THURSDAY

Shane refused to feed unless it was off of Mars. In the darkness of his lover's room both naked under the layers of covers and sheets, Shane slowly drained Mars of his dinner whilst also making love to him. A part of Mars wanted to tell Shane to not be so rough,as the bruising and marks on his neck were becoming unmanageable with turtlenecks and scarves. Someone would see the shades of purples and yellows and ask him what was going on. Mars had to keep up the masquerade that his best friend and love interest was still missing, more than likely dead. What would it look like if he was showing off 'hickies' and marks on his body only weeks after Shane had gone missing? Suspicious, that's what it would look like. He didn't like to think about that. He would mention to Shane later that he needed to buck up and start getting his own food. He couldn't just keep feeding off of him.

It was okay at first. Shane was still learning how to manage what he had become. Mars gave him leeway like watching a child learn how to walk, or float in Shane's case, or latch onto dinner. You don't punish the child for falling, you encourage the kid to get up and try again. However, Shane wasn't a child, he was a grown man who knew he could get away with his 'failed' efforts of trying as a way to make feeding more stomachable. Mars appreciated the sentiment that he didn't want to harm living creatures. It reminded him of the softness Shane possessed under the gruff and aloof exterior, that he cared.

Shane finished and carefully wiped the blood that he missed off of Mars, trying to catch the breath he didn't need to have as he kissed down the other side of Mars' neck, littered with semi healing bite wounds. He moved his dominant hand down and helped his lover to climax, showering Mars with affection until he felt cum leak between his fingers. Mars forgot about the punctures on his neck for a moment, seeping in the love Shane had finally become comfortable in showing him. Shane curled around Mars wrapping his arms around him and squeezing like he would never let go, his sight set on the markings he left.

"I'll clean that up for you once we're up," Shane muttered, continuing to wipe new blood away. Mars winced. "Sorry."

"You have to start fending for yourself," Mars said, pulling away.

"I'm trying," Shane lied.

"No Shane, you've had enough time to adjust-"

"I didn't ask for this," Shane protested, turning to the other side. Mars sat up, looking done with Shane's shit.

"Look at my neck and shoulders," Mars demanded. Shane refused to turn. "I know you didn't ask for this, but damn it, Shane, you're going to have to get over it."

"Why do we have to talk about this right now?"

"Well, when would you like to?" Mars retorted. "You're too hungry when we go out, you're too tired afterwards. Shane you gotta stop deflecting this. I know it's hard but you can't keep relying on me."

"Why can't I?" Shane said. "You're the one who did this. You're the one who doesn't want to take responsibility."

"If I wasn't taking responsibility you'd be alone in those woods! Or you would've went back home to your aunt and-"

"And what!?" Shane asked threateningly.

"You know what."

In a string of incomprehensible muttering, Shane dressed himself and left their shared bedroom. In the darkness of the ground floor he made his way to the liquor cabinet, pouring a glass of cheap bourbon that he made Mars get him so he wouldn't drink his way through his expensive bottles. From behind the curtains Shane peeked out the window at the morning sun, headache inducing but manageable, unlike the week or so ago when sunlight would bring him to the ground writhing in burning pain. It wasn't much different than a horrible hangover now. Shane knew what Mars said was true. He had to learn to be on his own, he just didn't want to accept it yet. The bourbon burned going down as he took the entire thing in one swig. If his life were still normal he would be up with the chickens, feeding Charlie and cows, thinking about how he didn't want to go to work.

In silence Mars had come down stairs and into the bathroom to attend to his wounds, bright lights on, the door closed to only a crack. The bleeding didn't seem to want to stop as he pulled his hand from the area of trauma. All the bruising reflected off the harsh lighting within the bathroom. From under his jawline to down to his clavicle different stages of healing, from a deep eggplant shade to sickly yellow. Shane watched as Mars felt around for the different holes within his neck, wincing as he touched them. He thought about what he had done in his selfishness.

"You know I can see you…" Mars said before pulling the mirror back to rummage through his medicine cabinet. Nudging the door open, Shane slipped himself in, the artificial lighting like pineneedles against his soft pupils. He rubbed away the ache deep behind his eyes before getting a better look at the injuries he left.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do this to you," Shane said before wrapping his arms around Mars, the embrace reciprocated.

"I know," Mars answered before breaking their hug to pull a box of gauze from the cabinet.

"I'll bandage it up."

He grimaced as Shane dabbed a swab of rubbing alcohol up into and across the broken flesh, the sting reaching deep and throbbing.

"I'm sorry."

Mars said nothing to his apologies, refusing to make eye contact, forcing Shane to look at what he had done. Whatever was in his heart soon plunged deep into his stomach, as he took in all the bites and bruises. As Shane tried his best to match up the gauze to the newest mark he made, he found the effort seemingly in vain, as where one injury ended another enmeshed it. There was a long drawn out silence as he viewed the infliction of his selfishness painted in hues of sangria and rotting wood, blackened holes of freckled dead blood.

"I'll stop, I promise."
Mars brought his sight up and into that soft green that he couldn't help but melt him, Shane was being genuine from what he could tell.

