Prey and Predator Ch.45

Part XLV: Nightson


I was dead. I was so dead. I was deader than dead. I was deader than my dead uncle Jerry, that’s what I was. I actually don’t have a dead uncle Jerry… or perhaps I do, I can’t remember. I was trying to remember, though. I was trying very hard to remember my mortal childhood; my mother and father, my sisters, the children I played with growing up, my first puppy-crush… my vampire life, all my dead lovers, particularly Misha and Andrej, and of course, Evenna. They were all dead, just as I would be soon.

It wasn’t that I’d given up, not really. I wasn’t full of dread and despair and desperation as I’d been before. I felt… a sort of calm come over me. It wasn’t resignation either. I believe it might have been extreme arrogance.

No matter how I looked at it, I was dead. There was no escaping this place. I struggled against my bonds, but I’d lost too much blood and the silver collar clasped around my neck was draining all my energy. I didn’t let my mind be invaded by those terrible thoughts Cornelia had worked so hard to plant. Though, every now and then, my mind would drift to Jace and wonder how he was doing, how he felt, where he was… And then it would shift to Ian. I would wonder if he was alright, hope someone would take care of him for me. I would think of Bristol… Bristol was probably worried sick! The last he knew was that Ian was missing and I’d gone out in a blind rage looking for him. When would he know?

Oh damned hell, these people could not know where I lived, could they? Would they just waltz into my home and arrest that poor old man as well? God! I hated these creatures so very much. As time passed, I found myself thinking back to my beloved Anderj’s revolution around 120 years ago. He had seemed a radical extremist to me at that point. I hadn’t cared at all for the revolution, I only participated in it to appease Andrej. I listened to his mad ramblings of freedom and superiority and enslaving the human race with the sole propose of seducing him when he’d worked himself up. And also, blowing things up amused me and bathing in the blood of my enemies was also quite fun. I really had been psychotic…

Back to the present, I was really thinking in starting that revolution again, fulfilling my dead lover’s dream, so to speak. It seemed like such a bloody good idea to overthrow all order dictating us vampires as animals that should be put down and just…. MURDER ALL SLAYERS. Strangle them with my bare hands! I wouldn’t even us my teeth, just ring their necks until they broke.  

I huffed out a sigh. “Fuckin’ hell… Should’ve listened to bloody Fox-Face.” I grumbled.

Deep down, I always knew Gale was right! Gale was always eerily right about his premonitions. Why was I stubborn as a horse?! I should have listened to him, I really should have.

‘Damn straight you should have, you oaf!’ Those words suddenly rang in my head… but I had not thought that. That was not my voice!

A sudden, deafening creaking filled my ears and I watched in astonishment as the steel door to my cell was slowly pried from its frame, denting into itself, screaming in protest.  I cringed at the noise, too confused to actually fear for myself. With a final screech, the door was unhinged and flung against the wall, revealing a familiar face that was twisted into a snarl of rage.

“Gale!!!” I exclaimed, profound relief flooding my core. Speak of the devil. “Am I glad to see you!” I chuckled.  

The gaunt vampire dashed towards me and back-handed me across the face, a bit too hard if you ask me. Pain shot through my cheek as I grit my teeth.

“You are so unbearably stupid! Gale warned you! Gale told you not to go, you pompous, arrogant thing!” He scolded.

He was way too close to me for comfort, I could smell the decay on him, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even care he’d just cracked me in the face either!!

“Yes I am, but that’s why you love me. And I love you for coming to my rescue!” I laughed.

Gale’s face twisted even further, his blood-shot eyes twitching as he bared his fangs at me. He scoffed and turned on his heel, pacing about frantically. “Love? LOVE! How could Gale love a hot-headed, blind, deaf, and utterly moronic piece of vampiric trash such as yourself?!” He yelled, waving his hands about madly, the folds of his ripped cloak smacking him in the face and making him grumble a curse. “Well, I suppose he does love you. Do you have any idea what a calvary it has been for Gale to even get here? How dangerous and completely reckless-”  

“Did you come here to break me out or to rouse all the Slayers by waling on me like a banshee?” I interrupted him.

He shot a sharp glare at me and I replied with a grin.

He growled. “Gale should let you hang there for a couple more hours. But we don’t have time. Ian…” He trailed off.

Panic shot through me instantly. “Ian? What happened to Ian?!” I demanded. Had these bastards gotten hold of him too?

“Gale can’t see, last he knew of the little rascal, he’d broken into your paramour’s flat.” Fox-Face replied, approaching me to try to free me from my bonds.

“What?! Ian broke into Jace’s place? What about the Slayers? What did Ian even want?!” Surely not to harm Jace, I hoped.

Gale hissed as the silver on my cuffs seared his fingers before heaving a sigh. “I think he’s dead.” Came his quiet reply.

The internal blow to my chest was enough to almost miss how he’d switched from his normal third-person speech.

“IAN IS DEAD?!?!” I bawled, just as Gale finished fumbling with my restraints.

My hands sprang free, but without the chains’ support I almost pummeled face first into the ground. I staggered before slamming into the wall to steady myself on my feet. Tears blurred my sight as a horrible feeling clutched my heart in an agonizing grip. Ian couldn’t… My Ian couldn’t be…

“My Ian? Ian Steinhart is dead?!” I snarled at Gale who looked at me impassively.

