Greetings from Marble and Elec. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter, review's are always very much appreciated and well received...we fan-girl over them together:) We hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Vinnie had often been called stupid during his time as a vampire. But he wasn't stupid, right? He was clever enough to discover Ste in the snow and ...well sort of alive. And now he could control this new Ste and then they could be friends forever. As he jumped onto one of the sofa's in front of the television he felt happy for the first time in months. It was party time! Vinnie had a new friend, a special friend...if only he wasn't in his blood lust stage.
He picked up a nearby mobile and dialled in the familiar number. A Meat Feast would be with them in less than half an hour. He rang another few, knowing he was going to have to be careful that he gave Ste enough blood. Newborns were very dangerous and were usually kept a close eye on by their makers. Maybe Vinnie could be Ste's maker now. He'd be a great maker, he wouldn't leave him on his own on a cold night.
"Come on." shouted Vinnie to scary new Ste. Scary new Ste was standing in the door way, looking like one of those proper scary animals. Had he mentioned that Ste was now, well...scary?
"Where blood?" rasped Ste. Scary new Ste began to rummage through a nearby book shelf, as if he thought blood could be hiding somewhere behind it. He angrily began to throw DVD's to the floor
"Oi! shouted Vinnie. "My Dirty Dancing DVD's on there!"
"Want blood." said Ste as a way of explanation.
Vinnie let out a sigh and pouted. "Can't we play on the Wii first?"
"Blood!"
Vinnie let out a frustrated sigh, this Ste wasn't much fun. He went into the kitchen and opened a couple of bottles of Special Brew. Ste materialised behind him in seconds, obviously smelling the blood he desired so desperately.
"Blood?" said Ste, he snatched the bottle from Vinnie's hand and desperately began to chug. The blood was gone in seconds. "More."
"What's the magic word?" asked Vinnie.
"Blood!" growled Ste.
"Close enough." said Vinnie sighing, as another bottle was snatched from his hand. He was starting to miss Eoghan; at least Eoghan didn't snatch, said please and sometimes played on the Wii with him. Eoghan also didn't make weird slurping noises, it was like living with a seal. This would not do.
"Need...more." said Ste.
"The pizza boy will be here soon." said Vinnie. "Just think Ste, a fresh delicious pizza boy."
Ste sank down onto one of the sofas, for a moment a calm seemed to wash over him. He looked up at Vinnie and for a second his eyes flickered from red to blue. Ste put his head in his hands and began to rock up and down again.
"Ste?" asked Vinnie, unsure how to handle the other man's mood swings.
"Where is he?" growled Ste.
Vinnie bit his lip, glancing hopefully at the Wii once again. "Where's who?"
"The man! The beautiful man!" answered Ste.
"He's gone." said Vinnie, "But you don't need him, not now you've got me. I'm going to look after you Ste, I'll keep you safe."
"I want..." Ste started. "I want the man."
Vinnie sat down next to him on the sofa. He put an awkward hand on the new vampire's shoulder. "Ste."
"Don't touch me!" hissed Ste, shrinking away from him.
A knock on the door caused Vinnie to jump up. Next to him Ste had suddenly become alert again, like a predator ready for its prey. His fangs were already out and it seemed as if he was drooling. Vinnie wondered if he should have got a dog instead of his new friend. At least he could have eaten the dog when it caused trouble. That dog called Nate did look tasty thinking back. Vinnie strolled to the door and opened it. He was disappointed to see a balding, middle-aged and slightly overweight man holding pizza on the other side.
"You'll do." sighed Vinnie theatrically. "Get in before any other vampires see you come inside. It'll be proper embarrassing if they do, we have standards you know?"
The man looked uncertain. "V-v-vampires?"
Vinnie quickly hypnotised the man to think he was a giant cheeseburger... it seemed the right thing to do in this situation. The man started to dance in front of scary Ste; it seemed he was a cheeseburger with a death wish. Ste was instantly tucking into the man, feasting fast from the holes he'd made in the man's neck.
"Oi!" said Vinnie. "Save some for me!"
For a moment Ste pulled away and his face screwed up with anger. "Mine!" he said simply and continued to feed.
Vinnie's mouth fell open, how rude! He really needed to show scary Ste exactly who was boss. Scary Ste had an attitude problem. This would not do. He pulled the confused pizza man away from Ste.
"Me and you are going to fall out!" cried Vinnie, as he tugged the pizza man towards himself. "I don't know if you were born in a stable...or a barn or something...but we share in this house!"
