Work Text:
He'll understand.
It's what I keep telling myself, but it doesn't stop my heart hammering in my chest. Doesn't stop a feeling like sickness creeping up inside of me.
Because it's wrong. I know I shouldn't be here. He doesn't even know I'm here. But what does it matter,now that I'm here, it doesn't matter. Not at all.
If I could just believe that.
She said no questions. So I ask none. Say nothing as she comes back through, the curtain she disappeared through minutes before. The curtain remains parted slightly and I see a glimpse of flesh before someone closes it fully.
Not for my eyes.
I look at her.
"You're sure about this?" She asks.
I nod.
"Then it must be now, there isn't much time."
She hands me a glass and I look. Wish I hadn't.
"Just drink." She says. "You don't have time to waste."
I take a deep breath. Close my eyes and hold it up to my lips. With my eyes closed, I can't see my hand as it shakes. And then, there's nothing left to do. I start to drink. It's warm, I don't want to swallow, but I do it.
For Shawn. Mouthful after mouthful until it's all gone.
Hand shaking, touches my lips. Not sure if I'm going to be sick or what. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. See a pink tint to my skin and wipe at it until my flesh is back to it's normal colour.
And then everything starts to go black, my vision blurs.
This is my end.
**
"Hunter?"
No answer, even though I'm sure it was the sound of the door banging shut that woke me. Glancing across the room, I see it's almost midnight. Where the hell was Hunter? I pull the cover off the bed and sit on the edge. I prepare myself for getting up, something that I do as little as possible.
The pain had ebbed away but as I moved , I felt it surging through me again. Gritting my teeth against it I made my way to the door. The small amount of movement had exhausted me.
I turned the door handle, pulled it open.
"Hunter." I called, shocked to see him slumped just inside the door. A small amount of water had run through his clothes due to the torrential downpour from outside.
He lifts his head when he hears me call his name. I'm scared of what I'll see, some sort of beating I'm sure, but he looks fine, gets up quick enough when he sees me supporting myself against the door frame.
"What happened to you?" I demand.
He ignores my question though and just comes over, discarding his wet jacket before he grabs hold of me and directs me back to bed. Once I'm back down in bed, resting I see the worry in his eyes ease up a little.
"Where have you been so late?" I ask.
He looks down but his hand seeks mine out under the sheets of the bed.
"Hunter." I insist.
"I went to find help for you." He admits.
My hand reaches up for his face but he grabs it with his other hand, holds it tight. His hands are so cold. "You know there's no help for me. Terminal is...."
"I know." He snaps, cutting me off. "But.. there might be a way. But, you're gonna have to trust me."
"You're a miracle worker now?"
"I thought you believed in miracles."
"I believed. Past tense." I watch him carefully as he searches for the words to explain what he needs to say.
"You ever wondered why I wanted to move us out here. Middle of nowhere?"
"Peace and quiet I guess."
"Not quiet. When we first found out about you, I thought there must be something more. Something experimental, new.... instead I found something old. So old, I didn't even believe it could work. You just, need to trust me with this. It's weird, but I've seen it work. It's worked for me."
"You're not sick."
Hunter shook his head, smiled briefly. "It's not about curing sickness." He must have seen my confusion. "Look, just lay down and relax and do what I tell you. And trust me."
"You know I do." My body is still throbbing with pain, but with Hunter there, it never matters as much, never hurts so bad, the pain never cuts so deep. Hunter gets on the bed, straddles me, but makes sure he lays no weight on me, know I won't be able to take his bulk in my state. He leans close, his kiss planted on my lips. A different one to usual, this more forceful, more desperate. Like we used to kiss. Like he used to touch me. No gentle touches, just the need for closeness. My eyes close in the grip of the moment. Been too long. I've needed this for so long.
And I don't care what his plan is. I don't care what he does because right then and there, it's what I need. What I want. After the longest time, he stops kissing my lips and trails down my neck. My head automatically moves to one side, lets him have access. He can have whatever he wants. He can have me.
His arms wrap around my back, his still so strong as my body grew weaker, yet still gentle and so careful. Like cradling a child, he never hurts me. Even the gentle biting at my neck doesn't hurt, because it feels so good. He bites harder. I let out a gasp in pain but it's good and he doesn't react to me. I wrap my arms around him. He pulls me up so I'm no longer laying down, I'm just supported by his arms, and he's kneeling with me wrapped in his embrace.
