This is a repost of a story I wrote and posted long ago to FM. Since Halloween is approaching, I thought it a fitting time to post on Big Closet.

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A couple of roommates stumble across an MAU and decide to use it to get really great Halloween costumes to crash a Fraternity party. When the big night comes, they can't get in. Then one of the guys lets his fascination with creatures of the night run amok, and they end up with costumes no-one would ever believe. The MAU, however, has a way of making Halloween go on forever...

This story and the MAU universe are copyright by the author 2001, all rights reserved. It may be posted at Fictionmania and any free site with the permission of the author.

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The hiss of the beer can opening shattered the silence of the apartment. Brad stared into nothingness as he lifted the can to his lips and took a long sip. A contented sigh was the result, the only result and the only noise.

Across the room, his roommate Eric didn't seem to notice. With due care, he selected a CD and removed it from its protective case, then placed it gingerly on the tray and let the machine swallow it. Even as Eric rose from his awkward crouch, the player read the plastic and aluminum disk and began to emit an eerie, otherworldly noise.

"So what are we going to do?" Brad asked from behind his beer can. "We've got to get some awesome costumes for the party."

Eric slumped into an overstuffed chair and retrieved his own container of the magic amber elixir. He took a big swig. "Don't know," he admitted. "But you know we've got to find a way to crash the party."

Brad nodded. The Phi Delta house had _the_ Halloween party, and for them to get in with outstanding costumes was a sure way to be invited to join. Every guy wanted to join the Phi Deltas.

"And we've got to be sure we aren't recognized until the unmasking," Eric added needlessly. Getting into the Phi Delta party was tough - too tough for most. And of course, that fact made it the true test. Even if you'd been turned down in their normal rush, getting into the party was a sure-fire invitation to join.

**********

"I don't know what you think," Eric moaned as they wandered through the second-hand store, "but I don't see anything that gives me any ideas."

Brad glanced around the warehouse-like store. "Yeah," he said glumly, "I think you're right. Damn," he muttered loudly, "I knew we shouldn't have waited until the last week."

Eric knew exactly what Brad was talking about. They'd checked out the costume stores - both of them - and come up empty-handed. The good costumes were long-since gone. And that little shit Jones was going to get in, too! That was the worst part - Lloyd Jones was the most annoying little twerp - and he already had a killer costume. They both knew that if Jones got in and they didn't, they'd never hear the end of it.

Brad turned for one last glance. Coincidentally, or through the devious acts of the fates, a large woman in the next aisle bent over, and in so doing, bumped the table behind her, sending a torrent of stuff crashing to the floor. A strange metal box nearly hit Brad's foot as it clanged to the floor.

He almost left it laying on the floor. It would have been natural, since the two young men were looking for costume ideas. But something about the box caught Brad's attention, and he picked it up. That same strange compulsion caused Brad to examine the box, and finally, to tuck it under his arm and carry it to the checkout stand and then to his car.

Eric shook his head when he saw the box. "What's that?"

Brad shrugged. "Don't know," he answered.

"We're looking for costumes, not metal boxes!" Eric sneered. "Unless that is your costume - dork with a metal box!"

"I know it's not a costume, stupid!" Brad answered sharply. "But I can probably make a cool case out of it. Or something."

**********

"So what is it, Einstein?" Eric asked Brad sarcastically. Brad had seemingly lost interest in the costume hunt and was examining the strange box.

Brad ignored his roommate. The box was about the size of an attaché case - roughly eighteen inches by twelve inches by four inches - and made of some incredibly light metal. More baffling was the lack of obvious seams or weld marks. It was as if the box were one solid piece of metal - but it weight almost nothing, like it was empty. There were some strange symbols on the top. Absently, Brad's finger traced the outlines as he thought about what they could possibly mean.

The box quivered. Brad's eyes shot open as he looked at the metal object in his lap. It was - growing! Slowly, but undeniably, the box was stretching from its original dimensions.

Brad practically leaped out of his chair, dumping the box onto the floor as he backed hastily away from it. Despite his best efforts at escape, however, he stumbled backward over the second-hand coffee table, ending up falling onto his back with a dull thud.

Eric spun at the sound of the clattering. He saw Brad trip and fall, then he saw the strange metal box on the floor. Somehow, it held his attention, riveting him in place.

