"Vampires drink coffee?" Amber asked sleepily as she walked into the kitchen; it was nine in the morning yet she felt as if she hadn't slept for days.

"Yeah," replied Rick as he poured more sugar into it, "only I like to make my taste more...Sweet."

"So in other words you're making it into candy?" Amber asked as she sat down, she gave a loud yawn, "where's Emmaline?"

"In bed asleep," replied Rick, "she said you might wake up. She also said that if you do, have a glass of milk then go back to sleep she'll wake you at noon."

"I'm glad you came back," Amber exclaimed as she walked over to the fridge.

"You are?"

"Yeah," she replied as she took a glass from the cupboard, then took the milk out of the fridge. "Emmaline was really missing you; she tried not to act like it, but it was obvious. When you haven't visited yet she always stares at the front door a lot."

"She does, does she?" Rick smiled as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms; a cocky smirk went across his face.

"Don't let it get to your head," Amber exclaimed as she rolled her eyes.

"You sound different," Rick commented.

"I'm tired, genius, everyone sounds different when they're tired," Amber replied.

"No, I mean...You don't sound like a whiny little brat like you usually do...No offense," Rick exclaimed.

"None taken, Donkey Lips," Amber replied as she put the milk away then sat down at the table with her glass of milk. "I usually get like that...When the nightmares start up again," she said softly, "I don't want to act like that...But it's the only way not to worry Emmaline."

"Emmaline's your sister, and your guardian," Rick frowned, "it worries her when you act like that...It also worries her when you won't tell her what's going on with you. She loves you so much, Amber. You have got to start talking to her when she knows somethings wrong."

"Yeah, my pyschologist when I was going to her...Emmaline tells me the same thing, I know I need too. I just..." She paused as she stared at the table.

"You think it'll make Emmaline think you aren't old enough to take care of yourself if you tell her how your feeling?" Rick asked as he took a sip of his super sweet coffee. Amber blinked as the vampire's green eyes literally dialated and became larger before he opened his mouth. Her eyes went huge at seeing the huge set of fangs he had on him; Emmaline's fangs were babies compared to those. "What?"

"Your eyes went all big, and your fangs uh...Popped out," Amber replied, "and to answer your question, yeah it's exactly how I feel. She already treats me like I'm eleven."

"It happens when vamps have too much sugar, it's the equivalent a human's sugar high," Rick replied as he blinked; his eyes slowly shrunk back to their normal size but his fangs remained out. "She doesn't treat you like your eleven," he replied, "most teens your age can go out when they want too with their friends for however long they want. Face it, Kid, you're not a normal teenager - you have a vampire for a sister."

"I know I do, and I know that makes me far from norm-" Amber froze at seeing the Vampire Constable half sitting and half standing; his hands were on the tables fingers spread out. He was looking at her with a crazed look in his eyes and a smile that reminded Amber of Freddy Krueger before he went after some innocent kid in a dream.

"Uh.." Amber exclaimed, "I'm gonna go back to bed now..." She commented, leaving her milk on the table. She walked backwards with Rick watching her every move - if this was what happened when vampires had too much sugar then Emmaline was on a strict non-sugar diet! She went into her room and locked the door before before grabbing onto a small vial of Holy Water; evil vamps could be seriously hurt from the stuff, good vamps though could be hurt a little it mostly stunned them. Vampires who were suffering from sugar highs though...Amber wasn't sure, she hoped it would help.

She locked her bedroom door before climbing into bed, she was awake for only a few minutes before she fell to sleep.

--

Emmaline turned over on her queen sized bed; her room's windows were pratically gone thanks to the heavy black out curtains over them. She didn't dream often, however when she did she usually dreamed of her parents or simply had odd dreams. This dream was one of the dreams that was a real life dream letting her see what was going on as she slept; Rick was on a sugar high and had scared the crud out of Amber, yet Emmaline knew he'd never hurt Amber or she would have been up in a heart beat protecting her sister. Rick had actually been acting the crazed look as soon as Amber had left the room he sat down at the kitchen table, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, then went back to reading his newspaper. Since his mouth couldn't close because of his large fangs, it let Emmaline know that the vampire was definatley on a sugar high.

