“A vampire?” Adam repeated with a frown.

Belle nodded. It was the following day and she had just explained the whole situation to him over breakfast; how they were beginning to suspect that Lestat was a vampire and that they were both worried for Tiana’s sake.

Adam pushed his empty bowl away from him and leaned his elbows on the table, thoughtfully. “That would explain why there was no death date on the family tree...and why the family line just seemed to end there.”

Belle remembered something. “Could he have added the question mark to his family tree; like some kind of joke? Because vampires can’t die mortal deaths.”

Adam nodded. “Vampires are meant to be sort of flippant like that.” He got to his feet. “My father was interested in family histories, but my mother was interested in studying the occult. Let’s go look in the library.”

Belle got to her feet, Adam took her hand and they went upstairs to have a look through the books there. “Wow!” Belle exclaimed. “There are more books about vampires here than in a horror book store!”

Adam grinned. “I told you, didn’t I?”

Together they began to rifle through the books and research notes on the shelves. “Hey, look at this,” said Belle, pulling some kind of notebook of the shelf. Opening it, she read what was written on the first page. “Case notes on those suspected to be vampires.”

Adam looked surprised. “I never knew that was here. What does it say?”

Belle looked through the case notes. “I think your mother suspected some of the people in the aristocratic circles she used to travel in were vampires. Listen to this: June 29th. Spent most of Lady Tremaine’s party watching Lord Pitch whom I have suspected to have been a vampire for some time snow. I only ever see him in the evenings; he’s deathly pale and never eats, only drinks wine, and sometimes people who go out with him claim to have been bitten by giant mosquitoes or something afterwards. Plus there was that man who would up dead following an argument with him and he had been drained dry of all blood. If this is the case, then Pitch must be stopped before he can kill anyone else.”

“My mother was a vampire hunter?” Adam exclaimed. “Who knew?”

Belle laughed. “I don’t think your father did! And listen here; July 3rd. Pitch met his maker tonight. My theory is confirmed. When I drove that silver-tipped stake through his heart, he burst into flames and ash. But he is not the last vampire this side of the river; I know that there are many others who must be stopped as well, by any means possible.” Belle flicked through the notes again and then one page in particular caught her eyes. “Oh, my God, listen to this!”

“What?”

“August 24th. There’s a new vampire in town. His name is Lestat De Lioncourt; a suave and charming young man, but with all the symptoms of vampirism. When I tracked him last night my suspicions were confirmed after he drank from and killed a young gypsy woman and her partner. Though my illness weakens me, I know that he must be stopped from killing anyone else. I pray that my son or someone else finds this journal and does the right thing by me.”

Adam glanced at her. “You know what this could mean, right? Your friend Tiana could be in danger.”

Belle nodded, grimly. “I think she’s safe in the daytime, if it’s true that sunlight can kill vampires.” She put down the book. “We need to stop him from feeding on her.”

“We will,” Adam promised her. “My mother protected people from vampires; now it’s up to us to do the same thing.”

“I’ll call Meg,” Belle added, sounding slightly fearful. “My God, I just hope he hasn’t already bitten her. We left her alone last night.”

Adam pulled her into a hug. “I’m sure she’ll be just fine. I mean, if she’d been hurt, she’d let you know, right? Or if something really bad had happened, it’d be all over town by now.”

Belle nodded and clung to him. “Thank you, Adam. If it weren’t for you, I don’t think I’d have ever worked out what to do about this.”

“You’re welcome,” Adam murmured, kissing her.

So, Belle called Meg. “Meg, it’s me, Belle.”

“Oh, hey Princess-to-be!” Meg laughed, cheerfully down the line. “How’s things?”

“That depends on your point of view. Listen, Adam and I were in the library just now and we found something interesting.”

“Oh, yeah? What?”

“Conclusive proof that Lestat is a vampire!”

“I knew it!” Meg exclaimed.

“You did not!” Belle replied, knowingly. “I came up with the idea.”

“Well, then, I suspected it without knowing I suspected it. Anyway, that’s besides the point. We need to warn Tiana!”

“I know. Can you get off work early today?”

“Sure, if I just bat my eyes at old Hades he’ll let me.”

“Ok, because I think we should go down to the Blue Moon before Tiana finishes her shift there and arranges to meet up with him again.”

