Author's notes:
Ran - I feel like now would be a VERY good time to remind you what we said earlier. This is going to get darker...
Edgar and Alan nervously paced the shop, only once every so often to pause and chatter with a customer, or adjust something on a wrack. Neither of them had been sleeping well, thanks to a few...bizarre occurrences at their house in the last few days.
Alan was afraid to open the fridge without a baseball bat, because every time he went to grab a midnight snack, an undead suckling pig would try to leap out at him and shove an apple in his mouth. Edgar was paranoid about using the toilet, because on three separate occasions he'd gotten up in the middle of the night and could swear he sat on a set of viciously sharp teeth...once the lid cover had even tried to slam down on his back so it could chew him up and eat him.
Right now...they were not in the best state of mind. And considering how they usually were anyway, that was saying something.
"You think...you think maybe mom used the wrong mushrooms in that stew she made?" Edgar turned back towards his brother from his position behind the counter, drumming his fingers nervously to the beat of his ticking watch. Work was a safe place at night. They could rest assured that nothing crazy would happen here, because all the freaky shit was locked safely back in their home with whatever crazy...whatever...that'd been assaulting them both off and on.
Then, it happened. Rachel, the hottest chick in school, walked past their storefront and Edgar could swear she looked at him. Him! He couldn't believe it.
"Alan, I've gotta go check on something...over there." He was outside in a flash.
"Ed! Wait!" Alan shouted after him, dropping a stack of comics and dashing towards the storefront before drawing to a stop with a sigh of exasperation as he turned back towards their dazed parents leaning against the wall. He couldn't just...leave...last time they'd done that, half their inventory got trashed.
"Damn it…" he grumbled as he stomped back to the comics he'd dropped. "Fucking...asshole…"
He shook his head with a sigh, going back to sorting through the comics, glancing up now and then to see who was coming in. Everything was fine, everything was normal, until the little one walked in. The little one that they had killed. The little one that still had a stake through his heart, blood and gore dripping around the wound to spill about the floor at his feet. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. This couldn't be happening! His breath came in sharp pants as he held back a low whimper. But...he wasn't even looking at Alan, he was just...browsing.
The nervous Frog brother tried to take a step back, nearly stumbling over his own feet as comics began to tumble from his clutches, while the monster idly picked over one after another comic, gloved fingers leaving little sticky fingerprints behind.
"Pl…" Alan took a breath, "pl-" he took another breath...tried to force himself to scream. But he felt like he was in a dream, and the air was being punched from his lungs. He was dreaming. He had somehow fallen asleep on his feet, and he was just imagining this…
"Hey, you got anything better than this shit?" The little one called out to him, tilting his head and laughing in an ear-shattering high pitch, fangs dripping over his chin and eyes piercing through Alan's soul. And the smell...the awful smell! Just when he thought he had found his tongue, yet another one filed into the shop. It was the blonde rocker, the one who'd gotten the full holy water spa treatment. Alan just about threw up, his flesh was dripping off his body, sliding to land in soft plops on the floor. He went over to the other one and they grinned at each other. The effect made all the more disturbing by the fact that the melting rocker didn't even have any skin left around his mouth or chin for his fangs to dangle over.
"Superman is bullshit, Batman is so much better." Flesh was dripping into the comics and Alan whimpered pathetically. Not only from fear...but they were destroying the collector's value for those things!
"They...they just…" Alan gulped, rubbing at his eyes as he fell back against the counter, pressing the few comics he'd managed not to drop, "everyone likes...different things…" Maybe he was going nuts? He hadn't even eaten any of that mushroom stew! He had to keep telling himself that, this was a hallucination, it had to be!
The brunette walked in, moving to the others, a crossbow bolt still in his chest. What was next? The last one, the leader, would he come in with the rack of antlers still in his chest? Before Alan could ponder this further, he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eyes. The one with the crossbow...he had bleeding lines running up and down his limbs, on his neck, his feet...his skin looked like it was beginning to crisp and burn as if he were being grilled, and then...his arm fell off, tumbling to the ground to snatch up one of the comics Alan had dropped. Then he took a step closer, the others drawing beside him and cackling, and his other arm fell...then finally, when he was just inches away...his head rolled forward onto the counter Beside Alan…and he winked.
