FDTD Ch 29
Reid whirled around, horrorstruck to see an even more grotesque version of Richard Gecko getting to his feet in a spiderlike manner, his yellow eyes pinned on Seth.
He felt his head spin, unable to deal with everything happening. With the adrenaline still pumping through his body he had to actually force himself to keep still.
No. No, God, no. This was bad.
Richard Gecko had been a force to be reckoned with before -but as a vampire? They were so dead.
And Seth wasn't moving. Reid stared at him, shocked.
Why wasn't he moving? Didn't he see that his dead brother now had claws and fangs and was looking at him like he was a piece of meat?
Reid couldn't see Seth's face from where he was standing but he seemed frozen in place as Richard leered at him, licking his teeth in a predatory manner.
"Oh, this is too good," Satanico sing-songed happily from the side, watching with glee, "What better punishment than to have brother kill brother?"
Reid didn't bother to look around, sure that it was by her order that all vampires had stopped attacking. They didn't need to. She had what she wanted. An adequate punishment.
Now the monsters would wait and watch them turn on each other. Brother against brother.
Reid shuddered, feeling more helpless and miserable than ever before in his life. He didn't know what to do, how to react…
Richard was a monster like them now, ready to kill them. He needed to die. But…
His mind flashed back to the expression on Seth's face when he had looked over Richie's injured hand, the way his eyes had softened, and become pained when telling Reid about their childhood and how he had given up everything he knew to save him.
If there was one thing he had never doubted it was that Seth loved his brother. This would destroy him. Reid knew he probably shouldn't care, shouldn't think of those two men as normal people he could feel empathy for. They were murderers, scum.
He knew that, rationally, and yet all he could think of was Seth's chagrined expression when he'd told him his story, his pain which had shown through, explaining so much…
Reid felt his stomach turn when Seth still didn't move, didn't raise his torch against the newborn vampire no matter how much closer Richard moved.
He wouldn't kill his own brother, Reid suddenly realized. He'd be killed before he did. His chest clenched at the thought, a feeling he didn't dare identify gnawing at his insides. He had to do something.
But what? Kill Richard himself? Even if he could manage that somehow…would Seth even let him?
The younger Gecko brother didn't seem very different from his former persona to Reid, expect for the distorted visage and the fact that the blackness of his soul was now clear in his eyes as he didn't try to contain it any longer. His smile was hellish as he mustered Seth longingly, his clawed fingers twitching expectantly by his sides.
"Aren't you happy to see me well, brother?" he asked slyly, "Aren't you going to give me a hug?"
Satanico laughed at that, seemingly satisfied with his development and Seth tensed at his strange voice, blinking rapidly as if to clear his head. Then finally he took a step back and tightened the grip on his torch even if he didn't lift it.
"Richie. You're my brother," he said lowly, as though he was fighting hard to keep his voice level, "Don't do this…you can fight it…you can…"
He broke off when Richard laughed at his words, edging closer still, "But I feel great, Seth. I don't want to fight anything. Finally, I don't feel the need for restraint anymore. I can just let go and do whatever I want…doesn't that sound great?"
The gleam in his eyes left no doubt as to what he was talking about. Not even Seth would be able to keep the monster within in check now because the last bit of Richard's humanity was gone.
Seth shook his head harshly, fists clenched so tightly that the knuckles turned white, "Richie, you're my brother. You don't want to kill me."
Repeating the words like a mantra, he didn't sound like even he believed them.
xxx
Seth didn't know what he was trying to accomplish, why he as even reasoning with the vampire in front of him.
He had a hard time collecting himself again after he had just spent five minutes mourning his dead little brother. His brain simply refused to keep up with the recent developments.
Rationally, he knew that Richard had died. That this was just his body inhabited by a demon. He knew that these vampires had no conscience, no trace of remorse once they turned. Still, he couldn't help but try and bargain, to find some part of his brother still there, still intact, to find any reason not to have to turn on him.
But Richard was uncomfortably close now, almost within an arm's reach and Seth knew he had to move, had to act.