And it feels so good. So good.
But I'm so tired. Hope Hunter doesn't want more because I know I can't hold out. My body isn't strong enough. My arm starts to slip from him, but I hold on tighter, don't want him to stop. Still at my neck. Starting to hurt. Starting to. And when my arm slips this time, I can't stop it. Can't. And my head, feels too heavy. I feel spent. I need to rest, be supported.
And he stops. Knows me. One hand supports my head, lays me back down.
My eyes are closed. Too tired.
I hear him, so close to me. "I'll make you better."
I turn slightly to the voice, want to reply but the words won't come to me. So tired.
"Drink." He says.
I'm not thirsty, just tired. He helps me. Rubs liquids on my lips and lick at them. Not water. Something else.
This time, a finger against my tongue.
And I want nothing more than to drink. Hadn't even been thirsty.
"More." I say, eyes not opening.
Gently, he opens my mouth a little. "You need to do this yourself, Shawn." he says. "Open your eyes."
I do. Tiredly. I see Hunter, blood on his lips. It doesn't disgust me like it should. It makes me want. He holds his wrist out where I see his blood. Waiting for me. He wants me to. I want to. He moves his wrist so close, I can almost taste the blood as runs down, threatens to drip and I can't waste it. I lunge for his arm.
And I feed.
Feed until there's nothing else left but consuming it all.
I don't stop until Hunter forces me off him. He stumbles away from me. "You've had enough." he tells me.
I want more.
He knows that. Can see it in me.
He goes out the room, locks me inside.
And I finally feel alive.
**
It was finally time to go.
Outside. It had been so long.
Hunter had been nursing him in sickness for so long as he grew weaker every day, and suddenly it was all forgotten. No sickness left. Just a desire to go out. Be free. There was a yearning in him, something he didn't understand but he just knew that with it, he wanted to go outside. Hunter had delayed him, wanted to make sure he really was strong enough. His breaking through the bedroom door after Hunter had locked him in seemed to prove his point.
That night they were ready. Prowled the streets. Waiting, searching for a victim.
And then she stumbled down the street. Drunk, lost... helpless. Hopeless.
She really wasn't enough for two, Hunter knew that, but it was a start, and after the amount of blood he lost to Shawn, he needed it. His attack was sudden and fierce. He was on top of her feeding before she'd screamed and now his hand clamped over her mouth kept her desperate cries muffled and unheard. He didn't stop, didn't even try to until he heard the voice behind him, sounding so confused, so lost. Childlike.
"What are you doing?"
Hunter turned, kept his head down. "Feeding." He explained. Went to turn back to the woman, she still struggled beneath him but was weak compared to him.
"Stop it." Shawn said.
"I can't. If I don't feed, I'll die."
"And if you keep feeding she'll die." Shawn replied.
Hunter faltered. Knew this was part of their life now, what he'd agreed to do to save Shawn. "It's the only way."
"I... I can't take someone else's life to save my own."
Hunter stood, dragging the girl up with him. "Don't tell me you don't want it. Look at her. Smell her, Shawn."
"I won't." He turned his head, but he could smell the blood. Smelt good. He never smelt blood before. He remembered the taste of Hunters. Was the greatest thing ever. Was like he'd never tasted before then, never really felt satisfied until he drunk from him. But it was wrong. Hunter hadn't died but this girl would.
"Why can't we just let her go? Just take a little bit and leave?"
"Because you think it's okay to do that? You think we could get enough from her without her dying? You think if we let her leave she doesn't tell everyone about us."
"But she'll die here on the streets, Hunter."
"Fine!" Hunter snapped, pushing the woman, away. Crying now and crawling at the ground to get some distance. A futile attempt. She knew she'd never get away alive. "It's your problem now." His words were harsh, anger boiling inside him, something that wasn't there before and he walked away. Left the two of them behind.
Shawn watched the woman as she struggled to escape. He went over, slowly went to help her, but she just cried and got more hysterical the closer he came to her, trying to fight him off.
Then he saw the blood trailing down her neck, down her body. Just a small trickle really, nothing much. But then that smell hit him again.... wanted it, her.
He stepped back. Had to get away from her, scared at how easily his mind took him from concerned man to starved beast.
"I'm sorry." He said.
**
The first night wasn't supposed to be like this.
He hadn't been able to enjoy himself. Not alone. Without Shawn. He wouldn't tell him about the replacement for the girl he'd found. Shawn didn't understand how weak he really was, how much he needed it.
