Chapter 5 – Deadly Encounter.
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Michael found a large lake passed the hills just on the outskirts of the university campus near the woods, where he knew he could be alone and find peace in his mind and soul. He held back his pain of his brother’s death locking it away in his own private vault as his Ma had instructed. Michael found it strange that he wasn't able to express his emotion, and yet that he was hurting so much, he knew he had a task to do, and he would do it. He has never let his Ma down and he wasn’t going to begin now, no matter how lonely he felt.
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Every night after class he would jump on his bike and ride over the hills and come to the same place on the lake. This was the only place he would feel at peace, where his worries were lifted and it allowed him to find his serenity, - he was pain free. Michael knew on the full moon the fish bit the best, he felt it was an ode to Dakota.
He never hated Dakota, but he never knew why Dakota detested him, always told him he wasn’t his brother only Nicholas was, always called him the thorn in the family. Michael knew Dakota was angry growing up, never understood why, didn’t really matter they were blood and blood forgives one another no matter what, he took pride with that moral and stuck true to it.
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The full moon brought out all kinds of supernatural creatures and beasts that hunted on prey, not only to feed but to possess or kill. In the distance, a hunter was running with accelerated speed through the path of the woods, a silent hunter in the night.
Jagger Drakovic one of the best hunters and trackers, he was hot on a trail, he could sense he was getting close to his prey and was in accelerated speed to get to it.
Michael was so engrossed in his own emotions and solidarity he didn’t notice anything else.
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Jagger stopped in his tracks, he could sense his prey was still a long way off, yet something aroused his senses. His night vision didn’t pick up on any halo of a warm blooded being. Jagger being a skillful hunter, the best of his species, a master in using his night vision along with others abilities he had. This curiosity had aroused his desire to stop and inspect the environment around him, as he scanned around silently.
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Jagger heard something by the water and he knew it wasn’t fish he turned to see Michael who had just caught another fish and was beaming with pride.
“I knew the full moon brings out the best fish” Michael thought to himself, “always trust my instinct, I know my parents would be proud”. Michael proudly comforted himself while enjoying yet another catch.
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Jagger like a silent cat sauntered silently as he moved closer to Michael and watched him, in his own mind he didn’t understand how he didn’t pick up Michael’s halo in his own night vision and how Michael presence has slipped through his radar.
“What was a simple human being with no supernatural magical auras doing out in the woods alone?”, he thought to himself in the arrogant manner he always did.
He knew it was dangerous during the day let alone at night and on a full moon, he knew locals feared hunters, vampires and werewolves were the most feared and especially on a full moon as the two rivals come out to feed, and kill.
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He watched Michael silently, vampires have a telepathic power and Jagger knows how to use this to the full potential, this made him a higher threat than average vampires who did not all possess this power.
Jagger saw Michael was in a place; a world where the sky was calm, filled with glistening stars, every so often the sky would light up from a shooting star, the moon was bright and elevated enough to clearly see the ripples on the water as he would fish. He saw Michael had a peaceful place in his mind, he found this utmost alluring and intriguing even more, although confused as to why Michael is so far away as he couldn’t sense any other emotion, …then he heard hooting of owls and could see it was from Michael's place in his mind that they were present, as there was no sound in these woods tonight.
Michael felt a strange buzzing sound in his ears, like a mild static electricity filling his mind, it was only subtle enough for him to notice it, but as he knew he was in a quiet place he thought it might just be the ringing of his own ears and dismissed thinking about it.
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Jagger intrigued by Michael's strong imagery decided to come down by the water to join in fishing, mostly to watch him and observe him, to break down his mind and really see what Michael weaknesses are, so that he can keep that in his own 'vault' of memories for a later day when he needed to feed.
Michael noticed someone had come to join in on the fishing and was a little surprised that they too would be this far out, but he wasn’t one to judge and felt everyone should enjoy the serenity and pleasures that nature provides, he quietly kept his thoughts in his own magical world of peace and love that filled his core and kept fishing. Enjoying the sounds Mother Nature actually was providing him.
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The boys fished for what seemed like an hours, Jagger’s curiosity was growing stronger, he wanted to know more about this non supernatural enigma, he smelt no threat on him , for the first time in a long time he didn’t feel the need to intimidate a mortal, yet his own patience and desires was growing impatiently to find out more.
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Michael didn’t really pay attention to Jagger, he just continued to enjoy his peaceful time with nature. He felt a little more comfortable having another human near him, reminded him of home and when his family would fish by the dam, words were never spoken but it was that comfort they all seek and enjoyed. He felt home was the closest it’s been for him tonight.
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Jagger saw Michael has finished fishing so he approached him, Jagger was blunt in his own arrogance and always got his way, it was who he was and he knew that his own ego intimidated many sorts across the board including his own father. He knew Michael didn’t know him so he moved quickly.
“What are you doing here…. alone in the woods, so far from university?” Jagger asked in a calm yet stern deep baritone voice.
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“Why fishing of course” he giggled at Jagger’s question.
