Alive Again (A Vampire Eddie Fic)

Chapter 11

 Eddie felt the cold blade slide smoothly through his skin, tearing muscles as it made its way to his heart. His lungs became flooded by his own blood and it sputtered out of his mouth in mushy clots. Except it wasn't red like he was used to. Eddie looked down at where the knife had punctured him and saw a puddle of black liquid soaking into his clothes. He would scream, but the air was replaced with blood. He was drowning without water.

Dustin, now with bloodied hands, ripped the knife out and Eddie finally released some kind of sound. It was an attempt at a scream but was quickly cut off by a gasping cough. It was just like the bats. Just like Upside Down.

Eddie tried looking over at Dustin, only to find a 6-foot figure had replaced him with vine-like veins covering the body. It wasn't until Eddie looked up at the face did he realize who this was.

It was him—the one to blame for all of this.

Vecna.

Eddie took a painful breath, pushing past the black blood that filled his mouth.

"What?" He strained. "Here to finish the job? Huh? Here to finally kill me?" Vecna sighed as a smile spread across his face.

"Oh, Eddie..." His voice boomed and echoed. "Why would I get rid of my most useful toy?" Vecna brought his hand forward to gently stroke Eddie's cheek. He flinched at the cold, slimy touch. "No," He continued. "I have much more planned for you."

"What do you want with me?" Eddie begged, a tear escaping his eye.

"You'll see," Vecna said.

A sound from the distance made them both turn. A red, cloud-like portal had appeared. There, Eddie could see himself on his bed with Dustin, Steve, Mike and some other kid by his side. They were yelling at him to wake up while music played over them. He recognized the melody instantly; Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath. Fitting, Eddie thought.

Vecna turned back to Eddie and gently placed a hand over his head.

"I want you to go back," He said, his voice now quieter and whisper-like. "And I want you to tell them this; one way or another, Hawkins will fall. If not by me... then by you."

~~~

The four of them waited patiently, the music playing in Eddie's ears being the only thing to break the silence. Dustin pleaded to any god that would listen while Steve kept a hand on his shoulder.

Eddie awoke with a gasp, followed by a coughing fit. Steve went in first to remove the headphones and comfort his head while Dustin made his way to hold his hand. Mike and Will stood back, sighing in relief.

The first thing Eddie did was try once more to get free from his chains. He thrashed with all his might as he yelled.

"Get this shit off me!" He shouted at them. "Get it off!" Steve got up to search his pockets for the key without a second thought. Eddie continued to squirm as he brought the metal to the cuffs.

"Hold still, man!" Steve said. He calmed down a bit but was still breathing heavily. Steve unlocked the first one, then the second. Eddie sat up grasping his wrists as his breath started to even itself out. Steve put the key back in his pocket, deciding it was probably best to keep his feet chained.

Then they sat in silence for god knows how long. Nobody wanted to ask anything and Eddie stayed silent, feeling his arms and chest.

"What happened?" Dustin was the first to speak up. Eddie looked up at him, then back down at the blankets. "Eddie..." Tears welled up in his eyes. "What... happened?"

"I..." Eddie's voice cracked. He took a breath. "I'm not what I used to be..."

"Well no shit," Steve said. "I think we already figured that out when you attacked-" He was cut off by Dustin kicking his leg. Steve looked at him only to be greeted with the shake of Dustin's head. Not the time, he said with his eyes. Steve understood.

"No," Eddie said. "No, it's different. It's..." Dustin knelt down beside the bed and looked up at the vampire.

"Eddie, you can tell us." He spoke softly. "What's happening?" Eddie looked over to the boy with red eyes.

"I'm not Eddie anymore," He said, heartbreak in his tone.

"I'm Kas the bloody-handed; servant of Vecna."