Alan screamed and bolted. He couldn't stay here any more, he had to get out of here before he totally lost his mind. Where the hell was Edgar?!
Where else would he be? Already a block down the boardwalk, Edgar had followed the hot chick as far as she was willing to lead him. And he couldn't believe it...she'd actually given him signals. Winks, smiles, even a few sexy shakes of her hip-strangling jeans. They were so tight, he was sure her thighs had to be just as blue as the denim by now...and he'd be more than happy to rub them until they got the circulation going again, of course. If she would just fucking stop with the teasing and talk to him!
She crooked her finger as she slid into the alley, beckoning him closer, and with the sexiest eyebrow wiggle he could manage, he acquiesced with a grunt as he followed. "You're so hot," he mumbled, hands twitching nervously as he wondered whether or not she'd really been beckoning him and not some dude behind him with a car and better clothes.
She licked her lips, "I always thought you were hot." She hooked her fingers in his belt loops, pulling him close.
"You did?!" He squeaked, then paused and cleared his throat, repeating himself in a much deeper tone, "you did?" He'd never been this far before...what the hell was he supposed to do? Wait...stroke her hair. Chicks liked that, right? Edgar slowly reached up to pat her on the head.
She glanced over his shoulder, smiling at something...someone...Edgar made a move to look back and see what she was looking at, before he felt her grab him by the chin and jerk his face back towards hers.
"So, Rachel, ready to take your first bite?" That voice was familiar, he'd heard it before, back in the house when Michael was fighting that freaky albino. Fuck. He managed to jerk his head around, coming face to face with the bleach blonde vampire.
"B-b-b-b...y-yy-y…" Edgar stammered, shoving the girl away and crossing his fingers, then spinning about to hold out his deadly symbol towards the other one...swiveling back and forth while his mouth continued to flutter as he tried to form at least one word...before he gave a girlish shriek and dashed away back towards the safety of the comic shop.
David grinned, looking at the girl, "Go home, girly, I'm done with you." She nodded, still in a sluggish daze as she walked away. Tomorrow, she wouldn't remember a single thing about this, except a tiny thought David had implanted in her head...to lick her lips and stare at Edgar's neck whenever she saw him.
Michael had been watching the whole time, leaning up against the wall in the alleyway, eyes trained on David. He broke into a grin, shaking his head as he drew a cigarette from his lips and held it out, "why didn't you just eat them both?"
David took it, taking a drag, "They're just too much fun to fuck with. Can't do that if they're dead." He paused, handing it back, "As far as the girl, he's going to freak the fuck out when he sees her in school."
The brunette looked thoughtful as he took the cigarette back, "well, I don't know who the hell they are, but I know I don't like them." He tucked the cigarette between his lips and pushed away from the wall, crossing towards David, "you've still got some blood on your cheek…" He had a distant look in his eyes, struggling to decide whether or not he should do something...
David didn't move, eyes locked on Michael, waiting to see what he was going to do. He needn't have waited long, because once the younger vampire had tossed his cigarette to the ground, he leaned forward to quickly lick it away, pulling back with a frown.
"...that was weird…" He cringed, "sorry."
David grinned, licking his lips, he couldn't help but like it, "Taste good? No need to apologize."
"Guess I'm still a little hungry," Michael smirked, shrugging his shoulder and looking out towards the wooden slats of the boardwalk, "I think the other one just ran by…"
David looked past him, "Yep, boys did a good job." He grinned, "Let's go collect the idiots." He headed for the comic book store, "Boys! Let's go!"
As they hopped on their bikes to head out, Michael was a little wary about riding with David again. He had a weird feeling about what he'd just done in the alley, and wasn't really sure what to think about it. Was that normal? It had been fun though, and that's what life or well, unlife, was about? Right?
