Sleeping wasn't easy, after the day she'd had. Rudolph was tucked away under her bed again, and was rambling on and on about something – she'd stopped paying attention at this point, focused on sleeping and escaping the demons of the day. But they continued to torment her. James was… James was angry at her, for some reason. She wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve the cool way he spoke to her, like she was dirt under his shoe. Then again, she was new and intruding on their friendship, and she was female with tits and a fanny which was what Tom loved, apparently, so perhaps she should find other friends with tits and a fanny and James might finally cheer up a bit.

Urgh. Boys were so confusing. "Rudolph? I'm trying to sleep. Shut up. Actually, no, tell me everything." She rolled onto her side and gazed over the edge of her bed. Rudolph poked his head out and blinked ruby eyes at her. "About witches, about vampires, about… About all of this. I don't understand. I'm from America, so why would there be a – a coven of witches in Scotland that I somehow complete? That doesn't make sense. And it can't be genetic – mom's never said anything about being a witch, so it's not passed down."

Rudolph's eyes gleamed with understanding, and from the way his eyebrows moved he was smiling. "It's a… Funny little thing, actually. I want to say that it is fate, but it's not. It's chance. You arrived, and something changed inside of you that enabled your magic to actually develop. Every mortal has the potential, but it doesn't develop. Unless something big is going to happen – and that's where I come in. For us vampires, we're constantly searching for a stone to save us. It is our salvation. And with the witches, we have an increased and safer chance of finding it. If the witches don't help us, then… Then we're damned for eternity, or until the comet comes around again."

Cassie hummed. It sounded too weird for her to even consider true. "So I have a choice?" she asked. "And what about the others? About James, Tom, Don? They're all part of the – the 'coven', I suppose, and if they don't want to help you, then what do we do?"

Rudolph's brow furrowed. "Then we destroy you," he mumbled. "Father would insist on that. You'd… You'd be damning us to a fate worse than hell, Cassie. I can't feel the sun, can't feel it's warmth on my skin. I miss it. God, I miss the sun." His tone was wistful, making her heart ache.

"I promise I'll help you," she whispered, something softening inside of her. "If it's the last thing I do, I'll help you get your mortality back."

And suddenly Rudolph was on top of her, and his lips were pressed against hers, and her hands were above her head, and her toes were curling and her eyes were closed and then he was gone, a gentle breeze and the wetness to her mouth the only indicator he'd even been there at all.

Something had changed, again. She felt warm. Her cheeks felt flushed with life, and her core felt considerably less frozen than it did yesterday. She had forgone the blazer and unbuttoned two buttons on her blouse, her tie undone completely as she strode into registration. She introduced herself to one of the popular girls, who quickly took her under her wing.

By lunchtime, she had a new group of friends who were desperate for gossip and chatted about the best shags in the year, which was… Peculiar, as they were only fourteen, but she didn't judge. And then the topic turned a bit more sinister; "So what do you think about Tom?" one girl asked, batting her spidery eyelashes at Cassie like she had something stuck in her eye.

Cassie almost wanted to swipe a finger across her eyeball to remove whatever it was, but refrained. She was overcome by anger – they only accepted her so readily to get to Tom? Seriously? "He's a cock," she replied, pursing her lips. "He's rude, sarcastic, and completely not interested in you, honey. You're lacking in the tit department, or so he says. You are Jane, aren't you? Plain Jane, he calls you. Plain Jane with the fake tan and the mascara addiction."

By afternoon registration, she had lost all of the friends she'd just made, and she was having to clean up her face from where they'd slapped her and scratched her. She had a deep cut along her cheek from Plain Jane's fake nails, and she was fairly sure both cheeks were going to bruise. She pressed her hands to her cheeks and willed them to freeze, until her hands resembled blocks of ice on her cheeks. They cooled her, and she pretended that the wetness underneath her palms was blood and not her own tears. She wasn't upset. She was fucking angry. Angry at the world, angry at herself, angry at Donald for introducing himself, angry at Rudolph for kissing her, angry at… Everything.

