Author's Notes: So, after working on this for almost a year, I finally went through and corrected minor issues that I've had with it. By the way, my friend and I never DID get around to doing this roleplay; we had started it, but never finished. Oh well. It became my most successful story on fanfiction. I thank you all for that.

Warnings: Elricest. Angst. Blood. AU

Final Note:

This story has been plaguing my every thought and action for almost a year now. I urge you to READ IT and most definitely REVIEW IT because I put so much time and effort into producing a story to the best of my ability, and I would hate for it to fall on deaf ears. Meaning, I would hate for it if you read it and didn't say anything.

Anyway, without further ado, I'm very, very pleased to present to you, my favorite work that I have ever put so much time into, and probably the best Vampire story you'll ever read. . .

Here is;

Through The Dark.

Flashback.

He lay, sprawled across the rug, only a pale blue nightshirt and pants covering him. A toy or two sat next to him, as if guarding their owner. Every now and then he'd hear a large crash from the back room, and more of his father's loud, strong voice yelling. Then there was the occasional, drowned out sound of a smaller voice, but equal in anger, to be sure. Edward could be heard pounding on walls, screaming at the older man with as much force as a 7 year old could muster.

Alphonse, on the other hand, was simply reduced to lying on the floor, tears dried and staining his cheeks. Every time a large thump resounded in his ears, he would wince helplessly, and continue looking about the living room for an outlet to take his mind off of what was happening in the den. He wished with all his heart he could wake their mother up-- to have her stop the abuse. But Al would only get it twice as bad if he were to do something so blatantly stupid. So he was forced to endure the mental images that arose every time he would hear Ed scream in pain.

Before long, Trisha Elric did wake up, her sleeping pills loosing their kick. Her long brown hair was tangled, and she looked drugged in her dark green night robe, wrapped carelessly around her thin frame. Only that robe covered a silk nightdress that came precariously high on the woman's thighs, refusing to hide any amount of skin. Al didn't look. Instead, he clenched his eyes shut, and forced himself to keep focused on something more mentally secure.

His mother stopped short of making her way through the kitchen, and gazed at her youngest son with a mundane look, her dark brown eyes just lingering around the small room. She nodded in his direction as though assuring herself that he was to stay there while she went and settled the little predicament that was occurring down the hall.

After a moment, Alphonse could hear his mother's voice; soft, feminine, but venomous and riddled with contempt. She spoke to Hohenheim with a bitter sound airing her words, and not a shred of love in them. There was the hint of padding feet across the vinyl flooring in the kitchen, and then it stopped when those feet met carpet. Al sat up quickly from his resting position on the carpet, and looked at the new arrival.

Edward stood there, bottom lip bleeding disconsolately and dripping to stain the sea foam colored rug beneath them. There wasn't anything to say, because the elder of them knew that the other boy was quite aware of what had happened back there. A small cut lined near one of Ed's sharp golden eyes, and the mere sight of it made Alphonse recoil when Ed attempted to approach him.

They ignored the screaming from the den, and just stared at one another. Trisha's voice was strong when angered, and she ruled over most of the house; there was no way Hohenheim would get out of this one… as stupid as this all was.

"Brother..." Al spoke lightly, un-able to find something else worthy to say. He simply watched as his sibling fell to his knees in front of him.

Shaking hands crept near him, Ed moving slowly and then gripping his fists into his baby brother's shirt, pulling him in for a hug. Unbeknownst to them, it would be the last time in a very long while that they would be able to share such a close proximity. Alphonse pressed his warm face against Edward's chest, and took a deep breath, wishing there was something he could do to possibly alleviate the pain that said boy was feeling. His lip looked horrible...

"Al, Dad wasn't--"

The words were cut quickly by the collapsing of three chairs in the kitchen by what sounded like something crashing into them. Breaking the contact that the brothers had, Edward jumped up, one hand still clenching into the garment Al was wearing. He didn't let go until his eyes became wide with shock, and he looked with horrification, as the image of his mother's body strewn across the crumbled chairs was permanently imprinted in his mind. She stirred a bit, a few drops of blood slipping down her forehead. Ed moved a bit more to the side to get a more clear view of what, exactly, was happening.

