"Where am I?" Lincoln asked as he woke up, feeling sick and barely able to move. The light was too bright for his taste, prompting him to shield his eyes. As he registered consciousness, he felt like he was tied down for some reason. When he could see, he got an explanation for that.
He was in a hospital room, connected to an IV with a blood bag. The curtains in the room were down and they were rather dark. Almost like they were designed to block out the sun entirely. And he was out of his costume.
"How did I-?" He asked, only for the memory to come back, making his blood go cold and every part of his skin grow goosebumps. Right away he gingerly touched his neck, discovering nothing.
"Was it just a dream? It sure didn't feel like it."
He looked around, seeing that the room was much bigger than one patient needed. He saw there were two other beds, with Ronnie Anne and Stella in them sound asleep and hooked up to IVs and monitors like him. They too were out of their costumes. There were two chairs in the room, and in them was Lucy and Rita, who both looked asleep using a pillow against a wall to make themselves at least a little comfortable.
"If we're here, then maybe it wasn't… completely… a dream?" He thought out loud. "Was that guy really a vampire? I mean, those shouldn't be real, but after the trip to Loch Loud I can believe anything."
With some effort, Lincoln forced himself out of the bed. 'Weird, I feel… tired, but restless at the same time. It's like… I want to go back to sleep, and I want to run one of Lynn's races at the same time.'
Ignoring this, he went over to the curtains as quietly as he could, dragging the IV with him. When he got to the curtain he pulled it back, revealing that it was morning. He had wanted to see where he was since he couldn't remember getting back to Royal Woods, but he couldn't.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The scream jolted Ronnie Anne, Stella, Rita and Lucy awake, making them look towards the white-haired boy they both knew. They saw him and the light pouring into the room, prompting them to shriek too.
"WHAT THE HELL?! MY EYES!"
"CLOSE IT! CLOSE IT!"
Lincoln managed to do it, returning the room to darkness, and they felt better. Their vision was blurred and unfocused, but returned to normal. But all three had severe headaches. Lincoln collapsed on the floor and the two girls kept rubbing their eyes with their blankets.
"Are you okay?" Lucy asked, going over to Lincoln.
"What was that? Is there a spotlight directly outside the window?" He asked.
Before she could answer, the door creaked open and in walked a nurse. "Is anyone hurt? I heard screaming."
Lincoln turned towards the door and gasped. There was a nurse alright, uniform and everything, but she was not human. Or at least, not completely human. She had a girl's face and hair, but she had floppy dog ears on her head. Her hands and legs were covered with brown fur and a dog's tail poked out the back.
"Oh my." She said when she saw Lincoln on the floor before rushing over to him. "Did you hurt yourself?"
"The sun was a little too bright for him. He woke up before I could warn him." Rita said, acting like the dog nurse was completely normal to her.
"Oh, sorry, I'm not an optometrist. Better keep the curtain closed for now." She told the mother, while Lucy helped Lincoln back on his feet.
"Where am I?" He asked as she led him back to the bed.
"You don't know? You're in Sanderson Memorial Hospital."
"Never heard of it. Where is here? Hazeltucky?"
The dog girl raised an eyebrow. "No, you're in Hazel."
"Hazel?" Lincoln and Stella said together.
"I'll explain this to them." Rita offered to the nurse, who nodded. She then looked to the teens. "Kids, we're not in Michigan anymore. I had to take you to a specialist that's… a little far away from home."
"How far? Indiana? Illinois?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Massachusetts."
"Massachusetts?!" The three teens exclaimed in shock and fear.
The dog girl looked somewhat startled by the shouting while Rita and Lucy just nodded. "Yes, Massachusetts. In fact, we're not that far from Salem."
"How did we get here?" Lincoln asked, leaning against the bed rather than sitting down on it.
"Mom and I brought you here." Lucy admitted.
"How? Why?"
The dog nurse found a clipboard on one of the beds and went over it. "Let's see… vampire attack. Normals. Oh, oh dear. No wonder you're confused."
"Confused? I'm more than a little confused." Ronnie Anne replied.
Rita looked back to the dog nurse. "I can fill them in on the details. At least, the non-medical ones. Would it be okay for them to stretch their legs for a moment?"
