Penelope Nickols

[penn-nickols-blog]

“I’m not a perfect person, I make a lot of mistakes - but still, I love those people who stay with me after knowing how I really am” 

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[penn-nickols-blog]

felicia-brava:

Felicia looked at the blonde up and down to try and figure her out. She was thinking that she might’ve been a vampire before, but she really didn’t know of any. Daniel had talked about a few of them living here but she never met any; either she wasn’t perceptive enough (which she highly doubted), or they were driven off… or worse. The thought sent a shiver down her spine since she thought that the town was ruled by demons but could the same happen to her? Her eyes were like ice yet her smile was alluring, emitting an energy of class and sophistication despite the very staple look of the walk of shame. It was her battle look, she never felt more powerful than after draining someone’s energy, so she was prepared if the blonde decided she didn’t like Felicia.

“Risk taking little buggers, they might get themselves mauled by a bloody bear.” She laughed, smoothing the creases of her dress down. “God, I hate running,” she commented with a soft scoff, an intrigued look on her face. “Distraction from what?” She asked innocently, stepping closer away from the trees to get a better look at the stranger. She laughed lightly, looking at the shoes before raising an eyebrow at her. “You have good taste. Oh, you know how risky men think they are. Porn has ruined their sense of reality.” She didn’t feel the need to lie, in fact, she wanted the woman to know exactly what went down, maybe even try and figure her out. Perhaps she was too much of a daredevil, she shouldn’t be flaunting herself out yet she wanted to, she even wanted to use her.

There was no reason for it, she knew that. But Felicia didn’t do anything sane since she summoned a demon to turn her. Her life had always been in her own accords since said day so looking in front of her, she bit her lip. “Well, I suppose you can call me Felicia. And perhaps I could be a distraction too if you promise to stay with me, it’s dangerous this time of night.”

“Maybe that’s part of the thrill,” she young blonde countered, arching a brow. “Think it would be a pretty big adrenaline rush, trying to get away from a predator intent on tearing you apart,” she added, biting back the biter laugh that tried to slip past her lips. How ironic, she thought to herself. Me of all people sitting here talking about predators, she thought bitterly. “Teenagers do seem idiotically drawn to that sort of thing, stupid and potentially deadly adrenaline rushes I mean,” she mused, pushing her blonde locks back and away from her face which she guessed was still relatively flushed from the run.

Penelope couldn’t help but laugh lightly at her comment about running. There was a time Penn had absolutely despised it as well, until she realized how good she was at it. Whatever she found she was good at, she had the urge to make herself the best, thus where her love of running had come from. It wasn’t until later in her life she realized what an escape it could be. Realizing the other girl was still speaking, Penelope forced the thoughts from her head and focused on what she was saying. The question caught her off guard; most people weren’t so brazen as to ask such a blunt question. Then again, this woman didn’t seem like most people. “Oh you know, all those thoughts were all trying to run away from,” she replied breezily, avoiding the question. God knows she wasn’t about to tell her she was trying to distract herself from the cravings and had ended up sucking a rabbit dry anyways.

At her explanation, Penn arched a brow in amusement. Yup, she wasn’t like most people Penn knew. Though maybe that was just because she grew up in a small town and people didn’t just bring up sex, let alone porn, in a casual conversation. Haven Hollow was turning out to be a whole lot more than she had expected, and she still hadn’t decided if that was a good thing or not. “Well then I suppose you can call me Penelope,” the blonde countered, an amused smirk flitting across her lips. “You often offer to distract and escort strangers you meet in the middle of the woods at night?” Penn inquired, the smirk still firmly in place.

The young blonde wasn’t trying to be rude or offend the other woman by any means. She would be the first one to admit she could be a total bitch but it wasn’t like that. There was something about this other woman, something about her that was bringing out a side of Penn she herself hadn’t seen since she had been turned. And frankly, she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[penn-nickols-blog]

arabellafranklin:

Arabella could sense the nerves and she realized that with a mouth full of blood, she didn’t look like the warmest of people. Technically, she wasn’t. But for so long she had been the only vampire in the town, to find another one made her want the blonde to trust her. But they were both paranoid, rightfully so. To be one of the more powerful than everyone in town but also knowing that if someone were to find out would be dangerous for them both. “Does it? I should keep that in mind. But sometimes I just can’t help myself.” She shrugged and glanced at the fallen deer. “It was good-warm, but nothing beats human blood.” She sighed, she hated saying shit like that. But the other vampire wouldn’t judge, she’d have no right to.

