Tainting the Night [19a/?]
anonymous
February 28 2011, 03:03:18 UTC
Alfred awoke very late the next morning feeling very tired. He groggily tried to sit up, but felt slightly dizzy when he did so and flopped back to lying down. He didn't try to sit up again until the door to his bedroom opened and Arthur entered holding a bowl of cereal and a large glass of milk.
“A-Arthur?” he muttered, mind still feeling sluggish. “What're you doing here? Won't you die?”
The vampire chuckled lightly as he placed the food and drink on the bedside table. “Alfred, why would I die from being in the sun? It makes no sense. Now eat, I got breakfast for you.”
“You don't sparkle, do you?” the American asked teasingly as he lifted the bowl and began to shovel cereal into his mouth.
The Englishman rolled his eyes. “No, I do not sparkle. That makes even less sense than burning to a crisp. Vampires are just nocturnal. We sleep during the day and are awake during the night, generally.” He took the emptied bowl from the other man. “I'll refill this for you. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids today.”
The student shook his head in disbelief as he watched the Briton leave his room before he chugged the glass of milk he'd been left. He thought back to the night before. Alfred remembered that they'd had sex, really strange but hot sex, and then Arthur had fed on him. He remembered the sensation of his energy and strength being drained away, and then Arthur had, thankfully, suddenly stopped and pulled away and Alfred's world had faded to black. The Briton's return with a full bowl of cereal brought the younger man out of his thoughts.
“How are you feeling?” Arthur asked nervously, standing by the side of the bed. “I-I'm sorry about last night, I...lost control.”
Alfred gave the older man a smile as he took the offered food. “I'm fine, just a little dizzy and tired, I suppose. It's not your fault.”
The Englishman looked at his lover guiltily. “How can you say that? Of course it's my fault. I knew the risks and I pressed ahead, putting your life in danger.”
The American laughed lightly, placing the emptied bowl on the bedside table. “If I was concerned about being safe, I wouldn't be dating a vampire.”
“No, I suppose not.” Arthur sighed. “Anyway, make sure you drink plenty of fluids and take it easy today.”
The younger man nodded, then he pulled his boyfriend closer. “Hey, I'll be fine. Stop beating yourself up over this,” he insisted, taking the other's hand into his own.
“It's just... I could have killed you,” the Englishman murmured. “If you hadn't managed to bring me back to my senses...” The elder trailed off, leaving the details of the danger unspoken. He separated their hands and reached around to the back of Alfred's neck, fingering the two clasps and chains there.
His nimble fingers quickly undid the clasp he wanted and Arthur pulled off the necklace he'd given Alfred.
“Alfred, I-I'm going to use my mind power on you quickly to undo something I did to you, alright?” the vampire asked nervously, absently toying with the jewelry he held.
“I guess,” the younger man replied. “But why did you take that necklace off me?”
Arthur glanced at the amulet in his hand. “It's supposed to protect the wearer from vampire manipulation.” He inhaled deeply, then shakily released the breath before capturing his lover's gaze with his own.
“Alfred,” he said gently, careful not to break eye-contact, “you are free to remember everything that's ever happened between us and you are free to tell your friends about me, alright?” The vampire waited until the American nodded before turning his head away and releasing the dazed student.
“Wow,” Alfred murmured as he slowly came out of the trance he'd been under. “Your eyes are really green... Funny, I always thought vampires had red eyes.” His face openly displayed his puzzlement.
A small smile spread across the Englishman's face. “No, we have the same color eyes we were born with. Francis's are blue,” he replied softly.
“But you said the guy who turned you had red eyes...” the American replied, confused.
Arthur nodded. “Yes. As bizarre as it sounds, that must have been his natural eye color.”
Tainting the Night [19b/?]
anonymous
February 28 2011, 03:07:30 UTC
“Huh,” was all the younger man said in reply. Then he slowly extended his hand. “Um... Could I have that necklace back. It's just that it's your first gift to me and all...”
“Hmm? Oh, of course,” Arthur replied as he returned the amulet to the American. Alfred replaced it around his neck, smiling happily.
“C'mere,” Alfred said, pulling the other man onto the bed with him.
“Wha-? Alfred!” the Briton exclaimed as he landed on top of his lover.
The younger man chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the Englishman. “We didn't get to cuddle last night. I'm making up for that now.”
Arthur sighed as he relaxed into his lover's warm embrace. Despite the barrier of blankets in between them, he could feel the heat from Alfred's body radiating out to him. The younger man reeked of dried sweat and stale sex with his own natural scent lurking just beneath the smell of the previous night's activity.
“Don't you have classes today?” Arthur asked quietly, loathe to break their peaceful snuggling.
