Day 6: Vampire & Human AU

Yang hadn't known what to expect when she finally found her mother. She'd hoped for some answers. She'd wanted a shortcut to Ruby. Raven gave her all that and more. Yang really hadn't expected Raven biting her neck as soon as she stepped inside her tent, or the consuming thirst taking over her life afterwards. Not to mention the sensory overload, a drumbeat almost deafening her until her ears adjusted.

Yang straightened up, finding Weiss standing beside her, rapier pointed at Raven.

"What is wrong with you? Trying to feed on your own daughter!"

Raven gripped the blade and effortlessly moved it aside. "I wasn't feeding on her. I turned her."

What?

Raven glanced at Yang. She must have said that out loud. "We're vampires, Yang."

Yeah, it turned out that Raven was that pale for a reason. It might explain the unusual red eyes too. Did that mean Qrow was a vampire too? Had Yang's eyes turned permanently red?

"Got a mirror?"

Raven laughed. "A lot of tales about vampires are lies. We have no problem with garlic or religious symbols. The thing about no reflection? True. Don't ask me how it works, I don't know. Why do you want one? You can see perfectly well that your skin's gone as pale as mine."

After exchanging a sceptical look, Weiss slid Myrtenaster over so Yang could use the shiny blade as an impromptu mirror.

Yang's eyes widened. Raven wasn't lying. "I can't see my own eyes. What have you done?"

"Made them like mine."

Yang scowled. Before Raven's bite they'd have burned angry red by now. "Why didn't you ask if I wanted this?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "I don't need permission to give you a gift, Yang. You could stand to be grateful. I just made you stronger than you could ever hope to be as a mere mortal."

Weiss winced. "Yang was already strong. You have no idea how many things ended up broken at Beacon—"

"Shut up, Schnee."

Yang stepped between her mother and Weiss. Saying things like that to Weiss was a team RWBY privilege, fiercely guarded. "You shut up!"

Where did Raven get off, pulling shit like this? Even putting aside the whole vampiring her without giving her a choice thing, Raven had kidnapped Weiss. And had probably fed on her. What else did vampires do with their captives? There was no sign of a bite on Weiss, but aura could've healed it, and most of Weiss was covered up anyway. Raven had no business using Yang's friends as snacks. Hmm. Schnee-acks? She needed to work on that pun. She needed—

Fuck.

Fangs pricked her lower lip. She needed blood. Her throat burned. Weiss was right behind her. She smelled so good. She'd always used a pleasant subtle perfume, but now… Yang could smell her, underlying the perfume. So very tempting.

Raven grinned. "Feeling thirsty? Help yourself. It's what mortals are for. Just try not to kill her, the tribe could use the ransom for her."

Weiss gasped. There was an interruption to the drumbeat Yang had heard since being turned. Oh, right: it was Weiss's heart, skipping a beat. Of course a vampire could hear hearts from a distance, it had to be how they hunted.

Yang didn't turn to look. If she did, she might succumb. "Weiss. Glyph me and get out of reach."

"No." Weiss's hand took hers. The flesh one. "I trust you. Certainly more than I trust her, and she already stole a feed, for lack of a better word." Weiss stepped in front of her, sweeping her ponytail out of the way. "I suppose I'd better take this off." She unfastened her bolero, exposing more of her neck.

"I can't risk it."

Weiss sighed. She sank down onto her knees beside the table and carefully positioned a teacup. She took Myrtenaster and—

Blood.

Yang couldn't look away, eyes on the blood welling up from the self inflicted cut, trickling into the cup.

She could smell it, a siren call.

Blood blood blood.

She struggled against the urge to pounce, seal her lips around the wound and suck—

No! Can't risk it.

"It'll be much better from her," Raven murmured. "It'll clot in the cup."

"I don't care." Yang barely recognised the sound of her own voice.

"You have far too much willpower to let the bloodlust win. Trust yourself."

Yang didn't know how she wrenched her eyes away from Weiss's blood. But she did, glaring at Raven. "Is that why you left? Because you didn't trust yourself?"

Raven avoided her eyes. "I couldn't risk you."

"But you're fine with me risking Weiss."

Raven shrugged. "I don't care about her. Vampires don't need lien. My tribe will manage without the ransom for her. Just as well, considering you want to take her with you."

"I'm right here," Weiss grumbled. "Enjoy." She passed the cup to Yang.

BLOOD.

Yang chugged it. Savouring it was out of the question. Besides, Raven had a point: it'd clot.

The brief taste she had was unbelievably good.

"Thanks, Weiss."

