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“Oh fuck. Caleb when you said you were in trouble I didn’t think you meant this kinda trouble!”
There he stood in front you, one of your oldest and dearest friends, bloody and beaten, shaking like a leaf.
“I need your help.” His voice is filled to the brim with exhaustion. His face is grey and you can see the beads of sweat as they roll off his face.
“Yeah I got that, but with what.” Exasperated, you want to help but you don’t know what to do, your body is going haywire with fight or flight mood.
“I don’t feel too good ... don’t want Sarah or my dad to see. Came to you. She bit me. Now my whole body hurts.” His words come out shaken, a breath that comes out more like a wheeze in between each word. He’s in so much pain all you can do is make him comfortable.
“She bit you? She? As in a human she?” You say concerned and frazzled.
“Yeah, on my neck.” He says it casually, like it’s just another Tuesday. He turns his neck to you, tiny teeth marks are imprinted onto his skin, stuck like the lines on your body when you sleep too deep.
“Okay. Okay, how long ago did she bite you? What specifically hurts if you can try to tell me.”
“A couple hours ago, right before dawn. Said she had to leave.” He groans, crashing into his own body as he lays fetal position.
“Caleb I know you’re not feeling well, but this is starting to sound an awful lot like those vampire movies I watch.” You say, walking closer to him and crouching next to his head. You tut at the state of him, he looks like he’s on deaths door and you start to get misty eyed.
“Why I came to you. You know about this stuff. You gotta help me.” His words start to slur together and he looks up at you, pleading with his eyes.
“Caleb, do you know what you’re asking, are you sure you can do this? I mean I can get you blood, but it could make you sicker if we’re wrong.” You stand up, frustrated and worried and feeling a little more like this is a dream than earlier.
He nods his head at you, “I’m scared I’ll die anyway.” His voice is tight with fear and pain.
“Okay. I’ll be back in a jiff, stay lucid at least please.” You chew at your lip and he nods slowly.
You run into your kitchen, opening the fridge door in haste and looking for the red and misshapen ground beef you bought earlier. You pick up the styrofoam and see how the blood bleeds, it’s disgusting and under any other circumstances you would not be so relieved to see how bloody it is.
You dart back to your garage where Caleb lays writhing on the old couch you have yet to get rid of.
You crouch down next to him, the meat in your hands and before you can say anything he snatches it from you, tearing into the plastic wrap and gulping down the juicy contents leaving the meat. It’s disgusting, you should be revolted, but you aren’t because suddenly caleb is satiated. He doesn’t look as pale, he stops shaking.
“Thank you.” He says relieved, before his head hits the couch and falls asleep, or maybe faints.
“What the fuck.” You’re relived too, but you’re also all kinds of confused. You take Caleb’s leftovers and retreat back to the house to throw it away, no way you’re eating that anymore. As you walk inside you hear a rapt knock on the door.
You open it but are immediately pushed back by someone wrapped in a blanket that is singed with fire or at least smells burnt. When you blink again the blanket is gone, revealing a blonde women.
“Is Caleb here?” She asks, a little bashful but mainly with concern and curiosity, you’re a little stunned and nod.
“I need to take him, please for his safety.”
“I’m sorry lady, I don’t even know you, he’s fine where he is.” You hope.
“No you don’t understand he’s going to die!” Oh. You’re starting to put it all together. She must’ve been the one to have bit him.
“Hey no it’s okay, I gave him blood he’s fine.”
“What.” She is clearly taken aback.
“Yeah just some animal blood.”
“No that won’t do, he needs to come with us.”
“Us?”
She looks a little worried, but her worry is broken by a crash into your door breaking it down, revealing sunlight that makes her hiss, she grabs her blanket before four more blanketed bodies come inside.
“Where is he Mae?” A husky, older voice asks the blonde, Mae.
“Won’t tell me.” Mae responds, exasperated. Well geez lady you didn’t even ask me.
“Oh you found food for us Mae?” A second voice, another guy, a little southern twang to his voice. He seems a little older than Mae but certainly younger than the first guy.
“No Severen.” Mae bites, now with the voice of annoyance like that of a little sister.
“Jesse, they know and fed Caleb.” Mae, tells the older one.
