I'm a Monster No Good Blood Sucker

by hpdm4ever, MessiFangirl (hpdm4ever)

Summary:

"I said I was a monster," Leo says. "Did I not?" He skims his eyes up Cristiano, lets them swirl red for an instant, this time vividly, before the inky blackness comes back. "But then again, I'm not the only one."

Notes:

• For yulin.
• Inspired by #CRESSIWEEK2K19 Day 4 : RED by Detodores

This was inspired by Detodores' art and drabble for cressiweek2k19, although I've always loved supernatural creatures and the sort of sprawling AU that so many fabulous authors are able to write. Anyways I wrote about 10k, desperately trying to finish it somewhere close to Halloween and... definitely failed haha. But I still really like a lot of it, so I'll post some of it now and some later in the month. Hope you'll give it a chance, even if it isn't spooky season any longer :) xo

Chapter 1

Cristiano approaches slowly once he's inside. Not because he's afraid of it, but because no matter how much this vampire appears to be weakened, Cristiano can't be entirely sure how much of that really is an act. They know now that the vampire is unable to pass the magical barriers they have around the cell, because otherwise, it would have escaped weeks ago, but not much more than that since it has remained pretty prone for most of that time. While he might believe what the witch has told him, and while he's been kept up to date on the vampire's diminishing condition, he just isn't sold on it.

It's better to be cautious now, as opposed to sorry later.

The first thing he sees is that in person, the creature is much paler than he was before when they'd first captured it. The skin is so white that he looks as though to be made of pure stone--marble, even, Cristiano thinks offhandedly. There's no sign of a blush left in his cheeks, and no way that the vampire could ever pass for human.

"Have you finally come to kill me then?" the vampire asks softly. His voice is so quiet that Cristiano instinctually tries to lean in closer to hear him better, before jerking back. "At this point, you may as well just wait, you know," the vampire continues. "That's how they did it in the olden days--trapped and starved us until we withered completely away. Less mess," he says, closing his eyes as if the effort of keeping them open is too much.

Cristiano watches him carefully. It's even odder than he thought it would be, not hearing a heartbeat or any breathing from this being. The vampire is completely still, and there's no gentle rising and falling of the chest at all. "How long would that take?" Cristiano asks curiously, finally sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the vampire.

He stays alert, no matter how much he may appear otherwise.

"You know," the vampire answers, "I'm not quite sure." He opens his eyes, looking up at Cristiano balefully. The dark pupils flicker with red for the tiniest second before going black again. "Can't be long now," he admits. "If I were one of the young ones, I'd be dust already."

"You're quite old then," Cristiano remarks, remembering that the witch had said that with a knowing glance. He rests his chin on his hand, nostrils flaring as he tries to smell the vampire and fails to catch a scent. It's still so baffling, even after all this time to process. "I assume that's why you survived this long without the blood."

The vampire doesn't blink. "Yes. You can see what it has done to me, though, can't you? It's been nearly a month, now, hasn't it? I'm old enough for that at least," he says quietly. "But then, you already knew that before you came in here." At Cristiano's surprise, the vampire's lips twist into a sort of smile. "You thought I wouldn't know? I may not be gifted with the senses you and your wolves have, but I'm still more than able to feel when a witch draws near. Especially one of that power."

"Can you blame us?" Cristiano asks, raising an eyebrow. "It's been a long time since we've had to deal with your kind. Young or old."

"There are not so many left of my kind," the vampire says with a laugh. "Or if there are, they are much more well hidden than one would expect. There hasn't been a new vampire in... maybe a century? I do not know for sure. We've had to take to the shadows to survive as the world has advanced. While you wolves have flourished and grown stronger, we have had to retreat and look for ways to make do."

"And you've done that by allying yourself with us wolves, haven't you? But not the right 'us.' You've been working with a rival pack," Cristiano spits, feeling a surge of anger rage through him. "By stealing from us and entering our territory, despite the treaties signed by our leaders. What do you think is going to happen now? We're just going to forget this all happened? Forgive you and La Blaugrana?"

The vampire sighs and looks straight up at the ceiling. "I am tired of fighting." He ignores the huff from Cristiano. "I suppose it doesn't matter what I say to you now. For what it is worth, I didn't sign any agreement. I didn't see any treaty. Hell, didn't know any such thing existed. I've never been much bothered by the politics of wolves."