She noticed the scrunch of her nose and Arabella began to think that perhaps she was a more traditional vampire. “Most likely, I only drink human blood from blood bags I steal. No one can see me when I run fast enough.” She remarked, finally wiping her mouth of blood. The thought became tempting, what was stopping her? No, people would find out. Only a select few knew she was a vampire but Arabella knew that they’d stab her in the back if a man with bite marks was found dead somewhere. She could’ve torn him open with her hands but that was far too many. “I thought I was the only vampire in town.” She told her, turning her head to look over at her.

“Doesn’t always help, but it does most of the time. It’s a good distraction,” she added thoughtfully, brushing her blond locks away from her face. When she made reference to the deer, Penn looked down at the deceased animal once more. She really couldn’t stand animal blood, frankly even the thought made her ill. However more than that, she hated the guilt that accompanied drinking human blood. Even leaving the person alive and well, Penelope still felt a great sense of guilt and disgusted with herself. So despite the severe cravings, she hadn’t even touched a blood bag since she had gotten into town, too afraid of what might happen if she tempted herself. “But your right, human is better,” the blonde agreed, her lips twisting into something between a sad smile and a grimace.

“Yeah, I try and stick to animals and blood bags,” Penn agreed, her nose once more scrunching. “Not really a fan of either - fresh human blood curbs the cravings better, but I figured the last thing I need to be doing is drawing attention to myself,” she sighed. “Or rather us I should say,” she added, a slight smile dancing across her lips. She didn’t know the girl from adam, and she certainly didn’t trust her – she had learned her lesson with blind trust the hard way, but it was nice to know she wasn’t the only vampire lurking around town. She didn’t feel so alone.

When the brunette spoke once more, it was like she had read her thoughts. Penn laughed softly, her shoulders rising and falling in a slight shrug. “I just got here a few days ago,” she admitted, once more taking in her surroundings. “Just been keeping to myself, trying to figure this place out,” she confided, her gaze once more returning to the other girl.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[penn-nickols-blog]

arielle-hill:

“Oh yeah, you should totally suggest that to the town council. Might drive down the booming tourism here in town,” Arielle laughed as she shook her head a little bit at herself. “Oh wow, that’s cool. I’ve never been there. I had a few friends in high school who I know went to school there but we kinda lost touch.” She shrugged a little bit as she listened to the blonde, “Weird. I’ve never really heard of people just knowing about this place. Unless they know someone from here or something. It’s just really random.” Arielle wasn’t lying, but she didn’t think much of Penn’s explanation, as weird as it was, Arielle wasn’t sure anyone had a really good reason for ending up in Haven Hollow unless they’d been there for generations like her family had before her parents moved. “Seems like a big change, New Orleans to here, adapting okay? I mean other than accidently running through Satan’s Garden.”

When the brunette mentioned the town council, Penn raised a brow. “Town council?” she repeated, only realizing after she heard the words leaving her own mouth how ridiculous she must sound. “You mean the council is real?” she asked, trying to keep her voice even. Luke had often talked about the council the town held, members from each of the six species of supernatural beings that came together to make and enforce the rules of the town, however she hadn’t realized just how serious he had been. Sure she had believed him enough to run here of all places but she hadn’t truly believed that she could be imprisoned for drinking human blood, at least not entirely. Though considered everything that had happened in the last year and a half, maybe that’s what she needed.

“I think his family may have lived around here at some point,” Penn remarked, shrugging her shoulders a bit. “I’m not sure, he never really talked about how he knew, just how nice it was.” Though she didn’t really know the other girl, she still felt guilty lying to her. But it wasn’t like she could tell her about how Luke really knew, that he was a vampire that had been seeking refuge, just like her.

“It truly is the city that never sleeps,” Penn grinned, shaking her head a bit as a sad smile tugged at her lips. She hoped she would eventually forget about New Orleans, that the memories would just fade away eventually but deep down she knew that would never happen. No matter how far she ran, how hard she tried to push it away, New Orleans would always be her home. The girl’s voice brought her back to reality and she managed a bit more of a convincing smile. “Aside from that potentially horrible mistake, yes - for the most part. It’s a big adjustment, a lot less noise,” she said, laughing a bit. “But I do enjoy the quiet, the small town feel.”

