Vivian is an aether reservoir. The words tumbled through his head again and again as he ran to Niccolo's. An aether reservoir. It made him feel sick, a dull panic tackling his senses. It was the next day, but Viktor's words wouldn't leave his mind. An aether reservoir. An aether reservoir. This was a nightmare he couldn't wake up from.

Slowing his pace, Kit watched as the estate grew from behind snow covered pines, dark brick blending into the gray sky. It wasn't that Kit hated coming to the estate, but he definitely did not like it. There was something about the manor that Kit just couldn't get past, something about being surrounded by a plethora of other vampires that set off his senses.

Entering the estate, Kit went directly for Niccolo's office. He paused at the large wooden doors before lifting his fist and knocking.

"Enter." Niccolo's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Opening the door, Kit stepped into the office, finding the elder vampire sitting down behind his desk. Kit approached the desk but stayed quiet, knowing that Niccolo was in the middle of something. He could tell from the way the man hunched over the desk, pen flying in his hand.

Then Niccolo released a breath and sat back in his chair. "What brings you here?"

Kit swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "Vivian is an aether reservoir."

Eyes the color of rubies stared him down, showing absolutely no reaction to the news. "An aether reservoir?" Niccolo finally said, Kit nodding. "Well, that is troubling. Who all knows?"

"Besides the two of us, Viktor and a witch named Ophelia." Kit replied, trying to quell the anxiety that made his heart rattle in his chest. He thought about mentioning the fact that Ophelia also happened to be a friend of Vivians, but decided to leave that out for later.

Niccolo hums softly before pushing away from his desk and standing. "This is not good news." The vampire spoke, rounding his desk. "The question becomes, do we become involved?"

"What do you mean?" Kit asked.

"Vivian is going to need protection, more than what we're already offering her." The vampire spoke, leaning against the desk and crossing his arms. "She may even need to come out here."

"To the estate?"

Niccolo nods. "It will be dangerous to continue to let her live her life in Lake Ashton."

"So what, we kidnap her? Force her to stay here?"

"No." The elder vampire says simply, raising one hand to their chin. "We would have to convince her that living in New Ashton is dangerous."

"And how would we do that?" Kit shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

Niccolo seemed to think for a moment, looking around his office. "Bring her here in a few days, I'll do the convincing."

Kit wanted to argue, but he knew he would get nowhere with Niccolo. So instead he nodded his head and stayed quiet.

"Also, that human you brought in," Niccolo began, pulling crimson eyes to him, "I was able to turn him, but he hasn't been adjusting well. He refuses to drink."

"How much longer does he have?" Kit asks, worry clear in his voice.

The elder vampire eyed him. "A few hours. It's a good thing you came when you did. Maybe you can convince him to drink."

"You really think I am the one to do that?" Kit almost laughs at the notion.

"You were human once." Niccolo said, the words like a punch to Kit's guts. "You can empathize with what he's going through."

Kit was silent for a moment, looking at the elder vampire. "I can try."

"Perfect! Let's go now." Niccolo exclaimed, clapping his hands together before pushing off the desk and towards the doors. Kit simply followed.

Niccolo led Kit deep into the estate, down sets of stairs that led to a basement that looked akin to a dungeon, cells on either side of the walls. Why would they put him down here? "He's not allowed around the human staff, so we had to keep him in here." Niccolo explains, as if reading Kit's mind.

Kit just nods and continues to follow the elder vampire, until they reach the only cell with a body inside of it. The vampire stopped in front of the cell, looking within to the form crumpled on the cot in the corner, legs pulled up to his chest.

"He hasn't been violent... yet." Niccolo says in a low voice, grabbing a key for his set of keys and unlocking the cell door. "There's a pitcher and glass inside, get him to drink or kill him."

Unease riddled the vampire's form, definitely not wanting to go for the ladder option. Stepping inside, he saw the way Elias tried to become even smaller on the cot, arms wrapped around his legs. Kit moved towards the pitcher and looked within, seeing the pool of red. It made his stomach turn. No matter how long Kit had been a vampire, he still has never gotten used to drinking blood. He only drank as much as he needed and nothing more.

Releasing a breath, Kit picked up the pitcher and poured a glass. "I am assuming they already told you what would happen if you do not drink." Kit spoke as he turned to Elias, seeing vermillion eyes watching him. The newborn said nothing, just simply stared at Kit.

Oh boy, this was going to be difficult.

Clearing his throat, Kit walked closer to the cot. "I understand not wanting to drink, but you have to."

