Of Gods and Monsters

"The devil is not as black as he is painted." 

-Dante Alighieri

Warm, wet blood pooled and dripped onto Elek's perfectly white shirt. He stood, horror-struck, perfectly immobile as Ambrus's fangs dug deep into his carotid artery. He knew that he was losing a good deal of blood, if not from the sheer terror of being the unwitting victim of a vampire alone, his light-headedness was surely from this. Ambrus's white, large hand gripped his shirt tightly, his other hand still closing him in. There was no escape.

After a good long while, at least to Elek who panted below the other man in anguish it seemed to be long, Ambrus pulled away. He wiped his mouth lazily with the back of his own shirt. Elek sank to his shaky knee's at the absence, of what must've been Ambrus, who supported his weight by his shirt. No words could formulate in Elek's head, only the strong desire to vomit or faint, he couldn't decide which.

It didn't matter, because Ambrus shoved him to his feet once more, gripping him with one hand under the armpit, and thrusting upwards. Elek gave a small squeak, like a mouse, and Ambrus gave a huff of what he could only assume to be amusement. Taking his free hand, he used his nails alone to thinly slice his own forearm, which immediately began to bleed. Understanding nearly instantly what Ambrus intended, Elek began his attempt at squirming away from him, angling his face as far away from his forearm as humanly possible.

An irritated grunt left Ambrus as he effortlessly forced Elek to drink from him, and then let go as soon as he was satisfied with the amount. As soon as Elek hit the ground, he emptied the contents of his stomach, heaving and sputtering on his knees.

"The deed is done."

Ambrus said simply, sitting down against the bedframe again, watching Elek with his pale eyes.

"You... son of a bitch!"

Elek managed in-between pants, his heartbeat ringing in his ears, still kneeling on the ground.

"I've been called worse."

Elek used the bedframe as support, his legs still wobbly, and attempted to straighten himself.

"What happens now?"

He asked, in a defeated tone.

"You die."

--

Sweat poured off Elek, his shirt long since discarded in an attempt to quell the discomfort. When Ambrus had said he'd die, he hadn't quite understood what he meant. Now, though, it was clear. His body was dying, but his soul was gaining immortality. A tainted, twisted sort of immortality.

He could feel his organs shutting down, one by one, slowly and agonizingly. He could feel the slowing of his own heartbeat, the air leaving his lungs, bit by bit. It was pure torture. All the while, in the corner of the room, Ambrus watched. It was a perverse situation; he would later think. Ambrus, watching him die by his hand with amusement, the very person who was also simultaneously giving him life. Albeit it be a cursed one. But now, Elek could spare no such thoughts. It was all consumed by pain, pain and suffering.

It seemed like hours of this, it must've been. He faintly remembered Ambrus moving him, away from the window and incoming light, down, down, down. To, what he presumed to be, a dungeon. Darkness filled his eyes, inch by inch, in what could only be the final death of his vision. And with it, his heart.

--

The next thing he remembered was waking back up in his same bed, the same window ajar, the same view of the stars. He surmised he'd been moved yet again, and a day had passed since his regretted rebirth. He felt a lightness in his chest, and bitterly, thought that must be due to there no longer being fresh blood to pump it. Taking his first breathe of air in this new body hurt. His eye sight enhanced, equally hurt. He could never remember feeling so cold and alone in his life as he did right this second.

His new eyes flashed to the movement in the corner of his room, and he turned on it in snarling anger. With his newfound strength, he leapt forward and tackled him to the ground. Ambrus fell with a thundering boom, the floor almost seeming to give way underneath their squabble.

"Get off of me."

Ambrus said simply, staring straight into Elek's fury blazed eyes.

"Not a chance in hell."

Elek said, through gritted teeth. He intended on killing this man, here and now, tearing his throat out with his very teeth if he had to. However, he was quickly rolled over, becoming the one pinned.

"There's also not a chance in hell that you could over power me, Elek. Stop this."

Elek thrashed under Ambrus's hands, but it was like thrashing against marble.

"Do you not see the gift I've given you? Selfishly, I admit, but still a gift. You will never age, you will never die. You're free now, to do whatever it is you want, for the rest of eternity."

Elek stopped thrashing, his eye's narrowing.

"At the cost of my very soul, no doubt."

He hissed, attempting to dig his fingernails into Ambrus shoulder, unsuccessfully. The man was pure steel.

"We are the only Gods here, of that you can be certain. In all my time on this earth, I've yet to meet another such as us."

Elek stopped resisting, moved and stunned by Ambrus's words. Sensing his sudden change of heart, Ambrus relented, offering his hand.

"Now, it's time for you to learn exactly what we're made of."