#original plotline

“I’m fine,” Lucas said again, holding his hand to his chest, so that the stranger wouldn’t see it, maybe wouldn’t smell the blood. But the man wore a dark blue shirt that had a wide collar, and Lucas slid his gaze to a chiseled neck and saw no bite marks. That meant that this man was human, and Lucas was just a bit more safe. 

“It’s alright,” the man said, “My name’s Tobias. It looks like you’re bleeding- that’s a dangerous thing to be doing, out here. Come inside, I’ll clean you up.” Lucas wanted to say no, still not trusting Tobias, even though he was human. But the forest was getting darker as the sun approached the horizon, and the last thing he wanted to do was walk back into those black trees. 

“Okay,” Lucas said, and Tobias took him inside, his body language calm and comfortable.

“You took care of that bastard quite nicely,” Tobias said, passing through the entryway. Lucas was caught off guard. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Oh, sorry,” Tobias said, “That’s what me and my sisters call a vampire that’s not in one of those clans. Bastard, like, fatherless. Family-less.” Lucas nodded, but his attention was taken up to the room as it widened in front of him. 

The mansion wasn’t quite what Lucas expected. It wasn’t gaudy or rich, but it was exceptionally empty. The high ceilings begged for pattern, for voices and activity, but all that echoed through their halls was footsteps. It didn’t seem like a single other soul lived there, other than Tobias, and two very intimidating young women. 

“Is this your family’s place or something?” Lucas asked, closing his fist so that his blood wouldn’t drip down onto the tile. He didn’t want to make a mess that Tobias would be responsible for.

“Nope,” Tobias said, a lightness to his tone, “It’s all mine. Me and my little sisters, Ella and Anna.” That would explain the two young women- they watched Lucas like hawks, and although Tobias had suggested that they were his younger sisters, it felt as though they were the ones protective of him. Lucas could see why; Tobias was lovely, and apparently, far too trusting. Lucas wasn’t a threat, but he could’ve been.

It wasn’t long until Tobias pulled Lucas from the halls and into a little study, where he motioned to a couch. Lucas sat, his palm in his lap, waiting patiently, watching as Tobias rustled around in drawers until he found a box of band-aids. 

“Do you always help anyone that turns up injured at your door?” Lucas asked as Tobias sat in front of him, taking Lucas’s hand into his own. He couldn’t help but have the niggling desire to be in some way special- he hadn’t felt that he’d been special in a long time.

“Well, no one really comes this far into the woods,” Tobias said, gently wiping his hand clean, “But I wouldn’t usually, danger and all.” Lucas nodded, watching Tobias spread bandages over his four cuts, one for each finger. Lucas’ hands were freezing, between the blood loss and the cold and their grip on the metal; Tobias’ fingers running over his own made his heartbeat jump.

“Then why’d you save me?” Lucas asked, and he met Tobias’ gaze, which he found had been focused on him. Lucas only barely kept himself from looking away. 

“I liked you,” Tobias answered honestly, immediately. 

Lucas looked away, ashamed, embarrassed. What was there to like, especially today? He’d almost gotten himself killed, because of how immature he was being. He’d yelled at Tony, and left- if he’d died, he would’ve done so with those being his last words to Tony. He’d have died without last words at all, to Ben. 

“You shouldn’t,” Lucas said, pulling his hand away, now that his wound was dressed. 

“Good thing you don’t know me well enough to tell me what to do,” Tobias said, his words playful but tone jarringly flat. It made Lucas laugh.

“Well, you don’t know me well enough, either,” Lucas challenged with a half smirk, “How do you know I’m likeable?” Tobias fixed him with a look, curious and sharp.

“I just think you are,” Tobias said, and for a moment neither of them spoke. Tobias had the darkest blue eyes that Lucas had ever seen, and his face was kind, his jawline sharp. He really was attractive- Lucas hadn’t really noticed, when they’d first met. He had black hair at his scalp, but the rest was bleached to white, slightly unkempt, but still soft looking. 

“And if I’m not?” Lucas said, as though testing the waters, pushing Tobias further, hoping he’d reveal more. Why was he being so kind to Lucas?

“I’d rather like someone, and be proven wrong, then not give someone likeable a chance.” Lucas felt it as Tobias’ gaze flicked over his face, like he was considering him, considering his appearance, his intentions. For half a moment, it felt like Tobias could see straight through him- straight through to the scared, angry boy, who still hadn’t let go of his former life. Nothing in Tobias’ expression made Lucas think he didn’t like what he saw. 

“I should go home,” Lucas said, breaking their gaze, feeling a faint burn at his cheeks, “my friends are probably really worried.”

“I’ll drive you,” Tobias said immediately, and Lucas’ face burned more, because it sounded like Tobias didn’t want him to leave yet. It took him a second to come up with a response, but one detail caught in his mind. No one had a car, anymore, and certainly not one that worked.  

“You have a car?” He asked, and Tobias’ eyes lit up. 

“Yeah! I haven’t needed it much, but it’s still there!” Tobias grabbed Lucas’ hand, tugging him to his feet, then out of the room. He took Lucas to a garage, and when he flipped the light on- 

Lucas had never been a car guy, but he knew a nice one when he saw it. Sharp edges, matte black paint job, silver accents...

