#daphnemontagu

[calistaemmanuel]

daphnemontagu​:

Daphne shut the door and made sure to lock it behind them. From the stories she was hearing, apparently it was better to be safe than sorry. Besides, she didn’t have the energy to be dealing with anyone besides Calista tonight. “It’s okay. You know I never mind you dropping by.” She replied, though taking in her friends concerned gaze, Daphne could only guess why she was here and seconds later Calista confirmed it. Closing the gap between them, Daphne rest her hand against the deity’s arm, “I am just fine. Please don’t worry yourself,” She murmured, “I am just a little off my usual schedule is all, it’s not good for the dark circles under my eyes.” Daphne murmured, trying to make convincing light of the situation, though given how strict she usually was with her feeding, the fact that she felt hungry at all was out of character.

��I’m sorry, if I knew you were coming over I would have made myself look more presentable.” Daphne said as she led Calista further into her home, “Can I get you something? A drink?” She insisted.

She heard the clicking of the lock and felt it down to her very bones. Better safe than sorry, yes. One couldn’t be sure what kinds of ideas festered in people’s minds these days but it pained her to see Daphne on the receiving end of it. And it didn’t matter how much she tried to convince Calista and perhaps even herself that she was doing alright, Calista knew better. Though she also knew better than to come right out and say it. People tended to find comfort and refuge in their lies, however detrimental to their own well-being they were. “If you say so,” she allowed, automatically reaching up to brush her fingers over the underside of the vampire’s forearm as Daphne placed a hand against her arm. Her skin was always cool to the touch but it felt even colder now. Both that and the dark circles under her eyes, which Daphne had attempted to joke about were far from a good sign.

“You always look beautiful,” Calista soothed, a soft smile curling at her lips as she followed the other woman. “I’m good, thank you.” She normally humor people even though she had no need for anything to sustain herself. It tended to make them feel more comfortable. But not today. “Come sit with me?” She urged with a tilt of her head, walking backwards into the living space. Daphne’s home always made her feel transported back in time. Calista waited until they were both seated before she spoke again, making sure to keep her voice low and undemanding. “When was the last time you fed?” // @daphnemontagu​

[calistaemmanuel]

Calista was inclined to say that people only had themselves to blame. It was their own careless, reckless behavior that had brought about this mess. Their arrogance. So many of them considered themselves untouchable, better than the humans they walked among day in and day out. And yet, what was threatening to bring them down was so very human. It was a pattern of thought that applied to many but not all of them. There were those who had been dragged into the fray. Innocent bystanders. Harmless but guilty by association. And - naturally - the city’s deities were to stand by and watch as it spread, consuming them one by one.

It made her numb with fury, sick with helplessness and dizzy with guilt.

Perhaps, under different circumstances, Calista would’ve succeeded at turning a blind eye. Would’ve found a different city to call home. Temporarily. Permanently. Who knew? Would’ve thrown herself into her work until the urge to interfere disappeared. But despite her best efforts, her heart had grown roots in Vievecor. And there was no unearthing them without further damaging the plant.

A book. That was what had done it. Carelessly thrown away just outside the Gallery. A snide remark. And to think I ever looked up to her. Calista had told herself she would give Daphne some space. Would wait for her to reach out if she needed a friend. But it was only getting worse. And the fact that Daphne was somewhat of a public figure took most of the guesswork out of it too. She had to do something about it.

The crumpled cover of Daphne’s latest book still fresh in her mind, Calista was stood in front of the blonde’s door only minutes later. And before long, the door opened to reveal her friend. Smiling but looking worse for wear all the same. It was just like Daphne to try and pretend that everything was fine when they both knew she couldn’t fool Cal. Even if the deity’s heightened sense of empathy had been somewhat unreliable lately.

“Thank you.” Stepping across the threshold, she waited for Daphne to close the door before she spoke again. “I’m sorry for dropping by unannounced. I wanted to see how you were doing.” She couldn’t quite muster a smile but her gaze remained gentle. “I’ve been worried about you.”

For: @calistaemmanuel

Location: Klin / Daphne’s Home

It had been a long day. A long week. Like most people, Daphne was facing the aftermath of what the data breach had caused. Video’s had been leaked from Makena’s phone of the pair of them together, Daphne making her breakfast in the kitchen, using her vampiric speed to move herself about with ease as she faffed over making her the perfect breakfast. That, perhaps she could have passed off as some silly video effect, but she couldn’t explain why someone she had been dating was now being seen to have videos of themselves tampering with a human corpse. It was forbidden magic, or attempted forbidden magic. The people around her no longer trusted her. Charities had been calling, all week long, insisting that they no longer wanted anything to do with Daphne. Speeches that she was supposed to give were cancelled, her new book sales plummeted, no one wanted anything to do with someone who was seen to have been associated with something like that.

She’d gotten home, left her heels and handbag by the door and immersed herself into a hot bath. Daphne knew she had no right to complain, she had an extremely privileged life despite any current hardships, and she reminded herself how repeatedly how fortunate she was. She wrapped herself in a silk pink robe, brushed through long lengths of blonde hair, before she was making her way down the stairs. She wasn’t expecting any visitors that evening and so when the knock at the door came, she was a little wary at first. Humans had been attempting to seek out the supernaturals they’d seen in the videos to seek answers, but it also could have been all manner of people who weren’t pleased with her right now.

