Hello everyone! Hope that your holidays were peaceful and fun!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and in no way reflects the beliefs of the BSB. Anyone under 18 is advised not to continue reading since this story contains contents of an adult nature.
The big question was: how do we get back to Florida without a plane? I dug holes into Kevin with my eyes as I waited for him to figure out this impossible mission!
Kevin looked as lost as a puppy. Howie and AJ were still reeling from the fact that we were all fleeing from both the vampires and the Almans. If anything, we'll probably never come out of this alive because the moment we're out of this forest, we'll be trampled on by . . . well . . . by everyone.
I gently and gracefully sat next to Nick. Last night, I did finally manage to resolve my . . . ummm . . . problem, but boy did I feel awkward and embarrassed in front of that boy. Every once in a while, I would sneak a glance at his eyes, which were now a dull blue again. I still wonder what it means. I mean, his eyes are so appealing.
"We could sneak on a ship and head back to the U.S. by sea!" Howie managed to say proudly.
"I can't swim!" AJ said under gritted teeth.
"Who said you needed to! All you need is to slap a float on your body. As long as you float, you can flap your flimsy arms as much as you want to in order to move in the desired direction!" Howie countered harshly.
AJ merely snorted.
Kevin deftly ignored their comments and looked at Nick. "Do we really need to go back to Florida at this moment, Nick? Maybe we can just hide somewhere in Europe or Asia for a while before trying to get back on a plane back home."
Nick looked away. "I . . . don't mind."
Kevin became persistent. "I mean, where are the Almans? If you tell us, we can try to avoid that area."
Nick shivered. "That's the problem. I don't know."
AJ looked at Nick exasperated. "You don't know where your own people live?"
The screech in AJ's voice was enough to make my hair stand on end. "Geez, AJ. Can your voice be any less irritating?" I countered.
Nick defensively hugged his knees. "We should just keep going West."
Kevin looked doubtfully at Nick before realizing that he wasn't going to get anymore out of Nick that day.
So we left the cave briskly, hiking our way out of the forest towards the direction of the sun, hoping that our decision to flee was well-grounded. Howie and AJ kept together. Kevin was in the back making sure that Nick and I didn't lag behind. And then Nick and I were in the middle. We dodged through trees and brooks, and I had to say that the sights were breathtaking. The streams were full of nice clear blue lakes and the trees were greener and more beautiful than I had imagined them to be. The sun was hanging in the sky, shedding light onto us. It's so surprising that the human race believe that we burn in the sun. We don't. It was a preference thing. We preferred to do things at night because no one would be able to see.
Nick seemed the most fragile of all of us so we had to take multiple breaks for him to rest. AJ and Howie seemed the most antsy because they kept on scanning the area as if some demon were to pounce on us the moment we stopped. I, on the other hand, only cared about keeping Nick comfortable. I retrieved so many berries and water for him that Kevin wanted to puke. We finally settled in an area with a nice stream.
"Well thank you for offering a seat, Brian!" AJ said sarcastically as I eased Nick onto the only rock that was available.
"Nonsense!" Kevin looked severely at AJ, quieting him with an evil glare.
Howie tried not to laugh at their childish argument.
I, on the other hand, completely and utterly ignored them all. "You don't have to do this, Brian," Nick answered, smiling at me with the most charming expression I had ever seen. My heart skipped a few beats.
"Uhhhh?" I uttered embarrassingly, forcing AJ to laugh.
Nick only smiled amusedly at my unintelligible remark while Kevin tried to hide his embarrassment for me. I glared at the others. How dare they conspire against me like this! Just as I was about to do some serious damage to AJ's sunglasses, I suddenly noticed Nick's eyes turning a midnight blue. It was scary, yet mysterious. His iris just clouded and changed color and his expression became so much more alert, wary. He shoved me aside, making me cuss madly. I mean, I didn't cuss at him . . . or maybe I did. I couldn't remember.
But before I could react . . . I saw it! It was a creature that looked deathly pale. It's skin was lavender, it's face almost scary. It had red claws and an alien-like body. It attacked Nick without hesitation, it's claws digging into Nick's chest furiously. Nick successfully kicked it away, but not before it had gashed Nick's arm, causing his blood to ooze from his body. Nick stifled a cry of pain. Before long, Howie and I had managed to use our powers of distraction to create an invisible barrier between the creature and Nick.
