My Dark Angel

I entered into the gym and was greeted by Mr O'Hara. He was a burly man with thick arms, barrel chested and powerful thighs. His hair was dark, cut close to his skull. He was in his mid thirties with a hard set in his jaw. He didn't smile when he saw me but asked me to prepare the equipment for the lesson.

The others joined me and we prepared for the basketball match, almost an exact repeat of the day before. I had always been sporty and was obsessed with keeping up my muscle tone. From the age of 15 I had devoted myself to stamina and weight training. Now the results showed. I could run for longer and faster and I felt a new boost in my muscles. Louis' vampire blood took care of that.

The game dragged with me on a team with Louis and 5 others. It went well until a guy deliberately shoulder barged me from behind sending me flat onto my front. I shot a glance at Louis noticing the aggressive posture as he glared at the one who had barged me.

I caught his gaze and shook my head cautioning him not to do anything. The guy had the ball and was dribbling towards the hoop. I focused on him and released my power into my words.

“Forwordenes.” I uttered pulling myself up to my feet.

The guy jumped for the hoop and threw the ball. It bounced of the ring and rebounded into his face causing him to lose his balance and hit the floor.

The entire class laughed and I got a grin from Louis before we continued with the game. Our team won eventually and by the end I was still brimming with energy. I was sweating though and once I was in the changing room I stripped and headed to the shower.

I washed the sweat from my body and by the time I left the shower I was alone. Well almost.

The one person I wanted to see was sitting on a bench. The only thing I wore was the towel wrapped around my waist. His eyes roamed over my topless form as he began to walk towards me. His fangs were slightly descended, peeking out from under his lips.

A moment later his lips were at my ear and his arms around my waist. He kissed his way down my neck sending tingles along the supple flesh.

By now my back was against the wall and my cock pressing against Louis.

“Grab my bag.” I said eagerly.

Louis caught my gaze and cocked an eyebrow but complied and quickly grabbed my bag.

He moved back to me and I wrapped my arms around him and incanted quickly eager to leave:

“bealucræft edcierr ust eac úre húswist.”

Icy hands tugged at us and we vanished into darkness.

We landed with a thud on Louis large double bed. Louis stared at me in surprise before he claimed my mouth with his lips throwing my bag off the edge of the bed. I moaned as he pressed down on me his hips rolling over mine.

He pulled away a with a growl in his throat, and rested his head against my chest.

“Louis?” I said hesitantly afraid I had done something wrong.

Louis lifted his head off of my chest and shook his head.

“I don't know if I can hold back my urges. I could hurt you if I let them loose.” he said.

I lifted a hand and ran it down his cheek. He leaned into my hand and sighed.

“Louis I can take whatever you can give. I want everything you can give, I fell in love with the man as well as the vampire. I can't have one without the other.”

“I couldn't live with it if I hurt you. You're too fragile, If I let go I don't know if you'll be able to take it. The Vampire in me wants your blood and your pain. I don't want you to see that.”

As he said this he ran his hand across my cheek.

“I may be human, but I'm not made of glass. Whatever you give I can take it.”

I said running my hands over his top.

“There is one thing I want James,” He asked quietly.

“Anything.” I answered eagerly.

“Become my mate.” he said his eyes glowing a brilliant green.

My heart swelled as he said this and I responded eagerly,

“Yes, tell me how?”

“We must bite each other whilst I am inside of you and drink more of each others blood than we have before.”

“What are you waiting for, give me everything you've got.”

“I warned you.” he said and reached up to tear his red top revealing his pale skin.

He reached down and I watched him rip the material of his jeans with just as much ease.

He wore nothing beneath and I gulped as his huge cock jutted out from his body, hard and aching for attention.

Louis' eyes roamed over my topless form and I noticed his eyes had turned to black coals gleaming with dark intent. He leaned down like a predator his fangs showing. His hands trailed down my chest and quickly pulled the towel from around my waist leaving me bare and defenceless. His hand skimmed over my eager erection and he grinned darkly.

“Mine.” He said possessively as he wrapped his hand around my cock. I groaned lightly closing my eyes. That was my first mistake. I felt Louis fangs ferally bite into the skin of my neck and he greedily drew on the wound, pulling my life's blood into the cool depths of his body. The shock of pain shot through me as my body protested. I cried out lightly and heard Louis chuckle evilly as he pulled away from my neck.

I held back my cries of pain with great effort. Louis lifted my upper body from the bed and held me against his body. My face level with his neck. His voice spoke darkly becoming more forceful as each word left his lips.

“Bite me. Bite into my flesh. Taste my blood, My sinew, my bones. Open me up. Taste me, drink me, Feed on me!”

I drove my teeth into the flesh of his neck, tearing through the skin and biting deep into the tissue beneath. His sweet blood flowed into my open mouth and I sucked eagerly on the wound. I closed my eyes again and ignored all else as his blood flowed into my body raising my temperature and driving me into a frenzy.

That was my second mistake. I pulled away from him and cried out painfully when his cock ploughed into me. I pulled back and caught Louis gaze.

A flicker of green shot through his eyes as he said.

“Drink it will make it easier.”

I moved back to his neck and drank eager for the pain to fade. Louis gave me no rest, as soon as my lips met his neck he began to thrust in and out of me. After a few seconds the pain started to fade and pleasure took hold. Once it had faded completely I pulled away from Louis neck only to have his fangs drive into mine. I cried out and thanked whatever vestige of sense that remained in Louis when his fangs began to spread familiar pleasure through my body.

He thrust into me again angling his cock to hit my prostate. I cried out as he did and felt him tighten his hold on my body. This was so different from the night before. Before it had been tender and sweet, but now it was hard and fast, but thoroughly enjoyable in it's own way.

Louis cock started pumping faster and faster into my body each thrust hitting my sweet spot with deadly precision. I felt his hand nearing my cock and moaned loudly as he touched me. His hand moved in time with his thrusts, I was now receiving pleasure from 3 different parts of my body.

I had no idea how much longer I could last. I moved my hands to Louis' hips and dug my nails into his flesh. Louis' lips broke away from my neck and he roared at the ceiling forcefully pulled my mouth against his.

His tongue wrapped around mine and his tongue slid over mine muffling my moans of pleasure. His lips broke away form mine and he stared into my eyes and the glint in his eyes made me nervous. I was right to be. His right hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled it up to rest on his shoulder.

The result was that now his cock slammed even more directly against my prostate. His left hand continued to wank my cock in time with his ever constant thrusts, and his other hand moved to my chest and painfully twisted the nub of my right nipple. My back arched off the bed and I bucked against his hand and felt my balls pull towards my body.

Louis too noticed and sped up his thrusts, and I shuddered my entire body on fire with sensation.

Louis' thrust sped to impossible speeds thanks to his vampire nature, and I screamed as I came feeling myself tighten around Louis' cock. My cock shot ropey strings of cum into the air between our bodies. But Louis wasn't finished with me yet.

His hand kept up it's punishing rhythm and his cock continued to piston in and out of me. I cried out again as Louis pushed my body through it's refractory period into a plateau of pain and pleasure unlike anything I had felt before. Louis fangs dug into my throat and he buried himself to the hilt inside of me. I counter bit him as he had said and drank eagerly.

This was entirely novel to me, and this position was incredible. My left leg resting on his shoulder, his cock buried deep inside me, his fangs on my neck and my teeth in his.

His blood slid down my throat as my own was drawn into Louis body. We were truly one. Our bodies were joined three ways, and I drank and drank feeling energy sparking at my fingertips.

Louis cock still since we had begun our counter biting began to move slowly, each thrust hitting my prostate squarely. A few thrusts later I heard Louis grunt and felt his cool cum shot into my body. He pulled away from my neck roared into at the ceiling and collapsed on top of me. I released my lips from his neck and relaxed back into the bed, my bones melting as I bathed in my post orgasmic glow.

His hand trailed down my face affectionately and he pressed his lips very softly against mine. He turned tender then and rolled off me and pulled me onto his chest. I snuggled against him and sighed happily. I looked up at Louis face and saw his eyes returning to their natural wonderful green. I saw his eyes give me a once over assessing any damage he may have caused. The bite marks on my neck had healed thanks to the large amount of blood from him. He relaxed when he saw me unharmed and tugged me closer against his chest.

“I warned you.” He said quietly, kissing the top of my head,

I smiled against his chest and looked up at him.

“And I told you I could take it.” I said tired.

“Come here.” he said and pulled me on top of him.

He kissed me tenderly, his tongue not fighting with mine simply gliding over mine soothingly.

I pulled away and rested my head on his chest hugging my mate tightly, unwilling to let him go.

“What does this mean now that we are mated?” I asked relaxing against him.

“We were mated before but now our bond is consummated. We are linked together for all time.

You are mine and only mine, and I would rather die than give you up.” Louis said softly his fingers trailing up and down my spine.

“You are as protective as ever aren't you.” I said grinning against his chest.

“Even more so now, the mating bond is a primal urge. Now more than ever I will be territorial and possessive of you. If I think someone is looking or touching you in a sexual way, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from hurting them.” Louis said grimly.

“What about me? Would you hurt me?” I asked slightly pulling away from his embrace.

“No, that would never happen. Even if I completely lost control, be that through thirst, anger or otherwise my primal instinct would be to protect you above all else. Disregarding my own safety. You are my reason for being now, the centre of my universe.”

Louis said his arms holding me tenderly to his chest.

“Will I feel the same?” I asked looking up at him.

“Not exactly, you will be more possessive and territorial of me than before.” Louis said happily.

“You didn't hurt me at all you know. But I may not be ready to take it that rough for a while.”

I said quietly already half asleep in the loving embrace of Louis.

“Well you could top instead?” He suggested quietly stroking my hair.

“You'd bottom?” I asked looking up at him surprised.

