The breeze of the wind shooked the twigs of the trees outside the manor. The streak of warm golden light penetrating through the window made the paled-color room gleam. The seasons are shifting but he felt the same.

"Young master, it's time to go to the academy," The head butler of the Barclay's, Pierre, reminded his Young Master who was peeking through the bay window of his chamber.

Athanasius turned his head towards the voice and saw their butler patiently waiting for him while holding his robe.

"Would you like to have breakfast first?" Pierre asked him inquisitively.

Athanasius' steps faltered, his back still facing Pierre.

"That's a mundane thing to do," He replied nonchalantly as he stride towards the door but halted to speak before finally leaving the room. "We are blood sucking monsters."

A trace of unexplainable emotion passes on his face but he immediately composed himself.

Pierre sighed as he followed behind him and drape his robe on his shoulder.

"Young Master, the Eldest Master and his wife would depart tomorrow to their new residence. Would you like to meet them before then?"

Athanasius mounted to the black carriage with a Barclay's emblem painted in gold before answering the query.

"What for? In just a blink of an eye, that lady's life would be over and we'll still be here. Longing and frozen in one place as the clock continues to tick. I don't really understand the necessity to develop such an attachment to someone who would leave you soon anyway."

"Still, aren't you curious about the Mistress?"

Athanasius thought for a while before replying. He is indeed curious. How is she different to that woman who abandoned him? Is she the same as every human he met so far?

"Fine, I'll meet them then."

Pierred bowed at him while smiling as he closes the carriage door.

During the travel, Athanasius spent his time just leisurely looking outside.

Although his carriage always passed by here, he never set foot in this part of the city.

He just watched all the children his age carefreely playing under the sun. Laughing out loud, running around with no hint of worries on their faces. Some are walking hand in hand with their mother and the others are being carried and placed on their father's shoulder.

"It must be nice." Athanasius mumbled as his eyes flicker under his lashes as if he was in a trance.

"Young Master, we're here." The coachman said as he reined the horse to a stop.

Athanasius descended from the carriage and sauntered towards the academy for individuals like him. It's a school for vampires, mages and other humans unalike.

The flushed coral hue mingled with a vibrant colored salmon tinge had already painted the ether when Athanasius walked out of the academy. The carriage was also already waiting for him at the entrance gate.

When he reached their estate, he saw his eldest brother and his wife lounging at the patio of their garden.

The pair probably felt his presence and gazed toward where he was. He saw how the lady's eyes lit up upon seeing him.

"Brother," he greeted and just impassively look at his wife.

"Athanasius Leif." His brother called him out in a displeased tone and stared daggers at him.

"It's alright, Arius." The lady said as she squeezes his brother's hand that was on the table.

He just sighed and just tacitly complied to his brother's command, which is to also acknowledging and treating his wife like an equal.

"Sister in law." He just bowed at her and then averted his gazed. He could see from the corner of his eyes that the beautiful lady was smiling at him.

He stiffened when he suddenly felt a warm pair of hands hold his' in affable manner.

"Nice to meet you, Athan. I'm Eleanor." Her warm mellow voice rang through his ears like a lullaby that puts someone to sleep.

He tried to hide his confusion and doubts regarding these unfamiliar gestures of Eleanor's towards him by acting aloof and unruffled.

He was wondering if this is who she really was or everything's just a facade. He never met someone who looked so kindly at them, not even his own mother. Until when will this lady stare at him with such benevolent look? Everyone just sees them a blood-thirsty monsters.

Thinking about his mother, his face unconsciously turned glum.

"Is something wrong?" She asked him with such worried tone.

He just turned his head away and shook it. He attempted to conceal such weakness by trying to sound hostile and grumpy.

"Don't call me such stupid and lame pet name." It wasn't successful because the lady just beam at him more brightly.

"You can call me Elle then, or even big sister."

He was about to protest when he felt a sharp, deathly glares from the sideline. He looked at his huffy brother who was now crossing his arms with a furrowed brows. He never knew that his respectable big brother could be this petty about such trivial things.

"Wife, I'm about to get jealous." His big brother expressed with a sullen look on his face. His wife just threw him a quick glance and return her gazed back to him at his eye level.

"I think you're acting more maturely than your big brother. Don't you think so too?"

It's already nightfall when they finished their conversation. His brother definitely changed a lot eversince getting married. He used to be an uptight, boring vampire adult. Is that the result to always being with somebody whose smile shines brightly like a sun?

Still dubious and perplexed, he went to his chamber thinking to himself, "But still, a human's heart and emotions are complex. It's a warm, welcoming arms enveloping you but in a minute, it could be the same pair of hands that's pointing a sword at your throat."

He sat near the window of his room and took out the books that he always secretly read every single night. A printed work about humans. It was his attempt to understand such complicated beings.

He was about to read when he sensed a presence outside his bedroom door. He was right, he heard a knock one after another until he heard his big brother's baritone voice.

"It's me."

He quickly hid the books before answering back.

"You can come in, brother."

He didn't have to repeat himself as the former immediately invited himself in.

"So, what do you think about my wife? She's quite remarkable, doesn't she?" His brother stated, as he sat on the edge of his bed.

He looked away, addled by the remarks of his brother towards his wife.

"I don't know," he answered before continuing, "Aren't you letting your guard down too soon?"

His brother casually crossed his legs and put his hand on his chin, as if thinking.

"Maybe, maybe not. I've met many humans throughout the thousand years of my life but I have never met anyone like her."

"Aren't you scared, what if she turns out like that..woman?" His voice trailed off as he uttered the latter part of his question.

Silence enveloped them. No one uttered a sound until Arius stood up and marches towards where he was sitting. They both gazed at the sparkling skies full of stars through his bedroom window.

"At some point in our lives, there will come a time wherein we will fear attachment and euphoria. We might ponder that, that kind of blinding brightness and warmth, it doesn't suit us. We are meant to live behind this cold, barricaded walls. We've always been lurking in the dark. Having to experience such light, we might think that it was always going to be associated with demise and despair but when did such presumptions become always right?"

He was bewildered. He always thought that his brother was just this stoic man who couldn't careless about anything. But hearing these things from him, he must have such struggles too that no one knew about.

"And you know, sometimes the most beautiful things has always been accompanied by darkness in them. It is you who will bring out either the light or the dark." His brother continued and proceeds to pat his head.

"Ellie..she could be my bane or my salvation. Either way, I'm a willing victim."

Arius turned around and began to walk away with his slender hands on his pocket while Athanasius was left there in a daze, his brother's words still echoing in his head.