“Good call. I’ll meet you there.”

“Ok.”

“Oh, wait, shouldn’t one of us check she’s ok first? I mean, we left her alone last night.”

“That’s a good point.”

“Well, listen, I’ll do that. You just work out what the hell we’re going to tell her.”

“Got it. See you there.”

“Bye, Belle.” Meg hung up and then dialled the telephone at the Blue Moon.

Facilier answered it. “Hello; The Blue Moon Bar?”

“Oh, hey, Mr Facilier, is Tiana there?”

Facilier sighed. “Now I’ve told her not to make or take social calls whilst she’s working.”

“Oh, please, Mr Facilier; it’s an emergency, I promise you.”

He sighed again and then shouted out “Tiana! Get your butt here, girl! Call waiting!”

Tiana, bewildered, dropped her washcloth and scurried up to the phone. “You don’t get paid extra for this, you know!” he snapped, shoving the phone at her.

“Hello?” said Tiana.

“Oh, good, you’re ok!” sighed Meg in relief.

Tiana frowned. “Well, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Oh, never mind. We’ll explain later.”

“Later?”

“Yeah, Belle and I need to talk to you about something, so we’re going to come to the Blue Moon later.”

“O-k. It’s nothing bad, is it?”

“No, well...no, no.”

“Meg, are you sure?”

“No. Look, we’ll explain later, ok. Stay safe. Bye.”

“Ok.” Tiana frowned as she put down the phone. “Weird,” she muttered.

“Well, that could have gone better,” muttered Meg, replacing the phone. Now all she had to do was get Mr Hades to let her off early, and that wouldn’t be too difficult to do.

So, not long before Tiana was due to finish her shift, Belle and Meg turned up at the bar. Facilier did not look happy about it. Mr Smee smiled at both the girls and then went back to pulling pints.

“Hey!” Belle gave Tiana a hug in relief. “You’re ok!”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Tiana frowned. “You guys are acting weird today.”

“Can we talk privately?” asked Meg.

“Sure.” Tiana led them out into the garden at the back of the bar. “So, what’s up?”

“Well, I don’t know how to tell you this,” said Belle, taking a deep breath, “But Lestat is most definitely a vampire.”

“I know.”

They both stared at her. “You do?” said Meg.

“He told me last night,” Tiana explained.

“My God, he didn’t bite you, did he?” cried Belle.

“No! He’d never do anything to hurt me!” Tiana cried.

“How do you know that?” Meg asked. “You’ve only known that a few days; and vampires can’t be trusted.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Tiana.

“Well, they’ll say anything, and then the next thing you know, they’re feeding off you.”

“Lestat’s not like that!” Tiana snapped. “How dare you make those kinds of accusations about him! You don’t know him!”

“Hey, Tia, we’re just looking out for you!” exclaimed Meg.

“Just because he happens to be a vampire doesn’t mean that he’s anything like the rest of them!” Tiana cried.

“But Tia, look,” cried Belle, holding out Adam’s mother’s journal, “Adam’s mother knew about him; she said he’s a ruthless killer!”

“That’s who he was then, not now!” Tiana snapped. “He’d never hurt me!”

“You don’t know that,” began Meg.

“Yes I do! He loves me!”

Meg stared at her. “But...he’s a vampire!”

“What? Just because his heart doesn’t beat it means he’s incapable of feelings!”

“Honey, we’re just trying to look out for you,” Belle insisted.

“No, you’re trying to tell me what to do; like everyone else in this place!” snapped Tiana. “I thought of all people you two would be supportive!”

“Oh, fine, then!” Belle snapped, losing her temper. “Get your blood sucked by a mindless killer! See if we care!”

Briskly, she turned and stomped from the garden. “Fine!” Tiana shouted. “I don’t need you two bossing me around all the time!”

Meg flinched. “Jeez, Tia! We’re just trying to look after you!”

She turned and followed Belle. Tiana was furious with both of them and it was plain to everyone in the bar when she got back to work that she was angry.

“Wait up, Belle!” called Meg.

“How can she be so stupid?” sighed Belle. “I know I shouldn’t have said when I said, Meg, but why can’t she see we’re trying to protect her?”

Meg put an arm around her. “We’ll kiss and make up later; we always do. Come on, let’s go back to yours and figure out what to do now.”