It was Wednesday which meant open mic night. This was one of the worst times to go to the grill, because all he wanted on a Wednesday night was some peace and quite. The first person on stage was terrible, they sounded like a cat being stepped on and it took alot for him not to throw his drink at them and booed them off like a few of the assholes did.

He didn't look like he was 21, but the bartender didn't seem to care as he kept fixing up one order another another without even asking the innocent looking teen for any I.D. The bartender did know better than to ask such a thing from Damien, he knew that the boy wasn't a normal human.

Damien ordered his fifth Vodka, drowning it in hopes to tune out the singer but it did no good. Why didn't people who actually have some damn talent play? A soft sigh left him as he drowned the rest of his drink and pushed the empty shot glass away, not even a buzz was coming to him yet. It took him alot of get drunk and even then he was only buzz. Vampires don't really get drunk and if they ever did then he would love to learn how.

He looked around the room, immediately picking the gifted in the crowd. Their were alot of them, more than humans actually. A blonde in a tight, short red dress had her eye on him, swaying her hips in a seductive way and kept her green eyes on him, smirking at him and practically invited him in. He just looked her up and down, turning his attention away and acted like he wasn't interested. The blondes thoughts on his actions amused him greatly as he ordered another Vodka and tried to ignore all the thoughts that were creeping into his head.

Wednesdays had never been Tate’s favourite day of the week. It always meant two more days of college before he could go back to causing havoc around the small town his brother had dragged him along too. It also meant his brother spent most of the night ‘out’. He wasn’t sure where ‘out’ was as he never got told and Max was usually ‘out’ before he got home meaning he couldn’t even follow him. It was very curious indeed.

Tate left college at around 5pm, one of the last ones to leave as he’d spent most of his afternoon messing around on the drums and not actually working so he’d been made to stay behind and catch up with what everyone else had done. Of course, Tate wasn’t happy at all about this but the tutor was much bigger than him and quite easily stopped him from climbing out of the window to freedom and placing him back on his chair with a pen and his notebook open in front of him.

It had begun to grow colder outside. In Somber, it was always cold anyway; this Tate had come to learn very quickly after moving from the hotter parts of the country and he hated it.
At home, he ditched his bag and grabbed his hoody and skateboard from his room before listening very quietly for any signs of life around the house. As always, Maxxie was nowhere to be seen and after a few minutes of thinking, he gave a sigh of disappointment at having to spend the night by himself again. Grabbing his keys and one of his pre-made ‘magic cigarettes’, he headed out of the door and back in to the cold growing darkness.

In the last few weeks, Tate had ventured out a lot on his own though mostly just around the apartments, getting used to his surroundings and finding where the blood supply was. There was a lovely elderly couple below his own flat which Tate had his eye on should he even need a quick fix. No one would miss them, they were old anyway.
Tonight, he wanted to venture to the middle of town. He’d been once or twice but not on an evening. Ever since he was a kid he had skated everywhere, his brother got him in to it when he was 6 and since then hadn’t seen the point in walking anywhere. Tonight was no different.

As he reached the lights and hustle of the town centre, he had to dodge a couple of people before he finally ran in to someone. He landed with a bump on the floor and even though the lady was nice enough to offer her hand out to him to help, she was met with a rather nasty glare and a raised middle finger. Startled and appalled by the boy’s rudeness, she quickly marched of, muttering under her breath about the how the generations of today were going to be her downfall.
It took Tate a few moments to get back to his feet and get his hair and clothes straightened out. He wasn’t sure what street he was on or why he had even come this far but a strange noise that reminded him a kitten being drowned was coming from one of the buildings across the road.
Stamping on the edge of his board, he flipped it up, caught it in his hand and walked towards the building to see why someone was making such an awful noise.

The building looked like a pub, a rather beaten down one but a pub none the less with alcohol and people that sounded like cats. A small smile crossed his lips as he flicked his joint end to the floor and decided to take a look inside.
The warm air hit his face as soon as he stepped in and the reason for the strange noises became apparent. Open mic night. Something Tate had never taken part in in his life and still wouldn’t now he was dead… or half dead… he wasn’t sure how it worked.

He grinned to himself as he made his way across the room, taking someone’s pint from their hand and exclaiming to them that he was saving them from liver failure when they tried to protest in a slurred way. They didn’t object; most people didn’t to vampires. He could sense in the room that there were a few like himself out tonight. He hadn’t had the opportunity to meet another vampire yet and felt sure he’d like to keep it that way.
Finally, the bad screeching stopped and he watched as a young lady took the stage instead, laughing at her as she clammed up, stumbled and then couldn’t find her voice. A few people around did the same but most gave her those looks that you give your kids when they are trying to do something for the first time and can’t quite grasp it. Encouraging! That was it. He leant back against one of the tables whilst laughing at her expense and glanced around.

