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fragmentedink-archived · 21 days ago

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Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part Four

pt. three

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Finally, Lev’s house was, for the most part, unpacked. It had taken him the better part of two days. Still. He’d moved in two months ago. He really ought to thank whatever neighbor had knocked on his door earlier in the week; the worry someone might see the array of boxes scattered about had finally motivated him.

He was free from box hell now. After procrastinating for so long he now felt restless without a big task to do. He’d had more groceries delivered yesterday, so he didn’t need to go any time soon. He’d even organized his pantry. Twice. The idea of staying inside made him want to crawl the walls. He supposed he needed more hobbies than baking (the banana bread had been delicious but he didn’t want to turn on the oven again) and reading (truly he was risking being a walking stereotype).

Determined now, he grabbed a backpack, stuffed a few notebooks and his pencil bag in, a book for good measure, and his sketchbook after only a little hesitation. Maybe he’d go to the park. Maybe the library. Or maybe he’d wander until he was lost and practice finding his way home again. Probably not that last one. He was looking to be brave today, not unreasonable.

Satisfied that wearing shorts and a heather colored shirt was also bold and brave, for Lev at least, he struck out into the wild unknown of suburbia. If nothing else he remembered seeing some interesting shops near the secondhand bookstore. Maybe there would be something to do nearby. With that in mind he headed in that direction.

The thirty minute walk was pleasant. Just enough clouds that the sun wasn’t beating down on him. A hint of a breeze also eased what could have been a scorching day. Lev made a mental note to look into pools in the area. He also made a mental note to put on sunscreen next time. He wasn’t burnt yet but even with the occasional cloud cover he could feel himself beginning to turn pink. Best to duck inside somewhere soonish, so when he saw a little teahouse he altered his course without hesitation.

It was blessedly cool inside, and to his delight not only did they have a wide array of options to choose from, there was a well stocked pastry case as well. The only challenge was picking comfort food or looking for something new. He might be able to recreate it at home if he found a new sweet treat he liked.

In the end, the lure of a cranberry orange scone won him over. He settled on trying one of the teas that seemed unfamiliar to him. Something herbal and fruity, though the name fled from his thoughts as soon as he placed his order.

He patted around for his wallet. In the two seconds it took to find it, panic set in that he’d left it at home. He was just pulling out his card when someone handed over a twenty. The suit was a different color, black this time, but Lev recognized the pale hand with a knee wobbling sense of deja-vu. The watch Cameron wore seemed simple, but well made, and then it was hidden by Cameron’s sleeve again as he turned down the change.

Lev pivoted slightly. “Cameron,” he said, half a greeting and half nervous he’d misremembered the man’s name. “You didn’t have to- you didn’t have to do that.”

“I don’t mind.”

Again Lev felt almost frozen in place under Cameron’s intense stare. He swallowed once. After that he forced himself to look anywhere else. Ah. Apparently no dog today, but in its place was an elegant cane. And Lev was holding up the line. He scooted out of the way so Cameron could order his own drink (Lev noted the name of the green tea with more mindfulness than he had the tea he’d ordered for himself).

“Thank you,” he said belatedly. God, it felt like his brain was lagging today.

All Lev got in response was another faintly amused expression. Before he could process what on earth that could mean, his order was ready. He was well aware of Cameron behind him as he gathered up his food. He picked a table in a quieter corner of the shop.

To his dismay, once Cameron’s tea was ready, he settled across the table from Lev. Lev scrambled to clear a space, having already spread out half the contents of his backpack. Cameron seemed unperturbed as he added honey to his tea. Lev stuffed his sketchbook away - he wasn’t an artist really, only did sketches, and those weren’t good enough for people to peruse - and floundered for what to do.

He settled on jotting down a to-do list in his notebook. He needed to sit down with his cookbooks and plan the next week’s meals. He needed to sort through his clothes and get rid of the things that were too small; he had no intentions of ever being that cadaverously thin again. He needed to pick a new hobby to invest in that wasn’t going to require turning on his oven.

A glance told him Cameron was watching him write. Not really. Staring. But observing. Lev coughed once, took a sip of his tea, and stared blankly at his list. What had he been writing? Hobby. Right.

Lev flipped to a new page and started writing down anything he could think of. Knitting/crocheting. Wait. Were those their own thing? Whatever. Quilting? No, that might take up too much space. Painting? Too messy. He crossed that and quilting off. Hesitantly wrote scrapbooking down underneath that.

Throughout this whole rambly thought process Lev was painfully aware that Cameron had never stopped watching him. It only now occurred to Lev that if Cameron was watching him, he was probably reading what Lev was writing too. That was mortifying enough Lev slammed the notebook shut with more force than he intended.

“Do you live around here?” Lev blurted. Anything to fill the silence that now felt incredibly awkward.

“No.”

Lev blinked. No? Then why-? The words half formed on his lips, but he bit them back, choked out a confused, “Oh.” instead. This seemed only to amuse Cameron further, though the expression was here-then-gone so fast Lev almost doubted himself. Either way, he hadn’t been given much to go off of, conversation-wise. He floundered for a new subject. “Your, um. The dog you had the other day- it was a really beautiful dog.”

"She is, isn’t she,” he said. “Her name is Sacha. My... partner is watching her on her day off."

Partner. Lev wondered why he felt a twinge of regret. “Sacha is a beautiful name. How old is she?”

“A little over two years.”

Not very forthcoming with details this one. Maybe that was why the next words out of Lev’s mouth was an impulsive, “I know this is going to sound- I mean, I don't- I don’t mean to be rude but, are you following me or something?”

A single pale eyebrow went up a fraction of an inch. “What makes you think that?”

Lev gestured helplessly. “This is twice in less than a week I’ve run into you and you don’t live in this little suburb. The city is huge. Why are you sitting here?” The self depreciating ‘with me’ was unspoken but hung like dead weight in the air between them.

