Bloodstream: Under Your Skin 4/7
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PART 4:
I've watched you change
It's like you never
Had wings
-Change (In the house of flies), Deftones
Tommy lay on the bed for a while and just stared at the ceiling, feeling quite drowsy. Too late to go out and find food, really, and he thought he kinda deserved that. He had gone too far. But right then he was the one who needed food. Maybe he would be able to find someone on another floor or something to eat.
Adam came back, dressed in sleep pants and a worn T-shirt, crawled under the covers and went to sleep with his back to Tommy, who was still on top the covers in his jeans and shirt. He lay there for a few more minutes before getting up slowly to change into something more comfortable to sleep in. If he were human, his stomach would be growling.
Tommy tried to sleep, he really did, but it was no use. His hunger just wouldn't let him. He needed to hunt; he needed to feed. It just wasn't fair that Adam was sleeping so peacefully next to him. It was Tommy's blood that had calmed Adam enough to be able to sleep, after all.
But, then again, if Tommy hadn't wasted the dinner Adam had brought, he wouldn't be in this predicament, now would he? So Tommy resigned himself to another sleepless day as he prepared to go out into the light and take care of things.
In the quiet, lonely hour right after dawn there wasn't much for Tommy to choose from. He wandered the streets that surrounded their new home, but it was too late for the latest of the late night revelers to still be out, and still too early for the morning crowd to be about their business.
He was just about to give up and go back to the apartment for a little nap when he stumbled across what was a desperate, hungry vampire's wet dream-a Seven-Eleven. The clerk inside was by herself and just what Tommy was looking for. She wore a look of concentration as she studied the book that was open on the counter. Tommy thought she must be some kind of college student, working the graveyard shift to pay for classes.
Grimacing as the cheerful bells over the door announced his entrance, because, yeah, since when was a Seven-Eleven ever a cheerful place, Tommy plastered on the most innocuous look he could manage as he walked up to the counter.
"Can I help you?” the girl asked without looking up from her book. Tommy loved it when the boredom of day to day living made these humans let their guard down. It added something sweet to their blood when they finally realized that the excitement they'd been looking for was standing right in front of them.
"Um, yeah, Sandy, is it?” Tommy asked, reading the girl's name tag. “I think I might need your help getting what I need.”
Using her finger to mark her place in the book, Sandy finally looked at Tommy's face, and it was the last action of free will she ever had. Once Tommy established eye contact with her, she became his plaything, only able to do what he willed her to do. He gave her a moment to let her fear build before he leaned across the counter and pulled her towards him. Taking his prize with him, he went to find somewhere more secluded to enjoy his meal. The security cameras only showed a bored but studious Sandy and then an empty store when they were later reviewed.
After a leisurely meal, Tommy did go back to the apartment for a short nap, but he had things to take care of before dusk, so he made sure he was up long before Adam. He'd been such a possessive, jealous ass with Adam last night. He had to make it up to him.
Tommy's first stop was the florists shop that he'd seen earlier. He picked out a perfect blood-red rose. Adam always appreciated the romantic shit, and Tommy knew a single rose wound with a ribbon and pearls would say more than a huge bouquet.
Next, Tommy went to find a bottle of the best wine he could. Finding the wine section in the liquor store was no problem, but deciding which one to get was another story. Shit, wine so wasn't his thing, damn it.
Tommy was so involved in trying to decide what was good wine and what wasn't that he didn't even hear the clerk walk up behind him. This time the “Can I help you?” sounded sincere enough to get Tommy's attention. When he turned around and saw the man behind him, Tommy knew he'd found the perfect present for Adam. Bringing this guy home as an offering to appease Adam's anger would be the perfect lead in for awesome makeup sex.
Looking the clerk in the eye, Tommy said, “You're going to pick out the best bottle of wine here, and you're going to come with me to personally deliver it. We're gonna have a good time tonight.”
The clerk walked over to the shelves and without hesitation picked out a bottle before following Tommy out of the store. All the way home Tommy was trying to decide if it would be better for them to drink the wine first, then feed on the offering's blood, or maybe let the guy drink the wine, so the taste of the alcohol was already mixed when they fed. Whatever, Tommy was sure it was gonna be one hell of a night.
When they got to the apartment, Tommy went in first. Adam was sitting on the couch, listening to music. The rough edge to the music told Tommy that Adam was still in a mood. Tommy blocked the doorway when he said, “Hey, I brought you something,” as he held out the single, perfect rose.
The expression on Adam's face went from petulant child to beaming boyfriend in less than a second, and Tommy was anticipating reaping the rewards of all his hard work when Adam noticed the guy standing behind Tommy.
"Um, yeah. This is part of your present, too. I figured we could maybe, like, have a little wine and a romantic dinner tonight. Sorta make up for what an ass I was last night, ya know?”
Tommy wasn't prepared for Adam's reaction, though. The smile that Adam gave the new guy made hot, white flashes spark in Tommy, and when Adam tried to sidestep him to get to the new guy, Tommy wanted to reach out and crush the life from the offering he'd brought home.
"Oh my god, Brad!?" Adam asked when the even smaller man than Tommy stepped out from behind him. There was Adam's friend who had stuck with him through everything and was the reason he even met Tommy, that Adam had just up and left when Tommy had finally returned and turned him.
He didn't look like he had changed much, or aged for that matter, but he was definitely human though there was some weird underlying smell that Adam couldn't put his finger on.
"Hey, A... Adam. Wha...?" Brad told him, looking between his old friend, who he hadn't seen for ages and had assumed the worst about, and the slender blond that he had felt compelled to follow home even though he was perfectly happy with his boyfriend, thank you very much.
"Oh, you two know each other? How?" Tommy asked, and he didn't look pleased. He went out to get Adam someone extra juicy to snack on and it's an old friend. Great.
"It's Brad. You've met him before." Adam explained to him, like it was just supposed to come to him like that.
"Umh, yeah. I'm going to need a little more." Tommy told them, and Adam sighed.
"Tommy, you were just the other day telling Allison about this. You know, when we first met and you lied to him."
"Oh. Oh! That was you? Huh. What a small world," Tommy said, and got a small glare from Adam. “Does this mean we can't have him for dinner?” Tommy asked. He knew it wouldn't make Adam happy, but he could see all his plans for the evening falling apart, and he didn't want to be the only one in a bad mood.
Adam put his arm around Brad's shoulder and pulled him in tight, which did nothing to calm the burning flashes of jealousy that Tommy was feeling. “You're not going to touch him, Tommy. I mean it, dude. He's off limits. He's mine. I mean he's my friend,” Adam said as he pulled Brad behind him.
"What the actual fuck, Adam? You belong to me. I made you, I can end you if I want. You don't get to lay claim to anyone unless I tell you you can. Don't ever forget that,” Tommy hissed as he moved to stand toe to toe with Adam. He leaned in closer so that his lips were just barely brushing the skin of Adam's neck, the skin that covered Adam's pulse point. “Sharing food's one thing. I don't like to share anything else.” Tommy let his teeth brush against Adam's skin just hard enough to bring a single drop of blood. Tommy and Brad both watched as the red bead swelled and then slowly ran down Adam's throat. Tommy couldn't help but compare the single rose that Adam still held with the single drop of blood. Both held beauty in their own right, but Tommy found Adam's blood to be much more exciting. He licked the bloody trail away and felt Adam shiver slightly.
