#vampire!aleksander morozova

[marvelmusing]

Blood Hunger

Part of the Tender Loving Care AU

Pairing: Vampire!Aleksander Morozova x Fem!Vampire!Reader

Summary: Aleksander takes you on your first ever visit to a feeding den, remaining by your side to offer advice and support for this new and unfamiliar experience.

Warnings [18+]: blood, typical vampire themes, blood consumption, allusions to sexual content, usual soft dom vibes from Aleksander

My Masterlist

The feeding den Aleksander takes the two of you to is unlike anything depicted in the films and television shows that are so popular with humans, or from what you’ve seen in the wild selfies and videos posted on Instagram by much younger vampires. 

Most feeding dens are similar to nightclubs, allowing both human and vampire patrons inside as long as they are above the legal drinking age. The higher scale feeding dens are more selective, only allowing vampires who have a membership into the building, aside from the humans who work there. 

The humans working at all respectable feeding dens are regularly tested to ensure that their blood is clean and healthy to avoid any diseases from being passed onto the vampires feeding from them. High scale dens, like the one Aleksander has brought you to, also provide their human workers with plenty of benefits to ensure that they remain both physically and mentally healthy. After all, being fed on can be an intense experience. 

“How do you decide who to…” 

As your gaze lands on a human, tilting her head back for a vampire to sink his fangs into her neck on the other side of the room, your words trail off into nothing. Hunger stirs in your stomach at the sight, despite your nerves.  

“How do you decide who you would like to feed on?” Aleksander suggests knowingly. 

You nod. 

“Generally just whoever smells the most appealing.” 

Subconsciously, your eyes trace over the exposed skin of his throat, lingering on the thrum of his pulse as his heart beats its steady rhythm. When you realise you’ve been staring, your cheeks flush with a flustered warmth and the corner of Aleksander’s lips twitch with the hint of a smile as he observes where your gaze has focused. One of his dark brows lifts, his smile spreading into a smirk as you drag your eyes away from him to survey the floor once again. 

“Although for today I would suggest you take comfort into account, instead of taste,” he adds. 

His words make you frown, and you tilt your head as you turn back to face him. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Since it’s your first time, you should pick someone who doesn’t intimidate you - someone who will make you feel at ease about biting them.” 

The only person you’ve ever fed from is Aleksander. Just the thought of feeding on someone else has apprehension prickling over your skin despite the fact that you haven’t fed since yesterday at noon. There’s a gnaw of hunger in your stomach and the urge to bounce your leg to dispel the nervous energy runs through the limb in question. He brushes his knuckles against yours in a reassuring motion. Staring down at his hand, nerves continue to roll over in your stomach and your thumb scratches lightly against the palm of your other hand. 

“How will I know when to stop?” 

Aleksander places his hand over both of yours, enveloping them entirely with his palm which halts your nervous fidgeting, knowing that if you scratched for long enough your skin would break under the scrape of your nails, causing your palm to bleed.  

“Only selfish vampires are the ones who succumb to their instincts. You aren’t a selfish person, milaya.” 

There’s hesitation in your eyes but as soon as they meet Aleksander’s, and find nothing but genuine belief there, some confidence fills your chest. Inhaling shakily, you nod, and he provides your hands with a gentle squeeze. When he loosens his hold, his hand drops down casually to settle on your thigh as a reassuring pressure that reminds you of his presence by your side. Despite his confidence, concerns and worries continue to tighten around your lungs.  

“You still look worried,” he observes. 

“Where am you supposed to bite?” 

He considers your question briefly before he shrugs casually. 

“It depends on your preference,” he explains, circling his thumb gently over your thigh. “Some people find the neck too intimate for a casual feeding, while some struggle to find the right angle for the wrist. Whatever is easiest for you both.” 

“Would you stay with me?” 

He nods. 

“If that’s what you want?” You nod quickly and a soft smile traces over his lips. “Has anyone caught your eye?” 

There had been a young man who gained your attention earlier, though his features bear an almost embarrassingly close resemblance to Aleksander, which makes you rather reluctant to admit how appealing he seemed. Rather pointedly, you keep your gaze fixed on the buttons of Aleksander’s shirt. 

“He’s too young,” you say quietly in a mumbled protest. 

Aleksander laughs, a sound that makes you blush, his teeth flashing as he tilts his head back slightly. With amusement sparkling in his eyes and a carefree grin on his face, he doesn’t look over four hundred years old. 

“I hate to tell you this, but with that mentality almost everyone here is too young for you.” 

The smile that tugs at your lips is sheepish as you look down at your feet, swinging them back and forth momentarily.  

“Except for you.” 

His expression softens as he nods with a smile. 

“Except for me.” There’s a small pause as he holds your gaze before he reminds you in an almost teasing voice, “But you can’t feed on me all the time.” 

Aleksander stands, pushing his chair back into place before he extends his hand out towards you. 

“Let’s go find him then,” he says, his eyes alight with laughter despite the low lighting around us. Taking his hand, you frown at him and stand up by his side. 

“Who?” 

“That young man you had your eye on when we arrived.” 

Your jaw drops and Aleksander laughs again quietly. Immediately, you clasp your hands over your face to hide the embarrassed blush spreading over your cheeks. Had you truly been that obvious? 

“Stop it,” you protest weakly, trying not to smile at the sound of his laughter. 

He chuckles, tugging you into his side as we move around the chairs. As always, your body slots easily beside Aleksander’s and he settles his arm around your shoulders, a reassuring pressure to keep your steps even with his. He lowers his head down to murmur against your ear, 

“If you do well, I’ll feed on you afterwards.” 

At that, your head perks up. 

“Really?” 

He almost looks surprised by your reaction, his head tilted aside whilst his lips flicker into a half-smile. 

“If you would like you to?” There’s some hesitation in his eyes, as he scours your face in an attempt at reading your thoughts. You nod instantly. 

The man you had noticed earlier is seated in a booth at the far end of the den. There’s a pitcher of ice-cold water and a handful of glasses perched in the centre of the table, alongside a small candle that flickers through a frosted glass jar. The dark emerald leather seat curls in a half-circle around the polished wooden table. 

Nervous energy thrums through your body. How do you politely ask someone if you can drink their blood? He offers you a friendly smile, raising a brow as he glances between your uncertain eyes and Aleksander hovering behind you as a safety net. 

“Hungry?” the man asks. 

The smile that tugs at your lips is sheepish as you nod, and he slides over in the booth to provide some open space beside him. Despite Aleksander’s teasing earlier, the man doesn’t look much younger than you, physically. Hesitantly, you move forwards as Aleksander stands beside the empty seat opposite you. 

“You don’t mind if you stay, do you?” Aleksander says casually.

His words are phrased like a polite question, but his tone makes it evident that the two of you would simply find someone else if Aleksander wasn’t allowed to remain with you. It doesn’t come to that though because the man shakes his head amicably. 

“Not at all.” He glances at you, raising a brow with an unfaltering smile. “First time?” You nod and he offers you his hand to help you sit down beside him. “I’ve done this plenty of times before.” 

Nerves continue to buzz uncomfortably beneath your skin. If your hands weren’t clasped so tightly together in your lap, they would be shaking for everyone to see. But Aleksander’s presence in the seat opposite you provides some reassurance, allowing you to focus on the man beside you and the task at hand. 

“I’m James.” 

Smiling nervously, you offer him your name in return.

“Have you fed on anyone before now?” he asks.

Immediately, your flickers over to Aleksander while you fidget with your fingers, smoothing the pad of your thumb over each of your nails. 

“Just one other person.” 

James nods in acknowledgement, his easy smile unfaltering as he tilts his head to look at you. 

“Where would you like to start?” 