“Perhaps I liked the tea here.”

Well that ground Lev’s spiralling anxieties to a halt. What was he doing? Being unspeakably rude, that’s what. “I- I’m so sorry,” he managed. “Sometimes I get worked up over nothing and...”

His apology withered as he registered the small smile Cameron wore. It didn’t... it didn’t really reach his eyes. Something about it made Lev’s breath catch. A deep part of Lev told him he should be fleeing right now. He wrestled that part back down, stunned at how insistent the feeling had been.

Their staring contest broke as Cameron checked his phone. “I’m needed elsewhere.” And he stood. Just like that. “Goodbye, Levant.”

Then he was gone. Lev sagged a bit, feeling dazed. What had that whole thing been? Lev had fumbled that conversation in about a hundred different ways. When he looked around, no one was watching him, and Cameron was gone. Lev rubbed the back of his neck as he let out a sigh. He’d stared at Cameron long enough. Maybe he could keep the image in mind long enough to get a couple sketches out of it.

----

Nik spent the better part of the day either sleeping or playing with Sacha. Sometimes he harassed Cameron through text messages, but Cameron rarely answered them. So unfortunately that didn't leave him with much interaction.

When Cameron finally came back from his day out, it was nearing dusk. Sacha was immediately up on her feet to go greet him. Panting, and tail wagging. Sacha didn't bark or jump on him. Instead she fell in step beside him and walked with him to the kitchen.

Nik stopped himself from pouting. They were playing, thank you. He really shouldn't be jealous of a dog, but here he was. Nik didn't really have any companions outside of Cameron and Sacha. It was too hard to try to create something with anyone when he was trapped in the confines of Cameron's manor during the day… or when thirst for blood tore at his insides.

“You're back.”

Cameron leaned his elegant cane against the cabinet for just a moment while he helped himself to a cup of tea. “I am.”

“What did you do?” Nik said, plopping down at the counter. He plucked an apple from the bowl and surveyed it. Most of the food in the house got eaten by the maids or any of the other humans that came through. Though Nik did like to indulge in human food, too. It helped curb the cravings for blood. Though the cravings never really did go away.

He took a bite out of the apple.

“Ran some errands,” Cameron said.

Nik sighed at that wonderfully descriptive response. It was like pulling teeth getting a response from the man. Cameron leaned against the counter and took a drink from his tea, pale blue eyes resting on Nik and his half eaten apple. “Will you be continuing your hunt tonight?”

“That's the plan,” Nik said. “I'll be leaving soon. If I have the same problem, I might have to figure out how to lure him out of his house.”

Cameron looked faintly amused at the idea. Nik had the feeling it would be harder done than said, but he had hope. And that hope wished it wouldn't take as long as Cameron said it would to get the human out.

He had neighbors. Maybe Nik could use his charm on them if need be. Surely this person could be swayed through peer pressure. He seemed like the type.

“Good luck,” Cameron said. He grabbed his cane and put his cup in the sink. “I need to rest. Do keep yourself out of trouble.”

Nik watched Cameron leave from his seat. But the vampire didn't go for his rooms, instead he went down the hall to where the sleeping coffin was. Nik turned back in his seat and played on his phone for the next half hour while he waited for the sun to set. Only then did he rise from his chair and make his way to the human's house.

He decided to steal Cameron's car. It was quiet and nice and roomy. But more importantly the speakers were to die for. He could play his music loud enough he could rupture his ear drums. But alas he decided to keep his music down for now. He didn’t want to bring too much attention to himself while he drove down into the suburbs. And the price tag of this car was sure to turn heads.

He parked a block down from the human's house. The SOLD sign was gone and from where Nik peeked in the windows, mostly everything was unpacked and put in their place. The human was wandering through the house in his boxers, snacking on what looked like some sort of pastry while he was seemingly getting ready for bed.

Nik held in his scoff and kept watching. When the human moved to his bedroom, Nik followed. He picked at the flowers under the window, plucking at the petals while he watched the human get a book out on his bed. He had a glass of milk next to him on the end table.

Nik could just barely see the title of some sort of paranormal romance. The human read the book for what seemed like forever, when in all actuality it was maybe forty-five minutes. Nik was growing increasingly bored. And to think the window was open too!

The human gasped and talked to himself throughout whatever he was reading. He seemed scandalized by whatever paranormal creature was occupying his time. He covered his mouth, he stared in space. He might as well be clutching pearls while he was at it.

It was soon enough that the human then looked at the clock and said to no one in particular, “Oh. It's late.” Nik frowned. It wasn't even ten yet. Though he supposed it was better than eight.

He decided it was time to get ready for bed. He put his glass in the sink and then started his mission of taking a shower and brushing his teeth. He came back into the bedroom and Nik's senses perked up.

He was so close to the human. Could smell him from his spot under the window. He smelled… like cookies? How odd. Maybe it was his body wash. Again. How odd. Why would one choose to smell like cookies? It's like he was begging to be eaten.

The human snuggled into bed, holding onto that body pillow. He was out like a light in less than five minutes. Nik picked at the flowers and looked at his phone every now and then to keep his attention. But he kept looking back at the human who was now tossing and turning in his sleep.

Nik perked up when the human gasped and opened his eyes. He sat up, looking grief stricken. Nik wondered what it was that pulled him out of his sleep, but he wasn't too invested in the inner workings of his mind. Especially as the human then just laid back down and hugged his body pillow even tighter.

He sniffled a little and then rolled onto his other side. He could hear faint sobbing. Nik got uncomfortable enough he pulled away from the window and looked at his phone. It was closing in on midnight and he was starting to grow bored. That and he didn’t want to listen to some stranger cry himself to sleep.

