Sorry it's late. I couldn't access the site and I was otherwise busy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 3

"Thanks for helping us out, Arthur," Vlad said, smiling.

Arthur nodded his head, the only acknowledgement he would give. It was three days after the party, and Vlad had gotten used to Arthur's habits by now.

Arthur mentioned that one of the conditions his parents had given him was that he needed to get a job, which was to be found at a coffee shop that had only recently opened, and was still searching for employees. It was named 'Little Egypt', and the owner was an Egyptian man named Gupta Hassan. The café had décor that brought ancient Egypt to mind. Arthur had also arranged for Lukas and Vlad to work there as well.

Since all three of them were students and didn't quite know their schedules yet – and also because those schedules were subject to change – Gupta had suggested that they work night shifts. The café opened at noon and closed at nine at night, leaving enough time for the three to start a shift at six and finish once it was closing time. They could also choose when they wanted to work during weekends. Arthur chose Saturday early afternoon, Lukas late afternoon, and Vlad chose Sunday early afternoon.

It was Friday evening and their first day on the job. And since this place was still new, it hadn't attracted too many people yet.

Someone entered the café, and Arthur groaned when he saw that it was Francis. Francis smirked when he saw them, but instead he went over to Gupta. The two seemed to know each other, for they were speaking in hushed tones.

"What do you think's going on over there?" Vlad asked.

"It's none of our business," Arthur said. "And as long as the frog doesn't stay, I don't care."

"So, why do you hate Francis?"

"He's been an annoyance since the day we met. He just… Everything about him rubs me the wrong way."

Vlad shrugged, before looking at Francis. Just like the first time they met, he could tell that something was off about him. He wasn't entirely human, Vlad could tell. But what was he?

Francis and Gupta finished their conversation, and the Frenchman shot the trio a quick look before he left, grin in place. Arthur sighed in relief, pleased to see Francis leave.

"I still wonder what that was about," Vlad said.

"It's best not to be too curious," Lukas said. "It doesn't concern us."

…

Francis made his way to the mansion, where he knew the coven made their home. He knew that Romulus would want to speak to him.

He was a dhampir, and in spite of his half-breed status, he was considered to be a valuable asset to the vampires. It was because dhampir blood had properties that could benefit members of the dhampir's clan.

In other words, Romulus's coven.

Romulus was a womaniser, and frequently had affairs with mortal women. Part of it was because he wanted as many dhampirs around as possible, but also because he really liked having female company.

And people wondered where Francis got it from…

One of the benefits the vampires received through dhampir blood was that their weaknesses didn't affect them as harshly. It masked their presence from those sensitive to the supernatural, like the Kirkland mages. It also helped them control their hunger.

The moment Francis stepped inside the mansion, Romulus was there to greet him, a wide smile on his face.

"Ciao," Romulus said. "Do you have any word?"

Francis nodded.

"Arthur started working at Gupta's café, along with his housemates," Francis reported.

"Excellent," Romulus said. "We should really thank Miguel for offering that chance."

While Arthur didn't like Antonio, he had no problem with Miguel. Arthur was also unaware of the fact that they were related. Arthur had mentioned on the phone with Miguel that he was looking for a job, and Miguel had suggested Gupta's café.

They had bought and invested money in the café a while back, intending to use it as a place to attract mortals. When Miguel and Francis had informed them of Arthur searching for a place to work, the coven had agreed to use the café to their advantage.

"It also makes things easier for me," Francis said. "Arthur can't stand me, so hanging around him is already difficult."

Romulus nodded his head.

"Out of all the Kirklands, that one is the most distrustful of you," Romulus said. "Do you think it's a sign of great intuition?"

"I don't know," Francis said. "All I know is that he tends to avoid me, making it difficult for me to get any idea of him."

"And considering how long you've known him…" Romulus muttered. "Well, Gupta should be able to find out for us now, since he's working for him. And hopefully we can learn something else about the other two. Particularly the Romanian."

Francis frowned.

"I still don't understand why Romanians are so important," Francis said.

"Because it's the Prince's homeland," Romulus explained. "The greatest vampire in history – the former vampire king. And his son… a vampire with the powers of a demon. He could restore us to our rightful place: sitting on a throne above the humans. Any Romanian has the potential to have a connection with him."

"Then why aren't you in Romania?"

"Because the vampires there have turned savage," Romulus said. "There's no reasoning with them anymore. They've also grown very territorial. Another reason why we hope for the Heir's return: so that he could tame the savages."

Francis nodded.

"This one looks a lot like a hungry vampire," Francis said. "It's possible he does have some vampire influence. But, according to what you say, it would most likely be a connection with one of those savages."

"You've seen him," Romulus said, smirking. "What's he like?"

"…He has a lot of energy," Francis said, thinking hard. "He has the air of one filled with curiosity. Out of the three of them, he was the most enthusiastic about my party. He's studying Psychology, which provides its own theories. I'm sorry I couldn't say more."

"No, you've already said plenty. Besides, we have a lot of time to find out if he's someone we want."