"Cassie?" James' voice broke through her haze of red, and she glanced through the mirror to see the beautiful boy at the door of the girls' toilets. "Oh, god. Look at you. What happened? Don's upset you didn't sit with us." He stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders like he wasn't a complete dick. "You look like a wreck."

"I know," Cassie murmured. "Not about – looking like a wreck, I mean, I know that we're witches and stuff. Or, that I am. And you were playing with me yesterday, all of you, you were just toying with me. And you want to date Tom but he won't date you because he's not interested, James, so you need to stop being mad at me as though it's my fault he's not looking back at you when you look at him."

James tightened his grip around her, their gazes locked in the mirror. And then he smiled. "I was playing with you. They weren't. You were good, you know. Destructive. You're warm to my touch, Cassie, not freezing me like you usually do. Rookery was wrong. It's not wind, earth, water and fire. It's not so simple. We've all got potential for each of the elements, but we start with the one that comes most natural. And I don't know when the magic is going to go away, but… We're all learning. Tom and I, we started with wind, and Donald with fire. God, he's wicked with it. We didn't know 'ice' would come into it until we met you, and then we just knew. Do… Do you know why we have these gifts?"

"To help my fanged friend, Rudy," Cassie mumbled, pulling her hands away to gaze at her puffy cheeks. Christ, they'd done a number on her. "The vampires. Rookery wants to kill them, but they're peaceful. They eat cows. Rudolph saved my life, and my baby brother's."

James gazed at her for a moment more before he was dragging her from the bathroom and to the student parking, where Tom and Don waited beside Tom's car. His arm was tight around her, and she was pulled tight to his side as though – as though they were lovers, really. Or siblings. She'd held Tony like this at a funeral once. "We're going to visit them," he said. "And you're going to be the one leading the way, Cass. Can I call you Cass?"

Cassie smiled slightly. "Go on then," she sighed. "Call me Cass. Are we a coven?"

James laughed but didn't reply. "Boys," he sang. "Cassie's agreed to help us meet the vampires. She says one's even her friend! Excuse her face – she had an accident with Bitchy Belinda and Plain Jane."

"Heard about that," Tom said, giving her a clap. "Well done you for taking her down a peg. That girl is a nightmare, honestly, absolutely insufferable." He bowed low at the waist at her, before taking her hand and linking their fingers. Again, like a lover. Or a baby sister, she hadn't decided yet. "But I have my knight in sexy schoolgirl costume to defend me." He kissed her fingertips. "Now, let's go meet those bloodsuckers. I hope they're nice."

Donald hadn't said anything to her. Her cheeks were flushed from laughing at Tom, and her eyes were wet, and she felt a bit shit, and he hadn't said anything to her. She didn't know – oh. Oh. She hummed, relaxing into his warm embrace as he hugged her tight. "Well, this is nice," she whispered. "You're all better friends than they are, even if I'm just a female with tits and a fanny."

"You're not just a female – that was taken totally out of context," Tom huffed, pressing his finger to her nose. "Don, tell her!"

Donald laughed, the rich sound rushing through her as he still held her close. "He means well," he said. "Promise. His misogyny used to be far worse than that. Just wait until you actually have tits, and then you'll know the definition of objectification. Christ, you're so warm, Cass, what have you been doing?"

"Nothing much. Getting beat up, kissed, the works," she replied, eyes closed. Donald was blistering hot. It was perfect. "General teenage drama stuff."

"Kissed?" Don asked. His voice sounded choked.

Cassie pulled away, blinking at him. "Yeah. Rudolph kissed me last night. He told me – um, what they needed us for, and then he kissed me and left."

Don was freezing cold now, and the air around them felt heavy and hot and her back was coated in sweat, her brow dampened by it. "Don?" she asked, something in her reacting to the heat and suddenly it was freezing cold, her sweat dissipating, and Donald let out another choked noise. "Don, what? I'm fourteen. It's just stereotypical female drama, you know?"

