The thirst for Immortality (Nisshh x Dal3cy)

[Nisshh]

Elias could feel the stares of the police officers as he strolled through the well-lit and richly decorated corridor, his strange cane in hand. He knew that people considered him an eccentric, that they whispered behind his back, undoubtedly calling him a weirdo or a madman. Those words didn't pain him though. In fact he welcomed them, seeing himself superior to the common man, striving for greater ideals than fitting into the mold dictated by society. It was a strange idea to him, that in a world where the supernatural existed, people would settle for such lowly ambitions as friendship, family or wealth. That they could go to sleep without hating the limitations arbitrarily placed upon them. That they could fear death without seeking to control it, simply accepting their place in the world and devoting their short existence to make it as comfortable as they could before disappearing, leaving only regrets behind.

This wasn't who he was. Ever since his youth, he had striven to understand the secrets of this world, to defy the fate placed upon him by his human nature. He had studied the occult, looking to find a cure for his mortality, for the frailty of the human body. He had studied science, looking for a way to bridge the gap between the natural world and the supernatural one. His quest had led him through countless of trials, had led him to be witness to countless of horrors. So when he approached the hotel room, the unmistakable metallic smell of blood assaulting his nostrils, he wasn't even phased. When he stepped through the door and saw the pale corpse on the bed, which was stained by much less blood than one would expect, he didn't even recoil. Instead, he felt a strange satisfaction fill him.

Corpses like this had started showing up about a month ago throughout the city. The crimes always had some common characteristics. Bite marks on the body, victim drained of its blood and no one showing on the video tapes except the victim itself. It didn't take long for the police to realize what they were up against, and even less to realize that they had neither the tools nor the knowledge to deal with it. That's when they contacted him, offering to flew him across the country and to pay him a generous amount to save their city from this disaster of a situation. He had immediately accepted, though it wasn't for the money, nor to save the city from devolving into chaos. It was because a live vampire was the last piece of the puzzle.

It hadn't been an easy case to crack though. The killings seemed to happen without rhyme or reason. Male or female; during a full moon or in the middle of the day; in a rich hotel for wealthy tourists or in a dark alley in the worst neighborhood of the city; no one and nowhere was safe from this killer. But he had finally started to see a pattern emerge, and this new crime had happened precisely where and when he had expected it. Of course he hadn't shared that information with the police, they were but mere pawns to him. Their small minds would never understand his need to capture the vampire alive, the glory of what he was going to achieve. No, if he wanted to get his hands on her, he needed to do it himself. And he knew exactly where and when she would strike next.

 

[Dal3cy]

Laughter and loud music slipped out into the late night, the silence in the alley suddenly broken as the medal door flew open and the two women spilled out, laughing and talking. They we leaving a club after spending a few hours dancing and getting to know one another. As the heavy club door closed the music being locked in along with it, the night rolled in to take it's place. The laughter died down as they stood still listening to the soft sound of rain fall.
"We should probably get out of this alley, I heard the there is some kind of psycho on the loose" The blonde woman said in a high pitched tone "Though they might be better company than that jerk who was really trying his best to take us both home" She added her sweet laughter filling the air. "Correction he only was trying to get us both after you convinced him that we were dating." The second woman said flashing a crooked smile. She ran a hand through her jet black hair "Reminded me to tell your boyfriend." She added chucking as the blonde shook her head "I think he'll be jealous if I told him, Ophelia. " The blonde said calmly to her new friend. They had only met a few hours earlier, but she felt like she could trust the charming raven haired woman. "I haven't heard anything about this killer, what have they released about him?" Ophelia asked leaning against one of the brick walls that lined the alley. "Not much, they just know that the killer is striking at any time anywhere. The cops say that there isn't a lot to go off of. It's just all really creepy " The blonde woman said shivering slightly
"They've found Seventeen bodies in a span of three months. It's one of the worst killers this city has seen." She added looking over at her new friend. The brunette was still an eyebrow raised slightly "Seventeen? I thought I was up in the twenties" Ophelia said swiftly walking over to the blonde who was stepping away almost as quickly. "W-What, That's not funny. I know we don't know each other that well but I don't like these kinds of jokes.." She stammered as her back hit a wall. The brunette smiled the same crooked smile, but now it seemed more menacing than charming, she closed the distance. "No jokes here, I had a great night. It's just, if they think I've only killed Seventeen, than means I've got to work harder if I'm gonna be the best" She said before catching the blondes neck in her hand before she could reply. Ophelia chuckled, her eyes shifting from the soft brown to an unnatural deep red, her face twisted into a sneer as fangs shifted in from her gums before she quickly closed the gap between predator and her victim.

