//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Bite to the Finish // Story: Sunlight // by Albi //------------------------------//   The chains binding Sunset rattled as she finally slipped out of them, tossing the last one over her head. They couldn’t be heard over the argument those girls were making upstairs. Interestingly enough, Twilight’s voice was absent from the conversation. She stretched her arms and worked the kinks out of her shoulders before lifting the bottom of her shirt up to examine the burn marks. They no longer hurt, but the skin was still black. Sunset sat down again, crossing one leg over the other. Twilight left a mark on me. It’s only fair I leave a mark on her, too. She put on a feral smile and clasped her hands together. They could argue and protest all they wanted, but Sunset knew the choice Twilight would make. It was just a matter of waiting now. “I’m not about to just hand off Twilight to a vampire!” Rainbow shouted. “But, Rainbow...” Twilight said softly. Applejack cut over her. “I hate it too, but what choice do we have?” “Girls, I’ll—” Rainbow slammed her fist on the door. “Ask for something else, Sunset!” “No.” “I’ll do it!” Twilight yelled. The room upstairs fell silent, while Sunset grinned to herself in the dark. “I’ll do it,” Twilight said again in a softer voice. “I-it’s just a little bit of blood. It’s for the greater good.” Oh, I can assure you, Twilight, blood isn’t the only thing I’m taking. The door knob wiggled, then abruptly stopped. “Twilight,” Rainbow said in a serious whisper. “You and I both heard all the things she said earlier. What if she wants more than blood?” Twilight was silent for a moment. “I trust her.” Underneath her trembling voice, there was a note of confidence. The knob turned again, and light spilled down the steps, silhouetting Twilight's figure. She closed the door and descended the stairs, stopping at the base. She gasped, seeing the coil of chains in the small sliver of light the moon provided. “S-Sunset?” “Don’t worry, Sparky.” Sunset got up from her chair and stepped into the light. “No surprises this time. Here I am.” “How’d you get out of those chains? When did you get out?” “About two minutes ago. As for how…” Sunset played with her pointed ear. “Let’s just say I’m quite slippery when I want to be.” Sunset stepped closer, watching Twilight raise her arms and cover her chest. “Don’t be so modest, Twilight. I told you, you’re beautiful, every inch of you.” Twilight stood her ground against Sunset’s advancement, but she began to tremble. “You just want blood, Sunset. That’s all you need, right?” “That’s all I need but not all I want.” She reached out and gently pulled Twilight’s arms down. “And deep down, you want the same thing I do.” “I want you to help us.” Twilight made sure to avoid Sunset’s eyes. Sunset slid around to Twilight’s side, running a finger up her arm. “I will, I promise. But I need to help myself first. And maybe I can help you, too.” Twilight shook her head. “I don’t need help—ah!” Sunset blew in Twilight’s ear, making her shudder. “You’re such a stickler for rules and regulations. Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to listen to that little voice in your head telling you right from wrong?” “I did that already,” Twilight whispered. “I never want to do it again.” Moving behind Twilight, Sunset wrapped her arms around Twilight’s waist, pulling her into a light hug. “What if I was beside you the entire time?” She blew down Twilight’s neck. “Ah!” Twilight stifled her gasp. “No-no, I don’t want to be a vampire, Sunset. Please, let’s just get this over with.” “Really? But I want to take my time with you.” Sunset pressed into Twilight’s back and raised her hands to just below Twilight’s breasts. Jolts of electricity snapped through Sunset’s body, and her voice came out as a husky pant. “I want to savor this moment. Relish every touch and taste.” Twilight didn’t resist Sunset’s grip, though she shook like a leaf in the wind. “I know you, Sunset. As strong as those vampire urges are, I know you won’t go through with it.” Sunset gently turned Twilight’s head, exposing her neck. “And what if I do?” “You won’t.” There it was again: the confidence buried beneath the fear. Sunset paused, hovering just over Twilight’s soft skin. Did she really want to do this? Twilight was her best friend. Sunset shook her head. She didn’t have time to ponder morality. She