Revere & Cross Ch. 01

The Astrathrope shifted an almost nonexistent glance towards Ira. "Am I allowed to start now?"

The older man nodded. "You can start immediately, my boy."

'My boy.' Those two words crawled along Dorreta's spine like a dark spider. It meant the young man would belong to the Master Vampire by the end of the week. Her throat became dry at the thought. Ira had odd tastes. He liked men, everyone knew that. That wasn't unusual. No, what was unusual was that he liked his men bound, bloody, and screaming. She knew that little fact intimately.

Her thoughts died as Wilder's forked tongue flicked out from between his lips. The fox's smile grew broad, and without a moment's hesitation stuffed a hand down the woman's cleavage.

-

"W-what are..." the priestess gasped as Revere shoved his hand deeper, fishing around between her mounds. "What are you doing!?"

"Almost got it," he hissed. "Almost there."

"You sick Abomination!" She tried to push him away, dragging her sharp nails along his biceps. "Get your filthy hands off of me!"

He felt something smooth slide across his fingers. "Rosa, did you get a boob job?" He followed the slippery vial as it moved its way across her cleavage. "I think you did."

Rosa blushed, snarling at him. "I did not!"

He chuckled, he didn't expect a response. "I beg a differ. Got a slight obsession with boobs. Must be from missing out when I was young, no mother and all."

He tried to pull out of her melons but he stuffed his arm between them pretty good. "Their fake, sorry. But-" He tugged his arm out with an almost audible release of suction. "-this is genuine."

Revere rolled the vial across his knuckles, watching the small crystals dance through the glass.

"I-I don't... that's not mine."

Doritos and Axworthy shared an amused glance.

"That's enough for at least ten years, Priestess." West said calmly. He gestured with his hand, and a couple officers strode towards her, reading her Miranda Rights.

"You have the right to remain silent," said one of the officers.

"No. No please."

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

Rosa slipped from the officer's grasp and dove for Revere. Her sharp nails clutching at his T-shirt, "This is your fault, you wretch. Master will kill me!"

He cocked an eyebrow at her, the vial glittering across his knuckles. "You shouldn't have broken my sunglasses." He frowned down at his favorite pair of Oakleys.

Her eyes went wide in disbelief as the two officers dragged her away, one still monotonously listing her rights.

It was eerily quiet. Revere looked around. The Protesters stared at them, almost dazed. A few official looking men carrying videocameras floated among them. Meaning only one thing; he would be on television.

'Fantastic,' Revere thought. 'Just what I need, everyone seeing me shove my hand in some woman's breasticles. And without my glasses on.'

He sighed pushing the front gate of the temple open. The smell of Black Out grasped him by the tongue pulling him into its warm embrace.

As he strode the dimly lit chapel, he found himself face to face with an odd alter. A naked man carved out of black marble, bats covering his male extremities. Revere was happy for the creative touch, got to take the little gifts in life.

He scented Sergeant West close behind him, the man smelled strongly of apprehension. He noticed the other two from the corner of his eye. Axworthy looked as happy as a girl at a boyband concert. Doritos just looked how she always looked, up tight and beautiful.

"Help me tip this will you?" Revere rested a foot on the altar.

Without a moment's hesitation the Sergeant walked up beside him. The man had been closer than Revere thought, well past the border of his personal bubble. So close the soft material of the man's suit grazed across Revere's back. West placed a polished shoe next to his Superstar Adidas.

"My pleasure."

Revere tensed. Was the man flirting with him? He shook the absurd thought out of his mind, the man clearly was excited. After a promotion, perhaps? Or a interview on the Fox 2 News even? There were many possibilities that didn't include flirting.

He laughed at himself and pushed. The Sergeant pushed along with him, shoving harder than necessary.

The statue tipped and broke apart on the floor. Little glass vials crashed across the marble, skittering like millions of insects.

A wide devilish grin spread across the bald man's face. "We did it." He looked over at Wilder, a sharp soul piercing stare. "You did it, my boy."

Revere nodded, holding the man's stare. He held it until he felt uncomfortable and crossed his arms defensively. As he did this he noticed one of the scratches on his left bicep was bleeding. Nothing a little neosporin couldn't fix...once he got home anyway. Speaking of which...

"Princess Hotcop promised me compensation."

West cocked an eyebrow at him. "Princess Hotcop?" Revere gestured towards the Detective. "Did you?"

She nodded, her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She was such a cutie when she blushed.

Revere raised three fingers. "Three times my usual."