"Going home?" Michael asked David when he finally climbed on behind him. This really was getting a little ridiculous, now.
"Unless you're hungry, that's the plan." He started up the bike.
"I could eat," Marko chimed in, "that little game took a lot out of us...what about you?" He looked back at Dwayne and Paul, who revved their engines and laughed, Paul tossing his hair and howling in agreement.
Michael couldn't help but grin with them. For the first time since he'd finally made his first kill, he didn't have any odd feelings holding him back. He just felt content...like he really belonged. He chuckled as he slowly put his hands on David's shoulders, "sounds great." He paused, "but no Chinese…"
As they powered away, they didn't even notice the blonde kid with his mom just leaving a clothing shop. And neither Sam nor Lucy even saw them...but they definitely heard. Sam exchanged a nervous glance with his mom, smiling weakly, "uh…" he licked his lips, "guess there's lots of bikers around here, huh?"
She glanced the way the sound had come from, "Yeah...I guess so…"
David had a surprise for Michael. The bleach blonde had taken off to get it ready at nightfall without saying anything to the others. Now it was time to give it to him.
"Alright boys, let's head up top." He said from the entrance, crossing his arms over his chest, "Got a surprise."
Michael looked towards him curiously, setting the baseball he'd been tossing in the air beside him, "what's up?"
David didn't respond as he turned and headed back up the stairs, expecting them to follow. He didn't want to spoil the surprise after all. Over the last few days, Michael had learned to take his advice about trust, too, because he didn't even argue or pause when the others filed out after their leader. He just went with it.
When they got to top, lined up with the rest of the bikes was something covered in an old drop cloth, "Go ahead, Michael." David motioned to it.
The brunette looked at him with raised eyebrows, slowly smirking as he drew towards the drop cloth. He was clearly trying to hide his enthusiasm, but it was a bit of a challenge as he yanked the cloth away to reveal the gift. The Triumph was all smooth lines, a beast of chrome and deep blue and it was all Michael's.
"Wow…" Michael examined it, running his hands over the cool metal, appreciating every single curve, down to the finest detail. He was so excited about it, he practically forgot he wasn't alone.
"Like it?" David asked, watching intently.
"I fucking love it!" Michael exclaimed, grinning up at him through a fall of curls that had come forward to cover one of his eyes.
"You're so good to us, daddy," Paul laughed, looking out across the bluff. "Let's break it in, huh?"
"Yeah, you remember that when you decide to be an asshole. I'm good to those who behave." David smirked, "What do you think, Michael? Want to go for a ride?" He didn't even have to be asked twice. He was already gunning his engine, "Guess I got my answer." He grinned, mounting his own bike and taking off.
There really was nothing like it, next to the high of a good feeding, and the thrill of flight. It was on a night like this, Michael didn't look like he was being haunted by shadows of memories he would never catch. There was no confusion or doubt. Just...being. David tossed his head back and howled, laughing into the night, listening to the chorus that joined him as the others howled in return. Tonight was going to be a good night, he could feel it in his bones. They moved as one through fog and sand, grass and hill, and finally tarmac blacker than the night sky above them. Out to the edges of Santa Carla, and stretching into the next town over where they were nothing but a silly story at best. For all that they enjoyed their infamy it was nice sometimes to be unknown, to have people completely oblivious to what they are, to what they're capable of. What's more, they were a little less hindered by their own rules. Out here...they could do whatever they wanted to the locals, as long as they didn't leave too much of a mess behind.
Marko tilted his face to the sky, sticking out his tongue and grinning, "it's beginning to rain."
Rain sucked and none of them wanted to be out in it, "Let's find us a place." He glanced around, spotting an old farm building, "Like that." He pointed, "It's our lucky night, boys."
Dwayne closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled, "only one blood-bag. Old. Piss poor meal…probably wanna get rid of him first."
David glanced at Michael, "Hungry? All yours."