He then saw his father emerge from his whereabouts in the den, into the kitchen, his own dark gold eyes shining maliciously. "Get up..." he said, quietly. Then, when she made no effort to obey his command, "Get up!" And the strength of that demand was enough to make the woman struggle to her feet. The green robe was half coming off her shoulders, and the smear of old lipstick from where he had punched her stained her cheek.

By then, Al had gotten up, too, but only got so far when Ed pushed him back to where he had been, perhaps in hopes of keeping his younger brother from seeing their parents in such a state. But for some reason, the boy couldn't pull himself away. He watched as his mother, just getting to her feet, made another lunge at their dad, only to be knocked back against the table, back cracking as she collided with it.

There was more yelling, and more. At one point, both boys heard Trisha scream, "Get out! GET OUT!" Tears and blood streamed down her face, and she wanted him gone.

"I'm taking him," Hohenheim said simply, almost daring her to try to stop him. With those words though, he looked just barely to the side, his eyes catching on Edward and locking him in, promising a life of hell before the inevitable end.

"Like Hell!" Stumbling awkwardly, their parents ran at the boy all at once, Al just staring in disbelief. What could he do? He was only six...

The man grabbed blindly at the soft tuft of gold on Ed's head, and began dragging him toward the front door, while Trisha attempted to haul him back with her arms locked in his. "Let me go! Stop it Dad! Dammit, Let me go! LET GO OF ME!" The boy cried as firmly as he could, and kicked and punched with about the strength of a kitten. He was no match for both his parents, as that was quickly discovered.

Alphonse left behind rationality and lurched forward towards the three, in hopes to do some kind of good. He wrenched his arms around his big brother's waist and pulled the same direction Trisha was. His nose was buried into Ed's stomach, and he tried his best to make some type of leeway, or at least distract his father with his presence. Neither was working.

"For God's sake, Edward, why would you want to live here with this woman?!" Hohenheim yelled, outraged at having all of them against his wishes. "She doesn't even take care of you anymore!! She's to busy getting drugged in her bedroom," he shot a glare at the woman across from him, his amber gold eyes deviously working into her's.

All the while Ed was crying and screaming, and trying with all his might to get out of the couple's grasp. He was wishing his little brother would release him, giving him a bit more leverage-- Lord knows it would help, but there was so much straining in between the four of them that no one had space for leverage, let alone Edward.

Finally, Hohenheim raised a booted foot and kicked hard at Trisha's stomach, still not healed from her six year old c-section. She relinquished her eldest son, doubling over, her forehead pressed against the carpet. "Mom!" Alphonse cried, still holding tightly to Ed's waist. The woman didn't say anything- didn't even move, just stayed that way. Everything was still for a moment, until the man grunted and hoisted Ed up quickly, but bringing Al with him. "Brother, no! You can't take him!! YOU CAN'T!" Tears formed in the corners of Al's clenched bronze eyes, and he kicked his feet to remain on the ground, but after a moment he felt a calloused hand on his wrist prying him off his big brother, and their father dropped the youngest boy onto the floor with a loud thump.

"ALPHONSE!" Bright golden eyes shone with tightly held back tears, and a terrible look of mortification spread over the rest of Edward's features.

It was the last expression Al would ever see on his brother's face, for a very, very long time... for after that last look, the only thing that remained in the auburn haired boy's head was the finality and solemn truth that lay in the slam of the front door.

End Flashback.

Eleven Years Later...

"Isaac, you can't do that, we'll get in trouble!" a soft voice whispered urgently, hoping it sounded stronger than he felt.

The boy by the name of Isaac simply turned to his friend and smiled wryly and encouragingly at him. His devilish blue eyes were sparkling with curiosity and wonder and it seemed as though nothing in the world could get his spirits down. "Come on, Al... We're almost there! No one's going to catch us. Besides, it's old Roy Mustang's place."

And at that Al would've loved to point out how Mustang wasn't by any means "old" but actually a well-bodied man of 32. But he kept his mouth shut and bit down on his bottom lip.

