Suddenly a golden light filled Rome's hideout and everything went still. Senshi was rearing up, frozen in place. Rome's body went completely still, his mouth open in a frozen gasp, his eyes in the middle of changing colors again. "What plans do you have for Rome?" asked a feminine voice from behind China.

She didn't turn around.I plan to have him with me forever. I love him... I can't watch him die and know that I can save him.She paused.Who are you?

(what kind of vampire is China? any limitations? any strengths? anything special?)

(Let's see... sunlight is uncomfortable, she is very strong, bleeds, is okay with spilt blood except for the neck, is perfectly balanced and very fast, can talk to animals. She can only tolerate blood, and only bleeds, because she is a half. Turning Rome would give her full blood, and she'd be very much like a twilight vamp... phew.)

(What would Rome be like? What exactly do you mean by bleeds?)

"Can you be sure that's what he wants?" the voice asked. A woman stepped in front of China. "I'm someone who also loves Rome." She had long black hair, blue eyes, and wore a silver dress. She kneeled down beside Rome and placed her hand on his bare chest. Her eyes turned gold as she whispered a short spell and Rome's body relaxed. She gave China a small smile as her eyes turned back to their usual blue.

He would be half until he bit someone. And I mean she can bleed. For now.)


She looked down.I've already bitten him. The venom is now three seconds away from his heart. In fact it should hit right... now. It will stop hurting now. He should wake up any second.

The woman shook her head. "The venom is frozen just like every thing else in the room." she told China. "Can you promise me you'll take care of him? There's someone after him that I can't protect him from, but you might be able to." she told China, her blue eyes intense. "If you hadn't figured it out already, he's a spellcastor. Both of his parents are and his mother surpressed his powers to protect him from the person that wants him dead, she gave her own life to do that. You've mixed his blood and I've yet to determine if it'll weaken him or make him stronger. But I do know that the man who wants him dead will try even harder the moment he finds out about what has happened. You might be his only chance to survive."

She nodded.Nothing will harm or threaten him ever again.She leant down and cupped his face in her hands, stroking his hair out of his eyes.I swear. Any that try to harm him will die sooner than they can even think the word 'kill'.

The woman nodded, smiling sadly."I'll hold you to your word." she told China. She reached out and put her hand lightly on China's shoulder. "I wish you luck." she whispered. She closed her eyes, the sad smile still on her face. Suddenly her body started to fade and dissapear. It became a golden dust that swirled around the room. "Protect him." whispered the woman's voice. The gold light suddenly flashed blindingly and then time unfroze. Senshi brought his front hooves down with a loud thud, only to rear up again. The stallion was terrified, but he was to loyal to leave Rome. Rome lay quietly on the ground, his eyes closed.

She blinked.Well... that was strange. Was that his mother?She thought. Looking at Rome, she sighed in relief to the fact that he was now silent and not in pain. The venom must have reached his heart. She allowed herself a few tears from the fear and the fright that he had just given her. She lifted his hair, revealing a scar where she had bitten him.What will he think of me now? Will he still love me? She asked herself. She stroked his cheek gently.Rome? Are you with me? She asked, her eyes filled with concern. She grimaced with pain as her blood started to change.

Rome heard someone say his name and instantly sat straight up. He turned his head and his eyes widened. Everything that had happened came rushing back. "China?" he asked in shock. "How am I not...dead?" He heard Senshi scream again and moved quickly. He pushed himself up and ran over to the frightened horse. He reached out and put his hands on the stallion's massive shoulder. They jerked away from each other at the same time, feeling as if they had been burned. Rome watched, stunned, as a brand of a moon and star appeared on Senshi's shoulder. It was the mark of a spellcastor's demon. He looked at his hands in shock as a moon tattoo appeared in one hand and a star tattoo appeared in the other. "A...spellcastor?" He felt a his neck burn and nearly dropped to his knees in pain. He stumbled over to the mirror and pushed his black hair away from his neck. Swirling tattoos covered one side of his neck. He spun to look at China. "What happened? What am I?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

She jumped a little when he sat up, having been taken by surprise. How was she going to tell him? Rome! Rome, I'm so sorry... I...She gasped a little as all her organs died. Her skin started to turn rock hard, beginning at the fingertips. Her eyes widened when she saw the horse being branded with a moon and a star. What did that mean? Rome, you... you almost died. I had to save you, I... I had no other choice...A single, crystal tear fell down her cheek as she covered her face.I'm a monster...She moaned.

