by J. Thiele
“Then you must drink from the well.” Damon instructed, which he did, then stood to embrace his brother.
With his Dominic and Beth by his side they continued the ritual until Damon and Beth shared the last drops. Damon held the Chalice high in the air in a toast and shouted. “To Family”
To which they all responded kindly.
Chapter Nineteen
Damon sat in his armchair resting; he slipped into a macro sleep, when he started dreaming. In his slumber a voice came forward. “Your day draws near, prepare for your…” he startled awake and sat bolt upright. The voice still ringing in his ears, it sounded god like yet it was not the voice of Genesis. He looked around to see his beloved Beth talking with Brandy. He smiled as he stood to make his way over to them.
Brandy was still coming to terms with her new existence and was asking Beth for direction.
Ray was sitting at his desk watching on with interest. Though he couldn’t hear what they were saying, he secretly hoped it was something about him, and he hated himself for the confusion that wrecked his body.
In her life Ray would never have admitted to her that he cared more than he showed. But the fact of the matter was that he hadn’t willingly been with another woman since the second night he’d shared his bed with her. The only other woman was the vampire that compelled him, and that didn’t count because it was all in his imagination. He still could not give her a name.
Damon’s voice entered his head, “What troubles you young Ray?”
Ray looked around the room thinking he was imagining things.
“Relax Raymond, I am bound by blood to you now, and I can hear your thoughts as you can hear mine. No-one else can hear us but you and I. Something troubles you, what is it my gallant young friend?”
“You can hear my thoughts?”
“I can.”
“Then why are you asking what’s wrong? Surely you know my dilemma.” Ray wasn’t sure if he was imaging the conversation or not, so he tested it to be sure. “Prove that you really are in my head.”
“What will you have me do Raymond?”
Ray paused, “Sing the song of ‘Henry the Eighth’ while rubbing your belly and patting your head. Oh and turn in circles while you do it.”
Then Damon in a voice that was loud and clear said, “A gentleman does not sing out loud unless his audience is paying.”
Ray spun in his chair to find Damon had sped to his side and was leaning down speaking directly to him. Beth and Brandy looked over in confusion.
“You really could hear me huh?” Ray said, flustered and embarrassed that he dared test him.
“Perhaps we can take our conversation elsewhere, then we can speak freely and there will be no need for you to test my concern unnecessarily.” Damon suggested.
They went to the top floor and Damon opened the roof so they were looking out to the stars.
“You’re saddened by the loss of your friend; Yet comforted that though she was lost she is not missing. Am I correct?” Damon asked.
“I really cared for her Damon, she may have been the one. Now I will never know, I just couldn’t get there fast enough.”
“You’re angry,” Damon stated matter-of-factly.
“Dam straight I’m angry.”
“At whom do you direct your anger Damon?”
“Her! She should have known the woman wasn’t dead.”
“How was she to know? The woman presented with no vital signs, and had been in the mortuary lying in her wake for Brandy to fall victim.”
“Then me.”
“You? What could you have done differently?”
“I should have been there.”
“To do what? Fall victim as well?”
“Then I’m angry at the bitch that turned her, I’m angry at Victor for starting this shit, I’m angry at everybody. I’m angry at YOU!”
“Ahh, now we are getting somewhere.” Damon said. “Tell me about all this anger Ray, What do you intend to do with it?”
Ray fell to his knees, sobbing, “Nothing, I can’t do a fucking thing, she’s one of you, and I’m…well I’m just me. She doesn’t even know that I.” he didn’t finish his sentence.
“That you what Ray? That you loved her?” Damon pressed the issue.
Ray continued to sob, “Yes, that I loved her okay? And now I’ll never be able to tell her.”
A voice from over Damon’s shoulder spoke out. “I know Ray, I’ve always known.” Brandy had come up to see that everything was alright. “I love you too Ray. But things are different now, I’m different. You’re not safe with me, you have to move on and find someone else.”
“There is no need for haste young Brandy, together we will find a solution. But I will leave you alone for now, you have much to discuss. Tonight the top floor is yours, I will see to it you are not interrupted.” Then he was gone.
Brandy moved closer to Damon, “Well how bout it Ray? Are you interested in finding a solution?” she asked.
“Bran, I gotta tell ya, I’m scared, I’m damaged and I have trust issues with you female vamps. I love you, but I don’t know if I trust you.”
Brandy looked hurt by his words. “I understand that Ray. I’m not sure if I trust me yet either. I was talking to Beth, she reckons that there’s a certain turn on if you get bitten by a vamp during sex. For both of us.”
Ray jumped back holding his neck. “Now ya see? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I don’t want to be your next meal Brandy. Let’s just forget it.” he brushed past her.
She reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into her, she kissed him. Ray was defenceless, he wanted her to kiss him; he opened his mouth and kissed her back. He lifted her off the ground and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her back to her cell. They began pulling each other’s clothes off, groping and sucking each other’s bare flesh.
Ray threw Brandy on her back into her bunk and landed on top of her. Her eyes glowed with flecks of gold indicating her arousal. Rays hardened cock pressed against her pubic area. She was hungry for him, and squirmed to reposition herself so the head was tapping at her entrance. She wrapped her legs around him urging him to enter her cave.
