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Chapter Text

It'd been an uphill battle ever since the humans had ambushed them at the Castle beacon.

These humans were different, Scott had decided. He was used to peasants who cowered in fear and trembled in their boots. When he was in charge, the human race was weak and spineless, willing to sacrifice their fellow mortals for a scrap of wealth or the promise of protection. But after being frozen by holy light, burned by magical flames, and killed over and over again by these insufferable, loyal humans, Scott had to admit that they at least had tenacity.

But that didn't make them admirable or respectable, that just made them a pain in the ass. Ever since his Coven had been exposed, they'd constantly been on the run, moving from hideout to hideout lest the humans ambush them. They'd had to employ the stupid buddy system, of all things, because there was a serious concern that the newly turned fledglings would be in danger if left alone.

And it filled Scott with a boiling rage as they desecrated the latest beacon, deep within the Crypt. He shouldn't be fleeing humans, nor should his Coven. He hated not being in his Castle, abhorred the fact that he couldn't let Pyro and Shelby blossom in their vampirism without him or Owen to babysit, and absolutely detested that those reprehensible, smug humans kept seizing the upper hand. He was a Goldsmith, damnit, and Goldsmiths were built for power and wealth, not petty conflicts with peasants.

"We're halfway there, sire- I mean, Scott," Pyro, his companion, stated, red eyes gleaming in the light of the beacon. "Though we might have to flee if they rush to defend this beacon before we finish."

"Right, yes," Scott muttered, unable to keep the loathing out of his voice. "I'm aware."

His fledgling - though Owen was right, those terms were perhaps a bit archaic - looked at the ground, downtrodden. Scott's angry tone hadn't been meant for Pyro, of course (though needy and unreliable and impulsive, he was still a solid companion and respectable vampire) but he wasn't about to go correcting himself for the young one. That was beneath him, and if Pyro took his sharpness personally, then that was their own fault.

He felt a sudden warmth in his chest, like he'd just sank his fangs into fresh prey. Pyro reacted too, closing his eyes at the brief sensation. Being bloodless and undead meant that Scott was usually cold, so that flash of heat could only mean one thing: Owen and Shelby had successfully corrupted the Lake beacon.

"Bless them," Scott sighed, putting a hand up to make sure his perfectly-styled hair was still in place. "These humans are revoltingly persistent about taking back these beacons."

"We can't let them gain control again," Pyro jumped in, looking relieved to hear Scott's lighter tone. "The good thing is that they all travel at a snail's pace."

Scott nodded approvingly. "The poor, weak humans. So foolish and so very slow. The next few that we turn ought to be grateful for the gift we're given them, because the latest two haven't exactly impressed me."

His companion glanced back toward the entrance, likely reminded of the sudden appearance there before. "I mean, I'm sure Apo and Cleo are just scared. They'll come around."

"Scared?" the elder vampire scoffed. "You and Shelby behaved more accordingly. Thus, why you're my favorites."

"I-" Pyro had to pause, clearly caught off guard by the rare compliment from their sire. "I appreciate that."

He let them hang in silence for a few moments, feeling the beacon grow closer and closer to desecration. Scott was dying to see it darken to that familiar blood-red so they could leave this musty Crypt.

"On the topic of turning people, si- Scott." Pyro continued, clearly choosing his words carefully. "I was wondering... is that our goal? Turning the entire town? Adding them all to our Coven?"

Scott laughed. It was amusing how young and naive Pyro truly was. "Oh, definitely not the entire town. We'll turn the most tolerable and useful ones, of course... Pearl would be an asset, for example, and Shelby would never say it, but I know she has a fondness for the detective, Drift... but the rest of them? Especially ones as despicably obnoxious as Avid and Martyn? I'll certainly enjoy draining their bodies and leaving their husks behind. Those arrogant fools don't deserve the gift of vampirism. And spending eternal life with them would be such a headache."

"So you don't intend to leave any of them alive?"

"And show them mercy?" He chuckled again, but it took on newfound bitterness. "Do you think they'd offer you, me, any of us, the same kindness? No, they'd gladly put a stake in our hearts, if not something worse than death. They despise us, Pyro, even more than we could ever hate them. It doesn't matter to them if you've got the cruelty of 600 years behind you, or if you're as innocent as a fledgling vampire. Mercy is foreign to humankind. The best thing they can be is subservient."

Pyro nodded quickly, his face even paler than usual.

"Well, we've only got a few more seconds on this one," Scott drawled, "and then we can meet up with the others. Are you-"

A flash of icy white light burst on the ground, cutting Scott off and freezing both of the vampires in place. The feeling of Martyn's holy word hit like electricity, cold and shocking. Their muscles tensed and seized, as if struck by a taser. Scott cursed as the beacon's desecration was halted seconds from completion, and then swore even louder as he realized that there was more than just one human here to ambush them.

Four of them: Martyn, of course, led the pack, limping slightly on his injured leg after his untimely fall off the bridge. Avid and Ren were close behind him, with Drift pulling up the rear. That was bad news: if one of them had been Apo or Cleo, they might have been able to help, but this group in particular were all staunchly anti-vampire and unwilling to pull any punches.

"This beacon is taken," Scott called out, trying to sound calm and casual through gritted teeth as the pack of humans raced down the stairs. "Go find your own, why don't you?"

The hunters continued approaching, unphased.

Even worse news was that they were trapped in the Crypt. If they'd been at the Pale Oak Tower, or the Obelisk, they'd at least be able to fly upward or flee in multiple directions. But this particular beacon was within a mountainside cave, with only one entrance that the humans were currently blocking. They didn't have stakes in their hands, but those silver swords were viciously sharp and painful-looking.

"Disgusting mortals," Scott snarled, throwing aside any attempt to bargain. "Pyro, we need to-"

And that was when he heard it. The sound of clanking chains.

Which made it clear that death was not the humans' desired outcome.

"Move!" Scott used what little strength he had to shove Pyro, throwing the younger vampire off balance. He hit the ground with a yelp, but then scrambled to his feet, just outside the range of the holy word's light.

Scott, however, was still stuck, and though he fought with every ounce of strength he had, he was unable to free himself. Scott Goldsmith, the unstoppable centuries-old vampire overlord of Oakhurst and beyond, could do nothing but thrash as Martyn tackled him to the ground, pressing his face into the dirt and pinning his arms to his side.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Avid run at Pyro, but Scott's companion was able to dodge just in time. "Sire?" Pyro's voice was shaking. He was hesitating to flee, not following Scott's orders, foolish and indecisive.

"Go! Find Owen and Shelby, get-" Martyn pressed Scott's face further into the ground before he could give any more directions, but Pyro had gotten the message. He concentrated and then transformed into a bat, flying upward just as Avid attempted to grab at him again.

"Hey!" Drift had something in her hands, a shiny net that she threw at the fluttering bat, but Pyro dodged it and flew past her, darting out of the cave before Ren or Avid could do anything else.

The effects of the holy word were starting to fade, and Scott took a deep breath, preparing to transform and follow his fledgling. But before he could fully regain his movement, Martyn wrestled his arms together and wrapped the clanking silver chains around his wrists, binding them behind his back.

The sensation of pure silver against his skin made him hiss in pain, thrown off guard. At his lowest level, he could tolerate nearby silver in small amounts, even though it weakened him: silver armor worn on top of clothing, a silver sword attached to a wooden hilt. But these chains were touching his bare wrists, and it burned.

Drift retrieved the shining net and carried it over to him, her face clouded. Somewhere in the background, Ren called out to his fellow humans. "The other one's gone! Flew away faster than I could run, don't'cha know."

Scott threw everything he had into kicking Martyn's injured leg, shoving the human off him as he cried out in pain, but Avid was already up and moving again, pinning Scott's knees to the ground. Trying to push aside the weakening effects of the silver chains, Scott attempted to pull himself upward, but then Drift scowled and tossed the net onto him.

Distantly, Scott finally connected why it was so shiny: they'd woven some kind of silver wiring into the netting, which completely overwhelmed his senses and sent him thudding to the ground. He gasped at the fiery pain of it against his skin, trying to move, to fight, to do anything to defend himself, but the power of the silver was so draining that he wasn't even able to muster an insult against the hunters.

Which told him that things were very, very wrong.

"We've done it, fellas," Martyn said, hovering over Scott with Ren and Drift at his side. "We've caught ourselves a vampire."

Chapter Text

If Scott hadn't felt so weak, and if the silver hadn't been burning his skin, and if he wasn't struggling with a strange, chest-tightening feeling that he was wholly unfamiliar with, then he might have laughed at how disorganized and unprepared the humans truly were.

Ren was silent, staring down at him with dark, heavy eyes. Drift was whispering something to herself, circling Scott and clutching her sword tightly in her hands. Avid was speaking so fast that he was nearly unintelligible, rambling on and on about how they had done it and he was right and he couldn't believe it and so on. And Martyn was leaning on Ren, not putting weight on his injured leg, trying to get his fellow humans to pull themselves together. Unfortunately, he wasn't much of a leader, and his demands for them to chain Scott's feet and make sure the net was secured went unfulfilled.

Not that it mattered much. Scott was at his lowest level of power, and he hadn't fed recently enough to have much energy to begin with. Plus, the silver was so overwhelming that his focus was purely on his own pain, twitching and shaking.

He wasn't used to feeling like this. This shouldn't be happening. Humans weren't supposed to be this clever, nor this powerful. The peasants he'd once commanded had barely been able to scrape together wooden tools, much less try to use them against him. But these hunters, these bastards, dared to strike him down like a defenseless child?

It couldn't last. Any second now, Pyro would reenter with backup, bringing his Coven to defend him. He needed them to...

Strange. Scott couldn't remember the last time he needed anyone.

"Listen up!" Martyn stamped his foot, finally quieting Drift and Avid. "This is a big win, but we can't afford to lose this opportunity. Our goal now is to get the vampire back to Oakhurst. Avid, get the rest of the chains, and then Ren'll carry him back. We have to stay focused, got it?"

"Should some of us stay and reconsecrate the beacon?" Drift asked.

Martyn shook his head. "Not worth it at the moment. We've got to stick together - safety in numbers."

Avid pulled out a second length of silver chains and made quick work of binding Scott's ankles. "I've already got the space ready, too... I knew I was right to build that cell, I knew it! And the bars are silver, perfect to keep a vampire in... this is exactly what I prepared for! We're really doing it!"

"Shut up," Scott managed to groan, fighting through the pain for least one sharp retort.

All four of the hunters' heads snapped over to him, as if they'd all forgotten he was still conscious. Ren took a step back, but Martyn put a steady hand on his shoulder, reassuring.

"You're going to come with us, vampire," Avid stated, clearly trying to sound unphased. "We're in charge now, and we've got a few questions for you."

