(Disclaimer: I do not own teen titans)
CHAPTER ONE: STRAYING FROM REALITY
There. Sitting in the corner of the room, veiled beneath a cloud of thick hanging smoke was the one I wanted. From the moment I stepped foot in the bar I had noticed him and he had clearly noticed me but no initiative had been taken yet. I had seen him somewhere before. Where? As of now I couldn't be sure but there was a desire swelling within me like a fierce fire that made me indescribably drawn to him without mercy. It wouldn't be right to entertain him though, I'm well aware of the consequences. The mere thought of playing out the scenarios in my head which involuntarily streamed in vibrant smears across my vision, it was wrong. Being able to recall where I had seen him, or why he seemed so familiar to me didn't omit the fact that he was clearly a man of power. His attire only confirmed this. A black Armani suit and a pair of dark shades covering his eyes, along with the Rolex snug around his wrist, the man remained quiet for most of the night, his only attention from me being the occasional sideways glance. Sunglasses or not, I knew he had been watching me just as I fought against discipline to study him, so why than didn't he initiate his interest? Even a man of power goes after what he wants regardless of consequences. So what was stopping him?
It was better this way though. Any profound interest found in him only made me realize the need to keep my distance from him further. Sure, I had been known to stray closer along the lines of deception than the innocence my face held. I knew the habits of coaxing men into dark alleyways for a quick drink would only mean I'd lose the ability to control my appetite and in the end killing the poor bastard that was dumb enough to see me as the victim of his charm when in reality he was putty in my hands. Either way, I wasn't willing to risk putting a man of power, a man who's death would surely be investigated, in my sights only to risk exposure of what I was.
This may sound far fetched, or even impossible, and trust me, a few months ago and I would have agreed with you. Obviously,... things have changed. Being forced to the other side, exposed to the darker side of life can really open your eyes to what reality really means, especially to those blind to such obvious existences of what I've become; undead. Or, as myth and legend would classify me as; I'm a vampire.
It wasn't a charmed life but its all I've really got at the moment. It wasn't as though I asked for this, wanted this, but rather forced into; damned by someone I once loved. A slave to the night and a victim to unquenchable thirst, with only one thing on my mind here I was; yet again struggling with the person and morals I was as a human being versus the constant thrill and devastatingly extreme violent and beast-like mentality. Who am I? Before any of this happened I was simply Kory Anders. Now, …. now I'm just a face that everyone notices but would never really know, and if you did, death would be the only outcome.
The only way to explain this, the only way to make you understand how any amount of justifiable explanation as to the pain I give to innocence, the lives I've stolen, well, its difficult. I imagine the only way possible to let you in to this cold heart of mine, is to just say how I feel. This whole undead thing, its like waking in a dream, yet you're still fast asleep. You're body moves, but your mind has merely minimal control. You see everything, feel everything, and yet your urges will always get the best of you. I've done unspeakable things, and for a while it was these very actions that often keep this restless mind awake at night. Again, there is no justifying my actions, I'm a monster, I know that and do not deny it. However, I've learned that in this life, the sinister one I lead, that one either adapts and moves forward or crumbles beneath the danger that surrounds. Danger that is very much alive in all things.
If anything is true, I've learned that nothing is truly what it seems, and those who hesitate are the ones who perish. That wont be me, at least not until I've succeeded in the revenge I so desperately seek. And trust me, that day is closer to a reality than ever before.
As of now, I remained at the head of the bar, lost in an internal struggle against that pesky discipline issue I have. This is where things get a little complicated; where my plan of revenge takes a pause. A pause that is entirely inconvenient. My every nerve screeched in a plea of desperation. The mere scent of the man sitting in the corner grew stronger the more I fought to ignore it but I held strong. It was only as the man stood that I found myself digging my fingernails into the polished wood bar top just before me. Eyes clasped shut tightly, I lowered my head into my hands and sighed. Any attempt to calm my stressed breath fell from progress at the sound of an unfamiliar voice that was coupled with a strong scent of its own; a pungent one at that.
"If you're not going to go after him then I will."
My eyes flashed open and I turned to find a thin blonde with a plastic smile smeared across her face. There was no reply in words but rather I took to a mere study of how the jugular vein in the woman's neck seemed a tad feisty to ignore. It would be far too easy to take from her, or anyone else in this bar, what I needed to find my calm but a public display of such an action would be practically announcing to the world what I was. I suppose I'd have to swallow down the sickening bitter taste in my mouth against my queasy stomach.