“Right?” Tobias said, recognizing Lucas’ awe, excitement in his tone. “It’s a 1974 mustang.”

“And you’re going to take this car out there?” Lucas asked, honestly fearing for the safety of what seemed to be Tobias’ pride and joy. But Tobias gave him a small smile, and took his hand. 

“To make sure you get home safe? Absolutely.” Lucas let a smile come onto his face, touched by the statement. He looked down at their hands, fingers entwined together, and a shiver ran through Lucas. He hadn’t been- because he’d never had the guts to be forward with Ben, he hadn’t been touched like this, fondly, in far too long. Though quickly he broke the moment, letting go of Tobias’ hand and starting toward the car. 

The inside was just as nice, silver seats now lined with dark blue stitching. Tobias turned up the heat to take him home, and Lucas directed him through the town to Tony’s house. Tobias walked him to the door, to make sure he was safe, but Lucas paused before he knocked. 

“Thanks for tonight,” he said softly, “I haven’t felt hopeful in a while.” 

“Anytime,” Tobias said, their gaze catching. It was freezing, and Lucas knew that Tony and Ben were probably worried sick, but Lucas couldn’t help it. He was fixed to the spot, keeping his eyes on Tobias. 

Tobias, who had treated him with kindness, who looked at him like that, who had a jawline like that. He didn’t want it to end. 

And before he knew it, he leaned forward- he pulled Tobias’ lips against his own. 

Tobias’ lips were soft, as was his hair- both just as soft as Lucas thought they’d be. Tobias brought his hands around Lucas, gripping onto the grey sweatshirt that hung off of Lucas’s shoulders. They built, sharing warmth, each daring the other to pull away, until Tobias opened his mouth and Lucas slipped his tongue inside-

And he felt fangs. 

He froze, and Tobias sensed it, breaking the kiss to press his forehead against Lucas’. Lucas could feel disappointment radiating from him, and Tobias reached out to knock on the door before pulling away, looking vaguely like a kicked puppy. A kicked vampire puppy. He was a vampire- Lucas’ mind reeled. 

The door opened instants later, Tony behind it, whose face instantly brightened. 

“Lucas!” he shouted, pulling Lucas into a bone-crushing hug. 

“Lucas?” echoed Ben’s voice from across the room, and soon Lucas had Ben’s arms around him, too. He couldn’t react to anything, thoughts too preoccupied- Tobias had been smelling his blood, hell, had been handling it, and he didn’t do anything?

“Who’s this?” Tony asked, and Lucas gave a look to Tobias, who was still standing there, a half smile tugging on his lips. 

“This is Tobias,” Lucas answered, “He fixed me up and made sure I got home.” Which he didn’t have to do? He could’ve kidnapped Lucas and fed from him. He didn’t have to save Lucas like he did.

“Thank you,” Ben said, his chin resting on Lucas’ shoulder. Tobias nodded, wordlessly walking back to his car. Once he was inside it, Ben tugged Lucas into the home, and Tony shut the door. 

“We were so worried!” Ben said, shoving Lucas down onto the couch, who didn’t even try to resist. “It’s been hours, what happened?” 

“Are you okay?” Tony added, and Lucas rubbed his hand down the back of his neck.

“I’m okay,” he said, voice soft, “I was chased by a Lone, but I fended her off. That’s how Tobias found me- I fought with her, like, in his lawn. He lives in a massive freaking mansion in the woods near pine street.” 

“I didn’t know there was anything in those woods,” Tony said.

“Well, either way!” Ben said, his smile bright, as it always was, and so beautiful. “A guy with a mansion, that’s a pretty useful friend to have, right?” 

“Yeah, about that,” Lucas said, taking his lower lip between his teeth, “He had fangs.”

“What?” Anthony roared, “And you didn’t kill him?”

“I didn’t know!” Lucas said, standing up from the couch to keep him on even ground with Anthony. “Not until right before he knocked!” 

“How could you not have known?” Anthony said, arms held out. “You didn’t see his neck?!”

“I did!” Lucas shouted, now feeling like he was defending himself. “He didn’t have a bite!” 

“He didn’t have a bite?” Ben asked, arms crossed, “Then how do you know he’s a vampire?”

“I told you,” Lucas said, voice softer when he spoke to Ben, “He had fangs.”

“That’s impossible,” Anthony murmured, “Can’t be a vampire without a bite. You must’ve just missed them.” 

“Regardless,” Ben said, waving an arm, helping to calm the atmosphere. “Lucas, he dressed your wound. So he smelled your blood.” Both Ben and Tony looked at him for a moment with sickening fear at the thought that they’d both come to. 

“Did you get bit?” 

“No!” Lucas said, more panic than anger in his shout. He grabbed his collar and pulled it over both his collarbones, exposing his neck and most of the shoulders near it. “See? I’m fine. Tobias-” Lucas let his hands fall slowly. “He didn’t bite me.” 

“Why didn’t he bite you?” Ben wondered aloud. Lucas had no response, for a moment. He didn’t get it either- but then the thought crossed his mind, about the things that he and Tobias had talked about.

“Maybe he liked me?” Lucas suggested, which he immediately realized that Anthony didn’t take well to. 

