vampire!kalim drabble :3 i hope u enjoy reading this as much as i enjoyed writing this (you wouldn't believe)
Kalim’s hands are cold — terrifyingly cold — and every nerve in your body screams at you to pull away. You’ve never felt fear like this before; it crawls under your skin, sinking into your bones. The ghost of his touch lingers, leaving tingles that are both electric and painful, like fire racing along ice.
The shadows of the moon cast a silver gleam across his sharp features, making his grin seem almost predatory. The tip of his fangs grazes the shell of your ears, and jolts of shock shoot down your spine. You flinch instinctively, your breath catching in your throat.
“Kalim—” Your voice comes out thinner than you expect.
“I know,” he says quietly, immediately softer, as if he heard the fear in your breath before you even named it. He doesn’t let go, but his grip loosens, fingers hovering instead of holding. “Do you trust me?”
Your heart stutters. “I’m trying.”
“I just…” He exhales, slow and controlled, like he’s reining himself in. “You smell like sunlight. It makes it hard to think.”
His hand lifts, hesitates, then tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear. The touch is fleeting — but it sends a shock through you all the same. He leans in before you can process it, his mouth near your ear, close enough that you feel his breath ghost across your skin.
His thumb brushes over your wrist, a grounding touch despite the cold. You can feel how carefully he’s holding himself back; how every breath is measured, every movement deliberate.
“I’ve gone centuries without this,” he admits quietly, almost chuckling to himself. “Ahaha… and then you show up, all warm and light, and suddenly self-control feels like a cruel joke.”
He shifts, just slightly, and his mouth hovers near your skin again. You tense on instinct, but he pauses the moment he feels it.
“Hey,” he murmurs. “Look at me.”
When you do, his expression has changed. The grin is gone, replaced by something earnest, almost vulnerable. The hunger is still there, flickering behind his eyes — but it’s tempered by restraint.
“I won’t cross a line you don’t let me,” he says. “Not tonight, not ever.”
His breath ghosts over your skin as he leans in again, unhurried this time, as if deliberately giving you the chance to pull away. You don’t. The faint brush of his nose slips through your hair, and his lips hover at your neck; close enough that the chill of his breath seeps into your skin, drawing a helpless shiver from you.
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 15. Ready to Move On
Summary: Slowly but surely, you were getting better and better at sudden farewells. But you knew you would always be welcome at the Scarabia clan. Even if you hadn’t always trusted Jamil and had been caught wholly off-guard by Kalim’s ever joyful nature.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 1797
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
The walk back to the Scarabia clan was an awkward one filled with silence. But I stood tall despite how tired I was now that my adrenaline had died down, while Jamil looked my way with unconcealed amusement.
It seemed that now that I’d faced the real Jamil, fully unmasked and with an attitude to match, he was enjoying himself.
Kalim met us at the door of the Scarabia clan, but he wasn’t alone. A tall, muscular man with bright blue eyes looked down at me as Kalim immediately slammed into both me and Jamil. Hugging us both tightly as he cheered about our safe return before hurriedly asking us if anyone had gotten hurt and where was Leona in a flurry of questions and run-together words.
Gone was the more amused, sarcastic Jamil I had been dealing with, and back was the Jamil I’d initially gotten to know as he forcefully shoved Kalim off us and sternly asked him a single question: “Who is our guest?”
His voice was beyond wary, but I already had a good idea of who this widely smiling man was. After all, I recognized him from Crowley’s office. And Kalim’s answer only confirmed my thoughts.
This was one of Crowley’s men. One named Ashton Vargas, to be exact.
I didn’t even get to say anything to him before he was clapping on the back, sending me stumbling forward with a cough brought on by the raw force he’d put into the apparently friendly blow, “So you’ve handled another vampire! Good job, Y/n! I admit I was worried when I first saw you, but you seem to understand the importance of training your muscles!”
His eyes were all but sparkling as Kalim laughed good-naturedly and Jamil sighed with long suffering before he gestured lightly towards me, “You’re here to talk to the Hunter about their evaluation, I assume?”
Vargas nodded, a grin still on his face that seemed to cause Jamil to grow even wearier. He was a far cry to the young man who’d just been smirking at me in the parking deck a few moments ago.
“Follow me then; I’m sure you’ll want to talk in private,” He sighed slightly but gestured for us to follow him before taking off.
I trailed along behind him, pretending I wasn’t the slightest bit nervous about making my report to Vargas. All I had to do was sell the idea that the Scarabia clan were innocent. Because at this point, I was positive that was the case.
The Al-Asim clan didn’t have notable enough numbers of vampires lost to insanity for it to have come from them. Plus, according to the books in the Scarabia library, the insanity uptick didn’t seem to have spread from any other district.
In fact, we seemed to have quite the problem on our hands since there were apparently no historical records of such numbers in any history of clans that I could find.
Of course, I had been working with limited resources… An older clan might have more books and thereby more information on whether or not such a rise in insane vampires had ever occurred before.
But, either way, as things currently stood, the Scarabia clan seemed solidly innocent. Especially since I now knew that Jamil hypnotizing me hadn’t been him trying to hide anything. It had just been his bizarre way of maintaining control while simultaneously flexing his personal power, even if he wasn’t the leader of the clan.
And though that did worry me, there also wasn’t much I could do. At the very least, I could hope that having been outed by myself had put at least a slight damper on his need to be in charge.
He’d also seemed slightly miffed and chastened by Leona having to take care of him too…..
“Here we are,” Jamil’s soft words as he opened the door and stepped to the side to let Vargas enter jogged me from my thoughts, and I hurried after the burly man, only barely glancing at Jamil as I went by him.
Jamil’s gaze flickered up to mine from where he’d bowed slightly, the perfect image of a dutiful servant, even though I now knew of the bitterness he held.
But none of that mattered now as I nodded at him, mouthing that I would do my best. Jamil nodded in return, his gaze flickering back away just as Vargas turned to look at me with a wide grin.
“So, what have you found, Hunter?” I frowned slightly at his use of my job title as the door clicked quietly shut behind me.
I managed a smile though, “Please, just call me Y/n. The Scarabia clan seems to be innocent, and there is no evidence that implies they have anything to do with the rise in the numbers of insane vampires. The Al-Asim clan also does not appear to have a history of insane vampires any more so than any other clans.”
Vargas nodded at my report, frowning slightly before he looked at me again, “Anything else?”
I faltered slightly before nodding, swallowing thickly as I braced myself. In no way did I want to request anything from Crowley or his men, but….
I met Vargas’s gaze directly, “None of the historical records I’ve found have had anything close to the numbers of presumed insane vampires or murders seemingly connected to vampires. So either this is an unprecedented event, or it dates back further than any of the current records I’ve found.”
Vargas nodded, that frown still on his face as he carefully figured out what I meant, though it seemed to take a fair bit of thought before he reached the same conclusion I had.
“You need records that date back further….. I’ll see if we can send you to the Diasomnia Clan next,” I nodded at his words, murmuring a soft ‘Thank you’ that had the man brightening.
“Yes, well, good job, Y/n! I’ll tell Crowley what your conclusion regarding the Scarabia clan is, and we’ll get back to you on your next assignment. Until then, wait for instructions,” I nodded at his words, feeling a wave of tiredness wash over me.
It looked like I really was going to be shuttled from clan to clan until this evaluation mess was over with.
About the time I would get used to working with one group, it was going to be on to the next.
Vargas patted me on the shoulder roughly before walking out. Jamil somehow opening the door with perfect timing and bowing as the other man walked by him without hardly even a second glance.
I trailed along behind him, coming to a slow stop as I found that Jamil wasn’t the only one who’d been waiting outside. Kalim was too.