She yawned an hour later as she woke up, her body was feeling better now that it had some rest. She stood up and redressed into a pair of light denim jeans, white sneakers, an off white tanktop and a red overshirt. She opened her bedroom door and walked out to the kitchen, she didn't see Rick but could smell his scent. Like each and every human and animal vampires had their own unique smell. Rick's scent smelled of a mix of light spices and musk; he always told Emmaline she smelled like a field of wildflowers.

Emmaline walked out of the kitchen and found Rick hunched over some of her DVDs reading the titles and the back covers; she didn't say a word and just watched him. At times he'd out a grunt, other times he'd mutter, "what the hell does she see in this actor?" Then his comment gave Emmaline away because it made her laugh so hard, "what's this Johnny Depp have that I don't have?"

Rick looked over his shoulder at her, "hey," he smirked, "didn't know you were up."

"I've been up for about ten minutes now," Emmaline chuckled, "it's been interesting listening to you; to answer your last question...I don't know, I don't think it's Johnny Depp that catches my eye, I think it's the character he plays - Captain Jack Sparrow."

"So at night during our time I'd have to dress up like a drunken pirate who swaggered too much to get you ready?" Rick asked as he stood, his raised his eyebrows and gave her a suggestive smile.

"I'd like it more if you were yourself," Emmaline replied as she walked towards him, she wasn't sure how she and Rick had grown closer in the last few hours...They had, it felt good, it was meant to be. "You're more attractive as a constable," she commented as she stood in front of him and slowly looked him up and down, "very, very attractive as a Constable."

"You keep this up and I'm not waiting until after we're we're mated, I'll take you now," he commented raising an eyebrow. Then he paused and frowned.

"What?"

"McTraggor," he replied, "get into Amber's bedroom, stay with her close the blinds. Do not come out of there until I come and get you!"

Emmaline nodded, "be careful," she replied as she rushed into her sister's bedroom, she locked it and closed Amber's blinds.

"Emmaline?" Amber asked as she woke up, she was squinting to keep her eyes open, "what's going on?"

"McTraggor's here," replied Emmaline, "Rick smelled his scent, it's going to be alright."

"But what about the guard?" Amber asked, as she sat up. Emmaline looked to her sister, she was fully awake now.

"I don't know," Emmaline replied honestly, "he still hasn't come back yet...Since McTraggor's back and he isn't...He could be searching in the wrong places or.." She stopped there, she knew her sister was old enough to hear what she was going to say. Nonetheless, her sister had been through enough with her nightmares.

"Dead, McTraggor killed him, didn't he?" Amber asked raising an eyebrow and grabbing hold of the edge of the mattress as if to keep herself from falling off the bed.

"I don't know," Emmaline replied, "I really don't know." She wrapped her arm around Amber and held her close. If Emmaline were still fully alive her heart would be beating non-stop, since she was a vampire now her heart didn't speed up, it only gave less than maybe 20 or so beats each minute.

"How can we fight him if...Rick doesn't come back?" Amber asked.

Emmaline stiffened, she knew Rick's job was dangerous and there always were chances he wouldn't return. The thought made her stomach turn, her muscles tighten, and her heart seem to stop beating out of worry, "we'll be able to fight him, because we must. If something happens and he gets me or kills me you fight and don't stop, scream, shriek, cause a fuss. Make a lot of noise, the neighbors will hear you and they will call the police. I swear to you, if McTraggor does get in here I will fight him and I will fight him out of this apartment."

"What if he gets me?" Amber asked, cuddling into her sister more.

"Then know that I will find you, no matter how long it takes, I will find you," Emmaline replied.

"No matter how long it takes?" Amber asked.

"If took a thousand years I'd still continue searching for you and in the end I will find you," Emmaline replied. "Amber, whatever it would take, no matter many other vampire hunters' lives I'd have to take, I would find you, I'd do what I have to do and I wouldn't feel guilty about it either."

Amber nodded and heard the front door of the apartment open, she stiffened. Emmaline put a finger up to her lips at hearing footsteps, they weren't Rick's. Rick's footsteps were heavy from his combat boots, or what he called shit-kickers.

"Emmaline, where are you my little Queen?" Asked an Irish accented male voice.

"Oh God, it's him!" Amber whispered in terror.

