A/N: After he has kept his promise to make a woman out of her, Sarah falls asleep and he leaves. Only, this is a promise that brings no happiness for him, as Herbert finds out in this piece.
Being a vampire, it is easy to become condescending and contemptuous towards humans: the heightened senses certainly make the younger vampires often feel so. Suddenly, you can see and hear and smell things you never even knew existed. The beating hearts of the living, the tiniest crawlings of all sorts of animals, the scents - oh, the scents - and, what Herbert von Krolock personally finds rather funny, the way how even the darkness stops being dark.
Still, there are moments when he's not entirely overjoyed about being able to notice these things. Certainly one such time is when you can precisely tell when your father has been intimate with someone. Not that he disapproves of it; he's actually pleased when his father decides to have some fun, but it's not excatly something you want to know, no matter how many centuries you live with someone.
Count von Krolock enters the library and Herbert lifts his eyes from his book. He notices the slight flush on his father's face, and the scent of intimacy is unmistakable. He has had blood. It makes Herbert yearn, too, but not exactly for a girl... he thinks of that cute young man who just arrived this night, just like Vati had said before, but contains his desire. Vater has promised he can have his way with this Alfred later, which makes Herbert feel like those times back in his childhood, when Vati would bring him unexpected gifts, like fashionable clothes, exquisite fabrics, flowers, delicate sweets... Herbert never says it out loud, but he suspects it's Vati's way of saying "I'm sorry"... Herbert has explained it before, but Vati doesn't seem to understand that there is nothing to apologize for.
"So she's here then", he says, mostly to just start a conversation. There's something about his father's eyes that seem to ask for sympathy; not exactly something you expect to see after sexual activity, but then again, Herbert's father has always been a bit odd in most things. "Did you take her life, Vati? Or did you turn her?"
"I did not. She is sleeping", his father answer as he heavily sits down on his chair by the fire. It was the way they had spent numerous nights, sitting on opposing chairs, both engrossed in their respective things. For Herbert, it was often something like dress designs, while the Count would read. Now, however, his father would not pick up his book.
"What is wrong, Vati?" Herbert asks. He has become quite apt in sensing his father's moods, which definitely is useful when one lives with someone like the Count. The older vampire rarely speaks of his emotions, so divining what is going on in his mind is often left to be discovered by other means. Herbert understands his father well enough to know it's not because of distrust; Krolock has merely lived in a time when such things weren't something one shared with one's offspring, and in any case, the older vampire regards – or at least wishes to regard – his feelings as something of little consequence.
"It is nothing. Do not worry for me, son", Krolock says, rubbing his temple wearily, and Herbert frowns. Once again, he wishes his father would just open up and lighten his heart. He feels intense hatred for the girl: before, Vati was on such a good mood, even teasing Herbert, and now it's all gone... It has to be her fault, somehow.
"You know I'm not going to stop asking until you talk to me. So you better start spilling now, Vater", he points out, which pulls a small, tired smile from his father. Something fond flashes in the older vampire's eyes as he gazes at Herbert, but the look quickly passes as he again thinks of whatever it is bothering him. Finally, the Count speaks.
"I... I couldn't feel anything for her."
"What do you mean?" Herbert inquires as leans closer to his father. A look of endless exhaustion appears on his father's face before Krolock can hide it, and Herbert worries. Sometimes he wonders if he's very cruel for asking his father to linger here with him. It's not out of wanting to torture the Count; he merely needs his father sharing undeath with him just as much as the older vampire needs him to be there.
"I tried, but I couldn't feel. I can't love her. I wanted to, so much... But the only thing I saw when I looked at her was... prey", the Count says with a sigh.
"That's what they are, Vati", Herbert answers as gently as he can. He knows of how his father would like to care, the way he used to long ago; it's the ever-growing inability to do so that fills his eyes with such agony.
"I know, son. I know", his father says quietly and rests his forehead against his hand.
Herbert tries to think of something to say, but he can't come up with anything he hasn't already said before. This is just how his poor old father is, always carrying that quiet longing inside his heart. It's a burden, sometimes for the both of them, but it's also something Herbert can't imagine Vati existing without.
"Vater..." he says quietly, wishing there was a way for him to help, to somehow make it better... to have his father smile. "Maybe, if you turn her..."
"Dear son... it is fine", the older vampire answers and catches Herbert's fingers between his hands. He looks down upon them for a moment, and the silence hangs heavy between the father and the son. Suddenly, Herbert feels like he's about to lose his father. The mere idea makes him choke, and a small, pathetic whimper escapes his mouth before he can suppress it. Vater hears it of course, and he lifts his eyes; Herbert could swear they're glistening.
"Don't leave me, Vati. Please", he blurts out, words tumbling in an uncharacteristic manner.
The Count's expression becomes soft, even gentle. It's not something you see often on his face – all the more reason for Herbert to treasure it.
"I won't, son. I'm here with you, as long as you need me", he promises quietly.
"You swear?" Herbert asks. He despises himself for doing this, for making his dear, weary father stay with him, and he tries to think that he only needs more time, just little bit... he will make his father smile, somehow.
"I do, Herbert. Whatever you want", the Count says and gives Herbert's fingers a gentle squeeze before letting go and settling back in his arm chair.
"Thank you, Vater", Herbert whispers.
He will make his father smile.