Anti-Venom

4

"Gwen, Gwen we're here." Patrick speaks as he gently shakes Gwen awake. Of course naturally that moment of slight disorientation upon waking up in a strange place hits for a few seconds, but it doesn't last too long.

"What time is it?" Gwen asks as she pulls herself to sit upright.

"A little past midnight." Patrick tells her, and then gets out of the car and heads round to open the door for her. "Um when we get inside, I won't be allowed to spend time with you."

"Why not?" She asks as she swings her legs out and hops out of the car. The crisp air hits her hard and she is suddenly very glad that she has Joe's jacket around her.

"Because your brother hates me." Is Patrick's response, "My place is-"

"Gwen?!" A new voice calls, and Gwen turns to see her very own brother stood in the doorway of the house. They haven't seen each other for a few years now, but Andy is well aware of the life his sister has been living. He comes out of the house armed with a huge fluffy blanket, and wraps it around her, and then leads the way inside, with Patrick following behind, and closing the door after the three of them are in.

"Downstairs." Andy orders Patrick sternly, and for a second, Patrick considers disobeying; however when he sees Andy reach for a silver cross that lays on the kitchen counter top, he decides not to disobey, and slinks through the basement door, and down the stairs without any protests.

"Why did you send him down there?" Gwen asks from where she stands.

"He's vermin. I know what has to happen but he's not coming anywhere near you in my house." Andy shudders.

"But he's only doing what you made him promise to do." She points out. "Andy please I'm scared and confused enough as it is, don't keep me away from the only person I've ever trusted."

Andy doesn't answer, he just goes over to a bag sitting in his living room, and pulls out a brand new pair of pyjamas for his sister; who he notices is now taking in her new surroundings. The house is a lot bigger than what she's used to. The door they entered the house through leads directly into the kitchen area, which is open plan and connects directly to the living room, and another outer door. The decor is actually quite dark. The sofas in the living room are black, the walls are dark brown; one wall has a stone effect, with the TV hanging on that wall. Below the TV is a fire place, on which sits various photos of family members. One of them is a photo of two identical boys together. It catches her eye more than the others, so she goes over to it, and picks it up.

"One of these boys was at the school earlier." She states.

"Yeah." Andy nods from where he still stands leaning on the kitchen counter. "His name is Brendon, he's the one on the left. The other boy is his twin brother Matthew. About 18 months ago, they were out; just two kids having fun at a skate park. Then when they were walking home, Patrick happened. It was initially Brendon that got caught, and Patrick did quite some damage; but Matthew made a deal. He reminded Patrick of his promise to me, and begged Patrick to spare Brendon. Patrick made a very valid point actually, that he promised to protect you, not anybody else; but nevertheless agreed to release Brendon on one condition, that Matthew go with him, and serve Satan's son and their household. We're not 100% but we think he's still alive. Patrick told us he was last time he went home, but that he thinks Brendon is either dead or doesn't care. Truth be told Brendon thinks of him every day, and cries himself to sleep every night. It's why I have him living here. Me, Joe and Spencer can watch over him. When they get back you'll see the scars I've no doubt; and I want you to remember that Patrick is the one responsible for them."

"Patrick was right, you really do hate him." Gwen sums up now, and goes to sit down on one of the couches.

"You want to see your room?" Andy asks as he comes over, but notices that Gwen's guard is up around him.

"No, no you know what? I just want to go and be with the only person who has actually ever shown a shred of care towards me." She tells him, "and it isn't you."

Andy stops dead in his tracks now, stunned by his sister's words; but he can see where she is coming from, and so when she gets up to head to the door Patrick disappeared through, he does nothing to stop her.

"Rick?" Gwen calls out as she opens the basement door and steps into pitch darkness.

"Yeah?" Comes a rather sullen response. Gwen doesn't say anything else as she very carefully navigates her way down the stairs. She just waits until her eyes adjust, but even then it's still hard to see anything. She can just about make out a figure in the darkness.

"Do you not have a light or anything?" She asks now.

"I don't need one." Patrick points out, putting emphasis on the word 'need'.

"Well, do you have anything at all?" She asks. She can just about see Patrick get up from where he's been sat then, and watches him reach for something - a lighter. He lights four candles, giving the room the tiniest shred of light, but it's light nonetheless.

Gwen can just about see the room now. It's pretty much empty, a single mattress against one of the walls is literally the only furnishing. All of Patrick's clothes are in a pile in one corner, and his various other belongings are either lined up against a wall or are scattered across the floor.

