Chapter Five

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Rose squinted while she looked at her surroundings. She noticed she was standing in an old, dilapidated house. The power was off. She stood still trying to figure out where she was. All she could see was a bare room with ancient, crumbling walls. There was a chill in the air and Rose held herself trying to keep warm.

Hello?" Doctor? Are you in here?"

"Rose."

Rose jerked her head around when she heard a faint voice calling her name.

"Doctor? Is that you?"

"Rose. Come to me."

Rose frowned. The voice was faint. So faint that she couldn't be sure if it was the Doctor or not.

"Doctor!"

"Rose, it's me. It's your beloved. Come to me."

Rose still couldn't be sure it was the Doctor who was calling her. But, she decided to trust her instincts and take a chance that it was him.

"I'm coming, Doctor!" she said.

"Come to me, Rose. Come."

Rose slowly walked out of the room following the sound of the voice. Every once in awhile, she would stop and call back while she tried to pinpoint the exact location. She walked through the house and noticed that all of the rooms so far were bare. She guessed she was in an abandoned house but how did she and the Doctor get there?

"Doctor?" she said.

"Rose."

The voice was louder now, and Rose froze when she realized it was not the Doctor's familiar accent. The accent she was hearing was Scottish. Realizing her mistake, she turned to exit the way she had come and was surprised to discover that the door had disappeared. She whirled back around and saw the door at the other end had also vanished. Panicked, Rose ran to the two huge windows on the left side of the room, and she gasped as they also disappeared. The room was plunged into total darkness. Rose felt around for the nearest wall hoping to find the exit.

"Doctor! Help me!"

Her hand hit the wall. Rose put her other hand up and frantically felt for a doorknob or any kind of exit.

"Help! Doctor, help me!"

She froze when a light illuminated the wall in front of her. Turning, she noticed a strange man standing behind her holding a candle in his hand. She stared at the man taking in his pale, white skin and long, black hair. She had never seen this man before, and yet, he seemed oddly familiar to her.

"Who are you?"

He smiled at her.

"I am Ian."

"Where am I?"

"You are in my house."

"Where is the Doctor?"

"He is near. Would you like me to take you to him?"

Rose hesitated. She sensed she was walking into a trap. However, looking at Ian, Rose suddenly felt the same kind of peace and security that she felt whenever she was around the Doctor. He looked so harmless and somehow she knew she was safe with him. Dismissing the notion of a trap, she walked towards him.

"Yes, I want to see the Doctor," she said.

"Are you sure?"

Rose paused. She wanted Ian to take her to the Doctor, but suddenly, she wasn't so sure she wanted to see him.

Why wouldn't I want to see him? she thought. He's my friend, my lover.

But, when she looked at Ian; she suddenly began to doubt her feelings for the Doctor.

What's wrong with me? I love the Doctor…don't I?

She backed away from Ian when he drew nearer to her.

"Leave me alone. I…I want to go. Let me go," she said.

"Rose, do not fight me. Do not fight the love that is growing between us," Ian said.

"I don't love you. I love the Doctor," she said.

Ian smiled and reached out his hand when Rose's back hit the wall. His voice suddenly became otherworldly.

"Rose."

Rose stopped in her tracks. The voice echoed inside her brain pushing out all other thoughts. She felt her willpower slipping away. Ian put his arms around her and whispered in her ear.

"You are mine. You belong to me. The Doctor is a part of your past now. You no longer care for him. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Do you love me, Rose?"

"Yes."

"Then come, Rose and I will show you your destiny."

Rose nodded. She took his hand and let him lead her. The door in front of them reopened, and they stepped through it into the next room. Rose paused and looked down at the Doctor who was lying bound and gagged on the floor. For a moment, she wanted to run to him and set him free, but this thought was pushed from her mind, and she stood and stared at him impassively while he struggled to break free of his bonds.

Ian stepped between her and the Doctor and cupped her face in his hands.

"And now my love, we begin the ritual," he said.

