Author's Note: SORRY for the delay. I've been studying for my comps, which anyone who's ever had to take them knows is a biatch! It's been pushed back a week, so that means more time to write!

I've been working on this chapter for a while and it's turned into a monster. So instead of writing a 30/40 page chapter, I've split it in half. So the end might be abrupt. Part IIb should be out soon though as I already have it worked out!

Thanks for all of you who have written feedback :) It is MUCH appreciated and encourages me to write faster :)

Part II a.

—

The only thing worse than blood-sucking demons were Mondays. Mondays meant school, which—along with the 09ers—was the bane of her existence. Veronica parked her car and killed the engine with a sigh.

Buck up, Vee; you're a big girl now.

She put on her most fake, most sugary sweet smile and prepared herself for the usual pack of 09ers waiting for her when she exited her car.

There was no one there. (Well, save for Madison Sinclair slinging a snide look at her. But Hell hadn't frozen over quite yet, and even Logan's sphere of influence couldn't reach that far).

Logan, she thought.

Apparently he could still keep a promise. Well, they had pinky sworn on it, she thought wryly, so it must have been official.

She continued to the entrance, the eerie feeling of being unharassed following her, as she walked through the door.

—

"Hey."

Veronica started and turned from her locker, expecting Dick or Madison or what ever other hell Neptune could conquer up. Instead she found Logan, leaning against the adjacent locker with a smirk.

She quickly evened out her expression and went back to sorting out her books.

"Missed you this morning," she said. "I felt oh so lonely without you and your crew hurling insults at me."

She sent him a sarcastic look and Logan looked down for a moment, almost sheepish.

"Yeah, well, Wu's study hall; couldn't be late again."

"Right," she mumbled.

"Right."

There was a small silence, Veronica getting her books for class and Logan standing beside her, eyes flitting around the hallway. When she was finished and he was still there, she squinted. Confused, her eyes traveled across the corridor, where several sets of gazes were on them, murmuring.

"You do realize that you're talking to me in public, right?"

"Oh, crap, so you mean I'm not invisible?"

He feigned panic and she rolled her eyes.

"Just thought you'd be concerned about your glorious reputation is all."

She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice as she closed her locker and slipped the strap of her bag over her shoulder. She knew Logan and her had a "truce", but she couldn't help the sting of resentment that overtook her sometimes.

Veronica started walking and he followed. She glanced up at him as he spoke. "I'm more concerned about being eaten alive." He gestured to his neck with a brow quirk. "Plus, my reputation is bullet proof."

Logan made a show of puffing out his chest, all caveman like, and Veronica tried to hide the small curve of her lips as she shook her head.

By the time they entered her class corridor, Logan was still walking with her, but making no attempt to move the conversation forward. It wasn't a nervous silence though. It almost seemed deliberate as Logan strolled casually, making eye contact with everyone he passed. He was standing a bit closer than he usually would to her and their arms kept brushing every once in a while. She wondered if he were trying to make some sort of point.

"Okkkayy," Veronica said. "Well, I'm here. At class. So thanks for the thrilling-conversation."

He nodded, wordless, and Veronica watched him as we walked down the hall.

"Momentum," Mr. Wu said. "Is mass in motion."

He began writing on the board and there was snickering behind him. Veronica followed the trail of laughter to the back corner, where Dick and Logan were sitting.

"Speaking of asses in motion," Dick was whispering. "Have you seen Madison's dress?"

Logan smirked and Veronica looked away with an eye roll to glance back at the chalk board.

"Can anyone tell me the equation for determining momentum?"

A sea of blank faces answered him.

"Anyone?"

Veronica knew the answer, because 1) she'd actually done the homework after beheading a demon the other night and 2) she wasn't a moron. Yet, she wasn't about to splurge her last shred of social dignity on this one. Unh uh.

There was more laughter in the back corner and Mr. Wu glared. "Mr. Casablancas? You seem filled with the love of learning. Why don't you take a shot at it?"

Dick's eyes darted up from Logan's and he blinked. "Uh, at Madison?"

The room exploded with laughter and Mr. Wu's eyes narrowed impossibly. But before he could scold Dick further, Logan interjected. "It's p = m • v."

Off Mr. Wu's shocked expression, Logan continued. "It's on, like, the first page of the chapter." He held up the textbook as if to display it. "A moronic monkey could figure it out… Uh, no offense," he said, glancing over at Dick.

