Yelling, Ranloo jumped down from the wall, his cloak spreading out behind him like black wings, and rushed to his friend's side. The guard advanced on the thief with his sword raised, never even seeing the vampire flying towards him.

Sern raised his arm, ready to throw the knife, but lowered it as the guard disappeared with a sudden scream. Fearing for his friend's life, Ranloo had grabbed the guard in passing and with all his might tossed him aside. The man flew through the air with a shriek, hit the house, and landed in some bushes with a crash. A moan emerged from the bush. It was music in Ranloo's ears, but forcing himself to ignore it, he looked around.

Sern stared with wide eyes, a smile touching his lips as he backed away from him, moving slowly.

The guard by the house struggled back up, drawing Ranloo's attention. Blood ran down the side of his face and left hand. The strong alluring smell called to the vampire. Nostrils flaring and bloodlust rising, he fought against the urge.

At that moment, Pei struck his foe on the arm, drawing blood. The guard grunted and cursed at the twin. The smells and sounds drove Ranloo crazy. Spinning around, his fangs extended, and his blood boiled. Somewhere far down, he didn't want to kill them, but the fear, blood, and adrenaline was too much. It had been a mistake to get involved. He forced himself to focus on the guard fighting Aedil, raining blows over the twin. His back was turned.

Giving in to the bloodlust, Ranloo jumped at the man and clamped down on his neck. With a roar the guard fell forward, flailing at the vampire.

Aedil paled and staggered away from them. Gasping for breath, he let his sword arm fall to his side. Then he ran to help his brother with his adversary. Ignoring them, Ranloo relished the taste of the guard's hot blood, making him feel alive again. The man's slowing heartbeats hypnotized Ranloo. He didn't stop until the guard lay still and quiet.

Then he rose, eyes glowing with a dangerous lustre, staring at the people surrounding him. No time to calm down, too much going on. The guard he'd tossed into the wall had retreived his sword and aided his comrade against Listarl, who now had a much harder time.

Ranloo half decided, half followed the scent of blood and rushed the guards. He barreled into them both, knocking them over. They yelled and kicked at him. One swung a sword at his face as they sprawled on the ground.

Ranloo desperately tried to dodge but knew it was too late. The sword descended towards his face when it stopped with a loud crash.

Listarl had blocked it with his sword just in time. Ranloo jumped back up and grabbed the guard's arm. Snarling, he twisted it until the man screamed and let go of the sword. Ranloo pulled him close and bit into his neck. Elated and feeling alive, Ranloo forgot about everything else. The man tried pushing him away but Ranloo was too strong. He held him close and drank deep. Hearing the man gasp and feeling him strain to get away only heightened the pleasure. When the man no longer breathed, Ranloo let him fall to the ground.

All guards were down, scattered over the bloody grass. The thieves stood panting on the lawn, blood-spattered and tired.

Ranloo pivoted, high on bloodlust, seeing more living humans, hearing more heartbeats. He lunged at Pei who threw himself aside and swung his sword. A burning pain flared in Ranloo's left thigh and he stumbled.

´Ranloo! Stop!`

He heard a call, but couldn't place it. He snarled at the man who had hurt him. A red haze clouded his thoughts and he attacked again. The man cursed loudly and hefted his sword for another strike.

The world tilted sideways. Surprised, Ranloo landed on the grass and looked up to see a big bear of a man standing over him.

´You have to stop now!` the man roared.

Ranloo hissed, uncomprehending in his blood craze.

Listarl raised his sword and pointed it at Ranloo's face. ´Stop, or I'll have to kill you,` he threatened, voice hoarse.

Ranloo didn't care for his threats, he cared about the smell of fear and adrenaline that was everywhere. He sprang back on his feet, bared his fangs, and tensed to charge when a light flashed and a familiar voice spoke.

´Ranloo. Stop. You're makin' a mistake.` Sern stood, holding the sun-symbol in front of him, face calm, and heartbeats steady. He wasn't afraid.

Ranloo stared at the symbol, the annoying light distracting.

´Get back, boy,` Listarl said and started to push Sern away.

´No, I'll handle this. You step back.`

The certainty with which he said it made Listarl and Pei look at each other. Then the big man nodded and pulled Pei back with him. ´Come. The boy has survived the vampire longer than us. He knows what he's doing.` But his expression betrayed his confident words.

