Beautiful Death by Christina Moore

treat an old friend, is it?”
    They know each other ? Tristan thought. What the hell. A heads up would have been nice—you know, the fact that he was friends with a vampire , one who would so happily reduce a human to blood and scraps of meat.
    Tristan managed to look down at his right arm even though his head felt like it was stuffed with wet jeans. The blood had soaked all the way through his makeshift bandage and started to drip down his legs. Another wave of nausea and vertigo hit him, and he swayed, shutting his eyes and let his head fall back. His face was going numb and soon it would spread to his ears and then he’d pass out. Part of him wanted to stay awake just to hear what the vampire had to say. The other part just wanted to fucking sleep. 
    “You know why I am here,” Ash said, sounding pleased.
    “Aye, fancy a go at me cock again, eh love? God, you was always good wit cock.”
    Ash grumbled a few words in another language and pressed down on the sword, making Aaron groan in pain. “Tell me.”
    “We don’t know what your bloody on ‘bout, stupid tart.”
    Ash made an angry noise and punched him in the face with his free hand. Aaron’s nose burst into blood and he groaned, but didn’t try to get away. He only smiled.
    “You never were a good liar, Aaron and you are making me very angry.”
    “Oooh, shame on us. Far be it for a lowly cur like us to make the great Ast—”
    “Shut up!” Ash screamed and hit him again. And again. When he was done pounding in Aaron’s face, he sat back panting. He took in a few deep breaths and his demeanor went to quiet calm again. “Tell me, tell me now. What did the pythia see?”
    All of the vampire’s sarcasm was instantly gone. Aaron’s face fell and his dark eyes widened. “N—no, no. H—how does a bloody stupid arsed wanker like you know ‘bout that? Who told you?”
    Ash titled his head to one side and gave Aaron a look. A look that said Ash obviously knew more than he should have. “You really are the lowest of the low, Aaron if you do not know the answer to something so simple.”
    Aaron gave a wet laugh and shook his head against the dusty floor, his hand opening at his side. “Fucking cunt. Always thought you was pretentious like.”
    Tristan let out a long sigh, wishing he knew what was going on. He had no idea what they are talking about or what a pythia was and what it had to do with him. He would have asked had he the energy.
    “Well?” Ash asked, tilting his head to one side, still inches from Aaron’s face.
    Aaron smiled, showing off those small fangs he flashed Tristan earlier. “Go fuck yourself, love.”
    Ash sighed and withdrew his sword from Aaron’s chest as he sat upright. “That answer displeases me in a way you will never understand.” He stood with a leg to each side of the vampire, keeping him pinned in place. He gave his sword a quick cleaning flick and returned it to its sheath it without taking his eyes from the man, the monster at his feet. Ash made quick work of tying his hair back from his face, still ginning that crooked smile and then pulled the tantō.
    “All right, love,” Ash said, mocking Aaron’s accent perfectly. Only he sounded even more effeminate than before. If Tristan didn’t know any better, he would have said there was a woman in the room. “Remember, you asked for this.”
    The vampire’s eyes widened and he started to thrash under Ash’s weight as he sat down on top of the monster again. Short sword held against his thigh, Ash shifted on top of Aaron until they were pressed chest to chest. “I almost wish I did not have to do this. If I recall, you taste rather foul. Liars, thieves and lowlifes always do.”
    Tristan was just wondering what he meant, but then it became plainly clear. Ash’s grin spread, parting his lips widely until his teeth were bared in bright relief. And then he bit down across the front of Aaron’s neck. The other vampire screamed, bucking under him like a rodeo