The Tiny Vampire From Outer Space That’s Bitey XVIII: First Vampire School (Shadow Conn Tiny Vampire Book 18)

Shadow and Marcus are well on their way to taking over Earth. The humans are mostly oblivious. However, Marcus believes they need to start preparing to go back to Umbra in order to grab the technology on their old planet. In order to do that, they need to secure Earth. This means opening a vampire school and formally announcing the new vampire council.

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Chapter 1 – The Blanket

 

Marcus chased Shadow down the stairs with a tendril monster. He was in a good mood tonight. Beach City was coming right along, so he had time to play.

Shadow squealed and ran into the kitchen.

Oliver turned and snatched her off her feet before she could run into him. “Marcus, what are you chasing her with?”

“Tendril monster,” Marcus said as he walked into the kitchen. He demonstrated.

Oliver laughed. Marcus was manipulating a batch of tendrils that looked like they belonged on the bottom of the ocean on some desolate planet that no one had ever heard of, seen or expected to be there.

Marcus dissipated the darkness.

“It’s gone.” Oliver set Shadow on her feet. “Marcus was creating a personal boogieman for you.”

“Why can’t it ever be a giant blanket?” Shadow asked.

Marcus chuckled. “I’ll get you a giant blanket for your next turn-day.”

“When is that?” Shadow asked.

“The day I found you,” Marcus said.

“When is that?” Shadow asked.

“In a couple months,” Marcus said.

“Isn’t your bonding anniversary coming up too?” Oliver asked.

“I’m sure it is,” Marcus said. “We’ll celebrate that at the new resort in Ocean City.”

“Alera reminded me that ours is this week,” Oliver said. “So, we’ll celebrate that once we get there too.”

“Congratulations. How many years have you been bonded?” Marcus asked.

Oliver chuckled. “About two-thousand.”

“One thousand nine hundred and seventy eight years,” Alera said as she walked into the kitchen through the back door. “I was just coming to see if Marcus and Shadow needed food. Mia is busy handing out the food for the childer.”

“I already have it handled,” Oliver said as he motioned to the counter.

“There’s enough there for all of us if you want to join,” Marcus said.

“It would be a quiet breakfast,” Oliver said.

“Let’s do that,” Alera said as she started setting the table.

Marcus carried the food and drinks over to the table.

Shadow hopped into a seat.

Marcus had just set the food and drinks on the table when he saw the backdoor open, and Sabina run through. He snatched her up.

Sabina squealed.

“What are you doing?” Marcus asked.

“Running away from the tendril snake,” Sabina said.

Marcus walked over to the door and looked outside. He saw Ortho and no one else. Marcus stepped out on the porch. “What are you doing?”

“Uh, nothing,” Ortho said.

“Were you scaring Sabina with tendril monsters?” Marcus asked.

“Maybe,” Ortho said.

“No scaring Sabina with tendril monsters before breakfast,” Marcus said.

“We ate breakfast,” Ortho said.

“In that case.” He set Sabina on her feet. “It’s time for Sabina to scare you with tendril monsters.”

Sabina grinned. She concentrated and made a big tendril flower.

“Very good. Now chase Ortho with it.” Marcus looked at Ortho. When he didn’t move, Marcus said, “Ortho!”

“I’m running!” Ortho took off running away from Sabina. “Running and scared. Very scared of a giant tendril flower.”

Marcus chuckled as he walked back into the stone house.

“What was that all about?” Alera asked.

“Ortho was scaring Sabina with tendril monsters,” Marcus said.

“Now, I’m sure he’s your son,” Shadow said.

Marcus laughed. “So, I told him it was time for Sabina to scare him with tendril monsters.”

“What did she make?” Shadow asked.

“A giant flower,” Marcus said.

Shadow laughed. “Did he run?”

“I told him he better run,” Marcus said.

“He likes her,” Alera said.

“Yeah, but she’s not ready for that,” Marcus said.