To my horror, the creature jumped through the barrier without a problem and continued to attack Nick. Kevin quickly jumped onto its back and used his fingernails as a scalpel to dissect the thing apart. And it worked. However, the creature was only focused on one thing-Nick! It was bleeding half of its volume, but still, it was more interested it maiming him.
AJ jumped onto the creature's back, only eliciting a small yelp from it before it threw him aside. I was quick to be by Nick's side once again before I could see for myself the intensity of the creature's eyes. There was no hatred in it . . . just regret? By now, it had stopped attacking. It only gazed into Nick's eyes steadily and started to circle Nick.
"You've ruined us!" it barked at Nick maliciously. "Remember how you had promised to make us proud, but instead, you've allowed your body to be humiliated. From the moment you were born, your body was not yours! And you have handled it too carelessly, too recklessly. I shouldn't have convinced them on your behalf. I shouldn't have helped give you the chance to run away. And for that mistake, I shall repay my debt to them. I shall offer them your purged body!"
I didn't know what he meant by purged, but I don't think I wanted to find out. At this inopportune moment, I felt the small pieces of Nick's mind hurl into confusion. He was deeply affected by this brute's words. But why? Perhaps it was from fear that my mind began to panic. I felt hot from within, and it was an inner source of energy that broke loose from my soul with deathly anger. Suddenly, I felt it. I could kill this creature with just one glance. I aimed at his heart.
And I was ready . . . when I suddenly felt a cool, soothing feeling making it's way from my skin to my soul. That was when I felt Nick's essence melting away my anger, my uncontrolled powers. He had touched me, both physically and emotionally, dissipating the burst of energy that threatened to escape my body.
"Please don't, Brian," he beckoned, his voice so alluring, so irresistible. I felt the fury fade and sat beside him in complete shock at what had just happened.
Nick looked to the creature with an expression of . . . compassion? Then, in his fearless voice, he answered to the creature's cruel words. "I never meant for it to happen this way. I'm sorry."
The creature shed a single tear. "I'm sorry too, but I promised your parents that I'd bring back your body once I had it properly cleansed and purged."
At that moment, I realized that death would have been a far better option for Nick. But even that I wasn't willing to have happen, so that burst of energy that Nick had so cleverly suppressed resurfaced and this time, before NIck could even stop me, I lashed out at the creature, killing it with one fatal blow that left its own body disintegrated.
Kevin, AJ, and Howie stared at me in complete awe. Nick, however, only looked away, as if he witnessed the death of his closest friend. Without saying anything, he slowly leaned into me. He didn't cry. He merely placed his head against my chest for comfort. That was when I realized that the emotional pain that he was feeling was deeper than any that I had ever known. He was hiding a big secret from us. Perhaps he is not so innocent after all. Perhaps he knew some things that we were blind to.
"Perhaps you're thinking too hard," Nick said quietly, making me gasp in shock.
After that one eventful day, the rest of our trek seemed peaceful enough. No one asked Nick any questions. Frankly, we were all curious, but I think that we loved Nick too much to pressure him. All in all, I'd say we had complete trust in him.
After about five days of nonstop fleeing, we had taken a break near a beautiful brook once again. Kevin had thought that we had gained good ground and decided that we should stop early that day, just to really rest. Also, he could sense that Nick was getting a little fatigued. And why wouldn't he? AJ had kept on declaring that he was hungry, and who else to feed on but Nick? I was so angry because he kept on using that excuse to dig his fangs into Nick's neck!
But today, AJ behaved himself well.
We all sat down gratefully and started drinking some of the water from the stream. All . . . except Nick.
"What's wrong? Aren't you thirsty?" I asked Nick, smiling as he frowned at the water.
He shook his head like a little boy. "I don't trust that water. What if . . . someone urinated in it?"
"Ughhhh!!!!" AJ cried out. "Thanks for the visual!"
Nick smiled innocently. "Anytime." He then sat down next to me. I think that he was getting more comfortable with me again after that . . . uh . . . 'incident' in the cave. He was becoming the old Nick that we knew and loved back when we used to be the Backstreet Boys.
I gulped the water down greedily, trying to push the image of urine out of my mind. Nick looked at me and lifted his arm to my head and started dabbing the sweat off my face. He smiled peacefully at me. He looked soooo innocent and sweet. I hope he always stays that way.
"From my calculations, we should be in the city of Rencid in one day," Kevin called out from behind us as he stood towering over us.
"What's so special about that place?" I asked, still mesmerized by Nick's face.
Nick laughed. "I think it is a human town. Very quaint and old-fashioned. Not too hospitable though."
