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Ste felt Myra grip his hand. Her palm was hot and sweaty and it was obvious to Ste that this was it. If a witch like Myra (who encountered the supernatural world on probably a daily basis) was that scared, then Ste knew he should be too. Trevor's grotesque wolf form already terrified him, but it was the look in the yellow eyes that scared him the most. With Brendan there was something almost human about him, an inert goodness. With Trevor there was no such goodness. Trevor truly was a monster, just greed and hunger in his eyes. Nothing would be achieved through begging or even trying to reason with him.
"Shame he's so stringy looking. He's only two bites big, I prefer my meals to be a bit more wholesome." Trevor chuckled to himself.
The wolves surrounding them let out a gruff bark-like noise, almost as if they were laughing with Trevor.
"I'm going to pull your organs out one by one and eat them in front of you." said Trevor. "How does that sound? Then I'll let my pack feast on the rest of you. If you're lucky you may be dead in the first five minutes, but I'll try my best to make sure you don't leave the party early."
"I hope you choke." spat out Ste. He'd known men or animals like Trevor before. People who took pleasure in the pain of others because they could find none anywhere else. His step-father had been just the same. He refused to let himself be frightened by Trevor, he knew the man would like that.
Trevor put his shiny white teeth away, his eyes darkening. "We'll see how gobby you are when you're begging me to end your life."
"Please Trevor." begged Myra. "Let him go, he's an innocent. An innocent that belongs to Brendan Brady. If you hurt even a hair on his head you could start a war between werewolves and vampires, you know the rules."
Trevor rolled his yellow eyes. "Lies Myra, that's all that comes out of your mouth. It's getting boring now." he glanced back at his pack. "Take her away from the boy, it's time for dinner. I want her to have a front row seat."
Myra screamed as two wolf-like forms physically dragged her away. "Please not Ste. He's more important than you realise, don't hurt him. Take me instead, he's just a boy."
"Shut her up." growled Trevor.
Myra was silenced by a pile of dead leaves being rammed into her mouth. She immediately began to choke, as huge tears rolled down her eyes. The wolves dragged her away through the trees.
"Leave her alone!" shouted Ste, feeling defensive over the poor witch. He launched himself onto the wolf's back, grabbing at the fur with one hand and punching every part of the wolf he could reach. He knew it was his only chance of survival, to see his kids and Brendan again. For a minute Trevor was frozen, but then he immediately began to violently jump up and down trying to throw Ste off. Ste dug his nails deep into the fur, clinging on for life. Ste felt as if he was riding one of those mechanical bulls he'd once seen when Amy and him had taken the kids on holiday one year.
Suddenly, he felt the world around him shift, as his nails lost their grip and he went flying. For a few seconds he was air bound, sailing across the cold night, feet never nearing the ground. He shot straight into a tree and his head hit the trunk with a sickening crack. He lay there moaning, the world above him seeming to become a blur of colour. He smelt Trevor's breath before he saw him standing over him. As his vision swam back into focus, all Ste could see was shiny white teeth and a mouth dripping with salvia. He held back a sob. He wasn't going to die a coward, snivelling and scared.
Trevor drew back his head ready to strike; Ste closed his eyes waiting for the pain, but none came. He opened his eyes and saw Trevor was being physically dragged away from him by his tail, his paws frantically trying to find their footing in the hard mud.
Ste pushed himself up, desperately trying to see who his saviour was. A shiver of both pleasure and fear ran down his spine as he noticed it was Brendan, his face oddly blank and rage radiating off him in waves. Brendan began to turn in a circle whilst clenching Trevor's dirty tail. He made it look almost like a game, like Trevor was a toy that you'd spin round in the garden. Brendan got faster and faster; just as he was beginning to become a blur he let go of the wolf, sending him flying off into the trees yelping.
Ste sat against the tree paralysed, not sure whether to run to or away from Brendan. The look on the vampire's face terrified him. Brendan turned and looked straight at Ste, and Ste felt his heart swim with emotion, locked in a gaze with what felt like the only other person in the world. One minute Brendan was standing across from Ste, the next he was kneeling next to him.
