Warnings: Shonen-ai/Yaoi; MalexMale relationships. Gore, violence, explicit content.
Alternative Universe; Lunar Knights mixed with some Boktai (not much, though).
I have never been into the supernatural things, or into the fantasy writtings. My family was very catholic, almost orthodoxy, and such things weren't exactly accepted in it. I often get into troubles if I decided to read something out from the ordinary (the Bible, for example, books talking about catholisism.). My parents would try to sneak in my room, take that reading away or hide it, but most of the times it ended up in the trash can or on the hands of my best friend, Lucian, who was actually the one that brang all that fantastic books. He knew well how to please my parents and how to hide the material I was not allowed to read so it could go pass my parents and then, onto my hands. Both of us, on a hot afternoon of summer, managed to create a hideout for those precious treasures and worked, as my parents couldn't find anyother books rather the ones they bought me and how 'happy' they were that I finally dropped the supernatural 'obsession'. Upon that, I always smile and close my mouth. Little they knew that Lucian still brings books talking about ghots, phantoms, zombies, werewolfs, withches, demons. But my most favourire is vampiric literature.
Unlike anyother creautre I have mentioned before, vampires are... quiet especial. Ghost and phamtoms are spirits of dead people, without a material body, they're souls bounded to Earth, seeing they couldn't leave it. Zombies were creatures with a material body, but rotten and without soul or conscience. Vampires were like a mix between these two, as they were dead, their body was dead, but they were still alive; they could feel, they could think, they could talk, they could do much more things. That was what amazed me the most rather than a human that turns into a berserk wolf during Full Moon nights. Now that was something crazy.
Lucian and I would spend sleepless nights talking about these supernatural things, reading books and imaginating each of us like one. My parents always went early to bed and I would follow them shortly after, but when Lucian comes over, I can stay all night up. They trusted him as a guardian, and I was very happy that it was that way, seeing that kids around my age didn't share my family belief and my parents didn't like that, so they only made me meet kids in the Chruch reunions, but didn't see anything different in them like I see in me.
Lucian, on the contrary, was quiet a man. A curse word would often, more the usual, leave his mouth; he was a bit aggressive and was fighting almost all the time with the street kids around our block. He was a horphan and was living in the horphanage just a few houses away from mine but never left the place after we became friends. He stayed there, helping Kay, Ernest and Bea with the kids in them. Lucian was two years older than me, seeing I'm next to my sixteens, so he was about eighteen or so. His birthdate was never precise as the only paper that was with him was one with his name and a number of four digits, that Ernest presumed it was his birthdate when they left him on the porch door of the horphanage. He hardly ever listened to someone, not liking to follow any rules (not even my parent's when he is home) but, estrangely, he listens to me. If I ever get mad at him, he would shut up, listen and then apologize if he was wrong.
I must say that even if I'm catholic and if I read the Bible, if I go to cruch and pray... My eyes always wandered over Lucian's. They were a deep brown color that would turn copper or even red at the sunrise or sunset, and that is what slowly attracted me to him. At first, I was scared that I was feeling these things for a man when my own Book tells me it's a sin. But I can't help it. Lucian is so different from me, and is that exotic personality that calls and drags me to him. I really don't know if he feels the same, even a little, but my heart warms up and I feel those butterflies in my stomach each time I heard him he would turn into a vampire only to watch over me for eternity. And, more often the usual, I dream a dream in where he is a vampire, sitting over my window, watching me sleep, surrounded by the moonlight.
I never believed anything of that, as I had my own and sole God to believe in. Even when the stories were very good, and the times spent with Lucian besides me were burried in my head, I never believed that ghost roamed in the cementeries looking for their bodies, or zombies that would suddenly rise from their graves, or humans that turns into wolfs on Full Moon nights. Not even in vampires. People that were accused of vampirism weren't anything but cannibals, possessed by one of the Devil's demons, as my father often says when one of these rare cases shows up.
But all of that changed when my best friend and only love died.
I had been in the chruch that time, with my family, once more in those boring reunions. I wanted to go, since Lucian and I decided to see each other that night. I was going to spend the night in the horphanage with the kids, helping him and the others as was something I really wanted to do for some time. I couldn't leave early, my parent's obligued me to stay until the end. When the clock of the chruch gave the eight in the evening, we were free to go. I rushed them as they stopped to talk with some friends from the group and we finally managed to leave. The chruch wasn't that far away, actually, just three or four blocks from home. Normally, it's a very quiet place but that night we saw some police cars come and go, we immediately supposed something was wrong. My mother feared that someone in the horphanage was hurt or worst and, ignoring my father's call, I run towards it, fearing the children in it. They were too young and couldn't defend themsevels, but made me think who could attack them.
As I run closer, I saw an ambulence, people gathering around the entrance of the horpahange, police officers keeping some from entering. I hoped everyone was alright, but my heart stopped when I saw a black, plastic bag being dragged outside the building over a cot. I slowered my pace, my eyes quickly saw far from the multitud gathering around. I saw the officers, I saw the paramedics, I saw some bruised kids, I saw Ernest, Kay, Bea...
Where was Lucian?
My hands trembled, my legs weren't responding. My throat become dry, my ears didn't hear anything. The moment the cot got inside the ambulance, I reacted. Where was Lucian?! I run, I pushed people around, I cursed (something I rarely do), my arms streetching forwards, towards the ambulance. Not even the police officer stopped me as I run to the ambulance. Ernest saw me, and I saw him. He dashed towards me but I already shoved one of the paramedics to a side. I grabbed the zip from the bag and I only pulled down a bit before my worst fear became true. I only needed to see that purple hair to know that the one inside the plastic, black bag was Lucian.
My best friend, my only love...
I cried like I never have. I cursed like I never did. I kicked, I hit, I bit. They didn't want me to come with the ambulance, but I refused to listen. My friend, why did you leave me? Who is going to tell me about those fantastic creatures that lurked in the darkness? Who is going to read me those wonderfull stories about our favorite night creature? As the ambulance slowly drove away, I realized that my only pilar from my world had crumbled under me. With my eyes filled with tears, I turned my head back when I heard my father's call. Soon, he and my mother understood, and both of them burst in tears too. Horphanage or not, they loved Lucian like a second son.
That night I stayed in my room alone. I didn't eat, I didn't drink anything. I locked myself in the room despite my father's protests, but he understood. They both left me place for myself as I desperately needed it. I sat on my bed, which was just next to the window. It was open, it was always open. I cried as I remember the times where Lucian would sneak in late at night to bring me some new stuff he found in the library, or to bring snacks that he stole from Bea's kitchen, or just to stay with me.
"I just missed your presence, that's all.", he often told me when I asked why he was in my room.
My heart ached so much; my throat had a knot in it preventing my words to come out. My hands shakes, my legs trembled. My eyes are already tired of shading so many tears, but they will never bring my Lucian back. I would always cry, but he will never smile for me again.
As my parents were bussy with the burrying, I stayed in my room the next three days. I barely talked, not wanting to see anyone at all. The kids from the chruch group came but, when they saw I wasn't in the mood, they would leave as quickly as they arrived. I went thinner as I haven't eaten the necessary, but my mother's effort in not losing the only child she had made me, at last, eat one meal a day. In the moments I could spend alone besides the window, when my parent's weren't home, I would crawl down the bed and open the little hideout we made for the books. I would pick one, return to the bed, open it and read, and feel my tears run down my face.
Finally, the fourth day, we burried my friend in the cementery. It was a cloudy day, and all of us were arround the grave with the coffin closed, flowers on top of it as a priest was reading the usual prayer for those who leave this place. Lucian received a single deadly shot in the head when he tried to protect the kids from the horphanage from some thieves. Ernest and Kay helped as Bea grouped the kids to hide with them. They were all drunk and Lucian and the others didn't know they had guns until they shot.
Often, we could heard the cats mew but I didn't notice as one of them walked near the grave and sat besides Bea's leg, in front of me. She and the two men besides her didn't notice it either. It was all black with exception of his point tail, which was white. He had a strange cross shaped scar on its head, from a fight I assumed, and a little light orange colllar. I tried to concentrate, but his presence made my curious side arise and couldn't take my eyes from it. It was only sitting there, licking his front paws from time to time, or his back or tail as he was visible waiting for something. I could tell that one of the old women from the town, Freya, was also visible nervous or sacared. She was slowly growing pale as she didn't leave the cat's sight like me.
"In the name of the Father...", I heard the priest say as everyone there made the sign. I followed too, at the wrong time, but finally the prayer was over. He closed the little book on his hand and nodded to the men behind him as they started to lower the coffin inside the pit.
I heard my mother start crying again as my father holded her in his arms. In front of me, Bea was as lifeless as a stone, Ernest was silenty cyring like Kay, and the cat was sitting still. It was driving me crazy. Why a cat would come to one's burrying? I knew, from stories, which cats often accompanied to the familiars and friends of the deceased one, walking between them and sitting with them. I never believed them until now.
The men finished covering the pit with the ground, some of our friends left flowers on it; some of them whispered some words for Lucian's soul. I just stared to the gravestone and the cat that suddenly decided to move when the priest and the men working in the cementery turned around and left. The black cat made his move, walking between the people's legs. When he came to me, he rubbed against my leg and purred before going into the middle of the grave and flopping down, his tail slowly curling as he watched the amused people watching him back.
