Blood or Love

How could he have drunk everything so quickly?

Thirty-four tubes of blood, and he'd thought that was overkill when Benny was getting them ready for him that morning.

Chamey sank down on his bed and stared up at him. "You're freakin kiddin me. What are you saying man, you already drank everything you brought? No more blood?"

"That's what I'm saying."

Chamey sat silent for a moment, his fingers curled into the yellow bedspread as he watched Jack rip open pockets in his bag, searching the very bottom and lining. The contents of his entire suitcase were all over the squishy green carpet.

"Why didn't you pack extra, you know, just in case something like this happened?"

Jack stopped what he was doing and glared up at Chamey. "I DID bring extra."

"Oh man. I guess I wasn't paying attention. You really got your drunk on tonight, didn't you?"

Jack's only answer was to sling the empty suitcase across the room. It hit the wall beyond Chamey's head with a loud

smack!

and Chamey jumped to his feet. "Woah, man," he whispered.

Jack sat on the floor, his back against his bed, and gave a long sigh. "I'm sorry....I'm just..." He dropped his head in his hands. He was shaking and his thoughts were swimming in a red-tinged ocean. Chamey's heartbeat thumped in his ears. He was glad the NoVamp had dulled his sense of smell and taste at that moment.

He was aware of Chamey getting off the bed and approaching him slowly. He jerked his head up to see one hand outstretched to him like he was a wounded animal.

"Look, don't panic," Chamey said softly. "Just stay calm and we'll think of something."

"I need Kim," Jack said in a weak voice. "She always knows what to do."

"Well call her, man."

A fresh wave of anger rolled through Jack. He dropped his hands and leaped to his feet, towering over Chamey. "You don't think I've been trying? Every time you go to the bathroom, I CALL!"

Chamey moved backward until he backed into his own bed, and then he half sat--half fell on it.

Oh damn.

"I'm sorry," Jack said.

"Okay, okay, let's just think about this, about what's happening to you. You said you started reversion a couple weeks ago. Why is it happening so fast?"

Jack shrugged. "There's no certain amount of time, no guarantees. It's just happening faster than we thought it would. I thought I'd have more control over it, but the parasite seems stronger than I remember. Anyway," he cleared his throat and went on, "I was supposed to be under the doc's care by now."

"So, what can we do for you between now and when you get into Dr. Kitcher's vehicle?"

Jack rubbed his eyes vigorously. He dropped his hand and looked into the wide brown eyes staring back at him. "You may have to kill me before I get worse."

"I'm not going to kill you, Jack."

"You knew it might come to this."

"Yeah, but it hasn't come to this...to that."

"I'd do it myself if I could, but this thing inside won't let me. I'm afraid it's getting out of control...already is out of control, and I'm not worth this kind of trouble."

"You are to me, and to your family."

"I've done terrible things."

"You couldn't help it, Jack, you were going out of your mind. Believe me, you're a good guy."

"Chamey, I--" Jack closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head to dislodge some of that crimson fog. When he opened his eyes again, he could only whisper, "I'm not good. I'm doing something terrible

right now.

"

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You're fine."

"Pull out the drawer in the nightstand. The stake's in there."

"No, Jack, there's gotta be another solution." Chamey took out his can of NoVamp, jumped up, and sprayed it around the door, the window, the whole side of the room before he turned to Jack with a grin. "There, reinforced it. That'll help for now. It's just too bad it doesn't last very long." The grin faded away. "Also it's too bad I just have this one little can."

Jack got off the bed and retreated to the small open closet space in the short hallway outside the bathroom door. The fumes seemed to be following him. He grabbed one of several shirts he'd put on hangers and held it to his face until he felt like he could breathe again. Tentatively, he lowered the shirt and looked at Chamey, who was back on the bed watching him with worried eyes.

Muttering, Jack climbed to his feet, took a few steps toward Chamey, stopped and leaned against the wall. "Promise me you'll do it. It will save lives. It'll be justice. It might even make you feel better since you...went through...you know..."

