Chapter 5 - If you look into the Depth...

Zexion had spent four days in the great town house till he finally saw the vampire again. Demyx, how he learned, always spent the evenings with his servants (he stood up in the late afternoon, but the last four days he'd to leave the house during the early night, so Zexion couldn't take sight of him), to leave the house around 10. He always came back when the light in the streets of London was still grey. Zexion had also learned, from what Artur told him as he showed him the small office in the first floor, that Demyx earned his money with trade. He had actually invested a huge amount of money in the ships who sailed to the Caribbean islands, where he'd bought a tobacco plantation. He had the luck to hit the right ship in the past and now he always made his round with his business partners at the docks of London or he travelled to the harbour of Dover. How he managed to get to Dover so fast was beyond Zexion's knowledge.

At the day he finally saw him again he got up very early, nature calling (damn Madam Mireille and her warm milk before bed time). As he left the bathroom he was about to step onto the hallway, as he heard the now familiar sound of the front door lock. Demyx entered the house, closing the door silently behind him. He pealed out of his coat and hung it together with his black hat next to the door. He sighed deeply as he leaned exhausted on the door.

Zexion was still in the bathroom and observed the scenery from a crack where he'd left the door open. His heart had started to speed up at the sight of the vampire and now he could feel every hard beat in his throat. He watched Demyx pulling himself up and climbing the stairs. Zexion could swear he just blinked once, but suddenly Demyx was in front of him. Balancing on his bare toes, arms hugging his knees so he was on eye-level with Zexion's kneeling figure. He smiled at him.

"Up this early?" He asked in a cheerful voice. All Zexion could do was nodding abruptly. The boy was scared for his life.

"Ah, I see, Mireille and her warm milk." Again just a nod in answer. Demyx seemed to get a little uncomfortable with the silent to stone frozen Zexion. But of course Zexion didn't notice that in his state of fear and shock. Demyx watched him for some long moments, a calm and unreadable expression in his face.

"I guess it's about time, though." He muttered more to himself. With one last charming smile he got up and made his way to the little staircase that lead to the third floor. "Try to get some sleep again. It's still very early." He turned around with just his head and fixed Zexion in his colour-shifting eyes. "I bid you some good sleep... Zexion." The sound of his name out of the mouth of that mo- vampire made him trembling and cold at once.

"Zexion...?" Said boy looked up from the floor where he'd absently scrubbed the kitchen floor beneath the counter.

"Yes?" He quirked an eyebrow at her careful tone.

"Master Demyx asked you to join him after dinner in his rooms... he said you would know what it's about..." His brain seemed to come to a halt but he felt himself nodding in response.

Tonight.

Tonight the vampire would suck his blood. He would not drink him dry. He would let him live. But like an evil parasite he would hung on his skin and suck the red liquid out of his veins.

He was in a sort of shocked haze during the rest of the day. He barely touched his food during dinner and nearly jumped out of his chair as Madam Mireille gently took his shoulder.

This was the first time he climbed those stairs. The great staircase which lead from the entrance hall to the the second floor was a big and vast and richly decorated thing. With creamy white painted balustrade and a fluffy red carpet flowing its way upwards. But the one which lead to Demyx' chambers was without the decoration and the red carpet but equally coloured white. It was just a tiny one at the end of the hallway, yet every step felt like cutting something into his soul.

Zexion could here faint music as Madam Mireille leaned over his shoulder to knock once. Without waiting for a response she opened the door and shoved him inside. She flashed him a last reassuring smile and then she closed the door behind him. The sound had something final in it.

The first floor and the second one, spare for his room, were on an average level luxurious. The décor and the furniture sure told that the owner of the town house had to be a rich man, but a down-to-earth one as well. Everything was neat and elegant, yet useful and without any unnecessary attire.

But this room here was different. Not that extravagant luxes reigned the room, but in the first floor everything had its use. Here were many things gathered that just seemed to entertain or to look pretty. Heavy and fluffy looking carpets, in various shapes and patterns, were enrolled over the light wooden floor. An overly large fireplace dominated one wall, with comfy looking armchairs gathered around it. A huge painted picture hung over the small entrance. And various instruments were gathered on the walls. He could make out violins and violas, a harp and an assortment of flutes. Something caught his attention. A strange shaped instrument with chords like a violin, but much bigger. It was a light blue and had a special place, framed by the other instruments near the fireplace.

And so many huge glassy and porcelain vases with flowers in them. On nearly every flat surface stood such a water container.

In front of the large window was a black and shiny wing. The music he now heard again came from said instrument, the beautiful melody floating out of the pale and slender fingers of the vampire.

