Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 10, 2009 0:18:53 GMT 1
With more confidence now, he returned her squeeze. The sensation of each of her fingers between each of his was oddly intimate and Dacian found that with all his centuries of interaction under his metaphorical belt, it was the little things that surprised you. Ahh, simple pleasures.
For a moment, he thought he had not judged her sense of humour accurately and his comment had been received badly but then her laugh came. It was loud, and for a shadow-dweller like Dacian, a little disconcerting to have the whole pub's occupants looking in his direction. The laugh itself was not altogether unpleasant, but he much preferred the expression of suppressed laughter afterward. The way her cheeks and mouth moved to contain it was quite charming. He squeezed her hand again, sitting forward a little in his chair.
The sudden veer in conversation was not exactly appreciated -- Vivian was a sensitive subject -- but he relented to answer after a brief pause. "Vivian. Any 'conventional' children I once had are long gone. No, Vivian is a... ah..." He was conscious here of explaining it in a way that did not label him as a typical 'bloodsucker' as Edward so aptly described him. "The circumstances I found her in were unfortunate. 'Daughter' is just a term that fits our relationship, I suppose." And Vivian rose to the occasion. Like any teenager, she exasperated him beyond belief, yet he still held those protective fatherly feelings over her and he was just as stubborn to help her as she was to reject it.
"I'm afraid meeting her would not be prudent at the current time." He avoided elaborating on that. Vivian could be a little volatile, and Dacian was unwilling to put Cassie in the line of fire. For one, it would certainly instill the correct amount of fear in her toward him and strangely, he did not want to see Cassie hurt by any unfortunate line of events including his 'daughter'.
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 10, 2009 1:26:25 GMT 1
Their hands were firmly linked now, Cassie growing accustomed to the oddly cool sensation. She wasn’t usually on to suffer the cold graciously, but with the fire roaring nearby she didn’t have to worry about getting uncomfortably chilly. The corners of her eyes creased into the smallest of winces when Dacian didn’t answer her straight away. She just couldn’t seem to stop herself from pushing things further even though it had been enough of a risk just to show up.
So far, though, it seemed Dacian was willing to humour her. Which was a far cry from the secretive bloodthirsty killer image Ed had tried to convey. Her face fell when he mentioned his children being long gone. She couldn’t imagine what outliving a child would be like, then again she wasn’t exactly an expert on parent and child relationships in any sense of the word. ”So she’s adopted then?” Cassie asked, trying to make sense of what he was saying in terms she could understand.
She gave a wry smile as Dacian said it probably wouldn’t be a good time to introduce her to Vivian. One thing she did know about was giving parents the run around. ”Viv giving you trouble is she?” Cassie’s tone was filled with light teasing. She probably wouldn’t have been quite so amused if she realised the process involved in raising a newly turned vampire. Then again Dacian didn’t seem like the type to let anything fluster him.
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 10, 2009 2:39:37 GMT 1
'Adopted'. A simple word, but he could not have explained it better himself. Dacian smiled, properly. Unforced and not premeditated. He gave a nod. "Yes, adopted. You could say that." He nodded again, to himself in approval. He had been right in thinking the young woman had a brain inside that blond head of hers. She was entertaining, at least, if not a little bit unpredictable at times.
He leaned back in the chair, having to loosen his hold on her hand to just her fingertips do so. He ran his free hand through his hair, pushing loose locks back behind his head as he sat back with a sigh. "I'm not accustomed to teenagers." He replied with a dry smile. "Let's just say, I'm beginning to see why modern parents make such a fuss." He'd died before his own children had reached Vivian's age, but he was fairly sure they would not have given their mother such a hard time as Vivian seemed intent on giving him.
He looked over into the fire, his skin taking on the golden glow as easily as any pale blank canvas would. The vampire was hardly prone to fits of nostalgia, but the girl was prompting old memories which were hard to deny. Dacian let her fingers drop. Enough of indulging this weakness. The absence of her hand made repressing the memories back to their recess in his mind easier, as if the human link was broken. He reached forward, picking up a knife and studying it as he turned it in his hand. The body language made it quite clear the personal questions were over. "Why did you come, Cassie? You knew what I was, you should have taken dear Edward's advice." He looked from the blade in his hand, eyes flickering over her face and glancing briefly to her neck to prove a point. "I'm not exactly the safest of dates." Without warning, he hooked the leg of her chair with his foot and dragged it up to his as close as their knees would allow. The man leaned closer, scrutinising her face for the reactions he should be expecting.
