Thank you to prepare4trouble and Elle (response below) for reviewing!

Elle: *Fist pump* Glad, I can do Sam and the Frogs justice!

There was no way Bridget could wait until tomorrow night. Rules and common sense desperately begged her to do the sensible thing and wait but fear and anger decided that it was too risky and those vampires had to be stopped immediately. She didn't want to be up all night, panicking over the slightest creak of the house and the wind making the branches tap against the windows. Hunting them instead gave her some control over the situation.

She had waited for her parents to call it a night, listening to a mixed tape Bernice had made her for her thirteenth birthday. Fortunately, her parents had succumbed to tiredness early and Bridget had made sure she looked like she was fast asleep when they came to check on her. With Mr and Mrs Teahan thinking she was out for the night, she could finally sneak out with ease.

She crept around her room carefully, knowing which areas of the floor to avoid. She dressed casually. Comfortable jeans and a t-shirt to hunt easily in, adding a jacket for warmth. She threw her rucksack of weapons over her shoulder and proceeded to open her window and climb down the drainpipe. Her feet had just touched the ground when she heard the voice.

"I knew you'd be sneaking out," Alan said, laughing when she jumped and stumbled back into the wall. He kept laughing when she swore aloud, hands flying up as a shield. It was an immediately defence pose and she let them drop when she realised the voice belonged to Alan and not an enemy.

"Why the fuck are you creeping up to me like that?" She breathed out slowly, letting him wrap his arms around her and pull her closer. She rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"They've done something to Bernice. When you're pissed off you don't wait around. You go in with guns blazing."

"I need them dead, Alan. Now."

"I know. But not by yourself. So I'll help you," he said, leaning away slightly so he could smile at her.

"No lecture?"

"I got your back," he replied, still smiling and he nodded to her bag. "You got enough weapons?"

"Enough for the both of us," she said and raised an eyebrow. "Edgar isn't going to be happy with you either when he realises you've snuck out again."

"At least I won't be the only one getting shouted out."

She nudged him on the shoulder and slid out of his hold to grab her rucksack. "Okay, we need to make a move. I say we start in Downtown. That's where we've been spotting them and it has the most abandoned places in Santa Carla."

"Aye, aye, captain," he said with a grin and took hold of her again, arms wrapping tightly around her waist.

"What're you doing?"

"Taking the fast route."

The ground disappeared from her feet and she shrieked, arms immediately snaking around his neck and she clutched onto him. She glanced down, watching her house shrink as they flew further up into the sky. Wind hit her hair, sending it flying around her face and suddenly she was horizontal; the sky now in front of her as she peeked over Alan's shoulder. Her stomach tossed and her head spun. She shrieked again, legs entangling in his.

"You okay?" he asked.

"No! This is horrible!"

"It's not that bad. Look down. It's amazing."

"I don't wanna fucking look!" She buried her head into his neck, closing her eyes and didn't budge. Even when Alan began to slow down and straighten up. Suddenly they weren't moving anymore.

"Brid, you can let go now."

Her voice was muffled as she kept her head buried. "Have we landed?"

He couldn't stop himself from chuckling. "I swear we're on the ground."

Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked around. They were in an alleyway and she breathed out. Her legs were still tangled around his and one leg at a time she unravelled herself and placed her feet on the ground. Her legs couldn't take the weight and she swayed, staggering back so she could lean against a wall.

"Oooooh, shit," she groaned, running a hand through her hair. "That was… fuck… that was… wrong… fucking wrong…"

He was still laughing, wishing her had a camera to take her photo because the expression she had on at the moment was incredibly amusing. She looked dozy, almost confused and distant with the kinks in her hair sticking out in all directions.

"I feel like I've turned to jelly," she added and swatted air when he laughed harder. She wanted to hit him but couldn't manage stepping forward to do so. All she could was raise her hand weakly and pathetically swipe at air. "Stop laughing."

He took her hand, helping her to stand and looked around as she gained her balance. He could see clearly into what should be a pitch black part of the alley. He heard everything from the muffled noises of music in the clubs and the distant raucous laughter of college students having a night out. He smelled blood, heard the pulse of every living person nearby. Not once did he sense something off… something inhuman.

"Anything?" she asked, opening her rucksack.

"Can't hear or see any of them. It's just us."

She passed him a stake, keeping the crosses and Holy water for herself.

"We should look in any abandoned places," she said. "We've always been out here when we could have done with searching the buildings."

"See, this is what Edgar should have done," Alan said. There was a flash of yellow in his eyes when his brother's name was mentioned. "Some vampire hunter."

"That wasn't a criticism against Edgar," Bridget told him and shot him a disapproving glance. "Whatever dislike you have towards him at the moment, keep me out of it. You're only finding faults because of that vampire blood in your system."

"Or maybe I'm seeing him for who he really is. Maybe the vampire blood has opened my eyes up a bit."

She frowned at him, hairs prickling at the back of her neck.

"What's it like?" she asked.

