Author's Note:
This story is taken off an RP that I had and particularly enjoyed because of it's depth. Larry Cooper is my character, and all the sections with LARRY at the top are the ones that I've written. Nic Turner is my friend's character, and all the posts with NIC at the top are ones that she's written. I didn't change her posts at all except for spellchecking them. These characters are copyrighted to their respective owners.
Enjoy!
LARRY:
There were about three things that weren't too bright in this whole situation. One, there was the sky. It was sometime in the late evening, and the sun had already hidden behind the buildings of Diagon Alley and made Knockturn Alley even darker than it was during the day- and it was pretty gloomy during the sunlit hours. The second thing was the street lights. They weren't too bright- there was about one that flickered dimly on and off, but it seemed that all of the others had burned out years ago. And the third thing was the young man that was casually strolling down Knockturn Alley in these conditions while whistling. Whistling a cheerful tune.
This young man was Larry Cooper, a former Hogwarts student who had decided just to not come back the to school the next year because of the letter he had received that 'suggested' that he retake sixth year because of his rather low grades. Like he was going to do that. Miss out going on to seventh year- have to take classes with a bunch of lower classmen and only see his friends at lunch or when he went back to his dormitory? Not fun. Definitely not fun. So he figured, who needs to graduate Hogwarts anyways? It doesn't matter in the real world. And that's where he was now... the real world.
That is, if the real world was Knockturn Alley in the late evening with him idling underneath a flickering streetlamp. There Larry was, leaning his back against the streetlamp pole with a map in his hands. Yes, he had a map. The poor kid had managed to wind himself rather deep into Knockturn Alley, and all these twists and turns and backways and frontways had turned his head upside-down. He had come down to look around, since he had never been allowed down there when he went to Hogwarts. Now that he was his own man he could do whatever he wanted.. and that included getting terribly, terribly lost.
"Uugh. I don't even think this is the right map." He mumbled to himself, turning the piece of paper the other way around for what seemed like the millionth time. The young man scratched his head and squinted at the map again. He had bought it off a crazy old lady who had seemed truthful enough, though her periodical cackling sort of threw him off. He was desperate for a map, so he bought the thing anyways, and it had set him back six whole sickles. He could have bought three butterbeers with that money. This map didn't seem to be leading him anywhere.
NIC:
About as bright as a lump of coals after a fire was the direct thought of a sleek yet roughly outlined individual. Black coat kept him sheathed within the shadows, not but the moonlight once in a while caught the slow turn of his head, allowing the highlight of a few bleached strands, or the silver glimmer of his belt with a momentary shift of his weight. Black leather coat hung at his broad shoulders, even for being already so tall, he looked immense, his uneased figure tense in the darkness of a nearby Alley.
A pair of soulless eyes seemed to read the scene before him like a book. The scent that ran through eager nostrils was uncanningly strong, drifting with a passing breeze every once in a while. A narrowed gaze kept heavy upon his uneasy gaze. What was this? The scent had led him to quite the vulnerability if he did say so himself. Tense as Nic was he seemed to keep his eager self at a cool for the time being... Though he didn't expect to hold on for much longer. The deadly poison that moistened at his fangs grew thick. Glistening then like ivory diamonds. The corners of his nose wrinkled as a smirk was laid heavily across his face. The souls of his boots silently allowed him to shift in the darkness. His attention shifting ever once in a while for any other sign of movement, his nose powering through the wind for any other stray scent. His gaze kept heavily narrowed. Fang's unsheathed still within his jaw... Their deadly razors ready to penetrate anything in his path...
It wasn't so much hunger as it was eagerness for chaos. Yes the man had an uncanny longing for it, as did any vampire; to bite was merely a habit that needed controlling, more like an instinct without it... Either way, Nic had hit peak of his waiting. The muscle within his clenched jaw tensed. Slightly trembling hands fisted then relaxed within his coat pockets. His breath was seen in silver clouds before him. His nerves of steel were being melted into scrap, it scent a dead shiver down his spine, and he couldn't wait any longer. From afar his heightened vision watched the pulse beat ever so slightly within his victim's neck, just beneath his jaw... The boy's heart beat wasn't at a race, nor was it slow and calm...
Within the shadows Nic's figure had disappeared, silently he had managed to suddenly appear a way behind the young man, though no longer in an alley way he still remained within shade. Though somewhat visible what did he care? He remained silent as ever, he seemed to glide upon his boots, his lifeless breath undetectable. He watched the young man for moments at a time, barely able to hold off any longer...
