Chapter 2
Sometimes it seems like James is getting better. He’s able to get up and walk around and talk. More frequently than he could at first. Sometimes it’s an entire morning of what could be normalcy, but it never really lasts long. But he tries. It’s hard to tell if it’s real or if he’s just pretending. Does it even matter? He just needs to get better, or better enough.
Right now he’s taking a bath, so Regulus gets to enjoy the quiet. He tried to say he was going to take a shower, but he shot him down. When there are times that he can barely stand for more than a minute there is no way he is taking a shower alone. And Regulus is absolutely not dealing with when it would inevitably go wrong. Nor is he going to help James to shower, so he begrudgingly agrees to a bath. He puts a record on and sits in the most comfortable chair in the room after leaving him.
A few days ago he caved and asked if anyone has caught the scent of the hunter. It’s a fairly large network of vampires as far as things like this go. He’s not very active with them, only really talking to anyone if he is the one in need of help or is returning a favor from someone who has helped him. This proves to make it more difficult to ever hear back from anyone, but not impossible. People know that being owed a favor from Regulus is worthwhile, so they do help.
He looks through the leads that he was sent by one of the smarter vampires in the network. A woman named Lily. She’s been around for about fifty years now, at least that’s how long she’s been running in the main circles. Younger than James, he thinks. Unless she was entirely unknown before. She’s a good tracker and has helped multiple hunters be taken down across the country. When it’s dealing with someone abroad, she’s not as helpful yet. Perhaps in a few years she will have expanded her range, but he trusts her information on this well enough. As long as he also vets it himself.
Supposedly he’s still in the area. Or near enough. Lily doesn’t say how she knows or even where she currently is, just that the hunter is somehow sure there are still more vampires in this area. Which is correct, seeing as he and James are hiding out at the moment. What she doesn’t elaborate on in her initial message is what the fuck she means by more vampires. It fills his chest with doubt and worry. Did Sirius manage to get himself caught?
Luckily she provides more about the hunter himself, that even Regulus didn’t have initially. Their name, a photo, coordinates where they were last seen. Moody, older and experienced hunter, one town over from here, right in between where he found James, where Sirius was meant to be, and here. So they’re making their way in this direction. That’s not good for them, but maybe it could be.
He hears the water start to drain out of the bathtub and the faint sounds of James drying off. He sends a message back to Lily asking for anything more she can give. He’ll owe her for this, but really in the name of finding Sirius again, there’s no price too big. There are others that he would rather not be indebted to, Lily is definitely not the worst option.
“Do you er- have any clothes I can borrow?” James asks a bit awkwardly.
This brings his eyes up, somehow startled to see James standing just outside the bathroom door with only a towel hanging on his hips. He’s skinny, much skinnier than he should be or probably usually is. But there are still outlines of muscles that will come back once he’s able to feed properly. Once he’s not on the verge of dying. James holds the towel with one hand keeping it up, while his other hand grips the corner of the door frame to keep him standing. White knuckles, using a lot of force to not fall over. He’s not getting better.
“Middle drawer on the right. Anything should be fine to fit you.” He tries to avert his eyes, but he can’t. Even as he turns his head away he can barely take his eyes off of him.
Every part of him is starting to look lifeless. A slight grey hue to his skin that would usually be a deep brown. Concerning, but they aren’t yet at the point of giving up and accepting it. At least he seems to be in better spirits. If James were to give up entirely, well then it would be pointless for Regulus to keep trying. If it comes to that, he’ll just ask about where Sirius might have run to and then take off after him.
He puts on clothes and comes back out to join him. “What are you doing?”
“Work.”
“You don’t have a job.” He laughs, sounding alive just until it turns into a cough.
Regulus ignores the show of weakness. “What if I do?”
“Go on then, what’s your job?”
It would be easy to make something up, but as he tries he can’t think of anything and the truth spills out of him. “Finding the hunter that did this to you.”
He’s not sure why he says it that way. It’s a mistake the second it leaves his lips. Right as a smirk settles on James’ lips, he knows it is. Regulus is not doing any of this for him, he’s not tracking a hunter that seems to be more slippery than most for a man he’s just met. For a man he hates. He’s never hated another vampire as much, simply because he never should have been turned.
“Out to avenge my death already?”
“No.”
James sits down on the couch, making himself at home and stretching his legs out. “Good, that would be a bit premature seeing as I’m still kicking.”
“Barely,” he scoffs.
“Excuse me, I’ll have you know I didn’t spit up the last drop of blood you let me have. I call that progress.”
“And I call that pathetic.” He grinds the words in his teeth.
