Page 4 of Vampires, Magic, and Monsters

Neal woke slowly, very gradually, coming to the surface of wakefulness. He did not move anything but his eyes for the first few seconds. The memory of what had happened came back to him like a gentle flowing wave of awareness. As it washed over him, his body tightened, and panic began to build.

He looked to his left and saw the man from the drycleaner and his apartment sitting there his eyes were closed and he was holding Neal’s hand. He didn’t know what to make of it all, so he remained still and simply observed. He hadn’t hurt him but he’d taken him from his apartment and now he didn’t know where he was.

The room was dark, and the clock on the bedside table read 5:35. It wasn't long before the man, Alistar, opened his eyes and stared back at him. His dark gaze was so intense that, again, Neal could not look away. The hand that was holding his tightened just slightly as if he thought Neal might try to pull away and that he didn't want to lose contact.

He liked the touch and found a strange comfort in the embrace, but things weren’t as they seemed even and they seemed pretty messed up. There was so much beneath the surface that was starting to come clear to him. He was seeing and understanding things that in reality, his reality, shouldn’t make sense. He saw vampires, magic and monsters.

In a sudden rush of confusion, he jerked his hand free and leaped from the bed. His heart was beating frantically as his eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape.

Alistar did not move but his eyes followed Neal’s every move. He straightened in his chair, but he did not stand or approach him. He didn’t have to since the door was behind him there was no way Neal was getting out of that room unless he dove out the window.

“Where are we?” Neal saw flashes of things images, sounds and scents they flooded his mind and his emotions. He saw Alistar and the rogues and others and it was blowing his mind.

“Honeymoon suite of the Monarch Hotel.” He answered flatly but he was laser focused on Neal his every move his every breath. “You’re becoming aware of the things around you.” He said as if reading Neal’s mind.

“It’s confusing at first, but your understanding will continue to broaden. Your mind is opening, and the truth of your surroundings is becoming clear to you.” He stood up very slowly and took two slow steps that put him at the end of the bed. It would be easy for him to grab Neal if he wanted to, but he stayed several feet away.

"What is going on here? What's happening between you and me? I feel weird. I feel like I know you." Neal had the strong belief that he knew Alistar that they had met or something he seemed so familiar all of a sudden but he was also certain that he knew no one named Alistar. He took another sensual step, and Neal found himself mesmerized by his movements and his body.

Everything about Alistar started to be important. His hair so black and perfectly swept back from his face, his eyes dark yet seemed to glow with warmth and affection. His hands though, they were Neal’s primary focus since their touch had ignited something inside of him.

Neal was captivated by them, and if he were honest with himself, he was captivated by the entire man. Alistar had something going on, and it was fucking with Neal's thoughts and feelings. His emotions were all stirred up.

"The men at the dry cleaner, you said they weren't men," Neal repeated the statement from earlier, but now he had a better idea of what they were. "The rogues, they were vampires."

“Yes.” Alistar’s eyes continued to track him.

"You're a vampire as well, but you aren't crazy like the guys at the dry cleaner." Neal picked his words carefully as he made his way through the explanation.

"I'm a vampire, but I am not a rogue." Alistar took another tentative step toward him. "Do you know what a rogue is?" Neal shook his head.

"A rogue is a vampire who gives up societal norms and controls and leans into their blood lust. This lust soon leads to death, and once they have killed, then all control is lost. They are shackled to their need for blood, and nothing will stop them. They go on to continue killing until they are stopped. It's a mental deterioration that has no treatment or cure." Alistar's voice was saying such horrible things, yet the sound continued to soothe Neal's nerves. It was a crazy dichotomy.

“The person I spoke to on the phone who told me to come and pick up the dress, was he a rogue?” Things were falling into place, and it was terrifying.

"Yes, there were four of them, and they were waiting for you," Alistar said, and Neal felt a chill run up his spine.

"I'm getting it; things are making sense." He dragged his fingers through his hair, which was roughly agitated and on edge. "I suddenly know things that I didn't know a while ago. I see things and know they're real, even though I should be questioning. Any other day, I would be skeptical of everything that is happening, and yet I believe . . . I believe it all." He drew his eyebrows together in that signature fashion and closed his eyes.

Alistar reached out and touched his upper arm holding him in a gentle touch. The contact went waves of peace and stillness through him it made no sense but with it came further clarity. “Why am I seeing the world this way?”

"My nearness and my touch have opened the world to you. Secrets are told, and you see me, my people, and the paranormal. Nothing will be hidden from you now because you are destined to be one of us. You are destined to be mine." Alistar had a deep, heavy tone, but the words were soft and quiet, so easy on the mind.

"I love the sound of your voice." Neal couldn't hold back, noting the pleasure Alistar's voice gave him. It was odd to voice it, but the sound went right to his heart and did odd things to his mood and emotions.

"It has a strange effect on me. It makes me feel good and safe. It sounds nuts, I know; I just thought I'd tell you." Neal actually slapped his hand over his mouth in order to stop himself from rambling further. He was being ridiculous, but the compulsion to share everything was overwhelming.

CHAPTER THREE

Alistar was pleased with his honesty and directness. Neal was trying to stop himself from talking from saying too much, but it was clearly in his nature to speak his mind. The growing bond between them would simply make that impulse stronger. Trust was growing within him even if he did not recognize what was happening.

"You're not ridiculous, and I love the sound of your voice too." Alistar moved closer to Neal, not touching him but close enough to enjoy his amazing scent and feel the power of their connection. Neal smiled softly and looked up at him with those beautiful, big blue eyes. What a feeling it was to have his adored so close. "I also love having you near me and the way your eyes touch mine."

Neal was silent for a few seconds, and he just stared up at Alistar. "I'm pretty sure you're not going to kill me. I'm getting a sense of warmth and kindness from you that goes against the scene that I witnessed earlier. I do believe you were acting in someone's best interest, probably mine, and not just raging and killing and setting things on fire." He glanced nervously around the room once he made that statement, not sure he was saying the right thing, obviously.

“Thank you for the vote of confidence.” Alistar joked and Neal gave him another smile which was lovely.

"I would like to go home. I need to process it this evening and figure out where I can go from here. I won't say anything to the cops about anything I saw; you have my word." That last sentence had a bit of unease attached to it, and that bothered Alistar.

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