"Open the grave!", Freya shouted out of nowhere. She was shaking now and her friends tried to calm her down. "He will become a vampire! Open the grave, open the grave and kill him!!", shouted, looking at the cat like if he was going to jump on her face and scratch her.
"Freya, calm down. He's already dead, there is no way he is able to come back unless the Lord wants it.", a men told her as the women struggled.
"No! The cat is the proof! He sat just when the men left! He is going to turn into a vampire, he will hunt us down for our blood!", she looked around, scared. "Do something! Don't stay there, do something!!"
I was shocked. I couldn't move at all, Freya's words ringing in my mind as I left the graveyard with my parents. I turned my back several times while leaving and the cat was still sitting on his spot.
"What's Freya talking about?", I asked my father, but he shrugged.
Late that night, my parents let me go to my room without eating dinner. As usuall, I stayed on my bed, staring outisde the open window. The starry sky gave me the welcome as well as the Moon, but nothing was especial to me again. The room felt so lonely and silent now that Lucian was gone. The books lost all their meaning as they stayed in the hideout and seeing I was not going to be able to read the new ones that Lucian bought me before he died. I sighed loudly as I took a coat and put my boots on. My door was locked and I knew my parents weren't going to bother me tonight. Either way, I waited until all the ligths from the house were off before skeanking away from my room.
The night was cold but I didn't recall. I wasn't paying attention as my feet slowly dragged me to Freya's house. She was still up as I saw, and knocked softly on her door before she opened it. Her white hair was hid under a wool hat as she was wearing warm clothes like me. She made me enter, without saying anything, and the five cats she owned came to me mewing contently. I stopped and stared. I lived here in the town for a lot of time, I came to her home countless of times but her cats never received me like this before.
"Your friend...", she said putting a teapot on the fire. "It's going to come soon.", I picked one of the mewing cats and petted it, smiling as she rubbed her head against my own.
"I wish he would.", I whispered back. I sat on the couch and the other four cat's follwed me, jumping on my lap as they didn't stop mewing. Were they trying to tell me something?
"I'm dead serious.", came her reply, taking two mugs from the sink. "He told me.", just then, I noticed the same black cat that flopped on Lucian's grave that morning sitting on the kitchen's window, quietly looking at me. "On the next Full Moon, he will araise from the dead and will look for you, son.", explained. "You must be carefull with the partners he will have once he awakes for a second time as they might not like you."
"What are you talking about, Freya?", I knew that if she keeps saying those things, I would end up believing them. But my belief told me otherwise, and I should stay with them, especially in these times.
"Oh, son. Didn't you see the cat that rested on your friend's grave today? That's a sign!", she cried as she poured the hot water in the mugs. "When a cat rest on a recently burried person, it becomes a vampire."
I laughed.
"I don't believe in them."
"You should, they had been living around us for centuries."
I drank the tea she offered me and left shortly afterwards. She told me what I wanted to hear, but Freya knew I wouldn't believe her. As I walked back home, I lifted my head up. Only two days before Full Moon. I will be still in grief and probably in my room, so I had plenty of time to read and think over Freya's words.
I stayed up all night, looking at the Moon. I picked up the books that talked about vampirism and sprawled them all on my bed as I slowly read the pages, trying to find something that talked about cats and vampires, or something related to that. Even though I was in deep pain, I was a lot calmer since this morning and could think properly, at last a bit, and noticed that what the old woman said was written in one of the books. Then, I remembered Lucian's promise. I looked down to my cross collar, lifting up the silver Christian cross, seeing it shine under the moonlight. Could it be possible, or it was just one of Freya's stories? I shook my head as I closed the book. I was losing it. The dead of Lucian is affecting me more the usual and I couldn't let that happen.
The following days weren't much different from that night. My parents still left me alone in my roon, my mother bringing me food which I only ate once. This time, I had a bottle of orange juice with me. It was tiresome walking down and up the stairs each time my body requiered a few drinks. I would lay on the bed all day, pick the books and read, sleep. But I didn't want to sleep. If I did, Lucian appeared in my dreams, as the vampire he said he would become, and whispered into my ears little words that made my body shiver in pleasure. I couldn't let my parents discover my secret crush I had on Lucian or I will be kicked out of home.
My eyes betray me as they slowly close, slowly dragging me to Land of Dreams, in where Lucian is waiting for me. He wears all black now, and he waits me under a tree. The Moon it's full and its light illuminates my path to him, to his open arms, to his lovely smile. I often wake up agitated, gasping for breath and with a terrible pain in my chest and neck. If I tried to talk about it with my parents, it would be a waste of time. So, instead, I would drink some juice and curl up on the bed, trying to stay awake. Which was hard. Not eating left my body weak, and being on bed wasn't helping at all. Like this, the two days remaining to Full Moon came and passed. On the day, I made sure to stay up all night bringing coffee to my room and lots of candy or sugary things.
Lucian didn't come, but I felt the atmosphere of the town was denser the usual. I could feel other presences in the shadows, but didn't dare to ask their names. I often shivered, looking around like someone was watching me. There was no one in my room, only me and the books. I curled under the blankets as I stared outside the window, really believing Lucian would just come into my sight and apologize for being late that night. Waiting like this, I soon fall asleep.
He was there again, waiting for me in the tree. He had an arm streetched, invitating me. He was telling me to come to him, and I was here, at the begining of the red path that lead to him. I took a few steps before stopping. The Moon, usually white and silver, was now crimson, and the bloomed tree was now dead. I looked around, scared. What was happening? I looked up to Lucian, who was still waiting. I wanted to go with him, but my legs weren't moving. I cried his name over and over again, and he smiled. I returned the gesture as I opened my arms for him. And he came to me rather me to him, and he enveloped me into his strong and warm embrace. I snuggled closer to Lucian, burrying my face on his chest, hugging him tightly, not letting him go. God, I missed him so much! I missed his scent, his body, his eyes, that purple hair. Lord only knows what I would do without him now.
"It's not the time...", I heard him whisper in my ear. "It's no the time yet.", he repeated.
"Time for what?", I asked as I lifted my head. I looked into his red, bright eyes and gasped at the sight. When did they become red like this?
"I can't bring you here yet.", he looses up and I desperately try to hold on him, but he rejects. "Go back and wait for me."
And then, I would wake up agitated and in pain. The more I slept, the weaker I felt. I didn't understood, neither my parents that were now worried about my health. I barely eat in all day and didn't do much but stay in bed and read, like I have been doing since Lucian died. But couldn't deny that I was getting thinner and small bags under my eyes were slowly appearing due to lack of sleep, and was losing strength too.
At the time I started to weaken, several strange and misterious murders started to take place in our town.
At first, it was one every two nights. They were choosen at random but all presented the same features; they were drained from blood and had several bite marks on their bodies. The polices and detectives were clueless when they found them, but soon rumors started to spread in town like the Black Death. You know what they say; small town, big hell or something. It didn't take much time for the people to think that there were vampires coming every night to hunt us down. Freya seemed more scared than ever as she barely leave her house and didn't open the door unless it was me or her niece bringing supplies. The police officers and some detectives tried to talk with her, but she didn't open the door. Since that day, I heard some other rumors spread besides the vampire's one, especially each time I decided to go with my parents to the chruch. They said that it was Freya the one that brung the demons to our town and it was her the one that commited the murders. I didn't believe them even when a small part of me tried to stay in the reality.
Later on, they become more and more violent as the murdered people ended up all dismembered. I often bumped into them and more than once I was the one calling the police telling I discovered yet another body, had to stay in the station for all the interrogation before I could leave. The nights were getting dangeours and no one dared to come outside, as our little town was slowly starting to reduce its number thanks to the numerous murders. Freya was still harrassed and some people started to throw stones and other heavy objects to her home, as well as painting graffittis on the walls.
No one ever visited her anymore except for me. I could only do it during the night, seeing that no one was out and my parents used to go to bed early. I always sneak out, walk under the dark night and go over her home to have a few teas and talk about I used to with Lucian. The cats were still content each time I visit and the same black cat was in the same kitchen window, always waiting for something. I would only stay for an hour or so before leaving, return to my room and stay on the bed until morning.
Days passed and the murders were getting more and more frecuent; almost every day one person died on the hands of the criminals and the officers didn't have a clue yet. All of them were drained of blood; all of them were either dismemeber or had bite marks. They had given up in finding a human responsable of this, so they went to the woods surrounding our town but for the moment, they didn't find anything.
As for me, I was slowly getting weaker. I still saw Lucian in my dreams and I still talk with him, asking him when he was going to come back but he says the same. It's not the time yet, and I have been wondering to what he is referring until Freya told me it was because he is still transforming into a vampire.
"Is he the one that commits all these murdering?", I asked once. It has been three weeks since Lucian's dead and when the crimes started to appear. I finally gave up a little bit of my sanity and started to believe what Freya told me about Lucian coming back. I couldn't tell my parents about it, at last not yet. The silver cross was still hanging down my neck, and it was the only thing that was keeping me in place, yet I wondered...
