Fandom: UKISS
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: ElVin, JaeVin, 2Seop
Chapter: 1/18
Word Count: 5,748
Warnings: Language, Gore, Violence, Non-Consensual Sexual Situations (future chapters will contain additional warnings)
Summary: Some debts can only be repaid in kind, even if their cost was taken by force. When a human hostage saves his immortal life, Eli Kim feels honor-bound to repay that debt. Instead, he finds himself in a rush to save the boy’s life… and his own hidden past.
Notes: This is one of two AU stories I'm working on during the month of November. This isn't an "official" NaNo project, so I decided to go ahead and give it an early boost. Hurrah for Zoni and AUs!
Freezing rain poured down onto the dark city streets. The vampire's figure was barely illuminated by the harsh neon signs and occasional flare of headlights as he ran. The chill of the evening barely seemed to touch him, ignored in the wave of adrenaline that drove him forward, unseen, through the dark back alley corners.
Laughing darkly, the creature paused and pressed himself against the dilapidated wall of a building, pausing for a moment to recover. That night, more than any other in recent memory, had been a disaster beyond imagining. All of his normally good humor was gone, washed away by the rain and the blood that was slowly dripping out of him. His attacker remained anonymous but not yet deadly. Taking a step forward, his smirk fell and he heaved another curse. Ordinarily, his needs were simple. Just then, his only desire was to get himself to safety and stop the bleeding. Every minute that passed took a little more of the precious fluid with it, leaving a red trail in his wake. No one noticed or cared; the entire city was just as dead as he was.
Dead though he was, he still worried. The wound on his arm was serious; if left unattended, it would cost him his immortal life. He had existed too long to let himself fade away from something as silly as a cut, especially when he hadn't even had a chance to register his opponent's identity. Now he was in another fight, a battle for survival. He just had to live long enough to patch himself up and then he could deal with that mystery.
Problems had solutions. Rushing to try and find safety, the monster pushed away thoughts of things like attacks and revenge. He had options, and quickly ticked through a list. Bandaging himself with the supplies he had on hand was pointless; he had no way to clean his arm, and the chemical that had burnt his skin along with magic prevented it from healing almost as much as his loss of blood did. Without a way to clean the skin and prevent awkward problems from healing a dirty wound, there was only one option left, and he would not take it. No matter how high the cost, he had sworn never to take another human life. Even drinking blood straight from the source was too much of a temptation. There had to be another way.
One flawed answer after another ran through his mind. They were cut short by a sound: keys. A block and a half away, someone was getting into a car. The distance didn't matter; supernatural senses made it sound as clear as if he had been standing next to the vehicle. Suddenly, he had an idea. Turning on his heel, he ran so quickly that he nearly flew. Pavement vanished underneath his feet, reappearing when he paused behind the last shadowed corner and peered out at his prey.
The sharp scraping of the keys against the car door was almost enough to distract him from the person maneuvering them. A boy, no older than twenty by his estimation. Slim bordering on frail, blond hair, dark clothes. He took a quick tally, looking for any sign of danger or a possible threat. He found none, though the human seemed painfully out of place in that part of town. The hunter could tell that this particular human was not strong enough to overcome him even with his injuries. Even so, he could not hesitate.
The human opened the car and slid into the driver's seat. Taking his cue, the monster followed suit, opening the back door and sliding in behind him. The boy didn't even have time to scream before the creature covered his mouth with his good hand. Leaning forward, he growled his demands. "Take me to your home. Don't stop for anyone. Don't ask questions. Just drive."
A muffled shout came from behind his hand. The boy wasn't going to go quietly. Using his injured hand, the vampire flicked out a concealed blade and pressed it to the human's side, resting his arm between the bucket seats. He could not press hard enough with the weapon to do any damage, but the human had no way to know that. Weapons were powerful things against mortals.
"This is a knife," he said, not giving the hostage a chance to speak. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to. Just do as I say and you'll be fine. Got it?"
Nodding frantically, the young man looked at him in the rear-view mirror with frightened eyes. He shuddered slightly as the vampire pulled his hand away.
"I-if it's money you want," the boy stammered with an unexpectedly high voice, licking his lips nervously, "I don't really have any. I mean, I've got a couple of ones from tips, b--"
"Shut up."
The scent of cold sweat and rain hovered in the air of the car. The engine idled noisily, giving away how little time it had taken for the human to start it. Pulling back slightly, the creature tried to calm himself, moving away from the tempting scent of fresh blood urging him to feed rather than try to patch up his injuries.
