Up at the castle, Alice was playing a board game, with Robin, Vlad, and the Count.

"Victory is mine," the Count confirmed as his eyes glowed red. "Tremble at the power of the might Dracula." The three looked at each other and shook their head. "It was Colonel Blood with the garlic in the dungeon." He slammed his cards down, and lightning cracked. He picked up another card; looked at the other three. "Uh...I win."

"Let's see the cards, then," Robin ordered. 

Count leaned over to him. "Are you calling me a cheat?"

"Yes," Alice confirmed as she looked over at her cards, Count looked at her in shock.

Vlad laughed. "Dad, you cheat at everything. Chess, Snap, Scrabble."

"Bloxiplop is a real word," Count defended himself.

"Yeah, it's Transylvania for my Dad's pants are on fire," Vlad translated. "Now show us the cards." The cards lit on fire, Count yelped dropping them.

"Every time," Alice groaned as she put her cards down.

"Why do all our games have to end like this?" Vlad demanded as he put his cards down. Everyone gasped as Will and Ingrid suddenly appeared.

"Because you're losers," Ingrid answered. 

Will picked up the box. "Slewdo, the game of detective fun for vampires aged eight to 800?"

"It's pitiful," Ingrid commented. "What would the Gran High Vamprei say if he saw this?"

"Well, luckily, the Grand High Vampire isn't here right now," Count said as he moved a game piece. 

Renfield ran into the room in a panic. "Master, the Grand High Vampire is here, right now!" Panic set around the vampire family the board was quickly removed from sight.

"Robin, Alice, you've got to get out of here," Vlad urged. "You're both in serious danger!" Robin ran for the door; Alice and the Count kept trying to step around each other. The doors began to open. "Hide!"

"Why does it always happen like this?" Alice panicked.  

"Just play along," Count instructed as a man with a skull staff entered the room. "Ah. Your Grandness, what an unexpected honor."

Grand High walked up to Count, slamming his staff down. "This isn't a social call, Dracula. We're here on official business." Vlad went and stood by Alice. 

"We?" Coun repeated; the staff got slammed down again. 

"Justice Moroi," Grand High revealed. A man in all red came in, he started to do tricks; struck a pose on the table. 

"Show off," Count commented; he looked back at the Grand High. 

"Count Dracula, you are hereby charged with gross misconduct rule three, paragraph five, sub-clause nine of ancient Vampire Law," Justice Moror announced as Renfield walked in. 

"Rule three, paragraph five, sub-clause nine?" Count repeated. 

"What does that mean?" Vlad asked.

"No idea," Count repeated. 

"It means death," Moroi answered; he jumped down; point at the Count. "Your death." Everyone was shocked, beside Ingrid she was full smiles and Renfield fell over. 

"Count Dracula, you are accused of shaming vampires everywhere by associating with breathers and slayers," Grand High informed. 

"How very dare you!" Count roared; he began to walk away. "I shan't rest until I find the one who's accused me!"

"Shall I read you the list?" Grand High asked.

"Oh, yes, that'd be useful, thanks," Count agreed as he turned back around. 

Grand High was given a scroll. "Your parents-in-law, Atilla and Krone."

"Oh, don't listen to those old coffin-lodgers," Count instructed in disgust.

"Also, several vampire friends who attended your Hunt Ball last year," Grand High listed. 

"Well, not friends, exactly," Count said. "I hardly knew them."

"And of course, your nephew, Boris," Grand High listed. 

"Boris?" Count repeated looking at the Count.

"Boris?" Vlad repeated. 

"Yes," Grand High confirmed as he walked toward the Count. "He wrote to me, several times. Accused you of all sorts of crimes, fraternizing with slayers, befriending breathers."

"Oh, ridiculous!" Count denied. 

"I have serval pages here about someone called Elizabeth Branagh," Grand High added; Count whimpered. "Is that not her daughter?" He looked at Alice.

"She was early first bite present for my son," Count answered. "Got a bit too excited, forgetting he was just turning 13 and not 16."

 Grand High continued. "In the end, I sent Justice Moroi to investigate if there was any truth in these claims."

"Oh, preposterous allegations!" Count denied.

"Don't know what he's talking about," Vlad added.

"SILENCE!" Grand High ordered. "The trail will begin one hour before daybreak. If you are found guilty, it will be death by dawn for you, Count Dracula."

"Don't you mean death at dawn?" Count asked. 

"No," Moroi denied. "He said, death by dawn. We drag you out and wait for the sunlight to do its thing."