The dog nurse looked them all over, as if inspecting them from a distance. "I don't see why not, I can get you some sunglasses."
"Thank you."
"Are there… more like you… here?" Stella asked.
The dog nurse looked like she didn't know how to answer that.
"Do you have a phone?" Lincoln asked.
"I have mine on me." Lucy answered, taking her cell out of her pocket.
"I want to call my parents." Stella declared.
"Me too." Ronnie Anne added.
"You will, but first I need to show you guys something."
"I'll go get you all some sunglasses. And please, I know that you're Normals, but try not to stare or act inappropriate to the staff or other guests." The dog nurse said.
The three teens stared at each other in confusion while she left the room.
"Mom, Lucy, what happened? We weren't really attacked by a vampire, were we?" Lincoln asked.
Lucy nodded. "Yes. Yes you were."
"Are we… vampires now? Is that why we got hurt by the sunlight?" Stella asked, checking her neck and finding nothing.
"Way to go Stella. You brought a real vampire to a Halloween party." Ronnie Anne remarked with some venom in her voice.
Stella blinked but then glared and stood up. "How the hell was I supposed to know? I thought he was human too."
"You really expect me to believe that there were no giveaways? What, did you never see him during the day?"
"Of course I did!" Stella insisted, but then she looked like a thought just popped into her head. "Although… now that I think about it, he did always wear sunglasses too. And he did prefer being inside all the time. But that doesn't mean he was a vampire."
Ronnie Anne rolled her eyes. "Oh sure, because teenage boys bite girls in the neck all the time. It's the new second base these days."
"Girls!" Lincoln said, getting their attention but they didn't look too happy about it. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm pretty sure that Stella did not in fact know that jerk was a vampire. And yes, I'm going to believe that he actually was one. For now, let's make sure the three of us aren't vampires too."
"Oh, you're not vampires." Lucy told them.
"We're not?" Lincoln asked.
"You sure?" Ronnie Anne added.
Before the gothic girl could say more, the dog nurse came back and handed them each a pair of sunglasses. "Here you go, go easy on yourselves."
"Thank you, ma'am." Lucy said before she left.
"Okay, what is she? A werewolf?" Stella asked.
"Close, she's a kobold. More canine than lupine, and unlike werewolves she can't take on a human form."
"How do you know that?" Lincoln asked.
Rita sighed. "We'll tell you everything. For now, let's get you three some exercise. And you'll be able to see what your new world is going to be."
All three put them on and followed her outside the room. The hallway looked like any normal hospital, but it felt bright. The glasses really did help. Another nurse walked by, but this one looked like a woman made out of a tree. She greeted the teens but otherwise continued on with her business.
"What kind of hospital is this?" Stella asked.
"One for Nevermores. Or as you might call them, monsters. Oh, are any of you hungry?"
As if it heard her, all three stomachs growled. It was actually kind of painful for them.
"Very." Lincoln muttered, trying not to sound hurt.
"Then let's start with the cafeteria."
"How much will it cost?" Stella asked.
"It'll be put on the bill, so no need to worry right now." Rita assured her.
The quintet soon found their way to a cafeteria not unlike what they'd see in their high school, except for those seated in it. Most of them were dressed as doctors, men and women, with a couple looking like patients that could move around like they did. But none of them were humans.
Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, and Stella tried not to stare, but it was hard not to. There was a table full of Frankensteins chatting and laughing, an elf texting while a satyr read a book, and a spider woman and a centaur serving lunch with another Frankenstein and two plant people waiting in line.
"Don't stare. It's rude." Lucy warned.
"Sorry, but I can't help but notice a lot of Frankensteins here." Lincoln said, a little quieter than normal. Like he was afraid to be heard.
"Oh yeah, they tend to be very talented at the sciences, including medical. Dryads are common too since many can generate medicinal herbs."
They got in line with Rita assuring the register that they were patients and had permission, so they dished up. To their surprise and delight, the food looked completely normal. Fruits, sandwiches, soup, the works. There was even some dessert. So they dished up and went over to an empty table. Both girls picked a side, and not wanting to cause tension by sitting next to either, Lincoln chose the third side.
