As Beatrix and Autumn walked together down the hall to Autumn''s first class of the day—Biteology—the early morning sunlight shone through the tall, arched windows.


    “Okay, tell me the types of venomous toxins,” Beatrix said, holding up a flashcard.


    Autumn scrunched up her face, trying to remember. "Necrotoxins and cytotoxins, neurotoxins, myotoxins, and haemotoxins," she said.


    "Nice. And how do natural and supernatural mammals produce venom?"


    Without hesitation, Autumn answered, "With venom glands attached to their canine teeth, or venomous saliva."


    Beatrix handed Autumn the thick stack of well-worn flashcards. "You''re gonna kill your midterm," she said encouragingly.


    "Let''s go through them again," Autumn insisted.


    "Trust me, you’ve got this. Seriously, you''ve been studying non stop outside of fearleading," Beatrix said.


    “Let’s do them again,” Autumn repeated, her tone getting stern.


    “We’ve been at it all night! It’s too late anyway. And class is about to start, strawhead.”


    Autumn sighed. “Stop calling me strawhead…”


    “What’s up with you?” Beatrix challenged. “You’ve been acting weird ever since the bonfire.”


    Beatrix searched Autumn''s face, but the bell cut her off before she could get an answer.


    “See you in an hour,” Autumn said flatly, throwing her backpack over her shoulder and taking off for Biteology.


    Beatrix watched Autumn go, and a mix of annoyance and worry churned in her gut. Autumn had been giving her the cold shoulder for over a week now. Sure, the scarecrow was stressed over her first midterm — which counted for a major chunk of her grade — but Beatrix sensed something else was bothering her friend.


    Beatrix had her own troubles weighing heavily on her mind. Her trial before the school board was coming up, looming on the horizon like a dark cloud. The board would finally deliberate what happened at the nightclub and whether those vampire guys were involved in Gilda''s death.


    Even though Grey had spoken up for her, Beatrix couldn''t shake the feeling that her days at Monster High were numbered. The thought of being shipped back to her aunts'' farm filled her with a sense of dread that grew with each passing day.


    Zoning out, Beatrix barely noticed the hallways emptying around her as students disappeared into classrooms until only a few stragglers remained. Suddenly, someone sneered, "Hey, witch snitch, don''t you have gruel to dish out?"


    Beatrix''s head snapped up to a gang of vampires lurking by the lockers. They smirked at her, their fangs glinting menacingly. Front and center was Gory, Bram''s girlfriend, her blood-red eyes fixated on Beatrix with a look of pure loathing. Gory and her friends had been bothering Beatrix ever since she "framed" Bram and Vilhelm at the nightclub.


    Figuring it was better to leave before things escalated, Beatrix hustled towards the creepateria to start her shift. But the vampires weren''t going to let her leave that easily. "Look, Gory, you scared her," one of them hollered after her. "I bet the witch snitch is gonna go cry to Bloodgood now."


    Something in Beatrix snapped. She whirled back around. "That’s all you got? ‘Witch snitch’? Go gargle garlic, fangface."


    For a moment, the vampires looked stunned, but Beatrix didn’t stick around to bask in her comeback. Instead, she dashed through the creepateria doors, praying they wouldn''t come after her.


    In the kitchen, Marsha was putting on her apron, her mossy fingers tying the strings into a knot. "Someone’s punctual today," she said, eyeing Beatrix.


    "What can I say? Pumped to whip up some ghoulash," Beatrix quipped, still a little breathless as she pulled her hair into a braid.


    “Change of plans. We''re serving haunt dogs and blood sausages now. I gotta go grab ‘em from the back freezers. Be right back.” Marsha paused and shot Beatrix a look. "And no hocus pocus funny business while I''m gone, capiche ''Trix? I don''t want to have to report you to the headmistress.”


    “Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Beatrix grumbled, trying not to sound too bitter about it. She was frustrated that Marsha and the other lunch ladies still didn’t trust her after she got busted for the sleeping potion. It made creepateria shifts a little awkward.


    Marsha disappeared into the back storage room, leaving Beatrix alone in the creepateria kitchen. As Marsha’s footsteps faded, Beatrix went over to her work locker and yanked it open, the metal cool against her fingers. She threw on her apron, then started digging through drawers for the haunt dog buns.


    Right when she found them, a loud bang resounded through the kitchen, making Beatrix jolt up. She peered around, trying to figure out where the noise came from, but everything seemed normal at first glance: the stainless steel counters gleamed under the fluorescent lights, the pots and pans hung in their usual spots, and the big ovens sat silently against the wall.


    But then Beatrix’s eyes landed on her locker, and she did a double take. Her locker door was shut, even though she could’ve sworn she’d left it wide open mere seconds ago.