"Yes, that would do it," Count said as he looked away. 

"What?" Vlad asked as he stepped in front of his dad. "Who made you judge, jury, and executioner?"

Moror held out his hand. "My card."

Vlad took it. "Justice Moroi. Judge, jury, and executioner."

"Any more questions?" Moroi asked. 

"Yeah," Ingrid answered. "Do I get a front-row seat?"

"Ingrid!" Vlad hissed.

"Oh, all right," Ingrid rolled her eyes. "Do we all get front-row seats?"

"For your own father's execution?" Grand High asked; Ingrid nodded. He looked at the Count. "Of course you do."

"Except for that half-fang and beautiful breather," Moroi spoke.

"Beautiful?" Alice repeated. 

Will walked forward. "Hey, who are you calling half-fang?" He got close to Moroi. "I'm as good as a vampire as you are."

"Then I accept the challenge," Moroi agreed. " The crypt, midnight, for a duel to the death."

Ingrid ran forward, grabbing her boyfriend. "Will! You zombie-brained zombie!"

"What did I do?" Will asked. 

"You just picked a fight with the world's second-most powerful vampire!" Ingrid answered. Suddenly, Moroi appeared by Vlad who was at a bookshelf, he was trying to talk to Robin.

"What are you doing?" Moroi demanded.

Vlad pulled a random book from the shelf in a panic. "Uh, just getting this book." He flipped it around. "On ancient vampire law." He walked over to the Count. "Don't worry, Dad, I'm gonna get you out of this. Everything's gonna be fine, probably." He looked at the grand high. "Can my future first bite come with me?"

"She's yours to boss around," Grand High agreed. The Draculas, Renfield, and Alice went down to the main coffin room. 

"Here's the plan," Vlad began. "We run away." He looked at Ingrid and Count. "You two go first. While they're out looking for you, I'll rescue Robin." Renfield was packing. "We leave the country and meet up again in Uncle Ivan's place, then hide out there till the heat's off.

"Run away?" Alice repeated.

"No," Count answered. "Count Dracula does not run away."

"You did last time," Ingrid pointed out. 

"That was different," Count said. "Some of those peasants had really big pitchforks."

"This is worse than any peasant mob," Vlad argued. "This is the Grand High Vampire. By tomorrow morning, you'll either be in California or--"

"Decorating the inside of Renfield's Hoover bag," Ingrid finished with a smile. "Your choice."

"I choose neither," Count answered. "I'm not leaving my castle." He then took off.

"Dad," Vlad sighed as Renfield took off. "What are we gonna do now?"

"What do you mean we?" Ingrid asked. She left, and Vlad turned to Alice.

"Vlad, I'm not running away with you and your family," Alice said.

"Of course you are," Vlad said. 

"My family is here," Alice reminded him.

"And if you stay here, your family will become vampires faster than me," Vlad answered. 

"They're my family," Alice repeated. "As the eldest daughter, they will notice I am gone."

"We'll let them know you are on a family holiday with us until the heat's off," Vlad answered. He then looked at the book. "Will you help me?"

"Let's find Zoltan," Alice suggested. 

"Why?" Vlad asked as they started up to his room. "Why doesn't my dad want to leave this castle? We can find another."

Alice laughed lightly. "Like you...he probably fell in love with the life has here."

"For as boring Stokely can be," Vlad began. "I don't want to leave either." 

"Alice Branagh," a voice said, they looked over to see the Grand High. "A word." Vlad and Alice both looked at each other. "I won't steal your first bite, Vladimir...now run along." 

"Only speak when spoken to," Vlad advised before heading up the tower.

"Come here, breather," Grand High ordered, Alice slowly walked forward. 

"Sir," Alice greeted as she looked at his shoes. 

"To my understanding, in terms of possession, you belong to Vladimir Dracula," Grand High began; Alice nodded her head. "How do I know that you aren't being kept around like a friend...that's what Boris thinks."

"In all due respect sir," Alice began. "Boris himself has sent me Valentine's gift."

"With Count out of the way, Boris could have you," Grand High gathered. "Cunning boy." He looked back at Alice. "Why the long face? You've known your fate since stepping into the castle."

"I'd rather be bossed around by Vlad for the rest of my life," Alice answered.

"But Boris has promised you a castle," Grand High recalled as he pointed at the scroll. Alice looked at him strangely. "Due to my understanding as well, you've been promised to Vlad, but Boris wants to your hand after the drainage of your blood."

"Boris is annoying," Alice answered slowly. "But...I'll be a half-fang."