was in the moment! This moment with just her and the object of her desire! Sunset sank her teeth into Twilight’s neck, eliciting a gasp from Twilight and a moan of pleasure from herself. Twilight’s blood spilled into her mouth, warm and rich, sweet with a little kick. Ecstasy blossomed across all of Sunset’s senses as she enjoyed every drop of Twilight’s blood. Her strength returned, prompting Sunset to suck even more of Twilight’s life force. Twilight! You don’t know how good this feels! Sunset raised her hands, unbuttoning Twilight’s vest. But you will soon. Twilight made small moans, but was limp in Sunset’s grasp. She made one more draw from Twilight’s neck, then pulled her fangs out, letting some of the blood dribble down her chin, before lapping it up. Sunset spun Twilight to face her, pulling the vest off her shoulders. Twilight looked up at her through unfocused eyes. “I… trust you.. Sun…” Sunset stopped undoing Twilight’s tie. She… trusts me. The jolts of ecstasy dancing up and down her body started to fade. Why? I have her right where I want her! Another voice spoke up in her head. You got what you needed. Now leave her alone. But I could do so much more! I could make her a vampire! Sunset bit the inside of her cheek, drawing a thin stream of blood. What was wrong with her? Why was she hesitating now of all times? She looked into Twilight’s violet eyes. They stared back at her with the naive trust that made Sunset want to hit her and kiss her at the same time. “Fine,” Sunset said, running a thumb against Twilight’s cheek. “You win, Twilight. I want you so badly. But tonight isn’t the night, I guess.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Twilight’s, tasting refreshing mint still lingering on her tongue. Sunset pulled away, then hoisted Twilight into her arms and glided up the stairs. The Rainbooms were gathered on the other side of the door, and they jumped back when Sunset kicked it open. Upon seeing Twilight in Sunset’s arms, they each broke into a tirade of questions, assaulting Sunset’s ears with their echoing voices. She ignored them all and carried Twilight into the chapel, resting her on the nearest pew. Finally, she turned and addressed the group. “She’s going to be fine. Just make sure she has food and water when she wakes up.” Rainbow gave a worried look to Twilight, then glared at Sunset. “Did you do anything to her?” Sunset flashed a grin. “You would have heard if I did.” She turned down the aisle and walked toward the broken window at the front. “Guess she was right after all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a walk.” She jumped into the air and glided through the window’s opening, welcoming the night air against her face. ****** Rarity leaned over Twilight, falling into the disgusting habit of biting her manicured fingernails. “She looks dreadfully pale.” Fluttershy knelt beside Twilight and measured her pulse. “She seems stable. But I think you’re right; Sunset took a lot of blood.” It had only been ten minutes since Sunset’s departure. Ten long minutes of monitoring Twilight and wondering how much they could trust Sunset. Rarity clutched a fist against her chest. It was better to be safe than sorry. “Come on, girls, let’s get Twilight to a hospital.” “What about Sunset?” Pinkie asked. Rainbow helped lift Twilight onto Applejack’s shoulders. “As long as she catches the bat and locks it up, we’ll be fine. I’m sure the Princess will write back any minute with a way to fix all of this.” With Twilight secured and murmuring to herself, Applejack led the Rainbooms out of the steeple and down the hill. The moon was full tonight, its luminescence outshining the stars surrounding it. The forest around them was eerily quiet—even the wind made little noise as it blew through the trees. No sounds came from the animals or insects within. As the hair on Rarity’s neck began to stand up, Pinkie stopped walking and random parts of her body began to convulse. “Pinkie Sense… activating!” Her hair vibrated and she pointed to the sky. “Look out!” A shadow swooped in, dive bombing Applejack. She threw herself to the ground, grunting loudly as Twilight’s extra weight crushed her. The shadow swooped again, silhouetted by the moonlight. Rainbow jumped in front of Applejack and shot her fist out, catching the shadow in the nose. It yelped and came to a stop, holding its nose. “Aw man! What’s with you girls and aiming for