“So you’re done evaluating us?” Kalim was frowning slightly as he looked at me, and I nodded, a slightly sad smile on my face as I met his gaze.
Not even bothered to learn they’d been eavesdropping. I couldn’t really blame them for it anyway.
“Yes, I suppose I am….” I trailed off, knitting my fingers together as I glanced between the two young men thoughtfully.
It was odd how much my perception of the Scarabia clan had changed since my first day here. And, despite the fact it felt like I’d been here for quite a while, I really hadn’t even been here for all that long….
But then, I supposed my views on the Savanaclaw clan had changed rapidly too.
Jamil nodded, the motion drawing my gaze back to him. And my eyes widened when I saw the slight smile on his face that, for once, didn’t seem to hold any secondary meaning or hidden smugness. Instead, it was just a relaxed smile as he tilted his head, causing the beads in his hair to click together and jingle in a way that had now become familiar.
“Thank you for vouching for our innocence,” I nodded, not expecting him to continue past that only to find that he hadn’t been done at all. Instead, he’d only paused. And when he continued, his smile stretched a little further across his face, “And for trusting us.”
His words reminded me of the conversation we’d had back at the very front of the clan only yesterday about suspicion and trust.
It seemed like that conversation had been weeks ago now, but then today had been a very long day.
I nodded again, smiling slightly, since both of us knew exactly how long the wary trust I’d built with Jamil had been in coming, “Of course.”
I might always be at least a little bit cautious of him. But at the very least, I understood him now, and I was confident that, in this moment, he was being oddly genuine.
I turned the very second Kalim approached, one of his arms swinging around me in a half hug as he smiled at me brightly, “You’ll come and see us again, right?”
I nodded, smiling back at him fondly even as I laughed slightly at his ever-happy nature, “Of course I will.”
My words seemed to make him brighten even more, and he grinned, wrapping me more fully in a tight hug. And this time when he spoke, his voice was softer. Still joyful and swelling with warm honesty despite its gentleness, “If you ever get tired or just need a safe place, you can always come here. Okay?”
I’d already wrapped my arms around him responsively, but I found my grip tightening at his soft words as I nodded. Having to swallow slightly before I could think of being able to manage words.
It was touching that he would offer such a thing even when he knew what my job was, though, and I had no doubts that he was utterly genuine in his offer. Because that was just the way Kalim was.
I may have had other allies already, and I may have known without them saying anything that I had other safe places. But somehow it was touching for Kalim to actually say the words and tell me that, no matter what, I could come to his clan.
“Okay,” My own voice was soft as I nodded, hugging him in return until he let me go and let me step back so that I could look at both young men.
After a brief moment of silence, I smiled at both of them and held up my hand in a quiet wave, “I’ll see you later then.” And I knew that, just as it was true with my other vampire friends, I would see them later. Even if I was done evaluating this clan and ready to move on to the next.
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 4. No Harm in Being Cautious
Summary: A vampire feast…. It certainly wasn’t anything you’d ever planned on attending. But, you’d already agreed even if you weren’t entirely sure why you’d done so. With any luck, you might uncover something that would be useful to you in your upcoming investigation.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 1439
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
True to his word, Jamil came and got me as soon as it was time for the feast. But I was no closer to figuring out what had happened earlier or coming up with a game plan for investigating the Scarabia clan.
Based on his seemingly friendly demeanor, Kalim might be open to questioning, but I didn’t know how helpful that might be.
Somehow, I felt like Jamil had quite the hand in the running of the clan, so he might be better to talk to. But I didn’t know how open he would be, plus I was even warier of him now than I had been before.
I followed Jamil in silence, toying with my fingers as my nerves set in. The longer I’d sat in the library, the worse of an idea staying for this feast seemed.
It was true that, so far, everyone here had been very welcoming and beyond friendly, but it was also true that me, being a person who vampires apparently thought seemed tasty, being at a feast where they would be eating would possibly be risky.
It was a massive change from when I’d been avoiding vampires. And, to be honest, I’d never been around any of them eating, so I had no idea what to expect.
And then there was whatever had happened just a little bit ago to think about too….
I forced myself to relax as we entered the room and I saw the goblets sitting out. Letting them know I was uncomfortable wouldn’t be a good idea anyway. I needed to keep up the idea that I was a perfectly competent and confident Hunter.
Kalim waved at me happily before patting a red cushion on the floor next to him, “Come sit here, Y/n!! I’m glad you could stay!”
Glad I could stay???
I almost turned to look at Jamil as I thought back to how he’d implied there might be trouble for him if I hadn’t stayed for the meal.
Kalim’s words certainly didn’t make it sound like that would have been the case, but Jamil only nodded at me before gesturing towards the cushion Kalim had just patted, “I’ve already gotten your curry out. Please, enjoy.”
I nodded slowly, barely able to keep the confused frown off my face as I sat down before smiling awkwardly over at Kalim, “Thanks for inviting me….”
Even as I spoke, I was thinking about how Jamil was acting oddly like a waiter or something even as he sat down next to me.
“Do you like curry?” Kalim’s eyes were practically sparkling as he leaned over, all but seat dancing on his cushion and causing me to smile more genuinely. There was something endearing about how overwhelmingly happy he was.
“Well, I didn’t actually know what to request, so I just took Jamil’s suggestion,” I chuckled and shrugged slightly, but Kalim only bobbed his head excitedly.
“It’ll be great! I promise it will. Jamil’s an amazing cook, I do remember that!” I felt myself go still at his words, their implications causing me to stop in my tracks as I considered them.
Remembered…. They must have known each other while they were still alive.
It was strange though. I didn’t actually think that often about what various vampires' lives might have been like before they were changed, but at least I now knew that Jamil and Kalim had apparently known each other for quite some time.
I smiled though, nodding my head at the exuberant young man, “I’m looking forward to it then.”
Kalim beamed, his reactions at odds with Jamil’s sigh, which had me twisting to look at the other young man who was currently shaking his head. He glanced over, looking past me towards Kalim, “Really… It’s just a simple curry. There’s nothing special to it.”
I tilted my head, finding myself smiling slightly even despite the varying suspicions and questions I had, “I’m sure it’s wonderful.”
Jamil’s gaze flickered over my way before he abruptly looked away, seemingly trying to hide his face with the edge of the hoodie as Kalim started to laugh next to me.
“Alright everybody! Let’s dig in!” The clan leader’s jubilant shout was met with cheers of assent from the other vampires assembled, who all raised their goblets as one, and I did my best not to think about what they were drinking.
I could only assume the blood was obtained from some place like a butcher, but I preferred not to think about that either.
I’d never even asked Vil about that and had never been able to decide if the question seemed rude or not….
The evening rolled by fairly smoothly without any trouble and Jamil’s curry was, indeed, quite delicious even if he wasn’t entirely accepting of the compliments and only grew more flustered when I leaned over and quietly told him it was wonderful.
I shifted slightly, waiting for an opening until Kalim finally glanced my way with a bright grin.
“Thank you again for having me stay, and,” I paused and glanced towards Jamil, “for fixing me something to eat.”
The white haired young man nodded happily, the beads that wrapped around his headband jingling in a way that only seemed to accent his smile, “Of course! You’re our guest and we were thrilled to have you! Right, Jamil?”
From my other side I could Jamil quietly murmur, “Of course,” but I was more busy bracing myself for my next words than focusing on his response.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid it’s time I got home,” Kalim deflated almost immediately at my words and I almost felt bad as he nodded slightly.
“I see…. But will you be alright? It’s already late out and you do seem to-”
“There are vampires out and, as you know, many of them are not in complete control of themselves. Since it is still dark out, and will be for quite some time, perhaps it would be best if you stayed here after all,” Jamil cut in smoothly. Shooting a look at Kalim before he looked back my way.