“Keep it down, do you want Van Helsing himself to hear us down here?!” He hissed, grabbing my neck and forcing me up against the cold wall.

I glared at him through watering eyes. “You’re lying…” I growled.  

“Gale doesn’t know! Maybe! Either way, Nightson, you have to-” He was interrupted.

“Hey! You!” I heard a new voice rang through my ears as three Slayers bolted into the cell, aiming their weapons. They took one look at Gale and opened fire, but the tall vampire held out a thin arm and, with that swift motion, deflected their bullets, which found their home in the Slayers’ skulls. Gale had a terrifying amount of power in him, plus full control over it. All three of the young guards lay dead, motionless, on the floor. Dead like Ian…

I was trying to swallow the lump in my throat when Gale flung his cloak at me. “Put that on. We must go immediately.” He stated coldly.

With some coercion on Gale’s part, I slid the cloak on, covering my bare torso. It stunk of spices and blood and death. The taller male then struggled to free me from the silver collar clasped around my throat, hissing and growling every time he burned his hands on the silver. The moment it came off and cluttered to the floor, I felt my strength return, the haze that had been over me lifted, but I still made no move to cooperate with my companion, not after such news.  Gale clucked his tongue, clutching my bicep and hauling me out of the cell as a scolding mother would do to a child.

I protested weakly, near breaking-point. I didn’t care about anything, I wanted to be left alone! I refused to believe this was happening.

“Damn you to hell, Nightson. Gale’s gone out of his way, done all these troublesome things to help you! Stop bubbling like a perfect fool. If Ian really is dead, do you want to lose your mortal lover too?!” Gale snapped at me, giving my arm a sharper tug.

I skidded to a stop, making my friend tense in exasperation, his patience wearing thin.

I yanked my arm free of his crushing grip. “Jace! What the hell is going on?! Damn it, Sanctum, let me read your thoughts!” I yelled at him.

“NEVER!!!” He snarled.

A loud alarm went off in that moment, probably a reaction to the ruckus we were making.

“Oh, for the love of all that is unholy!” Gale yelled, his long fingers pulling at his mop of hair in desperation.

I grabbed the back of his tattered shirt and pulled him the opposite direction. “Come on, Fox-Face!” I urged before sprinting towards the secret entrance I’d used when I’d visited Smith Sangine.    

We ran down the corridor, Gale muttering swears and curses, going on about what an idiot he was for doing with this, how I wasn’t worth any of it, etc cetera. I had to clear my mind enough to remember exactly how the place was layered. We were lucky we didn’t encounter any vampiric guards because that would have been a nuisance.

Ian wasn’t dead. I’d believe it only when I saw it, even if it was ignorant of me. On top of everything, Jace might be in danger. No matter what turmoil I was feeling, I needed to ensure my lover’s safety. Jace was so fragile! How easy it was to imagine all the possible scenarios in which he could end up dead! It only heightened the dread and desperation I was feeling. I needed to get out of there!

We got to what seemed like a dead end, but before Gale could open his mouth to slam me, I found the emergency ladder to scale it.

“You think Ian’s dead… but what about Jace? Can you see him, or feel him or whatever?” I asked Gale, trying to remain calm as we climbed up the wall.

“Gale cannot see him either. Gale suspects it has to do with the involvement of a skilled vampire, otherwise he would be able to know.” He replied.

I grit my teeth angrily. No vampire would harm my Jace, I’d rip them apart.

When we got to the top, I realized that the empty glass cell I’d walked over the first time was actually a den for the Slayer’s most deadly guard dogs… werewolves. Foul, wild, seemingly rabid beasts, extremely rare in the world. The Slayer Society had been using them hundreds of years, but had only recently developed effective ways to control them; collars to keep them in their animal forms and shock them with enough force to knock them off their feet, sedatives strong enough to keep them out of it while being handled, and bonds they couldn’t break or chew through.

These monsters were a vampire’s only natural predator… but they were, as said before, not easy to find. The Slayers actually hunted for humans with the Cannis-Virus daily with the purpose of enslaving them as their furry minions.

The moment they saw us, their beady yellow eyes glinted and they went insane; barking, snarling, making every hostile sound they could at us, leaping up and standing on their powerful hind-legs, trying to catch a bite of us, some even slamming into the glass, others scratching viciously at it.

Gale let out a frightened hiss and tried to leap back with a start, but I clutched his wrist and held him in place.

“It’s alright, mate! They can’t get to us!!!” I tried to soothe.

He shot me a bewildered expression that made his peculiar eyes nearly bulge out of his skull. “So you say!!!” He spat back.

“Come on! Our way out is right fucking there!” I urged. Over the lycans’ riot I could hear Cornelia’s voice along with her Lieutenant’s and many others’. We needed to move fast!

Gale reeled, shaking his head fiercely, his frame beginning to tremble, pulling back against my hold, his fangs bared and extended, his eyes fearful. He looked just about ready to bite my arm off if I didn’t let go of him.

