The past few days Kaz had been hiding in his room. He had been intolerable to Mort. He ignored him most of the time or was just plain rude. The affection that he had showed when they had been kids or during the time they had met a few weeks back, seemed to have completely vanished. Kaz hated him and he clearly was showing it. Though, every time Mort came home with a blood doll, Kaz had accepted. Simply because he couldn't refuse and his hunger for blood and for more, was always greater than his hate for his brother. But he didn't stop when Mort told him to. No, Kaz drank until the blood doll was depleted and was of no more use to him. What other purpose did they serve? It was better to end their suffering than to keep them in this world any longer. Someone in the family clearly hadn't learned that.

But today was different. He couldn't just stay in bed any longer, staring at the ceiling, cursing his brother, cursing himself. It was starting to bore him, yet it took him hours until the sun was already burning in the sky, to actually get out of bed. He was still baffled by the fact that the wound in his neck had healed and had left no scars. It was unnatural, but then again, so was he. Kaz wasn't really sure what to do, it was day outside and he was still scared of going outside and expose himself in the sunlight. But he wasn't really in for a conversation with Mort. Or Allison for that matter. She was an odd one in this situation. Kaz still wasn't sure if he could trust her or not. After all, he clearly knew how she thought about vampires, but she dared to visit hem when he had just been turned, when he had been dangerous. But wasn't it the same now? Wasn't he still not in control of his powers, still not understanding the consequences of his actions?

With a face that said anything but happiness, Kaz made it downstairs. Barefooted and messy hair, like he just had woken up. The plan was to get to the kitchen, grab a bottle of whatever alcohol there was and avoid any conversation. Kaz wasn't even sure if he could get drunk anymore and there was only one way to find out. But, he made it halfway through the living room before he heard them. Their voices, soft but hearable, drifting from outside. It made him stop dead in his tracks. They were talking about him. Of course they were. A little eager, Kaz stepped towards the open door leading into the garden. Even from here he could see Mort digging graves. Graves for people Kaz had killed in his hunger and lust for blood. It didn't hurt him as he watched his brother dig. The thought that Kaz had killed people just for his own good didn't seem to enter his mind. He simply was numb for it.

Allisons voice. For some reason it always soothed him when he heard her. It made him feel a little calmer and safe. But lately, it mostly confused him. He wanted to feel happy with her, but he just couldn't, something was blocking it. Kaz leaned against the doorframe, silently listening to their conversation. The shadows already started to stretch across the grass field, but he didn't dare coming closer. It was pathetic how scared he had become of the outside world.
He titled his head a little, heard their words and frowned. Most of them bounced back and didn't seem to mean anything to him. But getting through him? Were they so desperate to control him, now, in this state? Kaz crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. Let them talk, Mort would get what he deserved eventually. And Allison? She was safe, as long as he was safe with her.

Maybe being a vampire did have his perks. No more heartbeat for Mort to hear, no loud sounds to alert Allison. No, instead he could just stay where he was, listen to them from a distance where a normal human being wouldn't even pick up the conversation and contemplate. Because that was all he had been doing this past days. Contemplating what to do next. Besides drinking from the blooddolls and ''accidentally'' killing them, he hadn't much to do. And time was running short. One day or another he had to get back to Valyria. He had made a deal with another devil, a whole different one a long time ago. He couldn't break that deal.

The way they were talking about him, like he was some sort of lost puppy in desperate need of guidance. It irritated him. It irritated him enough that he dared to set a step outside. The grass felt weird under his feet, just like everything had felt when he had first woken up after being turned. It fel different, more intense. For a moment he stood still, admired the feeling, before taking another step, slower this time, while still listening to the conversation taking place.

He put his hands in his pockets and stopped walking when he was in talking distance from the two. He narrowed his eyes, obviously not very happy with their words. ''What a wonderful day to gossip, isn't it?'' He remarked, his eyes falling on Mort, the shovel and then the grave. Kaz didn't even care for who it was. All he cared for right now, was for them to stop thinking he was so lost and hurt about all this. In fact, he was, but no way in hell he was going to admit that.

Of course Mort ignored him. But it was so easy to provoke him. Kaz remembered the few days back, when he spoke those hateful words, when he made Mort walk away. He could still see the hurt that he had created in the eyes of his brother. For a moment it didn't bother him, but then he felt a sting in his chest. Was it guilt? Anger? Maybe even sadness. Kaz couldn't place it, but it wasn't happy feeling it. He wanted to hate his brother, not feel sorry.

The vampire shifted his eyes to Allison, narrowed them and then sighed. ''You're in the sun.'' He stated dryly before walking slowly towards her. He didn't want to be too close. It felt like it had been a day since he had a drink and the last thing he wanted was lusting after Allisons blood. So, he moved himself towards the tree, closer to Mort but close enough to Allison as well.

Kaz looked at his hands and picked at a cuticle. No gloves, no cane. It was like there was a different person impersonating him. That's how it felt. ''How's the digging going?'' He eventually asked without much care. He had heard what Mort had said and he didn't know what to do with those words. The fact that his brother still loved him, still cared for him. After all this. Kaz almost wanted to apologize for what he had said. Almost.