“Raiden,” Gabriel whispered, clutching Raiden’s shirt.
Of all the fucking people . . . ! And what the hell was he doing in the alley? Raiden furiously shook his head, unable to believe his ill fortune. Inhaling, he recognized the familiar cologne. It cloyed, it singed—it burned his nose with its lack of subtlety.
How the fuck did I miss that?
Gabriel lay unconscious in his arms, breath slowing as he rapidly bled to death. Raiden’s mind raced. There were limited options. He could not leave him here—someone might find him. He could not take him to the hospital. If the doctors managed to revive him, Raiden’s cover would be blown. The only realistic choice was to end his life. Shaking, he positioned his hands around Gabriel’s neck and prepared to administer the final blow. Seconds ticked by.
I can’t.
He had been a killer for years, as his eating habits required it, but this was different. With the exception of Naomi, his victims had always been faceless shadows. He had never made it personal.
What the fuck is the matter with you? You didn’t have any trouble killing that hooker last week. She was barely out of high school.
But this is Gabriel. I know him. I was supposed to meet him tonight. He was so excited on the phone.
Raiden squeezed his eyes shut against the mental battle he was conducting with himself. This is no time to go soft. Fangs bared, he squeezed Gabriel’s flesh tightly enough to bruise. Just fucking DO IT already.
“Hey, is he okay?” A passerby’s inquiry interrupted the attempted murder.
Raiden cradled the actor’s body to his own, hiding the gaping wound. “He’s fine, thanks. Just had a little too much to drink.” He kept his back to the anonymous voice originating from Gohatto’s door.
“Are you sure? He looks a little—”
“He’s fine. I’m taking him to the car right now. Thanks for the concern, though.”
He lifted Gabriel to his feet. Flinging the unconscious man’s limp arm around his shoulder, Raiden dragged him out of the alley. He positioned Gabriel’s head so that his neck wound was hidden and prayed that the actor would not bleed out on his jacket. A homeless man stared at them with curiosity, but hurriedly disappeared after he saw the speckles of blood on Raiden’s lips.
Five minutes later, he managed to locate his hastily parked car. Wrenching the passenger door open, he shoved Gabriel’s sagging figure inside, then flew to the other side of the car and opened his own door. Quickly, he started the engine and drove to a more secluded area. He parked the Nissan in an abandoned lot, still struggling to find a solution to his problem. Thoughts flew through his mind like confetti.
Fucking waste him already. He’s as good as dead anyway.
But he’s Gabriel Colin!
Turn him.
This new idea was unwanted. I can’t turn him. I don’t even like him.
“Help me,” Gabriel pleaded. His shocked eyes rolled open, tears gathering at their corners. His voice was so low that even Raiden’s sharp ears could barely discern it.
“Shh, it’s okay. Just close your eyes.” Raiden smoothed down strands of Gabriel’s hair with uncharacteristic tenderness.
“Please don’t—don’t kill me.” Gabriel’s eyes fell shut once again as he slipped out of consciousness.
Why did he have to beg like that? Now I have to turn him. He could not stomach the notion of throwing the actor’s body in the dumpster like a piece of trash. Barely aware of his own actions, Raiden numbly removed his gloves and brought his wrist to his mouth, indenting the flesh with his pointed canines. Hesitating, he watched in horrified fascination as a tear slid down Gabriel’s cheek, magnifying the pores, leaving a watery trail in its wake.
Before the droplet hit the ground, Raiden was force-feeding Gabriel some of his own blood.
* * *
Gabriel screamed, jolted out of his stupor by the agony of transformation. Raiden scanned the surrounding area for any witnesses. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found none. In an effort to calm Gabriel’s hysteria, he pulled him into a close embrace, awkwardly pressing their chests together. Too weak to struggle, Gabriel quietly moaned as shudders wracked his body. Only the whites of his eyes were visible as his neck snapped back and forth. His chin sporadically crashed into the top of Raiden’s head.
He ignored the stinging collisions, and held Gabriel closer.
* * *
After a few long minutes, the spasms subsided. Swallowing hard, Raiden tilted Gabriel’s head to the side and acknowledged his suffering. Pain was something that used to remind Raiden of his mortality. Now, it was just one more experience he had taken for granted when he was human. He envied Gabriel even as his life slipped away. Sometimes, he thought he would give anything to have the fear of death return. He wanted once again to grasp the uncertainty of life in his palm, map it out with the rough pads of his calloused fingers, and wonder when it might end. He allowed himself a short moment of regret as the transformation neared completion.
Gabriel’s heart slowed to a temporary stop. It would only be a matter of time before it reanimated. Raiden detached himself from the actor and started the car. Recklessly, he sped down the highway, willing Gabriel to remain unconscious until they were safely inside his apartment. He cursed himself for having ever set eyes on the man.
Why do I always get the shit-end of the stick?
Raiden thought that maybe he was just born doomed.
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