As promised, not going to abandon this story. Partly I'm wanting to get my current stories done so I can focus on a FullMetal Alchemist fic (my first) that I'm currently plotting, a multi-chapter that's basically going to take the basic framework and veer off in a totally new plot. Those familiar with both FMA and my obsession with unequal relationships will not be at all surprised by what pairing it's going to involve.

No particular warnings for this chapter, just a general I-don't-own-the-eye-candy and there-will-always-be-hurt/comfort and Zack-is-going-to-get-dream-molested, the basics if you know me at all. Kiddies turn back here.

WITH THE DEAD
Chapter 12

The week between the Council's decree and Zack's departure somehow both flew and crawled. Aside from the obvious packing and what little preparation they could, feeling helpless though, do, there were practicalities to sort out with Dagan, the Council and its servants being intermediaries. Dagan expressed complete understanding that Zack was only to feed from evil-doers, assuring that his home was near a port city with no lack of pirates and gang members, and that Zack would be very carefully supervised while preying upon this lowest rung of human life; he even announced that he himself did the same, fed only on the wicked, and therefore genially expressed approval (which annoyed Genesis and Angeal, who had long ago decided they didn't want their sire patronizing them).

Dagan also sent word that his home would provide anything that Zack could want or need, that his own bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room were furnished and awaiting him. He said the latter was stocked with everything he thought a teenager might want, including the latest gaming systems and every game for it he'd been able to find. No need for Zack to bring clothing either if he'd rather not; his dresser and closet were fully stocked with the kind of clothing Dagan had seen the boy wear, therefore both formal and casual. And as a grandparent might be expected to do, Dagan was planning activities for them to do, including playdates with other newborns and some mention of a local night carnival.

Angeal and Genesis explained to Zack that Dagan, in an old-fashioned kind of way, was a sort of lord of the area where he lived, owning the land surrounding his mansion and leasing it out to tenants' homes, businesses, and farms, as well as mediating their disputes. That he was a vampire was not known, of course, with the locals believing rather he was some sort of immortal sorcerer.

"That's okay with the Council?" Zack had asked his sires confusedly.

"In this case," Angeal had answered with a shrug. "It's worked so far. Dagan's a fair enough landlord that his people are devoted to him."

"Alas," Genesis had musing added," "no sign yet of torches and pitchforks. See what you can do to encourage that, baby cub."

It wasn't until many minor details were sorted out that Angeal and Genesis pushed the Council to inquire on what they were truly concerned about – what kind of physical intimacy Dagan was expecting from his grandchild. It was very usual for vampires to be as or almost as intimate with their grandchildren as the sire or sires were. Angeal and Genesis of course requested minimal physical contact, and Dagan's counter-offer pleased the Council – that he would do no more than Zack consented to. "Essentially," the Council go-between reported, "Lord Dagan says the child will be the one dictating all that happens between them."

Zack expected Genesis to be happy about that, but the sire remained suspicious and reacted to the assurance by having Zack practice resisting hypnotic suggestion, which thankfully the boy was good at. Angeal even let him practice throwing up mental walls, though always having the boy take them down after a few minutes. Zack understood why, at least he was pretty sure he did.

"It's because I don't feel connected to you when I do, isn't it?" the boy asked him.

Angeal stroked the silky black spikes with a fond smile. "Perceptive Puppy. Yes, when I don't feel tethered to you, I find myself feeling very unhappy."

"Then it'll be like I'm not really gone, right? Because we'll be able to feel each other?"

"It will feel different," Genesis volunteered glumly, "because Dagan lives so far away. It'll be like turning on a radio far from all the stations you know. Just a faint static to let you know something is there, distantly there."

"Can I get stronger somehow?" the innocent newborn asked his parents eagerly. "So I can make up for it?"

Genesis kissed the boy's forehead. "Darling, any stronger and we'd never be able to manage discipline, should you need any," he said wryly.

Sword instruction and practice continued, though as far as the sires knew Dagan only had a basic mastery of fencing. They didn't expect Zack to have to do any swordfighting while away, but were keen to strengthen him up in every way possible, prepare him as much as they could. Along these lines, despite what Genesis had once pronounced, they had to be sure Zack could hunt, so Genesis took him to a port city some distance away and provided instruction and assurance as Zack selected a criminal, drained his blood, and healed the fang wound before concealing the body. Zack did it all with no tears, or at least no outward ones. He was nowhere near the end of his vampiric childhood, but he was inarguably growing stronger.

