Vampires mature just like anything else, for some it takes a couple of dozen years, for some it takes hundreds and for most, it never comes.
Vampire maturity wasn't just a guess, there was a single tell-tell sign that a vampire had fully matured.
And that sign was when they unlocked their true self, otherwise known as their true form.
When Vampires were in their true form they no longer wore their human-like faces, instead, they were warped into something monstrous.
They gave up their beauty, replacing it with greater strength, greater speed, greater everything.
Vampires were arrogant, most didn't want to unlock their true form to become something inhumane.
It all made his head spin.
Unfortunately for Naruto, he was now facing down one of those monsters.
Gibberish came out of the monster, one of its many fists met with his nose before a thought could rise.
His nose crunched. Blood dripped onto his rosy lips. A pained expression spilled onto his face.
A worried voice hit his ears, but he merely unhooks his dragon-like wings.
Flying into the air, attempting to get some space, but something grabbed onto his right leg, his back slammed into the ground, creating a crack, it looked as if the floor was planning to break.
Looking up at the monster, its face frozen with fury.
The monster placed another one of its disgusting hands on his leg.
The monster's hands started to twist, his leg looking like a balloon that was going to pop.
His teeth snapped onto his lips so tightly that blood fell onto his chin.
The monster laughed.
''YOU LIKE THIS? I KNOW I DO! SCREAM! SUFFER AS MY BROTHER DID!''
As he was about to curse at the abomination something crossed his eyes that made them broaden.
Black liquid fell onto his forehead, cold as ice.
The monster… a small slice could be seen on its forehead.
''B-BROTHER? I-IS THAT REALLY YOU?''
His leg dropped, sliding onto his feet, taking a few steps backwards with a slight limp.
His nose twitched, cracking back into place.
Naruto's eyes moved back into place.
His eyes narrowed.
The vampire who he just killed was standing there, blade in hand… as if nothing had happened.
Excluding the hole through his chest, of course.
The monster moved towards his brother, arms opened. ''BROTHER! I-I THOUGHT YOU DIED!''
Alaric didn't give a reply, all the man did was stare at his brother blankly.
''BROTHER?''
Still, no response came from the hollow vampire.
Footsteps stood next to him.
''So… was this your doing, Valerie?'' He asks.
Valerie was ahead lengths away from him, her trembling hand wrapped around a golden, expensive-looking cup.
''Y-yes.'' Her voice was a bit shaky.
Being in a dangerous situation like this could do that to someone.
''BROTHER! TALK TO ME!'' The monster roared. ''Please.'' The monster's voice ended with a tremble.
Twisting his crooked foot with a snap, reverting back to its usual position.
Alaric moved in a flash, moving faster than when he was alive, slicing the monster's arm off
As blood gushed out of the monster a piercing screech rushed out.
''BROTHER? WHY?'' Its almost scared face twisted into an expression of rage. ''YOU! YOU TWO DID THIS!'' Its voice was so loud that the walls gained a few cracks.
A crimson sword flew into his right hand.
He may not be as good of a swordsman as his teammate was, but he certainly was no slouch either.
The monster stormed towards them — but Alaric stepped in front of him.
''BROTHER! IT'S ME, BROTHER! CAIN!'' The newly revealed Cain pleaded, regaining his arm that was severed moments prior.
Shooting towards the Eldritch Abomination. As Cain stared at his brother longingly, Naruto's arm moved.
A slash materialised on Cain's chest, black blood leaked onto the floor and a scream erupted.
Leaping backwards a split second before Cain's arms swung at him, avoiding it by a hair's breadth.
''I'LL KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU!''
''Just like your brother tried to kill me?''
His already red face jumped up into a brighter shade.
Cain tried to change towards him, but like the previous times, Alaric got in his way.
''BROTHER?'' Alaric raised his sword up and Cain's expression grew into something that could only be described as acceptance . ''I'm sorry brother! After I kill them you'll get better! I promise!''
All 12 of Cain's arms snaked towards Alaric, it seemed almost gentle, they quickly moved in a flash, covering Alaric's body whole.
Cain did this while wearing a pained expression.
Alaric crashed into the wall with a loud crack.
Closing in on Cain In the blink of an eye, dismembering one of his many arms.
Another groan hit his ears.
As the black liquid dribbled onto the floor, it eventually shaped into a puddle, Cain directed the rest of his arms towards him.
Bouncing over Cain's tiny, red head.
Cain's arms flew up at him,
Not so fast.
A few tiny beads of blood ripped out of his arm, feet touching a red platform, springing off of it as if it was a springboard.
Sounds of cracked glass whacked his ears.
His feet meet the ground silently.
Oh for fuck…..
Cain had already regrown his lost arm.
His brain spun and he nearly tripped up over his two feet.
His dry tongue certainly wasn't helping things either.
''Cassius?'' Valerie's voice came from behind him
Waving his hand.
''I'm fine, I'm fine, just a bit hungry.'' As he said this his gut growled.
Forcing his eyes back into place, but… he already knew it was too late.
Cain bulldozed into him like some rhino, like some out of control rhino.
Smacking into the wall with a crunch.
His face transformed into someone sour as it felt like his ribs were cracked like glass.
His arm swiped to the right, a black mist surrounded him.
Flying up in the air seconds before the mist dissipated.
Putting a hand on his busted rib, his face twitches violently.
Well, at least he can take a breather while his rib fixed themselves.
Alaric had got up and was fighting with his brother.
And he was doing far better than he was, though, Cain not trying to kill him probably had something to do with it.
Valerie was there, standing in the same spot as before, holding the same cup as before.
