I pull out book after book, and Bickslow's standing at the door, leaning on it.

"You don't expect me to read all of those, do you?"

"Most of these are spell books, and some are skill books. You'll learn your history from me, and more books. After you finish these." I hand the books to him, and his smile remains as he strains under the weight of the books.

"Now, start reading."

With Bickslow setting about reading those books I gave him, along with committing the spells to memory, I pinch the bridge of my nose. I don't know how I'm going to deal with this, 'Hey, your Mate is your apprentice and that's probably why you chose him subconsciously because of the sound of his voice!' I mean, how would a normal person deal with something like this?

I snort a bit, looking out the window at my Mate. Wow, I'm thinking about that in a semi-normal context. Not sure whether or not I should feel proud of that.

My train of thought catches up to me, and I remember that, for as long as I've been alive, or dead, er, undead, excuse me, I've always been rather proud that I'm different. In a mostly good way.

But some things are weird even by my standards. And I've partied with the Daedric Prince of Debauchery. Sithis, that was a night to remember. I shiver a bit at the memory of the Hagraven whom I was engaged to…. Ergh.

I shake off my thoughts and turn to look at the person below me. Is it just me, or is he paler?

My eyes go wide, and if I could have gone paler myself, I would've. Said eyes drift to the books by me, on a table in the kitchen where I brought them in.

Oh no…..

This cannot be happening.

I vault over the countertop and reach it in about two seconds flat, grabbing the books splayed out on the table. Telekinesis from my right hand summons my gale force reading glasses, and I speed read through the books using them.

Not good, not good, not good…

Reading the Vampire part of it has enlightened me about several facts that I'm still trying to digest, but there's nothing in there about this particular thing that I am worried about.

It's an hour later from when I started reading, and I take off the gale force reading glasses finally, pinching my nose again.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

What is this?

Bickslow comes in from outside finally, his cheeks flushed from the cold setting in quickly. It's easily enough to freeze the water outside, but to him, it's just an abnormally cold breeze, of no consequence. His eyes look alive and his tongue is sticking out again. That trait's beginning to grow on me, I believe.

"What's up, Listener?" he says, and I notice that he's also taken off his shirt. I'm barely able to resist the urge to blush, but I do it. Somehow. Oh, by Sithis, this man….

My apprentice grabs some water, sitting at the countertop of the kitchen where I've served him pancakes before.

I sigh, looking at my notes and mentally going over it in my head. "I have no idea. And it's frustrating me so badly I'm barely able to talk to you. If I was only, though…. No, that would actually probably add to the problem. Maybe."

"What are you talking about?" he asks, looking at me.

"Thinking about some facts. And some things I've noticed, about you."

"So you were watching me!" he laughs at this, then stops at my serious expression.

"For a time, yes, I was, but then something occurred to me. Would you like to know what it was?"

Bickslow's POV

Why does that sentence scare the crap out of me? Damn, I wish I had my babies around me to support me. They at least laugh with me.

Suddenly unsure if I do want to know about it, I answer anyway, "Sure. Explain away."

I watch Listener's face maintain a perfect poker face, and I gulp almost audibly at the seriousness of her aura. Her soul's movements aren't exactly comforting either. Normally, it has much more energy than her, allowing me to see her real emotions clearly and concisely. Normally, it's a blood red, or maybe a gold if she's doing extreme magic. Normally, I can see her aura clear as day, marking her as a wizard and making her presence known, even stronger than Laxus, or of Jura, which makes sense, seeing as she beat them both easily.

But these don't seem like normal circumstances. Not in the slightest.

"Tell me, Bickslow, was it cold outside?" she asks, not looking me in the eyes, but outside instead. She's shifted from her position, seated at the table, to over by the window overlooking where I was practicing, on the grass where the lake's shore is.

"Eh? Oh, not really." Phew, I was afraid it was going to be a tough question. Easy as pie!

She nods. "I was-am still- fearful of this." Listener pauses for dramatic effect, then looks me straight in the eyes.

"You're gaining the characteristics of a vampire."

I blink. Once, twice.

"What?"

Listener's POV

I sigh, looking at the person before me. "I'm reasonably sure that's what's happening to you. Look at the lake."

My apprentice takes another glance at me, then looks at the lake as requested.

"It's frozen."

I nod. "Any normal human would have noticed the temperature change within five minutes of such an event even starting to take place. You were out there for thirty minutes more. It was also a good deal darker than what you could normally see."

Before I told him he's my Mate, I would have expected something like disbelief, followed by a heated debate, maybe. But this time, all I get is just- acceptance.

"Is this supposed to happen?" he asks, absorbing the knowledge. "I mean, it's cool and all, but honestly, this is a bit weird. Does it say so in the books?"

"Not in mine."

He nods, and we share a glance before sprinting out of the kitchen, his food forgotten (18) , and up the stairs to look at the rest of the books.

This is gonna be a long night, isn't it?

Mentally sighing, I smile instead. I like these long nights with my Mate. My Mate, I repeat inside my head again.

My Mate.

My Bickslow.

(18) Which may or may not be necessary at this point. I have no clue; it's different for every vampire, especially newly turned ones that haven't started feeding on human blood yet. It's essential to do that as soon as possible, to kill off the weaklings. What? We don't need idiotic vampires walking around taking people's blood as soon as they get a papercut.

C13's song is Raise Your Glass by Pink.

This one's song is Face to Face by Daft Punk.