The Things We Fear
Chapter 13

The knock to his head had Marcus him hissing in a sharp breath. His body felt like he had been running with how his heart rate kept being forced to full speed. His limbs aching with how much they had been pumped full of oxygen and adrenaline. Hands were on him, holding his body in place.

He still couldn’t see anything. His eyes kept picking out shapes amidst the darkness, but he was doubting how factual these might be. His eyes were desperate to pick anything out, they were clinging to the mere suggestion of something more than the pitch black he was surrounded by. He felt one last need to cry out, the last act of a desperate man. He opened his mouth, drawing in air. The body against his pushed closer, pinning him in place. As he gathered whatever strength he could he could feel the scream building.

It died in his mouth as warm lips descended on his.

Heat. Not cold. His fear evaporated as fast as the summer rains, replaced with confusion. The warm mouth continued moving against his own. The grip on his hips tightened like the hidden figure was feasting on him in a new way. It wasn’t until he felt the pull of stubble against his skin that Marcus finally realised this was not the shadow, or it had significantly changed its angle of trying to kill him through fear. it made more sense for this to be someone new.

He could have slumped in relief. He could feel his eyes blinking. The way his lashes brushed against his cheeks. The mouth against him murmured in complaint, trying to coax his mouth into complying. Nipping at his lips and pushing against his body in a grinding way to get him to engage.

Marcus didn’t have it in to do anything more than move his mouth back as the other encouraged. He’d never kissed anyone before, he wasn’t sure if he was doing it right, but as the hidden person’s tongue touched his, Marcus’ mind fogged reaching out. Dancing in tandem with theirs. The low growl, which could have been a rumble or a purr, had a heat burn through his lower half. A quick shock of success. It thrilled him to being having that effect on whoever this was. Marcus had no idea who it was, he hoped, but he didn’t know. But this was his first kiss, and he wanted whoever this was to remember him as long as he’d remember this.

Grinding up he celebrated the moan that poured into his mouth. A hand grabbing at his neck, his hair, tugging, had him slumping back, letting the wall take his weight. As the mouth dropped to his throat, he felt the suction on his neck and his dick twitched in sympathy. The leg pushing between his gave him something to grind against as a moan that could put porn to shame escaped his mouth.

Another growl came as hot breath trailed back up his neck. His mouth was claimed once more. And it was a claiming, ravenous. He felt like he could be swallowed whole again, but this time in a good way. Marcus opened his mouth wider, letting their tongue snake around his mouth, trying to keep up with it all. The heat was running through him.

A loud hissing from the side had him breaking away. It hadn’t sounded like the shadows. He almost expected to replace a snake. The body against him took a step away. A bang came from the bathroom. Marcus felt the stranger jump as he did. As the door swung open, the light inside flooded from the room. The sharp light had his eyes flinching against the sudden change. When they’d finally adjusted he turned, looking to where the mysterious kisser had been. Hoping to see the face he had yearned for.

No one was there. The lights came back on in the hallway. He was alone.

“Dude? Did you fall in?” Theo was standing at the end of the hallway, looking at him impatiently.

He forced his body to walk forward. Hoping the lights stayed on this time.

“You alright, man? You don’t look good?”

“No. I think–” he paused, remembering now where they were. “Can we leave?”

Theo must have seen he was serious because he began nodding as soon as the question was asked.

“Sure man, let me say goodbye to everyone first.”

Theo took his elbow leading him along.

“What happened?” It was Abigail.

She had moved at pace, standing in front of him, speaking with a commanding tone. The words were still lodged in his front.

“Darkness,” was all he managed to say. Feeling his legs finally giving up on him now he finally felt safe again.

He heard doors slamming. Comments about terror in the bathroom, the smell of fear and death lingering in the air. He ignored the lust in the hallway. Luckily he looked far too clammy and troubled to have just been ravished by an unknown individual.

“It was here?” Someone demanded.

The troops were mobilising. Scouring the area to replace it before it was gone again. A blanket was thrown over his shoulders and a warm drink was put in his hands. He felt someone lifting him and carrying him. Had been a little more aware he’d have been impressed by how the cup didn’t spill a drop, but he was too detached to notice at the moment.

“Marcus,” it was spoken quietly beside him.

He blinked a few times, trying to bring himself back into the real world.

“Yes?”

“Can you tell us what happened?”

He heard the words but it took him a few moments to process what they meant. What had happened? So much. Two very different events. He’d nearly died, then had his first kiss. Though he was not planning on mentioning the second part, he was even less enthused to talk about the first.

“Dark, shadows. Not a body, but kinda solid. Shifting. Not human,” the blabber spilt from his mouth.

“It wasn’t any type of supernatural you recognised?”

He shook his head.

“I don’t know everything though,” he added.

He didn’t want them counting out something just because he was less informed than he should have been.

“We’d wondered if it might be some sort of shifter or fae, something that looked like a shadow creature could meet these abilities.”

“Cold,” he added, recalling how it had felt in that empty place.

Several looks were shared above him, another blanket over him.

“No, it was cold. Cold like death. I could see my breath and then everything became dark.”

“How did you escape?”

He didn’t know who asked it.

“Fire. then someone came…” he trailed off.

“I found you?” Theo prompted.

“No. someone else. Someone warm. But then they were gone when the lights came back on?” Marcus was starting to doubt his own memory.

Had he imagined the whole thing? It had felt real, but now he was wondering if he’d just had a psychotic break and imagined everything.

“We’ll look around the perimeter. Did anyone leave after Marcus?” He heard James discussing with someone.

