Bogeyman

The park was empty. Free of underage teenagers huddled around a cheap bottle of cider, each one taking cautious sips, the reckless one leaned against a tree, throwing the contents of their stomach up onto the cool grass below. No, tonight, all those kids had decided to stay home, where it was safe. There was only the sound of the wind and the creaking of the rusted swings for company.

Sean had followed Ian here. He'd begged Ian to talk to him for most of the journey, but Ian remained silent, keeping his thoughts to himself for the journey. His silence was killing Sean. Ian wasn't like this. He was the one that made everything okay, the medicine for the sickness that was their lives.

"Ian, please, talk to me," Sean tried again, his voice pleading, as Ian stopped, sitting himself down on a damp bench. He stretched his legs out before him, his eyes on the twinkling lights of the town before them.

"Well sit down and I'll tell you."

Sean did as he was told, keeping quiet. He didn't want to anger or upset Ian anymore tonight. So he allowed his friend to tell the story at his own pace.

Ian inhaled deeply, calming himself down. Matt Davies-Kreye was one person that could make his blood boil at just the mere mention of his name. Seeing him tonight had caused all manner of memories to come flooding back, plaguing his mind and poisoning every decent thought he had once possessed.

"I used to be part of that pack. Matt's the leader because he turned all of them, well the originals at least. The more of us he turned, the more we went and turned others. You know how the turning process works, Sean. You know you're not supposed to drain the human entirely, but that's where I went wrong. I killed my first human and I loved it, I loved the feeling, that adrenaline rush of murder. Once I started, I couldn't stop myself, and my companion soon became my prey."

Sean nodded, absorbing the information. Ian sighed heavily, shaking his head, his freshly washed hair shivered with the movement.

"It was Matt who turned me. He followed me home one night, I was pissed, no idea what I was doing, Matt attacked me and I blacked out. The next thing I know, I'm at some house. Matt was there, and Darran of course, his fucking minion. Anyway, they told me what they were, what I am and that was that. I stayed with them whilst the pack grew, between them Matt and Darran changed a good amount of people and then they enforced the ultimate rule. We could only change our mate. The one we desired, and would love until we inhaled our last dying breath. They wanted us to be some sort of warped vegetarian vampires. We'd kill pigeons and foxes, any kind of animal that crossed our path. It wasn't satisfying, it wasn't right. So, I found a girl. Alexa. I found her in a club. I followed her outside when she went for a fag. I attacked her, pushed her down some alley. She kept telling me not to rape her, but I told her that wasn't it. I bit her, drinking her blood. Instead of turning her, I killed her."

"They kicked you out of the pack, didn't they?"

Ian shook his head. "I walked. I couldn't take it. We're scum, we're designed to kill, not fucking mess about and drink from vermin."

Sean nodded, suddenly feeling inadequate. If Ian thought that about Matt, what did he truly think of himself?

"No offense, mate. It's different for you. You grew up with a human."

"So did they."

"But they weren't born this way. Sean, you weren't. You have reason to be as you are. They don't."

Sean stayed quiet. He wasn't sure what to think anymore. He knew Ian killed people, it kept him alive, but he'd never discussed it with Sean. He knew better than that.

"Sean, please don't think any less of me than you already do. Matt's a lot worse than you think. He's a control freak, he has them all do as he says. I know John is our leader, but who in their right mind calls him 'master'? You of all people know that we don't all do exactly as he says."

Sean simply shrugged, turning away from Ian slightly. "You say you hate Matt. You're against everything he stands for, yet he's so similar to me."

"No! Don't you dare fucking say that! Sean, you're nothing like him. Matt's a disgusting figure. They change people, he and Darran, they're doing it to build up an army. Then they go and tell the new one's that they can only change one other person, that one would be their mate. They're such hypocrites. You are nothing like them, do you hear me?"

"What do you mean an 'army'?"

Ian sighed. He'd said to much as usual. "If I tell you this, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone. Not John, not Gavin, Aled, nobody, clear?"

"Crystal."

"Matt always said he was creating an army. An army to exterminate all others of our kind. Others that kill humans."

"Holy shit. Do you think they killed Gav?"

Ian shrugged. "I don't know. I like to hope not. I always thought Matt was an all talk, no action kind of guy. But after tonight's encounter, I'm not so sure. But, Sean, promise me you'll stay away from them? I don't want you getting in any shit with those types. You're in enough as it is."

Sean nodded in agreement. He opened his mouth to speak when a blood curdling scream echoed around the park. The high pitched wail sent a chill down Sean's spine, as he and Ian jumped to their feet, running in the direction of the sound. The pair of them knew what they were going to find, as they rounded a corner and came to a stop just outside the warehouse.

Aled Phillips was on his knees, his mate in his arms. Crimson blood was pouring from her chest, her eyelids were closed. Aled screamed out in agony as he held his blonde lover close to his chest.

Ian and Sean exchanged a glance, each of them feeling their stomach's drop.