Bloodlust

S E V E N

"Do you know what type of person you're looking for? In a mate, I mean," Vincent asked. His head was resting on Adrian's shoulder. The two were watching Netflix whilst sitting on the bed.

"That was kind of random," Adrian replied.

"Well, I know you have a thing for Jim Moriarty but other than that, I have no idea about who or what you're interested in," Vincent said. Personally, he found Sherlock to be Best Boi, but to each their own.

"It shouldn't be a surprise that I'm gay," Adrian began. "Overall I really don't have a type, but I do typically fall for guys shorter than me," Adrian glanced at Vincent. His hinting couldn't be any more obvious.

"Hm, interesting," Vincent pondered the idea.

"Vincent, I-" Adrian was cut off by the sound of an ambulance in the distance. Damnit. He was going to confess this time, this time for sure. He'd only tried thousands of times before.

"Well, this seems like a great time for me to run to the store," Vincent got up off the bed. He was hungry. He wanted snacks. "I would ask you if you wanted anything, but, I already know the answer."

"You can't go now! I need to know what happens! How dare you leave right after The Reichenbach Fall! You always do this to me whenever we watch a show! Vincent!" Adrian reached out off of the bed to try and grab him, but he couldn't reach and just dangled over the side like a defeated puppy.

"I'll be right back," Vincent said. "Promise." Adrian didn't seem too convinced.

The walk to the store was a short one. But the time it would take for Vincent to return would be a long one. This wasn't the first time he'd done this. It wouldn't be the last either. However, it would be the first time he'd see Diedrich in the store. Vincent dropped everything he was carrying. Right there. Right before him. The man with the lab-coat staring at brands of iced tea. Memories. Dozens of them. Vincent panicked.

"Vincent?" Diedrich looked just as shocked as him. He reached out to touch him, but Vincent swatted his hand away.

"Don't touch me," he snapped.

"It's a good thing I've found you, actually," Diedrich placed his hand back into his pocket. "You need to return with me. I won't take you to the lab, but if you don't come back...Ciel is in danger. Claudia has gone mad searching for you."

Ciel, Ciel. Vincent had been so caught up in the present he'd forgotten about the past. Why did he forget about something so important? Ciel was still stuck in that hellhole. Vincent scratched his arms furiously. Scabs were torn off. Blood seeped through his long sleeves. Vincent bit his nails to keep from scratching. What was he supposed to do?

Diedrich wasn't the type of person to use things like this to his advantage, but the absence of Vincent in his life was a powerful one. He longed for him back. Whatever means necessary. Truth of the matter was, Ciel hadn't been harmed. Claudia loved the boy. He was a replacement for the 'failure' that Vincent had become. She would never harm him. But, she would use him as leverage. That was why this was so believable.

"You need to come with me," Diedrich said. Vincent's mind wasn't strong enough to refute. He was a fragile man. The ten years he'd spent in that hellhole outweighed the few weeks he'd spent out of it. All light was lost. All the work Adrian had put into him vanished. He was a puppet again. A meat sack filled with an abundance of blood. Used to being used. Part of him, a small part in the depths of his mind, knew this was a lie. He knew, but the rest of him couldn't fight the possibility that it wasn't. He would do anything to keep his son safe, even follow this man out of the store and all the way home.

"I've missed you, you know?" Diedrich smiled, a devil's grin, while holding the face of Vincent in his hands. Those clouded eyes, were beautiful to him. Vincent was his most prized possession.

Diedrich guided Vincent to the bed. He stripped himself of his clothing before removing Vincent's as well. "I'm sure you don't need to be told what it is I want from you."

Vincent shook his head. He got on his knees. I don't want to do that with just anyone. I only want to be intimate with the person I love. The words resounded in Vincent's ears. He mentally apologized to Adrian. He wasn't a good person. He wasn't even a decent person. So, he continued to apologize to the ignorant vampire.

He wanted to cry but the tears wouldn't come. He no longer felt an ounce of emotion. This world was too cruel. He didn't want to live in it anymore. He wanted to be set free. Free from the torturous agony of hypocrisy known as "humans." Free from Diedrich. Free from Claudia. Free from Life himself.