vampires will never hurt you.

by belovedandfitz

Summary:

Companions of Lord Golden has been going missing, and vampire hunter FitzChivalry Farseer has to get to the bottom of it.
Vampire and vampire hunter fall in love, and shit goes down fast.

Notes:

this piece of fiction is loosely inspired by anne rice's interview with the vampire & loustat. it's also inspired by the song vampires will never hurt you by my chemical romance. it is inspired by many things. also, i am a lesbian, so if my mlm perception is wrong, do NOT correct me. i don't have to know. thank yew. enjoy.

Chapter 1: Can You Take This Spike?

Buckkeep Castle was alive with the arrival of Winterfest. The air of the ballroom, Great Hall, was heavy with many different fragrances, it was lit with lamps and candles hung high, and as I surfed through the chamber, I saw Queen Kettricken in her flamboyant Buck blue gown. It was different to see her like this, for I was used to her simple Mountain attire. I greeted her with a swift nod, to which she responded with a soft smile.

My eyes were scanning the crowd carefully as I walked. I had a certain target for the night. Chade was suspicious of this Jamaillian nobleman as he had displayed some strange behavior towards other nobles and his guests. And, for some unknown reason, his guests had been leaving the court lately. Chade had not been able to contact any of Lord Golden’s companions. Which made Chade have some ideas about him. That he was making his companions disappear. He was, according to Chade, a supernatural being, a nonhuman creature, a vampire. And it was my job to get to the bottom of this as the vampire hunter, the assassin of the king, despite our king, King Verity, had been dead for years now. I was the assassin of the Farseer Dynasty. And I had a job to do.

It didn’t take me long to identify Lord Golden, as his ostentatious attire was hard to miss. He was following the latest fashion trends, but he had taken them far, and created his own fashion. He had long golden hair that was curling around his handsome, almost femininely beautiful face. His tawny skin was glowing under the lights of the ballroom, and his eyes shone golden like liquid gold. He was definitely a sight to see, so extremely polished and strangely attractive.

I found myself watching him with careful eyes from a distance as I was unable to take my eyes off him, which was practically my job anyway. So I stared at him until finally, finally he looked my way. As our gazes crossed, he frowned as if I disrupted him in the middle of something. He was just chatting with the people around him, men and women who showed interest in his quaint being. Despite the rumors about him, his reputation did not seem to falter, as people still admired him. He was a handsome gentleman, a stranger in the court, yet admired by many.

With a glass of red wine in my hand, I slowly approached him. He seldom looked my way, but when he did, I saw his eyes glisten with interest. For a moment, I felt self-conscious in my simple garment as his eyes lingered on my outfit. Was I too basic, or was he too over the top, I wasn’t sure. I was approaching him as Tom Badgerlock, the guardsman of Queen Kettricken. My cause to talk to Lord Golden was quite simple; The Queen had heard some rumors about his guests randomly disappearing from the court, and she wanted to know why that was the case. Were they really leaving the court on their own, or was Lord Golden making them disappear? What was he doing to his guests that made them flee the court immediately? Where did they go when they left the court? So many questions Chade had, and I had to reach the answers to all of them. So I had to pretend to be a guardsman for Lord Golden to get close to his vicinity.

I finally got close enough to hear Lord Golden’s conversation with his companions. They were talking about a new form of fabric that had arrived from Jamaillia, in the color of deep crimson red, and Lord Golden was complimenting the lady next to him with words that kept saying how beautiful that specific color would look on her brown skin.

When Lord Golden noticed my arrival, he became silent as his eyes traveled all over me, measuring my appearance. As I stepped into their circle, silence fell all around us and the companions of Lord Golden watched me with their eerie gazes. They were clearly uncomfortable by me, but I did not pay much attention to it, as my errand was waiting to be fulfilled.

“Lord Golden,” I greeted him with a nod. He looked up and down at me again, and offered me his hand. For a moment, I thought he wanted me to kiss it as if he were a lady, but then I gathered up my thoughts and shook his hand firmly. It was cold and soft, his long fingers delicate, his grip tight. “Tom Badgerlock, guardsman of Queen Kettricken.”

“Well, Mister Badgerlock, to what do I owe this pleasure of having the guardsman of the Queen here with me?” He spoke slowly, his voice soft and smooth like a woman’s. I was aware of the eyes watching us, but Lord Golden did not let go of my hand, firmly holding onto my digits. When he finally pulled his hand away, I felt an emptiness in my palm as if I had been stripped off my skin.

