Before The Sun Goes Down

Gerard's POV.
I was in the kitchen, making Frank some breakfast, when my phone started ringing. I stood for a second, just staring at my yolk covered hands, frowning. The ring tone was the one I set for Ernest, and honestly I was scared to answer it.
I rinsed my hands, drying them and fishing my phone out of my pocket. I debate silently if I should answer it in my head, knowing that if I don't answer it, Ernest would probably murder me, even if it gets him into trouble with the Council. I sigh, bringing the phone to my ear.
"Hell-" Before I can finish, I have the slightly Russian accent shouting in my ear.
"Gerard! What the hell do you think you're doing?" I sigh into the receiver, trying to figure out my answer.
"Um.. I'm..." I falter, trying to come up with a smart response, my mind coming up blank.
"Blue and Maude are worried about you, Gerard. They told me about your... feelings for the boy. And how you've become somewhat friends with him. Where are you? You need to come home for a while." I huff, not wanting to leave Frank. "I can't, Ernest. I'm... too busy at the minute." He doesn't answer for a minute, and I have to check he hasn't hung up on me. "Gerard. Come home, right now. I don't care if you're busy or not, child. You need to come back, there are things happening at the moment that I haven't told anybody about. Blue and Maude are coming back, too. You have a day to get back, or else." The line goes dead, making me give a dirty look to the phone as if Ernest could see it.
I look back at the partially-done breakfast on the counter, and go back to making it.
Frank's still asleep when I bring it in, and I almost don't wake him. Instead of the glare I thought I would get, he gives me the most loving smile I've ever seen. It gets bigger when I hold out the breakfast I made him.
"Um.. I made you breakfast," I look at the clock. "Well, more like lunch.." He smiles gratefully at me, patting the space besides him. I sit down, pondering on how to tell him I have to leave him again, this time it could be forever.
I wait for him to eat everything, then turn and face him grabbing his hand. "Frankie..." I trail off with a sigh, tracing the tattoos on his hands. I feel two finger underneath my chin, pulling it up, and I'm met with Frank's concerned face.
"What's wrong, Gee?" I shake my head, already starting to miss him. "I have to leave for a while. It could be a few days, years, centuries..." Confusion and hurt passes over his face, making my heart clench. "Why? Aren't you... happy?" The possibility that I'm having to leave because I'm unhappy are so ridiculous that I laugh, instantly regretting it when I see his face.
"No, no. It's not that, baby. Ernest needs me, apparently shit's kicking off over there. He sounded serious and I have to leave soon." Frank sighs, his hand gripping mine tight.
"How soon is soon?" He doesn't look at me when he speaks, and his voice sounds deflated. "An hour, tops." He sighs again, nodding. His eyes finally meet mine, and when they do, they're shiny with unshed tears. I put my arms around him, pulling him tightly to me. "I'll call you every day, I'll even write soppy love letters and shit if you want me to. I'll come back as soon as possible, even if it's only for a visit. I love you, Frankie." He nods along to my words, his shoulders shaking slightly.
"I love you, too," He looks up, his eyes sad. "You promise you'll call? And try to visit? I don't think I can take another year without you, Gerard.." My stomach twists at his last words, and I nod frantically. He goes back to burying his face in my chest, and we stay like that for half an hour.
I make the first move, gently removing his hands from my waist. He looks up at me, his tears threatening to spill again. I kiss his for head, cheeks and nose, gently. I look into his eyes, wishing I had Maude's power of controlling emotions. I kiss his lips, the kiss feathery and light.
I then get off the bed and walk to the door, Frank scrambling after me. I collect my various items from around his flat.
Frank surprises me by tackling me into a hug. "Fuck, I'm going to miss you. Can you please call me when you get there, just so I know you're safe.." I nod at him, smiling slightly. I kiss his nose again, placing a hand on the door knob. "Frankie? Stay safe. If there are any problems or anything, call me and I'll come, I don't care how much Ernest needs me. Je t'aime, mon chéri." I open the door, not wanting to prolong the goodbye, and walk out, hearing a small 'I love you, too' back from him.
The car journey seems quick, but I am consumed by my thoughts. I get to the cemetery with no problem at all, and as soon as I get in the parking l hear Ernest's voice. I jog over to where they are, but there's three extra people with the group.
I approach cautiously, my mind searching for the mental presence of the stranger, but finding none. When I walk over, Ernest gives a nervous smile to me. "Ah, look, here he is..." I smile back, a forced, unnatural one, but my first instinct is to pretend and protect things around these strangers. "Yeah... Here I am.."