"Seth," he heard Reid's voice coming from behind him, full of worry and warning, carrying on even when he didn't turn around, "Seth! He's not -"
His voice broke off when Richard's head snapped up and fixated him over Seth's shoulder, looking murderous for a second before his lips were drawn up into a sickening smile. "Hey," he said with false amiability, "We're talking here. Shut up before I rip your tongue out, will you?"
He made a tsk-sound with his sharp tongue, seemingly satisfied when Reid blanched at his words and fell silent, almost stepping backwards until he remembered the vampires in his back. Looking back at his brother, Richard didn't seem to notice that his expression as a very similar one.
"Seth," he said in a low, reassuring voice, closing in minimally. He reached out and Seth tensed but didn't move away, "I'm still your brother. We can still be together."
His eyes darkened with promise and hunger at those words and he made to cross the remaining inches between them.
When Reid saw Richard reach out to grab Seth he knew that he was done playing. If he didn't do something now, Seth would be dead in a matter of seconds and he would be alone. Without thinking any further, he jumped forward, jabbing his torch at the new vampire to get him to back up. Richard stepped to the side impossibly fast, suddenly blurring as he moved too fast for Reid's eyes to follow, only to reappear right in front of him, sharp teeth grinning at him from merely a couple of inches distance.
He shrank back in shock but he hadn't even taken one step backwards yet when Richard grabbed him and whirled them both around like he was moving a rag doll. Reid gasped in fright when the torch was ripped from his hands and landed just out of reach while he found himself pressed to the vampire's chest, one clawed hand gripping his hair and jerking his head back while another squeezed his chin in an unforgiving grip, forcing him to face Seth.
It happened so fast that neither of them could do anything and even when he realized his situation and started to thrash, Richard held him immobile with frightening ease.
Reid could do nothing but stare into Seth's shocked face as he was forced to take in what was happening, frozen on the spot. Seth's expression was one alternating between shock and dawning horror as he slowly righted himself, extending an appeasing hand.
He swallowed hard, "Richie. You don't want to do this."
His little brother just laughed at that, "Of course I do, Seth. It's what I've always wanted. And it's what you want too, isn't it?"
Reid watched their interaction without breathing, blood rushing in his ears as he tried not to move, too afraid to make Richard snap. Richard's words were unexpected, just like Seth's eyes widening in dreadful comprehension when he heard them. The younger Gecko brother laughed again, completely sure of himself, "Don't worry, Seth. Soon you'll be a vampire, too. We'll be together forever like we are supposed to be. And you won't have to worry about your pesky conscience anymore. You want him? You can have him, I don't mind, honest. He can be your first meal."
Reid cringed at those implications, the horrid image of both brothers turned, turning on him flashed across his mind. He stared a Seth without breathing, trying to hold on to the minimal hope that the man would snap out of his stupor at some point and end this.
He could hear Richard talking, taunting his brother, but the words didn't make sense to him and he didn't know if it was Richard's or his fault. What was he talking about? Who would want to be evil and a bloodsucking monster? Certainly not Seth. Seth didn't have the same sadistic urges to kill and maim in him as Richie, he would relish in being able to maim and torture more freely… would he?
He stared at Seth whose expression was now one of guilt and dread as he stared back at his brother, something that didn't make any sense either. He didn't even try to dispute Richard's words, just staring at them, seemingly torn. Why…what…?
Richard chuckled by his ear, like he knew he'd hit a sore spot, "Just imagine you could do anything you want, Seth. Because you can. We both know what that is -so why don't you say it out loud."
"No," Seth finally got out, looking tortured.
"No?" Richard mocked, innocently, "Okay, then but don't come complaining to me later that you didn't get your share of him…"
Reid felt himself freeze up in terror at the announcement of his impending brutal death, sure that his face looked even more horrified than Seth's at the moment. His breath caught in his throat when Richard pulled his head back even further, exposing his throat.
He shuddered violently, unable to suppress a whimper when he felt the man bend his head to nuzzle his neck, drawing in his scent with a content sigh.
"Hmm, delicious," he purred, addressing his brother, "You have good taste, I'll give you that. Maybe we should let him live for a while longer…we could have so much fun…"
His free hand wandered from Reid's throat to his shirt collar, slashing it to shreds with his nails as he spoke. Reid cried out in pain when he dug in deeper, leaving deep scratch marks underneath his collarbone. He could feel blood flowing down his chest and staining the remains of his shirt, and prayed that biting was the only way to get turned.
