Chapter 4: That Was The Plan
Marshall, as ‘patient’ and as ‘old’ as he was, rushed Nathan out of the house and into a large, blacked out SUV. Jack joined along with a few others in the vehicle. Another followed behind full of more people that Marshall deemed ‘important to the mission’. Nathan just thought they were muscle to intimidate him into helping.
“Where are we going?” Jack asked as the vehicle started to drive away from Marshalls mansion.
“St. Lucia’s.” Marshall said simply. When Jack waited for further response, Marshall continued. “The crypt is there in the cemetery behind the church.” Jack nodded. His knee bumped against Nathans’ as the car hit a pothole. It did feel comforting to have Jack there, next to him.
Jack reached a hand over to try and grab Nathans’ he pulled away at first, giving Jack a look.
Jack, you know better. It said.
And you know I don’t care. His said back. Nathan let Jack hold his hand. It felt familiar. Every boundary Nathan tried to set was brittle and instantly broken by Jacks breath.
“I can’t believe you turned for him?” Marshall said under his breath, noticing the two hold hands. Nathan pulled away.
“And what does that mean?” Jack flashed his fangs.
“Oh calm down newbie.” Marshall flashed his back. “I just meant you’re immortal now, a Vampire, you could be with anyone and you chose a mortal? Ha – and not just any mortal, a Witch. Our kind don’t exactly mix well.” He laughed. It was hilarious to him because he knew more than they did. He chuckled even more to himself at their unknown expense.
“I didn’t turn for him.” Jack mumbled back.
“That’s not what you told me.” Marshall smiled.
“What does that mean?” Nathan asked.
“Nothing.” Jack told him.
“You told me you turned-”
“Nothing. Marshall is just trying to get a rise out of us.” Jack shot Marshall a look; Marshall rolled his eyes.
“Sorry, you get bored after being alive so long. Just wanted a little fun.” He turned to Nathan apologizing.
“Jack.” Nathan turned to him in attempt to get him to tell him more.
“It’s nothing.” Nathan didn’t believe him.
“We’re here.” The car stopped as the driver announced. Nathan wanted to push the subject but Marshall opened the door and hopped out.
“Show time.” Marshall beamed with joy. They all pile out of the vehicle, the other group mirrors. “Carlos, Reggie, the box.” He commands two of his henchmen and they produce a box from the back of one of the SUV’s. “You, you ready for this.” He points to Nathan.
“Yes.”
“Let’s go then.” He claps his hands and smiles. He starts leading them into the cemetery, walking down a path past tombstones and headstones.
“Hey, do you feel that?” Jack asked Nathan as they walked. Jack felt a strange claustrophobic feeling in the back of his head, but it was more than that. It felt like he was being pulled somewhere.
“Just the Vampiric energy mixing with all the vibes of the dead.” Nathan responds. A few lost souls walked around the graveyard, a far off look in their eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just a…a strange – never mind.” He said. “Ahh!” Jack started crying in pain as he collapsed, hands covering his ears. It wasn’t just Jack; it was Marshall and the other Vampires too. Only Nathan and the two Werewolf henchmen remained.
“Jack!” Nathan went to his side. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He asked.
“My head, it feels like it’s on fire!” He groaned, all the Vampires did. The two Werewolves growled and started to shift.
“What is it?” Nathan looked up at them and then towards what they were looking at. It was, what Nathan assumed, a Witch. She stood; one hand raised with her fingers flayed out. She was doing this. One of the Werewolves started to rush her.
“Down boy.” She commanded with a sweet voice. Her other hand flicked and both the Werewolves flew across the graveyard, slamming into headstones and crumbling to the ground in heaps. Returning to their human forms.
“Argh!” Jack wailed again.
“Stop it, you’re hurting him!” Nathan told her.
“Then come with me. He wants to see you. He usually gets what he wants.” She started to squeeze her hand slowly and the screams of the Vampires grew more intense. Nathan tried to counteract her magick, but it was too strong. Way too strong, she was channeling something to fuel her spell.
