This is a chapter you can read as a following of the previous chapters or a stand alone for Christmas! ;)

Casey still could hear his parents and family celebrating Christmas on the ground floor, laughing and cheering. He pretended to be exhausted to be able to leave the table and he was now lying on his bed gazing at the ceiling.

His parents let him go back to his chamber without reprimand, bringing excuses to the family for him "You know it is hard for him since the massacre at his school!"

The massacre was more like an aborted stoning. A guy from Casey's school fell hard for a vampire girl, that was until he really saw the vampire and not only the pretty girl and then he decided she was a monster to be liquidated. Unfortunately for him, it seems not everybody can claim to have Buffy's agility, and he ended with a big gaping hole in the throat. Vampires had been forbidden at school since then. It had happened a full week before Christmas. A full week since Casey has seen Zeke for the last time. He did miss the guy.

Tonight the feeling of emptiness is even stronger because it is Christmas Eve and at Christmas Eve you should be with the ones you love, with the ones you cherish and Zeke isn't here anymore to hold his hand. Do vampires still celebrate Christmas? Is Zeke all alone? Is he alright?

Casey just couldn't stand to think about Zeke being alone tonight, Zeke his vampire boyfriend who craved for his lost humanity. Casey felt tears rolling on his cheeks. He wanted Zeke here, next to him, and now.

That's when he heard something tapping on his window. He jumped from his bed and came over. There he was; Zeke was standing in his garden.

"Zeke?" asked Casey surprised, opening the window.

Can it be possible that Santa really existed and had fulfilled his biggest wish ever?

"Step back" said Zeke before jumping on the tree and through the window.

"I nearly froze to death waiting for you to open that window" complained Zeke.

"You can't freeze to death" answered Casey truly smiling for the first time today.
Zeke answered him with his typical smirk.

"Come here" said Casey taking Zeke to his bed "I'll warm you up"

Zeke didn't complain and lay next to him. Casey gently moved his hands over Zeke's arms, over his athletic chest before holding him in a tight embrace.

"I missed you so much" whispered Casey against Zeke's ear "What took you so long?"

Zeke stayed silent for a while.

"I was afraid you'd be scared of me now, that you'd see how much disgusting things we truly are"

"Don't!" interrupted Casey "I would never have Zeke! I promise!"

Zeke gently shushed Casey with a kiss.

"Do not promise anything, pretty eyes, vows are spoken to be broken"

Casey very blue eyes drowned into Zeke's frightening deep pools.

"Let me show you then" he whispered.

Gently, carefully, Casey's shy and trembling hands undressed the vampire. He would do anything to make Zeke feel safe, he would try again and again to warm up that cold body, to warm up that stoned soul, to bring Zeke up to life.

They kissed, silent, words unnecessary, their bodies talking by themselves, entwined in a circle of pain and pleasure, resurrection and agony, life and death. Casey, oh so gentle Casey, all warmth, softness and full lovingly mouth and Zeke, oh so damned soul, all coldness, hardness and harsh tearing fangs.

They stayed a long time in Casey's bed, Casey trying to catch his breath, Zeke lying on the boy's torso listening to the enthralling beating of his heart.

"Zeke" whispered Casey "You'll never hurt me"

Zeke sighed. Some words shouldn't be spoken.

"All I wanted, all I needed is here in my arms, pretty eyes" he answered in a barely audible whisper "Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm. You understand?"

Casey smiled at him, a so gentle smile on an angel's face.

"I love you, Zeke" he whispered kissing his forehead.

Zeke moaned like a wounded animal. Words like violence break the silence, painful to him, piercing right through him, more hurting than any stake could ever do.

Love hurts as much as it heals.

As much as Casey would try to warm Zeke's cold body, that cold body is dead and beyond any salvation. As much as Zeke would try to protect Casey's warm body, that warm body would be cold one day, if not by Death struck then by Zeke's love.

They knew that, both of them.

They lay awake, holding each other tight until the morning, enjoying the silence. Silence is the perfect vow.