The club was pretty cool, actually. His friends had gone on and on until Jeremiah finally gave in. As it had turned out, losing his job had been a great thing. He'd ditched retail, gone back to school, and things were finally starting to really look up. A year into his undergraduate Library Sciences program, Jeremiah finally felt like the stars had aligned. He scanned the crowd, curious to see what kind of people - apart from his curious college buddies - frequented a place like the Last Drop. He didn't head into Lima often. Westerville was pretty uppercrust, and it offered most of what he could want or need, but it also didn't approve of the "vampire craze," so they were forced to leave their white picket borders to check out the dark side.

He'd finally gotten a beer and was about to hit the dance floor when he spotted a familiar face sitting in a booth toward the back. "Holy shit," he muttered to himself before smirking and shaking his head. Of all the people in all the places... Deciding it couldn't hurt, he sauntered over and leaned against the seat across from the mostly-oblivious other boy. "Blaine Anderson... long time no see."

Thoroughly depressed over not hearing one word from Kurt, Blaine didn't know what to do with himself. He had no way of contacting his lover--and he berated himself for not getting Kurt's cell phone number while he had the chance--and he'd even resorted to gazing longingly at the Hummel home hoping for a glimpse of him. Something had happened, Blaine could sense it. Not knowing was eating him alive, and he kept on hoping for a text, or better yet, for Kurt to walk back into the bar. What he wasn't expecting tonight was running into an acquaintance from his old life. "Jeremiah?" Blaine couldn't believe his eyes.

They'd parted under rather awkward circumstances - getting serenaded by an underage guy, no matter how hot he was, was frowned upon - but Jeremiah didn't detect any particular displeasure at seeing him again. "Hey. You mind if I join you?" //Damn, he looks good.// Blaine had always been a nice-looking kid, but there was something new about him. He didn't look like a kid anymore. At all. Out of the blazer and a year or two older, Blaine actually ranked as one of the hotter guys he'd ever seen. "I'll even buy you a drink. Pretty sure I owe you one."

"No, I don't mind." It was something of a haunting experience meeting someone from his old, mortal life. Blaine had never pegged Jeremiah as the type to visit a vampire bar. "Erm, I'm drinking this," he said, holding up a half-empty bottle of True Blood. Not exactly subtle, but it told the story. He was a vampire, one of the undead. Blaine glanced back to his cell phone sitting silent before him on the table. His hopes of ever hearing from Kurt again dwindling. Jeremiah proved to be a much-needed distraction. His curiosity piqued, he wondered aloud, "What brings you here?"

Jeremiah's eyes were still wide, looking from the blood to Blaine as if his mind was fighting to make the proper connection. "Holy crap! You're... wow. That was not what I..." Realizing Blaine had asked him a question, Jeremiah shook his head, blond curls shifting with the movement. "Uh, my friends came before, said it was fun. I was curious, honestly. You hear all this stuff, and... well, usually when you hear stuff, most of it's bullshit," he observed frankly. It seemed like as good a time as any, so he added, "I'm sorry I was such an ass. What you did back then was sweet. And I was an ass. I mean, it was retail, and I fucked up what could've been at least a really good friendship because of it. Stupid. If it helps, I've worked hard to try and become less of an egocentric asshole."

Blaine hadn't been expecting that, and he shook his head slowly. "No, it's okay, really," he assured the other man. "I was way out of my league." He might have blushed if he still had the ability to do so. Having been absolutely besotted with Jeremiah, Blaine had felt like he'd made a complete fool out of himself with his little serenade. Of all nights for him to run into Jeremiah, it had to be the night when he was missing Kurt the most. "You know, this might not be the safest place for you to visit," he advised, changing the subject. "There's been talk of a vampire who showed up here the other night covered in blood."