“I would like to have this conversation with you alone, if you please, my lord.” I bowed my head, but my eyes didn’t leave his. His golden eyes shone with curiosity as he turned to his companions.

“If you’d excuse me, my lords and ladies,” Then he stepped towards me, his high heeled boots stomping the ballroom floor. To my surprise, as if he were a lady accompanying me, he took my arm and started walking towards an empty corner.

With the corner of his eye, he looked at me, then a smile settled on his lips, which were painted to a light pink. “Well?” He nudged me as he reached for a glass of honey wine.

“Well, my lord, to simply put, I have been sent to offer you protection.” I said slowly when he finally let go of my arm and stood right in front of me. He took a graceful sip from his wine as his eyes roamed on my face. Our gazes crossed again and he stared into my eyes so deep, so passionately, and I found myself feeling hunger towards him. I tried to shake away the feeling, but the pressure was right on top of my chest. I felt taken aback by his effect on me, just with his stare. This man was definitely, definitely not natural. Something was off about him.

“Protection?” He pursed his lips, and when I realized I was looking at them, I immediately looked away. “What do I need to be protected from?”

“We have reasons to believe you are in danger.” I explained further, but I could see from his eyes that he was not convinced.

A smirk was prominent on his lips now, and he raised his eyebrows. “I? In danger?” He said mockingly.

I gave him a bitter smile. “As you might have noticed, my lord, lately, your visitors and companions have been going missing. We have reached out but heard not one single response from those who left the court abruptly. We do not know their whereabouts, and the Queen is scared for you, because something might happen to you as well.”

“Yes, I have noticed their absence, but many people visit me nowadays, and I have not been keeping them in check, I’m afraid.” He sighed heavily as he sipped on his wine, which was as golden as his hair, and his eyes. It really was suspicious behavior, how he sighed, and how he lied. It was obvious that he was lying when he looked at me with glinting eyes as if he was enjoying the route of our conversation. He knew something about the people going missing.

“And because of this, we have reasons to think you might be next, my lord.”

“You think someone is purposefully doing this?” He asked.

“What else? It is not probable that these people are just leaving the court one by one. Someone must be making them leave, or worse. Lord Golden, I’m afraid you might be their next victim. Therefore, Queen Kettricken and Lord Chade found it fitting to assign you your own guardsman.” I took a step back and bowed to him. The smirk on his face slowly faded away, but his golden eyes glistened like the stars. “And that would be me, Tom Badgerlock, at your service, my lord.”

“Why hasn’t the Queen reached out to me before assigning me a guardsman?” He finished his wine and immediately reached for another glass. I knew that he enjoyed drinking, but he seldom appeared drunk as if he was not actually consuming alcohol. I wondered if vampires got affected by alcohol the same way humans did. And what? Was I so sure that he was a vampire now? I thought, for a second, that he was messing with my mind. Vampires did that. He could be doing it to me.

“As you can imagine, she is a very busy woman.” I defended Kettricken.

He let out a chuckle, and the sound made my stomach burn although I had not drunk much. It was like a soft breeze, filling my ears with the sound of the trees rustling. “Why, of course, she is the queen, my dear.”

Blood rushed to my cheeks and made me feel giddy like a teenager. I had to get a grip immediately. For a moment, when I was dazed, I did not notice he didn’t actually speak those words. He transferred them to me. As if he was speaking inside my head. Classic vampire trait. More and more things about him were becoming clearer to me now, but I had to keep my composure. I pretended as if I hadn’t noticed it.

“So, Tom Badgerlock, you are to be my guardsman, huh?” He broke the silence with a slight smile. He was enchanting, he was glowing. I was flabbergasted by his supernatural beauty. He was definitely a vampire, but what to do about that? I had to report to Chade so that we could find a way to handle this quietly. I couldn’t just take him out, he was too popular and too valuable for that. We needed to find a way that was both efficient and quiet.

“Yes, my lord.” I said to him.

“Well, I guess I will be safe from now on, for you are protecting me.” He laughed as if he was mocking me, which made me burn with rage. Who did he think he was, insulting me like that? “Tell me, who broke that handsome nose of yours?”