The sires were, for the most part, fairly well concealing, or at least minimizing, the anguish they felt at having to give Zack up for a month; both were thinking about that reality as little as possible, hoping to save any hysterics and tears for when Zack was actually gone. Even had Dagan been a trusted friend, Genesis and Angeal would be miserable, for they had gotten used to being with Zack nearly every moment, and nothing had ever made either of the vampires happier than this dear boy did, not even one another. On top of how much they would miss their child, despite what they told Zack, each other, and themselves, there was the chance that Zack would be harmed in some way by his grand-sire.

Genesis had queried other vampires who knew their people's laws better, and angrily mused that it was ridiculous there was no minimum age a newborn had to be before he could be separated from his parents. Angeal expressed surprise that the Council had denied their request for surprise inspections of Dagan's care, but he kept saying like a mantra: only a month. If Zack was at all hurt in any way, he was to inform his parents immediately, because the Council would believe him if he reported any harm (and even were this not true, Genesis would burn the entire planet down if he had to to get his baby out of harm's way, though he wisely didn't mention this aloud).

Angeal reluctantly suggested that they should try sleeping separately from Zack, to prepare him for sleeping alone at Dagan's home. Genesis predictably, though less politely, told his partner what he thought of that idea, but hesitantly agreed when Zack said he should probably at least try it. "I'll already be missing you," the boy told Genesis with a hug, "I don't want to make it any worse for myself." Placated by the physical contact, Genesis agreed to one day within the week they had left, but insisted they spend the rest of the days in the same bed, because he wanted all the time and touch he could possibly get to prepare himself for the lack of Zack.

"Lack of Zack?" Zack repeated teasingly. "That sounds like a punk band Kunsel would've been into."

"Sounds like a nightmare to me," Angeal offered, sliding his fingers through the boy's spikes.

"Being away from me, or punk music?"

"Both." Zack had often teased his mentor for preferring instrumental music to what was popular.

No one mentioned something they were all concerned about – Zack's sudden and frequent orgasms during which, if possible, the boy looked even more sexually desirable. At least, the sires didn't mention it to Zack, and even Genesis couldn't say it aloud, though he did touch Angeal's mind with the worry.

I know, babe. But it falls under the same category. If Dagan is at all inappropriate, Zack will tell us, we inform the Council, we go get him, and Dagan will never get near him again.

Do you think he's changed, 'Gealy?

I have to believe it. I don't know if you noticed the way he was looking at Zack during the Council meeting, but it wasn't just with lust. And I don't think it was even just interest in Zack's strength. I think…

What?

I think he actually cares for Zack.

Genesis mentally scoffed. Cares? Dagan? You need a heart for that.

You know how exceptional Zack is. Maybe he's bringing something out of Dagan nothing and no one else ever has.

I wish I had your optimism, 'Gealy.

It will be okay, babe. Zack napping beside them, Angeal folded Genesis into his broad arms. It will be okay. Trust me. Trust the bond we have as a family. Trust us.

agzagzagzagz

The night preceding the day of sleeping apart, Genesis was visibly tense, a precursor to what he'd be going through while Zack would be away, so Zack stuck extra close to him and took every opportunity to kiss and hug him, which Genesis soaked in gratefully like a stylish humanoid sponge. They sword-sparred while Angeal watched and called instruction and encouragement to his student, Zack very unusually asked Genesis to read some of Loveless to him (the boy normally found it as boring as his younger father did), and before the trio separated, when Zack did his usual dawn feeding, he drank from Genesis an extra long time and stayed awake long enough to feel each of his sires fuck him through at least a dozen orgasms.

By the time they had to leave him alone in his bedroom, Zack, who'd worried he wouldn't be able to sleep alone, was half-out already when his fathers tucked him in and kissed him, Angeal needing to subtly pull Genesis to their own bedroom with mental promises they'd check on him every so often. Zack snuggled into his favorite purple pillow and let his eyes close, and was not sure whether he was awake, half-awake, or fully asleep when he felt a barely-familiar mind graze his own.

Little one. The boy frowned and shifted, then went still again when the voice kept speaking. Ssh, sleep. Be still. You're safe.

Safe… The presence was pushing reassurance and calm into the newborn, keeping him mostly still and almost asleep. There was something else being poured into him, something he could not quite name, because although it felt like love, it was not quite what the boy was used to from his parents. It was not as unconditional, exactly, as theirs was.

Zack faintly felt what seemed to be a hand stroking his sleek hair, then his face. So beautiful.

Who…?

You know. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you. I will never hurt you.

Somehow, without panic (which would have roused him), Zack recognized this voice and touch…it was Dagan. And as much as he didn't want the feel of cool hands beginning to explore his body, he couldn't wake from it, or even be alarmed enough to stir or call his parents. The boy was shifted into laying on his back, and at once hands were under his shirt, fingers playing with his nipples. He went into a silent orgasm that the touches continued through, caressing as though to ease him through the climax.

