CRESTFALLEN WOE

VII

The City of Lights

(And Sin)

"Stop, no…. Don't leave without me..." I open my eyes as I lay on my side to find a sleeping Tweek beside me. He's wearing a painful grimace; it looks like he's having a nightmare. Wait, when did he get in my bed? Or I am in his bed? Nope, he's in my bed. It's so weird… since tasting his blood yesterday I haven't been craving it. Like some weird exposure therapy. Maybe he's training me? Like the kinds of people who keep lions like they're domestic cats.

"Tweek," I run my fingers through his neon green hair. He trimmed and shaved the sides and left the length on the top. The dye didn't take to his roots, it looks fucking wild.

"Craig?" Tweek's eyelids flutter open. Another day, same old adoration of his phenomenal eyes.

"We should get going."

"Oh, I'm in y-your bed?" Tweek looks around confused. I think today was the most sleep he's enjoyed in a while.

"Yeah, I guess you moved over sometime during the day." He looks at me apologetically. Is he embarrassed? "I feel a lot better knowing you're safe beside me." I place a comforting hand on his shoulder and rub his hoodie sleeve with my thumb. Just as he did last night, Tweek smiles at me again. Fuck, I hope everything will be ok and I can get used to that look.

"I'LL give our key back." I offer as Tweek packs up the haggard ass van.

In the dingy motel office, the bored college aged girl with two dozen piercings in her face pops her bubble gum at me. I toss the key on the counter.

"109?" The woman asks rhetorically. She turns the guest book towards me. "$75." I slide the cash across the counter. "Thank you for your stay, Mr. Mayer. Please come again." The woman deadpans and returns to her novel. I squiggle some bullshit beside Tweek's shitty fake signature for 'Ty Mayer'.

"WE need to d-ditch the car tonight."

"Where are we even going now? Are we still going to Vegas?" I unfold the Nevada map I grabbed at the gas station last night to check out the area.

"I think we should. For a while, anyway, until we figure some shit out. If you can't survive on animals, we're fucked anyway, right? I could take s-self defense classes. We'll get a vehicle, maybe a camper van or something?" Tweek sighs and looks to me for a moment. "Point is, we have to gear up and get our shit together."

"You're hungry again." I can hear his stomach rumbling. There's only so far gas station sandwiches and corn chips can go.

"I'm sure y-you are, too." Tweek sighs again. His shaky hands grip the steering wheel. I notice we're picking up speed as Tweek's thousand-mile stare returns. He's thinking again.

"I'm fine. It's not like it was. I'm not as hungry as I used to be."

"Used to be? Eck! What, did something magically change in the last couple hours?"

"Maybe." I shrug. The only thing that changed was tasting Tweek's blood. But I haven't been hungry since… At least, the starving feeling I had before has subsided.

"Do you need a light?" Tweek offers.

"I can see fine, dude. Vamp perks." Tweek chuckles. I haven't heard him laugh in weeks. "What?"

"Oh, I just imagined you f-flying like Tom Cruise did in the movie last night." Tweek smiles and laughs.

"Fly, read minds, set shit on fire, stop time. Fucking wild set of powers."

"You do, like, move fast and can see and hear really well."

"Sure, but my sense of smell and taste are completely fucked."

"They're just geared towards blood! Ngh! W-why would you f-find anything else appealing if that's all you eat?"

"Yours was different, you know." I glance to my friend who glances to me. "Thanks… For doing that." Tweek remains silent but I can hear his heartbeat picking up.

"It's fine, man. If you get used to it, I th-thought maybe it'd be easier to be around me."

"I was right. You are training me."

"Argh! N-not like that! Well… Gah!" Tweek's cheeks paint crimson and his heartbeat pounds against the seat.

"It's fine, dude. Whatever works, right?" We pass by a 'Las Vegas 69 miles' sign. Almost there. I guess we'll dump the van in the desert and stay in some sleezy motel again or something? Fuck, how many more nights of this shit?