“Someone who thought I was not strong enough.” I replied with a bitter smile, to which he raised his eyebrows, yet his smile did not falter. “He is dead now, and here I am.”

“Oh, I’ve started to grow fond of you already.” He raised his glass towards me. “We are going to have so much fun, Tom Badgerlock.”

Chapter 2: Will It Fill Our Hearts with Thoughts of Endless Night Time Sky?

Notes:

this involves gay sex. i'm not so proud of it. i'm a lesbian, as i stated before. don't come for me.

After we reached the chambers of Lord Golden, he let his servants retire. We quietly watched them leave. When they left, he closed the door, and immediately jumped on me. For a moment, I was dumbfounded, but as his hands found my neck and he pulled my body closer to his, my mind was cloudy with desire.

His long, delicate fingers traced my jawline as he leaned forwards, our faces centimeters away. His soft, warm breath hit my face and filled my ducts with the scent of sweet honey wine. His fingers were cold as he touched my lips and brushed my skin with his thumb. I could warm him up. I wanted to.

“Tell me, do you want me?” He whispered towards my lips. I held onto his waist and pulled him closer to me. Our chests clashed, and it brought a chill down my spine. His lean body was rough and strong, his chest rigid as he pushed against me.

“Yes, my lord.” I found myself saying.

“Although I like how you call me my lord, I would prefer if you called me by my name.”

“Golden.” I breathed out, to which he laughed softly. He grabbed the nape of my neck and brought my face closer to his. His golden eyes from up close looked like molten metal, and they were glimmering shamelessly as he leaned to place a kiss on my jawline.

“My name is Beloved.” He said gently as his soft lips glazed my skin. His mouth settled on my neck and he kissed me, then he licked my throat, making me shiver. I moaned wordlessly. He chuckled again, and the vibration of his laughter went directly to my belly, warming me up.

“Beloved.” I whispered as his teeth grazed my throat. It left me breathless and my knees weak. I started shaking when he lightly sucked on my skin.

“Yes, dear?” He said, his lips on my neck. “What do you want?”

“You. I want you, Beloved.”

“How will you have me?” He asked, murmuring against my skin. His soft words and warm, wet breath was making my stomach turn, and I found it hard to fight against him as I slipped my hands under his jacket.

“However you see fit.” I helped him out of his jacket. He was standing in his white, frilly shirt, and it was so thin that I could see his toned, tawny chest underneath it. Something animalic was awakening inside me. I reached for the buttons of his shirt and he let me take it off, standing only in his flamboyant pants. His skin was glistening golden, his eyes burning my soul, his mouth open, breathing heavily. I touched his chest, brushed his skin with my fingertips. His thin waist was made to be held by me, so I grabbed him and pulled him closer once again. His muscles moved under my hands, strained and tight.

When we came face to face, this time, he bestowed me a kiss. I realized I had been waiting for it the whole night while we were at the Great Hall. Our lips touched, a kiss open mouthed, and he kissed me deep, his tongue sliding into my mouth. I sucked on it and tasted the honey wine and some clove. As he kissed me, his hands were roaming over my body, and without breaking the kiss, he slid my jacket off me. It fell with a thud, and without waiting, he unbuttoned my shirt, letting it fall on the floor next to my jacket. His tongue grazed my teeth and he dived into my mouth, giving me wet kisses after wet kisses, so passionate that it turned my legs into jelly.

His fingertips brushed my nipples and he twisted one, bringing a rough moan out of my mouth. He devoured the sound with his own mouth, his clearly experienced hands flying over my skin. I wondered how many bedmates he had had before and it made me jealous for some reason. This man I barely knew. Yet, he made me feel like it was all about me as he gave me his attention, and I found myself craving for more.

“More.” I moaned into his mouth.

“What is it that you want, dear?” He asked again, and I realized that he wanted me to specify. For a second, I felt shy. But I brushed it away. This man that I craved for was in front of me, asking me what I wanted. I needed him badly, and I wanted him in ways I had never thought would be possible.

His lips roamed over my cheek, and he gave me a kiss right on top of my scar. I shuddered. “Take me.” I said, swallowing loudly. “Please, Beloved.”

“Oh, I will.” He kissed me again, sucking on my bottom lip. He pulled back momentarily. “Be patient, my love.”