"You're welcome. Let me know if you need more."

Yang couldn't take her eyes off the closing wound, Weiss's aura healing it.

"Will do," Yang choked out. She wanted more already. But she had to wait until it was need, not want. Weiss only had so much blood to spare, even with aura.

"How restrained of you," Raven sneered.

Yang ignored her. "You said there were things we should know. So talk."

Raven did. About Ozpin, broken trust, magic, Salem. Even knowing a myth like vampires were real, it was hard to believe.

Until Raven showed them, transforming from a feathery flying raven into Yang's deadbeat of a mother.

Raven gave Yang the offer she'd wanted for most of her life. A second chance for them. To live with her, to get to know her, for Raven to answer all of her questions, not just some of them.

Yang had wanted it so much, ever since learning about Raven. But now it tasted like ash in her mouth. Raven wasn't the mother she wanted. She wasn't anything like Summer.

Yang just wanted to find her sister, her real family.

Raven gave her that chance too, opening the portal to Qrow.

Weiss soon perched behind her on Bumblebee, hanging on tight, hot against her back. Vampires were cold. Or at least she was in comparison to Weiss, and Raven's bite had been freezing.

Raven watched them, a sulky look on her face. Yang hated seeing the resemblance between them.

"I'm expected to just figure things out as a vampire now?" Yang asked.

"You can stay and I'll teach you, or you can go and get your uncle to take you under his wing."

Well, that probably answered her question about whether Qrow was a vampire too.

Yang revved Bumblebee and took them through the portal. She resisted the urge to speed away from her mother; she had no idea what awaited them. Hopefully room for a motorcycle.

They emerged on a road, buildings around them, architecture distinctly Mistralian. Were they in Mistal itself? Yang checked they were clear of the portal before braking. It closed behind them. She felt a pang. In a perfect world Raven would have come with her. Raven would have cared.

Qrow stood in front of them, surprise clearing from his face. "Hey, Firecracker."

"Uncle Qrow."

Qrow frowned. He stepped closer, peering at her eyes. "You angry, or…" He sniffed. "Oh."

This close to him, Yang could smell him. The stench of alcohol. And under that, nothing remotely appealing. His blood didn't call to her like Weiss's did. She couldn't hear his heartbeat over Weiss's either.

"What have you done, Raven?" Qrow muttered. He reached out and pressed his fingers to the pulse point in her wrist. His skin felt just as cold as hers. "Fuck. Come on, we need to talk. Just the two of us."

He led them to a house where they found Ruby and the surviving members of JNPR.

Yang felt Qrow's eyes on her as she took her tearful sister in her arms. He was probably nervous that she'd go for Ruby's throat. Ruby did smell just as good as Weiss, but Yang found it easier to resist the urge to sink her fangs in. She didn't want to hurt Weiss either, but the urge to protect Ruby was far deeper seated.

Qrow gave her time to greet her other friends, then dragged her off, hand tight around her wrist.

Ruby tried to follow.

Qrow shook his head. "No, Ruby. Go talk to the little Schnee. This isn't uncle-niece time. It's Branwen business."

He pulled Yang into a bedroom and shut the door. He perched on the bed, head in his hands. "Did she tell you why she did it? Raven. Turning you."

"She called it a gift. I didn't ask for it." Yang folded her arms.

"Didn't think you did. Doubt she gave you a choice."

"Not about that. She made me choose between staying with her and going to you to find Ruby."

"Sounds like her. Sorry, Kiddo. Your bio mom's a bitch."

"She said I'd have to get you to tell me about being a vampire."

Qrow looked up. He gave her a crooked smile. "Case in point. She turned you, it's her responsibility, not mine. But sure, I'll do it."

"You're a vampire too, aren't you."

Qrow nodded.

"Are red eyes a sign?"

"Every vampire I've met has them. It'd explain why yours haven't gone back to lilac. They didn't stay red this long even when Tai last tried to have your hair cut. Fuck, Tai. How am I going to explain this to him?"

"We cross that bridge when we come to it. Why are your eyes paler than mine? And Raven's."

Qrow shrugged. "Maybe it's all the booze."

"Does it take your mind off blood?"

"It takes my mind off lots of things. Next question." Qrow took a swig from his flask.

"Just tell me what I need to know. I want to get back to Ruby. She's why I'm here."

Qrow winced. "Don't pull your punches, do you? No time for your favourite uncle?"

"You're my only uncle. And now you're my favourite vampire mentor, so get on with it."