´Look at me,` Sern said.

Ranloo focused on the thief and, in his hunter state, noticed the faint tremble in the boy's hands, how his pupils dilated as their eyes met. But Sern stood calm, breathing deep and steady. With his hunger stilled, Ranloo slowly realized who he was looking at.

The annoying medallion glinted like it was bathed in sunlight. Ranloo squinted his eyes, relaxed from his crouched stance, and took a step back. He had almost killed them. He shook his head, angry at himself. Looking down at his leg, he noticed the slash wound. It bled, but wasn't as deep as it could have been. He briefly wondered if the twin had held back and glanced at him. Pei stood with Listarl, several paces back, his sword ready. He looked tired but prepared for another battle if needed, his face grim.

Ranloo inhaled and turned away from the annoying light. ´I'm all right,` he said quietly. ´You can remove the thing.` He could almost feel the boy smile. A rustle and a faint jingle from a chain told him Sern put it away.

´Boy, you sure that's a smart thing to do right now?` Listarl cautioned.

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´Tis okay,` Sern replied. ´If he talks, he's alright.`

´If he talks?` Aedil butted in angrily. ´What's that supposed to mean?`

Ranloo turned around, guilt weighing on his shoulders. They all looked at him, scared and on edge. ´It's alright,` he sighed. ´He means that if I'm talking I have control,` he explained. ´Sern learned that the hard way.`

Sern nodded and beamed. He was too comfortable around him, Ranloo thought. But it had probably saved them all. Or maybe he was the one who had been saved? He wasn't sure.

Shouts erupted from the house, and the burglars turned as one to stare at the open door. New guards emerged and exclaimed in shock as they saw the carnage.

´Let's go!` Felisei shouted from the gate in the wall. In unison, they turned to run.

The small gate could only let one out at a time, and to speed it up, Ranloo ran and leapt over the wall, going higher this time. Touching the wall with his hands to steady the jump, he soared over the spikes. His cloak stuck and tore on the sharp iron barbs at the top as he descended.

He landed on the other side, startling Diquarl so badly that he stumbled backwards, flailing his arms. Ranloo reached out and steadied him briefly. The others hurtled through the door and Aedil, being the last one out, slammed it shut. Diquarl twisted around and threw something as they ran. A loud bang followed by shouts and coughs rang out behind them.

Ranloo threw a look over his shoulder and was surprised by a cloud of smoke around the gate. A guard stumbled out of the smoke, coughing badly. What had the chemist done? He'd have to ask later.

Ranloo ran easily despite the pain in his leg. Keeping up wasn't a problem. Keeping his emotions in line, however, was another matter. He had failed again, made a mess. If he had killed the twin or harmed anyone, he'd be removed from the guild faster than he could blink. He'd probably get killed. It might also put Sern in danger, and that was even worse. They'd blame Sern if he did anything bad. Ranloo cursed at himself.

Sern and Felisei ran the fastest, followed by the twins and Listarl, pounding forward heavily. The small chemist was soon far behind the others. Ranloo slowed down, grabbed his arm, and pulled him along at greater speed. The small man's eyes widened and he almost stumbled as he tried to keep up with the vampire. They ran for quite some time but eventually they had to slow down. Both to catch their breaths and to avoid drawing too much attention. They stopped in a small dark park, hidden behind some bushes and trees. Panting, they stood in relative silence. Ranloo was the only one not feeling the effects of the run. Standing a little apart, he looked out for anyone following them while battling his feelings. He wanted to be alone but wouldn't leave them now, not before they were safe.

When everyone was back on their feet, and after a brief debate, they decided to split up again and meet back at the guild. This time Sern and Ranloo were left alone as Felisei went with the twins. Ranloo was certain they wouldn't want to work with him again. Why would they? He had attacked them. It wasn't safe. He walked towards the guild with heavy steps. He felt bad about what had happened, but also about the fact that it had felt so good to kill, so wonderful to bite and feel the rush of adrenaline and excitement as they struggled helplessly against him. The memory itself made him tingle with joy, and it sparked anger at himself. What was wrong with him?