She peered through the spy hole in the door, but was relieved to find a familiar blonde at her door. Daphne opened the door, hoping she didn’t look as utterly tired as she felt. She didn’t remember the last time she had stopped to feed, which was a concern. “Calista,” Daphne smiled softly, leaning her weight into the doorframe and hoping it came across as something other than how she felt. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight? Come in, please.”

[makena-harris]

level four | daphne & makena

for: @daphnemontagu​

Daphne wasn’t sure how she felt to see Makena again. It wasn’t as though the pair of them had been on good terms before this, in-fact the last thing Daphne had said to her was that she wished for them to no longer be friends. Now, it seemed in one possible future that had been enemies.

“I’m allowing myself to see what there is to offer.” Daphne explained simply. Chris had moved out and she felt less guilty for exploring her options knowing that he was now more settled. Daphne turned to the bar, ordering herself a drink. Human blood felt thin and weak on her tongue in comparison to deity blood. No, not just deity blood, Calista’s blood. She swallowed. “Shouldn’t your attentions be elsewhere tonight?”

“Interesting... It’s just that I’ve never known you for feeding on the living. What changed?” Makena asked, clearly ignoring Daphne’s question. 

“Did you see get a glimpse into a future you didn’t like?” It was almost as if the feelings she had in the last conversation she had in that timeline were resurfacing and Makena had to tell herself to temper her emotions, but she was finding that she could not help it. “Finally deciding to be a little more selfish?”

[chris-elkar]

@daphnemontagu

Year: 2055, 3 years before present

Once he felt adjusted again Chris had started asking almost supernatural person he’d met about Daphne. It had led to one of Calista’s informants cornering him to find out why he was asking so many questions, but in the end that had helped him get to the right place.

“Daphne? Calista?” He tried to keep his voice low while still loud enough to be heard through the door. He’d heard about Calista falling, and some rumors about what had happened to Daphne, so he didn’t want to advertise their location. “It’s Chris. One of Calista’s people told me you were here.”

[isabellelaurent]

DINNER: CLOSED STARTER

with: @daphnemontagu

Location: Restaurant

The restaurant, part of an esteemed supernatural inclusive branch, suited her needs well. She had arranged for a banquette booth, one tucked neatly into a corner, near the exit. The lighting, dim, but bright enough for reading, set everyone's face in a soft orange glow. There were a few humans dining, oblivious ones

Isabelle motioned for the waiter at their table to leave. Though the restaurant catered to humans, who usually left in one piece, it had an exquisite menu for supernaturals. Mainly, vampires. It made hunting too easy, so she rarely frequented it.

"What do you want?" Isabelle mused, glancing back to Daphne.

[judassamara]

release

location: outside zamok prison with: @naz-ulusoy​ / @daphnemontagu​ ​

This was it. It was a day they’d thought would never actually come. It had been 120 years, give or take a couple for bad behaviour. As of today, they were a free vampire. It hadn’t felt real, the guards leading him to some room and having them sign papers wasn’t too out of the norm. But when they unlocked his collar and removed it, it suddenly felt like they’d been asleep for the entire time and he was suddenly awake, all his senses back. He could sense the heartbeat of every guard in the room and they didn’t feel intimated by them anymore. Their confidence came surging back into them as they walked through the final doors. The earlier morning air was cool and crisp, the sun still hours from rising. 

Several feet ahead of him, clearly waiting in anticipation, was the welcoming party. Somehow, it almost seemed like they were more excited than Judas was. He laughed, but there was also a wide smile across their face. “I’m honored you all took time out of your busy schedules to welcome me back into society.” His tone may have sounded joking, but he was sincere. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one glad he was finally free. “Thanks, guys. But can we get out of here? I don’t want to hang around here any longer than I have to.”

[lucasxholt]

@daphnemontagu​

“I’m sure you fit right in during the eighteenth century. The flurry of men attempting to woo women with confectionary and flowers in the name of Saint Valentine.” Truthfully, having numerous young men line up to bring her fresh flowers hadn’t been the worse thing about the eighteenth century. Daphne had just believed there was more to life than being waited on with pretty things, as much as she enjoyed them. She could buy herself flowers. “I don’t see any such thing here.” She pointed out to him, folding one long leg across the other. After a moment, she exhaled a small sigh. “Alright. One drink.” Daphne agreed, “Perhaps you should consider talking about what’s bothering you.” She pointed out, though she assumed that they were both there from the aftermath of the hacking.

Luke suppressed a grimace at her words, the timeline that Daphne mentioned scratching at the surface of old wounds. “I’m sure I would have. Was a bit busy around that time, sadly,” he mused with a small smirk, trying to drown the sadness he felt with another sip of his glass. He had been too busy mourning over the loss of his family in the most violent way possible as he haunted his old lands as a spirit. “That’a girl,” he added playfully with a nod before sliding into the stool beside her. Had she protested a bit more he probably would have sauntered off with his tail between his legs, now he couldn’t help his curiosity as she offered a suggestion of their next talking topic. “Now what would be the point of talking about it when it’s all over the internet, Ms. Montague?” he questioned with a sarcastic sneer. “A more interesting discussion would be what I’m going to do to the prick once I find them.”

