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The beacon let out a soft golden glow, painting the rippling water of the lake and illuminating the otherwise pitch black night. It would be pretty, if Pyro wasn't so sure he was facing his death.
Owen still held on firmly to his wrist, blood dripping both from his lips and from Pyro's still bleeding arm.
Pyro's head is swimming, and he stumbles away from Owen, his feet unstable, like everything has been tilted on its axis. His heart beats rapidly in his ears, his breath coming out in short panicked puffs. "I– I got to get out of here," he mutters to himself as he clumsily makes his way towards the lake. "I... I got to.."
Scott, who they forgot about in their rush to escape, grabs hold of the back of their collar, pulling them down to the dirt.
Pyro's brain vibrates in their head, their stomach bottoming out as they hit the ground.
Scott stands above them, sharp fangs gleaming as he smirks down at them. Pyro swallows hard, their eyes stinging with the threat of tears as they desperately try to scramble away. It doesn't do them any good, Scott blocking them in until their back is up against the obelisk. Pyro knows that they aren't getting away. Not now. Not when Scott is staring down at them so hungrily.
Pyro feels tears blur their vision, their heart pounding like a jackhammer against their ribs.
Scott tilts his head, his eyes creasing in a twisted sort of amusement. "Don't move. This will all be over so much sooner if you don't fight me."
He grabs Pyro by the lapels of their overcoat, pulling them up and pinning them to the obelisk.
Pyro flinches as Scott leans in close to him, his nails digging into the bite mark on Pyro's wrist.
Blood beads up from the wound with the added pressure, Pyro biting his lip to muffle himself as Scott presses his tongue to the inside of his wrist. Scott's pupils blow wide as he licks up the last drops of blood, pushing Pyro's back roughly against the black stone behind him.
A pained whine leaves Pyro's lips at the manhandling, not bothering to struggle as Scott turns his head to the side. He clenches his eyes shut as tightly as he can as Scott's fangs find his pulse, the razor ends effortlessly puncturing the skin.
Pyro's legs go out from underneath him, the only thing keeping him up being Scott's body pressing against his. It's all Pyro can do to hold onto Scott, his hands bunching up in the fabric of the vampire's coat. Pyro shivers, his head lulling to the side the longer Scott feeds, falling to his shoulder.
A chill takes root in Pyro's chest, their fingers going numb. Scott ends up holding them up by the waist, though he doesn't pull away. Their hands shake, trembling for a moment before going completely limp. Their vision goes black and blurry around the edges, dots forming when they blink too hard.
They try to speak, but it comes out as a mumble. Was this where they were going to die?
The numbness spreads from their fingers to their arms, the cold encapsulating their whole body.
Everything feels foggy, but a voice breaks through.
"What are we doing with him?"
Another responds.
"I'm going to be keeping him."
"You're going to turn him."
A scoff.
"No way. He's much too valuable human. He'll learn to listen to me if he knows what's good for him. This one seems smart enough."
There's another response, but Pyro doesn't hear it.
Everything goes blank.
–
Pyro's eyes open, a dull ache spreading throughout his body. His head rolls to the side and he shivers, cold stone behind him.
It's dark, the stars and a low yellow light the things bringing any sight. Pyro blinks slowly, groaning quietly.
“You're awake.”
Pyro flinches hard, his eyes snapping wide open. Standing above him is Scott, his pale skin gleaming. Scott leans down, lifting Pyro's chin up, not letting up even as Pyro tries to twist away from him.
“Pyro. Look at me.”
Ice fills Pyro's veins at the danger in Scott's tone, blurry memories filling his head. Dread and a bitter sort of terror curling up in his stomach.
“Pyro.”
Pyro swallows, looking into Scott's glowing red eyes shakily.
Scott smiles when they meet his gaze. “There we are. If I couldn't hear your cute little heartbeat pounding away in your chest I would have thought I killed you.”
Pyro stares at Scott, fear causing tears to form in their eyes.
“Don't look at me like that. You're alive, aren't you?”
Their tongue feels heavy in their mouth, but they force words out. “I.. What–”
“I'm sure you're scared,” Scott says, interrupting them. His smile grows sharper. “But you're also smart enough to understand what's happening, right? You said you were a scholar.”
Pyro is frozen under Scott's attention. They raise a shaky hand to their neck, flinching at the hot liquid staining their collar.
“I'm not usually that messy, but you must understand how long it's been since I had a decent meal.”
Their throat bobs, the feeling of being hunted by an impossible predator boring down on them. A meal.
That's all they were to Scott.
Prey.
“Are–” Pyro pauses, their voice breaking off. “What are you going to do to me…?”
Why am I still alive, they don't say.
Scott huffs, waving a hand in mock annoyance. “It's such a pain to hunt for animals, especially in such a small space. We can't leave Oakhurst, as I'm sure you've noticed.”
Pyro nods once, his nerves standing on end.
“And animals aren't nearly as filling,” Scott brushes his thumb over Pyro's bottom lip. “As other sources. I'm sure you understand.”
Pyro breathes in a long breath, letting it out slowly, trying to calm his racing heart. Scott already said he could hear it, and Pyro didn't want to know if that felt like enough of an invitation to the vampire.
“You're going to… feed off me.”
Scott grins, looking pleased that Pyro's caught on. “I am.” Sharp claws graze Pyro's cheek. “You'll be good for me, won't you?”
It's not a choice. Pyro is sure of that. Scott will kill him if he doesn't do what he wants.
Pyro doesn't want to die.
Saying that they're scared is an understatement.
They're terrified.
“...You want more from me right now?”
They didn't know if they would survive it if Scott took more blood from them. They already felt halfway to an early death from Scott's feeding earlier.
They also know all they could do is plead for mercy if Scott decides he wants to drain them.
Fortunately, Scott shakes his head. “No. That would be a waste. I'm not looking to kill you, Pyro. This can be a mutual relationship. If you give yourself up willingly, I'll keep you safe.”
“Safe?”
Scott lifts his hand to their hair, tucking a loose lock of brown hair behind their ear. “From Owen. If he sees you as a threat, he'll take you out of the picture. I'm sure you don't want that.”
Pyro is quick to shake their head.
“As long as you stay quiet and offer your neck up easily, I don't see the need to get rid of you, Pyro. I'm actually rather fond of your presence.”
Pyro blinks. “...You are?”
Scott's eyes crease. “I am. Honestly, you're just my type. Quiet, eager to please.”
Scott leans in closer, pressing his hand over Pyro's fluttering heart. “Delicious.”
Pyro shivers, his cheeks warming despite himself. “And– and if I do as you say, you won't kill me…?”
Scott smirks. “Exactly.”
Pyro hesitates for a moment, his fingers brushing over the mark on neck where Scott bit him. It had hurt, and Pyro doesn't want to have to go through that sort of fear again.
But Scott will kill him if he doesn't do what he wants.
Pyro slowly nods his head.
Scott's smile widens, Pyro's eyes catching on his bloody teeth.
“I'm glad we understand each other.”