Chapter Text
The blood. Jesus. The amount of blood on the cement.
And the brick walls.
And his hands.
And his face.
Keith was god shit covered in it. It was dripping down his chin. Down onto the puddle in the pavement.
Puddle.
What a gentle word. Lake was more like it. All under his knees.
Yes he was on his knees. He was on them because his legs were shaking. Well, everything was shaking. His whole body was shaking. He was just staring at the blood, heart pounding, teeth throbbing.
Teeth.
Another funny word. He really meant fangs. His fangs were throbbing. Like, sure, he still had teeth but his fangs were the ones causing the problem. Causing this problem; the blood thing.
Oh, and the body thing.
No, not his body.
Well that too, but no he meant the dead body about a foot away from where he was kneeling. The body that the blood came from. The body that he drained.
Yes drained, like Dracula kind of drained where he was walking down the street, hood up over his head because every fucking lamp seemed just too bright tonight and the throbbing in his head was driving him nuts. He walked and tried to ignore his heart rate. Tried to ignore the itch under his skin when the guy who walked into his shoulder when he passed smelled good enough to eat. Tried to, was the key word.
Failed is what he really did.
He wasn’t really sure if it was the whole bumping into him thing, or if it was really just the smell thing that sent Keith reeling after him. Running so fast and grabbing him by the shirt so hard Keith was afraid of himself. There were few times Keith truly felt afraid of himself but this was definitely in the top 3. He didn’t even look the guy in the face. Didn’t even give him enough of a chance to realize what was going on before Keith was sinking his fangs into the side of his neck and sucking.
Sure, it sounds funny. There’s an innuendo in there somewhere and he’d be laughing too if it wasn’t what had actually happened. Wasn’t him who did the thing. Wasn’t him who sucked harder when the taste of the guy’s blood flooded his tongue and holy fuck it tasted the same way water tastes when you finally get a drink after hours of just craving it and dying of thirst.
Keith was apparently dying of thirst.
For blood. Since when? Fuck knows. He sure doesn’t. Just knows that when he’d woken up that morning he’d felt fine. The rest of the day went just as smoothly as it usually does and then all of a sudden, he’s walking home at 9pm and good god does everybody suddenly smell really, really good.
It feels like he’d stood there draining the guy for hours. In reality, it’d probably only been maybe 10 minutes.
The guy stopped squirming after maybe 3.
Passed out around 4.
Keith had to get down on the floor with the guy’s body because he was getting kind of heavy but Keith didn’t want to stop. Couldn’t. Needed to fill up on the taste because fuck was it good. But that good feeling only lasted until his conscience came strolling back in. Pulled him back onto his legs to stare down at the mess he made and just sit and stare and sit and stare and ohmyfuckinggodIjustdranksomeguysblood.
Then came the heart pounding again, and his hand came up to cover his mouth but one of his fingers nicked one of the fangs that he was sure he didn’t have that morning and the whole situation came down on him like a piano from the sky and of all things he could’ve done to react to it,
He did nothing.
Keith just sat there, continued to stare and what else he’s still not sure.
He’s still not sure if he’s waiting for someone to show up. Either some passerby or just some cops to come arrest him for this fucked up murder. Whatever he’s waiting for, it’s like he expects it to solve his problem because Keith doesn’t know what the fuck is happening. Doesn’t know why, what, who, when, how. He wants answers, he guesses. Wants someone to explain it all to him. Probably tell him it’s gonna be okay because right now it’s definitely not fucking okay and jesus what is he gonna do.
Shiro would know what to do.
Now why the fuck is his mind bringing Shiro up right now. He doesn’t want to think about him. Doesn’t want to think about his dead best friend. Doesn’t want to think about how easily Shiro would have a plan to solve this whole thing and be rational and get them both out of it so easily, like breathing air. He doesn’t want to think about it because now Keith’s got tears rolling down his cheeks and he feels three times worse than he did because not only has he just killed someone in the most fucked up manner possible, but he’s thinking about the only friend he ever had who promised would never leave him and how this whole thing probably would have never even happened if he was still here.
So, fuck it, Keith cries. He lets those fat bastards roll down and mix with the blood smeared across his chin. Sobs into his hands because at least he’s smart enough not to make any noise to attract someone to show up any faster, and just cries. He’s probably needed this anyways. Needed to let it out. It’s been almost three years since Shiro disappeared. Three years since Keith got booted from school because of disciplinary issues after everyone started whispering about Shiro being dead. Three years since Keith had himself a chance to even think his name without complete resentment.
Keith was an angry kid. Shiro used to be a weight that held him down well enough to seem approachable. So when Shiro left him, everything just went to shit again.
