The Ripper

William Jack Holloway

Despite years of being almost entirely nocturnal, William still couldn't deny himself the pleasure of the sunlight - at least not entirely. Too often he could coax himself into roaming the streets only at night, but tonight had simply not been one of those times. The Dark Hunter had found himself wide awake hours before the sun would set - and as such, hours before his companion would arise - and that all too familiar bout of restlessness had become him. So it was that alone that had him pulling himself out of the comfortable bed he'd occupied for the better part of those sunlit hours. He would just go for a walk, he'd decided. A walk, perhaps get something to eat, and then he'd return home as the sun set and life would return to Sebastian. Then, perhaps, he would be able to coax Sebastian's attentions away from that mysterious lover of his and more onto the Hunter himself. Despite years - centuries even - of being alone, the Duke was certainly willing to fall right back into step of spending the majority of his free time alongside his best friend.

Despite his innocent intentions of his outing, it had turned out to be anything but an innocent excursion for the Dark Hunter. He was becoming entirely too comfortable in the passing weeks within Sacrosanct, and it seemed that it was only fitting that his guard was down as he walked along those streets. His life with Sebastian was making him comfortable, less paranoid, less likely to look constantly over his shoulder. So even though he should have known better, the Hunter was entirely unaware of the Council member's gaze upon his form until it was too late to inconspicuously slip into a crowd and out of the view. But still, even despite the distraction, William had years and years of experience at hiding from the Council, and when that Hunter had so foolishly attempted to arrest him, the Duke had had no qualms about the blade that he sank into the Hunter's chest. He supposed, really, that he should have felt something by means of guilt at the misfortune of the Hunter. He had been doing his job, after all. But William certainly did not. If he'd wanted to remain a free man before, it was nothing compared to how much he wanted to remain free now if only that he could spend the remainder of his days with Sebastian at his side.

It was with his body coated in that sticky red liquid of the other Hunter that he returned back to his home. He was sure that the poor servants that Sebastian employed would be frightened by the bloody demon that traipsed through those luxurious halls - though truly William couldn't account for what they might have seen at the hands of the vampire. It was Charles whom William finally waved off as he approached Sebastian's room, insisting that he was fine and that he would get a shower at some point - it was a low priority for the man when the alternative could be to see his friend now. Even though he was coated in blood, the man had no hesitation as he pushed the door to Sebastian's bedroom open. There was a time in which he would have waited for servants to announce his presence rather than stampeding into his private quarters, and yet William was assured that they were well past those social graces.

The Hunter found himself moving to settle on the edge of the bed next to his friend, his fingertips moving to gently stroke through the vampire's hair in that affectionate manner. He cared little for the boundaries he might be crossing as he touched the man that lay asleep within the dark room. Even now as William regarded the man and the way his skin was pale and his chest unmoving, he couldn't deny the love he felt for him. God, he was in deep with him. "Sebastian," William found himself saying as he continued to stroke his hair in that loving manner. "It's time to wake up, I've missed you." He chuckled to himself as he watched the man, thinking of a surely devilish way to attract the vampire's attention. He reached up then to his own face and the cut that lingered there. He smudged his thumb with his own blood before he brought it down to the vampire, tracing that very thumb across the vampire's lower lip as if to offer him a taste. "I've had an interesting day, I thought maybe you could help me clean up, Seb."

But darling -- it's only human nature.