[vivian-ambrose]

Who: Viv x Daphne ( @daphnemontagu ) Where: Rubicund When: One night after the Christmas Market

It was a welcomed surprise to run into Daphne as Vivian had a night at the Market. The vampire had been doing some last-minute Christmas shopping since she hadn’t been able to get all of it done with Frankie with her. As she was finishing up the last few gifts she needed, Viv recognized the familiar blonde perusing another stall. They quickly got to talking, eventually making plans to meet up later to continue their conversation. 

Now Vivian found herself near to tears from laughter as the two chatted within the pulsating bar. She could feel the room sway as her head swam from the boozy blood the two had been sipping on. Vivian realized she was probably overdoing it with the alcoholic blood, but in those moments she didn’t care. She was tired of feeling the depression that was bubbling beneath the surface of her returned memories as well as the anxiety from stemmed from the vampire attacks. After a break to hit the dance floor, the two vampires collapsed back into their booth. “I think it’s time for another round, dont you think?” she mused, actually having to put effort into not slurring her words.

[layla-kassin]

💖 📜 📝

💖 Something my muse wants to know about yours 

Am I impossible to love?

What's your number? I have found a pair of leather boots that would look great on you.

📜 A plot I’d like for our muses 

Talking about their feeling. Knowing both our characters, I would say that is not likely. Layla would avoid that conversation forever.

📝 A random text from my muse 

The baby vamp is an idiot without a sense of self preservation. Can I scare him into behaving like a good boy?

@daphnemontagu

[jintaras]

* west end girls

just pretty girls doing pretty things with: @daphnemontagu

One hour.

To honour the memory of a partner who deserved the world, to attempt to find some entertainment on this rare night off, and to see whether she could survive in a dress as form fitting as hers before she’d slip away without a word.

Just one hour.

The socialising was an aspect Jintara had intended to push to the wayside. The small talk she’d engaged in so far—out of politeness, she couldn’t fathom leaving a comment hanging in the air—had been draining enough. If not for spotting an all too familiar figure in the distance, the vampire might’ve taken it as her cue to bring the night to an abrupt end.

“So, what did I miss?” Elegantly slipping into the vacant space beside Daphne, her mood was immediately on the up in the presence of a companion. Whispering softly, she queried, “Any drama? Any chaos? Anything interesting that I need to know?”

“Or potential suitors, maybe?” Taking in Daphne’s outfit, Jintara wouldn’t be surprised if there was a long queue of admirers, waiting to deliver the worst pick up line known to man. Hence, her offer. “I’m happy to conduct background checks on them, by the way. Sift out the ones who might end up on a Netflix special someday. All free of charge to you, obviously.”

[lady-morta]

daphnemontagu​:

After an extremely busy day that had consisted of giving a speech at the local Vievecor university, signing off on the completion of her most recent novel and attending a meeting for the Sister’s of the Night, Daphne found herself to be mentally exhausted. It wasn’t as though the vampiress wasn’t used to her very hectic schedule, with the amount that she took on with her activism work, her charity work and fundraising, her novels, and overseeing her school. It was always a lot, but Daphne liked it that way most of the time.

The vampiress would have usually taken herself home to curl up in her satin robe, hair in pin curls while she delved into a good book, but she had a last few things to get done and she’d decided to stay in the city centre for a moment longer to finish up a few things on her laptop and perhaps indulge in a drink. Daphne had watched the display at the road, wondering exactly what the woman was and what she was planning on doing, when she swiftly dropped the man and he scuttled off into the darkness.

Daphne had exhaled and carried on her way until she was pushing through the doorway, only to find herself holding it open for that very same woman. “Of course.” Daphne smiled politely, before she headed across to the bar. “A coconut brandy, please.”

Morta gave a half-hearted thanks as she entered in behind the woman holding the door and then looked around the bar. It was emptier than she had expected for the evening’s show. With furrowed brows and pursed lips, she scanned the seating area and then eventually found herself drawn to a bulletin board with a decorative gold frame. Stepping over to it, she saw the flier for the performance tucked just behind another piece of paper. There was a sticky-note with the word canceled scrawled across it. Morta let out a loud exhale and hung her head. Of course. Just her luck. 

She hated this realm. 

Her mood wafting between horrendously soured and flatly defeated, Morta moved over to the bar and dropped her Dior bag next to her on a barstool. She glanced at the other woman who looked ready to pull out a laptop. Ugh. It seemed Morta was the only one who hadn’t seen the cancellation notice. 

“Coconut brandy?” Morta questioned and then hummed. She had never tried coconut brandy. Though her initial reaction was to stick up her nose at the idea, a quick scan of the woman showed her to be a supernatural of some sort… a vampire, perhaps. Ah, yes, I have seen her, Morta thought, sitting up straighter. She couldn’t quite recall the context, but Morta was certain they might have had some shared circles. 