“No, he probably just wasn’t hungry,” Anthony said, as though Lucas was obviously wrong. It pissed Lucas off. 

“He said he liked me,” Lucas said stubbornly. He didn’t miss it as Ben’s gaze snapped to him, and a flash of hurt crossed his face. “Is that so hard to believe?” 

“Lucas, whether he likes you or not, he’s dangerous,” Tony said, wanting to bring down the aura of the room. He hated butting heads with Lucas, just as much as Lucas hated butting heads with him. Lucas, without wanting to fight, disagreed. 

“He was handling my blood,” Lucas said, biting the inside of his lip for a moment before he continued, “He cleaned up a fresh wound, without doing anything that made me even suspect him. Clearly he’s under control- it could be really good to have him as an ally, just like Ben said!” With a small laugh, Lucas brought his hand to his forehead, really thinking it through.

“Guys, he could go into stores safely! Get us stuff we haven’t had since May!” He turned toward Tony with a smile, that hopeful feeling invading him again, once again thanks to Tobias. “Tony- Tony, Tony-” He brought his hands to Tony’s face, grabbing him by the jawline. “Tony- think of it. Nutella.” He saw the way Tony melted at the thought, and Lucas laughed a little bit, pulling back. 

“Popcorn! Pasta! Microwave pizza!” Lucas didn’t realize how much he missed grocery stores. His happiness seemed to infect the other two boys, who hadn’t seen Lucas be anything but angry or empty in months. 

“No, no!” Ben said, grabbing Lucas’ hands from the air and pinning them to his sides. All it accomplished was Lucas dragging Ben across the room, the other boy not at all inhibiting Lucas’ celebration, no matter how Ben complained. “We just escaped the college student diet, I’m not going back!” 

“Seriously, Lucas,” Tony said, trying and failing to cut through the fun, “You really shouldn’t see him again.”

“Oh, come on,” Lucas said, shoving Ben backwards and lading on top of him on the couch, “You can’t let me dream?” 

Lucas was tired of dreaming. Now, he was going to do.

He waited a day, until Tony was less nervous. He waited until Ben and Tony were asleep. He waited until the moon was high enough that he’d be able to see any threats. 

And then he stopped waiting.

-🦌 Roe

If he could call it a life, anymore. 

Six months ago, he’d returned from a store trip to find two vampires on the necks of his mother and father. He’d chased them off- and then received the last words of his parents before they both died in front of him.

Six months ago, he’d run to his best friends, Ben and Anthony. Ben had already lost both of his parents to cancer in his teenage years, and the two of them had been living with Anthony’s father- who’d been bitten and turned, who was begging for death. 

Six months ago, three twenty-two year olds became orphans, all in the same day. 

Six months ago began Lucas’ hell.

He spent every day staring at ceilings, at walls. The power grid was still working, but he never wanted to turn on the television- everywhere he’d see sit-coms and news reports being paid to glorify the creatures who’d destroyed the Earth. Plus, neck coverings were in style, and Lucas couldn't stand looking at those, either. 

Any humans left lived the way Lucas did, huddling in a home with two or three other survivors, never leaving, except to get food. Lucas didn’t even do that- Anthony was the hunter. He’d learned the skill from his dad, so he’d drag home an animal every few weeks, and Ben would help Lucas clean and preserve it, and they’d spend the next three weeks letting their tongues go numb to the taste of the meat. There was still food sold in stores- but to enter a public building was like opening your neck up to anybody. No one came out, or, no one came out human. 

Anthony was really the only reason that the three of them had survived. Lucas could fight, sure, and Ben had the skills to hunt if he needed to, but Anthony had the reaction. He kept them alert, imposed rules to keep them safe, ventured out into the fang-infested world and returned safe. 

It was thanks to him that they’d acquired some of the last bleach available in stores. 

TV shows had been way off when they thought about the apocalypse- clans of ‘anemic assholes’, as Ben called them, had an interest in keeping the world working, so stores still sold things, the power grid was untouched, television shows were still being made. These clans weren’t around the area where the three of them lived, though, so mostly they had to worry about the Lones, the vampires without a clan or family and the steady food source that such a family or clan would come with. It did make it somewhat easy to find a human- they were the ones that didn’t have those bite marks on their necks. 

Between Tony’s rules, and the semi-ease with which a human could spot a Lone, things weren’t extremely dire. There was a little bit of a rush on canned goods, back in May, when it all started, but now things were mostly back to normal, other than the fact that it was best never to leave the house. 

Bleach, though. Bleach was gone. 

Humans bought it for the same reason that Anthony had grabbed it up- to douse clothing in, masking any human scent sticking to them so that they could leave the house without attracting a Lone. Vampires bought it up to clean the stench of slaughter from their homes, and to keep it from humans, so that they could easily find their prey. 

They had two bottles of bleach, kept under lock and key, a key that only Ben, Anthony, and Lucas knew the location of. It was the most precious thing they owned, the most valuable. More valuable than the silver daggers each of them carried at every moment of every day. 

The stories of old were wrong. Silver didn’t kill vampires any more than iron, but it was about the statement. The promise that any of the three of them would murder any bitten that dared cross cross their path.

