The first time it happened, it was at the dawn of the Harpstring moon. A student does not leave his dorm at the first rays of light and lays on his bed as pale as death, two red dots painting his neck.
“Hide him.” Seteth gestures to Manuela, a frown settling on his face. “Do not let him leave his room until he’s back to normal.”
It leaves the teaching corps in a shamble Seteth does not dare to report to Rhea just yet, so to Manuela he confides asking for her discretion which she offers on the sweet-and-sour condition of having a drink with her later this week.
Seteth begrudgingly agrees. Hopes it to be but a single occurrence yet still warns off Flayn to remain in her quarters from dusk to dawn and to never, under any circumstances, leave to the outsides once night has fallen, fears for his child and the rare blood she bears.
On the other side of the dormitories, Ferdinand wakes with the harsh sun rays on his pale skin, cursing at himself once he feels the blood sticking on his lips.
“When the hunger is finally satisfied, all of a sudden you feel disgusted and scared of yourself, as the realization hits you: if there was a human being in front of you instead of the blood pack, you could easily rip their throat. What kind of a monster have you become?..”
You were attacked and stabbed on your way from work, and Braxton saves you… But at what cost…
Warnings: mentions of blood and injury, light angst, hurt/comfort, SMUT
(…) his eyes trace the string of blood trickling from your chin down your neck, to the valley between your breasts. He leans down to catch it with his tongue somewhere at your solar plexus. You shiver, breath quickening, as he slowly licks his way up your body, pausing at your collarbones to leave a couple of soft bites and suck on the tender skin of your neck.
Warnings: SMUT- oral sex f receiving, a bit of overstimulation, unprotected vaginal sex
“You’ll never be able to explain what kind of witchcraft it is, but no other man ever had this effect on you. You might be questioning your relationship with him, ask yourself if it’s healthy or not, but not when you’re in his arms. In his arms you lose your ability to think completely. He didn’t even touch your… Hell, he didn’t even reach your underwear yet, but you’re already melting, your mind hazy with desire. Surrender to him and let him do anything he wants with you. Allow him to simply devour you whole - that’s what you’re craving for.”
You’re getting used to your new vampire nature, but there are still thoughts and questions that trouble you. You are not sure how you really feel about Braxton, but the reunion after some time apart brings the two of you to a new level of trust.
I’ve barely started writing stuff for Sunny Day Jack and already I’ve got an AU plot bunny running away with me. Oh well, at least this bunny led me to draw a really nice and pretty spicy picture.
Good thing Jack is a very special kind of ghost who has blood (and other body fluids) to feed his half-vampire sunshine. Whether or not ghost blood will actually sustain her is another question, but I’ll bet it at least tastes absolutely addicting.
I went with half-vampire rather than a full one because Alice can’t get out of the curse of needing to work a day job that easily. She still has plenty of reason to curse the sun though. Also it’d be criminal if she couldn’t enjoy Jack’s pancakes anymore.
It’s funny that between the blood sucking (half-)vampire and the sunny kid-friendly clown, it’s the latter who is the dangerous one. Alice gets to have the vampire angst and fight against her murder instincts, fortunately never killing anyone. Jack… not so much, at least when it comes to ensuring that he and his sunshine will be happy together.
“Would you mind putting this down? It’s awfully uncomfortable to talk business like this.”
Instead of obeying, Inej pressed the stake in a little further. “I have no business with you, Kaz Brekker.” She enjoyed the brief flash of surprise on his face. She had done her research too. “And our hearts are nothing alike. I know why you killed the Menagerie’s clients. For profit. You don’t care about slavery, you care about selling that fake blood of yours.”
“Did that disappoint you?” Kaz asked, and maddeningly, Inej couldn’t tell if this was mockery or curiosity. “Did you think I might be some kind of hero?”
“No,” she said, teeth gritted. “I always knew what you are.”
A quick sketch of a scene from thekanej vampire/hunter au fici wrote for gvbb this year, cause i’m *always* a fan of death threats pinned against a wall. (check out the other art pieces made for the fic! [X][X] [X])
Patton cocked his head, a slight frown on his face. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he eased Virgil off of his lap, careful not to wake him as he stood. He rubbed his arms, feeling almost chilled, a shiver running down his spine. Something was wrong.
“Lo? Ro?” He called, and instantly, they appeared from in the kitchen, loosening a bit of the worry growing in his chest, safety in numbers, but something was still niggling at him, eating at his mind, screaming danger.
“Patton. Breathe.” Logan, gently squeezing his shoulders.
“something is wrong.” He answered, panic rising.