“I’ll take one as well,” Morta turned and said to the bartender. She might hate it, but she might as well give it a try… surely a vampire of all people would have good taste.

Open Starter

There were days recently where Morta started believing that life in the mortal realm wasn’t utterly terrible. Every now and again, something caught her attention that she almost appreciated. The mortals had an interesting sense of beauty and passion which, though Morta did not share that sense, she found at least a little bit intriguing. Of course, every time she started to see a very small bright spot, something ruined it. 

Today, it was black coffee on her shoes. 

The silly little mortal hadn’t been watching where he was going, instead being entirely engulfed by the phone in his hand. With no care for others around him, he barreled right into Morta, barely managing to juggle the flimsy cup in his hands to avoid dumping it all over her expensive wool coat. He wasn’t dextrous enough to keep his hold on it in the end, and the cup splattered to the ground, exploding on Morta’s Louboutins. 

She stared down at the mess, halfheartedly giving her right foot a bit of a shake (as if that would do anything.) 

The mortal started to give an equally halfhearted apology. 

It would be so easy. 

One little brush is all it would take and the careless mortal would be dead. Morta’s gray eyes flashed for the briefest of moments as she contemplated doing just that. The glimpse of the man’s lifestream, however, showed her that he had a long life ahead of him. Not only that, but a few blips seemed to indicate that the fool might actually have some important roles to play. Ugh. Eliminating him prematurely would upset the great scales of Balance too much.  It wasn’t worth it. 

“--but you should really watch where you’re going too, you know?”

Morta frowned. Watch where she was going? Oh, absolutely not. She may not be able to kill him, but she damn well could scare him. Her fingers twitched at her side and her brow raised. She allowed her aura to extend and engulf the human just enough that he experienced what his kind had come to know the icy touch of death. Morta’s moved upwards ever so slightly as she quietly reveled in the way the human paled. 

It would be so easy. 

The walk sign behind her buzzed and Morta was pulled back to her senses. She released the human from her hold and took a step backwards, pressing down the lapel of her long coat. “What was that?”

The human let out a choke as his breath seemed to rush back and he glanced around himself, a bewildered expression plastering his face. “I--uh--I don’t--s-sorry about bumping into--”

“Have a good night,” Morta replied a bit too nonchalantly. She turned her back on the human and stepped off the curb. The mortal had already taken up too much of her time and there were drinks to be had. With the thought of said drinks in mind, she picked up her pace as the walk sign started to blink. When the traffic started behind her, she barely made it out of the range of a splashing puddle. 

With a scowl plastered to her face, Morta let out a growl and marched up to her destination’s door, just as someone was entering in front of her. 

“Hold the door,” she demanded, her voice cutting through the wind. She could only hope the individual heard her--she was in no mood to have a door shut in her face….

@vievecorcitystarters

[calistaemmanuel]

closed starter || @daphnemontagu​

Avoiding Daphne for as long as she had wasn’t one of her finer moments and no matter how many times Calista claimed to be busy organizing their newest exposition, the truth remained the same. She hadn’t come across Mariona’s artwork until after her mind had been filled with images of an alternate timeline. There was no denying that Mariona Avalos Castillo was an exceptional sculptor and more than deserving of her very own exhibition but the curator usually preferred for some time to pass between discovering a new artist and featuring them. It made everything seem more organic. A luxury Calista had opted not to count upon this time, more preoccupied with what had happened between Daphne and herself in this alternate future than people questioning Mariona’s sudden popularity. But it had only been a matter of time.

Calista’s assistant had let her know that ‘Miss Montagu’ was waiting for her in her office and the little heads up was exactly what allowed her to greet the other woman with a bright smile as though nothing was amiss instead of running the risk of having her features slip. “Daphne, what a pleasant surprise.” Setting her notepad down on the table, she pulled her friend into a brief hug, taking care not to linger too long. “You should’ve told me you were stopping by, I wouldn’t have kept you waiting.”

[makena-harris]

another world | daphne & makena

Time period: Present day

It wasn’t often that Daphne ventured away from their home in The Shipyard. In fact, she often tried to avoid it at all costs, a vast contrast to the socialite she had once been. These days, she would rather be far away from the world, and to pretend that it didn’t exist. While she usually fed from Calista, Daphne and Judas tried to help each other with finding blood sources where they could and so Daphne had decided to check the hospital.

As expected, there was nothing available. Or if there was, they weren’t going to be getting it. She tucked her coat further around herself, listening to the whispers of another couple as they talked about an underground operation where other supernaturals were willingly offering their blood. They were desperate. Daphne assumed it must be another trap designed to capture more supernaturals and decided she just wanted to go home. Rounding the corner, she stopped when she came face to face with someone she hadn’t seen in many many years. Makena.

@daphnemontagu

Makena had been patrolling the Shipyard that evening and was making her way home, happy to have a lighter night that day after only rounding up one supernatural earlier when she bumped into someone who was rounding the corner.

“Oops!” she said as she righted herself before her gaze was drawn up to the other person’s face and her eyes widened in recognition. “Well, well. Isn’t this serendipitous?” Makena chuckled, her smile widening into a mischievous grin as she took a step closer to the other woman. “It’s been awhile, hasn’t it, Daphne? What are you doing out this late at night?”

