It was nighttime and all the pirates were asleep. All but one.
                      Slowly the one that was still awake crept over to where Mason was sleeping.
                      Pulling out a syringe, he filled it as much as he could. The vampire opened his
                      mouth wide as he emptied the hypodermics contents into it. He repeated the
                      process until he was full. Once his hunger was sated, the vampire went back to
                      bed, joining his shipmates in blissful oblivion.

                      Oh, wait. One more pirate was awake.

                      Billy Jukes shivered under the covers. He had just witnessed the whole thing
                      and knew he wasn’t going back to sleep that night.
 

                      ~
                      Once again Hook had his pirates out searching for the Lost Boys. For some odd
                      reason, Billy was being very distant. He eyed everyone else warily and
                      accidentally wandered off as soon as he could.
                      Putting good distance between him and the others, Billy kept one hand in his
                      pocket, clutching a silver cross. If one of his shipmates was a vampire, then the
                      others could be as well. The only one he knew he could trust was Mason. But
                      how to warn him?
                      Billy gave the cross in his hand another squeeze. As long as he stayed on
                      guard, he was safe. Just as he thought that, a burst of intense pain caused him
                      to collapse.

                      ~
                      Billy awoke to find himself alone in his bunk. Well, not quite alone. Sitting in a
                      chair off to the side was Starkey. Instantly Billy sat up. Starkey sighed.
                      “First of all, lets drop the pretenses. I’m a vampire. You know and I know you
                      know. The question now is what are you going to do about it, and the answer is
                      nothing.”

                      Billy never broke eye contact, ignoring the strange itching in his neck. “You’re a
                      danger to everyone on this ship. What on earth makes you think I won’t tell?”
                      “Simple, you tell them my little secret, and I’ll tell them yours.”
                      My secret? I don’t have a secret. Unless…Damn he must know about my
                      friendship with Slightly. Still…
                      “I don’t have a secret,” Billy bluffed.
                      “You do now”
                      Huh
                      “Your neck’s bothering you, isn’t it?”
                      “So?”
                      Wordlessly, Starkey threw a small mirror to Jukes. The gunner kept he eyes on
                      the vampire as he caught the mirror and undid the bandanna. Ever so quickly,
                      he glanced into the mirror. Not seeing anything, he risked a longer look into the
                      reflective surface.
                      It took a few moments for Billy’s brain to register what his eyes were seeing.

                      There was nothing there.

                      No, that wasn’t true. The wall was there and the bunk was there, but for all the
                      mirror cared, Billy was invisible. For the first time He noticed how pale the hand
                      holding the mirror was.
                      The boy’s insides froze. “What did you do[/i] to me?”
                      Even as he asked, the rational part of his brain told him what must have
                      happened. That only one creature was incapable of casting a reflection and
                      Starkey was more than capable of turning him into that creature.

                      Starkey smiled. “It’s been a long time since I could drink as much as I wanted”
                      Billy’s pale hand dropped the mirror. It clattered to the floor, but didn’t break.
                      “Now if you were to tell anyone about me, I’d have to tell them that I’m not the
                      only vampire on board.”
                      Jukes averted his eyes. “It…It doesn’t matter what happens to me. I’m not
                      worth it. Not anymore”
                      That piece of martyrdom was not in the original game plan. But the older
                      vampire hadn’t survived as long as he had without being able to adapt quickly.
                      “In that case, consider yourself an example.”
                      “An…example?”
                      “Yes, if anyone else finds out about me, they share your fate. And I don’t think
                      you want to be responsible for any more of our kind on board.” Calmly and
                      smoothly, Starkey left the cabin.
                      Slowly Billy’s horror gave way to anger. How dare Starkey steal his life?
                      Threaten his shipmates. How dare he…
                      For what would be the first of many times, Billy felt a strange tingling in his
                      gums. Putting his hand to his mouth, Billy felt his fangs for the first time.

                      The horror came back in an instant. Not even the mirror had brought the new
                      reality home like this. The fangs clinched the fact that he was a vampire. And
                      with the sharp fangs came the knowledge of what they were to be used for.
                      That in order to feed himself, he would have to hunt down he fellow, no-that
                      wasn’t true anymore, he would have to hunt down humans. Subdue them.
                      Pierce the skin, straight to the veins. Drink…drink…
                      He couldn’t bring himself to even think it
                      He was painfully aware of what he was now; an undead monster, but he
                      couldn’t accept it.
                      He flung himself from his bunk, only to collapse against the wall. He huddled
                      against the wooden frame, warm tears rolling down his face, crying out his pain
                      and fear.

                      None of the pirates could figure out why Billy had become so anti-social. He no
                      longer talked to anyone, skipped every meal, and basically kept to himself as
                      much as possible. Between the pale color of his skin, the haunted look in his
                      eyes, and how jumpy he was, it seemed as though young Jukes was scared to
                      death.

                      ~
                      Billy dropped Mason’s lifeless corpse on the deck next to Smee’s and turned to
                      the captain. Hook drew his sword, transfixed by the bloodthirsty red eyes.
                      James may have been a fearsome pirate, but he was no match for a vampire.
                      Within seconds Hook was unarmed and Billy was dining on the dark rich blood.
                      When there was no more of the nourishing liquid to be found in the captain,
                      Jukes turned his attention. The older pirates was cowering by the railing
                              “Billyboy, please, it’s me,” pleaded the Brooklyn buccaneer. But the once
                      boy cared for nothing for the sound of the pulse and the smell of Roberts
                      blood. And the taste of Robert’s blood as it dripped down his throat.

