I don't own True Blood.
REVIEWS
NoTFaMouUs: Girl, it's about to get crazy!
2StepsFromH3LL: I might get him to bite someone actually. :D
CaptainPorkChop: I think he would have preferred jail over what happens to him. I'm sorry! :') Callum's father loves him very much and when he finds out that our boy is alive, he's going to burn the world down just to reach him.
A00000000000000023: If only he kept his butt in the hospital. xD
Shamelessly Reckless: I'm so sorry! Lmao, girl, it's gonna get worse
A/N: Here's the next chapter, we're diving deep now. Finally! Chapter 13 will have horror elements, warnings will be posted on the author's note.
"You can hear it in the midst of the night
While your gaze roams the vast plains on the ceiling."
-Erna Grcic
—this all had a sinister feeling, the feeling of a darker time about to begin.
-Sandra Newman
The corroded steel echoed around his floating form. Ambient rumbles could be heard in the deep blues of the water. The corridor of the underwater vessel was illuminated with deep neon blue that passed over shadowed walls.
Callum breathed in the saltwater with ease, enabling it to fill up his lungs before calling out for his lover. "Godric." The name of his hybrid was not muffled or soundless in the underwater world, instead, it pushed forward and echoed against the rustic walls. A large silhouette passed over the neon blue, approaching him from behind. Assuming the shape belonged to his husband, Callum twisted his body around, expecting to see silver-blue eyes and a pale body but found nothing instead.
"Godric?" He was becoming frantic, his tone rising when he grasped that he was alone, in the sunken crypt of the haunting, decaying ship without his hybrid. Goosebumps traveled up his arms and neck, and cold fear crept up his spine. "Godric!"
A dark shape passed through his peripheral vision and Callum veered his head to catch a better glimpse of the figure, he found nothing but the mysterious corridor with swaying neon blues dancing across the shadowed walls.
Fear was rising in his seawater packed throat, and he could feel the impression of predatory eyes on his back. It could be a siren? His conscious whispered and Callum made the immediate decision to remove himself from the corridor.
Callum swam down the passageway with growing paranoia, turning his head to glance behind him multiple times, to make sure nothing pursued. When he turned around the corner of the corridor, his vision could make out the floor of the passageway floor increasing in height and he was swimming up, passing over phantom, gray corral, and blue, glowing mushrooms that were embedded in the foundation of the ship. He swam up until his head broke the surface of the water and he was reaching to climb up the remaining cracked, leaning floor while spitting ocean water out in the process.
After heaving himself up to the next level, he glanced back, only to choke on stale air when he focused on eerie silver eyes and a pale face watching him from under the blue waters. The blue waters he just emerged from. He stared at the characteristics of the creature before realization drenched him and he gasped with spooked enthusiasm. "Godric!"
Immediately he was pushing off the ledge and sliding back down into the mysterious depth that housed his hybrid lover.
Entering back into the chasm of blue, his eyes expected to find Godric waiting for him but was appalled when no sign of the hybrid remained. Anxiety had him whirling and climbing back out of the water. When he reached the next level, he was shaking with tears blazing his features, whirling to glance at the water again but this time, the pale face of Godric was gone.
Callum released a broken sob, turning and scanning the next level of the sunken ship, he stepped through puddles of water while studying the glowing, blue mushrooms and phantom coral that stuck out of the cracked, steel walls. Bangs and three beeps of technology could be heard in the distance every twenty seconds. His ears could pick up the sound of water continuously dripping and eerie sounds of wind moaning from the deeper abyss of the vessel.
There was a watertight door in front of him, cracked open. Callum darted his eyes back with the desire to catch a glimpse of Godric in the blue waters before he proceeded to the next vicinity, but his lover remained elusive and Callum exhaled with a disappointed sigh before leaving the deep, ocean water and deception behind.
He slipped his body through the opening of the watertight door and when he stepped forward, the haunting ambiance was layered with horrible, human screams in the great distance of a rotting hallway, blue mushrooms, and phantom coral remained rooted into the walls and floor, water continued to trickle from the ceiling, the hall rumbled with decomposition and insane laughter could be heard around him, echoing in his skull. Hazel, green eyes enlarged when a door creaked open on the right side of the hallway and a humanoid figure, created out of flickering shadows, roamed into the hallway.
Callum tensed when it seemed to glance at him with pen-needle holes that glowed with unnatural light. He finally relaxed when it didn't appear to notice him and followed it at a safe distance when it ambled down the hallway.
A disoriented voice was meeting his ears and Callum shivered when the thing conversed with itself. "It is extraordinary to be the one that discovered such a fantastic specimen, don't you think?"
Callum almost stumbled when pen-needle eyes turned in his direction but he was immediately relieved, if not startled when another shadow appeared beside the other, walking at the taller's pace.
