The Beginning

They had left.

Boy whimpered and crouched under the pier, shoving himself as far into the crack between the wood and sand he could. What was he supposed to do? Orphanages would kill a freak like him and if anyone found out…

Boy's breath caught in his throat. He needed to be quiet, always quiet. But what was he supposed to do?

It was already dark out, the only light coming from the rides shining through the slats, the noise of people screaming and machines whirring were overwhelming. He just wanted to be back in the safety of cupboard in Surrey. Perhaps he could have found his way back, he'd done it before when they left him London but this time he was 'across the pond' as Aunt Petunia had said. In America. Across an ocean. So very very far. And so very very alone.

"Only for a little while, Pet, just to take care of business. Should only need a night," Uncle Vernon had said. They took Dudley and Boy to the boardwalk. He should have known something was wrong. They never wanted to take Boy anywhere. Then they were gone, lost in the crowd. Boy had the feeling he would not find them even if he tried. So now he was here trying not to cry, crying only brought trouble and pain.

And there he stayed for hours while people left to go home and the lights of the shops and rides shut down. All that was left was the loud roar of the ocean, an unfamiliar and scary noise. Boy sniffled bringing his ripped long sleeve up to wipe at his nose as his teeth started chattering. The wind coming up from the water was misty and cold he hadn't noticed he'd been getting damp. It wasn't as bad as the cold nights he'd been left outside in the winter, the air was warmer and salty, but it was wet. Wet was always the worst because it did bad things to his lungs that left him sick and curled in his cupboard for days. But he didn't have a cupboard now...

Boy sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut in thought. First things first he had to find someplace warm before he got sick. Uncurling from his hiding spot didn't sound like a good idea but… he needed to. Maybe he could go digging through a garbage can to find some food as well. Food and warmth, he had a plan!

Boy grinned slightly, eyes popping open in excitement now that he knew what he was going to do. He wiggled free of wooden boards and sand, rolling slightly down the hill before he caught himself on hands and knees. With a huff of exertion he was up and down the rest of the hill. He was almost to the stairs, his shoes softly digging into the chilling sand, when he caught sight of a blurry orange light further down the beach.

Even squinting didn't help him see like it usually did. That meant it was really far but also bright. Was it a fire? Fire was warm! Maybe it was a bonfire like he heard Dudley say people did on beaches.

Boy didn't even notice he'd been getting closer until he could hear music. Where there was music there was people. People either meant food or pain.

His stomach gave a sad small growl and Boy winced bringing up a hand up to clench it in the green and white striped ill-fitting shirt. Possible food it was.

He drifted closer listening to the harsh beat of music that his relatives would call freakish. There were voices now too, some singing along, others a humming chatter. Loud laughter rang out over the beach and Boy paused as he came over a sandy dune. Men and women were dancing around a large crackling fire bottles in hand taking a drink every now and then. They were most definitely freaks. Not any kind that he had seen before but definitely ones that the neighborhood would turn away.

Some of the men had spiked hair, some wild and long, others had piercings and collars around their necks. Most had leather jackets and heavy looking boots… 'punks' Boy thinks they are called. The women looked much the same with colorful hair, piercings, leather accessories.

One of them spun around the man with spiked green hair, her own black strands swirling with her along with her earthy brown skirts. She laughed at something the man said and turned seemingly looking for something on the dune when she spotted Boy. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a small 'o'. Boy ducked behind the dune heart racing and hands shaking. They were freaks too but what if they didn't accept him? What if he was an outcast among freaks, unloved, and unwanted like Aunt Petunia always said?

"Hey, kid."

Boy yelped and startled forward spinning to face her, panicked.

"Hey, hey! It's okay I'm not gonna hurt you!"

Her voice was loud and sort of raspy and hard to be heard over the music but her eyes were kind. Like a sister he had seen looking at their younger brother at the park before. They were probably a dark brown but in the backlight of the fire they looked black. Her face was shadowed but he could see enough that her smile calmed him.

"You look hungry, huh kid? I don't got much, but we got a few snacks some of the guys brought for the party."