That silver dagger was how Lucas spent most of his time. There was no point to sleeping, so he’d stand in the living room, and practice throwing it. It wasn’t supposed to be a throwing knife, but Lucas did it anyway, taking joy in putting holes in the pristine white wall that still felt so suburban, as though it mocked him, mocked the loss of his nuclear family. 

He gave the knife a particularly forceful throw, hearing it thunk into the drywall. He was about to take it out again when he heard the door open. 

“Tony’s back,” Lucas called up the stairs to Ben, who was in the middle of a long shower. Lucas closed the door behind Anthony, who had a buck balanced over his shoulders, an arrow extending from between its eyes, bouncing over Anthony’s shoulder. It wasn’t even bleeding- Anthony’s white shirt, still stinking of bleach, hadn’t been touched by the buck’s blood. 

“Nice shot,” Lucas said, as he often did when Anthony came home, toting an animal who had died on impact. It was cute, six months ago. Now, it felt dry. 

“Can’t believe I found a deer,” Tony said, letting it thump onto the kitchen counter. “It was out on eighth street, like it didn’t think the town was dangerous anymore.”

“For him, it isn’t,” Lucas said, running his fingers down the ridges of the antlers. “He’s no longer the prey.” 

“Don’t get all poetic on me,” Tony said absent-mindedly, slightly teasingly, opening the fridge to see how much room they had. “Where’s Ben?”

“Taking a shower,” Lucas said, leaning on the table. “I don’t think he could stand to look at me anymore.”

“You and I both know that he could stare at you forever,” Tony said, and somehow, Lucas smiled. Ben was certainly special to him- and he to Ben. All three of them could see it, and had seen it since middle school. Still, they were friends. Nothing more. 

“Yeah, well. Even my pretty face gets boring when it’s all you ever look at.” 

“Tell me about it,” Tony said with a smirk, “I could stand to see a little less of ya.” He lifted his hand and shoved Lucas’ face back, giving both of them a bit of a laugh. The three of them had been best friends for twenty-two years, as long as they’d been alive. Lucas was lucky he still had them- without them, he’d have lost it long ago.

“Either way,” Tony said, turning back to the deer, “When he gets out, you two get to deal with that.” Lucas turned his gaze toward the buck, and his smile fell, as fast as it had appeared. 

“Joy,” Lucas said, sucking his lower lip between his teeth. “So we can eat nothing but deer for the next two months.” Anthony shrugged, but there was a stiffness to the movement. 

“Hey,” he said, with all the warning of a parent about to start a lecture, “if you want something else to eat, you’re welcome to try your luck out there.” Shutting down against Anthony’s tone, Lucas looked to the floor.

“Or I could starve to death,” Lucas said, digging his teeth into the inside of his lower lip, “and not have to worry about it.” 

“That’s not the kind of shit you should be saying,” Anthony told him, jaw working to manage his annoyance.

“Like you can tell me what to say?” Lucas accused, pushing back against the controlling nature that Anthony took on, sometimes too often.

“Apparently I have to, to keep you safe!”

“God, who are you, your dad?” Lucas saw it when the words hit Anthony- his dad was a sore spot, and every mention of him took Tony right back to the moment he’d had to kill his own father. 

“Sorry,” Lucas breathed, and he left the room.

He hated whenever something like this happened- and it was happening too much, recently. He was getting sick of this ‘life’, Anthony was sick of him being snappy. The only one who seemed fine was Ben, but who knows what he’s thinking about in those hour-long showers. 

The house had three bedrooms. Anthony still had the one he’d had as a child, since it felt like home. Ben had what was once the guest bedroom, which he’d taken up at sixteen after Anthony’s dad took him in. That left just the master bedroom, to Lucas- which had never been a blessing, always a curse. At first, because it just felt like Anthony’s dad. And now, because the size of it made it feel so empty, its black king-sized sheets, and high ceiling that felt so far away. 

He laid on his back on top of the sheets, looking up, dagger rolling around his fingers. He knew it was a bad idea, he shouldn’t- but the frustration got too much, and he hurled the dagger upward, into the ceiling. It stuck for just a moment, before falling back down. 

Lucas’ immediate reaction was to roll over, out of the way, before he realized he also wanted to protect the sheets from the blade. He reached out, to try to catch the knife, and got his fingers around the blade just beneath its hilt, slipping just a bit, but enough to slice open his palm, and a line through each of his fingers.

“Fuck!” He roared, blood already rolling down his palm. He jumped to his feet, his uninjured left hand shoving the dagger into its sheath on his thigh, and ran into the bathroom, Ben’s shower be damned. He rustled through the cabinet, looking for their bandages. 

“What happened?” Tony called, appearing at the doorway just a moment later. 

“I did something dumb,” Lucas hissed through gritted teeth, even the touch of the bandage to his raw flesh stinging, “Don’t worry about it.” Once he’d pulled the bandage around his palm, Lucas shoved past Anthony to close the door, letting Ben have his privacy again. 

“What the hell did you do?” Anthony asked, grabbing Lucas’ hand and yanking it in front of him so he could get a good look. Lucas hadn’t dressed the slits along his fingers. 

“It’s nothing,” Lucas said, angry at himself, not wanting to bother Tony so soon after he’d hurt him. 

“That’s not nothing, Lucas, what if it gets infected?” 

