Thailand
Niran pushed the window open and stepped onto the frame, stopped by the sound of his bedroom door opening. Though he knew who was on the other side, nothing could have prepared him for how enrapturing he was as he stood there, mouth ajar. He was like fine, exotic chocolate that was hard to obtain and even donned in all of his hunting gear, he could still see the amazing body he had beneath it.
He approached.
Niran was frozen, not in fear, but in anticipation and excitement of what could happen next as the man got closer to him. Would he say anything? No. Instead, he quietly reached for him, pulling him down from the windowsill and taking him into his arms.
No words were needed while they flowed seamlessly to the bed. Niran buried his face in the crook of his neck, taking in his earthy scent before the enigmatic man laid him on his back and stared down at him with lust in his eyes. He began removing his gear and Niran's eyes grew, biting his bottom lip and watching the magnificent show.
Now only in a tight black tee shirt and black pants, he began working on his belt and Niran couldn't keep his eyes off those strong, melanated arms. How badly he wanted them wrapped around him securely, and he'd soon get his wish. He reached up, desperately wanting to make it a reality, melting when he flashed him a smile. Why wasn't he moving faster?!
And then, he kicked himself out of his pants and went down to him, and all Niran wanted to do was tear that shirt off him! He clung to him as if he were life itself, pulling at the collar of his shirt and trying to get some of that delectable skin-on-skin action.
He said something, but Niran couldn't make out his words nor did he try to. He could only focus on the lips all over his skin and how wantonly he arched into him, strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He tried to speak up and ask for more, but his breath was soon taken away, a hot tongue probing his mouth. Had he died and gone to heaven? He'd been around for centuries and never experienced bliss like this before!
Niran broke for air and watched him take the opportunity to hover over him, upright on his knees while he slowly lifted his shirt up. He frowned, why couldn't he make out the details of his body? It was like his image got fuzzy just past his neck. Unfair! Then, the man smiled menacingly down at him, bearing sharp fangs larger than he'd ever seen! "Wh-What…?" He stuttered, frozen again in anticipation when the space between them closed rapidly.
Niran let out a loud and sudden moan as the man latched onto his neck, a wave of intense pleasure mixed with a little bit of pain washing over him. This was…
Niran jolted awake, sitting up in his bed and looking around for his phone. He huffed, blowing loose hair out of his face and glancing at the clock, ten-fifteen in the morning. He should still be asleep! Whoever was calling him better have had a good reason for interrupting his amazing dream! He pat around the bed, eventually finding it and rolling his eyes at the contact. "Satya, where are you?" He answered, annoyed.
"What a pleasant greeting," Satya said from the other end. "You don't even ask to see if I am safe. What a true friend."
"Satya!" Niran whined, flopping back onto the bed and burrowing in his thick comforter. "I was having a really good dream, and you ruined it!"
"I just wanted to let you know I'll be there in a few days," she ignored his complaints, as usual. "Don't run off without me, okay?"
"And where would I even go?" Niran had no intention of leaving his new home. Technically, it was his and Satya's old home, but they'd grown tired of being in the same area, so they ventured out and eventually found the castle. As disappointing as it was to have to leave, it was good timing; he was starting to feel a little homesick.
He figured the pros outweighed the cons, he blended in well, knew the language and area, and he owned his small home on the outskirts of Lampang. The unfortunate side of it was that he had a lot of remodeling to do since he hadn't been home in a few decades, and he hated giving extra energy to anything that wasn't his biolight. "This is our home, and I don't plan on leaving."
"I'm just telling you, dost," Satya said. "I know you like to get distracted."
"There's nothing here to distract me," Niran sat up again, tossing the comforter to the side. He threw out hope that he'd be able to continue that magnificent dream… the dream that was slowly fleeting from his mind. What was up with those teeth? He was a hunter, not a vampire! Why would he conjure that image of him?
"I'm going now," Satya said abruptly. She was never fond of long talks.
"Stay safe, Satya." Niran sighed, dragging his legs off the side of the bed and reaching for his silk robe. "I'll be waiting for you."
"Behave yourself, Niran," Satya said before hanging up.
Niran tossed his phone on the bed and stood, stretching before he slipped into his robe. He shuffled into the kitchen and switched on his teapot, ready from the night before. He wasn't a coffee drinker, and he didn't understand the obsession with it. Making his way over to the doors that overlooked the terrace, he opened them and took in the fresh air, his eyes landing on a small, temple-like structure that sat on top of a hill in the distance, thinking he should go on a hike for new plants. "That wasn't there before," he muttered to himself as his teapot whistled. Yeah, that's what he'd do to pass the time. He'd go exploring!
