CHAPTER TWO
As it turned out, feeding on on-hand human supply was about as exciting as hunting a caged, tranquilized animal. A guard had escorted a brunette male to Steve's chambers. He must have been in a state of shock, because he neither fought nor screamed when Steve bit into his neck. It was about as satisfying as drinking from a wine bottle, but the fresh blood that flowed down his throat was smooth, warm, and full of vigor.
While his snack didn't put up a fight, Steve still found himself exhausted afterwards. Perhaps he had drunk too much. Maybe his new baby vampire body didn't need to drain an entire human so fast in one sitting because he could feel the blood inside him weighing him down.
However, that did not stop him from opening the door when he heard Russell knock from the hall. If there was one thing Steve knew about his body, it was that it would not allow him to ignore his lust for the older vampire. The shell-shocked human quenched his hunger, but there would always be other desires to satisfy.
Steve was not expecting Russell to be back that night, so his eyes lit up with a warm welcome when the ancient vampire strode inside.
"I just popped open a bottle," the baby vampire announced, and then offered politely, "Can I tempt you with a glass?"
Since Steve wasn't going to drink it, he might as well not let it go to waste.
"So hospitable," Russell smiled, but instead of heading towards the open bottle of blood, he grabbed Steve's tie and began to pull him closer.
Everything around Steve seemed to go in slow motion whenever he was around Russell. Nothing ever seemed quite real. Even the simplest movements were a surreal adventure. It was such a long journey down to reach his lips, but it was a spectacular sensation that he had relived a thousand times since he and Russell first kiss.
Steve stood there still waiting for their lips to finally meet. Apparently, Russell was going to make him wait for it, but that was okay because Steve was simply dazed by Russell's touch. As of late, he grew heavy with arousal just watching the older vampire march through the inner sanctum of the Authority. He had never before seen such a man that could command respect and obedience by his presence alone.
The anticipation of kissing Russell Edgington was almost excruciating in its intensity. He could feel it crash through him and knew he would crumble if he did not feel Russell's lips soon.
However, Russell suddenly laughed. "That is so cute."
That sounded like praise to Steve, so he moaned pleasantly. "Mmmmm, what is?"
Russell knew Steve wasn't quite listening, so he pulled him down further and whispered an explanation in his ear, "You thought you could defy my orders and get away with it."
There was always something low and dangerous in Russell's voice that turned Steve's insides into puddy. He felt the rasp of Russell's voice against his ear before his mind accepted just what he had said.
"Wait, what?" Steve stammered as he pulled back. He was stung by the accusation, even though it was true.
Russell had already made his way across the room. He seated himself in the leather throne and poured himself a glass of the aged blood that could not satisfy Steve earlier. Then he asked simply, "How are you feeling?"
"Great," Steve smiled, but it wasn't true at all. He was tired and sore, but since he was a vampire, he wasn't concerned.
"Don't lie to me."
Even though Russell turned the blood-filled glass lazily in his hand, Steve heard the threat in his voice.
"Fantastic!" Steve still insisted, but knew his smile this time looked forced.
Steve was well aware of all the legends concerning Russell Edgington and decided that it was best to show a firm resolve. Russell was an ancient breed of vampire who effortlessly seized command of a room. His hard eyes were unnerving enough, but his masterful hands could reduce a baby vampire into soft clay, so Steve wanted to stay strong to impress the older vampire.
However, Russell repeated more sternly, "Don't you dare lie to me, Steven."
Steve's smile faded. A firm resolve was apparently useless, but there was just no way Russell could possibly know he didn't feed on the antique blood. However, as he continued to stare into Russell's eyes, he knew immediately the older vampire must have smelt something on his lips while he was nuzzling his neck.
Steve self-consciously cupped his hand over his mouth. Now that he thought of it, that human did taste more metallicy than others. But what could have possibly been the big deal about feeding on human livestock? Drinking antique blood was a silly request to begin with. This was an era of the Saguinistas, after all, and feeding on living humans was a rapturous event.
Of course, that didn't explain why he felt so bad right now.
"And what if I… don't… feel so well, that is?" Steve asked cautiously. He had lied and found himself in a corner and desperately wanted a way out, but he needed Russell to give him an opening.
That was when a smile flickered across the ancient vampire's face.
"You, my dear boy, have contracted your first case of hep D."
Even though Russell said it so matter-of-factly, Steve jumped back as if he were struck by lightning.
"You can't be serious!"
He didn't quite know what hep D was, but judging by the disturbing smile on Russell's face, Steve knew he wanted no part of it.
"You are going to feel real bad a few hours from now," the ancient vampire chuckled.
Steve didn't know what was worse. Being sick or Russell sounding aggravatingly amused over it.
"Oh, don't give me that face," Russell groaned as he set his glass down. "You deserve that for not listening."
Perhaps, Steve decided, but he still didn't know exactly what consequences he had just earned. Either way, he was sure it was an unjust punishment for one simple human.
"Who does such a low thing?" Steve frowned as he thought about the situation. He was supposed to be safe here. This was an underground bunker surrounded by guards! "We got people on staff to test our food, don't we?"
