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Stepping from the cage, Spencer smirked at Pete, stretching his arms wide to signify his freedom.

“There, that wasn’t difficult, now, was it?”

Turning a sly glance towards Joe, Spencer wetted his lips, only to be shoved back against the bars by the still stronger Pete.

“Find your breakfast somewhere else!” he growled baring his fangs. “You even think about eating Joe, I’ll eat you myself!”
“Calm down, Wentz, I know you’re only cranky because you want a nice juicy human yourself.”

Using his other arm to push Spencer’s head back agains the bars exposing his neck, Pete moved closer, baring his fangs at the arrogant vampire.

“Where’s Andy?” he demanded angrily.
“Human vigilantes took him.”
“No way,” Pete scoffed at the idea. “Where is he?”
“I told you!” Spencer insisted. “He went out, thought the man at the door was the priest, but when he got there they jumped him.”
“Where did they take him?”
“How the hell should I know?” Spencer pushed back viciously, catching Pete off guard and forcing him backwards. “They took him, that’s all I know.”
“You don’t know who, you don’t know where. That’s not much use is it?” Pete snarled.
“It’s more than you had before,” Spencer snapped. “And it’s all you’re getting.”

Trying to free himself from Pete’s grip, Spencer gritted his teeth as Pete held firm, grinning maniacally at him.

“You think I should let you go, Spence?” He taunted. “You’ve given us nothing to warrant your freedom.”
“They took him for the bounty, for Beckett,” he growled in return.
“Not enough,” Pete snapped. “We have to find him before Beckett gets hold of him.”
“I told you, I don’t know where he is! I told you what I know, you said you’d let me go!” he yelled, feeling somewhat naive even as he spoke the words.
“Yeah, well, you said you’d give us some information and you haven’t exactly held up your end of the bargain, have you?”
“Information?” Spencer’s smile lengthened as a new thought occurred to him. “You want some information? Well, if anything will do, why not ask Joe how he’s been sleeping?”

Pete frowned; Joe had been exhausted recently, complaining of a lack of sleep. Added to that he now seemed constantly nervous, worried and increasingly distracted and depressed.

“Yeah,” Spencer nodded at Pete’s reaction. “You know what I mean, don’t you?”
“Joe?” Patrick turned a questioning eye towards his friend, knowing instantly from the expression on his face that something was very wrong, more than simple grief.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Joe mumbled, lowering his eyes and retreating into himself.
“It’s called grief, Spencer,” Pete said sharply. “Not that I expect you to remember what that is, if you even felt it when human.”
“Is that what you think it is?” Spencer laughed. “Oh, he’s got you two well under control and you’re not even aware!”
“Control?” Pete frowned. “Joe?”

An unexpected laugh burst from Spencer’s lips as Pete spoke. Shaking his head, the vampire continued to chuckle to himself.

“Beckett,” he explained simply. “He’s playing both of you and he’s doing it so well you can’t even see it. Ask him what’s keeping him awake. Well, go on, ask him!” he repeated after a short pause.

Turning to face Joe, Patrick frowned as Joe took a step back and refused to look him in the eye.

“Joe? What’s going on?” he asked with uncertainty. “I assumed it was just grief. Is there more?”
“I told you,” Joe’s voice was strained with the effort of holding in his pain. “I don’t want…”
“What’s happening?” Pete demanded, leaving Joe sighing in relief as he realised the aggressive question was aimed at Spencer and not him.
“Joe,” Patrick pleaded. “Tell us, please?”
“No,” Pete smirked, forcing Spencer’s head back once more. “Let me beat it out of him.”
“What can be affecting Joe that Beckett has control over?” Patrick voiced his confusion.

At Spencer’s smirk in response to Patrick’s question, somehow, Pete knew exactly what the problem was.

“Andrea!”

At the mention of her name, it seemed almost as if Joe retreated into himself still further and moving closer, Patrick placed his hand on Joe’s shoulder, hopeful that he would respond to the offer of comfort. Looking up, Joe stared with tired, bloodshot eyes and Patrick almost gasped with surprise at the obvious depth of his pain.

“So it is grief,” Patrick asked turning his head to look at Spencer.
“You two are unbelievable!” Spencer cried. “No wonder Beckett keeps getting one over on you.”
“What are you talking about?” Pete pressed his arm into Spencer’s neck in anger.
Pushing Pete’s arm back a little, Spencer replied: “She’s a vampire.”
“No way!” Pete laughed scornfully. “Don’t you think we’d sense her? You got to…”
“She’s blocking you! He’s taught her how, but he’s been too specific, she’s just blocking you and the geek here.”
“Hey!” Patrick cried angrily.
“I can sense her, I know she’s here and a vampire. Beckett’s trying to break you, one by one and he’s doing a damn good job of it, isn’t he?”
“A vampire?” Joe finally spoke, his voice sounded almost fragile.

Relaxing his grip a little, Pete turned his head to look at Patrick and Joe. The expression on his friend’s face tore into him and he watched briefly as Patrick pulled him into a much needed hug.

“So, I take it you mean she’s evil?” Pete’s voice softened at the question.
“Are there any other types of vampire?” Spencer taunted.
Pete gritted his teeth as he tried hard to ignore the blatant attempt to anger him. “How? She loved Joe, how can she be doing this to him?”
“Okay, so tell me,” Spencer began. “Are you always this stupid?”
“Just answer the question, Spencer, or I swear, I’ll eat you!” Pete yelled in return.
“All vampires are evil… Except you two freaks!”

