Somewhat shorter chapter than the first, but they will be getting longer I swear! I want to see if anyone is actually going to bother reading this so please review so I know :)

Chapter Two- Getting Settled

Vlad, Robin and Chloe had walked from the castle to the Branaugh's quicker than ever before. Vlad because he didn't want to get in trouble earlier than he had to, and to protect his friends from becoming his next meal, and Robin and Chloe because basically, they didn't want to die just yet.

Upon arriving at the Branaugh's, Chloe bid them fair well, saying she had some Latin homework to do and disappeared off to her room. Robin and Vlad went to the lounge before they went to Robin's bedroom, to ask if Vlad could stay for dinner.
Walking into the lounge room, the place seemed a right mess.

"We're all going on a, Branaugh holiday. La la la la la, la la la."


Vlad saw Robins' father packing bags in the middle of the lounge room floor, singing his holiday song happily along to himself. He couldn't help but smile as he watched Robin shudder at the sight of his father singing a slightly altered version of the song he sang when they went camping.
"Right, let's get out of here before he asks us to join in." Robin hissed, backing away slowly and quickly heading to the kitchen, Vlad close behind him.

In the kitchen, Mrs Branaugh was just pulling a large family sized steak and kidney pie out of the oven. As she turned to seize the plates from the cupboard, she noticed her youngest son and his best friend standing there.

"Oh hello boys! Finally home I see Robin." She turned to Vlad. "He's been out all day you know." Vlad smiled politely not really knowing what to say, and Robin sighed at his mothers' attempt at small talk.
"Mum, please, listen to me. Vlad's in a little bit of trouble at home… his dad's not really in a good mood at the moment, is it alright if he stays for dinner and sleeps over?"
Robin looked hopeful; he hadn't had his best friend over in months due to the Count's strict rules for Vlad, and he had never actually been allowed to sleep over due to these rules.

"Aw really? Of course you can dear!" She said, looking worried for Vlad but happy there was a guest to entertain at the same time. "Just make yourself at home; you've been a great friend to Robin so we'll be a great friend to you! Dinner's ready in ten minutes."

"Great mum thanks…" Robin looked warily at his mother after her slightly eccentric words and then at Vlad, who was trying not to laugh. "Come on, let's go to my room."

Dinner was a loud affair that evening, Vlad and Robin sitting at the far end of the large dining table, and the adults at the other, with the other three children in between.
Ian and Paul were of course the loudest, asking Vlad all sorts of pathetic questions about Ingrid, until Robin's father, Graham put a stop to it.
By the end of dinner, Vlad was invited to the next Branaugh camping trip, which left tomorrow and came home in a few days time depending on the weather. Graham and Elizabeth had allowed their children the few days off school and asked Vlad if his father would mind, to which he replied he would not; though he actually knew the opposite.

Secretly, Vlad was ecstatic. He and his father never did anything of the sort, and he had never been camping before. As he helped Robin and Chloe with the dishes, his mind wandered to his father up in the castle; he knew that if he were gone for a few days he'd be in a lot of trouble with the Count, but found himself not caring at that moment; he'd deal with him when he got home.

Finally safe back in Robin's bedroom, they set up Vlad's makeshift bed on the floor where he would be sleeping next to Robin's bed. He had offered Vlad his own bed of course, and suggested he himself sleep on the floor, but Vlad didn't want to intrude on the Branaugh's hospitality anymore than necessary, even if it was just his best friend and his bed.

"So, what shall we do tonight?' Robin asked when the mini bed made of many blankets and pillows was finally complete. "We can watch a DVD, play truth or dare, or I can ask more questions about being a vampire!" Robin looked hopeful at the last suggestion, and Vlad couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, but as long as I can ask you a few questions and you find us some lollies or crisps for the night."

Robin grinned his goofy grin. "Done." And flew out the room toward the kitchen cupboard no doubt.

While Robin was gone, Vlad took to looking around his bedroom. He hadn't been in it properly in ages. There was the same deep purple paint that made the room dark even during the middle of the day, Robin's same artworks scattered over the walls, with a few extra's added. He frowned as his eyes found the picture that looked as if it were done in straight black ink or charcoal, right next to Robin's bed of a castle and bat's flying around it. Vlad couldn't help but grimace at the sight; it made him think of home and what was waiting for him. And his destiny. Especially his destiny.

He had to admit though; his best friend was a pretty good artist.

His attentions turned to the window, where he remembered climbing in so long ago that first day of meeting Robin. He laughed as he remembered the look of awe that had crossed his face when he first thought Vlad had flown in. Not much had changed about the window; it still had the same fake cobwebs and spiders littering the surface, with fake skeletons peering out the glass as if trapped inside.