"What a waste of damn time!" Mauga complained as they walked—and even got a ride here and there—through what felt like the entire city of Chiang Mai. Apparently, the doctor had some sort of new tech that could track down vamps, but it could have been built a little bit better in his opinion!
"Relax," Baptiste breathed, not even bothering to look up from his map. "She said it was just a prototype. We're the first to use this, so let's consider ourselves lucky we even have this much assistance. It could be worse."
Mauga grumbled, inspecting the oddly shaped device with the thin silver hair floating in the center of it. He was right, it could very well be worse. The doctor was knowledgeable enough to know the general vicinity of Lifeweaver's hometown and suspected he fled back home. The downside of it was that the device only worked within a radius of a few miles, and it hadn't gone off yet!
"So, you're telling me, we're basing this off a hunch?" Mauga groused as he looked around, shielding his eyes from the sun. "We don't even know if he's here!"
"Sa se travay nou," Baptiste was also a little bothered, but for different reasons. Ever since Mauga gave him direction that got him injured a few weeks ago, he'd been insufferable! And the weirdest part of it was that he couldn't figure out why! It wasn't like he was intentionally bothering him, in fact, he was even going out of his way to be helpful. It was like he felt… bad. "You know, for someone who loves a hunt, you're complaining an awful lot."
Maybe it wasn't the fact that Mauga felt like they were chasing a dead trail. Maybe it wasn't the fact that he was in a foreign country where he didn't know a lick of the language. Maybe it wasn't the fact that he hadn't gotten any decent sleep in days. Perhaps it was the distant and aloof way Baptiste had been acting. Perhaps it was how he'd go out of his way to avoid him. Perhaps it was the way he wouldn't speak ten words to him outside of talking about the job.
It was as if he were there with him, but not really there, and he had to remind himself that Baptiste had been with him for years and would be stuck with him no matter what. All he could do was watch from afar and wait until he got over whatever funk he was in and came back around. "You're right."
Baptiste looked at his watch and then up at the sky, it was getting late, and he was tired. Unlike his grumpy partner, he had hope that he'd find that beauty. Since their encounter, every waking moment, from when he opened his eyes in the morning and closed them in the evening—and sometimes throughout the night—he was the only thing that occupied his mind. So much so that he had been giving Mauga the cold shoulder! He was thankful; he hadn't poked or prodded or asked him any questions, leaving him peace to sort his thoughts. However, there was no sorting. He needed to get to the bottom of things. He needed to find him and figure out why he was so… He glanced over at Mauga, who was visibly exhausted. No doubt about it, he was going to be calling it quits soon.
One thing Baptiste knew for sure was that he needed to find him alone.
"You wanna call it a night?" Mauga asked as they turned down a path that looked like it went nowhere. It was getting dark, and he was hoping to make that the night he got some good sleep.
Baptiste was brought out of his thoughts, still consumed with the task of finding that poor, perfect soul. He didn't even get the pleasure of learning his name! He didn't want to call him Lifeweaver! He wanted to address him properly, he wanted to call him by his name.
He wanted him to call out his in the throes of passion.
"No," he had enough energy to walk through another small city. From what he saw on the map, they were on the outskirts of Chiang Mai and headed into Lampang. "We can check the next town over and rest up there."
Why was he so adamant about finding this vamp now when he showed a little hesitance in the beginning? "I guess we can check it out. All we gotta do is walk around and stand out like sore thumbs," Mauga muttered. "Like it's gonna be easy to find him with that crappy description anyway. Tall, skinny, white hair? That's every human past the age of sixty in this country!"
Baptiste tuned him out; he knew exactly who he was looking for and would be able to pinpoint him in a heartbeat. He'd engraved that beauty in his brain and would never forget it as long as he lived, even if he never saw him again. "We'll find him."
"Someone's sure of themselves," Mauga scoffed. What was that about? It was getting annoying how their whole dynamic shifted so drastically! Usually, he was the one wanting to keep searching and Baptiste was the one who wanted to rest. What changed in such a short period of time? "Hey, uh…" he began, not really knowing what to say. "What's been goin' on with you?"
Baptiste craned his head up, not looking forward to answering his question. Maybe he could put it off. "De kisa wap pale?"
"Damnit, Baptiste!" Mauga threw his hands up, knowing he responded like that on purpose. "I don't speak Creole!"
Ah, he was frustrated. With good reason of course, but there wasn't anything Baptiste could do about it! He had been consumed, and nothing would fix it until he found the culprit! "Sorry."
