The last time Lev had tried drinking had been several months after his twenty-first birthday. It was also the only time Lev had tried alcohol. This wasn’t nearly as bad, even if Lev had barely gotten through a drink and a half before getting sick that one time. This was much more manageable, even if Lev was now trying to be more aware of where he put his feet.
For a few moments Lev lingered on the edge of the crowd. The solid presence of Nik beside him and the way everything was just a little distant now helped Lev scan the room instead of staring blankly. He was starting to pick out who were humans, and who were not. He remembered Cameron saying there was more than just vampires in the club, but right now he wanted to prove to all three of them in Cameron’s house that he could do this. Being curious could wait.
Nik nudged him. Lev followed where he pointed as Nik said, “That guy.”
When he saw who Nik was talking about, it made sense. The man was alone, and looked more than a little drunk, unlike the pair of humans they’d talked to earlier. Lev didn’t even say anything, just nodded and started moving.
The next part was a bit of a blur to Lev. He wasn’t sure if he actually compelled the man, or if they just talked. There was a rushing in Lev’s ears that he was pretty sure was more anxiety than alcohol. It made it harder to hear the guy than the music blasting overhead. When Nik suggested one of Cameron’s private rooms, Lev agreed without questioning it. He hadn’t even known Cameron had those, though it made sense.
Nik led the way through the crowd. Compelled or not, their intended victim followed willingly enough, drink still in hand. Lev trailed on the rear. Quiet, don’t move, feed, don't kill him, Lev reminded himself. He could do this. He had this.
He eased the door shut behind them. The muffling of the music out there was a blessing enough Lev let out a relieved huff. His relative peace was soon interrupted by the drunk slurring something at him. Whatever it was, Lev quieted him with a hand over his mouth. Lev was pretty sure he’d used his vampiric speed to cross the room. Mostly because the guy’s eyes were wide, and Lev had been at the door the last time he’d checked.
“Don’t,” Lev said. Wait. Right. “Don’t scream,” he corrected himself, “And don’t move.” He wasn’t sure if it’d worked, so he took his hand away. The guy hadn’t moved, and despite his bug eyed look, he didn’t scream. Okay. Good.
Unexpectedly, guilt struck Lev. The man must be terrified. He dug through his memory to the night Nik fed on him. Ah. Yes, that would do.
“Don’t be scared, either,” Lev tried gently. He could see the guy relax some. He wasn’t sure he liked how hard it was to sort his thoughts, but at the same time, he’d never gotten this far into being drunk and unlike last time he didn’t feel the nausea that had ruined his one attempt at drinking before. Out of sheer curiosity, he added, “Go ahead and finish your drink.” No reason to fully ruin the guy’s night. And he felt like pushing his luck just a little.
There was only so long Lev could wait. He was just grateful the guy was almost done before they lured him away, anyway. “You’re going to be just fine,” he told the guy, leaning close. He’d meant to stick to the wrist, like Cameron had shown him, but now that he was in the man’s personal space he could literally see his heartbeat thrumming under the skin of his neck. That proved too much for Lev’s self control.
His fangs snapped down a second before he latched onto his prey’s throat. Unlike last time he could actually taste the alcohol in the blood. It burned a little, but not as bad as Lev had expected. The rush was heady, a thrill Lev didn’t think he was ever going to get used to. He wrapped his fingers around the collar of the man’s jacket and tugged him closer.
Through the double intoxication of blood and drink, Lev tried to listen for whatever signs he’d felt before that had frightened him away from their last attempt. It took a herculean effort, but at some point he noticed the guy had started grasping at Lev’s sides. Lev pulled back, more curious than anything at the interruption. He could still hear a heartbeat, mostly steady, perhaps a bit weaker than before. Blinking back the impulse to bite down again, Lev shook his head.
“You, uh...” Lev’s own words came out a bit unsteady. He shook his head again. Cleared his throat. “You are going to forget you met us,” Lev said. On impulse, he leaned forward, licking the bites closed before he pulled further back, straightening the dark denim jacket he’d been clutching. “You had a good night, and um.” He paused, firmed his voice, and said sternly, “You’re going to call a cab home and drink some water before bed. Go on.”
To his surprise, the guy did, though he glanced back at them with confused looks before he slipped out the door. Lev waited until the door clicked shut to look at Nik. Nik grinned, giving him a double thumbs up.
Through the increasing buzz Lev felt, elation bubbled through him. He’d done it. Beginning to end. No death, no tears, no screaming humans. Just the rush of blood and alcohol and success. Maybe... Maybe Lev could make this work. Maybe everything would be just fine.
That thought had barely crossed Lev’s mind before Lev was standing in front of Nik. It struck him again how nice it was that he could look Nik right in the eye. It made it far easier to lean in and kiss him. If Nik was surprised, Lev couldn’t tell. Nik’s hands were on Lev’s waist, pulling him closer, and Lev wasn’t going to say no. He was just pleased Nik let him crowd him up against the wall.
“I did it,” Lev said when they finally broke apart. His head was more than spinning now and he didn’t care. “He’s not dead and I didn’t throw up and I didn’t cry and I did it and you kiss really good.”
That stupid grin that made Lev’s stomach do somersaults was back on Nik’s face. “You did a good job.”
Lev couldn’t resist kissing him again, though this one was shorter. “I think I can do this,” he said, trying to sound serious. It was very hard to sound serious. “Like all of this. I wasn’t sure. I wanted to be. But I wasn’t. But I am now.” He kissed Nik one more time, and then ducked his head to laugh against Nik’s shoulder briefly. “My cousin called it the cockroach gene. We always figure it out. In our own way.”
”I can see that,” Nik said, looking amused when Lev studied him.
To Lev that was enough of a stamp of approval for now. He was very tempted to see how long Nik was willing to keep kissing him, but another thought occurred to him. “You,” he said, trying to make sure his words were in order, “Haven’t eaten yet.”
“Yeah. I just wanted to make sure the baby was fed first.”
Nik was laughing. Lev was pretty sure Nik was laughing more at him than with him, but Lev liked the sound of it too much to care. He frowned, debating if he wanted to be offended. In the end he peeled himself off Nik. “Baby is fed,” he promised. “Baby is... not used to alcohol. Can I wait here? I don’t really think I could walk in a straight line right now, and I like that it’s quieter in here.”
That seemed to be good enough for Nik. He was gone, after promising to return, leaving Lev to sink down onto a surprisingly comfortable seat. It was strange, to be able to wallow in hope for once, but Lev thought he might like the feeling.
---
Once Zareth deemed Nik a safe enough host, he excused himself upstairs to Cameron’s office. He knocked once before sliding inside. He found Cameron sitting at his desk, rifling through paperwork, though Zareth had the sneaking suspicion that he hadn’t been doing paperwork for all that long.
Zareth sat in the chair across from Cameron, waiting patiently for Cameron to finally give him the attention he required. When Cameron finally looked up, Zareth leaned back against his chair. “So Nik’s hunt didn’t go over well, hm?”
Cameron’s brows narrowed just a fraction. “Did you come to waste my time by pointing out the obvious?”
“I was just curious about how well you knew your newest addition to the coven.”
“I would hardly call my situation a coven, Zareth,” Cameron said, frowning. “And what did you find out about the fledgling when Nik brought him by the bar? I assume you went rifling through his head the moment you laid eyes on him.”
He couldn’t really argue against that. The moment he saw the fledgling’s irregular eyes he felt the need to get a closer look. “He seems… different,” Zareth said. “His eyes are not normal, even by vampiric standards.”
“What’s that supposed to mean to me?” Cameron asked. “Should I just kill him?”
“I don’t think there’s anything too pressing,” Zareth said, holding his hands up. Gods knew Cameron was more intent on keeping any potential problems at bay than having to deal with them like any normal person. “There just might… be some magical interference.”
“Like a witch?”
“Maybe,” Zareth said. “Okay. So. How much do you know about your vampire lore?” Cameron looked at him like he was tempted to throw him out of the office. “Right, okay. So there was once a family of Hunters out there, or so the legend goes.”
“You’re saying that marshmallow of a human is a Hunter?”
“No,” Zareth said. “Not completely. I’m saying he might be genetically linked to a family line of hunters. A witch placed a curse on a family centuries ago- or maybe a blessing. It left a genetic marker in their eyes- making them appear more inline with other supernaturals than plain humans.” Cameron stared deeply at him, as if he were trying to decide what would be the best course of action. “Did you notice anything strange about him?”
“I noticed he lacks a sense of self preservation,” Cameron said, flatly.
“Maybe you could just keep an eye on him,” Zareth said. “His thoughts all seem harmless enough. He’s been through a lot.”
“We’ve all been through a lot,” Cameron replied.
“His family wants nothing to do with him,” Zareth said. “They don’t seem to care about him- why else would they have abandoned him.” Cameron’s brows pinched together. “They likely won’t come looking for him. He was just a child when they left.”
“Anything else?” Cameron asked, turning back to his paperwork.
“I just think you should hold out on doing anything too rash,” Zareth said. “If it becomes a problem later on down the line you can kill him then.”
“Anything else?”
“No, that was it,” Zareth said. “I just wanted to give you a heads up.”
With that, Zareth got up from the chair and excused himself from the room. He made it back to his bar when he encountered Nik feeding off a young woman. He was dancing, eyes closed and likely buzzed. Zareth said above the music, “Where’s your friend?”
Nik opened his blood speckled brown eyes and gave Zareth a dreamy smile. “He’s in one of the private rooms,” he said. “I’m heading back in a second. Just needed to feed first.”
“Did it go well?”
“Went right as rain,” Nik said, moving to take another bite from the girl’s neck. “Minus the panic attack anyways.”
Zareth shook his head and went back to the bar. He let the rest of the night carry on as it should, keeping an eye on both humans and vampires alike.
--
The break for some peace and quiet was exactly what Lev needed. He was enjoying the feeling of success. He was even able to enjoy the partier Nik brought back later for them to share. He was pretty sure that human was also drunk, because Lev’s buzz never abated, but that was okay. If this was how being drunk was supposed to be, Lev was pretty sure he didn’t mind too much.
By the time Cameron came to find them, either their dessert had wandered off, or they’d been sent away. Lev wasn’t really sure. He and Nik had traded kisses back and forth for a while. Lev had no real interest in doing more than that. The effort it’d take to get undressed when Lev was ready to curl up and sleep this off was too much tonight.
Lev was the one who noticed Cameron in the doorway, frowning slightly at them. A flush crept up Lev’s cheeks, but he managed a smile for Cameron. “Hi Cameron,” Lev said, refusing to unwind from Nik just yet. He was comfortable. Instead, he enthused, “I managed it without killing anyone. Or throwing up. Or crying.”
“It’s time to leave,” was all Cameron finally said before walking away.
Lev blinked after him and then looked at Nik. “He's very to the point, isn’t he?” Lev mumbled, before sighing dramatically. “I don’t wanna move.” He would. But he didn’t want to, and that should be noted.
Nik gave an impressive yawn. “I’m pretty sure Cameron’s autistic, honestly, but the jury’s still out. Not like he’d ever admit it.”
After letting out another sigh, just because his lack of interest in relocating needed to be reiterated, Lev untangled himself. He held a hand out to Nik in offer. “I could tell you speculating about people's mental health is...” he gave Nik’s expression a long look, and then snorted. “Whatever. You’re probably right, from what I can tell.”
Nik accepted his hand. Lev was not one to waste an opportunity so after he helped Nik up he didn’t let go of Nik’s hand. They meandered through a much smaller crowd towards the front door. By the time they’d managed it, half tripping each other, Cameron’s car waited outside. Somehow they ended up in the backseat, because Lev was able to snuggle into Nik’s side.
They spent most of the ride glued to each other’s faces. If Cameron minded he didn’t say anything; Lev wasn’t interested in checking in on him if he was going to be so quiet. It let him enjoy having someone to make out with again. He really had gone too long without someone to ease the physical ache being alone so often left him with.
It was for the best that Cameron also herded them up the stairs. Lev had the sense of mind to not try to keep holding onto Nik while they stumbled into one of the bedrooms. Nik’s, Lev thought. It had a lot of reds, and Nik seemed a fan of red. Like the pretty specks in his eyes, Lev mused.
This time Lev did bother to undress, but mostly to avoid sleeping in the fancy clothes Cameron had provided. He flopped into Nik’s bed in his boxers, rolling into Nik’s solid weight with an ease that would surprise him in the morning. The quiet of the house was soothing after a night at the club. It felt right, tucked into Nik, cozy under the duvet, belly full and heart light.
Lev glanced up, some sixth sense warning him someone was watching. He relaxed almost instantly when he saw it was Cameron in the doorway. Lev couldn’t quite read his expression with how he was silhouetted against the hall light. Nik was already breathing deeply against Lev’s neck, so Lev assumed he was asleep. He kept his words to a whisper as he said, “Thank you. He probably shouldn’t have been driving tonight.” But he also meant, thank you, for giving me a chance. Lev had every intention of making this one count.
---
Once Cameron was sure both Levant and Nik were squared away in Nik’s bed, sleeping off their night, Cameron made his nightly visit to Darius. He leaned a bit heavier on his cane than he would have liked, tonight, but he spent most of the night in his office working on paperwork- at least when he wasn’t watching the clubbers (and Nik and Lev) dancing and feeding.
Sacha fell to Cameron’s side the moment he had arrived at home, likely sensing his need of her. Her paws were silent along the dark wood while they made the trek up the stairs to Darius’ room. His spine crunched with each step, though he did his best to ignore it.
He pushed open the silent door to Darius’ room and immediately went to slump down into the soft chair next to Darius’ coffin. The pain in his back released just a bit and Cameron let out a small breath. He ignored the look Sacha was giving him, as if she were chiding him for overextending himself.
“The new fledgling seems to come with… complications,” Cameron said, “if Zareth is to be believed.”
Cameron told Darius of everything Zareth had told him, and his fears and concerns about what would happen if hunters made their way into Cameron and Nik’s lives. Nik was already a bit of a beacon himself, for hunters, but Cameron… in his diminished state… he wasn’t too sure if he could be as much of a protective force as needed to keep Nik safe- to keep Darius safe.
“Surely it would be in everyone’s best interest to remove him immediately," Cameron said, gripping his cane. “We cannot afford to be gambling with a fledgling who fears his own shadow.”
He glanced at Darius’ peaceful face, as if he were to speak to him in this moment, to offer him some advice. Though even with Darius being silent, Cameron knew well enough what Darius would be telling him.
No, don’t kill him. He hasn’t done anything wrong. Give him the same chance you gave Nik.
If Cameron were in a less charitable mood he’d feel inclined to roll his eyes. This was likely to blow up in their faces. He had managed to avoid hunters for the last five centuries and in the span of weeks… Cameron just hoped that Darius was right and that this would not become a problem.
Cameron stayed with Darius throughout the long hours of the night before finally growing tired himself. He slowly eased himself from his chair and began to leave, only to look back upon Darius’ sleeping face. The rising sun set Darius’ golden brown skin aglow, making him appear as youthful as always.
Cameron gave one last lingering look before he turned around and made his way back to his bedroom with Sacha in tow.
Cameron’s physical therapist was exactly on time for their appointment. The lights were dimmed down low and the curtains drawn shut to help with clients who had sensitive eyesight. But there were also the clients who could not handle being in the sun, like vampires. Cameron had been seeing Estelle for the better part of the last four years.
Cameron had gotten through a chapter and a half of his book while he waited for her to come get him. He was naturally the last client of the day, but that never stopped her from being late to his appointments. She took his warning of tardiness in stride and had not yet disappointed him.
Cameron closed his book and stood up when the familiar soft feminine voice called his name. Estelle Esna was standing in the doorway in her purple scrubs waiting for him, white shoes without scuff and perfectly immaculate. “How are you today, Cameron?” she asked, leading him back to her workspace.
“Fine.”
She hummed and looked at her clipboard. “What has your pain scale been like since the last time we saw each other?”
They met every other week at exactly 11:30am on Tuesday mornings. Zareth had recommended Estelle Esna to him when he had a rather rough morning. He claimed she was a witch and one who valued her work with supernaturals and more importantly discretion and not wasting people’s (his) time.
“I’ve had more migraines," he said. “I’ve had to use my cane more.”
“Any new stressors?”
That was the understatement of the century. “A few.”
“And Sacha’s been helping your pain?”
“She has,” he said. “I don’t want to overwork her, though.”
“Of course not,” she said. She led him to the bench where they worked on their stretches. He sat down and began to wait for further instruction. “Have you thought about other pain management methods? Tylenol? Ibuprofen?”
The only way those would be getting into his system was if he gave the pain killers to his blood sources. The thought sounded unappealing and he said as much. It did not sit well with him to have others take pain medication simply for his sake.
They went through the required warmups next in comfortable silence- unless she had more questions related to his health. Once before she had tried to get him to open up about his personal life and Cameron had promptly ignored her. Since then, he was glad she chose to stick to important tasks related to his health and nothing more.
By the time the hour was complete Cameron had three new nightly exercises to work on before bed. She also gave him some recommendations for some new blackout curtains and homeopathic tension release oils. Cameron wasn’t sure that oils were going to help the throbbing at the base of his skull but he elected to not question her.
After his appointment, Cameron went back by the club and decided to get a few hours of work done before he subjected himself to the newly minted stressors he had living in his house.
--
Nik was in the living room playing with Sacha when Cameron came home. Sacha padded cheerfully up to him when he walked in the door, tail wagging. Nik got up from his knees, arms folding in front of him, likely to keep himself from looking anxious. His thoughts flickered between apprehension of Cameron’s disapproval and the sheer boredom he had felt since he woke up.
Cameron petted Sacha’s head, letting her warmth seep into his skin. “Levant still sleeping?”
Nik scratched his face. “Yeah. Sacha has been keeping me company.”
“Are you hungry for lunch?” Cameron asked. “I can make something.” He looked at his watch, debating and trying to decide if it would be best to wake Lev up and get food into him as well. Eating did help sublimate the blood cravings. Nik, of course, could eat his way through the house on his own if left to his own devices.
“If you want,” Nik hedged. “I could eat.”
Cameron nodded and started for the kitchen. Darius was nowhere to be seen for now, and Cameron made a mental note to go see him later and tell him about his latest appointment. Surely he would be pleased that Cameron was seeing a witch for his physical therapy.
Cameron made easy work of grabbing the things to make a nice lunch. He had prepped salmon the night before for today’s lunch so it was only a matter of getting the ingredients out and preparing the meal.
“Lunch will be ready in about twenty-five minutes,” he said, moving to wash his hands. “Why don’t you wake Lev up and have him be ready for lunch.”
Nik took that as his cue to go do as he was told.
It wasn’t long until Nik and Lev were coming into the kitchen. Lev was fidgeting, clearly trying to not come off as awkward as he felt. He was also trying his best to not make eye contact with Cameron. It was irritating enough dealing with Nik being flighty, now he had to deal with another fledgling flapping his hands and being unable to just be normal.
Cameron only said, “Wash your hands.”
Both boys hopped to and did as they were told. Nik started up talking about taking Lev to the club that night. Cameron had to admit it seemed like a good place to take a fledgling for their first hunt. Cameron would have to warn Zareth to keep an eye on the two of them so they didn’t cause too much of a scene.
Lev looked owl-eyed at Nik, and if Cameron was a betting man he’d think Lev was surprised about going to a club. He’d likely never even been in one. He likely had no clothes that would be club appropriate. Cameron would have to solve that issue. He made another mental note.
He served lunch and watched the boys eat with gusto. His inner chef was pleased with seeing his food being eaten. He took a couple of bites himself- made himself eat at least half a plate worth of food.
He listened quietly to Nik hash out his plans for the night while he sent a message to one of his employees to pick up something decent for Lev to wear that night. Time ticked on and Cameron served Nik and Levant both seconds and even thirds.
---
The rest of the afternoon somehow sped by and dragged at the same time. Nik hung around while Lev unpacked for a little, but it was clear Lev’s fastidiousness did not entertain him enough. Lev was painfully aware of him slipping away, but he chose to finish unpacking, saving the long white box for last. He hung his mother’s jacket up this time, smoothing his fingers over the leather before fishing out his father’s journal and tucking it away in a drawer.
Lev had his books on the one set of shelves he had, reorganizing for the third time (by preference, and then series this time) when he heard footsteps down the hall that were accompanied by the sound of a cane. Something told him Cameron could have walked so silently even Lev’s newly sensitive ears couldn’t hear. If he’d wanted to, anyway. Lev was turning around by the time Cameron appeared, two neat boxes tucked under his arm.
“You didn’t seem the type to have clubbing clothes.”
Somehow it didn’t feel like Cameron meant that as an insult. Lev nudged the book he’d been toying with moving back into place so he could cross the room and take the boxes from Cam. “I don’t,” he replied automatically. He set the boxes on the bed gingerly. “Thank you.” The ingrained polite script out of the way, he wasn’t sure what else to say, and ended up with, “I was putting off trying to cobble something together...” here he glanced out the window, where the sunset was a vibrant orange across the sky. “A bit too long, maybe.”
Cameron took Lev’s nervous ramble in stride. That or he ignored it. Either way, what he said was, “If you need anything at the club, Zareth will be there.”
Lev nodded as if he knew who Zareth was. He figured Nik would point him out. Or he could ask. Normal people asked things. He’d probably still wait to ask Nik, however. “Thank you,” he repeated.
“Do you need anything else from me?” Cameron asked.
Lev forced himself to meet Cameron’s silver-streaked gaze. “No.” He tapped the lid of the box, managing a small (if a bit tired) smile. “This was already above and beyond. Thank you, really.” There. That one sounded more sincere. It was more sincere than the others, at least by way of him finally shaking off his surprise.
Seemingly satisfied, Cameron left. Lev gave him a few steps down the hall before he flipped open the box. The black button down was soft as silk beneath his fingertips. He had a sneaking suspicion it might actually be silk. There was a faint pattern to it, but Lev didn’t care enough to look closely. He was more concerned about what the other box was. Pants, it turned out. More like slacks, really. Lev’s nose wrinkled. What kind of club was Cameron running again? He tried to readjust his mental image and found it impossible. Well, he’d just have to see.
Lev carefully set the shirt back in the box before he poked his head out the door. It was easier than he expected to find and follow the salt-and-sandalwood scent of Nik’s cologne. Not that he really needed it; Nik was almost ready in his room.
