Inactive

Of course I can help you...that's not a question, Darling. The question is how can you help me?

[dealingdelaney-blog]

This account is no longer active, but will be kept in tact for archival purposes.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

May I Help You? || Ophelia+

[zacharyhawtorn]

“Good to see we’re at least on the same page with that.” It was somehow refreshing to see that the woman in front of him had some doubts of her own, even thoug he knew they thought completely different about how to feed. There were limits, after all. “I hope you didn’t offend them too much? It doesn’t sound like they would have too much understanding for that, to be honest…”

“Exactly. I need to find Erik first… see how things go with him, before I can even start to think about the whole vampire society thing.” He nodded… “I get it. It’s not just Erik, isn’t it?” Somehow that thought was reassuring. Victoria, Nic, the new wolves… it was like there was a beacon in this town, attracting everything that had fangs, claws and whatever you could think of. “Any ideas on why they tend to come here? I mean… Erik and I were born here, so…”

He turned around with his hand already on the doorknob. “Exactly. Time enough to ponder and brood.” He smiled. “I’ll be fine, miss Delaney. Don’t worry about me.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Shrugging and giving Zachary a bright smile she shook her head. “I was turned at twenty-five. That means for twenty-five years I learned how to interact with all manner of vampire, trained to suppress my own reactions in things that I find morally repulsive. And I wouldn’t have been turned if I hadn’t shown that I could attend court and be the very best face for the family,” she offered.

Shaking her head she looked thoughtful for a moment. She normally didn’t share her inner workings with others, but she felt no harm in giving Zachary a small taste. “It is why I have need for a psychic. I believe that with some...influence they’ll be able to shed some light on the little situation this town has going on. And why I need your help,” she said, giving him a coy smile.

Giving the man a nod, she turned back to her racks, adjusting clothing as she saw fit.

[huntertaliamoore]

Creating Art || Ophelia & Talia

[huntertaliamoore]

Talia turned around when the door opened and Ophelia welcomed her into the house. For a moment she looked around. Everything smelled new. Everything looked new and all of a sudden she felt the pressure on her shoulders to make something brilliant, to do something brilliant. Of course, she wasn’t insecure about her work. She had not been a great artist and her work had never brought up millions, but she had been able to pay her rent and her food. At least it wasn’t that ugly that people didn’t want it. But selling some paintings to people was something else than an entire art show. 

“Wow, it’s even bigger than I thought it would be.” She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide how insecure she was feeling right now. “I might have to paint some extra paintings.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Ophelia’s sharp eyes picked up on Talia’s body language. “Don’t feel pressured to fill the entire space. I went for larger in case you had some larger installments, and the space can always feature guest artists as well. We can always curtain off parts that are not in use, and use the space to the advantage of your paintings. Don’t worry, the entirety doesn’t need to be filled. It’s much easier to do what you want with too much space rather than too little,” Ophelia offered with a smile.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

May I Help You? || Ophelia+

[zacharyhawtorn]

He looked insulted for one moment when she just started laughing at him. “Come on. Erik is a liability, but I should think this is normal? I can be shocked at that, can’t I?” Then he chuckled as well. “Hey, no one ever accused me of having an overdose of tact. I should still work on that, I guess.” The whole everybody should choose for themselves was all good and well, but there were limits to what he could support and what he couldn’t. Limits that were probably a bit stricter than with those who did choose to feed from humans. Undiplomatic or not, he was still glad to have at least that much humanity left. “Still not convinced that I should approve of that, sorry. It’s pushing things a bit too far, if you ask me. Which… no one probably is.” Europe… somehow it didn’t even sound like that bad of an idea. A change of scenery, no memories to every stone, every tree that he saw, like it was over here… “It sounds tempting, but for the moment? No, I don’t think I could do it.”