“Patton, your eyes…” Roman gasped. He spun, gasping as he saw his reflection, his eyes glowing a dim red. The strange panic pulsed harder, and he flinched, shoving the others down behind him, just as the glass windows of the living room shattered.
His instincts took over, the alarm cry of danger screaming in his head, rushing in his bones, and he growled. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt his family again.
He snarled as he leapt into the fray, not bothering with weapons, his nails sharpening into claws, his fangs bared and ready to tear, as he immediately pounced on one of the assailants, rolling across the floor in a bloody scrap.
Roman had his katana drawn, trying to fend off the attackers, Logan at his back with his crescent moon blades, Patton darting between them all with his extra speed, blocking the hits the others couldn’t see coming, keeping them away from the couch, away from Virgil, whom they seemed to hone in on.
There were so many of them, too many of them, and they were faltering. Roman had a slash across his cheek, Logan was bleeding from his arm. Patton was scraped and bruised, still snarling and spitting furious, like an angry alley cat, trying to defend all three of his family members, unable to keep up, unable to stop one from getting through his line of defense, eyes locking on Virgil as one of the attacking vampires reached him, a scream building in his throat.
Then there was a brilliant burst of black violet light that threw them all off their feet. Patton blinked furiously, breath freezing at the sight before him.
Virgil was standing, eyes a deep, electric storm violet that covered the whites. The light sparked from his hands, wreathed up his arms, wove around him almost like a cloak. The power was so black it was white, shifting between the two, lightning crashing against his skin, the power radiating out from him, his entire being aglow with it. The other attacking vampires hissed, focusing on their target, leaving the others alone. A smile split Virgil’s face, a cold, cruel thing, that made Patton shiver.
“You’ve made a mistake.” Virgil’s voice was an echoing boom, thunder crashing, rattling window panes, shaking the earth, a powerful reverb to it that had all of them wincing as it echoed in their mind.
In an instant, Virgil’s hands twisted in a complicated pattern, glowing circles and runes appearing in the air before him, drawn with his fingers, then he threw his arms wide and the spell circle blew wide, encompassing all the charging vampires, enveloping them in devouring darkness. Their screams were the only sound to the room as they dissolved into smoke, and with a flick of his fingers, the dark spell was gone, along with the attackers. Then Virgil turned to the three of them, his eyes still burning nearly black, novas of light crackling across his skin. Roman shoved to his feet, katana drawn, standing guard before Patton and Logan.
“It’s not safe here.” Virgil’s voice still boomed as he held out a hand, and Roman hesitated. He didn’t want to hurt Virgil, but this was scaring him. This wasn’t anything he’d ever seen before, and he wouldn’t let anyone, even Virgil, harm the others.
“Roman. It’s ok.” Patton murmured, gently pushing down his hand holding the sword, stepping around him, taking Virgil’s outstretched hand. “I trust you.” He whispered to Virgil, noting the slight smile that played at Virgil’s lips.
“I know, baby bat. Thank you.” Virgil replied, squeezing his hand, before looking back up at the others. Logan was next, hesitantly placing a hand on his arm, Roman following suit with a huff.
Virgil closed his eyes, weaving another spell circle in the air, one more complicated than Logan had ever studied, then the world blurred like a wet water color painting, shifting and spinning around them, slowly resettling until it was solid again, and they were in a completely different place.
“And I thought I was one for dramatic entrances.” A low whistle was accompanied with the words, and the group spun to face the small table against the wall, Remy leaning back in it, a smirk on his face, that slowly faded as he noticed the sparking light emanating from Virgil, expression shifting to shock as Virgil turned to look at him, eyes nearly black as coals, his veins pulsing with dark light.
“they found us. Didn’t know where else to go. Keep… keep them safe…” Virgil swayed on his feet, and Remy swore, barely managing to catch Virgil in his arms as the magic instantly vanished, the black leaking from his eyes as they rolled back and he slumped unconscious, skin ashen.
“Shit, Anx, you really know do know how to make an entrance.” Remy whispered, watching with baited breath as Virgil groaned, eyes blearily blinking open. He tsked scoldingly.
“Did you have a stroke and forget the first lesson of magic, you moron?!” Remy shook him lightly, and Virgil hissed, rolling his eyes.
“Be careful what you cast-“
“If it’s too much it’ll draw from your lifeforce itself.” Remy chorused with him, glaring down at him angrily.
“Cool. Now bitch, explain.”
“attacked in our house. Pack of ‘em. Was… was the only option.” Virgil mumbled, eyes slipping shut once more.
