Ranloo ran, the humid air cool against his face, calming him down. Why had those stupid priests been there? Why would they be out in the middle of the night? Hunting him? Surely not? That was the paladins' function. It seemed more likely the priests had been on their way home, maybe from some conference or gathering. They weren't even of the same faith. Maybe they were just friends? What had the woman done? Thrown a lightning bolt after him? He stifled a nervous chuckle, still shaken. So unlucky. Or was he? She had missed. His thoughts went to the strange deity, Zeidon. He recalled his name with unease. God of luck? Destiny. Maybe he had been protected? He dismissed the idea almost immediately. He was far too unimportant. But he wanted to find one of his temples regardless. One that was in use. Had to thank him for that one time. The memory still shook him. It was a too powerful reminder of the gods' very real existence.
He jumped across the river instead of taking the bridge up ahead. He was getting better at jumping and judging distance. It had been hard to get used to the long air time at first. Now he dared to test his limits further with each night.
Stopping close to an intersection, he waited. Footsteps approached. Right on time, he thought and backed up into a dark shadow between two houses. He focused his thoughts and soon that strange feeling overcame him again. He opened his eyes and looked down. Almost invisible. A small patrol of city guards walked past the crossing, unaware of the hiding vampire.
As soon as they had vanished down the street Ranloo solidified again and continued towards the guild. He really liked his new power. It was very useful. Chuckling to himself, he sped up, the wind tugging at his cloak. When he spotted the guild he slowed and glanced up, making sure nobody sat watching on the rooftops. He saw nothing.
He was let in immediately as he approached the door and smiled at the guards in mild surprise. They greeted him with some caution. Gesald waited for him by the inner door and Ranloo's mood dropped. His hunger reminded him that he wanted to eat, wanted more. He gave the red-haired man a hungry stare as he approached and heard, to his satisfaction, Gesald's heartbeats increase, tempting him.
´Don't stare,` Gesald muttered as he passed. ´It's rude.`
Ranloo stopped short.
Gesald only just avoided walking into him with a sharp inhale. ´What're you doing?` he snapped.
Ranloo gave him a long stare. Gesald stepped back, gulping. ´Good boy.` Ranloo leered.
Gesald took another step back, the colour draining from his face. ´You're not allowed to hurt me!` he blurted.
Ranloo laughed and turned away from him. He couldn't help it. It was too funny to harass the annoying man. The only side effect was that he wanted to bite him when he did, especially since Gesald became so afraid. It was a bad idea, he reminded himself again. Stop it. Maybe he was too hungry and that was why he behaved this way? He seemed helpless against his own impulses. Frowning, he went looking for his friends. He found Diquarl and Listarl in their usual meeting room.
´Hey, vampire!` Diquarl greeted and smiled.
Ranloo walked into the room and gave him a slightly annoyed look. ´Vampire still has a name,` he commented to Listarl's booming laugh. ´Where are the others?`
´Well, they got tired of waiting for you. We never know how long you plan on being out,` Listarl said. ´They're probably up in the dining room, or in their rooms, curing their headaches.`
Ranloo glanced to the door. ´Do you want me to get them?`
Diquarl shrugged indifferently. ´Do as you wish. How many do you want to see you suffer?´ A small devilish smile played over his lips.
´What's wrong with him?` Ranloo asked and gave Listarl a questioning look.
The big man laughed and patted the chemist hard on the shoulder, making him wince. ´He's a very small evil man. You'll get used to it. He's just a bit shy of showing his true nature.`
The chemist frowned but said nothing. He held a small flask with what appeared to be water in his hands. A small shiver of trepidation ran through Ranloo as he saw it. Holy water. How bad would it be, he wondered. He was apprehensive, but surely it couldn't be worse than a holy symbol? He left the room. He wanted at least Sern to be there.
Some time later the friends gathered in the room. Pei and Aedil were absent, gone on a job where good fighters were needed, according to some other guild members. Felisei looked anxious as Diquarl held up the flask with the holy water. Both her and Sern looked pale and worn, Ranloo noted.