“Interesting.” Jesse answers cautiously.
“So you know about us huh kid?” Jesse says, who you still can’t see, but you suspect is the leader or dad or something, crouches next to you.
“I mean only caleb, listen if you guys take him you gotta take me too, im not gonna leave him.” Your sudden confidence and heroism is a shock to yourself.
He stands up, “Fine. Severen grab them both, everyone head back to the van.”
Another blanketed man grabs you from the floor. He lifts you over his shoulder, and as we reach outside you see the van Jesse was talking about, its covered with cardboard panels and trash bags cut up to cover the sun, self tinted.
Severen puts you down and your back hits the cheap aluminum of the van only eased by a few blankets laid down.
As he steps into the van he takes off the blanket, revealing a man you just didn’t quite expect. Black pants with cowboy boots, his spurs glisten even without any sunlight, as you look up his belt buckle also catches your eye, he wears a dirty white tank top, with a red flannel on top of that and to top it all off a leather jacket. His hair is a greasy black, it looks like literal grease, longer in the back traveling to his nape, with bits of fringe coming loose to the front of his face, framing his strong features.
“Sorry about the rough landin’ I forget how soft you humans are, no offense.” He crouches down to you, his blue eyes are unnerving in the darkness.
He cocks an eyebrow at you, you remember you have to respond.
“Uh no offense taken, I’m sure it’s something I would also forget about.” You chuckle awkwardly, deciding to appease him. He clearly is a little bit of a loose canon if the patches of stolen policemen badges on his leather jacket are anything to go by.
He hums at you. “So you think you know about us huh. Think we’re scared of crosses and garlic and all that bull.” Well .. not anymore.
“Caleb said he was dying, told me some stuff and I pieced it together, I don’t know anything about all that but we both took a shot in the dark, I gave him some blood… figured it was the same as the movies.”
“Well hon I ain’t no Bela Lugosi okay?”
“No. Bela Lugosi’s accent is much better than yours.”
He laughs, a loud ruckus laugh that makes his head tilt backwards and his body bend back he puts his hand to his chest as his body moves with laughter. Well at least he won’t kill you anytime soon, you hope.
His laughter is interrupted by the rest of the crew, and Mae holding up a still unconscious Caleb.
“What are you laughing about butthead.” The tiniest unknown blanketed person reveals himself to be a child, huh.
“Shut the fuck up boy.” Severen bites back.
“Severen mind your manners around Homer.” Another lady you don’t know the name of chastises him. The boy- or Homer, sticks his tongue out at Severen, weirdly like brothers.
“Will everyone please shut up.” Jesse says, taking his seat at the drivers side. The woman to his right, the last unknown clears her throat at him.
“Not you Diamond, I apologize.” She smiles sweetly at him and pats his hand, letting it linger. They must be the parents.
Jesse turns to you, an older man with a marred face of age, yet he dresses like a man without time, shaggy overgrown hair, a long trench coat over various layers similar to Severen.
“What’d you give him.” He nods towards Caleb, who Mae, sitting across from you on the floor of the van, has wrapped around her arms. She must really like him.
“Just some ground beef i had in the fridge.” You shrug.
“He didn’t bite you?”
“Uh no Sir.” He chuckles a little at your “Sir”. Frankly you’re too damn nervous to really care. This kinda crowd could kill you for any wrong move, might as well be polite.
“You’re staying until he wakes up, then we’ll figure out something to do with you.”
You look down a little nervous as the van begins to go and Jesse begins to drive away into the unknown and further away from the life you knew.
Next to you, Severen elbows you.
“Hey don’t worry, he won’t kill ya, not if I don’t want to kill ya, and luckily I don’t. You’re kinda funny and I like that.” He gives you a wide smile, enough for you to see the little gap between his teeth.
“Thanks Severen I really appreciate it, it’s always good to meet a new acquaintance.” You try to sound as friendly as possible, playing his game, keeping him on your good side. You’re also vaguely aware of how robotic you sound, anyone can spot your bullshit act a mile away.
“I am getting a little hungry though. You won’t mind if I take a little bite right? That’s what friends do ya know.”