“For you I would. I haven't bottomed in a while though,” He said with a laugh.

“Not for 50 years or so.” He added.

“Well we'll see.” I said touched at his trust. When I thought of vampires I expected them all to be strict tops.

“I love you.” I mumbled against his chest tired from our frenzied fucking.

“I love you too my mate, now sleep. I'll be here when you wake.” Louis said softly.

“Promise?” I asked on the verge of sleep.

“I promise.” I registered distantly. Louis began to hum soothingly and I slipped into my dreams. Happy and satisfied I nestled against my mate, feeling him pull the duvet over us and wrapping his arms around me. I was truly at peace. That was until the dream started.

All I could see around me was darkness, I spun through it, falling deeper and deeper. I landed on something and stood up looking around. I was in a dimply lit room fitted with medical fixtures and equipment I couldn't begin to understand.

I walked towards the centre of the room and looked around. My eyes were drawn towards a corner of the room and I soon understood why. In the corner was a metal table with manacle and straps attached to it. On the table was affixed a man, completely naked.

His skin was slightly sun tanned and he had jet black hair. I examined his face taking in the smooth curve of his jaw and cleft chin, his lips were pale much like the rest of him, I soon discovered why.

His eyes were closed and he looked dead, he wasn't breathing and had an IV attached to each arm. I followed the dark red tubes to blood bags. I retched in disgust and walked slowly towards him.

I reached out and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.

His eyes shot open and his nostrils flared. His eyes were dark coals which told me two things. One he was a Vampire, and two he was a hungry vampire. His eyes roamed around as if searching for something before he said quietly.

“Who are you?” he sounded tired.

“I am James and who are you?”

“I'm guessing James that you are a Fae, seeing as how you are able to astral project.” Each of his words grew weaker as he spoke.

“No I am a witch, but who are you and why are you here?” I asked stepping back.

“I am Santiago and I am here because the hunters captured me.” he said quietly his eyes lidding over.

“Wait you're Santiago. You're Marcus' maker.” I said quickly.

“And how do you know of Marcus.” Santiago asked raising an eyebrow at thin air.

“You can't see me can you?” I asked.

“No I cannot, yet I felt your touch on my skin, focus on your image that I may see you.” he said.

I focused on my body and materialised in my boxers in front of him. I tried to ignore the look up and down my body I got before I replied to his question.

“I know Marcus because I am the mate of Louis.” I said.

“Ah I see I have missed much in my imprisonment.” He said glumly.

“How can I help?” I asked.

Santiago lowered his head, when he raised it again his fangs had dropped. I could guess what he wanted.

“This is a dream though isn't it? I can't give you my blood.”

“Not you, the blood bags, the are my own blood, disconnect the IV's and place the bags to my lips.”

I did as he directed and he hungrily drank from the first blood bag, a low moan in his throat.

He drained it dry and I placed the second bag to his lips. I turned my gaze quickly away however when the secondary effect of his feeding kicked in. All of the blood I was feeding him, rushed to a now growing part of his body. Vampires associated feeding with sex, so as you can guess he wanted something other than blood now.

His eyes roamed over me with both hunger and lust.

“You should leave now.” Santiago said, his voice now with more strength.

“But can't I help you escape?” I asked moving my hands to the manacles securing him.

“It is too risky, if you die in your astral body you die in your corporeal, I cannot risk that. If you die it would break Louis' heart.” Santiago said quietly a weak smile on his lips.

“What should I tell them?” I asked placing a hand on his arm.

“Tell them to be careful, and tell them this, inform Zachariah that I am safe.”

“Zachariah?”

“My maker, the Vampire King of Europe, now go before they return.”

“They?” I asked.

“The hunters, now go!” he said shaking his manacles.

I heard a door somewhere near me open and I gritted my teeth and pinched my arm.

I faded slowly leaving me with a last image of Santiago smiling weakly in my direction.

My eyes shot open and I jolted forward on the bed. Louis' arms were wrapped around my waist and tugged me back against his chest.

“Hmm someone's awake.” he murmured, pressing his lips against my ear.

“No time, the hunters have Santiago.” I said tugging at his arms.

I felt him go tense and his arms wrapped more firmly around his waist. His lips coasted down the nape of my neck and he pulled me further against his chest.

“You should be careful using your powers, if left unchecked they could prove dangerous. I am not willing to risk you.” He said, his hands roaming over my chest.

“We don't have time, he needs help.” I said again tugging at his hands.

“It is an hour until sundown, Marcus and I will require darkness for our powers to be at their height. So until then we have one hour to kill.” He said sighing against the skin of my neck.

His arms slipped from around my waist, he got up too quickly and got two towels from a chest of drawers. He moved towards the bed and tugged me up onto my feet before leading me out of his bedroom.

He led me into the spacious bathroom with its large circular bath, easily big enough for 6 people. My eyes darted to the shower and I grinned at the memory of it. I watched him drop the towels next to the bath, watching the tantalizing way his arse moved. He moved towards the bath and set the taps running, tested the water then turned back to me.

I walked forward and clambered into the bathtub, Louis joined me and I leaned in against him. In the water he felt warm, everything did. I sighed and relaxed as the water warmed my body. Louis hand reached out and he tenderly stroked my hair.

“You need to talk.” he said expectantly.

“About what?” I asked.

“Your father.” he said delicately trailing his fingers along my spine.

“She didn't tell me Louis, for 18 years I thought he was dead.” I said against his shoulder.

“I'm betting she had her reasons, you are too powerful love.” He said enigmatically.

“And what is wrong with that?” I said snuggling against his side.

“It all began centuries ago in around 1012. Back then witches were pure blooded, that meant that both of their parents were witches,” Louis said before continuing.

“Some however used their increased power to control the dead. Necromancy in its most powerful form can control even vampires. The witches decided that the blood should be diluted. So all witches were and currently are forced to only wed mortals or other supernaturals aside from witches.” Louis said soothingly.

“Then I'm a full blood I take it?”

Louis nodded and wrapped his arms more tightly around me

“And what does that mean I can do?” I asked.

“Well it means that you can influence vampires to do your will, that one you have already demonstrated.” Louis said.

“When?” I asked searching my memory.

“That first morning you used your magic, you influenced me.” He replied.

“So what will happen to me as a full blood?” I asked running a hand over his abs.

“You are going to be very interesting to many people, they may want your power for their own ends.”

“Iōannēs.” I stated.

“Exactly.” Louis stated.

“He wants more than just my power doesn't he?” I said my head lolling against Louis' shoulder.

“Iōannēs is interested in you because you are unique in this day and age. Also a witch mated to a vampire? Now that is unheard of.” Louis said.

“I don't want to be under his authority.” I said turning my hear to look up at Louis, his brown hair clinging to the sides of his face.

“I'm afraid we are James, but as long as his requests are reasonable it may be best to bend to his wishes.” Louis said kissing my forehead.

“I could be hurt tonight.” I said my fingers running lightly up his chest.

“I know.” he said bluntly, his chest tensing slightly.

“Santiago has been drained of his blood to weaken him.” I said wrapping my arms around Louis' waist.

“Tonight you may have to harm other humans.” Louis said his fingers stroking lightly through my hair.

“I've been thinking about that too.” I said sitting up in the warm water.

“They will be armed to the teeth.” Louis said looking at me.

“So am I.” I said raising my right hand out of the water.

“Ál.” I said and fire spread across my right palm, the water boiling instantly on my skin

The fire did not burn my skin but warmed my flesh instead.

“I know that you are powerful James, but magic will not heal a bullet through your skull.” Louis said smiling at me.

“I know Louis, I know. Come on I think we need to get ready.” he nodded and pulled himself out of the water quickly and grabbed a towel.

I watched him walk away, noticing the flexing in the muscles of his arse as he moved. I stepped out of the bath and walked towards Louis.

“Did I ever say you have a really nice arse?” I said kissing Louis' shoulder lightly.

“I think yours is better.” Louis said turning his head slightly.

“We'll have to agree to disagree.” I said grabbing a towel from his extended handsomest.

“Well I'm sure that you can we could find a way to decide.” he said turning towards me with his towel wrapped around his waist.

He leaned in close and his lips brushed lightly on my ear as he whispered,

“I think next time its your turn to fuck me James.” he said catching the lobe of my ear lightly in his teeth. I flushed red and wrapped my arms around his shoulders pulling him into a hug.

“Come on lets get dressed.” I said running my hand lightly down his chest marvelling at the definition on his muscles.

I walked into his bedroom and grabbed my bag before turning back to the bathroom, jumping slightly when Louis stood directly behind me.

“I think I may need to borrow some clothes.” I said.

“I was about to suggest that.” Louis said smiling kindly at me.

He moved too quickly to his drawers and pulled out a pair of briefs, jeans and a dark blue short sleeved t-shirt. He handed them quickly to me and I quickly slipped on the briefs and slid into the slightly too large jeans.

Louis dropped his towel with his back to me and moving too quickly for a human dressed in his clothes. He was done in about 3 seconds. He quickly grabbed a pair of socks and slid into a pair of leather shoes. He ran a hand through his short brown hair and turned to me as I pulled his t-shirt over my head.

He threw me a balled pair of socks followed by a pair of slip on black trainers that hugged close to my feet. I slipped on the socks and stepped into the trainers. Quickly checking my reflection and running my fingers through my short blonde hair I turned to Louis.

He stood leaning against a bed post his eyes focused on some point on the floor.

“If I get hurt tonight....” I started but I was unable to finish.

Louis was on me in an instant, my body pressed against his and his lips roughly on mine. I needed this, I needed him. My arms seized his t-shirt and drew his body closer to mine. If I was going to die tonight, I was going to go knowing that he wanted me. And I was going to leave Louis knowing I wanted him.

