-A Random Niff Scene Appears- 

Jeff stared into the display screen in his bathroom as he worked a little more product into his hair. He gave his bangs an experimental flip with a toss of his head and smiled seductively. He approved of the effect. It was always a tricky line between too much product and too little - too much and he’d have Blaine’s helmet head or too little and it would just lay there all flat and uninteresting.

Suddenly, Jeff was hit with a feeling that he couldn’t identify. Everything felt strange as if he’d woken up in a place he’d never seen. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and thought he saw a stranger. Then he shook his head in confusion. There wasn’t a mirror. Vampires couldn’t be seen in mirrors. His image was captured by a video camera and displayed on a flat screen embedded in the wall behind a glass. He knew that.

Jeff panicked. He didn’t know what was happening to him, but it was strange and surreal.

“Nick,” he called as he turned to the door, but his sire was already at his side having felt his distress before he could verbalize it.

“What’s wrong, Baby?” Nick asked as he reached out to sooth his distraught progeny.  He took a moment to admire his lover standing before him bare chested, wearing just a pair of shorts. Nick was in a similar state of undress. It was a typical lazy Saturday morning and neither of them had bothered to get dressed yet.

Jeff turned and looked at his image again. It seemed normal. Completely familiar.

“Why do I like my hair like this?” he demanded.

“Why do you like your hair like that?” Nick repeated with a chuckle. “That’s what you were in such a state over? I have no idea, Jeff. You just do, I guess. Why, do you want to change it?”

Jeff’s face scrunched in thought.

“Could I?” he asked excitedly. “What if I dyed it pink?”

“I don’t think so,” Nick said indulgently. “Pink wouldn’t go with our uniforms. You could change it a little if you want, but nothing involving cutting because it won’t grow back. I should have thought to have you grow it out before I changed you,” he continued softly as he ran his fingers through the blond hair in question.

Jeff ignored him and started looking around the bathroom as new panic bubbled up in him. His eyes lit on the toilet next to the shower.

“Why do we have that?”

Nick shrugged.

“I don’t know. I suppose it would look strange to have an entire wing of the dorm with no toilets. Besides we have human guests sometimes. What’s gotten into you?” Nick asked with concern.

Jeff ignored him and wandered into the main suite in a daze. He started looking at each element of the room as if he’d never seen it before. Everything seemed strange and yet familiar at the same time. He had lived his whole life in this suite, hadn’t he?

Besides the closets and the bathroom, there was only one large room, divided into areas by the furniture. A couch, two chairs, and a television designated an area as a living room. Bookshelves lined one whole wall and there was an area with a computer desk. The king sized bed took up a sizable portion of the bedroom area.

Jeff wandered over to the bookshelves and started looking at the titles. He whipped around to confront Nick who was trailing him with a concerned look.

“These are all your books.”

“Yes, Baby. They are. You were never much of a reader. But come here,” he said leading Jeff to another area of the shelves. “See? All of your graphic novels and serials are here. All your favorites, “Hack/Slash, Jennifer Blood, Anita Blake…And your video games, DVDs. All of your stuff is here too, Jeff. Everything you love.”

“Lacrosse?” Jeff asked hopefully.

“No, lacrosse is a game you used to play. It can’t be here like your things,” Nick explained patiently.

“I didn’t used to live here,” Jeff mused thoughtfully. The statement felt true, but strange and scary at the same time. Jeff was sure of it though.

It was a statement not a question but Nick answered anyway.

“No, you didn’t. Do you remember where you used to live?”

“No,” Jeff answered. “No, I can’t remember.”

“It’s okay, Baby. This is happening a little faster than I thought it would, but you’re going to be okay. Let’s get dressed and hang out down in the rec room. Hanging out with the guys will do you some good.”

The boys walked into one of the huge closets and Nick began to pick through the dozens of t-shirts that lined one wall.

“What do you want to wear?” he asked his progeny. He held up a black t-shirt with a melting rubik’s cube on it. Jeff shook his head. “No, how about Supergirl?” he asked offering another.

Jeff brushed past him and picked a faded t-shirt. It had once been black but it was more gray now from age. There were several holes and the Venom logo had flakes of white missing and cracked.

“This one,” he said emphatically.

“No,” Nick said shaking his head. “That’s completely worn out. You can’t wear it anymore. If you must wear Venom, at least wear the new one that I bought you,” he insisted as he pulled out newer shirt with an identical design.

“This is my favorite shirt,” Jeff argued petulantly as he clutched the older one to his chest.

“I know,” Nick said with an exasperated sigh. “That’s why I bought you the new one. You wore this one out. You must have a hundred t-shirts, Baby, and you wear a uniform five days a week so I don’t see why you want to wear this one so often.”

“It’s my favorite,” Jeff asserted. Then confusion crossed his face again. Nick’s heart nearly broke to see Jeff like this. He knew Jeff would come through eventually, but he wished he could help him.

“Why is this my favorite?” Jeff asked in a panic. Nick was tempted to lie and claim that he didn’t know or make up something soothing.

“It’s your favorite because someone special gave it to you,” Nick admitted.

“You gave it to me?” Jeff asked brightly.

“No, you had it when I met you, Jeff,” Nick said gently.

The statement sent another wave of panic through Jeff because he knew that he’d never met Nick. Nick had made him. He only existed because of his sire so there was no before. He didn’t want to think strange thoughts about some confusing time before Nick.

