"Mother, I'm going to take a walk real quick okay, I'll be back in about ten minutes." Damien said, pushing a strand of dark hair behind his ear.

His mother looked so much like him, even her eyes were the same. She only smiled and told him to be careful as she started to wash the dishes.

Damien pulled on a raggedy looking coat before stepping outside. The village that was outside the castle was very quiet, almost dead quiet. It was a summer night, the stars were out as he walked through the village and was near the entrance of the village when he saw a rather large figure near the forest.

HIs human eyes tried to make out who it was but once he stepped closer, he saw it was the same man that had been around the village lately. He didn't know who this man was, but the stranger seemed to take a fancy to him, always watching him and even talked with his mother on taking him in for some reason.

He stared at the man, glaring now. He didn't know what this man wanted, why would someone want to just take him away from his mother like that......normally people left his mother and him alone. HIs mother had somewhat considered the offer the man had purposed, thinking that Damien would be safe with the man. It was apparent the man had wealth and power, but to Damien that meant nothing and it only made him think the man was just flaunting his social status to get what he wanted.

He now walked alittle closer, but still kept his distance, clearly not trusting the man. "What is it that you want.....you talk to my mother about taking me away.....why....you need another servant or something?" He asked, his bright blue eyes flashed in anger.

It never occur to him that this man was in fact a vampire. The man was rather big in statue, quite good looking as well but Damien never had taken a interest in guys, that is just what the young girls who lived in the village had said. They practically fell head over heels for the stranger. When Damien first saw him, he thought he was just pompous rich man who was visiting The Lord of the castle, but once the mans eyes fell on Damien, he hung out around the village more and seemed to keep a close eye on Damien.

~*~

Marcus had traveled to the small town to make some trading arrangement with the vampire lord living there. The lord was passing off as human to the townsfolk, just one with peculiar interests at times. If it hadn't been with his fledgeling's current obsession with having nuns or priests for supper, or for wearing red, that could've been him. Not that he blamed her for that; he could never imagine being stuck in one place like that, having to be the voice of reason when it came to solving petty conflicts.

Arya had never made it inside the village as she didn't want to meet the lord of the castle. Last time Marcus had introduced the two, his old friend had made a pass at Arya, who responded by bringing him to his knees in pain and he needed this trade to go well. He was looking for a replacement for Arya after all, not because he didn't appreciate her, but because a deal was a deal. He owed Talbot that much after introducing him to her. The blonde was staying out of sight out in the forest, clearly annoyed with his fascination with one of the locals.

"I'm telling you, your obsession with this boy will put us both in danger. Let him go Marcus, we can't stay here much longer anyway..." She said quietly, this was the third time they were having this conversation and he was tired of it. "That's enough. Now get lost, he just walked outside. I don't want him to see you. Not yet."

Turning his back on Arya, he watched the boy approach as he listened to Arya's now distant mutterings before she was back in her hiding place and all quiet. It was so charming how the boy would be so defiant, thinking that his opinion mattered at all. Stepping closer to the boy, Marcus smirked. "What greatly amuses me is that you think you have a say in the matter. I can be very persuasive and by the time I leave, you'll be begging to come along." He knew he sounded arrogant, but whether the boy wanted to come along or not, free will really wasn't an issue when dealing with humans.

"I offer more than just wealth to make your lives easier, protection, power... More time than you can wrap your fragile mind around. Though your mother would want for nothing of course."

Damien narrowed his eyes at what the man said. Arrogant bastard. Why did his mother even consider letting Damien go with this man. He just glared even angrier at the man. "Me or my mother don't need anything that your offering.....I may be a peasant but your not my boss." He said.

He now stormed closer to the man, standing infront of him. He had to look up, his blue eyes flashing a metallic blue color for a moment. It didn't even faze him that the man was not only older, stronger looking and was more likely a lord from some faraway land, what only mattered to him was that this man thought he could just take him like he was some mule for sale.