“Aw shit!” the student exclaimed sitting up, dislodging the Brit. The older man slid off the bed and stood ready to catch the younger if he fell.
Alfred managed to stay up without help, his dizziness from earlier nearly gone, and streaked to bathroom where he closed the door and stepped into the shower, leaving an embarrassed Arthur standing in his bedroom. The Englishman crossed to the dresser, opened it, and searched around until he assembled a fresh set of clothes for the younger man. With the rest of the time before Alfred stepped out of the shower, the older man tidied up the other's room somewhat and removed the empty bowl and glass.
When Arthur returned from the apartment's small kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of a half-naked Alfred struggling to pull on his jeans, a wet towel lying discarded on the floor nearby. The Briton watched the American fight his clothes to much amusement. Despite the battle with his jeans, Alfred managed to dress himself incredibly quickly, somehow grabbing everything he'd need for his classes on his way out the door. Arthur managed to stop him in the doorway and pulled him down for a brief, but loving, kiss.
“I love you,” the Englishman murmured as they pulled apart.
Alfred smiled as he replied, “I love you too.” Then he dashed down the hall.
“Be careful and drink plenty of fluids!” Arthur called after him before he crossed the hallway to his apartment for more sleep.
Alfred returned home a little before sunset and immediately went to knock on his boyfriend's door. Arthur opened the door and mutely let his boyfriend into his apartment.
“Well?” Arthur asked as he led the younger man to the couch. “You look like you have something to say.”
Alfred let out a sheepish chuckle as he sat down. “Is that a vampire thing too? Being good at reading body language?”
A smile spread across the Englishman's face. “No, I just have over a century of experience, and you are very easy to read. You're very open.” He joined the other on the couch. “But please, what is it?”
“I've been thinking, and I'd like you to tell me more about this human-transformation thing. I know it's your decision and all, but I want to have an idea of what's happening to my boyfriend, you know?” the American explained.
Arthur nodded. “Alright. What Yao told me was that I'd have to be starved to the brink of death and then given a blood transfusion. In order to be starved that far, I'll have to be imprisoned in a hunter's house, as they're the only ones who have ever been able to hold a vampire against his or her will.”
A look of interest grew on Alfred's face. “There are vampire hunters?” he asked excitedly.
“Yes there are,” the Briton replied. “Thankfully the trade didn't really spread beyond continental Europe. However, Yao knows a man who owns an old vampire hunter house and is, in fact, descended from hunters. His name is Ivan Braginski. I'm going to call Yao to arrange a meeting with him.” The older man paused to watch the student's reaction.
“Can I go with you?” Alfred asked. “To the meeting, I mean. I want to make sure this Braginski guy isn't going to stake you or anything.”
Tainting the Night [19c/?]
anonymous
February 28 2011, 03:20:36 UTC
The Englishman both sighed and smiled. “Of course you can come, love. Though I doubt Braginski would do something so extreme. Also, I'd... well, I'd like it if you'd be willing to be my blood donor.” Arthur turned his face away in embarrassment.
Alfred was still as he processed what he'd just been asked. “Of course, Arthur!” he exclaimed, wrapping the elder in a hug. “You can have all the blood you want from me!”
“Be careful,” the vampire warned as he broke the embrace. “You could easily tempt me into doing something that we'd both regret.”
Alfred's grin fell slightly, but other than that he gave no sign that he'd been reminded of the danger he was in. “So...?” he prompted. “The meeting?”
“Ah. Right,” Arthur said as he stood and crossed to the phone. He picked up the receiver and glanced back at the younger, giving him a small smile. Then he dialed the number of Yao's store. “Hello, Yao?” he asked.
“Arthur?” the Chinese man on the other end of the line asked back. “Have you reached your decision?”
The Englishman nodded, then remembering that the Asian couldn't see him, replied, “Yes.”
“And?” the other vampire prompted.
There was a pause, then “I'd like to meet with Ivan Braginski.”
There was some muffled discussion on the other end before Yao replied. “How would you like to meet him tonight? My shop,” the Chinese man offered.
Arthur turned to his companion. “How's tonight?” he asked the younger man.
Alfred smiled broadly. “That's awesome!” he replied.
“We'll be there shortly,” the Briton said into the phone.
“Very well,” Yao replied before abruptly hanging up.
The Englishman stared at the phone as if it could offer him an explanation for the Asian's unusual brusqueness. “Well,” Arthur began, hanging up the phone before crossing to his boyfriend. “We'd best be on our way.”
The American stood up, and the pair made their way to the door, ready to meet the man who could change Arthur's life.