He had hated this whole idea of "wrapping Roy's house in toilet paper" thing. It was completely, utterly insane and juvenile. Though, Isaac was a born leader and wouldn't take no for an answer... especially from his younger best friend. "Now let's do this," he said, narrowing his eyes and handing Alphonse a roll of TP.

"Er... sure," the boy nodded unsurely, and took the roll, standing up behind the bush with the other male. "I guess now's better than ever..." as confident as he sounded he was positively horrified. Roy Mustang was the biggest asshole in the town, and not to mention employed pretty much everyone's parents. Although, that wasn't something Al had to worry about; Trisha, his mother, didn't even work. She was too busy playing puff, puff pass or shooting up in the bathroom or snorting on her bed. Almost every time he would come home she would be completely high, stoned, or fried, too out of it to cook dinner.

In fact, Al probably wouldn't even have been in this situation if it hadn't been his night off. Because Trisha didn't work, he was in charge of providing food, and other basic necessities for their life. He paid the bills and kept food on the table for them. He worked almost every night after school until 11 o'clock. But even so... he was so grateful for having a roof over his head and nourishment in his stomach.

Nearly silently they slipped through the grass into the back yard of the man's house. It held a little swing set for Roy's children, who were, of course, spoiled rotten. There was also a good-sized pool and Jacuzzi there as well for the elder of his kids who just so happened was going to Isaac and Al's school. They were snobby rich brats... that's what they were.

"All right, when I say 'three', we throw the rolls up, okay?" Isaac whispered, about a yard away from the other. "One...two..." pause, and intent blue orbs squeezed shut as he whisper-yelled, "Three!"

Both things of toilet paper sailed into the night sky and landed happily on the roof, trailing their contents across its mossy paneling. They swooped over the top gutter and down to the overhang of the roof, just skidding along leaving behind their remnants. The black haired boy smiled triumphantly while Alphonse stood, his hands covering his mouth at the site before him. He couldn't believe he had just committed such a heinous crime. Because technically, this was illegal.

After the remainder of the rolls fell, Isaac pulled Al along to pick them up, and continue the process. When the first two rolls were dead and gone, they pulled out more and more and more, until the entire roof was dreadfully covered in nothing but toilet paper. Even the paneling couldn't be seen any longer. It was horribly hilarious but all too wrong.

Afraid of disappointing his best friend, Alphonse allowed himself to continue doing what the male had told him to do. Picking up, throwing, watching, picking up, throwing, watching...

Finally there wasn't anything left to throw, and the bronze eyed boy breathed a sigh of relief. He was so happy to at last be done with this ridiculous thing. "Okay... let's get out of here," he murmured unrelentingly.

With a long moment of silence between them and nothing but the sound of distant cars and crickets, Isaac replied with a nod and grabbed the other's arm. "C'mon," he said quietly. And then with a slight chuckle, "I can't wait to see what the papers say about this one. Lord knows Mustang will tell every living soul he knows what happened. He'll probably even hire investigators to--"

Suddenly, a loud thud and the crash of garbage cans caught his ears and abruptly he stopped in mid sentence, also realizing that his hand wasn't holding Al anymore. Through the dark he could see his friend flat on his face with a plastic garbage can atop his back. Thankfully, there wasn't any garbage in the can. "...Al!" Isaac whispered, eyes wide.

Unfortunately, the crash of those cans had been loud enough to wake the dead, let alone the entire Mustang household. It wasn't long before the porch light came on and Roy himself came out the back door in a long night robe and boxers. His hair was mussed from sleep and he definitely wasn't completely aware of the situation.

Then, fortunately, the two boys thanked God that they were out of the light of the porch's illumination, because they would've been deader than a doornail. Quickly and without wasting anytime, Isaac lunged at his friend and pulled him up as swiftly as possible and ran out the side of the house and into the front lawn. Thank goodness the sound had come from the back of the house rather than the front, because no one was on the deck to spot them.

After a few seconds, though, they could clearly hear the distinct yell of the man's voice: "What the FUCK happened here!?"

And undoubtedly he himself had succeeded in waking perhaps the entire neighborhood.

All that the two of them could do at that point was run as fast as possible back to their section of town, laughing the entire way.

