Vicious Romantic

“Hey!” I greeted Jeff, the smell of his house wanted to make me vomit.

“Hey, baby!” He slurred and hung his arm over me. I smiled to hide the scowl that wanted to appear on my face. He was drunker thank I expected, which would work to my advantage. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and crashed my lips against his on strictly business. I pushed him backwards, into the hallway. I pulled open the mysterious door in the hallway and walked down the steep stairs, keeping my lips locked to Jeff’s. He didn’t even question this.

The basement resembled the space where Ian built his bombs. I looked to the side of Jeff and found the white box, I was looking for. I pushed Jeff roughly against the wall, right beside the box. I had to keep my disgust disguised while I kept Jeff occupied. I reached my arms around his neck and unscrewed the plastic cover and threw it onto the floor. I felt the wires, the third one over. I kept on hand on the wire while I slid my hand down Jeff’s side and to my pocket. Once I had the wire cutters in my hand I slid it up Jeff’s chest and behind his neck. Drunk bastard didn’t notice that my hand suddenly felt like wire cutters.

As soon as the wire was cut I was ripped away from Jeff. Damn, they could move fast. I was thrown back into Ian.

“Hey Bailey!” he grinned down at me.

“Hey.” I replied breathlessly.

“Hello Jeff!” Tucker greeted the shocked drunk in an over friendly manner.

“I-uh-er.” Jeff stuttered with a bewildered expression.

“I’m going to kill you, Jeff.” Tucker said causally, like he was greeting him. Jeff’s eyes grew wide, at the same time Clara entered the basement mumbling about how disgusting the house was.

“Why?” Jeff asked as fear covered his face. “I didn’t do anything.”

“At first, no. You didn’t. Then last night, you did. Look what you did, Jeff.” Tucker motioned toward me. Ian was holding the bruised side of my face toward Jeff.

“I’m sorry, please. Please, don’t kill me?” Jeff begged.

“You were always going to die. Now, you’re going to do it painfully.” Tucker sounded oddly happy. Giddy, almost.

“Why, what else did I do?” Jeff asked, sweat beading to his forehead. He must have known better than to try and run.

“You didn’t do anything. However, your great-great grandfather did.” Tucker paused and motioned Ian forward. Ian handed me over to Liam. Liam stood listening to his brother’s explanation carefully. Ian went to the box I had wires in and started to modify it. “You come from a long line of hunters.” Tucker stopped again. “Let’s make this story time why don’t we?”

“Once upon a time there were two vampires, madly in love. Happy as could be, didn’t bother anyone. Stayed to themselves, didn’t even drink human blood. Their names were Adele and Tucker. One night, the two got in a fight. Tucker got so angry that he left Adele home alone. While Tucker was out a man named Jeffery, a hunter of vampires, went after Adele. No reason behind his murder, he just wanted to murder. Tucker went back to Adele, saw that Jeffery was slowly killing her and pleaded with him to stop. Jeffery didn’t stop. He killed Adele unjustly. Tucker had always had a small problem with his anger, so he swore to seek vengeance. And here we are Jeff.” Tucker smiled cruelly.

I thought about his story. I could understand how that could have such an impact on him. Guilt. That probably would have happened if Tucker stayed home. But I understood, he was feeling guilty. I could relate, right now I felt guilty that Jeff was going to die painfully because of me. He wasn’t the nicest of guys but I would never wish a slow, painful death on him.

“That’s not me though! I didn’t do that! Please!” Jeff pleaded.

“I don’t care.” Tucker shouted. “I don’t care. I’ve taken out your family just the way your ancestors took out mine. Unjustly!” Tucker laughed bitterly. “But somehow, someone always manages to reproduce before I destroy them. Your great-great grandfather, his wife was pregnant at the time I poisoned him. I’m not heartless, I wasn’t going to kill a baby. I waited until your great grandfather was grown. Then I tore him limb from limb. But somehow, your grandfather was born. So I had to wait for him to grow, and when he was in he hospital with the flu, I injected him with arsenic. And still! It wasn’t soon enough, your father was born. So I cut his breaks! And then you! You were somehow managed to be born! I made sure you’d never reproduce when you got that mysterious injury to your...” Tucker smiled viciously as Jeff looked at his crotch in disbelief. “So now, I’m going to kill you. You’re family is going to be extinct. I can live up to my word and I can move forward.”

“You’re not going to get away with this!” Jeff laughed. “The council will find you.” Jeff threatened.

Tucker shrugged unfazed “The council doesn’t care about you Jeff! You’re just one more ex-hunter they have to keep their eye on. I’m giving them a gift by doing this.” Liam pulled a gas mask over my face and I watched Jeff stumble and sit on the floor.

“The room is filling with a nerve agent. You’re going to die. It’s going to be slow and it’s going to be painful. You’re going to wish that I would have killed you quickly. This is the price you pay when I lend you something and you return it to me damaged.” Tucker motioned toward me one more time. Then without warning, I was outside and Liam pulled the mask off my face.

Tucker pulled me by my arm to the car he bought me. He pushed me into the passenger side and closed the door. He was in the driver’s seat before I could blink. He sped off without giving me a chance to say goodby to anyone.

“I wanted to say goodbye.” I whined looking back toward the house which I could not longer see.

“You can’t.” Tucker growled. “They would never let me take you home. They think it’s too dangerous, that you might tell people.”

“I won’t!”

“I know.” Tucker said in a stony voice and kept his eyes on the road. Once we hit the highway, he drove the way a human would. It would give me lots of time to think, and lots of time to try and tell Tucker that I needed him. I kind of sort of pretty much loved him.