´Won't it hurt you?` she asked worriedly.
Ranloo waved it off with a hand and gave her a calming smile. ´Probably.` He didn't feel as relaxed as he tried to sound but didn't want to show them he was scared of being experimented on. He also really wanted to know the effects.
´Can you hold this?` Diquarl asked and held out the small bottle.
Gingerly, Ranloo reached for the flask and took it in his left hand. A rush of relief flooded him. He couldn't feel anything though the bottle. Only the cool glass against his skin.
´Yes I can,` he replied with a grin.
The chemist studied him carefully and the others looked with interest too.
´So, open it?` Listarl prompted.
Ranloo nodded and carefully proceeded to pull the cork out of the bottle. He wasn't prepared for this, he realized. He was scared. Scared of water. It almost made him laugh, but the very serious possibility that it would hurt him kept him focused. He took the bottle with his right hand and poured some drops onto his left.
For a second, nothing happened and he almost sighed in relief when the liquid hissed and started to pain him horribly. He grimaced and stared at his hand. The water cut into his skin, burning like acid. With a yelp, he dropped the bottle. It fell to the floor and smashed. Ranloo sucked in a breath and jumped aside, cradling his hand. Water spilled on the planks and seeped into the cracks. Luckily, nothing hit him.
´You alright?` Sern stood and reached out for him.
Ranloo clamped his teeth together and shook his head, a groan escaping him.
Felisei also got up and they both went to him, trying to comfort, but only making the situation worse with their closeness.
Diquarl craned his neck behind Sern. ´Can I see your hand?` he asked and reached out.
Ranloo almost hissed at them but managed to turn his back on them. He walked in circles, shaking his head and cursing under his breath. Their eyes followed his movements in silence. After a while, as the pain lessened, he stopped and studied his hand. His skin was severely burned where the water had touched. It had only been a few drops, but it had cut deep enough for it to bleed. He was fascinated and scared by the effect. The medallions burned but this was somehow worse. If someone were to throw holy water at him and he got it into his face, he shuddered at the thought. Taking a deep breath, he went back to his friends and held out his trembling hand. They stared, shocked and amazed by the damage some water could do.
´That's pretty intense,` Diquarl commented.
´No, really!` Ranloo snapped in annoyance. ´That hurt.`
´Maybe you shouldn't experiment with things like this,` Felisei said. ´What if you kill yourself?`
Ranloo laughed suddenly to everyone's bewilderment. ´Imagine the surprised looks on the vampire hunters' faces when they find out I killed myself with holy water.`
´You're an idiot,` Felisei and Sern said as one.
Sern gave her an annoyed look, then turned his attention back to Ranloo.
Ranloo tensed as a sudden urge to attack the nearby humans almost overcame him. His hunger tore at his guts with increased ferocity and his mouth felt like parchment. He didn't want them to notice. He needed something to eat, something that wasn't an animal.
´I need to tend to this,` he said, spun about and left them standing there, mouths open in confusion. He startled Gesald as he exited the door in his haste, the door slamming into the wall behind him. Ranloo carefully avoided looking at the young man as he hurried to his room and locked the door behind him.
He couldn't go on like this. He was losing control. Everyone tempted him and his insides hurt. He had been too close to making several mistakes this night. He leaned his back against the door and closed his eyes, trying to calm down. He had clearly done too much, using his powers and hurting himself. It used energy. Energy that he didn't have on the thin diet he desperately tried to stick to. But he didn't want to hurt people, didn't want to become a mindless killer like his master.
He sneered at himself and pounded the wall beside the door with his right fist. If he went on like this, he'd soon kill anyone that got too close to him by mistake. He inhaled deeply and stood from the door. He had to tend to his hand, it still bled. Frowning, he lit the rushlight, went to the chest by the bed and removed some bandages he kept there.