Unable to stop himself, Scott laughed through gritted teeth. "What, am I under arrest or something?"

The hunter puffed out his chest, scowling. "As a matter of fact, you are. We've got a nice little room prepared for you back at town, and we'll get to decide what-"

"Avid, stop it." Martyn cut the other human off, steadying himself on his injured leg. "Ren, you can go ahead and pick him up. We've got to go."

And with that, Scott was easily hoisted up and thrown over Ren's shoulder. The sudden jostling on top of the sensation from the silver nearly made him cry out, but Scott bit his lip just in time. He couldn't show them weakness. If he lowered himself to their level, they'd just have another thing to brag about.

Focusing on his pain, at least, made it easy to tune out the conversation of the hunters. They were unbearable to listen to, after all, and Scott had to keep his sanity. Until his Coven saved him, he was stuck with these disgusting humans, and there was no telling how long it'd take for Pyro, Owen, and Shelby to arrive.

At least it was Ren carrying him, and not Avid. Ren was at least strong, and was still holding him gently despite his clear hatred of vampires...

...wait, what was he doing? None of these mortals mattered. They were all horrible, sniveling cattle, unworthy of his presence. He'd have to swear the other vampires to silence, because there was no way that anyone could know that he, Scott Goldsmith, had been captured by mere humans.

When the hunters finally reached the town walls, Scott distantly clocked Avid speeding up, running ahead to warn the other townsfolk of their prize. Ren, meanwhile, carried Scott to a new building, flanked by Martyn and Drift. The doors were made of even more silver - god, it was miserable - and the walls were patchworked and messy, as if it'd been put up in a hurry.

But the cell inside was anything but flimsy. They'd clearly put all of their effort into this small room, just barely long enough for him to lay down in, with thick stone walls and silver bars on the singular window. Martyn unlocked the door and held it open, and Ren stepped in, dropping Scott's body unceremoniously.

Which hurt like hell, but he managed to keep any sounds of pain from passing his lips.

"Empty his pockets and leave him for now. We've got to regroup and figure out our new game plan," Martyn declared.

Ren leaned down and pulled his gear belt off of him, robbing Scott of any remaining tools. "Are we sure the chains will hold him?" he asked, stepping away as quickly as he could. "We don't know what that monster is capable of, after all."

"He looks like he's in pain," Drift pointed out, her voice wavering. "Do you think it's all of the silver?"

The desire to repeat Drift's question back to her in a mocking tone was so strong, but Scott didn't have the energy to speak it.

"Serves him right," Martyn grumbled, venom in every word. "This is exactly what the beast deserves. He can suffer, for all I care."

"We need him alive, Martyn," Drift reminded her teammate. "We need answers to our questions, and the Doctor wants to try some things... here, at least let me take off the net."

Ren stepped aside, letting her enter, and Drift knelt down next to him. She found one of the edges of the silver-lined net and began working to untangle it from Scott's form. The detective was quiet as she worked, but though she was clearly more sympathetic than the other two, she was careful not to get too close, untrusting of the body in front of her.

Even if she was being incredibly slow, Drift was still removing the net, and it was such an immense relief. Sure, the chains were still stinging against his skin, but the less silver touching him, the better.

Part of the net had been caught in his cravat, however, so once she'd cleared the rest away, Drift had to lean in closer to unwrap it. Her hands were so close to his face, and Scott unfortunately couldn't help himself.

With the little strength he still had, he lashed out, sinking his fangs into Drift's arm. She cried out and dropped the net (now completely unraveled) as Martyn pushed his way in and grabbed Scott's hair, yanking him off of Drift before he could get anything more than a quick drink. Not enough blood to sustain him for very long, but it was so satisfying to get this tiny scrap of revenge.

"You foul beast," Martyn spat, pulling Drift away from Scott. "How dare you?"

The two stumbled through the door, and Ren slammed it behind them, locking Scott in the dark, silent cell.

------

The humans didn't return for a long while. Which was fine, really. Scott preferred solitude, and he was too exhausted to tolerate the presence of the humans for much longer. Now he only had to deal with the frustration of the silver chains, which were painful, white-hot like they'd been heated in a burning forge. But they weren't incredibly tight - they'd just been wrapped around him, after all, and weren't secured by any locks. After a while, Scott was able to use his boot to fully dislodge the chains around his ankles.

His wrists, however, were a different story. They were tied behind his back, and no matter how much he wriggled or writhed, he wasn't able to get out. And with all of the silver around him dampening his strength, he wasn't able to turn into his bat form, either. Which meant he was truly and properly stuck.

"Cursed humans," he muttered, sitting back against the cold stone wall.

Where was Pyro? What of Owen and Shelby? Surely they were coming. Surely they'd save him. And the newly-turned, Apo and Cleo... would they lend him aid?

Outside of his cell, a door opened. Scott listened carefully as footsteps approached, their shadow crossing his barred window. Their gait was bold and loud, too ungraceful to be a member of his Coven.

And then, that infuriating, grating voice.

"You've got quite the nerve, vampire."

Scott rolled his eyes, trying to keep his expression neutral as an all-familiar face appeared in his window. The last thing he wanted was for the human to know how bad he was doing. "You know my name, Avid. You don't have to call me 'vampire'."

"So you admit it?" Avid asked, his eyes widening. "You admit that you're a vampire?"

"Avid, please," Scott sighed. "You captured me with holy words and silver. You found me desecrating a beacon. My companion turned into a bat and flew away. Must we do this same song and dance?"

"See? I knew it! You called me crazy, but you were just lying through your fangs!" Avid slammed his hand against the windowsill. "I told you so, I told them all, and nobody listened, but look who's laughing now..."

"What do you want, Avid?"

The human hesitated. His eyes were such a particular shade of purple, wide and bright and simple. "I've got some questions for you, vampire. And you're going to answer them, or else..."

"Or else what?" Scott drawled.

"I'll make you eat garlic!" Avid decided after a moment. "Vampires hate garlic, after all."

He couldn't help but smirk. "But if you wanted to force-feed me garlic, you'd have to get close to my face. Poor Drift did that, and she regretted it pretty quickly."

Avid's eyes narrowed, his excitement gone as he remembered. "They told me about that... you bit her. You hurt Drift, you monster."

"Let me get this straight." Scott leaned forward, scowling. "You threw me to the ground, captured me, chained me up, and locked me in a jail cell... and I'm the monster? If Drift didn't want to get hurt, she shouldn't have been involved in this plot. It's her own fault."

"You're a bloodthirsty vampire! We can't trust you!" Avid shot back. "You've killed people from Oakhurst, and if we didn't take action, you would have done it again. You're lucky we didn't just put a stake through your heart and finish the job."

"And why didn't you, Avid?" This was a dangerous taunt, but once again, Scott couldn't help himself. "Why did you keep me alive? What, are you scared?"

The human didn't respond. Scott heard the jangling of keys, and then the door opened.

Avid was wearing a full suit of silver armor, a silver blade in his hand and a strand of garlic bulbs hanging off of his belt. He glanced down at the pile of chains that Scott had already gotten rid of and his eyes widened, but he calmed when he saw Scott's arms still secured behind his back.

"Martyn was suggesting we put a muzzle on you, you know. So that you can't bite anyone else."

Scott wanted to throw another insult Martyn's way, but he hesitated. That same strange, tight-chested feeling from earlier was back, a sensation that he couldn't quite identify.

"But do you know who spoke up in your defense?" Avid continued, closing the door behind him. "Drift. She argued against it. Said you were just scared, that it'd be inhumane. Even after you sunk your disgusting fangs into her. And if you turned her, I'll-"

"I didn't turn her," Scott hissed, "if that makes you feel any better. I didn't want to, and it would have taken longer than that, anyways."

His captor nodded. "That's good to know. I've got some other questions about vampirism for you, Scott, and you're going to answer them. Am I making myself clear?"

"Thank god, you've finally remembered my name," he muttered in response.

"How old are you really?" asked Avid, plowing ahead without acknowledging Scott's quip. "How long have you terrorized Oakhurst?"

There were two options here. He could not answer, and wait until Avid got frustrated and left. Or he could give a few safe answers and try to get more information out of this human. The last thing that Scott wanted to do was have a conversation with Avid, but he was typically pretty good at getting what he wanted out of a negotiation. So, perhaps...

"I'm hundreds of years old," Scott answered. "Don't quite remember the exact age, it's been so long."

"Right." Avid nodded, pleased at the cooperation. "And how many people have you turned recently?"

"One." Scott lied.

"Who?"

"Pyro."

"And you didn't turn Shelby or Owen?"

"No."

"Right, right," Avid replied. "So there are four known vampires: you, Pyro, Owen, and Shelby. Are there any others in Oakhurst?"

Scott shook his head. "Nope."

"You're certain?"

"Positive."

Avid was thrilled. He was trying to seem cool and calm, desperate to maintain control of the situation, but Scott could see his mouth twitching in glee. God, he hated doing anything that made Avid happy, but... well, hopefully it'd pay off.

"What's your ultimate goal?" continued his captor, crossing his arms. "Are you like Owen? Do you want to slaughter the entire town?"

"I'd just like to be left alone, personally," Scott said through gritted teeth. "I've lived in that Castle for ages, and your kind keeps barging in and attacking me."

"But you turned Pyro. You're a threat." Avid spoke in such absolutes, stating his own opinions as if they were facts. He was too blatant to lie or manipulate the situation, profoundly unsubtle, but so self-assured in his own beliefs that nothing could change his mind. "And I'm sure Shelby wasn't a vampire when she got here, so Owen or Pyro must have turned her too. Which means you're not exactly innocent, are you, Scott?"

"God, I much prefer the peasants of old," Scott sighed, tired of Avid's nonsense. "They were so cooperative, so sensible. You new humans are so insufferable in comparison."

"Next question." Avid's hand tightened around his sword's hilt. "Besides a stake to the heart, what other ways can a vampire be permanently vanquished?"

Scott felt his lip curl. He'd been happy to answer innocuous questions or lie where it suited him, but these were no longer safe to answer.

Avid huffed. "Speak, vampire!"

"If I knew any, why on earth would I tell you?" he replied.

"Besides silver and garlic, what are vampires weak to?" Avid continued, determined.

"Again, if I knew, why would I-"

"Where are your secret hideouts?" the human demanded, plowing ahead. "What secret abilities do you have? Do you know of any other vampires beyond Oakhurst?"

"I don't-"

"Who was your next target to turn? Do you really lose control when you get bloodthirsty enough? Is there any way to cure vampirism? Are any of the townsfolk working with you to betray us? Were you the one who turned my-"

Suddenly, Avid slapped his hand over his mouth, cutting himself off. He looked dizzy, tears welling in his eyes.

"Are you done?" Scott asked, exhausted by this conversation.

