Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 9
Bernard snarled, fighting hard, but he was gradually overwhelmed, forced to his knees and held in place. And then his heart sank as Tim was carried back into sight, body limp. He was dropped down opposite Bernard, his head dropping to his chest as he was pulled to his knees and held there. Bernard got a glimpse of vacant eyes; Tim was deep under again. He'd hoped…but he'd failed. At least Tim wouldn't feel anything, wouldn't be aware of dying.
"Tim," he whispered, but there was no reaction.
And then he shuddered as a powerful presence approach…Bernard knew they were done for; the approaching vampire was old…as in well over a century. No wonder Bernard couldn't bring Tim fully out of his compulsion. As a dhampir, Bernard wasn't as strong as a full vampire to start with, add in this one's age…he never stood a chance. He hadn't even known there was someone so old in Gotham! Most didn't survive for more than a couple of decades, maybe a century top, And then the vampire stepped into sight and Bernard's jaw dropped in shock, he'd seen the man before, in a picture in a history book. Joshua Thomas Wayne was rumoured to have helped the Underground Railroad…would he really kill the son of his family, adopted or not?
"You broke the rules brat," the man said, and Bernard glared, if he was going to die anyway, better to go out defiant, right? "This is your punishment."
"So, I'm not good enough to be around vampires, but I'm not allowed to be with humans? What the hell do you want from me?" he demanded. "And what gives any of you the right to tell me that? Gotham has no government, not like every other city."
A slap echoed seconds before the pain kicked in, he'd been slapped, not punched but slapped. Okay then, that was kind of theatrical…no, no way… but it would make sense of some things he'd noticed over the last few years. He was trying to get back the kind of power the Wayne family held in Gotham but surely it wouldn't work. A lot of vampires in Gotham had no desire at all to have rules, it was why they stayed.
His head was yanked back painfully and he growled in response.
Floating…emptiness…peace…pleasure… he couldn't think, couldn't move…nothing….
And then suddenly everything rushed back in, sounds, voices, memories…he took a shuddering breath, blinking rapidly, staring at red eyes, unable to move. What was happening? His head felt jumbled and his body weak, pain…pain in areas he didn't want to think about, vague hazy memories of hands and bodies…
"Leave him alone!" a familiar voice snarled. Bernard?
Come back to me…I love you…RUN… the words whispered through his memory. Bernard. And then he remembered, being in the Nest, sensing danger, attacked. Had they grabbed Ber too? Why couldn't he move?
And then he was being moved, finding himself staring at a bloody and bruised Bernard who was being held down very firmly by several figures, some of whom were also injured…had Ber done that? Why not? Tim knew he could fight. He tried to speak, to ask what was happening, if Bernard was okay, but his lips wouldn't move, no sound coming from his throat.
"Tim," Bernard stared at him and then he relaxed a little. "It's okay, you're going to be okay."
That got a chuckle, from the person Tim had been locked in a staring contest with he thought, not that he could look to see. "Comforting him or yourself with the lie, half breed?"
Half breed? What…their eyes, they all had red eyes that he could see. So, not human? Was Ber? He felt a flash of fear but shoved it aside, not human didn't mean bad automatically, Clark wasn't human, Kon was part human...and Bernard had come for him.
Bernard hated the flash of fear in Tim's eyes as he began putting the pieces together. He had to get Tim out but honestly…he was out of ideas. He realised Tim could see his hands with the way they were being held, he couldn't move them much but he managed to move his fingers, signing one phrase 'I love you'. It took three tries for it to be clear and for Tim to seem to realise what he was doing. Tim couldn't move, couldn't sign back, but he could see it in his eyes.
"You have a choice," Wayne stated. "Either you kill him in whatever manner you chose, or we will do it, painfully and as slowly as possible while you watch and then you die the same way."
"You're insane!" Bernard snapped at him. "He's a Wayne and a Bat! You'll bring everyone down on us." Since they'd taken Tim from his base, they knew. And he saw the look on Joshua's face. "You want them to come after you…you're going to kill them," he whispered in horrified shock. "You really are insane. Something like this…others will have to get involved! They won't sit back and let you bring so much attention, hands off Gotham or not," he warned.
