The Vampire's Soul (23.1/?)
Title: The Vampire's Soul
Author: me
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Keith/Shepard, Jon/Stephen, Anderson/David
Characters: Main cast of TDS & TCR, MSNBC, FOX News, and CNN.
Genre: AU
Summary: The Vampires are plotting for expansion. The Werewolves are fighting to keep their land. Shepard, a Fox vamp, finds himself oddly drawn to the family of liberal werewolves.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of these news media/political figures that are present in this fic. This is strictly fiction!
Author's Notes: First and foremost, I'd like to give a shot out to my lovely and kick-ass beta, lady_sci_fi and her fics: Rage at the Moon and Howl at the Moon.
Okay, lovely friends, this chapter was getting to be WAY TOO LONG, so I've decided to break it into two parts. Sadly, part one is MUCH shorter than the second part will be, but I figured it's better than not having any introduction at all. *shrugs*
I'm about half-way done with the second part, so you guys won't have to wait too long. ^_^
I hope you enjoy the first part!
CHAPTER 23.1:
Shep stared at the destroyed state of his room, feeling somewhat wrecked himself. He sighed, wiping away the remains of his tears from his cheeks.
Scratch. Scratch. Shep turned to the window and saw his pet bat clawing desperately at the glass.
“Oh!” He all but ran to the window and opened it. Jonathan flew into Shep’s chest and he held him there tightly with his hands.
“Shepard.” Jonathan buried his nose in Shep’s shirt. “Chris, he just came in and started going through everything. When I asked what was going on, he told me to wait outside the window.”
Shep nodded. “I guess his suspicions got the best of him.”
“Suspicions of what?” Jonathan raised his little head to look up at Shep.
“That I’ve been fraternizing with the werewolves.” Shep replied with a sigh.
“Oh? And have you?”
Shep nodded again. “But believe me, Jonathan, they are truly wonderful people…they took care of me when I was injured, gave me a place to stay while I was in the forest, and fed me.” He smiled. “…and I’ve come to love them.”
“Are you going back to them?” The little bat asked.
“Yes…besides it looks like I have no choice in the matter.” Shep answered, frowning slightly.
Jonathan buried his nose in Shep’s shirt again, clutching tightly to him. “Then, may I go with you? Do you think they will let me stay too?”
Shep smiled fondly. “Of course! I could never leave you behind.” He brought the bat up to his lips and kissed his little head.
Jonathan ginned and leaned in to lick Shep’s nose affectionately.
“The Cube, sadly, will have to remain here…” Shep added. He walked over to brush his fingers across the big computer’s screen.
The Cube’s screen flashed as it turned on, as if hearing its name. “I. UNDERSTAND. SHEPARD. IT. WAS A. PLEASURE. TO. SERVE. YOU.”
Shep blew the Cube a kiss. “Thanks for everything, buddy.”
Shep took the next several minutes to pack up whatever he could take with him - which was only about a quarter of what he owned. He took out the photo album from inside his bedside table. Most of the pictures were of him and his sire - some serious, some silly - and it made Shep suddenly sad again to leave Chris for good like this. He then decided he should at least leave his sire a letter.
Shep took out a piece of parchment and sat down at his desk. He expressed his gratitude and adoration, and his honest remorse in saying “goodbye”. He was just about to sign his name, when he turned to Jonathan and asked him if he would like to say anything in the letter. The bat frowned and slowly shook his head.
Shep nodded, understandingly. “I’ll say that you said ‘goodbye’ too.”
Shep moved his hand to write it, but then paused when his pen finished scribbling Jon -. He stared down at the parchment. “Jonathan…” He murmured.
Shep closed his eyes, letting his mind flashback to when Chris gave him his pet bat:
“Alright, Shep. Are your eyes closed?” Chris asked, helping guide his childe to stand in front of his bed.
“Yeah, yeah. They’re closed. What’s going on?” Shep asked eagerly.
“I have something for you - a graduation gift.” Chris told him.
“Oh, you didn’t have to…okay, now come on, what is it?” Shep grinned.
Chris chuckled. “No, now, wait a sec.” He walked over and opened the small crate that was sitting on the desk. He reached in and pulled out the small animal.
“Okay…you can open your eyes now.” Chris said.
Shep’s eyes went wide with excitement as he gazed down at the small animal in his sire’s hands. “Awww! A little bat? It’s so adorable!” He carefully picked it up.
“You like him?” Chris asked with a smile.
“Yes!” Shep exclaimed. “I love him!” He then glanced at his sire. “What’s his name?”
Chris’ gaze moved to the side for a moment, as if debating a name, then finally replied, “Jon - Jonathan. His name is Jonathan.”
Shep grinned and snuggled the little bat close to his face. “Hmm…Jonathan…I like it.”
Shep blinked and repeated the name again. “Jonathan…” He turned around to look at his pet bat, a look of surprise plastered across his face. “Jonathan.”
Jonathan’s eyes darted left-to-right a few times before asking, “What?”
Shep rose quickly from his seat, stuffing the parchment letter in his jacket pocket. “Come on. I need to deliver this letter to Chris personally.” He flung his large duffle bag over his shoulders - to which Jonathan clutched tightly.
Shep discreetly walked down the staircase until he came to the level where his sire’s living quarters were. He dropped his bag at the door and whispered to Jonathan to “keep quiet and keep watch.”
“Chris?” Shep knocked. “Hello? Can we please talk?” He knocked a little harder this time, subsequently pushing open the door. Shep quietly entered the room, somewhat surprised that his sire’s quarters were left unlocked. “Listen, I know you’re upset that I didn’t tell you the truth - and I’m really sorry about it, believe me…” Shep called. But his sire was nowhere in sight.
Shep saw that the fireplace was lit and the lamp on top of Chris’ desk in the corner was on. He couldn’t have left, Shep thought. He poked around the large room, looking at everything on the walls and various books and stuff on the bookshelves. Throughout the nearly-eight years Shep had been a Fox vampire, he had very rarely seen the inside of his sire’s living quarters. Chris once told Shep that he didn’t like for other people to come into his room - that he considered it to be his private space and preferred to keep it that way. It was like his sire’s room was the forbidden West Wing.
Shep walked up to Chris’ desk and saw a wooden box - the same one that his sire kept the container of herbs in. He slowly opened the lid and saw the familiar-looking container, pulling it out. But then after he did, Shep noticed other items inside. He reached in and brought out a small, leather-bound notebook. Shep examined the outside cover, quickly determining that it was a journal of some sort. He folded back the front cover, finding a frayed letter hidden between the pages.
Shep set the journal down and opened the letter, reading over the scribbled handwriting:
Dear Chris,
Remember: when your mind is full of indecision, think with your heart. Your heart will never steer you wrong, my friend.
Best wishes & all my love,
J.S.
Shep stared at the signed initials, “J.S.” His sneaking suspicion was beginning to grow; however, there was still not enough evidence to suggest it. Then Shep placed the letter in the wooden box and picked the journal back up, debating whether to read the contents inside. He glanced behind him for a moment, checking for his sire’s presence. When he did not see him, he turned his gaze back to the leather-bound journal and opened to the first page.