"Damn right, you're sorry!" Mauga quipped. He'd been trying to give him whatever space he needed, but he was sick of it! "Do you know how long it's been since you let me touch you?"
"Ugh," Baptiste rolled his eyes. Yeah, he was aware. And to be honest, it was a nice break for his body. "Did it ever occur to you that my body needs to recover?"
"Recover from what? Your leg is just about healed up," Mauga said, oblivious to what he really meant.
"Yeah, sure." His leg was nearly healed, but he still experienced a few pains here and there. Though, that wasn't what he meant at all! He was tired of this big mammoth treating his body like it was his personal plaything, and if he were real with himself, he sort of wanted to be a top. But alas, there was no way in hell Mauga would let that happen!
And as bad as it sounded, Baptiste didn't like him enough to want to top him.
"Well, whatever you're going through…" Mauga dropped a hand on his shoulder. "You're not alone."
Baptiste just kept walking, what was he supposed to say to that? That he actually wanted to be alone? How much worse would that make him feel? "Thanks."
"That's it?" Mauga stopped him and spun him around, frowning down at him. "Look, pepe. I'm tryin' here, and you've been acting weird since the castle. You say you're not mad at me for getting you hurt, then what is it?"
Baptiste sighed. His injury from the castle was the furthest thing from his mind. And he noticed his efforts, he just… didn't care for them anymore. He felt bad, but he couldn't help how he felt. They'd been traipsing the world and hunting vampires for a handful of years, and he never once felt as deeply for Mauga as he felt for him. He cared about him, sure, but it didn't go anything further than friends with benefits. Mauga, on the other hand, made it abundantly clear how he felt through his actions, and it just wasn't reciprocated. "It's nothing."
"It's obviously something," Mauga crossed his arms. He wasn't letting it go so easily this time! "You saw something, didn't you?"
"What do you mean?" Baptiste quickly replied. "I didn't see anything. The castle was practically vacant."
Mauga stared him down, understanding that he wasn't going to come clean about anything. He guessed he'd just have to watch him like a hawk until he slipped up. With that evasive response, it was clear he was hiding something, but the weirder thing was, why was he trying so hard to keep it secret from him? Was it that important?
"We need to keep going," Baptiste avoided the topic and continued on, taking the time to absorb the sights. He'd never been to Thailand, and he was really taking to the culture. The food was amazing, and the people were very friendly. It was a safe country, and it attracted a lot of tourists. He wouldn't mind visiting for vacation in the future!
His mind drifted. Of course, a gorgeous being would hail from a gorgeous place. He wondered what kind of guy he was, what kind of personality he had. He wondered what kind of person he was before he turned, and how he was able to evade every hunter he came across afterward. He wondered what his likes and dislikes were, and what he liked to do in his free time. Most vamps lived normal lives, holding a job, having hobbies, and such. What were his? What was his favorite thing to do? What was his favorite color, his favorite number?
Why did he want to know these things after only encountering him for less than two minutes total?
A sudden trilling startled them both and they stopped, Mauga digging in his bag for the tracking device. "Well, whaddya know." Mauga pulled it out and held it up, the green light on top of it blinking rapidly. "You were right, pele."
Baptiste's mind went into overdrive; he was close! He snatched the device, wide-eyed as he looked at the little green dot on the radar screen. After searching for so long, he was finally going to see him again! He nearly vibrated with excitement at the thought of getting him within arm's reach. He'd spent so much time thinking about what he'd do the moment he got his hands on him. "We're headed in the right direction. Let's go."
"Wait up," Mauga stopped him in his tracks, noting how… animated he got. "You're not thinking straight!"
"What are you saying? He's close!" Baptiste was appalled that this guy was even considering trying to stop him when his prize was just ahead!
"Yeah, but for how long?" Mauga countered. "What if he's just passing through and we're wasting our energy for nothing? This thing's got a radius of, fuck, who knows how many miles! We need to rest up and find him in the morning."
As much as Baptiste wanted to go against his wishes and just run after him, he was right. He could have just been passing through—although, he doubted it—and it was better safe than sorry. Besides, he needed to do this alone anyway, which only meant he was going to have to spend all night coming up with a way to convince him to split up.
"Let's check in to that hotel over there..." Mauga pointed at the hotel off in the distance. "…and get some sleep. We'll wake up and check the tracker, make sure he's still here, then we'll go on a hunt. How's that?"
"You're not taking 'no' for an answer, are you?" Baptiste looked at the dot on the tracker. It didn't look like it was moving, so that made it a little easier to agree.