What exactly was it that drew her here? Was she simply intrigued? Did she like to walk a dangerous path? Was he exciting? Frightening? Sexy? If Edward was her type, he was a vast contrast. Shorter, paler, dark-haired, long-haired, deadly. He was mostly convinced she was not an idiot, but to purposefully meet with a vampire was foolish by any body's standards. As Edward had already established, he was not the democratic muzzled type. But neither was he the blood-driven mindless killer type. How did she know to trust him? That he wouldn't just take her blood and her life right now?
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 10, 2009 19:53:05 GMT 1
Cassie beamed when Dacian agreed with her feeling like a student who had just answered a question right in class. It was a little ridiculous that she wanted to please him, it should be the other way round, especially since he had misled her about the whole possibly wanting to drain her blood thing. Previous experience taught her that men usually wanted to impress her too. But she got the impression that Dacian didn’t exactly do this socialising thing very often and so she wanted to prove he’d made the right choice in picking her.
She had to giggle at that, the thought of Dacian getting dragged into the kind of circular arguments she’d had with her father on a regular basis was amusing. ”If she’s anything like I was she doesn’t really mean it when she screams abuse and throws things at your head.” Cassie said with a wry smile. She’d gone through a phase of throwing temper tantrums when she was about fourteen and unluckily for Ed they hadn’t exactly made friends by that point. Like the time she’d thrown a quaffle at him so hard he’d got a black eye.
”Just give her some space, or freedom. I can’t imagine it’s very fun being cooped up in The Hog all day- umm night… I mean all the time.” Again she wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to say, perhaps Dacian didn’t want to be told how to do a job that was already difficult enough. Especially from somebody like Cassie who really had no idea what she was talking about. She gave a little huff as Dacian dropped her hand, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms like a petulant child.
She’d probably overstepped her boundaries, but that didn’t mean she had to like it when he cut himself off, avoiding her eyes by toying idly with one of the knives from his collection. If he was trying to put her off he’d have to try harder than that she thought huffily. Her gaze flicked to his as he questioned her. In truth she wasn’t sure why she’d still come to meet him. Curiosity and attraction in equal parts, as well as unhealthy dose of wanting to get revenge on Ed for ditching her back when they were at school. Not something she was exactly comfortable with admitting to herself let alone Dacian.
Cassie felt a twinge of guilt as Dacian called their meeting a date, her head turning to glance over at the bar where Ed was still serving and trying to look like he wasn’t straining to listen. Perhaps she should just take the hint and back out now… She was jolted from her thoughts as Dacian hooked her chair closer to his, displaying preternatural strength and speed that Cassie had not witnessed before. She gave a small yelp of surprise, hand going to her chest where her heart was beating rapidly against her ribcage.
She allowed her eyes to flutter closed, taking a moment to compose herself and when she opened them again she met his searching gaze squarely. ”You already told me you wouldn’t hurt me.” She said stubbornly, leaning forwards in her chair again so the two of them were even closer. ”And I’m inclined to believe you,” Cassie poked an accusing finger in the direction of Dacian’s chest. ”So whatever you’re trying, its not going to work.” [/font]
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 10, 2009 21:45:06 GMT 1
Was he really that convincing? Not that he would hurt her more than the average meal but it was a still a mystery as to why she had decided to believe that. He hadn't failed to notice her sideways glance to Edward. Did she need his permission to be here with him? Part of her attraction was that she was Edward's, was that part of her reasoning for entertaining him? Regardless of her motives, Dacian found it impossible to resist the challenge. The charming young woman seemed to know a thing or two about teenagers, though he was quite sure she was wrong when she said Vivian didn't mean it when she threw things at him. The young vampire had a deadly accuracy when it came to projectiles and only his sharp reflexes had avoided some vicious collisions with his head.
His hard expression mellowed a little, and he leaned past her to put the knife back safely on the table. The movement brought them closer still, and the slightest of smiles played across his lips. His left had rested lightly on her knee, the other reaching to rest on the arm of her chair. He looked purposefully to Edward, partly to aggravate the mortal and to see if would provoke any reaction from the girl. "And what exactly am I trying?" He asked quietly as he turned back to Cassie, his eyes spending equal time on her lips and eyes.
In this proximity he could easily read the speed of her heart just from the visible pulse in her neck. The lingering surprise from his sudden movements had added a bitter edge to her scent and while fear did smell delicious, desire as much sweeter. He wondered if he wasn't so rusty that he might attract her as her blood attracted him. He tilted his head just a little, and caught the finger she was pointing at his chest. "Enlighten me."
