Sorry for the wait, my laptop was broken...had to fix it :-)

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The next evening, Merlin was standing outside Arthur's house. His cheek was still quite red from when he had broken up with Cenred the evening before, after the party, and, as expected, Cenred didn't take it very well. His reaction had changed from shock to confusion, to anger and then to begging Merlin for another chance, but something powerful had been leading Merlin's actions and he had therefore refused all Cenred's requests, who ended up slapping his face and storming away, promising that he would make Merlin his again.

Since then, he hadn't seen Cenred again, not at the campus nor around…It was strange, but Merlin supposed his ex was probably still sobering up his anger somewhere, as usual.

Merlin sighed when he reached the front door he had only seen the night before for the first time. He didn't know why at the end of the day he felt the uncontrollable need to visit Arthur, but he did.

He took a deep breath and was about to knock on the door, when this opened, revealing a smiling Arthur, dressed in a light white shirt and black trousers. He was barefoot.

"Hi, Merlin. You're finally here! I was waiting for you"

Merlin frowned.

"You were? But I have only decided to visit you maybe an hour ago, when classes ended…"

The blond smiled shyly.

"You're right. I mean that I had a feeling you would come"

The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds, studying each other, although for two very different reasons: Merlin because he was trying to fathom out the man in front of him; Arthur because he couldn't wait to have Merlin all to himself to do whatever he wanted with him.

"Well then, Merlin, come in…"

He did and was fascinated by the beauty of the interior of the house, so different from what it had looked like the day before with drunken teenagers scattered everywhere. Focused on his marvelling, he failed to notice the blond locking the door behind him…no one would be able to leave anytime soon…

"You have done a great job at cleaning this place, Arthur. I wouldn't have never guessed there had been a party here if I hadn't been here myself"

"Thanks, but it wasn't a big deal. I can be quite fast if I want to" Smirked the blond.

Merlin looked at him surprised.

"Oh? I never thought you were a kind of janitor"

The blond stepped forwards, staring at him intensely.

"Trust me, Merlin, I'm a man full of surprises…you haven't seen all of me yet…"

The brunet swallowed and looked down, suddenly uncomfortable.

Arthur chuckled, "Relax, Merlin. I'm not going to eat you, you know…Hey, talking about eating, are you hungry? I have already dined, but there's something left if you want it"

Merlin was about to refuse, when his stomach growled loudly. He blushed and said, "Yes, please…"

Arthur giggled, "Is baked pasta ok for you?"

Merlin nodded and followed the blond in the kitchen, he sat at the table and watched as Arthur heated the pasta.

It would have been a nice domestic scene if it wasn't for the fact that Merlin had a bad feeling. He didn't know why. He told himself it was only due to his tiredness after the break-up with Cenred.

He was startled from his thoughts by a dish of hot pasta being put in front of him by a smiling Arthur.

"Here you go. Enjoy your meal!"

"Thank you, Arthur. It's very kind of you" He started to eat, but noticed that the blond kept starting at him, "….mmm…are you sure you don't want to join me?"

"Don't worry about me…I have eaten plenty not long ago. I'm still…quite full actually"

Merlin looked at him for a moment, but then shrugged, accepting the blond's explanation. He returned to his dinner and gave an appreciative sigh.

"This is really tasty…what kind of meat have you used in the meat sauce?"

For a moment, a dark shadow filled the eyes of the blond, who grinned wickedly at the thought of poor Morgause, "Now, Merlin ... a chef never reveals his secret ingredient... I can only tell you that the meat I've used is very fresh..."

The brunet was perplex, but sent him an awkward half smile nevertheless.

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After a few minutes in silence, Arthur asked, "So, I couldn't help but notice the red mark on your right cheek…has someone hurt you?"

Merlin instinctively touched his still hurting cheek and put down the fork.

