Gabriel had decided they were going to meet at his apartment and with Ruben recovering, Donovan drove them to the scene of his first kill. Were it not for the fragrance of iron and fear lingering in the air, one would hardly know two men had died here last night or, arguably, three.
“I guess they used my spare key,” Gabriel remarked, climbing out of the car and glaring in the direction of a brightly-lit apartment window. All of the others were dark.
Donovan opened his door and stepped out, closing it with a solid thud behind him, “I suppose it’s time to let the cat out of the bag as it were, come, before they get the idea that you’re not coming.”
As if on cue, the curtains in the window were drawn aside just enough for one of the hunters to peek outside. It wasn’t long before Gabriel’s apartment door was thrown open, as Chuck stood in the doorway keeping a firm hold on Louise’s shoulder to prevent her from approaching them.
“Sorry I’m late,” Gabriel called out, pulling something out of his pocket. A crushed cigarette pack. Evidence of a rather nasty habit.
“Hey kid,” Chuck spoke to Gabriel but kept one eye on Donovan, “you alright?”
“Yeah,” Gabriel said, pulling out a cigarette and stopping several feet short of the door, “sort of. Lee and Danny here yet?” He put on an impressive front, belying how nervous he really was. Gabriel wasn’t aware of it, but his mind was instinctually reaching towards Donovan’s, seeking a sense of calm he couldn’t quite find on his own.
Donovan kept his distance but let his focus and calm be felt by the fledgling. Louise was standing in front of Chuck now, shoving him aside, her hands balled into fists as her gaze zeroed in on Donovan.
“What’s Ruben’s house guest doing here?” Louise said, her voice low, angry.
“They’re on their way,” Chuck told Gabriel in a much calmer tone though still wary, giving Donovan a good, long once-over, clearly sizing him up. “I think I’d like to know why you’re here too.”
Gabriel lit his cigarette, taking the world’s slowest drag to stall for time. “He’s fine, don’t worry. Helped me out last night.”
Chuck scowled at the cigarette, “thought you quit smokin’.”
Donovan agreed with the old man, it was a nasty habit that he would have to make sure didn’t continue. He stayed back however, allowing Gabriel to deal with this on his own. If necessary he would step in, but thus far Gabriel’s friends weren’t behaving aggressively, yet.
“Shit’s been stressful lately,” Gabriel retorted, softening a little when Louise stepped a little closer, “I guess I just needed something to help me relax.” He flicked some ashes off of his cigarette, licking his bottom lip nervously. The first clear sign he wasn’t exactly ‘alright’. “I killed last night.”
Louise and Chuck were silent for a moment before the old hunter spoke, “that why he's here? Is he one of ‘em?”
Gabriel looked both of them directly in the eyes in turn, “we both are.” He’d drawn the line. Now it was up to them to do what they would.
If they’d planned to act on any sudden impulses, the flash of passing car lights was enough to stall them. Neither Louise nor Chuck made a move.
“So I guess that’s that. Just one more bloodsucker for shark week,” Gabriel said with a bitter smile, taking another long pull from his cigarette and flicking it to the ground.
“You're suddenly just okay with being one of them?” Louise asked softly, “thought you wanted us to kill you.”
Gabriel’s eyes flicked over to Donovan nervously, “you still can if you make it quick.”
“What?” Chuck blurted out, incredulous.
“Do I really have to spell it out? You’ve got a stake in your coat pocket; you always do, Chuck. You can kill me right now!” He was raising his voice, stepping closer to them to put more space between himself and Donovan, as if it would give his friends better odds. He was bluffing. He was desperate, and upset, but he was bluffing.
“You promised me you’d try not to hurt them,” Gabriel’s voice entered Donovan’s mind as naturally as his own thoughts. He was too old to be startled, but it certainly wasn’t something he’d expected Gabriel to willingly do for quite some time.
“I cannot be held responsible if they attack and try to kill you. I will not make the first move.”
Chuck and Louise looked torn and Donovan could see the aborted movement Chuck made as he reached for the stake in his pocket before letting his hand drop. “I can't.”
“I don’t know if I can live without killing,” Gabriel said, visibly relaxing just a little, “but I can try.”
Chuck nodded, “what’re you gonna do now, kid?”