"And your evil spawns will be full vampires," Grand High added with a smile. "Beautiful evil spawns." He appeared behind her. "All is fair in love and war...even in the vampire world, remember this...anything you want to ask me?"

"Why are board games frowned upon?" Alice asked as she continued to stare at the floor.

"Board games can bring out the worst in us," Grand High answered. "Vampires are forbidden to stake each other...which leads to, too many incidents with a board game." He pounded his staff again.

" You are dismissed." Alice hurried up to Vlad's room to find him flipping through the book with Zoltan.

"This is not looking good, Zoltan," Vlad said as he got up from his bed. "Any bright ideas?"

"I think he's asleep," Alice said. Vlad looked to see Zoltan passed out. 

"Zoltan!" Vlad exclaimed as he threw down the book, Alice closed the door. "You are not helping."

"That's because your father is as guilty as a puppy in a wet patch," Zoltan answered. "He's doomed." Vlad turned to Alice. "Unless--"

"What?" Alice asked as she looked at Zoltan. 

"The Count has the right to appeal to the Grand High Vampire," Zoltan read. "All he has to do is ask nicely."

"You want the Prince of Darkness to say please?" Vlad asked.

Zoltan titled his head. "Like I said, he's doomed." Vlad and Alice both slumped against each other. After some planning, Vlad went to find his dad as Alice stared out the window, down at her house. "Is everything alright, Alice?"

"With I know what I know now," Alice began. "I'm asking myself if I would still climb into this window."

"I for one am happy you and your brother came through the window that day," Zoltan admitted, Alice looked back at him. "Being in Stokely is the happiest I've ever seen Master Vlad."

"Thanks for not biting us that day, Zoltan," Alice smiled at him. "Butt saver." Alice laughed lightly, she looked back at her house. Soon Alice went down to the main floor, she found the Count by a pile of dust and a crown.

"Dad?" Vlad asked as he walked forward.

"Is that the?" Alice asked as she stared at the dust. "What happened?!"

Count blew the dust off his finger. "The Grand High Vampire's not feeling very well."

"Or undead alive," Alice commented as she crossed her arms. 

"We have to get you out of here before Moroi finds out," Vlad ordered.

Moroi appeared at a door to the crypt. "Before Moroi finds out what?" Vlad quickly put a stake behind his back. "The Grand High Vampire has been slain!" He walked in more. "What do you have to say for yourself, Dracula?" Count seemed lost for words. "I'm waiting!" The Count let out a sneeze on the bone crown and pile of dust. 

"Oops," Count said lightly.

"Oops," Alice repeated in disbelief. Everyone got summoned to the room, the crown was placed on the Count's throne.

Moroi faced everyone. "The Grand High Vampire was a cunning, vicious predator, the perfect vampire. And now you, Count Dracula, have murdered him."

"The only murdered in this room is you," Robin said as he revealed himself.

"Robin?" Alice asked as Robin walked over to Moroi.

"Daywalker," Moroi growled. The two faced each other. "What?"

"You heard me," Robin said, he glanced at his sister. "It happened at midnight. I saw you kill him!"

Vlad stepped up. "But Moroi was with me. Are you sure about the time?"

"Positive," Robin confirmed, as he began to retrace steps. "The clock chimed. They were over here." The clock was on the ground. "They had a fight, they must have knocked the clock over."

"It stopped, at midnight exactly," Alice noted as they looked at it. 

Moroi laughed walking over. "Ha, this stinking breather has made a mistake. It wasn't me."

"It's hard to mistake a guy with a helmet for a face," Robin responded, he let out a laugh. "Oh, wait, don't tell me you carry a spare one?"

"Actually, I do," Moroi confirmed. "And I gave it to him." he pointed at Renfield was had just walked in. He had a small dustpan, walking through everyone. 

Renfield began to tell his story. "Justice Moroi asked me to polish his spare battle helmet, ready for the fight at midnight. I think that's what he said." He explained more. "And when I got back, the helmet was gone."

"Then what happened?" Robin asked.

"Someone stole it," Vlad answered. 

"Pretending to be him," Alice gathered. 

"And murdered the Grand High Vampire," Will finished. 

"Cool," Ingrid smiled.

"Not cool," Moroi denied. "Vamp on vamp violence is the ultimate crime. And I shall search this castle from battlement to crypt until I find the fiendish murderer." He turned the Count; Renfield jumped back. "Starting in your room, Count Dracula." They went to the Count's room, and Moroi flipped over furniture. 

"You're wasting your time," Vlas said. "There's nothing here."

