Chapter ten of 'Thou Shall Not Kill' - and quite long, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything but the plot and the one or other OC I might make up.

Can't fight the moonlight

Next to midnight

"You-you can't be serious about this?" Michael stuttered then swallowed. "No, you are serious. Aren't you, David?"

"Of course, I'm serious about this." David snorted then made a face. "It's either we kill that rabid dog over there or he'll eat his companions and endanger everything." He added then averted is eyes after seeing that Michael hadn't understood yet. "That one, he will slaughter countless people if we let this continue."

"Sounds familiar." Michael stated with a hard look towards the platinum-haired vampire.

"Look I know I admit killing people but only as far as I need to survive." David said in strangely far away sounding voice. "Sure, I do like to having my fun at times but, honestly, I don't really enjoy killing all too innocent people. You can't have fun with the dead." He forced a chuckle down. "They are rather boring, don't you think?"

"What?" Michael stared and shivered uncontrollable – not because of the words he'd just heard, no, but because of the truth in them. David was completely serious with this.

"I don't understand." Michael said. "What about those Surf Nazis?"

"We have to feed. Would you prefer to feed us all the time on some innocent children instead?" David said dryly. "They were hardly innocents." He sighed, realizing that the younger boy didn't seem to understand. "It's the way of nature..." He tried again. "It's either eat or being eaten. It's the law of nature, but it doesn't make us evil."

"Michael," David started touching the half-vampire's chin. "A vampire isn't all I am." There was a sudden loneliness in his voice, a pleading tone Michael had never heard from the older vampire. A moment later it was gone as he shrugged it off. "Pretending to be human would be a lie Michael." He said wistfully then nodded. "Stop lying to yourself." He added with a lot more force.

"I-I try, David." Michael swallowed uneasily, knowing that David was right and that he it really had been only pretending what he had been doing in the last few weeks. He wasn't very good at it too, as he couldn't even convince his own brother about it – no, maybe Sam would be the first to look through his mask aside from Grandpa of course.

"Stop trying." The platinum blonde said again, his voice being barely audible. It caused Michael to shiver with some unknown emotion, maybe it was the blood he shared with David, maybe not.

David smirked at the reaction he was getting from Michael.

"David?"

"Yeah?" David raised an eyebrow and his grin got even broader in satisfaction as he noticed the expression on Michael's face. Now, he had the half-vampire exactly where he wanted him to be.

"I think he's freaking out." Michael pointed towards the man, who was just about to change into beast, a very ugly beast at that. He couldn't help it but that just looked wrong, somehow, but maybe that was just him, seeing his first werewolf.

"Yeah, looks like he is." He nodded calmly.

"Shouldn't we do something?"

"Yeah, you're right. Here take this." David pulled something, which looked very much like a sword from under his coat.

"A sword?" Michael frowned but took it neither the less. "Is this ... made out of silver?"

"No, of course not. That would be too weak, but there's silver laced into it, along with other things." David smirked at that. "This, Michael, is just the right thing to get rid of our little problem." Michael almost giggled at the sudden surreal thought of David wiggling his ears.

Damn, he hadn't got anything of that bad stuff in the past few days, had he? Michael couldn't help, but wonder how sane the older vampire was; not that that mattered much.

"So, let's play? Shall we?" David asked sheepishly.

"Hmm, of course." Michael found himself agreeing, again almost against his will, but it felt good somehow. Strange, that this could make him feel good, this feeling of something breaking inside. He didn't understand this, but it felt right, doing this.

What came next he barely remembered, because it was too soon over to really realize what had happen. One moment they were rushing towards there and followed by an angry howl from that freshly transformed werewolf – then nothing. He felt only that this was utterly necessary, and this time the half-vampire didn't fight his instincts, simply couldn't.

Michael's eyes gleamed golden and his fangs showed but other than that he was utterly calm, which was so very different from the madness of bloodlust he had feared to feel.

He couldn't help it, but the scent of the man-werewolf felt simply wrong to him, like something that shouldn't exist. The werewolf didn't know this, though, and tried to fight him. It might have been a fair-balanced fight, if not for the fact that the werewolf seemed to be completely insane. He was strong, sure, and fast as well, but that didn't help him much in the end, not really.

The werewolf died pathetically easy after just one good swing with the sword after the wolf's neck, leaving Michael with a strange mix of satisfaction – and disappointment, because it was over way too fast and easy.

There was only only the other guy left now, who seemed to be still in shock, enough that he didn't quite realize that he was left alone with two vampires – alone in the middle of nowhere.

Michael thought that the other ones must have left somehow when the werewolf had changed, but he wasn't completely sure – and it showed. He frowned at that thought, for it felt … just … not right. Darn, he cursed under his breath and turned his attention to the one in front of them.

