Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.
This story is AU with a supernatural twist.
***Chapter Seven : The Search is Over***
~21st Century Ireland~
Over the years, Marty had come to visit John on occasion. They were no longer lovers, but they shared a very deep bond. She was grateful to him for having saved her life once upon a time and for having become her mentor. They stood on the balcony together, staring out at at the darkness. "What brings you here, Marty?" John asked as he settled his gaze upon her loveliness. In looks, she was as young and as beautiful as ever.
Marty let out a long heavy sigh as she rested her hands upon the stone balcony railing. "I'm feeling restless," she spoke quietly as a frown crinkled her brow. "I go back to the places I once knew, but nothing's the same."
"No, it isn't the same," John agreed. "Everything's changed..."
"Yes, and there's so much emptiness," Marty said as she looked at John. "I have so much longing..."
"What is it you long for?" John asked as he gazed into Marty's midnight-blue eyes.
"I- I don't know," Marty answered. "Over the years I have had lovers... many lovers. But none of them satisfy me, not really. Something is missing..."
Gently John caressed the side of Marty's face as he witnessed her obvious distress. "Marty, you always feel this way," John observed. "This is nothing new."
She thought about his observation as she avoided his gaze and stared out into the night. "You've had so many failed relationships. Maybe it's time you admitted-," he began.
"Admitted what?" she gasped as she turned to look at him with a haunted expression.
"Maybe it's Todd you love?" John spoke softly. "Maybe it's Todd you need?"
"Todd?" she said with an anguished look. "Why in the world would I need him? He killed the man I loved!"
"Yes, he committed a crime of passion, but he truly did not intend for anyone to die. He loves you, Marty!" John spoke as he tried to get her to see the light.
"Why do you think it is you haven't been able to find happiness with anyone? Do you truly believe you would have been happy with Suede?" John insisted. "Think about it, Marty... who is it your heart belongs to?"
Marty looked almost fearful as she stood there, absorbing John's words. The longing she felt had increased with every decade. Nothing ever fulfilled the endless ache deep inside. Her lovers did little more than bore her. Lately she had been searching the places she once knew when her life had been connected to Todd's but he was no where to be found. Maybe John was right. Maybe her heart did belong to Todd. She had spent so much time hating him over the endless years, perhaps she had not been listening to the callings of her own heart. Perhaps she had denied herself far too long...
Seeing the expression on her face, John saw that Marty was beginning to see the light. "You miss him, don't you?" John asked.
"I miss him terribly," Marty admitted. "But he's gone... as though he never existed."
"He's out there somewhere. You will find him eventually," John encouraged. "Have you looked yet, across the ocean?"
"No, I just went back to the places we once knew. Everything's changed... and he is gone."
"Perhaps he waited years for you to come back to him. But when you did not return, he gave up on you."
Pain ripped through Marty's heart at those words. What agony Todd must have known when she had left him. His anguish must have been so intense, considering she had been his greatest obsession. "I must find him," Marty told John.
"Then search to the ends of the earth for him. He's out there somewhere. When you find him, your despair and loneliness will be over."
Gliding into John's embrace, Marty hugged him tightly. "Thank you, John. I'll never forget everything you have done for me," Marty spoke.
John placed a kiss atop Marty's head. "Once you find him, you probably won't be back to see me much, if ever. I hear he's quite a jealous man," John said with a little chuckle.
Marty couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips. "That he is... but I won't forget you, John. I'll be back," she promised. And with those words, she became as a mist. His arms were empty as she faded away, becoming one with the night.
"Fare thee well," John murmured as he stared off into the darkness. He loved her with words unspoken. All he wanted above anything else was her happiness. And soon, he was certain she would regain what it was her heart truly desired. It was just a matter of time...
~Modern America~
Todd owned a newspaper business in Llanview, Pennsylvania. In modern times, he was still a formidable man and many referred to him as "The Prince of Darkness" due to his fierce ruthlessness. He had everything he wanted, wealth, power, plus a huge mansion on the hill. He had all that a man could possibly desire, but he did not have love. He had lived centuries of loneliness and anguish, all because the one woman he had ever truly loved had sought her revenge upon him. Marty's absense in his life was a deep, aching scar upon his existence. Other women had tried to fill that void she had vacated, but none had even touched his heart the way that she had. It was useless; he'd rather be alone.