I was frightened as well. The last encounter I’d had with a werewolf was when Boltus Van Helsing, Cornelia’s great-grandfather, invaded our coven house during the revolution. I remember being called out as Andrej’s lover by a petty, desperate bloodsucker only to have the man send that hulking hell hound after me. I could fully recall the deathly chill that went through my spine at seeing the beast charge, the way I scrambled to escape it. There are very few things in the world that can outrun a terrified vampire. Its breath had been foul as it snapped its jaws inches away from my face before Andrej took hold of it and flung it away from me, having been forced out of his hiding place to rescue me.

The battle had been unfair, seeing as my lover had been injured and weakened by his former fights with Van Helsing’s army of Slayers and traitorous vampires. It didn’t take long for him to inevitably lose against the massive canine. It had been horrible to watch.

A shudder rocked through me at the memory before I pulled myself together and gave Gale a jerk, pointing at the high window that was missing a bar, something that would allow us to slip through easily.

His eyes lit up at the sign of escape and he apparently buried his fear and dashed over the class cage, and through the opening. I moved to follow him but stopped dead in my tracks when I caught sight of a rather blatant red button on the wall.

“Nightson! Come on! What the devil are you doing?!” Gale cried, dangling off the other side of the window.

‘EMERGENCY RELEASE’ Was what the button read.

I looked back to Gale and he shot me a soul-breaking glare. “DON’T. YOU. DARE. Let us go now!”

Oh… Oh, I couldn’t just go. I looked down at the wolves snapping their jaws against the glass beneath my feet before I heard Cornelia barking orders at her lackeys. It wasn’t long before I saw her emerge as she climbed up the ladder, glaring at me murderously.

I smirked at her, my hand hovering above the button as she climbed to her feet.

Her violet eyes widened and she let out an ear-splitting wail; “NO, DON’T!!!!”

BZZZZZZZZZZZZT came the sounding of the alarm, resounding over the barks and howls of the lycans as my hand slammed down on the switch.

The glass doors bolted open and I saw the first wolf ram head-first into Lieutenant Wolfe’s chest below. I didn’t stay long to see what happened, I only heard the Slayers’ screams of terror and/or agony along with violent curses directed at me as Gale and I scaled down the Penitentiary’s wall.

With Gale also cursing me, we took off into the night.


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When we arrived at Jace’s apartment complex I instantly realized something was very wrong. I wasn’t strong enough to climb up the wall to his window, so we took the stairs, passing a few hysterical mortals on the way up. I could scarcely read their minds with the panic they were in.
What I managed to pick up was there were vampires in the building… AH-DURR. Honestly, bloody dull waifs. They’d had a vampire problem for a while now. But one thing did alarm me, these people had seen a vampire and it had not been me when I’d been hauled out of here.

We got to Jace’s floor and were unceremoniously shoved by some more of Jace’s desperate neighbors. They’d been so bent on getting out they had not even notice what we were, not even by Gale’s putrid perfume of blood.

“Hey! Jace! Jace, you in there?!” I heard a familiar voice, followed by some banging.

“Yan!” I called as my gaze met with the spectacle my lover’s cousin was making as he attempted to open the door to Jace’s flat.

The young Slayer that had been standing guard in front of Jace’s door lay sprawled on the floor, his long ebony bangs swept aside, revealing is child-like face. He was paler that I recalled, eyes sunken, lips slightly parted, a stake centimeters away from his limp hand.

What the fuck had gone down here?

Yan turned to me at the sound of my voice and a slight look of relief came over him. “Hey, it’s you! How the hell… never mind! I tried to bail you out, aaaand… apparently, vampires don’t get bail,” He said to me before giving the door another jerk. “but when I got back, this guy was just… laying there. Jace won’t answer the door.” He explained.

“This little one is still alive…” came Gale’s raspy voice behind me as I heard him crouch down beside the Slayer’s unconscious body.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Yan asked with a hint of annoyance.

“Then, kill him.” I said to Gale dismissively, too occupied trying to piece everything together.

“What! NO!!!” Yan protested. “Don’t kill him, he’s all cute and shit!”

“Out of the way, Yan.” I growled as I shoved his lithe body aside and landed a kick on the door, unhinging it immediately.

I entered the flat, no longer caring about the Slayer, or Yan, or Gale. It was dark, which was not a problem for a vampire with night-vision, but eerie in this situation.

“Jace?” I called, holding my breath, trying not to fear the worst. “JACE!!!” I called again, desperation getting the best of me as the scent of blood reached my nostrils.

No… Oh, Faust! Please no!

But wait… That wasn’t human blood. Even weak as I was, I recognized the familiar smell.

“Ian!” I called as I rounded the corner to the kitchen.

There, I found my Ian, my moon-haired child, laying in a pool of blood. He seemed so soft and dark… probably dreamless, his limbs limp on the cold tiles. A stifled sob left me, but no tears came.

“Ian?” I called again, very softly before I staggered towards him and dropped to my knees beside him.

