Creed was trying to be more social. He began going to the hardware store more instead of giving Killian a list. They knew him by name now. He walked in. Jack was at the desk.

"Creed. How are you? Wait until you see the washer and dryer I just got in. It's nice." He smiled.

Jack Herod was an older gentleman, early fifties. He was always looking for something new. The hardware store was his baby.

"Nice. Can't wait to see it. Our dryer is still working for now, since I changed out that heating coil." Creed walked up to the counter. "I need some things for the tub in Lois' room. Damn thing keeps leaking. I think it's a seal or something. I tightened all the joints."

"Hey, did you hear the shit happening in Big Rock?" Jack looked around.

"Sheriff Hornsby was just in here. He heard the call. A man was missing three days ago and they found him in the forest. He was dead. He said it was the damndest thing. There was no blood at the scene. They have no leads either." Jake whispered the last part.

"No blood? What do they think?" He wondered what the police's theories were. His theory was a vampire.

"I heard they were thinking witchcraft or some satanic cult." Jack looked around. "Whatever it was, it's not normal. I mean, no blood? Where did it go? Who could just cart it off in the middle of nowhere? He was out a ways." Jack was worried. He wasn't going for walks. "I mean a wild animal I can understand but this is wrong. Something is off. How much blood is in a human body anyway?" Jack had no idea.

"About one point two gallons give or take." Creed just knew that answer with ease. "Clearly, something is way off." This information worried Creed. He didn't want to have to deal with a vampire.

"Well, let me know if you hear anything else. I'll be back in later this week. I have more problems ahead, Jack." Creed smiled but inside, he was disturbed. Another vampire was close and that information didn't sit well with him.

He never wanted to meet one. Megan was more than enough. He walked home in a fog and almost forgot to take Haven lunch. He walked to his shop and he was talking to a customer about the news. Killian will hear about this too.

Haven took his break to eat and visited with Creed. "I was afraid you wouldn't talk to me." Creed had to say it. He had that fear all the time.

Haven smiled and kissed him. "I would never do that to you. Were you in the shower this morning?" He watched Creed smile. They hadn't taken a separate shower since the night with the blood. True to his word, Haven never asked.

"What do you want for dinner tonight?" Creed was curious.

Haven smiled. "What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking about cooking out on the grill." Creed wanted to make sure it wasn't too cold outside yet.

"Oh! That sounds lovely." Haven sighed. Creed was perfect.

"Well, I wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be too cold for you and Lois." Creed couldn't judge temperature.

"Chilly but we can start a fire outside. It will be nice." Haven couldn't wait to get home. "I may close early tonight. Say four." The days were getting warmer but it was still cold enough to frost at night. Spring was taking its time getting here this year.

"Okay. I will see you at four." Creed kissed Haven and walked to the house. The bus dropped Lois off at the house now and the kids were a little scared of Lois because she lived at The Caster House. She loved being spooky.

Killian was home a little later. Creed had things ready for the grill and the fire. Killian had to talk to his brother in private. "Creed, my office." He stormed in and closed the door.

Creed sighed. "Killian wants a word. Be right back." He was sitting with his man outside. Haven had the fire going already.

"Did you hear?" Killian wasn't sure.

Creed sighed and sat. "I did. Jack told me. There is a vampire loose in Big Rock."

"It wasn't you, right?" Killian watched his brother.

"I am offended! No. I stick to animals. I promise. I would never. Besides, you would have been the first victim, Killian!" He smiled.

"Fair enough." Killian chuckled. "What are we going to do?"

Creed stared. "Nothing! We aren't cops, Killian."

"No, Creed, they don't know what's going on and you do. You have to stop it!" Killian was freaking out. He hated vampires.

"It's not my job. I am not getting involved and that is the end of this conversation." Creed stood up and stormed out.

Killian followed him. "Coward." Haven and Lois were listening to this. Haven watched the men argue. Creed looked angry for the first time.

Creed turned on Killian. "You are calling me a coward!" He glared.

"Yes. You are the only one that knows and the only one that can stop it. So, stop it." Killian glared.

Creed didn't want to see another vampire. "No."

"What if it gets close to our town and kills someone we love? What if it comes for us?" Killian was scared and Creed saw it.

