“Rachel, why am I letting you drag me to this?” Kurt sighed, straightening his vest and looking at his friend long-sufferingly.

“Because you love me and admit it, you want a look at this elusive vampire Prince. Prince Blaine is really nice Kurt, promise.” Rachel replied, linking her arm through Kurt's.

Kurt shook his head. “He won't even notice the human among all of the vampires there.”

Rachel shot him a fond, knowing look as the doors swept open and they were announced. “Lady Rachel of Lima and her friend, Mr Kurt Hummel.”

“At least he didn't tack ‘just a human' on the end.” Kurt whispered and flashed the attendant a smile as the man eyed him, his lip twitching.

Kurt stood to the side sipping his drink and trying to guess which of the fabulously decked out vampires was the eponymous Prince Blaine. As a human and as Prince Blaine was young it wasn't widely known what the teen looked like. Rachel had been whisked away a while ago and he'd been enjoying watching her dance in the dress he'd designed between checking out the male vampires in attendance. He'd been pleasantly surprised to see he wasn't the only human there and that all of them were being treated with respect, even the lord that was dancing with Rachel had complimented his skills when Rachel pointed out that Kurt had made the dress.

He suddenly felt like he was being watched and turned to see a dark-haired vampire watching him intently. He blushed and turned to put his drink down but his hopes faded when he turned back and the vampire was nowhere to be seen.

“Excuse me,” A soft voice spoke beside him and Kurt whipped round to see the vampire who'd been watching him. “May I have this dance?” Honey eyes glanced down at the outstretched hand then back up at Kurt expectantly.

“Yes, yes you may.” Kurt replied breathily and took the vampire's hand, blushing harder than ever.

Blaine was wandering around, watching the others dancing. His mother had asked him if his mate was there earlier and Blaine had just nodded, but he just couldn't see him. His father often told him when he found his mate he would be able to see him, feel him and taste him even across a crowded room. He was passing by the bar area when he froze and the world shifted. He looked around and saw a teen, no older than himself. His pale skin was flawless and his blue eyes swam with colour and depth. Blaine stared at the man's throat as the stranger sipped his drink then noticed him and pictured his fangs sliding into that gorgeous pale column. He used the man's distraction with his drink to step up and offer a dance. Up close he could see and smell the humanity in the beautiful creature and his heart sank but he wasn't deterred. This was his mate, he was.

Kurt clasped the vampire's hand and felt a jolt run through him, rocking him on his toes. He looked at the vampire to see him staring, his lips parted slightly. Had he felt it?

They settled into a waltz, Kurt letting the vampire lead. He knew if he'd tried he'd be getting a short lesson in vampire-human etiquette and he felt himself wanting the vampire to lead, to wrap him in his strong arms and love him. Kurt almost tripped at that thought. Love? He looked into the vampire's honey eyes and his breath stuttered. Yes, he could feel it. Something inexplicable was tying him to this vampire and he could feel the rush of emotion like he'd been waiting, waiting for this moment, this vampire.

“So what's your name?” Kurt asked. He'd promised his dad he wouldn't let himself get bitten and he wasn't here to get laid like Rachel but he could enjoy this gorgeous vampire's attention for the night, even if the feelings he was developing were just the passion of the night he could learn as much as possible.

“B…Diavolo,” The vampire replied, his eyes flashing and erasing his slip up. “And yours?”

“Kurt.” He replied and the two men smiled at each other.

“Ah, Kurt. Means wise counsel as a given name and wolf as a surname.” The vampire – Diavolo – informed him.

Kurt's jaw dropped slightly. “Really?”

‘Diavolo' nodded. “Indeed and I assume like the wolf's song; its howl, your voice is your trademark.”

Kurt's eyes went wide, how did this vampire know him so quickly? “I…How did you know?”

Diavolo chuckled. “Well your voice is melodious; it stands that you would sing as well.” He reasoned.

Kurt nodded. “I want to be a singer someday.”

“In what range?”

“Countertenor.” Kurt replied proudly and watched the vampire's eyes widen. His voice was unusual and highly desired by both races.

The song ended and Diavolo stepped back. “Thank you for the dance, Kurt. I must away now but I will see you again before the night is over.”

Kurt nodded even though the vampire was stating fact, not asking. He walked back over to Rachel who was staring with huge eyes. He raised an eyebrow as she grasped his arm.

“Kurt,” She gasped. “You were dancing with the Prince! Do you know what this means?”

Kurt's eyebrows furrowed. No, that wasn't right. “No, he said his name was Diavolo.”

“Yes Kurt. Prince Blaine Diavolo Anderson. He's been taught to give his middle name to strangers.” She replied fondly.

“But I thought he was only allowed to dance with his mate?” Kurt said, confused.

“He is!” Rachel whispered and now Kurt could see and hear all the vampires staring and whispering. He was a well-known human and Prince Blaine had just blown all vampire rhetoric out of the water by dancing with Kurt.

There were many interracial relationships these days but it was a rule that the Drăculești only mated with vampires since their power was linked to their mate and a human mate was almost a drain on their power.

Kurt looked around the room for Diavolo – Blaine – his mind supplied but couldn't see him. “I need some fresh air.” He whispered, feeling slightly faint and sick then walked away, Rachel giving him a sympathetic look as he left.

Blaine practically danced back over to his parents who were watching him, his mother, if she didn't have to look regal would have been bouncing, he got his exuberance from her and his father looked proud.

“You have found him son?” His father asked, patting Blaine on the shoulder softly. It had been a few days since Blaine's ‘episode' and he wasn't scared of the boy's strong jaw, especially after witnessing the bond forming between his son and the other boy.