He shrugged, "I'm not picky. Sure." The gentle sprinkling had picked up almost immediately into a torrential shower by the time they drew their bikes aside behind the building. Not really much to write home about, this place. Nobody had looked after it for a long time. The paint was peeling, the roof looked like it was in danger of caving in at some points, and large slats of siding were completely missing from the house.
Michael surveyed the farmhouse thoughtfully before he decided exactly how to go about this. Even if the geezer inside wasn't a challenge, he could still make the approach fun. He glanced over at the others, shaking his hair out as he pressed up against the side of the house, and began to climb like a spider along the wall towards the one lit window on the second story.
David sat back and watched, curious how he was going to go about it. He was learning fast which pleased him more than anything else. He really wanted to get inside soon though, the rain was picking up and they were getting drenched.
Once Michael reached the window, he dug his claws into the panes and yanked it open, slithering inside like a lizard. There was a momentary silence. Then the light went off. And finally...a long, low scream.
He poked his head outside soon after, chin covered in blood, elbows propped up against the damaged windowpane, "you guys coming, or am I just getting the place to myself tonight?"
David chuckled softly, "Yeah, yeah." He licked his lips before walking in the front door as if he owned the place. He strolled up the stairs, "This should work for the night, or at least until the rain dies down."
Marko and Paul were immediately in the kitchen, digging through the fridge. It looked like they were fighting over a box of Twinkies. Dwayne seemed to have found his place, spotting a bookcase in the living room. Nothing but Readers Digest novels and encyclopedias, but he could make do with almost anything as long as it had words. But Michael remained upstairs. Maybe he'd found something even more intriguing than just an easy meal?
David strolled into the bedroom, "Find anything interesting?" He questioned, looking in at his fledgling. He was sitting on the edge of a bloodstained bed, wringing out his shirt and watching the pinkish water drip down onto the floorboards. The body had been wrapped up in a sheet and set beside the window.
Michael looked up at him, shaking rain from his hair and giving David a lopsided smirk, chin still smeared with blood, "ruined my shirt."
David chuckled softly, "Red's a good color on you." He strolled over, sitting next to him on the bed. His fledgling just shook his head, lifting the damp shirt to wipe at his face, but pausing midway to give David a contemplative look.
The elder vampire cocked his head to the side slightly, "Something on your mind?"
"Too much. Don't want to think about it right now," Michael replied, rubbing the blood from his chin and dropping his shirt to the ground with a wet 'Plop.' His eyes scanned over David's face, his neck...lingered there for awhile, before he finally just leaned forward and gave his maker a gentle nip on the cheek, his tongue darting out to lick at the spot afterwards. Then he pulled back and gave him a wary frown. There was one thing Michael had very clearly always been as a human, and apparently he didn't know how to deal with the fact that the line suddenly didn't seem to matter much.
Then Michael's eyes darted towards the door, and he leaned forward again, this time nipping at David's neck with a soft growl, hands flying up to pluck at the older vampire's coat and push it down his shoulders. David growled in return, pressing against him, his nails dragging down his back, feeling the skin flex beneath his fingers. He nipped and bit down his throat slowly, curious as to how far Michael was willing to go. His claws traced along the top of his pants as he rocked up against him. The younger vampire responded, slowly at first, seemingly unsure as he finally managed to wrestle David's coat off.
David growled softly, sensing his hesitation, "Do what you want." He snarled, flipping them over and rolling his hips down against him, showing him that he was just as hard, wanted it just as badly.
That was enough, and Michael's movements became more feverish, a hand reaching down to yank at David's belt, quickly undoing it, while he used his other hand to grip at the back of his maker's head, groaning softly at the feel of their hips pressed against each other. David was quick to tug the fledgling's pants down in return, groaning as he rolled down against him. Loving the slide of flesh against flesh.