"Okay. So, fire is bad for us vamps. I've no idea what that means for your semblance. In theory you're immune to your own fire. In practice, who knows? Guess you'll have to find out, Firecracker. Sunlight isn't pleasant but it won't kill us. Use sunscreen. Highest factor. You don't need to breathe, but it feels wrong if you don't, and you can't talk without air." Qrow held up a finger with each point made. "You don't need anything but blood, and you can survive without any for maybe a week. Just don't push it too far or you'd drain anyone dry. Even Ruby."

What a lovely gift Raven had given her.

"Anything else?" Yang asked.

"You're stronger than you were. Faster, too. But it's not as noticeable when huntsmen are turned. We were already better. Now we're the best. So be careful with your friends. Be gentle. You're making a good start, I saw you with Ruby."

"I don't want to be like Raven. She was talking about 'mortals' and how they're lesser."

"Sounds like her. It explains why she's stuck with the tribe. They're her food source."

Yang didn't want to talk about Raven. "Can I go now?"

"Hang on. The most important thing: don't tell anyone you don't trust. Not many people know vampires are real, and it's safest to keep it that way. You know how it is in movies. Mobs with torches and pitchforks. People are even worse in reality. Vampires are immortal, sure. But we're not invincible. The one who turned Raven is dead."

"Did she kill her?"

"I wouldn't put it past her. All right. You can go."

Yang paused before opening the door. "Is the bird magic a vampire thing? Raven said it was Ozpin's doing."

"No. Raven didn't lie. That's on Ozpin. Don't get your hopes up. Tai didn't get to transform into a dragon, despite Ozpin being fixated on transformations into animals we were named after."

Yang headed downstairs. She found the others eating.

Ruby saw her and dropped her fork. "Sorry, we'd have waited but didn't want it to get cold. What did Uncle Qrow say? Your eyes are angry red."

"Actually they're stuck like this. It's Raven's fault."

"She got you that angry? Are you okay?" Ruby put a hand on her shoulder. "Uh, sis, you were kind of cold earlier. I thought you'd warm up by now. Are you sick?"

"No. Not unless vampirism's a disease."

Everyone except Weiss stared at her.

"Raven's a vampire. She made me one. Didn't ask or anything."

They took what should have been a bombshell surprisingly well. Maybe they'd already known about Qrow being one.

Ruby had tears in her eyes and held Yang tight. "Is there anything I can do?"

Weiss cleared her throat. "Anything we can do."

There were nods of agreement from JNR. It felt so wrong to think it without the 'P.'

"Keep me fed. Qrow told me bad things happen if a vampire goes too long without blood. Drain-loved-ones-dry bad."

"My neck's right here," Ruby said.

Yang flinched back. "I'd rather not risk direct feeding. Weiss bled into a cup for me and that went fine."

"Oh, good. Everything's going to be fine." Ruby swiped at her eyes, rubbing away the tears.

Ruby really tempted fate saying that.

Yang testing her semblance went well, even if the fire extinguisher Weiss held went off when it didn't need to.

Going along with Qrow to meet with Haven's headmaster almost ended in disaster. Raven betrayed them, letting Cinder and her cronies come through a portal, heralded by a fireball hitting Ruby. Fortunately for Raven, Ruby was fine.

Yang eyed Emerald suspiciously. Did those red eyes mean Emerald was also a vampire? Emerald's matching glare could well mean she was thinking the same thing about Yang.

With a vampire's boosted speed and strength, Yang expected to wipe the floor with Mercury. She would have if he'd been alone. But he wasn't. Emerald targeted Yang with her semblance, the illusions fooling her heightened senses. They seemed to breathe and have a heartbeat.

Weiss took a devastating hit from Cinder. If not for Jaune unlocking his semblance in the nick of time and healing her… Well. It would have been Raven's fault. And Yang would avenge her or die trying.

Ruby saved Yang from painful defeat, turning it into a fairer fight, sisters against Cinder's minions.

Something strange was going on outside, lights flashing past the windows. They found out later that the White Fang almost destroyed Haven. Would have, if not for Blake rallying Menagerie's faunus and coming to confront Adam.

Blake herself appeared at the hole in the hall's wall, left by Cinder's big guy being blasted through the wall by Nora. Blake flinched at the sight of Yang, yet still called her name.

Ruby pointed to where Cinder and Raven had gone, down a lift shaft to Haven's vault. "Yang, go!"

Yang wanted to make sure Blake was there to stay, but knew she was the only one who had a chance to reason with Raven, after Qrow came to blows with her. She sprinted across the hall, too fast for Emerald and Mercury to intercept. She jumped down the shaft.

