Awakening, from the song by The Damning Well feat. Danny Lohner
Yes, this is a 12,000+ word chapter
Yes, there is a scene of violence that I would categorize as potentially NSFW - it just depends on what you feel is suitable.
"Where would you like to begin?" the woman sitting across the desk from Max Caulfield asked as Max fidgeted in her seat. Everyone she knew essentially pushing her into this, Max had protested up to the point of Chloe dropping her off before heading back to the apartment.
"Ugh, I don't care," Max said, leaning her head back to stare up at the ceiling, "I don't even want to be here."
"Then why are you here?" the woman asked, moving from her chair to sit on the desk, ensuring the voice recorder next to her was working.
"Blah traumatic experience blah blah trauma counseling blah," Max said in a harsh tone. I know you have nothing to do with this, Dr. Ives, but this is so freaking stupid.
This was her first actual appointment with the therapist, a request started off by Blackwell Academy shortly after she was no longer a 'missing person'. Avoiding the obvious things that needed to be covered up, Max had explained to the police officer that showed up at the apartment the morning after she had returned, she had been kidnapped and had little to no recollection of the past month. Spending most of the morning in the police station, Max had straight back to the apartment and hid herself away, Chloe having left that morning.
Becoming something of a local celebrity, Max's sudden reappearance after being declared missing had made the local news, the story of her kidnapping flashing across a few headlines. Max knew that it was dangerous, Painting cross-hairs on my back would be less threatening, but she also knew that it would keep Antony and anyone else who might come after her at bay. Capture me once, shame on you.
"Max, Blackwell Academy was kind enough to pay for this session and at least one more. Provided you speak, or open up. I'm not on your dime, so you don't have to feel obliged to tell me anything. I would really like it if you would, though," Dr. Ives said as she leaned back against the desk.
"Jesus fuck, everyone wants to know how I'm doing. Maybe I don't want them to know? Maybe I like having some things to myself?" Max blurted out, crossing her arms as she eyed the doctor in irritation, "You really want to know something?"
"Only if you want to share," Dr. Ives said with a gesture of welcome, opening her arms wide before lowering them back to her sides.
"I'm an immortal teenage vampire who takes pictures for a living. I work part-time at a school helping kids prepare for the world of photography. I had a kinda live-in girlfriend who slapped me when she first saw me after I had come back only to kiss me not even a minute later and then leave the next morning because she gets so heated and fucking upset. I remember it vividly because I get so heated sometimes, too. She barely talks to me. I'll never look older than 16 years of age. I drink animal blood because human blood turns me into a psycho and is gross, and I'm feeling fidgety because I'm hungry and you look appealing. Now. You share," Max said, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, aside from the vampire bits I'm pretty sure that you need to be here, Max. The hostility and isolation, combined with what you experience, points to post-traumatic stress. Unless you actually think that you're a vampire, in which case I would like to discuss any potential drug use on your part or your partner's, Dr. Ives replied, her voice calm.
Ugh.
Max walked out of the small office building and shielded her eyes as a few rays of sunlight came across her vision. Her stomach still growling, Max walked down the sidewalk to a small shaded area and sat against the tree as she pulled out her metal sports bottle. Unfastening the cap, Max took a long drink and made an "Aah!" noise as she felt her hunger subside. The taste is better, I'll give Che that much, Max thought as she looked at the bottle with a bemused expression before placing it back in her camera bag.
On one of the few occasions Chloe had met with Max to actually hang out since she returned from her captivity, they had experimented with improving the flavor of Max's food. Adding different kinds of spices and seasonings in an attempt to make it more palatable for Max, Chloe also wanted to dumb down the aftertaste Chloe normally encountered when kissing Max after she feeds. Yeah, except you aren't actually kissing me, let alone even looking at me, lately, Chloe.
Settling on some wasabi, ghost pepper powder, and lime juice, the taste had become more agreeable to Max and "fucking okay" to Chloe. Max put in her earbuds as she remembered how badly the kitchen had smelled during their experiments when she heard a honk coming from down the sidewalk. Sitting up quickly, Max jogged over to Chloe as the other girl looked patiently over at the door to the office building.
"Dude, you didn't fucking bail, did you?" Chloe asked nonchalantly as Max climbed into the passenger seat, "Come on, free therapy shit. And on Blackwell's tab."
"You're free to take my other appointment, Che, if you want. Work out some of your bullshit, too," Max said, trying to hide her surprise at Chloe seeking her out. Who's bailed on who, Chlo?
"Whoa, let's not get crazy now. Well," Chloe said as she pulled back onto the street, "Not too crazy. So, what did you think of the flavor It getting better?"
"Tastes like the dregs of a Tabasco bottle, but yeah. I like it," Max said as she patted her camera bag.
"I should totally market that shit. Get some hella prime sponsors from vamp-" Chloe started to say before looking over at Max's ashen face.
The mention of other vampires left Max emotionally shaken. Still reeling from her return almost two weeks ago, Max had periods of sleep where she would wake up screaming, her pillow drenched in blood from hours of crying. Max also admitted to herself that while she would never call herself outgoing in the first place, she had become a little more withdrawn since coming back a week and a half ago. No trips to Two Whales, Max had even turned down a dinner made by Chloe and Joyce at Joyce's house shortly after her return, welcomed to the house as David was kicked out by Chloe's mother when she found out about his altercation with Max and Chloe the morning before Max had disappeared. Joyce and David were trying to patch things up, but David had moved into a small, one-bedroom apartment in the meantime.
Max only felt comfortable around a few people, but if they wanted to see her it was up to them to come visit at her apartment. At the apartment, Max was almost how she was before Antony had taken her, save for bouts of sudden quiet and antisocial behavior. Still somewhat withdrawn at times, Max would visibly brighten when Dana, Juliet, and Kate came to visit. Kate would sometimes bring her violin and Max would pull an old acoustic guitar out from under the bed and they would just play random rhythms while the other girls listened and talked. Both Dana and Juliet had encouraged Max to resume her photography work, booking appointments with Kate tagging along as the newest addition to what was now a growing friendship between the four of them.
Chloe was the one who brought up mixed feelings in Max the most. Chloe had carried Max into the apartment from the landing after she had collapsed. Lowering Max into the bathtub, Chloe had filled the tub with steaming water and cleaned Max up in silence. Kissing the scars on Max's body while gently washing her, Chloe had fed Max cup after cup of blood while Max just numbly sat in the bathtub. Once Max was washed up, Chloe had wrapped her in a bathrobe she had brought from Joyce's and sat Max on her lap in the living room chair. Rocking Max gently back and forth, Chloe had waited in silence for Max to start speaking again.
Max started with a sniffle as she looked lifted her head from Chloe's shoulder. Looking up at Chloe, Max had planted a single kiss on Chloe's cheek, staring at the blue-haired girl as Chloe stared back. Max had been gone for weeks, with no word, and both girls felt awkward as they had expected different outcomes. Chloe had been fearful of another abandonment, wounded more so after she had become so much closer with Max than before. Max had expected Chloe to be gone, or for a lot more time to have passed since she had been taken. Her hand trembling, Max laid it upon the cheek that she had kissed and watched as Chloe's silence broke with a small sob escaping her lips.
"I...I didn't know what to think," Chloe said, looking down at Max as the other girl just stared up at her, "I was afraid that you were fucking dead, at first. I searched everywhere in town, and the nagging worry that you had ditched me began to creep up."
"Che...," Max said as she rubbed the thumb of her hand on the cheek she was cradling.
"A part of me knew, knew, that you wouldn't pull something like that again. You love me like I love you...but I've been hella fucked over before, Max, so I began to second-guess everything you had said to me since you came back," Chloe said, a look of anxiousness on her face as she waited for Max's response.
