Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 2

The party was an… interesting event, to put it politely. Most of the guests were English, but there was a fair number of foreigners as well. It made both Lukas and Vlad a little more self-assured in their situation.

Vlad was of course enjoying the party immensely, and even Lukas seemed happy. The only one of the three housemates that didn't seem at home was Arthur.

And it certainly didn't help when a few of Francis's friends showed up.

Arthur could tolerate the Italians. Although Lovino could be grumpy and rude sometimes, he didn't go out of his way to make Arthur's life unbearable. And Feliciano… he was a ditz, and completely harmless.

It was Antonio and Gilbert that Arthur couldn't stand.

So the moment when he saw the two of them, Arthur made himself scarce. He only hoped that the two of them hadn't seen him.

Antonio did, however, and smirked as he leaned in to speak to Francis.

"I see Arturo is as happy as ever to see us," Antonio said.

Gilbert heard him, and he snickered in amusement.

"Hey Tony, maybe we should go and say 'hi' later," Gilbert said.

Francis smiled.

"Or perhaps you would like to get to know his new housemates," Francis said.

The two looked intrigued at this piece of information, and Antonio's eyes flashed red for a moment, while Gilbert's briefly glowed. Francis frowned, before he sighed.

"It would seem that the two of you require my blood," Francis said. "His housemates emit a special aura, and you wouldn't want to take any chances."

"What do you mean by 'special'?" Antonio asked.

"Hey, I'm just a dhampir. I can't tell."

"Fine," Gilbert said. "Just tell us who they are."

"One of them should be easy to spot," Francis said. "He looks a little like a vampire."

"Do you think he is one?" Antonio asked.

"Non. Alistair said that he had met him earlier today. And Arthur had retrieved him this morning from the airport. Unless he's a dhampir like moi, he shouldn't be able to stand the sun."

The two exchanged a look.

"We'll need to get to know him a little better," Antonio said. "In the meantime, perhaps it would be a good idea to get some of your blood in our systems. We wouldn't want Arturo to realise that we're vampires, after all."

…

Vlad was currently sampling some hors d'oeuvres laid out for the guests. He could tell that these were homemade, and when he had briefly gone to the kitchen he had gotten a whiff of excellent food having been cooked there.

Speaking of which, there was still the mystery of Arthur's kitchen to solve. He wasn't sure if Arthur had performed a sacrifice there, or if he was simply a horrible cook.

He turned around, only to come face-to-face with a pair of amber eyes. He jumped back slightly, and the owner of the eyes smiled brightly.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" the other asked in an Italian accent.

"Just surprised me, that's all," Vlad admitted.

"Sorry. So, I haven't seen you around before."

"Yeah, I just moved here from Romania. Well, I say 'moved'. I'm studying here. Anyway, my name's Vlad."

"Romania? That's the Prince's land."

Vlad cocked his head to the side, not sure what the Italian meant. The Italian noticed his slight confusion, and jumped slightly.

"Oh, I should probably say my name," the Italian said. "My name's Feliciano. My brother Lovino is somewhere around here."

Vlad smiled slightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Feliciano," Vlad said.

Feliciano leaned closer, and Vlad took a cautious step back.

"By the way, you shouldn't show your hunger in public like this," Feliciano said. "It might cause an uproar, you know?"

Vlad cocked his head to the side, before he glanced at his plate of hors d'oeuvres.

"Oh," he said. "I guess I looked pretty rude."

Feliciano cocked his head to the side, a confused frown on his face. To Vlad's surprise, Feliciano suddenly grabbed his hand.

Vlad's eyes widened and he flinched away slightly. Feliciano's hand was cold. Feliciano in turn was staring at Vlad's hand, a confused look on his face.

"H-hey, has anyone told you that you look like a vampire?" Feliciano asked.

Vlad flinched slightly, before he smiled.

"Da," he said. "But it's hereditary. My little brother looks like it too. And my mom. And her mom. And my grandma's dad… Yeah. It runs in the family. But don't worry, though. I'm not."

