Summary: 
Categories: Fanfiction > Backstreet Boys
Characters: Nick, Other
Genres: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Supernatural
Warnings: Slash M/M
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 9
Completed: Yes
Word count: 11600
Read: 16334
Published: 03/18/08
Updated: 03/19/08
Story Notes:
I started writing this story a few years ago, but as I am currently working on book three in this series, I figured I should post the previous ones before starting on the last.
1. Prologue by FadedSouls
2. Chapter One by FadedSouls
3. Chapter Two by FadedSouls
4. Chapter Three by FadedSouls
5. Chapter Four by FadedSouls
6. Chapter Five by FadedSouls
7. Chapter Six by FadedSouls
8. Chapter Seven by FadedSouls
9. Epilogue by FadedSouls
To an outsider’s eyes, the place looked like nothing more than an abandoned warehouse. But that was to an outsider’s eyes. For those who knew the place, those who were there every night of the week, it was a safe haven. It was a place to find others of their kind. Others who felt like them, believed like them, and were like them.
Those who knew the place, those who believed, they called it the Red House. To them it was not simply a warehouse, but a bar, a club, and a meeting place.
It was where they met others of their kind. It was where they socialized, and it was where some of them indulged in what they believed were normal behaviour for 'their' kind.
For them, the Believers, it was the only place they could truly feel free. For him, it was just another vampire club, just another place where he searched for the meaning of it all. Where he searched for his own meaning in life.
He was not like the others. He did not believe that drinking pig’s blood, wearing fake fangs and staying away from sunlight would grant him immortal life.
Some truly believed this. In their own eyes, they were the True Believers. Others, mere Believers, they wanted so badly to believe that their way of life would lead to something better, for it was all that they had left. Last, there were those who did not believe, who were there because others they knew were, and those who had nowhere else to go.
He was nothing like any of the others. He could feel it. These places attracted him, because they were the only places he could think of looking. What he was looking for, he didn't know. But he knew that places like the Red House was where he would find what he was searching for; what he longed for with every fiber of his being.
All his life he had felt different. He had felt like he was all alone in the world. Even surrounded by family and friends he had felt alone. In the beginning he didn't know why, he didn't understand. He thought that there was something wrong with him. Not until he turned 18 did he realize that it was not him that there was something wrong with. It was all those that surrounded him.
So he started searching, searching for people like him, searching for a place where he could truly feel at home. Places like the Red House felt closer to home than any others. So he sought them out, looked for them. He had visited many, for there were more than just the one. But this particular house was new to him. The Red House was difficult to find, and those who did find it usually never wanted to be somewhere else.
It was located in New York, a little outside perhaps. It wasn't easy to tell, at least not to him who had lived most of his life in Florida.
He had moved to New York six months before, and had spent the first three searching. He had found quite a few places like the Red House, but he had not stayed long in any of them. This was the next place on his list, the next place where his search took him.
He had been planning to go here for a week, after finding out its location from a man he had met at the last place his search had taken him. He always had a plan ready when he visited new places. He never knew what to find or what to look for, but he liked planning. And unlike most of the others you would find in places like this, he had a job, and tried his best to live a normal life.
He had approached the Red House slowly, his eyes searching, scanning the area for something he didn't know he would recognize even if he did see it. The door opened in front of him, people walking out, wearing black, two or three of them wearing capes, all of them sporting white fangs, glasses holding pigs’ blood in their hands. They were True Believers, and they knew it. Their attitude screaming it, their eyes looking at him like he was beneath them. And in their own eyes, he was.
He knew better than to follow them with his eyes, and instead he looked straight ahead, past the doors, as he walked into the Red House for the first time.
Chapter One by FadedSouls
The place was packed, filled with people from every corner of the world, each and every one of them there for their own reasons. They all had an agenda, a reason to be here. They all had a story, a history, and a past some would do anything to forget.
He was like all of them, and like none of them.
Like them he had a history some would find interesting, a past he didn't feel like sharing, and a reason to be here that he would never tell anyone.
But that was also the only thing he had in common with these people. As he walked through the crowd towards the bar his eyes took in everything that he saw. He memorized the layout of the place, where the exit was, the tables, the secluded rooms and the dance floor.
In his mind he drew a picture of this place, what it looked like, where everything was, and where he would find the different kinds of people. This was vital information for him, as he needed to remember every little detail if he was to find what he searched for. He might not know what it was yet, but one day he would find out, and when he did, he needed to remember where he could find it.
The bar was located in the center of what seemed to be the main room or hall perhaps. It was huge, with an upper level at the very back, where the True Believers could be found, sitting around tables drinking blood, talking and behaving like only True Believers would. On that upper level some rooms were located, rooms reserved for True Believers and True Believers only.
Those rooms held many functions, but mainly they were used for Bloodsharing, where people would drink of each other’s blood, sharing it. Bloodsharing was not something he had ever indulged in, and he could not see himself ever trying it either.
The other thing those rooms were used for was sexual experimentation. Believers, in general, thought of vampires as creatures who would have sex with anyone, male or female, at any occasion, and often as a part of Bloodsharing. True Believers would have sex with anyone, even if they were straight or not. Though no True Believer would ever admit to being straight. Vampires were bisexual, and everybody knew that. Therefore, if one Believed, one had to be that as well.
That was one thing he didn't understand, one of many things he didn't understand. These people were like children playing games. If somebody didn't stick to the rules, or what had been decided were the rules, then they were out. These people tried to be someone they were clearly not.
He never had that problem. He knew he was bisexual, had known for years. He didn't have to pretend, not like most of the others here.
As he got closer to the bar he passed Believers and Mixes, those who were neither Believers nor True Believers. Besides from the True Believers, most of the people here did not care much whom they socialized with. Both to his left and right, along the wall, there were more rooms located, these free for use to anybody. The hall also had a balcony, with stairs leading up to it, and on that there were even more rooms. Some of these were used for sleeping, as a lot of the people here had nowhere else to go.
The floor itself was one big dance floor. The music was loud, but not so loud that one could not speak. The bar was placed in the center of the room, like a square island lifted two steps from the dance floor. There were no tables around the bar, but there were plenty of stools one could sit on. The bar itself was huge, which made you realize just how vast this entire place was.