He’s nearing the need to scream. Getting dangerously close to picking himself up and tearing the body in front of him limb from limb, draining some more blood and then ripping some more but there’s a noise off to his right. Something moves in the direction of the opening to the alley and Keith snaps his head up like a whip. His tears are gone and the anger’s clouding his vision again. Keith bars his teeth at the new person standing in front of him, goes to pull them down to his level, probably to drain them as well but before he even gets the chance there’s a hand touching his head and every ounce of energy built up in Keith’s body melts as fast as cotton candy on a hot tongue. He leans back onto his legs, sways to the side and drops onto the pavement.
He blinks a few times, tries to clear his view to see who the hell this person is because they’re crouching in front of Keith and god his heart is pounding again when he gets a glimpse of the guy’s face. Keith reaches forward then blacks out.
Keith wakes up with the worst headache. He feels a little confused and a little dazed. The area around him is coming in like a fuzzy picture on a TV screen. He has to blink a few times to clear it and once he does, nothing seems to still make any sense. The lights in the room are too bright. The noises, no matter how minimal, are too loud. But the worst of all are the smells. Some make him want to gag, others are driving his sense mad. There’s one specifically that’s getting him all riled up. It’s sweet and alluring and he feels the drool pooling in his mouth. He shifts a bit, turns his head onto his side and just briefly see’s movement closer towards his feet. It’s a weird mirage of movement after that though. He’s not sure what’s going on until he hears something hit the wall, someone scream and himself growl. The noise he makes himself shocks him the most. He’d recoil if he had control over himself. It’s kind of like looking at himself from above. He’s got his arm on some girl’s neck and he’s squeezing way too hard to be safe. His nails are digging into her skin, drawing blood. His nostrils flare and he feels his mouth open, another noise leaving from somewhere deep down his throat. The girl doesn’t look afraid though. She looks frustrated as she claws at him and mouths breathlessly like she’s trying to say something. He’s grabbed her just right, to keep the air from leaving and the words thin. He leans against her more, gets just close enough and sinks his teeth into her neck. She squeaks out a noise because it’s all she can manage and he takes one forceful pull, the taste of her blood swarming his tongue and he feels the fire burn through his veins.
But then there’s someone grabbing Keith around the chest and ripping him around in a circle before trying to knock him onto the floor. Keith catches his footing just well enough to grab back and switch their positions, slamming the guy down into the floor instead. Keith hisses again, grip this guy and revels in the fear washing off him in waves. He can still smell the girls blood but this guy, this guy smells too good. The fears wafting and mixing with the smell of his blood. They’re so close and he’s surprisingly weaker than the girl. Where he pushes at Keith’s chest is just enough to keep Keith from ripping at his throat but his arms are shaking and the guy’s squirming so much he’s gonna manage to slip his grip eventually and Keith will be able to get to his throat. He’s making frustrated little whimpers as he fight’s Keith. Tries to keep his mouth away from throat while swatting away where Keith’s hands keep trying to grab. He feels the guy’s hand slip off his chest just minutely and Keith’s just about to pin his arms and bite when there’s an explosion in his temples. It’s blinding and so overwhelming he recoils and curls into his own lap. He claws at his own head, whining and thrashing to try and get rid of the feeling.
It feels like hours before the feeling turns into a calming relief that has Keith heaving air into his lungs and slumping onto the floor. His limbs feel like noodles and his eyes droop but his minds on full alert watching the two people still with him. The girl’s standing over the guy still laying on the floor, heaving like he’s thankful he’s still alive.
He should be, Keith thinks, I would have killed him.
“Idiot!” the girl screeches at this kid and pulls him onto his feet, “Lance why would you do that!”
“That’s the thanks i get?” the Lance guy scoffs and rubs one of his shoulders, a slight wince in his expression, “He was attacking you.”
“You could’ve gotten hurt!”
“Could’ve, key word. Didn’t. But you did Jess!” So the girl’s name was Jess. Keith didn’t know either of them. Maybe he did, he couldn’t tell right now because everything in his head was just fuzzy, like the static on an old TV.
The Jess girl waves him off and turns to face Keith, takes a step towards him before Lance is putting a hand on her shoulder. She looks at him again, this time the look in her eye is softer, her anger seems to have disappeared just like that. “He won’t hurt me anymore.” she says to him and Keith watches the guy’s fingers tighten around her shoulder. He squeezes for a moment, glances over at Keith, before letting her go.