Howie and AJ immediately looked at Nick. "How would you know?"
Nick gazed back at them amusedly. "I've been here before."
"All right . . . all right. So how old are you?" AJ had to ask.
I became more alert as I, too, waited for the answer.
Nick smiled sheepishly. "Twenty. I'm a lot younger than you, AJ."
AJ looked disappointed. "No way. I don't believe you."
Nick turned to me. "It's true. I was born somewhere near Sangria about twenty years ago. I had roamed these forests when I was young. I just . . . remember certain things about these paths. They feel familiar in a way. Then, when I was thirteen, I flew to the U.S."
This was the first time Nick had ever confessed anything about his past to us. I was shocked for a moment by his frankness.
"So you do age like a regular human?" Kevin asked in disbelief. "You mean, you will get old?" He almost seemed disappointed.
Nick paused, his eyes glimmering under the sunlight. "I'm not immortal," he whispered calmly.
"That's ridiculous!" AJ barked at Nick. "You have our blood now. You're immortal."
"And if not, we'll make you immortal," I whispered into Nick's ear. I pressed my body against Nick's, as if gripping onto my favorite teddy bear. He turned, and for one fleeting second, I felt ecstatic.
"Cut out the drooling, Brian," Kevin warned me. I don't know what problem he has, but he nearly killed my mood.
"What did that creature mean when he said that he would purge your body?" Howie suddenly asked.
Nick's face looked ever so solemn as he pondered for a while. His eyes darkened even more. "It's a ritual that the royal family endures, especially when an Alman loses his chastity. They bathe you in the 'Sizzling Lake of Rork' until your skin turns bloody red to clean off the sweat. The force you to drink the venoms of snakes to wash out your insides of the men's seed. They force the lower half of your body into the Ice Chambers to destroy your own seed and make you infertile so that you will not produce children that will follow your footsteps. Not many men survive."
I felt goosebumps grow over my entire body, and I felt almost happy that I had killed that creature. "But why, Nick? Why would they do that to their own son? Why hurt you when you've already been hurt?"
Nick shuddered. "I'm not their only son. They have others."
"You didn't answer the question," I pressed gently.
Nick closed his eyes all of a sudden, and I felt a cold breeze whiz past me to blow into Nick's face. He felt very distant and cold as he turned to look at me. "Because I'm not a pure breed. My mother was the Alman princess, but my father . . . he is the son of the Vampire Queen."
Howie dropped the twig he was holding in shock. Kevin and AJ kept on gaping. I myself could not find the right words to express myself coherently.
"Does . . . does your father know any of this?" I uttered softly.
Nick shook his head. "It was supposed to be a secret. In order to protect my mother from the anger of the Alman people, they kept this secret. I didn't even know about it until I was older. I found that there were certain things about me that was strange for an Alman. My eyes would ever so often turn lavender. I can read people's thoughts. Although I don't have the powers of a vampire, I could smell people from far away. But then, there were elements of me that was still Alman. I could move swiftly and lightly. I could steal people's souls effortlessly . . .
And when the man that married my mother, the Alman Prince, realized how different I was becoming, he locked me up in the Forbidden Towers. The Almans worshipped me without knowing who I really was. They thought that the Alman Prince simply loved me so much that he didn't want me to toil with daily life.
But the more powerful Almans found out about me. They would come to the Forbidden Towers at night and torture me, hating what I represented. They treated me like a caged animal, coming and going as they pleased. But they kept me there so that in the future, they could use me to hurt your vampire race, knowing that I was a product of the Son's lust.
That was where Vincent found me. He didn't know my history, but he found me unconscious in the Forbidden Towers . . . and he rescued me. But he wanted too much from me. I couldn't offer him much more than my gratitude. He wanted intimacy. So I abandoned him and ran to America, hoping to stay away from the conflicts between the Vampires and the Almans.
I guess I wasn't so successful. Vincent finally found me, as did the whole royal vampire family. They think they humiliated the Almans, but in fact, the Almans could care less about what happened to me. If anything, they are probably overjoyed that I had been soiled by them."
Nick quieted for a moment.
I felt the tears escaping my eyes. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell the Queen or any of her Sons? What if any of the Sons touched you in any way that was . . . "
"Brian!" Kevin warned me to stop that dirty line of thought.
Thank goodness Nick was too focused on his pain to follow my last sentence. It was a sick idea, but then again, you never know. With Nick's looks, I wouldn't be surprised if any of them . . . there I go again.