I faltered at his words as Kalim immediately nodded his agreement, “That’s right! It’s too dangerous for you to go home, Y/n. You should stay here, at least until the sun has risen.”
His hands wrapped around one of mine as he gazed at me, red eyes shining with utter worry that had me faltering even more as I met his gaze, “It’s alright, I can make it home fine and-”
“We aren’t doubting your abilities; it’s just better to be safe than sorry,” Jamil’s hand landed on my shoulder, and I looked his way, meeting his gaze and feeling an odd sensation sweeping over me.
Almost like I was suddenly growing sleepy. And his words did make sense… But shouldn’t I go home? Wouldn’t that be best?
And what if Vil, Rook, or Epel showed up? They’d be worried if I weren’t there……
My thoughts were slowly drowned out as Jamil spoke again, his voice soft and reassuring, “There’s no harm in being cautious, and you’ll be safe here.”
Jamil’s gaze held mine steadily, and it was oddly impossible to look away. Instead, I just found myself nodding slowly as even the other sounds of the party… Kalim’s words, the music, and the laughter all faded out until all I was left with was Jamil’s words and my own voice that seemed to be pulled right out of me as I responded in a way that was perfectly opposite my plans, “You’re right. It might be best if I do stay… Would that be alright?”
Jamil smiled, his eyes narrowing in a smug fashion before he nodded and shifted to look past me, breaking eye contact as he did so.
I blinked, half-dazed and beyond confused as to why I’d just agreed, yet again, to something I hadn’t actually wanted to do as Jamil continued on. Sealing the deal before I could really object.
“Kalim, I’m going to go ahead and show them to their room. I’ll be back shortly,” His voice was firm, and I twisted to see Kalim nodding.
The young man looked my way, smiling sympathetically, “You do seem tired, Y/n. You go on. Sleep well!” Distantly, I nodded, still utterly confused even as he let go of my hand.
Jamil stood from his seat next to me before looking down at me, “Y/n, this way, please.”
I looked up at him, frowning slightly but nodding and standing before obediently following him. My mind still a haze of confusion as my body seemed to follow him on autopilot.
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 10. Trust
Summary: Trust can only be built slowly. That was something you knew from when you’d been to know Vil. But you could already say that you trusted Kalim at least a little bit. Jamil though…. He might still take some time.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 2102
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
I stared at the books in front of me, knowing perfectly well that Jamil’s wall had, for some reason that might have something to do with his relationship with Kalim, risen once more.
And while I’d certainly learned quite a bit, I still didn’t know why he’d hypnotized me.
I understood why he’d left the Al-Asim clan, that he was bitter towards them, and that he probably had mixed feelings towards Kalim.
Apparently he also did indeed have quite a bit of sway within the Scarabia clan and did not, in any way, want to go back to the Al-Asim clan since he apparently did have some freedom here.
But what was the reason for the hypnosis? Was he wary of me coming from Crowley and evaluating the clan because he was afraid I would find something and he’d be sent back to the Al-Asims?
I supposed it was possible, but that theory just led to more questions. Because if that were the case, then the hypnosis probably had something to do with being able to keep an eye on me since both times he’d used it to ensure I stayed here, where he could see me, longer than I’d intended.
However, based on my observations, he kept subtly scaring others off of me, which, paired with my current theory about the reason for the hypnosis, was perfectly confusing. After all, if the other vampires bugged me, wouldn’t it be harder for me to leave easily?
Unless he knew that I noticed their attention and suspected that it would only make me avoid the clan all the more. But me avoiding the clan would work out for him too. Because if I avoided the place, I wouldn’t be able to find anything, and he wouldn’t have to go back to the Al-Asim clan.
And was there something he didn’t want me to find that would lead to that? I still didn’t think the Scarabia clan was particularly connected to the uptick in the number of insane vampires, but I could be wrong.
I glanced over at the young man in question who sat across from me, scanning a book of his own for any proof that the insanity issue hadn’t been brought here from the Al-Asim clan via Jamil and Kalim.
His eyes scanned the paper rapidly, causing me to tilt my head slightly. Especially when I noted the stack of books he’d already gotten through that sat next to him.
He was an impressively efficient worker, even accounting for the fact that he had a leg-up since he was no doubt familiar with these books.
“How many vampires has your clan lost to insanity?” At my words, his gaze lifted, meeting mine carefully as he frowned.
“The Al-Asim clan or the Scarabia clan?” I frowned slightly at his responding question before shrugging slightly.
“I actually meant the Scarabia clan, but the numbers from the Al-Asim clan might be good too.” I watched as he stood, collected still more books, and checked something before nodding and reporting some rather vague numbers.
I stared at him, trying to piece together the information before he sighed and laid a book down on the table and gestured me over with two fingers.
I obediently walked over, leaning over the book and staring at the page where Jamil now pointed. He spoke calmly as he explained, and I nodded along to his words, “These are the numbers for the majority of the clans for the past one hundred years. This here is the Al-Asim clan.”
I nodded, frowning slightly as I stared at the numbers he indicated, “Theirs isn’t any higher than any of the other clans….” I trailed off as I spotted the clock on the wall and the time registered.
It certainly did explain why I was getting tired. But it also meant I was going to need to be leaving soon.
I looked back towards the young man, who seemed to be deep in thought. No doubt pondering the numbers of insane vampires.
“Are there any books that date back further? These numbers are all fairly low and don’t seem to match the number of murders occurring of late that seem to be related to vampires,” Jamil glanced over at me, his gaze meeting mine before he shook his head and straightened.
“No. The only place I can think of where you could find records older than this would be the Diasomnia Clan. They’ve probably been around the longest of all the clans in this district, so they might have that sort of information.”
I nodded at his words before straightening and starting to stretch slightly. Working out the tenseness that had set in as I’d studied book after book of vampire histories.
Jamil looked up at me, confusion flickering across his face as I stretched, taking a casual tone as I spoke, “It’s late, and it won’t be too long before the sun rises…. I need to get going.”
I looked away from him, willing myself to not tense as he stood. But this really was the big test. Depending on whether he hypnotized me again, my plans may or may not shift to compensate.
“I see, you’ll need to tell Kalim before you go or he’ll be worried,” I nodded, turning as he walked towards the door. Doing my best to not make my avoidance of his gaze too obvious.
He walked past me, seemingly unaware of my careful evasion of eye contact as he opened the door and calmly exited. Leaving me to trail along behind him as he headed directly towards the same room Kalim always seemed to be in. At this point, I assumed it was the young man’s room.
We were both silent for our entire walk, but it was a silence we both seemed to accept. Almost like neither of us had anything to say to the other at the moment, so we just didn’t talk.
But that silence came to an end when we reached where Kalim was.
The sunshiny young man immediately brightened as he saw us before he swiftly deflated when Jamil told him I was going to be going home for the day.
“I see… Will it be safe for you to go home, though? There could still be some of those insane vampires out. I’m sure they would go after you since you smell so nice,” I felt my eyes widen at his words, and Jamil immediately hissed out Kalim’s name. Causing the other young man to blink in slight surprise before he looked my way and then back to Jamil in confusion.
“But there’s nothing wrong with that??? It isn’t their fault that they smell nice, and they already know about it…” He paused, frowning slightly before he looked my way with innocently wide eyes, “Right?”
I nodded slowly, still surprised by how calmly he’d mentioned it, even though it was quite obvious he’d meant nothing by it. Instead, he’d just stated it like the fact it was. Nothing to be overly concerned about or something to tread carefully around.
Almost like he wasn't affected even though I’d already seen the way his gaze would trail after me or linger for too long on my neck.