"Just a misunderstanding with someone…no big deal"

"Does…Cenred have something to do with it? Please, Merlin, be honest with me. I'm trying to be your friend"

Merlin finally sighed, feeling the need to talk to someone about it.

"For a while now, I have contemplated breaking things with Cenred…you know…he is still in the teenager phase, while on the other hand I wish to do more with my life…and yesterday, after the party, I finally found the courage to dump him…I don't know why yesterday of all days. I just felt this strong urge to do it then! However, as expected, Cenred wasn't very happy. He has always been sure we would have been together forever…" Merlin shook his head, he was rambling, "…By the way, he got angry and slapped me. I'm not upset with him, he was just hurt…and knowing his temper, he could have done far worst actually …"

Arthur was finding containing his excitement at this news quite difficult, even though he already knew about the break-up, having witnessed it from a far. He especially remembered the slap and the wrath he had felt in that moment, when Cenred had dared lay a hand on his love. But the bully wouldn't be a problem anymore. Arthur had already taken care of him…

Opting for a sympathetic face, he took Merlin's hand in his in reassurance.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. He shouldn't have been violent against you, regardless of his feelings. You deserve someone better…"

Merlin stared at the blond's hand on his in confusion. Then, he moved it away, not entirely comfortable with the other's closeness.

"Mm, thanks…but who knows when I'll find someone else…I have been with Cenred for so long. Besides, I'm not sure I want to be in a relationship so soon"

The blond hummed and got even closer to the brunet, stroking his cheek, "Maybe you don't have to look too far, Merlin. Why should you? I'm right here, after all!"

Merlin's eyes were wide and his heart was beating too fast in his chest, as he was observing the blond's hand moving up and down along his cheek with loving movements.

He moved his face away from that unwanted touch.

"Arthur, what the hell are you doing? I-I don't understand what you're saying!"

The other man smiled, almost madly.

"Merlin, Merlin, what I'm saying is that you and I should be together…Can't you see it?...we are perfect for each other…I want to take care of you for the rest of our lives! I have always loved you so much, since we were kids! And now that Cenred is out of the way, no one will come between us!"

During his speech, Arthur had taken Merlin's face between his hands and was pulling it toward him to kiss him on the lips.

On the other hand, Merlin was shocked. Of course he had noticed Arthur's little crush as the years went by, but this was too much! Moreover, the blond was too fucking scaring right now…he looked like a madman!

The brunet stood up abruptly, freeing himself from Arthur's grip just as he was about to kiss him. He was panicking…

"Sorry, Arthur, but I don't feel the same about you. It would never work…I-I have to go now!"

He turned to flee, when a strong hand took hold of his wrist, almost breaking it. He looked behind his shoulder and his heart lost a beat.

Arthur's face had closed off, his lips were clenched in a tight line and his eyes were darker than the night itself.

Fear couldn't even start to describe what Merlin was feeling in that moment.

Then, those clenched lips opened in an evil smile.

"Mine wasn't a proposal. You WILL be mine, Merlin, like it or not!"

Now Merlin was utterly scared. He was sweating cold and his eyes were wide open. Arthur was getting close to his face once more.

Pervaded by adrenaline, he took hold of his abandon fork on the table and used it to stab Arthur's hand, who stepped back and screamed more in surprise than because of the pain.

Merlin took advantage of his distraction to run for the front door.

He was about to reach out his hand to turn the handle, when a light wind passed him and Arthur himself appeared tall between him and the door. Merlin stopped still and gasped, not only because he couldn't understand how Arthur had managed to move so fast, but also because he could clearly see his eyes shining bloody RED!

Arthur tutted, "Where do you think you are going, my little hawk?"

Merlin's eyes watered in fear, "What the hell are you?"

Arthur kept approaching, as Merlin kept stepping back.

"I'm what haunts men's worst nightmares since the ancient times. I am the Devil himself. I am the Prince of Darkness!" He finished by showing his long, sharp and white fangs.