On the floor, the box grew and stretched, the metal seeming to stretch seamlessly. When it had about doubled in size, it stopped growing, then, with an incredible ease, it flipped itself over, landing with the strange symbols on top. Then it resumed its growth.

On the floor, Brad backed away from the box, pushing himself blindly into a corner. His eyes were wide and filled with fear.

Finally, when it had grown to the size of a telephone booth, the box stopped growing. For several long moments, the two boys remained fixed in place, Brad frozen by fear, and Eric watching in rapt fascination. The silence in the room was total as the two contemplated the eerie behavior of the box.

"What the hell is that thing?" Eric finally asked. Slowly, as if drawn by a strange magnet, he crept closer to the box, his eyes fixed on the dull gray featureless surface.

"Watch out!" Brad cautioned in a shrill, frightened voice. "It's got to be some kind of alien contraption!" He didn't know just how right he was.

Eric glanced at his terrified roommate, then he resumed his examination of the device. He slowly rounded the box, then his motion stopped. "Hey, cool!"

Brad levered himself to his feet and slinked over to the box. Slowly, carefully, he peeked around the corner to where Eric was standing. "What is that?" he asked in a soft, almost awe-struck voice.

Eric shrugged. "I have _no_ idea," he answered honestly. He was examining the only features on the entire box - a black rectangular panel about eye-height, a red paw-shaped crystalline pad below the black panel, and a purple crystal which resembled a doorknob more than anything else. "These must be the controls," he guessed. He reached for the black pad and cautiously touched it. Nothing happened, except that Brad flinched visibly. Eric moved to the red pad and touched it.

This time, the box reacted. The black display changed, lighting up and showing row upon row of the same type of alien symbols that were on the top of the box. When the pad was filled, the symbols began scrolling like a computer display. The two watched the display for several seconds, until finally, it stopped, leaving a few symbols at the bottom of the screen flashing.

Eric's hand dropped from the display and he glanced at Brad. He shrugged, then he touched the display again. The display blanked, startling the two. Then, as they watched, a shadowy figure began to form. Slowly, it coalesced into the alien mother creature from the Alien movie series.

Brad stepped back sharply. "I _knew_ it was some kind of alien thing!" he hissed, staring wide-eyed at the display.

Eric dropped his hand, then stared intently at the display.

"Don't touch it! It'll probably release that ... thing!" Brad warned.

Eric glanced at his roommate. He sighed - sometimes, Brad could be such a coward. He deliberately turned back to the display and touched the red pad again. The alien monster vanished, only to be replaced by a slender black-eyed, gray-skinned UFO alien. Eric turned to Brad, a triumphant grin on his face. "It's like it's reading my mind or something, and making the display match," he observed.

Brad crept to the panel. Slowly, he reached up and touched the plate. The UFO alien vanished. In its place, the image of a nude girl began to form. When it was completed, Brad turned to Eric. "You're right! It is reading my mind!" He glanced back at the display, leering at the naked girl centered on the screen. "So you don't think I wasted a couple of bucks?"

Eric closed his eyes and sighed. Brad had him on that point. "Okay, so it was probably worth the three dollars," he admitted. "So what else do you think it does?"

Brad shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted, "but just think of the costume we can design with this thing!"

Eric snorted. "Yeah, design is one thing. But we still have to _make_ the costume!"

Brad sighed heavily as he realized that Eric was right. "Oh, yeah."

**********

It was late that evening, and the two were still playing with the box. The display had shown everything imaginable as Halloween costumes - vampire, werewolf, mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon (Eric had no idea what _that_ was, and Brad had to explain, adding snide comments about Eric's lack of cultural upbringing), a Romulan from Star Trek, a Wookie, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, a Gungan, an elf, a dwarf, a knight in armor, and even a centaur. While the two were enjoying the game of displaying creative costumes, they were no closer to their goal of a workable costume.

Eric pulled a slice of pizza from the microwave and flopped it on a plate. "So, are we going to get back to searching for a costume?" he asked sarcastically.

Brad glanced at the display, then slowly nodded. "You have to admit, though, that this is pretty cool."