Jamil leaned towards Kalim though, his voice dropping as he practically growled out his words that perfectly matched the undisguised irritation in his eyes, “Don’t you think it might be uncomfortable for them to think about?”
Kalim frowned at his words, looking over directly into Jamil’s eyes and causing me to tense. But nothing happened.
Instead, the pale-haired young man just looked back towards me, a certain degree of worry entering his gaze as he seemed to realize exactly what Jamil meant, “Does it bother you, Y/n? It shouldn’t; it isn’t your fault you are the way you are.”
Despite the topic at hand, I felt a slight smile slip onto my face at Kalim’s words. An attempt to comfort me that might have been slightly misaimed but whose intentions were clear.
“It doesn’t really bother me all the time, no. I do worry about it occasionally, but I learned a long time ago that I can’t live my life in fear.”
I paused, glancing over at Jamil with that slight smile still on my face, growing slightly amused as I thought more about it, “Besides, this is my first time interacting with vampires, and I’m even friends with some. I know most won’t just suddenly attack me unless they’re insane or something.”
Jamil stayed silent, watching me closely as Kalim nodded happily, brightening at my words, “I’m glad you’ve met some you know you can trust. It’s important to have people you trust.”
His eyes were practically sparkling as he spoke, but then he frowned, shaking his head slightly, “Are you sure it’ll be fine for you to go home right now, though?”
I laughed slightly, nodding, “I’m sure Kalim. I am the head-vampire’s Hunter after all. I can defend myself.”
He laughed lightly at my words, nodding his head in a fashion that had me wondering how someone could be quite so bubbly, “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I nodded, waving slightly before I turned to go. Setting off down the hallway and purposefully ignoring the vampires who gazed at me.
Some smiled politely, but others stared pointedly. Their eyes a little bit too bright as they straightened with poorly concealed interest.
I walked with purpose though, making it with no difficulty towards the front room until I got stopped just at the door by a hand wrapping around my waist. Firm enough to stop me but not so tight that it hurt.
My eyes were wide as I turned and found myself staring directly into grey eyes that had me tensing. Jamil.
When had he crept up behind me? And how on earth had he been so quiet??
He glanced past me, out the door and into the night, behind me before his stare locked back onto mine in an oddly unshakeable fashion, “Be careful. There’s been an influx of insane vampires in this area, and they are not likely to restrain themselves if they notice you.”
I nodded slowly, a frown slipping onto my face as his words registered, “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”
He let go of my wrist, stepping backwards with a shuttered expression, “If I had told you, would you have trusted us or been more suspicious?”
I held his gaze, staying silent for a moment. Because I understood what he meant. In many ways, a large number of insane vampires surrounding the Scarabia clan should make one suspicious. But I’d already been to the Savanaclaw clan, which was the one that had lost the largest number of members to insanity, and that hadn’t really affected my investigation there.
“Is this why you had me stay last night?” Or was it to keep an eye on me? Both seemed like good options, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to voice both of them. I wasn’t ready to tackle the entire hypnosis situation. I’d already learned a lot today.
It was slight, and I almost missed the way Jamil’s eyes narrowed, but then he recovered, crossing his arms and nodding slightly, “Yes, none of us want you getting killed.”
I could believe that. Few would wish a death at the hands of crazed vampires who were desperate for blood on anyone. Plus, if I died here, that would only increase Crowley’s suspicions, even if he didn’t trust me.
I nodded, pasting a smile onto my face, “Thanks for the warning; I’ll be careful.” I turned to go before pausing, the smile dropping from my face as my hand rested on the doorknob.
It reminded me of my encounter with Jamil just outside the library, but this time he was giving me space, and when I spoke, I was far more relaxed than I had been then, “Also…. I can’t deny that knowing about the insane vampires might have made me more suspicious, but….”
I twisted, glancing back at the young man over my shoulder who was still watching me closely, and I smiled, this time more genuinely even if the expression was a little self-mocking, “I like to think that I would’ve still ended up trusting you even if you had told me earlier.”
Even if that trust was just because of Kalim. Because Jamil…. Even if he had opened up and told me quite a bit about the Al-Asim family and his relation to them, I still couldn’t quite trust him.
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 3. I Must Insist
Summary: Getting a tour of the Scarabia clan hardly seemed like a bad idea, and while Jamil seemed wary of you, he also didn’t seem like an all bad guy. But then, there is always latent risk in spending time with an unfamiliar vampire. Especially when you didn’t know what all said vampire was capable of.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 2081
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
As soon as we were out of earshot of where we’d left Kalim, Jamil spoke. Sighing slightly as he shook his head like an exasperated parent, “I’m sorry about Kalim. You shouldn’t feel pressured to stay. Though, if you want to, you are certainly welcome since it may make your job easier.”
I blinked in surprise at the young man who strolled along just as ahead of me. This had hardly been what I’d expected from him since he’d seemed like the more wary one of the group. But I’d misjudged people before; perhaps I’d misread him too.
I shook my head as I spoke, a slight smile on my face as I reassured him, “That’s okay, he wasn’t really bothering me. But I probably won’t be staying here. I’ve got all of my stuff back at my place, and I don’t want to take up any room here.”
Truthfully speaking, in no way did I want to stay here. Not when I’d already noted that some of the vampires here were staring a little too pointedly at me with an interested expression that went beyond mere curiosity or friendly greeting.
Jamil nodded at my words, as if I’d said exactly what he’d expected, “Kalim will probably just tell you that we have plenty of rooms and that we can have your stuff brought over.”
His words weren’t even tired or amused. They were just very matter of fact, making me wonder if that was what the sunshiny young man would say.
Before I could respond, though, he was glancing over his shoulder at me, an odd sort of expression on his face, “If you don’t mind my asking…..”
He trailed off, and I found myself speeding up so that I was walking alongside him as I looked at him expectantly. Waiting for him to finish whatever it was that he was going to say.
“Why does head-vampire Crowley have you evaluating Scarabia first? Wouldn’t the Savanaclaw clan make more sense?” I felt my eyebrows raise at his words. Evidently enough word hadn’t spread about my evaluations, but just as surprising was that he’d mentioned Savanaclaw specifically. But then, they had apparently been losing larger numbers of their members to insanity than other clans.
My thoughts drifted back to the people there. I’d only really just started to get to know each of them well before Crowley had shifted me to another clan.
Some small part of me had hoped, against all logic, that Crowley was going to let me stay there for a little while longer after I’d given my report to Trein.
But I sighed, shaking my head slightly to clear my thoughts before I answered Jamil. Reminiscing and pouting about it wouldn’t do any good now, and, like Leona had said, it wasn’t as if I couldn’t go see them anymore.
“I’ve already evaluated them. The cause of this entire insane vampire mess doesn’t seem to be there, it’s just that they’ve been hit a bit harder than most. But their clan is also quite large, so it isn’t surprising that they’ve lost more members than other, smaller clans.”
I wasn’t able to entirely keep myself from defending them, as I explained to Jamil. I had friends there now, and, even if it did make sense to be suspicious of them due to the rumors and numbers, I couldn’t help but feel at least a little bit defensive about them.
Especially since Leona was, in his own way, trying to stop his members from fully losing themselves.
I didn’t know if he’d ever actually succeeded though, and neither had Vil when I’d asked him. In fact, Vil had seemed surprised that Leona was trying to help the vampires who had lost themselves and bring them back from the brink.
“That does make sense.” At his soft murmur, I glanced over to see Jamil nodding thoughtfully before he looked back toward me, “Have you had any luck in figuring out anything about the insanity?”
I paused, wondering if I should tell him about the current theory or keep it to myself. I couldn’t really see why it would be bad to tell him, but…. Something about his behavior seemed off to me for reasons I couldn’t quite place.