Jeremiah's eyes widened again. "Shit, seriously?" He looked around as if it would somehow add information to what had been said before realizing that it was a stupid gesture. "Yeah, maybe just... finishing my beer and heading out. Unless you're open to being my bodyguard for a little while?" Given their history, it seemed silly attempting to flirt, but that didn't mean that they couldn't hang out. That's what they'd been doing before, after all, and it had been fun. Apparently a little too much fun given the impression Blaine had gotten. "I mean, I'm not in the closet you're legal... no reason we can't drink, dance, have a little fun - as friends, or, y'know... whatever." Given how well Blaine had grown up over the past couple of years, Jeremiah wasn't willing to assume that he was single. A guy that hot was apt to get snatched up pretty quickly.

Once upon a time Blaine would have jumped at the chance. Now, things were different. He loved Kurt, and although he knew something was wrong, he would never betray him in such a way. Just thinking about his beautiful mortal lover brought on another sharp pang, and then Blaine stiffened and sat up a little straighter. //Kurt!// His scent hit him with the force of a tidal wave, crashing into him and leaving him reeling.

The noise outside made Kurt's heart stop for a moment, and when he tentatively moved to the window to see what was going on, he caught sight of Finn all but sprinting across the lawn. "Damn it!" Though he knew their parents would kill them both, Kurt wasn't about to let Finn go off on his own. What in the world was he thinking? Kurt hurried outside and started to run after the other boy, keeping up without overtaking him. Though he didn't want Finn hurt, Kurt couldn't help but be curious about what he was doing to begin with, why he would go outrunning of all things when he'd been half dead earlier.

His focus on finding Damien, Finn was completely unaware of his stepbrother following behind him. His insides twisted with a need the likes of which he'd never known before. It clawed at him, making his throat wound throb in time with his heartbeat. Liquid fire surged through his veins, and only Damien could help him extinguish the blaze. When The Last Drop came into sight, Finn quickly grab his fake ID and hurried inside once the vampire waiting outside the door allowed him entry. There was no sign of Damien, and the jock deflated. //His apartment...// Pushing his way through the crowd, Finn didn't waste time going back through the entrance. Instead, he disappeared into the rear exit, which, as it turned out, was the fastest route...

It took Kurt a bit longer to get through, though once the bartender filling in for Merlin recognized him in the doorway, he was finally waved in. Kurt looked around and felt his heart sink. Finn wasn't exactly hard to pick out in a crowd. He'd hesitated to even follow, to even come this far when he'd sworn that he wouldn't come back to the bar, but... Finn had protected him. He'd wanted to do the same. Of course it hadn't really worked out that way. Somehow in the darkened space, Kurt had lost his stepbrother, and now he was at the Last Drop just like he'd said he wouldn't be." Kurt bit his lip and was on the verge of turning and leaving to try and track Finn down when his gaze fell on Blaine's usual booth... and saw him smiling and chatting with a lovely blond that curt didn't recognize. His heart sank to his shoes, and Kurt put a hand out to steady himself on the bar.

There he was! "Excuse me," he hurriedly told Jeremiah. Blaine pushed himself up from the booth, and made his way through the crowd to Kurt. As soon as he was within touching distance, the vampire reached out and embraced him, crushing him against his chest. "Kurt, I was so worried!" For a long moment he drowned in his lover's warmth, then Blaine's joy evaporated when he eased back and caught the haunted look in those beautiful eyes. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

Jeremiah watched as Blaine sprinted away but decided it was probably a good idea not to follow when he saw the vampire wrapping himself around someone who had just come in. //Yep, taken,// he thought with a rueful sigh. He'd had a chance, and he'd missed it, more's the pity.

Across the room, Kurt found himself crying before he could even attempt to stop. Feeling Blaine, seeing him, having those arms wrapped around him again was perfect. It felt so right, and that just made it hurt more. "My... my father found out. Last night, someone attacked my stepbrother. He'd tried to follow me, he wanted to protect me and..." Kurt was blinking, trying to talk through the tears and unable to keep himself from holding himself up by clinging to Blaine's shirt. "He could have died... he could have... and... and I promised... I promised I wouldn't... I wouldn't have come, but Finn snuck out, I have no idea where he went and now... and now I'm here and you're here and you're so... I..." Kurt shuddered and tried to get ahold of himself. "I can't see you, Blaine, I can't."