To him, it was one of the largest places he had ever been, and he could understand why people never went anywhere else once they found this place. It was everything a Believer could ever want, and more.
If it was everything he ever wanted, remained to be seen.
Chapter Two by FadedSouls
Stepping up to the bar his eyes searched for an empty stool, and it didn't take him long to find one. There were quite a few, as most of the people located at the bar were either newcomers, like him, or loners, whom no one wanted to have anything to do with.
Which one he would be taken for, he didn't know, and it didn't really matter. He had never thought that what he searched for was a person. It could be, but he didn't think it was. It was something that could not be explained.
The bartender on this side of the bar noticed him sitting down, and was over there in a matter of seconds, asking him what he wanted. He ordered a Bloodless Bloody Mary, which was only the Bloody Mary for people outside the vampire world.
He got his drink less than a minute later, the bartender giving him a strange look. Maybe the man wasn't used to people ordering Bloodless drinks in this place. Looking around, he found that it might just be so, as every single person sitting at his end of the bar were drinking Blood drinks, though some looked like they would rather not.
He shook his head, and took a sip of his drink, his eyes scanning the room quickly, looking for anything and anyone. He avoided eye contact as best he could, for he was not here in search of mindless chatter with the first vampire whore that came along. And there were quite a few of those here. Those who would do anything for you if they could only have a small taste of your blood. It was distasteful, and it made you loose concentration.
He wasn't here for the company or the socializing. He was here because he was looking for something, and he would never find it if he acted like some of these people were. Their behaviour alone scared him at times, because he knew very well that some of the people in here killed for blood. They would drink someone’s blood and leave him or her to die, because it was what they thought a vampire would do. And no one would think less of them for doing so. No one would dare, for only a True Believer would ever go that far.
His eyes landed on a woman, and a pretty one at that. Her long pitch-black hair hung loose, swinging from side to side as she moved. Her skin was pale, like she had not been out in the sun for years. She stood there talking to some Mixes, yet her behaviour… there was something familiar about it. It was as if she only talked to them because she felt she had to, like she would rather be somewhere else.
He kept his eyes on her, studying her. He didn't know why, but there was something about her, something that made him unable to take his eyes off her. He felt an attraction to her, yet he also felt something else. Something he could only describe as a hateful feeling. Like he didn't like her at all. He didn't even know her, had only just now seen her, yet he knew he didn't like her. He knew that he could never like her.
He took his eyes off her, and continued his search through the room, occasionally taking a sip of his drink. He ignored those who looked like they wanted start a conversation with him, those who were looking for company, for a connection. He kept his eyes moving, taking in everything, absorbing every little detail of the room, of the people.
Then he felt that familiar feeling again, and for a moment he wondered if the woman was moving through the room. Then he saw him, standing by himself over by the entrance, as if he had just arrived. He was tall, about his own height, with short black hair arranged in a fashion so it looked like he just got out of bed. His clothes were as black as his hair, and his blue eyes sparkled in the sparse light.
He kept his eyes on this man, and watched as the man started to slowly walk through the room, his eyes searching for someone it seemed. He took another sip of his drink as the man came a little closer, and then the man suddenly stopped, turning his head. The man's eyes seemed to land on the same black haired woman that he himself had been watching only moments before.
Then, suddenly, someone moved right in front of him, blocking his sight of the man. When the view was clear again, the man was gone. The familiar feeling he had inside, it was gone as well. He didn't understand what it was, but he knew it had something to do with that man that had just entered. The man who had shown an interest in the same woman he had seen. The man he had lost in the crowd.
He closed his eyes, trying to will that familiar feeling back. It didn't come. He lifted his glass again, to take another sip, and realized it was empty. Turning around to face the bar he motioned for the bartender to bring him another one. He knew he needed something to drink while he was sitting there.
The man came over with it, still giving him that strange look, the look that meant he didn't approve of someone drinking a Bloodless Bloody Mary. It seemed the Red House was not a place for Bloodless drinks. He took a sip of his drink, to check that it had no blood. It didn't, and he turned around again, only to find himself looking straight at the man he had been watching only minutes before.
He almost dropped the glass as he felt the familiar feeling return, ten times as strong. There was something about this man, almost as if he was drawn to him. He got a stronger hold on his glass, took a sip, and gave the man a smile, motioning for him to sit down. The man smiled back, and took the seat next to him, without saying a word, ordering his drink with a hand gesture, never taking his eyes off the man sitting next to him.
Chapter Three by FadedSouls
They sat there, staring at each other, for what seemed like an eternity. In truth, it was only half a minute, until the man got his drink. Then the eye contact was broken, but the feeling was still there. Still there and stronger than ever, yet he was not able to tell what it was that he felt. He just knew he felt something.
"Hello," the man said to him, and smiled, his blue eyes shining, his pale skin standing out in the dim lighting. He could barely hear what the man had said, due to the music that had suddenly started to play louder. It seemed it got louder as the night passed.
"Hi," he replied, leaning closer to the man as he extended his hand. "My name is Nickolas." The man sat down his drink on the bar, and took Nickolas' hand and shook it.
"My name is Avatar. It's a pleasure to meet you Nickolas."
Nickolas raised an eyebrow, a smile appearing on his face as he leaned a bit closer. The music must be louder than he thought, for what he had heard could clearly not be the man's name.
"What did you say your name was again?" he asked, and Avatar answered him again. He hadn't heard wrong. The man's name really was Avatar, strange as it may sound.
"I do not believe you," he said, still smiling, taking another sip of his drink. Avatar only smiled. "It's my real name, as real as Nickolas is the one you go by now," he replied, downing half of his drink, a Blood drink it seemed. For a second, Nickolas was worried that this man was a Believer. They did tend to change their names to something that sounded more like a vampire name, at least in their own eyes.
He took another sip of his drink, letting his eyes wander over Avatar's body, taking in everything about the man. None of the clothes he wore spoke of a Believer, nor did his behaviour. It seemed he was just another Mix then, or possibly a newcomer like him.