Todd had thown himself into his work after building his mansion. He spent long hours at The Sun as his business flourished. When hunger struck, he would drink from the blood supply he kept in the dorm-sized fridge within his office. Yet there were times when the bags of stored blood just weren't enough, and he would have no other choice but to go out searching the streets in the dark for a victim. Tonight was one of those nights. Todd was ravenous and the stale blood in the bags just wouldn't be enough to sate his craving. He wanted the real thing, plus a willing woman in his bed for the night. If he was lucky, maybe he would get more than just a 'meal.'
Lurking around beside a tower of wooden crates, Todd stood in the alleyway behind Rodi's A half-drunk woman was bound to be leaving at any moment. The tipsy ones seldom fought him. He knew how to make them drunk with desire. He gave them pleasure beyond their wildest dreams as he took what he wanted from them. Then when he was finished, he would make the memory of the passion seem like just haunting a dream. He never took more than he needed; just enough to sate his lust for blood. Tonight he was incredibly hungry as his fangs gleamed in the moonlight.
A woman stepped into the alley wearing a long red cloak. Something was familiar about her as she walked passed his hiding spot. Immediately he could smell the alcohol upon her breath. Before she could escape him, he pulled her into his embrace. As he stared into her beautiful face, shock overcame him.
"Marty?" he gasped.
Marty had came to Rodi's that night after finally having found Todd in the states. She had been watching him from afar, learning the patterns of his life. She knew this was his 'hunting spot.' It was just a matter of time before they met up. She wanted their meeting to occur when he was most vulnerable; which was now considering he was practically ravenous. She knew he could not refuse her if he was starving.
"Hello, Todd," she spoke as she gazed into his glowing red eyes.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed as he held her tightly by the shoulders. After all the centuries without her, he wasn't about to let her escape him. Yet he had no idea that Marty had no intention of leaving.
"I was looking for you..." she admitted. "I would have searched to the ends of the earth for you."
"Why?" he demanded as he looked at her suspiciously. She hated him with a passion. She had made that quite clear in no uncertain terms, so what could she mean by those words?
"Is there somewhere private we could go to talk?" Marty asked quietly.
"Yes, we'll go back to my place," Todd responded. In just the blink of an eye, they had both disappeared from the alleyway. Todd had used his vampire magic to transport both of them to his mansion. They were now standing in the parlor in front of a roaring fireplace.
When Todd dropped his hands from Marty's shoulders, she took a look around Todd's elegant home. "Nice place you have here," she stated.
"Why did you come?" Todd asked as he looked her up and down, trying to come to terms with the fact that she was truly here with him after so many years of separation.
"I needed to speak to you," Marty responded.
"Alright, but I must feed," stated Todd as his hunger was consuming him. He needed blood, and he needed it fast. His eyes were the deepest crimson as he had been denying himself fresh blood for way too long.
"I fed earlier. You may drink from me," Marty offered.
He stared at her as he could not believe he heard her correctly. She wanted him to drink from her? Vampires didn't generally take blood from other vampires, unless they were close to death and had no other choice or unless the two were mated. For Marty to offer her blood to him, it was like the greatest and most enticing gift she may have presented to him. It was definitely an offer he could not refuse as his bloodlust was insatiable.
"I've never fed from another vampire before," he admitted as he took her into his arms. Having her against him was the sweetest of pleasures as he lowered his lips to the soft flesh of her neck.
"Take all that you need," she whispered as he felt his fangs against her skin.
Todd couldn't deny himself a taste of her sweetness. Only once before had he tasted of the delights of her life fluid; that fateful night when she had made him into a vampire. With that memory upon his mind, he flicked his tongue over her pulse point and drove his fangs into her soft flesh. Marty moaned as a sweet mix of pain and pleasure overtook her. As Todd fed, she clung to his shirt. She closed her eyes as ecstasy overtook her. Eventually, the pain of his fangs in her flesh had faded and all that remained was intense bliss.