Merlin was cornered against the wall of the living room and only found the strength to whisper in disbelief, "You are a Vampire!"

Arthur was basically a few inches from his face, caging him between his hands flat against the wall behind him, and frowned at Merlin's reaction. The brunet was evidently shocked, yes, but didn't seem that surprised in front of the alive proof of the existence of vampires.

But before the blond could ask him an explanation about his odd reaction, Merlin raised his face, which he had lowered in confusion after his last exclamation, and looked at Arthur angrily.

"IT WAS YOU! You are the one who has tormented my dreams and molested me while I was asleep! I knew I had seen that blurred blond hair somewhere before, when I woke up!"

Now Arthur was frowning deeply – how could Merlin remember so much about his nightly visits? It was impossible for a mortal to overcome a vampire's hypnosis…he should have forgotten everything completely.

However, he had no more time to contemplate this, because Merlin, in order to get free, kicked him in the balls and tried to run again to the door, while the blond was doubled over in pain.

Merlin was almost there, almost safe, when a solid body hit his back, making him fall on his stomach on the floor.

Arthur smiled from his seat on the brunet's back,

"Do you really think you can escape me? Give up this foolish idea, because it's useless!" Mocked the blond.

Then, he frowned when he received no reaction from the boy beneath him… Slowly he got up.

"Merlin?"

He slightly shook his shoulder. Nothing.

Now very worried, he slowly moved Merlin's head toward him and it was then that he noticed the blood flowing from the small wound on his forehead. It seemed that the brunet had hit the edge of the small table at the entrance, as he fell.

Arthur sighed at the inconvenience, "Poor, my love…" He leaned down and licked the blood away, savouring the taste. Immediately the wound closed and disappeared, as if it had never been there.

He started to caress Merlin's hair, "All right, then. Let's stop wasting time. I have to prepare you"

00000

When Merlin slowly reopened his eyes, he had to blink due to the confusion. His head was hurting for some strange reason.

He tried to move his hands so to touch the hurting point on his forehead, but found out to his dismay that he couldn't. His hands were restrained above his head by shackles linked to a chain hanging from the rafters.

He frowned deeply and then felt cold all over his body. He looked down and was dumbstruck to notice that he was completely naked! His feet were barely touching the floor. He looked around and could see he was in the middle of a living room, surrounded by two sofas and two armchairs.

'Where was Arthur?'

He growled and struggled to free his hands.

"It won't work…that chain is made of steel…you're not going anywhere!"

The brunet stiffed at hearing that dark and cold voice coming from his left. He turned in that direction (as much as his restrains would allow him!) and saw Arthur comfortably sitting in an armchair between Merlin and the fireplace, which was colouring the room with a dimmed orange light. The blond had his legs crossed, his white shirt was open, revealing his muscular chest, and was sipping a chalice of a red liquid that Merlin feared was blood.

The man was looking at his victim with intense and lustful eyes.

Merlin swallowed, "Arthur? What's the meaning of this?" He asked, tagging the shackles around his wrists, "LET ME GO!"

Arthur slowly shook his head and put the glass on the nearer side table. He learned his elbows on his knees, still watching his captive.

"Why should I do that? You are mine!"

Merlin got quite pissed, "I'm NO ONE'S! What the hell happened to you? You are not the Arthur I used to know…"

The other smiled and got up, slowly approaching the brunet.

"You're right…I'm better than that loser! He was wasting his life, he was weak…he was nothing! Look at me now…I'm the most powerful and deadly being in the world…I'm a Prince…I'm immortal…and above all, now I can finally have you!" He hissed, moving his hand to caress Merlin's cheek, but the brunet moved it as far away as he could.

"Keep your fucking hands away from me!" He yelled, trying to kick Arthur with his foot. Failing.

The blond laughed and forcefully took Merlin's chin in his hand, kissing him on the lips by force, biting his lower lip.

