Dracula [Pigeon & BlaqueCatt] [18+]

[BlaqueCatt]

BlaqueCatt's Character

 

 

Shamus "Shay" Gallagher

 

Age 23

 

Shay was born in Ireland and traveled to London at the age of 23 to begin his work as a journalist for the London Gazette. His accent is relatively thick, especially when he is stressed.

[Kotorichan]

 

Claude Du Lalande

 

Claude was born into an aristocratic french family. He was turned into a vampire when he was only seventeen, which was nearly three centuries ago. He does not have a french accent. But instead has a strange combination of accents from the many counties he has lived in throughout his life. He could not live in one place for longer than a few years since someone would notice that he didn't age.

[BlaqueCatt]

"Damn!" Shay cursed as he sprinted across the cobblestone street, his briefcase held over his head in an attempt to stave off the pouring rain. The wind whipped violently around him, his hair fluttering and his black woolen press cap nearly flying off of his head. His feet splashed though puddles as he ran, the water soaking through his trousers and chilling him to the bone. It was almost impossible to see with the combination of fog and the heavy downpour, and he rapidly blinked water out of his eyes, squinting as he tried to fight his way through the wind. A gasp escaped him when he slipped, and he staggered in an attempt to maintain his balance. His briefcase fell out of his hand and he thrust both arms forward, catching himself on a nearby lamppost that was as dark as the sky.

 

I should have waited at the station, he lamented, taking a moment to catch his breath before bending over and picking up the briefcase. His entire body was shaking due to the cold, and his clothes stuck to his skin quite uncomfortably. But how was I supposed to know a storm like this was on its way? He hurried past the lamppost and took refuge under the overhang of a small store, leaning against the stone wall and sighing heavily. He used the back of his right hand to wipe the water from his eyes, his briefcase held tightly in his left. "Why is London so damn hard to navigate?" he muttered, his Irish brogue thick and noticeable with his irritation. He had left Ireland for a job opportunity at the London Gazette, a popular British newspaper. He had hoped to further his career in journalism, but that seemed highly unlikely, as he had been wandering the streets for hours and he had a feeling that he had been going in circles.

 

I couldn't find the boarding house or the printing station, he thought, dropping his briefcase to the ground before crouching, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in his hands. His forest-green eyes stared into the street mournfully, watching as the rain flowed down the street in a miniature flood. I should have listened to Colin and bought a map. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back so that he was in a more comfortable position. His straight black hair stuck to his forehead, and his pale skin had turned even whiter with the cold. "I suppose I should just wait it out," he murmured. He hadn't seen another living thing for hours, and he doubted that he would find anyone out in this weather who could give him directions. Not to mention how late it was; it was almost midnight.

[Kotorichan]

Claude moved through the night like a creature in a dream, or more accurately a nightmare. Each flex of a muscle, or shift in the fabric of his clothing was graceful. Watching him walk was a memorizing experience for humans, similiar to listening to a flawless orchestra perform.

 

This perfection had become both a blessing and curse to the already cursed creature. He could easily entice those who were quick to trust, or naive. But some could see the lack of humanity in his step, they could recognize the alien nature of his flawless appearance. This also made it more difficult for him to stay in one location for any length of time. A plain man could spend decades in a large city, going unnoticed by most and forgotten by the rest. But a beautiful man could only live for a few years before someone noticed that the perfection hadn't changed in the slightest.

 

Even the stormy night could not dampen the vampire's appearance. Unfortunately it couldn't dampen his appetite either. There was no one out on such a night who could be whisked away by a handsome stranger.

 

Claude was just about ready to give up and resign to making a meal of a stray dog. Until his eyes fell on a traveler crouched in the street. A traveler was perfect. Someone who could easily disappear without much suspicion. Of course there was the question of bringing the traveler somewhere private... But someone out in this weather would probably be happy for any escape.