"Sadly.", answered Freya. "But he is not alone, son.", she petted the black cat that purred contently. She picked him up on her arms and then, took the mugs from the kitchen. She gave one to me. "There are more, at last four of them helping him."
"Four?", the black cat jumped from Freya's arms to the table and came to me. I petted him softly on the head.
"Yes, they were the ones that choose your friend and transformed him. They are teaching him how to behave like a vampire.", she then sat and took a sip from her drink. "That one...", said, changing the subject as she pointed to the black cat. "Knows where your friend is."
My heart gave a jump as my hands shook with excitement. He knew where was Lucian? But, could I really go and see him now that he is with... other people? Could I see him now that I knew he was the one behind those horrible crimes? In my dreams he is the same Lucian I ever known, with that smile and those warm arms. This time, I left with the black cat on my arms. Last night he tried to follow me home but I obligue him to stay over Freya's. Now, he was coming home with me.
As I entered my room with the cat balancing on my shoulders, I noticed something odd about it. The air... was denser. And the books I usually had on my bed were all gone. I panicked as I thought that perhaps my parents found out I wasn't here or that they grabbed all the books and trashsed them away as they usually do. I clibmed the bed down, left the cat on it, and went to the door and tried to open it. It was closed from the inside, meaning that my parent's haven't come here. Where were all the books, then? I searched all over my room but didn't find them until I decided to look into the hideout. I put away the small carpet covering the scuttle, and lifted it up. I sighed. They were all there but I haven't put them there before going to Freya's. I jumped when the cat mewed.
"You shouldn't leave your treasures open like that.", I heard someone say behind me. I turned around quickly, finding a pair of bright red eyes staring me from the shadows. They were like Lucian's, but I could tell from the distance it wasn't him. "I know you're in great pain, but if you treasure that person, you should take care of his heritage better."
"Had you put my books here?", I felt it nodded. "How did you know about this hideout?"
"Lucian told me.", my heart gave a second jump. I closed the scuttle and put the carpet on it. "Take it easy.", he suggested me when my heart started to race up. How he could be able to hear it? I stood up, shaking. It wasn't if I was scared, but I was trembling none the less and I didn't know why. "He wants to know how you are doing."
"...Fine, I guess.", I answered. I finally made up my mind and sat on the bed. The black cat came to me and sat on my lap. "Trying to get over...Well... I don't know if I'm trying to get over his death now seeing he's alive again, sort of."
The male laughed softly, his eyes closing for a moment.
"Can I ask your name?"
"I'm Dumas.", asnwered the shadows.
"Like Alexandre Dumas, eh.", a smile appeared in my face. A french writter that had made a novel about a vampire that I enjoyed very much was also called like this guy.
"Like Alexandre Dumas, yes.", he said.
We both fell silent. We didn't know what say anymore. I was there, talking with one of Lucian's partners, with the black cat on my lap which knew the way there and probably the male in the shadows knew it too, but it wasn't going to lead me to Lucian yet. He told me it wasn't the time yet.
Dumas told me, after breaking a long five minutes of silence, that Lucian talks about me all the time, that he is nervous about meeting me again with a new life. He also explained me why Lucian didn't come to me the first night he rose from his death. New born vampires were extremely aggressive and didn't have a straigh consciouss the first days. If they were lucky to find partners like Dumas and the others, they would help him to calm down. Lucian was quickly progressing, but he still had some bloodlust breakouts and he didn't want me to end up hurt because of him, and I had to wait until he was ready to face me without jumping on me and sucking all my blood. Not that I minded as my imagination flew in possible scenarios in where Lucian comes and bites me softly on the neck, feeding from my warm blood that craves so much. The sole idea made me blush fiercely.
Dumas came the following nights to check on me. I stopped visiting Freya as she told me I should stop doing it and then I knew why. They were starting rumors about me too, that I was her accomplice. My parents were worried about it and closed the window from my room. They knew I sneaked out during the night but they didn't know where I went. Fearing I could be the possible perpetrator, they decided to completely lock me in the room. I could still watch through the window, but I couldn't escape as I needed to break the glass and that would be kinda of stupid. They also knew about the cat, but they ignored that fact as the animal stayed with me.
The crimes were still commited, and not by me. I knew who they were but no one except Freya would believe me. From time to time, I read the Bible, chosing my favorite's verses to repeat in loud voice or to whisper in the dark. I often gripped onto my silver cross, thinking if Lucian would be weak against it as most vampires were. All the literature I read said the same thing about them; all of them were weak against Sun and the Lord. Could this piece of precious metal burn the skin of my beloved one, like it did on Lucy in Stoker's Dracula?
A month passed, and our town was getting smaller. The vampires were killing everyone slowly, one by one. Most of them started to leave Istrakan, my hometown, towards San Miguel, as they all feared the killer lurking in the shadows. The priests in the chruch often prayed and did all kind of stuff to take away the 'demons' that were hunting down the people, but Dumas told me it was all useless. I asked him if my cross would burn his skin as it did in Dracula, and he laughed, not answering my question. I thought it was a no from the way he laughed.
Lucian kept coming into my mind, into my dreams. He told me his new life of vampire, the things he could do now being undead, the things he couldn't do when he was human. He could see in the dark, he could smell even a small rat kilometers away, he could lift extremely heavy things with a single hand, he could run for the time he wanted without being tired. And I listened to his solem voice, giving into his warm embrance, thinking when I would be able to be at his side once more.
My body was weaking quickly this time. Some days I couldn't even stand up from my bed. Even though I was hungry, I didn't want to eat anything. I only drank water, soup or fruit juices. Other solid food would end up being vomited into the toilet. I didn't know what was happening, my parents didn't, the doctor didn't. Dumas did, but didn't tell me when I asked.
One night, when I was feeling a bit stronger than other times, I decided to leave and go after Lucian. I was tired of waiting alone in my room, alone and with this pain all over my body, especially in my chest and neck. My lungs had a hard time filling themselves with air and I often ended up gasping for breath if it wasn't for my always observant father that always carried an inhaler for me. I have never been asmatic nor allergic to cats or any other furred animal. We simple didn't know from where I was weakening. The fact was I'm just doing it.
I took the coat and told Nero (it means black in Italian), to lead the way to Lucian. And he understood me surprisingly. I escaped from the kitchen this time, and then into the night without my parents knowing, I thought of. I run after the cat that started to run away from home, down the street and then into the woods. It was almost twenty blocks away and I had a hard time keeping the cat's pace. My chest started to ache once more and I had to stop. Nero did it to, sitting at a tree's base, waiting up for me.
As I rested, I looked around. The high trees were creepy looking to me, and the nocture birds often came, curious about me. What was a human doing into those haunted woods? Did it wanted to die? I recuperated and followed Nero again, deep into the ground path. I didn't know where I was but a sudden, rotten smell hit my nose. It made me stop a second time, my stomach shrank and I thought I was going to throw up. What was that horrible smell? I took out a cloth from the pocket of my coat and put it on my nose and mouth. It wasn't helping at all as I walked closer with Nero a few steps in front of me. I couldn't see anything from where the smell could flow out; no rotten fruits, no rotten fishes, no rotten dead animals.
"You should have stayed in your home tonight.", came a naughty voice from behind.
I turned around and screamed in God's name as I saw a skull talking to me. Scared and trembling, I took a few steps away from it. The skull opened its mouth and laughed. Then, I could see the rest of the skeleton and then I felt the food slowly going up from my stomach to my esophagus.
"Naughty boy you have been. You shouldn't come to the vampire's lair alone in the night.", the hands moved around as it laughed again. I just wanted to run away but my legs were glued to the ground. I was paralized. "No, no. They grow angry if a human comes and violates their lair. Yes, yes. They become oh, so angry..."
The skeleton walked closer and I tried to walk away. I admit it was a foolish idea coming during the night without a fire weapon or at last a knife to protect myself, but the feeling of reuniting again with Lucian, my love, was stronger than my reasoning. The skeleton reached out a hand and poked my nose playfully. I swallowed hard, shaking and sweating cold. But then, the skeleton shattered in pieces that fell on the ground, the skull on top of the piles of bones. I let go the breath I was holding in my lungs as I watched the pile. I didn't bother in asking myself what just happened. I just turned around and run forwards, following Nero down on the ground path.
We eventually come across a very old and ruined cottage. There, the odor was stronger and I thought I saw some bloody bones and other organs lying around the field. I tried to stand still as I walked to it but my feet stopped and my eyes wandered around. I covered my mouth with my hands as I noticed several corpses lying around, all dismembered, bloody, some rotten, some with their organs outside. My stomach shrank again.
Nero mewed. He was sitting in front of the door of the cottage. I walked, trembling, and when I reached him, I put a hand on the handle. The smell was even horrible inside. I didn't want to know what was in there, but I had to go inside if Lucian was staying there. I had waited over a month now and it wasn't fair anymore. I opened the door and a strange odor came to me as I entered. Nero slipped between my legs into the dark room and I closed the door behind me. It was empty. There was no one there what it seemed to be the living room of the cottage. Slowly, I walked around the room, gripping the cross in my hands, looking around with my nervous eyes. The wooden floor didn't crack under me even if it was all rotten and very old. The furniture was covered with white sheets, all dirty with dust and other things.