"Blood!" snarled Ste, tugging the man back towards himself.
"No Ste, it's my turn!" cried Vinnie, yanking the man back once again.
"I'm a cheeseburger." said the pizza man innocently.
Vinnie angrily grabbed the pizza man and pushed him out the door. If he couldn't have him, then Ste couldn't either! Vinnie didn't like scary Ste. Scary Ste was mean and boring and only cared about blood.
Scary Ste's eyes were darting around, perhaps looking for more blood or his next meal. Vinnie was beginning to wonder if he could help him after all. Maybe it was time he took him back to Brendan...but then again Brendan was mean and wanted to kill Vinnie and right now Ste wouldn't try to stop him. He wondered whether the humans would be shocked if they turned up to one of those puppy obedience classes. He could teach Ste some manners and perhaps snack on a dog or two in the process.
"Need more." said Ste in a low voice.
"Well I need the old Ste back, but you don't hear me complaining!" said Vinnie in frustration. "How about we play on the Wii?"
"No." said Ste, he glanced over at the door and licked his lips. Obviously wondering whether another human was due some time soon.
"We could sing and dance to Gangnam Style." whined Vinnie. "Please Ste. It'll be great."
Ste looked Vinnie up and down, his eyes darkened. "Don't want that, want...sex."
If Vinnie was human he would have blushed. It wasn't exactly the usual way someone went about trying to sleep with him. To be honest the more he looked at Ste...the more he felt as if he was looking at himself or at a brother. He couldn't sleep with Ste, could he? That would be like in-chest? Incest? Wouldn't it? Vinnie shuddered.
Ste mistook his shudder as something else and jumped across the room, pinning Vinnie down onto the sofa. "Want it...now."
Vinnie awkwardly shifted under him. "Couldn't we like...cuddle or something?"
"I want flesh." growled Ste, he began to undress Vinnie.
Vinnie shoved Ste, and managed to knock them onto the floor, so their positions were reversed, and he was now on top. "I've got a bit of a headache, maybe tomorrow. Or next month...or next year..."
The front down flew open and slammed into the wall. It hit the wall so hard that Vinnie knew he was going to need to buy a new one and maybe hire a builder. Well hypnotize a builder. Where would he get one this time of night?
"Get off him." said a deadly voice.
Vinnie looked up and saw Brendan standing in the door way, he was shaking with repressed rage. Vinnie briefly wondered why, but as he looked down again at his and Ste's present positions he realised perhaps the situation didn't look that innocent. Vinnie was on top of Ste with half his shirt off. And Brendan was pissed at this, very pissed. Vinnie slid off him and got to his feet.
"It isn't what it looks like." said Vinnie quickly. Brendan looked as if he wanted to murder him.
"The man!" hissed Ste, his eyes were a deadly red. There was hatred in them. "I'm going to kill him!"
Brendan flinched as if he had been hit. Then he was actually hit, by Ste, in the face. Then Ste tried to pull his head off. Brendan grabbed his arms and held them to his sides. "I'm taking him home."
"This is his home now!" cried Vinnie. "I found him first, he's mine now! Finders keepers and all that!"
Brendan ignored him and tightened his grip on Ste, pulling him close, almost like a hug. "I'll put this right Steven."
Ste hissed at him, pushing himself away. "No!" He pulled a hand free of Brendan's grip, and went to strike Brendan again, but instead grabbed the older vampire's trousers. "Flesh," he said. He rubbed Brendan's groin.
"Eugh," said Vinnie. "Can the two of you just not do that here."
Brendan pressed his lips together, seeming lost for words. He moved quickly and picked up Ste as if he was light as a feather, throwing the boy over his shoulder. Ste fought him, like a vicious wild animal, shouting "sex" and "blood" and "kill" but Brendan's grip never loosened. Brendan walked straight out of the door without another word to Vinnie and flew into the night.
Vinnie let out a long and annoyed sigh. "I didn't want him as a friend any way!" he shouted to the hole where the door used to be. "He was proper boring and he smelled." He picked up his phone and rang another pizza shop. "I'd like to order a Meat feast please and make sure you send your most good-looking driver."
After chasing his tail around the hospital for an age, Brendan had finally stopped and stood completely still. He had no idea where to try. There was a scent of blood everywhere in this hospital, fresh, clotted and dead. It would be terrifying for a newly turned. Overwhelming. Steven would have left.