As he wrapped his hand he pondered how to deal with this problem. Maybe he would have to give in to his need and hunt people, he despaired. He slumped down on the bed and cradled his head in his hands. He was lost. A monster no matter what he tried to do. He stared at his hands in impotent fury. He had killed so many, had scared even more. All he had ever wanted was to be a good friend and husband. A good father. Now that was impossible. Taken from him. And if he wanted to keep his friends safe, there was only one option left. He had to hunt. There was no time left, he had to keep himself in check until the next night. Dawn was soon upon them.
A faint scuff outside the door alerted him to a presence. His head snapped up to stare at the door, tense and alert. The knocking almost made him jump up and charge. He grabbed the bedpost and forced himself to stay. To calm down.
´Ranloo? You there?` Sern's voice sounded concerned.
For a while Ranloo couldn't reply, his hunger and hunting instincts too overwhelming.
´Ranloo? Please. Is somethin' wrong?`
´I'm fine,` he managed to say after a while but didn't get up to let him in.
´That's a lie,` Sern pointed out needlessly.
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Ranloo snorted as he tried not to laugh. ´I'm actually fine,` he said with more conviction.
´Then let me in.` Sern knocked again.
´No.` He didn't dare. He might hurt the boy.
´So,` Sern said, irony dripping off his words, ´everythin's totally fine, but you won't open the door?`
This time he did laugh. ´Yes, that's right. But you're welcome to stay outside the door if you please,` he retorted, already feeling much better. Their friendly bantering always brought him around to a calmer state of mind and happiness.
´Oh, thank you so much, master vampire!` Sern laughed outside the door. Then he fell quiet for a while before speaking again. ´Seriously though. Can I come in?`
´I don't think you should.` Ranloo let go of the bedpost. He wanted to see Sern but was troubled by his own state of mind.
´Don't be stupid. Lemme in, please,` he pressed. ´You know it'll be fine.`
´Don't get too close. Alright?` Ranloo answered after a short moment's hesitation, unable to deny his friend. He felt more in control again but was still scared he'd get triggered. On the other hand, Sern had stopped him before.
´Why? What's wrong?`
Ranloo snorted and walked over to the door. He stood there for a while, hands pressed against the wood, listening. The boy's scent faintly wafted in through the cracks. Maybe he shouldn't open after all. ´I'm hungry,` he said in a low voice.
´You've eaten, haven't you?`
´Yes. But only animals, for two weeks. It's not working,` he said, voice taut. Heavy silence met his statement.
´Sern?` He heard a sigh through the wood.
´Just open the door already. You're so slow.`
Ranloo grinned. It was definitely a bad idea, but he seemed full of bad ideas tonight. He unlocked the door and backed away. The door swung open, revealing Sern, looking at him with a worried expression, faint shadows still lingering under his eyes.
´I wouldn't go in there if I were you,` a voice spoke from further down the hall.
Ranloo couldn't see him but recognized Gesald's voice. It grated on his nerves.
Sern looked sideways, a surprised expression flitting over his face. ´Mind your own business.`
´I'm just trying to keep you alive,` Gesald sighed. ´But do as you wish.`
Sern made a noncommittal sound, stepped into the room, and closed the door behind him. Ranloo took a careful step away from him as he entered.
´How's your hand?` Sern asked as he saw Ranloo by the cabinet, his hand wrapped in bandages.
Ranloo briefly looked at it and shrugged. ´It's getting better. No worse than when I got burned by the sun-symbol,` he lied.
Sern sat down on the bed. ´How bad is it?` He gave Ranloo an intent look.
´What do you mean?` he replied, confused. ´I told you it was alright.`
Sern shook his head and smiled. ´Not the hand. You. How bad's your hunger?` He lay back on the bed, eyeing the ceiling.
Ranloo stared at him. He was way too calm and familiar. ´Not too good,` he said honestly and leaned back against the cabinet. ´I think I've used too much energy tonight.`
Sern sat back up with a frown. ´What've you done now?`
´I see you have full confidence in me,` Ranloo mocked with a smile.
