Dawn Rising

Gabe carried Mera across the city and to his dorm room. He knew he was supposed to find carrying her hard, tiring, but he didn't. She felt light, almost weightless in his arms. While he walked, he couldn't keep from grinning.

This must be what getting high feels like.

Drinking the vampire's blood was a high. Gabe felt strong, powerful, and more clear-headed than he had since he became a vampire. Mera had held him here, had kept him sane, had prevented him from falling back into the abyss. And yet. . .there was an underlying note of sadness that permeated everything.

As sure as he'd felt the power, and the high, Gabe had also felt his body change. Maybe there had been some hope of getting him back before this, but now. . .he'd felt the last parts of him shift, change, alter. Something about it felt permanent. He was now certain that he'd never be human again.

And, one by one, he would have to abandon everything that had ever meant anything to him. Friends. . .family. . .even Mera, eventually, when she got her life back together and tired of spending time in the shadows.

He didn't want to think about that. Balancing Mera with one arm, he unlocked the door of the dorm room. His roommate looked up in alarm.

"Gabe," he said, eyes wide. "Man, what happened to you? You look like shit."

Gabe looked him square in the face, catching his eyes with his own. "Leave, David. Pack up and leave. Don't come back for three days."

David's face went slack, then he nodded and started packing robotically. Within five minutes, he was dressed and gone. As soon as he left, Gabe set Mera down on the futon gently, covering her with the comforter, then sighed and leaned against the doorframe.

He knew he was taking a gamble. He didn't know how much control the master vampire had over him now, or whether he even know about the dorm room. Gabe thought about drinking the blood, feeling it spill like warm, spicy wine down his throat, and wondered how he'd managed to hang on.

He looked warmly at Mera. I hope she isn't too mad at me when she wakes up. . .

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Okay. Ideas. Looking to share them. Sirk and Mera, weigh in? And, hell, Blue, you weigh in too, seeing as you're reading this.

I have a few questions. Some of these stem from insecurity.

1.) Should Mera and Gabe take on the head vampire next?

2.) Would the head vampire now have control over Gabe?

3.) Should Gabe still be struggling with his dark side, or is that shit getting old?

4.) Afterwards. . .could have a lot of things. Other villians--wizards perhaps? ;-) Not above picking on myself, after all. A switch where Gabe becomes the human and Mera becomes the vampire? Werewolves? Don't know what the hell to do with werewolves, but there should be wolves if there are vamps. More allies? An evil government agency that wants to kill them both? Or just more head vampire angst?

Awakened

Gabe woke up that night at sunset, and saw the Mera was still asleep. With a pang, he realized that the previous evening's events must've completely exhausted her. . .and the blood loss probably hadn't helped, either. For the he-didn't-know-how-many-th time, he swore at himself. It was stupid of him to have attacked her, to have hurt her. He'd feel bad for that forever.

Trying not to make any noise, he fumbled around the room, looking for the obligatory hotel pad of paper and pen. After a few minutes, he found it, stowed away in the drawer that held the Gideon Bible. Gabe made sure not to touch it as he fished out the paper and wrote his note.

Mera--gone out for food. Will be back. Do Not Leave!

He resisted the urge to draw a frowny face with fangs at the end of the message; he was worried she'd take it the wrong way. Quietly, he set the notepad down and left the room, closing the door with a silent snick.

The streets were bustling with people; it was still early enough that they were out shopping, socializing, or even working. Gabe liked it that way. With so many people. . .one wouldn't be missed. Not right away.

He thought back to the vampire who made him, and wished fervently that he were here. Everything was confusing. The further he got from Mera, the harder it was to remember what it was she'd told him to do.

There was one thing that he remembered perfectly, something that he had tried to tell her last night, but had given up on since she was so tired. He was Gabriel. Gabe was Gabriel. They were one and the same. To have believed otherwise was foolishness.

In the back of his head, there was a persistant, nagging voice that told him that wasn't true, that he wasn't Gabriel, that Gabriel was someone else, a demon. He silenced that voice. If they weren't the same. . .then why did he feel the way he did around his friend? Why did he want to protect her, keep her safe, do anything to keep her from crying?

The further away he got, the more tenuous his hold became. He could still feel Mera, faintly, at the back of his consciousness. . .but she was distant, sleeping. He tried to push her away. He was a hunter, and he had to do what he had to do. She didn't want to see that; she didn't understand, and he would protect her from it.

But he was doing what he was supposed to be doing.

Even though it felt wrong.

He caught sight of a pretty girl walking down the street. She flipped her blonde hair behind her shoulder, walked confidently down the street. Gabe smiled; she was perfect.

That same nagging voice rose to the surface, a thought rising, unbidden, through his eagerness.

What am I doing?

Hunting.

With one, smooth motion, he stepped out in front of her, and flashed a dazzling smile. He lowered his sunglasses and caught her eye.

"Come with me."

It didn't take much pushing; she followed him into a nearby alley, practically clinging to him. Her will was weak. He would play his favorite game with her.

She would run. He would catch her. He would claim her before taking her. His voice came out smooth, unnaturally calm and charming.

"I know you're scared. . .but I'm going to let you go."

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After the hunt, he took her limp body and placed it behind the dumpster. He walked away, and as he did, the memories grew foggier, indistinct. He knew that he was out for something; he remembered the light dying in her eyes and sighed happily.

But. . .something else. A chocolate shake.

He stopped off at a small cafe, walked out a few minutes later with a cold paper cup, and headed back to the hotel, sated and happy to be coming home.