“Severen don’t start. A friend of Caleb’s is a friend of ours. I’m sorry about earlier, im just so worried about him. I won’t let anything happen to you, and Severen you’ll play nice.” Mae chastises Severen before talking to you sweetly, as if you weren’t just kidnapped and Caleb isn’t a vampire.
“Ah mae you’re no fun, I’m just messin’, I do kinda like ‘em.”
“Severen always plays with his food, don’t trust him.” Mae looks at you with strong eyes, unwavering even though outwardly she looks like a shaken leaf.
Severen puts his arms around your shoulders, “Oh please, you weren’t there earlier Mae, we had a good genuine connection.” You blush a little, he smells like leather and copper with a hint of oak.
Mae completely ignores him as she continues, “I’m real sorry about us meeting like this. I just, me and Caleb we met so suddenly and I really liked him and I just didn’t mean for things to get so complicated like this. I wanted to come back for him immediately after I bit him, but I couldn’t find him. until I saw his truck at your place. I’m awfully sorry about this.”
Mae, who only kinda seemed to acknowledge the whole kidnapping you thing, did seem a little nice about it all, she seems a little dazed about everything in fact, and well you really can’t blame her.
Maybe you’re developing a little stockholm syndrome, in fact you’re almost certain that’s what’s happening. Part of it is fear that you feel the need to be nice to them all, then another part of you is thinking, momma did raise a good mannered child, and who are you to deny that to anyone … even your kidnappers. No there’s definitely a screw loose up there, you can’t seem to care though.
Severen, with an arm still around your shoulders, decides it’s a good time for him to nap, just like that. His head lulls against the wall of the van, jostling towards you with each stone in the road.
You watch Mae as she continues watching Caleb’s face anxiously. If only things had worked out differently for them.
Before too long you must’ve also fallen asleep, uncomfortably your neck cricks as the van comes to an abrupt stop.
Jesse turns around to make an announcement, “It’s just about dark, time to eat.”
Everyone whoops and hollers except for Mae, still watching Caleb and looking more and more worried.
You’re about to open your mouth to talk to Mae when Severen’s hollering begins to target you,
“Feedin’ time is the best time darlin’ you’re gonna love this!” He grabs you by the arm and leads you out the van. He jumps down making the dust and dirt come alive beneath his feet.
Your eyes take a while to adjust to everything, the wide expanse of nothingness is a little overwhelming, just a bar in the middle of nowhere. You can see a few people playing pool through the window. Jesse, Diamondback and Homer walk with confidence through the door, seemingly in their own little word. Then again they actually are, time has stopped for them in a way you will never understand.
Severen decides you’re not worth the bothering anymore and hastily follows his little family inside. You turn back around to look at Mae, who has a wrist to Caleb’s mouth making him drink her own blood. She must sense your eyes on her and she looks a little guilty.
“I’m sorry I didn’t want you seeing this, can be a little disturbing at first.” She tuts and her head nods towards the bar, “It’s gonna get a lot worse for you when Severen starts killin’ if Caleb doesn’t wake up before then, thought I might try something.”
You’re a little stunned, and the fear in your heart that you’ve been pushing further and further down rises up like the bile in your throat.
You count your lucky stars as a cough interrupts your thoughts,
“He’s awake!” Mae yelps in surprise.
“Huh where am I?” Caleb’s voice is coarse as he questions us.
“Hey caleb, you’re uh with Mae and me.”
“I’m sorry Caleb, they took y'all away. I came to make sure my bite took, that you didn’t die.” Mae pleads.
He sits up, dazed but not worse for wear.
“Who took us Mae?”
He looks up at you and you nod your head towards the bar. He scoots up and off the van, standing next to you and looking at the scene before you.
Severen fiddles with one of men playing pool, jostling him around.
Meanwhile Diamondback, Jesse, and Homer all sit at the bar. The barkeep seems to be mad at Homers presence, Homer seems pissed.
“If you don’t fit into the crew Caleb, they’re gonna kill you, kill you both.”
“Fit in?” You question
“Kill like they do.”
Then in a split second you see what she’s talking about, Homer crashes into the barkeep, swinging a bottle at him until unconscious and sinking his teeth into him. Diamondback laughs and jesse chastises, pulling out a gun to kill the other man at his seat. Severen is already bleeding another man dry, with the other already on the floor.
