Innocence Broken

Chapter 6: Jason


Matt was still curled on the floor, by the sink, as the knock at the door got harder. Matt started looking for an escape when a voice reached him, ‘you coming or not kid?’

The knot that had appeared in Matt’s chest relaxed and Matt let a whoosh of air escape him. ‘Yeah, I’m coming!’ Matt quickly yanked himself to his feet and stepped out of the dimly lit bathroom into the bright morning sky and walked straight into the trucker who easily caught him with a gentle fatherly chuckle.

‘Easy there boy, let’s get you into the truck; you can sleep it off there.’

Matt just nodded and allowed the man to lead him to the truck and help him inside, his whole body burned with exhaustion but he refused to let himself sleep. Instead he stared out of the window listening to the truck’s rumblings. The trucker’s voice caused Matt to jump. He turned and smiled apologetically at the older man, ‘I say go to sleep kid, I won’t hurt ya, I’ll wake ya when we near the city.’

The words tumbled out of Matt’s mouth before his could stop himself, ‘Why are you helping me? I mean... thank you...but.’

The trucker laughed at him and smiled, handing him a picture of a boy slightly younger then himself, ‘see him? That’s my boy, if he looked like you do now, well, I’d hope someone would help him. Now you rest up kid...God knows you look like you need it.’

Matt nodded once, handed the picture back to the man and turned back to the window letting his eyes close, but sleep wouldn’t come. His mind forced him to think about what had happened. Ezra, Warren, vampires, The Dolls House, the dead boys and Jason, questions darted around his mind like lightning. Why had Jason helped the vampires? How long? Was he the first or had Jason been helping from the start? As sleep finally started to claim Matt he knew he only had one option, he had to get answers to these questions, and he had to get Jason to talk... anyway he could.

Warren silently entered the library where Ezra was slowly healing, blood stained his clothes and little droplets could be seen on the floor. Ezra’s anger was touchable and his eyes glowed with a crimson fire. He turned those burning eyes on Warren making the older vampire freeze.

‘Where is he?’

‘I lost him Master; he went through the wood and...’

Warren didn’t get time to finish. Ezra moved in a blur of speed, pinning him to the wall, his claw like fingers dug into Warren tender throat. Ezra bared his fangs, ‘I do not wish to hear how you failed me Warren!’ Ezra moved closer. Warren could feel every part of Ezra as the old vampire pressed into him. Ezra was inches from his face and as he spoke his lips brushed Warren’s.

‘Why should I let you live?’

‘I do not know master.’

Warren felt the fear trickle through his body and Ezra moved forward, his hand had moved away from Warren’s throat and was now twisted into his hair, the other snaked around his waist. Ezra moved in as if to place a kiss on Warren’s lips, but slowly moved downwards and licked at the pulse in his neck making Warren shudder with desire. Warren felt as Ezra ground his hips against his own, he tried not to enjoy such contact knowing that there would be pain to follow but Ezra’s lips continued to place butterfly kisses against his neck.

‘I keep you alive because I promised I would, but fail me again...’ Warren forced himself not to cry out as Ezra’s fangs tore into Warren’s throat, lapping up the blood as it trailed down his chest. Warren tried to hide the pain but Ezra, wanting a reaction, tore deeper into his neck. A small whimper escaped his lips as he felt fangs scrape bone. Warren’s head began to spin as Ezra drank more blood, until Ezra finally released him, letting Warren slide down the wall to the floor. His own eyes glowed red, and Ezra stood before him staring at him coldly, Warren’s blood staining his lips and chin.

‘Find him, bring him to me, it’s time I showed him that I do not tolerate disobedience.’

Matt shot up and away from the hand on his shoulder, not understanding where he was, his mind still clouded in sleep. Slowly he began to recognize his surroundings and the old trucker smiled at him sadly.

‘We’re inside the city kid. This here’s my stop.’

