Title: Be My Salvation

Chapter: 3

Author: SomethingIDontknow

Rating: M (For Demonic Possession, gay romance, and plenty of interesting swearing.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Adventures, of course. Need's must I say it?

Author's Note: I should stop tormenting Zak. This is the Poveglia, Italy lockdown. When Zak was possessed in the Poveglia Hospital, they never showed all of what happened…

Summary: Poveglia had been their dream. And would be remembered as a most sacred nightmare. The only freedom from it lay in each other's arms.

Poveglia was beautiful. The walk though earlier that day had been warm but wonderful. Venice was peaceful and (at least in Nick's opinion) very romantic. There was a lot of history and beautiful architecture. Not to mention a wickedly dark history. Nick and Aaron agreed that the island was plenty great for the type of dark beauty they used a lot in the show. Zak was just dying to get ashore. He was excited for nightfall. And Nick was too, to be sure, but there was a strange feeling in his stomach. A sense of something strange. Aaron shared his trepidation, but not for the same reasons, of course.

They began with the hospital. Darkness left the place beautiful in a horrifying new way. The aura of fear and death was palpable. "Is there anybody here?" Zak's voice echoed eerily, refracting and amplifying. Voices called from the darkness. And suddenly, this beautiful place was frightening. The EMF needle climbed to the sound of approaching footsteps. The second EMF device broke. Aaron was sick. Everything was unraveling around them so quickly. Nick's voice was fast and excited. Energy built around them leaving the air practically sparking.

And suddenly it all broke loose.

Aaron was fumbling with a camera, trying to take something from his hand. Nick looked up at the both of them and stifled a gasp at the look on Zak's face. Fear and rage and something indescribable. Zak turned to Aaron. "Fucking bastard." he started out speaking, and moved up to screaming, "get the fuck out of here!" "Who, me?" Aaron sounded confused, and his expression was somewhere between 'he's joking' and 'oh hell'. "Yeah, I'm fucking talking to you!"

Aaron backed away, fear apparent. Zak turned, "get the fuck away!" His eyes locked onto Nick, who stood trapped in his gaze. "No." Nick barely breathed the word. "Who the fuck-" Zak's angry expression melted into a dark smirk, "Egli vi ama." He loves you. He sauntered (Nick could barely contain his shiver, he sauntered) up to Nick, cupping his face and jerking him forward for a hard kiss. Nick screamed into the kiss, struggling to jerk back. Zak, or not-Zak, bit down hard on his lip. He allowed Nick to break away. "Voglio il tuo sangue." I want your blood. He practically purred in perfect Italian.

Nick wiped at his mouth feeling a smear of hot blood across the back of his hand. "Zak, you've got to fight this, this isn't you, you have to fight it." Nick struggled not to babble. "Egli vi ama. Se mi si rompe, lo spezzare." He loves you. If I break you, I break him. The taller man was stepping forward, forcing Nick and Aaron back. "You've gotta fight it, man." Aaron pleaded, "This thing is-" "Be silent." It was hardly Zak's voice. His eyes were bright, as if with fever. And both shining eyes were tracking Nick. With a sharp intake of breath, Zak was suddenly right in front of him, holding him by the shoulders. They had hardly moved six steps from the doorway, but it felt like he'd run a mile. "Please, Zak." Nick barely breathed, his camera hanging limply from his hand, barely strapped. Suddenly he realized, it was so damn hot. Humidity from the lagoon was making it sticky and his skin was wet with sweat and condensation. Zak's hot breath across his parted lips was almost unbearable.

"Help me."

Nick's eyes widened suddenly and Aaron gasped right behind them. Zak held his aggressive pose but his eyes were lost and frightened now, his words had barely been a whimper. "Fight this. You have to fight it." Aaron's words were a breath. Zak trembled now, his hands shaking. Nick watched, horrified, as his left hand rose to his right, preparing to backhand him. "Zak stop!" Aaron shouted.

Zak sobbed, his body jerking hard, as if being tugged by a string. He jerked himself away from them, slamming his shoulder against the wall. He screamed and seized violently, pressed tight to cool stone. Nick ran to his side, reaching to touch his shoulder, but pausing, uncertain. "Let go!" nick said, soothingly as he could, "just let go." "No! Ah! Stop!" Zak screamed, eyes shut tight, his hands shaking, clamped onto a rag. His breath was rough and ragged and his entire body was wound tight, trembling.

He loosed his fist enough to drop the rag. "Calm down." Nick murmured, setting his camera aside and kneeling beside his friend, "please, it'll be okay. Just calm down." He stroked his hands down Zak's shoulders, only glancing back at Aaron, who was still filming. Nick motioned for him to lower the camera and once he had, he leaned in properly, pressing his mouth lightly to Zak's ear.

"Just let go."

Zak turned his head slowly; their lips so very near to touching. "Help me." he whispered, "Save me." he pressed their mouths together for a few precious heartbeats, the kiss full of desperation and fear. "Let's get him out of here." Aaron said quietly, breaking their kiss. Nick nodded, putting an arm around Zak's shoulders, helping him up. Aaron led the way with his flashlight.

They had to stop in the room with the broken wall to let Zak rest and he continued to murmur and rant about what had happened. Nick was forced to half carry him from the wreck of the building.

Outside, it as much cooler. The breeze off the lagoon carried a light spray onto the dock where they sat. Nick leaned back on his palms, knees spread, Zak lying against him. The taller man's eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow. "Is he gonna be okay?" Aaron asked. Zak nodded weakly. Nick nodded with a dim smile. "Done pissing off demons?" Aaron asked with a smile of his own. Zak peeked one eye open and chuckled, shaking his head. Nick ruffled his spiky hear and gave him a light shove. "If you're well enough, we need to get going, it's late already." "Yeah." Zak sat up and sighed, "Let's get going." Aaron went to get their equipment set up.

As Zak rolled onto his knees to get up, Nick jerked him down for a kiss. "You kissed me in front of Aaron." Nick murmured. "I think he already knew about us anyway." Zak whispered in his defense. Nick rolled his eyes. "If he didn't, he does now." "C'mon guys, you can't spend all night on the dock." Aaron called from further ashore. Nick hopped up in that agile way of his, and offered Zak a hand. The bigger man smiled and gripped his forearm, pulling himself up. They kissed again, softly, as a promise. Under a bare sparkle of a Venetian night sky, made their way to Aaron and their base camp, ready to face Hell and high water.

A/N: I hate to sound like I'm repeating myself. But I hadn't seen this episode when I began the series. Please, read and review as ever, I'm going to need help on this one sooner or later. And it's really encouraging to know that you guys are reading this. Anyway, Many Thanks for Reading,

GT