                      NO!! !!!!!!!!!! gasped Billy, sitting bolt upright in his bunk. His eyes clenched in
                      horror as the nightmare played itself in his mind. It was the same every night
                      for the past three weeks. Even with his eyes closed, he could tell the rest of the
                      crew was still alive. He could hear each individual heartbeat and smell the sweet
                      dark nectar that flowed through every member of the crew, except for Starkey
                      and himself.
                      And all that sensory input was making him even hungrier.
                      Billy opened his eyes and saw Starkey only a few inched from his face.
                      “What do you want?” Billy hissed
                      “For you not to give us away. Your lucky no one awoke and saw you like that”
                      That’s when he realized his fangs were out.
                      “You might feel better if you actually ate something”
                      “You mean eat someone”.
                      “You’re a vampire, what do you care?”
                      “I do care. I won’t hurt any of them” pushing Starkey aside, Jukes went up to
                      the main deck. He didn’t want to see the person who had ruined his life any
                      longer.

                              Starkey sighed. Billy was not going to join his side at all. He would have to
                      be taken care of. Taking his syringe, he walked over to where Mullins lay
                      sleeping. He always thought better on a full stomach.

                      ~
                      Billy hadn’t gone back to sleep that night. Instead he spent the night doing all
                      his chores for the next day and trying to ignore the hunger burning in his
                      stomach. When everyone came on deck, he went down to the cabin. He couldn’t
                      bear the temptation.
                      Trying to block the hunger, he was so deep in thought, he didn’t notice Starkey
                      enter the cabin until the elder vampire threw something down at Jukes’s feet. It
                      was a dead rat.
                      “If you’re not going to eat properly, at least eat something.” Without saying
                      another word, Starkey left the cabin.
                      Billy stared at the small corpse in front of him. Starkey must have just killed it,
                      it was still warm. The blood inside the vermin still had the nearly irresistible
                      aroma of blood.
                              It wasn’t temptation Billy gave into. It was fate. With a sad recognition of
                      the truth, Bill lifted the rat to his mouth and sunk his fangs into its small furry
                      body.

                      For a moment, it was pure ecstasy, the sensation of warm rich blood flowing
                      through his mouth and down his throat. The hunger was finally gone. Billy felt
                      complete, fulfilled.
                      He also was in more pain than he had ever been in before.
                      Billy could no longer deny or resist what he was to himself. He had surrendered
                      to his bloodlust.
                      Once the small rat was drained, Billy noticed something.
                      He wasn’t alone.
                      “Hey, Mason” he said in a dead tone.
                      The carpenter was so pale, one might have thought it was his blood Billy had
                      just consumed. Slowly he backed away till he hit the wall. Turning around and
                      screaming “VAMPIRE!!!!” Mason ran from the cabin. It wasn’t long before the
                      carpenter had the entire crew in the cabin. Mullins took one look at the pale
                      gunner in the corner and shook his head,
                      “It ain’t true”
                      “It’s true Robert, I’m a vampire.” The words were too calm, as if his mouth was
                      speaking without his hearts consent.
                      “It ain’t true” Mullins stubbornly repeated.
                      In response, Billy simply opened his mouth, showing his fangs.

                      Mullins felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

                      While most of the crew was showing expressions of fear, Hook’s face was
                      twisted in anger.
                      “Vile demon! How long have you been feeding upon the crew of this ship?”
                      “I..I would never” Billy stuttered “I would rather die than harm any one of you.
                      If I was feeding off you, I wouldn’t be so desperate as to drink the blood of an
                      already dead rat. That’s the only blood I’ve ever drunken. I could never drink a
                      human’s blood, or turn them. No one should have to go through this.”
                      “Ye still be a danger to everyone on the ship. Mr.Mason, Throw him in the brig"
                      Mason, however, took one big granddaddy step back. The other pirates
                      followed suit.
                      Billy sighed and walked out of the cabin. The others followed, but at a distance.
                      Billy walked himself straight to the brig and into a cell.
                      Fearing he would lose the opportunity, Hook slammed the jar shut and locked
                      it. Billy made no move to stop him.
                      “Well…that’s that” said Hook, not knowing what to say, but feeling he had to
                      say something.
                      “Don’t you want to put some crosses or something on the bars?
                      Hook turned in disbelief. “You want to be caged?”
                      “I walked in here of my own free will, didn’t I? I don’t want to hurt anyone. I’ve
                      been fighting this for three weeks. And I don’t know how much longer I’m going
                      to last”
                      “And before those three weeks?”
                      Billy looked up at the captain. There was definitely something ancient and
                      supernatural in the vampire’s eyes. But it was clouded over with sadness.
                      “Before those three weeks, before then I was human”

                      None of the pirates were willing to stay in the brig any longer, lest their fear
                      turn to pity.

