Vampires Will Never Hurt You

The walk back to his apartment was usually never an issue for Mikey -- he'd gone this route countless times before after finishing his final work shift at the comic book shop. But something about this eerie October night had the man on edge. The chilly, quiet night was enough to make even the bravest soul anxious.
He clutched his long, black trench coat closed and sped up, sticking safely to the sidewalk -- every little noise making him flinch embarrassingly and curse under his breath. Mikey moved like a mouse trying to sneakily maneuver its way through a series of traps, knowing fully well the dangers of that attempt. Though the young man was alone -- from what he could tell -- he was still terrified. He'd heard stories of people going missing in the midst of the night dozens of times before -- especially in this area.
It's Jersey, he'd always say, what's new? But even then he couldn't feign away the fear he'd felt deep within.
It was a crash that demanded Mikey's attention; a trash can knocked over followed by a scuffle of some sorts, coming from the alleyway ahead. Just keep walking, he'd repeated in his head, but he found his steps slowing down as he was nearing the entrance to the alley. The sudden silence made it easier to hear the man's heart racing in his chest.
Mikey's entire body froze dead center of the entranceway as his eyes landed on a dark figure hovering ominously over a -- by now -- dead body that lay on the cold, concrete ground.
As the figure's head lifted, Mikey was paralyzed with fear, his eyes wide as saucers as they were met with something otherworldly -- something menacing. It was another man -- fuck, is that right? It was a--
"Vampire," Mikey breathed, swallowing hard as he took in the sight before him.
Vampire was correct. The creature stood there, streaks of fresh blood running down his chin and dripping off as his bright red eyes were fixed on Mikey's -- his gaze intense and sinister.
A low growl erupted from the creature's chest, and that was enough to snap Mikey back into reality. His feet were suddenly on the move and he was running faster than he ever thought possible, his mind racing just as fast but there was no time to process what he'd just seen. No, he had to get back home and he had to get there now.
Of course, Mikey wasn't being chased like he'd feared, but that didn't stop him from booking down the street, cutting corners and avoiding any and all obstacles in his way. By the time he made it back to his apartment and slammed the door shut behind him, he was gasping for breath and on the verge of passing out. He quickly locked the door and leaned his back against it, letting his eyes slip shut as his chest was rising and falling from his labored breathing. The man slowly calmed himself down, knowing that he wasn't in any immediate danger.
He slid down the door until his bottom touched the floor, his knees brought up to his chest as his head rested back against the hard wood of his apartment door. Even as Mikey had calmed down, his heart was still on edge, beating as fast as a mouse's heart.
"Fuck," He whispered to himself, silently thanking God that he got out of there alive.
When Mikey's brother Gerard got home that night from the comic book store -- a family owned shop -- he could immediately tell that something was off with his little brother, but he also knew that it would get him nowhere to ask questions, so he let it go. Gerard never pushed his brother to tell him anything because he knew Mikey would tell him when he was ready.
After the two bid their goodnight's to each other, Mikey found himself laying in the dark and staring up at his ceiling that was poorly lit by the moonlight that shone through his bedroom window. The poor man could not for the life of him stop thinking about that terrifying yet gorgeous creature he'd come across tonight.
That's right: gorgeous. Mikey thought about the red in this mysterious man's eyes and the shadowing under them -- as if he'd been wearing eyeliner or something. He thought about the dark hair the flopped slightly over the right side of his face, and the menacing stance the vampire gave off as blood dripped from his blood stained lips.
Why didn't he come after me? Mikey thought to himself as he worried his bottom lip with his teeth. He couldn't understand how this all worked -- the whole vampire thing, the whole preying on humans thing. I could've been his next meal.. Could've let him sink his sharp fangs into my neck.. He found himself only slightly aroused at this thought, for no reason in particular.
Whatever the reason may be for his attraction to this being, he knew he had to see him again -- at least one more time, and that's it, just once.
Yeah. Just one more time.