"C'mon," Mauga dragged him across the street and in the direction of sure sleep. Would he get to touch him tonight? Probably not, but he'd still try. That was probably what he needed, anyway. Nothing got him feeling better than a nice romp in bed! "Don't avoid me tonight."
Baptiste tuned him out as he pulled him toward the undeniably welcoming hotel, thinking only of the imminent encounter he was going to have. Would he dream about him again? When he found him, would he get close enough to touch him? Sure, they shared two brief moments, but in reality, he was still a hunter, and that beauty was still a vampire. What if he felt threatened? What if he retaliated? It would be understandable if he did; he had already run him out of the castle and now what? He follows him across the world? He had every right to feel threatened!
That was why he had to find him first.
He couldn't let Mauga get to him. He only cared about reaping the rewards and would just snatch him without a second thought. But what the hell was he planning on doing when he found him? He was having all sorts of crazy thoughts like leaving Mauga behind and running off with him, and he didn't even know anything about him! What if they didn't even get along?
Geez. Why was he even thinking about this?
He just wanted to find him and hold him and tell him he was sorry for uprooting him, but would he let him get close enough to talk to him? Sure, he would… wouldn't he? Apart from that, he needed to focus on the bigger picture, and that was getting Mauga to agree to split up. He wasn't sure how he'd do it, but he only had a handful of hours to figure it out.
Before he knew it, he was lying in bed on his side wondering how his thoughts had kept him so occupied that he'd been running on autopilot. He barely noticed Mauga, who was stuck to him like glue. He was too far gone.
Baptiste stood there frozen, mouth hanging ajar as he saw the breathtaking being he bumped into the previous day, currently trying to escape through the window. They locked eyes for what felt like an eternity, and his heart sank. He was currently in the process of uprooting this lovely creation from his home, and he didn't want to do that! Instead…
He approached.
Walking up to him and pulling him down from the windowsill, he took him into his arms. How warm and soft his skin was, how needily he held onto him as he walked him to the bed. And in the blink of an eye, he had him lying on his back while he gave him a show he clearly enjoyed.
He stood at the end of the bed and removed his gear, his gaze trailing from brown eyes down to plump lips while he worked on his belt. He was so adorably impatient, reaching up for him with a cute pout. He flashed him his sultriest smile and he could almost see him melt away, easily swayed by his actions.
He finally kicked out of his pants and went down to him, humming deeply as he clung to him desperately. He pulled, tugging at his shirt like he wanted to rip it from his body, and it fueled him. "Ou se pèfeksyon," he mumbled into his neck, lips familiarizing themselves with rich beige skin.
He let loose his inhibitions and held him closely, not ignoring the wanton way he arched into him, silently begging for more. He couldn't take it; he was too worked up! He connected their lips, letting his tongue explore his mouth, and it was as if nothing else mattered, nothing else existed except for what was right in front of him.
He broke for air and stood upright on his knees, pulling his shirt over his head with a pant. He looked around, when he was last in a room in the castle, he was now in what looked like a bedroom of a house, though he couldn't make out the details. From the bed, he looked through the window at a mountainous terrain that wasn't the Chinese forest he'd gotten familiar with. He saw exotic plants and trees, and a small structure perched on a hill in the distance. Thinking nothing of it, he looked back down at the treat beneath him and gave him the attention he was begging for.
He latched onto his neck, sucking spots onto his skin and claiming his territory while his hands wandered under his clothes and navigating smooth flesh. He was so responsive, giving light whimpers and moans and reacting to his every little touch, he was phenomenal! He never wanted this to end, he never wanted to be apart from him!
He carefully undid the tie keeping his shirt together, wanting to savor it all when he furrowed his brow; just as he couldn't make out the details of the room he was in, he couldn't see the body being presented to him. It was as if he were blurry from the neck down! But before he could try to focus, he was pushed down onto his back, now staring up at the ethereal creature straddling him.
Baptiste crossed his arms behind his head and watched him while he boldly worked his lips and hands along his chest, silver hair tickling his skin as he made his way down. His breath hitched when he got to his boxers, was he really going for it? He lifted his head, met with eyes hazy with desire, and ran a hand through soft hair, silently urging him to continue.
A warm hand encased him, and his head fell back, now free from his boxers. "Bua…" he crooned, not knowing what that meant or where it came from. All he could wrap his head around was the intense pleasure that suddenly took over him.
Mauga was a bit perturbed. Not only had Baptiste been weird for the past few weeks, but he avoided him the previous night like he told him not to, and now he was having some sort of spicy dream after not showing him any interest! He'd woken up to hear him moaning in his sleep and almost wanted to feel offended, but… was this his opportunity to get close to him again?