the face?” Lyra asked in a nasally voice. Instead of responding, Rainbow heaved Applejack to her feet and shouted, “Run!” They made a break for the forest again, but a blur sped in front of them and blocked the path. Bon Bon grinned at them, showing off her pointed teeth. “Going somewhere?” The girls skidded to a stop and circled up. Lyra approached them from behind, while Bon Bon continued to smile. Rarity held her hands up. “Now, ladies, I’m sure there’s a peaceful solution to all this—” “Give us your blood!” Lyra said eagerly. “—that doesn’t involve blood-sucking,” Rarity finished. “Nope,” Bon Bon said, taking another step closer. “That’s the only way this is gonna end.” Applejack groaned. “Great, done in by two vampires in the middle of a creepy forest.” Bon Bon made a noncommittal shrug. “Well, a vampire and a half. Lyra turned me, but I can’t fly or mind control people.” “How exactly does that work?” Applejack asked. “Hot vampire sex!” Lyra shouted. “And then I gave her some of my blood.” “And then, more sex,” Bon Bon added. Rainbow gagged. “Okay, you can just bite me now.” Lyra flexed her fingers. “With pleasure!” She sprang into action, teeth aimed for Rainbow’s throat. A clove of garlic sailed through the air, aiming for Lyra’s eye. She caught it mid-pounce and crushed it into pieces. “No.” Pinkie tapped her fingers together and made a high-pitched giggle. “Well, there goes my last garlic. New plan.” She threw herself in front of Rainbow. “Bite me instead!” Rarity gaped at her. “Pinkie, what—” Pinkie gave her a subtle wink, then flickered her eye toward Rarity’s purse. “Uh, yes, take Pinkie first.” “What?” Rainbow shouted. “Have you both—oof!” Rainbow massaged her stomach. “Uhh, sure, take Pinkie.” “Dibs!” Lyra tackled Pinkie to the ground. “Bonnie, you can take Applejack first.” Applejack adjusted Twilight against her back and took a defensive stance. It didn’t do much for her when Bon Bon rushed her and brought her to the floor. Twilight rolled across the ground, groaning and curling into a ball. “Applejack!” Rarity shouted. She preemptively reached into her purse and wrapped her hand around her pepper spray. As she pulled it out, Lyra let out a yell of pain and jumped away from Pinkie. Her scream was enough to distract Bon Bon. Rarity jumped forward and sprayed her right in the eyes, causing her to flail and scream as well. Applejack kicked her off and got to her feet, then grabbed Twilight. “Thanks, Rare!” Rarity gave her a quick thumbs up while she ran over to Lyra, who was still rubbing her tongue against her sleeve. Rarity sprayed her with a face full of mace, then helped Pinkie up and dragged her down the path. “You okay, dear?” Pinkie rubbed her neck. “Y-yeah, I’ll be fine. She just took a bigger gulp than I thought.” The Rainbooms left behind the screaming vampires and ran into the forest, sacrificing the moonlight for the dark camouflage of the trees. “Now what do we do?” Fluttershy asked between breaths. “Keep running until we get to the van, then drive as far away as possible!” Rarity said. Two loud hisses echoed after them. ****** Sunset crept closer, her ears twitching at the chittering coming from the other side of the roof she was perched on. She looked over the edge and toward the park across the street. Two kids were talking under a tree, illuminated only by the pale moon. Moving her eyes up, Sunset saw the bat perched in the topmost branch, eyeing the children. With the amount of chittering it made, she was surprised neither of them had heard it. One of the kids stood up and stretched, then waved a hand to his friend. As he left, the bat twitched its nose and flexed its wings. Sunset tensed her muscles as well, pressing herself against the rooftop. The other boy got up and adjusted his propeller hat before walking toward the houses that bordered the park. The bat swooped from its perch, launching itself at the back of his neck. Sunset did likewise, flying faster than an arrow. She snatched the bat from midair, just before it got to the kid’s neck, and landed at the top of the tree. “Well, you’ve been busy, haven’t you, ya little blood sucker?” Sunset flicked the bat’s ear as it struggled in her grasp. It stuck its teeth into her hand, out of irritation or hunger, Sunset wasn’t sure. It hurt, but Sunset refused to let go. She looked down at the boy, standing at the edge of the sidewalk, staring up with his mouth open. Sunset grinned. “No one will believe you.” She jumped and glided away, savoring his look of incomprehension. Sure, she could have drunk his blood while she was here, but she had already had two meals on the way. And there was a tiny voice telling her biting children was wrong. She looked at the bat. “So now what?” As if to answer her question, the distant screams of her friends reached her ears. She sighed and turned back toward the forest. “Well, at least this night promises to be exciting.” She gave the bat a little shake. “So how many people did you bite?” It only screeched angrily and wriggled even more. “Keep it up and I’ll just snap your neck.”   