"I agree, doctor. But it is dying, the beast grieves for Κ̶̬̫̞̥̩̀́̔ά̴̠̉λ̶̡̛̺̳̹̳̱̲̀̚͜λ̸̗̣̣͔͓̱̒̉͌̓̐̑͋̕ο̵̘̝̭̳̣̞̽̔̉̏̈́͘υ̸͇͇̘̱͍̐͑μ̷̝̗̗̈́̏̓̅ͅ—"
Callum's ears rung with disorientation and he reached up to block out all other noise, grimacing with pain while the shadows opened a heavy metal door at the end of the dark hallway before passing through the doorway. He followed, peering into the dimly lit room, Callum searched for the shadow people, confused when they weren't present. Lowering his hands from his ears while his eyes gazed at the unusual, metallic water tank. It had a small circular glass panel in the front and a tight lid covering the top. Callum wandered into the creepy room filled with nothing else. His shoulders trembled as the distant cries of pain could be heard in the far expanse of the crumbling facility. He moved to peer through the glass, leaning forward until a webbed, clawed palm slammed against the panel. "Ah!" Callum shouted, his heart currently lodged in his throat and he backed away.
A pale face was emerging from black water, behind unbreakable glass, weary silver eyes confronted large hazel green, and Callum's heart dropped. "Little love." He was breathing with a stunned whisper, taking in the features of his pale lover.
"Godric!"
Then Callum released the shout of his hybrid's name, rushing forward to climb up the latter attached to the side of the tank. He ascended the tank swiftly and when he reached the top, he unlatched the cover and used the entirety of his strength to lift the heavy lid until it was open completely and resting on its hinges.
Turning his gaze to the dark water, his hands gripped the ledge of the tank while a dark head emerged, stiffening when eyes were peeking above the water, silver-blue peered up at him, and for a minute he was looking down at a predator. Immediately self-loathing scratched its way into his heart cavity. Yes, Godric was a predator. He was dangerous and intimidating but they were bound to each other, they shared a bed, he made love to the hybrid for years, kissed him, laughed with him, and infuriated him too. He knew Godric, this was his husband and he would not fear him.
Callum dismissed the deadly silver eyes inspecting him from the tank while slipping his body, feet first, into the dark waters, he used his limbs to drift closer to the motionless siren, "My little love." He greeted, waiting with concern that surged in his belly for any response or consequence.
Pale eyelids blinked over mercury blue, and the siren drifted closer, "Callum."
Callum chuckled with relief, wrapping his arms around Godric instantly. Pulling the other against him, he inhaled a breath of solace before burying his nose into dark, wet hair. Godric remained inactive against him and concern had him pulling his head away to catch the stare of silvery eyes. When their eyes met, he was asking his question. "Where are we, little love?"
"Don't you know?" Full lips pressed against his jaw, "This is your fault." And they dragged against his skin with intoxicating movements despite the 'blame' that came out of the hybrid's lovely mouth.
Callum nevertheless tensed before sharp claws dug into his ribcage. "What?"
"He killed you. He stole you from me."
"Who killed me?" Callum's voice was rising, panicked when he confronted expressive, silver eyes that were half-covered by pale eyelids. His lover trembled against him with frail movements, and a smooth tail brushed against his legs.
"You know who. I will not last a moment longer in my silver prison. I am weary, Callum."
"Silver?" The question tore from his mouth with a shout.
Frantic eyes veered to glance at the silver tank surrounding them before whirling back to examine Godric's pale features with soaring dread.
The hybrid was drifting in thick silver waters. Horrified eyes watched his lover's flesh melt from his shoulders and he shrieked, pulling Godric tighter against him, wide eyes pouring tears when flesh and gore dissolved away to reveal ivory bone. Full lips parted with a speechless scream and Godric's head tipped back, lolling as Callum clung to him desperately.
"Godric! Godric! Please, please, no!"
"Cal—" The hybrid's raw voice choked out before withering and Callum released a feral shout, coarse sobs ripped from his throat and he lifted Godric's limp body with staining muscles until the melted flesh of the hybrid's form was higher and a lifeless forehead rested against his. Fingers dug into gore and bone while deranged eyes searched dull features. Dead silver-blue eyes stared vacantly into nothing and Callum screamed.
The animalistic howl echoed and bounced off the walls of his skull, and hazel eyes shot open, filled with frenzied madness. He sat up, shivering while hot tears drenched his features, twisting to frantically scan his location from the small bed, Callum breathed a shuddering sigh of relief when his gaze roamed over the small jail cell of the police station. It was a nightmare, only a nightmare.