                      ~
                      Mason was as jumpy as a room full of cats. “He’s going to kill us all. He’s going
                      to creep up in the middle of the nights and rip out our throats. He’s
                      gonna….OUCH”
                      Mullins removed his foot from on top of Mason’s. “Ye ain’t got any right to talk
                      about our shipmate like that.”
                      “Shipmate? He’s a VAMPIRE”
                      “Be that as it may, he’s still Billy. And he’s fighting it. That boy’s waging war on
                      the devil with only his soul as a weapon. Even his own body’s working against
                      him. But he’s fighting because he want to protect us.”
                      “What are you saying, we should let him out?”
                      Mullins face suddenly sagged in age and sorrow. “I said he’s fighting. I never
                      said he had a chance of winning. That may be our Billy down there right now,
                      but who will it be tomorrow? I hope you were paying attention down there.
                      Because that may have been the last conversation we’ll ever have with him.”

                      ~
                      The next day, however, Billy was still Billy. And he still continued to fight. As the
                      days dragged on into one week, then two, he never stopped fighting. He
                      refused to allow himself to give in to the hunger. He had, however, requested
                      no one come down to the brig. The young vampire didn’t trust himself. The only
                      ones who still came to see him were Mullins and Starkey.
                      Mullins occasionally poked his head in to ask Billy if he was okay. Starkey came
                      into taunt Billy. Billy always gave Robert a polite nod and completely ignored
                      Starkey.
                      Billy, however, was probably under the least stress. He believed the others were
                      safe from him as long as he was behind bars. The rest of the crew didn’t quite
                      share this conviction. Many a night was spent lying awake wondering if at that
                      moment Billy had lost the battle and was coming up the stairs to kill them.
                      (Well, Starkey slept like a baby)
                      During the day though, that fear was replaced with pity.
                      Both emotions were draining and the effects were showing.
                      All that was to change, as Mullins drew Starkey over to the side of the boat.
                      The overcast sky seemed to darken the waves themselves. Mullins stared at the
                      reflective surface of the ocean for several moments before speaking.
                      “While were up here, Billy down there, going through Hell.”
                      Starkey rolled his eyes. Here was a tune much sung.
                      “I’m wondering if we’re doing the right thing by letting him suffer.”
                      Starkey’s head shot up. This was new.
                      Mullins seemed to choke on his words “He doesn’t have a chance of winning
                      this. It’s for us that he’s putting himself through so much agony. I’m thinking
                      maybe we should end this now and save him the pain.”
                      Starkey couldn’t believe his ears. “YOU’RE suggesting we kill him!?”
                      “It’s for the best isn’t it? At least this way he keeps a measure of self-respect.
                      He died fighting, and he never hurt anyone.” Mullins looked at Starkey, as if
                      begging him to agree.
                      “You’re right, of course. And he would have his pride.” Starkey put his arm
                      around Mullins in a sign of commraderie. “You were closest to him. This must be
                      tearing you apart. Do you want me to tell the others, or would you rather…”
                      Mullins waved him away, “I’d prefer if you’d do it. I don’t think I can say that
                      again.”
                      Starkey nodded solemnly and was off.
                      Mullins stared out to sea a little while longer, contemplating and steeling himself
                      up for what he was about to do, what had to be done.
                      Not being able to put it off any longer, Mullins went below deck to sharpen a
                      wooden stake

                      It was a solemn event down in the brig. Billy couldn’t figure out what was going
                      on. At least until he saw Mullins with the stake.
                      “You’re going to kill me?”
                      It was obvious by the silence and the way everyone adverted their eyes that it
                      was true.
                      “I suppose it’s for the best”
                      God Billy, Ye can’t be that ready to die
                      “Billy, I just wanted to say you’ve always been a good shipmate, and ye didn’t
                      deserve this.”
                      “Thank you, Robert”. Billy closed his eyes and waited for Mullins to enter the
                      cell and end his life. Absently, he squeezed the cross still in his pocket.
                      Robert held the stake close to his chest, His eyes screwed in determination.
                      Then he swung his arm in an arc, plunging the stake directly through the
                      center of Starkey’s chest.