“I was hoping Cameron was just being overly formal when he showed up with slacks,” Lev admitted, trying and failing to keep the mournful tone out of his voice. Nik’s shirt was a near-black red, but he too was wearing slacks. The leather jacket was a nice touch, worn but well made. Lev thought about his mother’s briefly, but he’d not worn it outside... well, ever. Tonight was not the night to try breaking that habit.
Nik met his gaze with the mirror as he gave his red-streaked hair one last fingercomb. “Unfortunately no,” Nik said with an easy laugh.
Lev sighed softly. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, he decided, and assume he could wear his converse over those dress shoes Cameron had picked out for his date with Nik. “Noted,” he said. “I guess I should go get ready. Do I need to meet you downstairs or...”
“Yeah, that’ll be fine,” Nik said, focusing on his own reflection again. He seemed to be touching up something glittery around his eyes, but Lev hadn’t really learned much about makeup during his very brief assumption that he liked women.
Lev just hoped Nik and Cameron didn’t expect him to bother with makeup. Even watching Nik fix his hair had felt like a bit much effort, but he’d at least try brushing his own unruly waves before he headed downstairs. If he owned a brush.
It turned out Lev did not own a brush. He searched before he got dressed, and after, to no avail. In the end he got his hands wet and ran his fingers through his hair until it was all. At least mostly doing something uniform, though the cowlick in the back remained as cheerfully heartshaped as ever. Good enough. He shoved his phone and wallet in his pocket and headed downstairs as quickly as he could. That was. Very fast, admittedly. He damn near ran into Nik before he pulled to a stop, blinking twice in quick succession.
“Careful, Speedy Gonzales. You about ran me down,” Nik said, one hand moving halfway out his pocket as if to steady Lev.
Lev grimaced. “Sorry,” he said automatically. “Did that in the kitchen earlier too. I can’t figure out how to go human-fast. I’ve got the walking down, but— well. You saw.”
Nik gave a little nod as he held the front door for Lev. “I get it. Took me a while to figure that out myself.”
Lev ducked under his arm and peered at the horseshoe shaped end of the drive to see if they were taking Cameron’s fancy car this time. Lev almost assumed they were until he realized it was a slightly different black car. This one felt. Sportier, somehow. Though he wasn't positive, Lev still sorted the car into the ‘Nik’s’ column in his head.
He still felt a bit awkward sliding into the passenger seat; the car was so low and he swore it even smelled fancy. “Are all of the cars you two have like this?” he finally asked, not quite able to keep his tone neutral.
“Like what?”
The car had already purred to life around them. Lev eyed the interior, and looked up at Nik. The red flecks in his eyes was still a shock, somehow. Harder to adjust to than Cameron’s silver streaks, even if the red went along with the streaks in Nik’s hair. “Like they belong in a movie about the one percent,” Lev finally said, unsure of how to phrase it any politer. Lev was set for life without ever having to lift a finger, and even he didn’t throw money around like this.
“We graduated from the one percent to being vampires,” Nik said. Only when Lev glanced out the window did he realize the car had already started to move.
“So turning into a vampire automatically grants you infinite money?” Lev asked dubiously. “Or is this...” He hesitated over his word choice, not wanting to say stolen. That sounded remarkably like an accusation. “Things you both have compelled people for?” he finally settled on.
Nik scratched his face absently. “Eh, Cam had money long before I came around.”
Lev did some quick math in his head. He checked his work, and then shrugged. “That makes sense.” And it did. Kind of like how old money just grew at some point. Lev had a stupid amount of money left to him because he’d always done his best to live frugally off his parents’ life insurance money. He’d tried jobs to fill his time and never done well at any of them, so it worked for him. The house and furnishing it had been his biggest purchase... well, ever. A fresh pang of loss caught him off guard.
“You care if I put on music?”
Lev couldn’t tell if Nik had noticed the shift in Lev’s mood, or if he just wanted music on, but he gave a nod anyway. Nik didn’t even take his eyes off the road as he queued up a playlist on his phone. Lev let the now-familiar sounds of the band he and Nik had seen live at the park wash over him as he leaned against the window. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, other than the music over the stereo.
----
The club was jam-packed when Nik pulled up. He parked in Cameron’s parking space and led Lev past the long line of clubbers to where two rather large men stood, checking IDs and letting only the most elite past. Nik took Lev’s hand and shouldered his way between the men and led them inside.
Just like he thought, it was filled to the brim with dancers. There was bodies slick with sweat, drinks were passed around and he was sure if he looked close enough there was stronger party favors getting passed between people. And if he looked even closer he could see the vampires feeding off their guests.
Nik flashed Lev a blinding smile that shone against the club lights. The club music made his blood feel like it was thrumming alive and dancing along. Lev looked bewildered and a little lost, his hand holding onto Nik’s for dear life. He smiled back shyly.
“I’m gonna take us to the bar,” Nik yelled over the music.
He didn’t wait for Lev to say anything before dragging him through the throng of people and heading for the bar where Zareth was handing off a drink to a blonde haired vampire woman. Zareth turned his green flecked gold eyes to Nik and then to Lev. He held out his hand. “I’m Zareth,” he said, to Lev.
Lev took his hand and shook it. “Levant,” he said, before grimacing. “It’s Lev.” He gave Zareth another smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Zareth looked rather amused, his eyes lingering on Lev’s for a heartbeat too long. “Much nicer than this one,” he said. He turned to Nik. “You weren’t this nice when you first turned.”
“I was having a crisis of faith, sue me.”
Lev gave a scandalized, “Nik,” that he promptly ignored.
Zareth arched a golden brow. “Ah yes,” Zareth said. “You must be tired of believing being a vampire means your soul is damned for all eternity.”
“What’s a godless heathen to know about souls,” Nik sniped. “You’re just jealous I’ll get into heaven one day while you’ll be serving overpriced alcohol in Hell.”
“Oh so true,” Zareth said. “Would you like a drink now?”
“Yes please,” Nik said. “My usual.” He tapped the dark wood countertop. “What do you want Lev? Apple juice? I take it you don’t drink.”
He suspected if Lev had the blood in him, he’d be blushing. Nik smiled at the thought and plopped down in a chair. “Just a water is fine, thank you.”
Zareth went back to work and Nik pushed out the stool beside him for Lev to take. “Zareth has been around for a while,” Nik said. “You can tell because his face is a little more, ah, angular than most. And he has two sets of fangs. And pointed ears. We start to change just a little bit the older we get. Though Zareth is old old.”
Curiosity lightened Lev’s face. He was sure Lev thought it was interesting- Nik had when he had first turned. This wasn’t exactly the status quo of the normal vampire lore. Lev inched a little closer to the bar, getting a better look at Zareth.
When Zareth turned around, he was still looking rather intently at Lev. “So where’re you from?” Zareth asked. “Nik mentioned you were new to town.”
Nik frowned at Zareth. He had done no such thing.
“Oh I’ve been in the city for a few months,” Lev said. “It seems nice.”
“Any family in the area?” he asked. “Or is it a complete fresh start?” Zareth scratched his face. “I’m sure you’ll find your footing around here, eventually, though.”
“I don’t really have much contact with my family,” Lev admitted. “Just a cousin who checks in every few years when she remembers I exist.”
“Sounds rough,” Zareth said. “Though it might be best with the whole vampire thing. Families tend to not react well when their loved ones become undead.” He motioned to a thick scar at his throat- which had likely been done to him back when swords were relevant.
Lev blinked, startled, and then looked incredibly sad. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “My family never really had been all that interested in me. After my parents died they practically shut me away.” He paused, grimacing. “Sorry. You don’t need my sob story. I mostly just meant they won’t care if they can’t find me.”
“If it makes you feel better,” Nik said, after an uncomfortable beat of silence, “My mami called me a demon and wouldn’t let me in her house. Held up a crucifix and everything.” Only Nate had let him in. Nate was in his sixties now and lived with his husband— Nik saw him every now and then but it got harder and harder throughout the years.
Zareth’s frown lasted a beat too long but Nik ignored it. He took a nice long drink of the tequila in front of him and mourned the buzz it would have given him had he been alive. Lev leaned against Nik’s shoulder in silent comfort, but Nik just cleared his throat. “No use crying over spilled milk,” Nik said. “Anyways, we are here for our first hunt.” Nik slammed his hand down on the counter. “Barkeep— we need victims.”
Lev’s head whipped around, looking afraid someone would overhear Nik; though Zareth looked unimpressed with Nik’s witticism. “I think there’s a few humans over by the booths,” he said. “They’re lightly buzzed but pretty relaxed. I don’t think anyone has fed on them this evening.”
“Perfect,” Nik said, motioning to Lev. “No time like the present.”
Lev stared at Nik with wide eyes. Something like fear flickered in Lev’s face. “Oh. Um. Just. Like that?”
Nik gave him a lopsided grin. “Just like that. They’re under the influence so they should be easy to compel.”
“I don’t know how to compel anyone,” Lev said, an interesting mix of frustration and desperation in his tone this time. “Neither of you have actually explained much yet.”
Irritation flashed through Nik. “Levant,” Nik said, impatience edging his words, “that is what we are literally doing. Right now. God. Keep up.”
This time Lev flicked a slightly panicked look Zareth’s way, before looking over at the group of humans again. He took a deep breath. The fangs faintly visible betrayed how hungry Lev was. Even if his thoughts rebelled, his body certainly knew what it needed. After a second breath he set his shoulders, and nodded once. “I don’t actually like being called Levant,” he said softly. Those gold eyes never left the humans as Lev left his glass of water on the counter and started sliding through the crowd.
Nik fell in step next to Lev. “Okay so the first thing you’re going to need is eye contact,” Nik said. “Older vamps don’t really need it but we for sure do. And then you’re going to need to at least fake some confidence and introduce yourself. When they lower their guard you’re then going to look them in the eye and tell them to not move and to not scream. Got that?”
“I think so. Eye contact, fake... fake confidence. Don't move, don't scream.” Lev wiped his palms on his pants. “Nik, I’m like. Comically bad at small talk. What do people even talk about at bars?”
“About whatever,” Nik said. “Don’t think too hard about it. Just ask them if they came to see the band or compliment their clothes or something. I just tell them I think they're hot.”
Lev gave an unconvincing nod, but his mouth was set in determination anyway. Nik didn’t think that would help with seeming confident, but he refrained from saying anything. Lev needed to figure out his own learning curve.
Surprisingly, Lev didn’t falter as he approached. Instead, he said over the music, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to overhear, but was that the concert last week? The one in Dolberry Park?" Nik hung back a few steps to give Lev his space, but still close enough in case he needed to come in and save the day. When Lev got confirmation, he flashed the humans a genuine smile. “My friend and I were there too. He actually introduced me to the band.”
For all Lev insisted he wasn’t good at small talk, he held his own in the conversation. If Lev could get himself together enough to stop being afraid of his own shadow, he’d be a natural at this. Something told Nik Lev’s round face and sweet smiles would be just as effective at disarming his prey as Nik’s own shining personality. It even looked natural when Lev touched the closest human’s wrist to ensure their attention was on him.
“Don’t scream,” Lev said earnestly. “Just. Hold still.”
While Lev was occupied with his prey, Nik went for the other person who Lev didn’t compel. Nik caught the man’s wrist and looked him in the eye. “Hi, I’m Nik,” he said, compulsion weaving into his words. “Nothing to worry about here. Hold still and don’t scream.”
The earlier ease in Lev had vanished as he turned to Nik. “Nik, I—” He swallowed. “Cameron tried to show me how to do this earlier, and I almost...” His voice almost became a whisper. “Don’t let me hurt them.”
“You’ll be fine,” Nik promised. “I got you.”
The gold in Lev’s eyes was almost swallowed by his pupils; his fangs were threatening to cut through his lip. For a moment Nik thought he was going to have to make him drink, but before his annoyance could really get going Lev latched onto the wrist in his hand like a snake striking. Nik’s brows went up.
Nik wasn’t so far from his being turned that he’d forgotten how raw the hunger had felt. Unlike when Lev had fed off the blood bags Cameron had provided, Lev wasn’t pausing for breath. Nik held off indulging in his own meal, even if his fangs ached with how close the human was. He’d promised, after all, and he wanted to be sure Lev didn’t need to be pulled back. What Lev had confessed told him he probably should ask what exactly had gone down before.
Right as the temptation to feed himself was convincing him Lev would be fine, Lev fully let go of his human. The fledgling’s hands were trembling, his breaths coming in aborted little gasps. With no warning Lev flitted away, his new vampiric speed making him a blur. Nik was left with both humans to deal with.
Nik cursed under his breath and compelled both of the partiers to forget him and Lev before following Lev. He had the sense that Cameron was watching them from high up in his office. He wouldn’t call this a failure, at least not yet. But the night was young. And hey! Lev did manage to compel the man right before he had his meltdown.
He found Lev in the bathroom in the bottom of a stall clenching onto a handful of paper towels, though for now they were unstained. Nik just shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned a shoulder against the stall.
Nik gave Lev’s deep breathing a minute. Before he could figure out how to start the conversation Lev started apologizing. Nik only waved him off. “You were doing good until you started freaking out for no reason,” he said. “Your compulsion was perfect.”
Lev swallowed visibly. “I figured that out once I got away,” he finally admitted. “I overreacted, but in the moment I figured... I figured getting out of the situation was better than accidentally murdering someone in a room of strangers.” He gave a wan smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “And then I freaked that I’d fucked up by running away. I’m... I’m good now.”
“You weren’t going to murder anyone,” Nik said. “I was right there. If you keep acting like an anxious baby the whole time you’re never going to get to where you need to be. You need to trust yourself.”
Lev gave a slightly unhinged laugh. “I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder. I’m trying. I’ll do better.” The unspoken ‘I have to,’ hung in the air between them.
“We all have our issues,” Nik said, scratching his face. “But you’ll get over it or at least manage it. If Cameron didn’t think you could, you wouldn’t be here right now, right? Right.” Nik held out his hand. “Let’s try this again.”
Lev only eyed Nik’s hand for a moment before he took it. Once on his feet, Lev listed to the side for a heartbeat, blinking. “Good Lord,” he muttered, bracing a hand on the stall door. “My head is... spinning a little.”
“Well the human you fed off of was drinking,” Nik said. “It was bound to make you tipsy.”
“I should feed off someone who takes xanax,” Lev replied. He rubbed his face, gave a small, tired chuckle, and then shook his head. He looked down at the paper towels in his hand and then sighed. “Okay,” he said, tossing them in the trash. “Okay. I’m good. I can do this.”
After Nik was out of sight Lev convinced himself to peel himself off the windowsill and look around. Cameron was nowhere to be seen, and Lev couldn’t hear anyone, so he ignored the tug of hunger in his gut and set to exploring properly. Nik had said the hunger was normal, so Lev was determined to adapt.
Knowing the cellar was where the blood bags were, he avoided there just to keep from being tempted. He similarly barely spent any time in the kitchen, if only because it was so pristine he was afraid Cameron would notice a single fingerprint on the glossy marble counters. The pantry he spent more time in, though he kept his hands to himself. Mostly he was just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of scents to be found in there.
He found a room that had a piano that was clearly the centerpiece of the room. Once again his curiosity lured him closer, but he refrained from touching. It wasn’t like he knew how to play. Nik’s suggestion he pick up an instrument suddenly seemed very funny to him.
Eventually he made it upstairs. He went slower this time, checking out the bedrooms he’d rejected. He’d felt weird being nosey while Nik was here, but he was curious. Most of the rooms were decorated in dark colors. Not quite enough to be oppressive, but Cameron was clearly holding to a theme. That theme felt a bit on the nose, but this was Cameron’s house and he could decorate how he wanted.
At the end of one hall, he found another set of stairs going up again. Lev didn’t remember a third story, so he suspected the attic was finished, what with the permanent stairs up there. Unless vampires had a way of making the inside of houses larger than the outside. Lev slipped up the stairs, trailing his fingers along the banister lightly as he went.
The first thing Lev noticed was that this room was far lighter than any he’d seen so far. Lots of creams and golds and even a hint of ivory here and there. Of course, after that the coffin was pretty obvious. It seemed to fit the room’s aesthetics, with golden accents where it wasn’t glass. Lev had paused with only one foot in the door, so when he noticed Cameron sitting next to the coffin, he almost fled right back down the stairs.
“Sorry,” he ended up saying. “I didn’t realize... I didn’t mean to intrude.”
Cameron slowly straightened, his spine stiff and his face perfectly calm. “You’re not intruding,” he said. “You live here too.”
Lev didn’t quite... believe him. But he took a full step into the room, giving it another, more considering look around. There were fresh flowers here. The chair Cameron was in looked both old and well worn in the way only something regularly used could. The man behind the glass was, without a doubt, very beautiful. His slender brown hands were folded over his chest. He looked serene, and something about the whole tableau made Lev think about Snow White in the forest, waiting for her prince.
“Is that Darius?” Lev finally asked. “Nik mentioned him a couple of times.”
Cameron nodded once. “Yes,” he said. “He will be joining us soon.”
Lev decided it was best to stand right here, and not venture any closer to Darius. “Nik seems convinced he’s a ghost,” Lev added. He was still curious, but he had no idea if Cameron would take well to Lev snooping so obviously. Even if Lev meant to be respectful.
Cameron rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Nikolas is being dramatic,” he said. “Darius is one hundred percent alive and has never been dead. He’s just sleeping.”
Interesting. “Is he human, then?” If Cameron didn’t mind the questions, Lev was pleased to keep feeding his curiosity.
“He’s a witch,” Cameron said. “So I suppose he is.”
“Witches are real too?” Lev asked before he could think that question through. He frowned, and then clarified, “I guess. I mean, what other mystical creatures are real? Besides the obvious answer of vampires.”
Cameron seemed to think about it. “If you’re ever at my club I’m sure you’ll find a little bit of everything.”
That was frustratingly vague, but Lev latched onto what he could anyway. “You own a club?” The mental image of golf courses and rich guys rubbing elbows crossed Lev’s mind briefly.
Dry amusement lit Cameron’s eyes. “It’s where I met Nik,” he said. “So less golf courses and more music and dancing.”
“Ah,” Lev said, adjusting the mental picture. “Doesn’t really seem like your scene. Makes sense for Nik, though.”
“And what is my ‘scene’?” he asked, that amusement still lighting his eyes.
Lev decided to take the question seriously, only to be forced to admit, “I’m honestly not sure. I can’t figure you out at all.” Wasn’t really a point to lying. And Lev had never really been one to lie habitually anyway.
“As God intended,” Cameron said, leaning back into his chair. Lev wasn’t sure if Cameron was joking or not, either.
Lev shifted his weight, wondering if his curiosity was worth muddling through Cameron’s non-answers. “Do you spend a lot of time up here with him?” He finally asked. A little more nosey than he thought was polite, but then again, so was stalking. It seemed fair enough to him at this point.
“A few times during the day, if allowed for,” Cameron said. “I… like to tell him what is happening. And changing the flowers daily of course.”
That was… oddly sweet. “Can he hear you?” Lev asked, completely genuine.
“Yes,” he said.
“Oh!” Lev hadn’t expected an actual yes. “And we’ve just been— should I have said hello? It feels rude to ignore him if he knows we’re here.”
Cameron seemed both puzzled and mildly pleased with Lev’s awkward politeness. “You’re fine,” he said. “It’s not like he can respond.”
Lev tilted his head slightly. “I mean he can hear us though.”
“And?”
Lev shrugged this time. “I think if I was unable to move or speak, I’d still want someone to say hello. That’s all.”
“I’ll remember that for the next time you’re in a coma,” Cameron said.
Well, he wasn’t going to argue. It was Cameron’s not-dead boyfriend, not his. Lev was debating how to politely bow out of this conversation when he literally heard his stomach rumble. He winced, watching Cameron’s pale brow inch up.
It seemed unnecessary, but Lev confessed, “I might be hungry.” He winced again, and then said a little more firmly, “I mean, I am. Hungry, that is. Nik said being hungry was normal? So I was going to ask him when he got back if... he could. Help me?”
“You’re always going to be hungry,” Cameron said. “That’s something you’re just going to have to live with. But Nik will help you get something to eat. I can help you, now, if you wish, though.”
The simple truth was that Lev was less afraid of Nik than Cameron, but he was hungry enough he just nodded at Cameron anyway. “Yes, please.”
Cameron stood up and straightened his suit. It was light grey with a silvery blue tie that mirrored his eyes. Cameron shouldered past Lev, expecting Lev to follow him down the stairs. He led Lev to the kitchen and called for one of the maids who had been cleaning in the living room. “All the maids in this house have been compelled,” Cameron said, leading the maid to the counterspace. “They have consented to being fed on, though what they are allowed to say has been influenced.”
“O-oh.” Lev eyed her nervously. “So am I allowed to feed off of them whenever?”
“As long as you don’t make a habit of it,” Cameron said. “You still need to be able to compel and hunt. They have work to be doing besides being your personal bloodbag.”
Lev gave a hesitant nod. “So how... do I just... bite?”
“Just gently slide your fangs into her wrist,” he said, holding out the maid’s wrist to show her pale skin and blue veins. “You can sense when her heart is about to give out. If you pay attention, that is. Your fangs are sharp enough that there shouldn’t be any real issue.”
No biggie. He could do this. He wiped his palms on his jeans, took the maid's wrist in his hands. The idea of Cameron watching him falter pushed him to take that first bite. Cameron had been right. His fangs slid right in. Fresh blood hit him with the intensity of a freight train. Lev had always been a sweets person, but despite what he expected this was absolutely the best thing he’d ever tasted. It was an effort to pull back after only a few mouthfuls to peer anxiously at the woman. Cameron had said Lev would be able to tell, but never said what signs to look for. She seemed fine, so Lev went back to her wrist. It was too tempting to not.
Cameron let him glance back at her only twice more before he said, “Stop looking and eat. You’re going to develop a complex around eating if you keep focusing on the animal you’re trying to feed on. Human beings kill their animals before they feed, we do not have to. You will know if she gets too faint.”
The tone the reprimand was delivered in made Lev cringe, but— Cameron had a point. A good one. And Lev had to trust Cameron didn’t want to bother replacing a maid, if he’d already focused on reminding Lev they had other jobs besides being eaten, so Lev nodded once before he bit down again.
He had to admit it was more satisfying to not stop every two seconds. He closed his eyes to make it easier to focus on the sound of her heart and breaths. Or. He’d hoped it would. In reality, it only really made it easier to focus on how the hunger pangs had dropped down to a simmer again finally. He could... almost get how Nik had gotten lost in it. How he’d gone too far. Lev somehow felt more alive now than he had when he’d been living in his little house—
“Stop.”