 

"Excuse me..." Claude stepped up to the stranger's side, his figure blocking the weak light from a sputtering gas street light. "I cannot imagine this is where you prefer to spend your night... Perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

[BlaqueCatt]

Shay jumped at the voice that suddenly spoke beside him, his green eyes widening as he sprang to his feet, whirling around to stare at whoever had snuck up on him. "Jesus Christ, you almost gave me a heart attack!" he sputtered, placing a hand over his heart, his rapid heartbeat slowing as he took in the appearance of the man standing in front of him. He didn't look like much of a threat, and though the sound of the heavy rain had drowned out his footsteps as he approached, Shay had been able to hear him offer to help.

 

"I'm looking for the London Gazette printing station. Do you know where it is?" The boarding house he would be staying at during his time in London was only a few blocks away from the printing station; he would have no trouble finding his way there once he was in the right area. I'll make sure to have a map by then, he thought, mentally chastising himself for his stupidity. Who traveled to an unfamiliar place without a map? Apparently he did, because he was an idiot.

 

"Oh, and my name is Shay," he added, holding his hand out for Claude to shake with a small smile on his face. "Nice to meet you. I didn't think I would find anyone who could give me directions until morning," he continued, his expression becoming somewhat sheepish. He did find it a bit odd that there actually was someone out on the streets at that hour, but there he was, standing in the rain looking like a drowned rat, so he supposed it wasn't that strange.

[Kotorichan]

"The London Gazette?" Claude's brow furrowed at the boy's words. "You are very far away from that... You must have walked in the wrong direction for quite some time." It was all a lie of course, they were only a couple blocks away. But it would be hard to get Shay somewhere private if he took him there.

 

"I hope this does not come across as rude, but my mansion is much closer than the Gazette. Perhaps you could spend the night in one of my guest rooms and set out again in the morning?" He offered a gloved hand to the boy. It would be bad if the boy could feel how cold Claude's skin was. "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Claude Du Lalande. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Shay."

 

The vampire gave Shay a sweet smile, one that could melt the defenses of almost any human. "I would hate for you to become ill after walking in such weather"

[BlaqueCatt]

"The London Gazette? You are very far away from that...You must have walked in the wrong direction for quite some time." Shay visibly deflated upon hearing those words, signing heavily and dropping his shoulders. His smile vanished, and his pale face adopted a look of defeat. "I can't believe I messed up that badly," he muttered, lowering his eyes to the ground.

 

"I hope this does not come across as rude, but my mansion is much closer than the Gazette. Perhaps you could spend the night in one of my guest rooms and set out again in the morning?" The brunette looked up in surprise, his green eyes widening considerably. He held up his hands in front of his face, letting out a nervous laugh. "Oh, no, you don't have to! I'll be fine..." He trailed off as Claude held out his hand with a smile.

 

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Claude Du Lalande. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Shay...I would hate for you to become ill after walking in such weather." Shay stared at Claude for a moment without saying anything. He blinked, tilting his head slightly as an odd feeling overcame him. For some reason, he felt compelled to take Claude's hand and follow him wherever he decided to take him...

 

"Um...o-okay. If it's not too much trouble." He gave Claude a small, uncertain smile, contemplating the strange feeling as he shook the other man's hand. He was torn between going with the man or taking his chances out in the cold rain. Claude's presence had set off alarm bells in the back of his mind, but his sense of unease with the blonde man was slowly fading.

[Kotorichan]

Claude was very gentle as he shook the human's hand. He was considerably stronger than a human. But if he appeared gentle, or even weak, it could help the other man lower his guard. "Here." He removed his thick dark coat, revealing a much thinner body below. "It seems that you have been in the rain longer than I, please take this for now."

 

With his pale skin and thin frame the vampire appeared sickly, a strange person to be wandering the street at night. If it wasn't for his supernatural charm it would be impossible for him to eat.

 

"Please, follow me." He began to walk towards his mansion, keeping close to the human. He kept the same sickly sweet smile on his lips. "It seems you are not from London, what brings you here?" The vampire spoke in a gentle, hypnotic tone, trying to distract from the fact that he was leading Shay through winding backstreets. If Shay managed to escape this would make it much harder for him to get away, or to show others back to the vampire's home.