"He's like, three hundred," Donald whispered to her. "That's fucking creepy. I'm going to talk to him." And suddenly she was bundled into Tom's expensive car, Donald sat in the front passenger's' seat so she couldn't even bitch at him for being overprotective. James was smiling smugly to himself, like he'd had something confirmed. "That is creepy, isn't it? That he kissed her?" he asked Tom and James, making Cassie bristle.

"I think it's romantic," James said. "Star-crossed lovers, destined to never be together. Except he's the damsel in distress, because he needs her help to get the stone of Attamon."

"Oh, well, that's okay then," Tom said, glancing in the rear-view. "So long as it doesn't follow that similarly to a gothic novel, we should be good. We don't want our darling Cassie to be the femme fatale or the submissive lady. We want her to be the knight in the sexy schoolgirl costume! Cassie, have you ever considered a shorter skirt?"

"Fourteen," Cassie shot at him. "Pervert."

"Consenting," Tom shot back, smirking to himself. "So long as you consent, it's okay, right?"

"You're disgusting and I hate you," she said, lips pursed. "And you smell like hair gel. I mean, seriously? My brother is eight and he wears less than you."

"Burn!" James cried, giggling. "She's right, though, Tom – you reek of it."

Cassie didn't actually know how to enter the Sackville-Baggs' crypt, which was how they found themselves having a picnic on top of someone's grave with food from the supermarket and Tom's 'fucking' blanket. "It's got a stain on it," Cassie mumbled hours later, scratching at something caked into the fabric. It flaked away on her fingers. "Is that – oh my god." Her cheeks flushed with colour as Tom roared with laughter, and Donald tackled her to get her away from the suspicious fluid. His hand ended up on her breast, which they definitely didn't mention as they pulled away. "You're disgusting and I hate you even – Tony?"

Was that-? She gazed up at the night sky, eyes squinted. Tony and Rudolph. Rudolph was waving excitedly at her, but Tony… Tony just looked like a Mr. Grumpy Bum. "Hello, stranger!" she yelled, waving back. "I missed you!"

Rudolph landed and settled Tony on the ground before he dropped beside her, pulling her into his cold embrace. "I hope you meant me," he said, pulling back. "Tony was just telling me about your friends, Cassie."

"All good things, I hope," Tom interrupted with a charming smile. "Cassie, introduce us. This must be Baby Thompson. We've heard so much about you, specs!"

"Tony," Cassie sighed, pulling her pouting brother down on her other side, nestling him between her and Donald. "This is Tom, he's the lady killer, this is James, he's the smart one, this is Donald, and he's the… He's my friend," she said, cheeks going a bit pink. "And you three, this is Rudolph. He's my friend, and Tony's too. He's a vampire, as we all know, and we're going to help him be human."

Somehow, they settled into a somewhat awkward chatter as Tony munched away on the food, eating his fill. "We should be getting back," Tom said finally. "Do you need a lift back, Cass? Tony?"

"I can take them," Rudolph said before she could say anything. "It was lovely meeting you all."

Donald frowned. "I don't think that's appropriate," he murmured into Cassie's ear. "You're underage, Cassie. Remember that. Don't let him force you into anything – especially with those bruises around your wrists. You're powerful. You don't have to… Let him do it to you. We can help you."

Bruises? She glanced down and adjusted her sleeves, tugging them up to reveal thick bands of bruising. "Don, it's not what you think," she said immediately, eyes nearly popping out of her skull as she turned to Rudolph. "Rudolph, what – what the fuck?"

Rudolph wasn't looking at her. Why wasn't he looking at her? The bruises were angry and vivid and oh, god – he'd pinned her arms, hadn't he? Grabbed her wrists while he kissed her. Heat of the moment, it was fine, they were all just drama queens. She snorted with laughter and stood up. "Go, go, shoo!" she said cheerfully. "Thank you for the picnic, Tom, it was lovely. But next time, we're using one of my blankets. I can't trust any of you boys."