But Dick was already doodling pictures of boobs on his textbook and looked unfazed. "Huh?"

Logan sent a look to Dick, which Veronica couldn't see, but assumed wasn't pleasant, before his eyes flickered over to her, rolling.

She sent him a commiserating smirk, before Mr. Wu spoke again.

"As 'moronic' as it may seem, a third of you missed this question on the last quiz so-"

"AHHHHH!"

A guttural shriek ripped through the doorway. Then an actual body came flying into the classroom as everyone turned in shock.

"What the fuck?!" Dick cried.

Danny Mason, who wasn't even in physics, was jerking around like a mad man, pulling at his hair, throwing himself against the walls, and howling.

Veronica's eyes bugged as Mr. Wu stepped forward. "Danny? Wh-what are you doing?"

He was answered with another piercing growl.

What the hell? Veronica thought.

Danny wasn't exactly an upstanding citizen and he had thrown his fair share of pranks at Neptune, but this… this was just bizarre. She was beginning to wonder if he was hurting himself when several people entered the class at once.

"Danny, Danny baby?"

It was Madison Sinclair, high heels clanking sharply. Mrs. Whitestone, the English teacher, and several students followed behind her.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Wu. This is inexcusable." She turned back to the teen. "Danny ,stop it at once."

"Dude, I don't think he's playing around," said another student.

Veronica was starting to agree. She'd seen enough crazy things on the Hellmouth by now to know when something was amiss. Danny kept moaning, his face strained and red, and his eyes turning nearly all black. In his daze, he reached unto a desk for a pair of scissors and held it to his neck.

"It has to stop!" He cried. "It has to stop!"

"Oh, my God!" Madison shrieked.

Logan was already out of his seat and trying grapple with him, when Veronica jumped from her desk.

"Danny, man; Danny, wake the hell up!"

But in his rage, Danny had a burst of strength, pushing Logan aside. Veronica instantly stepped in and grasped him by the shoulders. Which was much, much harder than it should have been.

What the hell is he on?

"Danny!" she tried.

Behind her, Mr. Wu was calling for security and there was a growing crowd outside the door.

"Danny, I'm sorry," Veronica said. "But this is going to hurt…well, no, it's just really gonna hurt you."

She sent him an apologetic look and then knocked their foreheads together; hard. There were several gasps as Danny's eyes nearly rolled back, closed, and then opened again. The blackness was gone, and the normal bright green of his eyes had returned. He looked dazed, worn.

"Wh…" Danny squinted and looked around. "… is the quiz over?"

Veronica's brows spiked, but she was shoved aside before she could respond. "God, Veronica. What, are you trying to kill him or something?"

Veronica's mouth dropped, indignant, as the others crowded in front of her and around Danny.

By the time she was scheduled to meet Logan at the bleachers, there had already been numerous rumors of her being the one trying to stab Danny in the neck. She was seething over said gossip when the tall teen approached her.

He had his coat wrapped around his neck like some sort of bizarre, makeshift scarf.

Veronica squinted at him, momentarily distracted from her brooding. "What's that about?"

"Just covering my neck; wouldn't want you to stab it."

"Asshole."

She couldn't help the edge to her voice. Being the source of gossip was par for the course, but at least she wasn't usually accused of attempted murder.

"Oh, come on," Logan said. "You know you saved his life."

"Really? Because according to Madison Sinclair, I'd been planning to stab him for months now."

Logan snorted. "Yeah, well, according to Madison Sinclair, I'm distantly related to Will Smith, so what of it?"

He looked at her then, eyes persistent and teasing, and after a while she relented. Her shoulders felt slightly less tense.

"So..I'm guessing this doesn't fall under the vamp category," Logan said. "Unless they've picked up telekinesis recently?"

He waggled his eyebrows and Veronica sent him a wry look. "Nope, definitely something witchy this way comes. And judging by the look of how messed up Danny was…? I'd say it was something personal."

Logan let out a long whistle."I'll say."

Silence sat with them for a moment, Logan fidgeting as always, as they looked out unto the field.

"So… you think Danny was cursed or something?"

"Or something," Veronica mumbled. She pushed some hair back from her face and turned to him. "I can check the databases later when I get home…but until then I'll have to just keep an eye out, I guess…"

She peered out into the football field, at the smattering of her peers working out and generally being ridiculous.

