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Virgil was just too hungry to function. Patton shoved him full of soda and tea and coffee to try and make up for the blood he was missing. The human nourishment offered no relief to the desperate thirst that burned it's way into his every waking thought.
It had been six months and nine days since Virgil fed. Nine days longer than he had ever gone before, nine days longer than he could handle. Nine days to many for the monster in his veins to be sane.
He knew that Logan and Roman were talking with the council and trying to get them on route to a feeding station as fast as they could. He knew Patton was going out of his way to assist him. The snappy attitude and vicious mood didn't care that the humans were caring for them, it just wanted their blood.
And Virgil was fighting it with every fiber of his being. He was currently curled in a ball, Logan's phone blaring My Chemical Romance through the earbuds, with his hoodie pulled tight around him. The human was in the bathroom, preparing himself to meet with several board members later in the day, he was only getting ready now to avoid fighting with the younger two over the bathroom.
Patton and Roman had been stalking the showtimes of a new musical they wanted to see and begged Logan to find time for them to go. Logan caved just last night and the two younger boys scrambled to find tickets. Virgil had been invited but he knew better.
Virgil hated public spaces. People stared at him in disgust, the collar around his neck branding him as a villain. A monster who creeps into your homes and drains the color from your world like the blood from your neck. He hated having so many beating hearts near him, the fragile bodies so tempting. The scent of blood there, taunting, just under the skin.
The metallic taste rising in his throat, phantom hunger pains making him long to delicately devour every blood-filled being around him. So hungry and so, so, close.
Virgil hit the next button on the phone, knowing that he needed to focus on something before he attempted to leave to hunt. Or hurt the human currently in the apartment with him. He wanted to believe that he would never hurt Logan or Roman or Patton or Remy or anyone who had shown him kindness but right now, he knew that belief was a lie.
He closed his eyes. He began to think, perhaps Logan should cage him, maybe Roman should watch him with no distractions, maybe Patton should force him to drink gallons of fluids. Maybe he should try to calm himself down again. No, that was a definitely.
He definitely needed to calm down, to focus on the music, or the soft fabric wrapped around him, or how Roman's voice sounded while belting out show tunes, or how Patton giggled at cartoons, or how Logan could rant for hours about the stars.
Focus on calming thoughts. Do breathing exercises, even though the oxygen wasn't needed. It almost worked, in fact it did work for a time. It worked until the motel room door burst open and the other two humans came in. Grins and giggles lit up there rosy faces, warm blood pushing through their veins, warm blood that had such an addictive bitter taste to it.
Virgil didn't even have time to register Patton screaming before the flavor burst onto his taste buds. The warm liquid flowed quickly down his throat coating it in a thick layer of dark red. It was more blood then he had consumed in years and it was all in one instant, sinking his fangs in and sucking with no restrictions, pulling the body fluid from the lifeform in front of him.
Roman groaned as Virgil dug his dagger-like fangs deep into his neck. Right into his carotid artery. He heard Patton scrambling to find the remote, which was most likely in the bathroom with Logan. He shoved uselessly at the vampire, bringing his hand up to wrap around his neck and push.
The fangs tugged at his skin and Roman couldn't help the whimper. The desperate noise barely audible over his own frantic heartbeat and the sound of Patton banging on the locked bathroom door.
The tugging at his skin stopped. Roman let his eyes flit to the vampire who had pulled away, lips stained with his blood. Virgil had wide eyes and looked particularly horrified. Before either of them could speak Virgil flinched in pain, collapsing in on himself and whining like a dog.
Roman put a hand on his neck, no longer afraid to move, to stop the bleeding. He looked from the convulsing vampire to Patton. The eighteen year old was visibly shaking, empty eyes wide and leaking tears. His finger was holding down the button, causing the electricity to continuously pulse into Virgil, making the vampire's whines turn into cries.
"Patton," Roman began to speak as he attempted to stand. However before he could get to his feet a spell of dizziness overtook him and he was falling forward.
The young boy released the button, focusing all his attention on his friend. The sudden pause in the painful sensation made Virgil able to surge up and meet Roman halfway. Catching the human before he hit the ground and shaking with the sudden jolt of energy Virgil allowed himself to glance over at Patton.
