Nino can’t believe his eyes as he stands in the doorway. It’s like a scene from an intense action movie.

Gael is frozen and hovering in mid-air at least a foot from the ground. His body is outlined in a bright, extraordinary red haze that seems to be the cause of his levitation and motionless state. Nino looks at Haruka. He’s huddled with his back pressed into a far wall, his eyes blazing crimson in the dimly lit room.

Haruka looks outright horrified. Nino takes a step forward and something hits him. Not physically, but emotionally. A strong scent stirs him fundamentally and deep within his core, making his eyes alight from the sheer pleasure of the sensation. It’s Haruka. This rosy, cool and earthy scent that’s always subtly wafting from his body is exposed in full force. It is truly divine, swirling into Nino’s nose, down his throat and through his veins to arouse and warm his entire body.

Gael suddenly drops hard to the floor, free from the magical levitation. His face is twisted in anger. Nino hesitates only for a second—the danger of the moment and innate fear flashing in his mind. But he firmly shakes his head. He takes a deep breath.

Frantically, Nino glances around. When he sees a massive, antique-looking ceramic vase atop a nearby pillar, he makes a quick decision. Just as Gael is shifting to his knees, Nino swiftly grabs the vase, rushes toward Gael and slams it down over the large vampire’s head. He thrusts it hard. Full force. Gael flops back down to the floor in a heap. Nino waits for him to move. He doesn’t.

Straightening his back, Nino blinks. He’s honestly amazed that this worked. He’s seen this done in action movies too, but he wasn’t sure if it would truly be effective. He looks up and takes a step forward, but when Haruka holds his hand up, Nino halts.

“Do not—don’t come closer.” Haruka’s deep voice is ragged but stern in the frigid silence.

They both remain still, their glowing eyes warily examining each other. Nino’s stomach is tense as he gasps. Haruka is bleeding from his neck. He mechanically takes another step forward. “Jesus, you’re—”

“I said stop.” Haruka’s voice rises. He haphazardly scoots along the wall, trying to put more distance between them. He looks ashen and ravaged, his night clothes disheveled and stained with blood.

Nino stands completely still but raises his palms. He keeps his voice low. “Haru… I am not going to hurt you.”

“Then why are your eyes alighted?”

Nino frowns, thinking quickly. “Because it smells nice in here?”

There’s a sound behind him and Nino turns. Asao walks into the room and stops dead at Nino’s side, taking in the scene. He exhales a heavy sigh. “Oh hell.”

“What took you so long?” Haruka fumes, his voice bitter as he scowls at his manservant. Asao walks past Nino and leans down to touch the side of Gael’s neck.

“How many times did you call me?” Asao asks absently, standing upright.

“Twice.”

“I didn’t hear you the first time, Haruka. I’m sorry, but I actually sleep sometimes too. Are you okay? What would you like me to do?”

“I—I am fine. Please wake Emory,” says Haruka, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. His chest is quietly heaving from stress. “Tell him Gael attacked me, and please request that Elsie come here to provide sustenance for me as soon as possible.”

Nino’s throat tightens. Oddly, he and Asao exchange a pointed moment of eye contact. Asao looks back at Haruka, his voice serious. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Please do as I have asked.”

Asao exhales yet another audible sigh, then focuses on Nino again as he turns to leave the room. “Am I okay to leave you with him? You’re in your right mind?”

“I’m alright,” Nino promises. “It just smells nice… in here.”

Asao firmly pats his shoulder before leaving the room. Nino takes a deep breath. The wonderful scent flooding his nostrils is slowly dissipating, as if Haruka is drawing his energy back into himself. Nino focuses his thoughts and rolls his shoulders. It takes a few seconds of jumping and wiggling his body, but soon, his eyes have burned out.

When he’s finished and glances down at Haruka on the floor, his friend is looking up at Nino as if he’s insane. “No more glowing eyes.” Nino smiles, his palms up in submission. “May I sit with you?”

Haruka presses his long fingers into his forehead and closes his eyes. “Yes.”

Stepping over Gael’s bulky, unmoving body, Nino rests on his knees directly in front of Haruka. “Rough night?”

“To say the least,” Haruka grumbles, his eyes still closed with his fingers massaging his forehead.

“You have real power.” Nino stares, awestruck at the memory of what he’s just seen. “I’ve heard of vampires in the past having supernatural abilities, but I’ve never seen anyone physically manipulate their aura like that. It’s incredible.”

With his eyes still closed, the corner of Haruka’s mouth twists up in a bitter smirk. “Do not be so impressed by my sheer desperation to survive. I am a disgrace to my bloodline.”

Old blood. Nino stifles the urge to roll his eyes at the dramatic statement. But he firmly comes to a decision. “Don’t feed from Elsie. You don’t even want to and you can’t trust her.”

Haruka opens his eyes. Instead of their usual deep brown, they’re milky and washed out. He looks so tired, gray and miserable that Nino’s heart breaks.

“I cannot survive like this,” Haruka breathes, his voice brittle. “I have no choice.”

“Would you… feel comfortable feeding from me?” Nino asks.

Haruka stares with his translucent eyes, unblinking for a long moment before he answers. “What do you want in return?”

Nino shakes his head. “Nothing. I don’t want anything from you. Well, maybe I would want you to be healthy and not sitting here looking miserable.”

Haruka’s gaze is searching. Disbelieving. Like if he looks hard enough, he’ll find the answer to his question. “And you truly require nothing of me as recompence?”

“Nothing,” Nino repeats.

Haruka shifts his eyes away, considering something. It feels like several seconds before he meets Nino’s gaze again. “May I have your hand?”

“My hand?” Nino tilts his head.

“Yes… please,” Haruka says, his gaunt expression finally softening. Nino holds his open palm in between them and Haruka gently takes hold of his wrist. His fingertips are cool as he pulls Nino’s palm toward his mouth. The innocent contact sends warm tingles up Nino’s arm.

Haruka hesitates briefly. He keeps his eyes on Nino as he softly licks then bites into the base of his palm near his thumb. He feels Haruka’s incisors elongate to pierce his skin. Slowly, Haruka’s eyes alight, burning bright crimson as he feeds.

He doesn’t feed long. Nor does he pull deeply. When he finishes, he lifts his head from Nino’s palm, neatly licking the quickly healing puncture marks before sitting up straight. He intentionally breathes in, then out. Nino can physically feel the subtle shift in Haruka’s innate energy, as if something hidden is gradually swelling. Cool and strong.

When Haruka looks at him, the apprehension in his eyes is obvious. “Thank you, Nino,” he says, his irises slowly burning out.

“You’re welcome. How do you feel? Much less miserable?”

It’s quiet—barely perceptible—but Haruka breathes a soft laugh through his nose. “Yes… much less.”

Late the next morning, Nino paces the room with his smartphone, desperately searching for service. The dramatic, old stone castle set in the sweeping English countryside isn’t exactly cellular friendly.

When he finds a promising spot in his bedroom beside a full-sized medieval suit of armor, he quickly hits speed dial for his best friend. After three rings she picks up.

“Ciao ciao,” she says warmly, making Nino smile.

“She answers,” he teases. “It’s a miracle.”