Title: Talents (Vampire AU)
Fandom: Due South
Characters: Fraser, RayK, Dief and Turtle
Rating: R
Content notes: Blood drinking
Word Length: 2519
Written for the fan_flash works prompt: Amnesty: Mythology
Summary: Vampire AU. Fraser is a vampire without a talent.
AN:



Benton Fraser was one of the few vampires in the RCMP. Unlike every other vampire he did not have a talent: a special skill that varied from vampire to vampire. He had once even went to a sweat lodge hoping it would reveal his talent. It hadn't revealed his talent, but that night he had had an intense dream about golden fire that wrapped around him, but didn't consume him.

Several years later, Fraser walked into the police station. Unlike most vampires, he found the din and the smell of countless people strangely comforting. He had had a very strange day.

He was looking for Ray. Ray hadn't picked him up from the airport and despite Dief's grumbling, the walk from the airport to the police station had done them both good. What was not good was that his apartment had burned down.

Fraser thought he saw Ray and he called out. When 'Ray' turned around and hugged Fraser, Fraser was met by a blond haired vampire that smelled like hair gel and sun screen.

Throughout the day Fraser's confusion only deepened. 'Ray' looked nothing like Ray Vecchio, but everyone seemed to think he was Ray. While Ray Vecchio was a werewolf, 'Ray' was a vampire, but that was the least of how they were different.

Then they went to see Zoltan Motherwell.

The room Zoltan was in was barren. Sunlight streamed through a window and the air smelled of dust. Fraser hang back as 'Ray' spoke and became more agitated.

'Hey, shut your trap! You look into my eyes! You look deep into my eyes! What do you see? You see the guy? Do you see the guy that put you have? Right?! Right?!'

Fraser gasped. As 'Ray' spoke Fraser saw the air shimmer around 'Ray' and just for a moment he changed from 'Ray' to Ray Vecchio.

After the interrogation was over,'Ray' and Fraser walked out of Zoltan's room.

'Ray may I asked you a question?'

'Sure. Go for it.'

'What is your talent?'

'I dance. I love to cut a rug. Why you wanna know?'

'I meant what is your vampire talent?'

Ray's eyes went wide. 'How the hell did you know I was a vampire!?'

'I seemed obvious. The fangs are very prominent.'

'Oh, well that's my talent. When people look at me they see what I want them to see. They see Vecchio.'

'I see,' Fraser said even he didn't see, he didn't see Ray Vecchio that was.

As 'Ray' and Fraser walked out of the mental institution Fraser wondered why he didn't see Ray Vecchio as well. Even though he didn't have a talent himself, he wasn't usually immune from talents.

That night the went to a diner. Sitting at a scared wooden table, Fraser sipped water as country music and the smell of grease filled the air and 'Ray' drummed his fingers on the table.

'Hey, Fraser. What's your talent? Licking outlets?' 'Ray' said with a grin.

'Not that I'm aware of. I don't have a talent.'

'Ray's' eyes went wide. 'Really? That must suck.'

Fraser was about to answer when the waitress came and 'Ray' ordered fries and O negative blood.

When 'Ray's' food came he poured his blood over fries and ate them.

'What a day, huh?' 'Ray' asked.

'Indeed.'

'Who would've thought I would've been shot by Greta Garbo.'

'Yes. Does your chest still hurt?'

'Nah there'll be a nasty bruise though. Hey, you wanna go back to my place and watch a game?' 'Ray' said as he waved a blood covered fry in the air.

Fraser thought about it, but he suddenly felt very tired.

'Thank you kindly, but I'll have to decline.'

'Ray' looked disappointed. 'Oh, okay. Okay. Maybe some other day?'

'Of course. I think it is time that I go back to the Consulate.'

'You wanna ride.'

'No thank you, the walk will do Dief good.

Dief grumbled from where he was laying under the table. Fraser had noticed that 'Ray' kept 'accidentally' dropping non-blood covered fries that Dief was more than happy to eat.

As Dief and Fraser left the diner, Fraser thought about 'Ray'. He still knew little about 'Ray', but now he knew 'Ray' was brave. Even with a bullet proof vest, stepping in front of a silver bullet was still dangerous. The bullet might not kill a vampire but it could have still seriously hurt 'Ray'. Fraser had a silver bullet in his back to prove that.

Over the following months, Fraser got to know Ray Kowalski, the real Ray Kowalski. If Fraser hadn't known he would have thought that heightened instinct was Ray talent.