Blaine had known that something wasn't right. Of all the things he might have imagined, nothing compared to the heartbreak of Kurt's declaration. Splashes of red colored his dark eyes as they welled up with the beginnings of tears. Gently taking Kurt by the arm, Blaine led him back outside of the club where they could talk more privately. It was inevitable that his lover's family would discover what he had been up to. And Kurt's stepbrother being attacked? No wonder things had gone so badly. "There's been rumors of a vampire who showed up here drenched in blood," Blaine said quietly. "If they're true, then he might have been the one who hurt your stepbrother." Streaks of crimson stained the vampire's handsome features as he felt the world crumbling around him. "Kurt," he cried, "I don't want to lose you. Please? There has to be something we can do?"

"I don't... I don't know... I..." Kurt was shaking, tears streaking his own face. Seeing Blaine hurt only made it worse. He had no idea what to do or whether anything could be fixed. "My dad... he doesn't want me to see you. He... last year he... he had a heart attack. He..." The tears were turning to sobs, and Kurt wrapped his arms around himself. "I don't know what to do, Blaine. The idea of losing you... it... it... kills me... but I can't hurt my father. He's been there for me, with me... he... and I should be trying to find Finn." Kurt gasped out a bitter laugh. "God, I can't even keep him safe when I follow him."

"Then... maybe you'd better call your dad and try and find him." Blaine wanted to scream, he wanted to beg Kurt to stay with him. Could he himself talk to Kurt's father, make him understand their love for one another? Or was it all hopeless? "Kurt, I," he started again, only to falter. "I wish I could help, but I didn't notice any strangers in the club tonight." Although his gaze was blurred with scarlet tears, Blaine made an effort to glance over his shoulder at the bar's entrance. "If he was here, then he wasn't inside long." He ticked his attention back to Kurt, crushed over having to say good-bye to him. "I love you, Kurt. Even if I can't see you anymore, nothing can change that."

The sweet words wrenched a sob from Kurt, and he threw himself forward, his arms winding around Blaine's neck of their own volition and his lips blindly seeking the vampire's. "Don't forget me," he pleaded. "Please, just... I know it's awful to ask, but please..." There were still tears staining Kurt's face when he pulled back and ran away from the Last Drop. He needed to call his father, but he needed to be far enough away from Blaine to stop wanting to stay right where he was first. The harsh glare of streetlights offered some comfort as Kurt finally slowed to a stop. Though he was still sniffling and crying, Kurt dialed his father's number and curled up on a bench in a park he'd never seen before as he listened to the phone ringing.

When Burt returned home the last thing he expected to find was both the boys gone, especially since Kurt was grounded. His phone rang, and he quickly answered it, "Kurt? Where the hell are you?" Burt's blood ran cold when he discovered what had happened. "Wait right there. Don't move." He was on his way in the next instant, breaking the speed limit to reach his son. When he found Kurt, the older man was slamming the door behind him and rushing to his son. "Are you okay?" Burt searched his eyes, which were red from crying.

Kurt almost said yes just to make his father feel better, but finally he haltingly shook his head. "Not really." He rose on shaky legs, still hugging himself. The tears had dried, but the change had only made Kurt more aware of the pain he was in. The idea of never seeing Blaine again was too much, especially when coupled with the guilt over having lost track of Finn so quickly. "I'm sorry I couldn't... he must have slipped out of the club while I was trying to get in, and... I know I said I wouldn't see him again... I... but he was there, and... I had to tell him. I had to at least..." Kurt felt a shooting pain at speaking the words, at remembering the pain in Blaine's eyes and the tears that had followed.

Burt hated seeing his son in so much pain, but he consoled himself with knowing it was for the best if Kurt never saw the vampire he had fallen for again. "Alright, Kurt, it's alright," he said, embracing him and rubbing Kurt's back in comforting circular motions. "Now, listen to me, and no arguments." Burt drew back and fixed his son with a no-nonsense stare. "The other night I agreed not to get the police involved. But, we need them now. Your brother's missing. God only knows what's happening to him." The older man fished out his cell phone and dialed 911. Once a squad car and a detective arrived, Burt explained the situation, and as there was already unrest in Lima over the vampires' presence, the authorities were more than willing to jump on the case.