He sat up and threw the covers to the floor and let his eyes cruise his nearly nude body hungrily, happy he convinced him to sleep only in his boxers. He grinned at the more than morning wood he was sporting and figured he would do them both a favor.
He wasted no time hovering over him and sliding his boxers down muscular legs, pausing when he shuffled in his sleep. He looked at his face and smirked; whatever he was dreaming about, he was about to turn it into a reality! And when a sleepy hand found its way through his wild mane, he was sure Baptiste had finally come back around.
"'Bout time," in a swift move, Mauga had a hand at the base of a firm girth and his mouth around the rest of it, pleased that his body was reacting to him. He bobbed up and down while he slid his hands up his body, waking him gently.
"Mmm, Bua… so good…"
Mauga faltered, lifting his head and peering at a sleeping Baptiste. What the hell was a "bua"? He'd never heard him use that word before. What was he dreaming about? Was he just imagining things? Choosing to ignore it, he continued his ministrations, getting worked up himself. Was he going to get lucky?
"Tèlman bèl…"
Mauga stopped in his tracks as a hand caressed his face. Did Baptiste just call him… beautiful? He'd never once…! Who the hell was he dreaming about that got such treatment?! An unsettling pit formed in his gut; there was no way he was the star of his current fantasy and it kind of hurt. He sat up, his mood completely shot. "Wake up," he said sourly, nudging him in his side.
Baptiste groaned, rolling onto his side and patting around the bed for the covers. He was having the most amazing dream, and it was interrupted! Maybe, just maybe if he could ignore the distraction and cling to the little bit of sleepiness that remained, he could pick up where he left off and… oh, who was he kidding?
"Hey," Mauga nudged him again. There was no way in hell he was letting him go back to sleep! "Get up. We got shit to do."
Baptiste felt his sweet dream slipping from his memory, only able to remember the unimportant details and not the ones he really wanted to preserve. But it didn't matter. Once he found him, he'd see to it that his dream became a reality! A headache crept up on him as consciousness slowly returned to him, he guessed it was time to start the day.
Mauga got up and tossed his clothes at him before checking the tracker. Thankfully, he was still within their radius, which meant they were most likely successful in finding his hideout. "You up?" He asked coldly.
Baptiste held his head and sat up, tilting his head to the side at his lack of underwear and the slight moisture on his lower half. No way Mauga actually… he pushed the thought aside; he didn't want to know the answer. He glanced at the clock, ten seventeen in the morning. Too early in his opinion, but to be honest, he was too excited to go back to sleep.
It was the day he'd find him.
"Hey," he said, looking at a particularly aggravated Mauga. What was that about?
"Someone had a good rest," Mauga sneered, throwing on his shirt. He hated these petty emotions, but he couldn't help it! It was bad enough he already felt like he was in a one-sided relationship, now his gut feeling had to be rubbed in his face?
"What is that supposed to mean?" Baptiste got up and took his clothes into the bathroom. It was clear Mauga was upset with him, but he hadn't done anything for him to be like this!
"Bua," Mauga said, following him into the bathroom. He wasn't going to let him play dumb! "You were moaning that in your sleep."
Ah, had he been caught? It was true he had an erotic dream, but he didn't remember saying "bua", nor was he even sure what it meant. He splashed water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror. "I don't even know what that is."
"So, you admit you had a wet dream," Mauga snorted, not buying it one bit. "At your age?"
"Can you give me some space?" Baptiste snapped, wiping his face dry with a towel. Why was he so upset? It wasn't like he could control his dreams! "I was probably just mumbling nonsense."
"Who were you dreamin' about?" Mauga leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. "'Cause it sure wasn't me."
Baptiste paused briefly, cursing himself internally. How did he give himself away? Of course, he wasn't dreaming about this behemoth, but someone much more beautiful and delicate. However, there was no way in hell he'd tell him that! "What makes you so sure it wasn't?"
"Because you've never called me beautiful a damn day in your life," Mauga jibed. It was so obvious he was lying! Should he just drop it? It wasn't like he could control his dreams, and besides, who could he possibly have been thinking about? It wasn't like he talked or spent time with anyone else. It didn't make sense.
"Tch." Baptiste got dressed, annoyed that he'd gotten caught up like this. Mauga? Beautiful? "Pa fè'm ri," he muttered, pushing past him and heading for the tracking device. A warm, happy feeling brewed within him knowing his prize would soon be in arms reach. "You're overthinking things."