“I've told him that,” Alera said. “So, most of the time, he’ll sit and play whatever game she wants to play.”

“That’s good,” Marcus said as he sat down at the table. “But he’s going to be waiting about a hundred years.”

“I’ve told him that. In private,” Alera said. “He understands, but I don’t think he understands.”

“Well, we’ll keep an eye on it,” Marcus said before inhaling in food.

Shadow looked at Marcus’ plate. “You even ate the bloodchocolates.”

“I was a hungry vampire,” Marcus said.

“Here’s a bowl of bloodchocolates.” Oliver set a bowl in front of Shadow.

“It’s not the same,” Shadow said.

Oliver put a few bloodchocolates on Marcus’ plate.

Shadow ate them.

Marcus chuckled.

“Is everyone fed?” Alera said.

“I’m full,” Marcus said.

“I shouldn’t’ve had those last three bloodchocolates,” Shadow said.

Alera put the rest of the food away.

“What’s the plan for tonight?” Shadow asked.

“We’re going to head into town and see how the theater is going. Then, we’re going to check on the new apartment building,” Marcus said. “Is Julian already in town?”

“He is. He left with Livia as soon as the sun set. He said he wanted to find a property for that school.”

“We do need that. And we need a headmaster,” Marcus said.

“I’m working on that,” Oliver said.

“Head down to the shelter and ask around,” Marcus said. “That seems to be where we find the skilled humans we need.”

“Makes you wonder how they got to be homeless,” Oliver said.

“The prices before we got here were ridiculous,” Marcus said. “They couldn’t work enough to afford anything.”

“They’ve come down a little bit,” Alera said.

“They should come down a lot more because they’re now fighting our food distribution and rent,” Marcus said.

“How are we able to do it cheaper?” Shadow asked.

“All our help is free,” Marcus said. “Or rather, their housing is included as part of their wages. We also have lower expenses. We only have to buy the human food. We don't pay for any services. It ends up being 50 to 60 percent cheaper than our competitors. We charge lower prices, and we still rake in a small fortune.”

“Doesn’t seem like we’re raking in a small fortune,” Shadow said.

“We do,” Marcus said. He handed Shadow the keys. “Go start the van. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Shadow looked at him. “Nope. I fell for this the other night.”

“I promise. I’ll drive. Just go start the van,” Marcus said.

Shadow took the keys and huffed on her way out the door.

Marcus turned to Oliver and Alera. “She’s mad because this isn’t a mansion. I owe you one if you turn this into a mansion while we’re gone. I’m not taking the Erector or Remodelator.”

“All right. You owe me one,” Oliver said. “We’ll get on it. I’ll get some of the older boys to help,”

“Well, I don’t know about owing anyone anything,” Alera said. “Let’s just call it a Bonding Anniversary present.”

“I can do that,” Marcus said.

“All right. Bonding present it is,” Oliver said.

“I’ll get the jungle food to clear out the blankets and pillows,” Alera said. “Pluto forbid, we lose one.”

“I don’t want to hear her if we lose a blanket,” Oliver said.

“Neither do I,” Marcus said as he walked out the back door.

He walked around the stone house to the cabin where the van was parked. As he got to the driver’s side, he realized Shadow had started the car and gotten into the passenger’s seat. He chuckled as he stepped inside the van. “Making sure you don’t drive?”

“I am,” Shadow said.

Marcus shook his head as he put the RV in drive and drove off of the property.

He was halfway to town when his wrist device dinged. “Marcus speaking.”

“Marcus, we have a problem,” Dr. Jones said.

“What problem?”

“A man started screaming about how the homeless shelter was a food factory for off-worlders, and they’re all going to be fattened up and turned into steaks.”

“That’s disgusting,” Marcus said.

Shadow gagged. “I’m gonna lose breakfast.”

Marcus pulled over onto the side of the road.

Shadow got out and threw up.

“What just happened?” Dr. Jones said.