"Come on, let's drive around and see if we can find Finn." Burt urged Kurt into the truck, starting it and pulling back onto the street.

Kurt climbed in without saying a word and pressed his forehead against the window. It seemed like it got harder to breathe with each passing moment. Finn was missing. The police were looking for him. The police, who could easily go through the proper channels and find Blaine instead, blame him for something he would never do. "Do you think they'll find Finn?" Kurt asked, knowing he needed to say something. If he didn't say anything at all, his father would start asking him questions anyway, and Kurt couldn't answer them. Not now, not when it felt as if his heart had been ripped out.

"I hope so," Burt replied after a moment of stoic silence. He glanced over at his son, and it hurt him terribly to see Kurt in such a haunted, heartbroken state. "Kurt, I'm not doing any of this to punish you," he tried to explain. "You're... special." Burt glanced away, focusing on the headlights illuminating the road ahead. "Vampires aren't like us. They'll hurt you, no--they'll do more than hurt you. They'll drain you dry and leave nothing left, and that's if you're lucky." He sighed, feeling a heavy weight on his heart. "I'm just worried, Kurt. And I'm scared. If anything ever happened to you... I couldn't stand it."

"I know." Kurt managed a flickering smile for the man before turning to look out the window again. He couldn't quite keep the tears at bay, and trying to smile only made it worse. He knew that his father was trying to protect him, and he could understand why easily, especially after what happened to Finn. He could tell Burt that Blaine would never hurt him until he was blue in the face, but it wouldn't mean anything. "I understand." The problem wasn't the understanding, it was the agreeing. Whoever had hurt Finn was a monster for being so careless and cruel, but Kurt knew that it didn't mean Blaine was the same. "I know it doesn't change anything," Kurt added quietly, "but you should know that he never hurt me."

Burt indicated his son's throat with a scowl. "I'd beg to differ," he pointed out. Kurt really had no idea how much danger he was in. How could he tell him, make him understand? It was a talk that he never thought he would have to face with him. "I can handle just about anything, Kurt--anything, except vampires." Burt slammed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration. "Why did they have to come out? We were all safe when they weren't around."

"Were we?" Kurt asked, tone more wistful than angry. He hadn't felt safe. Every day, all day he felt exposed and vulnerable. He'd felt safer with Blaine than he had for months at school. "There probably wasn't much choice, really. How long does any scandal stay secret these days?" The media looked for dirt, no matter how ludicrous. Vampires would have been forced out of the metaphoric closet if they hadn't stepped forward on their own. "And with True Blood..." Kurt knew that his father didn't agree, and he knew that he'd done nothing to improve the man's opinion of vampires, but he also didn't know how to communicate to his father of all people that he'd been the one who asked Blaine to feed. He'd wanted the intimacy of the act between them. Absently Kurt reached up and ran his fingers over the healing wound, almost wishing it wasn't so clean and well-tended. At least if he had a scar, there would be something there, something to help him remember it all...

"Yeah, well, if they would just stick with their own kind, then we wouldn't have a problem." Burt gripped the steering wheel, going around the block the Last Drop was situated on and glaring at the vampire club with disgust. The streets were dark and there was no sign of Finn. Burt felt the weight on his heart growing heavier. How was he supposed to tell Carol her son was missing? He started to sweat despite the coolness of the cab, and he noticed his pulse was racing wildly. "I'll get you home where you'll be safe." He paled, his vision blurring.

Noting that his father's voice sounded more strained than he would have expected, Kurt looked over to see sweat standing out on Burt's brow and an unusual lack of color in his cheeks. "Pull over," Kurt ordered firmly. "Dad, please, pull over." The second they were on the side of the road and safely in park, Kurt reached for his father's hand and quickly took his pulse. "We need to get you to the hospital. Do you want to ride in the passenger seat, or would you rather lie down in back?" Kurt asked. He was trying hard to sound calm and authoritative despite his hands shaking and fear pulsing through his veins.

