Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ A Matter Of Choice ❯ Some Nightmares Are real ( Chapter 40 )

Some Nightmares Are Real

 

Tegan struggled with dreams. Blurry images filled her mind. Pain at her throat, but who was the murky figure? She thrashed around the bed. A voice was calling her name. It seemed so far away. She strained to hear the voice but it was gone. She felt hot, unbearably hot. Sweat covered her skin, her throat felt dry and hard. Who was that figure looming over her? She moaned in her sleep, fretful and tortured by the blurry visions.

 

She sat bolt upright as the sound of the alarm crashed into her brain. Pain hit her from several locations. Her arm lanced with throbbing agony, her eyes burned, the sunlight far too bright to cope with. She rolled over, her arm covering her eyes. She was soaked to the skin with sweat, the bedclothes damp beneath her. She was so hot! The heat she was feeling was unbearable. She staggered into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She jumped in without a thought to her clothes, the cold water blissful after the stifling heat of the bedroom.

 

“Tegan.”

 

Tegan let out a cry of shock, spinning round to see a figure, the image blurred by the water in her eyes. She pressed herself against the wall in panic as the figure grabbed her by the shoulders.

 

“Tegan, it's me!”

 

She blinked repeatedly, her vision clearing. Torin stood before her, bloody and bruised, looking as bad as she felt.

 

“Torin!” Her relief was palpable, Tegan falling into his arms willingly, so glad to see him after her ordeal the night before.

 

The two collapsed to their knees in the cool running water. He slicked back her wet hair away from her face his shoulders starting to shake. She was shocked to realise that he was crying. Droplets of blood mingled with the running water and were washed away.

 

“What's wrong?” She asked perplexed.

 

He stroked her throat, starting a throbbing in the twinned puncture wounds, Tegan's eyes growing wide in shock. She ran her own fingers over them and remembered the shallow scratches both Demetriov and Adam had scored on her during their battles, but this… how could she have such a bite and not remember. The blurry images from her dreams came to mind, the bite, struggling helpless feeling drugged and sleepy, the taste of blood on her tongue. Suddenly they made sense, and the reality was dreadful.

 

“No!” She breathed, suddenly shivering. “Fuck no! This… its impossible, it doesn't make any sense. I couldn't have… how did he…”

 

She struggled to put the pieces of the puzzle together, none of it seemed to add up, there were questions, so many questions and she didn't know where to start looking for the answers.

 

“I tried to stop him, I really did, but I was too late!”

 

Tegan swallowed hard, in a state of shock. Of all the questions currently battling for attention one was currently standing out in her mind.

 

“What's happening to me? Why am I not a vampire?” She asked desperately, her voice rising in volume, a certain amount of panic starting to show through. “I can't be or I would have died; the sun in the bedroom. What happening to me!” She was screaming at him, shaking him hard.

 

He grabbed hold of her, pinning her against the slick tile wall.

 

“I don't know!” He yelled at her. “I don't know okay, its not supposed to be like this, fuck I was supposed to stop him.” He released her suddenly, turning away from her in utter shame.

 

His answer wasn't what she wanted to hear. She slumped in the bottom of the shower. It was only then that she realised how heavy her wet jeans felt. Funny to think of that at a time like this. Torin knew that no matter how bad he felt she needed him right now so he was going to have to swallow his own pain and look after her. He reached up and turned the shower off before sitting down beside her. He lifted her face with his hands. She stared into his eyes taking in for the first time the ugly bruises that blighted his fair skin.

 

“What happened to you?” She whispered, realising that hot tears were running down her face, and she had been crying for some time.

 

Torin grimaced at the memory. “As soon as you left I went to confront him. I knew he was looking for his opportunity. It seems that he had seen it coming and I played straight into his hands…”

 

* * * * *

 

Torin approached the mansion his expression one of grim determination. He had a feeling in his gut that he was going after Tegan again tonight, even if she was off elsewhere. If that was the case he was going to do everything he could to protect her, whether she liked it or not. Despite the strength of his feelings he didn't want to be noticed straight away as he entered the mansion, so crept in quietly, alert for any sound. He stood in the hallway, casting about for signs of the other. Low voices, Daniel and Alicia in the sitting room nearest. But no matter how he strained his hearing, he couldn't hear anything else. Fine, he obviously needed to go looking.