A few people actually gave this girl some looks of encouragement. He just watched her as she clammed up right on stage, to afraid to even make a sound. He didn't make any noise of protest, merely watching her and wondered if she would even speak or just stand their a knock on a log?

He couldn't help but to look over to see a rather obnoxious vampire who was laughing at her expense. Course he didn't really care, but the fact the guy was laughing like a damn Hyena was rather annoying. He shook his head, watching a few other people also laugh at the girls expense before she ran off stage, clearly distraught with how tough the crowd was tonight.

Finally, he just made his way over to where the other male vampire sat and drowned another shot of vodka and looked to the crowd again. I think I saw all your teeth, Mr. Ed. He said.

It didn’t take long before the girl ran from the stage almost in tears. To Tate, it was pretty damn hilarious but he had always had that rather immature side to him and he wasn’t going to change any time soon.
He raised the glass he held to his lips and finished of the watered down beer. He didn’t understand why the added water to the beer in pubs and then over priced for it. Still, he wasn’t buying them so he couldn’t really complain.

Shrugging his shoulders as he placed the glass down, his attention was brought to a young looking male who actually made his skin crawl. There was something different yet horribly familiar about him. The scent.
He stayed perfectly still, his fingers still wrapped around the glass as he raised his eyes to look at the boy. He wouldn’t admit it but he was rather confused to what the boy meant. Teeth? He’d never thought they were that obvious. Gingerly, he raised his spare hand to his mouth to try making sense of what the other was talking about before his hand dropped again. And who was Mr Ed? He now looked at the boy properly with a scowl across his face.

The guy’s attitude was, in some ways, much like Tate’s own. Be it a human or one of those great big furry things he had heard about, he wouldn’t have hesitated to rip its head off for talking to him and confusing him like that. This however, from what he could make out, was one of his own kind and one he knew he should tread carefully around. It didn’t stop him scowling though.
“I actually have no idea what you are on about. It’s Tate. Not ed. Who is Ed? And what do you mean my teeth? There’s nothing wrong with them…”

It was rather amusing at how the other vampire seem to be very confused as to what he was talking about? Was the boy merely ignorant or never saw the original Doctor. Dolittle? He just watched as the other was now gingerly touching his mouth, contemplating and trying to figure out what he meant.

Watch Doctor Dolittle, you might learn something. He said and shook his head, like he was expecting the vampire to know what he was talking about.

The manager decided that open mic night was over, seeing as how the crowd was clearly going to be very critical tonight instead of being encouraging. He ordered another drink and now looked at boy, he was rather attractive looking and was actually his type when it came to boys his age, but he didn't really want to be in a flirty mood yet.

Tate couldn’t help but let his expression fade to that of even more confusion at his answer. He’d heard of that film before but it was a kid’s film. Wasn’t it? Why would he watch that? Being as narrow minded as he was, he really only stuck to comedies and horrors. He didn’t even like his action films because they made him have to think which was odd for a boy of his age.
Watching the other guy order another drink, he blinked a few times as he tried to think. It was a film about animals wasn’t it? And a crazy man that talked to them. He felt sure his mother’s favourite actor was in it but he could never for the life of him remember his name.
What could he possibly learn from that?

Silence surrounded them for a few minutes as the bar man closed the stage for the night followed by boo’s as people objected to their entertainment being taken away. A few times Tate had thought about going up but it had never been his thing to be at the front. He could sing, but the drums interested him more.
Taking a cigarette from the packet in his pocket, he turned back to the boy with a quizzical look, his eyebrows furrowing as he lit the cancer stick.
“Aren’t you a little old to be watching kids films? I think I’ll give it a miss if talking in riddles like you is what we learn from it. Thanks. Also it’s rude not to return a name once one has been given to you. You clearly have the upper hand right now and I’d appreciate we stayed even.”

He smirked slightly though it wasn’t his usual smirk that he gave towards those that he was just being nasty too, he was actually enjoying this. The boy had an air of mystery to him, much like that of Alfie’s when he had first met him and that just made it even more interesting. The odd sly dig would surely mean no harm? Then again, he had thought this before and ended up in a numerous amount of brawls.