The boy was holding the remote out like a weapon and he looked like he was finally realizing what a monster truly looked like. "Patton," Virgil started and the human startled. "Patton, Roman, I'm sorry. I deserve any punishment you choose appropriate and will not deny you any request you seek from me."
"Virge…" The voice came softly and Virgil was shocked to hear the tone wasn't filled with hate or anger. He glanced down at the human in his arms. Roman was looking up at him, an exhausted air about him.
"Oh, let's get him onto the bed," Logan spoke calmly. None of the other three were quite sure when he had arrived, but the fact that his hair was still dripping and his glasses were the only thing he wore besides a large towel told them it was recently.
Virgil complied, gently lifting Roman. He kept his head bowed to show he was obedient, acknowledgement that the humans were in control. He felt fuller than he had in years, not full but not on the brink of, and at, desperation. It would have been nice if the blood in his body didn't make him want to puke.
He gently placed Roman into the bed. The human was dazed but he still held onto Virgil's hand tightly. The vampire squeezed as lightly as he could. He heard Logan walk over to Patton and began reassuring him of their safety, removing the remote from his possession.
"I'm a horrible creature," Virgil muttered. Or he meant to mumble. Instead the words caused a silence to sweep over the hotel room. "I mean…" Virgil stopped and shivered. "I mean the council will be right to execute me."
Three similar noises left the mouths of the hunters, all noises of distress Virgil recognized. Roman's hand squeezed Virgil's and ran his thumb over where his vein was. "Vee, please tell us what you mean?"
Virgil frowned and glanced between the other three. Did they not understand? Vampires who attacked anyone, after training, with the intent to kill were executed. "My execution will be justified."
Patton let out a hiccup that poorly disguised the mix of a shocked gasp and sob. Logan was the one to speak, even though the other two had the emotional reactions. "Please elaborate on this execution you believe is waiting."
Virgil recognized this was an order. He was confused but he explained, as the hunters listened intently. "Any vampire who attacks their handler with the intention of killing is to be put to death immediately by the council to avoid further endangering the handlers responsible for the creature."
At first there was silence, then, "You had no intention of killing me, Virgil. If you had then you wouldn't have stopped until Patton shocked you, but you stopped as soon as I cried out. You were not trying to harm me." Virgil stared at Roman in incredulity. How could his victim be so forgiving? How could the other three stand to be in the same room as him? He shook his head.
"The council won't agree. I clearly have lost my self-control and am therefore dangerous. I have to be removed from any situations that I could use to my advantage," Virgil stated blankly.
"The council need not find out about anything that occurred today," Logan stated calmly. He pushed his glasses up with his finger in the way that meant he was not going to accept arguments and dared anyone to speak against him. "Now, Patton please patch Roman's neck and Virgil please resolve your internal dilemma as feeling upset with yourself will not assist in your control, but hinder it. I will be going to put on clothes."
The other three could only blink as Logan returned to the bathroom and the lock clicked. It occurred to Virgil that the remote to his collar was still with Logan and that if he attacked again they wouldn't be able to stop him.
As Patton came over with the first aid kit Virgil slipped his hand from Roman's and backed into the furthest corner. His cage was taken apart and stashed over there, ready to be put up for when night fell. Right now, Virgil wished it was up, wished he was locked in it.
But all he could do without upsetting his handlers was wrap his fingers around the bars. So he sat there, clutching it, ignoring the whispered conversation the three of them were having. Logan left for his meeting, hesitantly placing his hand on Virgil's shoulder as he left. Virgil couldn't help but to flinch away.
It was hours later when Patton walked over and plopped down beside him. Virgil shifted away, trying to avoid the heat radiating from his living body. "Hey, Virge," Patton said softly. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have shocked you that much, I was just scared."
Virgil blinked at him, confusion taking over his expression. Thoughts ran through his head quickly. Patton hugging Virgil, Roman lifting him to spin in circles, Logan calmly resting his palms on his back and shoulders throughout the year they'd been together. More recently, the guilt on Patton's face, the concern in Roman's voice and Logan attempting to comfort him. Oh. They thought the punishment had hurt him. He smiled softly and reached out to take Patton's hand. The human grinned hopefully and met Virgil's eyes.
"It's okay. I'm sorry I scared you."