"Like what you see?" Avatar asked with a raised eyebrow. Nickolas grinned at him, finishing off his second drink, and motioning for the bartender to give him another one. "Just checking that you weren't a Believer," he replied. He had not expected the look of disgust that ran over Avatar's features. "Believers. Stupid children playing a game they don't know all the rules to. I would never associate with any of them, nor do I like to talk of them. So let's not. Is this your first time here?"
Nickolas was surprised at the amount of hate in Avatar's voice as he talked about the Believers, and how quickly it had gone away when he had changed the subject and asked him a question.
"Yeah, it's my first time here," he replied, and Avatar nodded, telling him that he had thought so, for he had never seen Nickolas there before. It turned out that Avatar was there at least once a week. Why he was there Nickolas didn't ask, but then again, Avatar didn't ask why he was there either.
They talked about everything that night. About Nickolas' life, what he did for a living, about how he had grown up in Florida. They talked about life, dreams, nightmares and wishes. They covered a lot that first night, and during their entire conversation, Nickolas felt that familiar feeling. Every time he looked into Avatar's eyes it got stronger, and every time he looked away from the man it felt weaker. He could still feel Avatar sitting next to him, but the feeling of familiarity grew weaker when he wasn't looking at the man.
Avatar showed no sign of emotion associated with that familiarity, and Nickolas did not feel like asking the man about it. It could just be attraction, but he wasn't sure. He had felt it when he looked at that black haired woman and he felt it now, looking at Avatar. He didn't understand it, but he didn't care. He just let it wash over him as he stared into Avatar's eyes as the night slowly moved towards day again.
As the time for sunrise got closer, Avatar started showing signs that he would rather get moving, and Nickolas knew that he too should start to get home. He would need some sleep, if he were to be able to do some work that day before it was time to return to this place again at night.
They were not the only ones who were getting ready to leave, and as they walked in the crowd heading for the door, none of them said a word. Avatar was standing close to him, one hand casually draped around Nickolas' waist.
As they finally came outside, Avatar moved them a little away from the Red House before he turned to look straight into Nickolas' eyes.
"You coming tomorrow?" he asked, and Nickolas could only nod, once more lost in the feeling as he looked into Avatar's eyes. Avatar smiled, and placed a soft kiss on Nickolas' lips, before he turned and started to walk away.
"See you then," he said, as he moved into the shadows of a building and was gone.
Nickolas stood there for a few minutes, his fingers touching his lips where Avatar had kissed him, his mind trying to figure out what that familiar feeling was. Why did he feel it when he was close to Avatar, and that woman for that matter? What was it all about? He didn't understand the feeling any more than he understood why he knew that he hated the black haired woman, and why he knew that he could trust Avatar with his life.
The way he felt towards those two were so different, yet the same. He felt drawn towards them, to Avatar in particular, and to the woman, even though he knew he hated her more than anything else. He didn't understand any of it, but he hoped that one day he would. And until then he would take one day at a time, just as he always had. And that following night he was meeting Avatar again. Maybe then he would find out more. And if he didn't, well, it didn't really matter. He could spend a lifetime not understanding that feeling, if he could only spend that lifetime with Avatar by his side.
Chapter Four by FadedSouls
For the past four weeks there had been a pattern forming in Nickolas' life. He had gone from never knowing where he would go next to having a plan formed in his mind at the beginning of each day. He went to work, moving about as if in a daze, watching time move slower and slower, until the time came that he could go home. His feet could never carry him fast enough back to his own place, and once there time seemed to speed up again. He barely had time to get something to eat while he got ready, and the time for him to leave always seemed to come before he was truly happy about the way he looked.
He would walk into the Red House a little late, and stop as the familiar feeling crashed in over him, as if to swallow him whole. His eyes would find Avatar at once, no matter where the man was in the room. Avatar would always be there when he arrived. Even if he on a rare occation was early, Avatar would always manage to be there first.
They would spend most of the night at the bar talking and drinking, or on the dance floor where Nickolas tried to teach Avatar some of the latest dance moves, and laugh every time the man almost fell over because he was trying too hard.
Every night he would drown in the feeling of familiarity and knowledge, and every night he would wonder what that feeling was, why he felt it, and every night he would come to the conclusion that he didn't care.
They had spent more than one night in one of the rooms at the Red House, and one weekend they had spent entirely in one of the rooms on the upper levels, never once leaving, not even to get something to eat. He had wondered more than once if this was what love felt like, but had never found the strength to ask Avatar about it. He didn't know how the man felt. He could guess, but nothing more. He could look into his eyes and say he thought he knew, but he could never be sure.
For four weeks they played this game, avoiding questions that needed answers, and instead living in the moment, not caring one bit about the future. They followed no plan, so real pattern, but went with their urges, let their conversations guide and control them, and at the end of the night said their goodbyes outside the Red House, just as they had that first night. Avatar would walk into the shadows, becoming one with them, Nickolas' eyes following him until the very moment the shadows swallowed him.
This night started out as all the others had. The familiar feeling came crashing over him the second he stepped into the Red House, and as always his eyes found Avatar at once, sitting at the bar, staring straight at Nickolas. He walked over and ordered his drink, never once taking his eyes off Avatar. He felt like he was drowning in the familiar feeling, just as he felt at the beginning of every night. He sat down, and their nightly ritual began.
*****
Nickolas knew that it was time to leave, knew that they should be moving, but he didn't want to. He didn't feel like leaving Avatar this day, or any other day for that matter. He wanted to stay as close as possible to the man. It was the end of the night, and people were leaving, yet he wanted to stay right there in Avatar's arms, dancing.
"Can we stay forever?" he asked, moving a step back so that he could look into Avatar's beautiful eyes. The man smiled, but shook his head. "It's getting late, and we should be leaving" he said, and took Nickolas' hand. "Actually it's early" Nickolas stated, as he gave Avatar a soft kiss, trying to make the man stay for a little while longer.
Avatar smiled and brought his hand up to cup Nickolas' face. "All the more reason for us to be moving. It'll be day in less than an hour, and you need to get some sleep." Nickolas smiled, and turned his head to kiss the plam of Avatar's hand. "I don't need sleep" he said, a grin spreading accross his face. "Sure you don't" Avatar said, as he once again took Nickolas' hand, this time to start leading him outside.
