I never knew my life would change this much. To where I would have to leave my past life and live in another world, where I didn't know, I would ever belong. Many times, there would be the moment where I was alone.

The circus was lively as ever. Full of life. Full of odd and wonderful people, once you got to know them. Yet, how can one child, feel so left out.

"Evra, where is Darren?" A tall, tone body man with red hair and blackish eyes. His bright red cape-jacket moving as it was floating as the man moved about the area.

"In our tent. Being moody." The little snake boy rolled his slitted eyes in annoyance, scratching his scaly shedding skin. "What's with him, last night, he wanted to go out and see the town and now . . . Ah, man, is he being a headache."

"I'll go check on him." And started for the boys' shared tent.

In a tent in the far edge of camping grounds, where a boy sat in a crouching pose. His head hid within slim arms while his bed sheets cover his very being from the world. Taking in useless breaths. Smelling the small tint of iron.

"Darren?"

The boy made no move or sound when he heard that voice.

"Darren?"

Then a light touch to where the boy's head was, moving until the person must have smelled the air. "Darren."

He moved the sheet that covered his pupil, seeing the young lad's head was down. But he was still able to see the small puddle of crimson forming on the once crisp sheets.

The older man just stared at the young vamp. Carefully, not to break him out of his trance and remove the other's arm out of his mouth, seeing that his fangs were deep within the flesh.

"Darren, you can't keep fighting this." Finally pulling the arm free and using his wet tongue to heal the wound to stop the bleeding.

"I hate this." A tiny voice came out of the eleven year old boy.

"Once I did, too, when I change."

He recovered the child in sheets once more. Seeing the boy start to shiver, and only covering him on reflex. He took a seat in the open part of the bed, taking the small child into his arms.

For even if the boy didn't have tears to shed, he still sobbed into the other's chest in mourns. Rethinking on what, he lost. Not even taking in on what he gained.

The elder rubbed his back. "It will be all right."

While back, before this. I was once a normal kid. Going to school. Playing with, kids my age. Getting along or not with my sister. Behaving or not to my parents on a regular base. You know, things you might do if the time felt right.

But not all of them are. It was one a night, a few years back from this time.

You see there was this night carnival that was going to be happening. And for my luck, it was on a school day, that night. And that meant I couldn't go. So my friends went without me and I was stuck home. But once everyone in the household was asleep, I snuck out.

Only thinking of what my friends said about it, that alone is why I wanted to go. They said the one that happen the year before this. Called Cirque Du Freak happen while I was visiting family out-of-state. I was so mad about that then, there was no way I was going to miss this one.

That was until the accident. A speeding car of a drunk driver hit me, while I was riding my bike. I thought for sure my life was over.

The pain was god awful. The coldness that was the world, was slowly entering my body. Stiffens it. Making me feel already part of the dead, but my mind was still going. I tried to call out, but blood filled my mouth, making it hard to breathe or yell for help. The side of the car, dented with a splat of blood on the right headlight, kept going, not bothering with checking, if that person hit anything or not.

I was alone in the borderline of town and the woods. No way of anyone to know if I was here or not. I was left here to die in my mistake that I should have stayed home. Thinking this why my parents didn't trust me out at night.

The night itself though, brought peace to me. A full moon, pale as me, slowly fading to red in a sea of black and stars. I wanted to laugh at the thought of one my friends who had a thing for vampires.

I wanted to reach out to touch the moon, thinking that if its turning red, it must be in pain too. For that moment, I didn't think I was dying alone this last second as I choked on my blood to take in one last breath. Before everything went black.

Last feeling as my hand felled, it was caught by something that was just as cold as me.

I felt something warm and wet being dabbed on my head. I turn to get away from, to go back to sleep, for a little longer. Then memories of what happen before came back and I jolted out of my light sleep to see this lovely woman with dark hair and skin, with night eyes, taking care of me. Holding a red tainted cloth in hand and a bowl of water that was slightly pink.

"Good you're awake." She said in a very thick accent I didn't know where from. "But lay back down, you still need rest." And gently pushed me back down, pulling the blanket back up to my chin.

Getting up from her seat, seeing her fully she looked like a gypsy with the clothes she was wearing, moving about in the tent, from what I could tell. Getting something from the far back where my eyes couldn't go. Coming back with a cup of water.

