The Devil and the Angel
by VampyrAlex
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not mine, also no money was made from this, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Note: This story is dedicated to Helen who sometime ago begged me for a little something special. You got your wish, babe! :-)
Thanks to my betas DarkCherry (Thanks for the challenge!), and Monica for the excellent work. English is not my native language, so there may be additional mistakes I'm not aware off. This story was inspired by "The cloak", a 1939 tale by Robert Bloch.
Warning: Umm...the usual, language, m/m, violence. Also, this is kind of a horror story, so consider yourselves warned.
"In each of us, two natures are at war - the good and the evil. All our lives
the fight goes on between them, and one of them must conquer. But in our own
hands lies the power to choose - what we want most to be we are."
- Dr. Henry
Jekyll
Jim walked down the street and watched the sunset with a sigh. He looked at the window of the store he was supposed to rent his costume from and sighed again. //A costume party. I must be out of my mind!//
It was Halloween, All Hallows Eve, when spirits walked and skulls cried out from their graves beneath the earth. Jim snorted to himself. He was getting too morbid for his own liking.
After months filled with case after exhausting case, Simon had decided to throw an extravagant costume party for the whole PD. He'd rented a big hall in a fancy hotel, along with rooms for the those who were planning on drinking too much for their own good.
Finally taking a deep breath, Jim opened the door to the store and walked in. The place was dark and still, a mouldy stench in the air that reminded Jim of tombs, graves in forsaken places, haunted, decaying cemeteries...he snorted again. //I *am* out of my mind! Tombs?! Graves and cemeteries...? Where the hell did that come from?!//
He looked around the apparently empty store. There was a skull on the counter and Jim stared at it for a while. He had a sudden urge to snatch it from its resting place and start to quote Hamlet, //To be or not to be...,// he shook his head ruefully. //Keep that up buster, and you'll end up in a nice padded cell!// he chided himself.
Finally tired of waiting, he called, "Hey! Is anyone here? Hello?"
Silence. Then all of a sudden a shadow appeared in front of the cop, startling him. His hearing hadn't picked up anything, not the sound of steps, not the usual sound clothes made as a person walked, nothing. His senses must be out of whack again. //Yep. That's got to be it. I can't hear this guy's heartbeat either, so unless he's dead, which is highly unlikely, my hearing's definitely out to play. Great, just great!//
The shop keeper, a yellowish looking man, smiled up at him.
"I'm sorry, I was asleep. What can I do for you, sir?" he asked, a foreign accent in his deep voice. To Jim it sounded like Hungarian or maybe Romanian.
"I'm here to pick up a Halloween costume. A friend of mine came yesterday and rented it for me. It should be under the name of Blair Sandburg."
"Ah, yes. The vampire fantasy."
Jim raised an eyebrow.
"Vampire?" he echoed.
"Your young friend didn't mention which costume he'd picked up for you?"
Jim muttered something about his unpredictable lover under his breath, but managed to smile slightly.
"He said it was a surprise."
"Ah, I see. You seem a bit reluctant to wear that costume, I gather?"
Jim shrugged.
"Don't see myself as the type, that's all."
The man seemed to be appraising him for a moment, then smiled.
"I believe there are vampires of many kinds all around the world. You'll do nicely."
"I guess. So, where's the costume?"
The man chuckled.
"Mere evening clothes will do. What is the American word, a tuxedo? I will only furnish you with an authentic cloak."
"Just a cloak?" Jim queried, half disappointed. He was imagining something a little more scary. //Dracula I won't be, that's for sure!//
"Just the cloak," the man replied, with a knowing smile. "Please, wait a minute as I'll fetch it for you."
The strange looking man returned shortly after with a long, black cape.
"Here," he said to Jim. "Try it out."
The cold, heavy shroud hung draped around Jim's shoulders, and he resisted the urge to cough as a faint dusty odor reached his nostrils. There was a long mirror in a corner, and although the light in the store was nearly noneexistent, Jim noticed that the effect of the cloak was amazing, transforming his appearance completely. His face looked thinner, and his clear eyes shone brighter under the paleness of his fair skin.
"Genuine..." the other man whispered and Jim wondered what he meant by that.
"I like it," Jim said with a nod. "How much is it?"
"Your friend already paid for it. And as I told him, he can keep it."
Jim turned to the odd man.
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow quizzically.
The man drew the cloak from Jim's shoulders, shrugging as he wrapped the garment. He handed the package to the cop.