Nope, no pointy hats or flying broomsticks, Veronica thought dryly.

"So, then…" She sent Logan a sarcastic glance. "Met any good witches lately?"

When Logan didn't respond right away, his brows creased slightly, she straightened.

"Actually," he said. "Yes."

Veronica and Logan were walking down the corridor and she tried to, but she couldn't stop squinting at him.

"Explain to me how you know a coven again?"

Logan rolled his eyes. "It's not a 'coven'—it's just, I dunno, a bunch of witches who hang out together."

Veronica's eyes slid toward him, pinning him with a blank look. "That is the definition of a coven, Logan."

"Oh." He blinked. "Huh."

She shook her head as they turned the corner.

"So, anyway, I got this horrible rash on my body a while back—"

Veronica scrunched her nose. "Way too much information."

He scowled at her. "No, not like that, I mean…let me take a step back—-So I went out with Jessica Welcher."

"Well, that would explain the outbreak."

"Please. I did not sleep with that girl. Even I have some standards. We just made out."

Veronica shook her head.

What a class act.

"But, then I found out she was a lunatic and had probably boned half the football team and so I ditched her."

She looked at him, eyes full of mock pride. "How noble."

Logan sent her a slightly aggravated look, but ignored her, moving on. "Anyway, then she went all bat shit crazy, started screaming at me in the middle of Dog Beach, ranting about putting a hex on me or something."

"A hex, huh?" Veronica quirked a brow. "That's a new one. What happened to good ole fashioned tire slashing?"

"I know, right?'

Veronica almost chuckled at how indignant he sounded.

"So Dick and I obviously laugh it up, because, you know, she's crazy. But then all this weird stuff starts happening to me…exploding note books and freak accidents and full-body rashes." He shuddered. "I finally broke down and went to see her."

Veronica's eyes had been widening incrementally as he spoke. "And she backed off?"

"Not exactly…" He made a sheepish face. "She actually ended up moving to some charter school in Europe and hooking up with like a prince or viceroy or something. "

Veronica stared back at him. "Sooo, as thrilling as this trip down memory lane has been…"

She spun her hands as if gesturing for him to continue.

"Hey," Logan cried. "I have a point."

"Well, you're not seeming too pointy to me."

He scowled at her. "There was another chick there, uh…" He snapped his finger. "Mac, yeah, that's it. She was actually kind of nice. And not psychotic. Figured maybe she could help us."

Veronica blinked. "That is a…startlingly un-stupid idea."

Logan bowed slightly. "I aim to please."

Veronica was more than a little surprised to find that Logan's link to the coven was not in some dimly lit dungeon or a basement, but…the computer lab? She followed him with a wary expression as they walked through the door.

The lab was empty except for a petite brunette working at a computer.

"That's her," Logan whispered.

Veronica glanced at him. "So you mean it's not that nonexistent person in the corner?"

They exchanged sarcastic looks, before moving towards Mac. When they were a few feet away, she looked up. Her eyes widened with surprise, then confusion, then annoyance as they fell on Logan.

She smirked at him. "Before you ask, have you tried ointment?"

"Hardy har har har," Logan said.

"Seriously though," Mac said, "That whole hex thing was her idea. Tried to stop her, but apparently you really, really know how to piss a girl off."

Logan smirked. "Glad to know my reputation precedes me."

"Really?" Mac asked. "'cause that makes me question if you understand what your reputation is…"

Mac sent him a pointed look and Veronica's eyes widened. She'd just met this girl and the only thing she knew about her so far was that she was a witch and apparently liked to hang out in computer labs. But, she kind of liked her. It was rare to see someone trade barbs so easily with Logan, without a false sense of bravado or cruelty. Mac just seemed genuine and comfortable in her own skin.

Veronica decided to interject and introduce herself. "Hey, I'm-"

"Veronica Mars," Mac finished. "Before your not so subtle fall from grace, you were kind of one of the only things people talked about here."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, Ronnie," Logan said. He reached up and rubbed the top her head, like her father did, and it annoyed the hell out of her. "Trust me, people talk plenty about you now."

She sent him a withering glare.

"Not everyone," Mac said.

Veronica turned back to the brunette. "What?'

"Not everyone talks badly about you."

Mac offered a small, sympathetic smile and Veronica couldn't help but return it.

"Wow, how ABC Family of you two," Logan said and Veronica rolled her eyes. "Sometimes friendship really does conqueror all."