Gabriel pointed back at Donovan, “I guess we can start with this. Louise, this is Donovan. Donovan, Louise. I know it’s not much, but he’s--you’re safe around him, let’s just leave it at that.”
Chuck and Louise stepped away from the door, “well, get your asses inside so we can talk about this and tell us how the hell this happened.” Louise stated, glaring at Donovan.
“Inviting me into my own apartment?” Gabriel snarked, letting whatever tension he was still holding in completely dissipate as he followed the others inside, lingering in the doorway to wait for Donovan.
“Thanks.” Gabriel whispered in the older vampire’s mind, though what he was thanking him for wasn’t exactly clear. Perhaps the support, or his restraint in the face of Louise and Chuck’s anger. It was a start.
“Lee and Danny were looking for signs of you at the river,” Chuck remarked from inside the comfort of the apartment as Gabriel joined him inside, pointedly changing the subject from what exactly what they were going to do next, “they’re sure as hell taking their sweet time to show up. Figured Lee would come speeding down the street the second Louise called them.”
Donovan was the last to step inside, his hands clasped loosely behind his back as he took in the cluttered space, “I believe they should be here in just a moment.” Now that the elder had mentioned it, Gabriel was able to pick out the familiar sound of Lee’s car pulling into the parking lot.
“I said I was sorry!” Danny yelled, followed by the sound of two car doors being slammed shut.
“Danny, just forget about it, and lower your voice,” Lee replied, “I’m still in one piece. Just try not to drop the lead next time.” He sounded like he was treading the fine line between patience and exasperation with the other hunter.
Donovan opened the door before Lee was able to knock, his hand was poised, ready, only to come face to face with the vampire.
“Please, Lee, come in, we’ve been waiting for you.”
A look of confusion crossed Lee’s face. Then, only momentarily, fear. Because you could change a mortal’s memories, but self-preservation instincts never completely disappeared. Some part of him very likely still knew he’d been Donovan’s puppet, if only for a day or two.
“Uh--Gabe?” Lee called out, slowly crossing the threshold into the apartment, while Donovan gave him ample space.
Gabriel by now had settled onto his living room couch beside Chuck, “Lee?” He asked, “what happened to you? You’re soaked.” He was indeed. In fact, the only part of Lee that wasn’t absolutely drenched was his face and hair, owing to a hand towel wrapped around his neck.
“It's a long story, I'm more worried about you. Gabriel, where have you been? What’s going on?” He glanced at Donovan, “and why is he here?”
“Before either of you say anything,” Gabriel began, looking over Lee’s shoulder. Danny had just arrived at the door looking even more confused, and far less wet. “I just want to make it clear that for the most part, I’m still Gabe. I’m not going to hurt any of you, and I’m going to do my best not to hurt anyone else if I can help it.” He very pointedly looked everywhere but at Donovan, reluctant to explain why the older vampire was there.
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Lee scowled, “Gabe, what did you do?” Lee kept glancing at Donovan out of the corner of his eye.
“What he had to do,” Chuck blurted out before Gabriel could launch into the story again, “I know you, Gabe. You did it because you had to.” He put a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, “that’s the end of it.”
“You ate someone?” Danny squeaked.
“No!” Gabriel snapped, “I didn’t eat them.”
“Them?!” Lee squawked, “you killed more than one person?!”
Gabriel slumped in his seat, “I didn’t want to,” he said in a voice just barely above a whisper. “Somehow they found out about me, and they cornered me last night by my car. I couldn’t get away.” The confidence, or what little confidence he’d tried to pretend he had about the choice he’d made evaporated all at once. “I wanted to live.”
“Who were they? What happened to their bodies?” Louise paused for a moment, “you still haven't answered what he's doing here. Why you’re with him.”
“I am responsible for him, for this city, I am here to make sure he remains in one piece.” Donovan said calmly.
Chuck lowered his hand from Gabriel’s shoulder, “what, you’re staking a claim? Thought your kind stopped doing that back in the dark ages.”
“I made my claim back when this land was new.” Donovan pushed up from his spot against the wall, “I have recently returned from a, forced, sabbatical.”
Danny remained steadfastly by the door, ready to bolt if necessary, “y-you, so, like, you--are you going to kill us?”
