Chapter Text
Joshua Michael Widdicombe tightened his coat around himself as he exited his carriage, trying to stave off the assaulting rush of chilly October night air. At least it wasn't raining—yet.
He bid the driver a good evening and made his way to his destination, an otherwise nondescript house in the vicinity of Windsor Castle. There was to be a festivity of sorts in this location tonight, but Josh was not here for frivolity. The latest in a long line of vampire slayers, Josh was here for one reason only: to hunt the soulless, evil undead.
James, a friend of his, had tipped Josh off to this place. Apparently James had heard from an informant that the parties here were often crowded with vampires. Josh usually took James’s information with a grain of salt, but with little else to do he figured it was at least worth a look.
What else would Josh be doing on a night like this, anyway? Probably curling up next to the fireplace, drinking a cup of tea and reading a book on philosophy. Which, if he was being honest, sounded much more preferable to attending any sort of party, with or without vampires. But in spite of his preferences Josh had a duty to fulfil, so he would do it the best he could. Why had the good Lord seen fit to shoulder Josh with this burden? He really could not say.
Nish, his other best friend, had secured Josh an invitation to the gathering of supposed vampires. Josh didn't know how Nish accomplished this. While Josh could be social when he wanted to be, Nish had a way—with his magnetic personality—of making friends with just about anyone, even vampires and their ilk, apparently.
Shaking off these thoughts, Josh walked up to the front door and knocked. He needed to be focused tonight. All that mattered was the mission.
A butler opened the door, tilting his head in non-recognition.
“Joshua—Josh Widdicombe, sir.” Josh introduced himself as Nish’s friend. Nish was unfortunately unable to attend this evening, Josh told the butler, as he might be coming down with the flu. It was a lie, but he had never intended to show up with Nish. Josh was too protective of his friends and tried to keep the monsters of the night away from them whenever possible. He was a decent enough slayer, but he didn’t trust in his abilities enough to risk anyone else but himself.
The butler allowed Josh entrance, taking his coat to hang up and leading him through the foyer to the parlour room where the guests were gathering.
Upon entering the parlour room, an intoxicating scent invaded Josh’s nose; a heady mix of a sweet, floral perfume and something metallic. Like blood. Josh’s hand subconsciously went to the stake tucked away in his trousers, hidden beneath his suit jacket.
The windows were covered with damask curtains, coloured a deep shade of red and black. The touches of gold sporadically placed around the room stood out to the eye, especially the two throne-like chairs that sat side-by-side in the corner. The room reeked of ostentation and opulence.
A few people were scattered about, drinking wine and brandy and engaging in light conversation. They all appeared human. None of them really paid Josh any mind; they were too engaged in their own discussions. The only one who took notice of him was a nice-looking, brown haired man. He came up to greet Josh, and Josh soon learned that he was the owner of the house, and supposedly the host. He was human, too, as far as Josh could tell.
“Andy Devonshire,” the man said, reaching out a hand for Josh to shake. “And you are?” Andy’s voice was relatively friendly and non-accusatory. He smiled casually at Josh, seeming genuinely pleased to meet him.
Josh told Andy his name and gave him the same story he had given the butler.
Mr. Devonshire nodded in understanding. “Oh, that's too bad. I'm sorry to hear that Nish is under the weather. I was really looking forward to seeing him again.” Andy paused and took a sip of his drink. “Well, another time, then. I’m sure we’d love to have you both come back.”
“We?” Josh inquired.
“My friends and I, I mean. Here, let me introduce you.”
And so, Mr. Devonshire took him around the room and started introducing Josh to everyone. They mostly gave him blank stares, only adhering to the bare minimum of decorum in their speech. Josh didn't care too much; as none of these people appeared to be vampires and Josh wasn't currently looking to make new friends, their lack of interest meant little to him.
Josh was just about to write this night off as a dead end and try to awkwardly take his early leave when the vampire entered the room. Josh did a double take.