"Shut up Jack. You're my friend, my--quickly getting cranky and unpredictable friend--but my friend all the same, and I ain't gonna kill you. But I promise I will if I

have

to. There, you satisfied?"

Jack nodded.

"Last resort only. There has to be something we can do..." He suddenly brightened. "Hey, if you have blood, I mean human blood, that will keep you satisfied for a good long while, right?"

Jack slid down the wall til he was sitting on the floor. His legs were too long for the small hallway, so he pulled them against his chest and rested his forehead on his knees.

"Jack?"

You're gonna be the first one I take after all, you useless little...

Jack snapped his head up with a gasp, like he'd been rudely shaken out of a disturbing dream. Chamey was saying something to him. "What?" Jack asked, startled. "What is it?"

"Did you hear me? If you have human blood--"

"No!"

"You just need a willing victim."

He sighed deeply, trying to calm himself down. "Doesn't exist."

"Oh, you'd be surprised, there are any number of people out there who'd love to have you chomp down on them. They come onto my website all the time. We have to tell em like it is, but who knows if the idiots listen."

"Well I can't go out looking for one of them."

A wry grin crossed Chamey's face. "Too bad there's no room service for vampires. Anyway, it's better if you're drinking from someone who wants to donate to you, rather than you grabbing some poor bastard, or bitch."

"I told you, I'm not going to drink anyone, so just drop the idea." Even so, he'd begun to pace the room absently, and his feet were taking him closer to the door.

He heard Chamey's voice call out: "Hey man, you don't wanna get too close--" But it was too late. Jack hit the NoVamp zone, and it was like walking into a wall of acidic fumes that blurred his vision, closed his throat and his lungs, and set his skin on fire. He whirled instantly, staggering back toward the other side of the room, coughing, gasping.

"I tried to tell ya, man. You okay?"

Jack fell down on his bed.

Chamey moved to his side with a bottle of water. "Here, just tilt your head back."

Jack felt too sick to do anything but what he was told, and Chamey poured some of the water into his open mouth. It was soothing, and he took the bottle from Chamey and splashed some into his burning eyes and onto his skin as well. "Thanks," he said as he wiped the rest of the water from his face.

"Not a problem." Chamey went to the window, pushed aside the heavy maroon curtain a bit and peeked out. A few seconds later, he dropped the curtain back in place and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "The sun's almost up." There was no missing the relief in his voice. "Just another hour to go."

Jack nodded, miserable at the thought. For one thing, an hour in his condition was going to seem like an eternity.

"I hate to see you suffering like this..." Chamey's face lit up. "I know, I'll find you a rat! Shouldn't be too hard around this motel."

Jack could only stare up at him in disbelief. "A rat?"

"Yeah, why not?" Chamey studied his appalled expression for a moment. "It's the idea of it, isn't it? Dirty rat's blood? Or is it the size of the thing--too small to be satisfying?"

Jack though of Mr. Miller's hen. It had been pretty small, and if he'd been honest with himself at the time, he knew it would have taken more than just one to appease his appetite. "You'd have to catch a whole nest of rats to stop my hunger."

Chamey stroked his smooth chin. "Actually, a group of rats is called a mischief, not a nest."

Jack sighed and leaned forward with his face in his hands.

"But hey," Chamey went on, "even if I can only find you one rat around this motel, at least its blood would be be fresh, hot....that's gotta count for something."

Jack fell backward on the bed and rubbed his hands over his face. Thankfully, the mist from the NoVamp had quit drifting through the room. It wasn't bothering him anymore.

Chamey was still naming off animals he might find in town. "What about a cat? A bird? A dog? I don't wanna take anyone's poor pet, but...hey, would you be satisfied with some fish out of the Savannah River?"

Jack grimaced. He didn't know if Chamey was serious or not, but the idea of a cold fish did not appeal. "There's no time for that. Besides, I had a whole deer last night. That kept me pretty satisfied until the last few hours. But the parasite is calling out for what it really wants."

"Human blood," Chamey said in his sober newscaster's voice, which immediately changed to a higher, more annoying one. "Eww, is that thing talking to you inside your brain? I mean, do you actually

hear

an annoying voice pushing you to the verge of insanity or did you mean it's calling out metaphorically, 'cause... Wow, is it listening to me right now?"