He'd stood outside the hospital then, for long minutes and closed his mind to everything around him. He'd felt Steven's fear before when Steven was in danger, felt the terror in his own blood. But terror wouldn't dominate a newly made vampire. He thought about what would. It came down to three feelings: hunger, hatred and lust.
He had his own hunger. He felt it gnawing away. He hadn't eaten since he'd marked Steven. The idea had somehow felt like a betrayal, taking something so inferior inside him when he could still taste Steven if he thought hard enough about it. He felt hatred too, for himself, for Macca, Vinnie, Cam and Eoghan. Two of them may be dead, but the other two were still out there and would be nothing but dust in the bin if it wasn't for Steven's intervention.
Brendan knew he didn't feel lust though. No other human or vampire had entered his thoughts even for a moment since Steven had walked into that crypt the first day they met. Any lust he felt couldn't possibly be his own.
He felt around himself; checking his own thoughts and feelings and then he found it - that flash of alien feeling pulling him in. Steven was craving him, needing him, just like he needed Steven. At least, he hoped it was himself that Steven lusted for.
The lust suddenly spiked. Either Steven had felt the connection or he'd met someone very attractive. Or maybe he was just feeling less hungry. He hoped he hadn't let Steven kill while he was in this state. Once the blood lust sated he would never forgive himself.
Unless that part of Steven was gone. This creature that had Steven's body could be just a monster. He'd barely shared any blood with the boy, afterall; he may not even be a vampire. What else could he be though? Zombie? Ghost? Something new?
He shuddered. It didn't matter. If there was the tiniest hint of Steven there, he would guard him with his life. He would get down on his knees and thank whichever god had intervened and brought Steven back.
He wasn't sure how he knew where to go but he got there in seconds. He smashed the door open, and saw Vinnie on top of Brendan's beautiful man. His man was beautiful and naked except for a doctor's coat and he had blood dripping from his mouth. Brendan's fury threatened to overwhelm him.
Vinnie's expression was confusion and fear. He should be scared. He dared to hurt Steven, the precious creature that had saved his worthless life? Brendan was ready to kill.
Steven jumped on him before he could attack the bastard. His first action was to try to pull Brendan's head off. Brendan stopped him easily enough but it was quite a shock.
His next move was to try to get to Brendan's cock. Since feeling Steven's powerful lust, Brendan wasn't far from caving. It was only a vague feeling that this need would probably be as temporary as the desire to murder that stopped him.
He pulled the new made vampire over his shoulder and left, thoughts of Vinnie already forgotten. The bastard would pay for trying to take advantage of Steven's confusion, but right now Steven was more important. Brendan could feel struggling against his hold, scratches on his back, kicks in his chest. An almost claw-like hand dug into his shoulder.
"It's going to be alright Steven," he said, trying to be assuring "I'm here to look after you."
"Want to kill!" He heard Steven hiss, "blood, kill, sex, kill you...kill man...kill you!"
Brendan tried not to let it break his heart. It was the blood lust. Steven had ordered him not to die; he didn't really want him dead. He took off, flying home as quickly as he could.
"Want fuck!" Shouted Steven "want sex...want fuck...want you!"
Would he have to obey if Steven ordered him to die or have sex right now? Usually it was the other way round - the one with the control was the one in control - the experienced vampire had maker's power over the new made. There was no reason to think Steven had lost the power over Brendan just because he was now a vampire.
He landed outside the door to his flat and opened it, taking Steven inside. He had to try something.
He deposited Steven on his bed; reminding himself he had no intention of sleeping with Steven until Steven could consent, even if he did look like edible with the coat open and his legs splayed as he tried to grab Brendan again, and said "Steven, stop."
Steven froze. Then he snarled furiously. It took him a few moments to spring off the bed in the opposite direction. So Brendan did have the power now. He looked forward to using it, making Steven stand on one leg or something to get revenge. Then all the other fun things they could get up to, in bed. Then that gave him a weird feeling of discomfort.
Steven must have decided he'd 'stopped' for long enough. He took a different course of action and tried to spring at Brendan. Brendan pushed him back on the bed. If commands were only temporary it could be weeks before Brendan could rest and figure out what to do next. He would be in constant risk of death if Steven just decided he'd been somewhere long enough and that he had obeyed an order enough.
"Get on the bed," he said as Steven clambered to attack again. Steven hissed at him but obeyed. The image filled him with fresh horror as he couldn't avoid thinking of his own maker's favourite uses of this power. He was not going to do that to Steven. Even if Steven tried to order him to.