I felt as if he transferred those words to me again, as they echoed inside my head. He was inside my head, talking to me, whispering his lovely words that made me surrender completely. I didn’t know what he was doing to me, yet I found that I didn’t care. He could do whatever the hell he wanted to me, and I would beg for more.

His hands found my belt, and he stripped it free. He then got his hand inside my pants and I took a deep breath, my spit getting stuck in my throat. He touched me gently, so softly that I thought he was afraid of breaking me. I leaned into his touch, pressing my body against his hand.

“Shh, love. Patience.” He said, but he didn’t open his mouth. I looked at him, trying to understand how he had done it. He spoke to me but he didn’t speak at all. He whispered the words into my head, carving them on my brain. The sheer power of his gift made me want to whine like a child as his hand moved on me, making me shiver inside my loose pants.

In an instant, he pulled his hand free and he pushed me against the wall without me having a chance to protest. Breath left my lungs as my back hit the wall, but in a second, he was once again on me, pressing his body on mine.

“El and Eda, I want to take this slow, to devour you, but you’re making me impatient.” He hissed against my ear, his teeth grasping my earlobe.

“Do Jamaillians even believe in El and Eda?” I asked him and he laughed at me, his chest moving against mine with giggles.

“Oh, I’m not Jamaillian, dear.” He said between his laughter. “And you’re not Tom Badgerlock. But it does not matter now, does it?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but he put his hand over my mouth and silenced me. I looked at him with huge eyes, but he only looked at me with joy, his golden orbs shimmering with hunger. He pulled his hand away and grabbed my waist, then he turned me around, pushing my face into the wall.

“You said however I see fit, correct?” He asked me, looking for consent.

“Yes, Beloved.”

Without waiting, he slid my pants down my legs, taking off my undergarments with them. Standing naked suddenly made me feel bare, but his hands grabbed my body and under his cold touch, I caught fire. Flames reached my chest and neck, threatening to choke me, when his hands started working on me. I hadn’t realized how ready I was until he slipped his delicate fingers into me. I gasped, not because it hurt, but because I was so hungry for him that his touch set me on fire.

He leaned forwards, his mouth on my neck, as he worked his fingers into me. I groaned loudly when his teeth sank into my neck. I heard his belt buckle hit the floor, but he was moving so swiftly that I couldn’t grasp his movements until he was pressed against me. He was hard, his chest pushing against my back as he kissed my neck.

“Do you want this, love?” He asked with a shaky breath.

“Please.” I begged, pushing my arched body towards him. His breath caressed the back of my neck. He showered me in kisses as he slowly pushed into me, taking breath out of my lungs. I leaned onto him as my legs started to shake.

“You’re shaking, dear.” He whispered to my ear as he hauled me upwards. “Should I stop?”

“No, please, it feels so good.” And it did. When he was properly into me, my shaking stopped, leaving its place for a tingle inside my stomach. Lord Golden, no, Beloved, kept me upright as he had his way with me, occasionally biting my neck as if he was tasting me. I let him. It was as if I was in a trance, and as he moved inside me, I was coming closer and closer to letting him sink his teeth into my skin and show me what he really was.

What he really was. I was sure of it now. Yet, I once again found that I didn’t care.

“You’re doing so good, my love,” He said to me inside my head, but his own voice was moaning into my ear. “Tell me your name.”

It brought me back to earth. I suddenly became aware of what was happening, and somehow, somewhat, it made me enjoy the situation further. It was dangerous. It was ruthless. Lord Golden, Beloved, a vampire, was fucking me, and the forbidden act brought another groan from my throat.

“I can’t,” I whispered to him as he sucked on my neck. I was sure that I was going to find little love bite marks all over my neck tomorrow.

“You can’t or you won’t?” He spoke out loud this time, and his deep voice, so different from his regular voice, brought me closer to edge.

“I’m so close.” I ignored his question. I truly could not tell him who I was, and I truly was so close. He grunted, picked up the pace, and left me breathless as he mercilessly pounded into me.

“Beloved,” He spoke inside my head. “I will call you Beloved if you can’t tell me your name.”

“I don’t care what you call me.” I groaned with each push. I was aching all over, and I needed him more than ever. As if he understood what I wanted, he got rougher, and in a matter of seconds, I was shaking uncontrollably. “Fuck!”

“That’s right, Beloved.” He moaned with me, I could feel that he was close as well from the way he pulsed inside me. “My love, come for me.”

