Fallen - 14. Chapter 14 - Twins

I go back to my house, it’s easier that way, and step out again in a place on the outskirts of London. I walk across the bridge to the edge of an abandoned industrial estate with dilapidated warehouses watching the world darkly through smashed windows, and a rubble filled courtyard.

A few straggly dogs sniff amongst the rubble and run yelping from my scent. I sense humans close. This is a place where I know the hopeless gather... the homeless, the drug addicts, the abused: perfect for my purposes. I am tired of fighting with my new pets, it is so much easier to take and train those with no fight left in them. There is a part of me that is drawn here because of Bridge, because these people are like him. I smile at that thought. No one is like him, no one.

Feeling angry with the world I stalk across the courtyard climbing over rubble, skirting the larger mounds. Dog faeces and rat urine provide a pungent background to the visual decay. It is the perfect foil for my current mood.

Approaching a building that is a little less dilapidated than the rest I sense life within. I crack open the door, which is reasonably intact, and slip into the darkness beyond. On the far side, about as far away as it’s possible to get from where I am someone has lit a fire in a rough fireplace built from the stones and rubble.

The light from the fire casts eerie shadows on the walls and floor. The whole place is darkened by the years of accumulated grime on the windows and it smells only a little better than outside.

Grouped around the fire are a number of rough bed spaces. It is impossible to see from here what they comprise of. They are only visible as long mounds radiating outwards from the fire like the spokes of a wheel. From what I can sense none of the mounds are currently occupied.

I can feel and vaguely see a couple of indistinct figures around the fire but they are not what I am interested in. There is someone else, more than one person, together. They are cold and hopeless, on the point of giving up on life but there is something between them that interests me.

Across the space in front of me there is a metal staircase to an upper floor. Here and there across the room it is clear that the floor above has collapsed leaving gaping holes in the ceiling. Carefully and silently I climb.

Upstairs it is even darker than downstairs and it is colder. There is no light, no shadows, no life. Except that there is.

Even with my unusually sensitive eyes it is not easy to make them out but as I acclimatise to the darkness I see them. They are huddled against the wall; one sitting upright and the other lying across his legs, his head cradled in his friend’s arms.

I approach slowly so as not to startle them but when the upright one looks up at me his eyes are dull and dead. Nothing would startle them now. There is nothing that can come which is worst than the hell they are living. Even death would be a welcome visitor here. From the feel of it he is already knocking on the door.

I crouch in front of them and he tightens his arms around his friend who doesn’t stir. Slowly and gently I reach out and touch the sleeping boy, brushing his hair away from his face. Even thick with grime it is beautiful. I smile inwardly. My instinct has led me right again. When he is clean he will hold his own with any of my boys.

Looking down into his face and then up at the other another realisation comes to me. “Your brother?” I ask softly, knowing the answer without needing it to be given, which is just as well as the boy says nothing, simply stares emotionlessly.

I gently brush my fingers against the boy’s throat. His life force is weak but he is in no danger of imminent death. Another day perhaps but for the moment it is safe to concentrate on his brother. There is a hint of hostility in his eyes now. They are coming to life. A threat to himself he would accept; a threat to his brother he will fight with the last ounce of his strength, which is not far away. He is running on empty.

“I can help him. I can help you both.”

“He’s dying.” He said flatly.

“Yes. If you stay here he will die; you both will.” He nods silently. “Is that what you want?”

There is a spark in his eyes again but then it dies and he shrugs.

“What if I can offer you a chance to live?”

He blinks curiously at me, a guarded hope flaring somewhere in his eyes.

“Why?”

“Because I can.”

“What do you want from us?”

“Does it matter?”

He stares at me with the same look that was in Bridge’s eyes when I first looked into them. And then he shakes his head and lowers his eyes.

“Will you come with me?”

“Are you going to kill us?”

“No. I swear to you that I am not going to hurt you.”

“Will you save him? Will you take care of him?”

“I’ll take care of you both, I promise.”

I raise his face with a finger under his chin and look into his eyes. There are tracks in the grime on his cheeks where he has wept bitter, hopeless tears and I brush them gently with my thumb.

“Stand up.”

“But what about...?”

“I’ll take care of him in a moment.”

“You won’t make me leave him?”

“No, I won’t separate you.”

Very, very gently he lays his brother down on the dusty floor. A strange look passes over through his eyes and he screws them shut, a look of pain crossing his face. “He hasn’t eaten in days,” he says softly and huskily. “Yesterday he went to sleep and today he won’t wake up.” He opens his eyes and strokes his brother’s face with a look that is way more than familial. Perhaps I should start with the other one after all.

“What would you give to see him strong again?”

He gives me a quick hard look. “You could do that?”