"I don't need it anymore," he finally stated.
"Oh...okay."
"Have a pleasant night, sir."
"Yes, thank you. You too. Goodnight."
Jim left the shop and sighed happily as he felt warmth surrounding him again. He didn't even think it odd to have such a feeling when it was a perfectly chilled Autumn night in Cascade.
*****
At eight that night, Jim was finally ready to go, even if he wasn't too steady on his feet. Blair was going directly from the University to the party, and Jim had been able to indulge himself and take his time dressing. He'd found his black tuxedo, donning it with a smooth white shirt, then draping the black cloak over his shoulders as a final touch to the fantasy.
"Genuine..." he whispered to himself, echoing the word of the creepy old man in the store.
A cold feeling seized him, settling deep inside of him, and he shivered. //God, it's so damned cold in here! The heating must be off again.//
After a few drinks to warm his body, he felt better, although his balance was wavy and his senses were going off the chart. He could swear he was smelling earth and blood, and when he looked at the mirror, his image was so blurry it was as if it was disappearing.
"Yeah, right!" the Sentinel snorted.
Thinking that it wasn't too good of an idea to drive under such a drunken state, he called for a cab and left the loft.
As soon as the cab arrived Jim got in and gave the address to the driver, who just stood there, blinking at him through the rearview mirror.
"Are you deaf or something?!" Jim snapped. "Start this piece of scrap heap already!"
The cabby blinked a few more times and mumbled a "Yes, sir", driving to the hotel as fast as he could. During the short ride to his destination, Jim kept thinking about his reaction to the driver's apparent shock. He finally shook his head puzzled. There had been no reason for him to talk that way to the man. //I must be drunker than I thought!//
When they finally arrived at the hotel, Jim left the cab and before he could even pay the fare, the driver closed the passenger door with a harsh slam and drove away with a loud squeal of tires.
"Boy, I must really look the part!" Jim whispered, watching the cabby's hasty retreat.
Laughing slightly he walked into the hotel, and swept the cloak back dramatically, enjoying the gasps it drew from the few people at the lobby. //Seems Dracula's got nothing on me after all! This may actually be a fun night for a change.//
Some people stepped aside to let him pass, as if they were afraid of his cloak and the fake scowl on his face, their conversations stopping abruptly. //What the devil's wrong with this people?! Am I *that* drunk? Or do I look *that* good? This is getting too weird!//
He walked into the PD party, the festivities already in full swing. He recognized some faces from the other departments, and from Major Crime as well. Joel Taggart was on the dance floor with his wife, H was attacking the banquet table, Rafe and Megan were talking in a corner, drinking champagne, and Simon was heading in his direction.
"Hey, Jim! I see you finally got here! Where's your better half?"
Jim searched the crowd for his lover, but Blair wasn't there yet.
"Apparently still at Rainier."
"Man, I love your costume!" Simon stated. "Gave me quite a shock! Where did you get the make-up?"
Jim blinked at his Captain.
"I'm not wearing any make-up."
Simon looked at him for a moment like he was crazy, then barked a laugh.
"Yeah, right! Very funny, Ellison! Get yourself a drink my friend, and mingle with the natives. I have a few more people to welcome before the night is over."
Simon turned and Jim watched him go, Sentinel's eyes focusing on his friend's neck. With his enhanced eyesight he could even watch the main artery pulsing over his costume's collar.
Jim stood alone for a while at the hall's entrance, his hearing picking up the sounds of laughter, music, general party noises. A waiter walked by, and he snatched a drink taking a careful sip. It was Barcardi Rum. After all he'd drank before maybe it wasn't such a good idea to drink something so strong, but he felt like he needed it.
He shrugged and kept drinking, his mind puzzling over the strange reactions he'd been getting all night. First the cab driver, then those people in the lobby, finally Simon and that make-up shit. Acting on impulse, Jim stepped over to the long panel mirror at the entrance to glance at himself.
"Oh, shit!..." he whispered in awe.
He was looking at himself in the mirror, but there was nothing there, no reflection, no other him to look back at him. Jim blinked for a second and then started to laugh, a deep throated, cold sound.
"I'm drunk! I'm fucking drunk! The mirror at the loft makes me blurry, this one makes me invisible! I'm fucking, stone cold drunk!"
"Hello, Love!" a voice purred by his side, and he whirled around.