Todd was lost in the sensation of becoming one with her. He took her essence inside of him, renewing his bond with her. Her blood was so delicious as it answered his need. After a few moments of drinking deeply, he withdrew his fangs. He licked at the tiny wounds, healing them with his touch. Gazing into her face, he saw her eyes were closed. She had an expression of ecstasy upon her beautiful face. She had loved it as much as he had. He could not help but smile.
Her eyes came open as she saw a smile overtake Todd's face. She could not remember when she had ever seen him smile before. He had always been scowling or frowning, but she supposed that was due to their fierce quarrels in the past. She found she liked his smile, and she felt more at ease with him in that moment than she ever had before.
Gently she ran her fingers through his hair. "Did you get enough to drink?" she asked him.
"What do you want from me, Marty?" he asked with suspicion as he pushed her away from him in an attempt to get his bearings. He could barely stand the way she was gazing at him, as though she absolutely adored him. Hell, he knew that wasn't true. She had always despised him and all she had ever wanted was to torture him.
"I want you, Todd," she answered. "I am tired of the hate and the fighting between us. I want something more..."
He shook his head, because he didn't believe it. This must be some sort of ploy; a new way she had to punish him. "What kind of game are you playing?" he demanded.
"No games," she said as she took a seat next to the fire. "Sit next to me. We need to talk."
Reluctantly Todd joined her in front of the fireplace, looking at her wearily. He wondered what sort of torture Marty might inflict upon him now. "What could you possibly want to speak to me about?" he asked.
She took his hand in hers, holding onto it tightly as he tried to withdraw from her touch. "I've missed you, Todd... ever so much. And I realized, I need to be with you..." she said as she began to spill her heart out to him. "I've been such a fool."
One of those infamous scowls came to Todd's face, because he just could not believe it. This had to be some sort of trick she was playing upon him. Marty couldn't really want to be with him! "Go away and leave me in peace," he growled. "Haven't you already wounded me enough?" He just wanted her to go at once, before she could hurt him again.
"I'm not leaving, Todd. Not until I know if you still love me..." she insisted.
"Ohhh no, I won't go THERE again, just so you can laugh in my face," Todd said angrily as he attempted to rise, but Marty held onto his hand too tightly, not allowing him to leave her side.
"Todd, listen to me... please," she implored. "I am SO sorry for how I have hurt you. You truly didn't deserve my anger and all my hatred. I've denied myself happiness for centuries all because I held onto this grudge against you. The revenge I inflicted upon you hurt me just as much as it did you, because I suffered in the process right along with you."
"I know you really didn't mean to kill Suede. It was a horrific accident... and you were right all along. I would not have been happy with him... because I belong with you."
"I love you, Todd. I truly do," she told him as she held his gaze.
"No, you don't really mean it," Todd said softly as he was feeling conflicted. He wanted it to be true so badly as she was all he had ever wanted, but she had hurt him so deeply. The need to protect his injured heart was greater than his longing to trust her.
"You must believe me. I love you. I traveled all this way just to find you again. I would have searched forever if it had been necessary."
"Todd, do you still love me?" she asked him hopefully as she took his hand and pressed it lovingly against her cheek.
"I- I do not know..." he said as he attempted once again to pull away. His heart was aching as he wanted it to be true, but he was incredibly frightened. She would break him again; he was sure of it.
"You do! I know you do!" she said as a beautiful smile came to her face. "Don't you want me to stay with you here? We could have everything we've ever dreamed of..."
"No," he said, shaking his head. As much as he wanted her with him, he didn't want her to rip it all away again, leaving his heart torn and bleeding as she had before.
"I know that this existence is a lonely one, but I don't wish to live the rest of forever without you," Marty told him. "I'm so sorry I have cast this existence upon you, Todd. You never had a choice in any of this, but I can share it with you now. We can be together... and we can be happy."
"Please, Todd. I need you," she said pleadingly as she attempted to go into his arms.
Todd couldn't stop himself then. He took her in his embrace and held her tightly against his chest. "Do you truly love me?" he asked hesitantly, locking his arms around her as though he would never let her go again.
"With everything I am," she answered as she snuggled up against his chest.
"And like a fool I'd walk through fire for you..." he whispered.
"And you have," she responded. "I know without a doubt that you could not love me more."
"I think that's why I fought it so strongly," she told him. "The depth of your love for me frightened me. I had never known anything like it before. Instead of embracing it, I tried to escape it. I am the fool... not you."