His cry seemed to shake Seth out of his stupor at last. He finally moved, lifting the torch in their direction, "Let him go!"
xxx
Seth hadn't thought he would ever be able to move a finger again, so petrifying was the situation he was facing. There was no rationalizing that his brother had turned into a monster.
He knew what he had to do, knew that if he didn't he too would die. Richard's demon had promised him that just a minute ago. And yet, it took him grabbing Spencer and threatening him with suggestions he didn't want to decipher further to get him moving.
In the end, it was the kid's pained cry and the tears in his eyes as they flickered to Seth's that cemented his decision.
He had to kill his brother.
No, not his brother.
It wasn't his brother. He had to realize that. He wasn't a person anymore. He was a threat to his life. To the kid's life.
He squared his shoulder and raised the torch, reading himself to attack.
Richard looked little impressed even at his brother's resistance, taunting him with his smile; he just shook his head lightly into Reid's hair, making the young man cringe from the proximity.
"Ah, don't you at least wanna give it a shot? You'll love this," he purred promisingly, his claws travelling further down Reid's torso, as though he was unsure whether to just snap the buttons or dig his nails into his abdomen. He chuckled at Seth's expression as he followed the movements, choosing to interpret it as anything but dread.
"You finally won't have to feel bad about who you are anymore," he promised, his eyes gleaming cruelly as he carefully chose his words, "We'll be true brothers at last."
xxx
Reid had a hard time thinking straight with his racing pulse and the fear paralyzing him; he barely heard Richard taunting Seth, sure that by the time Seth made any move he would be long dead.
So many times in the past days had he been sure he was going to die. Now it seemed the moment had finally come at last. He closed his eyes in desperation when sharp claws grazed his stomach, waiting for the inevitable pain.
It didn't come.
One second he was desperately clutching at the death grip in his hair, hot breath too close to his neck, the next a strong hand suddenly wrapped around his neck, yanking him forward and out of Richard's grasp.
Reid gasped in shock as he suddenly found himself against Seth's chest, Seth's left arm pulling him to safety in the same second that his right arm snapped forward, ramming the pointy end of the torch into Richard's side forcefully. He could hear Richard's scream, the sound of the wood going through gooey flesh and green blood splattering all over them in the one second Seth held him tightly before suddenly he was let go, shoved to the ground. He landed hard, pain shooting through his body but he opened his eyes again immediately, just in time to see Seth pulling the stake out of Richard's side and ramming it into his heart.
The vampire stared at his older brother, incredulously, hands fisted in his suit jacket briefly, before he fell to the ground, life leaving his body completely this time.
Reid heard the impact but was unable to look. Instead he stared straight ahead at Seth in the sudden silence, trying to catch his breath and blinking away the tears that were burning in his eyes. He couldn't believe what he had just seen, too shocked to even blink.
Seth…had…his brother…
He stared at the older Gecko brother, unable to process what had happened.
Apparently he wasn't the only one judging by the sudden silence that had fallen.
Seth was breathing heavily, his knuckles white around the stake and his eyes burning pools of coal; for a moment they laid bare every emotion he felt: Shock, repulsion, pain, regret, and guilt. He just stared at the spot where Richard's eyes must have been, looking like he might lose it right then and there and just break down or completely go berserk.
Then though, he blinked and turned away harshly. He caught Reid's eye with visible effort, holding it for a long moment. He must have found something there because when he blinked he seemed at least somewhat in control again. He clenched his jaw and his eyes grew hard; when he looked around there was nothing but cold, smoldering hatred left in them.
He stepped forward until he was past Reid, standing between him and the rest of the vampires now. "Alright who wants to be next?" he growled, sounding barely human anymore, "You'll all get your turn!"
Satanico was the first to lose her composure.
While all other vampires were still staring at Richie's remains she suddenly let out an extremely high-pitched, enraged scream, her eyes flashing murderously as she stared them down. The sound was like a signal to everyone around her and two seconds later every vampire that was left threw itself at them, ready to kill.