"Am I?" Mauga saw the visible change in his demeanor when he picked up the tracker. At least he was excited to hunt! "You said it clear as day!"
"You must be imagining things," Baptiste sat in one of the chairs and put on his socks and shoes, ready to get a quick bite to eat and head out. "I don't talk in my sleep."
"Y'know, I thought the same thing," Mauga mimicked him, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting his shoes on. "'Til I heard you last night."
"Just let it go," Baptiste stood and stepped into his lighter gear, running a pick through his tight coils. "Ready to go eat? I know you can't hunt on an empty stomach."
Mauga stared at him long and hard. He should drop it, shouldn't he? He was just so bothered! However, the upcoming hunt was hyping him up and making it easy for him to look past this mishap. "What did you have in mind?"
"There was a restaurant close by that I wanted to check out," Baptiste checked the map on his phone. "It's a few minutes away."
"I don't know how you can find anything around here appetizing," Mauga complained. Unlike his fishy acting partner, he wasn't adapting well to their new environment. He didn't care for the food or the language, but the people were hot, so that was a plus. He wondered what this "Lifeweaver" guy looked like and why no one was able to catch him. He also wondered if he knew his reign of life was about to end.
"The food is better here than back in Moata'a," Baptiste replied blankly, pulling himself together. He was adapting well to Thai culture, and even found himself wanting to learn the language. It truly was a beautiful place.
"Ha! You're kidding." Mauga exclaimed loudly. "Next thing you're gonna say is you wanna stay here."
"I'd consider it," Baptiste checked his bag and his pockets, making sure he had everything he needed. They planned on staying in that room until the job was done, so he was thankful he didn't have to lug a bunch of stuff around.
"No way I'm letting you move all the way across the world to Thailand!" Mauga headed for the door, ready to go.
"I don't think it's really up to you," Baptiste left their room, noticing he was being a bit cold to him. Why was that? He hadn't done anything to upset him, he was just… he had to find that vamp. Only then would he be able to think clearly.
"You'd really leave me?" Mauga felt icky asking something like that, but it slipped out. He felt Baptiste slowly inching away from him, and it was like he couldn't do anything about it!
"Let's just focus on the job," Baptiste had to end the conversation. He didn't want to admit he'd been feeling like their time together was running its course. It was something he'd been thinking about for a while, but now wasn't the time to talk about it.
"I don't think he's going to be in the city," Baptiste said, checking the tracker and then the map on his phone. He wasn't sure why, but he had a hunch they weren't going to find him amongst the general population.
"I dunno," Mauga said. "These vamps are pretty smart. I think he'd blend in with the others to make it difficult."
"Think about it. They were hiding in the forest in Yunnan. Why would he put himself out there, especially given the nature of his abilities?"
"Everything about this guy is such a mystery," Mauga huffed. "We don't know the specifics of those abilities. He could have some hidden ability we don't even know about! And to top it off, the doctor didn't even know his real name!"
"We know he's traveling with another vamp," Baptiste understood where he was coming from, but Lifeweaver wasn't a threat… at least to him. If Mauga approached, who knew how he'd react? Speaking of, he never figured out how to convince him to split up. He couldn't pawn him off, hunting the small fry he was traveling with; there was no way he'd go for it.
"Yeah, but that's not important." Mauga walked in the direction of the city center, deciding to start their search there. "We can walk around here and keep an eye on the tracker, and if it doesn't update, we can head up into the mountains. Deal?"
"Mwen devine," Baptiste chose to be patient in the hopes that he would be rewarded. He'd take his time and sightsee while they walked around, making note of places he wanted to stop by in his free time. Who knew? Maybe he would move there after he got the courage to separate from Mauga.
There wasn't really even a real reason for wanting to do so, either. He just felt like it was time for a change. A change in scenery, a change in company, maybe even a change in his line of work. What he… what they did, it was kind of depressing work, and in a way, he sympathized with vamps. Most of them didn't ask to be turned, yet they had the unfortunate fate of running and hiding for the rest of eternity until they were killed.
And he was the one chasing them.
When in reality, they typically just wanted to mind their own business and live lives as close to normal as they could. Sure, some of the ones they'd hunted were nearly feral, but the others, like Lifeweaver, well… maybe he was his turning point.
They walked up and down a few streets, trekking through neighborhood after neighborhood, when Mauga began to get fed up. There were so many damn people out and about that fit the description, but none of them were the target. And there was even a point where they'd gotten so far into the city, the tracker stopped blinking, leaving the only option left of going into the forest. "Looks like you were right. He doesn't seem to be with the general population."
