In my life I’ve played a lot of games. Board games, video games, sports games and so on. Planning always goes the same way in them all. Get a sheet of paper, a big board or maybe even a map. Get a few representatives of a group or highly talented individuals involved. Then you set the tone, here’s what’s happening, here’s what we’re going to do. This is how we finish and this is where we regroup. I’m quickly learning, real life doesn’t really mix with fantasy. At least it didn’t, until I fell in love with a vampire at first sight. What has my life become?

Lynn is way more focused, and less fun than she was when we met yesterday. Sobriety tends to have that effect on people, but she actually seems competent. She’s got examples and references as to why each step of her plan will work. She’s been leading for 33 years and plans to retire soon. I’m just hoping this isn’t like a cop movie where she says she’s getting too old, then gets shot.

The actual plan is simple, we break into their mansion. We take it, broad daylight while they’re asleep. The plan gets complicated because The Wererats want to take more than just the chalice. They want to break into the vault. It’s a high-tech alarm, but the vault is something one of The Wererats could crack. This is where I’m supposed to come in. According to the plan I’ll sneak down with one of The Wererats as security while they break into the vault. They could outsource it to their usual contact, but they figure I’m cheaper. Despite me telling them I’m not an expert at cracking vaults or alarms they assure me I’ll be ready to go with a few days of preparation.

What I’m scared of most is killing, it wasn’t on my list of worries prior to this. I hadn’t thought about the fact that we may still be discovered. The Wererats aren’t fighters, but they can survive and have plenty of anti-vampire stuff. Even if they aren’t human, I can’t help but think about what happens when a vampire dies. I was in the group of us that suggested contain any threat or alert everyone and flee before regrouping. I was surprised when Destiny disagreed with me. She didn’t care if we killed people, because they’re, “vampire assholes.” But I think vampires are people too; same as elves, goblins, orcs, werewolves and every other creature I’ve met or seen lately. A conclusion that I’ve come to on my own, they’re sentient and just as capable as humans.

“If it was up to me, we’d just kill them all while they sleep. Maybe place sunlight runes around the home that trigger at midnight or something. Just to make sure they don’t come back later,” Destiny looks me in the eye as she suggests.

“That’s the afro firecracker I remember,” Lynn’s boisterous laugh has already begun to irritate me.

“We’re not murders. I’m not even a thief. I do internet security, and build websites on the side. You all steal from museums. Why would waste time trying to murder everyone? We get in, we get out,” I speak against her.

I can’t even remember what Destiny and I had fought about before, but I think this one might be worse. I’m not even sure why I’m involved in it. I wonder if Elias has any other tricks in his bag to help a relationship survive a big fight, because that’s where we’re heading. In the end we don’t even get a solution to the kill or no kill rule. Just a lot of debate with Lynn promising to make the final call. For now, we’re all supposed do our prep. For me that means learning about alarm systems. But I need to speak with Destiny first.

I don’t even get a chance to speak to her; right away as she’s off discussing something with Lynn. Instead a wood elf named Vycy, or Vicky for humans who can’t get the correct pronunciation, promises to email everything I’ll need to learn. Destiny and I don’t get to speak until we’re in the car a few hours later. Still, the subject hasn’t left my mind.

“Are we good,” I ask her as she drives.

“Yeah, everything is fine.”

“You sure, because you seemed kind of blood thirsty back there. And you got upset when I disagreed with you,” I’ve gotten better about not beating around the bush.

“I just feel like you shouldn’t have provided input on something you don’t really know about,” she shrugs.

“I know I don’t want to kill anyone, and that’s enough for me.”

“Then don’t kill anyone but if I’ve got a chance to wipe a bunch of them off the map, don’t make that decision for me,” she almost sounds like she’s threatening me.

“I figure we should discuss everything between us.”

“Us? There is no us.”

“I’m your boyfriend, in every way but you won’t just say it.”

“I won’t say it because it isn’t true.”

“Okay, if that’s how you feel, I guess I need to do some soul searching,”

“You should do some soul searching, instead of acting like a love-sick puppy expecting me to change your life,” that hurt me to hear.

“But, I’m still not killing. I don’t think you should either. It’s almost like you’re possessed by this idea of revenge and aren’t thinking straight.”

“I didn’t ask you help me with this,” Destiny responds.

“You didn’t give me much choice either,” I park in front of her apartment building. “You led me to the mall believing it was a date, or just friends hanging out. Right? Then you volunteered me to hack an alarm system because I make the computer do crazy stuff. Right?”

“You want choices,” she nods her head to herself. “I’ll give you choices. I’m looking for revenge. I’m going to take that chalice. I’m going to kill every little peon in the house that worships some idea of an ass backwards family. Then I’m going to burn down the house,” she gets out the car.

“That isn’t a choice,” I respond as she walks past my window.

“Oh, that’s right, choices. Pick your next move, you can leave or live with it.”