The Blood on Your Hands

A Beginning

Prem felt like the ground beneath him was crumbling. He felt like he was falling. The edges of his vision darkened, and he was getting enveloped in the shadows. He ached. Every time he tried to breath, it felt like a knife twisted in his chest.

Suddenly, there was a muffled voice. He tried to make out the words, tried to find where it was coming from.

And then there he was. He was kneeling right in front of him. Just minutes earlier, this same boy stood with the rest of them, taking shot after shot in Prem's direction.

This was it. He'd made it centuries, dodging hunters and this was his time to go.

"You need to get out of here," Prem finally made out the words just as the boy started grabbing at him, getting him to his feet. "Please, come on. They'll kill you." Prem was confused - beyond so - but he was being given a chance and his instinct kicked in. He needed to leave, but he could barely stand, let alone flee. "Do not make me regret this," Prem watched in silence as the boy produced a pocket knife and swiftly cut his palm. The blood started to seep out and Prem had to tear his eyes away from the sight.

He matched the boys hard stare.

"Why?" was all he could ask.

"Because I've seen you. You're different. We don't have any right to murder you." Prem's eyebrow twitched. He couldn't refuse. He was dying.

The boy's hand was warm as Prem took it into his grasp, sure his cold temperature was startling to the other. As soon as his lips pressed against his palm, Prem felt like he was on fire. The white hot burn flowed through him in a flash. He felt his strength slowly return as the hot liquid pooled in his mouth. He knew he had to stop or else he would bleed that boy dry.

He shoved the hand away from himself forcefully. "Are you sure that's enough?" Prem couldn't help but let out a low growl at this... boy. He didn't seem fazed at all.

"That's enough," He paused, wiping his mouth on his tattered sleeve. "Thank you..."

"Wad. Now fucking haul ass," he told him, shoving his hand in his pocket and turning swiftly away. Prem didn't hesitate to do the same, however he spared a quick glance back just to see him turn the corner. Prem dodged around the basement he had hid in and lifted himself out the window. He ran as fast as he could to the safe house.

.

Prem ended up recovering in a few days. He should have been dead. Those hunters had him in their grasp, but they were betrayed by one of their own. Prem couldn't stop thinking about him. Wad. Did he usually go out of his way to save whatever monster his cronies were trying to kill? Or was Prem an exception? Did he really mean what he had said?

Prem knew that he was different. They all were. He and Knot didn't feed on humans. They were taught not to. They didn't have to. But how did Wad know that?

Prem buried his face in his hands. The safe house was only meant to be a shelter, they didn't have a lot of food. He needed to go out and hunt. He was momentarily glad that there were so many deer in the area, but as he stood and his whole body ached, he sighed. He certainly didn't feel like hunting.

And he had a taste for something else.

Prem shook his head, willing those thoughts away. He only did it because the boy offered. He only did it because he was dead if he didn't.

He shrugged on his jacket, knowing the air was crisp and cool outside, and he grabbed the crossbow from what was supposed to be a coat rack. He then set off, out the front door.

He surveyed the area, the woods were fairly dense around the safe house and he felt an aura of calm around him. He took a deep breath and walked forward to go find some food.

.

He hunted quietly. He killed a small deer and fed right then, not wanting to take it all the way back to the house.

He just about jumped out of his skin when a shrill noise ripped him from the otherwise quiet atmosphere. It was a laugh. Prem furrowed his brow and looked in the direction that it came from. He hesitantly raised his crossbow as he inched forward.

The laughter turned into various whoops and taunts. It almost sounded like two high school bullies picking on a classmate. His heart dropped when he crept upon the scene.

Wad.

Wad was on the ground, trapped by two circling men. Prem recognized them immediately as well. He seethed at the thought of those two vampires. They had no qualms with killing humans; they sometimes killed for the fun of it. It made Prem sick.

Without thinking, an arrow left his bow and ended up right in the chest of one of the men. He was far enough away that they didn't even see where it had come from. The man stumbled back, dazed and confused, unable to pull the arrow from his sternum.

Prem reloaded and aimed for the other. He got him in the shoulder.

"Fuck, his friends must have found him. Go!" one of them yelled and they took off, away from where Prem was. He hesitated. He cautiously stepped forward, Wad unmoving on the ground. He was staring intently at his leg and breathing heavily.

"You didn't have to do that," he said without looking up.

"Just returning a favor." Prem replied quietly. "You find yourself out in the woods often?" Prem was sitting next to him then. He could now see that Wad's leg was broken; a compound fracture. Prem winced, imagining what kind of pain Wad must be feeling.

"More than you'd think," Wad said, finally looking to meet Prem's eyes. He was smiling softly, which surprised Prem greatly.

"Come on," Prem made a motion towards Wad, who flinched back. "Please, let me help you. You need to get out of here," he continued, a strange wave of deja-vu crashing over him. Wad stared at him, hard, for a moment. He then nodded curtly. Prem slung his cross bow over his shoulder and leaned down. He ended up lifting Wad up, as carefully as possible, bridal style. He tried to keep his legs supported. Wad wrapped his arm around Prem's shoulder to hold on. They held each other's gaze for a moment, neither knowing what quite to say or quite what to feel.

Prem shifted his attention in front of him, and made his way through the trees.

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Author's Note: Yes, here it is! I separated it from the oneshot collection and I will be continuing this story. I'm still keeping that chapter in the collection but I'll be putting a note on there saying that it's continued here. Hope you enjoy 😎