Others were on their phones. He hoped to call an adult or someone responsible.

“Just Jenna and a few of your lot.”

“We’ll check in on everyone. The elders are coming. They’ll want to go over everything with you, Marcus. You’re the first one to survive and not go insane,” he was almost grateful for how bluntly James was speaking.

“Can they wait until the morning? He looks like he’s about to pass out?” Theo protested.

“They’ll be here in ten, we haven’t had a lead like this before and every minute could be the difference between someone else dying.”

Marcus had to wince at that. He was being selfish wanting to run away, but he was also trying to protect himself.

“Fine, but we’re out of here by half past, we have a midnight curfew anyway. Our parents aren’t in the know, we can’t use supernatural attack as an excuse.”

Marcus wasn’t going to bother correcting the part about his dad being in the know. If it meant he could leave as soon as possible, he would grab it with both hands.

Looking at the clock, he realised Theo had been right, the second hand hadn’t even reached the half-past mark. It had felt like forever in the void, but it really must have slowed time down, or messed with his perception of it. It should have been hours later, felt like hours had passed since he’d last sat here, but it had been fifteen minutes, and that included the make-out session.

Just the thought of it brought heat to his cheeks. He wondered if he had stubble burn or a hickie on his neck. He’d been so grateful for the presence chasing away the darkness, he hadn’t had time to really process what had happened. His lips tingled with the fantom pressure upon them. He refused to raise his hands and touch them. His life was enough of a cliche, he was not about to start acting like one.

Marcus cast his eyes around the room, noting how many guys had stubble. The wolves typically had more hair than most, but most of the guys his age had that five o’clock shadow, it was nearly midnight after all. It hardly narrowed down who it might be, even Theo had stubble for christ’s sake and Marcus highly doubted it had been said best friend pressing against the wall and kissing him like he needed to steal the air from Marcus’ lungs.

A hand rubbed up and down his back, grounding him in the moment. He leaned into the body, allowing the strong frame to hold his weight.

“Not long now, man. We’ll have you home in no time.”

He nodded into Theo’s side, relaxing sleepily into his body. Soon he would become as cool as the other vampires and for now, he would appreciate the heat his body could still give off. Don’t get Marcus wrong, vampires weren’t cold-blooded, but even in the height of summer, their skin felt several degrees cooler to the touch. Maybe next summer he could use his best friend as a replacement for air-con, but currently, he would appreciate the warm hands stroking up and down his spine as long as it lasted.

The arrival of new people caused the air to shift. It woke him from his daze state. He messaged his dad, telling him what had happened and asking to cover with Theo’s parents, after this weekend, they would likely be brought in on everything anyway. They might as well think he’d fallen asleep at Marcus’ than know they were dealing with the latest supernatural drama.

A creeping sensation wormed its way up his back. Marcus didn’t need to look to know. The shadows celebrated and complained in tandem. He refused to turn his head, remembering that childhood belief of “if I can’t see them, they can’t see me”. He knew better, but he hoped it lasted longer than a few moments.

As several people were given instructions only a handful of people remained in the room. Theo, glued to his side. Abigail, who appeared to be the younger vampire generation’s spokesperson. And James, who despite Daniel’s repeated attempts to get him to follow, was standing guard at his back. Marcus was not planning to complain. After what had happened earlier, he relished in any feeling of safety, and estranged or not, James had always been a safe space for him.

“Mr Gall, I hear you’ve had quite the ordeal,” it wasn’t a question, but there were several laced through the words.

“Mrs Toulez, or should I call you Alpha Toulez here?”

She gave a dry laugh, “Come now, you know you can call me, Zoe,” her smile held more teeth than it should have.

“Excuse me, Alpha Toulez, but I assumed such privileges were revoked when you asked me to stay away from your pack.”

He turned away from her, looking at the man standing next to them. Suddenly his presence did not seem the worse part of this situation.

“Father,” he greeted stiltedly.

“Son,” he nodded, before taking a seat.

There were several others, Marcus assumed from the other factions, but they didn’t introduce themselves and he didn’t ask.

“I hear you have been getting into a bit of trouble. First with your,” he looked over to Theo, ”friend,” he said friend like others would pet.

Cassius’ and Theo’s animosity toward one another was about as much of a secret as Marcus’ own dislike of the man, an open secret.

“And now attacked by our killer. I do hope you had your stone on you?”

He stared at the man blankly, wondering what he was talking about.

Cassius rolled his eyes, sighing, “The one I gave you for your birthday? Ring any bells?”

He vaguely remembered leaving his bag in the car the day of his birthday, so it was probably still there, but honestly, he had no clue.

“It’s in my car,” he answered anyway, seeing the man was waiting for an answer and he was in a room full of lie detectors. “I think,” he added quickly before anyone could call him out.

He ignored the snort from behind.

“Then have your little vampire go fetch it, if you’d had it on you during the attack none of this would have happened.”

And this was why he hated the man.

“Sure, blame the victim. It’s what you do best anyway,” he rose, throwing the blanket off him.

“I’ll get it myself,” he tried not to storm out, but that man made him want to punch something.

“Yeah, he’s still an ass, I was starting to think maybe we’d been wrong about him with the way the others were talking about him,” Theo said, following out of the house.

“Maybe he just reserves his more pleasant personality for when I’m around,” he responded dryly.

As they walked the overgrown path between the wooden door and iron gate, they were nearly trampled by a running group of bodies. Just managing to dodge them, he heard James demanding to know what was wrong.

“There’s another body.”