[chris-elkar]

@daphnemontagu​

Daphne was sat up in the grand four-poster bed in her bedroom, pink bed linen pooled around her as she sat with a book in her lap. She was reading, while slowly taking out the pins that had kept her curls secured to her head. She let down the last of her long blonde ringlets when she heard the noise downstairs. Her brow furrowed and she pulled on a satin robe as she made her way down the many, many stairs with easy speed. Something about the sound was familiar.

Daphne was met with the sight of Chris crumpled on the floor by her coat closet, his nose bleeding. “What happened?” She knelt down beside him, her hands gently cupping his face to bring his eyes to her. She hadn’t been with Layla for two decades without getting to know when a portal had been created in her home. “Was Layla here?”

He glanced over when he heard footsteps and saw Daphne almost floating down the stairs like some kind of angel. When she settled in front of him sounding so concerned, Chris let his gaze drop to the floor. He knew the instant he looked Daphne in the eye the whole truth would come out and he’d have to face her probably being disappointed with him. “Not really here, more like she dropped me off.” He was feeling mostly alright now, but he stayed where he was. “Layla says ‘hi’ though.”

Time to face the music. “I visited Absynthia.” He dragged his eyes up to her unfairly blue ones. “I wasn’t planning on doing anything, or getting drunk, I just heard the name so many times and I was curious.” Now that he said it out loud it really did sound stupid. “And that’s where Layla was.” How the hell was he supposed to explain how their conversation had gone down? “She didn’t like, hurt me or anything.”

[calistaemmanuel]

calistaemmanuel​:

daphnemontagu​:

She tended to humor Daphne when they woke from the slumber they both did and didn’t need, pretending to be asleep still or at the very least caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness while Daphne slipped from the bed to patter around the living area. Calista would spend a good amount of time simply lying there, listening to the muffled sounds, letting them reassure her that Daphne was right there, safe within the walls of their shared home all while allowing the other woman a modicum of space and freedom. She knew she could be overbearing and controlling but she had lost Daphne before and she couldn’t - wouldn’t - lose her again.

Tracing Daphne’s steps, Calista picked up yet another still full but already cold cup of tea to dispose of it in the sink. She was fairly certain Daphne never even took as much as a sip but continued to restock their supply regardless. “I don’t have to,” she responded quietly, head tilted to the side as she studied the woman before her. Always a little frazzled, skittish and nervous these days. She loved her still, more than anything, but there was never a moment when Calista’s heart wasn’t breaking for her.

“Dance with you?” She echoed, allowing Daphne’s touch to coax a smile onto her lips. She would have to go out to find another soul to feed on eventually - to ensure that she was able to protect Daphne from whatever the universe decided to fling at them next - but she could probably go a little while longer. Slipping her left hand into Daphne’s right, Calista lifted it skywards to twirl Daphne around and back into her. “Why of course, my love.” Settling her other hand on the shorter woman’s back, she dipped down to steal a quick kiss before she guided Daphne into the well-practiced steps, humming along to the song as they went.

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

I don’t have to. Those words always filled Daphne with such guilt. She hated feeling as though she was making Calista weak by keeping her at her side instead of venturing out to feed, but she couldn’t help the fear that overwhelmed her entire being every time Calista left their home. Sometimes she wondered if he lover missed when Daphne had been more independent and unafraid of the world.

Still, Daphne found herself twirling to the music as though the world outside them didn’t exist. She settled against her lovers body, her free hand coming up to cup Calista’s cheek as they kissed. If she had Calista, she was okay, she was all she needed. They moved in a well practised rhythm to the music, a series of dips and twirls, like a well choreographed sequence as they melted into one another. It made Daphne smile and it extended to her eyes as Calista leaned her into a dip. “You always known how to make me smile.” She murmured, affectionately leaning in for a second kiss when she returned to both feet. Daphne could feel her own hunger swelling in this proximity, but she pushed it away for a moment. “Will we still have our board game night tonight?” She asked. It was the little things that Daphne liked to organise to keep her mind busy, and Calista usually humoured her.

                                          ━━━━━━ Calista ━━━━━━

You always know how to make me smile. Though spoken with so much honesty, Calista knew those words to be a lie. “I try,” she replied around a soft chuckle before she pulled Daphne back into her. She did. She truly did. But deities and demons were fundamentally different and her mind kept a meticulous backlog of all the times she had failed to make that smile reach Daphne’s eyes. There were wounds she could no longer sooth, only acknowledge. And at times she managed to fail even at that, too afraid of what openly addressing them might bring to the surface.

Leaning her forehead against Daphne’s, she brushed their noses together. “Of course. And I’ll try not to cheat this time.” As fickle and unreliable as divination tended to be, it was surprisingly accurate when it came to board games and the banter that had followed that realization during their last game night had almost felt like old times. Growing still for a moment, Calista shifted her arm from Daphne’s back to wrap it around her waist instead, linking their fingers together as she dropped her voice to a whisper. “I love you more than anything else in this universe and beyond.” Allowing her words to linger for a moment, she brushed a quick kiss to the corner of Daphne’s mouth. “And I know when you’re hungry.”