After a moment, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I don't want your money. Just drive. Now."
The boy wanted to turn and look at him, the creature knew. He could see it in the slight twitching of his shoulders, in the way that the blond glanced at him in the rear-view mirror as though trying to see what he looked like a little more clearly. Vampire reflections were blurred, impossible to clearly make out. Curiosity was natural. He could feel the boy's body trembling through the blade of the knife he held pressed against his side; the weapon was the only thing that stopped his hostage from gaining the upper hand. The creature knew that very well, and the reality of the situation was sobering.
Sobering, but it did little to detract from the sound of a heavy pulse pounding excitement and fear into the air. Sweat, thick and human. Not quite blood, but the boy's scent was enough to remind him of what else beat beneath his pale, smooth skin. The burning heat of thirst raised its head, urging the monster to lean forward and take a bite. He only needed a mouthful or two. With that, he would be able to heal and all of his worries would be erased. It would be so simple, and he could even make it painless...
"Where do you want me to drive?" the human asked, ignorant of his creature's thoughts.
Biting back a sigh, the vampire swallowed a momentary flash of irritation. Hadn't he already answered that question? "Your home."
"You want to go to my apartment?" The scent of fear intensified. Adjusting his grip on the knife, the monster pressed it closer. The human gasped. "A-all right."
"Drive."
The human fell silent. The fear in the air was a sharp contrast to the look of calm on the driver's face. The expression was fake, a mask. The creature's goal was not to frighten him. That was simply a side effect of what he had to do. Neither man said a word as the car shifted into gear, the windshield wipers pumping, and slowly began to move through the streets.
Twenty minutes passed and the rain did not let up. When the vehicle slowed, the sensation barely registered with the vampire. He looked up in time to see an alley coming up behind a shabby apartment building, leading the way into a small, closed-in parking lot. All brown brick and inconspicuous with bars across the windows, the housing complex told him that his hostage lived in a very bad part of town.
"This is it," the boy said, his voice registering at the same time the engine died. He sounded superficially calm, but the monster could hear him shaking. "I did what you asked. Are you going to let me go now?"
The creature growled. He didn't like people who told him what to do, or who assumed. "Not yet. Take me inside. And don't sound so damn worried. If you do what I say, you won't get hurt."
Without another word, he slipped out of the car and waited for the driver to exit. If the boy was stupid enough to try and escape, he might still be able to catch him even though his strength was weakening. Fortunately, the human didn't run. He opened the door and stepped out, looking at the vampire with trepidation. "What now?"
"Inside." The monster moved to press the knife against his hostage's side again, hoping that he didn't accidentally drop the knife. His hands were losing steadiness. "Quickly. I don't want to stand around out here."
The expected protest never came. Instead, the boy pulled a set of keys from his pocket and started towards a dented metal door. Letting them into the building, he led the way to a set of bare cement stairs. The building itself was shabby, but the hallway was clean.
Four flights up, the human paused in front of an apartment door. "Why are you doing this?"
"I said no questions."
"You must need something." The young man frowned, hesitating. "Please, if you aren't going to hurt me, at least tell me why you're doing this. Maybe I can help. If you n--"
"Just shut up and get inside," the creature growled. "You live alone, right? And invite me in."
"Invite you in?" The boy had opened the door, stepping inside. He stared.
"Yes," the creature breathed, aware of how strange the request was. "Invite me in. Do it."
"Please, come in." The words were false, shaky. The human looked as though he wanted to swallow them. "Is there anything else I can do?"
The monster shook his head. He was breathing heavily again, and the boy's placating words only frustrated him, making his condition worse. There was no biological need; it wasn't as though he could actually breathe. Magic pumped the blood through his veins, not a heartbeat. These actions were automatic, nerves firing as his unnatural life began to drain away. He was running out of time.
The apartment door opened to the boy's key. A light was switched on as they stepped inside. Pressing the knife closer to the human's body, the creature did not wait for a response before he shoved them both inside. The surroundings were a blur. He slammed the door shut behind them, leaning against the wooden frame.
Gathering his wits, the vampire prepared to give his demands. His words were cut off by a startled shout. Looking up from studying his surroundings, he got his first real look at his hostage, a look that startled him even more than the sudden outburst. A wave of nausea swept through him, following an intense pulse of deja vu. He had no idea where or how, but he was absolutely certain that, somehow, he knew the human in front of him.