It’s more than a blood bath and worse than any horror movie you’ve ever seen. You feel sick to your stomach and turn away quickly before vomiting near the back tire. You feel Caleb’s hand on your back.
You wipe the vomit off your face and as you sit up you see the tears glistening in his eyes.
Mae tries to open her mouth, most likely forming and apology but he turns away from her. I can’t really blame him for the upset.
Severen swaggers out the bar, a toothy grin on his face, sunglasses on his eyes and blood dripping down his chin and staining his already rusted white tank top.
“Oh darlin’ you missed the best part! Oh I see your friend has risen, welcome to the land of the dead man.” He pats his back and rustles his shirt.
“Listen I left you one half alive, consider it a housewarming gift, you either finish it, or I finish you, how’s that sound?” His voice never gets rid of its cheery tone, every word he says is said ecstatically.
Caleb looks up at Mae, still half outside half in the van. She nods at him, this must be the worst day of Caleb’s life.
He goes inside the carnage filled bar, a man is left just alive enough to be begging, it’s a horrible sight, it makes your blood run cold, but it’s also Caleb’s new reality, new lease on life.
You’re only mildly surprised when he takes a bite and doesn’t stop.
Homer cackles, with Diamondback looking like a proud mother, a sparkle in her eye. Jesse approaches him, with a clap on the back and a tilt of pride in his voice.
Severen reaches another arm around your shoulders.
“Looks like you’re stuck with us sweet cheeks.” He smiles down at you, real and genuine like his sister just brought home her in laws, a tried and true smile of politeness wrapped up in grime and debauchery.
You blink and within seconds the bar is aflame, you can feel the heat as it erupts.
Next to you Caleb walks up to you with Mae, “I’m sorry about that.” You know him well enough to hear all the things that go unsaid, how he’s scared you might be disappointed in him. You can’t seem to find anything but relief.
“It’s okay caleb, I understand.” Maybe that lie has more truth to it than you really think.
As the molotov cocktails get thrown by Severen and Jesse they exchange meaningless dialogue,
“Never did credit me about that Chicago fire.” Severen states petulantly
Jesse groans, “Yes we know. I was there.”
Severen chuckles, a dorkier kinda laugh than you anticipate, “Oh yeah, gets kinda fuzzy after so long.”
Jesse scoffs at him.
You wonder how old these guys really are, do they remember a time without cars, just carriages and horses? Do they realize they’re living history books, what if they’ve affected more than just that Chicago fire, what if it’s so much better or worse because of them?
You don’t have a ton of time to think as the bar collapses in on itself, everyone except you Caleb and Mae are whistling, hooting and hollering as the flames fan.
Jesse ushers everyone into the van, you take your spot next to Severen thoughtlessly. Caleb and Mae sit across from you and Caleb looks at you with curiosity and worry. You furrow your eyebrows at him in question, he glances at the man next to you, you give him a tiny shrug, unsure how else to answer this odd relationship.
The main rambunctious people in the group talk amongst themselves, in an odd out of character moment you lightly elbow Severen, taking him out of the name calling match he had started with Homer.
As if he suddenly remembers your existence, he puts his arm around your shoulders again, “Hey sweet cheeks, ya trynna get my attention, ya miss me already huh?” You ignore the heat in your cheeks he can surely see.
“I was just wondering how old you really are.”
“Hate to disappoint, but lost count after 100.” Your jaw drops a little at that, even though you suspected you’re still floored.
He touches your jaw and pushes it back up, “You’re gonna catch flies in that thing. Jesse is way older than I am, he’s practically ancient!”
Jesse grumbles slightly in the drivers seat before looking at you in the rear view mirror, “Let just say I was fighting for the South.”
You nod, civil war old. He’s like if a boomer was worse. You wonder how old Diamondback and Homer are, but you suspect age is a sensitive topic for Homer, and well Diamondback just isn’t all that chatty unless it’s to Jesse or Homer.
“Mae?”
She hums and looks up at you from Caleb’s chest,
“How old are you?”
She looks down a little sheepish, “I’m new, only a few years old, so 27 I think. You learn to lose time.” You nod, that makes sense you suppose.