Nathan pushed against her, trying to overpower her but it was useless. He instead tried to shield the Vampires.
“Fuck!” Marshall roared, feeling a moment of relief from Nathan. “Enough of this! Argh!” He screamed, running behind her. She tried to do something, but Marshall was just a touch faster than her ability to compensate for holding ten Vampires down – even with the power source she was channeling. In an instant Marshall had her neck snapped, the spell lifted and she fell to ground dead. “Well, good thing we’re already in a cemetery. Reggie.” Marshall cocked his chin, rubbing his temples. “Everyone okay?” Marshall nodded a thank you to Nathan, he nodded back.
“Are you okay?” Nathan turned back and helped Jack up. Reggie picked the dead Witch up and took her away to bury her somewhere.
“Yeah.” He said, spitting blood onto the dirt. “Bit my fucking tongue.” He complained.
“Thank god you heal fast.” Nathan patted his back.
“Let’s get this over with.” Marshall pushed on. “This is the crypt.” He led them to one of the older ones in the cemetery.
“Bancroft?” Jack remarked. “Isn’t that one of the founding families?”
“Yes.” Marshall opened the door. “I used to run with them back in the day. Nathans granny locked my valuable in here for the irony. I cheated on her sister with a Bancroft.”
“Hmm, no account for taste.” Nathan had never much cared for the Bancrofts. They were stuffy and conceited. Owned a lot of real estate, both residential and commercial. The Bancrofts were kind of dicks.
“Let’s get started.” He ignores the insult. Most of the goons stayed outside to keep watch, two followed Marshall, Jack and Nathan inside.
The coffin sat on a large marble slab, it is a pure sleek black. “Pretty.” Nathan says, looking at the bronze and silver accents.
“Very.” Jack agrees. The strange feeling in his head grows. He had thought it was maybe the Witch, but with her dead and the feeling growing he had a feeling that it was whatever was in this coffin. Or who… Jack had a sense.
Nathan reached out to touch the coffin, and when he did he confirmed Jacks suspicion. A vision filled Nathans mind; images flashed across his eyes. He saw blood raining from the sky, a chalice full of it sitting on an altar. He saw fangs sinking into a neck and a wooden stake. He felt an intense darkness, something old, sitting inside of the coffin.
“What the fuck!” Nathan turned on Marshall, sending out a wave of power. Everyone was thrown back and Marshall was pinned to a wall. “Liar! What’s in the coffin!” He started squeezing Marshalls heart, he winced and clawed at his chest. His goons tried to move towards him. “Another step and I rip his heart out faster than you can get to me!” He warned, giving Marshalls heart a slight tug.
“Ah! Fuck – stand down, stand down!” He ordered, begged more like.
“Who is in the fucking coffin!” Nathan repeated.
“No one.”
“Who!” He squeezed.
“Argh! My sire!” Marshall admitted. “She’s my sire! She turned me!”
“And why is she in the coffin!”
“I don’t know! All I know is that she’s been in my head for the last year telling me to get her out!” He winced.
“In your head?” Nathan asked, he released Marshall and he collapsed to the ground.
“She – ah – she, all of them, they can get into the heads of any Vampire they turn.” He explained.
“All of them?”
“The Firstborn, they’re able to get into the heads of any Vampire they’ve turned. Jack can feel it too.” Nathan had heard of Firstborns; they were the oldest and most powerful. If his great-grandmother had sealed one away, it was for a reason.
“Can you?” Nathan asked Jack.
“I – I think, yeah.” He nodded.
“She’s no threat I promise you. She just want’s free.” Marshall tried to convince Nathan to continue the spell, but not convincingly.
“Bullshit. I saw something when I touched the coffin.” Nathan spat.
“Whatever it was, I assure you it has nothing to do with her.”
“Oh, yeah? Why did my great grandmother put her in there then?”
“I told you; I don’t know.” He inched closer and Nathan raised a hand, ready to send him flying again.