Feeling the warmth the flickering streetlight had to offer, Nic's cold left hand seemed to fly within a split second locking strong at his victims mouth, turning his head ever so slightly yet holding the boy close. His other arm had locked the boys opposite arm behind him. It all happened within a moment... But... he held off a moment longer... feeling the warmth of the boy's blood radiate from his flesh. Fangs continued to glisten. His smirk returned. "Tsk.. tsk.. tsk..." slowly but with a somewhat calm and smooth rhythm to it Nic had finally sounded. "You should know better then to wander these streets unarmed, boy..." his voice hadn't changed, though it was a good bit deeper and slower, eerie within each syllable.
LARRY:
Woooho. There was that feeling- the feeling that someone was watching you. Larry glanced up from the map for a moment, unable to shake off that feeling of someone's eyes on the back of his head- or neck. The young man shook his head and with that movement tried to shake off the sense. It disappeared for a few minutes... and returned. It seemed closer. The hairs on the back of his neck raised and he felt a slight tremor run down his spine, even though Larry had no idea what he felt scared about. He looked around, peering into the darkness, trying to spot any figure of whoever might be watching him.
He saw nothing. After a hard stare at the darkness that surrounded him, he shrugged and glanced back down at his map again, pondering the thing. There wasn't even any magical moving 'you are here' dot that seemed to come with all wizarding maps today. It was just an old yellowed piece of parchment with some squiggles and marks on it! Why, if he got his hands on the old spinster that had sold him the map in the first place, he would just-
-And suddenly he felt what he wanted to do to the old woman who had tricked him suddenly happening to him. The former Hufflepuff's arm was wrenched behind his back and another unusually cold one slapped over his mouth. His pulse was racing now and his eyes opened wide, looking to the extent of his vision to see who had grabbed him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Nic. Ooh crap. His arm was stuck. His head was stuck. And his wand was stuck in his back pocket.
Nic made his comment. Larry tried to explain that he wasn't unarmed, he had his wand with him, but with a hand over his mouth all that came out was 'murffgrramfwan' and a bunch of spittle all over Mercer's palm. He wiggled the fingers that were now behind his back at a position he never really thought he was limber enough to do, and wasn't that just peachy. His wand wasn't close enough to snatch. Then again it wouldn't really do much good because Larry didn't remember any offensive or defensive spells. He would have probably just whacked Nic with and run.
..."Mrfftharrfow?" Larry timidly questioned. Not that Nic would be able to understand it, never mind answer it. Man, is this guy was going to mug him than he picked the wrong guy to steal from... because Larry had about three knuts left from that cheap old woman who had ripped him off.
NIC:
Smirk continued to hold strong to his pale face. The flickering light above not exactly giving much help to anyone here. Nic's keen seeing in the dark managed to let his see every detail, and feel every off movement this victim was giving. Every slight detail was being captured within his mind, every shift of weight, and every breath...
Smirk widened, gaze continued to narrow. A small, light chuckle sounded only more a moment from Nic's vocals as he sensed the boy's heart begin to beat faster. The warm blood within his veins radiated off, Nic's gaze slowly turned to Larry's. Ah, wise he was...
The mumbles and tones of his inaudible 'words' seemed to go unnoticed, at least not as much as the quite wet message that was now slimed across his pocketing palm. Nic's gaze narrowed further, an inaudible sigh escaped his mouth, he figured shutting this human up would be easier, besides, by the smell of things, the boys blood wasn't all that rich... He fought the urge to move his palm, and instead let a bit of anger seep out within his super-human strength, he kept it low for the moment, feeling Larry's twisting fingers, he tensed his locked arm and tightened his hold on Cooper's, making a bit more of an uncomfortable pain then anything...
Nic sensed the boy's slowly declining patience and allowed himself to stay silent before his sheathed fangs ran along his victim's neck, staying on the surface for merely a moment. Nic tensed as he penetrated the warm flesh, his exceptionally tight hold seemed to hold the young man in place. Far too young to be wandering along now isn't he? But... before Nic's full appetite seemed to grow empty, he lifted his quite satisfied attention and threw the boy forward, holding an eerie smirk across his devilish expression. As he released Larry he lightly laughed yet again, "Welcome..." he spoke with his suave accent, and it was English indeed, though hinted with more of an ancient tone to it. Not one you herd by everyday people on the street. It was a bit more dated. Boy, did this satisfied blood-sucker not know what he was in for... Making a meal of this victim would have saved him probably a good while into his existence. Nic's own poison, his own unique flow of a sire's liquid now ran through the blood of another, one to follow in his path... one Nic was soon going to regret noticing in the streets...
LARRY:
Ow, this guy was crazy. This was the thought that went through Larry's head as his arm was twisted even farther behind his back. If Nic didn't have a hand over his mouth he would have just told him where his money and valuables were located on her person (and if he had a hand free he would have just gotten them and given them to his assumed mugger himself) so he could just head on home with his own new first-time-living-on-my-own horror story. Cooper didn't realize yet that Nic was a vampire. The fangs, cold flesh and disinterest in money hadn't clued him in yet.
