Mistakes and Consequences by Vicci "Your first mistake was assuming he had a weakness." The words snaked through his mind, repeating endlessly, slowly driving him insane. He needed to hold onto his sanity, but try as he might he couldn't get the memory to stop replaying. "Your first mistake." Of course it hadn't been his last mistake. Why beat himself up over it? No doubt he was going to die shortly, he should think of other things, try to escape maybe, or just think about his life. Before Haux. "Your first mistake was assuming he had a weakness." "He doesn't have any weaknesses?" he had asked, unable to believe it. "Oh Kyle, he does have weaknesses, but not any you can use against him." "Tell me what they are anyway!" Kyle had yelled at Catherine. She had looked at him in obvious amusement, making him uncomfortable under her catty stare. "Death." "Death? That's a weakness? He's a bloody vampire!" "Why do you instantly assume I mean his own?" "Then whose?" The green eyes just stared up at him. "You're his sister and you hate him more then anyone I know. Help me." "I don't hate him Kyle. I just want to stop him." "Then help me Catherine." "You can't stop him, there isn't a chance of it." "Let me try." Catherine sighed and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand, looking sorrowful. "Kyle, he will destroy you. Listen to me, he won't kill you, he's going to destroy you." "Why wont he kill me?" "You know why." "No, I don't." "Oh dear gods, you don't know. Oh goddess, Kyle, just leave him alone, for your own sake." "Catherine, what aren't you telling me." "Just be thank every god and goddess you can think of that you don't know. You don't know Andrew like I do. Nobody knows him like I do, be glad of that." "How can twins be so different?" "We're a lot more alike then you think." "You're nothing like Haux." "We share the same name, how different can we be? To sides of the same coin." "Catherine, please help me stop him." "No." "Fine!" Kyle had yelled, storming off. "Leave him alone Kyle!" Catherine yelled after him. Leave him alone, he should have listened to the advice, left Haux alone. Now look where he had gotten himself. Kyle slammed his head back against the wall, trying to ward off the tears. That was another mistake, the wall was hard concrete and just increased the intensity of the pain. At least he wasn't bleeding again. "Haux! No!" Kyle screamed as Haux's knife loomed in his vision, gleaming in the dull light. "Why not Kyle? You wanted to stop me, break me, see how I work. I'm not very happy with you right now." "Haux please." Kyle still had a livid scar from that encounter. But he had lived, somehow he had survived that encounter with Haux. He had survived several encounters, but he wasn't going to this time. Somehow he knew deep down this was the time when everything was going to change, probably by death. His. Death, his only weakness, but not Haux's death. Someone else's but whose? Catherine's maybe. No, Haux didn't seem to need his sister. She didn't seem to care much about his existence either. But still she knew him better then anyone. No one got close to Haux, and that was part of Kyle's problem with Haux. He didn't know why but he just had to know how Haux worked. They say in death all questions are answered, the stupid cliché spoke in his mind and it took Kyle a minute to realize it hadn't been his imagination and he struggled to get to his feet. "Don't bother getting up," came the cruel, fluid voice. A voice that Kyle could have recognized anywhere, a voice he knew even better then the face that it belonged to. A voice that drew you in and, if you weren't careful, could hypnotize. Haux could talk his way into and out of everything. "Haux, just tell me why." "Why what Kyle?" "Why you're like the way you are." "There's no real answer to that Kyle. I choose to be the way I am, does that help any? I'm good at being the way I am. Is that reason enough for you? What more could you possibly want?" Kyle wasn't sure how to put what he wanted into words. He wanted to know Haux body and soul, know every fiber of his being, but he couldn't say that. "What's wrong Kyle? Cat got your tongue?" The question annoyed Kyle, as Haux knew it would, but he wasn't going to respond to it. He wasn't going to give Haux what he wanted, not anymore. Why should he? Why had he ever? "Your first mistake was assuming he had any weaknesses." "He doesn't have any weaknesses?" "She was right you know," Haux said breaking into Kyle's thoughts. "Maybe you should have listened to her." "To late now," Kyle muttered as he wished for the pain to go away, so he wouldn't appear weak in front of Haux. He wasn't even sure why that mattered to him at all. "But she did say there was one weakness." "Oh, and what was that?" Haux asked sounding amused. "Quit staring at me," Kyle muttered both irritably and irrationally. He could feel Haux's eyes roving all over him, probably taking stock of his injuries and determining how long until he finally died. He