Fighter

…..

Warnings – semi-graphic violence, mention of blood

…

David landed quietly behind Marko, breeze of arrival barely ruffling the curly blonde's hair. Marko didn't even glance up, peering over the edge of the building with interest.

"What's good, Marko?"

"Bit of a row going. I'm betting on the thick one."

David glanced down, assessing the fight, three boys picking on another in the darkness of litter-strewn alleyway. He smirked, pulling a cigarette from behind his ear and lighting up.

"Think you're right. Kid's a scrapper."

Below them, the thick-set youth was giving it their all, trapped on all sides but too stout to go down under the blows of the jocks bunched around them. With a garbled scream, the trapped kid leapt at the largest assailant, both of them going tumbling in a tangle of limbs and heavy grunts.

Big Jock landed a hard punch that connected to the side of Stout's face with a dull thud. In turn, they buried their face in the crook of big kid's neck, thick arms wrapping tight.

Big Jock screamed suddenly, high pitched and filled with fear. Stout lifted their head, and the other kids pelting them with kicks stepped back, eyes wide.

Standing up slowly, Stout paid no attention to Big Jock, now writhing at their feet. The doomed kid gurgled, blood pumping steadily from the side of his neck.

Stout spit something at the nearest boy, who jumped back as the glistening glob of flesh landed with a squelch at his feet. Looking down and back up at Stout's blood-soaked scruffy face, the boy bolted, barely making it to the front of the alley before puking all over his own shoes and stumbling off unsteadily into the night.

The last attacker standing wasn't so easily scared off, though his eyes went a little wide when Stout turned his way. They quickly narrowed when Stout leapt at him, meeting the attack with a quick thrust of a slim blade slicing into the side of a solid stomach, sheathing neatly in the rich liver tucked away inside.

Stout faltered a moment, then reached up to grab Knife boy's face. Strong nails gouged deep red furrows in skin, nicking an eye as Stout slumped down, fall cushioned by Big Jock's cooling body.

Knife boy screamed, reflexively pulling back only to meet something hard and unyielding. Spinning around wildly in shock and pain, he met a grinning fiery-eyed demon.

The demon licked his lips, sharp teeth gleaming brightly as he snagged Knife boy into headlock, hand clamped firmly over the kid's mouth as he started to feast. In moments there was no fight left, only an empty husk that crumpled in a heap at Marko's feet.

David stood over Stout in quiet contemplation, watching the kid suck breath and try to hold back the blood that flowed out of the gash in their side.

"Doesn't look good. Think you're done for."

Stout shuddered, closing their eyes. David crouched down, hand brushing over the kid's, letting the warm blood coat his fingers.

Stout's eyes popped open at the feel of David's fingers on their own. Wary eyes tracked carefully the path those fingers took, watching as he licked them clean one by one.

"Nothing like a fresh meal, hmm?" Stout wheezed, ghost of a smile passing briefly over their face.

David grinned at the wounded kid, letting his face shift, turn monstrous, eyes yellow and fangs gleaming in the night.

"Hard to resist such easy pickings. And you've got good taste."

Stout coughed a sad chuckle. "Nice to know I'm finally appreciated for something."

David tilted his head, gauging the kid as he swiped another fingerful, sucking it thoughtfully.

"You're not troubled by this?"

"Why should I be? Always too fat to run. Nothing left to run from, or to, anymore."

"Didn't stop you from fighting before."

"They didn't deserve to have it easy. Almost beat 'em anyway."

Stout was turning ashy, color seeping from their skin to pool on the filth-ridden ground around them. Their head slumped, eyes rolling back before snapping back to meet David's gaze.

David leaned forward to hover barely a breath from the kid's face. There was pain in Stout's eyes, and acceptance, but no fear.

"What if this wasn't the end?"

David cupped Stout's bristly chin with a cool hand.

"Would you want something more?"

Stout frowned, breath shallow. "You're…asking me …to be like you?"

"Yes."

Suspicion narrowed Stout's eyes, but something else swam deep. Hope.

"You really…want me?" 'The way I am?' hung heavy and unspoken, sealed behind Stout's lips.

David grinned again. This time Marko answered, standing behind David, a blood-soaked angel with a beatific smile.

"We do."

Stout exhaled slowly, nodding, never dropping David's gaze. The vampire tore swiftly into his own wrist, holding it to the kid.

"Then join us."

Stout tentatively latched on, full lips gentle on the ragged wound. Surprise colored their features, as shaky hands reached up to hold David's arm.

David looped an arm gently under the kid's neck, pulling them up. With a quick twist, he broke his wrist free from their hold, licking it closed, smirking when the kid whined.

"There'll be time for more later. Now you come home with us. What do we call you?"

The kid shivered, the effects of David's blood burning cold through their core, sending shards of ice into trembling limbs. Speaking took effort, words now barely a whisper, though David had no trouble hearing them.

"Remi."

"Well, Remi, welcome to the family."

David lifted Remi up easily, Marko peering over his shoulder to wiggle friendly fingers their way.

With near reverence in their eyes, Remi whispered again. "Will I be as strong as you?"

David smirked, but his eyes were kind. "You already are, Remi. You already are."