The word only registered vaguely. Maybe Lev had imagined it? He wanted to bite down harder, but he restrained that instinct. There. He could have restraint. He was almost buzzing with his excitement. Proof to them both that Lev could do this. He could even admit to himself that it tasted good. Better than good. Unlike the cold stuff from before, this left him almost satisfied.
“I said stop,” Cameron said, sharply.
This time Lev pulled back, trying to figure out what Cameron said. It hit him a few seconds later, staring at the ragged places his fangs had torn the poor woman’s wrist. The satisfaction he’d felt only moments ago was already ashes in his mouth. He could hear the flutter of her heart, her uneven breaths. She was wilted in Cameron’s arms, and the vampire had taken most of her weight.
“I’m sorry,” Lev said automatically, covering his mouth as if hiding the fangs that he couldn’t figure out how to make go away now would undo what he’d just done. Bile rose in his throat; he choked it back. “I-I’m so sorry.”
Cameron helped the maid to one of the chairs and began bandaging her wrist. “Get some orange juice out of the fridge,” he said.
How on earth would orange juice help? Lev decided not to question it and turned to the fridge. In between blinks he was across the room with the fridge door open. The speed of it left him momentarily stunned. Now wasn’t the time. Right. Right. He pretended his hands weren’t shaking as he snagged the orange juice and searched the cabinets for a glass. His return trip was at a normal, if overly careful, speed. The last thing he needed was to spill and have another mess to clean up.
Cameron pressed the glass to her mouth and watched her drink deeply. Color slowly came back to her cheeks. “Don’t you humans donate blood?” Cameron asked, irritably. “Fluids help when you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
Lev hesitated, and then shook his head. “My family didn’t... do that.” That was literally all he could think, because he did have a vague memory of the few years he was in an actual school and that was how it had been explained to him when he brought permission slips home about blood donations. He backed up a step. Another. The thought to leave had barely crossed Lev’s mind before he was up the stairs.
Without the distraction of Cameron and the poor woman Lev had almost killed, Lev was overwhelmed by the guilty nausea. He closed the door to ... his room, he supposed it was. Once he was in the bathroom, he shut that door too. Numb fingers fumbled with the shower until he figured out how to turn it on.
His plan was to try the well practiced coping mechanism of taking a too-hot shower. That had always helped with panic before. He wasn’t quite fast enough to get undressed. In the end he had to lurch to the toilet, heaving up everything he’d had in the last few hours, blood and breakfast. At least he’d gotten the shower on. Maybe between that and the two closed doors no one would hear.
By the time Lev was done he felt fully wrung out. He could barely bring himself to look at the mess he’d made. He reached blindly to flush, and shrugged out of his clothes. Faced with the realities of actually stepping into the shower, Lev found he didn’t actually relish the idea anymore, but at this point a crying session was inevitable, and Lev didn’t feel like trying to wash any more blood out of his clothes than he already had to. So yes. He absolutely was going to sit on the floor of the shower and allow himself one uncomfortable pity party.
Nik couldn’t get back soon enough.
----
Nik unsurprisingly was unable to get into Lev’s house. The ownership must have transferred to someone else, leaving Nik unable to get back in. He cursed. This was going to make things that much harder to get done. He was sure Cameron would be downright giddy that Nik’s life was just made more difficult.
Lev had given Nik the keys to the front door and he passed them off to one of the maids to get inside. Nik sat on the front steps for a bit before moving to the windows to peek inside and see what was there worth taking.
The maids were packing up books and some small knick-knacks while Nik stood watch. They were quick and efficient and they moved the boxes out of the house with impressive speed. Nik just sat there and watched. He glanced at his phone every now and then, bored out of his skull.
Finally one of the maids knocked on the window and asked if there was anything else they should get. Nik searched the living area and found there wasn’t really anything else in there that needed to be gotten, so he told her it was time to move onto the kitchen.
Nik went around the house to look for the kitchen window. The inside was still small and tidy. He watched the maids get Lev’s mugs and his baking dishes. They got some of the random items Nik could see that he thought Lev might like, but overall he felt mostly useless. When the kitchen was cleaned out, Nik then made his way to Lev’s bedroom where he told them about the box under Lev’s bed.
It was indeed a nice box, long and white, just as Lev said it was. He had the maids put the box in the front seat of Nik’s car to keep it nice and safe. Nik wandered around the yard, whistling to himself while the maids went to work. He was bored out of his mind, especially since he couldn’t go inside and get the work done himself.
It would have been better if he could. He hated the look of disapproval from Cameron and it made his skin itch. That and he didn’t want Lev to think he didn’t care. Of course he did. Lev seemed like a nice enough guy and Nik felt a bit bad for accidentally killing him. Though Nik had been starving and really it was Cameron’s fault for making Nik wait for nearly three weeks to feed.
At least if he told himself that enough times, he could believe it. The feeling of being a failure was like a dead weight in his chest and Nik was tired of carrying it around. Clearly there was something wrong with him. Why else would it be so hard for Nik to not kill people. Of course, he did have some success, but it was still hard. He was over fifty years old, he shouldn’t still be struggling with hunger.
Nik watched the maids grab all of Lev’s clothes and the book Lev had on the nightstand. They packed them neatly into boxes and brought them out to the truck with impressive efficiency. Cameron wasted no expense in having the best possible help he could get his immortal hands on. That and God knew Cameron was enough of a snob; anything less than perfection wouldn’t be acceptable from anyone under his employ.
He went to sit in his car while the ladies moved onto Lev’s bathroom. They were sure to be done soon and Nik didn’t feel like waiting even longer by the windows, watching them do what he could not. He put on some music and hummed along with the Spanish lyrics. He made it through four songs before the head maid came over to Nik’s car.
“We’re finished,” she said, dropping Lev’s keys into his hand. “We’ll follow you back to Mr. Marzena’s estate?”
“Sure thing,” Nik said, dropping the keys onto the box with Lev’s mother’s jacket. “Think maybe Cameron’s not mad at me anymore?”
She gave him a look that suggested she very much doubted it.
He sighed and clicked on his seatbelt. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
The ride back to the estate felt like forever and yet not long enough. Nik parked and let the valet take the car away while he waited for the maids and the truck with Lev’s box. It wasn’t long before it trailed up the long driveway and parked itself right in front of the massive front doors.
Cameron was the first to step outside, before Nik even had the opportunity to come up the front stairs. Cameron leaned on his cane, blue and silver eyes flickering in the dark like a wild animal’s. Nik said, “All done. Got in and out easy.”
Cameron turned to the maids and ordered them to bring everything inside and to put everything in their respective places. Nik was fidgeting when Cameron finally turned his focus to Nik. “Well done,” he said after a heartbeat. “Come inside. Lev is waiting for you in his rooms.”
Nik followed Cameron into the house and then promptly went to find Lev. He found Lev in his room sitting by the window in a towel with wet hair. “Here’s your box,” he said, moving to put the box on Lev’s bed. “Made sure I delivered it personally.”
Lev got up and came over. He ran his hands over the box before taking the lid off and holding up the jacket. He brought it up to his face to smell it and seemed disappointed. “I don’t know why I thought I would still be able to smell her, even with everything smelling stronger now.”
Nik came over and looked at the jacket. He tilted his head and took in the detail work and smiled a bit faintly, despite himself. “Looks like something my old girlfriend would have worn back in the day.”
Lev sat down on the edge of the bed, adjusting his towel, and patted the spot next to him. “Do you want to tell me about her?”
Nik shrugged anxiously. “Aleyda was… well.” Nik sat down beside Lev and looked at the jacket some more. “She was a lot. She laughed easily and got mad even easier but we had a lot of fun together. I still check in on her family every now and then. Leave them some money.” Nik looked down at his tattooed hands. “She, um, died. When I did. Cameron couldn’t save her.”
Lev folded the jacket in his lap. He reached for Nik’s hand before thinking better of it. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“It’s whatever,” Nik said with forced lightness. “It was forever ago.” He gingerly touched the necklace at his neck— the necklace he’s worn for the last forty-three years. He still missed her. Her dark brown eyes and smile haunted his dreams most nights, even. He forgot what she sounded like, but he would always remember that she smelled like lilacs and citrus; that she always wore her hair down loose, letting it fall down her back into a cascade of dark brown silk.
Lev reached for the box where he was sure to put the jacket away, but instead he found a journal tucked inside. “Oh, I hadn’t realized I put my dad’s journal in here when I moved.”
It didn’t look like much. Just a leather journal with a strap around it. It was quite full, the leather tie around it clearly needed. Nik took it from Lev and looked at it closer. The cover was scuffed and worn; it’d clearly been well used for decades. “Should we read it?” he asked, a smile tilting at his lips.
Lev shook his head. “No,” he said. “My cousin said I’d know if and when I should read it. I’ve never felt like it was time.”
Nik shrugged and put the journal back on the bed. “Fair enough,” he said. “The maids got all your stuff— if you want to get dressed, that is. Or you can stay in the towel. Who am I to tell you how to live your life.”
Lev gave a small laugh. “I would like to get dressed, please.”
A/N: Hi! I (Lux) wanted to let y'all know we're going to be taking a hiatus after this chapter through the month of September! Extenuating circumstances (read: lux's health and work, rip) has finally taken it's toll. Don't worry, though! We'll be back on the first Sunday of October, just in time for spooky season ;3
Lev expected Nik to shunt him off into the closest bedroom, but instead Nik seemed serious about giving him a tour. He found himself clinging to Nik’s hand, taking more comfort from it than he expected. Nik started in the living room they’d originally talked to Cameron in, and led him through a beautiful dining room. The kitchen was equally impressive. Cameron’s pantry made Lev's little walk-in look like a closet.
It wasn’t until they made it to the second story and Nik started showing off all the empty bedrooms that Lev finally sorted his thoughts from the overwhelmed blur long enough to say, “What do you do when the sun comes up? There’s so many windows...”
Nik looked at all the very large, extravagant windows that lined the dark walls. “Cameron had special windows made,” he said. “A special kind of two-paned glass that doesn’t allow UV rays to penetrate inside.” He seemed thoughtful. “I like to stare out the windows sometimes and watch the day go by. Sometimes there's animals in the yard I can watch.”
Lev gripped Nik’s hand tighter, torn between the unexpected grief that he wouldn’t be able to go outside during the day again, and sadness for Nik, who clearly couldn’t either. “So no coffins?” He meant it mostly as a joke, but he also really hoped the answer was no.
“I think the house might as well be a coffin,” Nik joked. “But really, no. No coffins. We have beds. Oh! Well there is one, but that’s for Cameron’s boyfriend, Darius. He has his own room. I’ll introduce you some time.”
Lev paused in his curious peek into one of the rooms to look at Nik suspiciously. “The dead boyfriend?” he asked, once again hoping he was very much wrong.
“I think he’s technically in a coma?” Nik said, scratching his face. “Cameron was vague on the details.”
“So he’s not a ghost, then?” Lev checked. He was baffled, but Nik seemed nonchalant about it enough he didn’t think he needed to worry about it. Not too much anyway.
“No no,” Nik said. “He is very much a ghost. Don’t listen to Cameron. He’ll try to tell you otherwise.”
“That doesn’t... make sense,” Lev said, stepping away from the open door he’d been peering into. “But. Honestly, I don't know enough about anything to really argue with you or him.”
“It’ll make sense when you see it,” Nik promised. “But for now we should focus on finding you a room that fits your needs.”
Lev nodded once. “Where’s your room?” He asked. Part of him wanted Nik nearby. Part of him wanted to pick a room on the opposite side of the house. Until he decided which part would win out in the end, he figured knowing would be good either way.
“I can show you if you want,” Nik said, leading him down the hall. “I usually sleep in Cam’s room but… I also have my own. It’s where I keep all my stuff— and also where I go with my special guests.”
Special guests? Lev almost snorted before he remembered what exactly had gotten him in this predicament. He had no room to judge. He’d been fully willing to let Nik— well. And now look where he was.
Somehow Nik’s room made perfect sense to Lev. The comforter was a dark red that reminded him of the flecks of crimson in Nik’s eyes. He hadn’t noticed them until after he’d finished his ... transition. Whatever they’d called it. He was doing his best not to stare at them now, and looking around Nik’s bedroom was the perfect excuse.
After only a small, questioning pause, Lev ventured deeper, pleased Nik followed without letting go of his hand. There were a few different guitars on display. Lev vaguely remembered Nik mentioning he played. The closet was half the size of Lev’s bedroom at home, and had an impressive variety of clothes from the past few decades in there. Lev stopped in front of the full length mirror tucked in a corner near the closet, studying them both.
“I honestly expected to not have a reflection,” he said eventually, meeting Nik’s gaze in the mirror.
Nik looked at himself in the mirror, ever the peacock admiring himself. “That would be a terrible waste,” Nik said. “I’m glad it's a myth.”
Lev huffed out a small laugh despite his best efforts. From what he could tell, nothing beyond his new fangs had changed. He was still plump, a permanent wrinkle of stress between his brows, moles scattered haphazardly, dark waves doing their own thing, including that ridiculous cowlick in the back that almost looked like a heart, and his own golden eyes stared right back at him. “I guess the whole vampires looking like perfection thing was just a myth too.” He took comfort that, at the very least, he didn’t feel like a complete stranger in his own body.
“Well I look like perfection, but I was like that as a human too,” Nik said. “Really the only thing that's changed is less hairspray and the red in my eyes. And also the fangs.”
Lev gave him a curious look. “You didn’t have the red before?” He asked.
“Nope,” Nik said. “It was part of my transition. Just like how Cam has those silver streaks in his eyes. I think they let other vampires know we’re one of them. Though your eyes didn’t really change. That’s weird.”
Great. So he’d somehow managed to be weird at being a vampire too. Lev turned away from the mirror, suddenly uninterested in looking at himself. “I don’t want to intrude,” he confessed instead. “But I also don’t... want to be too far. I don’t really have a preference on where I sleep, so I might just. Pick a room a few doors down from yours?”
“Fine by me,” Nik said, shrugging. “I’m sure we can also decorate it however you want, too. Cameron doesn’t have a credit limit— at least I haven’t hit it yet.”
Lev gave an absent nod, and tugged Nik out of the room. Most of the rooms he’d seen so far had been decorated in darker colors, but he managed to find one kitty-corner to Nik’s that was different shades of greys. Mostly a dark iron grey, but there were hints of stormy and even a soft light blue-grey here and there. Nik had said he could decorate, but he figured it was easier to work with what was already in the room than to ask to completely remodel. Besides, this room had a chair that looked almost as comfortable as the one he had at home. And a desk, and a bookshelf. He could absolutely work with that.
“This one works,” he said, looking around. “I don’t even have to ask for a bookshelf.” Yet anyway. He tugged Nik deeper into the room, curiously exploring every nook and cranny. What he originally thought was the closet turned out to be a bathroom. Lev tried not to be visibly delighted by the depth of the bathtub and realized he had access to a closet, admittedly smaller than Nik’s but still a walk-in, from the bathroom and the bedroom. “Is this okay?” He asked abruptly, looking to Nik with a twinge of guilt. He almost felt greedy, picking a room as nice as this.
“Aw you have a bathroom,” Nik said, frowning in dismay. “Well. That’s nice. Oh well, I have the bigger closet.”
Lev sorted through several possible replies before he settled on, “Well, as long as you have the bigger closet.” He backed out of the bathroom, and then looked around. Now what? Lev didn’t want to let go of Nik’s hand, but Nik had showed him the inside of the estate, and the sky outside the windows was starting to lighten to a faded grey.
“I bet Cameron’s making breakfast for us soon,” Nik said. “He’s a really good cook. Even better than me and I’m a fantastic cook. I’ll have to make you some enchiladas some time.”
Lev gave an absent nod, and then did a double take as something occurred to him. “Oh. You must be the partner he mentioned learning to cook traditional Mexican food for.”
“Yeah,” Nik said. “Speaking of that— how long has Cameron been seeing you? Has he been stalking us or something? I can’t believe him. I was doing fine… until I wasn’t but he didn’t have to go and be creepy about it.”
Lev let go of Nik’s hand to wander towards the window. “Nikolas, you were stalking me too, I’m starting to realize.” He swallowed, and then sighed. “I ran into him at the grocery store a week or so ago? Before I met you, at least. He showed up at a tea shop near my house, and also at the mall the day before our... date. I think he’s why I was all dressed up, honestly.”
“I wasn’t stalking you,” he said. “I was… just looking for an opening to introduce myself. Didn’t need much motivation to spend time with me once we met for real, right?”
Lev stilled, and then turned to look over at his shoulder at Nik. “Wait, was that you? The person who knocked on my door one night out of the blue?”
“Yeah. That was me,” he said. “You certainly did not make it easy.”
“God forbid I make it hard for you to kill me,” Lev muttered under his breath, before freezing. That was an inside thought. He cleared his throat quickly, and added, “I was… I was enjoying myself. Before— I liked our dates.”
Nik smiled at him. “I enjoyed them too.”
Lev went to bite his lip, only to have a fang slice right through it. “Shit,” he muttered, reaching up to touch his mouth. The cut was already closing, but he smeared the few drops of blood away. Nik’s laughter did not help his composure, but he did his best to hold himself with dignity as he wiped his hand off on his jeans. “You um. Said Cameron would be making breakfast soon. Do you… we… need to eat, too? Like. Outside of the whole. Blood thing.”
“Our bodies function normally when we consume blood. I don’t think we have to eat food, too, but food is delicious anyways so we might as well eat. Unless you don’t want to.”
That gave Lev an excuse to smile again. “I like food,” he said. He looked down at himself briefly, and then back up at Nik. “If you couldn't tell.”
Nik just gave him a shrug. “Well then let’s go eat. I could get some coffee, too. And hey— you might even meet Darius.”
Lev reached for Nik’s hand shyly. “I’ve never seen a ghost before. And you've described him as pretty nice, compared to some of the movies I've seen about ghosts. I’m not opposed.”
“He’s alright,” Nik said, tugging Lev back out of the room and for the stairs. “Doesn’t do much but I’d rather he didn’t do anything at all.” He smiled like he made a joke in his head and said, “God lets ghosts roam the earth for one reason or another, so Darius can stay. For now. Even if he is creepy.”
————
Breakfast would have been a quiet affair if Nik hadn’t chattered through the whole thing. Lev refused to look at Cameron longer than he had to. It wasn’t... it wasn’t just that Cam had played him for a fool, and that he’d fallen for it. Reconsidering and recontextualizing their interactions left Lev feeling unsettled. Nervous, even. Yes, he was hurt, but he was also still unconvinced that Cameron wouldn’t just. Change his mind.
After that Lev followed Nik around hesitantly until the other two decided they were ready for bed. Right. Sunrise. No point in being awake if they couldn’t even enjoy it. Though Lev knew Cameron could go outside during the day. Lev debated wandering the house, but there were now people bustling around, cleaning up and making sure everything was immaculate. Lev didn’t want to be around them, not when he realized with growing horror he could literally hear the blood rushing through their veins.
Someone had stocked the bathroom with fluffy towels, but Lev decided against taking a bath just yet, and settled into the chair. He stared out over Cameron’s pristine lawn, doing his best to not think at all. Thinking meant letting himself consider all the ways this was absolutely going to blow up in his face, and if Nik was right and he did cry blood now, he didn’t want to have to figure out how to wash this shirt out while not having anything to change into.
At some point he must have fallen asleep there, because someone saying his name woke him up. He stared blankly at the outside, realizing just how low the sun had gotten. He rubbed his face and looked up at Cameron.
“Make a list of what you need so Nikolas knows what to tell the maid to bring.” Cameron nodded at the desk. “There should be pen and paper in there.”
Lev sat up straighter, rubbing his eyes again in an effort to get his brain to start moving. “Is it alright if I bring all my books?” He asked. “Or... my baking supplies? I didn’t want to assume I could use your kitchen...” But it wasn’t like he had many hobbies, though he kept that thought to himself. Or not himself. He wasn’t sure if Cameron was listening to his thoughts right now.
Cameron thought about it for a moment, as if he were trying to wrestle with his own thoughts, but eventually said, “You may bring whatever you like.”
Lev nodded. “Okay,” he said, standing. “I’ll get the list done as soon as I can.” Maybe after Lev could ask Nik about how often vampires needed to feed. He wasn’t about to tell Cameron he was hungry, and wasn’t even sure what kind of hungry it was. Or if there was any other kind now.
That seemed to be good enough, because Cameron left after Lev moved towards the desk. Lev plopped into the desk chair and went through the drawers. He hadn’t thought to do this before, so he had no idea if the stationary supplies had always been there, or if someone had stocked it like they had the bathroom.
The first few things were easy. He wanted his clothes, and didn’t trust anyone Cameron hired to agree with what clothes he “needed”, so he just said he wanted all of them. His books, clearly, and he didn’t specify which to bring because he decided he was allowed to be a little selfish and ask for them all too. With his baking supplies he laid out only a few essential pieces, described a few mugs that were sentimental, and rattled off a few other comfort items and essentials. Like a charger. His phone was nearly dead by now.
His list complete, Lev poked his head out in the hallway and tried to track Nik down. It was the sound of guitar that let Lev know where to look. He knocked on Nik’s doorframe before he stepped inside. He waited until Nik had looked up to say, “Cameron said you needed a list?” He held the sheet of paper out to Nik.
Nik took it. He skimmed the list and said, “We’ll get your stuff later once the sun goes down. I’m supposed to supervise.”
Lev settled on the edge of the bed near Nik. “I’m guessing since I’m giving you a list I’m not going?” he asked, trying to keep his tone light.
Nik shrugged. “It might be best to not have you out in public just yet,” he said. “Plus this is me ‘cleaning up my own mess’. As Cam so inelegantly put it.”
Lev nodded slowly, picking at the seam of his jeans while he debated what he wanted to ask next. He decided he wasn’t ready for the vampire stuff yet, so he said, “There’s a box under my bed. It's long, and flat, and white. It’s got my mom’s jacket in it. I’d appreciate it if you grabbed that for me too. I didn’t know how to write it down without it getting confusing.” He forced a shrug. “Outside the list, feel free to have them look around and grab things you might think I need that I didn’t think of? I guess?”
“Sure thing,” Nik said, looking at the list. “I’ll do my best to get everything you want.”
“Thank you.” Lev looked up. “Nik? Is the hunger always going to be there?”
