Musical Vampire Mysteries of Rory Flanagan

by jlbassmaster

Rory Flanagan is a teen with the ability to read people's memories, and Sam Evans is a vampire that takes a special interest in him. Join them and their friends as they face romance, violence, death, magic, and lots of blood! Heavily inspired by the mythos of True Blood. Rated M for violence and sexuality.

7. S1, E7: Answers

THE MUSICAL VAMPIRE MYSTERIES OF RORY FLANAGAN

Author's Notes: Again I hope you all are enjoying the story. Please leave reviews; it caters to my much-deflated ego. ;) Again let me take time out to thank TVTime for his meticulous beta work on this story. I think I may have worn him out after 12 chapters that he betaed twice each. :p

Beta Credit: TVTime

Season 1, Episode 7: Answers

Sam and Rory stood before Sebastian and Santana in Sebastian's office at Scandals. The sheriff had insisted that they be in a more private location for their discussion, and out front near the throne was too public.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that awful experience, Rory," Sebastian said smoothly. "I imagine it must be traumatizing for someone not used to seeing such things."

"Thank ye'," Rory said flatly. He still had no trust in Sebastian, and after their last encounter, he was even less fond of him. Sure, he had wanted to test his ability, but he also had no desire to hurt anyone, including himself. Sebastian had pressured him to do just that.

"I'm also sorry about what happened during your last visit. It was surely not my intention for you to become hurt that way," the sheriff continued. Sam glared at him, eliciting the corner of Sebastian's mouth to turn up.

Santana stood behind Sebastian, looking from Sam to Rory and back, simply observing them with a blank look on her face. She tired of the games Sebastian was playing with the blonde and his human toy. She had better things to do than sit in on their little meeting, but her maker insisted she be present.

"How is the boy? Eric? What about the others?" Rory inquired, afraid of what Sebastian's answer might be.

"They were left in the care of a local sanitarium," the sheriff stated. "I assure you, they are safe and well taken care of. As you know, we do not feed on humans here at Scandals."

"Nice to know ye' don't feed on humans. It gives me the tiniest reason to trust ye' I suppose." Rory offered a very slight smile, just enough to show Sebastian that he was being honest. "I wish I could 'ave helped them though. I hate to think they 'ave to spend the rest o' their lives locked away."

Sam put his hand on the boy's shoulder, squeezing gentle. "Maybe you will develop your power enough to help them someday. There's always possibilities. For now at least they're safe." He then turned his attention to the sheriff.

"You had a reason to call us here, didn't you?" Sam asked, his entire demeanor shifting into one of annoyance. "I told you, we need to keep this short tonight. He's still recovering."

"He wouldn't need to recover if you just offered him a little of your blood," Sebastian teased. "Unless he would rather have mine," he added, grinning at Rory. "I don't make that offer to just anyone, either. I'm told it's sweeter than any nectar known to man."

Rory wasted no time in refusing the offer. "The only blood I'll e'er drink is Sam's, and I'm pretty sure ye'rs tastes like rot and death." I try to give him the littlest bit of credit and he ruins it in less than five minutes! I wonder if he was this much of a jerk as a human. Rory swallowed back a laugh, forcing himself to remain serious.

Santana scoffed and looked away, rolling her eyes. Rory glared at her, his failed attempt at looking fearsome simply amusing the vampiress. She had to admit, the human had balls to address a vampire sheriff so rudely.

"Samuel, you're going to have to do a much better job training your pet," Sebastian stated, addressing his subject with cold eyes. He quickly shifted back into his trademark smirk as he returned to speaking directly to Rory. "Suit yourself, but I assure you, one taste and you would be begging for more. Besides, I'm much older, so my blood is far more powerful than that child you're so attached to. Keep that in mind," the sheriff replied. He cleared his throat and then turned serious. "I called the two of you here for a couple of reasons. Both of them will be of interest to you, I promise."

Sam sighed, irritated. "So go on, skip the suspense and tell us what you need us to know." He knew his pointed comments were likely to get him into trouble, but he had promised Tina to have the teen in bed earlier, and it was something he intended to do for the boy's own health.

"Well, first of all, your lackluster inspection of the crime site is an embarrassment," Sebastian stated arrogantly, tossing his hand aside flippantly. "Of course I followed up myself. There really wasn't much to find; however, I did take the time to do a little research after looking at their mangled corpses."

"Do you have to talk about them like that? They meant something to Rory. Show a little respect," Sam snapped. Rory reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing. Sam looked over at him, seeing the boy's urging stare to let it go.

Sebastian frowned at the outburst and continued his speech. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by nobody of import, I did a little research myself. There's a couple of possibilities for what could be committing these murders, neither of them easy to deal with."

"What are they?" Rory asked enthusiastically. He was willing to listen to any kind of answers that Sebastian may have, even if he was a pompous ass.

"What interested me was the way the bones were shattered. They looked to be shattered from the inside out, something that could only be accomplished by certain kinds of vibration. Vibration most likely created with sound waves."

The teen and the younger vampire exchanged confused glances. "Sound waves? Sound waves did this?" Sam asked. "I thought that was just comic book stuff! You know, nothing actually real!"

"Yes. I believe it was indeed sound waves," the older vampire replied, rolling his eyes at Sam's comic book reference. "Two potential culprits would be either a siren, or a banshee. Both of them are known for ultrasonic abilities. Sirens tend to be less on the blood and gore, usually preferring to use their songs to drag men to their deaths below the waves. Banshees are harbingers of death and are more on the violent side."

"Can I take a moment to point out that banshees are also an Irish native? And don't we have an Irish human in the room?" Santana mocked with a sarcastic grin. "Quit glaring, Sam. I don't mean he did it. But I think he's the reason the banshee is here."

Rory looked horrified. "Why would it come here, for me? I'm not anyone special! I'm just a student! What would a banshee want with me?" he cried out. "Unless it's me turn to die…"

"Nonsense. Now, that's the other tidbit of information we uncovered," Sebastian stated. "Based on the research, I believe that you, my attractive friend, may have traces of leprechaun in your lineage."

"Are ye' for real? Leprechaun? They're just an Irish story! They don't exist! They sit around making boots and shining shoes and granting wishes! It's all hogwash!" Rory protested angrily. "I don't do any o' those things! I can't e'en put a gel insert in me shoe by meself, let alone make a boot!"

Sebastian snickered. "Haven't you learned by now? The world is filled with so many things you'll never understand, boy. Vampires, werewolves, they're only the beginning. You didn't question the existence of a banshee or a siren, so why question the existence of leprechauns? What keeps them from being any more real than anything else?"

"I think you're full of shit, Sebastian. The banshee idea might be real, but really, leprechaun blood? Isn't that a little much?" Sam snapped sarcastically. "Try again."

"Believe me or not, it doesn't alter the fact that my suspicions are most likely correct. After all, you display some of the traits," he said, addressing Rory and ignoring Sam's insults.