    A shiver ran down her spine as she cautiously scanned the deserted kitchen.


    "Hello? Anyone there?" Beatrix called out.


    Silence.


    Beatrix’s mind went straight to Gory’s blood-red stare.


    With Marsha gone, this was the perfect opportunity for Gory to get back at her for what went down at the nightclub.


    Beatrix grabbed a spatula, wielding it like a weapon. "Hey! I''m armed!" she yelled, putting on a brave face.


    Suddenly, behind her, the bag of haunt dog buns suddenly slid off the counter and hit the floor with a soft thud. Beatrix spun around, clutching the spatula in a white-knuckled grip as she braced herself for an attack.


    Hello again, a familiar voice rang out in Beatrix’s head.


    “Oh my ghoul,” Beatrix gasped. It was the purple spirit chick from the screamatorium, hovering before her. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”


    You''re awfully jumpy these days, the spirit''s voice echoed in Beatrix’s mind.


    Beatrix tried to swat the voice away as if it was a fly buzzing too close to her ear. "What do you want now?"


    “Such a hostile greeting,” the spirit remarked aloud, gliding right through the kitchen counter like it was thin air. "Have I done something to upset you?"


    “Uh, yeah. I might get fired and kicked off campus because of you!” Beatrix complained.


    The spirit’s purple eyes sparkled with excitement. "Is this your way of telling me you successfully replicated a monster power?"


    Beatrix nodded, feeling a little proud despite herself. “Yeah, I sang a mermaid song and pulled off an Operetta-style lullaby,” she admitted.


    “Well done! What spell did you pair the song with?"


    "A sleeping potion. One I could never get right before," Beatrix replied, recalling the thrill that had coursed through her veins when the potion had actually worked.


    "So you mastered a magical technique in an unconventional way…" the spirit mused. "This sounds like a good thing to me."


    "Tell that to the headmistress. You''re the reason I''m in this mess," Beatrix accused, jabbing a finger at the apparition.


    The spirit looked taken aback. “I apologize,” she said softly. “I only wanted to help. But if you don’t wish to see me anymore, I’ll leave you be.” The spirit started to fade away, vanishing between the cabinets.


    Remorse suddenly hit Beatrix. “Wait, no, come back!” she called out. “I’m the one who messed up. I used magic when I knew I wasn’t supposed to.”


    The spirit rematerialized, regarding Beatrix with curious eyes.


    “So… how’d you know that mixing a spell with a monster ability would work so well, anyway?” Beatrix asked.


    A hint of a smile played across the spirit''s translucent features."When you''ve been haunting these halls as long as I have, you tend to pick up a trick or two," she replied cryptically.  Then her face grew solemn. "I get the sense something else is bothering you.”


    Beatrix hesitated, not entirely sure she wanted to reveal her fears to this strange, otherworldly being. But it was all too much to keep inside, and the words came tumbling out before she could stop them. "The vamps at this school have been mad-dogging me since the field trip, like they''re just waiting for the right moment to strike," Beatrix whispered. “I hate being so helpless around them, especially when I have a huge target on my back.”


    The spirit nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "You''re a lamb surrounded by lions.”


    Beatrix blinked. “Uh, yeah. Exactly.”


    The spirit reached out a hand as if to caress Beatrix''s cheek, but her immaterial fingers passed right through, and Beatrix didn’t feel a thing.


    "Well, when you’re feeling as vulnerable as a lamb," the spirit said, her voice low and intense, "you should look to the wolves."


    Beatrix frowned. “Wolves? You mean… werewolves?”


    “Haven’t you noticed that werewolves are the top student athletes?” the spirit asked, her eyes boring into Beatrix''s with a hypnotic intensity. "Replicating their traits will be your best defense against vampires."


    The spirit was onto something. Beatrix thought back to the football games she''d sat through to watch Autumn''s fearleading, and how the werewolves consistently dominated on the field with their speed and strength. Even Orion, who was the smallest werewolf Beatrix had met, could rip a metal door off its hinges like it was nothing.


    Beatrix leaned in, intrigued. “And how exactly do I do that?”


    "You could try smelling like a werewolf," the spirit suggested, sounding amused at the idea.


    Beatrix wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Ew.”


    “But that would only work for a short amount of time…” the spirit pondered aloud. “... and the vampires would catch on quickly.”


    Beatrix thought about Draculaura and Clawdeen''s close friendship, and how the vampire girl seemed unfazed by the werewolf''s scent. Clawdeen''s smell clearly wasn''t enough to deter her.


    “Okay, so I don’t have to steal Orion’s nasty gym socks,” Beatrix said, relieved. "So what’s plan B?" She quickly added, "Oh, and it should go without saying, magic is off the table."