One night, the sky became dark and rain fell from the sky Ray and Fraser were walking to a restaurant when Ray ran ahead and started dancing under a streetlight. In the light and rain Ray's hair glistened and Fraser gasped. Ray was graceful and golden.

That night, Fraser lay awake on his cot and thought about Ray. Fraser's feelings were not unlike the feelings he had for Victoria. That didn't scare him as much as he would have thought.
***************

Fortitude Pass was vast expanse snow and rocks that cut across a mountain like a scar. Fraser had traveled that pass on the trail of a bank robbing vampire. Even though vampires were known for their increased stamina, Fraser caught up with her just before the a storm struck. They hid in a cave.

Now, snow blew and the sky was a dark grey as Fraser and Victoria huddled together. Even in the cold, Fraser could still smell Victoria's scent, a combination of roasted apples and burnt sugar. When he put her fingers his mouth, he expected her skin to be sweet, but it just tasted like skin.

Listening to her voice recite a poem, took his mind off the cold and darkness. Perhaps that was her vampire talent.

Suddenly, she stopped. 'I'm so hungry,' she said after a long moment.

'Oh, dear,' Fraser said after he took her fingers out of his mouth. He had a small supply of pemican, but he knew that would do little to satisfy Victoria's hunger. He knew what had to be done, but he was still hesitant to take that step.

He looked into her eyes and gasped at the fear he saw. She was so open and real.

He strength his courage.

'You can feed from me,' he said as he open his coat and bared his neck.

Without another word Victoria leaned in close and sunk her fangs into Fraser's neck. As she sucked Fraser felt a warming sensation and...

Fraser was startled out of his memories of Victoria by the whistling of his tea pot. He got up from his seat and went over to the stove. Pouring hot water over the tea bag, he let himself breath in the steam.

Walking over to the table with his tea cup, he sat down. He took a sip and missed the tea's strong taste. He had heard that some vampires put blood in their tea to intensify the taste, but he preferred regular (if weak tasting) tea.

As he sipped his tea his thoughts turned back to Victoria. All Fraser had wanted was someone he could really see. Someone he could see when they were angry, frightened and brave. He thought he had found that with Victoria, but in the end he hadn't seen her at all.

His thoughts moved to Ray Kowalski. He wondered how Ray could do undercover work when he wore his emotions like the chain around his wrist; according to Ray his talent was showing people what they wanted to see, but Ray Vecchio and Ray Kowalski still acted different. Fraser felt himself smile as he thought of Ray. He had seen many parts of Ray. He had seen sad Ray, angry Ray and every Ray in between.

'Thinking about Blond-Ray again,' Dief asked as he sat down across from Fraser.

Dief was in his human form. Human Dief man in his thirties with white hair. Dief was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans.

'I was how did you know?'

'You're smiling. You always smile when you think of Blond-Ray.
Why don't you tell him how you feel?'

Why indeed? Fraser had thought about it and in the end he convinced himself that he didn't want to risk Ray's friendship.

'It's complicated.'

Dief rolled his eyes. 'No it's not. You want to mate with Blond-Ray and Blond-Ray might want to mate with you. Even if he doesn't want to mate, you could at least tell him.

'That's a very simplistic way to look at the world.'

'Yep, but you know I'm right.'

As Fraser sipped his tea, he thought that maybe Dief was right. Now, he just had to get the courage to tell Ray.
*******************

Fraser stood at the door to Ray's apartment. He was trying to get up the courage to knock.

Suddenly the door opened and Fraser was standing face to face with a woman with long blond hair.

'Can I help you?'

'Is Ray here?'

'He's in the shower I can tell you stopped by.'

'No, thank you.'

'Oh, okay,' the woman said.

Fraser turned and left Ray's apartment. As he walked down the noisy Chicago streets his mind raced. The woman was obviously Ray's girlfriend. Of course she was. She was a very attractive woman and Ray liked women after all.

Perhaps he didn't know Ray as well as he thought he did and that hurt more than knowing that his affections would never be returned.
*******************
Fraser was inside the Consulate. He was sitting at his desk organizing files again when the phone rang.

'Canadian Consulate. Constable Benton Fraser speaking.'

'Hey, Fraser? You wanna come over tonight and watch the ball game.'

'I can't. I have much work to do.'

Oh,' Ray said and Fraser could almost see Ray's disappointment. 'Did I do something wrong? We haven't hung out in weeks.'

Fraser was about to tell Ray. Nothing was wrong when Dief (in his human form) took the phone.