"Did he hurt you?" asked Brendan, his voice shaking from his suppressed anger. "Did he bite you?" Brendan gently grabbed Ste's face in his hands, forcing him to look him in the eyes.
"No," whispered Ste.
"I'll make him feel every one of your scratches and bruises." said Brendan, running a finger gently over Ste's cheek.
Ste felt his heart beginning to beat rapidly with how close Brendan was to him. Brendan leaned in even closer and licked a trail of blood coming from Ste's ear, he closed his eyes and shudder with pleasure. Brendan began to lean in, as the urge to kiss the vampire became overwhelming to Ste. Just as their lips were about to touch, Brendan let out an animalistic roar of pain. Trevor had somehow managed to recover from his little journey and had sunk his long teeth into Brendan's shoulder.
Brendan turned around, facing away from Ste. He stood over him in a protective stance.
"Didn't realise you were joining the party." said Trevor, his voice smug. "I thought the witch was telling tales as usual."
"That's funny, I could smell you from miles away. Have you put on weight? That diet of raw meat is obviously doing nothing for you." said Brendan smoothly. "How's the wife? I heard she left you for a wolf in Liverpool, can't say I blame her. There's only so many bottles of Febreze you can buy until you realise it's a lost cause."
"Very funny Brendan." said Trevor, sounding as though he thought the exact opposite. "Well I was just about to tuck into a starter, if you want to join me? There's not much to go around, but I'm sure we could find a way to share." Trevor's eyes were glinting in the moonlight. "Unless you've gone soft like I've heard."
"He's mine." growled Brendan dangerously.
Trevor's smirk became even wider. "Well that puts me into a bit of a predicament, doesn't it? You see the boy was on my land, with the witch, so by rights I can do what I please with him. You must understand this, it's not like I go onto your land demanding humans, standing in the way of your dinner."
"He's under my protection, he's mine by the laws of our kind." stated Brendan slowly, as if talking to a particularly small child.
Trevor let out a growl-like laugh and the few wolves still circling them joined in.
"Brendan." started Trevor. "You are in no position to reel off the rules of our kind. Especially in your current position, all alone with no back-up. Wouldn't it be a shame if you and the boy just...well disappeared? The lost, lonely vampire disappearing from the world, poetic, really, when you think about it."
Ste glanced around expecting to hear the agreement of Trevor's pack, but noticed the yellow eyes had all but disappeared. He wondered what had happened to them all, his silent question was answered when Mitzeee silently appeared next to him. She wasn't the only vampire to show her face. One by one pale, glowing, marble-like figures emerged from the trees. Their faces were hard and Ste shivered realising they were all here for Brendan. There was about fifteen of them.
"Sorry we're late boss." said Mitzeee cheerfully. "We were taking care of an infestation problem. This wood is full of unsavoury creatures, luckily we've taken care of most of them."
The wolfish grin on Trevor's face faded as he seemed to realise he was suddenly outnumbered and alone. "You're on my land, you can't launch a hostile attack on my own territory. You know the rules."
"Well usually I'd agree." said Brendan, trying his best to sound fair. "But you're just one lone werewolf and like you said, it would be so easy if you just disappeared. You're right, it is poetic. Just think of Anne here as Little Red Riding Hood without the red cape really. I think it's time I saved her from the big bad wolf; I'm sure you understand Trevor, it's nothing personal. I just don't like it when people touch things that don't belong to them."
Trevor backed away from the vampires, his yellow eyes desperately trying to find any way out of the situation. It seemed his whole pack had abandoned him or had been taken care of by Brendan's friends. Brendan turned to talk to Mitzeee, taking his eyes off Trevor for only a few moments. Ste expected Trevor to look scared or at least try to talk out of the situation, he didn't expect the werewolf to launch himself murderously at Brendan's throat.
"Brendan!" screamed Ste.
Brendan turned with supernatural speed and caught Trevor round the neck. There was a sickening crack and a dog-like yelp and then it was all over. Brendan dropped Trevor's limp body, which fell to the floor like a rag doll. Ste took this moment to violently throw up.