    The spirit’s expression turned grave again. “If you really don’t want to use witchcraft to protect yourself, I’m afraid your only other option is to get bitten by a werewolf.”


    Beatrix paled. “Um, no way! One, my aunts would murder me. Two, way too much body hair. Three, I don’t want to permanently become a supernatural beast just because some vampire snobs are harassing me.”


    The spirit shrugged. “Suit yourself. Looks like your only other option involves a bit of witchcraft. You''ll need to magically replicate a werewolf''s strength somehow.”


    “No!” Beatrix yelped.


    "Now Beatrix, don''t let fear hold you back. Embrace the power that lies within you," the spirit coaxed.


    "Nope, not listening, la la la!" Beatrix clapped her hands over her ears, refusing to get roped into another one of the spirit''s schemes.


    With a huff, Beatrix turned away, only to find herself face to face with Greta, the ancient goblin lunch lady.


    Beatrix lowered her hands and tried to act casual. "Oh, uh, hey, Greta! I was just, um, singing a song. It goes like this..." Beatrix awkwardly sang a few off-key notes that vaguely resembled her earlier outburst.


    The goblin gave Beatrix a gummy smile. “Ah, you young people and your music…”


    Beatrix smiled back. Greta couldn’t have come at a better time. The goblin’s presence had made the spirit disappear.


    While Greta busied herself preparing some condiments nearby, her knobbly, clawed hands sorting packets with surprising nimbleness, Beatrix picked the bag of haunt dogs off the floor and began arranging them on the counter, grateful the nosy apparition was gone.


    Just as Beatrix was starting to relax, an eerie whisper popped up in her mind, making her skin crawl: You need wolfsbane.


    Sure enough, the purple spirit materialized again, hovering expectantly over Beatrix''s shoulder.


    In a dizzying rush, the spirit rattled off a list of ingredients and instructions, her voice echoing in Beatrix’s head:


    You can safely replicate a werewolf’s abilities if you consume cursed venom with wolfsbane leaves. The wolfsbane will prevent a full werewolf transformation, granting you supernatural strength and speed for a limited time.


    The spirit spoke so quickly, Beatrix struggled to keep up.


    Beatrix knew wolfsbane was a plant witches often used to repel werewolves, but she hadn''t realized consuming the plant directly could counteract a werewolf transformation.


    Beatrix directed her thoughts at the ghost: I can’t get caught messing with magic again or I’m dead meat.


    However, there was something about the spirit’s earnestness that comforted Beatrix, like the ghost genuinely cared about her well-being.


    After all, the sleeping potion experiment had taught Beatrix something: replicating a monster''s abilities could be a powerful advantage. And this unconventional method of magic came more naturally to Beatrix than “traditional” witchcraft did with its tedious rituals and incantations.


    I’ll think about it, Beatrix silently told the spirit.


    I’ll be there when you need me, the spirit replied before drifting up and phasing through the mildew-stained ceiling tiles.


    Beatrix could’ve sworn that Greta’s eyes flicked up to the ceiling too, following the spirit’s movements.


    “You’ve got a clinger,” Greta said as she meticulously sorted little plastic packets of batchup and monstard.


    “You can see her too?” Beatrix asked.


    Greta gave a slow nod. “That poltergeist is clinging to you, dearie.”


    “Clinging to me? Are you sure about that? I don’t see her around that much.”


    “You see what Spectra wants you to see,” Greta said. “Seems like she’s grown quite attached to you. Usually, she’s elusive to others around here.”


    Spectra, Beatrix repeated inwardly, glad to finally have a name for the spirit haunting her.


    “Do you know why Spectra’s so attached to me?” Beatrix asked.


    Greta’s old, creased eyes looked at Beatrix with pity.


    “A lot of spirits don’t even know they’re dead. They just want to be around the living because it makes them feel better,” Greta began.


    Suddenly, Greta lurched forward and seized Beatrix’s hands in her gnarled claws.


    Caught off guard, Beatrix flinched. She had no idea Greta could move that fast.


    “But don’t be fooled,” Greta said in a hushed voice, her stale breath hitting Beatrix''s face as she tried not to be overheard. “Spectra knows she’s dead. She’s very aware of it.” The goblin woman’s jagged nails dug painfully into Beatrix’s palms. “Self-aware spirits sometimes latch onto someone, so they can experience life through them secondhand. Spectra misses being alive… you help her feel that again…” Greta’s gaze drifted, her thoughts somewhere else.


    Beatrix pulled away from the goblin woman''s grasp.


    “A clingy ghost is better than a bunch of vengeful bloodsuckers,” Beatrix said, rubbing her hand where Greta’s claws had almost broken the skin.


