Previously: Newly-turned vampire Elliot Marshall has been challenged by Vladislaus Straud to build a clan consisting of the most powerful families around before his rival, Miss H can do the same. Now it seems their battle has come to a complete draw…

Elliot braced himself to fight. He had never been in a fight. Not even a minor scuffle. He tended to spend Brawl Day locking his doors, drawing the curtains (when he thought to put some on the windows), and hiding under his bed. But now there were no beds to hide under—only him, his clan, and a clearly more powerful and angry vampire clan leader.

He wondered if it was still too late to surrender. But then, he’d be letting down Kyle, who’d not only worked so hard, but actually done something right this time. He’d be letting down Lexi and her botany dreams, Lily with her global domination dreams, and Max with his…generic vampire power dreams. He wasn’t sure the cat had a dream, but that was besides the point. People were counting on him. He’d become a vampire to be strong. He had to trust in himself and in his friends.

It was all very inspiring, and he was totally ready to jump into battle when a cloud of black smoke appeared in front of him. He knew this ominous entrance. And this was not someone he could fight, no matter how hyped up on adrenaline he was. Elliot stepped back, as did Miss H, to give Vladilslaus room to appear.

Elliot stared slack-jawed the woman changed before him. Even before the smoke completely cleared, he knew her face. He had dreamed about it every night. Or at least, every time he remembered having a dream, she was usually in it. So anecdotal evidence suggested the nights he didn’t remember his dreams, she was probably in those, too. Even since that dreaded day when the horrible Laganaphyllis simnovorii had taken his love away from him, he had yearned to see her again. Was this really possible? Or what it all a crazed hallucination? He wouldn’t put it past Vlad to do such a thing, and yet…

“Oo!” said Kyle excitedly. “Are you having a flashback?”

“Yes,” Miss H replied. “Now shut up and let me continue.”

What would become of the clans now? Elliot did not know. Nor he particularly care. The two groups of vampires stood uneasily staring each other down and yet sympathetic to each other’s confusion. Somehow this was not what any of them had planned.

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