Work Text:
Another turned.
Another person Apo couldn’t keep out of the vampires’ reach.
If Apo still had a heartbeat, it’d be racing. They’ve lost track of where Shelby flew off to, but all their attention is on Avid right now.
Avid. Of all people to be turned.
And he’s denying it when she knows it for a fact. In disbelief, Apo mumbles, “They turned you.”
“Did you just fly in?” Avid says at almost the same time.
“Who turned you?” she asks. “Did Shelby do it?”
Honestly, Apo’s surprised that no other vampires have flown in at this point. They haven’t encircled Avid like vultures yet. There’s still time to get him out of here unseen, but he seems adamant in his denial.
“I’m not- I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Case in point.
Apo shakes their head. “They said they wouldn’t turn anybody else!”
And why, why did they think they could trust that? Cleo was turned the same day as Apo!
So that’s it, then. Apo really became a vampire for nothing. They didn’t save anyone by doing this.
No, no. Stop. They can still help. They can learn, get information, and become stronger. Anything for the town.
And the town included Avid.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he denies again.
Okay, it included Avid if he would listen to her.
“Cut it, Avid. I know what you are.”
His face scrunches up. “I don’t see what my bisexuality has to do with-“
Not what she meant. “I mean you’re a vampire.”
As if this whole ordeal wasn’t enough, a new presence invades Apo’s mind. Two scents at once, both new vampires. Oh, god, someone else!? A new one! Are you kidding!?
But Apo has to focus on Avid for now.
“You’re a vampire!” Avid retorts shrilly, seemingly oblivious to the sensation that someone else has been turned. “What’s up with that, huh?”
“Don’t make this about me! I can smell it on you.”
Avid grimaces. “Maybe you’re smelling something else?”
Apo pleads, “Avid, who did this to you? Did they hurt you? You don’t have to protect them!”
“Um… it was Owen,” Avid answers.
Dammit. Owen would’ve made it hurt. He wanted to toy with Avid, make anyone feel like an outsider because he refused to change things for the better. “He said he would.”
“At the start of the day.”
“What? No,” Apo’s frown deepens, because that just isn’t true. She can smell that Avid is freshly turned, which is a very strange thing to be so sure of, but she is sure. “Avid, stop lying. I know you were just turned now! If I’m going to cover for you, I need to know what happened!”
“I-” Avid looks ready to bolt, clearly scared that his frantic lies are failing. His resolve finally cracks. “Look, nobody’s supposed to know, okay? We- we weren’t gonna tell anyone! She can’t get in trouble!”
So it was Shelby. “What happened?”
It tumbles out of him in one breathless sentence. “I was sick, I was sick and gonna die or become something worse, and- and so I asked Shelby to turn me to give me more time and find a cure and nobody can know because Owen doesn’t want anyone to turn me so now someone might kill Shelby!”
Apo’s head is spinning. “Okay, okay. Listen, I’ll keep you safe, okay? Shelby too. I won’t let anyone know. We can fix this. You just have to listen to me.”
Avid nods mutely.
Footsteps, no heartbeats, danger. A thread of blood linking her to the imposing presence approaching her and Avid, and another with him.
Scott and Owen. Of course, of fucking course.
“Oh, uh oh, uh oh!” Avid gasps.
Avid’s clearly about to run off, but Apo grips his arm tightly. “Stay behind me,” she hisses. She can’t risk Scott or Owen splitting off and chasing after Avid. She needs to keep Avid close.
Scott closes in. Keep him away from Avid. “So, what’s happened here?” he asks.
“Nothing. Just talking,” Apo answers. She silently begs Avid not to say anything rash.
Scott continues, “A talk with a new member of the brood, I see. Who turned you then, Avid?”
The lie comes easily. “I did,” Apo claims.
…Why did they say that? What are they doing? Oh, god.
Avid, thank god, backs her up. “Y-Yeah! I asked Apo to turn me because I’m sick, was sick, a-and I needed more time! So just… leave us alone, now, please?”
Scott doesn’t react, but Owen moves his head, his expression unreadable.
“We’re only joining the conversation, Avid. No need to get paranoid.” Scott’s words are like ice down Apo’s back. He could say the kindest thing in the world and it’d still feel like pure poison.
“I thought I made it abundantly clear that Avid was not to be turned,” Owen interjects to Apo.
“Well, good thing I don’t have to listen to you,” Apo huffs. “Avid’s my friend. I wasn’t gonna let him die.”