There was no way of knowing for sure this man was a vampire just by looking at him, but he had an air of otherness about him that tipped off Josh’s senses. Or perhaps it was the man’s dashing looks that had caught Josh’s attention.
The assumed vampire was dressed in a simply cut three-piece suit with flashy colours, his damask red and black waistcoat matching that of the room’s curtains. He was tall and brooding, a dour look on his face. His hair and beard were ginger, hair nicely combed and beard neatly trimmed. He glanced briefly in Josh’s direction, his features softening a little, until a woman scampered into the room behind him and his face fell back into a frown.
“Mr. Horne!” she said, gripping his arm. “You didn't wait for me. That was very rude.” She spoke loudly enough that Josh could hear, even from the other side of the room. Josh felt his own cheeks colouring in response.
The man (vampire, Josh corrected himself), rolled his eyes ever so slightly and turned to face the woman. He delicately removed her hand from his arm. “Not now, Ms. Christie.” He spoke in a more quiet, measured tone that Josh had to strain to hear.
Mr. Devonshire came up to Josh’s side, leaning down to speak conspiratorially into his ear. “That’s Alexander Horne,” he said. “Goes by Alex. We've all gathered here tonight for him.”
“Why’s that?” Josh asked, but before Andy could answer, the man in question was striding over to them, cutting him off.
“Sorry I'm late, Mr. Devonshire,” Alex said, sounding earnest. “I was… detained.” Alex looked at Josh again, eyes lingering a little longer this time before looking back at Andy. “Who's your new friend?” he asked.
“This is Mr. Joshua Widdicombe,” Andy said. “Friend of Nish,” he added, almost as an afterthought.
“Hello Mr. Joshua Widdicombe,” Alex said with a touch of playfulness, holding out his hand. “Alexander James Jeffery Horne.”
Amused, Josh’s mouth twisted up in a little smile. He couldn't help it. “Josh is fine,” he said, reaching out to shake Alex’s outstretched hand. Josh had to hide the shock at how freezing cold Alex’s hand was. If Josh had any more doubts, the temperature of Alex’s skin had erased them all. Alex Horne was most certainly a vampire.
“You can call me Alex.” He gave Josh an open-mouthed grin as he pulled his hand away.
Josh took a moment to study Alex’s face. He noticed Alex’s gap-tooth, framed by wonky looking teeth that somehow hid those dangerous fangs, which Josh wouldn’t be able to see unless Alex went full vamp mode. But Josh was already hopelessly lost, looking at that endearing gap-tooth for the first time.
He ought to have been cautious, or at least a bit put off by making acquaintance with a member of the undead, and yet he found himself feeling at ease in Alex’s presence. There was something… comforting about him. The way he was looking at Josh did not scream soulless undead, but rather charming, if slightly awkward, flirt. Josh’s heart beat a little faster under Alex’s intense gaze. A sign of arousal instead of fear.
“Mr. Horne,” the woman from before said, coming to stand alongside them and redirecting Josh’s attention. Now that Josh could get a better look at her, he noticed that she was really quite handsome. She had strong features, pretty brown hair and sparkling eyes. She smiled at Josh, but there was something a bit sinister in her expression. Just like that, Josh realised that she must be a vampire too. Probably one of Alex’s paramours—maybe he was even her sire. “Introduce me to your friend.”
Alex sighed. “We just met, actually. Josh, this is Ms. Bridget Christie. Ms. Christie, Mr. Josh Widdicombe.”
“You’re on first name terms already,” she said. Which might have been an innocent enough statement, if it wasn’t for the hint of malice in her voice. “I would say that’s pretty friendly.”
“Well, we’re still getting to know each other. Right, Josh?” Alex asked. Josh nodded, dumbfounded and lost for words. “Come, let me get you a drink,” he directed this at Josh again. “Then you can tell me all about yourself.”
Ms. Christie pouted as Alex reached for Josh’s arm, his back to her, already starting to lead Josh away. “Unbelievable,” she said. “Really, that’s no way to treat a lady.”
