Chapter Text
Kimi Antonelli is not a born vampire.
Kimi Antonelli is born painfully, mortally human, and the doctors don't think his heart will last for than a week. It’s not a difficult decision for his parents, who have more money than they know what to do with, to make. When the option of vampiric transformation is presented to them by the doctors at Bologna private hospital, they pay the egregious fees and sign the papers without thinking twice.
Kimi Antonelli was not born a vampire, but he was human all of nine hours before he was bitten and turned in a secluded white room, his crying parents forced to bear witness as his tiny form cried and screamed and his heart rate monitor stopped having anything to record.
Those nine hours should not be as significant as they are, they shouldn’t make him so wildly different to the vampires that are born with still hearts and red eyes, but they do, and he is.
Kimi’s family are all human, and while they’ve never associated themselves with any kind of supernatural, they don’t have an issue with having a son who needs blood to survive. They get him the most discreet and expensive doctors money can buy, they have him seeing specialists for years and years and they take notes and have follow up questions at every appointment, they’re very attentive in that way. He’s given iron rich foods and supplements and the freshest, ‘tastiest’ ethically sourced blood available according to the clinics they speak to, they do everything right.
Everything, except speaking to an actual vampire.
Turned vampires are not so common in completely human families, Kimi is the only one in the whole of Italy. Vampires are family-oriented, Kimi will one day learn. They form strong connections with any ‘fledglings’ they create, and are unlikely to leave them alone long enough for that fledgling to have to learn how to navigate the world alone. Kimi will find out what his parents paid for is technically highly illegal, and the vampire that turned him was on death row. Turning Kimi was his only chance to see the outside world.
Knowledge on Turned vampires is not freely given by the vampire community. Kimi’s parents trust the human doctors proudly sporting five star ratings and endless degrees in vampire medicine, but there is a reason they charge so highly and have such little information to give, Kimi is the first Turned vampire they have had to genuinely help care for, and not just assist with broken bones or rare diseases.
Maybe if Kimi had not blindly trusted his parents, if his parents had not so blindly trusted those humans’ opinions, if those doctors had not been so self-assured, if they’d sought out a vampire opinion, he would've grown up a lot differently. But no matter how many ‘ifs’ he throws out there, nothing can change that everyone around Kimi growing up was a fucking idiot, including him.
-
At five years old, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is always hungry.
Those nine hours he spent human mean a lot of things are different for him. He needs to eat human food, because his body has a stomach that must be fed by something other than blood, his skin is more naturally resistant to the sun, his eyes are not red unless they reflect the light of the moon, and he doesn’t need to drink blood nearly as often.
The doctors tell his parents that a blood bag once a week is the perfect amount for his survival, and that the ‘dose’ will increase as he ages.
The five year old vampire clinging to his mother's legs disagrees.
Kimi doesn’t understand. No matter how many servings of pasta his Nònna piles on his plate, he's never full.
It is unbecoming of him, to be found rummaging through an almost empty pantry at two in the morning, to lick his cousins plates clean and empty his grandparents fridge every time he visits, it might be endearing to his family, but his school begins to send notes home about his habits of taking other kids lunches, and his parents put their foot down.
Kimi cries and screams and begs and throws so many tantrums his parents start locking him in his room to teach him a lesson about his bad behaviour. He goes to bed without dinner more than one night because of the hits and insults he throws at his parents when they refuse him more than double the recommended amount of calories for a boy his age.
Kimi is too young yet to understand that the brief flare of satisfaction he feels for a few hours after eating is from the half glass of ‘juice’ that is warmed up for him at every meal and not the heap of fettuccine settling in his stomach.
-
Kimi is ten when he finally gets the courage to ask why he can’t have more blood.
He’s old enough to understand vampirism by this age, he knows what he is, why he’s not like other kids or the rest of his family, and he knows he isn’t like the vampire clans he learns about in class, either. He’s some miracle in-between that is not nearly as well documented as either of his halves.