Jeff’s confusion passed and he seemed to forget his distress and reached for the newer shirt. He put it on with no further protest.

Nick pulled his lover close, hooking his hands behind the tall blond boy’s neck. He smiled and whispered as their lips drew near, “You are so beautiful, Baby. I love you so much. Do you even understand how much I need you?”

“I know what you need,” Jeff replied darkly. The tall blond lowered himself to his knees, trailing his lips along Nick’s bare chest, pausing to flick his tongue across a dark nipple, and kissing his stomach.  As he finally reached the band of Nick’s boxers, Jeff looked up through long lashes and smiled knowingly. “I know exactly what you need,” he repeated licking his lips suggestively.

A sharp intake of Nick’s breath was all the encouragement he needed.

Jeff pulled Nick’s shorts down to his ankles, freeing his cock which lay half hard already from the sight of Jeff on his knees. The older vampire kicked the shorts off and they landed a few feet from where they stood. 

Jeff gave Nick’s rapidly responding cock a few teasing licks before looking up to catch his sire's eye and give him a wicked grin.

“If you keep teasing me like that,” Nick threatened playfully, “I’ll bend you over and just take you however I please.”

Jeff chuckled and shook his head.

“Un uh,” he said smugly. “You aren’t in charge now.”

“I’m not?” Nick teased back.

“Definitely not,” Jeff said before taking Nick’s hard cock deep into his throat with one swallow. 

“Definitely not,” Nick agreed hoarsely as he flailed to find his balance. His nails lengthened and turned to black claws as his vampire aspect surfaced momentarily in his passion. He grabbed a nearby shelf and dug deep gashes into it as he growled his pleasure. Jeff completely ignored the sound of the cracking wood and continued sucking with abandon.

Nick couldn’t help but think of the first time that he and Jeff had made love as two vampires. With the shackles of his need to be careful with his human lover gone, the experience had been a night of wild unbridled passion that had left the sheets shredded and his bed a bloody mess.

Nick tried to calm himself to allow the experience to last longer and managed to regain enough control to look human again.  He smiled down at this enthusiastic lover. 

“You’re so good, Baby. So good,” he hissed. Jeff just hummed in response and fondled Nick’s balls. Nick spread his legs a little to allow better access as Jeff’s hand roamed to his ass. He dug his hands into Jeff’s hair and moaned as he couldn’t hold back any longer. Jeff eagerly swallowed down his sire’s release of blood, eyes getting blacker as the blood bond intensified.

Nick pulled Jeff to his feet and attacked his lips, tasting his own blood. He licked into his lover’s mouth overcome with passion and desire. He moved to his young progeny’s neck, letting his vampire aspect out he bit deeply and sucked the blood as it welled into his mouth. Jeff gasped and clutched at his back overcome by the sensation. With Nick’s blood already flowing in his system, Jeff was immersed in Nick’s feelings as they mingled with his own.

The wound healed quickly under Nick’s mouth and he licked the rapidly smoothing skin clean. Sire and progeny held each other, kissing occasionally but mostly just embracing each other as the blood bond allowed a deeper connection.

Their sire-progeny bond was unusually strong and Nick always knew to some degree what Jeff was feeling and where he was, but in these moments immediately after sharing blood, the bond was intensified to an almost unbearable level of intimacy. He cherished it and once coherent thought returned to him he was grateful yet again for this gift. Today he was able to appreciate a new level of complexity that was in Jeff’s blood. It seemed that his progeny was on the verge of awakening - a process that still might take years or could hit him unexpectedly overnight. Either way, Jeff would emerge with more cognitive abilities and control.

Once they recovered from their passion, Nick picked a random shirt and a pair of jeans for himself and handed another pair to Jeff.  Once he had it buttoned, himself up,  Nick took Jeff by the hand and led him to the couch in their suite. The blood sharing had calmed and soothed Jeff and Nick wanted to take to opportunity to talk to him about the past.

“Come on, I want to tell you a story,” Nick said as he led his progeny.

“Does it have robots?” Jeff asked excitedly. “Robots that turn into cars?”

“No, no robots,” Nick answered as he sat down and pulled Jeff beside him.

“Aliens? I know, an alien invasion!”

“No, this story is about vampires,” Nick said reaching out and touching Jeff’s cheek. “It is a very important story so listen, okay?”

Nick could have used his sire bond on Jeff to gain compliance, but he didn’t. He only used the least amount his influence necessary over Jeff when they were in the most dangerous situations where loss of control could cost Jeff his life. Nick had in fact never once used his control over his progeny in their own suite.

Jeff nodded and smiled at his sire.

“Once upon a time, not really very long ago, there was a vampire,” Nick started.

“Was his name Nick?” Jeff asked cheekily.

“Why, yes, it was,” Nick answered with an indulgent smile.

“And Jeff,” Jeff added. “There were two vampires name Nick and Jeff,” he insisted.

“No, Baby, not yet. Not at the beginning of the story,” Nick corrected.

Jeff frowned at that news but he didn’t interrupt again.

“The vampire was a very young vampire and he lived in New York City with his sire, Isabel. You can’t understand what this means yet, but Isabel is an ancient and powerful vampire and the head of a huge, complex network of families. Her influence isn’t over just her own large family in New York, but the whole east coast. Her progeny, their progeny, lovers, allies, and friends - the politics of navigating such a network can be daunting for anyone but especially her youngest progeny only recently returned to her.”

