Ran - Remember how we told you guys 'No Escape' was going to be dark? Well…
Kage - We're taking this one even further…
Ran - You might say that if you're at all fond of the Frog brothers or Star, and can't bear the idea of something terrible happening to them...then giving this story a pass wouldn't be a bad idea. Just a reminder if the concept is just too unbearable, I HAVE had them featured as main/supporting characters in other stories. So...you know, I guess...just re-read those?
"One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach...all the damn vampires."
As grandpa Emerson closed the fridge door, leaving the rest of them bathed in darkness, Star stared at him in abject fear.
"There...there are more of them?" She whispered, squeezing Laddie close as they slowly approached the Emersons together.
Michael remained silent, letting Sam fall to the ground beside him and glancing over at Lucy with more than a little anxiety. He had a lot to tell her...not the least of which that they were all back to normal. Of that, he was certain. The insane hunger gnawing at his stomach, and the surge of inhuman strength he'd felt when fighting David and Max had abandoned him. He was human. Despite the fact that there might be many more bloodsuckers hiding around Santa Carla, at least they were free.
Or so they thought. Until they began to explore the house before retiring to bed that night. The kitchen and bathroom were torn to hell, sure, and Michael's bed...or what used to be a bed...was permanently out of commission. But there was no skeleton in the bath tub, nor any blackened body parts surrounding the stereo, despite the fact that the speakers had been miserably destroyed by Sam's sharpshooting. Worst of all, there was no David on the antlers. Only streaks of blood staining it like varnish.
"Maybe they turned to dust?" Sam suggested, glancing over at the Frog brothers as he approached the stereo.
"Ashes, maybe," Edgar grunted, crossing his arms. "Get a good gust of wind blowing in here, I don't see why they couldn't have gotten blown away. AC is pretty high…"
Star and Michael didn't say anything. Of course, Michael didn't know the extent of what David could do, but Star knew well enough his illusions could go far beyond just maggots and earthworms...But he was human again, that had to mean they were all dead, even if they couldn't find the bodies, they were gone.
David wasn't sure when exactly it had all gone wrong and honestly, he wasn't in any condition to think about it either. He growled softly, coughing, antlers through the chest were not at the top of his list of things to try again. Nothing had gone according to plan. He couldn't believe the others had been forced to resort to half-illusions in order to save themselves. At least they had all survived but they would need to feed, soon. Pulling himself off the antlers while making sure they didn't see him was probably the most difficult thing he had ever done.
Paul was covered in grisly burns, and Dwayne had an oozing wound in his chest, coupled with badly-scorched skin puckered around it, and hair hanging out in clumps. None of them would be luring any kills with their winning smiles tonight, that was for sure. Marko had it easy...they'd left him back at the cave to rest before they'd planned on bringing home a victory dinner tonight. Now they would have to struggle to bring back a meal for Marko and one for himself.
He snarled softly, or...he could just let himself loose and take out the first human he saw. It would certainly be easier and his body wasn't going to leave him much choice in a minute. They were far enough away from the Emerson house that they could hunt without arousing suspicion and they weren't close enough to the boardwalk to reveal themselves. Yes, they had to hunt now. It only took one scent to send him over the edge, a single heartbeat, and he descended upon his hapless victim, driving his fangs into his throat as he screamed. Dwayne and Paul quickly split up to pursue their own, delighting in the cries of their prey as they feasted.
Where had it all gone wrong? Was it Michael's family? Was it Star? Her and Laddie's resistance had been what changed his mind on using Max's blood to turn Michael. If they could resist, well, he needed more power over the next one and he didn't get that with the elder vampire's blood. But Michael had still fought. Been even more difficult than Star and the brat. Maybe he had gone too easy on him, maybe it was going to take a little more force to make Michael fall in line. After the antlers he was more than happy to do it. Michael was his and he would be one of them even if he had to pour the blood down his throat himself. For now, he'd had to draw back, let his blood go dormant in the boy's veins, but it was still there. Pumping through his system. Quietly continuing to consume every cell in his body and when it was done the only thing that would be left in its wake was the vampire.
