Title: Golden Dragon 9
Author: BELOVEDbyWAR
Rating: PG-13
TV verse: Blood Ties
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money.
AN: Thanks to luvinmike for beta-reading!
Wc: 1500
Golden Dragon 9:
He must have dozed off, because when Mike opened his eyes, Fitzroy stood right in front of him. At first he thought the vamp was about to attack him, seeing that Henry's human mask had slipped and both fangs, as well as those demonic pitch black eyes, were visible. However, the fact that Mike was still breathing, and Henry kept standing there, frozen and absentmindedly cradling one hand against his chest, suggested otherwise.
Good God, what had he missed now?
"Henry?" Vicki asked, seemingly as confused about the vampire's behavior as Mike was. "What just happened?"
Now it was His Lordship's turn to blink and, thank God, those eerie eyes turned back to their normal color. Though Mike didn't appreciate the suspicious way the man was now looking at him.
"Vicki, stay back," he murmured, not letting Mike out of his sight.
"And why would I do that?" she asked almost daring him to boss her around.
Henry sighed in resignation. "Don't you see that he is different?"
"Gee, Henry, it's just a tattoo. He wasn't possessed or anything." She rolled her eyes and Coreen used the moment to press the pictures into Henry's hand, stating:
"I think it's kinda cool!"
Confused, Henry looked from Mike to the pictures and back. Then his whole demeanor changed. Brows furrowed, he returned the pictures and then stepped purposefully in the cop's direction.
"Let me see," he demanded. But before those pale hands could reach him, the blond had vacated his seat and stepped away from the vampire.
"Oh no! I've had enough people staring at me today, thank you very much!"
"Detective!" the vampire answered almost impatiently. "It is important that I see what has been done to you!"
Mike only defiantly folded his arms over his chest.
"You aren't afraid that I'd find you lacking, are you? Gotten a little flabby over the years?"
The barb had the desired effect and riled Mike up. "As if!"
If Mike had thought about it, he would have realized that the pictures already revealed that he really hadn't let himself go, but once he lost his temper, his mind didn't seem to catch up all that quickly.
"Well, I suppose you don't have anything to feel ashamed of then. After all, we are both men here."
Mike looked pleadingly at Vicki but she only tapped her foot, as if to say that he should do it already. The way the other two women looked around sheepishly at anything but him, however, strengthened his resolve. He had no desire to play eye candy for them.
***
Mike was not the only one noticing the uneasy glances of the other two women. And Henry also saw the man's reaction to them. It was clear that the cop would not permit anything in this environment. Henry's first impulse was to simply shove him in Betty's bedroom, but that might make the situation only worse. So what to do? Drive to Vicki's place?
Just when Henry was about to suggest leaving Coreen and Betty to their research, Mike's cell phone rang.
The blond hesitantly answered it and then– nothing. He suddenly froze like an ice sculpture. Then he suddenly turned and walked outside into the pouring rain, not even bothering to retrieve his trench coat.
One look at Vicki and Henry went after the annoying man, but when he stepped in front of Mike to block the mortal's way, a big hand simply grabbed him and flung him to the side as if the vampire was nothing but a rag doll. Henry was persistent, though. Not two steps later, the smaller man once again stood before the taller one and commanded:
"Michael! Halt!"
But again the vampire was powerless. Single-mindedly, the cop kept walking until they stood right in front of each other. Henry didn't want to hurt Vicki's ex, but he saw no other option and attacked. What he hadn't taken into account, though, was the man's heightened reflexes. With little strain, the vamp was caught by the neck and growled at. Blue eyes glittered golden and the face seemed to shift form. But before anything else could happen, a scream distracted them, as Vicki was about to strike Mike over the head with her asp. But before the hit could land, a big hand grabbed the weapon and ripped it out of hers to toss it disdainfully away.
Meanwhile, Henry had managed to free himself from the other's grip and jump onto the blond's back.
His presence didn't seem to register and the angered mortal now had grabbed Vicki.
Henry had never seen Vicki look so terrified. Whatever looked her in the face wasn't her Mike, and she knew it.
"Mike, don't!" she pleaded, but all that brought her was a growl in reply and a clawed hand tightening around her neck.
"Miiiikkkee!" she rasped once more in vain.
Henry knew if he didn't somehow manage to bring the man to his senses, at least one of them would end up dead. So he did what was closest to his vampire nature. He sank his fangs into the strong neck.
The moment the first few drops of blood touched his palate, everything around him vanished. He was practically sucked into the other man's psyche and the feelings were overwhelming. He didn't know if he should rave in ecstasy or cry out in pain.
There was so much hurt and misery here, he could almost drown in it. And the anger! Oh, such anger! It had wound itself protectively around the pain and drew power from it. And that power was – Intoxicating! Henry needed more! He wanted to draw it in like the blood he was drinking. As if his mind was being read, he was drawn in further until he was completely surrounded by a breathtaking beautiful golden light. But that light suddenly took form and he was unceremoniously pushed out. However before he was completely expelled, he heard a mantra being repeated over and over:
Destroy! Avenge! Kill! Destroy! Avenge! Kill! Destroy! Avenge! Kill! Destroy! Avenge! Kill! ….
Henry couldn't have taken more than one swallow, because as he opened his shock-filled eyes, he saw Vicki land in the mud, obviously just having been pushed away. And Mike was doing his best to dislodge the unwanted pain in his neck. The blond spun and bucked like a rodeo horse, which made it hard for the vampire to stay in place. In doing so he wound his arms tighter and tighter around the mortal's neck until the desperate movements eventually grew weaker.
Henry seized the opportunity and whispered in Mike's ear.
"Mike! Hear me! Listen! Calm down. Follow my voice. You are safe! You feel your breath flowing in your body. In and out, in and out. You are safe. You can wake up now. Hear my voice! One, two… Awake!"
It didn't work right away, but before too long, Mike's legs gave out under him and he dropped, staring straight ahead with a dazed expression. Then a loud gasp for breath heralded Mike's return and, with horror, the blond twisted over to Vicki's prone body.
"No, no, no, no. NO!" he repeated as he fell on his knees next to her. He cradled Vicki in his arms, muttering:
"Oh, God, what have I done?! What have I done?!"
Her pained groan and pushing hands finally relieved his guilt a little bit, but he still couldn't meet her eyes. He helped her stand up, but didn't make any attempt to follow. He simply sat there, drenched, with his head bowed and blood still oozing from Henry's bite marks.
Henry met her spooked expression. She clearly was more shocked than hurt and he would bet the stubborn PI would have a few restless nights dreaming about this, but he saw no blame in her eyes. Vicki knew that it was not Mike who had done this, and he was thankful for that.
"Mike?" Vicki knelt in front of him and forced him to look at her. "Stop. I'm fine. Now come back inside. You are soaked through." So was she, and Henry, too.
"No. I- I can't."
"But –"
"PLEASE! Don't ask this of me!" he whispered.
Henry understood only too well. Even though Vicki didn't blame him, Mike blamed himself and all he now wanted was to hide from the world. He most certainly didn't need to be reminded of what he had done each time he looked up.
So Henry made a decision. He closed the distance between him and Mike and put a hand on the other man's shoulder, commanding:
"Mike, stand up. You will come with me."
It might have been the emotional exhaustion or simply the need to let someone else take charge, but Mike obeyed without hesitation. Henry was sure he would hear complaints later, but he deemed it the right thing to do at the moment, and from the thankful way Vicki looked at him, she thought so too.
***
tbc