She carefully tipped my head for the cool water to down my dry throat.

"Better?"

I could only nod, my eyes feeling weak with sleep. I heard her give me a light good night, seeing a tall man in red enter the tent once my eyes were fully closed.

When I felt my body was fully rested, I was back home. As if everything that happen last night was a dream. And from then, that was how I took it. As a dream. I didn't even let the taunts from my friends get to me, when I couldn't make to the fair. I wasn't bother by it. At all. To anyone that may have missed maybe the greatest show in the world, but, I didn't really care.

I guess that cheating death was more fun then going to a fair.

"So, did the little baby enjoy going to bed before curfew." One of my much taller buddies mocked me, but I went on with my lunch.

"How was the show?" Looking to Steve, seeing as he wasn't trying to make fun of me, but knowing how weak he is with fitting in, it wouldn't be long when he would too, turn on me.

He shrugged at me.

I rolled my eyes at him, going back to eating. Reaching for my juice, when another one of my pals, looking shock about something.

"Dude, what happen to your arm?"

My long sleeve shirt was pulled back when I was stretching to see long, jagged healed cuts on my arm. From last night.

"Oh, must have happen when I fell." And got my juice.

"When did you do that?"

"Last night. I got hit by a car." Saying as it was no big deal, and my friends thought I was joking and the day went on like that, for the rest of the way.

Around last class, science time. And we were learning about my favorite animal. The spider. Only those who knew me, knew why I was so gitty.

Half way through the class, we were seeing all kinds of spiders of how they lived, what they ate, area of where they could be found and what not. This moment really made up from what happen before.

Well, until one of the girls drop a jar when a spider jumped in the jar to get out. It broke. Glass going everywhere. And a large spider. A very beautiful spider broke free and was trying to get out of the room. And thanks to my guy friends wanting to impress the girls try to kill it. When I, looking like I didn't mean it, open the window, in time before Steve hit it with a broom, almost getting me when he swung.

"Hey!"

"What? You were going to hurt!" I put my love of spiders before girls any day.

Before Steve could say anything, the teacher was in shock, saying without knowing that she didn't remembering getting the spider, that got away, from the zoo. And left to talk to the principal; about some mishap with the zoo; that the school got an unknown spider that wasn't in the listing.

School was over right as she left the room. As others headed for the bus or walked home. I headed around the school to see if the spider was still in the area.

"Here, Spidey, come out wherever you are." I looked in the brushes that were under the windows of the school. Nothing. But I didn't stop.

I wanted to see those odd colors of the spider. And its size! Wow! About maybe the size of my size six kid shoe. Those blueish-black with specks of green and yellow. If I ever wanted a pet, I would want that spider to be the one.

Moving closer to where the fence was, that divided the school from the woods, I came to a stop. Seeing that it was must have gotten away.

"Looking for something?"

Right out of nowhere, I heard that voice, I jump back two feet from the ground. Looking over the high hedge. Seeing a man with red hair, slanted face that bared a scar on his right side, dark eyes on me as they stayed in the cool shade out of the sun. A bright cloak of red covered his black clothed body of tuck muscles and pale flesh; ghostly to mine.

His eyes just stared at me. No feelings were giving from him. Not mad or anything. But I would have to say curiosity was clear.

"Ah, yeah. There was this spider in class today. It got out, scaring a lot of people. A friend of mine grabbed a broom. I wanted to see if it was okay."

I know mother has told me, a lot, I might add, not to talk to strangers. But this man didn't like a stranger at all.

He didn't move at first, until rising up his hand over the hedge. A huge spider. The very same spider from class, climbed up his back, over his shoulder and down his arm to face me. Its hairy legs reached and touched my face. I let a laugh escape me as it tickles my face.

"Is it yours?" Having the spider start to walk all over me, finding a new spot to rest on top of my head.

"Yes. This is Madam Octa, she was begging that I bring her back here, when I found her. Saying she wants to thank the young lad that help her."

"Oh." Looking upward to see the spider glancing down at me. "You're welcome, Madam Octa." I picked up her up carefully and handed her back to her master.

The man looked to the spider. As if they were talking to each other. "No, I am not doing that."