He thrust himself inside her with an urgency that he couldn’t control. He pumped his swollen member in and out of her pussy as hard and fast as he could. Neither could reach the peak they were desperately searching for. Sweat began to trail down Rays face, back and chest, and exhaustion threatened to take over before either could climax.
Between his desperate breaths Ray whispered “Do it Brandy. Let’s see if it’s true.”
Brandy looked up at Ray confused as he continued pounding in and out of her snatch.
“Bite me; I need to cum, bite me now.”
Brandy’s eyes turned a tremendous shade of amber as her fangs protruded, she reached up behind him and drew him near, he was still jerking her with every pump, she wanted to make sure she entered his vein so she held him hard and sank her teeth into his neck and began to suck his essence swallowing a mouthful with every beat of his racing heart.
His cock swelled to an unproportional size then exploded inside her throbbing pussy. She continued to suck him dry.
As his cock fell limp from her vessel, so did his body. “Ray? Baby, are you okay?” he didn’t respond. She pushed him to one side and slid out from under him. Blood still trickled from her bite but the flow was slow and weak.
“HELP!” she yelled. “HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE.”
Her calls could be heard from the bottom floor and Damon raced to her aid, followed by Casey, Kara and Pearce.
When they arrived Ray was barely conscious. “What the fuck did you do? You bitch!” Casey asked drawing her weapon from its holster.
“I’m sorry, he asked me to, and I couldn’t stop…I’m so sorry, help him please.” She said through tears.
“Stop crying bitch, you stole his blood now you’re gonna waste it.” Casey’s rage was getting the better of her.
&nbs
p; “Case, relax, he knew what he was doing.” Pearce held her back. “Doc” as he’d affectionately begun calling Kara, “take a look, what do ya think?”
Chapter Twenty
Kara looked up at the team, her eyes fighting back tears, “It’s not good, he’s lost a lot of blood and he’s fading fast. His pulse is weak, I’m sorry guys; there just isn’t enough time for his blood to rebuild, we’re losing him.”
“NOO!” Brandy shouted. “Do something Damon, please help him, I’m sorry…I’m so sorry.”
She went to kneel at his side,
“You stay the fuck away from him. You’re the reason we’re losing him you selfish piece of shit!” Casey told her.
“I’m sorry, he asked me to…”
“Oh yeah, did he ask for this?” Casey’s heart was breaking.
Damon held Ray in his arms, “He was fearless, kind and above all, he was my friend, I can save him, but he will not be as we know him, and it is not my decision to make, we must be united.”
“What are you talking about?” Pearce asked. “You’re not suggesting what I think your suggesting are ya son?”
“He will live, but we must be quick, you are his family now and I am his blood, do we save him or bury him?”
“Save him!” Casey said without a second thought.
“Wait Case, think about it. Is that what you reckon he’d want?” Kara implored.
“We don’t have time to fucking think about it, he’s dying. He’s the closest thing to a brother I have, I can’t lose him.” She looked at Damon with misty eyes. “Damon, please. Bring him back to us.”
Damon looked at Pearce for conformation of the decision. Pearce finally nodded his head giving him the green light to proceed.
Damon used his thumbnail to open the vein on his wrist; then held it to Ray’s mouth. He tilted his head back so the blood could trickle down his throat, it took a few seconds but soon Ray was feasting from Damon’s open wound. Damon had to pry his wrist free from him, as too much would make him a glutton for the taste once the transformation was complete.
No sooner did he awake did he fall unconscious again. Kara felt for a pulse. “He’s gone.”
“He is in transition. When he rises he will be confused. We have broken the law already; he did not have his say.” Damon stood regretting the decision but knowing it was too late to change it. He placed Ray comfortably in another cell, touched his cheek and whispered “Forgive me my friend, for I was weak.” Then turned and locked the door behind him.
“Is that necessary?” Casey asked.
“I will be with him when he awakes, but to be safe, for him and for others, we must secure his surroundings.” Damon said as he walked away.
* * * * *
Damon lay on his bed with Beth beside him; he took little comfort in his happiness at this moment knowing that he’d disobeyed his first command.
“My love, be at peace. You made the right decision; the boy would have been lost to all if you had not shared your line with him.” Beth tried to console him.
“Yes, but it was not my decision to make, nor anyone else’s. I remember how it felt to discover you could not go to the other side when your time calls. He will be angry, as was I.”
Damon closed his eyes and slipped into slumber.
“Damon” a voice called, “To lead you must obey, to heal you must bleed. Your time grows nigh, there isn’t much time, you must be ready,”
Damon sat upright, he looked around for the voice that seemed to be invading his dreams more frequently, it sounded like it was coming from within the room, but the room was bare except for his sleeping bride Beth. He laid back down and tried to go back to sleep.
* * * * *
Rose was making a pot of coffee. “No point dwelling now, what’s done is done.” She said pouring the coffee into Pearce’s cup.