"Traits, like what?" Rory demanded.

"Your little light shows? The mind reading? Just to name a couple of course," Sebastian answered calmly. "There's more, but you probably wouldn't be interested, since leprechauns don't exist."

Rory sighed. "Just tell me, please. I want t'know." What if he's right? What if I am some sort of leprechaun or fairy or something?

"Fine. According to my research, memories aren't the only thing you can steal from people. Supposedly, you can absorb people's lives. Their energy, in other words. You can steal it, store it, use it how you want. I'm guessing you haven't done that one yet?"

The teen shook his head. "No. It sounds awful. Like a-" He stopped himself before the words came out.

"Like a vampire?" Santana finished. "Instead of blood, you just drain energy. Don't act like you're better than us now," she said cockily. "If anything, you're much more dangerous than we could ever be. You can walk in the daylight."

"Stop it, Santana. He's not a vampire. He hasn't taken anyone's life, so you're wrong," Sam insisted, wrapping his arm around Rory's shoulders. "He just has a gift. An ability. It doesn't make him a little green-clothed man."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "You know better than that. Those myths are exaggerated, just like the ones about us. However, like the myths about us, there does exist some elements of truth. For example, leprechauns are shorter and smaller than the rest of us, which you obviously aren't," he went on, nodding toward Rory. "But I don't think you're full fledged either. I think you might just be partial, like a crossbreed."

"Like a dog," Santana added with a sneer.

"Shut up, Santana," Sam hissed back. "So let's say this is true. So what? Part leprechaun, part human, what difference does it make? What's it got to do with this banshee you think is haunting the area?"

The sheriff shrugged. "That I don't know. Maybe if it kills the boy, it gains his magic. Maybe it just wants to eat him because he will taste good over an open fire. The crucial thing is that it's here, it's doing damage, and we're taking the blame. It has to go. The sooner the better."

"Fine. So how do we kill it?" Sam asked, still agitated.

Sebastian shrugged. "No idea. All those books and websites and I couldn't find an answer to that. According to lore, it's a ghoul of sorts, which means it may very well not be corporeal. If that's the case, magic might be the only solution. Magic that you most likely don't believe in, either. In the meantime, trial and error I suppose. Find it, try to hack off its head. Drown it. Choke it. Shoot it with a gun with wooden bullets laced with silver. Make a list and see what works." At this point, he was getting agitated. He had done extensive research for these two and neither one of them had so much as said 'thank you'. Instead, they doubted him and even mocked him.

"That's helpful," Sam replied sarcastically. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect Rory. From banshees, or whatever else might be out there. You find a solution; I want to know. A real solution. I'm not seeking that thing out until we can kill it so your Russian Roulette game is a no go. The sooner we can end this, the better, because we have enough problems to worry about."

"You sure do like to make a lot of demands," Santana observed. "Especially for a child. So much like a brat. I guess you'll never grow up."

Sam was about to respond to her, but Sebastian spoke first. "He makes valid points, however. The sooner we end this invasion, the better. We do have enough problems already. One less worry would be nice," Sebastian stated. He then gave Sam his cold glare of disapproval. "I don't have anything else for you. If I find out anything, I might just tell you."

Sam huffed as he took Rory's hand again and started to leave. "Oh, Sam?" Sebastian called out, the young vampire and his boyfriend pausing and looking back. "You're lucky I don't demand something in return. I'd love to have what's yours, you know, but I have a little bit more class." He looked Rory over with a hungry glance, not blood thirsty, but lustful.

"Don't e'er look at me like that again," Rory said coldly. Sebastian grinned as he watched the two men leave the office.

"Feisty little fucker, isn't he?" Santana asked, sitting on the desk facing Sebastian.

"Yes. I like it," her maker said, still grinning widely. "It'll make it all the better when I finally get him to myself and own him. Mind, body, and soul. I'll have him at my feet, begging to be ravaged for hours on end all the while Sam is in silver shackles being forced to watch."

"Now you know I'm all for a little drama, but isn't that a bit much, even for you?"

"Perhaps, but it's been a long time since I had something to amuse me. I just want to give that smug child a little heartache for all that sass he keeps giving out," the sheriff replied. "Come, Santana. Let's go to ground. But first, a little time to ourselves, don't you think?"

The woman was already undressing, her long hair flowing around her, her eyes filled with lust and hunger.

-ooo-

The couple was quiet all the way back to Sam's house, Rory staring out the window, deep in thought. His hand lay at his side, Sam's fingers intertwined with his own in a simple sign of comfort. It was all too much information to process.

Back at home, they sat together on the couch, watching the news discussing the latest murder. This time it was a young man named Trent Nixon. He was a member of the Dalton Academy Warblers, one year older than Rory. The picture on the television showed a boy with a slightly husky face, but he looked kind, as if he wouldn't even harm a fly. It was sickening that someone like that would be brutally murdered for no reason at all except for the sheer amusement of some evil creature.

"Sam, do ye' think what Sebastian said was true? About… ye' know, the banshee and the leprechauns?" the teen finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sam pulled him closer, tightening his arms around him. "I honestly don't know. It would be a stupid thing for him to lie about. He has nothing to gain from it. I guess the really important question is, as far as the leprechauns go, do you believe him?"

Rory closed his eyes, trying to focus his mind. Sam didn't urge him any further, sensing the tension in his body as he mulled over the facts in his head. Finally, the teen spoke. "It kind o' makes sense I suppose. At least that I'm not completely human, that there's somethin' else inside me. How else could I explain me abilities? Especially the light and the heat?"

"True, though I don't really know how we would be able to find out for sure. Unless we found another leprechaun. You're not totally leprechaun though. You couldn't be. You have too many human qualities. And then there's the boot making. I just don't see it happening."

Rory cracked a half smile at his boyfriend's kind attempt at humor. "Do ye' think I'm the reason the banshee is here, killing people? Innocent people? Because it's after me?" Rory asked, his breathing shallow, his heart pounding.

Sam refused to answer. In his heart, he believed that yes, it was here because of the leprechaun/human hybrid that sat in his lap, trembling lightly as he contemplated his role in the murders. At the same time, he didn't feel like the boy could be blamed for it, or held responsible. He didn't ask to be part leprechaun. He didn't ask to be followed. He didn't come to America seeking refuge and protection. No, he was simply an exchange student who happened to have extra abilities due to his bloodline, something he had no control over.

"Sam?"

"It's not your fault. It's here, but it's not your fault at all," Sam replied. "You didn't do this. Any of this."

Rory sighed, believing none of it. The banshee had come after him, and in the process it was killing whomever it wanted to, either for amusement, or sustenance, or even just its nature. The point was, it was because of him that the creature was there. He was just as responsible for the murders as the banshee.