I came across with the first room, which had its door closed. I stood in front of it, not knowing what to do. Nero was walking around, moving his tail and sniffing the air. I swallowed, reaching out my hand to the doorknot and turning it around. It opened without force and I let it move on its own, showing me another dark room. The windows were covered with thick curtains to prevent the Sun to come inside. The bed was near a very dark conner and I saw a body lying on it.
"So, you came.", I heard it talk and realized it was a familiar voice.
"Dumas?", I softly asked.
He sat on the bed and smiled to me. Upon closer examination, I finally realized he had a pair of purple horns growing from his forehead. I haven't seen them before since he was always hidden in the shadows. He stood up and walked to me.
"Are you alone?"
"No, Nero came with me.", I answered. Said cat was waiting outside the room, resting on the covered ouch. "Where is Lucian?"
"He is not here.", Dumas walked outside and petted Nero, who purred.
"Then where he is?"
"I can't tell you.", he then flopped down next to the cat.
I sighed heavily.
"Aaron, listen.", he said as he stood up again. "It's not the time yet. You can't go to his side yet, he is too dangerous. Who do you think is the responsable of all the dismembering you saw out there?", I swallowed. "Yes, it's Lucian. He is not able to control his impulses as me or the others, so he doesn't want you here and I respect that."
"Everyone in the town is dieing because of him, what I am supposed to do?", I said desperately. "My family soon will decide to leave! I can't leave without him!", I cried walking away from Dumas. Tears started to roll down my face. "If yo usee him, tell him that I don't know how much time I will remain in this town. Tell him to make a choice or I will leave."
I left the cottage. Nero came with me. I walked across the corpse field, shivering when I hit a head that was next to me. It didn't have eyes or tongue. How could my belobed one do all this things? The books maybe told something, but seeing it like this was something so hard. I kept walking, not noticing that my boot and a bit of my coat dyed in blood.
I reached home after an hour of walking. I was so tired, I wanted to curl down on my bed and sleep, so I could see Lucian again and tell him how angry I was. But the screaming of a woman made me stop right there. Nero lifted his head and ears at the second scream. I looked into his direction and started to run towards it. If Lucian was there I should stop him and try to smooth his now aggressive side and convince him to come with me. But practics was always harder than theory.
The sounds lead me to a house I knew, from a neighbor, someone familiar to my parents. She was Livia, a divorced woman with two teenager kids from about sixteen and seventeen. The front door was broke and trails of blood could be seen from the outside. I rushed inside with Nero just behind me. The house was a mess; the furniture was all over the floor, the papers, the chairs, some tables, broken flowerpots, lanterns and other stuff. There was also blood, lot of blood on the floor and over the house. I heard another female scream, but didn't recognize it. Was it Livia? Or was it Gina, her daughter? Or was it Lauren, her son? I carefully walked up the stairs, glued to the wall, breathing heavily. I watched how Nero jumped from stair to stair as I slowly made my way up. I stopped when I heard another whimper followed by a loud growl and a horrible sound that must have been a hand or feet hitting a body. I shivered. I was scared, very scared. What if Lucian didn't see who I was? What if his partner's attacked me? But I wanted to see Lucian again, at last just once…
Finally, I reached the room and almost fainted at what I saw. The walls, the floor and even the ceiling were covered in red, crimson blood. There were three bodies on the floor, tied up, beaten up, cut up, tortured, ripped. Livia was the one that have been screaming but her throat was now bleeding from all her efforts and hopes that someone would hear her pain and suffering and came to help her. Sadly, the only one that did was me, and I couldn't do anything for her and her children. Gina and Lauren were as badly as she was, perhaps all of them raped as they were slowly being eaten alive, draining from blood and strength until the last strike. I noticed two tall figures in the darkness of the room, and one smaller than the other two, but I couldn't tell if Lucian was in there or not.
Nero mewed loudly and my heart almost stopped right there when the three figures turned around, looking at me with their bright red eyes, penetrating me like daggers or knives. I couldn't do anything better than stare back, hearing Livia's pleas, hearing her pain and suffering. The cat walked calmly to them as I stayed in my spot, not daring to move at all, not even breath. The smaller of the figures took Nero on its arms as it giggled. It was a female as I heard and my eyes roamed to the other two. Who were they?
"Watch!", she said as she turned to the other two. The taller grinned as it lifted its arm and killed Gina effortless. Lauren and Livia shouted, crawling backwards when the vampire started to feed from the dead body, blood slipping from the many injuries and open wounds she had. "Did you see? Now it's the boy's turn!", she happily said. I couldn't believe my eyes; I couldn't believe what was happening. "Lu-Lu! It's your turn! Show him what you are capable of!"
I heard a very, very, very familiar chuckle as the last vampire moved gracefully towards Lauren. The vampire played with him; it made several cuts on his already beaten body, it bit him, it broke some of his ribs, his arms, his ankles. Using his long claws he ripped off his fingers one by one. I gasped, sinking my own fingers into my palms as I watched. I feared of moving, I feared that if I run away, they would chase me and kill me. I didn't know what to do but stare as the vampire continued dismembering the poor crying boy, that was surely at his physical limit, ready to faint from the pain and the blood lose. But the vampire didn't stop. It continued to rip the fingers. Then, it moved to the feet. Then he cut the forelegs, then, the forearms. Then, the arms, then the legs. Livia couldn't shed anymore tears as her own torture was to see how they killed her children in front of her.
The vampire opened the boy from his stomach and proceeds to drag out all the intestines, the stomach, the liver, the kidneys and other organs that I couldn't recall right now. My own stomach shrank yet once more and I could feel myself faint anytime. In the end, after half an hour, the vampire finally drank the entire boy's blood from his body, leaving it dry on the floor, as the female dropped the cat on the floor and moved to Livia, who watched me with hope. I gripped my teeth as I looked away.
A bloody hand lifted my head up. My body was so tense after seeing what I did. How could I stay there without doing anything? Why I didn't leave to find help? Was I really that scared from the vampires? As the fingers under my chin pressed harder, I was obligated to look up and my eyes widened and my mouth gasped at the sight of my precious love in front of me, all covered with blood, with his bloody red eyes shining but looking the same, so gracious, so elegant, so beautiful.
"Lucian…", I whispered in the dark, feeling his long fingers caress my left cheek as he showed me a fanged and creepy smile. Then, his features softened as he leaned closer, rubbing his nose with mine's. I felt my body shiver in response.
"Aaron…", he answered, breathing on me. My body shivered again, my mouth opened unconsciously as I felt his mouth over mine's. I wanted to kiss him so badly. "My love.", he added, looking at me directly to my eyes.
"Yes.", I said. My arms suddenly responded to my brain logic of sorts as they shot upwards, catching Lucian's hands on mine's. "Yes, yes. Your love, my love. I love you.", his lips, filled with the blood from his previous victims, pressed on my mouth as he gave me my first kiss. "I love you.", I repeated when he broke it. A small laugh left his beautiful lips.
"I shall make you mine, mine, mine, mine…", he chanted in a playful tone as I blushed madly. "But it's not the time. Go back, my child, go back and wait for me. The moment is about to come."
Lucian separated from me, smiling to me as he turned around and disappeared in the shadows. I slipped down on the wall to the floor, staying there, dizzy, and with this warm feeling all over my body. I hugged myself. His warmth, his body… I needed him again. Nero and the silver cross hanging from my neck made me return to reality. I had to get out of the house before anyone come.
Just a week after that, my parents finally told me we were going to move due to the uncountable crimes lurking around. They still needed to look up for a place to stay, so that gave me time not only to pack up my stuff but also to rush up Lucian in making his choice. I tried to sneak away each night after that decision, but my parents had locked all the doors from home. Now, I could only wait for my love to return to me.
The following morning I kept putting in boxes my things, Nero watching me from my bed as the Sunlight lazily wondered over it. I often ended up reading the books instead of putting them away. So many memories about them, so many things felt for them. I looked at the window and sighed. I wonder when it was going to be the next time I could see Lucian again. Without knowing, that same night was going to be one of the scarier that my town ever had.
It was Halloween eve that same week, but no one started with the usual parties held in the central park of my town. Everyone left or was too scared to go outside. I, as always, stayed in my room, watching over the window with Nero besides me. As night fell and my things were almost inside boxes, my father came with a box like those that holds a jewerly piece. He smiled to me and sat on the floor besides me, handing me the box. I opened it and found there a christian cross, a bit bigger than the one I had around my neck, craved with several ornamentations and a small, but important in the piece, red ruby. The chaing was even longer, reaching almost my naval when I put it on after my dad took the older one from my neck.
"I should have gave it before but, it broke my heart seeing you so upset about Lucian's death.", he explained to me, though I didn't understand. "He showed it to me a few days before he died. It was for your brithday.", my eyes watered again as I held the cross in my hands, giving a hard sigh. "I'm sorry for delaying this gift so much but..."
"It's ok dad, I understand.", I reply with a smile. I did understand. He didn't want me to make me feel worst I already did. "Though I don't know if I will wear it these days seeing we are going to do this long trip--"
"No, please wear it.", he suggeted. "It's Halloween eve, and the demons will lurk everywhere seeing how both words will collide on October the 31th.", he smiled to me. "I, and especially Lucian, want you to be protected from them.", he holded my hands on his. "Do not take it off.", was his last warning before leaving.