* * *
Despite the obvious danger that could come from seeing vampire boy again, Mikey still tried. He'd come down to the same alleyway every night after work and stand around, hoping that the creature would show his face again. But of course, there was only a one and a million chance that this would happen -- and Mikey knew that fully well, though he wouldn't let that dispirit him. Not when he so desperately wanted to see the man again.
By day four, Mikey had finally come to the realization that this was absolutely fucking crazy and that there was no way he would ever see this mystery vamp ever again. With that in mind, he took a final drag from his cigarette and dropped it on the cold, dark concrete, stomping on the butt as he blew out the last of the smoke.
The man gently pushed himself off the brick wall and lifted his head, gasping sharply as his gaze was instantly met with a pair of brown eyes. The familiar intense stare made Mikey uneasy -- especially in the situation he had now put himself in.
Well, shit. This was it.
Standing in front of Mikey -- at a very, very close distance -- was the man he'd been waiting for. The vampire's face was only inches from Mikey's, making it easier to see his brown irises and the way his pupils dilated slightly.
His heart was pounding in his chest as he took a few very calculated steps back until his back pressed against the cold concrete wall behind him. This probably wasn't the smartest thing to do -- seeing as how he had no where to go -- but could he even get away if he wanted to? No, he couldn't, and Mikey knew that.Keeping his eyes locked on Mikey's, the creature put his hand up on the wall beside the man's head and leaned in real close, a predatory look in his eyes.
"You know, stalking a vampire probably isn't the smartest idea," He muttered matter-of-factly. His voice was low and almost sultry, but there was still a threatening edge to it that made Mikey's heart pump faster.
He swallowed hard, trembling slightly as the vampire slowly eyed him up and down before his gaze locked back onto Mikey's, a hint of anger now there as he growled, "Why are you here?"
"I-I.. Uh- Just.. Um.." Mikey stammered, breathing faster and looking around almost frantically for a quick exit, nearly whimpering in fear. Be strong, Michael, be strong, he thought to himself. When his eyes found the vampire's again, the creature let out a thunderous laugh and dropped his hand from the wall, backing away from Mikey.
"Go," He mumbled, gesturing down the alleyway, "Go home. Stop fucking stalking me."
"No," Mikey breathed, surprising not only himself, but the man in front of him as well.
"What?" The vampire hissed in unexpected anger.
"I said no." He replied simply, standing up straighter and appearing more confident than he truly felt.
The man sighed irritably at this as he ran his fingers through his short, black hair, chewing at his lip. Oh was he pissed off -- for what, Mikey didn't understand. He watched the angered man in front of him pace back and forth until he stopped, the moon casting on him just enough to show the annoyance in his eyes. Why was he so upset? No idea. One thing was for sure though: he really was a gorgeous creature, especially when angered.
Mikey admired his pale skin and dark eyes. The way his lower lids were clearly lined with eyeliner -- that he knew for certain now. He was a beautiful being, making it so obvious as to why Mikey had such attraction to him in the first place. On top of a few other things, of course.
"Look--" The vampire stopped, raising his brows expectantly at him.
"Mikey," The man filled in.
"Mikey. Right," He sighed. "I don't usually associate with humans, or- well, anyone.. So I'm confused as to why you're stalking me. Which bothers me, by the way."
Mikey ducked his head as he felt blush creep up on his cheeks. He didn't mean for it to bother him; it was purely out of interest and wanting to know more about this creature. He cleared his throat as he brought his gaze back up.
"I, uh.. I didn't mean to be a burden, I just- I don't know, you interest me.." He mumbled, the blush growing darker.
Clearly confused, the vampire furrowed his brows and stepped back into Mikey's space. The man instantly froze up, his eyes widening only slightly but his heart was picking up in pace.
"I interest you?" He breathed incredulously, unsure whether to feel flattered or insulted. "Look, alright.. Fine. I'll humor you. Got a fuckin' pen or something?"
Mikey furrowed his brows slightly and shook his head, pulling out his phone and handing it to the man, "I-I have a notepad in here..?"
He stared down at the phone only momentarily before taking it and swiftly typing something up, passing it back to Mikey with a cold stare.