“So what if it does?” Lucas snarled, ripping his hand from Anthony’s grasp. “It’s not like it fucking matters.” 

“Lucas, what are you talking about?” Anthony said, anger and concern swirling in his tone. “We want to keep you healthy!” Lucas turned his head to the side, scrunching up his nose, slightly, trying to keep his anger at bay. But every passing day was another blow to the dam, and there wasn’t much left keeping the floodwaters at bay. 

“Why?” he shouted, clenching his hands into fists, fingernails forcing his bandages into the wound. “So I can live in this fucking house for the rest of my life? Staring at white walls, pretending that everything’s fine, hoping that someday, something will change, but knowing that nothing ever fucking will?” Lucas heard the shower shut off, and if he hadn’t regretted the outburst before, he did now- he couldn’t face Ben, not knowing that Ben had heard every word. So he shoved Anthony out of the way, and charged down the stairs. At the front door, he ignored his shoes, ignored the white scarf that stunk of bleach, and charged outside.

“Lucas!” Anthony yelled after him, but Lucas didn’t turn back. 

He kept his fist tight, knowing that it was bleeding, and to expose it to the air would be to attract every Lone in the surrounding four blocks. Thanks to the Lones, there were so few humans with blood to give left, that even existing as one was dangerous. But he needed to take a walk. 

He loved Anthony. He loved Ben. They didn’t deserve to have to deal with him- to keep him alive when he was so stupid, rash, angry. They’d be better off if he was somewhere else, but he had nowhere else to go, so he could at least give them this break, let them get along for two hours while he walked the neighborhood. 

He’d long stopped trying to keep track of the humans in the homes. He’d once been able to tell you who had been turned, and who hadn’t, but there was no way to know, anymore. He just kept his chin down, eyes on the blacktop, ignoring the freezing, November cold. His dark grey hoodie didn’t even have a pocket he could shove his hands into. 

When he looked up, he stopped dead. Standing thirty feet in front of him was a woman, her eyes deadset on him. Her cheeks were sunken in against her face, her skin deathly pale, her bones poking out against her skin.

She wasn’t just a Lone, she was starving. Which meant Lucas was in grave danger. 

He pivoted hard, taking off across the street, and with a glance over his shoulder he was terrified to realize she’d taken chase. She was faster than him, they always were, but she’d tire out faster than he would. If he could make it past this house, and into the woods behind it, he could escape into the shrubs, and she’d be too exhausted to force through them. 

She was too close for his comfort by the time he broke into the woods, but exactly as he expected, she had much more trouble pivoting around thorn bushes and jumping over fallen logs. He planned to outrun her until he could throw her trail, but suddenly he’d reached a clearing, and he looked up to a massive mansion. 

His momentum lost, he tried to pivot his direction, but she’d caught up, and he wouldn’t even make it into the woods before she caught him. So he reached to his sheath and grabbed his dagger, ignoring the sting as the metal slipped over the wounds on his fingers, and turned around to plunge it into her chest with a battle cry. 

And that’d kill anybody. 

She fell forward, and took Lucas down with her, shoving the dagger further into her chest when they impacted the ground. She didn’t move. 

Lucas took a few deep breaths, trying to slow his heartbeat, and a moment later, threw the woman off of him. There was blood coating the hilt of his dagger, protruding from her chest, but he realized quickly that it was his own, from his fingers. She’d been so starved, she didn’t even bleed when she died. 

He’d hit the ground hard, and groaned against a bruised shoulder as he stood, yanking his weapon out of her. He felt just a little bit of sorrow for her, like he always did- a Lone vampire didn’t have a clan, which always meant that they were bitten, once human. It wasn’t her fault. 

“Hey, are you okay?”

-🦌 Roe

“Hi, it’s Lucas,” he said awkwardly to the sister. 

“I know,” she said, giving him a quick smile in an effort to be friendly. “I’m Ella.” She pressed a blue button on the wall, which reminded Lucas of a radio from the 1950’s. Not long afterward, Tobias rounded a corner, and took a deep, shuddering breath before taking a few steps closer to Tobias. Ella left, quickly. 

“Are you here to kill me?” Tobias asked, a deep sadness to his voice. Lucas’ heart cracked at the words. 

“No,” he said, lifting one hand. “I’m not- no.” Tobias nodded, lowering his gaze to the floor. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Tobias said, and Lucas shook his head quickly.

“You were right not to,” he said, “I wouldn’t have taken it well.” Lucas took a few steps closer, a curious gaze flitting over Tobias again. “Can I ask you something?” Tobias quirked a smile- and Lucas felt his chest loosen up at the sight of it. 

“Anything,” He said, and Lucas felt daring enough to approach him, slip his arms around Tobias’ neck. 

“You don’t have a bite,” he said quietly, like if they spoke too loud, the whole room would shatter around them. “So how are you…?” Tobias lifted his hands to Lucas’ wrists, running his thumbs over the back of Lucas’ hands. 

“I’m Born,” he said, “My parents were.” Lucas nodded, and even with feather touches over the pulse point of Tobias’ neck, Lucas could tell there was no heartbeat under it. 

“Does that mean you don’t drink- I mean-” 

“No, I do,” Tobias said, lifting his chin, and Lucas caught the way his Adam's apple moved, the ghosting of his breath onto Lucas’ arms. “I just- I know how to handle it. I didn’t want to feed from you.” 