Nik quietly moved away from the window, still plucking at the flower in his hands while he walked back to his car. Another dull day, he’d have to come up with another way to get inside the human's house.

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fragmentedink-archived · 28 days ago

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Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part Three

pt. two

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Boxes lay half unpacked in Lev's living room. Oh, not so many that he had to maneuver around them. But enough that he knew he really ought to have done more unpacking today than he'd bothered with. His library was worse, books spilling off of shelves and out of boxes in haphazard piles while he hemmed and hawed over how he wanted to organize them. By author, the proper way? By color, just for the delightful visuals? By his own secret code, his favorites always at eye level and easily in reach? The options were endless, and no one would be coming over to judge, so he had no real force to guide his decision. It was left for yet another day, for today was over already, the sun set over an hour past.

He'd pulled his blinds shut tonight, having felt oddly... observed the night before. No one there when he'd looked up, but better safe than sorry. Even the idea of Remi hiring a P.I. to track him down had sent a shudder down his spine. He pushed the thought away yet again and snuggled deeper into his arm chair. His feet were tucked underneath him, a feat only possible because he'd lucked out years ago in finding this extra wide seat. It all but swallowed him even now, despite the fact that moving on from Remi had led to more than a couple pounds settling around his waist. He chose to see it as a sign of healing, considering he'd wasted away to elbows and ribs while living with the-

No, he told himself sternly. Book. Hot werewolves and vampires fighting over their one true love. Past relationships did not get overanalyzed after eight p.m. A new rule he was establishing right now.

How effective that rule would prove to be would have to wait. Lev went still as someone knocked on his door. Who on earth could be out and about at this time of night? Robbers? No, that was silly. Thieves didn't knock to ask permission to come inside. Still. Lev had no intention of opening that door. Even as whoever it was knocked again.

“Hello?”

They sounded friendly. Lev didn't trust it. He eased from his chair as quietly as he could, book still clutched in his hand. He agonized over turning off the lamp and revealing he was home, before deciding the auto-timer he had it set to turning it off at eleven would be good enough. He inched backwards down the hall, deeply grateful that he'd chosen to sleep in the bedroom facing his back yard. The front bedroom, his beloved library, would have felt so exposed.

It was silly, to creep around in the dark, brushing his teeth by feel alone, and slithering out of his clothes as he shuffled towards his bed, but he preferred it to revealing to whoever might still be at his door. They'd only knocked one more time, but Lev felt that turning on the lights would bring them back. A peek through his curtains told him his backyard was empty as ever, so he didn't bother to twitch them fully closed before he got into bed. His front yard had a picket fence, but the back had a gate and a privacy fence. In that at least he felt safe.

He knew in the morning he'd have a good laugh about this. Tonight, he stared at the cover of his book, sitting in a shaft of moonlight, teasing him with the idea of romances that did not work out in the real world. He wondered, somewhere deep within himself, if skittish little freaks got the same happy ending that spunky blonde heroines did. And then he decided that existential crises were also not allowed after eight p.m., kicked off the sheets that suddenly felt constricting, and rolled over to go to sleep.

----

Nik spent all day thinking about how he was going to do this. There were a thousand ways he could go about this, and if Cameron was right it might just take forever to get inside the human's house. He decided it was best to start off easy, though. Just simply knocking.

It was only eight when Nik knocked on the door. He rocked on his heels, waiting for a few heartbeats before knocking again.

“Hello?”

Nik hummed and listened intently. He could hear the human moving around inside the house. But he was moving away from the door. Nik frowned and looked down at his phone at the time. It was, indeed, barely past eight-thirty. He sighed. Perhaps Cameron had a point. It was going to be a pain to get inside this human's house.

Nik knocked one last time and waited a few moments before deciding to wander around the yard and peek through the windows. It wasn’t hard to jump the gate to get into the back yard. Most of the curtains were closed all the way, but there was one window in the very back where the curtains were partially open. Nik leaned in as close as he could get and peered inside.

The human was already in bed. He seemed to be wearing nothing but boxers and hugging a body pillow tightly. Nik watched his body loosen and relax, his breath evening out. Who on God's green earth hid from the doorbell and went to sleep before nine at night?

Nik sighed and finally stepped away from the window. He made his way back to the sidewalk and then eventually started for Cameron's club. He didn't bother with the line; the bouncer knew who he was. The inside of the club wasn't nearly at capacity yet. It was barely nine o'clock! He was still amazed that the human went to bed before eleven. Was his life just that sad that he needed to be in bed at the same time as a ten year old?

Nik made his way to the bar and sat on one of the stools. Zareth, an ancient vampire turned bartender, slid a shot of tequila in front of Nik. “You're early,” he said. “It's not even midnight.”

Nik screwed up his face. “I made a bet with Cameron.”

Zareth snorted. “And how is that working out for you?” Without missing a beat he passed another drink to a patron nearby.

“Great,” Nik snipped, slamming back the shot. “Minus the part where I can't feed for the next three weeks.”

Zareth whistled and filled his shot glass back up. The bartender was older than even Cameron. He had fought in some of the earliest wars against the rise of Christianity back in ancient Denmark. Well, it hadn't been called Denmark when Zareth was a human. “Sounds rough.”

“I'll make it,” Nik said. He swished the clear liquid before downing it once again. The alcohol burned on the way down and blunted the edge of hunger. He set off for Cameron's office once he slid the shot glass back to Zareth.

Nik didn't bother knocking and walked right on in. Sacha was on a bed next to Cameron's desk. She lifted her big brown eyes to him and thumped her tail a couple times in 'hello' but stayed put. Cameron didn't so much as lift his head before, “You're here early. Not going well?”

Judging by Cameron's mild tone, Nik knew Cameron wasn't surprised in the slightest. Nik scowled and plopped down in the chair across from him. “He went to bed so he didn't have to open the door. Who does that?”