*****
They said nothing as they walked in the crowd that was leaving the Red House. This part of the night was always a quiet part. No words were uttered as they walked slowly, neither of them wanting the night to end, and both knowing that it had to. It had to because it always did, it always ended here, outside the Red House, slightly hidden from the others in shadows, saying their goodbyes.
As they were swallowed by shadows once more, Avatar turned to look at Nickolas. "Don't go" Nickolas said, leaning in to give Avatar a kiss, as if to try and convince the man not to leave him standing there alone in the dark. "I don't want to, but I have to" Avatar said, kissing Nickolas back. "Why?" Nickolas asked, not understanding why Avatar had to leave.
Avatar didn't reply at first, only looked into Nickolas' eyes, as if he was searching for something. If he found it or not, he didn't show, but after a few minutes of silence he finally said, "because I am a vampire, and we do not like sunlight very much." He looked dead serious when he said it, though a smile appeared on his face as Nickolas leaned in and kissed him again. "Well then my dear vampire, you'll just have to take me with you, for I am not leaving you this night" he said, making his point clear with another kiss.
They stood there for a while kissing, before Avatar pulled away, again taking Nickolas' hand in his own. No words were said as he started to lead Nickolas with him deeper into the shadows, as he for the first time brought the man with him home.
Chapter Five by FadedSouls
That night the shadows swallowed them both as they moved away from the Red House, following the path Avatar took each night. Nickolas walked next to him, holding on to his hand as if he was afraid the man would vanish if he let go. Where they went, he didn't notice, as his whole attention was on the man leading him in the shadows.
Avatar moved slowly, his gaze shifting from the shadow cloaked buildings in front of them to the beautiful man beside him. As the sun started to rise, and the night shifted into day, Avatar lead Nickolas into a building that looked abandoned, worn down, and all but hidden in the shadows of the surrounding buildings.
He closed the door behind them, and started to lead Nickolas down a long hall, passing three doors on the way. The whole building had seen better days, but as they reached the door at the far end of the hall, Nickolas noticed that this door had a lock on it, and looked more well kept than the three others.
Avatar unlocked the door, never letting go of Nickolas' hand, turning to face him as he opened the door.
"Welcome to my home" he said, smiling and leaning in to give Nickolas a soft kiss. The he stepped into the room, leading Nickolas with him, stepping aside so that Nickolas could have a look at the place.
The room looked nothing like the rest of the building. The entrance hall was big and lighted, the walls painted in a deep shade of red, and the sparse furiture matching the color of the walls. As they moved further into the apartment, they entered the living room.
The walls there were painted in a dark green color, candles decorating the oak table in front of the black leather couch which was situated in the far right corner. The carpet on the floor felt soft underneath his feet, black as the night, matching the room perfectly.
It might have seemed dark and dank, but to him it felt cozy, impressive, like home. He could tell at once that Avatar had decorated this place himself, going for an old fashioned style. The paintings on the walls looked like they had been painted hundreds of years ago, portraying wild animals, landscape and people. Each and every one of them placed carefully in the room, so that it did not disturb the fine balance that was clearly present.
To the left was the kitchen, it's walls painted in the same green color like the living room, well equipped, yet seeming old fashioned. He took a quick look around in there, noticing the same planned decorating there as in the living room, the balance just right. Then he moved into the living room, straight ahead this time, over to a black door that he believed lead into the bedroom.
Avatar was there before him, opening the door, turning to look at him with a smile on his face, the reflection of lit candles dancing in his eyes. Nickolas smiled back, walking closer, wrapping his arms around Avatar, moving the both of them into the bedroom. He leaned in and kissed Avatar, his eyes closed, his senses high, drowning in that familiar feeling that now, more than ever, was present.
As the kiss ended he took a look around the room. It was more impressive than anything else in the house. The walls were painted pitch black, lit up by several old fashioned lamps on the walls and candles on the night stand. The bed was huge, filling up most of the room, covered in what seemed to be dark red silk sheets. Huge black curtains hid the room from any daylight, the candles making the shadows dance on the walls.
He walked closer to the windows, which took up all of the far wall, but was stopped by Avatar before he made it that far. As he turned to ask why the man had stopped him, Avatar leaned in to kiss him again, and all thoughts of letting in daylight was lost as he melted into Avatar's embrace, his hands removing the man's clothing, as his own fell to the floor.
*****
He didn't know what time it was when he woke up, the black curtains were shutting out all sunlight. Around him shadows from the lit candles were dancing on the walls, the candles themselves being the only source of lighting in the room.
Behind him he could feel Avatar's frame spooning him, his arm were firmly placed around Nickolas' waist, Avatar felt almost cool behind him, the heat from the sheets and room itself making it difficult to tell. He didn't want to move, wanted to stay there in bed with Avatar forever, but he knew he couldn't. Though he had no work today, there were still things he wanted to do. Everyday things like eating breakfast and going shopping. Things couples did. For they were a couple now, and he figured they had been since that first night, even if neither of them had actually voiced the fact.
He moved Avatar's arm slowly, not wanting to wake the other man, and moved out of the bed. The covers were now only covering Avatar's lower half, but Nickolas made no move to change that. For a few seconds his eyes were locked on the mans chest and face, taking in the beauty of it, before he leaned down and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead.
Then he turned around, trying to locate his boxers. The darkness of the room made that task all but impossible, for a few lit candles did not cast off that much light. After a few minutes of stumbling around he located them, and after pulling them on he turned towards the huge curtain covered windows, wondering what time of the day it was, if it was sunny outside or if they had spent the entire day in that bed together.
He walked over slowly so he wouldn't trip on any of the clothes that were still scattered on the floor. As he reached the windows it took him a few seconds to locate where he could actually open them, but as he did, it did not take him long to pull them aside, letting in the midday sun.
He had not been prepared for the scream behind him, or the sizzling sound of something burning, the smell of burnt flesh. What he saw when he turned around scared him more than anything he had ever seen, it froze him, made his breathing reflex stop for a few seconds. He just stood there, staring, saying nothing. His eyes locked on Avatar.