"He's been looking at you all night." The girl said turning away from the man in question and meeting my distracted gaze. "And you've been trying to avoid him?" Her head tilted to the side, a small finger wiping at her pastel pink, bottom lip. "You'd be a fool to deny him what he wants."
My interest was caught now. If this girl knew the male stranger then perhaps a little insight would be found. The fact that she served as a distraction was only a bonus; one that was quickly turning my spiking urges against her. I was about to speak when the girl downed a small shot from the counter in front of her and continued.
"I've been stalking him with half of the available women in this town, hoping one day he'd choose me." Her voice mellowed into a more dramatic and sad tone. She leaned into the counter and fastened a hand over her glass beer, an annoyed shake in her head taking place. "You've barely been here an hour and you've had his attention the entire time." She exhaled curtly. "Typical."
"I did not catch your name."
At the sign of returned conversation the girl's posture perked, and she sat beside me; the close proximity with anyone pumping fresh blood through their veins was intoxicating and highly dangerous for me to allow for long.
"Katrina." She smiled, a smile I could tell had been practiced to perfection. "But my friends call me Kitten."
I gave a distracted nod, eyes skimming past Kitten and once more to the man in the corner. "Who is he?"
I shouldn't be asking that. I shouldn't care. What I should be doing is heading for the door before this plain musty bar found a bit more color; a hue of the crimson sort. I began to fantasize what a pretty display of conflicting red blood splatter I could earn from this shallow blonde, and how it would clash with her current bright pink theme going on. Aside from what I was sure to be a loud, obnoxious crying spree should I attack her, I would think...
No, shake it off. I know what happens when I entertain these small visions and it would not end well; better cut it short right now. As it were, I could feel my saliva thickening.
Either way, my question became full focus once more as I realized the girls reaction. It seemed to invoke a large amount of humor within the girl for she broke into hysterics; her obnoxious squeak of laughter drawing much more attention to us than I would have liked.
"Please don't act like you don't know. There's not a soul around here that doesn't know who Dick Grayson is."
My eyes narrowed over the drink in my hand and I receded into deep thought. Dick Grayson, I definitely knew of, which only complicated this situation.
"Oh... so you do know him?" Kitten asked rhetorically, having read my expression quite easily. "I though so." She released a dreamy sigh of defeat. "Well, I hope you enjoy him."
"Enjoy him?" If only my definition of enjoy even came close to hers. I had no intentions of giving in to anything; not tonight. Not after all I'd been through.
Kitten eyed me crazily, as if she was more confused with my hesitance then the actual question. "You do realize he always gets what he wants. Its better to just not fight it."
This made me laugh. If it were a fight between strengths, I had everyone in this room outnumbered. Dick Grayson may be powerful but his money and name had no strength against sheer advantages that I have been given with this curse.
"He's coming this way." Kitten whispered, almost giddy now.
At Kittens words I leaned into the bar, quickly finishing off my drink before standing, only to be faced with Dick Grayson himself as I attempted to leave. Damn, if he was tempting from a distance, than right now I had no way of preparing myself for his dominating presence. I was barely able to keep my teeth from asserting themselves. Ignoring Kitten, who stared in awe at us from the side, the two of just... stared. He stared down at me without words and I stared up at him, giving everything I had to hold back. I could feel my insides tightening, my breath running scarce and adrenaline pumping through my veins. How could I free myself of this situation? I needed to be a hundred miles away from this man at all times, just a small fact I was quickly coming to understand.
I swallowed hard as the corner of his mouth curved at the lips slightly, giving life to his signature smirk; the one photographed often and one everyone could recognize. With a shaky glance, I tried to avert my eyes from his dark shades yet was distracted once more as my mind involuntarily zoned into the increasingly loud beating of his heart. That's not good. Anytime I do this, things take a turn for the worst. Giving attention to the delicious sound was only tormenting me. It was calm yet strong and sang sweetly against me eardrums. There was a taunting smell of aftershave radiating from his perfect complexion and when he finally spoke, his voice rang back with a symphony of vibration that both soothed and pained me. He was irresistible.
So much for being an emotionless carcass that lacked the ability to truly feel anything this strong. As it were, since I had turned, nothing, not even the taste of blood had had this effect on me. Its safe to say this was a very unexpected turn of events.
