New York - Clocksworth

The morning coffee tasted like water, so damn disgusting. I spat it out in the sink and just caught a glimpse of Belmont as he strolled into the kitchen in just his boxers and his favorite shirt, which still raked of wolf. 

 I knew he hated me for what I had done to him. I'd forced him to leave the life he had built with that mutt and dragged him home, in the same disgusting way that Anthony had done so many times before me. And I hated myself for it. 

I knew my tactic of ignoring him only made everything so much worse, and I decided to try something new. "Did you have fun at the club?" I asked, keeping my tone light. It was Belmonts new routine. He would work during the days and go out clubbing at night, anything to avoid my presence. 

 A nonchalant smile played on his lips as he replied simply, "Yeah." I  glanced at him as he passed by to brew some fresh coffee. "You need to refill it with new beans," he explained, opening a bag that filled the room with the smell of freshly ground coffee. 

 I leaned back and smiled; the new messy hairstyle he had really suited him. When I first met Bel, he had straight hair that reached his waist. Now a well-known hairdresser had cut it, bleached it, and somehow made it curly. He looked older, and I had to remind myself that he was still young, far too young for this shit. 

That was the biggest reason for my damn anxiety. Bel should have been twenty-two now if he hadn't died at nineteen and come back, all because of me. "When is your birthday?" 

 Belmont raised an eyebrow and looked at me questioningly, "What?" 

 "When were you born?"

 "August fifteenth, why do you ask?" 

 I shrugged, "We've never celebrated it." 

 Belmont pressed the coffee maker and took a step closer. "Because I have a new birthday?" 

 "We haven't celebrated that one either," I pointed out. 

 Bel smiled mischievously and sat down next to me, "So what you're trying to say is that we've missed four years of birthdays. Plus, we each have two birthdays... which means we haaaave... sixteen parties to make up for?!" 

 "Sixteen?" I sighed dramatically. 

 "So how old are you turning again?" he grinned, eagerly waiting for my answer. 

 "I was born January 17, 1645, and died sometime in June 1670." 

 "So you were," he paused and counted on his fingers, "twenty-five?" 

 I nodded, "I guess I've never told you that." 

 "We can talk about your death another day," Bel grinned, "now I want to know what you want for on your 370th birthday!" 

 My face softened, and I brushed a lock of hair that hung in front of his eyes aside, leaning in close enough that our lips almost touched. "Vacation," I whispered, "I want to go on a trip with you." 

Belmont tilted his head and looked cautiously into my eyes, "Vacation from what exactly?" 

 I sighed and pulled away, "Stop, Belmont, we've had this discussion before."

 "Are you for real?" He snapped. "You dragged me home to ignore me.  You come home completely exhausted every morning and don't even look at me. Why?! Don't I deserve an answer after what you did to me?" he shouted straight in my face like so many times before, and it made me feel completely empty inside. "And we hardly need the money, or is this some man fucking bullshit thing that you have to contribute to the household? That's fucked up! Clock, you have to explain because I don't understand!!" 

 "I work because I have to!" 

 "According to who?! You can choose for yourself, can't you?"

 If I had been alive then, that sentence would have made my heart stop. But the feeling was the same. What the hell was I supposed to say? It was a perfect opportunity to tell the truth. To confess everything, but I knew the truth would lead to consequences. We weren't a couple anymore, but I didn't want to lose him, that little piece of him that I had. Above all, I didn't want him to get involved in the mess I had gotten myself into. 

 "Bel," my tone was tired yet soft, "please, just to trust me." 

 "So you're not going to tell me anything?" I bit my lip and leaned back against the kitchen counter. I knew Belmont was staring at me, waiting for an answer, but I couldn't give him one. "Go to hell, Theo!" he spat before storming out of the kitchen and slamming the bedroom door behind him. 

Theo, he had never used my real name before. Left alone, I sank down onto the floor with my face hidden in my hands. I was such a damn fool. I couldn't stay in the apartment; regret clawed at me from the inside. Would he have been happier in Noxwood? 

I drove aimlessly around the city for a few hours, my mind swirling with confusion and regret. The familiar streets blurred past me, each turn a reminder of the life I once had and the choices I had made. I passed by places that held memories—restaurants we'd been to, parks where I shared quiet moments with Belmont—but they felt hollow now, like echoes of a time that no longer existed.
Eventually, I found myself heading toward a place I despised yet had visited all too frequently in recent weeks. It loomed ahead like a dark shadow in the twilight, the kind of place that thrived on desperation and despair. My employer. A vampire with a reputation as dark as the blood he demanded. As I pulled into the dimly lit parking lot, the tension in my chest tightened. I killed the engine but sat there for a moment, staring at the flickering neon sign that advertised his services. It buzzed with a sickly energy, casting a pale light over the asphalt. I had sworn I would never return here, but circumstances had a way of dragging me back into the depths I tried to escape.Stepping inside, the musty air greeted me, filled with the scent of stale cigarettes and something metallic. The white-haired old vampire behind the counter looked up as I entered, a crooked smile spreading across his face. 

