ALL IN THE NAME OF LOVE
By: V.L. Marquette
Lightly edited by: Ravyn
(Authors Note) This is a work of fiction, nothing more. Any resemblance to
anyone alive, dead, or in the vampires case, Undead, are purely coincidental.
*****WARNING***** (NO ONE, AND I DO MEAN NO ONE.) Under the age of 18, or
who lives in an area that this sort of material is illegal, should read any
farther.
Prologue
Jessy swore, weeping as he crushed yet another of those that had been so
much a part of his life to him. The pain had been almost too much for him to
bear when he had finally let Pet and then his Girl go all in the matter of
weeks, but after that, one right after the other, fell. When Precious finally
began to falter, Angel, just couldn't go on without him, and chose to follow him
into death, instead of holding on to the few months he had left. It had taken
everything he had, to keep Kris from walking out into the sun as Butch was given
peace. They all had come to mean so much to them, and they all had one by one,
left them.
Oh, they had taken other pets, even as the years had became decades, then
the decades stretched out, with the two of them, and the occasional visiting
family, he had been ever ready to keep many on hand. And he did love them all
each in his own way. But none of the loves he had now could ever touch the love
he had felt for his first six, or the mother of his son. And then the ones that
came to be here because and for Kris.
"Master," Ryan's soft, pain filled voice from where he had crushed the
mortal to him.
"I know Puck, I know. Just a moment more love. Give me just a few minutes
more with you before I let you go." He stroked the man's cheek. He had been
with them, his bright laughter and spark for near two hundred years. But like
all those that were kept in the care of his kind, His blood was no longer able
to alter the fact that his bright, talented, and loving pet was mortal, and as
everything mortal must, he was dying. "Here, love, it will ease the pain, for a
time." He ripped at his wrist, offering the comfort that he had always offered
those in his house. "Of those that were here first with you, only you Darlin
and my son still remain. Forgive me, precious if I need to hold you for now."
Kris had to fight to keep from intruding on the time Jessy had left with
Ryan. She had already shared all her love with him, now it was time for her
father to see to his care. She had been stupid enough to think after Mitch had
died, that she wouldn't hurt like this again. But as Kris watched Jessy try to
sooth Ryan, she realized how wrong she had been.
There was so much of who and what Ryan was around her. He had never stopped
in his quest to improve his skills with his artwork, gleefully offering to share
with Ramaine's home as well. Because, he had been almost as charmed by Ryan and
his talent as Jessy and her. The thought that all this would come to a stop,
that never again would he bring a piece that he was so proud of to show it off
to them, it hurt her in ways that nothing, since the night she had, had, to say
good by to Mitch. Not even her pain at Danny's loss touched it. "Damn them."
She sobbed against Nick. "Why couldn't they just hurry up and lift the stupid
ban, do we have to lose you all before they finally get around to wising up?"
Nick couldn't think of anything to say to her. He had grown up in this
house, had known everyone of them. Had them all to thank for who and what he
was now, and he had watched, as his father had to finally let them go, one by
one. He wasn't sure how much longer he had, and he knew his mother was next.
But after Jake, who had been almost as much his father back when he was growing
up, as Jessy had been, he didn't think she would mind just letting life go. The
only reason she hadn't done like Bobby or Sam back when Alex and Tracy died and
went with them, was because of him. He hadn't been her baby in over a hundred
and fifty years, but once a mother, always a mother he supposed.
"Master," Ryan rested against him. "Promise me something."
Jessy bit back a sob as he struggled to smile down at the dying pet in his
arms. "Ssshh, no master tonight, love, just call me Jessy." He wiped the tears
from Ryan's face. "Name it, baby, I don't' care what it is, if it can be done,
I will do it."
"I knew, when Brenda, and Mike died, that I didn't have a lot of time left,
so I went out of my way to finish everything that I was working on. Please, my
art, it's all for you and Kris. I might die, but as long as you both live and
keep it for me, I still live even if it is only through my art. Promise me you
won't let anyone ever throw my work away."
He looked down at the ring, that he still wore the one that Butch had given
him for the first Yule that he had had him here. The engraving had faded and
had to be remade twice, but the knowledge of, who, was the one that had first
created the design for it, was still new in his heart and mind. "Your love and
soul has always been in those works, from the first one, down? How many of my
race, now have something of your crafting around them? Even if it is only the
mark they chose to grace their many pets with?" He touched the tattoo on Ryan's
chest. "You have grown so in your skills, that it is hard to remember when
there was still times that you were not able to create anything with paper or
canvas and ink that you wished. Trust me, Puck, my love. Nothing and no one
are, ever, going to take from us your remaining gifts. Even if it will be weeks
before Kris or I will be able to look at them, we will keep them, and always
remember the love that went into your work."
"Thank you." He had been so worried. He had spent all the time with his
master and mistress, and they had always encouraged him to strive to aim even
higher in his drive to create beautiful things. And now, he knew, even if he
was going to die that they would live on. "I'm okay now Jessy, I think it's
time you fixed it so I won't have to hurt anymore."
Jessy, smiled at him, tears of blood ran down his cheeks. "I will soon
enough love, but not yet. Just one more time, I want to hold you and feel you
under me, just one last time." He blindly reached for the knife that was always
just a, hands, reach from him now. "One last time, Puck. No games, no
submission, just let me love you, one last time." He wouldn't think of what he
would have to do after he shared love with one of the last of the original
fourteen. He knew he would, it was his promise to them all. When the blood no
longer protected them from the pain, he would give them peace, but now, like
this. With this one, he wouldn't think about anything but loving him.