Boy said nothing instead choosing to study her more as her bare feet finally crested the hill. She wore a short white top that left her stomach bare but had see through fabric that fell gently down her arms in large sleeves. Her brown skirt seemed to be made of multiple layers that fell to her knees leaving the brown leather anklet on clear display. Her hair fell to mid back, streaming over her shoulders as she leaned forward to get a better look at him. There was a piercing in the middle of her lip and one going through the side of her eyebrow.

"Hm. Well, you certainly look hungry. I'm Amy. And your name?"

Boy stayed silent. He didn't have a name other than Freak or Boy and the last person he had told that got him in trouble with the Dursleys.

"Shy, huh? That's okay! You don't have to talk but why don't you come eat?"

She held out her hand and Boy flinched back. Amy's smile strained but she didn't move. Hesitantly he reached for her, slipping his bony fingers into her smooth grasp.

"C'mon then. I'll make sure none of the others bother you too much. They might be a little rowdy from drinking but they're all pretty harmless."

Boy gulped as the bonfire came back into view along with the people. He was gently tugged over to a large blue cooler a bit farther from the fire. She pushed his shoulder down a bit and Boy dropped heavily into the sand. Miss Amy was gentle, nothing like his relatives, and it made him relax. As long as they didn't know how freaky he was they would accept him. Miss Amy was digging through the wine cooler and came up with a sharp laugh as the green haired man came back and slapped her on the butt.

"Toby stop it! I got a kid to care for right now."

The man snorted. "Always taking care of the needy, huh, babe? Why don't you hurry it up so we can get back to dancing?"

Miss Amy stuck her tongue out and shoved a bottle into Toby's hand. "Go away, man. I'll be over when I'm over," she laughed.

Toby grinned, giving Boy a wink as he walked unsteadily back over to the group jumping around the flames.

"Sorry bout him, kid. He's sweet I swear."

Boy couldn't help but smile right back at Miss Amy in the face of her blinding grin. With an 'aha' she pulled out a lunchable and a bottle of coke. "There we go! Always gotta have something to snack on."

Boy stared at the items she set in his lap. He'd never had pop or lunchable before. That was all for Dudley and good normal children.

"I can't," he muttered.

"Oh bah! Of course you can. There's plenty more where that came from, well more in my house, though we do have a few more snacks here. That was the only Lunchable. There's more coke if you finish that one," she slurred happily pulling a bottle out of the cooler and popping the top off.

Boy watched her wander over to Toby, hopping lightly on her feet and kicking up sand. Then he turned his attention to the food and drink still sat on his lap. With trembling fingers and a growling stomach he tugged at the covering ripping it open carefully and setting it softly in the sand. He pulled the plastic wrapper off placing it on top of the covering. It flapped slightly and Boy grabbed it before it could fly off in the small breeze. He tucked it in the box instead. Then he started in on the crackers and the cheese, nibbling slowly and letting the flavor sit on his tongue. It was gone much too fast. The meat quickly followed and the reese's candy was gobbled up in an instant. He turned to the coke twisting the cap as hard as he could. It didn't budge. He pouted at it and looked up to find Miss Amy. Maybe she could help. Uncle Vernon always had to open Dudley's so maybe it was an adult thing.

She was twirling around hand in hand with Toby, weaving in and out of the other punks. She glanced over and Boy stared with squinted eyes, coke clenched in both hands. Her smile widened. She was so pretty and nice he couldn't help but smile back. She said something to Toby, her lips moving slowly, and then she was coming towards Boy.

"Heya kid! Need some help with that?"

"Please," he whispered his voice being swallowed by the pounding rhythm of whatever the music was.

Miss Amy agreed as if she could actually hear him reaching for the bottle. That's when the screaming started. Miss Amy turned and her high pitched voice split the air but Boy could see nothing of what scared her with her body and the cooler in the way. Nor could he breath when suddenly she was on top of him. Boy squeaked in surprise but it was muffled into the girl's chest as she slid forward across the sand, one of her arms like a steel band around him.

He could still hear the screaming, the music, and some animalistic growling and howling. Where animals attacking the party? Boy shivered, muscles tightening against his will. He hated dogs. He really hoped it wasn't dogs.

