It was a small town. Something to be ignored on the map. Not worth the half-hour drive around decrepit forests and caves that would fall in at any moment.

Although it was not large in population, the town, Pesca Grove, made up for that in other ways. They were never short of entertainment. Sure, it only had one theater, but all of the people who lived there were like one big family. Everyone knew everyone else's name, their pasts, and their plans for the future. They all enjoyed throwing parties for the simplest non-important things. Little Katie put a baby bird back into its nest, conquering her fear of heights by climbing that tree, and she got a small 'get-together' to celebrate.

4th of July was only a week away, when suddenly figures started to walk toward the town from the forest. There were many and the darkness hid them well. They walked to different homes, licking their lips as they saw that the families were awake and unaware of the terror that was coming…right before the massacre.

The one who seemed to be the leader, held up a hand, and flicked it forward. In groups of two or three, the strangers yanked open the doors and walked calmly in. The 'leader' was the only one that was different. He calmly knocked on the door, with two of his 'friends' behind him.

"What can I do yer for?" a well-muscled man answered the knocked. He was obviously a farmer of sorts.

"Ah, nothing," the man on the other side said smoothly, right before his hand shot forward. He grabbed the other mans head, twisted it to the side, and bit the man's throat. The blood dripped from one's neck to the other's mouth. The vampire was soon finished.

"Rick, Dylan," he said addressing the other two, "Leave the woman to me, the kids are all yours."

They both bowed their heads, "Yes." Then they looked at each other and sprinted inside. The other calmly entered. He looked through the kitchen and the bathroom and he found who he was looking for in one of the bedrooms.

"Ally, my, such a big girl you are!" the woman was helping her five-year-old daughter into her pajamas.

"Mommy, mommy, can you read me a story tonight?" Ally asked.

"Yes, honey." The mother turned and saw the man in the door way. "Isaac!" she gasped and clutched at her right wrist as if it would protect her.

"Ah, you don't have your pretty trinket now." Isaac whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. He rushed forward and bit her like he had done to her husband as she looked down at her wrist. She beat against his chest, but she soon began to lose strength.

"Get 'way from my mommy!" Isaac felt tiny fists, beating against his leg. Without moving his head, he pushed the little girl against the wall. Ally sat there silent as the terror sank in when she could hear the screams from the neighbors.

"Nooo!"

"Stay away! Stay away!"

"Not my baby!"

"Ahhhh!"

Ally watched as her mother leaned toward the ear of the vampire. She whispered something.

"I will spare the child," Isaac said as he pulled away, watching the spark fade from her eyes. "Not that she will survive the night." He let her go, and she collapsed to the carpet. Ally found her voice and she screamed, and, not knowing what compelled her to do so, she ran out of the door, down the hall and out into the night, heading toward the road that lead away from Pesca Grove.

-------------------------

"Honey, pull the car over right now! It's raining so hard you can barely see past the windshield." Mary demanded to her husband, John.

"No, I will not. I can see just fine." He argued, determined to reach their destination that night.

"Fine, when we die in a car accident, it's all your fault." She turned and looked out of the window. Suddenly something caught her eye. It seemed to be a quivering lump on the ground a few yards ahead of them. As it passed under the headlights she saw what it was.

"Oh my God!" she shrieked, "John there's a child out there!"

"What!?" he yelled, pulling the car over to the side of the road. It hadn't even stopped yet when Mary jumped out. She ran over to the child rolled into a ball in the middle of the road. She picked the little girl up, and cradled her in her arms. The girl was crying as she muttered something over and over. Mary had to lean in to hear was she was saying.

"Ev'ryone's killed. Pest Grove is gone. Ev'ryone's killed…."