Turning his attention back to his tablet, he waits for Lily to answer. On half of the screen he has her messages with the picture of the hunter and the other half is a map. He’s dropped a pin where they might be as well as the other two important locations. The house that’s now been burned down and the current flat. Regulus hates that the house was burned, he never likes to lose locations. There’s only so many safe places for them to go and they will never be able to return to that one. It would have been years before he did, but still.
Sirius must have been there for long enough to be tracked by the hunter. If only he had started looking for his brother a day sooner. He would have found him and they would have gotten away from the hunter, never crossing paths. Leaving a trap behind to kill them, but still preserving the house. This wasn’t a special one, though they did once stay there together. Only for a night, only as a stopover before parting ways. The last time they were there together they fought, though they fight most places.
It was the last place he saw his brother alive. Bit of an unfortunate coincidence.
If Moody is really this close by, and if they are really heading in this direction, then maybe he can lure them in. Make a bit of a mess to catch their attention. Make himself known. It would draw them in and he’s more than equipped to take care of them. Though if he makes a scene then that really crosses this area of the country off any future lists of safe places he can go to. For a century or so. Definitely for him and Sirius, but ideally for any vampires.
He’d have to let the others know he’s doing that though. Keep them from coming here for a while just to be sure. Even if he doesn’t like anyone in the network, he doesn’t want them to all walk into their deaths either. Regulus has at least some preservation instincts for his fellow vampires.
Making a mess would mean he gets more fresh blood. That’s another thing he won’t complain about. Though he knows he needs to be careful in having more. And well, this could test the theory. See if James can hold down blood from the vein. That would be worth testing. Even if it doesn’t draw in the hunter, maybe it would get James his strength back. Then they would be better prepared for an actual fight which this may come down to..
“You still haven’t told me why I’m here or why you are.” James says, just as he’s asked almost every day. The one’s when he is conscious for longer than a few minutes at least.
“Why do you care?”
“Well, you don’t seem like the type to just help people. So why me?”
regulus sucks in a sharp breath and turns to look at him pointedly. “Who said I’m doing any of this for you?”
James doesn’t continue the conversation.
That’s just as well, there is nothing more to say. He’s not doing it for James. It’s for Sirius, it’s always been for Sirius. In fact, he’s doing this in spite of James. Not that he would even be able to begin to understand that. He doesn’t know who Regulus is, which… Well that hurts. In all the years they spent together, while Regulus was alone, he wasn’t mentioned once. At least he assumes. Otherwise he would know, he would have been able to put it together.
It’s not like Regulus is that common of a name. Surely if James knew of him, knew that Sirius has a brother, he would have at least asked. He loves to talk, he loves to gossip, he would have asked even if he would be wrong. So Sirius never mentioned him. Not that he has a brother, not his name, nothing about him. He didn’t think twice about his brother in all of that time and yet here Regulus is doing everything he possibly can to find and help the older one.
It stings, but he can’t let it fester in his mind. He does his best of focus on mapping out a plan for dealing with Moody. Clearly they aren’t very smart for deciding to go after a Black. They’re either new at this or not knowledgable on vampires and the ones to avoid. They aren’t from some long standing vampire family, they aren’t royalty or any equivalent of the sort. But everyone knows not to mess with them. Certainly not only one of them.
Once, a century or so ago, someone tried to hunt down Regulus. It had been maybe a week since he and Sirius decided to go off on their own. Not for very long. More like just a short holiday apart. If he remembers correctly they were planning for a few months apart. A refresh after a little bit too long together. It was Regulus who asked for some space. He was going to leave, he felt himself getting antsy and when he gets antsy he gets messy. So better for everyone that he gets away when that happens.
Sirius tried to convince him to stay, they would be able to be in their current town for another year before it became a problem. But he just said that he would be back when he got his cravings and his mind under control. His brother let him go, clinging to the promise that he would be back. His plan was to go abroad, stay in a countryside villa bleed himself dry and build his appetite and his tolerance back up.
He didn’t make it out of the country. A hunter stopped him before he could. Blocking him in and attempting to keep him outside when the sun rose. Of course that didn’t work, he didn’t burn up. Instead the hunter and all of his contacts in the area burned. Sirius got there in time to bring Regulus to shelter. He almost burned himself in the process, but got away just as the sun came over the horizon and the entire group of hunters burned alive in the center of a clearing.
It sent a message, they couldn’t harm them without invoking further wrath. They haven’t gone back to that town, but it kept them from having any more hunters on their trail for a long time. Everyone knows, or at least everyone that is smart, knows not to mess with them two. Siblings are sacred, not to mention siblings that have had each other for centuries. It’s been the two of them for so long, they don’t know any different.
