The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

MA/NSFW

***

"My mind wished you to slip, hurt yourself. Not gravely, but it wished you to bleed, so it could feed, drain you, leave you spent, utterly."

"If you'd met me when I was younger, that would have happened. Humour a bitch's curiosity?"

Vlad scanned room.

"Where is this 'bitch' you speak of?"

"Oh, she's there, in between the cracks."

"My eyesight isn't proficient enough to see her. What is your question?"

"How badly would it hurt? Squealing bad, or yelping?"

"Wouldn't the first qualify as pleasant, at least, for you?"

"And you..." They shared smirk. "You derive gratification from drinking blood."

"I do. The latter sounds akin to stepping on upturned plug. It would be excruciating."

Vanessa's sky blue eyes softened, woman fidgeting.

"I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did..."

"You spoke the truth, Vanessa. The truth isn't always palatable. I will leave, I must think things over I'd long assumed I had gotten out of my system."

"..."

"Do I dislike you?"

Vanessa nodded, suddenly shy.

"Never. Unimaginable."

"I need to say something that I may well change that opinion."

"Go ahead. You do not need my permission to speak."

"I do not seek it..." Vanessa winked. "I believe this morning happened because I look like Justina. You know I am not her, but physically, I am. I look just like her. It's understandable that your sleepy self would get confused. I reacted badly. This is, mostly on me."

"Correct. You know me far better than you realise, Vanessa. My heart will always be with my wife, viewing her image next to me caused me to regress."

Vanessa watched man finish his meal, swallowing last dregs of blood.

"That is, rather compassionate, kindhearted. Are you sure I'm dealing with a maniacal force of nature?"

Vlad smiled.

"I was, at some point a force of nature. I swept through villagers, countries, decimating populace, tearing down buildings, desecrating holy sanctums. Now, I am man, a man who's days are many, and every one of those has been harrowing. That changed, when I laid eyes upon you. You, Vanessa. Yes, it was your visage that drew me in, at first, but it is your mind, quick-wit, sordid, your heart is made of pure gold, you remain glimmering, glorious, when ninety-nine percent of the population, myself included are heavily tarnished."

Vanessa looked between her legs.

"I don't know...you may have ruined me for anyone else."

"I wasn't planning on sharing..."

Vampire growled, standing, placing mug in the sink, washing it several times, precious liquid swirling around plughole.

"I am a one man woman, Vlad."

"Good..."

***

Man walked around where she sat, hand extended.

"I ought to leave. Whilst sunlight won't set me aflame, it can pull at my head, causing migraines. Whilst the sky is cloudy, I shall be fine."

"Thanks for being understanding, being the adult here. I'm being a child."

"Fractious? Yes, a tad. But I understand why. I created cause for alarm. You could have thrown me out. Your behaviour is that of an adult. I have been less than accommodating."

"Take care, Vlad."

Vanessa shook his hand.

"Let me know when you want to come back," she gestured to the fridge, "for your dinner."

Man nodded, heading to bedroom, woman seeking second chance.

Chance she was made painfully aware she did not deserve...

***

The remainder of Vanessa's day was miserable, mind working up whirlwind, consisting of stress and trouble, stomach tumbling around, appetite disappearing.

Head on top of her hands, woman hoped man would come back.

Not for anything intimate, merely for company. If Vlad sat in the room, silence perfectly acceptable, Vanessa would feel a bit better.

Vampire had said he did not dislike her.

Human still felt guilty, all the same.

***

"Good evening."

Vanessa wanted to grin, hiding it in the darkness around them.

"Good evening, Vanessa."

"Back for your dinner?"

Vlad nodded, woman letting him inside home.

"Okay. Same as before, right?"

Man nodded second time, silently asking woman if he could sit.

Vanessa gulped, man's manners making her feel like shit, all over again.

***

...

...

"I'm really sorry..."

Vanessa whispered, hands on counter, head low, anxiously waiting for the microwave to ping.

"As am I. I've felt terrible all day. I have much thinking to do, processing. This is, entirely on myself. Please, do not feel upset."

"That obvious?"

Woman sniffled, posture telling man all he needed to know. The dryer finished its cycle, woman using that to occupy her, refusing to look at Vlad.

Pinging took her from dourness, woman grabbing mug.

***

"Here." She handed vampire his meal. I'll get to ironing your clothes for you."

Grabbing ironing board, Vanessa got to work, falling silent, sadness covering her like shroud.

Vlad remained quiet, swallowing blood, knowing that he could leave, and woman wouldn't notice. That made man terribly sad.

"Here."

Woman folded Vlad's clothing, looking around the room.

"I'll see if I can find a bag, preventing creasing, undoing all that work."

After a few minutes, sniffling found vampire's ears.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do this. Could you go, when you're finished, please?"

Vlad nodded, viewing his wife again, forcing that out of his mind growing increasingly difficult, as he knew that look, intimately.

***

He'd made Justina upset many times, though she rarely shed tears.

When she did? Man knew he had fucked up, badly, extent of which meant woman would not speak to him for days, weeks, sleeping as close to the edge of the bed she could, feasibly get, without falling out.

Then, Vlad would leave her alone. She would find him, if she wanted to speak. Until then, he would wait, resist tempestuous urge to ride out into the Carpathia's, murder something, the first thing he came across, whether that be deer, wolf, rabbit? It did not matter.

Vampire wondered if Vanessa would react similarly, thus knew to take his leave, go on with his life.

It would not be without regret.