#plus vampire hunting vampire sounds fun.

[cancerian-woman]

holding onto my huntress!elena headcanon she should’ve kept up her training with Alaric (or anybody really) because she was a doppelgänger.

[y-rhywbeth2]

FR legal nonsense continues to turn in my brain, so I'm still musing over Astarion's legal career. It would be interesting to learn about Astarion's pre-Cazador life, because it sounds like I would kill him with my bare hands - do tell me about your days as an Ace Attorney villain, Saer Ancunín.

I don't think he's ever been "innocent" or good, although I also think he would disagree. What little we see of his law career suggests to me that he had his own strong ideas of right and wrong; he scoffed at mercy and softness, and believed that wrong should be punished hard. Possibly lethally. To "discourage the next vagrant". Obviously, there are "good people" and "bad people", and some individuals (including entire cultures) are in the latter category.

(I'm aware of the original early concept thing where he was selling people to vampires, but I'm working on the assumption that got dropped and no longer applies.)

Considering that Astarion still voices some of these opinions 200 years later, even if he's now decided all laws and morals are bullshit (bad things are wrong only when they happen to him now), and he carries them into his endings... It's interesting to me that once he's fully free of Cazador and has had time to sort his mind out, the former hanging judge starts bounty hunting and eating criminals. (I'm not passing judgement on that, I just find the link interesting) Ascended Astarion would be an absolute nightmare to work with; carrying that black-and-white draconian approach to punishment with everything Cazador's taught him about the art of abusing people...

He was most likely still a fun-loving little gremlin back then, but he also had one hell of a lawful evil/neutral mindset. He might've been - and quite possibly was - corrupt and open to bribes and such, but at the very least he seems to have had "standards", and I get the impression he felt he had a duty to see that "proper" society was safeguarded from what he and his friends considered the "wrong sorts".

Plus his being a terrible person, then becoming a victim and becoming a different flavour of terrible person (who still doesn't "deserve" abuse) makes him more appealing to me as a character.

I'd love to put his brain in a jar and shake it.

[magicalqueennightmare]

Governor's Ball

(Eventual) Elijah Mikaelson x Reader

When you initially turn down Rebekah's invite Elijah comes to your job to invite you to the Governor's ball as a guest of the Mikaelsons.

It wasn't the most glamorous job but working at the coffee shop around the corner from your apartment was good enough to pass the time between hunts and to integrate yourself into the community a tad bit more. It was also owned by your landlord and her wife so that was a plus.

You were crouched down in the storage room arranging shelves when Ronnie, one of the girls you worked with came to the door and called your name. When you glanced up she grinned “There's a good looking guy by the name of Mikaelson wanting to talk to you?” 

Good looking and Mikaelson? Hell that could be either of Rebekah's brothers. None of them were lacking in looks. You nodded as you stood up, straightening your clothes as you did so. You were betting on Kol considering he'd come in with Rebekah before (and now had your cell number and would text you the weirdest crap at all hours of the night) or maybe even Klaus considering after your first meeting instead of trying to kill you like you'd feared, the hybrid had instead realized making friends with your sister's friend was the easiest way to get your sister to listen to your side in some more minor arguments. 

—------------------

You hadn't expected, however, to walk around the corner to see Elijah standing near the counter. You glanced back at Ronnie and asked  “Cover the register for a few minutes?” “Take your time” she replied with a wink. 

You shook your head and walked over to where the vampire stood “Elijah” he smiled when you spoke his name and turned to face you “I was hoping we could talk” you waved your hand towards the door “Ronnie can cover me for a few, wanna talk a walk or sit outside?” The slight smile that he gave you made your heart flip. Damn, he would hear it speeding up. 

“I've drank a little too much coffee to sit still though” you added quickly hoping he'd believe caffeine as the reason for your elevated heartbeat. He nodded “Of course. Let's take a walk then, shall we?” 

You untied your apron and passed it to Ronnie. She tried to hide her smile when Elijah held the door open for you. “Have fun” she whispered to you and you cursed under your breath because you knew he'd heard her. 

—--------

You stepped into the warm sunlight and smiled briefly at the feeling. It was still the time of year where it was cool enough for a light jacket but not cold enough that your face hurt. You had always enjoyed the in-between seasons. Not too hot or too cold. 

You hadn't realized you'd been walking close to the street until Elijah put one hand on your shoulder and gently maneuvered you closer to the buildings the two of you were walking past so he was closer to any traffic. You cut your eyes at him and he simply said “Rebekah would never forgive me if let you get ran down by some moron” 

You nodded, taking his answer. After a moment you stopped walking and turned to face him. The two of you were close enough you could still see the signage of the coffee shop if you looked but far enough that no one was really passing by this time of day. “So you wanted to talk. What's so important to have you come looking for me, because honestly when Ronnie said a good looking guy by the name of Mikaelson I was expecting Kol or Klaus”

A smirk slipped onto his face “Are you implying my brothers are handsome and I'm not?” Your eyes widened and God when he laughed, it was a mixture of you wanting to find a hole to crawl into or wrap the sound around yourself like a soft blanket because dear lord the man the sound fell from his lips was intoxicating. Damn, why did you have it so bad for him? No, he was a vampire first and foremost and secondly he was your friend's brother. Double no no. 

You swallowed the attraction and instead brushed off his comment by saying “Elijah all you damn Mikaelsons are freaking gorgeous. You, Rebekah, Klaus, Kol…I mean I see why none of you have ever had a shortage of someone being willing to open a vein even without compelling”

—----------

The way his eyes shined when he looked at you, a smile playing at his lips made you force yourself to remember you were supposed to be at work. “Ok, all of you being hot aside, what did you need Elijah? I'm supposed to be working”  he nodded “Of course. Rebekah told us you turned down the invitation to join us at the Governor's ball” 

You nodded “For a multitude of reasons” “Which are?” He asked and you sighed. “For one, I'm legally dead. The reason I have an apartment and a job is because my landlord used to be a hunter and her wife is a witch” he shrugged “You would simply be added as either mine, Niklaus’ or Rebekah's plus one. No identification needed” 

You closed your eyes before admitting “I can't afford a dress Elijah” when you opened your eyes he smiled warmly “Why would that be an issue? Rebekah will take you shopping with her” you shook your head “I made friends with Rebekah because I simply like her. Vampire and hunter or not, we fit well together. I'm not around to be a leech on your family's money”

“I know this but I will personally take offense if you don't let us supply you with a dress and join us for the evening because I am quite certain it will be much more entertaining with you there” you crossed your arms over your chest eyeing the vampire in front of you “You've barely given me the time of day Elijah. You're civil, yes but as far as wanting to be friends no. Klaus has sought me out enough I think the probability of him killing me is down to at least eighty percent and Kol won't stop texting me at all hours of night when he's bored but I can't figure you out”

He smiled “Well give me your number and I'll call you if that's what you'd like. You frequent our home, we've had conversations and apparently you're getting close with at least one of my brothers as well as my sister. I'm putting the first foot forward here, my darling little hunter.  Rebekah will pick you up tomorrow morning and the two of you can go find your dresses while I'm tasked with ensuring my brothers are adequately dressed as well”

You narrowed your eyes “You're not gonna take no for an answer are you?” “If you insist I will but I think you would enjoy the evening and if you want to leave we will ensure you're escorted safely to your front door” you sighed “Ok. Tell Rebekah I'll be ready by ten” he smiled “Thank you” 

 

The knock at the dressing room door told you Rebekah was back with yet another armload of dresses.  She'd already found a dress that looked absolutely amazing on her but you'd yet to find one you were comfortable in. 

When you let her in however she only held one dress in her hands. “I think I found the one for you” 

—---------

The dress in question was an aline black dress with a plunging neckline and black lace sleeves. It covered the few scars you had well enough to appease you but was sexy enough to appease Rebekah.

You turned in front of the mirror,noticing how two of your tattoos were visible or parts of them were “Will the tattoos be ok?” She smiled as she looked you over “No one will notice any tattoos” you shook your head with a laugh “No one should notice me at all. I'll stick close enough to you that the gorgeous blonde gets all the attention”

She laughed “Let's check out. Of course you'll have to be with me most of the day of the ball so we can get ready” Yeah sure just spend an entire day at the Mikaelson compound. You strangely weren't that afraid of being there anymore, yeah they could easily kill you but christ with your life? It was a miracle you'd made it this long. Hanging out where Elijah, Klaus and Kol would be getting ready as well? Maybe that gave you some pause.  

You shook your head again “Why exactly have you Mikaelsons decided you want me around this much? I'm not some pet” 

You'd meant it jokingly but knew from the look on her face Rebekah had though you meant it. She spoke your name gently and when you looked at her she smiled “You're my friend and while it's true the boys are rather brutish at best for some reason they're actually supporting me being happy for once. I enjoy your company. They enjoy your spirit” you smiled warmly at her words “I was mainly kidding but nice to know”

She laughed “Now let's pay. I think we should get brunch” 

You'd been sitting in front of Rebekah while she applied makeup and fussed over your hair for the better part of two hours. When you'd made it there none of the men had been home so it was simple enough to make your way to her room. Now that the day was getting longer and time for the ball was getting closer your nerves were beginning to get the best of you. 

You were a hunter, you didn't do fancy. Hell you had a ged because you dropped out of high school due to moving around so much. You had never even gone to a dance. Yeah, you'd crashed a few black tie events with the Winchesters but that was to steal some relic that was needed. You'd never actually attended one as a guest or even as a plus one to an invited guest. What if you did or said something to embarrass Rebekah?

“All done love. Now stand up and give me a twirl so I can see my work all put together” you stood and spun around slowly. “You look amazing” she praised and you felt your cheeks warm. 

She was standing there looking like a freaking goddess. The dark blue strapless dress accented her curves and completion perfectly and her hair she'd just slightly curled with perfectly done makeup. She turned you to the full length mirror in the corner of the room “Look at yourself”

You stepped over to the mirror and nearly gasped. You looked amazing. She'd done your hair in a curly half do and your makeup was a more natural look that accented you perfectly. The dress looked like it had been made for you. Rebekah walked over behind you and slipped a necklace around your neck “You need jewelry” 

The necklace was a simple diamond pendant with matching earrings. It was simple enough for your taste but elegant enough to suit the dress and occasion. “Thank you Bek” she smiled over your shoulder at you in the mirror “I believe the two of us are ready to go. Let's go check on the boys shall we?” 

—--------------

You followed her down the stairs, careful to hold the hem of your dress as she did. Considering you didn't know much about etiquette for events like this you were basing your actions off her. 

The moment you both hit solid floor at the bottom of the stairs you heard Klaus “I must say you two look absolutely stunning” you turned towards the sound of his voice and saw him, Kol and Elijah dressed in tuxedos that were clearly made for each of them. 

“Thank you Klaus” you replied with a smile cutting your eyes towards Elijah before turning your attention fully back to Klaus “You three don't look so bad yourselves” Kol grinned “Save a dance for me then love. I'm sure Davina won't mind” you shook your head but laughed lightly “Of course Kol”

Elijah cleared his throat so the four of you looked towards him. He nodded towards the door “The driver's here” Kol headed for the door and Klaus offered Rebekah his arm. You watched the three of them walk out and started to follow until Elijah spoke your name. 

—----------

You looked towards him and he offered his arm. You took it as Rebekah had Klaus’ and walked with him out the door. Once the two of you were in the cool night air he leaned closer “I must say you are always stunning but you look exquisite tonight” 

You ducked your head hoping your cheeks weren't visibly blushed because you could feel them warming. “Easy Mikaelson,someone may think you're starting to warm up to me if they didn't know any better” he chuckled lightly “Oh we wouldn't want that would we?”

The house that the ball was being held in was more of a mansion. Had you not been on Elijah's arm you probably wouldn't have crossed the threshold you felt so out of place. When all of you were stopped by security Klaus spoke to them and you were quickly cleared to enter.

You looked over at Rebekah who gave you a warm smile “Enjoy yourself” you nodded slowly, reaching a hand up to touch the necklace she'd leant you instead of the one you usually wore. It was a nervous habit. 

Kol was already on the dance floor with Davina and winked at you when they went past. You laughed and felt some of your nerves dissolve. You had been invited to this by one of the families that built New Orleans,you weren't out of place. You could do this.

—------------------

Marcel, who you'd only met in passing, asked Rebekah to dance leaving you with Elijah and Klaus. You'd been around Sam and Dean enough to know when brothers were having a silent conversation so when Elijah gently dropped your arm it wasn't a surprise when Klaus offered his own “May I have this dance?”

You smiled sheepishly “Are you a strong lead? Because I really don't know this type of dancing” he laughed lightly “I'll take care of you” you took his arm and let him lead you out onto the dance floor. Rebekah shot you a smile from across the room as Klaus swept you away to the tune of the music.

—-------------------

You hadn't planned to stay at the ball long but before you knew it hours had passed. You'd danced with Klaus, Kol and even Marcel for one dance. You, Davina and Rebekah had probably drank a bottle of wine between the three of you as you stood to the side of the room talking. 

Klaus, Elijah, Kol and a few other men were talking about something. You looked around before asking “How many vampires, werewolves and witches are currently in this room?” Your tattoo had felt electrified most of the evening. It no longer really reacted to the Mikaelsons but there were other threats around apparently. Rebekah smiled “Enough” 

You nodded slowly, taking another sip of wine. Davina spoke up then “Why haven't you danced with Elijah?” Her and Rebekah exchanged a look and you shrugged “He hasn't asked” “Ask him” Rebekah offered and you shook your head “No, I'm good” 

—---------

She cut her eyes at Davina then took your wine glass and passed it and her own off to a waiter before pulling you behind her towards the men. She stopped in between Klaus and Elijah “Last dance of the night brothers. Marcel already left so Klaus you're my dance partner. Elijah you're going to dance with her” 

You met Elijah's eyes “You don't have to dance with me. I can find another partner” he smirked slightly “First you imply I'm not as handsome as my brothers then refuse to dance with me. One may begin to take it personally” Klaus laughed “Do dance with him love. I'd hate to be forced to listen to him complaining afterwards about you thinking Kol and I are more handsome than him” 

—---------

Elijah offered you his hand so you took it, allowing him to lead you to the dance floor.  One of his hands came to rest at the small of your back, while the other reached for one of your hands. You placed one hand in his then the other on his shoulder, much the way you had the other men you'd danced with.

“Lead the way” you whispered and he smiled. As the two of you danced you tried to give your attention to anything but the way his dark eyes tracked your face. The way his fingers curled into the material of your dress, pulling you close. 

“I may have gotten a glimpse at a couple of your tattoos” he spoke, drawing your attention back to him. “Were you looking at my back that closely while I wasn't paying attention?” 

He shrugged one shoulder “The lace detail is made to draw the eye. It's nice work” you laughed lightly “It does the job. That's all I'm concerned about” He nodded and you felt your entire body warm even before he said “Perhaps I'll eventually see the rest of the tattoos one day” you raised an eyebrow at his words “Excuse me?” He laughed “I simply mean to see the work closer. I've never run across anything like it, to prevent compelling from any of my family is a feat indeed”

You held his gaze for a moment “You're harder to figure out than even Klaus. I can't quite get a read on you and it's beginning to annoy me” that seemed to amuse him because the next smile reached his eyes “I assure you that you're no easier of a read. I guess we both have our work cut out for us”

—-----------

Before you knew it the ball was over. When the driver arrived there were two cars instead of one. When you questioned it Klaus said “One is to take us home the other is to take you home. One of us will ride with you of course” you nodded and cut your eyes Kol considering Davina had already left “Care to escort me home?” 