“It was a good life for him and he wasn’t unhappy exactly, but he was lonely.”

“Because he missed Jeff,” Jeff interjected softly.

“Yeah, I suppose so,” Nick agreed. “He didn’t know it, but perhaps you are wiser I ever realized, Baby, because I think that’s right. Anyway, one day, Isabel decided to send Nick away to live with another family in Ohio where her friend Wes lived. Well, Isabel’s relationship to Wes is more than friendship, but it would take a diagram and more time than I have patience for to explain it. Let’s just say they are old friends and leave it at that.”

“Wes is very old and powerful,” Jeff said wide-eyed.

Nick smiled and gave him a soft kiss.

“I know it seems that way to you. He is a big fish in a small pond here in Ohio, but not so much in the rest of the vampire world. But that’s just a side track. The point is the vampire Nick came to Ohio and became part of a smaller, closer family. He made new friends and thrived.”

“Then one day, he met a human,” Nick said softly. Nick paused to caress Jeff’s face and wonder how he had been so lucky. “He met a human and he fell in love.”

Jeff’s eye’s widened in recognition and surprise.

“I was human and you fell in love with me. I was human and you made me a vampire,” Jeff exclaimed as if he hadn’t been told this many times by Nick in his short vampire life.

“I met you,” Nick agreed, dropping the third person pretext. “I met you and you asked me out. I said yes, of course, because you were just too adorable to refuse. I wanted to drink you down all in one gulp, you were so tempting.”

“Why didn’t you?” Jeff asked.

“You know the rules,” Nick scolded. “No eating students. But that’s not the only reason. If I’d killed you then you’d be gone. I couldn’t have you again and again, every day, which is what I wanted. I never wanted it to be over. So I had to be careful, because the very first time I tasted you, I knew…I knew that I wanted you with me forever.”

Jeff just watched him expectantly waiting for the rest of the story.

“You smelled of fresh cut grass and sunlight. I know, what does sunlight smell like? But I swear that you did.”

“Because I played lacrosse,” Jeff said excitedly.

“Maybe,” Nick agreed. “Do you remember playing?”

Jeff nodded. He did. He couldn’t remember learning it or the names of his teammates, but he remember the sun and the grass and excitement of the game. He had been good at it and he had loved it.

“I’m sorry that you had to give it up,” Nick said. “Do you miss it?”

“I don’t think so,” Jeff answered. “I didn’t even remember playing until just now.”

Jeff felt calm and Nick wanted him to understand everything so he continued.

“You had the cutest freckles sprinkled across your nose,” he said reaching out and touching his lover’s nose with a smile.

“I don’t have freckles,” Jeff objected.

“Not any more,” Nick agreed. “They fade when you don’t spend time in the sun and I turned you in the winter.”

“There’s more isn’t there?” Jeff prompted when Nick fell silent for a bit.

“Yes, of course. We dated for a while and I fell head over heels in love with you, Baby. I fell so hard that I didn’t think I could live without you. Eventually, I told you that I was a vampire.” Nick paused and chuckled. “Well, actually you had already figured it out by then.”

“Of course,” Jeff snarked. “I’m smart that way.”

“Don’t get sassy with me,” Nick teased back. “You’re right though,” Nick admitted seriously.

“You are smart. I never forget that even though you don’t remember everything yet. I know you are confused sometimes and you live so much in the moment, but that doesn’t make you any less than you were before.”

Nick paused to nuzzled Jeff’s neck and sighed at the familiar vampire scent - so different from his human smell. Underneath the unmistakable vampire signature, there was something more specific that identified Jeff as his bloodline. Uniquely his.

“You’re so much a creature of pleasure, now. I never imagined that you would love undead life so much. You delight in every little thing - the world is so new and exciting for you. I love that about you. Even if you don’t remember your human self, it’s still there in that quality.”

Nick pulled Jeff closer and kissed him softly for a while before continuing.

“After you knew what I was, you were so impatient to be turned. There wasn’t a night we spent together that you didn’t hound me to make you a vampire. I never let on how hard it was to put you off.”

“I’m going to tell you something that I never told you when you were human, Jeff. I love that you wanted me to change you. I love that you came to me willingly, but it didn’t matter. I let you think you had a choice, but you never did. I wasn’t going to let you go. Not ever. If you had run from me, I would have pursued you to the ends of the earth and I would have made you mine. And now you are bound to me forever. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

Jeff pulled away and looked into his sire’s eyes. He nodded almost imperceptibly and said softly, “I’m bound to you forever. I’m yours.  I remember. You think you chose me, Nick, but I chose you. I chose this. I wanted you that much - enough to give up everything to be with you forever.”

Jeff straddled the smaller vampire and pinned his hands against the couch. He leaned in close and whispered hoarsely, “But you’re mine, too. You’re mine forever now and you’ll never get away from me.”

His eyes were dark with passion as he claimed Nick’s lips fiercely. He did remember making the choice. It wasn’t clear in his mind and there were so many gaps in his memories, but he knew one thing. Nick. He knew deep with all his being that he had chosen Nick. He had chosen to die for this person that he loved so much.

Nick thought Jeff had the right of it; he was Jeff’s as much as Jeff was his. He hadn’t expected that, but he wasn’t sorry in the least.

Jeff let go of Nick’s hands to cup his face and Nick’s hands moved up under Jeff’s shirt. Jeff practically growled in frustration when someone knocked on the door.