'Nothing's wrong we'll be there at seven.'

Dief hung up the phone.

'Was that really necessary?' Fraser said.

'Yep,' Dief said as he popped M&Ms into his mouth. 'You'll thank me.'

Fraser went back to work and highly doubted that he would thank Dief.
**************

Fraser was sitting on the couch in Ray's apartment. He was trying to pay attention to the game on television, but all he could sense was Ray. Ray smelled strongly of sun screen and his body coolness was a constant sensation.

'Something wrong, Benton-Buddy?'

Fraser looked over at Ray. 'Of course not.'

'Oh, it's just, it's just you haven't been around much and I was worried I'd done something.'

Dief grumbled from where he was laying on Ray's chair.

'It is nothing. I just wanted to give you tine alone with your girlfriend.'

'Ray's eyes went wise. 'I have a girlfriend?! Since when?!'

Now Fraser was confused. He licked his lips. 'Oh, dear. I came over several weeks ago and a woman said you were in the shower.'

'A woman?! Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Was she a pretty blond?'

'Yes.'

Ray held his face in his hand and his shoulders shook. At first Fraser thought he was crying, but then he realized Ray was laughing.

'What's so funny?'

'Hold on a minute and you can meet my favourite girl.'

Ray walked over to the tank where he kept his turtle and pick the turtle up. He walked over to Fraser and sat the turtle on his lap.

'Fraser meet Star,' Ray said

'Hello, Star.'

'Hello,' Star said in a familiar voice.

Fraser eyes went wide.

'What? You think you're the only one with a shape shifting pet,' Ray said.

'Oh, I had no idea.'

'Well, now that you got an idea, what do you think of her?'

Fraser looked down at Star she seemed to be snuggling into his lap. 'She seems very affectionate.'

'Yep. Hey, there's something I don't get. Why did you stay away if you thought I had a girlfriend?'

Fraser didn't know what to say. Looking back, it looked ridiculous. It all could have been avoided if they had just had one conversation. Fraser was not going to make the same mistake twice.

'I thought that since you had a girlfriend I didn't know you because I thought you were attracted to me.'

'Oh, well you might've been wrong about the girlfriend, but I'm attracted to you. I thought you weren't attracted to me. Now what do we do.'

Fraser thought about it. There was just one thing he wanted. 'How about a kiss.'

Ray grinned. 'We can do that. We can totally do that.' Ray sat down on the couch next to Fraser. He leaned to the right and brushed his lips against Fraser's cheek. Fraser moved his head and their lips met. Ray's hands came up and his fingers moved through Fraser's hair.

Ray mouth opened and his tongue licked Fraser's lips. Fraser opened his mouth and let Ray's tongue in and their tongues met. After several moments, Ray broke the kiss and moved to Fraser's neck.

The nipping and neck-kissing gave Fraser an idea.

'Ray? Can I drink your blood?'

Ray looked up. His eye were yellow with lust. 'Sure. Sure. That would be greatness.'

Fraser started by kissing and nipping Ray's neck. He breathed deeply Ray's scent and very gently bite Ray. Ray's blood welled up and Fraser lapped it up. Ray's blood tasted like copper and sugar.

As Fraser sucked, Ray groaned and suddenly Fraser's mind was flooded with memories. He saw the world through Ray's eyes. He saw Ray's parents and felt his love for them. He saw a twelve year old Stella and also felt love for her. He felt love, sadness and every emotion in between. As the memories came faster and faster crashing against him like waves, Fraser sucked harder.

Finally Fraser stopped and pulled back. The memories and feelings were still fresh in his mind.

'Oh, dear,' Fraser said. He felt himself grin at Ray.

'What?' Ray said as he nuzzled Fraser.

'I think I just discovered my talent.'

'Really? What is it?'

'When I was drinking your blood I could see and feel your memories. Is that okay?'

'Sure. Sure. It's greatness. You know me I'm an open book. That's partners. Now, how about more kissing?'

Fraser's grin became wider. 'That sounds like a wonderful idea.'

That night Fraser went back to the Consulate, but not before buying a bag of doughnuts. As Fraser fed Dief a doughnut with blue frosting he heard Dief say, 'You're welcome I told you Ray wanted to mate with you.' even though they hadn't fornicated yet Fraser thought Dief was indeed right about that.

Fraser wondered why he had never discovered his talent before, but maybe drinking vampire blood was different from the blood that came in a bag. Victoria hadn't let him drink from her during their one night together. Fraser certain he and Ray had many nights together.