Suddenly it stopped and Demyx looked up from his crunched position. A smile crawled over his features as he spotted Zexion under the door frame. He closed the cab and hurried across the room.

"Zexion! I'm glad you're here!" He gestured him to one of the beautiful chairs that surrounded a rosewood table in an edge of the room. Zexion kept his stoic expression he'd sworn to himself to take on while he was with the vampire, but now some doubt rose in his heart. The smile was warm and welcoming and Zexion could tell it came from heart. But that wasn't possible. That was a vampire, a killer, he couldn't smile warm.

"Sit down. I hope I heated the room up enough?" Zexion nodded, gaze firmly fixed on the porcelain plate in front of him. The table was reigned by a mad tea party. Sweet backings and different types of porcelain were sprawled over the white blanket.

"Do you want to have some hot chocolate?" The soft question pulled him out of his thinking.

"What?"

Demyx smiled again. "I asked if you would like some hot chocolate?" The smell from the offered cup was breathtaking, but from all he knew it could've been spiked with something. He hesitated some seconds.

"Ok, if you don't like it I'll drink it, " Demyx stated with some anticipation in his voice and reached for the cup.

"I'll drink it" Zexion said fast and snatched the cup away. He'd never drank something that luxurious as this hot chocolate. His mother once had promised him one for his 16th birthday, though.

"Ah, I see," Demyx smile was now knowing. Actually it was rather uncommon if something different than a smile adorned Demyx' facial features.

"Why would you like to drink it anyway... you don't need to...?" With a sigh Demyx leaned back in his chair.

"Ah, I guess I owe you some answers. No, normal food holds no nourishment for me, but I love the taste! Especially sweet things are just delicious!" If Zexion hadn't reminded himself he'd thought that a young boy spoke those words.

Zexion was about to take a sip, but stopped the thin porcelain centimetres from his lips. He soon looked at the vampire again, who had cupped one of his cheeks in his hand, while the elbow rested on the table.

"Your heart sounds like a little bird in a cage." Zexion was very proud to keep his mask on at that statement, though he nearly wetted his pants.

"How can I know you haven't spiked the chocolate?" He wanted his voice to sound demanding, but his fear and his racing heart was no help.

"I can take the first sip, if you like?" Demyx offered.

"Can poison even kill you?"

Again Demyx leaned back to think. "Hmh, there are poisons that can kill vampires. But they're of magical nature and even I just know the names of a few and not the ingredients. The mixtures which are lethal for you humans have no till less effect on me, though. You're really... alert."

"Then are the stories true how to kill a vampire?" He blurted out, not really aware he spoke that aloud, yet Demyx seemed amused to it.

"You already tried to kill me once. But let me say you Zexion," something in Zexion shivered, "that there are many different vampires and very different ways to kill them."

Zexion looked down on his cup. Finally he took a sip, reassured by the fact the vampire liked him alive. The taste was heavenly.

"So any more questions?"

"... how old are you?"

"Hmh, aaah, I have to admit that I lost track over the years. My brother, though, keeps the dates in mind. I'll ask him when I see him next time. But it's been sure more than a century or so..."

"No, I wanted to ask how old you are. I can't tell. You seem to age while I look at you and you seem to getting younger as well at the same time." Zexion was now a little more confident with the talkative vampire. Who grinned now from ear to ear, bearing his white teeth.

"I've been 18 when I got turned. The reason you can't tell is because of your own human nature. Your mind tells you what you have to see to prevent you from going mad. If my features don't fit to the words your mind tries to compensate it. But I never talked to a human who can actually see how it changes. You're quite something..." Demyx started to brood over some thoughts. Out of fear from the coming Zexion came up with the next question in his mind.

"What about Artur and Madam Mireille. They know what you are, yet they're here and serve you and... love you... I can't understand it..." Demyx threw him an analysing look. Zexion felt suddenly uncomfortable as if he had asked something very private.

"It's not my place to tell you their story. If you like to hear it you have to ask them themselves. They will tell you, if they like. But I can tell you that their love is not unanswered."

As Zexion took the final sip from his chocolate Demyx straightened himself in his seat.

"Well... should we begin?"

Zexion's heart rate increased again to the 'little bird in a cage' speed. He looked at Demyx who looked him back in the eyes.

"I want to put you under hypnosis. It's a special ability that only I own among my kind, " he started to explain seriously and slow to Zexion. His voice was calm and dark and demanding. "The hypnosis will last as long as I like. I want to do it to protect you from unnecessary pain."

