#THOUGH I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD OF EAT YOUR YOUNG MENTIONING 7 WAYS TO EAT YOUR YOUNG

[dizzyrobinsims]

ASTARION: VAMPIRE SPAWN PLAYLIST I did it. Finished editing this playlist and sending it for all y'all. This is mostly focusing on the survivor narrative, and the healing that happens if you take one path with Astarion, though it does dip into other paths with a touch of romance. See below for song titles and the lyrics I found hit hardest for him.

1: Flowers "Is anybody listening? / I open my mouth and nothing comes out / Nothing / Nothing gonna wake me now"

2: In The Woods Somewhere "When I awoke / The moon still hung / The night so black that the darkness hummed"

3: Devil's Resting Place "You just sold your life away to be with me tonight / Hold your head against my chest, I think you'll be just fine"

4: Monster "Time will hear their voices / I'm a glass child /I am Hannah's regret"

5: The Wolf "I'll leave with your head / oh, I'll leave you for dead, sire"

6: Ancient Names Part I "What the fortune teller said is / I'm alive for now but good as dead"

7: Ancient Names Part II "I scream and shout like this / Just to prove to the world that I still exist / I don't believe in life / And I won't believe in death 'til I die"

8: still.feel "(Oh) I am not a slave, can't be contained / So pick me from the dark and pull me from the grave 'cause / I still feel alive"

9: The Drama "I'm bored, I'm broken / I'm self destroyin' / At least it's somethin' to do / Oh, the drama of it all / Oh, the drama of it all"

10: The Hand That Feeds "Will you bite the hand that feeds you? / Will you stay down on your knees?"

11: Master Hunter "I have some news / Wrestling the rope from darkness is no fucking life that I would choose"

12: Third Eye "You don't have to be a ghost here amongst the living / You are flesh and blood / And you deserve to be loved, and you deserve what you are given"

13: Grace Kelly "Gotta be green, gotta be mean, gotta be everything more / Why don't you like me, why don't you like me?"

14: I Want To Love "I made a promise to deliver all the crimes / I don't belong to anybody else's lives / I will take your hunger, give you what you want / Pull you under, I will do you harm"

15: Eat Your Young "Get some / Pull up the ladder when the flood comes / Throw enough rope until the legs have swung / Seven new ways that you can eat your young"

16: Dynasty "I'm gonna take the throne this time / All the words all mine, all mine / It's been way too long, too far / Too gone, to carry on"

17: Dear Wormwood "I know who I am now / And all that you've made of me I know who you are now / And I name you my enemy"

18: Blank Maps "Kill the silence, I can't bear to speak / Head for the heart, does it break / Words may fall, the body remains / And every map is blank"

[sundaynightnovels]