It was all too much a relief when Alphonse finally returned to his home, Isaac by his side. Since Al was the younger of the two of them, Isaac felt a responsibility to walk his friend home before allegedly going to his own.

They arrived on the front steps to the small house at about midnight or so... and the black haired male grinned wildly. "We had fun tonight didn't we?" He asked in a reminiscing sort of way.

Al gave an over-exaggerated smile and batted his eyelashes patronizingly. "Oh yes, sweetie. It was perhaps the best date I've ever been on!" And he threw his arms around Isaac, laughing hysterically. "Thanks for bringing me with you... I don't think I've ever been so afraid in my entire life." This time there was no joking in his voice, only pure seriousness.

"Man, you know I'd never leave you for dead. I love ya... don't forget that, okay?" Isaac pulled away a little but kept his hands on the shorter boy's shoulders. "Just... trust me. I wanted to do something fun for us since you're always working and the only time we see each other is in school. You don't need to be going through this shit with your mom by yourself, right? It... isn't fair..."

It only took those last words and Isaac was leaning in again, this time a little differently. His lips gently caught Al's in a chaste kiss that could've signified friendship or love... Alphonse wasn't too sure, but still... It was amazing to be kissed like that. Even if it was by another guy.

To the outside world it would've looked like a boy kissing his girlfriend goodbye; Al's hair was long... I mean really long. Half the time his auburn blonde tresses would be pulled back into a tight ponytail though and was hardly ever let down. He figured he needed money for paying bills and furnishing food for his mother and for himself... there was never extra money for a hair cut, and after a while he had gotten so fond of it he decided he would rather keep it then cut it off anyway. He was partial to long hair.

At length, Isaac relinquished the other boy's mouth and looked at him through half lidded crystal blue eyes. "I... I'm not sure if you really wanted that or not but... I thought it would be a good time to explain to you that... I... well, you know." With a little laugh he kind of moved a bit back, unsure of how Al was going to react. That's how unpredictable the young boy was.

"No, no. It's fine, I just... was a bit surprised. I've never really been kissed by a guy --or anyone, for that matter-- before." A gentle rose color began to pass over Alphonse's cheeks and he scratched his head a little in embarrassment. "I'm a little sleepy... we'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

Isaac nodded and smiled, recognizing that at the very least his best friend was considering a relationship. "All right... tomorrow then. See ya later," he replied and seemed like he was about to say something else, but at a loss for words, waved and turned down the driveway and on the street heading to his own home.

Al stood there for a moment, then backed against the front door, sighing. He couldn't help but wonder how long Isaac had been holding that kiss in. How long had he liked him? It was strange. In all truth, Al had never had feelings for anyone before... he was sort of in a way... 'Asexual'... if you believe in labels. In any case, he had never felt anything toward the blue-eyed boy except strong friendship. That was all... But with this sudden onslaught of affection... it seemed just so weird.

Definitely something to sleep on, he told himself. And with that thought, Alphonse turned around and unlocked his front door, and entered into his little house.

It smelled like death and something rotting. He cringed a bit and tried to ignore the urge to gag. All the lights were off save the little stove light in the kitchen. His feet passed over the sea foam colored rug and down the hall heading for his bedroom. Though he stopped short, and peered into his mother's open room. The door was ajar and she could be seen lying on her bed in her blue nightdress. It was hard to tell exactly what she liked to get high in. Al could see white powder spilled on to her coal colored carpet and a few straws on the desk near her bed. There was also a needle or two here and there, but nothing he wasn't used to seeing.

The boy figured that Trisha had most likely already eaten or was just too high to care... so he told himself that it would be all right to go to bed. It had been hours since he himself had eaten... but it didn't much matter. He was still a little shaken... and not just from almost being caught by Roy Mustang.

It wasn't long before Alphonse was dressed down in only his boxers and a navy colored shirt and was sacked out on top of the covers. He didn't even have enough energy to settle down below them... just collapsed from exhaustion the moment the opportunity arose.

Time slipped by...

First just a few moments... then an hour... then two hours.

The entire house remained lifeless and dormant. The floor would creak occasionally as a reminder that just because something seems dead doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any roaming spirits or such trailing about. There was always some sort of ghastly shade of character floating around during the witching hour... or even just all night. It was about two-thirty by this time, and peculiarly silent.