"Blair! Wow, great fantasy!" he stated in a drunken glee.
Blair was dressed as Mandrake, the Magician, his costume very similar to Jim's in many ways. He was also wearing a black tuxedo with a white shirt, and a black cloak of his own. His hair was tied back and he was wearing a top hat and white gloves as final touches. Jim looked at him and could only puzzle how two fantasies that looked so much alike, could make them look so different. He apparently looked terrifying, but his lover...Blair looked like an angel in evening clothes. Innocent ocean blue eyes frowned up at him, and a tongue travelled through full pink lips, wetting them and making them glitter.
"You look divine," Jim breathed into his lover's ear, feeling the delicious shudder that ran through the lithe body.
Blair laughed a little breathlessly.
"You don't look so bad yourself!"
Jim smiled.
"I love you, Chief," he stated, all his earlier dark thoughts about mirrors and drunkenness forgotten. All he could look at were those ethereal blue orbs, the lush lips, the beautiful face.
"I love you too, Jim," his angel returned with a loving smile.
"Wanna dance?" the Sentinel asked all of a sudden.
Blair looked up at him stunned.
"You want to dance with me? Here? What about all that bull about our relationship having to be kept a secret? How no one must know about it or you might get in trouble at the PD?"
"Fuck it! Come on."
They moved through the mass of people arm in arm, Jim nearly dragging Blair to the dance floor. The stares they caused made the cop draw himself up to his full height and sweep the cloak about his shoulders. The gasps heard brought a scowl to his pale face, his eyes stalking the crowd hungrily.
Whispers could be heard throughout the restless mob.
"Vampire..."
"His eyes..."
Simon approached the two partners.
"Jim! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he queried roughly. "I thought we agreed to keep the fact that you're lovers a secret for now!"
"No, Simon. You talked, I listened. I never agreed to do anything. This is a party and I want to have fun. What's wrong with that?! Huh?"
Simon opened his mouth and closed it again without saying a word. What the hell was wrong with his friend?! Jim had been acting out of character since he'd arrived. Something was definitely wrong!
"Jim, I think you've had a little too much to drink. Maybe you should go home," he suggested in a soft voice.
Jim looked annoyed at his Captain. He was sick of the man telling him what to do. He grinned to himself, it was time for a little payback. He drew himself proud, faced the crowd and frowned. That cold feeling made itself known again, and he brushed his hands on the cloak.
Jim looked down and for the first time saw that the shroud was a little dirty at the edges, muddy or dusty. //So that's where the earthy smell came from! At least I know I'm not totally crazy! Oh, well! Time to play the game.//
He opened his clear blue eyes wide letting them blaze, his mouth slightly open. His stare turned to Simon's neck, to the vein standing out, red life running on it's way to the heart.
Jim felt the audience watching and looked at the neck again, his hands darting out. Simon was startled and tried to jump back, but it was as if he was glued to the floor by Jim's intense stare.
"Warm blood...vampires like blood..." Jim mumbled in a strange, deep voice.
His hands wrapped around Simon's neck, searching for that main vein, as Simon struggled desperately, feeling Jim's grip tightening painfully.
Jim's mouth opened wider and he bent towards that neck, that bloody vein.
"Stop!" Blair shouted. "That's enough!"
His Guide's voice slipped through the fog in his brain and Jim stopped, the beloved voice still echoing in his mind, the feeling of a slim hand on his arm. The Sentinel looked up startled and released Simon, who had sagged and was panting for breath.
All around them people stood frozen, watching in horror what was happening, not believing their own eyes.
Jim struggled to control himself and looked sharply at Simon.
"I-am-not-drunk!"
Blair pulled at him.
"Come on, Jim. Let's get out of here, you need to get some fresh air. I'm sorry, Simon!"
The young man lead his lover out of the hall, into the now deserted hotel lobby. They sat at a corner, where a small television was playing the evening news.
Jim took a deep breath and sunk into the chair. He couldn't get rid of the awful feeling that came over him as he'd seized Simon. It was supposed to have been a joke, but it hadn't been, not really. Along the way he'd lost control of himself. If Blair hadn't stopped him...
An image on the news stopped his train of thought. It was from the costume store where he'd gotten his vampire cloak. Still dizzy from the earlier events, he tried to listen to what the reporter was saying.
"Fire...shortly after eight p.m., flames completely out of control...proprietor unknown...two skeletons found in coffins in the cellar..."
"No!" Jim gasped.