"I... think I'd better lay down," Burt replied shakily. It had all been too much for him. As badly as he wanted to continue the search for Finn, Burt knew he was in no shape to help his stepson let alone himself. "Don't worry, I'll be okay." He wasn't sure if it was for Kurt's benefit or if he was trying to convince himself. Burt slowed his breathing, trying to calm down as Kurt took the driver's seat and headed toward the hospital.

By the time they were on their way home, it was Kurt who was gripping the wheel, knuckles white and jaw set. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so tense about so many things all at once, but he felt sick to his stomach. The doctors had done a small battery of tests and finally determined that it was a slight arrhythmia from the stress. That did little to make Kurt feel better about everything, but he tried to keep a brave face on for his father's sake. It was getting closer to dawn, and Kurt fervently hoped that one way or another, Finn would be making his way home soon. "We need to get you in and get you to bed," he said firmly as he helped his father out of the car.

Carol met them at the door, a look of anguish on her face. Burt had been dreading this moment, and he leaned a little heavier on his son without meaning to. He explained as calmly as he could what had happened to his wife. Carol was in tears, but took charge immediately. She helped Burt upstairs to their room and put him to bed. While they were gone, a police detective arrived and knocked on the open front door. "Excuse me, son?" he said to Kurt, recognizing him. "Can I have a word with you?"

Kurt paled, but he stepped aside to let the man in anyway. He remembered the officer from earlier, and though the last thing he wanted to do was speak to him, there wasn't much choice. He did want to help Finn, and he definitely wanted to make sure that his father rested instead of worrying about it. "Of course. Anything that I can do to help." Kurt sat down on the couch and tried not to let the fact that he was frayed to his last nerve show.

"We still haven't been able to locate your brother," the detective explained. He tried to soften the blow, taking out a piece of paper and showing it to Kurt. "We made inquiries at the Last Drop, and we were told about a vampire who might be the one who attacked Mr. Hudson." The police sketch depicted a man with shaggy hair, wild eyes and apparently drenched in blood. "Have you seen him? Do you know who he is?"

Instead of horror at the rather disturbing look of the man in the picture, Kurt felt the giddy urge to laugh. He had no idea who the man was. None at all. He felt a surge of relief. They weren't looking for Blaine, and that was at least one small thing to check off the list of painful fears and worries weighing on his heart. "No," Kurt answered, keeping his expression careful and concerned, "no, I'm sorry... I've never seen him before."

The detective watched Kurt's reaction carefully, searching for the slightest hint of a lie. Finding none, he pressed the sketch into the teenager's hand. "Keep it, just in case," he said, noticing the fang marks on Kurt's throat. "With this vampire running around, you might want to steer clear of the Last Drop." Although he wasn't as anti-vampire as a lot of his colleagues, the detective was, however, growing increasingly worried about the safety of the citizens of Lima. "We'll be in contact if we have any news about your brother."

The warning made Kurt wince, but he nodded anyway. "Of course, officer," he murmured. That was the last thing he wanted, but it was precisely what he needed to do. He'd made his father a promise, and it was a promise he intended to keep. "I'll be careful." Kurt shoved the bitter sadness away and focused himself on Finn, who could have been anywhere with anyone. Would a glamour be strong enough to take Finn away from them if he didn't want the person to begin with? "If there is... if there is anything that can help, tell me. I want Finn back safely."

"If we can discover the identity of this vampire, then that would go a long way to helping," the detective replied. He started to leave, only to turn back and confide in Kurt. "We had a report that a young lady had been attacked by the perp who fits our description." The cop was quick to allay the teenager's fears, "She's not dead. But, this animal nearly drained her completely." He let a hand rest on Kurt's shoulder, seeing something of his own boy in him. "Again, be careful." He took his leave, returning to his car to continue the search for Finn Hudson.