Seth didn't hesitate for half as long before he started executing them with deadly precision, not even blinking in his current state. He had killed at least half a dozen of them by the time Reid was back on his feet, unstoppable in his pain and rage.
Seth looked like a god of vengeance, black and bloody all over, unhinged in an unpredictable way that made Reid shudder, simply attacking and killing anything that moved.
Only with effort, Reid managed to get back into motion as well. They fought with all of their power and skill, side by side until they were far past exhausted, gasping for air, their hearts hammering in their chests.
Reid soon realized that even like this they wouldn't make it. They were running out of resources fast. Seth probably knew it too -maybe that was why when a momentary hole in their line of attackers opened, he made a split decision, grabbing Reid's arm without warning and yanking him backwards.
And suddenly they were running, through the tunnel that had been behind them, Reid stumbling after Seth as he raced ahead. Behind them he could hear a piercing shriek and then the sound of dozens of feet behind them, the monsters chasing them. He ran faster, even as his lungs started to burn, following Seth through the dark as he ran straight ahead, taking lefts and rights until Reid lost all sense of orientation.
Finally, after what seemed like they'd run forever, Seth took one last turn and then suddenly yanked them to a stop sharply. For the dozens time in just a couple of hours, Reid felt himself shoved against a wall, the air knocked out of him. He winced but before he could make a sound, Seth was suddenly right in front of him, pressing him into the wall with his own body, a heavy hand clamped over his mouth.
Reid's heart leapt as he suddenly found himself with Seth's face just inches from his, their whole bodies aligned as Seth's pressed him closer against the wall. He flinched, instinctively struggling in the seconds it took for his body to realize that it wasn't Richard holding him anymore, that Seth was just trying to keep him quiet.
"Shh," Seth breathed against his face, unrelenting and unmoving as he listened into the darkness. He was too close for Reid to see his face, cheek to cheek as he loomed over him.
With the last of reason he still had, Reid made himself still, just stand there as quietly as he could. For a long moment, they both stood stock still, merely their heavy breaths breaking the silence. The vampires were still running around the tunnel somewhere nearby, looking for them. Close by but not in immediate reach at least...
Reid closed his eyes, his shoulders sacking as he realized they weren't in immediate danger for the moment, hidden from their persuers. He let out a shaky breath, obstructed by Seth's hand over his mouth. The action once again amde him actuely aware of their proximity, a tiny part of his brain that wasn't occupied with vampires at the moment noting that Seth was too close, keeping him immobile. Through the tight grip on his face Reid could feel every callus on Seth's palm, his pulse even, racing just like his. Normally the oppressive weight of it all would have been enough to make him cringe, panic -but in that moment their prior issues barely occurred to him as flooded as his organism was with adrenaline, stress, fear and exhaustion, none of it leaving much room for organized thought. They weren't in the same situation now, maybe not even in the same roles. Just like him, Seth was much too preoccupied with other things right now to be a worry.
Like their impending death. Of having killed his brother. Reid couldn't still believe that had actually happened. Yes, Richard had been evil and about to kill them, but for Seth to realize that on time and react appropriately...
He'd gotten himself back together and kept fighting, something that had saved both of their lives. And -most astoundingly, he had gone out of his way to save Reid as well. He could have just let him stand there, or be killed, but he hadn't...
Reid took another slow breath trying to order his thoughts, all the while still listening for approaching steps. His mind was reeling. He understood less than ever. He'd assumed that Seth had grown attached to him, enough not to want to see him dead, but this...
He could feel Seth's iron grip on his arm and face, like he would never let go again, his body moving against his with every ragged breath, little tremors radiating all the way into his palm. The image of Seth stabbing Richard in the heart flashed across his mind again with brutal clarity and for a moment he forgot to wonder, only aware of the fact that Seth was shaking, barely in control. Reid's hands which had instinctively come up to push at Seth's arms clenched in the fabric at the crook of the man's elbows instead, holding on tightly enough for his knuckles to turn white. He'd had to kill his brother...
Reid felt a violent shudder go through him as he swayed, dizzy and breathless, tears springing to his eyes.