"You know how I feel about public sex, Tommy. Why don't you go open the wine so we can enjoy it with our guest. Brad an I are going to talk and catch up.”
"Yeah, whatever. Just remember what I said,” Tommy said as he took the wine to the kitchen, not sure if he was going to share it or keep it all for himself.
Adam took Brad's hand and led him into the living room. They sat on the couch together and Adam said, “Oh, baby, we have so much to catch up on. It feels like a lifetime since I've talked to you.”
Brad looked at him with what Adam hoped was concern and not pity and said, “We'll catch up in a minute, honey, but first, what's up with your friend? He seems to have a little anger management problem. I hear they have classes for that now.”
"I know, right? But that's just how Tommy is. He's maybe a little more jealous than I would like, but what are ya gonna do, right? I really don't mind it much, except thinking about it all pointing to a trust thing. I wish he could trust me enough to know that I don't want anyone else.”
"Yeah, that's something you two are gonna have to work on.” Brad took Adam's hand, and Adam could see the burst of excitement in his friend's eyes when he said, “But right now I just have to tell you about the most fabulous man I met. It wasn't long after you left. I think this one might be something special.”
Tommy paced the kitchen, trying to get himself under control. He'd lived on the edge of life for so long that he really didn't know how the hell to deal with all this fucking emotional shit he'd been feeling ever since he met Adam.
He was on his third glass of wine from the bottle he'd bought for Adam when he heard a strange barely there scratching noise at the back door. Oh, great, more weres, Tommy thought, sniffing the air. Just what I need. And this time it's a werewolf. Some fucking great night this is turning out to be.
Pulling open the door, Tommy was surprised to see a very nonthreatening guy with brown hair and glasses standing just on the other side. “Funny, you don't look as powerful as you smell,” he said by way of a greeting, and just to prove his point he wrinkled his nose. “I didn't know we were moving into a neighborhood that was overrun with weres, but, whatever, man. What do you want?”
The stranger gave Tommy a very intense once-over before he said, “Just looking for my boyfriend, man. I picked up his scent, and it was mixed up with yours. He usually doesn't leave with strange guys, and you being a vamp and all, I just wanted to make sure he was okay. His name's Brad, by the way. You seen him?”
"Yeah, he's here. Turns out that he's my partner's best friend, or some shit. You might as well come in.” Tommy saw the state of the door he was holding open for their new guest and said, “Why the hell did you have to scratch up the door, dude? We only just moved in, and now we gotta pay to replace the door.”
"Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I forget my own strength, especially when I'm worried. Seems like I'm always worried about Brad, lately. Guy knows how to get into some tight spots, if you know what I mean.”
"Yeah, tell me about it,” Tommy said as he handed his guest a glass of what remained of the wine. “I'm not too good at this relationship shit, myself. Tommy Joe Ratliff. Don't know yet if I'm pleased to meet ya.”
"Mikey Way, and the feeling's mutual. You're not exactly a friendly guy, are you Tommy?”
"I'm a ray of fucking sunshine when you get to know me. What's up with the shirt, man?” Tommy asked, indicating the saying on the front of Mikey's shirt that read DON'T GOOGLE YOURSELF.
"Seriously, dude, have you ever tried it?” Mikey asked. “You turn up some of the weirdest shit doing that. Pictures, blogs, even stories. And it's never the cool stuff, the stuff that makes you look all hot and dangerous.”
They were interrupted by a blur that plastered itself against Mikey's chest. “Oh, Mikey,” Brad said when he finally eased up on the hug. “I just knew you would come and find me, sugar. I want you to meet one of my oldest friends. Mikey, this is Adam. Adam, Mikey. Make nice and give each other a hug, m'kay?”
Adam noticed the low hissing coming from Tommy's direction and knew the new were that was apparently Brad's new boyfriend must have heard it, too. Deciding not to push matters any further, Adam held out his hand, instead. “I'm so happy you make Brad happy, 'cause if you didn't, I'd have to hurt you.”
Mikey looked at Tommy and rolled his eyes. “He's just a baby, so I'll let it pass. Seems like you have your hands full with this one. But you'd better watch him. He's gonna end up messing with the wrong guy and getting in trouble, otherwise.”
"Don't encourage him,” Brad whispered in Mikey's direction, but it was a stage whisper and loud enough for everyone to hear. “They already have trust issues. Tommy was kinda upset over how close Adam and I are, if you can believe it. Like I would ever want your brother mad at me if I hurt you, honey.” And Brad gave Mikey a big, wet kiss just to prove his point.
Turning to give Adam a hug, Brad addressed Tommy. “Well, it was fun almost being your dinner, but I think it's time for us to go. Take care of him, m'kay? You really wouldn't like to see me upset.”
As soon as the door closed, Tommy turned to face Adam. “Just what the hell was that trust thing about? I trust you. I just don't like seeing you with other guys.”
Adam looked down at the rose he was still holding as he said, “You know, Tommy, you're the most important person in my life, right?” Adam saw Tommy nodding his head, and put up his hand to stop him.
"Don't answer so quickly, especially when it's the wrong answer. If you knew how important you are to me, you would trust me. It might bother you a little to see me with someone else, but it would be because you were worried about my safety or something. It wouldn't be because you're jealous.
"I'm only here because of you, baby. I would have already been dead if you hadn't turned me. I spent my whole life looking for something more, and I found it in you. I was willing to give up everything for you. I don't have room for anyone else in my life, Tommy. Why can't you know that? Why can't you trust me?”
Pulling Adam into a hug, Tommy felt emotions trying to cloud the detached, rational thoughts that he was usually so proud of having. “I'm sorry, Adam. I guess I just need more practice at this boyfriend thing. I really kinda suck at it, ya know? I spent so many years on my own that it's hard to always have to think about how what I do and say affects someone else. I'll try and do better. I promise.
"How about we go on a real date tonight? My dinner plans kinda fell through, but I can still take my boyfriend to the movies, can't I?”
"Why do I smell werewolf in the air?" Allison asked Adam, when she came over to their apartment later, and had sniffed the air the moment she stepped into the place.
"Genius over there was trying to apologize for something, went out to find some dinner and what he brought back was an old friend of mine. Who just happens to have a werewolf boyfriend now," Adam told her, and Tommy just flipped them off from where he was watching the TV.
"Right, okay. So, who's this friend? Share," Allison told Adam, and dragged him into the kitchen so she could steal food. Which she didn't get why they had in the first place, because it's not like they really needed it.
"Brad. You know, the one I was with when I went to that party where I first met Tommy and all," Adam told her, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and took a sip.
"Oh, huh. So, you hadn't seen him since then, or what? Must have been a bit of a mindfuck," Allison told him, hopping up onto the kitchen table for a seat and started peeling an orange.
"No, the last time I saw him was way later than that. Years later. He always stood with me. Even through the drugs and everything," Adam said, almost whispering at the end and picking at the label of the water bottle.
"Drugs?"
"Yeah. There was this stretch of time I'm not proud of. I kind of, may have, had a bit of a drug problem for a while."
"Oh, wow. Dude, that sucks. So, how did you kick them? Cold turkey, rehab, death?"
