As Terrant travelled further and further into his part of the city, he blended into the darkness. If he looked back, he’d see spotlights in the distance. However, lights, like sound, were almost non-existent in this part of the city. By the time he reached another pub, he was completely shrouded in darkness. It was at this point that his eyes turned a deep blue to reflect less light out. He questioned where he could get the blood he needed. He knew there were places where he could be with his people, and they’d be safer, but he needed good blood. The only places that served high-end blood catered to the richest of vampires and humans. They lingered on the edge of the dimly lit streets and the darkness. He knew that it would be costly, but at this point, he would pay anything to feel better. He found comfort in not being human though. Those places that provided high-end blood were also selling their alcohol at five times the price of pubs only a couple of streets away.

He looked up at a wooden sign above a door. It showed two people shaking hands with the bridged entrance of the city in the background. The white letters spelt out "The Accord" underneath. He pushed the door open and felt more confident as he moved to the bar. Terrant discreetly flashed a V sign with his index and middle finger on his right hand, then scratched his left shoulder. A man sitting at the bar returned the salute, confirming he too, was a vampire.

"What brings you here?" the man asked.

"I need blood," Terrant answered.

The vampire sniffed. "You’ve had some recently. Cat I believe. "

Terrant nodded.

"That won’t do. Lenora, show him the good stuff."

Lenora, the barmaid, opened a cupboard to reveal a plethora of blood in crystal vials.

"What would you recommend?"

"Bear is the best we have," Lenora said.

"But it costs an arm and a leg," the barmaid continued.

"I’ll need something cheaper," Terrant said.

Lenora grabbed one of the glasses and sat it on the bar. "Deer. It’s not as good as bear, but it’s better than cat and rat. It'll take the edge off. "

Terrant paid for the deer blood once Lenora told him the price. His peace was instantly shattered as a rowdy crowd swaggered inside. He shared an eye roll with Lenora, who he knew was already annoyed at them. Terrant was about to leave, but as he turned he realised the group already had him in their sights. Everything happened so quickly, he didn’t have time to hide his drink. One of the men stuck their fingers in it. He stared at the man as he sniffed his finger.

"This is stinking," the drunk man said. "What is it? It’s not drink." The man sniffed his finger again. "Is that? That’s blood! You filthy vampire!"

Terrant tried to ignore him. He turned away, but the rest of the group had him surrounded.

"Oi!" Lenora said. "You don’t want to be making trouble in here."

"Shut up bitch," the drunk man said, laughing in her face.

Terrant took one look at Lenora and knew the man had made a mistake. While the group's attention changed to Lenora, hurling insults Terrant wouldn’t dare repeat, he slipped away, heading for the exit.

"Let them go!" the drunk man roared.

Terrant stopped. He peeked back and witnessed Lenora grabbing two of the men by the scruff of their necks. He nearly smiled as she banged the back of their heads on the bar. He was about to step in to diffuse the situation, but the drunk man’s attention was on a server. He watched in horror as the man laid his hands on the woman, making her, and every other vampire, and any human with a conscience, uncomfortable. He hadn’t seen actions like that since he was a human.

The server grabbed the drunk man’s arm and twisted it. She slammed him into a table, then stepped on his chest. Terrant was amazed at her power. Every move she and Lenora made was fluid. It was a strength he’d never mustered before, and he knew the reason for her having it. He’d heard the super effects of human blood. During his life as a vampire, Terrant had yet to drink human blood, and he always put it down to becoming a vampire around the time his son was born.

He was nearly trampled when the two men from the group who hadn’t faced the might of the vampire women sprinted past him and out of the door. Terrant watched as the server met up with Lenora. He didn’t know what they were talking about but guessed it would become clear soon.

"Stupid bitch," the drunk man said as he got back to his feet.

Lenora smiled at him, making even Terrant scared. She came out from behind the bar and faced the man down.

"What are you going to do, eh?" the drunk man asked. "Do you know what’s worse than a vampire? A Woman Vampire! "

In the blink of an eye, Lenora punched him square in the nose. Terrant followed the drunk man as he flew backwards and crashed into the wall. He noticed the blood running from the drunk man’s nose and waited as the server gave Lenora an empty glass vial. She then handed the vial to the drunk man.

"For your blood," she said.

Terrant wondered if the drunk man would do it, but as Lenora and the server towered above him, Terrant was sure even he wouldn’t be so stupid. He got confirmation as the drunk man filled some of the vial with his blood. Lenora and the server then passed Terrant as they threw the troublemakers, except for the drunk man, out.

Terrant was about to go too, but Lenora stopped him.

"How about his blood on the house for your trouble?" Lenora said.

"I appreciate it," Terrant said. "But no."

"Are you sure?"

Terrant nodded.

"More for me then," the vampire at the bar said, finally coming alive again and coming over to Lenora and Terrant. He took a stash of money out from his jacket pocket. "I’ll take whatever comes out."

