Going back to school after what had just happened with Jacob Moreland was hard on the girls and Caleb, but it was especially hard on Duke. Duke had felt responsible that Caleb's dad had ended up in the hospital and he couldn't have done anything to help them. Sasha finally talked to Duke about it one day after school had ended.
"You know, none of what happened to Caleb's dad is your fault." Sasha finally said as they stood by her motorcycle.
"Well it certainly feels like my fault. My dad sent both Ken and that terror little Ann after Caleb and his dad and I could've just warned them, or maybe I could've gone with them. Hell, I would've given my own arm to replace Mister Moreland's arm." Duke sighed.
"That is very....uh, sweet, of you to offer. It's kind of disgusting, but sweet. Something that bugs me whenever I think of asking you though is....why didn't you warn us about them? The Five I mean. You were stuck with your dad for such a long time, I thought you might've recognized what they look like." Sasha questioned her boyfriend.
"Like I told you before, my mom was a pacifist. She wanted to give me as normal as a childhood as she could with me being a Dhampir. She would never allow me to be involved in any of my dad's....business. After my mom died, my dad at first tried to get me into the field, but I never had the nerve to harm another human being intentionally without reason. Each time I failed to do what my father told me to do, I would end up going to a cage as punishment where I would only be fed a single meal a day. My dad ultimately decided to leave me in that cage for seven years being mocked by other vampires. The only one I knew 'personally' was little Ann." Duke explained.
"I'm guessing she beat you up sometimes." Sasha guessed as Duke nodded.
"At my father's request. Little Ann was the only one I actually knew directly, and Ken I only knew from some gossip from the other vampires. The other three, I don't know who they are or what they look like. Honestly they could be anyone in any neighborhood." Duke explained further.
"Let's just go back to your house. We've still got homework." Duke sighed as he sat on the back of the motorcycle.
Sasha was about to sit down on the motorcycle before she looked once more at Duke and saw how guilty he looked.
"You know what? Fuck the after school special, fuck homework. You and me are going on a little....excursion around town." Sasha smirked as she put her helmet on and they headed off on her motorcycle.
Sasha explained to Duke that they were going to go around and find people to transform, but only if they deserved it.
First they went to a rockabilly festival where they noticed two kids who looked to be 10 year-old twins walking around with their grandparents, but not enjoying it. Duke nodded to Sasha to change the four of them as the four were now teenagers who loved rockabilly and were dating, but now none of them were related by blood anymore.
Next they saw a little girl who was being hauled around by an uncaring mother while she noticed a heavyset woman around her mother's age who gave her a wink. Duke nodded to Sasha as the little girl became a beautiful mature plus sized woman and began making out with the woman while the former mother didn't even notice and was about to leave when Duke made another suggestion and made the former mother into a baby that now the two women were raising together.
They then went to a restaurant where an Asian woman was talking with her teenage daughter's boyfriend and the girlfriend seemed jealous of the two. Duke then made an interesting suggestion where the Asian daughter and the mother switched ages and now the former mother was dating the boyfriend while the former daughter was happy for them.
Sasha and Duke then decided that it was finally time to head back to the house, even if it was a little later than their usual arrive time home.
"I....really needed that. Thanks Sasha." Duke thanked.
"Anything to make my boyfriend happy." Sasha said as they leaned in to kiss each other before Joe Sampson opened the front door.
"Dad! Seriously? You ruined our moment." Sasha said to her father.
"Where have you two been? You didn't call to tell me you would be home late." Joe said tapping his foot.
"I..." Sasha began to apologize before Duke interrupted.
"I'm sorry Mr. Sampson, but the last few days have been....pretty rough for a friend of ours. I felt somewhat responsible that I couldn't help him and Sasha was trying to cheer me up. So if you have to punish someone, punish me. I live under your house, so I'll abide by your rules." Duke explained with Joe looking impressed.
"Since you two were able to come home safely, your only punishment will be not being able to kiss my daughter goodnight before bed." Joe said as Duke smiled and nodded as he headed inside.
"You know, he's really growing on me." Joe said to Sasha as they went inside.
"I'm glad to hear it." Sasha said.
"And you have my permission to marry him one day if you want." Joe smiled.
"Daddy..." Sasha said blushing as they went inside.