#An since Ronove is a voidal he can be a vampire in the AU

[cadrenebula]

Prompt #8: Extra Credit

(Modern Fantasy AU with Aryn, Cedrik, Valen, and Ronove (as Jesse) Contains minor violence from a vampire attack.)

Valen sung his heart out to the crowd gathered here for the show tonight. His favorite backup dancers supporting him throughout the show all evening. None of them missing a beat with their steps. Not that he thought they would. No, his dancers were well skilled in their art. He matched them step for step as they had taught him for the song.

Swinging around to pause in the middle of the stage with his four dancers around him as the song was reaching it's climax. Running a teasing hand down the front of Aryn's body with a grin before he danced away and continued the song. Leaving the viera dancer to follow after him as they practiced. Only for Jesse to step between them an act like the jealous lover as the blue haired midlander put his hands on Aryn to stop him. Valen naturally singing about how to be a heartbreaker. Winking at one of the two female dancers as she pretended to swoon.

It was the final song of the night though thankfully. He was growing tired from performing for hours to a well packed crowd in the arena. The dancers and musicians were probably getting just as tired. Whose idea was it to perform for this long for a crowd anyways? Not that he didn't enjoy doing it. Maybe he ought to talk to them about having a break in the middle of a show.

Valen thanked the crowd as the song finished. With it the show for the night. Waving and blowing kisses towards his audience as he headed off stage to catch up with his crew.

"Great show, everyone!" Valen chirped happily as he draped one arm around Aryn's shoulders and the other around Jesse's. "I am so excited that it went so well. Did you see the size of that audience?"

"Naturally. How could we miss it?" Aryn laughed as he gave Valen a quick peck on the cheek before removing the singer's arm. "However you have an after party to go to according to your manager." Teasingly giving Valen a playful swat on the behind. "Besides I need to take Jesse to meet with his boyfriend~!" Sing-songing the last word.

"Haha. You act like we haven't been dating for months now." Jesse stuck his tongue out at Aryn as he slipped free of Valen as well. "Get going, Valentin. Don't keep your adoring fans waiting. I'm sure you want to get a quick shower and change before going to that party. You don't have time to shamelessly flirt with Aryn. I swear you two only ever have one thing on your minds."

Now Aryn gave Jesse a playful swat on the arm. The group of them were all close clearly by the way they all interacted. Friends from even before Valen started becoming popular with the masses. Aryn draped his arm over Jesse's shoulder as they waved Valen off.

"Well let's get going. Hate to keep that cutie of yours waiting. What was his name again? Lee?" Aryn asks teasingly, purposely getting the name wrong.

"Elijah." Jesse huffs and rolls his eyes before giving Aryn a gentle shove. "And I definitely don't want to be late. He's making dinner and I am -starving- after all that work."

Aryn and Jesse laughed warmly at a joke between them as they walked out the backdoor towards where their car was waiting. They often arrived together for shows to avoid them both fighting traffic. Especially since Valen often couldn't leave with them. The girls were nice but they preferred to go to the parties with Valen to connect with other people. Aryn was normally a party person himself most days. He just didn't like the host of this party so he'd offered to save Elijah the trouble of picking up Jesse later. Jesse wasn't keen on high traffic driving around the city.

Aryn frowned as he looked up. Was the alley this dark normally? He could have sworn the light was confirmed working when they setup the venue. The manager usually took things like this seriously for the safety of everyone. But now the light above was dark and the shadows seemed extra worrisome. Something didn't sit right with Aryn. But Jesse had kept walking, only stopping when he realized that Aryn wasn't following.

"What's wro--" Jesse's words cut off as something grabbed him. A pained scream soon followed.

"Jesse!" Aryn hollered as he raced down to try an help his friend. Skidding to a stop as he came upon what had grabbed Jesse. A set of bloody teeth grinned up at him from the creature that was holding a his limp friend. Magic sparkled at the tips of Aryn's hands as he prepared to have to fight whatever this thing was that had just decided to chew on Jesse. "Get away from him!"