was only partially right. "Answer me Kyle," Haux said in a smooth a voice as he could, trying to get the answers he wanted while Kyle was sane enough to give them. "Tell me about Jacquelyn," Kyle asked ignoring the swell of tears that tried to rise to his eyes. "I thought you were going to answer my question Kyle," Haux said almost gently but amused again. "I don't want to," Kyle said petulantly frowning when Haux smiled. "What do you want to know about Jacquelyn? She's still dead." "Why?" "Because people don't just come back from the dead Kyle, you should know that." "That's not what I meant." "I'm surprised you can't figure out why she's dead yourself. You were going to kill her originally, weren't you?" "No, I thought she was it, so I was going to kill her, but I just couldn't, but she wasn't it so it didn't matter anyway," Kyle said starting to cry. "What wasn't she? Kyle, answer me." The forceful tone seemed to wake Kyle up and he stared defiantly at Haux, though he answered. "Your weakness," Kyle said not really wanting to pay attention to Haux anymore as the tears dried on his face. "Jacquelyn? My weakness?" Haux didn't laugh but it was obvious he wanted to, the way his lips curled up and it infuriated Kyle. "Not Jacquelyn, her death." "What gave you that idea Kyle?" "She said death was your weakness, but she wouldn't tell me whose except it wasn't your own." "Catherine told you that?" Haux asked mildly surprised. He hadn't realized his twin could delve that deeply into his psyche to figure out his weakness. She might prove to be a problem after all. "What else did she tell you?" "Why did you kill Jacquelyn?" Kyle asked allowing his heavy eyelids to slide shut. "Wake up Kyle." It was an order, but Kyle barely had the strength to carry it out. "Why?" he muttered under his breath, unaware that his breathing was evening out and he was slipping out of consciousness. "Kyle, stay awake and I'll tell you about Jacquelyn." "Jackie's dead," Kyle told him. "Yes Kyle, I know, I killed her. Remember, I snapped her pretty little neck and I left her there with you. It gave you nightmares didn't it Kyle." Kyle didn't bother to wonder how Haux knew that. "Poor Jackie. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Jackie." "Oh God," Haux muttered when Kyle started crying again. Well, Kyle had finally lost it. Haux had finally broken Kyle, just as he had been trying to do for years now. He was mildly surprised at the lack of his sense of victory, his sense of triumph. Kyle ignored the small tremors running through his body, ignored the new pain they brought on and ignored Haux as well, allowing his mind to wander. Your first mistake was assuming he had a weakness. He won't kill you, he's going to destroy you. Death. You can't stop him, there isn't a chance of it. You can't stop him, he won't kill you, your first mistake. He won't kill you. Suddenly it all clicked and Kyle focused on Haux's face. His joy was short lived as he blacked out before he could put his new knowledge to use. Haux sighed as he lifted Kyle in his arms, and carried him out of the cellar and to his car. He all but threw Kyle from him when he placed the lightweight witch in the back seat, wishing it didn't feel like Kyle belonged in his arms. Wishing it didn't feel like they fit together. Haux sat in his seat, turned around, enjoying his freedom to admire Kyle. He didn't trust himself to truly look at Kyle when he was conscious, and decided he was going to have to avoid Kyle from now on. He had never actually sought out the boy but he had allowed Kyle to find him every so often. Each time had ended up with Kyle hurt, and still Kyle kept coming back. He'd been stabbed, had his neck ripped open, broken ribs bones, and couldn't close his left fist tightly anymore. But he kept coming back. Haux couldn't understand it. Maybe Catherine would talk some sense into him this time. Problem or not she was his only choice, there was no one else he could leave Kyle with. She'd be able to heal him, Haux hadn't hurt Kyle too badly this time. He was always careful not to inflict any deadly damage. And giving Kyle his blood always helped to ensure he wouldn't die if he couldn't be helped soon. Haux sighed again and turned around in his seat, pulling out of the long driveway quickly and speeding towards the freeway. It wasn't too far to Catherine's house. "Catherine!" Haux yelled as he kicked the door to her house hours later, holding Kyle in his arms. "Good Gods Andrew, you're going to kill him one of these times," she said opening the door and motioning him in, taking stock of the slowly healing injuries. "I'm not going to kill him," Haux said feeling the hairs on the back of his arms stir, but he ignored it, assuming it was the slight chill of air conditioning. "You know I'm careful." "I meant by giving him your blood he's going to change one of these times." "This is the last time," Haux said laying Kyle out on the bed in Catherine's guest room, stiffening when he heard movement. "You