Callum collapsed back to the bed, closing his eyes with coughs shaking his form, he curled onto his side and located the lifeforce of his husband. He basked in the sensation of the warm pulsing heat belonging to Godric, miles away, and repeated with mutterings of reverence, "He's alive."
"But nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone in it."
-Calla Quinn
Callum couldn't hear the ocean waves connecting with the seaside, couldn't smell the salty breeze, or feel it brushing across his features and that bothered him, he didn't realize he'd miss it so much. The young man sat on the small bed, resting his back against the concrete wall while he waited for whatever decision the cop reached.
Last night, the officer relented with his probing questions when Callum told him he wouldn't speak another word without an attorney present. The cop wouldn't release him though, told him that he couldn't just let him leave, so he booked him in one of the three cells in the police station for the night, explaining that if he couldn't get in touch with family, Callum would have to return to the hospital for treatment while under police surveillance.
Whatever medication the hospital drugged him with had worn off, leaving him feeling worse than he did two days before. To make matters worse, without Godric, he was in for a rough time. Plagued with nightmares or restless sleep without his lover pressed against him.
"—ur it's him?" A southern accented voice belonging to a woman confronted his ears.
"Yes, ma'am."
Callum immediately recognized the officer's voice, he lifted his gaze to stare at the two figures that stepped in front of his cell. Callum studied the woman while she studied him. He didn't recognize her, her hair was wavy and reached past her small shoulders, she had chocolate brown eyes, a small button nose, and curved lips. She wore a white, close-fitting dress that reached her knees and red high heels. The strap of her purse rested on her shoulder and she held the expensive, red bag under her arm.
"Callum?" She questioned and he raised one of his eyebrows in reply, "Yes?"
Her blond eyebrows furrowed, and her jaw tightened. "My name is Abilene and I'm married to your father."
Callum's world halted. His father remarried? "What?"
Abilene paused before turning to the officer, "Can you please let him out of the cell."
The uniformed man hesitated, long enough for her to roll her eyes, "We came to an agreement, did we not? You will allow me to bring my stepson home and I will handle all expenses and damages personally, ok Marvin."
"Well yes, but if the nurse wants to press charges..."
"She attacked me!" Callum snarled from the bed, "If anyone is going to press charges, it should be me!"
The officer, Marvin, shot him an evaluating look before reaching to unlock the cell. And Abilene drifted into the small room with smiling features. She reached for Callum's tensing form immediately, pulling him into an enormous hug, " I've heard so much about you. Your father will be thrilled that you're alive and safe, he's coming home tonight from Brazil. I didn't tell him the news yet, we'll surprise him."
She was speaking excitedly, wrapping her arms around him with a crushing embrace. Callum remained rigid even when she pulled away and pressed the back of her hand against his forehead, "You're burning up!"
"'I'm fine." Callum forced out through a tight jaw.
"No, you're not. Come on, let's go home."
Home. Home! He'd be able to see his dad again. Visit with his grandmother and meet up with his lover on the coast by the sea. Abilene must have noticed the excitement in his eyes because something flashed in hers but before he could read the emotion, it was gone.
The southern bell was turning to look at the officer. "I'll send the money if all of this can just disappear, alright Marvin...and never talk about Callum or the incident again."
Her voice was cold and threatening. Callum rolled his eyes, she had the police force in her pockets...No, his father did. Their family had controlled the city-town of South Bay for decades and would continue to do so with rich corruption, so Callum would, of course, get off scot-free.
He was thankful presently, less trouble with the law meant he'd be able to meet up with his husband. He didn't care about his father's criminal profession currently, he just needed to see Godric. After the horrible nightmare, Callum needed to be comforted in the warm body of his lover by wrapping him in a tight, crushing embrace.
"Is my grandmother still pestering my father with tales of superstitions?" Callum asked while exploring the passing trees and residences through the back window of the Lincoln Navigator. Abilene was sitting next to him, behind the driver's seat while the chauffeur drove them to their destination.
"Oh...I'm so sorry, Callum. She passed three years ago. I never got to meet her."
Tears filled the rim of his eyes and he choked back the building sob. He wasn't surprised, underneath it all, he knew. Callum knew she would only last a few more years before passing from old age. He only regretted not being able to say goodbye.
"When did you meet my father?" He forced out the question, keeping his gaze turned away from her, changing the subject desperately.
"Two years ago at a charity event in Jackson, Mississippi." She replied before a cellphone tone went off. Hazel green eyes turned to watch her answer the call, bringing the sleek, black phone to her ear.
"We're almost there. No, have them wait outside. Yes. Thank you."
Abilene hung up and whirled evaluating eyes back to him. "Who was that?" Callum asked, perhaps a little curious. No, he was worried. Something that felt wrong was settling in the pit of his stomach. It was confirmed when they made a left turn onto a highway that led away from his father's manor and private beach.