Eric walked to his chair and flopped down. "Yeah," he agreed. "It's too bad it can't make the costumes from the display."

Brad nodded glumly. They were no closer to getting into the Phi Delta house than they had been that morning - and precious time was wasting. Halloween was only three days away. He glanced at the box one last time. "I wonder how you fold it up. Maybe this ..." He reached for the purple knob and touched it.

The gasp from Brad alerted Eric that something had changed. He stopped mid-bite and pulled himself out of his chair, quickly circling the box to see what had startled Brad.

Brad was inside the box, visible through an opening which hadn't been there before. Through the opening, Eric could see a second purple crystal on one inner wall, and a soft yellow glow emanated from a round panel in the ceiling.

"What did you do?"

Brad shrugged. "I just touched the purple knob, and it opened . Like this ..." He reached for the inner knob and touched it. The opening ... vanished.

Eric's eyes widened. "Brad?" he called in alarm. "Brad?" He grabbed at the knob, the one that Brad said had caused the door to appear. Nothing happened, however. Eric started to feel a bit of panic. Was Brad trapped in this alien box?

Even as that terrifying thought began to form, the box opened again. Eric started to breathe a sigh of relief, only to gasp in shock. It wasn't Brad that stepped out. It was ... Frankenstein's monster!

"What?" Brad asked as he saw the shocked expression on Eric's face. Then his face screwed up as he realized that he was looking _down_ at Eric. "What are you staring at?"

Eric backed away quickly, and repeated Brad's earlier trip over the coffee table. "What did you do to Brad?" he stammered.

The monster's face screwed up in confusion. "What are you talking about?" it asked. "I am Brad. Don't you recognize me?"

Eric was in the corner now. "No," he squeaked. "You're not Brad."

Brad the monster froze in his tracks. "What do you mean, I'm not me?" He turned and walked into the bathroom, clunking clumsily and heavily as he walked. "Holy shit!" the surprised exclamation came from the bathroom. He clunked back out to the living room. "Wow!" he exclaimed softly. "It changed me! It really changed me!"

Eric stood, petrified with fear. "What are you talking about?" he managed to ask.

The monster grinned. "Check out the display," he offered. "This is what was displayed. And when I went inside, it changed me into the monster!"

Slowly, Eric overcame his fear, mostly because the monster was acting unlike any monster he'd ever seen - in the movies. Eric crept cautiously toward the display. His gaze alternated between the monster that claimed to be Brad and the display. Finally, he slumped back into his chair, his eyes wide open in disbelief. "It really _is_ you!" he muttered over and over. "It really did change you!"

Brad grinned. "Yeah. And you know what that means, don't you?" He didn't wait for an answer. "It means that we're going to have the most awesome costumes ever!" He stepped back to the panel and conjured up his old body, then stepped into the box. A few seconds later, he stepped out again, restored to his original form.

Eric watched the process with interest. A grin slowly crept over his face. "Yeah," he admitted slowly. "I wonder what else it can do ...." He pulled himself up, then stepped to the display panel. In a few seconds, he had conjured up an image. He touched the purple knob, then stepped inside. "I just touch the knob in here?" he asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Brad nodded. "Yup. The door will open when it's done."

Eric gulped, then touched the knob, and the door vanished. In a few seconds, the door opened again. Out stepped the campus' most desirable cheerleader, Cindy Rankin, complete down to the pom-poms in her hands and the tightly stretched sweater across her ample chest. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she stepped cautiously from the box. The pom-poms slipped from her hands, which slid up to her ample bosom. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "This thing really works!"

Brad's eyes widened with lust. "Eric?" he asked in surprise. "Is that you?"

Eric glanced up. "Yeah," he said, his voice altered to the sexy, breathy voice of Cindy. He glanced back down, to where his hands were rubbing his chest, to the hardening nipples visible under the sweater. "This thing really works!"

"Are ... are they ... real?" Brad asked as he reached out a hand toward one of the breasts.

Eric glanced up, alarm on his face. He shoved away Brad's hand. "Get away from me!" he snarled. He turned quickly to the panel and conjured up his own body. While Brad stood, drooling, Eric stepped quickly into the box and slapped the knob. A few seconds later, he re-emerged in his own body. He glanced at Brad, his eyes narrowed and angry. "What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded.

