When Casey felt the peaceful cloud leave her, she found herself standing in a well-lit circle with what appeared to be a wooden dance floor under her feet.  Tapping her foot a couple times to confirm what she was visualizing, Casey looked up to see the source of the yellowish light.

-Ow, that was stupid Rivers.-

Quickly squinting to avoid any more shooting pain into her mind, Casey stopped worrying about the light overhead and saw what she wore.  Laughing quietly to herself, Casey deduced that somehow she was ready for a summer evening on the town.  Inspecting her clothing, Casey smiled to herself and a sense of relief came over her knowing that even in this place she was still true to herself.  Wearing a set of black calf-length boots, Casey lifted one of her feet and nodded in approval when she saw the little crimson bats embedded in the leather.  

-I must be dreaming.-

Casey quipped to herself as she took in the fact she was wearing faded jeans and a gold bodysuit that had a square neckline and held her huge chest in with a set of spaghetti straps tight to her shoulders.

-Looks like something I’d wear.-

Confirming the look to herself, She flexed and took a couple dance steps to get a feel for her body and happened to see her fingernails glint under the bright light.  Not only were they painted in a light blue and gold to match her outfit, Casey saw that her hands were more clawlike than before.  Making a fist a couple times, she loved how she’d adapted to the extensions without really thinking about it.

-I’m not sure about these colors though.  It matches, so I’ll go with it.  Now what?-

Barely getting the question through her mind, Casey heard upbeat pop music start playing that reminded her of Ava Max.  Figuring it couldn’t hurt to pass the time, Casey began with a few little dance steps and started shaking her head to the beat.  Comforted when her thick curls lightly bounced off her cheeks, Casey heard and felt the intensity of the music pick up.  Swiveling her hips and holding her arms just above her shoulders, Casey let herself get carried into the lyrics being chanted.

Dancing the way she was, Casey lost track of how many songs passed and steadily enjoyed the freedom of her fluid and sexy moves.  Comfort and safety seemed to falter when Casey felt the cool touch of a hand come from behind her.  Twisting to see the disturbance, Casey turned in time to feel a guy slip his arms around her waist and begin grinding against her.  While there was something familiar about the guy's touch, Casey didn’t care for the chill that accompanied his presence.  Shoving herself away from the man and breaking free of his grip, she held up a finger and shook her head ‘no’ as the heat and light above her radiated enough to feel all doubt dissipate.

Pleased that she’d fended off the cold man, Casey once more whipped her head side to side with the beat of the music.  Much like before Casey felt her hair hit her cheeks with one exception, no curls.  Mildly concerned, she flipped her hair forward so she could see what had changed.  Auburn hair had been replaced with copper-strawberry blonde and the curls gone in favor of a length that touched the tops of her heavy breasts.  

-I love it!-

Pleased beyond her wildest dreams, Casey spun in a few circles and loved the way her lighter-colored hair glowed with yellow highlights within the light she danced in.  Mere seconds passed before another set of heavy hands clutched her from behind and unceremoniously ran his cold hands from her waist to squeeze both of her breasts.  Given that Casey was used to guys doing a myriad of stupid shit to touch her chest, she was unsurprised by the advances of this particular dark figure.  While it was simple enough for Casey to twist herself free of the man’s grasp, it wasn’t getting free that was the issue. This guy had appeared out of the unseen crowd with such confidence and overbearance that Casey knew the issue would be how she handled the fear that tugged at her heart.

‘The woman I raised isn’t full of fear.  She doesn’t fear what is beyond her sight.  You are better than this Casey.  You can’t run forever.’  Casey heard her mother clear as a bell while sitting on her stool, and pointing the end of a paintbrush at her.

-No more running.-

Rather than being cute and twisting away from the man who gripped her, She clutched his hands and squeezed them until she felt the bones snap in his hands.  Filled with confidence, Casey pulled the man closer and whispered in his ear. “I used to run from people like you.”  Moving to the beat of the music, Casey danced behind the man and resumed. “It was polite and fake, getting water and excusing myself to not cause a scene, when I’d been the one insulted or treated like shit.”  Flicking her claw across the vile man’s ear, Casey resumed. “I was the prey.  You were the predator and I was scared.”  Four soft clicks and Casey felt her fangs lock in place. “Your turn.”  Anger swelled within Casey and she tore a huge hunk of the man-monster’s neck out and watched as he fell to the floor spraying hot and black blood all over the floor.