[BlaqueCatt]

Shay shook his head when Claude began to take off his coat. "I'm fine, really..." The blonde paid him no mind, and a moment later the thick coat was draped over his shoulders. He shivered, the sudden warmth sending tingles throughout his body. He hadn't realized how cold he really was. "Ah, thanks," he murmured, still managing to sound embarrassed even as he sank deeper and deeper into the vampire's trance. He took note of the other man's thin frame, but was unable to give it any real thought, as he was in a sort of daze as he followed the blonde through the twisting streets of London.

 

"I'm from Ireland," he responded. Although his eyes were open and staring straight ahead, he wasn't seeing what was going on around him; his moss-green eyes were glazed over, and he was only aware of Claude's presence next to him, his legs moving of their own accord. "I came to London for a job at the London Gazette. I'm a reporter." He frowned slightly at that, his blank expression becoming one of confusion, as though he was beginning to remember something he had forgotten. "I..." His steps slowed, and he closed his eyes, rubbing them with his hands as if he had a headache. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice that had fallen silent under the vampire's charm was active again, trying to warn him...but he was having trouble hearing it.

[Kotorichan]

Claude moved closer as he noticed the man slowing his pace, snaking his arm around the other's waist. "Oh my goodness..." He murmured. "It looks like you have a fever. We should hurry, I do not know if I'll be able to carry you if you pass out." He put careful emphasis on certain words, turning his observations into subtle orders.

 

If he was lucky then Shay would be someone susceptible to his powers, and would accept the suggestions. Of course if he was unlucky then Shay would notice them as orders and would snap out of the trace he had fallen under. It would have been best for Claude to be cautious and take this slower. But he was too hungry.

 

The scent of Shay's life filled his nose, making his stomach clench. It was taking all of his willpower just to stop himself from pushing the man down and drinking his fill.

[BlaqueCatt]

Shay tensed when he felt an arm encircle his waist; he would have immediately pulled away from the unwanted touch if not for the fact that he was frozen in place. Although his mind was now screaming at him to run, to get away, he found himself unable to move. It was as though there was some unseen force wrapping itself around him, restricting his movement and threatening to crush him if he so much as lifted a finger. "Oh my goodness..." a soft voice breathed into his ear, making him shudder involuntarily. "It looks like you have a fever. We should hurry, I do not know if I'll be able to carry you if you pass out." The creature was closer to him than he had ever been before - a creature, yes, this was not a man, but a creature - and although Shay's mind was now clear, his body was still at the mercy of the vampire's will.

 

"What..." He suddenly felt hot, and he was overcome with such a powerful burning sensation that he gasped at the intensity of it. He swayed slightly in Claude's hold, his cheeks flushing pink as a faux fever started wrecking havoc on his body. He tilted his head and stared at the blonde vampire with glazed green eyes, confusion and fear lurking in the background. "What...are you doing to me?" he whispered before his eyes slipped shut and his body went limp.

[Kotorichan]

"Shh.... Just relax..." Claude smiled as the human collapsed in his arms. He lifted Shay up into his arms, pulling the hood of his coat over the man's face to hide his identity from any onlookers. The vampire made a beeline for his mansion, moving quickly but not so quickly that it might appear inhuman.

 

Finally he arrived at his mansion, which was a short distance from the city itself. The mansion itself looked more like a castle. It was an immense Georgian building which could have housed multiple families, and was beautifully maintained.

 

Claude brought the man into a bedroom on the top floor, one that he had used for this purpose before. The windows were barred and the bedpost had a chain attached to it. He gently undressed Shay's body, tossing the wet clothes to the side. He locked a soft leather cuff to the man's ankle, then connected the chain to it. It would raise too much suspicion if he kept attacking people whenever he was hungry, so he had to keep people as prisoners and feed on them for a couple months.

 

The vampire sat down next to the boy on the bed, staring down at him for a moment. His fingers moved to stroke Shay's hair out of his face. There was something about these moments that felt so intimate. Usually he couldn't experience them because of the victim's struggles. But whenever he had a silent moment to feed it brought up a swell of emotion.