My back was pressed against a wall quickly and my left leg was lifted and hooked over his hip. There was no escape from him, our bodies pressed against each other and I growled at him. The sound surprising myself. His lips broke away from mine and he growled playfully back, his fangs dropping down from his lateral incisors.

He panted slightly before his eyes slowly shifted back to green. And his fangs receded. He gave me one lingering kiss on the lips before he pulled away and took my hand leading me down the stairs and into the living room. To await the arrival of Marcus.

**** **** **** **** **** ****

I heard the subtle knock on the door followed by Marcus strolling in. He was dressed in black leather trousers and a tight fitting t-shirt and a long leather jacket on his shoulders. He inclined his head slightly to me and Louis took my hand tugging me off the sofa.

“Tonight we are going in quickly and efficiently and finding Santiago.” Marcus intoned mournfully.

“Why is it that you need me again?” I asked sidling slightly closed to Louis’ side.

“You are here to help us locate Santiago.” Marcus said with a small grin on his lips.

“He is being held in a compound and having his blood drained to keep him weak.” I responded, thinking back to my earlier vision.

“It should not take you long to find his location, we are also awaiting two others to join us.” Marcus said inclining his head towards the door.

“Others?” I asked looking at Louis as his own eyes darted to me.

“Members of our blood line are coming to our aid.” Marcus said enigmatically, with a strange look in his eyes.

“And who might they be.” I asked looking to both Louis and then Marcus in turn.

“The oldest living member of our bloodline Dieter and his second progeny Michael.” Marcus responded, his eyes once more darting to the door.

“The oldest?” I asked cocking an eyebrow.

“He is also the oldest vampire still walking, he is around 5450 years old the last time he counted I believe.” Marcus said as he almost smiled.

“5450?!” I said looking at him disbelieving my mouth hanging slightly open.

Louis reached up and tapped my my chin with his index finger, smiling as I closed my hanging mouth.

“With him on our side the humans stand no chance.” Marcus said grinning sadistically, a cruel glint showing in his eyes.

“When do they arrive?” I asked looking at Marcus, his eyes quickly darting towards the door.

“One of them is already here.” a deep voice said from outside the front door, before the doorknob turned, and a moment later a tall man stepped through. My eyes honed in on him and scanned his face quickly, he had a thin goatee covering his chin and upper lip, his hair was brown with grey streaks running through it, and his eyes were hazel that seemed to shine in the light of the room. . He looked to be in his late 30's to early 40's, which when he was born must have been considered old age over 5000 years ago.

Both Marcus and knelt before him their heads bowed in what seemed to be reverence.

“Children.” the man said his voice full of mock chastisement

“You make me feel like an old man.”

Louis and Marcus rose and their eyes glanced at Dieter

“It is good to see you again.” Dieter began his lips pulling back over his shining white teeth, his eyes darting from Louis to Marcus. They then settled on me and I felt myself twitch slightly.

“I do not believe we have met.” Dieter said stepping towards me his hand outstretched..

I reached out and shook his hand jerking slightly in surprise. His hand was hot, warmer even than my own and I was the human. His other hand lightly cupped our hands and shook them before he inhaled slightly.

His eyebrow cocked in surprise before he asked

“You scent seems familiar although I am certain we have not met.”

He straightened slightly before turning back to the door, a moment later a man moved too quickly into the room. He looked younger than Dieter around mid 20's, he had brown eyes, an olive complexion and dark brown hair that swept gracefully over his forehead. His cheekbones were high on his face, with a square jaw and was just shorter than me by an inch or so.

“You are correct Dieter, he does smell familiar.” (I'm assuming his name was Michael) said.

“I can however identify it better than you I believe, think of Zachariah.” he finished enigmatically.

“The Faerie?” Dieter said his eyes widening as he again glanced at me.

He continued “Now this must be something more than a coincidence.” he finished his eyes roaming over my face.

“Brother?” Dieter asked turning to Michael.

“I'd say cousin more like, that would account for the difference in appearance.” Michael stated factually.

“What are you talking about?” I asked looking at both Michael and Dieter.

“We believe we have met your cousin, Oscar.” Michael said grinning at me.

“Right, now I'm confused. How in the hell do you know my cousin?” I said shaking my head.

“It is of no matter, the problem at hand is to find Santiago.” Michael said grinning at me

“We are here as your power sources to power your spell to find Santiago.” Dieter continued running a hand lightly stroking his beard.

“I need my bag.” I said looking at Louis

He nodded and moved at preternatuatural speed, returning a second or so later with my bag in hand. I took it from him and pulled out my spell book, the one my mother had given me this morning. I prayed that there would at least be some form of locator spell in here.

The book was 20cm long, 10cm wide and around 5cm thick. This may take some time, if I had to search through the whole book to find a spell to search for Santiago. Well hopefully magic could help me find what I needed. I placed the book on the table and placed a hand on the cover before saying

“Scearplic galdor.” I said allowing a small trickle of power to flow out through my hand, I pulled away slightly from the book and it flickered open landing on a seemingly random page. I picked up the book and quickly skim read the page.

It seemed a relatively simple spell, it did however require a few herbs, blood from someone related to the lost one, and a map. Louis stood next to me and smiled slightly at me, I looked to Marcus and listed a few herbs I would need for the spell

“I need a map, a knife, a quartz crystal, sage, nutmeg and hickory.” I said looking to him

“I assumed as much.” Marcus said reaching into one of the pockets on his coat and pulling out a long silver knife and the herbs I needed.

“Anyone have any quartz?” Marcus asked looking to Louis, Michael and Dieter

Dieter nodded and reached up to his neck pulling at the chord around his neck. On the end of which was a sharply cut quartz crystal. Louis moved into the kitchen and returned with a map of London which he spread out onto the table. Now it was my turn to do something, I walked into the kitchen and returned with a wine glass.

Marcus placed the knife and the sage on top of the map and Dieter placed the quartz crystal next to them as well.

“The spell will work best if I have blood from each of you.” I said picking up the knife and wine glass my hands shaking slightly as I handed it first to Louis. 

Each of the vampires slid the knife across their wrists in turn and allowed a steady stream of their blood to drip into the wine glass. Each of their ages seemed to be shown in the time it took them to heal the cut. With Dieter the only thing that seemed to show that he was cutting himself at all was the blood that dripped into the glass. 

Each of them had added blood to the glass, however Dieter seemed to have been the main contributor. I began to notice a trend, the older vampires gave more blood than the younger. The glass was now half full with thick deep red blood.

Once they had all added their blood to the glass, I took it from them and after being handed a lighter by Macus I lit the sage and scattered the cinnamon and hickory across the map. I then placed the glass on the table and dipped the quartz crystal into it. The blood clung to the crystal and I held it by the black chord. 

 I picked up the sage in my other hand and wafted the smoke towards the map. I looked over towards my spell book and began to read the spell.

“Blód þone cnéorissa, ábeþecian ánwealda hwa sy ofhende.”

 I said swinging the crystal lightly in a circle. The blood dripped onto the map but instead of splattering it hovered over the paper collecting together. 

I continued reading from the book, noticing the steady drain in my strength

“Blód tócíge blód ond be þes blód ástýre mé æt sé hwa sy ofhende.” I said my power flowing into the spell as the growing puddle of blood slowly began to creep across the page. It shifted across the page, creeping further and further westward across the map of the city. The spell was finished and I felt my strength ebb slightly, the blood puddle began to shrunk until it was a single droplet over a single area of the city. 

I slumped backwards threatening to fall, Louis moved impossibly quickly behind me and supported me. I turned in his arms and moved my arms around Louis' waist. He gripped me to him, holding me up easily. 

“Sorry that took more out of me than I...thought...” I said my vision blackening slightly.

My legs gave up beneath me and Louis quickly moved down and swooped me up into his arms. “You need blood.” Louis said without hesitation.

“If I might make a suggestion” Michael said stepping forwards. He moved towards the table and picked up the wine glass on the table. “I for one give my consent.” Michael said.

“Very well.” Marcus said, however he did not sound all too happy, this was confirmed by his next sentence.

“I would just like to make the point that I am only doing this because he spent his strength in the search for my maker.” Marcus continued his eyes darting over me.

“I would be honoured to give my blood.” Dieter said smiling.

Michael began to hand me the glass but before he did so he warned.

“Prepare yourself James, few mortals ever taste blood as old as mine, Dieters however has only ever been tasted by those he has made, you should be honoured.” Michael said quietly.

My hand shook slightly as I took the half full glass and guided it towards my lips. I felt a slight twinge of guilt that I was drinking blood other than Louis' but when I looked at him he nodded at me.

The glass reached my lips and I tipped it back, my eyes following the dark liquid as it slid across the glass, unerringly seeking my lips. The blood hit my lips and the moment it hit my tongue I groaned. The moment is flowed down my throat my veins filled with pure raw energy. I felt like a god. The blood was pure strength, pure power, a combination of the blood of four vampires, all of it flowing into my own veins. It strengthened my senses, it was like strength, power, magic and life all rolled into one. 

My mind sped through a million different thoughts, my mind going into overdrive as more of the blood slid down my throat, yet still more blood flowed. My body rejoiced as it slid into my body, it was power and perfection. The cup ran dry and my eyes flew open and I looked up at Louis. Louis lowered me to my feet and I looked up at the other vampires in the room. I was high as a kite and felt impossible levels of power running through my body. 

I raised a hand and sparks of blue energy ran across my fingers, I felt impossibly powerful. Unfortunately the secondary effect of the blood began to kick in and I reached back and grasped Louis' arm. 

“Soon James, soon.” he said leaning forward to kiss my forehead. 

“May I suggest we leave while the night is still young?” Marcus said cocking an eyebrow slightly

I nodded quickly my mind spinning and my senses buzzing. The front door swung open just by my eyes running over it and I was lifted into Dieter's arms quicker than I could see. I quickly assumed that this was so Louis would not slow the group down by carrying my weight, and since Dieter was the eldest I assumed my weight would be inconsequential to him. It was strange how my thoughts seemed to race faster to conclusions almost as fast as I could consider the problems.