The bat actually fell quiet, though it continued to bite Sunset’s hand. She didn’t think much of it—she was already a vampire, what else could it do? It took her a few short minutes to reach the Everfree Forest. She didn’t need her super hearing to hear the commotion going on below her. Rainbow screamed, a branch was swung, and someone yelled, “Ow! Godammit!” “Oooo, a party!” Sunset said enthusiastically. She dropped down below the tree line and landed on a branch, just in time to see Rainbow and the girls run underneath her. She jumped again and glided alongside them. “So, what’d I miss?” “Aaaagh!” Each of them screamed, and Rainbow reached out and slapped Sunset with a tree branch. “Ow! What the hell?” “Oh, s-sorry, Sunset,” Rainbow panted. “I thought… wait, why am I apologizing, you’re a vampire too!” “Yeah, I’m the vampire that caught your stupid bat!” Sunset held it up, showing off its scrunched nose and large fangs. “Yeesh, that thing is ugly!” “I know, right?” She gave it a solid bap on the head, knocking it unconscious. “Here ya go.” She dropped it into Fluttershy’s hands. Even she looked a little apprehensive of it. Rarity came to a stop by a large tree, doubling over to catch her breath. “Sunset, could you do us one more little favor, please?” Sunset floated up to the closest branch and sat down, watching all of them struggle for air. “I don’t know. What’s in it for me?” She looked at Twilight, still knocked out and being carried by Applejack. “I already got Sparky’s blood.” Rarity looked at her in desperation. “Sunset, please, just help us! We’re—” The wind picked up, and Lyra and Bon Bon burst from the foliage and onto the narrow path. Lyra sported a cut that was already healing up, and Bon Bon’s sleeves had been torn. “All right, no more games,” Lyra said. “We’re gonna… oh, hi, Sunset!” Sunset lifted a hand. “Sup.” “I didn’t know you were a vampire.” “Yeah, I was kinda the first one.” “That’s cool. Wanna help us drink these girls?” Sunset tapped a finger against her chin. “You know, as tempting as that sounds…” She jumped down and stood between the two vampires and the Rainbooms. “I’m gonna have to say no.” Lyra frowned. “Why?” Sunset rushed forward and delivered a solid roundhouse kick to Lyra’s jaw, sending her straight into the air. “I don’t share food.” Bon Bon gaped at Sunset, then hissed and slashed at her with her sharp claws. Sunset ducked to the side and grabbed Bon Bon by the arm. With an effortless heave, she lifted Bon Bon off the ground and tossed her up into the air after Lyra. Rarity’s shoulders relaxed and she slumped against the tree. “Thanks, Sunset.” “Oh, it’s not over yet.” She tilted her head toward the group. “But when this is over, I’m drinking all your blood.” She jumped into the air, bursting above the trees in time to see Bon Bon reach the peak of her flight and start to fall back to the earth. Before she could fall too far, Lyra flew over and caught her. “So, vampire fighting?” Lyra asked. “This is a thing that’s happening right now?” Sunset crossed her arms. “Yep.” “Cool. But are you sure you want to go two-on-one?” “More like one and a half.” Lyra growled, her fangs gleaming softly in the moonlight. “Semantics You’re still outnumbered, Sunset,” she said firmly as she cracked her neck. “I’m going to ask you one more time: are you going to help us drink tonight or not?” “Allow me to answer that in the following way.” Sunset flew forward and brought her fist across Lyra’s cheek. Lyra staggered back, keeping a tight grip on Bon Bon before righting herself in the air. Sunset’s eyes followed Lyra as she descended to the ground, setting her friend down and rubbing her cheek. Sunset flew ahead of the two, dropping down into the trees as she quietly circled her opponents, smirking