Alex stopped in his tracks and turned back around slightly. “Andy will take good care of you. He knows how to entertain a woman. Right, Mr. Devonshire?”
Josh looked over to Andy, whose mouth hung open like a fish. “Well-I… I suppose so.” Then Alex gave him a pointed glare, and Andy seemed to compose himself. “Yes, I mean, of course.”
Josh allowed himself to be led away, honestly happy to get away from the strange woman and her caustic attitude. Even happier if it meant he was able to spend more time alone with Alex, so he could figure out the best way to go about staking him, of course. There was no other reason than that. Really.
If Josh repeated these thoughts in his head enough, he might just be able to believe them.
Alex took him over to the settee that sat beneath the window with the damask-patterned curtains. “What would you like to drink? Sherry? Wine?”
“I'll take a brandy,” Josh said. Then, hesitantly, “If you don't mind?” Alex wasn’t a servant, and he certainly wasn’t below Josh’s station, but if Alex was offering to serve him then it could be considered rude to deny him.
“Coming right up,” Alex said with a little smile. He reached for a decanter on a side table and poured a glass for Josh and himself.
“Thank you,” Josh said, taking a seat. Alex joined him, sitting on the other end of the settee.
“So,” Alex said, settling back into the furniture, “tell me about yourself.” He added cheekily, “I want to know everything.”
They sat there conversing for what felt like a good hour, getting to know one another, although the conversation mostly focused on Josh’s life. Josh didn’t mind. That Alex was a vampire went unspoken, Alex clearly not wanting to give away the fact of his undead existence.
After a few drinks their talk soon dissolved into banter, touching on a variety of topics. From food to books to the latest gossip—they really seemed to cover it all. Their tongues loosened as more and more alcohol was consumed.
Alex was intelligent; that was clear from the onset. He probably needed to be in order to navigate this world and survive as an undead being. At times Josh felt like they were engaging in a mental competition. Other times he just felt entertained, laughing at Alex’s witty remarks. Josh felt comfortable with Alex, as if they had known each other for years.
The hour drew late, and most of the guests had come and gone. If any other vampires had shown up, Josh wouldn't have known. Presently, he only had eyes for Alex.
Eventually, the female vampire—Ms. Christie—extracted herself from Mr. Devonshire and started heading in their direction with a purposeful look on her face. Josh looked over to Alex, who was watching her approach. Josh could clearly see that Alex was genuinely irritated by her, and although Josh had some ideas as to the reason, he couldn’t truly fathom why. Lovers spat, perhaps?
Just then, Alex leaned forward and put a hand on Josh’s knee. “Let's go back to mine for a nightcap?” Alex asked in a rush, his cheeks slightly pink, either from alcohol or shyness. He looked very cute like that; so much so, in fact, that Josh almost forgot he was dealing with a monster.
Josh readily agreed to Alex’s proposal—something he wouldn’t normally do—hardly believing his luck. He needed to go back to Alex’s place… because Alex was a vampire, and Josh was the slayer.
And, despite any other feelings to the contrary, Josh needed to slay Alex Horne.
—
Ms. Christie’s eyes followed the whole time as Josh and Alex simultaneously rose off the furniture. Alex ignored her, so Josh did too. Although internally he felt abashed to treat a woman in such a way, he reminded himself that she was not actually human and he might even be staking her some day soon. There was no need for politeness in this situation, Josh thought, justifying his actions.
Alex waved and nodded at the guests who were left, and bid a good night to Mr. Devonshire. Josh couldn’t help but notice that the guests looked more than a little disappointed at his departure.
They retrieved their coats from the coat room, moving in sync as they put them on. Josh followed Alex out into the night. The air felt misty and the cobblestones were slick and damp. It must have rained while they were inside, but luckily it was no longer raining now. Alex hailed a cab. They didn’t speak. Apparently the time for words had passed.
The carriage ride back to Alex’s was relatively short. Alex remained quiet. Contemplative. Josh used the quiet time to decide how he would go about staking Alex. There was the inelegant way—wait until Alex’s back was turned and then stab him from behind. But there was no guarantee of reaching the heart that way, and besides, Josh felt like Alex deserved a more… refined ending.
