"Night, guys. I'll see you all later." A guy said as he finished a night of partying with his friends. He was ready to call it a night, but he saw something that really caught his eye. He saw a lovely lady sitting on a bench and the way she sat said she's inviting others to join. Seeing a good chance, he fixed his tie and walked on over. "Miss? Are you okay?"

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"It's not really a good idea for a beautiful lady like yourself to be out here at night and alone." The guy said.

"I suppose you're right, but I have no one to keep me company...unless you're offering." That was easier than the guy thought as he sat with her. "I'm also cold. I didn't bring a jacket. You wouldn't mind warming me up, would you?" She said as she moved closer to him and slid her hand against him in all the right ways. "I know we don't know each other that well, but you wouldn't be interested in something unforgettable, would you?"

"Very interested." He said as he loved how close she was getting with her luxurious red lips nearing his own, but didn't see the set of fangs underneath. Suddenly, he was screaming, but it wasn't out of pleasure. It was out of pain.

...

The Next Day

Lucy was just walking around campus of Magnolia University and was doing what all college students do: study and moved from one area to the next. She was in the middle of reading, walking, and eating and apple until she got a surprise by her boyfriend. He just came out of nowhere and got his arm around her.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" Lucy said.

"Just paying a visit to my girlfriend." Natsu said. "I was near, so I thought I come over for a little pleasurable time."

"I wish, but I have my next class starting soon." Lucy said.

"Hey, Lucy." That was when she noticed Gajeel and Rogue coming over.

"Hi, Gajeel. It's been a long time." Lucy said. "I take it you must be Rogue. Natsu and Sting have told me a bit about you."

"A pleasure. I've heard a lot about you." Rogue said. "You are right, Natsu. You're lucky to have someone as beautiful as her for a girlfriend. I hope we're not disturbing you, Lucy."

"It's fine. I was just enjoying a good book while I was on my way to class." Lucy said with her holding up the book for them to see it.

"Oh no... Not one of those dumb vampire books." Gajeel complained. "Levy likes them too, but why. Vampires aren't real to begin with. Why do girls love those dumb vampire romance novels?"

"I don't get it either. Especially since Magnolia does have it's own vampire out there." Natsu said as he knew someone who would have Gajeel think differently, but Gajeel just laughed at his claim. "Anyway, I was hoping we could spend some time together, Lucy."

"Maybe later. I'll be free tonight." Lucy said as she gave him a quick kiss and headed straight for class. That actually works because the three of them were being alerted of some sort of trouble going on and it looks like it's just the three of them.

...

The Streets

"People have been reported to be disappearing for the past three nights." Shadow said as he, Black Steel, and Salamander made their way through the streets to find the cause for this. "It's starting to become a serious problem that the city might be placed under some sort of panic."

"Anyone knows what's causing the disappearances? Do the missing people have something in common?" Salamander said.

"Nothing. It appears to be random." Shadow said. "We're heading for where the last person was seen." The three of them got moving and found themselves near a bar where the last person was seen. Once they got there, they searched around for clues as to where the missing person could have gone. They even talked to the people that worked at the bar to see if they knew anything.

"According to the bartender, he was there when the guy disappeared." Steel said. "He was out with his friends and then went down this way." The three of them tried moving down the street, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Where did the guy go after last night?"

"Hold on. Look here." Shadow said as he spotted something on a bench. "It looks like...blood."

"Think it belongs to one of the missing people?" Salamander questioned.

"Maybe, but where did he go?" Steel said. The three of them looked around for anything that could tell them where the guy went and then Shadow soon spotted more blood right on a manhole.

"Down there!" Shadow said as he now found a path for them. Once they saw that, the three of them headed down into the sewers and had a look around there.

"What is it with bad guys hiding out in this rotten place?" Steel complained as he didn't like the smell that came from it.

"It's as complex as a subway system down here. Plenty of places for them to hide in." Salamander said. "It's also a good way to get around without being seen." Sounds like the ideal place for a missing person to be kept. The three of them moved carefully through the sewers to look for anything. They kept their guard up not knowing what could be waiting for them.

"Did you hear that?" Shadow questioned.

"What?" Steel said as they didn't hear anything. "What? Are you getting scared?" He teased. "Worried there's some sort of monster down here?"

"No, but there is that." Salamander said as he pointed ahead of them and saw someone run through a different tunnel. After seeing that, they got moving and tried to see who that was and what was going on. The three of them followed after the mysterious figure until they spotted a large chamber up ahead and they could hear voices. Trying to keep themselves hidden, the three of them had a look and they could not believe what they saw. There were actual vampire-like people down there. It was hard to imagine, but they were all standing right there in front of them.

"No way... Are those vampires?" Shadow said.

"Yeah right. Just a bunch of make-up and plastic fangs." Steel said as he was still in denial.

"But those are the missing people right there." Shadow said.