at the confusion on their faces. “What’s wrong, Lyra? You look a little lost. Need some help?” she teased, her voice echoing throughout the small clearing. “I’m just getting started!” Lyra huffed, baring her fangs as she rotated her stance in an attempt to spot Sunset. Sunset jumped forward the moment Lyra turned her back to her, bringing her arm back as she nailed Lyra with a fierce blow to the back of her head. Before she could follow it up, Bon Bon reared her fist back and struck Sunset’s sternum, knocking her to the floor. Sunset rolled on her back and swept her legs out, bringing Bon Bon down with her. Just as Sunset got back to her feet, Lyra slammed a fist against the back of her head, sending her to the ground once more. Sunset saw dirt, flipped over onto her back, then saw the underside of Lyra’s boot. Blood splattered across Sunset’s face, and her nose made a terrible crack. “So, who’s lost now, Sunset?” Lyra said, slamming her foot into Sunset’s side this time, knocking her into the bushes. Sunset licked up the blood dribbling into her mouth and grunted. “Why does everyone go for the nose?” By the time she was on her feet, the pain was gone, and Sunset could snap her nose back into place. She burst back into the clearing, claws ready to strike, only to find it empty. Crap, where’d they go? Sunset spun around, her sense on high alert. “Gotcha!” Lyra’s arms wrapped around Sunset’s frame and held her tightly in place. Sunset struggled and kicked her legs, but Lyra had a surprisingly strong grip. Bon Bon appeared from the shadows, fist drawn back, and punched Sunset in the face. It was followed-up by three more direct hits before Sunset delivered a kick to Bon Bon’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her. While she caught her breath, Sunset planted her feet firmly on the ground and flipped Lyra over her back, slamming her into Bon Bon and knocking the two of them to the ground. “I’m getting very close to being done screwing around with you two,” Sunset grunted, wiping the blood off her face with her sleeve. “I suggest you run along and find something else to snack on.” Lyra rolled off of Bon Bon off and pushed herself back onto her feet before picking up her friend, bridal style. “You know… you’re right. We’ll be off now,” she said simply. She ran off into the forest, leaving a faint trail of dust behind. “Yeah, you better run!” Sunset crossed her arms and smirked. She blinked. “Aw, crap!” She ran after them, swiping vines and branches out of the way. She reached the edge of the forest, where the Rainbooms were still scrambling toward Fluttershy’s van. Lyra swept around and cut them off, grabbing Rarity in the process. Sunset made a running jump, throwing herself over everyone’s head and tackling Lyra to the ground. They grappled in the dirt for a moment before a strong hand grabbed Sunset’s neck and slammed her into a tree, the bark cracking behind her. Bon Bon slammed a fist into Sunset’s gut, forcing up blood and making Sunset choke on air. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and dropped to one knee, watching Lyra pin Fluttershy down while Bon Bon caught Rarity by the arm. Sunset grit her teeth together and stood up. “Hands off my food!” She ripped a branch from the tree and hurled it at Bon Bon, nailing in her the head. When it bounced to the ground Applejack picked it up and smacked her again. Sunset bolted forward and got her hands around Lyra’s neck before she could bite into Fluttershy’s. Lyra threw her elbow back and smashed it into Sunset’s rib. Sunset cringed but refused to let go, tightening her grip on Lyra’s throat instead. Lyra raked her claws into Sunset’s arm, drawing blood and leaving long lacerations across her arm. Cries of pain built up in Sunset’s throat, but she refused to give Lyra the satisfaction of acknowledging she was causing any pain. Just as Lyra’s scratching began to weaken, Bon Bon swiped her claws against Sunset’s cheek, drawing a yell of pain and surprise from her. Bon Bon then grabbed Sunset and flung her forward, where she crashed into the side of the van, denting it before falling limply to the ground. “Sunset, are you all right?” Rarity asked, gingerly picking her up by the arm. Sunset shakily managed to get to her feet, pushing Rarity away. “I just got tossed into the side of a car, how do you think I’m doing?” she snapped, leaning against the van for support. She