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

Daphne laughed softly, these days Calista was the only person who could draw such a sound from her lips. “I don’t believe you.” She replied with playful suspiciousness. Although Daphne didn’t mind losing, not if losing meant she got more kisses and affection from Calista to make up for the loss.

“Mm,” She hummed softly, allowing her fingertips to brush Calista’s cheek with adoration. Daphne’s lips parted to return her sentiment, when Calista continued, she paused, “…Sometimes I don’t like to keep asking,” She softly admitted, “You always reassure me of your strength and I know it, but sometimes I can’t help but to feel guilty.” It wasn’t as though they were unfamiliar with Daphne feeding from her, it had almost become Daphne’s only source over the years. It has always been a source of intimacy, now Daphne worried it felt like a chore, an obligation, or that she was using her. “Sometimes I worry that you feel the intimacy is gone from it.” She confessed her thoughts aloud, her worried blue-green eyes resting on her lovers face, “Do you still feel it?”

                                          ━━━━━━ Calista ━━━━━━

“Rude.” Calista huffed around a genuine smile. “Though probably not entirely unwarranted.” Wrinkling her nose as if in thought, she added. “I might let you win once or twice.”

Her features softened further at Daphne’s quiet admission, it seemed like this one had been weighing on the other woman for a while now. “Are you asking me if I feel like a walking juice box?” She joked, hoping to catch Daphne’s mind before it could delve into deeper, darker waters. “Because the answer is no. —Come here.” Refusing to relinquish her hold, Calista walked them backwards towards the sofa, dropping onto it and easily pulling Daphne into her lap as she held her gaze. “I haven’t and I will never grow tired of it. Just like I will never grow tired of kissing you. Touching you. Loving you.” Through the tenderness, a sheepish smile stole its way across her lips, hazel eyes momentarily finding Daphne’s collar bone. “And it’s not just about being able to provide for you either. —I like it when you bite me. I like the sting of your fangs piercing my skin. The rush that comes with the blood loss. Every now and again, I like giving up all control to you. I like being at your mercy.”

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

“Well… yes.” Daphne admitted, allowing herself a small smile at her lovers jokes. At the very least, they knew how to catch each other before their mind’s wandered into dark territory. It was what they had always done for one another and Calista had been tasked with doing it daily when she had first returned from her capture. Daphne followed Calista to the sofa, happy to settle in her lap and to let her fingers tuck a piece of hair behind Calista’s ear. The way that Calista was so strong and formidable, yet sheepish with her smile, made Daphne’s eyes warm with utter adoration. If her cheeks could have flushed, they most certainly would have. “Have I told you how adorable you are lately?” She asked with a soft, adoring smile, “My formidable angel.” She said softly, her thumb grazing her lovers bottom lip. Calista had always been an angel in her eyes, even without her wings, even after she’d fallen, she’d always be her saviour, before and after the fall. For Daphne, it didn’t change who Calista was on the inside.

Daphne moved her thumb to kiss her softly, “I’ll love you forever, in this world and in the next. I can promise that.” She murmured, that much had never changed. Daphne bent her head, kissing softly against her lovers neck, giving her the chance to stop her, before she felt the prick of fangs at her gums. Daphne paused, before they pierced into Calista’s skin and she moaned softly at the taste of her. Her fingers absently traced soothing patterns into the other side of Calista’s throat, before they dropped to her collarbones, following the lines of them, dropping to the buttons of her blouse…

                                          ━━━━━━ Calista ━━━━━━

“Adorable,” Calista echoed, brow quirked and lips hitching into a smile. An expression that slipped from her features only moments later, her eyes clouding over at one word in particular. Angel. There was something to be said about the inevitability of her fall - set into motion centuries before Daphne had even been born - but it still felt like she was drowning, helpless and lost, in her own darkness whenever she allowed herself to think about it and all the ways she had failed Daphne. An odd twitch to her jaw, Calista forced herself to swallow any and all potential rebuttals, holding her lover’s gaze to keep herself from sinking down, down, down… Daphne was her only light. Her love, her faith, the only thing keeping Calista afloat.

Daphne’s next words were easier to swallow. Sweet and rich against her lips, the accompanying kisses all too distracting, pleasure and familiarity crackling along her skin. Calista knew exactly what was going to happen and she welcomed it like she had all those times before. Eyes snapping shut at the first prick of fangs, she answered Daphne’s moan with one of her own, the ghost of a memory causing her breath to speed up. She had made a joke about it once - about how Daphne seemed to be able to make her body forget that it no longer needed oxygen. Only it wasn’t a joke. Daphne’s touch alone was enough to make Calista forget who and what they were.

Goosebumps rising in the wake of Daphne’s gentle caresses, Calista drew her firmer against her, huffing out a quiet warning when the other woman’s nimble fingers descended upon the buttons of her blouse. “Don’t start what you do not intend to finish.”

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

Daphne relished in the moments where Calista drew her closer into her body, hoping there was never a day she didn’t feel her firm but gentle hold around her. Calista’s blood was different against her tongue now to when they had first embarked on this, not sweet like honey, but like a rich wine that left a slight spice on the tip of her tongue. She hummed softly as she swallowed her last mouthful, gently retracting her fangs and pressing soft kisses to the area until the small punctures disappeared.

