Chapter Text
Avid was dead.
Drift had been there when the town had found the body. There had been a group of them travelling to the Lake, trying to stop the vampires from converting another beacon. There was no reason for them to veer off the path until they were interrupted by Apo.
She'd been panicked, stumbling over her words. Immediately, dread hit Drift like a slap in the face before she even heard his name.
"Something happened- you have to... it's Avid, he's not- just come with me. Please."
They'd travelled as quickly as possible; Martyn and Pearl, M and Ren, the Doctor and Apo. Drift found herself slowing down, unsteady on her feet, and Pearl ended up taking her hand and dragging her along, lest she fall behind.
Avid's body was on the ground next to the Obelisk, pale and dead-eyed and limp. The bandages around his neck had been pulled away, revealing old, festering slash wounds on one side and a fresh set of neat bite marks on the other. He was lifeless and alone.
It almost felt like a dream, seeing him from a distance. There was no way that could be Avid. Drift tore her hand out of Pearl's grip and hurried to his side, trying to get a closer look. She had to prove that this couldn't be him, that this was some other corpse, that this wasn't her roommate and confidant and teammate and friend.
And then she fell to her knees next to him, staring directly into that all-too familiar face with those wide, empty violet eyes.
Legundo was next to reach the body, kneeling down next to her and checking Avid's wrist for a pulse. Drift already knew what he'd find. The rest of the townsfolk gave them a wide berth, keeping guard in case any vampires attacked. None approached.
"He's got no heartbeat," the Doctor announced, sounding devastated. "I think he's been drained of blood. I'm so sorry, Drift."
Drift shook her head, struggling to even speak. "Could we- could one of them still turn him? Would that save him?"
"He's already gone," Legundo said softly, examining the claw marks on Avid's neck and collarbones. "These old wounds are terrible, but they're not what killed him. The bite marks are fresh, and his body's still warm. This happened very recently. A vampire must have seen him alone and..."
She drew her knees up to her chest, unable to stop herself from shaking. "He can't be- he's not-"
"I'm so sorry," Legundo muttered. "Let's get you back to Oakhurst, Drift. Pearl and Ren will get the body."
Drift had spent the next few days in their home, trying and failing to rationalize Avid's demise. She didn't leave her bed and could barely bring herself to eat or drink. Avid's body had just... been there, lifeless and unmoving. It had been so sudden that none of them could have anticipated it. Was Avid the first of many? Could Drift have stopped it? Was she next?
They didn't even know who killed him. Any attempt to communicate with the vampires had been met with confusion or hostility or both. The town had no idea how it happened or why.
Pearl had brought her Avid's tool belt, a stake still attached to the front. Drift had stared at it blankly, and then dissolved into heaving, desperate sobs.
How was she supposed to be able to handle the fact that her closest friend was dead?
She wanted to flee, wanted to get away from this town and never return. But Drift was unable to leave these lands, kept from escaping by the strange border that surrounded them. She was a rat caught in a trap, and the vampires were looming over her, ready to sink their teeth into her neck like they'd done to Avid.
And besides, she couldn't push this away. She had to face it. Drift was so tired of running.
Pearl and Legs were incapable of consoling her. The others, like Apo and Cleo, had left her alone while she grieved. The one person who really struck a core with her, however, was Abolish.
"It could be one of the newer fledgling vampires. They're probably desperate and frantic and confused," Abolish had said out of nowhere on the third day of mourning. "And I suspect that none of the them have proper guidance, anyways... Or maybe it was one of the elders. They've lived for hundreds of years, and their hunger must be immense. If I'm being honest, it could be any of them. Humans are their food source, after all. We're lucky they've turned as many as they have, instead of just killing us outright."
Drift had stared up at him, shocked from her stupor by his bluntness. "How do you... what?"
"I know a lot about vampires," Abolish shrugged, as if this was self-explanatory. "Just know that whatever happened to Avid... well, we'll probably never solve it unless one of them confesses."
And that was all it took, really, because after that, Drift couldn't stop thinking about what Abolish had said. Not just the culprit, but the circumstances. 'Humans are their food source,' he'd said.
She didn't want to die. Desperately, madly, Drift wanted to stay alive. She'd fought her whole life to bring meaning to her short existence by searching for the truth. But if someone as wonderful and kind and brave as Avid could die on her watch... well, something would have to be done about that, wouldn't it?
A plan had settled in her mind, a concept so risky and terrifying that it was hard to even think about. But it would keep her alive, and it might be her only chance to solve Avid's murder, in the end.
So would it be that hard to pretend she was complacent?
And Avid would have probably talked her out of this, but Avid wasn't here, was he?
She didn't tell anyone, not Legs nor Abolish. A part of her wanted to tell Pearl, but she couldn't risk anyone stopping her. No, when Drift left Oakhurst, she did so in the dead of night, unbeknownst to any of the others, believing wholeheartedly that she'd probably never return to the tiny town.
All she brought was some basic gear. Avid's tool belt was strapped to her chest, the stake hidden in the pocket of her coat - she hadn't brought any other belongings to this town, anyways, so it wasn't hard to leave the rest behind.
The townsfolk hadn't seen much of the vampires since Avid's death, besides some fleeting confrontations, but Drift knew where to find them. She trudged through the woods and crossed the crumbling bridge to the Castle. A warm light was coming from inside the stained-glass window.
There didn't seem to be any kind of watch, or guards. It was shockingly easy to walk up to the front door and let herself in. The hinges creaking was the only thing that alerted the vampires to her presence.