"Lie down!" he instructed. Steven obeyed, and Brendan worked fast even for a vampire. He chained Steven's hands to the wall behind the bed. Even as he did it, Steven tried to bite him, and was up before Brendan had finished, snarling and tugging on the chains that held him.
"Calm down!" Brendan instructed. "It's only until you're better."
"Want fuck!" screamed Steven, (maybe 'calm down' wasn't an order, as Steven didn't obey it) "Want kill! Want blood!"
"I'll get you blood," said Brendan, "and when you're better you can decide if you want to fuck me or kill me."
"Now!" Steven shouted.
"No," said Brendan. "Rest."
Steven fell back suddenly on to the bed as the urge to obey kicked in. Brendan had no doubts that it would only be temporary, possibly a number of seconds. He heard Steven mumble to himself, then "Hate you!" loud enough to make out, then "Fuck off!"
He was out of the door before he realised what he was doing. He was still under Steven's control. They both had maker's power over each other. This was going to be interesting.
"What are you doing?" asked Cheryl, who had just arrived.
"Nothin'," he replied, slightly embarrassed at his own actions.
"Well, how did it go?" she asked, tentatively and Brendan frowned.
"How did what go?" he asked, though already his thoughts were back in the room with Steven.
"At the hospital, Brendan," she said, slowly and carefully as though talking to a child.
"Want fuck!" screamed Steven.
Cheryl's eyes widened, "Who's that?"
"No one!" Brendan tried to stop her, but she pushed past him and looked into Brendan's room anyway. She gasped at the sight of Steven on the bed.
Brendan rubbed his face.
"Oh! Em! Gee!" she said, stupidly.
"Yep," said Brendan, "it's Steven, he's a vampire, he's going to be fine."
"But..." she started, and Brendan had no time for her.
"Not now, Chez!" he groaned.
"But I thought..."
"Cheryl, leave it!" he instructed.
"I will but..."
"Go to bed now!" he insisted, feeling his maker's power compel her. He had better things to do than try to explain something he didn't understand to his sister who often didn't understand him anyway. She gave him a hurt look, but obeyed anyway. He barely felt any guilt. He had more important things to worry about.
He decided he'd 'fucked off' for long enough and returned to Steven's side. Until the blood lust died, it was vital that Steven gave him no more orders. He should leave him for Cheryl and Mitzeee to look after. He should avoid Steven until the younger man had some of his sense back. He was not going to do that, even if it killed him.
He did the only sensible thing. He gagged Steven with a clean handkerchief. If he couldn't give coherent orders, Brendan wouldn't have to obey them. Then he pulled up a chair beside the bed and watched him, heard all the pitiful sounds he made behind the gag. He saw the red tears dribble from his eyes, saw him thrash and try to free himself. He was glad he'd put him on the bed and used the lined cuffs to chain him, but he felt his own blood red tears tumble down his cheeks.
"Rest, Steven," he repeated. "It will all be fine in the end, I promise. I'm going to look after you, keep you safe." He lowered his voice, not sure if he wanted Steven to hear or not. "I love you Steven," he whispered.
He wasn't sure if Steven got calmer because of his words or because he got tired. He hoped it was the first. The sooner Steven understood he was being looked after, the sooner he would be better. Cheryl had taken months to come back to herself, unable to understand what her brother had done or why, and of course Brendan's maker had been there too, piling on the poison. Mitzeee had only taken a couple of days; she'd known what was happening, known that Brendan was trying to help her and Brendan had managed to keep her a secret from his maker for all of that time. Steven was a completely different situation. Brendan had abandoned him when he needed him the most. It may not have been on purpose, but Brendan should have been there.
He settled in for a long day, for as many long days as necessary. He would be here until Steven was stronger, even if it took a thousand years. He was never leaving Steven's side again.
Macca flew over the landscape before him: tree after tree, house after house, road after train line after factory. His whole body was buzzing with anticipation, excitement, fear and dread.
It had taken days for Macca to find him. After the travesty in the club, when Eoghan and Vinnie had fucked up so spectacularly, Macca had been out of his mind with worry that he would never find him. That he'd want rid and take away Macca's reason for being as he went.
Macca had eventually tracked him down. He was laying low; in a non-descript cottage some distance from town, with a roomy cellar. When he saw Macca, he didn't look pleased.