He thrust his fist up into air in some sort of mock salute and both girls glared at him.

"What do you want, Echolls?" Mac asked.

"What?" His lips curved and Veronica suspected he was trying to be charming or something. "Can't a guy stop by the comp lab, just to see his favorite neighborhood witch?"

Veronica glanced at Mac; but, she didn't seem at all fazed to be referred to as that in front of her.

"Oh, so you believe in witchcraft now? What could have ever changed your mind?"

Logan and Mac exchanged looks and Veronica could only imagine how much of an asshole Logan must have been to the girls before he believed the hex. He probably deserved every inch of the rash he'd gotten.

"Yeah, uh," Logan glanced about, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry about about the Melissa Joan heart-wannabe jokes."

"Mmhmm?"

"And, uh, the Charmed jokes and the Harry Potter books I left in your locker…"

Veronica's eyes widened impossibly as she heard him go on.

"I was kind of a jackass."

She was pretty sure that was the first time she'd ever heard Logan apologize—save for that time he'd accidentally knocked Veronica off her bike in 8th grade and she scraped her knees. It was surreal to watch someone have that effect on him.

"I'll take your apology under consideration," Mac said dryly. "Now what do you want?"

Veronica paused, trying to think about how to go about this—when Logan blurted. "Did one of your witch friends put a hex on Danny?"

"Logan!" Veronica cried.

Mac's eyes bugged as she turned toward him. "Wow …you really are a jackass, aren't you?"

"Well, can you blame me for asking?'

Mac sent him a measured look. "A few rashes and exploding notes are one thing—-possession, murder? That's something else entirely—something dark."

"So you think he was possessed?" Veronica asked.

Mac's eyes flashed from Logan's to Veronica. "Um, yeah, obviously. As much of a douche as Danny is, I don't think he'd intentionally stab himself …and blunt force can often pull someone out of a trance …at least momentarily."

"How…how do you know that?" Logan asked.

"I'm a witch, moron."

Logan made a "oh" motion with his mouth and Veronica ignored him and interjected.

"Do you know of anyone else outside your coven who might be practicing witchcraft—someone not so cuddly?"

Mac opened her mouth to speak and then faltered. "Wait a second…what's with all questions? You're not like, narcs, are you?"

Logan snorted.

"No, we're just…" Veronica's eyes shifted "Concerned citizens."

"Mmmmhmm," said Mac. "I thought you two hated each other now."

"We do," they said at once and then turned and glared at each other.

"We're just, it's a school project; for the newspaper," Logan said.

Which was actually a decent lie, Veronica was thinking as Mac eyed them with an incredulous look.

"You know, I've seen you around." She gestured to Veronica specifically. "Often right before things get really crazy."

Veronica tried not to squirm under her gaze.

"So, what, you guys are, like, the Scooby Gang or something? Supernatural crime busters?"

Veronica's face scrunched and she was silent for a moment, considering. She finally decided not to be too evasive. "Something like that."

"I better be Fred then," said Logan.

Veronica rolled her eyes and was about to brush him off, when a thought struck her. "No, because I'm Daphne, and that would be, eww, weird."

"Pfft. You're so Thelma—"

"I'm way hotter than Thelma—Daphne solves crime and looks good."

"Well, I'm not going to be Shaggy if that's what you were thinking—?"

"Why not? I bet you're stoned half the time-"

"Drunk-there's a difference."

"Are you two quite done?""

Logan and her eyes darted to Mac, Veronica's cheeks coloring slightly. "Oh, sorry. Yeah, we um, solve supernatural crimes or whatever…."

She glanced up at Logan, who shrugged slightly as if to say, "Lame, but it will do." When she turned back to Mac, the brunette was nodding slightly.

"That's bizarre," Mac said. Then she broke out into an odd smile. "And, I kind of dig it….But, to answer your question, no, not off the top of my head. All the witches I associate with practice pure magic. We try to avoid the dark stuff."

"Okay," Veronica said. "Where would one need to go if they wanted to not-avoid dark magic?"

Mac quirked a brow.

"So just to recap," said Logan. "We're gonna spend our night strolling the graveyard before meeting up with the town witch?"

Veronica took a moment before nodding slowly and grabbing her weapons bag. "Yup. That about sums it up."

"Why do I get the distinct feeling that this is the beginning of the end of my social life?"