"Well that was a bit of an anti-climax." stated Mitzeee. She turned to Ste, "You do realise you nearly started a war tonight, Ste, through your wondering off." said Mitzeee. "I hope you're as good in bed as Brendan seems to think you are. Else this night will have all been for nothing."
Ste blushed.
"Anne." said Brendan in a warning tone.
She shrugged in response, with a smirk. "Just being honest."
"Where's Myra?" asked Ste, frantically looking around for the witch. "Is she okay?"
"Cheryl's taken her back to the club." said Mitzeee, simply. "There was some business there that needed to be taken care of."
"What did you offer the wolves?" asked Brendan.
Mitzeee rolled her eyes. "The usual; a few chew toys and a bit more land. You better hope the new pack leader doesn't hate vampires, or else this could end up coming back to haunt us."
"Right." Brendan turned to look at Ste, a vulnerable expression on his face. It was as if he expected Ste to recoil away from him or not meet his gaze. Ste did neither of those things and instead purposely pushed himself up and stumbled towards the vampire. He couldn't help be glad that Trevor was dead. The werewolf couldn't hurt anyone ever again.
"Take me home." said Ste softly. He rushed forward and found himself being pulled tightly into Brendan's chest. For the first time all evening Ste felt safe locked in the un-dead man's arms.
"You can't just leave me here to clean up another one of your messes while you go off God knows where to do God knows what." said Mitzeee angrily, seeming to read both men's minds. "My shoes are ruined and this is my favourite coat. I'll be washing the smell of dog out of it for weeks. All work and no play makes Mitzeee a dull girl, you know. This is vampire cruelty."
"As your maker I order you to clean up this mess." said Brendan calmly.
Mitzeee fixed him with an angry glare. "I'm going to make you pay for this for centuries to come Brendan Brady."
"Enjoy working the late shift with Cheryl for the next ten years then Anne." answered Brendan simply.
Ste didn't spare Mitzeee a second thought as he felt himself being pulled even more into Brendan's chest, and before he could say a word about it he realised his feet were no longer on the ground. The two of them were flying through the cold night air, high above the dense canopy of trees.
Brendan was flying with him again.
Ste had been flown about far too much in the last day; but it felt truly amazing to be held so securely by strong, beautiful arms, to feel the air rushing past, to see the world beneath him as small and inconsequential as Leah's toys. Far below them, people were living their normal everyday lives, their lives where monsters were only in story books and love was just a warm type of friendship. That wasn't how anything was for Ste anymore.
Brendan's expression was intense. Ste stared at the vampire's face, so much more beautiful than anything else in the world and so in need of care. Ste tightened his hold.
"It's fine," said Brendan, quietly, misinterpreting the move, "I'm not going to drop you."
"I know," Steven said. "I trust you."
Brendan gave a strange frown at the words. Ste couldn't work out what had caused that. They were together again, safe, for the time being anyway. Trevor was gone. There was no way Vinnie or his mysterious master had followed them. "What's the matter?" he asked.
Brendan took a moment to think through his answer, but when he opened his mouth, the words were overtaken by a hissing sound of pain.
"What?" gasped Ste, seeing Brendan almost curl in on himself.
"It's… dawn!" hissed Brendan.
Ste looked around. It was true. The sky wasn't as dark as it had been. To one side, presumably the East, the darkness was being replaced, the sky first by the faintest of glows. Brendan was fast losing height, his eyes wide and fearful and Ste knew they had seconds.
"There!" he shouted, pointing at the first place that he knew Brendan could survive the day. Brendan didn't question it. He flew straight there, as a slight smell of smoke began to assault Ste's nose. A chain had been reattached, but Brendan broke it easil, and practically fell inside, leaving Ste to slam the door closed behind them.
The crypt was dark, as it had been that first time Ste had wondered in to find Brendan resting on the stone. Right now Brendan was collapsed on the floor and Ste's heart was in palpitations with fear for him.
"Are you alright?" he gasped, wondering how you checked a vampire for life signs. He supposed you didn't; if he wasn't actually a smouldering pile of ashes, he was fine, but Ste was still worried.
