Tainted Love (Or, now named Tainted Love and Bloody Tears)
Part One- Malicious Intent
Author's Note: As I write this, I'm watching "Ed Wood".it's odd to see Max Casella in another movie.
Chapter 9
Cat didn't want to move, she didn't want to say anything. She just stood there, hand still in Racetrack's as she stared blankly at the person everyone was afraid of. Her mouth went dry, and her ankle still throbbed, the place was completely silent and she felt compelled to say something to break this infernal silence.
"That's him?" She asked. Her eyes searched the faces of her comrades, and all she got was either bafflement (Aura and Maddy), wordless terror (Jack and Racetrack) or just.blankness (Gee and Les). Well.Gee was still completely out of it, Jack held her almost protectively. David sneered, his blue eyes flashing as he eyes rested on Cat. He walked up to her, getting a little too close for comfort. His eyes were like blue flame, and she fought the urge to step back.
"You must be the Necromancer, I've seen things, and I've heard things, are they all true?" He closed his eyes and breathed in one of those deep, unnecessary breaths, as though he took a deep breath of her scent. Cat's skin crawled.
"Not a word of it," she said, keeping a straight face. "I was told that I'd be getting a little taste of you tonight?" He reached for her, but Racetrack stepped in between them. "We brought somethin' diff'rent from what we told ya," he explained, jerking his thumb in Maddy's direction. "Earth mage." David's eyes narrowed, but he knew that he was not allowed to refuse the gift. "I can deal." His nostril's flared, and those gas flame eyes slid over the rest of the crowd.as though looking for someone.
"Where's Spot?" He asked, his question aimed at Jack. "Usually he's around here."
"He didn't want to show up," Jack answered curtly. Racetrack gently pulled Cat away from David in a fierce, protective movement. David looked pleased as he and Jack locked eyes. Cat didn't understand the whole situation, and probably no one would explain it to her. Les looked over at the other vampire with a blank, indifferent look. David's face lit up upon seeing this young looking boy in the group.
"Les! Les Jacobs!" David walked passed the others as though they were nothing, kneeling in front of the boy. Les turned his head sharply to the side, avoiding his eyes.
"Hello David."
"What-" Cat cut herself off, like anyone would answer her now. David turned back to Jack, this time noting the half conscious girl in his arms. He got up, and made his way back to Jack. His fingers touched Gee's hair, running through those thick, blue streaked strands. Jack flinched, as though David were touching him, not her. There was a hunger in David's eyes as his hand attempted to open the closed duster. Jack pulled her away.
"And who is this?" Cat wanted to slap that look off his face.
"Her name is Regina, and she's had a rough night," was Jack's reply. She stirred, eyelids fluttering. She moaned some sort of threat and Jack gently put her down. Just like her to insist to walk on her own.
Maddy didn't like him, her eyes, still green from her magic, looked him up and down, trying to figure out where the aura of fear was coming from. It was his power; she knew that, like a cold wind on the back of her neck.almost like Cat's.
Aura watched Les, considering he was the only other vampire besides her that didn't look scared. He caught her eye and gave her a little smile; everything was going to be okay. She nodded back at him, but no smile graced her lips.
She was trying to feel some sort of emotion about what had happened to her. She was a vampire now, wasn't she? Why didn't she care? She shrugged, quietly watching the exchange.
"Alright, David, you know why we're here," Jack began, his usually smug and bored voice carrying a current of fear.
David flashed a charming smile. "Can't you feel him, Jacky-boy?"
"Don't call me that."
"The others can."
"You're different."
David looked pleased with himself as his eyes settled one a place somewhere behind them. Racetrack looked first, slightly turning to look behind him. His eyes widened, snapping his head back to look at David.
"Cat, Gee, Aura, Maddy, don't look behind ya." Jack, Racetrack, and Les, turned around, and Cat could hear the sharp intake of breath from each of them. Why couldn't she see it? Was it some annoying vampire thing? Aura wasn't allowed either.
Cat spun around, who were they to say that she couldn't see what was behind them?
Her mind couldn't process what was in front of her, it wouldn't allow her to. Mush, covered in blood, was nailed to the wall through his wrists. Blood dripped down in a heavy stream, as his head lolled back and forth, white foam dripping from his parched lips. He moaned, lolling his head up, his ginger eyes resting in Jack. If Cat wasn't mistaken, she saw a look of hope flash through his bloodshot eyes.
Cat gasped as her power flared, reacting to the spilled blood and feeling of death. She turned to David, anger burning in her eyes.