"We'll give you some time to think it over, but when we come for you, either he's dead or you both die."
Bernard fought the hands that dragged him downstairs and into a different room to the one he'd found Tim in. they threw him in and he turned just in time to catch Tim's lax form.
Tim could do nothing to catch himself as he was thrown into the dark room, but he felt familiar arms wrap around him before it became pitch black, the door closed and then a thud as it was locked. Bernard sat, Tim assumed leaning against the wall, Tim held against his chest, a hand running through his hair.
"I've got you," Ber whispered, and Tim felt lips brush across his forehead. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. If we weren't dating then they wouldn't have taken you."
Bernard shifted his position a little. "I can't undo the compulsion, he's too strong, but I might be able to lessen it. Just try to relax."
Tim didn't know what Bernard was going to do, was hesitant but then he was staring into bright red eyes… and then he blinked, feeling strange. He tried to speak, making a gurgling noise, but it was more than he could do before, feeling his fingers twitch.
"I love you Tim," Bernard whispered, and Tim felt his forehead rest against his. Could Bernard actually see despite the darkness? "I was going to tell you everything this weekend, I swear, but now it's too late."
He sounded so sincere, so upset. He wanted to believe that Bernard was going to tell him. "Hnng…" A hand gripped his and Tim struggled to try and squeeze back.
"I'm a dhampir, half-human through mom, and half-vampire through my father. I told you the truth about him, I have no clue who he was or is, no idea if he's still around. I do drink blood but I don't hurt anyone, I get bagged supplies. Being a vampire doesn't make you evil," Bernard promised. "Gotham is…different to other cities. There's no real law here other than not outing the supernatural to everyone. I've never been accepted, have to be careful whenever I go for supplies but it wasn't so bad. Then there was the article after your birthday…a few days later I got a threat but I thought they'd come after me, not you."
A dhampir…half-human and half-vampire…he wanted to call Constantine and demand answers. But…Bernard's lower body temperature and slow heartrate, that had to be why. Weren't vampires dead, how could one father a child? He'd seen Kon's struggles with being stuck between worlds, how much worse must it be for Ber?
Gentle fingers touched his neck and Tim felt a vague flash of pain. "You were bitten, but the vampire who did that paid the price. I was trying to keep you safe, but it didn't work. That day you slept in Hong Kong…it wasn't just exhaustion. I found help there and a protection was put on you to keep vampires from drinking from you or turning you and any mystical attack would be diverted to me. I never thought they'd go this far."
Tim wasn't sure what to think of that. Bernard had drugged him? To do something to keep him safe, but did that make it any better?
"I don't know how long they'll give us," he murmured. "He meant it Tim, they're going to torture you to death, drag it out as long as they can."
Tim had always known he'd likely die young due to his night work. He'd thought he'd go out on the job but being tortured in front of Bernard? Knowing they would then do the same to him…. he was scared, he didn't want to die. But he couldn't ask Bernard to kill him, not just because he couldn't speak. What would they do to Bernard even if he did it? There were ways Bernard could kill him that wouldn't hurt or would be quick enough there'd only be a second of pain…but how could he expect Ber to do it?
"I can't watch that, I can't," Bernard choked out, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "But I can't do what they want either. There has to be…" he trailed off and the room was silent. "Maybe…" and there was a hint of hope in his voice.
Not being able to ask was frustrating. If he could speak or move, maybe they could find a way out. He hated being so useless.
"They don't seem to know," Bernard whispered. "I think I can get us both out," he leant so his mouth was close to Tim's ear, right, they probably had enhanced senses. "Tim… it's going to be okay; you'll wake up in a few days. And if you hate me forever for this, I can deal with that, at least you'll be around to hate me."
What? What was Bernard talking about? He felt Bernard shifting around, repositioning him. and then he could see glowing red again.
"It's alright Tim, sleep. Just relax and sleep."
No! No…he had…couldn…sleep…against his will his eyes grew heavy, falling shut, everything fading away.
Bernard was relieved that it had worked, Tim deeply asleep in his arms. "I love you," he whispered, kissing warm lips one last time. He then carefully tipped Tim's head to the side, kissing over the vein, sucking at the skin to numb it even if he was asleep. He opened his mouth and bit down, fangs sinking deep, beginning to drink with one thought in mind. He focused solely on turning Tim even as he drank his blood.