“What would you give me if I did?”

“Anything. I would give you anything.”

“Would you give your life?”

He winces and bites his lip but after another glance at his unconscious brother he nods sharply. “I’m not going to ask that of you. What I am going to ask is that you accept whatever I do to him; that you don’t interfere and when I am done you let me do the same to you.”

“I...”

“I will walk away from you if you want to. I will not force you into anything, but you know as well as I do that that your brother is in a coma. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day he will die, and when he’s gone; when you’ve held him through the end you will lie down next to him and follow.

“It’s what you’ve done all your lives, taken care of him. It’s why you gave him the last of the food, why you haven’t given up yet so he won’t die alone. He’s not just your brother is he?”

His eyes widen and glisten with tears. “I...” his resolve collapses and all the fight goes out of him. “I don’t suppose it matters now. We’re lovers.”

“That’s why you ran away?” He nods.

Spontaneously I take him into my arms. He feels weak but not fragile, not like Bridge was. He hasn’t had time to get skinny and he isn’t ravaged by disease. He’s still strong and the smell of his blood is rich and spicy. He has so much spirit, a stubborn determination that has allowed him to go on no matter what, to be the strong one.

“It’s alright now. You can be together somewhere safe. Where I will take you there are no limits or labels on love. All I ask is that you give me what I am about to take whenever I ask it. For that you will be well fed, housed in safety and comfort and allowed to be together in the way you want.”

“You won’t hurt him?”

“I won’t hurt either of you.”

He pulls away with more strength than I would have thought possible. Biting his lip he nods, although I can feel his heart beating fast and hard. Raising him to his feet I move him a few feet away and tell him to stay there.

“Whatever happens, whatever you see, do not move from here or I will kill him, I will kill both of you. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“No... you don’t and you don’t need to, not now... you just need to trust me and to stay out of the way.”

“Yes.”

Leaving him leaning against the wall I dismiss him from my attention, knowing that he will do as I say. Kneeling beside the other boy I lay him out flat on the floor and loosen his clothing. It reveals a body that has not yet been touched by the ravishes of malnutrition. The clothes they wear are good quality too. They have come from a privileged background. They have not been on the streets for long, which accounts for how quickly the streets have consumed them.

Brushing the tangled hair out of his face I see a mirror to the one I looked into only moments ago. Leaning down I inhale his scent. It is the same as his brother’s; not just similar, the same. Twins. I have never had twins before. In sleep, without the hopeless resignation which emanates from his brother he is even more beautiful.

Gently I touch his cheek but he doesn’t stir. He is deep but I can find him and bring him back. Sliding one arm under is shoulders I raise them and balance him against my shoulder. He is like a rag doll. If I were human it might have been difficult to hold him but I am stronger than any human I have ever encountered by far and for me it is no trouble at all.

Allowing his head to loll to the side I brush the hair away from his neck and lower my face, breathing in the sweet, spicy scent of him. He doesn’t stir when I sink my fangs into his jugular vein but the blood that flows into my mouth is clean and free from disease. His condition is due solely to exhaustion and lack of food. He will not be difficult to revive.

As I drink I concentrate on pouring energy into him. Not having to work on any sickness in his blood I can simply let healing energy flow into him from my fangs. Within a few moments he shudders and stirs in my arms. A soft sigh escapes his lips. Gently I stroke the other side of his throat and release pleasure enzymes which make him shudder again and he moans.

Slowly I run my hands over his body and he responds instantly. Good. This one will be easy. Carefully managing the flow so that I don’t drain him too much; I will be supplementing my needs with his brother shortly anyway; I let my hand stroke lower and lower until my fingers reach his flaccid penis which twitches under them. Gently stroking along its length with the tips of my fingers I feel it come alive.

The blood that suffuses me is vibrant with a lust for life that lies dormant under the surface. As I caress and squeeze his balls the life begins to return, evident in his moans and the way his body is coming to life under my hands. He raises his head and rolls it backwards, arching his back and raising his hips. His breathing quickens as I grasp him firmly and begin to increase the speed of my strokes and firmness of my grip.

His moans increase and he half raises himself out of my arms. I withdraw my fangs and lay him back down flat, kissing him on the lips and breathing energy into him. His body writhes and little whimpers and moans slip from his lips.

“Ssh now. You’re alright now. Just relax and enjoy the ride.” I stroke the side of his face then raise my head as I become aware of an audience.” He is kneeling next to me, on the other side of his brother’s body and he is breathing hard.

“I told you not to interfere.” I hiss, baring my fangs. His eyes are wild and wide, his lips parted and nostrils flared. I smile. Not interfering then. They really are close these twins, the arousal of his bother has aroused him without me even having to touch him. He doesn’t respond to my words but when I let go of his brother his eyes widen and after a brief nod from me he bends forward and takes him into his mouth.