"Being a half vampire?"

She nodded, biting down on her lip. "Do you like it?"

Alan glanced at her briefly before he had to look away and she knew what the answer was. He raised a hand as her eyes widened and suddenly was looking at him as if he was a complete stranger.

"No, don't look at me like that. It's not what you think," he said. "I can't help it. Some things are becoming perks. It's hard not to find some of the changes tempting. Even someone like Edgar would lean towards it."

"Oh." She fell silent, starting to lead the way down the alley after slinging her rucksack back over her shoulder. She frowned as she walked, regretting asking him that question because she definitely did not like that answer. Chills had gone down her spine when he admitted to enjoying some aspects of vampirism. If he was liking it, how would that stop himself from turning completely?

"If I become human again, I'm sure I'd go back to hating everything about being a vampire," he said. "Like you said, the vampire blood is changing how I think. That's not my fault."

"Not if," she said, not looking back. "When you become human again."

There was silence from Alan after her comment before he spoke up. "Brid, that might not be happening – wait!"

He grabbed her arm and she stopped, glancing back and saw that he was staring behind him. She moved to face the same way, gripping her stake so she was ready to use it. At first she couldn't see or hear anything but soon she began to hear footsteps, distant at first but gradually getting louder… closer…

"Vampire?" she asked Alan and he nodded, still staring ahead. His eyes were yellow, glaring as he prepared to see Logan. The vampire appeared from the darkness, all smiles and arms outstretching as if he was about to greet them both with a hug. When Alan noticed Bridget's fist clench he grabbed her wrist and leaned closer.

"Don't act rashly. You still have to be careful," he whispered. He raised his voice for Logan. "You're pack has been busy recently."

"Well, you need to learn that no vampire takes kindly to hunters murdering their own. Even if the vampires were a bunch of careless, rash troublemakers," Logan said and his smile had faded slightly. His own eyes burned amber but quickly reversed back to brown. Alan, however, kept the yellow and when Bridget glanced at him, taking in his unnatural, narrowed eyes and parted, sneering lips, she also caught sight of the point of a fang. She looked back at Logan, jaw tightening.

I don't want to see it, she thought, trying not to shudder in disgust at the small vampire features Alan was showing. Right now she was happy Alan was by her side, helping to find these vampires and stake them for what they had done to her and her friends but if he let himself look like a vampire completely she doubted her tolerance.

She tried to distract herself by sneering at Logan as well. "Where's my sister?"

"I don't want to reveal things just yet," he said, grinning at her and beckoned them to follow him as he began to walk away.

"We're not going anywhere with you," Bridget snapped.

"It's not an option," Logan said, without looking back.

There was no time to even react to Alan's sudden cry of her name and the whoosh of the wind behind her. Something knocked against her head, followed by a girl laughing, and she felt her legs give way. The ground came closer… and closer…

Bridget's head thumped as her eyes fluttered open. She was greeted by darkness and she groaned, palms pressing against the cold floor as she tried to sit up. Hands were steadying her back as she did and she groaned.

"Alan?"

"It's me, sweetie."

Bridget jumped back at the familiar voice, bumping her head again against the wall and she hissed, a hand flying out to touch the spot that throbbed and stung. She blinked furiously until her eyes started becoming adjusted to the dark and she began to see her sister staring back at her. She looked completely normal, dressed in the black dress she wore for the restaurant. But then Bridget caught her eyes, blue like her own but… emotioness. Blank

Bernice smiled at her, again emotionless like her eyes and she reached out to touch the side of Bridget's head.

"Charlotte knocked you out," Bernice explained. "She's been giggling over it since you got here."

If this had been a normal conversation between the two sisters, Bridget would have been jumping up, ready to track Charlotte down and stake her. But Bridget had an awful feeling there wasn't anything normal about seeing her sister crouching in front of her and focused on that. She looked clean and calm; not the way a person would look if they had been taken hostage by vampires. And she clearly hadn't been used for a meal so…

Bridget's body turned to ice.

"Are you…?"

Bernice dropped her hand and sat back to kneel. There wasn't a single flicker of emotion in her face at Bridget's question.

"Yes," she said and tears welled up in Bridget's eyes. "It happened last night after work."

Her sister glanced around. "Where's Leon?"

"I had to feed."

No, Bridget thought and dipped her head as her face crumpled. She shook, hands slowly reaching up to her hair. Her fingers thread through the tousled strands and a sob escaped.

So this was what had happened to her sister. She finally had confirmation even though it wasn't what she was hoping for. Something threatened to rise up from her stomach, pushing up violently to her throat. Retching, Bridget dashed away bending over and vomited, gasping and coughing more sick up.

"I'm gonna fucking kill them," she managed to breathe out, leaning against the wall and shutting her eyes. When she heard footsteps coming towards her she spun around with her arms raised, ready to strike out.

"Brid, you're injured. You have no weapons. You're human. You're at a complete disadvantage." Bernice folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. Such a human Bernice expression that had the tears blurring Bridget's vision but she refused to drop her hands and break the stance she had moved into.