brushed her hair out of her face. “Just get out of here before they drink you. You’re supposed to be my next meal.” Rarity pursed her lips, but said nothing. She tried to get the dented door open, but it wouldn’t budge. “Um, Sunset could yo—” But Sunset was already making a sprint for Rainbow, pinned against a tree by Bon Bon. Sunset was tempted to just rip Bon Bon’s throat out and be done with it, but there was that voice in the back of her head, telling her not to kill these other vampires. It wasn’t their fault they ended up like this. Sunset settled for grabbing Bon Bon by her hair, yanking her backwards and socking her across the face. She went down with the single blow, giving Rainbow time to tear toward Rarity, still struggling to get the door open. Pinkie and Fluttershy quickly made their way to the car, Pinkie fending Lyra off with the broken tree branch. Lyra ducked underneath Pinkie’s haphazard swing and snatched the branch from her hand, tossing it overhead. Sunset jumped into the air, caught it, and brought it down over Lyra’s head with a solid thwack! Lyra teetered back and forth before crumpling to the ground, clutching her skull and groaning loudly. Pinkie and Fluttershy gave a cheer of thanks and joined Rainbow and Rarity. That only left Applejack, still carrying Twilight like a backpack. She wasn’t far, but carrying Twilight that long had left her winded and slowed. Bon Bon sprung like a cheetah, claws stretched out in front of her and eyes gleaming red. “I’m sick of this game! I want food now!” Sunset matched Bon Bon’s speed, shooting across the clearing and shoving Applejack out of the way. She and Twilight tumbled into the dirt, avoiding Bon Bon’s claws. Sunset was not as lucky. Five searing lines of pain tore across her chest, slicing through her shirt and tearing her skin to ribbons. Sunset threw her head back and yelled, warm blood running down the remains of her blue blouse, staining it crimson. Sunset grabbed Bon Bon’s hand, weakly trying to dislodge the nails buried in her chest. She tried to concentrate on breathing, the mere action causing her muscles to twitch uncontrollably. Bon Bon grinned sadistically, a face Sunset never thought she’d see on the girl. “Gee, that looks like it hurts a lot.” She started to turn her hand to the left, tearing more of Sunset’s skin. Sunset screamed louder, her legs giving out beneath her, only to be held up by Bon Bon’s claws. Tears streamed down her cheeks while she whimpered in sheer agony. Bon Bon leaned close and whispered, “That was for Lyra.” She grinned again, licking her fangs sultrily. “Well, I guess now’s as good a time as any to find out what other vampire’s taste like.” A purple hand gripped Bon Bon’s wrist, bringing both her’s and Sunset’s attention to the world around them. Twilight stood in between them, her eyes half-closed like she was in a trance. She looked at the blood streaming out of Sunset and covering Bon Bon’s hand. “Blood?” Twilight whispered. Her eyes widened, revealing their red irises. She yanked Bon Bon’s hand free from Sunset’s chest, allowing her to fall to the ground. Clutching a hand against her wounds, Sunset watched Twilight bite into Bon Bon’s hand, trying to suck the blood off. Crap! How—when—why? Bon Bon came out of shock and smacked Twilight in the head, sending her to the ground next to Sunset. “Okay, what just happened?” Sunset coughed, struggling to find her voice. “Well, I may have accidentally made her a half-vampire.” “When?” “That’s an excellent question. When my chest stops bleeding, I’ll let you know.” From behind Sunset, there was a loud horn and a flood of light. She twisted her head just enough to see Fluttershy’s van turned in their direction, the engine revved. With a yell of agony, Sunset grabbed Twilight and pulled her out of the way as the van sped forward and crashed into Bon Bon, launching her back into the forest. Sunset gasped for air, propping herself up on one arm to look over Twilight. “Hey,” she rasped. “Y-you okay?” Twilight opened her eyes again, still crimson. She sat up, looking groggy and confused. “Sunset? What’s going on?” As she spoke, Sunset could see her pointed teeth. “And why am I so thirsty?” With her gashes healing, Sunset could move into a sitting position without feeling agonizing pain. This had to happen now of all times. Any other moment, this would be perfect. She put a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Don’t