Brad shrugged and grinned. "Hey, if I turned into Cindy, you'd probably try to paw my tits, too!" he answered with a leer.

**********

Eric was having difficulty sleeping. Strange dreams of the alien box ran through his mind, changing him over and over again into different forms, leaving him stuck for a while before another change occurred, and every change was outside his control. Mostly, he was being changed into horror monsters, but occasionally, the leering faces of the Phi Delta members forced him into Cindy or one of the other cheerleaders, and then they made him do cheers for them in the nude. He awoke covered with sweat.

Eric glanced around, wondering what had caused him to awaken. Slowly, he became aware of the noise from the other bedroom. He swung out of bed and padded softly to Brad's door, his ears listening intently. The noise was some kind of soft moaning. Eric frowned, wondering what was going on. He was about to turn the knob when the moaning changed, getting faster and louder, until it erupted into fast shallow screams. Woman's screams. Eric flinched, recoiling from the door. His mouth open in shock, he padded to the living room. There, he looked at the box. In the dim light filtering through the front window, he saw the display. And on the display was Cindy Rankin, albeit nude and with larger breasts.

Shaking his head, his mouth hanging open in stunned surprise, Eric padded back to his bedroom. He buried his head under his pillow in a futile attempt to drown out the screams of primal passion.

**********

After classes, Brad returned to the apartment. He expected to find Eric, but he didn't, which surprised him. Instead, he found the door to Eric's room closed. As he put an ear to the door, he heard the noise. A knowing grin pasted itself on Brad's features. He walked back to the box, and his eyes lit up with admiration at the woman illustrated on the display.

**********

Eric glanced up from the television. "So are you going to get serious about the costume now?" he demanded.

Brad nodded slowly. "Okay." He pulled himself out of his chair and walked to the machine. After thinking for a second, he touched the plate, conjuring up an image. In a few seconds, he emerged as a classic vampire in the Lon Chaney tradition. "So what do you think?"

Eric shrugged. "I don't know," he said slowly. "It's lacking something."

Brad changed back, then Eric tried. He emerged as a Klingon warrior from Star Trek.

"Kind of geeky, isn't it?" Brad observed carefully. He knew that Eric like sci-fi, and didn't want to insult his roommate. "Even if you fool them, I don't think the Phi Delts will go for a Trekkie."

Eric sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He used the box to turn back into himself.

The two went back and forth several times. None of the costumes were quite right - not up to the standard they knew would be required to sneak into the party. Finally, Eric went to bed, still not knowing what he'd be wearing for the big party the next night.

**********

"Okay, I think I've got one."

Eric looked up sharply. "What?"

Brad grinned. "The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

Eric frowned. "You're kidding, right?"

Brad shook his head. "No, I'm not kidding. What have you got?"

Eric sighed. "I think I'm going as a Tusken Raider from Star Wars."

It was Brad's turn to frown. "Isn't that kind of nerdy?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it meets all the criteria. It's a full disguise, the mask will come off so I can reveal myself when the time comes, and until then, there's no clue who I am."

Brad sighed, then nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. That's the same line of thought I used."

Eric touched the display, conjuring up the image he wanted. A few seconds later, a Tusken Raider emerged from the box. With a wave and some mock howling, he showed off his costume. Brad just shook his head, then worked the display for his costume. Within moments, the Black Knight and a Tusken Raider left the apartment.

**********

"You guys have an invitation?" the burly doorman repeated. His arms were crossed menacingly, and he blocked the door to the Phi Delta house.

Eric glanced at Brad. "Um, yeah, but we left it back at the apartment."

The doorman shook his head. "No invitation, no entry. No exceptions."

"But..." Eric started to protest.

The doorman glowered at him. "No exceptions," he growled.

Eric and Brad decided that discretion really was the better part of valor - at least in this case. Glumly, they turned and trudged away from the Phi Delta house. A very short while later, they were at the Omega house, one of the rowdier and less selective fraternities on campus. Everyone was welcome at an Omega party.

Brad took off his helmet and sipped a beer - the latest in a long string of beers. "What gives?" he asked Eric. "Did they change the rules or something?"

A bystander overheard Brad's comment. "I take it you're referring to the Phi Delta party?" he interjected.