Staring dumbly, he tried to figure out where he might have seen him. Was he one of the locals, another supernatural being? There was no real reason to think so. He was just a human. He wasn't a werewolf or a vampire. Certainly not an incubus; there was only one in his territory, after all. No animal spirit or angel was ever so well-spoken or calm in the face of danger. The boy was just that: a boy. No, a man, albeit feminine and a little too delicate in the way he looked and acted. He was older than the creature had originally thought, perhaps twenty-three or twenty-four. Blond hair and soft eyes. He was beautiful.
All the beauty in the world couldn't hide the darkness that colored his expression. The boy's soft features were contorted more in worry than fear. "You're bleeding? My god, your skin. You're white as a ghost. Is this why... Are you okay?"
Jolting against the door, the monster pulled his injured arm against his chest and growled. Taking the knife in his right hand, he thrust the blade menacingly towards his hostage. He hated feeling weaker than a human, but that was very close to becoming reality
"No," the creature breathed, not bothering with a lie. "But you're going to help me. What's your name?"
"Kevin." The blond stared fearfully at the knife, but his eyes kept sliding to the hidden remains of the monster's arm. Blood dripped sluggishly onto the floor. "You know, I used to be a nursing student. Sort of. That... that's a pretty serious wound. You really need to go to a hospital."
"No." The last thing the monster needed was to deal with interference. Feeling as though he was losing control, he leaned forward and brandished the knife. His captive jumped, moving away instinctively. "No hospitals, no doctors. No nothing. You're forgetting what kind of situation this is. Just do what I say..."
"You..."
For one long, tense second, the vampire thought that Kevin might ignore him or even try to turn the tables. At full strength, someone like that would have been less of a thought than an ant under heel. Just then, if the boy had so desired, the human could have ended his life. Though the boy might not have known, that fact was something the monster was keenly aware of. He felt a rare, solitary pulse of fear in the back of his mind. He extinguished the feeling thoroughly with all of the intimidation he could muster.
"Look, I'm going to clean myself up, bandage my arm, and then I'm going to leave. You help me do that, you don't get hurt. You don't cooperate, I use the knife. Pretty simple." He paused, panting. "Do you understand?"
Wordlessly, Kevin nodded.
"I need a first aid kit. And..." The creature paused. He needed to stop the bleeding. Whereas some undead didn't bleed, he did. Magic made his blood flow, not a heartbeat. That pulse of something resembling artificial life made him more powerful in some instances. Just then, it was a liability. The vast amount of blood that he had lost was his chief concern. Had he been human, he would have been long dead. "And something to use for a tourniquet. A belt or something. And towels. Thick ones if you have 'em." He waited, but the other man seemed frozen in place. He frowned. "Now."
Coming to life, Kevin did as he was asked. Turning, he vanished down the single hallway. The monster watched long enough to see a light flicker on in what appeared to be a bathroom. Certain that his captive was not trying to make an escape, he moved to the small kitchen table that was shoved against one wall and sat down in the chair beside it.
Setting his knife down on the table, he laid his arm out and slowly peeled back the remains of his sleeve. A thick, red smear covered the blue Formica under his arm. The skin was laid open, muscle visible with hints of white bone barely peeking though. The edges of his skin were burnt. Magic, not flame. There was no distinction between the individual strokes that had given him the wound. His arm simply looked like raw meat.
A loud clattering sound pulled his attention away from the wound. A gasp followed. Looking up sharply, the monster could see Kevin standing between the kitchen and the living room, staring at him. Ignoring the shock and nausea in his expression, the monster said, "Those towels, bring them over here."
Kevin did as he was told. He looked pale, swallowing hard as he eyed the wounds. The creature wondered if his hostage was going to pass out. Humans had delicate sensitivities. They did not do well with blood, or injuries, or the most ridiculous things.
Instead, Kevin said, "You really need to be at a hospital. How are you even conscious? What happened to you?"
"That' not your concern." The monster snatched one of the towels and wrapped it around his arm, watching the blood slowly seep through the fabric. He glanced up at Kevin. "What are you just standing there for? Take that belt and wrap it around my upper arm, just under the shoulder."
"I have a first aid kit here," Kevin replied. The words were aggressive despite his the gentle actions as he moved to tie the belt as instructed. His hands were trembling. "But I don't think it's going to help. I'd ask if you were in an accident or something, but I don't think you'd tell me."
"Don't ask questions," the creature stated.
Kevin pulled his hands back and stood a foot away, watching uneasily. After a second, he asked, "Doesn't it hurt?"