“Someone afraid of their own shadow.”

“Hmph. So you said.” Nik picked at his nail polish again. He really should touch them up soon.

“What will you do with the rest of your evening?” Cameron asked. Nik stared as he took a drink from the tea cup full of blood. His throat burned with want. God above, how was he going to last for three weeks?

“I don't know,” Nik admitted. “Maybe I'll take Sacha to the park if that's okay with you?”

Sacha's ears perked up at that and she lifted her head to gaze at Cameron, as if asking her master for permission to play. Of course Sacha wasn't a normal dog so Nik wouldn't take offense if Cameron said no.

Cameron looked down at her, pale blue eyes considering. “For a few hours,” he said. “Then she needs to be back at my side.”

Nik was already getting to his feet and reaching for the service dog. He cradled her soft face in his hands. “Yay,” he said. “Let's go have some fun, you and I.”

---

The morning light did in fact make Lev feel a bit silly about his reaction the night before. Surely it’d been a neighbor. He almost felt bad about ignoring them. Almost. He told himself he wouldn’t have wanted them to see his house in this disarray anyways, and spent most of the morning clearing out empty boxes and situating his living room properly. He promised himself that he’d get to his budding library soon as he set up his trinkets here and there. Maybe some floating shelves for the knick-knacks Amara kept sending him.

By noon he’d made surprising headway in the task that was unpacking an entire life. That was all well and good, but when he circled back to make lunch he was dismayed to find that all he had in the fridge was condiments, half a carton of eggs, a slice of stale pizza he’d forgotten about, and some leftover lettuce. Right. Grocery then.

He thought about ordering a ride, and then dismissed it. He’d picked this neighborhood so he would be able to walk most places; he’d never been a confident driver, and so never bothered to get his license. His learners permit was still sitting, years past its expiration date, useless but safe, in his wallet.

After gathering up a few reusable bags and jotting down a vague list of staples he’d need, Lev headed out the door. The walk was in a similar direction as the used bookshop he’d visited the other day, but far closer. He got there in under ten minutes, grateful for the air conditioning already. In order to not get too distracted, as he needed to be able to carry the groceries home, Lev employed the strategy of circling the edges of the store first before risking delving into the temptations of the inner aisles.

He perused the produce with a skeptical eye, before deciding to indulge in something nice. He picked out some heirloom tomatoes and some cucumbers. He’d make some very fancy subs for dinner tonight, finish off the lettuce, which meant circling to the deli. If he was going to do fancy, he wanted to go all out. Before he did, though, some almost too-ripe bananas on sale caught his eye. Perfect. He could make banana bread in the next day or so too.

With dinner for tonight settled, Lev finally braved the middle aisles. He’d hit the frozen section last, as he wanted some ice cream too, but didn’t want it to melt too much. He gathered up some basic staples, changed his mind and circled back for some apples and grapes for snacks, and then made it to the baking aisle. He couldn’t remember if he had brown sugar at home, and so committed to it, along with more flour for his canister. He dropped chocolate chips in his cart, and then frowned up at the walnuts on the top shelf, shoved all the way to the back. It wasn’t like Lev was short.

An arm reached past him, startling him enough he rattled his cart. When he turned around, blinking owlishly at the tall, pale man standing there, his first thought was that it seemed absurd to see someone in a clearly tailored grey suit standing in the dingy light of a chain grocery store. His second thought was that he recognized the golden retriever at his side from a couple of days ago. It really was a beautiful dog. His third thought was, Oh. He got the walnuts for me.

“Thank you,” he said automatically, taking the bag.

The guy inclined his head. “You’re welcome.”

To call him a guy felt too. Casual. Nothing about this man seemed. Casual. He seemed almost excessively formal, actually. Absolutely zero laugh lines, and his pale gaze pinned Lev in place like a butterfly on a corkboard. Now why was that the mental image his brain had provided? Lev realized belatedly he was staring.

There was no saving the interaction now, Lev had already managed to fumble it, but for some reason he stuck out his hand and said, “My name is Levant. Lev.”

He got an almost-smile in return. “Cameron Maržena.”

When the man made no move to shake his hand, Lev lowered it awkwardly. “Um. Thank you, again. Wouldn’t be the end of the world to make banana bread without the walnuts, but you know. They help.” They help? He asked himself incredulously, knowing he was slowly turning red. They help? “Wasn’t really feeling experimental.” Nope. This was going nowhere.

At last the man threw him a bone, even if he looked faintly amused. “I suppose they do help.”

Lev cleared his throat. “It was, um. Nice to meet you?” Screw getting ice cream, he needed to check out now, before the ground answered his prayers and swallowed him up.

“You as well, Levant,” Cameron said before leaving, his service dog following obediently. Only then did Lev realize the only thing Cameron had in the basket on his arm were some of the more expensive dog treats. Lev shook his head. That dog was probably far more pampered than seemed at first glance. A smile crossed Lev’s face despite his stubborn flush. That certainly spoke to the character of this Cameron. Lev often judged people based on how they treated their animals.

He let out a slow breath, tried to remember the settling techniques his old therapist had taught him. One weird social interaction was not the end of the world. Likely Lev would never see the man again. He dropped the walnuts in his cart, and determinedly went looking for the frozen aisle. He got himself some mint chocolate chip, and some vanilla. Add some fudge to that, and-

Lev’s skin prickled. He turned around, so sure someone was staring, but the only other person nearby was an older lady struggling to free some mixed veggies from a shelf. Best to pass on the good karma, Lev supposed, and helped her.

He detoured indecisively back to the produce, and frowned down at the strawberries. It’d be a waste to buy a whole pint just for one bowl, maybe two, of ice cream, but- ah, well, he could cut some up and put it on his cereal. He could freeze the grapes for later, and snack on the rest of the strawberries and apples. Satisfied, and decidedly ignoring the feeling he was being watched again, Lev marched himself to the checkout counter. It was far more than he’d intended to get, but he was pleased nonetheless. He wouldn’t have to leave the house for a few days, and that was always the goal, after all.