Creed sighed. "I will check into it. Okay? I'm sorry." He saw the fear. He hadn't thought of that. Killian was terrified and probably had nightmares about vampires. "When the sheriff goes, I will tag along. Okay?"

They forgot about Haven and Lois. They were both staring at the brothers. "What is happening?" Haven had to ask.

Creed sighed. Killian smiled. "You should tell them. Things will make more sense and if they can protect themselves, you have less to worry about." Killian watched his brother.

Creed was shaking his head. He couldn't do it.

"Hey, you are not alone, Creed and I doubt that it will change anything. Haven loves you. He knows you're weird so tell him why." Killian watched Haven. "Right? You should know."

Haven nodded. "I would love to know so that things make more sense." There were tons of things that were strange and he had a list. He had tried to put them together but they were all so...nothing made sense.

"Fine. I'm a v..." Creed looked at Haven. He couldn't do it.

Killian could. "He's a vampire." He took a breath. There. It was out there.

Haven started laughing. Lois thought it made sense. She saw him chopping wood. Haven wiped tears from laughing. "Right!" There was no such thing.

Creed looked at the ground and nodded. "Haven. I'm a vampire."

Haven took a breath and wiped his eyes. "What? Vampires aren't real."

Killian laughed. "I thought that once too!"

"They are. The woman, Megan. She tried to kill me but something went wrong and I was turned. She killed our parents and went for Killian. I killed her. I am a vampire." Creed watched his people. They may not be his for long.

Lois clapped. "For real!" She hopped up and hugged Creed. "My dad is a vampire! That is so cool! It explains everything!" She kissed his cheek. He held her and laughed. He was grateful to his little girl.

"Thanks, Lois. I love you. You know that I would never hurt you, right?" Creed promised that a number of times.

"I know." Lois smiled with no doubt on her face.

Haven wasn't going to deal that well. "Vampires are not real." He was sure of that. He was in denial. Haven took Lois from Creed. He was hurt but he promised Haven could go. Creed wouldn't harm him.

"Killian, show him." Creed didn't look forward to this. He wanted to do it in a dramatic way so Haven wouldn't think it was a trick.

Killian went to his office and took one of his mom's crucifixes and walked back outside. He tossed it to Creed who caught it like a dumbass. He screamed and dropped it. It burned his hands and he couldn't help but be a vampire.

"Shit! That hurt! I didn't know you were going to throw it to me!" Creed was a vampire right now.

"Sorry. I thought that was what we were doing!" Killian smiled. "You okay?"

Creed held out his hands. Haven saw the burns healing and the vampire slowly faded. "When I touch a cross, I can't hide the vampire. Mirrors are the same. That's why we don't have very many."

"I can't go into a church building either. I have never killed anyone, Haven. Never. But Megan..." Creed was scared. Haven had to know on some level. Creed could picture him driving away with Lois and he wiped a tear. His hands were fine again. No marks or scars.

"What do you eat?" Haven was scared.

"Bear, moose, deer, wolverines, lynx. I haven't found any seals yet. I do that so I don't kill people. I'm not...I don't want to be a monster!" Creed took a breath.

Killian put his arm around his brother. "He isn't a monster but we think that there is one in Big Rock. We think it is responsible for the missing person." He wanted to be clear. "Creed saved my life, Haven. I trust him. I love him and he is my family. You get to choose."

Haven sighed. "Can I have time to think about this?"

Creed nodded. "Of course. Haven..." He took a breath. "If you want to go to the apartment tonight, that's fine. I understand."

Haven sighed. "No. I may sleep with Lois tonight though."

Creed nodded. He was losing him. He walked into the house and came back with food. He grilled it and no one spoke.

Creed went to bed thinking he would never see Haven again.

Socially, sure but never in his house or in his bed. He could picture it very clearly and it was his new nightmare. He would miss Haven badly.

Haven stayed silent for two days. No one talked much. Lois came home and would talk about her day but Haven didn't. Creed had no idea what he was thinking.

Killian heard that there was another missing hiker found the same way. No blood. This was going to get worse. He shared that with the family at dinner. Creed just paced. He went for a hunt just to take out his frustrations and returned in the middle of the night.