Lifting her head, slightly hazy eyes flickered over her lovers face, “Why wouldn’t I intend to finish it?” Daphne asked her, her voice having dropped to a more sultry tone. She leant in to press a tender kiss to Calista’s lips. It didn’t matter that the other woman met lips with others in order to feed, not when Daphne knew she was the only one she truly kissed. They dropped to press slow kisses down the column of her throat, “You look after me…” She murmured the reminder, gentle fingers slowly undoing the rest of Calista’s buttons to press kisses to the swell of her breasts, “Can’t I look after you?” Daphne asked demurely. She drew back, lifting the oversized t-shirt she wore above her head to leave her in just the lacy underwear set beneath.

                                          ━━━━━━ Calista ━━━━━━

There was nothing quite like being able to feel Daphne’s pulse settle into a steady hum as her own blood began to rush through her lover’s veins, incrementally warming Daphne’s skin and dusting the apples of her cheeks with color. Surrendering a hiss to the room as Daphne’s fangs retracted - the sound caught somewhere between pain and pleasure - Calista kept herself open to the other woman, allowing her to do as she pleased.

Toying with the material of Daphne’s soft cotton shirt, she gave a faint shake of her head, her eyes endless pools of black surrounded by thin strips of hazel. Calista wasn’t about to give her a reason to stop. She’d always been Icarus flying too close to the sun but even without her wings she only continued to fall up, up, up… into the blinding light and searing heat that was Daphne Montagu. And how could she not? Even if Calista hadn’t known divinity before, she was certain she would’ve recognized it in the other woman regardless. And Daphne knew exactly what she was doing to her. Knew exactly how to play Calista’s body and mind so they sung like an expertly tuned instrument, trembling and flushing, all hitched breath and needy sighs that verged on begging, chasing her lover’s touch, consumed by hushed promises.

There may have been less movement involved but it was still a dance of sorts. Here a twirl, there a dramatic dip and off Daphne’s shirt came. Reverently tracing the soft curves exposed before her, ghosting her fingertips over delicate lace, a smirk returned to the fallen deity’s lips. “Is this your usual yoga attire? Because if so, I might have to reconsider joining you…” Leaning forward, Calista placed a single kiss below Daphne’s left collar bone - sliding one lacy strap off her shoulder in the process - and another over her pulse point. “You always look after me,” she whispered gently, “but I’m open to suggestions.”

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

A soft laugh left her lips, running her fingers gently through the golden strands of Calista’s hair. She was so beautiful, it always took the thoughts straight from Daphne’s mind. “You may have to reconsider…” She murmured coyly. In truth, Daphne had at least tried to retain some of her former self, however silly or trivial it might seem with a thing such a lace or satin. Cal’s touch activated all of her nerve endings, making it impossible not to want to surrender to those kisses and whispers and be at her mercy. But for now, Daphne wanted to be the one to take care of her. She hummed softly, awaiting the lift of Calista’s chin so that she could capture her lips in another kiss, gentle, but full of longing and desire. She slid the blouse from her lovers shoulders, hands guiding her closer into her own body so that her fingertips could slowly trace the curve of her spine, unclasping her bra to discard it to the side. Daphne bit her own lower lip for a moment before allowing her kisses to lower, to her throat, chest, the curves of her breasts, until her lips and tongue encircled one of her nipples. Daphne’s kisses followed a trail down to Calista’s navel and hipbones, moving her body as she did so to kneel between the other woman’s legs. “Let’s remove these, my love….” She murmured, her fingers hooking around the waistband of Calista’s trousers.

                                          ━━━━━━ Calista ━━━━━━

“Mhm, I doubt I’ll be able to stop thinking about it anytime soon…” Calista returned, still drinking in the vision of a woman before her. Despite the obvious temptation, she wouldn’t dare to interrupt one of Daphne’s yoga sessions. They were meant to center her and ease her troubled mind. Though that didn’t mean they couldn’t be the precursor for an entirely different type of workout… Letting Daphne guide her into another kiss, Calista had to actively remind herself to stay put. It wasn’t exactly unusual for Daphne to take control, though it was more uncommon these days. This was usually right around the time Cal stood to carry her to their bedroom. The muscles of her back jumped under the redhead’s touch but didn’t tense, the pricks of phantom pain bleeding into the background as heat coiled low in her abdomen only to move lower still. Her breathing heavy, Calista let her hands fall to her sides as Daphne began to trail lower, her spine arching to meet her lover’s mouth. “Fuck.” She loved what they had and what they did - all of it - but Cal hadn’t been lying when she had told Daphne she enjoyed being at her mercy. Having Daphne take control did things to her she couldn’t quite, or didn’t want, to explain. Her gaze heavy, eyes half-lidded, Calista subconsciously lifted her hips to aid Daphne in her pursuit while her eloquence sailed out the window. “Please…”