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[arielle-hill]

“Yeah that’s..more a warning than anything else.” Arielle looked over at the sign she noticed the girl refer to; it wasn’t exactly welcoming. “They should probably make it bigger. Like. a giant thing.” she let out a slight laugh though she wasn’t exactly joking, a warning about the things lingering in the woods couldn’t hurt anyone except the things trying to harm innocent people out there. “Well you made it out fine at least, so that’s a good start to being new.” The girl nodded before the blonde introduced herself. “I’m Arielle. Nice to meet you. I moved here a few months ago. It’s pretty nice I guess. Where did you move from?” and how’d you end up here? was the followup Arielle always wanted to ask but she was pretty sure everyone had some strange reason and not everyone was very willing to talk about it. 

[penn-nickols-blog]

“Maybe a bit of neon paint or a big flashing sign,” Penn added, offering a smile of her own. She could hear the girls’ heart pounding in her chest. Though she appeared calm, Penelope knew better but she couldn’t really blame her. Had she still been human herself, she probably never would have stepped foot in a place called ‘Satans Garden’, especially not alone. “Yes, I guess that is a plus,” she agreed, glancing momentarily over her shoulder at the woods behind her.

When the girl introduced herself, Penn smiled. She knew eventually she was going to have to start meeting people; though she hadn’t really thought today would be the day. However the girl seemed nice enough and didn’t seem to pose any threat. Well I guess I got a head start on the meeting people and making friends thing, she thought to herself.

“I moved from New Orleans,” the young blonde replied, brushing a strand of hair back off of her face. “A friend of mine used to talk about this place all the time, sounded like the perfect little town so I thought I would give it a shot,” she added, smiling slightly. She left out the part where he said it was a good place for vampires to live safely.

Because that’s a real conversation starter, she thought sarcastically to herself.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[penn-nickols-blog]

amhielartino:

“Supposedly,” Amhiel repeated again, his palms upturned as he tilted his head to the side. His eyes followed as the blonde carefully stepped around him. He didn’t know if it was because she caught onto what he was, or, she thought he was a supernatural - now, that would be ironic. “Aw, I’m sure it’s plenty exciting. Why the trade?” He offered a smile as he looked her way. “Like, it’s cool if you don’t want to share, though. I mean.. I’ve only been here a few weeks, but one thing I know for sure is that people don’t like to share here.”

Am laughed softly as he shook his head to himself. “I don’t know why, maybe it’s a small town thing. I moved here from San Fran, so.” He shrugged a shoulder with his lips pursed into a sheepish smile. Amhiel never wanted to move, really. He never wanted to be a Hunter, never intended to be so anxious all the time. And just like that, he’d been given everything he didn’t want all due to one silly incident; one accidental murder.

“I’m Amhiel, by the way,” he smiled as he glanced over at her, “remember that in case one of us goes missing in here,” he joked.

“Do you believe? That there are things running around here that aren’t natural? That can hurt us?” she questioned. She had turned slightly over her shoulder to glance at him, her dark eyes swimming with curiosity. Leaves crunched beneath her feet as she walked down the path and away from the woods with him. Fall had come quickly bringing with it the chilly air that foreshadowed a bitter winter. Not that she minded, Penn loved everything about the two colder seasons – the cold air, the colorful leaves that would soon cover the entire ground, the snow, the holidays.

As he caught up with her, the young blonde glanced over at him once more as he spoke. Smiling sadly she turned her eyes back to the path ahead of them and let out a soft sigh. “Why not? It’s not like I have anything to hide. Plus I’m sure it would come out eventually, it always does in small towns like this,” she said softly with a slight shrug, beginning to sink into her own thoughts. “I was in an accident, someone died and I just couldn’t live with that. Being there, it was just a constant reminder of what had happened that night, everything that was lost.” Technically, she wasn’t lying. There had been an accident, someone had died – her. Though the real reason she left was a result of the thing the accident made her. “So I packed up and left, came here to start over,” she added, forcing herself to smile despite the sea of emotions boiling inside her.

“Oh well that’s a comforting thought,” she replied, a soft laugh slipping from her lips. “I’m Penelope,” she added, offering another smile. Reaching up, she brushed a blonde lock away from her face, tucking it back behind her ear. “Now since I shared that vital information with you, you had better find me if I go missing,” she teased.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[arielle-hill]

Arielle forgot to turn off her alarm and was woken up way too early for her liking on a morning she had no reason to be awake on. After texting a couple people and not getting any responses, she decided she’d go on a walk. After checking the temperature and deciding maybe she should wear a sweatshirt in an attempt to not get too cold. After getting dressed and finding her keys she headed out of the house and started walking down the street, not towards anything particularly just walking. It gave her time to think about things like the cat she was still planning on buying. It wasn’t that she was putting it off on purpose anymore but Kaiden and her just hadn’t found the time to go to the store. 