He smiled and offered his arm like a gentleman. “Of course” you told Rebekah goodnight then smiled at Elijah “Thank you for getting me to come. I had a good time” “I'm glad”

Not a Damsel

[angel-eyes05]

the scent of you

pairing: fem!hispanic!supervillain!reader x miguel o’hara

summary: after chasing him for so long, you've finally caught him. the infamous spiderman 2099. and now you were going to show him what it was like to be in your grasp

warnings: nsfw, dom!reader, sub!miguel, he's kinda bratty too ngl, bdsm, bondage (miguel is being tied up yet again the poor guy), p in v unprotected, reader's a bit of a psychopath lmao, lots of blood lmao reader has blood manipulation powers so you can imagine how that goes for someone whos constantly compared to a vampire, no use of y/n, no use of miguel's name cause you don't know it lol

word count: 2.0k

notes: im literally writing this at 1 am as a desperate attempt to get my activity back up since no one's reading bite the hand lmao. so of course my first resort is actual porn. also, im aware miguel isn't actually a vampire but i just wanted to give him some vampiric tendencies...just cause lmao its more fun like that. this was fun lets do it again some time lmao

-----------------

You’d always enjoy the hunt. In your line of work, one of Kingpin’s subordinates, it was the main thing you did. Catching those he sent you after, knowing you would always finish the job. Yeah sure, most of the time they were nobodies, but damn if you didn’t love the terrified look on their face just before you went for the kill. 

Dea Tacita, the Roman goddess of the dead, was the name you were given by your victims. You earned it due to your silent killing style, just like how she was also nicknamed as “the silent goddess”. But while you might have been silent, your victims certainly were not. Your ability to manipulate others and your own blood led for particularly painful deaths indeed. Either forcefully ripping the ichor from their body, or slowly raising the temperature of it, basically boiling them alive. 

This most certainly was not the life you had planned for yourself, but you’d grown to deal with it. Hell, sometimes you even loved it. You got high off of the final breathes of your victims once they were gone. 

You were especially ecstatic today. You were put on the task by Kingpin a few weeks ago. A strange figure in a blue and red electronic suit had been popping in and out of Alchemax, stealing tech, and making his getaway in a neon orange, hexagonal portal. It sounded intriguing to you. It became even more intriguing after you saw his massive build for yourself during your first encounter. His tall stature, broad shoulders, and incredibly toned physique. It’s no wonder he beat you within your first couple of battles, even with your powers. But you didn’t mind. 

Losing only meant that you got to see him again. And that he got to pin you down to the floor whenever you two were finished throwing fists at each other. But this was strange. You had gone up against him so many times and had lost, again and again and again. But you had gotten word from one of your own subordinates a few hours ago that he’d finally been caught. Why? Was he giving himself up? No way. You had to go see him for yourself. And then after, you would finish the job.

You strutted down the hallways to the containment room where he was supposedly being kept. You even caught yourself fixing strands of your hair and pressing down on your outfit, dressing up for the occasion. When you opened the door, your knees nearly went weak. The man was sitting there, on that chair that was definitely too small for him, unconscious with his head leaning back behind him. Plus, his mask was off, so now you could finally get a glimpse of that beautiful face of his. Sculpted cheekbones, wavy and slicked back brown hair, and slight gray streaks going through his hair. That wasn’t even the best part. The best part was what was around him.

Rope. Black strings of rope tying him to the chair, carving out each and every one of his muscles, put on by your lackeys, almost as if they knew. His beautiful pecs sitting there so pretty, almost calling out to you, and his legs spread wide open due to his unconscious state. You walked fully into the room, shutting and locking the doors behind you. You leaned on the table that sat in front of him, admiring his beauty. Once you were done undressing him with your eyes, you clenched your hand to get his blood flow to start moving faster, slowly waking him up.

“Hey there Tiger,” you said once his hypnotic, crimson red eyes finally fluttered open. He groaned in response. “Where the hell am I?” he asked, his low drowsy voice sending butterflies into your stomach. “Don’t worry, that won’t be a problem for you soon enough,” you responded, getting up from your lean to walk up closer to him. He squirmed around lightly in his bondage. “You’ve been a little thorn in Kingpin’s side for the past couple of weeks, haven’t you now?” “If thorn in his side means protecting the people of this city, then yeah I guess I have,” he said back, a little strained. You walked up behind him, one hand on his shoulder, and the other knitted into his hair, massaging his scalp. His eyes closed, soft sighs leaking from his lips as your fingers intertwined with his hair. “Mhm,” was all you responded with.

A quick whimper escaped him when you abruptly yanked his hair back so he could look you in the eyes. “That means you’ve been causing trouble for me too, Tiger.” His breathing was heavy as he stared up into your eyes. “So why don’t we just take care of this nice and quickly, hm?” You pushed his head back forward. 

“Would you mind elaborating on tha-.” He was quickly cut off with a groan as you attached your mouth to the crook of his neck, pressing warm kisses into it and light sucks. You made your way all along his neck to his collarbones, finding your way to sit on his lap in the meantime. You could feel his already rock hard cock underneath you. So he did plan this, you thought to yourself. You decided to play along into his little game. You separated your lips from his chest, wrapped your hand underneath the ropes, and yanked him up to you. “Your suit’s digital right? So you can control it with your thoughts?” you asked gently. He nodded. “Take it off.”

His facial expression didn’t budge. “Or what, huh?” You smirked. His expression quickly changed though when he felt his body getting hotter and hotter. It changed again, a strained whimper coming from him, when you yanked his hair backwards again. “Take. It. Off.” Next thing you knew, his tan skin was peaking out from where his suit used to be. The suit must have been a thin layer, because his bare cock underneath your ass now felt just as hard, if not harder, than before. 

You smiled at him. “Much better.” You grabbed his face, but instead of doing what he expected, which was to smash your faces together, you leaned in slowly to him, lips just barely grazing, before you pulled away again. You kept doing this, until he eventually started whining, even going as far as to reach his face forward to yours, getting a chuckle out of you. “Ay coño mamita, would you just get it over with already?” he whined. You smiled at him. “Paciencia querido, paciencia. Mal recompensa que más tarde.” You confirmed this with him once you lifted up your ass and dragged one of your hands to his cock, teasing the tip ever so slightly.

Though even that made his hips jerk forward into you. You stood up, leg on each outside of the chair, teasing at both his cock and his lips. His whines were driving you crazy as you edged him on. After getting tired of it all, the man was finally able to get a hold on your lips. Once he smushed them together with yours, hands still tied back to the chair, you didn’t reject it, and went all in. One hand on his cheek, the other at length, you slipped your tongue in between his lips. You quickly pulled away though when you felt a hard bite down on your tongue. You removed your hand from his penis quickly as you inspected your tongue. “¿Qué mierda?” you asked, agitated. “Ay, discúlpame. Pero no pude evitarlo,” he said, almost as if biting you was on instinct. You wiped your now bleeding tongue with your thumb, admiring the maroon liquid that you had grown attached to. You used your power to collect it all up into the air, elongating it into a stream of blood. 

You had noticed though, that the Spider-Man’s gaze was pinned on the the ichor. That’s right. The man was basically a vampire. Driven by an unnatural thirst for blood. It was something pulled right out of a 1930s horror movie. And right now you were tempting him, waving his food in front of his face. “You want it, hm?” His eyes didn’t even move away from it when he nodded. You let out a low chuckle, then released your clutch on it, letting the blood fall onto your lap. Once you see his eyes dart down to your thigh (him even going as far to reach his mouth down to it), you yank his bondage towards you and put a hand back down to his crotch, strongly twisting his balls. 

He grunts and moves his eyes back to your low eyes. “Only good boys get fed. Are you gonna be a good boy for me, Spider-Man?” He didn’t respond, probably out of embarrassment. You then give a cruel squeeze to his balls. “Ok, ok, ok, I will!” he yelped out. “You’ll what?” you teased, hands still squeezing. He sighed. “I’ll be a good boy for you, mommy.” You smiled. “I’m glad you feel that way.”

You connect your lips back to his, and he slips his tongue in almost right away to lick off the rest of your blood from your tongue. You slip off your underwear, and sit down on his cock, using one of your free hands to guide it into you. You both moaned into each other’s mouths as he entered you. You preferred to have teased him for a little longer, but to be honest, you were starting to get a little antsy for him too.

You thrusted, hard, onto his cock, making sure to get his tip onto all your sweet spots. He moved his mouth down your neck and collarbone, leaving sweet kisses and hickeys where his mouth once was. It took everything out of him to not sink his teeth into your neck. He even seems to make his way down to your chest, using the open boob window in your dress to stuff his face into your breasts, almost seeming to get lost in them as he motorboats you. It’s slightly immature, but you were too busy indulging in the ferocity of his cock to care, as he made your pussy his own. 

He eventually moves back up to your mouth. In between kisses, you manage to get out, “Why did you get caught.” “¿Qué quieres decir?” he sighs out. “I mean, I tried, ngh, to beat you. How did they catch you, and n-not me.” He takes a while for his answer, more focused on trying to figure out how to get himself further in you. “Because, I needed to see you again.” “Why?” “Your smell.”

You sighed into his mouth as a question. “You smell like blood. Overpowering. Intoxicating. Casi como un hechizo.” You pull away to look him in the eyes.

“I couldn’t just leave without knowing what your pussy feels like, mi reina.”

You chuckled a little bit. “Eres una puta.” He smirked. “Sólo por ti, mamita.”

You both were finally starting to reach your climaxes. He decided to take the fall and finish first. He let out groans, grunts, and whimpers as he came in your sweet pussy. Once he was finished, you let out your orgasm, wrapping your arms tightly around his waist and moaning into his bare chest for leverage. Once you both finished, you slowly remove yourself from him. You use your fingers to clean up and taste the mess below you by your dripping cunt. Miguel lets his suit come back onto him, his head leaning forward and panting. 

Realizing you can’t let him out, you clench your fist again to slow the movement of his blood, putting him back under. You fix your hair and press down on your outfit. But before leaving the room, you turn back to look at him. He looked so pretty sleeping there. You quickly walked up to him, and planted a deep, soft kiss into his scruffy cheek. 

As you left the room, you thought to yourself. You couldn’t kill him. You couldn’t finish the job. It would’ve been so easy to do it right here right now. You didn't even know his name. There was zero connection between the two of you, other than what just happened. This had never been a problem before. So why was it now?

Why?

-----------------

a/n: im so tired its currently 4 am i need sleep lmao im so tired i have got to stop going to bed at 3-5 am

[invinciblerodent]

I'm sure someone smarter than me has said all this before, but 7000 vampire spawn, over roughly 200 years (let's just use that number y'know, why not), is just like. 35 per year. On average, give or take. With the Faerunian calendar of 36*10 days to a year, that's just about one person per tenday.

And going by the rules on "Handling Undead Hunger" outlined in Libris Mortis (yes it's 3.5E but the most complete guide on the undead in DnD that I know of), a vampire would need to feed roughly every 3 days in order to be comfortable.

30-some missing persons going unaccounted for over the course of a year in a city with as much crime as Baldur's Gate, is... probably reasonable, but there's likely at least some indication of an upper limit to how many mysterious disappearences the Flaming Fist will just not bother investigating. I don't recall there being mention of anything like willing blood donors or anything (if there were some and I just missed it this whole thing falls apart btw), but to go out and nab a new person each time ~~Master~~ is feeling peckish, that's just. That's just unsustainable. That'd be 120 people per year, or 2.5 per tenday. At that pace, not only would they have all gotten caught, they'd have completed the ritual in like under 60 years (which, from Sebastian just being alive, we know they got started at least 170 years ago).

So if we assume that the number of those brought in remained at least kinda consistent regardless of how many spawn were out actively hunting (20-50 per year sounds... kinda realistic), it could be reasonable to also assume that each victim was, on average, the "meal" for roughly ten days before ultimately being drained fully and turned. (Yes, I thought about draining them first and keeping bloodbanks, but... leaving them alive to keep them fresher for longer is more cruel, so lbr, it's more likely.)

It's... probably halfway reasonable then to assume then that Cazador fed off the average victim like 2-4 times, over the course of a number of days, no?

There's some room for variation in that number of course, like there were probably leaner years at the start, and later with 7 spawn all hunting consistently, the time between each was probably somewhat shorter, plus there were likely cases (like Astarion) when there was only one bite total. Maybe sometimes more were brought in at once for those parties that were mentioned, only to be..... stored, and uh..... enjoyed over the course of the next... however long time, during which the "favored" spawn maybe even got to "enjoy" some downtime.

so. that's a series of fun (not relly) thoughts.

I swear, every time I think about Cazador for whatever reason, that whole shitshow just gets worse.

[btw if we take Astarion's "I've bedded thousands" comment literally and assume he personally brought in around 2000 over ~170 years of being a spawn (there could be fewer and he could be rounding up like he consistently rounds 170 up to 200, but if it's significantly more, his siblings all must seriously suck at hunting), that's roughly an average of like... 12 people a year. Which is bad, of course, don't get me wrong, but I honestly halfway expected it to be a much less realistic-sounding number, I guess.]

[grandmother-goblin]

His Most Willing Prey

Masterlist

Summary: Cas and Astarion have come to an agreement. She will wander off into the woods, all alone and far from camp. Then Astarion will hunt his most willing prey.

Relationships: Astarion x Female!Tav

Rating: Explicit (18+)

Word Count: 4.9k

Tags: Smut, primal play, predator/prey, light dom/sub, consensual non-consent, fingering, penetrative sex, hair pulling, rough sex, implied breeding kink, he calls her a "good girl".

The grass and moss under Astarion’s boots didn’t make a sound as he crept through the sparse, ancient forest that bordered the river. Pale moonlight trickled through the branches and leaves above, casting the world in silvery-blue light. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted over the chorus of crickets. The summer heat had lingered into the night, comfortable and warm. Perfect for a night spent under the stars.

It reminded him of one of his first conversations with Cas. The one where he told her she was a valuable ally and he wanted them to stick together. At the time, they were just some pretty words he said in the interest of self-preservation. He never anticipated his flattery would become reality.

Oh, how things had changed.

Though his little game with Cas had begun the moment she left camp, he decided to give her a bit of a head start. Just to keep things interesting. With his vampiric senses, he would have no trouble at all finding her in the forest. When he really focused, he could detect the faint scent of her blood. And when he was close enough, he could even hear the sound of her heart beating in her chest.

Even though it was just a game, he wanted to give her the real experience. Or something close to it. Plus, he wanted the satisfaction of hunting her down. Of overpowering her and making her his. Though it was all just pretend, the feelings were real. At that moment, he felt powerful. Like the apex predator that a vampire was meant to be.

Cas had freely given him that power, for no other reason than she liked him. Not because he had seduced her, or frightened her, or coerced her in any way. Cas genuinely liked him. It was a little difficult to wrap his head around, if he were being completely honest with himself. It wasn’t often that he had the chance to actually get to know someone beyond superficial pleasantries. He hadn’t had the opportunity to make a real friend in… well, since he was turned into a vampire really.

More importantly, Cas had placed her trust in him. Asking him to hunt her, even for a game, was literally placing her life in his hands. Not to mention her pleasure, but he was certain he had that part handled. Controlling himself when he bit her was another matter. He was reasonably certain he could hold back. Probably.

No. He had to hold back.

Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do.

He caught the scent of her on the breeze and followed it. It took him to the edge of the forest, where the trees thinned out as they met the riverbanks. Croaking frogs and the gentle rush of lazy rapids mixed with the sounds of the forest. The noise was a good thing. It meant she was less likely to hear him.

Cas had said she would pack up some things before she wandered off into the forest, and it looked like she made good on her promise. She had opened a bedroll and laid it out flat, making it big enough to keep both of them off of the bare ground. A folded blanket, one he had seen in her tent before, was draped over her bag. Astarion had no idea what she had packed in the bag, but he could only hope it was something fun.

But knowing Cas, the only things she brought would be boring and practical. Was it strange that he was starting to appreciate that about her? She was always prepared, but not to the point where it was excessive. It wasn’t a trait he typically thought of as attractive, but he definitely liked it when it came to her.

Since the day he met her, Cas had always been the one keeping everything together. In fact, he couldn’t think of many times Cas wasn’t working. Except for when she was with him. It had been constant planning, prepping, following leads, traveling, and fighting. And she bore the brunt of it. She was the de facto leader of their little group, yet most of their companions fought her on each decision she made.