“Nuh uh, babe, not on my watch.” Remy muttered, silver light enveloping him for a moment, channeling his own magic into Virgil. Almost instantly, Virgil’s complexion evened out, his breathing steady, and the glow faded from Remy. Virgil didn’t open his eyes, but he stirred slightly, letting out a deep breath and relaxing in Remy’s arms, the pained tension leaving his body. It was a deep, restful sleep of recovery, Remy had made sure of that. It was his specialty, after all.
He took a deep breath, then turned his attention to the others, scowling as he saw Patton, standing with Roman and Logan.
“Someone wanna explain why you all showed up with my half dead adopted brother and him?” Remy asked accusingly, glaring at Patton, who waved nervously. Roman opened his mouth, but Logan stepped forwards first, eyes narrowed.
“Actually, I would say that it was you who led trouble to us. Given that Virgil has been dormant in his role as Anxiety, and you have been searching for Deceit, it seems probable that you were tailed when you paid us a visit, thereby leading your enemies to our doorstep. The only reason we got out is because he used magic more powerful and complex than any I’ve read about.” Remy softened, looking back down at Virgil.
“Of course he did. It takes a ton of magic to teleport two people, let alone three, including yourself. No wonder it pulled at his life force.” Remy sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I thought I was being careful.” He muttered, pushing back Virgil’s hair, before lifting him with a sigh and depositing him on the couch. In a literal blink of an eye, Patton was there, Virgil’s head in his lap. “He’ll be all right in a bit, just needs some, well, sleep. Remy smirked slightly, pushing up his dark glasses.
“So what do we do? He said the house isn’t safe anymore, those vamps are probably watching it. So now what?” Roman asked, pacing, eyes never leaving Remy, full of distrust.
“They seemed to be targeting Virgil specifically, and if it’s true they did indeed follow you to our location, it stands to reason they are after ‘the coven’ as you referred to it. It seems our goals now align. If we wish for these vampires to leave us alone, we must find their leader, and therefore find Deceit. Whether we like it or not, we must now work together.” Logan stated, standing near the arm of the couch, hands clasped behind him. Roman scowled, not halting in his pacing.
“You think I like it either, pretty boy? The last thing I wanted was your pet vampire in my secret hideout.” Roman growled, katana half drawn, silver light sparking on Remy’s hands.
“Say that again, I dare you.” Roman hissed out.
“Gladly, bitch-“
“Enough, you two. Just… enough. I get it. You don’t like me, don’t trust me, don’t want me here. I… I get it. But I’m not leaving. He’s part of my family, and I will do anything to protect him. So can we skip the hating me part, and focus on the problem?” Patton said, voice tired instead of biting, as he looked between Remy and Roman. Remy bit his tongue, looking hard at Patton for a moment, before sighing.
“Alright. Alright, fine, fine, for now. Once we figure this out, I make no promises.” Roman hissed again, cut off by Patton’s glare.
“I’ll just have to change your mind about me by then! Now, what do you know?”
…
He was exhausted. He was slumped against the wall, crouched uncomfortably, his restraints biting into his skin, keeping him from any kind of sleeping position. Every time he drifted off, the collar dug into his neck, jerking him awake. He was stained with blood, but his eyes were still defiant as he heard footsteps approaching, glaring up at the vampire who stopped before him.
“Well. That certainly went interesting. Seems I underestimated your little Virgil. He’s a slippery little shadow, I’ll give him that.” He smirked, relief filling his chest, Virgil got away. He’d always been smart, been strong, the strongest of the three of them, really.
“If you were smart you’d let him go. He’s capable of far more than you can imagine.” He kept his voice even, making sure the exhaustion didn’t give him away, keeping his cool façade intact, as the vampire grinned, fangs showing.
“Oh, but so am I. Something interesting happened, when my followers stormed their house. See, I expected four hunters. I didn’t expect three hunters and one very protective vampire. Wouldn’t you know, my coven turned a human a few months back, and got chased off before they could drag him back to the nest. What a lovely coincidence!” The vampire clapped his hands, green eyes flashing as his heart sunk.
He knows what that means. If vampires from this clan turned Virgil’s friend, and this vampire is the leader of the clan, then Virgil is in grave danger. He can see through Virgil’s friend’s eyes, can listen through his ears, can get inside his head and control him like a thrall, if he’s close enough. There’s an enemy on the inside, and no one, including Virgil’s vampire, knows it.
“Oh, don’t look so glum! You’ll get to see each other again soon, won’t that be great? Now, I’ve gotta go prepare my next move, but don’t you worry about a thing, pet. I’ll be back to play with you soon.” The vampire patted his cheek, making him wince, before he sauntered away, whistling, leaving him shaking.
He closed his eyes against the wash of helpless hopelessness filling him from the inside out. There’s nothing he can do.