"I guess you could say Tommy. He was the reason I started and also why I stopped. That sounds stupid, maybe. I mean it sounds like I just stopped for him and not myself. But I guess our second meeting made me wise up."
"Wow, what do you mean by that?"
"Well, me and Brad had been at my birthday party and my younger brother was being a total brat, or so I thought, about you know, the drug thing, so I punched him."
"You punched your brother at your birthday party?"
"Yup, and then I left. Brad ran after me, and we were arguing while walking down a deserted street late at night when this group of people surrounded us."
"Those were my friends, by the way," Tommy said, entering the kitchen and their conversation.
"Some friends. You haven't talked to them in forever, and when you brought me back to that place you guys were using, they left pretty much the very next day."
"They moved on, felt I moved on too. They're probably just busy," Tommy said with a shrug. Losing contact with his friends for a few years didn't seem like a big deal when you knew you were going to live forever, but Adam was still more acclimated to the human time frame, so he probably saw it as more than it was.
"Yeah, right."
"Guys, skip the bickering married couple shit, and tell me the rest," Allison said, because, yeah, patience wasn't one of the virtues she was on friendly terms with.
"Well, his friends circled us and were being all menacing towards me, saying bitchy things about us being human. Then Tommy showed up out of the blue and dragged me away."
Tommy actually winked when he said, "I told them not to hurt Brad. They like to play with their food, especially LP and Sasha."
"Anyways, so I'm dragged into some dark corner, and I have no idea what's going on because I don't really remember the forest thing." Adam's eyes have taken on the far away look of remembering, and Allison was hanging on every word.
"I may have had some part in that," Tommy said. "If a human isn't killed they tend to forget it happened, or at least have seriously fuzzy memories of what happened. Defense mechanism."
"Yeah, thanks for that. You make it sound so simple, but you have no idea what kind of shit was going on in my brain." The look on Adam's face told the other two that he still carried more than a little resentment over this. "I knew there was something missing, something big, and it was so close. I could feel it. I could almost remember it. I wanted it so fucking bad. I needed the excitement, and I didn't know where to find it. Now I know what that nagging feeling I kept trying to dig out with drugs was."
"Sorry, I didn't know that was going to happen," Tommy said, sincere sorrow showing in his eyes. He moved to where Adam was standing and rested his hand lightly against Adam's cheek, trying to soothe the old wounds.
"Whatever," Adam said, shrugging out of Tommy's embrace. "Anyways, he dragged me off, fed on me and then left me slumped up against a dirty alley wall. I think I preferred the tree."
"Wow," was all Allison could say.
"And then Brad found me. Again. Just like before." There was a quiet rage behind the words, and Tommy was smart enough to hear it for what it was.
"Seriously, that sounds kinda messed up," Allison said with the concise honesty of youth.
"Yeah, you're telling me. And Brad started to nag me again about what the hell happened all those years ago and what happened that night. I couldn't tell him, and I kind of didn't want to tell him. I couldn't even fucking remember most of it, myself. But somehow it made me, like, realize I had to do something with my life." By this point Adam was pacing the kitchen, hoping the movement would help him work out the dark emotions he was feeling.
Tommy's voice was quiet when he said, "Yeah, I may have influenced that too."
"Is there anything you didn't do?" Adam shouted, making Allison jump.
"I'm sorry, I just didn't want to see you throw your life away." Maybe Tommy was getting a little loud too, but, damn it, he was feeling frustrated and more than a little guilty after hearing what kind of hell he'd put Adam through.
"I'm just feeling kinda controlled right now," Adam said, crossing his arms in an unconscious display of withdrawal.
"I never meant for that to happen," Tommy said as he reached out to Adam again.
"I know. Still feel like it," Adam answered, but this time he didn't back away from Tommy. Instead, he nuzzled into Tommy's offering hand and the comfort it brought. The two stood there, looking into each others eyes, silently making promises and offering comfort.
"Woah, are we in an episode of Dr. Phil all of a sudden, or something?" Allison asked. Seeing the way the two vamps were looking at each other made her feel a little intrusive and uncomfortable. "Looks like you two have some things to work out, so I'm just gonna leave now, okay? Not that you guys are even listening, right? The whole damn building could be burning down, and you wouldn't even know it, would you?" And she made sure the door was locked when she left. She didn't think they would want any unexpected interruptions for a while.
"I really don't get your fascination with horror movies. It's not like you don't see a lot of blood or anything like that in reality." Adam told Tommy, as they left the cinema that had been showing the newest torture porn.
"It's entertainment, it's not like it's real. I have fun," Tommy told him, shrugging his shoulders and stealing some of the leftover popcorn Adam was holding. Yeah, they could eat human food. They didn't need to or anything, but it held up the illusion and sometimes it was just comforting.
"Right, okay. Yeah, that makes total sense." Adam told him, rolling his eyes at how his vampiric boyfriend was trying to convince him that a movie all about some nutjob hacking people up and cherry syrup all over the place was a fun way of spending a few hours.
"Well, what would yo... Owww." Tommy looked down and saw that he was bleeding because someone just fucking stabbed him in the fucking side. "What the fuck?" He looked up from the freaking knife and saw a skinny brunette pointing a honest to God crossbow at him.
"Okay, seriously?" Adam asked the guy, from behind him and kicked the back of his feet so he lost his footing. "What kinda idiot doesn't aim for the heart or even throat?"
"I just wanted to hurt him a little first, also that knife's iron covered in salt. That's got to hurt like a bitch," the skinny brunette told Adam, and instead of responding with a snappy retort, Adam just picked him off the ground and slammed him against the dirty brick wall.
"Are you alright?" Adam asked Tommy, who was leaning against the building and clutching his side.
"Well, I've been better, and yes, it does hurt like a bitch. But I'll live." Tommy was muttering, poking at the hole in his sweater. He really liked that hoodie too, now he had to have it fixed or something.
"Now do you just go around stabbing people like a nutjob, or do you have specific beef with us?" Adam asked the brunette still slammed up against the wall, and struggling to get out of his hold.
"What the hell do you think, vampire?" The guy snarled at them, kicking at Adam and hitting one of his shins with a steel-toed boot. The stranger managed to throw a smaller, concealed knife at Tommy, who was still leaning up against the opposite building, and it ended up buried to the hilt in his chest. He had been trying to stop the bleeding, but with iron and salt in the mix that was going to take a bit.
"Oh, that's original, you son of a bitch," Adam growled at the guy, before grabbing him again and throwing him head-first into the brick wall which resounded in a sick, crunching thud.
"What an idiot. Here, let's go. We're going to need some blood and soon." Adam threw one of Tommy's arms over his shoulder and got them walking away from where the skinny brunette was lying, knocked out cold, and the bloody knives thrown aside towards the trash.
"More like now. One iron bladed, salt covered knife hurts. Two iron knives? Really fucking hurts. I need blood, give me blood. Please, please. Please. It hurts," Tommy mumbled, nuzzling Adam's neck and mumbling things under his breath.
"Okay, okay. Shhh. It'll be alright. Let's just not do it in public, okay, baby," Adam told him as he tugged him into a doorway hidden away in another shady alley, exposing his neck to Tommy while holding him up and guided his head to where it should go because the blood loss was starting to get to him.