    “Poltergeists are nothing but trouble. Watch yourself, girlie,” Greta warned.


    Just then, a speaker crackled to life overhead, turning on for a school-wide announcement.


    “Attention students. As of today, the ban on leaving school grounds has been lifted. Please exercise this restored privilege responsibly. That is all,” Headmistress Bloodgood’s voice declared.


    Scattered cheers and whoops of joy could be heard from classrooms down the halls.


    Beatrix’s jaw dropped. She couldn''t believe what she''d just heard.


    They lifted the ban? Just like that? Without any explanation? What about the big school board trial that was supposed to get to the bottom of what went down at that nightclub in New Salem?


    The last Beatrix had heard, the higher-ups at Monster High were still investigating whether Bram and Vilhelm had something to do with Gilda Goldstag''s death.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    None of it made any sense.


    Does this mean the school board believes what I said about Bram and Vilhelm? And vampires aren''t a threat to students here anymore? Is everyone safe now?


    For the first time in a while, Beatrix felt a glimmer of hope that she might be able to stay at Monster High after all.


    ~ o ~ O ~ o ~


    “I can’t hear you, ladies!” Cleo called, her voice ringing out over the wind whipping through the convertible. The mummy clapped her bandaged hands together, golden bangles clinking.


    The ghouls chanted in unison, "We got spirit, yes we do! We got spirit, how ''bout you?" They stomped to the beat as Ghoulia drove them up the winding mountain road back to Monster High. Dusk was falling, painting the sky in vibrant shades of magenta and coral.


    The fearleading ghouls were still buzzing from their huge win earlier.


    That morning, they had all piled into cars and road tripped out to Washington to face off against a bunch of fearleading squads from small private monster schools. But in the end, Monster High had crushed the competition. None of the other squads even came close to matching their skills and diversity, so they ended up completely sweeping the semi-finals.


    Now, the team was making their way back to campus.


    In the car Beatrix was in, the zombie always by Cleo''s side, Ghoulia Yelps was behind the wheel, her glazed eyes staring unblinkingly ahead as she maintained a slow, crawling pace. The other cars full of fearleaders had zoomed ahead of them, but Beatrix was secretly grateful for Ghoulia''s slow driving style. It was the only thing keeping her from feeling car sick on the twisty mountain road.


    Beatrix glanced over at Cleo in the passenger seat, who was practically glowing with happiness. Beatrix guessed it was probably a combo of the thrill from their big win and the fact that Headmistress Bloodgood had finally lifted the travel ban on students, so they weren’t cooped up on campus anymore.


    In the back seat, Beatrix was sandwiched between Autumn and a yeti named Abbey, whose skin was so cold it was making Beatrix''s arm go numb.


    Abbey wasn’t the only one giving Beatrix a cold shoulder.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Beatrix could see Autumn scrolling through her iCoffin, pointedly ignoring her. The scarecrow had been like this all day.


    As Ghoulia drove them through the school''s front gates, with the Monster High crest hanging above them, Beatrix started thinking about the school board trial again. It was happening tomorrow, but Beatrix wasn’t nervous about it anymore. Since the lockdown was over, Beatrix figured that the vampire boys had already been found guilty and that her place at Monster High was secure. Of course, this was all just an assumption on her part. Nothing was for sure until the school board actually announced the verdict.


    But Beatrix couldn''t be bothered to worry about what-ifs. Right now, she just wanted to celebrate the fearleading team’s victory and focus on something more pressing — getting her hands on some wolfsbane.


    No matter what happened with Bram and Vilhelm, Beatrix knew she might still have to deal with pissed off vamps like Gory. A witch could never be too prepared.


    Once Ghoulia pulled the car into the student lot, Beatrix couldn’t wait to stretch her legs after the long drive. The fearleaders clambered out one by one, groaning as they stretched their stiff muscles.


    Clawdeen, who was sitting on the grass nearby, waved at the group. "Hey, ghouls! Over here!" Cleo, Ghoulia, Abbey, Toralei, Beatrix, and Autumn made their way over, their luggage in tow.


    Beside Clawdeen was Venus, another member of the fearleading squad. With her green skin and vibrant pink hair, Venus was hard to miss. Beatrix didn''t know much about the plant monster, except that she wasn''t too thrilled about a witch tagging along with Autumn to all the fearleading stuff. Oh, and that she was the head of the school''s gardening club.


    The latter was what piqued Beatrix’s interest.


    Beatrix needed to get her hands on some wolfsbane, and the school gardens were her best bet. She’d tried to sneak into the garden the other night, but the greenhouses had been locked.


    “Took you long enough! The rest of us got back over an hour ago!” Clawdeen said as the group reached her.