The human was at a loss for words. Scott wasn't sure if Avid was going to drive that silver sword into his chest or collapse into sobs. He prayed it wasn't the latter.

"Humans," sighed Scott. "Such weak, sniffling fools...

That was enough to snap Avid out of his stupor. He straightened up, face hardening. "You'll stay here, vampire. If you try to remove your remaining chains, there'll be hell to pay."

And he left, locking the door behind him.

Scott pulled himself to his feet once Avid's footsteps had faded into the distance. He intended to rest, but he had to take a look first...

Through his window, he could barely see a sliver of the sky outside of the building he was trapped in. The sun was getting lower and lower, bathing the landscape in that familiar reddish light. There were no bats to be seen in that clear, calm sky. Nobody coming to save him just yet.

His stomach was starting to hurt. Even before he'd been captured, they'd been low on raw meat and blood, and his singular bite on Drift had barely gotten him a mouthful.

Soon his Coven would come for him. They'd get him out of here. All he had to do was wait... and what were a few more hours to someone who'd lived for centuries?

Chapter Text

Hunger was eating away at Scott. The humans had left him in solitude overnight, and his bloodlust was beginning to gnaw at him. He hadn't eaten properly since Owen had brought them the remains of Oakhurst's livestock two days ago, and before that... well, before that, his last full meal had been turning Apo, and that already felt so far away.

Scott wasn't used to being deprived. Before his 600-year slumber, he'd always been well fed, both as a human and a vampire. The Goldsmiths were treated lavishly, whether that be elaborate feasts or sacrifices from terrified townsfolk... but in his effort to blend in with the peasants, he'd basically become one, scrounging for food with a constant hunger. A Goldsmith shouldn't want for anything, but at this moment he'd take any scrap of raw meat or drop of blood that they'd give him.

How pathetic he'd become. If his Coven didn't rescue him soon...

There'd been no sign of his fellow vampires, and he hadn't felt any beacons get consecrated or desecrated. No, it seemed that the petty squabble for dominance over the beacons had halted sharply when he'd been captured. Which meant that the humans were adequately distracted... and hopefully meant that Owen, Shelby, and Pyro were planning his rescue.

Part of him wanted to lunge at the next person who entered his cell and drain them entirely, but he had restrain himself. Scott wasn't a fledgling vampire like Pyro, fumbling and desperate for anything to sustain him. He couldn't afford to be savage, no matter how much his bloodlust consumed him. If he killed one of these humans, they'd probably stake him through the heart in retribution.

No, dying wasn't an option. Surviving and escaping was the only way.

Gradually, he began to hear a conversation between several approaching humans, slightly argumentative. The door to the building opened, and Scott heard two pairs of footsteps outside of his cell. One had a heavy gait, intense and careful, while the other was stiff, strict, and light-footed, too graceful to be human.

"I don't care that you don't want to, Apo," Martyn was saying, "it's a rule now. If the door to the cell opens, there should be at least two townsfolk present in case the vampire decides to lash out again. He's bound in silver, but there's no predicting what he might do in desperation. We can't afford to let him escape, and I won't let anyone else get hurt."

"Fine," Scott's second fledgling grumbled, "but I'm not talking to him. The Doctor can handle it himself."

"As long as you're there standing watch, I don't care," replied Martyn. "I've got to go finish our latest silver project, so good luck."

Scott paid attention to every little sound. Martyn's voice fading away, indicating that he was headed in the direction of Ren's cabin, by the sounds of it. The jangling of keys, not coming from where Apo's voice had sounded, which meant that Legundo must have them - Apo was clearly still hiding her vampirism, since touching the silver door without gloves would hurt her. Legundo's slight shuffling, the sound of a clear hesitation, before the click of the lock.

The Doctor hovered outside the door, looking down at the vampire before him. Scott had pulled himself up into a sitting position, but he knew he must look like a mess, with shaggy, unkempt hair and hollow red eyes. Legundo seemed to be scanning him for any injuries, but the wounds Scott currently had were the burns around his wrists, which were still held behind his back and out of sight.

"May I come in, Scott?" Legundo asked, his voice soft.

"Really?" There were a lot of things that he'd expected the Doctor to say, but that wasn't one of them. "Asking for my permission to enter the cell you put me in?"

"I've brought food and water," Legundo offered, holding up a glass bottle and a napkin-wrapped parcel. "I won't be interrogating you, or hurting you. I just want to make sure that you're okay."

Scott laughed, a sharp, bitter thing that sounded more like a cough than a chuckle. "Sure you do. Go ahead, Doctor, enter into my spacious living quarters. Do you like the decor?"

Legundo didn't look amused. He stepped into the cell, sitting cross-legged in front of Scott as Apo leaned against the doorframe, arms folded.

"Are you injured at all?" Legundo asked, unwrapping the contents of the napkin and setting it in front of Scott.

Scott looked down and scowled. A loaf of bread and a baked potato, food that would crumble to ashes in his mouth and weigh heavy in his gut, entirely unsatiating.

The Doctor pressed on. "Scott, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I don't want you to suffer. Is there anything-"

"Your fellow humans have wrapped silver chains around my wrists, which have been burning my skin for over a day," Scott replied, speaking through gritted teeth. "And I know for a fact that you're not going to take those off, so clearly your time is wasted here."

Legundo's brow furrowed, looking genuinely upset. As if he really cared. Humans were such insufferable creatures.

"I'm starving, too, by the way, and I can't eat your disgusting mortal food." Scott glanced back down at the bread and potato. "And even if I could, what did you expect me to do, eat it with no hands? Or maybe you thought you'd feed me like I'm some pathetic sick puppy that you're nursing back to health. News flash, Doctor, I don't want your help and I can't stand your presence. Either bring back some real food or leave me alone."

"I, ah," Legundo stumbled over his words, glancing back up at Apo, who shrugged and looked away. "I'm sorry."

His fledgling was giving zero indication that she was there to help him. In fact, they'd clearly stated that they didn't even want to speak to him. But it wasn't clear whether Apo was trying to remain unsuspicious, or if she was genuinely working against him.

Logically, he knew that Apo should pretend to be a human for as long as she could, but his hunger and bloodlust were so intense that part of him was hoping for Apo to abandon their efforts and rescue him as soon as possible. It was taking every ounce of strength he had not to lunge at Legundo's warm, blood-filled neck, and the silver had already weakened Scott so greatly that he didn't have much willpower left.

"Listen, I... I know this isn't an ideal situation, but I want to help you." Legundo began.

"You want to help me? Then get these chains off of my wrists and let me go," Scott hissed. "You're a Doctor, Legundo. Surely holding your patient captive is considered medical malpractice?"

The Doctor sighed. "I can't do that, Scott. But with your help, I might be able to offer something better."

"Oh, wonderful," Scott muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure I'll love whatever this is."

"Most ailments or maladies I've dealt with have had a treatment, or even better, a cure." Legundo ignored his mocking tone, something annoyingly hopeful in his expression. "And your vampiric curse is just another sickness, isn't it? With my medical expertise, and perhaps some of your vampiric experience, I might be able to find some way to make you less dangerous, bring you closer to your humanity. I think it's really possible, Scott. I believe we can find a cure."

Apo had turned at the word 'cure,' looking shocked. Thankfully, Legundo was facing away and hadn't seen her reaction.

"That's cute," Scott responded, rage boiling within him. "You think you're just so high and mighty, don't you, trying to help the poor, suffering vampire get cured. Do you actually think I want to be a human? Does your puny, insolent mortal brain think that your miserable lives are that special, that treasured? I jumped at the opportunity to be turned, Doctor. I became undead with a smile on my face. With this 'sickness,' I've lived for more than a thousand years, gained power beyond your wildest dreams, and have wholeheartedly thrived in a world of weak, useless humans like yourself. Why on earth would I ever give that up?"

Stunned silence, for a beat. Legundo looked horrified.

"We should go, Doctor," Apo spoke up, sounding sympathetic. Embarrassing. "You tried. That's all anyone could ask of you."

She helped Legundo stand. The man in front of Scott seemed to be processing several layers of confusion and sadness.

"I still want to help you, Scott," Legundo said quietly. "I have to keep trying. In the meantime... I'll try to find you some food."

------

Several hours later, with his stomach aching through every minute of it, the humans disrupted him again. His next guests, unfortunately, were Ren and Martyn.

He was getting tired of these townsfolk. Somehow, he'd been left entirely alone by Cleo, who was the only person that he actually wanted to see, though he suspected that was intentional on their part. There was no sign of Pearl or Abolish, either, who were clearly sensible enough to stay out of this mess. Frankly, Scott was shocked that the author, M, hadn't already come knocking, demanding to interview him for his next book.

But he'd seen more than enough of Martyn and Ren in the past day or so, and wasn't at all keen on them reentering his cell. Not that he had much of a choice.

"You're lucky, vampire," Martyn said matter-of-factly, unlocking the door to Scott's prison and immediately launching into a lecture. "If it was up to me, you'd already have a stake in your cold, dead heart. Unfortunately, I was outvoted, so you live to see another day."

At one point, Scott had liked Martyn. The man reminded him of himself a long, long time ago: well-kept, pompous, and deeply sure of himself. But now that Martyn had become one of the more dangerous humans, Scott despised him for those very same traits. He was insufferable, overconfident, and brash, wholly unbearable. At one point, Scott had been incredibly tempted to turn Martyn, but now, he'd do anything to drain his blood until there was nothing left but a husk.

No human had ever taken him down before. Nobody had ever made a fool of him like Martyn had.

"Now, I promised Drift that I wouldn't muzzle you permanently," Martyn continued, limping forward. Clearly, the great Doctor Legundo hadn't been able to get rid of the discomfort in Martyn's injured leg. "But obviously, the chains weren't enough to hold you, and I'm not about to let you gnaw on me, so..."

Ren, who had been hovering outside of the cell, followed Martyn inside and shut the door, and Scott once again recognized the unmistakable sound of clanking silver in Ren's hands.

God, no. Surely they weren't going to make this worse? He knew humans could be cruel, but even Martyn wouldn't-

Quick as lightning, Martyn grabbed Scott by his cravat, yanking him off the ground and onto his feet. He wasn't able to keep himself from yelping in surprise, betraying his panic and completely losing his cool. The blonde reached into his pocket and pulled out a length of leather with something attached to it. Scott attempted to scramble away, but Ren was on his other side in an instant, blocking his escape.

Martyn pressed the piece of leather against Scott's mouth, and the burn of silver was instantaneous: a shining bit attached to the center, forced past his lips and between his teeth. A whine of pain escaped him, but Martyn was unphased, gathering the leather straps behind Scott's head and tying them tightly.

"That's it. Now there'll be no biting while we do our work," huffed Martyn. "And if you try to transform, vampire, I'll use my holy word again. You're not going anywhere."