"Yeah," gasped Brendan. He pulled himself up heavily and slumped on the same grave he'd laid on that first time they met.
"You're not on fire?" Ste demanded, sniffing the air and searching the dark form before him for flames.
"No, I'm fine, Steven."
Ste had to check for himself before he could believe that. He felt his way, checking for anything that might cause the vampire pain. He found the place on his shoulder. Brendan only grunted slightly, but Ste could feel the tear in the skin.
"Trevor bit you," he realised.
"It's nothing," said Brendan, "it barely scratched the surface."
"We need to get it checked out," Ste contradicted.
"Yeah, we'll pop down to monster A & E," said Brendan.
"You're not a monster!" Ste cried.
"I am to doctors, Steven," Brendan replied, with a sigh, "just leave it, yeah? If it wasn't from a supernatural creature, it would be healed already. It'll be gone in a few days,"
"What, do you like heal super quick or something?" asked Ste with interest.
Brendan gave him a sad smile, "Just one of the many things that makes me inhuman, Steven."
"Stop it!" Ste protested, "You ain't a monster!"
Brendan put a cold hand on Ste's face. "Go home," he said, "Run away, before I hurt you."
"Er, no," Ste snapped, making his voice as stroppy as he could, "I'm going to the shop."
"Why?" said Brendan.
"Well, if we're gonna be trapped in here all day, we're gonna need some torches. You might have super vampire vision, but I'm gonna start bumping into everything."
"Steven!" Brendan started to protest, but Ste ignored him.
"Five minutes!" he said, "don't go anywhere!"
He was out the door, knowing Brendan couldn't escape, couldn't stop him and feeling pretty determined. He'd get torches and bandages and maybe something to eat. He hoped Brendan had found some time to grab a drink at the club yesterday. He wasn't sure how he felt about Brendan actually drinking from him. That would probably be weird.
He found a convenience store that opened early and bought his supplies, before hurrying back the way he'd come. The sun was visible over the horizon now, the beauty it created so strange when it held such devastating power over Brendan. Ste didn't take the time to appreciate it. He shoved open the door of the crypt carefully, so he couldn't accidentally let the sunlight land on Brendan.
"I got bandages," he announced, "and plasters and water. They didn't have any torches so I got tea lights, and some matches. Look."
He held up the bag for Brendan's inspection. The vampire didn't move. He had lain down on the cold stone again and was staring up at the roof.
"You know, that first day we met?" said Brendan, quietly.
"Yeah," replied Ste with a grin, putting tea lights on flat looking surfaces around them and taking out the matches to light them. "That were in here, weren't it? I thought you was well mental."
"Yeah," said Brendan, voice still quiet, pensive, "I could tell."
"I mean, this isn't, like, where you normally sleep, though, is it?" Ste asked, as he lit the candles around him.
"No," said Brendan, simply. "Though it's where I belong."
Ste frowned. He didn't really get that, but the place was almost light enough now. It had a strange romance when lit by the small lights dotted around the place. He'd bought two boxes; they didn't look like they'd give off much light individually, so he was using a lot. "I've got bandages for where Trevor bit yer," he announced digging back in the bag for them.
"You looked so beautiful in the sunlight," Brendan told him, sitting up on the tomb and looking at Ste intensely.
Ste pulled the plastic from the bandages, "There was no sunlight in here, silly," he said, "or you wouldn't be here."
"No, I saw you before then," Brendan told him, voice a whisper.
"Take your shirt off," Ste instructed, "I've got clean water and antiseptic cream."
"Steven," Brendan sighed, "put that down. I'm trying to explain something."
"Explain what?" asked Ste, putting the bandage down beside Brendan. "When did you see me in the sunlight?"
"I was waiting for dawn," Brendan said and Ste stared at his sad face.
Ste froze, "But…" he said, strangely terrified of what Brendan was going to say, "The dawn would've killed you."
Brendan blinked at him, but didn't answer.
Ste knew what that meant. "You were trying to!" he gasped, heart twisting uncomfortably. If Brendan had succeeded, they would never have met.