have no idea how right you are," an unfamiliar voice said as Haux turned in time to see a girl entirely clad in black jumping towards him. Behind her were several other people, including the one who had spoken. Haux could see weapons in their hands and knew there was no way that he was leaving the room through that exit. He turned his head enough to glance out the window and saw people laying in wait to cut off his escape. Haux slowly backed into a corner as his mind raced to find some way to escape, he didn't think he would survive the fight. He didn't have a weapon on him because he had left them in his car, and if these people had any brains between them would have searched and taken the battery out or something to keep the car from running. Even as the thoughts flashed through his mind the girl was on top of him, trying to knock him down and get a stake to his throat. Haux swung out with his fist knocking her aside quickly and he saw the shock in her eyes. He had the vague urge to unwind her scarf and see her face before he killed her, but he didn't even have time to kill her yet. Instead he ignored the other people advancing into the room and grabbed the stake from her, snapping her wrist in the same motion and turned on Catherine. "Andrew!" she yelled, not sounding frightened, but affronted. "Just go with them for now, you'll escape soon enough." "You betrayed me you whore." His voice was deadly quiet and it infuriated him that she didn't show any emotion, no anger, no remorse, he was her flesh and blood. He had turned on and slaughtered hundreds of people, but had never touched her for that exact reason. "They aren't going to kill you." "Don't be so sure of that," Quinn Redfern snarled, no, that wasn't his name, but he was somehow tied in with those damnable Redferns. The heir, that was right. "It you move at all Haux I'm going to knock you into next week," he said hefting a baseball bat. "So she's the Cat then?" Haux asked positioning the stake so he could throw it easily, and imbed it in the Cat's body. Quinn scowled at him but seemed to step back without moving. The Cat scowled up at him and positioned herself so she could leap to her feet at any given notice. "Haux, you know you can escape, just let them take you." /They'll take care of Kyle for you,/ she added silently. "What do you morons want?" Haux asked watching the Cat and the group at the door; and Catherine felt a surge of triumph. "The boss wants to speak with you," the Cat said cautiously. "There are any number of ways he could have reached me," Haux said, almost conversationally, and noticed they all relaxed minutely. "Yes, well he wants to make sure that he meets you face to face." "Again. Well now, I don't believe you. None of that involves escape." "Andrew, don't be thick. Lord Thierry isn't going to trust you to meet him face to face without you under restraint and you aren't going to trust anyone enough to be put under restraint." "Do you ever shut up Catherine?" Haux demanded feeling exasperated, and threw the brute weight of his mind at her. She was caught off guard and unable to prepare for the attack she was knocked out. "Are you going to come with us or not?" a new voice demanded, sounding bored. "I think not," Haux said launching himself at Quinn, ramming his shoulder into the vampire's stomach and his momentum carried the both of them to the ground. The others scattered in shock but quickly recovered, leaping for him. He evaded two of them but was hampered by two others and before he could get them out of the way and make a run for it something smashed into his back. Haux felt several of his ribs snap, and fell to the ground. The bat came down on his back several more times and Haux suddenly lost all feeling below his waist as his backbone was crushed in on itself. Haux swore loudly, trying to use his arms to scramble out of the way but the bat came down one last time, smashing into the back of his skull and everything went black. "Quinn!" Morged yelled to get his attention. "If you don't stop it you're going to kill him. Rashel's wrist will heal, just chill out." "Come on, let's take him and go," Keller said glancing at her watch. "What about the other two?" Winnie asked as she lent in through the window. "Grab 'em," Keller said shortly picking Catherine. "Move out!" she yelled the order and in half a minute the house was empty, the doors firmly shut and locked. @&~ Haux glared menacingly at Lord Thierry, moving his arms minutely to show that they were indeed immovable due to the straight jacket they had put him in. "Andrew Haux, you've been a busy boy lately," Thierry said, wondering whether it wasn't a bit much to have Haux strapped to a chair while he was in the room, that was going to have to change. For now he was going to let it slide because he wanted the conversation between them to stay that way. "Can I help you with anything?" Haux asked, forcing his face to relax into brilliant smile, hoping to irritate Thierry. "Not really, I just want you