Nick chuckled and pushed him off to go the door. Jeff trailed behind pouting and crossing his arms in protest at the interruption.

“Hey, Trent,” Nick said to the vampire at the door. Trent was angelic looking, slightly chubby and in appearance no more than sixteen. He had been with the Warblers longer than Nick but only by a few decades.

“We’re having a get together down in the rec room now that everyone has settled back in from the break,” Trent said brightly. “I thought you might want to join in.”

“Yeah, I got the text,” Nick said. “We were just on our way.”

“I can see that,” Trent smirked taking in Nick’s disheveled hair and the way Jeff’s shirt was rucked up.

“We will make it there eventually,” Nick assured him with a smile.

“Will there be anyone to eat?” Jeff asked eagerly.

“No,” answered Trent sourly. “The council wouldn’t allow it.”

“We’ll see you later,” Nick said as he shut the door and turned to Jeff. “You can’t be hungry again already, Baby. We just got back from that hunting trip in Cinci.”

“Well, I am,” insisted Jeff. “Can’t we go again?”

“No, and don’t mention that we went in the first place, remember?”

“Stupid rules,” Jeff grumbled.

“They are for our protection, Baby. It’s too dangerous to let everyone just go out and hunt as much as they want to. It isn’t like it used to be. I think maybe we’re lucky that we are young enough to have never known any other way. The older vampires have to live with the memories of when vampires could do whatever they wished. It just can’t be that way any more.”

Jeff pushed Nick against the door and kissed him fiercely.

“We could go somewhere else where there aren’t any rules. No council or Warblers. Just you and me,” Jeff suggested.

“There’s nowhere like that, Baby,” Nick answered gently. “Besides, you’d miss everyone, wouldn’t you?”

Jeff admitted that he would indeed miss all of their friends. After that, the pair finally managed to get fully dressed and leave their room but not before another short round of making out.

-Where’s Blaine?-

Jeff and Nick walked into the large room filled with most of the Warblers. The boys were in their casual clothes, mingling in small clusters. A considerable number surrounded Jon who was gesturing and talking excitedly to a rapt crowd.

In one corner, Trent and Brock were exchanging blood. Nick frowned at the indiscretion - they were supposed to keep blood exchange in private and even though it was unlikely that they’d be seen they were in a public space. Nick looked around and saw Wes, David, and Thad chatting on the other side of the room. He shrugged. If they didn’t care, then who was he to say anything?

They mingled and chatted with their friends for some time before Nick realized that Blaine was missing. It was strange for him to be absent and in fact most of the boys were expecting him to start up an impromptu serenade.

Nick found Thad and approached the older vampire since he was a particularly close friend of Blaine’s.

“Thad,” Nick asked. “Have you seen Blaine? I’m surprised that he isn’t here.”

“He won’t come out of his room,” Thad said glumly. “I’m worried about him. Maybe you could try talking to him?” Thad added hopefully.

“Me? Why, aren’t you closer to him?” Nick asked.

“Usually,” the older vampire admitted. “But there is something off lately and he just won’t talk to me about it. I think he’s in one of his depressions. He gets like that sometimes, but usually a little sex and he ‘s fine. Now…” Thad paused, unsure how much he wanted to admit to Nick. “Well, we just aren’t…I mean, I just don’t think that’s going to help this time. He won’t tell me what’s going on, so maybe he’ll open up to you. He seemed fine before the break but since we got back, he’s barely left his suite.”

“I’ll try to talk to him,” Nick assured. He had an idea that Blaine’s reluctance had something to do with the Slayer. As far as he knew, Blaine hadn’t revealed his romantic interest in the human to anyone else. Everyone knew of the on again off again relationship between Thad and Blaine and there was no doubt in Nick’s mind that he wouldn’t approve of Blaine pursuing the Slayer. It didn’t help that Thad had a huge grudge against slayers in general due to the murder of his sire.

-Lovers, Allies, and Friends-

Blaine answered the knock at the door to his suite and stood looking apathetically at Nick and Jeff. He was wearing only drawstring pajama pants and no shirt. Normally such a state of undress would be a welcome sight, but he looked so worn and pale that his usual sexiness was washed away. His hair was an unruly mass of curls completely untamed by gel. He looked much younger and more vulnerable than Nick had ever seen.

It was a stark reminder that Blaine had just been a teenager when he’d been turned. Nick had been in his early twenties and while he had no trouble passing for a teen, Blaine really had been barely out of childhood when his human life had ended. It wasn’t unusual for older vampires to have been turned young. In those days, human died so suddenly of diseases that when a vampire found one he wanted, there was no courtship or delay. 

“You look like hell,” Jeff commented honestly.

Nick half expected a sassy retort, but Blaine just stared for a second and motioned for them to come in. The vampire was pale and gaunt as if he hadn’t fed in far too long. Nowhere near dangerously starved, but still a surprising sight.

“Blaine, when was the last time you ate?” Nick asked concerned.

“I don’t know,” Blaine admitted. “Thad and I had some take out.”

“Come on, Blaine. You need to take better care of yourself. If you get to too hungry, you’ll lose control and kill someone. Now, I know you are far too beloved to get into any real trouble for it, but think of the cover up we’ll have to pay for.”