“I kissed you,” Lucas said, casting his eyes down. “You didn’t bite me then, either.” 

“No,” Tobias said, and he bit his lip, making Lucas notice the sharp, white fang. “I wouldn’t.” Lucas brought his gaze up to Tobias’, getting lost again in those deep blue eyes, now clearly too dark to be human. There was something special about them- something special about all of Tobias.

“Promise?” 

That kiss wasn’t their last. The night wasn’t their last- Lucas spent his days sleeping so that he could leave at night, hoping that Tony wouldn’t catch on, hoping that his high collars would hide the marks. Tobias was more than proving himself trustworthy; giving Lucas marks all over his neck and shoulders, and never so much as grazing his teeth.

He blamed Anthony’s glares into his back on paranoia. There was no way Tony knew, so of course he was just being overly worried when he thought he caught Tony staring. He blamed Ben’s downcast eyes on guilt; guilt that he had found someone else was what was making him see sadness in Ben’s face. There was no way Ben could know, no way. And he shouldn’t even feel guilty! Ben was special, of course he was… but Ben had never made a move, either. Lucas couldn’t be blamed for moving on. 

Right?

Lucas woke up every day with a smile, because he knew how he would spend the night. He was happier than he’d been in a long time, probably since even before the world had ended. (Senior year of college wasn’t that fantastic, in all honesty.) But Tobias brightened him up, made him smile again, gave him more playfulness, more energy. He was being more helpful, more affectionate toward his friends, he hadn’t fought with Tony in weeks. 

It was freaking wonderful- Lucas was feeling alive, Tony was enjoying the peace, Ben was just happy to see Lucas smiling again. They really didn’t want to ruin it, to ruin the fun, but. But. 

“Lucas, you’re hiding your neck,” Anthony said, catching him when he emerged from his room, sometime in the midafternoon. 

“Nope,” Lucas said nonchalantly, the way he’d practiced the response to such an accusation. “It’s December. I’m just cold.”

“Lucas,” Anthony growled, a warning in his tone. 

“Tony, drop it,” Lucas said, plopping down on the couch to swirl his dagger between his fingers, “I know you’re worried about me, and all, but I’m fine.” 

“Would you even tell me if he bit you?” Anthony asked, his voice sharp, accusatory. Lucas looked up in shock, and though he felt anger well up in his gut, he didn’t act on it. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he answered, controlling his breathing, letting the words come out gently. 

“Lucas,” Anthony groaned, “You’ve been sneaking out. You really thought we wouldn’t notice you’ve been seeing him? What was his name- Tobias?” Lucas knew when to cut his losses- he certainly wasn’t going to be able to talk his way out of this one. Not now. 

“He won’t bite me,” Lucas said, looking to the floor, like a scolded child. “I know he won’t.” For a moment, Anthony didn’t respond, which gave Lucas the pause he nodded. He stood up, calling up the stairs to Ben. 

“I’ve got an idea for you guys,” Lucas said, once Ben had joined them in the living room. “Come meet him. You liked him enough when you first met- you’ll see what I see. He’s a good guy, really. We can trust him.” 

It took a bit of convincing, but they agreed. Tony only agreed with the promise that if the night went sour in any way, Tony could kill Tobias. Lucas insisted that there was no way it would come to that. 

Tobias was the most gracious host- he let them have free reign, going so far as to let Tony search his things in hopes of finding plans for nefarious plots. No surprise, he found nothing. 

Lucas had given Tobias little bits of advice, for winning over his friends- be himself, of course, but he let Tobias know Tony and Ben’s weak spots. Tony in particular almost burst into tears when Tobias handed him a little nutella travel pack. He tore through the little cracker-cookie-sticks, and soon enough was scooping out the rest of the nutella with his fingers. 

“See? He’s cool,” Lucas said, leaning against the wall beside the chair Tobias was lounging in. Ben had made himself comfortable on a window bench, and Tony was just finishing the last fingerful of nutella on the couch before he fixed Lucas with a glare.

“He’s okay for now,” he said, not looking as threatening as he likely meant to. Lucas rolled his eyes and grabbed a pillow from behind Tobias, launching it at Tony, whacking him in the face. 

“Lighten up,” he scolded, a smirk on his face. Tony, not one to back down from a challenge, set the empty package aside, and took hold of the pillow with a nefarious smile. They’d engaged in pillow wars since they were teenagers, with all the brutality one would expect.

“No, don’t,” Ben warned, knowing where this was headed, but it was too late. Tony hurled the pillow, and Lucas just stepped from its path. In his place, the pillow impacted a standing lamp, and it blinked off when it hit the floor. 

“Oh my god,” Tony said, his politeness extending even to a vampire, “I’m so sorry.” Tobias feigned disappointment, but he reached out to grab one of the throw pillows beside him. 

“That was really expensive,” he said, shaking his head. “I hope you know you’re going to pay for it!” He flung the royal blue pillow at Tony, who couldn’t help but laugh, and pitched it back before diving behind the couch, taking refuge from the return fire. Ben quickly joined him when Lucas targeted him, and soon enough, the once-calm lounge had become a war zone. Lucas dove with all the grace that his body could manage, exposing his torso to return fire but landing a blow to Ben’s face. Tobias dragged him back into the safety of their fort -an armchair- and they waited to collect ammunition before trying again. 