Josh turned his gaze to Alex, studying his countenance.
The vampire was staring out the window. The glow of the moonlight lit up the side of Alex’s face, the sight leaving Josh momentarily breathless. He was so handsome. Not in the typical way—Alex didn't have the bone structure or the musculature of the more conventionally attractive male. Still, as he took in the sight of Alex, Josh’s stomach fluttered. Josh should have been ashamed of himself. Not for being attracted to another man; he never felt much shame in that. But to be attracted to a vampire? It went against everything he was supposed to stand for.
“We’re almost there now.” Alex’s words pierced the silence. He kept his eyes out on the street, seemingly lost in his own world.
“Alright,” Josh said, unable to ignore the way his body reacted in anticipation, filling him with a spike of adrenaline. He needed to sober up. Before long, he’d have to make a decision. Stake Alex and end his existence, or risk being killed himself. Or the secret third option…
“Josh?” Alex said, leaning forward in the carriage, into his personal space. “We’re here.”
Josh blinked, coming back to himself. “Right,” he said. “After you?”
Alex stepped out, then turned back around and offered Josh a hand. Josh took it without thinking. He stumbled out of the carriage, collapsing against Alex as Alex pulled him flush against his body, preventing him from falling. “S-sorry,” Josh mumbled. “Guess I drank more than I thought.”
“I don’t mind it,” Alex said, his mouth curled up in a soft smile. Weak at the knees, Josh melted against him even more. Alex held an arm around Josh as he reached into his pocket with his other hand, pulling out some coins to pay the driver.
Alex’s arm remained draped across Josh’s lower back as he guided Josh to a block of row houses. Alex made sure that Josh could stand upright by himself before reaching into his breast pocket for a key and unlocking his front door.
“Sorry about the state of the place,” Alex said before entering. “My clan and I just recently moved into these houses.”
Josh only hesitated for a moment before following Alex inside. Subconsciously he knew this was a very bad idea, entering a vampire’s “lair”, leaving himself vulnerable with only his stake and his strength to defend himself. Because he had no wits left—they were all lost to intoxication and his apparent misplaced attraction.
In the doorway, Alex lit a candle so they could see their surroundings—or, at least, so Josh could see. As a creature of the night, Alex could probably see perfectly fine in the dark.
“I'll take your coat.” Alex added as explanation, “still on the lookout for a thrall,” before removing his own coat as well.
Once the coats were put away, Alex continued to lead Josh with a gentle hand, guiding him inside and towards a seat before going about lighting a few oil lamps and sconces scattered around the main living room. The light was only somewhat reassuring. Maybe Alex only wanted Josh to be able to see him attack. Josh could already picture it—Alex going straight for his throat in order to drink his blood.
But Josh shouldn't have been worried about that. He was the slayer, after all. Being attacked by the vampire first would provide the perfect opportunity for Josh to defend himself. The perfect justification for Josh to erase this creature from existence.
That was not what happened, however. Instead, Alex stood in front of him and asked politely if Josh would like another drink.
Josh considered, but the small, rational part of his foggy brain knew that he couldn't. Shouldn’t. He waved a hand in the air. “No more alcohol,” he said. “I’m sorry, I know you brought me here for a nightcap…” Josh shifted around awkwardly, trying to get his bearings. “But I think I’ve reached my limit.”
Alex chuckled warmly. “That’s fine. How about tea?”
“Oh, I…” Alex couldn’t possibly have known, but he had just tapped into one of Josh’s biggest weaknesses: He loved tea. “Well, erm…” Say no, say no, say no. “Yes please,” the words slipped off of his tongue.
“Okay. Give me a few minutes.” Alex left the room.
Josh let out a breath. Again his hand went to the stake under his clothing, reassuring himself that he had some protection. Josh mentally berated his own idiocy. He couldn't figure out why he was being so unguarded with this vampire, other than the fact that Alex seemed, as far as vampires went, incredibly nonthreatening.