She found Cinder gone, Vernal dead, and Raven standing in front of the open vault, a strange desert visible beyond the doorway. Yang confronted Raven. The real Spring Maiden, her estranged mother, and vampire… sire? That didn't seem like quite the right word for a lady vamp.

The less said about Raven, the better. What sort of mother agreed to let her daughter be Salem's target instead? After Raven left, Yang couldn't help it. She kept herself together long enough to claim the Relic, then broke down, sobbing. She still couldn't let herself cry all her tears. She picked herself up, wiped her face, and returned to the hall above, rising up on the lift platform.

After the nightmare fuel of Emerald's illusion of a giant Salem, Yang handed over the Relic to Qrow. That done, she joined Ruby and Weiss, kneeling on the floor, staring at Blake.

"I want to stay," Blake said haltingly. Her eyes kept trying to meet Yang's, but couldn't hold her gaze. "I won't if you don't want me here."

Oh. Right. Yang had almost forgotten her eyes were red. Of course Blake would assume she was angry with her.

Ruby and Weiss looked to Yang.

Yang averted her eyes, uncomfortable. "It's not you. Something happened to me, my eyes got stuck like this."

"Was it… Beacon? Your arm? The way I… left?"

Yang lifted her eyes to Blake. Her ears were pinned back, one arm holding the other.

"No, nothing to do with you. I'll tell you later." Yang looked towards the cluster of faunus lingering across the hall. Far too many keen ears there. She didn't fancy having to escape a mob with torches and pitchforks if the wrong people overheard.

"You don't have to tell me," Blake said, voice painfully sad.

"If you're staying, you need to know what's going on. This is part of that."

Blake nodded, a small smile lifting her lips. "I'm not going anywhere."

"That's too bad. Sounds like the rest of us are going to Atlas." Yang couldn't help feeling pretty bitter even if she was glad Blake was back.

Ruby poked her. "Pretty sure that's not what Blake meant, sis."

"Yang." Weiss was somewhere between exasperated and understanding.

"I did mean I'm here to stay with you," Blake said.

"Then that's all that matters," Ruby said. "Right?"

Yang could feel Ruby's eyes on her without even seeing them. She had to wonder if vampires were vulnerable to silver eye magic like Grimm were. "Right."

It was good to hug Blake again. Even if she smelled far too good.

Yang watched Blake closely while she was told everything they knew about Ozpin, Salem, Maidens and Relics. And vampires. Qrow and Yang being said vampires. Raven too. Why yes, Yang had met her mother. Said mother decided to turn Yang into a vampire, no asking her if that was what she wanted.

For a long moment Blake stared at her. She opened and closer her mouth, clearly lost for words. Her ears drooped. She finally found her voice. "I'm sorry. She shouldn't have taken that choice from you."

Yang's fangs drew blood on her own lip again. Raven was hardly the only one to take a choice from her. "It's fine."

"How are you doing with all of this?" Qrow asked. "It's a lot to drop on you, especially all at once."

"I'm still processing, really, Mr Branwen."

Her uncle groaned. "Just Qrow."

"I don't think it changes anything for me. I still want to help my team, even against an immortal witch queen of Grimm. As for vampires…" Blake turned to Yang. "You're still you. You just need to drink blood now. Can I help with that?"

Yang stared like a deer in headlights. "Uh."

"We'll put you on the rota," Weiss said. "We take it in turns, it's healthier than a single person giving all the blood. Aura can only do so much."

Yang had a problem. Her name was Blake.

That wasn't really fair. Blake herself was trying her best to mend the rift between them. Trying too hard, really. it made her feel like Blake didn't think Yang could manage things with her prosthetic. It wasn't just Blake, but she was by far the worst. Yang had a suspicion everyone else was doing it because they thought Yang didn't know her own strength. With Blake it was more likely her wanting to do anything and everything to help. Regardless, Yang didn't want anyone doing things for her. Except providing blood.

Which was precisely Yang's problem. Before Blake returned, Yang thought she had a handle on her bloodthirst. She thought she could manage to resist draining her friends dry. They all smelled good, but none of them made it impossible for her to look them in the eye, throat burning. True, that was mostly thanks to them keeping her sated with a glass of blood at every mealtime, taking turns. It was fun to guess who gave what. Blood was a pretty personal thing, even if it broadly tasted the same. Part of it was probably down to blood type, but Yang could detect a hint of something unique to the person it came from, and it seemed to be related to their semblance.