Francis nodded, and he noticed that someone was peeking his head out from around the corner. He smiled, not mistaking the curl.

"Bonsoir Feli," Francis greeted.

Feliciano came into view, and Romulus turned around, frowning.

"Feli, how long have you been there?" Romulus asked.

"Not long," Feliciano said. "Um, Francis, I think I need some of your blood."

Francis nodded his head, already rolling up his sleeve.

"D'accord," Francis said.

…

Feliciano made his way to the café a while later, already knowing where it was. He could feel Francis's blood working through his system, and he wanted to use the chance presented to him.

He lied when he said he hadn't been standing there for long. He had been listening to the whole conversation, and he knew that his grandfather had a special interest in Vlad. And for some reason, he didn't want Romulus anywhere near Vlad.

He also really wanted to see him again.

Feliciano entered the café, and he could immediately sense Gupta's eyes on him.

"What are you doing here?"

Gupta spoke quietly, not even a whisper. Mortal ears wouldn't be able to hear him, but Feliciano could.

Feliciano didn't answer something back, but he knew that the Egyptian would bring it up later, and he wouldn't relent until he got a satisfactory answer. But Gupta wouldn't make a move yet.

He wouldn't want anyone to figure out that he knew Feliciano.

They were careful about how many people knew of their connections, and only a few connections were known. If people – namely one of the Kirklands – figured out that Gupta and Feliciano knew each other, they would want to know how, and they might find out that they were vampires of the same coven.

And there would be issues regarding what they were after, and how to stop them.

Feliciano took a seat at one of the tables, and he was quite pleased to see that Vlad was the one that approached him.

"Hey Feliciano," Vlad greeted. "Nice to see you again."

"Si," Feliciano said. "Nice to see you too. You work here now?"

"Da, it's my first day. But anyway, can I get you anything?"

Feliciano quickly scanned the menu before he decided on something.

"I'll have the basic cappuccino," Feliciano said.

Vlad nodded, before he made his way to the kitchen. Feliciano knew that the machines were all kept there, and smiled, hoping that Vlad didn't have any problems.

It was possible for vampires to partake in human beverages. It was the food that they couldn't digest. But if they drank a human beverage, then their hunger came faster, and they would need to replenish their bodies with blood.

Feliciano briefly turned curious about the taste of Vlad's blood, before he dismissed the thought. He wasn't there to do anything like that. And besides, he didn't want to hurt Vlad.

Vlad returned with his cappuccino, and Feliciano smiled in gratitude. He brought the cup to his mouth and took a sip.

"It's good," Feliciano said. "You're good at this."

"Thanks," Vlad said embarrassedly. "So, how'd you hear about this place?"

"A friend of mine. And what about you?"

"One of Arthur's friends."

Feliciano nodded. He noticed Vlad looking at him oddly, but decided not to comment. It was the same look Vlad had given Gilbert and Antonio the other night, before he decided that they should leave.

…Then again, maybe he should comment on it.

"Is there something on my face?" Feliciano asked innocently.

Vlad shook his head, then smiled.

"No, it's nothing," he said. "Just… Um, I don't know how to say this…"

"What do you mean?" Feliciano asked.

"…What are you?"

Feliciano's eyes widened, and he put the coffee down.

"W-what are you talking about?" Feliciano asked.

Vlad looked around, before he sat down at the table with Feliciano.

"I'm a sorcerer," Vlad said lowly. "I can see auras. And yours… I just know that you're not human, but I can't tell what you are."

Feliciano winced slightly, avoiding his gaze.

"And what would you do if you found out?" Feliciano asked.

Vlad shrugged.

"I already know that you don't pose a threat to me," Vlad said.

Feliciano felt a twinge of annoyance, and Vlad smirked, removing something from around his neck.

"This amulet wards off supernatural creatures with bad intentions," Vlad explained. "It hurts them if they try to touch me. It hasn't happened to you, has it?"

As though to prove his point, Vlad lightly touched the back of Feliciano's hand with his fingers. Feliciano could feel the other's warmth, but no pain, and he shook his head.

"That's how I know that you won't hurt me," Vlad said. "I wasn't implying that you were weak or anything."

Feliciano chuckled, knowing that Vlad had guessed what he was feeling. But still, he didn't know how to respond to the human's enquiry.

He was saved by Gupta, who cleared his throat. Vlad yelped, quickly shooting to his feet, and Feliciano was tempted to do the same but knew that it wouldn't help his case.

"Vlad, why don't you go wash the dishes?" Gupta asked. "And then you can go home. I'll take care of the customer."

Vlad glanced towards the clock on the wall, and he winced when he realised that it was close to closing time. He nodded to his boss, his cheeks red as he made his way to the kitchen. Feliciano knew that to Vlad, it would seem that his boss was annoyed that he was socialising with a customer, even sitting at the same table. But Feliciano knew that he was the one that Gupta was annoyed with, and he wanted to get Vlad away before Feliciano said too much.

"I'm sorry," Feliciano said quickly.

Gupta stared at him coldly before he smirked.

"Didn't think you could prove useful," Gupta said.