"And here I was expecting something covered in bugs or eyeballs or something." Ronnie Anne commented.
"Maybe that's the special order stuff." Stella joked.
Lincoln held up a hamburger, taking a moment to enjoy the aroma, only to be disappointed. "Weird, this has no smell at all."
"Maybe it's one of those impossible burgers?" Ronnie Anne suggested, taking a scoop of a Jell-O cup and eating it. But seconds after putting it in her mouth, her eyes went wide and she pulled it out. Then she gagged.
"What's wrong?" Both Lincoln and Stella asked.
"This… it has no flavor. It's like… congealed water."
The Jell-O was green, so it should be lime or something similar.
Lincoln took a bite out of the burger and chewed, only to look just as bothered as she did. But he at least forced himself to swallow. Stella took a bite out of a sandwich, but she didn't finish hers.
"What's with this food? This sandwich tastes like actual sand."
"My burger, it's… it's like I'm eating paper."
Rita sighed again. "I was afraid of this."
Lucy just nodded without saying a word, but she looked like she knew exactly what her mother was talking about.
"Why? What does this mean?"
"I was hoping that maybe you three would be lucky and weren't poisoned. But no, this just proves that he changed you. Losing the ability to taste human food is a sign that you are indeed dhampirs now."
"What now?" Lincoln asked.
"Okay, here's how it works. When a vampire bites a human, they aren't just taking your blood. They can inject a unique type of venom into your blood, like a snake. Normally they do this to kill their victim so there are no witnesses. But sometimes the venom doesn't kill. Sometimes it's not strong enough, or the vampire didn't actually want their victim to die. So when the human gets this venom into them and it doesn't kill them, it instead changes them."
"How?" All three asked.
"You three… are no longer human. At least, not the same way you used to be. But you're also not vampire either. You're sort of in a halfway state, stuck between the two. This halfway point, we refer to it as a dhampir. You've already learned that you can't handle bright lights or taste human food, but there's more. The good points are you'll have better healing, you'll be stronger and faster than before. And you will now be able to use magic."
"Magic?" Stella repeated, confused. "Magic is real?"
"Oh yes, it's real."
To demonstrate, Lucy conjured a small flame at the end of her index finger and had it change color before she dismissed it.
"Wait, are you some kind of witch or something?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Yes, yes I am." Lucy answered.
"We both are." Rita added.
Ronnie Anne glanced at Lincoln. "Are you one too Lincoln?"
"What? No."
"No, he's not." Lucy told them. "For witches, not everyone is born with magic. This is how it works, if the firstborn has magic, every kid born after does too except for the seventh. But if the firstborn doesn't have magic, then no kid born after does except for the seventh. Basically if Lori had been born a witch, then Lincoln would be too and I'd be the powerless one in the family. But Lori was born without, so I'm the only one who ever had the chance to have magic."
"Wow." Lincoln commented, thinking about what life would be like if he had access to magic, and how much more chaotic his family would be if all his sisters had that too. He wasn't sure if he should be upset or grateful that Lori had basically been born a muggle.
"Wait, what about Dad?" He asked.
"Your dad is a regular human. Or as we call it, a Normal." Rita told her son.
"This can't be real." Stella insisted.
"I'm sorry Stella, but I assure you, it is. You three were bitten by a genuine vampire last night, and we had to step in to save your lives, and more."
"More? What else was in danger?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Let's not get into that now. What's important is that being a dhampir does have downsides and consequences for you all. Which is why you're being treated right now."
"For what?" Stella asked, checking her teeth for fangs.
Rita and Lucy looked away for a moment. Neither one looked willing to answer that.
"Mom, Lucy, we need to know." Lincoln told them.
"In a nutshell, the three of you… are dying."
All three dropped their jaws.
"You're not dying right now." Lucy added. "It will take about a year for you three to actually die from what happened."
"Can it be cured?" Stella asked.
"That's where it gets complicated." Rita continued. "You see, dhampirs have a limited life span. The venom does empower you, but it will eventually kill you, so you basically all have until next Halloween to live. A true cure to be 100% human again, if it does exist, the only way you're going to get one of those is if a high status vampire offers it to you."