The smile on Nik’s face faltered. “Yeah,” he said. “It gets better— or at least you get used to it. At least that’s what Cameron says. I’m still getting used to it. But I try to keep myself distracted. It usually helps.”
Lev considered that. In the end he folded it into the back of his mind to absorb later, and nodded. “Okay,” he said calmly. Rather than let the silence sit between them, especially since he didn’t like how Nik’s smile had faded, he asked, “Can you play something? I wanna hear more than what I caught in the hallway.”
Nik obliged, and Lev decided it was best to pretend this was a normal night, and he was a regular guy watching his crush play guitar. He liked how Nik’s fingers moved over the strings, the way he put his full focus into playing just right. The smile that grew on Nik’s face was softer than the ones Lev was used to. Less cultivated, but Lev meant that in a nice way. Lev was half tempted to lean forward and kiss Nik, just to see if it would be softer than their last too.
Cameron came to let Nik know the sun had set and he could leave before Lev worked up the courage to. Lev waited to follow Nik out until Cameron had also left. He still didn’t know how he felt about Cameron’s part in all of this. At least Nik had seemed apologetic, and even if Lev wasn’t fully convinced yet if it was manipulation, at least he was pretty sure Nik meant it. Cameron... was different. And Lev didn’t know how to put the puzzle pieces he had so far together to get a picture he understood just yet.
Despite himself, Lev found himself trailing Nik all the way to the front door. He did not follow him outside, because he was an adult and did not need to be told twice he was better off away from the public. But he did gravitate towards a window to watch Nik drive off with whatever helper Cam had sent him with.
The last thing Lev expected to wake up to was a headache. Everything was too loud, though the overwhelm of sound blurred into one rush of white noise at the moment. He pressed a hand to his temple, groaning quietly as he tried to process where he was and what was going on.
It took him a few more moments to convince himself to open his eyes and try to sit up. He almost immediately flinched back before he recognized Nik sitting on the edge of his bed. Yeah. Definitely his bed, his room, and—
“You scared the fuck out of me,” he said, even as he looked around. A growing sense of wrongness had nestled itself somewhere in his stomach. “What— what happened?” Lev could see the… the blood on the blankets on the other side of the bed, and swore he felt teeth against his throat for a second.
Nik held up his hands defensively. “Don’t freak out.”
So there was definitely a reason to freak out. Lev snapped his gaze back to Nik, feeling nauseous now. “What happened?” He asked again, and then went on without giving Nik a chance to speak. “You— I remember you telling me not to be scared. And you bit me. A lot. Who does that?”
Nik almost seemed to wince. “…vampires?”
“Ha. Ha.” Lev put as much derision in his tone as he could, but— but at the same time. What he could remember was hitting him in disjointed, unsteady pieces. He looked down at himself, realized Nik had put him back in his clothes. No bites on his wrist, unbroken skin on his neck when he touched it, and he was not going to check under his clothes right now, but he wasn’t in any pain right now so he assumed nothing there. He almost couldn’t bring himself to look at Nik. Almost. “Nik. What happened?”
Nik took a deep breath. “You died… from extreme blood loss. With vampire blood in your system."
As if the second half of that meant anything to Lev. “I died,” he said slowly. He was still sorting through his memories, but one thing became clear. “You killed me.” He touched his neck again once, and shuddered. “You made me drink your blood. Is that— is that what you mean? If I’m dead, how am I… this?” He waved a hand in front of his face.
Nik spoke slowly, like he was choosing his words carefully. “You’re in transition. You’re becoming like me.”
“…a vampire?” Lev went rigid. “Oh my God. Oh my God? Is that why—?” He broke off, staring at Nik with wide eyes. “What the hell does that mean for me?” It wasn’t like Lev had a job, but he’d chosen this house for how much natural light it had for God’s sake.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” Nik hurried to assure him. “Or I guess I can try? I’m still a bit of a newbie, according to my sire.”
“Your sire,” Lev repeated numbly. He looked over at his curtains, wondering if they blocked the sunlight well enough. Maybe he could live in his pantry during the day. His gaze snapped back to Nik abruptly. “Were you always going to kill me?”
Nik shook his head. “No. I just meant to feed on you. I just… got too worked up.”
“Ah.” Lev looked down at his hands. “I don’t think I’m really processing this,” he admitted. He could feel the hysteria, bubbling in his chest and pressing against the back of his throat. The thin layer of numb stretched like plastic wrap across his rapidly blooming panic attack was already fraying. “What do I do now? Ideally before I start crying. Can vampires cry?”
Again, Nik winced. “We can. But we cry blood. Though you’re in transition, so I don’t know that you will.” Unsettling enough, but Nik was already moving on. “I’ll take you to my sire. He’s been a vampire for centuries. He for sure can help you.”
Lev’s thoughts were spinning faster and faster. “Okay,” he said, well aware his voice sounded a bit hollow. He swallowed hard. “Okay. I can— I can do that.”
Nik let out a breath. “Good,” he muttered, almost more to himself than Lev.
Lev looked down again. “I can’t leave the house in these,” he said, standing automatically. Moving was good. Moving got rid of some of the panicky energy.
Nik nodded absently. “Probably for the best,” he said.
Lev rummaged around for a pair of jeans and changed into those. He pulled his oldest hoodie out from his closet and tied it around his waist. He stood there for a moment, staring blankly at Nik, before going, “Oh. My phone.” And wandered into the kitchen to retrieve it. Once it was in his hand it struck him just how ridiculous this whole situation was. A hysterical giggle escaped him, and he clamped his free hand over his mouth. No. Panic later.
“You ready to go?” Nik asked from behind him.
Lev spun around, swallowing another hysterical chuckle before it could escape. “Yeah,” he said. “My shoes are by the front door.” He followed Nik far enough to put them on, snagging his keys from the hook out of muscle memory. He even locked his front door on auto pilot. He had to trot to catch up to Nik, who only stopped when he got to the fancy car from the other day. Lev only hesitated a little, glancing around at the silent neighborhood once, before he followed.
————
The ride to Cameron’s estate was full of awkward silence. Nik itched to turn the music on or at the very least start some kind of conversation, but what, exactly, was Nik supposed to say to a transitioning vampire? Were you supposed to talk about the weather? Tell him he never had to worry about a sunburn ever again?
Nik counted down the minutes for getting back. The three rabbits he saw in someone’s yard. The mother and child on bikes, likely on their way home. Though why they were out at this time at night, Nik hardly knew.
Nik finally came up to Cameron’s estate. A sprawling white house with gloriously large windows, a long drive lined with neatly groomed trees. There was a singular light on in the house— the living room. God, chills ran down his spine. His hands were sweating at the thought of Cameron standing there, looking at them with the same bored, disinterested look he had mastered— even when he would very much be interested.
He was going to put his head on a spike— or whatever it was Russians did four hundred years ago. Surely Cameron would do something, though it wasn’t like Nik ever was on Cameron’s bad side. His irritable side? Suuuure. Cameron had to clean up the bodies Nik left every now and then though Cameron had gotten to the point he made Nik clean up after himself. But this? Nik hasn’t ever turned anyone before. Surely there was going to be drastic repercussions.
Nik parked the car right out front for the valet and led Lev to the front doors. “Okay,” Nik said. “He’s waiting for us.”
He didn’t wait for Lev to respond, didn’t really care if Lev responded, if he were to be honest with himself. He was far too stressed with the possibilities and the what-ifs for niceties. He took a deep breath, filling his too tight lungs with air he desperately needed (weird for a vampire, he thought, but whatever) and opened the doors. He led Lev inside, who was quiet on his heel.
Cameron stood by the couch, his cane resting beside him. He had that boredom look perfected, though the shine in his eyes was anything but bored. He stared them down like the centuries old predator he was. His eyes slid from Nik to Lev, a groomed brow raising just a fraction.
Lev stared at Cameron with a look of pure betrayal. Nik felt as if he missed a few chapters in this particular moment. “Did you know this whole time?” Lev rushed out. His eyes were wide as saucers; he was clearly still in shock.
“You don’t know Cameron,” Nik said, though he didn’t know if he meant it as a question or not. Nik swung his focus back to Cameron. “You don’t know him, right?”
“Of course I knew the whole time,” Cameron said, hands sliding easily into his pockets, ignoring Nik. His temper whetted against his mind and Nik bit back his tongue so hard he might as well have choked on it. “You,” he said to Lev, “are not supposed to be here.”
Lev blinked owlishly. “I didn’t ask for this,” he said. “Nik said you’d be able to help me.”
“Did he now,” Cameron said. His pale blue eyes flickered back to Nik, screwing him into his spot. “And how do you think I should help him?” Nik stared at the floor, blood rushing through his head. “Speak. Now.”
“I dunno,” he said, trying to not squirm. “I thought you could help him, like you helped me.”
“Why did you feed him your blood?” Cameron asked, that bored, bored tone grating on his nerves.
“I…” Well, Nik didn’t want to tell him the truth. That Nik wanted to keep feeding until he got his fill. He also didn’t want to, well, lie. Cameron was rather particular about things like that. “I wanted to make sure he didn’t die,” he finally said. “You know I can’t help myself sometimes.”
“Hm.” Cameron flicked his eyes back to Lev who still was standing there staring at Cameron, still in shock. “And do you think that is true, Levant?”
Lev looked confused. “I.. don’t know,” he stammered. “It had all been a rush and I was… distracted.”
“Distracted,” Cameron echoed. “Was his cock just that good or did he compel you to ignore that he was feeding on you.”
Nik glared at the floor. He bit his lips to keep from calling Cameron a dick. There couldn’t possibly be a reason for this line of questioning.
Next to him, Lev went bright red. He looked downright mortified. “I had been really in the moment when he first bit me,” Lev said. He screwed up his face a little while he thought back. “Later he told me not to be afraid. After that I was mostly into it. Until he killed me.”
“And did it work? Were you not afraid?”
Lev looked surprised by the question. “Yeah,” he said, looking between the two of them. “Compel…? Is that what you did at the mall?”
Irritation clawed at Nik’s insides. Cameron had been lurking around during Nik’s hunt like some parent who was making sure their kid didn’t fall off their bike after their training wheels were taken off. His sire certainly seemed to have taken an interest in Nik’s success. And well, clearly it wasn’t much of a success considering Nik was now standing next to a vampire-in-transition.
“Do you think you can survive off of human blood, Levant,” Cameron asked, then, knocking Nik’s attention away from his internal rant. “Do you think you can feed off of another human being and be an eternal slave to the night?”
“I didn’t realize I had any other choice,” Lev said, with a tired acceptance.
“You do have a choice,” Cameron said. “You can finish your transition, or you can not.”
“I don’t want to die,” Lev tried. His trembling breaths betrayed his attempts at forceful positivity. “I’ll figure it out. I always do.”
“You’ll ‘figure it out’,” Cameron said. “Nik has been figuring it out for well over thirty years. Do you think he’s figured it out, Levant?”
“Not quite yet, no.” There was incredulity in his tone now, almost overtaking the budding panic.
Heat flared in Nik’s face. “Okay,” he said. “I get it. I fucked up. Can you get to the point.” Cameron didn’t seem fazed with Nik’s outburst, in fact he was probably expecting it. Nik ground his teeth, fingers tightly bound in fists. “Please?”
Cameron finally flicked his cool gaze from Lev to him. The silver streaks in his pale blue eyes flickered in the light. “The point is, Nikolas, is that you have created a potential vampire and it may be one who is not fit to be a vampire.” He looked back at Lev. “Your thoughts are swarming and panicked and it will only be worse as a vampire. So why should I allow for that? Prove to me that you are capable of potentially taking a life and that you can handle living a life like ours. Nikolas certainly struggles, still. Should I take on another fledgling just because it was an accident?”
Nik stared at Cameron. “You can read people’s thoughts?” Again Cameron ignored him. Nik would have thrown something at him if he had anything in his reach. For years he didn’t know about any of this. This was just terrific. “Cameron.”
“I fail to see why you need to know,” Cameron said. “It was none of your business.”
“They’re my thoughts!”
“That I didn’t intrude on,” Cameron said, irritation edging into his voice. “Levant. Answer the question.”
“How am I supposed to prove anything?” Lev asked. There was a notable crack on the last word. “And why is my life on the line because he fucked up? If I tell you I’m sure I’ll be fine you’ll know I’m lying. You don’t have to read minds to know that.” A single pinkish tear rolled down Lev’s cheek. It also didn’t take a mind reader to know more were on the way. “Both of you decided to drag me into this.” Another tear joined the first, hovering on Lev’s soft chin before it fell.
Nik held back his wince. He did fuck up, that was true. It was his mistake that Lev was now where he was, pleading his case with Cameron. The hardass. Sometimes Nik wondered if Cameron ever regretted saving him when he did. Nik was a giant fuck up. In multiple ways. Unfortunately for Lev, he just got caught in the middle.
Cameron seemed to consider his words for a heartbeat. “So we did,” he said. “Your tears aren’t moving, though your feelings on the matter are understandable. I will say, if I think you’re not capable of being a vampire I will rectify the situation. Are we understood?”
Lev didn’t say anything to that, but he did nod. Nik’s shoulders sagged a bit in relief. He hadn’t realized he was hoping Cameron wouldn’t just kill the guy. Nik had enjoyed his time with Lev.
“I will give you a bloodbag for now,” Cameron said. “After that I expect you to be learning how to compel and hunt for your own food.” A smile curved on Cameron’s granite face. “Nik will be showing you how.”
“Me?” Nik said, eyes wide. “Why?”
Cameron shrugged. “This is your mess. You clean it up.”
Lev seemed to rein in any growing panic, now that he was getting what he wanted. His eyes closed in relief as he gave a small, “Thank you,” to Cameron.
Cameron grabbed his cane and motioned for them to follow him. Nik cast a quick glance Lev’s way before following after, making sure Lev was on his heels. Nik grumbled under his breath, trying to stop himself from forming rather uncharitable thoughts about the whole situation they were in right now. But at least Lev was getting to live. Though now he was without a house. Once they left… there was now no one left to invite Lev inside his own house. Surely he could just take up one of the many rooms here until he found his own place.
Cameron led them down into the cellar where there was a fridge full of blood. It wasn’t used often, but Cameron did keep some on hand for just in case. He opened up the fridge and peered inside, he picked one of the bags and tossed it to Lev. “Drink that and you’ll be done transitioning.”
Lev fumbled for the bag. He stared at it in his hands for a good five seconds before he visibly worked up the courage to take a sip. From experience Nik knew it was cold and likely unappetizing. Yet that first sip had Lev’s eyes going wide. He swallowed convulsively, once, twice, three times. Half the bag was gone, but Lev lowered the bag at the same time he pressed the heel of his palm to his temple. A shocked gasp came from him. Nik remembered the rush of that final nudge into vampirism. His own fangs ached in sympathy as Lev’s free hand went to his mouth. Or maybe that was in reaction to the scent of blood in the air. Nik was surprised there was so much left in the blood bag to begin with.
An audible whimper came from Lev. When he finally moved his hand from his mouth, indeed his fangs had fully come in. He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end he went back to the blood bag. One last tear, this one ruby red as the leftovers in Lev’s bag, slid down his cheek. He was panting by the time he was done, and he refused to look up at either of them, nor loosen his hold on the empty bag.
“How do you feel?” Nik asked.
Lev reached up and wiped his cheek off. “I can hear the lightbulb,” he mumbled. “Is it always this loud?”
“Yes,” Cameron said. “Though it gets better over time. You’ll learn how to tune it out.”
Interestingly, Lev’s eyes hadn’t changed any. Not really. There was some clarity and brightness in this darkness, but his eyes remained as gold as ever. Nik’s eyes had manifested with red flecks when he had first turned; Cameron had silver streaks. Only other supernaturals could see the markers but it was interesting that Lev's eyes didn't change at all. Cameron’s own eyes narrowed in thought, though he didn’t comment on anything.
Cameron reached for another bloodbag and tossed it to Lev, too. “You’re still hungry. You should drink your fill.”
This time Lev’s hesitation was almost non-existent. The second blood bag was gone in half the time. He seemed a bit more settled after that, though he kept licking his lips and occasionally tonguing the new fangs in his mouth.
“We should, ah, show you to your room,” Nik said. “Or I can do that while Cameron goes and does Cameron things. Whatever works.” Cameron gave Nik a flat look, as if suddenly realizing that Lev was now going to be under their roof with them. “What?”
Cameron let out a tight sigh and looked back at Lev who seemed rather startled. “I’ll have someone go to your home and get your belongings.”
“I can go home?” Lev said. “I don’t want to be even more of a bother.”
Cameron gave Nik a pointed look. “No,” he said. “I am afraid you cannot do that. You’re a vampire now and you will need invited into your home. You live alone so there is no one to do that for you.”
Lev looked blankly between the two of them. “Oh,” he finally said. “I— okay. Thank you. For... for letting me stay.”
Nik offered his hand to Lev. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you around.” Lev stared at it, just for a moment but then took Nik’s hand.
Hello everyone! My name is Atlas and I am a greco-kemetic pagan who works primarily with Hekate and death and chaos/war deities as well as kemetic deities- primarily Aset. I also have an ancestral working practice with Celtic and Norse deities including primarily the Morrigan and Loki and Odin
I have been practicing for over 5 years and use my different platforms for devotional offerings and to share the information of the different deities in my practice
I can be found on Tiktok as FragmentedHekatean as well as Patreon under the same name
I would love for some hellenic, kemetic, celtic and norse pagan mutals!!!
All the lights were turned off. Lev was sitting in the doorway to his kitchen, so he could keep an eye on the front and back door at the same time. It had been a while since he’d been this bad. His phone was face down so he didn’t have to see if Nik had texted him again. He hadn’t meant to blow Nik off (again), but the idea of leaving the house, of risking running into Remi, had him tucking his knees closer to his chest as he stared at the door jam blankly.
It was just an email. Remi had no idea where he was, and he knew that, he knew that. But adding that in with how stupid Lev felt after the end of the first date, and Lev had now backed out of two dates last minute. He was a grown ass adult, with his own house and grown up responsibilities, and yet. Here he was. Hiding in the dark from his own failures as a person instead of being honest with Nik.
He wiped absently at his cheeks. A shuddery sigh exploded from him. This was pathetic. He owed Nik a thousand apologies and a really nice dinner, Lev’s treat. Maybe he could suggest Nik come over some time next week, make something fancy from scratch, apologize in person. Maybe he should just tell Nik he was damaged goods and to turn his intoxicating attention elsewhere. Maybe—
A knock at the door startled Lev out of his spiral. He sniffed once, told himself to stop being a baby under his breath, and stood. No one was out to get him. It was probably the neighbors returning his trifle dish or something.
Or it was Nik, Lev realized when he opened the door. He froze, suddenly very aware he was wearing his oldest pair of pajama pants and the t-shirt Nik had bought him. God above, he probably looked like he’d been crying too.
“Nik,” he finally said, opening the door wider to not be rude. “I— I’m sorry, I sent you a text. Not really... Not really having the best night.”
“That’s because I wasn’t here,” Nik said with a wink, like Lev didn’t look like shit.
Despite himself Lev gave a weak laugh. “Probably,” he agreed, before rubbing his face. “I really am sorry. Don’t mean to keep backing out.”
Nik waved him off. “Eh, don’t worry about it. You can make it up for me by making me dinner.” He held up a bag. “I brought the stuff to make a picnic. We can sit under the stars, like the night we met. Can’t make a meteor shower on demand, but...” He flashed Lev a smile, one that had Lev smiling hesitantly back.
“Yeah.” Lev cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah, sure. Um. Why don’t you come in, and we— we can do that. I’d honestly appreciate the company.” He backed up, leaving Nik room to follow him to the kitchen.
When Lev managed a glance back, Nik was stepping over the threshold slowly, looking pleased as he took in Lev’s living room. Lev was confident enough that his house looked nice that he let Nik explore at his own pace. Nik had mentioned picnic stuff, so Lev dug through his pantry until he had some paper plates and plastic cups. It also gave him a chance to take a few steadying breaths and wipe his face one last time. Everything was fine. Lev was fine.
Nik had made it to the kitchen before Lev reappeared. “Nice place,” Nik said as he set his bag on the counter.
“I’ve been trying to make it homey,” Lev said as he put the cups and plates on the table. “My bedroom’s pretty sparse right now, but that’s mostly because I’ve been focusing on my library the most.” Lev peeked into the bag, pleased at the selection. “I’ve got some fancy condiments in the fridge,” he offered. “We can make our own subs and I can get the blanket set up if you gather everything up. I think I’ve got some cut up fruit in the fridge, and some blackberry lemonade too.”
“Sure,” Nik agreed. “Did you make the lemonade yourself?”
“Mmhmm.” Lev let Nik unpack his food while he pulled out what he’d promised from the fridge. “You know how I said I was looking for hobbies? Turns out making simple syrup is. Well. Simple. So I’ve been experimenting, and wanted to know if the batch I’d made tastes good with my lemonade. Not to toot my own horn, but I think it does.”
“Nice.”
Hm. Not much to work with conversation wise, so Lev let the conversation fade out. Between his contributions and Nik’s they had a decent amount of things to make subs with. Lev left Nik to gather everything once they deemed their sandwiches satisfactory, and pulled out his picnic blanket. Instead of going out to the front yard, Lev led Nik through his walk-in pantry to the back door, where they’d have a bit more privacy in case the neighborhood gossips were still out this early in the evening. Besides, Lev always saw more fireflies in the back yard than the front.
He spread out the blanket and a couple of pillows, and turned to help Nik unload the food out into a delicious spread before them. He waited until they were settled before he said, “Thank you. I really appreciate... all of this, really.”
“It’s no problem,” Nik assured, before tearing into his sandwich with startling ferocity.
Lev shook his head a little, amused. “Did you eat at all today?” He teased lightly. “Don’t forget to breathe.”
Nik rolled his eyes. He swallowed his current bite, and said, “I haven’t been eating much lately.”
Lev tipped his head to the side, giving Nik a knowing once over. “Ah. I’ve been there.” He remembered Nik’s reaction to Lev’s offer of support on their last date, and decided a change of subject was needed. “I’ve been debating if I should remove that tree over there or not. If nothing else I want a swing. Not a tree swing. Like, one of those porch swings? But I don't have a porch, just the front steps, so it’ll have to have its own set up. Probably in the front yard.”
"A porch swing would be nice. It fits you.”