He sunk down into his apathy, shutting himself off from the pain, from any emotion, because there is nothing, nothing he can do.
You invited him inside your home for the first time just weeks ago despite knowing him for almost two years. He stood behind you in the mirror, arms wrapped around your waist. His reflection was clear as day, it was it all an elaborate scheme? Some man living in his head with manners of someone from the late 1800’s??
“I don’t understand” you murmured to him.
“Hmm?” He hummed back. He left light kisses over your neck purposefully teasing the skin with his sharp canines. He glanced up and saw you looking at his clear reflection. “Ah. You see, when they first started manufacturing mirrors they were of sliver. But silver is far too expensive now, but the rumors still create quite the story”
You stared at him, not quite understand but leaving it at that.
I drew this a minute ago and realize I forgot to post it… anyway if you want to get my art with a guarantee I can’t forget to post it, check out my little Patreon. A lil warning college has been kicking my keister this semester, so I’ve had very little time for personal projects. Please be patient with me.
I made this caejose au where Caesar is a sassy vampire who likes sunflowers and chocolates and stays away from humans and feeds on animals.
Joseph on the other hand, comes from a family of vampire hunters. He faces Caesar as an enemy, but soon realizes that this one is very different (and very gorgeous XD)
“I’m really tempted to slam the door in your face right now.” Marinette winced as she shifted into a new position, her hand going to her side. “You need to tell me why you were coming to kill me and who sent you. Now.”
“A door in the face is better than a stake through the heart.” Adrien attempted a smile but it fell flat at the expression of the woman across the threshold from him. “Look, it doesn’t matter who sent me because I’m never going back there. Hanging around here, around you, reminded me of who I can really be and I don’t wanna look back.”
“That’s not really an option when you were contemplating murdering me.” Ice dripped from her words. “I don’t know how I could be so stupid. Of course you were going to kill me; you’re a vampire!”
“Hey, that’s not fair! I—“
“How many people have you killed anyway? That’s something I should know, isn’t it? I’ve been such an idiot.” She shook her head angrily. “I didn’t even try to think about it. I just made myself believe you drank from blood bags or something. I tried not to think of it at all. Damn it!”
Adrien flinched but held out a hand, fingertips brushing along the invisible barrier separating them. “It’s not like that. Not anymore. I haven’t killed anyone in—“
“So you have killed people,” she interrupted.
“Well, yeah, but—“
“So stupid!” She pushed herself up with a grunt, her hand flying to her wounded side. “I can’t believe I let myself believe that you—“
“Can you hang on and let me finish, Slayer?!” Adrien got to his feet as well and braced his hands on either side of the door frame. Warning magic sent jolts up his arm but he ground his teeth together and bore it. “You changed me! Being away from my family changed me! I’m not that vamp anymore, you’ve gotta believe me!”
Marinette glared at him from just inside the apartment. She’d grabbed a wooden walking stick from beside the door, the end of it carved into a deadly point. She held it loosely, the staked end still pointed at the floor. When she didn’t speak, Adrien took in a shaky breath and continued.
“My mom, she got turned first. Uh, there was this vampire who wanted her to be his bride or something, he had a real Dracula thing going on, and he caught her and my father one night on their way home from a party. My father was able to stab the vampire when he was turning my mom, but it was too late.”
The hallway and angry vampire slayer melted away from his vision as Adrien’s memories floated to the forefront of his mind.
“I know all your training tells you that when a human gets turned into a vamp, they lose their soul, and…and maybe we do, but she was still my mom, you know? She was still in there. My father was on his deathbed from the attack and she turned him to save him, to keep him with her. They were so happy to be able to stay together after what happened. It was a miracle, they said.”
“They turned you too, didn’t they?”
Adrien jumped at the sound of Marinette’s voice, the past rushing away to make way for the present. “Yeah,” he finally answered. “It was a few weeks later. They told me that they wanted me to make the decision on my own, but…”
“You wanted to stay human?”
With a pained exhale, he allowed his demon face to show, glowing eyes and jagged fangs on display. “Can you blame me, Slayer?” His human mask slipped back into place and his whole frame sagged as he stepped back from the door. “They told me they wanted us to stay together as a family, that they were doing it to protect me.”
“They took away your choice.” There was a soft thud as the walking stick was set against the doorframe.
“Part of me doesn’t even blame them,” he admitted. “If you had a way to keep the people you loved most close to you forever, wouldn’t you?” He shook his head. “But they started to change after a while. My mother was always kind, overprotective, sure, but sweet and loving. And it’s like the demon that took her soul kinda, I don’t know, twisted that? She became so controlling and it was always under the guise of love, but it didn’t feel like love.”
