Unnatural Selection (Vivian)

[Dominic Spencer]

Lonely was the night; it was cool, calm and the sky clear of any blemish of cloud. It was a night perfect for swimming which is just what Dominic did when he emerged from his basement. The water of the nearby school’s lake and soothed the young vampire’s wounds to both his body and his ego. Sephora Forrest, another to add to his list of his many failed conquests, not that he would care to admit it was a list of many. As was the way with most of the girls who found out that he was a vampire, she’d gotten violent with the added strength of a half-vampire which meant she’d gotten in a few choice hits on him.

But now that was in the past along with the flaxen-haired vampire’s rather pleasant swim. Now he was walking back towards home dressed only in a pair of jeans and hair still dripping; thoughts on the rumours of a giant squid in the lake he’d just swam. Being partially naked earned the boy a few curious glances from passersby with muttered accusations of Dom being crazy. It was winter and, yes, if he’d been human than he would have agreed but as it were the lack of body temperature made it quite easy to be wandering around the main street of Hogsmeade in nothing but a pair of jeans.

Winding his way aimlessly Dom soon found himself passing the Hog’s Head pub. Already the place had proved interesting what with him seeing his murderess and meeting Sephora there. Although part of him wanted to just keep walking, the bigger and more in-control part of him made the young vampire slip on his shirt and walk straight through the main entrance. The heat of the pub washed over Dom like the waters of the lake and soon enough his sopping hair was almost dry. Again the place was abuzz with people; the chinking of glasses, laughing, talking and people’s heartbeats filled the boy’s ears.

A wall of scents joined the sounds as he strode, barefoot, to a spare seat somewhere near the bar. He breathed deeply through his nose, discerning whether there were other vampire about. To his great relief, neither Sephora or his killer were around tonight but there was still another close by. Curiously his eyes raked the hotel for the owner of the mysterious scent and found them almost immediately. It was a girl, not more than seventeen he’d guess and she was incredibly pretty.

For awhile Dom debated whether going over and introducing himself to her would be a good idea but again, his impulsive side took control and he was on his way over. ”Hey, you mind if I hang with you? I’m sort of new here and you looked like a friendly face,” the boy flashed her a toothy grin, keeping his fangs concealed still. There was look about her that made a look of pity wash over Dom’s face; she wasn’t a very old vampire. He wasn’t good at guessing but he could tell; he’d had the same look when he’d been newly turned.

”My name’s Dominic, how long’s it been since your life was taken from you?”

[Vivian Nazarova]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Vivian/H2/Viv12.png,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Vivian/Viv1_02.png][atrb=style,padding:0px 50px;background-position:top;background-repeat:no-repeat;]   Yet another regular day at the Hog. As the night wore on it was almost as though the customers had suddenly crossed over, the business and tradesmen going home after their scheduled after-work beers and the seedier folk milling in : young people there for a night out, and of course, the usual colourful characters that the Hogs Head just wouldn’t be the Hogs Head without.   Being a Thursday, the place wasn’t nearly as full now as it would be on a Friday or Saturday night. With the after-work folks drifting away home from Happy Hour, Vivian was able to sit down for the first time. Not that she really needed the break; supernatural stamina was useful like that. Besides, in a few hours the pub would close and she wouldn’t have her waitressing job to entertain her any more.   It’s not like she was doing anything particularly important anyway. Unless you counted picking grime from under her fingernails in an attempt to preoccupy herself for a few seconds as important. Par the course when it was getting close to when she next needed to feed, Vivian was busy sucking on another blood flavoured lollypop. She’d only been a vampire for about, what, a month and a half, almost two? Apparently that wasn’t enough to learn self control yet so whenever she got peckish she was still resigned to candies to trick her stomach. Hey, as long as it worked.   Dom’s arrival went unmarked to her. Apparently her fingernails were far higher in her brains list of priorities than the fact a vampire had just walked into the damn bar. Heck, it was possible she wouldn’t have noticed him for hours if he hadn’t of made a beeline right for her. His voice from right next to her broke her out of her little ‘ignoring everyone else’ bubble. Who the heck was this man and why was he—   Then she smelled it.   Oh sugar honey iced tea.   Vivian shifted uncomfortably. Vampires were just popping out of the woodworks here. Was this another covern lackey? She’d given her answer already! Still, crowded place, relatively skinny fellow, he seemed okay enough and Ed was a stone’s throw away if she needed help. He just genuinely looked like any other tourist. Maybe she was just reading into what wasn’t there.   “Zhat’s okay,” Vivian replied wide eyed and with a higher pitch than normal before glancing at the seat opposite to her in the booth. If he thought he was sitting next to her he had another thing coming. There was no point not being friendly, she guessed, despite being taken off guard.   “My name’s Dominic, how long’s it been since your life was taken from you?”   He... wait... what?   Vivian felt her mouth drop open.   “I... Vot— ...Who ARE you?!” she managed to splutter. She didn’t sound offended, just enormously surprised by the question.