"I was ready," Brendan breathed, voice so low and quiet it was almost lost even in this small space, "I don't deserve to live."
"That's not true!" Ste told him.
Ste could tell by the vampire's expression that he hadn't heard Ste's answer, he was too lost in the memories, "I saw you and you were so beautiful I just… I couldn't, but I was wrong. I see that now."
"No!" Ste cried, "You were right not to!"
Brendan wouldn't hear him, "I am a monster that hides from the sun and the light and everything good. I deserve to die."
"You saved me!" Ste cried, "You saved my life tonight! I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you!"
"You wouldn't be in danger if it wasn't for me," Brendan said, "you said it yourself, they're targeting you to get to me."
Ste shook his head, "We don't know that," he said, "and that doesn't make it your fault!"
"If you'd never met me, you'd be safe and happy and none of this would have happened. I should have stayed in that sunshine. Nothing that deserves to live should burn in the sunlight."
The vampire's face was cold, blank. It was like he couldn't see Ste anymore. He was looking at the door and Ste could imagine the ideas in his head. He needed to bring Brendan back to him.
He climbed onto Brendan's lap.
Brendan blinked in surprise. "What are you doing?" he asked, but his confused tone held that slight hint of anticipation and hope, as Ste straddled his legs.
"Showing you how far from monstrous you are," said Ste, "a monster couldn't make me feel like this."
Brendan looked into his eyes and Ste saw something in that sad ocean grow warmer. He took Brendan's face in his hands. Though a hundred years old, somehow the vampire wore the expression of a child, staring at Ste with fear and hope. Ste smiled and kissed him.
Brendan's mouth was amazing. Ste had never felt like this; no other partner had ever made him feel quite so perfect with one kiss. And Brendan was only half with him at the start. It didn't take him long to catch up, though, and Ste felt the lips move in return, hands grasping his waist. He grinned. Then he pulled away.
"First things first," he said, picking up the bandage. He didn't get out of Brendan's lap, but went to work on removing Brendan's shirt. The vampire didn't resist. He watched Ste work, and Ste gave him a gentle peck as reward when the shirt was discarded. Ste cleaned the wound gently with the bottled water, and then carefully wrapped the bandages around it, protecting the wound as best he could. When he was done, his eyes slipped back to Brendan's, their faces so close again.
Ste searched the beautiful face before him, "I know you're not a monster, Brendan Brady," Ste whispered, "do you know how?"
Brendan shook his head, eyes still open as a child's, pale skin given colour by the soft orange glow of the candles, light in his eyes dancing with the tiny flames.
"I can feel it," Ste whispered, "here." He took Brendan's hand and put it on his chest, let the vampire feel the effect his presence had on Ste. He knew his heart was beating fast, but he also knew it wasn't only arousal that had that effect. He kissed Brendan once more, feeling no delay in Brendan's response that time, feeling the vampire's grip strengthen on him, pulling him closer, then pulling on his t-shirt. Ste had no patience left for the material and tore it up over his head. As the skins of their chests touched for the first time, both human and vampire sighed. They took time to explore each other, with eyes, hands, tongues, before they had to have more of each other.
By the time they were naked, Ste knew he was in love with the vampire.
Everything about every action they took felt so right, like they were meant to be there. They fitted each other perfectly. No one interrupted them this time; no one knew where they were, so there was no hurry, no shame, no fear, just the two of them, alone and enjoying the candlelight and each other. There wasn't a moment when they weren't touching, fingers clinging, lips joining. There was more than enough human in Brendan, as Ste discovered, and when they were done, they lay on the cold stone, a picture of contentment.
They knew they were going to have to talk. Ste was going to have to explain who took him and how they escaped, Brendan was going to have to explain how he found them and who Vinnie and Eoghan were. Ste suspected he wasn't going to like those answers, but as he rested his head on Brendan's strong shoulder, tangling legs and fingers with Brendan's, he decided it didn't matter. Right here and now he knew certain truths. He loved Brendan, and Brendan loved him.
The rest could wait until tomorrow.