West's face drew down in an odd expression. "I'm sorry but we can't pay you."

Revere stilled. "Why?"

"You are an Astrathrope. It is against the law to hire-"

Revere hissed, flicking his tongue out in agitation. He crushed one of the bats with his foot. "Are you for real."

"My apologies, my bo-"

"Doritos!"He charged towards the Detective, West on his tail. "What the fuck?"

She squirmed under his gaze, brushing a lock of hair off her long neck. She still couldn't look him in the eye, still disgusted with their appearance.

"He just call her Doritos?" Axworthy asked, looking to West in confirmation.

West nodded, still wearing that odd expression Revere couldn't decipher.

"I never guaranteed anything," she said softly.

"Fuck yourself." He kicked the fanged head, smashing it against the wall. Satisfied with his tantrum he started walking towards the exit. "Waste of my fucking time."

She rushed after him. "I'll drive you."

Revere barked out a harsh laugh. She flinched, looking away from him. He lifted her chin up with a finger, catching those emerald eyes with his own. He was surprised how intimate he felt touching her. He wanted to kiss her, but ignored the impulse. The look in her eyes told him all he needed to know. His voice felt dry when he spoke. "You almost killed me driving me here, Princess. You think I'm going to let you try a second time?"

He shoved the gate open, momentarily blinded by the sunlight.

"How will you get home?"

"I'll take the bus."

"Without your sunglasses? Isn't that dangerous for...someone like you?"

Revere hesitated, a hand still on the handle. She was right, it was risky. Foolish. It wasn't uncommon for his kind to be found in a ditch.

"If you are uncomfortable with Alton, then I will take you." The Sergeant loomed behind him. Once more closer than he realized. He could practically feel the man's breath on his neck as he spoke.

Revere stiffened. The human should not have been able to get this close without smelling him first, seeing his movements.

"No thanks." It had meant to be a stern refusal, but ended up sounding weak and pliable.

West thought so too. "I insist."

Revere shook his head. "I'm fine taking the bus. I can take care of myself. I'm a big boy. I would say see ya'll, but that will never happen."

He walked out into the sunlight and froze. Seemingly every news reporter and cameraman in Texas waited for him along with twice as many protesters. They swarmed the walkway, trapping him and whoever left the building.

As if connected to a hive mind the crowd turned his way. They started yelling, Their clicking camera's sounded like a living popcorn maker.

He turned back and shut the gate hard behind him, resting against it for dear life once safe inside.

"Never happen, huh?" West said with a smile. The smug bastard.

Revere rested the back of his head on the door with a curse. Sighing in defeat he locked eyes with the Sergeant. "I-I might need that ride after all."

"What's wrong?" West said, mockery dripping with each syllable. "Too many cameras?"

Revere looked around. Princess and Axworthy were gone. The two must have went deeper in the chapel to do whatever work they needed to do.

Revere shifted uneasily. "You're not going to make me give an interview are you?"

West shook his head. "No, but from a business perspective it would help reach out to potential clients." He smiled. "Though, I don't think you'll have any trouble in that department any longer."

Revere furrowed his brows. "I thought you said-"

"I never said you wouldn't get paid, my boy. Just not by the police. This little team is funded by the Blood King. You do know who that is, yes?"

Revere had seen the Fanger on a few commercials. He was just as popular as J.J. Watt if not more in the paranormal community. A spokesman for ticks everywhere. Supposedly a real Southern gentleman, as if that meant anything.

"Yeah, I've seen him around." Revere scowled. "But, I'm not working for a Fanger."

The Sergeant shrugged. "At least consider it on the drive to your apartment, okay Revie?"

Wilder nodded, and turned towards the entrance. West placed a light touch at his elbow.

"No, not that way. Like the smart man I am, I parked my automobile in the back. Unless you want that interview?"

Revere smiled. "Hell no."

West took him through a walkway and out an exit that lead into a parking lot. The Sergeant strode to a black SUV on the side of the building.

West unlocked the car with a click of his keys.

Revere opened the door to the passenger's seat. He was half way in then froze. This man, a man he just met barely a half an hour ago, had called him Revie. Not Revere or Wilder but Revie. A name Frank only called him.

West raised a brow. "You waiting for an invitation?"

"No, it's just..."Revere frowned then shook his head. "Never mind, forget it."

'It's just a coincidence,' Revere told himself as he got in and buckled his seatbelt.

'There's no such thing as coincidences,' a dark voice whispered to him in the back of his head.