Bernard never drank so much at once and it was hard, he felt full, too full, but he forced himself to keep going, even as he heard Tim's heart slowing. His body was cooling from the blood loss, fingernails and lips tinting blue as his breathing became laboured, not enough blood available to transport oxygen properly. Tim didn't stir at all as his body began to shut down. He cradled Tim close as his heart struggled to continue beating…a beat…another…beat…another… Bernard removed his fangs, tears trailing down his face as he cradled Tim close.
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry," he sobbed, rocking Tim's body. This was all his fault.
They were all shocked when they went back and found the half breed holding the dead body of Tim Drake, the boy drained of his blood. They triple checked to be sure, but he was definitely dead, blood loss. The brat snarled in rage, eyes very bright red when they tried to get close, cradling his now dead 'boyfriend' close protectively despite him being dead.
Joshua stared at the feral half breed, had killing his love sent him mad? Blood frenzy? It didn't matter. "Let him go," he ordered. Let the boy be caught for the murder of his precious human.
He cared nothing for the remains of his mortal family, it didn't bother him at all that the boy's death would cause Bruce grief. He knew Bruce was Batman, had always known, thought he was an idiot for it. He had been tempted to turn him after his second son's death and he became so much more violent, but then a third Robin had appeared and he had backed down.
Bernard ran with Tim's body clutched to his chest, taking seemingly random turns, shaking off the vampires following him before focusing his mind, travelling to a location he hadn't been to in years. It had been his hideout when his changes had begun, scared out of his mind as he had started craving blood.
And it was undisturbed as he'd thought it would be since the only way in was via vampire methods, something he had done on instinct back then.
He carefully lay Tim down on the old mattress, despite Tim being unable to feel anything at the moment. It would take three to five days for him to wake, he'd covered with Tam but not for that long. So, what to do? Could he compel Tam again to think Tim was ill? Without his spleen and some overseas travel, it was believable.
He'd fooled them into thinking killing Tim had made him feral, hoping they would release him with Tim's body to through off anyone looking for Tim, and it had worked. But he knew he was very lucky they had. If they had them for. Day or two, they might have realised Tim was turning since his body wouldn't begin to decay. And Tim was turning, he was…he had to be. He needed to go back to the apartment to grab his phone, call the councillor in Hong Kong, see if there was any way to check and be sure.
Jason frowned when Tim didn't show up, he'd agreed to meet up for patrol tonight. He hesitated but then went on his comm. "Hey O, know where Red is?" he asked.
"He hasn't been out since coming back," she answered, and he could hear typing. "He's called in to work sick. Stress from the search for Black Bat and international travel plus his weakened immune system took a toll."
"Okay, thanks." He grimaced in sympathy, poor kid. He'd check in with him in a day or two, he was probably happy with his boyfriend playing nurse.
Tim's body had moved beyond rigor, muscles utterly lax, skin bloodlessly pale. But there were subtle signs of change. He was turning.
Cass limped to the dining room, leaning on Dick. She was feeling better and it was good being with the family. But where was Tim? She missed her little brother, why hadn't he come back to see her? They settled in to eat breakfast.
Bernard checked on the supplies he'd gathered, the blood ready to go. He had no clue what would happen when Tim woke, he'd made his turning as gentle as possible but he'd had a traumatic time leading up to that. Would he still be the Tim he loved? After seeing those living overseas, he had hope that he would be, but the locals…was it something in Gotham that made them like that? And he didn't know exactly when he'd wake, could be tonight, tomorrow, or even the night after.
He could feel the sun setting, watching Tim, and that was why he saw the ever so slight twitch of his muscles. "It's alright Tim, you're safe. It's just the two of us. Take your time, there's no rush," he murmured.
Slowly, Tim began to shift, muscles tensing and then relaxing as 'life' returned to his body.
Something was bothering him but he couldn't figure out what. Closing his eyes he listened, finding his family, the team…but there was one missing. Tim…where was Tim? Kon's eyes snapped open and he grabbed his communicator.
"Welfare check on Red Robin," he snapped without greeting whoever was on comm duty in Titans Tower.
