Chapter 2: Fated meetings

Previously:

No, those were not incisors, those were fangs.

In spite of his calm exterior image that he held, inside, one thought jumped out above all the rest.

'Vampire.'

When Feliciano said that he wanted to meet a supernatural once in his life time, he never thought it would have been so soon. Or even at all.

He still remembered the conversation he had with his older brother like it was yesterday.

-Flashback-

"Hey, Fratello?" Feliciano looked up from his book that he was reading. It was the weekend and Feliciano had purposely gotten up at dawn so that he could spend some time with Lovino before he went to bed.

Now, they were both on the couch in the living room, Feliciano reading, and Lovino dining elegantly on his dinner. From the time on the clock, the sun was finishing its ascent into the morning sky. The house, however, was filled with artificial lighting, with all the drapes covering the windows, blocking any natural light from entering. That was how Feliciano could even meet with his brother after the sun had risen.

Should any sunlight filter in, his brother would immediately run to his room and stay in there. His room was always shrouded in darkness. His brother has always been like that, and sometimes, Feliciano did not understand why his brother abhorred the sun and the day so much. The sun was so warm and the day so bright and full of life and colour. How could anyone hate that? He had just always assumed that this was a quirk of his brother and shrugged it off.

"Hm?" Lovino hummed, not pausing in his meal.

"Do you believe in the supernatural? Like vampires and werewolves?"

"Urk!" Feliciano looked up when he heard his brother choke on his food.

"Fratello? Are you ok?"

"Yes!" Lovino rasped as he gulped water greedily. "Fine!" He gasped.

Feliciano tilted his head. "Why did you ask that, Feli?" Lovino asked as he recovered from his coughing fit.

He smiled and turned the book cover to face his brother, the title read 'Twilight'. "I was just wondering what it would be like if they existed."

Lovino smirked, "Well, it would not make much difference if they did. You would not meet them anyway."

Feliciano pouted, "But that's exactly what I was thinking!" His eyes drifted on into dreamland, "What it would be like to meet them."

Lovino sipped his wine as he answered, "You would not live to tell the tale. Now, shut up and let me eat in peace."

-End Flashback-

He had wanted to meet them, but not like this. Not like that.

Not when he was on the verge of dying, and his only hope of survival would be turning into a monster.

No, he had not wanted it to be that way.

Yet, he had no choice.

It had been before dawn, when the sun was just about to rise.

He had been on his way to a classmate of his' house, humming a merry tune, swinging his arms and generally being happy.

He was on the phone, texting to his classmate –the one who had been quite infatuated with him- asking her on the materials for the project, when he heard footsteps in front of him, coming in his direction.

He could not explain it, but something made him look up. Something made him tear his eyes away from the bright phone screen to squint in the gloomy darkness in front of him. He was all alone in the park.

His heart beat picked up and his heart was pounding against his ribcage as the footsteps got closer and closer…

No one was around to witness or save him should anything happen. He gulped nervously. Something nagged at the back of his mind to turn and run away, and not look back.

"Vargas…." was the slurred whisper from the figure in front of him. The figure stepped into the moonlight and that was when he could see the face. It was a drunken man, face flushed from having had one too many drinks. The man glared at him, a sinister look in his eyes.

Feliciano took a wary step back. "Uh…"

The figure took one, two, three steps closer.

"Who-Who are you?" Feliciano squeaked.

The man stopped, and then chuckled, before throwing his head back and guffawing.

"You don't know who I am? I am Anderson! I'm the man whom you stole your girlfriend from!"

Feliciano cowered a little, speaking up, "I-I believe you are mistaken. I don't have a girlfriend."

The man staggered up to him, pushing his face into his, "Are ye sayin' Ima wrong?" His speech slurred and his breath wafted over Feliciano, reeking of alcohol.

The man frowned as Feliciano trembled, "YOU! You stole me girlfriend from me. I don't know what kinda spell you placed on 'er, but all she ever talks about now is ye. 'Feliciano is this, Feliciano is that. Feliciano did this today, isn't he cool?'" The man's voice took on a mocking and sarcastic tone, mimicking his girlfriend in a high-pitched tone.

"Because of ye, Zoe's ain't payin' any attention to me no more."

Feliciano gasped, for Zoe was his classmate and his current project partner.

"Just yesterday, she was gushin' on about havin' a project with ya." He scoffed.