He’d seemed so wary when Sam had first explained my purpose here, but now… Now he seemed oddly welcoming and almost friendly, if in a quieter way than Kalim.
Bluntly put, it didn’t make any sense.
I glanced at him, and, all at once, I remembered what Vil had said back at the ball. It was the first time I’d heard the name ‘Jamil’ and it had also been a warning. Almost like Vil had been warning me about interacting with him.
Crafty. That was how Vil had described Jamil.
The mere memory of Vil’s words made me even more worried about sharing any findings with Jamil, even though he also had a right to know considering he was a vampire himself and would doubtless be affected by this in some sort of way.
I pressed my lips together, making up my mind in a split second decision. I didn’t really see what it could hurt to tell Jamil my theory, so I would be honest, even if I’d also be careful at the same time.
“The current theory is that there might be a vampire somewhere that is spreading the insanity like a disease. But we don’t have enough evidence yet to fully say that’s the case,” I finished carefully. Watching the young man for his reaction.
Jamil only nodded though, apparently understanding the theory itself and seemingly not worried about any possible suspicions from my person. And it almost made me feel bad for even being suspicious of him.
He had every right to be wary of me, a vampire hunter, when he was a vampire himself. But then, didn’t I have every right to be wary of him too when it came to my experience with vampires and their strange fascination with me?
He paused, opening a door we’d just come up on and silently gesturing for me to enter as if he’d done this a million times.
I stepped through quietly, idly pondering the young man next to me before my eyes widened as I immediately found myself staring at the lavish decorations that surrounded us.
The entire building had been fancy from what I’d seen so far, but somehow this area seemed more so for reasons I couldn’t quite understand.
“This is usually where we receive guests and is where the feast will be held tonight,” I nodded as Jamil explained, continuing to glance around in awe at everything in the room.
In no way was the use of decor or gold understated. Rather, the decorations seemed more like they were making a statement of how rich this clan was.
And I could only assume that they were quite rich. Sam had said that Kalim and Jamil had originally come from another clan and that Kalim’s father had paid for this building. Perhaps the almost overwhelming lavishness was a statement of sorts.
Jamil twisted, looking my way with slightly raised eyebrows, “Speaking of the feast, what would you like for me to prepare for you?”
I twisted at his question and smiled awkwardly as I met his gaze and raised my hands. Waving them as I spoke as if I could wave away both his question and the awkwardness of my denial, “Oh, there’s no need to prepare anything. I’ll probably head back to my apartment before you guys have your feast anyway. Besides, I don’t know what you're celebrating or anything anyway, so it might be awkward if I stayed…. Thank you though!”
I’d barely even finished speaking before he was shaking his head, utterly unbothered by my words, “We aren’t celebrating anything, and since Kalim instructed me to, it is my duty to prepare you some food.”
I shook my head again, still smiling slightly, if awkwardly, “Oh, no, it’s alright. If he says anything, you can just tell him I couldn’t stay and-”
He cut me off, leaning forward with a smooth smile that held a confidence that was at odds with his otherwise quiet demeanor. But far more concerning was the way that there was something slightly off about that smile as he spoke. Smug, and like he knew something I didn’t.
My eyes widened as one of his hands landed on my shoulder and twisted me so that I was looking him directly in his eyes, which I could now tell from this close proximity were a deep charcoal grey color, “Please, I must insist that you stay. Kalim will be most upset otherwise when I tell him.”
His voice was velvety smooth and cajoling, but also surprisingly soft, even though it was just the two of us in this room.
Despite myself, I found myself relaxing and thinking that perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to stay for a feast. Kalim had invited me after all, and Jamil acted like he would get in trouble if I didn’t stay. And I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. Perhaps it would be best for me to stay….
Somewhere beyond my hazy thoughts, I could feel confusion lurking. Why was I suddenly agreeing to stay? It made no sense, but it was like I couldn’t stop myself.
I nodded, feeling oddly like I was beginning to drown in Jamil’s gaze and lose all control over my own actions even as I spoke in a sleepy voice that sounded oddly distant even to my own ears, “I guess I could stay for a meal then… But you don’t have to make me something special. Just anything will do.”
He tilted his head, his smile taking on an even more pleased look as the beads in his hair jingled with the slight motion, “How about some curry then?”
I nodded, still feeling oddly detached. Like I was watching our interaction from a distance without actually having any control. More of an observer than a participant. And an oddly sleepily, relaxed observer at that.
“That sounds nice….” My voice was strangely soft, and he smiled. A victorious expression on his face as he nodded and stepped backwards before turning was with a slight gesture for me to follow.
“I’ll make that then. You can spend today getting familiarized with our headquarters while you wait,” There was a smug amusement to his tone that had me frowning.
As soon as my eye contact with him was broken, I found myself blinking in confusion. That hazy feeling was gone, and I felt like I was in control of what I was saying and doing again, but no less confused as to why I’d suddenly agreed to stay.
It wasn’t like Jamil had been that convincing. But I found myself trailing along behind him nonetheless into yet another room. Idly listening to him even as I puzzled over what had just happened, “This is the library. You might find some useful books, such as histories, here to help with your looking into the insanity issue.”
I looked around, nodding slightly and wondering what this room had been originally. There was no way a hotel would have a library this nice.
Jamil watched me for a moment before glancing towards a clock and sighing, “I’m afraid I must get back to Kalim to remind him to prepare for tonight and then go and start preparing the meal.”
I nodded understandingly as I turned to look back at him, only to find him looking towards me uncertainly. I smiled, pasting on the fake expression and pretending like nothing was amiss, “Of course, go ahead. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll stay here and start researching.”
He looked beyond relieved. Nodding in an almost grateful fashion, “Very well. I’ll come and get you when everything is ready for the feast then.”
I watched as he left, with the door shutting softly behind him before I looked towards the rows of books with a frown. What I really wanted to figure out right this second was what had happened back in that other room just a few moments ago.
Was it something that Jamil had done, or was I really just that out of it? Either way, the idea of not having total control of myself while being surrounded by vampires of an unfamiliar clan was hardly a comfortable thought.
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 9. Chained
Summary: A stroll with Jamil through the Scarabia clan after what had happened the last time was certainly daunting. But it was also an opportunity you might not come across again. Who knows what you might be able to learn about the strange young man with just a little conversation.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 2249
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
I followed Jamil back to the library in silence, my mind rolling around various plans for what exactly it was I needed to do.
I wanted to figure out exactly what it was he wanted; I needed to figure out more about this entire insanity business with vampires and do the job Crowley sent me to do, but finally, and most importantly, I needed to keep myself safe while also making sure Vil, Rook, and Epel stayed out of this ordeal. Because heavens knew that if they involved themselves, this definitely would turn into even more of a mess.
My gaze flickered up so that I was looking at the young man’s athletic looking back. I supposed it was best to start the source.
I didn’t get to say anything before Jamil spoke though, his voice low and tinged with curiosity, but with a distinct undercurrent of measured self-control. Like he was trying to keep me from catching on to some sort of secret he held, “You said Kalim had made the Al-Asim clan seem like a wonderful place. What did he tell you?”
I felt my eyebrows rise at his words, but I answered him nonetheless. Slipping forward so that I stood alongside him and could better watch his reactions, “He described it as a fun place and said that your family was part of the clan, just like his.”
Jamil’s expression remained fairly neutral, and his eyes stayed on the path ahead of us as people shifted out of our way as I watched him closely.
A few vampires paused, staring at me for a little bit too long, but they would look away the very moment Jamil’s gaze shifted towards them. A slight frown crossing his face in a subtle warning that I wouldn’t have caught if I hadn’t been watching him quite so closely.
After a brief moment, I continued softly, pondering the fact that Jamil, of all people, was warning others off me with a single glance even though he was the one who’d hypnotized me.