"It's you." Elias finally says, voice raw.

Kit's back straightened up a little at that, and then he remembered. Elias was there at the Halloween festival too when he ran into Vivian. "Are you surprised?"

Elias didn't say anything back, just continued to stare at him.

"You need to drink."

"I won't." Elias bit back.

Kit had to think of something that would make this man drink the blood, because he wasn't going to do it willingly. What could he say? Then it hit him. "You will never see Vivian again if you do not drink."

Elias' face snapped up at that, anger clear on his face. "Don't bring Vivian into this."

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"She's the one who asked me to save you."

"Save me?" Elias unfolded himself, coming to his full height as he stood from the cot. "You call this saving me?"

Kit took a step back, not expecting the man to be so tall. "No." The vampire responded honestly. "No, I would not call this saving you. But it was not my choice."

"I didn't choose this either! Who would choose this?" Elias yelled, hands flying up in the air. "Why did you do this to me?"

"You were dying in front of her, Elias." Kit said, his voice hard. "You were bleeding out and she begged me to do something, anything. This was the only way."

Elias just stood there and looked at him, furious. But then he turned away from Kit, back towards the cot and kicked it, letting out a frustrated yell. Kit just stayed silent as he watched the man, the glass of blood still in his hand. The newborn vampire fumed, and Kit could just barely begin to understand the emotions that must have been rattling through him.

"Elias." Kit tried, and the man turned to look at him, gaze deadly. "If you do not drink this, you will never see Vivian again." He repeated.

"Why? Why do I have to drink that, why do I want to drink that? Can't you just kill me?" Elias almost pleaded.

Because Vivian would hate me. Kit bit back the words, knowing now wasn't the time to get into his feelings towards Vivian. "You will become like the creature that attacked you and Vivian. If you do not drink this, you will lose yourself to bloodlust. And I promise you, that is the last thing you want."

Vermillion eyes snapped to the glass in his hands before going back to Kit. "And you refuse to just kill me?"

"I cannot." Kit said, his words feeling tight. "Vivian would... I promised her you would be fine. I cannot let her lose one of her friends."

"Why do you care?" Elias snapped at him.

Why did he care so much? It was the same thing he's been asking himself this whole time. Why did he care for Vivian so much? Why did her safety matter to him so much? Why did he always want to see her, to make her smile? Kit knew the answer, but he couldn't admit it to himself, he wouldn't. That would only put Vivian in danger, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Because I do." Kit settles on, holding the glass out. "Would you please just drink? If not for you then for Vivian."

Elias was quiet to that. His eyes narrowed though, Kit feeling like the newborn vampire was trying to kill him with his gaze. "W-What... what does it taste like?" Elias finally asked, eyeing the glass.

Lifting the glass to his nose, Kit took in a whiff. It tasted sweet on his tongue, but nothing compared to the taste of Vivians. Oh gods, why did he just think that? "It will taste good." He said, gesturing to the glass. "Now drink."

Hesitantly, the newborn vampire reached for the glass, fingers slow as they wrapped around the it. Kit let go of the glass and withdrew his hand, watching Elias. "And if I don't drink, I'll just become a rabid vampire?" The man asked, Kit guessing that someone already told him how rabids are made. Vampires that refuse to drink or are unable to will become rabid, losing all humility and succumbing to the horrible bloodlust within. They only had forty-eight hours to drink before the change would happen.

"Yes." Kit responded, hoping that this would be enough to push the man to drink. He really did not want to have to tell Vivian that one of her friends turned rabid and he had to kill him.

Elias raised the glass to his lips, paused for a moment, and then drank. He downed the whole glass, and when he was done he looked at Kit, surprised. "It does taste good."

"That is what I said." Kit moved to set the pitcher down on the small table he grabbed it from.

"When will they release me from here?" Elias asked, following Kit. "I'm not going to be kept here forever, right?"

When Kit turned to look at Elias, he couldn't help the expression on his face. "You will be released from the cell and allowed to live in the estate, but..." Kit wasn't sure how to phrase it. "You will not be allowed to leave the estate for a while. You will not be able to see your family again."

Elias just stood there and stared at him. "What?"

"I am sorry." Kit moved to leave the cell, but a hand grasped onto his arm, halting his progress.

"You don't mean that." Elias said, desperation on his face.

Kit pulled his arm from the newborn's grasp. "I do. Humans cannot know about us."

"B-But my parents- my siblings-."