"Leave me and my mother alone.....I'm not going anywhere with you and you can't make me!" He said alittle to loud now and had to recomposed himself.

He now looked up at the man."Why would you want to help two peasants anyway......you don't look like you would just generously help a single mother raising a teenage son unless you get something out of it....." He added and eyed the man with suspecion now.

Marcus looked at the boy's defiance as a challenge and he was determined to make this boy change his mind, despite what Arya said about the matter. Maybe he could even use her to his advantage when it came to the boy, after all, she was the perfect example of his generosity when it came to his fledgelings. He'd saved her life by changing her, and he was hoping he could do the same for the boy as it meant he would have someone to keep him company after marrying off Arya. Arrogant or not, he didn't deal well with loneliness.

When the boy stormed closer, stopping in front of him to look up. He listened to what he had to say, still with a slight smirk on his face. Gently touching the boy's chin, he looked him in the eyes, using his compulsion on the boy. "I'm not going to hurt you, trust me on that." That was all the mind-tricks he was going to play with the boy right now as he wanted to win him over on his own.

"I'm just looking for a new travel companion as my current one is promised to someone else. That's what I'd get out of helping you and your mother," dropping his hand, he smiled slightly at the boy. "You'd get an education fit for a royal, your mother wouldn't have to save whatever scrap of money she makes just to feed you both, and I wouldn't be alone for a while. Think about it," he murmured that last part as he brushed a stray hair out of Damien's face.

He felt his chin being grabbed and almost jerked his head away, but his eyes were caught onto the mans and he listened as he promised that he wasn't going to hurt him. Something inside of Damien made him.....believe that and he shook his head, not understandning this sudden change in thoughts he had. Finally, the man dropped his hand and had a slight smirk on his face, as if he had already won this little battle.

The mans words only confused him and he couldn't help but to let his angry face drop and was replaced with confusion, he didn't quite understand this. This man was going to take him and his mother in, give them whatever they wanted and they would have a life fit for royalty and in return he would have to just travel with this man.

Before he could say anything, he listened intently on the mans promises and blushed slightly when a strand of hair was brushed from his face. He quickly took a step back and glared at the man, his cheeks a bright pink color now. He opened his mouth, but nothing could come out and it wasn't until he heard the sounds of stampeding hoofs and screams did he tear his eyes away from the man and looked behind him.He saw what looked like men dressed all in black on horses, they were running through the village and catching things on fire. It happened so quickly that he was stunned for a moment before turning around and was about to take off to make sure his mother was okay when something him him in the head.

He blacked out, falling to the ground and laid there. When he finally woke, he was dazed for a moment and sat up. Virtigo hit him and made his head spin. What hit him? He reached back and touched his head, feeling a small lump on the back of his head and felt bandages were wrapped around his head as well. Flash backs of the events that occured suddenly hit him and he looked around at his surroundings. He was in a room that only noblemen and royalty stayed in. This room was foreign to him, he quickly got up and had to catch himself.

"Mother!" He shouted and reached for the door, but stopped once it started turning on its own and quickly stepped back.

The moment he picked up on the horses coming, he knew something was wrong. No one came in the middle of the night like that with good intentions. The way they were catching things on fire and killing people weren't good and he didn't like that the boy ran off. He'd been about to stop the boy when Arya arrived and knocked him out, taking him away. "His mother?" she asked before she ran off with the boy, knowing Marcus would never forgive her if she didn't keep the boy safe while he looked for his mother.

So, Marcus ran off through the village and looked for the boy's mother, but he didn't find her in time. He knew it was only a matter of time until Damien would recover from Arya's assault. When he found the boy's mother, he left her two silver coins for the ferryman before he left to his current residence.

Walking into the room shortly after hearing Damien call for his mother, he sat down on the bed and looked at the boy. "She didn't make it, Damien. I couldn't get to her in time, and you would have never survived if you'd gone after her. Come here," he gestured for Damien to come to his side and sit down. "I am offering all those things I told you, but I'm also offering you immortality and a new family."