There’s a moment of hesitation as you think through the different places you could bite before you offer him a suggestion. 

“Wrist?” 

He nods again, unbuttoning the cuff of his left sleeve. 

“Sounds good to me.” 

At the sight of his bare forearm being revealed, your mouth goes dry. His heartbeat is only slightly elevated in anticipation, though he appears to be quite calm about the situation. He said he’s done this on a number of occasions which comforts you a little. At least he knows what he’s doing - and Aleksander is here with you. 

Slowly, you take James’s hand in your own, bearing his wrist with veins openly on display. If the unnaturally chilled temperature of your hands unsettles him he doesn’t show it, which you appreciate. Inhaling a deep breath, the scent of his blood fills your senses and your mouth waters. You glance up at his face again, assessing his expression, and he gives you a small nod of consent. 

Closing your eyes, you extend your fangs and bite down into his skin. Hot, fresh blood pools into your mouth, a delightfully savoury taste that you swallow down eagerly with a small hum of pleasure. It’s different without Aleksander’s hand at the nape of your neck or cupping your jaw and you feel slightly unbalanced without his touch to ground you. 

You drink until you’re almost satisfied, allowing his blood to just take the edge off your hunger, since you don’t want to risk taking too much from him. Licking his wounds feels too intimate, but you don’t want to leave him openly bleeding after the bite, so you keep your mouth over the puncture marks until the blood has slowed considerably. Only then do you lean back, giving him some space after feeding on him. 

Sucking your tongue against the front of your teeth, you attempt to clear the rest of his blood from your mouth. James breathes out a soft laugh, his head slumped back against the seat behind you. Aleksander had mentioned that with more time your venom would be strong for him, and you can only imagine how it might affect a human like James. 

His smile lingers as he tilts his head lazily towards you, blinking through the haze in his eyes as he does so. When he manages to sit up, he straightens himself with a palpable energy alight in his eyes. He looks rejuvenated as he slides a hand into his hair, ruffling it slightly as he breathes out another quiet laugh of disbelief. Blood hunger sated, the tension has melted from your chest, allowing you to breathe easily and offer him a small smile. 

“Thank you.” 

He nods instantly, hands splayed on the seat beneath you on each side of his thighs. Despite the fact that he’s lost blood, there’s a flush to his cheeks and he seems ready for anything. Usually, you feel tired after Aleksander feeds on you, most likely from the combination of his venom and the loss of blood. Being fed on clearly has the opposite effect on a human. 

“If you ever need a feed, I’m here most evenings.” 

His offer stuns you momentarily but you nod in response. When he tilts his head pointedly towards the rest of the club, you slide out of his way to allow him out of the booth. The two of you part ways after an exchange of nods and smiles. 

There’s a slight wobble in his legs as he walks towards the bar, and you find yourself watching him as you sit back down onto the edge of the seat. Too surprised by James’s response to your bite, you don’t realise Aleksander has stood up as well. He nudges your knee gently with his, encouraging you to slide further into the booth, which you do. 

“That was easier than you thought it would be,” you admit. 

Aleksander smiles widely at you as he takes a seat in the open space beside you. 

“You did very well.” 

Warm blood rushes to the surface of your skin, as he presses his lips softly against your cheek. His nose nuzzles affectionately over your cheek, as he breathes in the scent of your blush, his chest expanding with the depth of his inhale. Your stomach flips at the sound of a small hum of pleasure catching in the back of his throat and he presses a gentle kiss to your jawline, tracing his way up to your ear. 

“You smell delightful.” 

The heat of your skin prickles down the length of your body. 

“I do?” 

He nods, humming quietly in confirmation, and his next words, a low admission, are murmured against the shell of your ear.

“My teeth are just aching for a bite of you.” 

Tilting your head backwards, you bear as much of your throat as possible for him to feed from, your eyes fluttering closed in anticipation of his bite. When nothing happens, when there’s no sting of pain from his fangs descending into your skin or flood of pleasure from his venom, you open your eyes and blink at him in confusion. 

Aleksander cradles the back of your head with one of his hands, the nape of your neck fitting perfectly in the palm of his hand. His fingertips graze over the hollow of your throat and there’s no doubt he can feel the bob of your throat as you swallow. His eyes scour over your expression intently. 

“May I?” he asks. 

You nod. He waits patiently for you to find your voice. 

“Yes, please.” 

He smiles though there’s some distance in his eyes as he appears to think something over in his mind. 

“What is it?” you ask. 

“Would you… would you mind if you made this bite a little messy?” 

You blink at him. 

“What do you mean?” 

“When I bite you, my venom encourages you to relax and stay still, meaning the puncture wound is always small. But if I were to tilt your head slightly during the feeding-” he demonstrates the motion, tilting your head back slightly with one of his fingers now tucked under your chin “-your skin would tear, meaning there would be more blood for me to feed on.” 

His hands drop down to settle casually on your thighs, a comforting weight as he remains close to your body without crowding you too much. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up, the cool air brushing over the skin that had previously been shielded by his hand. 

“You don’t have to agree. Some people find it enjoyable.” 

In your ears, your voice sounds as breathless as you feel, your lashes fluttering at the sight of his darkened eyes in the low light. 

“Enjoyable?” 

“Well,” he starts with a small smirk. “I would have to clean up the mess with my tongue.” 

There’s a beat of silence while Aleksander’s eyes twinkle with amusement at the sight of your widened eyes. 

“Oh.” 

The thought of Aleksander’s warm tongue moving over the length of your throat, lapping up the blood that spills from his bite, makes heat curl through your body. Once again, he traces his knuckle along your jawline to keep your eyes on his as if he can sense how flustered you are. He cocks his head, curiosity sparkling in the depths of his gaze as he examines you. 

“Are you aroused?” 

Instantly, your legs snap together, the bones of your kneecaps clashing as you press them closed. The heat spreading over your cheeks dives down your body. 

“No.” 

He purses his lips together momentarily, suppressing the laughter that shimmers in his eyes at your sudden reaction. 

“It’s alright if you are. Feeding in public is a rather intimate affair.” 

“It’s not the feeding.” 

He lifts a dark brow. 

“It’s not?” 

“This… this doesn’t happen to me very often.” 

His brows draw together for a brief moment, his forehead creasing slightly as he observes your widened eyes and heated cheeks. Then the corner of his mouth lifts and a softness creeps into his dark eyes. 

“Oh, sweet girl, is it me?” 

His doting tone has you teetering on a knife’s edge of a great big something. Something that you’re desperate for, your fingers prickling with the urge to sink your nails in and claw at this feeling to get what you want - and Aleksander is what you want. 

“Aleksander, please, bite me.” 

There’s a glimmer in his eyes, as if he’s considering teasing you even further. Though the temptation of biting you seems too much of an incentive for him to move closer. 

He takes your chin gently between his fingers, turning your head to one side to reveal a large portion of your neck for him. His nose traces over your pulse as he breathes in your scent. Your heart pounds expectantly, waiting for him to bite down on your throat, anticipation tingling over your skin. 

“Ready?” 

You nod. There’s a brief pause as he extends his fangs. 

“Breathe, little love.”

It’s only then that you realise you’ve been holding your breath and light-headedness has descended. He waits until you’ve taken a soothing inhale, your lungs filling with air which instantly alleviates most of your nervousness. He watches you breathe steadily for several moments. Then Aleksander sinks his teeth into your skin. 

Like always, there’s a small sting of pain that quickly diminishes as his venom begins threading through your veins. A muted whimper catches in the back of your throat and you breathe out a heavy sigh as bliss fills your body. 

Aleksander’s hands slide up your thighs, slipping beneath your skirt to squeeze at the crease where your thighs meet your hips. His sudden touch in such an intimate area has you gasping, your head falling backwards as you shift yourself closer to his body. The movement itself causes Aleksander’s fangs to drag through your skin, drawing more blood to the surface. 

