Chapter 8
Regulus wasn’t human.
As James stares at his face in sleep, his chest still as marble, his skin flawless, pale as snow, not a wrinkle, sign of age, nor a smile line in sight. He hadn’t noticed it before, he figured it was down to his fascination with him, his heart glasses on.
But here, with the sun streaming in, James can only notice it, startlingly. It wasn’t just beautiful. It was literally perfect. He was perfect. Not in a romantic way. In the way that James tends to see things in their best way. Regulus was perfect. Regulus couldn’t possibly be human.
He must have had botox. Some ridiculous face lift, that would make sense. Because James can only notice his inconsistencies. His lack of information about anything. His lack of eating. His lack of bodily functions. The fact he doesn’t even drink water? His insatiable sex drive.
His… urge to drink his blood.
”Good morning,” Regulus suddenly whispers, his eyes opening, spooking James from his thought. “Watching me?”
”Just thinking.”
“Good things I hope?” He smirks, his hands reaching for his thighs. “Get back in, your warmth is missed.”
James smiles, because despite his thoughts, it is probably just good genes. An eating disorder and the fact he’s probably a criminal.
He climbs under the sheets, he kisses him all over, each perfect muscle, all of his delicate hairs that line his stomach, pinning his hands, his beautiful pale wrists that James just adores.
He loses himself. Each and every time they’re between the sheets and Regulus gets that look in his eye, like he’s just his, he’s his to take. James hasn’t had anything of his own. Not something like this. Not someone. Not anyone.
And he hates to admit it but he has some really terribly inconvenient feelings for him. The thought of him. The flashing image of his face, his smell, his cries, his strange sense of humour.
All of it feels like James is in heaven.
When they’re done, his wrist sore, his body tired, Regulus stepping out of bed, walking naked out of the room, stretching with a wide grin on his blood stained lips.
James can only wonder where this will end up. When the time has passed and they’re no longer in hiding if they’ll go back to before. If Regulus would consider coming over more. Or if he’ll just leave for good. He doesn’t seem the boyfriend type.
”Regulus?”
He turns, smiling as he stirs a mug of tea for James. “Yeah?”
“Question for a question?”
His face is soft, his eyes close briefly, a small smirk on his lips, he nods silently. He tucks a curl behind his ear and brings the mug over, perching himself on his thigh, rubbing James’ scalp with his fingers.
It was hard to concentrate with him like this, he probably knew that too.
”Tell me more about you… I don’t even know your last name.”
”So the question is what’s my last name?” He asks, his fingers still massaging his scalp.
God that felt good.
It’s taking a lot not to fall to sleep.
”It is.”
”It’s Black.”
James nods. “Mines Potter.”
”I knew that.”
”How?”
”It’s sewn into your school uniform.”
“When did you see that?” He whispers furrowing his brows.
Regulus blinks, smiling and then shrugging. “When I was packing your things, of course.”
”Right… your turn.”
”What’s your opinion on the supernatural?”
”Broad, like ninja turtles?” James yawns, swatting away his hand so he can actually concentrate.
“Like… witches, Salem and all?”
He hasn’t really thought about it. But these past few days have taught him to have an open mind. But he didn’t really, if he was being truthful, folklore was interesting, but supernatural just reminded him of stupid movies and unrealistic entities.
”It’s… interesting sure.”
Regulus smiles slightly. “Can I tell you about my mother?”
”I’d like that.”
It was the first time he’s willingly wanted to share anything about his life. Albeit it’s his mother, but who knows? It may reveal more than anything else he knows.
His eyes closes momentarily before he sighs. “She was a witch.”
James nods.
”No… like a witch, not a nasty woman, although she was that too.”
Oh. Lord. He was serious about this then? James could only nod again, pretending he was ready to believe whatever it was he was going to say.
Regulus clutches his hand, his eyes on his, glistening back the reflection of the sun. “I know you don’t believe me. But I swear to you to James, she was a witch.”
”What exactly does that entail?”
This was a lie. A lie to get him to stop asking questions.
“She… well it was a long while back now, but when I was a small child, probably 5, I started to see her do these things. She could open doors without touching them, she could-“
James huffs. “Are you kidding me.”