It was simple, Chaos. Ophelia had one motive for causing such a commotion, chaos. She had lived almost a century of the same routine. Stay out of sight, steal bloodbags and only feed from live humans if they wondered into your nest and you were sure they wouldn't be missed. It was a sorry life style and after the years of keeping a clean nose something snapped. It wasn't fun, she was immortal. So why not enjoy it.


After a few moments of feeding Open stood up, letting go of her prey who slowly sank to the ground, unconscious but not yet dead. Ophelia was about to remedy that but she had heard the faint sound of rustling that told her she wasn't alone "You know it's not nice to sneak up on a lady..." She said turning slowly as she wiped the the crimson from her lips, looking down the alley for some sign of life. "Especially at this hour." She said as she caught sight of movement.

 

[Nisshh]

Elias sighed as he leaned against the brick wall, at the corner between the street leading to the main entrance of the club and the dark alley in which the side exit led. He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint, muted beat of the music that could still be heard, the vibrations reaching him through the wall. Oh, how he despised those places. Designed to attract people both afraid of living and dying, hoping to numb their mind and senses, partying through the night without worrying where the uncertain path of life would lead them. It made it the perfect hunting ground for a vampire looking for an easy victim, and he was half convinced that the first nightclubs had been owned by one of those blood suckers, realizing how easy their life would be if their victims willingly came to them and drugged themselves.

He was pulled from his reveries as the door leading to the alley suddenly opened, noise flooding out of it along with two women. He observed them from a distance, his body mostly hiding from view behind the corner. He knew that the vampire was an attractive girl, that much had been obvious to him by the way men had interacted with their invisible killer in the video tapes before dying. She could likely be one of those two, but he didn't know which. However he was more than willing to trade the life of a foolish club-goer for the information, so he waited patiently instead of rushing in to prevent the attack.

A sudden rush went through his body when he saw the speed and grace with which the vampire claimed her victim, closing the gap between them and sinking her fangs into her neck in one smooth, practiced motion. Despite all of his preparations, despite all of the tricks he had up his sleeves, a part of him almost wanted to turn back, to go back to his research, to find another way to reach his goals. Once he would step into this alley, there would be no turning back. His life would dramatically change, one way or the other.

With a deep breath, he fully brought his body around the corner and stepped into the alley. It didn't take long for the vampire to notice his presence, chiding him for sneaking up on her in an elegant voice, barely a hint of the violence she had just displayed in her tone. There wasn't any point in hiding from her, so he walked into the meager lights of the alley, in full view of her. He stood up straight to his full height, his shoulders pulled back without any sign of cowering, almost reaching six feet. The palms of his glove-covered hands casually resting on the top of his cane, the golden ornament wrapped around it facing her. Any stranger would have been uneasy to meet him in a dark alley, his luxurious black coat accentuating his domineering presence. But she wasn't just any stranger, far from it.

"Seems like neither of us like to play by the rules then." He replied with a pointed look at the girl slouched unconscious on the ground, a confident smile on his face. He knew that vampires could easily sense fear, and he had taken a drug of his own making to slow down his heartbeat, allowing him to effortlessly remain in control of himself. His hope was that his unusual behavior would be enough to get her interest, without being classified right away as a prey. After all, he knew that if vampires craved anything more than they craved blood, it was the promise of entertainment. "I can see that your date for the night just fell through. Surely you a pretty girl like you doesn't intend to leave here all alone?"