"...pain?"

"Yes, pain. The bite of a vampire is... very painful... very. And the hypnosis can protect you from it. But if you don't like I won't force you. It is an offer, after all." Zexion nodded.

"Then let us do what you want to do, vampire."

"Right," Demyx got up and pulled his chair in the middle of the room and took the strange shaped blue instrument from the wall. "That's my sitar, please take the seat." It was as if an invisible force glued Zexion to his chair. Was it his will to survive or really a magical power that tried to protect him? He didn't know yet he made his way to the offered seat, his feat stiff and hands sweaty.

"You're trembling," Demyx sounded anxious.

"A vampire's going to suck my blood, of course I'm in fear", he heard through gritted teeth. The vampire still didn't know what to exactly think about Zexion. He could clearly hear the fluttering heart, which pumped the hot liquid through his veins, he could smell the fear that clouded the boy like thick grime. But in his eyes was just that wild fire that burned its way directly into Demyx' dead heart. It was as if the body of the boy knew what was in front of him, but his mind refused to bow before the danger, before the vampire.

Really, a magnificent boy. He'd searched very long for somebody like that.

"You know every vampire is gifted with the grace of a special power. I own the might over an element. Water." As a proof of his words the water out of the vases floated through the air and gathered itself in a huge ball which hovered in the air. "I can command the water to take any shape I like. I've been very musical, even when I was still a human. And during my travels I found this instrument. It appears that its heavenly sounds give me the maximum control over my element." Demyx took place behind Zexion, who still sat very stern in the chair. Who could blame him? Demyx would for sure not.

Now the bubble separated in three equal sized bubbles, one floating behind Demyx and taking the shape of a clone. It placed the sitar in its lap and started, under Demyx control, to play a luring tune. The other two bubbles, which had remained in front of the chair, took the shape of a man and a women and they started to dance.

He bent down until his lips brushed against the sensitive skin of Zexion's ear. "I want you to watch them dance," he whispered. The dance from the two water figures was beautiful. Every movement was a proof of elegance and balance. It was luring to watch, even... hypnotizing. Demyx could see the muscles in the small shoulders relaxing, the heart rate calmed and the breathing eased. His music had always had an calming effect. But little Zexion was just caught in a trance. Abrupt movements, loud noises or pain could drag him out of it immediately. This was not the hypnosis yet, every common vampire could lure his prey into trance, but he could control the mind.

It's been very long that he used that ability of his. It takes time to prepare a human enough to get him properly hypnotized, though he never forgot how to do it. He wasn't allowed to forget at all.

Very slowly he touched Zexion at his elbows and traced up over his shoulders until the tips of his fingers rested on the boys temples on each side of his head. As soon as he'd touched Zexion the trance started to wear off, the heart yet started to race again.

Tha-thump, Tha-thump, Tha-thump, Tha-thump.

So he waited. Patiently. He'd waited so long for such an opportunity, eagerness during the final minutes won't destroy it. With a silent order on his clone the music started to increase its intensity and the tiny body relaxed again.

Tha-thump-- Tha-thump-- Tha-thump.

A steady rhythm, as if he was at ease with himself and the rest of the world. Demyx closed his eyes and could suddenly see it. The strings of free will that hold together the beautiful shape of the little boys soul. The soul itself shone in tempting dark violet and the greedy side in Demyx was about to consume it, but he forced his attention back on the strings. Perhaps it was his own imagination that made him seeing the free will as strings. His grandfather had always told him that humans had their own strings in hand.

With a swift movement he cut the strings and adjusted them on his own fingers.

In the very moment he cut them the body of the small boy went slack like a doll with cutted strings. His head, which were just seconds ago glued at the two dancers, fell on his chest, the arms, which were folded in his lap now dangled useless on his side. Demyx had to shove him back against the chair to prevent him from falling limp to the ground. The vampire listened carefully.

Tha-thump--Tha-thump--Tha-

The sound of a sleeping heart.

Demyx rounded Zexion careful, eager not to make to fast movements. In this state the boy's mind was immensely fragile.

"Zexion?" He asked. No response. He tried again.

"Zexion, can you hear me?" He took a deep look into his eyes. The lids had covered the half of them, but he could see that all the purple had clouded them so no black was visible. Good, now only his voice existed in Zexion's world.

"Yes." Came finally the answer. It sounded as if he spoke in his sleep.

"Zexion, rise your arm." Demyx ordered. The boy did as he was asked.

"Now take it down again." Again Zexion obeyed. Perfect. The hypnosis was a success.