Brad spun, then he nodded glumly. "Yeah. We tried, but no luck."

The bystander laughed. "Me neither." He pried off his mask and snagged a drink from a passing host. "Bunch of stuck-up assholes, if you ask me."

"So why were you trying to get into their party?" Eric asked innocently.

The bystander glared at Eric, then he laughed aloud. "Got me, I guess." He took a big drink, emptying his glass. "Word is that they've been having too many guys crash their parties. Only letting women in, so they've got a better chance of scoring." He reached out his hand and grasped Brad's hand. "By the way, I'm Mike."

"Brad. My pal is Eric."

Mike nodded his greeting. "Anyway," he continued, "it looks like we're not properly ... equipped ... for their party."

Eric shook his head. "At least Jones won't be there," he consoled himself.

"Lloyd Jones?" Mike asked, surprised. "Yeah, he's there. He got an invitation."

"That little ass-kissing shit?" Brad spat. "Just like him to suck up."

"Yeah, well unless you can magically change yourselves into girls, you guys aren't going to get in to that party." Mike snagged another drink and took a big gulp.

Brad's eyes widened, then his head snapped toward Eric. Not surprisingly, Eric's eyes had the same look. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Brad asked knowingly.

Eric grinned. "Probably. The box?"

Mike's head swiveled back and forth as he tried to follow the conversation. "What the hell are you guys talking about?" he finally asked.

Brad glanced at Eric, then he grinned. "You want to get into that party like we do?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

**********

"So ... it's a box," Mike observed as he stared at the device. "So what?"

Eric grinned. "It's far more than just a box," he answered. "Watch." He went to the display, then conjured up an image. He entered the box, only to emerge a few seconds later in a body that perfectly matched the displayed image. "Ta da." In this case, the body was the Frankenstein monster again.

Mike stared and slowly shook his head as if to clear the cobwebs. "That's some kind of trick," he finally said in admiration.

Brad grinned. "It's no trick. We figure it's some kind of alien technology. It changes you into whatever you display."

Mike glanced at Brad in disbelief, then he stared at Eric. It took a few seconds for his alcohol-laden mind to grasp the facts, but finally he put the entire picture together. "So this thing can changes us - so we can get into the party?" he asked. Then another fact arose. "But that means we'd be ... "

Brad nodded. "It can even change a guy into a girl."

Mike glanced between Brad and Eric. "You guys have done this before?" he asked, feeling suddenly very uneasy.

Brad glanced at Eric, then nodded solemnly. "Just to see if we could change," he answered, shading the truth just a tiny bit. "So, you want in?"

"But spending the whole night ... as a girl? In _that_ place?" Mike asked, finally voicing the big concern. The Phi Deltas were known as being very aggressive in getting their way with the ladies.

Eric frowned. "That could be a problem," he observed. "So how about we take the box with us, and change back after we're inside?"

Brad nodded. It sounded like a good plan. "What do you want to go as? Cheerleaders? Nuns? Vampiresses?"

Eric grinned. The way Brad had spoken, he knew what Brad wanted. Besides, they could have some fun. "Vampiresses."

Brad grinned, then he stepped to the control panel. It took some long concentration, but he eventually conjured up the image he wanted. Pale complexion, tall and slender, large-breasted with huge cleavage showing through a very low neckline of a black dress, with a black shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Long straight black hair. Long blood-red fingernails. Full, sexy blood- red lips. When he finished, the girl looked like a cross between Elvira and a classic vampire lady. "Well?"

Eric glanced at the display. "Cool," he said. He turned to Mike. "You in?"

Mike stared at the girl, then he slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. But are we all going to be the same?"

Brad scowled. "Good point." He frowned, then his face lit up. "I'll tweak the displays for how you guys want, okay? That way, we'll all be different."

Mike and Eric quickly agreed. With grins of anticipation, the trio set about making the changes they desired.

**********

The bouncer watched cautiously as the three girls approached the house. All were stunning, and all were dressed in the same black outfit covering - barely - their feminine charms. There was something about these three girls, he thought to himself. Something almost ... magnetic. "Can I help you?" he asked as they approached.

Brad glanced at Eric. "We are here for the party," he answered in a rich alto voice tinged with an Eastern European accent.