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[Dominic Spencer]

After he’d let his revelation sink in, Dominic flashed his fangs in a broad, friendly smile. It was odd that she hadn’t smelt him almost instantly and that only reinforced his suspicions that she wasn’t very old at all, in vampire terms as well as human terms. ”I already told you who I am, I’m Dominic,” the boy answered simply, leaning back against the side of the booth with a smug grin. Okay so now probably wasn’t the best time to be a smart ass but since when could he resist?

”Who are you? Since I’ve introduced myself I think it’s only fair you do the same,” again he smiled but this time he winked at the girl. Still reclining against the back of the booth Dom debated how to talk to this girl vampire in front of him. He’d gone for the secretive approach with Seph and that hadn’t worked so he supposed there was nothing to lose by putting all his cards on the table just yet. ”What are you looking so worried about? We’ve only just met and I promise you I’m not dangerous.”

He regarded her with curiosity, her heavily accented (yum Russian) question still reverberating in his head. Who was he? Well he’d answered that with the obvious answer but there was something else about it that bothered him slightly, a hidden meaning perhaps? ”You haven’t answered my question, if it means anything to you; I’m heading into my eighty-eighth year as a vampire. Now can I guess? I’d say not more than a year,” Dom chattered the same way he’d talk to a friend he’d met before. Sure he’d never met the girl but anyone close to his age, pretty or newly changed was a friend and it just so happened the girl was all three.

[Vivian Nazarova]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Vivian/H2/Viv12.png,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Vivian/Viv1_02.png][atrb=style,padding:0px 50px;background-position:top;background-repeat:no-repeat;]   “I already told you who I am, I’m Dominic,” the man answered smoothly, and Vivian couldn’t help but let the thought ‘smartarse’ drift through her mind as she started to turn red. Well, she’d brought that one upon herself; she should have been more specific. Not that this ‘Dominic’ didn’t know what she meant, but yeah. Dom one, Vivian zero.   “Vivian,” she replied to his question, hoping to death her voice sounded more confident than she thought it did. Apparently her suspicion was shining through too far too much with even that simple answer and in the next breath the stranger was pointing out her stupidity for jumping at shadows. Yes, perhaps he was perfectly right. If he was dangerous he’d be jumping on her in a deserted alleyway, not going up to her in a bar.  ... Going up to her in a bar.   Oh God, what had Dacian gone and done? He had her freaking out even over regular, every day things she saw happening every minute of every day while she was working. Heck, he wasn’t even hitting on her yet. If possible she started turning redder. She was an idiot. A complete and total moron. Granted, the vampire thing was a little weird, but he’d given her several reasons to trust him already (exposing himself as who he was and telling her about himself, for one) and nothing to be suspicious of, so what was wrong with her?   “Zhat’s right,” Vivian replied quickly, trying to sound friendlier than before. Perhaps asking how long you’d been a vampire was the fanged equivalent of asking for your age? She was a little bit sloppy on vampire lore and customs, as proven by the fact she had no idea covens even existed until Samuel had tried to drag her into one.   “Uhm...” Whoops, what was it? “It vos last November,” she admitted, some of the happiness fading and her eyesight dropping to the ground. It wasn’t a topic she liked to discuss, and the memories of it still made her feel sort of, vulnerable, scared and even a tad disgusted of herself for not fighting back more efficiently. She still hadn’t gone back to the Shack, and somehow she doubted she even could if she tried. It was... she didn’t like thinking about it.

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[Dominic Spencer]

Watching the girl, now known as Vivian, Dom couldn’t help but let his smug grin curl into a genuine smile at her. ”Nice to meet you Vivian, Viv for short I presume?” he nodded politely, leaning in closer as she spoke up more. It wasn’t like he had to lean in, super hearing and all, but looking interested was generally something women appreciated. There was that reason and the fact that he was genuinely interested in the girl’s story. He’d always been naturally curious as to what other vampires had to tell about their changing.

”Wow, last November. That’s not long ago at all,” he commented, some of the cheeriness fading from his voice. He grimaced and gave the girl a knowing look; he’d been where she was now even if it had been eighty-eight years ago or thereabouts. It may have been awhile ago but he still remembered it like it was yesterday. The feelings of separation, denial, hopelessness and emptiness. Hell he still felt that, when he was alone with his thoughts the feelings clawed at him. Dom had never really let go of his humanity and the memories that went along with it.