I became undone with his words, and broke apart under his touch. Just a moment later, he followed me, his warm breath tickling my neck, his moans piercing my ears. When he stilled, his body was still pressed to mine, and he wrapped his arms around my chest, hugging me.

“Beloved,” He whispered, his tone strained. I took a deep breath as he embraced me. He sighed. “Oh, Beloved.”

“What?” I asked him.

“You have come to protect me.” He gently kissed my neck where he had bit me several times. “But who will protect you from me?”

Chapter 3: Will It Wash Away This Jet Black Feeling?

I stiffened under his touch. He didn’t let go still, and his lips roamed over my skin, giving me small kisses. 

 

“My lord?” I softly called out, trying to break free from him. He didn’t let me. Instead, he turned me around so that we were face to face. His pupils were dilated dark, almost completely covering his golden orbs. There was still hunger in them, they glowed with desire.

 

“When it’s only you and I, you need not call me my lord, Beloved.” He brushed away a strand of hair from my face. “Just as I do not call you Badgerlock. Now, tell me, for how long are you to be my guardsman?”

 

We were standing naked next to the wall, and I felt shame rise in me. “The length of it has not been decided upon. Until Lord Chade and Queen Kettricken decide that you are safe, I am to be your guardsman, my lord.” He raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, so I corrected myself. “Beloved.”

 

Before he got to say anything, someone knocked on the door. Beloved sighed heavily as he reached for his clothes on the floor.

 

“ Time for you to be Badgerlock. ” He whispered in my head. “ Get dressed, dear. ”

 

I did what he asked me to do, and I approached the door to see who wanted to visit Lord Golden very well past midnight. Lord Golden settled on his couch next to the hearth and I opened the door to welcome whoever was visiting him. Civil Bresinga stared at me for a moment, his eyes filled with confusion.

 

“Hello?” He said hesitantly. “I’ve come to see Lord Golden. He told me to visit him after midnight.”

 

“Let him in, Badgerlock.” Lord Golden called out. I was filled with jealousy as I let Civil Bresinga in. So Lord Golden had invited another man for the night. I wondered if Bresinga would go missing soon. It would explain a lot.

 

“Who are you?” Bresinga asked me as he walked in and I closed the door after him.

 

“I am Tom Badgerlock, sir, guardsman of the Queen and now Lord Golden.” I introduced myself as he nodded.

 

Lord Golden called out from his chair next to the hearth. “You can retire for the night, Badgerlock.”

 

I swallowed. He was kicking me out. The thought of him spending the night with Civil Bresinga squeezed my heart in my chest. What was happening to me? Why was I getting jealous over a man who I didn’t even know? “I will be right outside, my lord.”

 

“No.” His tone was rigid. “You will retire for the night. I will see you in the morning.”

 

I nodded instinctively, as his tone was making me want to leave. “Whatever you please, my lord. Morning it is.”

 

Without waiting for his answer, I left his chambers. I walked through the corridors to go to Chade’s old tower room, but Lord Golden’s voice inside my head stopped me. “ He doesn’t taste as good as you do. ”

 

I stopped dead in my tracks and leaned on the wall next to me. The corridor up to Chade’s old room was dark and in the darkness, I glimpsed Lord Golden’s face. I shook my head and it disappeared. He wasn’t here, but he was inside my head. He was speaking to me from his chambers, and I could hear him perfectly. I heard him when he moaned, yet it sounded fake.

 

I put my hands over my ears, trying to silence him, but he wouldn’t go away. “ Beloved, I have missed your company. ”

 

I shook my head and kept walking. I had to report to Chade, I had to tell him Lord Golden was indeed a vampire. Another moan echoing inside my head stopped me. He was doing it on purpose, and it was working. I was feeling as jealous as he wanted to make me feel. “ Beloved, ” He whispered to me. His murmurs were becoming overwhelming. “ Come to me. ”

 

I stopped walking once again. I stood at the center of the corridor, trying to decide what to do. “ Come back to me. ” He said again. Without being able to protest, my feet started carrying me backwards. I found myself walking all the way back, up to Lord Golden’s chambers. He was not mind-controlling me, not really, but it was as if he was a pollen and I was a bee, and I was being pulled to him. I was not his puppet, but it was difficult to say no to him when he was inside my head like that.