Russell raised a disapproving eyebrow. Apparently, Steve couldn't listen at all. "Were you not sitting right next to me when Salome gave us her warning?"
Steve anxiously straightened his tie. That sounded vaguely familiar. "…I suppose I was."
"Well, I hope you learned your lesson," Russell muttered as he stretched his legs out onto the coffee table. He was certainly making himself comfortable even though Steve couldn't do the same. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how to identify a human with hep D?"
"No!" Steve snapped defensively. He was all alone. Then he thought about it for a second. "Well, Roman was, in his own way, showing me the ropes around here, but then you... sorta… kinda… completely obliterated him."
Russell was up in an instant. Before Steve could even blink, Russell was cupping his face with alarming tenderness and Steve felt entirely overwhelmed.
"I suppose that makes me responsible for you?" Russell asked with what appeared to be genuine pride.
"No…?" Steve answered hesitantly. Sure, it would be nice if Russell offered some support, but something about the situation made it seem like he was just a burden.
And since he said no, Steve supposed he should remove Russell's hand from his cheek. As he tried to do so, he became acutely aware of how bad his joints felt. Muscles, too. It started as a burning pain from his shoulders, then raced down to his fingertips. It wasn't even worth the effort of pushing Russell's hand aside. Steve instantly wondered if the pain could get so bad that he wouldn't be able to move.
"Oh, my god!" Steve shouted. In a fit of panic, he tried to grip Russell by the shirt collar, but his arms stopped somewhere halfway. "Is this how a vampire dies?!"
"No, no, no," Russell softly chided. Then he grabbed Steve's sore arms and tried to rub out some of the ache even as the younger vampire flinched away. "Think of it more as a rite of passage. All vampires eventually go through this."
"Even you?"
"Back before there was even a name for it," Russell assured. He could tell that Steve needed to hear that and needed some reassurance from an older, more experienced vampire in order to stop his mouth from trembling.
"Just settle down, kiddo, and I'll find you something to make you feel better."
Steve nodded wildly, but instantly regretted it as his neck muscles stiffened. He winced and thought he would rather not be alone for even a second.
"Aww," Russell sympathized when he saw Steve flinch. "A baby vampire with hep D? You are going to have such a rough time."
Steve winced again. Apparently Russell had nothing encouraging to say, so he immediately decided he could use that alone time after all.
"Just hurry," Steve urged on. As soon as the words escaped his lips, Russell was gone.
Steve sighed and decided he better get comfortable, if that was even possible. He lumbered over to the leather chair and fell into it. Before he could shift and even find a somewhat more comfortable position, Russell was back. He carried a crumpled, brown paper bag and emptied its contents onto the table. Steve picked up a bottle.
"Vitamin D?" Steve read. He was hoping for something more.
"It will keep your strength up and ease some of the smaller aches."
Steve looked over the assortment. They were all vitamin D.
"Capsules might be hard to swallow with human blood," Russell explained, "so I got you chewables as well."
So he did, Steve thought as he fiddled with a bottle. That seemed awfully generous, but then Steve read the label and nearly flushed with embarrassment. The chewable vitamins were in fact children vitamins and he couldn't help but wonder if that was some sort of jab at his foolish conduct that had landed him with hep D. Maybe he couldn't handle his impulses as well as older vampires, but he was by no means childish.
"Do you want me to open it?" Russell asked when Steve lingered at a bottle for too long.
Steve cringed into his shoulders. That only made it worse. He may not have made the best decisions recently and ended up getting sick over it, but he wasn't a complete invalid. Steve could only hope that Russell merely offered in order to spare his joints from more pain.
"I can handle it!" Steve insisted and only whimpered slightly when he twisted the cap off. Then he ran into another obstacle – the safety seal.
"Just give it to me," Russell grumbled and snatched the bottle away. At the rate Steve was going, he would be at it all night. Russell instantly tore the seal off with his fangs.
"…thank you…" Steve mumbled quietly as he was handed back the bottle and now officially felt useless.
Steve held one chewable tablet in his hand. It seemed so simple and so… vulnerable. He was actually enjoying life since he became a vampire, but now he was reminded of how weak and unoriginal he still was.
Steve placed the tablet on his tongue and, oh god, it immediately started to melt! It was chalky and fizzy and the cherry flavor stung his tongue with a bitter, rotten taste. The gritty residue just hung at the back of his throat and he could taste the cherry flavor making its way back up.
"Aghh!" Steve gagged, cringed, and very nearly cried. He shoved all the bottles away. "I didn't know how gross human food could be!"
If hep D was really a common concern for vampires, Steve decided that the pharmaceutical companies should really consider manufacturing blood-flavored vitamins.
"Well, I'm not going to force-feed you," Russell said and with shocking suddenness he was gone.
"Oh…" Steve mumbled softly to himself and essentially withered. Perhaps he did push Russell too far. Neediness wasn't an attractive quality in anyone.
Russell was merely showing a rare generosity that he presented to no one else. Steve was horrified at the thought that he had insulted him. That would only push Russell further away.
So, Steve sunk into his chair, feeling like he completely blew it.