Matt nodded his thanks and jumped out of the truck, looking around he tried to get his bearings. Relief flooded him, he knew where he was, and he was just twelve blocks from his family home. Matt began to run not caring at the protests of his sore muscles, just thinking of home, his home, he’d be safe there, and no one could get him at home. He knew they were childish ideals but he didn’t care, he’d lived through hell and just wanted to forget it.

Finally the house came into view, a small two-storey building with the traditional white picket fence, he’d hated it all for so long but now he just wanted to curl up in the memories it held and hide away. Tears burned the back of his eyes and a lump rose in his throat, he suddenly missed the simplicity of his old life; he rode his bike here as a kid, had his first kiss under the apple tree of Mr Gray’s yard. He walked up to the porch and knocked. No one answered, he reached up, took out the hider key and opened the door.

The house was quiet and clean, but he could smell the faint aroma of his mother’s perfume. He shut the door behind him and walked up to his old room, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall. The house felt so normal, it felt as if he had never left, not as if he had just escaped from hell. Matt began to pull clothes out of closets, he just wanted to be clean, dried blood, vomit and other fluids clung to his clothes and skin. As soon as he cleared up he began to plan his next move; he needed to find Jason. He wanted answers. He walked into his parents’ room and yanked open the closet door, the small gun safe sat at the back of the closet. Quickly he opened it, loading the gun he stood clenching his jaw. He slipped the gun into the waistband of his jeans as he started to leave the house, whatever else happened he had to make sure that Jason couldn’t hurt anyone else.

Jason put the phone back on the hook as the loud hammering came from his front door. Jason stormed over to the door and yanked it open, ‘what the fuck is...?’ Jason froze as he stared into the barrel of a gun, looking past the barrel he saw Matt. His brown hair flew about his face, his green eyes burned with a deadly cold rage. Jason backed inside the house, his hands above his head. He watched as Matt walked in and kicked the door shut behind them, a deathly silence filled the air.

‘Matt...Mattie, my boy... Partner just calm down... I was...’ Matt cocked the gun, taking aim at Jason’s head. Jason felt his legs go weak, ‘shut the fuck up Jason. I don’t care.’

A deafening bang erupted from the house as Matt pulled the trigger of the gun he was holding.

Matt watched as blood blossomed from Jason’s shoulder where Matt had hit. Jason slid down the wall, eyes impossibly wide. Matt felt numb; he’d expected to feel something, some remorse at his actions, but nothing. He cocked the gun again and watched as Jason tried to scramble backwards, but was unable to as the wall held him in place. Matt kept walking forward, keeping his eyes locked on the older man. Matt stopped just out of Jason’s reach and took careful aim at Jason’s head.

‘I’m gonna ask some questions, and you’re gonna answer them.’

Matt watched a Jason nodded, his eyes stilled locked on the gun.

‘Was I the first person you gave to the vampires?’

Jason didn’t reply. Matt waited a split second before firing the gun again, this time the bullet passed harmlessly into the wall about three inches from Jason’s ear. Jason lost all colour and cried out, trying to scramble to his feet. Matt kicked him squarely in the gut, watching as the older man fell to the floor. Kneeling down, he placed the hot barrel against Jason’s face, turning him so that he could see into his eyes.

‘Answer the god damned question!’

Matt felt the cold rage enter him, he pulled his arm back and bringing it forward, hit Jason across the face. Blood welled and then slowly trickled down his cheek just under his right eye. Jason stared at Matt in shock before he spoke, ‘no.’

‘Did you give every boy to the vampires?’

‘Yes,’ Matt felt like his heart had stopped, all of the boys, he didn’t know how many there had been but he’d been working on this case over a year now. It seemed as if each day turned up another possible victim. He thought of all the times they had gone to the family of the victim to inform them that their son was never coming home again. He thought about the pain and suffering that those poor boys had endured, bile burnt his throat. Jason had given all of them to the vampires, Matt felt his guts twist, his voice cracked at the next question. ‘Did you know what they were going to do to them?’