Sharp nails dug into the paneling of the front door, and intense golden eyes scanned the living room for any movement. There was nothing though... not even a breath to go by.

I should have known a place this desolate wouldn't have anyone occupying it. I was foolish to think otherwise.

How strange it was that this house had been calling out to him, begging him to enter. He wasn't even sure what it was, but strangely enough there was an odd aura about this little building that had been strong enough to persuade him to enter. Screw the whole logic about how "certain creatures" can't enter homes without being invited... he would do whatever the hell he pleased.

Yet... why do I feel attracted to something in these walls? What's so special about this place?

The male silently, incredibly silently walked past a torn up couch and such before his shoed feet hit vinyl. How very peculiar... he couldn't help but wonder if there really was someone here. The house was nearly empty. He looked about the kitchen; spotless, like not a living soul had ever set foot in it. Or... maybe just overly clean?

He turned then and walked through the hall, smirking mischievously as his fingers ghosted along the wall. His steps couldn't be heard... he was an unannounced presence, but did that mean he was an unwanted one at that?

Then without actual recognition, his eyes caught sight of a long, slender body... sprawled across an unmade bed. Her tumbling brown hair cascaded down to her shoulders, and Trisha looked beautiful with the moonlight hitting her pale skin. The man's hands trembled and he was overcome by that sickly desire... that the sight of her neck beneath her locks of brunette only egged on that feeling.

A strangled cry awoke the seventeen-year-old boy, and he had cold sweat pouring over his flesh. There was a deafening silence ringing in his ears, and his vision was blurry. But distantly he could feel breath on his face like someone hovering just over him. Perhaps his mother had woken up? It must've startled her when he cried out like that...

That thought quickly dissipated as Al's eyes became clear and he came face to face with an unfamiliar person.

Golden hair hung over the person's features, making it increasingly difficult to decipher whether this body was a man or a woman. And then it raised its head, and light from beyond the window hit it's face. A mess of gold was what most of his head was made of... gold eyes, gold hair... beautiful.

And as Alphonse lay there, petrified, he had to think that he had never seen anyone-- or anything so downright gorgeous. But realization hit, and in its wake left the boy even more horrified than before as he noticed with distinguished mortification that there was blood smeared all across the other boy's lips and down his jaw and even across his cheek. What was more, that boy was leaning precariously close as though his first meal hadn't been enough.

Bronze eyes went positively wide at this sight; a macabre vision of loveliness and sinister intent and sensuality all at once. It was completely frightening, but he knew he didn't have enough breath to even say one word, let alone scream. Al was sure that he looked like a child, cowering before the hand that would spank him... the way his orbs must've been dilating with fear but at the same time curiosity. And all he could tell himself was, This is a dream, this is a dream... no one's here... I'm still asleep.

Of course, this wasn't in the least bit true, and the face was leaning in closer, it's long hands moving up Alphonse's chest as though coaxing him to believe that this was all right. "This will only hurt for a moment... it'll be over soon." And really, Al wasn't sure whether the other male meant the pain would be over soon, or his life would. He truly hoped it was the first one. The last thing he saw were magnificent fangs being drawn out of those thin lips and dipping to meet his neck.

Al squeezed his eyes shut tight and pushed with as much force as possible against the man's chest to knock him back, but all it managed to do was push his shoulders away a bit so that they were back to looking at each other. "St-stay away... Don't touch me!!" it was the only thing he could think to say at that moment as he kept pounding his fists against the golden haired one's torso.

The other looked completely unscathed as he kept gazing down with interested sun hued eyes at the boy. It fascinated him how very interesting the warm color of his skin was, and how he had such pouty lips, remarkable colors in his hair. There was something about him that truly made his urge to kill soften. What a waste it would be... to kill such a... dare he say it? ...Cute human.

At the very least, he thought he should do something with him. After witnessing the sight of blood and fangs he was sure that the male could put two and two together and realize that this had something to do with Vampires. So he settled on the conclusion that he might as well bring this younger man with him. A last-ditch idea, and something he wasn't very fond of, but he could always use a good look out for when he was off guard.