"It's where I live. Come over tomorrow after work," He mumbled, backing away.
"Wait," Mikey halted him softly, "What's your name?"
"Frank." He replied simply.
Before Mikey could say anything else, the man was gone, having bolted down the alleyway and out of sight. He let out a breath and stared down at his phone, suddenly feeling more nervous than he had this entire night. * * *
Frank. Frank what? Would he be mad if I called him Frankie? More importantly, would he kill me from trying to give him a nickname before we've even gotten to know each other? How do you even talk to a vampire? Mikey found himself full of questions as he followed the directions given to him by Frank.
Twigs and dead leaves crunched beneath Mikey's feet as he made his way through the woods, only feeling mildly scared. He half-expected Frank's place to be some cave in the dead of the woods where he probably slept in some coffin like in the movies and shows. Needless to say, he was pretty surprised and slightly disappointed when his directions put him right in front of a small cabin.
He took a quick look at his surroundings before making his way up the steps and stopping when his feet met a green doormat. It wasn't the ordinary welcome mat but quite the opposite as it read in black bold letters: GO AWAY!
"How inviting," Mikey mumbled to himself. He took a deep breath and firmly knocked on the door -- three quick little hits. The man shifted nervously as he waited, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans.
He sighed restlessly and grumbled under his breath as the minutes passed, flinching when the door finally opened. Frank looked up at him, clearly unimpressed as he stepped back and gestured for the man to come in. Nervously and not-so-confidently, Mikey stepped into the cabin, clutching his coat tighter as he looked around the home -- if one could call it that.
"Hm," He grunted, deciding not to take his coat off as it was just as cold inside as it was on the outside.
"What?" Frank mumbled from behind him, crossing his arms. "Expecting something different?"
"Yes, actually," Mikey replied, turning to face him. "I didn't think vampire's lived in--" He motioned around, "-- cabins. I was thinking maybe a cave or.. something."
"Or something." The other man grumbled and walked past him, claiming a seat on his living room couch.
Mikey frowned slightly and followed him over, hesitantly sitting on the other end of the sofa. A shiver ran up his spine -- from the cold of course, definitely not because of Frank -- as he looked around the room again, his eyes landing on the beautiful creature beside him.
"So.." He spoke, tapping his fingers silently on his thigh.
"What do you want, Michael?" Frank snapped suddenly. Mikey looked taken aback, both from the man's abruptness and due to the fact that he used his actual name.
"Uh.. You were the one that told me to come here.." He accused, chewing the inside of his lip. Frank only sighed and shook his head, averting his gaze and clearly trying not to look at Mikey. It was confusing -- Frank not looking at him. He couldn't understand it. Was he that bad to look at? Surely not.. Right?
"I suppose I was," Frank eventually muttered as he got up, disappearing into the kitchen without another word.
Well damn, he's such a good host.
When he came back, he brought two dark green mugs along, handing one to Mikey as he sat back down, silently sipping the steaming hot tea inside it. Mikey sniffed it skeptically before taking a sip, letting out a pleased hum as he felt the warmth fill his body.
Frank looked up at the man beside him as he slowly nursed the hot liquid from his mug, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"There's blood in that," He spoke, a smirk pulling at his lips as Mikey instantly choked on the tea, coughing and looking at him wide-eyed.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" He demanded incredulously. When Frank's gaze met Mikey's, he knew he wasn't serious. Fucker, he thought to himself.
"Haven't you ever fucking heard of heat?" He grumbled bitterly, taking a long sip of his drink.
The vampire huffed and rolled his eyes.
"No," He retorted. "Haven't you ever heard of cold-blooded?"
Mikey stared into his cup without replying, feeling his cheeks grow hot. He's never snappy with anyone -- especially people he's only just met. He wasn't sure whether it was the nerves or Frank himself, but it made him act out of character which was oddly satisfying to him.
A couple minutes had passed with the two silently taking turns sipping their tea before Mikey finally sighed and looked pointedly at Frank, pursing his lips.
"Why did you ask me to come here?" He eyes narrowed. "Are you gonna kill me or something? Bring me to this- this cabin out in the middle of the woods -- I know how those movies play out, Frank, I know how people die!"