Thoughts of his siblings, parents and friends still haunted the flaxen-haired vampire. Everything had been brought up afresh too with the run in with Lenora too. ”I’ve been there too so I can relate with what you’re going through Viv,” he shrugged, looking earnestly at her as he spoke. ”When I was newly changed I found it really hard to adjust to everything, including having to say good bye to all my human friends and my family,” the boy shrugged, yawning – a sign that showed he still very much used his lungs. ”Look at me rambling on to a complete stranger, sorry if I’m both boring you and freaking you out.”

[Vivian Nazarova]

[atrb=width,450,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Vivian/H2/Viv12.png,true][atrb=background,http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/1300666/Characters/Vivian/Viv1_02.png][atrb=style,padding:0px 50px;background-position:top;background-repeat:no-repeat;]   “Wow, last November. That’s not long ago at all,” Dom repeated, his light-hearted tone dropping from his voice in light of her revelation.   “No, it vasn’t,” Vivian agreed quietly, her fingers clenching slightly as she looked up to his face again to not seem rude. If Dom was hoping to get more information from her on that topic, he had another thing coming. Hell, she couldn’t even talk about it with Scotty for very long, and he and Ed were the closest people she had. They’d both learned a long time ago not to even bother bringing up the subject of the night she was turned because it inevitably lead them nowhere.   He was talking about his own experiences now and Vivian remained silent throughout. She wasn’t sure what else she was supposed to say aside from the “Yeah, I know vot zhat’s like,” she replied with melancholically when he finished. She guessed she was lucky though. Dom made it sound like he’d been completely alone whereas she still had people around her, supporting her and helping her through. Ed and Scotty in particular. Honestly she wouldn’t know where she’d be now without them. “It makes you more grateful of seh people you still haff left I sink,” she added, more-so to herself   When Dom yawned the significance of it was lost on her. After all, to her breathing was still as natural as – well, breathing – even though it wasn’t strictly necessary except when she needed to speak. Considering the infectious nature of yawns it wasn’t long until Vivian gave a quiet one herself without realising.   “Sorry if I’m both boring you and freaking you out.”   What? “Oh, no, not at all!” Vivian interjected quickly. It was a half-truth, really. Was he boring her? Gosh no. Freaking out a little? Yeah, okay, a bit. It was a bit of an awkward topic to discuss with someone she’d only known for, oh, two seconds, but it was clear that the man was only trying to be friendly. That was one of the many quirks she’d learned about vampires: hundreds of years of life seemed to do nothing for their social skills.   “How long haff you been in Hogsmeade for?” she found herself asking curiously. “I’ve never seen you around here, zhat’s all.” She wouldn’t even start being able to keep track of all the wizards that lived in the area, but she could have sworn she had all the vampires pegged. Maybe he was just passing through?

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[Dominic Spencer]

Again the boy yawned, damn he’d only woken up a few hours ago and now here he was wishing he could go back to sleep. If that wasn’t bad enough his stomach gave a low rumble, he cursed his body; worst time to get hungry ever. It was just his luck; right in the middle of playing the delicate game of picking up his stomach decided he needed a snack. For the moment he ignored it, Vivian was his concern at the present time. Dominic only thought of two things like most guys his outward age: sex and food with their importance being in that order.

”You’re lucky to still have those you care about obviously still around. Times were different in the thirties I guess, people were more God fearing, my family and friends included. To be a vampire, something that wasn’t all that understood, back then was to be shunned. No one wanted to know a ‘Child of the Devil’,” the flaxen-haired lamented with a weak smile, sadness in his pale blue eyes. ”Really? I don’t believe you Viv, if I were you I’d be rather freaked out at the moment,” he chuckled, raising one eyebrow and cocking his head to one side as he gazed at the girl with mild scepticism. The older vampire opened his mouth to say something but lost his train of thought as Vivian spoke up before he could. He had been about to ask a question about other vampires of Hogsmeade but forgot it as he went to answer the girl’s question.

”I’ve been here for about two weeks, if that. I'm from London originally. Your accent is Russian is it not? It begs the question, why are you here and not back in the land of the red army?” Dom inquired earnestly. He wanted more information from this girl, wanted her to open up to him because he was a fellow vampire and knew her pain. He wanted her to feel like she had a connection to him because of the aforementioned points. Manipulation, one of his specialties but his abilities at it would mean nothing if the girl didn’t respond to him.

[Vivian Nazarova]

  “No one wanted to know a ‘Child of the Devil’,” Dominic finished, and Vivian looked like she was thinking.

  “I sink zhat vos more a muggle thing really,” she proposed, flicking her eyes up to look at him without lifting her head. The memories seemed to be coming back to him as the man’s expression turned melancholic. “Us vizards haff never been very religious.”

 ... Did she just say ‘us?’ Whoops. Old habits or something. Vivian shifted uncomfortably, partly out of embarrassment and partly because sitting so long on the wooden benches was starting to get annoying, even for her.