Sometimes, when she thought no one was looking, her mask broke a little. Frustration and exhaustion would quietly seep through the cracks. Yet, she would always have it fixed back up by the time someone needed her. And someone always needed her.

Even at that moment, she still worked, making sure they had a comfortable place to spend the night. Being responsible and taking care of them.

Well, that was about to change.

Tonight, Astarion would be the one to take care of her. Once their game began in earnest, she wouldn’t have the chance to think about a damn thing.

That was one of the reasons why she wanted him to hunt her in the first place, wasn’t it? It wasn’t just for his own pleasure, but for hers as well. She wanted to relinquish her power, even just for a bit, and he was more than happy to take it. He would take away her decisions, her choices, and her responsibility.

Tonight, she belonged to him. And the only thing she had to worry about was whether or not she could keep up.

Slowly, he closed in on her. Inching closer and closer until his heightened senses could detect her heartbeat. Steady and calm. She was sitting only a few feet away, and he could easily tackle her to the ground right then and there. But where was the fun in that?

He wanted the hunt.

Taking a risk, he used the little magic he was capable of to create a minor illusion. Just the sound of a twig snapping and some footsteps some thirty feet to his right. As perceptive as she was, there was a good chance she would see right through it. But that didn’t matter. As long as it distracted her for a moment.

Her head whipped toward the sound immediately. Her whole body went still as her heartbeat picked up speed. Startled, but excited.

A little smile crossed her lips as she got to her feet and followed the sound. With her back turned to him, he watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked. She was still wearing the same outfit she was at the party, which was a little unfortunate. Tight leather leggings and laced up boots were not the easiest articles of clothing to remove in the heat of the moment.

Oh well. That wouldn’t be a problem for him.

He casted another illusion a few feet away from the first one, making the sound come from the opposite side of a thick tree. If she wanted to investigate it, she would have to go around, which would give him the perfect opportunity to close in on her without being seen.

When he was close enough to touch her, he created one more auditory illusion. Footsteps coming from just out of her line of sight. As soon as she moved to follow the sound, Astarion struck.

One arm darted around her waist while his hand covered her mouth, muffling her startled yelp. The sound of her pulse roared in his ears. He hauled her back against his chest, holding tight, and his lips brushed against her neck as he said, “Hello, darling.”

She had said she was going to fight him, so it shouldn’t have surprised him when she did just that. Cas twisted in his grip. Hard. It wasn’t enough to hurt him, but it took him aback enough that she was able to wrench herself free. The movement almost made him lose his balance as he stumbled back, catching himself on the tree.

And Cas took off running.

Well, if that was how she wanted to do it, he was more than happy to play along.

The urge to give chase was strong, but he resisted. Cas was faster than him. Not only that, his little stumble had allowed her to put a good amount of distance between them as she ran deeper into the forest. Keeping his senses honed in on her, he slipped into the shadows to follow.

Whenever he hunted, it was like a more animalistic part of his brain took over. Something more primitive. It made all of his worries vanish as he turned his focus on one thing: his prey. The need to capture and consume. And Cas was the most captivating sort of prey a vampire could ask for.

He considered using the minor illusion again, but Cas was unlikely to fall for it unless she wanted to play exceptionally dumb. But he liked that she was making him think. Making him work for it. It would make it all that much sweeter when he finally had her under him. His fangs ached and his cock twitched at the thought of having her the way he wanted. Fangs in her throat while he fucked her.

That was a goal worth working toward.

It didn’t take long for him to find her again. The smell of her blood had invaded all of his senses, and he couldn’t help but follow it to the source. This time, she was in a better spot for an ambush. A small clearing in the midst of some brambles and wide trees. There was a clear look of ‘where did he go?’ on her face as she glanced about, searching for him.

Staying silent and still, he listened to the sounds of crickets and the rapid beat of her heart. Letting her anticipation grow. Letting her wonder when he was going to strike next. And from where.

With the way she was looking around, it would be difficult to get close without another distraction. Or a potion of invisibility. He mentally slapped himself for not bringing one. Sure, some might call using an invisibility potion for this sort of purpose a waste, but he certainly didn’t.

Instead, he decided on a different approach. Since it was only a game, he knew Cas would eventually backtrack to look for him. So he decided to wait for her, his back pressed up against the trunk of a tree and his ears tuned for the first sign of her approach.

Thankfully, he did not have to wait long. He shifted around the tree quietly, staying out of view as Cas walked past. Completely unaware of him, by the looks of it. Once her back was to him, he crept in closer and closer. Until he could hear the soft sound of her breath and smell the lavender of her soap.

This time, he wouldn’t let her get away.

Cas had no time to react when he hooked his arms around her waist, trapping one of her arms to her side, and dropped his weight, toppling both of them into the grass. Before she could squirm away, he rolled her onto her front and pinned her beneath him. Capturing his prey.

“Get off me,” Cas hissed, the side of her face pressed into the grass as a playful glimmer lit her eye. She bucked back into him, trying to loosen his hold, but only succeeding in grinding her backside against him.

Astarion caught both of her wrists with one hand and pinned them above her head. Forcing her to submit to him. Already, his cock strained against his trousers and he leaned forward, letting her feel it. With his free hand, he swept her hair away from her neck and wrapped it around his fist. His lips brushed against her ear when he spoke, “Is that the best you can do?”

“What do you want from me?” Cas bared her blunt little teeth as she continued her futile struggle, her words were almost a growl even as her pupils were blown wide with lust.

His lips trailed from her ear and down her neck, nipping at her skin as he went. A threat and a promise. But not yet breaking the skin. “I think you know what I want, love,” he said and licked up her throat to the corner of her jaw. “Why don’t you be a good girl and just let me have it? Make it easier for both of us.”

When she tried to wriggle out from under him, he tightened his grip on her hair. She hissed at the sudden pull against her scalp. “Let me go,” she said. “Or I’ll—”

“Or you’ll what?” he said, his voice low, heated, and taunting. He had completely overpowered her. Even if she were fighting for real, she’d have a hard time throwing him off.

Cas sucked in a harsh breath when his thick length pressed against her core from behind. “Or I’ll scream.”

“Oh, my dear,” he said and his lips moved down her throat until he reached the juncture where her neck connected with her shoulder. Avoiding the use of his fangs, the blunt edges of his teeth clamped down in a soft bite and a shiver coursed through her. Then he whispered in her ear. “I can definitely make you scream.”

With his hand wrapped in her hair, he tipped her head back and crashed his lips onto hers. He kissed her possessively, roughly, claiming her with his mouth. An eager moan escaped her throat as she met the kiss with equal ferocity. Pressing deeper, her silky tongue brushed against his. Needing. Wanting. The taste of her mouth was something he could never get enough of. He couldn’t help the low groan that emerged from his chest.

He tore himself away with a dark laugh. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Cas helplessly twisted against him again. “Bite me,” she snarled, still playing the role of his prey so perfectly.

“Soon, darling.” His tongue darted out and brushed over her rapidly fluttering pulse. “But first, you’re going to come for me.”

“No I won’t,” she challenged as she writhed beneath him, making him grow even harder.

He released her wrists, but wrapped her hair around his hand once more with a less than gentle tug. A wordless command. Up.

Obediently, she rose to her elbows and rubbed the taut curve of her ass against his stiff cock. Taunting him. There was suddenly far too much clothing between them. He wanted to feel her skin against his. To bury himself in her warmth. He thrusted against her once, trying to relieve the ache, and drew a soft moan from her lips as she met his movement.

Astarion’s hand traced her rib cage, feeling the rise and fall of her panting breaths. Eager for him. Excited. His fingertips hooked around the hem of her shirt and he pulled it up as far as it would go, baring her breasts to the warm night air. He leaned forward and pressed his lips between her shoulder blades as his finger skimmed over the soft curve of her breast.

“You don’t really want to get away, do you, darling?” he asked as he brushed his thumb over her hardened nipple. He pinched the sensitive peak between his fingers, earning a sharp gasp as she arched into his palm. Desperately trying to get closer. An almost sinister chuckle passed his lips as he whispered, “I think you wanted to be caught.”

“No,” Cas said, even as her cheeks flushed and lips parted in a breathless pant.

Hard muscles twitched under his hand as he trailed down the flat expanse of her stomach until he reached the waistband of her leggings. He pulled the ties at front, allowing them to loosen enough for him to slide his fingers between the leather and the soft lace of her panties. When the tips of his fingers brushed over her clit through the fabric, she arched into him with a gasp. He circled the sensitive nub, teasing her. Making her want more.

He dragged her panties to the side, allowing him access to the slick heat between her legs. Already so ready for him. His cock begged for attention at the touch, wanting nothing more than to be inside her already. But that would have to wait.

With two fingers, he eased into her and pressed the heel of his palm to her clit. Her hips grinded greedily into his touch. Desperate for more friction.

“You’re so wet you’re dripping, love,” he said and curled his fingers inside her, loving the way she clenched around him. Wanting him deeper. Closer.

And he ached to give her what she wanted. She was his prey, but he wanted to make her feel good. He wanted to give her what she needed. What she so desperately craved.

It would have been all too easy to turn things around on her. To give into his vampiric nature and just take what he wanted. But he wouldn’t do that to her. Never to her. Cas had become special to him. In such a short amount of time, she had become so important to him that the mere idea of hurting her like that sent a lance of pain through his chest.

Astarion wanted — no, he needed her to know that he could take care of her. That putting her trust in him would never be a mistake.

Slipping from his role for just a moment, he pressed a kiss to her neck. “Let me know if I’m being too rough,” he said as he continued to fuck her with his fingers, the heel of his palm rocking over her clit as he brought her closer to the edge. They had their safeword, and he trusted her to use it, but he still felt the need to check in since he didn’t know what sort of experience she had with these things. He didn’t want to go too far.

“You can be rougher,” she replied, gasping as she rode his hand.

A little smirk pulled at Astarion’s lips and he gave her hair a sharp tug, eliciting a startled yelp. “Good,” he said. Then, without warning, he bit down on her shoulder.

Cas renewed her fight, squirming beneath him as his fangs nicked her skin. Tiny pinpricks of blood welled from the site and he lapped them up with his tongue. The first taste of it was like an aphrodisiac, and he groaned in raw satisfaction. It was potent and delicious. And it wasn’t enough. He wanted more, but this wasn’t the bite he would feed from.

No, he was saving that moment for later.

The heel of his palm grinded against her clit as his fingers curved in such a way that made her whimper with pleasure. The movement of her hips grew erratic as she fucked his fingers, her eyes screwing shut and her breaths harsh as she neared her peak.

“Come on my hand, darling,” he said against her neck. “Show me how much you love being my prey.”

“No!” The protest turned into a whine as he quickened his pace, pushing her further and further until her walls fluttered around his fingers. She came with a sharp cry, her whole body shuddering beneath him as she canted her hips.

Pulling her hair back, his mouth found hers, drinking in her moans like she was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted. His experienced fingers soothed her through the last few tremors of her orgasm, his palm still putting firm pressure on her clit as his fingers stroked deep inside her.

When her breathing evened out, he withdrew, his fingers glistening with her arousal. He licked her taste from his skin like it was honey. The flush across her cheeks deepened at his lewd display and his cock twitched in response.

Astarion loosened his grip on her hair, running his fingers over her scalp to soothe her skin. With one hand between her shoulder blades, he guided her down, her chest against the ground and her ass on display for him. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her leggings and pulled them down to her thighs. Nothing but a pair of black lace panties shielded her sex. He twisted the material in his hand and pulled it sharply against her overly sensitive clit, making her gasp.

He leaned forward and licked the shell of her ear. “Now,” he said as he drew her panties tighter, “tell me you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” she said, finally surrendering to him. The words ignited a flame in his chest. Even if it was just the heat of the moment, even if she would take it back come sunrise, right then she belonged to him. And that was all that mattered.

Cas arched her back, grinding herself against his erection. “Astarion, please,” she begged. “I need you in me.”

Fuck, if he didn’t need that too. He yanked the black lace down her legs and drank in the sight of her, bent over and moaning, her pussy pink and glistening for him. The woman before him knew what he was, knew the kind of man and monster he was, and accepted him. Trusted him.

And he wasn’t sure if he would ever have someone like that again.

A shudder coursed through her at the metallic click of his belt buckle. His own hand shook from raw desire as he pulled his cock from his trousers, a little bead of pre-come already leaking from the tip.

“You want this, darling?” he asked as he dragged the head of his cock over her swollen folds, slick with her arousal. He pressed the tip where she wanted it most, teasing the entrance, and she tilted her hips in an attempt to get closer. “Then I’ll give you every last inch.”

He shoved in deep in one hard, brutal thrust that buried him to the hilt, his fingers digging into her hips as he forced her to meet the movement.

Her mouth fell open and her hands clutched at the grass beneath her. “Yes,” she murmured as he slammed into her again. “Fuck me.”

Cas had wanted it rough, so that was exactly what he gave her. Snapping his hips against her ass, he fucked her with bruising thrusts. With each one she moaned, begging him for more. Loving the way he pounded into her like he was a fucking animal.

And he loved it too. Emotion threatened to well up in his chest, but he swallowed it down, focusing on the sensations. Wanting to absorb every sight and sound and commit it to memory. She was so bloody perfect for him, and he couldn’t fathom how he got lucky enough for her to fall right into his lap.

Astarion leaned over, bracing one hand in the grass beside her while the other held her throat, his mouth pressing rough kisses from her shoulder to her neck. His teeth scraped over the sensitive flesh of her throat, fangs throbbing with the need to sink into her. To claim her in every way that he could. His tongue darted over the red marks he left on her skin. “I’m going to bite you now.”

“Do it.” Her back arched as she angled her hips just right, welcoming him as deep as he could go. “Just don’t stop.”

“Touch yourself,” he said as he kissed a spot high on her neck. A place she couldn’t easily hide even with the highest collar. That was the exact spot he wanted to bite her. And she would wear the mark like a badge of honor, on display for the whole world to see. Marking her as his.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she obeyed. Her fingers delved between her legs, her pussy tightening around him as she worked over her clit. Her moans grew louder as her pleasure continued to rise. And he could only hope that the pleasure outweighed the pain of his bite.

“Good girl,” he whispered against her ear and lowered his mouth to her throat. Saliva pooled in his mouth as the urge to bite became too strong to resist.

A soft gasp of pain was the only sound she made when his fangs pierced her skin. The movement of his hips slowed until he was rocking into her gently with languid, shallow thrusts as not to dislodge his fangs. The taste of her blood made him groan. It was decadent. Intoxicating even. It warmed his body, intensifying everything.

It wasn’t until Cas started moaning again did he allow himself to fully sink into the feeling. Her warm pussy clenched around him as he drank deeply, and it was the most extraordinary feeling in the world. Fucking someone he cared about while they freely offered their blood— it was a feeling he couldn’t even begin to describe. It was a revelation. A long held fantasy that had finally come true. And he didn’t know if he could ever have enough.

Closing his eyes tight, he tried to maintain control even as his pleasure rose and sudden affection surged in his chest. Cas trusted him not to go too far. She was giving him a gift. A wonderful gift. And he didn’t want to risk her regretting it.

With that in mind, it was easy to remove his fangs from her throat. He sucked and licked at the twin puncture wounds he left behind, drinking in her blood in deep, even pulls as she writhed beneath him. “You’re doing so well, darling,” he murmured as he lavished her neck.

Her panting breaths grew louder and closer together. Her cry turned into a breathless moan as she came with his name on her lips, her inner walls spasming around his cock as he fucked her. Faster. Deeper. Chasing his own release.

All thought seemed to vanish from his mind. It was just him and her. The feel of her body. The taste of her blood. The sound of her moans as he rocked into her. It was euphoric. Nothing but raw sensation and primal need.

White-hot pleasure flashed through him, shooting down his spine as his thrusts lost all rhythm. He sucked her neck hard, blood coating his tongue as he buried himself in her. The sound he made was more animal than man as his orgasm coursed through him like a wildfire. Burning hot and out of control. Powerful spasms wracked his whole body as he spilled himself deep within her.