“And my father wasn’t ever necessarily affectionate, but he became so cold, except when it came to her. We were a family, but I’m still not sure why they turned me. I became an afterthought, a hinderance. I was an adult but it felt like they wanted me to be a child again…” His voice broke. “I don’t like the voice in my head, Slayer. I don’t like what he tells me to do sometimes, but most of the time, he’s all I’ve got.”
“But you’re still you.”
He looked up at Marinette with tired eyes. “What?”
“The Adrien you show me is who you were as a human, isn’t he?”
“Sometimes. The demon’s a part of me now though. There isn’t any separating us. I am who I am, and that’s a vampire.” He looked towards the stairwell door. “I think I should go.”
“You don’t have to.”
The hesitation in her tone was evident but he smiled anyway, not meeting her eyes. “It’s for the best.” He turned away from her and waved. “See you around, Slayer.”
“Stay safe, Adrien,” she replied softly as the heavy door closed behind him, and the sound of descending boots faded away.
“I know you claim to know Jagged Stone but I still don’t think I believe you,” Marinette teased, amusement coloring her words. “It sure is convenient that we weren’t able to make it to that concert you promised to take me to so you could introduce us.”
Adrien let out a bark of surprised laughter and braced his hands on the floor behind him to lean back. “You’ve had a bloody gash in your side! Sorry the timing didn’t exactly match up, Princess.”
She hummed skeptically. “I’m just saying…”
“Mmmhhmm, I know what you’re ‘just saying’. I’m not a liar.” He stuck out his tongue. “Okay, my turn, and remember, you’re are under the oath of Truth in this sacred game.”
“Fine, fine.”
“Right.” He cleared his throat, trying to steel his courage. “What did you think of me the first time we met? Most vamps you meet don’t last long enough to end up sitting in your hallway and playing Twenty Questions, yet here I am.”
Marinette blew out a harsh breath. “I don’t know. I guess you didn’t seem that scary.”
Adrien put a hand to his chest. “I think I’m offended as a creature of the night.”
“Oh, come on! You showed up right after I dusted that big ogre of a vamp and acted like it was the coolest thing you’ve ever seen.” She laughed and tucked a section of hair behind her ear. “You were gushing so much that I almost didn’t realize you were a vamp yourself.”
He crossed his arms, leather jacket creaking as he did. “I wasn’t gushing. I was…admiring your work. And you really are a lot prettier than I was expecting.”
“Ah.” A small blush painted her cheeks. “If that was all it was then.”
“And,” he added, tone siding on petulant, “in my defense, every story I’d heard about Slayers made them out to be the big bad boogeyman for vampires, and I show up and see this beautiful girl making jokes while she’s fighting and I guess it just threw me for a loop.”
“I so don’t know how to respond to that.”
He shrugged. “I don’t guess you really have to. You could just take your turn now.”
“My turn,” Marinette agreed. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she shifted her position against the large plush cat pillow keeping her upright just inside the apartment door. “Whydidyou come to town looking for me if you thought I was big and scary?”
Adrien frowned and looked down at the borrowed pillow he was sitting on. A loose thread caught his attention and he tugged at it absently. “Maybe we shouldn’t get into that. Don’t you want me to tell the truth about the most embarrassing thing I’ve done as a vamp or maybe what a loser I was a human?”
“If those are what you’re offering instead of answering my question, it can’t be good.”
“It’s not,” he admitted. “But I’ll tell you if you want me to.” He clasped his hands together in his lap and held them there. “Or we could just not do this.”
Silence settled between them until Marinette broke it with a frustrated groan. “I have to know, Adrien. I can’t just not know something that you obviously don’t wanna tell me.”
“Why not?”
She shrugged with her whole body as if trying to fight off a shiver. “I just…can’t. It worries me too much.”
“Because you don’t trust me.” There was no accusation in his tone, only the hint of sadness.
“I want to,” she offered. “But it’s kinda hard when I know you aren’t being honest with me.”
“I’m honest with you about everything else. Isn’t that enough?” He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his cheek on top of them, looking away from her. “I don’t want you to hate me,” he muttered.
“Now you’re really making me scared.” Her hands fluttered over her lap as if she couldn’t decide what to do with them without a weapon nearby. “Just tell me why you first came to find me, Adrien. Just tell me. Please.”
“You keep using my name like that because you know I like it.” He sighed and curled in tighter on himself, folded legs forming a shield over his chest. “I came to kill you,” he whispered.
The quiet words hung on the air between them and after a few long moments, the vampire dared a peek at the Slayer.
