Chapter 2

Bell ran.

He had to run. He had to get away from that, from that girl.

She had smelled so good, it was unnatural. He had to get away from her. He had wanted to taste her.

Why had she smelled so good? He knew surface dwellers smelled and tasted better then the monsters below, but her smell? It had almost made him lose control.

So he ran.

He didn't care about the people who noticed him as he passed them by. He didn't care about the sunlight, and the pain he was feeling.

He needed to get away. He needed to get help. He needed…

"Aethon!" He called.

The man was sitting lazily in the shadows of the shade of a building. His posture straightened when Bell found him. "Kid? What's wrong?"

Bell stopped in front of Aethon breathing heavily. It wasn't a requirement for vampires to breath the same way others did, however they did so because it felt good. It was also instinctual. "An incident… in the Dungeon… nearly attacked someone… she smelled so, good!"

Aethon glanced around the area. "Let's talk elsewhere. Somewhere with less people." Bell nodded in acceptance.

To anyone who looked it would have appeared as if the two men vanished standing in the shadows.

"So, start at the beginning. What happened down there?" Aethon questioned after the two had gotten comfortable in the alleyway of an uncrowded street. It was the part of town that even if you noticed them, which was unlikely, you probably wouldn't try to get their attention.

Bell nodded, he felt comforted by Aethon's presence. Perhaps it was the kinship they felt from their Sire Bond, but Bell felt truly relaxed in his mentor's presence. "So I was in the Dungeon, doing the normal thing. Killing monsters and drinking their blood, wondering about Dungeon etiquette."

Aethon raised an eyebrow. "Dungeon etiquette?"

Bell shrugged. "The number of corpses we leave lying around is probably inconvenient for some adventurers." Aethon chuckled.

"So anyway." Bell continued. "I was doing the usual thing when I got attacked by a charging minotaur on floor 5."

Aethon's eyebrow rose again. "Indeed? That must have been quite the shock for a newbie dungeoneer like yourself."

Bell rolled his eyes. "So while I was recovering from being pushed back by the monster I was preparing to kill the thing and chew out whoever chased it up to such a high level when its apparent pursuer showed up to kill it."

Bell's face turned serious. "And she's the problem. Just as I was preparing to chew her out I smelled her blood." Bell's fingers twitched. "Have you ever encountered someone… someone who's blood smelled unnaturally good? Someone who you felt like you had to taste, and that you would do anything to taste it?" Bell looked up at Aethon's face and he nodded. "That's what I just experienced… what happened?"

Aethon grimaced. "From the sounds of things, you held back from attacking her?" Bell gave confirmation. "That's… amazing. When I first experienced it well… let's just say it's not an experience I like remembering."

The blue haired vampire sighed. "Truly I should have expected this. I'm sorry I truly am." He gave Bell a remorseful look. "I should have known this would happen and better prepared you for it. I guess I'm old and forgetful, truly a fool eh?" Aethon seemed to find that line of though really funny for some reason. Bell didn't understand why it would be funny.

Aethon looked straight at Bell. "Ok then. So sometimes vampires will have an experience like what you just described. It's an extremely rare occurrence, unless you're really unlucky, but it happens. The subject will usually be someone of the opposite gender, and there'll be something about them that really appeals to them."

Bell stared at Aethon. "So it's… attraction?"

Aethon chuckled. "Sort of, but not really. Attraction will often play a role in it, and it's the reason the target is usually of the opposite gender, but it's not the only reason. You could theoretically, and if you live long enough you will, have a reaction like that towards a man at some point."

Aethon gave a slight grin. "Blood is magical, it contains history. And unlike what the gods do when they update their familia's status, blood records everything. Someone's parents, and their parent's parents. It can also tell what someone could be, because blood is magical."

"And sentient by the way you're making it sound." Bell muttered.

Aethon chuckled. "It's not but I can understand why you would come to such a conclusion."