Suddenly in the sweltering heat Revere felt cold.

-

Ira parked next to a Jeep Wrangler. The top was down along with the doors. It was an ugly block of metal.

It had been a painstakingly long time to weave glamour in the boy. But once Revere said he was immune Ira couldn't help but try. His victory over Rateliff made him feel powerful. This victory however felt sweet...even intimate.

The Astrathrope tried to open the door handle once Ira parked. Ira watched him try again and fail.

Revere looked over at him expectantly. "The door's locked."

"Yes." Ira admitted, staring into those beautiful large eyes.

Revere shifted uneasily. "May you unlock it?" He asked it slowly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world besides gravity.

"No, I may not." Ira said mimicking the boy's drawl.

Revere hissed his annoyance. "Open the door."

Ira leaned in, amused at the way the Astrathrope's eyes widened in apprehension. Ira let his gaze linger at the man's throat before reaching out and pressing the unlock button. He wanted to grab hold of that thick man bun of his and rake his teeth over that stretch of skin until the boy moaned, but he had to be patient. Restraint was key in situations like these. "Your appointment with me is at one, Revie. Don't be late."

Revere looked at the button like it appeared out of nowhere, and to him it most certainly did. "What are you talking about, and how do you know that nickname?"

Ira bored of this facade, told him the truth. "Consider your glamour cherry popped."

Revere opened the door narrowing his eyes. "The Blood King, I presume?" Ira smiled,

delighted he got it on the first try. "And you're, what? Possessing the cop, Fanger?"

Ira shrugged. "Of course."

Revere made a disgusted noise. "The whole time?"

"Yes, Revie, the whole time." He caught Revere's arm before he stepped out. "Remember, one o'clock."

Revere cocked his head. "Wait, one in the morning?"

"Certainly not in the afternoon, I'm asleep. Be there, or I won't protect you for what's to come."

Revere frowned. "You think this Fanger with a God complex is going to try and get rid of me?"

Ira laughed. If he were in Rateliff's shoes he would have tried to kill the boy already. But luckily enough, Ira's own glamour on that pathetic Priestess stopped Rateliff seeing any of the encounter. "I'm not 'sure' I know it. And trust me when I tell you that only a vampire can help you with another's wrath."

The boy scowled, taking in this information. In his panic he reminded the Ira of a cornered cat, hissing and baring its teeth. "No. No, hold on. If his wrath is going to be on anyone it's you!"

Ira nodded. "True. But he'll want to disarm me first. And you are the weapon in this scenario, in case you were wondering."

It looked like the boy wanted to hit him but after a moment decided jabbing a finger in his chest would do. "You leave me alone or I'll go to the-"

"Cops? Have you forgotten who your talking to? We'll discuss this later when I'm awake. Till then, my boy."

Revere opened his mouth but nothing came out. Seemingly unable to string a sentence through his fury. Instead of arguing further the boy slammed the car door with a loud curse.

Ira watched with amusement as he marched his tight ass up the stairs, just to come down again with a set of keys.

At first he thought the boy was going to key poor West's automobile, but Revere merely gave him a rude hand gesture before peeling out in that hideous Jeep Wrangler.

Ira watched him disappear out of sight. He loved when they ran away, it made reeling them in that much easier.

-

Rosa waited for nightfall, praying in a corner of her cell.

She stopped her prayer when the shadows in her cell came to life. The darkness stretched and pooled into the center of the room. She shivered once the shadows settled into a man.

"Master, my Lord Rateliff," she whimpered bowing in submission. "Master have mercy on me."

The figure stepped closer, the shadows shifting as he walked, resembling a cape sliding across the floor.

"My Lord, it was an Abomination. Cross brought in an Abomination!"

The shadow tilted his head, stepping closer. He hovered mere inches above her, silent as the night. He brought his face to her breast nuzzling.

The devote bared her chest, sagging against the wall.

The vampire nipped and caressed her, breathing in deeply. He dragged his nose across her collar bone. Rosa stilled but slightly relaxed when his mouth nipped down her right arm. He clicked his teeth as he edged his way down her fingertips, licking at the blood there.

"I...scratched h-him." She grinned, pleased with herself.

Two red orbs gazed up at her as it licked at her fingers. "A flavorful creature, did you get its name?"

She nodded hastily, eager to please."Revere Wilder, the boy's name is Reve-"

Rosa never felt the bite that killed her. He left her smiling on the floor, pale, emptied. Her last thoughts of the serpent of Eden being ripped apart by God.