Solace

Posted: August 2003
Title: Solace
Author: Estella Greenleaf
Type: RPS
Rating: PG-13
Characters: V/O
Warning: AU. Kind of like the Underworld movie premise. Saw the preview and was impressed.
Author's note: Okay, this is yet another ‘reaction piece' after reading a beautifully written, but depressing ficlet: Caught in the Abyss. I really need to cheer myself up with something with a happy ending. I'm perfectly aware that I have tons of other stuff to write, but if I don't do this, I'll be miserable all day; so here it is.

*****

Eternity, an appealing concept for those blessed with mortality. Yet, for those doomed to witness forever the fall of the centuries, it was a curse unlike any other. To watch beloved cities swallowed by the sands of time, to lose loved ones to the unrelenting grasp of death, to endure the abysmal isolation of being the only constant in an ever-changing world; such were an immortal's pain that no ordinary person could understand.

He wished he could end it all. A part of his heart died each time he loved and lost; he was now no more than a shadow of who he once was. Only in death would he be free again. But his honor would not allow it. He had sworn an oath to protect his clan from the shape-shifters; and to this promise he held, until the end of time. Now, he existed only to end lives, be it the unlucky human he fed upon or the enemies he disposed of. For Viggo, there would be no relief from his suffering, not until he could find a match in battle, a worthy foe who could deliver him from his personal hell of never-ending nights.

*****

Freedom, his as he plummeted through the mists; his spirits soaring in exhilaration as his body continued its descent. No attachments, no obligations, no need to pretend; for a moment, he could be himself, an adventurous boy enamored with nature, at one with the fog that enveloped him and engulfed the dying rays of the setting sun. He wanted this moment to last forever, to never return to earth, to the elaborate lie that was his life.

For a brief second, he considered escaping his gilded cage. It would be easy; to do nothing until the laws of gravity brought an end to his existence. Yet, he could not. On its own volition, his hand moved, pulling on the string that was his lifeline. Perhaps it was cowardice; perhaps it was the innocent in him that could still hope; what mattered was that the parachute opened and Orlando would live another day.

*****

A suicide mission, something Viggo would have been grateful for if the target was not this incredibly exquisite mortal with soulful eyes. The essence of the youth's beauty captured on a black-and-white photograph, the portrait of a lonely soul in search of someone to love, one look and the vampire's heart was no longer his own. But Viggo was not the only immortal captured by the boy's youthful brilliance; the leader of the shape-shifters was likewise enchanted.

Tonight, the lycanthropes would make their move; they would steal this radiant idol from the mortal world and make him their own. That was something his clan could not allow. The boy had the power to hold millions of mortals under his spell, a great liability if he were to join the ranks of the shape-shifters. There was but one solution, to destroy the youth before he became a threat; and Viggo was the one chosen to do so. There was naught the vampire warrior could do but fulfill his duty; though his heart lamented, cursing the cruel fates that had destined a mortal so innocent to be caught in between two sides of an ancient blood feud.

*****

High above the horizon, over the tranquil waters, gems of brilliant colors shimmered in the night. Festive music swelled, overflowing the luxurious deck into the looming darkness, a fitting companion to the blooming flowers of fire that dispelled the eternal gloom covering the city's sky. Tonight was Orlando's ‘big night', one of many of similar nights, where the rich and famous gathered to celebrate the premiere of a film that was ordained to lay waste to the records set before.

Face frozen in a forged smile, the star greeted his admirers, feeling ever so lonely amidst the adoring crowds. How had things come to this, Orlando did not know. All he knew was that he had been here countless times before, playing the same role, one of a movie star who loved the attention showered upon him. He was a good actor; none, not even his keepers, knew the extent of his loneliness, his pain. To the world, he was the symbol of vibrancy and radiance, a dashing hero from the fantasies. Not a single soul cared for who he truly was; and this, Orlando would give his life to change.

*****

For the brief second, swirling chocolate met steely gray; soulful amber orbs issuing a silent plea for comfort from any who would see beyond the surface. Never before in his immortal life had the vampire's heart been so touched; never before had Viggo felt so strong a connection to another. The assassin knew the time had come, but he simply could not do what he had set out to accomplish. He could not destroy with his own hands his heart's desire, and dash the hopes of finding solace again in another's arms.

*****

Screams, the thundering of frantic footsteps reverberated in the night as the masses fled from monsters that had materialized from the shadows. Orlando stood alone, unafraid of the onslaught, willing to accept what fate had in store for him. The monsters approached, at a slow cautious pace of supreme hunters that did not wish to startle their prey.

Then it happened; the man who had caught Orlando's attention earlier leapt into the fray in his defense. Enchanting gray-blue eyes bore into his, a look meant to reassure but succeeded instead in stealing Orlando's breath away. Despite the commotion, only the dark-haired man's smile seemed real, warming his heart to banish the bleak solitude brought on by his fame.

The new arrival drove the creatures of the night into a frenzy, prompting them to abandon all caution and charge the mysterious stranger. Orlando did not know what happened next. An overwhelming urge to protect his courageous rescuer, a maddening sense of helplessness as the stranger shielded him from the monsters, a primal instinct to fight back and survive; these sensations were like a whirlpool in his mind, drowning all other senses. Perhaps, that was how death felt like. With a strangled cry, Orlando succumbed to the pull of chaos, plummeting into a world of darkness.

*****

Outside, dawn approached, painting the sky in a gray-blue hue. Inside the vampire's crypt, a dim candle flickered, casting its golden light onto the perfect sculpted face that was the focus of Viggo's attention. The vampire wondered if the elders of his clan knew the whole truth, that the boy was no mortal at all, but a born were-leopard of unprecedented powers. But to Viggo, none of it mattered anymore. Orlando had saved his life, protected him from the other shape-shifters; he owed the youth a life-debt. He would repay the beautiful were-leopard with everything that he had, his strength, his loyalty and his love.

*****

It was difficult to accept; Viggo's tale bore an uncanny resemblance to the plot of a contemporary horror movie. In fact, Orlando first thought it would make a good tragic paranormal romance, a Romeo and Juliet with shape-shifters and vampires. But that was before gentle Viggo transformed into a fearsome vampire before his very eyes, welcoming him into the realm of darkness.

True, Orlando had wanted to escape the trappings of his life under the public eye; but this was too much. He could not possibly be one of the beasts that everyone feared and loathed; he was the darling of the mortal world. Scared to accept the truth, the youth fled, leaving behind a forlorn vampire to nurse his broken heart.

*****

Orlando was gone. This was what Viggo feared when he watched the exhausted were-leopard slept. But reality hurt far more than the vampire anticipated. For one night, he could almost touch his secret dream, to find an immortal soul mate, to never endure this heart-wrenching loneliness again. But it was not to be. Steps leaden by despair, the vampire made ready for the morning. This would be his last daytime rest; tomorrow night, he would return to his clan and face the repercussions of his actions.

An intruder in his house, a shape-shifter had entered. Mind still engrossed in sleep, Viggo could not ascertain the identity of his visitor. But it mattered not; the vampire knew it was his time to find solace in death, be it by the hands of his clansmen or his enemies. The door to his crypt opened, a warm pliant body stretched against his own. A gentle kiss, a whispered apology, offering promises of comfort that Viggo had only dreamed of.

For the first time in centuries, the vampire looked forward to waking. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a new life. It would be difficult, but he would face all adversities gladly, for he would never be for want of solace again.

*****

[A beginning and an end]

THE END

If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Estella Greenleaf