"I know you don't agree," Sam said softly. "You didn't know. You didn't purposely bring it here. Who's to say this wouldn't have happened even back in Ireland? It would have done horrible things here, there, wherever it went. That doesn't mean that you can be held responsible." He thought that maybe, just maybe, if he said it enough the boy would begin to believe him.

There were several more minutes of awkward silence, Rory locked in deep thought again. His head was beginning to hurt as he felt himself becoming overwhelmed with information, guilt, and fear.

"What do we do when the banshee finds me?"

"Kill it. However we have to, we kill it. I won't let it hurt you," Sam vowed.

Rory looked back and smiled at the vampire, then gave him an innocent kiss on his thick lips. "Maybe I should learn to fight, too. How to use these… powers I 'ave. Maybe this heated light show can be, I dunno, controlled so I can use it against a… a monster."

"Monster, huh? I guess that's what you could call it. A monster, a banshee, a creature. Thing is, every time you've used those powers, it's left you weak and tired. How can you fight something if you end up incapacitated?" Sam asked, running his hand back and forth over the boy's chest.

I guess I 'ave to figure out a way to not 'ave that happen. I 'ave to, Sam. I can't let other people protect me or fight for me if I can't even try to defend meself. It's not fair," Rory stated. "I don't want the people I love t'be hurt without even trying t'protect them meself."

"I understand. I'll help you find a way to control this. You can't be the first half-leprechaun in the world. Someone else must have been the same and documented it somewhere. They just had to." Rory snuggled up more comfortably in Sam's arms. "We shouldn't talk about this anymore tonight. Your friends were right, you need some real rest."

"I do feel tired. I need a good night's sleep," the teen replied. "We 'ave to tackle this some more tomorrow though. Promise?"

Sam smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I promise. We'll figure this out and send that banshee packing back where it came from. Right back to Hell."

They were silent again as the news went off and a comedy show came on. Sam chuckled randomly at the jokes, but he noticed Rory wasn't laughing at all.

"Are you okay? I know it's a lot to take in and think about," Sam asked, finding his boyfriend's hand and intertwining their fingers.

Rory sighed heavily. "I'm… I'm not human."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put it that way. You're human, you just have extra genes in there too. Like the way someone can be half Irish, half African," Sam said, trying to smooth over Rory's despair.

"No," the teen replied, shaking his head. "No, ye'r right. I'm not human. I'm something else. Just like ye'r a vampire and there's a banshee. I'm something not… Sam, I'm… what am I?" He leaned back and began to nuzzle his head in his boyfriend's chest, trying his best not to cry.

The vampire ran his fingers through the boy's hair with one hand and slowly stroked his arm with the other. "You're at least half human, just like your friends. Besides, it's not a bad thing to be something different. It's just one more thing that makes you special. It's part of your heritage. Instead of feeling less like a human, you should take pride in being part leprechaun. It's unique."

"I just want to be normal, Sam. No mind reading. No light shows. No leprechaunage. Just an average teenaged human boy with a vampire boyfriend."

Sam couldn't help but giggle. "An average human wouldn't have a vampire boyfriend. They'd have another average human, and you are far from average. I don't mean your abilities either. You're exceptional. Smart, mature, clever, loving. Average people aren't special at all. It's the people that have extraordinary traits that make them above average."

"Ye' mean humans aren't special?"

"No, that's not what I mean. I mean that the run of the mill person that you would call 'average' has nothing special about them. But people like you, like your friends, they're above average. Tina is an open-minded, compassionate young woman. I can tell that just from the few times I have met her. All of your friends are protective and caring. Even Kurt and Mercedes' unaccepting attitudes are part of what separates them from the average person. No, you are exceptional, just like your friends, and I wouldn't want it any other way," Sam explained. He could be long winded when he wanted to, but he had a way of making Rory feel better when he was feeling upset.

"It just… it's really upsetting to think I'm not a human. That I'm some sort of… creature."

The blonde hugged him tight, trying not to cry himself. "Even humans are a type of creature. Be proud of what you are. You're one of the last surviving leprechauns in the world I bet. That's even more amazing than being a vampire. Anyone can be a vampire, but you have to be really lucky to be a leprechaun, even if you're a hybrid."

"A hybrid?"

Sam grinned. "Yeah, a hybrid. Part human, part leprechaun. It's like the X-men. They're part human, part mutant. Humans with special abilities because of special genes in their bodies that happen to be passed down through generations until it finds the right person to manifest in. That's what you are. A human with special abilities because of unique genes in your body."

Rory finally smiled. "I guess that makes more sense. It's still a little weird though."

"Aww come on, go with it. Be a real life X-man! We can even give you a cool code name," Sam joked. "We could call you… Impact!"

"Impact? Why Impact?"

"Because your abilities are activated by touch, and another word for touch is impact. When you blasted Kurt with your power, it hit him with an impact. When you flew backwards at the bar, you landed in my arms with an impact. Get it?"

Rory started to laugh crazily. "Oh me God Sam, I love ye' so much! Ye' know just how to cheer me up with some silly little game! Thank ye', I really do feel better now." He yawned between peals of laughter, his sleepiness getting the better of him.

Sam wiggled out from under his boyfriend and gently lifted him up into his arms. In vampire speed, he had Rory in his bed, comfortable and already beginning to doze.

"I'm going to let you sleep. Sweet dreams. I love you, very much," Sam said, brushing the hair from the teen's forehead with his hand before leaning down to kiss him.

"Good night, Sam. I love ye' too. I wish I could wake up next to ye'."

Sam gave him a half smile. "Maybe someday," he said softly. He had to turn away to hide the blood-red tears that were welling up at the corners of his eyes as his heart ached for the very same thing—to wake up next to the boy he loved so much.

-ooo-

"Did you really do all that research yourself?" Santana asked as she ran her hand across Sebastian's bare chest.

"You doubt me?" the maker asked coyly, pushing her hand away.

Santana sighed. "It just isn't like you to do so much work over a boy. Usually it's just a simple glamour and they fall at your feet. Even without glamour most guys throw themselves before you. If you can have any of them, why go through so much for this one?"

Sebastian kicked his feet off of the bed, tossing the covers off and standing up, completely nude. He walked over to a small table across the room, a bottle of Tru Blood sitting atop it. He took a sip before he addressed her.

"I told you, he's a challenge. Besides, if he can be of help solving these murders, even better. The banshee suspicion isn't bullshit. Neither are the leprechauns," he said, picking up a notebook that was also on the table. He tossed it to her, the woman catching it in midair. She opened it and began to read over it at remarkable speed.

Leprechauns are thought to be extinct. None have been found in centuries. True leprechauns don't follow the stereotypes. Look like normal people, sometimes can be proportionately shorter than average but not always. Abilities…

"Taking notes? This seems pretty basic, Sebastian," the woman chided. "They made Microsoft Word for a reason."

"Keep reading, smartass," Sebastian replied, annoyed.