"You shouldn't be down here." Patrick tells her as he goes back to sit on the mattress. "Your brother won't approve."

"I don't care." Gwen replies, and goes to sit by him. He looks over at her and smiles a little. With ever such a shaky hand, he reaches over and takes hers.

"I've killed a lot of people." He states as a matter of fact. "I want to kill more people, but I want to protect you more."

No more words are shared between the two. Both of them a shaking as they hold hands, and even more so as for the first time, they allow themselves to kiss each other. It's a sweet kiss, full of nerves and excitement; but it turns quickly into passion. Like lovers who have been separated and have now been reunited, they become tangled in each other very quickly.

"You're so cold." Gwen gasps breathlessly as the break for a split second.

"You'll get used to it." Is all Patrick can say before they become entangled once more.

*

When morning comes, Gwen wakes to find herself in a different room, tucked into a king size bed, wearing the pyjamas her brother had given her. It's confusing once again, as the last thing she recalled was Falling asleep with Patrick, wearing nothing. She shrugs the odd feeling off though, and pushes the covers off of her before getting up and heading out of the room and down the stairs.

The living area is already crowded - with the exception of Patrick. Andy is sat on the floor; going through various weapons, crosses and other talismans. The other three people she recognises from the school. The "Angel" as Patrick had called him, is stood in the kitchen, cooking. Where as the warlock is sat at the counter, studying a book, and the other boy is sat playing a video game.

"Morning." The Warlock speaks, not looking up from his book.

"Hey, how'd you sleep?" Andy asks as he looks up to see his sister.

"Fine I guess." Gwen replies. "But how did I get up there?"

"Patrick said you were cold, so he took you upstairs." The guy playing the video game tells her. She looks at him now, and finally sees some of the scars that Andy told her about. The left side of his neck, right up to his jaw line looks as though it has been badly burned. However from what she's been told, Gwen knows better. She shudders at the thought of any more scars.

"Okay guys breakfast's ready." Joe, the so called Angel calls over. Brendon puts down the game controller now, as does Andy with the talismans, and both head over to the kitchen.

"Gwen, you hungry?" Andy asks.

"Uh yeah I guess." Gwen shrugs, and heads over to sit at the counter with the rest of them. "What about Patrick?"

"He's not allowed up here." Spencer, the warlock, quickly replies as he puts his book aside. "Only when Andy allows it."

All of them sit quietly now as they eat breakfast. The first one to move is Brendon. Having not finished, he suddenly slams his fork down, and gets up, heading back into the living room area, and over to the photo of him and his brother.

"Somebody's moved this." He speaks abruptly. "Who?"

"Brendon-" Andy speaks, but Brendon cuts him off and demands to know who moved the photo.

"I did." Gwen tells him, "I recognised you in it is all."

"Did you tell her?" Brendon asks Andy now, and the older man just nods. The boy leaves now, and heads off upstairs to his and Spencer's room.

"You know he's locked the door right?" Spencer asks.

"You're not getting you're own room, I don't have the space." Andy replies. "Joe's getting his room back once Gwen and Patrick have gone. Brendon needs you in there with him."

"Fine." The youngster sulks, and then goes off upstairs after his friend.

The mood and atmosphere in the house turns for a while. All is silent, everyone just gets on with whatever they can. Then, as mid afternoon approaches, two sets of slow and stompy footsteps can be heard coming down the stairs.

"We need to leave." Spencer speaks up. "He's having visions like crazy, they're on the move but we can't figure out where to. They're all going in different directions."

Andy sighs a little, and very swiftly packs the talismans and weapons away. He gets up then, and goes over to push the basement door open.

"Rick." He calls down, "It's time, come on."

Within seconds the vampire comes up the stairs, and goes to take the key to the ford up off of the counter top where he left them.

"We're going?" Gwen asks from where she sits on one of the couches in the living room.

"To Key West, Florida." Andy tells her. "We have a safe house set up for you. It's directly opposite a church, in one of the sunniest places in the country. The preacher knows we're coming, and has let the house, and the one next door to it to us. It's under constant surveilance. They can't touch you in that house."

"But isn't it safe here?" Gwen asks.

"As far as we know, they know you're here. This house isn't protected, we have to go now." Andy replies. With that Gwen nods, her whole world got turned upside down yesterday, and it looks as though it's going to continue to spiral out of control for some time.