"How dare you."
David smiled at her in a disgustingly patronizing way. "How dare me? Little girl, you don't understand. Stupid little humans like you...." Cat looked as though she were about to attack him, when Racetrack beat her to the punch, literally.
"Racetrack!" Jack cried. Why did everything always have to go wrong? David reached up and touched his lip, pulling back to see the blood. A smile graced his lips as he licked the blood off his fingers. Maddy tried not to look disgusted, Aura tried not to look enthralled.
"I know what this is about, Anthony," David stalked towards Racetrack, who stared him down with angry eyes. "This is about Sarah."
"Don't you dare bring her up!" Jack cried, this time aching to give David what he deserved. David's blue eyes flicked up and rested on Jack's face.
"You don't know, do you?"
There was a quick look between Racetrack and Jack. The older vampire looked back at David. "What do you mean?"
"You didn't tell him Racetrack?"
"Don't, David, there's no point ta go 'bout this now."
"Our little Racetrack was in love with your girl, he came to see her every night.."
Cat could feel the tension growing between the two boys. Jack took a deep breath and walked back to the wall.
"We need to get him down. Help me Les."
Racetrack squeezed his eyes shut. Why did David have to bring up Sarah? Sure, there were feelings, but they just talked, nothing more, not even a kiss. He opened his eyes, and looked at Gee, huddling in her duster. Walking over to her, he knelt down, brushing her streaked hair out of her face. She was very pale, completely energy drained.
"You alwright Gee?" She looked up at him, pale eyes flashing.
"Been better." She felt dizzy, scared, different.
"It'll be over soon."
"Hopefully."
Mush melted into his master's arms as soon as he was down, happy to finally get off of the wall. Jack tried not to look his blood slave in the eye as he helped half drag the boy over to the others.
"Thank you very much David, now we must be going."
"Excuse me?" David arched an inquisitive eyebrow. "You waltz into my territory without a gift?" Jack's eyes darted to Maddy, then back to David. Cat bit her lip, trying not to talk back to anyone. David could steal Jack's blood slave, but they had to bring a gift when coming back to get the poor guy? It didn't make sense. She didn't want to open her mouth and ask though. She cracked her knuckles.
"Maddy, this is why you are here." Jack said quietly. Maddy's eyes widened.
"What!?"
"We discussed this.he'll only feed, don't worry." Maddy took a deep breath, before taking a step towards David's awaiting arms.
"No." Cat stepped firmly in front of Maddy. "I will not allow this."
"Cat," Jack warned. He was getting sick of this, really sick of this.
David looked amused. "Cat, please, don't get involved. Scurry off to your dark apartment and alcoholic mother." Cat balled her hands into fists.
"She's not an alcoholic, she drinks to forget the pain." David cocked his head to the side.
"Oh really? And what do you do to forget the pain of your dear father's death?" Cat grimaced. Did everyone know about that? Was there a biography about her out there somewhere?
"Nothing."
"I'm sure." She looked at Maddy, who suddenly changed.
"Alright David, are you ready?" He grinned.
"Baby are you?"
Racetrack pulled Cat away from the two of them, letting David do his thing.
"It's just not right," she said to herself. Racetrack sighed, wishing he had a cigar or something.
"Well, duh whole situation ain't right.is it?"
Racetrack walked Cat home from the warehouse, avoiding the graveyard as much as possible. They held hands, something neither of them really thought about. Cat wasn't the happiest of campers.
"Two of us, two of us got messed up. I don't think Maddy's going to school on Monday, she's that traumatized." Racetrack kicked a rock down the street, keeping his eyes on the ground.
"Well, when you was bitten, did it hurt you that much?" Cat went silent, biting her lip.
"Not really.I mean, I barely remember." They got to her apartment, stopping at her stoop. There was something hanging between them, something at wanted to ask.
"Uh.Cat."
"Racetrack, um." She looked away for a second. "About Sarah."
"That's ancient history." He said a little too quickly. There was a bit of graveyard dirt smudged on her cheek. He reached up and brushed it away. She blushed, looking down.
"I'm worried about Gee."
"She'll be alwright."
"But she's a blood slave now."
Racetrack bit his lip, looking up at the moon, hanging in the sky like a sickle. "Well.bein' a blood slave's not dat bad, you jus' gotta pick your mastah's, dat's all." Cat's look softened.
"You should know, right? I mean, you're one of them." For a second, Racetrack didn't understand was she was talking about, and then it hit him.