out of the way during the battle. If you agree to cooperate I can see to it that your imprisonment here is comfortable." "Why are you so worried about me?" Haux asked, still conversing in pleasant tones, though it seemed to only amuse Thierry. After a minute it was obvious Thierry wasn't going to answer his question so he posed a new one. "Why did you ambush me the way you did. I hadn't realized you Daybreakers were into working that line." "Ordinarily I wouldn't approve of the measures they took this afternoon, but I was unable to present an alternate plan. And it would have been fool hardy to wait around for you to find your soulmate and have a change of heart." Haux did not appreciate the joke and responded without thinking. "What makes you think I haven't found my soulmate and killed him already." Thierry's eyebrows shot up and Haux realized his mistake. "I'll come back later to see if you decided to stay here on your own violation. Maybe in the meantime I'll allow you some visitors." "If they come close enough I will bite." It wasn't an empty threat; Haux had already bitten one person who had been attempting to feed him. Thierry left and a shifter came in long enough to untie the straps binding Haux to the wooden chair. Of course Haux didn't move. Haux knew that his behavior was confusing the Daybreakers. They simply couldn't figure out why he never moved from the chair, it just hadn't occurred to them that he couldn't, not yet. Haux knew he couldn't be paralyzed permanently, but without being able to feed often or get much blood during a feeding it might be awhile before his spine healed enough for him to walk. @~&~ Kyle paused in the doorway, wondering why Haux was bound to a chair. "I swear I didn't know they were using me as bait," Kyle said, knowing Haux was listening. Haux opened his eyes lazily and stared at him from under hooded lids. Kyle stepped from the door frame, letting the door swing shut behind him, seeming to beg for Haux's forgiveness "I never said you did," Haux said sneering inwardly at the pity evident in Kyle's eyes. Kyle heaved a sigh of relieve, glad that Haux didn't blame him for being bound to a chair in a small room that he might never leave again. Now he could move onto other things. "Catherine told me your weakness and I finally figured it out," Kyle told him triumphantly. Haux narrowed his eyes suspiciously and regarded Kyle for a minute. The boy normally didn't act so out of it. "Care to share?" "Death." The word seemed to hang in the air and Haux began to get a bad feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. "Whose?" Haux asked as he started to get impatient. "Mine," Kyle whispered, almost gleefully. Grinning maniacally he pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and flicked it open, staring at the light glinting off it in fascination. "Kyle," Haux said slowly but cut off as Kyle's head snapped up and Haux saw his eyes. Kyle was mad. "I spent so long trying to figure out some way to stop you, destroy you. And it never even occurred to me. But now that you've destroyed me I know. Oh, I know." "Kyle, come here," Haux said, desperately trying to get out of the chair and straight jacket, but his attempts were futile as his legs were still useless. Kyle advanced obediently but kept a short distance between them. "Kyle, you need to put down that knife. Come on, be a good boy and just set it down." "I know something else to," Kyle whispered conspiratorially. "You're going to miss me when I'm gone." With those words he brought the knife down on his wrist, blood spurting out, but Kyle was oblivious to the pain. Kyle smiled at the blood streaming from his wrist and held it out to Haux. The scent of fresh blood was nearly overwhelming to Haux in his near starved state and it was all he could do to keep his vampiric nature at bay. "Drink, drink of my Haux. I'm going to die anyway, why don't you just help me along?" "Somebody!" Haux yelled as loud as he could turning his face from the bleeding mess. "Somebody help! Get in here!" "I'm giving you what you want, I thought you wanted this. Come on drink. It's just like strawberry wine, I promise." "Oh, Kyle," Haux whispered, trying to ignore the wrist that was thrust in front of his face again. "I'm sorry, I never meant for this to happen." "Drink!" Kyle ordered savagely as he pressed the open would directly over Haux's mouth. Haux could feel his teeth sharpening and tried to pull away but Kyle wouldn't allow him to move. /Get in here now!