He remembered the man's voice, things that didn't make sense before becoming clear.
//I will only furnish you with an authentic cloak...//
//Genuine...//
//I don't need it anymore...//
Leaving Blair behind he ran to the long panel mirror again and looked at what was not there.
//Vampires have no reflections,// he thought, feeling dizzy. //No wonder I looked strange, that Simon's neck looked so inviting! My God!...It's the damn cloak!//
The stains he'd seen before, earthy stains, earth grave. The cold feeling that wouldn't go away, that made him feel like a vampire, the rusty stain on the collar, blood. //I knew I smelled blood before! Oh, God!...//
"Jim...?" came the hesitant voice of his lover close by.
The Sentinel turned and looked at his angelic lover, at the full bloody lips, the wide innocent eyes...Jim felt a sudden surge of warmth. He looked at Blair's smooth, white throat, rising above his own cloak and felt a wide range of emotions. Love. Desire. Lust. Hunger.
Blair must have seen it in his eyes, but he simply smiled, his blue pools returning all those emotions. In an angry gesture Jim ripped the cloak from his throat, the cool feeling disappearing from within his soul. He was free. He'd had to fight with himself to take the shroud off, the power so overwhelming, so intoxicating, but he'd had to.
He loved Blair too much to surrender to that power. He'd felt the impulse to take his lover in his arms, kiss him passionately and then taste his warm blood, his life's nectar. No more! Without the cloak it was easy to resist. Blair was safe. *He* was safe.
"Tired?" Blair asked kindly, taking his own cloak off.
"Yeah..." Jim closed the distance between them, and caressed his lover's cheek. "My Angel..."
A sweet smile grazed Blair's lips.
"My Devil..."
They kissed lightly, lips brushing against lips, moist, wet, warm. Blair opened his mouth and Jim's tongue darted to the sweet cave, exploring all the riches within. Their arms wrapped around each other, hands caressing backs, squeezing buttocks, running through silky hair.
Finally the need to breathe was too much and Blair stepped back.
"Jesus! You *really* have the devil in you tonight, Ellison!"
Jim laughed evilly.
"So...what do you say we take this to a more secluded place? Like one of those rooms Simon reserved?"
"Go get the key. I'll wait by the elevator, my Love," Blair replied seductively.
"Okay."
A few minutes later they were on the elevator, Jim with both their cloaks in his arm, Blair with their room key. They walked into a magnificent looking room, but none paid too much attention, they were lost in each other's heated gazes. With the lights still out and only the full moon shinning through the window, the room looked silent, gloomy, strangely dark, and Jim felt the Halloween spirit take possession of him again. And the cold was returning, its cold fingers caressing him, making him shiver.
"Give me my cloak back," Blair asked.
Automatically Jim gave him the garment, and the young man wrapped the shroud around himself, swirling it for effect. Blair's eyes seemed to burn with an invitation Jim couldn't resist, and he kissed his lover passionately again, shuddering with something he couldn't name.
"You're cold," the young man whispered. "Put on your cloak."
//Yes, //Jim thought to himself. //Put it on while you stare at his throat. Then when you kiss him, you'll want his throat and he'll give it to you in love. And you'll take it...in hunger!//
"Put it on," Blair insisted. "Here, let me..."
And suddenly Blair's arms were around him, pushing the cloak onto his shoulders, his fingers caressing Jim's neck lovingly as he linked the cloak about his throat.
Jim gasped as he felt the power again. It was too late now, too late to stop. The cold took control, the sneer returning to his face.
He looked at his lover, Blair's beautiful eyes inviting, the ivory neck peeking through his cloak, waiting for Jim's his lips. Waiting for his teeth.
"No! Blair...I..."
His lover looked up at him with nothing but love and trust in his eyes, and Jim felt himself waver. It would be so easy...//No!//
"Blair, tonight...that thing with Simon. I *really* wanted to bite him. Really. I can't explain it, only that it's this cloak. I...it makes me feel like a vampire, act like one of them. But I...I love you."
"I know," Blair's eyes gleamed in the moonlight.
"I want to fight this thing. I want to kiss you wearing the cloak. I need to know my love for you is stronger than this. If I lose, I want you to run like hell, okay? Just get the hell out," he caressed a smooth cheek. "Afraid?"
"No," came the breathless reply.
"Okay."
Jim took a deep breath and tried to relax. He bent forward, his love fighting for dominance against the power he felt coming from the cloak, the evil he didn't want for himself.