“Are you going to attack Gabriel or I?” He replied with a question of his own.
Lee removed his glasses, rubbing at the bridge of his nose and taking a good, long breath before speaking, “if neither you nor Gabe are a danger to the people here, I can’t in all honesty say I’d feel good about trying to murder one of my closest friends. Even if--” he put his glasses back on, looking at Gabriel, “--even if I don’t think what happened was right. I can’t speak for the hunters who’ve gathered here for shark week, and I can’t speak for Danny, Louise, or Chuck, but I won’t be the one to make the first move. Maybe that means I’m not the hero I should be, or I’m letting the city down, but that’s where I stand.”
“Do the rest of you feel the same?” Donovan questioned, “I can promise you that I do not actively seek your deaths. Hunters play an important role in the grand scheme of things and you are Gabriel's friends, so you are safe from me. I have lived long enough to see the reality of the world and understand the need for hunters, however, it does not mean I have any qualms about killing them.”
Chuck scratched at the patchy stubble on his chin he’d neglected to shave that morning, “Danny, take a goddamn seat, and Louise, I know you’re fingering that switchblade in your pocket, so stop it.” He gave her a quick shake of his head, directing his attention to Donovan, “so, tell me this, then. You the one that went missing back in ‘71? Heard stories they had a nest leader down here back when I was in high school. A little after your time, mind you.”
“Yes, that would be me,” he relaxed back against the wall as he spoke, now that the apparent danger had passed. He had no intention of revealing more unless asked, was curious what Chuck knew.
Danny edged down the opposite wall from Donovan towards the living room, keeping as much space between them as possible before taking a seat on the ground beside the coffee table. He gave Gabriel a somewhat sheepish look, his fear still clearly focused on the older vampire in the room.
Chuck looked over at Louise, “I guess your daddy never told you about nests, did he? Aren’t many of them left in the states. Wasn’t really something that took hold here like everywhere else.”
“I know a little,” Louise said, wary, “you guys basically set rules, right? Keep the food source happy and stupid?” She was obviously directing the question at Donovan, because Gabriel looked just as unsure as the rest of them now.
“We maintain order. It does us no good to have our food source decimated and to have hunters at our doorstep.” He replied, “please, continue, I enjoy not having to explain everything.”
“Doesn’t seem like there’s much more to say. Your kind don’t have a sense of good or evil. Just self-preservation. A nest is the closest thing to a moral compass any monster can ever have. Someone steps out of line, you kill them. Simple as that.” Chuck reflexively squeezed one of his fists, “fuck, I need a drink.”
“I'm sure you can see why I like hunters, they save me the trouble. Although I have no problem with getting my hands dirty, I do get tired of replacing my suits.”
“So how can we trust you?” Danny spoke up, demonstrating that he had not in fact lost his voice after all, despite his crippling fear of the monster (or monsters) in the room, “why are you with this guy, Gabe?” It was not a question Gabriel was going to be able to escape. They would keep asking until they got an answer.
Gabriel sighed, meeting Donovan’s eyes, “the blood in the bottle I drank was his. Somehow, I don’t know exactly why, but somehow it woke him up.”
“Woke him up?” Lee prompted, confused.
“Yes, a few in the community disagreed with the rules I had laid forth and since they couldn't kill me, they sought another solution. My missing status was because I was forced into a long slumber. When my blood reactivated the virus in Gabriel it formed a bond between us and allowed me to awaken. It was a fortuitous twist of fate.” Donovan paused for a moment, “you were seeking his sire, I would be he.”
A muscle ticked in Louise’s jaw as she struggled not to lose her temper, “so this is your fault. We could’ve killed you yesterday morning and saved him.”
“Louise,” Gabriel said, a note of warning in his voice, “I don’t want to fight. This wasn’t--” he struggled to find the right words, “--it wasn’t his fault. It was just really shitty luck.”
“You could not have killed me if you tried and if it makes you feel any better it would not have saved Gabriel. He is actually quite fortunate that I am his sire and he wasn't left abandoned or sire-less. One day he would have turned, with or without me. Once you are infected you can only prolong the inevitable.” Donovan explained calmly, unfazed by the death threat.