Now that Nik had gotten some food in him, he’d slowed down a bit. Lev could feel his eyes on him even when he wasn’t looking in Nik’s direction. For once Lev wasn’t particularly hungry, so he set half his sandwich aside and started picking at the fruit he’d brought out with them. When he glanced over at Nik, Nik was watching him like he’d suspected.
“Do you read much?” He said abruptly, trying to fill the silence before he started staring right back.
“Some comics, I guess,” Nik said, still staring at Lev. He licked something off his lip. “Not really much of a reader.”
“That’s okay,” Lev said. “I won’t hold it against you, I promise.” He looked over, rolling a berry between his fingers. Still looking at Lev with an intensity he couldn’t quite interpret. Now was not the time to make bold moves, but Lev was sick and tired of being afraid all the time. At least, if he was brave about this, he wouldn’t spend forever wondering what could have happened.
So he leaned over and kissed Nik. Worst he could do was push Lev away, and he hadn’t, so—
Actually, not only had he not pushed Lev away, Nik was kissing back. The hunger in his kiss caught Lev by surprise, and he found himself letting Nik tease his mouth open. Lev waited until his head was spinning to pull back a little. “Is that— is this okay?” he asked breathlessly.
“Stop talking,” was all Nik said.
Fair enough. Lev scooted closer and kissed him again. No point in catching his breath, Nik left him muddled even when they weren’t making out. Nik tugged him even closer, tangling a hand in Lev’s hair as Lev acquiesced to every silent demand with eagerness. Every time Lev had wondered what Nik’s lips would feel like felt validated. He was too goddamn good at this.
At some point Nik dropped his head on Lev’s shoulder, breathing hard. Lev shivered at the feeling of Nik’s breath on his skin. While they had a second not latched onto each other, Lev managed, “D’you wanna go inside? More comfortable not on the ground.”
“Yes,” Nik panted. Lev swore he could hear Nik swallow. “Yes.”
Lev disentangled himself, briefly wondering if he should care about the food and blankets. The feeling of Nik’s fingers twined with his when he grabbed Nik’s hand dissuaded him almost immediately. Cleanup could wait. So he tightened his hold on Nik’s hand and headed inside. He stole another kiss in the pantry, and barely managed to get the back door shut behind them.
A laugh bubbled up as he fended Nik off long enough to get them into the kitchen. After that he let Nik crowd him up against the wall, devoting his full attention to leaning into Nik’s kisses. He really did kiss like a man starving. The feeling of being wanted, of being desired, left Lev weak kneed.
Lev tried once to pull back and suggest they keep moving, but Nik chased him down so fast he barely had time to take a breath, much less say something. Thwarted, Lev gave up on trying to explain, and instead tugged questioningly at Nik’s shirt. Apparently that was enough. Nik yanked it off so fast it was a blur.
“Jesus Christ,” Lev muttered, eyes glued to Nik’s torso. Lev supposed he’d already seen a little at the pool party, but come on.
“Yeah, I know,” Nik said with a grin. “Your turn.”
Well it wasn't going to be as impressive as Nik’s reveal, but Lev tugged his shirt off obligingly. Nik’s hands grabbed Lev’s hips before he could think of anything to say. He pounced, mouth descending on Lev’s. Lev moaned into the kiss, draping his arms over Nik’s shoulders for now. He rocked his hips forward in silent question. The last attempt at nonverbal communication had worked well enough. Might as well try again.
Nik’s reaction was to start fumbling with his own pants. That at least confirmed that Nik and Lev were very much on the same page. Lev scrambled to copy him. He was loath to break the kiss, and did so only when he had to. When he’d kicked free he wound his arms around Nik’s neck and tugged experimentally towards the bedroom. This time it took a few tries, but in the end they stumbled in the right direction.
Lev only hit the dresser once before he managed to find the bed pressed up against the back of his knees. He paused there, leaning into Nik enthusiastically. For a few moments they just stood there, hands roaming as they made out. They got up on the bed eventually, Nik grinding Lev into the bed with each kiss.
By the time they’d shed their underwear, Lev'd remembered to fumble for his bedside drawer where his lube was. He almost dropped it trying to hand it to Nik. Nik did drop it immediately after, but neither of them felt like breaking their kiss while they searched for it.
Nik wasted no time starting to loosen Lev up. Lev gave a startled little gasp at how cool his fingers were, though. He didn't want to waste time thinking about it, so he just whimpered into Nik’s kiss. Nik occasionally moved his kisses away from Lev’s mouth, but any time he got close to Lev’s neck he’d give a groan almost like a growl and go back to kissing Lev with aggressive tongue. Easy enough to lose all track of his thoughts as Nik finished stretching him and pushed inside.
There was something intimate about how he and Nik did their best to not break their kiss even for this. With every push in Nik’s mouth chased Lev’s. Breaths were quick stolen things as Lev rolled his hips to meet Nik’s thrusts. Lev almost felt vindicated at all his inappropriate thoughts over the last week or so. He’d been right, and this was worth it. Not just the pleasure. The comfort of knowing Nik wanted him, couldn’t keep his hands off of him. If Nik could have pressed closer, he would have, Lev knew.
Maybe it was the length of time since Lev had last gotten laid, or maybe Nik’s desperation had bled into Lev’s own arousal, but Lev came embarrassingly fast. His only consolation was that Nik followed soon after, dropping his head to groan into Lev’s neck as he pulled out. A shiver went through Nik as he panted against Lev’s skin. Lev had only taken a few unsteady breaths himself when a sharp pain bit into the side of his throat.
----
Blood pulsed into Nik's mouth with dizzying clarity. Nik was holding down Lev's bicep as he drove his fangs in deeper, chasing the copper taste to the source. He had done it. He was finally feeding and sating the bloodlust that had been hounding him for weeks.
Nik barely heard Lev's protests and only broke away from his throat when he registered Lev begging him to stop. Nik licked the blood from his lips and said, “Why?” Pounding blood still roared in his head, and it took a moment for Nik to register the fear and shock on Lev's face. “Don't be afraid,” Nik said, compulsion weaving through his words.
He got inside. He fed. Without compulsion. Now it was fair game, as far as Nik was concerned.
“That hurt,” Lev said, brows pinching together.
Nik tongued one of his fangs and fed Lev a lopsided smile. “A lot?” Hunger still clawed at Nik's insides but it would be easier if Lev was a willing participant in this feeding. Nik threaded his fingers through Lev's hair and gave him a singular firm kiss. “I can make it hurt less.” Or try to anyway.
Lev stared up at him, dazed. He sounded rather confused when he said, “Yeah?” but Nik took that as permission to keep going. His fangs descended once more and he bit into Lev's still bleeding neck.
Lev whimpered and leaned into Nik's weight. His efforts to try to offer some kind of comfort to Lev while he fed were clumsy at best, but he did what he could. In perhaps better circumstances, Nik wouldn't be taking in as much blood as he was. But he was starving.
Cameron's warning to not kill Lev started to tickle the back of his mind and Nik took that opportunity to bite into his wrist and shove it into Lev's mouth. “Drink this,” he panted.
Lev blinked, confusedly, and swallowed, if on reflex. Already life seemed to bloom into Lev's cheeks once again, the bites in his neck closing. But Nik was still hungry. He leaned down and kissed Lev deeply, tasting his own blood on Lev's lips. It wasn’t enough to distract him this time. The fire in his veins didn't let down for one minute.
Nik pulled back, panting, and let his fangs slide into Lev's neck once more. He drank and drank his fill. He shoved his blood down Lev's throat when he sensed Lev was fading again. But when he was sure Lev wasn’t going to die he drank himself stupid on blood. It was hot and spiced with a faint undertone of copper.
Nik's skin felt warm, like he was feverish. Like the blood was warming him up from inside out. Nik brought himself up from Lev’s neck and kissed him again. He kissed Lev's jaw, his shoulder, his hip. Nik found himself biting down here and there. A sip from his wrist, licking a scrape on Lev’s collar bone closed, back to bite down on the very spot on Lev’s shoulder he’d kissed not moments before.
Lev arched into his kisses and his bites, his voice breathless when he said Nik's name. He'd flinch when Nik bit him in unexpected places, but he'd melt right back into the bed and grab for Nik's hair. Without the fear, it seemed like Lev was just as into this as Nik was.
Nik bit into Lev's thigh, feeling his heart racing under his skin. It was rather funny that places where blood soared the most happened to be the most erogenous spots in the body, Nik thought faintly.
If Cameron were here he might accuse Nik of playing with his food, but Nik was having too much fun slaking his thirst. The sharp pangs of hunger no longer clawed down his sides, but it still sang in his blood for more and more.
Nik in turn sang Lev praises of how good his blood tasted, how good he felt. Lev seemed into that too, if his soft whine was anything to judge by. Lev's body was flushed and bright with blood and sweat. Nik licked a line down Lev's other thigh and bit him again. Lev's fingers tightened in his hair, a sigh falling from his lips.
Lev's blood was clean from impurities, and his skin still smelled faintly of vanilla and cinnamon— like he walked right out of a bakery. Nik might have preferred something less sweet, but it was still delicious all the same.
Nik thought perhaps they could make this a regular thing— that Nik could come back and feed on Lev whenever he needed it. Somehow he doubted it would be hard to convince Lev to agree. Oh, it might take a little coaxing, but Nik was charming and Lev had seemed downright smitten earlier.
Nik reached back up and caught Lev's lips in a firm kiss. He cradled his face, fangs tracing against Lev's bottom lip, cutting into it. Lev hissed softly but still he arched into Nik's body, fingers still in Nik's hair.
Nik’s fangs went back to Lev's neck, lifeblood once again pulsing and filling his mouth. Lev gasped faintly, fingers falling loosely from Nik's hair. Nik didn't catch Lev grasping at the sheets, and he didn’t catch the air in Lev’s lungs begin to deflate. Nik only pulled back once the blood began to taste wrong. The wrongness in Lev's blood was familiar, though unfortunately it wasn't a good sign.
Nik patted Lev's cheek, looked into Lev's golden eyes and saw nothing there. All the thoughts ran empty in Nik's mind. Only Cameron's warning remained. “Oh shit,” Nik said. “Shit.”
Nik knew there was no point in giving Lev his blood. He scrambled out of the bed and went for his jeans. He dug around for his phone and tried to turn it on, but bloody fingers prevented it. Hastily he wiped his hands on his jeans and tried again. He called Cameron's phone, muttering shit, shit, shit under his breath.
Cameron picked up on the first ring, his voice mild and the picture of boredom. “Did you kill him?”
Nik looked back at Lev's body, covered in blood and bites. “Uhm. No,” Nik said, wincing. “...Worse. Much worse.”
Nik smelled breakfast when he woke up. Or was it dinner? It was nearly noon(?) but Nik found himself climbing out of bed and starting for the kitchen anyways. Cameron was cooking and that meant Nik was going to get some food in his belly, but not before he got his coffee.
Nik rubbed his eyes, still wobbly on his feet. He barely caught himself when he almost walked into the bedroom door frame. Once he was sure he wasn’t going to crack his head open, Nik steadied himself once more and made his way down the hallway to where Cameron was cooking.
Nik beelined for the coffee pot, glad that Cameron made fresh coffee and even had a mug out waiting for him. He had taken his first drink when he finally leaned back against the counter and realized they weren't alone. “Oh, we have company?” He squinted at the man at the counter drinking tea. He didn’t seem to hear Nik, when he introduced himself. “You seem familiar.”
The man's entire body then flashed in and out of existence. The hair on Nik's neck shot up. He dropped his mug, a Spanish prayer rushing out of him like he'd been hit by a truck. “¡Dios mío!” Nik exclaimed, hand flying to his chest.
Cameron frowned at the shattered mug on the black marble floor. But Nik was still staring at the man. “Ghost? there's a ghost in the house?”
“He's not a ghost,” Cameron said, mildly.
Nik gaped at him. “That is a ghost, Cameron. He just— he did it again!” The ghost flickered in and out, taking a drink from its ghostly teacup. “Are we haunted? We are so haunted. Oh my God.” Nik made the sign of the cross across his chest. “Why aren't you freaking out.”
“That's just Darius,” Cameron said, moving to pick up the pieces of shattered mug. “He's going to be waking up soon.”
“Your boyfriend, Darius?” Nik said. “The one in that freaky coffin?”
“That would be the one,” Cameron said, throwing the broken pieces away. “He is starting to slowly wake up.”
“So he's haunting us with his ghostly presence until then?”
“He's not a ghost,” Cameron said. “You need to mop up this mess.”
Nik frowned and looked down at the coffee splattered across the floor. How was he supposed to focus on cleaning up a coffee spill when there was a ghost in the house?
“Nikolas,” Cameron said, exasperation flickering in that one word, “he is not a ghost. He is very much alive.”
“He's been in a coma for the last century,” Nik hedged. “I wouldn't call that ‘alive’. He's a ghost.” Nik moved over to wave a hand in front of Ghost!Darius’ face. Nada. No response. “You're lucky I don't call a priest,” Nik said. “He's haunting the kitchen.”
“Clean up this mess and then drink your coffee,” Cameron said. “You're annoying me.”
Well it's not my fault you have a ghost boyfriend, Nik thought irritably. Nik grabbed a dish towel from the drawer and threw it over the mess. He toed it dry and then threw it in the sink, his eyes not once leaving Darius’ form.
Cameron held out a brand new mug of coffee for Nik to take. The mug burned his hands, though Nik ignored it and took a big drink. Warmth bloomed on the way down, but staring at Darius still had his skin crawling.
“How was your hunt,” Cameron said, sliding freshly cooked bacon onto a plate.
“Actually,” Nik said, snagging a piece of too-hot bacon, “I have a date. Levant — that's his name — has a crush on me.”
“Oh?”
“I'll be getting into his house, and getting my solis ring, in no time.”
Cameron put the plate of fresh bacon on the counter, seemingly in front of ghost!Darius. Nik squinted. “He's not going to eat that.” Nik paused. “Is he?” Could ghosts eat food? He didn't think so.
Cameron turned his back to Nik and kept cooking. He didn't deign to give Nik a response. Nik stole another piece of bacon from the plate. “I'm sure you won't mind,” he told the ghost.
Ghost!Darius flickered in his spot as if that were an answer to Nik taking his food. Nik downed it alongside another two gulps of black coffee. “Lev and I are meeting at a coffee shop tonight at eight.”
“Hm.”
Cameron slid some blood sausages in front of him. Nik practically salivated before shoving an entire sausage in his mouth. He was so hungry for blood he'd eat anything put in front of him.
----
After cleaning up breakfast and making sure Nik stopped being fussy, Cameron decided to take Sacha for a walk through the mall. It was busy, but not as busy as it could have been. It being around one meant people were still at work. It meant less people to bother him and his dog. Though he did still spy some people glancing curiously at them. Luckily Sacha's vest kept prying eyes and wandering hands away.
Cameron stuck to the ground levels today. Pain sliced down his back and legs and it was rather difficult to walk, even with his cane. Sacha kept right beside him while they made their way through the food court. The various deep fried food smells made Cameron's stomach twist.
He had been wandering for close to an hour when he saw Lev sitting by himself, eating a cinnamon roll with a fork. He was hunched forward, searching the internet for “what to wear on a coffee date.” Cameron raised a brow and moved to sit in the chair across from him; Sacha obediently right beside his leg.
Lev nearly jumped out of his skin when he looked up to see Cameron watching him. “Do you like the tea here too?” he blurted out. He sounded suspicious but it quickly morphed into a mortified look, at the thought of appearing rather rude.
Cameron offered him a small, closed lipped smile. “I was taking Sacha on a walk, Levant. I don't like to eat in…” he looked distastefully at the stalls around them. “...food courts.” He did not succeed at keeping the sharpness out of his voice.
Cameron did take note of Lev's wavering attraction to him, though the human also seemed rather inclined to recognize Cameron was very much a predator toying with their food. “What's your excuse for being here?”
Lev poked at his cinnamon roll. “I have a date tonight,” he said. “Just didn't have anything to wear. Went a bit too enthusiastic with my spring cleaning.”
Cameron leaned back and absently petted Sacha's head. Perhaps he could entertain himself with Lev's current predicament. Nik likely wouldn't know Cameron was interfering with his hunt. “You should let me help you find something to wear,” Cameron said.
Hesitation flickered across Lev's face while he looked over Cameron's suit. Cameron gave a small smile when Lev said, “I'm open to suggestions.”
“Excellent,” Cameron said. “There's a few stores I will take you to. I will find you something for your… date.” Pain licked down Cameron's spine as he stood up. He tried to not lean too heavily on his cane. “Come along.”
Lev folded up his cinnamon roll into its little tray and brought it with them while they went to the first store. He let Lev wander for a bit and take in the different clothes. They were clearly of better standard than Lev was used to, judging by his… hightops (that's what Nik called them).
Cameron thumped through a few shirts while Lev gaped at the price tags. He picked out a few different button downs and put them in Lev's hands to try. He took the cinnamon roll from Lev. “Go try them on.”
“These are too expensive,” Lev said, staring at the price tags.
“If price is an issue I will buy them for you,” Cameron said.
“I can’t let you do that.” Lev’s wide gold eyes flashed up to Cameron’s, another protest already half formed.
Impatience flashed through him. “You will,” Cameron said, compulsion weaving into his words. “Now go try them on.”
Lev blinked, dazed, and then went to do as he was told. Cameron found his own way to the changing room and sat in the chair usually reserved for significant others.
Lev came outside wearing the first shirt. Cameron wasn’t impressed with the extra line work and sent Lev back in. It wasn’t until the third shirt— a plain short sleeved button down— that Cameron was satisfied. “That's the one,” Cameron said, approvingly. He got to his feet while Lev went back to change into his original shirt.
When he came back out, the shirt was carefully folded in his hands. “After we buy this, I will take you to get some slacks,” he said. “Do you have dress shoes?”
“No,” Lev said. There was a flicker, deep in his thoughts, of that same cold green gaze and empty smile, and then. Gone again.
Cameron took the shirt and handed Lev his cinnamon roll. “Then we will get you some of those, too.”
Cameron led Lev to the register and paid for the shirt. Cameron handed him the bag and led Lev out of the store. Cameron's favorite pants store was two storefronts down.
He found a nice pair of slacks for Lev and then led him to the shoe store. Cameron went through another three pairs of shoes before he found the perfect pair to match the outfit Lev was to wear. Cameron was rather pleased with the productivity of the shopping trip. Lev was going to look satisfactory for his date with Nik.
“Would you like to get lunch?” Cameron asked. “Or does your cinnamon roll suffice.” Nik would have liked to stop for food. Perhaps Lev was the same way.
Lev gave him a small nod. “I could eat.”
“Perfect,” Cameron said. He glanced down at Sacha to check on her. She was perfectly fine so Cameron carried on to the… food court. “What would you like to eat?”
Lev said he didn't care, though his thoughts rang loud and clear for pasta. Cameron shielded most thoughts from himself, but every now and then they came through. “Why don't we get pasta?” Cameron asked him.
Surprise flashed on Lev's face, but he immediately looked pleased. “Okay.”
Cameron let Lev pick from the various sit-down restaurants available. They chose a small, quiet place that was service dog friendly. Cameron found them a booth and waited patiently for a waiter to bring them menus.
Lev’s thoughts ricocheted between prices while he looked at the menu. He tallied through, but reassured himself that he had the money since he didn't pay for any of the clothes. “Do you come to the mall for walks often?”
“If the mood arises,” Cameron said. “I don't much care for the smells or the people. But Sacha enjoys coming every now and then.”
They gave the waiter their orders and their menus. Cameron made sure to order a bowl of water for Sacha so she didn't go thirsty while they ate. Cameron said, “You will look very satisfactory for your date. I am sure your friend will be pleased.”
Lev seemed pleased with Cameron's astute observation. Lev’s thoughts were full of wistfulness. “I hope so,” he said. “I really like him.” Lev's thoughts flashed between Nik and a pair of green eyes and an empty smile. “I don't have much luck in dating,” Lev admitted to him. “I'm not putting all my hopes on the first date.” His thoughts, however, betrayed his words. Lev was clearly a romantic.
“I'm sure it will be a fine date,” Cameron replied. “A coffeehouse has rather low stakes.”
The waiter bought out their food and Sacha's water bowl. Cameron picked at the tomato pasta sauce on his plate. He took a bite and watched Lev eat. Lev did not seem to have the same kind of restrictions with food Cameron had. He had struggled with eating long before he ever became a vampire. Cameron had ignored Nik when he accused Cameron of having an ‘eating disorder’.
“Are you enjoying your meal?”
Those golden eyes flicked up to his. The smile Lev gave him was hesitant, but genuine. “It’s delicious,” Lev promised. He didn’t seem to be lying; while he was no glutton like Nik, there was a clear burst of pleasure every time he took a bite of the creamy pasta.
Cameron couldn’t even fault it for being too heavy on the dairy and carbs. Lev had picked something with chicken, mushrooms, spinach, and even sundried tomatoes. “I’ve always had a soft spot for a fancy pasta dish.” Lev spoke the words like a confession, even lowering his voice a bit.
“Yes,” Cameron said, still picking at his food. “The Italians did a good job with their food.”
“If nothing else we do need to tip our hats at how flexible their food is,” Lev said thoughtfully. “You can make pasta into one of the cheapest meals, in a pinch, but then there’s the good stuff. For my eighteenth I treated myself to one of those whatever star restaurants. Three hundred bucks for the whole dinner but I swear I’ve yet to figure out how to recreate it. I’ve tried for years. Best thing I ever ate.”
Cameron nodded tiredly. “I am sure you will figure it out,” he said. “I try to learn from the source when I am trying new recipes. Currently I am learning from a Hispanic woman to make meals for my… partner. It seems to be going well. Perhaps you could find yourself a teacher as well.”
“Oh, aw, that’s so sweet,” Lev enthused. “Your partner is very lucky to have someone who cares so much.”
Cameron gave a small, uneasy smile. “I do.” Cameron thought about the different meals he prepares for nik, to make them as authentic to native Mexican food he could. “He hasn't complained yet.”
“I should hope not,” Lev said, half offended by the idea. “You’re putting in a lot of effort. Oh! You know what? I should cook for you some time. Whatever you want, I’ll make it.” This smile was brighter, more open than the others.
“That would… be very generous of you.”
Lev shook his head, a flush spreading across his cheeks. “No pressure or anything. And no end date to the offer. Just a thought, is all.”
“I will keep that in mind,” he said.