Avid brings his hand to touch Apo’s own. He’s trembling.
“Touching,” Scott says leisurely.
“Was the other one your fault, then? Who else did you hurt?” Apo can still sense the new vampire. Her skin crawls. Who is it? Are they scared? Were they alone when it happened?
Scott holds up a hand. “No need to sound so hostile, after you just turned Avid, but it was me. It was quite the event. Practically the whole town came up swinging to the lake beacon where we were peacefully seated. They started throwing holy water and attacking, and in the scuffle, I was backed up and got my own hits in. I accidentally bit Drift in the crossfire.”
“Drift?” Avid squeaks. “No, she… you turned her!?”
“Oh, yes. Well, she attacked me. Apologies that Apo made me say it so suddenly. I know you have a fondness for her,” Scott adds.
Drift. Okay. Just add her to the list that only seemed to get longer. They’ll have to check on her soon. “Right, I’m sure Drift of all people attacked you. Makes perfect sense,” Apo nearly growls.
“I don’t like what you’re implying,” Scott retorts in faux offense. He then nods at Avid. “I’d like to get reacquainted with this little fledgling.”
“Not a chance,” Apo hisses. “You two are going to stay away from him.”
“Oh, is that right?” Owen taunts.
“So rude,” Scott adds. “I’m only looking to give some advice.”
Apo feels powerless. These two are stronger than her and Avid by a mile. But they, or at least Scott, are still trying to present positively in front of Avid, so they might not attack just yet. “Yeah, right. Come on, Avid. Let’s go.” Apo backs both of them away.
“Bye,” Avid says weakly. Apo tugs him along by the hand.
“Oh, yes. We’ll keep in touch,” Scott waves, actually waves, and lunges away.
“Apo,” Owen calls sharply.
Apo doesn’t want to stop, but she does. She tightens her grip on Avid’s hand. “What?”
“I was going to tell you that you needed to pick a side, but I think you’ve made your decision. I wonder if you believe you’ve made the right one,” he muses. “Be seeing you,” Owen bids, the threat obvious. He vanishes.
“Go, go now,” Apo mutters to Avid. They move together. Apo looks over their shoulder, but they can’t tell if they’re being followed.
“I turned you. Do you understand?” Apo whispers. God, she can’t believe she’s doing this.
“Mhm,” Avid mumbles back. “Thank you. Thank you so much!”
“Don’t thank me yet. Do you have a way to let Shelby know?”
Avid nods. “Yeah! We just have to stop at the bridge.”
Ugh, Apo hates the castle. But it makes sense. That’s where Shelby thinks she’ll be protected. She’s wrong.
Apo nods. “Okay, we’ll go there, then we’ll go back to town. I was with you the whole time, got it?”
“Yep, yep, I got it! I’ll say we were looking for tomes.”
Apo can’t believe he went out on his own again. Well, okay, she can believe it, but it still frustrates her to no end.
They reach the castle. Avid recovers a book from a barely hidden spot in a tree and scribbles something, then returns the book to its place. He jogs back to Apo.
Apo and Avid begin the trek back to Oakhurst. Apo has their eyes on the sky, in the branches, waiting for what lurks in the dark.
Avid breaks the tension. “Do I… should I call you ‘Sire’ now?”
Apo doesn’t hide her disgust. She gags, “God no. Please don’t do that.”
“Okay, okay!” Avid throws his hands up in surrender. “Just asking!”
-
---
-
“If you’re a vampire, go and stand by Apo,” Martyn requests.
Apo feels marginally less cornered, now that the town seems far more casual. Just moments before, Apo felt like a rat in a trap, contained by silver and fearing for their life, but it seems Martyn’s panic has died down.
They still feel betrayed. But maybe not alone, since as Abolish repeats Martyn’s command, Drift remains beside them. Cleo joins them. And Doc does too, for some reason. Apo gives him a look, but he’s not facing them.
What’s interesting is that Avid hesitates. Although he’s backing away, he keeps looking at Apo as if she has the answers. She can’t make this decision for him, though. If he wants to pretend, she won’t stop him.
Suddenly, Avid clenches his fists, throws his head up to the sky, and retraces his steps with his eyes squeezed shut. He stands between Drift and Apo.
The townsfolk make varied sounds of surprise at the sheer multitude of vampires. Many of the exclamations are directed at Avid.
“And you said they wouldn’t turn you!” Pearl chides.
“I know! I know! Don’t talk to me about it, I’m sensitive!” Avid whines.