Abilities: Mind reading, life draining, golden energy bursts. Lore suggests mind reading enabled them to discover people's deepest secrets and desires. Like all fae, they have control over light to an extent, channeling it into bursts of energy. They can drain the life of others to sustain their own lives. Not critical but lengthens the life span and increases power of abilities.

This didn't appear to be anything she didn't already know from the conversation in the office earlier, but at Sebastian's insistence, she turned the page and read on.

Rory: Exhibits mind reading capabilities, but claims to only read memories, not active thoughts. Extreme focusing caused dangerous results, including burning, blistering, bursts of energy, and being thrown across the room. Extreme headache. Extreme fatigue. Sam prevents further exploration.

Santana scoffed. "How special. Sam gets a mention in your notes. You realize you'll never have Rory until you get rid of that man. Sam will meet the true death before he lets anything happen to that boy."

Sebastian smiled, licking the blood from his lips. "I have my ways. If I can get Rory to drink a little bit of my blood, for instance… he won't be able to stop thinking about me, and I'll know where he is myself."

The thrall glanced over at the digital clock, rolling her eyes. "As fascinating as this is, we need to get to ground. Too close to dawn. I'm sure you'll have plenty of wet dreams about your new obsession to keep you occupied."

"Jealousy doesn't become you, Santana."

"I'm not jealous. Merely concerned," she replied, tossing back the covers and getting up. She approached the bookcase on the far end of the room, fiddled with a trio of books, and in stereotypical mystery fashion, it slid sideways, revealing a staircase. She quickly descended, her heavy footsteps betraying her icy exterior, exposing her true feelings.

-ooo-

Rory slept heavily, finally getting the solid night's sleep that he needed badly. He didn't wake up until eleven in the morning, feeling guilty for sleeping so late, but completely refreshed. He took a shower, put on his work clothes, and decided to have an early lunch. Tina would arrive shortly before one in the afternoon to pick him up for work, so he had plenty of time to eat.

A note was stuck to the fridge with a magnet, written in Sam's sloppy handwriting.

Since we didn't make it last night, I went to the store after you went to sleep. I asked the lady what a teenager would eat. She looked at me funny but helped me out anyway. I hope you like what I got. If not, we can make a proper visit to the store. Have a good day at work, and I will pick you up at the end of your shift. I love you. Yours, Sam

Rory smiled at the note. He could only imagine what the clerk must have been thinking when someone who looks like a modern teenager inquired about what a teen would eat. He wondered if Sam explained the situation to her or not, or if she just went along with it without question. He opened the fridge to find a much better selection of food than before. Two kinds of lunchmeat, cheese, mustard, mayo, grape jelly, soda, fruit juice, and a bowl containing an apple, an orange, grapes, and a banana.

He checked out the freezer next and found frozen pizzas—pepperoni and supreme-and two kinds of ice cream—Neapolitan and Rocky Road. Apparently Sam was covering all his bases. A bag of plain potato chips as well as a bag of nachos sat on the countertop, as well as a loaf of bread and a fresh jar of peanut butter.

He decided to fix himself a ham sandwich, slice up the apple, and have a handful of chips with a cherry cola. It was partially healthy at least. Finishing his lunch, he scribbled a quick note for Sam and left it on his desk.

I love you. Thanks for the food, it's great! See you tonight.

He signed it with Rory xoxo.

Just as he finished, he heard the doorbell ring. Tina had arrived to take him to work.

-ooo-

Sam arrived a half hour before closing time, ordered a Tru Blood (AB Negative this time), and sat at the bar, trying to strike up idle conversation with Mercedes. The young woman traded words back and forth with him, though it was obvious she was anxious for him to leave. The blonde silently wished that she and Kurt could both be as accepting of him as Tina was.

Rory finished his closing duties and then joined Sam at the bar, throwing his arm around him. "Are ye' ready t'go? Been a long day," the teen said.

"Sure, if you're ready. Did you eat dinner?"

Rory shrugged his shoulders. "I had a snack a couple of hours ago, but that's it. I can fix something when we get back t'the house," he replied. Sam nodded and said a quick farewell to Mercedes, and gave a wave to Tina who was on the other side of the room.

Outside, Kurt was standing next to a car Sam hadn't seen before. It was a large, deep-red SUV, a handsome black-haired man sitting in the driver's seat with the window down, talking to Kurt. Sam's excellent hearing couldn't help but pick up what they were saying.

"That's him," Kurt said, looking back toward the vampire and his charge. He gave a half-hearted wave out of politeness before turning back around and rolling his eyes. "What do you think, Blaine?"

The dark-haired man shrugged. "He doesn't look threatening to me. In fact, Rory looks happy. Maybe the craft is wrong about them. Vampires I mean. Maybe some of them are okay."

Kurt scowled. "Hardly. Rory insists he can't have that spell put on him, but the way he is just enthralled with him, I don't know."

Blaine reached out of the window and took Kurt's hand. "Rory's sixteen, Kurt. A mature sixteen at that. Maybe we should put a little bit of faith in his judgment."

"You're supposed to be on my side," Kurt hissed.

"I am. That's why I'm still going to be researching. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I want to know what we're dealing with, too. Just in case," Blaine replied with a coy smile. "You know I have your back, but I want to be reasonable, too."

Sam stopped listening at that point, annoyed that Kurt was so hell-bent on making him out to be a bad guy. Sam's days of trouble were done and over, and all he wanted was to be as close to human as he could manage. For the most part he succeeded, and having the luxury of a relationship now only made him feel more like things were going well.

"I think I like this Blaine guy," the vampire whispered to his boyfriend as he climbed into the driver's seat and started up the truck. "I could hear them. He was open minded, like Tina. Maybe he can convince Kurt I'm not such a bad guy."

Rory smirked. "When Kurt has his head set on something, that's the way of it. I don't know Blaine very well, but he's a man-witch and seems really nice."

"A warlock you mean," Sam corrected, giggling. "Ah, a man-witch. You, sir, are the most adorable thing in this world," he added, smiling. Rory playfully scowled at him in mock-offense, and then found the vampire's cool hand and latched on tight the entire ride home.

-ooo-

When they arrived home, Rory paused once he got out of the car, looking down at his hands.

"Something wrong?" Sam asked, watching him.

Rory looked back up at him, his eyes filled with wonder. "Do ye' think I can… control it?" he asked, nodding toward his hands.

"I don't know. Maybe. You need to be careful though, it seems like every time you've zapped somebody, it's weakened you," Sam cautioned.

The teen stared down at his hands again, locked in thought. I have to figure this out. I have to find out how I can control this, so I can protect meself, and me friends. And Sam. We don't know what else the banshee is capable of. I don't want it to hurt him. What it did to Mr. and Mrs. Pierce and Lord Tubbington is unforgivable. I don't want to see it happen to anyone else. I have to at least try to destroy the damned thing.

He held his hands in front of him, turning to face the woods. He stood there, silent, concentrating. Come on, blast out of me hands. Light up. Heat up. Flash, sparkle, do something, anything. Even a spark would be nice.

