#twst vampire!au

[lizardaggro]

the pulse of death, prologue 1

alrighty guys, here it is! vampire!twst au!!! please don't make fun of the title i'm sensitive about it... in any case, you'll notice from the title that this is just part one of the prologue. that's because this sucker is gonna be long af, and you're just gonna have to deal.

genre: gn!reader, will include romance, fluff, and angst down the line tw: none so far. yay! wc:3133

Twas an ordinary day, much like any other. After arriving home from your daily responsibilities, more than ready to mindlessly read fanfiction on your phone. You collapsed onto bed, looking for something to occupy the time until you were ready to fall asleep. Insomnia was something that had plagued you off and on for years; it became much less of an issue once you became an adult and were able to set your own schedule, but still. It wasn’t like it was predictable when you’d be able to embrace the night at last, either, but you managed somehow.

If asked what time it was when you were finally graced with a deep slumber, you couldn’t say. Perhaps it gradually crept up on you, so that you didn’t have the chance to notice. You didn’t remember your dreams, you never did. At some wee hour of the morning, you were awoken by who knows what, a haze still clouding your mind. You couldn’t recall if you’d brushed your teeth or not before you knocked out, so you made your way to the bathroom. Neglecting to flip the light switch due to the soft glow of the nightlight you couldn’t sleep without, you glanced at your reflection in the mirror.

Much to your surprise, instead of your own reflection, you saw a rather odd face staring back at you. It didn’t have much color to it, quite literally, but there was a bright green mist floating around it. Okay. This was fine. You must still be dreaming. It was then that the mirror-face-thing began to speak. Its voice was deep and ominous, but for some odd reason, you didn’t feel frightened. This was only a dream after all, wasn’t it?

“Oh, lovely and noble flower of evil. Magic mirror, tell me, who is the fairest of them all?” it? intoned. “O, one who has been guided by the Mirror of Darkness. Take the hand reflected in the mirror, and never, ever let go.”

As if right on cue, a ghastly hand appeared in the mirror. But it didn’t stop there, reaching beyond the mirror’s bounds and extending toward your form. You shivered as you felt its cold touch. You faintly heard the sound of horses braying in the distance, and perhaps hooves on pavement. There wasn’t much of a chance to register what that could mean, though, as your consciousness began to fade.

When you awoke again, your memories of what had happened were blurry at best. Everything was dark, and the surface you were lying on was hard. Were you going insane, or were you stood upright somehow? Wanting to better understand your predicament, you lifted your arms to feel around you. You were quickly able to determine that you were in a box of some kind. Now that certainly wasn’t ominous at all.

You didn’t have to ponder your fate for long, though, as you heard a voice from somewhere outside. “Hngh, gotta find some clothes so I can fit in,” they mumbled, as if they didn’t expect anyone to hear. It was a slightly nasally sort of voice, almost inhuman in a way. “Stupid coffins won’t open.” Wait, coffins? “Fnyaa, take that! The Great Grim’s special fire blast!” the voice shouted.

The gears in your brain began to turn, processing what that could mean. You had your answer sooner than you would’ve liked, as your little box began to become uncomfortably hot. Too hot. The lid blew off with a little ‘pop,’ and you were able to see at last.

You were in a grand room, with a medieval sort of theme to its décor, and rather dim lighting. There were floating coffins all along the walls, and you quickly surmised that you must’ve been in one as well. Then you turned your attention to the person in front of you. At least, you had assumed it was a person, but it appeared you were mistaken.

“…a cat?” you let out without quite realizing. The creature who’d freed you from that box was indeed a cat, with gray fur, and rather curiously, blue flames licking at its ears. It had a pitchfork-shaped tip for a tail, and a gray-and-white striped scrap of cloth around its neck, reminiscent of a collar.

“Hnngh, the Great Grim is not a cat!” it said. Because of course, the cat could talk. Why not, you supposed, when you had no idea how you’d gotten here and there were objects blatantly defying gravity in the background. “Now, give me your clothes!” it? demanded. You weren’t sure of the cat’s gender; the voice sounded vaguely male-inclined, but one could never be sure.

“I beg your pardon?” you asked, stunned. What use would a not-cat have for human clothes? It was plain to see they wouldn’t fit, and you didn’t think your fashion sense was that revolutionary. Though the fabric did feel a bit different than you were used to, smoother and softer, as if it were made of silk or the like.

You took the opportunity to give yourself a once-over and gasped in shock. You were most certainly not wearing what you had fallen asleep in. You donned a black hooded robe, with golden embroidery and royal purple detailing. You patted yourself down; it seemed you still had your old clothes on underneath, but your pockets were empty, no phone to be found.

“You won’t hand them over? Then I’ll just have to take them from you!” Grim, you assumed that was its name, shouted as it began chasing you, spitting fire from its mouth. Of course, you did what any individual of sound mind would do, and ran for your life. You still didn’t know how you’d ended up here, and there was no way you were going to keel over and die without finding out.

You dashed through corridor after corridor, until you found yourself in a room that resembled a library. Except, naturally, a number of books were hovering in the air, as well as the lanterns that lit the room. In awe at the silent beauty of the ambience, you momentarily forgot your life-threatening situation and gazed around.

You were interrupted soon enough, because Grim was on a mission and had no manners. “You can’t escape the Great Grim! Now hand them over!” Your eyes widened; you had no plan to save yourself in this moment, nowhere to run to. You shut your eyes tight, expecting the pain of being burned to death. But it never came.

When you opened an eye to survey the situation, you saw something rather… questionable. Grim had been bound by a whip of some sort, and was squirming against their restraints. Sure, they’d inadvertently tried to kill you, and allegedly weren’t a cat, but wasn’t this some sort of animal cruelty? Were they even an animal if they breathed fire?

“Fnyaa, what is this?! Let me go!!” Grim demanded. You weren’t expecting it, but a reply came from who knows where. “Ah, ‘tis my Lash of Love!” a voice exclaimed rather flamboyantly. Soon the speaker stepped into view. They were a rather tall individual, adorned with a mask with a beak shape on it. Their voice did indeed match their appearance, which you could only describe as some sort of obnoxiously accessorized medieval cosplay. It went with the building, you supposed.

The person then turned to you. It felt like their piercing yellow eyes saw right through you. “You there, you really must learn to keep your familiar in check- hmm? How peculiar. Pray tell, just what is a human doing here?” they inquired, which only served to confuse you further. What was a familiar? Why would you being a human be odd?

