Sean moved closer to put a hand on Mark's arm, trying to comfort him. Mark placed a hand on his hand but turned his head to avoid looking at him. Standing behind one of the chairs now, Mira rested are crossed arms over the back and told them coolly. "Don't look so grim. You can still use heal potions to keep your health up. You just... have to be careful. Or... you accept it." Sean dropped his hand from Mark to snap back. "Accept it? He'll hurt players!" Mira stared at him blankly, before turning her eyes to Mark and casually informing him. "Be thankful that you look as you do and will remain so permanently. My son didn't have a chose in his appearance." Sean winced, staying quiet as she continued lightly. "Vampirism isn't a curse. Unless you choose to think of it like that. Yes. You'll need to feed, but don't we all feed on something? Is a liquid diet really that bad?" Mark locked eyes with her, uttering out with peaked interest. "I'm listening."

Mira leaned more on the chair, before answering simply. "Your first feeding is always... difficult. Even normal babies suckle hard and greedily at their mothers the first time. They don't know how much their bodies need to feel full. So, they eat till they get sleepy. It will be the same for you." Mark straightened up to his full height, allowing Mira to add with a shrug. "Baby snakes are far more dangerous than their venomous parents because they inject all their venom on the first victim. While adults learned to kill with very little venom injection in order to save some for defense. Do you understand?" Mark nodded, then asked curiously. "You're saying if I stay this way. I'll be able to live normally?" Mira nodded, telling him warmly. "You don't HAVE to kill your prey. The vampire bat merely licks a few drops from its victim and leaves content. The victim is none the wiser to the interaction, because it learned to do it quick and painlessly. You could learn to do the same." Sean hugged himself as he slipped in cautiously. "But he'll become a Draugr. Sunlight will-"

Raising a hand, she told him seriously. "Sunlight doesn't kill Draugr. It merely keeps them from regenerating health and saps all their powers. Only if he is killed by silver, feeds on a being of divine light, or takes damage from some holy weapon or magic will he turn to ash. Otherwise... they are VERY hard to kill. Trust me." Flashing Sean a smug grin, she added a little devilishly. "You should know. How is Archie by the way? Did he taste something that didn't agree with him?" Sean paled, then blurted out nervously. "How did you know about that?" Mira kept her devilish grin, prompting Mark to state out flatly. "Did you send him to our room?" Mira's eyes slowly drifted to lock with Mark's, before she answered without flinching. "Yes. He was becoming a problem, and I couldn't deal with him without painting a target on my back. So... I made him your problem." Her eyes darted back to Sean when she added curtly. "You said you wanted to help me. Good job. Only three more to go."

Mark looked at Sean in shock, causing Sean to stammer out. "What? No. Wait. I said that I needed time to think about it! I didn't agree!" Mira shrugged, telling him lightly. "You didn't leave me a choice after Archie saw you leave the breakfast table after me. I had to tell him something... and the opportunity was perfect for me." Taking a step toward her, Sean snapped out quietly. "Mark's condition is YOUR FAULT!" Mark moved closer, only to stop when Mira lifted her hand from the back of the chair to rest a silver short sword on the seat lazily. Staring them down, she simply told them. "Yes. An unfortunate accident. But as I said... you can use this as an opportunity yourself... or be like them and claim it is a curse that excuses you from being a cruel bloodthirsty monster. Your choice. Pick your side." Sean looked between them, while Mark blurted out. "What will you give us if we help you?" Mira's fingers tapped the handle of her sword, telling him coolly. "What do you want? To be vampire? A werewolf? This silver sword? Or perhaps... the Rune Eyes that he offered you but can't deliver to you."

Sean exhaled heavily, telling Mark softly. "We've already killed Archie..." Mark kept his eyes on her, retorting to him coolly. "True. But we can always expose her." Mira lifted her chin, calmly replying. "After I helped you understand what you are?" Neither of them said anything, prompting her to ask seriously. "Answer me. Are you on my side or not? Because if you're not... You'll have to kill me." Picking up the sword, she stepped out from around the chair and took a defensive stance. Inhaling deeply, Sean stepped out in front of Mark, whispering to him quickly. "Mark, I want to help her." Mark's eyes lowered to meet his with concern, but Sean added curtly. "After our fight, I went to the cemetery. I saw the kids. They are not as aggressive as we thought. They are just kids... Scared kids that don't understand what they are. Please, Mark? Trust me." Mark clenched his jaw briefly before asking in a low tone of voice. "You went to the cemetery... alone?"

Licking his dry lips, Sean turned and told Mira swiftly. "We'll help you. What should we do next?" Mira relaxed, announcing casually. "Well, it won't be long before Archie is discovered missing. And you don't want to face his sister in the dark... So, I suggest taking her out next. Cloey will not go down easily though. And then there is Trisha... The Lord's sister in-law and werewolf... but honestly... I'd leave her after Cloey. Without a full moon, she isn't much of a fight, but she is... a murderer in the daytime." Mark raised an eyebrow, when Sean huffed out. "She killed her husband...?" Mira winked at him, then coolly told him softly. "Yes. And she's been stalking your boy. I do believe she wanted to turn him into a werewolf and... come this full moon, she could." Sean couldn't stop himself from blurting out. "That's not possible. You can only be one or the other. You can't just switch. How would that even-?" Mira cut him off to state casually. "Normally, yes. But on a Lunar Eclipse or a Solar Eclipse, it is possible to switch from one to the other. With the Lunar Eclipse coming... You best be careful."

