If there was one word to describe Marshall, it would be territorial.

A sense of pride made him want to flaunt any possessions he found to be particularly awe-inspiring. Items of importance deserved to be shown to the world so a wider audience could marvel at such amazing personal treasures. Of course, 'possessions' was a broad term used to group together a plethora of aspects in his life which he genuinely took pride in, whether it be his music, foods he made, collectibles from around the world, or even people. Marshall enjoyed parading around his meaningful belongings because he liked when other people knew when something, or someone, was his and his alone.

It was another major change he made after turning into a vampire.

Human-Marshall wasn't really one to gloat. Whenever successes came to him in life, any form of reward or praise given was always taken in a humble fashion. Working as a means of supporting himself and Rosalie, along with keeping his father's business afloat, didn't really leave room to get attached to material objects. And since Marshall preferred to be introverted, only putting himself out there when it came to finding a sexual partner, he had no desire to form relationships either.

Becoming an imprint also altered his tastes for certain things. Getting into a relationship with his literal soulmate turned a more reserved man into someone who steadily learned to be greedy.

To be fair, Marshall didn't become gluttonous over much. But he'd put forth a terrifying ferocity if anyone ever tried to get in the way of him and two things: 1) Paul, and 2) the man's recently established desire to be a willing blood supply.

Feeding from Paul definitely wasn't something either of them had planned. It just so happened, after getting to their hotel and "settling in" with each other, Marshall lost a bit of self control. With lips connected, hands wandering, and bodies slotted against each other, the simple feel of a beating heart against his chest—the feeling of a rapid pulse beneath his fingertips—it was a lot. So much stimulation hit him at once to the point of making him tremble.

Paul had committed to a bold decision of grabbing his imprint by the throat the way he liked. In response, Marshall lunged, grazed heated skin with his middle finger, and clamped down on a small gash oozing a thin stream of blood.

The first drops to land on his tongue ripped a deep, guttural growl out of him. 

Paul's hold tightened, but he never made any gestures to pull himself away.

If anything, his grasp on Marshall brought their bodies closer until no space was left to separate them.

Everything became a bit of a blur for both men after that. However, they could recall how prior sexual escapades never felt so...extreme. Marshall donning the guise of predatory vampire while Paul presented himself as easy prey—their actions following an unplanned feeding session were nothing short of feral. Any excursions they'd had the following day were canceled to continue pursuing a new path where following primal urges was top priority.

Now, with their short vacation being over, a fun weekend of recklessness had to be traded in for a more normalized lifestyle of maintaining control.

At least, for the most part.

Because, again, as expected by anyone who knew him, Marshall had no issue in taking what was rightfully his.

He sucked his teeth in minor annoyance while peeking over his glasses to do a quick check in the rearview mirror. "As much as I love seeing you in a sleeveless turtleneck, baby, it makes me sad to know you're hiding my handiwork. I spent so much time getting you all dolled up. Red and purple look gorgeous on your complexion."

Paul's half stifled snort shed light on his failing attempt at remaining steadfast in his decision to cover himself. "Marshmallow, I don't think anyone else should see them. Not before we've had a chance to explain ourselves."

"Well, certain explanations don't require me to say anything. I left those markings on you for a reason."

"I know- and I love them!" Paul added, picking up on a rather sincere type of irritation. "It's just- I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea. I don't want them to see me all scratched up and think you attacked me."

"Right- because, after all this time, that's a reasonable impression to have about me."

Marshall was in the process of wiping away a faded red streak near the corner of his mouth when his chin was grabbed. A strong hand manually pulled his attention away from his reflection so he could gaze into his husband's eyes. The vampire's cheeks were seized, purposely smushing his lips together. He laughed in response to hard kisses peppered across his face.

"I'm not trying to upset you, sweetheart. I just want to be careful about how we go about this. As soon as everything is out of the way, I'll flaunt your little love bites as much as you like. Does that sound fair?"

Marshall nodded, appeased.

With one last playful kiss, the couple exited Paul's truck together. They joined hands like normal, swinging them back and forth. Neither of them reacted to light sprinkles coating their skin, courtesy of a faint drizzle falling from a dark sky.

The smell of incoming rain solidified a fond sentimentality in terms of being back in their territory.

"You've...been a little more clingy since all this started," Paul noted.

Marshall's eyebrows knitted together, his mouth forming into a frown. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all. I'm just wondering how long it'll take for me to keep getting all this extra loving until your vampy senses finally calm down."

"I mean, it's probably not going to stop. Like, ever. I can get used to things like your smell and your taste so I'm not hit by super hard frenzies; but having the opportunity to actually..." He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "Drink from you is an otherworldly experience. Since you're my blood singer, my natural 'vampy senses', as you've put it, are most likely going to heighten the more we do this. So have fun getting all this extra attention for the rest of your life, Tiger."

"I'm a simple man with simple wants, Honey Bun. You've officially met all of them."