A snarl sounded much too close for comfort and then Miss Amy was yanked up, a scream ripped from her lips. Boy went up with her part of the way before he fell back when her arm went limp. He landed with a quiet oomph, his still sand filled clothes rubbing abrasively against his skin. Something warm splattered along his face and neck and he squeezed his eyes shut to avoid it blinding him. His vision was bad enough as it was, he didn't need anything getting in them and making it worse. There was hooting laughter, more snarls, and what sounded like wet gurgling. Like when the Dursley's used mouthwash but thicker.

Boy blinked his eyes open carefully to stare at the man that had his face buried in Amy's shoulder. He couldn't see much again as the light from the fire was behind them and the cooler was blocking even more of his view. They hadn't gotten very far, only a meter or so over and behind the cooler.

Amy wasn't moving anymore, in fact she was almost dangling from the strangers hold. Then she was dropped to the sand with a thwump.

"Miss Amy," he whispered staring at her unmoving form. He was squinting enough to see the red coating her neck in the firelight that shone passed the very large form of whoever had been holding her before.

"Fuck."

Boy blinked switching his gaze up to the shadowed form that stepped forward and crouched in front of him. He could barely make out a thin nose and dark dark eyes through the shadows.

"Fuck. How old are you?"

Boy shivered, clutching the coke Amy hadn't yet taken from him. Who was this? What had they done to Miss Amy? Why was Miss Amy bleeding from her neck so much, because he could recognize the sight of blood when it so often stained his own hands, and… why was it suddenly so quiet?

"Dwayne."

The man stood and spun on the spot. "Don't even think about it, David." It sounded more like a growl than the deep human voice it had been just a second ago. "He's just a kid."

"No witnesses, Dwayne."

There was a long drawn out hiss. "Even Max says no children."

A really really light blonde, hair spiked and short on top with longer strands trailing down his shoulders, came into view face twisted in a snarl and eyes a bright orange. Boy gulped as he watched the firelight glint off the red around the man's mouth and the long fangs on display. Vampire. The black outfit didn't help with that image. They had to be. Just like that TV show Dudley accidentally watched when the baby whale had lost the remote and Aunt Petunia had taken a nap upstairs. Boy had watched it, fascinated with how they would drink blood instead of eat food, from the slats in his cupboard that Uncle Vernon had left open.

He glanced down at Amy's still form. She was dead then. The forever sleep that you didn't wake up from. Boy didn't think he wanted to go to sleep forever. He bit his lip.

And was startled at the sudden fight that broke out. The two snarled and flit around faster than his eyes could track. They were a blur, much blurrier than usual, and Boy shoved himself up onto his side and scooted farther back, closer to the waves and the cold wind rolling in over the waters.

"Hey little man!"

Boy yelped trying to roll away as fast as he could before a set of arms wrapped around his chest and legs hoisting him from the sand with ease and starting towards the fire.

It was another vampire, face still twisted in a grin. Now they were facing the fire so Boy got the full view of the man's face. It was bit scruffy with hair, his eyes were a bright shining blue, and his blonde hair was everywhere. He looked terrifying.

The bottle creaked in his hands.

"Didn't want you getting caught in the crossfire, yeah? Never seen Dwayne so worked up man…"

"Really Paul? You're bringing him over here? How high are you?"

Oh. There was a fourth one. That was… tossing the… bodies into the fire…

"Is that even a question," Paul laughed, swaying and spinning. Boy felt slightly dizzy.

The last vampire snorted, snatching him from Paul. It was a lot gentler than he was expecting from the men that were going to kill him.

"Finish up will you? I'll keep watch on the little guy."

Paul let out a loud noise that sounded like a whining dog follow by a huff. Boy squeezed his eyes shut to make the spinning stop and to try and drown out the loud snarling with the crackling of the fire.

He felt the shifting as the vampire sat down but refused to open his eyes, clutching the coke bottle like a lifeline. Maybe they would make it painless? Boy wasn't very fond of pain. He worked extra hard to learn all the rules just to avoid it actually.

"Hey."

Was being dead painless?

"Kid? Helloooo?"

Did Heaven exist like the Dursley's believed? Did Hell? Oh. If Hell existed that where freaks went. He didn't really want to go to Hell. Maybe Miss Amy would be there. It wouldn't be so bad then right? These freaks had been nice to Boy when normal people hadn't.

"Aw, man. I am so not equipped to deal with- Fuck!"