They continued to talk and eat (well, mostly Lev ate) before finally finishing their food. Cameron paid for the dinner and made sure to tip the waiter handsomely. “I should be getting home,” Cameron said. “Before Sacha gets mad at me.”
He patted her head when she looked up at him. She was indeed ready to leave and get Cameron home. He had overdone himself today and pushed himself too much. But at least Nik's date was going to be properly dressed— and Lev seemed properly enthused. It was all in a day's work.
“That’s alright. I need to go home and get ready.” Lev fidgeted after he stood, before saying, “Thank you. For your help, and the lunch. And I’m sorry about the other day. I’ve been a little on edge lately, and you— well, you’ve been really sweet despite my rudeness.”
Cameron cocked his head. He seemed rather genuine. He doubted any of Lev's self preservation skills, but kept that to himself. “All is forgiven. I will see you around.”
Cameron took Sacha and let Lev go off in his own direction. Crowds were starting to form in the mall by the time Cameron left. He and Sacha got into his car and made their way back home where Nik was sure to be crawling up the walls.
---
All in all, Lev was hesitantly pleased at how the day had gone so far. He wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to let Cameron pay for so much today, but he had to admit the clothes Cameron had picked out were both high quality and fit well. When he checked himself in the mirror he had to admit he didn’t hate what he saw. He made one last attempt to tame his dark waves, but as always his hair did as it wished. Ah, well. Nik had already seen it, and he’d dressed up. More than he really needed to, even, for a coffee date, but he couldn’t figure out how to convince himself to dress more like himself.
With that in mind, Lev tucked his wallet in his pocket, scooped up his book off the bedside table, and left for the coffee shop a good hour and a half before he needed to be there. Just in case, of course. Nevermind that it was a ten minute walk at worst.
He picked a table in the back to leave his book at while he picked something to drink as he waited. After he’d gathered his chamomile-mint tea, he reconsidered, and moved to a table that was easier to see from the front so Nik could find him. There. Now. To wait another hour. At least this gave Lev the opportunity to finish his book before Nik got here.
Lev was a good five pages from the end of the book when he heard a familiar voice. His head jerked up on instinct, zeroing in on Nik at the register. Nik tossed him a smile that made Lev’s heart flutter, and finished his order. Lev took that time to get himself and his thoughts under control, and marked his page with his receipt before he closed it.
By the time Nik made it over to Lev’s table (with an americano, two extra shots, of all things) Lev had at least got his brain to stop buffering enough to offer a (possibly too) enthusiastic, “Hello!” Followed immediately with, “You made it!”
“Yes I did.” Nik looked amused. Amused was good. Amused was better than annoyed.
“I got here a little early,” Lev confessed. “I’m gonna go get another drink. Are you hungry...?” Lev mostly planned on seeing if they had any pastries leftover so his hands had something to fiddle with if he got nervous, but it seemed rude not to offer.
“I could eat.”
Lev nodded twice, standing. He left his phone and book behind, but gathered up his now empty cup. “Do you want anything in particular or do you want me to surprise you?”
“Surprise me,” Nik said easily. He took a sip of his americano, those dark eyes following Lev’s every movement.
Lev nodded again, tapped his pocket to reassure himself he had his wallet, and marched off to get some sweet treats. Or. Well, no. From what Lev had seen so far, Nik hadn’t really indulged in any sweets. Hadn’t really indulged in much of anything, foodwise, now that Lev thought about it. A challenge then. One he was anxious to fail, but he’d set himself up for this, so—
This late at night the pickings were slim, so Lev chose a blueberry and a lemon poppyseed muffin and figured Nik could choose his favorite. With that in mind he picked a more fruity tea this time, and circled back feeling pleased with himself. “Take whichever, I like both,” he told Nik as he sat down.
After Nik took the lemon poppyseed and took a bite, Lev picked at his own, pulling off little chunks fastidiously. “How was your day?” he finally asked, to break the silence.
“Eh, boring,” Nik said. “Spent the whole day waiting for our date.”
Lev was torn between the way Nik’s playful wink and grin left him thinking truly sinful thoughts, and utterly flustered by the blatant flirting. He pulled off another chunk of his muffin to buy time. “We could have met up sooner,” he finally said sheepishly. “I’m not much of a night owl myself, anyways. I wouldn’t have minded.”
Nik gave a dramatic sigh. “Unfortunately the sun would have burned me to a crisp.”
A startled laugh burst from Lev. “That’s a new way to say you’re nocturnal,” he said, trying to swallow his next chuckle. “I bet you get a lot of mileage with the vampire jokes closer to halloween, huh?”
“You have no idea,” Nik said conspiratorially.
Lev tapped the cover of his novel. “At least I don't have to worry about you judging me on my reading material then,” he joked.
Nik glanced at the book cover. Lev did his best not to stare at how his eyes crinkled when he looked amused. “Oh, the night is still young,” Nik said breezily.
It was truly a losing battle. When Nik’s gaze met his again, Lev found himself wondering what they’d even been talking about. “Right,” he said faintly, finding himself smiling back on autopilot. He made himself refocus with effort, and cleared his throat. “I might be a bit rusty on the whole dating thing. It’s been a few years since I last went on a date. I’m pretty sure this is where we ask the usual questions about favorite colors, music, hobbies, preferred number of kids, movies, and stuff, right?” A nervous chuckle escaped him despite himself.
Nik barely gave that a thought before he launched into his answers. “Uhhh. Right. Favorite color: red. Music: anything with a beat. Hobbies: guitar, singing and sex.” After shooting those answers off rapidfire Nik took another sip of his americano, looking pleased with himself.
Lev paused, piece of muffin halfway to his mouth. He could feel himself going redder and redder the longer he waited, so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind: “My favorite color is blue. Like, summer skies kind of blue.” And then snapped his mouth shut before he commented on anything riskier. Lord knew the thoughts running through his head had no business being said aloud. A man like this had no real reason to be sitting there across the table from him, like he didn't walk right out of one of the stupid romance novels Lev read.
“You okay? You seem nervous.” Nik’s eyes glittered. Lev couldn't tell if he was feeling nervous or unnerved. Nik had gone utterly still, even as an amused grin curled his lips.
“I, um—“ What had Nik asked? Lev needed to stop staring at those lips. Eyes weren't much better, depthless and dark enough to drown in. “Ah— sorry. Full disclosure, I suck at small talk, and— um. Honestly? I find you distractingly, um. Goodlooking. And that’s not helping my conversation skills. At all.”
“I dunno,” Nik said. “You seem to be doing well. Considering.”
Lev knew he was flushed. He took a sip of his tea to give himself a moment to gather his thoughts. “So what do you do when you aren’t sitting around waiting for a date?”
Nik opened his mouth as if to say something, and then paused. Lev couldn’t tell if his expression was thoughtful or calculating. In the end he said, “Lev. Do you believe in ghosts?”
For a moment Lev genuinely thought he was being teased. But... Nik had leaned in a bit, and some of the laughter had left Nik’s eyes at the question. So he gave the question some genuine thought. “I don't know if I believe, but...” He chewed on his lip. “I can't bring myself to disbelieve either. What if I’m wrong and they are? Best to act as if they do just in case.”
“What if I told you there was a ghost in my house?” Nik asked seriously.
“And you’re being serious, and not just pulling my leg?” Lev did his best not to sound dubious, just in case Nik was telling the truth. He seemed serious.
Nik frowned at that. “Do I sound serious?”
Right. “Well,”Lev said cautiously. “I would ask if it’s doing anything, or if it’s just. There, first. I usually assume the ghost was there before the people in the house. Unless it’s a new build, in which case the police probably need to be called, cus ghosts in a brand new house kinda implies someone died before you guys could move in. Assuming you’re living with your partner, that is.”
That seemed to be the right answer, because the vaguely offended expression on Nik’s lively face vanished. He slumped in his chair and sighed as he played with the lid of his cup. "My boyfriend's old boyfriend is haunting us. He drinks... tea. He just sits there and drinks tea like he isn’t haunting us with his ghostly presence."
Well that was far more complicated than Lev had expected. He picked his next words carefully. “It doesn’t sound like he’s doing much of anything then,” he offered. “Are you able to talk to him?”
Nik squinted, his nose wrinkling thoughtfully. “I don’t… think so?” Almost immediately his expression shifted. “But that doesn’t stop it from being creepy.”
Lev couldn't fault him for that. “That sounds stressful,” he said. On impulse he reached over, touching the back of Nik’s hand. Nik stilled, but Lev plowed ahead, determined now, “If you need a break from the ghostly ex-boyfriend stuff, you can text me any time. I’ll leave my ringer on and everything. Sometimes it's easier when you have someone you can talk to.”
For a moment Lev swore Nik looked a bit unnerved. He was smiling again quick enough Lev immediately doubted himself. “I’ll keep that in mind,” Nik said lightly.
Lev pulled his hand back, clearing his throat awkwardly. He cast about for a less loaded conversation, and landed on a weak, “You planning on crashing any more parties this week?”
Now that they’d moved away from the topic of ghosts, Nik seemed to relax back into his playful mood. He even gave a conspiratorial look around before he asked in a stage whisper, “Why? Know of any parties?”
Lev tipped his head back a little laugh. He rested his chin on his palm. “No, but I’ll let you know if I do, as long as you promise not to rat me out as your informant.” He enjoyed this, liked that Nik could take his attempts and bounce the conversation back into a lighter mood with ease. It made him easy to talk to.
“I’m no narc. Your secret is safe with me.”
The rest of the date was easy banter like that. It was getting late by Lev’s estimations before they wound down. Nik offered to walk Lev home and Lev tried not to be too quick with his acceptance. He held the door for Lev, which only made the butterflies in his stomach worse.
The walk back was quiet, but in a comfortable way. Nik was strolling along beside him, hands in his pockets. Lev snuck glances at him when he wasn't watching to make sure he didn't trip. It was nice, Lev thought, that he didn't have to look up to see Nik’s face. He almost wished the coffee shop wasn’t so close. They were at his house far too soon.
Nik followed Lev right up to his steps. Lev turned at the door, debating. He took a deep breath and hugged Nik, quick but genuine. “Thank you, for tonight,” he rushed out. “I had a lot of fun, and I’d like to do it again, if you want.”
Before he could do anything stupid, he turned around again and bolted inside. He turned the lock out of habit and leaned against the door, heart pounding so loud he almost feared Nik could hear it through the door. Having made it inside, he felt like this might have been the stupidest option he could have picked. Who hugged someone and then ran away? By the time Lev peeked through the peephole Nik was gone. Lev heaved a sigh, and shuffled to the bedroom. Hopefully he heard from Nik again. Like. Even just once.
————
Nik found Cameron on the couch with a glass of vodka when he slammed the door open. “I was so close!” Nik raged. “I was right there and he ran inside and locked all the doors.” He grabbed a pillow from the couch and yelled into it. “He hugged me, Cameron. He hugged me? GAH.What was that.”
“Your date not go well?” Cameron asked, rubbing his temples, as if the sheer volume of Nik's voice was giving him a headache. Yeah well. At least it wasn't his thoughts he was hearing. Those were a jumbled mess. Sacha got up from her spot and came over and sat next to Cameron. She rested her fuzzy head on Cameron's lap.
“That's just it!” Nik said. “It went so well!”
Before Nik could make another step forward Cameron told him to close the door. As soon as he did nik got back to his previously scheduled meltdown. “I had him eating out of the palm of my hand, Cameron. I was so charming and polite and flirty. And it was working! I know it was!”
“And he just hugged you?” Cameron asked, a small insufferable smile inching at his mouth. “And ran inside?”
“I almost ate him,” Nik said, seriously. “Right there on the porch. His heart was pounding so hard and he's lucky he just ran inside. I was ready to take a bite out of his neck.” Nik pointed at Cameron. “I told you three weeks is too long.” Hunger was clawing at his insides.
“No it's not,” Cameron said, mildly. “You just need to breathe through the hunger. And relax. This has been a lesson in control. So control yourself.”
Nik, once again, screamed into the pillow but he took deep breaths until the hunger was no longer clawing at him and had instead settled into a mild simmer. That hunger would never go away completely, Cameron had once told him. But it was manageable.
Well. Maybe for Cameron. Nik was so hungry. All the time. It hunted him throughout the day and all throughout the night. The only time he felt any peace was when he was playing music— or when he had been at that concert. It was like he needed to fill a void inside him and all the blood in the world just wasn't enough.
Cameron looked to his mama for help, but she was silent, her hands folded in front of her stiffly. He looked to his papa but there was only opportunity shining in his dark eyes. “I don’t want to leave,” Cameron said, stubbornly. “I can’t leave Stasya.”
Finally, Lev’s house was, for the most part, unpacked. It had taken him the better part of two days. Still. He’d moved in two months ago. He really ought to thank whatever neighbor had knocked on his door earlier in the week; the worry someone might see the array of boxes scattered about had finally motivated him.
He was free from box hell now. After procrastinating for so long he now felt restless without a big task to do. He’d had more groceries delivered yesterday, so he didn’t need to go any time soon. He’d even organized his pantry. Twice. The idea of staying inside made him want to crawl the walls. He supposed he needed more hobbies than baking (the banana bread had been delicious but he didn’t want to turn on the oven again) and reading (truly he was risking being a walking stereotype).
Determined now, he grabbed a backpack, stuffed a few notebooks and his pencil bag in, a book for good measure, and his sketchbook after only a little hesitation. Maybe he’d go to the park. Maybe the library. Or maybe he’d wander until he was lost and practice finding his way home again. Probably not that last one. He was looking to be brave today, not unreasonable.
Satisfied that wearing shorts and a heather colored shirt was also bold and brave, for Lev at least, he struck out into the wild unknown of suburbia. If nothing else he remembered seeing some interesting shops near the secondhand bookstore. Maybe there would be something to do nearby. With that in mind he headed in that direction.
The thirty minute walk was pleasant. Just enough clouds that the sun wasn’t beating down on him. A hint of a breeze also eased what could have been a scorching day. Lev made a mental note to look into pools in the area. He also made a mental note to put on sunscreen next time. He wasn’t burnt yet but even with the occasional cloud cover he could feel himself beginning to turn pink. Best to duck inside somewhere soonish, so when he saw a little teahouse he altered his course without hesitation.
It was blessedly cool inside, and to his delight not only did they have a wide array of options to choose from, there was a well stocked pastry case as well. The only challenge was picking comfort food or looking for something new. He might be able to recreate it at home if he found a new sweet treat he liked.
In the end, the lure of a cranberry orange scone won him over. He settled on trying one of the teas that seemed unfamiliar to him. Something herbal and fruity, though the name fled from his thoughts as soon as he placed his order.
He patted around for his wallet. In the two seconds it took to find it, panic set in that he’d left it at home. He was just pulling out his card when someone handed over a twenty. The suit was a different color, black this time, but Lev recognized the pale hand with a knee wobbling sense of deja-vu. The watch Cameron wore seemed simple, but well made, and then it was hidden by Cameron’s sleeve again as he turned down the change.
Lev pivoted slightly. “Cameron,” he said, half a greeting and half nervous he’d misremembered the man’s name. “You didn’t have to- you didn’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind.”
Again Lev felt almost frozen in place under Cameron’s intense stare. He swallowed once. After that he forced himself to look anywhere else. Ah. Apparently no dog today, but in its place was an elegant cane. And Lev was holding up the line. He scooted out of the way so Cameron could order his own drink (Lev noted the name of the green tea with more mindfulness than he had the tea he’d ordered for himself).
“Thank you,” he said belatedly. God, it felt like his brain was lagging today.
All Lev got in response was another faintly amused expression. Before he could process what on earth that could mean, his order was ready. He was well aware of Cameron behind him as he gathered up his food. He picked a table in a quieter corner of the shop.
To his dismay, once Cameron’s tea was ready, he settled across the table from Lev. Lev scrambled to clear a space, having already spread out half the contents of his backpack. Cameron seemed unperturbed as he added honey to his tea. Lev stuffed his sketchbook away - he wasn’t an artist really, only did sketches, and those weren’t good enough for people to peruse - and floundered for what to do.
He settled on jotting down a to-do list in his notebook. He needed to sit down with his cookbooks and plan the next week’s meals. He needed to sort through his clothes and get rid of the things that were too small; he had no intentions of ever being that cadaverously thin again. He needed to pick a new hobby to invest in that wasn’t going to require turning on his oven.
A glance told him Cameron was watching him write. Not really. Staring. But observing. Lev coughed once, took a sip of his tea, and stared blankly at his list. What had he been writing? Hobby. Right.
Lev flipped to a new page and started writing down anything he could think of. Knitting/crocheting. Wait. Were those their own thing? Whatever. Quilting? No, that might take up too much space. Painting? Too messy. He crossed that and quilting off. Hesitantly wrote scrapbooking down underneath that.
Throughout this whole rambly thought process Lev was painfully aware that Cameron had never stopped watching him. It only now occurred to Lev that if Cameron was watching him, he was probably reading what Lev was writing too. That was mortifying enough Lev slammed the notebook shut with more force than he intended.
“Do you live around here?” Lev blurted. Anything to fill the silence that now felt incredibly awkward.
“No.”
Lev blinked. No? Then why-? The words half formed on his lips, but he bit them back, choked out a confused, “Oh.” instead. This seemed only to amuse Cameron further, though the expression was here-then-gone so fast Lev almost doubted himself. Either way, he hadn’t been given much to go off of, conversation-wise. He floundered for a new subject. “Your, um. The dog you had the other day- it was a really beautiful dog.”
"She is, isn’t she,” he said. “Her name is Sacha. My... partner is watching her on her day off."
Partner. Lev wondered why he felt a twinge of regret. “Sacha is a beautiful name. How old is she?”
“A little over two years.”
Not very forthcoming with details this one. Maybe that was why the next words out of Lev’s mouth was an impulsive, “I know this is going to sound- I mean, I don't- I don’t mean to be rude but, are you following me or something?”
A single pale eyebrow went up a fraction of an inch. “What makes you think that?”
Lev gestured helplessly. “This is twice in less than a week I’ve run into you and you don’t live in this little suburb. The city is huge. Why are you sitting here?” The self depreciating ‘with me’ was unspoken but hung like dead weight in the air between them.
“Perhaps I liked the tea here.”
Well that ground Lev’s spiralling anxieties to a halt. What was he doing? Being unspeakably rude, that’s what. “I- I’m so sorry,” he managed. “Sometimes I get worked up over nothing and...”
His apology withered as he registered the small smile Cameron wore. It didn’t... it didn’t really reach his eyes. Something about it made Lev’s breath catch. A deep part of Lev told him he should be fleeing right now. He wrestled that part back down, stunned at how insistent the feeling had been.
Their staring contest broke as Cameron checked his phone. “I’m needed elsewhere.” And he stood. Just like that. “Goodbye, Levant.”
Then he was gone. Lev sagged a bit, feeling dazed. What had that whole thing been? Lev had fumbled that conversation in about a hundred different ways. When he looked around, no one was watching him, and Cameron was gone. Lev rubbed the back of his neck as he let out a sigh. He’d stared at Cameron long enough. Maybe he could keep the image in mind long enough to get a couple sketches out of it.
----
Nik spent the better part of the day either sleeping or playing with Sacha. Sometimes he harassed Cameron through text messages, but Cameron rarely answered them. So unfortunately that didn't leave him with much interaction.
When Cameron finally came back from his day out, it was nearing dusk. Sacha was immediately up on her feet to go greet him. Panting, and tail wagging. Sacha didn't bark or jump on him. Instead she fell in step beside him and walked with him to the kitchen.
Nik stopped himself from pouting. They were playing, thank you. He really shouldn't be jealous of a dog, but here he was. Nik didn't really have any companions outside of Cameron and Sacha. It was too hard to try to create something with anyone when he was trapped in the confines of Cameron's manor during the day… or when thirst for blood tore at his insides.
“You're back.”
Cameron leaned his elegant cane against the cabinet for just a moment while he helped himself to a cup of tea. “I am.”
“What did you do?” Nik said, plopping down at the counter. He plucked an apple from the bowl and surveyed it. Most of the food in the house got eaten by the maids or any of the other humans that came through. Though Nik did like to indulge in human food, too. It helped curb the cravings for blood. Though the cravings never really did go away.
He took a bite out of the apple.
“Ran some errands,” Cameron said.
Nik sighed at that wonderfully descriptive response. It was like pulling teeth getting a response from the man. Cameron leaned against the counter and took a drink from his tea, pale blue eyes resting on Nik and his half eaten apple. “Will you be continuing your hunt tonight?”
“That's the plan,” Nik said. “I'll be leaving soon. If I have the same problem, I might have to figure out how to lure him out of his house.”
Cameron looked faintly amused at the idea. Nik had the feeling it would be harder done than said, but he had hope. And that hope wished it wouldn't take as long as Cameron said it would to get the human out.
He had neighbors. Maybe Nik could use his charm on them if need be. Surely this person could be swayed through peer pressure. He seemed like the type.
“Good luck,” Cameron said. He grabbed his cane and put his cup in the sink. “I need to rest. Do keep yourself out of trouble.”
Nik watched Cameron leave from his seat. But the vampire didn't go for his rooms, instead he went down the hall to where the sleeping coffin was. Nik turned back in his seat and played on his phone for the next half hour while he waited for the sun to set. Only then did he rise from his chair and make his way to the human's house.
He decided to steal Cameron's car. It was quiet and nice and roomy. But more importantly the speakers were to die for. He could play his music loud enough he could rupture his ear drums. But alas he decided to keep his music down for now. He didn’t want to bring too much attention to himself while he drove down into the suburbs. And the price tag of this car was sure to turn heads.
He parked a block down from the human's house. The SOLD sign was gone and from where Nik peeked in the windows, mostly everything was unpacked and put in their place. The human was wandering through the house in his boxers, snacking on what looked like some sort of pastry while he was seemingly getting ready for bed.
Nik held in his scoff and kept watching. When the human moved to his bedroom, Nik followed. He picked at the flowers under the window, plucking at the petals while he watched the human get a book out on his bed. He had a glass of milk next to him on the end table.
Nik could just barely see the title of some sort of paranormal romance. The human read the book for what seemed like forever, when in all actuality it was maybe forty-five minutes. Nik was growing increasingly bored. And to think the window was open too!
The human gasped and talked to himself throughout whatever he was reading. He seemed scandalized by whatever paranormal creature was occupying his time. He covered his mouth, he stared in space. He might as well be clutching pearls while he was at it.