He holds the back of your head, preventing you from moving any further to ensure that he doesn’t spill too much blood. He sucks diligently on the wound, swallowing down as much of your blood as possible. A rivulet of hot blood traces its way down your throat and you shudder at the sensation. Aleksander withdraws his fangs from your skin to lap up the line of blood running down over your collarbone. Sticky blood continues to bloom from the puncture wounds as his tongue licks over your thundering pulse, removing the blood that is already beginning to dry there.

He breathes heavily from the exertion of feeding, each breath brushing delicately over your skin in a gentle caress. His venom helps the skin close naturally, though it takes longer than usual since the wounds are larger this time. Aleksander keeps his face tucked into the crook of your neck, tongue tracing lazily over your skin whenever a droplet of blood rolls down from the wound. 

Aleksander’s venom threads its way through your veins, filling your limbs with a comfortable heaviness. Your entire body is enveloped in a sense of comfort and warmth, like being cocooned in a soft blanket, and your sense of hearing is limited to the pounding of your heart, beating a steady rhythm as you also attempt to catch your breath from such an intense feeding.

The sound of Aleksander pouring a glass of water is distant and muffled. Even with your eyes closed, focusing your attention on him as he drinks some water helps you to reorientate yourself. He encourages you to drink some water and you’re surprised by how dry your throat is. 

“Easy,” he murmurs. “Small sips.” 

It takes some difficulty to do as he says, but Aleksander’s hand at the nape of your neck helps to control the speed of your drinking. 

Slowly, the rest of the world comes back into focus. Aleksander’s body shields you from most of the sights and sounds of the club, which seem too bright and too loud compared to earlier. It’s then that you notice the concern in his eyes. 

“Can I come home with you tonight?” you ask him quietly, fingers curling into the fabric of his sleeve. He nods, expression softening further. 

“Of course. Now?” 

You nod. There’s a shakiness to your legs, they feel almost disconnected from the rest of your body as you look down at your heels. Despite being well practised in wearing heels, the thought of walking has apprehension clouding your mind. Aleksander notices your frown. 

“What’s wrong?” 

It’s difficult to string your thoughts together into something coherent to say to him as an explanation and your lips part for a moment. Nothing comes out as you attempt to gather your concerns. 

“I don’t think I can walk in heels, but the buckles look too complicated for me to unfasten in this state.” 

He breathes out a soft laugh. 

“Well, there’s an easy fix for that.” 

He descends onto one knee smoothly, crouching down to unbuckle your heels. His thumb circles soothingly over where the strap has been pressed against your ankle, offering a tender touch to a place you hadn’t even realised was hurting. He squeezes gently at your calves, fingertips casual in their motions, right where you can feel the muscles trembling slightly from the aftermath of his venom. 

He tilts his head aside, his eyes scouring over the length of the floor. It takes you a long moment to realise that he’s searching for any broken glass or spilt drinks that might hurt your bare feet or cause you to slip on your way to the exit. When his gaze returns to meet yours you smile softly in appreciation, and he offers his hand to help you stand. 

The smooth polished stone that makes up the flooring is surprisingly warm against your bare skin, and you frown down at your feet. 

“Underfloor heating,” Aleksander murmurs quietly in explanation. 

“Oh.” A pleased shudder runs from the soles of your feet up to your chest. “It’s really nice.” 

He breathes out a quiet laugh, keeping you tucked close into the side of his body. He’s warm too, and you find yourself gripping onto the front of his shirt - both to keep your balance and to make the most of his warmth. The straps of your heels hang delicately from his fingers, swinging lightly as you walk. 

As you near the exit, goosebumps prickle over your skin and Aleksander shrugs his jacket over your shoulders to protect you from the cool breeze. He presses you close against his side and when he notices your questioning look he murmurs against your temple. 

“Your body temperature is about to drop after being fed on.” 

Almost instantaneously, a shudder wracks through your body and you grip tighter onto the fabric of his shirt, trying to draw some heat from his body to yours. 

He stops at the top of the steps that make up the entrance of the building and you frown at him. The frown on your face deepens when his arm tightens around your shoulders, his other arm reaching for your legs. A small squeal of surprise escapes your lips as he sweeps you up against his chest and you wrap your arms hurriedly around his neck to steady yourself. Aleksander’s smile is wide as he carries you down the steps. 

The sudden shift from the heat of the club to the darkened streets make your shivers relentless, your body trembling in the desperate hope of creating some warmth of your own - despite how impossible that is. When he notices your teeth chattering, concern fills Aleksander’s features, and he begins to walk faster towards his car. 

Squeezing your eyes shut, you bury your face into his chest to ground yourself and cling to a little more warmth. When you reach his car, Aleksander places you into the passenger seat with ease, pressing a reassuring kiss to your forehead before he closes the door behind you. 

Once the keys have been turned in the ignition, Aleksander dials up the heating system and a delightfully warm rush of air floods over your face. Eager for more, you hover your hands in front of the vents to warm your ice-cold fingers. He takes your hands in his own, cupping them between both of his palms to shield them from the cold that lingers in the air of the car. Gently, he begins to rub against your fingers and the friction encourages some warmth to settle beneath your skin. 

The two of you stay like this for a long moment, Aleksander warming your hands as you continue to shiver occasionally due to the last slivers of cold leaving your body. The car hums quietly and combined with the rush of hot air they provide a soothing ambience that has your eyes growing heavy. Exhaustion is common after being fed on and all you want to do now is curl up beside Aleksander and go to sleep.  

With your fingers still feeling half-numb from the cold, you fumble with the clasp of the seatbelt, trying several times to buckle it with limited success. After your third or fourth attempt, Aleksander takes it from your hands, slotting it firmly into place for you. When your eyes lock, your cheeks warm and offer him a grateful smile. An unreadable emotion crosses over his eyes but he only nods in acknowledgement, shifting his attention towards the car as he puts it into gear. 

He turns to look out of the rearview window, placing his hand on the headrest behind you as he does so. When his eyes skim over you, concern touches his features and he says quietly, 

“Feel free to get some rest. Traffic should be light at this time, so we’ll be home soon.” 

Home. The thought of  Aleksander considering the two of you together at his house as a home has a cosy warmth spreading in your chest which encourages you to close your eyes. As always, the reassuring sound of his heartbeat and breathing has a sense of calm filling you as you anticipate each soft exhale. Before you know it, you’re falling into a comfortable slumber. 

-

marvelmusing Tag List: @dreamlandcreations @blanchedelioncourt @idaofinfinity @slytherheign @ellooo0ooo @vixenofcourse @dumb-fawkin-bitch @jane-arthur @ilikefictionmen @budugu @watersquirtpewpewboomm @mysweetlittledesire

S&B Tag List: @motheroffae @daddymaster21

Aleksander M Tag List: @nyctophiliiiiaaa @jazmin2211 @wooya1224 @seronsalk

BB Characters Tag List: @rachlovesactors @noortsshift @aikeia @weallhaveadestiny @two-unbeatable-beaters @idohknow

[becauseicantthinkwritings]

Oh shiet what was i on

Good to have you back!

Now tormenting time... 😈

Vampire!Aleksander using his shadows as a blindfold and restraints. Letting the goshtly touch of them roam all over your body until you're begging him to give you some relief...

WHAT

AAAAAAAA

DO YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE AGAIN BECAUSE I SWEAR-

Warnings: binding, gagging, shadow tendrils being used on reader, anal play

"Stay still or I'll make this worse."

A pitiful sound leaves your throat at his words. You can't do anything more with his belt pressed firmly between your teeth.