----- Sorry that it took me so long to get this up. (It's been almost a month now, hasn't it?) I spent two weeks doing nothing but sewing costumes. But my muse has decided to return to this story in full force, so hopefully that will mean updates will be back on the regular schedule!
Just a suggestion
anonymous
February 28 2011, 04:17:13 UTC
One thing you might want to watch out for and limit is the epithets. It does get a bit distracting when you keep using "The Englishman", "The American", "The Briton", "The younger man", "The elder" etc in almost every other sentence. There's no problem with just using the characters' name even if it may seem like it's repetitive.
I really am enjoying this story and have been following since day one. However, all the epithets usage just lead me to make this common post after I was through with 19A.
“A-Arthur?” he muttered, mind still feeling sluggish. “What're you doing here? Won't you die?”
The vampire chuckled lightly as he placed the food and drink on the bedside table. “Alfred, why would I die from being in the sun? It makes no sense. Now eat, I got breakfast for you.”
“You don't sparkle, do you?” the American asked teasingly as he lifted the bowl and began to shovel cereal into his mouth.
The Englishman rolled his eyes. “No, I do not sparkle. That makes even less sense than burning to a crisp. Vampires are just nocturnal. We sleep during the day and are awake during the night, generally.” He took the emptied bowl from the other man. “I'll refill this for you. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids today.”
The student shook his head in disbelief as he watched the Briton leave his room before he chugged the glass of milk he'd been left. He thought back to the night before. Alfred remembered that they'd had sex, really strange but hot sex, and then Arthur had fed on him. He remembered the sensation of his energy and strength being drained away, and then Arthur had, thankfully, suddenly stopped and pulled away and Alfred's world had faded to black. The Briton's return with a full bowl of cereal brought the younger man out of his thoughts.
“How are you feeling?” Arthur asked nervously, standing by the side of the bed. “I-I'm sorry about last night, I...lost control.”
Alfred gave the older man a smile as he took the offered food. “I'm fine, just a little dizzy and tired, I suppose. It's not your fault.”
The Englishman looked at his lover guiltily. “How can you say that? Of course it's my fault. I knew the risks and I pressed ahead, putting your life in danger.”
The American laughed lightly, placing the emptied bowl on the bedside table. “If I was concerned about being safe, I wouldn't be dating a vampire.”
“No, I suppose not.” Arthur sighed. “Anyway, make sure you drink plenty of fluids and take it easy today.”
The younger man nodded, then he pulled his boyfriend closer. “Hey, I'll be fine. Stop beating yourself up over this,” he insisted, taking the other's hand into his own.
“It's just... I could have killed you,” the Englishman murmured. “If you hadn't managed to bring me back to my senses...” The elder trailed off, leaving the details of the danger unspoken. He separated their hands and reached around to the back of Alfred's neck, fingering the two clasps and chains there.
His nimble fingers quickly undid the clasp he wanted and Arthur pulled off the necklace he'd given Alfred.
“Alfred, I-I'm going to use my mind power on you quickly to undo something I did to you, alright?” the vampire asked nervously, absently toying with the jewelry he held.
“I guess,” the younger man replied. “But why did you take that necklace off me?”
Arthur glanced at the amulet in his hand. “It's supposed to protect the wearer from vampire manipulation.” He inhaled deeply, then shakily released the breath before capturing his lover's gaze with his own.
“Alfred,” he said gently, careful not to break eye-contact, “you are free to remember everything that's ever happened between us and you are free to tell your friends about me, alright?” The vampire waited until the American nodded before turning his head away and releasing the dazed student.
“Wow,” Alfred murmured as he slowly came out of the trance he'd been under. “Your eyes are really green... Funny, I always thought vampires had red eyes.” His face openly displayed his puzzlement.
A small smile spread across the Englishman's face. “No, we have the same color eyes we were born with. Francis's are blue,” he replied softly.
“But you said the guy who turned you had red eyes...” the American replied, confused.
Arthur nodded. “Yes. As bizarre as it sounds, that must have been his natural eye color.”
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“Hmm? Oh, of course,” Arthur replied as he returned the amulet to the American. Alfred replaced it around his neck, smiling happily.
“C'mere,” Alfred said, pulling the other man onto the bed with him.
“Wha-? Alfred!” the Briton exclaimed as he landed on top of his lover.
The younger man chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the Englishman. “We didn't get to cuddle last night. I'm making up for that now.”
Arthur sighed as he relaxed into his lover's warm embrace. Despite the barrier of blankets in between them, he could feel the heat from Alfred's body radiating out to him. The younger man reeked of dried sweat and stale sex with his own natural scent lurking just beneath the smell of the previous night's activity.