15 Questions Tag Game

i’ve been tagged this time by @kidsarentallwrite and @elizabethsyson ! sorry, it’s been a hectic week so i’m only just getting to this! i find it especially apt that the latter has done the 15 questions game for a character called ‘Death’ (who i already adore), considering what my wip is about, yknow. somewhat. yea. && yes!! new characters from ashleigh!! i’ve previously done this for Zhen & Lu and Ren, Jia & Jun (i like to do these interviews in sets if you can’t tell), so... hmm. i’m going to do this for Shou and Teng -- the two sweethearts ! (as in, they both are adorable -- not that they are together. that would be havoc) the questions that i’ve gotten from my two tags are different, but i’ll use @kidsarentallwrite ‘s set of questions instead (because i can’t really answer questions about species / magical forms). also, be prepared -- these two can talk a lot.  1. What is your full name? Shou: Shou. Teng: Teng Shou: i don’t suppose we have to add anything else to our names, do we?  Teng: you should know better than i do! Shou: that’s not fair! i’m a newcomer here too! in fact, there hasn’t even been an orientation -- i wouldn’t even have had a place to live if not for zhen’s generosity! hm. this is a serious matter indeed, i should bring it up to someone. do you know who i can contact with regards to this complaint? Teng: how would i know??? i didn’t get an orientation either! i never thought of it as an issue, but it is, isn’t it???? how did zhen get her kid??? isn’t there a rule on how many men can live together in one apartment?? where does ren live??? can jia just move into someone else’s home just like this? there are so many loopholes! how do we live like this? we need to start up an organisation asap -- [the rest of irrelevant conversation redacted] 2. What does your name mean? Shou: ah! that is the most pertinent question! names should mean something, shouldn’t they? when ren had first returned me my name, i thought it meant ‘hand’ -- and that was particularly interesting! in palmistry, all these lines on a person’s hand means something individually, and a hand in itself is -- Teng: shou, they’re doing that thing again. that thing with their fingers that means they want us to hurry up Shou: -- what? do they not want to understand the deeper meaning behind the lines that they are naturally born with on their hands? do they not realise how a person’s entire life path is marked, since their birth, right in the palms of their own hands? is it not utterly fascinating? Teng: i don’t think so... Shou: then why are they asking questions when they do not want to listen to the answers? 3. What are your nicknames/other names? Shou: i believe that Ren refers to you -- and the rest of your army -- as the ‘Noisies’. Teng: what?? that’s a terrible name! Shou: i agree. but unfortunately, there is certain merit to it. we can use it to refer to all of you as a whole -- which happens quite frequently, considering the three of you never seem apart -- and also, the name seems rather apt. Teng: are you saying that we’re noisy? we’re not! i mean... i’m not! i mean, well... jun... uh.... okay! Yu(m) isn’t! you can’t deny that! Shou: ... 4. What’s your gender? Shou: i believe i am male. Teng: yea. is there anything else to be? uh wait. okay, i think jun warned me about this, said something about not opening up a can of worms... but i don’t get it! is there anything else? Shou: i don’t know. the world has changed vastly compared to when i was alive, so it is not my place to assume anything. also, zhen had also warned me about this, and i think it would be prudent to listen to their advice.  Teng: yea, i mean, i don’t know of anything else either. the world has changed a lot (nods sagely) Shou: yes, indeed (nods sagely as well) 5. What’s your sexuality? Teng: Jun mentioned this too. Shou: Zhen as well. Teng: (nods sagely) Shou: (nods sagely) 6. Where are you from? Teng: well, i just came straight from my apartment...  Shou: oh, is this what this meant? thank you for the clarification, i had no idea! i wanted to answer that i was born from my mother -- of course, that is such a redundant answer that i wasn’t sure if it was the answer at all! in that case, yes, i just came from the kitchen. Teng: ... the kitchen? you mean, the kitchen in your building? as in, the one zhen cooks in? as in, you came from lunch? after eating zhen’s cooking? is that it? Shou: ... i must excuse myself for a moment 7. How old are you? Teng: how rude! I am young! Young! Don’t listen to any of my boys, i’m not that much older than them! Shou: how old are you, then? Teng: uhhhhh.. well. fine. yes, i’m older than them! but not by that much! they make it seem as though i’m past my prime, but i’m really not! Shou: which is? Teng: uhhhh. i’m 27, i think. about there. 27 - 28. you? Shou: i don’t remember the age at which i died. if you are talking about post-death, however... no, i don’t know either. 8. Any special talents? Shou: he does! he does!! Teng: huh, me??? Shou: yes! you do! don’t be shy now, we all know what you are capable of! Teng: uhhh. i’m pretty good at cleaning up -- even though jun makes it seem like i’m dirty and disgusting. is that it? Shou: no! i’m talking about your imitation of a bear! you are amazing at that! Teng: ????? since when have i imitated a bear?? Shou: all the time! when we met for the first time, you were snarling and growling like a beast! it was amazing! how do you do that with your vocal cords? i have tried many times, but alas it is not a skill meant for me.  Teng: ohhhhhh, you mean that, huh? uhh, ahh, it’s nothing, really Shou: please do not sell yourself short. it is an amazing skill worthy to be proud of!  9. Do you have kids? Teng: if you are talking about the boys, then well, yea, i guess. though i wouldn’t really call them my kids.  Shou: you mean, your gang members? Teng: what gang?? why do people keep saying that i’m in a gang??? 10. What’s your aesthetic? Shou: i don’t understand. if you are talking about what i am wearing, right now i am wearing one of jun’s many robes. it is very comfortable, though unlike the previous garment that i had donned, it has less of a breeze.  Teng: i’m just wearing normal clothes i guess. don’t know how you want me to describe it further. 