The man seemed to think for a moment before continuing his explanation. "So blood records everything, however different things appeal to different people. So certain blood appeals to me more then others. In my specific case I tend to be attracted to those who can manipulate fire. So in your case…" He suddenly pointed at Bell. "What things do you like?"

Bell blinked in surprise at the question. "Oh! I um… huh? I suppose… I want a harem!"

Aethon stared at Bell. Bell shifted uncomfortably. Aethon continued to stare at Bell. Finally, after what felt like forever said. "That's quite the desire you've got kid." Bell's embarrassment was palpable. Aethon held back a hearty laugh, it was an entertaining desire, especially given that it was coming from this kid. Aethon could see the perverted desire in the boy, and the boy hadn't tried to act on any of it.

"Fortunately, that must not be the specific draw. Otherwise, you'd have probably jumped some poor girl months ago." Aethon though for a moment. "Why do you want a er…" He cleared his throat and Bell wanted to go dig a hole and bury himself. "…harem?"

Bell thought back. The reason? Well it was simple really. "My grandfather used to read me stories about different heroes. And those stories, well the hero would always go and save the girl and well, you know."

Aethon stared at the boy. Interesting, so the harem wasn't the boy's actual desire his real desire was- "Heroes huh." Bell looked at him in surprise. "So that's it then. You're desire to be like the great heroes of old is what probably draws you to that girl. She's either a descendant of some hero who's blood is stronger then usual. Or she's the reincarnation some older hero."

Aethon gave Bell a look. "You want to experience what they experienced, the memories inside the blood. Obviously, the euphoria you'd get from drinking the blood wouldn't accurately reflect that hero's life at all, but that's the reason you're drawn towards it."

Bell's fist clenched. "So that's the reason." He said bitterly. "I nearly killed a girl so that I could "experience memories" even though the only thing I'd get is a meal out of it?"

Aethon nodded. "That's the reality yes. And I should have prepared you for your first encounter. The best I can do now, is prepare you for the next."

The two stared at each other, and then smiled at each other. Then Bell realized something. "You mentioned reincarnations earlier."

Aethon smirked. "So I did. Y'know to be honest when I first got a good look at you, you were the image of an old hero, you might be familiar with him. His name was Argonaut, honestly your heroic desire only reinforces that idea."

"What! No way you're messing with me! Theirs no way I'm the reincarnation of someone that cool. Hang on, image of him? How do you know how old he is? How old are you?!"

Aethon turned away and Bell could tell he was hiding a grin. "Who can say?"

Bell sighed as he sat on the roof of a building overlooking a somewhat busy street. He could sit comfortably because there was a taller building that cast a shadow over where he sat.

Aethon in the dungeon. After his encounter Bell didn't feel entirely ready to head into the dungeon again yet. So Aethon had agreed to gather blood for the boy, it was a simple method. They would kill a monster, and then drain the blood into bottles and flasks that they carried around. Bell currently held a flask in his left hand, and he took swig of blood from it before looking over the street again.

Some amazons, Bell could swear they were everywhere he looked. There was a catgirl in a waitress outfit skipping by, Bell felt like she was powerful so he chose not to talk to her. Despite being strong enough to shrug off a minotaur charge Bell still didn't feel strong. There were a pair of adventurers arguing, one of them seemed to think he had been ripped off. And there was a short, cute, twin tailed girl running a jagumarukun stand.

The last thing in particular caught his attention. He wasn't sure why, it just seemed to be the most notable thing on the street to him. Maybe it was the girl running the shop? Bell felt amusement watching her fumble around and had to hold back a laugh.

Actually, he was surprised no one had noticed him, or if they had noticed him they hadn't called him out. Were people standing and sitting on top of buildings normal?

Still, he felt like talking to her, he briefly wondered if she was like the girl from the dungeon, but he didn't think so, he couldn't smell her from super far away, not yet anyway. So, he discreetly dropped from atop the building he was on. To not be noticed he'd dropped from the side of the building so it looked like he was stepping out of alley to anyone who would have bothered to look. Not that anyone was bothering to look.