And, of course, he was nice to look at.
“Bugger me,” Josh said under his breath.
“Pardon?” Alex asked, coming back into the room. Josh gulped. Of course the vampire could hear him muttering to himself; super hearing was another perk of being undead.
Josh squirmed. “It's nothing.”
Alex looked sceptical, but he didn't push it. He sat down across from Josh. “Your tea is brewing,” he said. “But I wanted to… well…”
“Yes?”
Alex shook his head. “Never mind. You must be tired,” Alex said. “Sorry, I'm a bit of a night owl. I didn't mean to keep you up this late.”
“I don't mind,” Josh said, echoing Alex’s earlier words. “I just wanted to spend more time with you.” The words played back in his head and he had instant regret. “Alone. With you. I mean- away fr-from—”
“I know,” Alex cut him off, thankfully. “I know,” he repeated again, a bit more forcefully, “I know what you want.”
Josh gripped the arms of his chair, unsure where Alex was going with this. “What's that?” he asked, his body preparing for whatever Alex would say or do next. Perhaps Alex thought Josh wanted to be bit. Maybe he even wanted to start a mutually beneficial relationship, with Josh offering himself up for weekly bloodlettings. Or Alex might want to just drain Josh dry now, killing him.
But once again, Alex surprised him. “This,” Alex said. Leaning over, Alex cupped a hand around the back of Josh’s head and brought him in for a kiss.
Josh kept his eyes open in shock for what felt like several seconds. Even if they had been two normal humans meeting at a party, Josh would not have expected the night to go like this. It was too fast, too soon. But of course, they weren't two ordinary humans.
With that thought in mind, Josh closed his eyes and gave himself over to Alex’s kiss.
Cold at first, Alex’s lips started to warm up as the kiss progressed from fairly innocent to fervid and white-hot, their tongues meeting in a faltering battle. Josh could taste the lingering alcohol on Alex’s tongue. At one point Alex fell to his knees, at the perfect height for them to kiss. Josh gave in completely then, leaning into Alex, forgetting all about the circumstances.
That was until Alex’s lips started to trail down Josh’s neck, and Josh just barely felt the tips of his incisors—the ones that could quickly grow into fangs.
Josh pushed the vampire away instantly. Alex tumbled backwards. Josh had the element of surprise, and he took advantage of it, pulling out his stake from under his shirt before pouncing on top of Alex and holding the point right above Alex’s heart.
Both men were panting. Vampires didn’t need to breathe, but...
Alex looked up at Josh with a wounded expression. “Y-you… Are you the slayer?” he asked, his voice sullen.
“Afraid so,” Josh said, pressing the point a little harder against Alex’s chest. “I'm sorry.”
Alex grunted. “Why should you apologise? You obviously came here to kill me. Oh, god. That's why…”
Josh sat back a little. “Technically, you're already dead.”
“Just get on with it,” Alex said with a snarky sigh. “As much as I'd love to discuss semantics on my deathbed…”
Josh got the sense that the vampire was only half-joking. He hesitated, intrigued, not understanding why the vampire wasn’t fighting back. “Wait… Do you want to die?” Josh’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “Why aren’t you attacking me?”
Alex let out a frustrated groan. “What’s the point? I’m not a fighter.”
“Oh, really…” Josh blew out a breath of air. “Just a lover?”
“Ha ha.”
Without warning, Alex reached for the stake, grabbing the cheap weapon and tossing it away with ease. Then Alex flipped them around so he was on top, pinning Josh’s wrists to the floor. Alex leaned over until his mouth was mere inches from Josh’s face.
Too stunned by what had just transpired, the tables turned so quickly, Josh simply lay there. His eyes took in Alex’s blue ones, darkened by dilated pupils.
“You're right, though,” Alex said, hovering just above Josh’s lips. Josh’s heartbeat quickened in his chest. “I'd much rather be a lover.”
And then they were kissing. Again.