Next to the Other Realm train station there was an old and abandoned belfry, one the was empty and covered with dust and soot. Only spiders and bats had taken residence in that place, but there were rumors that vampires would sometimes hang around in there.

Now here's an interesting fact about vampires, despite popular belief they're not really undead. Nor were they created by the devil's work or someone dennouncing God. In actuality vampires had evolved from bats who had been test subjects to new spells and potions concocted by magic users. Specifically back in Egypt, when the high priests and magicians of pharohs would try to prove themselves to be messengers of the mythical Egyptian Gods. They would discover ancient spells and potions which they would then test on the Egyptian fruit bat. Unfortunately the effects had disasterous results, the bats morphed into blood-sucking humanoids who would hunt mortals and magic users and then try to adopt the Egyptians ways of royal dynasties. But that was over centuries ago, after vampire hunters arose, the vampires fled to the Other Realm just like every other monster.

Still vampires were one of the most feared monsters in all the world and many times, juveniles would use the fear of these creatures to tease and frighten their peers. Today would be an example of such, a group of teenage warlocks had dared their newest and youngest member to go inside that abandoned belfry and bring back a vampire's tooth. The poor thing being no older than thirteen, was naturally scared to death yet desperate to belong.

"Do I have to do this?" The boy asked trembling. "What if the vampire tries to eat me?"

"You're a warlock, you idiot!" One of the older boys said. "Use your magic on the blood-sucker!"

"You guys know I'm still just learning. What if I use the wrong spell or what if I can't get my wand to work?"

"Look squirt, you wanna be in the club right?"

"Yeah."

"Well in this club nobody is afraid of anything, are we guys?"

"No." The other members chimed in.

"So we can't allow cowards and you say you're not a coward, right?"

"Right." The younger boy said.

"Then prove it!" He said pushing him forward. "Go in and get that tooth!"

"But-"

"Look it's day time, vampires sleep during the day. So look for a coffin, yank out the tooth while he sleeps, and run out before he wakes up. He follow you into the daylight."

The boy swallowed hard and twisted his hand nervously, he wanted so much to get in with the older and more popular crowd, and he also didn't want them to tell everyone in school that he was a coward. But he also didn't want to be bat food. He was too young to die. Oh what an awful situation he had gotten himself into.

Eventually he entered the belfry, creeping deeper into the darkness, exploring various nooks and crannies for any sign of a coffin.

"Maybe no one's home." He thought hopefully. "Maybe it really is just a rumor that vampires ahang around belfries."

But it turns out he had spoken too soon, at that moment he heard a door creak open and shut. The boy became perfectly still, only thing moving was his rapid heart beat. He didn't hear footsteps but he did hear the sound of beating wings and screeching. It kept getting closer to him, closer and closer. Making the child's heart beat and breathing increase ten-fold, he was petrified. He couldn't move.

Then he felt something land behind him. He slowly turned around and saw a tall figure looming over him. The figure opened it's mouth revealing a large array of sharp, bloodied, yet surprisngly crooked fangs.

"Hi I'm Natsu." The figure introduced.

The boy was so overcome with fear that he fainted on to the floor.

"Oh my God! Kid, did I scare you? I'm sorry!" He kneeled down and gently shook him. "Wake up, come on. Believe me, you don't want to nap here."

When the boy regained consciousness, he started to scream but the vampire was quick the clamp a hand over his mouth.

"No! Shhh!" He warned. "Don't scream! You'll wake up my brother and we'll both be in trouble!"

"Wha...What are you going to do to me?" The kid asked once he was allowed to speak again.

"Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're not?"

"No. But my brother might so you better leave. What are you even doing here anyway? Didn't your mother ever teach you not to wander into abandoned joints?"

"I know it's dumb but my friends dared me to come in here and get a vampire tooth. I wanted to prove to them that I could be brave so they'd let me in their club. If I come back empty handed not only will they kick me out, they'll tell everyone in school and I'll be labeled a coward til graduation."

"I see. In that case." The vampire quickly checked to make sure no one was watching, then he reached into his mouth and yanked out one of his many crooked teeth. "Will this suffice?"

"You mean you're just gonna give it to me?"

"Yeah. Believe it or not kid, I know what it's like to want to belong and have friends. But don;t tell anyone I gave it to you, deal?" He handed his tooth to the boy.

"Deal!" The child replied gratefully. "Thanks man! I owe you one!"

"Forget it! Just leave!"

"Natsu!" They heard a voice call. "Who are you talking to?"

"No one Zeref!" The vampire lied before turning back to the young warlock. "Alright now get going, before my brother makes you look like a raisin that walks."

He gently ushered the boy out the nearest exit, who made instant retreat toward the outside world.

"That's it run!" The vampire encouraged. "That's it escape! Just go! Cry freedom!"

Suddenly another vampire swooped down from the celing like a bat, startling the other vampire who was called Natsu.