freak out—” Twilight caught sight of Sunset's wounds and scrambled back. “What happened to you!” “It’s fine, it’ll heal.” Sunset waved a dismissive hand. Twilight continued to stare. “That’s… a lot of blood,” she said with a hint of longing. “Yeah, listen, so—” The rattling of a car door interrupted Sunset this time as Rarity and Applejack came over from the van. “Are you two okay?” Rarity asked. “I’ll be fine,” Sunset said with a layer of irritation. “Twilight on the other hand…” Twilight was on her feet, staring curiously at the two girls. “Blood… thirsty… feed.” Her fangs extended. Applejack grabbed Rarity and took a giant step back. “Sunset, what did you do?” “It was an accident!” Sunset reached forward and grabbed Twilight by the legs before she could jump at them. “But now would be a really good time for you to leave if you value your necks!” Applejack and Rarity shared one last moment of hesitation before retreating. The van lingered a minute longer before finally turning down the road. Sunset kept a tight grip on Twilight’s ankles, though she stopped struggling after the girls had disappeared into the car. She looked down at Sunset again, eyes flickering between red and violet. “Sunset,” she said in a heavy and trembling voice, “what’s happening to me?” Sunset sighed. “I accidentally—” “Hey!” Lyra sat up, rubbing her head. She looked around. “Where’s Bon Bon?” she asked groggily. For the love of Celestia! Sunset pushed herself onto her feet, using Twilight as a support. “Listen, Twilight, do you trust me?” Twilight stared into her eyes, then nodded firmly. “Yes.” “Then don’t move.” Sunset bit hard on her lip, drawing a well of blood into her mouth. She cupped Twilight’s face and pushed their lips together, slowly secreting the blood into Twilight’s mouth. Twilight made a noise of surprise that quickly melted into hungry moans. She slurped every drop of blood Sunset gave to her, then explored Sunset’s mouth for more. Sunset yielded, enjoying Twilight’s soft lips against hers. Her other hand wrapped around Twilight’s waist, but she quickly remembered where they were, and who was watching. She could hear Lyra struggling to get to her feet. Sunset released her, a line of saliva bridging the gap between their mouths. Twilight’s crimson eyes stared expectantly into Sunset’s. She wiped a hand across her chest, soaking it in the remaining blood, then held it out to Twilight. Her tongue snaked out and licked it up with avarice. Before Sunset’s eyes, she could see Twilight’s ears became pointed, and her fangs extending past her lip. Within her eyes, Sunset could see a wanting—a desire for more than just blood. Any other time, Sunset thought bitterly. Any other time. A shadow shot from the trees and slammed into Sunset, throwing her down the road. She landed on her back, pinned by her shoulders and forced to stare up at a livid Bon Bon. She didn’t say anything, she just bent down and dug her fangs into Sunset’s neck. Sunset’s body locked up; her blood flowed in reverse, drained out of her system. A primal screech ripped through the night, and Bon Bon was torn from Sunset, dragging her fangs across Sunset’s throat. Sunset pressed a hand against it, breathing easy that the cuts this time were shallow. She got to her knees and looked behind her, where Twilight grappled with Bon Bon. There was a maniacal gleam in Twilight’s eye as she blocked Bon Bon’s hits and struck with her own. Might have given her too much blood. Sunset stood up and took a deep breath, the pain in her chest finally subsiding. A new pain burst across the back of her head, and stars flooded her vision. When she blinked, Sunset found herself staring once again at dirt, a lump of it sitting in her mouth. “You know,” Lyra’s voice floated somewhere above Sunset, “there’s a voice in my head telling me I shouldn’t kill you. Buuut…. yeah, I’m just gonna ignore it.” A boot pressed against Sunset’s skull. She tried to push herself off the ground, but Lyra threw her entire weight onto Sunset. “Hey, Lyra, catch!” Bon Bon sailed through the air and crashed into Lyra, knocking them to the ground next to Sunset. She sprung to her feet and rubbed the back of her head, wincing at the tender bruise. She jumped when a hand grabbed her ankle; Bon Bon's claws broke through her boot and dug into Sunset’s skin. Twilight dropped from the sky and smashed her foot on top of Bon Bon’s wrist, eliciting