When his nearly agonizing ecstasy faded, he kissed her bloodied neck before he pulled out of her. His come dripped down her leg and he watched, filled with some deep, primitive satisfaction. He rolled Cas onto her back, needing to be face to face with her. To check in on how she was feeling.

She responded by looping her arms around his neck and dragging him into a luxurious kiss. Her body still trembled with the aftershocks of her orgasm, and he couldn’t stop his lips from smiling against hers. “You should let me wash the blood out of my mouth first, love,” he chided as he swiped away a bit of red from her lips with his thumb.

“Worth it,” she said as she laid back against the grass, a brilliant smile on her face that made his stomach do a little flip.

He cupped her face with his hand and she leaned into his touch. His eyes went to the fresh bite mark on her neck, and it wasn’t bleeding nearly as much as it did last time. In fact, it almost seemed like it was already starting to mend. Interesting. Perhaps he had gotten better at biting somehow? He didn’t know, nor could he bring himself to care.

Turning his attention back to her face, he ran his fingers over her scalp lightly, soothing the skin. “I didn’t hurt you too much, did I?”

“I liked it,” Cas said as she played with his hair, a dopey smile still lingering on her lips. “Though I am a little disappointed you didn’t spank me.”

Astarion raised his brow at that. “Are you now?”

In an odd surge of affection, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips before getting to his feet. He took a second to fix his clothes and Cas did the same. But before she could finish tying up the front of her leggings, he bent down and scooped her over his shoulder. “We should fix that,” he said and gave her ass a hard slap, eliciting a startled yelp, and started back towards where she had set up the bedroll.

“You don’t have to carry me all the way back,” she said, not fighting at all to get away. “It’s a long walk.”

He smacked her ass again. “You’re my prey and I caught you. I can do what I like.”

“Oh? And what else would you like to do?”

Everything. As long as it was with her. He mentally shook off the sudden thought. Where the hells had that come from? He swallowed, suddenly very glad that she couldn’t see his face from her current position.

He rubbed his hand over the curve of her backside as he walked, thinking about how to respond. Did he want to be honest with her? It ultimately worked out well for him last time. Giving her a little squeeze, he decided to go for it. “How would you feel about getting cleaned up and taking the rest of the night… slower?” Feeling a little vulnerable at his request, he added flippantly, “I want to enjoy my trophy.”

Cas was quiet for a moment. Just the sounds of footsteps and that owl hooting somewhere deep in the forest. “I’d like that,” she said.

Suddenly, his chest got that funny feeling again. The one he didn’t want to put a name to.

But Gods, it was getting harder to ignore.

[frenchy-and-the-sea]

OC match! Giving you Eulalia, my child pc in my vampire: the masquerade game. (Playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2RUWkeAxpthLUD0y0mNkE3?si=pA-Sk0hCQr6ADsTv7em98g) She's thirteen and living in ancient Greece, and she spent the first few decades of unlife looking for her Sire, since he was. Uh. Kind Of Kidnapped. He was only Mostly dead when she found him, but he's ok now. Her blood can heal both mortals and other vampires, but watch out! Other vampires think her blood smells delicious. She likes fiberarts! And flowers! Her ghoul is her pet stoat! If anyone tells her she's a sweet girl she gets so so mad and immediately has to hit someone with a stick. She has a reputation to uphold. One of her friends just died so now she's joining her Sire to hunt demon cultists to see if that makes her feel better. I'm sure this will end Fine.

(From my match their freak ask game!)

HAUNTED KID!! She sounds delightful tbh, I LOOOVE when a narrative plays with the monstrousness of childhood! 

And despite the fact that that playlist (which is WONDERFUL BTW) is soooo spooky-coded and haunted — and would thus be a perfect match the vibe of my sad grave cleric lady — I weirdly think the OC of mine that Eulalia would get on best with would be actually be my gnomish trickery cleric Fizz??? She is also Small and Easily Mistaken For Being Childish simply because she likes wearing bright colors and isn't particularly interested in being cagey and dour. I think she would sympathize with the need to hit someone for the insult of being handled with kid gloves. But also, I feel like Eulalia has probably had it pretty rough since she was turned! It can’t be easy, roaming around as a perpetual 13 year old and seeking out one of the few people who might be able to sympathize with what you are, only to find them NEARLY HALF DEAD and having to revive them! That’s fucking rough, buddy!

So I think Fizz would get along with her in large part because her sympathy for that kind of thing is outweighed only by her absolutely titanic need to bring levity and warmth into the world. She’s a devoted acolyte of the prankster party god, after all! She believes indulging in the joys and pleasures of life is not just necessary, but divine! And she would look upon someone who has seen as much shit as Eulalia with the intense need to show her a good time. Plus, they’re both healers in a way! They both like crafting! (Although admittedly, Fizz is terrible at crafts. This does not stop her enthusiasm for them, however.) And being small means that you can more easily sneak into places to steal all of the left shoes of all of the assholes who wrong you, which is an important skill to impart on people of their stature. 

TL;DR, I JUST THINK THEY COULD HAVE FUN TOGETHER. WHICH SEEMS LIKE YOUR BABY GIRL COULD USE.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:

Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire. Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she's tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone--anyone--to pose as her date. After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he's perfect for her purposes. He's a bit strange, but that’s fine; it'll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn't hurt that he's very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

Review:

When you need a fake date for a wedding... you don't expect him to be an actual vampire. Amelia Collins lives a very successful completely normal life, she's a CPA and living a very nonexistent love life. So when she is asked to go to another wedding she wants a fake date to finally get everyone off her back... and then she runs (literally) into Reginald Cleaves. Reginald is as handsome as he is a bit weird. Reginald is a vampire who has had a hard time adjusting to living in modern day and has been on the run from a secret society hunting him. When he meets Amelia he thinks she's the perfect cover for him while he's on the run. Yet the more time they spend together getting to know one another the more this fauxmance is beginning to feel very real... the only issue is that when Reginald told Amelia he was a vampire she thought he was joking... how is he gonna to reveal the truth without her running off? This was such a cute sequel to the first book and it can be read as a standalone. The romance in this one was cute and I just loved how sweet Reginald was. The story was a fast read and I hope there's another book because this series has just been so much fun to read!

Release Date: September 17,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[cyberpunkonline]

The Best Halloween-Themed Games on PC Today: Spooky Digital Delights for #CyberSamhain

Alright, PC gamers, it’s time to dim the lights, crank up your gaming rig, and dive into the creepiest, most terrifying games this side of a hard drive for #CyberSamhain. Sure, we’ve left the days of 8-bit ghosts and ghouls behind, but PC horror has stepped up its game in a big way—seriously, the jump scares now are next-level. Whether you’re into psychological horror, grotesque monsters, or just wanna creep through haunted mansions with nothing but a flashlight, there’s something here to make your Halloween one to remember.

So, grab your headset and your snack of choice (maybe skip the heart-attack-inducing energy drink for these), and get ready to scream at your monitor. Let’s check out the best spooky-themed PC games you should be playing right now.

1. Phasmophobia (2020) If ghost-hunting reality shows and your fear of things going bump in the night had a terrifying lovechild, Phasmophobia would be it. This multiplayer co-op game has you and your friends investigating haunted locations, trying to figure out what kind of spirit is messing with you. Sounds fun, right? Well, until you’re the one standing alone in a dark hallway, watching your breath fog up while a ghost whispers in your ear. This game is straight-up nightmare fuel, and the scariest part? It’s unpredictable. One second you’re laughing with your mates, the next, you’re screaming as the lights flicker and something moves behind you.

Resource: Rock Paper Shotgun has a killer (pun intended) guide on Phasmophobia—check it out for pro ghost-hunting tips and tricks.

2. Resident Evil Village (2021) No Halloween gaming list is complete without a Resident Evil title, and Resident Evil Village is one of the best ways to freak yourself out in glorious HD. You play as Ethan Winters (again), wandering through a remote village filled with creepy castles, werewolf-like monsters, and the internet’s favorite tall vampire lady. The atmosphere in this game is off the charts, from the snow-covered ruins to the eerie castle halls. And trust me, the scares? Yeah, they’re there. Whether you’re fending off a swarm of creatures or just trying to survive the creepy-as-hell doll house section, Village knows how to keep your heart racing.

Resource: Head over to IGN’s review of Resident Evil Village for an in-depth look at why it’s perfect for a Halloween scare-fest.

3. Little Nightmares II (2021) If you’re into creepy visuals and dark fairy-tale vibes, Little Nightmares II is an absolute must-play. This puzzle-platformer has you controlling a tiny, raincoat-wearing character in a nightmarish world where everything wants to kill you. The unsettling atmosphere is paired with grotesque enemies that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. It’s not gory—it’s just unnerving in that “things are very wrong here” way. If Tim Burton made a video game, this would be it. The art style is gorgeous, the sound design is chilling, and the puzzles will keep you glued to the screen until you escape this horrific world (if you can).

Resource: GameSpot has a fantastic piece on Little Nightmares II, explaining why it’s the perfect creepy game to play alone with the lights off.

4. The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes (2021) Love interactive horror movies where your decisions actually matter? Then the Dark Pictures Anthology is calling your name, and House of Ashes is the latest chapter in this spine-tingling series. Set during the Iraq war, a group of soldiers stumbles upon an ancient underground temple, and guess what? It’s not empty. You’ll guide them through this terrifying labyrinth while making decisions that can lead to either their survival or some truly horrifying deaths. This one is all about atmosphere, tension, and those sweet, sweet jump scares. Plus, it’s a game best played with friends, thanks to the online multiplayer mode that’ll have you arguing about who just got everyone killed.

Resource: Check out Polygon’s breakdown of the entire Dark Pictures Anthology series to get all the background you need before diving into House of Ashes.

5. Dead by Daylight (2016) If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Dead by Daylight. It’s the ultimate multiplayer horror game where you either play as one of four survivors or as the killer who’s trying to hunt them down. With a variety of different killers to choose from (including classics like Ghostface, Michael Myers, and more), every match feels like a terrifying game of cat and mouse. And survivors? Yeah, you’re going to be running, hiding, and screaming as you try to repair generators and escape the map before the killer finds you. It’s an adrenaline rush, pure and simple. Also, the devs keep adding new content, so it’s never boring.

Resource: PC Gamer has an excellent guide on how to survive in Dead by Daylight—trust me, you’ll need it.

6. Visage (2020) Looking for a psychological horror game that’ll mess with your mind? Visage is the kind of game that you play with the lights on and a backup pair of underwear nearby. Set in an old, creepy house, you’ll be exploring rooms filled with paranormal activity, strange noises, and freaky occurrences that will leave you questioning what’s real and what isn’t. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and the pacing is perfect for slowly building up to those terrifying moments. If you loved the P.T. demo (RIP Silent Hills), then Visage will scratch that same haunted house itch.

Resource: For a detailed breakdown of why Visage will make you sleep with the lights on, head over to TechRaptor’s review of the game.

7. Amnesia: Rebirth (2020) Amnesia: Rebirth takes everything you loved (or feared) about the original Amnesia and cranks it up. Set in the Algerian desert, you play as Tasi Trianon, trying to survive the horrors lurking in a forgotten underground temple while slowly unraveling your past. Expect plenty of dark, claustrophobic spaces, disturbing creatures, and puzzles that’ll leave you with sweaty palms. This game is a slow burn, but the payoff is worth it, especially if you like your horror with a healthy dose of “oh my god, what was that sound?”

Resource: Eurogamer has a great piece on why Amnesia: Rebirth is the perfect mix of psychological horror and puzzle-solving fun.

Final Thoughts So, there you have it, ghouls and gamers—the best Halloween-themed PC games to spook up your #CyberSamhain celebrations. Whether you’re hunting ghosts with your mates, battling vampires, or creeping through haunted houses all by your lonesome, these games are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Just remember to keep your speakers turned up and your lights down low—after all, it’s not really Halloween unless you’re terrified.

Now, get out there, boot up your PC, and let’s make this #CyberSamhain one to remember! Just don’t blame me when you scream so loud the neighbors think you're being haunted.

[tetsunabouquet]

KNB X Shadowhunterverse: Headcanon

A/N: I was hit with this thought ages ago, considering KNB and Shadowhunters are the fandoms I am writing long fics for, that I wanted to create some crossover content. I will hereby start with what kind of species and role each KNB character would have if they were part of the Shadowhunterverse!

-Kuroko would be certainly be a vampire. Because vampires don't make any sound when they move and Kuroko has his habit of being so unnoticed even whilst he should be making noises like footsteps, Kuroko being a vampire would be a perfect match up. He wouldn't be a clan leader, but would be the clan leader's advisor and right hand man. -Riko would be a battle instructor at the Shadowhunter Academy once she grows up. Her skills at determining a person's physical abilities would make for a great instructor especially if in this universe she also learnt about different weapons and their respective techniques which I could see Riko do. -Momoi is a battle instructor at an Institute. Considering Momoi has some similar skills to Riko in terms of assesment but her character revolves around her loyalty to others, I think she'd be sticking close to her friends and training their kids. -Aomine is also a Shadowhunter and Momoi's parabatai. You Aomomoi shippers cannot convince me otherwise. They've been best friends almost since their diapers, they are just like Simon and Clary to me. -Akashi is vampire clan leader, there is no doubt about it. Thanks to his human life of having been the richest of nobles that even the King owned his father money, Akashi naturally adapted to being a vampire. He is an ancient one like Camille, but unlike her he doesn't dabble in foolish deals that could get him in trouble with the Shadowhunters and stopped speaking with her long before her death. -Hanamiya is a corrupt Shadowhunter and I see him being in charge of an Institute. Being the head of authority in his region, he can do whatever he wants in the shadows with only his fellow corrupt Shadowhunters knowing what his plans are. Considering he didn't even care if Kiyoshi could get fatally hurt in a basketball game, I think in a worl like the Shadowhunterverse he would have anyone killed that could lead him to riches and treasures. -Kise is the child of a woman from the long lost Herondale bloodline and a Japanese man. Look at him and tell me he wouldn't be related to Jace in this AU. I DARE YOU. -Midorima is a warlock. Perhaps its the green and his crankiness, but he gives me Ragnor vibes sometimes. Plus, needing his Lucky item or else he gets into fatal situations could easily be the result of a curse cast on him by another warlock he couldn't get along with. -Nebuya would be a werewolf. I mean, what other species would the guy who's the Hercules of basketball be? He's by no means the alpha of the pack, he doesn't has enough brains for it but he's well beloved by his pack for being the dark mirror of a himbo. -Speaking of his mirror himbo, Kiyoshi is arguably the biggest himbo of the Clave. Remember the match against Hanamiya and tell me that he's not a Shadowhunter on the side of justice in this AU. He's the one of the best local fighters of his Institute, make no mistake about that! -Kotaro is part of the Wild Hunt. Now here my reasoning out: 1. His nickname is the Lightning Beast and in folklore the Wild Hunt used to ride thunderstorms. 2. Considering he is one of the most athletic KNB characters I think he would be a great fighter in the Shadowhunterverse. 3. he has WILD instincts. 4. Imagine Kotaro with Fey speech, now wouldn't that be an extremely fun character?

[lchufflepuffcorn]

Meeting you pt. 7

(Not my gif, credits go to its owner/creator)

Author's note: Hi !! I think it's been like a year or so since I posted anything about this series... It's been worked on, don't worry, I'm just awful at being consistent.

Words: 2716

Warning: None... longing... badly written emotions... all other warnings from this series...

Masterlist OGW Masterlist

Serie Masterlist

Part one Part two, Part three, Part four, Part five, Part six, Part seven.

Spotify link

In the night's secret

No sound but the wind- Editors

↺͏͏         ◁◁͏͏        ll       ▷▷        ⋮≡

It took a little while for the three vampires to plan the perfect cover story for their situationship. Philadelphia was really the town of miracles for Alice's imagination. She'd come up with the story that Jasper was her brother and that (Y/N) was her sister-in-law. It always bothered (Y/N) that the short girl with her was so good at covering up the truth. But this time, the story was adequate and sensible for humans to understand. 