Creed hopped in his shower and rested his head on the wall. He knew he lost Haven. He closed his eyes and thought of that beauty. He wanted Haven to be his. Creed wanted to marry him and hold him for his whole life. The shower door opened and Haven walked in and wrapped around him.

Creed turned and kissed Haven. They didn't talk. He loved his man in the shower and they made it to the bed. Haven's head was on Creed's chest. "I missed you, Creed. I thought about life without you, I can't do that. I love you!" Haven was in tears.

"But?"

Haven laughed. "No! No but. I mean it. I love you. I want to be here with you and I know it's messed up."

Creed laughed. "I am changing my middle name to Messed Up!" He touched Haven's smooth back. "If you leave, just tell me. I never want to just come home to an empty house. I promise you that I won't fight it, Haven. If you ever...if this is too much, just tell me. Okay?"

Haven kissed Creed. "I promise to just tell you."

Creed smiled. "Will you marry me?"

Haven stared. "What?"

"Marry me. Please. I planned to make it really romantic but I failed. I have a ring for you in my sock drawer." He smiled.

"You do?" Haven stared some more.

"I do. Yes."

"You want to marry me?" Haven stared. He was in shock.

Creed sat up. "Yes. If you will have me. Yes. Move in here and be permanent. Just stay with me."

Haven smiled and closed his eyes. "Yes!" He looked at Creed.

Creed stood and walked to the drawer. He pulled out a box and sat on the bed and opened it. "You should see the ring first. It's not fancy because of your job. I figured you would want something to wear at work."

Haven gasped. "It's perfect." It was a silver band. "I love it!"

Creed pulled another box out. "I got this one for going out." He opened it.

Haven was in tears. "It's gorgeous, Creed!" He touched it. It was silver with a large round diamond and little ones surrounding it. He slid it on Haven's finger. He admired it as he put the boxes on the side table and attacked his fiance. "I love you and I would be crazy to leave you! I love you, you crazy vampire!"

Creed laughed in between the kisses. This was the happiest he had ever been or ever hoped to be. He loved Haven until the sun rose.

Creed was cooking breakfast when Killian walked in. "Morning." Creed didn't look but he held out a coffee mug.

"Thanks." Killian sat with his coffee. "Morning. How was your night?"

"Fucking awesome!" Creed was bursting. He heard Lois and Haven coming down the stairs. He put eggs on plates and bacon and toast. Everyone was sitting at the table.

"So, what made your night so awesome?" Killian watched his brother. He looked happy.

"Ask Haven." Creed smiled at Haven.

"I got the prettiest present last night." Haven smiled. He showed Lois and Killian his ring.

"It's pretty, Dad. Is that from Creed?" Lois looked at it.

"I asked him to marry me and he agreed, foolishly." Creed smiled.

Lois stared for a second. She jumped up and jumped into Creed's arms. "You are going to be my dad?"

"Yes. If you can handle that? I love you too, Lois. I should have asked you too." Creed just realized that. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. "It wasn't planned."

Lois smiled. "No way! This is so much more romantic!"

Haven laughed. "Okay, eat." He smiled all morning.

"Let me see." Killian looked at the ring. "Nice. That will be tough to work with."

Haven smiled. "Creed thought of that too! I have a simple silver band for work."

Killian laughed. "Creed, you are a goner!"

"I know. I'm good for nothing now." Creed kissed Haven and sighed.

"Do you have a date set?" Killian smiled at his brothers. Haven was part of this family.

Haven shook his head. "No, we haven't really thought about that. I am thinking next fall. Maybe in the backyard? I think an outdoor wedding outside when the leaves are changing would be gorgeous and free decorations! Something simple with just close friends and suits, not tuxes." He smiled.

"But you haven't thought about it." Killian smiled.

Creed laughed. "Lois could be the maid of honor!"

"Really!" Lois smiled.

Haven inhaled. "That would be perfect. Killian could be the best man. Keep things simple."

Creed smiled. "Whatever you want, Haven." He leaned in. "You in a gorgeous white dress!" He knew that Haven loved to wear some feminine clothes. He was truly okay with that.

Killian smiled. "You'll do fine as a husband."