Into the fire ch.6
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Warnings: graphic vampire-compliant violence. Major Character death.
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Michael follows David, curiosity warring with irritation. They're on the dirt path to Grandpa's cabin before he realizes where they are. He slows as David does, parking off to the side next to the blonde's bike.
David grins toothily, eyes flashing with mischief. "Your mom's been worried. Thought it'd be nice to stop in, let her know how you've been. If you're feeling up to it, of course."
Michael frowns, confused. David is up to something, but he can't tell what. The scent of humans and the sound of beating hearts distracts him, siren songs clouding his mind, pulling him toward the cabin.
David's grin turns wicked as he watches Michael walk toward the house in a haze. Chaos is in the air tonight, and it's delicious. He moves behind Michael as the boy knocks at the door, making sure to put on his most harmless and friendly expression as the door opens. An older woman stands at the door, stunned look on her face shifting to delight, annoyance, frustration and back to delight.
"MICHAEL!"
She opens the door wide, waiting expectantly. Michael moves to step forward, but David puts a stilling hand on his shoulder, smiling almost innocently at Michael's irritated frown, before turning his charm on the lady of house.
"I'm David, Michael's friend. Can we come in, Ms. Emerson?"
Now the lady frowns, shaking her head. "Of course! Come in, come in! You don't have to ask."
Oh, but we do, don't we? David thinks. Patting Michael's back, he pushes him forward, ignoring the confused look on the boy's face.
"Thanks, ma'am."
"I should thank you. I was so worried! Michael, where have you been the last few days?"
"Ah, that's my fault, ma'am. We've been hanging out, lost track of time. You know how it is."
"Please, just call me Lucy." She shakes her head again. "I do remember what it's like. Michael, you could at least have called."
Michael is still quiet, looking at his mother, and his brother, who stands in the doorway to the kitchen, two other boys behind him, suspicion and fear in their eyes.
David frowns, quickly smoothing his features back to something friendly. He knows those two behind the little brother, wanna-be hunters that own the comic shop. Tonight could be more fun… and more productive than he thought. A big, fluffy dog moves in front of the young blonde, growling low, ears back as it stares at the newcomers. Now David does frown. This could complicate things.
"Tell Nanook to be quiet, Sam," Michael grumbles at his brother. "He's being an asshole."
"Maybe you're the asshole, and he just knows it."
"BOYS! LANGUAGE! I can't believe you two! Michael's been missing for days, and this is how you talk to each other? Michael, what's gotten into you?! Sam, put Nanook outside if he can't behave."
"Moooom! Nanook is behaving! Michael is threatening him."
"Yeah, Sam. You heard Mom, put Nanook outside." The look Michael gives Sam has the younger boy turning pale, taking a step back, the boys behind him grimacing as they try to look fierce.
"Come on, Nanook," Sam murmurs, eyeing Michael carefully as he slips past to take his dog outside. The two comic shop boys follow him out.
David watches them go with a smirk. Perfect. Without the little shits around, maybe he could finally get this show on the road. He gives Michael a little nudge.
"Where's Grandpa?" Michael feels David's hand on his back, understanding it as motivation to assess their surroundings.
Lucy's eyes crinkle at the corners as she lets out a small, chuffed breath. "He's in the back room, honey, where he always is. Did you want me to get him?"
Michael immediately tenses, lips curling to reveal bared teeth. "No!"
His mother's face goes through a few different emotions; confused, frightened, shocked, before settling on upset.
"Michael, I don't like that tone. Please stop yelling at me," she says in a tight, though passive voice.
Michael sucks in a breath between his teeth, licking his lips. "Sorry, Mom," he says, soft, restrained, almost dangerous if it weren't for the placating smile he manages.
David, arms crossed, watches the interaction in smug satisfaction. He can hear the boys outside, on their bikes; Paul laughing himself stupid, Marko snickering in return, and Dwayne whistling quietly.
The little brother and the two misfits have no clue they're steps away from sudden death. Well, no clue save for the dog, getting even more agitated and louder outside than in the house.