But Scott could barely process the words that Martyn was saying at the moment, much less think about turning into his bat form. It was like a hot poker had been placed into his mouth, white-hot against his teeth and tongue, and the pain made him so lightheaded that every ounce of energy he'd managed to maintain was focused on not losing consciousness.

"Right. Time for the new restraints. Ren?" Martyn asked.

"Aye, my friend," Ren acknowledged, lifting the new silver devices into the air. In his hand was a chain about six inches long, which connected two thick silver shackles, bright and reflective and terrible.

They shared a nod of approval, and then Martyn grabbed Scott and spun him around, pressing his face against the wall so that Ren could undo the current restraints.

Having so much silver near him, digging into his fangs and stinging his wrists and overwhelming his senses, was hellish. Nails on a chalkboard, ringing in his ears, shadows creeping at the corners of his vision, and the only thing that kept him from completely losing himself was the fact that he was so tired and hungry that he couldn't have done much even if he'd tried.

One shackle circled his left wrist, fiery pain mixed with intense claustrophobia as it touched his skin. There was some kind of bolt that Ren tightened on the shackle, keeping it in place on Scott's wrist. Then they shackled his right wrist, securing his arms behind his back with very little slack.

"There we go," Martyn crooned, standing up and admiring his handiwork. "Comfortable, vampire? There's no chance of you slipping out of these ones, not like the chains on your ankles."

"He's in no state to bite us, laddie." Ren's voice was low and quiet, gentle compared to Martyn's mocking tone. "Remove the muzzle and we'll be on our way."

The leather straps were untied from around his head, releasing the silver bit from his mouth. Instantly, coldness rushed over his tongue, and Scott stumbled backward, hitting the wall behind him and sliding down until he was sitting. Though he hadn't needed to breathe in a long, long time, Scott found himself gasping in spite of himself.

He would've loved to throw out a biting retort at Martyn and Ren, to curse their names, to threaten their lives, even to just throw profanities their way, but the last thing Scott wanted to do was move his mouth at the moment. So he sat there in silence as the humans left without another word.

There was no sign of his Coven. Pain wracked his body and silver suffocated his senses. His hunger was so all-consuming that he almost wished he'd eaten Legundo's bread and potato, just for the feeling of something in his stomach. Exhaustion hung around him like a veil, and he finally had a word for that strange, tight feeling deep in his chest.

It was fear. Scott Goldsmith, for the first time in centuries, was afraid.

Distantly, he remembered a conversation that he'd had with Owen about the humans a while back. Scott had argued that, while obnoxious and pitiful, humans were arguably too beneficial for vampires to get rid of. Sure, it would be fun to massacre them, but it was nice when they brought tithings and sacrifices and groveled at his feet.

Owen had disagreed. He'd said that humankind were more monstrous than vampires could ever be. To Owen, the best thing a human could be was drained or turned, and he was happy to slay them without hesitation if it meant keeping the humans from their natural cruelty. If the vampires didn't strike first, Owen argued, the humans would make them regret it.

Now, he and Owen were in complete agreement. Scott would never give a human the benefit of the doubt again.

Chapter Text

Pyro had been carrying the guilt of leaving Scott behind for two days now. No matter how many times Shelby and Owen reassured him, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault, that he'd failed, that the blame was squarely on his shoulders. His sire would be with them if he'd just made better decisions.

"What choices could you have made?" Apo asked dryly, on her one and only visit to one of the vampires' hideouts, this time Pyro's safehouse in the mineshaft. "How exactly could you have solved this?"

"I could have fought them, stood my ground. Or if I'd noticed them approaching sooner..." Pyro muttered, knowing how crazy he sounded.

Apo shook their head, unimpressed. "Well, that might have ended with you captured as well. Be glad you were able to escape and warn Owen and Shelby."

She refused to be gentle with him like the others, which he honestly appreciated. It reminded him of what Scott would do.

Pyro hadn't seen Cleo, who was overwhelmed with their duties in town. Shelby, meanwhile, had managed to have a brief conversation with her while the townsfolk had been out gathering food, and Cleo had confirmed that she was willing to help if needed, but didn't want to risk blowing her cover. Apo was even more hesitant.

"If he gets out and they suspect me, I might get locked in there next," Apo warned. "I don't think there's anything I can do."

That, of course, left just Owen, Shelby, and Pyro himself for the rescue mission.

Shelby had wanted to attack immediately, angrier than Pyro had ever seen her, but he warned against it. The humans had suffocating silver chains and nets lined with silver now, plenty of tools meant to subdue and capture vampires. The Coven didn't have enough food to get to higher strength levels, which significantly weakened them. The townsfolk had clearly prepared for this, and running in without a proper plan could get them all caught and chained.

So they started to plan.

There were a few ideas that definitely wouldn't work: an all out raid on the town, which Pyro shot down for now (much to Owen and Shelby's chagrin), taking a human hostage in an attempt to trade, which became far too complicated when the humans always used the buddy system (terribly annoying), or attempting to use fire to destroy the building where Scott was being kept.

"That won't do," Shelby sighed when Pyro suggested the last one. "The 'Vampire Treatment Center' is made of wood, but the cell inside is stone, I've seen it."

"And the last thing we want to do is hurt Scott in the process," Owen added.

Finally, they landed on a functional plan: distraction. The beacons had been largely untouched since their confrontation in the Crypt, so desecrating several at once might tempt a party of overconfident humans out of the town.

"They'll definitely leave at least 2 or 3 people there to guard," Pyro reasoned, "but a small number of humans is easier to sneak past than the entire town."

"Why sneak past?" asked Owen. "Wouldn't it be better to just kill them?"

"If one of them manages to run away, they'll definitely alert the rest of the humans," Pyro countered, relieved that he'd already thought this through. "It'll be hard for a single vampire to catch multiple people, and we can't risk them returning early. Stealth is our best option."

"And only one of us can sneak in because we need at least two vampires desecrating beacons." Shelby nodded, understanding. "Though if it's Apo or Cleo guarding Scott, we might be able to switch up the plan."

"Fine, then," Owen nodded, relenting. "It's our best chance. But you're sneaking in, Pyro."

Which was why Pyro was here at nightfall, hovering behind a massive pine tree a short distance away from Oakhurst, watching the town with bated breath. Shelby had recommended that he save his bat form in case he had to flee, so they were moving on foot for the time being.

There was a warmth in his chest, refreshing like a hot cup of tea, and Pyro exhaled in relief at the feeling of it. Either Shelby or Owen had desecrated a beacon, and the sudden change echoed through the lands. Scott would have felt it, too.

I'm coming for you, sire.

There was an outcry in the town when the beacon lost its divine protection, and now a crowd of them was hurrying to the gate, silver swords in hand. Pyro counted them as they went: Avid and Martyn leading the pack, then Ren and M, with Abolish and Apo following close behind.

That left four townspeople still in Oakhurst. That still felt like too many, and Pyro paused for just a moment longer.

As soon as the main pack of hunters had vanished down the path, another pair went rushing in the other direction: Pearl and Cleo, heading out together. It was hard to say what their goal was. Maybe they were heading for a different beacon, or maybe Cleo was trying to help in whatever way they could.

Either way, that left just Drift and Legundo in Oakhurst.

Legundo.

He couldn't stop thinking about the Doctor. It was because of something that Owen had said, shortly before they parted ways.

"Watch out for the Doctor," he'd cautioned Pyro. "I suspect he might be the reason they took Scott to begin with."

"Because of Legundo?" Pyro had shaken his head. "Why would the Doctor be involved in all of this?"

Owen gave him a knowing look. "You heard his little speech to me on the cliffside. He thinks he can cure vampirism, is looking for a way to 'fix' us. My bet is that he told Avid and convinced him to capture a vampire for experimentation. It's a lot easier to test an 'illness' when you've got a live subject."

Of course, he had no proof of this besides Owen's word, but he couldn't get it off his mind. Was that why they'd captured Scott? Could the townspeople really be that inhumane?

Quietly, Pyro crossed the field between the woods and Oakhurst, watching carefully to make sure there were no human stragglers nearby. Thankfully, he didn't have to risk entering through the front gates...

...because he'd prepared. Back when they'd still been blending in with the humans, he'd dug a tunnel from his house with Apo to a spot beyond the wall. Quickly and quietly, he brushed the dirt off of his trapdoor, hopped down into the short passageway, and climbed the ladder up into the remains of their home.

He hadn't been here in a while, and had only heard about the burning from Apo in passing. The land was empty and quiet now, the walls and roof largely gone. No roommate, no Truffle, nobody. Just a sad pile of chests in the dirt.

Pyro huddled behind the chests, careful not to be spotted. It wasn't hard to find the two remaining humans. Drift and Legundo were standing outside of the new wooden 'Vampire Treatment Center' that Shelby had warned him about, illuminated by lanternlight, discussing something serious-sounding in low, nervous tones. Both of them had silver weapons, and neither of them actually had eyes on Scott. Good.

Another warmth in his chest meant that another beacon had been desecrated. Drift gasped in response and look out at where the pack of hunters had gone. Shelby and Owen were truly the perfect distraction.

Carefully, Pyro snuck past the chests and crept over to the wall, looking for any other entrances to the guarded building. The two humans were by the door, but there was a small window near the back. If Pyro had still been a human, the climb would have been awkward and risky, but his new vampiric instincts kept him graceful and sleek, less accident-prone than he'd been before.

And then he was in.

The weaking aura of silver was overwhelming in this space. There was a block in the center of the floor, chains on the ground, and both doors were made of pure, silvery metal. It would be unbearable for any vampire, even an elder one, especially for a long period of time.

The cell was exactly as Shelby had described, made of solid stone with bars on the windows. It was miniscule, and Pyro's stomach twisted at the idea of their sire trapped in that tiny space for days on end. He had to get him out of there, now.

But the silver door had a silver handle. And when Pyro wrapped his hand in his coat and tried to pull it open, he found it locked.

It was locked. After coming all this way, putting in all of this effort, the door was locked shut.

He could have cursed. He could have cried.

"Who's there?"

His sire's voice was so quiet it was almost unintelligible. Pyro stumbled over to the cell's window and gazed in, fearing what he'd see.

Scott Goldsmith, the eldest vampire of their coven and Pyro's closest companion, looked like he was half-dead on the stone ground of the cell. His hair was disheveled, dull red eyes half-closed, a permeant grimace of pain on his face. There were thick silver shackles clasped onto his wrists, which were painful to look at.

"Sire, it's me," Pyro whispered, trying to keep their voice low. He couldn't risk Drift and Legundo hearing him and barging in. "I'm here, I'm sorry we didn't come sooner."

At the sound of his voice, Scott pulled himself up into a sitting position and straightened his shoulders, though there was an unsteadiness to his movement that Pyro had never seen before. "You're- you're here. Finally."