And then we were gone, and I seemed to be moving faster than I could make out what was around me. Within what seemed like a short space of time we had arrived, or at least were near to our target. Dieter slowed and lowered me to the floor in the middle of a deserted street and the other vampires appeared behind us soon after.

Dieter inhaled slightly and shuddered a fraction, I could sense something as well. An unnatural chill hung in the air, a shiver down my spine and I felt the urge to leave. It was a charm or spell of some sort, it hung in the air like mist the further we moved the thicker it would seem to become. We moved slowly along the street and I led the way, in my current state I didn't even need to speak to cast magic it seemed. My very will was being projected into the world, and I willed the spell around us to lessen and it did. Louis joined me at my side and reached out to take my hand, rubbing soothing circles there that did more than calm me down.

Dieter turned to me his eyes glinting slightly in the dim lightening

“The position on the map relates to this area, however it is an area of at least two miles I would suggest we use the quartz crystal to find Santiago from here.” Dieter finished handing it to me

I gripped the chord of the crystal lightly, allowing a trickle of magic to drip into the crystal. The quartz crystal began to glow ever so slightly before rising so that the chord was no longer taut and pointed itself away from my body.

As I turned the intensity to which the crystal glowed changed, and I led us down the street towards the hunter base. My eyes shifted towards the direction of the crystal and I led the vampires trailing behind me.

“Here.” I said leading the vampires down an alley way towards what appeared to be a plain brick wall.

I stopped the flow of magic towards the crystal and snapped my fingers. A small spark of magic erupted as I did so and the charm surrounding the wall vanished. For those who called themselves Hunters, they did seem to enjoy using magic.

The steel door hidden behind the charm looked solid enough but a look back at Marcus was all it took for him to punch through steel door and yank it from its hinges. As soon as he had done so, the sound of an echoing alarm sounded from inside the passageway. I turned to Louis and pulled his face towards mine, planting a quick kiss on his lips before turning back towards the doorway.

“Out of my way.” I said to Marcus as I stepped through the doorway and into the heart of the hunters den.

The lights in the corridor were dim and reflected off the steel walls of the corridor and the heavy doors at the far end of the corridor opened and out ran the first wave.

“bealucwealm.” I said allowing power to flow through my words, the first two hunters immediately dropped and the three behind raised their weapons. Before I could even utter a word, two blurs ran past me and faster than the humans could react Dieter and Michael had slammed their heads into the walls almost in unison.

The third human staggered backwards and I felt an evil giggle slide up my throat as I allowed my power to flow out through my finger tips, wordlessly bending the humans mind and his own gun pressed against his chin. He whimpered and with I made a motion of my finger pulling a trigger and his own did the same. The bullet tore up through his skull, emerging through his helmet with pieces of brain matter and blood staining the ceiling.

Louis came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waistband

“Let's hurry James.” He whispered lightly kissing my ear

We moved towards the elevator at the back of the corridor and descended to the lowest level of the complex uninterrupted. As the doors opened I mumbled a single word

“Bordrand.” an instant before the gunfire started, as the Hunters unloaded a hail of bullets towards us.

“Naughty naughty.” I said laughing slightly, power flowing through my blood and lingering on each word.

The shots fell to the floor before a single one reached the lift. Then they reloaded. Well, I mean they tried, they might have even managed to if I hadn't made my move.

“Astyrung æðm.” I said raising my hand and slamming my fist shut.

“I like his style.” Marcus said appreciatively to Michael behind me as the Hunters froze on the spot, and clutched their throats unable to draw in breath. The very air around them refusing to enter them. Nature bent itself to my will, and my closed fist prevented their very breath, I held my hand up until each of them had collapsed before releasing them.

We passed into the next corridor before the vampires following spread out around me.

“Each of us follow a separate path to find Santiago, Marcus go with Louis, Michael take the other path. James you come with me, when you find Santiago get him out of here first.” Dieter said

I gave one last look towards Louis before following Dieter down the hallway to the left.

As we neared the end of the corridor a second alarm began to sound, and Dieter rolled his neck and I saw his fangs drop. A few seconds later I understood why, as a hunter rounded the corner. Dieter moved faster than lightning, snapping his victims neck and moving on to the rest. He moved like a god, his hands like striking snakes as he dealt with seven other hunters that rounded the corner in similar time. It was then that I realised how terrible an enemy that Dieter would be, but also, how great an ally he was, so willing to risk himself for his bloodline.

I felt my own blood like fire in my veins, the level of power slowly rising as the blood from the vampires took a greater hold on my system. A hunter rounded the corner and I thrust my hand out and my mind reached out and felt his heart. My fingers tightened around it, and he stuttered and froze on the spot. I closed my fist and he folded over himself before falling to his knees on the floor.

My attention had been so focused on him that I hadn't noticed I had fallen behind Dieter. As I rounded the corner I saw him standing at the end of the corridor dealing with three hunters in quick succession. The gun one held fired, Dieters hand shot out and snapped his wrist, but the rounds fired.

I froze, and my eyes darted down and a bubble of laughter escaped my shocked lips. The blood spread across my shirt and pooled on the floor. I clamped a hand over the wound and staggered backwards against the wall behind me, Dieter was next to me in less than a second and supported me.

“Ágíeman.” I stuttered and screamed as my power flowed out through my hand and over the wound.

“I'll be fine Dieter, just give me a minute for the magic to work.” I panted as I felt my flesh slowly knitted itself back together, and pushed up the wall. Noticing the blood smear behind me on the wall and leaned on Dieter as we moved down the corridor.

“Ok, next time I need to prepare for getting shot.” I said as we rounded another corner

As I felt the wound close completely I tested my own ability to stand and checked the wound. Raised and red but still healing slowly, I nodded to Dieter and we continued to move down the corridor and my mind reached out, trying to sense the presence of anything other than Human. Searching for Santiago among the rooms ahead.

“Dieter, go on ahead I'm just going to slow you down. I can defend myself well enough just get him out of here.” I said giving him a small grin and straightening myself up.

He did not look happy but could see I wasn't taking no for an answer and he nodded. He moved quickly down the corridor ahead, looking back before sprinting off like lightning. I allowed more power to flow through my skin, healing over the remainder of the wound and I picked up my pace and moved round the corridor and made sure I was ready for any Hunter who came my way.

As I did so I reached a T-junction in the hall I saw that down each moved a group of Hunters numbering around five each.

I raised my hands outwards and chanted quietly.

“Bordrand.” and let my power flow out through my fingertips.

The hunters raised their weapons and fired, each bullet colliding with the shield I had conjured in the air and dropping to the floor. As each of them moved towards the shield attempting to blast through it again and I pushed it towards them. Forcing each side further back down the corridor, and I turned down the left hand corridor. I send a surge of power down each of the shields and sent the hunters flying back into the walls at either end of the fork. I sprinted over them snapping my fingers as I did so and each of their heads smacked into the floor knocking them out cold. The complex was too large, each corridor leading to another and another.

As I rounded another corner I saw a single door at the far end of the corridor. A dead end. All I could hope was that he was here, Santiago.

I reached the door, grabbed the handle and turned it. Behind the door was nothing, I don’t mean an empty room, I mean actually nothing. A pure white expanse of emptiness, this was magic, and this was wrong.

I turned to leave and at the end of the corridor behind me stood a single figure with a floor length cloak, and a pair of luminescent blue eyes.

“I hear you are the witch with the vampires, if you think what you have is magic you are but a child.” The voice intoned, raspy and cold as it echoed down the corridor.

“And you are the witch working with the Hunters, for people who despise supernaturals they seem to enjoy using you.” I said squaring my stance to him.

He raised a hand and mumbled a few words and a fireball formed at his fingertips.

“Lets see what you can do.” He said slinging his hand towards me and the fireball followed the path of his hand towards me.

“Fréorig æðm.” I said, quickly exhaling as the spell took effective.

My breath became cold as ice and the fireball dissipated in the air. The witch laughed and lowered his hood revealing his face to me for the first time. He was old with white hair clinging to the side of his face, wrinkles spread across his face like spider webs and he grinned at me. 

I backed myself up into the room behind me and saw the opposing witch began to mutter a spell. The whiteness of the empty room surrounded me leaving only the doorway visible in front of me.

“Íss scúr.” he chanted and icy shards flew from his fingertips and swirled through the air towards me. I hardly had time to react before it reached me managing to stutter out a shield spell before it would have struck me. 

The witch advanced through the doorway and the true battle began. The following fight was a flurry of quickly chanted spells. I may have had the advantage of power and youth over the older witch, but he had the advantage of age and knowledge. My spells may have had more power behind them, but his spells were far more complicated than my own, his own spells were delicately strung together, their grammar and syntax more complex than my own, the complexity of them made it very difficult to block or effectively disperse such spells.

For each spell I cast he knew the perfect spell to counter it, forging protective shields and cancelling out such spells with his own even as I cast them. My own offence seemed to slowly be making an impact in his energy reserves, his responses became more sluggish. 

I darted back out of the doorway and round the corner and out of the path of a bolt of lightning that shot over my shoulder. I staggered round the corner and pressed my back against the wall, pressing my hand against the floor I chanted.

“Eorþe beofung.” and the earth beneath our feet trembled. 

Two guards rounded the nearest corner and I shot out my hands and allowed my power to extend towards them. I closed my fists and they both collapsed as I stopped their hearts, and I ran over their bodies dodging a hail of glass shards firing from behind me, not a single one hit me. 

I snapped my fingers and my power flowed out sending a shower of sparks towards the witch. He blinked rapidly and coughed slightly as smoke also began to fill the corridor. The complex may have seemed like a maze before, but while running through it it only seemed to be more so. Couple that with errant spells firing over my shoulders, first was a shower of icy shards one of which grazed the side of my face leaving a deep gash.