“Kalim also mentioned that the two of you left to see the world. He said you’d always wanted the freedom to travel and that, after his dad agreed, the two of you had left and come here.”
Jamil’s gaze slid my way this time, a wry smile flickering across his face before he nodded, “Yes, I did….”
He looked away, but I frowned at the undertone to his voice that had me almost speaking again before I halted, barely catching his bitter words that were whispered under his breath, “I still do.”
I frowned in confusion, shaking my head slightly. I wanted to question him, but something told me that he hadn’t intended for me to hear his words. He would probably slither right out of my grasp if I openly asked him anyway.
Unlike Kalim, who seemed to be open about everything, the more I puzzled over Jamil, the more secrets he seemed to have.
He also seemed cunning, though. I highly doubted he would slip up and let me know just anything without having been caught in some sort of situation where he had no choice but to speak up.
Or…. Perhaps I could play at his game and ease him into telling me what I wanted to know.
I tilted my head as I glanced over at the young man, “There is something I’m still curious about though.”
Grey eyes shifted back over to where I walked beside him, and I resisted the urge to look away and break eye contact.
If I started determinedly avoiding eye contact, he might get suspicious. I would just have to take my chances and pray I could predict when he was about to hypnotize me and look away from him then.
“If the Al-Asim clan was so wonderful…. Why did you want to leave it and travel to the point of agreeing to make another clan and living away from where your family is?”
I was careful, letting worry seep into my tone so that he wouldn’t suspect anything.
I was just a casually concerned individual. Someone who wanted to help. Because something told me that the only way he might let something slip would be if he underestimated me.
Besides, there were so many reasons for why Jamil might have wanted to leave.
And I was sure it had to have been Jamil who had wanted to leave the Al-Asim clan. Because it was obvious from the way Kalim had talked, the way his eyes had glimmered so brightly when he’d spoken of them, that he had been happy at the Al-Asim clan.
Jamil though… He’d apparently wanted the freedom to travel and still did. So what was he wanting to get away from? And did it have something to do with his odd behavior?
At odds with my expectations, a smooth and distinctly cunning smile slid across the young man’s face, and he turned to look fully at me as we came to a stop just in front of the door to the library, “Sometimes when you're in a place of comfort, you can’t grow.”
His words weren’t entirely untrue, but something about them rang hollow. Like it was a well-recited excuse that he didn’t truly believe himself. Something more like an excuse rather than the genuine truth.
An excuse that he veiled well with a handsome smile and unwavering eye contact that sparkled with a confidence that spoke of his own belief that he was wholly in control.
I held his gaze, though, before nodding with a quiet sigh, “Sometimes doing the uncomfortable does result in growth…” I trailed off, stepping closer to the door and turning to enter the room, my voice softening as I thought of my own experiences.
How delving into the world of vampires had been beyond uncomfortable but had resulted in my understanding of vampires growing. Couldn’t there have been a better way though?
I shook my head slightly, a smile slipping across my face. Jamil probably wasn’t talking about anything similar to my experiences, but I couldn’t quite keep the words from slipping out of my mouth, “But sometimes that isn’t the best way for a person to grow.”
I grasped the doorknob, but I was stopped before I could even hardly think about opening the door when Jamil’s hand reached around and covered mine, halting my motions.
I felt myself tense at both his proximity and the cool touch of his hand as he leaned around me. Holding me in place as he spoke in a quiet voice, “So you’ve experienced being chained down as well?”
I turned my head only slightly to look over at him, finding his face mere inches from my own as he stared at me, and I did my very best not to quail at how close he was.
For all I knew, this could be some sort of elaborate ploy to gain more control over the situation.
Jamil did strike me as someone who liked to be in control after all. But his question….
Had I experienced what it was to be chained? Evidently enough, he felt that he had, and maybe that was the real reason he’d wanted the ‘freedom to travel.’ But perhaps more importantly, maybe he still felt that way, and that had something to do with whatever was going on here at this clan.
I swallowed slightly, looking away from him and back towards the intricate carvings on the door, as if they could serve to calm my swirling mind despite the way my voice wavered, “Maybe?”
I shook my head, feeling steadily more confused by the second, but something told me it wasn’t hypnosis this time. I didn’t have that same sleepy, relaxed feeling. Instead, I was totally aware. It was just that my mind was swirling with the possibilities.
It could be argued that I was slightly chained by the fact that pretty much I had to do whatever Crowley wanted, but I hadn’t ever really thought of it that way, and I didn’t think that was the sort of chains Jamil meant.
Jamil’s grip on my hand shifted as he twisted the doorknob, his hand still covering mine the entire time as he pushed the door open.
The door opened silently, and I felt his hand on my back, urging me forward and lightly pushing me into the room in one smooth motion.
I stepped into the room silently, glancing back at the young man as he followed me, turning only to push the door shut and blocking the line of vision of those who looked towards us. No doubt questioning exactly what was going on.
After all, from their perspective, it probably looked like Jamil had blocked me against a door. And I supposed, in some ways, he had. But it hadn’t felt exactly like he was trying to wall me in. Instead, it felt like he hadn’t wanted people to hear or see what we were discussing.
The door shut with a quiet click, and he turned, looking my way once more. His gaze swept over my frame, like he was sizing me up the same way he had the very second he’d first seen me.
I stood tall though. Facing him fully, determined not to shrink back even though I had no idea where I stood right this second as I swallowed thickly. Because it was perfectly obvious that Jamil was making some sort of decision right now. One that, if I wasn’t horribly mistaken, would probably have quite a bit of say about how things went over moving forward.
He at last spoke; his eyes snapping up to meet mine in an oddly abrupt fashion. As if he’d reached his decision, “Is it Vil?”
His words confused me at first before I put two and two together. He was asking about who might have made me feel chained.
I shook my head hurriedly, my eyes widening at the mere implications of his words. Putting his words with what Leona had told me about thralls and what the vampires had assumed about my and Vil’s relationship, his meaning was obvious and perfectly horrifying.
“No! Never. Vil would never do something like that. We’re… he’s an ally of mine.” Jamil’s eyebrows rose at my words. But then, to be fair, it was a rather vehement rejection of what he’d said.
He only tilted his head though, causing his hair to slide in the same direction in a wave of glossy black, “Crowley then?”
His tone was flat and I stilled, causing him to let out a slight snort before I nodded, frowning slightly as I spoke, “I hadn’t ever really thought of it in exactly the terms of ‘chains’ but yes, I suppose you could call it that.”
I crossed my arms, my stare turning more pointed as I held Jamil’s gaze from across the room, “What about you?”
His brows furrowed at my question, and he crossed his own arms before glancing off to the side with a scowl, “The Al-Asim’s.”
I felt my eyebrows rise, a subtle show of surprise as I uncrossed my arms and walked over, claiming a seat as I continued to watch him.
He glanced back my way, a bitter smile crawling its way onto his face, “You’re Crowley’s ‘Hunter,’ and executioner of sorts, I suppose?”
I nodded, confirming his words, and he straightened, his eyes narrowing, “I’m the Al-Asim’s servant. My entire family is.”
Everything seemed to come to a screeching halt as he continued in a soft, but perfectly embittered voice, “I’m Kalim’s guard, his caretaker…and his servant.”
I felt my eyes widen before I could stop myself from visually reacting, and, for a brief moment, I really didn’t know what to say. His words certainly explained things, such as his longing for the freedom to travel, but they definitely weren't what I’d expected from the way everyone here seemed to respect him.
“Then the others…” I trailed off, not even sure of exactly what I wanted to say as Jamil walked across the room.