The blood soaked through my pants as I scooped his little body into my arms. He was weightless and he was, LORD, so COLD!!! His lips were a pale blue, and his lids dark, eyes sunken into his skull, cheeks hollowed. There was a horrific wound on his throat, but it had long ago stopped bleeding, the blood caking against the rubbery, cool skin. I buried my face in the crook of his thin shoulder, crushing his small frame against mine ferociously.

“Oh god… Ian, no. Not my little child… Not my Ian…” I very nearly whined, a small piteous sound.

I was about to let go of myself, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, but I felt a light pump against my lips, so soft a mere mortal would have surely missed it. He had a pulse! He was not dead! I didn’t rule it off as wishful thinking, didn’t doubt it for a second. I pulled away from him and bit into my wrist brutally, ripping open the skin and making a steady stream of blood gush out of the wound. I then held his head and pressed it to his delicate, icy lips.

“Come on, little guy…” I practically begged him.

The crimson liquid dripped onto his mouth with audible splashes and, after a few drops had touched his tongue, his large scarlet eyes snapped open and he clutched my arm, sinking his fangs into my bleeding wrist. I let out a breathless laugh as well as a wince of pain, a sense of alleviation coming over me as he took in gulps of my blood. I felt myself abate as I heard his broken bones snapping back into place, feeling the half-vampire’s grip becoming stronger. I let him drink as much as he needed, and he pulled back with a cry when he was satiated.

I had already been feeble from the lashing I’d taken, and now having been nearly drained, I was even more faded. I felt ready to collapse. Even still, I pulled Ian into a weak embrace, knotting my fingers into his fine, short hair as he coughed and gagged from shock.

He clutched at the back of my borrowed cloak. “That has to be like the third fucking time I almost died this week…” I heard his gruff voice.

I only tightened my hold on him, nuzzling into his now-healed neck.

“Nightson… I’m so sorry about everything… So sorry…” He whimpered, running a hand through my heaps of tangles.

I hushed him. “It’s okay, Ian… I know you didn’t mean it.”

“And I’m sorry I couldn’t save him… I really tried to help Jace! He was so precious to you…”

My eyes snapped open and I pulled back abruptly, grabbing his shoulders harshly. “What happened here? What happened to Jace?!” I demanded, once again anxious.

He gripped the front of my cloak in his small hands and shuddered. “Read my mind.” He said as he bowed his head slightly.

I saw everything. I saw the attack, Ian’s fierce defiance, the faces of the people who’d done it, and how they’d targeted Jace. I let go of Ian and sprang to my feet, but stumbled and had to catch myself on the counter, my knees shaking under my weight, my head spinning.  

“Nightson, I drank a gallon!” Ian protested.

“I have to go find him!”

“You don’t know where he is!”

“Gale does!”

We both turned at the sound of the new voice and found Gale standing at the threshold, Yan behind him, dragging the unconscious Slayer to the couch.

“Fox-Face!” Ian greeted.

“You can see Jace, Gale?!” I asked frantically.

Gale nodded. “He’s calling you, Nightson. You don’t have much time.” He whispered urgently, tearing at the rotting fabric of his collar, ripping his shirt half-open and offering me his neck. “This is a onetime offer, Galic Nightson, take it or leave it. Now!” He then ordered.

I was too weak, and feeding from Gale would not only make me recover my strength, but also give me a passage into his barricaded mind, a slight glimpse to see where they’d taken my lover. But… It was quite terrifying to ponder what it would be like to drink Gale’s blood. What I would see, hear, feel… it gave me the chills. But I had no time. I staggered towards Gale and he caught me just as I tripped onto him and plunged my teeth into his neck.

His blood was more bitter than any type of blood I’d ever tasted and also burned my mouth in the most peculiar way. But, the true horror came when I began gulping it down. The as I drank, I began hearing a low hum and it grew louder as time progressed. It was a strange mix of various whispering voices and some sort of loud insect buzzing. It was so horrible, I tried to pull away, but Gale held my head fast, forcing me to stay put. It became deafening, but when I thought I’d start going mad, Gale released me and I realized I’d had enough. When I detached from my friend’s neck, the abhorrent noise ceased.

I had been restored. I felt a lot stronger, my acute senses coming back to me sharply. I turned to Yan who was looking at us with an awestruck expression. “Give me your car keys.” I ordered.

His feminine face pinched, his lip pouting out. He looked ready to protest.

“Jace is in trouble, just give me your damn keys!” I then snapped, making him hold out the keys to his car.

I snatched them before he could even realize it and bolted for the window. “You guys take care of Ian. And no, Fox-Face, you aren’t allowed to eat anyone!” I yelled over my shoulder before leaping out of the window, landing in a crouch on the street below.

It didn’t take long to find Yan’s SUV and after climbing into the driver’s seat, I sped away as fast as the thing would go. I knew exactly where they’d taken Jace. It was strange, I hadn’t been able to read Gale’s mind, yet I knew… I knew all he’d seen regarding Jace’s kidnappers and what they meant to do with him. My blood boiled as I floored the gas, speeding angrily towards my destination. There would be hell to pay.          


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I won’t go into details on how I managed to arrive at the place, I’ll only spare that Yan’s lovely SUV ended up totaled, entirely smashed, on my way there. It was utter hell to get there, would anyone believe me if I told them there was a bloody TRAFFIC JAM at 3am?! Probably not. I was a vampire, I did not do slow, especially when the one I loved was in danger, quite possibly dying.