"Do you truly wish to stay here with me?" Todd asked as he caressed her long blond hair, feeling her curls twining themselves around his fingers.
"Forever," came her reply. "I knew it the first night we made love athough I denied it to myself. You are my everlasting love."
When he heard her words, Todd lowered his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. In a moment, they were no longer at the fireside, but in Todd's bedroom upstairs. When Marty opened her eyes, she was seated upon the bed in Todd's embrace. "Your vampire magic is very powerful," Marty observed as she lay back upon the comfortable bed and pulled Todd down next to her.
"That's because I obtained it from you..." Todd responded as he nuzzled his lips against her neck.
"You never told me how you became a vampire. Who was it who bit you?" he asked.
"His name is John. He found me upon the stones after I fell from the window, bleeding out. He gave me his dark gift, and he saved me."
"Perhaps I should thank him then," Todd said as he spread tiny kisses along the column of her neck.
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Todd..." Marty spoke cautiously. "...considering your jealous and possessive nature."
"Did you fuck him?" Todd asked bluntly.
Marty tensed in his embrace, but reluctantly answered Todd's question. "We were lovers once, but not anymore. None of my other lovers have come close to satisfying me as you have. All I want is you," Marty stated.
"And I had decided I'd rather be alone considering I had to spend the rest of my existence without you," Todd admitted as he used his supernatural powers to make their clothing disappear in the space of a heartbeat.
Marty lay there in his arms, completely naked. "I want you, Todd. Please make love to me," she whispered.
"I never thought I would hear those words coming from your lips."
"I mean them. And I love you, Todd. With all my heart..."
She took his hand and placed it over her breast. Her heart was no longer beating, yet it was filled with love for him. Todd knew then without a doubt that it was true. She did love him, and she would never leave him. He had everything he had ever wanted right here in his arms. She had come back to him. Happiness filled him as he lowered his lips to hers and caressed her breast. Her nipple budded up beneath his fingertips.
Holding her close to him, all the pain and anger he had once felt seemed to be disintegrating. He forgave her in an instant. He loved her so much, and he had to have her. He had to make her his again. The urge to become one with her was like a fierce, blinding ache within him. It's intensity was just as maddening as the longing to feed had been earlier.
"I have to have you, Marty... Now!" he said urgently as he swept his mouth all over her fragrant skin and scraped her nipples with his sharp fangs.
"Forgive me. I cannot wait," he spoke as he moved over her and entered her quickly in a fierce driving thrust.
She cried out, but not with pain. Sweet, delicious pleasure rocked her as Todd drove into her center. She wrapped her legs around him as he began to move into her with rough, passionate movements. "Yes!" she said breathlessly as she arched up to take him deeper inside.
Todd rocked his hips faster and faster, spearing inside of her so completely. The urgency in their coupling was so intense. He offered his neck to her, wanting her fangs inside his flesh. The sharing of blood was so erotic; it would only make their joining more sensual. As she sunk her fangs into him, he cried out. She was feeding strongly when he came, shooting jets of his hot seed deep into her body.
"Marty," he moaned, as his last few thrusts brought her over the edge. He clung to her tightly as her tight muscles clenched down on his cock, milking it of the last of his cum. Her fangs withdrew then from his neck. She sipped at the tiny blood droplets which clung to his neck as he rested deep inside of her silken sheath. He knew this was where he belonged. What had once been his obsession had now become his one true love. After years of agony, he had finally found his heart's desire.
The End
(Author's Note: Now that this story has come to it's end, there are a few I'd like to thank. First of all, I'd like to thank Daphne, for giving me this amazing idea. I absolutely couldn't have written this story without you. Wish you could be here to see it come to it's end. And thank you, Melissa, for being such a loyal fan and reviewer. You helped me so much when I had writer's block and reservations there at the story's end. I used a lot of your ideas in the final chapter, and I truly hope I pulled it off. I hope that this story has an ending it truly deserves. Also, special thanks to Rainstorm, my other inspirational reviewer. Your reviews and comments always make me smile. And lastly, thank you to the musical group "Survivor" for all the beautiful music which was an inspiration to me in this particular story. My chapters have been named after a few of Survivor's songs. I love 'em all.)