a loud, sickening crack! Bon Bon howled in pain, while Twilight leaned down, still grinning fiendishly. “Gee, that sounded like it hurt a lot!” She ground her heel deeper, getting more cracks and whimpers from Bon Bon until Lyra got up and slashed Twilight across the face. She leaned back, her head tilted to one side. A giggle passed through her lips, then she threw herself forward, jabbing her claws into Lyra’s shoulder, and following up with a punch to the chest. As Lyra stumbled back, Twilight pounced on top of her, laughing in delight. “Yep, too much blood.” Sunset looked at Bon Bon, nursing her shattered wrist. “Give up now and I might be able to call her off.” Bon Bon glared at her. “Don’t get all high and mighty just because you have a blood-crazed side-kick.” “Isn’t that what you are to Lyra?” Bon Bon hissed and swung her good arm for Sunset’s face. Sunset ducked and brought her boot up into Bon Bon’s sternum, sending her into the air. With a single jump, Sunset overtook her and wrapped one arm around her neck. She used her free hand to grab Bon Bon’s good wrist. “So, Bonnie, who has a B average, two broken wrists, and can’t fly?” Through Sunset’s stranglehold, Bon Bon choked out, “But I only have one—” Snap! Bon Bon opened her mouth, letting out a pathetic whine. “This girl.” Sunset smirked and released her, letting Bon Bon drop to the earth. There was a dull thud and a cloud of dust upon impact, followed by a cry of distress from Lyra. Sunset descended to find Twilight straddling Lyra against the ground. Both of them were covered in half-healed cuts and blood. Twilight pinned Lyra’s arms down and leaned over her ear. “Shhh,” Twilight cooed. “This won’t hurt, I promise. I’m just taking your blood. No offense, but you’re not really my type.” Twilight sank her fangs into Lyra’s neck and slurped loudly. Lyra’s struggles weakened and she let out a moan of defeat. Eventually, she fell still under Twilight’s grip, her eyes glossing over. Sunset rushed over and ripped Twilight off of her. Twilight hissed and lapped up the blood around her mouth. “Why did you stop me?” “You were going to kill her,” Sunset said, drawing her mouth in a thin line. “You make that sound like it’s a bad thing.” Twilight traced a finger along one of her cuts, wiping up some of the blood. “I believe they were trying to kill you first,” she said in a sultry whisper. She ran her bloody finger along Sunset’s cheek. “And I’d hate to see anything bad happen to you… mistress.” Sunset trembled with excitement. The smell of Twilight’s blood right under her nose was almost too much. She shook her head, blocking out the alluring mix of blood and lavender. “I appreciate it, Twilight, but you can’t kill them.” Twilight pressed herself closer, lacing her fingers through the holes in Sunset’s blouse. “What happened to ‘no inhibitions or morals’? I’m thirsty, they’re right here. I’m not seeing a problem.” Sunset ran her fingers through Twilight’s hair, sighing deeply. It wasn’t just the voice in the back of her head telling her this was wrong, something in her heart was off too. Her body enjoyed every touch Twilight gave her, but it didn’t feel right. “I’m going to sound like a hypocrite when I say this, but even vampires need limits. I… I almost raped you Twilight and I just…” She looked away. Twilight’s fingers slipped underneath Sunset’s shirt and pushed Sunset to the ground to straddle her. “It wouldn’t be rape if I want it,” she said, a familiar lust in her voice. Her lips were inches away from Sunset. Well, we’ve come this far, might as well… Sunset closed her eyes and shook her head. Her hand drifted toward her burn marks, then pushed Twilight’s face away. “I can’t, Twilight. I want to—I really, really want to. But…” A frustrated scowl overtook Twilight’s face. “What happened to you being ‘Twisexual’? What happened to your vampire urges?” Sunset looked away. “Someone reminded me that there’s something more important.” Twilight hissed and pinned Sunset’s arms down. “You’re not going to tell me it’s friendship are you?” “I’m sorry.” Twilight grit her teeth. “So am I.” She bit into Sunset’s neck. Sunset shuddered and tried to push Twilight away, panicking as her energy left her far more quickly than when Bon Bon bit her. “Twi… Twilight…” she mumbled, her vision blurring. She felt Twilight’s hands move from her arms down to her belt. “I… trust you…” Sunset breathed as she passed out.