Crossing his arms, Sean grumbled out. "Sounds like we should take her out first. Not Cloey." Mark smirked, clearly hearing the jealousy in his tone. Mira shook her head though, telling him seriously. "Cloey is more of a threat to you because she has been a vampire a lot longer than HIM. And she will be stronger at night. But it is your choice." Looking at Mark, Sean asked curiously with only a slightly hopeful hint. "Who do you want to go after first? Cloey... or Trisha?" Mark's soft brown eyes met his and Sean blushed a bright pink under his hidden smirk. Shuffling his feet, Sean turned on his heel and mumbled mostly to himself. "Whatever. Let's just go." Slipping out of the room, Sean muttered under his breath. "Staring at me like I'm crazy... When he was the one who lost his shite over a kiss." Behind him the door closed, and Mark calmly told him with amusement. "I don't think you're crazy. I just like seeing you a little jealous for a change. It's... reassuring."

Slowing to a stop, Sean glanced over his shoulder guiltily. He had thought that he'd said it in a tone too low for him to catch... but he'd heard it? Walking up behind him, Mark wrapped his arms around him and whispered close to his ear. "I think Cloey is the one we should focus on. I can't let you have all the fun with hunting vampires... but I'll leave Trisha for you. If it means that much to you." Rolling his eyes, Sean muttered out dryly. "Oh, fuck yourself." Sean flinched, his arms breaking out in goosebumps when Mark suddenly licked his neck up to his earlobe. Then pressing his lips close to his ear, Mark purred into his ear. "Fuck me yourself. Take your jealousy out on me." Sean's breath turned jagged, when he strained out. "Not now, Mark... Focus." Mark dropped his arms from him but whispered into his ear teasingly. "I am focused. I'm focused on keeping you safe." Stepping around him, Mark started down the hallway and Sean exhaled all the air in his lungs. It was hard to argue with that.

Heading through the halls, Mark finally asked him. "Where do you think she naps? The basement?" Sean chuckled, shrugging as he answered. "I don't know. Probably. Wanna go check?" Mark glanced over his shoulder to smirk at him, but Sean stopped short upon noticing that Mark's fangs were more prominent now. The points barely hidden under his lip. Mark's smile faded as he stopped and asked with concern. "Everything ok?" Sean nodded, trying to stay calm as he picked up his pace to pass Mark. Mark's hand shot out to block his way, while his other hand moved to his mouth. His thumb brushed across his parted lips, feeling out the point just under his lip. Sean froze to watch him closely. When Mark pulled his thumb back, his brown eyes suddenly glinted with red veins as he started at the blooddrop on the tip of his thumb. Mark's tongue flicked over his clean sharp fang, but his eyes never left the little drop of blood. Sean barely recognized his own voice when he called Mark's name.

Mark didn't answer. It was like he was in a trance. When he started to bring his thumb toward his mouth, Sean acted in a panic. Snatching his hand, he cupped it in his hands and called his name. In the second, Mark's eyes flared a bright red and he pulled his hand back in a way that pulled Sean closer before hissing like a riled feline with fangs bared. In that moment, Sean froze like a deer in the headlights of a car. He'd felt fear before, but this was stronger and far more instinctual. For the first time... he felt like prey. Not even Archie had triggered that response from him. Releasing his hand, Sean staggered back a step or two. Mark's eyes faded back to brown, and his expression faded to one that was just as scared as his own. Swallowing, Mark took a step back and mumbled out nervously. "Sorry. I... I... Jack, I didn't mean..." Every part of him told him to run, but instead, Sean moved up to Mark and hugged him. Hugging him tightly, Sean muffled out into his chest. "It's ok. I'm here."

Hugging him back, Mark took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Sean could feel him shaking and refused to let him go. He didn't want to be the person that ran away. He loved Mark. Mark needed him. Scared or not, he was going to be there for him. Even when Mark's face buried itself against his neck, Sean forced himself to ignore it fully understanding the risk. After a minute, Mark pulled from him and told him in a steadier voice. "I'm ok now. It just... startled me. I feel better." Sean squeezed Mark's hands, telling him calmly. "I know. We'll get through... together." Mark nodded, then sniffed the air. Turning slightly to look down the hallway, he told Sean under his breath. "I know where she is." Keeping his hand in his, Mark briskly started walking while Sean asked nervously. "How do you know?" Mark stopped before the closed doors, sniffing the air, before moving on to the next as he answered coolly. "She's feeding. Something vintage. The smell is so strong. Can't you smell it?"

Shaking his head, Sean mumbled out. "No. I can't smell it. Mark, you should be careful. If she is feeding... you might lose yourself to the smell or sight of it. Mark? You listening to me?" Mark stopped in front of the kitchen doors, replying without looking at him. "Yes. I am. But the smell of it almost made me attack you... I thought it was my blood. But it's not..." Releasing Sean's hand, Mark kicked the door, sending the heavy wooden door flying off the hinges. Inside, Cloey jerked her head up from the kitchen counter, yelping out. "Dad! It's not what it... Oh. You...?" Sean covered his mouth at the sight of another man laying across the counter. The man was old enough to be her father and when he sat up, he flashed them a fanged grin. The man was vampiric dark elf and she'd been feeding on him. Blood dripped from her mouth and even more leaked from the punctures on the man's neck. Sean grabbed Mark's arm, cautiously telling him. "Mark, we should go. Right now." The vampiric elf sniffed the air, before cooing out playfully. "A light elf. How... delightful. Please, stay for lunch. I could use a drink."

A deep growl emanated from Mark, causing Sean to anxiously tug on his arm. Mark didn't move. Instead, Mark locked eyes with the dark elf and bitterly told him. "Touch him and I'll be ripping those fangs out of your mouth with my bare hands." To Be Continued...