"Dat's right." He pulled her into a hug. "It was nice talkin' to ya Cat.we dun usually get ta do dis one on one."
"Well, safety in numbers.I'll talk to you tomorrow." She walked up the stairs, pausing at the doorway. Racetrack tipped his imaginary hat. Cat shrugged theatrically.
"Do I need to wear a sign?" She asked, Racetrack looked up at her with a confused look on his face.
"What?" She shook her head in disappointment.
"Never mind." She opened the door and went through, leaving Racetrack alone on the street.
She fumbled with her keys, hoping her mother was still out. She just wanted to go to sleep, no questions asked. Slowly unlocking her door, she flipped on the lights.and saw her mother sitting in a chair.
"Mom, I'm sorry I'm-" She cut herself off, her violet black eyes widening in horror. Her mother was sitting in the chair, but her head was titled back, her eyes wide with that final shock of death. Her throat was a bloody mess of torn meat. Cat's power flared. reaching out to touch her mother's cold skin. It passed through, and she felt nothing.
"Mom?" She couldn't react however, because someone suddenly pinned her against the wall.
"Cat! Cat! Finally you returned! I've been waiting for so long." She squirmed, looking away from the one person she thought she didn't want to see again. Tears swam in her eyes as he grabbed her wrist and flung her on the couch.
Spot Conlon looked down at her, his blue eyes wild, he rubbed his blood spattered hands together, pacing back and forth.
"You don't understand, you don't understand."
"It is you!" She whispered feverishly. "You killed my father, and now you killed my mother! I should kill you!" She jumped to her feet, running at him, they grappled for a moment, and he pushed her against the wall.
"No! I can prove it! I can prove it!" Suddenly she felt a quick slash across her palm. She cried out, trying to call upon the power that made vampires rot, she felt nothing. Spot cut his own palm, and he grabbed her hand, their fingers lacing together.
Flames. That's all she felt. Flames going up her arm. She screamed, trying to fight him, he leaned down, his mouth a few inches away from her ear.
"It burns doesn't it? Hun, that mean you are a blood slave, but not my blood slave. I think you know exactly who's your master do, don't you Cat?" She went limp against him. "I suggest you start looking," he continued.
"And you should start with Racetrack."
To Be Continued.
Author's Note: As I write this, I'm watching "Ed Wood".it's odd to see Max Casella in another movie.
Chapter 9
Cat didn't want to move, she didn't want to say anything. She just stood there, hand still in Racetrack's as she stared blankly at the person everyone was afraid of. Her mouth went dry, and her ankle still throbbed, the place was completely silent and she felt compelled to say something to break this infernal silence.
"That's him?" She asked. Her eyes searched the faces of her comrades, and all she got was either bafflement (Aura and Maddy), wordless terror (Jack and Racetrack) or just.blankness (Gee and Les). Well.Gee was still completely out of it, Jack held her almost protectively. David sneered, his blue eyes flashing as he eyes rested on Cat. He walked up to her, getting a little too close for comfort. His eyes were like blue flame, and she fought the urge to step back.
"You must be the Necromancer, I've seen things, and I've heard things, are they all true?" He closed his eyes and breathed in one of those deep, unnecessary breaths, as though he took a deep breath of her scent. Cat's skin crawled.
"Not a word of it," she said, keeping a straight face. "I was told that I'd be getting a little taste of you tonight?" He reached for her, but Racetrack stepped in between them. "We brought somethin' diff'rent from what we told ya," he explained, jerking his thumb in Maddy's direction. "Earth mage." David's eyes narrowed, but he knew that he was not allowed to refuse the gift. "I can deal." His nostril's flared, and those gas flame eyes slid over the rest of the crowd.as though looking for someone.
"Where's Spot?" He asked, his question aimed at Jack. "Usually he's around here."
"He didn't want to show up," Jack answered curtly. Racetrack gently pulled Cat away from David in a fierce, protective movement. David looked pleased as he and Jack locked eyes. Cat didn't understand the whole situation, and probably no one would explain it to her. Les looked over at the other vampire with a blank, indifferent look. David's face lit up upon seeing this young looking boy in the group.
"Les! Les Jacobs!" David walked passed the others as though they were nothing, kneeling in front of the boy. Les turned his head sharply to the side, avoiding his eyes.
"Hello David."