The van makes an abrupt stop, Jesse turns around to look at you. “Go get us two rooms, take Severen with you.”
You’re a little shocked at the request, having assumed him and Diamondback would’ve gone in as the “parents” of the group.
He shrugs at you as you both exit the back of the van, looking at the night as it begins to lighten with the sun.
The poor old man running the run down to hell motel will surely not be expecting us.
“Two rooms please.” He looks between both of you, judging us without really saying anything.
“Fifteen dollars.” You turn to look at Severen, he looks at you like you’re crazy.
“I ain’t paying him.”
Oh, maybe that’s why Jesse made you take him, so he would take care of him.
“Well you gotta do something.”
“You ain’t gotta tell me twice.” In a brief second he’s jumping over the counter separating us from him. He sinks his teeth him as the blood gushes, it’s not a pretty sight.
He lets go and the body thumps, he grabs two hotel room keys before joining me back on the other side of the counter.
He wipes the blood off his face with hand, like a little kid who can’t help get spaghetti sauce all over his mouth.
“Easy peasy, I was getting hungry anyway.” He grins bright and proud of himself.
You sigh, maybe you’re getting a little more used to his antics, you try not to psychoanalyze yourself any further.
“Uhm so me and Caleb can take the first bed or if you prefer me and you can share that bed and Severen and Caleb can share the other bed?” Mae questions as we enter the room.
You blush a little at the idea of sharing a bed with Severen.
Caleb looks a little weary, and Severen himself does not look very happy at all at this idea. In fact he scoffs, “Oh please mae you know i’d much rather just sleep on a chair.”
“Well so be it, me and Caleb will just share this bed.”
Mae turns to you, “You get the other bed to yourself.”
You nod, not at all mad at how this bed situation worked out. Well .. maybe you’re a little disappointed.
You crawl into bed, excited and happy to get some shut eye after the grueling never ending day you seem to have been having. As soon as your head hits the pillow you’re out.
Until you’re suddenly shaken awake. You sit up, your eyes heavy and blurry with sleep. You rub at your eyes, willing the image in front of you to get a little clearer.
“Wha- Severen?”
He puts his pointer finger to his mouth, making the shush sound. He nods his head towards the door and you walk out together, the sun has just set, leaving the slightest hue of light just beyond the horizon. You wish you could’ve seen it.
“I’m hungry”
“Okay? Why is that my problem exactly?”
“Because I want you.”
You’re stunned. You must look like a fish fresh out of water the way your mouth is agape, stuttering between open and closed.
“Your blood smells sweet.”
“What the fuck!”
“Ugh cmon you know I can just do it. I’m askin’ here. In fact I’m pleading. C’mon darlin’ I thought we were friends. It’ll be quick and painless, and I won’t even kill ya.”
“Jesus Christ. I can’t believe you woke me up for this.”
“My tummy was rumblin’. Couldn’t have exactly asked Mae or Caleb now could I?” He steps closer to you. So close you can smell the old stench of copper just below the smell of the generic soap the hotel carries.
He steps closer, one hand on your shoulder and the other gently on your neck.
“I don’t want it to hurt.” You say, worry and fear bubble through you.
“I ain’t gonna hurt ya.” Then you feel the softest lay of lips against the corner of your neck. Suddenly the kiss is replaced by the sting of fangs. You hiss in pain, so much for not hurting.
It’s strange, it feels like getting your blood drawn, but if it was messier, less efficient and clinical. There’s nothing clinical about having a grown man sucking on your neck.
Feeling the warmth of the blood drip down your own neck, the way your body feels weak. You’re starting to see spots and your head feels much lighter than you remember before Severen unattaches himself. He licks at the juncture of your neck where he just was, cleaning his mess and soothing the wound.
“See, wasn’t so bad.” He says with a grin made less adorable with blood, your blood, painting his chin.
You nod still dizzy and uncomfortable.
You try take a step but fail miserably, you feel hot and faint and stumble trying to find a wall to steady yourself. Severen catches you with ease.
“Woah slow down there. You feelin alright? Shoot maybe I took more than I thought.” He tries to get your attention grabbing your face by the chin and saying your name over and over, he lightly taps your cheeks to snap you out of it.