Veronica snorted. "Oh, trust me. This is a good night."

She gave him a gentle pat on his shoulder and Logan grunted before following her out the door.

It was a strange sensation patrolling with Logan. For starters, patrolling a graveyard in hopes of killing a vamp was bizarre on its own right. Doing so while training Logan Echolls, on the other hand…? Lunacy.

"So, here's the thing about newbie vamps," Veronica started. "You gotta think of them kind of like infants. I mean yeah, blood sucking, cruel, and incredibly strong infants; but infants nonetheless. They're probably your best bet for killing a vamp."

Logan nodded as they walked closer the grave. "So…easy peasy."

"Ugh, not quite. I mean, they could still snap your neck without thinking about it. It's kind of like…" Veronica held her hands out before her, as if weighing. "…there's only a 75 % chance of them killing you horribly as opposed to an 100 % chance."

"Wow, this is quite the pep talk. Why'd you leave pep squad again?"

Logan sent her a teasing look, which she promptly ignored.

"Just watch yourself, okay? It's kind of a steep learning curve. The first time I tried to kill a vampire, I broke all of my nails and fell on my ass. So…just take it easy."

She walked over the particular plot and set her bag down. When she straightened up, she continued. "Then, as a little incentive…" She held up a few weapons. "Once you get a handle of that, we can spice things up a little bit."

As soon as she said that, she realized to whom it was she was speaking. Logan was sending her a suggestive look by the time she set the weapons down.

"Ugh," Veronica said. "Only you could try to make killing vampires sexy."

"Hey, you started it."

"Mmm hmm, mmm hmm."

"Still think I should start off with a crossbow; you'd be surprised by the aim that I have."

"I'd rather not be surprised at all," Veronica said. "I'd rather you get out of this without getting your neck snapped in half. So, let's just start out with the basics, okay?"

Logan made an annoyed sound, but followed along as she stood before the grave. They'd come for one person in particular. Well, undead person. They booth stood and read the headstone.

"So," Veronica said dryly, "Today we have—drumroll please…"

Logan gave a halfhearted drum roll with hands against his thighs.

"Harold Gatimer!"

"Harold Gatimer?" Logan repeated. "Man, he sounds just vicious. I'm shaking in my boots."

Veronica rolled her eyes. Then she reached into her back pocket and skimmed over a newspaper clipping. "Looks like he was actually a pretty decent person. A dentist, used to coach soccer a few towns over; tutored at-risk youth." She looked up and scrunched her nose. "Why can't murders happen to bad people?"

"Certainly beats me," said Logan.

They shared a grim look, before Veronica set the clipping back into her pants and continued.

"Anyway," Veronica said. " When he comes out, you have to remember that he's not Harold Gatimer anymore. He's Harold the crazy vampire guy, who'd be more likely to rip out the throats of the children he coached, then help them."

Logan shook his head. "I know he's a vampire, but that's crazy."

Veronica sighed. "Yeah, I don't completely get how it works, but it's almost like vampires resent the human connection that they had with people. So they're actually more likely to attack you if they loved you or if you make them feel human in some way."

Logan spun the stake his hands, eyes widening. "Well…that's sufficiently creepy."

"That's why we have to make sure we take care of him or we're gonna have a bunch of little vampire babies on our hands.'

Silence settled between them as they stood and waited. This was probably one of the more morbid and boring parts of her job. But, hey, a girl's gotta make a living, right?

She looked back up and realized that Logan was watching her with a strange look in his eyes.

"What? Do I have something in my hair?"

She started flipping it around.

"No, your hair is just lovely," he drawled. "I was just thinking about this. This is how you spend your nights? I mean, I figured your social life had to be pretty ratchet, but patrolling around, waiting for dead men to climb out of the ground…? That's pretty bleak."

Veronica normally would have been offended by such a statement or lashed back at him. But, she could see in his gentle brown eyes that there wasn't any malice there. Just curiosity. Maybe even concern if she looked hard enough.

She shrugged it off. "Pfft. These are usually the hottest dates I have these days."

She smirked at him and he kind of laughed himself.

"So, how do you know which vampire's gonna come out and, well, greet you, shall we say?"

Veronica leaned back, let out a breath. "Well, it started out as mostly a guessing game; I would literally just spend my hours strolling around the graveyard looking for a vamp. Which, by the way, was still better than social ridicule at the Hut. But that's a whole another issue…But then, you get smarter about looking at all the tale tell signs. That's why we're always looking into the newspapers. You know, besides for all those great stocks we're investing in, all the hot software companies."