Moroi picked up a bottle. "Oh, really? And what you call this?"

"Well---" Count began in high pitched voice. 

Moroi smelled and then looked away instantly. "Garlic perfume."

"I bought that for my wife," Count defended himself. 

"You were trying to kill mum?" Vlad asked in disbelief. Robin and Alice gasped.

"No, just give her a nasty rash," Count explained. 

"Dad," Vlad sighed. 

"Look, it still doesn't prove that I killed the Grand High Vampire!" Count exclaimed. 

"No, but this does," Ingrid said, they looked back to see her holding the extra helmet. 

"Right, that's it," Moroi grunted. "Count Dracula, I sentence you to--" Suddenly the door opened, revealing Van Helsing and a short man. 

"Death," Van Helsing finished. Everyone put their hands up. "Death, to all you vampires." He raised his crossbow and Renfield let out a scream. They all looked at him.

"Who's that with you?" Alice asked.

"Professor Chaney," Van Helsing laughed as he lowered his weapon. "I knew I'd prove myself to you one day."

"Yet again, Eric, you made one basic error," Professor Chaney said. 

"Oh, what now?" Van Helsing asked. 

"Never take time to gloat because--" Professor Chaney began. 

"Vampires have super speed," Ingrid finished. Count started laughing, the two slayers looked down to see that they had their hands tied together. 

"Don't be too disappointed," Morori advised. "You still get to witness the execution of Count Dracula."

"When are you going to get it through that thick helmet of yours that you have no evidence against me?" Count asked. 

"And what do you call this?" Moroi asked as he lifted the helmet. There was a soft jingle.

"What's that noise?" Vlad asked.

Moroi reached in pulling out an item. "An earring?"

"Wait," Alice breathed. "That was a birthday present for--" They looked at Ingrid, Count reached over to see that she was missing an earring. 

"What!?" Ingrid demanded she touched her ear. "Oh, that."

"Explain yourself, girl," Moroi demanded. 

Ingrid scoffed. "Keep your leather pants on, Justice Moron. Yes, I took your stupid helmet. I was trying to come up with a plan to save my stupid boyfriend when I saw that maggot running for his life. I went to investigate, spotted the helmet, and it gave me an idea." She explained how she deceived her boyfriend. 

"You dared impersonate me?" Moroi demanded. 

"Yeah, it was pretty brave," Ingrid answered. "That helmet stinks of zit cream and bat breath, so I ditched it in Dad's room."

"You framed me for Grand High Vampicide?" Count hissed. 

"Yes," Ingrid answered as it was obvious.

"You see Moroi, your evidence is worthless," Count said. 

"Maybe, but there's still the matter of you fraternizing with breathers and slayers," Moroi reminded him. 

"You'll never prove it," Count denied. 

"Oh, I don't think I'll have too much trouble," Moroi confirmed. Alice and Robin both had their wrists tied together. Count stared at the slayers and breathers in worry.

"That reminds me," Ingrid said as she began to walk forward. "Why are those breathers still breathing?"

"Because they are my evidence," Moroi answered. "Nobody is to harm them." He looked at breathers. " Until the execution is over. Then we shall squeeze them like lemons." Alice and Robin looked at each other. "Vladimir, your first bite now belongs to me."

***
Dawn was approaching, breathers were stuffed in one corner, and Count was being held in a cage. Ingrid, Will, and Renfield sat at a table together, eating popcorn. 

"And so, Count Dracula, your death is nigh, and vampires everywhere will rejoice at your demise," Moroi announced with a laugh.

"Psst," Robin sounded, Count looked at him. "You've got to get out of there."

"Oh, well done, Robin," Count congratulated. "Unfortunately, this cage is made out of argentalium."

"Huh?" Alice asked.

"You need to study more," Count scolded her. "It drains vampire powers."

"Can't you just turn into smoke or something?" Robin asked. 

Moroi appeared by them. "Oh, he'll soon be turning into smoke, permanently." He walked up to the cage. "Count Dracula, you are guilty of fraternizing with slayers and breathers." 

Vlad ran out of the castle with a  book in his hand. "Stop! You can't do this!"

"Course I can," Moroi confirmed. "Face it, Vlad, you've lost." He turned to the Count. "And I sentence you too-"

"No," Vlad interrupted. "You actually can't do this." He showed a page in the book. "We still have the right to appeal to the new Grand High Vampire. You'll have to postpone the execution." Count and Moroi laughed.

"Fine," Moroi laughed. He opened his cloak, revealing the crown. "I guess you should start appealing." Vlad closed the book.