"So fierce, so beautiful, so perfect…you were born to be mine! My 'Bride'"

Merlin stopped his struggling at that and looked at Arthur in horror, whispering, "What?"

Arthur turned serious, "I love you, Merlin. I have always loved you…and now that I have the means and the power to take and keep you, I'm not going to wait or to step back any longer. As soon as my castle is ready, I'll take you there. We'll marry and hopefully soon, you'll bear my children…"

Merlin shook his head incredulous, "You are MAD! First of all, I don't want to be with you. Second, if you haven't noticed, I'm a man!"

"And if you haven't noticed, I'm a vampire. I can impregnate you, as a man does with a woman…and I will, Merlin…I swear that very soon, your belly will swell with our children! Moreover, I don't particularly care if you want me or not…you'll be mine, like it or not…"

Merlin was panting with anger and if his eyes could kill, Arthur would already be nothing but ashes…

The vampire chuckled pleasantly at all that situation.

"Now that you have finally calmed down, my little hawk, I think I can start claiming you. We don't want another Cenred in our way, do we?"

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He began to slowly walk around the brunet's naked body, taking in every detail of that slender porcelain-skinned piece of perfection. Mmm…it was so mouthwatering! He stopped when he was once again in front of him, who hadn't lowered his murderous gaze yet.

Grinning, he said, "The fun begins…"

Under Merlin's astonished eyes, Arthur showed his true appearance: his skin lightened more and more until it was snowy white; his nails lengthened and became pointy; his eyes turned even redder and two long fangs were clearly visible from his mouth. The brunet tried to step back from that dangerous creature, but couldn't. He was trembling.

"Pl-Please, Arthur…let me go…I won't tell anyone about your secret…I'll give you anything you want ... just let me go"

Arthur tilted his head and stroked the brunet's swollen lips, "All I want is you!"

He leaned forward and began to lick Merlin's neck tastefully, moaning. Then, he travelled further down and concentrated on his nipples.

Merlin was sobbing and struggling, "NOOO! HELP…SOMEBODY, HELP ME!" He shouted with all his might.

Arthur raised his head from the other's chest and began to kiss his face lovely, his cheek, his chin, his eyelashes, drying his tears, "Hush, sweetheart…it's futile…this house is completely soundproof…no one will come. Shh…calm yourself. I won't hurt you…on the contrary, I want to give you the greatest pleasure of your life... the first of many"

Merlin continued to cry, as the blond returned to his previous task. He kissed the first nipple deeply, keeping it between his teeth for a moment longer. When some drops of blood started to come out, he licked it very slowly. Then he kissed it some more. After that, he turned the same attention to the other nipple. All the while, he listened to his lovely brunet's moans of pain and pleasure. He was trying to get free, but Arthur was anchoring his hips with a strong grip of his hands.

After Arthur was satisfied that his nipples had been well cared for, he kneeled on the floor and reverently kissed Merlin's belly, looking forward to do the same when there would be his baby inside, who would probably respond to the gesture with a slight kick. He was aware of Merlin distressed by his heavy breathing, but couldn't stop. He thought to use his mind-controlling powers to make him more relaxed and to send his mind far away from there, but he decided not to, because he wanted Merlin to be fully conscious of who was taking him, of who he belonged to.

His caresses went more and more down, until he reached Merlin's beautiful long cock. He nuzzled it, causing a spasm from the poor tied boy.

"No, Arthur, please…stop!"

Bu he ignored him again and took him all in his mouth, savouring his unique scent and his heavenly musical cries. He started to move his head back and forward at a fast pace, careful to use his tongue, especially on the hole of the penis head, a technique that made Merlin involuntarily hard quite quickly. He increased his pace and the force of the sucking. When he felt Merlin's cock wagging in his mouth and the boy's breathing becoming irregular, he stopped and stood up, forcing a frustrated growl from Merlin.

The brunet was sweating, panting and his head was lowered due to the humiliation of having his member standing up erect against his will, and the helplessness.