After a few minutes Arielle looked up from her twitter feed to find herself in front of Satan’s Garden, somewhere she hadn’t really planned on coming back to after the werewolf incident but had returned just for her birthday with Kaiden. That seemed forever ago and she realized she hadn’t come back because she was still scared of it. She was about to turn around and walk the other way when she heard something, it sounded like someone running and Arielle knew that meant she should have turned to run but at the same she was curious as to what it was. “Oh,” she smiled a little as she noticed it was just a girl, or at least looked like just a girl. “Hi, no, I was just, walking, about to turn around, this isn’t my favorite place in town.” Ari admitted with a shrug.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Taking a few more deep breaths to calm her breathing, Penne offered a small smile. Raking a hand through her blond locks, she attempted to pull it away from her face with no avail. Turning her attention back to the darker haired girl in front of her, she nodded a bit in understanding. “I can see why,” she agreed, tilting her head slightly towards to sign a few feet away. “If I had noticed that prior to my run I probably would have been running in the opposite direction,” she admitted, though part of her knew that wasn’t true. She like the seclusion it offered, it was comforting, at least to her. “I guess that just another downside to being the new girl in town,” she added, laughing a bit.  

Though she had been in Haven Hollow for a week or so at that point she had successfully managed to avoid most people, other than going into town to secure a job at the hospital and get some groceries.  She knew this would eventually happen, she had to start meeting people eventually, but she was still struggling. Fear of hurting someone else or someone hurting her still weighed on her mind. However she knew if she wanted to make it here, if she wanted a home, she had to stop being afraid and start making a life. “I’m Penn,” she offered, smiling at the girl once more.  “I just moved to town a few weeks ago,” she added, feeling as if she needed to explain better.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[amhielartino-deactivated2017122]

“Fair call, fair call.” Amhiel raised a palm in defeat, his head inclined. “Damn, you  d o n’ t  know. Okay, so –” Pulling a face that implied that this was, indeed, a long story, Am stuck his hands in his pockets as he looked over the area; his lips pursed as he heaved a sigh. “There’s vampires and werewolves and shit running around. Supposedly.” He met the blonde’s gaze, especially looking out for any flicker of recognition in her eyes. 

She didn’t appear dangerous, but who knew. Who knew anymore when he had the same impression of his so-called two best friends, only for them to turn their backs on him the first chance they got. Amhiel swallowed the bitter aftertaste that left in his mouth as he slid his gaze away again. “And they all seem to see this town as some place of refuge. Like hey, all good, right? Not quite.” He snorted, that buried hatred of his beginning to replace his normally cheery facade. “They’re killing innocent people. That’s why they’re nothing more than creatures to me - pests. They deserve to be locked up.”

“But hey, enough about me.” Almost as if he was switching between two different identities, Am smiled earnestly as he pointed behind him with his thumb. “We should honestly go. I’m not getting a good feeling out of this place today.” He shrugged a shoulder, the smile still lingering. “You should tell me all about why you moved here on the way.” 

[penn-nickols-blog]

Penn tilted her head slightly as she listened, her face a mask of confusion. As he continued on her features changed to that of shock and disbelief as her dark orbs widened. “Wait a second,” she interjected, shaking her head slightly causing her blonde locks to swing. “You’re telling me there is a bunch of…a bunch of supernatural monsters running around this town?” With her doe eyes still wide, she looked around nervously, shifting her weight from foot to foot in a nervous manner.

The stranger continued to speak and Penn could hear his heart pounding against his chest, though it didn’t seem to be out of fear. However her confusion was quickly erased as she heard the bitterness and distaste in his voice. ‘Great,’ she thought to herself. ‘He hates us and he’s a hunter. This should end well.’  Luke had always talked about how safe Haven Hollow was, it was why she had escaped there but it seemed like he had been wrong – because here she was standing completely vulnerable in front of a hunter. Who, according to him, had ‘coworkers’ who were also probably hunters. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

The mask of fear on her face wasn’t just an act anymore. Though to him it probably seemed she was scared of the ‘monsters’ running around in Haven Hollow but in reality it was him she was afraid of.  However when he suddenly shifted gears, the young blonde went along with it just as easy, a smile masking her fear. “Sure,” she nodded in agreement, taking a careful step around him before heading in the direction he had pointed. “Though it really isn’t all that exciting of a story,” she said with a slight shrug, a smile dancing across her lips. “I traded one small town for another.”