“Don't you have classes today?” Arthur asked quietly, loathe to break their peaceful snuggling.
“Aw shit!” the student exclaimed sitting up, dislodging the Brit. The older man slid off the bed and stood ready to catch the younger if he fell.
Alfred managed to stay up without help, his dizziness from earlier nearly gone, and streaked to bathroom where he closed the door and stepped into the shower, leaving an embarrassed Arthur standing in his bedroom. The Englishman crossed to the dresser, opened it, and searched around until he assembled a fresh set of clothes for the younger man. With the rest of the time before Alfred stepped out of the shower, the older man tidied up the other's room somewhat and removed the empty bowl and glass.
When Arthur returned from the apartment's small kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of a half-naked Alfred struggling to pull on his jeans, a wet towel lying discarded on the floor nearby. The Briton watched the American fight his clothes to much amusement. Despite the battle with his jeans, Alfred managed to dress himself incredibly quickly, somehow grabbing everything he'd need for his classes on his way out the door. Arthur managed to stop him in the doorway and pulled him down for a brief, but loving, kiss.
“I love you,” the Englishman murmured as they pulled apart.
Alfred smiled as he replied, “I love you too.” Then he dashed down the hall.
“Be careful and drink plenty of fluids!” Arthur called after him before he crossed the hallway to his apartment for more sleep.
Alfred returned home a little before sunset and immediately went to knock on his boyfriend's door. Arthur opened the door and mutely let his boyfriend into his apartment.
“Well?” Arthur asked as he led the younger man to the couch. “You look like you have something to say.”
Alfred let out a sheepish chuckle as he sat down. “Is that a vampire thing too? Being good at reading body language?”
A smile spread across the Englishman's face. “No, I just have over a century of experience, and you are very easy to read. You're very open.” He joined the other on the couch. “But please, what is it?”
“I've been thinking, and I'd like you to tell me more about this human-transformation thing. I know it's your decision and all, but I want to have an idea of what's happening to my boyfriend, you know?” the American explained.
Arthur nodded. “Alright. What Yao told me was that I'd have to be starved to the brink of death and then given a blood transfusion. In order to be starved that far, I'll have to be imprisoned in a hunter's house, as they're the only ones who have ever been able to hold a vampire against his or her will.”
A look of interest grew on Alfred's face. “There are vampire hunters?” he asked excitedly.
“Yes there are,” the Briton replied. “Thankfully the trade didn't really spread beyond continental Europe. However, Yao knows a man who owns an old vampire hunter house and is, in fact, descended from hunters. His name is Ivan Braginski. I'm going to call Yao to arrange a meeting with him.” The older man paused to watch the student's reaction.
“Can I go with you?” Alfred asked. “To the meeting, I mean. I want to make sure this Braginski guy isn't going to stake you or anything.”
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Alfred was still as he processed what he'd just been asked. “Of course, Arthur!” he exclaimed, wrapping the elder in a hug. “You can have all the blood you want from me!”
“Be careful,” the vampire warned as he broke the embrace. “You could easily tempt me into doing something that we'd both regret.”
Alfred's grin fell slightly, but other than that he gave no sign that he'd been reminded of the danger he was in. “So...?” he prompted. “The meeting?”
“Ah. Right,” Arthur said as he stood and crossed to the phone. He picked up the receiver and glanced back at the younger, giving him a small smile. Then he dialed the number of Yao's store. “Hello, Yao?” he asked.
“Arthur?” the Chinese man on the other end of the line asked back. “Have you reached your decision?”
The Englishman nodded, then remembering that the Asian couldn't see him, replied, “Yes.”
“And?” the other vampire prompted.
There was a pause, then “I'd like to meet with Ivan Braginski.”
There was some muffled discussion on the other end before Yao replied. “How would you like to meet him tonight? My shop,” the Chinese man offered.
Arthur turned to his companion. “How's tonight?” he asked the younger man.
Alfred smiled broadly. “That's awesome!” he replied.
“We'll be there shortly,” the Briton said into the phone.
“Very well,” Yao replied before abruptly hanging up.
The Englishman stared at the phone as if it could offer him an explanation for the Asian's unusual brusqueness. “Well,” Arthur began, hanging up the phone before crossing to his boyfriend. “We'd best be on our way.”
The American stood up, and the pair made their way to the door, ready to meet the man who could change Arthur's life.
-----
Sorry that it took me so long to get this up. (It's been almost a month now, hasn't it?) I spent two weeks doing nothing but sewing costumes. But my muse has decided to return to this story in full force, so hopefully that will mean updates will be back on the regular schedule!
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I really am enjoying this story and have been following since day one. However, all the epithets usage just lead me to make this common post after I was through with 19A.
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