Even if they didn’t choose this life initially, they have embraced it. Well, Regulus didn’t choose it. He did choose to bring Sirius into it though.
His brother is the only person he has ever turned. It seems James is the only one Sirius has. Even when they promised each other to never turn anyone else.
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The sun comes up again and James is fast asleep on the couch. Just before the sun is fully visible Regulus draws the curtains completely shut. The few moments of light that he gets to see are some of his favorite. Just barely seeing the next day, but still not quite within his reach. When he first became a vampire he would stay out until it was almost too late. Until he could feel the prickle of his skin starting to burn.
Something about that made him remember that he’s still alive, even if it’s not in the same way he used to be. It was a struggle for a while to cope with that. He had Sirius and that was what made it better. He was mad at Regulus for a while, for turning him. It took a few weeks, or maybe it was longer, for him to come around fully.
It was complicated. For a number of reasons. But you see, Regulus would have died. He was going to die. Well, he did die. He drowned and when he was pulled out of the water, his transformation began. He hadn’t told his brother about the friend he had been seeing. The one that would sometimes bite him at night as they laid together. That he knew Barty was a vampire and it didn’t send him running, there was a rush to it. Not one he intended to be a forever thing, but was fun at the time. That would be an odd thing to share, until it’s vital information. Like how Regulus was now dead, that he wasn’t saved from the water filling up his lungs, he’s different. He died and came back… wrong.
A few days passed and the last moments of a sky full of stars and the first moments of light was the only time the brothers spent together. It wasn’t the middle of the night so they could pretend like this was normal. Even if before things changed they used to stay up all night looking at the stars they were named for anyway. This was different and there was no pretending it was the same.
The whole thing gets even more complicated because Sirius asked for it. He didn’t want to be without Regulus, and that’s really what he was hoping for. None of this was really his choice, but together the brothers could choose to share this new life. They could make it better. So Regulus bit Sirius, releasing venom into his bloodstream. They watched the sunrise, though he had to retreat before it was complete.
That day Sirius killed himself, he had to do it that way. There wasn’t another choice and at least they could control it like that. And then everything was different. They left and they fed and they started a new life. Just the two of them for all time. Regulus never wanted this, he never wanted to live forever. In a way Sirius didn’t either. They were both brought into this with no other option, aside from leaving their brother behind.
So really, Barty turned both of them. It’s a good thing he’s dead now, completely this time. He turned Regulus who had no choice but to turn Sirius. Then Sirius killed him. Sirius killed him after the first time Regulus fed and couldn’t stop. The first time he went off the rails. He killed him for what he did to Regulus. Both of them were monsters, but after that they made a promise to each other.
No matter what, whether they were together or off on their own, they would never turn anyone else. All they needed for the rest of time was each other. It was better that way.
His nostrils flare when he turns away from the window to see the incarnation of that broken promise laying half dead on his couch. A deep breath fills his lungs, though he’s no calmer after it. The bright side is that he’s no closer to figuring out how to cure James or even what is exactly wrong with him, so maybe he’ll die anyway. He shouldn’t be here to begin with. Regulus hates him, fervently.
The tablet displays a notification that Lily has sent him back more information. Even without needing proper sleep, he’s tired. It’s been a few days since he actually slept. Instead of looking at what she sent, he clicks it off and goes to the bed. James has been in it most of the time, so he will take the opportunity while he has it. They’ll go out to feed later, see if James can drink that way, and go from there. Even if it goes wrong it might attract attention from Moody, so he’ll be prepared as best he can be.
Two birds one stone. Hopefully. It could be one stone and two very not dead birds. If James still can’t hold down blood and a hunter is much closer to their trail than necessary when he’s still weak… Regulus is once again, for at least the thirtieth time this week, wondering if any of this is worth it. If keeping James alive is worth it. He hates the man, the answer to that should be simple.
Just as he lays down, ready to fall asleep weighing the pros and cons, there is a knock on the bedroom door. “Regulus?”
“What do you need?” He sits up not wanting to be seen as anything that could be construed as weak despite spending days on end taking care of the other man.
“I was just er- thirsty. I wanted to ask-”
“No blood right now. Unless you fancy killing yourself while I sleep, in which case be my guest.”
“You don’t like me very much do you?”
“Oh you’re an observant one aren’t you? First you catch that I’m a vampire and now this?” He snaps back.