The boys comebacks only made him chuckle some, tilting his head back and drowned the last of the alcohol and sigh softly in content before lightly slamming the shot glass back onto the table. A waitress who had walked by immediately took his glass and offered to get him a new room, quickly leaving when he just simply nodded.

He couldn't help but to turn his piercing blue eyes onto the boy before saying. You really want to know me name..... He said and leaned forward, getting alittle to close for anyone who had a bubble and whispered. why don't you figure it out.

He quickly pulled back though, running a hand through his somewhat messy dark hair and took out a pack of cigarettes of his own and placed the yellow part delicately between his red lips. He inhaled deeply once it was lite, sighing softly at the feeling of the nicotine and gave the boy a pretty white smile Why don't you go up there and perform on stage? He asked.

It was apparent that a few people in the old bar knew this boy. Even the waitress seemed to know what he wanted and when which in ways, thought this made the stranger very obnoxious. Part of him was jealous that the town’s people seemed to bend to his every need, almost like pets when they want something. It was all so… sickly yet beautiful.

He watched carefully as the boy leant closer, only stopping inches away from him but Tate held his ground and didn’t budge. What the boy said, in all honesty, was a little silly in Tate’s eyes. He stuck his bottom lip out slightly and pouted.
“I’m not a bloody mind reader.”
Crossing his arms, he huffed where he sat and turned to face the other side of the room so the stranger couldn’t see him sulk.


As his eyes darted around the room, he realised that some of the people may know this mysterious strangers name. His thoughts were broken as the boy brought his attention back to the stage and left his with a question that made him look at the boy as though he was delirious.
“Me? Sing? I can’t…”
This was a blatant lie, he’d spent years studying music and taking lessons though his friends always told him he was one of the lucky ones that didn’t really need lessons.
“I mean… I can… but I don’t like being in the spot light. Unless it’s for something a little more worthwhile and dramatic.”


From across the room, he heard a crash and quickly turned to see what was causing the commotion. His eyes gleamed for a moment as he picked up on the scent of blood. There were humans amongst them and one had clearly been very stupid and wasn’t taking care. He felt a low growl bubble in his throat before he quickly forced himself to look away again and closed his eyes to think of other things. He couldn’t cause a scene in here, not so soon after moving here anyway. His brother was growing tired of always looking out for him and although he never mentioned it, Tate could tell his reckless behaviour was taking its toll on the two brother’s relationship. Instead, he rested his head in one of his hands idly and started to chew in frustration at his own palm instead.

Damien turned his head to see a human had stupidly cut themselves when they fell. The human looked around, alittle terrified that a vampire was going to spring out of now where like a bird of prey and swoop down to cobble him up.

The vampires that were in the bar seem to have some control and some didn't even give the hurt human a second glance. Damien stared at the human for a moment before Tate actions made him cock an eyebrow. It was clear from the boys mind that he was struggling to resist the smell of blood. He had to been just turned maybe a year or so ago, hell it could have been less than that.

He did keep his blue eyes on Tate now, alittle worried that the other was just going to give into his animalistic instincts and go in for the kill.

Across the room everything had fallen silent, the sound of everyone’s drunken chatter and slurred words were muffled by the thoughts that smothered Tate’s ability to think straight. The smell burnt at his nose and made his eyes sting as he tried to keep himself from biting through his own palm. Blood was already trickling down his own wrist and on to the table which glistened under the light and left Tate staring at it in a hypnotic state.
He wanted to cry, scream and lash out as from before his very eyes, images of mutated, bloody corpses flashed in front of them, their face’s twisted into screams of terror.

Tate squeezed his eyes shut as he recognised every one of those faces. They were visions from his past, the same one’s that always made him hungry, the ones that put the thoughts in his head and wouldn’t let him think with anything other than his basic instincts.
He glanced at boy who was looking at him to see if he felt the same too, slight psychotic panic mixed with excitement flashing in his eyes as he let his bloodied hand drop to the table. Then, he turned to look at the human.

He could do it if he wanted to, he knew that. End their life in a heartbeat and they wouldn’t even know what had hit them. Who would stop him?
Before anyone other than the stranger next to him could notice, he had sprung from his chair and was already closing the distance across the floor to his prey. He felt his fingers grip their clothes as they were pushed with such force from the young vampire against the wall but before he had chance to sink his teeth in to the warm flash, something happened that broke the trace like state he was in.

What in the hell was going through this guys mind? Damien could read every thought and what Tate was thinking was psychotic to him....he had never heard of such things by any sane person and knew now that he was dealing with someone who had a screw loose.