I watched the cross on my hands and smiled lovingly as I kissed it. It was a very nice gift. I never knew Lucian would buy these things seeing that he didn't like them. But, he did it for me... My cheeks dyed in a bright red as I let it hang over my torso. I wondered what he would say about it if he ever sees me with it. I just hoped it didn't burn his skin like I have read in the books.
The only thing that changed that evening was that Dumas came and said I needed to leave to go to an especial place. It was around midnight, my parents were asleep but I couldn't leave. All the doors were locked and I didn't know where the rightful key was to each door, and I supose it was in my parent's room, but it was too risky to go now and search. Even when I explained to him why I couldn't escape, he still told me to dress up, saying I should take the coat because it was freezing outside. Shrugging, I did what I was told and once I was ready, he stepped out from the shadows, wearing his usual black clothes. I remember that I saw him wearing some weird long coat, but it was just once.
In matter of minutes, I don't know how or when, we were outisde, in the middle of the street. I jumped in surprise when I found myself outside my home, Nero mewing like crazy and scratching the glass wanting desperately to come with me. But Dumas and I ignored him as we walked away, me following him actually, as I didn't know where were going.
The town seemed like a dead one, no one seemed to be in their houses that night. Every light in them were off. I could even hear my own heart beating from the intense silence. We didn't talk and that made me think sometimes I was alone only to jump when I lift my gaze and saw Dumas' back in front of me, but I still didn't know the place where were we going. I tried several times asking him, but he wouldn't answer me straigh, or he would do, but after fifteen minutes in where I should have forgotten the question and the subject would float in the air and vanish just like that.
We entered a dense forest. I caught Dumas' pace seeing that I didn't like the place at all. It was dark and creepy, and the creatures lurking around weren't helping either. But I was hoping to wherever we were going, Lucian would be there. I touched my cross over the coat and smiled as I kept walking, going further and further into the forest. We eventually came across with a cathedral, which I knew from when I was a child. Every month or so, my family would come here to asist at pilgrims and other stuff, but it was in San Miguel, a city at the north of Istrakan. How did we arrive here? I asked it to Dumas, and he said he made us come faster the usual, but I didn't notice anything odd in my way of walking or in the trees passing us by. But we were there already, inside the cathedral. It seemed bigger during the day. Now, empty and dark in the night was not also smaller but also creepier, and I didn't want to stay in here alone. Sadly for me, Dumas said I should go to the altar before he disappeared in the shadows like he always does.
I walked around, barely seeing anything in that darkness. I found and old chandelier but I didn't have anything to light it on. Either way, since it was the only hard and lethal thing I found, I carry it with me until I found a bigger chandelier, lighted on, that used to light the candles in mines. Now with a source of light, I managed to walk into the cathedral, going upstairs and turning to the left, finding the altar. Even though I have been here when I was a child, I still remember where everything is. Some things changed and the building seemed like unused for quiet some time as dust was gathered into the stautes, the floor, the windows, among other things. When I reached the altar room, I stopped below the doorframe as I looked around it. Actually, I was looking to nothingness. There was nothing in it, not even the long bench in front of the altar that, luckily, was still in its same place. The gothic styled windows were uncovered and the moonlight penetrated the room, recreating the lines of the glasses and giving the room another feeling. Why would Dumas want me here? Lucian wasn't here so I don't know why he wanted me to come.
I walked around the room, remembering the old days when I sppoted a tall figure leaning on the doorframe. It chuckled as I stepped backwards, but soon I knew who it was. I could recognice that laugh everywhere. He mooved smoothly, his figure contrasting in the light from the moon as his silhoutte came closer and closer to me, as I stayed in my place, not moving, watching him walk in a fancy style, grinning to himself like he always did when something caught his attention.
"You are wearing it.", he whispered, making a swift movement to stand just right behind me. I could feel his hands unbottoning the coat and dropping it on the floor. "Trinity finally gave it to you?", his hands slipped from my arms to my shoulders, where they stayed. I shuddered at the feeling.
"Right today.", I answered. I heard him laugh again as his body came closer to mine's.
"Do you like it?", I felt his breath on my neck, his lips on my skin. I couldn't reply as I was focusing in those warmth feelings. "I will take that as a yes.", he laughed again and I smiled.
"How does it look on me? I haven't the chance to look myself into a mirror."
"Delicius.", I blushed madly. "And it will look ten times better if you get rid off all that clothe..."
I laughed under my breath, turning around and grasping Lucian's waist with my arms. He rubbed my back with his as he drowns into my eyes. He was still the same, he still looked the same; that wild, purple hair, that pale skin, those ears, the nose, the cheeks, those lips. I advanced forwards and captured his lips with mines, softly kissing him. Lucian answered me with a soft nibble on my bottom lip and I shyly opened my mouth. The instant I did it, his tongue shot inside, and a moan left my throat. I could feel the warm on my cheeks as Lucian started to roam into my mouth, playing with my tongue as I tried to curl it with his.
As we make it out, my body started to heat up, Lucian's hands becoming naughtier as they were trying to slip under my shirt. I let them do what they pleased and my body shivered when the coldness met the heat, my nipples going hard quickly even when they weren't being directly stimulated. Lucian's skin was as soft as always have been. Even when he now had long claws that sank into my waist, leaving some marks on it, he was still the same. Even when those long fangs nibbled desperately on my neck, wanting to bite down and drink my blood, he was still the same. He hand't changed a bit now that he is a vampire, he is still the same man I met.
A second moan left my mouth when Lucian managed to get all the buttons from my shirt lose up and pinched one of my nipples softly. I was getting hornier but I couldn't stop. My love was just right here and wanting the same as me, I couldn't deny him, could I? Not even Lord could get between our love as we tried to take it to a deeper and intimate level. My mouth was now ravaging Lucian's, trying to get as much as I could, his hands slowly grabbing my butt as I slipped my shaking hands under his black vest. I felt him shiver under my fingers and that turned me on even more. He liked it, he was loving it, and both of us wanted more and more of those feelings. I grabbed the zip from his vest and violently pulled it down, exposing his bare chest, attacking it immediatly with my fingers. I found his nipples which I pulled hard, hearing him whimper in pleasure, as we shared a deep tongue kiss. The cross, between our sweating and hot bodies, was moving around with our struggle, pressing hard on my stomach when Lucian pressed himself against me, like wanting us to do it already.
Lucian's moans were filling my ears, my own pants and moans were music for Lucian, as he unziped my pants, dragging a bare hand down and into them. I opened my mouth and let out a loud moan come out as he started to rub his hand on my member. I lifted up my leg and curled it around Lucian's, pressing harder and harder onto his body, sinking my fingers into his hair and pulling.
"Oh God...", I breathed out when Lucian took out my member from my pants and started to pump it. "Oh God...", I repeated, feeling it harden under his touch. With his other arm, he managed to lift me up as I concealed his waist with my legs. I felt him balance, trying to stay still, but not stopping. I pushed harder, hiding my face on his neck, his hand going faster. "Lucian, Lucian...", he moaned in my ear as I breath out his name. I bit down on his neck, sucking and leaving a nice red mark. "I'm close...!", I exclaimed, feeling my orgasm almost there.
"I know, I know.", he said, going faster as he could, biting my neck as he panted hard. He was horny too; I could feel his hard member press against my crotch area. I should have released him too like he was doing it with me, but the position wasn't exactly comfortable.
I moaned loudly as I ejaculated on his stomach and chest, tightening my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, as I pulled his hair. My body relaxed, my muscles relaxed, my pounding heart slowly, slowly beated to its normal rhythm. Lucian panted as he rode the remains of my climax and I poured more semen on him, giving everything I have inside me for the moment. I didn't move, I simple stayed there, hugging him like he was going to vanish anytime, and he did the same when I finished. His arms slipped around me like an iron grip and held me on him. He was lot stronger than any human now, so I should be a feather weight for him. I nuzzled his neck and kissed it.
"We are leaving soon.", I told him with sad voice. I opened my eyes. The room was blurry and I felt some tears leave them. I was still high with the afterwards of the orgasm. "I don't want to... I love you.", I whispered.
Lucian sighed as he hugged me closer.
"I know.", he simple said. "But I can't bring you yet.", he said again. "Are you going to stay in town until October the 31th?"
"I don't know.", I was being honest. I didn't know if tomorrow my father decided to leave, or if we were going to leave the day after, or a week after, or a month after.
"Stay until that date and come here, to this same place, at midnight. I will be waiting for you.", Lucian told me. We both knew I had to leave soon or my parents would freak out I wasn't in the house or, even yet, how I left if everything was locked and they still had the keys. He kissed me and I sighed when he pulled apart. "No, don't cry my child.", he said. "Only six more days and I promise, I will be completely yours."
I managed to smile and kiss him back.