/ Haux raged mentally at the guard. Finally the door started to open as the guard ran in. Haux was relieved minutely when Kyle's wrist left his mouth but upon opening his eyes he discovered that Kyle had passed out. The guard passed regarding Haux suspiciously, seeing the blood all over Haux, but he was still tightly bound to the chair. "Help him before he dies!" Haux said deathly quiet, snapping the shape shifter to his senses. The guard said something into his radio and picked Kyle up. "Put pressure on his wrist or something!" Haux snapped, horrified to hear Kyle's heart start to slow. "He's dying, hurry up!" The guard quickly left and Haux could hear several people rushing to join the group. "You stupid, stupid boy," Haux whispered fiercely, his dry eyes burning, but he refused to cry. It wouldn't do him any good, what was the point? Besides, he was expecting company soon and it wouldn't do to show weakness in front of them. Minutes later Thierry and Catherine rushed in. "What happened!" Thierry demanded. "What did you think you were doing talking to him? Telling him that crap, putting ideas in his head," Haux said as evenly as he could, ignoring Thierry. "I'm sorry Andrew, I didn't expect anything to come of it. Especially not this. You know I would never intentionally do anything to hurt y-, Kyle," Catherine said, tears in her eyes, catching herself before she said anything too damaging in front of Thierry. "What are the pair of you talking about?" Thierry asked, but before either of them could answer he was summoned. "Andrew, I'm so sorry about Kyle, but no one saw this coming. If we're lucky he'll be fine." "I doubt it Catherine, I truly doubt it." "When do you plan on leaving?" Catherine asked after a brief silence. "As soon as I can." "What do you mean?" she asked. "You think I'm in this chair because I want to be? I wanted to get up and help Kyle a second ago, but I couldn't. I can't walk yet Catherine, they smashed my spine." "Oh Andrew." "I don't want your pity, sis. This is your fault, I can't believe you joined their side. You betrayed me." "Haux, you know I don't do anything without reason. Just sit tight until after the battle, please." "I'm not going to stay here for almost a year.. It's out of the question." "I'll take that stupid straight jacket off you for now, and maybe they'll put you somewhere else, or at least get you a cot in here," Catherine said undoing the straps to the white material and helping him shrug out of it. "What are you doing?" Thierry demanded coming into the room and seeing that Haux's restraints had been removed. "A straight jacket, trying him to a chair? It's a little much don't you think," Catherine said smoothly as she folded the straight jacket and draped it over her arm. "Perhaps," Thierry said. "But for now I'd appreciate it if you would not give him the prime chance to escape." "He's not going to leave without hearing Kyle's condition," she told him sensibly. Haux frowned when Thierry suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Yes, well would you like me to inform the guard you are in here or..." "No, that's all right. I'll be back later Andrew." The door shut behind them, the lock clicking in place firmly and Andrew began moving his arms to work out the kinks. Haux froze as a sudden stab of pain went straight through his chest and began to spread outwardly. He bit his cheeks to stop from crying out, knowing instinctively what the pain signified. Letting out a few slow shuddering breaths he tried to smooth out his breathing, furious when it began to hitch instead. Tears welled up in his eyes but he scrubbed them away furiously, not letting drip down his cheeks. More tears welled up instantly to replace the ones he had swept away and this time they began to fall faster then he could catch them. Haux eventually forced his tears to stop but the pain still persisted for hours. At some point two shifters brought in a metal cot and unfolded it, leaving quickly without so much as glancing towards Haux, and he was unaware of their presence. Then just as suddenly as the pain had appeared it left, leaving him with a sense of calm. Haux wasn't stupid but he was having trouble figuring out what that meant. "Andrew!" Catherine called out as she swung open the door. "He woke up!" "What happened." "They changed him into a vampire. I was going to tell you after they told me what was going on but I figured you'd want to be alone if you could sense the change and I didn't want to give you false hope if he didn't make it through." "How kind of you." "Andrew don't be like that," she said with a sigh, knowing he would be mad at her for a long time. "Do you want me to help you over to the bed, that way you at least have the option of lying down if you want to." "Are they going to let me see him?" he asked her, knowing the answer when she avoided his gaze. "He's my soulmate goddamn it! If they don't let me up there for dear I'll escape then they should let someone bring him down here. You could do it Cathy." "What's so important about seeing him?" she asked as she helped him to the cot that had been brought in since the last time she had been in his cell. Haux didn't appreciate the helpless feeling he got while being carried by his sister. "Why wouldn't I want to see him?" Haux demanded sitting ramrod straight on the hard pallet that didn't hide that it lay over a metal cot. Haux was actually kind of glad for the sensation, it meant he was starting to heal if he could feel things. "Because you've never