Kimi is old enough to talk to his friends and understand he isn’t supposed to be hungry all the time. His teacher looks alarmed when he asks her if it’s normal to feel a hole in your stomach, and she isn’t any less concerned when he describes how no matter how much he eats, he never feels full. That teacher talks to his parents and recommends an exorcism, she is fired shortly after.
Surely it is not normal for him to be drawn to every source of blood around him? Every human around him smells so strongly of food, and he has to pop dozens of iron supplements after a karting race to feel better, he is plowing through them at rates that wouldn’t be healthy for a human. The very few Italian vampires who’ve been open enough to talk about their vampirism online speak about bloodlust like a background thought, that they don’t really feel a desire to bite unless they’re hungry. Kimi finds this confusing, he’s always hungry, he thought that was a vampire thing, but apparently not.
The doctor is not concerned, he chides Kimi for being too greedy in his young age. The increase of his blood intake has been perfectly timed over the years, and he’s given top-shelf quality that some vampires could only dream of affording. He should be grateful for all his parents do for him, not seek out more so recklessly. He must learn self-control, no vampire his age should still feel the constant urge to bite other humans.
Kimi burns with shame with every word that leaves the doctor's mouth. Kimi is a good catholic boy, he is not greedy, he does not want to dishonour his parents. They do so much for him, they love him so implicitly, he can’t imagine disappointing them.
When Kimi gets home that night, he doesn’t ask for seconds. His throat burns until he falls into a restless sleep.
-
When Kimi is fifteen, he starts in Formula 4 for the Mercedes driver academy.
It’s everything he could’ve wanted, it’s a major step up in his career and a genuine shot of maybe possibly making it into a Formula 1 seat one day, if he can prove himself capable of winning in one.
By now, Kimi is used to the hunger pains. His friend's parents give him leftovers that he scarfs down on the way home from every hangout, and he uses his allowance more often than not on snacks he keeps hidden away in his room. They help, but his bloodlust does not abate, Kimi simply gets used to it. He never mentions it to another doctor, he doesn’t want to be told he’s defective, he doesn't want them to find there is something wrong with him that might mean he needs to take a break from racing. Kimi’s doctors all agree his nutrient levels are stable, so it is simply a mindset he has to shift.
Formula 4 is a whole different experience. The speed is insane, the g-force is intense (he can’t imagine what it must be like in an F1 car, if this is only Formula 4) and the races are much longer.
Formula 4 is where he sees vampires be given little bottles of blood after a race for the first time. He never gets used to the initial hit of that rich, metallic scent that seems to coat the back of his throat. If Kimi was less experienced in ignoring his hunger, he’s sure he would’ve gone feral fifty times over by the end of his first season. He’s got a dealer by then, a friend who’s parents work in pharmaceuticals that smuggles Kimi boxes of iron tablets for double the price, he doesn’t think he’d survive without them.
Post-race is when the hunger is the worst, when his vision swims and his stomach aches and his hands shake like an addict desperate for their next hit. The sandpaper of his veins burns almost as badly as the way his father looks at him, exasperated and a little irritated that his son doesn’t have a handle on his instincts after so long.
Kimi wants his parents to gather him in their arms and assure him that his efforts are seen, that what he’s doing makes them proud to call him part of their family. No matter how many hugs and reassurances they give him, it’ll never be the ones he wants to hear. Kimi doesn’t deserve to be recognised for his self-restraint—he needs illegally procured iron tablets to keep his self control, it’s been fifteen years as a vampire and he still has to excuse himself when someone cuts themselves near him. Kimi isn’t allowed to prepare his own blood because he gets so desperate for it that he’s ripped the bag apart and licked it up cold multiple times.
(at one point they tried to train him. They set out his cup of blood at dinner and told him he could have it once he finished his plate. He didn’t last more than five bites before disobeying and downing it in one go. The brief high wasn’t worth the resigned disappointment on their faces).
Kimi disappoints his parents at every turn, after all they’ve done for him, and yet they don’t say anything, sighing and bring him in for a hug like he isn’t wasting the thousands they’ve spent on doctors for him with his lack of control.