 

I stood in front of the door, not sure if I should knock or not. I did not have to stand for too long, for the door was opened before I’d gotten the courage to knock. There stood Lord Golden, his chest naked, his lower body covered with a white sheet. I took a shaky breath as I looked at his tawny body, gorgeous, lean chest, the harsh lines of his crotch. I hadn’t seen him naked when we fucked, so seeing him like this was a revelation of some kind. When I could finally turn my gaze towards his face, I came to a stop. There were red stains around his naturally pink lips. Blood.

 

My eyes instinctively sought Civil Bresinga. I couldn’t see him in the antechamber, but I knew he was inside, bleeding somewhere. Possibly Lord Golden’s bedchamber.

 

“You’ve called for me, my lord?” I asked Lord Golden as my gaze rolled back to him. There was a grin on his face as he held onto the sheet barely covering his lower body. I could see the outer line of him, and how hard he was. He was getting off on this.

 

“I did, yes, Badgerlock.” He, then, whispered inside my head. “ Beloved. I’m glad you’ve come. ”

 

“What did you need me for?”

 

“Join us, please.” He said, taking a step back and inviting me in. I stepped into the antechamber and he closed the door behind us, then I heard him lock it. I was locked inside with this dangerous vampire. He walked inside then, waiting for me to follow him. And I did. I followed him inside the chamber, the sheet slowly rolling down his lower body. I watched how his hips moved as he walked in front of me. His muscles were not flexed, but he had a shapely body.

 

When we walked into his bedchamber, I held my breath with the sight. There, Civil Bresinga, was laying on the bed, completely naked, his body covered in bite marks. Blood was slowly pouring out of some of them, and the one on his neck was the most intense one. I could see two deeper holes on his neck and his wound was bleeding.

 

“My lord, is he unconscious?” I asked Lord Golden, but the answer came from Bresinga himself. He groaned out loud as his eyes opened, and they were dark with desire. 

 

“Golden,” He moaned, somewhere between pain and pleasure. I stared at him. He seemed completely dazed, his body limp, and I didn’t think he was even aware of his situation. The vampire venom had made him entirely high. I knew that all he could think about was Lord Golden. I knew his mind was screaming his name. Just as mine was screaming his. Beloved, Beloved, Beloved . He hadn’t bitten me, but he was already inside my head, and I was no better than Bresinga.

 

“What did you do to him?” I’d gotten up the courage to ask. Beloved turned to me and bestowed me a soft smile, one that made him look young and coy. But I knew that he was neither of those things.

 

“Nothing yet.” He said sweetly, and when he opened his mouth, I saw his fangs. Real fangs, sharp and shiny, polished with blood. “ Oh, come on, Beloved, don’t look so surprised. I know why Lord Chade sent you to me .”

 

I began to back up. I had my small belt blade, but it was not enough for this. It was not enough to slay a vampire. Did I even want to slay him? I did not, not at that moment. Still, he saw me moving and with the blink of an eye, he was on top of me. He moved fast, just like any other vampire. 

 

“Oh, no, no,” He said in a low voice as he pinned me to the wall. His push was strong, way stronger than I would expect from someone with his lean body. “You will stay. And watch. And then you can go to report to Lord Chade.”

 

How did he know? Was it that obvious? Or had I given something away? When I looked into his eyes, everything else stopped mattering. It was just him and I, standing face to face, and I grabbed his neck to pull him closer to me. Our lips met and it felt like an explosion. His teeth sank into my bottom lip, his fangs drawing out blood, but I did not care about the pain. He kissed me one last time, then he pulled away. We were face to face, both panting, my hands still around his neck. I could choke him, I could strangle him to death. I didn’t want to.

 

“Stay,” He whispered, his voice strained. “Watch. Learn.”

 

“I will.” I whispered back. I wanted to see it. Despite my jealousy, I wanted to sit and watch him as he took Civil, in every way possible. Beloved beamed at me, his fangs on his bottom lip. He then walked away from my touch and approached the bed. He softly touched Bresinga’s face.

 

“Civil,” He said, making the boy open his eyes. “I’m here, dear.”

 

“Golden.” The boy murmured. Beloved hadn’t told him his real name. It made me feel special for some reason.