“Fûlstincende lyfthelm.” I stuttered as I waved a hand into the corridor behind me, before slumping down against the wall. A cloud of sickly green fog billowed out into the corridor behind me, hopefully obscuring me from sight, and should hopefully nauseate anyone passing through it, at least for a few minutes or so. 

The sounds of gunshots rung out in the distance, somewhere further ahead of me, and I pulled myself up to my feet and broke into a run mentally preparing myself to cast at a moments notice. 

As I rounded a corner I came across what I gathered was the mess hall of this place, with a number of cafeteria tables and cooking apparatus at the back, the room contained a handful of humans all toting rifles and firing out of the doorway and down the nearby corridor. From this angle I could see that Michael was fighting his way through a number of hunters set in his path. However his body showed signs of severe damage, his shirt was peppered with holes and his wounds were closing much more slowly than I would have expected. He needed help. 

I charged forward approaching within twenty feet of the guards and in the centre of the room. One of them turned and let out a warning, but as they turned and levelled their weapons with me I had already begun chanting, imbuing my words with as much power as I thought I could muster. 

“Mânbryne blâwung.” I cried jerking my arms outwards from me and throwing back my head.

Flames erupted outward from me, their hies ranging from golden yellow to kingfisher blue as they spiralled outwards from me in a blast-like sphere. The room was engulfed in its entirety, and three seconds later when the spell faded, the bodies of the hunters lay dead at me feet. The room perfused with the scent of burned flesh and smoke. The blast had also bloomed out into the corridor taking with it three hunters within range, while the two remaining had been quickly dealt with my Michael. 

I staggered slightly, losing my balance as a wave of lethargy hit me from the expenditure of my energy. Michael was on me in an instant his hand gripping my upper arm, providing support as I slumped against him. 

“No time” I mumbled “He’s been burning his power reserves too, if we can give him the run around we may be able to deal with him. Fortunately I lost…..” 

“Fortunately, he has already found you.” A gravelly voice came from behind me. 

“Frêosan.” His voice came, as I felt Michael stiffen against me, cobwebs of ice spreading across his skin and his eyes turning pale and milky. 

I wrenched myself away from his now frozen body and turned towards my adversary. Still weak from before I doubted that I would be able to hold my own against him for much longer. But I would try. If I could just delay him long enough one of the others should be able to find Santiago. And if I was dealing with the witch, then Louis wouldn’t have to. That thought gave me comfort, knowing that I was keeping him safe in any way I could. 

“Râr racente.” I said whipping my arm around suddenly. A blood red chain of glowing force sprung into existence as it shot forth towards the mage. As it sailed through the air it issued forth a wicked howling as it lashed out towards him. 

The witch began to chant a quick incantation, and as he did so I ran at him. The chain howled as it swung forwards wrapping around the witches right leg and jerking it towards me. The witch fell as the chain proceeded to work its way up his body and constrict around him. I dove on top of the mage and pulled back my fists and began swinging wildly down towards his face. 

“Mægen.” I cried out as I clenched my fists and saw a rune in the shape of an inverted U appear upon each of my knuckles. 

My fist slammed into the side of his head and the runes connected and sent waves of concussive force out through my fists. The mages spell dies in his throat as my other fist slammed into his Adam’s apple, I continued my onslaught on him, and his hands came up and tried to bat me away and shield his face from my fists. But I was strong, high on vampire blood, and he was an old man well past his prime. 

It was then that I felt something inside me snap, my hands came down and wrapped themselves around his throat. I began to squeeze and felt his pulse pounding beneath my hands as I compressed his throat. His eyes bulged in his skull and his hands clawed at my face leaving thing gashes as he did so, and he then began to swing his fists into my chest trying to break my hold on his throat. I held firm however, and felt his pulse grow thready as his eyes began to sprout small burst blood vessels, and I tightened my hold and pressed my hands deeper into his neck as his Adam’s apple became squeezed beneath my hands. 

“Your life is mine. I am going to be the last thing you see in this world before I end you.” I said grinning down at him as his eyes bugged out of his skull even further. His hands began to tremble and lose their grip on me and his eyes rolled up into his skull and he stopped struggling. 

My hands maintained their grip around his throat and I smashed his skull into the concrete floor beneath until blood began to pool around his skull and I felt his heart begin to stutter beneath my fingers.

“There is a better way.” a delicate whisper came from somewhere deep inside me. 

“His heart is beginning to falter, but at the instant it stops his power will be released. You can take that power from him, and gain a small inkling of his knowledge and strength.”

“How.” I said out loud, loosening my grip on the witches throat.

“Repeat these words as you end his life and his power shall be yours. Ic manian hire æd, hit sy minnum, ic dréahne hine swá hit êðgung forbirste.”

I repeated the words as once more my hands wrapped around his throat and I waited until I felt his heart begin to falter and repeated them again felling a small amount of my magic flowing into his body. His heart stopped, and as it did so I felt a well of power flowing from his body and into my own. The power tasted foreign, dusty, almost cloying, but with it came a greater sense of knowledge, my own reserves of power were somewhat bolstered after this, and my flagging energy didn’t feel quite so low any more. 

The mages body began to crumble under my hands, his flesh turned to ash, his blood began to bubble out between rips and tears in his skin as it grew taught over his bones. It was as if he was burning from the inside, as soon as I withdrew from my position above him, his flesh melted away leaving his bones, glowing a dull shade of red, before they too turned to powder. Staring down at this pile of what could almost be seen as sugar seemed hilarious to me in my current state and I laughed maniacally as I turned my attention to Michael. The cobwebs of frost had begun to thaw and he began to move, although somewhat sluggishly. The remnants of the dead witches power no longer held sway over his movements and he moved to my side, shaking the last of the frost away as his eyes returned to their usual shade.

Michael was by my side in a second, a stern look on his face, but he said nothing. As I looked around the room Michael motioned for me to follow him and we headed across the room towards the nearby corridor. Michael moved quickly ahead of me and we continued around the corner and began to search the complex. 

It didn’t take long for us to locate Dieter, the trail of bodies snapped in half was a clear indication of his course through complex. How many hunters could there possibly be in this place, and why did this seem so easy, I would have expected these so called hunters to have been more prepared for an assault. 

Dieter was finishing off a small grouping of hunters outside of what seemed to be an armoury, the white walls of the corridor were splattered with blood as Dieter promptly ripped a human in half. I moved towards him and called out as Michael shot off down the corridor away from Dieter and myself. 

“Have you seen Louis?” I asked as Dieter wiped the blood off of his face.

“The last I saw of him he was accompanying Marcus, they believed they had found the labs of the facility.” His face turned sour for a moment.

“It seems that Santiago was not the only captive held here, they have quite an impressive collection of supernaturals here.” He stepped over a body as he stepped out of the armoury. 

“I just hope he is alright, I don’t know what I would do if I lost him.” I said leaning my back against the wall next to the armoury. 

“He does care for you, I have met him only twice in his life, but from what I know he has not cared about a mortal like you for a very long time.” He said in a sombre tone. 

“A long time?” I said glancing behind me in the corridor, ensuring we were safe. 

“He did love another, once. A long time ago by your standards. After he believed Marcus had died in 1946 he went on a small spree through London, and encountered another.” His eyes glanced at my face, checking my reaction. 

“He was called Thomas, a doctor working in the city, Louis was smitten at sight from what I head. However the relationship did not turn out as he had planned, and from what I hear they parted soon after but Louis watched him until his death. He still cared even then.” Dieter reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. 

“I knew he had other dalliances in the past but he should have told me.” I said, feeling a twang of both jealousy and betrayal. 

“I know this must be hard but…...” Dieter tensed for an instant, surging forward and hugging my body close to his.

“Down!!” he shouted .

I hadn’t seen the human on the floor moving, I hadn’t seen them pull the pin. Dieter had heard it and gripped my body tight and threw us away from the human. But the explosion bloomed too quickly, this wasn’t like in a film where the heroes outrun the explosion. The heat lapped around Dieter, singeing my arms and I felt the concussive force throw us backwards. I heard Dieter grunt, and heard the sound of slicing as small pieces of shrapnel tore into his body. He took the brunt of the explosion, but I felt a slice running across my leg, and a single sharp pain as something stabbed through Dieters chest and pierced my chest and I felt a wet heat spreading across my top.

We hit the floor, my vision already blurred, my ears ringing, through the haze of my vision I saw Dieter roll off of me and his brown eyes stared down at me. He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear him. My vision blurred again hazing red, and I felt the wet heat spreading down my leg and again across my chest. My heart was pounding in my chest, it’s beat accelerating, my limbs were becoming numb, my head feeling heavier and heavier. It felt like a heavy blanket was pinning me down, dragging me down and under. 

The last image I remember was Dieters face over mine, mouthing that same thing again at me. In my haze I could make out the odd word, “Let”, “save you”,”consent”. Whatever it was he seemed insistent, and all I wanted right now was to sleep. I nodded my head at him with the last of what strength I had, and I finally succumbed to the blackness.

The blackness had taken over, and washed over me more solidly than before, and my body felt as if it was being crushed. It was so exhausting to try to push back against it. It would be so much easier just to give in, to let it take me, to a place of blackness where there was nothing, nothing but darkness.

I have no idea how long the darkness persisted, it could have been hours, days, and I would have known no different. Time meant nothing here. 

Louis. That was the only thought that flooded my mind. Where was Louis? Why wasn’t he here with me. A world without Louis, wasn’t a world worth living in. I clutched at the memory of him, holding him close to me, trying vainly to push back the blackness. I held it back by mere inches, feeling a relief on my breathing, then came the warmth. 

I felt like I was floating, holding a warm body close to me. I inhaled and caught a whiff of the scent that set my pulse racing; Louis. 