---

It had been easy to follow the human into the grocery store. Cameron had the afternoon to himself and decided to make himself acquainted with Nik's latest choice in meal. He seemed mannered enough, just awkward enough he could see precisely why he didn't answer the door for Nik last night.

Cameron decided to make a day out of it and get Sacha some treats while he stalked Lev. She was sure to deserve something nice after working for such a long day. At least the human’s thoughts were easy enough to zero in on. Even when Cameron lost sight of him, his flighty mind voice was a thrum of shadowy anxiety Cameron could trail

At least he couldn’t fault Lev’s pickiness with the produce. Despite the slim pickings, Lev managed to pick out what had to be the only decent vegetables this small grocery store had to offer. Throughout it all, Lev’s thoughts circled back to banana bread, of all things.

The food choices Lev was making were unsurprising. He seemed like a homebody that enjoyed making desserts. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to Cameron if the human took up the mundane craft of knitting in order to justify never leaving his house. Wouldn’t that send Nik into a fit? The idea left the ghost of a smile on Cameron’s lips.

His actual interaction with Lev didn’t reveal much. Unsurprisingly, the moment Levant laid eyes on him his thoughts became a senseless jumble. Typical. Cameron wondered idly if this would help or hinder Nik’s hunt, if Lev couldn’t handle a simple conversation with a beautiful man. Even if it was to be expected. Cameron was beautiful after all.

After it all, Cameron decided to follow him home. With the superiority of vampire hearing it was little effort to hear the clatter of the groceries on the counter, the sound of the fridge opening, and the creak of the floorboards under Lev’s steps as he puttered around his kitchen. Lev spent the better part of an hour dedicatedly making his banana bread from scratch. It wasn’t until the bread was out and cooling that the actual meal Lev had prepared for was made. Cameron decided it was best if he helped himself down the street before Lev came outside to eat dinner on his porch like he’d heard Lev internally plan to do.

Cameron took Sacha to the park instead. An excuse to sit down was welcome, even if he’d barely admit it to himself. He fished out a few of the treats he bought and fed her before unhooking her leash, undoing her vest, and letting her go run for a little while. It was best to let her get it out of her system now than have to come back in a few hours.

Cameron scrolled through his emails absentmindedly as he thought about the human Nik was hunting, and he thought about Nik keeping himself out of trouble. And most importantly, his thoughts then trailed off to where they eventually always trailed off to. Darius; who was to awaken from his slumber within the next few months.

He could barely admit it to himself, sometimes, how much Darius meant to him. It was more than a like, deeper than a love. Darius was the second half of his soul. Cameron did not feel particular romantic or sexual attraction to anyone but Darius… romance and sex were too small to mean anything to him. With Darius, it had been like waking up, like finding someone who understood him better than anyone else. Like finally being able to step in the sun after centuries in the dark.

He had spent two years in the last two centuries with Darius and soon it will be one more year to add to time. He would make the most of it. Cameron was more than ready to welcome him to the new millennium.

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fragmentedink-archived · 28 days ago

Text

Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part Three

pt. two

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

“Hello?”

----

It was only eight when Nik knocked on the door. He rocked on his heels, waiting for a few heartbeats before knocking again.

“Hello?”

Nik screwed up his face. “I made a bet with Cameron.”

Zareth snorted. “And how is that working out for you?” Without missing a beat he passed another drink to a patron nearby.

“Great,” Nik snipped, slamming back the shot. “Minus the part where I can't feed for the next three weeks.”

“Someone afraid of their own shadow.”

“Hmph. So you said.” Nik picked at his nail polish again. He really should touch them up soon.

“I don't know,” Nik admitted. “Maybe I'll take Sacha to the park if that's okay with you?”

Cameron looked down at her, pale blue eyes considering. “For a few hours,” he said. “Then she needs to be back at my side.”

Nik was already getting to his feet and reaching for the service dog. He cradled her soft face in his hands. “Yay,” he said. “Let's go have some fun, you and I.”

---

“Thank you,” he said automatically, taking the bag.

The guy inclined his head. “You’re welcome.”

There was no saving the interaction now, Lev had already managed to fumble it, but for some reason he stuck out his hand and said, “My name is Levant. Lev.”

He got an almost-smile in return. “Cameron Maržena.”

At last the man threw him a bone, even if he looked faintly amused. “I suppose they do help.”

Lev cleared his throat. “It was, um. Nice to meet you?” Screw getting ice cream, he needed to check out now, before the ground answered his prayers and swallowed him up.

---

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fragmentedink-archived · 1 month ago

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Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part Two

pt. one

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Forty-Two years later

The house Levant had moved into seemed perfect. Spacious living room, kitchen with fantastic storage space and all new appliances, and two surprisingly large bedrooms. He hadn't needed two, knew it was an indulgence, but the idea of setting up a library was too tempting. Outside of setting up his bed, the first thing he'd done was buy three new bookshelves so he could start expanding his collection. The fact that he now had a massive bathtub to soak in while he read was also a bonus.

If only he hadn't had to move for fear of- oh alright, he figured fearing for his life might be a bit dramatic, but Remi's constant harassment had been too stressful to allow to continue. Rather than continuing to file useless police reports, Lev had quietly hired movers and vanished overnight. Sure it had cost extra to pay for them to help him pack up, but worth it to leave no trace of where he'd gone.

To make this house better than the steal it was, it was neatly situated in the suburbs of a larger city, meaning it was within walking distance of at least one little grocery store, and a library, and a park, and anything else was just a couple bus rides away. He rarely had to go anywhere, but even if he did, he could be back home in a flash.