I returned home around four in the morning. Dumas, apparently, had left when he scourted me to the cathedral and I had to come back on my own. It was dangerous for Lucian to accompany me so I obligued him to return to the cottage. I knew the path back home so I didn't fear of losing myself in the forest. Which I didn't know was that that same night the officials and self called vampire hunters were patroling the area that same night. At first, I encountered them from a safe distance, but soon I noticed that they were everywhere and I didn't know where to go. I returned to the cathedral area and choose another path to home, but I ended up lost in the big forest. I found several familiar things that told me exactly where I was, but couldn't decipher a path to follow.
While walking I felt that someone was following me. At first I didn't give it importance, but when the thing started to growl and walk faster, I did the same, looking around for a place where to hide or to see what kind of creature it was. My father, when I was a child, told me that in Halloween eve different types of creatures lurked around the town and everywhere on the earth as the barrier separating both terrenal and spiritual world weakens as the end of the months is closer. I never believe it, even though my parents were a bit supersticious and that's why they didn't want me to read about the things Lucian and I shared, but now I was starting to do so. I couldn't remember any type of ghost or phantom that growled, but my thoughts stopped right there when in front of me appeared a furred creature, showing his teeth and fangs and growling angrily. My body tensed and I swore I paled, but I don't know if I did, because in those instants I was more worried in surviving than in anything else.
I turned around and run, and run like I never did, giving big leaps, pushing away all plants or brenchs that were in my path. What it was following me was a werewolf... A werewolf!! How? Why? Had they been living between us, much like vampires, for centuries? If it was the case, then why they weren't any reported dead, like the ones in my town? Why they were all showing up now? Was it because it was Halloween? Was it because now all other power weaks and lets the darkness rise from its cage, and spread its children to torment humans? I gasped for breath as I noticed I was getting tired and my lungs were aching in pain. I forgot about my condition, about my weak state of body. But the werewolf was still behind me, chasing me like a prey. I gripped my teeth as I tried to run faster but I tripped and fall. The creature jumped and opened his motuh, ready to bite my head off...
I watched in slow motion how a strange shot hit the creature, opening a huge and importante wound on its left side. The impact made it back away from me as I crawled away from it, watching it recuparate and growl in anger. The massive bleeding from his wound covering the ground with crimson blood. We shared a short glance before it left. I sighed, but couldn't stand up yet. I was still too scared to move, and I didn't know who saved me.
I reached home by morning. The Sun was rising in the horizon as I walked down the main street of Istrakan. It was desert, like a phantom town. A soft breeze played with my hair, my aching feet moving on automatic mode. I couldn't make any step anymore, but I had to get home. And then, I came to the realization that I didn't know how to get inside. Everything was locked from the inside, and Dumas wasn't with me to use his dark powers to let me in like he did when he took me out. I sighed heavily and whimpered. I was stuck in a deep problem I was surely not going to get out of it that easily.
In the end, I had to stay outside the front door, waiting for my parents to wake up. What excuse I was going to give them when they found me out there? All the keys were in their room and, even if I decided to lock the one I used to escape, I still had the key to get inside. How I was supposed to explain how I escaped from a completely locked house? I hid my head on my arms as I heard Nero mew like crazy up there in my room.
I didn't know what to say. My parents found me sitting outside and stood there, watching me like some sort of alien or something before they dragged me inside and yelled at me for leaving yet once more. I wasn't in the mood to listen to them so I pretend I did, lowering my eyes like showing I was regreting escaping, I told them I wouldn't do it again and they let me go to my room to rest. Nero was the only one that welcomed me warmly and happily. He rubbed against my legs as I petted his back and head, dropping the coat to the bed and flopping down on it. I was surely going to stay grounded or something, perhaps they would lock me in my room so they were sure I would not escape anymore. I rolled on my back and moaned in pain. I lifted my shirt and saw the claw marks Lucian left me hours ago. I covered them quickly again. Another huge problem. I couldn't let my parents see those scars, but I couldn't leave to see Freya and ask if she could give me some medical herbs to cure those wounds. I rubbed my temples. God, a problem behind another, where were I would find a break in all this mess?
And if it wasn't going worst, Freya had come that same evening when I was sleeping in my room. I had woke up because of my father's heavy steps on the stairs, and I knew by hearing them that he was pissed, very pissed off. I opened my eyes and Nero's back hair and tail spiked out as he hissed. Oh, Lord... When he came into my room I swear I thought I was going to die. He was utterly pissed, angry. He yelled at me, screaming things I couldn't figure out. I was scared, crawling on my bed until the wall stopped me. My father came closer, shaking his fist into the air. I was expecting a hit or a slap, but he was trying not to. My mum was with Freya in the doorframe and a small trail of reasoning flew in my mind.
"You told them.", I shouted. My father stopped yelling. I was covered with the sheets of my bed; Nero was next to me, the wall behind me. "You told them!", I shouted again, shaking in anger.
"It was my dutty! Your friend had changed his thoughts and will convert you too into a vampire! I couldn't let that happen!", cried Freya.
My father forbide me to leave the house. If I ever did, then I would never return. I avoided his gaze and answered that I didn't care nor give anything if they kicked me out. He didn't like the response. He slapped me and left with my mum and Freya, as I stood on my bed, shaking and crying from the recent slap. It ached, and it ached more the though of waiting here alone until the 31th of October, only with the books as a company. I held the cross in my hands, thinking about Lucian. I looked through the window, to the starry sky. I prey to God to give me another chance with my beloved one, but I didn't know if He was going to allow us to be together.
Since I was locked up, I didn't have much to do rather sleep. Lucian came into my dreams and told me everything he did with his partners. Here, in my dreams, he was relatevely calm and patient, while in real life, he was like a bloodlust demon, always wanting more and more. I knew by the books it was normal for a vampire but when he is with me, he changes a bit and smooth himself, his nature changes. Three days after the incident with Freya, she ended up dead in her own house the same way like Livia and her children ended up. And I knew it was because of the vampires. Dumas told me another thing when he came the night after her death.
"We aren't the only ones here, kid.", he told me, hiding in the shadow as always, only his eyes showing. "Vampires aren't the only ones that kills and eats the same way you saw Lucian and the others feedin from your neighbours."
"Then? Who is it?", I wasn't exactly in the mood. That day I, with my extremely intelligent stupidness, tried to leave again, but got caught in the act. I was dragged to my room again and now it was closed, believe it or not, with a huge lock. In other words, I was jailed up in my own room. And to make things worst, my mum told me we were going to leave the day after tomorrow, on October the 30th. I was starting to think that all those signs were God telling me I shouldn't keep up with this, but my heart told me otherwise. "I don't think werewolfs sucks up the blood from their preys."
Dumas laughed, amused.
"It would be a hybrid between a vampire and one of those, but not likely.", he said. "There're other demons besides us here; succubus and inccubus."
I arched my eyebrows.
"Don't do they feed from sexual energy?"
"Some does, some feeds from that and flesh and blood.", he growled. "They like to do that kind of stuff to accuse us from killings we never did."
"You and them don't get along?"
"We hate each other."
I needed to get out; I couldn't stay that night there. If we were going to leave tomorrow, I must delay the departure until the day after, and something brilliant yet stupid came into my mind. Each time i woke up after seeing Lucian in my dreams, I would feel weak and tired, and my parents barely leave the house when I was like this. Could I ask my beloved one to leave me so weak that we wouldn't be able to trip? I will admit it was risky, very, very risky, but I couldn't think of anything else. If I ask Dumas to lead me to the cottage again like Nero did before, I would be risking my life upon four other vampires. Lucian could fight back, but I was still human and completely helpeless in front of them. I wasn't really listening to what Dumas was saying about the inccubus as I tried to think about this idea.
When he noticed I wasn't paying attention, he actually dared to lurk into my mind to see what was I thinking, and he horriced at what he saw, saying it was a stupid and crazy thing to do (much to what I thought), and I should escape rather then do something like that.
"What do you suggest, then? I can't escape, they would find me and I can't let Lucian or you or the others get caugh because of me.", Dumas stood in silence, probably biting his tongue or lips as he knew I was right. "This is the best way!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"How so? He doesn't even drink my blood when he comes into my dreams, why should I worry?"
Then, he explained to me that Lucian had become into a different kind of vampire the normal. Usual vampires could get into the dreams from humans but never be able to feed from their energy directly with them. That was something only succubus and inccubus could do. In rare ocassiones, these demons choose the dead ones before vampires could and imbued them with their own power to create more of them, but ends up mixed with the vampire's own powers. How, you might ask. Inccubus and succubus are scared of cats, since most of them are Nekomatas camufalged or any other powerful demon disguising itself like one. So, to stay out of troubles, normally they would run away upon the pressence of a cat, and that what's happened in Lucian's case. He was being demonized by an inccubus from the shadows but had left in the middle of his dutty when Nero appeared. Thus, making him something like a hybrid between vampire and inccubus, and that's why everytime I woke up, I felt weak; Lucian had been feeding from my energy through them. He could feed only from blood or human flesh, but from time to time he needed that energy thanks to his inccubus side.
Dumas left seeing he wasn't going to convince me about not doing it. I glanced at the clock. It was almost one in the morning. I crawled to the bed, covered myself and closed my eyes. I felt Nero jump on the bed and curl besides me, sighing loudly.