Walking into the Uley house displayed a familiar sight: a majority of the pack members were sitting around a large table, conversing with small homemade snacks in hand; Sam and Jared were sitting on the floor with a stack of cards nestled between them; and Emily was in the kitchen, finishing off what appeared to be a hearty beef stew.

A new sight to see, however, was Brad and Leah sitting next to each other on the comfortable fabric bench. They spoke with animated gestures, laughing between words. They leaned toward each other's frames, staring between the other person's eyes with pure delight.

Interesting.

Brad's face brightened even more as he took notice of his favorite people. "You're back!"

"We are. Did you take care of our house while we were gone?"

"Nope. I set it on fire. Nothing could be saved. You guys are going to have to sleep in a grassy field from now on."

"Oh, cool. I love camping."

Marshall only had a second to brace for impact. Widening his stance and having a supportive hand settle against his lower back kept him from toppling over. He took hold of strong thighs when they wrapped around his hips for an expected jump-hug.

Brad was still stronger at the moment, so receiving such a loving gesture from him was in the same ball park as facing a tackle head on.

"I gotta say, sometimes I forget you aren't fragile anymore and can really pack a punch."

Brad reciprocated dual kisses on his cheeks in greeting. "I can say the same about you. I don't see you limping, cabrón. Did you forget my lovely parting words as you drove off into the sunset?"

"I'm not a coward, pendejo. You told me to do some kinky shit. I did some kinky shit."

Marshall lowered his head to partially reveal his scarlet-colored eyes.

Brad's jaw hit the floor. He took hold of his friend's face to get a better look at the other man's irises. Then, his attention shifted toward Paul who was fiddling with the high neckline of his shirt. Doing so accidentally revealed part of a purple hickey with several healing, crescent-shaped marks in the center.

"Mierda," Brad swore with a suggestive lilt to his tone. "You actually did it."

"You actually let him do it."

Jared's shock could be seen through his bulging eyes, tense shoulders, flared nostrils, and set jaw. He stared at his best friend, waiting for some sort of answer or explanation. There wasn't really disgust at the revelation of Paul having been fed off of. Jared's words gave off the notion that they'd conversed about the idea in the past, never believing it would actually happen.

"Is that a problem?" Emily asked.

Her question caused a feeling of anxiety to swarm within the other pack members. As if she were a mother getting ready to scold her child for being rude about something they didn't understand.

"Uh-"

"Well?"

"Nope," Sam cut in, sparing Jared the heat of Emily's penetrative stare. "Paul's clearly fine. If he's okay after having a wild weekend with Marsh, I'm sure they're being safe. So whatever they decide to do in their alone time is on them. Not our business. At all. Whatsoever."

Emily's hard expression shifted right back into her sweet, gentle one. "Good. Now, let's eat."

Paul and Marshall glanced toward each other. They hadn't expected a groundbreaking reveal to have rather tame feedback. Either their family members actually had trust in Marshall's capabilities of controlling himself, or everyone else was too afraid of Emily's death glare to say anything. Regardless, there was one less issue to worry about.

After offering his own pleasantries toward Brad, Paul made his way to the dining table for a meal. Leah gave Marshall a light hug before moving to do the same. That left both vampires alone to converse about random topics—like the staggering new developments in their lives while away from one another.

"So, c'mon, spill the tea. Tell me all about it." Brad crossed his legs, leaning his elbow against his knee. "And don't spare the gory details."

Marshall chuckled, gently squeezing his friend's side to tickle him. "There's not too much to say, honestly. Things got kinda heated, I...went against my better judgment, and then poof! Taste-wise...hm...oh, you'll understand what I mean since you're a vampire too. You know how there's a difference in potency between different types of blood? Take human blood, make it a little less sweet, add a bit of earthiness to it, and crank the richness up by a million. Then, crank that richness up even further with every sip taken after."

"Sounds addicting."

"It is," He sighed in a dreamy state. "But what about you? It seems like you and Leah have spoken."

Brad leaned back, toying with a piece of hair dangling over his shoulder. "We did, yeah."

Marshall's excitement dwindled when picking up on his friend's strained voice. "Did it go badly?"

"No, not really. I opened up about the blood singer bond. She opened up to me about the imprint bond. Mine and yours. So now I know what to maybe, possibly expect in the future. Before letting things get that far, though, I told her about my bond with you. How we used to be. How we are now. We've agreed to not pursue anything further until we're both ready. For me, that's getting my bearings as a vampire. For her, it's coming to terms with my old relationship really being over, and how my relationship to you is more important than anything else."

"...Even now? When you've finally met your soulmate?"

"One of my soulmates. Besides, to me, romance is one thing. Having someone as special as you is something else."

Marshall was touched at the sentiment. Although he never voiced it, he still had concerns about Brad changing his mind about their friendship the more he became adjusted to his new life. Marshall was also afraid of the idea of a new partner, especially one as intense as Leah, being enough to alter their bond if it meant satisfying her new personal wishes.