I was laying in bed next to him, one hand resting lightly on my throat. He smiled at me.

“Hey” I managed to croak. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.” I managed to say.

Louis’ hand trailed down my throat, drawing a trail down to my heart. He rested his hand there, a trail of warmth following his hand, lingering on my skin. His palm rested over my heart, and I sighed content. 

“James.” He whispered, his eyes flashing up to meet mine. 

“You need to open your eyes.” He said, his eyes were black, his fangs descended. 

“Louis, I’m looking at you, my eyes are open.” I said as the heat from his hand beginning to grow hotter. 

“No, James, you need to open your eyes. It’s time to wake up.” Louis’ eyes grew darker, expanding to fill his eyes, no white of sclera remaining. Darkness began to leak from the corners of his eyes. 

“Wake up!” his voice screamed.

I jerked away from him, and felt myself falling. The heat within my chest growing hotter, and hotter. Too hot. My instinctive reaction was to jerk away from it, to pull myself away from the heat. But the darkness had wrapped around me, pinning me down. The head was spreading, it encircled my chest, and I felt the pulse behind the heat, my own heart. My own heart was pushing this heat, sending streams of fire down my body, the heat concentrating around my heart, and on somewhere lower on my body. 

The flames blazed on, endless seconds or days, weeks or years, I couldn’t tell. The only rhythm I had was my own heart, pulsing away, driving this fire that consumed me. I tried to scream, but felt nothing from my body, I had no idea if it made a difference but soon I could slowly feel sensation returning. Creeping slowly through my body I felt the heat begin to subside. Fading slowly from my fingertips and toes, leaving behind only blessed pain-free coolness. 

But as the pain faded from the extremities of my body, the heat seemed to intensify, each inch I gained only increased the pain searing through me. The heat surging through my body seemed to be draining my body, my throat was burning, and I was parched. Dry as an old bone, and oh so thirsty. 

The heat deep inside my body grew hotter, centring on my heart, burning with an intensity my mind couldn’t comprehend. My heart beat picked up, driving faster and faster now, as if trying to rip itself from my chest and I felt my back arc, bowing as my heart tried to escape me. 

The darkness too was retreating, I could once again feel myself breathing, and soon regretted I this new sensation. My lungs too burned, keeping time with my heart, rasping gasps of air ripping through my lips. The clamour of my heart soon drowned out all else, and the burning heat retreated from my limbs driving the heat within my heart higher and higher. 

The burning flames wrapped themselves around my heart, drawing in all else around it, and my heart raced ahead driven by the fuel being drawn in from my body. Then everything stopped. A deep, and hollow sound echoed through my chest, and I felt my own heart stutter, before letting out one single, final beat. 

There was no sound. No pain. No breathing. I wallowed in the absence of the pain, not even a burning in my lungs even in their stillness. 

I took a deep breath, and the air surged down my throat, noting an odd sensation. I felt no relief, no response as air filled my lungs. My lungs weren’t in need of the air, they reacted indifferently to the intake of breath, yet in the air I could taste an odd mixing sensations. Cotton, stagnant air, and an almost musk like scent that sent a stirring through my loins. Louis. I opened my eyes. 

I have never been one to believe in a God, for what God could look down on his creation with anything but shame. Humanity has always tried to shield itself from the dark, always tried to ignore the unexplained. But now I know the truth, whatever lies out there beyond all that we see, seems to be on my side. 

There he is, his face so close to mine, radiant as the dawn, my dark angel, my saviour. For the first time I truly saw him, was truly able to appreciate his face. Brilliant sea green eyes framed by a porcelain face, his hair that I once saw as brown I could now see had hints of red shining through it. And the scent, oh the scent coming off of him was divine, like no other, wholly and definitively my Louis’. My own sensations were coloured however, a dry ache had settled into my throat at the inhalation, the feeling of thirst was undeniable, and each breath only seemed to stoke this pain. 

The first sensation that struck me was more the lack of sensation. There was no ache in my body, no dull burn in my muscles, no bursting need to breathe. It felt, peaceful, sedate. I flexed my fingers, testing that my lack of sensation was not due to damage, and my hand met another. Their skin felt hot against mine, I grasped it eagerly, feeling a surge running through my skin at this touch. All of this passed in the time it took for me to hear the first words from Louis. 

“I love you.” He said, his green eyes shimmering in the golden light I saw surrounding him. My ears too seemed more sensitive, I heard every syllable in exquisite detail, every movement of lips rang like a chord in the air. All in the proclamation of his love for me. 

I moved to sit up, Louis gently guiding me despite my apparent lack of weakness. I felt steady, and sure of myself, but his touch was not something I objected to in the slightest. I turned my head to look at him, he was expectant, waiting for something. I knew what needed to be said, the first words I knew I had to say to him. 

“I love you.” I said, three simple words, but their meaning seemed deeper to me now. My heart despite its lack of beat still throbbed almost painfully at these words. My mind seemed quickened, every thought it produced was swiftly answered by another, and each emotion that roiled through me threatened to capsize what little control I had. 

With a thought my arms were already around him, holding close to me the man which I had fallen so very deeply in love with. The closeness of our bodies once more sent a surge through me, electric at the contact. Every nerve in my body seemed to sing at his closeness, the sensations so clear, so defined. 

My head nestled lazily in the hollow of his shoulder, his warm arms grasping me to him. I felt a stirring within me, my lips kissed delicately up his shoulder, relishing every moment against his warm skin. The hollow of his throat beckoned me closer, and closer, before I could react however his lips were swiftly pressed to mine. All pretence of tenderness was abandoned, his hand grasped at the small of my back, while another moved to grip the back of my neck, further cementing his grip upon me. 

His tongue pressed against my lips, and I eagerly accepted it. Our tongues met, and a low groan escaped from his chest, the taste was that of his scent, musky, with a hint of the metallic at its edges. My hands gripped him forcefully, I also became acutely aware that whatever clothes he had been wearing were already tearing under my ministrations. 

Every time I touched his skin, I felt the same spark between us, nothing had been lost, but much had been gained with this change. I broke away from him for a moment, and took in his beautiful, perfect features as he ripped the remains of his open shirt from his body, my hands reached out on instinct, running lazily through his red-brown hair, and I stared into his sea green eyes. 

Touching him sent that same electrical surge through my body, and I could not resist pressing my lips to his again. I pressed my body to his, the need for contact driving all other thoughts from my mind. This was what I wanted, what I needed. He broke from my lips, and began trailing kisses down my jaw, and along my throat, I tensed in anticipation for a moment but when I felt the soft, lingering kisses upon my neck I melted against him. 

A low moan reverberated in my chest, my head rolled back and an odd sensation began in my gums, and I felt a subtle shifting, and my fangs descended. Louis had of course noticed this, his own fangs nicked me and I tensed. It had not hurt in the slightest, in face the sensation sent another electrical charge through my body, settling in my now growing cock. 

Louis’ hands came to rest on my hips, pulling my body into his, his eyes shot up to meet mine their colour now two deep black pools, heated but gentle. Before I knew what was going on my back was pressed against the floor, my clothes now a shredded memory next to me, with Louis hovering over me with my cock in his mouth. 

My hands threaded themselves in his hair, watching in awe as he swept down to the base, every swirl of his tongue seeming to strike me to the core. I felt his fangs nick me and I growled, a rather odd sound that began to emanate from my chest, only growing more fervent as he increased his pace. My eyes rolled back into my head, my body now able to fully experience every touch, every motion of his mouth on my cock. 

One of his hands crept up to my chest, pulling at my nipples, sending surges of pleasure through me, while his other hand cupped my balls, gently rolling them as he worked me into a frenzy. I felt a familiar tingle beginning to spread its way down my spine, and my balls began to pull in close towards my body. 

“Not sure how long I can last.” I stuttered, still struggling with the new sensations rolling through me. 

I felt him moan in response, and the vibrations almost made me cum right then and there. My bottom lip caught between my teeth as I tried to hold back the urge to thrust into his warm and welcoming mouth, just letting him work me. I felt one of his fingers slide inside his mouth alongside his cock. When he pulled it out, he pressed it against my hole, and I felt a new fire rising within me. My eyes shot open and looked down at him, I nodded violently, the desire to feel him inside me rising with new fervour. 

His finger slid inside me, and my eyes rolled back into my head. The pain was familiar, the subtle burn I had become accustomed to from our previous love making still there, but my body reacted differently to it. My body felt as if it was built for this, and what quickly overcame me was a wave of pleasure that sent my eyes rolling back into my head and my legs trembled. He moaned his approval continuing to work his warm mouth up and down my throbbing cock. I thrust instinctively and he urged me on, his finger soon being joined by another. Finger fucking my ass as he sucked on my cock, my fingers fisted handfuls of his hair, bucking my hips urgently as I felt my orgasm starting.

“Gonna come!” I managed to grunt in warming.

Even as I felt my cock pulse as I came his movements did not stop, and a strangled groan escaped my body and I began to shake, my ass clamped down hard around Louis’ fingers, and I felt him swallowing greedily as the aftershocks of my orgasm rocked through me. Louis was by no means finished with me however, I felt his fangs piercing my cock, and my body shuddered at the sensation. I could feel every pull he exerted upon the wound, even as his lips continued to work their way up and down the shaft. Despite my world being rocked by the best orgasm it had ever experienced, I felt my cock attempting to harden once again, and oh did it succeed. 

Louis moved off me after a few excruciating moments and I looked down to see the two wounds upon my cock already sealing and the flow of blood dampening. I was upon him in an instant, his body now pressed against the floor, my hips hovering over his. I reached for his cock and grasped it firmly, stroking him and eliciting moans from him that resonated to my core. 

