The Missing Boy

Chapter 25 - (E)motionless

"Miles. Baby, wake up. It's just a nightmare. You're with me. You're safe."

Miles sits up, gasping for air as he presses his hands to his chest. His t-shirt is damp but not from blood, from sweat. There is no stake protruding from his chest. And his heart is still beating, hammering wildly against his ribcage.

"Axel?" He says, scared.

"It was just a nightmare."

"It felt so real." Like Miles had really been stabbed. He can remember the pain. Like an echo in his chest. And right now his chest feels like he's been holding his breath for too long. Or like he had been drowning. It burns.

Miles lays back on the bed, staring up at the slightly blurry ceiling, his glasses abandoned on the bedside table. He just lays there. Motionless. Emotionless.

Since when has breathing been this difficult.

He's frozen, unresponsive. And has a chilling resemblance to the dead.

Axel begins to take off Mile's sweat-soaked shirt. Pulling his arms out one by one and then the shirt up and over his head. Miles did little to help as he stayed still. Axel huffs and takes off his own shirt. He mirrors Miles' position.

Motionless. Emotionless.

"I need a drink."

It's Miles who says this. He doesn't want to remember the events that played out in the forest and maybe with just the right amount of alcohol in his system, he can forget. He yearns for the bitter taste now and figures a hangover would feel better than whatever it is he's feeling.

"Me too." Axel replies. He isn't talking about alcohol.

Then an absurd idea pops into Miles' head. He turns onto his side and faces Axel.

"Bite me."

"Miles." Axel warns.

"Come on. We both feel like shit. And when was the last time you had a proper drink?"

Is it bad that Axel can't remember? He's been filling himself with blood from the bar and hasn't bitten anyone in ages. And now that he thinks about it, he craves it.

And seeing Miles shirtless (even though it was entirely his fault for taking his shirt off in the first place) and the light coming back into his eyes, makes Axel crave him even more.

"Are you sure about this?" Axel asks, looking deeply into Miles' eyes to search for any sort of hesitance or second judgement.

"Yes. I'm sure. I just want to feel better. With you, I feel better."

"Ok." Is all Axel can muster.

Axel sits up on the bed, resting his back on the headboard. He pulls Miles on top of him so that he's straddling his waist. Miles' hands wrap around Axel's neck and bury themselves into his inky black hair.

"Say it again." Axel whispers, closing his eyes as Miles moves impossibly close.

And then, right next to Axel's ear, Miles whispers ever so quietly that only a vampire could hear it.

"Bite me."

Axel's whole body shudders at the words. His canines extend to their fullest length. His eyes are now nearly entirely black, a thin grey rim around his dilated pupils. His lower region stirs and this all happens in a matter of one second. One second that seems to stretch on to infinity.

He does it then. His canines sink deeply into the flesh of Miles' neck. Miles is surprised by the noise that escapes his mouth. It isn't the sound of pain. It's the sound of pleasure. Miles moans. And the sound causes another series of reactions in Axel. One being that his trousers are way too tight.

There's something different about biting Miles. He doesn't do it because he needs the blood. It isn't a necessity. It's a want. A crave. A selfish desire.

They're both being selfish.

They're both being generous.

They're both thinking about themselves.

But they're also both thinking about each other.

It's a cycle. Axel drinks the blood and Miles takes the venom. It's an agreement where both parties are beyond satisfied.

Miles' blood is rich and thick. Plentiful. There's so much of it. And Axel is so scared that he won't be able to stop.

But Miles doesn't mind.

He lives for the venom coursing through him now. It's as if he can feel every single drop of it. And with every drop he sinks deeper and deeper into pure bliss. Pure. Free of any contamination.

In this moment; Julian's death is forgotten; the dread of seeing Sydney's reaction disappears; the worries of Miles' mother are long gone.

Free of any contamination.

They're both being selfish.

When Axel finally pulls back, the two are both lightheaded. Miles leans forward, resting his forehead against Axel's. He's breathing heavily.

After a few minutes of this, of letting their high sizzle out, Miles notices now the slight pain in his neck.

The bite marks have already healed but the blood that had trickled from the wound still rests where the bite was. Miles places his two fingers there, winces, and spots the droplets of blood on his finger.

Axel can't help himself as he puts Miles' fingers into his mouth, staring up at him as he does it.

Miles kisses him then.

He tastes like blood.

•••••••••••••
A/N

Ahhh there were so many potential chapter names!!! There's 'Crave' and also 'Selfish' but I thought the (E)motionless was cool lol.

And this chapter felt so sensual and heated when in reality all Axel did was bite him.