“I don’t want to anymore, of course. I never wanted to, not really, but he…” He trailed off with a sour frown. “I was sent here, okay? But the moment I met you, everything changed.”
Marinette sat frozen, hands gripped into fists. “Why?” she forced out.
Adrien finally lifted his head and stretched out his legs once more, leaving himself vulnerable to anything his natural enemy could decided to do. “Because you’re you.”
It was a peculiar sensation to walk through an apartment building as a vampire. While the building itself was open to him, Adrien could feel the invisible barriers behind each residential door. The higher up he went, the more the pressure to leave clawed at his very essence. It wasn’t enough to chase him away when his goal was so close, but it wasn’t entirely comfortable either.
He finally emerged from the stairwell leading to Marinette and Alya’s floor; he hadn’t trusted the claustrophobic feeling of the elevator despite the number of stairs it left him to climb. There was a door on each side of the hall, one empty and barrier-free and the other warded with more than just living magic. A small console table was set to the left of the protected door. A vase of flowers and miscellaneous knickknacks covered its surface, and to the untrained eye, this was a welcoming sight, but there was nothing welcoming about it.
Alya’s magic touched everything within reach, almost daring someone with bad intentions to try their luck. It would’ve made Adrien smile if his skin wasn’t trying to crawl off his frame. He’d bet Nino had never tried to visit her if this was the kind of protection she kept over her home.
He struggled to step closer to the door and his arm felt too heavy to raise his fist to knock on the wood. It would’ve been nice of the witch to mention all of this when she’d give him the go ahead to visit Marinette. He took a steadying breath and willed himself to move, his arm barely lifting. He was rallying to try again when the door swung open and he found himself facing the Slayer.
“I’ve been wondering how long you were gonna stand out here.” Her arms were crossed over her chest as if she was trying to keep warm. “What made you finally come upstairs?”
Adrien could feel his recent feeding send blood rushing to his cheeks in a blush. “Ah, uh, Alya may have done some nudging.”
“She’s good at that.” Marinette shifted her weight, favoring her healing side. “I would invite you in, but, uh…I don’t know that I should.” She waved a hand around as if to explain her unspoken reasons.
“I get it.”
An awkward tension settled between them until Marinette blew out a loud breath. “We can still hang out though, if you don’t mind being in the hall. I’m kinda bored out of my mind being stuck at home.”
Hope kindled in his chest and Adrien nodded. “I don’t mind at all.”
“Stay right there and I’ll grab some throw pillows.”
She retreated further into the apartment and Adrien couldn’t help but take in everything he could see as she did. He rarely got insight into Marinette’s life that wasn’t secondhand information.
She returned and tossed a red and black pillow out to him and he settled down on it, pleased to find it plush enough not to completely deflate under his weight. Marinette sat down on her own pillow in the shape of a large cat paw and hugged a bright blue dragon plushie to her chest. “You’re not allowed to tell anyone I have a soft side,” she warned with a teasing glare.
“Who’d even believe me?” he joked back. “Speaking of, how is your side?”
“Healing too slow.” She pushed her bottom lip out in a pout. “I’m done being injured.”
“Too bad it doesn’t work like that. Besides, you deserved a break.” Adrien leaned back and braced himself on his arms. “Is it still hurting?”
“Only sometimes.” She ducked her head shyly. “I think I need to say thank you again for taking care of me. That could’ve gone really bad.”
“It did go bad. You got skewered with your own stake.” He frowned at her. “If I hadn’t found you…if another vamp had, I’d…” He trailed off when he realized his hands were in hard fists against the floor. He sighed and adjusted his position, forcing his hands to relax in his lap. “You’ve got to be more careful.”
“I am careful!” she protested. “Mostly.”
“Slayer, I’m serious.”
“Vampire, I am too.”
They glared across the threshold at each other until Marinette’s shoulders slumped. “I know it was stupid, I just really don’t want to talk about it anymore. Alya constantly fluctuates between being angry and feeling guilty and everyone else keeps babying me, and I’m just done.”
“Then we won’t talk about it.”
“Thank you.”
“Tonight,” he added.
She rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement. “Then what should we talk about?”
Adrien grinned. “How ‘bout a game of Truth or Dare?”
Marinette set him with a level gaze. “Since I’m injured and you’re not allowed inside, how about just Truth?”
“Seems a bit boring, but I guess I’ll allow it. I get the first question though.”
She lifted her chin and rolled her shoulders. “Fine. Hit me with it.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think we have a new vampire guard dog.” Alya smoothed out her skirt as she stepped into the mouth of the alley beside her apartment building. “You don’t have to hide out here, you know.”
Adrien moved into a square of dull light from one of the windows a few levels up. “I just happened to be in the neighborhood.”
