Time was a strange thing for an immortal. The world seemed to change far too quickly around them, and yet, it felt so achingly slow. But not when he was with them. When he sat by the water staring into those dark eyes, it was like time didn't pass at all.
Days flowed into weeks, and months. Arche came every night at high tide to meet Killock. He was fairly sure a killock was a type of anchor and didn't know if it was their real name, but it was what they had asked to be called. Communication had been difficult at first. He found out that the reason he didn't understand the mermaid's words, was because they weren't words at all. Killock just enjoyed all the sounds they could make on the surface, thus why they came there to sing. How they actually communicated involved a form of sign language that took Arche some time to decipher. However, now that they could understand each other, he was more compelled to keep the mermaid's company.
He saw the world from an outsider's perspective. The perspective of a man who had once been human but was no longer. Killock saw the world as an outsider as well, but they had never been human to begin with. They had an insatiable curiosity, and so many questions. Mortal things that had become boring and monotone to Arche, were made shiny and new when seen through Killock's eyes. They breathed life into the Vampire's eternity. The connection he felt was becoming more of an obsession and it didn't go unnoticed.
The thing about Vampires is that there weren't very many left in the days of neon lights and towers built to the skies; That made all of them incredibly nosey about each other's business. The gossip was in the covens, the night clubs, and the ballrooms. Arche, one of the Old Ones, was enamored with a mortal. A strange and interesting mortal, but a mortal nonetheless. Arche had no idea how long the mermaid would live, and frankly he had no desire to know. It would only haunt him, and he didn't want death, who stalked his entire afterlife, to ruin those quiet blissful nights he desperately tried to keep to himself.
It was one of those nights. The moon shining silver light upon the two of them, and Arche trying to keep up with the deft hands of the mermaid, as they tried to share the story of another mermaid who had disappeared into a sea witch's lair. A strange tale that should have interested the vampire, but he couldn't pay attention to the words the mermaid tried to convey. Only their hands. Hands that looked far too soft. Hands that looked far too tempting. He couldn't remember the last time he just wanted to touch someone without the desire to feed looming in his heart. Surely the last time must have been when he was still human. With Killock it was no different. As much as he wanted to touch just for the feeling, there was a shadow whispering in his ear, wondering if they tasted like saltwater or fish.
He wouldn't let himself. Too many times had he ruined something precious because he could only manage to think with his stomach or his dick.
He was startled from his thoughts by Killock diving back into the water, disappearing underneath the waves with a heavy splash. He cursed himself, only now realizing that someone had approached the two of them. Slinking from the shadows like a snake, was a red-headed vampire he recognized.
"What do you want?" He snapped at her.
"Is that anyway to talk to an old friend?" She asked.
"We are not friends." He said.
She sat beside him to his grievance, and he moved away from her with blatant intention.
"We're all worried about you Arche." She said, in her soft voice that he knew was like honey to her prey. "It's not good for a man to sit in the dark pinning for something he can't have. The moonlight can drive a man mad."
"I've been mad," he said irritation clear in his tone. "And it's none of your concern."
"Meddling with mortals is dangerous enough." She lectured. "Meddling with whatever that is... you can't be sure what this will bring, but it won't be anything good."
"If that's all you came here for, I think I'll be leaving." He said, sure that Killock would not return that night.
"Good call." She said as he turned his back. "Dawn will be coming soon."
There was something in the inflection of her words, something in her tone that set him on edge. He should have been more wary, but as he slipped into the crypt he called home, his head was only filled with waves, and moonlight. He wasn't ready when a group of vampires jumped him. It was ridiculous how easy he went down to a group of rats so much younger than him, and he raged against the stone of his ancient coffin as they sealed him in. There was no thought, no time, as he slammed his fists endlessly against the stone lid. They had to have done something to prevent him from escaping because he had never struggled with the weight of his coffin lid before. He screamed until his throat was raw, and beat his tomb until his knuckles bled.
At last, stone cracked, and metal snapped. He burst from the coffin in a rain of debris and blood, and roared like the best hidden beneath his flesh. The sun was already settling once more and he charged out of the crypt, too blinded by his own rage to heed the burn of the evening sun on his skin.