"Why did you even agree to work with them in the first place?" Cristiano asks, shaking his head. Thinking about allying himself with a vampire makes him want to shiver in disgust, and he imagines the opposite must be true as well. It was hard enough to work with other packs of wolves, let alone other supernatural species. "What could they possibly give you?"

At this, the vampire looks astonished. He tries to sit up and fails, the struggle looking pitiful and sad. Eventually, he stops trying, remaining boneless on the floor. "Just when I'd reevaluated your intelligence," he says as if Cristiano's an idiot, dark eyes going back to the ceiling tiles. "The blood, of course. It's the one thing that matters most."

"The blood," Cristiano repeats, making a face as he's reminded why he's even in the room with the vampire in the first place. He sighs and moves to kneel, feeling incredibly restless. The vampire doesn't even react, perhaps going back to ignoring his presence altogether. "The witch said you'd been drinking from your wolves. Did you think they would come for you?" Cristiano asks, wanting to shake the vampire a little.

The creature could be a statue, not even an eyelash flickering in response. But then-- "I did not expect it," the vampire says slowly. "Only because, the friends I have there would not move against their leader if he forbade it." He pauses. "I think that is the difference between my kind and yours. You are pack animals. Bonds of obedience and loyalty and brotherhood. The good of the pack comes first, and while I respect that and may even, under duress, admit that I admire that, it can never be the same for vampires. There are no such bonds. For better or for worse, the blood comes first," the vampire says monotonously. "Even if I wished differently."

Cristiano sits back on his heels, puzzled. Legend has painted vampires as mindless murderers, but this one seems... different. He starts wondering for the first time if maybe this vampire is worth saving after all.

"I'm glad it's you, by the way," the vampire volunteers after a minute.

"Me?" Cristiano asks.

"Yes, you," the vampire says, turning his sunken gaze to Cristiano. His skin seems even more white now if that's possible, and his dark eyes have gone dull. "That's come to kill me, I mean. If we're getting back on track and you're finished all the questions."

"I don't think I am finished, with my questions," Cristiano says slowly, not knowing how to react. "But why are you glad it's me?" As his pack's enforcer, it's very rare for anyone to look to his coming with anticipation.

The vampire doesn't quite shrug. But he looks like he wants to. "You were a worthy opponent," he says, matter of factly, like it costs him nothing to reveal such a compliment. "Not all wolves are, but you... I enjoyed our fight. It made me feel alive for the first time in a long time." He laughs weakly. "At least, I think I felt that way. My memory fades... I feel quite differently now."

The silence builds between them, as Cristiano struggles to decide how to answer any of that. He hadn't expected to actually find the vampire so receptive to conversation when he was sent in here. That reminds him of his original task, and he takes a deep breath to try to calm himself.

"You drank from wolves before," Cristiano probes. "The witch said werewolf blood made you stronger, could sustain you and keep you healthier than regular human blood. But he said you were probably with them for so long that you adapted, and that your body can't even accept human blood any longer." One way or another, he must know the answer before he can proceed.

The vampire stares at him. "Is there a question coming?"

Cristiano feels flustered. "Is that all accurate?"

The vampire seems to measure him. "Yes," he allows slowly. "My kind would be appalled at what I've become. Or, perhaps a select few would understand and envy me. There's no turning back now. Though I don't know why you want to know."

"Did you feed on one, or multiple wolves?" Cristiano continues, his feet starting to go numb from his position. "And how much did you have to drink each time?"

"Are you writing a book?" the vampire asks scornfully, looking away from Cristiano with irritation. "It seems unfair that this shall be my last moment on earth, and you're fishing for information that could lead to the destruction of any who follow in my footsteps. There are still vampires I would count as friends and would grieve to see them killed... I do not know if I want to answer you at all now. There's not much honor in this."

"What if I said that I'm asking you for a different reason? One that doesn't involve the killing of vampires at all," Cristiano says all in a rush, feeling his wolf screaming within his skin. His nerves are playing with his control and he has to take a deep breath in order not to shift inadvertently.

That definitely wouldn't help.

"You said that the blood is the one thing that matters the most," Cristiano says. "Well, what would you say if I told you that they didn't send me in here to kill you. Quite the opposite. They sent me in here to make sure you survive."