“Funny how you’ve ‘happened to be in the neighborhood’ every night since she got hurt.”
He shrugged at that and leaned against the brick wall.
Alya pulled out her phone, the screen illuminating her face as she checked it. “Nino says you’ve been making quite the reputation for yourself lately.”
“Was already called the Slayer’s pet vamp. I figured I might as well live up to it. Didn’t want things piling up while she’s out of commission.” He crossed his arms. “Is that a problem?”
“Don’t get an attitude with me, Fangs. I’m Team Adrien,” she smirked.
A dopey smile pulled at his lips, all tough guy pretense slipping away. “There’s a Team Adrien?”
“You’re such a puppy,” she laughed with a shake of her head. “You should go up and keep her company. I’ve gotta go do a coven thing for the rest of the night.”
He shifted his weight forward before falling back sullenly. “I don’t think your friends would like that very much.”
Alya waved a hand carelessly. “They see things a little black and white still but we’re working on it. Besides, no one’s coming over tonight so Marinette’s all alone upstairs. I know she’s strong but she’s still healing and it’d definitely make me feel better to know someone was looking after her.”
“I’m always looking after her,” he responded, eyes finding the lit window he had memorized seven flights up.
“You know that, and I know that, and with her vampire Spidey sense, she knows that, but I think she’d like it if she could actually see you while you were doing the looking after her and all.” Alya tapped her chin thoughtfully. “But don’t tell her you’re looking after her because she would fight you tooth and nail on that. Man, if you two start dating, I’m going to have to tutor you so much in the ways of Marinette.”
Adrien swallowed hard. “Dating?! Don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself?”
“You never know what the future holds.” She moved close enough to boop his nose with the tip of her index finger. “Now, go before I change my mind. I doubt she’ll let you in because she’s smart but our neighbors moved out so we’re the only ones on our floor right now. The hall’s nice. You can sit out there and talk to her.”
“I don’t really understand you,” he admitted.
“Eh, join the club.” Alya gave him a two-finger wave and swung around to make her way down the street.
Adrien watched her go and then stared back up at the inviting window above.
His dreams were red and angry. Adrien knew he’d wake up starving even before his body began to stir. He was tired, too tired. He needed blood after all the energy he’d exerted fighting off monsters tempted by the smell of slayer blood.
He was going to have to replace his apartment door, some furniture…
Realization kicked in and his eyes snapped open, immediately going to his bed.
“And here I thought I’d never get to see where you live.” Marinette was leaning against the wall his twin bed was pushed along, his thick green blanket draped around her shoulders. “I assume that’s where we are? Your place?”
He blinked at her.
“Not a morning person, huh? Or an afternoon person?” She looked around. “Actually, I don’t know what time it is. Guess windows are kinda bad for the whole vampire hiding spot. This is nice though. A little too cinderblocky for my taste but it’s actually a lot like a normal apartment. Not crypty at all.”
Adrien swallowed against his dry throat. “You’re not mad.” His words felt like sandpaper but he’d have to wait to soothe his thirst. Marinette had only begun treating him without complete contempt; no way was he going to remind her of what he was.
“That you saved me? No, I’m no mad.” She ducked her head bashfully. “Uh, embarrassed but…grateful.” She tilted her head and one eyebrow rose. “Is there a reason I should be mad?”
“No!” He sat up and winced. All the fighting he’d done the night before reminded him he wasn’t as in shape as he should’ve been. “I just…wasn’t sure.”
She considered that with a nod and then let half of the blanket slide off her shoulder. “I think I need to get a fresh bandage. Um, did you… the stitches look…”
He gave a helpless shrug. “I did the best I could. I’ve had to stitch myself up a time or two. Are you in pain?”
Marinette worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “A little. Nothing I can’t handle though.”
“I might have some more painkillers. You went through a good bit last night.”
“Alya should be able to help with that.” She grimaced. “Do you have my phone? I need to let her know where I am.”
“Yeah, I was gonna do that but, uh, you know, passcode.” He picked up the phone from the scratched coffee table and brought it to her. “I let a friend know and he was gonna try to contact her though.”
“A friend?”
Adrien grinned with a bit of smug satisfaction. “I think your witch might be sweet on a demon.”
“It can happen to the best of us.” She busied herself with her phone while the vampire gaped at her words. “Battery’s almost dead. Do you have a charger?”
“Not one that works. What was that about being sweet on a demon?”
Marinette pasted on her most placid smile. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“You’re not playing nice.”
“I’m very nice. I’m a baker’s daughter who gives lessons on frosting cupcakes to little kids in her free time. I’m literally sugar and spice and everything nice.”