For some reason, there was a slightly disturbed look on Feliciano's face, which once again served to confuse Vlad.

"I-I should probably go," Feliciano said. "My brother would be looking for me."

"Oh… Okay," Vlad said. "Well, it was nice meeting you."

"Y-yeah… You too."

Feliciano dashed off, and Vlad couldn't help but wonder what that was all about. Shrugging, he decided to see if he could find either Arthur or Lukas.

…

Feliciano rushed away, feeling confused. He had thought he had met another vampire, one that had been around for quite some time if his presence at a party filled with mortals was anything to go by. But… he was human.

He had also probed to see if he could be a dhampir, like Francis, but was it possible for vampire blood to still be around after that many generations? Actually, how long did it take for the blood to completely thin to the point where there was nothing left? He would need to ask Lovino about it.

He had been surprised by the other's warm hand, and also by the fact that the other had been surprised about his own cold hand. It had been completely unexpected.

But Feliciano could tell that Vlad wasn't an ordinary human. He had an air about him that screamed magic, and it became all too apparent up close. That was why he had assumed the other was a vampire before he had even seen him from the front.

He yelped when he bumped into someone, and the other glared at him, before rolling his eyes. Thankfully for Feliciano, he had bumped into his elder brother, Lovino.

"Watch where you're going, idiota," Lovino said, though it wasn't said with a harsh tone. Just bored. "What the hell happened with you?"

Feliciano shook his head, before he turned his head, looking for Vlad. He found him with ease, apparently bothering a blue-eyed blond. Feliciano could hear their conversation, and it was clear that they were at least somewhat acquainted.

Lovino followed his gaze and frowned.

"Is that idiot trying to expose us all?" Lovino asked.

"He's human," Feliciano said.

Lovino turned to him with a surprised look, before he grabbed his arm. Feliciano allowed himself to be dragged off, eyes never leaving Vlad.

As though sensing that he was being watched, Vlad's conversation died off, and he looked towards Feliciano. The Italian quickly adjusted his head so that the other didn't catch him staring.

Lovino had managed to find a quiet corner and released him, before he looked at him sharply.

"What do you mean he's human?" Lovino asked.

"I touched his hand," Feliciano said. "It was warm. A lot warmer than Francis's skin."

"So, he's not a dhampir."

"I asked about it, and he said that his appearance is hereditary, going back at least three generations."

Lovino facepalmed and sighed.

"How exactly did you phrase the question?" he asked wearily.

"Only if people ever told him that he looks like a vampire," Feliciano explained. "And judging by the reaction, they did. My guess is that he was bullied for it."

Around other vampires, Feliciano could be a bit of a ditz, but when it came to humans, he was like any other vampire: a predator. One who could read a human's emotions and use them to his advantage.

"Oh, and he's also Romanian," Feliciano said.

That perked Lovino's interest, and he tried to find Vlad as well.

"Until about a hundred years ago, it was the capital of vampires," Lovino said. "There's a chance that he has some connection to us. Maybe I should probe him…"

"Huh?" Feliciano asked. "What do you hope to find out?"

"Whether or not he does have a connection to us. And in the very least… I'm suddenly curious about his blood."

For some reason, the thought didn't sit well with Feliciano. But he didn't dare mention it in fear of angering his brother. Lovino glanced over towards Vlad again and his eyes narrowed.

"Dammit," Lovino said. "We've got problems."

…

Vlad had been happily chatting with Lukas when Arthur joined them, looking less than pleased.

"Can we go now?" Arthur demanded.

Before either Vlad or Lukas could give a reply, two men threw their arms around Arthur's shoulders, with Francis hovering nearby.

"What, is the awesome me not good enough anymore?" one of them asked in a German accent.

"You know, Arturo, you shouldn't be so rude," the other said in a Spanish accent.

The two simultaneously focused on Vlad and Lukas, and the two couldn't help but think that there was something wrong about them.

"So, are these friends of yours?" the Spaniard asked.

"They're my new housemates," Arthur said. "Can we go now? Please?"