 

[Dal3cy]

Ophelia wasn't sure there was anyone out in the alley with them. It was only as she fed and her prey's heart slowed that she picked up on another beat in the quiet alley. As she turned and scanned the well dressed man stepping around the corner, she pinned the steady heartbeat on him. Her lips pulled into a smirk as he spoke out into the night, her arched brows pulled together. His voice was calm wise but not as mature as Ophelia would've assumed from his demeanor. If it wasn't for the clear sound of his heart pumping blood to his extremities, the vampire might have read his exterior and mistaken him for another creature of the night. But his relaxed vision started alarms in her head, there was something off, Something unusual.

"I can't say I've ever been a fan of rules. Be it laws placed by humans or gods" She called out to the man, as she took long strides towards him. The heels of her boot colliding forcefully with the pavement, the sound echoing off the walls around her. A wicked grin pulling across her face as she approached, stopping a few steps away. He was a mystery unafraid and unmoving but from the scent wafting from him he was also human. Any and all worries melted away with the scent.
"Well, I didn't have any plans for the night. My date did leave me rather quickly. But if you're offering other plans I'd be interested for sure."

Ophelia bent over and leaned forward carefully looking at the head of the mans cane. Full of confidence, if he was human there was no fear to be had. Cockiness was one of the few traits left over from her human life. It like her other attributes was amplified with the vampirism.
"But, we have some pleasantries to exchange first I believe." She said straighting up and nodding towards the stranger "Ophelia Canterbury." She purred smugly before gesturing towards his cane. "This is a beautiful piece of work." She added lazily.

 

[Nisshh]

Elias could feel the arrogance almost emanating from the vampire. It was in the way she walked, in the way she grinned, in the way she talked. There was no doubt in his mind that she was considering him as just another prey, albeit one that she was willing to toy with for a while, to see if it would do anything interesting. Without his drugs keeping him calm, it would have been easy to giving to the small voice in his head, begging him to run. But that wasn't the way to survive. To survive he had to make her see him as something more than just another victim.

"How wonderful to finally be able to put a name on a trail of corpses" He replied calmly, throwing her grin back at her, mimicking her arrogance. "Elias Miller, the consequence that you have been so impatiently waiting for after breaking all those rules." He continued with a bow of his head, hoping to intrigue her without sounding threatening. He knew that no one would leave such a sloppy trail without a deep desire to be noticed, a deep desire to be found.

"If this piece intrigues you, I have quite the collection of art to show you." He said, as he smoothly lifted up his cane, catching it in the middle of the shaft so she could admire the craftsmanship more easily. "I know that it's quite bold of me to invite a lady back at my place so early after meeting her, but you strike me as the adventurous kind." An easy smile spread on his lips, pretending to be unbothered by the fact that he was flirting with death incanarte. "Perhaps we could even talk religion along the way." He said with a raised eyebrow. A part of him couldn't help but be curious to know what she had meant by laws placed by gods, despite the danger of the situation.

 

[Dal3cy]

Her wicked grin widened and spread to her eyes as he spoke. "Well, it's ot so often that I find a fan of my work." Ophelia scoffed softly taking a small step away making a slow of and looking him over. "If I had known my consequence would've been you, Elias. I would've tried even harder." Ophelia added her voice sultry and warm. More often than not Ophelia was driven by the bloodlust boring a hole in her chest. Though the line was blurred between carnal and hunger.

As he lifted the cane she followed the head continuing to study it.
"It does interest me deeply. I'm quite a fan of art and the finer things. Immorality grants me such leisure." Which was true over the years Ophelia had few objects she cherished, but among the few were a great deal of art she'd collected over her travels.

"I don't make it a habit to follow stangers i meet in a dark alley..." She paused looking over her shoulder at the blonde who's heart had been slowing as their conversation progressed.
"But not all strangers are as fascinating as you are. I'd be delighted to accompany you." She added returning her gaze to the man before holding a hand out for him to take her eyes fading from their red back to their normal hazel hue. Her fangs retreating into their pockets in her gums leaving Ophelia with her crooked smile.