"We'll go out tonight, because I'm hungry again. I know it's hard to eat something while it's still alive but-"

"I've seen you keep feeding after you've killed it. What's the difference?" Shane cut Mars off. "And why can't I just, you know, take what I need and let it go?"

Mars sighed with reluctance. "Dead blood isn't good for you. If that was the case I'd be a mortician. Once it stops circling it starts to…feaster." Mars paused, collecting his thoughts. "And you can let whatever you eat go, but you've got venom in you. And it's just going to slowly kill whatever you bite. And I don't mean like it falls asleep and dies. It burns, and hurts, and you're awake until the last moment. I know you don't want to be cruel, but a swift death is the nicest thing you can give."

"What happens if you drink dead blood?" Shane questioned. His thoughts seemed to bring up memories that Mars didn't want to tell.

"It's just bad. Don't do it," Mars retorted before breaking away from Shane, exiting the bathroom.

9:00 PM

The ride out into the wilderness was thick with fog and apprehension, a night that warranted the fear of what might hide in the dark. However, Shane worried about what was writhing within Mars. It was more than just his irritation with Shane's lack of trying to feed himself. It was deep and weeping from a once thought to be healed emotional wound. Shane had recognized the hurt and damned it as Mars wouldn't budge, wouldn't let him in,

Remind you of anyone?

They reached the area Mars deemed as fertile enough to hunt, and the hymn of the engine faded out as it turned off.

"I'm going to go get us something to eat. When you hear me you come running…" Mars instructed, making sure Shane understood his directions. With a nod Mars exited the vehicle and went off into the nothingness of the night, picking off what nature didn't want in her home anymore. Shane soon found himself out of the truck, leaning up against it staring at the foggy night sky, silhouettes of trees, the gradient of their outline turning the background in a blur as the chill of the evening hit him in waves. At least it wasn't raining.

Thunder cracked in the distance and Shane kicked his foot back against the frame of the truck, asking himself why he ever bothered to think the thought up. Now he would be cold, sober, and wet, and just to top it off his boyfriend was pissed off at something he didn't want to share. He caught himself breathing and quit the bad habit. No need to make lungs work when you didn't need air. Instead he focused on the heart beats surrounding him. Shane had learned how to keep the thumping of life in check, like a light bulb ready to pop, always in the background but not always acknowledged. There was one beating heart that stuck out. It started off scared, this paranoia of the unknown only topped by its anxiety of knowing a beast was watching in the distance, but from where exactly it couldn't tell. Its heart also didn't lub dub, it boomed over and over again, strong and new. The chase was on.

boom...boom ...boom…

boom boom boom

boooboom booboom boboom

Bboom

His name being called out in the distance snapped him out of the trance, the rhythmic pace of what was scared shitless still in his ears. Mars called for him again, and Shane tripped over his own feet trying to navigate his way through the thick brush.

The sweet bleating of a small animal led Shane to Mars, its petrified bellowing for its mother revealing its youth. It squirmed in Mars' monstrous grip, the fawn's fur getting caught and ripped as it fought for freedom.

"Hey-" Mars tried to speak as the fawn squirmed in his clutches, deciding to petrify it into submission with his unending jaw lined with rows of long incisors.

"Here, come and get it."

Shane took a step forward, making eye contact with the young deer, hearing its blood circulate, his mouth watering,in desperation it called out for its mother again.

"Get it while it's hot, come on."

Shane continued to close in, mouth agape, he took to the ground with the young fawn into his arms, its threshing and bleating soon calmed as Shane stroked the terrified animal.

"Did you kill its mom?" Shane asked.

"Why does that matter-" Mars cut himself off as Shane released the fawn back into the woods.

"Why would you do that!?"

"Its just a baby Mars. I'm not eating a fucking baby!"

Mars eyes were like orbs of black. No color, no sclera, just soulless and angry, staring down Shane from inches away.

"Yeah, and it'll grow up, make more baby deers and die!" Mars said in a growl Shane had never heard. "Why does it fucking matter!?"

He was losing control and turning into the beast he didn't want Shane to see him as. Green eyes terrified, uttering you're scaring me. Mars backed away, taking in the expression of disappointment soaking Shane.

"You wouldn't understand." Mars muttered before retracting all of his monstrous features, getting up and heading back to his truck unable to look back. Shane followed and stopped Mars before he could reach the vehicle's doors. Mars stood at the opening of the bed.

"What won't I understand?" He asked. Mars stood silent. Shane repeated himself. "What won't I understand!?"

Mars turned around, eyes connecting with the genuineness of Shane in his ignorance. But Mars couldn't look at him anymore. With keys in hand Mars walked away, fuming like a bomb ready to detonate. Shane tried to follow but was stopped by Mars' raised hand every time he tried to pursue.

"Fine. Be an asshole that eats fucking baby animals!" Shane said to no response. Mars refused to turn around, and soon his form was off into the shadows, out of Shanes sight, but not from his mind.

I don't need that asshole…

He turned away, not wanting to face his angry lover, deciding the western side of the woods might bring him justice. A pang of hunger hit hard, running up from his guts deep into his tonsils.

I don't need him.