"Hey," His smile widened just enough to pull me in further. "Are you on your way out?"
Clenched teeth, I bit at the inside of my cheek to suffocate the swarming of my thoughts and force casualness in my voice. "I am." I tried to step passed him, my hands taking to a tremble as I struggled to stop myself from giving in to the hunger. "If you will excuse me."
"Wait... hold on a second." He asked sweetly. No, just ignore him. You're hardly holding on by a mere thread. Just walk away, the door was only a few feet behind me, all I would need to do is make my way into the street. I could outrun him without even the slightest of efforts. Yet, I was unable to deny him conversation as he placed a gentle hand against my arm, returning me to face him. I felt a tense sharp pain strike my chest as he ran a hand through his hair, a sheepish smile blushing before him. "I told myself by the time the night was through that I'd go out of my way to know you." That pain boiling just beneath my skin shook more violent. Why couldn't he just let me go? Why was he adding to the strength of my willpower to take him? His eyes wandered up and down my appearance and it felt as though I could sense a warmth on each part of my body that he took in. Just when I was about to break, his hand extended out to me and he spoke with that husky voice once more. "I'm Dick."
"I'm Kitten, Kitten Moth." Came the voice of Kitten herself as she tried to intercept his conversation.
"I'm well aware of who you are." Dick said, his eyes never leaving me, who had become more conflicted as time passed. "Its you I'm dying to know."
The irony of that statement, should I oblige in his request, was almost too much. Clearing my throat, I gave a light shrug. "I'm nobody. I should be going."
"I'll walk with you." Dick said, and it would have been appropriate for me to deny his suggestion had it been one. No, he was already leading me toward the door, a small pack of cigarettes surfacing from his dark coat.
"You know," He continued, lighting a cigarette and continuing down the path beside me in the cool night. "I've been trying to get your attention for a while now. Do you normally spend your time taunting men in the middle of the night?"
That was interesting. He was doing just the same to me, so why did he feel the need to draw attention to it? Nervousness taking a pause I narrowed my eyes. "Why were you so late to approach me if you believed me to be teasing you?"
I couldn't help the satisfaction that rushed me as he smiled once more, a small sight of those sparkling white teeth, glowing in the night. "So you admit you were aware of my interest and opted to, so rudely, ignore it and keep up your charade of forced composure?"
"Had I known I was such an inconvenient thorn in your side I would not have-"
"Don't play coy." His footing took a pause and we both faced each other in the center of the sidewalk, a stream of smoke wafting over me and igniting a further strain of excitement within. My senses were heightened and even though one could argue that I was still getting used to this whole thing, my mind had suddenly began separating the gnawing of smoke from the sweet natural scent of his liquored breath. "You were watching me too." His brows from beneath the cover of sunglasses, burrowed. "Don't deny it."
I smiled now, something that hadn't been natural in a long time. It was difficult though, I could practically taste the surplus of arrogance seeping through his pores, and wafting toward me in a rather tantalizing scent and yet, I hadn't lunged at him. I hadn't done anything aside from speak, quite coolly I might add, and this was something I was certain was not possible. How is it he could send such a frenzy of thrill through me yet keep me calm?
"Right well... if that were true than some would argue that you are as equally in the wrong as you believe me to be. I did not intend to taunt you sir, only-"
"Richard." He laughed. Hmm, I could have sworn he introduced himself as Dick before. That's not good, clearly he was becoming attached with the notion that there was anything to be had between us. "Call me Richard and... don't worry about it. Walk with me and I'll call it even."
"Its already even. We are both being accused of the same crime."
He laughed once more. "Fine, its even, but I would still appreciate the company. I'm only a block away. We can have a drink back at my place."
"You are trying to seduce me now?" I laughed. Wait? Why am I laughing? There mere suggestion of this scenario breaching limits of intimacy was something I would never survive. Well, what I mean is that he wouldn't. Which in the end would lead to a red target plastered over this city's prince. The last thing I needed was exposure. I couldn't chance it. So why am I playing along with this?
"Only if its working."
"I know your reputation Mr. Grayson. Do you truly take me for a woman comfortable with a one night stand?"
He didn't seem offended by my question, in fact he appeared to be excited, almost as though I had rendered myself a mere challenge to him. "No. But you can't really blame me for trying." he paused overlooking my appearance once more. "A woman hasn't caught my attention for longer then a few hours and you... you've kept it for three days."