Your Morozov master had taken to using you earlier in the day than expected, binding you firmly to his bed with his shadows, a thick tendril deep inside you, and a much smaller one slowly working at your rear.

The sound makes him grin. A sharp smile that's all fangs and your body throbs at the reminder of what this is all for.

You wriggle again in need as one of his shadows snakes its way over your clit. You're scolded silently, with the tendril in your rear getting a little bigger.

"I won't warn you a second time. If you move again, I'll fuck you without any preparation."

He gets closer, hovering over you, his breath puffing against your cheek.

"With my size," he breathes in your ear, "I'll hurt that little cunt of yours if I tried to fuck you now."

Another whimper and he smiles.

"But you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

.

.

.

[vamplire]

the cruel realization that a devastatingly attractive immortal isn't going to carry me off into a life of fantasy & tender romance can really do a number on a person's psyche

[the-fangirl-diaries]

His looks? Stunning? His voice? Hot. His moral compass? Questionable. Don't bother telling me who he is, I probably know who you're thinking about and honestly? Same.

[siriuslyobsessedwithfiction]

That scene in IwtV when Louis is asked "Are you schizophrenic?" and he sees Lestat who tells him "Say no, mon cher" and he does say no is so Alina and Darkling coded. When she keeps seeing him through the tether and lies that nothing is wrong.

Nikolai: "Are you picking up alcoholic habits from Mal? Did you have too much jurda and kvas and started to hallucinate?"

Alina seeing the Darkling casually sitting across her: "Say no, solnishko."

Alina: "No."

[periodcostumefantasylover]

[marvelmusing]

*high pitched squealing* *jumping up and down* *swinging my legs gleefully*

Guess who is currently committing Vampire!Aleksander crimes?

[unabashedmoonlight]

Alina's powers would have rocked in a vampire setting.

Reluctant, no, Accidental vampire hunter. She tries to get more and more away from vampires but some idiot always shows up to then spontaneously burn to death. Word spreads among the vampires.

"She is killing our people! She can't keep getting away with it!! She will hunt us down one by one!!!"

Meanwhile Alina is just trying to take a nap without having to smell burning bodies.

Her idiot friend Mal doesn't notice any of this and goes out and becomes a vampire on purpose and there's this whole thing where she tries to get rid of her powers to be with him again but in the end he is the one who gives up his vampirehood/immortality for her for a happily ever after.

She then grows comfortable with her powers and uses them to blackmail the local vampires to give her a monthly payment in exchange for not showing up at their door lmao.

Sometimes she can also take payments from humans to kill some rather annoying vampires.

And what if one rather annoying vampire who is somehow resistant to her powers is Aleksander Morozova 👀.

[piolhyna]

whICH one of you did this gAme???!

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

I wonder why vampires aren't shown to be as depressing as Aleksander is. (Idk anything about this book but since I follow you I have been reading all these metas and DAMNNN)

LMAOOOO first of all formal apology for subjecting all my previous followers who didn’t sign up for TGT meta to all of this TGT meta.

But also, I would argue that some, to even a lot, of vampires are that depressing? The Louis du Point du Lac archetype is a very prevalent one, that then got eventually watered down to the angsty Angels and Edward Cullens of the genre. (I would argue that Aleksander is directly written in conversation with the latter type) And the Vampire Chronicles/Interview With the Vampire itself, with its cast of varyingly wretched, depressed, and traumatized immortals, arguably redefined the vampire genre entirely.

Meanwhile, if you were following my blog before this, I’m assuming you’re here for Hellsing. In that, vampirism is partially a metaphor for trauma, or at least a past that cannot be overcome and turning to self destructiveness for it. Alucard’s entire personal motivation and goal is to die.

In my gradual fandom hop from Hellsing to TGT, I basically just went from analyzing the inner workings of one murderous and miserable, 500+ year old war criminal for anons in my inbox to another— only one of them happens to be Dracula!

(And I have said a couple times before that I think the Darkling is written like a vampire.)

However, I’d agree that there are key differences in the way Aleksander is depressing, and I think that is down to the themes, narrative function, and cultural associations that vampirism frequently lends itself to.

Since you aren’t familiar, I’ll sum up the plot of TGT as briefly as I can. It starts out as a very typical chosen one fantasy, where the protagonist Alina Starkov, an overlooked and unremarkable orphan serving in the military, is discovered to be the lost princess the super special, never before seen magic user with the special type of sunlight magic that the entire country has been waiting for to save it from the shadowy, monster filled dimensional rift, smack dab in the middle of it, that’s been making everyone’s life hell. She’s immediately whisked away to a life of luxury, and taken under wing by The Darkling, the mysteriously goth and pretty commander of all magic users who possesses the antithesis of her power. If she can summon light, he can summon shadows. He’s supposedly “only” one hundred years old, but his ancestor created the Shadow Fold. And he’s soooo sad and guilty about that inherited mistake and he’s determined to fix it. Alina’s supposed to to help him do it— chiefly, through the power of a mythical amplifier that’s meant to enhance her power. But the mid point of the very first book is that shdgdd after a big makeout scene with very dubious vibes, one of Alina’s magic teachers, herself turning our to be the Darkling’s mother, reveals that he’s much older than he claims and that he created the Shadow Fold and has no intention of destroying it, as opposed to using it as a weapon against other countries. And he also means to use the amplifier they’ve been searching for to magically enslave her and take her power for his own. So Alina runs away! And this sets off the rest of the series which is a race to get to each of the three mythical amplifiers before the other does. And generally evading the Darkling who has now gone gloves off and doesn’t mind showing himself to be an unfeeling mass murderer.

The narrative from this point on positions him chiefly as Alina’s foil, as her potential future and worst case scenario. As she amasses her own power and makes sacrifices in the name of defeating him, she’s presented as essentially being in danger of falling into the same path of corruption over centuries. Because, crucially, now that she has the amplifiers, she will also be immortal. And he is both convinced that she must turn out like him, but also that her immortality positions her as his equal above mortals, and as his companion, even if he must capture her and break her will down to make her see that.

The series’ main themes— handled with… debatable success— are that of autonomy, greed, the corruption inherit in accumulated power, and the pitfalls of means to an end morality. The particular ways that Aleksander is a uniquely miserable character are inextricable from his role in the story and what he is meant to represent. But the in-universe circumstances of his immortality also change things a lot.

Vampiric angst is usually tied to the overtly, or otherwise thinly veiled, Christian concept of damnation. Vampirism is culturally a curse, drinking blood to live, and fearing the sunlight is meant to be monstrous. There are individual instances (World of Darkness, some of the True Blood lore) where vampires have their own doctrines and believe themselves to be chosen or better than mortals. But typically cultural associations with them are uniformly negative.

In TGT there is the vague implication of “shadow powers bad” but it’s mostly framed as prejudice against something unknown. Meanwhile magic isn’t inherently awful, and the more powerful a magic user the more long lived they are, hence Aleksander pretending to be 100ish was believable. But hardly anyone else actually lives into multiple centuries the way he has. He’s an aberration. There’s also no element of like readily making anyone else immortal, so Aleksander ends up in this kind of bewilderingly lonely position of being isolated in his power and having no real idea of how or why this happened (beyond his equally long lived mother explicitly trying to have The Most Powerful Child Ever)

I think similarly, immortality as something that’s given to someone at some point during their life, as is the case with vampires, tends to evoke themes of stagnation and being frozen in time. Aleksander is a VERY inadaptable character, who isn’t really able to comprehend how much his sense of morals has been warped over the years. But he’s very driven and forward looking?