“Shadow has a sensitive stomach,” Marcus said.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Dr. Jones said.

“Anyway, what happened to that human?” Marcus asked as he motioned for Shadow to stay outside.

“Sylvia hit him with a cast iron frying pan,” Dr. Jones said.

“That should have taken care of it,” Marcus said. “Did you put the body in the incinerator?”

“He’s still sorta alive, and we have a crowd both upstairs and in the basement,” Dr. Jones said.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes. I’ll deal with it,” Marcus said. He motioned for Shadow to get back in the van.

Shadow stepped into the van. She brushed her fangs and rinsed her mouth out.

“Take a pill and get an Umbra One,” Marcus said.

Shadow created an Umbra One and grabbed a pill out of the bottle before getting into the front seat. “That was gross.”

“I agree,” Marcus said. “We’re headed over there. I have to deal with the body.”

“Oh. What happened?” Shadow asked.

“Sylvia hit him with a frying pan, and they’re too busy to discretely get him into the incinerator,” Marcus said.

Shadow drained her Umbra One. “I think I feel better. I think I ate too much too.”

“I think you did too,” Marcus said as he parked in the parking garage at the apartment complex. He stepped out. Then, he retrieved Shadow and carried her into the shelter.

“How’s Shadow?” Dr. Jones asked as he stepped into his office doorway.

“She’s fine. She was a little glutton at breakfast too,” Marcus said.

“Well, I’ll examine her if you want to deal with the issue,” Dr. Jones said.

“Where is he?” Marcus asked as he set Shadow on her feet.

“Upstairs. Last room at the end,” Dr. Jones said.

“I’ll deal with it,” Marcus said.

Shadow walked into the clinic with Dr. Jones.

“On the exam table. I want to examine that stomach,” Dr. Jones said.

Shadow sighed and laid on the table.

Dr. Jones felt her stomach. Then, he rolled over the x-ray machine. He turned it on and looked. “Did you eat some blanket?”

“Not that I know of,” Shadow said. “But sometimes I chew on the blanket.”

“I think you ate some blanket,” Dr. Jones said.

“How do you get that out?” Shadow asked.

“I’m going to put a tube down your throat and grab it,” Dr. Jones said as he grabbed a syringe.

“That doesn’t sound pleasant,” Shadow said.

“I’m going to sedate you so that you don’t bite through the tube,” Dr. Jones said. “It’ll also be less traumatic.” He injected her with enough sedative to kill an elephant then he got his scope with some claws on the end.

Marcus walked into the clinic a few minutes later. “What are you doing?” He had something down Shadow’s throat.

“Getting the blanket out,” Dr. Jones said as he pulled out the tube. “Do you want me to pump her stomach?”

Marcus looked. “Oh, she did eat some blanket.” He contemplated. “I suppose I do. There might still be fibers in there.”

Marcus dialed Oliver on his wrist device.

“Marcus, we’re working on it,” Oliver said.

“Great,” Marcus said. “But did you notice any damaged blankets?”

“Yeah, Mia said there was a bite out of one,” Oliver said.

“Check all the blankets for bites,” Marcus said. “And somehow make those blankets tougher.”

“What happened?” Oliver asked.

“Shadow is currently getting blanket removed from her stomach. She got sick on the way over,” Marcus said.

“I’ll tell the jungle foods to look at them,” Oliver said. “How is she?”

“Fine. Coming out of the sedative,” Marcus said.

“We will look at all the blankets,” Oliver said. “It was her old blanket, if that helps.”

“How old?” Marcus asked.

“I believe that is the one she landed with,” Oliver said.

“Oh,” Marcus said. “That might make a difference.”

“They weren’t very sturdy,” Oliver said. “But we’ll throw that one away and make her something similar and check everyone else’s blanket.”

“Appreciate it,” Marcus said before ending the call. He walked over and looked at the scrap. It was Shadow’s crew-issued blanket on the spaceship.