“You were too, were you not?” Michael replied with a child like innocence.
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Jagger amused at Michael's reply, yet intrigued that a human would dare respond in the manner he himself would. He didn’t often appreciate humans and their cocky ways, and he certainly never allowed them to talk to him in the manner he would to someone, he knew how to manipulate them as puppets to his own enjoyment and make them tremble with fear, yet he found Michael's reply amusing and enjoyed his cheekiness.
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“Who is this person here standing before him?, who shows no fear, no animosity, nothing?” Jagger thought to himself. He had never met anyone with these traits. His curiosity was biting for more information and he knew he had to find out more.
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“I'm Jagger Drake, most know me as Jag and… you are?”
Jagger stared into Michael's eyes, through his soul to detect any lies or hidden agendas but kept hitting walls.
“I'm Michael Fox” Michael replied feeling stupid he didn’t have a nickname.
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Jagger again burst out in urgency with his question…
“Well Mike, What are you doing out in the woods …alone……it’s the full moon and people know it’s not safe around here ….”
He continued with some slight inclination of threat.
“There are hunters on the prey of the full moon. You are no where near safety…” he added with a slightly deadlier implication, and curious as to what reply Michael would give him.
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Michael stared at Jagger, he had noticed that Jagger had fangs bigger and sharper than Sheps and was not of the same colour as his own skin, he noticed Jagger’s illuminated nocturnal glowing eyes with a beautiful blue aura that gleamed from them, although he noticed the piercing stare that could cut through steel with one look, yet he felt a warmth, a safety in his own core.
His was not the type to judge, his Ma had always taught him to look into the soul. To feel it, once he’s felt it, to use that to find the truth to a person’s existence, and keep that as his judgement. What or how someone looked like was never important. Michael knew this and inside felt he didn’t need to judge Jagger but he in-turn knew that Jagger must be another supernatural as he looked different to Lido.
He listened to Jagger and was captivated in Jagger’s warm light that glowed from within, he found that warm place just like his own and he liked that feeling. He felt comfortable that Jagger too had it inside his core, that safe, brave; place - the vault as he always called it.
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“I have been coming here for almost a week…” he replied as he looked away from Jagger. He didn’t want Jagger to see his pain. Michael didn’t like talking about emotions much so he would do all it took to avoid exposing his feelings, he knew he only had the key to his little private vault where all his pain was stored and he wouldn’t allow anyone to find it.
He stopped himself when he heard come out of his mouth… “I needed to get away when my brother…...”
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Jagger realized that he was Dakota’s brother, the idiot mortal who died to the vending machine, everyone knew about Dakota’s death but not many knew who his little brother was.
Jagger had a brief meeting with Dakota at one of the parties but found him to be a rotten angry petty lout who didn’t have much respect for himself or anyone else and as he never wasted his time with petty mortals who didn’t offer him some kind of challenge.
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Jagger stared with a razor sharp glare, staring into Michael’s soul, constantly hitting walls. He saw before him a young adult in body form, who was still a little boy inside, bursting to get out, to find himself. He felt something of his own soul that began to wake up inside him, yet it’s not something any vampire has, they are cold hearted so he dismissed his own petty feelings.
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“So your Dakota’s brother” he said bluntly followed quickly by “I am sure you’re hurting”
Jagger knew too well that humans were the weakest of all the species that walked the earth and death truly did make them fall apart, yet he could see Michael was strong, a bravery inside him, he found it arousing to his own ego stimulating him to dig deeper.
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“You know Mike sometimes talking helps….” He replied with a quick sly remark
Jagger knew humans in their weakness they always talked, this is how he had fed of many who used his shoulder to cry on and at their weakest point he would enjoy the ooze of their warm blood dripping off his lips.
As Jagger was mid hunt and he was starting to get hungry, his desires were burning inside of his own core, to have a taste, yet he liked the thrill of a chase, a game, he found nothing more arousing to his own existence.
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Michael looked away he knew talking never helped, visualizing that key, he could feel that Jagger was being formally kind but he never felt comfortable expressing his feelings and he wasn’t going to start now.
“Thank you” Michael said politely as he looked towards the Lake,
“This is why I have been coming here… I find it helps me be me and embrace my surroundings” he added in a whisper.
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“You’re welcome to sit with me and if you feel the need to talk I'm all ears… no judgement nothing… just a release” Jagger added cunningly.
Jagger didn’t want to press he felt that perhaps he might shut Michael down and he knew he needed to find out all the traps and tricks before he would make Michael fear him.
He could sense Michael had a growing rage inside him that he needed to let out. Jagger was born a vampire so he never really felt the need for these feelings, he knew humans that were turned and hybrids would carry the need for these emotions, but he himself never needed to. It was not something he was trained to do.
He found it a big weakness and one thing he despised was weakness in any living creature. Yet he knew weakness in mortals made great meals for when he was hungry. It was the way of his world, their existence and he thrived on that thrill
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They sat down under the starry sky, Jagger watched Michael who inhaled the air that they both breathed, a smile emerged from his face. Jagger felt teased in how peaceful Michael’s aura is, he found himself calmed, something no living breathing immortal and mortal was ever able to do.