“Who turned Avid?” someone asks, disregarding Avid as usual. Apo can’t tell who, there’s too many voices speaking at once, and the question burns.
Why did Apo cover for Avid!? They don’t want to be responsible for turning anyone! They became a vampire to keep the vampires away from the town!
“Apo did!” Avid chirps. Apo wants to bury herself in a hole forever.
“He asked me to do it,” she lies over the clamor.
“I was sick, I was dying, and now I’m not!” Avid continues. “So she saved me!”
Well, hopefully that makes Apo seem a bit more reasonable.
The conversation takes a turn again, about how many of them were changed, Legs saying this is still everyone’s Oakhurst.
Apo’s lie is free now. Everyone knows, pretty much. They think they know what Apo did.
Avid clutches Apo’s arm tightly. When she glances at him, his chin’s tucked to his chest. His other hand is holding onto Drift.
What has Apo done to herself now? God, this is a mess. But Avid’s scared, he’s scared and undead and he just admitted to the town that he’s the thing he once despised. He and Drift will never be the same. They’re vampires now, just like Apo.
Apo swore to protect the town. And Doc’s right. This is their town. All of them.
She was planning to have the townsfolk chase her out, to be a double agent, but she can’t now. Not when Owen would never trust her after she committed to being Avid’s fake sire. Not when he announced before pretty much the whole town that he’d kill any vampires aligned with the town.
And there are four of them here. Five if you counted Doc, even if he definitely isn’t a vampire.
Apo needs to be where she’s most useful. They’ll hold off on the castle for now. Maybe they can still get in, but as of this moment, they need to focus on Avid. Drift too, if she’s available.
When the town disperses, Avid still clings to Apo. Drift mumbles that she has something she needs to see, so Avid lets her go.
“We can… talk later,” he whispers.
Once Drift’s gone, it’s just some stragglers.
“I have somewhere we can go,” Apo mutters. Avid nods.
Apo leads Avid to Truffle’s hiding place.
“Oh, is that your and Pyro’s pig?” Avid asks once they’re both shut inside. He pats Truffle quickly.
“Yeah. Don’t eat Truffle,” Apo warns.
“I wasn’t gonna!” Avid squeaks. “My hunger- well, it’s different now.”
“You’re gonna be hungry all the time,” Apo mumbles. “This sucks, Avid. Being a vampire is the worst.”
“Well, it seemed like my best option,” he sighs. “Owen… when he scratched me earlier, it made my sickness worse. I was running out of time, I-I was either gonna die or turn into something… else. Something worse. I just need to stay alive.”
“I get it.” Apo sinks to the ground. Avid sits across from her. “So being a vampire actually helped?”
Avid grins with a confidence he probably shouldn’t have. “Yep! It doesn’t hurt or feel hot and itchy at all! I’m totally fine now!”
Apo grimaces. “What exactly did you have?” The turning into something worse part confused her.
“Um, an old wound. Some kind of creature gave it to me, I don’t really know what. I thought it might have been a vampire, or maybe a werewolf, but I don’t know.”
“Is that why you hated vampires?”
“Well, I thought my partner turned into one. She… Elle… We were trying to find a cure for me. She would go out and hunt monsters while I was her guy in the chair, but she came back one day… infected. I… I thought she was a vampire, but she wasn’t like the ones here. She was feral, she attacked me, and I had to stake her.” He stops talking, horror obvious in his expression.
Apo doesn’t know what to say. “That… That’s rough. Sorry.”
That would explain why he hated vampires, though, and why he was persuaded to think of them with a bit more nuance lately. It wasn’t as easy as a bad experience with a random vampire. It was someone he thought would never hurt him coming home as something unrecognizable. Something deadly.
…If Apo gets home, will Cherri recognize her?
Don’t. Don’t think about that. Don’t think about Cherri right now.
Truffle oinks, probably sniffing out the two vampires. Apo can’t look at Truffle.
“Yeah, well. I’m this now.” Avid breaks off into a distressed laugh.
“You sure are.” Apo listens to their mutual lack of a heartbeat. “Did Shelby give you any instructions?”
“Oh, they told me how to collect blood in bottles!” Avid answers proudly.
“That’s good. And becoming a bat?”
He scrunches up his face. “Yeah, but that’s gross. I’m not gonna do any of the gross stuff.”
“Avid, your powers are what’s gonna keep you alive, especially the bat thing. If Scott or Owen corner you, you need to get yourself out of there.”