“I can’t let her free, when I – what I felt…I can’t let her out.” Nathan felt uneasy.
“Then you’ll have to figure out whoever is after you on your own. Stop them too.” Marshall promised.
“I-” Nathan took in a deep breath. “I don’t know what to do.” He turned to Jack, hoping his friend would have an answer.
“I – I don’t either. I’m sorry, but…but I think you should let her out.” He answered.
“What?”
“If you want to figure out who’s after you, maybe the only way is to…” He looked at the coffin. Nathan was torn, he felt a terrible energy when he’d touched it. The vision had terrified him, sent a feeling of pure dread through his bloodstream. “Nathan…” Jack reached out and touched his arm. “We need to figure out who’s after you. Marshall is the only one who knows anything.”
“Should we begin?” Marshall urged. “She’s getting louder in my head.”
“I…” Nathan didn’t know what to say. “You two, lift the coffin.” He’d made his decision. It wasn’t an easy one and he was sure he’d regret it, but he couldn’t see another way forward right now.
Two Vampires lifted the coffin. “Jack, help me with this.” Nathan knelt down and opened the box; he pulled out the rope inside and the athame. All that was left was a few blood bags and the book, he didn’t need the book though. He’d memorized the spell. Nathan handed one end of the rope to Jack. “Run it under the coffin.” Jack did and looped it over. Nathan grabbed it and tied the ends together.
“What next?” Jack asked.
“Now, I do the spell.” He cut his palm and let some of his blood soak into the ropes fibers. “My blood sealed her in here, my blood – with the rope representing the spell – is the only thing to get her out.” He placed the blade under the rope and spoke the spell:
I cut this rope, undo the bind
What’s inside no longer confined.
Nathan slices up and the rope falls away, a shimmer falls over the coffin and he feels the spell break.
“Finally!” Marshall says, stepping forward and around Nathan. He tries to open the coffin. “Hey, it didn’t work.” He tries again.
“No, it did.” Nathan says, Jack comes around to join him. “Jack, can you…” He holds his hand out and Jack punctures a finger with a fang and drips some of his blood on the open wound.
“Then why can’t I open it?” Marshalls tone is impatient and annoyed.
“Because I’m keeping it shut until you tell me who’s after me.” Nathan stands up straight and narrows his eyes at Marshall.
“Oh, don’t trust me little Witch.” He raises a brow.
“No actually.”
“Hmph.” He sighs. “His name is Gregor, another Firstborn.”
“Another Firstborn?” Nathan asked. “And why is he after me?”
“Ah” He sucks his teeth and clicks his tongue. “That part I actually don’t know. I just know he wants – well wanted – you dead. For the low, low price of five million dollars.”
“Whew.” Jack whistled.
“Don’t even think about it.” Nathan swatted his shoulder. He feigned a wince in pain. “So who is he exactly, other than a Firstborn.”
“Honestly just that, he’s a little…how do you say it…vicious. He loves being a Vampire. Usually despises Witches, but has a few on his payroll from what I’ve heard.” Marshall explains. “That dead Witch was probably one of them.
“Any idea on how to get him off my trail?”
“No clue, but…” Marshall fake winces. “I kind of lied again.”
“Marshall.” Nathan readied himself.
“Don’t worry, this time you won’t be mad – well actually I don’t know. You might be. Don’t leave the city.” Marshall leans back on the coffin.
“What?”
“Don’t leave the city, go to work, go home. You need groceries, send Jack. Cloak your home also. I don’t want anyone to be able to find it.” Marshall listed off orders.
“Excuse me.”
“She,” He tries to open the coffin again. “has told me to ensure your safety. So, I’ll have a twenty-four seven security detail on you.”
“What?” Nathan balked, shocked.
“Open the coffin.” Marshall was done explaining. When Nathan didn’t, Marshall gave him a look. “She’ll explain the rest once you let her out.”
“You played us.” Jack said, his eyebrows meeting in the middle in frustration.
