Pete slowly cracked his eyes open, his vision blurry and clouded, nothing immediately coming into focus as he shook his head minutely, as if the action would shake away the last dregs of sleep that were trying to drag him back down into unconsciousness.

Pete wanted to get up, he really did, but he just felt so fucking drained, every muscle in his body ached, his head throbbed, his mouth was dry and cotton filled, so maybe a few more hours of sleep would actually do him some good.

But just then, Pete glanced at the clock that had been hanging on his wall, only to realize that it wasn't there anymore, which was odd, because unless he was becoming a sleepwalker that rearranged random items, it should have been in its usual place, and the desire to find out the fate of his timepiece had Pete standing up with a quiet grunt, his temples spiking with pain at the sudden movement.

"Fuck..." Pete groaned under his breath, his palms pressing against the source of his agony in the hopes of somehow eradicating it.

After a few minute, Pete felt up for walking - he hoped, but either way, he needed to get to the kitchen for some water before his tongue eroded away in his mouth completely, his missing clock all but forgotten about next to his body's numerous demands for sustenance, and maybe some painkillers as well.

But of course, there was another surprise waiting for Pete in his kitchen in the form of his windows, or lack thereof; the panes were gone, shattered maybe, but if that had been the case, where was the excess glass that would have followed such a violent event?

Pete had no idea what had happened to make his home look like a war zone, and every time he tried to ponder what the fuck had gone on here, he came up blank, an imposing wall blocking his memories of everything that had occurred after he parted ways with Brendon and Ryan yesterday morning, or maybe longer now, Pete wasn't really sure anymore.

The logical side of Pete knew that he should be more worried about this, that he should be panicking, maybe even having a meltdown over the fact that everything containing glass in his house was missing or damaged, further evidence showing itself in his dishes, the only ones still left out on the counter were plastic of course, but honestly - Pete was too exhausted to give a fuck, and he sort of just wanted to curl up in bed again as soon as he got a drink.

But as Pete gulped down some cool water he had retrieved from the sink, his mind began to come alive once again, and even though he was still left in the dark over what exactly had transpired, a part of him knew the root of it, the buried, undiscovered corner of Pete that he wasn't ready to admit existed, even to himself, was waking up.

And although Pete's first instinct was to go seek out Brendon, because Brendon was smart, and Brendon would know what had occurred here, or at the very least, he would help Pete figure it out, when Pete slipped on his shoes and headed out his front door, his feet seemed to grow a mind of their own, his toes pointing away from his best friend's house in favor of a rarely traveled direction instead.

Pete was screaming at himself to turn around, the silent voice in his head shouting for his body to stop, to go somewhere else, anywhere else, but Pete wasn't in control of himself anymore - not really, and he had no choice but to allow his instincts to lead him onward, until finally, he came to a halt in front of an ordinary looking house that was anything but.

"Hey Pete...you okay?" a voice called out, startling Pete so much he jumped slightly in surprise.

"Oh...hey Jepha, I didn't see you there." Pete tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace instead as he greeted the older vampire.

"What are you doing up so early?" Jepha asked, his eyes studying Pete with an intensity that had Pete shifting back and forth uncomfortably.

"Early? Uh - I don't, I...can I see her?" Pete stammered out, the words escaping his mouth without his consent, because he didn't want to see her - not when she was like this, not now, maybe not ever again, but at the same time, it was almost as if he had to.

"Of course Pete, she is your mother. Do you want me to come with you...or maybe you should go get Brendon?" Jepha asked, because he of all people knew how volatile Pete's mother could be. Bert had charged him with keeping her safely contained and away from the rest of the coven, and he had seen Pete's mother at her worst, not that her best was all that good either.

"No...I need to do this alone."

"Okay...just yell if you need me." Jepha clapped Pete gently on the back, almost knocking the smaller vampire down with the unexpected gesture, but Pete simply laughed it off, avoiding Jepha's gaze as he darted inside quickly.

Pete's eyes squinted automatically as he attempted to adjust to the heavy gloom that always hung over the interior of his mother's abode, the dark drapes which obscured every surface only heightening the oppressive atmosphere, causing Pete to idly wonder if his mother was aware that they no longer lived above ground, rendering her attempts to keep out the sunlight useless, or if she simply enjoyed having her walls cocooned in the dense fabric.