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 10, 2009 22:56:48 GMT 1
Dacian leaned closer and for some reason Cassie forgot to move out of the way, letting him brush within of her to put the knife back down again. From this close she should have been able to feel the warmth radiating from his body and smell his own personal scent, but both sensations were strangely absent. That didn’t stop her breath from hitching uncontrollably at his proximity, her eyes darting to his hand as it settled on her knee.
As she looked up she caught his look in Ed’s direction and felt an increasingly familiar swoop of guilt in her gut. Why did Dacian have to go and remind her that he was there? She had been quite happy to lose herself in the flirting, forgetting the other Australian was watching the whole exchange. She bit her lip, trying to ignore the way her pulse spiked when Dacian returned his gaze to her, lingering on her lips in a way that left no doubt about where things were going.
”Shit,” Cassie mumbled, word barely audible and clearly not directed at the vampire. She looked away, gazing at the fire for a moment. Dacian should come with a health warning after all, he was intoxicating. It was getting harder and harder to remember why kissing him would be a bad idea. Ed was right there. It would be stupid to kiss another man in front of him, she didn’t want to mess things up when they’d only just been reunited.
Not to mention it was needlessly cruel. It was one thing to flirt and another entirely to start making out with Dacian, no matter how pissed off she’d been with Edward when he split up with her. Against her will her eyes flicked back to Dacian’s as his cold hand caught hers. Fuck it, she’d deal with the consequences when she got to them. Cassie leaned forwards again, pausing only when her lips were an inch from his. ”This.” She breathed, then closed the gap, pressing her mouth against Dacian’s and sliding her free hand up his arm to rest on his shoulder. [/font]
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 11, 2009 0:19:38 GMT 1
The indecision on her face was palpable. His smile widened a touch at the battle of emotions clouding her face. Her heartbeat was evolving an irregular pattern that seemed to be related to his closeness: a fact that pleased him. Humans were much easier to read than his own species. You never knew what a female vampire was thinking when you ladled on the charm. At least humans, as fragile as they were, were deliciously obvious.
All the signs were in his favour, but he was half-convinced she would resist with Edward in the room. He was pleasantly surprised at the feel of her lips on his, and it took a brief moment before he responded. His eyes closed automatically as he leaned into the kiss, his head tilting for easier access. The sensation of warm skin on his mouth was nothing new, but it was once in a blue moon that he actually kissed a mortal woman on the mouth. He'd all but forgotten how gratifying it was.
The fervour with which her lips moved against his was another surprise. There was no doubt Edward was watching, so what was she up to? Not one to spoil the moment, he kissed back with gentlemanly restraint, though his hand smoothed up a few inches from her knee to encroach upon her thigh. His thumb rubbed gently over the denim fabric covering her inner leg and he preoccupied his other hand by lacing it with hers.
The tang of blood on his tongue brought a low noise from his throat. He pulled away from the kiss, catching a dribble of blood on his lower lip with a slow movement of his tongue. He flashed a satisfied smile and leaned in again to briefly lap away a similar smudge on her lip. Capturing her mouth in another kiss, he sought out the nick on her tongue and swept over it with his own, numbing any pain before it bothered her and healing it up with his specialised saliva.
Dacian withdrew slowly this time, his eyes partly lidded. "Mm, my favourite flavour." With a self-satisfied smile, he purposefully ignored Edward as he released her knee to stroke her cheek. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that kiss was your idea."
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 11, 2009 19:17:52 GMT 1
Cassie wasn’t one to hold back and if she was going to throw caution to the wind so spectacularly she might as well get a decent kiss out of it. She was clinging to the faint hope that Ed would ever want to talk to her again after this, which meant kissing Dacian again on another occasion really was out of the question. The press of his lips was as cool as his hands, but Cassie was becoming accustomed to the sensation and so she only moved against him with more urgency.
A delicious shiver ran down her spine as his hand slid up her thigh and she tightened her grip on his shoulder in response. For a blissful moment she forgot all about Edward, focussing solely on the kiss, the way his fingers were linked with hers and erratic beat of her heart. And there was no denying Dacian was a damn good kisser, her responses seeming more than a little desperate in comparison to his precise movements.