                      For a long moment everything in the brig froze. Then all hell broke loose.
                      “You were supposed to kill the vampire!!” cried Mason, twisting Mullins’s arm
                      behind his back.
                      “I did.”
                      “Are ye mad?!”
                      “If I’m insane, then where’s the blood?” answered Mullin calmly
                      It was true , though the stake had gone cleanly through Starkey’s chest, not a
                      drop of blood was present. Mason was so shocked he dropped Mullins. The
                      Brooklyn pirate, however, didn’t take his eyes off Starkey. “You’re the one who
                      bit Billy aren’t you?”
                      All pretenses dropped Starkey grinned, showing his fangs. “Quite right. I had
                      no choice, he found out my little secret. I thought his life being on the line as
                      well would be enough to keep him silent, but in the end I had to use…other
                      methods of persuasion.”
                      “He said if I told anyone, he would turn them into a vampire too.” Billy
                      deadpanned from the cell.
                      “And it worked beautifully. Now tell me Robert how did you guess?”
                      “There were always a few things odd about you. A man so vain who never once
                      looked into a mirror? And though you always sat down at the table and
                      complained about the food, I can’t once think of you actually eating any. Queer
                      perhaps, but you gave yourself away through Billy. Since you were the one
                      who ‘found’ him unconscious that time, you also had the best opportunity to
                      do something to him. The next three weeks Billy acts nervous around all of us,
                      but angry and scared around you. Then you happen to ask Mason to go down
                      into the cabin, just when Billy happens to be …eating…for the first time ever.
                      You set him up. And when we found out he was a vampire, you acted scared.
                      Yes acted, and not very well either. But the final straw was were I lured you
                      over to the railing today. Remember when I was looking over the side, into the
                      water. I was looking for a reflection, which you didn’t have.” Mullins face
                      suddenly twisted in rage. “You knew he was harmless. You knew he would
                      never do anything. You created him. And you were happy to let me kill him.
                      You encouraged me to kill him!!!!!!!”
                      Starkey, however, gave no response. He had slumped over halfway through
                      the speech and lay unmoving.
                      No one moved or said anything. Billy was slumped over in his cell, crying in
                      relief. Mullins walked over and gave Starkey’s corpse a kick in the kidneys just
                      for good measure.
                      Then Mullins turned to the cell. “I’m sorry for what we’ve put you through
                      when all you’ve done is protect us. And I’m sorry for not realizing the truth
                      earlier. I should have known you would never hurt us.”
                      “It’s oka…ROBERT LOOK OUT!”
                      Before Mullins could react a hand grabbed him and spun him around. And poor
                      Robert found himself facing the most fearsome creature he had ever seen. This
                      was not Starkey pretending to be human. Nor was it Starkey the gentleman
                      vampire. This was a true demon who very presence froze everyone in the
                      cabin. Well, everyone human.
                      Mullins’s brain didn’t seem to be functioning properly, so what happened next
                      happened in flashes.

                                          A voice calling “Get away from him”

                                       The sound of metal bending and snapping.

                       A pale brown arm shoving him away from the vampire and grabbing Starkey’s
                                                        face.

                                Starkey screaming in pain as his face steamed and twisted.

                       Starkey pushing Jukes away and the object that had burned him, a small silver
                                              cross, falling to the floor.
 

                      Then reality snapped back into place as Starkey grabbed the younger vampire
                      and pressed him against the wall.
                      “Did you honestly think you could beat me, a vampire of several centuries?
                      You, a fledgling who is practically dead from starvation. Maybe if you had fed
                      off the crew like I suggested, you’d be a little stronger.
                      But…AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
                      Starkey dropped Jukes in pain. Mullins had a cross of his own and it was much
                      larger than Billy’s.
                      “Get out” snarled the Brooklyn pirate. Starkey responded with a snarl of his
                      own and fled. Mullins then picked up Billy’s unconscious body and carried him
                      out of the brig.
                      ~
                      Billy awoke, much to his surprise, in his bunk, feeling better than he had in a
                      long time. He saw Mullins sitting beside him, smiling.
                      “Welcome back.”
                      “What’s going on? Why aren’t I in the brig?”
                      “It would have been kind of pointless to put you back in there when you ripped
                      the bars apart like tinfoil trying to save my life. And succeeding. There’s no
                      reason for you to be down there. You’re a member of this crew. And there isn’t
                      any reason for us to be scared of you”, a bit of a stretch but... “How are you
                      feeling?”
                      “I’m fine, I…” It was then that Billy noticed the bandage on his friends arm,
                      smelling of blood. A smell that perfectly matched that in the bowl by the side of
                      the bunk. And perfectly matched the lingering taste in his mouth.
                      “You…You didn’t.”
                      “I did”
                      “You didn’t”
                      “You were starving and I owed you my life”
                      Billy curled up in a ball. “Why? I didn’t want to hurt you or anybody.”
                      “You didn’t. I cut my arm myself, and I’ll do it again. Just tell me whenever
                      you’re hungry”
                      “NO! I could never…I don’t want…Why couldn’t you have killed me?” With so
                      many conflicting emotions and thoughts going through his brain, Billy did the
                      only thing he could do. Have a breakdown.
                      Now Billy had cried many times since that night, but this was the first time he
                      had ever had someone to cry to. In between sobs he told Mullins everything,
                      from waking up from a nightmare only to find himself in a worse one, to being
                      turned into a vampire, to the gnawing hunger, to being alone in the brig. The
                      whole thing.
                      And Mullins just held him and tried to digest everything he was being told. It
                      was horrible what the boy had been through and put himself through.
                      Apparently Billy had lost every shred of self-respect he had for himself.
                      When the tears had run dry. Mullins gave him and extra squeeze. “I wish I had
                      killed that bastard when I had had the chance. Pity that stake didn’t work. Wish
                      I knew why.”
                      Billy laughed dryly. “Mullins, you hit him here” Billy put his hand on the center
                      of Mullins’s chest.
                      “So?”
                      “So the heart is over here”, Billy moved his hand to Mullins’s left.
                      “Yer kidding.”
                      “Nope, trust me. I can here every single beat.” Billy shuddered. Five weeks and
                      he still wasn’t used to this. "How does the crew feel about my…resuming my
                      duties?”
                      "On the most part they’re a little nervous, but okay. I should warn you though,
                      Mason’s paranoid as hell.”
                      “Great. You know, I used to think it would be so cool to be strong enough to
                      have Mason scared of me. I wish I could go back to that. Now I’m just a
                      monster.”
                      “Will you stop that, you’re not a monster and I can prove it. Hold out your
                      hand.”
                      Billy did so, obediently. Mullins dropped something into it. It was the silver
                      cross.
                      “You can touch it just fine, but it burned half o’ Starkey’s face off. You honesty
                      think that doesn’t mean anything?”
                      ~
                      It took a few days for the crew to get used to Billy-the-Vampire. Mason was
                      still a little jittery, but otherwise was fine.
                      Billy himself was still very self-conscious. He walked around with his shoulders
                      hunched and rarely made eye contact. But he didn’t try to isolate himself from
                      the crew anymore. He still talked when he was spoken to, and sat down with
                      everyone at meals.
                      The first time he had done this, he had gotten served a plate of so-called food
                      along with everyone else. He had just stared at it until Cookson, realizing his
                      mistake, had taken it away.
                      Three nights later it looked as if Cookson was repeating his mistake. But the
                      bowl he set down in front of Billy contained not the formless gray ooze that
                      graced everyone else’s bowl, but a thick red liquid.
                      “Cookson, what is this?” he asked, though his sensitive nose had already told
                      him.
                      “Eez blood of sheep. Cookson keep for special marinade, but Cookson no think
                      is fair that little vampire friend no get to eat while everyone else can. So
                      marinade is sacrifice.”
                      “Thank you” responded Billy timidly, cautiously dipping his spoon into the bowl.
                      He then took a sip. And his eyes widened to the side of dinner plates.
                      “Cookson, this is…delicious. It’s the best tasting thing I’ve ever had” With
                      great relish, Billy dug into his ‘soup’.
                      “At least one of us is enjoying dinner tonight” grumbled Mason.
                      “Look on the bright side,” said Mullins, “if he’s feeding it to Billy, that means
                      he’s not feeding it to us.”
 