Blaine remembered the last time he’d lost control. He and Thad had eaten a whole pizza boy. He hadn’t meant to, but they were so drained from a sex marathon that neither of them had been thinking clearly.  Wes had been so angry, but he had only cared that there had been money trail leading to Dalton. He never understood that the boy probably had family. People who would miss him. 

I murdered him because I was hungry from fucking so much. He died because I’m a such horrible selfish person.

Nick was right, Blaine could get away with murder. Wes had been more angry at Thad than Blaine anyway. As the older party, he should have known better.

“Blaine,” Nick said touching his arm breaking him out of his morose reminiscence. “What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this to yourself? You aren’t going to do something reckless are you? I’ve heard that some really ancient vampires go out into the sun when they are overcome with ennui but you aren’t nearly that old.”

“I can’t,” Blaine said sadly as he sat down on the couch.

Nick didn’t miss that Blaine had said can’t, not won’t. He didn’t understand, but he wanted to help his friend. Jeff sat down next to Blaine and wrapped his arms around the older vampire.

“Bite me,” he offered brightly. “That will make you feel better.”

Blaine laid his head on the young blonde's shoulder but made no move to take his blood.

“Do you have any bottled blood? It won’t help much, but it might take the edge off,” Nick commented as he sat next to his lover.

“There’s some in the fridge,” Blaine sighed. “I don't want it. It’s dead and disgusting. I’m not hungry, anyway.”

“Blaine, you have to take care of yourself. It shouldn’t be so hard for a vampire your age. You don’t need that much blood. Try keeping Jeff fed,” he joked trying to get Blaine to crack a smile. “The boy has an endless appetite.”

The older vampire was unresponsive to Nick’s overtures. 

“Jeff, go warm up some blood for, Blaine,” Nick ordered.

Nick scooted over closer to Blaine when his lover got up to find the blood in the fridge and put some in the microwave.

“Is this about the Slayer?” Nick asked. “Is that why you are so down? What happened? I thought things were going well between you. ”

Blaine found his phone and handed it to Nick.

“Read the email he sent me,” Blaine said.

Nick scanned the email quickly. There was nothing terribly revealing in it.

“He talks about slaying. Well, he mentions Alexander pretty often. Turns out he really loves it. That’s good, right?” Nick said looking at Blaine encouragingly. “You were so worked up about finding just the right gift and I think it really worked out.”

Jeff returned with a mug of warmed blood that he handed to Blaine. Blaine took it, but didn’t drink, instead setting it down on the table beside him.

“That was a really tight gift,” Jeff said enthusiastically. “Shiny!”

Blaine looked to Nick for clarification.

“Tight and shiny are good…I guess?” Nick said with a little smile and a shrug.

Jeff snorted.

“Good? Good wishes it was shiny,” he muttered.

“Better than good then. So Kurt loves the sword, he’s emailing you and everything seems good, ” Nick recapped. “I don’t see anything here at all to be depressed about. What am I supposed to be seeing?”

He looked at Blaine expectantly.

“What about text he sent me?” Blaine whined.

“What?” Nick said as he read it.

From Kurt:

Blaine, ran into something called revenants. Pretty nasty things. Maybe we can meet up and discuss how to tackle getting rid of them. Text me if you can meet me at the Lima Bean soon.

“He wants me to come down and help him kill revenants,” Blaine complained.

“Those things are really gross and difficult to kill. Strictly a human problem as they don’t eat vampires. Yeah, I can see why you wouldn’t want to, but nothing to get all depressed over.”

“He hasn’t asked me how I am. How was my trip to California. Not one word about his family. It’s all so cold, Nick. Why is he being so cold?” Blaine asked.

“That’s it?” Nick asked skeptically. “You’re starving yourself and worrying all your friends because this boy isn’t effusive enough in his texts and emails? Blaine, I’m going to be blunt here. Get over it! Pull yourself together and stop wallowing in self pity.”

“You don’t know what it’s like, Nick. I think I’m in love with him and I don’t know what to do about it,” Blaine exclaimed. Blaine couldn’t explain it to Nick because he didn’t understand it himself. He only knew that for the first time in two hundred years, Kurt gave him hope. A desire to live. 

“I know what it’s like to be in love, Blaine,” Nick countered.

“That’s different,” Blaine said. “Jeff was crazy about you from the moment he laid eyes on you. Everyone could see it.”

“Jeff’s not the first person that I’ve been in love with, Blaine. I was twenty-four when I was turned and happily engaged. It’s strange but apparently at a third of your age I have far more experience in the ways of love.”

“What happened to her?” Blaine asked.

“She was my first kill,” Nick answered without a hint of emotion. “My sire fed her to me the night I rose.”

“Oh my god, that’s horrible,” Blaine blurted out before he could stop himself.

“Not really,” Nick answered. He knew very well that the story might be shocking to a human; he had never told Jeff about it when they were dating - like so much of his vampire life, he had sought to shelter the boy from. Nick still had trouble remembering the Blaine tended to react strongly to ordinary occurrences like a human.

“It was just a practical thing for Isabel to do. Of course, I would have been ravenous when I rose, not that I remember it, and feeding me Kate was killing two birds with one stone. She would have been a problem if I had simply disappeared. Faking my death would have never fooled her without a body. We were very in love and she was a stubborn and bright girl. Instead, Isabel arranged for us to have appeared to have eloped and died in an accident abroad.”