The smallest pang shot through her tongue as a their teeth clashed awkwardly together, Cassie barely noticed, her mouth slipping into a pout and a needy noise escaping her throat as Dacian pulled back. Her gaze on his mouth and the crimson stain on his lip. It was only then that she tasted the metallic tang of blood on her tongue. Her heart jumped at the realisation she was bleeding in the company of a vampire, Dacian leaning in to swipe at the blood on her lips with his tongue.
She leaned eagerly back in when he moved to kiss her again, the slightest niggling of pain in her tongue melting away at the brush of his touch. When he pulled away again a frown accompanied the frustrated pout, Cassie couldn’t fight off the smile as he commented on the taste of her blood though. She wasn’t entirely sure if it was a good thing that a vampire liked her blood, but it felt like a good thing right then. The whole thing had definitely been worth it.
”Mmm,” Cassie gave a hum of satisfaction. ”It must have looked that way.” Without warning the guilt came rushing back, along with the horrifying realisation that she’d just done the stupidest thing ever in a very long career of doing stupid things. Ed had been right, she should have stayed away from Dacian. She reached up and gently pulled the vampire’s hand away from her cheek, her eyes fixed firmly on the fire to avoid the expression of either men.
”I should never have…” Cassie broke off, risking a glance at Dacian’s face and releasing his hand to run her fingers agitatedly through her hair. ”I’m sorry.” She still hadn’t built up the courage to look over at Ed. ”I just can’t.” Any ability to explain herself seemed to be lost under a wave dread. What if she’d just ruined everything, all over one kiss. As fuck ups went it was a pretty impressive one.
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 11, 2009 19:42:36 GMT 1
The cloying taste of her blood in his mouth made it tempting to kiss her again. She seemed overly satisfied as he drew away, and he hoped Edward could see that. The little man deserved to be put back in his place. But it seemed her complacency was short lived as something troublesome creased her brow, darkened her eyes like storm clouds smothering a blue sky. Something bothered her, but he'd proved his point to Edward at least.
The young woman broke all contact with him, dropping his hand and stepping the brush of his fingers on her cheek. Disappointing, yes, but it only served to encourage him to embark on a longer game. A kiss wasn't enough now, he had to take this all the way. His taste buds rejoiced, and a small smile tugged at his lips. "I know." He said, quietly understanding. "But I liked that, very much." He returned his hand to her knee, only resting it here while his eyes sought to hold her gaze.
"Promise me one thing. Do me one favour." He glanced to Edward as she seemed unwilling to do so. Poor mortal man, part of a game he didn't even know he was playing. The vampire turned to his quarry again, dark eyes rueful. "Don't go to him, not tonight. Let this have meant something." Playing on her guilt was a dirty tactic, but the hurt it would deal Edward when he thought his beloved had rejected him would be worth it.
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 12, 2009 0:39:05 GMT 1
Cassie almost flinched as Dacian laid a hand on her knee again, her immediate reaction to shy away from physical contact and the way his touch flared up memories of the kiss. Even now, filled with regret as she was, it wouldn’t take much to draw her back into the flirtatious game they’d been playing. The soothing tone of his voice, the way his gaze held hers, all if it was dragging her back under. ”I liked it too.” She admitted reluctantly, as though that was even more of a betrayal, like if Dacian had been a crap kisser she wouldn’t have this problem. Yeah, right.
She sniffed, gritting her teeth and trying to swallow the lump in her throat, trying to act like she wasn’t on the verge of tears. In her experience men weren’t all that fond of emotional wrecks. All Cassie wanted to do was run over to Ed and try to explain. Grovel, beg, perhaps turn on the waterworks, anything to secure his forgiveness. She couldn’t stand the thought of them falling out, of staying in Hogwarts while they were on bad terms. Ed was the first proper link to home she’d had in a long time, but it wasn’t just that, it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t have an ounce of Australian blood in him because she cared about him.
”I don’t know.” She agonised, voice barely above a whisper. Everything about her body language screamed uncertainty, a far cry from the flirtatious, confident woman she’d been only moments before. It felt uncannily like when Ed had left before. Except this time she couldn’t even get angry because it was all her fault. The look Dacian was giving her wasn’t exactly helping matters either, piling on guilt of a different kind.
”I guess…” Cassie looked at him. She’d already screwed things up royally with Ed, she couldn’t stand Dacian being disappointed in her too. ”I guess I could do that.” She said with a little more certainty. Cassie was sure Ed was glaring at her and she shifted uncomfortably, hand moving to rest on top of Dacian’s for a moment before she lifted it to distractedly tuck her hair behind her ears again. ”I should probably go. I think I’ve outstayed my welcome.” [/font]
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