The vampire glared at him again. This human had been threatened with a knife, taken hostage, and he was still clearly afraid... and yet, this person was asking if his wounds hurt and suggesting he go to a hospital. He was either very dense or very naïve, but he wasn't weak. The monster could appreciate his stubbornness. Grunting, he looked back down at his own mangled arm.
"Like I said," he responded, "not your problem. Now sit your ass down and I'll be out of your hair as soon as I've gotten this patched up."
Trying to ignore the human the monster grabbed the first aid kit and flipped the lid open, rifling through the contents. He looked up sharply when Kevin did not follow the order. "What are you doing?"
"Boiling water," Kevin replied, placing a kettle on the stove. Liquid sloshed quietly inside. "If you're going to patch that up, we're at least going to clean it. I don't have anything for sutures, but I can at least clean it for you. You don't want that getting infected. You're obviously not going to a hospital and I don't have any good antiseptic, so I'm boiling water. That's what you're supposed to do, right?"
The vampire stared. "I'm holding you hostage. Why are you doing this?"
"You're sitting at my table and making a mess." The response was flat, muffled by the fact that the slim man had turned away to pour hot water into a bowl. Kevin was still trembling slightly, the edges of fear evident in his motions, but he didn't stop what he was doing. "I think you kind of suck at kidnapping people, honestly, and you obviously need help."
Setting the bowl on the table, Kevin ignored the lack of response that greeted his summary. Instead, the monster watched tensely as the other's long fingers dipped a washcloth into the steaming water, sending droplets sloshing over the edge. When the material was finally pressed to his skin, he growled.
"I figure you'd have to be pretty desperate to do something like kidnapping someone. Doesn't mean I agree with it, but I can understand it. And, really, you haven't hurt me yet." The human didn't bother to look up as he spoke. The fingers against the monster's arm hesitated, trembling as blood began to come away from the skin. Thick and dark, it still oozed from the massive wound. "How you aren't dead with a cut like this...."
"Not your problem." The monster was beginning to feel like a broken record. Cleaning his arm was removing the dried gore, a normally useless action, but that was enough to allow his arm to start healing. Not enough to recover completely, but that small advantage might provide the time needed to get to his private stores of blood. It might buy him enough time to save his life. "Just help me get it covered."
"Can I at least have your name?" The question was unexpected. What hostage would ask something like that? "I'm not going to report you. But I figure, I'm doing this, I can at least know your name."
The washcloth was pulled away, a fresh towel taking its place. The fabric was old. Bleach stains had discolored the fabric, turning peach into a sickly yellowish white, but it was clean enough. Not that there was any chance of infection. Time was ticking. If he continued to bleed, even with the healing, he might not last despite his new sense of hope. The towel might buy him a few extra minutes, at least.
Glancing across the table, the creature wondered when he had lost all control. The human was right; he had not taken someone hostage in years, and he was doing a miserable job of it just then. He disliked treating anyone that way, even if they were only humans. He knew that part of his personality was problematic for any immortal, let alone one such as himself. Vampires were rarely compassionate, and never towards those outside of supernatural circles. Later, perhaps, he could convince himself that he had done as well as he could in this situation, that his weakness had made him more vulnerable than he would ordinarily have allowed.
Just then, it did not feel as though this other person was a hostage. Instead, the fiend seemed more uneasy than the human. He was unused to people behaving in ways that he did not expect.
"Ellison."
"What was that?" Kevin looked up at him, pausing in his efforts to tighten a second towel over the wound.
The vampire looked away. "My name is Ellison. Most people call me Eli."
"Eli," Kevin repeated. When Eli looked back, the boy had a smile in his eyes. "I like that. Well, Eli, I think I've got you about as patched up as you're going to get. You really should go to a hospital, even if you won't take an ambulance. I guess you have your reasons, but..."
Nothing that had happened since they had reached the boy's apartment made any sense. Eli could not understand why anyone would help him, let alone someone he had threatened with a knife less than an hour before. Searching Kevin's face, he tried to find an answer. All he could see was concern.
Kevin wasn't shaking anymore. Without that and the scent of fear, Eli had to admit that the boy was attractive. That strange, tingling sense of knowing him from somewhere else raised its head once more. Perhaps he was the sort of person that Eli wished he could have known under different circumstances; his life had not permitted him much time for socialization, even when not under duress. This almost felt social, if the situation hadn't been so dire.