“Um, sir? I don’t want to assume anything though… Well, I’m not sure what you mean exactly,” you began hesitantly, fidgeting with your hands behind your back. “I just woke up inside a coffin in this big room, and then Grim came and blew the lid off and started demanding I give them my clothes. Was I kidnapped. Is this a cult? Where is this? I’m so confused…”

“A cult?” The individual snorted, puffing out their chest. “Certainly not. You may address me as Sir Dire Crowley, and I am the headmaster of this prestigious institution, Night Raven College. I would assume that the ride from the Ebony Carriage had addled your brain, but I do not recall allowing the admission of a human. How odd… Perhaps it was the will of the Dark Mirror?” He mused to himself. You had no idea what any of that meant, other than that this place was a school that Crowley ran.

The man stared off into space, thinking, for a while. Then he seemed to have a little ‘aha!’ moment and began speaking again. You could only listen intently, hoping to glean any sort of information that might be relevant to your situation. “Well then. Since the Dark Mirror has willed it, we have no choice but to oblige. You will remain here at Night Raven College. Only time will tell what secrets your mortal form may be hiding. Ahh, aren’t I so generous?” he preened. You’d begun to have a rather positive impression of Crowley, aside from the whole ‘lash of love’ comment, but that was crashing and burning now.

You had so many questions, but Crowley clearly had his own agenda, and you doubted he’d answer any of them. He spun dramatically on his heel and gestured toward the exit, still dragging Grim behind him. “Come along now, the entrance ceremony has already begun. We wouldn’t want to miss your debut into vampire society, now would we?” The fuck? Did he just say vampire? As in the supernatural creatures people on the internet simped for like no other? This was turning out to be quite the adventure.

You got the impression he really didn’t care what you thought though, so you just shuffled along behind him, doing your best to calm your nerves. First order of business: make sure you weren’t actually dreaming. You slapped your hands to your cheeks, shoujo-anime style, and to your surprise as much as your disappointment, it hurt. You weren’t dreaming. Probably. Second, uh, what came second? Not dying, probably. Yes, that was important.

Sooner rather than later, as much as you dragged your feet, you arrived at your destination: the room you’d initially awoken in. Only this time, the floating coffins were empty, and the room was jam-packed with people. You took a moment to consider if this was some sort of elaborate prank, but then you remembered the terror you’d felt when running from Grim. The fire they’d spat out had been very much real.

Scanning over the crowd, several hooded figures, all wearing the same robes they were, stood out to them the most. It was a varied group in every way, and you could almost swear one of them had cat ears, like those cosplay accessories some people wore. Whatever, you weren’t judging. Crowley looked weirder, in your not-so-humble opinion. They were all on an elevated platform of some sort, likely indicating a position of authority. If this was really a school and not a cult, maybe they were the student council?

“Headmaster Crowley, where were you?” the shortest one of the bunch inquired. “We had to start the ceremony without you.” Oops. That was your fault, you supposed. It wasn’t like you could help it though, and technically Grim was to blame more than anyone. You just hoped no one would be too mad.

“Ah, yes, I had to take a bit of a detour. One of the new students had managed to escape their coffin, and their familiar went on a bit of a rampage,” Crowley explained, not looking the least bit apologetic. You could feel all the eyes in the room turn to you, and you pulled your hood down lower in response. You didn’t know how much of that vampire nonsense was true, but you really didn’t care to be sussed out as a human or an outsider.

“Very well,” the diminutive person replied. “As long as we can wrap things up now.” “Yes, of course, Mr. Riddle. Now then,” he turned to you, “Step in front of the Dark Mirror and say your name.” You weren’t too sure what this ‘dark mirror’ was, but quickly figured it to be the giant mirror in the middle of the room. Who would’ve guessed? Following instructions, you took your place in front of it and stared straight ahead.

There was a face in the mirror, surrounded by an eerie mist. It seemed vaguely familiar somehow, but you couldn’t quite place it. Even more so than Mr. Crow Man, it felt as if it knew something about yourself lost even to you. You stated your name, not wanting to be the center of all this attention any longer. What that was supposed to do you didn’t know, but the face hummed, as if it were thinking about something.

“This one is suited for no dormitory,” it stated at last. Ah, so the purpose of this strange ritual was to be some sort of rip-off Sorting Hat. Go figure. But what did it mean that you were rejected? “Their soul is clear and polished, not like the rest. And they possess no magic, not a drop.”

Well no fucking duh! Of course you weren’t going to suddenly develop magical powers just because you’d been kidnapped straight out of your bed! But you could hardly say that now. If these people really did have some sort of inhuman abilities, pissing them off was the last thing you wanted to do. It was better to keep your mouth shut and play along for now.

One could hear a pin drop in the room after the mirror’s declaration. It seems no one knew how to respond. Even Crowley appeared to be stumped; you’d assumed he expected you to have more to you than meets the eye, but you were one-hundred percent certain you were just an ordinary, human, college student.

“Ahaha,” Crowley’s nervous laughter cut through the silence like a knife. “Come now, child, we’ll discuss this matter further in my office.” With that, he grabbed you by the arm and began to unceremoniously drag you out of the room. Now you knew how Grim felt.

Speaking of Grim, it appeared they were finally tired of being dragged along. With a burst of bright blue flame, they broke through their restraints and began shouting fervently. “If that human doesn’t have any magic, then make me a student instead! The Great Grim will show you just how powerful he is!” he exclaimed, spitting fire all around the room.

Everything quickly devolved into chaos after that. You weren’t there to bear witness to it though, as someone gently took you by the arm and escorted you straight out of that mess. You were grateful, sure, but also very confused. You knew it wasn’t Crowley; that man likely couldn’t care less about your safety. Was it one of the students then?

Once safely in the outside corridor, you turned to verify the identity of your rescuer. He was a personable individual, that much was true. You were pretty sure he was too old to still be in school, but then again, people could start college whenever they chose. His hair was quite fascinating all on its own. It was mostly white, but where it parted off to one side, it was black, making for quite the contrast. That couldn’t be natural. He wasn’t wearing the same robes as everyone else either. That left you utterly confused as to who you were dealing with.

The man eyed you up and down, likely judging. “Hmm. I thought I’d caught the scent of a human on campus, but I didn’t think I’d be correct. Come with me, pup, and I’ll get you all straightened out.” That was it. No introduction, no explanation, nothing. But you went with him anyway. What choice did you have? At least he didn’t yank you like Crowley had.

The mystery man led you into what appeared to be an office of sorts, though there was some sort of giant metal pot in the center of the room. Because nothing could be normal here. He motioned for you to have a seat in one of the plush armchairs opposite the spacious desk. You obliged, more than happy to give your legs a rest after all that running.