Arthur couldn't help but smile at that scene and went for another forced kiss, "Sorry, love, but there are a still a few things I want to do before letting you come…"

Merlin looked at him with pure hate in his eyes and spat in his face, panting afterward.

"Go. To. Hell!"

Arthur nonchalantly wiped away the saliva from his cheek with a thumb and then put it in his mouth, "Actually, I went to Hell this morning to visit my 'father' ... I do not intend to go back there so soon..." He answered, cheekily.

Merlin yelled in frustration and tried again to break the chain, in vain, "YOU DAMMIT BASTARD! Let me go!"

"Not until I've marked you as mine!" Hissed the blond before moving behind Merlin.

He stroked the line of his spine, causing him goosebumps. Then, he kneeled once more, coming face to face with Merlin's majestic butt. Arthur licked his lips at such a view: said ass was round, smooth and flawless, the king of Arthur wildest dreams.

"Mmm…look at this…Who would have thought that under your loose clothes you were hiding such a beauty? Can't wait to lose myself in it…it will be heavenly!"

He bit the left buttock, making Merlin slightly scream in surprised and humiliation. He licked the bit of blood coming from the red mark and then did the same with the right one.

"…heavenly…" Whispered the blond.

He spread the brunet's cheeks, revealing the best treasure of all, and Merlin cried out and whimpered, "No... Please..."

But Arthur ignored him and stretched out his tongue and began to caress his hole with slow circular movements. Then he used his magic to prolong the tongue and penetrated Merlin, who screamed and tried to escape the intrusion, but Arthur's nails planted in his hips to hold him still.

Merlin was panting and sobbing. He couldn't believe what was happening to him, but as he felt Arthur's abnormal long tongue fucking his entrance, he couldn't deny it anymore: Arthur had become a vampire, who was obsessed with him, enough to rape him now and force him to marry and have oh God children with him later... And the worst part was that he could not do anything to stop it... he was at the mercy of this creature of darkness.

As despair seized him, he felt Arthur's tongue thrust in him more and more, opening him slowly, until he reached that point that caused Merlin to see the stars, making him moan loudly and his cock dripping with pre-cum.

Arthur stopped his preparation, satisfied with the looseness of his circle of muscles.

"Now you're finally ready to welcome me, love…"

Merlin stiffed and swallowed, his face covered in tears, "Have-haven't you done enough?"

Arthur got up and returned in front of him, kissing him, "Oh, my love, the best part is yet to begin…come now, let's make you comfortable"

With a wave of his hand, the chain holding Merlin opened and the brunet would have fallen on the floor if it hadn't been for Arthur catching him in his arms bridal style. Merlin tried immediately to get free by punching the blond's chest, now that his hand were finally unbound, but it was like punching a wall…

Arthur laughed at him in amusement…it was like being hit by a kitten…a cute, adorable little kitten…

He gently laid Merlin on his back on the soft carpet in front of the fireplace, marvelling at the shades that the light of the fire was projecting on his sweaty skin.

As soon as he was dropped, Merlin squirmed to get away, but of course Arthur would not let him, dragging him back.

"Don't try it again... by now you should know that it is useless to run away from me... I can catch you anywhere you go... accept the inevitable ... you'll like it"

That said, the blond undressed, showing his majestic and muscular body, especially his erect and towering cock, which caused Merlin's heart to lose a beat and his eyes to wide…that thing would violate him and he was scared out of his mind!

As Arthur lowered himself to settle between Merlin opened wide legs, which the vampire had just spread, Merlin started to really panic and to push the blond's shoulders.

"W-wait, Arthur…please. This is not the solution…if you do this, I'll hate you for the rest of my life…I'll never be yours for real…just a warm body to fuck, but never a true lover…is this what you really want?"