A smattering of baubles and trinkets were tossed around almost haphazardly, but Pete knew from experience that if he were to touch - or even worse, move one of the objects, his mother would be furious, so he did his best to avoid knocking into anything as he forced his unwilling body to take a step further inside.

"Hello sweetie," a familiar, velvety voice greeted Pete as soon as the wooden door was closed behind him, releasing a shiver of distaste to crawl its way across Pete's skin.

"Hey Mom," Pete sighed out, keeping his eyes firmly glued to the floor as he spoke so he wouldn't have to look at his mother's figure, at the aged flesh and frail bones that no healthy vampire should be sporting.

"I've missed you - it seems like it has been ages since you last visited me."

"I know...I'm sorry, I've just been busy," Pete sighed softly, knowing that his mother wouldn't be fooled by his lie, but much to his surprise, she didn't pursue the matter any further.

"But not today, no - something has changed with you, something is different...what's wrong my son?"

"I - uh," Pete stuttered awkwardly, because really - he didn't know where to start; he wasn't even sure what exactly had happened, or why he was here seeking his insane mother's advice, but he was, so he had to try and explain somehow. "I was sleeping, and when I woke up, everything glass in my house was ruined, and I don't know why...and I feel weird, sick - or exhausted, something like that, and I - I'm scared," Pete ended on a whimper, flinching slightly when his mother's spindly hand came to rest on his shaking shoulder, finally drawing his gaze upward so he could get a good glimpse of the woman he did his best to avoid at all costs.

She didn't look any different from the last time he had seen her - in fact, this must be one of her better days, because her wiry hair had actually been styled, the long tresses pulled into a sloppy bun which she had adorned with a jeweled barrette. The wrinkles pulling at her face still made Pete cringe internally - they were just so unnatural, but besides that, she seemed more alive than usual, and the slack jawed expression that graced her features more often than not had been eradicated, leaving a look of exuberance in its place instead.

"Oh my child, I knew this day would come, you carry my blood after all, and it was only a matter of time before you powers began to show themselves."

"Powers - what powers? No - I mean...I'm not like you, I can't do anything special, I don't want that," Pete cried as he edged away from his mother quickly, trying to physically escape his mother's words, even though it was already too late for that, the meaning behind them had sunk into his brain, bringing Pete's worst fears into the light no matter how hard he tried to drag them back down into the depths of his mind where they had lain dormant for so long.

"Shh, don't fret, it will be all right. I will help you, but first, I need to understand what caused this. Have you been through a traumatic event lately, have you been afraid for your life, or maybe the opposite, has something wonderful occurred?" his mother pried, her dull eyes gleaming with excitement as she stepped closer to Pete, and even though Pete wanted to deny her theory, because he couldn't have powers, he just couldn't, the usual air of madness that followed his mother around like a low hanging cloud seemed absent for the time being, so Pete found himself listening intently despite himself.

"No...I don't think so - I mean, I did find my mate, sort of, but -"

"Oh Pete, why didn't you say something sooner? Who is it, do I know them? You have to let me meet them soon, oh god - I'm so happy for you," Pete's mother exclaimed, a cheshire grin stretching across her face as she smothered Pete in an unexpected embrace.

"No mom, you don't understand...it's not like that okay, he already has a mate, so he won't want me," Pete choked out, his eyes welling up as a blurry image of Mikey's face rose to the forefront of his mind, Ray's stern figure lurking in the background, his countenance mocking, even in Pete's head, his eyes dancing with delight as if he was enjoying Pete's pain caused by his inability to have what he shared with Mikey.

"No - that can't be right, my son has found love, that is something I have always desired for you." Pete's mother began wringing her hands together desperately, releasing Pete from the surprisingly strong grip she had encased his body in, much to his relief. "Don't worry, we can fix this - no, you can fix it...yes, you have power now, the power to change the world, I can feel it, and your mate will know it too, he just has to be given the opportunity to see it."

Pete silently cursed himself for mention Mikey to his mother, because he was well aware that she was obsessed with the idea of him finding his mate, she had never discovered her other half, and she had mentioned numerous times that her loss could not be repeated in her son, but it had just slipped out, and now Pete was left to deal with the consequences of his waggling tongue.