"Let me guess, you don't know any that are willing?" Ronnie Anne asked.
Rita sarcastically laughed. "Oh sure, let me just walk up to the Draculas and ask if they have any dhampir-to-human potions they can spare. While I'm at it, how about I go to the Baldwins and ask if they need some costars in their next movie?"
"Then why are we here if there is no cure?" Stella asked, not appreciating that remark.
"Because there is a treatment. One that won't cure you, but will buy you time. Give you another year to live. But you have to keep taking it every year for the rest of your life." Lucy explained.
"That's it? That's our only chance?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"Well, it is better than nothing. This hospital…" Lincoln started, pausing to look around at the others inside it. "It has this 'treatment', right?"
"Mom and I asked, and they said they don't have it. Something about a low supply and already running out." Lucy told them, sounding regretful.
"I guess you three weren't the first victims of vampire bites last night." Rita noted.
Ronnie Anne and Stella hung their heads until they hit the table.
"So what now? We just… wait and hope they restock before Halloween? And we can't even enjoy a snack in that whole time?" Lincoln asked, holding up his hamburger for emphasis.
"No, I have an alternative." Lucy chimed in, sounding bothered.
"What? Is there another hospital that does have the treatment available?"
"Possibly. I've tried to look up online but most hospitals don't advertise what they do have in stock or not." Rita answered.
"You looked up online? As in… there are sites for these types of hospitals?" Lincoln asked, surprised.
"Of course. If you know where to find them."
"Don't tell me, it's the dark web?" Stella remarked.
"No, that's something else entirely. Nevermores use the Othernet, but that's not important. The problem is if there is a hospital with the treatment, it would be very expensive to go to it or have it brought here."
"But I know a place that we can get you three into and should be able to treat all of you without it costing us so much." Lucy insisted.
"If that's true, why are we here instead of there?" Ronnie Anne asked, lifting her head a little.
"This was quicker, but there's… a cost to it. Or more accurately, a prerequisite. You see, this other place, it's a school."
"A school?" Lincoln, Ronnie Anne, and Stella said together.
Lucy nodded. "Yes, it's called Grimswood Academy. It's a school for Nevermores and Grimms. They can prepare the treatment and make sure all three of you get it together. Having all three of you together will make this so much easier then doing this one at a time."
"Wait, would we be going to this school as patients? Or as students?" Lincoln asked.
"Technically, both. This school won't treat you unless you're a student. I mean, would you expect them to treat you otherwise?" Lucy answered.
"We have to switch schools?" Stella asked.
"For how long?" Lincoln added.
"At least for one year, just to make sure it worked. It's a boarding school, so you won't have to worry about bus rides or anything like that." Rita answered.
"We can't seriously do this." Stella objected.
"You may have to. Look, you already know you can't eat human food. You're all still hungry, aren't you? And none of you have tried to take a second bite. How are you going to go an entire year around everyone else without them seeing you eat? And what about being outside in the sun? What about when someone makes you take off those glasses?
The three teens said nothing.
"At Grimswood, it will be different. There will be Nevermores everywhere so you won't stand out or have to hide. And there will be food you can eat. You'll feel a lot better there than you will back home." Lucy claimed.
"Why do I have the feeling there's a downside to this offer?" Lincoln asked.
Lucy made an uncomfortable hum and looked out the window for a moment. Her mother patted her back in a reassuring manner.
"Lincoln, remember back when we went to the castle?"
"How could I forget?"
"Before we left, I discovered that I had magic. I've always known I was different, but even I never would have guessed that. Before we got home, Mom found out and told me that she was the same. We were both witches, and there were people very interested in what we could do. She told me I could go to Grimswood Academy and learn more magic like she did when she was my age."
"What did you say?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"I'm still here, aren't I?" Lucy asked back. "I didn't want to leave my family, so I turned her down. The school said the offer remained should I ever change my mind, and…"
She paused for a moment, shifting her weight for a moment.
"Don't tell me. This school will treat us and make us normal again, but only on the condition that you become a student too." Lincoln guessed, and Lucy nodded. "And how do you feel about that?"
"How do I feel about saving your life? Do you really have to ask that?" Lucy responded.