"Do what?"

The redheaded man looked away from me for a moment. Then back. I could only stare at him in wonder to what him and spider were talking about.

"Come here, please."

I moved without thinking. Soon felt cool lips on my warm cheek. That must have gotten warmer from the sudden movement.

"They're, happy Octa?"

I place my hand on the cheek that was kissed. This was way different when mom did it.

"Umm . . . "

"Sorry, I can't stay and expand this. But we must be going." And the man started to go the other way.

I didn't know why then, but I had to say something before they were gone.

"Bye! It was nice meeting you, Madam Octa and you too, Mister. Take good care of yourselves." And I watched them leave, as if the shadow shades swallowed them.

I didn't think for a moment, that down the road of life. We would meet again. Thoughts of that night came back and now I knew why I wasn't scared of that man. I saw him before. He saved me from dying. How could I be scared of a man who saved me?

I ran into my pals on my way home, as they were playing catch, a house down, from mine. Asking if I could go to another opening of the fair. After what happened the last time. I couldn't find myself to go again.

But somehow they got me to take money from my parents and sneak out of my house, meeting them about two blocks from my house. Riding our bikes to the fairgrounds.

Whoa. This night is going be awesome.

"Come on let's go." Steve said, as we park and tied our bikes to some polls outside of the grounds and rushed in.

Taking in everything. From the rides to the food, to the sideshows they had and the games to win prizes.

About maybe an hour at the most while being here. I got separated from the others. Mostly of the others were riding The Roller Coaster of Death and I stayed on the ground, winning small prizes. Some great and some not so much. I did get this spider plushly. So I was happy.

I soon find myself coming up to a sideshow. A huge crowd around it. I threw myself through the wide group of people. Finally reaching to the stage. And I wanted to cry at the sight.

In front of me, there tied to a chair. Bleeding and batter to black and blue on once green skin. Slated eyes showed pain as the man who was talking nonsense of the snake boy, holding an untwined whip, ready to hurt the boy if he did anything that would scare off the people.

I couldn't stand the sight. I didn't know what to do? But I had to do something. Anything. Over on the side of the stage, there laid a crate a huge snake and I got an idea. I moved through the tall and wide people to get near the crate.

Picking the locks fast, as I could, leading the snake onto the stage. Letting the snake do the rest. It scared the people and stage man panic at the sight of it. I used the chance when the man ran to get a tamer and I went to free the boy.

"Come on!" I grabbed him, then feeling the slick scales of the snake, loosely wrap around me. I thought for a moment it was going to eat me.

"He won't hurt you, if you helping me." The snake boy choked out about his pet, resting most of his body on me.

I nodded to his words. Moving even faster when stage man came back and pissed off. Grabbing a shot-gun from a chest that was near his trailer, I think, and started to shoot.

Lightening pain hit my shoulder, but I kept going. Far into the woods. Far enough to put the boy down and the snake leaves me to go to the boy. I leaned on a tree next to them, catching my breath and held my shoulder in pain.

"You okay?" I asked the scaly kid.

A normal kid should be weird out from this, but with the stories I got from my friends from their last trip to fairs. I wasn't that shock really. More to that this guy was hurt then being odd to others.

"Am I okay? Are you?" He pointed to my once white shirt that was slowly becoming darker.

I am starting to think, that someone of a higher rank then humans, hates me.

And for that, I passed out from the lack of blood. Waking up later in a hospital. With very happy, but upset parents next to me and a little sister, much more happy to see me awake.

Right a way, and I tell them I was very sorry sneaking off. And would never do it again. They forgave me. Glad I was okay and the stage man was going to be put away for a while. I didn't ask them about other boy, seeing that no one was making comments on it. So I didn't bring up as they did the same.

A week later, I found myself back home. Resting in bed, happy to have an extra week off before even summer break started. This was great. With a good book in bed. Quiet. I hear my sister next room over playing tea party with her dolls, mom and dad down the hall, getting ready for bed.

What else could a little boy ask for?

Skimming to another page of my book, I soon hear a small tapping sound from my window. That was on the second floor!

I got up fast to my feet, minding my wound and went to open it. Seeing nothing but dark homes, an empty street, and gentle breeze kissing my face when I stuck my head out, to try to see more. I looked down, near the flat part of the bottom house below me and there was my plushly. Clean and safe as the day I got it.

