(Sorry I totally forgot to reply to comments last chapter. Been sick and kind of out of it recently lol)

Something wasn't right.

Marquise was just conscious enough to sense the strange changes going on within his body. It was like the flame that had always been burning within him had suddenly turned into a roaring fire.

The thing that had provoked it into such a state, even when he was on the brink of death was expected, though.

Ice. Frigid, heart-stopping waves of it. It crawled through his veins and bones alike, freezing its way through his body with one target in mind. The warmth that kept his heart beating.

The fight between fire and ice felt like it dragged on forever, with neither side giving way to the other. His entire body shivered from the cold that suffused ninety-nine percent of it, but that last single holdout, his aching, feverish heart, refused to be extinguished.

Gasping abruptly, Marquise's eye opened painfully wide as he began to pant in order to find the oxygen his body was now starved of. Before he even understood what was going on, a wrist was pressed into his gaping mouth.

Without a single ounce of hesitation, he bit down on that wrist, then chewed the skin feverishly until he was able to taste blood.

"It's okay, take as much as you need," a familiar voice said as Marquise began to swallow partial mouthfuls, having no patience to wait for the slowly flowing blood to accumulate.

His stomach growled loudly as he swallowed for the fifth time, then hesitated. He was no longer thirsty.

Hungry...

"Don't worry, young one, your stomach doesn't understand that it no longer needs food. It will hurt for a while, then calm itself," an unfamiliar voice said as Marquise felt the faintest pressure against his upper chest.

"The heart, however, I am confused about. It is not unheard of for it to still beat slowly within a vampire's chest, especially to aid in circulation when they are low on blood, but you have already completed the ritual two days ago, yet it still pumps as if you have overexerted yourself greatly," the voice continued.

"Is everything okay besides that, elder Kova?" Taru asked, his voice hopeful but nervous.

The other man sighed quietly as his thumb moved against Marquise's skin slightly.

"I want to say that it is, but you know how much of a risk it is to change someone, let alone a person in such terrible shape," the elder replied calmly.

Even Marquise understood that changing someone into a vampire wasn't just a bit of biting and drinking. Their body had to be compatible and in good enough shape to handle the abrupt change. His was definitely not in good shape, and whether or not his body was compatible was completely up to the werewolf still sealed inside of him.

Wait a second...

Blinking his tired eye a few times, Marquise turned his now-bandaged head to the left, then slowly to the right, trying to remove the wrist that was still settled between his teeth.

"Should I really let him stop already? He couldn't have gotten much yet," Taru said as he kept his wrist firmly but gently between Marquis's lips.

The other man seemed to think through Taru's question for a moment before evidently making a gesture that Marquise couldn't see. Either way, whatever he did had Taru removing his wrist from his mouth, allowing him to close his aching jaw and lick the remaining blood from his lips.

"Marquise? How are you feeling?" Taru asked as he leaned closer and reached up, feeling his forehead, then cheek.

"He's still a little warm," he said as he looked over at the man on Marquise's left side.

Now that he wasn't distracted by blood, Marquise looked toward the new person curiously.

Ah, another elder?

The man was dressed sharply but was in no way overbearing. As soon as their eyes met he offered him a small smile and nod.

Oh, right. Taru asked me a question.

Licking his lips once more, Marquise tried to form words, but just ended up in a coughing fit that had to be calmed by more cold blood.

"I think it's time to give him some human blood. You've already been feeding him for two days. Maybe he needs some blood from a live person earlier than others would," the elder vampire said as he stood up from the stool he'd been sitting on.

Taru fidgeted where he remained on the bed beside Marquise, but didn't seem happy with the other man's decision.

"Where is your master, by the way? Is he not involved with this process? I would think that he'd be overjoyed that you have finally decided to take an heir," Kova said, making Taru even more apprehensive.

Of course, the other man easily caught his nervousness, but the exact reason for it likely still eluded him.

"Young one, what is wrong? You have read the scriptures many times and have helped many others work their way through changing their heirs... why are you unsettled about your own?" the man said as he watched the other vampire closer.

I might as well scream that I'm a werewolf and the change is evidently not working all that great for me, but my voice is also not working for me... at all.

"I don't know, lord Kova. He's just, its not... I know that it is not likely to help, and can even cause newborns to vomit the blood they have received, but might it be okay to try and feed him some soup or honey water, too?" he asked, making Marquise blink in surprise.

You're skirting around the issue, and his questions, quite well for someone who looks about ready to faint from worry.

