Love Bite

Chapter 3

Jimmy ran fast and hard in the dark woods. His lungs were crying out and his heart was aching. He tried his best to ignore the pain in his bare feet as sticks and rocks pierced the skin. He didn't care about the pain, he only cared to stay alive, and the dark figure chasing him, would bring nothing but the opposite. Jimmy would glance back and every time he did so, the figure would gain speed. All Jimmy could do was run, and run he did.

One final glance back, Jimmy saw the figure was gone, he stopped in his tracks, breathing heavy while looking around the surrounding forest. He knew he should run, but that false feeling of safety, tricked his feet to stay in place. Suddenly a cold hand clamped around his throat and slammed him into a tree behind him. Jimmy closed his eyes at the painful impact and opened them to stare into Thomas Barrow's red hungry eyes. Thomas smiled revealing sharp white fangs. Jimmy's lungs began to ache and scream. He scratched and clawed at Thomas's gloved hand that was around his throat but the attempt was a failure.

"You think of me," Thomas said, "In your waking days and horrid nightmares, I am there. You love me, desire me, long for my touch upon your body. You want to be just as much as I, and so I will make you mine...but not yet."

Jimmy tried to speak but only rough gasps and coughs escaped. He tried to kick Thomas but the feelings in his legs disappeared as if he no longer had them. Jimmy mouthed the word please in hopes of something.

"You must come to me," Thomas continued on, "You must accept your desire and come to me. Beg me to take you and I will. But…"

Thomas's grip tightened and JImmy groaned.

"Choosing to ignore, or going to Alfred will cause the worst consequences even I will regret. I will kill Alfred, kill the entire household, then take you away to a deep dark place that not even God can hear your prayers, and oh how I'd hate to do it, but Jimmy, if I could not have you, then no one can."

Thomas removed his hand from Jimmy's throat. Jimmy coughed and hacked as Thomas placed his hand underneath Jimmy's chin. He turn Jimmy's face to the side then leaned in and whispered.

"You belong to me now, Jimmy. I claim you as my own, all I need is for you to accept, then we will be together. Do not disappoint me, love."

Jimmy screamed as he felt sharp pain in his neck.

Jimmy sat up quickly gasping and sweating. He looked at his surroundings to see he was in his own bed in his own room. He relaxed and sat back. He placed his hand at where the pain came from, but felt nothing other than his quick pulse. Jimmy let out a long heavy sigh then looked out the window. He blinked then froze. The dark sky was twinkling with stars. Jimmy felt his stomach drop in dread. He basically missed an entire day of work.

Mr. Carson must be livid.

Jimmy sighed once more then noticed the dry feeling in his throat.

I haven't eaten or anything except this morning.

Jimmy threw the covers off of him then slowly stood up. His joints popped as he stood and streched then he slowely proceded out to the hall. Just as he silently closed his door, he heard the running footsteps and the sounds of weeping. Thomas came around the corner in his robe. He was a mess. His hair was messy, his nose was runny and red, and his eyes were swollen as tears fell. Thomas looked up and stopped in his tracks as he spotted Jimmy. He quickly wiped his face and cleared his throat.

"Jimmy," Thomas said, trying to hold back the sob, "H..How are you feeling?"

Jimmy swallowed before he replied.

"I'm…alright...I suppose," he replied. To be honest, Jimmy didn't even know if he was alright.

"G...good, good. Thats...thats good, "Thomas said as he looked at the floor, "Good. Then you should be well to get back to work in the morning then so I won't have to bloody do it," Thomas snickered, "Its touch doing a valet's work and a footman's."

At that moment, Jimmy forgot everything and walked over to Thomas. Thomas refused to look up.

"Thomas," Jimmy said. Thomas shakingly looked up at Jimmy, "What happened?"

Thomas's chin began to tremble and fresh tears threatened to fall.

"Lady Sybil," he began, "She...she went into labor tonight. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl," Thomas smiled shortly then the smile vanished, "But she got very ill and...she passed...not an hour ago."

Jimmy closed his eyes. He knew Thomas admired Lady Sybil. Thomas would mention how close they were during the war a couple of times. Jimmy knew that Thomas's heart, was well and truely breaking. Thomas began to silenly sob again and Jimmy wrapped his arm around Thomas.

"Come on," Jimmy said, "Lets get you to bed."

Thomas nodded and let Jimmy lead him to Thomas's room. Jimmy set Thomas down on his bed and sat down next to him, with his arm still upon Thomas's back. Slowely as they sat there, the memories of the early day and Jimmy's dreadful nightmare appeared. As Jimmy played through his memoires, Thomas began to cry louder and actually let all his sorrow out.

A monster wouldn't cry over death.

"I don't know why I'm crying really," Thomas said, "No one would care like this if I were gone. Not Lady Sybil, his lordship, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hughes…They'd be glad."

"That's not true," Jimmy replied.

"It is. The whole lot of them. So desperate to get Mr. Bates back and get rid of me. No one wants me here."

"I do," Jimmy said and froze. Thomas looked at him.

"You...do," He asked, "You mean that?"

Jimmy nodded.

"I do," he said, even though he wasn't so sure.

Thomas wrapped his arms around JImmy and pulled him into a hug. Jimmy slowely wrapped his arms around Thomas as Thomas cried into Jimmy's shoulder.

"Thank you," Thomas whispered into Jimmy's shoulder, "Thank you for that."

Jimmy nodded. Thomas unwrapped himself from Jimmy and pulled away. They sat there looking at eachother for a while. Suddenly Jimmy stood up and straightened himself.

"We should probably get to bed," Jimmy said, sending a smile to Thomas. Thomas nodded.

"Good night, Thomas," Jimmy said as he headed out the door.

"Good night, Jimmy," Thomas replied just as Jimmy before Jimmy closed the door. The moment the door was fully shut, Jimmy dashed back to his room and nearly slammed the door shut. He turned his back to the door and covered his mouth. After what just happened, Jimmy began to question his grip on reality.

Was all of that real?

Was this morning real?

Was anything at all real?

Jimmy rubbed his brow in confusion. All he knew was that there was something quite strange about Thomas Barrow. Whether it was truly monstrous or something else, Jimmy, by damned, was curious.