He was surprised how long it took Shawn to come back. When he saw him, he knew why.
He had blood stains on him. The way he looked made him seem dangerous. On edge.
"Is this what you wanted?" Shawn asked.
"No." Hunter said, even if inside he knew it was a lie. Part of him loved seeing Shawn come back like that, because he wasn't giving up.
"You knew what you were putting me through. Why did you do it?"
"So I didn't have to lose you!" Hunter replied.
"You've lost me already. This isn't me. That's not you. We never used to go round slaughtering people Hunter. He don't sleep in darkened room and avoiding the sunlight for fear it'd kill us. You've turned us into monsters."
"No. I haven't I've set you free. You've always been so strong willed. So powerful. Until Rebecca screwed you over with the God stuff. It was never you. It just gave you a cover for all the stuff you weren't ready to accept. Like me. You soon came to me, didn't you? God gave you peace, filled that void but there was one still there. One where you just wanted to let rip and be free. We can be free forever now."
"This isn't you. It's never been you. You're not a demon who wants to kill...."
"I am now."
"I don't want you to be like this."
"We're the same. You can't do anything about it now."
Shawn turned away from him. "You're right." He paced about for a minute before he went to the door to their bedroom. He opened it and went inside, closed the door behind him.
Moved over to his side of the bed and opened the drawer. Empty.
"What were you looking for?" Hunter asked, standing in the room. "The religious crap- I got rid of that before I went to see anyone. You were so sick you didn't even notice. Shawn, you may think that this is so bad, but it's your life line. You'd be dying if it weren't for this."
Shawn shook his head. "This isn't living."
"You're still adjusting. It's okay, you haven't had as much time to come to terms with this as I have."
"Tell me that we aren't going to go out and kill again? Tell me that next time, I won't be able to stop myself from feeding until the blood runs dry. Can you?"
"It's normal. For us."
"It'll never be right for me."
"Time. Just give it time."
**
He sat up, wiped his mouth.
The back of his hand was crimson red with her blood. She whimpered weakly beneath him. Too weak to do anything else. He'd nearly sucked her dry.
In the shadows another man lurked. Watching, not partaking.
"Want some?" He offered the man in the shadows. Silence was his only answer. "Suit yourself." He lifted the girls head up, went to take another bite but instead twisted her neck until there was a snapping. Her body was limp in his hands. The blood slowly trickled from the puncture marks on her neck. He let her body drop to the floor and he stood.
"She tasted so good."
"How much are you going to have tonight?" Hunter asked, stepping out from the shadows.
"You told me, Hunter. You said with time it'd come to me. You were right."
"There's a difference between feeding and killing."
"I fed."
"Not on that other girl."
"She tasted bad." Hunter didn't say anything. "Are you mad at me?" Shawn asked, mockingly, pouting as he closed the gap between them.
"Don't."
"You know you want me." Shawn said. Hunter didn't say anything. "Just taste me Hunter. Taste her."
Hunter put his hand out to keep Shawn away.
"C'mon... I know you want to."
"I'm done for the night." Hunter said, turning and quickly disappearing into the shadows.
Shawn watched him go. "Can't please some people." He commented to the dead woman at his feet.
**
"Please help me." The woman cried running up to him.
"What's wrong?"
"I think someone's following me."
Tears streaked her face, terror apparent on her face. "Where?"
She pointed the direction she'd come from. "Down there."
"Do you live near?" She nodded. "I'll get you home."
"Thank you."
"Anyone there for when you get in?"
"No. I live alone. It's not even very far. I was just so scared."
"It's okay. I'm here." He said, wrapping arms around her as he walked her down the deserted street.
*
"This is it."
"It really wasn't far."
"Thank you so much."
"My pleasure."
"You'll be okay?"
"I.... I'll be fine. Can you wait with me while I get inside?"
He smiled. "Sure." She fished into her bag for her keys. Her hands still shook slightly and she struggled to get the key in the lock. "Let me." he said, steadying her hand and guiding the key in the lock.
"Thanks." she said.
"It's not a problem. Stay safe." He turned.
"Wait..." He turned back to her. "You could always.... stay for a drink. A thank you."
"Are you inviting me in?" He asked with a smile.
**
Hunter got back to the house they shared. It was empty.
He'd hoped Shawn had changed his mind and come back.
No one was safe with him out there.