Your savior took a seat at the desk, which you assumed was his. Perhaps he was a teacher here. That would make sense. He gazed at you for a moment, likely contemplating something. You returned his stare, not wanting to let your nerves show. You were well aware of your position here, and you were not about to make yourself any more vulnerable than you already were.

Finally, after a few tense moments, he began to speak. “I believe an introduction is in order. I am Divus Crewel, professor of alchemy here at Night Raven College. Since our dear headmaster has declined to do so, I will see to it that your needs are met while you remain here,” he explained. “I’m sure you’ve noticed by now, but Crowley is utterly unreliable. As such, you should come to me whenever you have a problem, pup.”

You nodded along, shocked that someone was actually willing to help you instead of dragging you along or outright attacking you. You could get used to this. It would be good to have an ally here in this unfamiliar place. You wouldn’t completely bare your heart to the man, of course, but this was a start.

“Thank you, Professor Crewel. I was wondering if you’d be willing to answer a few questions for me, actually.” A few was a bit of an understatement, but you’d try to keep it to the essentials out of respect for his time. He gave the impression that he was a busy man.

“Go on, pup. I’m sure you have plenty of things to be curious about,” Crewel offered with a wave of his hand. You were grateful for his understanding. Crowley hadn’t exactly done a great job of explaining. That is to say, all you knew was that this was a school. “Um, first of all, what’s this about vampires?” Wow, way to get straight to the point. It had been your intention to ask more general questions about what was going to happen to you and if you could go home, but it just slipped out somehow. But as Crewel narrowed his eyes, you got a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that curiosity may have just killed the cat.

[quartztwst]

My Vampire Prince(?)! (BLOOD WARNING)

A delusional noble woman in love with a vampire

I love my vampire aus (because thats the only way to explain quartzsona’s grey skin 😭😭)

[mobbu-min]

hmmmm… i want to watch nosferatu and have malleus on the brain…

(tw possible yan mal? blood and death, not reader tho)

Vampire Malleus that sees you trembling through the ruins outside his territory. A shaky hand holding onto a heavy flashlight and the other wrapped tightly around your midriff. A pathetic form of protection, he muses.

Mortals tend to steer clear from his area. He wasn’t even sure when was the last time he saw one. Surely by your indecent way of dress, it's been quite a long time. Ah, how time flies when you're a creature of the night.

Vampire Malleus that follows you throughout the night. Always stepping out of sight everytime you squeak and flash your light in his direction. He could see the tiny tears pricking at your glossy eyes. Throughout his years, he’s seen fear plastered across the face of many and yet, something about yours has his dead heart thrumming in his cold chest. Maybe it’s your eyes, big and shaky, or your trembling lips that squeaks like a little mouse. Or perhaps, it's because you're just so pathetically human that it lights up his curiosity.

Faintly he could hear the sounds of other humans approaching the area. And suddenly, your fear has disappeared into relief. And Malleus’ serene smile twitches. His fun is over and soon you’ll disappear beyond his reach. It can’t be helped, Malleus sighs. For as fleeting as you were, you sure were entertaining.

And yet as your voice met your friends and you turned to face them, your foot slipped and you came tumbling down. Yelping as jagged rock embedded itself into your palms and exposed knees. You hissed in pain as you examined the blood that began to leak out your poor cuts, dripping and collecting into a puddle down below.

And just like that the smell of your blood has awoken the beast.

The moment your friends made it up the hill they fell down wordlessly. It didn’t even click in your brain what had happened. Eyes couldn’t even follow the large black blurr that seemingly flew down from the sky and picked off your friends one by one. Leaving them not a second for them to scream, not a second for them to feel an ounce of fear.

Shakely you called out for them. No response came, just the sway of the wind. Fear mounted you to your spot. You couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear anything and the smell of blood, thick and metallic clung to your nose.

And that smell only became more apparent as a pair of sharp slender pale hands reached for you from the darkness. Twisting your head from the lifeless bodies of your friends to the glowing red eyes of a beast. Domineering, lustful. The beast gazed down at you with such ferocity, you were sure you were about to pass. Those hands, stained with the blood of your friends, trailed down to your bloodied hand and lifted it up to its mouth.

A forked tongue slithered from its mouth and slid across your open wound. And just like that, its eyes rolled back and closed, and it visibly shivered. Disgust thick with fear coated your throat at its reaction and your body fought to move. And yet, it’s hold on your wrist turned harsh, knife-like nails digging into the delicate skin of your wrist and you stilled.

Its eyes opened into narrowed slits. Lips parting into a pleased smirk, allowing you to see its long, sharp teeth. And with a voice, deep and smooth and seemingly human, it purred.

“What an interesting find…”

[anhniedraw]

Come over here, what’s there to fear?

A quick vampire Ace i made for fun and for my own self-indulgence. This is based on the song Vampire by Deco*27’s cover art.

Vampire Ace is also part of my personal twst au where Yuuki found out her 2 new roomates are infact not human.

Funfact: Ace cooks for them most of the time cause Deuce doesn’t really know how to cook human’s foods and Yuuki just have terrible diet in general.

This au doesn’t stop at adeuceyuu tho cause i have a list of all the first years and which supernatural creatures they are. Just haven’t got to drawing them.

[moon-mage]

Still tired and exhausted this week but I finished this at least!! I'll write more stuff later but until then just enjoy the big bad Slayer running from some uber scary vampires.

[shiamiko]

『🎞️ & 🧛』

I love rdac 🌹♥️🥰🫶

[rooksamoris]

💞 — 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍'𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒, 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐄.

💞 — in which vil invites a vampire hunter to live in your castle as a guard. this hunter seems to enjoy pressing your buttons quite a bit.

💞 — vampire!vil schoenheit x vampire!reader x vampire hunter!rook hunt (implied poly)

💞 — warnings: SUGGESTIVE!! nothing crazy, but it is suggestive, hopefully in the gothic romantic sort of way. obvi, blood, mentions of gore. rook says "bon appetit" at some point. vil and reader are "married" but in the eternal partners thanks to immortality sort of way

💞 — 2.2k words. HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY @v-anrouge!!! when i was wondering what i should write, i remembered you were the one who gave me the thought of vampire hunter!rook which has completely haunted me since. i wish you a million more happy days <33 think imma do a whole au tagged as "𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄." bc wow i miss vampire stories

Vil could not have been serious about this.

You looked at him in disbelief as he sat at the luxurious table. He ignored your look of disbelief and continued to sip from his wine glass, the rid liquid sloshing to and fro. Any idiot would assume it was just wine or fruit cordial, but no, this was a bit too thick to be either. Your eyes then darted to the smiling blonde bowing at the both of you. That bastard hunter that you and your kind were constantly trying to get away from. He was grinning without a care as if he was not in the presence of one of the most feared vampires in all of the Twisted Wonderland. 

