Bloody Ice

Cold Heat

“How am I doing, Vlad?” Jack asked me and I shook my head to clear my mind. We’d been playing for an hour and his scent had started to crush in on me. 

“Hm? Good. You might even be better than me soon.” I said, smiling at him only to find he’d asked the question without looking away from the TV. It left the pale line of his throat bare to me, his pulse moving steadily beneath his skin. I broke then, going into a hunger fueled haze. My tongue grazed Jack’s chilled skin.

“Vlad, what are you…?” Jack started to say, tensing as my arms wound around him, pinning his arms down at his sides. His words cut off the second I bit down, savouring the gasp the winter spirit loosed as I sucked hard at the wound. The blood beneath the chilled skin was hot and the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. I groaned, pulling him tighter against my chest. Each gulp was like manna as it slid continuously down my throat, until Jack’s arm slid from my grasp and caressed my hair. “You gotta stop, Vlad...it’s starting to hurt.” Jack’s voice came quietly, his hand stroking my hair. I blinked, my eyes going wide as I forced my mouth away from his skin.

“Oh...god...Jack...I’m so sorry! What have I done?” I whimpered, unable to stop the tears that streaked down my cheeks, the taste of his blood still on my tongue, worsening my guilt. 

“I’m not upset, Vlad. I just wish you’d told me. I told you what I was, didn’t I?” He murmured gently, his hand still stroking my hair gently. I looked at him with my eyes wide, still allowing tears to spill down my cheek. He reached out and grabbed his staff, catching one of my tears on his thumb. It froze into a beautiful crystal like icicle, no bigger than a tack. 

“I was afraid to scare you away...I should have left you alone...your scent is so...alluring.” I choked out, covering my face to hide from his kindness. His hands grasped my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face. 

“I’m not scared, I’ve faced much worse. Besides, I’m a spirit and pretty sure I’m immortal. So a little blood loss won’t kill me. Besides, it didn’t start to hurt until I stopped you. So stop crying and lets play a bit longer.” He said, grasping up his controller. 

“So...you’re still my friend? Even now...that...oh no...I bit you…” I gasped as the realization hit me. I’d made him my drudge, what had I done? “I made you my drudge…my servant.” I whimpered, covering my head with my hands. 

“Stop it, Vlad. It’s okay. Something tells me this is the first time you’ve fed off of a living person. But don’t feel bad about it. Because it was me, Vlad. I’m the best person to handle your feedings and not risk dying from it. Besides, it felt really good.” He said, unpausing the game on me and starting to play without me. I sat shocked for a moment, then realized what he’d done.

“Hey! That’s cheating!” I exclaimed, picking up my controller as Jack let out a mischievous laugh. 

“Vlad? I’m home!” Uncle Otis exclaimed, walking into the living room and looking at the TV in confusion. “Are you playing two player by yourself?” He asked softly, setting his teacher case down next to Jack, who looked up at him as if he knew that Otis couldn’t see him. 

“No...I’m playing with Jack Frost.” I said and he looked at me dumbfounded, but shook his head and laughed. 

“It’s okay, Vlad. Hallucinations come with extreme hunger.” Otis said pointedly, patting my head and heading into the kitchen. 

“He...really can’t see you…” I said in soft surprised. 

“Yeah. Most adults and older teens can’t. They don’t believe so they can’t see.” Jack said with a shrug, grabbing his staff and standing. “But I have to head off now. I’ll be back to visit often. This was fun. If you find yourself needing more, just ask the wind for me.” He said, and headed for the door. 

“Wait, Jack…” I said, grabbing his arm to stop him. He turned back to me, smiling.

“What is it?” He asked softly. I blushed deeply and leaned forward, pressing my lips against his. When I got no response, I started to pull away. Then suddenly I was pulled tightly against his chest and he crushed his lips to mine, returning my kiss. 

“Promise to come back soon…” I said, still blushing brightly as he pulled back, still feeling to cool tingle of his lips on mine. 

“I swear it. I already miss you.” He said, placing another soft kiss on my lip before withdrawing and leaving quickly. I sighed and rubbed my face. What had I gotten myself into?

*********

Jack’s P.o.V.

I rode on the wind, heading to North’s workshop where I had been staying since we defeated Pitch. It had been almost a whole year since we’d defeated him and now I found a friend. Though, it had seemed to become more than that in a matter of an hour. My fingers ran over his bite mark on my skin before tugging my hood up to conceal it. 

“Jack! Welcome back, my boy. Have fun?” North asked as I walked past the yetis, stepping over the elves. 

"Yeah. I...made a friend..." I admitted, smiling gently and blushing. North quirks an eyebrow and I knew he was wondering what kind of friend I’d made. I didn’t feel the need to elaborate and just stepped past him to head to my room, but he caught my shoulder. 

“Did you get hurt?” He asked, grasping the edge of the neckline of my hoodie and holding it up so I could see the blood stain there. 

“Uh, I tripped on my own feet and fell. It was just a little cut. Nothing serious. It not like I can die again.” I said, brushing him off and storming into my room. It had come off harsher than I’d wanted but I feared what he would do if he saw the actual bite mark. I didn’t want him to forbid me from seeing Vlad. It was different from being seen by children. This was something...more. Something I had yet to feel or understand before. But whatever it was...I wanted to give it a shot, an honest try, without North or anyone else getting in the way.