11. Who’s your best friend? Shou: best friend? as in, a friend above all other friends? that’s terrible! how can you ask me to choose such a thing? Teng: yea! that’s terrible! i can’t make such a choice! Shou: so you don’t have an answer to this as well? Teng: yea! also... well... i don’t know if i... i mean, well, the boys are just the boys, right? outside of them, i don’t even know if i have any friends... so uhh, yea. yea. can’t really answer this anyway. Shou: am i not your friend? all this time i have considered you my comrade-in-arms, leader of the Noisies, an odd man and a great friend -- yet could it have all been my imagination? have we not fought in battle, have we not shared a meal, have we not been tormented by the same slow tale and have we not slept together under the same roof? has this all been one-sided on my part? have we never been friends all this while? Teng: well... you fought against me in ‘battle’... but yes! we have! we have shared a wonderful meal, and we have been tormented by quan’s horrid story, and well, i guess you have slept in jun’s room before so yes! we have slept together under the same roof! i’m sorry, i was too caught up in moping in my own sorrows that i’ve somehow neglected the friends by my side! my answer is you! you are my best friend, shou! you are! i’m sorry for having forgotten you all this while! Shou: thank you! thank you for realising your folly! yes, we are friends ! Teng: ... Shou: ... Teng: ... are you not going to say that i’m your best friend as well? Shou: ... it just seems like an important decision. i don’t want to make a choice so quickly. 12. Would you ever get a piercing / tattoo? Shou: absolutely not! how can you suggest such a thing? our physical bodies are a gift from our mothers! they should not be desecrated just like that!  Teng: aren’t those painful? uh, i mean, not that i’m afraid of the pain, it’s just... you know! uh... uh... right! i don’t know what to put on it! where would i pierce, what kind of design would i put on my body -- those are all important questions! Shou: if i could, i would paint an image of the flaming sun on my chest. Teng: i thought you said that our bodies are a gift from our mothers? that we shouldn’t destroy them just like that?? Shou: well, since i am dead, i think it’s right to assume that my mother is as well. and we have long lost our physical vessels, so there is no real damage. furthermore, i have to remember how scary the sun is. (shakes head) it is not simply the glowing ball of warmth you think it is. 13. When are you happiest? Shou: that is an impossible question to answer. how can there be a ‘happiest’ when there is nothing to compare it to? there will always be a ‘happiest’ moment in your future! when you think you are happy in the present -- even, perhaps, the most happy that you can be -- you never know what is coming your way next. there will always be another ‘happiest’ moment. as the saying goes, there is always a higher mountain. you cannot limit yourself your current happiness. you will always be happier! you must trust in that! if there are constants in life, that would be it! Teng: (wipes away a single tear) Shou... Shou: that being said, my happiest moment would be when we are all together. Teng: (wipes away tears from both eyes) Shou! Shou: ah, and perhaps when i’m eating a sugared gourd. that as well. 14. What’s your biggest secret? Shou: what secret??? i have no secrets! i am not lying! Teng: uhhh. i don’t have any i think. shou, you are acting kinda weird though. Shou: i’m not! i’m not!! 15. What’s the first thing you notice about people? Shou: it used to be their names, but now i am not certain. i haven’t been around enough people -- though yes, i am around a lot more people now than i was in the past. it is rather incredible. Teng: uhhh. i notice that they are people? i don’t get it. am i supposed to say something specific? but i notice them as a whole! if someone’s walking towards me, then they’re walking towards me. i don’t know what you want me to say! tagging @insearchof-solace @elliswriting @vhum @thedreamsofthesky @coffehousecreations @snowdropwrites @focusdumbass @chrysanthos-writes @bookenders @inexorableblob @incandescent-creativity @radley-writes @minnowf @thel3tterm @pen-for-sword

[vexation-virgil]

Colors (Part 4)

Fandom: Sanders Sides (Soulmate AU) Pairings: Prinxiety, mentions of Logicality Warnings: General angst, cursing, mentions of death, mentions of past suicide(Again, if there is anything that needs tagged, let me know!) Summary: Everyone knows when you meet your soulmate, the world is supposed to fill with color for the both of you. Unfortunately for Roman Patrick, that is not always the case.

Taglist(!!): @pendragonqueen09 , @anaveragegayfan , @stillebesat

A/N: There is some SERIOUS stuff in this chapter so please do not take the warnings lightly, I don’t want anyone to feel triggered or hurt by this chapter.Thank you.

The next chapter will have some more Logicality so wee! Enjoy and thanks for reading!