I saw him again, like every time I dream. As I walked on the usual red path, I noted something strange in the surroindings. The darkness that was always quiet was now moving, creating different forms and showing some images that I rather not talk about. I ignored them as I come closer to Lucian, who was waiting under the tree, still dead, and under the moon, now more crimson than previous dreams. I held my silver cross around my neck, seeing how the darkness wanted to catch me. But I kept walking until I reached my love, who looked at me with his bright red eyes and his loving smile. I saw some bags under his beautiful eyes and his fangs were just a bit longer than I remembered. He seemed weak just like me, and tired, just like me. I hugged him and his arms circled my shoulders as he put his head on mines. He knew I was going to leave tomorrow and he also told me that he had been resisting his sudden urges to come home and take me right away. I couldn't help it and blushed when he told me. Was it his inccubus side?
These three, almost four days were hell for him. Dumas and the others didn't know what to do to keep him in the cottage as he tried to escape every time he could to come here. They tried to knock him down, they tried to drug him, they tried everything. They had to chain him up to a giant and old tree in order to keep him out of trouble. Lucian wasn't on his own; his needs were respondind for him, and his needs were I, his only love. Several times Lucian had bit, kick and hit Dumas and the others. Several times he had escaped only to be dragged to the cottage again; much like my parents did with me.
Then, I explained to him my idea.
"I rather let you leave with your parents and kidnap you in the middle of their trip than leaving you near death.", he answered.
I woke up the next morning feeling weaker than other days. Even when Lucian didn't like the idea, he still feeded from me. More the usual, I must add as I couldn't lift my body for an hour or so, until I gained strenght once more. It was a quarter past six in the morning. I sighed heavily. We would depart at noon and I doubth Lucian and the others would be able to come out under the Sun. I grabbed the cross once more and preyed to God, pleading if He couldn't do anything to prevent the departure.
My current condition made my parents thing twice before leaving. I was grateful for that as noon came and left. I was better, but still felt dizzy each time I tried to stand up or was already up, and felt dizzy while walking. My father decided to stay just once more day so my state could heal itself. My mum was worried about it and made me a nice amout of food that day to stay strong and healthy. I felt sorry for her. What would she think or react if she knew her only son was soon to be transformed into a vampire? Even when the idea of leaving and becomeing something else terrified me, I was excited about it too. It would mean staying with Lucian as long as I could and I only wanted that.
The day came and left as I spent it sleeping rather doing anything else. I was very tired and weak, and when I slept, Lucian wasnt' there like I expected. Instead, the living shadows were there, whimpering and moaning in pain as I walked on the red path towards the tree. The moon had disappeared as the only source of light was the dead tree. Where was Lucian? I stayed there for God's knows how long, but he didn't come. And when I woke up again, it was morning yet once more. I grabbed my clock and checked the date. It was already the morning of October the 31th. I bit my bottom lip. This time, not even my health would stop my father from leaving.
At noon, I helped them in getting the boxes from my room to the living room where they stayed. We were going to leave in the evening seeing that father had to do something important before leaving. I stayed all day with my mother and she talked about something that really surprised me.
"If you want to leave with Lucian, that's fine.", she told me. "But son, think that if you ever turn into a vampire or any demon, God will not see you anymore as His son and will not let you in Paradaise if you ever die."
I smiled as I took the last box from my room and put them besides the others. All my stuff was labeled with an 'a' on each side of the box, so my parent's would know which is which.
"I have hopes that He will understand why I did it.", my mother sobbed and I hugged her. "Even if I become something else, I would not forgive who is He, as I will still have it in my heart and still spread his word. I can promise you that."
I heard her laugh.
"Even if Lucian doesn't like it?"
"Even if Lucian doesn't like it."
She also told me where we were going to go through, the path that dad had choose to leave. I have to tell Lucian as soon as posible, but I didn't know how. Besides that all stuff was now inside the boxes, I couldn't relay in my father returning home late. What if mum lets me but I encounter him while walking away, or I leave and then he returns and he fights with mum about it? Now I knew why also dad was so angry about me leaving during the night. Besides thinking I could be the killer that everyone was looking a few weeks ago, he also feared I was interested in leaving God's side. But even if I explained what I said to mum, I knew he wouldn't listen to me. I discussed with her how I was going to let Lucian know about that, and she suggested I should write a letter and send it with Nero. Nero had been resting on the warm wooden floor all this time as I looked at him, thinking it was a good idea, and the only one that I had right now. I thanked my mum for it and rushed to find some paper, a pen or pencil, and write down how it was going to be the trip.
When I finished, I folded the paper and stuck it inside the orange collar Nero had. I told him to go to find Lucian wherever he was and deliver the paper it was inside it. The cat mewed and run away from home when my mother opened the kitchen door, both of us watching him leaves. After that, I sat again with her and explained that dangerous creatures were now lurking around thanks to Hallloween. I told her my expierence with the werewolf (she almost fainted), and about the succubus and inccubus and other creatures out there. We talked about this all day and when dad returned, it was almost six in the evening, the Sun was setting and the night was slowly gaining terrain on the sky as the stars were already going out and the Moon was also appearing on the sky. A friend's car was in the front door waiting as dad picked up the boxes and put them in it. We finished rather quick seeing that we only picked up our clothes, books and family jewerly. Everything else was going to stay in this house for a long while.
Nero just came back when my parent's got inside the car. I picked him up and went inside as well, he struggling on my arms as he found a comfortable position to rest on. My father's friend started the motor and we left slowly. Then, we finally reached the main street as he drove off Istrakan. I sank on the seat, sighing loudly. My mother looked at me, perhaps thinking the same as me; how will Lucian intercept the car? Besides that, I feared that the werewolf from two days ago would suddenly show up and attack us once he feels my scent. I sighed again as I looked through the windows, hearing my dad ask mom what was with me.
We were out of Istrakan now. The driver took the north path towards San Miguel, everyone in silences as we left the city. Nero was looking also through the glass, moving his head as the shadows or a light or anything caught his attention, and just after ten minutes in the car, he started to growl and mew angrily, struggling on my arms as I tried to keep him calm. There was something out there that was making him nervous. He scratched me and got off my arms onto the car's floor, curling down there as I hissed at the painful wounds on my arms. Mum looked at me scared and I avoided her sight. I didn't know if it was Lucian and his partners, or if it was that werewolf, or if it was anyother kind of creature the one that was following us and the one that made Nero behave like this, but both of us were scared that something would happen to us.
When night finally fall and the Moon was already on the sky, the driver stopped suddenly and a loud howl was heard in the distance. I panic. It was the werewolf! I gripped my teeth as I opened the car's door and jumped outside, Nero following behind me, my dad yelling to get inside again. But I didn't move. Right in front of me, it was no one but the wounded werewolf that I knew was following us. He looked very pissed and his wound was now healed up but had a huge scar on his left side. My heart started to beat faster and my body trembled. He thought I was the one I shot him and he was probably looking for revenge by eating me or transforming me into one of his race.
He roared as he launched to me and I barely doodged him by jumping to a side and landing on the ground. The werewolf hit the car and run to me again as I watched him come, mouth open and eyes locked on me. I remembered that his kind was very influenciated by Moon and its representative metal, the silver. I took out my cross from my neck as quick as I could, but he already pinned down on the groud, lifting his right hand ready to strike but giving a howl of pain as I stuck the cross on his left arm, hearing the sonud that burn skin does.
It worked. The werewolf walked away, whimpering in pain and licking his wound, his tail between his legs. He was scared now that he knew I had such weapon against him. I stood up, corss in hand, my legs still trembling. I heard my mum cry out my name, worried and scared about me. But I didn't move. I couldn't let my enemy had advantage and soon my parent's understood. They stayed close to the car as I didn't avoid my gaze from the werewolf, which slowly crawled away, hiding in the darkness until I couldn't see his eyes anymore. And then I heard a long and loud howl in the night. Oh, Lord no...
Before I knew it, several werewolves appeared out of nowhere and jumped at the same time down on me. I could only watch as they launched to me, as I held the cross on my right hand, thinking what to do. I heard my mum cry my name, I saw my father took out something from the car and then I saw a black and huge panther tackle two of the werewolf that were attacking me. The rest landed on the floor, barely gave me attention as they turned around and onto the big black thing. The panther roared as he bit down on one of the werewolf as a second one jumped on his back. I reacted and run towards it and put the cross directly on the back of one, hearing it screech in pain, backing off and growling. Its partnert noticed me and jumped on me, but a bullet hit its shoulder that started bleeding. The panther roared again and the werewolf, all of them, walked away from it and me, growling and licking their wounds. They all left minutes after and we were safe for the moment. I put the cross on my neck again and saw the black thing come to me. It was twice bigger than a normal panther and had penetrating red eyes, a familar cross shaped scar, a familiar orange collar and a white tip tail.
"Nero?", I heard my mum say as she walked closer to us.
The panther creature purred softly as it went to my mum's side and tugging her dress like asking for a pet. She smiled and put her small hand on his head, the creature closing his eyes for a moment and started to shrink, until a small cat was resting on the ground. Nero stood on his four legs, moving his tail and his hears. I smiled. Who would know such a small cat would hold such a terrible form? But I was glad for that as he saved my life from the werewolves.