He had never seen another man move as fast as Avatar had. One second he had been lying in the bed, the other he was on the opposite side of the room, breathing hard as his chest just then started to stop burning. Nickolas was shocked as he saw the red burns on Avatar's chest, where the sunlight had hit him. Parts of Avatar's face was also burnt, but not as much as his chest. The smoke was just settling, but the smell was still there. The smell of burnt flesh.
"What the fuck?" he said, not able to take his eyes off Avatar, who's chest had stopped to smoke, and it seemed as if the burns were not as bad as Nickolas first had though. The burns. The sun had burnt him, badly. "What the fuck?"
"You said that already" Avatar said, looking at him, his eyes shining as beautifully blue as ever.
"What...are you?" Nickolas asked, his voice cracking on him, barely able to voice those three simple words.
What are you.
Three words, seemlingly not that important, but in this situation more important that any other words in the world. Nickolas could not take his eyes of Avatar as he waited for the mans response.
"You already know that" Avatar said, taking a step closer to Nickolas, but making sure he stayed clear of the sunlight that was still shining brightly into half of his bedroom.
"No I don't" Nickolas said, still not able to move, still not having full control over his own voice.
"I told you last night Nickolas. I'm a vampire."
I'm a vampire.
A vampire.
Vampire.
Avatar had told him last night, but Nickolas had not believed him. If he hadn't just witnessed what he had, if the couldn't see the burns on Avatar's chest and face, if the room weren't still bathed in the smell of burnt flesh, then he wouldn't have believed the man. But he had seen all these things, and what he had seen made him believe. Believe that Avatar was a vampire. And believing made it all allright. It made it all better, clearer, it made it all make sense.
For the longest time Nickolas didn't say anything, didn't move, his eyes were locked Avatar, his mind racing. Not worrying about the things that Avatar's confession explained, but what it meant. His mind was racing, trying to come up with answers to questions he didn't even know. Then, finally, after more than five minutes of silence, he finally knew what to say.
"Make me one. Make me a vampire."
Avatar didn't reply at first, his face emotionless, his gaze locked on Nickolas. Then he spoke, but what he said was not what Nickolas had expected.
"You don't truly know what you'll be giving up. Everything that you are will be gone the second my teeth sink into your neck. You will never be Nickolas again. He'll be dead, gone. Are you ready for that, to give up all that you know? Are you ready to die ? Few are."
"I am" he replied almost immediately, a stubborn look flashing over his face a second, before his face turned into a mask of resolve. He would not change his mind. Avatar knew that face, knew what Nickolas wanted, what he needed. He also knew that it was not that easy. There were things that needed to be said first, things that Nickolas needed to hear. He would not understand at first, for none did. But it was the way it had to be done.
"I cannot make you a vampire Nickolas" he said.
"Why not?" was the reply he got from Nickolas, whos face showed that he did not understand, could not understand, why Avatar would not make him a vampire.
"Because no one can make you a vampire. No one can be made into a vampire. It's just not something that can be done."
"You're lying. How can you be one if no one can be made into one? What, you were just born like this, a vampire? I don't believe that. I don't know why you're saying these things, but I don't believe you. Turn me into a vampire, or look into my eyes and tell me why you don't want to do it. And don't tell me it's because you can't because I don't believe you."
Avatar had not expected the sudden burst of anger from Nickolas. The last words out of his mouth had been shouted, and Nickolas face was now a mask of anger, and confusion. Nickolas didn't understand, couldn't, and that made him angry.
Avatar was quiet for a little while, only looking at Nickolas, watching him, wondering how he could tell him this without freaking him out completely. Without making him more confused, more angry. He came to the conslusion that there was no way for him to break it to him gently, to tell him so he would understand, so it would not be confusing. There was only one way from him to do this. He had to tell Nickolas, tell him now, before the poor man got even more upset, more angry, more confused, more lost.
"Believe me when I say that I cannot make you a vampire, turn you into one..." he raised his hand, stopping Nickolas' words before they were voiced, his eyes begging Nickolas to let him finish.
"Nickolas, I can't turn you into a vampire. I can't, because you already are a vampire!"
Chapter Six by FadedSouls
For the longest time he stood there frozen, unable to say a word or form a simple though. His mouth hung slightly open, frozen in mid-word as Avatar had uttered the words that had shattered his existence.
You already are a vampire
A vampire
You are a vampire
His mind was racing, his vision blurred, his face pale and his breath uneven, as he tried to deal with this new information he had been given. A part of him knew what Avatar said was true, but that part was overwhelmed by the part that fought against it. The part of him that didn't want to believe it was true, didn't want to face what he would surely have to face once he aknowledged Avatar and what he had been told about himself.
Avatar said nothing, he only looked at Nickolas with those ice blue eyes, his bare chest still bunt, his body frozen, standing in the shadow filled part of the room. Nickolas had yet to close the curtains, that action not even crossing his mind as he struggled to come to terms with what he had been told.
Minutes passed as neither man said nothing, until finally Nickolas' mind seemed to have made a decision. The young man took a step closer to Avatar, a confused smile appearing on his face as he said, "what do you mean, I am already a vampire?"
Avatar smiled back at him, and though he wanted to walk over and put his arms around Nickolas, he did nothing. He needed to do this right now, to act the way he should have acted the first time he had felt the boy. Instead he had let his emotions run wild, he had let it get out of control, and now he had to fix that.
"I mean just what I am saying Nickolas. You are a vampire, therefore, there is no need for me to turn you into one."
"How can that be?" Nickolas asked confused. "I can walk in the light of day. Sunlight doesn't actually burn me, not the way it burns you anyway. So if I'm a vampire, how come I don't burn like you do when I stand in the sun?"
Avatar smiled as Nickolas asked his question, which made the young man even more confused than he already was. When he was done asking, Avatar said nothing for a few seconds, and when he opened his mouth, what he said was not at all what Nickolas had expected.
"I want you to do something for me Nickolas. I want you to forget everything that you've heard about vampires. Forget everything that you think you know. Forget it all, and wipe your mind clean. And then I'll tell you what we are really like, and why normal people can never be what we are."
Nickolas looked even more confused for a moment, before he nodded. Taking a few steps closer to Avatar he sat down on the bed, his eyes locked on the vampire, his mind working hard on forgetting, though that was in truth all but impossible. After waiting for a few moments, Avatar continued.
