Over the Tracks (MxM)

21-

The sensation burned through his veins. It was unlike anything else he had ever experienced. It burned, and in his throat was a pain greater than he'd ever felt before. He returned to unconsciousness within moments.

Chris slowly woke again an indefinite amount of time later. The feeling from before had died down since then, although a dull ache remained in his throat. Everything seemed hazy, as if all his senses needed time to function. He opened his eyes by increments, letting them adjust to the light as he became aware of his surroundings. He was laying down on the bed in his apartment, Caleb's sleeping form laying against his side. Light from the full moon streamed through the blinds, allowing him to see the bedroom like it was day... wait.

Now that his senses had taken the time to register, he had to take a moment himself. He could hear Caleb's soft breathing, and his own, easily, mixed with the sounds of the fridge whirring in the kitchen, the air conditioner cooling the apartment, and the many different engines of cars passing by on the street below. The scent of both of them reached his nostrils. Even with it being night, the moonlight was enough for him to easily make out the details of the bed, room, and anything he could see as if it were a dim, cloudy day. He could feel the currents of air drifting about the room, Caleb's breath on his skin, the cool sheets beneath them and the comforter on them that had already been warmed by their body temperatures. He shot up with a start. The comforter was thrown down to reach his knees from the momentum, and Caleb fell off his chest as he sat up.

Caleb took a moment, but he blinked his eyes open, woken by the sudden movement. When he finally was aware, he looked up at Chris. "C-Chris..?" His voice was clearly a weak whisper, but it was easier for Chris to hear than it should've been. Still freaking out, Chris nearly jumped out of the bed, landing perfectly on his feet despite the faster-than-normal speed he had travelled. Caleb finally seemed to completely come around now, sitting up before unsteadily standing. Chris could hear his own heavy breathing, along with Caleb's shallow breaths. "Chris, calm down..." Caleb started to sway, bringing Chris back to the moment. Chris dashed forward to catch Caleb just as the kid lost his balance, setting him on the bed so he wouldn't fall. When they were both sitting, Chris reached one hand up to feel where his throat was aching. He could feel two healing indents in the middle of his throat. Vampire bite...

The memory of what happened returned to him all at once. He remembered the chaos of the fight outside the house, then losing track of Caleb. He had found himself venturing inside the house, then remembered being overcome with rage upon seeing that one vampire. The one who had taken his parents, the one who had terrified Caleb, the one he had spoken to in the woods days ago. Foolishly, he had tried to attack, only to be forcefully drug to a room and held to a table by a firm hand. The last thing he had felt was the feeling of the fangs digging into his neck, his blood pouring out, then darkness. He felt a shiver down his spine. He should've died. He knew the vampire had intended to drink him dry, until every last drop of blood was out. But he was still here, and clearly not human anymore, which led to more questions than he could deal with at the moment swarming his mind. Was he a halfblood, or a vampire? What happened to everyone else? What stopped the vampire? How had he ended up in his own room again? He would've sworn it was an all-too-realistic dream if he didn't have the heightened senses and increased speed.

"So, you're both awake," Jason's unmistakable voice noted from the open doorway, cutting through his thoughts. Chris had been so caught up in his unasked questions that he hadn't noticed that Caleb had laid down again, nor that Jason entered the room.

"What happened?" Chris asked.

Jason approached slowly, then sat down on the edge of the bed, causing a slight sink in the mattress that Chris could feel as he tried not to stare at the details he now noticed on Jason's face, and everything else. It's like I'm seeing everything for the first time... Jason cleared his throat, drawing Chris's attention back to him before he began explaining. "Well, I lost the two of you in the fight. What happened with the fight, all I know is that there were no more vampires in sight when I carried you both back out of that house. But anyway, I ended up going in the door when I saw it was opened, and saw an already injured female vampire. Killed her, then went to the room she was heading toward. Let me say just one thing. I had no idea what was going on when I first walked into that room."

"What do you mean?" Chris asked, impatient. Caleb stayed motionless where he was, listening silently.

"Be patient and I'll get to it," Jason said with a quick glare intended to silence Chris. "So I walked in. That kid's eyes were as red as blood, I swear, as red as the blood he had covering his hands and clothes. There was some type of fading something in his hand, but it was gone before I could tell what it was. He seemed almost like a vampire, and if I hadn't seen him before, I would've thought he was one and probably would've shot him with my pistol right then and there. Then his eyes went back to normal, and he nearly fell going back over to you. You were out, laying on the table. You seemed dead, in all honesty. Blood coming from the bite wound in your neck and all. He passed out, so I was left to drag the two of you all the way back to base and into my car. I drove you home, carried you both up here."

Chris turned to look at Caleb in confusion. "What-?"

Jason cut him off before he could ask a full question. "Don't bother him too much. He's been barely able to stay awake at all over the past two days."

"Two days? I've been out for two days?!" Chris had to focus to keep his voice at a reasonable volume. Or at least, at what he thought was reasonable, with his better hearing.

Jason gave him another glare. "Calm down." When Chris was no longer freaking out, he continued. "At least he woke up a few times, only today though. I was starting to get worried until I saw him waking up the first time. When he finally could talk, he told me what happened on his part. When I walked in, he had just killed a vampire that was feeding on you. Treston, I think he said his name was? But anyway, when he went in the room, he saw that and felt something weird inside of him, different. Whatever it was, it must've really helped him since he was able to fight off and kill that vampire himself. But when it stopped, he almost couldn't even make it the few steps to you. By the way, Caleb, I searched what you said. Didn't find anything definite, but found a lot of things that said the same thing, so close enough to facts, if you want to look through them later."

That got Caleb to move again, sitting up just enough to open his eyes and look at them. "..Really..? What did it say..?"

"I'll tell you when I'm done with Chris, ok?" Caleb nodded, flopping back down again. He seemed completely exhausted. Jason returned his attention to Chris, who was focused on both of them. "He also said one other thing. Well, I'm assuming you don't exactly feel human anymore?" Chris nodded, staring at Jason now. "Then that's it. You're a halfblood."

Chris accepted it. For some reason, though, it made him laugh. At Jason's questioning look, he explained. "I'm halfway to being what I used to hunt and kill for a job." That got a smirk from Jason as Chris chuckled.

Likely sensing that Chris had been told all he needed to hear, Caleb started trying to sit up again, unsuccessfully this time. Chris gently pulled him onto his lap and hugged him to his chest, gazing down at him. Caleb weakly nuzzled into him, then looked back to Jason. "And the... thing..?"

Jason nodded, speaking to Caleb now. "Looked it up, and apparently, there actually is something called awakening that halfbloods can experience. And from the looks of it, you definitely had one. It was vague, but everywhere I looked said the same thing. A halfblood can have all the abilities and senses of a vampire, sometimes even better than vampires themselves, added with whatever strengths humans like me have, like tolerance of light. It can only last so long, but nothing I found said how long. From the sound of it, it's short, only lasts a minute or less. And it takes days or weeks to recover from one, from what I saw. Probably not the best thing to say, but a few websites even said that some halfbloods never recovered, some even died. Don't worry, though, most were back to normal soon enough, and from the looks of it, you'll be fine in a few more days. You're already doing better than you were." Jason looked between the two of them. "Well, both of you better get some rest. I'll be back later to check on you." He then got up, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Now alone, Chris stared into Caleb's sleepy blue eyes. He wanted to know more, but the questions wouldn't form, and Caleb looked like he was about to pass out any second. "How about we get a bit of sleep?" Chris asked. Caleb started to nod, but had already fallen asleep halfway through the motion. Chris smiled, laying back down with him in his arms, drifting off beside him.