"Maybe you should trust my hunches instead," Baptiste said playfully, nudging him in his arm and heading toward a path that would lead them into the trees.
"You seem to be in much better spirits," Mauga relished in the cute look pepe had just given him while he followed behind him. He knew he'd come around again.
"Just happy to hunt," Baptiste replied honestly. He was more happy for what he would find at the end of his hunt than the hunt itself. Just knowing he'd get to see that magnificent being again was really a mood enhancer.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Mauga cracked his knuckles. "I'm pumped!"
It was at that moment when Baptiste looked up and off into the distance, he felt slight déjà vu upon spotting what looked to be a small temple sitting on a hill. How incredibly weird! He'd never been to Thailand a day in his life, so how? He thought long and hard, thinking he maybe saw it in an article or magazine or something but deeming it impossible!
…wait.
Didn't he see something like that in the dream he just had? He slipped off his backpack and opened it, digging around for his binoculars. He peered through them, taking in the details of the structure, his mouth agape. He looked at the foliage around the hill, and it was scarily similar to the flora and fauna he saw in his dream. Did he have a prophetic dream? Was fate really handing him his gift on a silver plate?
This had never happened before!
Mauga watched Baptiste fumble around his bag and stare at something through his binoculars. What the hell was up with him? He was acting like he'd made some huge discovery while he was left in the dark! "Hey," he nudged him. "What's up? You're acting weird."
Baptiste stuffed his binoculars back into his bag and threw it on his back urgently. Nothing else mattered at that moment; he knew where he had to go, and he had to do it alone. He whipped around, shoving the paper map at Mauga. "We should split up."
"What? Ua e le mafaufau!" Mauga sneered. Now he was suspicious! "Why do you wanna go off on your own all of a sudden?"
"I just think it'll be best if we split up. You know," Baptiste said, pretending to look anywhere but at him. "Cover more ground."
Mauga didn't even know what to say! Was he seriously trying to get rid of him? What for? "I think I'll stick with ya, buddy," he said, dropping a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Baptiste expected pushback, but he had a good explanation… he hoped. "He's not alone. I say we both hunt one down."
"You're goin' after the real prize," Mauga stated knowingly. He crossed his arms and frowned. He was definitely hiding something, but he couldn't put his finger on what. He took a few seconds to connect the dots.
He started acting weird right after the raid, and when he asked him if he saw anything, he denied it and avoided the topic every time he brought it up.
Since then, he avoided him at every turn, refusing to touch or even hold a full conversation with him, and he even had a saucy dream of which he wasn't the recipient!
He got a little more excited than usual when the tracking device activated, and just as excited when they got up to hunt that morning when he was usually calm and collected.
And now, he was insisting they work separately when he knew that wasn't on the agenda! No doubt about it, he saw something while he made his way through that castle. Something or someone.
"I wouldn't say I'm going after him specifically," Baptiste lied, scratching his head. "I'm just saying we find who we find."
"What do you take me for?" Mauga asked, voice cold as ice. "You want me to go after that cheap shot he's traveling with. Why?"
"It's not like that," Baptiste tried to stay calm, feeling like he'd give himself away if he made a huge fuss. "I just think we need to use our brains. Two of us, two vamps."
"I hear ya," Mauga was convinced. Baptiste knew something for sure, and he was going to do everything in his power to figure out what it was. Even if it meant following him.
Baptiste opened his mouth to say something but paused. That was it? That was too easy. "You okay with it?"
"Guess I got no choice," Mauga shrugged, playing along with his charade. He'd let him believe he was going off on his own, but that wasn't the case. He had a feeling he'd lead him to something good! "Keep the tracker," he passed him the device.
"Yeah?" Baptiste lit up. This made things a lot easier than his initial plan of just heading to that building. "What about you?"
Aha! He just gave himself away! If he wasn't going for Lifeweaver specifically, then why was he so excited to have the tracker? "Eh. It just makes the hunt that much more fun."
"Okay, then I'll call you when I find and subdue one of them," Baptiste created a fake plan, choosing to deal with the repercussions after the fact. "You'll do the same?"
"Sure thing, buddy" Mauga ignored him; he had his own plans.
"Thanks," Baptiste mumbled. "For not fighting me on this."
"Just promise me you'll make it up to me," Mauga grinned. "Pepe."
Mauga was stewing in foul moods. He didn't like following Baptiste like this, but he had to. He wasn't sure what was going through his head and why he was being all secretive and was going to get to the bottom of it. What was he planning to do once he found the vamp? He suddenly had the feeling he was going to do something to compromise their job, but how?