In time, the right time, David would go back. He'd deal with his wayward childe. Even if Michael somehow managed to 'kill' David again, he'd die too. But really, what were the chances? He wouldn't have the will to do it anymore. He'd be pack, even before his kill. All that was left, then, was to deal with Star and he had the perfect fate in mind for the little bitch. Now they just had to get Marko a meal and finish healing up, then he could put his plan into action.
David's grin as he took to the sky with Paul and Dwayne was predatory.
A week had passed since that night. The only person who seemed remotely unphased was grandpa, while the rest of them spent most of their time looking over their shoulders when the sun went down. Which was why Star had made a choice the day they'd found Laddie's home address.
Michael closed the car door on Laddie, turning back to face Star with a half-smile. He wasn't really sure if he'd ever be able to grin again without a little tinge of sadness, after what they'd been through. The deaths of the people he'd seen, the need to tear into them at the same time he was stricken with horror...it left a behind pretty bad scar, even if he was back to normal again. In Star, and even in Laddie, he could see the same sadness.
"Are you sure you want to go right now? You could stay another day. Or a week…" He suggested lamely, drawing his hands to her shoulders and stroking them softly with his thumbs. Lucy was waiting in the car, ready to drive them to Laddie's house, and then drop Star off at the bus station.
She smiled at him, gently running her fingers along his, "I need to, I have to get back home. I'll come back and see you though, it's just something I need to do."
"We haven't even known each other a week, and I'm already afraid you'll never come back," Michael replied, mentally flinching at just how corny that had sounded. Really corny. Danielle Steele corny. "You know what I mean," he looked upwards, "just call me if you change your mind, huh? I'll be around."
She stood on her tip toes, kissing him softly, "I'll call you when I get there."
He sighed as she pulled away to climb into the car, yanking the side of her spangled skirt up over her lap so it wouldn't be caught in the door as she slammed it shut. Long after they were gone, he found himself still standing in the driveway.
"Mike! Stop moping! You're being like one of those weird guys in mom's romance books!" Sam shouted, crossing his arms over his chest. Michael turned towards the porch, scowling at his little brother.
"This coming from the guy who cried until he lost his voice when they ran out of Cabbage Patch Kids on Christmas?"
He sputtered, "Y-You, asshole! I did not, you take that back!"
"Mommy, why doesn't Santa love me anymore?" Michael mimicked with a smirk as he strode towards the porch, shaking away his mood over Star off as best he could. Sam had done a lot for him, he didn't deserve to have his brother moping around the house for the rest of the summer for that.
He punched him in the shoulder as he walked past, "Yeah, well, you suck." He said lamely, didn't have a good comeback for that one.
"Make me a sandwich," Michael replied, ruffling his hair before he dodged into the house away from another pathetic punch, snickering.
"Make your own!" He grumbled, storming away from him, "Stupid Michael and his stupid sandwiches." On the bright side, at least he was eating food again.
"So, I've been thinking we should expand with fliers now, if that old man was right. Maybe even raise our rates, now that we've got some fangs on our belts. What do you think?" Edgar grunted as he lowered the gate to the shop and turned towards his brother.
"People still don't believe us." Alan replied, "We can't up our rates until we actually have a client." He scowled, someone was tapping on his shoulder, "We're closed!" He said without turning around, when they tapped again he spun, "I said…"
"...Oh...shhh…." Edgar dropped his keys.
A pair of gloved hands muffled their screams as they were pulled away into the darkness above. They really should have started closing up shop before sunset.
"Damn it…" Sam slammed the phone down in frustration and threw himself onto his bed. This sucked. Mom wouldn't let him or Mike leave the house, even in the middle of the afternoon, and now the Frogs weren't even answering their phone?! How else was he supposed to find out what was going on in the world? Also, he wanted a new comic and, well, he had to make sure they ordered it for him.
There was a soft knock on his bedroom door, "Sam?" Mom.
"Yeah, mom?"
She slowly turned the knob and stuck her head inside, "would you like to go to the grocery store with me and dad? We're thinking about picking up something nice for dinner tonight."
"Can we stop at the comic shop too?" He gave her his best puppy eyes, "Please?" He said, hopping off his bed.
She looked pensive, pushing the door open a little further, "Sam, I don't think being around those boys right now is a very good idea. Not that I'm not grateful for what they did to help you and Michael, but I think the less contact we have with people who...do that kind of thing...the safer we'll be," she sighed. "Plus, it's getting late. I'll take you to a comic shop in Luna Bay when I find a new job, though. How does that sound?"