“No, it’ll be fine! Once we find the cure, I won’t have to be like this anymore!”
Apo scoffs. “You know the cure might not ever happen, right?”
“But we’re so close!” Avid insists. “I vamp up, vamp down, no harm done!”
“Won’t your sickness come back if you’re cured?” Not to mention that the cure might mean killing Shelby. Hopefully it doesn’t. Hopefully it all ends with Scott dead.
…Would the town think they have to kill Apo to get Avid cured? Oh, god. Hopefully the lie wouldn’t get that far.
Avid freezes. He fidgets. “I- No, no, it couldn’t! It won’t! See, it’s all scarred over now!”
He tugs down the bandages on his neck to reveal a wicked mark on the skin. It’s healed over from the vampirism, but there are beads of… rotted blood on the inner side of the bandages. Apo feels nauseous. She still doesn’t do well with blood, and Avid’s looks strange.
“I just wouldn’t get your hopes up about the cure,” is all Apo says.
“What do I do then?”
Apo glances at the ceiling. “I don’t know, protect the town? You said you feel responsible for it, right? Just do what I’m doing.”
Avid reaches over to pet Truffle again. “What’s that, then?”
“Keep others safe. Keep yourself alive. Don’t let Owen and Scott terrorize, turn, or kill the townsfolk.”
“Okay… Yeah, it’ll be fine. It’ll be fine, right?”
“Yeah, Avid. You’re good,” Apo confirms. They have to be fine. Everything’s fine.
Ugh. This is a disaster.
Soon, Truffle is re-hidden, after Truffle oinks goodbye. Truffle is safe.
“You wanted to talk to Drift, right?” Apo asks.
“Mhm… We can… go…”
There is a presence. Avid looks around, so he must sense it too.
“Hey…” someone whispers. It’s Shelby’s voice, but she’s nowhere around, probably invisible.
“Shelby?” Avid blurts. “Are you okay?”
“Shh shh shh! Yeah, I’m fine because of you two!” Apo feels arms around her. She flinches, but it’s just Shelby hugging her. “Thank you!”
“Oh, good! That’s so good!” Avid grins. “I was worried about you!”
Shelby breaks off the embrace and directs their attention at Avid. He makes a noise, so Apo assumes Shelby hugs him, too.
“I know, I found the note. I’m glad you got Apo to turn you,” Shelby says significantly.
Avid nods slowly. “Yep! So nice of Apo.”
“You’re safe, then?” Apo questions.
“Yeah, yeah. But you two need to stay away from the castle, okay? Owen’s super mad that Avid’s a vampire,” Shelby explains. “He's saying we shouldn’t believe either of you if you say you wanna join. So I’d just stay in the town.”
“I… yeah, okay,” Avid mumbles. “So he wants to kill me?”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Shelby says far too casually. “I’m gonna try to talk to him, but I don’t know if he’ll listen to me. I can’t even be away for very long. I’m worried they’ll find out-” Shelby breaks off. “Just, it’s safer for both of you in town, okay? Stay alive. And eat raw meat, Avid.”
“I’ll help him. You go,” Apo says quickly.
“Right! Bye, and thank you again!” Shelby calls. Then she’s gone.
“Bye,” Avid returns frailly. “Oh, man. They’re just gonna kill me no matter where I am.”
“Maybe don’t go to the murder castle,” Apo retorts.
“I wasn’t planning on it!” Avid yelps.
“You’re a danger magnet, Avid,” Apo scolds. They can speak from experience.
“Why do you think I went with Pearl earlier?” He laughs lightly.
Apo almost smiles. “I think you should’ve stayed with Pearl.”
Avid breaks off into giggles. “Yeah! Yeah, that’s true!”
Apo joins him in laughter. It’s not that funny, but she thinks they both need to laugh right now.
This was all just… too monumental to be anything other than ridiculous.
-
---
-
Avid finds Apo later, Drift on his heels and Cleo lagging behind.
“Apo,” Avid calls in a sing-song voice. “Do you wanna hang out with us?”
“What for?” Apo tilts her head.
“Townie vampire outing!” Drift announces. “I wanted to show Avid how to be a bat, and he said it was gross, and I thought having you along would help!”
“You need to take care of your fledgling,” Cleo says pointedly.
Not my fledgling, Apo bites back. Do it for Shelby. Do it for Avid. Come on. “I have been. I’ll come.”
“Oh, should we invite Legs?” Drift wonders.
Apo has no idea what Legs is trying to do with his facade.
