The Vampire's Apprentice (for JadeRulez123)

[KingCrowley]

Bennett stood with all the other elder Vampires, looking quite nervous but also very proud, he hoped James would really do his best. He looked over as the Elder Vampire cleared his throat quite loudly.

"Twins, Mia and Tia of the Crescent house, you're hunt today will be foxes, once caught, bring the bodies back to the hill to consume the blood." he announced and then looked to the sheepish looking young man.

"Andrew of the Slater house, you're hunt today will be a wild pig, the same rule applies to you." he then looked over to the posh boy, "Sammuel of the Bucksworth house, you're hunt today will be a wild dingo."

he then turned to look at James, "And James of the Maroon house, you're hunt today will be a Coyote."

[YaoiXMandy]

James watched as the twins nodded with the kind of steely determination that made James wonder if they took this far too seriously. The nervous boy, seemed to cringe when his game ended up being wild pig, and James could only silently sympathize. And it seemed Prissy had a name, but he liked Prissy a lot better. Sammuel gave a haughty smirk, practically pushing James out of the way as he headed into the woods. The twins followed in pursuit, which left James to wonder how on earth he was going to take down a coyote.

No, even worse, drink its blood!

James knew he had no choice, especially since after the hunt, they'd have to drink from a goblet of the stuff anyway. Sighing, the vampire finally disappeared into the woods, the moon offering its only source of light. Once out of sight from the elder vampires, James leaned against a tree, trying to put his thoughts in order. As he stood, the twins from earlier, Mia and Tia (whom he wouldn't even try to discern which was which), passed him by, arguing over how they'd hunt their game. James offered them a flirty smile, which caused both cease in their bickering to giggle.

Oh yeah, even as a vampire, he still had girls smitten.

"What are you standing around for James of the Maroon house? Coyote won't just come to you. Alas, maybe you do want to disappoint your master." Sammuel sauntered by the male before moving out of sight, not before offering a narcissistic, "Ladies." to the twins as he passed them by.

James glowered. He wasn't liking that kid at all.

Even the anxious kid ended up walking by him, looking quite concerned. Perhaps James found a new friend. But James had little time to talk to the boy, especially with Sammuel's words echoing within his mind. The boy locked his jaw, running to find the coyote. He'd show him...

[KingCrowley]

Bennett sighed and tried to relax, turning his gaze to look over the fire in the center of the stone grave. His very first hunt was also a Coyote and he remembered how fast those wild dogs were...but oh how good the blood tasted.

Soon enough, as James started running, a young Coyote came into view. It only looked young, just about finished with the cub years. It turned and bared it's teeth at James, growling lowly and fiercely.

[YaoiXMandy]

The fifteen year old stopped dead in his tracks. No sooner did he start moving did he become face to face with a young coyote. The boy gulped, backing away seemed to be his first instinct. However, he knew he couldn't just back away from this issue forever. James stared at the majestic animal, it's teeth were bared and it held a warning stance to it.

James was afraid.

But he thought of his master. Was he afraid when he took down his first animal? For some reason, he felt reassured thinking about his Bennett, and the boy felt his tense body begin to calm. "Easy there..good dog..er-coyote.."

James didn't want to harm the animal, it seemed so much harder than it looked! But the animal would surely try and hurt him if he ran. The boy willed himself to stay reserved, slowly nearing the coyote as he emulated a relaxed a demeanor. Animals responded to emotions, and James had to keep his own in check. The boy knelt down infront of the creature, putting a gentle hand up. If he were human, he would've surely passed out from anxiety.

But he was no longer human.

James stared at the animal with a look of recognition. "I don't want to hurt you." He spoke softly, gentle. "But I gotta." The animal stared precariously into James' blue eyes, and the two stayed like that for a few moments. And suddenly, the coyote began to near him. It held no dangerous air to it, just curiosity. James felt his breath still as his cold hands hesitantly reached for the creature's soft neck. The boy's eyes began glow a dangerous lighter blue...his fangs protruded from his mouth in a swift 'shick' sound.

He quickly snapped its neck.

The sound of broken bones was enough to make the boy wince, but he felt comforted in the fact that the coyote's death was swift and painless. Astounded by how perfect his first kill went, James now had the difficult task in draining the creature of blood. James sighed, part of him wanted to stop now, but another part..