He was beginning to feel frustrated when suddenly he noticed his hands warming up. They didn't feel hot, just warm as if he had just come out of a heated shower. There began a tingling in his fingertips, his palms getting warmer still. His hands began to glow a faint yellow color, barely noticeable. Repeating a mantra of 'come on, blast!' in his head, he felt the sensations increase in intensity, the glowing getting brighter.

Suddenly there was a bright flash and something came out of his palms, rushing forward like a surge of golden electricity. His hands burned and tingled, glowing brightly and then fading away as whatever came out of them had finished occurring.

Cautiously, Rory stepped forward toward the tree in front of him. There were tiny sparks still twinkling faintly from a medium-sized rupture in the trunk of the wide tree. He pressed his fingers against the wound—hot. Not hot enough to burn, but hot enough to make him jerk his hand back. He then saw another hand—Sam's hand—touching the same tree.

"Wow. That was amazing," Sam commented, looking down at the boy and back to the tree. "You can control it. I knew you had to be able to. How do you feel?"

"A little tired, but I felt that before. D'ye think that maybe when I try to do it, I'm okay? That I only feel bad when I do it on accident?"

Sam shrugged. "I… I don't know. This whole ability is pretty unpredictable. Dangerously so. Come on, let's go inside. You need to eat before it gets too late. We'll stay up until midnight and then you can go to bed. I don't want Tina to fuss at me again," he laughed.

Rory smiled and wrapped his arms around Sam before they went back to the house. Before closing the door, Rory looked back one more time at the tree, the sparkles having gone away completely.

-ooo-

The next morning, against Sam's advisory, Rory stood in the yard behind the house, shaded by a forest of trees, a look of determination on his face. He was wearing gym shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, ready for a workout. First he did some warm up conditioning followed by a jog up and down the long driveway a few times. Just enough for some exercise but not enough to aggravate his shin splints. Now in the backyard, he was ready for what he really came out to do.

As he had done the night before, he put his hands out in front of him, fingers apart. He closed his eyes and concentrated, picturing in his mind what he wanted to happen. He imagined his hands glowing, heating up, and then finally a bright flash and a burst of energy shooting forward toward the tree in front of him. He took deep breaths as he focused, his goal finally being met just as he had pictured it in his mind.

The blast of energy slammed into the tree, a loud cracking sound filling the air as the tree's trunk shot shards of wood from the contact point. It was much more violent than the previous night's experiment.

"Wow!" he said aloud. He approached the tree and felt the fresh wound, feeling the warmth he expected and noticing slight sparks that faded into nothing. He was mesmerized by the effect, still having trouble believing that he had just caused this to happen.

Rory suddenly heard a barking behind him, causing him to spin around, alarmed. His eyes scanned the area, spotting the source. It was a dog, a golden lab, sitting on the porch, watching him and yelping. He couldn't tell if it was disapproval or congratulations.

"Where did ye' come from?" the teen asked, moving closer to the dog. It seemed calm, not moving at all, just watching. Rory put out his hand as he got nearer. "Just gonna give ye' a little pet here," he said, finally making contact and stroking the dog's head, the fur feeling surprisingly clean under his palm. The dog's head moved, reaching around to lick his hand in appreciation. Rory crouched down next to him and continued to pet him, scratching at his belly and rubbing his back. The lab seemed very happy, as if it had been waiting for years to be treated with such care.

"I wonder what ye'r name is," Rory said. "No collar. Are ye' a stray? Homeless? If ye' don't 'ave a home, maybe Sam will let me keep ye'. Maybe ye' know the dog I saved before. Ye' might e'en be friends, eh?"

The dog licked his hand again, rubbing his head against Rory's leg. "What did ye' think of me' little light show there?" he asked. The dog rubbed his nose against the boy's hand enthusiastically as if asking for another demonstration.

Rory chuckled and got up, strolling back toward the same spot he was at before. "Okay boy, watch me. This time I'll see if I can make it bigger!"

With that, Rory faced the tree once again, his hands outstretched in front of him. He began to focus, imagining the same thing as before, but this time picturing the blast as a larger beam of energy. Within seconds he felt his hands burn hot, and the surge of power ran through them.

There was a louder cracking sound than before as the beam hit the tree, followed by a splintering noise as the old oak split right up the middle from base to top. When he opened his eyes, the tree was already falling toward him. Well, half of it. The other half had fallen backward, deeper into the woods. He didn't have time to react, it came down so fast. He expected to feel the slam of the wood onto his body, expected to be knocked down and hammered into the ground like in a cartoon. The feeling never came.

When he finally realized the tree had stopped falling, he moved from underneath it, looking around the base of the trunk. Standing there, holding the tree up was Mike—a very naked Mike. Seeing his friend was safe, the man let go and let the old oak settle to the ground.

"Mike! What are ye' doing here!? And uh, where are ye'r clothes?" Rory exclaimed, blushing and turning away.

Mike, not embarrassed by his nudity, approached his friend, putting his hand on his shoulder. "You can turn around. I'm not worried."

Rory nervously turned forward again, forcing himself to keep his eyes on Mike's face. What happened next could only be explained as surreal. Mike seemed to shrink, as if crouching down and his body looked to be furry, his head changing shape. In a blur of flesh, Rory was no longer staring at Mike Chang, but at the golden lab he had just been petting.

His mouth agape, the teen watched as the dog blurred again, suddenly replaced by Mike's body. Rory began to back away nervously. "Wha-what are ye'?"

Mike smiled. "I'm what's called a shifter. Like you, I have special gifts, except instead of reading minds and controlling energy, I can shift my body into the form of any animal I choose. A few minutes ago, I was watching you, as the dog."

Rory suddenly looked horrified. "What!? Ye' mean…? I was just pettin' ye'! Ye' licked me hands and put ye'r nose all over me leg and hand! I rubbed ye'r belly!"

Mike laughed. "Well, yes, you did, but you thought I was a dog, and at that time I was."

The teen started to rub his hands all over his shorts as if trying to rid them of germs. "But… eww! That's weird! It was ye'r belly! I was this close to ye'r… ye'r stuff!" he exclaimed. "I wouldn't do that now, so it's not okay just because ye' were a dog!"

Mike continued to laugh, amused by the boy's reaction. It was actually the first time anyone had reacted that way. The select few who knew hadn't even thought about the fact that they had petted him, played with him, rubbed his belly. They were more interested in the fact that he could even shift, and what else he could shift into.

"Don't worry about it. Come on, let's talk. But uh, if you don't mind can we go inside? I don't want to chance anyone spotting me, especially running around naked in your backyard."

Rory nodded, leading his friend into the house. He showed Mike to the living room while he ran upstairs to fetch a robe for him to wear. Mike slipped it on, then sat down on the couch. "Mind if I have some water? I'm parched from the heat."