"Listen carefully on what I say now, Zexion. Listen carefully on my voice and my voice only."

"Yes."

"I put you under hypnosis. Your free will is from now on bound to my likings. When you are in this state you will exactly do as I order you. Understood?"

"Yes."

"When I tell you to wake up, you will regain your free will, but the sign for you to go back is my demand. Whenever I command you, you will obey me and give me the control over your will."

"Yes."

"When I order you to fall asleep, you will do so, as long as your body needs it. When you are in this state you won't be able to feel any physical pain, neither will you be able to speak or act on your own as long as you're not ordered by me and me only."

"Yes."

Demyx stopped at this. He'd said everything that was necessary. Now an evil smirk appeared on his lips. When he and Zexion should come along with each other he had to do anything against the rudeness of the boy. He couldn't earn his loyalty like the one of Artur or Mireille.

"Zexion, whenever you're spoken to and whenever you address me you're only allowed to address me as 'Master'. Understood?"

"Yes."

Demyx smirk widened. "Yes... what?"

"Yes... Master." Demyx took a deep breath. It was done. He'd made this little innocent human his own. He lowered his control over the strings a little so not every word he said now would be taken as an eternal demand. A silent sigh escaped the slightly parted rosy lips of Zexion, but not silent enough for Demyx to be overheard. The vampire bent down and picked the figure up in his arms, the boy was so light, and made his way into the huge bedroom behind the salon. Carefully he set Zexion down and the scrawny body tried to vanish in the soft covers.

As soon as Demyx realized that this was actually the time when it was all about to end, his hands started trembling. The watery dancers had disappeared back into the vases, but the third one was like third arm, so it was actually himself who played now on his sitar.

So now it would end? All the years of pain and torture? Just like that? Just if he lived from the blood of a child? Zexion had been right. He was just a mere parasite, nothing more like an evil insect which deserved to be crushed for good. He couldn't bear it and left his bedroom in a hurry. With deep breaths he calmed himself. How much he wished his brother would be here, he so needed his advice! But as soon as his mind was at ease again the low whispers started in the back of his head again.

'Not now,' he thought. It's been nearly just 5 days since they'd last rose their evil voices. So it was becoming worse, just like he'd feared.

You killed us.

Monster!

Go away from meee! Goooo!

I left them behind

You stole my life

MONSTER!

"Away!" He screamed and pressed his hands against his temples. For a second he threw them back where they came from. Now was not the time for questions of conscience, now was the time when he freed himself finally from his own curse.

He stormed back into the bedroom only to stop himself in front of the bed. The body was still slack and still caught in the hypnosis, the beautiful purple eyes faced just the white ceiling. Slowly Demyx crawled over the sheets until he lay down next to Zexion. Really a handsome child, even for his age. And that little cherub would bring him his promised peace? He took the thin wrist in his hand, the voices came back, he took it to his mouth, they grew stronger and dig with their words into his very soul, and bit down hard. The fangs had grew and now broke the skin with ease. The voices were now a wave of hatred, so huge it would consume him if it trembled over him, devour him from the inside, crush-

they were gone.

As soon as the first gulp of sweet blood had made its way down the vampires throat the wave'd disappeared. Demyx was so startled he stopped dead in his doings. He searched his complex mind and found them, silent and sleeping, back back where they belonged. A bad conscience which always reminded him never to give in to his monster within. Nothing more and nothing less. He took another gulp, sucked hard this time and now all he could hear from the mass of fragments from dead souls was a calm breathing sound. That was all that was left, just that proof of existence.

It was as if a weight he hadn't known he'd carried for so long, had fallen from his shoulders. He felt in peace, he felt light, he felt ... Free!

And suddenly he was so very tired. All the years of suffering finally asked for their tribute.

"Zexion?" He placed a hand over the eyes of the boy and closed them gently. "Go to sleep, Zexion." Demyx didn't even realized how the breathing of the boy changed into a steady sleeping rhythm, long before he was fast asleep.

a nice greeting to all of you who readthis little Story. Also hello to you "Ghostreaders"! (Haha, funny, I learned this word from a friend who also writes fanfictions. Ghostreaders are people who put your story under alert but don't leave a comment. Haha, I really like that word. It makes me mysterious!)

Kaoru-Kina made me a wonderful charactersheet! kaoru-kina. / ar t/ The-narrow-path-between-91587354 (you know the game: remove the space and copy it into your browser. viòla!)

Hehe, and now let's talk about this chapter. I hope I could bring you the right atmosphere. My beta-reader says yes, it does, but we're such good friends now... sigh ;)