    Toralei shot a glare at Ghoulia. "We wouldn’t have taken so long if someone drove faster,” she hissed.


    Cleo stepped in front of Ghoulia, hands on her hips. "You have a problem with Ghoulia, you have a problem with me,” Cleo scolded. The mummy was used to putting Toralei in her place.


    Toralei’s ears flattened, looking a little dejected as she muttered, “Whatever.”


    Autumn placed a comforting hand on Toralei’s shoulder. Beatrix expected Toralei to shrug Autumn’s hand off, but she didn’t.


    Huh… maybe Autumn was right about them becoming friends, Beatrix thought.


    “Don’t be angry, kitty. We gotta celebrate winning the semi-finals!” Clawdeen rallied. “Who''s going to Draculaura''s tonight?"


    "Wait, what''s happening at Draculaura''s?" Beatrix asked.


    “We’re meeting up at Draculaura’s house for a kick back,” Clawdeen said. “Didn''t you see my text in the group chat?”


    “Oh… no, I didn’t,” Beatrix said. She glanced at Autumn, who was busy chatting with Toralei on the side, aloof to the conversation. Autumn had been keeping Beatrix out of the loop more and more lately.


    It was obvious Autumn had put up a wall between them and Beatrix had no idea why. The scarecrow had never done this before; it was entirely new territory.


    “Who is going to this, how you say, ‘kick back’?” Abbey asked Clawdeen in her thick accent.


    “Just the fearleaders. We’re having a ghoul’s night!”


    Cleo tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere until I bathe.”


    Clawdeen rolled her eyes. “Try not to take a three hour bubble bath, your royal highness. We’ll meet you at Drac’s soon.”


    As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the fearleaders began to disperse, lugging their bags towards the dorms.


    Autumn looked over her shoulder at Beatrix, almost as an afterthought. “You coming?” The question sounded like it was more out of obligation than genuine interest.


    Beatrix shook her head. "Nah, you go ahead."


    Autumn walked off with Toralei.


    Beatrix approached Clawdeen and Venus, who were still sitting in the grass to watch the sun set.


    She plopped down beside them, the blades of grass tickling her legs. "Hey, mind if I sit with you guys for a bit?" she asked, trying to sound casual.


    “Sure,” Clawdeen said.


    Venus, on the other hand, didn’t look too happy about Beatrix''s arrival. Her lips pressed together in a tight line.


    Undeterred, Beatrix attempted to steer the conversation towards the gardening club and their plants. "So, Venus," she began, "I was thinking the lunch ladies could really use some help spicing up their dishes. Do you have anything I could use?"


    Venus raised an eyebrow. "If you''re looking for oregano, you’ll have better luck at a grocery store," she said, her tone dismissive.


    Beatrix leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Actually, I’m looking for something a little more unique. You know, something with a real kick to it."


    Venus shrugged. "I mean, it’s not like you can cook with them, but we grow snapdragons, wormwood, hemlock, wolfsbane—”


    “Wow, those sound wicked! Any chance I could go see them?” Beatrix asked.


    Venus''s expression grew uneasy, and she glanced at Clawdeen as if seeking backup.


    Clawdeen chimed in. "Weren’t you gonna swing by the garden anyway, Venus? To check on your poppies before we head to Draculaura’s?”


    Thank the hells for Clawdeen, Beatrix thought, fighting back a smile.


    Venus mumbled, "Yeah, I was..."


    Beatrix jumped at the opportunity. "Perfect! I''ll tag along, if that''s cool with you." She gave Venus her most winning smile. The plant monster was obviously annoyed, but Beatrix wasn''t about to back down. She needed that wolfsbane, no matter what.


    Spectra''s advice about copying a werewolf power was her only shot at defending herself against Gory and the other vampires.


    Beatrix refused to end up like Gilda Goldstag.


    ~ o ~ O ~ o ~


    The sun had set by the time Beatrix, Clawdeen, and Venus set out, leaving only the moon to light their way as they headed into the woods. The trail twisted and turned, taking them deeper into the forest and away from Monster High. They pushed through the thick bushes, ducking low branches as they went. The girls were heading to Draculaura''s place, which was about a mile from the school, tucked away in the middle of the forest.


    Draculaura was one of the lucky few who had a place off campus, all because she was the sole descendant of the infamous Dracula—the king of old money. The rule that kept students on school grounds had forced Draculaura to stay in a private dorm at Monster High for the past few months, but as soon as the ban was lifted, Draculaura had immediately moved back to her beloved forest home.


    As Beatrix, Clawdeen, and Venus trekked uphill, Clawdeen walked at an effortlessly quick pace, her strong legs unfazed by the steep incline.


    The deeper they ventured into the woods, the more the forest stirred. A squirrel chittered nearby, and in the distance, ravens cawed through the trees, shill and foreboding.


