Deluded In Love - Catalyst

In truth, he hardly remembers the time before he was turned. By this point in life, Rhazien had spent over twice the amount of time being a vampire than he had being a mortal. Initially, he found it something fascinating. The prospect of enhanced physcial abilities and heightened senses were always coveted things— especially to one that thought themselves an "alpha male". Even the need for blood seemed like such a trivial thing then. Men were easy to please and he was no exception in his younger age. But that didn't mean this was a life he had chosen for himself. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Rha had never asked to be turned. It was likely that he might never have despite the enjoyment that came afterward. And as the years dragged on— one, two, three decades— he found himself becoming bored with this lifestyle. Cursing the one that made him this way. They were long gone and he hadn't the slightest clue as to what happened to them. Alive but missing? Dead and decayed? Not that he cared anymore. And perhaps it was sad that he didn't, considering their past relationship. There was a time when he thought them to be more than just a vampire and his maker.

He'd met them at his favorite haunt one night. A dingy little club where most young men oft gathered. The kind that thought they were the hottest shit around. And, well, that wasn't quite a lie when it came to Rha. He was blessed with good looks, a friendly personality, and a charm that could win over just about anyone. Truly, he had it all. This was how he ended up drawing the attention of a newcomer— someone he'd never seen before. That alone was enough to catch his eye, but it helped that they were also a beauty of their own. They went home together that night and quickly fell into bed. Come morning when he would typically leave after waking, he found himself kept in bed by a quiet voice that called out to him. That was the start of his first, serious romance.

In hindsight, he wonders if there had been some sort of bewitchment at play. It wasn't as if this was the first time he'd been taken by someone's appearance. And it certainly wasn't the first relationship he'd experienced. Granted, those were mostly flings or exclusively friends with benefits, but once in a while there was something short-lived! No... This time, he'd fallen into... something quite hard and fast. To call it love felt wrong, but it wasn't a simple infatuation either. Perhaps a mild obsession was the most fitting. And if that were the case, then his maker definitely confused love with deep obsession.

He recalled many nights spent tangled together or going on cheap dates. Whispered words in the dark that promised a great future together. Laughing through cheesy sweet nothings they both swore to be true. Stories about a strange life lived and details that never quite made sense at the time. Heck, there were even certain comments such as the way someone tasted that he blew off as a weird joke or figure of speech. Over 30 years later the signs were clear as day, but back then he saw them as odd forms of endearment. And before meeting the one he would later call his husband, never had he known such "love". None of his past partners looked at him with such softness in their gaze or thought him truly remarkable in any way. Certainly, he was accustomed to the praise and admiration, but all of it was simply surface level. None were someone he could confide in. None truly took the time to know him.

.

.

.

Did they know him?

Nowadays, he think perhaps not. How could they have? Who he was around them was not someone he had ever been.

That was a stranger. A man that had lost his senses somewhere along the way. Someone blinded by another's sweet daydream— had gotten drunk off of it. Or maybe it wasn't just theirs but his as well. Could it have been that at the time he thought he wanted it? A life like that... It almost scared him to think about it now. But it had to be true. Otherwise, how else could he explain the way that these memories were bittersweet?

.

.

.

He remembers the night it happened. Their relationship was somewhere close to a year by then and they were celebrating his birthday together. After all his friends had left, it was finally just the two of them. He was quick to put away the leftover booze and food, not wanting to waste more time than needed. And they simply cuddled on the couch to watch whatever was on TV that night. At some point, he recalls his lover asking these strange questions. How long it had been now and if he was happy to have met them. Did he love them? Did he know how much they loved him? There was an odd sense that something was wrong, but he pushed it all aside. Perhaps they were just feeling a tad insecure. Or maybe it was all a silly way to remind the two of them of their feelings.

Yes, he was happy.

Yes, he loved them.

Yes, he knew they loved him, too.

They smiled through it all, looking more and more pleased with each answer. Rha remembers feeling proud of being able to make them smile that wide. But then came their last question that changed it all. Wrapped in a gentle embrace, the soft and seemingly harmless words— would you do anything for me? He laughed almost immediately. How silly it was that they needed to ask! He returned the embrace and sighed.

"For you, there is nothing I wouldn't do."

The memory becomes a little patchy after that. But it was clear now that they'd had their fangs in him from the start.