Boy yelped, he was doing that a lot he needed to keep quiet, as he was jostled, the vampires, very strong and sharp -ow-, nails digging into his arm and leg. When Boy opened his eyes, startled out of his thoughts, he was surprised to notice they weren't near the ground anymore. At all.

They were several meters above it. It gave a really good view of the fire and Paul who was circling around it to the other two vampires. The darker haired one from before had the blond pinned beneath him.

The vampire above him was muttering about brothers and watching where they fight but Boy heard little of it. He was still focused on the fact they were flying. Off the ground, in the air. It was… exciting. New. Special. It felt…

Right.

"You can fly," he questioned excitedly.

The vampire glanced down at his eager green eyes and blinked. Then he grinned. "Sure can midget."

"Oy! Marko. Time to go!"

Marko's grin grew even bigger.

"Do you like going fast?"

Boy didn't really know but if it was anything like how he was feeling now he would love it. He nodded quickly before Marko could change his mind. The curly haired man let out a whoop that was echoed by two other voices and then they were off.

Boy had never felt anything like it; the wind rushing through his hair, the sting of it in his eyes, his heart hammering in his chest, his stomach fluttering like a swarm of butterflies. It felt good. Great. Fantastic! Is this what people felt normally when they did things they liked? Boy never wanted to stop. A holler sounded over Marko's shoulder and Paul swooped by twisting in midair to do a silly trick.

Boy couldn't help the bubbling laughter that spilled from his lips. He was free! Free from Dursley's. Free in the air! Marko's arms were like very strong seatbelts but that didn't deter Boy from his enjoyment. They hadn't discouraged him yet so he would take his happiness where he could. He never really got to have any before.

In response to his laughter there were several excited hollers. He couldn't make out who it was from but it didn't matter. Boy joined in.

For the first time in his memories he felt like he belonged.

It was over much too soon. The group landed in front of a very normal looking house and Boy couldn't help but tense. He didn't like normal very much. It's freshly painted white door and white picket fence with surrounding bushes reminded him too much of Surrey.

"Hey hey, chill man. If we were going to eat you we would have done it already," Marko reassured him.

"We still can," what could only be David muttered from behind them. He was the only one that hadn't been nice to him.

Paul booed at David and Boy could barely make out a small hiss like the one the Miss Amy's killer had made before. They acted really animal like. It was strange but Boy himself was a freak so he wasn't going to judge. Maybe it was just a Vampire thing?

"Boys." The front door was open now light spilling out onto the porch. "I see you've brought a guest. Why don't you come in?"

It was said so placidly that Boy was almost terrified. The man in the door looked like a normal person, someone the Dursley's could be seen associating with and yet here he was talking to these vampires like he knew them. Like he was in charge of them. The man's glasses glinted as he stared down at Boy with a small smile.

"You are quite the smart boy aren't you?"

What?

"Come in. Come in. Take a seat and David if you don't put that cigarette out you won't enjoy the rest of your time here."

David scoffed, pushing past them and stubbing the fag on doorframe. Marko followed at a sedate pace and plopped himself in the plush looking beige armchair making sure to arrange Boy comfortably in his lap. Now he sat leaning against the cool chest of the vampire his skinny legs stretching out in front him, not quite long enough to bend over the edge of the chair and the other's longer legs. Now that he was in the brightened light of the living room he didn't have to squint as much even though most everything still had a slight blur to them.

Dwayne sat on the matching sectional couch, the edge closest to him, his features now in full view for Boy to study. He had to be of Native American descent, his darker skin and naturally darker hair reminding him of all the Indian and Cowboy movies Dudley took to watching on this trip. He was wearing a leather jacket with a big cat, it had spots so Boy thought it was a cheetah, stretching down the sleeve. His chest was bare but he was wearing a necklace strung with multiple bits and bobs and what looked like a tiny animal skull at the bottom.

Paul sat next to Dwayne a large grin still on his face. His hands were bouncing and playing a rhythm along the on leg he had kicked up onto the other. His jeans were white and tight fitting and his black tailcoat jacket was slightly too big for him. His boots rode to mid calf with some kind of black fabric going even higher.