Rose nodded. She and Ian fell to their knees and began to undress each other as the Doctor let out muffled screams of anger.

Ian put his hands on Rose's face and leaned in for a passionate kiss. Rose returned it without a second thought for the captive Time Lord who by now was using all his strength to try to get free and get to her. Her hands ran down his back, as Ian put his lips to her neck and began to suck gently. Rose let out an ecstatic moan and kissed her lover's temple while the Doctor watched in anguished silence. She glanced over Ian's shoulder at her former lover for a moment and then with a disdainful snort lowered her head to Ian's neck and began to suck and bite at his flesh.

"And now, my love, it begins," Ian said.

There was a brief pause and then Rose let out a gasp as she felt his fangs penetrate her skin. She let out a groan and raked her fingernails down his back ignoring the Doctor who was by now in tears. She kissed Ian's neck and shoulder and began to feel weak as her blood was slowly drained from her body. Her strength ebbing away, she laid her head on her lover's shoulder and closed her eyes as her heart began to slow down. Just before she became unconscious, she felt Ian guide her around to the front of his body.

"Drink, Rose," he said.

Rose slowly opened her eyes. Through her half-closed lids, she could just make out a trickle of blood coming from a gash above Ian's left breast. Instinctively, she moved to it and began to suckle on it while Ian held her head to it.

Suddenly, she began to convulse when she felt her body shutting down. Ian gently laid her on the ground, and she felt herself growing weaker and weaker. She heard the Doctor's anguished moans, but now it sounded like it was a million miles away. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and listened to her heartbeat slowly fading away. Then, with one final beat, her heart became still, and Rose saw only darkness.

For a moment, her soul hovered above her body watching everything with detached interest. Then she felt something draw her towards the ceiling and looking up, she noticed a tunnel with a bright light at the end of it. Feeling drawn to it, she began to float upwards and into it. She paused long enough to look back and see her corpse opening its eyes and looking around. Then, she went further into the tunnel, and all thoughts of Earth vanished as she entered the blissful environs of Heaven.

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Ian stared down at his immortal mate.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I feel…great," Rose said. I've never felt better in my life."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it."

"I'm…hungry though."

"Well, I just the thing for that too," Ian said.

He helped her to sit up, and Rose looked over at the Doctor who was now sobbing uncontrollably. She sat and looked at him but instead of seeing him as her friend or her lover or even as a person; she saw him only as food. Salivating, she crawled towards him.

"That's it, my beloved. Feed on the Doctor," Ian said.

The Doctor stared up at Rose offering no resistance. She bent down to his neck. He nuzzled her cold, pale cheek and watched her teeth elongate into fangs. Closing his eyes, he let out a sigh of resignation when Rose bit into his jugular vein and began to feed. While she drained the life from him, he continued to nuzzle her cheek hoping that some part of her still understood that he loved her and forgave her for what she was doing.

Rose listened to the sound of his hearts fading away and suddenly became aware of what she was doing.

No! she thought. What am I doing? I'm killing the Doctor. I have to stop before he dies!

But, to her horror, she found that she couldn't stop herself from killing him.

No! I can't do this! I love you Doctor! I can't kill you! Please, someone stop me from doing this before it's too late!

She listened while the Doctor's heartbeats became slower and slower and then stopped. The Doctor let out a final sigh and then he was gone.

No! What have I done? I've murdered the Doctor! This can't be happening. He can't be dead! He can't be! No, no, noooooooooo…

The scream inside her head became an audible one when Rose suddenly woke from her nightmare. She screamed hysterically while the Doctor leaped onto the bed and shook her.

"Rose! Rose! Wake up! It's me! It's the Doctor!" he said.

For a moment, the terror Rose felt blinded her to her surroundings. Then, she slowly calmed herself and stared up at the Doctor. For a moment, her mind didn't register that he was still alive, and then with a cry of joy she flung herself into his arms and wept, as the Doctor held her tightly to him.