He stomach turned again when she talked about the hunters. He knew Erik had gotten himself in trouble, and Zach knew he might have been partly guilty for that, even when it was just for being too lenient with his brother, but that still didn’t justify what Rose had done. “Yes, he has a type, so he’ll probably do it again. Rose will only manage to scare him off for a limited amount of time. After that, the bloodlust kicks in again.” And that was probably when they were able to track him again. “So you think we’re in for more hunters here?” That… could be troubling. Especially when he had put himself on the radar again by accusing Rose of what she had done. “Thank you for the compliment, miss Delaney, but yes, I do want some time at home before I have to get back to work. Thank you for everything you’re about to do for us.” He smirked. “Yes, you’ve given me quite something to think about, and I don’t think I’ll solve that within a few hours.” He shrugged. “I’ll take care not to get wrinkles, if that reassures you.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Grinning Ophelia shook her head. “Oh no, it is quite shocking. I just am not used to it. It wasn’t something that I found enjoyable at all, and actually found myself trying to speak over and distract from the happenings. I wasn’t as effective as I’d have liked to be,” she said wistfully. “Well,” she started with a warm smile, “I don’t suppose now is the right time for much, with Erik drifting about the rafters. But we’ll find him.”

“The supernatural are flocking here in droves, which is alarming in and of itself. Where the supernatural goes...so goes a trail of trouble, which tends to draw the attention of more violent species, like hunters. It wouldn’t surprise me if more came,” she said.

Giving the older vampire a smile, Ophelia turned back to her clothing. “Ah well. I suppose, Mr. Hawtorn, that is why we have eternity,” she offered with a smile.

[kennedyxosmith]

“See, how can I practice it?” She huffed, aggravated with herself. “The benefit of them.” She bit her lip. “They should make a vamp 101 class.” She hummed. “I’ve tried getting everyone’s idea and view on being a vampire, but they are all so different that I don’t know who to listen to. Like Nicolas for example. I don’t want to feed on people or hurt them, but he gets under my skin to the point where I want to.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Chucking good-naturedly, Ophelia nodded her head. “They do, in some cultures. My entire human existence was Vamp 101. How can you practice? Find someone you trust, supernatural or not, and get yourself used to it. Have them bleed into a cup, until that becomes the norm for you, and then test your boundaries little baby steps at a time. You have eternity. You don’t need to rush it,” Ophelia pointed out. “Feeding preferences are personal to everyone. The ones you want to stay away from are the ones who are telling you you’re doing it “wrong.””

[dealingdelaney-blog]

May I Help You? || Ophelia+

[zacharyhawtorn]

“It comes with the job, I suppose.” He laughed a bit. Back then he had loathed it, but he had learned over the years that he had hardly been the only one with the same struggle. It was something from all times. “He did profit from it though… even when I may have been a bit too good, so he had to fight some of his battles himself.” He shrugged. “Take away his choice? Again? I hardly see how that’s gonna bring anything good to him. He’s just going to try to break out of it. He’ll have to make that decision himself, Ophelia. I can hardly do that for him.”

He had to admit he was a bit freaked out by what she was telling him. He knew how vampires could be, and he absolutely disliked the disdain for human lifes that some of them seemed to have, but this… “That’s… pretty disgusting actually. I mean… just… humans are not just food for our entertainment…” He looked up. “Sorry, didn’t mean to make this a discussion about feeding preferences again, I just can’t believe that was actually happening.” Luckily she didn’t seem very happy with the memory either. No doubt for another reason than he was, but he was somehow relieved she wasn’t at least one of those kind of vampires. “I’m all for keeping the mess in check, but you already know that. That’s something I can do, I’m pretty sure about that.” He winked. If he could worked with blood and not tear his patients up, he had mastered the whole not making a mess part. If that was what those societies were all about, he might understand why she thought he’d fit in. “And Erik draws too much attention to himself?” He shrugged, starting to turn around. “I think I already took too much of your time, miss Delaney.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Ophelia looked up at Zachary for a moment in shock before breaking out in gales of laughter. She wasn’t used to someone being so to the point, her own British tendencies of dancing around subjects and opinions were her norm. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you. Just your wording. It’s a choice everyone makes I suppose; I don’t agree with everyone’s choices, but I don’t hold it against them as long as they grant me the same courtesy. There are some that are rather...barbaric in nature, feeling they are on the top of the food chain and can make such decisions,” she remarked, shaking her head sadly. “I prefer to see it as living in symbiosis. Many modern vampires, those created within the last century or two, see it that way as well. Like I said, you could make a lot of friends in Europe,” she said winking at him.