David sat at the other end of the sectional, a scowl on his lips as he glared at everyone in the room. When Boy said black, he meant all black. Black coat, black boots, black gloves, black trousers and, Boy was willing to bet, black pants. His hair and pale skin was the only contrast to the void of color; it seemed to fit him, though.

The new man had dragged a chair in from the dining room and was just settling himself in when Boy turned his attention to him. He wore a funny looking tweed jacket with puffed out shoulders and a white dress shirt underneath. His trousers were beige slacks like Uncle Vernon would sometimes wear when he went golfing and his shoes were brown and shiny and very fancy.

"Now why don't you tell me why you've brought the young lad here?"

"We missed him," Marko said his hands reaching up around Boy to grab the coke. He clutched it closer in alarm. "I'm just gonna open it for ya kid, calm down."

Boy blinked, relaxing his grip somewhat.

"You missed him." The tone was flat, disbelieving and angry all at once. It was a tone he recognized very well from Aunt Petunia. Boy pushed himself closer to Marko trying to disappear into the man's chest.

"He was away from the main party, blocked by a girl," Dwayne frowned watching the interactions between the two on the armchair carefully. Then he turned his darkened gaze to their possible leader. "He was so tiny and quiet and there are never children at those parties. We missed him."

"I see." The man pulled his glasses off, cleaning them meticulously. He put them back on his nose and looked at Boy curiously. Marko finally twisted the cap and the long drawn out hiss of a newly opened pop rang through the air. "Why don't you come here child. Let me have a look at you."

Boy stared. He would really rather not… but he didn't want to cause any trouble or cause himself any pain by being stupid. He slowly slid forward off of Marko's lap, leaving the coke with the smallest vampire with a promise from him to guard it from Paul.

"I've been rude haven't I," he queried as boy approached meekly. "My name is Max. May I have yours?"

Boy hesitated. He gulped and looked around the room seeing David from the corner of his eye. From here he could see the sink of the kitchen and the hallway leading into the dining room. He looked back at Max and flinched, his hands balling into his dirty shirt.

"Boy," he whispered roughly, the lump in his throat growing at the darkening in the older man's eyes.

"Now that is not a proper name. What do your parents call you?"

Boy blinked back tears and the urge to run back to the boys was growing stronger. "M-My Aunt and Uncle call m-me Boy… o-or Freak…" His voice trailed off to nearly inaudible at the end.

Max sucked in a slow deep breath and Boy could swear he could hear growling around him.

"And where are they now, child?"

"E-england," he squeaked, his voice pitching it like a question. He wasn't quite sure. They could still be in America or they could have gone back.

Before anything else happened, Boy hear the telltale sound of claws scraping on tile. His body seized, muscled locking down tight at the sight of a great white dog coming in with splotches of dirty brown on its muzzle.

"Oh, Thorn. Finished your meal have you? Child this is-"

The dog shifted closer on his paws threateningly and Boy scrambled away all of his movement suddenly coming back in an instant. He was down the hallway in an instant his blind panic driving him to the only escape route his brain could think of. The boys weren't safe enough for him to turn to and he most certainly wasn't going to trust Max. The surprised shouts and the soft thudding of paws on the hallway carpet had him speeding up. There was only one open door and he skidded inside slamming the door shut as quickly as possible and leaning against it with all his might.

The noises outside the door made little sense to him; they might have been voices? But the dog's growling was unmistakable. So too was the clawing at the door that almost caved it in. He was not gonna get get bit like the Ripper Incident.

"No!"

A loud bang and a flash of light and then everything was quiet except for Boy's panicked wheezing breaths. His knees wobbled unable to support his weight. He didn't even feel it when he hit the ground.

"What the fuck was that," Paul whispered from the end of the hallway staring at the mauled door. Thorn was passed out against the wall opposite it, having been knocked out by whatever force that had been.

"That my dear childe, was a miracle." Max's smile was slightly manic he knew but he couldn't help it. To run into a wizarding child was extremely rare. To run into one with no supervision was nigh impossible. To run into one with no support and being abused was a gift to his coven.

"Max," Dwayne called quietly. He could sense the anxiety just rolling off of his second eldest. He always did have a soft spot for children considering how many younger siblings he'd had when he was still alive.