"You will be labeled as missing." Kit felt horrible for giving this information to the newborn, but someone had to. He couldn't live with that hope in him, it was dangerous. "I am sorry, Elias."

The other was completely silent as Kit left the cell, Niccolo locking the door behind him and leading him away from the cell and out of the basement. Guilt was a familiar feeling for Kit at this point, but it still sat heavy in his stomach as him and Niccolo climbed up the stairs. Neither of them spoke.

Kit left the estate after that and headed back to his home. He expected the place to be empty, but the moment he went to unlock the door, he felt a soft presence inside the apartment. Opening the door, Kit walked in and found Vivian sitting at one of the stools at the counter. He was surprised when she decided to spend another night at his place, but agreed because he had to admit he enjoyed having the women around. Only, the man thought Vivian would have left this morning, not stayed at his place.

"Vivian." Kit said her name as the woman smiled. He felt his heart flutter, and pushed down the feeling rising in his stomach. "Why are you still here?"

"You went to see Niccolo, didn't you?" She asked, her voice soft.

Kit closed the door behind him. "Yes, how did you know that?"

"Did he mention Elias at all?"

The vampire paused as he removed his shoes. "Yes, he did."

"And?" Vivian stood from the stool, walking towards him slowly.

After setting his keys down, the vampire shed his coat. "He had been turned and is being kept at the estate for his own safety." The man couldn't tell her about what really happened, about Elias drinking the blood after so much resistance.

"H-He's alive?"

"Yes." Kit nodded, turning to face Vivian as she approached him. "But he is a vampire now. He needs some time."

Vivian nodded her head back at him. "Okay, okay that's... that's good. Right?" She asked, desperation leaking into her voice.

"Yes." The man said again, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Thank you, Kit." The words were like knives in his gut. She shouldn't be thanking him, he just stole away her friend's life. Elias would have to live as a vampire now, trapped at Niccolo's estate where he'll learn what it means to be a vampire. He'll eventually be allowed to leave, but that will take a lot of time. Vivian might be dead by the time that happens.

The vampire shook his head. "Please, do not thank me."

"What do you mean?" Vivian looked up to Kit, seeming confused.

"You should not be thanking me." Kit said, his voice tense.

Vivian just stared at him, her eyes slightly narrowed, confusion still covering her face. "You saved Elias, of course I'm going to thank you."

"No, Vivian-." The man huffed out a breath, bringing a hand to his face. He didn't know how to explain it to her, how to make her see that what he did wasn't deserving of a thanks. "This is not something you should be thanking me for. Elias is... he is a vampire now. He is like me."

Again, Vivian just stared at him, as if his words didn't make sense. "You're making that sound like a bad thing." Her voice was small as she spoke, one of her hands lifting from her side. "I don't think that's a bad thing."

"You are not understanding me." Kits voice was strained as he spoke. "I did not do something good."

He stayed completely still as her hand rose to meet his face, fingers trembling. Warmth blossomed from where the woman's hand rested on his face. "Elias is alive because of you." Vivian spoke, shaking her head. "How is that not good?" Her thumb caressed across his cheek, causing the man's chest to tighten. He should pull away, remove her hand, but he just couldn't.

"He is a vampire now because of me." She was so close, he should step away.

"And is being a vampire a bad thing?" Her words twisted his stomach, making him breathless. He was speechless looking down at her, at how tender she looked back up at him. Kit felt the guilt all over again, surging through him and making him sick. He didn't deserve Vivian's affection at all. Yet here she was, standing in front of him, looking up at him like he could offer her the stars. Oh gods, what was he going to do? "I don't think it is." Vivian said in his silence.

"Vivian." Kit spoke her name like it hurt.

But then a spark ran up his spine, a familiar pain blossoming behind his eyes that made panic and fear bleed into his system.

"Hide." The vampire said, taking Vivian by the shoulders and leading her away from the door. "The bathroom, go."

"What?" Vivian snaps out, allowing herself to be moved by Kit. "Hiding in the bathroom, why?"

"Please, just go." Kit pleaded with her, pushing her past the counter.

"Okay, okay!" Vivian brushed the vampire's hands away, turning to look at him. "You better explain yourself later." She said before turning back around.

But it was too late.

The front door rattled for a moment, before it flew off its hinges, flying across the room. Kit watched in absolute horror as he turned around towards the living room. He stood frozen as a figure appeared from the doorway, deep red eyes watching him.

"Sire." Kit breathed out, feeling his entire body go numb. It took everything in him not to collapse to his knees.

"Hello, Christopher."