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 You are Here PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8 PART 9 PART 10  PART 11 PART 12

Roman made it through the next day with a revived, upbeat spirit. The promise of time spent with his soulmate was enough to have him singing Disney songs in the morning, doodling in classes, and forgetting his lines during rehearsal because his mind was an hour ahead of himself in the library. That and he had been practically dancing through the halls all day. His attitude had changed enough that even his brother had mentioned it while they were eating, in passing commenting on the sudden mood change and what it could mean - only to be shushed by Patton and told to enjoy it.

(He was proud to say that he’d managed to tone himself down enough to not scare Virgil off from seeing him that afternoon. He still took his seat at the front of the class and only blocked Virgil from leaving the class long enough to confirm their plans for meeting. No more creepy staring reputation was the goal, after all.)

That didn’t keep him from nearly sprinting towards the library after Mr. Sanders called for the end of rehearsal - with a very pointed reminder to study the lines. He slowed the closer he got, catching sight of lavender hair hanging over a book at a table in the back of the library and a pencil rolling between Virgil’s fingers as he concentrated on the text in front of him. Roman placed a hand on the other to announce his arrival after noting the headphones covering his ears, causing Virgil to jump and drop his pencil. Virgil slid the patterned headphones off of his ears and glared up at Roman, “I’m almost positive there is a better way to announce showing up, dude.”

“Well, I would’ve used a different method if you hadn’t had your ears covered by those ginormous headphones, Grumpy,” Roman informed him matter-of-factly as he dropped into the seat beside him and started pulling out the assignment they had agreed to work on.

Virgil rolled his eyes and dog-eared the book before shutting it. “There wasn’t anything playing on them,” he admitted. “I can’t focus when I’ve got music playing. But they keep people from talking to me so I tend to keep them on anyway. Not a big fan of conversation if you couldn’t guess.”

Roman snorted. “Yeah, I think I could’ve figured it out,” he said with a small smile on his face. “Though, honestly, I would’ve blamed it on our rocky start.”

“Yeah, well, forget it, Princey. New start or whatever. Let’s talk about The Color Study. The first of six soulmate stories we’ll be reading and writing about this semester. I can’t believe how many they’re making us read this year.”

If Roman wasn’t mistaken, he could hear something similar to annoyance at the mention of soulmates from Virgil and the smile on his face quickly dropped to a frown. “You don’t seem very pleased about that. Those are some of my favorite stories. Romance and true love and all that fun stuff. How do you not love all that? How do you not want that?”

“Because it all ends in heartbreak and depression and someone being alone. Why does anyone want that?”

That made him blink. “It doesn’t always end like that. My friend’s dad died and his mom was just as bubbly and happy as always. She knew their time had come to an end. She was just happy she got the time she did with him. Most people continue to live complete lives with their soulmates, anyway, and die within years of each other.”

“Yeah, okay?” Virgil said, voice sharp. “Not everyone gets that. Not everyone’s time comes to an end when they’re ready. Not everyone gets a happy ending. Life isn’t some fucking story, alright? My dad is stuck here without my mom because she decided she didn’t want to keep going. My dad isn’t allowed to go because my mom begged him on a little piece of paper not to follow her. I was afraid he was going to anyway.” Something darkened on Virgil’s face and Roman watched his spine straighten out. “I don’t want to do that. Ever. We’re done talking about it. Just give me your paper so I can start marking it up.”

Roman opened his mouth to come at him with a rebuttal, ask how he intended to keep himself from seeing when the time came but snapped his mouth shut when he thought about the possibility of Virgil completely shutting him out. Maybe his soulmate had already been able to pull it off. They traded papers and slipped into silence, their argument looming over their heads the rest of the afternoon.

When Logan showed up to bring him home, Roman’s mind was spinning with the gained information. Virgil didn’t want a soulmate and seemed nearly sickened by the idea that people did want that because he’d had to watch his father suffer after losing his. Roman couldn’t say he particularly blamed him. He remembered Logan panicking when he decided to spend a week at a science camp and realized two days before he left that he was going to have to go without Patton, the idea of leaving his soulmate behind for even a short amount of time shattered his typically steely exterior.