"I... I do not believe you," the vampire says, sounding shocked for the first time since they started talking. His eyes have strayed from the ceiling and have found Cristiano's face again, a look of astonishment spread out across his face. "You are obviously one of their most accomplished fighters, and your pack is not known to be--"

"Well, it's true," Cristiano says, interrupting him. "And to be completely honest with you, I'm really not sure how *I* feel about it. But I'm here. And I'm going to follow orders and feed you if it's the last thing I do. The question is: are you going to let me?"

The vampire is quiet for a long moment, ignoring the way Cristiano's heartbeat is thundering throughout the room. "What is your name?" he finally asks.

"My name?" Cristiano asks, caught off guard. "Cristiano," he says after a few seconds, not seeing the harm.

"Cristiano," the vampire says, like he's mulling that over. And then, "Nice to meet you, I suppose. I'm Leo."

Chapter 2

Summary:

"I said I was a monster," Leo says. "Did I not?" He skims his eyes up Cristiano, lets them swirl red for an instant, this time vividly, before the inky blackness comes back. "But then again, I'm not the only one."

Notes:

84 years later....

"Now that you know I'm not going to kill you," Cristiano says, clearing his throat awkwardly, "will you answer my questions about feeding so that I know what I'm getting myself into?"

The vampire--Leo--looks away, seeming embarrassed. "Yes, but... I'm sorry, it's just feeding is usually just such a private process." He opens his mouth and then closes it like he's rethinking his words. "I fed from two of the wolves from the other pack. They were the ones that volunteered, and I will not betray their names," he says warningly.

"So it did not have to be from all of them?" Cristiano asks his worries about how much the vampire needed to drink coming to the surface. On the other hand, he's grateful that the rest of his pack can be kept safe and spared the entire process.

"I realize you are just curious," Leo says with a blink, "however you should be aware that you have just implied I am very promiscuous." He doesn't quite look at Cristiano. "As I said, it is a private process. It can be very... sensual."

Cristiano's cheeks flush as he realizes his misstep. "You're saying it's like fucking," he says, envisioning throttling Sergio for sending him in to do this. Wolves are not shy of their bodies, with the constant shifting leading to the necessity of nudity, but anything leading to actual sexual acts is much rarer and much more sacred.

Leo does not react to the crude word. "It can be. Or, it can be simply... meaningful." He sighs. "Blood given is very different from blood taken, despite what you have read or what they show in movies and shows these days. It's about a connection with someone, as well as being about nourishment."

"So it doesn't hurt?" Cristiano asks then, not really wanting to explore this any more than he has to. He's grateful to turn away from the mention of sex and into something else. Of course, he's also somewhat incredulous that such a thing is painless.

"I can make it hurt," Leo says, eyes still not looking at Cristiano. "But I do not. There's no point." He tilts his head as if in thought. "I can not speak for others of my kind. If you are bitten by another vampire, it may not be as I have described."

"So you're not a monster," Cristiano says skeptically, thinking back to the tales of Dracula and trying to replace them with something like a sparkling Edward Cullen.

"Oh, no," Leo says, interrupting his thoughts. "Make no mistake. I am most definitely a monster." He smiles again, and this time, shows two large fangs jutting down from the top of his mouth. They're as white as the rest of him, looking sharp and pointy and dangerous. "Even in this," he pauses and sounds frustrated, "weakened state. I would not call myself anything other than a monster."

"You've killed people then," Cristiano ventures, easing the pressure on his heels even as the conversation does nothing to ease his anxiety.

"Haven't you?" Leo asks, sounding tired again. "The world is not always kind to monsters, is it? And I've lived a very long time. I've had to eat. Had to survive." He closes his eyes again, black lashes stark against his pale skin. "Humans have always been so fragile... It's why I thought working with the wolves would be so beneficial. A way to take humans out of the equation entirely."

"And now your wolves have abandoned you," Cristiano says flatly. "Left you here, in our territory, to die. Because they certainly know we have you. They've had a month to figure that out. And still, they did nothing." He doesn't know why he's trying to drive this point home. Maybe because he hates those wolves and wants Leo to hate them too.

Leo does not reply.

Cristiano hopes they send this part of the security tape to those ungrateful culés. Let them see the results of their handiwork. How they've let go a valuable ally without a second thought. Because Cristiano's pack is more than willing to pick up what they've dropped.

"How do we do this then?" Cristiano asks bluntly. He reaches over to do something--he doesn't know what--but before he can touch the vampire, Leo's eyes open and a hand surges up and grabs Cristiano's wrist.

The grip is soft, weak, and cold. And the fingers encircling Cristiano's wrist immediately break apart when Cristiano pulls back in fear.

