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Warnings: major character death, vampire-compliant violence,
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Chapter 2 - Innocence Lost
Michael rouses from his slumber still drowsy, almost stagnant, dried blood now cloying on his tongue and the roof of his mouth. He can find traces of decay in the air, beneath the usual smell of the underground hotel, heavy and wet and pungent; something his weak, human nose had not been able to make out.
"Looks like somebody had a good sleep."
Marko is watching him from a corner of the cave, his eyes a mischievous twinkle in the darkness. Michael rolls over onto his side, groaning in annoyance. He could stay like this for a few more hours, yet. Why is he awake?
"Sun's down, Mikey! Time for us to eat!"
Paul tumbles into sight from seemingly out of nowhere, the reckless tornado of energy that he is. Michael growls this time, glaring at the vampire with a look of tired frustration.
"Aw, poor Mikey ain't hungry! We should fix that, right Marko?" Paul cackles.
Marko nods in agreement. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
Paul grins. "Hell yeah, brother!"
Before Michael's aware of what's happening, he is being crushed by two boisterous, fumbling bodies. The fuckers had actually teamed up to cannonball him. He can't believe this.
"Come ooooon, Mike! Get up and play!" Marko howls with laughter, fists beating down on his chest like a rabid, mini King Kong. Paul's hyena-like chuckles resonate around the cave walls as he joins in, his jabbing fists a flurry of enthusiastic motion, and Michael stumbles to his feet, thrashing to and fro, trying to escape the onslaught.
Bad enough, those assholes piling on him, suddenly the kid is in the mix too, jumping on his back, fragile arms wrapping around his neck, riding him like a goddamn bronco, sharp heels digging into his sides. Michael's nerves are already frayed to nothing, anger boiling in his belly from the hazing, but the smell coming off the halfling boy is sweet as cotton candy, skinning his patience down to slivers as the lithe little body strains around him, soft, plump arms nestled under his chin.
Paul's head lands solidly in his stomach, and Michael lands just as solidly on his ass, completely winded, kid still behind him, Paul in his lap cackling like a madman. Too much is enough; clawed hands grab at the twigs around his neck, fling the clinging nuisance away, body coiling to lunge after it.
Blind anger finds the small body, pinning it, biting it into submission, as an unanticipated hunger rises up, swamps any moral reason like tidal waves flood the shoreline outside, tears and rips until there is no movement, no sound, no thick, honey nectar left, save what little drains to the sandy ground beneath his knees.
There is silence in the cave, strong and viscous as the ocean itself, surrounding everyone, flowing towards the two figures at the center. Michael, still crouching, golden eyes sliding shut as a moment of peace slips over him, eases his heavy breath, relaxes as the blood seeps through him, a seductive warmth very different from the bitter tang of mortals or the fiery burn of his brothers.
A scream slices through the quiet, Star breaking out of her shock, and everybody turns. She dashes to what's left of the tiny, limp body; arm hitting Michael with enough force to knock him back on his ass again, to watch her hysterics with detached interest.
"Michael, oh god, what have you done?" Star screeches, collapsing to the ground with uncontrollable cries, her shaking hands held out in front of her, as if she can't bring herself to touch Laddie's mangled form. She looks up at him, tears dirtying her face, lower lip trembling, closing her eyes. "He was just a little boy," she whispers, voice faint, letting out a despaired sob.
"What did I tell you, Star?" David walks in from around the corner, Dwayne following right behind; the other vampire's eyes widen slightly at the gruesome sight, betraying a glimmer of deep emotion, before he sets his jaw and looks away. "This isn't a place for children."
Star flinches, and her eyes open again, now filled with outrage and grief. She doesn't say anything, but her expression tells them all they need as she rises to her feet.
"And where do you think you're going?" David makes sure it sounds like a demand rather than a question.
Star does not answer, wrapping her arms around herself as she steps closer to the cave stairs. Michael is still staring at her without a trace of remorse or awareness as to what he has done. His eyes are empty and cold, and the lack of humanity frightens her.
She can't stay here any longer.