"What he means is you said you've been avoiding this school since you were a kid. Was it really because you didn't want to leave your family?" Stella asked.
"It's not just a school for witches. Grimswood is a school for all the creatures that you consider part of the darkness. Vampires, werewolves, frankensteins, you name it. It's not exactly the kind of place a young girl wants to go to if it means leaving her family behind." Rita clarified.
"There are more vampires there?" Stella asked, panicking.
"How can there be a school for monsters?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"How can there be monsters in the first place? I knew the guy for two months and you're telling me he was a vampire the whole time? How could he hide it so well that I wouldn't ever notice? We saw each other in the daytime for crying out loud!" Stella asked, on the verge of shouting.
"Under the age of eighteen, vampires can still be active in the day. It's uncomfortable for them, but they can survive it. It's only once they're full grown that they become strictly nocturnal." Rita told her.
"So all this time he was just planning on eating me?" Stella asked.
"No, what he wanted was potentially worse for you."
"Worse than eating me?"
"Later. What's important is that there is a place that can treat the three of you and with time allow you to adjust and reclaim a normal life. I will contact them, and then we can wrap up loose ends over here. Rest assured at Grimswood you will be safe…ish, but uneaten."
"I don't like that ish part." Ronnie Anne noted.
"To be fair, who can promise a human school is safer than safe-ish?" Rita asked.
"What if we say no?" Lincoln tested.
Lucy shrugged. "Then we spend the next year waiting for this hospital to restock their medicine and hope we can get back here before they run out all over again. And we checked, we can't reserve anything without prior payment. Especially something that's considered for an emergency."
For a moment they sat in silence. Lucy helped herself to the food that they weren't eating anymore.
"You can eat this but we can't?" Ronnie Anne, just a little bit jealous.
"Yes, witches can eat human food. Most Nevermores can, but you're among those that can't. By the way, try to say Nevermore instead of monster, it's much less offensive that way."
Lincoln's stomach groaned and he leaned backwards, groaning.
"Damn, I'm so hungry."
Stella and Ronnie Anne grimaced while their own stomachs made noise.
"Lucy, what is it that we can eat now?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"I'll tell you later. This is not the place."
"C'mon Lincoln, answer."
Ever since last night, Clyde had been trying to call his friend. He got back home after the party, but every time he got told that the other end had been unavailable. And this time was no different.
Sighing, he laid on his bed staring at the ceiling.
"Hey son!" One of his dads called from downstairs.
Confused, Clyde went downstairs. There he saw his dad Harold standing by the front door, and on the front steps there was someone he had never seen before. It was an adult woman, one with long wavy black hair that seemed combed mostly towards the left. Her eyes were covered by dark glasses, but a unibrow was visible. She looked muscular, not body builder levels but clearly someone who was used to getting into fights. The weird thing was she was tall. At least six feet, she was even taller than Harold but she was definitely not seven feet tall.
"Son, this woman says she needs to talk to you about the party last night." Harold told his son.
"About what?" Clyde asked, feeling defensive. He chose not to get too close to the door.
"My name is Polly Spectra. I was told that there was an attack at the party last night and people were hurt. I'm inquiring as to who is responsible." The tall woman said, talking like a teacher looking for a troublemaker.
"Well I didn't see anything, but I was told that this creep Blake Hawthorne started it."
"Who told you that?" Polly asked.
Clyde's instincts were telling him not to give out Sid's name.
"I don't know her name. But she said she saw Blake attack Stella and then my friend Lincoln. But they got him back too."
"So it was this Stella and Lincoln who hurt Mr. Hawthorne." Polly summarized.
'Uh oh, was that what she was here for?' Clyde thought, worried.
"Why exactly do you care about this?" Harold asked.
"Oh, I work for the Hawthorne family. A member of theirs got gravely injured last night and they fully intend to press charges. I just needed to confirm the identities of those responsible." Polly answered.
"Blake got what he deserved." Clyde declared, fists clenching. Like Lincoln, he too had not been fond of the jerk who acted like he owned Stella.
"Then let the courts decide that." Polly said, adjusting her glasses. For a brief moment, Clyde could see her eyes. Or rather, her eye. One eye, in the middle. Like a cyclops. He gasped but quickly coughed to cover that up.