I can't wait to hold you, taste you… Zack frowned and whimpered softly as he seemed to feel a tall body laying on top of him. …be inside you.

N-No…

I didn't ask your permission, child. Though I would like it. We have time. You may come to enjoy our time together as much as I will. Ssh, relax. It would worry Angeal and Genesis if they knew I was visiting you, wouldn't it?

The vampire lord was devastatingly perceptive, knowing Zack really didn't want to upset his parents, especially now, especially with something like this. Besides, the touches continued, and though his mind didn't want it, he was a hyper-sexual newborn and couldn't stop them from feeling good, or the several more orgasms from happening. His own hand was guided into his underwear and made to stroke himself, cool stranger fingers manipulating his own as an unseen face kissed and sniffed his neck.

Good baby. Just enjoy it, as I enjoy you. Gods, why do you smell so good?

Without meaning to, Zack parted his lips in what would have been an audible cry had not an invisible mouth crashed into them, kissed him skillfully as he was made to masturbate. The boy was holding back as much as he could, but that only increased the dizzying pleasure, pushed him higher and higher, until a final climax ripped through him with the shaking strength of a mild seizure. Genesis and Angeal were distracted, as they were having sex, and interpreted what they briefly felt from Zack as merely the boy pleasuring himself or having one of his unprompted orgasms.

Coming down with soft, ragged breaths, the boy drifted toward deeper sleep as cold lips kissed all over his face, his forehead last as though in blessing. He remembered none of it when he awoke, including the parting words.

I'll see you soon, little one.

agzagzagzagz

The evening of departure came too soon for all of them, as they'd all known it would. Zack kept a brave face as he fed from his parents one last time, slipped on a backpack filled with some much-needed reminders of home, and waited outside the house in the dim cool air, his fathers touching him as much as they could without seeming too desperate or risking arousing him. Angeal, stoic Angeal was holding himself together rather well, though feeling rather like his heart was being pulled out of him, but Genesis mostly stood behind Zack because he couldn't hold back his red-tinged tears.

A disturbance of the air above them, and the family's friend Merrick, whose child Alan Zack had "played" with at the party, landed nearby and approached with a warm smile. Genesis and Angeal had requested, and been granted, that someone they trusted be the one to take Zack to Dagan's residence, and Merrick, who always seemed to know everything going on in the vampire community, had volunteered to fly Zack the few hundred miles east and promised that, though the Council had decreed Genesis and Angeal could not yet know the exact location, if there was any trouble, he would take the sad parents there himself. At least someone on their side completely would know exactly where Zack was.

"Hello, precious," Merrick cooed at Zack, still very taken with the child of his good friends. "Ready?"

No. Not even close. The newborn faked a smile. "Yep. Thank you again, but are you sure you don't mind?"

"Oh, not at all, I love flying, especially at this time of evening." It was a quite pretty dusk, the sky still tinged with the remains of orange and yellow sun, and streaked with Zack's favorite purple. Merrick was about to ask the parents how they were holding up, saw Genesis's expression and tears, and decided it would be best to get this over with. "Okay if I pick you up?"

Zack closed his eyes, turned and was hugged by his fathers, who whispered to him in shaking voices that all would be all right, but he was to let them know immediately if anything uncomfortable occurred, don't you dare try to tough it out, Zackary, we love you so much, et cetera. Zack didn't open his eyes again until he had turned back around, fighting his own tears, and nodded to Merrick who, determined to draw this splinter as quickly as possible, swiftly lifted the boy into his arms and rose with him into the faint wind.

Genesis lasted until he was fairly certain Zack, if the boy was even looking back, wouldn't be able to see them clearly anymore. Then he turned to accept Angeal's embrace, slumped into it, and began to sob. He was unsurprised, and somehow comforted, to feel Angeal weeping as well.

agzagzagzagz

Merrick was, as most vampires were to varying extents, perceptive, and gave Zack a while of silence to get some of his tears out. When the boy seemed a bit better, because talking aloud was difficult in the wind, Merrick spoke to him telepathically, chattering amusing stories from his long life, relating bits of vampire folk tales, and telling Zack that Dagan had already been in contact with him about Alan visiting, so there wouldn't be a total lack of familiar faces over the next month. Zack smiled as best he could, responded, made his gratitude for the reassurance and distraction known.

It was full dark night by the time Merrick touched down outside a charming-looking village surrounded by orchards and fields, in front of a beautiful and old-looking mansion. Between the mako and his vampirism, Zack had no trouble seeing the structure, and the smiling immortal who came out to greet them. Dagan clasped Merrick's hand in welcome and said, "Old friend, thank you. I appreciate this."

