Once more, thank you for the reviews, i appreciate them all :) I've had some catching up to do this weekend hence the speed of this chapter appearing. This is the chapter when everything begins to break down for Mitchell with disastrous consequences. Big Bad John is back and he's back with a vengeance.
Warnings for sexual content, violence and language. You have been warned, proceed with caution!.
Love to hear what you think and as always, all errors are my own and unintentional.
Twelve.
He slowly climbs the stairs, back to Alexander's office. His side still pains him but the ache isn't as acute. He's tired and he just wants to sleep but he doesn't know whether he's ready to go back to the flat yet.
He thinks about Arthur Morgan. His only mistake was to lose the love of his life and he reacted through pain and tearing grief. He could understand that but he would never, could never betray his kind.
It's almost a repeat of earlier and Mitchell pauses by Alexander's desk and waits for the reprimand that he's been kept waiting again.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here immediately…" he begins but Alexander waves his halting apology away.
"I heard Arthur put up a bit of a fight?" he enquires and Mitchell flicks a look Victoria's way. She looks away. Mitchell turns his head and looks at Charlie. He's in copper mode with the ugly shapeless suit, grubby overcoat and nasty glasses. He looks so unassuming but Mitchell recognises the cunning in those eyes and there's a sharp look in them as he regards Mitchell.
"He did but I made him see sense" he looks back at Alexander. He sees a similar tension in his expression that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"You made him see sense? How did you achieve that exactly?" Alexander enquires calmly.
"I talked to him. He's grief stricken, irrational" Mitchell replies.
"I know that, I told you that. I wanted you to deal with it" Alexander retaliates. Mitchell frowns.
"And I just told you that I did, he won't be causing you any trouble" he informs him. He watches how he looks at Charlie and something is wrong, he just can't quite put his finger on it.
"I hope for your sake that he's a pile of dust in that shit hole he calls an office at the pool hall" he snarls. Mitchell's eyes widen very briefly.
"If my sole intention was to stake him without an explanation then you sent the wrong person" he defends. He watches Alexander storm around his desk and stand in front of him.
"He threatened our existence Mitchell by that very definition he should've been eradicated!" he hisses.
"He was mistaken, he sends his apologies" He watches how Alexander turns his back for a moment and pulls a hand through thick blonde curls. He spins around and grabs Mitchell by his throat and he's being propelled backwards. His back hits the wall with frightening speed; his head connects painfully to concrete with enough force to make him see stars and for his vision to grey briefly at the corners. Alexander glares at him with deathly black eyes.
"I don't want his apologies you fucking idiot, I want his death! I want his band of followers to know that they will do nothing to jeopardise our existence, absolutely nothing and that there'll be severe consequences if they do. I thought you were the man for the task Mitchell, I thought that you were vicious enough to make me proud" His hand tightens around Mitchell's throat and the younger vampire struggles. His eyes scorch black as temper rises with the indignation. He pushes at Alexander.
"I'm tired of pretending Mitchell, you're a vampire, a vampire of legend and you disappointed me, you really disappointed me tonight. I've had enough of your wanting to be human shit, it'll never happen, you'll never succeed" His eyes return to their normal shade and he lets go of him. Mitchell snarls and lunges.
"Mitchell!" Charlie snaps and he freezes, breathing heavily. He watches Alexander return to his desk.
"Get out of here, I don't want to see you" he dismisses with a flick of a hand. Mitchell glances briefly at Charlie who just nods. The look Mitchell sends Alexander is baleful as he turns and storms out of the office, slamming the door behind him.
He storms down the stairs and feels the anger building. Alexander knows he doesn't kill; he can't descend into that madness again.
"Hey again" He pauses when he hears her voice and he closes his eyes. He can't really be bothered tonight, he just wants to go somewhere and be by himself for a little bit. He tenses when he feels her hand on his upper arm and he turns his head and he looks at her.
"Suzie. Hey" he replies.
"Want to go for that drink now?" he looks at her.
"I thought you'd forgotten" he answers but she shakes her head and he can't help but be a little cynical. Of course she hasn't forgotten. He remembers how she's checked him out in the corridor of their building, the flirtatious remarks, the teasing and the touching, like now. He takes a breath and he looks back up the stairs. Charlie has appeared and he's watching him with interest.
"Sure. Why not, but somewhere else yeah?" Suzie nods eagerly.
"Come on then, I'll let you suggest somewhere" he holds out a hand and sliding another glance at Charlie, they leave.
Charlie goes down the stairs and watches them leave. Could it really have been as easy as that, to play to Mitchell's vampiric vanity? He's seen how Victoria has flirted with Mitchell, he's seen how other women have reacted to him and he's acted like they were invisible.