"Stop saying that - I don't have powers, I don't...okay...please tell me I don't?" Pete pleaded, tears filling his eyes as he tried his best to believe his own statement, but it made sense, it explained the oddities he had found upon awaking this morning, but that didn't make Pete feel any better - actually, it just made everything one thousand times worse.

"You do love, I can sense them here with us, and I will guide you through this, you just have to trust me."

"But you - you see the future, or you did, and I can't - I just broke things, that means we are different right, and maybe I won't..." Pete trailed off when his mother scoffed harshly, his unfinished sentence hanging heavily in the musky air.

And despite his argument, Pete knew he was grasping at straws here, and even though his mother was wrong about many things, this wasn't one of them. Constantly denying the truth wasn't going to help Pete in the long run, even though he feared that if he accepted the fact that he did indeed have powers, that would automatically seal Pete's fate, his future standing in front of him in the form of his broken mother.

Pete had been dreading this moment ever since his mother's sanity had shattered, and even though he knew it had been a possibility, and he was aware that these strange abilities were inherited genetically, he had hoped, he had fucking prayed that he would be spared, but apparently that wasn't the case, and now that Pete's darkest nightmare was occurring right before his very eyes, he found himself clinging to the one person that had previously repulsed him.

"I am not insane Pete, no matter what they say, I just...I'm tired, but you are right, you aren't like me, but that doesn't mean I can't share my knowledge with you, and I'll do better than that. I can show you how to use your newfound abilities to win over your mate...if you let me that is."

Pete knew he should have said no, that he should have left then, because no matter what his mother said, she wasn't right in the head - she was ill, so Pete would be a fool to trust her, but his desperate longing for comfort had Pete's feet rooted to the ground, his intense desire to be able to call Mikey his own causing his lips to move before Pete even realized what he was doing.

"I want your help."