The adrenaline of a kill put him in a frenzy. James knelt beside the fallen beast, and with frightening power, bit into its flesh. Crimson poured into his waiting mouth, and James felt his body react strongly to it. It was...it was incredible. And so he drank, the overpowering blood lust making him dizzy. He hadn't drank blood since he arrived with his master, refusing it and getting himself sick because of it.

And here he was.

[KingCrowley]

Suddenly, as James was drinking up the blood, the elder Vampire blew through the horn which signalled that time was up and they must bring the dead bodies of their catch back to the hill and their masters.

Bennett awaited anxiously, he really hoped James had done his best, he could ask for no more than that after all.

[YaoiXMandy]

James' eyes were closed as he drank, his body so malnourished it seemed as though he wouldn't stop. Even as the horn signified that time was up, James continued to drink. He didn't want to stop, he felt as if he couldn't. The sounds of the other vampire fledglings coming didn't even wake him from his thirst! The twin girls carried their foxes, the snooty boy held his dingo, and even the nervous youth dragged the boar.

But James had no intention of stopping.

It wasn't until he received a tap on the shoulder by one of the girls did he slowly look up, his mouth dripping blood as it cascaded all over his clothes. A wild look was held in his eyes until one of the twins spoke.

"Time's up. They blew the horn. And I..I think you had your fill." She smiled a little, and James felt himself go completely back to normal. How embarrassing!

"U-Uh right, right. Better get going then!"

One by one each fledgling came back with their hunted kill.

James was the final one to emerge with the coyote, bloodied yet full. He couldn't believe he had really done it, as if all the apprehension he had felt before completely waned away. Part of him felt as though he had become a monster, and James immediately shook the thought from his mind.

[KingCrowley]

Bennett looked over in eagerness when the young fledglings began to emerge from the forest. Each was carrying their kill and none had failed, the Vampire certainly hoped James wouldn't come back empty handed.

Then he saw him, covered in blood from the mouth down and carrying the body of a dead Coyote. Bennett's jaw dropped and he smiled, rushing to his apprentice and embracing him like a proud father,

"I knew you could do it James!!!!" he yelled excited for him, "How was it? Your first blood consume?"

[YaoiXMandy]

James seemed dropped the dead coyote onto the ground as a slight breeze tussled his tresses. He panted a little, as if getting over the initial shock of having drank blood in the first place. He stood there for a moment or two trying to collect his thoughts, when he saw his master running to him with a loving embrace. The boy couldn't help but feel as if he had done something remarkably well, even if he had detested it from the get go.

He had made his master proud, and that is all that seemed to matter.

Embracing Bennett back, the boy slowly broke away as he pondered how to explain it. "I-I mean...I didn't expect much of it at first. I guess I was kind of scared, and I really didn't want to harm the coyote..." He gestured towards the fallen animal before looking up at his master once again. "But I did it. And. I'm so glad its finally over!" Gosh, it was nerve-wracking. He didn't add the fact he felt a bit like a monster, that part he intentionally left out.

"Master, once the hunt is over, can I go to the village square tonight?"

[KingCrowley]

"Well, being scared on your first time is quite normal son." The elder Vampire added in, inspecting the dead coyote of it's injuries and of course, it's blood. "You have made a very strong kill, why the thing looks almost drained!" he smiled.

Bennett smiled, beaming proudly. "I knew he'd do a good job, he's such a talented young man after all!" he then looked at James and thought for a moment, "Well the hunt is over now anyway, considering you had your first kill, there is no need to drink from the goblet..."

He then sighed, "Alright, but if you break curfew, I will spank your bare bottom." Bennett warned, loud enough for others to hear. "Your curfew will be 4:00am."

[YaoiXMandy]

James shrugged, glancing at the dead coyote also. "Yeah, I did do a pretty good job if I do say so myself." He couldn't help but smirk, especially since Sammuel was within ear shot to hear. He watched as the other boy grimaced, and James licked his fangs in spite of himself. The twins also seemed to hear, and their attention made James' ego even more large. His perfectly formed smirk stayed on his lips, especially at the mere fact the hunt was over.

Until Bennett practically blew his spot!

The boy looked mortified, glancing up nervously to see if the others had heard that. But of course, they were vampires after all...

The twins giggled, and prissy shot him his own perfectly placed smirk.

James seethed, glaring daggers at his mentor. "Thanks.." He grumbled before heading out of there as fast as he could and towards the village square. Excitement flooded his senses at the feeling of freedom as the young vampire moved.