Simon gawked at Baz, "You can't be serious."

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Baz glared at him, crossing his arms and leaning against his bed.

"This isn't even remotely okay."

"It'll be fine." Baz reassured the blond magician with a roll of his eyes, "You worry too much."

"I do not worry too much."

Baz didn't reply.

Simon threw up his hands and started pacing their room. Baz watched him. Finally, he snapped, "If you don't stop, I'm cursing your feet to the floor."

"There is no way I'm going with you into the forest at night," Simon paused to shoot a glare at Baz, "I don't have a death wish."

Baz scrunched up his face in frustration, "If I were going to kill you, why would I make it so obvious?"

Simon ran a hand through his hair. What Baz had said was true, but he still didn't like it.

The dark haired boy rolled his eyes, "Look, you don't really have a choice here, Snow. You need me."

Simon sighed and sat on his bed, "Blackmail? Really?" Baz just stared at him, waiting for an answer. "Fine!" Simon groaned, " I'll go!"

"Good." Baz said, getting to his feet, "Stay close, Snow. I'm going to be the only thing out there that doesn't want to kill you."

"That's a comfort," Simon muttered as he followed the other boy out of the room.

Soon, they were outside in the bitter cold. Baz didn't seem to feel it as he marched towards the trees. Simon huddled against the wind, tugging his cloak tighter around him. To make matters worse, he spotted white flakes starting to float down from the night sky.

"What are we going to do?" He shouted towards Baz who was several steps ahead of him.

"Keep your voice down," Baz snapped, "And I thought I told you to stay close."

His temper was even more edgy than normal. He knew how dangerous this was, and he had to focus on keeping on Simon alive, which was made especially difficult by his thirst. When Simon drew near, Baz could smell his blood under his normal scent of apple and pine. He turned his head away to force his fangs back into their sheaths. He couldn't let Simon find out.

Simon hurried after Baz. He walked directly behind him, stepping where he stepped. It was snowing full blast now, and Simon used Baz to shield himself from the frozen rain.

"What are we doing?" Simon repeated, voice shaking from the cold.

Baz shushed him and halted.

"Why?" Simon looked up into the snowstorm. They now stood at the edge of the forest.

Baz glanced at Simon, internally arguing with himself about his decision before holding his arm out to Simon, "Take my hand." Simon stared at him. Baz's cheekbones flushed red, "It's getting dark, and you don't know where we're going, so this is to keep us from getting separated."

Seemingly reluctant, Simon slid his hand into Baz's. It was cold and stone-like.

Baz took a step towards the forest but was stopped by Simon, who refused to move.

"I'm not going in there unless you tell me why."

Baz cursed and threw back his head, staring at the sky, "Really, Snow?" He snapped, looking down to glare at the boy, "You know I can drag you in there if I have to."

Simon's blue eyes remained stoney though his cheeks had turned apple red from the cold. God, those cheeks. Baz wanted to bite them, to taste Simon's blood on his tongue.

"I'm trusting you, Baz," Simon said, "You can trust me too, you know."

"Pretty speech." Baz muttered, turning away, "Now, let's go."

Simon knew nothing about him, and never could, or Baz would lose him for sure.

Simon sighed, talking to Baz could be like talking to a wall- although sometimes, with the right magic, a wall would reply.

"Let's go."

Baz moved forward, tugging on Simon's hand. The boy followed, letting the darkness swallow them up.

Baz led Simon through the trees, his heart racing against his ribs. Why was he dragging Simon into this?! Hadn't he put Simon in enough danger within their past six years at Watford?

Deep down, Baz knew he wanted Simon to know the truth, to know how he really felt…

Enough! He told himself, Get a grip, Pitch!

Suddenly, he froze, body tense. His hand tightened in Simon's.

Simon went ridged. He knew better than to speak. Whatever Baz had heard had a 93% chance of being dangerous. He twisted around so that they were back to back, prepared to fight. He still held onto Baz as his other hand reached for his wand.

"Well, well. Tyrannus Basilton Pitch." An unknown voice spoke, and a dozen tall, pale men and women stepped out of the trees, surrounding the two boys. Moonlight glinted off of their bared fangs.

Vampires.

The vampire who appeared to be their leader spoke again, "When we told you to bring the Mage's Heir, we didn't think you actually would. We thought you were too soft."

"No!" Baz cried, his hand tightening around Simon's, "He's not part of this."

Simon's hand went slack in Baz's, "What's going on?"

He waved his wand at the vampires that had moved too close. They snickered and leapt back. The other boy didn't answer. Instead, he refrained the urge to bare his teeth at the head vampire.

"You brought him to us. He's ours now." The other vampires stirred, eager to feed. Simon's stomach knotted nervously.

"No!" Baz shouted again.

"You can't stop us from taking him." the head vampire sneered, "Especially when you're this badly outnumbered and don't want to reveal what you truly are to Simon Snow."

"Shut up!" Baz snapped.

Simon turned to face Baz, "I knew it! This was just another one of your plans to have me killed!" He jerked his hand away from the dark haired boy.

"No!" Baz faced Simon, pleading with his eyes for the shorter boy to believe him, "I swear it wasn't." He saw the contempt look in Simon's eyes, and it pierced his heart like a stake, "Simon." His voice cracked, "Please. I'm not trying to hurt you."

"And why should I believe you?!" Simon shouted, "You were trying to hurt me every other time!"

The vampires snickered as they watched the boys bicker.

"You have to trust me!" Baz cried, panic rising in him, "They're going to kill you!"

Baz reached for Simon's hand, but he pulled away, "No! I'm done with this. I'm telling the Mage I need a different roommate."

Baz made the mistake of closing his eyes in despair, trying to fight back tears. He felt movement, and heard Simon cry out.

Simon had backed away from Baz right into the arms of a vampire.

The beast snickered, wrapping its arms around Simon and nuzzling into his neck.

"Derek, release him." The leader commanded.

"But Master Jonathon, I'm-"

"Now." The leader growled.

Derek released him with an angry shove, and Simon stumbled away, barely dodging another vampire's fangs. He fell on his butt and quickly rolled to the side with a shout as a monster lunged at him. Another beast leapt towards him, and Simon would've been dead meat had Baz not straight out tackled the bloodsucker.

Baz wrapped his legs around it's waist and hooked an arm around it's neck.

"Do a Freeze Spell, Snow!" Baz shouted to Simon as the other vampires began to advance on the duo.

Simon climbed to his feet and aimed his wand at the vampire, "You're cold as ice!"

His wand flashed blue, and the next thing he knew, the only person who may have possibly been on his side was frozen solid, locked in battle with a startled bloodsucker.