Arthur stared intensely at him from above with his hard member aligned with Merlin's opening (he had put a condom on, since he didn't want to risk a pregnancy. That was because he couldn't take Merlin to the safety of his castle yet and the thought of his love and child in this dangerous world was out of the question), and smirked down at him. He lowered himself to whisper in his ear.

"After this, you won't even remember I have taken you against your will…I'll remove today from your mind and then I'll order you to return here, where I'll fuck you again and again until your body won't be able to go on without me…You'll learn to love me, Merlin, do not doubt it!"

Not waiting from an answer, Arthur took hold of Merlin's wrists from where his hands were still trying to push him away, and held them above his head. Then, he penetrated him in one long thrust and Merlin cried.

"Oh yes, sweetheart….it's so hot inside you. It's like coming home…yes… I. LOVE. YOU…"

He pointed out each word with a firm push, followed by a groan. For what seemed like ages, the only sounds echoing in the room were the clash of fleshes, Arthur's moaning and Merlin's sobbing.

Arthur was thrusting in relentlessly, like a warrior conquering a new territory, hitting the brunet's prostate every time, whose eyes were unfocused due to the constant stimulations, as unwanted as they may have been. He had already come twice.

The blond's face hardened as his own orgasm grew, "Oh, my love, yes…so good…I'm coming!"

He did and while he rode it by keeping pushing in and out, he moved Merlin's helpless head to one side, opened his own mouth and bit that captivating white neck with his fangs and began to suck Merlin's blood greedily. It was better than anything else in the world. He could instantly feel his energy return, becoming more powerful...

On the other hand, Merlin felt increasingly weak; it was as if his mind was leaving his body.

When he was about to pass out, he saw Arthur withdrawing, his lips stained with blood, his blood... He could hear the blond saying almost in the distance, "Rest now, my love... our first night together has just begun..."

Before his eyes closed, Merlin whispered to himself, "HE had always warned me to stay away from vampires..."

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When he woke up, Arthur took him three time more through the night.

At the end of it, the blond used his powers to make Merlin forget everything and to order him to return the following week – he didn't ask him to come more often in order not to tiring the boy too much, who had lessons during the week, and to avoid his friends' eventual suspicions.

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As commanded, Merlin returned to Arthur once every week, who relentlessly claimed him in every possible position, with the brunet perfectly aware of what was going on. Sometimes Arthur even held him prisoner throughout the weekend, often by chaining him to bed, and at the end of every 'meeting', he made sure Merlin would forget... or at least that was what Arthur believed...

Actually, Merlin was not so ignorant of what was being done to him... or rather… he had the feeling that something very wrong was happening to him. He could feel it in his very soul, and every night, in his mind, flashes that seemed almost like memories would appear... but they were confused, blurred; he could not see the details, or the face of the boy with him, but he knew, whatever it was, that it was pure evil. And something in him was telling him that those were not mere dreams, but his mind trying to warn him of the danger...

That was why, three months after his first visit to Arthur's house, Merlin couldn't ignore the symptoms anymore (He had taught them to him too well).

He had an idea of what was happening to him, but he hoped with all his heart to be wrong... therefore he needed to have his fears confirmed or discouraged, and there was only one way to do it.

One day, after classes, he went to his room, locking the door behind him. He walked to the bed and kneeled beside it; then, he reached out with his hand and lifted the wooden floorboard under the bed. He took a deep breath... that was the moment he had been trying to avoid all his life, a legacy he had never wanted to accept, but that he had never forgotten…

He inserted his hand into the gap, pulled out a box, and placed it on the bed. It was made of dark wood and had golden engravings all around it... the most visible ones were the initials engraved at the centre of the cover: "B. t. D."

He slowly stroked the letters reverently, feeling his heart tighten. He closed his eyes for a few seconds to calm down... he had to do it!

He rolled the padlock numbers to enter the password (his birthday), until he heard the click indicating that the padlock was open.

After another deep breath, he opened the box…

what do you think is B. t. D.?