“Hard to argue with that logic.”
Her smile gained a mischievous edge that then turned into a wince of pain when she shifted to get up from the bed. “I think I need to get home.”
“Right. Give me just a sec and I can go with you.” He turned in a slow circle, urging his brain to function and tell him what he needed to do before they left.
“The sun’s still up.” Her voice was gentle though strained as she finally stood. “I think I’ll be okay. Alya’s going to meet me so I’ll have a bodyguard.”
“I can walk you through the sewers,” Adrien offered. “That way I’ll know you got home safe. It would be—“
Three rapid knocks on the fractured apartment door interrupted his words. After a second, the splintered wood swung inward and swayed on its hinges. Alya walked into the basement apartment with a glow of power following after her.
“Did you know there are five dead demons in your hallway?”
“I did,” Adrien answered with a nod. He took a step in front of Marinette as if to guard her and the witch raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want me to make it six?”
“And here I thought you liked me.”
“My best friend could’ve died. I don’t like anyone right now.”
“Play nice. I’m fine.” Marinette put a hand on Adrien’s arm and squeezed it lightly before releasing him and moving towards the other woman. She grabbed her wounded side after a few steps and let out a curse.
“What kind of trouble did you get into, girl?” Alya helped steady her and knelt down to take a look at her side, peeling away the soiled bandage. “I know you didn’t do these stitches yourself. I’m familiar with your handiwork.”
The Slayer looked back to the vampire. “Adrien took care of me. I’ve actually been out of it for a while. I lost a lot of blood.”
“Suspicious.” She eyed the blonde before returning her attention to the wound. “Good thing you’re too pale to have fed recently, Fangs. Come on, Mari, let’s get you home.” She gingerly pushed the bandage back into place. “We’ll freshen this up there.”
Marinette let Alya take on some of her weight as they made their way to the door. She turned slightly to look back at the vampire where he still stood near the bed. “Thanks, Adrien. You saved me, really.”
“Anytime, Slayer…Marinette.” He smiled fondly. “But maybe let’s not make it a habit. And we’re gonna talk about you going into that nest by yourself when you don’t have a gaping hole in your side.”
“You’ll have to take a number,” Alya cut in. “Thanks for keeping her safe. I owe you one.”
Adrien watched them leave and stood there for a long moment, basking in the scent the Slayer left behind. “You really don’t,” he remarked to the empty room.
As the Slayer, she’d been plagued with haunting nightmares and symbolic dreams since she’d been called, but what she was experiencing now was unlike anything she’d felt before.
Marinette knew she was asleep. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did. The ancient instincts that were infused into her very blood tingled with the familiar warning of supernatural danger but she couldn’t find it in her to be afraid. Another feeling, one of comfort and safety and certainty, filled her chest with warmth.
She inhaled deeply and leather and mint wrapped around her senses. Her brain wasn’t awake enough to point her in the direction of who the scent reminded her of, but she knew it meant she was okay.
Her side ached dully in a way that warned her of a harsher future pain and her memory started to crank into gear.
The nest.
She’d gone into a vampire nest with no backup and no plan and she’d almost been killed.
Why hadn’t she been killed?
She remembered the pain of the stake going into her side, the desperation to get back to the safety of home before a demon found her and had a very good night. She remembered…
“Marinette?”
Adrien’s voice was soft as he called to her. He sounded tired, perhaps as even drained as she felt. She wanted to answer him but her eyes were too heavy and her lips refused to open.
He’d been the one to find her. She remembered it now in a vague, dreamy sort of way. She remembered him holding her close and how the skin of his neck felt cool against her cheek.
Would he have taken her to Alya? If Kim or Alix had come across them, she assumed they would’ve staked first and asked questions later. Some of her other friends that helped in slaying may have been the same. They didn’t understand her allowing him to exist when there were no other vampires that met that exception.
Marinette wasn’t sure she understood either, if she was honest with herself, but she knew there was good in Adrien. Somehow she just knew.
“You’ll be safe now.” Adrien sounded so tired and she could sense him moving around her. “The sun’s up. No more nasties should try to come for us now.”
There was a numb pressure at her side and then cool relief flooded the warm area.
“That should help with the pain if you wake up before I do.” Hesitant fingers traced along her cheek. “And maybe try not to kill me? We’re safe here and I promise I can explain everything.”
There was more movement and then an exhausted laugh from further away. “By the way, you sure do whittle a mean stake, Slayer. I might have to commission one for myself.”
Marinette tried to smile at that though she doubted it actually showed on her face. Fatigue tugged on the edges of her consciousness and she finally gave in once more, feeling safe even in the dark.