“You don’t look too pleased to see me, mon vampire,” he said, tilting his head to the side, smile ever present.

It took everything in you not to scrunch your nose, “What vampire would be pleased at the sight of a hunter?” you retorted, before looking back at Vil. You assumed he was bluffing when he told you he would employ a vampire hunter to keep watch over the castle. You knew why he did it—all that power came with enemies and artifacts that all manner of magical creatures wanted to steal for themselves. But come on, you hoped he would settle for a protective spell.

Vil finally sighed, “He won’t harm you, or me if he knows what’s best for him.”

“Oh, Roi du Poison, no need for worries. I could never dream of tarnishing such beauty,” he replied, standing straight again. Despite that smile of his, there was something sinister beneath it all. He was hiding something, that much was clear.

“Vil, darling, you can’t be serious—”

All the vampire did was stand and make his way over to you, standing behind your seat and placing one of his hands onto your shoulders, and then he used the other to cup your chin so that you were glancing over at him, “Stress ages the skin. Relax your brows,” he told you. Your immortality would keep you from aging just fine, yet he still insisted that you follow these human regiments with him.

After a moment, you sighed, letting your shoulders drop before sending a half-hearted glare at the hunter, “Fine,” 

“Good,” Vil moved away from you and to the blonde hunter, his hand quickly grasping his jaw, “And you,”

“Yes?” Rook asked, practically beaming over the fact that the poisonous vampire himself was touching him. He could barely keep himself from reaching out and embracing the vampire.

Before this, he had just been admiring you and your spouse. All of this was like something from one of his dreams. Here he was, in that gothic castle which he had only seen in paintings, with the famed vampires hiding in it. Rook could not wait till he was free to explore the place and uncover the magical secrets that were hidden there. Perhaps he would even get the chance to collect skeletons from the closets.

Your glares were exhilarating and Vil’s touch was just… arousing. This was the type of opportunity he would kill for. He probably did kill for it, no one could know when it came to him.

Vil’s lavender eyes traced over the hunter’s face, before narrowing in on his eyes, “You will be on your best behavior, yes?”

Rook nodded, placing a hand on his chest, “Of course, my queen.”

“Darling, quit your pouting already,” Vil said, glancing at you through the mirror as you tended to his hair. He never let anyone tend to his beauty process, but you. Who would not trust their eternal lover? He began to rub a serum into his skin, “I know you’re not happy, but you’re a vampire, not a toddler.”

You nearly tugged his hair at that, “You know how I feel about vampire hunters,” you told him, “And him? Of all the hunters to bring into our home, you have to bring the one with the most kills under his belt—if he tries anything, I’ll… I—”

“We’ll both feed off of him. Don’t worry,” he said, cutting you off as he turned around to face you. One of his hands reached for the brush and he set it at the vanity behind him while gazing up at you. His hands cupped your hips and forced you closer, “You worry too much. If he messes up, he’ll make for a great meal.”

His hands trailed up and down—hips, to thighs, hips, to waist—he had done this thousands of times before, “You’ve heard of his skill, his strength. A man with such endurance must have plenty of blood… all that running and fighting he does has to show in the health of his arteries. I’ll even let you use those fancy chalices you like,”

Oh, Sevens. He was so attractive when he went into his informative tangents.

A blush covered your cheeks and your hands reached to grab onto his shoulders so that you could balance yourself. Centuries later he still managed to make you blush like a rose. He claimed you were his spouse, but sometimes you felt more like a devout worshipper. His body was the shrine you bowed to, your love was the offerings you held out to him.

“I just ask that you play nice,” he said, his hand drifting from your hip, up to your cheek. A smirk came to his lips as he tugged your face towards him. He smirked when your eyes trailed over to his mouth, “You can do that, right?” 

All you could do was nod in response.

“Good,” And finally, he gave in and kissed you, teasingly dragging his fangs along your bottom lip. Vil knew how much you loved when he did that, he could feel it in the little shift you did as he held you close. He pulled away after a moment, just to let his hands dip down to the back of your legs and pull you into his lap, “Now, let me take care of you.”

Living in the castle with Rook was strange, but not completely horrible. He had so much to satisfy his curiosity, so most days you did not see him unless you were in places that he was monitoring. You caught him a few times in the secret tunnels beneath the castle, and the various hiding places that no one knew about.

He tried to get into your good graces with his… strange shows of affection. Last night, when he was walking you home from the opera, he told you how much he wished you would let your rage control so that you would sink your teeth into his pale freckled skin.

Strange, and yet your mind drifted back to the thought of it. Letting go of your control and pouncing onto the hunter, tearing the collar of his shirt, piercing that pretty skin of his. You forced the thoughts out of your mind when you began to imagine what his gasps and whimpers may have sounded like.

Vil seemed to be much more quick to let up when it came to Rook. He did not think the green-eyed hunter was a threat and just let him share his amorous and romantic poetry. At the dinner table, he would laud you and your Queen, comparing himself to the knights of yore, bound to protect and never to touch—and Vil did not interrupt him once. He looked pleased, instead, amused even.

Even more absurd was when Vil began letting Rook help him out with his clothes or his makeup. That had truly caught you off-guard, but you still did not seem to let up on your suspicions. He was just so unsettling sometimes, despite his sweet moments. You worried he would turn around and set a trap for you, or worse, for Vil. 

Vil could take care of himself, but you loved him too much to not worry.

“Ah, mon vampire!” 

You turned around when the hunter suddenly called out for you. Of course, he just happened to be in the gardens at the same time as you, “Rook,” you muttered, “Do you never sleep?”

He quickly took his spot at your side, his hand drifting to hover around the small of your back, “Now why would I tell a predator like you when I am most vulnerable?” he asked, this thumb sliding over your spine a bit. His green eyes looked a little more threatening for a moment, “That would make me a poor hunter, non?”

That look in his eyes made you shiver.

“I suppose you are right about that.” 

You were sure you could take him on in a fight, but you also wished Vil was out here too. Rook always seemed a little more behaved in the presence of Vil, since he was more of a threat than you were—or perhaps Rook just enjoyed toying with you more. When the two of you were alone, Rook seemed more like the bloodthirsty creature, except he thirsted for your ire. He was just begging to be your meal with the way he acted.

His touch grew firm, “Looking for an escape?” he asked, raising a brow, smiling at you. He looked quite pleased with himself.

“No,” you retorted, a little blush coloring your cheeks, “That’s what you should be doing.”

Rook laughed at that and his hand moved off your back and to your hand instead. Gently, he tugged you with him deeper into the gardens, “I would never want to escape from you. No matter how vicious you became,” he told you, affectionately.