The pub is small but doing a brisk busy trade. Mitchell buys her a vodka tonic and slips into the seat opposite and takes a mouthful of his own beer.
"I haven't seen you at the flat for a bit" he comments.
"That's because I moved out. Got the chance of a flat of my own nearer to work" she confides.
"And left poor Lisa by herself, how could you?" he chides with a twinkle in his eye and he watches how she goes pink and giggles, ah the girl blushes, now there was a novelty.
"Nothing against her but she could be boring" Suzie tells him.
"Ah no she wasn't, she was just shy" he replies and Suzie shrugs. Mitchell watches her. Her heart is fluttering like a caged bird in her chest, accompanied by the whooshing of her blood through her veins. Lisa was much more cautious; she seemed to regard him with a modicum of suspicion that made him feel slightly uneasy. Oh she'd smile and she'd flirt too but only if Suzie was around. He watches her drain her glass and he reaches for it as he gets to his feet.
"Let me get you another?"
He has no idea what she's talking about but the sound of her pulse hammering at the base of her throat is almost completely distracting him. He can see it bumping away there and he feels his mouth begin to water at the prospect of tasting what's beneath. He takes a deep breath and stumbles to his feet.
"I need to…" he indicates the men's toilets and she nods.
He almost staggers through the crowds of people milling around. He bursts through the door and into a cubicle and he slams the door shut and leans against it, pressing his forehead against the cold painted wood. He's shaking. He lifts his hands and presses them against the door and curls them into tight fists. After a moment he lifts his head and stares blindly ahead. He flushes the loo and leaves.
She's waiting for him. He pauses briefly when he sees her there. She takes a step towards him and she stands on tiptoes and kisses him.
For a brief moment he freezes. Her perfume surrounds him and slowly, inch by inch they sink their tiny sharp little hooks into him and then haul him under. He grabs her by her upper arms and pushes her through a door.
They're out in an alley behind the pub and the only company are rows and rows of battered rubbish bins. Suzie grabs at him, her hands touching, grasping, wanting.
He feels lust rise viciously, sharply inside of him. He feels her hands go for his belt buckle, and she's pushing him up against the rough brick wall that's all of a sudden grinding into his spine. It's rough and it scrapes. She drops down on her knees in front of him, and he feels his eyes roll up into the back of his head when he feels the warmth of her mouth on him. Oh Christ. His hands go down, his fingers slide into her hair and he tightens his grip. Jesus God… his breath wheezes out of his lungs and after a moment or two, he hauls her up and he turns her around and he pushes her back. Her eyes widen as her back makes contact and this time it's her spine being ground by the rough brick work. He doesn't wait for an invitation as his hands slide up to her thighs, dragging the tiny little skirt up around her waist. He's aware of her tensing up slightly but the roar inside of his skull is way too loud. Lust crashes and swamps him. He needs… Christ he needs this. He buries his face in the curve of her neck and shoulder and he just inhales. She's warmth; he can hear her pulse crashing so close to his ear accompanied by that irresistible rush of blood. It's hypnotic. He thrusts, he pushes and he takes what he wants.
Jesus, oh God Jesus…he won't think about her, not now, he can't. He hears her cry out, feels the strength of her orgasm and it rips through him, suddenly free, his eyes scorch, fangs erupt and it overpowers him. Soft skin, the scent of her just drags him under and it erupts.
Long suppressed emotions rage through him as he feeds, he feels her hot blood course down his throat, satisfying, satiating. He feels it flow into him, over him and around him. Finally he's had enough and he releases her. She falls to the ground, she's dead, and he knows that, he'd heard her heart slow and eventually stop. He tingles from the energy of her blood. His legs give and he crashes down beside her and he covers his head with his arms as self-loathing and guilt swiftly follow.
"Mitchell…well I must admit, it took you long enough" a voice interrupts and his head snaps up.
Charlie Robinson is standing over him.
There's a satisfied smirk on his face. Mitchell looks down and then briefly to the side and he looks at Suzie. He quickly looks away again.
"Oh don't worry about her, we'll take care of that" Charlie tells her. Mitchell looks up at him. He holds out a hand and after a moment's hesitation, Mitchell reaches for it and Charlie hauls him to his feet.
"You might want to sort yourself out my boy" he comments with a nod towards his state of undress and befuddled slightly Mitchell turns and does just that. Charlie watches him, sees how stiff his movements are and he realises that he must be hating himself about now. He's slid off the wagon in spectacular style. He should be rubbing his hands with glee but right now he just feels kind of sorry for him. He watches him turn around. He has her blood smeared over the bottom half of his face, staining the front of his shirt. He watches how he tries to wipe it away but there's so much of it. He lifts his head and looks at Charlie.