Logan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, there's usually hints about who's gonna be our newbie vamps. Strange bites. Loss of blood, but not a huge amount. Usually if they're buried really quickly…things like that."

Logan's eyes darkened slightly and she could tell by the way his body stiffened where his mind was at. "Sounds a lot like what happened to Lilly," he said. "Kinda wish she might come back."

It was quiet for a moment. She wasn't immediately sure what to say. His eyes traveled from the night sky and landed on hers. Understanding passed between them.

Her face creased. "You think you'd want that," Veronica said. "But…I've seen what these people look like when they come up from the ground. You definitely don't want any visits from her anytime soon. "

Logan didn't respond, didn't even really look at her, and then the usual silence, which always followed when they talked about Lilly, came. Although, she supposed they never really did talk about Lilly anymore. It was more: bring up her name, brood, pain…rinse, repeat.

While it was comforting to finally have someone who understood it in a way that her father or no one else seemed to be able to, it was hard since she still couldn't really process it, she still couldn't talk about any of the good memories of Lilly. Anytime she heard her name, it was almost as if she flashed back to only the worst moments.

She suspected that was why she hated the vampires the most. Not only because they took her best friend away from her, but because they took away all the joy that she'd left behind, too. By the haunted look in Logan's eyes, she suspected that he felt pretty much the same way.

"Logan," Veronica started.

A hand thrust through the ground.

Typical, melodramatic entrance.

Logan started, the dazed, distant expression on his face disappearing. She saw that same hyped look appear on his face, like the moment he'd shown up at her door, ready to fight.

"Okay," Veronica said. She stepped beside him, yet slightly behind him. "Now, remember: Lean forward; keep your posture right. And, don't make the first move. Once you've caught him off guard, finish him."

Logan nodded, but kept his eyes on the grave as more and more of Harold Gatimer emerged from the ground.

"And, uh, Logan?"

His eyes flashed over to hers. "Yeah?"

"Don't worry, baby," she said, teasingly. "I'll be right here if you need me."

He rolled his eyes and he gave her look. Veronica came over and gave him a smack on his ass, just for effect. "Go get him, tiger."

As if on cue, Harold pulled his torso above the ground, his gnarled face appearing with a scream. Veronica watched tiredly as he went through the same theatrics that newbie vamps always enacted. They all seemed to have a flair for the dramatic.

Harold was in the midst of another loud cry when, he stopped, face suddenly faltering as he saw the two teens waiting for him. "Uh, do I know you?"

Veronica flashed him a dazzling smile. "What? You don't remember? I made an appointment. For the 8th?"

Logan chuckled lightly and her eyes flashed up at him for a second. She'd almost forgotten she wasn't alone. It was strangely odd to have someone laugh at her quips. She told them all time, but usually the undead were a tough crowd.

Harold, for his part, looked confused for only a second later before growling again. He set both palms on the earth and started thrusting the rest of his body from the ground, when…he squinted.

"Uh…" Harold shifted about for a moment. "Gee, this is really, really awkward, but I think I'm stuck."

Veronica's brows shot up her forehead. Logan sent his own baffled look as the vampire stared back at them.

"I-I dunno. Must be caught on a root or something." He gestured to them. "Wouldn't mind helping a guy out, would you?"

Veronica set her hands on her hips. This was certainly a new one. It seemed strange, counter intuitive even, to actively help a vampire escape. But, this was supposed to be educational, so she swallowed down her pride as well as her sanity, and walked over and gave the vampire a good yank.

A few awkward pulls and stumbles and fumbles later, he was standing.

"Thanks," Harold said. "It's good to know that there's still polite kids out there."

"Uh ,sure," Veronica mumbled.

Harold eyes started to gleam. "Kids," he said again.

His face twisted, vamping again, his expression full of hunger. Veronica took a step back and—almost against her instincts-opened a path toward Logan.

"Well," she said. "He's all yours, bad boy."

"Okay, okay." Logan got into posture and gripped his stake. "This is the part where I say something snarky, right? Like, knock knock—who's there? Danger."

Veronica winched. "God, do I really sound like that?"

