unholyterror | AU Daemon Vampire Continuation

Continued from here and about two months later

It was rough at first. Jake rarely slept as long as he needed to keep an eye on Dee. His transformation was rougher than any Jake had seen or read about but he accepted that it was likely due to his connection to the deadlands. Jake was tireless and the wolves patient with his newest child. He hoped, with time, that Jay learned and found a place to be something. It was a struggle for the human too.

Eventually, they got Dee's beast under control. It was a bit of manipulation, a few blood charms, partially threats, and the honest realization that as things stood the beast and the man were under the whims of the spirits in the deadlands. That last fact had irritated the beast enough that it came around, sort of, better than before. It wanted to control and the revelation that something else had control drove it to madness, enough to behave.

Now, they were working on controlling Dee's abilities. Jake was glad that his beast was, more or less, on board with helping. At least there was routine and structure again which Jake thought had helped Jay and Dee both settle, but then again, maybe it was just seeing progress.

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Finding an identity as Jay, rather than as the Mystic, was difficult. Finding it among wolves and vampires didn't exactly make it any easier. The wolves found that it often helped to just give the human a simple task, like gathering firewood or grinding herbs. He was less anxious and more open when he was focused on something.

That wasn't to say he'd let go of all his Temple duties. Even though it wasn't really prophecy, and no one else would ever see it or properly interpret it, Jay still couldn't bring himself to stop writing down what Dee heard and saw beyond the veil.

Jake probably would have put a stop to it, had it not also served as a record of his trances and what creatures were calling him.

And many still did. Sometimes, he'd go a week or even two firmly in the world of the living. Sometimes, the trances came every day, or a couple of times a day, and those left him particularly ravenous. There was no rhyme or reason to it, still. No real pattern. But the longer it went on, Dee and his beast at least came to the agreement that neither of them were string enough to deal with this on their own.

They actively tried to resist this morning. It worked, but the victory was short-lived. The next call hit not long after, and Dee had been in this particular trance for three hours.

"Spectre! Tell Jake he's coming to! Quick!" Jay shouted, putting some distance between himself and his partner, just in case. The crow was out of the tent before he'd even finished speaking.

Jake was as patient with both of them as he could be. His own beast was such a mother hen, which he had to adjust to as well. It was new for him though he had watched over Davy and Lex, that was different. He did his best to explain that to Jay and Dee.

He was grateful for the quiet days. He still had a shop to maintain, family, and his own partner. The wolves were a little less tolerant of Dee's outbursts than Jay's because they had the innate fear and dislike of vampires. That too had calmed over time even if a few still ruffled and growled when Dee was out of bounds. It also came with their feelings of Jay being more like a pup. That was why he got the tasks he did and also left him working with Kristy, Devon, and the actual children. There were a couple in the pack.

They also had squabbles with the other wolf pack. Once Dee's beast got more manageable, Jake did take Dee out to defend them, if he wanted. His own beast liked to hunt and protect but the dominance needs of Dee's might be satiated by it as well.. and certainly his thirst.

Jake was growing more and more appreciative of his heightened senses from feeding from his wolf partner. He was talking to others when he heard the human. As usual he stepped out of the shadows in the tent. Davy did come to Spectre though because both vampires spent time watching over Dee.

"I'm here." Jake was tired but well fed so that would be a benefit now. He still waited for the day when Dee came around hungry but in control.

It had been a long trance, and Dee was now muttering all sorts of strange phrases. Old habits died hard. His voice wavered between that of his human side and that of his beast side.

Jay meanwhile stayed back, letting both Jake and Davy come between them. Spectre returned to perch next to Hope. He tried to write down everything that Dee said, but there was a lot this time, and it was hard to make out the words when he started growling.

Eventually, he looked up.

"It was supposed to work! It worked once! Why didn't it work?!" He growled, but he didn't lunge at anyone.This might have been the closest they'd ever come to having control after one of his trances.

Jake was tense but when the attack didn't come his demeanor changed. Davy handed Jake a mug which he held for the moment.

"What was supposed to work?" Jake asked calmly. He was paying attention to Dee but also draining a cup of blood from his wrist. Discouraging lunging and direct feeding felt helpful to keep Jay safe, at least. It allowed for the hunger to be taken care of while ensuring that the beast wasn't losing it every time. Once it was full he offered it to Dee.

"Resisting!" It was the beast that growled. "The amulet! The spell we did this morning!"

It was a fair accusation. Because it did work this morning. Something beyond the veil called for Dee and for the first time in his entire life, Dee had been able to resist. It was a moment of tremendous celebration. Except, it didn't last. Within hours, something stronger came along and this prophet was right back to being soul food.

As angry as the beast was about its control being ripped out from under it again, eventually Dee's human side won out.

The beast had finally learned that after trances, you only get blood if you drink it from a cup like a civilized human. Jay was also very grateful this lesson stuck. In the beginning, there had been far too many close calls. For the better part of the first month, he was completely terrified of getting too close to his partner. Fortunately, that too had gotten better.