She makes her way to Keith, crouches by him and sits back on her legs. “Keith?” She knows his name? “My name’s Jess. You don’t know me, but I know you.” Yeah, clearly. “This is all going to sound crazy but you’ve been turned into a vampire and the reason you can’t move right now is because I drained all your energy to keep you from hurting anyone again.” Keith blinks up at her because it’s all he can do. He swallows and tastes the blood still on his tongue. He doesn’t really feel much of a reaction growing behind his ribs yet. But his eyes catch the puncture wounds on her neck. “There’s a bunch of shit we’re gonna explain to you and most of it’s going to sound ridiculous but you’re gonna have to give us a chance, alright?” There’s still some blood dripping down in steady lines, soaking into the collar of her grey t-shirt. “I’m gonna put a little barrier up in your head, gonna build a wall around that annoying bloodlust you’ve got going on now.” Keith blinks at her again. Vampire and Bloodlust are the two words at the forefront of his mind right now. He can smell the blood from her wound. He can still taste it. Tangy like a lemon with a sweet aftertaste that makes him crave more.
Keith licks his lips. The motion slower than he’s ever done before. He see’s her eyes bounce down to his lips, hover for a moment before she brings her eyes back up again.
“They’re already really sharp.” Lance says from where he stands behind her, arms crossed over his chest. “I’m surprised he didn’t do more damage.”
“Shut it, Lance.” she huffs and raises a hand, pressing three fingers to Keith’s temple, “It’s not gonna hurt but it’s gonna feel like the wind’s gradually being sucked out of your lungs.”
Keith knows he should be trying to get away. Trying to fight back or do something but everything’s so limp. Nothing in his body is listening to him.
So she presses her fingers to his temple and sure enough, when he shuts his eyes, there’s that vacuum sucking the air straight out his lungs. But it’s slow and agonizing in a way that doesn’t exactly hurt but it’s like trying to grab at running water. Any breath he takes seems to raise his chest but do nothing for his lungs. It’s thinning out and he scrunches his face and curls his fingers into fists. “Just a little more.” he hears her say somewhere over his head but he’s afraid he won’t last that long. The air is almost completely gone. He wants to scream or rip away from her fingers but he still can’t move and now he can’t breathe and “There.”
Keith heaves.
He rolls onto his side and breathes in so deep it burns his chest. His arms wrap around his waist and he feels the need to dig himself into the ground.
“You’re not dying, relax.” Lance says the words. Keith glances at him through his lashes and he’s still standing with his arms crossed and one hip popped out to it’s side.
“You alright?” Jess asks and she’s on her knees now, one hand gentle on the side of Keith’s arm.
He groans. “No.”
“Let’s sit you up.” Jess helps him into a sitting position, his knees folding up into his chest, “You good to stand?” Keith nods and she gets herself up first before offering a hand. He takes it and she pulls him up. Keith bites back a groan but curses his own legs for wobbling under him. He ends up pressed against her side, hand still clawing into hers as he tries to steady his knees. She holds him upright until he’s good to stand on his own.
“Quit acting like such a baby.” Lance scoffs again and Keith barely just raises his eyes to snarl at him.
“Lance.” Jess growls his name and the boy glares at her before turning on his heel.
“Estaré en mi habitación. Si eso está bien contigo.” He doesn’t wait for an answer or a reaction from Keith before disappearing down the hallway next to the kitchen. Keith hears a door shut and then he steadies himself to look at the girl beside him. She’s mumbling under her breath and staring after Lance.
“What’s his problem?” He asks and she sighs, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose.
“He’s just in a pissy mood.”
“No shit.”
She looks up at him over her fingers and Keith shuts his mouth to clear his throat and look away. She rolls her eyes and lets her arms drop. “Up to you now, whether you want the whole explanation now or later.” She watches him for a moment, takes in his entire stance before meeting his eyes again, one brow perched.
“Now.” Keith says. He needs to know what the hell is going on and who these people are.
She nods once and beckons towards the couches again, “You should get comfortable, this is going to be a long and confusing ride.”
Jess wasn’t lying. The entire conversation had Keith rubbing his hands over his pants, scratching his head, and gaping at her like an idiot.
She started off by telling him he’d been turned into a vampire.
Keith scoffed and she looked at him with such a stern look the noise had faded into the black hole of confusion starting to form behind his eyes.
The word was repeated one too many times for Keith to feel comfortable in his own skin. She did her best to explain the circumstances of it.
Yes he needs to drink blood. The guy he’d drained in the alley was fine and in the hospital recovering quite well. It was also something Keith didn’t have to worry about because she had it handled. Most of the knowledge humans have about vampires, and the supernatural in general, is somewhat true. A few tweaks here or there but most of it ran along the same lines.
Keith could still eat regular human food, he just didn’t need it to sustain himself. He needs to regularly drink blood to keep from going feral and also dying of hunger. He can go out in the sun without burning to death, it’s just going to seem brighter than before and he may burn a little easier. Once Keith learns, he’ll be able to control 1. his hunger for blood 2. his fangs (they’re retractable) 3. his strength (because that’s going to come in tonight and it’s going to be a bit over-whelming for the first little while but it’s the easiest thing to perfect out of the three)
Keith does not have the ability to turn into a bat, nor can he fly or need to sleep in a coffin or upside down.