“I think he’s out right now,” Cleo covers. Apo doesn’t know why they should encourage Doc’s flimsy lie, but whatever.
“Then let’s go, let’s go!” Drift pushes Avid lightly.
They all walk in an awkward straight line out of town, with Avid and Drift walking hand in hand and Apo and Cleo on the ends. They give the castle a wide berth.
Next to Avid, Apo checks in. “So, you and Drift talked?”
“Yeah…” he answers.
Drift holds up their entangled hands. “We’re all good, right buddy?”
“Yeah!” Avid says a little more confidently. “We- we’re sticking together.”
“And are you two okay? Are you hungry?” Apo questions.
“I feel like I’m always hungry now,” Drift observes.
“We’d all be less hungry if people stopped killing all my cows!” Cleo huffs.
For some reason, Avid’s mouth becomes a tight line.
Apo hugs herself. “Hey, I always breed them if I take any.”
Cleo looks ready to retort, but Drift interrupts. “Here’s a good spot!”
They end up in a clearing in the woods, well away from the castle. Apo keeps her ears open, but she can’t hear any unwelcome wingbeats or footsteps.
“We- Are we safe here?” Avid echoes Apo’s worry.
“We’re four vampires, Avid. If anyone attacks us now, they’re a moron,” Cleo answers.
“Avid and I are just baby vampires, though,” Drift notes.
Cleo folds her arms. “That’s exactly why we’re out here. You take care of the fledglings. And since your sire abandoned you, Drift, I have to step in.”
“Wow, thanks!” Drift smiles.
Ugh, Scott. Drift had mentioned him turning her during the makeshift town meeting, and it only reinforced Apo's unease from when Scott had explained the event himself. Scott would’ve made it hurt when he turned Drift.
“I’m sorry he got to you,” Apo mumbles to Drift.
“Oh, I… I’m okay,” she replies weakly.
Apo continues, “He shouldn’t have done that to you. You didn’t ask for this.”
Drift just shrugs.
“So, we’re here to fly? Great,” Cleo states. “Then let’s fly.”
Avid squirms. “It sounds so icky, though.”
“It’s not!” Drift argues. “You feel weightless. It’s so cool!”
Avid looks to Apo for confirmation, which surprises them. Awkwardly, Apo manages, “Being a bat is good. Keeps you alive.”
“See?” Drift swings Avid’s hand. “Come on, bud. You got it! I’m doing it with you!”
Avid bounces on his heels and hisses through his teeth. “Fine, fine! I’ll just get it over with!”
They all transform together, even if Avid lags behind slightly. His eyes are shut the entire time.
Apo feels herself shrink, her limbs rearrange. Her form adjusts into something that can flee danger far more easily. She feels a little safer in bat form, even if it’s difficult to admit. She keeps herself in the air.
Avid and Drift flap their wings awkwardly, with Drift managing slightly better. Cleo is having no trouble.
While Avid and Drift are varied shades of brown, Cleo’s bat leans more towards orange. Apo’s caught a glimpse of their own reddish fur sometimes. Even in bat form, they still lack a reflection.
“Oh! Oh!” Avid squeaks. “Why is this fun!?” He cackles.
Drift flaps around him. “I know, right? I told you so!”
“You did, you did!” Avid’s wingbeats falter a little when he tries to chase Drift.
“Be careful,” Apo warns.
The three mostly just help Avid get used to flying. He’s as reckless in the air as he is on the ground, but soon enough Apo feels as though he can support himself.
Soon, when Drift and Avid are distracting each other, there is an interruption for Apo.
“Apo, let’s leave them to it,” Cleo says in a way that makes a simple statement sound like an order.
“Okay?”
They glide down to the ground and take their humanoid forms. Cleo stands with her hands behind her back and observes the bats. Apo stands next to her, but a little ways away. They don’t know what Cleo wants from them.
Apo keeps her eyes on Avid’s bat. It’s easy to identify him once she notices his nipple piercing that he apparently retains in bat form.
“You turned Avid, then?”
“He asked,” Apo mumbles. It’s harder to lie to Cleo. She’s so competent.
“Well, I hope both of you got what you wanted,” Cleo laughs.
“I don’t think his turning is any of your business,” Apo retorts. “Avid only asked to become a vampire because his other option was dying.” Or becoming something worse. Avid is not selfish for wanting to live.
“So it was out of pity?” There’s something dangerous in Cleo’s voice.