My eyes immediately darkened, there was no ignoring these urges now. I didn't just want him for blood, I wanted all of him. He had taken my hand, kept me close to him in a sweet, side embrace, yet I knew I had to be careful. I needed answers.
"Three days?"
"Three days ago I saw you in that bar and leaving with a man that is now a missing person." He smiled once more, although the humor was gone, replaced with viscous suspicion. "I think its safe to say I'm very interested in what you've been up to."
I froze completely, any sign of attraction or desire disintegrating into defensiveness. I drew my body away from his in a forceful shove of an elbow to his side, eyes narrowing in a split of vision, and a small growl escaped me.
"What ever it is you think you know-"
Laughter was not something I imagined would surface from him, but it was the only thing that echoed all around me which only made me take a further step away from him, eyes observing his demeanor now.
With a fist over his mouth to hold back his chuckles, he shook his head. "Listen, I'm not saying I know anything, nor am I accusing you of being the reason someone has turned up missing, this is Gotham after all and no offense but you..." My left eye twitched as his sight crawled up me in appreciation once more. "A tiny little thing like you is not exactly intimidating."
Tiny? I had never been referred to as such a thing. My curves and height had always rendered me just outside the category of both skinny and chunky. As far as not being intimidating... well, that just goes to show how much this Billionaire thought he knew. Either way, attraction or not, because of his little reveal of suspicion in me, I would have no other option then to give way to the much stronger desires to feed from him. Looks like my decision had been made for me. Its not as though I was foolish enough to ever take the chance of being found out and like he had said, this was Gotham, people turned up missing all the time. Sure his social status would complicate things but I'd rather risk having to be exceedingly careful rather then constantly alert and paranoid on whether or not this pretty boy revealed any of tonight's altercation with me to anyone.
"And that," He continued, snapping me from my thoughts. I paused long enough to meet his curious gaze, his index finger pointing at me. "That thing you do, that look in your eyes..." he laughed, releasing a patient breath, almost dripping in desire; desire I could taste at the tip of my tongue from the close distance we shared. "I can't figure it out, but I like seeing it."
The suffocating pull he managed to force through me might have well been a form of compulsion all on its own. This man, this... Dick Grayson, sure he was human but it was now that I realized that not even I could deny the tantalizing charm he was feeding me.
A seductive smile swept my features and I raised my chin confidently, allowing my eyes to swim up his person now. The words I was about to speak would, I knew, invite chaos into my life, and yet, I couldn't stop them; at least not without sacrificing this strong inner burn to make him mine. If only I could anticipate the impending doom that this evening alone with one man, this man in particular, would lead too, then perhaps I might have reconsidered. But I didn't. I didn't even hesitate. I should have walked away; I know that now. Everything within me demanded that I turn away, at the very least take his life right then and there and disappear for a while.
It could have been the look in those piercing blue eyes and how they seemed to stare right down into the pit of darkness which once belonged to my soul and made me feel like less of a monstrosity. Perhaps it was the overwhelming charm his smile sent my way, reeling me in without my control. It could have even been the very personal and signature scent that emanated off his skin, but in the end, I had to have known why I could not flee. It was his touch. The confident and smooth domination his very skin held. The very alive presence of his arrogance was simply something that added to each sensation we had shared, but with every passing second I craved his touch further. As it were, before we had even spoken words of acknowledgment, I had done nothing more then suffer the agonizing wavelengths of his presence from his place from the corner of the bar. Now that he was standing just before me, everything seemed to be on the brink of destruction. My self control was slipping, and if I was not mistaken, he could tell. And it was more than obvious that he was enjoying my internal struggle.
"Alright, I admit defeat. I am intrigued by you as well." My head tilted to the side, and for the first time I allowed herself to fully give in to my interest in him. If the evening spent with him was to result in nothing aside from eventual death by my hand then there really was nothing wrong in enjoying the fire I felt residing between us. And my how the anticipation of his touch, which was sure to find its way to me eventually, it was intoxicating. "And that look in my eye..." Richard's brow curved at the increase of seduction in my voice which vibrated off his skin as the fierce tapping of my high heels circled him. "... tonight, its all yours." I had to fight against the pure strain of lust jabbing at me as his chest raised, breath hitched in equal desire. I swallowed hard, "That is..." My sly smile deepened, no need of an actual compelling argument to gain his persistent interest, and I took his hand, leading him down the narrow sidewalk. "... if you're still interested?"