He licked the soft skin there at first and nuzzled it some more, before finally biting down, and the blood flowed freely into his mouth. He drank it down like a starving man in a desert who'd just found an Oasis.
When Adam forcefully pushed him away, or as forcefully as you can after a feeding, he whined and licked his lips before looking up at Adam with those brown eyes of his, and he looked very much like a kicked puppy who was just begging for a little more food.
"We'll find you a snack, don't worry. I just have to have some strength to get us home, don't I?" Adam asked him with a hesitant smile and wiped some blood off his chin before sucking it off his finger, and all the while, Tommy watched him like a hawk.
"Mhhmm, I love you," Tommy told him, and snuggled into his side. In the beginning after Tommy had turned Adam, he hadn't seen this side a lot. But recently it had been coming out more and more.
"I love you too, honey," Adam told him, ruffling his blond hair and giving it a little tug, which just made Tommy snuggle closer into his side and tighten his grip on his waist.
A few days later, and a stab wound healed by a blonde flight attendant later, after a night spent hunting together, Tommy and Adam were anticipating sharing an arousing meal. They'd even brought their dinner home, so they could savor it in un-rushed privacy.
"My boy is going to take care of you while I get this door opened," Tommy told their food, a man that Adam currently had pinned up against the wall next to their apartment's door, kissing him. "Umh, Mina... What are you doing here?" He asked once he got the door opened and saw a dark haired lady in what looked to be her thirties sitting on the white chair in their living room.
"What, a grandmother can't visit her favorite grandson once in a while?" the lady he called Mina asked, and stood up and looked over Tommy's shoulder, where Adam was standing and looking at her. The kid that they had picked up for dinner was not looking too amused by the whole thing.
"Very funny. Only grandson. And not really. So what's up?" Tommy asked her. He wasn't amused either. He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at his grandmother whom he hadn't seen in quite some time, thinking this was a really bad time for her to pop up.
"Umh, I think I'm going to go now. Looks like you're having some kinda surprise family get together. Maybe I'll see you two again later, at the club or something. Right, bye," The guy, the kid told them and left before anyone could do anything.
"So there may be someone here in town who wants you gone from this world," Mina told Tommy, as they finally entered the apartment and closed the door and turned on the lights. She'd gotten all cozy, coat thrown over a chair and possibly a milk glass half-full of blood.
"I think a lot of people want that. And you owe us dinner. You let ours get away," Tommy told her, grabbing the glass and sniffing it before making a grossed out face. "Cold blood is disgusting."
"Fine, fine. But I mean a specific someone. He attacked me once and probably thought he killed me. I was hurt pretty badly, though, but nothing that didn't heal up with a few days rest and enough blood. Those stupid Van Helsing's. He apparently heard you were in town and wants to be rid of you too," Mina told him, taking the glass of blood away from him and taking it to the kitchen. She hadn't even noticed Adam standing in the living room.
"Van Helsing, what? Wait?" Adam asked the strange woman rinsing out a glass in their kitchen. He had no idea who this person was. How could Tommy even have a grandmother who was not dead yet?
"What, haven't you ever read Dracula, boy?" Mina asked Adam, as she put away the glass and walked back into the living room and took a seat in the white chair again. Adam and Tommy followed her, and sat down on the couch opposite her.
"Not really, but I've seen one of the movies? But Dracula's not real, it's fiction," Adam told her, because everyone knew Dracula wasn't real. Well, okay so he didn't think vampires were real either until Tommy turned him, but still vampires were one thing, Dracula was another.
"He's too young, he's a liability. Get rid of him," Mina told Tommy, whose hand tightened around Adam's shoulder as he glared at her.
"No, Mina. He's mine. I'm his. It's not my blood that flows through his veins; it's our blood," Tommy told her, leaning forward and glaring at her with almost red eyes, meaning things were getting serious.
"It'll only get you into trouble, having a newborn tagging along. Especially with this character on your heels," Mina told him, staring down Adam like nobody's business. Adam just stared right back at her, showing no sign of giving up.
"We'll deal."
"Umh, Dracula, real?"
"Well, yeah. Not the whole thing, obviously. But the basics? Yeah. Of course, Bram had to have the good guys win in the end," Tommy explained, because well, yeah. So maybe Mina had met the Irish man and told him a tale.
It's not like he could have been all 'Oh, yeah, a vampire told me this story about a Count.' but to be fair, he had been researching vampires and such for a little while to try and write something, but this inspired him.
Dracula was kind of pissed at first, but then he thought it was a little cool that everyone knew his name. He wasn't too pleased with the ending though, but that couldn't be helped.
"So... what's your real name?" Adam asked Tommy who all of a sudden looked very young, younger than he usually looked, which has amazing in itself, considering that he was actually a few hundred years old.
"Thomas Harker," Tommy told him, biting his lower lip and looking at Adam sideways, looking through his blond bangs. Obviously his hair hadn't always been blond, once upon a time it had been a dull brown and cut properly for a gentleman of his stature.
"You're British," Adam said, matter of factly and staring at Tommy like he was seeing him for the first time. There was a lot they didn't actually know about each other, but this was kind of big.
"Kind of, yeah. But I haven't been there for ages. I'm more American now than anything," Tommy muttered, and it was true. He probably hadn't been to Britain in about fifty years or so. And before that he'd been out of the country on and off forever, the so called new world and all.
"So, who made you a vampire?"
"Well..."
"No, let me guess. Dracula?"
"Yeah, pretty much. But only because Mina pleaded with him and I was dying. He always had a soft spot for her," Tommy told him. Well, his father and grandfather had already passed away, or they would have fought till the end for that not to happen. But he didn't want to die, and neither did Mina. It was the only solution.
"Guess that explains why you're different from other vamps."
"Yeah, I guess."
"This is a lot to take in."
"Sorry."
"So, tell me. What were you like when you were alive?" Adam asked him, turning completely away from Mina and focusing solely on Tommy, who he was planning on staying with for a very, very long time.
"Oh, you really don't want to know," Tommy mumbled, because he didn't want to talk about stuff that happened such a long time ago, and he wasn't even sure he remembered all of it.
"Yes, I do. I do want to know," Adam told him, and picked up one of his hands and played with it, not looking back up at Tommy.
Tommy looked down at the hand that Adam was playing with, and tracing lifelines and what not. "Really, can't we do that later?" he asked and then leaned in for a quick but satisfying kiss.
"You're trying to distract me," Adam said, before stealing another kiss and letting go of Tommy's hand to put it on his neck.
"Yes," Tommy stated, without hesitation, and both vampires seemed to have totally forgotten that there was a third person in the room and usually not someone you wanted to see you perhaps make out.
Adam grinned into another kiss, and pulled Tommy on top of him on the sofa. "Please continue."
"Well, boys. Seems like you're soon to be otherwise occupied, and I'd rather not be here when that happens so I'll just let myself out. Goodbye."
"Bye," the boys said in unison, without looking up to see if she actually left, but they heard the door close, so they assumed the best.
"We're so talking about this in the morning, alright?" Adam asked Tommy, as he led Adam to the bedroom. Thankfully Allison was out with of all people that skinny guy who kept beating on her door, or she might start complaining again about the thin walls tonight.
"Okay, whatever you say."
"Scoundrel."
"Pretty much, yes."