It wasn’t easy to imagine having one of his parents without the other, either, especially unexpectedly. Patton’s father had died with they were young but they’d been expecting it after a terminal cancer diagnosis. They’d been able to prepare for the inevitable loss. If Roman had put the pieces together correctly, they hadn’t been expecting the death of his mother. It had come abruptly and painfully quick through her own hand. The thought made Roman’s stomach turn.

There was also the question of whether or not he could actually force himself to not see the color. Had anyone ever done that before? Was it even possible for someone to do that? Even if it was, would the other still see color if their soulmate was so against the whole idea? Roman hoped. He hoped and he hoped and he hoped.

“You’re quiet,” Logan said, voice cutting through the silence in the car. “I was hoping your improved mood would stick for longer than one day. Do you… Have something you would like to talk about, Roman?”

It was sweet to see his brother trying to talk to him about his feelings, something that he typically reserved for when Patton was around to run interference with Logan’s far too logical thinking. “No, nothing. It was just a long day,” he told him, though he followed with a short pause. “Actually, I had a question. I was speaking to a classmate about a particular story we had to read and it seemed to me that he doesn’t believe in the whole… Soulmate thing.”

“That’s illogical. That is not something that is deniable in this life. It is a proven fact that soulmates exist and that they are how we are able to see the full spectrum of life.”

“Right, yes, I know that, obviously, but he said that he doesn’t want one. At all. Do you know - with all that science in your head - if it’s possible for someone to ignore that connection? To ignore the color if they truly don’t want a soulmate?”

“You know that this is not my area of expertise, Roman,” Logan grumbled, glancing at him sideways. “But, as far as I am aware, no one has truly studied this. There have been very few people in this world who did not want a soulmate, even fewer who did not want one so strongly that they were able to ignore the connection. Though, if Pat was here, he would tell you that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.” Roman hummed and his brother continued. “I, also, do not believe that it is completely impossible that someone would be able to push that down far enough for it not to resurface immediately after meeting their soulmate. It would be a fascinating study if one was to find someone like that.”

Roman nodded a bit as he listened to his brother branch off into the details of such a study, though he was stuck on the idea that it was possible that the feeling could be shoved down far enough to not come up. He was stuck even more on the word immediately. The word came with the suggestion that they could come up with time, with a connection, and the hope sizzled in his stomach. Perhaps all was not lost, perhaps he was not one-sided, perhaps it would all work out in the end.

Roman had hope.

[asouthernvampire]

7 Vignettes of Anthony’s Life

Yeah there’s some backstory here. Also violence. Some fucked up shit. Typical lunatic vampire stuff yeah.

1864

TW: Slavery, mention mostly but still

When Anthony had first joined the fight he had fully believe in the cause. How could he not? He was a proud southern boy, born and raised to believe in states rights. In his own rights that had his family served by slaves. The President called for the emancipation of slaves, which would also mean the destruction of the future that Anthony expected for himself, for his own family. A young man, it filled Anthony with fury. When the call went out to enlist, Anthony was one of the first of his county to sign up. “They ain’t gonna get away with this insult!” He would tell everyone would listen, and even those that didn’t particularly want to.

So a young, naive young man went off to fight, having no idea about the realities of war. Anthony watched good men die around him. He saw supplies dwindling and soldiers struggling to keep hold of enough supplies. Some of the men ended up shoeless and their feet froze. It was all Anthony could do to make sure he managed to keep his own shoes, just as much of an effort as just being able to avoid being shot. Anthony was managing, even if he knew he was losing weight and it was only a matter of time before he caught something too.

But before that could happen, the foolish general he served under stumbled into Gettysburg. Before Anthony knew it, he was fighting in the bloodiest battle of them all. Not a one of the friends he knew survived, and he himself felt something heavy hit his side. Anthony collapsed on the ground, sure that this moment might be it. He had nothing to help himself, the medics were beyond reach. Gradually the sounds of intense fighting started to peter out, the moaning and groaning becoming a disturbing stillness.

It was the reason that he heard it at all, something that sounded like slurping, as if someone was sucking on something, or sucking something up. Anthony managed to turn his head to the side, squinting in the darkness to see some dark figure hovering over one of the men he’d fought with. “W-What are you doin’?” Anthony blurted, grimacing at himself for drawing attention. But it was strange. He even thought he saw a strange glint of light as the person’s head jerked over. “Oh that’s interesting. Still alive are you?”

