There couldn't have been anything to keep you reading through the books you had lay scattered around. Head against the bookshelves of the infinite ancient books not carrying if the dust built up over the centuries covered your hair with light gray spots.

In your crossed-legged lap was a green leather book showing the markings and a small note of encryption: Demones ad marking comedere Carnes. Datum nemo tantae sterilitatis ut oblivioni clausum in praeteritum.

Looking up at the stone ceiling of the hold trying to see the details but your eyes seemed to be strained from just the candlelight. Rubbing the temples of your forehead before closing the book and setting it into the shelf behind you.

"Devils marking eating flesh. Given nobody shall be forgotten locked in the past." You murmured to yourself raising your cursed arm to see the markings looking at the rigged ends of each symbol and of how much space they took on your arm.

'Doomed to hell is where I die?' You thought just when a pair of footsteps interrupted your train of thought.

"I understand that my family's library is brilliant and everything but do you plan to put all those back?" Trevor questioned stepping into the candlelight bowing down to pick up and inspect one of the books you left out.

"I found what I was looking for. Now I will move onto something else that I have been meaning to know about." You stated placing a hand on the bookshelves to help you stand only to have slid on one of the books causing you to fall back with your head hitting first.

Your eyes wide with bewilderment as you laid spread on the floor with Trevor looking down at you a hand covering his mouth and looking away.

"Belmont I know you are laughing" You grumbled grunting as you lift yourself onto your feet.

"Sorry, it's just you looked liked a flayed starfish" Trevor joked looking over his shoulder before tossing the book lightly to you.

Looking down at the book you had caught looking at its grounded pages finding Trevor's joke was actually funny. After all the years of being alone, it was only as to now that all the years of building up to find why your arm carried these marks that you never gave into enjoyment.

It started as a meek breath before your soft laughter soon echoed through the hold. Not knowing that a curt smile on the top floor of the library was above you both.

~

In the dried air of Europe in the midst of loathing in darkness sat Dracula glaring at his fireplace. His fist clenched when feeling a trickle of something going down his arm.

The dark eyes of hardened emotion watching as blood seeped from the clawed nail of his ring finger. Had he broken his skin? It seemed not possible until closer observation when seeing no crack in his skin with the light of the fire.

A simple glance from his past of the blood orphanage. The girl to which held the devil's meal. How it has been so long since his sealed gift had walked closer.