I feel like vampires as a concept don’t lend as easily and immediately to the “I am going to create widespread political change” type. And again with no preexisting associations with being cursed or damned, nor their being the inherent need for murder to survive, I think Aleksander ends up being in a position where he’s both more and less morally ambiguous. He’s not inherently monstrous, he only becomes that way through gradual, and inadvertent moral corruption. There’s no element of “succumbing to his nature.” He can keep thinking that he’s fully morally correct as long as he believes his goals are worth it and his sacrifices will have a return on them. The fact that he easily could have turned out completely differently and never been a villain at all is integral to his character.

Vampires conversely tend to deal with corruption of the soul/moral character at the point of immortality, or about consciously trying to combat the corruption of a known and acknowledged baser nature.

I’m aware that I’m making a lot of generalizations and assumptions about the ready thematic functions of vampires in fiction, but I hope this makes sense? Basically I think the tragedy just comes from a different direction.

Anyway, while I’m talking about vampires, I want to circle back to my earlier point about the Darkling feeling Edward Cullen influenced to me. Shadow and Bone was published in 2011, and with how slow moving the traditional publishing industry is, it’s safe to say it was written at least a year or two prior.

This would be towards the tail end of the post Twilight paranormal, and specifically vampire, romance boom. It was not at all uncommon to see unironic romances focusing on impressionable teenaged protagonists with poor self esteem, getting with 100+ year old love interests who, in singling them out (for their “maturity” and discontent from their peer group) validate their self worth, but also completely isolate and impose their own values on them.

The first half of the very first TGT book follows those same tropes pretty closely, and the initial romance heavy book marketing was basically indistinguishable from that crop of books.

To be clear, I think wish fulfillment stories are fine lol, but it’s really interesting to think of SaB (and the Darkling!) as a deliberate deconstruction in response to those trends.

Anyway this kind of went all over the place.

TLDR: I think vampires are?? frequently just as depressing?? They just tend to do it in mildly different ways. Also I have a soap box about Aleksander being a direct take on Edward Cullen (and others of his character type) being easily read as a controlling and abusive groomer.

[marvelmusing]

Love Bites

Pairing: Vampire!Aleksander Morozova x Human!Fem!Reader

Summary: For Aleksander’s birthday, you intend on giving him something particularly special - your humanity.

Warnings [18+]: smut, oral (fem receiving), blood, mild references to death, pseudo death, typical vampire themes, blood consumption, somnophilia (not explicit), hint of dub con (consent isn’t explicitly stated but it’s always there), it wasn’t wholly intentional but Aleksander gives off daddy vibes (once again)

A/N: I’ve pictured this as part of my Blood Is Thicker AU, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone

My Masterlist

“Sasha?”

Aleksander lifts his head up, a tiny frown of concern creasing between his brows as he moves his attention away from where he’s been fussing with the collection of cushions surrounding the two of you on his bed.

“Hm?”

As always, the feeling of his deep brown eyes on you has warmth seeping into your chest, a smile blooming over your face. Heat simmers beneath your cheeks as you admit quietly,

“I love you.”

He smiles softly.

“I love you too.” Then his expression shutters slightly, the concern returning. “You still want this, don’t you? Because if you don’t, please tell me. I would never want to force you into anything - especially not this.”

His tone is serious and you believe every word.

“I want this. I want you, forever.”

A distance enters his eyes as he looks down at the space between you both.

“Forever is a long time.”

Slowly, you reach for his hand, curling your fingers around his for a gentle squeeze.

“I want you, for as long as you want me.”

His smile returns as he leans forwards, hooking a hand beneath your jaw as he moves to kiss you.

“Forever it is, then.”

That has your smile widening against his mouth. When Aleksander breaks the kiss, he presses his forehead against yours, nuzzling your noses together affectionately. Despite his tender touches, he still seems somewhat tense.

“Even still,” he adds. “It doesn’t have to be tonight - if you’re not ready. I would never be disappointed in you.”

“I know, Sasha.” Fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, you frown as you attempt to explain how you’re feeling. “But it’s your birthday - and I know it might sound silly…” Your voice begins to trail off into something quiet and bashful as you lower your gaze. “But I want us to have the same birthday.”

The muscle in his jaw twitches, flexing as he clenches his teeth together to restrain the intrinsic urge to bite, especially at the thought of turning you - ridding you of your humanity - on his birthday. Gaining you as his eternal life partner, a little fledgling of his own, is one of the best gifts he could have hoped to attain.

“It will hurt.”

“I know,” you whisper.

Aleksander has already explained the turning process to you, countless times during your relationship. The discussions had become more lengthy and detailed when you had expressed your desire to be turned by him.

“The femoral artery will ensure you lose enough blood relatively quickly.”

He traces his fingertip along the length of your bare thigh, revealed due to the short skirt of your nightdress, hemmed in white lace for a little touch of innocence.

“A bite to each thigh should suffice.” His fingers dance up your body, the barest hint of a caress as he makes his way up to your neck. “Perhaps one at your throat, for good measure.”

The next breath that leaves you shakes as you exhale. Aleksander tilts his head aside.

“It’s alright to be scared.” You nod weakly. “I have absolute faith in your ability to handle this.”

Swallowing hard, your breathing catches as if you’re about to cry.

“I’m going to miss you, Sasha.”

Aleksander’s expression crumbles slightly and he pulls you into his arms, holding you safe against his chest.

“You won’t be gone for long, I promise,” he vows, his lips brushing over the crown of your head. There’s a pause before he adds slowly, “But I will miss you too, my sweet girl.”

He ducks his head down, kissing you leisurely. There’s a spark of arousal flickering to life inside you as his hands begin to wander, cupping and squeezing at the places that make you squirm. His mouth moves slowly, determined against yours as he begins to guide you backwards into the mound of cushions he has been crafting all evening.

“I know you’re scared,” he coos gently between kisses. “But I need you to relax. Need you to be warm and comfortable. Do you think you can do that for me?” A small whimper escapes your lips, though you manage to nod. He smiles. “Of course you can, my brave girl. Such a good girl.”

His hands ease the tension from your body, working against the stiff muscles and smoothing over whatever bare skin he can find.

“My beautiful girl.” He grasps at your breasts and you arch into his touch as his mouth moves down your body. He squeezes your nipples over the soft silk fabric of your nightdress, before his hands slide over your figure. “Are you going to let me kiss my favourite part of you?”

His gaze is heated as he stares down at where your nightdress has ridden up, exposing your bare lower half. Arousal is coating the flushed lips of your cunt, smearing over the sheets beneath you.

“Sasha,” you whine, writhing. He smiles, seemingly unaffected by your needy state.

“Hm, you’re right, milaya. I do have more than one favourite part of you.” He lifts his face away from your cunt, making you whimper with a pout. He grins, sharp teeth flashing. “Perhaps I should give my attention to every inch of you.”

Filled with need, you shake your head which has a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“No?” he asks playfully. “Where would you like my attention, milaya?”

“My cunt,” you mumble quietly.

Affection swims in Aleksander’s eyes as he looks at you with a fond smile.

“Where?” he repeats, encouraging you - as always - to voice your needs clearly to him. Heat burns over your cheeks in a blush that he will be able to smell as it spreads down your neck.

“Can you lick my cunt, Aleksander, please?”

His smile widens. There is nothing in this world that he would be able to deny you.

He licks and sucks with a familiarity that has you sinking into the mattress as bliss soaks your muscles, drawing moans from your lips as you hold onto Aleksander’s hair. His tongue curls inside you, pressing against your quivering walls as his nose rubs at your sensitive clit.

Breathless, you writhe and rock your hips forwards against his face, eager to continue feeling his tongue lapping at your cunt. Pleasure climbs in your stomach, drawing you closer and closer to your peak. Aleksander’s mouth is covered in your arousal when he finally lifts his head to say,

“When you hit your climax, I’m going to bite you.”