"Ahh!" He gasped. "Zeref I really wish you wouldn't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Natsu what are you doing?" Zeref asked.

"Me?" He squeaked. "Well I couldn't sleep so I just got up to get a little midday snack."

He grabbed an apple from the shelf and bit into it to prove his lie. Zeref rolled his eyes and slapped the fruit from his hands.

"Hey! Mom says it's not okay to hit!" Natsu said.

"Mom's not here." Zeref retorted. "And Dad told you to lay off the fruit."

"I can't help it, I'm one third fruit bat. And so are you, and did you know that apples serve as a natural toothbrush? What with us not having a reflection and all, we should actually be eating more of them."

Natsu wasn't exactly like most vampires. Yes, like mos he needed blood to survive but as it turns out, vampires can sustain themselves just fine on the blood of animals, they didn't need to feed on people. However because vampires had adopted a lifestyle based on royalty and aristocracy, they had a very superior attitutde and felt that drinking the blood of mortals, magic users, and non-vampire monsters would keep them on top. Keep the "inferior" creatures in line. But Natsu didn't like that, he didn't want to terrorize people for all eternity or lead wars and takeovers like his ancestors had. He wanted to make friends and get along with everybody, so he decided to live off of animal blood alone. Unfortunately that choice didn't sit well with his family, particularly his father who happened to be king of the vampires.

Samael Dragneel quite the reputation. Not only was a king but a great warrior as well, he had fought in many battles and conquered countless lands. An angry, violent individual, who looked down upon others with pity and enjoyed flaunting his own power and relishing in dominating others. Feared by men, adored by women, ruler of the night and the greatest hunter of all blood. Everyone trembled in his presence and he was given instant respect. Only a fool would dare challenge him.

Now his first born Zeref, was everything he could ever want in a future heir. Ruthless, regal, intelligent, with a strong love of the darkness. Whenver the two were in the same room, Samael could not resist praising him. Natsu on the other hand, their relationship was complicated. Samael loved Natsu dearly, he loved all his children and he wouldn't think twice about sacrficing anything for any one of them. But Samael wanted so much to make Natsu a blood-thirsty monarch of the night like himself and Zeref. Needless to say, that wasn't what his younger son wanted out of life.

"Natsu why are you missing a tooth?" Zeref asked observing the recent hole in his brother's jaw.

"What? Oh that, I just flew into a window again. You know how hard it is to see glass in bat form." Natsu lied.

"Uh-huh." Zeref nodded, pretending to believe his story. "Open your mouth."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"You're not going to put your fingers in there again, are you?"

"Open your mouth or I pry it open."

Natsu did as he was told and Zeref carefully examined the wound left on his brother's gums.

"Liar." Zeref said. "That tooth wasn't knocked it out, it was pulled out. How did that happen?"

"Um...Well with all due respect big brother, that is none of your business. I don't have to tell you anything. I have every right to have my own private affiairs."

"Very well. I suppose I can't force you to disclose private information to me. But I think now I shall disclose my own private information to our mother."

"What do you mean? What private information?"

"Oh just a dirty little secret of yours that I've been keeping." He grinned. "Tell me what's going on or I'll let it slip to Mother Dear that you were sneaking aound in the harem last week."

"You wouldn't." Natsu said, calling him bluff.

"Oh but I would."

"Fine!" He relented. "A kid was in here on a dare, get a vampire's tooth and I-"

"You let him go?"

"Maybe." He said avoiding his brother's steely gaze. "You're not going to tell Dad are you?"

"No but I should." Zeref sighed. "Once again, you've cost us our lunch."

"Not true. There are other things around here to eat. There's a cattle farm just down the road from here."

"Natsu while I try to understand your naive choice to try and live in peace with all creatures, our father will not and he's a king so you know he's never wrong. Or rather he'll never say he's wrong, so do yourself a favor and getover this phase of only drinking animal blood."

"But Zeref drinking blood from people makes me feel weird. I mean, I know technically vampires are a different species from our vicitms but we all have fingers and hands, we all talk, we all walk on two legs, we all have the same level of intelligence. I identify with them. I can't eat something I identify with."

"You want to be a disgrace on our family name? Because that's what Dad will see you as if you don't kill and drink somebody."

"Or I could find a really sick, old guy and wait."

"People are beginning to talk little brother, and what do you think is going to happen when word reaches our father? You know he's sensitive about his reputation."

"Well what am I supposed to do?"

"How about be a real vampire for once in your life?" Zeref said. "Now listen, I got an idea to make sure that by the time the rumors reach Dad, he won't blow his top. There's a train leaving for the Mortal Realm after sunset. I want you to stowaway on that train and start wreaking havoc on mortals. Doesn't get any easier than mortals Natsu. No magic, no supernatural powers, just skin sacks of fresh blood."

"You're making me lose my appetite bro."

"Just get ready to go. I'll help you get on the train, you're on your own after that, but we'll keep in touch."

"Okay." Natsu said, his tone evident with anxiety.