It really would be easier if he died. He can’t fathom why his brother would pick this guy to spend eternity with. That’s really what turning someone else means. Not to everyone, there are definitely vampires out there that don’t view it that that. That do it to save someone’s life or just for the hell of it. But to Regulus, to his brother, it’s a bond so strong that means for life. A bond forged in blood.
There has never been anyone else that matters in that way to him. Not someone to break a promise for. Thinking about it only irritates him more. He could pretend to not care, he has plenty of practice not caring. Just as he didn’t care that Sirius didn’t want to find each other again after their usual time apart. He just doesn’t care. See? Easy. No more caring.
“Actually I just wanted some water. Or juice or something to hold me over.” James clarifies and Regulus looks away. “I can find some myself. I’ll leave you be.”
His eyes flick back to the door but he’s gone. It’s not really that he feels bad, maybe he should, but he doesn’t. It just bothers him. At least Regulus has a reason to be acting like this, he has a reason to not like James. So why does his dismissal feel personal too? It shouldn’t, James doesn’t know him. He doesn’t even know that he’s related to Sirius. Still. It’s… It’s stupid that’s what it is.
There’s nothing he can do. The sun is up and he has the blood locked away as he usually does. Even if James wanted to try to drink some or do something stupid while he rests, he couldn’t. The options are incredibly limited. Besides he’s nearly dead anyway.
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He doesn’t dream. Not that he can’t or that vampires can’t. They can and he sometimes will. Just since he’s not sleeping in the same way he would have in a past life, his thoughts play through his mind instead of dreams. Regulus thinks of where his brother might be and different ways they could try to heal James and about what it will be like when Sirius is with them again. He hates thinking of them as a pair, he’s not sure why he does.
There is no way to get rid of him unless he dies in the process. Better it happens before seeing Sirius again. Better he doesn’t know about any of this. Sirius can think that his friend died at the hand of a hunter at least for now. Maybe a hundred or more years down the road, after another separation or two, Regulus can tell him about it. Confess how he knows their promise was broken. But not right now, he just wants to find him.
Through his thoughts, Sirius runs. Flashes of him pass by all of the different places they have lived. All of the countries and houses and wide open fields. None of them are places that he will be now. it would be foolish to think he’d go back anywhere that obvious.
Regulus sees the house they grew up in and feels a pang in his chest.
He sees the small town he nearly destroyed and the ruins of which Sirius brought him back from the edge in. The first one.
He sees the seaside cottage where they hid while he learned control again.
He sees Sirius sitting on top of a car with him late at night. He doesn’t hear the words but he knows them by heart.
He sees them sneaking in and out of a blood bank.
He sees Sirius and misses him. He misses feeling like brothers, he misses it all. The good and the bad, he misses every happy memory and every seething regret.
Somehow over hundreds of years all of it is still crystal clear. Not every detail of every little thing, but everything with Sirius. That and the weight of his chest for all the time apart. Even knowing how Sirius feels about how this all started, he would do it again. He would let Barty bite him and he would turn his brother again and again and again. This is the life they chose, in one way or another. Regulus doesn’t regret choosing that.
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When he opens his eyes, it’s later than he expected it to be. Hundreds of memories later, it still could have jut been a few minutes with how fast his mind movs. He hadn’t planned to sleep through the entire day. Had he gotten up earlier he would have had the time to find more about Moody. Or find someone to feed off of in town. If he’s taking James tonight it can’t just be a random gamble like the other night. It’s too risky.
Quickly he changes into fresh clothes and goes out to find James. He’s… not there. The door is closed and the curtains are still shut. Except the keys aren’t on the counter. When he pulls back the shade, the sun has just fully set. Which means the idiot went out on his own when he can hardly stand for longer than a few minutes.
If he goes out and finds him slumped over on the ground he will kill him. Maybe he’ll bring him inside again, but he will kill him. He truly seems to have no self preservation instincts. He got caught in a trap not even two weeks ago and is out on a suicide mission again. For no reason at all. What could this possibly accomplish? He could have even just waited for Regulus, he was going to suggest they go out anyway. But now James is just going to end up dead.
Five minutes later he’s outside on the deserted road into town. Out in the open Regulus only likes to use his speed in short spurts. Just in case someone happens upon him. Better to make it at least plausible that he could be a normally fast runner. And not, well using vamp speed. This makes it take just a bit longer, but still hardly any time at all.
He looks around and at first doesn’t see anything. Then there’s the twitch of a foot behind a tree. At least he had the sense to duck off to the side before collapsing. Right? It’s dark enough out and far enough from the main street that no one would just stumble upon him. Even still, he’s frustrated that he left at all. James knows that he isn’t strong enough to do this yet. He’s not even a young vampire, he’s experienced enough to know this was a ridiculous idea.