You scoffed, “I don’t believe that for a minute,”

“You don’t?”

“Of course not. You’d run with your tail between your legs just as the other mortals do.”

He tugged you a bit harder once he came to a stop, forcing you to fall against him. The blonde nearly shivered as your hands met his chest to steady yourself, “Mon vampire,” he whispered, “You and I both know I would never run from those gorgeous fangs of yours,” he said as his free hand cupped your jaw.

The foolish hunter was guiding your face toward his pale neck. A soft growl came from the back of your throat, “Stupid hunter,” you muttered. That familiar bloodlust began to seep from your every pore.

“Go on,” he cooed, “bon appétit.”

You decided to give in—his blood just smelled too good. You brushed his blonde hair behind his ear before slipping a hand behind his neck to force him closer to you, causing him to place his hands on either side of your head, against one of the pillars in the gardens.

Fangs glittered beneath the night sky like swords on the battlefield, his neck was your enemy. All you wanted to do was suck him dry, and end that dull beating you could hear where his blood was rushing. Vil had told you athletic people carried more blood. He shivered as your tongue swiped against his neck.

“Ah—wetting my neck to make it easier? You are just so—”

Before he could finish with his teasing, you quickly and violently sunk your fangs into his neck, humming in satisfaction as his blood hit your tongue. His body tensed up for a moment and then he relaxed, leaning his body against you, pinning you to the pillar. He gasped a bit at your harsh sucking, but never once did his protest.

Instead, his fingers tenderly carded through your hair, “Mmm… Tu es merveilleux.”

You could not even bring yourself to pull away and reply to his compliments, instead opting to dig your fangs in even deeper. The blood began to drip down your chin, Vil would scold you for that, but you did not care. His blood was delicious.

“What have I told you about getting blood on your clothes when you’re feeding?”

Speak of the devil—erm, vampire.

Quickly, you pulled away from Rook’s neck and you were just about to wipe your face on your sleeve, until you felt Vil’s sharp glare and Rook’s hand grasp your arm in time. 

The hunter gave you a teasing smile, before turning his attention to Vil.

There was a frown on Vil’s face, “I can’t believe you managed to make such a mess in the five minutes that I have left you alone.”

“Merci, I do my best.”

“It wasn’t a compliment. Look what you have done to mein schätzelein,” he scolded, as he took out a handkerchief to wipe up your mouth for you. His attention was now on gently wiping away the blood that dripped down to your chin and onto your chest. He patted it down, careful not to rub too hard. A brief look of hunger flashed in his eyes as he wiped the blood. He nearly bent down to lick it off of you instead. “Such a mess... and I thought we promised we’d feed on him together? Greed is not a pretty look for you.”

The flush on your cheeks brightened, much to both of their amusement.

“Don’t scold them, Roi du Poison. It was my fault. I was teasing too much,” Rook interrupted before you could speak. One of his hands trailed down your back, while the other slipped around Vil’s waist, “But since you’re here now, you can have a taste as well.”

Vil rolled his eyes, “I am much better at controlling myself,”

That was a lie. His eyes kept drifting between the pierce marks on Rook’s neck and the little bit of blood stuck on the corner of your lips.

©rooksamoris 2024. do not steal or translate my work!

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[allykakamatsu]

Aka, do not ask because I do not know what possessed me to make this-

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[elektrosyntetik]

'......I haven't seen anything about that in books about vampires'

[it-happened-one-fic]

Hours in the Moonlight Master-List

Most believe that vampires do not exist. That they're just an old tale that has been reused countless times in the forms of horror in romance. But you know otherwise. After all, vampires do have a special affection for you for reasons unknown. Delving into the world of the night is something totally different though. Especially for someone who’s been trying to avoid these creatures that practically hunt you.

But then, one step closer in the form of a vampire you accidentally befriend and the slope becomes slippery.

It’s time you learned what happens during hours in the moonlight by the side of vampires who come in the form of friends, allies, and potentially foes.

Here it is! My Twisted Wonderland Vampire AU! I hope you all enjoy!!

Part 1 of Hours in the Moonlight: Fairest Midnight Master-List

Part 2 of Hours in the Moonlight: Persevering Afterlight Master-List

Part 3 of Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall Master-List

Part 4 of Hours in the Moonlight: Somnolent Gloaming Master-List

Part 5 of Hours in the Moonlight: Solitary Eventide Master-List

Part 6 of Hours in the Moonlight: Fathomless Vespers Master-List

Part 7 of Hours in the Moonlight: Rose Red Dawn Masterlist

If you would like to read more fics like these, my Twisted Wonderland Master-List can be found here: Twisted Wonderland Master-List.

[lizardaggro]

so like, I know I've been inactive for, what, two months? but i'm more competent now since starting school, and i've got a totally self-indulgent fic i really wanna write, so i figured i'd poll you guys to see who'd read it. as for bully!au, i honestly have no idea what to do with it. i feel bad, since that's what everyone followed me for, but i'm hoping you'll eagerly absorb this new content just as well. who doesn't like vampires, amirite? yes, vampires. here's the premise: twst where everything is the same, except 1) it's an actual college where everyone's an adult because i'm a college student now so that just feels right, and 2) everyone minus yuu/reader/mc is a vampire. juicy reverse harem content, gn!reader of course, and i might add some light yandere if people wanna see it. did someone already do this? probably. but i haven't seen it, and people always do spinoffs of aus and stuff apparently, so hopefully i don't get angry people coming after me. i just like writing okay! note: i'm 350 words into this sucker so you're getting it whether you want it or not. i can't see poll results and i fricked up and set it to close in a week instead of a shorter period of time. why isn't like 2 or 3 days an option? i guess i'll be surprised by the results after the fic's already been published lol.

[harryinramshackle]

Feeling REALLY down (expecting my period WHOAAAAA/neg) I needed some simple fluff with him

Tag List: @ramshacklerumble @thehollowwriter @summerspook @scint1llat3 @skriblee-ksk

@cyanide-latte @twistedwonderlandshenanigans @oya-oya-okay @viperbunnies @jadelover69

@twsted-void @lallopsyou (lmk/dm if you wanna be added)

[violetlunette]

Father Isn’t a Vampire!

Summary: Silver and Lilia have some musing after Lilia is accused of being a vampire.

Trigger Warning:

*Temporary Child Death

~Start~

Silver puffed out a breath of annoyance.

“I can’t believe they all went this fair,” he grumbled, pushing his slivery bangs back. “Even Sebek got involved.” Lilia gave a goodhearted chuckle.

“Kufufu! I’m actually flattered that they felt they needed to go so far!” Silver frown deepened at his father’s amusement.