"What-" Cat cut herself off, like anyone would answer her now. David turned back to Jack, this time noting the half conscious girl in his arms. He got up, and made his way back to Jack. His fingers touched Gee's hair, running through those thick, blue streaked strands. Jack flinched, as though David were touching him, not her. There was a hunger in David's eyes as his hand attempted to open the closed duster. Jack pulled her away.
"And who is this?" Cat wanted to slap that look off his face.
"Her name is Regina, and she's had a rough night," was Jack's reply. She stirred, eyelids fluttering. She moaned some sort of threat and Jack gently put her down. Just like her to insist to walk on her own.
Maddy didn't like him, her eyes, still green from her magic, looked him up and down, trying to figure out where the aura of fear was coming from. It was his power; she knew that, like a cold wind on the back of her neck.almost like Cat's.
Aura watched Les, considering he was the only other vampire besides her that didn't look scared. He caught her eye and gave her a little smile; everything was going to be okay. She nodded back at him, but no smile graced her lips.
She was trying to feel some sort of emotion about what had happened to her. She was a vampire now, wasn't she? Why didn't she care? She shrugged, quietly watching the exchange.
"Alright, David, you know why we're here," Jack began, his usually smug and bored voice carrying a current of fear.
David flashed a charming smile. "Can't you feel him, Jacky-boy?"
"Don't call me that."
"The others can."
"You're different."
David looked pleased with himself as his eyes settled one a place somewhere behind them. Racetrack looked first, slightly turning to look behind him. His eyes widened, snapping his head back to look at David.
"Cat, Gee, Aura, Maddy, don't look behind ya." Jack, Racetrack, and Les, turned around, and Cat could hear the sharp intake of breath from each of them. Why couldn't she see it? Was it some annoying vampire thing? Aura wasn't allowed either.
Cat spun around, who were they to say that she couldn't see what was behind them?
Her mind couldn't process what was in front of her, it wouldn't allow her to. Mush, covered in blood, was nailed to the wall through his wrists. Blood dripped down in a heavy stream, as his head lolled back and forth, white foam dripping from his parched lips. He moaned, lolling his head up, his ginger eyes resting in Jack. If Cat wasn't mistaken, she saw a look of hope flash through his bloodshot eyes.
Cat gasped as her power flared, reacting to the spilled blood and feeling of death. She turned to David, anger burning in her eyes.
"How dare you."
David smiled at her in a disgustingly patronizing way. "How dare me? Little girl, you don't understand. Stupid little humans like you...." Cat looked as though she were about to attack him, when Racetrack beat her to the punch, literally.
"Racetrack!" Jack cried. Why did everything always have to go wrong? David reached up and touched his lip, pulling back to see the blood. A smile graced his lips as he licked the blood off his fingers. Maddy tried not to look disgusted, Aura tried not to look enthralled.
"I know what this is about, Anthony," David stalked towards Racetrack, who stared him down with angry eyes. "This is about Sarah."
"Don't you dare bring her up!" Jack cried, this time aching to give David what he deserved. David's blue eyes flicked up and rested on Jack's face.
"You don't know, do you?"
There was a quick look between Racetrack and Jack. The older vampire looked back at David. "What do you mean?"
"You didn't tell him Racetrack?"
"Don't, David, there's no point ta go 'bout this now."
"Our little Racetrack was in love with your girl, he came to see her every night.."
Cat could feel the tension growing between the two boys. Jack took a deep breath and walked back to the wall.
"We need to get him down. Help me Les."
Racetrack squeezed his eyes shut. Why did David have to bring up Sarah? Sure, there were feelings, but they just talked, nothing more, not even a kiss. He opened his eyes, and looked at Gee, huddling in her duster. Walking over to her, he knelt down, brushing her streaked hair out of her face. She was very pale, completely energy drained.
"You alwright Gee?" She looked up at him, pale eyes flashing.
"Been better." She felt dizzy, scared, different.
"It'll be over soon."
"Hopefully."
Mush melted into his master's arms as soon as he was down, happy to finally get off of the wall. Jack tried not to look his blood slave in the eye as he helped half drag the boy over to the others.
"Thank you very much David, now we must be going."
"Excuse me?" David arched an inquisitive eyebrow. "You waltz into my territory without a gift?" Jack's eyes darted to Maddy, then back to David. Cat bit her lip, trying not to talk back to anyone. David could steal Jack's blood slave, but they had to bring a gift when coming back to get the poor guy? It didn't make sense. She didn't want to open her mouth and ask though. She cracked her knuckles.
"Maddy, this is why you are here." Jack said quietly. Maddy's eyes widened.
