(Vicente's POV)

I am incredibly proud of young Aerius. I've told him this before, but now his eyes were glowing with pride as I tell him how cold his blood is, how hard his heart is. That he exemplifies everything the Dark Brotherhood stands for.

But what else is there for me to tell him? With the way he completes his contracts, it's all true. He does nothing short of what he's told—in fact, he always fulfills the requirements for the bonuses, as well. The boy simply aims to please.

"You have served me well, and I choose now to extend that gift to you. Shall I use my dark powers and turn you into a vampire?"

His eyes widen more as he nods vigorously, too excited for words.

I can't help but smile at his amazement. "Most excellent! Here is what you must do. Simply go to sleep here in the Sanctuary, at any time, and I will visit you as you slumber. I will wrap you in vampirism's dark embrace. You will never even know I was there. But when you waken, you and I will be of the same blood."

…

(Aerius' POV)

With a sigh I turn over on the rock that Vicente calls a bed. Again.

It's not that I'm afraid of his bite. Honestly, I'm looking forward to it—despite the common people's opinion of vampires, the thought of being one thoroughly intrigues me. Perhaps that's why I can't sleep…

"I thought you would be asleep by now," I hear Vicente say. I sit up and see him standing in his doorway, leaning slightly on the doorsill.

"I can't," I admit nervously. My gaze drops to the leg of my laced leather pants.

Although I'm not looking, I can feel the intense red glare in the top of my head. "You're afraid of me?"

"No," I blurt out hastily, and when his expression doesn't change I add, "I trust you."

He crosses his arms and dons a slight smile. "Shall we get on with it, then, or have you changed your mind?"

"You can do that? I mean… while I'm awake?"

"Of course I can," he states simply and crosses the short distance between us. "Though it has been some time since I've fed directly."

At my confused glance he continues, "I have been relying on bottled blood since the Brotherhood found me nearly two hundred years ago. It's less satisfying, I suppose, but definitely a more reliable source of sustenance," he shrugs. "If I remember correctly, the situation can be quite… pleasant."

"There's only one way to jog your memory, then?" I suggest with a slight tilting of my head.

He smiles. "You're quite curious, Aerius. It could get you into trouble one day." And before I can shrug in reply he was already leaning forward and sinking his fangs into the tender skin of my neck, just below the chin. I let out something akin to a gasp, wanting to back away, but his hand was already behind my neck, holding me still.

The pain was gone as fast as it came, replaced by a warm feeling that was already becoming sweetly addictive. I am faintly aware of Vicente's arm curling around my waist in a way that had my already-fast pulse quickening. But I'm secretly wishing that the person holding me wears blood-spattered robes instead of fancy clothes, that those eyes were brown instead of red. That his voice is low and demanding instead of soft and silken. His skin could stand to be less pale and thin-looking.

I am wrenched out of my hopeless wishing by the feeling of Vicente's cool hand tugging at the laces of my now unbearably tight pants. Was I a little more conscious, I would've leaned into the touch, but I feel dizzy with blood loss. He notices this and draws back, allowing me to slump rather ungracefully against him. My eyelids feel heavy and the prospect of just falling asleep in this position, leaning on his chest, was beginning to sound more and more wonderful.

The warm rumble of laughter shakes against my forehead. Can vampires read minds? I look up at Vicente tiredly. His skin had filled in a little, his eyes slightly showing a green that once was. "Go to sleep, Aerius. My night has just begun."

I lay back on the stone, more out of my own will than obedience. Almost instantly I am overtaken by sleep, tossed into the dreamworld I so frequently visit. But I don't dream of Vicente, or his bite, or even being a vampire.

I dream of Lucien.