"Ah! Fuck!" Tweek jumps in his seat. "I have an idea!"

I'M standing on the side of the I-15 about 30 miles outside of Vegas waiting for a vehicle to wave down. Tweek's popped the hood of the van as though it were broken down. At least it isn't freezing out here tonight like it was in Colorado when we left, so I don't have to worry about him.

Finally, an SUV slows down and pulls to the side ahead of us. It's got those fucking stick figure families stuck on the back window, two parents, five kids, a dog… And a 'Honk for Jesus' bumper sticker near the Utah license plate. Great, a buffet.

Tweek throws our stuff in the SUV as I load my two victims in the van. Turns out the kids and the dog were safe at home. The plan is to drive the van off into the desert and highjack the SUV. I have no idea what I'm doing behind the wheel, but it doesn't really matter when the passengers are stone cold, and the driver is immortal.

I ditch the van behind some tall rocks and jog back to the SUV where Tweek's scraped off the stupid family stickers and removed the plates. He left the 'Honk for Jesus' bumper sticker. Hilarious.

"This is a lot fucking nicer." I open the sunroof and play with the radio as we enter Sin City. My stomach gurgles and I burp, the taste of onion from the weird religious chick slides to the back of my throat like some seriously fucked up heartburn. "Fuck that's gross."

"You've n-never had two at once before! Was it t-too m-much?"

"I don't know, but that bitch tasted gross. Like old onion rings."

"Maybe she was on m-meds or sick or s-something?"

"Fuck, whatever it was I should avoid it and just slice their throat next time."

"Jesus, that's kind of brutal, man."

"Couldn't have let her live after watching me use her husband as an appetizer." Tweek chuckles. I'm glad he shares my morbid sense of humour.

"Oh!" Tweek slams on the breaks before hitting his signal and peeling into a motel parking lot. It's a pay by the hour type place, just as sleezy as yesterday. Except its only midnight and we actually have time to find Tweek some dinner and hang out for the night.

The room is dark and musky with a single four post king sized bed. I wish I couldn't see so well because the dim lighting and red sheets aren't hiding any of the disgusting shit that has gone on in this place. In the room beside us I can hear the bed squeaking as two? Three? People laugh and fuck together. Yuck. My stomach feels awful, I just want to lie down and let this gross feeling pass.

Tweek returns to the room with a fast-food bag filled with a burger and fries, having opted to head across the street for some dinner on his own. The putrid smell instantly sends an awful rush through my body. I leap from the bed and run to the washroom to vomit in the toilet, but I don't quite make it. Tweek rushes over as I wretch. The washroom looks like a scene from a horror movie. Fuck, this is going to suck to clean up. I double over on the floor, my arms gripping my abdomen, and cough up the rest of the nasty ass blood.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, man! Are you ok?" Tweek screeches. He drops to his knees and rubs circles on my back.

"This fucking sucks." I groan.

"Jesus, I'm glad b-bought some b-bleach."

"I'm sorry." Tweek passes me a few tissues for my mouth.

"It's fine, man… I just w-wish we knew why this happened!"

"If blood tastes shitty, don't fucking drink it. Lesson learned."

Tweek ate his dinner as I cleaned the washroom, followed by brushing my teeth enough times that my gums feel raw.

Unfortunately puking up my last meal means I'm now back to feeling hungry as fuck. And worse, Tweek just ate so he's back to smelling irresistible. I sit as far to the edge of the bed as I can. My arms and ankles crossed while we watch the news.

"Did I do something wrong?" Tweek asks from the other side of the large squishy bed. The room temperature is stuck at 76 degrees, so Tweek opted to go shirtless for the night.

"Just not feeling well." I lie. Tweek sighs and curls up to hug the extra pillow and still watch the television. Fuck I wish I was that pillow.

"Do y-you think that g-guy with the glasses was able to follow us?"

"I don't know. Maybe? I think we've been careful."