"I-I think you misunderstood, Anderson." Feliciano stuttered out.

"Huh?" Anderson leaned in close. "Ya say somethin'?"

Feliciano tried not to shake too much, as he nodded his head frightened. "I-I..Zoe and I are just classmates, Anderson. There's nothing between us. She's just my project partner."

Anderson sneered, "Oh, really? I don't believe ye. It s'all yer fault that Zoe ain't carin' 'bout me any more." He waved his fist around.

Suddenly, a manic grin crept onto his face.

"Which is why I need ta get rid of ye, once and for all."

Just like that, before Feliciano's very eyes, he whipped out a knife

And swung it at him.

Feliciano might have screamed, he did not entirely know. It had all happened so quickly. The sharp blade flashed. He had felt intense pain in his side as the weapon sunk deep into his abdomen. Everything had been muted, and somewhat hazy.

He had fallen to the ground, and was lying prone.

The pain in his right side just kept getting more intense and it burned. It burned unlike anything he had ever felt before. He could not move his body, could not speak. He could neither see properly nor hear well. Everything was just focused on one thing and one thing only: The white hot pain and dark red that was rapidly blossoming on his once pristine white shirt.

He was gasping for breath, his mind spinning when he felt someone, no, Anderson, straddled his waist, pinning him down.

Feliciano's blank eyes slowly drifted towards Anderson's face, now a blurry mass. He watched as Anderson lifted his beefy(fat) arms, the knife glinting in his grip, spelling his impending doom.

Exhausted and loosing blood quickly, Feliciano closed his eyes, and in his mind he saw the one person who was his only family. As he accepted his fate, he thought of what that person would do if Feliciano died and could not help but think, 'Sorry, Fratello.'

He waited…and waited…

What is taking so long? Is it over? He heard some scuffling, which had to be pretty loud, and that was when screams erupted.

His eyes snapped open and with great effort, turned his head towards the direction of the scream. In his hazy vision, he saw what looked like a grey blob attacking the blob that was screaming, Anderson.

With a start, Feliciano realised that not only was he no longer pinned down, he was also not dead.

His attention was caught by several skin coloured blobs –probably faces- moving to stare down at him from all directions. He blinked tiredly. Oh, right, he was still bleeding.

He caught some snippets of conversation despite the buzzing in his ears.

"…Turn him.."

"..but he might…"

"..No time!..."

"Ludwig…Do it…"

"…or…he…die!"

Feliciano was so tired, and so sleepy, maybe he should close his eyes for a while and rest.

"…Losing him!...Hurry, Ludwig!"

Ludwig…

Ludwig….

Nice name….

Just as he was about to slip into a state of endless sleep, he was jolted awake by a new searing pain in his arm, this one felt different than the knife would, as he could feel his blood literally boiling inside him. He would have screamed if he could, but he was just so tired…

Before he fell into unconsciousness, the last thing that he remembered and dreamt of, was a pair of bright blue, crystal eyes, and a deep, rich baritone voice whispering his name. "Feliciano…You are safe now."

When Antonio woke up that evening, it was to a lethargic mood and a parching throat. He moved to clutch his throat. 'That's right, I haven't fed in 3 days, and I had better feed before this gets out of hand.'

He stood up from the bed and made his way to the toilet. He stared at his reflection in the mirror-yes he has a reflection- and combed his hand through his messy mop of brown hair with a sigh.

Contrary to popular belief on vampires, they do have reflections, it's ghosts that don't have reflections. That and the fact that vampires can go out in the sunlight, just not for long periods of time or they will feel weakened. However, the myth about garlic is anything but. In fact, the only reason that vampires are even nocturnal in the first place is because the night invigorates them, and to this day, Antonio does not know why.

He quickly freshened up and tried to tame his unruly hair. Keyword: Tried. His hair still stuck out in all places in a mess.

He then put on a tomato red t-shirt and black pants that hugged his legs nicely. He then made his way out his bedroom, down the stairs and to the kitchen to see his coven member and family, Bella, already up and setting the table.

"Good evening, Bella." He greeted.

"Good evening, Antonio." Bella nodded her head politely at her friend and leader.

Antonio nodded before making a beeline to the fridge, grabbing a big plump tomato from the fruits basket on the way, chewing on the tomato as he opened the fridge, looking for Type O negative blood. It was his favourite, second to tomatoes.

