Disclaimer- . . . I still don't get the point of the disclaimer on FAN FICTION. It just makes no flipping sense!

. . . I know you're all probably mad that I updated "Blood Stained Hands" before this. The reason I did that is because I was delaying this chapter. -_- I hate when I have to explain everything when I already know it. No offense . . . But here I am, finally getting this chapter over with . . . *sigh* And that is why I could never be a hero.

Note- Remember that when someone says something and one of the words is italicized, it means that it's a foreign word. Example: "I love Onii-chan!" (Onii-chan is what Japanese children call their older brothers. It's an affectionate term.)

Chapter 24

"So do you guys know how he was turned?" Barbara asked as she sat back, slightly bored.

When the team nodded, Barbara sighed in relief. She REALLY hadn't wanted to explain that incident.

"Okay then. All that leaves is-" Barbara started but was interrupted by Aqualad.

"Excuse me but what is the Varcolac Pendant?"

Barbara grimaced. "It's the pendant needed to turn someone into a full vampire."

Kid Flash frowned. "But Roy's half vampire so why-"

"I said that it's to turn someone into a FULL vampire, not a half vampire," Barbara explained, interrupting Kid Flash.

Everyone except Roy and Bruce gave her confused looks which caused her to groan into her right hand.

"The Varcolac Pendant is what takes away a vampire's humanity, leaving them unable to feel anything outside their body. But if you're turned into a vampire without the use of the pendant, you get to keep some of your humanity like Roy and I," Barbara explained, the team slowly nodding in understanding.

"But if Robin can't feel, then why-" Artemis started to ask but was, big surprise, interrupted by Barbara.

"I am from a family of gypsies who, in return for saving me from drowning, gave him back a piece of his humanity that allowed him to feel."

"Ah but then how does sister fit into all this?" Artemis asked, frowning with confusion.

Barbara sadly smiled. "I'm not explaining that."

Artemis scoffed and turned her head to stare at Roy. "Will you explain it?"

Roy gave her a dark glare. "That's a personal story. The only reason I know is because of a nightmare and telepathic powers. It had been a total accident."

"Anyway, now the reason Dick thought Beth was dead was because when he was with my family, Lucifer came back for the pendant. Dick had stolen it from him so he wouldn't be able to make full-fledged vampires," Barbara explained, not giving Artemis a chance to argue with Roy.

"But what other difference is there between a full vampire and a half vampire?" M'gann asked, her curiousity getting the better of her.

Barbara sighed. "Well, for one, full vampires can never go back to being human while half vampires on the other hand, could if they found a way. Then there's the difference in power. A full vampire can block their mind and can go longer without sleep. A half vampire can't block their mind and can only go two days at the most without sleep."

"So there is a way for half vampires to become human again?" Aqualad asked, rubbing his chin.

Barbara flinched. " . . . Yes . . . "

"So what do you do? Why haven't you done it yet?" Artemis asked, shocked that they hadn't taken the chance to become human again.

Barbara and Roy shared a sideways glance and Roy shook his head. Barbara forced a smile. "I'm not telling."

"Why not? I thought we were going to be told the truth!" Superboy said, his voice rising.

"Superboy, leave it be. It is none of your concern," Bruce said, his Bat-Glare aimed at Superboy.

"So," Kid Flash started so Superboy and Bruce wouldn't fight, "what does Varcolac mean?"

Barbara stared at him blankly. "Vampire."

_Beth's POV_

She was currently in her Onii-chan's arms, tears falling down her face.

"Onii-chan! I missed you so much!" she cried out as she hugged her tighter and rubbed her face into his chest.

Dick blinked back his tears. "Not as much as I've missed you, Beth. I thought you were dead!"

Beth giggled a little. "Silly Onii-chan. I'm undead, not dead!"

Dick chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you are, aren't you?"

"So, Onii-chan, how long was I asleep?"

Dick smiled sadly as he petted her black hair. "About four hundred years . . . "

"Oh . . . Well, that's not so long. The world can't have changed that much, now can it?"

"Oh but it has. Here, I'll show you," Dick said as he opened his mind and showed her what had happened in the last four hundred years.

"Wow! Onii-chan, can I try ice cream?" Beth asked eagerly, ice cream being new to her.

Dick rolled his eyes. "Of course! What kind of brother would I be if I denied you ice cream?"

A/N- . . . ^-^ Please review! This was updated on 3-2-12 (12:22 AM) with the length of 939 words.