“Recognize the blanket?” Dr. Jones asked.

“It was her crew blanket on the space ship,” Marcus said.

Shadow slowly sat up. “I’m starving!”

“We had to pump your stomach.” Marcus offered his arm. “Have a drink.”

Shadow sank her fangs into Marcus’ arm and drank deeply.

“She’s going to be very hungry,” Dr. Jones said.

“I’m not trying to feed her completely. We have food in the van,” Marcus said. He let her drink for a minute. “That’s enough.” When she didn’t let go, he shook his arm.

Shadow pulled away. “I’m still hungry.”

“I know,” Marcus said. “But you ate some blanket. Dr. Jones had to empty your stomach.” He motioned to the blanket bit.

Shadow looked. “Oh, I love that blanket.”

“Apparently, a little too much,” Dr. Jones said.

“They’re making you a new one,” Marcus said. He helped Shadow off the table. “I took care of the problem upstairs.”

“Thank you,” Dr. Jones said.

“Was anyone alarmed by his outburst?’ Marcus asked.

“Not particularly. They thought he went insane,” Dr. Jones said.

“Keep an eye on that,” Marcus said.

“I will let you know if I hear anything else to that affect,” Dr. Jones said.

“Does she need any rest?” Marcus said.

“Just a lamb bone and maybe a glass of water,” Dr. Jones said.

“I taste plastic,” Shadow said.

“Do you have a toothbrush?” Marcus asked.

“Toothbrush and toothpaste.” Dr. Jones motioned to the sink. “That’s a new toothbrush. I just unwrapped it today.”

Shadow brushed her teeth and rinsed out her mouth. “Mint, but at least it’s not plastic.”

“It’s still clean,” Marcus said. “We don’t harbor germs.”

“It’s okay. I have ten-thousand of them. They were donated,” Dr. Jones said.

“Excellent. We’ll be on our way,” Marcus said. “But I guess it’s a good thing we stopped.”

“Well, she hasn’t had an upset stomach in a long time,” Dr. Jones said. “I thought it better safe than sorry.”

“I agree with you.” Marcus picked Shadow up and carried her to the kitchen.

“What can I get for you?” Sylvia asked.

“A lamb bone and a water,” Marcus said as he set Shadow down.

Sylvia grabbed a small water and the bag of lamb bones out of the fridge.

Shadow drank the little water then stuck the lamb bone in her mouth.

“Was she sick?” Sylvia asked.

“She liked her blanket a little too much last night,” Marcus said.

Sylvia chuckled. “Did the doctor get it out?”

“He did,” Marcus said. “She’ll be fine.”

“I’m glad,” Sylvia said.

“We need to head on. This was supposed to be a short stop,” Marcus said.

“We’ll see you later,” Sylvia said.

Marcus led Shadow out of the shelter. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Much better,” Shadow said. “Still hungry.”

Marcus helped Shadow into the van. “Get an Umbra One.” He closed her door then got in on the driver’s side. He called Oliver.

Oliver answered his wrist device as he stepped outside.

“How’s the blanket retrieval going?” Marcus asked.

“Not at all well,” Oliver said.

“Do I hear wailing?” Marcus asked.

“Oh yeah. We’ve upset every little bitey,” Oliver said. “And I’m outside.”

Marcus cursed. “Did you tell them you’d make them new ones?”

“I did. It’s not helping,” Oliver said.

“We’re on our way back,” Marcus said.

“Did you get everything done?” Oliver asked.

“Not even close. We had to get Shadow’s stomach pumped,” Marcus said. “And I dealt with an obnoxious human.”

“We could use you. Marc is helping. Shari is helping. Your sire is even over here,” Oliver said. “And all the jungle food, but it’s still awful.”

“We’re on our way.” Marcus ended the call.

“The blanket check is not going well,” Shadow said before draining her Umbra One.

“Not even a little bit,” Marcus said. “We’re headed back.” He put the car in gear and drove back to the cabin.

 

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