“Please don’t take this so lightly. They almost stabbed you,” he said, a flash to his gaze and growl to his tone. “All because they believed you were were a vampire!” Lilia’s smile had a strange aspect to it as he thought.

Vampires; Demons of the night created long ago during times of famine, pestilence, and war. Who created them, few could say for sure. The Fae say it was humans who messed with dark arts they couldn’t handle and vice versa.

Wherever they came from, it was agreed that vampires were monsters. Vile things resurrected from the dead, who could only continue their unholy life by stealing it from the living.

Once upon a time they ravaged the world, devouring people like livestock until the Diurnal released the power of the Firebird to burn them all away, allowing the world to be reborn from the ashes and prosper once more.

Since then the dark creatures that nearly wiped out the world had fallen to myth, remembered only in stories.

“Well--I’ll admit that they were a bit extreme,” he conceded with a hum. It wasn’t long before he perked up again. “But it all ended well! And it’s not like they’ll be trying again.” Silver didn’t argue with that.

Aside from the verbal lashing he himself gave them, Lilia had “playful” trounced all of them, thinking they were playing some sort of game. When it was all over, they were all limping away.

“Even so, the fact they tried in the first place…” Silver interrupted himself with an exasperated breath.

To be fair, his father did seem to have some vampiric traits.

Lilia had an intense aversion to the sun, which contributed to his lily pale skin. His eyes could be seen as cat-like as well, due to the silted pupil and red color that was commonly attributed to the mythical being. He even had long fangs that poked over his lip, giving him his kitten-like smile.

There were also smaller things, such as the fact his motif seemed to be bats, he liked to fly and often appeared out of no where by hanging upside down. On top of that, he happened to like tomato and other red juices which were commonly associated with vampires.

However, as Silver had tried to explain to everyone, that was just because Lilia was a nocturnal fae of bat bloodline, not because he was a vampire.

‘It’s one thing for the rest of them to get paranoid, but Sebek--’ Silver nearly stumbled as something squished under his foot.

It was one of the many garlic cloves scattered around the area. The others brought enough to fill the Monstro lounge to protect themselves.

Silver’s nose scrunched as a strong scent filled his senses. The smell was overwhelming and he swayed on his feet.

“Silver?” Silver caught himself as his father’s worried tone reached his ears.

“Ah, sorry. It’s just-- the garlic is really intense,” he apologized. Silver had a very acute sense of smell which had more drawbacks than benefits. Garlic especially bothered him. For some reason, he couldn’t even go near them when they were in blossom form.

Lilia nodded in understanding as he stepped over.

“Why don’t you head up to bed? You’ve had just as long a day as myself.”

“Ah, but…”

“It’s fine! Besides, you’re allergic to all this stuff.” Unfortunately, he had a point. Not only did Silver have an aversion to garlic, but the metal he shared a name with burned his skin so he couldn’t touch the crosses, nor the stakes of yew wood without breaking into hives.

Silver dropped his head.

“Sorry…” Lilia waved the apology away.

“I already told you it’s fine. And I can use the garlic in my next dish.” Silver gulped at the thought.

“Father, please no,” he begged, dreading what horrible thing the other might make with those bulbs he was shoving into his coat pocket.

Silver ran a hand over his dark pink skin, burnt by the sun yet again. Lilia wasn’t the only one sensitive to the sun. In fact Silver was more affected by it than any of his nocturnal friends. Not a day went by where he wasn’t burned by the ball of light, despite the fact he used a special lotion to protect himself. Even the expensive ointment Vil offered didn’t appear to work.

As he was unable to help, and could feel a sleep spell coming on, Silver excused himself to his dorm room.

As soon as he entered, he was met with the familiar scent of dirt. Silver let out a breath as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Father…” ‘Did he sneak in here again?’ Lilia had a firm belief that a certain type of dirt would help Silver and allow him to rest. Silver had insisted time and again he didn’t need it and often threw it away. However, Lilia always managed to sneak a pile back under.

“I’m just trying to look out for my child,” he would say in the cutest tone with the most fragile expression when Silver called him on it, making the teen unable to refused.

‘It’s not that I don’t appreciate the thought, but I’m not a child. He doesn’t have to do thing like this for me.’ He even had Silver’s bed brought from home so he would “sleep better.”

Speaking of the bed, Silver never noticed how odd he piece of furniture was until he arrived at Night Raven. It didn’t look like the school beds and was often compared to a coffin by the others. It even had a lid and was lined with silk, which was dirtied from the dirt shoved beneath the cushions.

Being too tired from today to deal with his father’s eccentricities Silver just took a tired breath and climbed into the bed. He would vacuum up the dirt again tomorrow. Still, he had to admit that he rested with the scent of the earth in his senses...

~*~

Lilia cleaned up the mess the children made with practiced movements from when Silver and Sebek were children.

‘Those kids really did their research,’ he thought with a mix of pride—and worry. Because it was him, it all turned out alright.

‘But if it was Silver…’ Lilia bit his pale lip.

He should told him. He should have told him a long time ago, but how could he? How could Lilia tell Silver that he was a vampire?

Especially when Lilia was the one who turned him into one.

~*~

It was a dark and stormy night.

The wind howled like wolves and thunder roared like lions as Zeus threw his bolts across the sky.

‘Where is he?’ Lilia had wondered, pushing his damp hair aside as rain and hail fell in torrents, soaking the earth below. He tried to fly as the mud kept trying to pull him in, but the heavy water kept pushing down. By this point he was soaked.

His skin was bright blue and his teeth clattered as ice filled his veins. But he couldn’t go back. He wouldn’t go back. Not without Silver.

It had been such a small thing; Silver asked why their ears were different and Lilia thought it would be good to use the opportunity to tell him the truth. He must have said something wrong. To run out on a blistery wet night like this--

Lightning clashed at the same time he called Silver’s name, the blast drowning out his desperate cry.

‘What if I can’t find him? What if--’ The world twisted around him and he had to swallow the nausea that filled his stomach and crawled up his throat.

“No, I can’t think like that,” he told himself in a whisper. If he allowed such thoughts, they would paralyze him and then his Silver really would be lost.

He continued on until a something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. It was a piece of cloth snagged on a branch, waving in the wind like a flag. Lilia recognized the fabric. It was from a shirt Lilia bought for Silver while on his travels. Upon closer inspection he noticed the bushed looked messed up, as if something charged through them.

Terror and dread filled Lilia as he floated over them.

On the other side was a cliff’s edge. And at the bottom--

“SILVER!!” The storm illuminated the form of a boy lying like broken doll, his limbs askew.