Tonight was one of the rare times he ventured out for something not strictly necessary. There was a little used bookstore only a fifteen minute bus ride away. It was a longer walk, but he'd decided it was worth it, even if he'd misjudged when the sun was setting. He'd gotten lost in browsing, and was now loaded down with more books than he'd intended to buy this trip.

It wasn't really that he was scared of the dark, per se, but really, who wasn't a little bit more on edge when the shadows got longer and it was harder to see. He told himself he was overreacting, and cast a glance around to prove it to himself. See? He wasn't the only one out and about in the summer evening. There, a mom and her child toddling beside her with one hand on the stroller she pushed. When Lev took another look, he realized there was an infant in the stroller as well. Well, now. And no sense of urgency from them either.

And there! Across the street, two men were perched on a bench near the edge of the local park. Their distinctly opposite aesthetics (some sort of stylistically punk next to someone in a perfectly pressed three piece suit) caught Lev's eye briefly. There was a gorgeous white golden retriever that held his attention more, tucked under their bench between them. Tempting, truly, but he saw she had some sort of service dog vest on, and turned his search onward. After all, he was on a mission now to keep reassuring himself.

Further along, a group of teens were shooting hoops. While their occasional scuffles and jeers amongst each other made Lev's shoulders hunch just a bit, it was comforting too. Rowdy teens doing rowdy teen things, while inherently stressful for Lev, was still a normal and safe thing to expect. Likely their game of basketball would end soon, with the sun well and truly set now, but it was summer and there would be no school, and Lev heard no parents yelling for them to return home.

These little observations helped Lev force his shoulders to relax; anxiety wasn't always something he could reason with, but with this many people out and about still there was no way there was something to be afraid of out here. Besides. In the time it'd taken him to talk himself down, observe the world around him and see everything was calm, he was at the front walk to his house.

It had no porch big enough for a swing on it like he would have liked, but he supposed eventually he could invest in one for the yard. Tonight, however, he merely unlocked his front door and slipped inside to put his new treasures on one of his bookshelves. He already had one picked out to curl up in bed with. Maybe some chamomile tea. Not the shit stuff his cousin sent him regularly, though he hadn't the heart to tell her that it tasted awful. He just didn't have the heart to throw it away either.

----

Cameron had been sitting next to Nik on the bench, people watching for the better part of an hour when a young man caught their attention. Or rather his attention. Nik was messing with his phone and also watching a group of people playing basketball. Nik's attention got snagged when Cameron said, “That one there.”

Nik looked to see who Cameron was looking at. And he smiled. The plump young man had a skittishness about him that was hard to miss. He was wearing a plain black tee, scuffed hightops, and carrying a load of books. He was new to the area, Cameron was sure. He hadn't seen the man around during his hunts.

“Really?” Nik said. “A bookworm? What about him?”

“Have you noticed the way he carries himself?” Cameron said, glancing at his watch. “He is afraid of his own shadow.”

Nik snorted. “Okay so what does that mean to us, though? Blood that tastes like Xanax?”

Cameron flicked him a cool look, stifling an eye roll. “It means, Nikolas, that it will not be so easy to eat him.

“It can't be that hard.”

Cameron sensed a way to make this a teachable moment for his young fledgling. “Care to make a wager?”

As suspected, Nik perked up. “What are the rules?”

“No compulsion,” Cameron said. “I want you to get inside his house on your own merits. You can't kill him. And you cannot feed until you feed on him. I suspect it will take the better part of… hm. Three weeks?”

“Three weeks?” Nik gaped at him. “I'll desiccate before then.”

“No you won't,” Cameron said, matter of factly. “You'll be hungry but you won't starve.”

“Hmph.” Nik chewed on his lip ring, thinking over Cameron's offer. They both watched the young man with his books finally disappear. “What do I get if I win?”

“What do you want?”

“I want a solis ring,” Nik declared. “I haven't been able to walk in the sun for forty years.”

“Forty years isn't too long,” Cameron replied mildly.

“I died when I was twenty-three!” Nik said. “What do you mean it isn't too long!”

Cameron studied the shiny end of his elegant cane. Moonlight glinted off the silver. “I didn't have a solis ring until I was well over two hundred years old.”

“Well. Shit.” Nik wrinkled his nose. “I don't see why I have to wait that long though.”

“Because you're still a fledgling who struggles to not kill anyone,” Cameron said. He absently reached down to pat Sacha's head. His service dog gave a small sigh but didn't move. “I cannot just give you unfettered access to the entire human population.”

“A solis ring,” Nik insisted. “That is my prize.”

Cameron thought about it. Nik had been mostly successful with not killing anyone as of late. Though there had been a few close calls. Cameron did not see this test ending with the anxious man ending successfully, either. But he found himself saying, “Alright. You know the terms. Don't feed and don't kill that human and we will discuss you having a solis ring.”

That seemed to satisfy Nik. These last forty-two years hadn't felt so long, really. Nik came to live with him when he turned and his life fell apart. Cameron was there to show Nik the ropes to being an immortal enslaved to the night. The fledgling often got too worked up, and too into the Hunt sometimes to be able to control himself. He was a glutton.

Cameron got up from the bench, ignoring the familiar pain that laced down his back and limbs. He leaned on his cane while Sacha came out from under the bench, her white gold fur shining in the moonlight.

He'd had her for about five months. His physical therapist recommended getting a service dog to help monitor his pain and headaches. So far she had done a well enough job. He found her temperament satisfactory and she also kept Nik entertained when she wasn't working. And that was a positive all on its own.

Nik slid off the bench. He leaned down and rubbed Sacha's head before straightening back up, his gaze off in the direction that human had gone. “Should we start tonight?”

