Hey my dudes. Sorry this chapter took so long. It's just much harder to write as much when I'm not on Thanksgiving break. Expect chapters around twice a week until mid december, then I'll be able to upload more. Maybe it'll be once a week, maybe it'll be thrice, we'll see. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. If you have any complaints or suggestions please leave them in the reviews.

…

Me and Kaien returned to the main house after spending another hour sparring. He spent the time giving me pointers and advice, I spent the time getting my ass handed to me on a silver platter. When I asked at the end whether he was ever going to go easy on me, he simply laughed.

"Don't you know pain is good for you?" He smiled. "It builds character! Now, why don't we head back? I'll cook us up some dinner."

And wasn't that a motivator. After a long day of blood sweat and tears; any meal, no matter how bad, sounded amazing. And it wasn't like Kaien was a terrible cook, despite what Yuki's complaining would have you believe. Oh sure, Kaien played up the crocodile tears for Yuki whenever she complained, but I could tell it was only to make her laugh.

It's not like I was any better. Only god knew how many games of hide and seek I had played with her, dog tired after training. Those puppy dog eyes were practically a weapon unto themselves.

As we got to the main house we were greeted at the gate by Kaname. He wasn't here everyday but he visited to see Yuki from time to time. I didn't exactly know what their connection was, and he claimed that he first met her during that fateful vampire attack. At the end of the day it was obvious he cared about her; and if he wanted to babysit her when Kaien was training me and Yuki didn't have school, then that was fine by me.

Kaname looked clearly distressed and rushed up to us.

"I'm so glad you're here! We have an issue!" As he got closer I noticed that his eyes were bordering on tears."

"What is it!? Is Yuki in danger?" Kaien questioned, nervous urgency in his voice.

At this Kaname gained a pained look filled with shame. "No. She… she saw my fangs. She's terrified and locked herself in her bathroom, she won't leave."

Ah, that made sense. I'd figured out he was a vampire during my first week here. I'd been trying to establish some sort of friendship with Kaname, due to the fact he would probably be a constant part of my life. It didn't take too long for me to notice his fangs. I was a little apprehensive at first, but since Kaien seemed to trust him I would too.

It had only been a matter of time until Yuki found out, and frankly I was surprised it had taken her this long. Poor girl had been really traumatized by her near attack, and visibly shook whenever the topic of vampires came up. I couldn't help but feel for her.

"I'll speak to her." I spoke up. "I'll convince her Kaname's not a threat to her."

Both Kaname and Kaien looked surprised.

"Are you sure?" Kaien interjected. "She's not your real sister and I wouldn't expect you too-"

"It's no problem." I cut him off. "It'll just take me a few minutes. Why don't you get dinner started"

"Very well."

…

I could hear a bit of heavy breathing as I got close to the door of Yuki's bathroom. Jesus, just how spookable was this girl? I knocked on the door. No response. I knocked again.

"Go Away!" I heard Yuki yell.

"It's me, Marcus. Not Kaname."

"Oh" came a quiet reply.

"Do you mind telling me what happened?"

"K-Kaname, he's one of them! He's a-"

"-A vampire. Yes, I know." I cut her off.

"You knew? Then w-why didn't you tell me!?" Ok, she was getting even more frightened. I needed to calm her down

"Because I knew you'd get scared. I'm sorry. Me, Kaien, Kaname, we all should have told you from the start." I tried to sound as ashamed as possible, and to a degree I meant it. This was the worst possible way she could have found out about Kaname's vampiric nature.

"Do you mean it?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Of course I do." I responded, making my voice as warm and caring as possible. "Can you tell me how you found out?"

"Me and K-Kaname were eating pudding. I finished mine early and tried to take some of his. He moved it away from me so I gave him the grumpiest look that I could. He laughed. And then I- I saw his-"

"Fangs. I'm so sorry Yuki. You must have been so scared. But you know Kaname would never do anything to harm you, right?"

"I know."

"Did he do anything aggressive towards you, anything to threaten you?" I asked.

"No. I'm sorry! I shouldn't be so scared!" Oh boy. Best nip this in the bud now.

"Don't ever apologize for being scared. I get scared all the time."

"Really?" The disbelief was evident in her voice.

"Of course. Did you think I wasn't scared when I fought that vampire? I almost peed myself!" I said, trying to add some levity to the situation. I was repaid with her laughter coming through the door. I decided to push my luck.

"Do you think you can come out now? Kaname feels really bad about scaring you, and wants to know if you're alright."

"Ok."

She opened the door and I saw her, eyes red from tears and all. I knelt down and put my hands on her shoulders.

"It's ok to be afraid. And know that I'll always be there to protect you. But when you are afraid, you need to be a big girl and put on your brave face. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah!" She smiled like the sun and then I pulled her into a hug.

I'll admit. I never planned on taking a brotherly role with her. We were both adopted, and I was a bit too old to really bond with her. Or so I thought. But now I had given myself the role of protector. And after seeing those eyes and that smile, I was fine with a brotherly role too. On that day, in that place, I promised myself that I would protect her. That she would never need to hide like that again.

…

I was having another weird dream. I was in a forest this time. A grand arboreal one, with thick pines all around me. What was strange about this one was that I could hear and smell EVERYTHING. Every gust of wind, every whiff of animal piss, everything.

And then I heard a twig snap. And as if driven by some primordial instinct, some ancient blood, I charged. I raced through the trees on all fours, my hands(paws) taking me as fast as they could. And then I saw it. The Deer.

Its antlers and eyes both glowed blue, and its fur looked like a starry sky.

I rammed into it. I tore into its neck with my teeth(fangs). I drank its blood, I feasted on its flesh. The ichor tasted like pure ecstasy, the meat like eternity. And in those dead eyes I saw knowledge. It only made me hungrier.

…

OOOOHHH! Spooky! If you hadn't guessed, this is when the Bloodborne influence will start to show.

I think I handled the convo between Marcus and Yuki pretty well, and gave Marcus (if not Yuki too) some decent character development. I needed to tie Marcus to the story somehow. Expect at least a few brother-sister moments throughout the series.

I wonder if Kaname will get jealous.