"I would never do that to you, Che. I'm just glad you're still here, I was so scared of what I might be coming back to," Max said, laying her head back down on Chloe's shoulder.
"I'm just glad you're back, Max," Chloe said shakily, tilting her head to see that Max had nodded off.
When Max had woken up, she was in her bed and Chloe was gone, what belongings she had brought from Joyce's house taken with her. Walking around the apartment, Max noticed a note taped to the fridge.
I know it's not your fault, Max, Max read as she scanned her eyes across Chloe's letter, I know you didn't ask for whatever happened to you to happen. I'm sorry it did. But you disappeared. Again. As happy as I am that you're back I'm just as terrified of this happening again, and I don't know how to deal with that. You probably think I'm being an asshole for taking off, and I kinda feel like one, but we got so close when you came back and it was ripped from me. I don't honestly know where to go from here. I'm going to need some time to myself. I won't disappear, but I think we need to cool our jets, dude, and figure some things out.
I'm sorry,
Chloe
Chloe had warmed back up to Max slowly, very slowly, but it was still incredibly awkward between them as Max felt heartbroken from Chloe's distance towards her and Chloe already was heartbroken. Chloe would try to get Max to hang out with her at the junkyard or Two Whales, but Max would turn her down because she just didn't feel comfortable around groups of people in public settings yet. In turn, Chloe would shoot down Max's requests to hang out at the apartment, or to come over when Dana and the others were there for a visit. Max was still surprised that Chloe had picked her up, looking out the passenger side window as she sat in the truck with Chloe speeding through Arcadia Bay. Max took in the surroundings through the window in an attempt to calm herself down, and to avoid the emptiness in her chest every time she looked at Chloe.
"That bad, huh?" Max heard Chloe ask. Turning so that she was facing forward, Max looked over at the smirking Chloe, "Oh shit. You didn't eat her, did you? Bad Max, bad!"
"Woof, smart-ass. And no, no therapist on the menu. In all honesty I would be afraid to even if I wanted to. I think she might be taking some of her own stash," Max said, remembering the initial hazy, glass-eyed look on Dr. Ives face as she had entered the office, "So, enough mumbo-jumbo. So what now?"
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, sounding confused.
"...Are you here to fucking torture me, Chloe?" Max asked with a frustrated grunt, "Is this some type of penance I have to endure? Never mind that I was kidnapped, but the night I come back you're all extra lovey-fucking-dovey only to take off before I wake up the next day. I can count on one hand the number of times we have talked."
"Dude, that is not my fucking fault," Chloe said with an edge to her voice, "You know how I feel. And I try to get you to leave your stupid apartment, but you're hella paranoid."
"Oh, so my home is 'stupid', now? The place you crashed for the month I was gone. Is it stupid because I'm there?" Max asked, meeting the tone of Chloe's voice.
Chloe pulled over to the side of the road and switched her truck's ignition off, fuming at Max as she spun to face the equally-angry girl sitting near the passenger door.
"I didn't pick you up to start a fight, but if that is what you want then fucking bring it, brat," Chloe said, using one of her pet words for Max with an insulting tone, "You disappear, after a fucking amazing week. Yeah, I get it wasn't on you, but you dis-a-fucking-ppeared. It was like five years ago, all over again. And I now know that it could happen again. I dunno, Max, maybe all the shit you've told me and all the shit I've seen from you hit me when you came back."
"I didn't fucking run away, goddamnit. If you knew what I'd been through-" Max started to say, only to stop when Chloe let out a bitter laugh.
"But I don't! You won't tell me! I'm in the goddamn dark on so many things with you, Max, that it's like I'm stumbling around you. You don't talk about anything except us, or Blackwell, or anything that doesn't involve the three years you disappeared off the face of the earth. Fuck! How can something like that be healthy, for either of us!" Chloe snapped, swinging her door open with an angry shove.
Max watched in silence as Chloe flipped off a car that honked at her as it nearly hit Chloe's door, the taller girl yelling after the vehicle that fueled her ire. Practically stomping over, Chloe wrenched open the passenger door and gestured for Max to get out. Max slid out of the truck and looked at Chloe with a sullen expression, Chloe choosing to ignore the pain both of them were feeling. I don't want it like this, Chloe! I want to tell you everything! I want to give you everything! Don't keep me locked out, please! How can you hate me so much?
"How can you hate me so much?" Max blurted out, not catching herself as thought became spoken word. Max saw Chloe flinch at the unguarded pain in Max's voice, "H-How can everything we shared be gone?"
"...I need to go," Chloe said, looking away from Max for a moment before sliding into her truck from the passenger side. Max watched as Chloe grabbed onto the steering wheel with shaking hands. Closing the passenger door, Max kicked at Chloe's truck before storming off, not bothering to pay Chloe any further attention.
Making it to her apartment, Max saw Dana standing on the landing with Kate as she made her way up the steps. Kate looked down in her direction with a smile on her face only to grow concerned as she eyed the redness of Max's eyes and the look of despair on her face. Max sighed as Kate descended the steps and met Max halfway in a warm hug.
"Chloe again?" Kate asked, giving Max a light squeeze. Max looked up to see Dana walking down to join them. Feeling the extra force of another person hugging her, Max felt herself begin to break down again.
"I-I didn't ask to be taken away," Max said, thinking of the instant she awoke in the submerged box, of the vision of Chloe at the lighthouse with rivers of tears streaming down her eyes as their hearts broke, "I-I just want her back so bad." Max cried in Kate's arms as Dana looked at Max with concern.
"We can always come by another time," Dana said with deep concern, putting a hand on Max's free shoulder, the other occupied by Kate's resting head.
"N-n-no...no," Max said, exhaling sharply as she began to calm herself down, "No. I will...I will be okay. I guess. C'mon, I've got your latest shoot finished, and I wanted to show you two some of the landscape work I've been doing. The local tourism office has kinda been working me to the grindstone since I've been back."
"The work helps, right? Keeps you occupied?" Kate asked as she took Max's hand.
"It helps," Max somberly replied, nodding. Max felt relief in Kate's grip, the steady beat of her friend's heart giving her an echo of the comfort she felt with Chloe's touch. Had felt. I don't know, I just don't know. Ugh, Chloe! Just ugh. And crap.
Max sat on the couch, Couch version two-point-oh to Max, as she spread out the prints from Dana's shoot as well as the various shots of Arcadia Bay she had taken over the past week. Throwing herself into her work to try and keep her mind off of the missing month and Chloe, Max was busy with her photography and Blackwell Academy.
Returning with something of a second debut at the school, Max had asked Principal Wells and Mr. Jefferson if they even still wanted her around to be offered a freelance job from Mr. Jefferson as a second pair of eyes for his students' benefit. Because of her trauma, Blackwell had not only footed the bill for her therapy, Do not want!, but also had her come in an extra day. Three afternoons a week, for two hours, Max helped Mr. Jefferson as a fresher set of eyes in the world of indie, gonzo photography. Max showed the students how to not only find new creative means in their photographic work, but also some of the various tools of her own unique take on the trade. Her old Polaroid, a more traditional analog camera, a digital camera, and a helmet cam were brought to class every day so that the students could experiment with Max's blend of photo-taking.
Max kept Dana and Kate until it nightfall, ordering pizza and chatting about things they had been up to outside of class. Kate was visibly brighter than Max had ever seen her. Of course, dummy, because all you ever saw of her before was Kate in a depressed state. But it's nice to see her smiling and laughing, looks so much more natural to her. Dana's a sweetheart, too, taking Kate under her wing as a friend. At least I have friends to fall back on. Looking at her phone, Max told the girls that it was probably best if they ended their visit as it was a school night.