He took a few steps back once the man came into the room. He expected that his mother was okay, just in a different room but once Marcus said she didn't make it, he froze at the mans words and stood there. He looked down and wanted to scream, but kept quiet and just walked over to where Marcus was and sat down. He barely listened to what the man said but did catch into every word somehow.

He felt tears run down his face and couldn't help but to pull his legs close to his chest and started crying softly."She's gone....." He whispered sofly and looked up at Marcus, his bright blue eyes were filled with sadness and tears.

Marcus wrapped an arm around Damien and pulled him close to comfort him. Cupping his chin gently when Damien looked up at him, Marcus offered a sad smile and wiped away some of the tears gently. "Your mother was one of the lucky ones, she died swiftly. By the time I found her, she barely had a breath left, by she was left alone by the pillagers. They were busy raping the other women and children. I found her in time to reassure her that you were safe and to get this to give to you-" he pulled a ring out of his pocket. It was old and intricate, obviously not something she'd bought herself. "-It's older than her, I think maybe it's an heirloom. She would have wanted a better life for you."

Kissing Damien chastely on his cheek, Marcus searched the you boy's face for an answer to a question he hadn't asked yet. "Let me make you an immortal. The hurt will go away with time and you'll be forever young..."

As if on cue, Arya walked in to check the bandaging. "Marcus is serious about that second chance. I was rotting away in a lousy profession until he saved me centuries ago. I'm sorry about knocking you out though, it was the only way to get you out of there." Marcus knew she was only being nice because he wanted her to, but it earned her a gracious smile and it would earn her a wicked punishment later. Once the blonde was satisfied the bandages were good, she left the room again, which was for the best. She would only confuse Damien and he wanted the boy all to himself for now. "It was always my intention of giving you a choice in the matter, even before the invaders came. Let me give you this gift of immortality..." Just because he could be cold and heartless at times, that didn't mean he would take away a person's choice when it came to being turned.

The fact that his mother was gone made him feel alone now in this world. He should have stayed behind and protected her, not out and arguing with this stranger. He looked up to Marcus and looked at the ring, he took it and examined it while wiping his eyes clear of any more tears."Thank you." He said softly and clutched at the ring like his life depended on it.

He looked confused at what Marcus said concerning him being a immortal? How could this man make him a immortal."How could-" He was cut short when a pretty blonde hair lady entered the room and started talking to him on how her life had changed, as if reassuring him that being a immortal was the best way out.

Maybe it was the fact that his mother was dead and felt he had nothing left in this world, but he looked to Marcus."Then I accept...." He said softly and waited to see what would happened now.

Marcus didn't like the fact that he hadn't been able to save Damien's mother, but he wasn't sad about the fact that Damien was safe. The boy had great potential, and it made it easier to start warming Arya up to the idea of leaving him to marry someone else if he actually had someone to take her place. He was glad the ring was appreciated. It would be the perfect piece of jewelry to use as a daylight ring really, if Damien would allow for it.

Once Damien accepted his offer, Marcus smiled at him. "Don't panic," he muttered as he leaned in, kissing Damien's neck before biting him as gently as he could. Drinking greedily, he pulled the boy closer until it was time to stop as he didn't want to kill the boy. Closing the wound on his neck, Marcus bit his own wrist and pressed it to Damien's lips. "Drink," he muttered and stroked the boy's hair with his free hand, trying to soothe him and keep him calm about it all.

He knew Damien wouldn't like what happened next, once he'd had enough to drink from the vampire. Once he'd had his fill, it was time to die. After all the trouble he'd gone through to make sure the boy survived, he had to kill him in order for him to be turned. "It'll be alright somehow," he said quietly before doing what had to be done, laying Damien down gently on the bed so he'd at least be comfortable in a couple of hours when he woke up again.