The strange man made his way over to Anthony, and upon his approach Anthony could see that there was blood on his lips, a wicked smile on his face. “Y-Yeah. What the hell are you doin’? Desecratin’ the bodies?” He questioned, the blood loss and all clearly leaving him with less sense than he ought to have. But if Anthony was going to die on this battlefield, he was going to learn what he could before he did. The stranger managed to look amused. “I am simply taking what is made available to me so easily. It is not as if they need it anymore.” Still, the man moved closer, kneeling next to Anthony. “You know I ought to let you die here. But the fact that you are still around is rather impressive. I think you might make an interesting one.”

Dazed as he was, Anthony could only watch as the stranger bit into his own wrist before holding it out to Anthony. “Wha-” “Just drink it. I am showing you a mercy. At least this way you only die for a moment.” Eventually he just shoved his wrist in Anthony’s mouth, smiling as the man finally latched onto the wrist and sucked himself. “That is much better. Soon this tragedy will all far behind you.”

1900

TW: violence? Is it gore? Not really it’s not detailed

Anthony wandered for what seemed like decades, feeding where he could but never settling properly until he found his way to Italy. While there was decent violence in other countries and cities, he found himself drawn toward Sicily. As Anthony made his way into the city, he started to plot his method of connecting himself with the mob. See he refused to be someone dependent on the organization, so he mapped out the place and then waited until the perfect opportunity struck. And so it did when an inept younger member of the group accidentally murdered a man he was questioning.

It was too easy really. Anthony slunk his way in, a sly smile on his face. “Well now. That certainly wasn’t your best move boy. Do you even have a clue ‘bout what you’re gonna do with that body?” The boy was so stunned he hardly seemed to move, other than a quick headshake. “Yeah that’s about what I thought. Okay. I’ll make it easier for you. Turn around.” While Anthony wasn’t particularly affected by what he was about to do, the kid didn’t seem to be quite ready for the gory method he intended to use to be rid of the evidence. But he could utilize the extra strength he had been given, carefully ripping the corpse apart, limb from limb, carefully bundling the pieces up and setting them into a trash can close by.

“Alright...now this is the part I’m sure you can handle. Got a match?” The boy hesitated for a moment and then fumbled in his pockets, finally pulling out a little box. “I’m sure you don’ need me tellin’ you what to do with that.” He smirked, tapping his foot impatiently as the kid struggled with the match, striking it against the pack once, twice, and then finally getting the flame and tossing it into the trash. “Good. Let’s have you do a couple more of those before we get outta here.” Eventually the whole thing was ablaze, and Anthony and his new companion properly freshened up went off to meet with the mobsters of Sicily.

1915

Anthony was starting to lose interest in the mafia. The crime organization did plenty of terrible things, but even that was not quite enough to satisfy his thirst. Having spent 15 years with smaller meals to try to blend in a bit better with them left a dissatisfaction and restlessness that wasn’t easily solved. Until an Archduke from Austria got murdered. It was like a powder keg ignited. Country after country started militarizing, and Anthony decided he had to be in on the action. As the Great War started, Anthony found a way to falsify his papers, enlisting as an Englishman so that he could be involved as soon as possible.

Soon the vampire found himself in France, dirt and mud caked all over him. He seized the opportunity. And he utterly lost himself in his vampirism. Where the humans largely hid in their trenches, Anthony would find a way between each one, looking for any sign of humans that were already losing the battle with life and draining them. And at first that was more than satisfying. But as the war continued on, Anthony stopped having qualms about those on death’s door and those with lighter wounds.

It became impossible for Anthony to distinguish those things. Anthony fed on anyone bleeding. If it came to a point where he thought someone might notice, he would wander off to another trench. It was a feast as far as the eye could see. He grew reckless with the total ease at which he could eat at night. As he wandered through no man’s land, he nearly had his head blown off a few times. He was nearly spotted by one of the german soldiers as he feasted on an indistinguishable body out there.

And just as he forgot all about who he was, an older vampire named Wolfgang came upon him. “Now then. You are playing a dangerous game to be sure.” Anthony snarled, nearly lunging forward to snap at him and try to defend the latest feast he’d found. “Now now. That will not do either of us any good. You fool. You could expose us all.” The stranger seemed to study Anthony, watching as the younger vampire started readying himself to lunge again and then abruptly jerked forward and knocked Anthony back. “I will have none of that. Come. You will return home with me and get your senses back.”