                      ((AN: I could stop here and leave it a semi happy ending. I could. But I won't
                         )
                      ~
                      There had been five days of quiet, so one could really say the Jolly Roger was
                      over due.
                      The first thing the Lost Boys had noticed was that the gunner was back. They
                      noticed this via a cannonball aimed straight for them.
                      “Well Mr. Jukes, we thought you were dead.”
                      “In a way I was”
                      Peter shrugged, not understanding, “And where is Mr. Starkey?”
                      It was funny to see all the pirate’s faces twist in rage at once.
                      “Pan, do me ship a favor and never mention that vile oil-headed hellion ever
                      again!!!!”
                      Peter shrugged again and the customary battle started. Well almost. Billy, it
                      turned out, was afraid to fight. He had been fine when he was behind the
                      cannon, but up close and personal he began to notice things. Like the smell of
                      blood and the sound of the Lost Boy's pulses. He tried to block it out. He even
                      managed to concentrate enough on the battle to give Nibs a small cut. A thin
                      trickle of blood ran down the Lost Boy’s arm.
                      Then it all went wrong. Now, contrary to popular belief, vampires are not
                      always hungry. Billy still had the sheep’s blood in his stomach, so he didn’t
                      have to worry about that. However with Nibs’s blood exposed….
                      It was like having your favorite food placed directly in front of you. And you’re
                      not hungry per-cee, but there’s no reason you can’t just eat a little.
                      Except Billy had a very good reason why he couldn’t just take a sip. But the
                      temptation was there and it was scaring him. He backed away, confusing the
                      hell out of Nibs.
                      “Keep away…just keep away” Billy face was twisted in fear, at a source no one
                      could identify. And he stayed that way until the battle ended, all the while
                      muttering, “keep away, please…stay away from me”

                      ~~
                      Given his behavior, it was little surprise to Jukes that Hook wanted to see him
                      after the battle. Billy was expecting to have his ears shouted off. And Hook
                      wasn’t planning on disappointing him.
                      “WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN ANN'S REVENGE WAS THAT PITIFUL
                      EXCUSE FOR FIGHTING OUT THERE!!!!!! I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT BEING A
                      VAMPIRE WOULD HAVE MADE YOU FEIRCER, NOT TURNED YOU INTO A
                      SNIVILING LITTLE COWARD!!!!” This went on for a good ten minutes.
                      “Sorry Captain,” Jukes said timidly. “I was scared”
                      “SCARED? OF THOSE SCURVY BRATS?!”
                      “NO” Jukes interjected hurriedly, “I was afraid of hurting someone”
                      “Mr. Jukes” said Hook, no longer shouting, but in a still dangerous voice, “Is
                      that not the point?”
                      Billy struggled, looking for the right words, “I cut Nibs, he was bleeding. The
                      smell of the blood, I didn’t want to…” Billy shrugged giving up on speaking.
                      Those simple words, however, were enough. Hook was a gentleman, and as
                      such he was a human.
                      “If it t’were fear of losing your self control, then I must say that fear is
                      unfounded. You have displayed a level of self-control and loyalty that I don’t
                      believe to be found on another on this ship, myself included. The next time we
                      do battle, fight without fear of temptation. You have already proven it to be a
                      defeated foe.” Then, surprisingly, the captain smiled co-conspiratorially, “And
                      perhaps if you were to show a little fang, it would give those Lost Boys a
                      reason to keep away from the ship.”
                      And it would give Slightly a reason to never speak to me again
                      “Yes sir” he said, trying to smile back.
                      At that moment, Mason barged in. “It’s Mullins, he’s hurt bad.”
                      “Impossible, there was nary a scratch on him when those flying
                      sluberdegullions left”
                      “It wasn’t the Lost Boys” Mason gulped, “It was Starkey”
 

