Bad Blood (MxM)

Beginning

TW: Here we have some description of controlling behavior, intense pain and hopelessness.

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- Do you remember where your room is? - Matt whispered his question. The familiars apparently hadn't noticed anyone had arrived - and probably were asleep to be able to serve their masters as soon as they woke up. The best thing the sorcerers could do now was to let them sleep and have a few moments to themselves.

Milo nodded - yes, he remembered everything about that house. Then, they both finally cast spells on their luggage so it would float up the stairs and followed it, in absolute silence.

The second floor was similar to a mezzanine. All the "legitimate" members of the clan, as Duke would call the ones with any power, had rooms there. Basically, everyone but the familiars. Milo almost pucked when he remembered that definition and Duke's view on the familiars.

When they got up the stairs, six doors were closed and two were open. Exactly the ones to their old rooms, that looked exactly how they had left them. Milo shot a glance at Matt before going into his own room.

He stopped as soon as he entered. His old desk, the one where he started learning about spells and potions, was still near the window. His bookcase was almost empty, seeing as Duke never gave him much access to books in those earlier years, and he always needed to ask for Matt's.

On the opposite side of the room, his closet was full of old clothes - the ones they'd use back then, with intricate details and fine materials. Duke saw him as a doll for him to play with, told him which clothes to wear, and had fun with his beauty. Damien, his creator and the one who technically could make it stop refused to see Milo present in a less-than-perfect condition. The young man always felt like a vase or a painting during his years there - like a porcelain vase ready to break into a million pieces if he even moved in the right direction.

As his eyes went through every detail of the room, the memories came alive in his mind. The thing that Milo always remembered the most, throughout all of his life as a sorcerer, was the pain. The feeling of burning oil pulsing in waves inside and outside his body, as Damien's poison spread in his blood. The pain was so intense that he could swear his bones, muscles, and skin were melting and recreating themselves over and over again. The transformation of a human into something else was terrible and could take years. For decades, Milo was tied to the torture of that pain and was adamant he'd go crazy. Eventually, he was physically tied to the bed through his hands and feet so he wouldn't run wild and hurt himself or anybody else.

One day, after almost 50 years, his nightmare showed signs of letting go.

Milo was freed from the chains of his body, but the person who got up from that bed was deeply scared, terrified, and angry. He was still dazed by the pain, confused, and didn't remember a thing. He was just a being that came from nothing into intense pain - and got stuck there.

The first face he saw was Matt's, followed by Damien's.

Matt explained to him what happened - Milo was converted by a vampire, but something in his genes, something no one really understood, transformed him into a sorcerer. Duke appeared later, elated for now having two mages in his clan. Damien seemed disgusted and avoided looking at him.

When they're alone, Matt reassured him.

- Don't worry. - His voice was kind, as of someone who brings a dog from the streets into its forever home. - Damien despises everyone who is not a vampire. He'll have you do some familiar work in the beginning, but then he'll get tired of you.

Damn, Matt sucked at soothing me in those first few years.

Milo never really understood why Damien chose to turn him. There were a few red flags vampires could look for when deciding to turn a human, exactly to point out if their prey would turn into vampires or not. As for what Milo later learned, he checked all the damn boxes and it was pretty obvious that, no matter what he was going to turn into, it wouldn't be a vampire. Even other members of the coven told Damien that - the result was obvious, and yet, he chose to continue. That was unlike the older man. Was that a terrible mistake? Or maybe Duke wanted to have some fun and ordered Damien to do it?

The memories stopped when a different feeling finally took over. All that discomfort that was brewing on his chest finally began to burn and grow. It spread to his stomach and throat until it finally came out through his eyes. He didn't want to be there. He fled and fought for centuries so he'd never be there again, surrounded by those memories of pain and abuse. Yet, he was right where he began.

He closed the door behind himself, left the luggage on the floor, and sat in his bed, with his face in his hand, crying in silence. The tears fell non-stop, but almost no sound came out of Milo. He was way too scared, way too worried. He went through every spell he could think of, but none would free him from that situation. Now, the only option was to see what Duke wanted them to do, do it, and leave as soon as possible.

And here I am again, doing exactly as he wishes.

He tried to wipe away his tears and looked for a mirror, trying to compose himself. His hands still shook when he saw Luís' image in the mirror.

I should use my original form, Duke is going to be pissed with this shell.

Duke is going to be pissed with this shell.

Hell yeah, Luís.

And just like that, Milo decided he wouldn't get back to his own appearance yet. Not only he be able to irritate Duke, but he felt very comfortable in that body, in the protection of hiding his true self from the others.

His headache was substantially worse than when he got out of the platform, his discomfort as well, but Milo allowed himself to root those feelings as rage. And, before he lost his nerve, he finally went down to the living room.