"It's too late," Nick answered my suspicions, frightening me out of my trance. "Plus, no one will believe me. They will think that I was trying to beg for mercy."
Howie came up to Nick and held his hand. "We believe you." Then Howie looked at me and winked. "And I'm sure Brian would not doubt anything that you said."
Kevin and AJ remained silent, perhaps still trying to digest the story.
Nick nodded, but he looked tired to me. "I don't think I have anything else to tell you." We all nodded at him and the others decided to go sleep. I followed Nick to the stream behind the trees. By now, the moon had settled up high in the sky.
I walked up to him and stealthily closed in on him, letting my arm brush against his. To my surprise, his fingers wrapped around mine. "You're not disgusted with me?" Nick asked softly.
I turned around and placed my head on his chest. I closed my eyes and savored the emotions and sensations that seemed to heighten my senses. I instinctively bent my arms and placed them on his chest as well. He held me tight in a warm embrace and kissed me on the head. "I like you the way you are."
"Really?" Nick whispered sadly.
I sensed his uncertainty and I pulled back just to look into his eyes. They were melancholic and wet. "Perhaps you're the only one," Nick said.
"Howie, Aj and Kevin, too," I replied, but Nick remained silent.
"Brian," Nick whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I haven't been entirely truthful with you," Nick whispered. "I'm sorry."
I smiled at him. "You don't have to tell me anything. I willingly will follow you."
Nick simply beamed at that statement. I could see the light reflecting from his beautiful eyes. "I only trust you." With that, his eyes lowered until they rested on my lips. Then it happened so fast I almost didn't feel it coming. The kiss . . . I mean. I felt the blood race up to my head, making it heavy with ecstasy. I felt my hands weakening as they dropped to his waist, pulling him in closer. Then, I let my legs weaken so that my weight would pull him down, and it worked. He slowly bent his knees until we were finally both laying on the ground, side by side.
I could hear the stream running beside us. I heard the winds rustling the leaves. I could hear AJ's snoring from here. But I felt Nick's warm body beside me. His breathing was now fast and shallow. He smiled at me as a few drops of sweat glistened from his skin. That was when I felt him for the first time. He was actually being excited by me?!!! I mean, I saw it with the rest of the vampire community. I memorized every feature of it. But to feel it against my body, to experience it for myself . . . it was incredible.
I pushed myself hard towards him, by now straddling him from the top. He used his arms to pull my hips harder into his. I felt the lust build up within me as I grazed him back and forth, the sound of fabric against fabric increasing my desire.
I didn't realize that at that moment, AJ, Kevin and Howie were watching our little show of lust with keen eyes, curious as to what would happen. All I knew was that Nick was under me and that I needed to make his body bare if I could help it.
Between his gasps, Nick said, "Brian, they're watching us!" I immediately slowed down, but did not get off of him. I turned to look at Kevin, AJ and Howie, whose eyes locked with ours. Howie winked at me, but Kevin and AJ simply stared. Strangely, I couldn't read their thoughts. They all finally turned the other way and went back to sleep.
I still felt Nick's hardness under me, though, but I didn't want to finish this act anymore. It had been soiled by AJ's, Howie's and Kevin's stares. I felt dirty somehow. I slowly pulled my throbbing organ off of Nick and settled beside him. He sat up slowly and sadly, looking at me expectantly. Then he leaned forward to kiss me. He was aching for relief! I placed my palm on his belly and slowly slid it down until it rested between his legs. Then, in a quiet voice, I told him, "I don't want tonight to be just for this." I squeezed him gently and let it go.
Then I walked off, trying to recover from what had just happened. For me, it was harder and harder to distinguish between love and lust. I wonder if he knew the difference. I knew that I had initiated all that, but then again, what we were doing just now was too fast . . . too soon. I wanted to savor that kiss he gave me. But then, everything blew out of proportion. What was I doing? What was I thinking? I finally made a big lap around the stream and returned. By then, Nick had fallen asleep next to the stream, his face troubled. I stopped about five feet from where he was and laid down. I finally fell asleep feeling worse than scum, troubled by my conflicts between love and lust. Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother distinguishing the two.
In retrospect, I should have followed my instincts that night. There were only so many more chances that I had to conquer Nick, that night being one of them. And as I let the opportunities slip through me one by one, I started to realize that Nick was slowly drifting away from us. But then again, I was so blind. It wasn't until it was too late that my vision cleared.
Hope you guys enjoyed this installment.
ngclle@yahoo.com