And then Blair chuckled, his full lips parting slightly, as his arms circled Jim's neck gently.
"I knew it when I looked into the mirror, you know? I bought both our cloaks in the same place...there were two coffins found in the store after the fire...two skeletons...two vampires...two cloaks..."
Shock froze Jim, and then it was too late. He felt icy lips on his throat and sharp teeth pierced his skin, a warm feeling washing over him, calming him before blackness took over.
*****
Jim sat on the bed with a gasp. He took a deep breath and ran his hand over his short cropped hair. //God, what a nightmare! Vampires, cloaks, blood...Christ!//
He looked to the other side of the bed and smiled as he saw his naked lover sleeping soundly, his beauty gleaming under the moon rays that came through the window.
"My Angel..." he whispered.
The Sentinel kissed a smooth shoulder and Blair stirred. He yawned and opened his eyes.
"Hey, Love!" he purred with a smile.
"Hey..."
As if sensing Jim needed comforting, Blair opened up his arms and Jim slid gratefully into them, sighing happily against his lover's neck, taking in the beloved scent that was unique to his mate.
"Make love to me..." he whispered, and Blair smiled lovingly.
"Always..." the young man whispered back, and caught Jim's mouth with his in a deep kiss.
Blair reached for his lover's half-hard cock, rapidly bringing it to attention. Jim groaned and arched into Blair's touch, pleasure racing through his body. The young man continued to stroke the now hard shaft, his tongue playing with the older man's nipples, nibbling, and licking them, until they were erect in the smooth chest.
"I want to taste you..." Blair growled deep in his throat, going down on his lover and licking a straight line from Jim's chest to his groin. "Yummy..."
Jim moaned as Blair closed his lips around the head of his cock, his body arching from the bed in ecstasy, hands gripping the sheets with white knuckles. The young man grasped his lover's hips to keep him from thrusting as he took more of Jim's length into his mouth. Blair continued to suck and lick Jim's cock, drawing the hard shaft deep into his mouth, skillfully manipulating the other man until he was begging for release.
The Sentinel ran his fingers through Blair's silky curly hair, all thoughts of dark nightmares forgotten under the wave of love created by his lover. He watched the young man reach over onto the nightstand and snatch a tube of lubricant.
"I love you, Jim," Blair whispered against his lover's neck, then bit softly startling him.
Blair squeezed lube onto his fingers as Jim turned over, offering his lover his naked ass. Not one to turn down such a tempting offer, Blair slid first one, then two fingers inside Jim's body, loosening the tight ring of muscle. The Sentinel pushed back wantonly against his hand, and gasped loudly as Blair's fingers brushed against his prostate.
The young man removed his fingers and after coating his own hard cock with the lube, grabbed the older man's hips and positioned his cock against Jim's anus.
"Ready, Love?"
"Yes," Jim whispered softly.
Both men groaned as Blair began to push into Jim, delicate fingers grasping strongly muscled hips. It only took a few slow thrusts before Blair was fully inside Jim's body.
"Jim," Blair called out, face pressed against his lover's smooth back.
"Yes?" Jim queried, sweat dripping from his forehead onto the sheets.
"You're mine," the young man whispered sweetly, then started to thrust. He wrapped his hand around Jim's cock and began to pump it in time with his thrusts, a wave of pleasure starting to spread all over his body as they moved as one.
Jim bucked helplessly against Blair as his lover's cock hit his prostate. "Yes...yours..." he moaned.
Blair felt Jim's shaft swell in his hand, then felt the heat surrounding him, squeezing him into completion. Both came shouting each other's names, the young man collapsing onto his lover's back.
Later, both sated and cuddling together on the bed, Jim was nearly asleep when Blair remembered something.
"Jim, don't forget to pick up your costume for the Halloween party tomorrow night. Simon will have a fit if you don't go, especially after all the work he went through to organize the whole thing!"
Jim groaned, and raised himself slightly to look down at his lover.
"Did you pick a costume for yourself yet?" he asked.
Blair grinned happily.
"Yes. I'm going as Mandrake, the Magician. It's a totally awesome costume!"
Jim gulped noisily.
"Mandrake? W-what did you choose for me?"
"It's a surprise."
"Sandburg, you know I hate surprises! What costume?"
"Oh, alright! It's a vampire costume. Satisfied now?"
"Oh, shit..." Jim whispered.