"My name is Edward," he finally whispered, his face even closer to Al's. "Try not to forget it."

Alphonse stopped resisting at the words that in a sense signified a peace treaty. He had a strange feeling he didn't have to fight back right then... And that name... Edward... There was familiarity in it and something else but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "I-I-I'm... Alphonse... Alphonse Elric," he gulped, and offered a shy and shaky smile, one to which the vampire simply smirked off. "I-I'm guessing you're dead. Like... a vampire thing." Al didn't want to believe his own words but it was the only logical explanation for the fangs and the blood.

"Gee, and here I thought you were stupid!" Edward said sarcastically. "Yes, I'm one of the 'undead' if you want to use technical literary terms. Where I come from we just prefer to use, Vampire. Or... "Creature of the Night," if you like that sort of thing. Either way, I'd prefer it if you called me by my name rather than what I am." Ed's voice was strange... it was like ice; cold and distant, and barely human. He could've spoken in monotone and Al wouldn't have known the difference.

"Did... did you kill my mother?" Alphonse asked helplessly, closing his eyes for fear of the answer.

"Yes."

If there had been any way to stop the tears, it probably wouldn't have helped very much. At that point Al had sat up abruptly and hugged his knees to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably into them (Mostly out of fear that if he were crying while laying down, it would show more weakness, and more vulnerability). What was he supposed to do now? He would be the first suspect of murder if anyone were to find out, and if he tried to even hint at Vampire occurrences... who the hell would believe him? He wasn't even sure if Isaac would believe him. Oh God... what kind of nightmare had the past two hours turned into? He couldn't help but think if he just slept a little lighter he might have been able to save his mother... while instead Edward had been draining her of her life's substance.

He wanted to hate the man before he even knew him, but he just couldn't. There wasn't much Alphonse lost as a mother... he had never really had a mother anyway. He had been so independent since a young age that she seemed more like a roommate. He didn't know his father, but Trisha had told him that his father had left when Al was a small boy. He was told he never had siblings or anything... he was an only child with a sperm donor father.

He didn't remember a thing about his childhood before his ninth birthday... everything prior seemed to have vanished... erased from his memory. Al was an orphan... alone in the world. Would this vampire just leave him here to his own suffering, or... would he perhaps just make it a bit easier and kill him the same way he did his mother?

Alphonse looked up from his knees a little, his bronze eyes drenched in salty tears. He glared hard at the male next to him, wishing that looks could kill. (If they could, Ed would've been dead 12 times over.)

Edward sat there poised into perfect posture. His golden hair was tied back in a similar ponytail to Al's, his bangs hanging around the sides of his face. Had his features not been so mature, his bangs would've made him look like a little child... but Al knew better. "This is your fault," he whispered, menacingly calm and quiet. Oh how he wished he could come up with something clever to do the vampire away with... to prove he wasn't stupid. "Leave... please just leave..." the mere thought of what his mother's corpse-- bloodied and massacred-- would look like, made him shake and tears reform in his eyes, no matter how hard he had been trying to stay angry. The sadness was more powerful and overcame him quickly. It didn't matter to him that she was constantly on something... she was his mother; she had given him life and birthed him.

When Al had looked once more at Ed he immediately forgot about crying when he realized the other was closing in on him once more, his arms open and ready to catch a dead body. He clenched his eyes tight again and braced himself for pain... it truly didn't matter now. I only wish I could've told Isaac goodbye...

But right when the expected pain was supposed to hit, there wasn't a flinch at all. Edward simply sat with his arms around the shorter boy's shoulders, attempting to comfort him as best he could. "I never knew my mom... at least, I don't remember her. To tell you the truth, after I became this way, I kind of forgot about everything that had ever happened before. My father is the only member of my family that I know... so please, don't cry. I understand what it is you're feeling and I--"

"How dare you say you know how I feel? You're a fucking vampire for Christ's sake! You don't know real love or have any emotions whatsoever... you're just a cold-hearted bastard whose only desire is to feed off of helpless (High) women! Get out of my house! Just let me sit here and rot to death!" It all came out so loud and emotional and painfully that before Al could get a hold of himself hot sticky tears were streaming down his face and dripping on his neck and shirt. By that time, Ed had pulled away and was just gazing at him with sad eyes and a smile full of pity.