"Do you want something to eat or drink?" Kevin asked, as though reading his mind. More useless courtesy, out of place and supposedly unwanted. Eli pushed aside his strange thoughts, hardening his heart. Being around humans made him weak. If anyone other than Eli had taken Kevin hostage, forced him to do something like this, the boy most certainly would have wound up dead. He still might. Even then, the monster could feel the burning in his throat, urging him just to snap the boy's pretty neck and drink his fill. The feel of the other man's slim fingers along his arm had only made those urges worse, reminding him of how close his salvation was.
Getting to his feet, Eli pulled his newly bandaged arm close to his chest. He pushed away his own instincts, seeing a haze of red as he did so.
"No," he said. "I'm leaving."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked towards the front door. He was irritated with himself, but this was not the time or place to deal with that particular emotion.
"Wait."
Kevin's voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Before you go," the human said hesitantly, "I want to ask you a question."
Eli's fingers flexed on the metal of the cheap doorknob. He pulled the door open, hovering between the hall and the apartment. "What do you want to ask?" he growled roughly.
Kevin took a hesitant step towards him, an unreadable frown on his face. "Do I know you?"
The growing irritation pulsing through the vampire's body cooled unexpectedly. He felt paralyzed by the unexpected question. "What do you mean?"
"This is going to sound crazy, but..." Kevin ran his tongue nervously across his lips, staring at the ground. "I feel like we've met before. Like I know you, but I can't figure out why or when or where from. So I'm asking. Do I know you?"
Silence and heat filled the air so sharply that Eli could nearly feel the tension. Forcing himself to look away, he stepped out into the hall. "No. No, we've never met."
With that, he turned towards the end of the hall and walked away, feeling more shaken than he had in the past century.
Footsteps on pavement highlighted the lack of other sounds as Eli prowled the city streets once more. A week had passed and the air was cold, but the night was mercifully dry. He knew that he shouldn't have come. Even so, he couldn't stay away. Thoughts of the ridiculous human had haunted him ever since that night. He had not been able to get Kevin out of his mind.
As humans went, Kevin was not terribly memorable. Easy on the eyes, yes, but that was of little consequence. Or, at least, that was what Eli told himself. The bizarrely sociable attitude that the boy had taken during his captivity, the surprising compassion, even their shared sense of deja vu were of no importance. He had told himself that several times. Useless thoughts about useless subjects bothered him, but they were unrelated to his presence in the same alley he had occupied a week before. He was there for another purpose: to repay a debt.
When he had taken the human hostage, he had acted out of desperation. He had only cared about his survival. Thanks to his own reckless actions and the help that he had received from his hostage, he had been able to get back to his private stores and heal himself. He was painfully aware of the fact that Kevin's help might be the only reason that he had not died once more.
Most vampires had only a vague sense of morality. Eli would hardly have been described as honorable, but he was adamant about repaying his debts. Owing someone a favor was a dangerous proposition; a weakness. With his attacker still on the loose, even someone as insignificant a human had to be repaid. He couldn't afford any complications.
Under ordinary circumstances, only equal repayment would have been satisfactory. As it was, humans were fickle and delicate. He had no intention of waiting around long enough to find an opportunity to save Kevin's life. To the contrary, he wanted to forget the man's face, voice and even his name as quickly as possible. Respectable supernaturals did not owe debts to humans, and they certainly did not spend time with them. Paying back the debt he owed would be much simpler than continuing his own confusion. The contents of the envelope in his pocket was more than adequate to pay for something such as that.
Casting around for familiar landmarks, Eli tried to figure out where he was. He knew this area of the city well, but he had never tried to find a particular person in the dark alleys and filthy streets. The last time he had been there, he hadn't been in any position to note specifics. Just then, the alley felt strangely alien to him. The shadows seemed darker than they had been the week before, the broken pavement even more so.
The sight of a strip club's flickering neon sign brought back a spark of memory. Hurrying forward, Eli rounded a corner and broke out onto a small road. Parked exactly where it had been before, he could see the yellow hatchback that Kevin drove. Despite himself, he let out a sigh of relief; there was no guarantee that the human would be in the same place at the same time, and yet he did not want to approach the boy in his home unless it had become absolutely necessary. Homes were funny things.
Congratulating himself on finding his target so easily, Eli took a few steps towards the car and froze. An unexpected sound cut through the night: a scream. That wasn't enough to catch his attention, but the voice certainly was; high pitched and nasal, absolutely unmistakable. Jolting, he turned towards the sound. Just as quickly as it had begun, the scream cut off. Eli ran.
