He flinched as the sweat clung to his back. It was his fault for wearing two thick T-shirts but he had no choice. He had to protect himself from everyone, everything, but it was better than being at Emmerdale and letting that lad ruin him over and over again. He brushed a fly off his face and swung his feet out of bed when he got a call from Sam. The counter had broke in the bar and he needed it fixed before opening time. Jackson got up and by the time he'd finished fixing the counter and bargaining for free drinks next time, he was getting calls from all over the place. He must have given out more cards than he thought while getting to know the locals who told him the town's secrets. To be honest it didn't bother him that he was mixing with and could be working for vamps, shifters, telepaths, wolves, faires and witches because they were all a picnic compared to Aaron's ghost. After being bored out of his skull watching True life movies, he found himself being drawn to the wild call of bar nightlife and decided that one little tour wouldn't hurt. He walked into an unassuming bar and ordered himself a drink, he was playing with the cash with his fingers when he felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned around to see quite a tall guy with a mysterious essence about him with some of Jackson's change in his hand.
"You're meant to spent your money here, not lose it" He told him.
"Thanks" Said Jackson. But the man wasn't finished with him yet, he could tell this kid was a newbie, and if he could fool him enough to gain his trust he could spend the night painfully playing with him. He looked so lost that the guy suspected he was fully human, which was rare in these parts and he was going to make the most of it. After they both sat down at a table the guy introduced himself as Cader and Jackson nodded but didn't give his name back, but cader didn't care. Meaningless chatter stopped Jackson from feeling left out, but he knew it couldn't last. After they finished their drinks, they stepped outside the bar. Jackson nodded and nervously started walking. Cader follwed him silently.
"Wanna go to another pleasure-dome?" Cader asked.
"No thanks mate" Jackson replied. I've seen all I need to" Cader hunched his shoulders back as he felt the urge to change. "I doubt that" He said quietly. Jackson turned his back on Cader and was taking slower steps back to the hotel, but turned around when he heard a growl. Now it was getting cold and he hadn't seen any animals wondering around. He turned around, alarmed to see not a dog or a cat, but a wolf. Jackson hoped this wasn't who he thought it was. "C..Cader?" He stuttered. He turned sidways and ran, but Cader ripped his shirt by trying to catch Jackson's elbow with his teeth. Jackson swung his arm the other way and attemped to run but felt a sharp pain as Cader managed to nip at his ankles. Jackson halted for a moment and Cader was hoping to drag Jackson by the skip next to the crappy strip joint, but was met by a kick to the stomach by a stranger. Cader was ready to take the guy on but he revealed his fangs and Cader decided the kid wasn't worth as ass-kicking and ran off. The vampire saw the kid holding onto his ankles and knew that he was definately human. No "other being" would have let themselves be seen as weak, especially in this area.
Jackson nodded a thanks and began to walk back when he immediately felt cold fingers wrapped around his arm. "Mate what you doing?" He asked. The vampire looked down at Jackson feet as the blood darkened the sandy coloured ground. "You're wounded" He told him. "It's OK, I can get it checked out tomorrow" Jackson told him brightly. "You may only have tonight, the wolf could have been infected" Said the vampire. Jackson told him that he would go to a hospital, but the vampire had another idea. "I have preserves for wounds like this, I can help you, if you trust me to treat you" Jackson shook his head. "Look mate, I'm glad you helped me out, but I can't trust you, I don't even know you" The vampire leaned back and looked up at Jackson, a little sheepish at his own lack of manners. "I'm sorry, I just know how bad those cuts can get. I'm Mr Compton, but friends call me Bill" Bill held out his hand. Jackson glanced at it for a moment and didn't want to appear rude, so shook it.
"I'm Jackson and everyone calls me that, or Jack, Jacky, Jacksy, Jack-sprat..." Bill nodded. "I get it, put your arm around my shoulder...that's it. Now let's go" Bill didn't live far so Jackson wasn't completely legless when he got there. He sat down on the sofa, while Bill put the TV on. He'd need a distraction from the pain. Bill propped Jackson's leg up and went into the other room and came back, quickly swirling a cream like substance in a pestle and mortar.