wanted to see Kyle, and don't try and talk me into letting you see him. They feel, maybe rightly that Kyle'll will only be hurt further if he has to deal with you again, and they don't know he's your soulmate. Thierry does but he isn't going to tell anyone, neither will I." "I don't care who you tell," Haux said glaring daggers at her. "I'm not keeping the secret for you, I fear for Kyle's safety more then yours. Kyle won't appreciate the pity he would get from the Daybreakers and they would only bar your way further." "Why would they do something like that, they're all lovey dovey and into the idea of soulmates." "But they don't like the idea that you drove your soulmate to killing himself. The doctors think that he might be permanently damaged mentally, and they know you did that to him Andrew. You pushed him to far, one too many times." "I just wanted him to leave me alone, I didn't want to have to deal with him." "I know Andrew, and I hope you get out soon. When you do, please, please leave Kyle alone. I don't know if he'll appreciate it or not." "You're saying I should leave him forever." "You attempted to once. I'm sorry you realized you were in love with Kyle. Andrew, Kyle was so messed up these past few days, I don't think he knows." "What do you mean?" Haux demanded, not really wanting to hear her answer. "I don't think he realizes that you two are soulmates. You never told him, and you barely realized it yourself. He was unconscious when you figured it out, remember." "He knew his death would hurt me," Haux said, not pausing to wonder why he was bothering to defend himself to her, or at all. "Only because I told him. Andrew, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think he chooses not to know. Kyle was raised by homophobic parents, and he probably retains some of their thinking." "You're saying he doesn't realize we're soulmates because he doesn't want to, is that even possible." "He's mentally unstable, and the mind is capable of a lot of things, even deceiving itself. I should go, they didn't want me to stay in here so long with you unbound and potentially capable of causing me as much harm as you did Kyle." "You've got to be kidding." "That's what I said," she told him with a laugh and kissed his cheek before crossing the length of the cell. "Cathy, wait a second. You promise he's okay?" She turned to study him, her hand still on the handle. "He's doing as good as he can be right now. I think someone's currently helping him feed. I won't be back for a while, and I think they're going to set up a surveillance camera in here. If anything happens with Kyle, I'll let you know as soon as possible." "Thanks Catherine," he said, showing he had forgiven her betrayal and she left the cell smiling. *~&~ Weeks later Haux stood and then he was gone. *~&~ Kyle scrambled out of the bed, pressing up against the wall, staring in horror at Haux. "That was a very bad thing you did," Haux told him as he sat in the desk chair, leaning back and watching Kyle closely. "Why are you here?" Kyle asked, beginning to shake, though he fathom the reason why he felt so terrified of Haux. He had never reacted so violently to Haux's presence. "Come here," Haux said, motioning with his hand, looking oddly relaxed. Kyle figured with a small amount of contempt that it was because Haux felt comfortable in his role of terrifying people. Kyle shook his head wordlessly. "I don't usually bite vampires Kyle, so you have nothing to worry about." "I have plenty to worry about," Kyle said, but he walked forward, standing directly in front of Haux. If anyone had walked in on the scene they might have thought Kyle was waiting for a judgment. "I guess you're right about that. Now, Kyle, you did a very bad thing, and look what's happened to you. I bet you didn't enjoy waking to the bloodlust." "How do you live with that?" Kyle asked sounding disturbed. "It's awful." "Lots of control," Haux said simply. "Right now, for instance, I'm absolutely famished." "Then why are you here? You escaped, why don't you leave?" "I wanted to talk to you. Make you understand something. That wasn't very nice, dying on me. You don't have a clue the hell I went through, locked up while you were dying." "I'm sorry," Kyle whispered, eyes widening in fright. Haux was opening his mind to Kyle, making Kyle experience the torment for himself. Kyle had never expected Haux to share any part of himself and that he was scared Kyle as much as anything else had that night. "I didn't know," Kyle gasped out, beginning to cry." "It's like having some part of your boy ripped off." "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Kyle whispered staring at the floor, unable to meet Haux's eyes. "I've never felt quite right since, Kyle. Let me see your wrist," Haux demanded, his voice ice. Kyle sank to his knees and shook his head furiously, sending tears flying as he clutched his wrist to his chest. "Give me your wrist." Haux's voice was compelling and Kyle slowly extended the limb, ignoring the way it shook. "This Kyle, this scar, will always be here to remind you that I cannot be destroyed." "No!" Kyle protested as Haux's fingers enclosed his wrist and the connection between them leapt to life, vibrating with electricity. Kyle flinched as Haux's mind rushed towards his through the haze surrounding them. Their minds met with a jolt sending sparks of memories flying. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? To know me inside and out, body and soul? This is your chance." Kyle barely registered that words weren't spoken out loud, they simply seemed to exist. "I'm sorry," Kyle howled, trying to wrench his wrist away from Haux's grasp, to sever the connection. He didn't want this! "Yes you do Kyle. You've wanted this since our first meeting, this is why you couldn't just forget about me and leave me alone. You know it as well as I do." "No," Kyle moaned irrationally, knowing Haux was right. Haux was always right. "Why aren't you happier? You've wanted this for so long." "I'm sorry," Kyle repeated, surprised when he felt a wave of compassion and sympathy wash over him. The emotion belonged to Haux. He hadn't realized that Haux was capable of such emotion. "What are you sorry for?" Haux demanded, tightening his grip of Kyle's wrist painfully. "For betraying you," Kyle said, but his mind was throwing up memories and in each Haux looked pained. Haux grimaced and released Kyle, uncomfortable as he realized Kyle knew every time Haux had hurt Kyle he had hurt himself as well. Kyle stood and backed up a few feet, looking relieved to be out of the mind meld. "Don't, please don't touch me anymore," Kyle whispered, his throat painfully dry. "Don't cry anymore," Haux countered, immensely relieved that Kyle's tears had stopped. Kyle shrugged uncomfortably, and averted his gaze. "What do we do now?" Kyle asked after a minute. "What is there to do? Nothing's changed, we've always been soulmates." "How could I not know?" Kyle demanded, almost angrily, but he didn't have the energy to summon the emotion. "I was careful not to touch you," Haux said with a shrug. "You didn't want to know." "I thought soulmates were supposed to love each other," Kyle said wrapping his arms around himself. Haux felt a brief stab of pain in the center of his chest that he didn't want to explain. "H-how can two guys be soulmates?" Kyle demanded suddenly. "It's not right, things don't work that way." "Vampires aren't supposed to love vermin and witches are barely a step up from that," Haux said in pleasant tones to mask his anger. "I'm not a witch any longer," Kyle said mournfully. "Nearly all made vampires were vermin once. I don't really consider a made vampire a real vampire until he's killed a human. Have you killed a human Kyle? Oh, and yourself doesn't count." "You are a sick mean bastard. I don't see how you have a heart let alone a soul." "Oh I have both let me assure you. But I am wise enough to keep them to my self and not go around crying all the time." It took all of Kyle's self control not to scrub self consciously at the sticky tears that had dried on his cheeks. "Tis better to have loved and lost then to never loved at all," Kyle said unable to think of anything else. "What have you lost?" Haux asked with a vicious grin. Kyle was silent for a few minutes as he ran through several answers, but none seemed to ring true. "My life," he said eventually. "This is the start of something better, vampire is a much better species, you'll see." "Who's going to show me?" "Not one of those daybreakers, that's for sure," Haux laughed. "How about you?" Kyle suggested weakly. "That's right, come on my little twilight witch, come and join my darkness." Haux laughed again and the sound chilled Kyle to the bone. "Me, show you? Good God, you're terrified I might try and make a move on you." "I don't see what's so funny," Kyle said sullenly with a sour twist to his mouth. "Of course not, and to think you started out wanting to change me. Look at you now." "Who'd have thought I'd become a queer, eh?" Kyle said dryly and Haux's laughter cut off abruptly. "Get used to it Kyle. You've always acted flaming to me." "Only because you knew." "Before." "What's it matter anyhow? It just gives you another reason to hate me. Soulmates, ha! We," he said gesturing "are the original star crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet had nothing on us. Nothing." "Just because you're a daybreaker and I'm on the side of evil we suddenly become older and worse off then a five hundred year old play." "This soulmate thing is supposed to last through out the ages, so yes. And I was referring to the whole man on man thing we have going on here." "That had to be a nice shock to your homophobic system." "What, and you've always been, well like that?" Kyle asked trying to figure out why Haux seemed so angry. "I've never placed emotional value on anyone, but yes, I'll take anyone when it comes to a good lay." Kyle swallowed a few times, looking revolted. "Oh Goddess," he