 

[Nisshh]

Elias began to realize that it was one thing to know the hunting techniques of vampires, and an entirely different one to experience them. There wasn't a doubt on his mind that she had spoken in that warm, seductive tone to countless of others before, and yet he found a part of him hoping that maybe, just maybe, he truly was special in her eyes. He finally understood how one could, despite knowing the nature of vampires, be lured into this false sense of safety. It was oh so tempting to believe himself to be the exception, to be the one that she would choose not to kill. To believe that he could willingly make her give him what he needed.

He quickly chased those thoughts from his head, knowing that they would do him no good. He had to enter her dance, to play her game, as it was the way to keep her entertained. He had to keep his easy smile on his lips, hiding any hint of worry, any shadow of doubt. Even though, a shudder almost ran through him when he saw her monstrous features fade away in the span of a few heartbeats. It was a good reminder of how easy it was for her to put on the mask of a simple, attractive mortal, and how easy it would be for it to come off again.

He graciously took her offered hand, sensing the coldness of her skin even through his glove, before gently pulling her toward him and offering his arm in return, so they could exit this alley and start their walk to his place. Luckily enough his temporary residence was only a short walk away from that particular club, and he actually had quite the collection to show her. It was hard to escape collecting art when you studied the occult, as there were many secrets hiding in the work of deranged artists, haunted by visions from another world.

"I must admit that I find you quite fascinating myself. There is actually a question that I was hoping to ask you, if you don't mind indulging the curiosity of a fan. What made you start this particular piece? What triggered you to paint this city in red?" He said, his tone playful and flirtatious, thoroughly disconnected from the macabre topic of his question. It was a question that he had been pondering over during his search for her. There wasn't a lot of recorded knowledge about vampires suddenly deciding to break the rules, to exit the shadows and kill openly after living for decades in them.

 

[Dal3cy]

She curled her arm around the strangers, her action more like a serpent constricting around it's prey than a human holding onto a loved one. Ophelia was intrigued by the man, he had a air about him that felt as if he knew everything about her. His vision at the end of the alley and the confidence he radiated wasn't something Ophelia was used to from a human. Especially one who knew what she was. Elias confused her and Ophelia was never confused.


Ophelia glanced at the man as he spoke, chuckling softly as he began his questioning. It helped ease her mind that he still had questions, it ment she still had some secrets he didn't know. But she didn't mind answering a few of his questions. She hoped it would make the man spill his own tales.

"Well, that's an interesting question to start on. Normally I get asked how old I am, or what it feels like to feed." Ophelia said with a smirk as she walked with her company for the evening. "But unfortunately I don't have a satisfactory answer for you. I simply don't have a reason. Wrong place, right time. I was originally planning on just passing through. But my first night here I spent my time on a complete frenzy. I took my first life in over ten years and i remembered how.... Euphoric it felt." Ophelia rambled squeezing the mans arm with her last phrase.

"Now what about you? What brings you to me? Why did we meet tonight" She asked her voice more serious than curious.

 

[Nisshh]

There was something uncomfortable about the way she was holding his arm. Elias felt like he wouldn't be able to pry the pretty killer away from his side without her consent. It was a constant reminder of how precarious the friendliness that she was displaying towards him truly was, of who was truly in control here.


There was something worrisome about the way the squeezed his arm as she remembered the kill that started her rampage. It made him wonder how addicted she was to the feeling, how easily she would turn on him for a taste of that thrill. He had dealt with a bunch of addicts in the past, deranged minds hoping to drown their memories in one drug or another. He didn't relinquish the perspective of dealing with one that could so easily overpower him.

But there was also something reassuring about that knowledge. It made it easier to avoid glorifying her. She wasn't an all powerful creature with a grand plan to change the world. She was simply another kind of junkie, wasting her life away like so many mortals. Looking down on her made his fear more manageable, his arrogance taking over, believing that he could manipulate her like he had manipulated everyone in his life, using them as tools to reach his goals.

He could feel however that he had to carefully think about his next words. There was an edge to her question. She might be a junkie, but she had just satisfied her craving for blood and he didn't doubt that her mind was sharp. He couldn't tell her the whole truth but neither could he give her a vague answer, appearing evasive. He smiled as an idea came to his mind.