"I knew you would," Pete's mother smiled a sickly parody of a grin that showcased her off-white teeth, the expression causing a pool of dread to form in Pete's stomach, but despite the uncomfortable sensation, he found himself sitting down in a nearby chair, waiting patiently for his mother to join him instead of fleeing back to his home like he should have done in the first place. It was too late for that now though, Pete was firmly ensnared in a web of his mother's making, only the thought of Mikey keeping him from struggling to escape the dangerous trap he had willingly walked into.

~~~

"I love you," Mikey stated randomly as he leaned into Ray's side affectionately, his eyes fluttering shut as Ray wrapped his arms around Mikey lazily.

"I love you too," Ray mumbled sleepily, his lips pressing against the side of Mikey's head as he tugged the both of them downward onto the bed, releasing a chuckle from Mikey's chest when he hit the mattress with a gentle thump.

"Can you believe this is happening?" Mikey asked once he had gotten himself into a more comfortable position, his thin limbs sprawled out across the soft sheets - actual sheets, not the threadbare fabric they were sometimes lucky enough to find in the abandoned homes they squatted in.

"Not really, I'm still half convinced this is just an amazing dream I am going to wake up from any minute now," Ray chuckled quietly.

"I know what you mean, look at us - we are in a coven, Gerard is safe, he can get help now, and we have a home, a real place we can call our own, fuck - this is everything we have ever wanted."

"It is, I never thought we would make it this far if I'm being honest," Ray admitted, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke, and Mikey shared his sentiments, because despite his optimistic attitude, Mikey was a realist, and he had assumed they would perish in one way or another before they ever discovered a gathering of vampires that would actually accept them into their fold, but against all odds, they had survived.

"But we did, fuck - we did it." Mikey paused for a moment, mentally debating how Ray would react to what he was about to propose, but in the end, he decided to take the plunge, because the words he so desperately wanted to speak were burning at his throat, and only their release would alleviate the tightening sensation in his chest. "Ray...I want to mate with you - properly. We always said we would take that step when we were safe, and now we are, so I want to be connected to you in every way possible...please, I -"

"Yes," Ray cut Mikey off in the middle of his rambling, sitting up suddenly so he could look Mikey directly in the eye. "I want that too, we can ask Bert in the morning what sort of ceremonies they do now, we can probably have it all arranged by the end of the week I imagine if it is still similar to how they did it in my old coven, and -"

"I don't want to wait for that," Mikey interjected, his arms coming up to wrap around Ray's waist enticingly. "I mean - we can still have an official binding, but I want you now, I want to feel your emotions, to taste your blood...please?"

"Yeah, okay - fuck - I love you," Ray mumbled as Mikey tugged him downward for a needy kiss, their legs tangling together as Mikey poured all of his desperation into the pressure of his lips against his mate's.

"Are you sure?" Ray asked when Mikey pulled away from Ray's mouth, relocating to his neck before sucking down harshly on the unmarked skin that wouldn't stay that way for long.

"So sure..." Mikey murmured feverishly, his pupils dilating as he grazed his teeth against the pale column of Ray's throat, waiting for his approval before he drank his mate's blood, consequentially sealing them together for all eternity.

"Then do it," Ray begged, his head tilting to the side to give Mikey better access, and that was all the encouragement Mikey needed to sink his sharp canines into the delicate tissue separating him from the crimson liquid he so craved, the skin parting easily to allow a heady burst of flavor to flow over Mikey's tongue, and fuck - Ray tasted amazing, like lemon, and fresh air, and something else that Mikey could only associate with Ray, the essence had no name, but it was synonymous with his mate.

But the flavor of Ray's blood quickly became inconsequential next to the rush of sensations that suddenly sprung to life inside of Mikey's mind, the bond between mates finally being formed with this exchange of fluids, allowing Mikey to now physically feel Ray in a way that hadn't been possible before, and the overwhelming love that was thrumming throughout Ray's body actually brought Mikey to tears with its intensity.

"Oh my god..." Mikey whimpered as he pulled away, his hand swiping against his eyes quickly in an attempt to hide his embarrassing reaction, because Mikey never cried, or at least, he didn't let people see him cry, but Ray noticed - of course he did, but instead of commenting on it, he simply encircled Mikey in a comforting embrace, allowing his mate to sniffle softly against his bare chest without a single word being spoken by either of them.

"What is it like?" Ray asked after a long moment of silence had passed, his hand threading its way through Mikey's hair in a soothing manner that always managed to calm Mikey immensely.

"Amazing...just, fuck - I can't explain it, you have to experience it for yourself," Mikey chuckled hoarsely, exposing his own neck in invitation to his mate.

"Are you ready?" Ray asked nervously, his fingers shaking against Mikey's scalp as he lowered his mouth down slowly.

"I've been waiting for this since the day I met you," Mikey answered truthfully, using his palm to press Ray's lips into the crook of his shoulder gently.

And when Ray bit down softly, Mikey actually screamed out in pleasure, because not only did Ray's bite feel incredible, but he was also exposed to Ray's emotions as his own bond came into being, and he was there with Ray as the joyous event occurred, he shared his surprise, his awe, his adoration, everything.

Ray pulled away slowly, a look of wonder passing over his face as his gaze locked with Mikey's, and that simply moment meant so much more now that they shared each other's thoughts and feelings, the intensity of it actually caused Mikey's heart to stutter in his chest as Ray rubbed a thumb over Mikey's cheek, the minute pressure inflicting Mikey with a barrage of butterflies that had never gone away, but now they had multiplied, they were literally thrumming under Mikey's skin, threatening to tear him apart with their jubilant movements.

And as Ray kissed Mikey again, allowing the intermingled flavor of both of their blood to imbue Mikey's taste buds, Mikey surrendered to the bundle of nerves in his head, letting them take precedence over everything else, his love for Ray swelling with each passing moment, their newly formed bond melding their lives together in an unbreakable pact that only death could destroy.

~~~

Gerard awoke suddenly, his heart beating erratically as he tried to separate the waking world from the unconscious one, sweat dampening his hair as he pushed it out of his face irritably, the images in his head fading away slowly as his gaze darted around rapidly, the realization of where he was calming the frantic sense of panic that always followed after he opened his eyes, the fact that he didn't have to worry about the sun, or hunters, or moving on before anyone discovered his location finally sinking in when he recognized the homey room he had been introduced to just last night.