Jack nodded grimly. "You know it is. And I'm certain it's been talking to you."

"Cool! And yet not cool since that thing inside you wants to kill me. So what do you want me to do for you? Hunt or fish?"

"Neither," Jack said. "I'm just going to grit my teeth and bare it." But he wasn't at all sure if he could. "Just another hour, like you said."

"Yeah, I guess I can't really leave the room to find prey for you. You might decide to call on some of the motel's other occupants."

Jack turned away with a hand over his mouth, alarmed that his fangs had dropped down at the very idea of it.

"Face it, Jack. You need a willing victim."

"We've already talked about that," Jack said through his hand. "I'm not going to find one out there." Jack got himself composed and the fangs out of sight, then he turned back around to Chamey.

It shocked him to see Chamey pumping his left hand and flexing his arm as if he was doing curls with dumbells. He looked up at Jack, his brown eyes big. "You got one right here."

"Wait...what are you talking about? You..." But he already knew what Chamey was talking about. "No, absolutely not."

"Absolutely yes. You're gonna drink my blood. Come on, it's not like you don't want to. Don't think I didn't notice you staring at me and licking your lips when we were playing cards."

"I wasn't--"

"Oh yeah, you were. I saw the way your eyes lingered on my veiny hand when I was picking up a card or throwing one down. You were watching these fat, plump veins sticking out, and it distracted you. At first I wondered how you could be that bad of a card player, then I realized you just couldn't keep your mind on the game. Not with this choice meal in front of you." Chamey pumped his hand some more.

Jack covered his mouth again for a moment and scrambled off the bed and took a few steps toward the door. He hit the NoVamp zone and almost kept going. The barrier was wearing off already. He could make it out the door if he really wanted...

"No," he gasped and moved back toward Chamey. "There has to be another way. It's too dangerous. I could latch on and drink until you were dead."

"I'm not afraid, man," Chamey said. "I'll keep the can of NoVamp in my other hand. If I think you're out of control, I'll spray you right in the face with it."

"You haven't thought this over. You don't understand what you're getting into."

"If anyone understands, it's me. It needs to be done. To protect people."

Jack dropped his hands to his side and sat back on the bed. His attention went to Chamey's pumping left hand and bicep. "Would you please stop that?"

Chamey smiled. "Just getting them all filled and ready for you."

Jack forced himself onto his bed. He lay on his back and draped an arm over his eyes. After a long moment, he looked over at Chamey. "You know what? This isn't worth it." He reached out to the nightstand, opened the drawer, and removed the stake. He tossed it onto the bed next to Chamey. He lay back on the bed and spread his arms and legs out. His chest lay open, ready for the stake. "Here, while I try to distract that thing inside me. My life's not worth all this trouble."

Chamey ignored the stake and kept pumping. "I doubt Kim and Benny would agree with you. Come on, live for them. Do this for them." He got up and sat on the bed beside Jack.

Jack instantly scooted up against the headboard. This had been a crazy idea all along. Staying in the motel with a defenseless kid? It could never end well.

"Get away from me, Chamey."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Come on, just have a taste." And before Jack's horrified eyes, the kid took his index finger and scraped--more like tore--into his own wrist. "I know you'll be all right. I'm here and available, and just as tasty as the next person. At least I hope. Come on, stop denying yourself. This is what you need and it'll last you a good long while."

Chamey had managed to tear just a small hole in the flesh, but it was enough--more than enough--to send Jack into a near frenzy. Especially when Chamey thrust his wrist under Jack's sensitive nose.

Jack nearly lost control as the boy's tangy blood caressed his ultra-sensitive nostrils. He wanted to jump on, but instead he managed to find enough control to hold back. And yet he found himself reaching out slowly, carefully for Chamey's dripping wrist.

"That's the way," Chamey's voice coaxed, as though he was encouraging a shy kitten to come to him. "Think of how good this hot, juicy blood's gonna taste."