He shook his head, "Please mom, no more vampire stuff, there's just a new comic I need."
She placed her hands on her hips, "I said no, Sam. If you don't want to go with us, that's fine, but I'm not taking you to that comic shop."
He frowned, bottom lip quivering, "Fine, go away then." He flopped back on his bed, "I'm just a little worried, no one is answering the phone." He mumbled.
"It happens all the time, honey. Until everyone owns a twenty pound phone they carry around on a belt, people aren't going to be attached to them all day waiting for phone calls from their friends." Lucy sighed as she turned and left. This whole ordeal had aged her a little. She was a little less patient when it came to little demands and pleas.
"And if I can't get ahold of them tomorrow?" He asked, "Can I check on them at least?" Maybe Michael would take him and she wouldn't have to know.
Lucy paused in the hallway, "I'll think about it."
"Thanks." He curled up around his pillow, looking out the window. The night seemed darker than usual and honestly, it scared him. It wasn't even 6 yet. Nanook slowly padded into the room, leaping up onto his bed with a whine and clumsily lumbering over him, digging his paws into Sam's side in the process as he tried to make a comfortable spot for himself. He smiled, cuddling up close to his dog, "Yeah, thanks buddy." He rubbed through his fur, at least Nanook cared. He didn't know how long he'd nodded off, when a loud crash downstairs made him jerk awake.
He ran downstairs as fast as he could, taking the steps two at a time, "Mom? Michael?" His eyes darted around, trying to find what made the noise, "Hey! Show yourself!" There was a sudden rattling noise coming from the direction of the kitchen. Nanook drew up behind Sam, ducking his head low and huffing.
He peered inside, eyes going wide when he spotted Michael going for the door, "Mike!" He ran over to him, grabbing his arm and pulling, "Hey, come on, mom said no going outside, remember?" It went left unsaid that if he couldn't go out then Mike couldn't either. But then realization dawned on him...he recognized that glazed look in Mike's eyes. It was going to take a hell of a lot to wake him up, too…So he did the only thing he could think of doing.
Grabbing a skillet and one of the big wooden spoons he got right up next to him, holding the pan close to his ear, and hit it as hard as he could. Michael suddenly shook his head, glancing down at Sam with a half-awake expression of bewilderment, and slight irritation when he immediately shoved him away as he drew up a hand to cover his ear.
"Huh? What'd…" It seemed to take a few moments for him to become aware of his surroundings. He looked up, rubbing at his face, "oh man...haven't done this since I was six…did I try to eat the phone or something?"
"You tried to go outside! What're you, crazy?"
"...Did I?" Michael turned back towards the door and then faced Sam again, lowering his hand. "Damn...dreamt I was trying to get in."
"What were you dreaming about, Mike?" He asked, looking up at him.
"It's dumb," Michael scowled, rubbing the back of his head as he stalked towards the fridge, yanking it open to pull out the milk carton to take a gulp out of it.
"It's important, come on, tell me."
"You really wanna know?" Michael lowered the carton, wiping at his mouth with his arm and resealing it.
He rolled his eyes, "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to."
He shrugged, shoving the milk back in the fridge and closing the door. "Dreamt they were coming back for me."
Lucy drummed her hands on the steering wheel as she drove home with her father in the passenger seat. They hadn't talked much about anything but what to buy. Now that they'd taken care of the groceries, there wasn't much else to talk about...except, of course, for the elephant in the car. As much as she enjoyed listening to Barry Manilow, she realized she'd have to turn down the radio so she could talk.
"Dad," Lucy cleared her throat, "I've got a few questions…"
He glanced over at her, "What about?"
"Those...things…" She could bring herself to say the word. As if it could somehow make them that much more real than they already were, "who came to the house."
He looked back out the windshield, "Vampires." He stated, "What about them?" He seemed to be reduced to short sentences, as if he didn't really want to talk about it but understood why she wanted to know.
"Well," she continued to stare ahead at the road, focusing on the lights cutting through the inky black road, "I've seen the old Dracula movie. I even saw the Frank Langella one with Jack when it came out...so I guess I know a few things. Sunlight, staking them through the heart, that sort of thing...but I'm really not sure what's true or not. I'm not even sure where to begin. But if there's more out there, I really need you to tell me. Tell me everything you know."