Michael's back arched as he leaned upwards to drag his fangs along David's neck, skimming along the throat and just nicking it, before he growled and pressed back against him, kicking his shoes off and yanking at David's shirt, practically shredding it as he tried to get even more skin on skin contact. And then, in an unexpected move, he flipped David over this time, grinning down at him while he continued to slowly rock his hips. Then, reluctantly, he calmed himself enough to stop before he got too excited, and leaned down to lick a trail up David's chest. The bleach blonde moaned, fingers tangling in brunette curls. He growled lowly, watching him, watching as he used that perfect mouth of his to taste him.
"Good," he groaned lowly, "so good, keep going, Michael."
"I'm brushing my teeth after this," Michael warned him, dragging blunt nails along David's side as he went lower, just a little hesitant as he got closer towards the focal point. Whether sexuality mattered or not, he'd still never done this kind of shit with a dude. David didn't push, let him do what he was comfortable doing.
"Go ahead, you can brush your teeth, just damn, keep going." He tipped his head back, groaning low in his throat. He paused for a moment, "You don't have to do it, not gonna force you."
Michael looked up at him thoughtfully, bringing his hand down to slowly grasp at David's length. The alternative of blue balls right now just wasn't going to work for him. He shrugged, "I'm good." And then he looked as if he was about to compete in a marathon, the look of concentration on his face so intense as he tried to figure out exactly how to go about this, gradually beginning to stroke the blonde, doing what he was sure he enjoyed, but had never really had the chance to take a survey on another's reaction to it.
"Is…does that work for you?" Michael looked up at him curiously.
He groaned softly, stroking through his hair slowly, "Yeah, keep going." He rocked his hips up slightly into his grasp, which was all the encouragement Michael needed. David groaned low in his throat, tipping his head back, fingers clenching slightly in his hair, "Feels good." A soft grunt escaped his lips as Michael gave a twist of his wrist, "Yeah, more of that."
Michael complied, quickly growing more confident as he picked up his speed, until he finally managed to get just the right rhythm. David groaned low in his throat, giving his hips a sharp thrust up and finding his release, his fingers tightening in his hair as he slowly came back down. Michael had wiped his hand off on the bed, and quickly crawled up to give David's neck a soft lick, whispering against his throat by the time the stars finally seemed to clear from the blonde's vision, "you mind?" He laughed against David's skin, grasping at one of his maker's hands still clenched in his hair and slowly guiding it down to his own anxious arousal. Hard and righteously indignant at the lack of attention.
David chuckled softly, giving him a slow squeeze and rotating as he started to stroke, "Mmm, gonna make you feel just as good as you made me feel." He slowly massaged his scalp as he began to stroke, dragging his nails down his back slowly, watching his reactions to see what he liked best. The brunette moaned and gasped into his neck, shifting his hips and pressing himself harder into David's hand, biting David's shoulder to keep himself from making too much noise. Willing or not, he didn't want an audience. David groaned, loving to see him come undone, stroking him firmly, giving him another twist of his wrist.
As David worked him to into a frenzy, biting wasn't enough. Michael shifted, pulling his head away from his maker's shoulder and bringing one of his own hands up to his mouth to dig his fangs into his knuckles; his climax left him practically boneless, as his teeth tore and dug at the skin, and he slumped down against the bleach blond, gasping. Shaking. Purring.
"Wow."
David chuckled, grinning as he combed through his hair, "Good?"
Michael slowly rolled away, resting beside him with an arm slung over his face, "was that normal?" He paused, frowning, "god damn it...that's why my pants got screwed up the other night, isn't it?"
He chuckled softly, "Yeah, gender isn't really an issue with us. Totally normal but it's not like humans can really...handle us. We go after what makes us feel good. Feeding feels good, sex feels good, we follow what we're attracted to." He paused, grinning at him to lighten the mood, "Can't say you made a bad choice though, I'm quite the catch after all."
The brunette pulled his arm away and glanced over at David with a raised eyebrow, "don't you ever worry your ego is going to go supernova some day?"
He shook his head, "It'll never happen." He tucked his hands under his head, looking at the ceiling, "It's not ego if it's true."