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[elektraxatchios]

Felicia had her heels hooked between two of her fingers as she stepped barefooted out of the thickets of Satan’s Garden. Her last altercation would leave her to be able to stay out of hell for now but she wished she hadn’t worn her nicer clothing, men could be so handsy. She continued to walk, paying no mind to the sounds of screams of either fear or pleasure. She felt exhilarated much like she always did after a feed. She ran her fingers through her hair and stopped in front of the blonde before her with a charming smile. She probably smelled like sex and sin wrapped all around her faux elegant image. “’S fine, darling.” She flashed a smile and looked at the way she wiped her mouth. Ooh, a vampire? She stared curiously as she leaned against the tree.

“It is Satan’s Garden. You know how rebellious teenagers can get.” She flashed a grin at her and glanced at her nails, humming quietly to herself. “But obviously I’m not a teenager, I know. I look very short but I like to think I look older in the face.” She shrugged, biting her lip as she stared at the blonde. “Some kids come here to fool around I’ve noticed. Others come here for other things. What are you doing here? You look far too sweet to be here but I mean, I could be wrong. I have a tendency to see things face vale.”

[penn-nickols-blog]

From her scent, it was clear to Penelope that the young woman standing before her wasn’t human, nor was she a vampire or wolf. However she couldn’t place the scent. She knew the town was supposedly filled with all sorts of supernatural creatures, though she hadn’t been there long enough to figure out exactly what, let alone sort out scents. Whoever she was, whatever she was, she didn’t seem like a threat but Penn knew better than to take things for face value. Since turning she had learned that the people who seems the most harmless could be the most dangerous, herself included. Nothing was ever as it seemed.

“Yeah, does seem like a good place for rebellious teenagers,” the blonde agreed, raking a hand through her hair in an attempt to push it back from her flushed face. At her next comment Penn took a second to actually take in the woman before her, having been previously too caught up in her own thoughts. She was right, she was smaller but her facial features compensated for her small stature – she looked about her age, give or take. However what really stood out to Penn was the way she was dressed. The woods looked like the last place she should be dressed the way she was, thought Penn wasn’t one to judge and it really wasn’t any of her business anyways.

The other blonde voiced her thoughts only a second later, causing Penn’s dark orbs to land on her. “Running,” she replied innocently. “Takes my mind off of things, it’s a good distraction.” It wasn’t a total lie, that was why she had come here originally - it had only change when she had realized how secluded the area was and that she could feed without getting caught. Though she wasn’t about to admit that to a complete stranger. “I could say the same to you though,” she young blonde countered, arching a brow. “Those don’t look like the best shoes for walking around in Satan’s own garden,” she added, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “But they are cute.”

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[amhielartino-deactivated2017122]

“Oh, no, it’s all good; I’m new too.” Amhiel shrugged a shoulder as he laughed softly, sticking a thumb into one of his pockets as he adjusted his weight to lean on one foot. At the mention of getting something all off, he looked over the blonde quickly again. Instinctively, the same thumb that was in his pocket curled around the hilt of his silver-made knife. But then she finished her sentence, causing him to relax and withdraw his hand from his pocket. “Damn. Talk about a solid alibi,” he teased, a toothy smile on his face as he quirked a brow.

“There’s been a lot of dead animals lately, though - at least, that’s what my coworkers told me. So don’t worry about that.” Amhiel nodded. Yet, despite how even his voice was, he still couldn’t fight the fact that his limbs felt like stone; surely there must’ve been a reason behind all the deaths. She, however, seemed to be unaware of the tension that hung in the air all around town. “You..” 

Am took a few steps closer, but didn’t plan to stop close enough that she could reach him. “Haven’t heard the stories about this town have you? About the creatures running around?”

[penn-nickols-blog]

Penn noticed his reaction to her explanation and she could almost feel her senses heightening. Despite the smiles and the faux relaxed nature of the conversation she knew something wasn’t right. He was human but his was suspicious – he knew something. Her dark orbs glanced down at his hand in his pocket for a fraction of a second before returning her gaze to his, the whole thing happening so quickly it was almost undetectable.  However as she explained what had happened, or rather lied, she noticed him relaxing. Mirroring his change in demeanor, she physically let herself relax though her senses were still on edge. “Hey, a girl has got to be prepared when she runs into a stranger in the woods,” she replied, flashing him a smile in return.

As he began talking about the animal attacks, the blonde frowned, her eyes darkening. She had only been in town a little over a week, so she hadn’t realized that the dead animals were drawing attention. Silently cursing herself, she regretted having not bothered to hiding the rabbit she had fed on earlier. Though, she also found it stranger that people were concerned about dead animals. Why would anyone be concerned about dead animals in the woods? Who even paid attention to that kind of thing? It was then that it finally hit her why things seemed so off – he was a hunter.  