I don’t know exactly how I seemed to know exactly where to go, I didn’t question it, really, I only wanted to get to Jace, to hold him in my arms and kill whoever had the nerve to try to harm him. How in Zeus’ name had all this happened?! Well… I sort of knew. These people had been threatening my lover for some time, they were connected to his sister. They must have been watching us and I had been too beaten to notice. When the Slayers came for me, Jace was left unprotected and they seized the chance. Ian had tried to help, but he was no match in his frail, little half-vampire body.

Damn it! I wanted to blame myself, but I couldn’t dwell on that, not while there was an obnoxious red-head to rescue.

As I, at long last, arrived at the place where this Vampiric Mafioso lurked with his twisted children of the night, I could hear my beloved’s screams ringing inside my head. I could see into his mind, his state of panic being so great he’d left it wide open for anyone to read. I don’t even think he was actually, physically screaming, but I heard his mental cries of agony just as if he had.

It was some sort of abandoned underground train station, completely dark and eerie. I had to run with the vermin through the train pitch-black train tracts until I found the hole in the wall. I had to rip the wooden plate off with my fingernails to break into the damp hallway. This place was a rat’s nest… I could smell the putrid stench of old murders as well as the rodent piss and roach mating all over the walls. It was repulsive.

The cries of my lover’s tormented mind got even louder to the point I covered my ears, even when I knew there was no real sound. But, suddenly… It stopped… and I was left in deafening silence.

My soul chilled to the core.

“JACE!!!” I called, sprinting towards the dim light at the end of the corridor.

I bolted into a very bleak room and found an entire coven of vampires crouched over what I assumed to be my unconscious lover. Upon my unceremonious arrival, crashing through a bolted door, they all snapped their heads towards me and hissed in unison, blood dripping messily down their chins.

I could feel my face twisting with the bubbling rage in the pit of my stomach. With a guttural cry, I charged, and so did they, wailing like perfect savages. They grabbed at my clothes, scraping their sharp nails against my skin, they pulled at my hair, snapped their jaws at me, but these were only little fledglings and most had been very poorly made. It was rather easy, with the rabid anger I was harboring, to crush their necks in my grip.

I don’t know how many there were, how many I killed, maimed, or seriously injured, but I did, at one point, frighten myself when I grabbed a young girl and snapped her spine against my knee. I faltered for an instant that could have well cost me my life if the hulking male that made a dive for my throat hadn’t been so slow and weak.  

In no time at all, the entire sum of younglings were all at my feet and I was tattered and bloody but no less angry. Finally, I was able to see my Jace, but I could scarcely recognize him from all the crimson gore that stained him.

A chuckle stopped me dead in my tracks as I ran to his aid. I adjusted my eyes to the shadows behind my paramour’s limp form and saw a man with glistening white hair. He looked physically older than me, around his mid 40’s, but I could not detect his true age. He was leather-clad, wearing spikes and chains, leering at me menacingly. A hostile snarl ripped itself from my throat.

My adversary grinned darkly at me. “I don’t know who you are, but if you think I take lightly to some hot-shot vamp barging into my lair and slaying dozens of my children, you are gravely mistaken.” He hissed at me low voice.

To my dread, I could see more fledglings peering at me from the darkness, their lips curling over their teeth in bitter expressions of hate.  The one whom I assumed was the head-honcho, kneeled besides Jace and yanked him up into a painful-looking sitting position in one swift, quick movement.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!” I screamed.

God damn all these bastards that sought the chance to make that boy a hostage! I couldn’t attack and rip off his head as I wanted to!

Jace, with some difficulty, cracked his lips open, looking at me with unfocused, tear-filled golden eyes. “Nightson… Nightson help me!” He whimpered pitifully.

His shirt and pants had been torn off, leaving him almost bare and completely exposed, clad in only his practically-shredded underwear. He was sporting countless blotching bite-marks all over his body; neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, hips, thighs, all the way down his arms and legs… He was bleeding profusely, the skin around the wounds already darkening. He looked so pale and fragile… as If he might break any moment.

“Let him go…” I heard myself whisper.

The man just kept that cynical grin on his face and plunged an iron claw into the red-head’s already ravaged throat, making him scream out in pain and fear.

“No more… N-No more… Please…” The smaller male pleaded weakly.

“LET HIM GO!!!” I barked, itching to just tackle the guy. I couldn’t though, this vampire was older than his coven, stronger and undoubtedly faster, he’d rip out Jace’s throat before I could even scratch him, especially with his slightly-smarter and older brats right on his heels, ready to pounce when necessary.  

But then I saw the bastard extend his fangs as he yanked Jace’s head aside, exposing his neck and… I don’t know what happened, exactly.

I screamed…

“NO!!!!!”

It was a horrid cry, a piercing, screeching, dragging, rough noise I knew I didn’t make often. A long yell, a hybrid between a plea and a command, filled with despair. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard to me. It seemed surreal, as if it weren’t coming from my vocals. I reached out, as if to grasp something that wasn’t there… but was.