1944

For the second time in our lifetime, we are now at war.

The radio announcement came through as Anthony and Wolfgang were exploring Paris. Since they had met on the battlefield, the two had spent a great deal of time together: first bringing Anthony’s sense back, and then informing the younger on some of the more interesting aspects of vampire society that Anthony had never learned. They had a wonderful peaceful time, but the call for another war reached out to that same dark pull that the two had been combating since 1915.

Wolfgang gave the man a look. “Surely you are not considering it. You know what will happen.” Anthony licked his lips, closing his eyes as he thought back to the sheer bliss and sated feeling that he had only ever had during that war. It had been glorious. It was glorious. “Surely it’s the morally right thing to do or whatever. So say my people. Though I guess you couldn’t get that as yours-” “Now I know you are not so ignorant. I am Austrian, not German. And we both know you do not care about what is morally right. Irrelevant really. I shall remain in Paris. And if Paris is overrun, I will visit your states. You should stay with me.”

Anthony snorted, looking Wolfgang up and down. “As charmin’ as it has been to live with you, I need it. Now I know what I’m like...I’ll control it better this time. But I want that feeling again. I need that feeling.” The two men stared at each other for a long time before Wolfgang finally sighed and shook his head. “You will get yourself killed for real at this rate. I do hope you take care.”

The younger vampire smiled, stepping forward and gently stroking a thumb over his cheek. “You care for me, I know. But don’t you worry. I can handle myself. I’m sure I’ll see you again sometime after this war ends.” With that, Anthony left Paris and joined British troops on the western front, feasting as recklessly and carelessly as he had once before.

1963

The isolation of Anthony’s life was starting to get to him. He hadn’t really had much of a close connection since he’d left Wolfgang in 1944 and it was starting to drive him crazier than usual. Post war he’d finally opted to return to the states, first settling in Georgia and then making his way to New York when he realized there were a few too many officers around for him to feed comfortably. But New York was lively, and it provided a wonderful hub for entertainment and food. It was here that he found Mary.

Mary was a struggling artist, and Anthony took an interest when she asked to do a good portrait of him. As he hadn’t one of those done since the 1860s, he decided to do it. The girl had a nice laugh, and before Anthony knew it he was compelling her to spend time with him. Then he was compelling her to care for him more, and soon he had her on some infatuation that wasn’t real. They married within the year, and he thought she was just the right choice for a longer lifetime. Anthony turned Mary shortly after they married. But it went horribly horribly wrong.

It didn’t take long after she woke to her new life for Mary to come free of whatever compulsion he had given her. Mary kicked him out of their home and declared she never wanted to see him again. Anthony had never been so angry. He took off, found a hapless fool and compelled them to bite Anthony in the neck, making sure it looked painful and bruised (and like a vampire bite) before he sought out the vampire hunter he had just been dodging for the last few months.

Anthony approached the man with wide horrified eyes, ready to make his wife suffer for humiliating him and making him feel as if he hadn’t done the right thing for her. “Help me. Please sir, please. I-I think my wife’s a-a vampire!” It was easy to lead the hunter to Mary, even easier to pretend as if he was horrified as the hunter murdered his wife in front of him.

1988

Anthony left New York for a brief spell but came back when Broadway released a new musical: Phantom of the Opera. He found himself enjoying it (and the voices) so much that he thought on a whim that he would only feed on musicians for the next decade. He carefully selected them, started with the singer who played Christine and soon trailed along down the list of musicians: Madonna, Prince, George Michael, Whitney Houston, Bon Jovi. He even tried to have at Freddie Mercury (though the timing didn’t quite work for him to get there). Unfortunately, the scrutiny that came upon the city and people as a whole after he’d taken a bite of Whitney was enough that he felt forced to leave and let go of his whim as easily as he’d picked it up.

2004

Anthony spent a long while wandering again, but this time he saw an opportunity in a place already suffering from great misfortune. A hurricane hit Louisiana, and while most well off people tried to get out of the area, he found his way back. It was the perfect place to have a little fun and feed. He pretended as if he were good, helping with some of the clean up even while he found unfortunate individuals to feed on. During the day he acted as the perfect neighbor, and at night he found those that no one would care about anyway and fed until he was sated. It was the first time in a long time he drained people, but with looting and other chaos, no one ended up the wiser.