"Blood?" he chuckled, the sound grating against my nerves. His eyes, sharp and calculating, pierced through the dimness, seeking a reaction from me. But I didn't give him the satisfaction; I remained stone-faced, forcing myself to ignore the unease creeping up my spine.

 "Do you want to see my full potential?" 

The man nodded, "I understand; I'm actually surprised you didn't ask earlier." He signed something that looked like an old-fashioned check. "Show this at that address." With a nod, I accepted the notes plus a sealed envelope with instructions. "He will be at the Main Street Motel tomorrow at 6 PM; all the details are in the envelope." 

 "Same as last time?" The man nodded and chuckled again, "I always want my enemies in a bag, Clocksworth." 

 The notes slid into my inner pocket, and I left the dank room as quickly as possible, but had only taken a few steps when my phone started vibrating in my pocket. With a sigh, I glanced down at the screen. Incoming call from ❤️. Fuck, I can't deal with his crap right now, I thought, and answered in an irritated tone. "I know I shouldn't have yelled Belmont, but I've got you something that-..." 

"Can you come get me?" The thin, sniffling voice that interrupted me made my heart stop. 

 "Where are you?" The words flew out of my mouth, and I immediately regretted sounding so harsh, but something in his voice made me so damn worried. 

 "I'll send the address..." Bel whispered between sobs. 

 "Bel, what happened?" My heart raced as I waited for an answer. 

 "Just... just hurry, okay?" 

 As soon as he hung up, I started running to the car. The GPS quickly found the address, and I slammed my foot on the gas. What the hell happened! Bel never called me like this anymore. Never! 

 The car swerved sharply from street to street, and I ignored every red light until I arrived at an old factory. I jumped out of the car and rushed to the door. It was locked. I looked around and found a fire escape, but all the windows were shut. With no other option, I took off my jacket, wrapped it around my hand, and smashed the window, clearing away the shards of glass that stuck out from the frame before I could finally climb through. 

My pulse raced, and as soon as I got inside, I smelled blood. What the hell had happened! The entire floor looked deserted, but in the distance, I could see light coming from one of the rooms. I struggled to stay calm. The smell of blood grew stronger and stronger. As I made my way there, I stepped through a room filled with overturned chairs, broken mirrors, makeup, and hair products scattered everywhere. 

 So he was at a job, I thought, seeing Bel's clothes neatly folded on a chair next to a dozen hanging outfits. But something had gone wrong. Very wrong. I slowly walked through the room, keeping all my senses on high alert. But as soon as I heard the sobs, I couldn't hold back anymore. I rushed out into the lit room, but three steps in, I froze to the floor when I saw the scene before me. 

In the middle of the floor sat Belmont, tears streaming down his cheeks. His lips, chin, and neck were covered in blood that flowed down his chest. He sat hunched over, staring blankly at his bloody hands. My heart began to pound again; he didn't look injured. Just shocked. I slowly approached him, crouched down, and reached out my hand, gently stroking his hair. 

 "Bel, I'm here now," I whispered softly. 

Slowly, he lifted his gaze and looked into my eyes. Damn, it hurt to see him like this. 

"What happened?" With an aching heart, I noticed how Bel started to tremble. 

 "He... he wanted... me to do things," he whispered so quietly that I had to strain to hear him, "I didn't want to..." he continued to sob. 

 I was boiling inside, and I looked around the room until I spotted the torn apart body, a man with its pants down. I struggled to control my impulse to go over and rip the body apart even more. Instead, I sat down on the floor and pulled Bel closer so that his cheek rested against me. 

 "He deserved worse." The thin body shook in my arms, and I tightened my grip around him. "Where is everyone else?" 

 "I was late, so they left." 

 I closed my eyes and pictured how the old perverted photographer wanted a little extra payment, biting my lip so hard that I could taste blood. With a sigh, I kissed Bel's forehead. "Let's go home." 

 "But the body, they'll—" 

 "I'll take care of it," I said quickly before I stood up and helped Bel to his feet. I gently led him out to the dressing room, grabbed a handful of tissues from the makeup table, and wiped away the worst of it. 

With trembling fingers, Belmont started to unbutton his bloody designer shirt and let it drop to the floor. I grabbed his black T-shirt from the chair and handed it to him while I took out my phone and made a call. 

 "Hello?" answered the familiar voice on the other end. 

 "I need a cleanup; I'll send the address." 

 "I'll be there in ten." 

 I hung up and slipped my hand into Belmont's. "Do you have everything?" 

Bel nodded and let me lead him down the stairs and out to the car. I glanced at the boy I loved so much from the corner of my eye. "I'm glad you called." 

 "I'm glad you came," he sniffled. 

 "He picked the wrong person to mess with," I muttered, chuckling a little, "he must have been pretty damn surprised when you suddenly tore his throat out."

 Bel gave a weak smile but didn't say anything, so I stopped him and placed both hands on his shoulders. "I know you're feeling terrible, but you can't let that jerk win. He deserved to die for what he did." 

 Bel nodded slightly and took a step closer, his arms wrapping around my neck, "can you stay with me tonight?" 

 All I could do was nod and hold him tightly, "as long as you want, Belmont."