The Ripper

William Jack Holloway

It had been decided the moment that the Hunter laid eyes onto the vampire that he would be staying within the city, even if he hadn't cared to admit it to himself. The very instant that the identity of the man had proved to be the Earl in which he was so incredibly fond of had solidified that. Will would never leave, not again. He could feel the Council's influence in this city like a calling to his soul, and yet it meant nothing. His home was here with Sebastian. It had always been with Sebastian since that dreary Autumn day in which the Earl had shoved him out of the way of the carriage he had failed to see. He had been drawn to him almost immediately as if there had been a cord that bound them together. Being away from Sebastian made his heart ache, and being here with him now only made him realize just how empty he had been for all those years. William's body ached to be near Sebastian, and it was that alone on his mind as his mind raced for some way to symbolize just how okay he was with everything that Sebastian was. He barely paid attention to his friend's words of having an idea, the fact that he spoke only registering after he'd brought the blade down and held that bleeding wrist out to him.

What William hadn't been prepared for was the way that it felt to have Sebastian's tongue on the wound, cleaning up the bleeding in that entirely sensual way that made William's heart thud against his chest so harshly that he was sure Sebastian would be able to hear that steady thump thump thump it beat. When his companion finally pulled back, the Duke hardly had time to look at the healing wound on his arm before Sebastian's touches were on him, bringing his attention to the man. Sebastian hadn't lost his touch, he still held that power to pull every bit of William's focus to him. The touch on his neck was sensual and pleasing and he relaxed under that touch. But it was the touch to his thigh, the thin layer of denim being the only thing that separated Sebastian's touch from his skin, that got Will's attention. It filled the man with that want to have Sebastian that he'd had so often in England. Those thoughts that had the Duke lying awake at night thinking of how he had all this wealth, all this power, and the one thing in the world he wanted he couldn't have.

The thoughts were only amplified when the man stepped away from him. Why couldn't he have him now? He understood why not back then. Loving Sebastian would have been more than social suicide. It would have been a crime. It would have meant devastation to his entire family line, and not even William was selfish enough to bring that upon the two of them and their families. But now... now things were different. It was a crime no longer. Their families were long dead, their titles merely things they held now in memories. The Duke and the Earl might have been a love story meant only for tragedy, but the love story of William and Sebastian could have a happy ending.

It was decidedly unlike the once timid Duke to grab ahold of his companion in such a way, and yet it felt only natural as he tugged on the Englishman's wrist and back into his arms. On his mind was not the rules of the world they lived in. No, now the only thing on his mind was that he wanted to kiss him. Just like he did all those years ago on the sofa in London. Only now there would be no excuses of Countesses to woo for the kiss. Now, it would be clear that he was kissing him because he wanted to kiss him. It was the simper that crossed his companion's mind that sealed the deal for William, the man moving so suddenly then to press his lips to the Earl's. In the singular moment that Sebastian was still, William remained positive that he had made a mistake. But then Sebastian's body responded and it was so unlike that kiss in London, no, it was better. As Sebastian's fingertips tangled in his hair, William's hands pulled those hips of his in closer, the man almost entirely against him now.

And then Sebastian pulled back, and William's smile was radiant as he regarded his companion. He felt as though he was flying, the love he had for the man so returned in that moment. He'd always loved Sebastian. He'd wanted to scream it from the rooftops and announce it to the King himself if only so that he might have the Earl all to himself, but all he could do those years back was whisper it into the dark of his bedroom ceiling. Quiet, unheard, unknown to the boy. No such limits were there to him now, and it was that alone that had the man opening his mouth, the words tumbling out faster than he could think. "Sebastian, I am in lov..." He paused, the look on his companion's face halting his words entirely. Where William seemed to radiate with happiness, Sebastian seemed... devastated. Oh, God. What had he done?

William's form instantly stepped back, the look of hurt on his features long before the man fumbled for his words. He knew in that moment that he had crossed so many lines, that the notion of what he had been feeling was so unreturned by his companion. William didn't look at the vampire as his name fell from his lips, he didn't want to have his face in his memory along with the words that would undoubtedly come. He was prepared to hear that his feelings were unreturned, that he had been wrong about it all. But instead he got that Sebastian was promised to another. The surge of jealousy seemed to bubble up within him, though nothing showed on his face other than the way his lips parted ever so slightly in shock. How stupid had he been? Of course Sebastian was promised to another. He always had been, hadn't he? There had been no hope in the world for the two of them, and the passing of time would have given no change to that.

What made it all worse, however, was the way that Sebastian's want slipped out, the brown-eyed irises of the Hunter looking up in surprise at that admittance. So he wasn't wrong. He wasn't wrong, and Sebastian wanted him, and it didn't matter. Everything inside of him seemed to ache all at once, his chest feeling empty and almost cold. The same way it had felt for the past two hundred years when he'd thought the love of his life dead and gone. It was worse, knowing that Sebastian wanted to, that they were limited only to his promise to another. "Okay," The Duke said finally, the one single word feeling like running a marathon. He sounded pitiful. Broken, devastated, empty. It was the tone of his voice that brought those stinging tears to his eyes, and so quickly William clenched his fists. His nails pinched into his palms leaving tiny crescent moons embedded in his skin to focus him on something. He would not cry, he would not cry.

He forced himself to focus on the words his friend offered him. He wasn't offering him the love that William so desperately craved from Sebastian, but rather a place within his life. A place within his home. William should have turned him down, put as much distance as he could within the city of Sacrosanct. It would only be fair to whoever the fortunate soul was that Sebastian had promised himself to, wouldn't it? But he didn't want that. He didn't want distance and walls and roads. He wanted that closeness, and that promise of forever was enough to have William nod, still unable to speak lest those tears truly spill down his cheeks. Forever, he could do forever. "So who is she?" William said finally, his tongue feeling as though it was entirely too heavy. He wanted his tone to sound pleasant, but instead it sounded so entirely wounded. "God, don't tell me you changed Georgiana and married her."

But darling -- it's only human nature.