Gerard chuckled softly under his breath, because despite the terrible pictures still flickering across his mind, his efforts at erasing them failing miserably, just like always, being in a coven, with his brother and best friend in the next room was a blessing, albeit one that Gerard would have to get used to.

And not only that, but it lessened the choking sensation that always followed one of Gerard's nightmares, the security brought on by having a safe haven instantly ceasing the tremors in Gerard's limbs, and even though he didn't think he would be able to fall back asleep any time soon, Gerard found himself reclining against the soft pillows once again, his eyes fluttering shut as he attempted to understand his most recent vision.

For once, the dream that had stolen Gerard's peaceful slumber from him wasn't the same sequence of events that had haunted him for years - no, this evening had held a different nightmare, but it was still just as jarring, even though Gerard felt no urge to empty his stomach contents, which was a pleasant relief, although his head was throbbing, but that might be an unrelated symptom.

Still, his heart ached, because the images his mind had produced had injected him with a jolt of reality, one that he had been ignorant of, his joy over discovering that he and Frank could potentially be together if everything went according to plan obscuring everything else, but Gerard had forgotten some very important elements along the way - Mikey and Ray.

Gerard had been with Frank in the dream, and Frank knew who he was - what he was, but he didn't care, he still loved Gerard, and he wanted nothing more than to run away with him, somewhere that no one could ever hurt them. They had been intending to search out William and the other vampires who shared the same bond that Gerard and Frank had once Gerard had shown him the book that had provided him with so many answers.

But Gerard had been torn in two, because even though Frank owned the majority of Gerard's heart, Mikey and Ray claimed a piece of it as well, and they hadn't understood his and Frank's love, they hadn't supported it, and worst of all, they made Gerard choose between them or Frank, and Gerard couldn't - it was too hard, he needed all of them in his life, he would be a shell of a person otherwise.

Gerard hadn't been able to make a decision, and while he was inactive, his body paralyzed by his thoughts, a strange vampire had taken Frank from under Gerard's nose, he had strung him up on a post in the center of the coven and burned him to death, making Gerard watch Frank scream in agony before repeating the process on him, using them as an example of what would happen to anyone that mated with a human, regardless of the fact that the process was involuntary, and Gerard had no control over who he had fallen in love with, but even if he did, he would still want Frank, he would still die for Frank, but he couldn't bear watching Frank suffer, especially not when it was his fault.

And fuck - even though it had just been a dream, Gerard found himself crying, silent tears making tracks down his sunken cheeks as he huddled inward on himself, because this vision very well could be the future if he wasn't careful, and even though Brendon had easily accepted his and Frank's relationship, Gerard had been too caught up in the flurry of finding a coven to pull Mikey and Ray aside and ask what their views on it were, or if they even knew; Brendon had probably told them, but he had made sure not to mention it while they were within earshot, so maybe they were still in the dark over the entire situation.

Gerard had to tell them, there was no way he could keep something this important obscured from them for long, but he was terrified of their reaction; Mikey and Ray hated humans - fuck, Gerard had too until he had met Frank, and even though they would most likely learn to live with the fact that Gerard had mated with a human, that didn't mean they would be happy about it, hell - they might not accept it at all if it risked their place in the coven.

And even if they kept his secret, even if Gerard protected Frank, even if they successfully found a place where no one would judge them, it was a very real possibility that he might lose his brother and his best friend in the process, and Gerard honestly didn't know if that was something that he could live with, but he would be forced to find out eventually.

That thought had Gerard's tears intensifying, his eyes burning as he whimpered softly under his breath, wishing that Mikey was here to comfort him, but even his brother's presence wouldn't make Gerard's predicament any easier, not with this, and for once, Mikey didn't seem to sense Gerard's distress, so he was left alone with nothing but his sorrow and his ever present longing for Frank as company.

So it's been forever once again, my bad.

Hopefully you guys are still reading this, and if you are, thank you so much for putting up with my crappy updating schedule. That should be a thing of the past now, so your patience is much appreciated.

I didn't really edit this chapter, so if you see any errors, please point them out. Also, I haven't written on this story in so long, it might have a few plot holes, so if you notice any of those, let me know so I can fix them.

Okay, I'm shutting up now.

Maybe leave me a comment or a vote if you liked this ^_^

Chapter dedicated to spookywentz

<3 starr