Soon after leaving Philadelphia, the trio stayed in Toronto for a short time. The trio resided in a two-story building owned by a lovely older couple, who took them in without asking many questions. 

"My brother doesn't talk much." Or "My sister-in-law is so discreet." Would say Alice when they were shown the apartment. The lovely -but quite nosy- Mrs. Grant quieted down after that. And (Y/N) remembered why she disliked living with humans all over again. Because the biting envy and bubbling thirst (Y/N) felt from Jasper was one thing, combining it with Alice's and the poignant curiosity from their neighbours was nothing short of unbearable. 

Jasper was not much of a talker, and added to what (Y/N) knew from Alice's vision was not helping her communicate with the man. But the crisp and cold waves of nervousness she could feel wave off of him each time they talked weren't either. 

Every time. (Y/N) knew that the conversations he forced on them were out of duty and under the encouragement given by Alice more than anything else. 

It usually looked like this: 

“It was nice today.” 

"Hmm. Yes, the wind wasn’t as bad as yesterday.” 

Or: 

“What did you buy at the market?” 

“Oh, just some clothes. You really need some new ones too…” 

But slowly, the cold, shaky feeling echoing in her chest melted into a sparkling and lukewarm wind behind the skin of her neck, and the conversations started to center around things they both liked. 

 And then, after some months, (Y/N), Jasper, and Alice went to Alberta, where they had no trouble constructing their own small house not too far from the Slave River. It was hidden from society, perfect for the diet (Y/N) was trying to convert the other two. 

And then, after some months, (Y/N), Jasper, and Alice went to Alberta, where they had no trouble constructing their own cabin. Situating it not far from the Slave River to add to the illusion of their rustic lifestyle. It was mostly hidden from society, perfect for the diet in which (Y/N) tried to convert the other two. It was also less complicated for Jasper to control his thirst for human blood if no humans were around. Plus, the surroundings were beautiful. (Y/N) liked hearing the birds in the early morning and having water run nearby. 

''East from here, there's three of 'em.'' Jasper's voice said, floating in the wind and through the bushes around them. 

The three of them were running in the forest, searching for prey. Jasper had smelled some moose earlier, but now they were chasing a bear and her cubs. (Y/N) did not hunt with the others often. She preferred to do it alone. But it was always fun to see how Alice and Jasper would try and compete for the first kill every time. While she didn't participate in their games, she liked watching them. It brought life to their undead lifestyle. 

Running through the tall grass and between the tree's roots easily, (Y/N) spotted a rabbit. She lounged at it with ease. It didn't bother her that the animal was little. Smaller animals were more accessible for her to catch without butchering her clothes. (Y/N) didn't like to get dirt on her. Plus, rabbits never travelled alone. She would have plenty to feel full at the end of the hunt, and she wasn't in a hunting mood today, so it played in her favour. 

It had been months since Jasper joined Alice's and (Y/N)'s little clan. He'd been charming and kind and helpful. Even if he thought it hard to change his diet -he often complained about how the animal blood tasted- he still tried his best. It was January seventeen now. A new year had started, yet Alice was deflating each day more to see that neither of her companions wasn't getting any closer. She found it infuriating.

Alice had seen hopeful moments, like when Jasper renovated the cabin. He'd taken (Y/N) words and requests to heart. Or when (Y/N) had consoled Jasper about one of his slip-ups, her hands brushing through his hair as he cursed himself in low growls. (Y/N) had nothing but encouraging words to give him. Then, of course, she gave him a stern talk about how she controlled herself by thinking about things humans did when she couldn't see them. Or again, when he was reading on the porch and (Y/N) was lost in her world, humming a melody only she knew. Alice had to confess that she'd never seen Jasper smile so softly before that afternoon.

(Y/N) liked to think that Jasper took his time to court her. She liked it that way. They had all the time in the world anyway. As she caught a second bunny, plunging her sharp teeth through the fur and into the skin until its still-warm blood flowed into her mouth, (Y/N) got a glimpse of the naked ring finger on her left hand. The familiar shine hadn't caught her eyes as it would usually have.

She'd removed the enormous wedding ring from her finger two months ago, preferring to wear it around the chain on her neck, where too rested a medallion with the triplet's picture.

''Ahah! You owe me ten dollars, Whitlock.''

Alice's laugh took (Y/N) out of her reverie. She looked in the direction her voice came from. The vampire couldn't see them anymore, but she knew they would come back in her direction soon enough. She let go of the now-empty rabbit she was still holding.

Raising from her spot on a tree root, she patted her dress to remove whatever could still stick to the fabric. Jasper's head popped out from behind the bushes. An amused smile lit up his face as he looked over the pixie-like vampire. The blond man stopped as he reached (Y/N)'s height, offering her his arm.

''If I could have the pleasure, miss.'' He said with a smile on the corner of his smile. (Y/N) responded to his smile with one of her own.

''If I must.'' (Y/N) teased the man, accepting his arm by wrapping her own around it. 

The comfortable warmth of the calm he feels, yet a subtle hint of burning cold passion that resists in the pit of his stomach, made her eyes shine. The group walked back to their cabin. Their slow pace is now a sharp contrast to their earlier race. 

''We'll have to get new shoes; you can't be comfortable in those old things,'' Alice called, referring to the boots (Y/N) wore. They were from her time as a nurse for the Second World War. Those boots were still in perfect condition. The older woman wasn't letting her things get hideous or unwearable. Still, she obliged at Alice's request.

''I think we could go in town this week.'' (Y/N)'s butterflies now associated with Alice exploded in her stomach as the girl's face illuminated with a smile. The tiny vampire held onto the other girl's hand before stopping all of her movement.

(Y/N) stopped walking to ensure that Alice wouldn't tumble over the snowy ground. Jasper stopped, too, getting closer to the girl in alarm. He was still getting used to Alice's gift. One of his hands met the small of (Y/N)'s back to help walk over some roots, but Jasper's attention was on Alice too. 

''It's alright.'' She assured, starting to walk again.

''What is it?'' (Y/N)'s tone was worried. Since the other girl had revealed to Jasper and her that they were mates, (Y/N) had asked Alice not to hold secrets about her visions anymore. Especially if it concerned other people. But Alice only smiled at her, walking to the cabin. Jasper, ever the gentleman, held the door of the cabin open for both girls to enter it. He closed and locked the door behind him after following them inside. 

 Jasper was never much of a talker. So the girls had come to realize. But it was alright. His actions spoke louder than every word he could have said. The man walked to where both the girls were seated, but he stayed back a little. On the table was resting the piece of a rocking chair he was building at the moment; he took place behind it.

''We'll have a visitor soon.'' Said Alice before (Y/N) could reiterate her question.

''Visitor?'' Quipped Jasper, ''in this part of the woods?'' Alice shot him a smile.

''(Y/N)'s old friend, my mate, I think.'' This got (Y/N)'s attention. She, too, was wondering why they'd have a visitor so far from civilization. There were only two people who knew their location, and those people were Thade and Esther. The older vampire's face darkened with a frown.

''Which friend?'' She asked. Her hand went to the necklace she wore, holding onto the locket hiding the triplet's picture. Not all of her friends were recommendable frequentations. But Alice only smiled and rose to leave the room. (Y/N) sighed but couldn't ask anything more.

The cabin was somewhat small. Not that the vampires minded it. It was big enough to maintain purpose: not living outside like homeless people. They might not be in any states now, but they could still live comfortably. It had one large room and two smaller ones behind the wall. It gave them the chance to have their place if need be.

Her ring finger slipped into the wedding monument she still had, then back out. A comforting habit (Y/N) took since she started wearing it around her neck. 

So it couldn't be Thade, that was for sure. But, on the other hand, Thade has been married to Esther ever since (Y/N) could remember meeting both of them. So maybe it was Gabriel. Last she'd heard of him, he was somewhere in France teaching history at a university. So that left – in the reasonable choices of friends (Y/N) would leave Alice with – either Gregory or Elliot. But would Gregory come to visit her out there in the woods? Esther, she knew the man was still bitter from their encounter during the First World War, as she was on the Allies' side, and he was on the Nazis.

That only left Elliot.

''What are yeh thinkin' about?'' Asked Jasper from his seat. He could feel her doubt just as she could feel his concern for her. (Y/N) turned her gaze to the man. He was still working on the rocking chair's part. Jasper's eyes shot up in her direction, staying for a second before wandering away. 

''I wondered which of my friends was to be Alice's mate.'' She answered honestly.

The man hummed.

Jasper's hair seemed more strawberry blond in the candle's light than the honey colour they had in the sunlight. His frozen features, kinder in the natural glow, were darkened by the dancing shadow of the flame. The now yellowish eyes he now had matched his hair. (Y/N) could only imagine just what the man's past was to make his face so stoic and emotionless while she could feel every change in Jasper's humour. Even from where she sat, the woman could see on his arm -uncovered as he worked, littered with bite marks. (Y/N) never asked about it, just like neither of the vampires with her wondered about her story. They didn't know about Alice. She could not remember anything from her past except for her first name.

''I meant to ask,'' continued the man after a short silence. ''What's in the locket? You always play with it.''

''Old memories.'' (Y/N) rose from her seat and walked to the table, taking place in the chair facing Jasper.

Usually, the seemingly young woman had no trouble talking about her experience and life. Some things were too hard to speak about, and nobody had ever asked. 

(Y/N) wasn't proud enough to assume her story could interest him more than any other. Tugging the long gold chain gently from her dress to present the locket better to the man in front of her, (Y/N) opened the locket to show the picture inside.

Alice shuffled closer to the both of them. 

Three small boys were staring at Jasper and Alice now, a serious expression on their juvenile faces. The man thought they couldn't be much older than eight or nine years old. He guessed that it had been taken late in the eighteen-fifties, early sixties, from the black and white picture and their clothes.

"The first boy on the right is John, the second, the one with the hat's George, and the last one on the left is Lowett." (Y/N) let Jasper take the locket in his and, it wasn't to see any better the photos, but more like a reflex.

"Were they yours?" He asked. The man could see little resemblance between the triplets and the woman sitting before her in the rocking chair. But there was still something in the expression and the posture that reminded him of her.

''In a way,'' (Y/N) answered. "I didn't birth them or bite them, but they were my children nonetheless." 

Jasper's eyes met hers. Alice smiled and got up. She silently walked to one of the other rooms, closing the door. She knew of this story and didn't want to put (Y/N) in more stress with her emotions in the room again. 

''They were vampires?'' (Y/N) smiled at Jasper's expression. But, then, his incertitude swung in her throat like a monkey to a branch. She shook her head.

''They didn't live long. And brought my creator's death with theirs.'' Jasper's expression didn't change. He looked conflicted. (Y/N) continued, shrugging. ''It doesn't matter now. It was a long time ago.'' 

''And the ring?''

(Y/N)'s smile faltered a little at his question. Then, from the other room, they heard Alice sigh. Her disappointment was bitter in the other girl's throat. ''It was my wedding ring when I was still human.''

Jasper went quiet after that, concentrating back on the rocking chair part. (Y/N)'s eyes followed his movement; she tucked the neckless back into the collar of her dress. Outside, the sun was already setting, and from the windows, the woman could see the timid shine of the slow rising of the moon in the sky. 

She suddenly felt the nip of boredom in the back of her chest. Like she was dragging the world around with her. It made her realize just how cruelly their house missed books, games, and music. If only she'd asked Esther to send her the harp she'd left in her care. But it was too late now. Her friend and Thade were travelling the world in search of his past. The man had felt the need to reconnect with his civilization now that the Second World War had ended. 

Maybe they could buy a radio once they'd gone to town. But, then, the music would fill the house at every hour of the day. (Y/N) missed the time when giggles would fill the homes she was in. She missed her son. 

Sons. 

Cocking her head slightly to the side, her hands resting on the table. The woman's eyes slowly clouded; Jasper recognized the look for when he'd meet her dazing out outside the house. He decided not to push his questioning further and worked silently on the rocking chair again. Alice came out of the room, her gaze unfocused but lucid enough to walk. When she didn't have full-blown visions, she would sometimes lose herself in the pathways of many shifting decisions of the people around her. 

In the silence, (Y/N) isn't aware that she started humming. Her finger played with the locket she'd tucked in her collar. It was a habit she couldn't seem to lose now. She hums the song Alice heard her sing to Esther years ago, and the girl can't help but sigh. 

Jasper just smiled. 

[kaydreamman]

*kicks down your door* Hey Kay on the vtm questionaire for number 14 for death How do they feel about diablerie? for any of yours lol

heres the original reblog so anyone that wants can find the questions:

Wow so you come in, break my door and now you wont fix it? ok fine.

Since you wanted 14 and Diablerie(11) , ill do both for the vampires that more or less graced my blog and ill be doing these two as myself instead of characters since some of them wouldnt give you an actual answer and it was better formatted this way lol.

really long post ahead so read at your discretion

Bhima

III. DEATH

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Its...something hed love to not encounter on either side. The act feels very harsh and..very wrong. Not something hed do ever.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

Bhima has frenzied once in the beginning of his vampire life when he was still getting used to everything and to his jumbled thinking. It did not turn out well. In the process he ended up killing his daughter because of how stressed he was for her in general and he simply blacked out when he saw her again. He sired her upon panicking about what hes done and its a whole mess he is trying to fix considering the siring was also not legalized.

Nazaire

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

He gets why someone would do it but they dont like the idea of stealing someones "life" for power and then also having part of their soul. Sounds like a cool concept at first but he wouldnt like it to happen to him so why do it to someone else?

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

Yeah. A lot of clutch moments before they escaped the city he inhabited after their sires death and during the times he was hunted. It manifested in many ways. Some lunging at the vampires hunting them resulting in harm, sometimes results in self harm as well. He fed of a human once and they had to pretend they didnt. Never did it again.

Iulian

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Act of power with dubious ties to it. Nothing he hasnt seen or that would be uncommon for vampires to do. He thinks getting power like that is a cheat code and a beneficial one if you get to it but not something hell risk his skin for.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

Thankfully for him, it has never happened.

Devon

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Doesnt care. He wont do it but he doesnt care if someone does. No strong opinion towards it.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

He has never frenzied even if he was close to multiple times before. He was able to get himself as fast as he could out of high stress situations or neutralize the problem before the beast could come out.

Ankur

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Fun! Just dont get caught and its a plan. He hasnt done it but perhaps one day if he has the means for it, he might.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

Yeah, a bunch of times. He is a fun of the "riding it out" or "going with the flow" so he frenzied willingly before and it proved as a very beneficial thing though risky and very very messy. Covered in blood from head to toe and surrounded by bodies but satisfied and safe. Plus, if youre quick about it, no one will ever know about your messier tendencies :)

Cecilia

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

No. Below her. More honorable ways to get power.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

She tried her hardest everytime to get the beast at bay since she holds a reputation so, no. She did not and is not planning to.

Nadia

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Tempting. Havent did it but she isnt opposed to it.

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

Nothing out of the ordinary, just very enraptured by one of her...meals that got way too messy. Only happened once tho.

Sunya

11. How do they feel about Diablerie?

Kindred do that to strengthen themselves and cover more ground by having more power, as always. Nothing shocking. They dont care about it though. They think its kind of like cheating and if you want to get big, why not set an example yourself instead of being a power sucking leech?

14. Have they ever Frenzied? What happened?

No...they....made sure not to. Theres no way that his sire would in any shape or form take that and they wouldnt be a fan of finding out what happens if the beast gets their way and their sire finds out.

[ariaachillesaphrodisia]

To Kill The King Upon His Throne - Vampire Nightwing x Reader - DC Vs. Vampires Fanfiction - CHAPTER TWO

Rating: Mature

Content Warnings: Violence, character deaths, blood drinking, gore, blood, hunting (of humans), manipulation, discussion of past trauma and past character deaths, and use of sedative.

SPOILER WARNING:: Spoilers for all of DC vs. Vampires, but especially spoilers for Issue #6 - #10.