It was interesting how things could go from fine to total shit storm. Tate sprung from his chair and was already across the floor and had pin the injured human to the wall. Before Tate had a chance to sink his teeth into the human, Damien was quick the act and yanked Tate off and away from the human before something bad really happened. Course panic and fear erupted from the incident, a few people even ran out, clearly afraid for their mortals lives.

Damien had Tate locked in his arms and the new born wasn't going to get away not that easily. You need to calm down....your going to get us both killed. He commented softly.

Tate cried out in anger as he felt himself being pulled away roughly from the warm body of the living. He squirmed against the others hold as he watched in anguish as his meal made a run for the door. With him, a few of the other customers did too.
He carried on squirming and scratching at whose ever arms it was that now held him firmly but with the state he was in, and not thinking clearly, he wasn’t going anywhere.

He heard the stranger’s voice speak softly to him which wound him up even more. How could he stay so calm? Why didn’t he understand? They were both the same and Tate couldn’t understand how the stranger hadn’t been phased in the slightest by the sickly sweet smell.
“But I need it… Get off me! You don’t understand! Please! Why are you doing this?” He cried out, tears already welling in the corner of his eyes as his body shook.
Inside he burned. His throat actually burned and nothing else could stop the pain other than the blood.
“Please! Just let me go? I promise I won’t hurt anybody”

He was silent for a second before he started to laugh. Of course that wasn’t true. He wanted to drain every living thing in the room.
Again, he struggled, lashed out and cried but nothing seemed to be of any use.
Slowly, his desperate please and attempts to get away subsided though he was now trying his best not to cry. He wasn’t even sure if he was crying because he’d lost this fight or if it was because he had no idea what had come over him to make him act that way.
He let his body go limp against the others in defeat as he hung his head so no one could see how broken he was.
“I’m sorry… I am really sorry. I promise this time... I won’t hurt anyone. I need to go. I need...” But his words were lost in his choked sobs.

When he was first turn, he was never this bad. Course he had Marcus to help him with his training, and every time he seem to be going alittle on the nuts side when it came to blood, his maker quickly straightened him out.

Damien was centuries years old, experience and age was on his side against Tate when it came to his blood lust and maybe even power. Usually the older a vampire it, the more stronger they are and the more control they have. Damien enjoyed blood, but he would never just attack humans right in public, that was just asking to get attacked by a hunter or worst, be killed by your own kind for acting like a fool.

He kept his stone, cold arms around Tate as the other thrashed around of course like a maniac. He felt like he was some orderle in a asylum, restraining a patient that had one to many episodes. Although Tate told him that he was calm down and just wanted to be let go, he didn't let the vampire go, not yet at least. He pulled the new born out from the bar and into a dark alleyway. He finally let Tate go and frowned.

You might as well just gone up to a damn hunter and smacked him in the face...I get your young and everything but for gods sake don't loose control in a public place like that...your lucky to be alive right now, most older vampires would have killed you.... He said.

Tate felt himself being pulled out in to the cool night air, finally being able to breathe again now the stench of blood had gone. He was still sniffling when they reached the alley which is where the stranger finally let him go.
He leant against the wall with his hands on his knees. His breathing was still heavy though he had calmed down in moderation. He was still going to have to hunt that night, there was no escaping it now.

He scowled as the stranger spoke, lifting his head up to glare at him through narrow eyes.
“Let them try… you think they haven’t before? Why else would I be stuck in this crummy town if I wasn’t on the run from something? I’ve seen the way the elders look at us, they fear us. They worry our thirst will take down civilisations given the chance. You should know that already, newborns will do anything and kill anyone that gets in the way of their food, even their own kind…” -He smirked then, trying to hide the giggle that tried to escape his throat.- “And I don’t think it has anything to do with age. Ok, maybe it does a little but you think I’m bad now? You should have seen me whilst I was still alive.”

With that, his smirk turned in to a grin as he stood up straight, winked slyly at the stranger and ran his hand through his hair before letting out a deep breath and went back to pouting. “And you made me lose my food…”

Damien would honesty laugh if this guy thought he could take him on. In a way he took what the guy said as a threat, but he didn't act out on it or anything, only watching the act that Tate was performing right now. He knew what it was like to have that uncontrollable thirst, he had been there and done that.

He was silent, only listening to the other explain that if his actions were bad now, then he should have been witness to when he was a human. Damien almost rolled his eyes at the vampires words, but merely leaned against the wall and sigh softly.

He cocked an eyebrow now and blinked. What the hell you want me to do about that? He asked. Do I look like your mommy, go out and find some food, I pulled you out because you were in a to public place. He added.