>>>>
(If you don't know what Mikey Way looks like, this is him: Don't Google Yourself and With glasses)
PART 4:
I've watched you change
It's like you never
Had wings
-Change (In the house of flies), Deftones
Tommy lay on the bed for a while and just stared at the ceiling, feeling quite drowsy. Too late to go out and find food, really, and he thought he kinda deserved that. He had gone too far. But right then he was the one who needed food. Maybe he would be able to find someone on another floor or something to eat.
Adam came back, dressed in sleep pants and a worn T-shirt, crawled under the covers and went to sleep with his back to Tommy, who was still on top the covers in his jeans and shirt. He lay there for a few more minutes before getting up slowly to change into something more comfortable to sleep in. If he were human, his stomach would be growling.
Tommy tried to sleep, he really did, but it was no use. His hunger just wouldn't let him. He needed to hunt; he needed to feed. It just wasn't fair that Adam was sleeping so peacefully next to him. It was Tommy's blood that had calmed Adam enough to be able to sleep, after all.
But, then again, if Tommy hadn't wasted the dinner Adam had brought, he wouldn't be in this predicament, now would he? So Tommy resigned himself to another sleepless day as he prepared to go out into the light and take care of things.
In the quiet, lonely hour right after dawn there wasn't much for Tommy to choose from. He wandered the streets that surrounded their new home, but it was too late for the latest of the late night revelers to still be out, and still too early for the morning crowd to be about their business.
He was just about to give up and go back to the apartment for a little nap when he stumbled across what was a desperate, hungry vampire's wet dream-a Seven-Eleven. The clerk inside was by herself and just what Tommy was looking for. She wore a look of concentration as she studied the book that was open on the counter. Tommy thought she must be some kind of college student, working the graveyard shift to pay for classes.
Grimacing as the cheerful bells over the door announced his entrance, because, yeah, since when was a Seven-Eleven ever a cheerful place, Tommy plastered on the most innocuous look he could manage as he walked up to the counter.
"Can I help you?” the girl asked without looking up from her book. Tommy loved it when the boredom of day to day living made these humans let their guard down. It added something sweet to their blood when they finally realized that the excitement they'd been looking for was standing right in front of them.
"Um, yeah, Sandy, is it?” Tommy asked, reading the girl's name tag. “I think I might need your help getting what I need.”
Using her finger to mark her place in the book, Sandy finally looked at Tommy's face, and it was the last action of free will she ever had. Once Tommy established eye contact with her, she became his plaything, only able to do what he willed her to do. He gave her a moment to let her fear build before he leaned across the counter and pulled her towards him. Taking his prize with him, he went to find somewhere more secluded to enjoy his meal. The security cameras only showed a bored but studious Sandy and then an empty store when they were later reviewed.
After a leisurely meal, Tommy did go back to the apartment for a short nap, but he had things to take care of before dusk, so he made sure he was up long before Adam. He'd been such a possessive, jealous ass with Adam last night. He had to make it up to him.
Tommy's first stop was the florists shop that he'd seen earlier. He picked out a perfect blood-red rose. Adam always appreciated the romantic shit, and Tommy knew a single rose wound with a ribbon and pearls would say more than a huge bouquet.
Next, Tommy went to find a bottle of the best wine he could. Finding the wine section in the liquor store was no problem, but deciding which one to get was another story. Shit, wine so wasn't his thing, damn it.
Tommy was so involved in trying to decide what was good wine and what wasn't that he didn't even hear the clerk walk up behind him. This time the “Can I help you?” sounded sincere enough to get Tommy's attention. When he turned around and saw the man behind him, Tommy knew he'd found the perfect present for Adam. Bringing this guy home as an offering to appease Adam's anger would be the perfect lead in for awesome makeup sex.
Looking the clerk in the eye, Tommy said, “You're going to pick out the best bottle of wine here, and you're going to come with me to personally deliver it. We're gonna have a good time tonight.”
The clerk walked over to the shelves and without hesitation picked out a bottle before following Tommy out of the store. All the way home Tommy was trying to decide if it would be better for them to drink the wine first, then feed on the offering's blood, or maybe let the guy drink the wine, so the taste of the alcohol was already mixed when they fed. Whatever, Tommy was sure it was gonna be one hell of a night.
When they got to the apartment, Tommy went in first. Adam was sitting on the couch, listening to music. The rough edge to the music told Tommy that Adam was still in a mood. Tommy blocked the doorway when he said, “Hey, I brought you something,” as he held out the single, perfect rose.
The expression on Adam's face went from petulant child to beaming boyfriend in less than a second, and Tommy was anticipating reaping the rewards of all his hard work when Adam noticed the guy standing behind Tommy.
"Um, yeah. This is part of your present, too. I figured we could maybe, like, have a little wine and a romantic dinner tonight. Sorta make up for what an ass I was last night, ya know?”
Tommy wasn't prepared for Adam's reaction, though. The smile that Adam gave the new guy made hot, white flashes spark in Tommy, and when Adam tried to sidestep him to get to the new guy, Tommy wanted to reach out and crush the life from the offering he'd brought home.
"Oh my god, Brad!?" Adam asked when the even smaller man than Tommy stepped out from behind him. There was Adam's friend who had stuck with him through everything and was the reason he even met Tommy, that Adam had just up and left when Tommy had finally returned and turned him.
He didn't look like he had changed much, or aged for that matter, but he was definitely human though there was some weird underlying smell that Adam couldn't put his finger on.
"Hey, A... Adam. Wha...?" Brad told him, looking between his old friend, who he hadn't seen for ages and had assumed the worst about, and the slender blond that he had felt compelled to follow home even though he was perfectly happy with his boyfriend, thank you very much.
"Oh, you two know each other? How?" Tommy asked, and he didn't look pleased. He went out to get Adam someone extra juicy to snack on and it's an old friend. Great.
"It's Brad. You've met him before." Adam explained to him, like it was just supposed to come to him like that.
"Umh, yeah. I'm going to need a little more." Tommy told them, and Adam sighed.
"Tommy, you were just the other day telling Allison about this. You know, when we first met and you lied to him."
"Oh. Oh! That was you? Huh. What a small world," Tommy said, and got a small glare from Adam. “Does this mean we can't have him for dinner?” Tommy asked. He knew it wouldn't make Adam happy, but he could see all his plans for the evening falling apart, and he didn't want to be the only one in a bad mood.
Adam put his arm around Brad's shoulder and pulled him in tight, which did nothing to calm the burning flashes of jealousy that Tommy was feeling. “You're not going to touch him, Tommy. I mean it, dude. He's off limits. He's mine. I mean he's my friend,” Adam said as he pulled Brad behind him.
"What the actual fuck, Adam? You belong to me. I made you, I can end you if I want. You don't get to lay claim to anyone unless I tell you you can. Don't ever forget that,” Tommy hissed as he moved to stand toe to toe with Adam. He leaned in closer so that his lips were just barely brushing the skin of Adam's neck, the skin that covered Adam's pulse point. “Sharing food's one thing. I don't like to share anything else.” Tommy let his teeth brush against Adam's skin just hard enough to bring a single drop of blood. Tommy and Brad both watched as the red bead swelled and then slowly ran down Adam's throat. Tommy couldn't help but compare the single rose that Adam still held with the single drop of blood. Both held beauty in their own right, but Tommy found Adam's blood to be much more exciting. He licked the bloody trail away and felt Adam shiver slightly.