"Thank you for your cooperation." She said before leaving.
"Son, did Lincoln do something he shouldn't have?" Harold asked.
"I don't know, but I don't think he's safe either way."
"Hey Lynn?" Rita said into her phone. At the moment she was outside while the kids were in the fitness room to give them something to do.
"Rita? Where are you? Where's Lincoln and Lucy?" Her husband asked on the other end.
"I'm in Hazel." She told him.
The other end went silent.
"Has this day finally come?" Lynn asked.
"I think it has."
"What do I tell the kids?"
"Tell them we'll have to stay here a few more days. We'll be back soon, then I can tell them in person. Maybe we can still have a cover story."
"No Rita, no more lies. Our kids need to know the truth. I'm tired of pretending that I don't know anything."
Rita sighed, remembering how much her husband had to do to go along with the secrecy. It was the unfortunate sacrifice of a Normal who was married to a Nevermore.
"Alright, tell them I have news, but it still needs to be said in person. And please make sure the wards are up. I have a feeling there are going to be some unexpected visitors coming our way."
Lynn didn't respond, at least not yet.
"I think those visitors just got here. They're on the sidewalk, so I'm guessing the wards are still good. Should I get rid of them?"
"You should, otherwise they might go for one of the others." Rita told him.
"Uh oh, does this mean none of us can leave the house until you get back?" Lynn asked.
"No, but be careful. Especially at night. I love you, tell the kids that too."
"Will do sweetie. Tell Lincoln and Lucy the same."
Lynn hung up, and Rita felt worried about what was happening at her home right now.
"Hello fellows. Is there a problem here?" Lynn asked, coming outside but staying on his front lawn. He was aware that thanks to some runes Rita had placed around the property that no Nevermore could set foot on the grounds unless she or Lucy personally gave them permission. It was a good safety feature, but really made things awkward that one time their pizza delivery man had been a disguised Nevermore. Lynn had to tip him good just to avoid him making a scene.
On the sidewalk were two men in suits. One blonde, the other brunette. If you didn't know any better, you'd think they were just ordinary business men who happened to be out for a walk in the suburbs. But Lynn knew better, these two weren't human.
"We'd like to speak to Lincoln Loud." The brunette man started, trying to sound friendly. He was the shorter of the two, passing for a vertically challenged human easily. If Lynn had to guess, this guy was closer to an actual mythological dwarf, but he couldn't remember if they could be out in the sun or not.
"I'm afraid he's not here. What is this about?"
"We represent the Hawthorne family, and we have reason to believe that your son was involved in the attempted murder of a member of this family." The blonde man explained, trying to sound formal. There were no obvious signs of what kind of Nevermore he was.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that happened. But my son would never try to kill someone. I'm pretty sure you've got the wrong person."
"Oh, your son is only involved in the attempted murder. We know he's not the one who actually tried to kill the Hawthorne heir." The blonde man clarified, and Lynn felt relived.
"It was your daughter, Lucy Loud, who actually committed the act." The brunette man added, and that relief went away.
"Now hold on a ding dang moment here gentlemen, I want to see what evidence you have to accuse any of my children of this."
"Such evidence is… delicate, and cannot be shown in public." The brunette man justified.
"I have open eyes." Lynn stated, using a coded phrase for Normals that let Nevermore know this person was aware of the hidden side of the world.
"Be that as it may sir, we still cannot just reveal this evidence." The blonde man said.
Lynn crossed his arms. "Then take this matter to the courts if you think you've got a case. Until then, leave all of my kids alone. If I hear anything about a vendetta, just remember that the person who put these wards around this house can do a lot more than that."
"It is unwise to threaten us, sir." The brunette man warned.
"Who made any threat? If the Hawthornes want justice, they can get it the legal way. If they want blood instead, then we'll play by their rules. So which game will they play? A fair game, or a blood sport?"
"Have a good day, Mr Loud." The blonde man said before he and his associate left the premises. Lynn stayed to make sure they left before he went back inside.
"Dad, what was all that about?" Lola asked, having seen most of that from inside but not hearing much of anything.
"Oh nothing dear. Just somebody trying to sell something." Lynn lied.