In that single moment, nothing that had been before mattered anymore. All that made sense, that was of any importance was how close they had both come to dying, the horrors they'd both just seen. They were the same for once, in the same boat.
It took a while but finally Seth grabbed onto him a little less tightly, loosening his grip on Reid's face. Then he let his hand sink, only for it to end up at the juncture between Reid's neck and ear somehow. In that moment he seemed just as shaken as Reid, just desperate to hold on to something and Reid couldn't bring himself to move one inch, or to even turn his face away from the man's hand. For a few seconds that seemed like minutes, he didn't move a muscle, merely holding on tightly to Seth's suit as though to keep the man from crumpling to the ground as he mourned his brother. Reid could feel tears in his own eyes as he stared into the darkness in front of him. He still couldn't find it in him to mourn Richard, and yet they were there burning in his eyes, for the situation, for himself, for Seth…
It took about a minute for Seth to get a grip on himself again. Then, he finally straighten up, pulling his head back. His eyes landed on Reid's face, pinned on it with an expression that was wild still, a mixture of adrenaline filled restlessness, fueled by fury, of unconcealed pain and despair. The look he got at those emotions was just long enough for him to understand he was seeing it, before Seth averted his face, jaw clenched as he stared into the darkness. He could feel the tension running through the man's body, how strung he was, realizing that it must be taking up all of his strength to keep quiet and collected now, five minutes after having killed his brother. It seemed a miracle that he did fare this well at all. If something similar had happened to Reid he was pretty sure he'd just snap.
He wasn't entirely sure Seth hadn't snapped of course. The way he had fought and killed back there, completely without restraint...
Still, it didn't occur to him to feel worried for himself as one of Seth's hands fisted in his shirt roughly, still right in his space like he hadn't even realized it yet. Instead he just felt pity and empathy. Yes, Seth had hurt him. He had threatened his life and caused him trauma that would probably stay with him for the rest of his life. He shouldn't be feeling for him. But he did. He couldn't stop himself from doing it now anymore, his defenses and usual logical thinking chapped down so much that only mere instincts remained.
In the end, almost all of what Seth had done wrong had been out of love for his brother. What was more human than that? It was twisted and wrong and it didn't erase any of the horrible things that had happened -but he had done it for love. And now Richard was dead, the sole reason for everything Seth had done so far just gone, his family, his life.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice so soft he himself could barely hear it. He didn't care if he was crazy any more. It felt right to say it. He knew they were very likely just minutes away from death so what did he have to lose?
At his words, Seth leaned back to look at him, his eyes gleaming and sharp, a multitude of emotions flashing across his face. For just a split second Reid got to watch as Seth's eye twitched, widened in surprise, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he shook his head minimally, looking even more conflicted and regretful than before.
Then that was all gone and the man let out a brief mirthless laugh. He shook his head like he couldn't believe it.
"Yeah. Yeah, me too."
Then he looked down the corridor again, straightening up and Reid couldn't help but feel like that had sounded like a goodbye. His heart clenched, then fell as he heard a noise down the corridor, closer than before. He didn't have time to think about why there would be any sort of good bye between them, especially this kind, or why Seth's expression made him feel so cold and miserable inside. The sounds were coming closer. Multiple pairs of feet, quickly nearing.
Reid tensed, his heart rate picking up again. They were going to find them. This would be it. They had no weapons, they were exhausted…this time they would die.
His hands clenched in Seth's suit instinctively and the man turned back to look at him. In his dark orbs, Reid saw the finality he felt reflected, confirming that this were their last moments on earth. Seth held his gaze with an expression made up of a turmoil of emotions, suddenly looking like he wanted to say something else, torn, conflicted.
"You know what?" he suddenly said, voice rough, "I'm going to hell anyway."
And before Reid could even attempt to understand what he meant, Seth tightened his grip on his face and swooped back in, bringing their mouths together in the most unexpected kiss Reid had ever been a part of.
Xxx
Seth wasn't thinking. Wasn't feeling anything other than the adrenaline rushing through his veins, intensifying his stress, his fury, his pain. He forced himself to block out emotion as much as he could, knowing that if he didn't he wouldn't be able to move, to do anything else anymore, stricken with grief as he was.