                      Robert Mullins was a sad sight to see. He lay on deck with a thin wooden stake
                      shoved directly through the center of his chest. Blood slowly oozed out of the
                      wound on both sides, creating a thick red pool under the dying pirate.
                      But all that delicious blood could not even temporarily distract Billy from his
                      friend. He sat down besides Mullins, afraid it would be the last time.
                      “Billyboy, that you”
                      “Yes, be still Robert”
                      “I’m sorry”
                      “For what?”
                      “For doubting you. I didn’t think you were going to win. Should have known
                      better. I should have known….” Mullins broke off into a coughing fit. Even more
                      blood oozed out the wound, and some splattered out his mouth.
                      “Do you remember the threat Starkey used to keep you quiet”
                      Billy nodded.
                      Mullins actually managed a smile. “Who’d of thought he was so cruel as to
                      actually carry it out through you.”
                      It took a full minute for Billy to figure out what Mullins meant. “No, shipmate!!!
                      You don’t want this. Trust me, you don’t want this.”
                      “I don’t doubt that. But I don’t want to be enlisted with Davey Jones neither.
                      “Mullins…”
                      Robert silenced his friend. “Billy I’m dying. No use pretending otherwise. If my
                      destiny is my choice, then I choose…I choose to be like you. But right now
                      you’re the one with the power to save me. My fate is in your hands. Please.”
                      Billy was torn in every direction imaginable. But he could never refuse Robert
                      anything. Though on a conscious level he had no clue what to do, his body had
                      come with the instinct that was part and parcel of any vampire’s existence.
                      Gently he lifted up his friend’s torso, one hand on his back and one hand on
                      his head. Keeping Mullins’s head bent back slightly, he leaned in and bit down.
                      So much blood had been diverted to the wound, that Billy had to apply a lot of
                      suction to get some in his mouth. He allowed the blood to wash over his
                      mouth, savoring it, like a connoisseur savors fine wine. Swallowing the first
                      mouthful, he gently brought another into his mouth. Then another. Then
                      another.
                      And while this was going on, the strange substances in his saliva were entering
                      Mullins’s body, invading each cell like a virus and changing it.
                      Knowing somehow that the job was done, Billy disengaged his fangs and gave
                      Robert’s neck one last lick, taking care of the rest of the blood. Even more
                      gently than he had picked him up, he put him down.
                      “Thank you” Mullins murmured, falling into unconsciousness.
                      As he watched his friend and father figure slip into the transformative sleep,
                      Billy couldn’t believe what he had just done. Not Robert. Please. Anyone but
                      Robert Slowly he rose to his feet and backed away. Absently he wiped the
                      corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. It came away smeared with
                      Mullins’s blood. In horror at himself, Billy bolted away.
                      ~
                      Mullins awoke feeling dead. There was no other word to describe it. Absently he
                      scratched his itching neck and tried to remember what had happened. Seeing
                      his shirt soaked in blood brought a lot of memories back. Tenitively he poked
                      the hole in his shirt, but the wound was gone. However, his hand still came
                      away covered in his own blood. Absently, he licked his fingers.
                      Suddenly realizing what he was doing, Mullins pulled his hand back as though it
                      were on fire.
                      I guess I am a … Mullins shivered at the thought, but forced it down. Unlike
                      the boy, he had asked for this. As such he had no room to be complaining or
                      frightened.
                      A small flash caught his eye. Under a bunk, discarded and forgotten was a
                      small mirror. Mullins got over to pick it up. He lifted it to his face, then laughed
                      at himself. He had his eyes closed.
                      Come on Robert, what are you afraid of. You already know there isn’t going to
                      be anything there, You already know you’re a vampire. So stop hiding from
                      the truth and deal with it.
                      It still took all the courage Mullins had to open his eyes and look at the mirror.
                      Which, as suspected, was completely devoid of reflection.
                      It was a lot to accept that his life as he knew it was over, but he swallowed and
                      accepted it anyway.
                      ~
                      The crew (at least the human part of it) was busy cleaning and thus didn’t
                      notice Mullins come up. The new vampire had decide he wasn’t going to spend
                      his time hiding and so (after changing his shirt) decided to join them on deck.
                      It was overwhelming. Billy hadn’t been exaggerating when he said he could
                      hear each individual heartbeat. What he had neglected to mention was that he
                      could also hear the swish of blood in the vein and arteries. Just by listening,
                      Mullins could map out the entire circulatory system for each of the living
                      pirates. And the scent of blood was very tempting. But the temptation was
                      controllable. No wonder Billy had been upset.
                      Once he got his sensory input under control, Mullins cleared his throat. The
                      other pirates snapped their heads up.
                      “Um…Are you…you know?” asked Mason
                      Mullins nodded. Mason gulped, but otherwise kept himself from freaking.
                      “Where’s Billy?”
                      “He took off after…we couldn’t find him anywhere”
                      Robert turned to the captain. “Permission to look for him?”
                      Hook just held his head in his hand.
                      “Mister Mullins, this situation has been well out of my control for over a month.
                      I’m not even going to pretend it’s in my control now. Go ahead and search.
                      And when things return to some semblance of normalcy, please be kind
                      enough to let me know.”
                      With a shrug, Mullins began his search. Something told him to start in the
                      galley.
                      His suspicion was confirmed when he heard muffled sobs.
                      Idly wondering why no one had looked in here before, Mullins descended into
                      the ships kitchen. Why soon became known as the foulest stench Mullins had
                      ever smelled assaulted his nostrils. Grimacing he wondered what Cookson
                      would be serving for dinner that night. The he remembered he didn’t have to
                      worry about it anymore.
                      “Billy” He called. The sobbing instantly stopped.
                      Mullins found Billy hiding in a corner, his jaw clenched shut and his face tear
                      streaked. Robert reached out to him, but he moved away.