Louis craned his head toward me with a mischievous smile upon his face, and as I pressed his lips to mine, I realised why. I kissed him and could taste my own cum upon his tongue. He swallowed most of it after a few moments, and in a sudden spur of movement I felt his cock pressing against my hole. A low growl bubbled in my throat, and a deep hunger surged inside me, every touch Louis made against my skins only spurred me further. 

“I need….” I managed to stutter out, my brain beginning to fog as I felt the head of his cock teasing back and forth against my hole. 

“I know, I know exactly what you need my love.” He moved in a sudden motion, rapidly repositioning himself. My knees struck the floor hard; my head being roughly pressed against the ground. Louis hands gripped my thighs parting me for him, one hand gliding up my spine and steadying me. Louis’ tongue soon found me, tracing a hungry line down my back before coming to rest between my parted cheeks. His tongue dove into me, wickedly lapping at me as if it was his only care in the world. His fangs scraped against my delicate entrance and I yelped as I felt his teeth biting into the delicate skin between my hole and my balls. He took only a small sip from me, but each pull his lips made against the wound was heaven, I was burning. Hot, wet desire coursed through every fibre of my being; pitiful moans escaped my lips only seeming to drive Louis on. 

“Tell me what you want.” His voice commanded. A shudder ran through me as his tongue began to hungrily trace over my opening again. 

All I managed was a series of strangled moans and grunts at his ministrations, my fangs now cutting into the soft skin of my lips. He did not take this as an answer to his question, drawing his face away from my body and I felt a single digit begin circling around my hole, teasing me with exquisite pleasure. 

“I want to hear you; hear you beg for me.” He said his voice thick with desire, yet commanding in its tone. My brain struggled to find the words to voice my desires. Louis sensed my moment’s hesitation and I felt his digit slide deep inside me, curling to touch that one spot that sent me wild. 

“I want you to fuck me, mark me, give me everything you have.” I said, my breathing unsteady as he toyed with me. 

I sensed another digit begin to slide inside me and I tensed expecting the gentle burn to accompany it. The sensation surprised me as before, much like his bites I now had a new appreciation for pain. It was not that the invading digit was painless, on the contrary I felt the deep biting pain strike deep to my core, but the pain was an exquisite one. It curled through my body, a wave of desire accompanying it and I felt my vision shudder for an instant and I trembled and pushed back against him. 

I felt his lips move to the rounded globe of muscle he held roughly with one hand. 

“Mine.” He said with a growl deep in his chest, as his fangs struck hard and fast. 

“Yours.” I managed to gasp out, as my body was wracked between two distinct but complementary pleasures. 

“Only yours Louis.” I continued, spreading my legs further apart to grant him better access to my body. 

His touch suddenly retreated from me, and for an instant I felt so empty. Before I felt the head of his cock line up against my hole, and with a single powerful thrust his entire length was buried inside me. White hot pain shot through me, but once again I found a new appreciation for that pain. The roughness with which he took me left me speechless, the only sound I could make was a strangled moan as his hands gripped roughly at my hips and he began pounding out an exquisite rhythm into me. This was no gentle love making, this was rough and needing, my body cried out for his, for every stroke of his cock deep inside me. 

His arms wrapped around my chest, pulling me upright with his cock still buried deep inside me. His fangs unerringly sought my throat and plunged into my shoulder with a ferocity I had never seen in him. Our bodies moved in unison, every stroke, every action driven by wanton desire and lust. One of his hands slid down my abdomen, wrapping itself around my leaking cock and jerked me in time with his powerful thrusts. I drew his other arm up to my face, running my nose along his wrist before striking with my teeth at the blue veins there. 

His blood flowed from the wound to my eager and waiting tongue, the coppery taste of it did not bother me in the least, and my mind thought back to this same sensation. When Louis had taken me as his mate, three points of connection between us, his cock currently pounding away at a desperate rhythm inside me, his fangs buried into my shoulder and now my own fangs in him. 

I sensed his thrusting becoming more urgent, spurred on by the rough pulls I made against his wrist, each one eliciting a feral growl from his body. I broke away for a second, and turned my head, my eyes meeting his, black as coal, and in them I saw the mirror of my own eyes, identical. He broke away from my shoulder, roughly kissing me and our tongues duelled as the taste of our blood mingled together, I kissed him with as much skill as I could muster, eagerly swallowing down the blood that flavoured the kiss. 

I felt every inch of him sliding inside me, searing a path as his hips crashed into mine in his desperate rhythm. I felt the familiar tingle begin to stir at the base of my spine, and felt my balls pull in tight to my body as Louis’ hand continued to work my cock with expert skill. I felt my orgasm approaching me, threatening to tear me apart as Louis’ cock drilled inside me with a roughness that would have broken me if I were still human. He shifted his hips slightly and now every one of his thrusts connected solidly with my prostate, white hot pleasure shooting outwards from that spot. I threw my head back, eyes rolling into my skull as my body tense and I felt my cock jerk in Louis’ hand as my orgasm rocked through me, splatting ropes of cum away from my body. In the same instant as this happened, Louis fangs drove suddenly into my now exposed throat, and with that I screamed. 

It felt as if my orgasm continued for as long as he fed from me, moments passed as the desperate pounding rhythms of his cock suddenly became uneven. And as he tore away from my neck, I felt his cock pulse inside me, and felt his load empty as he let out an inhuman roar. 

I melted back against him, my body no longer capable of anything, his arms wrapped around my chest, his tongue licking away the now drying blood trails that coated my neck and shoulder. 

“Why did we never have sex like that before?” I asked leaning heavily on Louis for support. 

“Because my love, if I had fucked you like that when you were still human you would have died.” Louis said his lips now tenderly kissing at the crook of my throat. 

“Possibly. But I would have died happy if this was the last thing I saw.” I said managing to turn in his arms to look at him. 

When I said that I saw a look of sadness roll across his face, and he dropped his eyes from mine. 

It only took me a moment to realise my mistake. 

“Hey.” I said, reaching up to lift his chin to look at me. 

“I’m here. I’m alive. Well, as alive as I can be. And the last thing I saw was you, it was always you Louis.” I continued, my lips inching forward to delicately press against his, as if I were afraid of breaking him. 

“How can you not hate me for what was done to you?” He said his eyes tinged with sadness. 

“I have no regrets about us Louis. None. If you had not got to me in time, I would be dead on the floor.” For the first time I took in the room around me, a cold cement floor beneath us, a single bed sitting unused in the corner and a staircase leading up. 

“But James, I didn’t get to you in time.” He said pulling me close against his chest. I felt a shudder run down him as he pulled my closer to the warmth of his chest. 

“Then who...” I started before my mind quickly gave me the answer. Dieter. 

I felt a pang of regret pass through my chest, the sensation striking me more than I expected. I had always thought that if and when I would turn it would be Louis’ blood that turned me. 

“What difference does it make?” I asked, gripping to him even tighter, almost afraid to lose him. 

“Well, it means he is going to mean a lot to you, and you to him.” His nose running along the crook of my neck. 

“And what about us?” I asked my hands digging deeper into his shoulders. 

“Nothing will change between us, well almost nothing. It just means that he will always hold a special place to you.” He murmured, the tip of his nose running once more along my throat. 

“I can’t imagine losing you, or anything between us, I want to be as close to you as possible.” I said, burying my head in the curve of his shoulder. 

“I think you should drink from me James, take more of my blood into you, this early on it should help ease your cravings and help our bond” He said his lips beginning to make small tender kisses along the curve of my throat. 

“Is it always like this?” I asked, feeling a shudder run through me, resonating the core of my being at the touch of his lips along my skin. 

“Mostly, yes.” He murmured against my skin, his lips pressing against the delicate spot where my neck met my shoulder. I stifled a moan and my head lolled against his shoulder, just letting him hold me. 

My throat throbbed painfully, a dry burn striking with each breath I took. My hand reached up to cup my throat, gulping as the pain seemed to swell. Louis’ scent filled my nostrils again and I felt my fangs spring down easily, eager to bite into him. 

One of his hands came up to the back of my head, pulling my closer to his throat. 

“Don’t think about it, just aim and strike” He said, his breath dancing across my ear. 

I lowered my lips to the crook of his throat, my lips pausing an inch away from his skin. I saw the gently blue veins trailing up the side of his neck, the delicate arrays that carried his blood stood out to me now. It was not as if I hadn’t bitten him before, but this felt different, there was a twinned desire; the aching in my throat and the desire to feel his blood coursing through me. 

I lowered my lips to his throat, my lips planting soft kisses across his skin. I heard a sound of approval sounding from Louis’ chest at my kisses. I opened my mouth and traced my tongue across his skin, tasting his sweet flavour on my tongue. My teeth itched if that were possible, and I let go of the precious control I was trying to cling to and let my instincts take over. My new fangs punctured the skin of his throat and I heard a swift inhalation from Louis followed by a grunt as he clasped the back of my head harder against his neck. 

His blood erupted from the wound made by my fangs; the taste seemed different now. Whereas before his blood had tasted of the usual copper flavour and the inherent sweetness there, but the flavour tasted much more complex. I could taste his arousal, his desire, and I groaned as I felt him clutch me against him, hard. My pulls on his throat became more frantic, the burning in my throat lessening with each pull from him, with each one a loud groan eliciting from Louis’ lips. I felt his hard cock slide up and down the crease of my ass. I shifted my positioning, raising myself a few inches from his lap, all the while keeping the connection to his neck. 

Louis graciously accepted this invitation, and one hand moved down to grasp at my hip, and I felt his cock begin to slide inside me. Every inch was bliss, every movement he made causing me to take another pull on his throat. 

As opposed to when I first awakened, our lovemaking was tender, and gentler. This was less about sating the primal urge to take him I experienced when I first opened my eyes tonight, and more about feeling the connection to him. I broke away from his throat, unsure of quite how long I had been drinking for and pulled my face back to look at him. He seemed paler than before, and for a moment I felt worried that I had fed for too long. Louis’ had obviously noticed my concerned look and he smiled at me, assuaging any fear that had coursed through me. 