"Okay, Mom," Dana said with a chuckle as she gave Max a hug, "Hey, it will be okay. You will be okay. Yeah?" Dana said, comforting Max with a hand on her cheek.
"Whatever you say, 'Daughter'," Max replied with a chuckle. Giving both girls tight hugs, Max walked them to the door and waved as they ran off to try and catch one of the late-night bus runs.
Max was taking a drink from her sports bottle in the kitchen when she saw her phone go off from its place on the coffee table. Setting the bottle down, Max looked down at the phone in shock as a message notification from Chloe lit up the lock screen. Swiping the phone open, Max thumbed the message tab open.
Chloe: ...can we talk?
Max: I don't kno.
Max: Can we? Can you?
Chloe: Max, stop. Plz.
Max: ...fine. Where? Here?
Chloe: Neutral ground. 2 whales
Max: how is that neutral
Chloe: Mom's off work. Neutral ground.
Chloe: Unless you don't wanna
Max: fine. on my way
Chloe: k
Chloe: c u soon
Max sighed as she put her phone back on the coffee table. Part of her didn't even want to look at Chloe, much less meet her at the diner her mother practically ran. I feel bad. The tension between us bled into Joyce and Chloe too, I bet. Maybe I should have gone to that dinner. Ugh, Chloe fucking Price! Sighing again, Max walked over to her rack of clothes and changed back out of her oversized t-shirt and into a black and red flannel plaid t-shirt with black shorts and her combat boots. Putting her hair up into a ponytail, Max went to the bathroom to give herself a once-over. Not having gotten her hair cut since she had returned, Max's hair now went a little past her shoulder. I'm so used to my usual 'do. But I kinda like the length of this. Swish! Max thought as she twisted her head back in forth in a moment of humor, her slightly longer ponytail swishing behind her head. Battle stations, Max Caulfield. You're possibly going to war. Your heart may die out there, but you won't know until you try. Max shook the jitters out of herself and made for the hallway, locking the door behind her as she left the apartment. Time to meet my doom.
Max arrived at Two Whales before Chloe, peeking into the parking lot to see no sign of the truck before passing it as she made her way inside. Max numbly dragged her feet to a booth in the corner of the diner and sat facing away from the door. Seeing a cup of coffee put on the table, Max didn't bother to look up at the waitress as a menu was slid in front of her. Handing the menu back, Max told the waitress she would probably just be taking coffee tonight, the waitress walked away without so much as a word. Gingerly sipping at the dark beverage, Max thought about putting in some creamer, but thought with a smirk that the bitterness was appreciative. Bitter day, bitter week, bitter me, bitter drink. Heh, I rhymed. Max took small sips, never putting the small cup down on the provided saucer, and felt her hand involuntarily shake as a familiar smell wafted in from behind her.
If Max's heart were still beating, she swore it would have shut down as Antony took the seat from across her. Signaling the waitress over for another coffee, Antony casually glanced over at Max as the her mind began to flood her with memories of the box, of being tortured and chained away while Chloe slowly resented her all over again. Putting the coffee down with intent to not break the cup as she clutched at it, Max slid her hands under the booth to hide the fact that her hands were both shaking and clenched into fists.
"Y-Y-You," Max stuttered, somewhere between terror and rage, "You d-do what you did to me and j-just come back like everything is f-fine?"
"Ah, thank you," Antony said as the waitress came over with his coffee, "I will have...what would you suggest, Max?" Antony asked, looking over at Max calmly as she seethed.
"The pie is good here, especially the cherry," Max said through gritted teeth, forcing herself to smile as the waitress was eyeing her funny.
"Two slices of cherry pie, then," Antony said with a grin, raising his finger before the waitress turned around, "Wait. Um, perhaps a scoop of ice cream for each slice? Thank you so much, my dear."
Max watched Antony as he scanned the diner's interior with a once-over before directing his attention at Max. Max felt herself shiver as he looked at her.
"Am I going back in a box?" Max sputtered as she tried to calm herself down.
"It was suggested," Antony said nonchalantly, "Dumb luck that you were discovered so soon, I suppose, but not really. The truth is, something rather went to shit while you were confined. Something that required the hands of one who has no problem killing her own kind."
"Y-You make it sound like I enjoy that, like I don't just do it to survive," Max said, her upper lip curling in a sneer as Antony sipped at his coffee.
"Do you know what we call you, 'we' at least being the vampire community outside of the United States. Ripper. You slashed your way through Central Europe, the UK, and then turned back towards Eastern Europe. Every vampire that tried to detain you met with a, well, rather spectacularly messy end."
"Because you all wouldn't leave me alone, just like you're d-doing now," Max said, her terror giving way to her anger. You hurt me and locked me away and my life has gone halfway to shit and all I want to do right now is rip out your goddamn throat because my would-be-maybe girlfriend is supposed to be sitting where you are. Fuck you fuck you fuck you.
"Yes, well, there is a reason behind our methods. Not that we all agree with those reasons, or methods. I was simply doing my duty, Maxine," Antony said, pausing as the pies arrived, "Oh, dear, this looks delicious."
Max watched as Antony gingerly spooned a small amount of ice cream with a small piece of pie and chewed thoughtfully. A pleased expression crossing his face, Antony placed the spoon on the plate and gestured for Max to eat her slice of pie. Wanting whatever was going on to end as soon as possible, Max cut the pie into three pieces and watched Antony smirk as she inhaled the slice of pie down piece by piece. Dropping the spoon with a clatter, Max shoved the plate up against Antony's.
"I don't like vanilla. Or you," Max said as she clenched her teeth.
"I did not come here to detain you again, or to fight, Max. If you wish to, that is entirely up to you. We wish a detente," Antony said, steepling his fingers under his chin, "Something that required your early release. We'll even leave you alone, provided you agree."
"And if I don't? I assume I have no choice," Max said, folding her arms across her chest.
"No, you really don't. Please understand, while I did my duty, I do regret the barbarism I inflicted upon you-"
"Too bad, so sad. What the fuck do you want?" Max asked, eyebrows raised expectantly.
"...A nest of feral vampires has been moving up the coastline for the past couple weeks. While they have mostly focused on wildlife, they have very recently begun to go after...more domesticated game. A group of us are gathering outside your little haven to deal with the matter. Your presence is required later tonight, as we believe they will come close to this little hamlet," Antony explained, his tone suddenly very serious.
"Feral?" Max asked, chagrined as her curiosity was genuinely piqued.
"It happens, on occasion. A nest becomes insular, until it is to the point that they are little more than beasts. Shunning outside contact, their minds become focused only on the hunt, the desire to eat and make more of their kind."
Max contemplated such a thing, and found herself shaking as she remembered how she was when drinking human blood. Are they like that? Am I like them? Opening her mouth to speak, Max paused as a thought popped into her head.
"How many?" Max asked.
"We don't know the exact number, but you will be one of six at tonight's gathering. Myself included in that number."
"Why haven't I heard about this?"
"Because you don't watch bloody television, I'm assuming. 'Slasher victims found!' 'Mysterious trail of bodies!' Perfect for the tabloids, but America's news networks have never really gotten their priorities straight. Now, tonight. 2am at the city limits on the south end of Arcadia Bay," Antony said as he stood up from the booth, "Oh, your date seems to have arrived."
Max spun in her seat to see Chloe looking at Antony with a puzzled expression as the two passed each other. Slowing her pace down, Chloe eyed Max as they glanced at each other before the blue-haired girl took a seat. Dressed in an olive drab tank-top and black jeans, Chloe was wearing a new black beanie that she tugged at. Looking at the unfinished food left behind by Antony, Chloe looked up at Max with a wary expression.