It was soon enough that the human then looked at the clock and said to no one in particular, “Oh. It's late.” Nik frowned. It wasn't even ten yet. Though he supposed it was better than eight.
He decided it was time to get ready for bed. He put his glass in the sink and then started his mission of taking a shower and brushing his teeth. He came back into the bedroom and Nik's senses perked up.
He was so close to the human. Could smell him from his spot under the window. He smelled… like cookies? How odd. Maybe it was his body wash. Again. How odd. Why would one choose to smell like cookies? It's like he was begging to be eaten.
The human snuggled into bed, holding onto that body pillow. He was out like a light in less than five minutes. Nik picked at the flowers and looked at his phone every now and then to keep his attention. But he kept looking back at the human who was now tossing and turning in his sleep.
Nik perked up when the human gasped and opened his eyes. He sat up, looking grief stricken. Nik wondered what it was that pulled him out of his sleep, but he wasn't too invested in the inner workings of his mind. Especially as the human then just laid back down and hugged his body pillow even tighter.
He sniffled a little and then rolled onto his other side. He could hear faint sobbing. Nik got uncomfortable enough he pulled away from the window and looked at his phone. It was closing in on midnight and he was starting to grow bored. That and he didn’t want to listen to some stranger cry himself to sleep.
Nik quietly moved away from the window, still plucking at the flower in his hands while he walked back to his car. Another dull day, he’d have to come up with another way to get inside the human's house.
Boxes lay half unpacked in Lev's living room. Oh, not so many that he had to maneuver around them. But enough that he knew he really ought to have done more unpacking today than he'd bothered with. His library was worse, books spilling off of shelves and out of boxes in haphazard piles while he hemmed and hawed over how he wanted to organize them. By author, the proper way? By color, just for the delightful visuals? By his own secret code, his favorites always at eye level and easily in reach? The options were endless, and no one would be coming over to judge, so he had no real force to guide his decision. It was left for yet another day, for today was over already, the sun set over an hour past.
He'd pulled his blinds shut tonight, having felt oddly... observed the night before. No one there when he'd looked up, but better safe than sorry. Even the idea of Remi hiring a P.I. to track him down had sent a shudder down his spine. He pushed the thought away yet again and snuggled deeper into his arm chair. His feet were tucked underneath him, a feat only possible because he'd lucked out years ago in finding this extra wide seat. It all but swallowed him even now, despite the fact that moving on from Remi had led to more than a couple pounds settling around his waist. He chose to see it as a sign of healing, considering he'd wasted away to elbows and ribs while living with the-
No, he told himself sternly. Book. Hot werewolves and vampires fighting over their one true love. Past relationships did not get overanalyzed after eight p.m. A new rule he was establishing right now.
How effective that rule would prove to be would have to wait. Lev went still as someone knocked on his door. Who on earth could be out and about at this time of night? Robbers? No, that was silly. Thieves didn't knock to ask permission to come inside. Still. Lev had no intention of opening that door. Even as whoever it was knocked again.
“Hello?”
They sounded friendly. Lev didn't trust it. He eased from his chair as quietly as he could, book still clutched in his hand. He agonized over turning off the lamp and revealing he was home, before deciding the auto-timer he had it set to turning it off at eleven would be good enough. He inched backwards down the hall, deeply grateful that he'd chosen to sleep in the bedroom facing his back yard. The front bedroom, his beloved library, would have felt so exposed.
It was silly, to creep around in the dark, brushing his teeth by feel alone, and slithering out of his clothes as he shuffled towards his bed, but he preferred it to revealing to whoever might still be at his door. They'd only knocked one more time, but Lev felt that turning on the lights would bring them back. A peek through his curtains told him his backyard was empty as ever, so he didn't bother to twitch them fully closed before he got into bed. His front yard had a picket fence, but the back had a gate and a privacy fence. In that at least he felt safe.
He knew in the morning he'd have a good laugh about this. Tonight, he stared at the cover of his book, sitting in a shaft of moonlight, teasing him with the idea of romances that did not work out in the real world. He wondered, somewhere deep within himself, if skittish little freaks got the same happy ending that spunky blonde heroines did. And then he decided that existential crises were also not allowed after eight p.m., kicked off the sheets that suddenly felt constricting, and rolled over to go to sleep.
----
Nik spent all day thinking about how he was going to do this. There were a thousand ways he could go about this, and if Cameron was right it might just take forever to get inside the human's house. He decided it was best to start off easy, though. Just simply knocking.
It was only eight when Nik knocked on the door. He rocked on his heels, waiting for a few heartbeats before knocking again.
“Hello?”
Nik hummed and listened intently. He could hear the human moving around inside the house. But he was moving away from the door. Nik frowned and looked down at his phone at the time. It was, indeed, barely past eight-thirty. He sighed. Perhaps Cameron had a point. It was going to be a pain to get inside this human's house.
Nik knocked one last time and waited a few moments before deciding to wander around the yard and peek through the windows. It wasn’t hard to jump the gate to get into the back yard. Most of the curtains were closed all the way, but there was one window in the very back where the curtains were partially open. Nik leaned in as close as he could get and peered inside.
The human was already in bed. He seemed to be wearing nothing but boxers and hugging a body pillow tightly. Nik watched his body loosen and relax, his breath evening out. Who on God's green earth hid from the doorbell and went to sleep before nine at night?
Nik sighed and finally stepped away from the window. He made his way back to the sidewalk and then eventually started for Cameron's club. He didn't bother with the line; the bouncer knew who he was. The inside of the club wasn't nearly at capacity yet. It was barely nine o'clock! He was still amazed that the human went to bed before eleven. Was his life just that sad that he needed to be in bed at the same time as a ten year old?
Nik made his way to the bar and sat on one of the stools. Zareth, an ancient vampire turned bartender, slid a shot of tequila in front of Nik. “You're early,” he said. “It's not even midnight.”
Nik screwed up his face. “I made a bet with Cameron.”
Zareth snorted. “And how is that working out for you?” Without missing a beat he passed another drink to a patron nearby.
“Great,” Nik snipped, slamming back the shot. “Minus the part where I can't feed for the next three weeks.”
Zareth whistled and filled his shot glass back up. The bartender was older than even Cameron. He had fought in some of the earliest wars against the rise of Christianity back in ancient Denmark. Well, it hadn't been called Denmark when Zareth was a human. “Sounds rough.”
“I'll make it,” Nik said. He swished the clear liquid before downing it once again. The alcohol burned on the way down and blunted the edge of hunger. He set off for Cameron's office once he slid the shot glass back to Zareth.
Nik didn't bother knocking and walked right on in. Sacha was on a bed next to Cameron's desk. She lifted her big brown eyes to him and thumped her tail a couple times in 'hello' but stayed put. Cameron didn't so much as lift his head before, “You're here early. Not going well?”
Judging by Cameron's mild tone, Nik knew Cameron wasn't surprised in the slightest. Nik scowled and plopped down in the chair across from him. “He went to bed so he didn't have to open the door. Who does that?”
“Someone afraid of their own shadow.”
“Hmph. So you said.” Nik picked at his nail polish again. He really should touch them up soon.
“What will you do with the rest of your evening?” Cameron asked. Nik stared as he took a drink from the tea cup full of blood. His throat burned with want. God above, how was he going to last for three weeks?
“I don't know,” Nik admitted. “Maybe I'll take Sacha to the park if that's okay with you?”
Sacha's ears perked up at that and she lifted her head to gaze at Cameron, as if asking her master for permission to play. Of course Sacha wasn't a normal dog so Nik wouldn't take offense if Cameron said no.
Cameron looked down at her, pale blue eyes considering. “For a few hours,” he said. “Then she needs to be back at my side.”
Nik was already getting to his feet and reaching for the service dog. He cradled her soft face in his hands. “Yay,” he said. “Let's go have some fun, you and I.”
---
The morning light did in fact make Lev feel a bit silly about his reaction the night before. Surely it’d been a neighbor. He almost felt bad about ignoring them. Almost. He told himself he wouldn’t have wanted them to see his house in this disarray anyways, and spent most of the morning clearing out empty boxes and situating his living room properly. He promised himself that he’d get to his budding library soon as he set up his trinkets here and there. Maybe some floating shelves for the knick-knacks Amara kept sending him.
By noon he’d made surprising headway in the task that was unpacking an entire life. That was all well and good, but when he circled back to make lunch he was dismayed to find that all he had in the fridge was condiments, half a carton of eggs, a slice of stale pizza he’d forgotten about, and some leftover lettuce. Right. Grocery then.
He thought about ordering a ride, and then dismissed it. He’d picked this neighborhood so he would be able to walk most places; he’d never been a confident driver, and so never bothered to get his license. His learners permit was still sitting, years past its expiration date, useless but safe, in his wallet.
After gathering up a few reusable bags and jotting down a vague list of staples he’d need, Lev headed out the door. The walk was in a similar direction as the used bookshop he’d visited the other day, but far closer. He got there in under ten minutes, grateful for the air conditioning already. In order to not get too distracted, as he needed to be able to carry the groceries home, Lev employed the strategy of circling the edges of the store first before risking delving into the temptations of the inner aisles.
He perused the produce with a skeptical eye, before deciding to indulge in something nice. He picked out some heirloom tomatoes and some cucumbers. He’d make some very fancy subs for dinner tonight, finish off the lettuce, which meant circling to the deli. If he was going to do fancy, he wanted to go all out. Before he did, though, some almost too-ripe bananas on sale caught his eye. Perfect. He could make banana bread in the next day or so too.
With dinner for tonight settled, Lev finally braved the middle aisles. He’d hit the frozen section last, as he wanted some ice cream too, but didn’t want it to melt too much. He gathered up some basic staples, changed his mind and circled back for some apples and grapes for snacks, and then made it to the baking aisle. He couldn’t remember if he had brown sugar at home, and so committed to it, along with more flour for his canister. He dropped chocolate chips in his cart, and then frowned up at the walnuts on the top shelf, shoved all the way to the back. It wasn’t like Lev was short.
An arm reached past him, startling him enough he rattled his cart. When he turned around, blinking owlishly at the tall, pale man standing there, his first thought was that it seemed absurd to see someone in a clearly tailored grey suit standing in the dingy light of a chain grocery store. His second thought was that he recognized the golden retriever at his side from a couple of days ago. It really was a beautiful dog. His third thought was, Oh. He got the walnuts for me.
“Thank you,” he said automatically, taking the bag.
The guy inclined his head. “You’re welcome.”
To call him a guy felt too. Casual. Nothing about this man seemed. Casual. He seemed almost excessively formal, actually. Absolutely zero laugh lines, and his pale gaze pinned Lev in place like a butterfly on a corkboard. Now why was that the mental image his brain had provided? Lev realized belatedly he was staring.
There was no saving the interaction now, Lev had already managed to fumble it, but for some reason he stuck out his hand and said, “My name is Levant. Lev.”
He got an almost-smile in return. “Cameron Maržena.”
When the man made no move to shake his hand, Lev lowered it awkwardly. “Um. Thank you, again. Wouldn’t be the end of the world to make banana bread without the walnuts, but you know. They help.” They help? He asked himself incredulously, knowing he was slowly turning red. They help? “Wasn’t really feeling experimental.” Nope. This was going nowhere.
At last the man threw him a bone, even if he looked faintly amused. “I suppose they do help.”
Lev cleared his throat. “It was, um. Nice to meet you?” Screw getting ice cream, he needed to check out now, before the ground answered his prayers and swallowed him up.
“You as well, Levant,” Cameron said before leaving, his service dog following obediently. Only then did Lev realize the only thing Cameron had in the basket on his arm were some of the more expensive dog treats. Lev shook his head. That dog was probably far more pampered than seemed at first glance. A smile crossed Lev’s face despite his stubborn flush. That certainly spoke to the character of this Cameron. Lev often judged people based on how they treated their animals.
He let out a slow breath, tried to remember the settling techniques his old therapist had taught him. One weird social interaction was not the end of the world. Likely Lev would never see the man again. He dropped the walnuts in his cart, and determinedly went looking for the frozen aisle. He got himself some mint chocolate chip, and some vanilla. Add some fudge to that, and-
Lev’s skin prickled. He turned around, so sure someone was staring, but the only other person nearby was an older lady struggling to free some mixed veggies from a shelf. Best to pass on the good karma, Lev supposed, and helped her.
He detoured indecisively back to the produce, and frowned down at the strawberries. It’d be a waste to buy a whole pint just for one bowl, maybe two, of ice cream, but- ah, well, he could cut some up and put it on his cereal. He could freeze the grapes for later, and snack on the rest of the strawberries and apples. Satisfied, and decidedly ignoring the feeling he was being watched again, Lev marched himself to the checkout counter. It was far more than he’d intended to get, but he was pleased nonetheless. He wouldn’t have to leave the house for a few days, and that was always the goal, after all.
---
It had been easy to follow the human into the grocery store. Cameron had the afternoon to himself and decided to make himself acquainted with Nik's latest choice in meal. He seemed mannered enough, just awkward enough he could see precisely why he didn't answer the door for Nik last night.
Cameron decided to make a day out of it and get Sacha some treats while he stalked Lev. She was sure to deserve something nice after working for such a long day. At least the human’s thoughts were easy enough to zero in on. Even when Cameron lost sight of him, his flighty mind voice was a thrum of shadowy anxiety Cameron could trail
At least he couldn’t fault Lev’s pickiness with the produce. Despite the slim pickings, Lev managed to pick out what had to be the only decent vegetables this small grocery store had to offer. Throughout it all, Lev’s thoughts circled back to banana bread, of all things.
The food choices Lev was making were unsurprising. He seemed like a homebody that enjoyed making desserts. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to Cameron if the human took up the mundane craft of knitting in order to justify never leaving his house. Wouldn’t that send Nik into a fit? The idea left the ghost of a smile on Cameron’s lips.
His actual interaction with Lev didn’t reveal much. Unsurprisingly, the moment Levant laid eyes on him his thoughts became a senseless jumble. Typical. Cameron wondered idly if this would help or hinder Nik’s hunt, if Lev couldn’t handle a simple conversation with a beautiful man. Even if it was to be expected. Cameron was beautiful after all.
After it all, Cameron decided to follow him home. With the superiority of vampire hearing it was little effort to hear the clatter of the groceries on the counter, the sound of the fridge opening, and the creak of the floorboards under Lev’s steps as he puttered around his kitchen. Lev spent the better part of an hour dedicatedly making his banana bread from scratch. It wasn’t until the bread was out and cooling that the actual meal Lev had prepared for was made. Cameron decided it was best if he helped himself down the street before Lev came outside to eat dinner on his porch like he’d heard Lev internally plan to do.
Cameron took Sacha to the park instead. An excuse to sit down was welcome, even if he’d barely admit it to himself. He fished out a few of the treats he bought and fed her before unhooking her leash, undoing her vest, and letting her go run for a little while. It was best to let her get it out of her system now than have to come back in a few hours.
Cameron scrolled through his emails absentmindedly as he thought about the human Nik was hunting, and he thought about Nik keeping himself out of trouble. And most importantly, his thoughts then trailed off to where they eventually always trailed off to. Darius; who was to awaken from his slumber within the next few months.
He could barely admit it to himself, sometimes, how much Darius meant to him. It was more than a like, deeper than a love. Darius was the second half of his soul. Cameron did not feel particular romantic or sexual attraction to anyone but Darius… romance and sex were too small to mean anything to him. With Darius, it had been like waking up, like finding someone who understood him better than anyone else. Like finally being able to step in the sun after centuries in the dark.
He had spent two years in the last two centuries with Darius and soon it will be one more year to add to time. He would make the most of it. Cameron was more than ready to welcome him to the new millennium.
Boxes lay half unpacked in Lev's living room. Oh, not so many that he had to maneuver around them. But enough that he knew he really ought to have done more unpacking today than he'd bothered with. His library was worse, books spilling off of shelves and out of boxes in haphazard piles while he hemmed and hawed over how he wanted to organize them. By author, the proper way? By color, just for the delightful visuals? By his own secret code, his favorites always at eye level and easily in reach? The options were endless, and no one would be coming over to judge, so he had no real force to guide his decision. It was left for yet another day, for today was over already, the sun set over an hour past.
He'd pulled his blinds shut tonight, having felt oddly... observed the night before. No one there when he'd looked up, but better safe than sorry. Even the idea of Remi hiring a P.I. to track him down had sent a shudder down his spine. He pushed the thought away yet again and snuggled deeper into his arm chair. His feet were tucked underneath him, a feat only possible because he'd lucked out years ago in finding this extra wide seat. It all but swallowed him even now, despite the fact that moving on from Remi had led to more than a couple pounds settling around his waist. He chose to see it as a sign of healing, considering he'd wasted away to elbows and ribs while living with the-
No, he told himself sternly. Book. Hot werewolves and vampires fighting over their one true love. Past relationships did not get overanalyzed after eight p.m. A new rule he was establishing right now.
How effective that rule would prove to be would have to wait. Lev went still as someone knocked on his door. Who on earth could be out and about at this time of night? Robbers? No, that was silly. Thieves didn't knock to ask permission to come inside. Still. Lev had no intention of opening that door. Even as whoever it was knocked again.
“Hello?”
They sounded friendly. Lev didn't trust it. He eased from his chair as quietly as he could, book still clutched in his hand. He agonized over turning off the lamp and revealing he was home, before deciding the auto-timer he had it set to turning it off at eleven would be good enough. He inched backwards down the hall, deeply grateful that he'd chosen to sleep in the bedroom facing his back yard. The front bedroom, his beloved library, would have felt so exposed.
It was silly, to creep around in the dark, brushing his teeth by feel alone, and slithering out of his clothes as he shuffled towards his bed, but he preferred it to revealing to whoever might still be at his door. They'd only knocked one more time, but Lev felt that turning on the lights would bring them back. A peek through his curtains told him his backyard was empty as ever, so he didn't bother to twitch them fully closed before he got into bed. His front yard had a picket fence, but the back had a gate and a privacy fence. In that at least he felt safe.
He knew in the morning he'd have a good laugh about this. Tonight, he stared at the cover of his book, sitting in a shaft of moonlight, teasing him with the idea of romances that did not work out in the real world. He wondered, somewhere deep within himself, if skittish little freaks got the same happy ending that spunky blonde heroines did. And then he decided that existential crises were also not allowed after eight p.m., kicked off the sheets that suddenly felt constricting, and rolled over to go to sleep.
----
Nik spent all day thinking about how he was going to do this. There were a thousand ways he could go about this, and if Cameron was right it might just take forever to get inside the human's house. He decided it was best to start off easy, though. Just simply knocking.
It was only eight when Nik knocked on the door. He rocked on his heels, waiting for a few heartbeats before knocking again.
“Hello?”
Nik hummed and listened intently. He could hear the human moving around inside the house. But he was moving away from the door. Nik frowned and looked down at his phone at the time. It was, indeed, barely past eight-thirty. He sighed. Perhaps Cameron had a point. It was going to be a pain to get inside this human's house.
Nik knocked one last time and waited a few moments before deciding to wander around the yard and peek through the windows. It wasn’t hard to jump the gate to get into the back yard. Most of the curtains were closed all the way, but there was one window in the very back where the curtains were partially open. Nik leaned in as close as he could get and peered inside.
The human was already in bed. He seemed to be wearing nothing but boxers and hugging a body pillow tightly. Nik watched his body loosen and relax, his breath evening out. Who on God's green earth hid from the doorbell and went to sleep before nine at night?
Nik sighed and finally stepped away from the window. He made his way back to the sidewalk and then eventually started for Cameron's club. He didn't bother with the line; the bouncer knew who he was. The inside of the club wasn't nearly at capacity yet. It was barely nine o'clock! He was still amazed that the human went to bed before eleven. Was his life just that sad that he needed to be in bed at the same time as a ten year old?
Nik made his way to the bar and sat on one of the stools. Zareth, an ancient vampire turned bartender, slid a shot of tequila in front of Nik. “You're early,” he said. “It's not even midnight.”
Nik screwed up his face. “I made a bet with Cameron.”
Zareth snorted. “And how is that working out for you?” Without missing a beat he passed another drink to a patron nearby.
“Great,” Nik snipped, slamming back the shot. “Minus the part where I can't feed for the next three weeks.”
Zareth whistled and filled his shot glass back up. The bartender was older than even Cameron. He had fought in some of the earliest wars against the rise of Christianity back in ancient Denmark. Well, it hadn't been called Denmark when Zareth was a human. “Sounds rough.”
“I'll make it,” Nik said. He swished the clear liquid before downing it once again. The alcohol burned on the way down and blunted the edge of hunger. He set off for Cameron's office once he slid the shot glass back to Zareth.
Nik didn't bother knocking and walked right on in. Sacha was on a bed next to Cameron's desk. She lifted her big brown eyes to him and thumped her tail a couple times in 'hello' but stayed put. Cameron didn't so much as lift his head before, “You're here early. Not going well?”
Judging by Cameron's mild tone, Nik knew Cameron wasn't surprised in the slightest. Nik scowled and plopped down in the chair across from him. “He went to bed so he didn't have to open the door. Who does that?”
“Someone afraid of their own shadow.”
“Hmph. So you said.” Nik picked at his nail polish again. He really should touch them up soon.
“What will you do with the rest of your evening?” Cameron asked. Nik stared as he took a drink from the tea cup full of blood. His throat burned with want. God above, how was he going to last for three weeks?
“I don't know,” Nik admitted. “Maybe I'll take Sacha to the park if that's okay with you?”
Sacha's ears perked up at that and she lifted her head to gaze at Cameron, as if asking her master for permission to play. Of course Sacha wasn't a normal dog so Nik wouldn't take offense if Cameron said no.
Cameron looked down at her, pale blue eyes considering. “For a few hours,” he said. “Then she needs to be back at my side.”
Nik was already getting to his feet and reaching for the service dog. He cradled her soft face in his hands. “Yay,” he said. “Let's go have some fun, you and I.”
---
The morning light did in fact make Lev feel a bit silly about his reaction the night before. Surely it’d been a neighbor. He almost felt bad about ignoring them. Almost. He told himself he wouldn’t have wanted them to see his house in this disarray anyways, and spent most of the morning clearing out empty boxes and situating his living room properly. He promised himself that he’d get to his budding library soon as he set up his trinkets here and there. Maybe some floating shelves for the knick-knacks Amara kept sending him.
By noon he’d made surprising headway in the task that was unpacking an entire life. That was all well and good, but when he circled back to make lunch he was dismayed to find that all he had in the fridge was condiments, half a carton of eggs, a slice of stale pizza he’d forgotten about, and some leftover lettuce. Right. Grocery then.