"I thought I knew how to stop it now..." Dee whispered, exhaustion evident in his features. He licked his lips. Shaky hands reached for the cup.

"The amulet is for spirits." He sighed as his own beast started to stir. It had been easy over these past months for it to wake up. "That is what plagues you the most."

At least from what he had seen of the beings that were calling to Dee. "There are other things there, and things stronger than an amulet. If it happens again I will go see what is calling."

Jake meant he would go and drive it off. Some things simply left Dee alone now that they realized a very angry elder vampire might show up and fearlessly tangle with them. It was work on all sides.

Jake sat beside Dee offering the cup and still holding it if he needed the help. "You will have to build your strength. Eventually, you will be able to resist stronger and stronger pulls."

It was like a muscle system that had to be worked for strength and muscle memory had to be built along the way too.

"It's not strong enough!" His beast growled, thankfully without crushing another mug. Dee's voice softened as he added, "I'm not strong enough..."

That was the crux of the matter, really.

Jay stood back, letting Dee drink. He glanced down at everything he'd written.

"It sounds like whatever was calling you this time was not exactly happy with a disobedient prophet."

"If one spirit couldn't do it, then they worked together. They all took their share..."

"You're not strong enough." Jake's beast pushed into his voice to snap at Dee's beast before Jake could reign it in.

He sighed at his inner voice and rolled his eyes. The beasts snipped at each other still but it was their way.

Jake didn't like the sound of this and glanced at Davy who had been standing there in silence. He turned back to Dee. "Then we need to work together."

Davy nodded and stepped out. Jake didn't need to tell him what was wanted at this point. "I'm tired of them harassing you."

"I don't know what you can do." Dee admitted, handing back the empty cup. "Even if you terrify those, there's always going to be more where that came from. Stronger and stronger ones..."

But inside, he was hopeful that perhaps Jake did have a plan.

"Be the wall until you heal enough and your beast works well enough with you that you can do what I do on your own."

That was the truth of what Jake meant by going along. Dee needed time to get strong, his beast needed time to adjust with the human. Jake could give them that and... if he's honest... get a whole lot of pleasure out of being able to terrorize things again. His own beast had a desire to terrorize humans which Jake, mostly, put an end to. This however, was open season for his beast's desire to be an unholy menace to someone or something.

Jake had done that before, a couple of times now - early on, and during the longer trances. The longer his spirit was being feasted upon in the Deadlands, the more the progress he'd made was threatened. Filling up a cracked cup was still possible. Filling up a sieve was never going to happen.

"What if there's something out there even you're not strong enough to stop?"

"Let them come." Jake snarled. "They'll regret it."

Jake was starting to pace, posture tense, and they both are familiar enough to see this is his beast, though Jake agreed. He wasn't one to back down from things even as a human.

It did make him want to get back to research and studying. Jake was hoarding knowledge, learning to push the limits of his vampiric abilities. This was only one more reason to do just that.

There were definitely some very strong beings beyond the veil. Dee knew of at least one other vampire, whom he'd seen numerous times when he was still alive and twice now since he was turned.

Those had been particularly exhausting trances. Dee emerged from them ravenous, his beast beyond the point of reason. It absolutely terrified Jay, which is why he called for backup and got the hell out of dodge when his partner woke up. It was better safe than sorry.

It was Jay that hesitantly added, "Can you, um... I mean, your kind... die in the Deadlands?"

Jake was fearless as a human, now he could be downright reckless. Not that the whole thing at the temple wasn't evident of that fact already.

"It's harder there than it is here." Which meant yes, but not without a lot of trouble. "There are less ways to die there."

Which was true but also his beast's arrogance over whether or not they could die. "I have some tricks the inhabitants wouldn't expect."

Mostly, that a vampire with a whole were-pack at its call would be shocking for almost all supernatural creatures as would his ability to yank some things back into the living world... which he hadn't really done with anything except Dee when Dee wanted to come back.

Their escape wasn't entirely reckless. They had a plan... and things went mostly according to it too.

"Less. But it could still happen..." Jay concluded. Even though the supernatural healing more than offset the damage taken, the former cleric still had nightmares of losing his partner in such a fashion. "Please, be careful. Both of you."

He came closer now.

"Especially you."

Dee had gained a tremendous amount of strength in the last two months. However, unlike Jake, he was no fighter. Jake took him out hunting, but while his beast would certainly gorge itself when given the chance, it didn't relish in the kill.

"It could happen outside the tent door too." Jake obviously isn't worried about dying even if he should be more worried about it than he is.

Jake did like to kill, or his beast did, and that was a difference between his and Dee's for sure.

"He goes whether I do or not." Jake mentioned. "Two is safer than one."

"He's right, though... Until I'm strong enough to stop it, I go where I'm called... just like I always have..."

Jay sighed. "I know... and I know I've never been gifted with the art of interpreting prophecy, but the things you've said, coming out of some of your trances... It worries me."

He opened the journal he'd been keeping, and began to read a few passages.