 

He started up the stairs, for some reason he expected Demetriov to be in his suite of rooms. He crept along the hallway, silent as a cat after a mouse, and sure enough, the lights were on in there, the door open a crack to reveal a fire burning in the hearth. Though he still had a very limited view, he could not tell if Demetriov was in there. He hoped he was, for then his task was merely to keep Demetriov distracted and away from Tegan. If he could do that then he bought more time until they came up with a working plan. One which involved getting Tegan away from Demetriov in his opinion, though he knew she wouldn't listen to reason on that issue. He stayed motionless, trying to work out if his quarry was there, but not succeeding.

 

He was anxious, he couldn't waste time if he wasn't here, but he didn't want to lose the element of surprise either. He gritted his teeth, knowing he was going to have to make a move, whether he liked it or not. He crept forward, positioning himself to shove the door open and stride in. A couple of deep breaths later and that was precisely what he did, but it had also been expected. He never saw the chair aimed at his head coming and was knocked clean off his feet, his face and neck a blaze of pain. He vaguely registered the unholy cracking sound and the splintering of wood as the abused piece of furniture split apart, cracking his skull in the process. He tried to stand but was quickly defeated by dizziness and the very powerful kick to his ribs. He managed to stop the next kick, blocking with his arm, trying to grab at his attacker but had his head stamped on in return. That was enough to daze him and he lay there groaning as his attacker crouched beside him.

 

“You really are too predictable, the pair of you.” Demetriov smirked. “You never change, and well… she's just stubborn, but you know that already don't you?”

 

Torin battled to clear his head so he could get to his feet, he had to, even if he was getting the shit kicked out of him, while Demetriov was dealing with him, he wasn't out after Tegan. But Demetriov was standing and well aware of what his ex-lover was up to. He drove his heel hard into the side of Torin's chest, the bone creaking in protest before cracking entirely, Torin finally crying out in pain. Reflexively he lashed out, Demetriov swearing as Torin was suddenly on his feet, if a little punch drunk. But Demetriov had the advantage, Torin was hurt and still dizzy and though Torin landed a good few blows on Demetriov in the ensuing struggle, they were weak compared to his attacker's and soon he was on his knees bloody and bruised, though Demetriov was sporting a rather nasty gash to the temple. Not that it wouldn't heal soon enough. But as for Torin, he didn't want him healing anytime soon.

 

Grabbing his ex-lover by the collar he dragged him upright, Torin trying to swing at him but it was futile. Before the green-eyed vampire knew what was happening Demetriov had sank his teeth into his throat and was drinking hard and fast. He groaned at the pain that came with it, struggling against his captor but the further Demetriov drained him the weaker his struggles became. Soon the pain began to increase as Demetriov deliberately began to drain him beyond his body's limits, his groans becoming sharp cries of pain. The pain got worse and worse as he became nothing more than a limp mess in Demetriov's arms, the pain so bad he would have screamed if he had the breath to do it. Finally satisfied Demetriov dropped him unceremoniously on the floor in a broken heap. Bloody, bruised and almost deathly pale, drained of blood beyond endurance the younger was close to passing out. He chuckled cruelly as he crouched by Torin's side.

 

“Well that should keep you out of trouble for a while. If you are on your feet within a couple of hours I would be surprised. But that's the point. You get to lie here knowing that I am out there preying on Tegan.” He sneered nastily. “I warned you that you couldn't stop this, you should have listened.”

 

He was about to stand but a thought came to him. He reached inside the other's coat pocket, taking out the key ring he found there. On it he found the key to Torin's room, one for the mansion and one he didn't recognise. It didn't take a genius to guess what it was to.

 

“I think I'll take these with me, just in case.”

 

He grinned at Torin who was struggling to look at him, but his vision was failing and he passed out before he could respond. Demetriov sighed contentedly. All was going to plan.

 

* * * * *

 

He stroked her face, water running down from her hair, ashamed by the admission, but it was only true after all.

 

“You did all that you could.” She whispered, but there was no strength in her tone.

 

She was both annoyed that he thought to protect her like that and had actually given Demetriov his way in to the apartment, but also she couldn't be angry with him, not when he had suffered like that.

 

“How did he…what did he…” Torin struggled to ask the question.

 

“I fought with Adam at the bridge. I fell into the water, and somehow managed to fight my way to shore. Demetriov jumped me as I struggled back here. I was exhausted and no match for him, he broke my arm and the bastard enjoyed it.” As she spoke her anger became palpable. “When I escaped I came here. I took some sedatives, they're very strong. He must have done it in my sleep and I couldn't wake up properly, God knows I tried to. I was so confused and drugged I couldn't help but drink, but his blood was dragged away from me, it's all I can remember.”