"I'm here to help you, but the door- the door's locked. I need to find the key, do you know where the key is?"

"Key..." Scott closed his eyes, concentrating. "Martyn had a key. Avid had one, too."

Both humans that weren't here. Of course. They probably wouldn't risk leaving a key in Oakhurst, anyways.

"What did they do to you, sire?" Pyro asked, voice breaking.

Scott's brow furrowed. "They're cruel. Silver in my mouth, on my wrists, all around me... Don't let them catch you. Not at any cost."

"They're hurting you?"

"I told you. No mercy from humankind, not for the likes of us."

"Are they experimenting on you?" Pyro asked, voice strained.

Scott shook his head. "Not yet."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pyro, I-"

"We'll get you out. We won't let them-"

"I'm so hungry, Pyro," muttered Scott, his eyes opening once again. "I need... do you have anything..."

Unfortunately, they'd been low on food for a while. Pyro hadn't been able to bring any raw meat for himself or anyone else. He had nothing to give to Scott. Nothing except-

"Here." Pyro rolled up his sleeve and stuck his arm between the silver bars, offering up his bare wrist to his sire. "Feed. It's not fresh blood, but it'll do."

For a second, Scott looked at him, processing. Then, he accepted it, and some unknown emotion passed across his face.

Outside, he heard Legundo's voice raise in alarm. A third beacon had lost its holy light - Shelby or Owen had reached another without running into the hunters.

"Sire, please, I don't know how much time I have left," Pyro begged. The silver bars on each side of his arm were close enough to sap his strength, overwhelming to even be near.

He expected his sire to jump at him, tear into his wrist with his fangs like starved beast. But even now, Scott managed to keep himself poised, pulling himself to his feet and stumbling over to the window. He hovered above Pyro's wrist, eyes locked on his fledgling, asking silently for permission.

"Please, take it. Drink from me."

Leaning in, Scott opened his mouth, breath ghosting on Pyro's wrist. Then he bit down, fangs sinking neatly into his fledgling's vein.

It ached slightly as his sire fed, uncomfortable but not painful, sore like someone holding his hand a bit too tightly. Scott drank in slow, savoring mouthfuls, appreciative of every sip of Pyro's not-quite-blood. It wasn't fresh from a human, or even the temporary solution that was animal blood, but it was enough to keep him from starving.

He planned to let Scott know when he was weakening, but his sire released him before he ever had to do so, making a soft, satisfied sound. There was an immediate difference: Scott's eyes were brighter and wide open, his skin less ashen, his stance less shaky.

"You have no idea how much I needed that," Scott admitted, and Pyro got the feeling that, under normal circumstances, he'd never hear his sire be this vulnerable. He probably wouldn't hear it again, either.

If they got out of this, that is.

"I don't think I can free you yet, sire."

Scott's face twisted. He didn't speak, just leaned forward, holding himself as close to Pyro as possible.

"But I'll be back. We'll come up with another plan. It won't be long, we just need the key..." Pyro said quickly, emotions catching in their throat. "And we'll get it, we'll save you."

"Promise me?" his sire asked, voice low.

"I swear. I'll be back for you, I promise."

Warm, comforting heat rushed through his chest. A fourth beacon had been desecrated.

Pyro stayed quiet, listening for the humans' response.

Outside, he heard Drift's voice. "All right, that's it. There's no way that they decided to randomly seize four beacons in one night. There's got to be something going on."

"Do we know what happens when all of the beacons are desecrated?" Legundo asked, sounding grave. "Maybe that's their goal."

"I bet Scott would know," Drift suggested. "Let's ask him."

Instantly, Pyro was transforming, cursing the fact that he couldn't even say goodbye. He was out the window before the door could even start creaking open, flying into the night as fast as his wings could carry him.

Leaving his sire behind.

Chapter Text

Scott lost sight of Pyro just as the door opened, his fledgling disappearing into the night with a flick of his wings. Pyro's instincts had heightened, and he'd transformed quicker than he'd ever before. Briefly, Scott felt a touch of pride.

But, of course, the humans were here to ruin things.

"You're actually on your feet!" Drift pulled out a notebook, locking eyes with Scott through the bars. "I'm sure you're feeling it too... your vampiric brethren are up to no good, I assume?"

He was uninterested in giving her the satisfaction of a response.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, Scott!" Drift tapped her pencil against one of the bars. "What's up with the sudden siege of the beacons? Do you know what happens if they're all de-consecrated?"

"No."

Drift was not satisfied with that answer. "You weren't aware of any plans to take them? Really?"

"Well, I've been a bit preoccupied for the past two days, so I haven't exactly had time to chat with my Coven," Scott drawled, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"So this is a recent development, then?"

"Drift, I'm not in the mood to be interrogated right now," he sighed. "I'm tired and in pain and you humans haven't fed me in days. The least you could do is let me rest."

"You're a vampire. Don't you thrive in the nighttime?" Drift asked, ignoring him.

"Not when I'm in a silver prison with shackles on my wrists," Scott shot back. "Take those off, and maybe we'll talk."

Legundo stepped into view of the window, looking exhausted. "Scott, that's enough."

"Oh, great, do you want to question me as well?" He muttered, scowling at the pair of them.

The Doctor frowned, leaning forward. "Wait, hold on... you didn't have those burns before."

Scott hesitated, almost tempted to turn away. He didn't want either of them to notice the silver damage, to see his weakness, but...

"Yeah," Drift nodded, "how did you get those marks on your mouth? What happened?"

"You can ask Martyn and Ren about that."

The two humans exchanged a look. There was genuine anger in Drift's expression, and Legundo's brow furrowed, contemplating.

But that changed nothing. They were both still complicit, after all. "If you want information from me, make it worth my while. Otherwise, none of your questions are getting answered," Scott finished, sitting back down and closing his eyes.

There was no response from the humans at first, so he took a few moments to think about what had just occurred.

He hated being so vulnerable in front of his fledgling, but being able to see Pyro was the singular good thing that had happened in the past two days - something he'd never thought he'd be saying, considering how unsure he was of Pyro at first. But now he wasn't starving anymore, and had at least had a little bit of hope. His Coven was trying to free him. They were going to get him out of here.

"I want to talk to you about the cure again, Scott."

"No more questions, Doctor," Scott said through gritted teeth. "I'm resting. Leave me be."

Legundo sighed. "I won't ask you anything. Will you just hear me out?"

"That was a question, in case you weren't aware."

"Just... I'll just speak, okay? You don't have to discuss it with me, I'd just like you to listen," Legundo sighed.

Scott didn't respond.

"I've been combing through tomes and scrolls, trying to determine what a cure could look like," the Doctor explained. "There aren't any studies that've been done on the subject, no surprise there, but there are plenty of credible theories backed by sufficient science. Some theorize a complete cure for vampirism, others suggest a way to dampen the bloodlust. But, of course, there isn't much I could do without the help of a vampire."

Still nothing from Scott.

"You'd just need to let me do a few very basic tests. Some simple checks on your unique vampiric characteristics and a blood sample would be all I'd need. It wouldn't be invasive, and we'd have an open line of communication during every step, so that you'd know what I'm doing and why," Legundo continued. "You don't have to agree now. I'm just asking for you to consider it."

"Not a chance," Scott said sharply, unable to help himself.

"Alright, then," Legundo replied after a moment, sounding a bit stung. "I'll ask you again later, but... for now, I'll leave you alone."

Scott couldn't help but open his eyes. "You can't be serious."

"I'm being nothing but honest," the Doctor replied, taken aback.

"I'm your prisoner, Doc. I'm sitting here in chains, locked without any means of escape." Scott leaned forward, baffled. "You've got plenty of allies who would be happy to hold me down and force me to comply. So why are you giving up so easily?"

Legundo shook his head. "I would only ever do it with your permission. If I forced you into it, what kind of doctor would I be?"

It made no sense. Being able to prove that vampirism existed, and curing it all in one go, could make Legundo world-famous. Even if he wasn't interested in the accolades, it would still support his mission to save as many lives as possible. And he was turning it down over something like this?

It was not what he'd expected from these humans.

"They're back," Drift spoke up, coming back into view and grabbing Legundo's shoulder. "I can hear them outside. We should go and see-"

But they didn't have to go anywhere. The doors were already opening, and the party of hunters entered the building.

"They got four beacons," Avid said, leading the pack with Martyn close behind him, "but after the third one was desecrated, we though it must be a distraction. Has anyone come here?"

"Nobody." Drift shook her head. "We just wanted to see if Scott knew anything about the beacons."

"You didn't go in, did you?" Avid looked through the bars at Scott, eyes wide.

"Of course not," she reassured. "We were just asking some questions."

"What did you learn?" Martyn asked, arms crossed.

Drift frowned at Martyn. "Well, first of all, that he hasn't been fed in days."

"I thought the Doctor brought him food," replied Avid.

Legundo shook his head. "I tried. He can't eat any human food."

"Of course he can't." Martyn rolled his eyes. "So you want us to let him drink our blood, do you, Drift?"

"No, I-"

"There has to be alternatives," the Doctor chimed in. "Animal blood, perhaps..."

"I'm not collecting animal blood," Avid huffed, recoiling at the idea.

"We have to feed him, though," Drift argued. "We can't just-"

He'd had enough. Scott stood and stepped back up to the barred window. "Can you all stop talking about me like I'm a zoo animal? I'm right here."

The four arguing humans looked at him blankly, as if they'd gotten used to his silence. That would have to change.

"You don't get to complain, vampire," Martyn said finally, after exchanging a look with Ren and M. "You're not in charge here."

"Nobody's in charge here, based on the way this argument is going," Scott grumbled. "You're terrible at organizing, you know."

"Do you think I won't muzzle you again?" Martyn got up close to the bars, inches away from Scott's face. "You're lucky we've been so kind, vampire."

"He's just trying to get under your skin," Drift interrupted, looking concerned.

Martyn ignored her. "Have we questioned him enough? Perhaps he knows more about his Coven's plans. Or maybe he's lying about how many people he's turned."

"I did ask him, but..." Avid shrugged. "He is a good liar, after all."

Scott was having trouble dealing with Martyn's presence in his face. Sure, he'd just fed, but nothing quite compared to the allure of warm, fresh human blood, especially when it was so very close to him. "I've already told you everything I know."

"Does anyone have any garlic?" Martyn asked, turning to the group crowded around the cell. Apo was near the back, looking pale. "Or do we have any holy water on hand? Perhaps that'd do some convincing."

"You think you're so tough, don't you?" Scott leered.

"I'm the one in control here, aren't I?" challenged Martyn, turning back to face him. "I don't just think I'm tough, I am."