"It will be all but impossible for me to explain everything to you right now. I doubt I even know all there is to know myself, and I have been around for a while. But I guess the best place to start is with the basics.
There are two types of vampires. Those that are mortal, and those that are immortal. Those that Live, and those that has Become. You see, a vampire is not something you can be turned into, it is something you are born as. There are normal humans out there that carries vampire blood in them, but that does not make them vampires. Normally vampires are born of humans, and do not know what they truly are until they meet others of their kind. Even then they might not truly understand it. No one know what makes the vampire blood become active in some and stay dormant in some. All we know is that we are born vampires.
A vampire can live his or her entire life as a mortal, never meeting others of it's kind, never Becoming what we are. In order to Become immortal, a True vampire must bite a mortal vampire. The saliva of an immortal vampire carries something that changes the mortal vampire, something that makes them Become. They die, and then they are reborn as the next sun sets, to see their first night as an immortal, as a True Vampire."
He paused then, to let it all sink inn. Nickolas' eyes had not left his own once as he had spoken, and now they were filled with new question, as realization started to hit the man. He knew that Nickolas would have question, most did after they had been told what they were.
Under normal circumstances he would not be the one to answer any questions, he would not be the one to tell this tale. Normally, he would not even be around when it was told. He was here now though, and it was up to him to tell Nickolas all he needed to know. To tell him the truth, and then watch as Nickolas himself had to deal with it.
"You have questions" he said matter of factly, giving Nickolas a smile as he got ready to answer whatever question the man thought up.
"So," Nickolas began, his voice breaking, making him pause for a few seconds. "So, I am a vampire." Avatar only nodded, waiting for Nickolas to continue. "How do you know?"
Avatar was a bit shocked at this, yet did not show it. He would have thought Nickolas had figured that out by now, but it seemed the man was still too confused to see what was right in front of him.
"I can feel you, just as you can feel me. I've been able to feel you since the first time you set foot into the Red House. I felt you there, saw you through the crowd, saw you looking at me. I felt you, and I came to you. You remember?"
Nickolas nodded, remembering that first night, remembering the feeling that had crashed in over him, the feeling that had made him notice Avatar, the feeling of familiarity and bliss every time he was near the man. The same feeling that turned to hatred when he saw a young black haired woman. "The woman" he said, looking at Avatar, "is a vampire?"
"Yes, she is a mortal vampire" he replied, taking a step towards Nickolas, yet still staying well cloaked in shadows.
"I hate her" Nickolas stated. "Why do I hate her? I don't even know her, yet I know that I hate her as surely as I know that those are burns on your chest, and that the sun will rise tomorrow as it did today."
"You hate her because of her line" Avatar replied as he came even closer, taking it one step at a time, slowly, so he would not scare the man. He still didn't know how well Nickolas was dealing with all this new information he had been given.
"Her line? What do you mean?" Nickolas asked, his eyes gleaming in the sunlight that hit his face through the window.
"There are five vampire lines, five Bloodlines to which we belong. Every vampire has the blood from one of the lines in them, and this determines to which line he belongs. A vampire's line is his family, and each line is lead by the High Seat. The five bloodlines are Avalon, Arden, Ajax, Acacia and Aletha. The first two are also knows as the Latin Lines, and last three as the Greek Lines. The line is your family, and it is your line that will ultimately make you immortal, take you through your Becoming."
"So, my line will make me immortal you say?"! Nickolas asked, standing up, his eyes gleaming.
"That is the way it is done yes" Avatar replied, not understanding where Nickolas was going with this.
"What line am I?" he then asked.
"You are of the Latin Line of Arden, Nickolas" he replied calmly.
"And you?"
"I am of Avalon, the other Latin Line" he replied as calmly as before, still not understanding where Nickolas was going with this.
"So if what you say is true, then you cannot make me immortal?" Nickolas asked, taking a step closer to Avatar, his voice harsh now.
"It's not the way it is done no." Avatar knew now where Nickolas was going with this, and he didn't like it. Didn't like it because ever since he had met the boy he had been faced with this. Faced with the fact that he could not make the boy immortal, that he could not at'hia him.
"So why did you do it?" Nickolas all but screamed at his face, the anger showing itself clearly, his eyes gleaming dangerously.
"Why did I do what?" Avatar asked, fighting to keep his voice calm.
"Why did you play me like this? Why didn't you just bring me to the Head of my line or whatever. Why did you have to play with me first. Why did you have to make me fall for you, when you cannot be the one to make me immortal. When you cannot be the one to make me."
Avatar lowered his head and closed his eyes, unable to look at Nickolas' face, where tears were now running down his cheeks. He was unable to face the whole situation, now that it had caught up to him. He knew that he had been playing a dangerous game, a game there was no way he could win. But he had been unable to let Nickolas go. He had been unable to do what had to be done.
He knew he could not hide any longer, and raised his head again, looking into Nickolas eyes once more, trying not to let the anger in them get to him, trying hard not to show Nickolas how he truly felt.
"I never played you Nickolas. I was merely unable to let you go."
Nickolas shook his head, hie eyes closing for a few seconds. When he looked back, he avoided looking straight at Nickolas. "So you cannot make me immortal?" he asked, all anger gone from his voice now, only sadness left.
"It would be against all that I know, and also against the rules. I'm not allowed to make you immortal. Only the head of your line can make that decision, can have it done. And I am sorry for not taking you to him the first time I met you. I will make amends though. As soon as the night falls, I will lead you to him, and he will take it from there."
As the last word left his lips, Nickolas face was once again a mask of anger, anger he was doing a great job controlling. His eyes was gleaming again, as he took another step closer to Avatar, standing on the border between the sunlight and the shadow.
"If you will not make me immortal, then no one will" he yelled, just as he turned and all but ran out of the room. Avatar made a move to follow, but stopped at the border, unable to move over to the door, as that way was still bathed in sunlight. He could only watch as Nickolas ran thought his apartment and out into the newborn day.
Chapter Seven by FadedSouls
Never before had a day passed as slowly as this one did for Avatar. He had been around for more years than he liked to think about, yet this day was by far the worst in his existence. He had been unable to sleep, and as the day passed and the sun moved, his sanctuary in the shadows had grown smaller and smaller. By the time the sun set, he had been pushed up against the wall, unable to move.