Lilia was at his side in an instant, as white and transparent as spirit.

“No, no, no, please no.” The fae whimpered as he lifted the child out of the mud and into his arms. As he held him Lilia shook, his finger grasping him desperately. He pressed his ear to Silver’s chest, and held his breath.

There was no sound.

“No…” Lilia couldn’t believe what happened. That his precious little boy was-- “No!!”

The anguish Lilia had felt resided in his heart to this day. It tore him apart like a beast, burning his eyes and throat as cried into the night begging for heaven or even hell to given his son back to him.

‘Even if it’s as a monster, I just--’ That was when the idea came to him.

Lilia recalled a book. It came his mind as he thought of the last memory Lilia had of Silver before he disappeared outside. Silver was reading a book. It was one Malleus had found while exploring some old ruins. He had gifted it to Lilia because of the bat on the cover. It was a book on vampires. More importantly, how they--

Lilia scooped Silver’s bod—Silver into his arms, jaw locked in determination as he teleported home.

He held Silver close as he searched through the shelves for the tome he was looking for. Eventually, he found it. Using his magic, he had the book float and open. He scanned the pages, his throat holding his breath as tight as he held Silver.

At last he found it; the vampire creation spell.

‘This--!’ Lilia wasn’t sure f the spell would save the child, or condemn him. All he knew was that he had to try.

Otherwise...

~*~

In the present, Lilia smiled solemnly at the memory.

Not one person would ever believe he succeeded in his desperate act. After all, Silver was the most unvampiric person one could imagine.

His skin wasn’t pale as it was often burn pink under the sun. He didn’t turn into a bat, though he could turn into mist easily. He didn’t even seem to have fangs at first glance. (Lilia learned over time that Silver did have them, they were just dull and retractable.)

Most of all, it was nearly impossible to get the boy to drink blood,

When Lilia first resurrected Silver, he was worried the boy would turn into a blood thirsty beast as the legends said. But it was just the opposite.

Silver absolutely refused to drink blood from the source, forcing Lilia to get creative. Lilia had tried slipping some in his meals, but somehow Silver would sniff it out. He eventually learned that the stubborn boy would only eat the meals if they had blood of those he wasn’t acquainted with. The bat fae had to have liquid imported or collect some on his travels.

Lilia sighed. He was aware that he should have told Silver the truth, but he worried.

In the past, Silver was so upset just to hear that they weren’t related that he ran into a dangerous storm and off a cliff. How would he react to finding out he died and was resurrected as a vampire, one of the most feared creatures in Twisted Wonderland’s history?

On top of that, if anyone found then that soft heart of his precious child would have a stake in it.

Lilia stared at the yew in his hand as he pressed his lips into a thin line, which then curved into a smile.

‘So, everyone thinks I’m the vampire, hm?’ “Kufufu, that could be fun.” As long as it kept others from discovering the truth.

Especially Silver.

~end~

A/n:

*Haven’t decided whether this should be a series or not. Tell ya what, if this gets ten comments before next Sunday (8/11/2024) I’ll take a stab at it.

*Speaking of stab, I'll let ya'll guess the brave fool who attempted to stake our Lilia.

*I feel that this scenario would make a decent plot for comedy shoujo series, where the protagonist's family tries to hide the fact she’s a vampire while her friends believe her goth dad is a vampire. And of course, the lead is obviously dating a vampire hunter with a tragic backstory while the childhood friend and a vampire prince are in love with her. Ah well; maybe someday.

*Fun fact; despite what popular myths say, it’s actually garlic blossoms that are supposed to chase vampires away not the garlic bulbs. I just wasn’t going to pass up a joke, no matter how small.

[bunniehunn]

HGGHHHH VILBENI VAMPIRE AU FOR VALENTINES DAY YAAAYYY

CW: uncolored blood and mentions of animal death, nothing too bad. just vamp stuff. maybe ooc Vil in the writing idk…

What happens when a starving, malnourished, newly born vampire catches the scent of the most delicious blood she’s ever smelled? Why, love of course!

Yuubeni is a wandering vampire, recently turned. Her problem is, she can’t bring herself to drain any humans, no matter how hungry she is. So, she survives off of animals, disgusting and barely sustaining her. Until one day, she catches the most delicious, mouthwatering scent ever. It leads her to the garden of a sprawling estate, and there she sees him. The most beautiful man she’s ever seen. And the most unbelievably enticing blood-wise. Still, she can’t bring herself to drain him, so she watches from the shadows, secretly admiring him. Even going as far as to sneak into his bedroom once at night, just to watch him. She’s not a creep, she swears!

Vil isn’t an idiot. Of course he noticed. The tangle of curls disappearing into the foliage every time he turns his head, the eyes watching him from the bushes, the scrawny figure past the tree line, red irises glowing in the darkness. He would’ve requested for some sort of hunter by now, to at least shoo the creature off of the property before it got too confident, but he gave pause. Perhaps he is an idiot, for having an iota of feeling for the sad creature. Purely pity, he reassured himself. Still, he finds himself getting too comfortable, letting the creature linger, closer and closer. It even spoke to him once. “Yuubeni” it claimed, watching him with those big, unblinking eyes like a doll. He found himself talking to… her more, each interaction bringing him new knowledge of the vampire. She was timid, like a little animal scurrying off at the slightest sound. Along with that, surprisingly ditzy too, somewhat endearing in how forgetful and frazzled she could be at times. Of course, he never let his guard down for too long. He could see the flash of hunger in those crimson eyes, before quickly tamped down by a nervous, fangy smile. Hmph.

@cheerleaderman @jadelover69 @babyghoul138 @theolivetree123 @the-rini-rush

@chillygourami @puowei @kirans-wonderland @moonyasnow

@neige-leblanche @cece-flii @quzen @justyouraverageuselesshuman @winterillustrates

@angelwishess @fell-e @screamintoad @scint1llat3 @snowrinrin

[moon-mage]

I finally let myself work on something without obsessing over every wrong detail and caring so much about how I’m not as perfect and productive as everyone else around me :0 This was insanely therapeutic for I have not went so hard on a piece in a hot minute. Especially with this hard ink/soft coloring combo I used to do all the time…

Yes this AU has made a comeback in my brain because when am I not ever obsessed with vampire themes? And it just got more expansive and dramatic. I'm working on writing out like…some bulletpoints and stuff for the world for I did take some themes from BTVS but nothing major that you’d have to know the show to understand.

Also yeah, Jamil GLOWS UP in this despite me seemingly having a thing for making him struggle and suffer like all the time. All he needed was some hot vampire boyfriends to encourage him to be the baddest motherfucker ever and it worked. Yippie! :D

Anyway here’s what I got for these three so far under the cut~ I added Kalim and Rook too since they are main characters...just didnt get around to drawing them yet hehe.