Both your movements were perfectly timed with the music in the background. He was a very skilled dancer, though this came as no surprise to you. You were by no means an expert in ballroom dancing, but you were not exactly clueless either. You had taken lessons in ballroom dancing years back, and while you had not continued with it and while it had never progressed past a simple hobby, you had learned a thing or two. Enough that you were able to keep up with his steps and movements. The gentle touch of his hand on the small of your back helped to guide you as well. You had been dancing for a couple minutes now, and yet time seemed much slower than that. It felt as though you had been dancing for an eternity. It was his eyes, you thought. Something in them… they made it feel as though you two were the only things that existed in the world, and it messed with your sense of reality. Sense of time. Sense of being. You tried to avoid looking into them for too long, switching your gaze between the floor and his eyes. You didn’t want him to be suspicious of you, so you knew you could not avoid his eyes entirely, but you could also not stand the dizzying effect those dazzling eyes held, so you had no choice but to try and divide your gaze evenly between the floor and him, and you just tried to focus on not losing yourself in his eyes. It was a trick, you thought. Or some sort of magic. Something was messing with your head. You weren’t sure what but all you had to do was ensure that you didn’t stare into them for too long. Just keep focusing on diverting your attention…

“You needn’t be so nervous,” he said to you with a chuckle. It seemed that your shifting focus had not gone unnoticed. However, from the amusement in his voice, it appeared that he did not think it was due to any attempts to avoid his… sorcery. No… he seemed to really believe it was nerves. “I understand why you might be, but really, there isn’t any need for it. Forget my title for a moment. Let us just be… two people enjoying each other’s company, shall we?” he asked you, and you decided to play to his ego. You offered him a shy smile and averted your gaze to the floor once more.

“That is most humble of you to say, my Lord, but such things are not so easily forgotten,” you responded. You nearly gagged forcing the words out of your mouth, but if you were going to try and ensnare this man, you knew that honey would be more effective than vinegar. Plus… everything about him screamed both drama and ego, so you were fairly positive that flattery would be an effective tactic here. Your words drew out a chuckle from him, and you would yourself involuntarily blushing. His laugh… it was a sweet sound. A charming one, even.

“No, I suppose they are not,” he laughed. He then flashed you that captivating smile once again. “But it is hardly fun to dance with one who will not stop averting my gaze. Don’t make me think I chose the wrong dance partner,” he told you with a wink, and a question bubbled to your mind.

“Why… why did you ask me to dance with you? I mean, there are plenty of other people here. Many of whom I am sure would love the chance to dance with you. So, why chose me?” you asked him, and he considered this for a moment before speaking.

“Well… if I am being honest… I chose to dance with you because I wanted a chance to talk,” he told you, and you raised your eyebrow at this.

“Talk, my Lord? About what?” you questioned. You shivered a little when he leaned in close to your ear to whisper his response.

“About why you are here, especially considering I’m fairly certain you don’t exactly belong here, do you?” he purred, and you froze. You could not keep a small whimper from passing through your lips.

“I… I’m not sure what you mean,” was all you could think to respond, and you cursed yourself for it. How did he know? Had… had you missed something? Was there some tell that you had failed to cover up? Some sign that you had missed that would give you away? Could he read your mind? No, that didn’t seem likely. If he could, why bother with asking you to dance? Why bother talking with you at all? So… what was it? It couldn’t be the scent thing, because then everyone would have noticed the moment you walked into the room. You hadn’t been cut on anything. Even if you hadn’t noticed the cut, all the vampires in the room certainly would have, and everyone would have known. But… but then what could it be?

“It was rather easy to tell, though I suppose there was no way for you to know that. I imagine you would have thought it would be easy to blend in. What, with the invitations bearing no name and all that,” he began, and you felt dread beginning to fill you. He pointed then to a woman standing in the corner of the room. She was dressed in a flowing crimson and gold gown and had a tiara on her head. You gasped when you recognized her. Wonder Woman. Formally of the Justice League… and now, it seemed, a victim of the vampire curse. “Diana is one of my closest confidants and my head of security. She is the one who assists with most of these events, though, I swear, she enjoys these things more than I do,” he told you with a chuckle, and you wondered if this introduction to her was a thinly veiled threat. “A number of the people here tonight are my close companions. People who have helped me with… well… my success. I am quite close with all of them. I owe them so much, so it is only natural I be close with them. As for the others… while the invitations do not bear any names upon them… I do happen to know exactly who is going to be coming to these events. It is a very exclusive venue, after all. So… though I might not be friends with everyone here, I do know most of the faces as they are regulars… or people I have selected or approved to be here tonight. You… on the other hand…” he said before brushing a hand along the side of your face, “you are not someone I recognize. I don’t remember selecting you, nor do I remember any of my companions asking me to extend an invitation to you. So… that must mean that you somehow obtained an invitation without my permission and got in here tonight,” he explained, and you swallowed hard.

You remembered the vampire whose invitation you had stolen. You remembered how he had been bragging to his friend about being invited. You remembered him telling you that only certain people had been invited to attend the masquerade balls and that the invitations were very exclusive. You had known all of this. But he had also told you that no one knew why in particular people were chosen and that no one was sure exactly how the selection process was done. So… so you’d had no way to know that when he said it was exclusive, he meant really, really, exclusive. Handpicked or approved by the Vampire King himself level exclusive. And you had walked right in there, thinking that holding the invitation itself would be enough to waive any suspicion regarding your position at the ball. You hadn’t even entertained the possibility that perhaps the invitations were sent to those chosen specifically by the King and his inner circle.

“I wasn’t sure why you would do such a thing. After all, what was there to gain from crashing my party?” his voice broke the silence and you winced at the sound of it. “You could have simply been looking for some way to spend your time. A party to attend. But this is hardly the easiest place to get into, and even if you overheard how lavish the parties are… is it really worth the risk? So, simple entertainment is likely out of the question. What then? What would possibly be motive enough for you to risk being caught breaking into a party hosted by the Vampire King himself?” he posed, and you swore you could hear your own heartbeat pounding in your chest. You waited for him to continue speaking and surely enough, he did. “I pondered this from the moment you walked in. And then it hit me. Why would someone sneak into this party? Simple. Networking,” he explained, and you could have wept at this. He thought you were networking! Thought you were here to mingle and rub elbows with the inner circle of the Vampire King! Oh, well, that was a relief! “I know many here only attend these events either to avoid risking upsetting the royalty, or to network, with the majority being part of the latter, so I suppose I should not be surprised. Still though… you are the first to actually steal an invitation. I must admit, I am impressed,” he told you with a chuckle, and you sighed. You tried to make it sound like a sigh of disappointment.

“I apologize, my King. I meant no disrespect. I merely heard on the streets that this venue was one where a vampire could come to…” you tried to recall what the vampire whose invitation you had taken had told his associate about the party and how it could improve social status, and then stole his words, “to help them raise in terms of their power and status. So… yes… I did take the invitation. As I said, I did not mean to offend you. I merely… it is… it is difficult for a vampire out there when one has no status or power to their name. I thought that, by coming here, perhaps I could… turn things around,” you lied, putting on the best performance you could. It seemed to work, and though your explanation had not drawn any sympathy from him, he didn’t appear as though he was going to kill you either. Instead, he just let out a deep sigh.

“I suppose I should have expected that,” he said, and you raised your eyebrow at this.

“Pardon?” you asked, unsure why that would have been the case. You weren’t sure what you’d expected but… you didn’t expect his face to suddenly fall, and his hands to tremble.

“You are the first to sneak into the party in order to try and gain power and status, and I give you credit for that because… well… not everyone would have the guts to pull off, or attempt to pull off such a little stunt. But you are hardly the first to attend these events because of it. In fact… as I said… most people here are only here for that reason. It isn’t only that though. Most people in my life now are only around me because they think it will benefit them in some way. There are a few who are close to me because… well, they wish to be… most are only around me because of the power and perks of being associated closely with the Vampire King,” he told you, and the way he spoke… it betrayed his anger and sadness at the reality of the nature of his relationships. “Everyone has something they want from me. Whether it is protection, wealth, status, or power. Access to more… interesting hunting grounds or just freedom to be a bit more chaotic than the rules would typically allow for. Even those here out of loyalty are only loyal to me because I am their king. They don’t care about the person behind the title – only the title,” he continued on. You looked down.

“It… it must be lonely,” you whispered. You understood that loneliness. You were doing fine on your own. You knew that. You were a good hunter. A great one, even. You were surviving but… you weren’t living. You missed companionship. You hadn’t realized how much until you had heard him speaking but… you did miss it. And you could he did too. Not only from his words… but from the far-off look in those dazzling eyes of his.

“It is. More than you could know,” he softly spoke. “But… it is a pain I’m used to; I suppose. It wasn’t as though this didn’t happen before,” he grumbled, and you tilted your head at this.

It occurred to you then that, despite the time you had put into getting to this moment… despite the dedication you had had for taking down the Vampire King… you actually knew very little about him. You had no idea who he was, as you’d only really heard about him in whispers. You assumed from him calling Wonder Woman “Diana” that he must have been close – or at least somewhat close – to the Justice League, but… who was he? The mask certainly wasn’t helping either, as you could not make out any distinct facial features that could clue you in to who he was. Luckily, you didn’t have to play detective to figure it out, as he was apparently more than willing to share.

“I used to be a hero. Not a superhero… just… a… a hero. I guess. I worked with one of the Justice League members. He took me in when I was young… raised me to be his apprentice. He was… strict. Really strict. I always used to think it was because he wanted me to be safe. Because he wanted me to be protected when I was out on patrol… but now I wonder sometimes if it was because he just wanted to ensure I was his perfect copy. Able to do all the things he was… cause if I was going to be his legacy… then I’d better be a good one, right? Sometimes I think that is all he wanted from me. Just… a legacy,” he shared. You frowned.

“You said he took you in when you were young though. He… he must have cared if he did something like that, right?” you countered, and he laughed sadly.

“You’d think so… but here’s the thing: he gave me a roof over my head, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in, but never actually adopted me. I was nine when… when my parents died…” he began, pausing for a moment. His voice cracked slightly when he mentioned the death of his parents. He did not cry though. No tears fell from those bewitching eyes, and you knew it wasn’t because he couldn’t cry. He forced back the tears, you knew, with all the expertise of someone who had been doing it for tears. Someone who had taught themselves since they were young not to show any fears… or sadness… or emotions. “They were good people, my parents. Loving people. They died in an accident. I was there. Saw the whole thing,” he continued on, and your heart broke for him. You couldn’t imagine what that was like. Someone so young… seeing their parents die…

“I… I’m so sorry,” you quietly interrupted, and he nodded in appreciation.

“It was a long time ago. I… I was devasted. Still am. Then Br… then he came into my life. Offered me a place to stay. A home… which began to feel more like a training camp,” he continued on. He paused again, and then resumed, “I fear I’m painting too cruel a picture of him. He wasn’t a bad man. At least, not to me. Not really. He was simply… cold. He didn’t know how to… be there for a child. He knew how to take care of a child, but not be there for one. Not love them or comfort them. I think it was because he never really had that. He lost his parents when he was young, you see. And I wonder often if that is why he took me in. Because he was something in me that reminded him of himself. That makes it worse though… because it means that he always expected me to be him. Not only in our roles as heroes but also when it came to the sort of man I became,” he shared with you, and during this entire part of his tale, his eyes never left the ground as you two danced. “When I was his apprentice… everyone only saw me as that. His “sidekick”. That was all I was. I had a role to play, and I learned to play it well. And it was an important one. I helped people. Saved people. But… at the same time… I was so young. Just a kid, you know? I never got a childhood. Just the cape and the crusade. It was only when I got older that I even knew to mourn it. And… I did. But I couldn’t exactly quit. Not only because I knew it would disappoint him but… because the life was all I knew,” he told you in a hushed voice.

“I…” you started to say, but you weren’t sure what to respond to that. After a moment, you decided to say nothing and just let him continue.

“I left the name behind. The one he gave me when I was his apprentice. I took up a new one. Thought that would change things. But… it didn’t. People just saw me as that. Expected that hero instead of the other one. But still expected a hero. I wasn’t allowed breaks. Wasn’t allowed to make mistakes because people depended on me. I would go out with people cheering for me as I swung by from roof to roof, and I’d wave, and they’d yell in support for me. Then I’d go home and… I would be alone. Entirely alone. So many people out there, supporting the title but… not me. No one knew me. I was so alone. The man who had taken me in… he took in another boy… and then… that boy died…” he explained, and you drew in a sharp breath.

“I… my gosh…” you breathed, and he nodded.

“The man who took us both in took it really hard. Got… cold. Closed himself off. I… I… he was hurting. He blamed himself. I get that but… he… I needed… I was hurting too. I lost a brother when the boy died. And… and no one was there to comfort me. I had to comfort him. And I get it, like I said but… I just… wanted someone there to hold me while… while I cried, as I did for him. But there was no one. And then another boy came into the picture. Smart kid. The man who took me in took him on as an apprentice… and I was thrown to the wayside. Like a tool that was no longer useful… and I guess that was what I was. What we all were.”

“The boy who died came back a little while later. Well, came back into our lives. He… magic, you know? And you’d think the man would have done everything he could to keep him close after losing him and getting a second chance… but he didn’t. See, the thing that brought the boy back… it… messed with his head. Left him angry and hurting. He… did some things that were very against the rules, and our old man… he pushed the boy away because of it. I never understood that. I was so happy that the boy was back. My brother… who I thought was gone forever… he was back… we had a second chance… and our “father” was just so willing to throw it away. Throw him away. And then his son showed up… biological son this time. There was always such competition between all of us. I sometimes think that… if he’d… if he’d paid more attention to us… or bothered to make us feel like family… then perhaps… perhaps there wouldn’t have been. I think I got the best of it. I was the first… and even though it meant I was jealous of all the others because they were… because slowly over time he paid more attention to them than me… I learned that it was just how he worked. Always focusing on the one who was newest… and then forgetting them. The others… saw me as either something to live up to or this unreachable standard that they were being forced to live up to. The first of the name. It wasn’t like I was perfect… but I think… he just expected we’d each be better than the last, so he pushed us harder and harder… and we resented each other for that because… it was easier than resenting him. And because… he was our father. And we loved him. And we wanted his respect, approval, admiration, and affection. And he did love us, but he was never the best at showing it. And so, most of the others began to assume, I think, it was because he loved the others more… but the truth was he was just as bad at sharing his emotions with any given one of us as he was with the rest.”

“But that didn’t take away the competition. The need. To be the best. Always trying to be the best. Be the most useful and helpful. The best tool in the machine… so you didn’t get thrown out. So… I got used to it. To being… useful. Replaced that with being loved. But it… the hole in your heart… the loneliness… it doesn’t go away. You might tell yourself it does. You might lie to yourself and tell yourself that you are fine with it but… deep down… it kills you. Knowing that all people want from you is your usefulness. What you can do for them, and not who you are. The title and the role are all that matter. Well, that, and what they can get from you due to your title and role. It was like that when I was Robin. It was like that when I was Nightwing. It was like that as Bruce’s… apprentice because I was never really his son. And it is like that now, with my role as the Vampire King all but ensuring that all anyone ever sees me as is a means to an end,” he finished with a long sigh, and your eyes widened.

“You… are Nightwing?!” you gasped out, and he blinked in surprise before laughing.

“Oh, right, I sometimes forget that not everyone knows that Nightwing and the Vampire King are in the same. But yes, I am Nightwing. Or, well, I was Nightwing,” he confessed, and your jaw dropped. The Vampire King was the former protector of Gotham?! Previous sidekick to Batman?! How… how was that even possible? He was a hero! He saved people! The Vampire King wasn’t even anything remotely close to that! He was a monster! He killed people! Hurt people!

“I… never would have guessed that,” was all you could think to reply, and he shrugged at this.

“I suppose it is not the obvious connection. Most people assumed the Vampire King was one of the supervillains of Gotham who had managed to get enough connections to turn the League. I’d probably assume the same if it wasn’t for, well, the obvious,” he replied.