I grabbed it, looking around one more time. Giving a shy thanks to whoever did this and closed my window.

Then the shine of the moon that found its way into my room, was suddenly blocked by something. I turned to see a body. It was that man from school. I go back and open the window for him to come in.

He did. His eyes wondering around my room, as I took a seat at my bed. Again, I should be scared, but I can't. I see him standing in front of a wall of posters. There were classic monsters, bugs, and anything a nine-year old boy would have.

"You saved a friend of mine. Thank you."

"The snake boy? Oh, you're welcome. He's okay?"

"A little shaken, but that's it." He turned to face me. "Brave boy you are."

I shrugged. "Not brave, mister, just doing the right thing."

"Still this means a lot." Something from his cloak started to move and out pop Octa. "Ah, yes, she wanted to see you again." He said, as the spider wondered out of his pocket, speeding over my wooden floor, up my leg, that tickled when she did, and finally rested on my lap.

I stoke her prickly body like a cat. Well, she was about the size of a six-week old kitty.

"You have an odd way of taking things in, don't you?"

Again, I shrugged. "I guess I do."

"Evra wanted to know your name, so he knows that your well."

"Darren and you mister. Seeing as I know your pet and all."

"Mr. Larten Crepsley."

"Okay, Mr. Crepsley."

And that was the start of our friendship. And I bet if I ever told Steve that I met a vampire and he didn't, oh he would have been so mad at me.

It was cool to have night friends. And they seemed more understanding then my day friends. Mr. Crepsley came to see me, as my day friends, like Steve couldn't, seeing as I was band from seeing them after what happen and forbidden from leaving the house for the whole summer, and yes that alone was painful. And you know, I would have been more upset if I couldn't see my night friends then my day ones.

Until one night, Mr. Crepsley came to see me and he was badly hurt. Coming to me, seeing as I was closer then where he lived. I grabbed him before he fell down, as he was trying to get into my room from the window again and I carried or dragged his body over to my bed.

Over time I found out what he was. And I rushed out of my room, down the hall, also tripping down on the stairs and skated to a stop at the kitchen. Opening the fridge, looking for some meat mom was going to thaw out for dinner and took back up to my room.

"Here, I know it's not much." Handing it to him, who suck every last drop of blood. Not daring himself to get a smug of blood on my bed.

"This is enough. Thank you." Before going back to sucking the meat.

As Mr. Crepsley tried to heal himself, I cleaned out my closet for him to use as coffin until the sun was gone for another day. Taking some of my clothes and putting them in the drawers. Leaving a small track of toys in a corner of my room. And soon the vampire had enough space for him to rest.

"Sorry for the bad coffin."

"No, its fine. Much more room, then the one back home." He told me, once he was in place and I closed it. Telling him, I would be back later for him to have a drink.

Back in the now, with a little more older Darren and inner aging Mr. Crepsley. Who finally got the younger vampire to rest. Spending whole time saying sorry in his mind, he couldn't do anything to help Darren back then from dying.

Crepsley hating himself for his lack of control back then. And now paying for the price. Having to raise this boy, that his parents seem to do a wonderful job before. Only for him to think, that at any moment, he was going to mess up that child he met before this.

Stroking the boy's dark head of hair. His dark blue midnight eyes closed, with the black bags below his eyes slowly going away. The young pale face, snuggled deeper into the red cloak. Happily dreaming of, whatever boys' his age dreamed about.

Mr. Crepsley felt someone come in, but didn't dare make a move to awaken the boy. He turned his head to a young woman.

"Hi."

"Hello Larten, is he asleep now?" She asked with her thick accent.

"Yes."

"Then why does it look like he just died in your arms?" She moved closer, carefully taking the child and placing in him bed, covering his body with a thin blanket.

"He was bleeding when I found him."

"Larten, please don't blame yourself."

"But I am to blame, Truska. To him, I took him away from everything he used to know and love. I am worse than the vampaneze."

"Don't say that Larten." She placed her hands on top of his that rested on his lap, having him to look at her. "Darren loves you. As a son would to a father. He could never hate you. Disagree on things, yes, but that's it."