"You know how I feel about public sex, Tommy. Why don't you go open the wine so we can enjoy it with our guest. Brad an I are going to talk and catch up.”
"Yeah, whatever. Just remember what I said,” Tommy said as he took the wine to the kitchen, not sure if he was going to share it or keep it all for himself.
Adam took Brad's hand and led him into the living room. They sat on the couch together and Adam said, “Oh, baby, we have so much to catch up on. It feels like a lifetime since I've talked to you.”
Brad looked at him with what Adam hoped was concern and not pity and said, “We'll catch up in a minute, honey, but first, what's up with your friend? He seems to have a little anger management problem. I hear they have classes for that now.”
"I know, right? But that's just how Tommy is. He's maybe a little more jealous than I would like, but what are ya gonna do, right? I really don't mind it much, except thinking about it all pointing to a trust thing. I wish he could trust me enough to know that I don't want anyone else.”
"Yeah, that's something you two are gonna have to work on.” Brad took Adam's hand, and Adam could see the burst of excitement in his friend's eyes when he said, “But right now I just have to tell you about the most fabulous man I met. It wasn't long after you left. I think this one might be something special.”
Tommy paced the kitchen, trying to get himself under control. He'd lived on the edge of life for so long that he really didn't know how the hell to deal with all this fucking emotional shit he'd been feeling ever since he met Adam.
He was on his third glass of wine from the bottle he'd bought for Adam when he heard a strange barely there scratching noise at the back door. Oh, great, more weres, Tommy thought, sniffing the air. Just what I need. And this time it's a werewolf. Some fucking great night this is turning out to be.
Pulling open the door, Tommy was surprised to see a very nonthreatening guy with brown hair and glasses standing just on the other side. “Funny, you don't look as powerful as you smell,” he said by way of a greeting, and just to prove his point he wrinkled his nose. “I didn't know we were moving into a neighborhood that was overrun with weres, but, whatever, man. What do you want?”
The stranger gave Tommy a very intense once-over before he said, “Just looking for my boyfriend, man. I picked up his scent, and it was mixed up with yours. He usually doesn't leave with strange guys, and you being a vamp and all, I just wanted to make sure he was okay. His name's Brad, by the way. You seen him?”
"Yeah, he's here. Turns out that he's my partner's best friend, or some shit. You might as well come in.” Tommy saw the state of the door he was holding open for their new guest and said, “Why the hell did you have to scratch up the door, dude? We only just moved in, and now we gotta pay to replace the door.”
"Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I forget my own strength, especially when I'm worried. Seems like I'm always worried about Brad, lately. Guy knows how to get into some tight spots, if you know what I mean.”
"Yeah, tell me about it,” Tommy said as he handed his guest a glass of what remained of the wine. “I'm not too good at this relationship shit, myself. Tommy Joe Ratliff. Don't know yet if I'm pleased to meet ya.”
"Mikey Way, and the feeling's mutual. You're not exactly a friendly guy, are you Tommy?”
"I'm a ray of fucking sunshine when you get to know me. What's up with the shirt, man?” Tommy asked, indicating the saying on the front of Mikey's shirt that read DON'T GOOGLE YOURSELF.
"Seriously, dude, have you ever tried it?” Mikey asked. “You turn up some of the weirdest shit doing that. Pictures, blogs, even stories. And it's never the cool stuff, the stuff that makes you look all hot and dangerous.”
They were interrupted by a blur that plastered itself against Mikey's chest. “Oh, Mikey,” Brad said when he finally eased up on the hug. “I just knew you would come and find me, sugar. I want you to meet one of my oldest friends. Mikey, this is Adam. Adam, Mikey. Make nice and give each other a hug, m'kay?”
Adam noticed the low hissing coming from Tommy's direction and knew the new were that was apparently Brad's new boyfriend must have heard it, too. Deciding not to push matters any further, Adam held out his hand, instead. “I'm so happy you make Brad happy, 'cause if you didn't, I'd have to hurt you.”
Mikey looked at Tommy and rolled his eyes. “He's just a baby, so I'll let it pass. Seems like you have your hands full with this one. But you'd better watch him. He's gonna end up messing with the wrong guy and getting in trouble, otherwise.”
"Don't encourage him,” Brad whispered in Mikey's direction, but it was a stage whisper and loud enough for everyone to hear. “They already have trust issues. Tommy was kinda upset over how close Adam and I are, if you can believe it. Like I would ever want your brother mad at me if I hurt you, honey.” And Brad gave Mikey a big, wet kiss just to prove his point.
Turning to give Adam a hug, Brad addressed Tommy. “Well, it was fun almost being your dinner, but I think it's time for us to go. Take care of him, m'kay? You really wouldn't like to see me upset.”
As soon as the door closed, Tommy turned to face Adam. “Just what the hell was that trust thing about? I trust you. I just don't like seeing you with other guys.”
Adam looked down at the rose he was still holding as he said, “You know, Tommy, you're the most important person in my life, right?” Adam saw Tommy nodding his head, and put up his hand to stop him.
"Don't answer so quickly, especially when it's the wrong answer. If you knew how important you are to me, you would trust me. It might bother you a little to see me with someone else, but it would be because you were worried about my safety or something. It wouldn't be because you're jealous.
"I'm only here because of you, baby. I would have already been dead if you hadn't turned me. I spent my whole life looking for something more, and I found it in you. I was willing to give up everything for you. I don't have room for anyone else in my life, Tommy. Why can't you know that? Why can't you trust me?”
Pulling Adam into a hug, Tommy felt emotions trying to cloud the detached, rational thoughts that he was usually so proud of having. “I'm sorry, Adam. I guess I just need more practice at this boyfriend thing. I really kinda suck at it, ya know? I spent so many years on my own that it's hard to always have to think about how what I do and say affects someone else. I'll try and do better. I promise.
"How about we go on a real date tonight? My dinner plans kinda fell through, but I can still take my boyfriend to the movies, can't I?”
"Why do I smell werewolf in the air?" Allison asked Adam, when she came over to their apartment later, and had sniffed the air the moment she stepped into the place.
"Genius over there was trying to apologize for something, went out to find some dinner and what he brought back was an old friend of mine. Who just happens to have a werewolf boyfriend now," Adam told her, and Tommy just flipped them off from where he was watching the TV.
"Right, okay. So, who's this friend? Share," Allison told Adam, and dragged him into the kitchen so she could steal food. Which she didn't get why they had in the first place, because it's not like they really needed it.
"Brad. You know, the one I was with when I went to that party where I first met Tommy and all," Adam told her, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and took a sip.
"Oh, huh. So, you hadn't seen him since then, or what? Must have been a bit of a mindfuck," Allison told him, hopping up onto the kitchen table for a seat and started peeling an orange.
"No, the last time I saw him was way later than that. Years later. He always stood with me. Even through the drugs and everything," Adam said, almost whispering at the end and picking at the label of the water bottle.
"Drugs?"
"Yeah. There was this stretch of time I'm not proud of. I kind of, may have, had a bit of a drug problem for a while."
"Oh, wow. Dude, that sucks. So, how did you kick them? Cold turkey, rehab, death?"
