Claimed

Authors Note: Many thinks to my beta Alexandra.

Chapter 10 Shadow

Draco stared at his reflection in the mirror, completely disgusted with himself. He had given into his urges and could have died for it. The vampire could have drained him dry and he would have only been too happy to give his life away.

Stupid.

He fell for the legendary vampire tricks and put himself in harm’s way. The bloodsucker could have killed him in seconds.

But he didn’t.

Draco shook the thought away because it didn’t matter that the monster hadn’t killed him, only that he could, easily and apparently with no resistance From Draco himself.

The yearning Draco still felt confused him, and he didn’t know what was real and what was trickery, so he just had to assume that it was all false. He hadn’t known the boy Harry, and even if he had, he was much different now. It was impossible that Draco could feel this kind of heartache over someone he barely knew and thoroughly despised.

Harry was leaving and Draco had gone to him, against his better judgment. He held a finger up to his swollen lip and winced. It still hurt and he guessed it would serve him as a reminder of why he should never again get so close to him.

His mind grew fuzzy when he thought of the kiss that gave him the wound. It had been sensual and passionate, and like nothing Draco could ever describe. He tried not to think about it, though, because it wouldn’t happen again. He couldn’t let it happen again.

Draco already felt bereft of his presence, however, as if the vampire were miles away instead of just on the other side of the manor.

--

Harry was leagues away by the time the sun began to rise, and had successfully snuck into the basement of a small cottage before the rays could harm him. Part of him just wanted to walk out there and let it fry him, but he knew from his research that it wouldn’t have to mean death, only excruciating pain. Several vampires had lived through it only to be permanently marred and mentally broken from the horrible pain.

And he knew he had the ability to feel pain far more acutely now than he ever had as a human. All of his senses were heightened, and with them his emotions and the capacity to feel them.

He wanted to feel something other than the disgust and heartbreak that consumed him now. He had nearly killed his beloved; the sweet taste of his blood had been too much to handle in his starved state. He could still recall its intoxicating flavor.

The look of contempt on Draco’s face, every bit of which Harry deserved, was far too painful to think about. One moment of weakness and his resolve had nearly left him completely. Now he was hollow and broken and felt the miles between he and Draco as if they were tripled. How any vampire survived without their mate was beyond him, and Harry was already giving up hope that there would even be a way to succeed at that mission. Every minute that passed Harry grew more and more resolved to his fate of a slow and withering death.

“I love you,” he whispered to the air and thought for a moment that he heard the echo of a reply, but decided it must only be the beginnings of his mind breaking.

The house above him stirred to life, and Harry could hear the elderly couple that had made this place their home wake up and begin breakfast. He already missed Narcissa, trailing to the dining room in her dusty blue house robes, her luxurious hair pulled up in a loose twist.

He imagined Lucius’s calm demeanor at the knowledge that his creation would not sit at the table that morning. He would be neither happy nor sad about Harry’s departure, but merely relieved that he would no longer need to concern himself with Harry’s fate.

Draco he guessed would be elated, to discover that the ominous vampire had finally left the manor. Would he be equally happy that it sentenced Harry to his death? Would he mourn him, even a little?

Harry held no hope that Draco would feel an ounce of regret. How could he when he had just attempted to murder him only hours ago?

Curling into a tight ball, Harry made himself as comfortable as possible in the dank little basement and listened to the couple as they progressed with their day, missing all the little things he would never get to do with his true love.

--

Harry hadn’t come to breakfast, which Draco had expected but was still unprepared to see. His seat remained empty through the meal and his mother left in a hurry halfway through.

His father seemed at ease for the first time since Draco had come home from school, and this revelation worried him the most.

“Father?” Draco started, worried what answer he would get to his upcoming question.

“Yes, my son?” Lucius replied, giving him the full weight of his gaze, as well as permission to speak.

“Where is the vampire?” he asked, still unable to call him Harry.

Lucius gave him a subtle smile, just a small curve of the lips and looked back to his plate of brioche. “He’s left us, Draco.”

Draco’s heart sank into his gut at the words he had been afraid to hear. A small part of him was rejoicing. He had finally gotten what he wanted from the moment he had met Harry, but the victory was crushed beneath his overpowering heartbreak.