Giving Zachary a look she simply shook her head. “Pretty blonde college girls? He definitely has a type, and has no qualms about using and discarding, dead or alive. It’s drawn the attention of a dangerous hunter, and those tend to be like flies. Where there’s one there’s five, and more coming,” she said distastefully. Nodding as he turned, Ophelia turned back to her racks, adjusting them as she saw fit. “You’re more than welcome to take up as much of my time as you’d like, Mr. Hawtorn. You’re certainly pleasant company to speak to, but I understand if you must go. I can imagine I’ve given you much to think...and brood...about.” She gave him a teasing look. “Just don’t brood too much, your face might stick that way and that would certainly be a shame,” she said with a wink.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

May I Help You? || Ophelia+

[zacharyhawtorn]

“That’s how it sounded to me, to be honest…” He shrugged. He usually talked too fast, before he thought, and somehow it seemed to have happened again. “I hardly think we have tried to be part of some kind of society. We’ve managed to do everything on our own so far. Even when it has been a big failure for a part. It might be nice to belong somewhere for once…” One he was only starting to climb out of right now. Erik still didn’t. He laughed, sarcastically. “Erik and more structure? Don’t you think I’ve tried? He just… never wanted that, even as a teenager. I was jealous at him sometimes, you know? He could do whatever he wanted, while I… I just did what was expected of me, and I loved what I did, but sometimes…” Sometimes he had missed the freedom he could see with Erik.

“The Volturi? You’re saying that there are indeed families like that? I thought they were just fiction… I actually laughed about them, because I’ve never seen something like that…” But he couldn’t help but be interested in what she had to say. He had felt lonely, more than once. It was one of the reasons he was so holding on to Erik. Without him, he would have nothing left… and here was this woman, telling him there was another way. “I’ll have to think about that, ok? I think I have too much on my mind right now…” He looked up. “I’m not refraining from feeding on humans as some kind of punishment, miss Delaney. I don’t want to hurt anyone, and if the past has learned me something, it’s that I will end up doing that. And before you say I’m overreacting for what I’ve done to Erik… it happened again after that, and again. I just don’t manage to control myself once I feed, and I don’t want to go back to that.” He shrugged. “If you have humans who enjoy what you do, fine… but it’s not for me. I’m pretty sure about that.”

He started laughing. “That might have worked if it was a voluntary break up… not him running away like this. This just leaves me worried.” He shook his head. “I’ll never disregard his feelings. He’s my little brother, for god’s sake! But it just feels wrong to go on and leave him behind. I’ve never done that in my life. Why would I start now, just because the stakes are higher? I took care of him since he was a baby…” But somehow he knew she was right. He couldn’t do this for all eternity. He had to let go of Erik once. Just not now… He just didn’t know when he would ever be ready to do that. “Thanks… I’ll do my best. There must be one of them on the loose in this supernatural madhouse that is Arcadia, after all…”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

“Ever the struggle for the older brother I suppose. The want to create a path for the younger to follow so they don’t have it as hard...” Ophelia had brothers and sisters, but they were well into their 50s by now. When she had been chosen to be changed, her human life was one that was given up, in order to become what her family needed her to be. In many cases she could see similarities between her and Zachary, however, she had thirsted for it from the very beginning. “I suppose that’s what happens when one is given the choice,” she said, remarking on Erik’s lack of structure. “Take the choice away, or, make it the lesser of two evils, suddenly there’s new experiences for them to draw on.”