 

A pang of hunger pulled him out of his thoughts. Claude let out a soft sigh before leaning in, sinking his fangs into the soft flesh of Shay's throat.

[Kotorichan]

 

((

Claude's mansion))

 

[BlaqueCatt]

Shay drifted in the space between consciousness and unconsciousness. He was aware enough to experience certain sensations, but was unable to respond to them. He felt himself being lifted into the air, and he felt the wind whipping through his clothing as he was carried. He felt the soft slide of the coat's fur hood against his forehead, and dimly heard the sound of footsteps hitting the ground. He heard the sound of a door creaking open and then slamming shut, and he let out a soft groan, his head lolling to the side and resting against Claude's right shoulder. He felt gentle tugging as his wet clothes were removed, and he shivered as his chilled skin was exposed to the air. The softness of the bed on his bare skin surprised him, as did the sudden click and the feeling of something wrapping around his ankle. His mind was still screaming at him to wake up, to run, but it felt as though his body was made of lead. He involuntarily tensed when he felt something brush the hair from his eyes, and he let out a choked gasp of pain when something sharp pierced the skin of his neck. His body seized up and trembled as Claude drank, then went still once more. His mind finally quieted as he slipped into true unconsciousness, overcome by exhaustion as the effects of blood loss settled in.

[Kotorichan]

Claude could feel the human's heartbeat slowing as he was bled. At the last moment he pulled away and pressed his fingers on the wound to stop the bleeding. After keeping pressure on the wound for a few moments he got out a small first aid kit from the bedside table and treated the injury.

 

"Rest well..." The vampire murmured, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to the boy's forehead. He rose to his feet and left the room, quietly closing the door behind himself.

 

During the day Claude usually spent all of his time in doors. Sunlight did not actually kill him, at least not right away. He would slowly lose his strength and power the longer he was exposed to it. Usually it would take about three hours for a vampire like him to be killed by sunlight, but if he hadn't eaten recently then it could take much less.

[BlaqueCatt]

Several hours later, Shay began to return to consciousness slowly but surely. The first thing he became aware of was the intense throbbing behind his eyes and at his throat. He let out a soft groan, his face scrunching up in pain as he rolled onto his side, burying his face into the soft pillow beneath his head in an attempt to ward off the powerful ache. He relaxed for a moment, getting comfortable beneath the sheets, but then suddenly went rigid. Why am I in a bed...? He bolted upright, the movement causing his vision to blur; it felt as though his head was being split open. He pressed his hands to his temples, squeezing his eyes shut and taking deep breaths as he waited for the dizziness to fade and the throbbing to lessen. After a moment, he carefully blinked his eyes open, allowing his sight to clear before looking around. His breath caught in his throat and his chest tightened as he took in his surroundings; he was in an unfamiliar room, laying in an unfamiliar bed...and he was naked? His cheeks flushed pink in both embarrassment and fear, and he wrapped the sheets around himself, trying his hardest not to panic. What the hell happened?

 

He tried to stand, only to be stopped short by the chain around his ankle. His blood ran cold at the sight of it, and he started shaking. What...? His memories of the night before returned to him then, flooding his senses and momentarily disorienting him. He remembered arriving in London, and getting lost, and meeting Claude. Claude, who was not human, and who kidnapped him. "Oh my god..." His stomach lurched and he covered his mouth with his right hand. What had Claude done to him? He was suddenly aware of the pain in his neck again, and reached up with his left hand, his shaking intensifying when he felt the bandage wrapped around his throat. Unsure of what to do and on the verge of tears, Shay scooted back across the bed and tucked himself against the headboard, huddling under the sheets and staring at the door with wide eyes, sure that any moment now Claude would return and do something else to him. What am I going to do? How would he escape, knowing that Claude wasn't human? Would he even be able to escape? He bit his lip. I have to try, at least. But not yet. He needed to know more about his current situation first.