"Maybe so, but that's a little selfish to be saying that we don't have our own sort of love for certain things. I haven't been a Vampire long, but I believe I know more about them than anyone. We do have feelings and emotions... and we can feel remorse just the same as you pitiful creatures. We just have a more grotesque way of translating those feelings," Edward went on and on, insisting that he had the same inner parts a human did, when it came to how one perceives things. Or in other words; emotions, for lack of a better term.

It was hard for Alphonse to listen to the man who had so carelessly done away with his mother, hard for him to look into those gold eyes without feeling a strange tingling sensation in his stomach and realizing that he was, in a way, drawn to him. It wasn't just the vampire's amazing good looks, though that didn't hurt, it was his entire being. There was something so distantly familiar that kept on nagging him to just look a bit closer. He found himself staring after a moment, still attempting to figure out where on earth he had seen this person before. Couldn't have been anytime during the day... But God, what was it? What was it calling out to him?

To rid them of the awkward silence that had followed, Al thought up something to ask that just so happened to be reasonable. He needed to know anyway... "What do you plan on doing to me? Er... what I mean is: are your plans to kill me as well?" In all honesty, he wasn't entirely sure he desired to know the answer, but either way he was bound to find out.

Edward smirked and narrowed his lovely eyes. He didn't know how to answer that... at first, that had been his intention, but there was something about the composition of Al's DNA... his aura. It was a complicated thing to explain, but to put it simply; something in Al's eyes had stopped the vampire from taking what he had pre-claimed. "You... can come with me. You don't exactly have a choice, now do you? You know what the circumstances are; it would look like you killed your mother. And no autopsy specialist would believe in vampires. They would think it to be some sort of cover up," he elaborated. "I can get rid of the body, if you can help me with something. But you'll have to live the lifestyle of a vampire, and not like a human. Which means you can't see your friends, can't go to school, no sunlight unless it's for something I direct you to do..."

Vaguely, Alphonse wondered if "living a vampire lifestyle" would mean sleeping in coffins. But the thing that had really bothered him about this half-ass proposition was, "not being able to see your friends." What about Isaac? What am I supposed to tell him? He couldn't help but ask himself. And just how long would he have to live that lifestyle? Where would this all take him? But, help? What did Ed mean by "help him?" Lord, this man was complicated to decipher. He was about as hard to solve as the cheat codes in Mortal Kombat.

Before the boy had time to ask any of these questions, Ed was on his feet and looking quite serious now, his ivory skin accented by the moon's pale rays, shining in through the window from the beautiful night sky. He looked almost haunting... like a classic textbook vampire. Gosh, he was gorgeous, Al realized with a slight flush of his cheeks. "I'll try and explain everything to you later when we get to somewhere a bit more secure to talk about such things. I'm sure you can wait till then, am I right?"

Al didn't really have any choice but to just sort of smile and nod. And he had a feeling he would be doing a lot of that around Edward.

End Chapter One

Closing Notes: Hey, just in case anyone reads this chapter again, which might actually happen, I re-vamped it a bit. I changed some things.
I realized I accidentally called Trisha "stoned" in a couple of parts, but generally that refers to smoking pot. And while she DOES do that, she also uses (or rather, USED) Heroin and Cocaine.
When I had first written this chapter, I didn't have much knowledge about drugs. I had smoked pot a few times, but that was it. (And honestly, back then I thought that whenever you were high on ANYTHING it was referred to as being 'stoned.') But anyway, so I changed her terms to being HIGH rather than STONED.


So, anyway. If you're new to this story, then Welcome. And I hope you enjoyed yourself. Honestly, don't give up on it. Once you start reading, it becomes really addictive. I can't even tell you how many times I've wanted to stop writing it, but every time I start to give up, I reread a chapter or two, and I get right back into it. It's an honestly good story with NOT ENOUGH REVIEWS. So just give it a try and I'm sure you'll become hooked.


Thank you, and please continue onto the next chapter.