Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > A Little Less 16 Candles... continued...
William Beckett found many ways to emphasise his leadership status. On hunts, he always walked in front, and not a drop of blood would be spilt until he gave the signal. He liked to be called Master, even when he wasn’t present. But some things were subtle reminders of his status – like the fact that only he had his own office. No matter how high-ranking a member of his coven, Beckett kept the luxuries for himself and himself alone. There were many communal rooms in the mansion; dozens of rooms that, for the most part, lay idle and empty. Each vampire, even Brendon, was expected to find his own solitude and hope that it was respected. If it was, it was by chance. With the sheer quantity of rooms, it was possible to find privacy and remained undiscovered, but, somehow, it was rare.
Brendon sat alone in what would once have been a drawing room. He wasn’t old enough to remember such things in day-to-day use, but Beckett was. Beckett’s family had been rich, remarkably so, even for their day. This had been their home. William had been a boy in this house and grown into a handsome, intelligent and astute young man. Then came that one fateful night when everything was turned inside out and his world changed forever.
Brendon was fairly certain that Beckett had never told anyone else the tale of how he had been turned. But, the memory of it left Brendon in no doubt why all of Beckett’s coven were handpicked. Chosen for their handsome, classic features and timeless good looks; it was as if he were reliving it over and over again. Now as he sat alone in the drawing room, Brendon found himself unable to stop himself remembering Beckett’s words.
The first I knew of it was a crash as a water jug was thrown with such violence across what I realised immediately was my parent’s room, smashing against the wall into a thousand tiny pieces. I was awake in an instant, and out of bed before it even registered that there could be danger. The curtains in my room were open, but it was a new moon and so dark, I could barely see a hand in front of my face.
I could hear screaming and crying, the household was awake but as I made my way into the darkened corridor, I was surprised to find myself alone. There was an uneasy stillness to the air and I knew something was very wrong.
Suddenly, I could hear nothing, no more crying or screaming and it frightened me. I’d never felt such an unnatural stillness. As my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, I saw… and I remember the horror of seeing, one of our maids lying lifeless at the top of the stairs.
One by one, I found the bodies; their neck’s torn and mutilated. It was all I could do not to be violently sick; they were my family and all our servants – everyone! I was alone in the house, or that’s how it seemed. I’d searched everywhere and all I’d found were bodies. I found the last of them, my father’s manservant downstairs near the main door. I imagine he was the first to die. There was a discarded doctor’s bag next to his body. I guessed that whoever had killed my family had pretended to be a doctor on call to someone in the household.
All I could think of was that, whoever it was, he had killed everyone I had ever loved and then left without a trace. Luck or cruel fate would leave me alive to face the world alone. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I sank to my knees, my eyes filling with salt water as the full realisation of what had happened finally hit me.
“Don’t cry.”
Still on my knees, I turned and looked up, raising my hands defensively, but my tear-filled eyes barely allowed me to see.
“You’re too beautiful to cry.”
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I scrambled to my feet and took several steps back.
“Who are you?”
In my terror, it was all I could manage. He merely stared at me, lovingly, as if I was his son and he was proud.
“I’ve been watching you. You are perfect. You will join me.”
“You… you killed my family!”
“It was necessary. Soon you won’t even think about them.”
“Who are you!”
It was the last thing I remember. He exerted some sort of control over me that I wasn’t able to understand or master for a long time.
The next thing I was aware of, was waking in another large house, but run down and dark. I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious but when I woke, I saw the sun peeking over the horizon. At first I thought it was dawn, but the time was the least of my worries. I found myself on a luxurious four-poster bed, lying on satin and silk sheets and quilts with a sheer material hanging from the frame. They seemed more decorative than functional, but it all added to the overwhelming sense of decadence. Unfortunately for me, that wasn’t the extent of my disorientation. As I tried to sit up, I found myself almost jerked back down again as I realised that my wrists were chained to the bed frame. Whoever this man was, whatever he wanted from me, he was determined to get it.
Only then did I realise that the sun wasn’t rising, it was setting. I had lain unconscious for almost twenty-four hours. Within minutes, it was dark and he was there again. Now I know it was simple vampire speed that created the illusion of a sudden entrance, but I was scared. I didn’t know who, or what, he was, but as he drew closer and displayed his fangs to me, I realised the impossibility of what I was seeing. I didn’t want to believe it, didn’t see how it could be true, but as he leaned in, he whispered to me.
“You are beautiful. You will remain forever beautiful. You will join us my pretty one, you will be free of fear and guilt forever. You are above it all now. You live, if I let you, only by abiding to my rules.”
Leaning in closer, his fangs pierced my skin and I found myself sinking backwards, unable to even stay awake, let alone fight him. And within moments I was as I still am, a vampire.