As soon as the sun set, he was out of the room, grabbing his shirt from the floor as he went, putting it on as he stormed out the door. He needed to find Nickolas, needed to talk to him, needed to explain. He needed to make things right.
At first he had no clue where to go, so he followed his instincts, he went where he thought and hoped that Nickolas would be. It did not register in his mind where he walked, he just kept moving, hoping that he would find Nickolas soon, that he would once again feel him, and know where he was.
After a while he found himself outside the Red House, walking through it's doors and stopping on the other side, just as he had done the first night when he had met Nickolas. But this night he did not stop because of the feeling that crashed in over him. This night he stopped because of the lack of that feeling. He saw no need to go further inside the place, for he already knew that Nickolas was not there.
So instead he turned around and walked out again, moving down a random street, not knowing where to start looking for Nickolas, but not able to give up and go home. It didn't matter if he had to search through the entire city, he would not give up until he found him.
*****
He didn't know where he was, or where he had been that day. Ever since he had stormed out of Avatar's apartment he had been wandering around blindly. He did not care where he went, it didn't matter where he would end up in the end.
In less than an hour his entire life had changed. He had gone from being happy and falling in love, to being miserable, confused, lost, and still in love. In love with a vampire, a man that would live forever. A man that could not make him immortal.
He himself was a vampire, he knew that now. A mortal vampire that would never become immortal. Never because he would not let any vampire besides Avatar do that, and Avatar had said himself that he would not do it, could not. He had said it was impossible, and he had shattered Nickolas' life as he said it.
The whole day he had wandered the streets, never once stopping to get a bite to eat or something to drink. He didn't feel hungry or thirsty, didn't feel exhausted or tired. He felt nothing but an emptiness inside.
A few times he thought he felt Avatar close by, only to have the feeling change, turn into something evil, something he pushed to the back of his mind and ignored. He hoped that he would feel Avatar, that the vampire would have come to look for him.
Yet as much as he hoped Avatar would find him, he had not once considered the idea of going back to the apartment he had left this morning. Never once had he thought about going back to Avatar. That would be too hard for him, to see the man, the vampire, knowing that what he wanted he could never have. That was something he did not wish to face, to deal with, so he stayed away, and he kept on walking.
The suddenly something made him stop. A feeling of familiarity and hatred so strong that it could not be ignored. The alley he was in was narrow and dark, and no doors were leading out into it from the surrounding houses, yet there was someone there, hidden in the shadows, watching him without letting his face be seen.
A vampire, he knew that know. A vampire of another line than his own, a vampire he didn't know, yet that he hated. A vampire that was watching him from the shadows, who had been following him for some time. A vampire he had let get close. A vampire that was not Avatar.
*****
The night was coming to and end as he finally felt something, yet it was not what he had expected to feel. It was different than the one he searched for, yet he could not ignore what he felt, could not ignore what it meant.
He changed directions, and started to follow the new feeling, moving quickly so he would not loose it, so it would not fade away in front of him. Faster and faster he walked, and soon he was running through the dark alleys, fading into the shadows as he moved towards the vampires he knew were close.
As he turned around a corner he felt something else, a different feeling, hidden by the hatred from the others, now so close there was no way he could ignore it any longer.
In the middle of the alley Nickolas stood, his head facing the other way, staring at three figures cloaked in the shadow. Avatar knew that Nickolas would be unable to see them, he did not yet have the keen eyesight the immortals had. Yet he could feel the three vampire, and therefore he knew where to look for them. It did not seem like he had felt Avatar's presence yet, but he would soon enough.
As one of the vampires took a step closer to Nickolas, Avatar moved quicker than he ever had before, putting himself between the unknown vampires and Nickolas. He would not let them get too close, no matter what he had to do, he would not let them get close to his Nickolas.
"Who are you?" the closest one asked, looking straight at Avatar.
Avatar took a step towards him, and, determined to do this right, he placed his right fist over his heart, as he said, "I am Avatar of Avalon, stranger. Whom might you be, who hides still in the shadows while I stand in the open."
The vampire stepped forward again, out of the shadows, placing his right fist on his chest as he said, "I am Niran of Ajax, and I have come to claim the boy. Do not get in our way, and no harm will come upon you."
Avatar only looked at the man, taking a step closer. "You cannot believe that I will step aside and let you take the boy. He belongs to me, as you surely already know."
Niran looked at him, taking another step forward, his eyes locked on Avatar now, standing only a few feet away from him. "Why do you want him? He is Arden, not Avalon. You have no real claim on him at all, Avatar of Avalon."
Avatar looked at the man, at all three of them, as he said, "You are of the Greek Lines, and I am of the Latin Line, as is he. Therefore, my claim on him is greater than yours. Therefore, he is mine." As he spoke his tone was commanding, and his manner superior.
Niran continued to stare straight at him, taking another step closer. "He is not of your line, So in truth, you cannot stop us from taking him."
Avatar didn't take his eyes off him as he took one last step towards Niran, now standing right in front of him, hovering a few inches over the other vampire, looking down on him with death in his eyes. When he spoke his tone was more demanding than before, it was harsh, and it was commanding.
"I am Avatar of Avalon, and I claim this boy for mine. Leave now, Niran of Ajax, before I do something I am sure to regret."
Niran looked at him, and then at Nickolas. His mind seemed to be racing, his eyes flashing from one to the other, as if he could not make up his mind. Then he gave Avatar a nod, stepped three steps backwards, and inclined his head before he turned around and walked away, the other two mirroring his movements, following him.
As they moved away, Avatar turned to look at Nickolas, his eyes shining with joy over having found the man. He neither spoke nor moved, wanting Nickolas to be the one to make the first move.
*****
Nickolas had looked at the exchange with interest, wanting to know what was going on, yet not understanding half of it. Now Avatar was there, standing right in front of him, smiling at him, looking at him with those ice blue eyes that he just wanted to drown in.
He smiled back, let the familiar feeling wash in over him, and took a step forward to claim Avatar's lips. And for those blissful moments that the kiss lasted, he didn't care about anything. He let the world pass him by, ignored it all, and let himself be part of the feeling that was radiating between them.