"I guess you could say Tommy. He was the reason I started and also why I stopped. That sounds stupid, maybe. I mean it sounds like I just stopped for him and not myself. But I guess our second meeting made me wise up."
"Wow, what do you mean by that?"
"Well, me and Brad had been at my birthday party and my younger brother was being a total brat, or so I thought, about you know, the drug thing, so I punched him."
"You punched your brother at your birthday party?"
"Yup, and then I left. Brad ran after me, and we were arguing while walking down a deserted street late at night when this group of people surrounded us."
"Those were my friends, by the way," Tommy said, entering the kitchen and their conversation.
"Some friends. You haven't talked to them in forever, and when you brought me back to that place you guys were using, they left pretty much the very next day."
"They moved on, felt I moved on too. They're probably just busy," Tommy said with a shrug. Losing contact with his friends for a few years didn't seem like a big deal when you knew you were going to live forever, but Adam was still more acclimated to the human time frame, so he probably saw it as more than it was.
"Yeah, right."
"Guys, skip the bickering married couple shit, and tell me the rest," Allison said, because, yeah, patience wasn't one of the virtues she was on friendly terms with.
"Well, his friends circled us and were being all menacing towards me, saying bitchy things about us being human. Then Tommy showed up out of the blue and dragged me away."
Tommy actually winked when he said, "I told them not to hurt Brad. They like to play with their food, especially LP and Sasha."
"Anyways, so I'm dragged into some dark corner, and I have no idea what's going on because I don't really remember the forest thing." Adam's eyes have taken on the far away look of remembering, and Allison was hanging on every word.
"I may have had some part in that," Tommy said. "If a human isn't killed they tend to forget it happened, or at least have seriously fuzzy memories of what happened. Defense mechanism."
"Yeah, thanks for that. You make it sound so simple, but you have no idea what kind of shit was going on in my brain." The look on Adam's face told the other two that he still carried more than a little resentment over this. "I knew there was something missing, something big, and it was so close. I could feel it. I could almost remember it. I wanted it so fucking bad. I needed the excitement, and I didn't know where to find it. Now I know what that nagging feeling I kept trying to dig out with drugs was."
"Sorry, I didn't know that was going to happen," Tommy said, sincere sorrow showing in his eyes. He moved to where Adam was standing and rested his hand lightly against Adam's cheek, trying to soothe the old wounds.
"Whatever," Adam said, shrugging out of Tommy's embrace. "Anyways, he dragged me off, fed on me and then left me slumped up against a dirty alley wall. I think I preferred the tree."
"Wow," was all Allison could say.
"And then Brad found me. Again. Just like before." There was a quiet rage behind the words, and Tommy was smart enough to hear it for what it was.
"Seriously, that sounds kinda messed up," Allison said with the concise honesty of youth.
"Yeah, you're telling me. And Brad started to nag me again about what the hell happened all those years ago and what happened that night. I couldn't tell him, and I kind of didn't want to tell him. I couldn't even fucking remember most of it, myself. But somehow it made me, like, realize I had to do something with my life." By this point Adam was pacing the kitchen, hoping the movement would help him work out the dark emotions he was feeling.
Tommy's voice was quiet when he said, "Yeah, I may have influenced that too."
"Is there anything you didn't do?" Adam shouted, making Allison jump.
"I'm sorry, I just didn't want to see you throw your life away." Maybe Tommy was getting a little loud too, but, damn it, he was feeling frustrated and more than a little guilty after hearing what kind of hell he'd put Adam through.
"I'm just feeling kinda controlled right now," Adam said, crossing his arms in an unconscious display of withdrawal.
"I never meant for that to happen," Tommy said as he reached out to Adam again.
"I know. Still feel like it," Adam answered, but this time he didn't back away from Tommy. Instead, he nuzzled into Tommy's offering hand and the comfort it brought. The two stood there, looking into each others eyes, silently making promises and offering comfort.
"Woah, are we in an episode of Dr. Phil all of a sudden, or something?" Allison asked. Seeing the way the two vamps were looking at each other made her feel a little intrusive and uncomfortable. "Looks like you two have some things to work out, so I'm just gonna leave now, okay? Not that you guys are even listening, right? The whole damn building could be burning down, and you wouldn't even know it, would you?" And she made sure the door was locked when she left. She didn't think they would want any unexpected interruptions for a while.
"I really don't get your fascination with horror movies. It's not like you don't see a lot of blood or anything like that in reality." Adam told Tommy, as they left the cinema that had been showing the newest torture porn.
"It's entertainment, it's not like it's real. I have fun," Tommy told him, shrugging his shoulders and stealing some of the leftover popcorn Adam was holding. Yeah, they could eat human food. They didn't need to or anything, but it held up the illusion and sometimes it was just comforting.
"Right, okay. Yeah, that makes total sense." Adam told him, rolling his eyes at how his vampiric boyfriend was trying to convince him that a movie all about some nutjob hacking people up and cherry syrup all over the place was a fun way of spending a few hours.
"Well, what would yo... Owww." Tommy looked down and saw that he was bleeding because someone just fucking stabbed him in the fucking side. "What the fuck?" He looked up from the freaking knife and saw a skinny brunette pointing a honest to God crossbow at him.
"Okay, seriously?" Adam asked the guy, from behind him and kicked the back of his feet so he lost his footing. "What kinda idiot doesn't aim for the heart or even throat?"
"I just wanted to hurt him a little first, also that knife's iron covered in salt. That's got to hurt like a bitch," the skinny brunette told Adam, and instead of responding with a snappy retort, Adam just picked him off the ground and slammed him against the dirty brick wall.
"Are you alright?" Adam asked Tommy, who was leaning against the building and clutching his side.
"Well, I've been better, and yes, it does hurt like a bitch. But I'll live." Tommy was muttering, poking at the hole in his sweater. He really liked that hoodie too, now he had to have it fixed or something.
"Now do you just go around stabbing people like a nutjob, or do you have specific beef with us?" Adam asked the brunette still slammed up against the wall, and struggling to get out of his hold.
"What the hell do you think, vampire?" The guy snarled at them, kicking at Adam and hitting one of his shins with a steel-toed boot. The stranger managed to throw a smaller, concealed knife at Tommy, who was still leaning up against the opposite building, and it ended up buried to the hilt in his chest. He had been trying to stop the bleeding, but with iron and salt in the mix that was going to take a bit.
"Oh, that's original, you son of a bitch," Adam growled at the guy, before grabbing him again and throwing him head-first into the brick wall which resounded in a sick, crunching thud.
"What an idiot. Here, let's go. We're going to need some blood and soon." Adam threw one of Tommy's arms over his shoulder and got them walking away from where the skinny brunette was lying, knocked out cold, and the bloody knives thrown aside towards the trash.
"More like now. One iron bladed, salt covered knife hurts. Two iron knives? Really fucking hurts. I need blood, give me blood. Please, please. Please. It hurts," Tommy mumbled, nuzzling Adam's neck and mumbling things under his breath.
"Okay, okay. Shhh. It'll be alright. Let's just not do it in public, okay, baby," Adam told him as he tugged him into a doorway hidden away in another shady alley, exposing his neck to Tommy while holding him up and guided his head to where it should go because the blood loss was starting to get to him.
He licked the soft skin there at first and nuzzled it some more, before finally biting down, and the blood flowed freely into his mouth. He drank it down like a starving man in a desert who'd just found an Oasis.