Brick walls and fractured pavement made for a labyrinth of noise. The scream was further away than Eli had thought, taking nearly a full minute of dashing through alleys before he broke out from behind a dumpster, staring blankly at the side of a building. A back door hung open. The wall and exit barely registered; he was far too focused on the scene in front of him. Kevin was there, pinned against a wall and struggling desperately. He kicked and struck out, but Eli could barely make out the actions through the body of the massive brute pushing him against the bricks. Heavy breaths and Kevin's muffled shouts drowned out the city sounds rumbling on nearby streets. Eli took half a second to gauge the situation. Then, he lunged.
Crunch.
Bone gave way under Eli's fist as he grabbed the thug's arm, spinning him around. The man screamed, brandishing a large knife as he turned. "What the fuck?!"
Dodging, Eli felt the sharp bite of metal as the blade nicked his throat. The sensation barely registered. Turning, he tightened his grip on the man's arm and slammed him face-first into the brick wall. With that easy motion, the problem had been solved. Stone flakes and dirt rained down from above, but Eli simply pulled away and turned his attention back to Kevin.
The boy was cowering against the bricks, staring at him with wide-eyed fear. The scent of terror rang through the air as clearly as the blood Eli could see dripping from Kevin's cheek. He was injured, clothing torn. His shirt was nearly gone, the button on his tight jeans undone. His attacker had intended to violate him. Frowning darkly, Eli took a step towards him. Kevin backed towards the door of the building. "You."
"You're hurt," Eli remarked, ignoring the look of fear. The week before, he had attacked Kevin and held him hostage. Just then, he had shown up out of nowhere and attacked another person. The fact that the brute had been assaulting Kevin probably meant nothing: the human boy was afraid of him just then, and with good reason.
"Stay back." Kevin writhed a few inches further away, crossing his arms protectively in front of him. "Don't come near me. Why are you even here?"
"You're hurt," the vampire repeated. "I came to repay you for the other day, and I find you like this. Does everybody try to kidnap you or something? You're bleeding. Is it serious?"
Panting lightly, Kevin made a visible effort to calm down, but the apprehension did not leave his eyes. Distractedly, he lifted one hand away from his chest, his fingers brushing the side of his face. He blinked at the redness smeared across his fingers.
"I'm not... he didn't cut me. I just, when he had his knife..." Kevin's eyes widened, fear vanishing momentarily. "He cut you! When you turned around, he got you. Are you hurt?"
Humans made no sense. After being attacked, this one didn't even have the sense to think of his own safety. He was concerned for someone who had kidnapped him. Eli had barely noticed being cut by the knife. He didn't know why Kevin would care. The injury was slight, even if the cut had been deep. Only a small itch spoke to the last bit of healing left; the cut was nearly completely gone.
"I'm fine," he muttered. "You--"
The blood. The realization hit home at the same time that Kevin lurched forward, grasping his chest. Taking a closer look, Eli felt his stomach bottom out.
"Kevin, is that your blood?" He stepped closer, refocusing on the droplets that were just a little too dark, a little too thick.
"You remember my name? I'm not bleeding, I just..." Kevin replied dazedly. He blinked down at his own fingers as if seeing them for the first time, sliding a couple more inches down the brick wall. "No, not bleeding. I think some of yours hit me... when he cut you..."
A slight chill of fear crept up Eli's spine, a sensation he had not felt for a long while. He tried not to place the reasons for it. His blood was on Kevin's face, the very human he had just saved. Vampire blood.
Taking another step forward, Eli bent over slightly and grabbed Kevin's arms, hauling him up to a standing position. He hoped the shakiness he was seeing was thanks to what the human had been through, not something more serious.
"Kevin," he said roughly, "did any of it get into your mouth?"
Kevin blinked, refocusing his gaze on Eli's face. "What?"
"My blood. Did any of it get into your mouth?"
Frowning, Kevin seemed to fight a mental haze as he nodded slowly. "I think that... maybe, yeah."
The words were slurred. Eli let out a string of curses. Humans couldn't be made into vampires by drinking vampire blood. Instead, the blood acted as a very potent poison, attacking both the heart and the brain. Death was slow and extremely painful.
Letting out a groan, Kevin tumbled forward. Eli adjusted his stance, catching the human before he hit the pavement. The boy sagged heavily against him, quickly losing awareness of his surroundings. Eli could not deal with the situation at hand. He needed time to figure out how to act. He had sworn to kill another person, let alone another human.
Ignorant of his thoughts, Kevin looked up at him, blinking slowly in surprise as though realizing for the first time that Eli was there. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I was saving you," Eli replied flatly, "but I think I may have killed you instead."