The three people have black robes on, with a black clock over the top, their hoods pulled up and covering their faces. The robes cover their feet, hands, necks.
They say nothing so I introduce myself. "I'm Gerard," I stick out a hand, ready for one of them to shake it or something. "And you are?" I wave my other hand towards them, but they don't look up.
I stand there, my hand awkwardly sticking out. After a minute, I drop it back to my side, looking down. "We are members of the Council, Gerard. It's.. nice to meet you." There's only one voice, but you can somehow tell that all three of them are speaking. And, I also get the feeling that they don't thinking it's actually that nice to see me. "Why are you here?" Ernest gives me a warning look, telling me to be polite.
A sharp noise that sounds like screeching metal comes from them, making me jump. It takes me a minute to realise that they're laughing at me. "Calm down, Ernie. The boy can ask questions. We're here, boy, to... visit," I nod, unconvinced. "And to ask few questions, if you'll comply." Okay, yeah, no.
"Questions? About what exactly?" They look up in unison, but they don't seem to have faces. All I can see is a black hole of shadows. "About whatever we want to ask. You will answer them, otherwise something bad might happen to the mortal boy you have taken a liking to." I blink a few times, taking in the threat. My eyes narrow, and my posture turns defensive. "You wouldn't dare.." My voice is a low hiss, and I step forwards a few steps. The metallic laughter happens again, but his time there is a silent challenge to it. "Try us. We could snap his little spine with a twist of our wrist, boy." They extend a hand each, twisting the wrist slightly. I step back, my hands thrown up in surrender.
"Fine.. What are your questions?" I sigh, my shoulders slumping. I try to connect with Frank, just to see if he is okay, but the distance is too great. "Can we talk privately?" I nod, following them as they walk away, seemingly as one entity.
We walk through the cemetery, into the woods. We stop at a clearing and they manipulate the air to make us something to sit on.
As we sit, in silence, I start to feel a slight pressure on the barricades of my mind. It feels like a vine or something trying to get through a cracking in a wall. The pressure increases until I'm gritting my teeth.
Through my pain, I'm controlling the elements around us. For every stab into my mind, the pond next to us rises into a wave and crashes onto the banks, soil gets thrown up into the air, miniature tornadoes start. Fires have started all around us, too.
I would attack back, but because I can't find them, I'm unable to defend myself.
Although, no matter how hard they try, they can't get past the wall I've put up in my mind. The fact almost makes me smile, but another stab happens and I groan. "What are you... Ah, shit.." They probe again, making me trail off and wince. "What are you trying to do?" I say it in a rush, wanting to say it before I get mentally stabbed again.
They don't answer, instead they increase the strength of the attack. I grit my teeth, willing myself to sit in silence until it's over. Finally, the attacks start to slow and get softer until it's just a small fraction of what it was before.
When it's over, I slump into my seat, massaging my temples. "Good, you're strong... Very strong.." I don't look at them, not yet. I sit, slumped over for a few minute, then straighten up. "Why did you do that? Surely you know that it could prove to be fatal..." Their heads move up and down slightly, the laughter sounding again. "We know, young one. It was a test of strength, which you passed. Well done." I dumbly nod, not really knowing what else to do, I mean, I'm not about to thank them, am I?
"We have a few questions to ask you now." I nod. "Ask away.." I say sarcastically, leaning forward.
"Who is the boy? The human, his scent is all over you." I sigh, leaning my head into my palms. "How is that any of your business?"
"Oh, has nobody told you that any relation between a mortal and any of the undead, immortals, inhumane creatures is illegal? The punishment is watching the human in question die in front of you." I stare at them, my mouth open slightly. I close it, composing myself. "And you're telling me this why?" The laughter sounds again, this time sounding like promises of death. "We thought you might to keep it in mind. We ask again, who is the mortal?"
"He is somebody I met at college. I... I fed on him.. That's why his scent is on me." They nod, staying silent for a few minutes. "Okay. What we don't understand, though, is why you got defensive when we said we'd hurt him, if he's only your little feed toy." My mouth opens and closes, and I begin to hope that they have no eyes.
"Um.. I like the.. taste of his blood!" I come up with an answer, basically shouting it at them. I cough awkwardly, calming down. "Yeah, I like the taste of his blood. It's sweet, it's unlike anything I've ever tasted before."
"Hm.. Okay...." They stop, staying silent for a minute.
Then, slowly, their hands reach up to their heads, pulling the hoods away from their heads. I have to contain a gasp when I see their faces. They are unlike any vampire I've ever seen or heard of.