“I know that shouldn’t bother me,” Blaine admitted. “I did so many worse things when I was younger, but now I can barely stand to feed. Worse, I’m terrified of falling for Kurt and having him eventually find out. It’s better to just not get involved, right? I should just stick to my own kind. At least they never judge me, even when I’m strange.”

“Blaine,” Nick said taking Blaine’s hands in his. “You have to take the chance. I know I was against it at first, but that was just because he was the Slayer, not because he’s human. Vampires make it work with humans all the time. I remember having a conscious and caring about things that humans do. That’s all you have to do - just try to remember those things and say what they need to hear. Leave out anything too upsetting for them. It should be even easier for you because you tend to feel like a human almost.”

“That’s it? That’s your advice? Lie?” Blaine asked.

“Yeah, lie ’til they die. After all, that’s the goal isn’t it? Turn him?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I have a long term goal. I just want him to love me,” Blaine admitted miserably.

“From what I can tell, he really wants you,” Nick said encouragingly. 

“I know he wants me,” Blaine answered with an exasperated sigh. “I can tell that he wants me physically - the way his pupils dilate; the soft little gasps he makes when I touch him,” Blaine said with a faraway voice as he lost himself in memories.  “Oh, sometimes, he has this aroused scent and I have to stop breathing just to keep myself in check.” 

“Blaine, drink some blood,” Jeff said softly holding the warm mug to his lips. Blaine opened his eyes to  see Jeff kneeling on the floor in front of him, holding the mug hopefully. “You can say yuck and make a face, but you have to drink it anyway,” Jeff said with a sweet smile.

Blaine finally laughed. He couldn’t help it; Jeff’s sweetness was just too much to resist. Blaine could easily imagine all the times Nick had made Jeff drink bottled blood when he didn’t want to and now the boy was taking care of Blaine.

“Thanks,” Blaine said gratefully. He took the mug from the young vampire’s hands and drank the contents all in one go. He shuddered and made a face when he was done, eliciting a snicker from Jeff. 

After that, Blaine seemed to return to himself slowly. He spent the evening talking about Kurt and his recent trip to California. He had to fend off amorous advances from Jeff, but he didn’t mind. The boy’s enthusiasm only served to put him in a better mood. He couldn’t really explain to either of his friends why he wasn’t interested in getting sexual. Even within the confines of  romantic relationships, monogamy wasn’t common among vampires. Their sexual appetites tended to be too great and their life spans too long.

He didn’t understand it himself, but since his talk with Thad before the break, he realized that even though he wasn’t in a relationship with Kurt, he wanted no one else.

-Strange Bedfellows-

 The kids in glee gave the unusual visitors confused looks. The entire football team sat on one side of the room, and the Cheerios filled out the rest of the chairs in the choir room. Glee had never been so packed.

Will Schuester stood in front of the class with Coach Shannon Beiste to his right and Couch Sue Sylvester to his right. 

“You might be wondering why there are so many new additions to our choir, today,” Will said with a smile. He turned to Coach Beiste and gestured with his hand. “I’ll let Coach Beiste explain what’s going on. Coach?”

Coach Beiste stepped forward and addressed the crowd of teenagers.

“I was brought here to take the Titans to a championship and we are just weeks away from that goal. Before I arrived, McKinley hadn’t won a football game in years. But none of that matters if you don’t have school pride. It’s just game if we aren’t doing it for everyone. Now, my boys know that if I catch them bullying someone, they are cut from the team. No exceptions. I’m tough but if you all are smart enough to make sure I don’t see it or there ain’t no proof-"

“Hey, he tripped and fell is always a good excuse. I’ve used that one, myself, countless times,” Sue interrupted looking knowingly at the students and nodding.

“Maybe if you spent more time teaching these kids values instead of how to get away with bullying we might not have a problem,” Will snapped.

-Gossip and Revelations -

“So then, Coach Sylvester actually took a swing at Mr. Shue!” Kurt exclaimed excitedly. “It was a huge mess.”

“Wow, your glee club has more drama than the Warblers,” Blaine chuckled.

The two boys sat across from each other at the Lima Bean. Blaine had arrived still in his Dalton uniform not long after sunset.

Kurt hadn’t failed to notice the look he had elicited from the vampire when he’d seen Kurt wearing his new cheerleading uniform. It was a look that had made Kurt face flush and his stomach jump with excitement. He looked good in the form fitting outfit. It accentuated every muscle in all the right ways. Kurt knew that in his head, but most of the time he didn’t feel it deep down. Every time he looked in the mirror, he expected to see the small androgynous boy that was his inner image of himself.

They had a great deal of catching up to do, but he had spend most of the time explaining his attempt to get something done about bullying at McKinley High. He had enlisted Coach Beiste in his cause and she had been the one to come up with the brilliant plan of enrolling the entire football team in glee. Kurt had recited the entire tale to Blaine starting with the slushy experience and continuing through the addition of the jock and Cheerios to the glee club.

“I don’t know how in the world Coach Beiste persuaded Coach Sylvester to go along with her plan. Blackmail, I think,” Kurt said conspiratorially with a smile. “Well, that and offering me up as a sacrificial lamb,” he added with an eye roll.

“It’s not that bad, is it?” Blaine asked. “I’m mean, you would be a great cheerleader after all and you look fantastic in that uniform.”

Kurt preened at Blaine’s praise.