“Could… could I ask you a question?” you queried, and he nodded.

“Of course. Ask whatever you would like to,” he permitted.

“W… why? Why do all of this? I mean… you were… you worked with Batman. And the Justice League. Why… what made you want to do all of this?” you asked him.

“What the hell went so wrong with you that you would think it was a good idea to take over the same world you were supposed to protect?” is what you really meant, but you figured it would be best to phrase it in a manner that was… a bit less direct. After all, you were still pretending to be a vampire, and you suspected that many vampires wouldn’t exactly be of the same mindset you were when it came to his actions. However, you figured that it was a safe enough bet that some of them would be curious about his change of heart, so you viewed asking as a risk you were willing to take. Nightwing hesitated before answering, thinking his answer over. When he was ready, he spoke.

“I… I wanted to change the world. I know it sounds cliché but… I did. Living in Gotham… you see the worst of the worst of humanity. People who do horrible things to others just because they can, or because they are bored. The people in charge don’t care, or worse, work with those people. Corruption is so rampant that honestly… it is hard to see an end to the violence and pain. I… when I became the Vampire King and realized that I could make the other vampires follow my commands, I thought this was finally my chance to try and… reset things. Make a better world. That was the goal, anyhow…” he answered, and you raised an eyebrow at this.

“The goal?” you asked, and he nodded again.

“It is pretty obvious the world isn’t great for both humans and vampires. I… when I started out… that wasn’t the plan. I wanted a world where humans and vampires could co-exist together. But… no one warns you; you know? About the thirst… the hunger. It blinds you. Makes you see people are just… food. Makes you vicious. Bloodthirsty. Power-hungry. Someone… someone better than I would maybe have been able to fight it. Resist it. No, not might have. I know someone who did. He… he’s more or less like the kid I used to know. Granted, he was pretty feral before but… he fights. For justice. For vengeance. For… his family…” The way he spoke led you to believe that whoever he was talking about, it was someone who he had been close to. Someone he had been fond of, even. “But I wasn’t strong enough. I let it corrupt me. I should… I should have been stronger, but I wasn’t, and I failed. I failed and now it is too late to go back. See, power and title don’t equal immunity, and now that I’m seen as this ruthless king… if I go back… they will kill me. Someone will kill me and take my place as ruler of the vampires the moment I show any weakness or any hesitation. And I have no idea if they will be worse than I am. Maybe they won’t. Perhaps they would be better than I am, but perhaps they might be worse. I have no way to tell. But… it is too late for me. Too late for me to change anything. I am damned, and that is the truth,” he confessed, and you saw that look from before. The tired, pained look of one who would be sobbing right now if he hadn’t taught himself so long ago to hide such emotions from the world.

You… you had no idea what to say to this. When you had arrived here, you would have assumed that the man you would be facing, the man you would be trying to take down, would have been a monster. Someone who held no remorse for their actions. Someone who you would hate immediately when speaking with. Someone who was beyond redemption, whose only goals in the world were gaining power and wealth, or who took sick glee in hurting others. You thought he would be like the monsters of fables and stories. Mean, cruel, and nasty. Someone who is insufferable to be around. Someone who, if you weren’t there specifically to kill, you would avoid at all costs. But…

But he wasn’t like that at all.

He was charming, witty, and pleasant to be around. He was sincere and honest. He’d opened up about all of that personal stuff. His past and his insecurities. He was so… in tune with his emotions. He was smart too. He’d figured you out… well… somewhat. He had known pretty quickly that you weren’t supposed to be there, and while he hadn’t figured out exactly what your intentions were, he had come up with a pretty logical reason for you being there. And even though he knew you had stolen an invitation and snuck into the party, he had let you stay. He could have called for his guards to have you escorted out. Could have told everyone that you were not invited to the party in an attempt to single you out. He could have even told them to kill you. But he hadn’t done any of those things, instead choosing to continue dancing with you and talking with you. No, he wasn’t like you pictured at all.

Which made things very complicated when it came to your plan. He had still done so many awful things. He might have started out with good intentions, but he had said it himself: he let the bloodlust and power corrupt him. How many had died because of vampires under his command? But… at the same time… perhaps he didn’t know? Perhaps he wasn’t aware how bad things truly were out that? The man before you didn’t seem like the type who would just overlook all that. When he was talking about wanting a better world, he sounded sincere. Sounded like he really did want that. So, perhaps he really wasn’t as aware of the state of the world as you thought? You knew that Gotham had been chosen as a hunting ground because it was where the Vampire King resided but… perhaps he didn’t know that? Maybe he didn’t know about the blood farms. It was possible his people were lying to him, or at least not telling him the full story about how bad things were in the world for humans. If that was the case…

Then maybe you could work with him. Maybe you didn’t have to kill him. If he was willing to work with you to make a new world – a better world – that worked for both humans and vampires, then maybe there was a way to fix the world without more bloodshed. And there had been so, so much bloodshed. So much loss. So much suffering. But maybe the war didn’t have to end in more of it. Maybe you could convince him there was still a better way. There was still hope. He said that he thought it was too late for himself, but maybe it wasn’t? As long as he still wanted to better the world, which it seems like he did from how he was talking, then perhaps there was hope! A small sliver, perhaps. You weren’t even sure it was there. Maybe you were just seeing something that wasn’t there. Maybe his charm was getting to you more than you cared to admit, no matter how much you told yourself you weren’t falling for it. But… there was a chance, wasn’t there? A chance that he did still want that bright future he had talked about before?

And wasn’t it worth a shot bringing up the idea? You wouldn’t even have to reveal that you were human. At least, not at first. You could tell him you are just passionate about the issue despite being a vampire. Or even tell him you have friends that are human who you want to protect. He did say there were vampires who had fought their thirst and had kept their previous way of life. You could pretend to be one of those vampires. It would be difficult, sure. There was the challenge of having to keep up the appearance of being a vampire, and then the added difficulty of not getting found out by any other vampires in the area. Not only that, but if everyone was drinking blood and you were offered some, you would have to find some way to excuse that. But you could always say you are shy about drinking due to your more human side. You could even make up some tale about having embarrassing drinking habits. There were plenty of ways around it. And yes, it was risky, but so too had been your original plan of trying to kill the Vampire King! There wasn’t really a plan in this situation that didn’t involve some sort of risk. You are living in a world full of vampires! Just existing carried its own set of risks! But some of those risks had to be worth taking, right? Especially if you wanted to change the world. So… maybe… maybe this was one of those risks?

“Ruined the mood, didn’t I?”

His voice startled you back to reality and you blushed deeply. You weren’t sure how long you had been staring off for, but clearly, it was long enough that he had taken notice. You bowed your head in a silent apology.

“Not at all. I just… was not expecting all of that, my King,” you began, before worrying that that might come across the wrong way, so you added a quick, “But I appreciate your honesty, and am honored that you would share such things with me.”

“Well, I appreciate you taking the time to listen. Not many would. Well… they would, but only because I am their king, and even then, they wouldn’t listen. Not really. But thank you for actually hearing me,” he acknowledged, and you found yourself smiling at him. But unlike before, this was a real smile. A fully genuine smile.

“It is my pleasure,” you told him, and you meant it. He smiled at you, but then frowned suddenly.

“The song is nearly over… shame. I did rather enjoy talking with you. It was… unexpected, but lovely all the same,” he said.

“The song is nearly over… he will be going off to dance with someone else or do something else… this is it. It is now or never. Ask him or don’t…” you thought to yourself. You drew in a deep breath for confidence and then spoke.

“My King… if I may... would it be possible for us to meet somewhere more private later on?” you blurted out, and his eyes widened. A mischievous smirk then appeared upon his face.

“My, my! That is rather… forward of you. Not that I don’t enjoy your company, and not that this wasn’t a lovely little chat, and not that you are not lovely yourself. I am very flattered but… well… we hardly know one another,” he responded. You furrowed your brows at this, unsure what he meant. Until a moment later it hit you and you gasped.

“Oh my gosh! I hadn’t meant… that!” you stammered out, and he laughed. “I just… something you said… I wanted to discuss it further. I… I had an idea… and I think maybe… we could help each other out,” you tried to explain, and he snickered.

“You really need to watch your phrasing, darling. It still does sound like you are trying to seduce me,” he informed you, and this earned a groan from you.

“I… that… that is not my intention,” you murmured, and you heard him laugh again.

“Oh, I can tell. I doubt you’d be getting this flustered if it was,” he chuckled, and you were tempted to roll your eyes.

“I really do just want to talk about something,” you assured him, and he smiled softly at you.

“Then talk we shall,” he promised, and you could not help the fluttering of your heart as he said this. You heard the song which was playing previously come to an end, and the room fell silent aside from a few murmurs and whispers. “I have to do something quickly. Public appearances and all that. But I promise, after that, I am all yours,” he whispered to you, and you did not miss the wink he shot your way as he walked off.

The Vampire King – Nightwing – strolled back up to his previous position at the top of the stairs. He was looking down at everyone in the ballroom, and all eyes were on him. A waiter walked up to him and handed him a glass. It looked to be filled with a dark red liquid you could only assume was blood. Nightwing nodded at the waiter, and the man was turning to leave when suddenly, Nightwing placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. He leaned close and began whispering something. You could not hear what they were saying due to the distance, but you saw the waiter nodding every so often. Eventually, the two finished talking, and then the waiter bowed. He then rushed off into a corridor and you lost sight of him.

“Welcome, everyone! Thank you all for being here today! I’m so happy to see everyone! You all look marvelous!” Nightwing called from the stairs, and the room erupted in applause. “As you know, these galas are very special to me. As your king, it does me a great disservice when I am not able to interact with all of you, and so it brings me so much joy to be able to host these events. To talk with you all. To not only hear your stories and successes, but any complaints which you may wish to voice. After all, a great leader listens. A great leader learns. And I want to be a great leader for you all,” he announced.

“You are!” shouted a random vampire from in the room, and this earned a laugh from a few people. It seemed like a surprised laugh more than anything. Nightwing’s laugh though… that was genuine. It was a laugh of amusement and of one who was clearly flattered, if not a bit flustered too.

“Thank you! Thank you!” he chuckled. He then fell silent, and so did the entire room. “But in all seriousness, I truly do appreciate all of you who came here tonight. You could have been anywhere else, but you chose to be here, and so, I’d like to offer you all a little treat…” he began before snapping his fingers. You saw the figure from earlier walking over to him with an empty wine glass in hand. He handed it to Nightwing before bowing and disappearing once again. “But before then, a toast! A toast to you all! To us! To our success and to our future! I would not be here if it was not for the love, generosity, and support that you have all shown me, so thank you all again!” he cheered, and the entire room erupted once more in applause. Everyone’s eyes were glued to him, and you suspected that, like yourself, many were waiting to see what the aforementioned “treat” was.

You did not have to wait long, for the figure from before re-entered the room and walked over to whisper something to Nightwing, who nodded and motioned a “bring it here”. The figure then clapped, and two other vampires who you did not recognize walked into the room. You heard the sound of echoing footsteps following those two and tilted your head in confusion. What was he planning? What required… what… five people? Five people for one surprise thing? Originally, you had thought that he was planning on serving some special drink or something of the sort, but you didn’t see any glasses in the hands of the other servers. Only Nightwing himself was holding a glass, so that theory was out. So, what was it?

That was when the other two figures entered the room… dragging between them a captive human who was bound at their ankles and wrists. The hostage was openly sobbing and whimpering, with waterfalls of tears streaming down their face. Dried blood was crusting around the ropes that were binding them, and you could tell that it was from a struggle. They’d been trying to fight the restraints. Trying to get out. How long had they been like that? It had to be a considerable length of time for the blood to pool and then dry… you couldn’t even imagine. You could only watch in horror as the sobbing figure was dragged towards Nightwing, who set the glass down on the floor and walked over to them, stroking their hair gently and cooing to try and calm them, as one might do to a frightened puppy. And then…

In a single, swift motion, he plunged a sharp fingernail into their throat.

Blood squirted from the wound like a leak in a dam, all of it seemingly rushing to get free through the newly opened passageway. The hostage’s eyes were wide, and they were trying to scream, but no sound could escape due to the damage to their vocal cords. They were fighting hard against their restraints but to no avail. All it did was open the old wounds on their wrists, allowing blood to flow from there too. you watched them as their life slowly drained from their body with each drop that fell from their wrists or each spurt that gushed from their wounded neck. The sight alone was horrifying and sickening, but that wasn’t the worst part.

The worst part was the reactions of the others in the room. The crowd of vampires were cheering or licking their lips with hunger and envy clear in their eyes. Some were whispering amongst themselves, asking each other whether they thought the gift was “their own personal blood bag” or whether it would just be a glass of the blood of one of the King’s “blood bags”. One had even turned to you and asked you what your thoughts were, and you forced a smile and told them you were grateful either way for the gift. It made you physically sick to your stomach to say those words, but you had to blend in. Maintain your cover. So, you could say nothing in protest as you watched Night… the Vampire King walk over to the poor bleeding figure and put his wine glass underneath their throat. You held back the urge to vomit as you watched him grip their hair, pull them forward, and position the stream of blood so that it was falling into his glass. You remained silent as the figure’s life left their body, despite rising temptation – no, need – to rush up there to help them. You knew there was nothing you could do now anyways. Even if you could go up there, even if it wouldn’t mean risking your own life and exposing yourself as human, they were gone. You couldn’t help them. Truth was… they were dead the moment they had been brought in here. There was nothing you could have done… and knowing that made it so much worse.

The Vampire King finished filling up his glass, and then he motioned for the guards from before to take the body away. They nodded and did as they were told, and then the Vampire King turned back to the crowd before him.

“Now, I know traditionally you do the toast with the drink, so, I apologize for doing it a little bit in a mixed-up order. But I trust that your treats will more than make up for it!” he exclaimed, and the entire audience was holding their breaths in anticipation. “The blood tonight is supplied by a… hmm… prize I caught on one of my hunts. I’ve been feeding them a rich diet of various juices, meats, and other delicacies that I have been assured will make their blood taste most divine. Now, my treat to all of you is a hunt of the very same!” he explained, and “ohs” and “ahs” filled the room. “The game you will be chasing have been fed the same diet. There are 20 games for your hunting pleasure. Now, I know there are more than 20 of you here, however, we wanted to make it a bit of a competition. But don’t worry! If you do not catch anyone, we have prepared some glasses of this specialty blood for you in the parlor. Now then, I believe your prizes should already be running about the forest behind the property. Please, enjoy your time, and best of luck to all of you!” shouted the Vampire King, and just like that, everyone took off outside, leaving you alone in the ballroom.

You stood there in silence, unable to move. A thousand thoughts or more were racing through your mind, and it felt as though it hurt just to think. You could barely breathe, let alone try and come up with your next move. You knew you had to. You had to figure out something. What were you going to do? You… you’d trusted him? Maybe not fully but… you wanted to believe – no, you let yourself believe – that he wasn’t like the rest of them. He’d been so kind. So… approachable. So… human. You’d let yourself believe that he was better than they were. That he was reasonable. That he could be on your side! That you could work with him and trust him! How could you have let yourself believe that?! You knew what he was! You’d known all along! Sure, you hadn’t known that he was… as evil as he was – no, is. And you… you’d wanted to believe that he was just negligent. That that was his worst crime. Or perhaps that he was good at heart, but had simply, as he said, let himself get swept up into all that happened. But that deep down, he did want to make a difference. He’d told you that before… before he did want that. He’d been a hero, damn it! He was Nightwing! Protector of Gotham and Blüdhaven! You thought that that meant something. Meant there was still some good left in him. That not all of it had been corrupted. You had to hold onto that hope… because without it… you weren’t sure what you would do. You needed to believe that the world could change. That it could get better. That things could improve. Not only for yourself but for everyone you had lost.  