Then he screamed, the other vampire. It wasn’t much of a scream per say, more like a strangled sound of surprise and confusion fused with pain. He put a hand to the side of his head, palm against his ear, fingers against his temple.

I closed my clawing grip a slight bit further and was amazed to find an invisible sort of resistance. It felt as if I was actually crushing something. It appeared I was, because when I flexed my hand a bit, the vampiric Mafioso yelled again, this time releasing Jace, making his lithe body slump to the cold stone floor.

I was done experimenting. I was clearly doing SOMETHING and I needn’t waste time. Slowly, with quite a lot of effort, I began squeezing my fist shut. The white-haired man put both hands to his head, now tearing at his hair, crying out desperately in utter fear and bewilderment. He connected his slanted crimson eyes with mine, his stare horrified. I suppose my expression was similar, I had to have a maniacal look upon me.

“W-What the devil… are you doing to me?!” He gasped out, writhing in agony. “Stop… STOP!!!”

I bit my lip, my eyes brimming with what I assumed was blood caused by the strain, and growled out one word in a voice that really didn’t sound like mine… “Die.”

And he did. He let out one final, stomach-turning scream of agony. I heard a loud CRUNCH and he fell to the floor, nose, mouth, eyes, and ears oozing dark red. He just… died.  Not just him, though… When I tore my eyes from what I had done, I saw the rest of the coven, the remaining young vampires, lying about, some huddled together in corners… all dead. Had I killed them too without realizing?

I stared in horrified astonishment, my eyes shifting from the corpses to my own bloodied hands, until I heard a weak moan and my attention was instantly on Jace.

I dashed to his side and skidded to a crouch beside him, taking him in my arms. He was freezing and felt very breakable to me. “Jace! Jace, my love… Open your eyes for me. Look at me, please.

The sweet smell of his blood was dizzying, my hunger stirred and I was tempted to sink my teeth into him as well as my clothes soaked the gore from his trembling body. He coughed violently, blood gushing out of his mouth as I held my breath and cradled the back of his neck. He was bleeding all over me at an alarming pace, losing too much blood. I held him against my chest, ripping off a piece of cloth from my cloak and tying it around his neck to slow the blood flow before ripping the cloak off altogether to wrap it around him to protect him from the biting night air.

“Nightson… Ngh -hack!- Nightson, d-don’t let it t-take me…” He managed to gasp as I stood from the floor, lifting him against my torso easily.

Now he was talking nonsense. “Don’t worry, the only place you’re going is the hospital.” I replied as I struggled to make our way through the narrow passage leading to the train tracks. I didn’t once look back at the mass of corpses in the room. I had no time to worry about such things, my lover was dying in my arms.

I hurried out of the cold station the way I came, sprinting as fast as I could to the nearest hospital. Jace couldn’t die, I forbade it! His head drooped against my shoulder as he feebly tried clasping my shoulder, only to find his hand falling limp. He groaned and whimpered weakly for a while before losing consciousness and sagging against my frame. At this point, desperation had gotten the best of me and I no longer cared who saw me sprinting at super-human speed.

The hospital seemed eternally far and I was unable to reach it before the wheezing sound of my beloved red-head’s breathing ceased. In a rather glum alley, I whirled to a stop.

“Jace?” I called, gently shaking him.

Feeling a sickening clench in the pit of my stomach, I kneeled on the ground to better check on my lover. His wild heart beat was inaudible to me now and I could no longer feel the blood steadily pumping out of his wounds, now it just dripped… cold and lifeless.

“JACE?!” I cried, giving him a rougher shake, but his head hung back flaccidly.

In horror, I set him down on the cold, damp cobblestones gently. His lips were drawn, a combination of eerie blue and sanguine crimson. His eyes were half-open, but also rolled back into his head. His pale complexion was graying…

I was a vampire. I’d been a damned creature, a killer, for 130 years. I had seen enough death in my life to recognize the eminent signs of it. But, oh, I was too stubborn to believe it! …Too in love. In love with this frail waif, in love with this cooling corpse… In love with Jace.

“No! NO, GOD DAMN IT!!! No!” I screamed, hastily straightening his body.

I put my lips to his, tasting the coppery red on them, and blew air into his lungs as hard as I could. I felt his chest swell under me and I put my hands over his heart, giving him strong pumps.

“Jace, wake up…” I growled.

No, Jace couldn’t be dead! He couldn’t leave me! I wouldn’t be able to survive such a loss, this pure agony in my soul again. The faces of all me dead loves haunted my mind and Cornelia’s words rang inside my head.

“Jace… WAKE UP!!!” I begged, pumping his chest once more.

I repeated the resuscitation technique again and again.

“Don’t give up, Jace… Don’t leave me behind… please… PLEASE!!!” I sobbed, tears of pain, sorrow and disbelief blurred my sight, but I was left in silence.

This couldn’t happen again… Not only would I lose someone else I loved, not only would the pain be unbearable. I would see Jace everywhere, hear his laugh, feel his touch knowing he was gone. I would see him in everyone I met, I would see his dreams, his future, all those wonderful things I had destroyed so deliberately and selfishly.