Whilst you know he’s warning you of the upcoming pain, your cunt clenches desperately at the thought of being bitten - of being claimed by Aleksander so completely. A constant spiel of his name falls from your lips as you tighten your grip on his hair.

Tumbling into your orgasm, you barely even notice Aleksander has bitten you through the throes of pleasure overtaking your body. Then he retracts his fangs from your skin, deeper than any bite you’ve experienced before, and the cool air meets your open wound.

The ache is fierce, unlike any pain you’ve ever felt in your life. Violent pins and needles prickle over your calf and foot, while your thigh aches down to the bone. Every minute movement has pain thrumming through your body, drawing small groans and cries from you. Tears spill over your cheeks, dropping down onto the bedsheets that are now becoming stained with your blood. Aleksander hushes you gently.

“Don’t move, sweet girl.” A sob heaves at your shoulders and his expression shatters. “I know it hurts. Be a good girl and stay still for me while I bite the other thigh.”

With one hand, he holds your unbitten thigh in place, whilst the other rubs tight circles over your clit. Unable to move, you whimper and cry as the pleasure mingles with your pain. When his fangs break the skin once more, you all but scream and the world goes splotchy. Unsure of everything, you think you might have climaxed again. Everything is shaky and disjointed.

Every few beats, your heart forgets itself, halting in the rhythm it has maintained since before you were born. There’s a numbness in your toes and your fingers, a heaviness weighing on your limbs. A weak whisper of Aleksander’s name is all you can muster to convey the spark of fear in your chest.

“It’s alright, sweet girl. It’s almost over.” He breathes out a fond laugh as he looks over your body. “Of course, you still have some fight left in you.” He kisses your cold cheek, smearing the tearstained skin with blood. “Stop fighting, milaya. Give up and let me make you mine for eternity.”

His words are honey in your ears, soft and sticky against your aching, exhausted body. He kisses along your throat, listening to your slowing heartbeat. As your vision swims, you can almost see yourself spread out over Aleksander’s bed - a mess of blood and arousal and tears covering your body.

The last thing you feel is the snapping of your carotid artery, breaking under the pressure of Aleksander’s fangs. Pain shoots up into your head and ricochets down your spine, like two ends of an elastic band springing away from each other. Then everything goes dark with a frightening intensity.

»»---------------------►

The only thing you’re aware of is your discomfort, though whatever ails you is quickly tended to. A cool cloth pressed to your forehead when you grow hot. Blankets tucked up to your chin when your body shudders from the cold. A soothing hand stroking your head when it aches. Arms snake around your waist when your stomach cramps fiercely.

When your throat becomes frightfully dry - enough that you wheeze and cough - hot liquids are pressed against your lips and you drink eagerly. When you reach between your thighs to alleviate the ache of your dripping cunt, a hand pulls yours away and replaces your little fingers with two long digits that stretch you open so deliciously that you fall back asleep with them inside you.

Moments of lucidity arise. A soothing voice. Aleksander? Hands that feed you, bathe you. Teeth aching for something you can’t name. Settling your head in someone’s lap. Gentle strokes of a hairbrush. Suckling on his fingers as you fall back asleep.

Then one day you wake up. Alone.

Blinking the dryness from your eyes, you sit up slowly, trying to reorientate yourself amongst the unfamiliar bedsheets. The duvet covering you is thick and cosy. The pillows behind you have been fluffed to perfection. There’s the lingering scent of Aleksander’s cologne and you pick up one of the pillows, clutching it to your chest as you breathe in.

The sound of footsteps has your attention zeroing in on the door to your right. A key slots smoothly into the lock, tiny mechanics moving into place as the door is opened. Aleksander stands in the doorway with a soft smile on his face and a glass of blood in his hand.

“You’re awake.”

You nod tentatively as he approaches.

He sits down beside you; instantly you collapse into him. Aleksander catches you easily, curling his arms around you to cradle you against his chest. The scent of him is stronger at the hollow of his throat and a soft whine escapes you after inhaling a deep breath of him. Nuzzling into his body, you attempt to bury yourself in his arms, perhaps hoping to meld the two of you together permanently.

He kisses the top of your head and you feel his shoulders loosen with the strength of his sigh. Without thinking, you stretch out towards his glass, which he moves smoothly out of your reach.

“Sasha,” you whimper defeatedly. He hushes you with a kiss to your forehead.

“Your stomach can’t handle human blood types yet. It’s best to feed from your sire.”

Ignoring how your stomach flips at the sound of Aleksander referring to himself as your sire, you pout and continue to gesture weakly for the glass.

“But it smells good.”

“As it should.” He swills the liquid around in his glass, swirling enticingly as he inhales the scent. “This is a vintage. 1536.” He turns his attention back to you, smiling indulgently. ��Far too strong for a little fledgling.”

“But Sasha, I feel much better.”

He regards you carefully.

“You do?”

You nod. With a small sigh, he relents.

“One sip,” he says sternly. “And only one.”

He grips the back of your head, holding you rigidly in place as he lowers the rim of the glass to your mouth for a sip. The moment the blood touches your lips, you understand what Aleksander means. The richness is cloying on your tongue, heavy as it moves down your throat into your stomach.

Nevertheless, you instinctively attempt to follow the glass when he withdraws it.

“Not yet, milaya.”

“I’ve been turned for a little while, haven’t I?”

He nods.

“Just over a month.” At that, your eyes widen. Has it really been that long? “But fledglings tend to feed from their sires for the first ten to twenty years - sometimes even longer.”

Pouting, your cross your arms.

“I’m not a baby.”

He laughs softly.

“Yes you are. Are you forgetting how much older I am compared to you?” His expression turns teasing. “Or do you just like being reminded of it?”

Placing the glass down, out of your reach, Aleksander loosens his hold on you, stroking his hand down the back of your neck, tracing down your spine. His eyes assess every inch of you intently, pushing the covers back to examine the fading bruises on your thighs.

“Does anything hurt?” he asks.

It takes a long moment for you to reconnect with your body well enough to understand his question. It’s often dizzying - how quickly he shifts from teasing to doting.

“My teeth ache a little.”

He tilts your head back, one hand holding onto your chin as he gestures towards your mouth.

“Open.”

His hand guides your head back even further, showcasing the top row of your teeth to him. He examines your teeth, pressing the pad of his fingertip against each of your canines.

“Your human teeth are coming loose. It shouldn’t be long before your fangs settle in.”

He retracts his hand from your mouth the moment you wince.

“For now, we’ll continue cleaning your teeth with the soft brushes and-” He cups your jaw on both sides, thumbs stroking just beneath your cheekbones, before he rubs soothing circles over your cupid’s bow. “-give your cheeks a little massage twice a day… just like that.”

You melt beneath his touch.

“Is that better, milaya?” he coos. Eyes fluttering closed as the pain eases, you nod. He smiles indulgently, a pleased twinkle sparkling in his eyes at the thought of being able to spoil you again now that you’re awake. “Will some ice cream make it even better?”

“Ice cream?” you repeat, a childlike hope clinging to your words. A yawn interrupts whatever question was going to follow. Aleksander chuckles.

“Tired, milaya?”

You nod sleepily, eyes growing heavy.

“How about a little nap before your treat?” he suggests. Another sleepy nod from you and he breathes out a soft laugh as he tucks you against his chest. His praise is murmured into your cheek as he kisses it, guiding the two of you down onto the mattress. “You’ve been doing so well.”

Blinking dazedly at him, you struggle to recollect the last few days - the last month - that you’ve spent in this room. Exhaustion hangs heavily over you, attempting to drag you back to sleep.

“I have?” you mumble into the fabric of his shirt.

