Tainted Love

Third person's POV

"Blood?"

Moira blinked several times, unsure if she had really seen what she thought she saw. 

The red stain on Drake's collar seemed to glare at her as he hurried past. Her heart pounded heavily as she watched him disappear through the door.

"Drake, wait!" She called out after she found her voice but he was already gone.

Noticing that, she rushed to the window, watching as he got into his car. Her hands trembled as she reached for her car keys. 

"Something is wrong. He could be hurt. I need to follow him, right?" She contemplated unsurely. 

"Yes, I should. That's only right as his wife." She muttered to herself, heading for the door. 

Just as she grabbed the door handle, her phone beeped. She pulled out her cracked phone, squinting to read the message through the spider web of cracks.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

*30 minutes later*;

Drake pushed open the heavy wooden door of the lonely mansion on the outskirts of the city. The moment he stepped inside, he froze. A heavy sigh escaped his lips at the scene before him.

"Huh..."

Kingsley Frost stood in the middle of the room, blood dripping from his lips and staining his hands. At his feet lay a woman, clearly dead, her neck bearing obvious wounds.

"My love..." Kingsley said softly as he laid his eyes on Drake, his sad smile revealing bloodied teeth. His ethereal beauty remained striking even in such a state. 

His face fell and his shoulders sagged when he noticed Drake's gaze fixed on the dead woman. 

"I... I did it again." He muttered solemnly. 

"Kings..." Drake started but the sullen man didn't allow him to finish before cutting in. 

"I couldn't control it. After you left this morning... the urge for fresh blood... it became unbearable. I tried, Drake. I really tried." Kingsley said, his voice breaking. 

"I'm sorry..." He added, refusing to look Drake in the eyes. Drake shook his head gently as he stepped closer. 

"No, it's fine..." He was saying but Kingsley butt in again. 

"No, I know it's not. I know I have promised you to stay in control--- and I was doing fine at first. I kept myself busy, tried to focus on other things. But then the hunger came... it was like fire in my veins." 

"I understand that, Kings, don't beat yourself up." Drake said as he took Kingsley's blood-stained hands in his. 

"I wanted to call you but I know you had that important meeting. I didn't want to disturb you. I thought I could handle it. I really thought..." Kingsley's voice broke. 

At that, Drake pulled Kingsley into his arms. 

"Come here, it's fine, trust me. I know how hard you have been trying to control it."

"But I failed. Again." Kingsley mumbled. 

"It is not your fault, It is the curse. You know that." Drake said firmly, stroking kingsley's back. 

"The curse that has killed a lot of your kind... Making you slaves to this... this horrible hunger." 

"But I promise you, we will find them--the vampire who can lift the curse. They are definitely out there somewhere." Drake added. 

"But what if we don't? What if this is what I am now? Forever? A monster who can't control himself? Who can't show himself to the world?"

Kingsley wondered aloud, his voice trembling. 

"You are not a monster, You are fighting this with everything you have." Drake said fiercely. 

"You are trying. You held out for so long. That is why I hate leaving you alone. When you are alone, it gets harder." Drake pointed out emphatically. 

"The animal blood... it helps, but it is not enough. Not anymore, the curse is getting stronger." Kingsley revealed. 

"We will figure it out. Together!" Drake assured him. Kingsley got out of the hug and looked at Drake in the eyes lovingly. 

"I don't deserve you. Your understanding, your support... your love." He whispered. 

"You have all of it, forever. Nothing will change that." Drake promised. 

"Even with what I am? What I do?" Kingsley asked with uncertainty. 

"Even then. Always." Drake replied, determination shinning in his eyes. 

Kingsley heaved a deep sigh, his eyes filled with emotion. 

"I love you more than life itself, Drake Sinclair. You know that, right?"

"I know. And I love you too, my gorgeous vampire. These moments with you... they are the only time I'm truly happy." Drake told him with a soft smile. 

"What about your wife? I mean, won't she catch on if you are not always at home with her?" Kingsley asked hesitantly.

Drake's expression hardened. 

"You don't worry about that. I will ensure I keep everything under control. No matter what, I will always be with you whenever you need me. After all, my heart belongs to you... Here!" He said and gave the ageless vampire before him a sweet smile. 

Kingsley's expression softened as he gazed at Drake, but then his eyes caught something. 

"Drake, your collar..." He trailed off. 

"What about it?" Drake asked. 

"There is blood. It must be from our embrace this morning, after I fed on the deer. I'm so sorry." Kingsley apologized as he touched the stain gently. 

"Kings..."

"I'm tainting you. Your pure, white soul... I'm staining it with my filth, my darkness. I feel bad. Maybe we shouldn't have crossed path..." Kingsley said, his voice pained. 

"How could you say such? The best day of my life was when I met you. When I saved you from the inconsiderate vampire hunters that wanted to kill you."

He paused and grabbed Kingsley's face between his hands. 

"Listen, I don't care about stains or darkness or whatever you want to call it. I'm here, and I'm staying here. Supporting you. Always. We are in this together." He vowed. 

They stood in silence for a moment before Drake's eyes drifted to the body on the floor. 

"I will take care of it. Like always. We need to move quickly before—"

A loud knock echoed through the house, making both men freeze.

Kingsley's eyes widened. 

"Nobody should be here. Nobody knows about this place except the two of us!"

"Who is it then?" Drake whispered, his grip on Kingsley tightening protectively.