I pumped his chest harder, watching his blank, unchanging expression, feeling the fragile thread of his life seep through my shaking fingers.

“DON’T YOU DO THIS!!!” I screamed to the heavens, going into hysteria as the first tear tricking down my nose. The rest came quickly after that one, blinding me for seconds before streaming down my face.

Contrary to popular belief, vampires can, indeed, cry, with the same sorrow, rage, and passion as any mortal.  

I bawled at the top of my lungs, cursing, as I pumped Jace’s still chest with more force. A scream left me as I put even more strength into the task, out of frustration. His ribs snapped under the pressure I was exerting on them and I heard the deafening crack of his bones as well as felt it right under my palms. I froze with a high-pitched gasp. My hands recoiled from their place, hovering in the air for a moment before I pressed them against my mouth, gripping my jaw as more tears spilled from my eyes.  

He had the heart-wrenching atmosphere of a broken china-doll. I unclenched my hands from my face and took his hand in mine, holding it to my cheek as I wept, feeling his skin take on a rather elastic quality, becoming as cold as mine as all the heat of life abandoned him, leaving him chilled and empty.

“Damn it… Damn it all, Jace… Damn you... and damn me.” I sobbed pitifully against the back of his hand.

I hadn’t been fast enough… not nearly fast enough. I had saved Ian! Why couldn’t I save Jace too?! Just open a vein and… and… It was suddenly clear what I had to do to save my beloved’s life. No, I couldn’t save his life, his life was gone… I could only try to give him another life, part of mine.

Jace had expressed to me recently, this very night, that he did not want to be a vampire, under any circumstances. But I felt betraying him that way was a much better option than letting him die and it wasn’t like I had an eternity to think about it, Jace’s time was up.

With yet another scream, one of frustration and regret, I hoisted him up against me and bit into his throat, sinking my extended fangs in deep. He tasted awful! His blood had already started to run cold. Arctic blood… dead blood.

He’d lost too much already, I couldn’t drain him completely, but I had to drink a bit, have it in my system. After a few nauseating gulps, I pulled away, grimacing, still crying, and bit into my wrist. I held the wound above his head, blood oozing onto his lips and it wasn’t long before I realized that he was too far gone, clinically dead, he couldn’t latch onto it and drink from it.
I had to force his jaw open and literally bleed myself into his throat. I had never heard of a vampire turning a mortal after he’d already drawn his last breath, but I had to try, I had to do SOMETHING!

I lost count of how many pints I drained from my wrist, I didn’t even stop when I felt myself dizzying. When I did stop was because his mouth had filled. I forced his stiffening jaw to close, making a couple garnet drops brim over the sides of his mouth and trickle down each cheek. I then lifted him, fixing his head against my shoulder as I squeezed his neck and stroke his throat downward furiously, making the thick liquid go down his esophagus, hopefully filling his insides.

Then I waited, my wound healing as I held him close, making an effort not to crush his splintering bones more, and I prayed. I don’t know to who or what I prayed… to anything, I suppose. I whispered my love to his unhearing ears, kissing his head repeatedly.

An eternity passed, minutes that seemed hours to me, and I was nearing the point of absolute despair. I was starting to think I had waited too long… that I had let him die and now he was gone forever. It had been too late for him.

But then, I felt a pair of arms encircle me in a sudden crushing embrace that squeezed the breath out of me as a loud, wheezing gasp reached my ears before an ear-splitting screech reverberated through the alley, bounced off the glass of windows in the buildings surrounding us. It pierced through my ears in a certainly painful way, but it brought up such relieved happiness in me that all pain was unaccounted for.

“Jace! My love… Jace!” I gasped, looking down to see his hazel eyes, wide and bleeding, starting to turn a bright, fiery orange, soon to turn red.

His lips were parted as he took a breath to resume his screaming. His body jerked and convulsed as his broken bones snapped into their original place, rearranging and sealing themselves. His wounds were all healing and soon there would be nothing left of them. He screeched at the stop of his lungs, his tortured body writhing in pure agony, as he tossed and thrashed in my hold.

I shushed him, even knowing it was impossible for him to stop screaming. I knew what he was suffering, and that there was more to come. I locked my arms around him, telling him he was alive and that the pain would end soon, that I was here and I loved him. I also begged for his forgiveness. I told him how I knew he didn’t want this, that I knew he would hate me forever, but that I loved him far too much to let him go.

The episode lasted about ten minutes, then he lost consciousness. That was the first of many three storms. In time, he would wake again and resume his outer suffering, but right now he was lying quiet in my arms and I had to make the most of it. I had to get him home…

I carried him through the streets, hurrying to his apartment, trying to beat the clock and get there before my turning lover awoke again.

Lover… he wouldn’t be my lover for much longer, would he? Jace would loathe me, rue the day he met me… He’d regret all of this, he’d regret loving me. I couldn’t stay with him, I couldn’t bear the thought of dealing with his burning anger towards me… I was a coward, yes! I wouldn’t be able to face him after this. The sorrow of this realization overshadowed the joy of bringing him back. Already I was thinking it had been a mistake, but one I would never regret.  