"Isn't it obvious? I mentioned that I have quite the collection, but even the most beautiful piece of art pales when displayed next to you. I want to know what it's like to possess you, even if it's the last thing I experience before I die." He replied as he looked at her, the lust in his eyes genuine as she truly was a gorgeous creature. He hoped that his answer would make her underestimate him. That she would think of him as a mere bold and eccentric mortal, ready to give away his life in exchange for a night with her. He hoped that his willingness to offer her his life would flatter her ego, making her inclined to grant him his wish, like a goddess granting her favor in exchange for a sacrifice of blood.

 

[Dal3cy]

Her face rose with surprise before falling into a smirk her mind buzzing with the idea. She had had requests before, mostly mortals looking for the rush of being fed on or asking how to live immortality. But this was new... someone seeking her out without expecting to walk away from their encounter with something. Without expecting to walk away at all. It was the ultimate compliment, the best reward.
While it was suspicious, the extravagant nature of the stranger only helped soothe the idea it wasn't truthful. Why wouldn't the dark stranger in the alley with a golden headed staff, be unafraid of death?


Ophelia slowed her steps for a moment, leaning away slightly and scanning his features. He didn't appear to be lying and the continued slow pump of his heartbeat only confirmed her own worries.
"Well now Elias..." She cooed releasing her grip on his arm running her fingers leisurely down his forearm. "This is quite a brilliant end to my night. I would be oh, so lucky, I believe I'll accept your proposal." Ophelia continued sighing softly.

Despite the blonde growing cold in the alley they had left near minutes ago the dull ache of hunger began it's campaign against the vampires chest. Immortality, Strength, Speed, Quick Healing and Eternal Beauty wasn't free. There was a balance in nature, all things had a price. A permanent spot on the earth for a hunger that was never satisfied. A lust for blood, for pain and death. For some it was a fair trade.

"I'm suddenly more eager to get to your place. Are we close?"

 

[Nisshh]

Elias saw with satisfaction the instant impact of his words on her demeanor. He could feel her excitement, the ruthless killer somehow managing to make him think of a little girl who had just been promised a pony for her birthday. It wasn't hard to keep an easy smile on his lips as she scanned him, trying to find a hint of deceit on his face. He had always found it deeply satisfying to manipulate the minds of the people around him.

All he had to do was to keep preying on her arrogance and thirst, and he would be able to lead her exactly where he wanted her to be. He felt a shiver of excitement as he quickly imagined her caught in his trap, this beautiful and mighty creature completely at his mercy. It would indeed be a brilliant end of her night, in more ways than one. He removed his glove before gently taking her hand in his own, caressing her cold skin delicately as if it was a precious piece of art.

"Well now, this is a very special night. It would be a shame to rush through it, don't you think my dear?" He said as he gently pulled her along at a leisurely pace. He grinned as they passed by another couple in the street, looking so unrefined, so inadequate compared to them. They were two elegant shadows, their face glowing with a dangerous excitement as they walked through the streets like they owned the city. A part of him was considering keeping her around as his gorgeous little prize after this night.

"After all, the release is only made sweeter by the depth of the craving, isn't it? I want to bring you to a high that you never experienced before. I want you to witness the best that humanity has to offer." He said with confidence, knowing that he had the means to mess with her addicted brain, to bring her to a place she had never been.

 

[Dal3cy]

A soft chuckle echoed from the woman at his reply. While the gnawing hunger started it's assault, Ophelia didn't want to ruin the potential dinner and entertainment. The prospect of another surprise edged it's way as her mind ran, wondering where he would lead her.

"Well, who would I be to order how the night even after your treating me to dinner" She purred pressing her cool fingertips against his pulse point in his wrist, a little sigh escaping her lips as she felt the rush under his skin.

"I'm all yours for the evening. I'm at you whim." She teased leaning her head towards him tucking it close to his shoulder. Deeply inhaling his scent as they moved. Masculine, Woodsy, Flowers and..... Something else. Even with her heightened sense of smell the vampire couldn't put her finger on the last. Something almost sickly sweet...