"New housemates, huh?" the German asked. "Ickle Artie decided to share. How long will that last?" He released Arthur and threw his arm around Lukas, much to the latter's distaste. "So, I'm the awesome Gilbert, and that's my friend Antonio."

Lukas pulled away from Gilbert, a glare fixed on his face.

"Don't touch me," Lukas said.

Vlad stepped in between Lukas and Gilbert, worried that a fight might be sparked between the two of them. Lukas seemed to welcome having him as a shield.

"That's Lukas," Vlad said. "And I'm Vlad. Nice to meet you."

Gilbert smirked, and Vlad had to try very hard not to show that it unnerved him. There was just something about them…

"Where are you from?" Antonio asked, letting go of Arthur and stepping closer to Vlad.

Arthur immediately distanced himself from Antonio and Francis, and joined Lukas behind Vlad. The Romanian pretended to be oblivious to this as he continued to smile.

"I arrived today from Romania in order to study Psychology," Vlad explained.

"Romania, huh?" Gilbert repeated.

Vlad could sense that their interest in him had increased, and it made him even more worried.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" a harsh voice demanded.

Vlad turned around to see Feliciano trailing behind someone that looked a lot like him, probably the brother that he had mentioned earlier. Vlad's smile became less strained when he saw Feliciano.

"Hey Feliciano," Vlad said. "So… is this your brother?"

"Si," the brother said. "I'm Lovino." He turned to Gilbert and Antonio. "What do you two bastards think you're doing?"

"We're just making a new friend," Gilbert said, casually throwing his arm around Vlad's shoulders.

Immediately after that Gilbert yelped, jerking his arm away. At the same time, Vlad felt a vibration against his chest. It was an amulet that was given to him that protected against supernatural entities with malicious intentions.

Which meant…

Vlad backed up slightly from Gilbert, seeing the other trying to hide his own discomfort. With a new suspicion, he probed a little at Gilbert's aura, and he wasn't exactly happy with what he saw. He also turned to Antonio, coming to the same conclusion.

Vlad feigned a yawn while turning to Arthur.

"Wow, looks like jetlag is finally setting in," Vlad said. "Maybe we should go?"

Arthur immediately jumped on the opportunity presented to him. Lukas merely shrugged his shoulders.

"It was nice meeting all of you," Vlad said. "I guess we'll see each other around."

"Aw, do you have to go?" Antonio whined.

"Sorry, can't be helped," Vlad said, before turning to leave with his housemates.

A cold hand grasped his own, and his eyes briefly widened before he turned to see Feliciano, looking at him like a lost puppy.

"Don't leave so soon," Feliciano said, almost pleadingly.

Vlad gave a small smile, gently freeing his hand from Feliciano's.

"We really do have to go," Vlad said. "But… let's hope we get to meet again."

And then Arthur grabbed him, dragging him away. Feliciano looked at him with a strange expression, and Vlad wondered if the Italian would be alright with the others.

Soon enough, they were all seated in Arthur's car, with the Englishman behind the wheel, Lukas in the passenger seat, and Vlad in the backseat. Arthur relaxed as soon as he started the car, and so did Vlad.

"Thank goodness," Arthur said. "I can't stand those bastards. They're annoying as all hell."

"And the albino is too invasive," Lukas said. "And too loud."

"They're not human," Vlad said lowly.

Arthur briefly glanced towards him before turning his attention back to the road. Lukas frowned.

"How can you tell?" Lukas asked.

Vlad fished out the amulet he kept hidden under his clothes.

"This wards off supernatural creatures with malicious intent," Vlad explained. "When Gilbert touched me, it vibrated. And he quickly pulled away from me."

"I noticed that," Lukas said. "I thought you used a spell or something."

Vlad shook his head. Arthur was silent. Lukas turned to Arthur and his eyes narrowed.

"Did you know about it?" he asked.

"No," Arthur said. "I… I dare call myself a mage…"

"It's not your fault," Vlad assured. "There was something about their aura. It's been altered slightly. One wouldn't be able to tell unless you were looking. But… I'm not sure what they are. Only that their friendliness is an act."