“No, I played him.” He pointed at the Witch. “You just followed him around like a little puppy.” Jack puffed his chest.
“Jack.” Nathan put a hand on his shoulder and waved the other. The coffin flung open.
Inside was a woman, skin gray and taut from desiccation. Her hair was thin and lips were dry and chapped.
“She’s the one who’s been in your head?” Nathan is shocked.
“Yup, boys.” He closes the coffin back up and the two Vampires lift it up and carry her out, another man appears to collect the box. “Like I said, you need to stay safe. Jack, here, take him home.”
“These are my keys.” Jack catches them shocked.
“Yeah, I had someone drive your car here.” Marshall says it like it’s obvious and okay that he technically stole Jacks’ car. “She’s got a vested interest in you, so that means I do too. You stay alive. Jack, you don’t leave his side.”
“I can take care of myself.” Nathan speaks up.
“I’m sure you can, he’s going to be around you to make sure you can and to let me know if anything bad happens to you. I don’t trust you to tell me, I don’t trust Jack either,” Marshall smiles at Jack. “but I know he’ll do what I say because he knows I’ll kill him if he doesn’t.”
“And I’ll kill you if you do.” Nathan threatens Marshall.
“Cute.” Marshall says. “Take him home, don’t make me say it again.” Marshall walks by them. “Expect her to pay you a visit as soon as she’s at full strength. And remember! Don’t leave your apartment. Not even to visit dear old mom and dad.” He calls back as he walks away.
“He’s an asshole.” Nathan says.
“You’ve no clue.” Jack agrees.
*****
The drive back to Nathans apartment was quiet. Nathan didn’t want to talk and Jack didn’t know what to say. Jack pulled into a parking spot and killed the engine.
“Been a while since you’ve been in this car.” Jack says to break the uncomfortable silence.
“Last time I was in it we were in the backseat I think.” Nathan says absentmindedly.
“I remember actually…”
*****
Nathan laid beneath Jack as he pressed into him, forcing his legs wider apart. He ran his hand up Jacks’ back latching into his hair.
“Oh, Nathan.” Jack moaned, he felt himself stiffen, fighting the urge to expose his fangs.
“Jack…” Nathan moaned as he fumbled his free hand around Jacks belt buckle. “Fuck.” He couldn’t get it with one hand. “Take it off.”
“Yes sir.” Jack grinned into a kiss before leaning up and undoing his belt and pants.
“Hurry, we don’t have a lot of time.” They had pulled off the road to sneak this quickie in while they were in route to Nathan’s fathers birthday celebration. They were having a dinner at the Moreau family house.
“Shit, I’m trying.” He chuckled, finally succeeding and pulling himself out of his pants. “Let me get yours.” Jack used his Vampiric speed to take Nathans pants off.
“Ha, ha! No fair. No Vamp speed.” He leaned up and took Jacks face into his.
“You made us float once.” Jack said trailing kisses down Nathans abdomen. He snaked back up to take one of his nipples in his mouth, grazing it with his teeth. It elicited a whimper from him.
“That was fun, I should do it again.” Nathan sent out a small surge.
“No room in here.” Jack chuckled heading back down. “Let me take care of you.” He lifted Nathan up to his mouth and started working his own magick, wriggling his tongue the way Nathan liked it.
“Oh! Jack!” He shot a hand to the roof, the other landed softly on Jack’s head. Nathan grabbed a fistful of his brown hair.
“You’re gonna mess my hair up and your parents will know something is up.” Jack said coming up for air.
“I’ll fix it, now get back down there.” Nathan pushed him back down, short of breath. Jack continued his servicing of Nathans’ sweet tightness, adding a finger or two to the mix. “Oh god. Jack. I think I’m ready. I want you inside me.”
“You sure?” Jack asked, he felt timid. He still didn’t have full control over his newfound strength and he’d already hurt Nathan seven or eight times now.