He pulled a book off a shelf, scowling at it before he started stacking the volumes he selected in his arms while simultaneously speaking with a bitterness that only seemed to grow as he continued, “They respect me because I’m the one that handles running the clan. If I didn’t, we’d have to go back to the Asim’s. At least here I do have some freedom.”
I twisted in my seat, turning so I could keep my eyes on him, “And Kalim?”
I felt a distinct growing worry for the young man who, from what I’d seen, didn’t seem to know anything about the bitterness that this young man, whom he thought of as a friend, held towards his family.
Jamil’s motions paused, and I could see the frown on his face. It wasn’t the same bitter expression. There was something more there. Something almost frustrated.
“Kalim is… Kalim.” He at last spoke, faltering slightly in the middle before he finished, and I frowned.
Did that mean he had mixed feelings towards Kalim?
I watched him as he approached, setting the stack of books down in front of me. And his mask of an efficient young man slipped back onto his face as he drew closer to where I sat, “These books all hold information about the Al-Asim clan. You should be able to find some sort of evidence here.”
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 7. Memories
Summary: Talking to Kalim about the entire situation at the Scarabia clan might be just what the doctor ordered. But it also might just lead to more questions regarding his relationship with Jamil. Either way, getting to know the leader of the clan hardly seemed like a bad idea.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 1525
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
I’d barely gotten through the doors to the Scarabia clan before my hands were being grasped tightly by Kalim's cooler ones, “Y/n! I wondered when you would get here! Were you able to get everything you needed to taken care of?”
I blinked at him in surprise before nodding as I recalled the excuse I’d written down on the paper, “Yeah… Yeah, it wasn’t anything too difficult, just something that needed to get done.”
I smiled at him slightly, awkwardly pretending like I definitely hadn’t just been getting assistance from another clan and had been handling something more along the lines of laundry instead as he grinned at me.
“Great! I was worried when we all woke up and you were gone, but then Jamil found that note you left.” I lifted one shoulder in an awkward half-shrug as Kalim paused, leaning forward as he scanned my face carefully and caused me to lean back slightly.
I was coming to the conclusion that Kalim had little in the way of personal boundaries, but also that he seemed to mean little to no harm.
After a brief moment, he smiled again and leaned back, “Good, I was worried. You seemed kind of out of it last night at the end of the feast.”
At his words, I felt my eyes widen and he laughed brightly. Letting go of one of my hands to wave his around airly, “Ah, Don’t worry! It wasn’t really obvious or anything. It’s just that I’ve been told that I have a really good read on people before.”
I smiled at his happy words, nodding slightly even though he’d completely misinterpreted my surprise.
If he didn’t know why I’d been acting oddly and had even been concerned, then he must not have realized Jamil had hypnotized me, which raised all sorts of questions.
But something told me that I needed to broach this carefully, so instead of mentioning anything about that, I nodded, “I think I was just tired. Touring your clan was a lot to take in after all. It’s an amazing place.”
He all but beamed at my words, tugging me by the hand that he still held and starting to walk along with me.
We headed towards the stairs like he was taking me someplace in particular, “Thanks! My dad paid for all of it. He isn’t here, but if you ever get to meet the Al-Asim clan, he’s their head!”
I nodded slightly, “Are they far from here, or…?”
I trailed off, but Kalim nodded vigorously, his earrings swinging wildly as I felt myself smile at his exuberance, “They’re in a different district, but you’d really like them! The clan is full of really nice people and is a fun place. Jamil’s family is part of that clan too! We grew up together after all.”
There was something about Kalim that struck me as incredibly innocent and kind-hearted. It made me want to trust him even with what had already occurred at the Scarabia clan and my friends' warnings fresh in my mind.
But his words also confused me, and I found myself tilting my head to the side, not sure if I should voice my questions or not.
Kalim seemed far more open than Jamil, so if I was going to learn anything, it seemed more likely to come from Kalim, but I also didn’t want to cross any lines.
I at last smiled at the young man next to me with a slight bit of awkwardness, “I don’t want to push or anything, but, why did you leave the Al-Asim clan? If you don’t want to tell me it’s fine, I’m just-”
I was cut off by his head shake, a relaxed smile on his face, “That’s okay, I don’t mind at all. We left to see more of the world.”
I blinked in quiet surprise at his words, but he continued. Turning to look down the hallway with a soft smile that spoke of nostalgia and fond memories, “Jamil always used to talk about wanting the freedom to travel when we were young, so once I got old enough, I told dad I wanted to see the world and take Jamil with me.”
He looked back my way, that same smile still on his face as I listened to him quietly, “He agreed and even thought it would be good for me. He’s the one who recommended that I form a clan when I found a place I liked.”
He turned, leading me into the room where I’d first met both him and Jamil before sitting down on a cushion on the floor and smiling up at me. Patting the cushion next to him just like he had last night with a bright smile as he finished, “And that’s how we came to be here.”
I sat down next to him silently, a smile on my face as I came to a very simple realization.
Kalim was in no way a bad person. In fact, he might be one of the very best people I’d ever met when it came to raw, innate goodness. In no way did he intend to take over this area or cause some sort of power struggle. He’d come here to help fulfill his friend’s wishes.
“Here you are,” Both me and Kalim turned at the exasperated voice that came from the doorway to see Jamil looking our way with a slight frown.
He was the one who still confused me. I could understand being wary, and he seemed to have almost as much, if not more, pull in how things went within this clan than Kalim did. What I couldn’t figure out was why Jamil had hypnotized me.
Looking back, both times had been to ensure I stayed longer than I’d intended. But why on earth would he want me to stay here?
Was it just to keep an eye on me or something else? Or perhaps he was worried about what I might report to Crowley?
I didn’t see why that would be the case though since, so far, the only suspicious thing that had happened was him hypnotizing me.
I frowned slightly as I watched him and Kalim interact. Kalim seemed so happy to be just chatting with Jamil, while Jamil seemed exasperated.
And in some ways, I could understand. Spending time with someone as exuberant and upbeat as Kalim was bound to get tiring at times, but if they were friends, I would’ve thought Jamil would be used to it by now.
Kalim turned my way with bright eyes, causing me to brace for whatever it was he was about to say. I wasn’t worried, but I also wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
“Say, Y/n, how did you come to be here?” I blinked at his words, which did follow our previous line of conversation but were still largely unexpected.
What surprised me more, though, was when Jamil nodded and looked my way with sudden interest. Tilting his head slightly as he spoke, “I’m curious about that too. If you don’t mind, how did you come to be involved with the vampires and the clans?”
I shifted slightly, glancing between the two young men before sighing and giving up with a smile. It was a perfectly fair question, especially considering I’d just asked Kalim about his past. It was just an awkward topic as well.
“I, uh…. Well, vampires started following me around, and then I kind of ended up making friends with one.”
I started awkwardly, only for Kalim to lean forward with sparkling eyes, “Oh! Who was it?”
Jamil shot him a look almost immediately, muttering his name in a warning tone that had me shaking my head with a smile immediately, “No, it’s alright. It was Vil. I guess that was a little over two Halloweens ago…”
Both young men nodded at my words, Jamil sitting back in an almost thoughtful fashion, “I’d wondered how the two of you knew each other.”
Kalim nodded, glancing first at Jamil and then back my way, “Vil’s a nice guy, though. I was so happy to hear that he’d formed a clan.”
I smiled slightly at his words, nodding slightly and knowing there was no way I could ever tell him exactly why Vil had formed the Pomefiore clan.
Just based on what I’d seen so far of Kalim, the knowledge that the Pomefiore clan came into being because of Rook and Epel being suddenly changed into vampires as a ploy to force my hand would probably crush him.