When he finally had to pull back, he did not move, but stayed standing close to Avatar, his arms around the vampire, his mind standing still now, having given up the race it had been in for almost a day and a night.
"Why so formal?" he finally asked, breaking the silence between them.
"Formal?" Avatar asked, not understanding the question at first.
"When you talked to them, you were formal" Nickolas said, his hand pointing in the direction where the vampires had faded into the shadows.
"Because that is generally how you talk to the Three. At least when the situation is like this one" Avatar explained, leaning in to give Nickolas a soft kiss, not wanting to go for long without doing that, needing to feel those lips upon his own.
Nickolas looked confused for a second, not understanding about the Three. He did not want to ask about that now though, not when he could be kissing Avatar instead. There was one more question he needed to ask though.
"You once told me that Avatar was your real name, as real as the one I go by now. What did you mean by that? What makes you think I will not always got by Nickolas. It is my name after all."
Avatar smiled, remembering when he had said that, remembering the first conversation they had, at the bar in the Red House. He raised his hand to Nickolas' face, letting his finger trail a path down his cheek to his collarbone.
"Every vampire has two names. The one they are given by their parents when they are born, and the one that are revealed to them after they have Become. Nickolas is the name you go by now, but when I make you immortal, you will get another name, a name that will not be revealed until after you wake up again from your death. A name that I will see, for I will be your at'hethan, your maker."
Nickolas looked at him, ignoring the foreign word that Avatar had used, ignoring the fact that he would have a new name soon, and that Avatar has said he was going to die. There was something else that Avatar had said that was much more important.
"You will make me immortal?" he asked, unable to believe his own ears.
"Yes I will" Avatar replied, giving him another soft kiss.
"But you said.."Nickolas started, before he was silenced by another kiss.
"I know what I said. Ignore it. I am falling in love with you Nickolas, and I will not let another vampire be your at'hethan. I will be your maker, no matter what the law is."
Nickolas smiled and kissed Avatar again. He could stay like that for hours, just kissing him. But the day was coming closer, and he had no idea where they were. All he knew was that Avatar needed to be inside before the sun rose.
"We need to get inside" Avatar said, as if he had read Nickolas' mind. Not waiting for a response, he grabbed Nickolas' hand and started to lead him quickly back the way he had come.
*****
Avatar seemed to know where they were, and to Nickolas' surprise they were not that far away from the vampires' apartment. Avatar lead him quickly inside, and as they entered the place, the sun slowly started to rise. They still had time before it was high enough to do any damage though.
Nickolas quickly walked into the bedroom, closing the curtains before he turned to wait for Avatar. The vampire was close behind, so he did not have to wait long to feel those soft lips upon his own once more. They kissed for a while, satisfied with doing that and nothing else.
Avatar then pulled away, looking into Nickolas' eyes, a smile forming on his face.
"Will you sacrifice the sun for me, or must I watch you from the shadows, for all eternity?"
Nickolas leaned in to kiss him before he gave him his verbal answer, a smile planted on his face the entire time.
"I will follow you through everything. I will be with you for all eternity, til the dying sun fades above our heads, and darkness swallows the earth." When he was done talking he muttered under his breath, "poetic enough for you?"
Avatar smiled at him, voicing a "yeah" before he kissed him again. This time the kiss was more fierce, more passionate, and Nickolas felt himself being lost in the kiss. His head moved to the side as Avatar started to kiss down his throat, the soft kissed slowly turning into something else, until Avatar had pushed his teeth through Nickolas' skin and was drinking his blood with a hunger Nickolas had not seen in the vampire before.
He felt his body going numb, his eyelids became heavier and the air harder to breathe, until he was unable to breathe at all. Then everything turned black.
He didn't know how long he had been lying there himself, but he remembered Avatar telling him that after the Becoming he would be dead, or sleep perhaps, until the coming night. So he had been sleeping for merely a day then, yet it felt like it had been for years.
He opened his eyes, amazed by what he saw. He could see everything now, even though none of the candles in the bedroom were lit. Avatar was sitting by the bed, smiling, his ice blue eyes shining, though there was no light there to make them shine.
Everything felt different now. He could smell better than before, his feelings seemed stronger, his body moved more easily. He didn't understand all these changes, but he knew that he liked them.
"Avatar" he said, as he sat up on the bed, already moving towards the other vampire, wanting to be close to him. Avatar let him come close, let him kiss him and hold him, before he pulled back a little so he could look into Nickolas' eyes.
No, not Nickolas anymore. From now on he had a new name, a name so different from the one he'd had before, yet it was a name that fit him better than any other name ever had. He leaned close, resting his forehead against Avatar's, as the older vampire finally spoke.
"You're going to be the source of great things, young one. I can feel it. You have a glorious future ahead of you, Thiery."
The Red House faded behind her as she walked home, the night still young, yet she had no interest of staying there any longer. She didn't understand why, but something inside her had told her to leave, to go home, and to never come back to that place.
Perhaps it was time to move on again. Perhaps she had stayed in this town long enough. After all, she had stayed her longer than she had in any other town, so perhaps the time had now come for her to move on once more.
She turned right and headed into the dark alleys that would take her home, her mind working on where she would go next. She had been a lot of places on the east coast, so perhaps it was time for her to check out how things were on the west coast.
She was so busy trying to decide where she was going next that she did not notice them until they were standing in front of her, all but blocking her way, saying nothing, as if they waited for her to speak first.
It was first then that she felt it, the feeling that had been there ever since she left the red House. Perhaps it was the feeling that had made her leave in the first place. It reminded her of this other feeling she'd had once, inside the Red House, yet it was different at the same time. That feeling had been full of hatred and despise, this was filled with something else.
Her eyes fell on the man standing to the left, her gaze locked on his as she said, "who are you?"
The man smiled then, and stepped forward, out of the shadows. "I am Niran, and I've come to take you home."
That statement should have scared her, should have made her run and hide, yet instead she found herself smiling back at him, and letting him lead her with him. She did not know where she was going, where he was leading her. In her mind she was only sure of one thing. For the first time, she was going home.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.