Draco should have known that the moment he ran from the vampire’s room, he would have continued with his plan to leave the Malfoy family behind. But he had held onto some flickering hope that he would be curious enough about their new development to stay at least another day. What’s one more day to an immortal after all?

Pushing away from the table, Draco ran as fast as his human legs would carry him to Harry’s room. The door was open and Draco’s skin went cold as he walked into the room and found it empty. He knew it would be, but he hadn’t anticipated it feeling so… void.

A small piece of parchment folded on the coffee table caught his attention. His name was scrawled on the outside in fancy looping handwriting and he opened it to find a short, neatly written note.

I’m more sorry than I could ever explain in words. I will love you forever and you will never need to hurt because of me again. I wish you all the love and happiness that the world can give you.

Yours Always,

Harry

Draco read the short note a thousand times over before collapsing on the floor in a fit of sobs. His vampire, his soul mate, his Harry was gone. How was he supposed to find him now? How could someone as mundane as Draco find a vampire that was probably several countries away by this point?

There was a stirring behind him, and Draco looked up with a hopeful start, certain that Harry had come back for him. He couldn’t live without him, after all. The same, Draco realized with a start, was true about himself, as well.

He couldn’t survive without that boy, without his Harry.

On the Harry’s bed, in dusty blue silk robes, laid his mother’s prone form. She was lying on top of the bedding and pulling one of Harry’s pillows to her, gently stroking it and shaking with silent tears.

Draco went to her and ran a pale hand through her hair, combing it away from her face. “Mother?” he whispered.

“It all still smells of him, Draco. My son, my precious Harry is gone,” she sobbed.

Draco climbed onto the bed with her, spooning up behind his mother, holding her gently. “I know,” he said softly, his voice breaking. He let the tears fall, mingling with his mother’s as they mourned the loss of their Harry.

--

As night fell outside Harry’s hiding place, he made his way carefully and quietly to the lane outside the home and began his journey.

Just north of the village was a mountain range, and in those mountains lived a Kiss of vampires known as the Shadow. The Shadow stayed out of the lives of humans, not interacting with them, or feeding on them.

No one knew how the community survived without the drinking of human blood, but Harry was determined to find out. He would not shed another drop of it so long as he lived. He could do at least that much for his beloved.

He was also hoping, since the Kiss was so large, that someone there might know of a way to free him of his torment, and might be able to save him from his unfulfilled bond with Draco.

He made his way quickly to the mountain range he had read about, it only taking his nimble vampire legs an hour to cross the distance. He climbed a tree to survey the area but his keen sight picked up nothing.

It was then that the wind shifted and he smelled it, the fragrance of copper and jasmine.

Vampire blood.

Harry followed the scent to a large outcropping of trees growing against the mountainside. The boughs of the trees formed a green archway and a long corridor. Harry took one last look behind him at the world he was leaving behind and stepped through the arch.

The corridor was dark, but his vision allowed him to clearly see the etched words in the trunks around him. The text seemed to shift and glow as he looked at it, the ancient language making itself readable to him.

Those of our blood are welcome. Make your offering at the mighty gate.

Harry couldn’t fathom what his offering should be, but he proceeded along the path, keeping watch for anyone like him.

When he reached what he only supposed was the mighty gate, he felt nervous. The gate was in fact a door; a large slab of the mountain stone had been cut away, and in its place a sparkling granite door, maybe four meters high, appeared. On its surface was another series of etchings, repeating the words on the trees. In the center of the text a detailed fleur de lis glittered in the moonlight.

Harry pondered outside the door for several minutes on what his offering should be. He hadn’t brought much with him, only some clothes and mundane items. He thought of his wand, and pulled it from his robes.

It didn’t feel right though, didn’t feel like the appropriate offering, so he put it away. He read over the two lines again and again and it finally hit him. When it did he felt like an imbecile for having ever missed it.

He pressed one of his sharp nails to his palm and sliced into the flesh there. It tore easily enough, but before it started to close, he pressed his palm against the fleur de lis on the door.

A giant crack erupted and the trees behind him shook with it. Harry watched cautiously as the door slowly opened, revealing a torch lit corridor behind it. He took a tentative step forward and made his way into the mountain toward the Kiss of The Shadow.

His new home.

Authors Note: A new twist, please review