Three of them came into the entryway at the sound - Owen, curly hair pulled back to keep it out of his face, Pyro, with their poor posture and dark eyes, and Shelby, who looked poised and proper and horrified at the sight of her.
"You're a long ways from Oakhurst, Drift." Owen made no attempt to conceal the loathing in his voice. "Come to get your revenge, haven't you?"
Shelby was shaking her head. "You're outnumbered, Drift. Don't do anything foolish."
Well, it was already too late for that.
"I'm not here for a fight," Drift said slowly, eyeing the three vampires. "I came to bargain."
Pyro raised his eyebrows. "For the town?"
"For my life."
Drift pulled her silver sword out of its sheath, which made all three vampires tense up, but then she threw it onto the ground. The shield was next, orange banner of the Militia faded and tearing. She pulled off her silver chestplate and helmet, adding the armor to the pile, then slipped the singular bottle of holy water off of Avid's toolbelt and set it nearby. Fully disarmed, she glanced back up at the vampires, who looked thoroughly baffled.
"I don't want to die," Drift confessed, voice breaking despite her best attempts to keep calm. "Not like him. And I can't keep fighting and fleeing and living in fear. The town's outnumbered and weak, and I'm not a fool. I know when we've been beaten."
"So... what? You want to join us?" Owen didn't look impressed. "We've grown tired of turning undeserving humans who don't appreciate this gift, you know. Why should we-"
"Not like that," she interrupted. "I'm not interested in becoming a vampire, I couldn't- well, that's not what I'm offering you."
"Then what are you offering?" asked Shelby.
"You need blood, right?" Drift took a shaky breath. "I'll stay at the Castle, give you what I can, let you... keep your strengths up. And in exchange, you don't kill me. I'm more useful alive and human, anyways. How's that for a bargain?"
The vampires were quiet for a moment. Pyro and Shelby exchanged a tense, knowing look, and Owen seemed finally stunned to silence, unable to formulate an immediate response.
"Are you sure about this?" Pyro questioned, sounding surprisingly concerned. "What you're offering is... quite the undertaking."
"I'm certain," Drift nodded.
Owen shook his head. "This sounds like a trick, you know. An opportunity to spy, or to trap the Castle..."
"I can prove myself." As the three of them watched, Drift rolled up her sleeve and offered her arm. "I'm not stupid, I know what would happen if I tried to lie to you. None of the other humans even know I'm here. If this is what it takes to save my life, I'll do it."
The elder vampire stepped closer. Owen look unconvinced, but he also looked hungry, and Drift had to clench her fist to keep her hand from shaking. "You'll need to prove yourself to more than just me... and, of course, you'll have eyes on you at all times until we can guarantee your honesty. But I can't pretend your offer isn't... tempting. It would be useful to have a consistent food source."
Food source. That was something she'd have to get used to being called.
"I'm willing to give you a chance, Drift." Owen glanced back at the other two, who both nodded in agreement after a moment. "But if we find out you're double-crossing us, then you will not be blessed with a quick death. It'll be long, slow, painful, and unforgiving. There will be no body to bury. Am I making myself clear?"
Drift nodded, holding her breath, arm still outstretched.
"Good." Owen was at least kind enough to not lunge at her. He simply strode forward, grabbed Drift's wrist, and sunk his fangs into the soft flesh. Drift heard Shelby gasp, but she couldn't look over at the other vampires... no, all she could do was grit her teeth and try to keep herself still.
The feeling of having her blood drank was uniquely uncomfortable. The pain of the bite itself was surprisingly minimal, just two pinprick. But as Owen continued to drink, that temporary sensation was quickly forgotten as an exhausting haze began to suffocate her senses. Her legs grew weak beneath her, body aching with a new, unfamiliar emptiness, and she suddenly struggled to keep her eyes open. Slowly, Drift felt herself going numb, barely able to keep her head upright, a soft wince of pain escaping her.
"Owen, be careful not to take too much!" Shelby spoke up. Her voice sounded muffled, like there was cotton in Drift's ears. "She looks like she's going to be sick."
The elder vampire detached himself from Drift's wrist and wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. "She'll be fine. I know my limits."
Drift, meanwhile, was only still standing because of Owen's hold on her arm. Her vision was blurry, senses dulled, and she felt like she hadn't slept in days. It was like being drunk... no, this was worse than intoxication. This was more like being drugged.
"You two, take her down to the crypt and make her a room," Owen decided. "I'll go inform Scott of our new... arrangement."
And with that, he released Drift's arm and strolled away without another word.
No longer supported, Drift's knees buckled. Shelby and Pyro finally sprung into action, barely catching her before she hit the wooden floors.
"I'll stay with her, and you go get your bedroom ready," she heard Pyro instruct Shelby. "Owen did a number on her... she needs to rest."
"And I can make her a room later," Shelby nodded. "It's the least I can do. Be gentle, okay?"
"I will." Pyro lifted Drift off the ground. "We'll have to look out for her together."
"I can't believe she actually..." Shelby's voice trailed off.
Drift tried to lift her head, to reassure them that she was fine, but she didn't have enough energy to move or speak. Even though she was being held securely, she was aware of Pyro's complete lack of body heat. It was eerie.
"I know." Pyro sighed, adjusting his grip on Drift. "But it was her choice, I suppose."
The vampire carried her deeper into the Castle, and Drift was unable to keep herself awake long enough to figure out where she was being taken. Her head lolled back and her eyes closed, dropping into merciful unconsciousness.