Paper Hearts

Levi sighed as he leaned against a rickety old table.

“Oi, watch it, half breed!” A pudgy woman pushed his arm off and he growled, walking away from her, her table and the odd trinkets she started to display on it.

Levi started to scan the area, his eyes passing over faces until he finally saw the one he was looking for.

“Father Erwin, about Goddamn time.” Levi walked up to the tall priest. Father Erwin was dressed in a large black overcoat over his typical clerical attire. He also had a large silver rosary around his neck.

Erwin frowned down at Levi. He has told the dhampir repeatedly about how he felt about blasphemy.

However, he was quick to forgive and he thought it best to not dwell on small things when there was a much bigger problem at hand.

“Levi, sorry I’m late. I was over at the monastery. It seems to have suffered a kind of attack.” He looked down at his partner.

Levi was wearing his usual black jacket. He also had on a thin off white shirt and a pair of green trousers. They must have been too big for him because they were tied around his slim waist with a length of rope.

He had on his pair of old black shoes. They were so worn out, they were practically falling apart.

“An attack, huh?” Levi stretched his arms and rolled out his shoulder blades before walking past the priest. “Do they know what did it?”

Erwin turned and followed Levi, trying not to lose the short man in the crowd.

“Werewolf. I was kind of skeptical about even bringing this job up to you. I know how you feel about werewolves.” Erwin grinned as Levi turned and walked backwards. His inhuman senses making him very aware of what was behind him.

“I don’t like doing werewolf jobs because I always end up smelling like dead dog for weeks.” Levi narrowed his eyes at Father Erwin. “Tsk, you should know this old man. I say it every time we get a fucking werewolf job.”

The priest laughed.

“Old? You’re one to talk, dhampir. Aren’t you like a hundred?” Levi stopped and pushed against Father Erwin, leading him into a dark secluded alley that the Father knew was there.

“You always have to say stuff like that, don’t you Priest?” Levi growled softly. Father Erwin sat on an old mead barrel and Levi positioned himself between his legs.

“You know I can’t help it, Levi. It’s all in good fun.” Erwin said, seemingly unaware of the dhampir’s attempts to seduce him.

“Hmm, right.” Levi got closer to Erwin, his hands on the priest’s body. Erwin remained straight faced, but his eyes spoke volumes.

They were closed slightly, trying to hide the look of lust and need in them.

Levi leaned forward in an attempt to kiss him, but Erwin turned away.

“Levi, don’t. You know I can’t. I made a vow.” Levi didn’t move. He kept his hard gaze on Erwin and he gently ran his finger across his cheek.

“Tsk, you and that damn vow.”

“Levi, please.” Erwin whispered as he turned to look into a pair of steely eyes. “You know how I feel about you. But I made a vow, to God and the church. I can’t abandon it. I’m sorry.” Levi looked into Erwin’s blue eyes and nodded, leaned forward and kissed Erwin on the cheek before standing up. “Well, let’s go slay a werewolf, Father.”

Erwin stood as well, shaking any dirt off his coat. He knew that Levi could have him in an instant. With just a few seconds under a hypnotic glare, Erwin would be completely at Levi’s mercy.

But the young dhampir had never attempted that. Erwin had never asked why.

But he had an idea.

-

Levi and Father Erwin were hot on the trail of the werewolf responsible for the monastery attack.

They had been led deep into the woods that surrounded their small village. Levi walked ahead, using his acute senses to guide their way.

“He’s close, Father. Be on your guard.” Father Erwin nodded. He kept his two single shot handguns at the ready. If he didn’t get the werewolf with these two shots, he had his rapier which had never let him down before. There was also Levi.

“Father! Behind you!” Erwin quickly turned, right as the werewolf lunged from the shadows. Erwin aimed to fire his first shot, but the werewolf was too fast and it knocked the gun out of his hand.

Levi got there and defended Erwin as he readied his second shot.

But this werewolf was too much, even for Levi. The werewolf’s massive arm connected with the dhampir, sending him flying into a large tree.

“Levi!” Erwin called out. He turned back toward the werewolf and he aimed the gun right at the creature’s heart.

He fired, but the gun didn’t go off.

Erwin looked at the gun in shock and anger and then up at the werewolf. Before he could pull the rapier, the werewolf grabbed him in its large hands.

“Gah!” Erwin cried out, the creature’s grip tightening. He had to get to the rosary. His rosary was pure silver. It could buy him some time, enough to draw his rapier.

The werewolf suddenly bit Erwin. It sank its long deadly fangs into his arm.

“Auuughhh!” The werewolf tore a large chunk of flesh. The werewolf bit again, cracking the bone between its teeth. “Gaaauuuhhhh!” Erwin cried out in pain. His arm was gone, bitten off by a werewolf’s toxic bite.

Levi looked up from where he was thrown, his mind muddled and his vision blurry. When he saw the werewolf bite into Erwin’s arm he bolted up. When he saw the werewolf bit into Erwin’s neck, he sprinted.

“Erwin!” Levi yelled! He quickly ran to the werewolf who dropped Erwin roughly.

“You fucking bastard!” Levi yelled out. He rushed at the creature and tackled it. It fell on its back and before it could swing or bite at Levi, he was gone.

Levi grabbed the rapier and lunged at the werewolf. He swung at it, over and over, watching as the creature’s flesh ripped and burned, due to the toxic effects of the silver.

Finally, with a jump and a mighty yell, Levi stabbed the creature through the heart.

The werewolf spat blood as it fell to the ground and died.

Levi dropped the rapier and ran to Erwin.

“Father Erwin!” He cried as he knelt down.

“Le-Levi?” Levi grabbed the priest, positioning his head in his lap. “Levi, I’m sorry.”

“What could you possibly be sorry about?” Levi asked in a choked voice, tears threatening to drip onto Erwin’s pale face.

“For..dying.” Levi gripped the priest tighter, his nails all but ripping the cloth.

“You’re not going to die, Goddammit! You are going to be just fine!”

“Levi..” The young dhampir, wiped his face and knew what the priest was going to say.

“I know, I know. No blasph-”

“Kiss me.” Levi looked down at Erwin. His skin was getting slick with sweat and his eyes were going dim.

Levi leaned forward and planted his lips onto Erwin’s. Levi couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“Erwin,” Levi gasped as he pulled away. “You’re going to be fine. I’m going to get you help.”

“Levi..” Erwin took his partners hand and gripped it with every last ounce of strength he had left. “Recite…the last…rites…” Erwin’s breath was becoming more labored. Levi looked away and shook his head.

“It’s been a long time since I was a priest.” Levi replied.

“You..still…know…them…” Erwin gripped Levi’s hand suddenly and Levi gasped.

“Erwin? Hold on, okay! I’ll say them for you.” Levi searched through his memories, trying to remember the words that were used to ease a soul into death. “Okay, Erwin. Are you ready?”

He looked down and met Erwin’s eyes, but Erwin’s eyes were dark. Levi choked on a sob as he rested his head onto Erwin’s chest. The only sound he heard was the wind blowing through the trees.

Levi gripped onto Erwin’s body, cries of pain and anguish filling the forest.

“Erwin! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

-

Levi bolted awake from his recurring dream. He looked over at the digital alarm clock on his nightstand. It was about four in the morning, the same time he always woke up when he had that dream.

He sighed and he ran his hand through his dark hair. He grabbed his pack of cigarettes from beside the alarm clock.

He didn’t bother to wipe the tears from his cheeks or ask why this dream kept happening.

After a month of this, he was used to it.

He lit the cigarette and as he exhaled the smoke through his parted lips, he couldn’t stop thinking about why he was never able to save the priest named Erwin.