Rissa groaned.

What just happened? Where was she? Last thing she remembered, she was telling that idiot, Alf, that she could do what she wanted when she wanted to. Then she felt pain in her back. Then… nothing. Absolutely nothing. What was that pain? It wasn't Alf, she could see him. Steph? The Derek Vamps? Dad? Probably not Dad. But she wouldn't mind him being here. She should open her eyes and see where she is. No. No opening eyes. Everything hurt… Was she in a basement? She could feel a blanket over herself. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a basement. There could be a blanket in a basement. She was on a mattress. There was a pillow. She was probably in bed. Was it her bed? Maybe.

She finally opened her eyes. She was… in her room. Okay. Someone shot her (probably with a vervain dart), and put her in her bed. Wow. Genius.

Blood. That's what she needed. Blood. Then she can go and find out what the hell happened to her. And kill Alf. That would also be nice.

But she was not getting up. Not even gonna try. She knew she wouldn't. It hurt too much. There was only one thing left to do for a dignified, grown-up, independent vampire to do:

-STEPH!

Steph came in.

-I was waiting for you to wake up.

-Oh? Oh, really? I was waiting for me to wake up, too.

-Rissa…

-No, no, it's true. I was there, vervained…

-You're still vervained.

-…just waiting to wake up. But now everything hurts. Bring me blood.

-No.

-Steph, I'm not in the mood for not-funny jokes. Bring me blood.

-No, Rissa.

-Then how am I supposed to get up?

-You're not. That's the reason I vervained you.

-So it was you, you little… Ugh! If I could move right now, I'd kill you.

-Rissa…

-Why? Why did you do this?

-I couldn't let you go on that suicide mission…

-Not that, why'd you put me in my bed? Could've locked me in a basement, done this the proper way. Let me desiccate, leave me here for a few decades, then come back and introduce me to your witchy grandchildren.

-Rissa, I didn't vervain you to get rid of you.

-Could've fooled me. That's like… your life's goal.

-No, Rissa, I'm just leaving you vervained until after this thing with the…

-Derek Vamps?

-The what?

-Derek Vamps. That's what we're calling them.

-Why?

-Doesn't matter, Stephanie, keep talking.

-Okay, okay. I'm only keeping you like this until the thing with the… the…- she took a deep breath. -the Derek Vamps is over.

-And when is it over, huh? When Guy dies?

-Or when he kills them all…

-When Guy dies. You're locking me here and leaving him to die. Unbelievable.

-It's because I love you, Rissa.

-I never get you.

-What do you mean?

-This, Steph, I mean this. It brings you no benefit to keep me here.

-You'll survive.

-That's my benefit, Steph. What's yours?

-That you'll survive.

-You know me, Steph. I almost never like anything, but once I like something, that something stays among the things I like forever. I can never stop liking that something. That something is Guy. If he dies, especially because I'm here, I'll go crazy. I will kill you. I'm not even shy about saying it. You're risking your life here. With no benefit but me.

-You're risking yours with no benefit but Guy.

-No. That's where you're wrong. When you say you want me to be alive, why is it?

-Because I love you. Because I want you to live a long and happy life, not give it away like this.

-See? If you ask me why I want Guy to survive, it's not gonna be because I want him to live. It's gonna be just because I want him. For me. For no other reason.

Steph sighed.

-Rissa, you're not giving yourself enough credit.

But her sister wasn't listening. She was too tired to listen, so she just fell asleep again.