Chapter 71

As if it never happened, the coiled body slumped, his shoulders hunched over in hopeless display.

“The shirt…..the damn buttons…” his hands clamped open and shut rhythmically, his nails biting into his palms.

Richie stepped forward, holding out a small brown paper bag in his hand. Watching his friend’s heaving body, he coaxed.

“Take this bro’. You know you need it. Stop being so fucking stubborn man!”

Staring precariously at the package he shook his head.

“It doesn’t work anymore Rich. It just doesn’t. I don’t fucking know what happened, but that shit aint working no more.” Fear crept into his voice.

Not ready to let it go, he shoved it closer.

“The old man changed the mixture. For fuck’s sake just drink the damn stuff. Just try it. He will keep on changing it until it works again!”

Before Richie knew, the package flew across the room and crashed noisily against the floor. Thick, orangy syrup oozed from the ripped bag, a sickly odor filling the room.

He turned back only to be faced with a pissed Jon, dagger like teeth protruding from his lips, his eyes gleaming like jewels in the moonlight.

“What the fuck don’t you understand?! It doesn’t work!!!” The length of his fangs caused him to lisp.

“Ok…ok..damn. Stick those ugly ass fangs back where they belong and lets sit down and talk.” The compassionate grip on the shoulder did its work and he watched, amazed as the fangs disappeared and the eyes gentled.

Chuckling at his friend, he nodded towards the heap on the floor.

“You gonna take another try putting on a shirt or you gonna cause havoc and walk down the street shirtless?” He sauntered towards the cupboard, choosing a t-shirt.

“No buttons this time ok?” he threw it towards the now smiling Jon.

“Why do you put up with my shit?” He dragged the material over his head.

“Cause I have nothing else to do with my time? Does that one work for you? Good enough answer?” he waggled dark eyebrows playfully, scrunching up his mouth.

“Yeah, good enough. Coffee?”

Returning with two steamy mugs of coffee, he scolded at the tiny bottle placed ever so carefully on the coffee table.

Richie seemed at ease with his long legs stretched out before him, his heels balanced on the edge of the coffee table, his hand locked behind his head, but Jon wasn’t fooled.

“Drink it.”

“You are a sneaky bastard aint ya?”

“I’m a man with a plan my brother…always, you should remember it.”

“Yeah I should.” He crashed into the couch next to him, grabbing the bottle.

“You know how bad this shit tastes?” he pulled a face, shaking the bottle a few times, opened it and sloshed the contents down his throat.

Shuddering violently as the hideous liquid slithered down he gasped.

“HOLY FUCK!! It’s worse than before! Is he trying to kill me? SHIT!! I can’t believe I pay for this crap. UGH!!!”

With one swoop he grabbed the coffee mug, gulping down mouths full of scalding hot caffeine.

“Obie flew this shit over last night. You just HAD to waste one bottle. He’s gonna have your ass for that little stunt you pulled earlier.”

“Don’t worry about Obie. He’ll get over it…. Whaaa???? Why you lookin’ at me like that?” Richie’s dark, searching eyes were too much to take.

Taking a painfully slow sip from his cup, he focused on the blue pools before him.

“Bro’ what’s up man? Something is wrong, why don’t you tell me what it is, huh? You haven’t been yourself for days now.”

Pushing him off the couch, he stood before the window, staring at nothingness. Jon’s body was trembling, the potion was taking effect and as always he tried to hide his discomfort…



“I fucked up big time bro’. BIG TIME.” He shoved his hands violently into his pockets.

Spine-chilling fingers crept up his back. Jon never lost control over his emotions, not since he started the treatment anyway.

“Spill it Jon, it can’t be that bad.”

Turning back at Richie, the smile on his face looked more like a sneer.

“I fed again.”

“You?.....ooohhh nooo, you mean…a person, a fucking human being?!”

Ok Richie..calm your ass down. He was a full blooded vampire..and vampires needed blood. The question is, did the victim survived? Its been quite some time since...

Richie was off the couch in two seconds flat.

“Details Jon!! Details? Is she alive? Was it a she? How did it feel after all this time?!”

Jon transformed right before him. His smile was warm as the summer sun, his face lost all it’s tiredness and tiny cracks formed around his eyes.

“It was spectacular Rich. She tasted like honey and silk, rich and warm. She made me feel alive again. ALIVE! For the first time in years! Look at me! I can feel her pulsing through my veins. Every second, every minute…” He held his arms out as if to try and display the pulsing in his veins.

A shadow flitted across the handsome guitarist’s face.

“Ooohh fuck there is a but….I just knew it!”

“I…I couldn’t help myself….I couldn’t stop the thirst.” Jon’s voice faded as his head sagged, as if ashamed of himself.

Racing forward, Richie shoved an accusing finger into his face.

“YOU KILLED HER!! You fucking killed her didn’t you! Oh shit Jon!”

Richie was panting, his whole frame shaking from shock. Questions rushed through his stunned mind, jumbling in a hopeless heap of confusion. Were they back to square one...like years ago?

“Yeah I did. For a few hours anyway, or at least I think so.”

Confusion edged in his face, making it even worse for the pale immortal in front of him.

“Ok I’m not good with this vampire shit. I don’t think I’ll ever understand it but you either kill someone or you don’t. You are the prince of darkness, not life man! What the hell?”

“I don’t know either, fuckit! We were making love and then I started feeding. I tried to stop but I couldn’t get myself to stop. She went limp and her heart just stopped. It stopped! I couldn’t get her to wake up again and I left her.”

“Now how in the name of God do you know she is still alive?”

The smile broke out on his face again.

“I heard it, faint at first, but it grew stronger. I saw her, she was breathing, she was pale as shit but she was ok Rich. She was ok.”

Shaking his dark head vehemently, he frowned even more.

“Vamps aren’t supposed to worry about their victims. You do know that don’t you?” he offered and received an unholy snarl in return.

Something had changed, only God knows what that was!