"What?" Count demanded. "You're going to make yourself Grand High Vampire?"

"Executions are so much fun," Ingrid said; Will chuckled. 

"I hereby crown myself Grand High Vampire!" Moroi announced. Suddenly, an arrow flew out of nowhere, knocking off the helmet.

"Boris!" Count exclaimed. 

"Boris!?" Vlad and Alice gasped.

"Zit cream and bat breath," Ingrid recalled. "Of course!"

"Boris, why?" Vlad demanded.

"Revenge, Vlad," Boris answered as he walked up. "Sweet, sweet revenge."

"How could I be so stupid?" Vlad asked.

"I've been asking myself that for 14 years," Ingrid confessed. 

"You killed the Grand High Vampire, and tried to frame my dad!" Vlad exclaimed in anger. 

"But he said he was with you," Robin spoke up.

"Yeah, at midnight," Vlad confirmed. "But the murder didn't happen at midnight, did it? You planned it all along, you knew Robin was there. You changed the time on the clock. You murdered the Grand High Vampire.  I can't believe I nearly fell for that corny time-switch trick."

"But what happened to the real Justice Moroi?" Robin asked. 

"What do you think?" Boris asked as he looked at him.

"You murdered him too?" Alice asked. 

"You're mad as a kipper," Robin stated.

"Well, now we've sorted that out, can someone get me out of this cage?" Count asked. 

"Sorry, Uncle," Boris said as he walked up to the cage. "But your sentence, it still stands." Boris laughed as Count screamed.

"You don't have that right!" Vlad denied. 

"Oh, but I will," Boris declared. "When I become the Grand High Vampire." He then walked over to Alice, took her hand, and kissed it. "You will become my wife, instead of a castle, I will offer you the world...what do you think about that, Alice? Better than what my boring cousin Vlad can offer you."

"I'd rather go with my heart," Alice said as she looked at Vlad, he smiled lightly. 

"Are two vampires in love with you?" Professor Chaney asked in a whisper.

"Better than twilight, isn't it?" Robin asked with a slight smile, the breathers, and Boris all looked at him. 

"I'm not offering you a choice," Boris smiled. "You will become my wife." He walked back over to the cage. "I will become the Grand High Vampire." the rope dropped, and Alice looked over to see that Jonathan had freed them; Robin freed Alice's wrists. She looked back as Boris put the crown on his head. Magic energy came from the crown, and Boris started to groan in pain, it vaporized him into dust.

"Boris!" Alice exclaimed as the crown dropped to the ground.

"The crown, it destroyed him," Count noted. 

"Like I'm gonna destroy all you vampires," Van Helsing declared. He and Professor Chaney raised their stakes, Jonathan had a garlic gun. "Prepare to die, foul stench on the breath of humanity."

"Come here and say that slayer," Count ordered. 

Van Helsing looked back at the mortals, then at Count. "All right."

"Closer," Count ordered, Van Helsing went closer. "Oh, closer!" Van Helsing got right up to the cage, Count whispered something to him. Count started laughing as Van Helsing walked back in disbelief with the stake raised. 

"Dad?" Jonathan asked as he grabbed his dad's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Change of plan," Van Helsing said. "Come on, Jonno, we're going home." Everyone watched as the slayers left, Alice turned her head; her eyes and Vlad's eyes met at the same time. The two met in the middle hugging each other. 

"I don't understand," Robin admitted as he walked over. "Actually, I don't understand anything that's happened. "

"At least someone's acting normally today," Vlad said as he and Alice pulled away from each other. 

"Well, when you've quite finished, could somebody please get me out of here before dawn?!" Count pleaded.

Renfield walked over laughing. "I'm coming, Master."

****

Alice and Vlad were sitting on the window sill in his room, staring at the sky.

"Alice," Vlad began.

"I know that tone," Alice sighed. "What is it?" She looked at him.

"If anything is to happen and my family has to leave," Vlad began. "What is going to happen to us?"

"I'm not sure," Alice began. "Through time, we may grow apart."

Vlad held up a pinky finger. "Promise me, we'll reunite."

"Vlad, why are you thinking like this?" Alice asked.

"Tonight was too close of a call," Vlad answered. "With a new grand high vampire coming, things will either get better or worse. So if anything is to happen, promise me we'll find each other."

"That's not a guarantee promise if you move around so much," Alice answered. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

"Then let's promise to do our best," Vlad requested. 

Alice put a pink finger around his. "Just make sure to always keep your window unlocked."