Before he had a chance to respond, Harold was already hurrying toward Logan. Veronica tensed, on high alert. She knew that she was there in case he failed, and that Logan was relatively well-trained. But she couldn't stop the prickle of fear as the vampire attacked him. As irrational as it was, she wasn't exactly sure what she would do if something happened to him.

She pushed back the thought and watched the two size each other up. Harold made a quick, clumsy lunge at him. One that, nonetheless, usually would have taken the average guy out. But Logan was prepared and moved out of the way. He set his foot down, tripping him to the ground. Then he quickly moved to ram the stake into the vampire's chest.

Veronica couldn't help the surge of pride she felt.

Yet, apparently, Harold wasn't going out without a fight. Because, he rolled away just in time and struck Logan. Logan made a grunting sound and fell and Veronica instantly intervened.

She smacked Harold in the face. "Well, that wasn't very nice, was it…? You okay?" she asked, watching as Logan pulled himself up to the ground.

She gave him a careful once over. He looked more annoyed than anything else.

"Just peachy," Logan muttered.

"Good; then let's give this another try. You got it this time."

Logan nodded and waited until Harold launched into another attack. This time, when Harold reached him, Logan held out his elbow, using Harold's own momentum to send the vampire stumbling. Then Logan kicked him hard in the groin.

Nice, Veronica thought.

Logan moved to stake Harold, but he missed when the vampire twisted slightly. Harold reached for him, as if to bite his neck, when Veronica stepped in again. She sent a nice, clean punch across Harold face.

The vampire groaned and rolled around. "Oh, god. Just put me out of my misery already."

"What? Don't you care about education? Weren't you a tutor? You know, before you turned into an undead monster?"

A sharp, zipping sound cut them off; and in one grotesque instant, an arrow was lodged straight through Harold's throat. The vampire hissed, eyes crossing as he fell to the dirt. Instantly, Veronica turned to Logan, who standing there with a crossbow, like Katniss freakin' Everdeen. For a moment, she was speechless. Then the groaning caught her attention again.

She quickly did put Harold out of his misery then. Even vampires deserved a quick death, most of the time.

Yet, as soon as the dust gathered, Veronica moved back to Logan, jaw hanging open as she watched him.

"Sweet," he said.

"What the hell, Logan. What was that about?"

"Well, as much I enjoyed getting knocked around like a toddler, I finally decided I should play to my strengths. I kept trying to tell you guys, I have really good aim."

"Do I even want to know how you learned to do that?"

He paused for a moment, as if slightly conflicted about something. "Well, I didn't really want to mention this, but uh…growing up in the Echolls family we spent our summers hunting humans for sport." Off her alarmed look, he continued. "Man is the greatest game."

There was a beat of silence, before she shook her head, rolled her eyes, and glared at him. "You are one sick bastard, you know that? Who jokes about that?"

"This from the girl who stabbed the basketball coach in the chest."

Veronica sent him a look as if to say "touche".

"Well, jokes aside," she said. "That was a really good job."

And it almost pained her to say that, especially when that cocky grin came on his face. His eyes lit with pride and it was simultaneously satisfying and maddening to her. She looked away and moved the conversation forward.

"You might actually have some strange, bafflingly good logic. The farther away from the vampires you are, the less likely they'll be able to snack your neck."

"And," Logan said. "The more likely I may be able to help you out."

She sent him an incredulous look, but he continued on. "Think of it as how when you, you know, loosen the bottle cap for someone so they can finish opening it…? I zap 'em from far away. You can do the rest. Then as my aim gets better, hell, I could probably dust them myself."

She thought about it for a second. It did make sense. But, she had to keep his ego somewhat in check. She sent him an even look.

"Okay, Hunger Games," she said. "That sounds like a plan….but, you still have to learn how to stake a vampire. Last time I checked, crossbows weren't exactly allowed on school premises or you know, other public places where you might actually need to defend yourself."

She looked at him sternly and he was kind of avoiding her gaze for a while, before he finally conceded. "Fine, 'mom'."

Veronica stiffened. Then she pointed the pointy end of the stake against his chest and Logan's eyes widened. "Don't you ever call me 'mom'."

He held up both hands. "Message received."

She sent him a satisfied look as she turned until she felt him plant his own light slap on her ass.

"Oh" she squeaked. "Logan!"

"Hey," he said. "You started it."

He pointed a taunting finger at her and Veronica smacked it down before rolling her eyes and walking toward the car.

end part II a.

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