Chapter 37 - Keep Her Safe

"Hey Imran," Maria said not looking up from the screen. "Mom and dad went to bed. It's your night to take out the trash, loser."

"Sure," Imran rolled his eyes. "Look who I found."

"Oh! My! God! MIRANDA!,'"Maria cheered. "Too awesome!"


"Seriously," Maria continued, "you have to tell me everything! First, who's the cute guy?"


"You guys OK to sack out on the couches," Imran asked Nick while the girls caught up. "I'll get you those maps in the morning."

"Yeah," Nick nodded. "You got someplace I clean up? Long drive here."


Miranda quickly dropped off.


As Nick cleaned up, he caught scent of something...

... something wrong.

"Hey dead-boy," Nick grinned. "I gotta ask... were you buried in that suit? 'Cause it smells like it."


"I'll have you know, this is the finest fashion," the vampire snarled.

"When? Stuffy olden days?" Nick sneered.


"Stand aside dog," the vampire commanded, "and I'll let you and the Waston family live."


"You want to hurt Miranda, or any of them, dead-boy..."

"You go through me," Nick roared

"Nick!" Miranda, awoken by the nose, shouted.

"I got this," Nick snarled. "Had enough, dead-boy?'


"One for the road," the vampire hissed.


"Let go of him!" Miranda cried.


"Wha... hot. Hot! HOT!"

"Wh... where'd he go," Nick panted.

"I gave him a full-body hot-foot," Miranda gasped. "He ran off. I don't think he'll be back."

"Good," Nick wheezed. "I... I think... I..."


"Nick? Nick! NICK!"