“I guess. And it does mean I can get some solos. At least I managed to get Mercedes in as well as part of the deal. I just don’t know how I’ll have time to do it all.” Kurt paused to think for a second before adding, “Unless Mr. Shue counts cheerleading practice as slayer training. He should; Coach Sylvester is harder on her team than he ever is with me.”

“What is this supposed to accomplish, Kurt? I’m still confused about that,” Blaine admitted.

“We’re going to be working together and that’s supposed to bring us together and foster understanding,” Kurt explained. “The glee club, including all the Cheerios and the football team, is going to put on the most spectacular half time show McKinley has ever seen. If that doesn’t bring us together, what will?”

“What are you going to be doing for this show?”

“Madonna!” Kurt exclaimed with excitement. “We are doing the material girl herself!” he continued practically bouncing in his seat. “The boys objected, of course, but Coach Sylvester was adamant. Apparently, there was some attempt at a Katy Perry number and it bored her into a rage,” Kurt said with a laugh.

Blaine looked puzzled.

“Don’t worry,” Kurt teased. “You’d have to meet her to understand.”

“She sounds like some character,” Blaine said with a smile.

“Mercedes, girls, over here,” Kurt called over Blaine’s shoulder. He waved at Mercedes, Quinn, and Rachel who had just walked into the coffee shop together.

Mercedes, Rachel, and Quinn joined Kurt and Blaine after pulling another table and some extra chairs over to make room for the crowd.

The girls took their turns reciting the day’s events to Blaine, repeating their favorite parts and quotes. There was some awkwardness at first as Mercedes, in particular, eyed Blaine suspiciously but their desire to gossip over came their reticence.

“Who knew Noah Puckerman could sing?” Rachel gushed. “His rendition of ‘Only the Good Die Young’ was impressive and I think we can persuade him to stay in glee even after the big game. That is if you don’t mind, Kurt,” she said guiltily to Kurt. Coach Beiste had made participation in glee a requirement for playing in the championship game, but even she admitted that she couldn’t require anyone to stay after that or to compete at Regionals. 

“Rachel, it was my idea to try to reform the jocks so why would I mind?” Kurt answered. “It’s time to stop holding grudges and change people.”

“Men never change,” Quinn grumbled almost to herself. Then she looked around the table and smiled, “But they can pretend to and that’s good enough.”

“You don’t really believe that do you?” Rachel asked scandalized. “I know Finn has changed. I know you two have an unfortunate history,” she continued looking at Kurt.

“That’s an understatement,” Kurt muttered darkly. He smiled and said brightly if not completely sincerely, “But Rachel’s right, Finn is trying to be a better person so why not the rest of the miscreants?”

The conversation continued in that vein for a while, but Kurt focused his attention of Blaine. Blaine occasionally added small quips the best he could given that he was an outsider. For the most part he and Kurt stared and smiled at each other while the girls chatted.

Quinn began a rant about Couch Sylvester that seemed to never end.

“What does she want from us?” she continued. “I mean we set our boobs on fire and she was bored; how am I supposed to deal with that?”

“Seriously? Your cheerleading routine involves fire?” Blaine asked incredulously.

Quinn shrugged and said, “Not any more. Apparently that wasn’t spectacular enough. She was going to shoot Brittany out of a cannon-”

“What?” Blaine exclaimed nearly jumping out of his chair.

“Relax, she and Santana talked her out of it,” Quinn said looking at Blaine. She gave the Warbler a puzzled looked as she continued. “I don’t know how, but for some reason Brittany is sort of the Coach whisperer, I guess.” Quinn mulled over that idea for a second before returning to her complaining. 

Blaine looked at Kurt and raised his eyebrow.

Kurt just shook his and mouthed quietly ‘they don’t know.’

Blaine smiled with relief and gave Kurt a grateful look.

“And now, she’s decided to add vocals to her wildly overproduced routines,” Quinn quoted sardonically as she glared at Kurt.

Kurt smirked back and said, “Your just jealous because my high kicks are better than yours.”

“Don’t get cocky, Kurt,” Quinn said darkly. “I’m still head cheerleader and I will be prom queen this year. Nothing is standing in my way.”

Kurt just snorted and rolled his eyes. For some reason Quinn managed to bring up prom as a  non sequitur in nearly every conversation.

“You’re going to be so beautiful standing there accepting that tiara,” Rachel said sweetly as she gazed at Quinn with admiration.

“Of course, I will. I was born to wear a tiara,” Quinn said arrogantly.

“Isn’t it a little early to be campaigning for prom?” Mercedes asked skeptically.

Blaine offered to buy everyone refills on their drinks when the conversation lagged.

He returned and placed requested drinks in front of each of them before returned to his seat with a bottle of ‘energy drink’ in his hand.

“What’s that?” Rachel asked. “I’ve never seen that served here.”

“It’s a private label,” Blaine explained. “The Warblers’ special. I had the manager of the Coffee Bean in Westerville send some down to be stocked here since I visit so often.”

“What if some hapless human orders it by mistake?” Mercedes asked pointedly.

“Why would that matter?” Rachel asked innocently. “It just an energy drink - isn’t it?”

“It’s blood,” Mercedes answered in a low voice.

Rachel’s eyes widened in shock before she answered back, “How would you know?”

“It is,” Blaine affirmed quietly. He shifted uncomfortably at the thought of being the center of so much negative attention. Until now, Kurt’s friends had been treating him as if he were human even though they were all in the loop about vampires.