He looked from her to the child that was Darren. "Still . . . "

Truska shot up from her seat on the bed, not waking up the child. Looking down on the vampire. "Tomorrow, you and him, spend time together. You have been distance with him, Larten. Have you ever thought, that maybe he might feel at fault with what happen back then?"

Larten kept his eyes off the woman and only to the boy. Never thinking that he wasn't alone.

Nighttime came, cooling air nips at the skins that walked through it. Freezing grass and bark cracking under the feet, if who wonder about it.

Sounds of someone taking deep breaths made an airy sigh afterwards.

"Good night."

"Yeah, it is."

Darren taking the chance to climbed up a tree and hanged from a long thick branch. Seeing Mr. Crepsley lean against another tree, his eyes up to the sky of stars.

"Mr. Crepsley, why are we out here again?"

"Wanted us to bond. Is there a problem with that?"

"Only if it was your idea."

Larten didn't say anything at first. "You heard."

"I don't hate you, Mr. Crepsley."

They didn't say anything for a moment, enjoying the silence.

"But Mr. Crepsley, I must ask something."

"Go ahead."

"Awhile back, I talked to Mr. Tall on what he knew about vampires. And he told me that vampires only fully suck human, not for hunger, but lust. What did he mean by that?"

Larten showed no feeling to this, keeping it in. "When your older, mentality and physicality, I'll tell you what he meant. Okay?" Eyeing the boy as he said the last part.

The boy nodded. "Okay. But to be clear, you didn't do it out of hunger?"

"Yes, I didn't mean it that way."

I remember this poem like story, my mom used to tell me, to help go to sleep. And when I think about it now with Mr. C, it holds the same message. But the plot for it, is different from a parent to a child.

I'm the sun, and you are the stars. Only have seen at dusk together. We weep when apart, but it's only for a short time. As time may run, distance as long to reach Mars. We are close as rhythmic chime. Staying strong as Russian leather. I am the sun of day, but you're the stars of night. Keeping everything at bay, and holding on tight. We are two, to be one. The sun and stars.

Time moved on from then. I was getting older. Mind and body. Around to be the age of seventeen. Larten would give hints of what Mr. Tall meant that day. Giving me plenty of time to understand him and feel what he did that night.

"Is this going to hurt as that night?"

"No. With you knowing of this and being a vampire. Even half. Pain wouldn't happen."

Darren nodded in understanding.

When that day finally came. I will say that I was in a state of panic. We were in another state by then. Staying at place that wasn't near the cirque. Just him and I. And if my heart could beat. It would have won a horse race.

But he was so kind and gentle. I didn't even know it was him for a moment. Larten treating me, not as a son, a student, or a stranger. But a full on person. An equal, no less. His touch and words, change me into something I didn't understand, but I didn't question it.

Words were sweet as honey. His touches match the feathers of an angel. Who was this man? This wasn't the Larten I used to know before.

He kept to his word. With each thrust that enters me. The trails of his nails, mapping out my body. His body, made mine feel alive again. I couldn't keep what was in me. He was the man I dreamed he be. Not that nightmare from years ago. But this is what I wanted it to be. And he made up for it, every step of the way.

Day was peaking in through the drapes of the window. It was bright enough for one of the two to get out of bed and close the drapes more. Groaning in stiffness. A coffin never made a body feel like this.

"Mmm . . . Larten . . . " A tired voice of a young teen called out, pulling the sheets higher over his body.

Larten moved back to the bed. Sitting back down and showing all his glory. Resting his head on the wall, which was behind the bed. Unknowing one of his hands ran through the younger man's dark hair. The other was soon used as headrest for himself.

"Larten . . . "

He looked down when his name was called. His dead heart leaping at sight. And Larten could only smile.

The eyes that match a dark water looked at him with love. Body relaxed. Mostly hidden under the sheets. For Larten, he didn't like it. But better not anyone else seeing what he been marking all night long.

Darren slowly got up, using his arms as levers to be at eye with Larten.

"Yes?"

The younger lad leaned in to kiss his lips. "I love you."

The other smiled, bigger then the last at those words. Kissing the boy once more. Enjoying what happens too fast from last time. Savoring it.

"I love you, too."

The End.