Not that it would matter much. They were going to die within minutes anyway.
So it had all been for nothing. Fighting, putting a stake through his brother's heart. Just so they could be torn apart by monsters anyway.
Maybe it was for the best. What did he have to live for anyway when it came down to it. He was a scourge of society, a criminal, a killer, scum. The only reason he had never considered ending it all before had been Richard. Richard who needed him. Richard who wanted him.
For decades now, his little brother had been the only reason he still held on, the only reason he still tried to keep it together. And now he was gone and Seth couldn't find much reason not to completely let his mind go and go on an unforgiving killing spree until either he or those fucking monsters responsible were dead.
He wasn't a fool; battered and weaponless on the ground in midst of these monsters, he knew that there was no winning this fight. He didn't actually care about winning anymore, he just wanted to take as many of those creatures with him as possible.
It would have style, going out in a blaze of glory.
In the end, the only thing keeping him from just jumping mindlessly into the fight was Spencer. Spencer who was sickly pale and overwrought and shaking violently as he clung to him, clearly pushed much too far by now but yet still alive and warm and breathing.
With eyes that were so broken, but that somehow still managed to muster compassion for him, empathy for his loss, for Richard of all things. He would have expected resentment in them for sure, maybe even hatred but all he saw was the ever present fear suddenly softened by a disturbing sort of acceptance that should have never been there.
That kid, he couldn't believe him...
He wanted to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all but his throat was closing up, and all he could do was stare into Spencer's eyes, feeling a sharp pull in his chest where his heart should have been.
Those eyes were undoubtedly the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen.
He felt a small shock go through him, his fingers curling more tightly around the nape of Spencer's neck, as for the first time he really let himself feel the full strength of his emotions. The young man looked back at him, motionless and wide eyed, clueless as ever but so, so beautiful...
From far, Seth could hear approaching steps, multiple people- monsters- as they neared, minutes away from finding them. Spencer's fingers clenched in his suit as he too heard the step approaching, breath catching as he realized what was about to happen. Seth looked away from the dark corridor, instead allowing himself to fully focus on Spencer in the minute they had left. They were so close now, nothing seeming to seperate them now that all trivial things had faded. He could feel Spencer's body moving against him as he breathed, so thin and wiry but yet so warm, too close, not close enough...
His body decided for him before his brain could catch up, cashing in his last wish despite earlier resolutions. Before he knew it, all reason had waved him goodbye and he had grabbed Spencer tightly, kissing him.
For a second or two the action completely wiped his mind, the only tangible sensation that of relief from finally giving in to an enormous pull he'd been fighting, and euphoria cursing through his veins like an electric current at the contact. He could taste tears, sweat and blood on Spencer's lips but barely registered it, too absorbed in how sweet, how perfect the kiss was despite it all.
Spencer gasped in surprise at the sudden assault, his lips parting slightly as he drew in air and it was all Seth could do to let go completely and not crush the kid under him, hands and mouth desperate, to try and not add another scare to his last minutes. He couldn't let go though, grabbing onto the least bit of contact like a life line...
It took him much too long to come to his senses, to remember the situation, to realize that Spencer wasn't moving at all, seemingly frozen against the wall.
Seth finally forced himself to pull away. He found the kid staring at him like he was seeing a ghost, utterly shocked. Seth smirked mirthlessly, unsurprised, but internally relieved that this utter perplexity seemed to leave no room for something like repulsion or accusation right then. Doing this had been utterly selfish and unfair -but then again he was the bad guy and in for an eternity of burning, so why not steal one last tiny speck of joy? He allowed himself to savor the memory of that feeling for another second.
Then he turned away abruptly, steeling himself at the same time. The steps were right in front of them now, stopping only a few feet from them. Seth took a deep breath, trying to regain his focus, and looked in their direction, ready to face his demise.
And froze.
Instead of the expected vampires he was looking at several people emerging from one the dark of the tunnel, all of them with their guns drawn. Five men and one woman. He recognized three of them.
The BAU.
Holy fucking Mother of Jesus.
That had to be a joke.