"What!?"
"We discussed this.he'll only feed, don't worry." Maddy took a deep breath, before taking a step towards David's awaiting arms.
"No." Cat stepped firmly in front of Maddy. "I will not allow this."
"Cat," Jack warned. He was getting sick of this, really sick of this.
David looked amused. "Cat, please, don't get involved. Scurry off to your dark apartment and alcoholic mother." Cat balled her hands into fists.
"She's not an alcoholic, she drinks to forget the pain." David cocked his head to the side.
"Oh really? And what do you do to forget the pain of your dear father's death?" Cat grimaced. Did everyone know about that? Was there a biography about her out there somewhere?
"Nothing."
"I'm sure." She looked at Maddy, who suddenly changed.
"Alright David, are you ready?" He grinned.
"Baby are you?"
Racetrack pulled Cat away from the two of them, letting David do his thing.
"It's just not right," she said to herself. Racetrack sighed, wishing he had a cigar or something.
"Well, duh whole situation ain't right.is it?"
Racetrack walked Cat home from the warehouse, avoiding the graveyard as much as possible. They held hands, something neither of them really thought about. Cat wasn't the happiest of campers.
"Two of us, two of us got messed up. I don't think Maddy's going to school on Monday, she's that traumatized." Racetrack kicked a rock down the street, keeping his eyes on the ground.
"Well, when you was bitten, did it hurt you that much?" Cat went silent, biting her lip.
"Not really.I mean, I barely remember." They got to her apartment, stopping at her stoop. There was something hanging between them, something at wanted to ask.
"Uh.Cat."
"Racetrack, um." She looked away for a second. "About Sarah."
"That's ancient history." He said a little too quickly. There was a bit of graveyard dirt smudged on her cheek. He reached up and brushed it away. She blushed, looking down.
"I'm worried about Gee."
"She'll be alwright."
"But she's a blood slave now."
Racetrack bit his lip, looking up at the moon, hanging in the sky like a sickle. "Well.bein' a blood slave's not dat bad, you jus' gotta pick your mastah's, dat's all." Cat's look softened.
"You should know, right? I mean, you're one of them." For a second, Racetrack didn't understand was she was talking about, and then it hit him.
"Dat's right." He pulled her into a hug. "It was nice talkin' to ya Cat.we dun usually get ta do dis one on one."
"Well, safety in numbers.I'll talk to you tomorrow." She walked up the stairs, pausing at the doorway. Racetrack tipped his imaginary hat. Cat shrugged theatrically.
"Do I need to wear a sign?" She asked, Racetrack looked up at her with a confused look on his face.
"What?" She shook her head in disappointment.
"Never mind." She opened the door and went through, leaving Racetrack alone on the street.
She fumbled with her keys, hoping her mother was still out. She just wanted to go to sleep, no questions asked. Slowly unlocking her door, she flipped on the lights.and saw her mother sitting in a chair.
"Mom, I'm sorry I'm-" She cut herself off, her violet black eyes widening in horror. Her mother was sitting in the chair, but her head was titled back, her eyes wide with that final shock of death. Her throat was a bloody mess of torn meat. Cat's power flared. reaching out to touch her mother's cold skin. It passed through, and she felt nothing.
"Mom?" She couldn't react however, because someone suddenly pinned her against the wall.
"Cat! Cat! Finally you returned! I've been waiting for so long." She squirmed, looking away from the one person she thought she didn't want to see again. Tears swam in her eyes as he grabbed her wrist and flung her on the couch.
Spot Conlon looked down at her, his blue eyes wild, he rubbed his blood spattered hands together, pacing back and forth.
"You don't understand, you don't understand."
"It is you!" She whispered feverishly. "You killed my father, and now you killed my mother! I should kill you!" She jumped to her feet, running at him, they grappled for a moment, and he pushed her against the wall.
"No! I can prove it! I can prove it!" Suddenly she felt a quick slash across her palm. She cried out, trying to call upon the power that made vampires rot, she felt nothing. Spot cut his own palm, and he grabbed her hand, their fingers lacing together.
Flames. That's all she felt. Flames going up her arm. She screamed, trying to fight him, he leaned down, his mouth a few inches away from her ear.
"It burns doesn't it? Hun, that mean you are a blood slave, but not my blood slave. I think you know exactly who's your master do, don't you Cat?" She went limp against him. "I suggest you start looking," he continued.
"And you should start with Racetrack."
To Be Continued.