"Oh yeah, sure. I'm sorry, I'm a poor host," the teen apologized, heading to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. He handed it to Mike, who drank it thirstily.

"Thanks," the man said. "Now, we definitely need to talk, especially because I know you're a little freaked out, and I need to explain all this to you, and also why I was here, watching you in the first place."

"Yes, why were ye' watchin' me? Don't ye' trust Sam t'take care o'me?"

Mike smiled and nodded. "I believe he is capable, yes. At night. Not during the day. We don't know everything about this enemy that's after you; we need to keep you safe at all hours."

Rory was puzzled. He hadn't mentioned anything about the banshee to him before, and yet he knew at least that something was after him. Either that or Mike was simply concerned with the supposed murderer and wanted to protect a friend who had already been victim to a grisly experience. "How do ye' know somethin' is after me? Where did ye' hear that?"

The Asian man grinned. "You're not the only one who paid a visit to Sebastian. He can be… difficult to persuade, but after some tough bartering, he gave me the information I was looking for."

"Tough bartering? What did ye' 'ave to give him?" Rory asked, a worried look crossing his features. "And how do ye' know Sebastian?"

"Don't worry about the cost. I know Sebastian simply from the fact that he owns another major business in the area. A good manager researches his competition, and in the process I learned that he was not only the sheriff, but also over a thousand years old. A valuable source of information indeed," the other man said firmly. There was no way he intended to ever tell the boy what he had traded for information. In truth, he had allowed Sebastian to drink from him. Shifter blood wasn't very common, and it had a certain appeal to vampires, augmenting their strength and healing slightly, as well as giving them a certain 'high'. It was like marijuana for a vampire, and Mike had given up an entire pint for what he wanted.

"If it cost money, I'm sure Sam will pay ye' back. Especially if ye'r watchin' out for me," Rory told him.

"I said don't worry about it," Mike repeated sternly. "What you need to know for now, is that you will have a guard during the day. You will have the protection of more than one shifter, as we will be taking turns on watch. Sam will take guard during the dark hours."

It was a lot for Rory to digest. Leprechauns, banshees, magic powers, shapeshifters. He was afraid to ask what else there was, but unfortunately Mike began to tell him.

"Most of the time, you don't really need to worry about these creatures. Werewolves, werepanthers, they have a pack mentality, and as long as you leave them alone, they leave you alone. If you don't do anything that's a threat to them, you'll be fine. In other words, as long as you go on about your daily life, you will undoubtedly never have an issue with either of them," Mike explained. "Shifters don't have the pack mentality, but odds are that if you don't threaten them, they won't bother you. Really the various species aren't out to destroy or harm each other."

"Then why the fear with the vampires? Why are they such a big deal to worry about?"

The Asian sighed deeply. "See, weres and shifters in their human forms eat normal food. In animal form, we can dine on other animals, just like normal beasts. Vampires, however, survive on blood. Human blood. The only way to get it is if they take it. Now, though, with Tru Blood they are becoming less of a threat and more of a mainstream species. As long as they can have their Tru Blood, there's no need to feed on humans."

"Well all that sounds pretty simple then. E'eryone leaves e'eryone else alone."

Mike shook his head. "Not that simple. Not all vampires are okay with this. Some of them still like the way of draining humans, and have no intention to mainstream. That's why there's so little trust, because you never know exactly which vampires are going to feed on humans."

"Well Sam doesn't feed on humans. He drinks his Tru Blood, so ye' can trust him."

"He drank you," Mike pointed out.

Rory blushed. "It was… I allowed him to. I asked him to. It was during… it was private. Trust me, though. He had me permission, and he would ne'er do it without me say so."

Mike gave him a look of disapproval. "You're treading on a thin wire with that, but I can't stop you. Lust can make us do foolish things. As can love."

"What else is there? Creatures, monsters, whatever?" Rory asked, hurriedly changing the subject to avoid further embarrassment.

"Tons of things. Fairytales are often based in truth. There are many different species out there, most who just want to live their normal lives, however they do it. They don't want trouble. But then there are ones like this banshee, who have an agenda. Those are the ones that are dangerous."

Rory mulled this information over, realizing that just when he thought he was getting a grasp on things, there really was so much more going on in the world that he didn't know.

"What's wrong?" Mike asked, noticing the look of sadness and confusion on the boy's face. "Too much at one time, huh?"

The teen nodded his head. "Yeah, it's a lot. A whole lot. So much more than I e'er thought. I mean, I knew something was different about me, but I didn't think there was so much out there—these different species o' humans and animals and little magical people and stuff. It's a lot to take in."

Mike put his hand on Rory's shoulder in a sign of comfort. "You don't have to try and digest it all at once. There's only three things you really need to be concerned with right now. Your abilities and role as a leprechaun, Sam's ability to protect you as a vampire, and keeping this banshee at bay."

"I thought ye' said ye' were gonna watch out for me during the day," the teen pointed out.

"Okay, so four things. My point is, right now, you don't need to worry about werewolves and panthers, witches, fairies and all those other things. Face all that later."

Rory let the side of his mouth turn up a little in a half smile. "Thank ye', Mike. I hope we get this whole thing o'er with soon, so ye' can go back to ye'r normal life. I hate being a burden on people. I don't like t'be a bother to anyone."

"Sam doesn't think you're a bother, and neither do I. I'm your friend. I might be your boss, but I'm your friend first and your safety is important to me. And to Tina, Kurt, Mercedes, Brittany. You have more people watching out for you than you think."

Mike's words settled into Rory's head. He was right, Rory did have a lot more people looking out for his safety, even if some of them didn't have special abilities. They may not be able to protect him from the banshee, but they could help him emotionally, when he needed them to, and he could help them, even without his powers. It was those words that were most important throughout the entire conversation.

-ooo-

The year was 1923 and Sam was finally settled in on his own after decades of being with his maker, living in a cave, and other random places. He had scouted out a cottage where an old couple lived. Refusing to murder them, he simply waited. After a year of watching, the old couple finally passed within a few days of each other, having suffered an intense case of polio. Polio was the dominant infectious disease at the time, and being old and weak, they stood no chance against the virus. No one ever came for their bodes. In an act of humanity, Sam took their coprses and buried them in the backyard—a pair of unmarked graves. It was the decent thing to do, as he couldn't bear the idea of doing anything else with the deceased humans.

The old couple apparently had no family around, so nobody ever came to the cottage when they were alive and surely not after their deaths. The cabin was very small, but all Sam needed. He cut down a very large and thick oak tree and carved out of it a coffin for himself. It just barely had room for him, but it served the purpose. He kept it in the back room, using the old woman's hand sewn curtains to block out the sunlight during the day. The couple had very few possessions, but they had enough for him to survive on. Chairs, tables, some books that he tried to read but couldn't. The woman had sewing and knitting that remained unfinished and the old man had carvings and hides. He had been reading one of the novels before he died, the book sitting on the small table next to the rocking chair. His clothing wasn't in the best condition, but it was warm and more than Sam had at the time.