"Huh?" Feliciano asked, confused.

"You managed to establish that he's a sorcerer, and that he has the power to see auras. But I don't think he looks unless he feels he has reason to look, otherwise he would have noticed me. And it would seem that Francis's blood makes it difficult for him to pinpoint exactly what we are. And that amulet… Gilbert said that he was hurt upon touching him. And Gilbert is one of the stronger predators."

Feliciano swallowed nervously. He knew that Gupta was pleased, which made him feel guilty. Somehow, he felt as though he had betrayed Vlad's trust.

Feliciano finished his cappuccino, and he paid Gupta, leaving a generous tip for Vlad before he fled. He knew that Gupta would report to Romulus what they had learned about Vlad. And with Vlad being a sorcerer, they would keep watch on him.

He would be under the constant watch of the vampires. The fact that he was Romanian made him someone of interest.

And there were still other questions.

Feliciano whimpered. Now that they knew that Vlad was a sorcerer, he would only attract more attention. They had to keep the Kirklands alive because of some sort of connection. But Vlad wouldn't be so lucky. Magical blood was very appealing to a vampire, and Vlad would be a popular choice in prey.

Feliciano didn't want that. He also couldn't fight against the others' wishes. If one of them wanted to have a taste of Vlad, then Feliciano couldn't interfere. Most of the others were stronger than him. They could easily subdue him if he interfered.

But then again…

Feliciano was reminded of Vlad's amulet. If what he said was true, then it should protect him from anyone trying to feed on him. It had hurt Gilbert when he merely touched him. And knowing Gilbert, he was definitely thinking of feeding from Vlad.

Feliciano's gums started to itch. It had been a while since he last fed (other than Francis's blood), and combined with the human beverage he drank earlier, he needed to replenish himself.

He could do that. As long as it wasn't Vlad. He let his instincts take over as he started to hunt for his prey.

…

Vlad looked up to the sky as he, Arthur and Lukas left the café. The other two had been doing other tasks when Feliciano arrived. But their first workday was over. They could go home.

Vlad was disappointed that he couldn't talk to Feliciano a little more. He really wanted to get to know the other. He didn't even get the chance to discover what sort of creature Feliciano was. And he couldn't ask Arthur, even if he did know Feliciano for a long time. His surprise the other night upon discovering that Gilbert and Antonio weren't human said enough.

Vlad wanted to start befriending the supernatural beings, but it would be fairly difficult. He knew that they were quite capable of blending in with humans, and Meldale was far larger than his village had been. There were more people, and he could only tell if he was looking at their auras, which was a draining ability. He preferred to only use it as a form of confirmation once he suspected something.

Feliciano was his link to the supernatural world. One that he knew wouldn't harm him. Something that couldn't be said of Gilbert, and possibly Antonio.

Feliciano seemed reluctant about revealing what he was, which could mean that Feliciano was possibly a creature that was associated with evil or monstrous. A creature that was a victim of prejudice. And he didn't want Vlad to know that. It was also a possibility that he feared that Vlad would try to dispose of him, the way many sorcerers would often do to creatures they deemed dangerous.

Was Feliciano afraid of him?

Vlad glanced towards Arthur and Lukas. He didn't know them enough to know how they would react to a 'dangerous' creature, but he had already detected a hint of prejudice with Arthur.

He wondered if they were going to be friends. Sure, they got along, but could they be friends? If they could, then they would be the first humans that Vlad befriended. Which was another reason why he wanted to establish a good relationship with the supernatural population of his new home. The supernatural were the only ones he could consider friendly.

He was always the freak, due to his appearance, the time he spent with the old woman that everyone called a witch (not knowing that she was one) and because of his ancestry. Non-humans were less judgemental than humans, and being unable to form a connection with them made Vlad feel very lonely.

Vlad sighed, which attracted the attention of the other two.

"Is something wrong?" Arthur asked.

Vlad shook his head, placing a smile on his face.

"It's nothing," Vlad said. "Just lost in thought."

"I was wondering why you seemed so quiet," Lukas said. "It's a bit unnatural."

Vlad pouted, and Lukas smirked. Yes, they got along, but it was too early to call it a friendship.

…

When Feliciano returned to the mansion, he was surprised to see Romulus waiting for him, Gupta at his side.

"I hear you went to the café and spoke with our Romanian friend," Romulus said.

Feliciano flinched, avoiding the other's gaze.

"Sorry," Feliciano said weakly.

Romulus chuckled, and Feliciano looked up at him in confusion and alarm.

"Thanks to you, we actually know something about him now," Romulus said. "He's a sorcerer. He can see auras. And he has an amulet that wards off those with bad intentions. One that doesn't work on you. Which is why he trusts you."

Feliciano already knew where this was going, and he didn't like it.

"So then, you will find out everything there is to know about him," Romulus said. "Including if there is a connection to the Prince. Is that understood?"

Feliciano didn't want to. He didn't want to bring Vlad into any danger, which was inevitable if he was to be around him. But he had no choice.

Feliciano nodded his head in understanding.