He hums in approval, tucking the covers protectively over your body.

“I’m very proud of you.”

A small hum of acknowledgment warms in your throat as you nuzzle your face into his chest.

“Thank you, Sasha.”

He presses a kiss to the crown of your head, his lips lingering there for a long moment as he breathes in the scent of your body, feeling the texture of your hair against his face. He listens intently to the sound of your heartbeat, now fully revived by the venom in his blood. He counts each breath you take, until they even out as you sink into slumber.

He kisses your forehead again, watching your lips lift into a small smile as you sleep.

“Thank you, my sweet girl.”

»»---------------------►

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[homemade-ghosts]

when the darkling said, “let me be your monster.” and when spike said, “i know you’ll never love me. i know that i’m a monster, but you treat me like a man.” and when caitlyn siehl said, “when is a monster not a monster? oh, when you love it.”

[fandomrantsandtwittertakes]

[ignyxdaughter]

𝐗𝐈𝐗 - 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍

(𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 /𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐤𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐳𝐨𝐯𝐚 𝐱 𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧)

MASTERLIST

READ ON WATTPAD

A/N: English is not my first language. I’m gonna mix the books and the tv show to make the story line clearer (I read soc, the grisha trilogy and its tales). I don’t own Shadow and Bone and TO/Legacies characters; they’re, respectively, Leigh Bardugo, L. J. Smith and Julie Plec. Also, this is how I think the Darkling is,and some of the events will be changed due to the story's course!

words: 2873

warnings: mentions of witch/grisha hunt

────────── ★ ★ ★ ──────────

They are now cuddled, both their backs resting on the Black Heretic's fountain while gazing at the woods. The witch rests her head on the Grisha's chest, hearing the calming rhythm of his heartbeat. Him, on the other hand, lets his thumb caress her arm.

This is all so new to them, so... peaceful. It seems like a weight has left their shoulders as soon as they found equality in each other, the desire of wanting someone to understand them finally fulfilled.

"So—", Katherine's soothing voice breaks the comfort silence "what made you change your mind?"

Kirigan doesn't take his eyes off the tree he's been looking at for the past minutes. He is still enjoying the fantastic sensation of believing that everything is going to be alright now. "I started to think about what you had said. The Second Army is young, none of them have experienced the Ravka before the Fold. They have the idea that the Unsea is the issue, and that all of Ravka's problems will be solved once it vanishes. However, it is the complete opposite: if we destroy it, things will worsen." She nods, patiently waiting for him to continue. "There is no way to guard the entire border, therefore, Ravka will be exposed to many travelers. The Fjerdans and Shu Hans will take advantage of the country's vulnerability and attack. The drüskelle will have more access to accomplish their hunts too." He turns to the woman by his side, who is gazing at him since he started speaking. "Grishas will be in great danger if the Fold is destroyed."

"The Supernaturals too."

"Ravka will be no more safe haven."

"No, it won't."

"Also—", he takes a sharp breath to gather forces to tell her his conclusion "you were right."

The shadow singer's smile almost reaches her eyes. Oh, how she loves to be told that! No matter how many times that often happens, the pride feeling filling her chest always appears. "Pardon? I don't think I quite heard you."

"I won't repeat myself, Katherine."

"Why not?" Her smirk increases as she sees him scowl towards her. "Your words had such a beautiful sound."

He rolls his eyes. "You are not used to hearing that, I assume."

"Oh, no—", she chuckles. "I am more than used to it. After all, I am always right."

"If people see Alina's powers expanding the Fold, they will label Grishas as aberrations again." He ignores her to continue his line of thought. "Another hunt will be made and, with the Unsea blocking the borders, it'll be difficult to escape. The only way to protect ourselves will be killing all the hunters, which will practically be almost all otkazat'sya."

Ravka will be the stage of a massacre, the unsaid words float through the air. All due to the fight for survival.

"I want my country to be a safe haven, not a remembrance of a bloodshed."

Katherine's gaze softens in compassion. She shares that wish with him; she wants the Grishas and Ravka's Supernaturals to see their country as a secure place where they cannot fear. It would be wonderful if Os Alta transformed into what New Orleans is to many: home.

"Although living now more peacefully, your people still dread, Kirigan. Even receiving all the trainment in the world, there is still the terrifying thought of being attacked by the drüskelle and losing a fight with them. That fear will only grow if they witness a magical imbalance, especially one made by their General. Your Army will work based on dread instead on loyalty, and that is dangerous, because, soon, they will grow tired of feeling this." Her light green eyes are full of worry as she looks at him deeply. "This happened a lot through the centuries, and it always ended with the leader murdered by his own people."

"I know. I searched about those historical revolutions." Her eyebrows raise in surprise to see The Darkling agreeing. "Most of them were because the monarchy prioritized the court instead of the commoners, which were the majority. Only a few people had good life conditions, while the plurality suffered with poor ones. They got sick of injustice and repression, tired of having to survive to make others live. They wanted that possibility for themselves, so, after generations had passed and nothing had been done, they decided to fight for it."

"I witnessed some revolutions and that is what happened, indeed."

"I have lived the conditions of these commoners." Kirigan admits with a heavy chest. Sometimes, he is still affected with the memories of his tough childhood. He used to eat poorly, suffer from the cold, fear the dark when the night came, train for straight exhausting hours in order to learn how to control his powers, have to make new identities in a short period of time, and pass through many other unpleasant experiences. "It was terrible."

The sudden warm hand on his cheek tells him that he is not alone, that Katherine has suffered the same as him and as the many unfortunate people that were part of revolutions. "Survival isn't life, Kirigan. But it is just when you are old that you learn that the change will only come if you fight for it. That's why your Grishas are so immersed in the Fold's utopia: their youthness makes them believe that the time has finally come, that Alina will be the savior to fix all the problems." She offers him a sad smile. "My people are old and are struggling to live in Os Alta poorest area. One of the reasons why they hate your lightscum is this, since she represents all the illusion they had once believed."

"So they are willing to fight for change?"

She nods. "With all of their strength."

"If I promise better life conditions, will an alliance be possible?"

"Only if you guarantee that you have no intentions to destroy the Unsea. Firstly, you have to win their trust, especially the leaders' trust, then you may focus on a deal."

He gently grabs her hand that still is on his cheek. "I think I'll need a bit of your assistance, then."

The witch smirks as soon as she sees the glint on his dark brown eyes. "It will be my pleasure."

────────── ★ ★ ★ ──────────

"I swear it was her, Genya!" Michelle stops on her tracks as she hears Alina's voice echo through the room she was entering to clean.

"That's impossible."

"No, it isn't, and you know it!"

The Tailor shakes her head, making many of her red strands fly in the air. "Ms. Anya was playing a dangerous game here, Alina. The Darkling saw her as a threat and sent the oprichniki after her. She's probably dead now."

The Sun Summoner's brown eyes widened in shock. "Dead?"

"Yes." No. Michelle had to restrain a scoff. "I honestly think she was a spy."

"A spy? Really?"

"She knew too much for an ordinary otkazat'sya."

While starting to tie the room where the two Grishas were, Michelle began to make her own opinions. They aren't completely wrong: this specific servant knew too much and was considered by the General himself a threat, which led him to hunt her. However, she is pretty much alive, or better, Katherine Mikaelson is alive. No one knows what happened to Ms. Anya, she just... vanished.

"But, Genya, I swear I saw her today!" The blond's body stills as she cleans a desk. "Are you sure about that all? She seemed so real."

"There's no way Ms. Anya isn't dead, Alina. You probably were tired and hallucinated."

The younger girl looks deeply at the other, brown eyes meeting blue ones. "I know what I saw. Ms. Anya was at the beginning of the woods early this morning. She was hidden, but I saw her looking at Kirigan's chambers."