“If you wish,” Cameron said, starting down the sidewalk. Sacha walked in step beside him. Some of the humans glanced their way, curious, but kept their distance. He had bought the vest on her in order to keep people away while she worked. Also he didn't want humans to be bothering him, and surely a dog will give the humans the idea that it was okay to approach him.

Nik hummed under his breath, picking at his black chipped nail polish. They followed the sidewalk the human had taken. It wasn't hard to find his house. There were only a few in the suburb and there was a big red SOLD sticker slapped on the for sale sign still in his front yard.

They watched the human from the street. He was sitting in a chair by the window reading one of the novels he picked up at the bookstore. Cameron waited for about fifteen minutes before Sacha nudged him, warning him he needed to be getting home. “Stay if you wish,” Cameron said. “I am going home for the evening.”

“I'll come with you,” Nik said. “Tomorrow I'll be back.”

---

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fragmentedink-archived · 1 month ago

Text

Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part Two

pt. one

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Forty-Two years later

----

“Really?” Nik said. “A bookworm? What about him?”

“Have you noticed the way he carries himself?” Cameron said, glancing at his watch. “He is afraid of his own shadow.”

Nik snorted. “Okay so what does that mean to us, though? Blood that tastes like Xanax?”

Cameron flicked him a cool look, stifling an eye roll. “It means, Nikolas, that it will not be so easy to eat him.

“It can't be that hard.”

Cameron sensed a way to make this a teachable moment for his young fledgling. “Care to make a wager?”

As suspected, Nik perked up. “What are the rules?”

“Three weeks?” Nik gaped at him. “I'll desiccate before then.”

“No you won't,” Cameron said, matter of factly. “You'll be hungry but you won't starve.”

“Hmph.” Nik chewed on his lip ring, thinking over Cameron's offer. They both watched the young man with his books finally disappear. “What do I get if I win?”

“What do you want?”

“I want a solis ring,” Nik declared. “I haven't been able to walk in the sun for forty years.”

“Forty years isn't too long,” Cameron replied mildly.

“I died when I was twenty-three!” Nik said. “What do you mean it isn't too long!”

Cameron studied the shiny end of his elegant cane. Moonlight glinted off the silver. “I didn't have a solis ring until I was well over two hundred years old.”

“Well. Shit.” Nik wrinkled his nose. “I don't see why I have to wait that long though.”

“A solis ring,” Nik insisted. “That is my prize.”

Nik slid off the bench. He leaned down and rubbed Sacha's head before straightening back up, his gaze off in the direction that human had gone. “Should we start tonight?”

“I'll come with you,” Nik said. “Tomorrow I'll be back.”

---

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fragmentedink-archived · 1 month ago

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Story Aesthetics: Once Bitten Twice Shy [read]

Cameron Maržena had been watching the human known as Nikolas Mejias for the last three weeks. Though his girlfriend was always with him, it was Nik who Cameron couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of. Against the mundanity of the mass of humans that ebbed and flowed through the club, Nik was a shining star that caught the eye. His unwavering spirit had certainly caught the four hundred and sixty-three year old vampire's attention and he'd been unable to resist following him ever since.

cowritten with @lux-scriptum

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fragmentedink-archived · 1 month ago

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Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part One

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Cameron watched from the high office of his club while the two humans danced and drank themselves stupid. He knew he wasn't the only one. There were some humans whose mere humanity lured in immortals, like moths to a flame; humans who lived so brightly, so fiercely that the undead wanted to catch it in a jar and hold onto it forever.

By nature vampires could not hold onto such a delicate flame without threat of snuffing it out permanently. Not when one careless action easily ended everything, quick as a fang slid into a vein. This lesson had been drilled into Cameron by his maker centuries ago.

That didn't stop him, however, from watching. With Darius slumbering for at least four more decades, Cameron was alone. He spent his time working but these last few weeks he had been distracted by Nik. He was constantly with his woman, those brown hands touching her skin, her hips, her hair. They orbited each other, but did not hesitate to shine for anyone else. Their smiles turned outwards as often as they did in.

The humans were foolish, no matter how much light they had. To be in this place full of predators so carelessly at night. They were both in leather jackets, their hair teased with hairspray and Kohl lined their brown eyes. They drew attention without effort, and seemed not to notice when not all of it was benevolent.

They weren't the only humans in the club, but Nik at the very least was the only one that Cameron cared about. Well. Perhaps 'cared' was too strong a word for Cameron's interest. However, it would be a waste of such a vibrant life if he were to die. Hopefully the human played his cards right and did not attract too many predators his way. Hopefully he made it to sunrise.

Cameron turned around and went back to his desk where he spent the rest of the night doing paperwork. The music was muffled enough he could focus and no one came to bother him. He took a drink from the tea cup on his desk. Good. It was still warm and pleasant. He had slit a wrist from a clubber and drained it into the cup half an hour ago.

It was an hour before sunrise when the club started to clear out. Cameron finished up his work for the night and cleaned up before heading downstairs. There were a few stragglers but overall the place was empty. The faint smell of blood still clung to the air and the dark curtains. Employees skillfully cleared out any bodies that had been drained that evening.

Cameron walked outside, the crisp autumn air hitting his skin. The cooling temperatures still made his bones ache. If he had thought of it, he would have brought his cane with him. Next time, then.

The sidewalks were empty aside from a few people who seemed to be on their way home. They all paid him no mind, just as he preferred. No need to stick out in the minds of mortals when life went so much smoother as a pale shadow on the fringes.

The thick scent of blood caught his attention as he passed the entrance to a nearby alley. His fangs cut against his bottom lip as the smell teased him forward. He found himself wandering down the alleyway to investigate. Even before he found two familiar bodies covered in blood at the very end he knew who he'd find.

Nik.

There was no one else, just the two of them. Light officially snuffed. And yet. Against Cameron's better judgment he found himself kneeling in front of Nik. That warm brown skin was splattered in blood, his and hers from the smell of it, and there were ragged puncture wounds on his tattooed neck.