Then again, Brad never changed who he was toward his best friend when he started dating Yasmine.

Maybe he was just the type of person to not let outside forces change who he truly was as a person.

"That's really sweet of you-"

A brief yet blinding flash illuminated the sky outside.

A blaring strike followed not even a second later.

The sound was grating, like an uprooted street sign hitting a metal beam. Or like a tin roof being snatched away by the raging winds of a fierce tornado. It was possible a lightning bolt had struck a nearby tree, and that was why the corresponding thunder was so loud.

Several people flinched as it happened.

Marshall was hit with an immediate migraine. His ears were left ringing.

But he ignored his own discomfort when hearing Brad whimper.

He held his head in his hands to muffle his ears. His face was hidden to shield his eyes from another awful flash. A harsh grip made the veins in his arms pop out, further proving how something as simple as a change in the weather could bring him to his knees.

Marshall knew too well how horrible thunderstorms could be for a newborn. Witnessing thunder and lightning as a normal human was intense enough. Doing so as a vampire with hyperactive senses was even worse. Finding ways to conceal one's self from mother nature's fury was difficult when supernatural abilities were hard wired to pick up on every little sensation. Even when doing so was an unwanted experience.

Brad's hearing was superior to Marshall's too.

Hearing a crash of thunder that severe could only be described as agonizing.

"Hey, it's okay-"

Another strike and boom brought about more flinching. 

Brad's fingers clenched harder, desperately trying to drown out the noises his palms couldn't completely snuff out.

Marshall shifted himself and his companion so they were facing each other. Wireless earphones were put in for Brad. His head was guided to rest against Marshall's chest to help shield sensitive eyes. 

For further protection, fluffy blue wings erupted out of his back. They draped over Brad's form, completely blanketing him—protecting him from the outside world. 

Music was set to shuffle. A second pair of hands took refuge over Brad's. Tender kisses were pressed against his scalp before Marshall rested his head against the spot.

Light humming was used as a focal point for Brad to use so he wouldn't panic.

Marshall breathed out a quiet laugh, nuzzling his cheek into a nest of soft curls when the same gesture could be felt against his sternum.

"Don't worry. It'll be over soon. You'll be okay." He traced his thumb over goosebump-riddled skin. "I've got you."

Marshall held back a wince when another boom of thunder resounded outside. Fortunately, it sounded further away than the initial one. Knowing Brad might still hear some residual noises, a caring grip on his hands tightened. Individual feathers were rearranged to fill in any gaps where lights could seep through.

Brad moved one of his hands to take hold of his friend's arm. He made his own attentive gestures to try and bring comfort.

"Don't worry about me. I'm used to dealing with storms."

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

"It does. But-"

Marshall's face was pulled downward. "I didn't want you to come back from vacation just so you could go straight back into caretaker mode. You're allowed to be tended to, cabrón. So stop fighting it, and let me help you."

Within such a dark space, Brad's eyes appeared quite vibrant. The radiant gold which had taken over a menacing red reflected the grayish-white color pouring in through the windows a few feet away. It further enhanced a certain determination within his gaze; something amplified by his scrunched brows and minor pout.

Marshall was reminded of how a single glance from his best friend could make him cave. How Brad had the power to bat his long eyelashes or make a sad face to get his way. How Marshall was too much of a sap for cute, sweet things to ever deny them.

A strangely powerful warmth pooled in his stomach, traveling up his chest and toward his face.

Several gasps made him perk up in alarm. "What's wrong?"

Instead of explaining outright, everyone sitting at the table was staring with varying degrees of...surprise? Emily's hands cupped her cheeks, somewhat shielding the corners of her smile. A few others were snickering to themselves. Paul's own face was tinged with red.

He looked at his imprint as if he'd just struck treasure.

"Baby, you-" Paul laughed, his body shaking out of pure elation. "You're blushing!"

Marshall's body recoiled without him meaning to. His fingers ghosted along the surface of his cheek and-

Oh.

Lo and behold, he felt actual heat beneath his touch.

Maybe since Paul ran hotter than most because of the supernatural blood running through his veins, absorbing said fluid into his system gave Marshall the ability to react in ways he couldn't before.

The revelation made his entire face erupt with a feverish warmth. His only appropriate response was to duck his head to seek refuge beneath his wings.

"I am not. You- you must be seeing things."

"You are, though!"

"I am not! Shut up!"

"You are, and it's so cute!" Paul's voice went up an octave as he became even more excited. "Come on, lovely, don't hide. You don't have to be embarrassed. I just wanna see.~"

Marshall's shoulders hiked up. He tried to ignore how his involuntary blush extended.

Hyperactive stomping forced him to let out a hushed whine.

"Oh- oh, sweetheart! Even your ears are turning red! Aww, it's so pretty.~"

Marshall promptly covered them. "You're insatiable."

"Honey Bun-"

" So sadistic."

"Haha, babe-"

"A damn menace! You hear me- a menace!"

"A menace who's never been happier.~"