“Yes, I want you. Please Jack.” He said softly, still breathing heavy from the pleasure. Jack simply nodded and lined himself up with Nathan’s below.
“Tell me if it hurts.” He said as he inched in. Nathan nodded and moaned in pleasure as Jack dug deeper. He started a nice and slow pace, letting Nathan get used to his size. When Nathan started to roll Jack picked up his speed. Using soft, but forceful thrusts. “Shit that feels…”
“Jack it feels-”
“Does it hurt?” He stopped.
“No! God it feels so good, keep going.” Nathan begged below him. “I love you.” He reached up and wrapped his arms around Jacks shoulders, pulling him down and placing his lips on his.
“Mmm.” Jack ached; it felt so good to be inside Nathan. It turned him on…made him hungry. He couldn’t help it, his fangs shot out as he kept rutting into Nathan.
“Ah!” Nathan said in surprise as one of Jacks fangs nicked his lips.
“Shit, I’m sorry. You okay?” Jack froze, pulling back. Nathan looked into Jacks eyes and nodded.
“Are you hungry?” Nathan asked.
“Erm…a little.” He nodded.
Nathan swallowed and his Adams apple bobbed, blood pumped. Jack could feel, see, smell everything. He could feel Nathans blood pump around his length, see the veins and arteries on his neck.
Nathan looked into Jacks’ eyes then turned his head and exposed his neck.
“Drink.” Jack started to pump into Nathan again.
“Are – are you sure?” Jack picked up his pace again.
“Yes. Just be careful.” He nodded. “And don’t spill any blood on this shirt.” He said.
Jack nodded and grazed the neck. Nathan shuddered. Jack moaned as he sank his teeth into Nathans’ neck. He started bucking into Nathan harder and faster, the mix of pleasure of sex and feeding sending him into a state.
“Ah! Jack!” Nathan screamed in a deep, animalistic voice. “Don’t stop!” He begged. “I’m gonna-”
“Argh!” Jack exclaimed as he pulled off of Nathan’s neck and finished just as Nathan did. “Fuck!” He roared, slamming into Nathan again. “Fuck!”
“Ah!” Nathan screamed in ecstasy.
“I love you.” Jack said as he collapsed onto Nathan.
“I love you too, but we need to go. My parents are waiting.” He patted Jacks back, reaching down and giving his ass a slap. “Come on.” He said again, his neck ached as his lower half did. It almost hurt but he didn’t want to worry Jack. He’d be fine.
“Alright, I just – I just need…a minute.” He said breathily.
*****
“I think later that night was the night you strangled my—”
“Oh god, don’t remind me.” Jack groaned, burying his face in his hands. Embarrassment turning him red.
Nathan chuckled softly. Jack looked up, their eyes meeting for a long, silent moment. The sun was inching towards evening, the air heavy with the weight of what wasn’t said.
“Do you…” Jack hesitated, glancing away. “Do you remember the first time we…”
Nathan’s smile faded. “I do, yeah.”
“And what I asked after?”
“‘Is there a spell that you can cast so we can stay together forever?’” Nathan’s laugh was low, nostalgic. “And then you dumped me a few months later.” Nathan laughed again.
“I thought I was doing the right thing.” Jack explained. “Letting you go off to college.”
“I know. And I think you did.” Nathan reached over and rubbed Jacks knee. “Why do you bring it up?”
“It’s – it’s what Marshall said. Well, almost said.” Nathan raised a brow. “I did this for the same reason.” He said.
“What do you mean?” Nathan didn’t understand what Jack was talking about, why was he bringing all of this up?
Jack inhaled deeply. “I lied to you. About why I turned.”
“Jack—”
“No, please, just let me explain.” Jack’s voice shook as he forced the words out. “I didn’t turn because I felt like less of a man, or because you were always saving me. Well, that part’s true—but it was more than that.” He held Nathan’s gaze now, his expression raw. “I went to Marshall because I thought… I thought I was doing what was best for you.”