"W-what about the other v-vampires?" Tweek's heart rate increases as his questions continue.

"You don't have to worry about them."

"Gah! We don't know what they're capable of! They have lot more experience doing this than you do!"

"I just don't get what he fucking wants with me."

"To join his f-fucked up little gang!"

"Pfft. Fuck that." Tweek glances to me, his expression clouded with concern. "I wouldn't, dude. I'm not going anywhere without you."

"What if you have no choice?"

"Then I'll beat the shit out of them and get as far away as I fucking can from their stupid pretentious goth asses." Tweek's expression doesn't change. "With you, of course."

"Ack! We really need to learn how to fight! And arm ourselves! Ngh! We don't even know how to k-kill one!"

"Rest first, worry later, dude." Tweek sighs and curls himself back up around the pillow. I can't stop staring at his exposed skin. Alright, I need to get the fuck out of here and snack on someone else.

"I have to go out." Before Tweek can oppose I've already left the room and shut the door.

The lights out here are so bright. There're people partying and drunks dangling off each other. Shady fucks and sex workers are out in droves and homeless people on every corner. I notice a hooded young man with face tattoos break off from his crew and slink down an ally. I rush to catch the guy on his own.

"Who the fuck? Motherfucker! Ah!" I hold my hand over his mouth as I drain him dry, the glow of his amber eyes now faded. I didn't realize diet soda flavour was an option, acidic like aspartame, but a fuck of a lot better than my lunch.

I drop the fresh corpse and wipe my mouth and chin before rushing away to get back to the motel.

Upon return I notice the unfortunately familiar creeper van in the corner of the parking lot and the door to our room cracked open. No fucking way that asshole found us already. I bust into the room to find the guy with the thick rimmed glasses tied to a chair and half dressed Tweek holding his pocketknife. I quickly lock the door and move to grip my hand on the douchebag's throat.

"This fucker broke into the room right after you left!" Tweek steps back to give me room.

"You have thirty seconds to explain why the fuck you're following us." I growl and make sure he can see my fangs. When I let go, he doubles over coughing. His wrists are taped to the armrests and his torso taped to the back of the chair. A healthy bruise is throbbing on his forehead. Tweek must have knocked him unconscious and tied him up. Nice.

"You morons! I found you fair and square!" The high pitched nasally twenty something nerd smirks as he looks back and forth between Tweek and I. "I followed your dumb asses from South Park to Denver. I traced that van's plates before you ripped them off and found out who it belonged to. Then I found out that broad's name popped up on some ATMs off the I-70, figured you idiots were headed west. Followed the blood trail down the I-15 to the nice Mormon couple you offed; you even left that fucking bumper sticker like a couple newbs."

Tweek stepped forward and slapped the guy's face harder than I knew he could.

"We asked why, not how, you piece of shit!" Tweek seethes.

"Because your vamp boyfriend over here is a fucking hazard!" Tweek steps forward and slashes the guy's cheek with his knife.

"He's not my boyfriend." Tweek steps forward and holds the knife to his throat. "He's my best friend and I will fuck you up if you fucking touch him."

Huh. I think I'm in love.

"You're playing with fire keeping one of them so close. A wolf in sheep's clothing! You're just another meal to his kind!"

"If you want to keep all your fingers you'll start talking. What do you fucking know about vamps?"

"Hah!" The guy spits at Tweek. Well, that was dumb. Tweek grabs his hand and snaps back his baby finger in response. I step behind the chair to hold my hand over his mouth and muffle his scream.

"Get. Talking." Tweek moves his knife to the ring finger.

"You should probably do what he says." I whisper lowly into the guy's ear before moving back beside my partner in crime.

"Vamps are fucked up hell spawn capable only of sadistic serial murder! Everywhere they go they leave a trail of blood."

"How do you kill one." Tweek demands.