Jamil Viper - Chosen vampire slayer from the Scalding Sands, Jamil was raised in preparation to fulfill his prophecy of becoming one of the most powerful Slayers to have ever lived. By that meaning, being a pawn for both the powerful witch coven of the Al-Asims and watchmen council who 'advises' the slayers. Jamil's unique power makes him damn near perfect to fight vampires for he can resist the thrall and even manipulate the minds and wills of lesser vampires. Jamil has an incredible self-awareness wants to break free of his chains but isn't sure the cost is worth it…until he runs into two powerful vampires who change his world forever.

Leona Kingscholar - Former prince of Sunset Savana and younger brother of the most cherished Slayer in history, Falena Kingscholar. Leona has a reputation of being one of the most dangerous vampires out there…that carries from his reputation from his human life. When Leona was human, he was one of the most powerful hunters out there. Unafraid to tackle any horrors in the dark which consequentiality made him feared by his own people. Rumor has it, Leona's turning was orchestrated by the Watchmen Council because of Falena's refusal to comply with them. That's why people guess he actively works against the council and their followers.

Vil Schoenheit - Vil was destined to become one of the greatest witches of his time. He started his own coven at the age of 18 which brought in a loyal following. Vil was outspoken about his work with darker and tabooer magics…which had more people seeking him out especially because he was significantly less predatory than the "trusted" Al-Asims. It was revealed upon Leona Kingscholar's turning that Vil had the ability to soothe and control a newborn vampire's innate madness. Sadly, not too long after that news spread…Vil's entire coven was slaughtered, leaving him the only survivor. Leona Kingscholar had found Vil and claimed he was already turned when he found him…no one is sure if that's entirely correct.

Kalim Al-Asim - Kalim is the successor of the archmage title of the Al-Asim family, a very prominent and influential family of witches. This is very controversial in the family because Kalim is predominately a light mage, a lot of his magic is restoration and healing which is seen as a sign of weakness by those who work in the business of eradicating the creatures of the night. Kalim has spent most of his life just going with it, not entirely sure of the dangers and horrors he was expected to face someday…and whenever he tried to ask, he was silenced or yelled at. Deep down he feels something isn't right…and it becomes more obvious when he finally starts to experience and understand Jamil's struggles. He wants to fight for the right cause but he isn't sure how without dire consequences to both himself and Jamil.

Rook Hunt - Rook is from the Hunt family, a mysterious and shady family of vampire hunters who rose to power after the dramatic fall of the Rosehearts family. The Hunt family are the Watchmen Council's most trusted hunters and Rook has been chosen to advise the Slayer and his Mage… to make sure they stay on the "right path". Rook has had his own agenda for years low key. He is all too aware of the corruption the Watchmen council bring and first hand and lost his first love due to their cruelty and negligence. He vows to seek vengeance for the beauty taken from this world at the hands of the watchmen council…and he hopes to guide the gorgeous slayer and his luminous mage into the safety of the darkness with the two beautiful vampires he swore his allegiance to.

Clarification: Leona and Vil are significantly older than Jamil but got turned in their early 20's...and they knew each other when they were alive and were even childhood...uh friends? Rivals? Annoyances? I'll elaborate more on that another time uwu

OLDER STUFF OF THIS AU

Here’s also the not textured/glowy eyed version

[twstinginthewind]

🦇 - I wanna hear your Vampy thoughts

It is a cold, damp night, and you wrap your coat around you snugly as you walk home from the train station. Your evening out had gone longer than you expected, but at least you managed to pick up the last train back. There were no taxis at the station, though, and your phone already died, so forget about scheduling a ride.

At least the rain had slowed down. Streetlights reflected on the empty moisture-slicked streets, and fog hung in the air like clouds descending to the surface, thick and imposing.

Ordinarily - from behind glass, while armed with a warm drink and a blanket - you might even find this kind of weather to be cozy. Ordinarily, though, you wouldn't have to walk a couple of miles in it, in rapidly dampening shoes and coat, your hair sticking to the sides of your face. Under a streetlight, you pause. You try and adjust your coat for better coverage, and push your hair away from where it's stuck to your forehead and temples.

And then you hear it.

A single, clear giggle drifts through the air. Your head snaps up. Is someone making fun of me?, you think defensively, looking around for the source of the laughter.

Nothing.

The mist drifts around you, carried by the shifts in the air currents made my your movements, but that is the only thing you see on the otherwise deathly-still street. No follow-up laugh, either; just the muted sounds of dripping, trickling moisture all around. No sign of where anything like that would have come from.

Despite being tempted to call out, you continue silently on your walk, tiny swirls of fog being kicked up with your every step. The fog is getting thicker as the night gets chillier, and you feel a bit like it wants to center itself around you.

Nothing like a bit of pointless paranoia to spice up a miserable midnight stroll, right? You huff and start to pick up your pace, wet shoes squelching against the pavement. And then, there it is again, no louder than the dull squish of shoe against sidewalk; a bright, short giggle.

Fine. Fine, if someone thinks your soggy walk home is so funny, let them laugh. Have fun, random weirdo, you mean nothing to me. You make a face, huddling inside your coat, and keep walking. The night suddenly feels about five degrees colder - or is it just your nerves?

Probably the latter, as your spine turns to ice when you hear, far too close to your ear, "What's the matter, Shrimpy. Don't you wanna stop and play with me?"

Despite the fear, you whirl around, making the mist billow and curl around you. No one was there. No sign of anyone, except that infuriating giggle, which now seemed to be swirling around you.

You are NOT having this right now. Fear, cold, and soggy shoes will not hold you back. You run. And as you run, the fog builds and builds around you. The usually semi-familiar streets become more and more unrecognizable. You try and keep track of where you are, but with no landmarks or signs visible, you find yourself taking a wrong turn or five, and you are suddenly in a part of town you don't recognize. You come to a stop, panting and coughing, trying to ease the burning in your chest. You look around. Are you finally alone?

Up ahead of you, a light becomes visible, shining through the otherwise impenetrable fog. Maybe someone out walking their dog, or a night watchman, or something - it could be help. You start towards it, a comforting glowing golden beacon in this dismal night.

... that little light seems awfully high up for a flashlight, you think as you draw close, and then it blinks. And then there's two eyes, one shining gold, one warm olive-brown. And just as quickly, there's a mouthful of sharp, needle-like teeth. And then there's pain. And the laughter again.

And just as suddenly, silence overtakes everything. And the fog pulls away from where you had been, revealing just a pair of wet shoes on the sidewalk.