Merrick, who was Angeal and Genesis's friend, who had always been a bit suspicious of Dagan, was nonetheless diplomatic, and willing to give chances, and anyway didn't wish to worry Zack. He laughed kindly, said it was no trouble, and hugged Zack while telling him to get in touch if he needed anything, anything at all, and if he didn't, he would see him one month from this night to take him home, if not sooner.

"Thank you," Zack said, a touch shyly, or perhaps just timid from fear of this situation. Merrick patted his cheek, sent a flood of reassurance toward the boy, and disappeared into the air. Finding himself alone with Dagan, Zack felt much more reserved than his usual friendly self, trying to smile but having trouble looking up from his sneakers.

A flood of what felt like love poured into him, and Dagan gently patted the boy's shoulder. "Zack, I know it wasn't your choice to come here, and I know you must feel very nervous, but I promise you, I fought to get you here only out of good intentions. If you're not ready yet for me to be family, give me a chance to be a friend."

The voice was indeed quite friendly. Zack looked up and found a seemingly-warm smile, full of affection, directed at him, and he mirrored a faint reflection of that expression, though he couldn't yet bring himself to speak.

"Come on in, this house is your home, and there is nowhere off limits to you. Let me show you around."

Zack was distracted by the slightly-cold grandeur of the manor house, intrigued by the large and ornate library, softened by the fragrant greenhouse and the gardens out back. He was introduced to several servants, all humans, and tried to remember their names. He managed to thank Dagan with at least some sincerity for the impressive game room created just for him, filled with arcade machines and the latest systems attached to a huge TV, and was visibly impressed with the suite of rooms he was shown to and told were his, a rather formal-looking sitting room, a luxurious bathroom with a jacuzzi-sized tub, and a large, fancy bedroom softened by "teenager" things – movie posters, closet and dresser stuffed with clothes his sizes, modern knickknacks, and a huge four-poster bed dressed entirely with royal purple, gold-bordered linens.

"Th-thank you, sir."

"Please, I'd be so happy if you called me Grand-sire," Dagan said cheerfully. "You should eat, definitely, but first I'll give you a little while to settle in and unpack, get a feel for your rooms. But first, a bit of business."

Zack started when large, cool hands framed his face, and again when he could feel Dagan's mind slightly pressing against his own. His shield flew up before he could decide to use it, and Dagan, unangered, merely smiled.

"Very impressive, as I expected. Take your shield down now, little one." He waited for Zack to do that before the not-very-welcome mental pressure returned. "You're missing your fathers already, I think."

Dagan made a sympathetic noise as his fingers caught a few tears, and he gently swiped at them. "You are so thoughtful. You don't want your fathers to be worrying about your apprehension at being here, do you?"

There seemed to be only one right answer, the honest one. "No, s-Grand-sire."

A smile. "I think, Zack, you'd prefer it if Angeal and Genesis sensed nothing but contentment from you while you're here, am I correct?"

Despite how gently he was being handled, Zack at that moment felt like he had sometimes on missions with Angeal, when he'd strayed too far from his teacher and gotten cornered by enemies. "Y-Yes…"

"Very admirable. Let me just…"

Dagan's expression narrowed with concentration, and after a minute Zack gasped in shock. His constant, soothing connection to his parents, which had grown fainter with distance, was gone, replaced by a sort of mental tether to the mind of the man touching him, a very powerful mind that was pouring comforting energy into him.

"W-What…?"

"This way, Genesis and Angeal won't be troubled by your missing them, and also I can take care of you much better while you're here if you're connected to me instead. It's not so bad, is it?"

The tone of voice had not changed, it was affectionate, if somewhat cooing, like an adult would speak to a young child, and cool fingers continued to caress his face, but for the first time, Zack felt genuinely frightened. Dagan felt this and quickly pulled the boy into a very enclosing hug.

"Oh, don't be scared, little one. When you return to your papas, your connection to them will resume, and you can tell them all about the fun you and I had. In no time at all, the old family rift will be healed and all will be happy, all thanks to your willingness to trust a lonely old man. It would be nice to see Genesis relieved of all that old anger, wouldn't it?"

Again, there was only one possible answer. "Y-Yes…"

Dagan kissed his forehead. "I knew you'd understand. Take a short time to settle in, and I will return very soon. Should you need me before then, just reach out. I can find you anywhere now."

Once alone, Zack numbly dropped his backpack and sank into a seat on the very soft mattress. He was determined to stop shaking before Dagan returned, to try to give the man a fair chance like he'd earlier decided he would do, but deep down, the boy felt a cold fear and knew it would not be easily thawed and banished. Dagan's parting words had been spoken in the same warm tone all his speech thus far had been, but at the moment, Zack couldn't help but think it had been as much a warning as a reassurance.

To be continued.