That night Bex tossed and turned in her sleep. Her mind plagued with nightmares. She saw Lyssa’s scarred body, she saw Joan plunging a stake in her heart, she woke when in her dream she fell off the roof.

She shot forward in bed taking in big gulps of air. Her eyes darted around the room and found blood red eyes staring back.

“Lyssa?” she said in confusion.

Lyssa got up from where she sat on the edge of the bed and crawled on top of Rebecca.

“Were you watching me sleep?” Bex said in horror.

“Silence,” Lyssa ordered.

No matter how hard Bex wanted to say something her body would not obey. She laid still as Lyssa slowly sunk her fangs into her neck. She took a breath of almost relief as the euphoria washed over her.

Lyssa took in small gulps savoring every drop of the crimson liquid. Her eyes fluttered closed as her body warmed up and she could feel sensations she hadn’t felt since she was alive. She would be lying to herself is she said she wasn’t becoming addicted to Rebecca’s blood.

Bex squirmed under the vampire, her heated core rubbing against Lyssa’s knee which was wedged between her legs. Her hands clutched the bed sheets wrinkling them up in her fist.

Lyssa slowly pulled back, letting her tongue flick the small holes one last time for good measure. They both stayed like that for a second trying to catch their breath. Their lips were less than an inch apart. Bex couldn’t help but let her eyes travel to those plump and inviting lips.

“You may speak again,” Lyssa said.

Even with her voice back Bex was still speechless. Her body hot and bothered.

Lyssa watched as the holes healed up and a single drop of blood seeped out. Without really thinking of it she licked it up off of Bex’s neck. Bex’s shivered under the touch of her ice-cold tongue.

“I thought you were mad at me?” Bex finally broke the silence.

“I am, but that doesn’t mean I won’t drink your blood when I please.” She said.

Bex frowned at her.

“Don’t act like you don’t enjoy it as much as I do.” Lyssa pulled back.

Bex felt her cheeks flush, she averted her gaze.

“Sleep tight,” Lyssa said before she was gone in a flash.

The papers on Bex’s nightstand blew off and her curtains swayed. She sighed before turning over in her bed.

“Stupid vampire.” She mumbled before closing her eyes and falling asleep once more.

At school, the next morning Bex stopped short of walking to her usual table. She could see her friends there but she could also see Joan. As if Joan could sense her gaze her eyes locked with Bex’s.

Bex took it one step at a time before she sat at the table. Everyone was silent.

“Can we talk?” Joan asked.

Bex eyed her, she was about to open her mouth to say yes when the awful throbbing returned full force.

“Freakazoid!” Monroe called.

Bex winced and her eyes looked to Lyssa who was standing with her arms crossed expectantly, eyeing Bex with a look that said I’m waiting.

“Sorry I got to go.” Bex hissed before she quickly got up and went to Lyssa.

“You test me,” Lyssa warned.

“She’s my friend.” Bex tried.

“She’s a psychopath.” Lyssa sat at her usual table, kicking her legs up.

“Look I am sorry you have a scaring past but you should give people a chance.”

“Yes give people a chance to prove me right, again. When you’ve lived as long as I have you realize that you quickly run out of chances to give.” She pulled out a book.

“What happened to you? Why are you so closed off?”

“Many awful things have happened to me; you will have to be more specific.” Lyssa turned the pages in her book to where she left off.

“Well can you elaborate?”

Lyssa grunted and set her book down.

“You know why I hate people?” Lyssa asked.

“Why?”

“Because I never age but they always do. Imagine having to watch the people you love die over and over, and over. Imagine letting someone in again only to be backstabbed and buried 6 feet below for 22 years. Imagine always having to look over your shoulder and wondering who is a slayer and who isn’t. Imagine having to answer tough questions over and over because thick skulled people can’t seem to get the hint!” She shouted the last part so loud the whole cafeteria grew silent and turned towards them.

“Okay sorry,” Bex mumbled.

“That is why you must listen to me. Trust me when I say I have been there and I have done that. No slayers, period. Obey me, or else.” She picked up her book again.

Bex frowned.