I continue the kiss and knead his abdomen, releasing some of my venom into his skin that makes him moan more deeply and shudder violently. His breathing increases as he rises and when I feel the climax imminent I sink into him again and taste the power of unleashed energy that flows through not only me but him also.

When I raise my head he is panting and shivering but his eyes are open and aware.

“Sam what... what’s happening.” I don’t blame him for being confused.

“It’s alright Alex. We’re going to be alright now. Just rest, I have something to do. It’s going to be alright. Don't worry about me. I trust him. He saved you.”

Alex’s eyes turn to me and now they are alive again I can see the passion in him. He is very different from his brother and yet... Gently cupping his cheek I brush his pulse point and he sinks softly into oblivion.

“What happened? What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s asleep Sam. When I am ready he will wake and we can go home.”

“Home?”

“Yes.”

He looks at me, biting his lip. He looks down at Alex who is breathing gently, his face flushed and smiling. “Do what you want to me.”

“You know what I want from you.”

He looks up and meets my eyes. Then he nods.

Slowly I raise him to his feet and draw him to me. Carefully I back him against the wall and kiss him. He responds eagerly and it makes me smile to myself. He is going to be perfect, they both are. The boys are going to love them. I make a mental note to keep them away from Serif and Taz.

“Sam.” I whisper as I lean his head back against the wall to kiss his throat, letting venom seep into his blood stream relaxing him and sending euphoria through his body. He moans and relaxes, his breathing quickening. “You are beautiful Sam.”

Sam whimpers as I slide my hand down over his belly which is hot and tight and take him into my hand. He is already hard and I decide on the spur of the moment to give him a real ride, a taste of what is to come. Running my thumb over the head I send pulses of pleasure into his cock. With a choked cry his legs give way and he collapses.

Going down with him I cover his lips with my own and breathe gentle relaxation into him while at the same time I continue with the pulses of pleasure. He arches so far off the floor I hear his bones creak. He makes no complaint or effort to stop me when I remove his trousers indeed he is desperate, kicking them off.

Still kissing him, once he is entirely free I run my hand down over his balls and find his entrance. He moans softly and presses against my finger. I can tell he isn’t a virgin by the way he reacts, the way he relaxes instead of tenses.

Continuing with my gentle massage and deep kiss that detaches his mind and sets it free of his body I climb between his legs and bend them at the knee. Sitting up I take him in one hand sending the pulses of intense sensation into him again while I penetrate him with a finger. He is barely aware of precisely what is happening with his body and the waves of sensation washing over him make it highly likely that he wouldn’t feel pain if I cut off a leg.

When I help him up onto his hands and knees he is so out of it he doesn’t know what he is doing or what he is supposed to do. I carefully manoeuvre him and steady him with one arm around his chest as I enter him. He moans and pushes back against me. I let go of him and put my hands on his hips and let us fall into a gentle rhythm.

When he is stable and I bend forward and reach around him to take him into my hand again stroking in time with my thrusts. After only a few moments the sensations become too much for him and he collapses. Rolling him onto his side I spoon him, keeping my hand on his cock and my strokes steady. He leans his head back and I nuzzle his neck. He is so high he has no control of his body which is shaking violently. I remember that he is weak too, for all his apparent vigour and fight. That’s why he collapsed so quickly. Burying my face in his soft hair I find his throat and bite.

He tenses for a moment with a gasp but relaxes quickly giving in to the sensations that are pulsing through him. It isn’t long after that before he peaks and pumps forcefully. The taste of his high is different to that of his brother. It’s strange how someone’s personality can be read in their blood. Alex is the gentler of the two, quiet, shy and sensitive. Sam is the one who forges ahead leading the way, the protector and defender.

I drink deeper from him as he is stronger but I provide him with energy too so that when I am done and withdraw he is invigorated and not drained.

I roll away from him and get to my feet, dusting myself off. Sam remains where he is, curled up on the floor. I worry for a moment that he is hurt but when I crouch beside him I can see that he is not.

“What’s wrong?” I ask softly, brushing his hair back. He doesn’t flinch or pull away but he is tense and shaking. It takes a while to realise that he is crying. “Sam?”

He turns, rolling over onto his back. His face is screwed up and he is weeping. I put my arms around him and draw him up to rest against my shoulder. I stroke his hair and back and rock him gently.

“It’s alright Sam. Everything is going to be alright. I am going to take care of you now, both of you.”