"I interrupt something?" Chloe said, her voice edgily sarcastic.
"No. Just my captor coming to invite me to a slaughter," Max said in exhaustion. I get him dropping his crap on me and now Chloe. Wowsers, this night is just great.
"Wait, you had pie with the dude who kidnapped you? Max, are you high?" Chloe asked incredulously, her eyes widening.
"Only on life, Price, only on life. So. I'm here. Let's 'talk'."
"Dude, I really don't want to fight."
"And I don't want to feel like this is going to suck, but I do," Max said, rolling her eyes as Chloe snorted at the work suck.
"It doesn't have to end in heartache and sniffles, Max. Maybe if we just listen to each other-" Chloe said before getting interrupted by Max.
"I fucking miss you, Che," Max said plaintively, both her voice and face expressing the pain she felt as Chloe winced at Max's use of her pet name, "We promised each other forever, and you left me when I needed you."
"...I can't help it if things go to shit every time you bail, Max," Chloe said, resting her face in her hands, "Ugh, this sucks! I wish we were just...I...I fucking miss you, too. I just don't know if that's enough to mend whatever is between us."
"Chloe, I told you that I wouldn't leave unless you were right beside me. I need you to believe that, and I can't genuinely apologize for something that was out of my control," Max said, hesitantly reaching out to touch Chloe's arm. Seeing that Chloe didn't pull her arm back, Max gently lowered it until she had her hand over Chloe's and lightly squeezed.
"Max...you disappeared and I thought you were dead or just gone. My heart broke, Max, it fucking broke and I'm still trying t-to just feel. I was so numb. Putting up the flyers with my mom, combing through the entire town and the area outside Arcadia, each day was progressively worse. I just shut everything down, and made myself come to the conclusion that you had run off," Chloe said, wiping a tear away in frustration as she fought to not break down.
"Chloe, did you intentionally make yourself hate me?" Max asked, withdrawing her hand only to see Chloe look up in heartbreak at the loss of her touch, "H-how could you do such a thing?"
"Because it's what I needed, Max!" Chloe half-shouted, lowering her voice when she noticed the waitress looking in their direction, "Do you know how it feels to have your heart ran over by everyone you ever cared about, every person you've ever loved? My dad dies, you bail, Rachel ditches me, and you disappear on me again. The best choice for me, the only choice I could process, was to say 'fuck it' to all of you and mean it."
"But I am here now, Chlo, and I will not let anyone take me away from you," Max said as she returned her hand to Chloe's, intertwining her fingers to Chloe's visible relief.
"But...but you can't promise me that, Max," Chloe said, her voice breaking as she fought the urge to cry.
"I can't promise a lot of things, Che," Max said, using her other hand to gently lift Chloe's chin so that they were looking at each other in the eye, "I can't promise tomorrow, but I can promise right now. I don't just need you, or want you, Chloe Price. I love you. I've loved you since I was thirteen, since you were my first kiss up in your bedroom. Remember? You thought we were practicing for some imaginary future wedding?" Max grinned as she saw Chloe's eyes light up a bit at the memory.
"'Future astronaut wedding in space', complete with freeze-dried ice cream and pureed cake because-"
"-because in space no one can cut a cake," Max said as she finished Chloe's recollection. Both girls chuckled as they pictured how they were five years ago, "You kissed me, pretending I was some 'future astronaut husband' or something."
"Well, yeah. Because it's in space," Chloe said as gripped on Max's hand and slid it up from her chin to her cheek, "Who else was I going to marry?"
"Me, Chloe. Me."
Chloe sputtered as the weight of what Max said hit her, the memory of Max's soft lips on her own for the first time all those years ago.
"But we were-"
"The second I kissed you, I knew. I looked in your eyes and saw my universe, my adventure, in you, Che," Max said, "And I want you to be a part of mine. I want to tell you everything, if you'll have me back." Max took her hands back and sat up in her bench, waiting as Chloe took in everything they had said. Max's heart nearly broke when Chloe got out of her booth, only for her to feel herself burn with joy as Chloe slid herself in so that she was sitting next to Max.
"Please, can we just be together now?" Chloe asked, leaning her head against Max's shoulder as tears rolled down her cheeks, "Can I let you have my heart?"
"You already have mine, Che. You've had it for years, so it's only fair I get yours," Max replied, pulling off Chloe's beanie to kiss her on the crown of her head. Feeling Chloe nuzzle up against her neck, Max felt her eyes get watery and grabbed a napkin. Wiping small spots of red from her face, Max's body felt electric as Chloe's heartbeat echoed through her body. The sensation surged as Chloe sat herself up only to cup Max's chin and lean their foreheads together. They didn't need a kiss as a sign of their bond mending, not anymore. A simple touch, a gesture of love, was enough for their mutual feelings to come across. Chloe and Max laughed in short spells as they intertwined both their hands together, their foreheads still pressed against one another. They held that pose for a while, breaking their unification only at the sound of the waitress coughing as she put the check on the table. Both girls looked away in embarrassment before Max composed herself and paid the bill.
Letting Chloe gently pull her out of Two Whales and to the truck, Max let out a surprised "oof!" as Chloe tugged a little harder so that she was now holding Max around the waist. Neither girl waiting for permission, their lips met halfway as a month of tension melted in a moment of unbridled love. I need you, love you, want you forever. Che, my love, I will never let you go ever, Max thought as she held onto the kiss as long as possible. Chloe pulled back after a minute or so, gasping lightly only to plunge herself into Max's lips again.
"Can we go to your place?" Chloe said, kissing Max between words and breath as she led both of them to the driver's side of her truck. Chloe let out a slight moan as Max pinned her against the door, the smaller girl's hands sliding up the inside of Chloe's tank top. With a brief sound of disappointment, Chloe looked at Max as the other girl suddenly pulled away. Chloe hesitated as she saw the serious look on Max's face. "Hey, what's wrong? Does my breath stink? Which, by the way, would be hilarious considering who I'm saying this to. Ms. Bloodbreath."
"We can go to my place, yeah," Max said, taking Chloe's hand, "but I've got some things to tell you, and I have something I must do later tonight. I'm going to need all my focus on that, so make-up sexy fun will have to wait, Che."
"Was it that guy, the one I saw you with? Max, talk to me."
"When we get home, Che. When we get home," Max said, smirking as she realized that she wanted her apartment to become their home.
The apartment was illuminated by a single lamp switched on in the bedroom when Max and Chloe arrived, Max having left it on by accident. Chloe moved to the light switch around the corner of the hallway when Max gently grabbed the reaching hand and instead led Chloe to the bedroom. Gently sitting Chloe down on the bed, Max joined her as she folded her legs into a cross-legged position.
"When I said that I had done...terrible things, Chloe, I want you to understand the weight of what I mean. Out of the three years I was gone, I spent a large portion of the last two on the run. I traveled all across Europe, Japan, the United States. I had opportunities to improve my photography skills along the way, sure, but I was only given those opportunities because I was running from place to place while looking for somewhere to hide," Max said, pausing to let Chloe take her words in. Seeing Chloe look at her and nod to continue, Max coughed a little before speaking up again.
"I was pursued, for killing the vampire that made me. I was at a party in Seattle, back in 2010, and someone spiked my drink with...I don't know what. I remember being led to a building near the parking lot where the party was being held, and falling through a floor...maybe down a floor. When I came to, I had been turned," Max said, taking a moment to keep herself from getting choked up.
