What if you hadn't turned?
What If? AU: If Miller had not become a vampire and faced his destiny.
He staggered a bit drunkenly down the sidewalk. His limbs wouldn’t quiet obey him and he knew it had nothing to do with the muggy heat of the city. New Orleans was pleasant aside from the humidity even if he did hate this place. It was fortunate that he wouldn’t be here long. And when he stepped into the sliding doors of the Mayfair Medical Center cooler air washed over him from the air conditioning inside. Much better.
They didn’t have any objection to him being there. He was a Mayfair, after all, one of their own. So it was only a matter of talking fast to weasel his way into the deeper parts of the clinic. He had no real interest in the operations here. He’d come searching for one particular ward, and ignoring the Restricted signs he went boldly into it anyway.
There, he found them. Taltos. Red hair and dark hair, long graceful limbs and vibrant faces. They looked at him with curiosity. With wariness.
“You should come with me.” He stated immediately. A hand beckoning to one of the sweet-faced females. “Don’t let them keep you here any longer. Come with me. Hurry.”
Did she know? On a deeper level did she recognize him? The closest male in the room stood up from his seat to raise objection but the female had already gone into action. She took his hand. He turned and ran with her. There were shouting voices behind them that he ignored. His heart hammered in his chest but he did not stop running until they were clear of the property. Until the buildings of the area and the cars on the streets had provided them enough space away.
They would come searching. He didn’t intend to be found. There was a car waiting. The owner had not wanted to give it to him. He had been forced to kill the man, left back in a rest area on the I-10. But he wouldn’t need the vehicle for much longer.
By the time he drove them to their destination, he had not yet even asked her name. They were silent for the trip there and even when he urged her out of the car to walk the mile over to the little cabin in the woods he had occupied. She was taller than him, moving gracefully through the grace while he stumbled. It frustrated him immensely. This body was almost perfect – almost. Soon, his new one would be more correct.
Humming an old song from very long ago, he carried his burden into the cave upon his shoulder. It was a mourning tune. The newborn male Taltos hanging limp deserved its respect. Even if he had murdered it. Because though they were five strong in their tribe he did not care to risk allowing another male in with the females yet. They were his brides, all of them.
Lasher dropped the dead body down with the rest. Three male corpses. Their dark hair spread like cobwebs over their blank faces. He did not have to look into their eyes that way.
A low groan sounded from near his feet. He turned towards it with a gentle smile, steps taking him to the other figure on the ground that was divided from the rotting corpses by a span of dirt. Lasher settled upon his knees, getting his pants dusty, as he leaned over to peer down at the human in the dim lights filtering in through the cave’s opening.
“Are you still alive, my little witch?”
His fingers touched upon Miller’s throat. Still a faint pulse. He was always stubborn. Even the will to live had not expired in him yet even if his candle was soon to snuff. Lasher looked over the young man’s emaciated figure, with its sunken cheeks and sharp bones jutting in skin since the muscles had wasted almost to nothing. He had kept him alive, yes, coming here to spoon feed just enough nurturing broth that the body would not starve.
Lasher’s touch shifted to brush back the matted dark hair. Cooing to him softly as he fondly comforted the witch. “They are not coming for you. You know that, right? I tore your soul bonds to shreds and it’s likely they believe you simply abandoned them. I am sure that they, in turn, have abandoned you.”
“Sleep. Sleep, and don’t wake up. Do yourself that kindness, my sour little Miller. This was always your destiny.”
He stood with a small hum to brush the dust off his knees. Lasher smiled as he turned to go, exiting the cave where he kept the dead and the dying. The Taltos rolled the rock back in front of it so that only the barest stream of air and light could still get through.
Left there in the darkness, Miller’s heart continued to beat in hopeless desperation.
