FicWad

That is how it all happened. One night, one mistake was all it took as the course of our lives was violently altered in a matter of minutes. From the second those fangs pierced Pete's skin, injecting this curse to surge throughout his body; he has had his mind set on one thing...revenge. And we've been with him every step of the way, standing right beside him, despite it all. Every night searching, hunting, ...killing. Pete argues with me constantly, trying to justify that we are doing this to protect people, that we're the "good guys". That for every vampire we destroy, we save the lives of countless innocent civilians. Protecting those who still live out their daily lives without the knowledge of the terror that rules the streets after the sun goes down. Normal people living in a world where the hardest decision of the day is paper or plastic, instead of life or death. Realizing that in order to bring peace, we must first unleash destruction.

But that doesn't change what we are. Pete calls us hunters, but every hunt ends with the kill. Sure, the only shred of humanity they maintain is their bodies as the bloodthirsty instinct takes hold ...but that doesn't make the job any easier. I can't help but think how these monsters were once simple people before a cruel twist of fate transformed them into the horrific figures they now are. That they once had lives, had futures, had ...family.

I jump at the sound of the creaking bottom stair, ripping me out of my thoughts. Funny how I face relentless killers on a nightly basis, and yet it's a weak floorboard that gets my heart racing. My eyes settle on a large metal cabinet in the center of the dim basement, our makeshift coffin. With a heavy heart I slowly approach, clutching a wooden stake between my trembling fingers. The truth is the real reason I hesitate to kill...in the back of my mind I know that Pete, my Pete, is teetering on the edge. That at any moment he could turn, he could forget who he is and become just another monster. That at any time I would have to make the ultimate decision...whether to kill or be killed by my best friend.

Standing in front of the door I heave a heavy sigh, leaning my head against the cool steel to try to calm my thoughts. I can't help but let a few tears fall, fearing that this could be the night when Pete is no longer Pete. It's a miracle he's maintained control for this long, fueled only by pure hatred for his kind and every mythical remedy we could get our hands on.

Brushing the tears away, I try and compose myself before opening the door. With a trembling hand I reach for the handle, as my other hand is poised with the stake, prepared for the worst. I let fly the door to see Pete's sleeping figure dangling upside down. His eyes shoot open to take in my presence. After a pause he flashes me that trademark smirk.

"Hey Patrick" he yawns as he gracefully flips to a standing position, rifling his hand through his hair.

Relieved I conceal the stake behind my back and try my best to smile. "Morning. Andy's got breakfast all ready for us" I say casually as I turn back to the stairs.

"Excellent, I'll be up in a minute," Pete says in a monotone voice.

I can tell that he isn't looking forward to today at all, but then again...none of us are.