"Hey. It's okay. I'm here now," Chloe said as Max wiped a tear from her eye, "Please, Max, keep going...if you want..."
"...I killed him. He was stupid and turning me was an accident. My life was over and a new one forced on me by an accident, Che. I remember bits and pieces...but I know that I killed him. I was taken in by the boy's mentor, Henri, and shown how to control myself. Henri took the life of a vagrant so that I would be able to feed. It was the first blood I had, and the only time I've ever fed off a human," Max said, stopping as she rubbed her hands together like she was trying to wash something off of them.
"So you've never...actually fed off of someone who was still alive?" Chloe asked, the relief in her voice catching Max's attention. Chloe gave an apologetic smile as she saw Max's crestfallen reaction.
"No. No, I haven't. It's one of the reasons I stay away from human blood. In three years I've had human blood...I can still count the times with only one hand. Two of them were here in Arcadia Bay, so I guess this place isn't as much of a 'safe haven' as I thought. Anyway, I thought I was safe with Henri when I went to France with him but it turns out that there was some type of...I dunno, vampire 'government' or rulers...whatever, there were people in this community and they wanted to do something about my having killed one of my kind." Max looked over as she heard Chloe gulp, "Oh my Dog, are you enjoying this?"
"Max, you've never told me this stuff before. I'm not enjoying it, so much as that you're trusting me with it," Chloe said with a smile, taking one of Max's hands in her own, "Keep talking if you want, you don't have to share all at once."
"Good, because I don't know if I can. I don't know if I can look you in the eye if I were to spill it all out in a single night," Max said with a sigh of relief as she bumped Chloe's forehead with her own, "But there are...important things, things that are immediate, that you need to know. The man who took me, the guy in the diner, is called Anton. He's...well, I think he's some kind of enforcer for whatever it is that's in charge...thinks it is in charge, and he came with a message. If I help him and some others take care of a nest of vampires that are making their way near here, they will leave me alone. I can be with you, Che, and you won't have to worry about me being taken ever again." Max watched Chloe break out into a huge grin before suddenly looking very worried.
"...What does this mean, exactly?"
"I have to help them kill the nest, and they don't know how many there are," Max said simply, her shoulders slumping.
"...Could you...possibly...," Chloe said, only for Max to reply by placing a finger on Chloe's lips.
"I will...am...coming back to you, Chloe Price. Do not doubt that ever again," Max said with a stern, heartfelt tone.
"Shouldn't you be revving up then, like getting hella hardcore or something?" Chloe asked, standing up and gesturing to the kitchen, "We've gotta get your tank full, Max. Will your little cocktail keep you juiced?"
"I would say yes, normally, but I don't know how many I will be facing, Chloe. I've fought two-on-one at the max, let alone...oh, stop, Che," Max said, placing her hands on her hips as Chloe started to giggle.
"'The Max!' Oh, fuck, you pun without even realizing it. That's some good shit," Chloe said, nearly folding over from laughing. Max waited for her dork to finish. Laugh it up, you blue, dorky fuzzball.
"Anyway. I don't know, Chloe. Human blood and me...well...," Max said, embarrassed at the idea of discussing how the blood affected her with Chloe, "It...changes me..."
"Whoa, do you turn into a fucking beast or something? Like, sprout claws or some shit?" Chloe said, jerking up as she became even more curious.
"I don't remember everything...but it's like I get cold inside and all my control goes out the window. I become, well, let's just say they have a nickname for me...," Max said, holding her right arm with her left hand in awkwardness.
"Dude, you have to spill? Is it something cool? Max the Destroyer? Max de la Muerte?"
"You are enjoying this too goddamn much," Max said, rolling her eyes, "I wish I hadn't said that last bit."
"Too late, Maxaroni. Now...share," Chloe said, crossing her arms across her chest.
"...Ripper...," Max said with a whisper.
"Dude, say it. You might have hella good hearing but some of us still work with our initial specs," Chloe said with a smirk as she goaded Max on, "C'mon, fucking spill!"
"I am called 'Ripper' among other-"
"Holy fucking shit, that is so cool!" Chloe said with a giggle, "My girlfriend is a total badass! Max the Ripper! Wait. You're not like some creepy Freemason that kills prostitutes, are you?"
"I told you we shouldn't have watched From Hell when we were kids, but noooooo," Max countered, falling back onto the edge of the bed, "This shit isn't funny, Chloe. I didn't want you to hear, or see, this side of me. I hate it, Chloe, I hate that I am like this."
Chloe sat down next to Max and brushed some of the hair that had escaped Max's ponytail over her ear. Wiping away at a part of Max's cheek, Chloe planted a soft kiss on the same area before bumping her head against Max's.
"I'm glad you told me. And I expect to hear more, but for right now just know that what you said doesn't change how I feel," Chloe said as she put a hand on Max's shoulder, "We've got our own shit to deal with, you and me, but we can get through your stuff together. Isn't that what a relationship is all about?"
"...So you want to be in an actual relationship with me, like for cereal? Max asked, looking out of the corner of her eye at Chloe.
"I'm saying yes, but I'm also saying we will take it a bit more slowly than before you vanished. I want to get to know you, all of you, and I want to make myself more comfortable for you. I know I can fucking turn on a dime, and I'm willing to work at this," Chloe said as she lifted their intertwined fingers to eye level, "if you're willing to fight for it."
Max kissed their joined hands and snickered when Chloe quickly did the same, albeit with a little more dramatic flair than Max had. Max stopped giggling when she saw Chloe suddenly get very serious. Once again standing up, Chloe released Max's hand as she began to pace back and forth, and Max became curious as to what she was up to.
"My turn to tell you to speak, Chloe," Max said, her face becoming as serious as Chloe's, "What're you thinking?"
"You can't know what strength you'll need to be at."
"Yeah."
"And you're not sure if the blood you have is strong enough to keep you jakked up."
"Also yeah. Where are you going with...no, Chloe, don't you fucking dare-"
"Max...you need to drink me," Chloe said in complete seriousness, stopping her pacing to stand directly in front of the still-seated Max. Chloe tried to grab Max by the shoulders but cursed softly when Max sprinted to a corner in the darkened living room.
"No, Chloe! Fuck no!" Max shouted from the living room as she saw Chloe walk towards her in the dark with a determined look on her face. Jesus fuck, Che, what the hell are you thinking?!
"Max, stop and listen to me. I want you to come back, I need you to...but how can I trust that if you're not at full strength," Chloe said, her voice imploring.
"I will not feed on you, Chloe Price. How can you even bring up such an idea?"
"Because it's all you have, Max! These other vampires you're working with, they're coming soon?"
"...Yes," Max said with a defeated tone in her voice. Chloe Price being logical is the first sign of the Apocalypse, I swear to DOG.
"Then there is no time to waist," Chloe said, moving to where she was inches from Max. Max flinched as Chloe bared her neck at Max's face, "Do it. Oh, goddamnit Max!" Chloe cursed louder as Max fled again to the kitchen. Chloe grabbed Max by the arm as the other girl was about to chug down an entire jug of not-human blood, "Would you woman up and bite me already?"
Max began to shake as Chloe continued to shove her bared neck in Max's face, Max shaking her head emphatically as Chloe watched her from the corner of her eye. Max was lurched forward as Chloe let out a frustrated grunt and dragged Max to the bedroom. Letting Max go, Chloe fell onto the bed and laid there with her arms outstretched.
"Fucking bite me!" Chloe said, "Please, Max. I'm serious. If you need to...you can."
"I...I don't want this..." Max said, whimpering as Chloe looked at her with a compassionate smile.
"We don't want a lot of things to happen, Maxaroni, but sometimes we need what we want least. Just...just don't bite too hard, okay?"