“Later on today I shall pick you up and take you to my house where we shall discuss blood bonds. What time should I come?”

“I get out of band practice around 5:30, so 6ish?”

“That is fine, I will let you know when I am on my way.”

Just then the bell rang and Lyssa sighed setting her book down once more. Bex gave her a weak smile before getting up and walking off. Lyssa watched after her.

Before Bex could make it to band practice after school she was cornered by Joan. The two girls eyed each other as Joan purposely blocked the door that led to the band hall.

“I just want to talk.” She said.

“I can’t, literally. Please just leave me alone.”

“Did she order you to stay away from me?” Joan asked.

Bex nodded.

“Bex this is stupid, we are best friends. You know me. You barely met her. Who are you really going to trust? Someone who has your best interest in mind, or a blood sucking leach who is trying to kill you?”

“I know okay. I want to talk, but I can’t.” Bex was finding it hard to even look at Joan. A headache growing the longer she resisted her orders.

“Here I can help.” Joan approached her and tied a blindfold around her eyes.

“Now you don’t know who you are talking to. Technically obeying your orders.”

“I don’t think it works that way.” Bex frowned but even as she said it her headache ceased.

“Come on, let's get out of here.” Joan grabbed her hand and led her away.

“Seriously you are going to make me lose my spot in band.” Bex frowned.

“Your clarinet drama will have to wait; this is more important.”

“I play the oboe.” Bex frowned.

“Same difference.”

Joan led Bex out of the school and they walked from the school to her house.

“Why did you pretend you didn’t know vampires were real or that you weren’t a vampire slayer?” Bex asked as they walked.

“We have to keep what we do a secret from everyone. If people knew vampires and vampire slayers were real, they would freak out.”

“Okay, but still. Obviously, you knew Lyssa was a vampire even before I did.”

“True. I never thought you would get involved with her though.”

“It was an accident.” Bex stumbled around as they moved off of grass to cement.

“Almost there,” Joan pulled Bex along. “Well now that you know I don’t have to hide anything from you anymore.”

“Why do you wanna kill Lyssa for?”

“Because she’s a vampire,” Joan said like it was obvious.

“Well yeah, but so what?”

“So what!? She kills people for a living.”

“No, she didn’t kill me. And she won’t. She’s not what you think.”

“Bex she’s lying to you. She’s killed tons of people. She is a monster, an abomination. She needs to be killed.” Joan pulled her into the house.

“Can’t we all just make peace? She doesn’t want to fight you guys. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Man she’s really brainwashed you.” Joan helped Bex sit down on the couch.

“I don’t want you to kill her. Not because she’s brainwashed me but because I don’t think she’s so bad. Sure she’s cranky all the time and mean and cruel, but under all that I have a feeling she’s a girl hurting because she’s lonely.”

“I can’t do that. She has to die. If only so we can save you and get you away from her. Because if we don’t she will kill you. It may not be fast but the more blood she drinks from you the more danger you are in.”

“No! There has to be another way. I won’t let you kill her, just like I won’t let her kill you.”

“You don’t understand. Vampires are monsters.”

“She’s not a monster! She cries she feels, she bleeds! I’ve seen it with my own eyes. She’s just like us.”

Joan ripped the blindfold off of Bex’s head and looked her in the eyes.

“She’s a killer. She has to be killed.” Joan said slowly to make sure Bex understands.

“No. I won’t let you. Killing a killer just makes you just as bad.”

“You will forgive me once you understand better.” Joan stood straight.

“Huh?”

Joan grabbed the blindfold and used it to tie Bex’s hand.

“What are you doing?!” Bex demanded, her headache coming back full force.

“Catching myself a vampire,” Joan said.

Bex’s eyes went wide. Lyssa was right, they were going to use her to catch her.

“Dad! I got her.” Joan called.

Her dad, her uncle, and her older brother all came into the room. They looked ready for battle. Bex struggled as the uncle put a necklace of garlic around her neck.

“Stop it!” Bex struggled.

They put silver handcuffs on her hands and ankles and hoisted her off the couch.

“Let me go!” she begged.

“Sorry missy, we have ourselves a vampire to slay.” The dad said.