The bouncer nodded vigorously. "Of course," he acknowledged as he moved to the side. "You can leave your case with me, if you don't mind. Security policy, you know."

Eric glanced at Brad, then handed the case to the bouncer. "We may need some things from it later," he said, his own voice soft and soprano. They also shed their shawls, leaving them with the case.

All three had similar dresses - simple black with very scoop necklines and moderate length. Though the skirts were tight around their thighs, they were slit to allow easy walking, and also to display shapely legs in the process. The hemlines were uneven, looking a bit ragged and befitting a horror movie. The differences among the trio started there. Unlike Brad's straight black hair, Eric's hair was long wavy brunette, and his breasts were a size smaller. Mike, the third in the group, had selected short auburn hair, and being drunk, he'd allowed Eric and Brad to talk him into truly stupendous knockers.

The three girls strutted into the party, aware that all eyes locked onto them the instant they entered the house. Within moments, several guys were offering them drinks.

As he sipped a drink, Eric started to feel funny. The guy he was talking to was having some kind of strange effect on Eric. He felt ... hungry. And in a strange way he'd never felt hunger before. When the guy suggested they slip away for a moment, Eric felt some instincts guiding him. He readily agreed, and the guy led Eric upstairs to a dark bedroom.

As the guy began to kiss Eric's neck and fondle his breasts, Eric felt himself getting powerfully aroused. At the same time, the hunger grew. Finally, he could resist the overwhelming urge no longer. He opened his mouth as if to kiss the guy's neck. Even as he felt the shock of what he was doing, he felt his jaw closing and the fangs in his mouth piercing the skin of the guys neck. A strange energy seemed to flow into Eric with the guy's blood, an energy which made him hotter than he'd ever felt. After drinking for a few seconds, he was uncontrollably horny, and he found himself tearing off his clothes to ravish the dazed guy.

In another room, Brad found himself sipping the lifeblood from another of the Phi Delta guys even as he rode him for sexual pleasure. When that one was spent, he found another, and then another. Each drink seemed to spur his passion to a new height, and at the same time, to increase his thirst, his need to drink. The cycle continued through guy after guy.

Down in the main hall, Mike cornered a guy. As the poor guy watched, stunned as if hypnotized, Mike bared his fangs and pierced the guy's neck. Another guy saw what appeared to be a lady vampire feeding, and chalked it up to the beer and a great costume. A second witness didn't - he grasped Mike's arm to stop Mike.

Mike spun, his teeth bared and long fangs exposed as he hissed viciously. He grasped the would-be rescuer, easily lifting him from his feet and tossing him like a rag doll. The guy crumpled in the corner, and Mike turned his attention back to his feast.

**********

Eric was the first to awaken. What a nightmare - going to a party as a vampire girl and actually feeding on the blood of the guys! He glanced around, and any relief at thinking it had been only a dream vanished. He was sprawled on the couch, and he was wearing the vampire costume he'd dreamed of. Further, another vampire girl was passed out in the chair, and a third lay flat on the floor.

Slowly, Eric struggled to his feet. Carefully, to avoid the pounding in his head, he walked to the bathroom. A muffled scream from Eric stirred Brad to life. Eric walked from the bathroom, his face absolutely white and his eyes wide. He glanced at Brad.

Brad looked at Eric. "What's wrong?" he finally asked, confused. His voice retained the Eastern European accent of the night before - even without his trying.

"This is ... real!" Eric said softly and slowly. "I thought it was a dream, but it's real!"

Brad looked at Eric, then he examined his own body. "Oh, shit!" he finally said softly. "It really did change us - entirely!"

"What are you talking about?"

Brad's eyes were wide with fear. "Do you ... remember drinking ... blood?" he asked slowly. The look on Eric's face was confirmation enough. "And feeling very ... horny when you did it?"

Eric glanced away, feeling his cheeks flushing at the faint memories trying to resurface. "What are you saying? That it changed us into _real_ vampires?"

Brad swallowed. "That's what I was thinking about when we changed last night. Not being girls in costume, but being real vampires!"

"But we can't be!" Eric protested. "I ... I saw myself in the mirror!"