"B-but I've never done this b-before..." Max said, sitting on her knees at the foot of the bed, "I don't know if I trust myse-"
"I trust you," Chloe interrupted, and Max felt something give inside of her, a wall that came crashing down as she saw the absolute trust in Chloe as the other girl looked at Max with all her walls of toughness gone.
Max gazed at the blue-haired Chloe and saw the girl she had fallen in love with five years ago, the brave wild-child who had taken her on so many adventures. The girl who had been her first kiss, and only love. Looking at Chloe's still form, watching only her chest move as she took in steady breaths, Max looked for a place to bite her that would be inconspicuous. Neck? Obiviously not, Stupid. Her upper arm? Ehh, no. What about...? Looking up at Chloe as she hovered over Chloe's body, Max looked at her with an anxious expression.
"Could you...maybe...take your pants off?" Max asked, feeling very bashful as Chloe gave her a grin in reply.
"You sure are kinky, Max Caulfield," Chloe said with the same grin still on her face as she unbuttoned her jeans and let Max slide them off.
Gently spreading Chloe's legs out, Max's face hovered inches from Chloe's inner left thigh. Max could hear the beat of the artery in the lean extremity, placing her ear against it. Max looked up when she heard a chuckle as Chloe looked down at her with an amused expression.
"Dude, if you're going to do it then just go. Just...just be gentle. You're popping your vampy cherry and mine, remember?" Chloe said, running her fingers through Max's hair for a moment before closing her eyes and lying head back.
Max pictured blood in her mind and felt the memory of its taste on her tongue, how it messed with her head, and how good she remembered feeling. It's like a freaking drug, and tonight Chloe is my dealer. Crap. Popping her fangs out, Max slid her partly-opened mouth along Chloe's leg, dragging her lower lip against the skin. Hearing Chloe moan slightly, Max realized she was being kind-of sensual about it and wondered if this was instinct or if it was because she was going to be feeding from a girl she is in love with. Mentally shrugging, Max braced herself and let her fangs sink into Chloe's leg, eyes clamped shut as the first trickle of blood made its way into her mouth.
The blood was so good, so pure, as the first drops ran down her throat. Max's previous encounters with human blood were nothing like this, ever. Wowsers, it's like every drop of her is a living thing itself! Oh, Chloe...you fucking taste amazing, Max thought as she took in one mouthful, then two. Max paused as she heard a moan escape Chloe's lips and began to pull her mouth back in hesitation before feeling a hand press her head down. Opening up a single eye, Max looked at the look of euphoria on Chloe's face.
"Yerr geffing off on iff?" Max asked, her mouth held onto Chloe's thigh.
"Shut up," Chloe uttered only to moan again as Max sucked a little tighter on the broken skin. Taking in two more mouthfuls, Max felt amazement at the surprising lack of bloodlust she felt. Pulling Chloe's hand off her head with one arm, Max lifted herself up with the other until she was in a sitting position. Sprinting to the bathroom, Max almost instantly returned with a bath towel. Sliding the towel under Chloe's leg, Max placed a long bandage on the bite marks and wound some gauze around the leg. She watched expectantly as Chloe gingerly sat up, Max looking away as she saw the flushness of Chloe's face.
"I can't believe you got off on that," Max said with an incredulous tone.
"Don't knock it until you try it. You, however, actually can't try it...well, my part of 'it'," Chloe said as she placed a kiss on Max's lips as the other girl turned to face Chloe. Wiping her own blood from her lips, Chloe quirked an eyebrow and nudged Max with her shoulder, "So, how did I taste?"
"You...you tasted alright," Max said, embarrassed at the new line of questioning.
"I tasted 'alright'? That's it?"
"You were fucking incredible, okay?! Fuck, Chlo!" Max said, turning around to face Chloe directly, then wincing as she saw the look of shock on Chloe's face, "What?"
"Dude, it's like your eyes are fucking black mirrors or something...," Chloe said, a hand gently probing Max's face.
"What-?"
A knock at the door broke their moment of awkward intimacy as they both jumped at the sudden invasion on their moment. Not hesitating, Max tossed Chloe her jeans and sprinted to the door. Looking through the peephole she had installed a week ago, Max saw Antony and a person she did not know standing impatiently outside. Unlocking the door, Max swung it open and eyed both men suspiciously.
"Now?" Max asked in surprise.
"Now," Antony said, then smirked at the small smear of blood on Max's face, "Did we catch you at a bad time?"
"What?" Max asked, confused, then gasped as Antony gestured she had something on her face, "I am so thankful I don't f-fucking blush anymore, Dog!"
Max led the two men in as she wiped at her face with the back of her hand. Sprinting next to Chloe, who was now rummaging through the refrigerator, Max swatted Chloe's hand away from a beer that Chloe had left behind when she'd been staying here.
"Hey!" Chloe said, rubbing her swatted hand.
"I just fed off you, Che. Do you really think beer is the best thing for you?" Max asked irritably, grabbing a Pepsi and gently shoving it into Chloe's chest. Hearing Chloe grumble, Max gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and led her back to the bedroom, "It's time."
Max gasped a little as Chloe suddenly sprung off the bed and latched onto Max with a tight hug. Feeling Chloe shake a little, Max ran her fingers through Chloe's hair and gave her a few kisses on the cheek.
"Come back to me," Chloe whispered in her ear, eliciting a grin from Max.
"Always," Max replied in kind, gingerly biting on Chloe's ear.
"Hey, I'm not a goddamn buffet. Specifically a one-plate special."
Grinning, Max grabbed a black leather jacket from her rack of clothes and gave Chloe one last kiss on the forehead before walking back into the living room. Sliding her arms through the jacket and sipping it up all the way, Max put her hands on her hips and beckoned for her awkward guests to move for the door.
"Lock the door!" Max shouted down the hall before closing it, hearing a "Yeah, yeah" from Chloe as the door shut with a click.
"You finally done?" the man accompanying Antony said. He was dressed in a long jacket with blue jeans and a tattered white t-shirt. His accent was British like Antony's.
"Yes, I'm finally done. We going to bicker, or are you going to fucking move?" Max asked with a hand on her hip. Chloe, you are a godsend. Is it you, keeping my thoughts so clear, the part of you that is now a part of me? I feel liberated, alive.
Sprinting down to the beach, the three vampires all collectively felt relief at the empty state of their surroundings. Sprinting along the beach, Max felt the wind smack across her face with a glee. Partly from the upcoming violence, partly from how clear her mind was, Max silently thanked Chloe over and over for her help in what came ahead. Max felt like herself, and yet not like herself. The ferocity that came with the blood, and the fighting, was there. It was held in check, however, but a clarity that Max had never experienced while under the power of human blood. Maybe it's because of how strong our bond is, or because I can't get her out of my head right now. I love you, Che, I fucking love you. I'm going to need everything you gave me, soon, and you'll be with me when I do this.
Watching as they approached the treeline that skirted around the south end of Arcadia Bay, Max saw through her vision a small cluster of vampires hiding just out of sight from the main road. Feeling the other two vampires she was with slow down, Max decided to push herself and sprang forward. Nearly colliding with one of them, Max spun in mid-air and landed on a fallen tree in a perching position. Grinning madly, Max snapped her head up and felt her grin try to go even further as she recognized two of the people standing near by.
"Maeve! Stephen!" Max cried out as she ran over to the two grinning twin redheads, clutching onto both of them as they awkwardly laughed, "Wowsers, I thought you said you'd never come to the States! You got dragged here for this?"