They dragged her outside and to their van. They put her inside and Joan sat next to her.

“I’m sorry, but we have to. I can’t lose you.” Joan gave her a sad frown.

“She won’t come.” Bex tired.

“Oh yeah she will. She’ll have to.” The uncle smirked.

Joan and her brother shared a look of worry. It was clear they weren’t telling Bex something. The van started up and they drove somewhere. Bex watched in horror as the uncle handed the brother the harpoon gun and Joan a case full of stakes.

Joan opened it up and picked out one that was already stained in blood.

They drove out of town into the woods and stopped the van. They all piled out and dragged Bex out with them. They dragged her to the center of a clearing and forced her to her knees.

“This is going to be painful. I’m sorry.” Joan said softly.

“Wait what?” Bex didn’t get a response as Joan cut her neck with a silver knife.

It stung bad but the cut wasn’t that deep. Just deep enough to draw some blood. Bex cried out as the sting seemed to spread through all her blood veins.

Joan clenched her fist and her eyes watered as she watched Bex suffer.

“We have to sis, stay strong.” Her brother soothed her.

Lyssa sat in her reading chair at home with a book when a searing pain radiated in her body. She cried out and dropped the book.

“Rebecca!” she cried out and held her head.

Curse her, I tried to warn her. Lyssa thought to herself. She got up and in a flash, she was out the door. She ran faster than the eye could track through the woods and arrived shortly at the clearing.

“There she is! Get ready!” The dad called.

“No! Lyssa go, get out of here!” Bex called.

“She can’t, not if she wants to save her precious blood bond.” The uncle said.

Lyssa eyed the four slayers before she ran in. She punched Joan so hard she went flying into the air. The brother shot the harpoon gun but Lyssa caught it in her hands. She yanked it hard causing the brother to go sliding on the floor. Then she stabbed the Harpoon into his leg.

“Ahhh!” he cried out.

“Lyssa watch out!” Bex called.

Lyssa turned just as Joan’s dad came at her with a silver sword. Lyssa jumped back but right into the grasp of the uncle. The sword was stabbed into her chest.

“Ah!” Lyssa cried out.

“Lyssa!” Bex cried.

“Now!” The dad yelled at Joan who made it back to her feet.

She grabbed the stake and ran in.

Bex stood to her feet and hoped in the way. She tackled Joan to the floor which gave Lyssa enough time to grab hold of the sword and yank it out of her. The silver burning her hands.

Lyssa elbowed the uncle hard, breaking a couple of ribs. Then she kicked the dad and sent him flying.

Joan pushed Bex off of her and once again raised a stake to Lyssa. Lyssa grabbed her by the throat and lifted her into the air. Her eyes red with fury.

“No! don’t kill her!” Bex begged.

Joan clawed at Lyssa’s hands, dropping the stake as she struggled to get free.

“Lyssa no!” Bex stood up

“I am tired of running Rebecca. I am tired of looking over my shoulder!” Lyssa shouted.

“If you do this you will always be running. They will never stop until they find you. You don’t have to be like them. You don’t have to do this.” She tried to reason.

Lyssa fought every urge in her to break Joan’s neck, instead, she threw her and Joan slammed into a tree, knocking out. Bex sighed in relief.

Lyssa walked over to her and grabbed the garlic necklace and threw it off. Then she grabbed the handcuffs but cried out and recoiled when it burned her.

“Looking for these?” The dad asked holding the keys.

“It’s over, look around old man. I’ve won this one.” Lyssa said.

He looked around. Joan was knocked out. Joan’s brother was impaled in the leg and crying out, bleeding profusely. Joan’s uncle couldn’t stand as he clutched his rib cage.

“Please, just let us go,” Bex begged.

“Dad, enough. She’s won.” Joan brother said between pain filled gasps.

He frowned and tossed the keys on the floor. Lyssa grabbed them and hissed as the sliver burned her. She quickly unlocked the handcuffs and handed the keys to Bex to finish the job. Bex undid her ankle and threw the handcuffs and keys away.

“Hold on.” Lyssa grabbed Bex in her arms like a child.

Bex clung to her as they zoomed off into the forest.