"Oh, sorry, Antonio," Bella said, "I'm afraid we are all out of O negative blood. You will have to settle for animal blood tonight till we get stock in tomorrow.'

Antonio sighed, closing the fridge. "Well, it's not as nice but it will have to do…Guess I have to head out later to grab a bite."

"What are we having for breakfast?" He moved to help set the table while Bella went back to her cooking.

"I'm almost done, and we are having toast with eggs. No steak, unfortunately."

Antonio shook his head, "That's alright."

Just as he settled into his seat, with Bella placing his plate of food in front of him, the last member of their coven meandered to the dining room.

"Good evening, Abel." Bella greeted as she placed Abel's food down on the table, before planting a kiss on his cheeks.

Abel smiled a little and nodded his head.

"Good evening, Abel." Antonio chirped.

Abel simply grunted, taking a seat opposite his sister, with Antonio taking the head seat at the 6 seater table.

They may be a small coven, but they were very powerful vampires.

Antonio was Spanish and is a part of the Mystic Council (a council comprised of all the heads of the most powerful supernatural groups in the city).

Abel was from the Netherlands and is Antonio's second-in-command.

Bella was from Belgium and is both Abel's sister and mate. (They were adopted siblings actually and you cannot help who your soulmate is, can you?)

Antonio looked at his coven, his family, before he nodded, "Well, let's dig in!"

After the meal, Antonio went to put on a brown leather jacket.

"Guys, I'm heading out!" He called.

"Be safe!" Bella called back. "Don't let anyone see you, and don't draw attention."

"Relax, Bella. I'm only going to the park and at this time, it's practically deserted. I'll be fine."

With that, he closed the door, and ran off into the dark, the crescent moon shining brightly in the star-studded night sky.

Antonio arrived at a forested and secluded area of the park, and took a deep breath, panting from the exertion. He then proceeded to sniff the air, trying to track down a small animal for a meal until he can have proper, delicious blood tomorrow. By now, he was starving, and the earlier meal only served to give him nutrition, but not any form of sustenance. His throat was burning with a thirst so bad, it hurt just to talk.

He kept his keen ears trained, trying to pick out the sounds of an animal….and….there!

He quickly ran in the direction of the cry of a hurt animal, and with his vampiric speed, quickly arrived upon a clearing, where he pounced on the deer, whose leg got caught in a hunter's trap.

"EEEEEAAAAKKKKKK"

(I don't know how a dying deer sounds like)

The deer's dying wails puttered out and Antonio drank from its neck hungrily, not caring about the blood that was staining his tomato red shirt a darker red on the front. He winced a little from the taste, but was otherwise unaffected.

Finally, he sat back after drinking his fill, wiping the blood from his mouth. He sighed with satisfaction. 'That should get me through to tomorrow.' He thought.

He then proceeded to bury the corpse somewhere far away from the clearing. With that done, he wiped his hands clean and started the journey back to his home, walking along the pathway towards a less forested area of the park.

He was humming a tune, his hands in his pockets when he caught a scent. A scent that reminded him of tomatoes, but one that was mixed with that of a human. No, tomato scent was a part of the human. It was a scent that sent his brain into all sorts of euphoric high. It was a scent that called to him, a scent that was unlike anything he had ever smelt before, and a scent that should not have sent him into a state of sudden ravenous hunger despite just having fed like it did.

However, his suddenly parched throat and hunger was telling him otherwise. The heavenly scent was messing with his nose and brains, and activating his vampiric side. His fangs elongated and his eyes glowed red momentarily.

Antonio's mind went into a haze, concentrating solely on the unique scent. 'Mine, mine, mine!' His brain thought. He gulped as the tantalizing scent drew him closer…and closer still…He was not even aware that he was following the scent. It was as if his legs gained a mind of their own.

He licked his blood-stained lips as he pushed through some bushes, when a baritone, oh-so-silky and smooth voice sounded. "Come out. I know you are there."

Could he sense him? Hear him? Was he even talking to Antonio?

Nevertheless, the voice was in the same direction as the scent, both very close, and Antonio's vision was still obscured by the bush leaves. He needed to see that person with that hot voice and delicious scent. He walked out of the bushes, the glow in his eyes, and his bloodlust fading, upon landing his eyes on what was possibly to him the most handsome creature, human and supernatural alike, ever.

