It had been a week since Mabel, Gideon and Wendy had teamed up and with as much training as they could muster all three slayers felt ready to take on the head vampire and his army.

But the town's population was decreasing in slight numbers over the course of seven days; now Robbie, Tyrone, even Pacifica and Mayor Tyler had been taken, being transformed into vampires just as Dipper had been.

Dipper lit the fireplace with a mere flick of his wrist, gazing lazily into the dancing flame.
Its colours twisted and turned like a female flamenco dancer's gown, lighting the room with warm orange and golden yellow hues.

Dipper rested his head on one hand as he continued to watch the fire. He felt the warm heat on his stone cold skin, making him feel drowsy.
Then and only then did he feel gloved hands on his shoulders.
He jolted awake and turned around to see who it was, seeing the head vampire behind him with a smirk on his face.

"What do you need, Bill?" Dipper enquired.

Bill stifled a laugh.

"Scared ya, huh? Anyways, just thought you'd like to join me in hunting later on" the head vampire suggested.

He let Dipper go, though the teen didn't move; Dipper's eyes widened when he heard Bill's suggestion.

"B-but, Sire, are you sure you would rather take me than another resident here? maybe one who's more skilled?" Dipper asked nervously, willing his voice not to crack.

A glint could be seen in Bill's gold eyes.

"Yes, I'm very sure" he replied with a rare warm smile.

"Sir! Hunters are approaching us!" a male vampire yelled, bursting into the room.

Dipper and Bill looked at him. 

"Ready the army, Silas. Those hunters will not see the next light of day" Bill ordered, Silas immediately taking off to perform the task.

Dipper looked worried, as well as confused.

"H-hunters?!" Dipper choked out.

"Oh, right, forgot you were new" Bill said distractedly, slowly pacing the room.
"Basically hunters are people who've known and studied our kind, sometimes for years at a time. They're out to kill us off, or if we're considered valuable they capture us for unknown reasons, but mostly we're killed by them" Bill explained.

"Like Van Helsing?" Dipper asked, remember the infamous hunter from the well known tale, one that he read when he was a little younger.
"Precisely" Bill answered.

His expression was stern like it usually was, but Dipper could see fear in Bill's eyes.

Before Dipper knew what he was doing he took hold of Bill's hands, gazing into his eyes tenderly.

That moment between them seemed to make time stand still.

It seemed to spark something in them both.

Deep in Bill's unbeating heart there was a feeling, something he hadn't felt for years with anyone like Dipper.

Could this be love?

"Bill, listen to me. It's going to be alright" Dipper reassured his companion.

Bill nodded.
"You're right, Pine Tree. Maybe I'm overthinking it" he sighed.