Arthur exhaled deeply from his nose.

"Are all of them?" he asked.

"I only checked Antonio and Gilbert," Vlad said. "Not the others. But I know that at the very least, Feliciano meant no harm."

"Yeah, he's not the type," Arthur muttered. "Is that why you insisted we leave? You seemed so enthusiastic about the party."

"What about the other guests?" Lukas asked. "The mortals?"

"I got the feeling that they took an interest in us," Vlad said. "If they can sense our magic, then we'd naturally be better prey for them."

"Why did you have to say 'prey'?" Arthur whined. "So, does that amulet ward off all evil creatures?"

Vlad's eyes narrowed.

"There's no such thing as a purely evil creature," Vlad said. "It wards off those that mean harm. It doesn't focus on specific creatures."

Arthur and Lukas were silent for a moment.

"You seemed oddly defensive just now," Lukas remarked.

"Sorry," Vlad sighed. "It's just… the one that gave it to me is usually considered to be an 'evil' creature. She wasn't evil… But had been seen that way by many practitioners. She said I was the first human in over three hundred years that treated her as an equal, instead of a monster."

"I see," Arthur said. "Sorry about that. But what I meant was a creature that has evil intentions. Believe me, I've seen my fair share of evil fairies."

"What was she?" Lukas asked.

"She was a strigoi," Vlad said.

Lukas hummed in thought.

"I think I understand you better," Lukas said.

"What do you mean?" Vlad asked.

"Why you're studying Psychology. You're surprisingly observant, and you look beyond the surface, to what's underneath. And you don't seem too fond of stereotyping."

Vlad blushed slightly, and Arthur nodded in agreement.

…

Antonio, Gilbert, Lovino and Feliciano returned to their own home. It was where their coven resided, and where they could find solace during the daytime.

There were other vampires there, including their sire, Romulus. They were selective of letting their relationships show, and never went out together, as it would draw too much attention. Especially since they had to deal with the Kirkland mages, but they needed to be around them.

Romulus came to greet them, smiling at each of the four.

"I'm glad to see you've returned," Romulus said. "Did any of the Kirklands show up?"

"Alistair was there," Gilbert said, "and so was Arthur. And Arthur still doesn't like our company much."

"He just finds us annoying," Antonio said hastily.

Heracles had followed after Romulus, and he looked at each of them with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Something happened," Heracles said. "You're all upset."

Lovino clicked his tongue, before he glared at Heracles.

"Mind your own business," Lovino said.

Romulus focused on him and narrowed his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked firmly.

They knew that they couldn't deny their sire, especially when he demanded something in that tone, and so they each shuffled nervously.

"Arthur Kirkland has two new housemates," Antonio said. "They're not normal. They each have an extraordinary air about them, and their scents reflected that."

"But they're definitely human," Lovino said.

"More mages?" Romulus asked.

"It's possible," Gilbert said. "When I touched one of them, it felt like I got an electric shock. And that's the one we wanted to get close to…"

By now, most of the other members of the coven had arrived, and they were hovering around the walls.

"Is there anything particularly interesting about him?" Miguel asked.

"He looks like he could be one of us when we're hungry," Lovino said. "Natural red eyes and what looks like fangs. But he's not a dhampir."

"His skin's too warm for that," Feliciano said.

Gilbert glared at Feliciano.

"How come you could touch him but I couldn't?" he demanded.

Feliciano shrugged.

"He's also Romanian," Antonio added.

That had managed to pique everyone's interest.

"So someone from the homeland," Romulus mused. "Any Romanian is a treasure for us. And for one to land in our laps… What else have you learned about him?"

Lovino glanced towards Feliciano, who sighed.

"His vampiric appearance is hereditary," Feliciano said. "At least up until his great-grandfather… He didn't go further than that."

"He's also studying Psychology," Antonio said.

Romulus looked thoughtful, before a grin played on his face.

"We'll have to ask Francis to get closer to him," Romulus said. "And if any of you happen to catch him out at night, be friendly. Understand? See if you can find out where they live, and keep an eye on the house."