"Ah you did save me one." Hissed a voice behind Aryn that made him spin around as glittering golden light surrounded his hands. Another of these things had snuck up behind him. Aryn swallowed hard as he looked between the pair. If he went after the one holding Jesse, he left himself open to attack by this new one. His ears drooped as he chewed on his bottom lip.

Just as the one behind him seemed prepared to leap at him, it went down with a strangled cry at Aryn's feet. A blade protruding from it's back. Aryn blinked in surprise as he stared at the man at the dimly lit area of the door they had come from earlier. One hand outstretched as if he'd been the one to throw the blade that had landed through the creature's heart with force. It was hard to make out the exact features of this mysterious man other than the telltale ears of a viera.

The man rushed forward before Aryn could react. Hand reaching out to grab the blade and rip it from the downed vampire's body. Breezing past the startled dancer to lunge at the other one holding Jesse. All Aryn could tell was his savior had a pale pink hair and moved with speed. The first vampire had quickly dropped Jesse as he attempted to escape the hunter that came for him.

Cedrik cut off the vampire's escape as he skidded to a stop right in the creature's path. Giving the thing a 'tsk' as he pushed off for another lunge. Swinging with first one blade, dodged by his foe. Only for the swing of the second blade to catch the vampire across the chest in a shallow wound. Spinning around to cleave a blade down in another swing as the vampire staggered. He was a dance of death with his blades.

Aryn watched, surprised, till he heard a weak groan come from his friend. Rushing to Jesse's side as he let this stranger handle the immediate danger for the moment. His still glowing hands went to the terrible would torn into Jesse's shoulder near the neck. So much blood. Aryn wasn't even sure when he'd started crying as he tried to stop the blood loss from being fatal. But the damage and what the vampire had drained was like fighting a losing battle.

"It's too late to save him." Cedrik stopped before where the two friends where once he was finished killing the other vampire. Cedrik crouched down as he gently took Aryn's chin in his hands. "I'm sorry."

Aryn's gold eyes blazed as he glared at Cedrik. He wanted to deny it with every fiber of his being. He wanted that to be false. But part of him knew it was true. Whatever had attacked them had taken Jesse from them.

"Come on. In case there are others still lurking about. They hunt in small packs if they hunt in a city. They will come for you." Cedrik stood and reached out to grab Aryn's arm to try and get him to come along.

"But... Jesse... I can't..." Aryn stammered as he didn't want to let his friend stay laying there. What would he tell Elijah? Or Valen? Seven hells... This had to be a nightmare that he just needed to wake up from.

Cedrik looked torn for a moment. He knew he should stab the dead man just to be sure he wouldn't turn. But to do that in front of this gorgeous dancer... He found himself unable to do so. Not when he'd liked watching this man dance. Something always drew him like a moth to a flame when it came to Aryn. He'd been here watching the show tonight just for a glimpse at the other man. Last thing he'd expected was for the vampires he was hunting for weeks to come after the dancers. He was partly at fault for letting himself relax long enough to enjoy the concert. One of the other dancers was now dead and it could have been Aryn. How close it had come to being Aryn laying in this alley dead and possibly soon to be a vampire if he turned.

"We have to. I'm sorry." Cedrik apologized again as he gave Aryn's arm a gentle tug to move the man to his feet. "Trust me, you don't want to be here if more come because I killed their friends."

Aryn looked down at Jesse's unmoving body, wanting to cry. He closed his eyes and took a breath before giving a resigned sigh. "Fine." It would be worse to end up like his friend had. Making a silent promise to come back for Jesse as soon as he was able. He would not let Jesse's final resting place be an alley. Besides he'd heard of an increase attacks on people in the area. This was why the manager had tried to be extra careful only to for things to still go wrong.

Cedrik tugged Aryn along as he moved to quickly leave the alley, hoping the other viera would keep up.