“You’re lying,” Louise argued, growing more and more upset by the moment, blinking back angry tears. She was just this close to doing something stupid.
“He’s not,” Chuck shook his head, “I hate to say it, but he’s not. That’s why most hunters have themselves beheaded after death.” He frowned, “hard to play the game without taking a few bad hits. I would’ve told you sooner or later, Gabe, I just figured it’d be a hell of a lot later.” He looked at Gabriel, defeated, “thought I could keep you safe.”
“You knew?” Gabriel asked, startled. “You fucking knew?!”
“Lisa’s funeral was closed casket for a reason.” The look of utter defeat and pain on his face aged him far more than a lifetime of drinking and smoking ever could. He was a father who’d lost his daughter, and now, his adopted son.
“You do not have to end your association with each other,” Donovan said, breaking the melancholy mood, “Gabriel will need some time to adjust but I see no reason you cannot maintain contact with each other.”
Danny drew his knees up to his chest, crossing his arms over them, “are you leaving again?”
“I’m not leaving,” Gabriel assured him, placing a reluctant hand on Chuck’s shoulder, “I guess I understand why you did it.” He shrugged, “knowing the truth wouldn’t have done me much good anyway.”
“Gabriel will be returning home with me for the time being but you are welcome to visit. It would be best not to do so unannounced, however.” Donovan would have preferred not to have them around at all but it would make Gabriel’s transition easier, he hoped.
“I’m not giving up on this,” Louise stood up, “there’s a way to fix it. A cure. A treatment. There’s something out there, Gabe.”
“Louise-” Lee began, crossing the room to take her hands into his, “you need some sleep. We’ll talk about this tomorrow when our heads are clear.”
Louise looked like she wanted to pull away, to storm out, but managed to maintain her cool, at least a little. Instead of leaving on her own, she grabbed Lee’s hand firmly and pulled him outside toward his car.
Gabriel watched them leave, helpless to say anything to stop her. He wanted to. He wanted to say something that would fix all of this, something that would be so profound that it was as good as ending a fairy tale with a happy ending. But he didn’t.
Danny climbed to his feet, awkwardly looking between Chuck, Gabriel, and then finally Donovan. “She’s--” he took a deep breath, “--I think she just needs time. We all do. Gabe, I don’t know if it makes any difference, but I’m glad you’re kind of still alive. I don’t know what you’re going through, and I don’t know if I would’ve done the same thing or not. What I do know is that a vampire is probably better than a ghoul any day. I also know you wouldn’t kill anyone unless you absolutely had to. That’s just not you.” With that being said, he gave Donovan an awkward nod of his head and very carefully edged back across the room. It was going to take him some time to get used to the idea of actually talking to monsters.
Donovan looked at Gabriel, “I believe it's time to go home.” He moved toward the door, “it has been a pleasure meeting you properly, Charles, I hope we will have the pleasure of each other's company in the near future.”
Chuck nodded, “I don’t know you, but I do know Gabe apparently trusts you.” He re-directed his attention to Gabriel, who was standing up, “keep your phone on. Call us. It took a lot of guts to tell the truth today, kid, and it’s gonna take even more to fight that thing inside you.”
“What?” Gabriel asked, frowning.
“Hunger. I’ve had a few good friends let it win. I know you won’t.”
“Thanks, Chuck. Tell Louise I’m sorry.”
“You can tell her yourself when you call her. I’m willing to bet she’ll call you first, though. She loves you, Gabe. We all do.”
Donovan waited patiently by the door, watching the scene unfold. It was obvious to him that Gabriel was going to have a difficult time adjusting. Especially with his attachments, but they would manage.
“I’m going to pack some clothes, but I’ve still got a half pint of Jack in the cabinet by the sink. You can go ahead and finish it off.” Gabriel pulled Chuck into a short hug, “good night, Chuck.”
Chuck hugged him tight, “night, kid. Don't be a stranger and if you need anything,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “if he does, anything, you call me. You hear?”
“I will,” Gabriel nodded, “I promise.” They had no chance of beating Donovan in a fight, but their loyalty to Gabriel was admirable.
Donovan waited patiently while Chuck drank the rest of the whiskey and Gabriel grabbed his clothes. He was grateful when they were finally able to leave and go home. They had a long road ahead of them.