He may not trust Regulus but he should know better. He should at least recognize that he’s not keeping him there for fun. If he had any other option James would not still be under his care. This is just how it has to go for now. As annoying as it is. It won’t be much longer. It’s not very likely that James will make it through much longer, but for his brother he will put up with him till the end. Whenever that is. At the back of his mind is the thought that he needs to actually talk about Sirius with him soon. but he doesn’t want a sour taste in his mouth when he does.
“James?” He calls out. “James! You better not be dead.”
No answer.
“I’m being serious James, can you at least let me know you’re alive?” He approaches, lightly kicking his foot.
Still nothing.
“After all I’ve done to keep you alive…”
Regulus blows air out of his mouth, exhausted. His head shakes and he looks up at the sky hoping to find an answer. None of this even matters. He hates James and he hates Sirius and if he just waited longer or didn’t rush through tracking him, this wouldn’t have happened. Somehow it all went wrong. This was really all for nothing, he’ll be on his own again and it will be no different than it always has been.
If he hadn’t done any of this, would Sirius have died at the hand of Moody though? Would both of them be dead or dying right here in an alternate timeline where he doesn’t go after Sirius? Or is he the one that messed it all up? Would Sirius be just fine, he and James, escaping the grasp of the hunter and fleeing to another country? There’s no way of knowing. This could all go back even further, did Regulus mess something up fifty years ago that kept Sirius from finding him? Twenty? Ten?
Three hundred and with a bite?
“Wasn’t it you who said I was already dead?”
“Fuck!” He jumps, startled. “Why the fuck would you scare me like that?”
“Why would you kick me to see if I was awake?” James bites back.
Okay, definitely upset. About what he’s not really sure, but he’s acting different than he was last night. definitely different. It’s not a pleasant tone by any means either. He has no reason to be like that with him, quite annoying. Yet another reason for Regulus to think he’s a prick. He’s not even going looking for reasons to not like him, they’re served up to him on a silver platter.
“You weren’t supposed to leave.”
“Worried?” His eyebrow cocks and a smirk paints his stupid face.
“Y- No. Just don’t be so reckless. You haven’t helped me with what I need yet.”
James stands and crosses his arms, mirroring him, though he leans against the tree for support. “Care to tell me what exactly that is?”
No. Not yet. “Later. Now come on.”
Without waiting, even knowing that he walks slower without any blood in his system, Regulus turns and continues the walk into town. That’s where James seemed to be headed on his own, he may as well follow now. Better that they are together so he can actually monitor and make sure he doesn’t blow everything up even more.
According to what Lily sent over, Moody will be coming through here sometime tomorrow if not sooner. Maybe now is the right time, or just the best time, for them to leave a bit of a mess. He’s hesitant to fully kill anyone and leave a body behind, just for his own reasons, but it would be the most efficient way to get their attention. It would just also be big risk and he definitely doesn’t trust James enough to take that gamble.
Almost proving his point right away, there’s a sound that far too closely resembles that of him collapsing behind him. He turns, and just as he expects, James is slumped on the ground again. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“I- ‘m fine. Don’t worry about it.” He mumbles unconvincingly.
He speeds back to him which only takes a second. James looks far from fine, but his starting point wasn’t very good to begin with. Maybe he was a bit of a bitch just telling him to just follow along, but he was the one who decided he was okay enough to leave the flat. He started this. In an effort, the smallest effort, to be even a little nice, he crouches down next to him to see what happened. See how he can help.
“Did you just fall?” His voice his even and perhaps a little soft.
“Not exactly, no.” James starts to stand, still wobbly, and brushes off the dirt on his pants. “I was trying to catch up to you and might have used a bit too much energy.”
“You don’t have any energy. When is the last time you had anything to drink without spitting it up?”
“That would be… before any of this started.”
He expected that. He knew that, but he had hoped that somehow James might have drank while he was asleep today and was actually getting better. He shouldn’t have let that thought even enter his mind but he couldn’t help it. James getting better is what they both need. Not that he cares. He doesn’t care. He just has ulterior motives that go by the name Sirius. That’s really all it is.
“Okay well, stop doing stupid shit like that.” His eyes roll and they continue walking at a much slower pace. “I was thinking anyway, it might be worth trying to drink straight from the source.”
“I don’t usually drink from the vein.”
This catches him off guard. “Really?”
“Does that surprise you?”
“I- I’m not sure what I expected. I don’t drink from the vein too often either.” Regulus admits.