Rome stood stunned and confused, looking at China. He moved forward and fell to his knees beside her. He reached up and grabbed her hands in his. He pulled them away from her face and looked into her eyes. "China? Are you alright? What are you talking about? What is going on?" he asked. "Please tell me what's going on." he whispered. He was confused and nervous.

I'm a vampire, and now you are too.She sobbed, looking away. Her eyes and her tatoos turned the exact same silver. I bit you.I bit you!I BIT YOU!She wrenched her hands out of his grip and whirled to face the wall, screaming once in pure anguish and hitting the wall with the side of her fist. A huge crack splintered the wall where her hand had connected. She fell to her knees and put her hands on the sides of her head, sobbing loudly and cursing her name.

Rome wrapped his arms around China. He was numb with shock, but he hated seeing China's distress. "Shhhhhh. It's alright. It's going to be okay." he whispered. For some reason he reached out and placed one hand on the crack in the wall. The tattoo on his hand glowed and the wall repaired itself. He stared in shock before wrapping his arms back around the sobbing woman in his arms, rubbing her back gently.

No its not...She buried her head in his shoulder and put her arms around his neck, sobbing quietly and apologizing over and over again.

Rome pulled her closer against his chest. "Shhh...You saved my life. Is that a bad thing? It's going to be okay." he whispered against her hair. Senshi nickered nervously and moved closer to Rome and China. Rome felt his hands tingle as the horse got closer. "What exactly am I?" he mumbled, almost to himself.

She relaxed in his arms. I'm... I'm not sure. Part spellcaster, half vampire and a bit human? But you saved me too. We saved each other.She leaned in to his chest.

Rome smiled softly and rubbed China's back. He reached down and lifted her chin up. He gave her a soft kiss before moving back and standing up, pulling her up with him. "A spellcastor and a vampire? What a combination." he said jokingly. "I can still go out in the sunlight can't I?" he asked, half teasing, half serious.

She smiled dazzlingly. You'll just tan quicker. Me, on the other hand...She frowned and ran her hand through her hair. She walked to the entrance and stuck her arm out, in to the sun. The skin shimmered and shone brightly, like diamonds were sewn under her skin. Her now silver eyes and tatoos sparkled. After a few hours of this, it moves on to smoking and burning.

Rome watched her walk to the entrance and stick her arm out. He stared as it sparkled. Grinning, he walked towards her. "That's not a problem for me. There's a reason I don't have a tan. When you sleep all day and only go out at night your skin becomes as pale as mine." he said, his tone light. Suddenly his hands started to tingle, almost a burn, and he heard Senshi snort behind him. He looked back at the horse who was watching the entrance. He looked at the entrance and the tingle in his hands turned to a painful burn along with his mother's mark on his arm. He reached out and grabbed China's arm, yanking her back and putting her behind him. He moved towards the entrance and peeked outside. What he saw had him frozen in fear. He turned and grabbed China. He threw her up to sit on Senshi's back and sprinted back to the huge room, the horse following him swiftly and quietly for his size. The stallion went straight to the back wall and used his head to push open a hidden door, he trotted into darkness and made a few turns before stopping in the dark. Rome turned all the lights off in the main room and then followed Senshi, closing the hidden door and latching it. He reached over and flicked a light switch on, using memory to find it, and blinked at the sudden light. He looked around the room, making sure he had anything he might need. He went back to the light switch and opened a box on the wall. He pressed a few buttons and then closed it again. "What ever you do don't go back down that hallway." he told China, reaching up to help her down.

She had gone stiff with shock when he'd grabbed her and put her on the horse. Now she could speak again, and her tone was confused.Rome? What was that?

Rome glanced at China then looked back at the hallway. "Not what, it's more of a who. He's nothing but trouble, deadly trouble. I'm surprised he found this place." he muttered.

She hissed softly.Well I suppose I'd better put this marble hard skin to the test. She walked to the door and looked back at Rome.Let me at him.

"China don't even thinking of going down that hallway. It's rigged with all kinds of traps. There are daggers and arrows that could even go threw stone." Rome told her sharply, worried as his eyes stayed focused on the door leading to the hallway. "Please. The only thing to do is wait until he leaves." he told her. He wasn't about to risk the chance that China might get hurt. He had no idea how strong vampires were, but he didn't want to take the chance. Senshi moved forward and pushed China back with his large head. He moved in front of the door and laid down, blocking the only exit.