There was a pulse, just barely one. Nik's dark lashes fluttered and he groaned. A spark, then? Blood pooled when Cameron ripped open his wrist. “Drink,” he ordered, pushing it against Nik's mouth. He would question his decision later.

Nik mumbled against his wrist, perhaps the name of the girl who laid dead next to them. But then he started to drink. Those dark brown eyes opened slowly and moved to Cameron's face.

For a moment time slowed down while Nik drank from him, it was just the two of them in this alleyway. When Cameron finally pulled away, Nik absently palmed at his healed throat. He blinked a few times, still staring at Cameron.

Inevitably his distant gaze landed on the dead woman beside them. That was enough to shock him into action. He scrambled towards her, long fingers going to her hair, her face, the bite marks on her neck. “Fix her.” Again those dark brown eyes snapped to his. Demanding, of all things.

“I cannot,” Cameron said, standing. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his hands and the dark cuff of his sleeve.

“What do you mean you can't!” Nik snapped. Despite the initial temper to his question, his voice wavered as he insisted, “Fix her.”

“She's already dead,” Cameron said. His blood would do her no good now, and Cameron wasn't one for empty gestures.

Nik pressed his forehead against hers. A shudder went through him, and then sobs shook him in earnest. Tears mixed with smeared eyeliner and blood. He held her face between his hands as if he could cup the soul already fled and keep it from slipping through his fingers. There was nothing Cameron could say to help the situation, so he said nothing.

“What good are you then?” Nik finally rasped. He visibly swallowed another sob and then ground out, “Why save me and not her?”

Again, Cameron offered no words. Nothing he could say would make any difference. He felt nothing when he glanced at the dead girl. It hadn't been her light he'd trailed over the last few weeks.

“Would you like me to take you somewhere?” Cameron finally asked. Immediately another thought hit him, a kindness he could offer, hollow though it was. “I could make you forget. If that would be easier.”

“Easier for you?” Nik asked. While his tone was accusing, the look he gave Cameron was lost. Adrift. Already fading.

“This does not matter to me. She does not matter to me,” Cameron said. “She matters to you. This would be easier for you.��

“Just go away,” Nik said. He brushed her hair from her face, smoothed it so it hid the punctures in her throat. “Go away and leave us alone.”

Perhaps that was best. The smell of blood was starting to get to him. His fangs ached and all the blood soaking Nik's skin was beginning to make Cameron dizzy with thirst. His eyes lingered on Nik's exposed throat for far too long.

Cameron inclined his head. “Very well,” he said, and then promptly turned on his heel. The smell of blood hunted him as he walked to his car.

It was a sleek thing, black with tinted windows, carefully made to prevent UV rays from penetrating inside. A sound investment for when he traveled.

He drove home in silence, his only thoughts on the human with blood that sang to him.

----

Cameron was vaguely surprised to see Nik again so soon. The very next night Cameron found the human in his club once more, long before the night reached its peak.

From high in his office, Cameron watched Nik dance around the club as if it was just another night. He wore eyeliner and glitter, he was fitted in a black leather jacket and white v-neck. He was the picture of feverish health. But- His movements were jittery and jerky. He was sweating more than anyone else.

Nik was now talking to a tall man, taking from him a small package and following him to one of the backrooms. Cameron argued with himself on whether or not he should follow. Nik was likely on his way to take even more drugs. Drugs, from a strange man in a club full of vampires while he still had vampire blood in his system.

Cameron closed his office behind him and followed Nik and the man back to the VIP room. He moved past vampires feeding, past dancing and sweating bodies. The music was so loud it practically made his brain rattle in his skull.

It took him longer than he cared for to get past all the people to get to the rooms. He didn't so much as glance at the bouncer in charge of the rooms before going through each room until he found what he was looking for.

It was the fourth guess before Cameron found the right room. The man with Nik was passed out cold, but he was still breathing. Cameron promptly ignored him.

He found Nik sprawled out on the floor, unconscious. There was blood streaked vomit beside him. Pain pinpricked behind Cameron's eyes when he leaned down in front of Nik. The stress of the last few days was going to trigger a cluster headache tomorrow, most definitely.

Cameron put his ear next to Nik's chest; he wasn't breathing. Cameron patted Nik's clammy face, he tried to do CPR. He tried to shove two fingers down Nik's throat to induce more vomiting, but it was too late.

Whatever was in the drugs Nik inhaled, it had killed him. Nik was dead. And he was dead with vampire blood in his system.

---

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fragmentedink-archived · 1 month ago

Text

Once Bitten Twice Shy: Part One

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

Cameron walked outside, the crisp autumn air hitting his skin. The cooling temperatures still made his bones ache. If he had thought of it, he would have brought his cane with him. Next time, then.

Nik.

Nik mumbled against his wrist, perhaps the name of the girl who laid dead next to them. But then he started to drink. Those dark brown eyes opened slowly and moved to Cameron's face.

“I cannot,” Cameron said, standing. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his hands and the dark cuff of his sleeve.

“What do you mean you can't!” Nik snapped. Despite the initial temper to his question, his voice wavered as he insisted, “Fix her.”

“She's already dead,” Cameron said. His blood would do her no good now, and Cameron wasn't one for empty gestures.

“What good are you then?” Nik finally rasped. He visibly swallowed another sob and then ground out, “Why save me and not her?”

Again, Cameron offered no words. Nothing he could say would make any difference. He felt nothing when he glanced at the dead girl. It hadn't been her light he'd trailed over the last few weeks.

“Easier for you?” Nik asked. While his tone was accusing, the look he gave Cameron was lost. Adrift. Already fading.

“This does not matter to me. She does not matter to me,” Cameron said. “She matters to you. This would be easier for you.”