    The frigid night air was making Beatrix shiver, so she shoved her hands into her pockets to warm up. Inside her jacket, Beatrix’s fingers brushed against the wolfsbane leaves she’d stolen from the school garden earlier while Clawdeen and Venus were distracted. Beatrix had stuffed dozens of those purple leaves in her jacket and now was just hoping they wouldn''t crinkle too loud and blow her cover.


    Suddenly, Clawdeen''s ears twitched, her heightened senses picking up on something. "You guys hear that?" she asked, her voice low and cautious.


    Beatrix''s heart skipped a beat, worried that Clawdeen might have heard the wolfsbane in her pockets. She held her breath, watching as the werewolf glanced around, her keen eyes surveying the mossy trees that surrounded them.


    "Hear what?" Venus asked, her own senses not as sharp as Clawdeen''s.


    That’s when Beatrix noticed how quiet the forest had become. The animals and birds had fallen silent, leaving only the sound of the ghouls’ breathing and the quiet thump of something moving in the darkness.


    Thump-a-thump.


    Beatrix''s ears perked up, straining to pinpoint the source of the noise.


    Thump-a-thump.


    The noise''s rhythm was unsteady, not too far off in the woods. Like hooves stomping in the dirt.


    “It’s probably just some animal,” Clawdeen said.


    Venus was getting antsy. "Come on, we''re gonna be late."


    As the others walked on, Beatrix hung back, curious about the strange noise. She squinted into the trees, her eyes adjusting to the dimness of the forest.


    Slowly, she started to make out a shape. A big, black shadow, standing motionless between the pines.


    Beatrix couldn’t tell if it was a boulder, a tree trunk, or something else…


    “You coming?” Clawdeen called out to Beatrix.


    Beatrix hurried to catch up with them. As she pushed through the dense foliage, she spotted twinkling lights glimmering through a break in the towering trees.


    Draculaura''s house was like something out of a magazine — chic and modern, an architectural marvel tucked back against the mountainside. It was three stories tall with a polished white wrap-around porch and every wall was made almost entirely of glass.


    When Beatrix, Clawdeen, and Venus reached the grand front doors, it swung open before they could even knock, and Beatrix saw a familiar face in the doorway.


    “Guillermo!” Beatrix said. She hadn''t spoken to him since the nightclub incident. They’d seen each other briefly at MSS meetings, but those had basically turned into silent detention hours because Mr. Gore was still punishing them for the whole sleeping potion thing.


    And for some odd reason, after every MSS meeting, Guillermo had scurried away like a timid mouse before Beatrix could approach him.


    Clawdeen and Venus strode past Guillermo, their heels clicking on the polished marble floor as they entered the massive entryway.


    “How are you doing?” Beatrix asked Guillermo.


    "Good," he answered stiffly, looking anywhere but at her.


    Yeah, he’s definitely hiding something.


    “Get in here, Beatrix! You must be freezing!” Draculaura beckoned, popping up out of nowhere in the entryway. She took Beatrix''s arm and pulled her inside with a surprisingly strong grip for someone so tiny. Vampire strength was no joke, even if you were pint-sized like Draculaura.


    "Guillermo, can you please go make more punch for everyone?" Draculaura added over her shoulder.


    “Right away, master!” Guillermo said eagerly, beelining off.


    As Beatrix stepped inside, she gawked at how insanely fancy Draculaura’s place was.


    The first floor featured a wide, sweeping staircase to the right, its railings twisting with intricate designs. To the left, a sleek white piano gleamed under a dazzling crystal chandelier. The living room was decked out with luxurious lounge furniture and plush fur carpets. Through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, breathtaking views of the moonlit forest stretched as far as the eye could see, with shadowy treetops swaying in the night breeze.


    All the fearleading girls were already hanging out in the living room when Beatrix and Draculaura walked in.


    “The witch is here,” Abbey announced bluntly. Her statement wasn’t negatively charged; Abbey was simply a straightforward ghoul.


    Beatrix received some friendly waves and hellos from the assembled monsters. Even Cleo graced her with an indifferent look rather than her usual disdain. The fearleaders had gotten used to Beatrix''s presence and were mostly welcoming to her now.


    Except Autumn, who barely looked Beatrix''s way before going back to talking to Frankie.


    “Your house is unreal,” Beatrix said to Draculaura, still in awe.


    “This place was a gift from my dad last year for my birthday.” Draculaura smiled. “I just wish he wasn''t so old-fashioned. I’d love for you guys to meet him, but he doesn’t really like any monsters besides vampires. He wanted to ship me off to some boring vampire-only academy overseas, but I finally convinced him to let me come here instead. Only took a couple centuries of begging!"