“Oh, unfortunately. Some of the older families liken themselves to gods with humans being their “sacrifice.” There was one gala I attended where they had people come in through a tour, the end stop being our function which proved to be quite a final end for them. We were encouraged to wear black or red for the slaughter...so as not to ruin our attire,” she said, a distasteful look on her face. There were many things in which Ophelia loved about being undead. Acting like a savage animal was not something she likened to vampire life, but rather a way of living that those who had grown mad in their immortality chose to behave. “Mostly, it’s social functions, where we check in with each other and discuss business here and there. When we conduct ourselves within the society, and hold each other accountable for our actions, there tends to be less...mess. Less acting out, because we know that should something draw attention accountability will be sought.” She smiled and nodded at Zachary’s assessment. Eating habits became personal moral and philosophical codes; discussion was one thing but she knew better than to argue.

[wttdadminwhitty-deactivated2017]

Not what it looks like | Amelia + ...

[wttdadminwhitty-deactivated2017]

Amelia took a sip from her coffee nonchalantly and put it aside, almost the other side of the bench for she couldn’t risk another accident. A voice caught her attention, making her heart skip a beat even though she had noticed the woman coming. “Wh-what?” she gulped, relieved she didn’t start to choke on her iced beverage. Did she play confused or own up to it? The woman didn’t exactly seem like she was astonished, or even phased by the spell to begin with. She must be aware. “I mean, right… Thank you. I think.” Amelia’s brow quirked, was she another witch or something else? Would it be rude to ask? “It’s just that I’ve been working on this for weeks and for it to ruin a few days before the due date – I just panicked.” Suddenly shame coloured her face, she was rarely known to give in as easily as that but it was because she panicked… Yeah, that was it. Don’t get used to it, she told herself.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Giving the girl a smile, Ophelia sat down, looking at one of the spines of her books. “College student?” she asked thoughtfully, before looking out onto the square. The corners of her mouth upturned. “It was a compliment. It is surprising how many I know that would cry over the work they ruined, forgetting that it is within their power to rectify the situation. Panicked or clumsy, we all have moments of wreckage,” she assured the young woman, and reached into her purse to pull our her own book.

[jack-selvick-deactivated2016101]

“Just imagine me bald. That might help.” He nodded enthusiastically, but then cringed at the thought of having no hair. He quite liked his dark locks. “Stripes, eh? I have no pinstriped suits, but I’m definitely getting one soon. Just like it. It is going to be spectacular.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Ophelia looked at the older vampire thoughtfully and shook her head. “No...that won’t do. Your hair is much too nice to shave and go without,” she said with a smile. “I don’t imagine they have much in the way of a tailor in town, other than maybe to hem some teenager’s jeans, but if you need help let me know. I just opened up a boutique. It’s more desigherly end, but we might have something that would suit.”

[kennedyxosmith]

Kennedy bit her lip at the question. She could answer this in many different ways. “I’m having a hard time. I sometimes forget how I could focus on my other senses now. I also am having an internal battle with wanting to feed on humans and sticking to blood bags.” She sighed. “Yeah.” She subconsciously touched her necklace.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

“Well, that debate is something that each one of us goes through, and there are many different philosophies. Although, if you practice caution and control...you can have the best of both worlds,” Ophelia hinted with a cheshire smile. “Forget to focus meaning using them for your benefit, or focusing to block out of your senses overwhelming you?” the woman asked as they walked.