"Shh, Shhh," Emmaline replied then whispered, "not a word, not a single word."

"I know ye are in here, lass," he exclaimed yet again, "I saw the constable leave, rather quickly he did. He almost caught me, oh now don't be worried he is still alive, lass, he will survive. No vampires have died from a stake in the stomach."

Amber glanced to Emmaline, Emmaline looked to Amber and mouthed, 'not a word.' Emmaline was terrified, she wanted to grab Amber and run away, but no matter how many times she'd run McTraggor would always find her. She looked to her sister, she would protect Amber no matter what it took.

"So ye are in here," McTraggor's voice exclaimed with a cruel laugh, he grabbed the doorknob and shook it.

Amber opened her mouth in terror, Emmaline's hand flew over it and shook her then put a finger to her lips. She stood up and took her hand away from Amber's lips and looked around her sister's room, then took her lamp and ripped the shade off of it, then broke the light bulb on the edge of the nightstand. She turned it on and the fillament glew bright, McTraggor broke the door down a moment later.

"Found ye!"

Emmaline ran over and jabbed the lamp at him, he screamed when it burned him, the filament broke and the light went out. Electricity still flowed though, Emmaline winced and unscrewed the last of the lightbulb, her fangs had come out, her eyes glowing bright green.

"Tha' was not very nice!" He exclaimed turning his head to the side. McTraggor was not a very tall man, he looked middleaged, his hair was mostly grey with flecks of red in it. His grey eyes had insanity dancing in them, he was wearing a lose button down shirt, khaki cargo pants, and a heavy belt with stakes and other vampire killing weapons tucked into it. "Ah, the legends are true, ye have yer human still with ye? Usin' her for a snack, majesty?"

"Stay the Hell away from you damned fu-"

"Mind the kiddie," laughed McTraggor, he started towards Amber before Emmaline hit him with the lamp which startled him. Then she grabbed his wrist and threw him over her shoulder onto the ground.

"Stay the hell away from my sister!"

"If it means takin' her to get ye lass, I will," McTraggor smiled, "oy, gonna bite me aye? Prove ta me yer true nature?"

Emmaline hissed at him before growling at him. Female Vampires' growls sounded more like a tiger's growl, she bared her fangs, she wasn't fast enough to reach his throat. A moment later a wooden stake was shoved through her chest and into her heart; she heard Amber's shriek. Emmaline knew she wouldn't die from the stake, all stakes did was paralyze a vampire, not kill them; it took a special stake to kill a vampire one has been soaked in dead man's blood. The one in her wasn't, Emmaline couldn't move, but she could see everything going on around her. Amber! Amber! If he touched her!
--

Seeing a stake jammed into her sister's chest was shocking as well as terrifying; Amber screamed and cried as she saw her sister lying on the floor, her eyes open and wind, the green irises moving around. Her mouth was still open slightly, her fangs still out and lying over her bottom lips.

Amber shouted and cried again, she screamed, then started banging on the walls.

"Stop that, child!" McTraggor yelled at her, his eyes narrowed as his arms reached out for her. He reminded her of an ugly ogre who didn't bathe frequently. She glanced down at her sister again and screamed when she saw bright red blood staining her sister's tank top.

"Get the Hell away from her!" Shouted Rick as he ran in; Amber would never forget the sight. Rick ran into her bedroom, half way crouched as he prepared to lunge, his arms outstretched, his hands open and fingers spread. His mouth was open wide showing his huge fangs; his eyes were glowing bright green, brighter then she had ever seen them glow before; his eyebrows were arched down his face contorted in anger, rage, and hate.

McTraggor turned and lifted a stake that looked as if it had been soaked in dark red wine, "look out!" Amber shrieked. McTraggor shouted and lunged towards the vampire, but proved not to be any match for the huge Vampire Constable. Rick pounced on McTraggor knocking him over, then landed and stayed squatting down for a moment, he kicked his leg out and knocked the stake across the room. The bottom of his coat was on the floor looking like a black leather puddle. The Vampire Hunter stood and grabbed hold of another stake.

"It's nice to see you again, Constable, I didn't think you'd be smart enough to know where to come back too...All of you seem so fond chasing your own tails!" McTraggor gave a throaty laugh before walking towards Emmaline, then stopping.