"You should not--," Leo starts, eyes swirling red for a second before fading to black again. "Don't ever try to touch a vampire without their permission," he warns. "Even if it appears to be hurt, or asleep." His hand drops back down gracefully, but it becomes apparent that the action has cost him. "I wouldn't want--," he closes his eyes again. "Wouldn't want you to get hurt when you're trying to help."

Meanwhile, Cristiano attempts to calm his racing heart. He clutches his hand to his chest, still feeling the remnants of that icy grip. The fingers had not been tight, but they'd been cold--so cold! He does not know the last time he'd ever felt so cold. Werewolves naturally ran hot, and Cristiano was not the exception. "Noted," he says, voice shaking slightly. "Tell me what to do then."

Leo doesn't open his eyes, but his fingers twitch down at his side. "You will have to... Prop me up."

Cristiano makes a face. The whole situation is completely unsettling and he's going against every single instinct he possesses. "Alright," he says, gritting his teeth as he slowly shuffles forward and reaches down to touch the vampire again. This time there's no hand grabbing him, but he's still hesitant. His hand settles onto Leo's shoulder, and then his other hand does the same to the other shoulder.

Leo offers no further instructions, and Cristiano soldiers on. He gathers his strength and goes to heave Leo across his thighs and onto his lap to prop him up as ordered, but is beyond surprised to find that Leo weighs next to nothing. That does make sense, he supposes, since the vampire is not a large one. All the vampires in stories are described as tall and thin, but Leo is nowhere close to him in height.

Once Leo is braced against him, back to Cristiano's chest, Cristiano is at a loss. The position mimics one cradling a lover, and Cristiano blinks away that thought immediately. With one arm against Leo's chest to hold him secure, Cristiano shoves up his sleeve and then holds his wrist up to Leo's mouth. "So help me if you say it has to be from my neck," he mumbles, trying not to shudder as he feels the prick of Leo's fangs graze his wrist. "Because I'm not sure--"

The coldness of Leo's body is seeping into his, but that's not what makes him catch his breath. For the moment the vampire's teeth cut into his skin is when Leo startles violently. The vampire's lips fasten to Cristiano's wrist and begin to suck, moaning loudly.

And the *most* intense pleasure Cristiano has ever experienced in his entire life--

The pleasure disappears as soon as it has appeared, and Cristiano's left breathless. "Jesus, fuck," he curses, nearly toppling them both over backward from the shock of it being cut off. "I get why you compared it to fucking now," he breathes, biting his lip and staring up at the ceiling as he tries to suppress his body's reaction.

Not that it helps.

His cock is rock hard, pressed against the vampire's ass and he has to think of some very terrible things in order to not come in his pants like a pup.

Leo doesn't answer, continuing to drink from Cristiano's wrist, though his moans have also quieted.

The sensation is so terribly odd, that Cristiano doesn't ever think he'll be able to describe it. He can feel Leo's lips, how they've somehow created a seal around his wrist, not letting any blood escape. It's the lightest type of pressure possible. The sting he was expecting from the teeth is nowhere to be found, and if he hadn't been very sure Leo's fangs had sliced into his wrist, he'd deny he'd been cut at all. The incredible ecstasy he'd felt at Leo's first sip is long gone, and now there's simply a tingling sensation. It's almost like when his legs are falling asleep, and it occurs to him that it's because of the blood disappearing from his arm.

"Don't take too much," Cristiano warns, only thinking now to threaten Leo. "The pack is watching on the cameras, and if you dare to drain me, they'll be in here before you can do a thing." It might not be exactly the truth, as he has no idea how fast Leo can drain him, but it doesn't hurt to try to bluff. There's no response from Leo, and Cristiano continues. "And they'll definitely kill you then."

If there's one thing wolves are good at, it's revenge.

That gets a muffled laugh out of the vampire, and Cristiano feels some of the tension drain out of his body. "Please tell me you're almost finished," he pleads, incredibly uncomfortable now. He chances a look down and can only see the small dark head bent over his wrist, though he thinks the dark hair looks a little more glossy than it had before. Now that he thinks about it, Leo's body is no longer that freezing block of ice. Rather, it feels cold, just a normal cold. "Please."

Leo gradually stops sucking, his teeth slowly going back into his mouth. There's a twinge of pain from that action, but it disappears as Leo's tongue swipes out over the incisions.