                      “Billy, what in the worlds the matter with you. And what on Earth is that
                      God-awful smell?”
                      But the moment Mullins said it, a memory clicked and he realized what that
                      smell was. No wonder he hadn’t recognized it. The last time he smelled it, he
                      had enjoyed it.
                      “What’s wrong with you?” he demanded, cuffing the other vampire on the back
                      of the head. Billy’s mouth shot open in surprise. The rather large clove of garlic
                      fell out. “Are you trying to poison yourself?”
                      “I deserve it after what I did to you. You were like a father to me, and I…”
                      “Did nothing” Mullins interrupted. “I asked you to, remember?”
                      “It was unforgivable”
                      “Only because there is nothing to forgive. Things are probably going to be
                      pretty strange for a while. But I think…I think I’m okay with this.”
                      “How can you be okay with this? How can just accept that I just ruined your
                      life?”
                      “You saved my life. Do you remember what I said when we switched bodies
                      with the Lost Boys?”
                      “What’s done is done.”
                      “And so it is. Right now, your in such a state you’re crucifying yourself for no
                      reason.”
                      “NO REASON!!!!!!!”
                      “No reason. The only who’s upset about this is you. As a matter of fact I think
                      the crew would be more upset at me for putting you through this.” Mullins
                      grasped the boy in a fatherly hug. “I don’t think either one of us is dealing with
                      the problem correctly, but we can get through this together, I promise.”
                      Billy was silent for a long time before nodding and getting to his feet. Or trying
                      to. Almost as soon as he got up, he collapsed again. The garlic had weakened
                      his body too much.
                      Giving a small half-smile, Mullins helped the boy up and led him out of the
                      galley. Billy let him lead him on deck, though he would have felt better if he was
                      being led to the brig.
                      ~
                      Mason smiled at the vampires’ arrival. “See ya found him”
                      “Aye. He was in the galley, going through the garlic.”
                      “Bejeepers, I always thought garlic was bad for vampires”
                      Everyone shook their heads at Smee.
                      “Cookson no want little vampire friend be sad when he no do anything wrong.”
                      Billy jumped; he hadn’t even noticed Cookson was behind him.
                      Mason clamped his hand down on Billy’s shoulder. The garlic-weakened vampire
                      shuddered.
                      “Don’t get so worked up over this. The old goat ain’t worth it.” He said, smiling
                      to show he was joking. Mullins play-growled at the carpenter. Mason
                      shuddered, “That’s going to take some getting used to.”
                      “What?”
                      “Seeing you with fangs”
                      Mullins ran his tongue over his teeth and resisted the urge to shudder when he
                      did indeed come across fangs. Billy was in a bad state, any negative reaction
                      would only make it worse.
                      “Anyway Billy,” Mason continued, “The captain wants you to take a look at Long
                      Tom. Two weeks without your care really took a toll on it, and since you’re
                      done fixing the bars in the brig…”
                      “I’ll get right on it” Billy agreed, trying to figure out why he wasn’t having a
                      wooden stake shoved through his heart.
                      ~
                      It would be impossible to count the number times Billy had worked on Long
                      Tom. He had always loved talking to it, and now he felt better talking to the
                      tiger cannon than anyone else. Since it didn’t have any blood, there was no
                      worry of him doing it harm.
                      “So cold and lifeless. You know Long Tom, you and I are a lot alike.”
                      “You wish”
                      Billy turned around, startled by the captain’s voice.
                      “As a vampire your skin may be cold and your heart may not beat, but your
                      soul is filled with warmth and your body still holds life, however strange it may
                      be. A cannon is unfeeling, you are not. If ye were, ye wouldn’t be in such pain.
                      The words I spoke to you in my cabin today are still true. You have fought and
                      won against things we can’t even imagine, though Mullins may know soon. It
                      would be a pity to see you lose to depression and self-loathing.” Without
                      another word, the captain strode off.
                      Billy blinked. “What is this? Be kind to the monster day?”
                      ~
                      When dinner rolled around, Billy tried to excuse himself. He was stopped by
                      Mullins.
                      “Oh no you don’t”
                      “What?”
                      “This is exactly what you did last time. First you isolate yourself, then you start
                      brooding. Not this time around. You’re sitting down with us and that’s final.”
                      Billy allowed himself to be dragged to the table. He sat down and waited quietly
                      while everyone else was served. The last people served were himself and
                      Mullins.
                      Both just stared into their bowls.
                      Mullins had thought he could deal with being a vampire. But this was a little
                      much. And the fact that the sheep’s blood smelled so damn appetizing was
                      hurting as much as it was helping.
                      “It’s okay” Mullins turned to see Billy smiling understandingly, “It took me three
                      weeks before I could even touch blood, remember.”
                      Mullins noticed his untouched bowl. “And what’s you’re problem?”
                      “Maybe he’s not hungry, since he already ate” suggested Smee.
                      Mullins groaned, “Mason, do me a favor and smack Smee for me, would ya”
                      “Gladly” said the carpenter, complying.
                      “Begorrah, what was that for?”
                      Mullins turned back to Billy. “Now starving yourself won’t change anything. You
                      need to get your strength back after all that garlic. Not to mention your breath
                      still reeks from it” Mullins said wrinkling his nose
                      Billy actually laughed. “Fine then. On three?”
                      “On three.”
                      At the count of three both vampires dipped their spoon into their bowls and
                      took a sip.
                      “This is terrific,” stated Mullins surprised.
                      “But it’s not pure” said Billy, mulling over the taste, “What did you put in this?
                      ”Just some spice and flavoring, while warming. You like?”
                      “Like? It’s even better than last night. It’s wonderful.”
                      “Aye,” said Mullins between sips. “It’s about something we found something
                      you can cook well.”
                      Cookson wasn’t sure whether to take this as a compliment or an insult, so he
                      decided to just stick with “Me glad you like”
 