He hums, as if making a mental note about this. “Didn’t expect that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He gets defensive. He usually does about this topic. There is a long history of reasons why he sticks to blood bags. Not something he cares to share with someone like James. Or anyone for that matter, but James specifically is very low on the list of people he would want to talk to about this. If he’s not careful he’ll reveal too much of himself. If he’s not careful, he’ll fall off again and might not have a brother to pull him back from the edge again. It’s been Sirius to help him nearly every time. To bleed him dry and build his strength up again. To deal with the aggressive mood swings that come with being weened off the good stuff.
He doesn’t want to talk about himself or his own habits, so he steers the conversation away. That’s something he has plenty of practice with. Diverting topics, finding just about anything else to say. More often it’s just silence that he leans on because he’s always been comfortable in it. Luckily right now is about James, and while he doesn’t care for him as a topic of conversation, it helps in this very moment.
“I had an idea about what the hunter might have done to you.” James hums in response, inviting him to continue. “I think he was trying to take out a blood source for you, make it easier for him to catch you once you’re weaker.”
“How do you figure?”
“You might not be able to drink from blood bags, whatever poison or other he got in your system, makes you need it fresh. Meaning that something in how the blood is preserved by the banks is toxic to you. That’s why you can’t keep it down.” Regulus explains, and it’s starting to make more sense, it really sounds plausible.
“Hmph.” He sighs. “That actually makes a lot of sense.”
“Are you surprised?” He tuts.
“Well no, you do seem to know what you’re talking about most of the time. It’s a bit annoying actually.” James lets out a shadow of a laugh, too weak for anything more.
He’s focused on walking and keeping himself upright. James doesn’t turn to look at him through the entire conversation. Looking just ahead, right in front of his feet needing to make sure each step is right. He’s beyond weak. All he can hope for now is that this will work. That some fresh blood in him will keep him going for as long as they need until the get away from Moody and back with Sirius. For all he cares it can reverse and kill him then.
“So you’re fine to grab someone and drink right? Or are you going to need help?”
He huffs, it doesn’t exactly reassure him. “Yeah, fine. Are you going to be weird about it the whole time?”
Regulus doesn’t answer. He takes the hint and backs off. Does Sirius somehow find everyone that has struggled with control or is he why they do? Sirius never has, he’s been perfectly capable of drinking and feeding whenever he pleases. He doesn’t kill anyone when he doesn’t mean to. Which sometimes he does, but it’s never from a lack of control. Maybe it’s presumptuous, or maybe that’s exactly why James also prefers blood bags.
It’s a worrying thought, actually. If he can’t keep control of himself when he’s drinking from the vein, then he’s in for a hard rest of his life. There is likely no other option now. That is if Regulus is right. If Moody really was trying to cut out a source of blood for him, make it so he’s easier to catch because he can only directly feed. Perhaps he even knew it was a weakness for James and was targeting him, not Sirius.
All of the pieces could fall together now though, if that was the plan. The hunter will be waiting for this to happen. Regulus got away with it, but he kept himself controlled, he didn’t let himself indulge too much the other night. He’ll keep James in line now. He has to at least try even if he’s never been good at it himself.
Curiosity gets the better of him though. “Can I ask you something?”
James’ step falters, barely noticeable. He catches it anyway. “You just did, but sure. What do you want to know?”
“Do you prefer blood bags because you can’t control yourself otherwise?”
The silence answers for him. It’s too long of a pause before answering for it to be anything else. He knows this kind of quiet. The kind that reveals things you would rather keep in, the kind that is never intentional, the kind that makes the world feel like it’s made of glass. Just waiting to shatter.
Knowing it’s already out there, James instead says the worst thing he could. “Do you?”
Regulus welcomes the silence, embracing it so that it can’t reveal too much. If he chooses to be quiet then maybe he won’t see the extent of it. He won’t be able to tell that he’s been struggling to control it all since the day he was turned. From the first drop of blood he was gone. It’s taken so long to keep things good for him, but he has to try every single day. He can’t slip.
That’s why he lets himself, or rather makes himself, practice. About once a month, he tries not to do it any more than that most of the time, he drinks from someone’s veins. Always the wrist, every once in a while the neck to test himself. Easier to keep control that way. As long as he keeps doing that, he can satiate the hunger within him, keep up his strength, but also maintain control. He has to know that he won’t lose control on his own.
“Are we going somewhere in particular? Or just waiting until we come up on someone unassuming? Like how vampires do it in movies, catch them by surprise on a dark street.” James asks, a new positivity filling his voice.
“Bit of both.”
“You could give me more than that, you know. Not sure why you think keeping secrets is going to help us at all.”