All you’re seeing is everything in slow motion, trying your best to make sure you don’t faint.
Finally he lowers you down to the ground so you’re sitting.
You lost so much blood you feel sick, like you might vomit.
He scurries off around the corner of the motel you can’t see, and frankly you can’t really think about anything else.
You’re worried, is there a difference between what Mae did to Caleb and what Severen did to you? Are you gonna end up like Caleb? The thought only fills you with cold sweat, reminds you of being a kid stuck at home with the flu.
Severen comes back, a soda and powdered donuts in his hands. He sits down next to you on the cement floor, so cold it feels wet.
Your brain zones in and out, the gentle feel of his hands feeding you and the cold tin of the soda can against ur lips.
When you’re all done he swipes at your mouth, cleaning you like you’re a baby. You hate it and love it. You’re a little concerned for yourself.
He turns your head to look at him. You do feel a little better now, you’re not shaking as much and your body doesn’t feel all hot on the inside.
“You feeling alright honey?” he faces towards you, body all twisted to face you. His hand goes to hold your face, his hand doesn’t feel warm, but it’s not as cold as you thought.
His constant use of pet names and touching is making your stomach twist in ways you know aren’t a from the blood less.
“Yeah. Thank you.” Your body feels tired, and you rest your head in his hand. His thumb draws circles on your cheek. It’s so gentle you can hardly feel it.
“Don’t thank me, I almost killed ya, that wasn’t exactly my intention.” His circles stop to acknowledge, maybe he even feels a little guilty.
“Am I gonna be like Caleb?” His other hand goes to squeeze your hands resting on your lap.
“No, at least I don’t think so. It’s a very quick one bite thing usually, not really a prolonged eating bite.”
You’re still unsure, and you still feel a little sick.
“Did ya want me to bite you?” His hand on your cheek moves to hold your chin.
You look up at him, you don’t really know. It scares you. But you have a choice, one that Caleb didn’t have.
So you shake your head no.
“Hmm, shame, I like you.” his hand drops from your face, not fast, a little slow.
You scoff.
“Hey don’t scoff at me, I’m being truthful. I do. You ain’t so scared of my crazy. I like that.”
You’re not really sure how to respond to that. Tell him it’s stockholm syndrome? But it’s not really that at all is it.
“I guess I like your crazy.”
He looks sad for a moment. Self deprecating almost. You didn’t think that was an emotion he was capable of. I guess you really only met him 48 hours ago.
“You shouldn’t.” He says, lips tight in a line. For some reason, that really pissed you off.
“What? You trying to be a hero all of a sudden? I’ve seen you kill multiple people in the two days I’ve known you. I’m a grownup Severen, I can decide who I like and who I don’t.”
The playful edge comes back to his eyes, lighting them up so the soft grey blue shine even against the harsh motel lights.
“Hmm so you do like me then?” He raises an eyebrow at you. The smug bastard.
Maybe it’s the buzz in your ears from almost fainting, and the way he’s still sitting so close to you that his thigh is touching yours. Either way you grab at the stupid leather of his vest he still has on and push his lips against yours.
He kisses you with ease, like it’s something you do every day, all the time. It gives you a feeling deep down, like you have something to prove all of a sudden.
So you open up the kiss a little bit, and kiss against his bottom lip until you gently tug against it. He tastes like copper. It gives you a dizzy feeling to taste your own blood. You’re not sure if you like it or not. Maybe you’re a little bit of a sadist, but you’re a little past that now.
He groans at the tug and grabs the back of your neck, pulling you closer, until you’re practically in his lap.
Your hand tugs against his hair, it feels soft and it must’ve been the shower because it does not feel nearly as greasy as it looks.
He smiles into the kiss and bites gently against your own lips until the tiniest drop of blood flows. He licks it up just like he did earlier against your neck.
Then he lets go.
“Next time we’re getting our own room.” He smiles at you, like the cat that ate the canary.
“Next time?” You tease.
“Don’t play coy.” He grins, kissing you again, this time impossibly soft and gentle. It’s your turn to smile into the kiss.
“Okay definitely next time.”
He laughs, loud with his head thrown back. You can’t help the laughter that bubbles through you.