One day at a time, one day at a time
Listen when we're calling.
Your time has arrived.

Tonight, our chapter will begin.
It's time, to wash away the sins.
And no one can deny, we are the Sons of Night.

Here's to your martyr,
watch the mortals bend an empty story as we grow hungry.
To reclaim the notes we lend, you cannot win.
When saints are glory I'll die slowly.
What you became.
Some things never change.

Your life is hollow and so is your head
We are ready to rise again
You're a victim - the greatest con
Time is a weapon because you're gone.

"I know you said it's nothing but meaningless chatter, but what if someone, or something, out there... is planning something."

Jake was listening and if his posture could be described in animal terms it would be one of focused eyes and ears pulled all the way forward. All attention was on the words Jay was speaking.

"I'll kill them." Jake snarled so aggressively that poor Davy, who was just stepping back into the tent, cried out and almost dropped what he was carrying.

'If they want war...." Jake growled so low that it almost rattled the air instead of being heard. "... None of you know the unholy terror that I keep quiet within."

Davy had barely collected himself when Jake approached him to take the item. Jake had intended to do some blood magic, to make a stronger amulet for Dee but now his mind are on other things.

"You were made to save your life and your beast wants control." Jake pointed at Dee then to Davy. "You wanted ... well that is private and your beast wants left alone to itself."

Jake sat down in the middle of the tent and opened the hide with his tools inside. "I was made to kill everyone and my beast thrives on hunger and death."

Things were about to get dark. While his voice was calm and he was speaking without rage, his beast was so far in the forefront that even Jay might feel the dread of its presence. " While you've been gaining strength, I've been studying Necromancy."

If Jay's blood didn't run cold when Jake's beast took control, it certainly did when he heard the word for one of the darkest magical arts.

"...nec..necrom..man... NECROMANCY?!"

Never mind the fact that blooddrinkers were technically a result of necromancy. And were considered just as taboo, just as dangerous.

Jake curled his lip and growled.

"How the fuck do you think we're going to get control of the spirits who are treating you mate like mobile food cart?" Jake's beast is definitely speaking but the mannerisms are still Jake's. Jake had managed to find a way with his beast to coexist.. usually.

"Do you expect me to go up there and ask them nicely to stop?" Jake growled, and that was the beast, but the eye roll and sigh was all Jake. So much so that Davy had to swallow down a snicker over it.

"I may have a way to give them a taste of their own bullshit." Jake's beast was angry, maybe even angrier than Dee's but actions like these kept the internal peace.

Davy leaned in to Jay and whispered. "He's been teaching himself to consume spirits like they do."

"...n..no...." Jay stuttered. If asking them to stop worked, any prophet could have done that. "...that...well... probably wouldn't work..."

Coupled with the eye roll, even Dee couldn't resist snickering too.

All was calm for a moment, before Davy leaned in, and told Jay the true nature of Jake's revenge. His blood ran cold. His legs threatened to buckle as his heart pounded.

"...w..w..with WHAT?" He hissed back to Davy, eyes quickly returning to the only easily-detachable spirit in the room. He wasn't accusing. He didn't dare say that out loud, especially with multiple beasts so close to the surface. But he was still terrified of the possibility nonetheless.

Jake was setting out some items to make another amulet, of a different kind than Dee already had.

"With my teeth." Jake's growl was a little quieter. "I need to find a target to test my work."

And that was one if the reasons he was so adamant about going with Dee.

"That's possible?" Dee gasped. He was equal parts interested and disgusted. Or rather, his beast was interested, his human side had far too much experience on the other end.

Jay might be leaning on Davy for balance by this point. His head spun as he thought about it. Vampires that sucked out souls for food instead of blood...

"None...none of us, though. Right?" He gulped. Even if he knew the answer, he still really wanted to hear it aloud. He hoped that wasn't something that could only be tested on prophets.

"I don't know." Jake admitted. "The writings I've found aren't clear if only some vampires can learn or all can."

Davy was ok being supportive. He had been mortal when Jake was out of control. None of this was as terrifying as those months.

"The writing suggests it is from feeding on the spirits in the deadlands. I don't know if it would effect one still in a body." That was an honest answer. "I would have to learn to control the type of feeding I'm doing if it does."

His own mate was mortal and they bit each other a lot. No doubt Jay and Dee had seen Jake with a ragged bite more than once by this time. It was something Jake would have to be cautious of but added. "It looks like it is a conscious choice similar to manipulating shadows. It doesn't always happen, I have to concentrate on doing it."

"Dead ones can." Dee replied far too matter of factly. "But that would be because they are dead, I thought, not because they were - are? - blooddrinkers."

He knew that much to at least be true from personal experience. He had encountered at least one vampire in the deadlands, and his soul had been eaten all the same.

"And I think we all know how it affects someone still in a living body..."

Ask any prophet.

Which might be damn near impossible, honestly. The deadlands were inhabited by spirits. But when a prophet died, there wouldn't have been enough of their spirit left to even cross over.