“It’s- I’m not purposely keeping secrets. I don’t even know what’s wrong with you for sure.” he sighs. “There’s a pub that’s a bit out of the way, but still public enough that we’ll find someone.”
“And if anyone finds us?”
This he knows for certain. “Then it will likely be the hunter who tried to kill you, and I’ll kill him before he has the chance to try again.”
It’s quiet the rest of the way into town. Aside from the rustling of leaves and the sound of the wind rushing past. It’s a cold night, though he can’t really feel that now. It just reminds him of the cold nights he used to love before all of this. When he and Sirius would sit out and look at the stars, when they would talk about futures and what they would do with the rest of their lives. This was never part of those plans.
Next to him, not immediately but an arms length away, James keeps up. He’s more out of breath than anyone should be just walking, but he’s had no sustenance lately. He does somehow find the energy to hum nonsensical tunes. It’s not enough to be able to decipher it, not that he even bothers to try. It’s a bit annoying but also not enough to ask him to stop, knowing that would cause bickering.
Since he didn’t exactly have enough time to prepare for a fight tonight seeing as James decided to be reckless, this is just a trip for blood. That’s all it can be right now. That’s been top of the list anyway. Heal James, then everything else. This will at least tell him if that’s even a possible feat, and well if it’s not… He’ll reevaluate and see what the best course will be then.
The town isn’t dead quiet, though it’s not that late yet. Dark enough, late enough, but still well before midnight. Plenty of people out that can serve their purpose to them. It’s just a matter of finding someone that is not going to cause them more problems down the line. Discretion, or even just the ability and willingness, knowing or not, to be manipulated are key most of the time. Now though, a hunter is already on their trial.
They just need to keep enough control, compared to the two vampires they are that struggle with it. If whoever they choose goes running off to spread word of their presence, well let them. What does it matter anyway? There are a few groups of people, a few out on their own, and a few couples. The latter might be the best route for tonight.
“What about them?” James nods, suggesting a couple walking in the opposite direction as most people.
He considers it before nodding. “Good, yeah good pick.”
They have never done this together, or anything for that matter. Yet they don’t seem to need to talk about it first. Regulus will approach and he does so with ease. He can feel James not far behind him, just a step or two. He’s more hesitant, his movements are more cautious. It won’t be difficult to pull them into the shadows. most people are easy. Even easier in a pair really. More trusting he’s found.
“You two, come here.” He waves them over.
The taller of the two, raises an eyebrow, questioning it slightly, but follows. They grab their friend’s hand to pull them along too. By the looks of them and their body language, they are likely dating. Easier to not have someone going home to a partner with any traces of blood or marks on them, that only raises questions and causes problems. Most often vampires will find people looking for a hookup for that exact reason.
“We er- we aren’t looking for… whatever this is.” The shorter one says.
“It’s not what you think.” James flashes a smile and it seems to be warming them, charming them. “We just want to talk.”
“I guess that’s alright. We aren’t running late for anything, right Alice?” They look for assurance.
This whole thing is frivolous to him. If he could get away with never encountering the small talk that comes with this, it would be a dream. It would be much easier if he could just walk up to anyone, have them hold their wrist out and let him drink. But tonight, he has James who seems to thrive with talking to people at the moment. Just sweet talking them while he tunes it out.
“You don’t mind, do you? It would be a huge favor to both of us. Really.” His smile, to the strangers must look sweet and charming, but to Regulus he sees the deviousness.
“I guess that would be alright. James, you said? I do hope this helps you feel better.” Not-Alice agrees.
“We really appreciate it. Regulus, Alice here will give you a taste. And I’ll take Frank.” His hand is already delicately holding their wrist.
He’s shaking ever so slightly. Holding on to keep it from getting worse. Regulus knows that he doesn’t need this right now, he just had something to drink. He even just had something fresh, that man the other night. But he sees the way that James’ eyes are wide and there’s worry behind them. He could be scared for too many different reasons. Uncertain if this will work, uneasy knowing this could send him over the edge in the wrong direction.
If it goes well with James then maybe he can indulge. Just a little. Even if he shouldn’t, it can be a reward for crossing something off his list. Arguably the most difficult thing. It should be a breeze after this. Sure there’s a hunter and Sirius to think about, but that’s already at the front of his mind. Just get through this, get through James, then it’s smooth sailing. Nothing he hasn’t done before.
He locks eyes over Frank’s wrist with James as he lets his fangs become more prominent. His eyes avoid looking at the one spot he should focus on. Most vampires, unless they have particularly large or small mouths, can perfectly bite down on both the cephalic and the basilic veins at the same time. The two main veins in the wrist, it gets the most blood out with the least mess.