"Well, they're more like vampire-adjacent." Salamander said as he knew what was really going on. "And here comes Queen Vampire herself." All three of them looked and could see someone floating down and she was the one in charge. "Shira. I knew it had to be her. Black Steel, there's the vampire I was talking about."

"You've got to be kidding." Steel complained.

"Shira... I've read about her in the files." Shadow said. "She was a victim in an accident involving bat DNA, wasn't she?"

"She was and was cured, but she came to love the power and worked on getting them back." Salamander said. Seeing as how they're dealing with an actual crazed vampire, they need to be careful with this one.

"My lovelies of the dark, our time comes closer and closer. While we hide in the shadows, we are empowered by the shadows." Shira said. "The mortals do not understand the bliss that comes from being one of us, and we shall take this city as our own. Just as I have liberated you from the normalcy, we shall do the same to all. First, we must stop the one who wishes to "cure" us. Destroy him, the cure he uses on us will be destroyed as well." With all of those victims under her control, they have no problem following her orders.

"The one that wishes to cure them? What does that mean?" Steel said.

"Her father!" Salamander remembered. "Her father, Professor Hyberion, was a victim of the same accident that gave Shira her powers, but he was able to keep his sanity. Ever since this happened, he's had a cure ready that would turn her back to normal. She's going after him to destroy the cure."

"Then, we need to get to him first." Shadow said.

"Except that I can't allow that." All three of them were surprised to see that Shira already found them and floated in front of them. "Salamander... It's been a long time. Your two new friends look interesting."

"Up to your old ways, Shira." Salamander said. "Shira, you're not well. These powers of yours have affected your mind. You're talking about attacking your own father to destroy the cure he made for you. I'm sure this isn't the type of reunion that he wants."

"Nobody is taking these powers from me!" Shira shouted. "Attack, my children! Let's see what happens when these heroes become one of us!" She had at least three of her servants came and attack all three of them. The heroes fought back as they knocked all three of them back. "Get rid of them while the rest of us destroy the one that wishes to destroy us!" Shira and her other vampire servants left while three of them stayed behind to fight off Salamander and the others.

"We don't have time for this! We need to get to Hyberion before she does!" Salamander said. One of the vampires jumped at him to take a bite out of him, but Steel acted faster as he hardened his body and smashed his fist against it. Once he did that, he grabbed the other other two and smashed them together and knocked them out rather easily.

"Ha! They're not so tough!" Steel said.

"Maybe, but they'll just come back if we don't get that cure." Salamander said. "Come on! We need to go!" The three of them hurried out of there.

"How are we going to get to her father before her? Do you know where he is?" Shadow questioned.

"No, but we've got until night." Salamander said. "Luckily, I know someone who might be able to help." He said as he reached for his phone and made a call. "Lucy! I know what you said, but it's an emergency! We need to know where Professor Hyberion is since he no longer works at the university."

...

Hyberion

Professor Hyberion was once a respected professor at Magnolia University. However, he had to give that life up. Ever since his daughter became a vampire-like creature, he's been looking into ways to find her and get her back. At the moment, he was just at his home and doing what he can for just that, a cure for the moment ready to go.

"Where are you, Shira?" Hyberion questioned as he stared at a photo of her.

"She'll be closer than you think." Hyberion got spooked when he looked and saw Salamander, Steel, and Shadow.

"Salamander?! What's going on? What are you doing here?" Hyberion questioned.

"Your daughter is on her way here." Salamander said. Normally, Hyberion would have loved to hear that, but he knows this means trouble for him. The three of them took the time to explain to him what's going on. He was disappointed, but he didn't find it surprising.

"I should have known my daughter would do something like this." Hyberion claimed. "She has gone mad with power. It's understandable she would want to destroy the cure I have for her."

"Why is your daughter acting like this?" Shadow questioned.

"Shira has become addictive to the power. " Hyberion said. "She likes how it makes her feel. I've had a cure ready for her, but I fear it might be too late to save her. I'm worried she might be too far gone."

"Either way, we have to stop her." Salamander said.

"How? With garlic, wooden steak, or a silver bullet?" Steel questioned.

"That last one is for werewolves." Shadow corrected.

"Do you have the cure ready for her and others?" Salamander questioned. Hyberion walked over to his desk and opened it up to show he had many samples of the cure ready to go. There was more than enough for Shira and the people she's turned.

"We better get ourselves ready. It's going to be dark soon." Shadow said as he looked out the window and the sun was starting to go down. That means Shira and others will be coming soon.

...

Later

Night soon came over the city and the three heroes readied themselves for when the vampires came. All three of them kept their guard up and Hyberion readied himself with the cure as well.

"I can't believe this is happening. We're really getting ourselves ready for a fight with vampires?" Steel said.

"We fight superpowered people on a regular basis and you're having a hard time believing that we're dealing with actual vampires?" Shadow questioned. He had Steel there.