“We made a mistake. A major fuck up to be exact. That boy was afraid of ‘em. He’d been on their menu from the git go; now he’s gonna be one of ‘em. We should have let ‘im go.” Pearce took a swig from his cup then placed it on the table giving himself the catholic cross from forehead to heart, “God have mercy on us all.”
Rose wrapped her arms around him from behind. “I’m sure the good Lord knows your heart was in the right place.” She kissed his chubby cheek then turned to get a start on dinner.
* * * * *
“Do you think we made the right decision?” Kara asked Casey as the pair laid naked in bed.
“What are you talking about? With Ray?” Casey asked as Kara nodded her head, “What other choice was there? Of course we did the right thing. He’s been my wingman for a long time now, I’m not about to let him die when there’s another way.”
“I understand that babe, but it’s against the laws of nature, we all have to die sometime.”
“Yeah well, not today. Why are you questioning this? I thought you liked Ray?” Casey asked getting a little agitated with Kara’s doubts.
“That’s not fair, you know I care for him as much as you do.”
“Then what’s your problem? He’s gonna be fine, you’ll see.” Casey was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince Kara.
* * * * *
Ray woke feeling hungrier than he ever recalled feeling before. He looked around at his surroundings, registering that he was locked in one of the cells. He looked down at the bedding to see that Brandy was nowhere in sight, he began to wonder where she’d gone.
“Brandy? Are you here?” he asked nervously.
“Ray, baby I’m here, I’m sorry Ray, I didn’t mean it. I would do anything to change it, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” She called from a cell down the hall.
“Bran, what are you talking about? We’re fine, everything’s fine.” He got up and walked to the bars. He looked at the door and realised it was locked from the outside. “Oh it’s like that hey?” he smiled “You wanna play a little game huh?” He reached out and grabbed the bars pulling away from them quickly, as the silver scorched his palms. “What the….?” Ray’s face began to show fear. “What did you do Brandy? WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
Brandy cowered into the corner of her cell covering her sensitive ears at his fear filled tone.
Chapter Twenty-One
Damon appeared in front of Ray’s cell holding two bags of blood from the storeroom. “Ray, I know you’re afraid my young friend, you’re not alone. I’m with you.”
Ray spun around to face Damon. “Why? Who did this to me? Did she?” he pointed and accusatory finger in Brandy’s direction, “Did Brandy do this to me? I was alive.” he broke down. “I was alive.”
“You still are Ray, feel your pulse, your heart still beats, and your blood still travels your veins, you just live in a different world now.”
Ray flew to the bars. “Well I liked the world I was in! I never asked to come into yours. Why did you let her do this? She was supposed to get the council’s approval before she could turn anyone.”
“She is not the one responsible my son.”
“Then who? Who did this to me, I’ll kill them.”
“Twas I, young Ray.” Damon held his head in shame. “I’m ashamed of my actions, and you are justified in your rage.”
“You? Why?” Ray asked surprised at the discovery. “What the fuck did I ever do to you?”
“You were dying, an accident. I made a rash decision and for that I’m forever in your debt.” Damon told him.
“You should have let me die! I hate you, you bastard. I HATE YOU!”
Casey came up behind Damon “Oh yeah? Then you’d better hate me too.”
“You? Were you in on this?” he asked her, with a look of hurt taking over his confused face.
“It was my decision, I told him to do it. You were dying and I wasn’t about to let you go without a fight, so be grateful ya little shit.” Casey told him making like it was no big deal.
“Are you fucking serious? You obnoxious bitch! How would you feel if someone made tha
t choice for you? I would rather be dead than live like them.” He scuffed in Damon’s direction.
“Well you are one of THEM.” Casey reminded him, “Come on Damon, let’s just let him cool off for a while.” she said as she went back down to the team.
* * * * *
“Can you believe that guy?” Casey asked them. “He has just been given the opportunity to live forever and he acts as if we’re his worst enemy.”
Pearce looked at Kara who slightly shook her head in disapproval of her lovers’ attitude.
Pearce stood up and said “Case, it’s your attitude I’m surprised at.”
“Mine?” she asked.
“Yes yours” He added “Here’s a young man in the prime of his life, with everything in front of him. Now he has nothing, he will never father a child, never grow old…”
“And let’s forget, never get sick and never die.” Casey added. “Have you all forgotten he was going to fucking die and would not have had any of that anyhow?”
“Yes, but at least he would not be around to regret it.” Damon interrupted.
Just at that moment Rick entered the building, he’d been at home spending some precious time with his wife and two kids, oblivious to the events of the night before.
“So, what’s on our agenda for tonight?” he asked in a cheerful voice.
Everyone turned avoiding giving him eye contact. The phone on Pearce’s desk rang, he knew from the caller ID screen that it was the men in black, for the first time he was actually grateful to have them call.
“Pearce here.” He said into the receiver.
“Congratulations, the city has been regained and the power returned to its people, the headlines are indicating a cult on a course of destruction was responsible for the uproar. All parties have been apprehended and are facing criminal charges. We await the full report of the true facts to be emailed by the end of the day tomorrow.” The voice said, the phone went dead and Pearce sighed.