"Girls do it too!" Tom pouted. "It's completely normal, you know. Fucking, I mean – oh, shit, sorry Baby Thompson. It's normal, though. Cassie, I'm sure you've even tickled your – um, inappropriate, you're underage, I get it." He rolled his eyes and stood up too, packing everything away. "James, you coming?"

James kissed Cassie's cheek before he bounded away, and Cassie heard something that faintly resembled growling from her right. Rudolph was on her right. Donald pulled her into a bone-crushing hug and pressed a kiss to her lips, and she definitely heard growling then. She flinched away from the kiss, turning her face away. "Don," she mumbled. "I don't know what's going on with you, but you need to stop. I'm not a possession. Go."

He went with a longing glance back. Tony, thankfully, had wondered off to investigate some graves, so he didn't have to witness her personal shame. "So, Rudolph," she said finally. "We all want to help you."

Rudolph broke out into a gorgeous smile, one that made her swoon. "Oh, that's wonderful," he said, leaning in close. "I do apologise for your wrists, Cassie. I… I fled when I realised what I was doing, I… I didn't want to force you, and I did, and I apologise profusely for that."

Tony was screaming. Why was Tony screaming?

Her hands clenched into fists and she rushed to the sound, putting herself between Tony and some crazed boy with a Mohawk. "Back off," she said through gritted teeth, heat rising in the air. "I'm warning you once to leave my brother alone."

"Gregory, no! They're my friends!" Rudolph cried out, dragging his younger brother away from Cassie and Tony. "They're my friends. Remember? That's Cassie, and that's Tony. That's Tony. Stop it."

"Oh, is this Gregory?" Cassie asked, brightening up immediately. "The one you nearly broke my arm for? Oh, well, it's lovely to meet you! From one big sister to one baby brother, let me tell you – Rudolph is the best guard you've got. He nearly scalped me!"

Hm. Nobody else seemed to find that as wonderful as she did, but… "Hi. Cassie Thompson, fourteen, big sister," she said, still beaming as she stuck her hand out for him to shake. He didn't shake it; instead, he raised it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand, and then he licked her skin. He let out a lewd little moan, more like a mewl than a moan. "Yep, that's fucking creepy. Don't lick me, Gregory. That's weird."

Gregory's shoulders shook with laughter, but they were the only two people laughing. Perhaps she'd been drugged. Perhaps they'd both been drugged. "Gregory Sackville-Bagg, fourteen, unloved middle child," he replied, voice a drawl. "I know what he sees in you. You're hilarious."

"Thank you! I always knew I was comedic gold." Cassie leant in close to whisper, "Just for that, you get to lick me again."

Tony was retching. Why was Tony retching? He was totally ruining this for her. She had to establish herself as a badass. "Can't you go anywhere without flirting?" Tony cried out. "Honestly, you're so embarrassing!"

"Yoohoo! Brothers, darlings!" A young voice called over to them. Gregory cooed something at her that she didn't quite catch, but it sounded filthy so she didn't ask for a repeat. "And who is this?" Her bright eyes were affixed on Tony, and she was fanning herself. "Oh, lovely. I'm Anna. Who are you?"

"T-Tony," Tony stammered, pressing himself to Cassie's side. "And – and this is my big sister, Cassie, who says I'm not allowed a girlfriend until I'm thirty."

Anna glanced at Cassie for a split-second and then she didn't. Stop. Staring. "Hello," Anna purred out. "Oh, you are a pretty one. The prettiest of all the girls Rudolph's brought home."

"All the girls?" Cassie asked, smiling. It felt hollow. "Well, Rudolph is the cutest boy I've ever had sleeping under my bed, so I guess we're on a level playing field."

"Do you make a habit of boys sleeping under your bed?" Gregory asked in surprise, fingers curling around her hand. "That sounds lovely. They get covered in your dead skin cells and get to bathe in your dust and germs."