There was sudden silence from Lucas and Tobias- which, despite the fun atmosphere, worried Tony immensely. He still held a pillow in his hand as he approached the armchair cautiously, ready to either restart the pillow war or suffocate Tobias where he sat.

His worry was for nothing, as Lucas launched up from behind the chair and latched onto his torso with his legs, rapid-fire smacking him with the pillow until the both of them crashed to the floor. 

“What the hell?” Tony laughed, and they untangled, but Lucas kept him pinned to the floor with a knee on his chest. 

“Victory,” Lucas taunted, only for Ben to bowl him over and into the floor. 

“Hey!” Tobias shouted with a bright smile, trying to come to Lucas’ aid, but Tony caught him in a loose but inescapable choke hold before he could get there. Ben and Tony had clearly won the battle, and so Lucas relaxed his muscles into the floor, and Tobias let out a sigh, reaching up to pat Tony’s hair.

“Okay, we’re done,” Tobias admitted, “Who wants a beer?” Lucas’ eyes brightened as he sat up next to Ben. 

“You have beer?” he asked, mouth salivating at the thought. “I haven’t had beer since sophomore year!” Tony released Tobias, but gave Lucas a look. 

“You were twenty in sophomore year, you weren’t old enough to drink,” Tony told him.

“Yeah,” Ben scoffed, “And you were nineteen, but who bought it for us?” 

Tobias returned with four beers, handing them out. The four of them were sitting in a circle, and Tony had to open all four bottles, as he was the only one that knew how to slam it onto a table’s edge. Tobias hadn’t thought to bring a bottle opener. 

“Sitting here like this,” Ben said with a smirk, “It feels like we’re gonna play spin the bottle.”

“Hey, none of you are allowed to kiss me,” Tony said, lifting the bottle to his lips. It got a laugh from the other three. Lucas couldn’t help but let his shoulders lean against Tobias’, and with a quick glance to his friends, it didn’t seem like they minded. 

“Like we’d want to,” Ben sneered, which earned him Tony’s hand tousling through his black hair. 

“Seriously, though, guys,” Tobias said, gesturing with his beer, “I just want to thank you for being so cool.” Lucas smiled- Tobias was being so sweet. He noticed as Ella and the other sister, Anna, entered the room behind Ben and Tony, but thought nothing of it. “Like, I haven’t really had friends in a long time.”

“Eh, you’re cool enough,” Ben admitted, taking a swig of his beer. 

“Thanks,” Tobias said with a laugh, and Lucas looked up at the way his fangs glinted against the white light. “But really. I like you guys a lot- and I’m glad you’re okay with me.” Tobias turned a fond smile to Lucas. “With us.” 

A contented, comfortable silence spread over the four of them. Lucas hadn’t felt this safe in seven months. 

Too bad it was an illusion. 

He couldn’t even react between the moment that Tobias’ smile fell and the moment that his teeth had sunk deep into Lucas’ neck. He could only gasp, and turn fearful eyes to his friends, who both tried to scramble forward and pull Tobias off of him, only to be immediately disarmed and knocked out by Ella and Anna. 