His coven was special, beautiful, a class above the rest. But they were hunted. While most slept, the building was burnt down at dawn. Anyone not consumed in the fire was killed by sunlight. A handful of us escaped to the sewers to hide. I came back here, reclaiming my inheritance and started my own coven. Each member, perfect, specially selected, beautiful, like you.
The pain of that night is lost on me now. Not through time, but simply the effects of vampirism, removing remorse, guilt and sorrow. But I’m glad for it, because I’m free. Free to enjoy any whim that catches my interest.
*
“Oh!” Spencer remarked with surprise to see anyone still awake so close to dawn. Pulling Brendon from his reverie, he continued: “What are you doing here?”
“What do you think I’m doing?” Brendon snapped irritably.
“Well,” Spencer smirked as Brendon continued to stare at the hunting and fighting equipment seized at the time of Andy and Patrick’s capture. “It looks like you’re staring at a sword.”
Brendon frowned, realising with annoyance that that was exactly what it looked like.
“I’m thinking,” he finally clarified.
“Yeah,” Spencer nodded, smiling maliciously. “If I were in your shoes, I’d be worried too.”
It was enough to command Brendon’s attention and his head snapped up at the words.
“I didn’t say I was worried, I said I was thinking!”
Spencer shrugged with feigned innocence as he started to walk away.
“Well, “ he sighed, “maybe you know more than I do?”
“What?” Brendon eyed him suspiciously. “What do you know?”
“Only what I hear,” he replied casually as he made for the door.
It was enough to tease Brendon’s insecurities and in moments Brendon held him by the throat, pinned up against the wall.
“What do you know?” he yelled at the still smirking Spencer.
“Master William plans to break Wentz, get him under his control once and for all.”
Pulling his hand away and releasing the lower ranking vampire, Brendon gave a contemptuous laugh.
“Tell me something I don’t know!” he snapped with another derisory laugh.
“Well, I’m guessing you don’t know that he’s your replacement?”
Brendon’s smirk fell in an instant. Could it be true? William had behaved strangely towards him lately. Beckett had arranged for Pete to kill Patrick and he suspected that Andy would either be killed or be forced to work as a slave, perhaps even to Pete, to break them both. Could it be true? Would Beckett even admit it if it were?
“Where did you hear that?” Brendon’s voice shook slightly with uncertainty.
“Scared, Brendon?” Spencer mocked him, deliberately refusing to answer. “You should be!”
In a rage, Brendon stormed from the room, shoving the vampire aside, his mocking laughter ringing loudly in his ears. Brendon had no clue what to do with this information, but it had touched on his deepest fear; he couldn’t just ignore it.
Brendon sat alone in what would once have been a drawing room. He wasn’t old enough to remember such things in day-to-day use, but Beckett was. Beckett’s family had been rich, remarkably so, even for their day. This had been their home. William had been a boy in this house and grown into a handsome, intelligent and astute young man. Then came that one fateful night when everything was turned inside out and his world changed forever.
Brendon was fairly certain that Beckett had never told anyone else the tale of how he had been turned. But, the memory of it left Brendon in no doubt why all of Beckett’s coven were handpicked. Chosen for their handsome, classic features and timeless good looks; it was as if he were reliving it over and over again. Now as he sat alone in the drawing room, Brendon found himself unable to stop himself remembering Beckett’s words.
The first I knew of it was a crash as a water jug was thrown with such violence across what I realised immediately was my parent’s room, smashing against the wall into a thousand tiny pieces. I was awake in an instant, and out of bed before it even registered that there could be danger. The curtains in my room were open, but it was a new moon and so dark, I could barely see a hand in front of my face.
I could hear screaming and crying, the household was awake but as I made my way into the darkened corridor, I was surprised to find myself alone. There was an uneasy stillness to the air and I knew something was very wrong.
Suddenly, I could hear nothing, no more crying or screaming and it frightened me. I’d never felt such an unnatural stillness. As my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, I saw… and I remember the horror of seeing, one of our maids lying lifeless at the top of the stairs.
One by one, I found the bodies; their neck’s torn and mutilated. It was all I could do not to be violently sick; they were my family and all our servants – everyone! I was alone in the house, or that’s how it seemed. I’d searched everywhere and all I’d found were bodies. I found the last of them, my father’s manservant downstairs near the main door. I imagine he was the first to die. There was a discarded doctor’s bag next to his body. I guessed that whoever had killed my family had pretended to be a doctor on call to someone in the household.
All I could think of was that, whoever it was, he had killed everyone I had ever loved and then left without a trace. Luck or cruel fate would leave me alive to face the world alone. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I sank to my knees, my eyes filling with salt water as the full realisation of what had happened finally hit me.