[huntertaliamoore]

Creating Art || Ophelia & Talia

Talia stood in front of the address Ophelia had given her. The building looked good. Better than expected actually. She had not really known what to expect, but she was only a starting artist and she barely knew Ophelia, apart from her name on the wrong coffee cup. She was early. She was always early and she wondered why she kept on being early. Hopefully it was worth the wait.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Ophelia stood in the retail storefront, bent over a couple of blueprint plans that the contractor had given her. There were work people all over the place, running around fixing the electric and the plumbing. As the water main had broke last week, Ophelia took the opportunity to pull out some of the non-load bearing walls in order to open the space more, and had hired an electrician to come in for studio lighting. The finishing touches were being completed today, and tomorrow the painters would be in to give everything a fresh coat of paint. All in all it was a good investment, and even though Ophelia was not usually in the business to provide such offering to starting artists, it would be a nice front for some other business she had to attend to. Besides, people tended to talk too much at art shows, and information was always valuable. Between the space and the boutique, Ophelia was beginning to feel like a veritable resident. Glancing up she caught the sight of the brunette outside. Handing the prints to a worker, she brushed off her hands on her jeans and made her way to the door. “Hello Talia! Welcome to the space! What do you think so far?” she asked, with a smile on her face.

[wttdadminwhitty-deactivated2017]

Not what it looks like | Amelia + ...

Amelia wasn’t necessarily the typical clumsy girl but on the odd occasion she found herself in really sticky situations – literally. After purchasing an iced frappe she made her way to the park, the nice environment often helped her focus when she was finishing her assignments or actively reading for her literature class. Crossing the road was a breeze, entering the park was calm but sitting on the bench meant juggling her binders, books, bag and coffee all at once. Simply put - her notes and books were ruined by a chocolatey mixture of ice. “Crap!” she cursed quietly, pushing her hair behind her ears, panic beginning to build up because this was almost 74.5 hours of work she had prepared for Monday now ruined in 0.7 seconds. Muttering under her breath, everything began to clear up. The stains on her work seemed to dry out quickly and liquid even returned to her to go cup and once the spell was over she sat up satisfied only to find someone approaching. 

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Looking up from her table Ophelia spied the young girl as she sat down...and proceeded to dump her newly purchased iced coffee on all of the items she had in front of her. Tilting her head to the side, Ophelia felt pity for the young girl. She seemed like the type to be overly organised and fussy about how her work appeared...likely a college student. An eyebrow raised, however, when suddenly her items were lacking their coffee scent, and her drink was refilled. Very interesting. Picking up her bag, Ophelia made her way over to the little witch. “Quite an interesting solution to your dilemma, if I do say so myself,” Ophelia offered, looking down at the girl.

[jack-selvick-deactivated2016101]

“Russell was right. Bloody hell. Fuckin’ look at this. Do you see the resemblance? Do you??”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Ophelia smiled at the older vampire, shaking her head. “I can’t say I see much of a resemblance to Mr. Jack Skellington, however, it could be the lack of stripes in your attire that is causing the issue,” Ophelia offered with a smile.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

May I Help You? || Ophelia+

[zacharyhawtorn]

“So I would fit well in some kind of vampire collection?” It might be flattering what she was saying, and he knew that what he was doing now wasn’t something every vampire would be capable of. “But I would have to abandon my attempts to get Erik back on track, I assume?” He shrugged. “Even I would hardly call him promising, although I’m still convinced that he can do much better. He has done so in the past, for a short notice.” He did understand what she meant, more or less. Yes, they were individualists, unlike werewolves, who did seek out the company of others. “Living an eternity by yourself would be lonely, wouldn’t it?”