"You're not… Normal, are you?" Cassie asked him, and Gregory shook his head with a dimpled grin. "Well, that's okay. Normal is boring. Isn't it, Tony?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Can we go flying again, Rudolph?" he begged. "I'm sick of her flirting. I told you she flirted with everyone! I told you, but you didn't believe me! And those three boys all want her as their girlfriend!"

"One of them is gay, Tony," Cassie whispered at him, but he wasn't listening. "And trust me when I say it's completely platonic between Tom and me. The jury's still out on Don. You know, he's a weird one."

"You're the weird one," Tony said simply, and it felt like how it did back home. Simple, witty, and loving. "Can we go home? I'm cold. It's really cold, Cassie." Cassie pulled him close. "Oh," Tony whispered, melting into her embrace. "I'm not cold anymore."

"And who, pray tell, are you?"

"Father, mother!" Rudolph said, by Cassie's side in a flash. Gregory was on one side of the siblings, and Rudolph on the other. "These are my friends, Tony and Cassie, and they're going to help us to become mortal again! They can hunt for the stone in the sun, when we're asleep!"

Frederick Sackville-Bagg was terrifying. Tony was too blissed out to notice, but Cassie was terrified. Her fingers kept clenching, but she couldn't conjure up any ice to keep the man frozen in place and stop him from walking to her. Water pooled around her fingers and then splashed uselessly to the floor. "They aren't your friends. Slaves; dinner, perhaps - but they can never be your friends." He flashed his fangs at her.

Hm. "Well," she said, trying to think of a witty comment, anything. "I'm a bit too thin to make a decent snack, and Tony eats that much ketchup you'd probably get clogged arteries from all the salt. And as for slaves - I'm sorry, but we're underage. Thanks, though. We're totally flattered."

Rudolph was laughing. She managed a nervous smile and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "What will you say when you're no longer 'underage'?" he wondered, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "It seems to be a running excuse amongst you and your friends. Gregory is your age, and Anna is Tony's. It's not an excuse. We could find a use for you somehow, even if it's to work out Gregory's anger issues on."

Cassie pulled a face at him. "That's creepy too," she told him. "It's actually creepier than your brother licking my hand. And that's saying something, because that's pretty weird and creepy."

Gregory was going to say something back, probably lewd again, but he was cut off by the sound of something... Whirring. Whirring was the word for it. Cassie turned, eyeing up the strange man at the opening of the cemetery. Anna had disappeared from her rock, shielded by her mother, and Rudolph had dragged Tony behind him. Which left her with Gregory. Who was mumbling something about a 'hunter'. Hunters chicken? God, she'd kill for some hunters chicken. "Do your worst!" Frederick roared, and Cassie came back to herself. Water pooled around her fingers again, but what good was water? She needed ice. Or fire.

"Cassie," Gregory hissed, yanking her away and using her as a shield to protect himself from the UV cross. "Cassie, we need to go. Follow me. You're not - you're not strong enough yet - what are you doing?"

Water was useless, so... So fire would work. Right?

Right. Words came to mind, but she didn't know what they meant as she whispered, "Ignes dissipare et vallum!"

Fire. It was glorious. The flames licked at her fingers, danced at her feet, and scorched a blazing hot path straight to the vampire hunters feet. The flames consumed, devoured, gorged themselves on his flesh. Her eyes gleamed red in their vicious light. "Cassie!" Gregory hissed, yanking her away. "Cassie, please, you need to - the screaming, god, the screaming..." He was watching too, watching what she'd done to the man threatening them. Witnessing the horrible power she possessed. "Cassie, please, follow me."

Cassie followed. The flames died down, but in the embers she could see a smouldering body, smell the burning flesh, feel the rage tingle at her fingertips. "Don't tell anyone," she whispered, horror filling her body. "Gregory, please..."

Gregory held her close. "Of course not, little witch," he whispered back. "Thank you. He nearly killed my father. Thank you."

Thank you. As though she'd done something good... Her eyes filled with tears but she choked them back, letting him lead her into the black abyss of their home. He felt like her rock.