    Beatrix grinned at her. “Well, I’m glad you ended up here.”


    "Right back at you," Draculaura replied, her expression turning mischievous. "You definitely keep things interesting around here, that''s for sure."


    Beatrix tilted her head. “What do you mean?”


    “Oh come on, mixing witchcraft with monster powers? I’ve never heard of anything like it before. How''d you even come up with the idea to use a sleeping potion and a mermaid song together?”


    Beatrix stared at the small vampire, completely dumbfounded. “Um…”


    How the heck does Draculaura know about the mermaid song? I was so careful to leave that part out when I told Bloodgood what happened during the field trip. If the headmistress finds out, I''m gonna be in so much trouble.


    As far as Beatrix knew, no one else knew about the bizarre witchcraft technique she’d used that night… No one except…


    “Drac! We need another player!” Clawdeen hollered. The fearleaders were starting up a card game around a large ornate table, shuffling a deck of cards.


    “Go ahead and make yourself at home, Beatrix,” Draculaura said breezily as she glided over to join them.


    “Sure thing,” Beatrix muttered under her breath. She then turned on her heel and stomped towards the kitchen.


    She spotted Guillermo standing at the kitchen island, concentrating hard on stirring a large crystal bowl of punch.


    “You,” Beatrix accused, keeping her voice low as she marched up to him.


    Guillermo flinched, nearly dropping the ladle. “Beatrix! What—”


    “You and Orion promised you wouldn’t say anything about what magic I used,” Beatrix interrupted. “So why does Draculaura know about the mermaid song?”


    “I—” Guillermo sputtered.


    “If people find about about this, I could get kicked out!”


    Guillermo started to sweat. "No, listen, it''s not what you—”


    Just then, Draculaura''s voice carried in from the living room. "Oh hey, Gory!"


    Beatrix dropped into a crouch, ducking down behind the kitchen island, her heart leaping into her throat. Why is Gory Fangtell here?


    “We heard you were having a little get-together, thought we''d swing by,” Gory said to Draculaura. Beatrix couldn’t tell how many vampires she''d brought with her.


    “The more the merrier!” Frankie chirped.


    “Is this everyone?” Gory asked, a hint of something sinister lurking in her voice “Aren''t there more members of the fear squad gang coming tonight?”


    Are they looking for me? Beatrix worried.


    Suddenly, Guillermo dropped down behind the counter with Beatrix, his eyes huge with terror. He silently mouthed something to Beatrix that made her blood run cold:


    Bram and Vilhelm are here.


    No way. Beatrix had to have read his lips wrong. Those two psycho vamps had been MIA ever since Grey ran them off in New Salem. Beatrix figured they had to be suspended while the nightclub and Gilda stuff got investigated.


    But...Bloodgood never actually said they were suspended, did she? Beatrix had just assumed…


    And even if they were banned from Monster High, that wouldn''t stop them from showing up at Draculaura''s place. It was way off campus, with no school security…


    "Hells," Beatrix breathed. This was bad. Really bad.


    Beatrix cautiously peeked out from behind the counter and caught a glimpse of Bram and Vilhelm. The two boys stood behind Gory and their other bloodsucker friends, looking just as menacing as that night Beatrix saw them draining those human girls.


    Right now, their blood-red eyes were locked on Draculaura, who was the only thing between the pack of undead predators and the kitchen.


    Vampires couldn''t just walk into homes uninvited. Draculaura must’ve been close enough with this group to have invited them over before.


    Beatrix ducked back behind the counter before any of them could notice her.


    “We’re goners,” Guillermo whimpered. “I’m too young to die.”


    Beatrix heard soft footsteps coming towards the kitchen. Her and Guillermo froze, both thinking the same horrible thing — a vampire was about to find them.


    Frantic, Beatrix''s eyes darted around, but there were no kitchen knives or even spatulas to arm herself with. They were completely defenseless. Beatrix had no idea what to do.


    I wish Grey was here, she thought miserably, squeezing her eyes shut.


    Then Beatrix heard Guillermo let out a shaky sigh of relief beside her. She opened her eyes and saw Autumn walking into the kitchen, holding two empty glasses in her hands as she made her way to the punch bowl for a refill.


    As Autumn passed their hiding spot, Beatrix''s hand shot out and grabbed the scarecrow''s soft arm, yanking her down to the floor with them.


    “What the—” Autumn yelped, button eyes wide.


    Beatrix clamped a hand over Autumn''s mouth. "Shhh! I need your phone, quick!”


    "Mmph? Whmm?" Autumn mumbled against Beatrix''s palm.


    Not waiting for an answer, Beatrix reached into Autumn''s jacket and pulled out her orange iCoffin. Beatrix typed in a phone number that she had recently committed to memory, the digits burned into her brain.