Oh, damn it, Katherine! You let yourself get caught by a teenager?! Michelle's face instantly turns into a scowl due to the anger she is feeling towards her cousin. By the Ancestors, Kat, you really turn into a fool when you like someone!

The Tailor takes a few seconds to answer her friend, but, finally, she shrugs her off with a hand. "I still think it's nothing to worry about."

I hope so, Genya, because I'm gonna kill Katherine if she drags the family into another trouble with insane plans.

The water singer leaves the Sun Summoner's chambers with heavy steps. As a way to calm herself, she goes to her little room and begins to read one of the books she had picked early in the morning. It is written in French, which eases her off with the thought of being close to her native language, and the author describes actions that may help people who are suffering with memory loss. After all, Michelle isn't certain that a spell will recover all of Agatha's remembrances.

Former lovers who had a long and healthy relationship with the victim may trigger good memories. However, the paramour must reproduce habits that were performed frequently during the time they were a couple.

Her blue eyes widened in sudden realization. There is someone that can aid them.

Of course, she didn't talk to Agatha's ex-lover for decades, but she had a good relationship with her; every Mikaelson — unless Katherine — had. The woman is a mesmerizing person and powerful witch, always willing to help the Supernatural. Michelle is sure that if she sends her a letter explaining about Agatha's current situation, the woman will appear in Os Alta in less than a day.

The water singer closes the book with a smile and immediately stands up. She needs to tell Katherine her new idea, but if her cousin takes too long to arrive, then she will handle the matter in her own hands.

With that in mind, the blond confidently states: "If there's any of Kat's shadows here, tell her to meet me at the Little Palace's library now."

────────── ★ ★ ★ ──────────

Hours had passed, and the couple had to go back to their respective places. After Kirigan had just left with his horse, Katherine was almost entering a shadow to go to Praecantrix when she heard Ikatris' smooth voice: Your cousin wants you at the Little Palace's library now. Seemed urgent.

She frowns with the unusual situation and mentally asks the dark figure: Which one?

The spoiled French.

Despite knowing patience isn't one of Michelle's virtues, she can't help but worry, her intuition wanting to alert that something is about to happen. However, as an attempt to ignore this uncomfortable feeling, the witch rolls her light green eyes at the shadow's answer. You know their names, Ikatris. So why do you insist on calling them with these nicknames?

She can almost feel the creature smirking. Because it irritates them.

Katherine can't help but chuckle. Her cousins indeed hate all of Ikatris' nicknames and always tell her to talk to the shadow in order to make him stop, however, it never worked. He is immediately delighted as he sees Hope — manic tribid — sends him a death glare, Michelle — spoiled French — huffs in impatience, Nick — justice alpha — rolls his eyes in annoyance, Agatha — dramatic queen — holding the urge to attack him, and Levi — Kol's counterfeit copy — walking away from him to not get into a fight.

Why don't you give me a nickname too? I have never received one from you.

Because you're Katherine, there's no one like you. You are already unique.

She smiles, a warm sensation reverberating in her chest. Thank you, Ikatris.

The witch then orders her shadows to guide her to the Little Palace's library, where she finds Michelle pacing through the Norse Runes book session. She seems nervous, clenching her fingers on the long white skirt, her blond hair that is usually perfect, is now disheveled. "What happened?"

The French woman turns abruptly and looks at her in rage. "You!" She extends her hands towards the brunette as if wanting to strangle her.

Katherine frowns. "What have I done?"

"What have you—" She seems to be using all of her control to not start yelling in fury. "What have you done?!"

The shadow singer seems uncertain of her actions now. Has she found out about Malyen Oretsev? "Yes?"

"You let yourself be seen by Alina!"

The nervousness began to grow in her stomach. "What?"

"Today's morning she saw you in the beginning of the woods, looking at Kirigan's chambers. Is this true?"

Shit.

"I... I, ehm—"

"Damn it, Katherine!"

"I didn't know she was there! I was focused on a more important task!"

Michelle grabs her cousin's shoulders to make her look straight at her. "She's sure Ms. Anya isn't dead, and now I think Genya suspects that too."

The older woman shrugs as an attempt to exhale confidence in order to calm the blond down. "They don't know much, Michelle. I am sure it will do us no harm."

"You were supposed to be the responsible one who fret about things that go out of control, not me!" She lets go of the brunette and crosses her arms, a pout forming on her red lips. "I didn't enjoy this."

"Well, welcome to my life.”

"It sucks."

"I know." Katherine sighs and slowly approaches her frustrated cousin. "But I also know that you wouldn't call my shadows only to yell at me. What happened?"

Her blue eyes face the light green ones. "I have a plan that may work."

"About?"

"Agatha." She passes a hand through her long blond strands, a habit that she does when is restless. "There is someone that may trigger some of her memories, and, maybe, even help with the spell."

"That is wonderful news!"

"Yeah, but not for you."

She raises an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

The water singer looks away, averting her cousin's gaze. "I just want to know that this is the best for Agatha. I would never do anything that could harm her."

If Kathreine wasn't sure why the French woman was acting like that, now she knows: Michelle did the idea before consulting her, the brain of the family and the mastermind behind the plans. "Michelle—"

"And, maybe, I-I've become a little anxious because I haven't found Hope and it was taking too long for you to arrive."

She clenches her teeth, already predicting the enormous trouble she got themselves into. "Michelle—"

"So I took the matter in my own hands before consulting any of you and sent a letter to her."

"Michelle, who did you call?"

She gives her a nervous smile. "The brightest person in this world."

The shadow singer frowns, though her stomach is currently twisting in dread, since it seems that this someone could be a horrible person. "Who?"

"She is just so full of light, you know." Despite continuing to smile, the younger one  begins to hug herself, as if this would protect her from Katherine's reaction.

The realization sinks at the brunette's chest like an anchor. Soliel Alvarez is a light singer witch that was Agatha's paramour for half a century. She is a woman obsessed with power and very practical: get in her way and you will die. For her, time is precious, so, unless it's necessary, she doesn't waste time with torture ceremonies.

Beyond hating shadow singers for their ability to dim her glow, she also hates her own kind. According to her, light singers are people devoid of character and who do not deserve trust or loyalty. For these reasons, she feels no remorse when draining an equal; in fact, she takes satisfaction in seeing their despair as she senses the victim's power entering her veins and thus making her stronger.

For sharing the same thought as her about lightscums, Katherine doesn't hate Soliel, however, she is always careful towards the woman. After all, light singers aren't trustable. The adopted Mikaelson relationship with her is tense, and only Levi knows that his cousin slightly likes Agatha's ex-lover.

Soliel is a difficult person to deal with, someone that will always try to trick you if you aren't aware of her true nature. In other words, she is a brutalest version of the shadow singer, and Katherine isn't in her right mind to meet her. She is already worried with Agatha's cure, about her affair — is that what they have now? — with Kirigan, with Ravka's Supernatural's current situation and with the execution of the coup. Soliel here will only overwhelm her and worsen the emotional weariness she is still feeling.

"You didn't."

Michelle looks at the ground as if it was the most mesmerizing thing in life. "Her and Agatha's relationship was so healthy and ended so well. They're still friends and see each other sometimes!"

The British woman can feel her breathing fasten. "Please tell me you are lying."

"And the book said that a good ex-lover can help on triggering memories, so—"

"Oh, Michelle!"

"—Soliel's coming to Ravka."

Everything stops. The air in her lungs, the frustration, the racing thoughts in her mind and the nervous twisting in her stomach are all gone. Suddenly, the forces in her entire body disappear too. Soon, her clear vision is replaced by the dark and she falls on the floor.

[timbermeshivers]

Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo is so Alina Starkov coded