‘Yes,’ it was barely a whisper. This time Matt couldn’t hold his anger. He dragged Jason to his feet and slammed him into the wall, feeling a deep satisfaction as he heard Jason’s head connect with the wall. He placed his arm against the older man’s windpipe, slowly applying pressure, he felt Jason’s fingers claw at his arm and face but he didn’t care, he watched as Jason’s face turned a deep red and listened to the choking wheeze that tried to pull air into Jason’s lungs. Matt allowed his grip to loosen as he leaned closer to Jason, their eyes locking. ‘Did you know what they were gonna do to me?’

Jason’s eyes widened and Matt didn’t need him to speak. He knew the answer. Jason had believed that he would end up like the other boys, beaten, raped and dead. Matt felt his grip on Jason loosen and his legs give out, he fell to his knees not feeling the pain as they connected with the hard wooden floor. He felt sick, this man had been his teacher, friend almost a second father, and now he felt his world crash around him.

‘Why, Jason? Why did you do it? How could you do this?’

Jason didn’t move but a smirk gradually appeared on his face. Matt didn’t understand why, when suddenly a strong hand caught hold of his arm and the gun was yanked out of his hand. He was hauled to his feet. He could feel the firm body of a man behind him, terror coursed through his body. Matt tried to turn. He struggled to break the grip, the hand was unmovable, and the man captured his other arm and forced that behind him. He yelped in pain as his arms were tugged roughly, he tried to kick the man but froze when a too familiar voice spoke to him.

‘Do not fight me, pet.’

Matt felt his world crash about him, Warren was holding him, and he started to speak but was stopped as Jason brought the butt of the gun down. Matt’s world quickly turned black.

Warren was shocked at the older man’s behaviour as Matt slumped lifelessly in his arms he stared at the human. Bruises could be seen clearly against Matt’s pale skin, a large gash had appeared where the other had hit him. He watched as blood crept down his face like a tear.

‘Pay back for hitting me earlier.’

Warren didn’t speak but picked Matt’s lifeless body up in a bridal style and easily carried him to the car. Warren didn’t like the idea of taking that boy back to his master, the boy was trouble, but he knew that he did not have the power to disobey Ezra again. Warren placed the lifeless body into the car, strapping it down so he could make no more trouble for them. He paused as he looked at the blood that escaped the boy’s wounds; he hoped his master would be rid of this one soon.

Turning away from Matthew, Warren looked at Jason, ‘you drive, and I’ll keep him quiet.’ Just as Jason passed him, Warren grabbed the man pulling him close. The human stank of sweat, stale aftershave and fear that rolled off of him in waves. He felt disgust and hatred wash over him. ‘If you lay another hand on that boy, I’ll slowly bleed you to death. Do you understand me human?’ Warren spat the word human out. Jason just nodded, dropping him, Warren slid into the car beside Matt.

He looked over at the unconscious boy. His hair had fallen over his pale face. Leaning over Matt, he pushed some of the stray hair off his face. The boy’s cheek was an ugly black and purple colour where the gun had hit him. Warren had the urge to hold the boy close, to protect him, to kiss the pain of his life away making sure that nothing hurt him again. Warren felt his heart tear, this boy, Matt, seemed to hold some power over him, he wondered if he held the same power over his master. Warren glanced back at the boy’s face. He noticed that his hand was gently caressing his cheek. He quickly snapped it back. He looked at Jason but the human said nothing, Warren reached into a pocket and phoned Ezra.

‘I have him.’

‘Alive?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good, bring my beloved home...’

As Warren shut the phone, he stared at his hand. He could still feel the warmth of Matt’s soft skin against his palm. Turning his face towards the window he watched the darkness outside.