Damien visibly stiffened when Marcus kissed at his neck but stayed still, not sure what to expect before he felt his neck being punctured. He whimpered and out of reflex gripped Marcus hair.

He started to feel extremely weak and felt woozy but looked down at Marcus wrist and did what the man said.

The transformation was painful. He tried not crying out but did a few times. He lost his mother not to long ago and was going through this pain.

Marcus stayed at Damien's side to make sure he wasn't alone when he woke up. He had Arya lay out fresh clothes for the boy, so he'd be dressed in clean clothes, more fit for his new lifestyle. After all, he couldn't still be dressed as a peasant now that he would live like a royal.

"It'll all be over soon, just hang in there," he said, stroking the boy's hair to try to soothe him. "Arya, it's time," he called out and she brought in one of the men dressed in black. When he couldn't rescue Damien's mother, Marcus had taken one of the men with him back instead, in hopes of giving Damien some closure if he chose this life. The man was struggling, trying to get out of Arya's grip, but the woman wouldn't budge.

Bringing Damien to a sitting position and supporting him, Arya made a small cut on the stranger's neck. Pushing the bleeding wound close to Damien, she couldn't help but chuckle some. "Give in to the urge and drink boy, it'll make all the pain stop," she was holding the man's head firmly to the side, making it really easy for Damien to gain access to the wound.

Marcus looked at Damien and told him quietly: "She's right you know, just drink and this will all be over."

It hurt but the pain was starting to subside some. It wasnt until they brought in someone did his attention go elsewhere and saw it was one of the men from last night.

He stared at the man, feeling anger surge through him and wanted to just jump on the man and kill him.

What stopped him was this burning sensation in this throat and watched as they brought the man closer to him. Marcus helped him sit up in a sitting position.

He stared at the wound for a moment, grabbing the man from the blonde. The man hissed at the pain of being held down now. Damien jumped from the bed and threw the man across the room, making him slam into the wall.

When the man asked to be spared, he lost it. He straddled the mans waist and glared down at him, flashing his new fangs at the man."Did my mother beg for her life after you killed her....didnt she!!" He shouted.

He gripped the mans hair, making him turn his head to the side and plunged his fangs into his neck and drank from him. Once he had his full, he saw the man was still alive. He growled and actually ripped the mans head off in anger.

Once he turned around, blood ran down his chin and blood soaked his white shirt. He finally got off, holding the dismembered head by the hair.

"I want to go back to the village and find her body.....she deserves to he buried...." He said. He looked at what he had done but their wasn't a ounce of regret at what he had done.

Both vampires watched the newborn with an obvious fascination as to what he'd do now that he was faced with one of the men responsible for his mother's death. It was only poetic justice that one of the men making it possible for him to have Damien served as the boy's first human blood and thus completing his transition into his new life.

Marcus approached Damien once he got up and wiped the blood off his chin with his thumb, licking the blood off it with a smirk. "You can't. Not until nightfall," he said and gently pried the severed head out of his hands and handed it to Arya to dispose of. She knew what to do anyway.

"Arya or myself can go get her for you, but until we can find you a witch, I'm afraid you're confined to this windowless room during the day if you wish to stay alive." The blonde vampiress was good at making her exits and entrances without too much notice as she'd gotten the body out of the room without much fuss. She knew he would never give her what she needed if she didn't do what he wanted first.

Looking Damien over, Marcus couldn't help but chuckle some. "Now let's get you out of those clothes and washed up, your new clothes would be a complete waste otherwise."

He let Marcus pry the severed head from his hand and did look back at the now headless body. He wished that he could find all those men and make them pay but he did get to taste revenge and it was bittersweet.

When he learned he was confined to this room all day, he wanted to protest but looked down. "Could you get her then...." He requested.

He blinked."oh right....." He said softly and looked at Marcus, waiting for the man to leave so he could get changed.