“You’d know that if you had been paying attention, Rachel. It’s the only thing vampires can consume,” Mercedes lectured while rubbing her hand reflexively on her neck. The bite was long healed and there wasn’t even a scar, but Mercedes often nervously rubbed the spot as if it were still there when the topic of vampires came up. She wasn’t a fan of Kurt’s newly formed views on the supernatural inhabitants of the world, but she valued his friendship enough to keep her criticism to a minimum. Usually.

“How do they get the blood for your special drink?” Mercedes asked pointedly.

“Mercedes,” Kurt scolded, scandalized that she would bring up such a topic.

“Actually, we have a factory. Humans are lined up on a conveyor belt, impaled, and drained into vats,” Blaine deadpanned to the shocked humans.

“Blaine, stop it,” Kurt ordered sharply. “He’s kidding,” he clarified to his human friends who were picturing the evil operation described by Blaine. “Blaine, tell them that you are kidding,” Kurt insisted.

“I’m kidding,” Blaine said too seriously to allay anyone’s fears.

“The blood comes from the same place that hospitals get it,” explained Kurt with a sigh. Blaine had explained it all to him the first time that he had seen the vampire drink bottled blood.

“You mean, from who people volunteer to give their blood to save lives? From people who thought they were donating to help accident and disaster victims?” Mercedes accused. 

“Can we just not talk about this?” Kurt pleaded shooting Mercedes a dark look that she ignored.

“No,” Blaine corrected. “It mostly comes from people who sell their blood. You know for the money. And it does save lives,” he finished with a slight ironic smile.

Quinn finally broke the awkward silence that followed.

“I don’t suppose you know any one who wants to buy some candy?” she asked sweetly.

The weirdness broke as they all laughed at Blaine’s confused expression.

“Part of the deal with the football team is that we have to sell candy to raise money for the trip to state,” Kurt explained helpfully.

Mercedes pulled some of the candy in question from her backpack. 

“And we have to sell it all by the championship game,” Rachel complained.

“We have a quota,” Mercedes said dejectedly. “I’ll probably end up eating it all myself,” she said with a sigh.

“Don’t you dare,” Quinn scolded. “Coach has very strict diet rules and you are a Cheerio now. You’re going to have to get into shape even if you are only on the team to sing.”

After a little more grumbling about the time limit for the candy sales and the pressure of producing a spectacular half time show in record time, Rachel changed the topic.

“Are you guys going out slaying tonight?” she asked excitedly. She practically crackled with a desire to share something with the Slayer and vampire related to the supernatural world.

“No, we’re just doing some recon and planning for now. Blaine and I need to tackle the revenant problem, but it is going to be more complicated than just going out and randomly killing them.”

“Well, if you need some more backup,” Rachel said smugly, “I have a new skill that might help.”

“Really?” Kurt asked skeptically.

“Just watch,” Quinn insisted with  a smirk. “I’ve seen this and it’s seriously cool.”

Blaine didn’t say anything but he looked at Quinn then Rachel then back again before a small smile quirked his lips up on one side. 

Rachel took out a pencil and laid it on the table. 

“Everyone, be very quiet. I need total concentration to do this,” she warned.

“Because peace and quiet are the main things I encounter on patrols,” Kurt snarked.

Rachel shushed him then closed her eyes. At first nothing happened, but then she opened her eyes and focused on the pencil. Everyone had nearly given up on anything interesting happening when the pencil start to spin very slowly without anyone touching it. Finally, it hovered about six inches about the table, still spinning slowly.

“Oh my god, how did you do that?” Mercedes exclaimed breaking Rachel’s concentration.

The pencil fell to the table with a small thud and Rachel let out a shaky breathe.

Rachel looked extremely proud of her accomplishment.

“Sure, that will be great against demons who are trying to kill me,” Kurt commented sarcastically. “Maybe I’ll run into something that is mesmerized by spinning wooden objects.”

“Kurt there is no need for you to put me down,” Rachel said sharply. “After all it wasn’t your hack slashing that defeated Ms. Holiday was it? It was Ms. Pillsbury’s cleaning spell that saved the day. She’s been teaching me.”

“Actually it was Carole’s giant werewolf teeth that saved the day,” Kurt cracked.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Mercedes interjected. “Doesn’t that lead to evil rituals and attempts to cut people hearts out for power?”

“No,” Rachel said primly. “Ms. Pillsbury isn’t evil. Magic isn’t evil, some people are.”

“Actually, that’s really impressive, Rachel,” commented Blaine. “How long have you been studying? It takes years to learn magic and it takes inherent talent. It’s like singing - not everyone can do it. Only magical talent is much rarer than musical talent.”

Rachel sat up straighter and gloated a little in Kurt’s direction before answering Blaine.

“Not very long. Ms. Pillsbury told me I had talent and that I should learn to harness it. She taught me the levitation trick, but even she can’t do it. Her magic mostly involves potions.”

“Can you create a big ball of sunlight?” Kurt asked. “Because that would be very handy.”

“Theoretically,” Rachel said wide eyed. “But not any time soon. That’s really advance stuff.”

“I was joking,” Kurt clarified. “You could really do that?” he asked finally sounding suitably impressed.

Rachel shrugged.

“Eventually?” she said unsure.

“Well, we need something sooner than that,” Kurt said glumly.

“How about we just do recon first,” Blaine suggested. “We can check out the revenant nest and then brain storm how to take it out.”