"Don't go near her, McTraggor," Rick growled then drew his gun.

"I see you vampires are coming into the 21st century, about time," McTraggor smirked, "human girl come stand next to me now," he ordered.

"No!" Amber replied, staying where she was plastered against the corner of her room.

"Don't talk to her, don't even look at her," growled Rick before he shot at McTragger; the Vampire Hunter gave a shout and a curse when a bullet went straight through his right leg. He half ran and half hopped out of the apartment.

"Aren't you going to go after him?! Kill him?!"

"Not right now," Rick replied, putting his gun back into his belt and rushing over to Emmaline's side, "Amber come here, I need your help."

"Emmaline...Oh God, is she dead?" Amber asked in fear, her heart jumped into throat again.

"No," replied Rick, "she only passed out. The stake can't be in there for any more than two hours though or it will weaken her. I need your help, come here."

Amber nodded and rushed over to Rick's side, she hopped over the broken lamp and sniffled, "what do you need me to do?" She asked.

"Grab your shirt there," Rick replied, giving a nod to Amber's favorite shirt hanging over her computer chair. Amber grabbed it and looked at Rick, he nodded, "when I pull the stake out put that over the wound and hold it down hard, just like you'd do for a living person..."

"Only a living person wouldn't be alive," replied Amber.

"Correct," Rick said, "Angela!" He shouted, Amber gave a surprised look when a healthy living woman walked in. She looked like she was in late twenties, she had thick golden blonde hair that was up in a pony tail; she wore a powder pink jogging suit with white stripes down the sides; a pair of white sneakers; and she looked etchy.

"She was here when McTraggor was here?"

"I put her in Emmaline's room," Rick replied.

Amber looked at the woman and noticed her blue eyes were dilated and glazed over, her face blank, "she's hypnotized!"
"Of course," replied Rick, "she's Emmaline's new feeding partner, they're not supposed to offically meet until tonight though. I had to bring her early because wherever McTraggor is there's going to be need for fresh blood afterwards. Emmaline, I'm going to pull the stake out now."

Amber looked down at her sister, her mouth was still slightly open, only now her green eyes weren't moving at all. Rick wrapped his hands around the stake before pulling up and out, Emmaline gave a gasp and a cry out, her body jolted before it went still. Amber stared in horror for a long moment at the blood pouring out from the wound.

"Amber!" Rick snapped.

"Sorry!" Amber replied as she quickly pressed the shirt onto the wound. "Emmaline? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," Emmaline replied softly, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, I made lots of noise, then Rick came...You were right about the whole noise thing..."

"Emmaline, I have your new feeding partner here, but you two won't be introduced formerly until tommarrow night. Her names Angela," he explained.

"OK.." Emmaline replied.

"Angela kneel down near Emmaline, give her your wrist and let her drink from you," Rick ordered.

The woman walked over to Emmaline, knelt and put her wrist in front of Emmaline's mouth; Amber moved the sleeve up, before she could ask anything her sister's eyes lit up again and her hands grabbed Amber's wrist. Amber noticed Emmaline seemed to be holding her wrist gently and being careful,; she watched in fascination as her sister quickly bit down into the woman's wrist. Angela jumped a little, but made no move after that.

Emmaline took two sips from the woman before carefully opening her mouth and letting the woman's wrist fall. Amber watched as the wound in her sister's chest closed up in front of her, there was a small scar for a few seconds before that disappeared as well. Emmaline's head fell back and her eyes closed.

Rick stood and led Angela outside; Amber watched Emmaline in concern and realized her sister was asleep now. A minute later Rick walked back into the room and picked Emmaline up, then carried her into her own room and put her onto her bed.

"Think she'll be alright?" Amber asked.

"She will," Rick replied, "the stake didn't have dead man's blood on it, she'll be fine," he replied, "She'll just need to rest. When she wakes up she's gonna be all over you, kid, making sure you're ok. Well..." He paused scratching his head, "she's gonna be out for a few hours, wanna order a pizza, have a movie afternoon?"

"Sure," Amber replied smiling, "what kind of pizza you like?"

"Anything without mushrooms and anchovies," replied Rick.

"OK, any drinks?"

"Yeah, Root Beer for me," Rick replied.