“No, I just didn’t want him to die,” Apo huffs. “I feel like you just take everything I say in the worst way possible.”
“You do the same to me! Don’t act like you’re above this!” Cleo suddenly hisses. Her voice is low enough that it doesn’t disturb Drift and Avid, still flying together.
“I- yeah, fine! Okay!” Apo breaks off and presses their hands to their face. They wait a moment.
Mercifully, Cleo doesn’t say anything in that moment.
“Cleo,” Apo braces herself.
“Apo,” Cleo responds coldly.
“Can you do me a favor and not interrupt what I’m gonna say? Please?”
After a moment, Cleo acquiesces. “Fine. Go on, then.”
Apo lets out a lifeless exhale. “Listen. I don’t know what your problem is with me, okay? But I care about you Cleo. I don’t want us to be yelling at each other all the time. I’m trying to protect the town, and that includes you. So can we just… be fine? That’s all I’m asking! You don’t have to like me, whatever, but can we just agree that we’re on the same side? Please?”
“I can tell you what my problem is with you. You went back to be turned, and now you’re all upset about it, as if you didn’t ask for this.”
Horror washes over Apo. “Is that- They told you that? That’s what they told you!?”
“Am I mistaken?”
“Yes! I didn’t want this! I went back to stop Scott, not to be turned! But it didn’t work, and so I thought if Scott turned me, he wouldn’t turn anyone else! But then you…” Apo quickly glances at Drift and Avid, but the yelling doesn’t seem to have reached them. “You were turned too. I’m sorry, Cleo. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”
“I don’t need your help.” Cleo seems to look Apo over. “So you didn’t ask for this?”
Apo feels constricted. “They said they’d kill me if I didn’t have someone get turned, and I couldn’t let anyone die.”
Cleo is silent for a moment. “I’ll back off if you agree it was a mistake to turn Avid. That he is your responsibility now.”
Not like Apo turned Avid anyway. She hates being blamed for things that aren’t her fault, but this is her lie. Whatever will get Cleo off her back. “Yeah, fine. I agree. I was gonna keep him safe, anyway.” Apo needs to make sure Avid’s okay. He just keeps running off and getting himself hurt. “I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s not like I have a guide to vampirism, here, okay?”
Cleo scoffs. “That’s true. This is a mess.”
“Yeah.” After a moment, Apo takes a risk. They offer a hand to Cleo.
Expression still stony, Cleo takes the hand. They shake once, then let go.
They both return their full attention to the carefree bats. Apo still thinks Cleo hates them, but maybe they won’t have an argument every time they’re in a room together. That would be nice.
“I just want to keep everyone safe,” Apo mumbles.
“So do I,” Cleo states firmly.
“Okay. Great.” Apo hopes that didn’t come out wrong.
“I’ll leave you alone if you and Avid don’t become a problem.”
“We won’t,” Apo affirms. God, they’re tired.
Drift and Avid are still flying when their ability runs out of power. They squeal and cling onto each other as they float back to the ground.
Avid’s shaking, but he’s grinning. “That was so weird! That was weird!”
“But it was fun, right?” Drift laughs.
“Yeah! Yeah, wow! Can we do that again?”
“It takes a while to recharge,” Apo calls.
“Boooo,” Avid replies. Drift and him continue laughing and chatting as they get ready to head back to town. No point in making the townsfolk think the vampires are conspiring together, or something.
Apo looks at her fake fledgling. Avid thought being a vampire was his only way to stay alive. She knew what that was like, and she knew Scott would convince him it was his complete and total salvation. That Owen would say he’d embrace his monstrous gift eventually.
Even if Apo didn’t turn Avid, she’d keep this up. If only to keep him away from those two. Those that would corner him and make him feel like a monster.
Apo never wanted to be responsible for more lives. Not after Fernsfield. But they have to do this. They have to see this through.
Avid needs her. Avid, Drift, Shelby, Cleo… even Pyro. Pyro had fed on Apo, but when he said he was sorry for what happened to her earlier… he sounded sincere. Maybe there was still a chance, if he just got away from Scott.
Apo can work with this. They’ll stay in town, protect the vampires who don't want to cause trouble, and keep the humans alive. They’ll learn more about the cure.
They’ll keep Avid safe.
And once everything’s settled, Apo will see Cherri again.
Apo heads back to town, with Avid at her side, determined to get all of them home.
-
---
-
“So, is Avid gonna start calling you 'Sire' now?”
Fuck Apo’s stupid gay life. “No, oh my god!”