He was trying to be open minded. But it was something out of Matilda. His mother could open doors with her mind? Did he really think so little of his intelligence?
Regulus shakes his head. “I can prove it.”
”Go on then.” James dares.
He stands, walking over to his wardrobe, scuffling around inside before he brings a metal jewellery box out, James waits until he’s opened it, staring down at the gems and diamonds, pieces of gold and random necklaces.
”Try to be open minded,” Regulus whispers, taking out a smooth opal looking stone, he holds it tightly in his hand.
James furrows his brows as it starts to glow, it was a little… interesting. He looks it over, Regulus is squeezing it, he takes it from him, squeezing it himself only it doesn’t have a button, or a latch that is tricking him.
It wasn’t a heat sensor then.
“Okay… explain.”
Regulus takes it back, placing it in his hand. “My mother put a spell on it, it glows when a member of my family touches it, it sends a signal to the other part of it, which is currently with my brother wherever he may be. It sends a signal, she made it when we’d go and play, so she could check on us without moving.”
He couldn’t really disagree or disregard it. It did glow, it didn’t glow for him, but it couldn’t be true? Could it? That his mother could cast spells and enchant rocks?
”So she was a witch?” James whispers, his eyes narrowed. Past tense? “Was she cured?”
“She died.”
”Oh,” James frowns, looking up into his glazed over eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
Regulus smiles, as if it was fine. “She was wretched.”
”Oh.”
”She blew herself up,” He mumbles, “Idiot.”
He’s taken a back by the comment, the casualness of it. If his own mother blew up he’d be devastated. Not that people just blow up, usually. The first information of his family and it’s completely shocking. Not only was she a witch, she was dead. It was depressing as it was interesting.
James scratches his head, thinking of what to say, but to be honest his heads all over the place with it.
”So she was a witch… anyone else?”
Regulus smiles, “No, just her.”
”Your father?”
“Just a gremlin.”
”Literally?” James whispers anxiously.
Regulus snorts, closing the box. “No, he was just awful.”
”Right… so what does this mean? Does that make you half witch?”
”It’d be wizard, but no, not in my case. I’m… just me.”
James can see it in his eyes, the way he’s looking away from him, that he’s hiding something. He knows he has been, but after this he feels like he should prepare himself for him to be absolutely anything other than human.
”You don’t eat.”
Regulus looks back over his shoulder as he places the box away, his face isn’t nervous, more peaceful. “No… I don’t.”
”How?”
”You don’t want to know.”
”Except I really do.” He practically begs. So he wasn’t crazy. He doesn’t eat. At all. ”Look, you can trust me. I like you far too much to disregard you for whatever strange reason it is.”
Regulus smiles, almost tiredly, his face calm but his eyes are widened, concerned. “I can’t James.”
”Why?” He stands, clutching his hand to his chest and kissing his fingers. “Please, I want to know you.”
He just wants to know something. Anything.
Regulus tip toes, kissing his cheek. “I don’t want you to know.”
“Why?”
”I like the way you look at me, when you know… that’ll change. I don’t want it to change yet… I’m selfish.”
James releases his hand, he’s angry with him, so frustrated and upset that he can’t know anything. He’s in the middle of scotland with no way to get home, his lover is strange and keeping secrets and the more he finds out about him, the more nothing makes sense.
He takes his shoes, his jacket and coat and slams the front door closed as he leaves the house. He didn’t have anywhere to go. But he walks aimlessly through the forest, kicking branches and trying to make sense of everything.
Witches were real. But who knows what that means? She could cast spells. All he knows about witches is what movies have displayed, none of what he assumed could be real. Or it could be exactly right.
God if he could only talk to someone who wasn’t hiding who they were.
He feels like an idiot. A child. Someone who isn’t trusted enough to know things.
”James.”
He whips around, jumping at Regulus stood there, soundless and still, his eyes concerned.
It’s like he just appeared.
”I don’t want to see you right now.”
Regulus’ eyes lower, his lip between his teeth. “Please, I’m protecting you.”
”No you’re not, you’re lying to me. I’m sorry your mums dead, but you can’t just tell me something insane and then refuse to tell me anything else.”