Pete allowed his fangs to extend once more and pushing Spencer’s head to his right despite his struggles, Pete began to lower his head, grazing Spencer’s neck with his teeth.

“Wait!” he screamed. “They turned her, for Beckett, they made sure. Trust me, she’s evil. She’s not just doing this, she’s enjoying it.”

The slightest of sobbing sounds escaped Joe’s lips as Patrick tried hard to console him despite feeling shocked himself.

“What else do you know?” Pete pressed, subdued by Joe’s distress.
“She’s trying to get him to kill himself, I’m sure. She’s doing everything she can to make him feel guilty and depressed but in such a way that he thinks he’s imagining it, or she’s a ghost or something.”
“That’s it?” Pete asked lowering his arm.
“What?” Spencer frowned. “You’re gonna say that’s not enough for you now?”

Pete appeared to be giving the question some thought before letting go and stepping back.

“Get out!” he frowned with distaste. “And stay away.”
“You’ve invited me in now, Wentz,” Spencer cocked his head to the right. “I can come and go as I please now.”
“No, Spence, I didn’t just say stay away from here, I said stay away. If I even see you again, I’m going to kill you. Understand?”
“You won’t get the chance,” Spencer returned with an angry frown. “I’ll get my strength back soon, Wentz and I’ll do whatever the hell I like. And if… No, when I choose to kill you, there’ll be nothing you, or anyone else, can do about it. Understand?”
“I’m quaking in my shoes,” Pete replied dryly. “Get out!”

Not trusting him to simply leave, Pete followed Spencer to the door, closing and locking it after him. Returning to the room he had just left, Pete frowned to find it empty but his acute hearing picked up the heart-rendering sobs coming from what he realised was Joe’s room. Silently, he vowed to make Beckett pay for what he had done. Joe had already suffered more than enough and to now try to drive him to suicide with guilt and pain was beyond evil. Pushing open the door to Joe’s room, Pete stared with a hardened expression at Joe and Patrick, both sitting on the side of the bed.

“Beckett’s on borrowed time,” he announced coldly.

*

At the sound of crashing furniture a floor above him, Andy looked up urgently, renewing his struggles as he realised that Brendon had arrived. Far from receiving payment for his capture, it was clear from the sounds of screaming that the men who had taken him were being attacked and brutally killed. The clatter of boots on the stairs as someone half ran, half stumbled down the steps drew Andy’s attention. Expecting Jack, Andy was surprised to see Cory, the one who had in all probability orchestrated his abduction and refused to accept that Andy knew what would happen. Bursting into the room, gasping for breath and clearly terrified, he dropped at Andy’s side, pulling the gag from his mouth before setting his shaking hands on the ropes around Andy’s wrists.

“You gotta help us!” he cried. “He’s a psycho! He’s killing everyone.”
“I told you! You wouldn’t listen to me!”

Still fumbling with the knots, Cory couldn’t seem to coordinate his fingers.

“What’s the matter with me? I can’t do this!” he stammered, his voice shaking as much as his hands.
“You have to calm down,” Andy encouraged. “Take a deep breath.”

Above them the screaming stopped abruptly and the silence was broken only by the sound of footsteps making their way slowly and menacingly down the stairs.

“Oh, God!” Cory almost fell back, away from Andy, the hunter forgotten in his terror.
“Cory!” Andy shouted, trying desperately to get the man’s attention. “I can’t help you like this!”
“Andy,” Brendon smiled from the doorway.

Andy looked up, his mouth drying with nervous anticipation of what he was sure would be his impending death. The vampire, immaculately dressed in a light grey suit and silver cravat, smirked down at him.

“I had no idea they’d gift wrap you for me,” he smirked. “How very sweet.”
“Why did you kill them?” Andy asked bitterly. “They did what you wanted, didn’t they?”
“Yes, but, as you know, killing is in our very nature and you know how much I enjoy a good kill.” Brendon turned his eyes towards the visibly trembling Cory, too scared to move or even speak. “You must be Cory,” Brendon smiled broadly displaying his fangs.
“Let him go, Brendon,” Andy pleaded. “You’re here for me and you’ve got me.”
“I have, haven’t I?” Brendon smirked. “But,” he added, licking his lips and taking slow purposeful steps towards Cory, “you know what it’s like when something smells so tasty that you’ve just got to try it?”

Pushing himself backwards across the floor, Cory whimpered with fear, without even the energy to even try to run.

“Brendon! Please!” Andy begged only to be laughed at.
“They take you to hand over to me and you’re pleading for his life? How very noble.” Finally standing over the terrified man, Brendon smiled again, an unpleasant and truly terrifying smile. “Very noble, and very pointless.”

Dropping to his knees, Brendon had the man pinned beneath him, screaming as the blood spilled from the holes in his neck, each drop expertly lapped up by Brendon. Andy closed his eyes, wishing he could block out the sounds of the man’s terror and finally his lingering death as Brendon left him drained.

“Well, now,” Brendon rose and stood over Andy, straightening his cuffs and cravat. “What to do with you?”