"Boy," he said.
Macca fell at his feet. "I'm sorry Master," he said, "it was Eoghan and Vinnie, they…"
He silenced Macca with one look, instructed him to follow and led Macca into a dingy living room. Macca stayed down, crawled after him with head bowed; he knew his place. Macca stayed kneeling when they both stopped; waiting to be invited to speak again, needing his approval and craving it like humans craved air.
He stroked Macca's face gently, then circled him.
"You let me down, boy," he told Macca and Macca felt the weight of disappointment and sadness. It was far worse than anger. It made Macca desperate with guilt and shame.
"I'm sorry, I'll…"
"You really think there's anything you can do to make up for this, boy?" he demanded and Macca felt tears trying to break free. Tears of shame, guilt, self-hatred.
"I'll find a way! I can get Brendan back for you, I know I can!"
He snorted at Macca, as though he thought the words useless, "You failed me, boy. I don't give second chances."
"Please!" begged Macca, feelling the blood tears fall down his cheeks.
He wiped them with his thumb and looked at them. "Weakness," he said, "I could never stand weakness."
Macca wiped his own face, "I'll do better, I swear! Please, let me stay with you! I want to serve you!"
He leant down, stroked Macca's cheek and lifted his head and kissed him gently on the lips. "Hush now," he said, "it's over. I won't send you away."
Macca's eyes lit up with hope, "O thank you!" he gasped, "thank you!"
He smiled down at Macca benevolently. "Good boy. Now dry your eyes and take your punishment."
Macca dried his eyes and waited; he didn't have a choice, but he wanted to obey, wanted to please.
He stood straight. "Stay right where you are, Macca," he instructed. "Do not move, unless I call for you."
Macca nodded. He could do that. He would have done anything for this man.
He stroked Macca's hair again and smiled, then walked off, deeper into the house, shutting the door firmly behind him. Macca kept his head down, thinking of all the wrong he'd done and how he could prove his worth now after such disasters. Could he get near Brendan and Ste again? Could he get the boy alone? Take him by force this time. They didn't need to scare him anymore – they could torture compliance from him. And Brendan would follow, not daring to touch them while they had the boy. He would bow at their feet.
Macca held down the pang of jealousy at the thought. That the boy should command the power of one such as Brendan infuriated him. Macca was twice as clever as the boy, worth so much more; but Brendan had cast him aside for some council house rat! He pushed the thoughts away. He didn't need Brendan anymore. He'd found true power, a man worthy of his love and loyalty.
Macca waited an age and still no one returned for him. He stay knelt, as instructed. He was a good boy. If Brendan had turned him, he would have served him just as faithfully. But Brendan had lost that chance and a worthier man had claimed him as a prize. His Master. His Master loved him, cared for him and taught him to be a true vampire. His master knew the value of power and loyalty. He would wait for years if his Master asked it.
There was enough electric light in the dingy sitting room that Macca didn't notice the change until his skin was tingling. He itched and fidgeted and knew it meant the sun was rising. This was a just punishment for failing Master. He deserved the discomfort. It was barely dawn yet. Master would return soon, tell him to find a place to sleep. Maybe if he took the punishment without complaint, Master would reward him, allow him to sleep in Master's bed. He held his mouth firmly shut and kept as still as possible.
The room lightened further. And then he saw a small patch of sunlight. It lit a square of carpet in front of him. He glanced to the wall. The window was partly uncovered. A small beam of sunlight was streaming into the space.
This was Master's test, master's challenge. If he could trust Master, take the punishment without fear for himself, without complaint, he would be rewarded and freed, then he and Master together would take their vengeance on Brendan and Ste. He just needed faith and patience.
An hour later the patch was millimetres from his knees.
He had never been more scared.
When it touched his knee his faith betrayed him. "Master?" he cried.
His knees began to smoke. The tingling changed to a burning, then to a pain like none he'd ever experienced. "Master?" he shouted.
"You failed me, Macca," his master's voice replied.
"Please Master!" he cried, "I will get you Brendan back! I swear! Please!
"You're a pathetic little queer, boy" his Master jeered, "to me, you're nothing but a broken toy; a toy I have no further use for. You will die now. Goodbye boy."
Macca's legs were now on fire. He leant away from them. "MASTER?!" he screamed.
No more voices came. Struggling against the all consuming power of his maker's control Macca died for the second time, screaming in pain and alone on the floor of that old cottage. No one cleared away his dust.