He needed to find Killock.
He ran through city streets uncaring of people or cars. Uncaring of his burns or who saw them. He truly had gone mad. By the time he reached the ocean shore, the sun had fully set and he was guided by moonlight. His body was failing him, exhaustion taking over, and the burning heat of his wounds setting in. He collapsed on the rocks, unable to move. He laid in the dark, only able to hear the sound of waves and he feared he was too late. Then the singing began.
He tried to push himself up onto his elbows, reaching towards the water, and the song cut off with a sharp gasp. In moments cold hands were touching his face and Killock released a stream of distressed cries and hums.
"Y-you need to go." Arche choked out.
Killock went silent and the look on their face was heartbroken and confused.
"You need to go as far as you can and never come back." He said more firmly. "You aren't safe here."
Killock stared at him as if thinking deeply and tried to sign something to him, but his vision was getting blurry and they were signing too quickly.
"Kil I don't understand." He mumbled, the blur becoming black spots.
They grabbed his face with both hands and forced him to look up, then tilted their head back. Offering.
Black vision went red. The voice that thirsted was screaming. There was no more reason in him. He didn't remember getting on his knees, but in mere seconds, charred skin pressed against dripping skin, as his arms wrapped around the mermaid. The salt water stung against his burns, but the pain was almost part of the experience. He sunk his teeth into Killock's neck, who gasped hard and gripped onto him tightly, their fingernails digging into his back. It was euphoria. Pain, blood, and the taste of salt; just like he had imagined. His wounds healed, his stamina returned, and slowly so did his senses. He released Killock, fear rolling in as soon he realized what he'd done. The mermaid was limp in his arms for a moment and he couldn't breath.
Then Killock's arms tightened around him and they moved their hands from his back up to grip his hair. Soft lips pressed feather kisses up his neck, and jaw, and Arche could have choked on his relief. Then reality hit. The source of his obsession was touching him. Kissing him. The gravity of their situation couldn't touch that moment, and having already committed the most egregious sin he could have, indulged himself.
Hands moved over supple skin and rough scales. Lips traced over shoulder and neck, catching droplets of salt water. Fingers tangled into wet hair. He licked the blood from the mermaid's bite wound, tasting them again. It was Killock who yanked him by his hair into a brutal kiss. It was heat, pain, and bliss. The moan that left the mermaid's mouth was the last string of his sanity. He was too far gone to ever turn back.
Shadows emerged from the dark, and this time he was ready for them. His body was practically vibrating, his senses sparking like live wires. He knew that he was stronger, that they wouldn't be able to touch him. He let go of Killock, who was reluctant to release his grip, but was coaxed into sitting on the shore. Arche turned on those who would intrude upon his reverie, and he didn't hold back on them either. As he tore the fledgling vampires apart, he was conscious of Killock's eyes watching him. He may have felt something akin to guilt or shame if the blood lust had not so thoroughly taken hold of him. By the time he was finished, the sands were darkened with blood that seeped into the water. He wasn't hurt physically but there was an ache in his soul, and he thought for a moment that was getting too old for this. The adrenaline in his veins gave him stark clarity, and he knew he had to let this go
He returned to the mermaid's side, who had not moved or made a single sound since the killing began.
"You need to go." He said again. "There will be more of them"
To his surprise, Killock shook his head furiously and grabbed onto his arms.
"You won't be safe here." He said. "I need to go as well."
Killock looked resolute as they signed to him, "If we must go, it will be together. Meet me here tomorrow night. Trust me, beloved."
Beloved. Had he really become so soft as to be undone by one word?
*****
They met at the shore one last time, but this meeting was different. Killock stepped out of the water on wavering legs, looking tired and signing vaguely about some kind of deal. It didn't matter much to Arche how it happened, all that mattered was that they could leave.
He looked down into eyes once black, now turned blue and wrapped them up in his arms. They shared a brief kiss, knowing they didn't have much time, and he held Killock up as they ran away into the night, backs to the ocean.
Part 1: https://mangothoughtswritingblog.blogspot.com/2023/10/halloween-count-down-2023-rising-tides.html
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