I got to Jace’s building and, throwing him over my shoulder, scaled the wall right up to his window. I had been weakened by the transfusion I’d given him, but I was still plenty strong. I kicked the window open with a snarl and swung inside.

“Nightson!” I heard Ian’s voice exclaim.

I turned to find him rising from the couch he’d been resting on.

“Where’s Gale?” I growled, immediately knowing he was nowhere within a mile from this place.

The silverette didn’t respond, he was too busy gawking at the male I carried in my arms.

“Ian!”

“O-Oh! Um… He left, a while ago. The blonde took the tiny Slayer to the hospital.” He replied, taking a gulp. “Is he okay?” He then asked, referring to Jace.

“…” I couldn’t reply, I didn’t know how to answer that question.

I walked to Jace’s bedroom and set him on the carpeted floor, knowing that he’d only fall from the bed when he woke up again. I crouched down beside him and pushed his sweat-damp bangs back. Soon he wouldn’t sweat at all… Right now, he was feverish, but soon he’d been cool as marble.

I heard Ian gasp from the doorway. “He’s turning…” He whispered in astonishment.  

I put my hand over my eyes, unable to hide my shame.

“You turned him!” Ian yelled accusingly.

I growled. “He was going to die! What was I supposed to do?!” I barked back at him, a lone tear of guilt running down my face.

I looked back down at Jace and caressed his heated cheek before abruptly rising to my feet. I didn’t meet Ian’s eyes.

“He’s entering the 2nd phase.” I said to him as I shouldered past him.

He followed me, shutting the door to Jace’s room. “The worst is yet to come…”

“I know. Call someone. Andy or Vincent… they’re always willing to lend a hand.”

“Wait, what? Andy is in Singapore and Vincent just got married, besides, why would-?” The boy was rightfully confused.

“Then call someone else!” I interrupted him, turning to face him with shining, tear-filled eyes.

Realization slowly seeped into Ian’s delicate features and his blank look molded into an outraged expression. “You’re not leaving! You’re going to leave him here with me?! While you go off to… The Devil knows where?!” He yelled at me.

I closed the distance between us and cupped his face in my hands, pressing our foreheads together. “Ian, please, please understand. I cannot stay! I turned him against his will, I can’t be around him anymore!” I stifled a broken sob. “I know this isn’t your responsibility, but please, I beg you, out of your love for me, please…” I had to pause to catch my breath. “Please. Just look after him until he can look after himself, it shouldn’t take that long.” I pleaded.

Ian seemed deeply hurt at what I was implying. He was silent for a long while before he backed up a bit to look at me, his own eyes shining with sadness. “It’s not that… I don’t WANT to help. But, Nightson…” His lips were quivering. “Y-You c-can’t leave! He NEEDS you now! I need you too! You can’t just up and go!” His voice broke. “I don’t want you to go!” He then added, I could see he was trying to hold back tears.  

I turned away from him, looking at the beautiful city light-show in the distance. “I’m sorry Ian… I’m sorry for everything.” I sighed. I could hear Jace stirring in the other room. “He’s going to need to feed soon…” I stated quietly.

Ian snorted bitterly. “So I guess I’ll just order a pizza and feed him the pizza-guy?” He replied snarkily.

I grinned at his sass, despite myself. “That’s a rather good idea.”

I suddenly felt myself tightly embraced from behind. The small boy nuzzled into my back for a moment before releasing me as I turned to face him, cupping his chin gently.

He mouthed the words ‘Don’t go’ but I only shook my head sadly and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

I pulled away with a sigh, only to find him sobbing quietly, fat tears hiding in his eyes.

“The house is yours, and so is everything in it... I’m so sorry for all the horrible things I’ve done to you. Tell Jace I’m sorry too, and that I love him more than he can imagine.” I said to him, as I perched up on the windowsill.

“Don’t go!” He whined. “It’ll be light soon! And you gave him your blood, you need to rest! You can go tomorrow night!”

I sighed again. “I have to go now, Ian. You behave yourself while I’m gone. Look out for Jace. See you later, rascal.” I gave him a weary smile before I leapt out into the night soon.

“COME BACK SOON!!!” I heard Ian’s last plea as I landed on the street below.

As I dashed away, I could hear Jace’s new shrieks of agony as he awoke for the 2nd phase of his transformation.

My heart was heavy and I wanted nothing more than for things to be how they once were. I wanted to hold Jace to me and kiss him. I thought Ian and Jace now had the potential to be friends, to somehow get along despite everything, and I desperately wanted to be a part of that, but I knew I’d destroy any chance of it ever happening if I stayed. For Jace’s sake, I had to go.
I had get as far as I could before dawn and find refuge. After that, I would go somewhere remote… Perhaps South America, or the High Mountains of Europe, even Asia…

This was the end of our journey through forbidden, ill-fated romance. I always knew it would end badly… but I did not regret it, not one bit of it. Because, for once, the one I loved had not been snatched away from me by death. I had made a monster out of him, I had made him just as I was, and he would always hate me, but he wasn’t dead.

Oh, the ability new-born vampires have for hating! They hate like no others! The heated passion of their boiling anger could be used for melting metals. Perhaps, after a few decades, he would hate me less, and I would be able to see him again. But for now…

This was the end.