She's not human, she reminded herself. The minute you break, she'll kill you.

"I'll give it my best shot," Bridget said through gritted teeth. "If you're going to kill me I will not make it easy for you."

Bernice laughed, her smile wide and dimpled. She shook her head, hair gently stirring and Bridget scowled at her amusement.

"Brid, I'm not here to kill you."

"Bullshit."

"I'm really not. I wanted to see you. I didn't get a proper chance to say goodbye. They forced all of this on me, you know." She leaned against the wall, hands on her hips as she frowned. "They turned me into a half vampire and straight away made me kill. Logan injured Leon so he was bleeding and I couldn't help it."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Bridget felt her hands shaking as she tried to keep them raised in tight fists. Images of Leon being killed flashed in her head and she wanted to bend over and vomit again. Leon had not deserved that fate at all. He was a nice guy and nice guys shouldn't be murdered.

"We can't have sisterly conversations anymore?"

"Are you out of your fucking mind? We're not sisters anymore."

"I still see you as my sister," Bernice said and frowned again. "This is… it's all hard to explain. How I'm feeling… if I'm feeling."

"Do you want to kill me?" Bridget asked.

"We're still linked… in a way. I don't think I could break that link. Logan said this might happen – that I'd still feel some connection. Charlotte said we ought to kill you immediately."

"Oh, I bet that bitch did," Bridget muttered. "Where's Alan?"

"He's in another room."

"You're all going to make him turn tonight, aren't you?"

"Logan said it's time he does."

Bridget chewed on her bottom lip. "Am I going to be his first kill?"

"I don't know," Bernice said after some hesitation.

"You're lying. You know what they're planning on doing to me. And they're going to kill me. Bridget took a couple of steps away from the door.

"You can't take me to them," she snapped at her older sister. "You're supposed to be my sister. It hasn't been long since you were human. Do you really want to see me dead?"

That made Bernice stop and her eyes latched onto Bridget's own who kept her gaze, intent and almost begging. Her sister said herself there was still the connection between them. In some ways, there was still a sisterly link and that had to help Bernice sympathise for now.

"Please help me," Bridget begged. "If you still see me as a sister, you'll help."

"I told Logan you'd be sneaking in to see her," Ruby said, appearing at the door and sighed at the new vampire. "It takes a while before you forget your human life." She rolled her eyes once and marched over to Bridget.

"I'll take her," she said and Bridget bared her teeth, hands raised up again to strike.

The vampire gave an amused snort. "Honey, that's a nice try to look intimidating but it doesn't work unless you have these." And she pointed to her own teeth that lengthened as soon as she said that. She grinned, lips parting wide for effect.

"Maybe she can have her own," Bernice suggested and Ruby shook her head immediately.

"We can't turn everyone," Ruby said. "With you, Alan, Marko and Charlotte we're already too big."

"I'd rather die than turn," Bridget spat, glaring at Bernice in the hope of getting a reaction. Maybe a desperate one to encourage her sister to help her fight the vampires and escape but that was probably being too hopeful. And she was right when Bernice flashed her an unimpressed gaze.

"Now you're being dramatic," Bernice said, following Ruby and Bridget out.

Bridget didn't make it easy for Ruby. She pulled, kicked, screamed, wriggled… anything that meant it was a struggle for the vampire to take her where she wanted to. The iron grip on her arms didn't budge and Bridget knew she wasn't going to be released but she could damn well make it difficult.

"Will you just stop?" Ruby growled and dragged her, swearing aloud when Bridget pressed her feet into the floor and pulled against the vampire. Snarling those hands finally let go of Bridget's arms and for a second she thought that was it. She was free. She could fight.

She was picked up instead, being carried over Ruby's shoulder. Her legs kicked and she screeched at the top of her voice, using every swear word she could think of and every insult for vampires she could come up with. She continued this, even when they stepped out onto a stage, pushing past curtains and suddenly she was dropped to the ground.

"That's a lot of commotion, doll," Logan said and Bridget glanced up, rubbing where her elbow had knocked against the hard floor. Ruby had marched off, rubbing at her temples and muttering about how unnecessarily noisy Bridget was while Bernice stayed close, watching the scene with a frown.

"Up you get." Logan bent down. He took her arm, dragging her up and Bridget was on her feet again. Bridget took the time to glance around. She was on a stage, high ceiling with one balcony floor and the stalls were dark with the chairs still intact. On the stage itself furniture had been put there. It had to be the Astala. The once grand theatre in Santa Carla before the shiny new King's Theatre was built and enticed everyone there with better plays and contacts. The vampires had been moved furniture onto the stage. Two torn sofas, a bin that had been lit and hosted a flickering fire, and small coffee tables that had boxes of leftover burger and chips. It looked ridiculous homey for a bunch of vampires.

"You're inviting me to dinner?" Bridget remarked and Logan chuckled.

"Doll, you're going to be the dinner."