Michael felt at peace, he was under nature’s greatest gift and he actually had a living presence next to him, he didn’t feel lonely for the first time since he can remember. It made his night a little less heavy, almost lifting the weight that was burdening his soul; he took a deep breath in and sighed with relief.
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Jagger tapped into Michael's mind and all he saw was stars and peace, his curiosity was growing stronger. No mortal had the ability for such a strong imagination, a world in his own world. Jagger didn’t like not knowing something and when he didn’t, he would do all it took to find out.
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“You really do like mother nature and her starlight’s don’t you” Jagger said to Michael with a calmness to his own deep voice.
Michael looked at him
“isn’t Mother Nature the most calm and beautiful gift any living being can enjoy?" He replied with a softly spoken voice
”I never really have had good company to try it with”, Jagger replied, not really letting Michael know the real reasons.
Jagger was far from allowing any immortal let alone a mortal know one of his weaknesses, and he himself realizing that something so simple is taken for gratitude. He has spent his whole life under the blanket of stars hunting prey and never once stopped to appreciate it. Whenever he was outside at night he felt powerful and brave but was always on a mission. He was a hunter, a trained killer, a vampire assassin and he knew it, everyone who crossed paths with him knew it. Yet he felt a little helplessness next to Michael, he shrugged off the feelings while still staring into Michael's olive green eyes.
“Well how about we both watch the stars tonight” Michael jumped in before Jagger might ask another question as he really didn’t feel like talking.
“You got a deal”, Jagger agreed enjoying the idea of trying something new, he was a daredevil and any new quest was as good as a dare in his mind. He also knew this might allow Michael’s walls to come down as his own mind was pressing for answers.
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As they both started at the sky Jagger was almost thrown off course at Michael who had moved right next to him and they were shoulder to shoulder. He never had anyone dare touch him, he knew his skin was cold to touch and lifeless for he was the living dead, yet Michael whose warm blood flowed through his veins didn’t hesitate.
Jagger could feel his warm body against his shoulder. Yes he’s had many woman and victims, he’s felt their succulent warm skin against his own cold body and lips, but no male dared come close, finding his body heat arousing his senses and heightening his desires for the taste of his blood that was throbbing through his veins.
Jagger dismissed the circling thoughts that started to fog his mind. He found it difficult to switch off his thinking, but attempted to just enjoy something he’s never appreciated before and with the warmth of a mortal.
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Looking into the clear sky lit up with a blanket of stars all shimmering and glistening, Jagger couldn’t help himself to be intrigued how Michael was so comfortable and fearless, next to the deadliest weapon known to mankind. He couldn’t help but wonder about Michael.
“Who are you Michael Fox” kept twisting through his mind. Jagger didn’t like not knowing something about anyone, and he always was able to dive deep into their minds, their souls, yet he fell short with Michael, he kept hitting walls, barriers. At the same time didn’t feel the urge to work hard on it. He was torn between his own curiosity and desires and Michael’s alluring calm spirit.
Michael upon moving closer could feel that Jagger’s body was ice cold, what had him puzzled in his own mind was he found him appealingly warm. Michael didn’t think too much about it. He just enjoyed the company of a male friend. He wanted to embrace that safe feeling. He enjoyed the idea of having a big brother to talk to, a father figure. Michael felt safe, enjoying the night sky, the peacefully sounds, he didn’t want to think about the questions, the unknowns, nothing. He didn’t even want to know what supernatural Jagger was, he just enjoyed the moment where he’s actually was not alone and feeling lonely.
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Although he could sense loneliness in Jagger, deep in his own core he sensed Jagger was wise, carried a burden no one could, he felt a long and heavy loneliness. Michael being kindhearted, wanted his new friend to find his own peace in the beautiful night sky above them, so he just gazed into the stars and felt peace, sending his minds eye in a white glow around himself and his new friend.
Jagger felt a warm aura coming from Michael, he stopped thinking briefly to really enjoy the night sky, he knew his own senses would detect any threats a mile away and his vision was impeccable with nothing around, he gave himself a moment to try to see what Michael was finding so much pleasure in.
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After they had finished gazing in the stars, they got up, Michael was ready to leave to go back to his dorm.
“Jag it was lovely meeting you” he said politely.
Before he let Jagger speak he instantly added “I think I better get back to my dorm to get some sleep, in a few hours it will be time for class”.
“How about I walk you back to the dorm? I know a short cut through the woods as they are not safe to walk alone. It will cut half your time and you can have a longer sleep”, Jagger promptly replied.
Jagger knew there were hunters out in force and this place was really not safe for a defenseless mortal. He wanted this mortal for himself. “All in good time, he continued to calm his own urges”, he knew Michael would be safe from others with him by his side, until he was ready.
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Michael liked the idea that someone would be walking with him.
“I would really like that” Michael said in agreement.
He felt safe with Jagger and he really didn’t want their night to end.