Sern grinned. ´Of course I do. You've earned it after all.`
Ranloo huffed and studied his hand, pretending not to care about him.
´Oi! Tell me!` Sern demanded and hit the bed with his palms, causing dust to fly into the air.
Ranloo laughed as Sern glared at him in mock anger. ´You can't just demand things of me like that,` he said but was pleased that his friend could be so relaxed around him. ´I practiced hiding in the fog.`
Sern's eyes glittered as he mentioned it. ´You gotta show me!`
´I will. But it's too late tonight. Maybe tomorrow.` He smiled proudly.
´What more did you do?`
Ranloo's thoughts returned to the incident with the young couple. If he could have blushed he would have. Instead, he looked down at the floor, trying to come up with something to say. Glancing up, he met Sern's blue-grey eyes, regarding him intently.
´What?` he said defensively.
´What did you do?` Sern said gravely. ´I can tell you did somethin' you shouldn't have.`
Embarrassed, Ranloo looked away again, a guilty smile on his lips. Sern clearly knew him too well already. ´Nothin' much,` he mumbled.
Sern crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.
´I just chased some people for fun and ran into two priests,` he admitted and laughed. It had been a crazy night.
Sern's eyes widened. ´You did what?` he almost yelled.
Ranloo hushed him with a chuckle and stepped closer to the bed.
´You're insane! Why didn't you say anythin'?` Sern said, again too loud.
Ranloo placed a hand over Sern's mouth and hushed him again. ´Quiet! Gesald might hear you,` he cautioned with a grin.
Sern pulled his hand away and hit him playfully on the shoulder. ´You're still insane! You hunted? Priests? Wha... tell me!` he hissed in an attempt at lowering his voice.
A strong desire to bite the boy washed over Ranloo, a need to be close and feel his warmth. He tried to dismiss it but must have given Sern an intense look since he suddenly looked away and fidgeted on the bed, his heart-rate increasing. Then he looked back at Ranloo with a smile and patted the bed beside him.
´Sit an' tell me.`
Ranloo hesitated, but against his better judgement sat down beside his friend. ´I wanted to test my powers,` he began. He told Sern about his training and how he had sneaked up on two young humans and chased them, scaring them witless. He didn't mention how close he had come to kill the girl, however. He was too embarrassed and angry at himself for that. Then he recounted his collision with the priests, and how narrowly he'd avoided the lightning bolt.
Sern stared in silence for a while, then flopped back down on the bed with a whistle, his hands behind his head. ´You're so lucky,` he commented to Ranloo's surprise.
´What do you mean? What's lucky about that?` He gave Sern a hungry look.
´I mean, of all the people you could've run into, you find the worst possible. An' you got away!` he laughed, glanced up, and stiffened. ´Uh, you're kinda starin' at my neck.` He slapped Ranloo on his thigh.
Ranloo flinched and looked away, embarrassed. ´I'm sorry, I'm too hungry. It's not safe for you to stay here,` he mumbled.
Sern huffed and managed to look affronted while lying on his back. ´I'm safe enough.` He flashed a confident smile. ´Besides, I know you won't harm me.`
Ranloo looked back at him, laying on his bed, looking too comfortable. With a quick motion, he reached over Sern, grabbed the pillow and flung it into his face.
Sern hollered and flew up, the pillow raised high.
Ranloo tried to shield himself with his hands but got severely battered. ´Stop it!` he laughed as the barrage of soft blows continued.
´You deserve it!` Sern shouted and hit him square in the face. He grinned, a pleased look on his face.
In feigned rage, Ranloo grabbed the cover and promptly pulled it over Sern, wrapping him up like a cocoon under loud protests. ´There, get out of that if you can,` he huffed and inspected his handiwork. Sern's arms were pinned down by the cover, hindering his movements.
´Uh, just gimme an hour,` Sern panted and squirmed to get out. A banging on the door interrupted them and they both looked up.