He couldn’t help but laugh. Not because something was funny… more because it was ironic. “Well, I actually did follow some psychology classes in the past… the upside of having too much time on your hands. I can specialize in a lot more than human doctors can.” And he had recognized what they had been saying. He had even walked out of some of the classes because what they had tried to teach them came too close with what he was struggling with. There was a reason he had never completed the course, after all. “Vampirism might be easy. Eat till you’re satisfied, do whatever you want. My conscience is just too present to completely give in to that…”

He shrugged. “If someone with these kind of problems came to me, I’d get out my phone and direct him to my colleague. I’m not capable of dealing with other people’s feelings, and no one in their right mind asks me to. I know I can’t even deal with mine…” He thought for a moment. “But yes, my ratio is telling me you are right. I know that. I probably know that for a very long time already.” He had just never admitted it out loud, and hearing it, in his own voice, scared him. “But all of this is kind of hard to deal with when he’s not even around, isn’t it?” He shouldn’t be talking about this. He should be searching for his brother, making sure he wasn’t hurt even more than already had been done. “I should leave you to your job… You’re no more a doctor to the mind than I am, after all.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Ophelia laughed. “You say it in such a way that it sounds...dehumanising. I’m simply saying you would find it easy to come in and out of a well structured society, should you choose. The Hawtorns are unknown, I only know of your history because it is my habit to know of those within the city. But first impression would find those more agreeable to you, even if they didn’t share your views on feeding, than some other vampires. And no, you would never have to abandon your attempts to get Erik back. Like I said, we’re more understanding than most others in the world how deep love, even for a sibling, can be. It could be that Erik would do well with more structure.” Ophelia shook her head. “This isn’t some kind of recruitment. I’m simply trying to show you that there are ways to live within the society we’ve created. Some of it can be...clandestine, horrific like some kind of Volturi society in fiction books. But those that take ourselves seriously have longevity in mind, and sometimes that means interacting with one another and just like any other civilisation we have guidelines. You honour a lot of those yourself, I’m simply trying to tell you you’re not alone; you’ve raised and taught yourself. It doesn’t have to always be that way.” Ophelia was very grateful for her family who taught her the proper ways of how to survive, and the benefits that came with having a nest of vampires so well connected. It was what, ultimately, that Ophelia had gotten Erik to barter -- five years of his immortality dedicated to Delaney service, in hopes that he would learn enough to not get himself killed too quickly.

“And what if you were able to have an arrangement that’s mutually beneficial? I’m speaking hypothetically of course, I’m not hear to debate your feeding preferences, as those are personal choices. But it doesn’t have to be black and white. I have two humans whom I enjoy the pleasure of their company and of their blood, and in return I offer them wealth and education that furthers them in their goals to immortality. There are countless ways you can choose to exist. Self-deprecation for crimes you committed 200 years ago, or even out of fear you might commit, isn’t the only option available, although it’s a way many untaught vampires choose.”

Ophelia gave him a soft smile. “Maybe this short time apart will allow both of you some breathing room to confront your individual feelings on the matter, so that when you are reunited, which, I assure you you will be, you both can come back to the table and heal each other. But...if that’s a path you choose to take, Zachary, do not be surprised if Erik is not ready to take the steps, and do not let his own journey to forgiveness hold you back from your own. It does not cheapen his experience for you to move on. And it doesn’t make you any more or less worthy. The only way for you to do so would be to completely disregard his feelings, which I don’t see you doing,” she said with a tilt of her head. “I will find Erik. We’ll start with Chicago and the first hint I have of him, I’ll let you know what I find. You find me that psychic,” she said with a wink.

[kennedyxosmith]

Kennedy thought for a moment before nodding. “Yeah I know a small diner that can make good food.” She stood up. “Shall I bring you there?”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

“I’d be delighted,” Ophelia said with a smile. “So, Kennedy,” she started as they began walking, “how are you finding undead life? I see Erik was able to procure you something to help you during the daytime. Hopefully you won’t feel as shut in and hidden away from the world.”

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Text @ Ophelia/Talia

Talia: Sounds good to me. Thanks. I'll text you again in three days.

[dealingdelaney-blog]

Text @ Ophelia/Talia

Talia: Take your time. I'm happy the idea is still on. Should I text you again in 5 days? Or will you let me know when I can have a look myself?

Ophelia: It should be ready in about 3 for you to see the space. It will still need a fresh coat of paint and such, but you'll be able to take a look to see what you want to do with it.