I pulled him towards me, hands clutching at his shoulders as I began to meet each thrust of his hips, still keeping to our slow and gentle rhythm. I felt him shudder beneath me, his skin feeling cooler than before.

“Can I drink from you James?” He asked his lips trailing along my neck, his thrusts slowly increasing in their forcefulness but not their speed. 

“You know you don’t need to ask me Louis, you know I’m all yours.” I said pulling his lips against my neck. His fangs bit down into me, with more tenderness than I was sure I had given him, and he began his gentle pulls on my neck.

I now understood why Louis had enjoyed me feeding from him, every pull he made on the wound in my neck sent a pulse down to my cock, hardening in response. I had to admit it was an odd sensation, I had no pulse yet my cock strained hard against me. I reached down between us, my hand wrapping around my hard cock as I began to move in time with Louis’ thrusts. As Louis continued to drink, I became intimately aware of the bond between us, like it was a physical cord tying us together. I became aware through this bond sensations coming from Louis, I could sense his overwhelming desire for me, his pleasure as his cock pounded in my most intimate areas. He broke away from my neck at this point, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that was flavoured with my own blood. 

I sucked eagerly at his tongue, feeling a shudder run down my spine as I felt my balls drawing up close to my body and with a final thrust from Louis my cock erupted between us, splattering thick ropes of cum over Louis chest. With a final grunt from Louis I felt his cock tremble inside me as his own orgasm rocked through him, and with a sigh we collapsed down towards the floor, both panting heavily despite no need to breathe. 

We lay like that for a time, just staring at one another, our hands lazily moving across one another's skin. Eventually Louis rose from the floor, moving to the drawers nearby and removed some clothes for both of us. He threw me a pair of underwear which I swiftly donned. I shifted uncomfortably, the material scratching against my skin every time I moved. 

“Are there any other pairs in there? These are a little scratchy.” I said meeting his gaze.

“It won’t make any difference.” He said. 

“Your skin is more sensitive now; you’ll find clothes will be a little uncomfortable from now on.” He said, a slight chuckle bubbling from his lips. 

I hesitated for a moment, before sliding into the shirt and jeans he handed me, grimacing at the uncomfortable friction they made against my skin. I half contemplated spurning clothes and walking out of here naked. However, I did not think society would be quite so accommodating.

Louis extended a hand to me, and the look in those beautiful green eyes made me want to rip those clothes off him and do filthy things with him. He drew me to him, planting a kiss on my lips and led me up the stairs. 

The building we were in was not familiar to me, the large open space of the building above. Definitely some kind of warehouse. But outfitted with a number of luxuries. I saw an area had been dedicated to leisure, with a handful of sofas and a large plasma screen television currently blaring out some local news. A small amount of movement caught my eye, drawing my gaze to the people strolling in through a door to my right. 

Striding in came Santiago, his jet-black hair tied back in a ponytail and more colour now sat in his olive toned skin. I had not seen his eye colour the last time we had met, but I saw his eyes were a striking shade of violet. I gave him a smile which he warmly returned. Walking in behind him came Marcus, followed by Dieter. My eyes connected with Dieter’s and I felt a shudder run through me, some deep connection stirring at his gaze. He shot me a smile and my lips returned the gesture without thinking. 

Santiago closed the distance between us swiftly, his arms wrapping around my like iron snakes. His lips moved towards my face and he planted a kiss on each cheek, and one on my forehead. 

“I am not sure how I can ever repay you for what you have done for me, but you have my gratitude James.” Santiago said, his words soft and gentle,

“Welcome to our family James.” He finished as he released me from his grip. 

“Here, here.” said Dieter, his eyes softening as he smiled at me. 

I felt Louis’ arms wrapping comfortingly around my midriff, and I leaned back against him sighing. Dieter began to approach and I felt the urge to lower my head as he got near. 

“I know this must all seem so new to you, but know that I did not take the decision to bring you into this life lightly James. I hope that any resentment you may have to this I can take accountability for.” He said his voice deep and sonorous in the empty space of the warehouse. 

I somehow managed to bring my gaze up to his, seeing a depth of sadness in his eyes that almost moved me to tears. 

“You saved me, if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have my Louis.” I said leaning backwards towards the appreciative murmur coming from Louis’ chest. 

“This may not be the life I expected, but it’s my life now.” I finished looking over my shoulder at the angelic face behind me. 

“You will need to be taught, normally that duty would be for your Maker, but I have no qualms with Louis taking up this duty if it pleases you more.” Dieter said that same sadness present in his eyes as he gazed at me. 

I stepped forward, out of Louis’ grasp towards Dieter, and without thinking threw my arms around him. I felt a sense of safety wash over me as I held him. 

“I don’t think I could ever be angry at you for what you’ve given me.” I said, raising my head to look at him. 

His arms slowly came around me and wrapped me in a protective embrace, his skin feeling hot against mine as I sighed in relief. This must be what it should have been like with my father. Feeling protected and safe in his arms. 

“You are my child now James, blood of my blood.” He inclined his head to me, his lips pressing softly into my hair. 

“Perhaps, I shall provide guidance should you need it, the first few months are always the hardest. I shall leave you in Louis’ tender care but may join your tutelage at some point soon. I intend to remain here with you until I feel comfortable that you are comfortable.” He said, his words worming their way into me, working away at the worry inside me. 

I retreated from the embrace and laced my finger through Louis’ as I looked at my new family.

We strode out into the night air, our hands linked together, and I began my new life, with my dark angel. 

*** Epilogue ***

Two months had passed since I began my new life. The first time I walked into the sun was a prominent memory. Although it’s rays still warmed my flesh it was like having an itchy wool scratching constantly over my skin, it also weakened me to barely above human levels of strength. 

Louis had been my guide through it all, patiently teaching me at every step. Feeding had been the most difficult aspect to it all, it was hard to see people as food, yet I found myself staring at the thrumming pulse in their necks, the sweet scent of the blood beneath the surface making my fangs itch. In the beginning human feeding was off the table, and Louis gratefully acted as a buffer between me feeding from them. He began by feeding himself to excess, and then I would drink from him. 

Many of the issues that plagued me as a human now seemed to have resolved themselves. The local coven no longer chased me due to my new status as a Vampire, and therefore under the protection of the local monarch. That led onto the second problem being resolved, Iōannēs. Given me being a new addition to his territory he greeted me with open arms, and thanks to Dieter being my maker his attitude towards me seemed to have improved as well. But I was sure that he would be keeping a close eye on me in future. 

The hardest part for me had been meeting my mother. She looked at me with love, despite the fears I knew she must hold. The hug she had given me had almost hurt though and she shed tears down my shoulder as I sobbed in her arms. At least this was one relationship I could hold onto, for as long as possible. 

The part that seemed to trouble Louis the most was relating to my dual nature. As he described it, witches that were turned were a rarity, and those witches who did turn irrevocably lost their connection to magic. The problem was that had not happened for me. The connection to magic felt different now, more like steel cables than the more organic connection before. Under the guidance of both Louis and Dieter however I kept this to myself. There would be many on both sides who would find this facet of my condition dangerous and desirable.

Now however, Louis and I had taken a trip together. For a gathering of sorts, and a chance to meet some more of my extended family. We were returning to London, my old home, and as the rains began to gently fall around us, we stepped forth. 

It was an odd experience, striding through the streets I knew so well, but now with a new perception of all that surrounded me. The thrum of the city now sharpened to exquisite detail, the scents of people and places mingling together. Louis had begun to teach me of my other abilities too, the subtle ways to touch the minds of humans, nothing complex as of yet, but enough to read the surface emotions of those around me. 

From what Louis had explained to me we needed to present ourselves to the local governors. Apparently another relative of ours. 

I glanced over at Louis as we walked, his eyes flashing to meet mine and a wide smile beaming across his face. He was so beautiful, and I knew that I would never stop loving this beautiful man who tore through my life like a whirlwind. 

I felt his mind gently touch mine, and the depth of his feelings bled through, the sheer devotion from him made me want to grip hold of him and never let go. 

“I love you.” he sent through our link, his eyes softening as he gazed at me. 

As we came to a stop outside the home that was our destination, I sniffed at the air. My nose picked up a scent that I struggled to recognize, perhaps a vampire? 

I turned on the spot to look at the two men approaching us. The man at the front was the most prominent. He was slightly taller than me, with black hair creeping to just below his eyebrows, his build was also impressive, and his hazel eyes seemed filled with curiosity as he surveyed Louis and I. 

“I am Darren, and you must be my new family member judging by how you cling to my nephew.” Darren said, motioning his head towards Louis who hovered protectively near me. 

After a moment I saw the second man standing behind him, almost hiding in the shadow of the first. I felt a shallow feeling settle into the pit of my stomach. 

“Daniel?” I said, my eyes recognizing my cousin instantly. 

He stepped out from behind Darren, although I saw that Darren leaned his body closer to Daniel protectively. Mirroring exactly the way Louis’ own body sought to shield mine. 

“It sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do James,” Daniel said a smile playing on his lips. His body seeming to lean towards Darren unconsciously. 

“You have a lot to tell me Daniel, for starters, why don’t you smell human?” I said, eliciting a laugh from Daniel as he surged forward to hug me, his arms wrapping around my waist. 

“Long story, let’s head inside, there’s a lot we need to discuss.” Daniel said, turning back towards Darren, and extending a hand for him. 

As we walked up towards the house, I knew that whatever lay in store for me, I could handle it. I glanced towards Louis, leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek. 

“Together, forever.” he said, resting his lips against my temple. 

“Always.” I said, knowing he meant every word. And we headed inside, and on to the rest of eternity. 

Together, forever, Louis and James.