 

Beloved leaned down and placed a kiss on Civil’s lips. It made my heart tight with something, one that I couldn’t even properly name. Was it jealousy? Did I ache for him that much? We had met only a couple of hours ago, and I was already burning with jealousy because of this man. It wasn’t logical. Nothing about this was logical.

 

Civil kissed him back but he was slow. They slowly kissed for a moment while I watched them. Then Beloved whispered inside my head. “ Does it make you jealous? ”

 

I looked away. I didn’t answer. I understood that he didn’t actually want me to answer. He kissed Bresinga one more time and pulled back, looking the boy in the eye. Bresinga looked at him with hazy eyes, and Beloved softly smiled at him as he lowered his face. Now his lips were on Bresinga’s neck, and he placed kisses after kisses, making the boy heave. It made me heave too.

 

Beloved pulled back for a second, then his fangs were on display. He looked at me one last time, his eyes large with lust, and then he sank his fangs into Bresinga’s neck.

Chapter 4: We'll Shoot Back Holy Water Like Cheap Whiskey

I watched him as he sucked the blood out of Bresinga’s wound. He was hungry and fast, his lips moving swiftly on top of Bresinga’s skin. Beloved devoured him hungrily, getting covered in blood second by second. I was fascinated. I had never seen something like that before. Something so animalic, yet so true . He drank the blood with passion, his eyes squinted with desire, his hands holding onto Civil’s suffering body.

 

The boy was murmuring in agony, but he wasn’t doing anything to escape it. Beloved drank and drank, sucking the life out of Bresinga’s body. I watched in silence, completely captivated by what I was seeing. I should have stopped him, I should have done something to prevent it, but I was dumbfounded, I was looking at them like I was hypnotized. It was my first time seeing a vampire in action. And it was mortifying, horrifying, and hypnotizing. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I just stood there and watched them.

 

Beloved looked at me with his hazy eyes, clouded with thirst and desire and pleasure. “ Do you like it? ” He whispered inside my head while continuing his draining. “ Would you like me to do this to you? ”

 

I found myself whimpering, to which he smiled briefly before diving once again. “ Do you wish you were him? ”

 

My breath clenched around the breath I was holding. I couldn’t bring myself to answer. His voice in my mind, velvety and razor-edged, wound around my thoughts like a vine. I watched, helpless, as Beloved suckled deeper into Civil Bresinga’s neck, the boy twitching under him like a marionette with its strings cut.

 

But then… something shifted.

 

It started as a low throb at the base of my skull - familiar. Not his voice. Not mine. A third echo. The Skill.

 

I staggered backward a step, hand gripping the doorframe. The room around me tilted and narrowed to a pinhole view of Civil’s face. His eyes rolled backwards in their sockets. I felt something rip through the Skill-current, a ripple like blood dropped into still water.

 

He was slipping. And I felt it.

 

“No…” I croaked aloud, but I wasn’t sure who I was speaking to. Civil? Beloved? Myself?

 

I felt the boy’s panic, faint and flickering, then something cold and vast rising to meet it. Beloved. He wasn’t just taking blood. He was drinking his self. His soul. Whatever he was doing, it was not just physical. He was latching onto the boy’s essence, feeding from the Skill-flow like a parasite.

 

And then, like a star snuffed out, Civil went quiet.

 

The Skill went silent.

 

The absence hit me like a slap. I stumbled forward, the air sharp and burning in my lungs. “What did you do?” I whispered to Beloved.

 

Beloved turned to me, lips drenched in blood, eyes gold and huge. “I took what he gave,” he said aloud this time. And then, softer, inside my head. “ He wanted to be consumed. ”

 

Civil’s chest still rose but barely. His heartbeat was faint, but there. Just enough. But I knew, somehow I knew that the body who had entered this room would not be the one to walk out again.

 

“You didn’t kill him.” I said, voice shaking.

 

“Not entirely,” Beloved replied, licking the blood from his bottom lip. “He’ll wake. Eventually. But he will be altered.”

 

“You fed through the Skill.” I stepped forward, rage fighting through the haze of fear. “You’re not just a vampire. You touched the current.”

 

His soft smile widened. “So did you, Beloved.” His voice inside me now was silk and ice. “You felt him leave. You reached for him. And when the time comes, you’ll reach for me.”

 

Something rose in me - rage, shame, hunger. I wanted to strike him. I wanted to fall on my knees. I wanted to take him by the throat and kiss the blood off his lips.