It felt like all of the warmth and strength was leaving Lucas’ body, and all he could do was stare at his friends, passed out on the floor, preserved in their desperate attempt to help him. All he could do was think about how stupid he had been, how naive, how moronic. They’d been right about Tobias all along- Tobias had used him and manipulated him, and now was killing him. His fingers shook and body shivered by the time Tobias pulled his fangs from his neck, but Lucas couldn’t even get a good look at his face before he collapsed, cracking his skull onto the floor. 

~~~

Lucas was awake before his eyes were open. He tried to roll over, but found his muscles screaming in protest, and he let out a groan. 

“Good morning, love,” said Tobias from nearby, and Lucas’ mind finally caught up to where he was, what had happened. He didn’t move. Maybe Tobias would think he was still asleep. 

“Allow me to explain,” Tobias said, voice almost sad. Lucas didn’t believe the tone, not for a second. 

“I’m not a bastard, okay?” Tobias insisted, confusing Lucas quickly. What did he mean? “Just because my parents abandoned me to look after my two baby sisters doesn’t mean I don’t have a family. I’m not a Bastard. I’m not. I’ve got-” Tobias’ voice cracked, and he sounded close to tears. “I’m not. I have a family. I have my sisters- and you! Lucas, I love you so much, you’re my family. And now, you can stay here all the time, you can be safe, and we’ll have Ben and Anthony, too. You want that, right? I can keep them safe, and we can be a family.” 

It took all Lucas had in him not to respond. 

“I know you’re awake, love,” Tobias said, and Lucas snapped his eyes open, if only to glare. 

“You told me you’d never bite me,” Lucas growled, and Tobias looked away, a hint of guilt in his eyes. 

“I never really said that…” he said, trailing away as though he didn’t believe himself.

“Fuck you,” Lucas growled, and Tobias shook his head, turning his face away. 

“We’ve got somewhere to be, love,” Tobias said, and though Lucas was too faint to hold himself up, Tobias helped him. On shaking feet he tottered into the hallway, his arm pulled over Tobias’ shoulder. He caught a glance of himself in a wall mirror- he looked so tired, so pale, so weak. 

Tobias took him into a lounge, its floors just as reflective, but now black, empty, save for the reflections on the tile. Tobias gently sat him into a couch, where he wanted to move, but found his limbs incapable of moving on their own. 

He looked up to the sound of footsteps, and watched as Ella and Anna led Tony and Ben into the room. Lucas was immediately filled with the most unfathomable grief; his throat closing up. He could see that they were unbitten, but that didn’t matter. They were in danger, no matter what. And it was all Lucas’ fault. 

“Just let them go,” Lucas said in a whimper, though it evolved into a sob. “Just let them go.” 

Tobias seemed unaffected by his pleading, and lifted a vial of dark liquid. Lucas didn’t have to guess what it was, he knew. 

“No,” he groaned, and Tobias shook his head.  

“It’s alright, no one’s drinking this,” Tobias said, taking a seat next to Lucas. He lifted a hand and pushed back Lucas’ hair, but then brought his hand over Lucas’ nose and mouth, completely cutting off his air. 

He grabbed onto Tobias’ wrist, but was too weak to force it away. His lungs began to spasm as they tried to take in air against Tobias’ hand, and Lucas looked up in fear at Tobias. His nose was suddenly freed, and he took in a deep inhale- but Tobias had put the vial of blood under his nose. 

The reaction was immediate. 

Lucas jerked forward, as though chasing the smell, and Tobias pulled it from his reach. Lucas’ mouth hung open, and he felt for the first time the fangs that pulled against the soft skin of the inside of his lips. He raised a shaking hand to his mouth, and pressed his thumb and first finger against the two upper fangs, horror flooding his system. He’d been bitten; and turned. He’d been made into the monster that he’d promised Ben and Tony that Tobias wasn’t. He’d been made into the monster that killed his parents. 

Worse, though, was the intoxication of the smell. Its aroma was one he’d never experienced, so heavenly, it starved him further than he was. He made him long, made him crave. And the worst of all was that, somehow, he knew that it was Ben’s blood. Somehow, he just knew. 

And he hated that. He looked to his side at Tony and Ben, who looked so full of sorrow, of sadness, much more than fear. He wished he could say anything, any apologies, any pleas or words of comfort, but nothing would leave his throat. He felt nothing but hunger. 

“We’re a family,” Tobias said, setting the vial down onto an end table. “I care about you, Lucas. So you get to choose which one you feed from.” Lucas’ eyes widened, and he looked to Tobias, tears welling in his eyes. 

“No,” he wept, anguish tearing at his soul. 

“You don’t have much time before you starve, my love,” Tobias warned him, and Lucas could feel the truth of his words, could feel them in his lightheadedness, in his shaking limbs and cold fingers. 

Lucas would like to be the man that could say he’d choose death over harming his friends. He had always wanted to be the noble hero, and had dreams of dying a noble death. 

But he wasn’t a hero. He was a selfish, scared boy who didn’t want to die. So he turned his eyes to his friends, and forced himself to make a hard decision.

“Ben,” he said, his throat hollow, sorrow echoing in his tone. “I don’t- I don’t want to make Tony become the monster that killed his father.” Lucas tried to ignore it as Tony let out a brief wail, and it was almost made easier by the look on Ben’s face. He almost looked as though he understood. 

Anna let go of Ben, who immediately ran to Lucas, wrapping him in the tightest hug he’d had in years. He tried to hug back, burying his face into Ben’s shoulder, and if he had a heartbeat, it would’ve been pounding against Ben’s chest. 

“It’s okay,” Ben whispered to him, and Lucas clutched against him harder, salty tears now breaking from his eyes and running down his face. He had a thousand regrets, the regrets of a dying man, and though he wasn’t dying, and he knew he had time, he still wished to say everything he could, in that one instant. 

“I’m sorry,” Lucas whimpered, his words muffled by Ben’s shirt. “I love you.” Ben hugged him harder, keeping his torso upright, even as Lucas swayed.

“It’s okay,” Ben promised him, turning his head to kiss his temple. “It’s okay, I love you.” 

The smell became too much, and Lucas clamped his jaw down onto Ben’s neck. 

The way that his own bite had felt, this was so different- the warmth he’d lost to Tobias, he was gaining from Ben. It was euphoric, and he couldn’t stop, gaining his strength, holding Ben harder against him as Ben’s grip began to slip. He finally let go, turning his face to the ceiling with a shuddering breath, amazed by the feeling of it. 

The pleasure was short lived. Ben passed out in his arms, and Lucas guided his fall to the floor. 

Had he drank too much? Was Ben drained? No, he couldn’t be, Lucas couldn’t have killed him. 

“Ben?” he said, holding Ben’s head up in his lap, fear more than he’d ever felt coursing through him. He felt no heartbeat against his fingers, which meant either that Ben had been turned, or killed. “No, Ben!” He looked up to Tony, hoping to find even a slight bit of comfort from his friend, but only saw Tony with Tobias’ fangs on his neck. Tobias didn’t even have the kindness to catch him when he fell. 

And now, with Ben limp in his arms and Tony bleeding on the floor, now, to Lucas, the world had truly ended.

-🦌 Roe