It wasn't over yet as soon we noticed. The forest was slowly starting to be the place of reunion for all kind of different dark creatures, including the werewolves. We came across with several hunters that were trying to find the core of this; a place where all the dark energy was flooding and was affecting the spirits and earthly creatures, all because it was Halloween. Several of them warned to not stay in the woods after midnight because it would turn out into a blood mess between the hunters and the creatures themselves, but at last I couldn't obey to that. I needed to find Lucian as soon as possible before dad wants to keep going towards San Miguel. I didn't know how to escape or split from my family, I didn't know a path that would lead towards the cathedral. Besides, I didn't have anything to protect myself except for the cross, but I couldn't do much with it.
Night fell finally as we stayed an hour or so in that spot where the werewolves attacked us. My father told my mum and me to get in the car because it was soon going to be dangerous. My mum did, but I stayed outside for a bit more. I looked to the car, then to Nero who mewed, and then to the forest. It was risky, but I couldn't leave without Lucian. San Miguel was a very protected city and I doubt he would be able to trespass it that easily. But then again, wasn't the cathedral already in San Miguel? It was abandoned, but still inside the city. Wouldn't be easier to leave with my parents and then escaping to it? It was a very good idea and I wouldn't be in any danger if I dared to walk alone in the woods.
"Aaron…", I heard my father call me, but I ignored him.
Other thing I didn't know is if we arrive to San Miguel and my dad tried to keep me locked inside my room so I wouldn't run away, like I did while living in Istrakan. I didn't have powers to leave like Dumas, and I didn't know either if he or any other vampire accompanying Lucian would be able to come to our new house and pick me up.
"Aaron.", called a second time my father, and I still ignored him.
Going directly to San Miguel was a nice idea. And if Nero helped me in getting out of the house? I saw his powerful form and if he did it, it's because he has powers that let him do that, but I didn't know if he could use it on humans too. Why was all of this so complicated? Why Lucian and I couldn't be together in peace? I sighed as I watched the cross in my hands. Seemed like the only way, the only 'safe' way to being able to be with Lucian is escaping from my family while we are still here, in the woods. I looked around, to the darkness surrounding us. Which paths take?
"Aaron!!", my father screamed. "Behind you!!"
"Here you are, little one.", I heard a deep, male voice behind me. I spun around and the only thing I saw before everything became black was a pair of bright red eyes, white fangs and an oddly bright, red-orange hair.
I woke up feeling dizzy. My lazy eyes opened and wondered around the room I was being captive. My head rotated to the left, over the soft pillows, and locked on the huge windows in front of me. These windows were uncovered, letting the moonlight trespass them and illuminate the room. I turned my head again and, this time, I watched the ceiling. It was very far from the floor and had this strange shape that I was familiarized with it. Then, over my right, there were another set of windows, but these were all covered with thick and dark curtains. As I felt, I was lying on a bed, with soft sheets. I could tell, too, I didn't have my boots or socks on, and that my feet were starting to feel cold because of it. I slowly sat up, the cross around my neck slipping to my stomach, as I looked around for the first time. It was a huge room and I was sitting on a king sized bed just in front of what seemed to be an altar.
"An altar?", I whispered in the darkness as I turned around to see it.
Then, it hit me. I was so familiarized with my surroundings because I was nowhere but in the cathedral! But, how did I end up here? I didn't remember running away from my parents as it was my first idea, nor did we reached San Miguel and then I run away because I wasn't going to be able to. This was very odd… Why I was on a bed? And more precisely, what was doing a bed in the middle of the altar room from an old and abandoned cathedral? I sat on the pillows again and then remembered Lucian's words. Was him the one that kidnapped me, like he did he was going to do, and bring me here? The voice I heard, that was now a faint memory in my mind, isn't similar to him, nor was that bright orange hair. Who was the one that bring me here?
"Ah, are you awake, little one?", I heard again that same voice. I gasped in surprised and curled on the headboard of the bed, looking around. I finally found the source of the voice. It was a tall figure close to the bed, on the right side, besides the covered windows. He walked closer and the moonlight finally illuminated him. It was another vampire as I saw, and he was very tall with orange hair and other marks of the same color on his head. He was wearing a long cape around his body, completely covering it. Since I wasn't replying, he frowned and walked closer. "Something wrong?", he asked.
"Is this the cathedral?", I saw him nod. "Then, Lucian's here, right?", he nodded again.
"Though is not the time yet. There is still and hour before midnight."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Rymer.", he said.
I smiled.
"Like James Malcom Rymer?"
"Like James Malcom Rymer, yes."
James Malcom Rymer was another writer that did a vampiric novel about Varney, a human that was converted into a vampire but that hated being one, but didn't have other choice as he didn't want to die. What interested me about this story was not also this thing about the main character, but also because it was very explicit in how Varney killed his preys.
"And who are the rest?", I asked. If there was still an hour until midnight that was plenty of time to talk with this Rymer.
"The Poes.", he said. "Edgar Poe and Virginia Poe."
I frowned. Why all of them had the names of some writers that did vampiric literature? I didn't really wanted to know, so I instead asked about how Lucian was and Rymer told me he was pretty anxious. He also told me about his own life and I told him about mines, and we talked about why I was letting Lucian convert me into a vampire, and we talked about how they choose him after he died. Apparently, Lucian's last thought when he died was not being able to fulfill his promise of taking care of me while living, of not laughing with me, of not being able to tell me how much he loved me. They normally don't demonize humans with those thoughts, but Virginia pities him and started the process, then being helped by the others who were not so sure about her choice. In the end, everyone ended up liking Lucian and started to teach him how to be a vampire as he desired to reunite with me once more.
I asked Rymer why it should be on October 31th and no anyother day.
"Because it's less dangerous for a human like you.", he answered. "Even when darkness fully arises in that day, there are small chances for a human to die. The process to become from human to vampire it's very painful and most of your race doesn't endure it.", Rymer turned around and walked away. "You will become like him not feeling the same pain that a human usually does under normal circumstances."
And he was gone. I was left alone in the altar room, on the bed, waiting again like I have been doing since Lucian's dead. I didn't know what time it is but I guessed it was near midnight. If it wasn't, then Rymer should have stayed more time. I stood up and walked towards the windows. I reached one of them and looked through it. The woods were surrounding the cathedral and I could only see their tops, but I could see some creatures flying in the dark sky and other shadows play between the trees. I wondered what they could be.
I shivered when I felt a cold breeze enter from nowhere, seeing that all the windows were closed. I breathed over the glass and created an air condensation over it. I put my fingers on it and slipped them over it. A second hand covered mine as it lovingly caressed it. I watched it, amazed, as those long and elegant fingers softly rubbed mines. I knew, without turning around, that it was him behind me. I could feel his body slowly pressings against me, his regulated breath on my neck, his soft skin. I lidded my eyes, like sedated. Yes, his scent sedated me, it made me feel dizzy, it made my body feel like jelly.
I felt his lips kiss my neck, slowly traveling up. I took a deep breath; I closed my eyes as I let out the air in my lungs, condensing over the glass as the hot kisses of my love were reaching my earlobe. His teeth and fangs caught it and played with it as I moaned in the back of my throat. His strong arms circled around my waist as his mouth didn't leave my neck. My cheeks were getting warm as my desires were rising from their deepest dream.
"Do you really want to come with me?", Lucian whispered in my ears as we walked towards the bed, not turning around until Lucian's legs hit the edge of the bed. I looked at his red eyes and smiled, kissing him on the lips.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here.", I reply. That made him laughs and smile as he flopped on the bed with me on top of him.
We made sinful and passionate love that night, all the night. We didn't care about anything else; we didn't care if there were hunters outside the cathedral, lurking in the shadows in search for all the darkness creatures including vampires. We didn't care if my parents knew where were us and suddenly came, we didn't care about nothing. We had each other and that was enough. As the Sun was rising, in the middle of the ecstasy and the panting and the moan, Lucian had bitten me. He had bitten me and drank a nice amount of my blood as we shared our bodies. I felt it, but didn't do anything to prevent it. After we finally finished, he had curled with me and had took one of his arms. With his sharp claws he made a deep cut on his left wrist, giving it to me. I knew what he wanted to say without words and I obey. I sat up on the bed and let the warm, metallic liquid run down my tongue and throat, feeling it burn my insides, like killing them.
Rymer was right about the pain. I never felt so much pain in my life. My body ached completely, I wanted to give in, I wanted to die to stop it, but Lucian didn't let me. He held me close and tight, whispering loving words into my ears and rocking me back and forth, trying to ease my terrible torture. I screamed, I struggled, I cursed and, in the end, all was finished. Personally, I didn't feel different from when I was human, but the most notorious changes poped up quickly; I could notice the tiniest of the details on the walls, I could hear the soft rush of the leaves from the trees outside the cathedral, I could hear the soft breath of Lucian, who was behind me still with his arms around my body. I didn't feel the need to breathe constantly and my heart rarely beat anymore, and I was cold… So cold…
"I'm cold.", I whispered hoarsely to Lucian. He hugged me closer, sharing his body warmth with me.
That same night we left the cathedral. Our bound was now completed and I could leave with Lucian after so much pain and sorrowful feelings, after fighting with my parents and some werewolves, I was finally at his side forever.