"'Ello, Max," Maeve said as she punched Max in the arm. Sporting shoulder-length red hair that was curled into ringlets, Maeve was sporting a military surplus jacket and black tank-top with shorts that came up to her thighs, ankle boots with the laces tucked in, "Dinna expect you to be the 'local' Antony mentioned. S'good ta see ya."
Max nodded and looked over at Stephen bashfully, the mute of the twins smiling widely as he caught Max in a bear hug. Dressed in a similar fashion to his sister, Stephen was sporting black cargo pants and a t-shirt that had 'Clone Club' stamped across it. Swinging her around, Stephen made his affection for the smaller vampire known as Max giggled from the look of happiness on his face.
"You all...know each other?" Antony asked as he eyed the three reunited vampires, his tone slightly accusing.
"They sheltered me for a few months at a farm outside Cork," Max said, patting Stephen's shoulder so that he would let her down, "We hunted wolves, and they took me to some really cool hangouts."
"Our wee lil adoptee," Maeve said as she wrapped an arm around Max and kissed her on top of her head.
"You harbored a fugitive?" Antony asked, an unpleasant tone in his voice.
"Pffft," Maeve chuckled, letting Max go as she made a move to stand between Max and Antony. Both vampires grew tense before Stephen interjected with his arms raised at both his sister and their temporary leader.
"...Fine. Whatever. I knew you all were acquainted. It's why I brought you two. Well, that and you're good fighters," Antony said, muttering something under his breath before coughing, "Max, this is Sheffield and Montrose, two of my associates."
The two men Max introduced were dressed almost exactly like Antony, all black, save for the more anxious looking one. His hair slicked back, the guy who curtly nodded at "Montrose" wore what looked like chain mail under his long jacket and his eyes darted back and forth.
"Uh, you okay?" Max asked, shooting Montrose a bemused look.
"She looks like she's 12," Montrose said as he looked at Antony with a facial expression that Max translated to What the fuck?
"Montrose, meet Ripper," Antony said, gesturing to Max, "Ripper, meet our baby boy."
"S-she's Ripper? You brought the bloody Ripper? Are you on something, Tony?" Montrose said, flinching as Max took a half-step toward him.
"Oh, he's so cute," Max said teasingly, her hands behind her back as she sniffed at him, "What are you, two months old?"
"I'm t-three months! So what? You're only like, what, three bloody years!" Montrose snapped back, a little too enthusiastically.
"Watch yerself," Maeve said with a snort, "She's called 'Ripper' for a reason, son."
"Three years is a hell of a lot more than three months, 'baby boy'," Max said with an exaggerated huff as she made towards Stephen and Maeve only to freeze in place. Max felt something approach, followed another something. She watched as the other five vampires' eyes turned violet, "I don't even like human blood and no one thought to fucking eat before this? Are you all fucking cereal?"
Max saw Maeve shrug and the others look at each other with concern before Antony silenced them all with a look. Making his way over to Max, Antony watched as she sniffed at the air. Her shoulders tensing up, Max spread her arms out slightly before sprinting forward nearly a quarter-mile. Making it in a minute or so, Max grabbed the sickly, filthy creature that was trying to scramble away. It's skin molting, he had glowing yellow eyes that looked diseased to Max. Holding him at arm's length, Max waited for someone to accompany her and felt Maeve's presence after a moment.
"Forgot how bloody quick ye catch on," Maeve said as she looked at Max's catch with a repulsed expression, "Och, he's so gross!"
"He's diseased, probably from eating something bad," Antony said as Sheffield arrived immediately after, "Look at his skin. Sheffield?"
Max watched as Sheffield examined the creature she was still holding at arm's length. What the crap have you gotten me into, asshole? Max thought as she glanced over at Antony, What is wrong with this...guy...?
"Clearly it's some type of blood-borne illness. Judging by the mottled skin, though, and the blackening gums I would say that it is possible they are feeding off of each other," Sheffield said, grimacing as the overpowering stench of Max's prey got caught in his nostrils. Everyone groaned in disgust only to suddenly freeze as Max snapped the infected vampire's head off with a sharp twist.
"...What?" Max asked innocently, wiping her hand on her jeans, "You said they were eating from one another, didn't you? That sounds like a very bad thing!"
"Well, it is..." Sheffield stammered, "I just don't think-"
"We didn't expect it, or that you would just up and end it so quickly," Antony said, putting a hand on Sheffield's shoulder to get the other man to close his gaping mouth.
Shrugging, Max closed her eyes and sniffed the air again, wondering where the other sounds and scents had gone. Where aaaarrree youuuu? Max thought, fighting to control the manic glee that was rising in her system. Max thought of Chloe, how Chloe loved her and cared for her, and felt herself calm down enough that she was merely on edge. Max's eyes popped open as she picked up noises that were coming from her left, and signaled to the others that something was coming from that direction. Hearing a sudden roar, Max and the other members of Antony's group crouched as a large group of scrambling creatures like the one they Max had just killed made their way over a hilltop and headed straight for them.
Max watched as Stephen flew and Montrose jumped over her head and landed on two of the creatures, fists landing with crunching thuds. Not waiting for anyone to tell her different, Max leaped up and caught one of the feral vampires in mid-air, slamming it into a nearby tree that it cracked from the impact. Grabbing the stunned creature with one hand, Max shoved her other hand into its chest and ripped its heart out. Dropping the heart to the ground as she landed, Max took a step back as the crumbling body molted away like paper mache. Jerking her head up, Max grunted as one of the creatures slammed into her as it tried to bite her. Gritting her teeth, Max snapped back for a moment before slamming her hands onto either side of the creatures head, hearing a pop as its jaw broke.
Taking advantage of the feral creature's moment of pain and confusion, Max grinned maliciously as she pulled on its shoulder until she felt the tear of its arm being ripped from its torso. Max giggled as she hammered away at the dying creature with its own arm, eliciting a "Holy shit!" from Montrose as some of Antony's party looked on in astonishment at the smaller girl's undaunted ferocity.
"You said they were diseased and feral!" Max shouted at the others, knowing some were staring but not acknowledging their looks, "Find somewhere else to point your eyeballs or you will lose them!"
Finishing off her current prey, Max smacked it one more time with the sickly limb before dropping it and leaping after another one. Having pinned Maeve to the forest floor, the feral vampire nearly had its fangs at her neck before Max put her fist through the back of its skull, spraying Maeve in the face with a deluge of brackish fluid. Pushing the flopping body to one side, Maeve stuck out her hand and let Max help her up only to cringe as the hand she received was the one that had just spent time in someone's skull.
"Jesus, you're sick sometimes," Maeve said with a smirk as Max responded with a bright smile.
"Shut up and kill something. No one's gonna get my Chlo!" Max shouted at Maeve, sprinting forward as she pounced on one of the creatures as it scrambled away in retreat. Landing on its back, Max screamed as she grabbed it by the sides of its head and twisted, falling to the ground with it as it collapsed. Watching it twitch for a moment, Max howled as she slammed her booted foot down on its skull with a crunch that satisfied her. Get the fuck away from my town! Get...the...fuck...away...from...my...CHLOE!
Max spun around with a fist raised to see a scratched-up Stephen grab her by the shoulders, his calm expression imploring Max to calm herself down. Slowly lowering her fist, Max felt her mind catch up with the events that had just occurred. Holy fuck! That was...
"...Awesome!" Max said in exclamation, putting her hands on her hips as she instinctively took in a deep breath and exhaled.
"What?" Antony asked incredulously, "This was 'awesome'?"
"No no no, not this," Max said, gesturing to the gore and blood that was scattered around them, "I...I think I might be, well, getting the hang of this."