That’s how Regulus usually feeds when he does, and it’s how James should now. The other night was a gamble for him, the neck is easier for discretion but not being cautious. He has no idea when the last time James would have had anything fresh, though he’s a natural at talking people into it it seems. Maybe that’s part of the problem. It’s too easy for him. Anyone could lose control if they didn’t have to worry about access.
“You’ll stop me if I…” His voice wavers.
Both Frank and Alice seem to tense slightly, but James isn’t talking loud enough or in so many words for them to understand what he’s asking.
“Yeah James, I’ll make sure you keep control.” Regulus nods.
He understands. A lot of vampires don’t, he knows the worry and the fear. There have been too many times in the past when he has fallen off and no one was there to help him. Regulus still hates him, he hates that he’s here at all, he hates that Sirius broke his promise. But he’s not going to let anyone suffer the way losing control makes you suffer.
“Thank you.” He nods in return, though it’s more so just ducking his head to make contact with their wrist.
His eyes squeeze shut and his eyelashes flutter in bliss as the first drops of blood come out. Regulus can’t see any, which means he’s in control for now. He’s able to keep it clean. Next to them Alice stands and watches, a bit of confusion in her eyes. Better confusion than horror, makes it less likely that she’ll make a huge deal out of this.
Both of James’ hands are now holding Frank’s wrist to his mouth, grip tight. He knows the feeling of losing control, those last moments teetering on the edge. But he doesn’t know for sure what it looks like. Especially not on someone he hardly knows. Despite that James is putting his trust in him for some unknown reason. He doesn’t plan to break that trust now.
It’s not long before he lifts his head. Without needing to be pulled away, ripped away. James neatly wipes his mouth. There weren’t any dribbles of blood anyway. They both look back at where his fangs were previously sunk in and it’s clean. Nothing spilling out now. As if he’s a perfectly skilled vampire without control issues or blood issues.
“Are you not?” He already sounds stronger when he talks, and the way he stands.
Regulus shakes his head. “I had while you slept the other day. This was for you. Feeling okay?”
In his own voice he can hear the threads of concern and care, he doesn’t like that. James seems to notice too by the way his features soften even with the new strength. He doesn’t like that even more.
“Yeah I think so. Surprisingly. I’ll normally feel… different after drinking this way, but I feel more like myself than I have in days.”
“Good then, let’s wrap up here and go.” He nods sharply.
Since James seems to have helped both of them feel comfortable initially, he takes on talking to them again. Crafting explanations for what just happened and what to say about it. Charming them into forgetting about it essentially. At most they met two strangers and shared a moment with them. Regulus tunes it out, he doesn’t care much for the details. When he can manage it he just wipes memories, it’s much easier than this way. Takes more energy, but is cleaner.
It still doesn’t seem to take him that long even going about it the roundabout way. Perhaps he’s just that good at it or these two just don’t seem to care as much as they should. Once Alice and Frank go on their way, they turn back for the long walk back to the flat. If he was more certain of James’ strength, he would have them speed back but it’s best to not push it just yet.
Which is just as well. Not even ten minutes into their walk James pauses and falls behind. He coughs once, then twice, but keeps going. Nodding along that he’s okay. Regulus slows because he doesn’t trust him in the slightest.
For a few more minutes, the coughing ceases. It doesn’t seem to be coming back. Maybe it was just a cough. An innocent cough. Anyone could start coughing after drinking, it’s just a tickle at the back of his throat.
He keeps walking but watches James closely. He brings his hand up to cover his mouth with a fist at the next cough. This time it doesn’t stop. Fully stopping, he almost doubles over coughing. Both hands covering his mouth, but it doesn’t stop the blood from sputtering out. It comes out with each cough no matter how much he tries to stop it.
James’ eyes are wide and sad. Defeated. It mirrors how Regulus feels too, he really thought this was the fix.
In a break between coughs, Regulus pulls him off to the side. Out of view from anyone just walking by. There’s still a ways to go before they get back to the safe house, but they can’t pause while he throws up what he just drank. It can’t be that much anyhow.
“I- I thought this… would work.” He says with a blood stained mouth. Such a difference to how clean he drank.
“I did too. We’ll figure it out.” He says not believing himself in the slightest.
As his body continues to reject it, they stay there in the shadows. But it’s not enough. “Having trouble?” A voice booms behind them.
He whips his head around to find Moody standing there, stake in hand. Without a second thought Regulus scoops James into his arms and speeds away. Not to the same place, just as far as they can get right now. It’s all they can do. He’s on their trail, it might already be too late.