His room had still had the poles up for Robin's fake bats to hang on, but they'd needed to disband it for Vlad to be able to sleep on the floor, so he had put his bats above his bed.
Candles, fake skulls, the black and red doona cover Robin had on his 'vampiric' looking bed, and the black and white spotted rug were still in their places; Vlad thought if only his room looked like this his father wouldn't be so disappointed in him all the time. He didn't think he could pull it off as believable as Robin though.
He noticed a few things around the room that looked very familiar, such as ornaments, candlesticks and ancient candles themselves, that were clearly palpable to being taken from his own home. Vlad found he didn't care at all, thinking Robin brave to be game enough to take them in the first place. He smiled.

"Hope you don't mind lemonade and plain crisps." Came Robin's voice from the doorway. "Sorry, it's all we've got." He handed Vlad a glass, and poured he and himself a drink before opening the crisps.
"That's alright. I haven't had any of this kind of food in ages! Anything will do." Vlad replied, before setting in hungrily to his crisps.
Robin looked at him in shock. "If you're not getting fed enough Vlad, just tell me and I'll bring extra of everything I have to school for you; can't let the growing vampire go hungry." He said jokingly. Vlad just gave him a look. "Don't remind me."
He sounded sharp, but was secretly pleased that Robin was so concerned about him; he didn't get that much at home. Well he did, but for the wrong reasons.

The night went so fast in Vlad's eyes. After eating what seemed like two truck loads of crisps and a gallon of lemonade, the pair settled down in their beds and began to talk.

"I really don't understand why you want to come camping with us." Robin said, switching the lamp off so the two were left in total darkness. They could tell the rest of the Branaugh's were asleep, as no longer did any noise float up the hallway and into the room except for Ian and Paul's loud snoring from the bedroom they shared. They had no idea what time it was, but judging by the darkness of the night and the stillness of the street below, it was deep into the night.

"I'd love to come camping with you; my family never does anything as cool as that! We never go out as a family or have fun. It's all doom and gloom and vampire stuff. I just want to be normal, like your family. Have camping trips, eat normal food, and wear normal clothes."

Robin smiled into the darkness, thinking the exact opposite; Vlad had it all in his eyes.
"Vlad, trust me. Branaugh holidays are not all 'jolly holiday' like you see in the Brady Bunch. Okay, well they are for my dad, but… they're all hiking and sing-alongs and knot tying and campfires and roasting marshmallows… okay so the last bits' not bad, but there are so many bugs! Everywhere Vlad, it's horrible. Mosquitos, flies, beetles, all sorts flying around in your tent, no matter what you do. Half the time you can't sleep because of them."

Vlad laughed. "Have you or have you not been to the Castle lately? There are just as many bugs up there as there is in the forest! You're having a lucky day when you don't find one in your cereal in the morning." He quivered at the thought.

"Point taken." His friend replied, clearly in half a mind as he thought about something else. Vlad noticed this.
"What's on your mind Robin? You seem distant." He wondered if there were any nasty surprises in store.
But Robin just laughed. "Nothing really, it's just… you know how you're sleeping in the same clothes you came here in…?" Vlad nodded, then realising he was in the dark said, "Yeah, what about it?" Understanding just before Robin spoke.
"You don't have any clothes to go camping in mate. You can't wear them the whole time; they'll be filthy by the end of the first day."
Vlad groaned. "Argh! Why didn't I think of that? What am I going to do now? I can't go back home to get some or my father will feed me to the bats." He covered his face with the pillow he was using.

"Don't worry about it Vlad, you can…" Robin seemed a bit nervous for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing. "…borrow some of mine. I might be a bit taller than you but it's better than wearing my dad's clothes, or Chloe's." He sniggered at what was probably the thought of Vlad in a pink dress and then got hit with the aforementioned pillow.

"Thanks, Robin. As long as you don't mind. Will you have enough? I don't want to be depriving you of clothing." They both laughed.
"It's fine, really. I'll sort you out in the morning. We probably should be getting some sleep now; dad will be waking us all up early no doubt." He settled down into his bed, Vlad doing the same.

"Yeah, I suppose we better be. Night Robin, thanks for letting me stay on short notice, I don't know what I would have done without you."
He heard a faint "That's alright…" Before a chorus of snores coming from Robin's bed.
Oh great, he's a snorer.
However, Vlad found himself asleep before he could complain any further about his best friend's snores.

I hope you're enjoying it so far! Please review :D