With those three occupied, David decides the moment is ripe. The barest brush against Michael's mind, the faintest reminder of the thrumming heartbeat so close at hand, and suddenly Michael is growling, so low it seems to emanate from his chest, the rippling sound more felt than heard.
Lucy turns at the sound, confusion swiftly turning to alarm as she sees her son turn monstrous before her. Fiery red eyes and a feral sharp smile gleam from a face she no longer recognises as it grins menacingly.
This monster-that-was-Michael takes a step forward, wicked claws flexing, and she squeaks and bolts toward the kitchen in panic. The hungry howl that follows her lends wings to her feet, but it's not enough, and she crumples to the floor under the weight of the beast landing on her back.
She screams as the claws sink in, as the teeth sink in; the last cry before she goes still is the name of her child, her first-born, the memory of her dark-haired, blue-eyed little angel drowned in blood and washed away in agony as her world goes dark. David watches with amusement, keen ears tracking noise in the far room. It seems the old man is getting something to fight with, and moving almost silently… for a human.
The old man appears in the kitchen, one arm raised and holding a thick wooden spike. He stops, stunned; a deer in the headlights at the sight of what's left of his daughter splayed out in bloody relief on the floor. His grandson crouches over the remains, covered in her blood from face to waist, licking long stripes down what was an arm.
"Goddamn vampires."
Too late, Grandpa recovers, tries to get his guard back up, but Michael's on him faster than he can account for, and they both tumble back out of David's line of sight. There's a loud crash and a wheezing holler that trails off to a wet burble, thick wood clattering to the ground, then the moist ripple of rent flesh, Michael's throat working as he swallows his grandfather's lifeblood with gusto.
Outside, little brother staggers at the sound of his mother's scream. He turns and runs to the door, coming to a halt as he's confronted by the rest of David's boys, dropping from nowhere to block the boy's path.
"Where's the fire, lil' buddy?" Paul laughs, Marko flashing him an amused smile. Dwayne stands dark and stoic, all the more imposing for the flickering outdoor light and the sounds of mayhem coming from inside.
Little brother stops, with a noisy gulp of fear as he turns to his friends. They want to look tough, but they have no weapons at hand, and it's after dark and there's vampires.
Still, the little blonde isn't giving up. "Get out of my way, shitsuckers! Let me get to my mom!"
That didn't sound as brave as he was trying for, and the rolling laughter of the older boys… no, monsters… seems to prove it.
"Aww, widdle baby misses his mommy? Is he gonna cry?" Paul is bouncing with glee, teasing the flustered child trying to stand up to him and his brothers.
"Nothing much left to miss." David strides casually out onto the porch, flicking a cigarette at the group of kids that stare wide-eyed at his approach.
Michael moves out from behind him, and the little baby blonde screams. Actually, all the young boys scream. He finds it rather annoying, shooting a sharp-toothed snarl their way, his eyes rolling gold.
The small group goes quiet and pale, backing up slowly as Michael steps toward them. David and the others flank him, dark smiles focused on the children trembling before them. The blonde leader moves in front of Michael, grin widening as the little boys flinch back.
"Can't say why, but I'm feeling rather generous tonight. Run, and pray I don't get hungry before you make it to town."
The young boys stop, flustered. Of course it's little brother that has to ask, "What?"
"RUN!" David roars, going full vamp, the trees around them shaking with the force of his voice.
The boys jump like rabbits, bumping into each other in their haste and fear. The little blonde remembers his dog at the last moment, running to untie it while his friends and he scream and argue. In a moment they're gone from sight, though not from vampiric hearing, three hearts pumping wildly, breath ragged as they run headlong down the hill toward the false safety of town and the ramshackle house above the comic shop.
Paul and Marko are hanging on each other, they're laughing so hard. Even Dwayne cracks a smile, winking at David, who grins back, clapping Michael on the back.
"Think we've overstayed our welcome. You boys clean up; Michael and I have some unfinished business."
"Aww, man! Bet Mikey didn't even leave any leftovers," Paul grumbles, smacking Marko on the chest. "Come on, let's get this done so we can get some takeout."
David glances over his shoulder with a smirk. "Sorry boys, you know how it is. Family dinners never end well."