For lastvoyages: Spam for Deck

[feels_no_love]

[Dracula had piled up a great mass of snow near the gardens and packed it together well. Now, using his claws, he was slowly gouging out a rough outline of a castle. He didn't know why exactly; he had simply grown bored of flying finally, but was loath to return to his quarters. Marishka's company had gone cold and nagging; every time that she saw

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[dovehearted]

[ Lua doesn't come up on deck at night, hasn't in months (she has to stay away, or she'll keep hurting him), but she hasn't been outside in a week and she needs something real. She can't come closer or she'll attract his attention, and might even be too close now. But something's seemed a little strange with him for weeks, and this? Is he trying to be human again, or is it more of the same? ]

[feels_no_love]

[He smells her scent on the wind and pauses a moment, then goes right back to carving the snow. He has shed his self-pity where she is concerned and now only feels desire--and regret at their circumstances. But it is bearable. The unbearable part is hissing in his ear on the voice of the wind. His wife's ghost, reminding him coldly that a warm living human is approaching, and would make an excellent meal.]

[He twitches, and murmurs under his breath.] No.

Why not?

Not her. Leave her alone. [He has to pause in his carving for a moment, and swallows sudden dryness in his throat.]

[dovehearted]

[ A couple steps closer; she can't read lips, but something is wrong, and like before, there's no one there but her who's even going to try to do something.

Even after she sees the claws, she takes a couple steps more, glancing at him only for a second before taking in the snow. ]

What are you making?

[feels_no_love]

[He starts carving at the surfaces as if they were soft wood, adding details starting with the roof-peaks of the towers.] My home. This is my Winter Palace, which was once my prison but became my greatest stronghold.

Can't you smell her...?

She's offered her veins before...she knows her place. Take her. You can bury the body in the snow and no one will know where she is for months!

[He twitches as if something has bitten him and shakes his head once. Absolutely not.]

Are you...well?

[dovehearted]

[ By now she's close enough that his claws flick chips of ice onto her coat. Four hundred years of the same home will make you remember every inch, but why now? ]

It's all right. [ The only answer, whether it is or not. She's been busy, but it's been quiet the past couple days, so it might really be. ] But...

[ "But you're not." ]

[feels_no_love]

[He turns to look at her, a tight smile on his face. His eyes, normally bright and sharp, have a haze over them.]

I am maintaining. Had a strange adventure or two. Became my honored ancestor for a few days, that was...fascinating.

[dovehearted]

[ Even if "fascinating" isn't always a good word, that isn't what's wrong. It doesn't matter if it isn't her place or not right now, she needs to know, because someone needs to. ] Might not have seen you.

[ She probably hadn't, working so much of the time to make up for all the new people. ]

[feels_no_love]

No, you wouldn't have. He had my eyes, but he was a great hairy unwashed fellow with no table manners. And before then I was spending a great deal of time in my chambers.

[dovehearted]

[ Now she knows who he was, and she smiles and her shoulders squeeze together like nothing's wrong at all. It makes sense that was him, it really does, and him being so... well, friendly means she can keep asking questions. ]

You been sick? Did anyone know?

[feels_no_love]

[Hesitation.] Sick...? No, no no. [A dry, rasping chuckle.] I am fine, I merely....

...There is little reason for me to leave my quarters outside of my regular duties and feedings. Most humans will not take me as I am and they comprise the majority of the people here.

[dovehearted]

[ No matter what idiots like that one girl think, he's never ran away and hid before. Even though he gets so mad about humans treating him like he's a monster, he's been trying to prove them wrong ever since she knew him.

He's lying, and she knows it, and she wonders if he thinks she's smart enough to know. What the truth is... that she can't say, but she'll believe anything other than what he's telling her. ]

Never stopped you before.

[feels_no_love]

I always had reasons before. People to come and visit. Right now...

[He trails off, looking her in the eyes. She's not buying it, and he sags slightly.]

The company of my wife's ghost, alone, is better than that of xenophobes, hunters and those who listen to them.

[And suddenly he has a problem with eye contact.]

[dovehearted]

[ She can't dream he means it literally, but she knows about the last one, the one who never went through what they're going through now. That one would take him as who he was, like how if Ladd was here he'd take her like she was. Her hands ball up into fists in her coat pockets to keep from touching him, and when she speaks it's like she's trying to soothe one of her kids here. ]

It's... it's hard feeling like that, it is.

[feels_no_love]

I...do not say these things out of self-pity. [He glances around as if worried that someone would overhear.] I say them because I finally had a bit of my old happiness in my grasp. She is with me now. But...she reminds me of everything I have lost and abandoned. And she demands...

[He trails off.] Our reunion was very sweet, at first.

[He goes back to working on the castle.]

[dovehearted]

[ When she realizes what he means, her guts freeze from the inside out. Her eyes strain to look like she sympathizes, but she's looking out the corners now, for anyone else coming closer. ] Same as the others?

[feels_no_love]

Marishka is no longer a vampire. She died with the others but was never restored. She is a ghost, though she can embody herself when she chooses but...she has no thirst.

Not that I would let her touch you.