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Armand had never wanted to see this. His boy was not meant to be lying in a hospital bed, connected to loud machines in an obnoxiously white room with glaring lights beaming down on him. No, his boy was meant to spend his final moments with dignity. He was meant to be comfortable, warm, and safe. He was meant to be conscious.
Armand had received the call a little after midnight. Daniel Molloy was in the hospital and didn’t look like he would make it through the night. Months ago, Armand had paid numerous hospitals across the country to inform him if Daniel was ever admitted to their care long-term. He had been determined to follow Daniel’s life to the end, but now the end was here, and Armand was reminded of an emotion he hadn’t known in a long time.
Fear.
He had known Daniel was going to die. It was an inevitable truth. But to sit here and watch as his beautiful boy faded from existence, moved on to the beyond that Armand himself would never know, the very thought of it made Armand sick. In that moment, in what should have been Daniel’s final moments, Armand knew that he could not let this happen.
Armand locked the door.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Armand rolled his sleeve up to his elbow in preparation for what he would do. He spared Daniel one more gentle glance before leaning down against him and biting into his neck. Daniel’s heart monitor began beating faster, but Armand was not worried. He had already convinced the staff to leave them be. He drank from Daniel deeply, tasting his blood for the first time in decades. Even tainted by his disease, it was still the most exquisite thing he had ever tasted.
Armand continued to drink until he heard their hearts beat as one. As difficult as it was, Armand slipped away, relishing the lasting taste of Daniel on his tongue. He licked his lips before raising his wrist to his mouth and bit it. When the blood moved to the surface, Armand held his hand over Daniel’s mouth and parted his lips, pulling his lower lip down enough for single drops of blood to slip into his mouth.
It took a long time for enough blood to affect Daniel’s strength, but when Armand saw how his eyes moved behind his lids and his lips slowly parted by themselves, he knew he was getting closer. Armand lowered his arm so it rested just above Daniel’s mouth, the blood slipping inside faster than before, until Daniel’s shaking hand raised to hold his arm in place, latching his mouth over his wrist and drinking deeply.
Armand felt the familiar of the swoon begin to overcome him as he shuddered with every swallow from Daniel. He began panting and whining as Daniel continued to drink. When their hearts joined again, Armand took Daniel by the shoulder and pushed him away, holding his bleeding arm close to his chest, ignoring the blood seeping into his shirt, and focusing on Daniel.
Daniel’s body changed before his eyes. His skin became clearer than before, the sickly colour changing to something beautiful but unusual, almost like porcelain stone. His lips were still parted, and Armand saw as his incisors sharpened, elongating, and becoming fangs. Strong enough to break through mortal flesh with ease and deadly enough to kill without a second thought.
Daniel’s eyes fluttered open, and Armand gasped. His beautiful eyes, the eyes that he had admired for so long, had changed into something…magnificent. They glowed an unusual shade of purple, almost like raw amethyst, and the more Armand looked into his eyes, the more he found himself entranced by their beauty.
Daniel sat up slowly, his body stronger than it had been in years, and looked around the room. His eyes moved across the room until they settled on Armand and his lips parted in surprise as a gentle gasp slipped from his lips.
“Armand?” Daniel said, his voice quiet.
“My beautiful boy,” Armand said, holding his face in his hands as blood tears began to surface. “My beloved,” He smiled as the tears streamed down his face and he ran his thumb over Daniel’s cheek.
“What did you –,” Daniel’s mouth snapped closed. His body stiffened and he looked around frantically for something.
Armand snatched the bin from the corner and handed it to Daniel just as he began to retch. Armand rubbed his shoulders, whispering softly into his ear, and held him close.
Daniel coughed and spat out the last of the bile. He groaned, squeezing his eyes closed and put the bin back on the floor. Running his hands over his face, his sweaty forehead shining, Daniel shook his head slowly and lowered his hands.
“What did you do?” Daniel asked.
“I couldn’t lose you, my love,” Armand said, allowing the tears to fall freely over his face. “Not you,”
Daniel looked down at his hands where pale claws now replaced his fingernails and sharp veins could be seen beneath his white skin.
Armand took Daniel’s hand and raised it to his lips, kissing him gently.
“I have no right to ask,” He said. “But will you forgive me, my darling? Will you allow me this one selfishness in exchange for my total devotion?”
Daniel stared at their joined hands, now so similar, and joined his fingers with Armand’s. He ran his thumb over Armand’s knuckles, their cool skin cancelling one another out, a warmth he had never experienced from Daniel before.
“Let’s get out of here.”