Of course, the other vampire could easily sense that there was more to the story, and he had no doubt that he could smell the rot beneath his fresh bandages, but to both their surprise, he simply met Taru's eyes for a few moments, then gave another quiet sigh before looking away.

"I do not recommend it, but he is yours. You may do as you wish."

While the man's words were pleasant enough to the ears, there was a hint of disappointment to them that clearly made Taru upset. The younger vampire managed to hide his disappoint quickly, though, and after giving Marquise a gentle pat to the head and reassuring him that he would be back soon, hurried off the bed and followed the elder out the door.

Having been left alone, Marquise took stock of his body and tried to move his limbs a little.

I'm actually getting a better response now, but I'm still oddly hot and cold.

He tried to push himself up higher on the stack of pillows and actually managed it reasonably well. Curiosity had him lifting his right arm so that he could look at his hand, but of course, it was bandaged up tightly. To his surprise, however, the rot that he would normally see crawling up his wrist had faded a bit.

Lost in thought, he ended up staring at those faint purple and black marks until he heard the two vampires return.

"It's amazing, right?" Taru said as he hurried over and set two bowls down on the nightstand beside him, then reached up and gently held Marquise's damaged hand.

"It's never going to be perfect, but I think that you might be able to use it again one day," he said with so much excitement that Marquise couldn't help but give him a tired smile.

That one little smile made the man's eyes light up as he looked back at the elder vampire, who had stopped a few feet away and clasped his hands calmly behind his back.

Upon receiving Taru's consideration, the man immediately returned his beaming smile with a gentle, small one of his own, then nodded toward the bowls of food he'd brought.

The smell from them alone had Marquise's stomach growling loudly again as his head, then eye, turned toward them.

"I brought two different things that the kitchen had already prepared for the servant's lunches today. If you don't like either, I can have them make anything you want," he said as he picked up the first bowl and brought it closer, then lowered it so that Marquise could see what was inside.

"We got lucky and it was actually chicken soup, but it also has some garlic dumplings in it. I asked them to shred the chicken into tiny bits and they actually did a great job, so I think you might be okay to eat it," he said, making Marquise lick his lips in anticipation.

At that moment, however, he caught the other man's stare and swallowed.

He's already suspicious, likely because of all my faint scars, the odd rot smell, and me being so hungry for real food, but he doesn't seem willing to bother Taru about it.

"Would you like some, hun?" Taru asked, drawing his attention back to the man as a spoon half-full of soup was brought close to his lips.

Marquise looked up at his sire and melted a little as he stared into those warm, hopeful eyes. He'd never really thought much about vampires. Yes, he'd worked with them sometimes, and he had respected several that he used to know, but he wasn't much for intentionally interacting with them...

And yet now you have your own little bloody sire.

Internally laughing at his strange predicament, Marquise carefully leaned forward an inch or so and opened his mouth. Taru didn't wait another second before carefully slipping the little bit of food into his mouth.

This tastes fantastic.

It might have just been his empty, gnawing stomach, but that little bite of soup had tasted like the best thing he'd even eaten.

"Here, let me get you some more. I'll feed you as much as you want," he said as he brought the entire bowl closer and dipped the spoon back into the hot mixture.

Marquise didn't hesitate to inhale that spoonful, then the next and the next. When the spoon didn't return some time later, he frowned and looked up at Taru's grinning face.

Ah, I ate it all already?

He was still really hungry, though...

"Don't worry, I've got something else you might like, too," Taru said happily as he grabbed the other bowl and moved it closer, then dipped the spoon into it before lifting the food toward Marquise's mouth.

The spoon paused right before it touched his lips so that he could see and smell it again, but it didn't take him long before he eagerly opened his mouth and leaned the slightest bit forward to take the morsel.

The stewed beef was extremely tender but flavorful. He barely even had to chew it since it had been shredded and cooked so well. It practically fell apart on his tongue.

Absolutely delicious.

"Taru, where has your master gone? Why is he not here guiding you?" Kova asked again, his voice still gentle, though it held a small bit of sternness now, too.

He wants answers.

Granted, Marquise had no idea what standing this elder had compared to Vrasje, but considering that he was in the other elder's home without him being present, he must have some sort of good relationship with Vrasje and his heir.

"He is out on business at the moment, but he will be back shortly," Taru finally answered as he gave Marquise another spoonful of shredded beef.

Kova slowly nodded, then tilted his head slightly.

"Also... did you and lord Vrasje purchase a dog recently?"

Uh oh... he's tired of playing coy, I guess.

Thankfully, Taru didn't play along. They both knew that it would be pointless. Only certain things rotted a body in such a way.