Setting his sights on his target he raised a hood to cover his face, he didn't like sunlight, and started to make his way towards her. He got to her just as she finished selling another potato treat, and he found it quite ironic that there was a single treat left. Not that he could eat it of course.

When he got close enough, he realized. This girl, she was a goddess! Divine blood smelled unique, it was a delicious smell however there was something off about it. Bell had asked Aethon if he knew what the blood of the gods was like. Aethon's response was…

"Let's just say that the last time one of our kind drank their blood it ended badly for all parties and leave it at that."

Bell would never drink a god's blood anyway. Despite his species inherent dislike of them Bell still held them in respect. Not reverence like he did before but respect.

"Hi! Can I help you?" She asked the question with an infectious smile. Bell smiled from beneath his hood. With only slight hesitation he reached up and removed the hood, revealing his white hair to the world. It was only earlier in the day that he was saying her wanted to avoid the gods at all costs but now?

He wasn't completely sure why, but he wanted to show this goddess his face.

Even though he felt pain from the sun.

"I'd like to talk. I find it a little strange seeing someone like you running a stand, I thought speaking to you might give me some insight."

The goddess frowned. "Weird how?"

"Don't take this in a rude way but, you're really short, and kind of clumsy. The sight of someone like you is quite uncommon given how young you appear." As he spoke the goddesses face became more and more bewildered.

"No one's ever just walked up and said something like that to me before. What's your problem?"

Bell laughed. "I suppose I'm eccentric, not that I've ever imagined myself that way before. Do you mind if I ask for your name my lady?" Well, that was formal? Sarcastic? My lady? He'd never acted like that before.

The goddess before him smiled widely she stood up straight and puffed out her chest. "My name is Hestia, and I'm a goddess."

...She was really cute.

Hestia huh, he was familiar with the name. He thought back to where he'd heard the name. Aethon had been teaching him about the different gods, one of the gods he'd mentioned had been Hestia, or more specifically her alto ego Vesta. She was a goddess of fire, of the hearth, and of the home. Aethon had described her as one of the gods he respected more, she cared about her family, she cared about her people and would do anything for them. She'd perhaps sacrifice too much for them.

…..And she was really cute.

Bell internally swore at his grandpa.

Bell held out a hand. "Nice to meet you lady Hestia!" With a grin Hestia reached out and clasped his hand to shake it.

And then her stomach growled. She looked extremely embarrassed.

"Can I buy that?" Bell pointed towards the last jagumarukun.

Hestia's eye twitched slightly. "Of course!" She'd been hoping to snatch it for herself.

After Bell paid for the treat she held it out to him. He took it, stared at it, grinned, and then held it out to her. "Here, a gift for a lovely lady."

Hestia's mouth fell open. "What was all that hassle for!"

Bell shrugged. "Well, I bought it. Then I figured it might make a good gift, so I'm giving it to you since you're the only friend I have here."

Hestia would laugh if it wasn't so dumb. "Well? Take it." She did.

She took a bite out of the treat. Then after a moment. "Would you like to join my familia?"

Bell's face darkened slightly. "To be honest I'd love to." Her face lit up. "But unfortunately, there are circumstances that make that impossible." Her face became downcast.

Looking at her face Bell knew he had to say some things. "It's not you!" He said suddenly and she looked up in surprise. "You could be Freya herself up in her tower and I would still say no. There are circumstances that make me joining a familia impossible." He met her gaze. "Believe me when I say that if I could I would join your familia."

His gaze was honest, and Hestia detected no lies coming from him. She swallowed, his gaze made her jittery, and she thought she might be blushing. "T-thank you." She finally said.

He smiled. "You don't mind if I stop by here again do you?" She shook her head.

He chuckled, then lifted his hood to obscure his face and walked away.

She gulped, and decided that she was looking forward to his next visit.