"The normal shit." The guy answers sarcastically. Tweek digs the knife into the base of his finger, the guy groans in agony. "Fuck! Ok! You cut off their head, set them on fire, or stake them through the heart."

"What about sunlight?" I ask.

"The sun just maims, not kills. Same with silver bullets, dicing them up, and slicing them open." The smirks at me. Ew, what a weirdo. Tweek pulls the knife away and stands with his arms crossed next to me.

"Why the fuck are you following us."

"Because I'm a vampire hunter, numb nuts. Duh." The douche bag rolls his eyes. How the fuck is he still so clam in this situation is very obviously not in his favour?

"You're following us so you can stake him?" Tweek points to me with his thumb.

"That's the fucking idea. Before he can make more of sick disgusting kind like his maker did. I was originally after that guy, but he keeps slipping away. I was intrigued by your… Unique situation and figured you might be worth saving, maybe bring you on my team."

"Fuck that nonsense." Tweek stated. Wow, he is on fire right now.

"Fine, if you don't want to join me, I'll just have to kill you too!" The guy rips his wrists from the tape and quickly cuts the tape around his middle with some little knives he has sticking out of his jacket cuffs. I rush over to pin him down, but Tweek grabs my arm to stop me.

"Wait!" I stop and Tweek steps in front of me. He blocks the guy's arm now holding a small stake and cuts the guy on the neck. I kick the bastard full force at the back of the room door, knocking the wind out of him. Before Tweek and I can close in, the guy tosses a rancid smoke bomb that practically blinds me and destroys my throat and nasal cavity.

"Craig!" Tweek shouts in the moment he turns to face me, I watch the guy slip out the door into the night. Noticing the guy is gone, Tweek drops to his knees and holds me to make sure I'm all right. He should have just gone after that asshole, but I'm glad he didn't run off on his own.

My coughing finally subsides, and I rub the bloody tears from my face.

"What the fuck was that?"

"I think… I th-think it was cinnamon?" Tweek rubs a smudge of dust from his cheek and tastes it. What in the fresh fucking hell?

WE finally settle into bed for the night, opting to just clean up and not to move motels right away. Fuck, we need to sleep. That was way too much bullshit for one night. We're pretty sure we did enough damage to that guy that he wouldn't be back right away, but we shoved the dresser against the door just in case.

Tweek's shaking on the bed, the adrenaline has caught up with him. He's resumed his position holding the pillow. I'm sitting propped up as my body recovers.

"Gah! I sh-should have just s-slit his throat when I had the chance, but I w-wanted information."

"You didn't do anything wrong." I look to my pouting friend. My fascination with his exposed skin has returned. I want his warmth. I want his sweet blood on my tongue again. The shaking teen looks to me longingly. I watch intently as he gets up to put a long-sleeved shirt on and then crawl over to me on the bed.

"C-can I be c-close to you again?" He bites rosy lip and places a shaky hand on my thigh.

I want him. I want his warmth. I want his blood. I want his body. I want his fury and passion and smile and…

"Yeah." I answer simply. I place an arm around Tweek's shoulder as he rests his head on my chest. His heartbeat thumps against my side like a steady drumbeat. He drapes an arm across my abdomen and squeezes me into an embrace. My fingers instinctively find his soft hair and I comfortably place my chin on his head. He smells delectable. He feels perfect.

"I miss how you taste." I whisper. Tweek looks up into my eyes. He shifts to place his warm hand on my cheek, his thumb caressing my lips. I take the bait. The steady drum continues pounding against me as I suck gently. The sweet elixir drips onto my tongue and intoxicates my senses.

"I want more." I whisper. I'm not sure if it was a statement, a demand, or a request. Tweek nods and I gently grab his hand. I prick the meaty part of his thumb, and he whimpers. I can't stop staring into his eyes, his expression makes me want to melt. I finish by licking the fresh wound and holding my thumb over the shallow punctures so they can clot.

Then, Tweek does something I truly wasn't expecting. He swiftly presses his pillowy lips against mine.