“Don’t cry.”
Still on my knees, I turned and looked up, raising my hands defensively, but my tear-filled eyes barely allowed me to see.
“You’re too beautiful to cry.”
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I scrambled to my feet and took several steps back.
“Who are you?”
In my terror, it was all I could manage. He merely stared at me, lovingly, as if I was his son and he was proud.
“I’ve been watching you. You are perfect. You will join me.”
“You… you killed my family!”
“It was necessary. Soon you won’t even think about them.”
“Who are you!”
It was the last thing I remember. He exerted some sort of control over me that I wasn’t able to understand or master for a long time.
The next thing I was aware of, was waking in another large house, but run down and dark. I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious but when I woke, I saw the sun peeking over the horizon. At first I thought it was dawn, but the time was the least of my worries. I found myself on a luxurious four-poster bed, lying on satin and silk sheets and quilts with a sheer material hanging from the frame. They seemed more decorative than functional, but it all added to the overwhelming sense of decadence. Unfortunately for me, that wasn’t the extent of my disorientation. As I tried to sit up, I found myself almost jerked back down again as I realised that my wrists were chained to the bed frame. Whoever this man was, whatever he wanted from me, he was determined to get it.
Only then did I realise that the sun wasn’t rising, it was setting. I had lain unconscious for almost twenty-four hours. Within minutes, it was dark and he was there again. Now I know it was simple vampire speed that created the illusion of a sudden entrance, but I was scared. I didn’t know who, or what, he was, but as he drew closer and displayed his fangs to me, I realised the impossibility of what I was seeing. I didn’t want to believe it, didn’t see how it could be true, but as he leaned in, he whispered to me.
“You are beautiful. You will remain forever beautiful. You will join us my pretty one, you will be free of fear and guilt forever. You are above it all now. You live, if I let you, only by abiding to my rules.”
Leaning in closer, his fangs pierced my skin and I found myself sinking backwards, unable to even stay awake, let alone fight him. And within moments I was as I still am, a vampire.
His coven was special, beautiful, a class above the rest. But they were hunted. While most slept, the building was burnt down at dawn. Anyone not consumed in the fire was killed by sunlight. A handful of us escaped to the sewers to hide. I came back here, reclaiming my inheritance and started my own coven. Each member, perfect, specially selected, beautiful, like you.
The pain of that night is lost on me now. Not through time, but simply the effects of vampirism, removing remorse, guilt and sorrow. But I’m glad for it, because I’m free. Free to enjoy any whim that catches my interest.
*
“Oh!” Spencer remarked with surprise to see anyone still awake so close to dawn. Pulling Brendon from his reverie, he continued: “What are you doing here?”
“What do you think I’m doing?” Brendon snapped irritably.
“Well,” Spencer smirked as Brendon continued to stare at the hunting and fighting equipment seized at the time of Andy and Patrick’s capture. “It looks like you’re staring at a sword.”
Brendon frowned, realising with annoyance that that was exactly what it looked like.
“I’m thinking,” he finally clarified.
“Yeah,” Spencer nodded, smiling maliciously. “If I were in your shoes, I’d be worried too.”
It was enough to command Brendon’s attention and his head snapped up at the words.
“I didn’t say I was worried, I said I was thinking!”
Spencer shrugged with feigned innocence as he started to walk away.
“Well, “ he sighed, “maybe you know more than I do?”
“What?” Brendon eyed him suspiciously. “What do you know?”
“Only what I hear,” he replied casually as he made for the door.
It was enough to tease Brendon’s insecurities and in moments Brendon held him by the throat, pinned up against the wall.
“What do you know?” he yelled at the still smirking Spencer.
“Master William plans to break Wentz, get him under his control once and for all.”
Pulling his hand away and releasing the lower ranking vampire, Brendon gave a contemptuous laugh.
“Tell me something I don’t know!” he snapped with another derisory laugh.
“Well, I’m guessing you don’t know that he’s your replacement?”
Brendon’s smirk fell in an instant. Could it be true? William had behaved strangely towards him lately. Beckett had arranged for Pete to kill Patrick and he suspected that Andy would either be killed or be forced to work as a slave, perhaps even to Pete, to break them both. Could it be true? Would Beckett even admit it if it were?
“Where did you hear that?” Brendon’s voice shook slightly with uncertainty.
“Scared, Brendon?” Spencer mocked him, deliberately refusing to answer. “You should be!”
In a rage, Brendon stormed from the room, shoving the vampire aside, his mocking laughter ringing loudly in his ears. Brendon had no clue what to do with this information, but it had touched on his deepest fear; he couldn’t just ignore it.
Sign up to rate and review this story