"Checking," Raven's voice answered. "Comm is registering as in his Nest, no answer. Attempting civilian phone…no answer," she responded. "Calling the Cave."
The silence lasted longer this time as she spoke with the Bats.
"RR is listed as on illness leave. They want to know why you asked for the check."
"I can't hear him," Kon answered tightly. "I can track the rest of the team and my family, can hear Agent A in the Cave…but no Red Robin." He felt sick.
"Red Hood is being diverted to RR's residence," she reported, and then her voice softened. "He could just have the white noise generators on for some privacy," she offered.
"I…I think it vanished a few days ago, he wouldn't keep them on that long without letting me know."
"Just stay calm, we'll find him."
There was something kind of soft under him, the air still. Noise… something soft close, calming. And then it hit, hunger… a low growl came from his throat, he needed food…so hungry. There was a sound and he locked on, a steady beating noise and it drew him in. He lunged, driven by instinct and hunger.
Bernard grabbed the lunging Tim, flipping him, pinning him down as he snarled and snapped, red eyes empty of anything but hunger. He grabbed the blood bag and poured the contents down Tim's throat, Tim going still in reaction to getting what his body was demanding. It took three for Tim to begin to calm. The small white noise generator would help since he wouldn't be overwhelmed by outside noises, while also helping to keep them hidden.
"That's it, you're alright," he whispered, keeping Tim pinned.
As a newborn fledgling, Tim was at his weakest, making him easy for Bernard to pin, especially since he'd been acting on instinct rather than his years of training. He used one hand to stroke Tim's cheek, letting Tim get his scent, she had said he should react to it once the initial bloodlust faded.
Sure enough, Tim began to calm, slowly going limp under him, turning his head into Bernard's hand, sniffing and then nosing at his palm. There was a hint of curiosity in red eyes now, the blood spreading through his body and hopefully helping kick his mind back into working.
"That's it Tim," he murmured, keeping his voice quiet since Tim's senses would likely be overwhelming. "I'm here, you're safe."
Tim blinked slowly and then whined softly. Bernard carefully shifted but Tim remained still so he got off of him but drew Tim into his arms, cradling him close. He lifted his wrist to his mouth, biting down and then pressed the wound to Tim's mouth, Tim latching on, suckling gently. His eyelids drooped; head slumped on Bernard's shoulder. Bernard may only be a dhampir but he was still Tim's Sire and his blood would sooth Tim. Tim's hands came up to hold onto his arm, not digging his claws in which was good. He was making soft, sleepy noises as he suckled.
Eventually, he drew his arm away, gently wiping the blood from around Tim's mouth, letting him lick his fingers. "Tim? Can you understand me?" he asked gently.
Tim blinked at him and ever so slowly, recognition seemed to seep in. Tim's lips parted, throat working and then he frowned in confusion.
"It's okay, there's no rush," he soothed. She'd sworn that with his death and turning that the compulsion would be gone, but Tim was still recovering.
"B…Br…" Tim got the sounds out, and Bernard smiled at him, relieved he recognised him. Turning could affect the memory after all and a turning by a dhampir was higher risk of side effects like memory loss since the blood wasn't as powerful and could take longer to act, leaving the brain truly dead for longer.
"I'm here," he promised gently.
He'd grabbed clean clothing for Tim when he'd snuck home, comfortable and soft fabric so he'd be comfortable. It was better than waking naked or just in Bernard's jacket. Cleaning up his body had been horrifying, seeing the damage they had done to him, but it had needed to be done, he couldn't let Tim wake up with the evidence of that…violation. He really hoped that Tim wouldn't remember anything of his captivity.
"I love you so much," he whispered, and Tim's brow furrowed slightly before a small smile tugged at his lips.
Tim lifted a hand, gently tracing his lips with clawed fingers and then he froze, staring at his own hand. Bernard took it, kissing the back softly.
"I know you're confused, but it's okay, there's no rush. You…you were hurt Tim, captured, but we're safe now." He wasn't sure how much Tim was understanding but he didn't want him to panic.
Tim shifted, curling into him, yawning.
"Sleepy?" he gently stroked Tim's hair. "Then get some sleep Tim. I'll be here," he promised, watching as Tim fell asleep.
TBC…