”You’ll hate me-“
”I really don’t care what version of me that you’ve made up in your head about me. But I’m not capable of hate, or disgust… God I still fuck you even though you knocked me out and kidnapped me, you’re a criminal or whatever and I’m still hopelessly attracted to you!”
He looks stricken, as if he’s been slapped, but James has only been truthful. He’s falling for him at light speed and unfortunately no matter what he tells him, it won’t change that. What he can’t stand is lies. The truth hurts once. Lies hurt a million times.
”James… I’ve never felt this way for anyone.”
”Join the club!” He spits, continuing his walk, though this time he can actually hear him following.
“James!” He pleads.
He pushes through branches, shoving them out of the way, his hand get’s caught in a plants thorns, he pulls it, feeling the thorns scraping through his skin as he’s released.
”You’re hurting yourself.”
James looks at his hand, 5 small slices line his skin, he shoves it into his pocket and ignores him.
”James!”
”What!?” He explodes, his voice louder than he really meant it to come. He didn’t want to shout. Not at him.
He turns to Regulus stood with his eyes glassed over, his lips in a frown, desperation all over his face.
”Please don’t ignore me, be angry, be furious with me. But do not walk away from me… I can’t-“ He inhales sharply, “I can’t bear it.”
He hadn’t ever seen him upset. It kills him.
“Please… I just want to know you,” He whispers, “I need to know you. I’m going out of my mind today.”
”I know… you’re right.” His eyes look as if he might cry and that was just about the worst sight of his life.
James holds open his arms, sagging as he runs into them, resting his head on his chest, his arms tightly draped around his waist.
”I just hate being lied to.”
”I know,” Regulus whispers, his dark hair covers his saddened face. “I’ll tell you everything. But not now, not here.”
”When then?”
Regulus looks up, his eyes still glassy. “Can you promise me something?”
”Anything.” James swears.
”That you won’t forget me, if it’s too awful for you. That you’ll think of me fondly?”
He touches his face, running his fingers down his soft cold skin. How could he ever think of him poorly? He couldn’t possibly forget the nights. The thought of his face is burnt into his soul.
“I swear.”
Regulus holds his hand, leading him back to the small house, their fingers laced tightly. James might be worried. But whatever it is, he can understand.
He knows he’s good. whatever it is, it can be fixed or understood. It won’t change his feelings, and it certainly won’t change the way he feels.
It’s silent in the house, James sits at the table, Regulus disappears for a moment, but when he comes back in, holding a sagging dead rat, he can only look at the animal in disgust.
”Regulus, that’s gross.”
”Yeah, I know,” He whispers.
It’s sudden, the whole thing, James’ heart beat speeding, the way Regulus’ head tips back and his teeth start to change, sharpening impossibly as his mouth sinks into the rat.
James grips the table, his eyes wide. Watching in shock as he starts to suck the blood from the rat.
What the fuck…
”Regulus!?”
His eyes are dark, barely hearing him, his pale skin splattered red with the rats blood covering his lower face as he shakes his head and loses control, he gasps when the animal was shrivelled thin, he tosses it, his mouth bloody.
James swallows heavily, his heart is pounding, even more so when Regulus shows him his teeth, two large fangs poke from his gums, like razor blades he stares at them.
And it’s all impossible.
It’s not possible.
It just isn’t.
”I’m a -“
”Vampire.” James chokes as the words leave him dry moth.
Regulus’ eyes are searching into his, trying to see what he’s thinking, but James isn’t even sure what he’s thinking. All he knows is he just saw him eat a rat and he feels awfully sick.
It was all too obvious.
His kink… it wasn’t a kink. He drank James’ blood because he liked it, not to get off. He was flawless and quick, silent and lacked all human needs and wants.
Regulus was a vampire.
It was impossible but it was true.
”How?” James says, he’s trying not to panic, not to run, to scream blue murder.
“My father, 1864.”
”18-“ James stands, holding his chest and trying not to look at him and his bloody mouth.
He wasn’t 23. He was- I’m going to be sick.
“James.”
”I need a minute.”
Regulus reaches for him, but James flinches away, and he wasn’t sure what was worse, the information he had just been told, or the devastation on Regulus’ face as he slams the door in the face, the lock sliding closed as Jame sinks to the floor.