me."

"Oh, sounds like a real wonder," Aelita said.

"You haven't had the pleasure of meeting Mr warm and fuzzy?" Odd joked.

She shook her head. "Not yet."

"Huh, lucky you," Jeremie mumbled.

Before a silence could settle, the group happened to walk by the guy coincidentally. Jeremie glanced over to the bench where Charlie sat reading. "Well what do you know?"

Odd snorted to his pals, "Speak of the devil."

The dark haired kid glanced up from his book, returning their stares with his cold, dark eyes. It was almost as if Charlie emmitted some kind of looming aura, or carried a negative feeling around him that something was going to go wrong. It was starting to get on Aelita's nerves.

Charlie's emotionless eyes followed the trio as they passed by silently.

Once they get past and stop feeling so intimidated, Odd continued. "Gosh what a loner. Creepy one at that."

"Not true," Jeremie shook his head. "I heard the soccer team(technically football because they're in Europe) took him in."

He scoffed, "Yeah, but it's full of weirdoes anyways. Do you see the kind of stuff Ulrich has to put up with?"

"Just Ulrich? Why? Did you quit the soccer team?" Aelita inquired.

"Yeah, like I said, too many weirdoes."

The others couldn't help but laugh.

A/N:

Weak chapter end, I know, but it can't be witty and amazing always. Slowly, I'm trudging through this, thanks for all the reviews, and for the sympathy regarding the demanding schoolwork. As before, if any of you can think of good vampire jokes and would be so kind as to share them, I am always open to adding comedy to my story. Thanks!