Cristiano shivers then, because that he could definitely feel.

Leo tilts his head back to look Cristiano in the eye. "You can let go of me now," he says quietly, his own dark eyes shining vividly. And after Cristiano obeys, skittering backward as soon as he can, Leo turns to face him. The transformation is remarkable. Somehow the white skin has more color, more of a pink hue, and the gauntness that was once there is no more. The dark hair is no longer limp, but falls lightly over his forehead and looks soft to the touch. "I am sorry about before."

"Before?" Cristiano asks, looking down at his wrist. There are two faint marks that are clearly from Leo's teeth, but other than that it's pristine. There's no sign that Leo had been feeding from him--not even bruising. And not a drop of blood remains on his skin. He won't even need a bandage.

Leo sits cross-legged now, seeming relaxed. He reminds Cristiano of a cat, all sleek and boneless. "When I bit you and first tasted your blood," he says, and the difference in the strength of his voice is just as obvious as the change in his appearance. Where he was once soft and weak, now his voice is melodic and strong. "I did not mean for you to feel what you felt," he admits, tilting his head and flicking his gaze down where Cristiano's jeans are noticeably bulging. "I was too weak to suppress the pleasure. And I'm sorry for that. It won't happen again."

"Well," Cristiano says, rubbing his wrist, "you said it wouldn't hurt. And it didn't. And you'd said it was a... 'sensual' thing."

"Now you see why many give blood willingly," Leo says, looking away. His eyes are darting all around the room, zeroing in on the many cameras, studying the bookshelves, inspecting the curtains he'd pulled across the windows. "The vampire is able to compensate for the gift he's being given. Make it pleasurable for his partner." He looks back at Cristiano. "Like fucking," he adds, "to quote you."

"But you can turn that off," Cristiano prods, knowing that his cheeks are turning red. It's true that he was being crude earlier, and now seeing that Leo's able to push back is disconcerting. "Because after that, I just felt... nothing."

Leo nods, dark eyes glittering with amusement. "Yes," he says simply. "Earlier we spoke of the gifts of vampires and werewolves. This is one of the gifts that vampires have. The ability to control those we drink from."

Cristiano rears back in dismay. "Control?" he repeats, entirely startled as he stumbles to his feet and backs away. "Nobody said anything about control! What the hell? What can you make me do?" He looks up at the cameras himself, wondering what the hell they're going to do about this. There's no way he can continue to work for the good of the pack if he's under the control of a vampire. Especially if the vampire has loyalties to the culés.

"Oh," Leo says, standing instantly. "I'm sorry, you've misunderstood me." He reaches out to Cristiano, slender fingers extended like he comes in peace. His nails shine like glass. "I cannot control you, Cristiano. Not like you're thinking, not in any way that will harm you. I give you my word."

Cristiano's heart is pounding and he takes another step away, fearing for his life for the first time since he's entered. The word of a vampire means little to him.

Leo puts his hand down. And then after a moment, he sits back down on the floor. "What I meant was," he says quietly, rubbing his face, "and I shouldn't be saying this at all to you. I shouldn't be telling you anything about me that you can use in the future against me, or my kind. But I will tell you because you have done me a kindness today--you and your pack--in not letting me starve to death as you could have."

"Go on," Cristiano says, not reassured in the least.

"What I meant was, when I drink from you--and only during that drink--I can control what you feel. I can take away your fear and your pain, and give you either pleasure, or numbness in return. It's how we've been able to drink from humans for all these years. By making it manageable. Those of us who do not kill, I mean." Leo sighs. "I, of course, have had to drink from many of those who feared me over the years. Just as I drank from you tonight."

"So you can't make me do anything," Cristiano proposes, cradling his wrist against his body like it'll change anything. He ignores Leo's comments about fear, knowing that no matter what he's said or done, it's been very obvious how Cristiano's felt about this entire process.

"You? No, I cannot," Leo replies. He pauses and then ducks his head. "And you are doubly safe because you are a wolf. You are stronger-minded than the average human. If you were a human..." He looks as though he's intently thinking through something, but then he nods and comes to some sort of conclusion. "If you were a human, I could make you forget what had happened. You would wake up in a daze, not remembering the encounter at all."

Cristiano's not sure what to think.

"I said I was a monster," Leo says. "Did I not?" He skims his eyes up Cristiano, lets them swirl red for an instant, this time vividly, before the inky blackness comes back. "But then again, I'm not the only one."