Sam had no desire to return to his days of raping and murdering, so whenever his hunger became too great, he would wait until nightfall and go into town where he would find a young woman and use his charms to convince her to come home with him. They would make love and in the process he would feed on her, but not enough to kill her. He would glamour her so that she remembered nothing of the attractive blonde stranger, and attributed her weakness to a bout of illness. He found this to be much more of a humane system for himself as opposed to simply abducting people and feeding on them until they perished. He never preyed on the same woman twice, not wanting to risk forming an emotional attachment. The pain would be too great.

Eventually he came across a beautiful young woman whom he tried to glamour, except it wouldn't work. It had to be another vampire, the only beings he knew of that were immune to the glamour. They exchanged a silent understanding of what was going on and moved to some place more private—his cottage. She introduced herself as Marley- Marley Rose—a former teacher over two hundred years old. Teachers back then were very different, their tasks being much more difficult than in current times, but of course her teaching skills had changed over the decades. No longer did she teach reading, writing, and arithmetic—she taught orphaned vampires how to survive on their own. Marley had been watching Sam for quite some time, entranced by his handsome face. He invited her back to his home, where they talked into the night. When dawn came, she left for her own residence but after several nights of meeting, they began to form a bond, a friendship. Sam confessed his inability to read and begged her to teach him. She agreed and over the years their friendship developed into a sexual relationship.

They were not a couple; they were merely friends with a close bond, both physical and emotional. Marley admired Sam's retention of humanity and the pair often found themselves bringing home a young woman, or a young man, to satisfy their needs before sending them home for a good rest to recover. Marley was impressed with the way her new friend had managed to take care of himself, despite his 'orphaned' status.

It was during one such incident that Marley introduced Sam to the idea of being with a man. You're going to live for hundreds, thousands of years. It's time to open your mind to new experiences, she had said. Just try it, for me. Then you'll know. Sam agreed and they brought home a handsome young man, one whom they had observed all evening, determining his persuasions.

The young man was very much a bisexual, having flirted openly with both genders. Marley glamoured him, telling him that Sam was a virgin, needing to experience a man for the first time. The idea of deflowering a man as attractive as Sam appealed to him—glamour or not. First he drew Sam into a kiss, which turned into several more kisses until they were vigorously making out. They quickly removed their clothing, and the young man took the lead, giving Sam his pleasure first, before taking his own. Marley watched in eager fascination as her best friend experienced his first man, her fingers working herself into a fervor.

That was amazing. I want to do it again. I want to do more, lots more, Sam had told her afterward. From then on, they enjoyed both genders on a regular basis, Sam even seeking out men on his own at times.

It was one evening in the sixties when things got out of hand, and Sam lost something dear to him for the first time since his transformation. The pair was wooing a young man at a pub, when the bartender recognized what was going on. He didn't fully understand how it was working, but he knew that these two people were monsters—the kind of monsters that had become more and more prevalent over the years.

As Sam and Marley left the bar with their chosen, they were greeted by the bartender upon turning down the alley behind the bar. In one hand he held a pistol and in the other, a long wooden rod, sharpened to a point at one end. A confrontation ensued, but in the end the man succeeded in driving the wooden spear through Marley's heart, forcing her to meet the true death. In a rage, Sam attacked him mercilessly, holding the man down and torturing him with fear before slaughtering him. He ripped the man's heart out, and just before he faded away into the darkness, Sam sank his teeth into the pulsing organ, causing it to explode in his hand and all over the face of the brutalized tender.

Sam spent the next several months in mourning, both for Marley and for his irrational action. He was torn—the man killed his closest and only friend, someone like family to him. He took away the only person he had in his life at the time. But Sam had also vowed to himself to retain as much of his humanity as possible, refusing to murder, and instead stick to his routine. Losing control on the bartender wiped out everything he had struggled to be over the years, and it tore him apart. He drew himself into reclusiveness for the next two years, feeding only on animals.

He eventually had a dream, something he sensed was a vision, of Marley begging him to move on with his afterlife, to find another companion, to put it all in the past, to forgive himself for his transgression, and to start over. He awoke the next evening, his face covered in bloody tears as he heeded Marley's words, forcing himself to return to his normal routine until he found something else for himself.

Filled with a new sense of purpose, the young vampire sought out Marley's home; a place he had never actually been to. Marley enjoyed the charm of Sam's cabin so much that she had little desire to return to her mansion, so it was never visited. In fact it had been twelve years since her last stay in the Rose home. Her family had owned it since it was built in the 1800's. Knowing that if he kept the home, he would only obsess and drive himself back into misery, he sold the property and many of the belongings inside, keeping the newfound fortune to begin anew—his third chance at making an existence better suited to himself.

-ooo-

Sam awoke midday, something he never did. He had dreamt about his past, dreamt about the time from when he had been abandoned, to spying on his family, to meeting Marley and her unfortunate death. He prayed that Rory never asked for more details, because he was so ashamed of what he had done. He could surely refuse to tell him, or lie, but he was dedicated to the teen and determined to always be honest with him, no matter the consequences.

He fell back asleep not long after his abrupt disturbance, having a dreamless sleep the rest of the day, waking at dusk to get ready for the evening. When he turned off the shower he could have sworn he heard a voice singing. A soft, feminine voice, way off in the distance. It was beautiful. Shrugging it off, he finished his routine, and then headed to the Lima Bean to pick up his boyfriend.

-ooo-

When Sam arrived at the Lima Bean, he could hear the singing more loudly. It was when he walked into the establishment that he discovered a young woman standing on stage, rehearsing a song. She winked at him when she took notice of the new arrival. Sam smiled and nodded to her politely, but focused his attention on finding Rory.

The teen was just finishing up turning in his tickets and registering his tips on the log. While Sam waited, he chatted casually with Tina.

"Are you coming to the big performance? We've heard her rehearsing and she's great," Tina asked him, referring to opening night for the live entertainment.

"If Rory wants to come, then yes. I'd love to accompany him."

"He'll be here. He's on the schedule to work until close. All of us are, actually. It'll be a little later than usual because of the show, but I can't imagine that'd bother you too much," Tina replied, smiling. "You know you're welcome here with or without him."

Sam gave her a nod and a grin. "Thank you for the extended invite," he said. "I will definitely be here, then. It sounds like it will be fun."

"Oh it will be! Lots of food, drinks, music, and dancing! I even made sure Mike ordered some fresh Tru Blood for our vampire customers! Oh, and don't worry, we're each taking turns with breaks so you can dance with Rory, too," she told him cheerily.

Rory walked up to join them, finished with his tasks. "Hi, Sam," he said, hugging the older teen.

"Hello, handsome," Sam said with a cheesy grin. "Tina was just convincing me to come to the big performance. I think she's sold me on it." Rory beamed, pleased to hear that the vampire had agreed to attend the big event.