They were your reason for fighting. Those you had lost. They were good people, and those were rare to find, now more so than ever. You thought about them. Remembered their faces. Yana and Alexander. Jamie. You thought about the massacre. The image that you would never forget of the carnage in that place invaded your mind, and you fought back tears and sobs which threatened to overwhelm you. You thought about Rose next. Your best friend, whose fate you were still unsure of. Who you hadn’t heard from for months, and who, while all of your soul hoped it wasn’t the case, you could only presume had met the same fate as Yana, Alexander, and Jamie. You thought about your family, who you hadn’t seen in such a long time. Your heart ached when you thought of them. How badly you wanted to return to them. You’d have given anything to go back. But you couldn’t endanger them, so you had to stay away. If it wasn’t for the vampires, you could see them. Visit them. Have your old life back. But in this world, you knew that wasn’t a possibility. In this world, you were alone.

So, you kept fighting for a better world. For yourself. For your future. For the futures of everyone out there like you, who was lost and afraid and alone. For those who had loved and lost. You fought for those like Jamie, who would never have the future they deserved, or any future at all, for those like Rose, who you hoped you would one day see again. And you knew that even if it was only the slightest chance… even if it was a 0.000000001% chance that you could make a change in this world… you knew you’d keep fighting for it. Keep facing impossible odds, over and over again. Because you had to. You couldn’t give up. You wouldn’t.

A tap on your shoulder startled you out of your thought and you jumped, stifling a yelp. You turned to see the Vampire King standing there behind you. He flashed you a smile, and it took everything in you not to slap him right there and then. God, you hated that smile. That smug, cocky, arrogant, traitorous thing that formed from the curving of lips that lied as though it were as easy as breathing to do so. As though it did not weigh on one’s heart to do so, but you suspected that was not an issue for him. For in order for it to weigh upon one’s heart, one would need to have a heart in the first place. Still, you hated it. You hated him. And through this hate, through the memories of those who you were fighting and the reminder of why it was you were here in the first place, came the image of you standing over the Vampire King… a stake clutched in your hands. Dripping red with his blood as his body lies at your feet. And after this image came to mind… you found you had no trouble returning to him a smile of your own.

“I’m sorry. I hadn’t meant to startle you,” he said softly. You shook your head.

“No need to apologize. I was merely lost in my own thoughts,” you replied to him sweetly.

“You are not outside with the others. Is my gift not to your liking?” he questioned.

“Oh! No! It is most generous! Really!” It took everything in you not to vomit while saying this. “It is just that I ate already before I arrived, and thought I hate to waste such wonderful blood, I’m afraid I cannot drink anymore this evening,” you lied without missing a beat, and he seemed to buy it, for he pouted and placed a hand on your shoulder.

“That is a shame! I will have to save you some for later then. Assuming you do still want to chat?” he inquired, and you nodded eagerly.

“I’m very much looking forward to it!” you told him, and it was the truth… but only for very different reasons than when you originally suggested the meeting. He extended his hand to you, waiting for you to take it. Your entire body screamed at you to refuse. To slap it away. But you knew that not accepting would make him suspicious, and while you had managed to talk your way out of suspicion earlier, you didn’t want to push your luck. So, despite your every instinct telling you not to, you placed your hand in his and allowed him to lead you to wherever your destination was.

Your destination, it turns out, was a lavish-looking guest room on the second floor of the building. It contained within it a large bed with lavender sheets and curtains to match. The walls of the room were a deep purple as well, and the carpet was beige. There was what looked to be a writing desk and atop it sat a notebook. The notebook had a lock on it. You raised your eyebrow at this, curious as to why there appeared to be personal items in a guest room. You wondered if someone was perhaps staying there currently but then thought that that could not be the case. After all, why would he bring you to a room someone was already staying in when there had to be plenty of other rooms in the building that were unoccupied? You noticed the book had the initials “J.T.” on them and pondered who the book may belong to.

Your focus was diverted when you heard a soft sound starting to fill the room. The Vampire King had walked over to a dresser on the far side of the room and had turned on an old record player. The sound of sensual piano music began to fill the room and he smiled over at you.

“I’d ask you to dance, but I’d hate to be repetitive,” he joked, and against every instinct, you found yourself giving him a genuine smile. You turned away, inspecting the rest of the room. There did not appear to be any exit or entrance apart from the door you had both entered from. There was a single window, but it was small and not accessible. It was perfect, you thought. The Vampire King had shut the door behind him, meaning that you would know if anyone tried to get in. It also meant that so long as you blocked the door, there was no getting out for him. The room did not have a bathroom or anything attached to it, and while there was a closet, it was hardly going to be useful for him if he was trying to hide or escape. This made things much more convenient for you. Now all you had to do was lure him into a false sense of security, get his guard down, get between him and the door, and then pull out one of the weapons in your coat. You looked back over the closet and noted that while it wasn’t the best hiding spot, it could be a decent place to dispose of the body temporarily. Everyone else was out on their hunt, so it would be a while before anyone even noticed he was gone. There was the staff, sure, but you doubted they would risk interrupting a private conversation. You could kill him, sneak out, and then leave before they even noticed he was dead. Worst case scenario, if one of the staff did see you trying to leave and they asked about him, you could just tell them that he had talked you into joining the hunt and that you were going to head outside to do so, and then you could escape that way. That could work. Your gaze fell back upon the closet, and you noted that the doors did seem to be sturdy. Sturdy enough to hold up a body’s weight? Maybe… if not though, you could always push the dresser or something else in front of it…

And while this thought crossed your mind, while you were trying to troubleshoot how to hide the body of the Vampire King… you felt a sharp pain in your neck.

You whipped around to see the Vampire King standing there with an empty syringe in his hand. Your eyes went wide, and you scrambled to the door, but it was too late. Your legs gave way underneath you and you fell to the ground. You tried to crawl to safety, but your arms failed you as well, becoming putty. Fatigue hit you like a ton of bricks and you found it nearly impossible to keep your eyes open.

“You can come in now!” you heard the Vampire King yell, and you heard the sound of a door opening. You could barely make out the outline of two guards as they walked into the room. “Take this one to the dungeon, would you? I think we have some matters that need to be discussed…” he instructed, and you felt them lifting you up. You struggled against them, but your energy was rapidly fading and with every movement, you could feel yourself falling closer to sleep. You heard the Vampire King sigh as he brushed some hair out of your face.

“Such a shame. I really did think we had such a great thing going there earlier. But I suppose it was too good to be true, wasn’t it?” he pouted. You tried and failed to snarl at him. “Now then, get some rest, and when you wake up, I think you and I will be having a much-needed chat. There are a few important things we should discuss…” he began, and your eyes drooped closed. The last thing you heard before you slipped into unconsciousness was:

“The first item on the agenda being, of course, your pretty little plan to kill me.”

[neurotypical-sonic]

I feel interested in vampire aus 👀 I'd love to hear your take

For some reason I am so self concious and embarrassed about my vampire au, be niceys to me

There's not a lot of world building behind it, like I've always wanted to write a fic where the world works differently to canon but instead of explaining it, you just dive right in with minimal explanation, and see how the veiwers interpret it. I like reading those and I think it'd be fun to try and write

The basic idea is that vampires need blood because their bodies can't produce their own. And so if they don't get it enough, that's when the blood hunger (??? craze?? idk what it's called but when they go feral) kicks in. You know how you get really intense cravings based on what your body is lacking? Like sometimes you just want to eat salt out of your hand? It's like that but with the added instinct of needed to Hunt Your Prey. And it's not just craving blood, it's also because you're actually starving, and in pain and desperate because of that, to the point where it clouds your thinking. Like how an average human would respond, but once again with the added supernatural instincts.

It takes a lot to get to that point, though. There's a difference between being hungry, not having enough fresh blood in your system so you're a little snappy, to Actually Fucking Starving. Blood craze is about your body starting to shut down so your brain starts lashing out in a desperate attempt to survive

There's a little more lore to it in my head, like how vampires function in general and like. how and why they exist, but I'm too tired to get into it rn plus it's not that important

The fic in my head is about Sonic, who is a vampire, being in that position. It's on Knuckles' pov, and Amy and Tails are there. Basically, things happened and as a result Sonic has been starved, like literally, and now they're all back and safe at (??? Tails' workshop maybe) but now they have to deal with This. None of them have been in this situation before, they don't know what to do or how to make it better. Seeing Sonic like this, in so much pain and lashing out and trying to hurt them because he can't think properly, is fucking terrifying because it's not like him at all. It's terrifying to see someone you know and love in that position, and it throws you off balance. Seeing someone whos usually so strong in such a weak and vulnerable position is gut wrenching. And they KNOW the easiest way to help, but they know that they can't do that, he'd end up killing them, so they have to do it the slower way (tails leaves to break in to a hospital and steal blood while amy and knuckles stay with sonic)

It sounds super lame now that I type it out shdjdjd. The focus is on the fact that this is a Scary Situation, not because of the fact that Sonic's a vampire, but because like fuck dude!! medical emergencies aren't fun and seeing someone you love Like That is fucking terrifying!! and Sonic's in and out of lucidity and knuckles cant figure out if he prefers it when Sonic's acting like a fucking rabid animal or when sonic is fucking terrified and shaking and depending on them to both keep him in check and comfort him. Sonic's ooc in this because that's the point. And also amy knuckles and tails trying to deal with everything that comes with a loved one trying to attack you, like you know it's not their fault but it also really scares you, and dealing with during All Of This would be. interesting to say the least.

Vivid mental image: in his desperation he ends up trying to bite himself and they have to scramble to get him to Not Do That. and they end up taping a bunch of cardboard together so he has something to bite and seeing him sitting there like that, jaw clamped down on some goddamn cardboard while he shakes and looks terrified, is so jarring, like it's something that knuckles would normally make fun of him for, the whole situation is ridiculous, sonic and his shitty new chewtoy, but it's not funny at all, it's devastating and the image is seared into his brain and he doesn't know how to deal with it

I started to write it yesterday while half asleep and god damn you can tell I was half asleep. It's not good sndndn I would like to finish it because it's such a vivid image in my head but also I'm so fucking embarrassed this is so self indulgent of me. hurt/comfort and vulnerability, yknow

[desertfangs]

What do you think of Armand and Marius's reunion at the end of Blood Communion? Armand opens his heart back up to Marius according to the text. It felt as if Rice was reconnecting both Lestat/Louis and Marius/Armand in that novel.

I'm sorry if this sounds invasive. I don't like so-called ship wars because these vampires are polyamorous in nature but why do so many Devil's Minion's fans here write about Armand and Daniel as if they are endgame when it doesn't exactly seem so? It seems many ignore the contents of Blood Communion.

Anon, I love that it seems Armand's heart is no longer shut against Marius! Armand thought he had lost him which is bound to make anyone take stock, and I really hope that's the catalyst of them healing their relationship and coming to an understanding. I am rooting for them!! And I think Daniel is also rooting for them, paying mediator and translator as needed, and wanting them to settle things so they can all be happy and cuddle on the couch together.

I do think BC2 was Anne trying to reconnect Louis and Lestat and bring everyone to a place of like... We're Getting Along Now and Court is A Happy Place and Everyone Is Fine. There's Marius and Armand, plus Armand and Lestat share that look at the end seems to imply they've come to a better understanding or at least are going to try.

You don't sound invasive and I sure hope I didn't sound like I was trying to encourage any ship fighting because I am not about that life. If I had my way, they'd all hang out together all the time like one big polycule on a giant sectional sofa at TG watching movies and having make outs. Eternity is a long time, you're not going to get everything from one person. Armand also loves Louis deeply, and we know he loves Lestat. Obviously he loves Marius! I don't think Daniel can be or wants to be everything to Armand, and while I think some jealousy is fun for delicious drama, I don't think it's the ruling factor in most of their relationships, either.

Now the big question: Why do Devil's Minion fans write about Armand and Daniel as if they're endgame? I mean, by virtue of being DM fans, we are heavily invested in their relationship. A/D are my OTP and while that's not true for all DM fans, gun to my head if I had to pick one couple who earned their happy ending, I'd say it's them. They had a rough road. Daniel getting The Blood was beautiful moment of victory and Armand seemed so happy with him in QotD, despite any misgivings he may have had. It's great!

And then... stuff falls apart but we only get tidbits for the rest of the series. We know they split, we know Armand almost died, we know Daniel went mad, and then we know they come back together in PL and go hunting. We know they shack up in PLROA and plan to go back to Trinity Gate together. We're given crumbs but the trail does lead to them getting that happy ending after all.

I don't think anything in BC2 discounts that. Daniel isn't mentioned at all so we don't know where he is but we also don't get any indication that things went south between Armand and Daniel since they left for TG. Armand's love for Marius and Lestat and Louis doesn't change his love for Daniel. He loves all of them desperately and that's why he's so intent on trying to help protect them and so frustrated that he is often dismissed at Court.

So I can't speak for all DM fans but I don't think the intention of us taking that happy ending and holding it tight is meant to dismiss or discount those other relationships. We're just very happy we got anything given how little of them we got in the latter half of the series.

I hope that makes sense!

[checkoutmybookshelf]

In Defense of Full-Cast Audiobooks

By the time I was teaching Dracula as a PhD student, I was getting *that close* to being done, I was burned out as all hell, and I just could not bring myself to sit down and read the OG vampire book. I tried. It wasn't grabbing me, and there were days I literally could not make my eyes focus on the words on the page. So I didn't bother reading my physical copy. I'm actually not sure I ever opened this book to read it (although I did use it to check stuff in classes, so like having the physical copy was useful).

Instead, I got the full-cast audiobook on the strength of the fact that I liked Tim Curry's voice work on any number of childhood cartoons and Simon Vance's work on the Temeraire audiobooks. I went from being meh to actively antagonistic with this book to absolutely, completely enamoured with it, and I credit the incredible full-cast audio performance with that. Let's talk Dracula and the merits of full-cast audiobooks.

Reading is reading, whether you do it with a physical book, ebook, or audiobook. That's not up for debate. However, amongst audiobook afficionados, there are generally two schools of thought.

Camp one is the "just read it to me" folks, and they tend to prefer a single narrator (although I've met a few who will accept two readers, one male and one female, to do characters of those respective genders. No word on how that works with nonbinary characters, so if you have a preference on that, let us know!). This camp also tends to be on a sliding scale in terms of how much performing they like their one narrator to do. I've known people on the "yes, do all the voices and put some feeling into it" end and the "the narrator should be more or less invisible" end.

Camp two is those who prefer full-cast audiobooks. These tend to read like full-on radio productions, with voice actors for all the main characters, and sometimes music and/or sound effects for emphasis and flavor. I've been in this camp since I was a teenager and discovered the full cast audio versions of Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic books. I was sold. I have them basically memorized at this point. And when I found out that I could get Dracula read this way, I leaped on that with both feet.

The audiobook version of Dracula I listened to was the Audible exclusive full-cast version, and I have to say, I think it worked particularly well for an epistolary novel. You never ever get lost or consfused about who the speaker is when every character has their own unique voice actor (which honestly tends not to be an issue for me, but my students would periodically tell me they had this problem when reading). With some music and performance as well, the story really pops. All the interpersonal relationships between characters get just that much more real, that much more impactful.

The ability to "read" the book on my walks to and from school and on the bus to and from work was a massive plus too, because that was right in the middle of my "I'm working three jobs and getting a PhD and TA-ing simultaneously" phase, so using every scrap of time I could was important to my ability to EVEN. I was in a position to pay for the audiobook, but I also tracked down a single-narrator (probably bootlegged, I genuinely don't know) version on YouTube and made that link available to my students in case they weren't in a position to pay for an audio version. I don't know how many of them used the link, or even took my advice to try aduiobooking it if they were struggling to read the book, but I know that the full-cast audio version was how I got through it and how I really ended up loving the book.

In terms of Dracula itself, I don't have a lot to say other than it really IS that good; it's a classic for a reason. The vampire hunting shenangins are never not fun, and seeing vampires before Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer got on the scene is fascinating. If anyone out there hasn't experienced Dracula, I strongly recommend reading it in your preferred medium, and Dracula Daily is an option as well that I'm planning to get in on one of these years, because I haven't done that yet and I think that would be a truly fascinating way to engage with the novel.