"We're only making a short detour. It's nothing for you to stress over, Callum." Abilene was waving her manicured nails at him, chuckling with amusement, seeking to calm him back down.
"When did you marry my father?" He asked once he settled back into the leather seat.
"Rafael and I have been married since last July." She smiled before her expression gradually twisted into a nasty scowl directed to him. "Do you know how hard it is to measure up to your dead mother," Callum stiffened and his eyes widened at her unexpected switch of emotion. "Your father loved her so much, he still worships the memory of her."
Uneasiness crawled up his spine at the tone of her furious voice. "And then, lo and behold," she scoffed, throwing her head back for an instant before whirling a hateful glare back to him. "I then have to measure up to his dead son!"
The vehicle turned on another road, one with multiple street lights, and he could see the shape of ocean cliffs through the window, behind Abilene's head.
"He mourned for you with more effort than he ever put into our relationship! And it's so frustrating...you were missing. No, you were dead! You should have never come back, Callum. I won't let you destroy all of my hard work!"
The vehicle parked in front of a historical three-story, brick building that had multiple enormous windows covering the front exterior. Hazel green eyes had swiveled to scan the black letters on the elegant white sign located by the steps that led up to dark, double doors. Past the figures of four men dressed in white, long-sleeved button-up shirts, white pants held up by black belts, and black boots.
Seaside Psychiatric Hospital.
Anxiety was smothering him and he turned a wide gaze to Abilene, "You're insane"
"No, technically you are." A grin pulled her lips up, revealing white teeth and his door was being opened. "No!" Callum cried as hands yanked at him and dragged him out of the car, "You won't get away with this! Let me go! Get off me!"
Her delighted laugh could be heard as she climbed out of the vehicle, following his struggling form as he was hauled and wrestled up the stairs, "I already have."
Rough fingers dug into the flesh of his arms brutally and he was practically carried through the entrance by the orderlies, he was brought to a stop when a man dressed in a disheveled suit approached, whistling casually, the black jacket was missing, revealing a white, button-up shirt that uncovered part of his collarbone, his tye missing. His hair was short and his tunnel black eyes appraised Callum's unnerved form while he lifted a cup of steaming coffee to his lips.
"Welcome home."
Hazel, green eyes expanded and Callum struggled against the arms holding him in place, the dark-haired man sent a curt nod to the orderlies and he was promptly being towed deeper into the asylum, all the while, screaming out colorful curses at the smug form of Abilene.
"Better a serpent than a stepmother!"
-Euripides
The blond woman waited for the psychiatrist to shut the door of his office, she stood in front of his desk while he strolled around the dark, steel table before placing his coffee down, then gestured for her to take a seat. Once she did, crossing one leg over the other, he was lifting dark eyes to confront hers.
"I'm putting my livelihood at a great risk by helping you get rid of your problem."
Abilene released a giggle, "Oh, please," she replied with seeping venom, " It's my husband's money that puts food on your table. Without me, you wouldn't have anything."
"And what happens when your husband finds out I'm holding his only child against his will? Do you know what he'll do to me? I heard the horror stories encircling Rafael Dias and if he finds out I have Callu—"
"—He won't find out. No one will. The hospital will never know it was Callum Dias and Marvin will sweep it all under the rug for the greed of money."
"I'll have to hide him from the state." He confessed,
And she scoffed, "I don't give a damn what you do with him. I'm not unaware of your twisted mind, Eugene. He has a death certificate. So, do what you do best and break him."
"What threat is he to you?"
"If Rafael finds out his son is alive, Callum will inherit everything, and any future children I give him with lose it all."
"And how do you expect me to accomplish, breaking him?"
"Use the old ways of torture you've been dying to try out, humiliate him too. If Rafael does discover him, I prefer him to not recognize his son. I need him mentally broken."
"You're crazy to go up against your husband, you have a death wish."
"Just shut up and do your job."
Even a well lit place, can hide salvation
A map to a one man maze that never sees the sun
Where the lost are the heroes
And the thieves are left to drown
But everyone knows by now
Fairy tales are not found
They're written in the walls
As we walk in a straight line
Down in the dirt with a landslide approaching
But nothing could ever stop us
From stealing our own place in the sun
We will face the odds against us
And run into the fear we run from
It has begun
Into the dark below
Evading shadows
Blind in a rabbit's hole
We fall beneath the earth
And watch the shell come unraveled
As the seed begins to rise
Embracing its starlit fate as we wait in the night
It's written in the walls
As we walk in a straight line
Down in the dirt with a landslide approaching
But nothing could ever stop us
From stealing our own place in the sun
We will face the odds against us
And run into the fear we run from
It has begun
It has begun
It has begun
It has begun
It has begun
It Has Begun, Starset