Lenora took the money.

"It’s always an honour to watch you at work. Such skill and yet you waste it in here. The City Watch could do with you. "

"I prefer it here," Lenora said. "There are more humans on the watch and their eyes wander in a way a vampire's doesn’t." She turned to Terrant. "Since you refused my offer of human blood, please take the bear's blood."

"I couldn’t," Terrant said.

"It’s about to spoil anyway. You’d be doing me a favour. "

***

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Matthew was annoyed with himself. As always, he’d let Tom talk him into the worst decisions, and now he was drunkenly staggering into a pub he’d heard was almost exclusively vampires. The only humans who drank there were sympathetic to the vampires. He let Tom order their drinks, even though he protested at first. His eyes were blurring, but he recognised two sharply-dressed men as the vampires who were abused earlier.

"You decided to come after all!" a familiar voice boasted.

Matthew turned to face the group of young guys he’d seen in the first pub.

"We couldn’t turn down an experience of a lifetime," Tom said. "To see these things in the flesh."

Matthew realised they were being watched, and he suspected it had something to do with Tom calling vampires things.

"It’s a bloody wonder," the lad said. "We love it here. It’s a welcoming place. Really makes you forgive them for all the shit they do. "

Matthew locked eyes with one of the sharply-dressed vampires. He saw the hatred burning in the man’s face and wanted to get out of there. "Tom."

"Not now, Matty. Can’t you see we’re having the time of our life? "

"You reek of stale blood," the vampire landlord said.

"I had a nosebleed. What’s your excuse for your smell? "

"Vampires do not smell."

"Tom," Matthew said, noticing all eyes were on them.

"I said shut it," Tom hit back. "Hey, barman, do you know the lyrics to this song? I keep hearing it but don’t know the words. "

As soon as Tom mentioned a song, Matthew knew what it was. He prepared himself for death as Tom hummed the tune to the anti-Vampire song.

"Get out!" the vampire landlord roared.

"I just want to know the song," Tom said. "Come on, it’s just a tune."

The group of young guys were forming a wall between Tom and Matthew and the vampires coming for them.

Tom stood up on the seat and hummed the tune louder. "Can someone help me with this song? What’re the words? "

"Get down!" Matthew shouted.

Just as Matthew prophesied, a fight broke out between the vampires and the young guys. Without thinking, Matthew pulled Tom off of the stool and ran for the door. He pushed through it and didn’t stop running with his drunk friend until he was covered by the darkness in an alley next to the pub.

"What were you thinking?" Matthew asked.

"Me?" Tom asked. "I was asking for help! It’s not my fault they’re easily offended. "

"You were humming THAT SONG! I told you about it already. "

"Oh aye, Mr. Perfect Matthew, who does nothing wrong because his mummy tells him not to. You need to do everyone a favour and grow up! "

Matthew was taken aback. Tom wasn’t even given a second before he was pushed into a wall and one of the sharply-dressed vampires bit his neck. Matthew watched in horror as Tom’s neck was viciously ripped. He walked back but hit something.

"Going somewhere?"

Matthew turned to the other sharply-dressed vampire.

"What is it with you humans? Why do you hate everything you don’t understand?"

"Look, Mr. Vampire sir, I wasn’t with him," Matthew said. "I mean, I was, but I don’t agree with his views."

He knew the vampire wasn’t listening as he was pushed into a wall. Matthew quickly said his goodbyes and thought of the people he’d leave in grief. He didn’t know if his parents would find out what happened to him. Would they blame themselves? His father pushed his mother into letting him go. His mother didn’t want him to, but she did. Was she right? Should he have listened to her?

He closed his eyes and felt the sharp teeth of the vampire plunge into his neck.

Then, he plopped onto the ground and something fell on him.

Matthew opened one eye to notice the vampire was on top of him... but he wasn’t moving.

"What’s taking you?" the first sharply-dressed vampire asked.

Matthew looked into the vampire’s eyes as he grabbed his comrade’s body.

"What have you done?" The first sharply-dressed vampire asked. "What are you?"

Matthew didn’t know what he was talking about. He watched as the vampire scrambled out of sight. The boy was left alone, confused and unsure of what happened. Suddenly, a pain soared through his body.

As he groaned, Matthew’s eyes grew heavy.

The last thing he remembered was his eyes closing and his breath slowing.

***

Terrant gulped down the bottle of blood Lenora had given him. The ecstasy he’d felt earlier returned, and was better than ever. His deep blue eyes strengthened as his ability to see in the dark improved. His sense of smell was heightened too, and he could smell the scent of the cowards who’d run from the fight. Although, among them, he picked up two more scents. They were familiar to him, but he couldn’t think of why at first.