"Do you want a towel to bite on?" Bill asked him. Jackson shook his head as he bent over look at the mixture. It looked like cold yogurt. "No thanks mate, I mean, how painful can it be?" Bill got a towel anyway and dabbed a few small drops on the wound and Jackson gritted his teeth in pain. Bill gave him the towel and he put it inbetween his teeth while Bill finished the job off. Butt the time he was done, Jackson was shivering but sweat was forming on his forehead. Bill slowly mopped his brow and left him there. "I think...I should go" Jackson told him, slowly leaning up. Bill tenderly touched his shoulder to make him stay down. "You're tired, I'll get you a blanket. It's a good idea if you stay the night" Bill got him a soda while Jackson watched TV. The mixture was still stinging, but Bill stayed with him until he fell asleep. Bill walked up the stairs, glad that Jessica wasn't here, there was no doubt she would have been a little jealous. By the time daylight was arriving, he crept downstairs to check on his patient, but Jackson was gone.
The next day however Jackson went back to Bill's place. Bill heard the knock and unlocked the door but backed away so that Jackson could come in. Jackson was covered in crap because of work but had managed to scrape most of it off outside. Bill offered him a beer, but he was on the job, so refused. Bill thought that Jackson had come by to say thanks, but surprisingly Jackson was going to give him more than that.
"You feeling better?" Bill asked him.
"Great thanks to you" Jackson told him. He rumaged around in his pocket and pulled out some dollar bills. Bill looked at him stunned. "These are for you" Said Jackson. Bill shook his head.
"I didn't help you for pay Jackson, not all vampires do good deeds for an exchange" Bill told him.
"That's a pity, I thought you were all ruthless schemers with bad taste in drinks" Jackson joked.
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you...I have to get some sleep now" Bill said quietly.
"Oh yeah, today's your night-time. You sure you don't want me to tuck you in, read you a bedtime story?" Jackson teased. "Go to work, save a little money and spend it on silver sharp objects, wolves hate that" Bill told him.
"I'm done with wolves Mr Compton, I'm moving on" Jackson told him. Hoping that Bill didn't think he'd made a pass at Cader.
"It's probably safer that way" Said Bill. Jackson put the notes on the side and then went outside, knowing that Bill couldn't go out to give them back to him. Jackson had to leave before he made a fool out of himself, by saying too much and Bill needed Jackson to leave because he was tempted. He was quite shocked. He went to his room and laid on his bed, trying to sleep but was too curious to close his eyes. Why did he want to feed off this kid? Women were usually the only option he accepted, but when he was with this Jackson, he could feel something. Maybe it was because Jessica was gone for a while, and he wanted a surrogate, but he didn't want to turn Jackson, but the thought of sliding his thumb over Jackson's neck and piercing his flesh with his fangs nearly drove Bill insane. He'd have to get over this kid, he was just a little tired and lonely, once he'd had a good days rest the thoughts would stop invading his dead mind, but he closed his eyes and they didn't. After lying on the bed motionless until dark clouds battled the sky and won, Bill took Jackson's money and headed out to Merlottes to see if he was there, but then saw him walking to a hotel entrance. Bill was at Jackson's side at an instant, but Jackson wasn't nervous this time, he embraced it.
"I was looking around for you, to give you your money back" Bill explained, handing the notes to him.
"Well here's my card, save yourself the trouble" Said Jackson. Bill looked at the card briefly.
"You're a builder, so you're used to cuts and bruises" Bill said.
"Yes Sir, I get them all time, last night's was nothing, well, until the cream was put on, but umm...if you need your house fixing I'm your man" Bill honestly thought of what he could wreck deliberately in his house without making it look well, deliberate. He felt embarrasesed and told himself to get a grip. "I see" He said. Jackson couldn't help but stare at him and wonder if Bill felt the same chemisty he did. He usually got it so wrong in the past.
"It was nice of you to look after me, you've got my number now, so call me if you want me to return the favour" Said Jackson.
"Look Jack" Jackson's eyes widened at the pet name. Progress. "You may not have heard but umm...vampires are immortal, I don't need your protection" Bill told him, hoping that he didn't sound too defensive, but Jackson pushed Bill's tone to the back of his mind.
"I know you are, and of course I can't protect the way you did for me, but I could help you. Builders can be very useful sometimes" "How?" Bill asked, as darkness began to rain down on them but Bill could still see Jackson clearly because he wanted to.
"Well, it's a well known fact that builders are great drinking buddies" Jackson told him.
"Really? That's new to me" Said Bill with a smirk.
"Modest is my middle name, but I do know everything" Jackson joked. "So, what do you say Mr Compton, drink's on me?" Jackson asked as he dug his hands in his pockets. Bill didn't really want to drink true blood while lookng at Jackson's neck. Maybe he could persuade Jackson for a drop, but he'd have to be wary. Jackson seemed like a nice guy and he didn't want to hurt him. That is, unless he was totally ready for it, and made random, repeated, rubricated requests.