"They ain't like us. They're vicious, animalistic, they're run by what they want, and once they've set their eyes on something they're not too keen on letting it go. Possessive bastards."
She flinched, absent-mindedly rubbing at her throat, "yes...I'd gathered that last part."
"They're manipulators, can mess with a person's mind, make them see things, feel things that they wouldn't normally. They're pure evil, Lucy, don't ever forget that. They may look like us, talk like us, but there is no mercy."
Lucy bit back a shiver, trying to swallow past the growing lump in her throat as she worked up the nerves to ask her next question, because she needed to hear him say it, even if they were safe from the possibility now, "what if...what if one of us became one of them? Would they be able to listen, to care anymore...for their family?"
He shook his head, "No, they don't feel things like we do, they might remember what it felt like to be human but they wouldn't care. They become a creature of instinct, kill or be killed, pack is the only safe thing for them. Think of them like wolves."
Lucy shook her head, "I just can't believe something like that, dad. I would never stop loving my boys. If I did, I wouldn't be me anymore." She paused, then gave a weak laugh, "I guess it doesn't matter anymore, does it? That's not going to happen to any of us."
He nodded in agreement, not saying what he was thinking, about how she might just turn them herself if she was a vampire.
David watched in delight as Michael licked the blood from his lips. One slow step forward and he was within range, "My blood is in your veins." He grinned, slashing his wrist open, holding his tainted blood within reach of the halfling, "You can't fight it forever, Michael." The smell of blood filled the room, power, "You can have it all." Blood dripped to the floor, the sound seemingly louder than it really was, "Everything you ever wanted." He brought his wrist up to his lips, running his tongue over it slowly, "All you have to do is feed."
Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub...
Michael could hear the sound of his own heart racing, picking up speed, threatening to break through his rib cage and tear itself free.
Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub...
The right thing to do was to fight David off. To protect his family. Somehow Michael knew he must have done it before. Must have gone through this. But things were changing...re-arranging themselves around him. David wasn't up in the rafters, and he should be. They weren't fighting in the air, and somehow he thought they had been. The world seemed to be fluid, shifting as he tried to gain focus on his surroundings. A fact he longed to be real seemed immaterial the longer he tried to hold onto it. Then his greater fears took center stage, as the scent of David's blood called out to him. God, it was like a river...he was too weak to fight the current forever. Sooner or later he was going to break, and saving his brother, or his mom...even Star or Laddie...became less and less important.
Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub...
"No," Michael bit back at him, even as his hands came up of their own volition to try and grab at David's wrist to pull it closer. It was autonomous. His body was rebelling against him.
David chuckled softly, "Your mouth says no, but your body says yes." He purred, bringing his wrist closer, letting him grab it, "Drink."
"Screw you, asshole," Michael whispered through clenched teeth as he finally snapped, digging his teeth into David's wrist, practically shredding the pale flesh in an effort to get as much as he could. In the face of this, his fears and anger seemed to fade into a background noise.
He was laughing, David was laughing at him as he drank, swallowing it down in thick draughts, "You know what would taste even better?" He questioned, leaning close, "This." Suddenly Sam was there, held in front of him, "Finish it." David ordered firmly.
Michael gazed up at them both, his will to fight finally gone as he leapt towards his brother with a bestial snarl. Sam's skin tore like strips of roasted chicken under his teeth, thin and delicate. A barrier from what he desperately needed, as he buried his face into the human's neck. Words like 'guilt' and 'love', they were just memories, things he couldn't even comprehend anymore. David had won.
He clawed his way out of his dream, sweating and panting when he finally rose back to reality. In his bed. It was morning. "Oh...god…" He put his face in his hands, gasping. That was almost too real to be a nightmare. The worst thing about it, other than the idea of slaughtering his little brother, though? He'd enjoyed it way too much. He could still taste it on his tongue, the metallic tang of blood. Like it or not, Michael was ready to admit one thing to himself he'd vow to carry to his grave: he was lost. Maybe not in the way David and those monsters had been, but there was no denying now that he'd been irrevocably broken.