"It's alright. Hungry?" he enquires in a soothing voice. Mitchell pauses and then nods, a slight, reluctant mood and Charlie puts a hand on his shoulder and squeezes it gently.
"Then let's get you someone to eat" he tells him and leads him out of the alley. He sees Mitchell turn his head and look back.
"Don't. I said I'll sort it out, don't worry about that" he tells him and Mitchell looks away.
Alexander is pacing his office when Charlie makes his reappearance. He spins around when he sees him.
"Well?" he demands. Charlie slowly smiles.
"Mission accomplished" he tells him.
"Really?" Charlie gives a little chuckle as he nods.
"Really. I found him in the back alley of some pub with a blonde tart he picked up here. You pushed those buttons Alex and you pushed them hard but I think you have yourself a very capable attack dog" he informs him. Alexander grins with pure delight.
"Excellent! Where is he?"
"He's taking a shower at the moment, he was soaked in her blood so he was in a bit of a state initially but you might want to keep out of his way for a while, he's a bit…" he twirls a finger beside his temple. "Been a little while since he last indulged you see"
"How long?"
"Well he's been with his human girlfriend for a year so you do the sums" Alexander rolls his eyes.
"Jesus Christ, it must've been love" he mutters.
He stands beneath the shower head and lets the water pound down on him. He's buzzing, absolutely flying. He's missed this, this incredible feeling that's flowing through him. He watches as the blood twirls and swirl down the plughole and he smiles to himself. Who knew that there were showers in a place like this but given whom the owner is, who his second in command is, it makes a weird kind of sense. He chuckles as he switches the shower off and gets out of the cubicle. There are towels on a silver rail for him, Charlie has been sure to tell him that those towels are just for him and he picks one up. It's thick and soft beneath his fingertips and he wraps it around his waist. Showers are great, in and out quick as you like, no waiting for a tub to fill, hoping the water is at least hot enough for a dip. In and out in a moment. He chuckles again and reaches for another towel and rubs at his wet hair.
He emerges from the shower room and he sees her standing beside his locker. He pauses and then rolls his eyes.
"Jesus fucking Christ, can't you get the bloody message?" he announces. He sees the smile that was on her face drop. Mitchell sighs and he goes to his locker, ignoring her.
"How do you feel?" she asks him and he turns his head and glares at her.
"How do you want me to feel Victoria?" he retorts and he yanks his locker door open and he takes out another clean shirt and suit out. He'll need to get another suit in here; he's gone through his supply here in just a single day. His train of thought is interrupted by her hand on his upper arm.
"If you want to lose that hand, keep doing what you're doing sweetheart" he snarls at her. She doesn't let go and he watches that smile slowly reappear. Her hand massages the muscle there. He watches her. Then he turns and that hand goes towards his chest. He grabs it.
"You want some of me?" he hisses at her and he turns her and pushes her roughly up against the locker. He grabs hold of her other hand and presses her in place.
"Well come on darlin', show me what you got" he sees her frown, struggle slightly but it's useless, Mitchell has just come off a binge and as a result he's feeling the effects. He pushes up against her. She frowns for the briefest of seconds before her eyes flash black and she lunges at him. He takes a step back and pins her to the locker and he chuckles.
"You'd like that now wouldn't you? You'd like a piece of me. You hate it that I'm not interested in you and even now you don't do anything for me, you can get down on your knees for me and you still won't get the reaction that you're hoping for. Want me to show you?" his eyes widen as he pushes his face close to hers. She bares her fangs, her eyes still obsidian.
"Let me go" she hisses and he grins.
"Why should I? This is so much fun don't you think? You swan around this place because you think your status as Alexander's chief whore sets you apart from the others but newsflash darlin', it doesn't. He doesn't care enough what you do or who you fuck, he never has" his voice lowers to a whisper.
"I wouldn't touch you with someone else's barge pole sweetheart but it's been fucking hysterical watching you try" he grins insolently at her and then lets go of her wrists. She flies at him, all teeth and nails. He's ready for her attack and he catches her, avoiding both and he spins her around so that her back is to him. He wraps his arms around her mid-section and he lifts her. She's screaming by the time he gets to the door. He opens it, still holding onto her and he flings her out into the lobby, full of clubbers and employees and she lands on the carpeted floor in an undignified heap. He slams the door shut and then leans against it, breathing heavily.
He grins and then laughs, feeling the euphoria bubble through his entire system. He straightens up and goes back to his locker.