Penn’s first reaction was to run, to put as much distance between herself and him as possible. However it quickly dawned on her that he believed her story, her act, he believed she was human.  This was only confirmed when he asked her about the town.  Now she genuinely did relax – though her guard remained up.

Feigning innocence, she tilted her head slightly, her eyes locked on his. “Creatures? What do you mean?” she asked, her eyes reflecting her confusion.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[arabellafranklin-archive]

Arabella rarely reduced herself to such an primal act of hunting for her feeding. She was more used to getting inside information on blood drives, taking contaminated samples when they thought no one was watching her. No one asked and no one knew that she made due, even going as far as finding substitutes because the minute she let her primitive side take over, she realized she was giving in. And that didn’t suit her, she wanted to stay in her delusion that she was still the mysteriously elegant girl she was as a teenager.

But yet here she was, not a spot on her but the blood still in her mouth. Animal blood was worse than the blood bags, but she supposed the warmth added to the appeal. She wasn’t going to kill someone again, she left that behind to her newborn self. One free pass. She told herself after she had drained the man dry. One free pass and no more. She didn’t want to be a monster, but tonight? Tonight she’d be a predator. She chalked it up to the mood she was in and the remnants of the super moon still effecting her. She always made excuses.

Arabella had heard someone running from a mile before, those brave enough jogged by the garden for a stupid adrenalin high. But as the figure grew close, she had to stand up and remove her teeth from the deer. She didn’t bother wiping her mouth, she wasn’t done. “You here to feed too?” She turned her head to look at the blonde. Definitely a vampire, she could smell it all over her. “It’s a good night.” She commented, licking her lips. “I don’t think anyone else is here but there’s a couple fucking by the creek if you’re into that.” God, what’s wrong with me tonight?

[penn-nickols-blog]

Penelope hesitated to answer the young woman’s question, however she quickly realized that was a bit ridiculous. Not only could she smell it but more obvious, she had seen her feeding on the deer. ‘Stop being so paranoid,’ she thought to herself before offering the darker haired girl a slight smile. “I was,” she confirmed, giving a slight nod. “Then it turned into a four mile run, helps with the cravings a bit,” she added, her petite shoulders rising and falling in a shrug.  However now that she could smell the ‘fresh’ blood, if one could really consider animal blood such a thing, the cravings had begun to well up once more.

Glancing at the deer, her nose scrunched in distaste. Though her second comment cause an almost bitter laugh to slip from her lips. “They would probably taste better than that,” she mused, nodding her head down at the deer.  It was true and Penn knew that, however there was no way she would ever sink that low again. The closest she got to human blood now was blood bags or whatever she encountered during her rounds in the hospital. Though she figured it would be in bad taste to eat her patients, the thought alone causing a smirk to grace her lips.

[penn-nickols-blog]

”Sometimes really terrible things happen to amazing people.”

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

[amhielartino-deactivated2017122]

Satan’s Garden, they said. They all said that these woods were practically littered with supernatural creatures when you came at the right time, so there Amhiel was. Anger still boiled in his veins from months ago, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that if he didn’t annihilate some of them sooner - the innocent would die instead. And yet despite his bravado and determination, fear skittered along his skin and formed a lump in his throat as he trudged through the woods

       – because what if he couldn’t tell apart the good from the bad?

Cut out of his thoughts, Amhiel froze in shock as a blonde stepped into his path. His attention was on her hand for a long time after she wiped it across her mouth, only to realize that nothing was there. Calm the fuck down, he thought. “Yeah, me neither. I mean last time I checked, people are too scared to come here.” Am laughed softly as he ran his fingers through the mess he called ‘hair’. “So funny you’d choose to run here, of all places.” He gestured to the blonde, a brow raised paired with a faint, lopsided smile.         

Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, Amhiel idly looked over the tree tops before his gaze finally landed on the girl again. “Is your mouth alright? I could be wrong, but I swear you had a bit of blood there,” he lied.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Despite the sun trying to break through the dense foliage the air was still cool. So as a breeze blew, Penn couldn’t help but shiver a bit. Or maybe it wasn’t the breeze; maybe it was her instincts trying to warn her because despite his smile and seemingly friendly nature, she could sense something was off. She could hear his heart pounding in his chest and he seemed to be staring at her rather intently.

Or maybe you’re crazy, a voice in her head chimed in.