"Jesus Christ," Montrose said, a large gash across his forehead, "You're the bloody Ripper and you're just now getting the hang of this?" Montrose rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, Antony clapping him on the back a second later.
"Congratulations. You actually survived," Antony said as she continued to pat Montrose on the back.
"Wait. You thought I would die out here?" Montrose asked with a shocked expression on his face, looking even more shocked as both Antony and Sheffield shrugged in response, "Mother-bloody-fucker."
"Well, this has been...something," Maeve said with a chuckle, "But I think tha' we'll be leavin' you to yer own devices. Best me and mine be headin' home. Max? Keep in touch, and fookin' behave. Yeah?"
Running over to give Maeve and Stephen both a hug, Max kissed them both on their cheeks with her blood-covered face. Pulling back, Max beamed at her old friends before realizing how ridiculous she probably looked. A shit-eating grinning, teenage vampire covered from nearly head-to-toe in goo and blood. I bet I look like the cover of Carrie or something like that.
"Will you come back sometime, come and visit me? I do live in the nearby town, y'know," Max asked plaintively, getting a wink from Stephen before the siblings sprinted off down the embankment a short ways ahead. Walking over to where Anthony and his 'associates' were gathered, Max's voice took a far cooler tone. "We're done, now. You'll leave me be."
"For now," Antony said, nodding.
"What does that mean?" Max asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"Meaning that if we need you for something like this," Antony said as he gestured to the remnants of their mutual carnage, "You will be kept in touch with. Good evening, Ms. Caulfield, and behave."
Max sighed, irritated at this new information. I'm not on freaking beck-and-call, asshole. Trudging through the woods as she headed back to Arcadia Bay, Max unzipped her leather jacket and dumped it in a stream next to the bloodbath as she heard Montrose say to Antony "She bloody killed half of them! What the fuck did you just set loose?" and grinned. Kneeling down next to the stream, Max wiped at her arm and exposed skin with the icy water as she cleaned off what she immediately could. Hearing the distant footfalls of Antony and his brood as they walked away, Max felt her body surge with unspent energy as she stood up. Her exposed skin relatively clean, Max sprinted through the woods until she was able to see Arcadia Bay. Pausing at the town limits, Max took a sharp turn and shot down toward the still-empty beach as the midnight sky loomed overhead.
Reaching her apartment after deftly avoiding what street traffic was around this late at night, Max patted her jean pockets for keys that weren't there. Shit, I must've left them inside. Oh, crap, I look like a serial killer. Chloe's going to freak. Cringing, Max gently knocked on the door a few times before seeing the living room light come on from under the door. Covering the peephole, Max winced as she heard footsteps from the other side.
"Whozzit?" Max heard a groggy Chloe ask, followed by a small yawn, "Well? Whoozere?...Max? S'that you?"
"Che...Chloe, could you maybe...close your eyes before you open the door? I don't feel comfortable with you seeing me like this. I don't want to scare you," Max said softly, the surge of energy she still felt fueling her growing anxiety.
"...Uh, yeah. I guess," Chloe answered hesitantly before unlocking the door.
Hearing Chloe momentarily fumble with something on the other side of the door, Max heard a click and watched as the door opened. Chloe had lied, and was looking directly at Max with her eyes wide open. Moving to the side, Chloe gestured for Max to come inside and quickly locked the door behind her. With Chloe slowly walking behind her, Max felt the crustiness of her blood-caked hair and jeans begin to catch up with her, the stickiness on her skin and boots. Max looked down and sighed as she saw that she had tracked in bloody mud, then looked up at Chloe. Chloe just watched Max in silence, watched as Max pulled the bottle of Goldschlager out that they'd never finished and drained the half-empty bottle in what felt to Max like a single gulp. The alcohol gave Max a slight buzz, but also calmed her nerves and the dulled the surge of power that she felt from the blood Chloe had given her.
"So, uh, did you win?" Max heard Chloe ask in a quiet voice.
"...Are you scared?" Max responded, looking over at Chloe while tossing the empty liquor bottle in the trash can.
"...A little, dude, but I know enough from you to realize you had no choice. You should go, get cleaned up. I'll stay up," Chloe said, motioning for Max to go take a shower.
Max politely nodded and undressed right where she was standing in the kitchen, peeling her sticky clothes off and tossing them into the trash after the liquor bottle. Seeing the small smirk on Chloe's face, Max responded by giggling and giving Chloe the finger before heading for the bathroom. The water was hot as it cascaded down Max's body, reddish trails of blood and water coming off of her skin and pouring into the drain of the bathtub as Max scrubbed her entire body clean. Closing her eyes, Max let the water ripple across her face and took in a breath, letting the hot water wet her nostrils to clean the smell of blood out of her.
Opening the door, Max was wearing a towel as she saw Chloe look up from the bed, the other girl wearing a bathrobe. Patting at the side of the bed that was empty, Chloe beckoned Max to lie next to her as she disrobed and stretched out in her sports bra and boxers. Taking the towel off, Max gestured for Chloe to wait a minute before she dressed in a plain black t-shirt and a pair of green shorts. Climbing into the bed, Max hesitantly crawled next to Chloe.
"Please...I need you to not be scared of me," Max said weakly, afraid of what Chloe might be thinking of her.
"Just be honest with me," Chloe said as she looked Max in the eye, the two girls facing each other as both were lying on the bed, "If you hadn't had to do...whatever this all was...would you have gone with them?"
"Oh, Dog no," Max said with a huff, "Chloe, I'd be lying if I didn't say that there is something...thrilling...about cutting loose with my abilities, but I actually try to avoid violence unless absolutely necessary." Max felt Chloe sidle up and spoon her in reply, small wet kisses dotting down the back of her neck.
"Then that's good enough for me," Chloe said as she nuzzled the back of Max's neck, "We will talk about...about everything...very soon. Agreed?"
Max took a hand that Chloe was using to wrap herself around Max and intertwined their fingers. Lifting up their hands to her face, Max gently kissed the back of Chloe's and and closed her eyes as she felt Chloe begin to fall back asleep.
"Agreed."
"So," Dr. Ives said as Max sat in her office, sitting on the desk once more, "You've decided to give me another chance?"
"I...I guess I owe it to Chloe, and to myself," Max said begrudgingly, "I need to work through some things, and I need to kinda find myself again."
"Well, I can't say that I am not glad about this decision, Max. I think this will be a good first step for you. On the part of your...girlfriend, is it?...will she be joining us in the future?"
"She's actually waiting out in the hall," Max said, nodding toward the door, "She wants to be here for me, but says that 'you can keep your shit to yourself'."
"I see," Dr. Ives said as she stood up from the desk and came around to sit in her chair, "And what does that make you feel, Max?"
"Chloe gave me some advice. I plan to stick with it, or at least try to," Max said as she slurped at a large Styrofoam cup with a black bendy straw.
"And what is that, the advice Chloe gave you?" Dr. Ives asked, leaning forward with a small smile.
"'B Positive'," Max said with a grin, her own little inside joke with the girl who held her undead heart in her blue-nailed hands, "I need to 'B Positive'."
Author's Note - Long, huh? I didn't realize how long this was going to be until I got halfway through and was all "But I don't wanna break this chapter in half!"
So, you are basically getting a double-sized release. You're welcome.
This changes a lot, closes some things for the time being, and opens up a few new doors.
How will Chloe and Max progress?
Were all the Ferals really killed in the fight?
How will the events at Blackwell progress from here?
Is the Beautiful Cinnamon Bun truly too pure for this world, the world in question being the AU of this story?
How does vampire blood affect a healthy human being, if it turns a healthy vampire into a feral creature when ingested? *wink*
Read, review, and I will see you in Chapter 11!
-rowanred81