He will get slightly faster but nothing freakishly inhuman.
Jess herself is also a supernatural being. She isn’t a vampire but she’s something without an official name. She’s been called many things but it’s easiest to understand her powers by comparing them to that of a witch, except she doesn’t need spells to do any of her tricks. Many other monsters and fairy tails Keith grew up hearing about and watching on TV do exist and live among the humans like regular people. They’re not a huge percent. Maybe only 20% of the actual population, but they’re there.
“You’ve probably interacted with more of them than you think.” Jess had told him and Keith could only nod absently.
There are two groups of supernaturals in their specific area; Jess’ and Zarkon’s.
Jess cares for the supernaturals who’s main goal is to reintegrate themselves into regular life after they’ve been turned. And also help out the ones who were born the way they were into keeping low profiles.
Keith compares her to a mafioso and she can’t help but laugh at it.
Zarkon, on the other hand, commands a group of supernaturals, the galrans, who like to cause problems around the city and stir up fights with the Alteans.
The Alteans, Jess had explained, are a group of supernatural hunters who take out any supernatural being that causes even the slightest problem around the city. The Alteans, are led by a woman named Allura and her advisor Coran. Allura had just recently taken over after her father had passed. Jess and Allura had made a general agreement to keep a truce between Jess’ supernaturals and Allura’s hunters. Jess would keep her pack under control and Allura’s hunters would turn a somewhat blind eye.
Keith’s dumbfounded and only more so when Jess adds that The Alteans control not just their city but have stations all around the world to keep a track on the supernatural populations.
Even with the truce, Jess had strongly suggested avoiding hunters as best he can. They wear a specific sigil (a triangle with the top facing downwards and a diamond cut into the middle of the bottom line) that marks them whenever they’re out patrolling in public. They dress like regular residents or police officers because although they’re known to the supernaturals, they aren’t known to humans. Both sides have agreed to keep supernatural types away from any sort of human eyes. The sigil is either tattooed on their skin or visible on some part of their clothing at all times.
Then comes the part where Jess tries to explain how, exactly, she’d known Keith.
Jess fumbles with her hands and runs one of them through her hair. She takes a slow breath and Keith wonders why this, of all things, would have her nervous. But then she meets his eye and Keith feels his stomach dropping beneath the floor boards. “I’m an old friend of Shiro’s.”
It’s the way she says it that has Keith’s shoulders pulling back and his hands curling into fists over his knees. He stares at her for a long moment. Breathes through his nose and replay’s the sentence over an over.
I’m she said. Not I was but I am.
It could have been a mistake. It could have easily been a mistake but she’s not correcting herself nor does she look like she wants to. She knows what she said and she said it the way she wanted Keith to hear it. So he stares at her and has an acute sense of his fangs pushing against his lips and pulsing against his gums. The grip of his fists has a throbbing running up his arms and he forces himself to let them go, but he doesn’t dare look away from the girl.
“We’ve been friends since we were kids.” present-tense. “He never knew about my abilities because i never wanted him to know so that he never got involved with the issues that come with having or knowing about this kind of stuff.” She’s being careful with her words. picking them wisely and that’s whats driving the fire through Keith’s veins. “Keith-“
“He’s dead.” he finally says. There’s a part of him that thinks maybe she’s just stupid enough to believe he’s still alive somewhere. But that other half is more than sure that’s not it. She’s not the type. Too confident in her own knowledge to believe something as fleeting as that without solid proof. “You keep talking about him like he’s still-“ he sucks in through his teeth, “Shiro’s gone.”
Jess scratches the side of her face, the way he’s noticed to be her tell when she’s feeling a bit uncomfortable, and looks at him with gentle eyes. Similar to the way she’d looked at Lance before, but not quite. “He was missing for months, Keith.” she continues to explain because she knows she doesn’t have to say it for Keith to understand what she’s getting at but he’s already shaking his head and standing from his place of the couch.
“There’s no way.” he can feel her eyes on him the entire time he paces from the couches to the wall where he’d pinned her short of maybe an hour ago. “He would have come back.”
“He wanted to, Keith.” she answers his rushed mumbles and he whips around to glare at her.
“How the fuck would you know?” the words are poison and shit, he’s the cobra, but none of it seems to sting her where Keith wishes it would. She folds her hands over her own lap and keeps watching with those soft eyes. It’s not pity. Keith wishes it was because it’d give him a valid reason to hate her but it’s not.
“Because I’m the one who kept him from you.”