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

Daphne shivered at Calista’s need, feeling it echo within her own body and stir between her legs. She slid the trousers from her lovers legs, allowing her fingers to hook gently beneath the fabric of her underwear to guide them down her hips and away from her feet too. Now that she had her as she wanted her, Daphne’s lips grazed the soft skin of her thighs, adoringly kissing a pathway along her inner thigh. “Just relax…” She murmured in reply to her lovers soft pleads, “Let me take care of you.” Daphne’s hand entwined with one of Calista’s, squeezing it as a silent reminder of how much she loved her, while she moved her attentions to one thing. Daphne’s eyes fluttered shut as her tongue sought out to create all of those beautiful noises she knew Calista could make for her, after all, Daphne knew she wouldn’t be stopping without hearing each and every one of them. There was never too much attention she could pay, never enough ways she could make her tremble and moan. Her tongue pressed against her, inside her, teasing her body until Daphne could slide the fingers of her free hand into play too. Hazy blue eyes fluttered open for a moment then, not wanting to miss a single one of her lovers reactions, as she slid her fingers in and out of her body in tandem with the movements of her tongue. “That’s it, baby” She murmured, a lift of her chin, “Good girl.” Before her tongue returned to its spot against the sensitive centre of nerves.

                                          ━━━━━━ Calista ━━━━━━

Lying exposed before her, Calista’s body trembled with anticipation as Daphne’s lips continued their track up the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Her fingers flexed against her lover’s hold, hips threatening to buck off the couch before Daphne had even reached her destination as a swell of emotions snapped and unfurled within her. The love Calista held for her was immeasurable, burning with an intensity that outshone everything she had ever felt before. For anyone. For centuries she had felt like Atlas bearing the weight of the world on marble shoulders - burdened with the Sisyphean task of holding it up and watching it burn all at once - always one second away from cracking and splintering into pieces. Daphne was the only one she allowed herself to be vulnerable with. The only one who could make her feel comfortable enough to lay down that burden and give up control.

And it was glorious.

A stifled moan broke from her throat as Daphne’s mouth finally descended between her legs, the heat of her lover’s tongue gliding over and lapping into her until sparks of color began to pop into Calista’s vision. Drumming up a crescendo of pleasure that had the fallen deity’s thighs trembling on either side of Daphne’s head, coaxing the most animalistic of sounds along with curses, pleas anf confessions of love from within her. At the addition of her lover’s fingers, the lights around them began to flicker in sync with the snap of Calista’s hips, desperate to meet every thrust and curl of them as her own hand moved to tangle in auburn tresses. “Don’t stop…” It was the sight of Daphne looking up at her while she continued to work between her legs that propelled Calista towards the edge but it was the words hummed against her core that sent her hurtling over it and into white hot oblivion. Calling out Daphne’s name, she could hear the sound of glass shattering and raining to the ground nearby but the waves of pleasure refused to relinquish their hold on her for several drawn out moments longer.

It could’ve been seconds, it could have been minutes until Calista finally regained control over her senses, hazel eyes blinking open to the center of her universe bathed in the soft morning glow. Hooking her fingers against Daphne’s she gave a small tug, guiding her back up her body. “If you give me a moment to recover, I’ll make sure to return the favor…” she murmured sheepishly, brushing their lips together.

                                      ━━━━━━ Daphne ━━━━━━

The flickering of the lights, the shattering of glass somewhere in the distance, the tangling of Calista’s fingers into her hair, they were all signs that Calista was giving herself over to her. Sometimes Daphne felt that her lover carried so much on her shoulders, not just to be able to look after her, but everything else. Giving her these moments of pleasure was the very least she could offer in a world that offered very little. Daphne would give her everything she had left.

Daphne didn’t stop, not until he was sure she had every last tremble, every little moan and whimper of her name, until Calista was still and panting with tremors of pleasure. “You don’t owe me anything, my love…” Daphne murmured softly as she allowed her lover to draw her back up her body to meet her lips in a tender kiss. Daphne’s fingers reached up to gently tuck Calista’s now wild, tangled blonde hair behind her ears. Daphne smiled to herself at her lovers flushed beauty, the feel of her hitched breath against her own lips, the flush of pink now tinting her bottom lip and the haze to her hazel orbs. She waited a few moments before adjusting herself to lay back on the sofa, drawing Calista towards her along with a blanket that lay across the back of the sofa. “I think perhaps we have some windows we need to offer to repair….” Daphne softly teased, her thumb brushing her lovers chee

[isabellelaurent]

HOME VISIT: CLOSED STARTER

For: @daphnemontagu

Time: Present day (2058)

Location: Daphne and Calista's residence

Isabelle walked up the steps, her hand drifting centimeters away from the handrail. It had been ages since she had seen Daphne. The younger vampire was recovered a few years ago, and though they had met a few times after, Daphne was becoming a fading aspect in Isabelle's life. It was understandable, she had been through a lot. She deserved rest. However, Isabelle was not used to waiting. People came to her, Isabelle didn't come to them. That was a haughty opinion of hers that caused many bridges to fall.

So, here she was, lips pursed, standing in front of a door. There was a lump of guilt buried in her body. Isabelle founded the Sisters in order for her female vampires to connect and protect each other.

The doorbell rang.