    Grey had told Beatrix to call him if she ever ran into trouble, but calling wasn''t an option right now, not with the vamps so close. So instead, Beatrix hastily typed out a text message, her thumbs flying over the keys:


    Mad vamps @ Drac''s. SOS - B.


    She hit send, praying that Grey would see it in time.


    "Gimme that back," Autumn grumbled, making a swipe for her phone. "I gotta refill these drinks for me and Clawdeen."


    Beatrix''s gaze fell on the two glasses in Autumn''s hands, and she froze. One of them still had a few sips of punch left in it, the red liquid sloshing gently. Smudges of crimson lipstick stained the rim of the glass.


    Clawdeen’s lipstick.


    By the look of it, the drink had touched Clawdeen’s lips multiple times.


    And if any of Clawdeen’s saliva had gotten into that cup, it meant Beatrix had werewolf venom right in front of her.


    Spectra''s words echoed in Beatrix''s head: To replicate a werewolf''s strength and speed for a limited time, consume two fingernail-sized amounts of cursed venom.


    Or wait… did Spectra say it was only one fingernail''s worth of venom?


    If Beatrix didn’t get the amount right, she was at risk of transforming into a werewolf permanently, no matter how much wolfsbane she consumed to counteract the effects.


    But there was no time for second-guessing now.


    Even if Draculaura and the other fearleading ghouls tried to intervene, Beatrix wasn''t convinced they''d be able to fend off a vengeful horde of bloodthirsty vampires.


    But if Clawdeen''s werewolf venom gave Beatrix a boost of supernatural speed and strength? They might just have a shot at getting out of this in one piece. Beatrix didn''t care if she had to sling Autumn and Guillermo over her shoulders and make a mad dash all the way back to campus herself; she wasn''t about to let those vicious vamps kill her and her friends.


    Beatrix turned to Guillermo and whispered, “Is there a back door?”


    "It’s right over there.” Guillermo pointed a shaky finger to a glass door in the kitchen that barely looked distinguishable from the glass wall. “But they’ll hear us. The latch on that door is super loud.”


    Beatrix chewed her lip, thinking. If they could just get out of here fast enough, it wouldn''t matter if the latch was loud. But that all hinged on Spectra''s werewolf power plan actually working.


    Ultimately, when it came to unconventional witchcraft techniques, Spectra knew her stuff. That mermaid song had worked like a charm, after all. Beatrix decided to trust in Spectra’s plan, no matter how out-there it might seem.


    Before she could talk herself out of it, Beatrix snatched Clawdeen’s glass from Autumn and downed the leftover liquid in one gulp. She was grateful that Clawdeen’s saliva was mixed with tropical punch and maraschino cherries.


    “Bea, what on earth—”


    Beatrix was already digging into her pockets and pulling out fistfuls of purple wolfsbane leaves. She shoved them into her mouth and swallowed them down whole, not even bothering to chew, desperate to get the bitter herbs down her throat as quickly as possible. They tasted like dirt on her tongue, but she barely noticed.


    Once she’d gulped down the odd mix of ingredients, Beatrix started crawling across the cold kitchen floor to the back door. Guillermo followed.


    “Uh… is someone gonna tell me what’s going on?” Autumn demanded.


    “Not now, strawhead.”


    “Don’t call me that,” Autumn snapped, voice rising.


    Beatrix twisted around to face Autumn and pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh! Not now. Trust me, okay? Now let’s go."


    Autumn looked ready to argue, but with a huff of frustration, she gave in and began crawling after them.


    When Beatrix reached the back door, she reached up and slowly turned the knob, pushing the door open just a crack. A sliver of cool night air slipped into the kitchen, carrying with it the earthy scent of the forest.


    Beatrix squeezed through the narrow opening and lowered herself down Draculaura''s back porch steps. Guillermo and Autumn followed suit, copying Beatrix, and stepped down onto the forest grounds below. Their shoes crunched on the bed of pine needles that blanketed the ground.


    Once Autumn made it out, the door’s heavy latch clicked loudly back into place behind them.


    "There''s no way they didn''t hear us," Guillermo said, his voice trembling.


    “Pudgy’s right. You really thought you could sneak away?” a chillingly familiar voice suddenly purred in Beatrix''s ear, the words dripping with malice.


    With a yelp, Beatrix jolted away and fell sideways into the dirt. Heart hammering, she looked up to see Bram and Vilhelm towering over her, their eyes glowing red in the darkness.


    One of the vampire boys gave Beatrix a hollow smile, his sharp fangs gleaming in the moonlight like polished blades.


    “We’ve been meaning to speak with you, witch snitch.”