"Who are you?" The poor guy half asked and half growled, staring at the two vampires in shock, so much like the werewolf they just killed. It was enough that Michael gave the man a close look, trying to find out if he still might have been bitten or something.

Michael couldn't find something suspicious there, but gave David a questioning look anyway, thinking that he'll know better about these things than him. For a fleeting moment they locked gazes only for the platinum-haired vampire to shake his head in response. Michael nodded in response, feeling kinda relieved because he still felt kinda uneasy about the whole killing business – even if part of him knew that it was part of their nature.

Still, he felt some strange emotion about how serious the older vampire was about this. Seriously, if he didn't knew any better, he'd thought David was trying to woo him and Star, or something akin of that.

"We're not here." David said then, interrupting Michaels thought at that. His voice changed to a similar tone it had the very first night when Michael had met them in the cave. It caused the human's eyes to became glassy and he nodded in return.

"You're not here..." He muttered in weird tone then went still, seemingly asleep.

"Come, Michael," David said,"we're done here." He couldn't quite keep the amusement out of his voice while watching the expression of puzzlement on his child's face. Seeing that it was very obvious that he was thinking about something, hard.

David was surprised by the strength of relief he felt that it wasn't anguish he was feeling from the boy, although he could tell that Michael hadn't quite come to terms with his need for human blood.

"What's on your mind?" He asked, knowing that was better to get out now, or Michael would end up brooding for days again.

"That werewolf, he reminded me of something, someone." Michael began slowly, frowning at what his senses were trying to tell him. He didn't exactly like it but it was the only explanation. "His scent, it reminds of Grandpa, although it's slightly different."

"It is, isn't it?" David nodded, than taking the sword back to mount it on the single bike they were using to get here. "They're similar, yet different, very much in a way."

"How? How could it be?" Michael eyed him for a moment then nodded as well, seeing that what he suspected was true. "How can Grandpa be a werewolf? Wouldn't that mean that we would be, too?" He scratched his head, being now really confused, because he was absolutely sure that neither his brother or his mother was one of them.

"No, it doesn't have to be." The older vampire shook his head in return. "There different kinds of werewolves, or better lycans as they call themselves – and I think your grandfather has been born as one, not made like that poor fool."

"Born?"

"Yes, born. Michael, lycans are a lot different from our kind. They're kind of like humans in the way that they actually can interbreed with them, which means that by law of nature their children would be either lycans or humans."

"Oh, I see. So Grandpa is one but neither of us is, cause our mother didn't marry a werewolf then?"

"Yup, that's it, on the point." David nodded, then frowned, seeing more questions in Michaels eyes. "You want to know why we have to hunt that one then – and why you felt that it was your duty to do so?"

"Yeah, that would be nice to know." Michael nodded eagerly, cause that had been bugging for quite a while – and even more now that he knew about his own grandfather.

"Well, that one had been insane, cause he had the misfortune of not having a pack to help him along. You see, when a human gets changed into a lycan, they go through a very traumatic and painful phase. It's not unlike our own kind does, only it's worse, far worse than just fighting bloodlust. I guess they lose themselves to their wolfish instincts, if their isn't another lycan around to help with their first change."

"I see." Michael nodded, looking thoughtful at the other vampire. "Grandpa seems to pretty ordinary, most of the time." He really was, if you did count the stuffed animals, which made now sense in a strange sense. Michael couldn't help wondering if his Grandpa had hunted them all by himself and all. He frowned at that, because he didn't want to think about that, knowing that it just brought back memories of him and Star, being out there hunting … of the anticipation, the thrill of it and finally the taste of copper on his lips.

"Wonder if he does hunt, still." He murmured aloud, then blinked as in trying to force the thoughts away.

"You know, you don't have to." David said suddenly, after having watched the younger vampire's change of expression.

"What?" Michael swirled around, looking confused at David. "I don't have to do what?"

"Kill, you don't have to kill when feeding." David sighed, taking a step closer to his child, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Just once," he continued in a low and calm voice. "The first one that's really not to avoid, but after that, it's getting better – after a while."

Michael shivered, unable to break their eye-contact. It was almost like he was back under one of David's spells, but for some reason he knew he wasn't. No, he thought, it wasn't that, not with the sense of seriousness and … protectiveness he caught from the older male.

Swallowing, he forced himself to look away, but didn't moved away. "You're asking me to feed?" He managed to get out in voice that was far too unsteady to his ears.

"No," David whispered, shaking his head slowly, "but it would better if you did, until you lose completely control about your hunger."

"Better?" Michael looked up, staring once again into David's eyes that had now returned to their natural dark colour. "How can that be better?"

"Michael." David shook his shoulders gently, gazing at him like a stubborn child. "Believe me, I really don't want to force you, but it's getting painfully obvious to me that you're losing control about it."