"Go check on him Dwayne and take him back to the living room. Make sure he's comfortable." He bent down gathering Thorn in his arms so he could take the hellhound out back and chastise him. Hunting was in their nature so the child running hadn't helped matters but it had lead him to learning about the magic so he supposed he'd just give a lecture instead of a punishment.

David was still sitting exactly where'd he'd left him, sprawled on the couch with both arms resting above him. Marko was leaning forward in the armchair, coke dangling from his nimble fingers.

You boys will not ruin this for me. Especially you David. He projected to all of them.

David bared his teeth but Marko and Paul, who had ambled after him, blinked in surprise.

You're actually thinking of turning him? He's just a kid. Like a really young kid, Marko muttered playing with the soda cap.

"Oh he's more than just that," he chuckled merrily before going out the front door and dumping the still unconscious hound on the porch. There was no telling how long he'd be out so the lecture would have to be dealt with later. By the time he came back in all the boys were situated again. This time Dwayne held the boy, the messy black hair resting in the biker's lap and his painfully thin legs on top of Paul's, who was playing with the torn shorts that were obviously much too big for him.

So what is he? David sneered leaning his head back, eyes scanning Max.

"A wizard. Or he will be one. Right now he is only a magical child with no training."

Paul stared with wide eyes, pupils dilating slightly, the only effect that showed he was still riding some kind of high even if it was the tail end of it. Marko set the coke on the small side table in between the armchair and couch and leaned back chewing on his thumbnail, elbow leaning heavily on the armrest. "So you're saying he's gonna turn into some wand waving broom flying wizard."

"That is correct."

All of them voiced their disbelief, their mental voices clamoring over each other, except for Dwayne who was focused on running his fingers through the black hair working out the mattes and knots.

That's why you want him, his voice rang strong after the others had quieted.

"Exactly. You know that vampires are not the only creature in the world so why can wizards not exist?"

"And yet we've never seen any-"

David was more tense now, arms coming off the couch to clasp in front of him, elbows on his knees.

"Because they don't want to be found. They are also extremely protective of their children and live in completely isolated communities unaccessible to anyone without magic. Once you get to be as old as I am you will experience more of their world. They are good at keeping it all tucked away from the outside but they do slip up from time to time. As a 'magical being' we do also have some rights in their world though we aren't entirely looked well upon. It has considerably improved in the last few centuries at least."

"So, uh, what's the little man have to do with that stuff, though?"

Paul had stopped picking at the shorts and was now working on tying and untying the raggedy shoe laces. Max sighed. He was going to have to dry clean his couches again.

"Magic and vampire blood have never mixed. Either the magic wins and completely destroys the host or the blood wins and the magic is destroyed. But these were all adults that already have their magic set in stone. My theory is that if you give a child the blood-"

Dwayne's resounding howl of fury in their minds made them all wince.

YOU WANT TO GIVE HIM BLOOD FOR AN EXPERIMENT THAT MAY KILL HIM?

Max let out an even deeper sigh. His children were always so unruly.

"I highly doubt that he would die. If anything the blood would be too strong and wipe out his magic. Then there is no loss either way." It was actually be a huge loss for the sake of science but he didn't need his children pulling even bigger rebellious acts than they did now. It got tiring having to wrangle them all in when they got restless. "I don't hurt children if I can help it. And if this does succeed and he keeps his magic do you understand what it would do for our coven? The power boost alone would have us standing atop the other packs in the area."

It was better he got them to agree then force them into it. Then it would seem like they had the option to keep the boy and they wouldn't chafe so much at his control.

"I mean I think it would be cool to have a little brother that can keep up with me," Paul chimed in.

"I don't know if he'd be able to keep up with you, man, he's sort of tiny and slow," Marko teased half-serious and half-joking.

Dwayne only clenched his jaw knowing that it wasn't really a choice. David grunted, tossing his head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment before he dropped it again, his eyes glaring at the floor.

I'm not taking care of the brat, he growled.

I will, Dwayne hissed.

"Paul and I can pitch in."

"And I think this would be the perfect opportunity for Star." All of them groaned. "Now boys she is your sister-"

"Yeah by fucking accident," Paul whined.

"She drank the blood-"

Marko snorted, "And it's been almost a week since then."