“For me?” Nathan frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You were exhausted. You’d been hurt so many times. I couldn’t stand watching you bleed and burn just to protect me.” Jack swallowed hard. “I thought if I wasn’t a liability anymore, if I could take care of myself, you could focus on you. On what you needed. I thought… maybe you wouldn’t have to play defense for both of us.”
Nathan stared, trying to absorb Jack’s words. “So you became a vampire?”
“I asked Marshall to turn me. I thought it would solve everything.” Jack’s voice cracked. “I didn’t want you to lose me. I couldn’t bear the thought of you watching me grow old or, god forbid, bury me.”
“And now I get to bury us instead?” Nathan's laugh was bitter, the pain behind it sharp. “You did this for me? Without ever asking if it’s what I wanted?”
“I know I messed up,” Jack whispered. “I see that now. But I loved you so much, I couldn’t imagine you losing me. I thought—”
“You thought it was better for me to mourn you like this?” Nathan cut him off, tears brimming in his eyes. “To watch you walk away from the future we were supposed to have? That is so fucking narcissistic it’s not even funny.” Nathan sucked his teeth.
“That’s not what I meant!” Jack smacked his temples, mad at himself for not explaining this correctly. “I mean I didn’t want to die, and I didn’t want you to feel like it was your fault.” Jack’s hands were shaking as he reached for Nathan. “I didn’t want you to mourn me at all. I thought… I thought I was doing the right thing. I knew you might leave me after I turned, but I told myself it’d be worth it if you could move on. If you could live a full life without me holding you back.”
Nathan pulled his hands away. “You don’t get it, do you?” His voice was calm now, dangerously so. “I was supposed to grow old with you. That was the plan.”
Jack’s face crumpled. “I know. I know I ruined it.”
Nathan looked away, wiping at his face. “You made a decision that changed both our lives, but you didn’t even think to talk to me first. And now…” His voice wavered. “Now I have to mourn you anyway. Mourn the future we’ll never get to have.”
“I’m sorry,” Jack whispered, tears sliding down his cheeks. “If I could take it back-”
“But you can’t.” Nathan’s words were final, heavy as stone. “You made your choice. And you made mine too.”
They sat in silence in the car as it started to rain. Nathan couldn’t tell if it was him or it was natural. He was honestly surprised he hadn’t made all the windows explode or set the grass on fire. His emotions were all over the place, it was taking all he had to stop himself from unleashing all his power. Nathan looked out the front windshield, trying to calm himself.
Jack looked out his window at the rain, it smelled heavy – like it would last a while.
“I need you to make me a promise.” Nathan finally spoke after a long time.
“Anything.” Jack said, slowly turning to face Nathan.
“After all of this, after we stop Gregor or whatever…” Nathan took a deep breath, forcing himself to say the next sentence. “I want you to leave. Leave Northbridge.” The words settled over them like a sheet of ice. It hit Jack hard, it hit Nathan harder. “You said you did this for me.”
“Yeah.” He nodded.
“Then I need you to leave so I can move on. So I can find someone else when I’m ready.” Nathan wiped the last of his tears, he was done crying over Jack. “You wanted me to grow old and I don’t want to do that alone. I want a family. A husband, kids, a dog, a picket fence. Good old American dream.” Nathan said. “I can’t do that if you’re still here, I can’t move on if you’re holding me back.” The words hurt Jack more than any spell or wound had.
There was a heavy silence again. Neither knew what to say. Finally, Jack spoke.
“Okay.” He nodded. “I promise. I’ll leave after all of this.” He said.
Nathan didn’t say anything he just got out of the car and walked to his apartment. He opened the door, stepped inside and closed it. He leaned back against the wood and sank to the floor. Celia and Julia were on the couch asking him what was wrong, but he just ignored them as he stared at the blank wall. Thinking and processing everything that had happened today, in the car…everything.
“What happened?” Julia asked again, slowly approaching Nathan.
“I still love Jack.” He’d lied to himself…he wasn’t done crying over him.
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