Sam sobs harder and I just hold him until he takes a deep shuddering breath and sits up. “I... I’m sorry. I... you’ve done so much. You... you saved Alex and... and I thought he was... But I... I feel... I feel...” He screws his face up and hangs his head. “The reason... the reason we were here... that he was...” He shakes his head. “I could have saved him myself. I could have got money to feed us but... but I couldn’t. I couldn’t bear to... and now I have. Now I’m a whore.”

I take him by the shoulders and shake him. “You are not a whore. Whatever else I might be I am not a pimp and you are not a whore. You are not going to be expected to sleep with anyone but me and then only when we need to. You will be taken care of and so will your brother. You are not a whore and I don’t ever want you to say or even think that again.”

“But...”

I reach out and lay my hand against his cheek. He looks at me with heavy eyes. “You are beautiful and so is he. I will make sure that you can be together, that you can be what you want to be, what you were meant to be. No one will condemn you, no one will look down on you, no one will censure you. You will have your own room, whatever food you need, companionship, even a doctor when you need one. I will give you health and strength and a long, long life.”

“And you’ll drink our blood.”

“Yes but I will give you pleasure when I do it and I will give you mine in return. My blood will keep you young and strong forever if that’s what you want.”

He looks up at me. “I am a whore. I’m a whore who gets paid in blood.”

I take his face between both of my hands. “Do not think like that Sam. The life I am taking you to is so very different to the one you have led before. There is nothing to compare it to. In this world perhaps you might think of yourself in that way but in mine... you’ll see Sam. Very soon you’ll see, but I swear to you that you will not be a whore.”

“I...”

“I swear to you Sam. It will be alright.”

“I don’t have much choice do I?”

“There are always choices Sam. If you want you can walk away right now, both of you. I won’t come after you, I won’t hunt you down, I will just walk away.”

For a moment his eyes flare with wild hope but then he thinks for a moment and shakes his head. “There is nowhere to go, nowhere here we can be together. We would always have to hide and eventually someone would find out again and we’d be back here or worse. I don’t want to see Alex hurt any more. He is so open and loving, it’s killing him. It’s been killing him from the start. There are no more choices for us.”

“There are always choices.”

“Alright. I choose to come with you.”

I smile and nod. Even though I knew what the choice would be I had to give him options. Wait. Since when? Since when did I start giving options? Since Bridge. I smile.

“Come on. It’s cold here. Let’s get you somewhere warm. I bet you would kill for a hot bath right about now.”

He stares at me. “But... I mean... we have nothing.”

“You do now. You have a home, a family, food, shelter, clothes... whatever you need.”

“But I... I couldn’t...”

“You don’t need to.” I help him to his feet and he hastily pulls on his trousers. While he is doing it I turn my back to allow him his dignity. Again... when did I care about dignity in a pet? That would be Astaria.

Crouching beside Alex I gently rouse him and help him to his feet. He is shaky and confused but when Sam takes him in his arms he smiles.

“We’re going to be alright now Alex. We’re going to have a home, somewhere warm, somewhere we can be ourselves, be with each other.”

“Can we trust him?”

“Can we afford not to? I almost lost you Alex. I couldn’t take care of you. I sat here waiting for you to die so I could follow. I watched you fall asleep knowing you wouldn’t wake up and this morning when... when I couldn’t wake you I... I gave up.” He wipes his hand across his eyes.

“I failed you. He saved you. He saved us both. We have to go with him. We’re out of options.”

“I told you Sam... there are always options.”

“Not for us. Not any more.”

Carefully Alex turns towards me, staring into my eyes. I realise they are green, not as green as Bridge’s but moss green, like a forest floor. He takes a step forward and reaches out to touch me.

“I remember. I remember you coming to me. I know what you are. I know what you did but... I think... I think I was close to death and a voice spoke to me. She said that I should come back so that I could help you. She said that if you keep letting Star run away he won’t ever stop, that you shouldn’t keep running after him, just make him stop. He is part of her soul after all and he won't fight too hard. That’s what she said... oh and that we should trust you.”

I can’t drag my eyes away from him. I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I actually take a step back as the red light flares in his pupils for a brief instant and then it is gone.

“Are you alright? Did I say the wrong thing?”

“No... no you didn’t. You said exactly the right thing.”

I smile and reach out my hands. Sam gives Alex an uncertain glance but when Alex willingly takes my hand he takes a deep breath and follows.

They are as surprised as all the others when we cross the bridge and find ourselves in a different world. They are all eyes, staring around them in wonder. When we approach the house they both stop dead.

“What’s wrong?”

“It...it’s huge and it looks...”

“It’s home Alex. It’s your home now. It isn’t a prison, or a museum, or a hostel or a hotel. It’s your home. Don’t be afraid. Don’t ever be afraid.”