At his comment, Penn glanced over her shoulder towards the woods for a moment before turning her dark orbs back to the man in front of her. “I guess I haven’t been here long enough to hear all the ghost stories,” she laughed, raising her petite shoulders in a slight shrug. “It’s peaceful, quiet. Though with a name like that –“she said, pausing to tilt her head at the sign. “– I guess I understand why,” she added.

Raising a brow, she glanced down at her hand briefly before raising her eyes to his once more. “Huh, I thought I got it all off,” she replied breezily, a frown tugging at her lips. “There was a dead – something – on the trail back there, a fox maybe,” she said, her nose scrunching in disgust as she spoke. “It must have been there awhile because it smelled horrible and looked worse. Honestly? It scared the hell out of me.” It wasn’t a total lie. There was some animal decomposing back on the path a few hundred yards back. Though it hadn’t startled her as bad as she was making it out to be, she had smelled it way before she saw it. “I lost my footing and bit my lip in the process, but I thought I had gotten it off” she lied smoothly,

[penn-nickols-blog]

Surprise || Penn & Open

One mile.

Two miles.

Three miles.

The trees flashed by blurs of green, some spotted with color signaling cooler weather was just around the corner. Despite the cool air, beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as her sneakers pounded into the dirt, each step followed by a deep inhale of mountain air. Running had always been Penn’s escape, a way to clear her head, even more so now that she could do so without having to worry about tearing a jogger’s throat out. Plus being out here so far from everything, everyone, it was a good time to feed – which is exactly what she had done. Animal blood was definitely going to take some getting used to because frankly, it was horrible.

The young blondes watch buzzed yet again, signaling her fourth mile just as she reached the entrance of the woods once more. Slowing to a stop she took a deep breath, resting her arms against her legs as she let her breathing return to normal. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the sign off to her right. Satan’s Garden. Letting out a laugh, she shook her head a bit. ‘How appropriate’, she thought to herself.

Penn took one last deep breath before straightening up. When she did, she noticed the person standing a few feet in front of her and almost stumbled back. Trying to mask her obvious surprise she reached up and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, out of pure habit, before offering a slight smile. “I uhm..hi,” she managed, still trying to regain her composure. “I didn’t expect to see anyone else out here,” she added honestly.

[penn-nickols-blog]

This is Home || Self-Para

The sun was just beginning to peak over the mountain tops filling the sky with various hues of yellow, orange, and blue. Despite the fact it was only just October the air was cool, something that would take getting used to. The chains of the porch swing squeaked softly as it swayed back and forth, the only sound breaking the silence in the woods surrounding the small home. Penn sat silently on the swing, feet tucked under her, blanket tucked around her, and a cup of coffee clutched in her hands, as she watched the sun slowly take back the sky from the moon.

Though the young blonde had been in town for almost a week now, she had only left the house a handful of times – long enough the secure a job at the local hospital and pick up some groceries and a few odds and ends for the house. She didn’t start work until the following week and decided the only way for her to acclimate to this new life was if she made it as ‘normal’ as possible. Thus she had spent the past few days unpacking and decorating the house, only unpacking the last box a few hours before.  However, if someone were to walk into the house at that very moment, they would never guess the young woman had only moved in a few days before. Everything was set up and in order, in its place - partly a result of her control freak tendencies but that was what she needed, she needed control.

Exhaling softly, Penn raised the mug to her lips, taking a small sip of the now tepid coffee. Her dark eyes quietly scanned the woods around her and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “A vampire in werewolf country, who would ever guess,” she muttered, resting her head against the back of the swing.

The first house she had looked at was in Delago Estates and while she had loved the little waterfront home, she had eventually decided on a house in Forest Cabin. Penn wasn’t clueless, she was aware most of her neighbors were werewolves. However while that wasn’t the most appealing thought, the house was secluded, it was away from town and prying eyes and wasn’t that why she had left New Orleans to begin with? She needed to be on her own, away from people, away from anyone she could possibly form any kind of bond with – it was too big a risk. She would participate in this small town life thing, she would be social, she would play her role, but that was all it would be, all it could be. An act. She couldn’t truly ever let anyone else into her life but she would make things work here in Haven Hollow.

The sun had fully taken back the sky now, casting rays of light onto the earth around her. Taking a deep breath she tossed her blanket aside and stood up, making her way back into her little kitchen. Placing her mug into the sink, she glanced out the window once more. She couldn’t keep putting it off, it was time she go into town and ‘make her debut’, start this new life of hers.