"And I'm sure you feel so powerful when you're threatening me from the other side of this wall, when I can't dig my claws into you. Bet you felt so big and strong when you manhandled me, but you were only able to do so because I couldn't fight back." Scott felt Martyn's breath, hot on his face. "Does it make you feel better than the only way you can get the last word is by muzzling me? Are you so proud that your only way to get the upper hand is through holy words and blessed fires? If we fought, one on one, without any of your tricks or spellwork, I'd break you in seconds. The only reason you've succeeded at all is because you're a cheater."

"I'm going to kill you, Scott." Martyn said his actual name for the first time in ages, speaking it as if it was a curse. "I'll be the one that drives the stake into your heart. And I'll enjoy every second of it."

"You'd be lucky if all I did was kill you," Scott countered. "When I'm done with you, you'll wish you were dead."

"Stop it, both of you!" Avid yelled, before Martyn could get another retort in. "Martyn, we need to... let's just have a town meeting."

"We should have people guarding this building." Martyn tossed his head but went along with Avid, backing away from the bars. "Apo, M, you stay here. Everyone else, to the main tower... we need to figure out our next plan."

And with that, the group was led away. Apo and M left the building as well, but Scott could hear them hovering outside of the door, keeping watch.

Scott settled back onto the ground, trying to lay down without the shackles digging into his back. He wanted to rest. He needed to think. He...

Anger and vitriol mixed with frustration and longing. He was better than this. Usually, he didn't let his emotions get the best of him.

But he couldn't help it. Exhaustion and hunger and pain had all mixed together and broken down his walls.

Out of the blue, he remembered a moment they'd had together, back at the Castle, before all of this had gone down.

The four of them had found refuge from the sunlight in the Castle's underground tombs, and the hunters hadn't bothered them that day. The fledglings had bickered playfully about something inconsequential - whether fiction or nonfiction was better, if he remembered correctly - and when they tried to pull Owen into it, the brooding vampire had actually played along. Shelby had been filled with her usual unmatched joy, Pyro seemed incredibly pleased when Owen actually took his side, and Owen seemed to finally be warming up to the idea of being a part of a Coven.

And though Scott hadn't taken part in the conversation (he'd been sitting back, folding some of the clothing that they'd found in the tombs), he'd ended up smiling nonetheless, proud that he'd put together such a perfect Coven. Eventually, they'd turn more humans and grow their numbers, but in that moment he was happy with his perfect little family.

Recalling this moment hurt, he realized, deep in his chest. It was achingly lonely, remembering how comfortable and safe and together they'd been.

He missed them.

Since when did he, Scott Goldsmith, miss anyone?

Chapter Text

Scott assumed that Drift wouldn't bother him again. He was wrong.

"How's this?"

Something was tossed through the bars, landing in front of him with a thump. Raw meat, beef by the smell of it, freshly butchered. Scott opened his eyes, his rest interrupted, and sucked in a breathe.

He hadn't even heard Drift enter the building. Clearly, Scott had to pay closer attention, lest they sneak up on him again.

"The Doctor said you don't eat human food, but that should have some blood in it, right?" Drift peered at him through the window, looking hopeful. "One of your vampire buddies killed most of our livestock this morning, but I was able to get this from what remained. Is that worth some answers?"

They'd finally figured out how to feed him, which was a relief. It'd been half a day since Pyro's visit, and his hunger had already returned in full force. But there was one problem with this situation.

"My hands aren't free," he huffed, sticking his chin up in the air. "And I'm not about to lean down and eat it like a dog, not with you here."

"Oh." Drift frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry, that's- that's my bad. I can't untie you, of course, so you'll have to figure something out. I'll just ask my questions and leave so that you can do... whatever it is that you do."

Thank goodness. "Fine," he nodded. "But I'm not promising to answer anything you ask. Just what's reasonable."

She smiled. "Fair enough. Okay, the beacons - any idea why your team de-consecrated four last night?"

"I've actually never dealt with beacons before. I have no idea." Scott shrugged. "Though I'm sure whatever it is, it won't be good for your lot."

"I wonder if that's their plan," Drift mused, more to herself to Scott. "Consecrating all of the beacons made us much stronger, so maybe the opposite is true for the vampires. But they stopped after four... why did they stop?"

"Well, if that is their plan," Scott noted, "it means they'll be after the town's beacon, won't they?"

Drift's face dropped, instantly paling.

"But they'd probably go for it last," he continued, "considering how many people are here."

"Right." Drift let out a sigh of relief. "So we've got some time then."

"And I bet I know what would stop them."

Instantly, Drift's eyes went wide, and she leaned in closer. "What?"

"Whatever they're doing, it's likely because you captured me. So if you let me go..."

"Oh." Drift sighed, looking disappointed. Humankind could be so gullible. "Sorry. No can do."

"Why not?"

"Because you're a vampire, and you're-"

"Seriously," Scott asked, looking right at Drift. "Why am I here? Why keep me alive? What's the point of all of this?"

"Um..." Drift looked to the side, and it occurred to Scott that there must be a second person here, someone that'd managed to stay quiet through their entire conversation. He wondered who it was. Knowing the townsfolk, there weren't many that could actually hold their tongue.

"Is it about safety?" he asked, hoping that he could get Drift talking again. "Do you plan to capture all of the vampires? Or am I a warning, so that the others stay away for good?"

Drift still wasn't responding, seemingly having a silent conversation with her accomplice.

"You asked me your questions," Scott pointed out. "Isn't it fair that I ask some, too?"

"It is about safety, yes. But it's also about Legundo's cure, and Martyn wanted to confirm our theories. Plus... and I know you won't believe this, but most of this town doesn't want you dead. We just want to protect our own."

Of all of the humans, the last person he'd expected to hear was Avid. But the vampire hunter was now stepping into view, looking nervous. It made sense - he and Drift had been attached at the hip ever since Scott had met them - but he would have never suspected that Avid could keep his mouth shut for that long.

"If you want to protect yourselves, I'd argue that angering my Coven is the worst thing you could do," Scott drawled in response.

"We honestly weren't planning to find you and catch you. It just sort of... happened," Drift added. "We had the chains and the net made, but we never thought we'd actually get that far."

He highly doubted that. "What about this cell?"

"This... was for me, actually. If I ever got turned." Avid looked almost nauseous at the thought of it.

Scott resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Listen, Scott, I know we haven't exactly... gotten along... but we don't have to be enemies," insisted Avid. "Has Legundo talked to you about the cure? We really think it could be done, you know."

"I don't want to be cured," Scott informed them, adjusting his seated position so that the shackles were a bit further away from his body. Their presence against his wrists still hurt, but he'd grown almost numb to the pain. "Though you're right, we don't have to be enemies."

Drift and Avid both perked up.

"A good first step to finding common ground would be unshackling and releasing me," he continued.

Both shook their heads at the same time, impressively in unison.

"This is a decision that the entire town made," Drift explained, as if that made it any better. "We can't let you go."

Well, that was that, then. Scott shook his head and sighed, done with this conversation. Avid and Drift could try to argue humanity's case all they wanted, but that didn't get these shackles off of his wrists, nor did it get him back to his Coven. Which meant it was all just empty words.

"And, to be honest, I don't think you've been particularly trustworthy," Avid spoke up, breaking the silence.

Scott raised his eyebrow.

"There's a fifth vampire, isn't there?"

Thankfully, being alive for over a thousand years had trained Scott to keep his face under control. He kept his expression calm and neutral, looking up at Avid.

The hunter was putting on a brave face. "Tell us the truth, Scott. We just want to know who the vampire is. And then maybe we can work something out."

There was no way they'd let him go, he was keenly aware of that. But Scott hadn't realized just how badly paranoia must be running rampant in Oakhurst.

And it wouldn't be hard to give up one of the new vampires. Cleo'd been profoundly unhelpful, and Apo had actively ignored him whenever she'd been around. And he'd expected as much from Cleo, but Apo, his own fledgling? She had scorned him, refused to help in any way, and stuck up her nose at his gift of eternal life. It would be so easy to betray Apo, so tempting to sever their bond with the humans forever...

Why keep her secret? Why protect them? Did she deserve his help, after doing nothing to save him?

"I already told you, it's just me, Owen, Pyro, and Shelby," Scott insisted. "If you're convinced you've got someone double-crossing you, it's not because they've been turned. Humans aren't saints, you know."

Avid sniffed. "Fine. Let's go, Drift."

The pair left, and Scott breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be alone again.

And now he at least had some food to eat. As undignified as it was, he let himself lean down and devour the raw meat that Drift had brought, savoring every mouthful. The taste was familiar and comforting, though it still paled in comparison to human blood, or even the not-quite-blood he'd siphoned from Pyro. It wasn't enough to restore all of his strength... but it would fuel him for now.

As he finished, he heard the sound of the door opening once again. There was just one pair of footsteps, feather-light, sneaking into the building.

"You didn't tell them."

These were the first words that Apo had spoken directly to him since he'd been captured.

"Oh, am I finally worth talking to?" Scott asked, annoyance and frustration lacing his tone.

"Why didn't you?" Apo's face appeared in the window, clouded. "I thought... I thought you'd jump at the opportunity."

"Well, for one, I don't like to do anything that a human tells me to," explained Scott, leaning his head back. "And Avid's promise of 'working something out' meant nothing, I could smell the dishonesty on him. But I'm also not a snitch or a traitor, Apo. Vampiric politics are often complicated, but we usually try to stick together."

His fledgling didn't respond at first. She was clearly struggling, furious and mournful and on the edge of a breakdown. She'd be much better off around her own kind, learning how to use her abilities... but, well, sometimes they needed a rebellious phase.

"I want to help you," Apo said finally, their voice breaking. "I really do. It's not- it scares me, what they're doing here. What they're capable of."

Scott gazed up at her knowingly. "Humankind and mercy are a terrible match, Apo. Ironically, they're very bad at being humane."

"I don't think I can... if I could get you out of here, without hurting anyone, I really-"

There was scraping along the outer walls, and then the door slammed open. Scott wasn't able to see any of it, but the horrified look on Apo's face told him everything he needed to know.

"I knew it!" It was Martyn, that loud-mouthed, boisterous, eavesdropping fool. "You've been acting strange for days now, making excuses for the vampires, trying to convince us to negotiate with them... you're the traitor. Specs, pass me the net!"

"Move!" Scott shouted, almost militant in his insistence.

And though Apo was frozen in place, terrified and devastated, the sound of Scott's command pulled some lever in their brain. She transformed, bat wings flapping as she flew above the humans' heads and out of sight, seconds before Martyn's holy word would have frozen her in place.

It did, however, penetrate the cell walls and jolt Scott, forcing him still. He gritted his teeth, trying to resist the urge to scream at the humans, to chastise them, to release all of his anger. Apo had been sympathetic to their kind, and they'd chased her away like she was just another monster. Stupid, foolish, unobservant humans...