"It doesn't matter. Shira can be powerful. We just need to shove these cures right in them, her included, and the vampire craziness will..." Salamander didn't get to finish that as something smashed through the window. They all looked and saw Shira and her vampire subordinates arrived.

"Go, my children! Destroy the cure and the one that wishes to destroy us!" Shira ordered. All of her vampire subordinates charged right at the building, but they were ready as Steel busted right through the wall and knocked a few vampires down when they were trying to get in. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I say it's time to take your medicine!" Salamander said as he jumped right for Shiva, but she moved with incredible speed as she managed to get right over him and drove him into the ground.

"Do you honestly think you can defeat a vampire mistress?" Shira questioned.

"Let's find out." Salamander said as he got back up and tried to fight her off. As for Steel, he fought off some of the vampires. He kept pounding them and thrashing them around. One did managed to jump on his back and tried to take a bite out of him, but all he did was bit into iron.

"No bloodsucker is taking my blood!" Steel said as he grabbed the vampire and threw him to the ground. Once he did that, he injected the cure right into him and the vampire was instantly turning back to normal. "Wow! I feel like a real vampire hunter now." Shadow tried to fight off the vampires himself as he tried blasting them with shadows. One tried leaping at him, but Shadow slipped around him by becoming a shadow and managed to get behind it and injected the cure into that one as well.

"Professor Hyberion, maybe you should hide somewhere until..." Shadow turned to him only to see that he was gone. There was only one place he could be. As for Salamander, he kept trying to fight off Shira. He took some flaming fists and tried smashing them against her, but she was too fast for him. She gave Salamander a good strike and knocked him away.

"Do you honestly think you can defeat the likes of me when I am at my most powerful under the glorious night?" Shira said.

"Give me a break. You're not a real vampire. You're just a little drunk over the crazy power you have." Salamander said. He got up and tried to fight her, but she suddenly appeared right in front of him and grabbed him by the neck.

"You mock what you don't understand. Let's change that." Shira said as she attempted to turn him into one.

"Shira!" She stopped before doing anything as she saw her father behind her. "Shira, stop this right now!"

"I am not going back to the mortal life, Father. If anything, you should be joining me. You had a sample of what it was like before." Shira said.

"Yes, but I didn't like it." Hyberion claimed. "I've been working on a cure all this time for you. I want my daughter back. This isn't who you are."

"It's who I want to be. The power I feel is too amazing to just give up. You will not be taking it from me." Shira said. Shira has become addicted to the power. Giving up an addiction is rather hard to do, and it doesn't seem like she's even close.

"Better brace yourself." She looked and saw Steel coming and tried to land a strike, but she dodged it. She then grabbed him by the face and shoved him into the ground. That was when Shadow uses his power and got behind her. He tried putting her into a headlock. He tried to give her the cure, but she flew back and smashed him against a wall and got him to let go. After that, she tossed him aside and threw him right into Salamander.

"I will not go back. I will not give up this power." Shira said.

"How is she so strong and fast?" Steel questioned.

"It's the night. Night gives her more power." Hyberion said.

"The night fuels me! The more I feed, the more power I gain!" Shira said. "You may have taken my children, but I will always get more. I will have them return to me."

"And I can't let that." Hyberion said as he reached in his coat and pulled out a switch. He turned it on and all the lights of his building came on with them shining a bright light. The light was so bright and intense that Shira couldn't stand it. She cried in agony and then just flew off to find a place to hide from the dark.

"What was that? You're letting her go? Aren't you going to cure her?" Salamander questioned.

"I will...one day. However, I need her to see that what she is doing is wrong." Hyberion said. "I love my daughter, and I'm not giving up on her."

"After this, I still stand firm on what I think about vampires." Steel said.

...

Lucy's Place

After it was over, Natsu met up with Lucy at her apartment and told him everything that went on with the vampires as the two of them enjoyed a nice garlic pizza. Given what happened, it seemed appropriate.

"So, Shira is still out there and still a vampire?" Lucy questioned.

"Yeah, but Professor Hyberion isn't giving up on her." Natsu said. "He still believes he'll get his daughter back one day."

"That's sweet, and he shouldn't." Lucy said.

"Yeah, but like Steel, I don't really see the appeal of vampires." Natsu said.

"That's because you fought one that thrashed you around." Lucy said. "If you must know, girls like male vampires because they are portrayed as deep, sensitive, romantic, and charmingly dark." She claimed, but Natsu still didn't see it. "Well? Isn't there anything that would attract you to the kind?"

"Just one because I remember she turned you once. The women vampires are hot like you." Natsu said.

"Figures you would say that. Well, for that...this former vampire might bite." Lucy said as she practically pushed him to the floor with a kiss. The two of them tried to enact their own little scene of a vampire novel. While they were having their little scene, Shira was just trying to recover from that encountered, but she was about to have her own encounter...with Zero.