"-and is a part of the family just like all of you. You will respect my decision. You boys need a bit of a gentler touch to keep you in line anyway."

"Ha," David crowed rocking to his feet, "That bitch can't keep herself in line let alone us. She literally crawled into our home and stole the blood wine during the day and now we're fucking stuck with her because you're too lazy to take responsibility! She won't feed and all she does is whine about how her life is a tragedy!"

Max's eyes darkened, his temper wearing thin. "Then perhaps this should teach you some caution, David. You'd think you'd learn after a century of living that we are vulnerable during the day-"

A small moan interrupted whatever he was about to say and every pair of eyes turned to look at the stirring boy on the couch. He was slow to come to wakefulness, his green eyes squinting- he more than likely needed glasses with all the squinting he had been doing, the blood should fix that right up- up at Dwayne. Then he froze again.

"There's no need to worry, my lad. Thorn is outside and he won't harm you. Now I have a proposition for you and the boys have agreed," he said, his anger replaced by excitement. "You know we are vampires, we've seen it in your mind but we like you child. I want to extend the offer for you to join the family."

It was quiet for a long while. Dwayne had not once stopped running his fingers through the black mane and the green-eyed child seemed to take comfort in it before finally croaking, "Family?"

"That's right. You're special child. We like special."

"Yea! We'll get to big your big brothers," Paul cheered squeezing the boys toes through his shoes. It made him wriggle but Max couldn't tell if it was in delight or discomfort.

"Brothers?" His vowels were drawn out in a british accent. It had been quite a while since he'd heard an authentic one. He hoped the boy would hold onto to it as he grew older. Americans usually loved the sound of british accents.

"That's right," Dwayne's voice was solemn and low. "That means we'll look out for you and protect you."

"But vampires don't age…"

It was hard to read the minds of magicals, their magic acting as a natural barrier, but children were easier it seemed and this boy had quite the keen and clever thought processes. "Of course they don't. But you'll only be half for a while. Wouldn't want you to be a child forever now would we? No, that would never do."

"But… I'm a freak…"

Oh, if only he knew who his relatives where at. They'd have been dead in a second. Family should never abuse one another.

"Child, dear child, magic should be cherished not oppressed. What you have is a gift and your relatives will rue the day they hurt you for it," Max snarled.

He was staring with those bright green eyes, tears building and slowly carving paths down his alabaster cheeks. If not for the malnutrition and dirt he'd be an absolutely beautiful little boy too.

"M-ma-mag- that's a bad word," he whispered.

Max snorted and his children looked at him incredulously. So sue him it was slightly out of character but those relatives of his were beyond ridiculous.

"I'm assuming that's what your Aunt and Uncle told you." The boy nodded. "Not everything an adult says is the truth and you'll come to learn that. For now, anything they told you I want you to disregard. Choose what you want to do because you want."

"W-what does dis-re-gaarrd mean?"

Max smiled. It was the first question he'd been asked. Slight progress.

"It means ignore it. Do not believe it."

"Oh," he glanced at the boys watching him with waiting eyes before he turned back to Max. "I want a family."

Max's smile turned shark-like.

Pushing him to drink directly from his wrist would probably be too much for a child so instead Max poured his blood in a glass cup filling it to the brim before bringing it to the boy who was now sitting up between his two soon to be older brothers. The child carefully took the glass between his two tiny hands -how old was he again? Max didn't really think to ask as lost as he was in his eagerness- and staring at it in trepidation. The furrow between his brows was absolutely adorable and Max had to resist the urge to squeeze the life out of the boy in a hug. He hadn't been able to do that to any of his children in a very very long time.

The glass was finished in just under a minute, the addictive quality of the blood urging the little one to keep drinking until it was finished. The head vampire was surprised the boy hadn't tilted the whole thing back to get as much as he could as quickly as possible. It may have been a behavioral trait beaten into him but restraint was always a good thing. Maybe his elder boys would learn something from their younger sibling.

Dwayne ran his hand through the little one's hair as he leaned down to whisper, "Welcome to the family, little brother."

AN: I don't know why I do this to myself. But good news for you readers: The first part of this story is almost complete. I actually wrote most of it out first before posting. That's not like me at all! But there ya go...

Tell me what ya think?