The more he thought about it, the more he began to assume he encountered Lifeweaver during the raid. Why else the sudden change in demeanor? He thought about the possibility of hypnosis, but due to his resistance and the suppressant he took before going in, that couldn't have been the case. That only left the possibility of them having a short conversation…but about what? They didn't know each other to have a talk outside of prey being hunted, so that was unlikely, too.
He tailed him from a considerable distance, not wanting to give himself away. How would he react knowing he was being followed? He'd probably get angry, saying things like "he was being paranoid", or "he didn't trust him", but how could he when he was acting like he was?! He'd been following and watching him for at least two hours now, and he'd stop and take small water breaks, checking the tracker every thirty minutes or so before continuing in the same direction.
As time passed, he appeared to be headed toward a random temple that was sitting on a hill a bit away, but what would be the reasoning? From what he could tell, there was nothing about that temple that stood out enough that he had to go on his own! What significance did it hold? How would he even know to check there? Was it just something that caught his eye? Or was he just imagining things?
Was he going to gain anything from following him?
Perhaps he was just in an unexplainable funk and needed some time to himself. They had been up each other's butts for quite some time, so he supposed it was understandable. He didn't have to like it, though!
Baptiste, on the other hand, was on a mission! He'd gotten rid of Mauga and finally had some time alone to think, and all he could think about was what he'd do when he found who he was looking for. What would he say? How could he convince him that he was on his side? How could he convey to him that he wanted to cause no harm, but in fact, do the opposite?
What the hell was he going to tell Mauga? That he couldn't find him? That the tracker wasn't accurate? That he managed to slip from his grasp just as he had the other hunters? He couldn't tell him the truth, that he was so painfully attracted to him and had to see him again to make sure he wasn't losing his mind, that he was tired of their repetitive lives and wanted to start fresh, a clean slate.
He walked through the trees, occasionally checking the tracker. The green dot on the screen didn't look like it moved, which only gave him hope. A foreign feeling washed over him, butterflies? How long had it been since he felt those? Mauga certainly hadn't elicited those feelings from him before! He smiled, following his hunch and continuing his journey to the building in the distance, eager to see what awaited him.
But it was getting dark, and he was getting tired. How much further would he have to travel? The distance seemed to be an illusion, as he felt like he'd made very little progress! He'd been walking for over a few hours, and he couldn't pinpoint the structure using the map on his phone, so it was hard to tell exactly how far it was. But it didn't matter, he'd travel however far for however long to get there. He was determined.
He came to a rest on a ledge that was a bit steep, sitting on a boulder and taking five or ten minutes to check his phone and eat a protein bar he had stashed in his bag. He had a feeling the structure wasn't really that far, the path he was taking just wasn't direct. It made a lot of twists and turns, and it crossed his mind a few times to just cut through and create his own path, but that wasn't the smartest thing to do. He'd never know if he was heading toward a hidden cliff or a sinkhole, so he remained patient, taking the path that was already there and telling himself it was created the way it was for a reason.
He glanced at the tracker for the first time in about an hour, and his eyes grew; the green dot was a lot closer than it was before! Frantically, he pulled out his binoculars and looked through them, trying his best to see through the cracks in the leaves. "Pou renmen de…" he grumbled, getting up and walking a few yards back to where he could see the small building clearly. He peered through them again, eyes scanning the area when that foreign feeling in his stomach intensified.
After a while, Mauga started to think he was indeed just imagining things. The path he was taking wasn't straight, so he couldn't be sure if he was heading to that temple. He couldn't even be sure if he was leading him anywhere anymore. He hadn't found the vamp, and he hadn't called him to call it an evening, either. When was he going to call it quits? The sun was setting, and neither of them liked hunting at night because it was more dangerous.
Mauga watched him sit on a big rock and refuel for a few minutes, hoping he was contacting him when he pulled out his phone. But then, something interesting happened! His body language completely changed for the better once he checked the tracker again, which only meant good things. What was going to happen next? He saw him get up and take a few steps back to look through his binoculars for about thirty seconds before he shoved them back into his bag and nearly took off up the path in a light jog.
"The hell…?" Mauga pulled out his own pair and scanned the forest, looking in the same direction as Baptiste, confused when he didn't see anything. He then zeroed in on the building and looked through the windows and at the area surrounding it when something moving inside caught his eye. His eyes snapped back over, and he saw someone briefly pass by the small window, with olive skin and long, platinum hair. A wide, almost sinister grin spread on his face. "Gotcha."