"David, I ..." He tried to object but was caught off guard by a glimpse of pale skin of the older vampire's neck. Michael couldn't help it, but his lips felt suddenly very dry … and he couldn't get his eyes to look somewhere else …

"Drink." David's voice had gotten husky, had became seductive … trance-like and Michael found himself giving into it, leaning closer to the other vampire only to stop a little later.

"Drink," David's voice repeated, sighed only to shake his head in something close to frustration another moment later. "Michael," he said, pulling his child's head close to his, "don't fight this." He gazed into his eyes and Michael stared back, stubbornly fighting what he so obviously desired.

For a long moment, David held his gaze, thinking of something to convince the younger vampire to stop fighting, that fighting this was beyond stupid then smiled softly.

"Do you want to hurt your brother? Hurt Sam?" He asked calmly the grinned at the fearful look he received in return.

"No, I don't want that." Michael managed to get out, shivering now because he couldn't help but … remember, remember that night when he had attacked Sam – and it's only because of Nanook that he hadn't killed his own brother. He licked his lips, once again, knowing that David was right: he was slipping, losing grip on his thirst, with the way the animal blood had became shallow, leaving him longing for something more each night.

The point of no return was coming slowly but steadily – and it was only a question of time until the change would be complete. Too bad, he didn't really feel like cutting strings with his family, with Lucy, Grandpa and most of all Sam just yet.

"I don't think I'm ready to change over …" He managed to get out, trying to explain himself, which wasn't an easy thing for him, but he knew he had to.

"It's okay." David's voice purred softly. "This won't change you into a full vampire, Michael, but it'll help you with your problem, fighting the hunger." It would also feel nice to have this once again, he thought, thinking that it had been far too long since the day he lost his pack, thanks to his sire Max. It could get rather lonely, being all by himself.

The platinum-haired vampire sounded honest, but Michael couldn't help but hear an unspoken 'yet' at the end of this sentence; not that it mattered much, not now.

"Drink." David said a third time – and this time his child didn't fight its lure, not anymore.

And it was good, for both of them. It was good to stop thinking, worrying, fighting loneliness and … just feel, living in the now and here, together.

xxx

Just another stranger

.

The other day at the Emerson's place Lucy's routine got a sudden interruption...

"Hello?" A youthful voice asked, knocking at the door. A door that was opened a moment later, even she knew she should be be more careful now. Only she couldn't help but be curious – and it was broad daylight, so it couldn't be one of those vampires.

"Hello?" Lucy repeated in confusion, while staring at the blonde haired young man in front of her. "Do I know you?" She frowned, cause she had the strangest feeling that she met him before but couldn't place him.

"No," he said in return,"but I have seen you before. Lucy, right? My name is Thornton." He grinned at that. He looked good in a boyish kind of way, rugged, face slightly unshaven and shoulder-long blonde hair, which turned slightly grey at the sides.

"Here," he said, "please accept this for an apology." He revealed a bottle of what looked like high quality wine. "Let's be friends, should we?"

"Um, why not, Mr. ..." She replied, but couldn't help feel flustered at that moment, but also a little bit spooked, because the strange vibe she got from this stranger. Lucy could not help but wonder why he had given only one name, which could be both his given name or his family name; strange one, indeed.

She shook her head then nodded, because it was nothing but a feeling – and not even a bad one at that, but there was something off about this man. Sighing to herself, she took the bottle from him, giving it a close look up – and froze in mid-motion.

It couldn't be … no, there was no way, but nonetheless it was right her hands … very real.

She looked up, giving this Thornton a questioning look, who in return just grinned at her. He looked completely ordinary with his rugged blonde hair and pale blue eye, but so did Max back then – and look what had come out of that in the end? Right it turned into a disaster far bigger than she could imagine at that point since she thought that something like vampires did only exist in books and movies.

"Is the wine to your satisfaction, Ms. Emerson?" He asked in a soft voice, eyes dancing with mirth. Whatever it was, it was obvious it was very important to him that appreciated his gift instead of just accepting it out of courtesy.

"It … is fine." She nodded. "You want to come in on a coffee?" She offered, not knowing what to say or how to react. It wasn't every day a stranger knocked at ones door and then went ahead to offer a gift like this – Why on earth did he pick the exact same wine she had wanted to offer Max for their interrupted dinner? It was the same brand, type and even year of all things.

"Thank you," he said then shook his head. "May be later when I'm not this busy with the house."

"You're new, aren't you?" She smiled at that, remembering how it felt when they had arrived in Santa Carla these weeks ago. "Are you in the neighbourhood?"

"Yeah, one could say that." He nodded then sighed for an unknown reason, his eyes becoming unreadable with emotion she couldn't place. "I'm your neighbour. I'm sure we'll meet again."

Hope you enjoyed the ride. Hmm, does anyone have an idea who this Thornton character might be? What's up with the wine and all?

Mia