“Yeah… After that, I ended up becoming the Hunter working under Crowley because there was no one else really suited or open to the job after Rook, the previous Hunter, became a vampire,” I summarized the rest carefully. Keeping any mention of how we’d been tricked by Crowley or anything else out of the explanation.
There was no need in saying anything upsetting, and I wasn’t sure how much I exactly wanted to share with Jamil. He was friends with Kalim, but I still couldn’t trust him. Not after he’d hypnotized me for no clear reason.
Hours in the Moonlight: Guileful Nightfall - 2. An Oddity
Summary: Warm, welcoming, and friendly. They certainly weren’t words that came to mind when you imagined a vampire clan, but they did fit your initial interactions with the Scarabia clan. That didn’t make it any less odd though, and it left you wondering what you should expect from your time evaluating them.
Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!
Trigger Warning: Vampire
Word Count: 1503
Hours in the Moonlight Master-List
Sam waltzed up to the main doorway, two glass double doors etched with an intricate water lotus design, without a care in the world before politely knocking and waiting.
I shifted awkwardly as I waited next to him until a young man appeared at the door and let us in.
He smiled warmly as he tilted his head full of fluffy, purple locks, his gaze resting heavily on me even as he spoke to Sam, “Ah, Mr. Sam, please come in! Who’s your guest?”
Sam smiled at the boy, ever-charming as he slipped through the door and gestured to me with one hand, “This is Y/n. They’re working with me. Is Kalim in? We need to speak with him.”
The young man nodded, seemingly unconcerned with the fact that two people from the head-vampire were here as he gestured up a staircase that led out of the lavishly decorated lobby that looked like something out of a movie set for a Bollywood movie, “Of course! He’s with Jamil right now, but he can go ahead and see you.”
We trailed along behind him, and I glanced awkwardly over at Sam, who didn’t seem to be finding anything odd despite how out of my depth I felt.
I’d been expecting a more cold reception like what we’d received at the Savanaclaw clan. But instead, everyone here seemed happy and utterly welcoming.
They regarded us with friendly curiosity, though I couldn’t deny that a few of the stares lingered on me a little bit too long for my taste.
I could hear cheery laughter echoing down the hallway in the direction that the young man led us, and Sam leaned over towards me, his voice dropping to a whisper, “Brace yourself, Little Imp.”
Startled, I looked over his way only for him to lean away as our guide came to a halt in front of a door, “Clan Leader?”
The young man called into the room, and the laughter trailed off only to be followed by a joyful call of the name I assumed belonged to the young man in front of us, “Bakkar! I told you, just call me Kalim.”
It was a joyful tone that had me looking towards Sam yet again with steadily growing confusion as the young man in front of us laughed good-naturedly, “Of course. You have some visitors, though. Mr. Sam has come.”
The moment the young man stepped to the side, another, white-haired fellow with bright red eyes appeared. A brilliant smile on his tanned face as he looked between the two of us, “Sam! Come in, what do you need?”
I blinked at the young man, startled by how purely cheerful he was as I followed Sam into the room, waving awkwardly at ‘Bakkar’ as he walked off with a polite smile and nod of his head.
I hurriedly turned my attention to the people remaining in the room as Sam began to speak, gesturing to me with a smile, “This is Y/n L/n. You may remember them from the ball?”
I could now see a secondary man as well. One with an impressively attractive face and long hair who gazed at me with a pointed expression before nodding and speaking in an impressively even-sounding voice, “The new Hunter. Yes.”
Sam nodded as the first one smilingly looked my way. As if the news that I was a vampire hunter was no more distressing than the idea of me being a baker.
Definitely different from the reactions that my identity as the Hunter had gotten up until now.
Sam continued though, casually introducing me to the two men as he gestured first to the cheerful white-haired one and then to the taller, dark haired one, “This is Kalim and Jamil. They’re the founders of this clan.”
I nodded, smiling awkwardly at the first young man, whose grin only seemed to spread more when I smiled at him as Sam continued, “Y/n works under Crowley, and they’re going to be coming by every day so they can evaluate the Scarabia clan.”
At odds with the personification of sunshine that was eagerly nodding along to Sam’s words, the longer haired one, Jamil, frowned, “Why are we being evaluated? Is something going on?”
His gaze darted warily between me and Sam, and I glanced over only to see Sam looking at me with a smile. Apparently leaving it up to me to handle the rest of the explanation.
I stepped forward, doing my best to sum up the situation in a way that was as untroubling as possible: “Crowley is concerned about the recent surge in insane vampires, so he’s having me evaluate all of the clans. It’s no real cause for concern. I’m just going to look for any clues as to what might be going on.”
The one frowned, obviously ready to say something only for the happier one, Kalim, to spring forward, “Of course! If it’ll make your job any easier, you can even stay here while you check everything out! We’re having a feast tonight after all!”
I blinked in silent surprise at his words and Sam laughed, patting me on the shoulder, “Well, you three get it all sorted out. I’ve got to go, so it's in your hands Y/n.”
I turned, barely keeping myself from gaping like a fish out of water as Sam walked out of the room with a relaxed wave tossed over his shoulder as he abandoned me to one impressively extroverted persona and his wary companion.
I felt a hand tap my shoulder, and I twisted to see Kalim smiling at me, “Don’t worry, Y/n. You’ll like it here! Jamil’s a great cook, and everyone here is nice.”
He beamed at me like a tiny sun as his companion gave a sigh of long-suffering, “Kalim, they haven’t agreed to stay here yet.”
I watched as Kalim blinked slightly before letting out a carefree laugh that had me smiling slightly despite myself, “That’s right. You really ought to stay for supper though. It’s bound to be delicious with Jamil handling everything.”
I faltered slightly at his second mention of a feast. What would a vampire feast even be? The very idea of one called to mind the image of a gothic atmosphere with candles and goblets filled with blood, but somehow, even though I’d only just met him, I couldn’t picture Kalim in such a place.
Jamil shook his head with a sigh before looking my way as he crossed his arms, “Since you’re going to be evaluating us, I’ll show you around the clan. You can decide what you want to do about staying during the tour. Kalim-”
I watched the shorter man perk up almost immediately at the sound of his name, reminding me distinctly of a puppy in the way he looked towards the other man with sparkling eyes.
“Stay here,” Despite the blunt tone Jamil delivered his orders in, Kalim seemed unbothered. Chuckling slightly before nodding. Saying he’d be waiting for us to get back as if nothing could ever dampen his spirit.
But even then I found myself growing still more confused. So far, the Scarabia clan was wildly different from what I’d seen of the other clans.
They were welcoming, warm, and beyond friendly, and, despite being the supposed leader of the clan, Kalim did not seem to be in charge. Rather, Jamil seemed to be the one making decisions and issuing orders.
I followed Jamil out of the room though, waving back at Kalim when he waved at me cheerfully, beaming all the while and making me wish ever so slightly that he were my guide rather than Jamil, who, at the very least, seemed like a better fit for what I’d expected since he seemed at least slightly wary.
I truly didn’t know what to make of Kalim, who hadn’t been phased by the fact I was the local Hunter, though.
While it was a nice change of pace for him to have been so unbothered by it, it was also very strange. After all, while I didn’t necessarily like it, it did make more sense to avoid and be wary of someone who essentially amounted to being an executioner.
Especially when said executioner had been sent in to evaluate your clan.
It was fairly obvious that Crowley meant this as some sort of warning to the clans. Like he was telling them that if they were discovered to be the root of the insanity issue, they should know what to expect.
But at least now I sort of knew what Sam had meant when he told me to brace myself. It wasn’t what I’d expected by any means. In fact, rather than a warning about aggression or something like that, it had been a heads-up to brace myself for what might be the most confusing clan I dealt with.
Because while this was really only the third clan I’d interacted with, something told me that this sort of welcome was an oddity.