Jack moaned, feeling his fangs extended to full length. He watched Chamey's wide eyes zero in on them, saw the kid's adam's apple dart as he swallowed down fear.

Jack remembered how hard it was when he was a new vampire, trying to hold back. The humanity in him had recoiled at everything he was doing. He felt like he'd been stronger back then. Now, the parasite wanted to make up for lost time. And now Jack wanted to give in to its overwhelming power and drink this kid til there was nothing left.

He forced his eyes back up to Chamey's big brown ones. Forced himself to remember everything the kid had told him about himself. He had to remember this was a person, a friend. He only hoped it was enough. But a voice whispered ominously in the back of his brain.

It won't be enough.

* * *

"You got the NoVamp?" Jack's lips barely formed words, and by that look in his eyes, Chamey knew his mind was spiraling into blood-scented oblivion. But he wasn't expecting what happened next.

Jack was on his bed in an instant, climbing on top of him, and by then, it was too late to move. Jack straddled his midsection and pinned him down to the mattress.

"What are you doing?" Chamey struggled and pushed, but Jack stayed where he was.

"NoVamp?" the words came out harsh, gutteral.

"Yeah, I got it." Chamey lifted the can in his trembling right hand. He wondered if he should use it now.

Don't panic, just calm down. This was your idea.

Jack's weight on him made it hard to breathe and when he wrapped a cold hand around Chamey's hand and drew it up toward his mouth, the panic hit Chamey full force. The can of NoVamp tumbled out of his shaking hand somewhere onto the yellow bedspread. His right hand groped the covers for it. He began to squirm and struggle again. Trying to get away from Jack.

Jack wore a calm expression. Something had changed in his eyes, making him look cold, distant. The slightest smile turned up the corners of his lips. "Did you change your mind?"

Chamey stopped struggling for a moment and lay flat on his back, panting. He could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. "Would it matter to you if I had?"

Jack's eyes blinked rapidly, and it seemed to Chamey that for a moment, he saw something warm and human inside them. Jack's whole body was strung taut as a rubber band, and his hand, cold and clammy, began to shake around Chamey's. His eyes closed, his head lowered. It was such a soft reply that Chamey barely heard it. "Yes, it matters."

Jack let go of Chamey's hand, and then opening his eyes again, he slowly started to dismount.

Chamey, sweating and shaking, raised up a little and located the NoVamp on the bed, then proceeded to bat it onto the floor with his nervous, clumsy fingers.

Oh, man...

Jack was halfway off Chamey when he paused and a strange look passed over his features. One brow was cocked slightly over dark, narrow eyes that seemed devoid of feeling. "Better someone else than you, right kid? Is that what you're thinking? Anyway, no thanks. I can go out that door and get my own meals."

Chamey stopped breathing.

You knew it might come to this. You said you'd do anything to keep people safe. Time to stop talking for once in your life and do something. Be a man.

He caught hold of Jack's arm. Jack glanced down at his wrist which had almost stopped bleeding, then back up to him, a soft smile of anticipation on his face.

"No," Chamey said.

"No?"

"I mean yes." He settled back on the bed, trembling, but kept his wrist outstretched to Jack. "I meant, no, don't go, and yes...drink from me."

Jack didn't hesitate. He took Chamey's left wrist again and climbed back on top of him.

Why do they have to do it like this? Crawling on top of us like big, creepy spiders? I hate vampires!

Chamey closed his eyes and waited, then opened them to find Jack still staring down on him with an unreadable expression.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked. "Just get it over with." As brave as he sounded, a fresh stab of fresh fear went through him when Jack clasped hold of him more tightly. "Please," he said, and it was little more than a sob. "Don't take too much."

Jack paused and a humorless smile slid over his mouth. "If I want to take it all, there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Chamey blinked up at him. He started to reply, but let his mouth shut with a snap. He decided he didn't want to spend his last moments on earth talking to a

thing

inside his friend's body.

Jack's expression shifted again--a mix of emotion--as he stared down on him through those dark eyes. And then he leaned forward, gripping him tightly, and sank his fangs into Chamey's tender wrist.