"Would you please, shut the fuck up?" Frank groaned, leaving Mikey to openly gape at him. The man huffed, clearly hurt as he sat his mug down on the coffee table in front of him.
Frank only felt somewhat bad when Mikey ducked his head, and sure, he did wish he didn't say it -- at least not the way he did, but perhaps in a kinder way. But he couldn't help it. He couldn't help how Mikey was making him feel, or how people made him feel in general.
"I'm sorry," He mumbled.
"No you're not."
"I am!" The vampire whined, looking up to the man beside him. "Look, you were the one that said you were interested in me, so just--" He stopped, brows furrowing as he sniffed the air.
Mikey looked up at him, then, raising a brow.
"Is that-.. garlic..?" Frank asked, sniffing himself. Mikey's eyes widened slightly as he shifted, faking a cough.
"I don't- I don't smell anything," He murmured, staring down into his lap as guilt radiated off of him. Frank looked back up at him, snorting.
"Are you serious?" He asked, brows raised in amusement. "You do know that garlic and crosses don't actually work on vampires, right?"
The man's head shot up, his cheeks tinged with pink.
"What?"
Frank let out a humored laugh and shook his head, sipping his tea as Mikey stared at him. But wasn't that what all the shows and movies said? That vampires didn't like those things, or that they would be chased off with such things?
"Can you go out during the day? Is that why we couldn't meet earlier, because of the sun?" He pressed, cocking his head slightly. What else was he wrong about?
Frank sighed and looked at him, letting his tongue trace his lower lip.
"I can go out into the sunlight, Mikey. I'm not going to burst into flames or fucking sparkle. None of that Twilight shit." His tone was bored but the amusement was still there in his eyes.
"But I've never seen you around.. Not in daylight, anyhow," Mikey mumbled, brows furrowed.
"Well, Mr. Stalker, if you must know, I don't like people," He replied with a shrug. "I'm anti-social. I keep to myself in my cabin, which- yes, is a cabin and not a cave because I'm not some fucking vampire from a poorly informed movie."
"So you don't sleep in a coffin?"
This earned the man another laugh, but a light-hearted one this time.
"No. But I have before." Frank smirked. "They're very comfortable.."
Mikey only nodded faintly at this and dropped his gaze to the porcelain in his hands. He pursed his lips as a dozen thoughts ran through his head. He wasn't sure what to ask because the chance of embarrassing himself again was probably very high at this point.
"When I first saw you," Mikey started again. "Your eyes were blood red.. But they've been brown ever since.. Why?" He raised his head to look into the specific eyes he was asking about, and much to his delight, Frank was returning his gaze rather than avoiding it.
"They're only red when I'm feeding," He mumbled, dropping his gaze as quickly as he'd returned it.
"Oh."
While the vampire was busy pinning his eyes on anything other than the man beside him, Mikey was staring in a not-so-subtle way. He couldn't help the way his eyes roamed over Frank's form. He noticed some tattoos on the milky white skin that he hadn't seen before.
Anytime that he had seen Frank before -- which was only twice -- he was covered with a black cloak, which did fit the whole vampire thing. But now he wore ripped skinny jeans and a black, long-sleeved shirt.
Clearly he had a thing for black.
Mikey also took in the lip ring he hadn't noticed before, which, looked really fucking good on Frank.
"Hm," Mikey grunted, absently biting his lip. When the vampire looked up at him, his brow was quirked up.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"You grunted."
Mikey flushed and ducked his head, scratching his cheek.
"Uh, yeah. Just thinking," He mumbled sheepishly.
About you, clearly.
"I should get going," He concluded, finishing his tea and getting up. Frank only nodded, watching the man shift and blush faintly. "I'll see you around, I guess.."
"Sure." Frank replied dully, his lips pursing slightly.
"Right.. 'Kay then."
That's as good a goodbye as he would get. With that, Mikey swirled around and got out of that cabin as fast as he could without seeming like he was running -- which, admittedly, he was.

Notes