The man had hazel-green eyes that positively glowed in the light of the moon, the colours shifting endlessly between a golden brown and a silvery green. He had soft-looking, somewhat tanned skin, looking right at home in the inky darkness of the night than in the warm light of the day. The human, from what Antonio's senses told him, also had dark brown, locks of hair that gleamed silver under the moonlight, and a lean build that suggested a runner's physique. He was wearing a white T-shirt with a dark blue vest that clung to his torso and long skinny jeans that hugged his long legs nicely.

Antonio. Was. Mesmerized.

The man was looking at him with languid disinterest on the outside, but one could see the caution and distrust in if eyes if they bothered to look carefully.

Antonio was called many things, but scatter-brained was not one of them. He could feel and see that the man, although appearing relaxed, had actually shifted his footing and stance and was poised to strike in some manner.

So Antonio did the safe thing, and held up his hands in a surrender motion.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." His voice washed over the man and the man's shoulders lowered imperceptibly. That was a good sign.

Antonio continued slowly, "I just want to talk to you." He inched closer to the human.

Immediately, the guarded look returned in the man's eyes.

"Why should I have to listen to anything you say, vampire?"

Antonio was momentarily taken by surprise. He knew? And he was not running? This means he has a good chance!

Antonio could tell, deep within his gut and his heart, that this man, this human, was someone special, extraordinary.

Not just to him, and in more ways than one.

Antonio simply needed to become friends with this man somehow!

For now, he simply lifted an eyebrow, and questioned, "You know what I am?"

The beautiful man smirked a little, "You had your fangs out and your eyes were glowing red just a few minutes ago. It is a pretty obvious guess what you are. Oh, and your shirt has blood all over it."

Antonio looked down, noticing that indeed, his shirt was a darker shade in front than behind.

"Oh."

He could practically feel the eye roll.

Ignoring the blatant scorn, Antonio asked him. "Yet, you aren't running away. You are not scared?"

The man cast him a glance before turning his head back to look behind him, where Antonio could smell the stench of dogs, no, werewolves.

"Even if I was scared, I have to look for clues. If I run away, I may not have another chance before the clues go cold."

Antonio tilted his head in confusion, "Clues?"

The man sighed and turned to face him. "My brother is missing and he was last seen right here. I am looking for him. I do not trust that the Police can do anything."

Antonio looked between the area just beyond, and the man. He knew that there was something magical, or supernatural going on around here, and if what the man said was true, then the Police will not be of help.

In a split second decision, Antonio came up with a deal. "I'm Antonio Fernandez Carreido and I have a proposition for you. I am a high level Vampire and can help you track down your brother, if you want me to."

The man crossed his arms and frowned. "Why would I ever need your help? I can track my brother down myself."

That made Antonio smile, seeing clearly that the guy cared for his brother greatly. 'Ah, because I can lock onto your brother's scent, and track him down as long as he is in the city."

The man gave a light scoff, 'What are you, a vampire dog? I can easily get hound dogs to do that."

Antonio sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately, if it is what I think it is, then mere dogs would not be able to track your brother down."

The man gave him a wary glance. "What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid your brother may be involved in the supernatural."

The young man shifted his gaze at him, silently scrutinizing him. Then..."What's the price for your help?"

Antonio smiled, his sharp canines glinting in the dark, "Why, you just have to be my friend! Stay with me, and I will help you as much as I can. What do you say?"

The man lowered his head and Antonio stood there a bit awkwardly as he let him ponder over the offer.

It sounded ridiculous and only lasted for as long as his brother remained unfound, but this gave Antonio the chance to get to know him better and maybe, by the end of it, he may decide to stay.

Antonio is riding on that hope.

"This only lasts for as long as my brother is missing, and when he is found, this deal is nulled?"

"Yup!" Antonio enthused.

The man lifted his head, his eyes shining with determination.

"I am Lovino Vargas and I accept your offer."

YJV: Done~!

*Sighs*

No reviews. Seriously, I see favourites and follows but no reviews….

Reviews MOTIVATE me, and I would love to not only receive feedback, but ideas as well.

Shoutout to Dogsrule who was the first reviewer~ XD Thank you~ You have no idea how happy I was.

In the next chapter, the search will begin and Feliciano will delve into a new world.