 

“I know, he didn't finish it, because I stopped him.”

 

“It looks that way. What's going to happen to me Torin?” She asked tremulously, incredibly frightened of the answer.

 

“I don't know. It's not supposed to happen this way.”

 

He looked up into bewildered and frightened eyes. Did he tell her what he had found out? If he did he risked her finding out about… and like that should be your concern at a time like this? She had a right to know, and knowing her intelligence it might actually be a comfort.

 

“You see, it's a virus.” He tried to explain.

 

“What?” Tegan simply didn't understand. “What is?”

 

“Vampirism.” He said softly. “I… I'm very curious as to our nature. I managed to find a scientist that would research into it, though he didn't know what he was researching. I told him it was a rare disorder and I was searching for a cure. He agreed to look into it, for a fee of course. He says I am infested with a virus and it has taken over my DNA. It adds its own DNA to ours and is dominant to our own. He said a whole lot more I don't quite understand but that much I do.”

 

Tegan was a little shocked, but actually in some ways this was not a surprising move for Torin. Though finding out about it like this was odd, even if the information was useful right now.

 

“But it's strange.” Torin went on. “He says that for the virus to take hold in someone else the viral load has to be phenomenal. I would have to replace your blood with mine to complete the transformation.”

 

“Whoa, slow down.” Tegan was finding that his explanation was raising more questions than it answered, most of them relating to what the fuck was happening to her right now. “How does the transformation work?”

 

“It's incredibly fast acting. It invades every cell and changes them in minutes. God I wished I fully understood this thing.”

 

“Did he say what might happen if this `viral load' wasn't reached?” She asked the question that really had her worried, even if it might explain her symptoms, and give her an idea of what to expect.

 

“He said something about different parts of the body being at different stages of transformation at the same time.”

 

“Doesn't sound good.” She replied, the almost stupid words the only ones she could come up with, she was in shock.

 

“No.” He sighed.

 

“So we don't know what's going to happen to me, but we do know for certain what Demetriov has done is irreversible.” She said her voice tight with some emotion she couldn't name.

 

“That about sums it up.”

 

One of his cuts had started to bleed again. She wiped the blood away with her fingers, water mixing with blood. She smiled weakly at him.

 

“Let me fix that for you.” She said in a tone that frightened him slightly, it was too… empty.

 

“There isn't much point.” He started.

 

“Humour me. We don't know how much time I have left.” She said quietly.

 

The thought was sobering and almost had Torin in tears. He was a tumult of emotion. He was full of anger, full of need to hurt Demetriov for what he had done to them both. But he knew that wouldn't change what had happened to her. Or what was going to happen to her for that matter. He felt such sorrow and sadness for her. She had gone through so much already and now she was about to go through so much more. She was treading into unknown territory and not by her own volition. He breathed a sigh that seemed to carry all of the sorrows of the world and nodded his agreement.

 

Her smile of response was tight and forced. He watched as she got up and retrieved her first aid box from the cabinet she had stored it in the night before. She wiped away the blood with an antiseptic wipe, the chemical burning for a moment. Still he did not display his discomfort to her. He was healing but it was pointless to say anything. Her mood was fragile and it was obvious she was still in shock. The full horror had not quite sunk into her conscious thoughts just yet. She smiled at him fondly as she tended to his wounds. He smiled back, this time the smile genuine. Still he was aware of her broken arm. He took it carefully in his hands, her brow tensing as he did so.

 

“He really hurt you didn't he?”

 

“Yes.” Her lips were tight and pale at the memory. “Both bones are broken.” She said mechanically and he was acutely aware that she was doing this to distract herself, to stop herself from facing the awful reality of her situation.

 

“You have to get it seen to.” He released the limb.

 

“Tonight.” She replied. “Will you come with me?”

 

“I will have to feed first. To get rid of the worst of these.” He indicated his cuts and bruises.

 

She nodded and returned to her ministrations. She looked almost happy as she did so, the smile lifting his spirits. Still her puncture wounds glared at him like a pair of accusing eyes telling him he should have done more. He closed his eyes and dismissed the thought. He couldn't have done more. He simply hadn't known. But he should have. He should have seen this coming. No that was impossible. How could he have envisioned the specific set of circumstances that had led to this tragedy? There was only one answer. He couldn't.

 

He stopped her now and sat her down.

 

“You'd better let me help you.”

