a/n
well I'm going to hell. clearly too many years of catholic school had a strong influence on me lol. all characters are OOC here obviously and belong to JKR, not me. not beta'ed so all errors are my own. first chapter doesn't contain anything graphic, but later chapters will warrant the rating. READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! I'm much more likely to finish the story if I get feedback! :)
It all started that one day in church.
I'd gone to mass with my family, Easter mass. It was about halfway through when I noticed him slip in through the side door with a swirl of his black felt cloak. The thick cloth spun out around his lithe frame like a dark mist against the glowing marble of the church. His hand peeking from the ends of his long tailored sleeves were an unearthly pale, long fingered and spidery. Only a sliver of equally pale throat showed from under the high mandarin collar of his jacket that just brushed his lean-shaven angular jaw. His hair was bound in a low ponytail that fell between his shoulder blades, a plain black hat covering his head to protect from the steady springtime drizzle outside. He took long strides to the front of the church before ducking into the rectory.
Minutes later he emerged near the altar, taking his place near the priests and altar boys, a seminarian they were called. No longer a child but not yet consecrated to religious service. He bowed his now-bare head in prayer, pressing the tips of his folded hands to his lips long camel-like lashes brushed his cheeks in his reverence before his gaze rose to survey the congregation. Deep shadows fell from under his eyes as if he never slept. He scanned across the pews with the air of a predator eying a flock of prey that hadn't realized the danger yet. Then he looked at me. Looked into me. I realized I'd been staring at him the whole time and blushed, looking away for a second before being drawn back to his magnetic gaze. He watched unblinking. One corner of his mouth quirked into a half smile, twisting his face into a cruel parody of attractiveness. Eyes black as tartarus never thawed from their icy appraisal, freezing the lump my heart had formed in my throat. He turned back to the ritual, unnaturally sharp upper teeth sinking into his plush lower lip.
I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. Even as we stood, knelt, sat, chanted and sang, his glowing pale skin drew my gaze. Something about his demeanor, mysterious, magnetic, shot through me each time we locked eyes. My veins turned to ice, shooting from the tips of my fingers through my lungs, licking along my stomach to settle directly in my core. I squirmed against the hard wooden pew, crossing my legs in an attempt to state the growing heat that emanated from their juncture.
Soon it came time to go forwards to receive communion. The man stood at the front alongside the priest to disperse the thick ivory wafers, placing one in the hand or on the tongue of each congregant. We filed out of the pews in two snaking lines, slowly shuffling forwards as the choir and organist played something dramatic, latin. With each step forward, my actions felt less and less my own. Only three people separated me from the man. Two. one. I bowed my head slightly as I stepped forward to receive communion from his nimble fingers. He smiled showing crooked teeth, his gaze unblinking as he seemed to stare directly into me.
"The body" he said, voice deeper than I expected from someone so slight it resonated through my bones.
"Amen" I breathed, my hands pressed together in front of me as I opened my mouth for him to place the holy disc on my tongue. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as his hand approached my face, overwhelming my senses with a rush of adrenaline. Time seemed to slow as he gave me the host, and then, lightly as if I imagined it, traced one unnaturally cold finger across my bottom lip. I could feel my blush burning even hotter in my cheeks as I returned to my seat. I do not remember the remainder of the mass, only that I could feel his eyes upon me until he left with the rest of the holy procession.