Vlad took his time walking home, electing to go the long way after Robin had to get back. They had very different curfews. Then again, they had very different everything.
Robin was a brilliant friend, better than he'd ever expected to have, but honestly, at times Vlad just wanted to smack him. The whole 'that's evil!' enthusiasm betrayed just how unfamiliar it was to him. As unfazed by the creepy semi-sentient castle, half-emptied bottles of blood, skull based decor, and creepy-ass Dad, Robin didn't really understand some things, like how in Vampire society one did not have friends. Lovers, yes, Rivals always, and family…. Well, family meant something different to them. The Dracula's may be in something of an exile right now, but the castle… there was a reason that they lived in castles, and they hadn't ever just moved in before. The lack of fear both enabled them to be friends, and terrified Vlad, his best friend had no sense of real danger, and ran towards it. Every time.
Vlad wasn't scared of becoming a vampire for nothing.
He knew. He loved his Dad, but he knew that there was more than one person there, and you never quite knew which would be in control that night. The theatrical but feeling 'Prince of darkness', or the stone cold ruthless killer who could have an accidental body count from a bad day. When they arrived in Stokely Castle the Count commented on the lack of bodies.
Robin had plastic skulls and fake blood enough for a lake. Vlad knew what his least favourite stage of corpse decomposition was, and had done since he was three years old.
His friend saw Renfield dusting and cobwebs, occasionally dabbling in alchemy. He knew that Renfield had excellent skills in preserving livers for slow weeks, and disposing of human bodies so they were never found.
Whatever happened, Count Dracula wasn't a name feared for nothing, and one day, if he survived long enough, Vlad knew that title would be his.
He'd given his father pragmatic reasons for allowing them to go to school with breathers, but it hadn't fooled him, and sole heir or not, defying his Father brought its own danger. He sighed. Sixteen years was such a short time to live, and he wanted to. Something that certainly didn't impress his Dad.
He wasn't far from the castle when he flopped down to watch the sunset. He tried to see as many as he could these days, like he could feel his chance slipping away from him, faster all the time.
A shadow fell across him, but it didn't feel malevolent.
"You know, it is possible for someone like you to have friends. Unusual choices you're making mind you, but I appreciate a man who can defy a parent for their convictions."
Vlad glanced over to see someone who looked to be in their early twenties but felt ancient, but then, his dad didn't look his age either.
"Stay away from my friends." Evil and power were not the same thing, but neither could be fully concealed and the man radiated the second.
"I've no intention of harming them. Or you actually. I know what it is to be hunted for what you are."
"You're not a vampire." He snorted, "Sun's not fully down yet here you are out here."
"I'm not a slayer either. More breather than not, but not theirs either. I know you don't want to become what you are, but I've seen you around, you really want things to change don't you."
Vlad nodded slightly. "No one wins this way, we kill one of theirs, the dust one of ours, there's another cycle of vengeance and flames."
"There are things coming that will damage that faith Vlad. You've spent so long fighting against becoming a full Vampire that you may find yourself unprepared when the time comes if you don't ask the questions and seek balance within yourself. I will protect your friends when the time comes that you cannot."
Vladimir looked intensely at the oddly familiar man, anger rising in him. "I wouldn't hurt them, ever."
Merlin looked at him with what might have been pity, "Not intentionally, no. You wouldn't, but all teens have accidents, and every vampire does, especially during or around the change. It's often with those closest to them."
"I know you. Why do I know you?" Merlin's eyes skittered guiltily away, "We've spoken before, and I- you may have seen pictures a long time ago. You'll forget again before you remember, but I want you to promise me something, never switch off your humanity, the emotions, because it's going to be tempting. I'm not a vampire Vladimir, but there are parts of my past that are dark. Very dark. I thought I was a monster once," He shrugged, "I have kin others call monsters. Humans can be monsters. You will make mistakes Vlad, and people will die, for you, and by your hand, and I forgive you. Learn to live with it because it's the constant fight that can weaken you, and the guilt and pain that can keep you from breaking the world. Your father is a dangerous man, but he is surprisingly stable after six hundred years of living with himself. He follows his nature more than he ought, and his youth was drenched in blood, but he has more self control now than many do. He can help, if you let him. If you are strong enough to ignore his urging to enjoy succumbing to the dark."
"You speak as if you know him."
Merlin shrugged, "I do. I've fought him and won, fortunately for him. Mostly breather, remember? If one you drink from me though, well I hold different powers. Feed from me and I'll own you. I didn't know then or I might have let him. Learned that the sore way, should have known better, it's always the women." He scowled.
"What happened to her?"
He looked away from Vlad, "I had her meet the sun. Wasn't in a forgiving mood that day."
Vladimir nodded his understanding, "Did she deserve it?"
Merlin cocked his head, "She was acting that night on hunger, not hate. As much as any predator if you ask their prey. 'Deserve' is the wrong question."
"Ok. Do you regret it?" Vlad watched him closely for the answer.
"No. She couldn't help what she was, but she revelled in surrendering control to the dark half her unlife would have cost many human ones, unwilling to hunt less appealing prey, and she was one to remove the freewill first. I differentiate between a willing meal, and forcing a person to submit."
Vlad nodded, honestly he could concede that point. It was becoming harder to ignore pulses that surrounded him, he'd started to feel drawn to the idea as he never had before, and it was impossible to disregard. It had been hard to pass the Blood test, and distinguish the types by scent, now he could tell what sat beside him without difficulty. It scared him.
He knew what blood type Chloe had, and Robin, the slayer smelled amazing, and it was getting to the point of becoming distracting some days. A change that he had not to Robin of. It felt as though saying it aloud would make it real and dangerous. Taking without permission was different than accepting something offered surely? Like… stealing and being given a gift. A tasty, rich- no. Blood was not tasty. Or for him. Even as a gift.
The other man nodded, as though he'd just confirmed something.
"If you want to control it, you have to acknowledge it, because you can control the instinct, and you are not them."