 

She smiled weakly and nodded. He wiped her wounds with an antiseptic wipe, Tegan wincing at the pain. He stroked her hair, gently soothing her as he undertook the unpleasant task of wiping out the wounds. Finally, the wounds clean he used two small plasters to hide them from view. You could still see them, but they were less accusing. He found himself wondering. Had he helped treat her wounds for her sake or his own?

 

“Thanks.” She whispered, stroking his hand.

 

As he watched a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. As he had been tending to her hurts it had finally hit her. Demetriov had won and she was finally beaten. All of her skill and determination had not been enough. He had still won. But what was scarier was that the future was an unknown. This virus might change her, or it might kill her, or there were options she hadn't even thought of that she didn't want to contemplate. No matter what, what was coming was not going to be good and the fact that it was an unknown scared her further. With that thought her tears finally started to flow. She started to sob freely, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. She fell into Torin's arms needing their comfort and support. Torin wept with her, for her, for all the wrongs that had been done to her. He rocked her, Tegan realising for the first time that she was more than scared, she was utterly terrified.

 

She had never seen it being this way. To her the future had always been clear. She would fight until she died. Now there was no certainty now, only questions. The unknown approached like a dark menacing cloud that enveloped and choked. Her fear threatened to suffocate her and Torin's arms didn't seem enough to stay the tide of demons that plagued her now. She curled up in a ball, pressing herself into his chest, starting to shiver. Her violent sobs began to slow, settling into a gentle weeping. A tight high-pitched whine escaped her throat.

 

“Tegan?” Torin whispered gently in her ear.

 

She nodded weakly against his chest.

 

“I want you to understand that whatever happens to you now I'm going to be there. I won't leave your side unless I have to.”

 

Tegan caught her breath and sighed. His words provided some small comfort. It was something to know that whatever the future held for her, she wouldn't have to face it alone, and whatever time she had left he was would right by her side. The throbbing pain was coming back in her arm, making itself known now that she had cried herself out. The injury had almost been forgotten in the mess of events that had occurred. She reached for the bottle of painkillers. She bolted a couple back without thought and settled back into his arms. She felt empty and hollow. But most of all she felt numb. Her emotions, her senses all seemed dull.

 

“I think you need to get some sleep.” Torin soothed gently.

 

“Yes.” She sighed, but didn't move, even tensing a little in his arms.

 

“What's wrong?” He asked sensing her worries.

 

“I can't go back in there. It's too hot, the light hurts my eyes.” She admitted, some changes already apparent.

 

“I know. I can't go out there either. You can sleep here.” He sat on the floor, his back propped up against the wall and opened his arms to her.

 

She sat, apprehensive. He knew what was bothering her.

 

“Don't worry. I won't let anything hurt you my love. Never again. I promise.”

 

She nodded. She trusted him and felt safe with him. She looked at the bruises he had suffered. He had gone through the beating of his life for her. All for the sake of Demetriov getting his own way. The selfishness of the man was unbelievable. The old hate and anger burned inside of her once more. She wanted to show him how much he had hurt her, how much pain he had put her through. Now it seemed that she might never have the chance.

 

Torin handed her some sedatives to help her sleep. She looked at them in her hand. It seemed that these had been her downfall. If she hadn't been under their influence she might have been able to fight back. Maybe she could have stopped him. Her mind was full of `maybes' and `what ifs' but it was no use dwelling on that now. The damage was done and there was nothing that could be done about it now. She took a deep breath and took the sedatives. She was going to need them now if she was going to get any rest. She settled into his arms, sadness enveloping her. He rocked her now his arms tight around her. For the first time she felt safe. His hold provided a warmth and comfort in the midst of all the horror that had occurred. She drifted in her thoughts as her eyes started to become heavy. She was full of questions that had no answers, full of emotions that hurt her.

 

Torin stroked her drying hair and rocked until sleep finally overcame her. He leaned forward and into her ear.

 

“I know you can't hear me but there is something I have to say. I'm sorry I didn't do more, I'm sorry this has happened to you. I hate to say it but I'm scared too.”

 

He swallowed hard. She moaned in her sleep. He vowed to himself and to her that he would keep his promise. Whatever came in the future they would face it together, and together they would be strong.

 

***************************************************************** **********************************

Author's notes:

Bloody hell, it must have been like ten attempts at editing this chapter to finally get it ready for upload, but I have got here at last. Sorry for keeping you waiting for soooooo long, but now at least you begin to understand the workings of vampirism in my little world. Warped little world that it is. I will try desperately to make sure the next up date is not so long in coming, in fact it should be an easier one to get out. This was one heavy edit. Till next time peeps!