Weiss's blood wasn't cold, but something about it reminded her of the scent of fresh snow. Ruby's somehow had a hint of roses. Nora's made her tongue tingle. Ren's was strangely bland, the metallic taste muted. Jaune didn't really taste of anything but blood until after unlocking his semblance, then it was spicy. Oscar's was weird; his semblance was still locked but he still tasted of something. Yang couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe she was tasting Ozpin?

Blake's, though? Yang barely tasted it before the glass shattered in her hand. She'd wanted to vault over the table, pin Blake to the floor, get fangs in her neck. She almost did. But Yang wasn't sure she'd be able to stop. Instead, she fled to her room.

Blake smelled too good.

She tasted even better. Something deliciously smoky.

So after regaining some control, Yang banned Blake from giving her blood. She probably should have told Blake why. Explained why she was trying to keep her distance. Warned her of the danger. But Yang couldn't find a way to tell her that didn't include revealing far too much. Blake sorely tested her control. She tried to avoid breathing around her. Talking to Blake meant she had to do just that. Smelling Blake made her want to tell her things.

Yang wasn't ready to think about those things, let alone talk about them.

Yang found out the hard way when they discovered the Apathy Grimm under Brunswick Farm that yes, she was vulnerable to silver eyes. Her aura shielded her from the first flash of white light, but the second broke it. Her exposed skin burned. She staggered to the trapdoor, leant heavily against it for a second, then punched it open. They fled, leaving the farm burning behind them.

Until Yang had to stop, sliding off Bumblebee and collapsing into the snow. The burning sensation had worsened to unbearable. Maybe it needed cooling down like an ordinary burn?

"Yang!"

Her team were calling her. She should probably answer. But that would mean breathing so she could speak. It hurt to breathe. Hurt more. Fuck, it hurt doing nothing.

Footsteps crunched through the snow towards her.

"Yang? What's wrong?"

"You need to ask? Look at her, Ruby! Burns." It took Yang a moment to place Blake's voice. She sounded beside herself.

"I thought she was fireproof." Ruby paused. "But she hasn't been in any fire!"

"Maybe it was sunlight?" Weiss suggested.

"Lemme see her." Great, she could smell Qrow. Or rather she could smell what he'd been drinking. "That's far worse than what the sun does to us."

"Then what can it be?" Ruby was pacing, snow squeaking underfoot. "Not fire, not sunlight, but what?"

The old woman cleared her throat. "Is there any reason the pure light of life incarnate would hurt her?"

"Oh," Qrow muttered. "Shit."

"My eyes did this?" Poor Ruby sounded crushed.

"You had no choice, Ruby. It was use them or we all die." The old woman was firm. Yang couldn't remember her name. It was hard to remember anything through the pain.

A hand rested on her back, thumb stroking.

"It doesn't matter how it happened, what matters is helping Yang," Blake snapped.

"Simple. Feed her blood," Qrow said.

"I'll do it, I've done it before," Weiss said.

"We all have," Ruby stated.

Weiss sniffed. "I did it first."

"I'm her sister! That makes it my duty."

"It's not a competition! Yang needs blood now," Blake almost exploded, voice louder than Yang had ever heard it.

Qrow clicked his tongue. "Yang needs more blood to heal that than she can safely take from one donor, especially just Weiss."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Ah, indignant Weiss, it had been a while since Yang heard those dulcet tones.

Qrow snorted. "You're smallest. You have less blood than even Ruby."

"Maria's smaller than me! Oscar too, maybe."

Blake hissed, on the verge of exploding.

Qrow spoke up again. "It's too cold for anyone to risk losing much. They'd all better give her some, apart from me. Mine won't help."

"I suppose you're right," Weiss admitted.

Yang heard the whisper of a blade against flesh.

Blood.

Yang could smell it. So close.

"No time to be gentle, we've wasted enough time as it is." Qrow kicked Yang onto her back. He grabbed her hair, tilting her head back. He'd have paid dearly for that if not for her broken aura. Her semblance couldn't burn him without it. He nudged her jaw until her mouth opened.

Blood trickled in. Yang almost choked on it, too weak to swallow. Qrow massaged her throat until she did.

She tasted the fresh chill of Weiss.

Then roses. Ruby.

Someone new, it had to be the old woman. Surprisingly zesty.

Oscar and his weird blood.

Blake.

The pain faded, the burning with it. Her strength returned. She grabbed Blake's wrist. She pulled her down, rolling on top of her. Her hand tangled in Blake's hair, pulling her head back. Exposing her neck.

Yang lunged down, fangs out.

BLOOD.

AN: To be continued as tomorrow's entry for 'AU Day.' Cliffie? What cliffie?