"That's it," Martyn growled. "Drift and Legundo can't argue for peace anymore, not when we've had a traitor in our midst. No more sitting still, no more biding our time. We're not prey, we're hunters. It's time we bring the fight to the vampires and vanquish them once and for all."

"Are ye sure?" Ren's voice asked.

"I'm positive." Martyn sounded deadly. "And we'll win, because if they don't lay down their weapons and surrender, I'll kill this beast once and for all, right in front of them."

Chapter Text

For once, the humans seemed to be assembling efficiently. They were all in complete agreement, save for Legundo; the vampires had become too much of a threat, and something had to be done about it. The Doctor was the sole dissenter, but he was quickly outvoted, with even Drift agreeing that they had to take action. Having a traitor in their midst made the situation seem dire, after all.

Which was ridiculous, of course - Apo had an irritating soft spot for the humans and would have stuck with them as long as she could - but Scott was keenly aware that the humans weren't exactly being reasonable at the moment.

Martyn and Avid were the pair who finally came to fetch him. Martyn looked smug, holding a thin coil of the silver chains, and Avid was strangely solemn. Obnoxious, really.

"Are you ready?" Martyn asked. He had several stakes attached to his belt.

"I'm sure you don't actually want my opinion," Scott said dryly, huddled in the corner of the cell. "Would you leave if I said no?"

"Very funny." Martyn's hands tightened on the silver chains. "Before we go, I have to ask... who turned Apo?"

"Hm?"

"She lied to us. The Apo I knew wouldn't have done that. Who made them into a monster?" Martyn asked, and there was an audible strain in his voice, as if this particular betrayal had hit too close to home.

Scott managed to keep himself from laughing. "They wanted to help the humans, you know. Apo was never a mole, she just was scared to tell you the truth. Clearly, her fears were justified."

"You expect us to believe that?" Martyn scoffed. "Nonsense. Now tell me, who turned her?"

"I did." Scott replied, unable to stop himself. "And she let me. Gave herself willingly."

Martyn stepped forward, fury on his face, and Avid put out a hand to stop him. The two shared a knowing look.

"You intend to threaten my Coven, don't you?" Scott continued, keeping himself calm. "It won't work, you know. They'd never bargain with the likes of you."

There was no response from either of the hunters.

"What's your goal in this, anyways?" he asked, trying to get the humans talking. The more he stalled, the better.

"I want to keep my people safe," Martyn muttered, voice low and dangerous. "Your kind jeopardize that. And it's not just the danger - it's that you relish in it. Beasts like you have terrorized Oakhurst for long enough. It's about time that we end your reign of terror. And that starts with taking our fellow townsfolk back."

Scott scoffed. "You think they'll betray me?"

"It's not about allegiance." Martyn got down on one knee, eye to eye with Scott. "It's about humanity. Legundo's working on a cure, and we intend to use it. If I have my way, you'll be dead soon enough... Owen as well, considering the atrocities he's committed... but Shelby'll be human again. Pyro, too, if he's willing to repent. And Apo... well, that remains to be seen. Regardless, your little Coven won't last much longer. They'll all be back to the way they're supposed to be, and you'll be too dead to do anything about it."

Before Scott could respond, Martyn fished a familiar strap of leather out of his pocket. Remembering the pain, Scott hissed instinctively, baring his fangs.

But it was no use. Avid moved in, dragging Scott to his feet. The hunter grabbed Scott's chin and forced his head back while Martyn jammed the silver bit between his lips. The leather was once again tied behind his head, digging into the sides of his mouth, as Avid circled the thin coil of silver chain around Scott's neck, locking it together with a length of chain leading out of the front.

They'd made him a silver lead. Like he was cattle being led to the slaughterhouse.

Scott had some choice words that he would have loved to send their way, but unfortunately, the silver in his mouth made it impossible to speak, incapacitating and neverendingly painful. It didn't have to be silver - any kind of mouth covering would have prevented him from getting another bite in - but the humans seemed particularly fond of making him as uncomfortable and weak as possible.

"You'll follow wherever we lead you," Martyn instructed, "and if you step out of line, or try to hurt anyone, I'll stake you before you can take another breath. You'll do as you're told. Do you understand?"

Unable to speak, Scott could do nothing but glare into Martyn's piercing blue eyes.

"I asked a question, I expect an answer. Nod if you understand."

Begrudgingly, Scott nodded.

"Good." Martyn's smirk was maddening. "I like you better this way. We should have shut you up from the start."

Avid pulled on the chain, forcing Scott forward, and the three of them left the cell.

His focus was largely on the aching and burning of the silver, and on the anger and fury coursing through his veins, not to mention the hunger simmering deep in his gut. But a part of Scott's mind registered that he was finally being let out of the cell after days locked in that cramped, stale room. It wasn't freedom... but it was a step closer.

That brief moment of respite was quickly destroyed by the sight of four newly crafted structures, built in the middle of town.

The humans had been smart about it. They'd placed these new cells directly next to the central tower, where the town's beacon would block any higher-level vampiric teleporting abilities. They were almost identical to the cell that Scott had been kept in, silver doors and silver bars, cramped and cold, isolating...

They planned to end his life. They'd lock Shelby up and call her a monster, try to fix her when nothing was broken. Martyn wanted to make Pyro grovel for forgiveness, force him to forget his loyalty. And they'd slay Owen, too, destroying another vampiric line, merciless and cruel. There was no way to know what they'd do to Apo, considering that they saw her as a traitor. From Martyn's tone, it sounded like they'd punish her, make her regret a wrongdoing that she never committed.

Destroy his Coven. End the Goldsmith line. Scott had that tight feeling in his chest again, fear coursing through him as he stopped moving for a moment, lightheaded. He had to stop this, had to warn them, had to fight back, had to...

Martyn shoved him forward, forcing him to keep moving. There was nothing he could do. This was in the hands of his Coven now.

Most of the townsfolk were gathered nearby, and they got into formation: Avid and Martyn stayed at Scott's front and back, with Drift and Ren defending his left and Abolish and M guarding his right. Legundo had clearly also been forced to come along, but he wasn't allowed in the central ring of guards, trailing along the outside with an ashamed look on his face. Cleo and Pearl, sensible as always, were nowhere to be found.

He was grateful they weren't here to see his embarrassment.

Every one of the humans had a silver sword in their hands. Most of them had stakes and silver chains, as well. Several had bottles of holy water. Martyn had his lantern, and Avid still had his trusty strand of garlic, as if he could fight a vampire by throwing the bulbs at them.

"Oakhurst Militia, get ready to move!" Martyn commanded. "We're headed to the Castle - Ren spotted the vampires there this morning, and they can't have gone far. Advance as a unit, and stop only when I say the word. Know that after today, we won't have to live in fear anymore. We're going to defeat this threat once and for all."

And with that, they marched out of town, into the forest, and toward the bridge.

Scott's home and Coven came into view. The Castle itself had been partially rebuilt. It was nowhere near as grand, of course, but his fellow vampires had at least built up the walls and put a roof on top, blocking the daylight.

The vampires had clearly caught wind of the town's procession, because the four of them were standing at the Castle's entrance. Two of them looked starkly different; Owen and Shelby, with skin pale and hair white, claws sharp and at the ready. Pyro and Apo weren't quite to their full power yet, but all of them had those same piercing crimson eyes, bloodred and furious. All four were sizzling slightly in the sun.

The humans had mentioned that their livestock had been ravaged, after all. Clearly, his Coven had been building up strength, preparing for a retaliation.

It struck him how different Shelby looked in this moment. His sweet, bashful roommate was now elegant and enraged, their goodwill for the humans gone. She exchanged a look with Owen, and the two moved in harmony as the Militia approached, fanning out on each side so that they covered as much ground as possible.

Scott's fellow elder vampire had clearly taken on more responsibility in his absence. It wasn't hard to miss the way that Pyro and Shelby regarded Owen, prepared to charge when he did. Even Apo, the newcomer, seemed to be following his lead, though she still hovered near the back of the group, the most inexperienced of the bunch.

He was glad that his Coven had allowed Apo to join them. Owen would have had every right to turn her away, but they had to stick together.

Pyro, his fledgling, the one who had put his life on the line to feed his sire, was in the center of the group. He was clearly setting himself up as the negotiator, though Scott could smell their nervousness from a mile away.

But he had to do this. It made the most sense. Owen would be too quick to attack, and the townsfolk would want nothing to do with Apo. Out of Shelby and Pyro, it was understandable that Pyro would rise to the challenge.

The humans reached the end of the bridge, and Martyn called for a halt. The two opposing forces hovered in eerie silence for several beats.

Four vampires versus seven armed humans with a hostage. The odds were not in his Coven's favor.

"You're a long way from Oakhurst," Pyro called out. He sounded calm and assertive, voice echoing through the canyon below. "Have you finally come to negotiate?"

"That's one way to put it." Avid took charge, passing the chain lead to Martyn, who kept it taut as he hovered behind Scott. "Stand down, all of you. If any vampires attack our Militia, Martyn will put his stake through your leader's heart. If you want him to stay alive, you'll listen to what we have to say."

"Alright, then." Behind Pyro, Shelby and Owen shared a look. "Tell us what you want."

"Scott told us what he did to you, Pyro." Avid's voice wavered for a moment. "He turned you, made you into a monster. Shelby, someone did the same to you, too. But we want to help. Legundo's been working on a cure, and with your assistance, we believe that we could fix you."

Pyro didn't immediately respond, hands held behind their back. From a distance, Scott heard Legundo mutter something unintelligible under his breath, clearly unhappy with the proceedings.

"The same goes for Apo, and even Owen. You don't have to keep living like this. If you come with us, we can help you," Avid insisted. "I believe in the Doctor's work. I know we can all be saved if we just work together."

"And what happens if we don't want to go with you?" Pyro asked, eyes narrowed.

"Scott has made it clear that he's uninterested in a cure." Avid turned and glanced at Scott, then the Doctor. "And Legundo has insisted that he won't cure an unwilling subject. He can't be saved, but you can be."

"That doesn't answer my question," replied Pyro.

"Just get on with it, Avid. Clearly, they're not jumping at the opportunity," Martyn huffed. He adjusted his hold on the lead, digging the silver chains deeper into Scott's neck.

Avid sighed. "If you're not willing to be cured, you're a threat. We can't afford to have you wandering these woods, trying to turn us, putting our lives at risk. So either you're coming with us, or Scott's not leaving here alive."

The Coven had clearly expected to hear something like this, but there was still a visible wave of dismay that passed over them. Pyro looked at Shelby, then Apo, and then finally Owen before responding.

"Is there a possibility to negotiate?" Pyro asked. "Perhaps some of us could come with you, and the others could take Scott and travel far away. Would that be a fair compromise?"