Her face, under all of that stone, almost looked troubled, worried even.
Naruto places his hand back on his ribs, a smile grows.
Good as new.
Putting his other hand on the hilt of his blade, reverse grip.
His wings disappeared.
His body fell, gripping onto his blade firmly.
His feet dropped onto the beastly vampire's shoulder, sword smashing down upon his head.
A piercing screech echoed, blowing his hair as if it were the wind.
His wrists wiggled, the scream almost became defending.
Grey liquid popped out of Cain's head, almost like a water fountain.
After a few seconds he wrenched his sword out, instead of it being almost entirely red, it was now grey.
He flicked his sword and some of the greys splashed onto the floor.
Now, it was only half grey.
Flipping off of the giant beast.
One of Cain's hands was cloaked around his red head, roaring.
Unhooking those wings from his back.
His eyes turn into slits
His blade turned into something pale, something almost white.
Particles spun around his whole body, white, the same white as his blade.
And something floated just behind him, something old, something powerful.
A certain white dragon.
''TAKE THIS!''
His body creaked, it creaked like a centuries-old house
Something old, something ancient, something powerful flooded through his veins.
Like the wind itself, he moved, faster than he has in years.
Swerving around the wild arms, cutting them as if they were butter.
The roars make his blood pump.
His sword thickens, it thickens to such a degree that it dwarfs his skull.
Vanishing in front of Cain, half of his numerous arms on the ground.
Cain's face, no, his whole body whitened into a shade even paler than his own.
The particles circled around his new broadsword.
Then, at last, he swung.
Cain's eyes bloated just moments before his body was sliced in two.
The walls in front of them cracked, then they cracked some more until eventually they were sliced into tiny, fragmented pieces.
Cain's toppled onto the ground, both of him.
Cain's heart rolled out of his chest. Naruto gazed at it for a second.
It exploded, the black goo splattering across the walls.
A sigh came out.
His sword plonks downwards.
He drops onto the floor, his ringing ears making his brain screech.
His body crunched.
He felt a scream escape from his lips even if it didn't arrive through his ears.
Everything…. Everything…
The words wouldn't even fit in his brain.
His blurry eyes pushed down to his hands.
His fingers, all of them, twisted in places that shouldn't have been impossible.
His hands were surrounded by bumps that rivalled footballs in size alone.
His teeth pounded into each so viciously that they could make flesh seem paper-thin.
His head descended upon the ground.
A muffled voice jumped.
His eyes closed and eventually, the darkness overtook him.
Standing outside of His door, giving it a quiet knock.
No response.
She gives it another knock, only this time she did it two times over.
Still, no response.
Her eyes shut, reopening them after some time.
Giving it another knock, creating a bang.
Still, she got the same response as before.
''Cassius.'' She called out, her voice icy, characteristically so. ''You will open this door or I will do it for you.''
She got the same response as before.
She punches the door off its hinges.
Entering the room, her eyes scanned the room.
Her eyes obtained slits.
Cassius wasn't there, but that wasn't it.
His bed was flipped over and there was a large, noticeable hole through the wall.
The room's temperature suddenly dropped.
''Scatter, Now.'' She ordered the masked individuals who seemed to be trembling.
And just like that the masked individuals jumped off the building they were on.
She did the same, only she was much, much faster.
Her wings on full display, zooming at speeds that made lightning seem slow.
Her eyes eventually spotted an alleyway, she flew down as red, almost electrical particles clung to her.
Landing onto the ground with a thud.
It was her Son.
He was battered and bruised, his body… it looked as if every bone in his body had ruptured at once.
Catching a glimpse of gold… something was clinging onto Him!
Everything turned red, before anything could be said her hand tightened around the girl's throat.
Smashing the girl into the wall, her grip merely getting tighter.
''Was this your doing?'' She questioned calmly while ideas of torture popped up.
Harsh, but short breaths came out of the girl. The little blonde's eyes broadened.
A smirk wanted to arrive on her lips.
''Answer the question, Dhampir.''
The little Dhampir's mouth widened.
''If you do not give me a suitable answer I will tear you apart, limb from limb.''
The little Dhampir's breathing came to a halt.
She chucked the girl onto the ground, near her Broken son.
''This is your last warning.''
Impressively enough, the Dhampir's fearful facade was swapped out with one of apathy.
And she means it, most people wouldn't be able to spot a thing from her.
Though, she wasn't everyone.
''I don't know.'' She bit out, her ears picking out a hint of confusion.
''You don't know.'' She vanished, reappearing right in front of the dhampir. ''Tell me, now.'' She demanded, leaving no room for argument.
Her body froze, but after a few seconds, she finally spoke.
And so, the little Dhampir told her about what happened. About how Cassius had brought her home.
About how she ran away earlier today, and how Cassius had saved her from those two vampires.
In truth, she was wondering if she should end it all and rip her heart out.
But for some reason, Cassius seemed fond of her.
He wouldn't have tried to save her if he wasn't.
''Tell me this.'' Her eyes flicked to Cassius. ''How did he end up in such a condition?''
Valerie took a momentary pause. ''I don't know, one minute he was fine… the next…''
''He wasn't?'' Her disapproving gaze stays on the Dhampir. ''Follow me.'' Her hand grasps onto the dhampir, pulling her up and placing her breath near the girl's ear.
''If I find out you're lying… I will kill you, only before I do, everyone you care for shall die in front of your very eyes'' She breathed in the girl's ears. ''Do...We...Understand….Each...Other?''
An audible gulp later the girl shakes her head.
Removing her hand from the girl's throat, putting Cassius over her shoulder as lightly as possible.
''Let us go.''