Seconds after the man disintegrated within her light, Casey felt a rush of ecstasy as fear left her body. “Hell yeah!”  Casey screamed and spun on her heels still jamming to the music that pulsed in from all directions. Reaching up to feel her four new teeth, Casey happily played with her fangs until she noticed her hands weren’t as tanned as they used to be.

-Huh?-

Holding up her arms while she still bounced her hips side to side, Casey shrugged off the fact that her cultivated tan had been replaced by pale skin.

-One step closer.  Sylvie… it's working.-

Happiness and glee filled Casey’s mind for a split second before she spun her way into another man.  Only this man wasn’t unknown.  Face to face with the soft goatee and loving green eyes. “Brian.”

“Casey.  What are you doing?”  He folded his arms over his huge muscular chest.

Frozen in place even with the heavenly pop beats going off in her head, Casey reached up with her clawed hand and felt the soft hair on Brian’s face.  Devoid of fear for the man before her, she tilted her head and let her new copper-strawberry blonde hair fall over her shoulder. “I’m being myself, for the first time in a very long time.”  Resolved to bury this nightmare once and for all, Casey felt the heat and light above her reinforce her will. “Brian.  It is time for you to go.  I held onto your memory way too long.”  Slowly, the music penetrated her soul again and she started moving her head lightly. “La-la-la-lalala..”  She quietly sang to the big man. “..la-la-lalalala.”

“You can’t live without me, Casey.”  Brian winked and opened his arms. “Come on, let’s make this right.”

Fueled by her resolution and the need to keep dancing, Casey shook her head and spun away from the man she once loved.  “This is right, Brian.  Our fight is over, there is just your memory that haunts me.”  Grinding her hips and curling around the fading image, Casey blew him a kiss. “Rest in Peace, Brian.”

-You did it, Rivers!-

Jumping wildly in the air and landing on her knees, Casey fell backwards on the wooden floor and began laughing as loud as she could. “It’s really over..”  Squirming the best she could to the music, Casey felt three pairs of hands lifting her up.  Seeing that the hands belonged to her blood bunny friends, Casey let herself get pulled up and began dancing with them in her bright circle.

“Casey, you should see yourself.”  Amber spoke up while grinding herself into Casey’s new and nearly perfect form. “I am in love with the red of your lips.”  She laughed, “I could kiss you.”

Holding Amber with one arm, Casey pulled the bunny tight to her body. “So, I am..I am?”  Casey leaned in and kissed Amber on the cheek and waited until her friend nodded. “Does Sylvie know it worked?”

“Not yet.  When is up to you.”  Amber confirmed and returned the kiss in kind.

Casey danced with the other two for a few minutes, enjoying the bliss and freedom that came with it.  Finally with beads of red sweat pouring from her body making her glisten with a red hue, Casey stepped away from her three dance partners and looked up once more into the bright light that protected her. “Ready when you are.”

Slightly concerned when her three friends disappeared back into the crowd, Casey saw a short-haired woman appear and walk into her light, Casting a shadow as she did so. Happy to see the blue-gray hair, Casey smiled and whispered, “Sylvie.  You..we did it.”  She looked at the floor and made the connection. “We are the eclipse.”

Opening her eyes, Casey found herself nestled deep within Sylvie’s arms and still lying flat on the bed. “Sylvie..”  Her voice cracked and she embraced her creator. “I-I saw the eclipse.”  Casey ran her hand through the blue-gray hair, desperate to feel something real. “I don’t know how, but it was..like a test.”

“Your eyes, Casey.”  Sylvie felt the link between them lock into place, confirming that Casey was indeed her progeny. “They…they…I.”  Sylvie gulped and pulled Casey into a tight hug, “They are like looking into the sun.”

Suddenly aware of Sylvie’s presence far beyond holding the vampiress, Casey felt something click into place and she could almost read the woman’s mind. “Oh, that’s wild.”  Casey laughed and returned the hug, lightly kissing Sylvie on her neck. “What, what do you mean about the sun?”  Casey pulled back and stared into the full moon eyes of her creator. “I must still be waking up, did you say my eyes..were..”

“..Yes, like the sun.”  Sylvie cupped Casey’s cheeks and swirled her finger gently. “They are golden like the sun.  It is like seeing a sunset..or..”  Sylvie smiled and returned Casey’s kiss with one on her progeny’s cheek. “..a sunrise.”