It’s fine. Either the bloodlust will fade into the background as he ages (a laughable thought, considering it only seems to grow stronger even as his blood intake increases), or Kimi will make it to Formula 1 and be so successful that his parents' pride will drown out their internal resentment of his condition.
(And if he quietly, selfishly wonders if once he is an adult, there is a way he can procure blood of his own without them finding out, that is between him and God)
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, is a born vampire.
Vampires are very common in the Germany-France-Italy area, with long lineages of very wealthy and secluded Vampire clans, some of the oldest in the world. In most other countries, clans tend to keep to themselves and their old ways, hiding out in forests and away from human civilisation, but not in Monaco and France.
In France and Monaco, vampires hold almost more positions of power than humans and other creatures do combined, with how prevalent they are in high society.
The Leclercs are not a well known lineage by any means, they are not the head of some stone-aged covenant that has been fighting territory wars for generations, and they were not one of the clans that played a part in the negotiations to end the hundred year war between creatures and humans, but they are suitably old, and they have friendships and connections with some of those larger-than-life clans, including being a part of the largest and most powerful vampire covenant in Europe. Minor members, of course, but outside of their hunting grounds, throwing around that weight is laughably easy.
Charles’ father is a bit of an oddity. While marrying humans is no longer frowned upon, marrying a human with a human child is a bit of an odd choice. Pascale brought with her the scent of a broken bond and an already six year old son, wary and unhappy about being brought into the life of a vampire clan.
It’s true that turning humans is no longer as common as it once was, the knowledge of how is lost amongst many common vampires, and it is outlawed by most covenants unless a good reason is provided. (There are bodies in the catacombs, half-formed fledglings that are offered up to the beasts that roam below as an offering of penance for their sins. Their human families are seldom informed what happened to their missing child or partner or parent. It is better this way)
It takes many years for Lorenzo Tolotta-Leclerc to ask to become a vampire, and a good while longer for the covenant to approve of such a thing—Because of course, it is not just him, but his mother who would like to be integrated into the clan. By the time it goes ahead, Lorenzo’s mother and stepfather have already had two fledglings of their own. Charles is ten and Arthur is seven, Lorenzo is nineteen. Charles has just started hunting independently, and Arthur has just begun drinking live animals, they are light-years ahead of him in their vampiric development. Even though he still has to sit and help them with their math homework, they are more predators than he will ever be.
Turned vampires are different from born vampires, the Leclerc clan learns. Just because Lorenzo and Pascale are grown humans, does not mean they don’t feel that initial frenzied fledgling bloodlust. And just because they are vampires, it does not mean they can sustain themselves on blood alone, like the rest of their clan does. Unfortunately, they will not be transforming their kitchen into a play area (Arthur throws a tantrum about it), it’s still needed. They don’t drink as much blood, either, considering they can get iron from supplements and iron-rich foods just fine, but it’s not a lot less. They probably eat an adult vampire’s daily recommended intake of blood between them, and then a little extra when they feel like it. Their senses are not as sharp, they do not sense heartbeats nearly as easily, and despite being fully grown humans, they will still stay in that fledgling stage for fifteen years (They start hunting much earlier, regardless. They have functioning brains and hands, they do not need as much coddling as a vampire child).
Charles is one of the few born vampires from a major covenant to associate himself with a ‘Turned’, and he doesn’t see why the others look down on the concept so much. He agrees there can’t be mature-aged humans running around in a fledgling bloodlust all over the place, but he never quite understands why the healing factor is not afforded to magickal babies with complications. Surely, a couple of witches would rather deal with a blood-sucking vampire then pay thousands for a surgery that might not work? Witches have plenty of leftover blood lying around from the animal parts they use for potions, it would not be a hardship for them. But it’s not Charles’ battle to fight, so he doesn’t really think about it all that much.