Oblivious to the conflict going on in Ranloo's head, Sern paced beside him, as calm as anyone who'd just been in their situation could be. Clenching his fists, Ranloo walked in silence. A pat on his arm made him look up to meet Sern's eyes. The thief smiled at him.

´You saved my life,` he said warmly. ´Thank you.`

Ranloo shook his head and ground his teeth.

´What's wrong?` Sern asked in a worried tone. ´You hurtin'?`

Ranloo halted, looking at him in disbelief. ´I almost killed him,` he said hoarsely. ´I would've attacked Listarl too if you hadn't stopped me. It's not working, Sern.` He set off again, feeling the boy's eyes in his back as Sern looked after him for a few seconds before running to catch up.

´You didn't though,` Sern said in his usual positive manner.

´Not this time. But maybe another time. And that's not any better!` Ranloo retorted. ´Sern, I liked it!` he admitted, studying the boy to see how he'd react.

Sern bit his lower lip, a hurt expression on his face.

´It's only a matter of time before I mess up bad, and you know it's true,` Ranloo continued.

Sern stubbornly shook his head. ´You saved us,` he insisted again. ´Even if you messed up. You saved us. You'll learn t' keep control.`

Ranloo kicked a rock on the ground. It flew into a wall with a sharp crack. ´You might die before that happens!` His voice trembled with emotion. ´It's better if I leave.`

Sern looked up, his eyes wide and glossy. ´Look,` he said and stopped again. ´I'm not givin' up on you. I've been through way too much t' give up now. You'll fight, and you'll get control. You'll help us. You're my friend, and I'm not gonna let you give up.` He eyed Ranloo defiantly, his arms crossed over his chest, his jaws clenched.

Ranloo looked fondly at the boy, feeling a bit better, a bit less alone in this mess. ´You're impossible,` he stated.

Sern relaxed and a smile began to pull at his mouth again. ´Let's get back t' the guild. Tis a new da... night tomorrow,` he said. ´Besides, you promised t' help make me the best thief in the land.` He grinned and Ranloo laughed at the stupid remark.

´Sure, whatever you say,` he replied, his emotions still warring inside, but not letting it show.

* * * * *

Sern and Ranloo entered the guild with less than an hour left until sunrise. They were let inside and headed towards the meeting room behind the stage. They had to regroup and talk. The mission had been a partial success, but also a partial failure. They'd gotten what they'd come for. But the intention to go unnoticed had failed spectacularly, leaving a trail of dead guards, explosions, and witnesses.

Ranloo tensed as they approached the door. He was so occupied with his thoughts that he barely noticed Gesald following at a distance. Sern was exhausted and dragged his feet beside him. Ranloo, on the other hand, felt better than he had for a long time. Apart from the pain in his leg, he felt strong and alert. The wound had stopped bleeding quickly this time. Probably because it hadn't been very deep, he thought.

They opened the door and entered. Everyone turned with varying degrees of distrust and anger displayed on their faces. Ranloo stopped short as soon as he saw them, worried that something bad might happen. Sern frowned and came to a stop in the middle, between Ranloo and the others. Nobody moved. Time crawled, heavy and ripe with unease. Ranloo understood why they were angry, but he had nowhere else to go and didn't intend to leave without at least trying to mend things. He had promised Sern that much, and he never went back on promises.

´Well, well,` Listarl rumbled. ´They return at last.` He stroked his beard, face impassive. ´We need to talk,` he added when nobody moved.

Sern nodded and stepped further into the room. Ranloo followed cautiously, closing the door behind him. He was on edge and his senses tingled with the tension in the air. At least he wasn't hungry. It made it easier to concentrate on what was going on. He came to stand beside Sern, feeling protective of the boy. They could blame him for whatever they wanted, but not Sern.

Before anyone said anything, one of the twins stepped up to Ranloo and raised his right hand, curled into a fist, and punched the vampire in the face.

Ranloo reeled back from the blow, momentarily blinded. His left cheekbone stung from the impact, and he covered his face with a hand, rage rising in answer to the pain. His fangs extended, and as he let his hand down from his face, he bared his teeth.

The twin had stepped back a few paces and stood defiant and calm, his hands still in fists, but down at his sides. He glared at the vampire fearlessly. Sern and Felisei's eyes were wide, and Diquarl looked like he wanted to become one with the wall beside the table. Everyone stared, holding their breaths.