choked out. "Quite frankly it would probably be worse for you if I weren't open to the idea. I might have killed you the second I found out if I felt the same way towards it as you do." Kyle contemplated that for a minute and shrugged. "I'm just glad you don't love anyone," Kyle said even though his eyes gave away the lie. "Why did you come here Haux?" "I was looking fore the kitchen and I had the wild impulse to check up on you, make sure you were still alive and all." Kyle forced a wry grin at the irony in the statement. "Well in a manner of speaking I am. So if we're finished with this lovely little chat I'd appreciate it if you left." "So soon?" Haux asked in mock disappointment. "When I leave I won't be coming back." "If you don't leave before they discover your escape you might never leave." "I'm trying to give you the opportunity to come with me." "I hadn't realized you enjoyed my presence, after all you've only tried to chase me away at every chance you've had." "Things change." "You might kill me." "After all this time? Goddamn it Kyle!" Haux jumped to his feet lifting Kyle by his shirt collar in the same motion and pulled him close. "I love you and I hate you for it." Haux pressed his lips against Kyle's, the kiss harsh and demanding. At first Kyle struggled, trying to get away, but he gave into it. Haux let go of Kyle's shirt with a muffled moan and wrapped his arms around Kyle, pulling him closer still. The kiss deepen, becoming almost desperate and even more urgent as Kyle kissed him back just as hungrily. They slipped into each others minds and began roaming through the different areas. Kyle's mind reminded Haux of a meadow, where he could easily imagine spirits running free, but there were also caged in areas, that Haux knew he had caused. Haux's mind was a counterpoint and Kyle was disturbed by how it reminded him of the dark forest in fairy tales. The stark barren areas closing out all light. Kyle couldn't help but wonder what had caused Haux to become so bleak. Eventually they broke the kiss, both panting slightly. "I take it you aren't against being gay anymore." Kyle wordlessly shook his head, unable to speak quite yet. "I should go," Haux said heaving a sigh. "Are you going to come." There was a brief pause that managed to stretch into eternity. "Why don't you stay here with me?" Kyle asked finally. "These people aren't happy with me and they don't trust me with you. Besides I'm now going to change into some dopey, daisy picking daybreaker just because I found my soulmate. Meeting you didn't change who I was." "You don't have to change. You'd have to wait until the millennium, but..." Kyle trailed off. "That's a lot to ask," Haux said softly shaking his head, almost looking saddened. "After the millennium we'll meet again. Until then, au reiviour." Haux kissed Kyle's cheek, for once not bothered by the tears he saw welling up in Kyle's eyes. "I love you Andrew Haux," Kyle whispered, closing his eyes for moment, but when he opened his eyes his soulmate was gone. Kyle sat on the chair Haux had abandoned, shaking with his silent tears. Minutes later the door burst open and an anxious looking Quinn tumbled in. "Are you OK?" he demanded. "Haux escaped." "I know," Kyle said resisting the urge to place his fingers on his lips. "Why can't he just leave you alone" Quinn demanded angrily. "He's gone then?" "Yes, he's gone. Quinn, it was me who never left him alone. But now he's gone." "Kyle? Are you really OK? He didn't do anything to you did he?" "All we did was talk." 'And kiss,' Kyle added mentally, not willing to impart the little bit to Quinn. "Why don't you go sit in the parlor with Catherine? You'll be safe with her and the others." "I'm safe here," Kyle said with a sigh. "Besides, I'm tired." Quinn grudgingly left, though he posted a guard at Kyle's door. Kyle laid on his bed but it was a long time before sleep claimed him. *~&~ Days later Kyle was surprised to get a letter, and even though it didn't have a return address he knew instinctively it was from Haux. He opened it and found it was accompanied with a set of keys. 'Dear Kyle, Hope everything's going dine for you with the goody two shoes. If not my house is empty and it's all yours. I trust you know how to find out where it is. I'm revisiting some old acquaintances of mine and collecting on some debts owed to me while finishing up new jobs. I know you want to go to college so I'm setting up an account in your name so you can go whenever you feel like it. I think the knowledge is a waste, but I know you'll enjoy the opportunity, so have at. Use some of the money to have some fun. Remember, I'm always watching. Yours eternally, Love Andrew Haux' Kyle started at the letter, after rereading it a few times, in wonder. Haux's house keys. It was amazing, and the prospect of college made his head spin. He'd thought he would be able to think about attending for a few more years for lack of money. He felt nearly giddy with joy and went off in search of Catherine. The End