Until Jules. Until Jules mother cries and begs Charles’ father to turn him when it’s clear he won’t pull through. Lorenzo and their parents argue about it for months on end as Jules remains unmoving in a hospital bed, and Charles can’t help but take his older brother’s side. Fuck the covenant, if their rules want to prevent them from saving Jules’ life, then it is better to not be part of the covenant at all. Herve disagrees, Pascale tries to play mediator. In the end it doesn’t matter; Jules has the slightest hint of Faerie blood, even if the bite was allowed, it would not take.
It’s not like being a vampire would bring back his neurons, but something tells Charles that would not be a comfort to his clan or Jules’ family, they would want him back either way.
Their clan is not the same after that, Lorenzo doesn’t visit as often, even if the ‘leclerc brothers🦇🏎️🔥’ group chat is as active as ever. He doesn’t speak to his step-father other than on holidays.
Charles can tell Lorenzo regrets it, when their father dies.
Losing the head of their little clan is devastating, losing their sire even more so. It is an ache that will never be filled, a void in their hearts and minds that will never cease to make itself known.
Charles signs with Sauber for the following year not four months later, it’s bittersweet to know that while his father died proud, it was under false pretences that he would never get to correct. His father would never see him in a Formula 1 car, nor would Jules.
Signing with Ferrari for 2019 is insane. Only his second year in Formula 1 and he’s already so godamn close to his dream—to Jules’ dream—it’s an indescribable feeling, it’s fucking incredible.
Being a vampire, or any supernatural for that matter, is not an oddity on the grid. Since the invention of magic and power suppressors in the sixties, Magickal’s have been more than welcome to compete, though that hasn’t come without a scandal or ten (the amount of cheated wins and faulty suppressors have lessened over the years, but he doubts there’ll ever be zero fuck-ups in a season).
The suppressors come in the form of pills, nowadays, not the clunky (and heavy) ankle-monitor-like devices of eras past. It’s weird for Charles to not hear the heartbeat of everyone on his crew, or feel that urge to hunt that is usually caused by such an adrenaline rush. The pills he took for karting and the lower Formulae weren’t as strong, and they weren‘t mandatory either. This constant hot and cold of instincts and hunger is not for the weak.
Charles is not alone in his annoyance with them, at least. The grid has nine Magickals including himself, three vampires (the other two being Pierre and Oscar), two Fae (Lando and Max), three Mer (Lance, Yuki and Alex) and a singular mage (George, surprisingly). Five of which are publicly ‘out’ (again, including himself). Almost half the grid is not bad, it's a good balance. If rumours are to be believed, at some point in the eighties, seventeen of the twenty drivers had not been human. Charles much prefers being in the minority in this instance.
Pierre and him are of course part of the same covenant, but Oscar is a Turned. He doesn’t advertise it, and Charles is pretty sure he’s not supposed to know, but Oscar's eyes are a dead give away—that, and him being from Australia (the ozone layer is much too thin there, it kills the cells that allow Vampires to reproduce over time, Oscar must've been turned when he moved to the UK. That makes him currently in the fledgling stage, but he seems well guided, so Charles doesn’t ask about it)
Not that it matters of course, the same way his rivalry with Max has nothing to do with the centuries long feud between vampires and the fae. There is a temporary truce between bloodline enemies in the presence of humans—well, there would be if Max wasn't such a fucking dick growing up but—
Whatever. They fucked kissed and made up years ago. He shouldn't be dwelling on it now.
What Charles should be dwelling on, as they rapidly approach the fifth race in what is looking to be a season to forget, is that both his and Max’s instincts have a weird pull towards the new Mercedes driver, the wide-eyed Kimi Antonelli. His instincts should not do that for anyone who isn’t a vampire, much less a human, unless.….?
Charles watches as Kimi is handed a see-through bottle of water after a race. There is no ‘unless’, Kimi is clearly a human. Toto is not so careless as a pseudo-clan leader to provide water for a young vampire after a race, that would be beyond cruel.
But still, there is a pull, and it becomes harder to ignore by the day.