 

He took one step toward me. The room dimmed. The air crackled.

 

“I didn’t turn him, if that’s what you are afraid of,” he said with a soft voice. “Not yet. He’ll sleep now and dream of me. He’ll wake wanting nothing but my voice.”

 

He brushed past me like smoke and poured himself a glass of wine. The red looked almost black in the candlelight. “The question is, Beloved,” he said, swirling the wine lazily. “Do you want more than dreams ?”

Chapter 5: Please Save My Soul

I watched him as he sucked the blood out of Bresinga’s wound. He was hungry and fast, his lips moving swiftly on top of Bresinga’s skin. Beloved devoured him hungrily, getting covered in blood second by second. I was fascinated. I had never seen something like that before. Something so animalic, yet so true . He drank the blood with passion, his eyes squinted with desire, his hands holding onto Civil’s suffering body.

 

The boy was murmuring in agony, but he wasn’t doing anything to escape it. Beloved drank and drank, sucking the life out of Bresinga’s body. I watched in silence, completely captivated by what I was seeing. I should have stopped him, I should have done something to prevent it, but I was dumbfounded, I was looking at them like I was hypnotized. It was my first time seeing a vampire in action. And it was mortifying, horrifying, and hypnotizing. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I just stood there and watched them.

 

Beloved looked at me with his hazy eyes, clouded with thirst and desire and pleasure. “ Do you like it? ” He whispered inside my head while continuing his draining. “ Would you like me to do this to you? ”

 

I found myself whimpering, to which he smiled briefly before diving once again. “ Do you wish you were him? ”

 

My breath clenched around the breath I was holding. I couldn’t bring myself to answer. His voice in my mind, velvety and razor-edged, wound around my thoughts like a vine. I watched, helpless, as Beloved suckled deeper into Civil Bresinga’s neck, the boy twitching under him like a marionette with its strings cut.

 

But then… something shifted.

 

It started as a low throb at the base of my skull - familiar. Not his voice. Not mine. A third echo. The Skill.

 

I staggered backward a step, hand gripping the doorframe. The room around me tilted and narrowed to a pinhole view of Civil’s face. His eyes rolled backwards in their sockets. I felt something rip through the Skill-current, a ripple like blood dropped into still water.

 

He was slipping. And I felt it.

 

“No…” I croaked aloud, but I wasn’t sure who I was speaking to. Civil? Beloved? Myself?

 

I felt the boy’s panic, faint and flickering, then something cold and vast rising to meet it. Beloved. He wasn’t just taking blood. He was drinking his self. His soul. Whatever he was doing, it was not just physical. He was latching onto the boy’s essence, feeding from the Skill-flow like a parasite.

 

And then, like a star snuffed out, Civil went quiet.

 

The Skill went silent.

 

The absence hit me like a slap. I stumbled forward, the air sharp and burning in my lungs. “What did you do?” I whispered to Beloved.

 

Beloved turned to me, lips drenched in blood, eyes gold and huge. “I took what he gave,” he said aloud this time. And then, softer, inside my head. “ He wanted to be consumed. ”

 

Civil’s chest still rose but barely. His heartbeat was faint, but there. Just enough. But I knew, somehow I knew that the body who had entered this room would not be the one to walk out again.

 

“You didn’t kill him.” I said, voice shaking.

 

“Not entirely,” Beloved replied, licking the blood from his bottom lip. “He’ll wake. Eventually. But he will be altered.”

 

“You fed through the Skill.” I stepped forward, rage fighting through the haze of fear. “You’re not just a vampire. You touched the current.”

 

His soft smile widened. “So did you, Beloved.” His voice inside me now was silk and ice. “You felt him leave. You reached for him. And when the time comes, you’ll reach for me.”

 

Something rose in me - rage, shame, hunger. I wanted to strike him. I wanted to fall on my knees. I wanted to take him by the throat and kiss the blood off his lips.

 

He took one step toward me. The room dimmed. The air crackled.

 

“I didn’t turn him, if that’s what you are afraid of,” he said with a soft voice. “Not yet. He’ll sleep now and dream of me. He’ll wake wanting nothing but my voice.”

 

He brushed past me like smoke and poured himself a glass of wine. The red looked almost black in the candlelight. “The question is, Beloved,” he said, swirling the wine lazily. “Do you want more than dreams ?”