Instead, he set the mostly-empty bowl of beef aside and reached over to pet Marquise's head gently. Full and finally content, Marquise didn't bother fighting the urge to nuzzle into that gentle hand as he closed his eye.

"We did not," Taru finally said calmly.

There was silence for a long moment before Kova spoke again.

"Lord Vrasje knows that you have brought a wolf into his home... and somehow managed to at least partially change it into a vampire?" he asked, his words still deceptively calm.

Taru's hand slowed in his hair, then tightened a little bit, making Marquise feel a strange sensation in his chest as frustration pulsed through his system.

"My master is aware of the situation," Taru replied as he blinked several times, trying to keep his emotions under control as he stared down at Marquise, refusing to look at the elder speaking to him just a few feet away.

I don't like it.

Marquise felt his heart slowly pick up its tempo the more stressed his master became. Before Kova could decide on his response, Marquise was forcing his skeletal body to move.

The blanket that had been covering his lower torso slid to his lap as he pushed himself into a strained sitting position, then did something he never thought he'd do to an elder vampire, let alone for another vampire. He bared his fangs.

While said fangs were no longer the size or length of a wolf's, they were sharp and extending to pinpoints, ready to bite the person making his new master upset.

Kova seemed to think that his little display of aggression was hilarious, because he brought a hand up to his mouth and turned his face away as he gave a mute chuckle. While he was technically laughing, the temperature in the room dropped dramatically with each passing second until he returned his attention back to them with an amused expression on his handsome face.

It was clear that he wanted to say quite a few things to them, and more specifically, him, but for some reason, he bit his tongue on all of it and swallowed his words.

What is with this guy?

Marquise was just about to fall over trying to continue posturing, so when he suddenly felt Taru's arms wrap around him and gently lift him from the bed, he fumbled a little, then wrapped his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist before turning his head back around to stare at Kova.

The man seemed less than impressed as Taru quickly found a small blanket to wrap around Marquise's middle so that he wasn't flashing a certain elder vampire, then headed toward the door, intentionally giving the other man a wide berth.

The frigid chill followed them a decent distance before they heard Kova speak again, raising his voice just enough to be heard without yelling.

"Lord Taru, what on Earth are you doing with him now?" he asked, his voice showing just the tiniest hint of exasperation, though it was probably unintentional.

Taru gave a quiet sigh, then partially turned so that they could both look at the elder vampire several yards away who had silently followed them out into the hall.

"I am taking my heir to bathe. Do you have an issue with that, too, elder Kova?" he asked, his own frustration finally taking over his previously-nervous words.

Before the other man could even respond from the sudden backbone his master had shown, Taru turned back around and began walking.

Marquise quickly turned his head so that he could continue to watch the other man over Taru's shoulder, and for good reason. The elder vampire was scowling as he rubbed his hand down his face, then narrowed his eyes on him.

He honestly thought that the man might somehow try for him, even while in his master's arms, but instead, he managed to swallow another round of frustrated words and, instead, hurried after them. His footsteps were surprisingly-audible, considering most vampires could easily silence theirs if they so chose.

He wants Taru to know that he's coming with us... but why? Perhaps he's trying not to be rude... even though his behavior already was.

"Young lord, you aren't thinking of cleaning him yourself, are you?" he asked as he slowed down about a yard away, then matched their pace. He didn't seem to want to crowd them.

Wait a minute...

Kova turned his head away from his prying eye as Taru responded, but didn't even bother sending the man a glance over his shoulder.

"Of course I am. He's my heir and he needs my help. Why, do you want to do it, elder Kova?"

I... please don't get me killed. I know that I was trying to die quite a bit before, but this guy doesn't look like he'd be nice about it. I think he's the torture type. You do have quite a few servants, too. How about one of them?

He silently examined the man's expression as he somehow considered Taru's words seriously while following them down the stairs.

Wait a second... is he actually going to help? Do I get a say in this?!

He narrowed his eye and felt his heartbeat begin to thump faster as his fangs itched to extend again, but then it stumbled in his chest and his mouth nearly fell open when he saw something he definitely should have been able to put together sooner.

You! You swallowed all of those words and kept yourself calm about me being a wolf because you think you have a chance with my master!

Settling down as close to Taru as he could get, Marquise growled quietly and glared at the other vampire with his single narrowed eye, not happy in the least that the man was blushing slightly while ignoring him and now staring straight at his master's back.

He didn't have to think too much to understand what that blush was for, either... the guy was probably eager to see Taru without his shirt on!

Don't even think about it. You're not getting him, you rude, deceitful leech!