He thought about ordering a ride, and then dismissed it. He’d picked this neighborhood so he would be able to walk most places; he’d never been a confident driver, and so never bothered to get his license. His learners permit was still sitting, years past its expiration date, useless but safe, in his wallet.
After gathering up a few reusable bags and jotting down a vague list of staples he’d need, Lev headed out the door. The walk was in a similar direction as the used bookshop he’d visited the other day, but far closer. He got there in under ten minutes, grateful for the air conditioning already. In order to not get too distracted, as he needed to be able to carry the groceries home, Lev employed the strategy of circling the edges of the store first before risking delving into the temptations of the inner aisles.
He perused the produce with a skeptical eye, before deciding to indulge in something nice. He picked out some heirloom tomatoes and some cucumbers. He’d make some very fancy subs for dinner tonight, finish off the lettuce, which meant circling to the deli. If he was going to do fancy, he wanted to go all out. Before he did, though, some almost too-ripe bananas on sale caught his eye. Perfect. He could make banana bread in the next day or so too.
With dinner for tonight settled, Lev finally braved the middle aisles. He’d hit the frozen section last, as he wanted some ice cream too, but didn’t want it to melt too much. He gathered up some basic staples, changed his mind and circled back for some apples and grapes for snacks, and then made it to the baking aisle. He couldn’t remember if he had brown sugar at home, and so committed to it, along with more flour for his canister. He dropped chocolate chips in his cart, and then frowned up at the walnuts on the top shelf, shoved all the way to the back. It wasn’t like Lev was short.
An arm reached past him, startling him enough he rattled his cart. When he turned around, blinking owlishly at the tall, pale man standing there, his first thought was that it seemed absurd to see someone in a clearly tailored grey suit standing in the dingy light of a chain grocery store. His second thought was that he recognized the golden retriever at his side from a couple of days ago. It really was a beautiful dog. His third thought was, Oh. He got the walnuts for me.
“Thank you,” he said automatically, taking the bag.
The guy inclined his head. “You’re welcome.”
To call him a guy felt too. Casual. Nothing about this man seemed. Casual. He seemed almost excessively formal, actually. Absolutely zero laugh lines, and his pale gaze pinned Lev in place like a butterfly on a corkboard. Now why was that the mental image his brain had provided? Lev realized belatedly he was staring.
There was no saving the interaction now, Lev had already managed to fumble it, but for some reason he stuck out his hand and said, “My name is Levant. Lev.”
He got an almost-smile in return. “Cameron Maržena.”
When the man made no move to shake his hand, Lev lowered it awkwardly. “Um. Thank you, again. Wouldn’t be the end of the world to make banana bread without the walnuts, but you know. They help.” They help? He asked himself incredulously, knowing he was slowly turning red. They help? “Wasn’t really feeling experimental.” Nope. This was going nowhere.
At last the man threw him a bone, even if he looked faintly amused. “I suppose they do help.”
Lev cleared his throat. “It was, um. Nice to meet you?” Screw getting ice cream, he needed to check out now, before the ground answered his prayers and swallowed him up.
“You as well, Levant,” Cameron said before leaving, his service dog following obediently. Only then did Lev realize the only thing Cameron had in the basket on his arm were some of the more expensive dog treats. Lev shook his head. That dog was probably far more pampered than seemed at first glance. A smile crossed Lev’s face despite his stubborn flush. That certainly spoke to the character of this Cameron. Lev often judged people based on how they treated their animals.
He let out a slow breath, tried to remember the settling techniques his old therapist had taught him. One weird social interaction was not the end of the world. Likely Lev would never see the man again. He dropped the walnuts in his cart, and determinedly went looking for the frozen aisle. He got himself some mint chocolate chip, and some vanilla. Add some fudge to that, and-
Lev’s skin prickled. He turned around, so sure someone was staring, but the only other person nearby was an older lady struggling to free some mixed veggies from a shelf. Best to pass on the good karma, Lev supposed, and helped her.
He detoured indecisively back to the produce, and frowned down at the strawberries. It’d be a waste to buy a whole pint just for one bowl, maybe two, of ice cream, but- ah, well, he could cut some up and put it on his cereal. He could freeze the grapes for later, and snack on the rest of the strawberries and apples. Satisfied, and decidedly ignoring the feeling he was being watched again, Lev marched himself to the checkout counter. It was far more than he’d intended to get, but he was pleased nonetheless. He wouldn’t have to leave the house for a few days, and that was always the goal, after all.
---
It had been easy to follow the human into the grocery store. Cameron had the afternoon to himself and decided to make himself acquainted with Nik's latest choice in meal. He seemed mannered enough, just awkward enough he could see precisely why he didn't answer the door for Nik last night.
Cameron decided to make a day out of it and get Sacha some treats while he stalked Lev. She was sure to deserve something nice after working for such a long day. At least the human’s thoughts were easy enough to zero in on. Even when Cameron lost sight of him, his flighty mind voice was a thrum of shadowy anxiety Cameron could trail
At least he couldn’t fault Lev’s pickiness with the produce. Despite the slim pickings, Lev managed to pick out what had to be the only decent vegetables this small grocery store had to offer. Throughout it all, Lev’s thoughts circled back to banana bread, of all things.
The food choices Lev was making were unsurprising. He seemed like a homebody that enjoyed making desserts. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to Cameron if the human took up the mundane craft of knitting in order to justify never leaving his house. Wouldn’t that send Nik into a fit? The idea left the ghost of a smile on Cameron’s lips.
His actual interaction with Lev didn’t reveal much. Unsurprisingly, the moment Levant laid eyes on him his thoughts became a senseless jumble. Typical. Cameron wondered idly if this would help or hinder Nik’s hunt, if Lev couldn’t handle a simple conversation with a beautiful man. Even if it was to be expected. Cameron was beautiful after all.
After it all, Cameron decided to follow him home. With the superiority of vampire hearing it was little effort to hear the clatter of the groceries on the counter, the sound of the fridge opening, and the creak of the floorboards under Lev’s steps as he puttered around his kitchen. Lev spent the better part of an hour dedicatedly making his banana bread from scratch. It wasn’t until the bread was out and cooling that the actual meal Lev had prepared for was made. Cameron decided it was best if he helped himself down the street before Lev came outside to eat dinner on his porch like he’d heard Lev internally plan to do.
Cameron took Sacha to the park instead. An excuse to sit down was welcome, even if he’d barely admit it to himself. He fished out a few of the treats he bought and fed her before unhooking her leash, undoing her vest, and letting her go run for a little while. It was best to let her get it out of her system now than have to come back in a few hours.
Cameron scrolled through his emails absentmindedly as he thought about the human Nik was hunting, and he thought about Nik keeping himself out of trouble. And most importantly, his thoughts then trailed off to where they eventually always trailed off to. Darius; who was to awaken from his slumber within the next few months.
He could barely admit it to himself, sometimes, how much Darius meant to him. It was more than a like, deeper than a love. Darius was the second half of his soul. Cameron did not feel particular romantic or sexual attraction to anyone but Darius… romance and sex were too small to mean anything to him. With Darius, it had been like waking up, like finding someone who understood him better than anyone else. Like finally being able to step in the sun after centuries in the dark.
He had spent two years in the last two centuries with Darius and soon it will be one more year to add to time. He would make the most of it. Cameron was more than ready to welcome him to the new millennium.
The house Levant had moved into seemed perfect. Spacious living room, kitchen with fantastic storage space and all new appliances, and two surprisingly large bedrooms. He hadn't needed two, knew it was an indulgence, but the idea of setting up a library was too tempting. Outside of setting up his bed, the first thing he'd done was buy three new bookshelves so he could start expanding his collection. The fact that he now had a massive bathtub to soak in while he read was also a bonus.
If only he hadn't had to move for fear of- oh alright, he figured fearing for his life might be a bit dramatic, but Remi's constant harassment had been too stressful to allow to continue. Rather than continuing to file useless police reports, Lev had quietly hired movers and vanished overnight. Sure it had cost extra to pay for them to help him pack up, but worth it to leave no trace of where he'd gone.
To make this house better than the steal it was, it was neatly situated in the suburbs of a larger city, meaning it was within walking distance of at least one little grocery store, and a library, and a park, and anything else was just a couple bus rides away. He rarely had to go anywhere, but even if he did, he could be back home in a flash.
Tonight was one of the rare times he ventured out for something not strictly necessary. There was a little used bookstore only a fifteen minute bus ride away. It was a longer walk, but he'd decided it was worth it, even if he'd misjudged when the sun was setting. He'd gotten lost in browsing, and was now loaded down with more books than he'd intended to buy this trip.
It wasn't really that he was scared of the dark, per se, but really, who wasn't a little bit more on edge when the shadows got longer and it was harder to see. He told himself he was overreacting, and cast a glance around to prove it to himself. See? He wasn't the only one out and about in the summer evening. There, a mom and her child toddling beside her with one hand on the stroller she pushed. When Lev took another look, he realized there was an infant in the stroller as well. Well, now. And no sense of urgency from them either.
And there! Across the street, two men were perched on a bench near the edge of the local park. Their distinctly opposite aesthetics (some sort of stylistically punk next to someone in a perfectly pressed three piece suit) caught Lev's eye briefly. There was a gorgeous white golden retriever that held his attention more, tucked under their bench between them. Tempting, truly, but he saw she had some sort of service dog vest on, and turned his search onward. After all, he was on a mission now to keep reassuring himself.
Further along, a group of teens were shooting hoops. While their occasional scuffles and jeers amongst each other made Lev's shoulders hunch just a bit, it was comforting too. Rowdy teens doing rowdy teen things, while inherently stressful for Lev, was still a normal and safe thing to expect. Likely their game of basketball would end soon, with the sun well and truly set now, but it was summer and there would be no school, and Lev heard no parents yelling for them to return home.
These little observations helped Lev force his shoulders to relax; anxiety wasn't always something he could reason with, but with this many people out and about still there was no way there was something to be afraid of out here. Besides. In the time it'd taken him to talk himself down, observe the world around him and see everything was calm, he was at the front walk to his house.
It had no porch big enough for a swing on it like he would have liked, but he supposed eventually he could invest in one for the yard. Tonight, however, he merely unlocked his front door and slipped inside to put his new treasures on one of his bookshelves. He already had one picked out to curl up in bed with. Maybe some chamomile tea. Not the shit stuff his cousin sent him regularly, though he hadn't the heart to tell her that it tasted awful. He just didn't have the heart to throw it away either.
----
Cameron had been sitting next to Nik on the bench, people watching for the better part of an hour when a young man caught their attention. Or rather his attention. Nik was messing with his phone and also watching a group of people playing basketball. Nik's attention got snagged when Cameron said, “That one there.”
Nik looked to see who Cameron was looking at. And he smiled. The plump young man had a skittishness about him that was hard to miss. He was wearing a plain black tee, scuffed hightops, and carrying a load of books. He was new to the area, Cameron was sure. He hadn't seen the man around during his hunts.
“Really?” Nik said. “A bookworm? What about him?”
“Have you noticed the way he carries himself?” Cameron said, glancing at his watch. “He is afraid of his own shadow.”
Nik snorted. “Okay so what does that mean to us, though? Blood that tastes like Xanax?”
Cameron flicked him a cool look, stifling an eye roll. “It means, Nikolas, that it will not be so easy to eat him.
“It can't be that hard.”
Cameron sensed a way to make this a teachable moment for his young fledgling. “Care to make a wager?”
As suspected, Nik perked up. “What are the rules?”
“No compulsion,” Cameron said. “I want you to get inside his house on your own merits. You can't kill him. And you cannot feed until you feed on him. I suspect it will take the better part of… hm. Three weeks?”
“Three weeks?” Nik gaped at him. “I'll desiccate before then.”
“No you won't,” Cameron said, matter of factly. “You'll be hungry but you won't starve.”
“Hmph.” Nik chewed on his lip ring, thinking over Cameron's offer. They both watched the young man with his books finally disappear. “What do I get if I win?”
“What do you want?”
“I want a solis ring,” Nik declared. “I haven't been able to walk in the sun for forty years.”
“Forty years isn't too long,” Cameron replied mildly.
“I died when I was twenty-three!” Nik said. “What do you mean it isn't too long!”
Cameron studied the shiny end of his elegant cane. Moonlight glinted off the silver. “I didn't have a solis ring until I was well over two hundred years old.”
“Well. Shit.” Nik wrinkled his nose. “I don't see why I have to wait that long though.”
“Because you're still a fledgling who struggles to not kill anyone,” Cameron said. He absently reached down to pat Sacha's head. His service dog gave a small sigh but didn't move. “I cannot just give you unfettered access to the entire human population.”
“A solis ring,” Nik insisted. “That is my prize.”
Cameron thought about it. Nik had been mostly successful with not killing anyone as of late. Though there had been a few close calls. Cameron did not see this test ending with the anxious man ending successfully, either. But he found himself saying, “Alright. You know the terms. Don't feed and don't kill that human and we will discuss you having a solis ring.”
That seemed to satisfy Nik. These last forty-two years hadn't felt so long, really. Nik came to live with him when he turned and his life fell apart. Cameron was there to show Nik the ropes to being an immortal enslaved to the night. The fledgling often got too worked up, and too into the Hunt sometimes to be able to control himself. He was a glutton.
Cameron got up from the bench, ignoring the familiar pain that laced down his back and limbs. He leaned on his cane while Sacha came out from under the bench, her white gold fur shining in the moonlight.
He'd had her for about five months. His physical therapist recommended getting a service dog to help monitor his pain and headaches. So far she had done a well enough job. He found her temperament satisfactory and she also kept Nik entertained when she wasn't working. And that was a positive all on its own.
Nik slid off the bench. He leaned down and rubbed Sacha's head before straightening back up, his gaze off in the direction that human had gone. “Should we start tonight?”
“If you wish,” Cameron said, starting down the sidewalk. Sacha walked in step beside him. Some of the humans glanced their way, curious, but kept their distance. He had bought the vest on her in order to keep people away while she worked. Also he didn't want humans to be bothering him, and surely a dog will give the humans the idea that it was okay to approach him.
Nik hummed under his breath, picking at his black chipped nail polish. They followed the sidewalk the human had taken. It wasn't hard to find his house. There were only a few in the suburb and there was a big red SOLD sticker slapped on the for sale sign still in his front yard.
They watched the human from the street. He was sitting in a chair by the window reading one of the novels he picked up at the bookstore. Cameron waited for about fifteen minutes before Sacha nudged him, warning him he needed to be getting home. “Stay if you wish,” Cameron said. “I am going home for the evening.”
“I'll come with you,” Nik said. “Tomorrow I'll be back.”
The house Levant had moved into seemed perfect. Spacious living room, kitchen with fantastic storage space and all new appliances, and two surprisingly large bedrooms. He hadn't needed two, knew it was an indulgence, but the idea of setting up a library was too tempting. Outside of setting up his bed, the first thing he'd done was buy three new bookshelves so he could start expanding his collection. The fact that he now had a massive bathtub to soak in while he read was also a bonus.
If only he hadn't had to move for fear of- oh alright, he figured fearing for his life might be a bit dramatic, but Remi's constant harassment had been too stressful to allow to continue. Rather than continuing to file useless police reports, Lev had quietly hired movers and vanished overnight. Sure it had cost extra to pay for them to help him pack up, but worth it to leave no trace of where he'd gone.
To make this house better than the steal it was, it was neatly situated in the suburbs of a larger city, meaning it was within walking distance of at least one little grocery store, and a library, and a park, and anything else was just a couple bus rides away. He rarely had to go anywhere, but even if he did, he could be back home in a flash.
Tonight was one of the rare times he ventured out for something not strictly necessary. There was a little used bookstore only a fifteen minute bus ride away. It was a longer walk, but he'd decided it was worth it, even if he'd misjudged when the sun was setting. He'd gotten lost in browsing, and was now loaded down with more books than he'd intended to buy this trip.
It wasn't really that he was scared of the dark, per se, but really, who wasn't a little bit more on edge when the shadows got longer and it was harder to see. He told himself he was overreacting, and cast a glance around to prove it to himself. See? He wasn't the only one out and about in the summer evening. There, a mom and her child toddling beside her with one hand on the stroller she pushed. When Lev took another look, he realized there was an infant in the stroller as well. Well, now. And no sense of urgency from them either.
And there! Across the street, two men were perched on a bench near the edge of the local park. Their distinctly opposite aesthetics (some sort of stylistically punk next to someone in a perfectly pressed three piece suit) caught Lev's eye briefly. There was a gorgeous white golden retriever that held his attention more, tucked under their bench between them. Tempting, truly, but he saw she had some sort of service dog vest on, and turned his search onward. After all, he was on a mission now to keep reassuring himself.
Further along, a group of teens were shooting hoops. While their occasional scuffles and jeers amongst each other made Lev's shoulders hunch just a bit, it was comforting too. Rowdy teens doing rowdy teen things, while inherently stressful for Lev, was still a normal and safe thing to expect. Likely their game of basketball would end soon, with the sun well and truly set now, but it was summer and there would be no school, and Lev heard no parents yelling for them to return home.
These little observations helped Lev force his shoulders to relax; anxiety wasn't always something he could reason with, but with this many people out and about still there was no way there was something to be afraid of out here. Besides. In the time it'd taken him to talk himself down, observe the world around him and see everything was calm, he was at the front walk to his house.
It had no porch big enough for a swing on it like he would have liked, but he supposed eventually he could invest in one for the yard. Tonight, however, he merely unlocked his front door and slipped inside to put his new treasures on one of his bookshelves. He already had one picked out to curl up in bed with. Maybe some chamomile tea. Not the shit stuff his cousin sent him regularly, though he hadn't the heart to tell her that it tasted awful. He just didn't have the heart to throw it away either.
----
Cameron had been sitting next to Nik on the bench, people watching for the better part of an hour when a young man caught their attention. Or rather his attention. Nik was messing with his phone and also watching a group of people playing basketball. Nik's attention got snagged when Cameron said, “That one there.”
Nik looked to see who Cameron was looking at. And he smiled. The plump young man had a skittishness about him that was hard to miss. He was wearing a plain black tee, scuffed hightops, and carrying a load of books. He was new to the area, Cameron was sure. He hadn't seen the man around during his hunts.
“Really?” Nik said. “A bookworm? What about him?”
“Have you noticed the way he carries himself?” Cameron said, glancing at his watch. “He is afraid of his own shadow.”
Nik snorted. “Okay so what does that mean to us, though? Blood that tastes like Xanax?”
Cameron flicked him a cool look, stifling an eye roll. “It means, Nikolas, that it will not be so easy to eat him.
“It can't be that hard.”
Cameron sensed a way to make this a teachable moment for his young fledgling. “Care to make a wager?”
As suspected, Nik perked up. “What are the rules?”
“No compulsion,” Cameron said. “I want you to get inside his house on your own merits. You can't kill him. And you cannot feed until you feed on him. I suspect it will take the better part of… hm. Three weeks?”
“Three weeks?” Nik gaped at him. “I'll desiccate before then.”
“No you won't,” Cameron said, matter of factly. “You'll be hungry but you won't starve.”
“Hmph.” Nik chewed on his lip ring, thinking over Cameron's offer. They both watched the young man with his books finally disappear. “What do I get if I win?”
“What do you want?”
“I want a solis ring,” Nik declared. “I haven't been able to walk in the sun for forty years.”
“Forty years isn't too long,” Cameron replied mildly.
“I died when I was twenty-three!” Nik said. “What do you mean it isn't too long!”
Cameron studied the shiny end of his elegant cane. Moonlight glinted off the silver. “I didn't have a solis ring until I was well over two hundred years old.”
“Well. Shit.” Nik wrinkled his nose. “I don't see why I have to wait that long though.”
“Because you're still a fledgling who struggles to not kill anyone,” Cameron said. He absently reached down to pat Sacha's head. His service dog gave a small sigh but didn't move. “I cannot just give you unfettered access to the entire human population.”
“A solis ring,” Nik insisted. “That is my prize.”
Cameron thought about it. Nik had been mostly successful with not killing anyone as of late. Though there had been a few close calls. Cameron did not see this test ending with the anxious man ending successfully, either. But he found himself saying, “Alright. You know the terms. Don't feed and don't kill that human and we will discuss you having a solis ring.”
That seemed to satisfy Nik. These last forty-two years hadn't felt so long, really. Nik came to live with him when he turned and his life fell apart. Cameron was there to show Nik the ropes to being an immortal enslaved to the night. The fledgling often got too worked up, and too into the Hunt sometimes to be able to control himself. He was a glutton.
Cameron got up from the bench, ignoring the familiar pain that laced down his back and limbs. He leaned on his cane while Sacha came out from under the bench, her white gold fur shining in the moonlight.
He'd had her for about five months. His physical therapist recommended getting a service dog to help monitor his pain and headaches. So far she had done a well enough job. He found her temperament satisfactory and she also kept Nik entertained when she wasn't working. And that was a positive all on its own.
Nik slid off the bench. He leaned down and rubbed Sacha's head before straightening back up, his gaze off in the direction that human had gone. “Should we start tonight?”
“If you wish,” Cameron said, starting down the sidewalk. Sacha walked in step beside him. Some of the humans glanced their way, curious, but kept their distance. He had bought the vest on her in order to keep people away while she worked. Also he didn't want humans to be bothering him, and surely a dog will give the humans the idea that it was okay to approach him.
Nik hummed under his breath, picking at his black chipped nail polish. They followed the sidewalk the human had taken. It wasn't hard to find his house. There were only a few in the suburb and there was a big red SOLD sticker slapped on the for sale sign still in his front yard.
They watched the human from the street. He was sitting in a chair by the window reading one of the novels he picked up at the bookstore. Cameron waited for about fifteen minutes before Sacha nudged him, warning him he needed to be getting home. “Stay if you wish,” Cameron said. “I am going home for the evening.”
“I'll come with you,” Nik said. “Tomorrow I'll be back.”
Cameron Maržena had been watching the human known as Nikolas Mejias for the last three weeks. Though his girlfriend was always with him, it was Nik who Cameron couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of. Against the mundanity of the mass of humans that ebbed and flowed through the club, Nik was a shining star that caught the eye. His unwavering spirit had certainly caught the four hundred and sixty-three year old vampire's attention and he'd been unable to resist following him ever since.
cowritten with @lux-scriptum
taglist: @pouchedmilk <3
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