´What's going on?` It was Gesald.
Ranloo and Sern glanced at each other, then burst out laughing.
´I'm just killing the boy,` Ranloo answered as Sern giggled and tried to escape the covers. They heard angry muttering from the other side of the door and receding footsteps.
´He really doesn't trust you,` Sern said.
´No.` Ranloo shook his head. ´But I did threaten to kill him recently,` he admitted.
´Why?` Sern asked in astonishment and squirmed again. ´You shouldn't do that, it might get Jackal bothered with you.`
Ranloo shrugged and leaned onto Sern with an arm, hindering his escape. ´If he hasn't told Gesald to get off my back already, he's not likely to care much,` he said and leered at Sern's attempts to get out.
´Okay, please.` Sern's face flushed red with the exertion and warmth of being wrapped up. ´Can I get out now?`
´No,` Ranloo replied calmly. ´I think I like you the way you are.`
Sern halfheartedly roared and tried to headbutt him to Ranloo's amusement. He liked being in control, liked to feel superior, even if it was just for fun. But it was tempting having Sern struggle beneath him, and his hunger fought for his attention whenever he looked at the young man.
´Aaah, lemme out!` Sern yelled in exasperation.
Ranloo laughed and allowed him to free himself of the cover. Sern sat up and wiped his forehead with a hand, panting. Then he hit Ranloo fairly hard on the arm and attacked him, trying to wrestle him down. Laughing, Ranloo almost fell back but managed to keep the boy away from him.
´Stop it!` he said, trying to sound serious, but to no effect.
Sern grabbed the pillow and walloped him over the head repeatedly.
´That's it!` Ranloo yelled, grabbed Sern's upper arms and forced him down on his back on the bed. ´Stop it.` he said again, voice trembling.
Sern struggled in vain to get out of Ranloo's strong grip. However, realizing it was hopeless, he relaxed and laughed. ´You're too strong. It's not fair!` He glared at the elf.
Ranloo wasn't listening. He stared intently at Sern's neck. A twinge of fear made Sern flinch, but he calmed quickly. He lay still and studied his friend, Ranloo's amber eyes fixed on him, a faint glow in their centre.
´Alright,` he said faintly. ´I think we gotta slow down before you do somethin' bad,` he said. ´You can lemme go now.`
Instead of replying, Ranloo forced Sern's wrists up beside his head. Maybe he should have listened and stayed away, he thought, feeling open and defenseless. His breath came short as Ranloo leaned closer. Ranloo had almost bitten him before and that had scared him. But that time, he had listened when Sern spoke.
´Ranloo, stop,` he said, trying to keep calm.
The vampire didn't respond. He leaned in and opened his mouth, sharp fangs clearly visible.
Sern gulped but tried to stay relaxed. He knew that fighting Ranloo right now would only trigger him more. ´Stop!` he said sharply, trembling despite his efforts. He knew Ranloo wasn't joking when he said he might kill him, but he had been so sure he wouldn't ever hurt him. They were friends.
Ranloo's breath grazed his throat and Sern was sweating in distress. He might have one chance. ´Gesald!` he yelled, hoping the man hadn't gone too far away.
Whether he had heard Sern's cry or not, Ranloo hesitated and looked to the door. Sern gasped in relief but knew it wasn't over yet. He had to get out of Ranloo's grip somehow and make him come back to his senses.
With grave determination, Sern kicked the vampire as hard as he could. Ranloo snarled and twisted back to him, changing his position. Sern pulled a hand free and desperately grabbed for the sun-medallion in his pocket.
Ranloo let his other wrist go as well but only to wrap his hands around Sern's throat, forcing him back down on the bed.
Gasping for air, Sern lifted the medallion towards the vampire's face. Ranloo's eyes narrowed as they focused on it. Sern forced it towards Ranloo's face as black spots swam before his eyes, unable to breathe. He pulled at the hand around his throat.
A banging on the door made the vampire look sideways again, a fierce expression on his face.