"You ready to go?" Sam asked. He hoped so. While Tina was incredibly friendly, he could feel the judgmental eyes of Mercedes and Kurt watching him from the bar.

"Yeah. Kind of hungry, and I was kind of hoping ye'd tell me another story from when ye' were human. I loved hearing about ye'r past."

"Oh, I bet it's fascinating!" Tina interjected. "I bet you have a lot to tell over the years. Seen a lot happen, new inventions. I'd love to hear some of your stories sometime. I mean if they aren't too private."

The vampire gave her a kind smile. "Not at all. One evening I'll have to share some with you. It really is amazing what I've seen in a hundred and seventy years."

"Hmph. He's robbin the cradle," Mercedes snickered to Kurt from her place at the bar. "That's what, a hundred and fifty-four years difference?"

"Sounds about right. You have to admit, he's very attractive. He doesn't look that old," Kurt replied. Mercedes glared at him disapprovingly. "I was simply saying. I still don't trust him. Handsome or not, he's bad news."

"What about Blaine? Has he come up with anything regarding that weird flashy thing Rory did to you?" the woman asked, lowering her voice. While she didn't care if the vampire heard her snide remarks, she seemed oddly concerned if she was overheard discussing Rory and his abilities.

Kurt sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "No, nothing yet. He said since Rory didn't say any kind of incantation or use any kind of talismans or ingredients, it couldn't be witchcraft. He's still looking into it. I told him to check and see if there are any kind of side effects of vampire bites that might give him some sort of magic, but he said so far, aside from weakness and fatigue or death, there isn't much else for side effects from a bite," Kurt explained. "I hope he finds something soon. It could be dangerous. I don't want to see anything happen to our friend."

Mercedes nodded, saying nothing else. She was disappointed, having hopes that Blaine would dismiss it as witchcraft and they could have some sort of intervention. Witchcraft was much easier to accept since she had actually seen it work for herself. Blaine was an incredibly talented and powerful Wiccan and she was lucky enough to have witnessed him performing some of his craft.

Sam and Rory bid Tina goodnight, giving polite waves to the harsh stares of Kurt and Mercedes. The bigoted words of the pair still hurt the vampire's feelings, but there was no way he was going to express his continued upset to his young boyfriend. If Rory knew how much it was getting to him, he might end up in a confrontation, and the last thing Sam wanted was to drive a wedge between friendships.

-ooo-

Sam sat at the table, watching his boyfriend eating his dinner. Feeling lazy, Rory had requested a stop at a fast food restaurant, ordering a burger and fries with a vanilla milkshake.

"Do ye' think if ye' mixed some Tru Blood in it, ye' could try it?" the anxious teen asked.

"I honestly don't know. I'm not sure I should try it. It could make me sick," Sam answered. "I wish I could though. It sounds like it would be delicious. Frozen milk and cream. I bet the cows don't like being in the freezer."

Rory laughed loudly. "Oh Sam, they don't put the cows in the freezer! They put the milk and cream in a machine and it mixes it and keeps it cold!"

"I know, I was teasing. I'm not that dumb." He childishly stuck out his tongue and then took a swig of his Tru Blood: Type O Negative. "So, what do you want to hear about? My human life was relatively boring compared to what people have today."

The teen shrugged, taking a bite from his burger. He swallowed, sucked down some of his shake and then answered. "How about ye' tell me what happened with ye'r friend, then? The woman? Ye' said she was a teacher who helped ye' and all."

"I… maybe another time for that one," the vampire hesitated, a forlorn look crossing his features.

Rory blushed, embarrassed that he had asked something so personal. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset ye'."

Sam shook his head. "No, it's okay. It's just that last night I had this dream about it all. Like a real vivid memory in my sleep. It was from the time my maker left me until Marley—that was her name, Marley Rose—met the true death. That changed my life quite a bit."

"Ye' don't 'ave to talk about it. How about…" the teen thought hard, trying to find a way to change the subject but still get an intriguing tale from the man. "How about ye' tell me one of the neatest inventions ye' saw. I mean, ye' got t'see cars and computers and TV and microwaves!"

The older teen laughed at the boy's excitement. "Alright, I can do that."

When Rory finished the last of his dinner, Sam ushered him into the living room, onto the couch. "Wait here," the vampire said softly, walking out of the room. A few moments later, he returned with two wine glasses. One of them was filled with the deep red of fresh Tru Blood; the other contained a fine red wine.

"Try this, see if you like it. If you don't, I can pour you something else," Sam said, sitting down next to his boyfriend. He leaned back comfortably, watching the boy as he considered the glass.

The teen lifted the glass to his lips and carefully tilted it back, letting the red liquid coat his tongue and slide down his throat. It tasted a bit strange at first—Rory hadn't had any kind of alcohol before—but after another sip, he was already used to the flavor. Sam reached over and gently placed fingertips on the boy's anxious hand.

"Sip, not chug. You don't drink a wine all at once. You nurse the glass, making it last for a while. That will help soothe you, relax you, as opposed to getting the 'buzz' people make such a big deal about," the older man explained.

Rory blushed at his over eagerness, setting the glass on the table. He pulled his feet up onto the cushions and leaned against the back of the couch, smiling contentedly. He gazed into Sam's bright green eyes, momentarily forgetting what they even came to the couch for. He finally blinked, breaking the stare.

"So, you want to hear about the things I saw as I aged," Sam stated. "There's so much to tell I suppose, if I really wanted to go into detail. You have to keep in mind, I had to experience everything at night, so while I did see a lot in my time, I also missed some as well."

The younger teen reached forward with his hand and placed it on his boyfriend's, having long ago lost any bother by the cooler touch of his skin. "Just tell me about what ye' remember. What it was like seein' so many things coming about. I mean, there's new stuff now, but nothing like what ye' must 'ave seen."

"That's true. Most of what we have now are simply evolutions of existing ideas—cars, computers, technology in general. I saw it being birthed."

Rory listened intently as Sam went on to explain the many things he had experienced over the decades. He had seen rise of the automobile, mainstream use of electricity, flight, several wars, The Great Depression. He had seen decades of happiness and sadness, prosperity and poverty. Sam told him how the things he had experienced were still nothing compared to the millennia that vampires such as Sebastian had seen—vampires who were sixteen centuries old. Never once did Rory get bored, or ask for a break. He simply gazed in wonderment, listening to the words and watching the occasional gestures that Sam made.

By the time Sam was finished recounting his tales, it was well past midnight. They spent the remainder of the evening watching a movie, Sam sitting back on the couch, Rory leaning back against his boyfriend's chest. They stayed in that position as the young teen fell asleep. Sam refused to move; he had no desire to disrupt the sleep of his prince. As he sat listening to the even breathing of the boy, he could hear in the distance the beautiful singing of a woman. Before when he heard it, he dismissed it as just some girl testing her talent, but now he knew what it really was. The banshee's wailing into the night.