Their faces- all identical, have gray skin, completely clear and unmarked asides from a small hole for their mouths. In the mouth holes, there seems to be thousands of tiny, incredibly sharp teeth. They have no other facial features, making them look more alien than undead.
"What are you?" The gasped words come up before I can filter them.
"We are The Watchers. We are also the Gray Ones, The Greats, and The All-Seeing. We are in charge of the Council, and one of our many abilities is to know when somebody lies." My stomach drops, my mouth flies open. "What you have been doing is punishable by death," I stare at them, wide eyed. "But, we'll let you off. On one condition." I nod, quite desperately. "Join us. You are special, though young, and will be of great use to us for the future." I shake my head, my first instinct to say no and run back to Frank. "No... I.. No." They tut at me, shaking their heads.
"What about the mortal? We know you love him, so what about him? We can kill him as easily as we can crush a flower." Fuck... Fucking shit.
I stay still, thinking about the possible event that Frank gets into a freak accident, dissappears, gets murdered. None of those would be accidental, they would have been planned meticulously by the Council.
I can't say no. I can't.
"What is your answer, Gerard? Yes, or no? Life, or death? Glory or the murder of a mortal, all of it your fault if you answer wrongly. Yes or no?" I sigh, sitting up.
"Fine. I'll join you, but you have to leave him alone, agreed?"
"You aren't in the position to ask such favors and promises, Gerard. You will join us, and you will do as your told," They stand up, putting their hoods back up. "We shall see you soon. Goodbye." They start to walk away, fading away the further they get. Soon, they've gone.
I sit there, in the seat they manipulated out of air, numbly.
I can't get to grips with what I just agreed with, and the consequences if I hadn't. I am now a Council member, something I'd vowed to never agree with. And, it was either that or Frank dieing.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, snapping me out of the daze I was in. The person ringing is that same person I just saved from death. I answer it, not really focused on listening.
"Gerard? Are you okay?" I clear my throat, trying to sound normal for him. I even put on a fake smile, thinking it might help with my tone. "Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't get a chance to ring you, Ernest kept me busy." I hear a sigh, probably of relief, and a small smile does actually appear on my face. Frank makes me feel better, no matter how shit things are.
"Good... I was getting worried, so I thought I'd give you a call. That, and the fact that I miss you..." He says the last part quietly, like he doesn't want me to hear him, and that makes me properly smile. "Aw, baby. I miss you, too, sugar. I love you, as well."
"Love you, too. Are you okay? You sound.. a bit off."
Yeah, I'm fine, I swear. I just have a lot going through my mind at the minute.."
"Okay, if you're sure," I hear some hissing in the background, and a soft curse. "Gerard, I need to go. My potatoes are boiling over, speak to you later, love you." The line goes dead and I put it back into my pocket.
I sigh, standing up. Already, my troubled thoughts are creeping back into my mind. They're whirling around and around, practiacally mocking me. I walk back through the forest, back to where the group are standing.
Maude bounds over to me, searching my eyes as she does. She pulls me into a hug, and I let a chocked sob out. I contain the rest, hugging her back and pretending she's Frank. They're about the same height, and Maude doesn't wear any perfume, so it's pretty easy to imagine her as Frank.
"What happened, Gerard?" Ernest puts a hand on my shoulder, making me pull away from the hug. "I'm now an honorary, proud member of our corrupt Council." I give him a fake grin and everybody's mouths fall open.
"What?" Nikolai speaks, breaking the silence. I nod, a scowl taking place of the fake smile. "It was either that or Frank gets subjected to death, and, before that, probably torture." We stand in silence for another minute, then Maude wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"But why would you join them for a mere human?" Nikolai breaks the silence once again, making me frown. "Because I love him." Nikolai snorts, shaking his head.
"You don't even know him. I ask again, why would you join them for him?" I take a step towards him, shrugging Maude's hand off my shoulder. "Me and him are married. I know almost everything from my past, I know almost everything about Frank. I love him, and I wasn't just about to let him die, Nikolai. Just you wait until you fall in love." His face hardens, and he takes a step closer to me, this time. "You know nothing, Gerard! Nothing at all, nothing about love!" He psuhes me, making me stumble back.
I scowl at him, rushing at him and punching him. He grabs his jaw, wincing. He goes to punch me back, but I get the air to hold him back. I punch his stomach, drawing upon the strength of the earth to assist me.
I let him out of the hold and he falls to the floor, grabbing his stomach. I walk away from them, ignoring the calls of my name and wandering back into the forest.

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