Paradigm Shift [On-going]

Change is not always easy

Dean's never truly felt peace. He doesn't know what it feels like. He's always got by on steely determination, chaos and rage. He's crawled, bit and fought his way through life and he's survived. Sure, he was a broken man, but he'd survived the ultimate test. He'd cheated death and was living proof that vampires were real...

* * *
Dean

Seth was right. I needed to push through this sadness and make the most of the second chance I had been given. Seth was the only friend I had in immortality, and I didn't want to lose him, even though he was a constant thorn in my side. We had to stick together. Frederick was my mentor and creator, but he wasn't my friend; not in the same way as Seth or Roman were. Roman had been avoiding me since he found out I'm a vampire, because he was scared and it worried me to think about how he would react to finding out Seth was now a vampire as well. I just hoped that he wouldn't freak out. I'd been trying to talk to him, but for a man who was on the same brand as me, he was surprisingly hard to find, even with my heightened senses. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find him anywhere. I was wondering if I should just give up and leave him be...

I turned the corner and stopped as I smelt it again. That all-encompassing scent that faded everything around me
An invisible string was pulling me towards her, and I followed it blindly
I listened to the dull thudding of her heart as I got closer. She was laughing at something, her brown hair falling over her face...

"Dean"

"DEAN!!!"

I could hear Roman's voice, but couldn't break my focus. I felt his hand on my back.

"Dean...didn't you hear me?" Roman was nervous and unsure. "What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath through my mouth and tore my eyes away from her to look at him. "I need you to physically move me. Before I lose control"

Roman did what I asked, and I didn't fight him, letting him manhandle me towards his locker room. The moment the door was shut, her scent dispersed and I could function again.

"What was that out there?" Roman asked

"I don't know who she is, but anytime she is around...her scent...it just immobilises me." I explained "I've never experienced anything like it. I'm scared that I might attack her"

I took the hip flask out of my jacket pocket and drank the contents down as I tried to soothe the ache in my throat that her scent had caused

"Has that happened before?" Roman asked

"Never. I mean, I've struggled to resist biting humans, before, but no one's scent has affected me the way hers does" I answered.

Roman sat down and studied me for a moment. "I heard you've been looking for me"

I smiled. I was glad of the change of subject "You're a hard man to find"

Roman tore his eyes away from me to look down at the floor. "I requested to switch brands. I needed some time to get my head around everything"

Well, that explained why I couldn't find him "That's understandable...but I need to tell you something"

Roman tensed as he grew nervous. "Just say it"

"Seth's a vampire"

Roman laughed, but it wasn't out of humour and he ran his hands over his face "Explain"

"Ever since the night I told you both about what I was. Seth's been obsessed. He wanted to know everything from what I drank to how I stored it and I indulged him." I explained. "I was so relieved to just be able to tell the truth to someone that I told him whatever he wanted to know. Then he re-injured his knee...did he tell you about that?"

Roman nodded "Yeah, he told me it couldn't be operated on and I assumed he was out trying to rehab it"

"Well. He begged me to change him but I refused. He was desperate...crying and he...he went to my house and stole my venom." I could feel Roman's anxiety grow as I continued. "he injected himself with it and by the time I got there it was already too late"

Roman stood up. "I was just getting my head around you being a vampire and now Seth's one, too."

"That's why I've been trying to find you" I added. "his newborn phase is almost over. After that, it won't take long for him to return. I wanted you to be prepared"

Roman paused for a moment. "You say that like I should be worried"

"He refuses to drink donated blood" I revealed. ''he's been killing humans, but he fed from drug addicts and ended up in hospital"

Roman paled. "So you're saying that he might attack me?"

"I'm saying it's a possibility." I would not lie to Roman, even though he was distressed. I needed to be completely honest with him, especially if I hoped to still be his friend. "if he continues to drink human blood after his newborn phase ends, then it will be a lot harder for him to resist temptation"

Roman gathered up his bags, and we both left the arena and headed to the hotel. He drove in silence and it was only once he reached his room that he spoke again. "If I ask you something, will you be 100% honest with me?"

I nodded. "Of course"

"If I continue being around you and Seth. Will I be safe?"

His question made my stomach twist uncomfortably. "Around me you will, but I can't guarantee your safety around Seth."

Roman nodded. "I don't want to lose you guys. You're my brothers, but I don't want to be fearing for my life every time I'm around you, either."

"Look man all I can promise is that you'll be safe as long as I'm around" I replied "I'm not gonna let him hurt you"

Roman's mood changed to sadness, and he looked at me with a resigned expression

"I'm taking some time off. For health reasons" he confessed "and depending on how it goes, I might not be back..."

"What!? Wait, what do you mean...''

"My leukemia is back" Roman said sadly "I have to go home to start treatment"