                      The human part of the crew was not so lucky with their fare, which consisted of
                      normal Cookson cuisine. Somehow they managed to force it down. Billy was
                      sipping his blood slowly, his stomach still a little upset from the garlic. Robert
                      however gulped his meal down relatively quickly. Leaning back, he got a good
                      look and the others forcing down the meal.
                      “You know, I think I’m going to enjoy being a vampire.”
                      Billy’s spoon clattered onto the table.
                      “Something wrong?”
                      “No, it’s just,” Billy forced a smile, “It’s just those words are definitely at the
                      top of the list of things I never thought I’d here you say.”
                      The whole crew laughed at this, Mullins pretended to be insulted, and Jukes
                      went back to his dinner, hoping the subject would change soon.
                      ~
                      “No. Please” Billy pleaded as he tossed and turned in his sleep.
                      “Billy! Wake up!”
                      Billy sat bolt upright, fangs out and eyes glowing. Mullins fell back startled.
                      “You okay?”
                      Billy didn’t respond, though he did calm down.
                      “Bad dream?”
                      “The same one, every night it’s the same one. Sorry Mullins, I hope I didn’t
                      wake you.”
                      “I was already up. Had a nightmare of my own. What was yours?”
                      Billy swallowed, “Every night I have the same dream, ever since Starkey bit me.
                      I dream I loose control and kill everyone. The crew of this ship is the only family
                      I have. They’ve even managed to accept me, despite the fact that I’m a
                      vampire. I just don’t care, in my dream, I mean. I just kill them all and drain
                      them. I couldn’t control it.”
                      Mullins actually smiled a little. “Do you know what that dreams telling you?”
                      “That I should be killed for the good of the crew, before I do serious damage?”
                      “No,” Mullins scowled, “It’s your worst fear, just like my dream. Once you
                      overcome your fear, you’ll sleep peacefully.”
                      “Hmph, then what was your dream?”
                      “Well…”
                      “I told you mine.”
                      “My dream was obviously a dream. There was no setting, just a white void. And
                      you’re looking at me with dead eyes, like that day in the brig. In your right
                      hand is a stake. Without even flinching you, you ended your life. Your whole
                      body turned the color of ash and exploded into dust. And I couldn’t do a thing
                      to stop it. That day I tricked Starkey, you were so ready to die. You didn’t care
                      if I killed you or not. I think you even wanted me to kill you. Later that day in
                      the bunkroom, you called for me to end your life. Damn it, I can deal with being
                      a vampire, but not by myself. You’ve always been there for me when no one
                      else was. And now that I need you more than ever, you want to die. By the
                      same token the Starkey took you’re life, you gave me mine. You created me.
                      As mixed up as it is, in this case you’re basically my father, and I need my
                      father to be there for me, like you were at dinner tonight. If you were to die, I
                      wouldn’t know hat to do. I can’t stop my nightmare, because my fear is out of
                      my control. I need you to stop hating yourself.”
                      Billy digested this. As odd as it was, Robert was right. He, Billy, was in the role
                      of the father, and that gave him certain responsibilities. It was time he stopped
                      hiding behind his wall of self-pity and recognized those responsibilities.
                      “You’re right. I’m sorry for the way I’ve been acting. But do me a favor. Stop
                      hiding how scared you are. You don’t have to pretend for my sake. I know
                      exactly how you’re feeling and trying to pretend that nothing’s bothering you
                      is just as bad as my wallowing in depression. Deal?”
                      Great, he saw through me the entire time “Deal.”
                      Both vampires went back to sleep, untroubled by dreams for the rest of the
                      night.
                      Dawn came as it always does, bringing light to the world and change to the
                      Jolly Roger. Billy no longer acted self-conscious or depressed. Mullins decided
                      he really did enjoy being a vampire and learned all he could about it.
                      Humorously enough Mason had taken Mullins’s place as resident superstitious
                      nut. He became paranoid about anything supernatural, except his two vampire
                      friends. Things were never quite the same after that, but no one was arguing.
                      Not even the two vampires.