Brad ran to the bathroom, then returned. "Maybe you're right," he said slowly. "When we change back, everything will be okay." He glanced around the room. "Where's the box?"

Eric glanced around the room, then looked, panic-stricken, at Brad. "Didn't you get it?"

Brad shook his head. "If I had it, would I be asking you for the stupid thing?"

As they talked, Mike struggled to regain consciousness. "I'm hungry," he finally said. Then, as if a light bulb had snapped on, he realized the sound that had come from his mouth. "Holy shit!" he exclaimed softly. "I'm a ... girl!" He glanced at the other two girls, then he took a deep breath. "Okay, let's see if I'm dreaming. I met a couple of guys at a party, we changed into vampire girls, and now we haven't changed back?"

Eric nodded slowly. "We might have lost the box."

"Are we ... real vampires?" Mike asked slowly.

Eric shook his head. "I don't think so," he answered. "At least not all the way. We can see our reflections."

Brad glanced around the room, his eyes settling on the sliver of sunlight on the carpet. "And if we were, the morning light would have killed us."

"But ... " Eric thought for a second. Things weren't making sense. Then he thought of eating. He opened his mouth - only to discover that his fangs were now extended. "We're some kind of partial vampires, it seems."

Brad nodded slowly. "So we've got to get that box," he announced.

**********

"What do you mean, it was taken away?" Brad hissed menacingly. The chapter president of the Phi Delta house, his neck bearing two mysterious bandaids, stood in the doorway looking very uncomfortable.

"We, um, didn't know if it was a bomb or something," the president said, feeling very awkward. "No one claimed it, and we couldn't open it to search it, so we called campus security. They called the city bomb squad."

Eric looked at Brad and Mike, then the trio ran back to Brad's car. They drove frantically to the police station, only to discover that, in accordance with procedure, the bomb squad had blown up the case to detonate any explosives which might have been inside. What wasn't said was that the case had _not_ exploded, and to protect the community, the feds had been called in to help the investigation.

It was the end of the day when the trio drove dejectedly back to Eric and Brad's apartment. "It looks like we're stuck like this," Eric finally observed, stating what all three knew but none wanted to voice.

"So what do we do?" Brad asked, sounding a little less than composed.

Mike shook his head. "And I'm getting hungry." Even as he spoke, he was caressing his enormous tits. All three knew what kind of hunger Mike was talking about.

"I know," Eric complained, glancing at his erect nipples. "Me, too."

"The Brass Rail?" Brad asked. All three knew it was a place where the guys hung out - mostly a sports bar. The selection should be pretty good. They drove silently through the early night, ignoring the stares of the guys in cars around them. They strode nervously into the bar, all of them feeling cheap at being girls but driven by needs deep within them and unable to stop. As the eyes turned to watch them, they felt the hunger burning within them, overpower their mental objections. Tonight, the new sisters of the night would satisfy their new sexual desires as they feasted again.

**********

D shook his head as he dropped the folder back on the table. "The imagination of some of these guys!" he asked rhetorically.

C finished pouring a cup of coffee, then sank into his chair. He glanced at the file. "Vampire chick fantasy. Kind of original, don't you think?"

D shook his head in disbelief. "Is that all you can say about it?"

C shrugged and took a sip of joe. "They're lucky. It appears to be a pseudu-vampirism." He took another sip. "What else does it say?"

D glanced down and opened the folder. "Three guys turned into vampire girls." He glanced up at C. "Of course, they aren't really true vampires." He looked back at the folder. "They do get a significant portion of their nourishment from blood - through their fangs. When they do eat real food, it's mostly very rare meat. And apparently, they have some kind of hypnotic pheromones that make it easy for them to catch their victims." He flipped a page. "They don't melt in the sun, but have very fair complexion, so I'm guessing they burn very easily. And they can be seen in a mirror and they can't turn into bats."

C laughed. "What did they expect - that the box was going to alter the laws of physics?" He took another sip. "What about their strength? Vampires in the movies are always strong."

D shuddered inwardly. "Well, they got that one right. One of them tossed a three-hundred pound bar bouncer through a solid door."

C nodded slowly. "Well, you'd better go check out a car. We're going to have to pay these ladies a visit."

D cringed. He knew his partner was right, but this was one visit he definitely did _not_ want to make.

FIN