Scott shook his head, trying and failing to speak through the muzzle. Martyn jerked the chain around his neck, a clear warning.

"I'm afraid not," Avid replied. "No bargaining. We've got the hostage here."

"And what happens to Scott? Do you plan to keep him locked up indefinitely?" Pyro asked, taking a step closer.

"Pyro, he killed you and turned you. Why are you so worried about him?" asked Avid. "He doesn't have your best interests at heart. Does he listen to you, or treat you well? Or are you just another pawn in his games?"

"Think of what he took from you," Martyn chimed in, stake hovering over Scott's shoulder. "He doesn't deserve your consideration, your effort. If it wasn't for him, you'd still be a human."

"And the same goes for Shelby, and Apo," Avid nodded. "Why should you be loyal to him? Do you think he actually cares about you? I want you back in Oakhurst- and so does Drift! We all want to find the cure with you."

On Scott's left, Drift tensed. "Avid, this isn't about us."

"Let us help you." Avid stepped closer to the four vampires, sticking out his hand. "This doesn't have to be a negotiation or a threat. We can work together."

Pyro took a few steps forward, and it truly seemed like he was wavering. He looked back at Shelby, who nodded sullenly, and then approached Avid.

Scott felt himself tensing up, and next to him, Martyn inhaled sharply.

His fledgling stopped in front of Avid, reaching his hand out. Avid leaned in, ready to take it, a smile on his face, and-

Fast as lightning, Pyro struck, claws digging into the hunter's shoulder. Avid tried to pull away, yelping, but Pyro was already lunging for his throat, sinking his fangs in.

Martyn started to react, swinging the stake at Scott's back, but Scott's instincts were faster. He swung his leg back and slammed his boot into Martyn's knee, knocking his captor off balance and causing him to drop the chain and stake.

The rest of the Militia ran forward to assist Avid, but Shelby and Owen got there first, stopping Ren and M in their tracks. Pyro lunged at Abolish as Avid's body dropped to the ground, spasming and twitching. Scott's fledgling was stronger than ever before, his hair paling to stark white, a trickle of blood running down his chin. All four of the vampires could already tell what Pyro had done: he'd turned the hunter, and Avid's transformation had already begun.

Scott stumbled backward, running into someone else as he tried to get away from Martyn. He braced for a sword strike or a stake swing, and the person behind him grabbed onto his shackles, keeping him in place for a moment while-

Snap. Snap.

The shackles fell off of his wrists, bolts broken off, freeing Scott's hands. Instantly, he used his newfound freedom to yanked the muzzle out of his mouth, spluttering in shock.

Drift grabbed the chain around his neck and used an unfamiliar tool to cut one of the links, pulling it off of him. She looked like she was already regretting this, but it was too late to turn back now.

Drift was clearly a lot more cunning than Scott had expected. He was impressed.

"Take your Coven and get out of here," she insisted, tucking the metal cutter into her pocket. "Leave, and don't come back."

Scott smiled, already feeling reinvigorated. For the first time in days, there was no silver holding him back. "I fear I won't be doing that, Drift. You had better get away from the fight, and take the Doctor with you."

"Is Avid-"

"He's not dead. Not permanently." Scott turned away from her. "I'd start running."

And with that, Scott Goldsmith joined the fray.

Four humans versus five vampires should have been an easier fight, but Scott was still at his lowest level, Apo was largely playing defense, and the humans had those cursed abilities; holy words and holy waters, fire blasts and shoulder slams. Shelby's claws clashed against M's sword, Owen jumped at Martyn with vicious intensity, and Pyro was keeping Abolish distracted. Ren had paused to kneel down by Avid's limp frame, but when he saw Scott unshackled and approaching, he lifted his blade and charged.

Martyn threw down a bottle of holy water, sending Pyro stumbling back. In retaliation, Scott lunged at Martyn, and Shelby slashed Ren's back before he could get involved. M grabbed onto Owen, who swung him toward Abolish, who attacked Apo, who knocked the human's sword out of his hands and shoved him into Pyro, who sank their fangs into Ren's arm, and in defense, Martyn set off his lantern thrash, which burned Shelby, who hissed and spun around to claw at-

It was carnage. It was madness.

Abolish was the first to stumble away, nursing a bloody wound on his shoulder. Apo also had to retreat, blinded by holy water. Nothing could keep Owen from the fight, and he was happy to swing recklessly at Ren and M, fangs bared. Shelby, meanwhile, kept Martyn busy, circling him with a deadly stare.

"Are you alright, sire?" Pyro was at Scott's right side, looking over at him. "I thought we might lose you- I'm sorry I couldn't-"

"You were brilliant," Scott insisted, leaning in and brushing some of the blood off of Pyro's chin. "Look at you now, a proper vampire. Like you were always meant to be."

Pyro pulled away from his touch, hiding his face. "Thank you, sire. Let's finish this."

They struck again, and the battle continued, getting messier and more haphazard. Martyn shoved Shelby, who tripped Ren, who grabbed onto Owen's legs, which caused him to slam into M, who fell into Pyro, who clawed at him in panic, and as Scott helped his fledgling keep his balance, Owen slashed at Martyn, leaving four long, bloody lines on his cheek.

Martyn, clutching his face, responded by slamming his foot down. Holy light emanated around him as he uttered his holy word, freezing the vampires in their tracks. Ren and M stumbled away, gasping for breath. But Owen, Shelby, Pyro, and Scott were all caught in the electric, painful energy, trapped in the radius of the holy word.

Not like this. Not again.

Apo ran back in just as Martyn opened his mouth to speak, tackling the human to the ground. She wasn't using her claws and carried no weapons, but her sheer determination was enough to catch Martyn off guard. The two tussled for a moment as Scott struggled, trying to push someone out of the light like he'd done before, but none of them were within reach.

Martyn had wrestled another stake from his belt, and Apo had pinned his wrist to the ground, keeping it as far away from themself as possible. Shelby managed to push Owen out of the holy word's light, and he staggered away, letting out a sharp hiss so that M and Ren didn't approach. He reached back in and pulled out Scott, who immediately began moving toward Apo and Martyn.

His fledgling knocked the stake out of the human's hand, and the two immediately started grabbing for it. Behind him, Scott heard Pyro stumbling forward, freed from the holy light, but he couldn't focus on that now. Martyn got to the stake first, but when he looked at Apo, he hesitated for a moment, long enough for her to scramble away. He turned and locked eyes with his new target...

...and Scott was ready for the challenge, even without most of his vampiric abilities. As Martyn got to his feet, Scott was ready to sidestep his stake attack and knock him back down, but the human anticipated his motion and swung, aiming straight for the heart.

It never reached Scott.

The sound that Pyro made was heart-wrenching, pained and desperate. He'd placed himself between Scott and Martyn, and there was no way to tell if it was because of a desperate scramble to rejoin the fight, a conscious sacrifice, or simply him being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Pyro would never be able to tell them. He fell to his knees, then tipped backward, clutching at the stake that was now buried in his chest.

Apo screamed.

In that moment, Scott lost control. As Martyn stumbled back, shell-shocked and horrified, Scott lunged for the hunter's neck, burying his teeth into Martyn's throat and tearing out as much as he could. This was not an attack that could turn the human; no, this was a killing blow, furious and instantaneous. If he'd been in his right mind, Scott would have made it slow and painful, but in his desperation, all he could do was strike.

Martyn's body collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Apo was already crouching next to Pyro, grabbing his hands and begging him to hold on as Scott hurried to their side. Pyro didn't have the strength to respond. His body was already starting to crumble, decaying rapidly around the stake in his heart. Owen had enough foresight to grab Shelby and turn them both away. Neither Apo nor Scott could take their eyes from it, however.

The human left a body, at least. His loved ones had something to bury. But Scott could do nothing but watch as his fledgling went limp, deteriorating into a pile of ash.

The Castle's entrance was quiet for a while. The only sounds were quiet, choked sobs - both from Apo, and from Ren and M. Scott was tempted to force them back, to keep them from mourning over their fellow human's body. But he couldn't bring himself to look away from where Pyro had once been.

He'd seen many of his fellow vampires vanquished. Fledglings came and went, and he'd never been particularly bothered by their absence. But this one had been different. This was...

There were no words for it. The loss was simply too immense.

Eventually, Shelby embraced him, and Owen helped get Apo to her feet. The vampires huddled close, unwilling to move away from the spot where Pyro had been slain.

The humans were also gathering. Ren lifted Martyn's body, and Scott watched M close the dead man's eyes and cover his torn throat with a scrap of fabric from his shirt. Abolish hovered nearby, keeping a wary eye on the vampires.

The silence was finally broken by Avid, who sat bolt upright and gasped, clawing at the dirt beneath him. His fangs were visible even from a distance, pointed and bright.

"Avid!" Drift took off from her position on the bridge, running to her roommate's side with Legundo following close behind.

Scott wasn't sure what he expected from the humans as they approached the newest vampire - hesitation, perhaps, or even fear? But there was no flinching away. The two of them crouched down next to Avid, Drift whispering reassurances to keep the (former) hunter from panicking as Legundo checked the bite wound on his neck.

The vampires stayed away from them, mourning quietly. There was no world in which Scott wanted to approach. Drift and Legundo had been some of the more reasonable humans he'd met, but that didn't make them allies. And Avid... well, Avid didn't deserve the gift of vampirism, but he'd been given it by Pyro.

Pyro, who would never get to meet his new fledgling. Pyro, who would never grow into an elder vampire.

Grieving was a new concept to Scott Goldsmith. He feared it was something he'd have to get used to. Immortality meant that he'd be mourning for a very long time.

"I'm sorry."

Drift was looking up at him. She didn't look angry, or vengeful, but there was still a clear distance between them, torn apart by bloodshed.

"You're-" Scott stopped himself before he said something he'd regret.

"For Pyro, and... for everything," Drift stated. "It should have never happened. I should have done something."

Scott regarded her for a moment, then nodded curtly. "We'll keep to ourselves, going forward. You and Legundo are safe from us, and the rest... well, we'll leave them be."

"Avid will stay with us." Legundo was holding the shaking fledgling in his arms. "We'll keep working on the cure. If any of you ever want to-"

"If one of us does, we'll come to you about it. Don't approach us." Scott glanced over at Apo. He almost expected his fledgling to step forward and rejoin the humans. Distantly, he knew that he would let her go, if she did.

But she stayed at his side. Apo was a part of the Coven, and at least for now, she would remain with them.

"Be safe," Drift whispered, before turning back to Avid.

There was no need for further discussion. Scott turned back toward the Castle. Apo kept to his left side, with Shelby and Owen following close behind.

A gentle breeze made his cloak billow behind him, and ash drifted in the wind as the sun began to set in the distance.