[penn-nickols-blog]

Fight or Flight || Self-Para

Sunlight glinted off the hood of the jeep as its gas tank guzzled up the fuel the pump was providing it with. A slight breeze blew, rustling the leaves of the trees in the nearby woods along the deserted road. The cashier stared out the window of the empty, rundown, gas station, bemused by the petite young woman now outside his store. However she was oblivious to everything happening around her, consumed by her own dark thoughts.

Raking a hand threw her short, blond locks, Penelope let out a deep breath. She hated the jeep and everything it represented. Her mom had gotten it for her after the wreck and while she appreciated the gesture, all it did was remind her of what she was, what she had become – a monster. She had done so good in the beginning, even when the hunger was overwhelming, she had controlled it. Yet one night, one mistake had ruined it all and she hated herself for it.

“What the hell am I doing?” she muttered to herself, pacing back and forth in front of the vehicle. The moment she had realized she had killed the woman, Penelope knew she had to leave. Luke had often spoken of Haven Hollow, a town where people like them, vampires, were safe from the outside world. He also talked of the strict regulations they enforced about feeding and though he saw is as a drawback, Penn saw it as her Saving Grace. She wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone, at least not without consequence. So she had left – gone home, packed a bag, and left without ever saying a goodbye to anyone.

Now, over 2,000 miles from the place she had called ‘home’, the reality of her situation had begun to sink in. She would never see her mom again, her friends, Luke. “It’s better for them, it’s to keep them safe,” she reminded herself, taking another deep breath. The farther away from them she was, the less likely it was she could or would hurt them.

The pump ‘clicked’ signaling her tank was full and bringing her back to reality. Taking the nozzle from the jeep, she placed it back on the pump and replaced her gas cap before climbing back into the car. Flicking a stray lock of hair back from her cheek, the young blonde slid her sunglasses down onto her nose and pulled away from the station. Glancing one last time into the review mirror, she sped off down the road. “Haven Hollow here I come,” she said softly to the empty car.

[havenhollowrp-deactivated201512]

[penn-nickols-blog]

          ✝ Born December 17th, 1990 ✝ Heterosexual ✝ Eternally 23 ✝ Nurse ✝ TAKEN ✝

B I O G R A P H Y:

Penelope, or Penn as her mother called her, had what most would consider a ‘normal’ childhood. She was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana - the only child of a single mom, who was also the town sheriff. The lack of a father figure or siblings never bothered her, as her mother was the only family she needed and her close friends more than made up for not having siblings. She grew up with clothes on her back, a roof over her head, and food on the table.

Her teenage years were like that of any other girl her age. She started high school with her two best friends by her side and a goal to rule the school, which she did. She headed every committee, planned every event, attended every dance, and even won the towns pageant – which deemed her ‘Princess of New Orleans’. However despite all of this, she always felt something was missing.  It wasn’t until one day when one of her friends almost drowned in the lake, due to drunken irresponsibleness, forcing Penn to pull her out and preform CPR that she realized what was missing. She wanted, no she needed, to help people. It was then she decided she wanted to be a nurse and like everything else she set her mind to, Penelope made it happen. After graduation she was immediately accepted into a nursing program, only an hour from home.

It was 4 years later when an EMT turned her in order to save her life after a car accident. He helped her through the transition - taught her to feed without killing, how to control the hunger, even got her a daylight ring. He helped her finish her nursing degree and taught her how to sneak blood for the hospitals blood supply without anyone noticing. However despite all of his help, Penelope still ended up taking an innocent life. Racked with guilt she fled New Orleans for Haven Hallow, a town the EMT had often mentioned as being a safe haven for people like them. A place she could start over.

P E R S O N A L I T Y:

Ask anyone from back in New Orleans to describe Penelope in a few words and you’d probably get control freak, competitive, and stubborn but you’d also get compassionate and loyal. She could be the friendliest girl in the room or your worst enemy. These traits were only intensified in her transition. Penelope is fiercely loyal and protective of the people she cares about and would go to the ends of the earth to protect them. She is stubborn, strong willed, and determined and will achieve anything she sets her mind to. However she is also a control freak and does not handle it well when things don’t go her way or she isn’t in charge.

Since fleeing to Haven Hallow from New Orleans, there have been changes in the young woman however. She still possesses all of her former qualities, though there is now a wall between her and the rest of the world. She is still one of the friendliest and most compassionate people you will ever meet but she keeps people at a distance now, not letting anyone too close for fear of hurting them. She has also developed a strong sense of self control, resisting human blood and feeding only on animals