Ezra sat and stared into the flickering flames, listening to the rain tapping at the window. Relief rushed through his body, making the vampire suddenly feel every year of his long life. Matthew had been found, he was safe, slowly Ezra walked to the window, pulling back the curtains. He gazed out into the inky blackness. A hand absently stroked the shoulder where Matt’s pipe had pieced his skin. Closing his eyes he pressed his forehead against the glass. He had worried about Matthew, the boy just seemed so very fragile, Ezra was shocked to feel a single tear roll down his face.

Quickly he turned back to the flames, wiping the dampness away before anyone could see and question him. He forced himself to shut all thoughts of caring out, he would have to punish Matthew, hurt and humiliate him. Ezra slumped down in his chair, he would normally enjoy watching the terror flow through humans, and his pleasure would feed off their screams and revel when they begged. Just the thought of hurting Matthew made his throat tighten, but Ezra was the master of this house. Matthew would have to be punished for his behaviour, because above all else, he had to show Matthew that he belonged to him...

Matt felt like he’d run into an oncoming train, his head felt heavy and a continuous ringing emitted all around him. He tried to move but his arms felt heavy and a dull ache encircled his wrists. He forced his eyes to open and focus on his hands and a rope bound him to the door of the car. He tried to clear his head, trying to understand what was happening, memories flashed before his eyes and he heard a voice from in front of him, ‘I see sleeping beauty has finally awoke.’

Matt felt the rage boil over, clearing the remaining fog from his mind. He tried to lunge towards Jason, but his tied arms stopped him. He tried to raise his legs to kick the back of the chair but he couldn’t move them. Even as he looked down dread crawled up his skin, Warren was sat next to him, pinning his legs to the seat.

Matt started to struggle but stopped and stared at Warren. The vampire was pale, his eyes looked heavy and a thick bandage covered his neck, twin specks of blood could be seen staining the bandage. Matt’s first thought was, what the hell can do that to a vampire? His second was how to get his hands on it. Matt tried to wriggle his hands out of the ropes but all he managed was to give himself rope burn. What did I expect really, just to be able to pull my arms free and jump out of a moving car?

‘You never answered my question, Jason.’

Jason looked at Matt in the review mirror, as if weighing up the answer before speaking. ‘At first, I was just getting rid of bad kids, you know the type, drug dealers, pimps, punks we can’t stop. I just wanted to make the streets safer, to clean up the place, but they wanted more.’ Jason’s eyes shifted to Warren, then back to Matt, ‘so I had to look elsewhere. It was mainly runaways, junkies, boys no one cared about. I mean what does it a matter if homeless kids go missing... it’s not like anyone really cares.’

Matt felt sick, how could Jason say that, it wasn’t true, he cared, their parent’s care, other kids on the streets cared. He and Jason had sat for hours learning about those kids, going through missing reports, John Doe’s, they had haunted him each night. He closed his eyes and just focused on listening.

‘Ok. Then how did I end up on that list?’

Matt noticed Warren look at him but he only cared about Jason’s answer. He heard the bark of laughter, and saw a smirk reappear, ‘an accident. I had began to run out of boys, so I started taking pictures, I didn’t care of who, anyone. I needed the cash you see, it was a snap decision on you, I really thought they’d say no to you. I mean you’re a cop with a family and all, but as soon as Ezra saw you, I must say I was shocked, but he wanted you so I gave you to him.’

Matt wanted to puke, Jason his mentor, partner and friend had sold him out to vampires for cash and a whim. Matt swallowed around the lump in his throat, ‘how much?’ He didn’t really want to know. He didn’t want to know what it cost for Jason to give him over to Ezra, but he needed to know.

Warren reached out and touched Matt’s arm but Matt didn’t care, ‘how much did they pay you? How much is your betrayal worth? I hope its more then thirteen pieces of silver...’

Jason snorted and locked eyes with Matt in the mirror, ‘much more kid, for you, I was paid $200,000.’

Matt closed his eyes, $200,000. That was what he was worth. His life was summed up. He turned away from the others in the car, looking at the roof he could hear the rain as it started to hit. Silently a single tear slid down his cheek.