Unconvinced his smell was improving, Terrant followed the familiar scents. It didn’t take long for him to know his sight was the best it’d been in a while. He could make out figures in an alleyway two streets away. It seemed like there was a fight, and soon a vampire fled from a crumpled body while another lay beside it. He broke into a sprint and arrived at the alley faster than he usually would.

He knelt down at the crumpled up body and recognised the young boy from his journey into the city. His attention then went to the vampire on the ground. Terrant checked it and realised it was dead.

"What did you do?" Terrant asked. "You silly boys."

Terrant pushed the vampire's body to the side. He gasped as he faced another familiar boy. Matthew stared back at him as his eyes closed, opened, closed, and opened again over and over. A pungent stench attacked Terrant. He tried to cover it with his hand. It was familiar to him, yet there was something different. Terrant’s eyes widened as black blood seeped out of Matthew’s injuries.

Terrant scooped Matthew in his arms and left the alley, leaving Tom behind as he tried to think of a place to take Matthew.

"Stay awake," Terrant said. "I’m going to get you help, then you can tell me what happened. Why would they attack you? You have black blood. Vampires don’t kill vampires. We all know it kills us. "

Matthew whimpered.

"Do you know me?" Terrant asked. "Do you remember the caravan?" He waited for a response, but none came. Terrant felt the heat radiate from Matthew and knew a fever was overtaking him. "There’s only one thing I can do, but it’s risky for me and could end badly."

He hurried as fast as he could through the streets until he was close to the heavily guarded part of the city. Terrant remembered Fenrir’s villa was close, but his attention was taken by the blood’s effects starting to wear off.

Not too far away, he spotted a figure. As it came into view, he realised it was Yaro. "Just the man. I’m sure he can help us. I knew him from my time in the watch. "

"Knew? Didn’t they like guards who lay on their back staring at the sky all night? " Matthew weakly asked.

"Someone’s feeling better."

Matthew nodded.

Terrant checked Matthew’s wound and found the black blood was taking effect as the wound cleaned and healed itself. The fever also disappeared as quickly as it’d come. With Matthew’s health restored, Terrant put him down and helped him to his feet.

"Where’s Tom?" Matthew asked.

Terrant didn’t reply at first. He racked his brain trying to work out how to tell Matthew. After what he’d been through, the truth would only make him worse. "Well, I’m sorry to say your friend is no longer with us."

"You’re lying."

"I wish I was."

"What do I tell his mum and dad?"

"I don’t know."

"They already hate vampires," Matthew said.

"Not all vampires are bad."

"I know."

"If you want justice, report what happened to a guard. The man you see over there is called Yaro. He’s part of the City Watch, and he’ll help you. "

Terrant watched as Matthew screwed up his eyes. "You can’t see in the dark, can you?"

"Should I?" Matthew asked.

"Take this," Terrant said as he passed his vial of bear blood to Matthew.

"I don’t want human blood!" Said Matthew, instinctively turning his nose up at the liquid.

"It’s bear actually."

"That’s just as bad."

"You’ll need it for strength."

"Am I a vampire?"

"Apparently not."

"Oh. Good."

"But you’re not human either. You exist in a state between life and death. Only a small number of people are like you, and we call them marked ones. We need to get you home before it gets out and they come looking for you. "

"Who’s they?"

"Anyone who thinks you’ll be valuable to them."

"We’ll ask someone at the caravans to take you back."

“I’ve hurt myself before. I don’t have black blood.”

“Not how it works kid.”

***

"Terrant?" Yaro asked as he approached them. "Is that you?"

"Look who it is," Terrant said with a smirk. "We need transport. This boy, Matthew, has been hurt by a vampire while his friend has been killed. "

"You’re in luck. I was on my way to see Fenrir, so that'll give me a reason for being there."

"As in the Fenrir?" Matthew asked, excited. "The vampire everyone says owns the city, as well as the City Watch and hasn’t been seen in years?"

"Give or take a few false rumours, yes."

"Then that’s where we’re going," Terrant said.

"You’re coming?" Yaro questioned.

"Why wouldn’t I?"

"I think we both know why. He was a terrible guard, lad. But I’ll admit I couldn’t help but like him. "

Terrant followed Yaro as he led the way to Fenrir’s villa with Matthew in tow. He knew where Fenrir was concerned; there was always a way to make money. Terrant knew that as much as he wanted to help Matthew, his allegiance was to making enough money to keep his family safe.

When they reached the gatehouse leading to Fenrir’s village, the guards yielded to Yaro and let them pass through.

"He’s in there, right?" Matthew asked, pointing to the grand marble door at the other end of the long cobbled path.

"Always," Yaro said.

"We’ll need a strategy," Terrant said. "We can’t just go barging in. You know how proud he is. "

"Don’t worry, I have an idea."

Before Yaro could reveal his idea to Terrant, three loud bangs echoed through the villa’s entrance. It wasn’t until Terrant looked for the source of the sound that he’d found Matthew had gone ahead of them... and he was kicking the door.