“Indeed,” Blaine murmured dreamily then straightened. “My lord is there a reason for the rule that we cannot mate with humans?”

Dmitri raised a quizzical eyebrow, worried. “It is not a rule my son in more that it has not happened before, it is quite impossible for a human to mate with a Drăculești. Our powers and our nature would not allow such a union. Why?”

“Kurt blushed.” Blaine replied bluntly and his parents stared, shocked.

His mother recovered first and sighed. “Oh Blaine, a human.” She whispered sadly. Her boy was different enough, now he had to endure the uncertainty of a human, unknown since Mina whom the Count had to turn before he could even mate with her, thus creating their Royal bloodline and filling the world with Vampires.

Her husband's eyes flashed with muted recognition of the name but his mind couldn't conjure up more than that and he turned to his son. “My son you must be sure, go and find your mate, state your intentions and bond with him. You have no time to waste.”

Blaine nodded and shuddered as he felt the phantom pain of the itch that hadn't let him be for weeks but hadn't bothered him since Kurt arrived.

Kurt breathed in the night air, letting it clear his mind. Sure, in his wildest fantasies he'd dreamed of finding himself a good, loving vampire and in the deeper fantasies he dreamt of the Prince, wooing him and loving him but he'd known it would never come true. Though, now the Prince had come and singled him out like he mattered, like he wasn't a human, just one of the boy's future subjects like everyone else here. It couldn't happen, he knew it but when he'd looked across and seen the light in those hazel eyes he knew he couldn't look away. Was Prince Blaine really saying they were mates?

“Enjoying the night air?” The now familiar soft voice spoke and Kurt sighed before he looked over at the man he'd been thinking about.

“I was, Diavolo, or should I call you Blaine, your highness?” Kurt said, trying to reign in his anger, it wouldn't be a good idea to piss the Prince off and be beheaded for it.

The Prince blinked and looked at him with a mix of confusion and amusement. “You are angry at me.” He stated.

“You lied to me.” Kurt retorted and the Prince looked down, looking almost ashamed.

“It is customary in the presence of strangers, least human strangers to conceal proper name and seek another. I did not mean to deceive you and Diavolo is one of my names.” Blaine murmured

Kurt snorted, still a little annoyed. “So what is it you want of me? You do realise I'm human? My blood runs still and if you bite me you'd feel the humanity drain away yet you danced with me as if I was your…your-“

“Mate,” Blaine finished and Kurt glared. “Is it so hard to believe you are my mate?”

“Yes, my Prince when the whole physiological ideal is impossibility, not to mention the social and political. You cannot mate with me, there is no way.” Kurt replied, trying to keep calm but not doing well as the vampire walked up to him.

“But you felt it didn't you?” Blaine asked and Kurt ducked his head. “You felt the connection in the ballroom as much as I. I knew you. I knew you were a singer. Kurt please don't deny me. I am your mate and you will be mine.”

“I don't know what I felt.” Kurt sighed and turned away but Blaine caught his hand and sparks flew from their joined hands, through their bodies and lighting their nerve endings on fire. Kurt stared at the Prince and Blaine stared back then stepped in, placing his hand on the blue-eyed man's cheek and leaning in for a kiss.

If taking Kurt's hand hadn't been enough for Blaine, kissing the man was enough to cement in his mind and body the fact that this human, this Kurt was his, blood, body and soul. Lips slid over lips, electricity crackling in the air around them for several moments until Kurt moved back to breathe. A faint blush washed over his cheeks and he looked at Blaine through his eyelashes bashfully, all façade of rejection lost in the kiss.

“Minunat.” Blaine whispered and Kurt looked at him.

“What did you call me?”

“Beautiful. I called you a beautiful miracle in Romanian.” Blaine replied.

Kurt nodded. “Oh of course, because of the…” Kurt gestured to Blaine. Blaine nodded and reluctantly pulled his hand from Kurt's cheek.

“My Kurt, I do not know if you are aware of the mating rituals of my people. We state intention, share intention then-“

Kurt stepped back and brought his hand up to his neck as Blaine looked at it with the same hungry gaze he'd looked at it before in the ballroom. “Can't we just kiss some more and get to know each other?”

Blaine shook his head ruefully. “I am sorry my love. Rituals must be met. Are you afraid of me biting you?”

“No of course not. I just…Ok I promised my dad I wouldn't let anyone bite me. Can't we spend some time before you mark me?” Kurt asked, desperately wanting to feel the vampire's teeth in his neck but knowing how angry his dad would be and he didn't want to mate with the Prince only to find it was false and hurt Blaine.

Blaine sighed, feeling tears prick and shivers roll down his back. It was starting again. “I'm dying Kurt.” He said pitifully and the human stared at him.

“You're what?”

“Dying. That's why this ball had to happen. I have come of age, matured and if a vampire of my standing does not find his mate before the maturing process is complete we-“

“Die,” Kurt whispered, his hand covering his mouth in horror. Blaine nodded and a tear hit the stone under his feet. “Oh my Prince don't cry. Come, just…bite me, take what you need. We can figure out the rest.”

Blaine sighed in relief and rushed over to his human. “Oh Kurt, thank you. I won't hurt you.” He whispered and they kissed then pulled away, Kurt angled his neck and Blaine let out a growl before he opened his jaw and bit down on his new mate's neck. Kurt gasped and let out a low whine. Blaine drank a few mouthfuls then noticed something wrong. Something very wrong. He pulled his teeth out and stumbled back from Kurt, his hand up to his mouth in a mirror of the other teen from a few minutes ago.

“Blaine? What's wrong?” Kurt asked, confused.