Chapter 1
Sunset’s confusion was probably warranted the moment she stepped into Sugarcube Corner with Fluttershy. Her friends had called an emergency friendship meeting after school, and she couldn't figure out why. The cold fall air whirled around outside as she sat down at the table with the rest of her friends.
They all had looks of worry on their faces, and Sunset couldn’t place where they were coming from. She was about to ask when Twilight cleared her throat.
“Concerning the magic that has been coming through the portal, we realize that some things may get out of hand without us knowing, and that things that do go wrong, take time to fix,” she said, fiddling with her bowtie. “And while we respect your decision to be involved in this very precarious situation, it’s just...um..”
“Fluttershy, you need to stop sucking Sunset’s blood so much!” Rainbow Dash blurted, tired of Twilight’s lengthy skirt around the issue.
“Huh—Wha?” Fluttershy responded, taken aback.
“Excuse me?” Sunset asked, raising a brow.
“Darling,” Rarity reasoned, putting Sunset’s hands in her own. “We know that you’ve become a part of Fluttershy’s diet for erm, necessary reasons, but it’s killing you quite literally.”
“How so?” Sunset demanded. “I feel fine! Plus you guys were the ones who suggested I do it since I have the strongest link to Equestrian magic here!”
“We know,” Applejack agreed, “But that was before we saw how much it was taking a toll on you, sugarcube.”
“Name one thing that has gone wrong since Fluttershy has started feeding on me,” Sunset challenged, folding her arms.
“You passed out in gym three times last week, you stare into space sometimes, you’re always tired—oh! And then there’s the time we had to ask Princess Twilight to come through the portal to make sure Fluttershy didn’t actually turn you!” Pinkie counted on one hand.
“All isolated incidents!” Sunset objected defiantly. "Besides, if it wasn't for Rainbow letting the bat get away, we wouldn't be in this situation!"
“Fine! But isolated my ass!" Dash shouted. "Look, I know it's taking longer than we thought to catch that weird bat that came through the crack in the portal and we need to keep Fluttershy alive somehow, but you’re no good to us dead!”
“Or a vampire!” Pinkie interjected. “Who knows what freaky-deaky stuff would happen if you became a vampire?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow agreed. “You’d probably end up sucking all of us dry or something.” she made claws with her hands and hissed at Rarity who flicked her in the forehead.
“You’re no good to me dead,” Sunset retorted dryly with a smirk. “Besides, that’s not going to happen. Fluttershy knows when to stop. Right, babe?”
Fluttershy’s yellow cheeks flushed. “Oh! Um, yes.” Even after becoming a vampire, the meek part of her personality never left.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rainbow said, holding up her hands. “Back this train up. ‘Babe’? Are you guys a thing now?”
Sunset and Fluttershy shared nervous looks.
Sunset scratched her ear. “Uh...I mean...It kind of just sorta happened...You know with all the time we've been spending together.....And we were going to tell you guys and everything...but...”
“But..?” Applejack repeated.
“But we knew you guys would be against it.” Fluttershy admitted.
“So you decided to hornswoggle us?” Dash barked, drawing some attention from the patrons who were sitting close to them.
Twilight frowned. “Rainbow, I am absolutely sure you just used that word wrong.”
“Oh yeah, you would say that you hornswoggling hornswoggler.” Dash told her, suspicious.
Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Anyway,” Rarity said, bringing everyone's attention back to the subject at hand. “Regardless of you two dating or not, we need to set some rules. Fluttershy darling, if we don’t fix this, Sunset could very well be in danger.”
“I’m not in any danger!” Sunset insisted, slamming her hand on the table. Again the attention of half of Sugarcube Corner was on them and she blushed and winced from the pain in her neck.
Despite the embarrassment, her pain did not go unnoticed from the group, and Twilight was quick to point it out.
“What’s that?” she asked, pointing to the scarf around Sunset’s neck. The nip of winter hadn’t exactly come yet so it wasn’t even bad enough to wear scarves.
“A scarf? I’m sure you know what that is,” Sunset retorted, eyebrow raised.
Twilight rolled her eyes. “I mean you weren't wearing that at school.”
Rarity nodded. “Pink isn't your color, no offense darling,” she said, giving Sunset a sympathetic look. “So that means that scarf must belong to Fluttershy.”
Sunset was on the defensive. “She loaned it to me because I was cold.” she deemed that excuse good enough until Pinkie chimed in.
“You couldn’t have been! It was like, eighty degrees today!” she said, waving her arms. “Unless...” she gasped. “Fluttershy got an after school snack from you!”
With inhuman speed, Pinkie ripped the scarf from Sunset’s neck to reveal that bandages had been wrapped around it. “Ah-ha!” she shouted, making people look their way for the third time. “Detective Pinkie strikes again!”
“So things got a little rough!” Sunset blurted, making excuses. “It’s not like she meant it!”
“Yes, but you could still die. Meaning it or not,” Rarity reminded her.
“I-I wouldn't—I-I couldn't—" Fluttershy stammered, growing worried by the minute.
Applejack gave her a comforting smile. “We know, sugarcube. We know you. We just don't know what vampire you is capable of. And judgin’ by Sunset’s neck, it's a lot.”
“Yeah! Try explaining that one to Principal Celestia tomorrow morning!” Rainbow agreed, pointing to the bandages.
“We’ve dealt with she-demons, sirens, and wood mages. She probably wouldn't even care at this point let alone have a solution for a situation out of her league,” Sunset reminded her. “Remember how easy it was for The Dazzlings to put her under their control?”
“Point taken,” Twilight responded nodding. “But, maybe we should cut down on the feedings? Just a little bit?”
“If it means that much to you guys, I don't see why not,” Fluttershy decided, looking at Sunset.
Sunset rolled her eyes. “Fine. If you guys are so worried about it, I won't let Fluttershy feed on me so much.” she checked her phone for the time and got up. “I've got some homework to do. I'll see you guys later.”
Fluttershy got up too. “I’m going to help her with that homework,” she announced getting up and taking her leave too.
The door jingled as it shut behind them.
“They're not going to listen to us, are they?” Rarity asked, blinking.
“Nope,” Rainbow said, shaking her head. “We got hornswoggled.”
A little later, as the cool fall air whistled through the gold and brown trees, Sunset and Fluttershy sat perched atop an oak tree overlooking the town.
“Do you think we fooled them?” Fluttershy asked, licking Sunset’s blood off her lips.
Sunset let out a tired yawn. “Hell if I know. Sure seemed like it,” she responded, holding her hand to her neck. “Jeez ‘Shy, don't bite so hard next time, will ya?”
Fluttershy blushed. “Sorry. I just can’t help it when I'm around you.”
Sunset smirked. “I'm no good to you dead, babe,” she reminded her, kissing her and tasting her own blood on her lips a sharp, new hunger stirred within her.
Fluttershy smiled back, staring into pools of turquoise that slowly turned red. Her grin widened.
“Good thing you can't die then.”