When Adam forcefully pushed him away, or as forcefully as you can after a feeding, he whined and licked his lips before looking up at Adam with those brown eyes of his, and he looked very much like a kicked puppy who was just begging for a little more food.
"We'll find you a snack, don't worry. I just have to have some strength to get us home, don't I?" Adam asked him with a hesitant smile and wiped some blood off his chin before sucking it off his finger, and all the while, Tommy watched him like a hawk.
"Mhhmm, I love you," Tommy told him, and snuggled into his side. In the beginning after Tommy had turned Adam, he hadn't seen this side a lot. But recently it had been coming out more and more.
"I love you too, honey," Adam told him, ruffling his blond hair and giving it a little tug, which just made Tommy snuggle closer into his side and tighten his grip on his waist.
A few days later, and a stab wound healed by a blonde flight attendant later, after a night spent hunting together, Tommy and Adam were anticipating sharing an arousing meal. They'd even brought their dinner home, so they could savor it in un-rushed privacy.
"My boy is going to take care of you while I get this door opened," Tommy told their food, a man that Adam currently had pinned up against the wall next to their apartment's door, kissing him. "Umh, Mina... What are you doing here?" He asked once he got the door opened and saw a dark haired lady in what looked to be her thirties sitting on the white chair in their living room.
"What, a grandmother can't visit her favorite grandson once in a while?" the lady he called Mina asked, and stood up and looked over Tommy's shoulder, where Adam was standing and looking at her. The kid that they had picked up for dinner was not looking too amused by the whole thing.
"Very funny. Only grandson. And not really. So what's up?" Tommy asked her. He wasn't amused either. He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at his grandmother whom he hadn't seen in quite some time, thinking this was a really bad time for her to pop up.
"Umh, I think I'm going to go now. Looks like you're having some kinda surprise family get together. Maybe I'll see you two again later, at the club or something. Right, bye," The guy, the kid told them and left before anyone could do anything.
"So there may be someone here in town who wants you gone from this world," Mina told Tommy, as they finally entered the apartment and closed the door and turned on the lights. She'd gotten all cozy, coat thrown over a chair and possibly a milk glass half-full of blood.
"I think a lot of people want that. And you owe us dinner. You let ours get away," Tommy told her, grabbing the glass and sniffing it before making a grossed out face. "Cold blood is disgusting."
"Fine, fine. But I mean a specific someone. He attacked me once and probably thought he killed me. I was hurt pretty badly, though, but nothing that didn't heal up with a few days rest and enough blood. Those stupid Van Helsing's. He apparently heard you were in town and wants to be rid of you too," Mina told him, taking the glass of blood away from him and taking it to the kitchen. She hadn't even noticed Adam standing in the living room.
"Van Helsing, what? Wait?" Adam asked the strange woman rinsing out a glass in their kitchen. He had no idea who this person was. How could Tommy even have a grandmother who was not dead yet?
"What, haven't you ever read Dracula, boy?" Mina asked Adam, as she put away the glass and walked back into the living room and took a seat in the white chair again. Adam and Tommy followed her, and sat down on the couch opposite her.
"Not really, but I've seen one of the movies? But Dracula's not real, it's fiction," Adam told her, because everyone knew Dracula wasn't real. Well, okay so he didn't think vampires were real either until Tommy turned him, but still vampires were one thing, Dracula was another.
"He's too young, he's a liability. Get rid of him," Mina told Tommy, whose hand tightened around Adam's shoulder as he glared at her.
"No, Mina. He's mine. I'm his. It's not my blood that flows through his veins; it's our blood," Tommy told her, leaning forward and glaring at her with almost red eyes, meaning things were getting serious.
"It'll only get you into trouble, having a newborn tagging along. Especially with this character on your heels," Mina told him, staring down Adam like nobody's business. Adam just stared right back at her, showing no sign of giving up.
"We'll deal."
"Umh, Dracula, real?"
"Well, yeah. Not the whole thing, obviously. But the basics? Yeah. Of course, Bram had to have the good guys win in the end," Tommy explained, because well, yeah. So maybe Mina had met the Irish man and told him a tale.
It's not like he could have been all 'Oh, yeah, a vampire told me this story about a Count.' but to be fair, he had been researching vampires and such for a little while to try and write something, but this inspired him.
Dracula was kind of pissed at first, but then he thought it was a little cool that everyone knew his name. He wasn't too pleased with the ending though, but that couldn't be helped.
"So... what's your real name?" Adam asked Tommy who all of a sudden looked very young, younger than he usually looked, which has amazing in itself, considering that he was actually a few hundred years old.
"Thomas Harker," Tommy told him, biting his lower lip and looking at Adam sideways, looking through his blond bangs. Obviously his hair hadn't always been blond, once upon a time it had been a dull brown and cut properly for a gentleman of his stature.
"You're British," Adam said, matter of factly and staring at Tommy like he was seeing him for the first time. There was a lot they didn't actually know about each other, but this was kind of big.
"Kind of, yeah. But I haven't been there for ages. I'm more American now than anything," Tommy muttered, and it was true. He probably hadn't been to Britain in about fifty years or so. And before that he'd been out of the country on and off forever, the so called new world and all.
"So, who made you a vampire?"
"Well..."
"No, let me guess. Dracula?"
"Yeah, pretty much. But only because Mina pleaded with him and I was dying. He always had a soft spot for her," Tommy told him. Well, his father and grandfather had already passed away, or they would have fought till the end for that not to happen. But he didn't want to die, and neither did Mina. It was the only solution.
"Guess that explains why you're different from other vamps."
"Yeah, I guess."
"This is a lot to take in."
"Sorry."
"So, tell me. What were you like when you were alive?" Adam asked him, turning completely away from Mina and focusing solely on Tommy, who he was planning on staying with for a very, very long time.
"Oh, you really don't want to know," Tommy mumbled, because he didn't want to talk about stuff that happened such a long time ago, and he wasn't even sure he remembered all of it.
"Yes, I do. I do want to know," Adam told him, and picked up one of his hands and played with it, not looking back up at Tommy.
Tommy looked down at the hand that Adam was playing with, and tracing lifelines and what not. "Really, can't we do that later?" he asked and then leaned in for a quick but satisfying kiss.
"You're trying to distract me," Adam said, before stealing another kiss and letting go of Tommy's hand to put it on his neck.
"Yes," Tommy stated, without hesitation, and both vampires seemed to have totally forgotten that there was a third person in the room and usually not someone you wanted to see you perhaps make out.
Adam grinned into another kiss, and pulled Tommy on top of him on the sofa. "Please continue."
"Well, boys. Seems like you're soon to be otherwise occupied, and I'd rather not be here when that happens so I'll just let myself out. Goodbye."
"Bye," the boys said in unison, without looking up to see if she actually left, but they heard the door close, so they assumed the best.
"We're so talking about this in the morning, alright?" Adam asked Tommy, as he led Adam to the bedroom. Thankfully Allison was out with of all people that skinny guy who kept beating on her door, or she might start complaining again about the thin walls tonight.
"Okay, whatever you say."
"Scoundrel."
"Pretty much, yes."
>>>>
(If you don't know what Mikey Way looks like, this is him: Don't Google Yourself and With glasses)