  “Besides, magical folk haff more important things zhan vampires to vorry about – like dragons,” she added in a vain attempt to lighten the tone. She wasn’t very fond of angst, especially because she was drowning in it so often herself.

  Also, that ‘I know how you feel’ thing was creepy. No getting around that. She wasn’t that see-through, was she?

  “My father had to came back to England for vork,” Vivian admitted, figuring she could trust him with at least that knowledge. She pulled her hands away off the wooden table and onto her lap, somehow feeling a little more secure that way. “He vanted me to go to Hogvorts instead of somevhere like Durmstrang. I sink he’s doing something for zhe Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau now but I don’t know. It’s been, err, a vhile since ve talked,” she admitted quietly, assuming he already knew what she was talking about.

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[Dominic Spencer]

Still deeply interested in hearing what Vivian had to say, Dom leant his head on one of his hands and peered up at her through a curtain of blond fringe. ”Yes, the more I learn about wizards the more I see just how different they are from muggles as they call the non-magical folk of the world,” the older vampire sighed with a bemused look upon his face. This new culture was so strange to him; there was so much to learn about magical people. He’d already discovered creatures he’d thought were pure fantasy existed which had been pretty cool and now he was learning that God didn’t have that greater of an impact to wizards.

Viv’s use of ‘us’ did not escape Dominic’s attentions and almost at once he let slip the question, ”You are a witch then? Or were or whatever, I’m new to the magical world and dragons sound fascinating. I’ve already found out that unicorns and chimeras are really real.” Subtle change of angsty subject, not. ”I have absolutely no idea what Hogwarts or Durmstrang are,” the boy said with a smile and a laugh. ”and yeah, fathers and family are always hard to lose. I hope yours didn’t throw a crucifix at you, I’ll tell you; that was not a fun confrontation.” His tone was light but there was a hint of a deep seated sadness to it.

The night he had severed ties with his family had been the worst night of his life. He’d watched from afar for awhile, seeing the birth of his final sibling and watching the others grow older but eventually he’d know to move on before he drove himself mad with longing. Even now, almost one hundred years on, he missed them and thought of them often. Keeping around the journal his dead sister –well all his siblings were dead now he supposed- had given him kept Dom bound to his human life, a fact that his maker and other vampires frowned upon when they learnt of it.

Lost in thoughts of the past the flaxen haired vampire almost forgot about his new friend but not quite for she was a girl and Dominic never forgot about a girl he was interested in. ”Ah depressing things that vampires have to share with one another, buzz kill and a half I think. So Viv what is it that you like to do with yourself apart from sitting here and looking pretty?” he asked curiously, trying to steer the mood into more lighter territory. There would be time for more angst later.

[Vivian Nazarova]

  “You are a witch then? Or were or whatever.”

  “Vere,” Vivian helped with an unmistakable sulk. If it came to question of witch or vampire, there was no doubt about it: witch. Vampirism had its perks, definitely, but the cons heavily outweighed the pros. Immortal life was only a good thing until the reality set in that no one else you loved shared the same blessing. That was one fast way to turn it into a curse. Not to mention no more tans or cheeseburgers.

 ... God what she’d give for a burger.

  “I have absolutely no idea what Hogwarts or Durmstrang are,” Dom added, and Vivian leapt at the opportunity for a subject change.

  “Zhey’re schools. Magic schools. Hogvorts is just up zhere,” she explained, sounding more cheerful as she pointed over Dom’s head at its general direction. God how she missed the place. “It’s zhe huge castle past zhe forrest, you can see it easily if you go the edge of the village. All the vizarding children in zhe British Isles go zhere. Durmstrang is somevhere around Bulgaria, Serbia or Romania. Maybe as far as Poland or Russia, I don’t know. I used to go to Hogvorts until―” Vivian cut herself off, making a vague hand gesture instead and her enthusiasm quickly curbed. “Vampires can’t do magic you see, so...”

  Thankfully Dom seemed to approve of a change of subject.

  “So Viv what is it that you like to do with yourself apart from sitting here and looking pretty?”

  Vivian’s mouth dropped open. She could feel herself going red but she didn’t even think that was possible any more.

  She...

  Just...

  Vivian was momentarily struck dumb. She wasn’t used to being complimented like that, okay? No one but Scotty did and she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to... just...

  He thought she looked pretty?

  The shock of the compliment wore off and gave way to a mild thum of flattery.

  Okay, she could live with that.

  “Thankyou,” she managed finally, albeit a little breathlessly, pulling some hair behind her ear just to give her nervous hands something – anything – to do. “Um, I vork here,” she continued, looking around the pub as her mind suddenly darted back worriedly to Scotty. “I just finished up and... I had novhere else to go.”

 ... Wow, way to admit you have no life, idiot.

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