And then- BLOODY HELL HE WAS ABITING HIS NECK WTF. Larry let out a shout from behind Nic's hand and tried to get out and under from his attacker, but to no avail. The damage had already been done and he was released rather rudely. Larry stumbled forward, instantly clapping a hand to his neck where he felt two little swelling holes with his finger. He stared at Nic while hurriedly trying to walk away from him... and then starting throwing things at him with his other hand (the first was still on his neck).
"Here! Take my money! And my watch! And- this old gum wrapped! Didn't have to bite me for it, I could have just given it to you. Ever heard of asking?! No one has any manners these days." Out from his pockets came the items he had mentioned, throwing them at Nic's feet as he announced each one. The last sentence was mumbled more to himself than anything. Then Nic spoke and said 'welcome'. Larry mistook this as 'you're welcome' instead of what the vampire might have really meant.
"'Welcome'?! What, you think I'm supposed to thank you for biting off my neck and taking my stuff?" (Which Larry was throwing at him) "Well nooo sir-rie, I'll do nothing of the sort. Maybe I'll- I'll- I've got a wand! OoOoho, I went to Hogwarts!" he failed to mention he hadn't finished, but whipped out his wand anyways and waved it about in an overdramatic and rather ridiculous manner. "I could just ... do some spell and make you get all beaten up, I could! OooOoh, not so tough now, eh? Eh? You and your biting. It's not a very civilized way to act, now, is it?"
NIC:
Nic's quite satisfied smile allowed the rest of him to calm down to the state he's usually in, now that he had released some venom into some victim, his nerves shouldn't continue to be standing on edge... His slim yet strong figure tensed in the flickering light. As he threw Larry forward without hesitation he merely remained where he stood, taking only a few steps forward before feeling a quite heavy watch fling into his abdomen. Real cute... what the heck was wrong with this kid?! How slow could he be?! Actually, more like what was wrong with Nic? He'd bitten an insane teenager... Whether or not the kid was stupid was beside him, it was more the fact he was still standing up. Oh well, There wasn't a doubt in Nic's mind that he had released some venom, he was almost dripping it...
As the watch fell to the cold cobblestone beneath Nic's feet the man's satisfied smirk had fallen to a slightly puzzled look on his face. He was just waiting for the moment this strangely ranting man was going to calm his ass down and probably fall over... But, in the meantime he held his lifeless, cold hands up as a small defense to deflect the flying items being randomly and still confusingly thrown at his face. He glanced at them as they landed at his feet.
After giving his somewhat untaken greeting to the now soulless Larry Cooper, Nic just stood there, baffled yet again with a blank and unamused look on his pale face. Gaze narrowed quite heavily, and his jaw clenched, he almost looked as though he were slightly cringing... Still, as the boy ranted, Nic said nothing, he was interrupted a good few times... "Ki--" and then again "Kid I---" until finally Nic took a stand after somewhat dodging something that looked like a piece of random paper crumpled up in a ball, his voice finally carried, deep and as loud as it was. "KID!... I don't want your goods!... although if you are offering them to me..." he seemed to somewhat yell, listening as it echoed off the brick walls of the street before allowing him to calm down a bit, he reached down and picked up Cooper's watch, examining it's value he could rip some defenseless and frankly poor dealer in some shop along here, bribing the dealers life for it's value. But at the moment he was more preoccupied with not wanting this seemingly deranged victim to run off on him. But judging by his next action, that didn't seem to be a problem. "Look, kid, what's yer name?" he spoke loudly, his more civilized ways returning to him, he still bared his fangs within his jaw, but made no effort to really bare them out as an upcoming threat, instead he just watched Larry with a bit of an ownership to him. The look in Nic's lifeless eyes was a bit more then needed, but they were focused and seemed knowledgeable enough. Usually Nic never needed to really explain this to a victim, he was usually supporting them until they returned to his layer, also known as Nic's home... He figured tonight would be different... and he wasn't talking about the kid's brain capacity...
"Kid, I don't know what the hell a Hogwarts is, but I think we're on different pages... just put your wand down..." Nic slightly held up a cold slender hand, not expecting this to do much, but if there was one other thing a vampire had a right to be wary of, it was magic... Not that there was any that could kill them, but Nic had met times before by another individual that had claimed him vulnerable, ever since Nic's discovery of wands, or what looked like them, he'd been slightly more careful, especially around Arien Mandel, sure he fails to be afraid of the guy, but he wouldn't exactly try much with him anymore, besides, his aged blood was a bit more of a waste... But there was many a spell that could distract, or contain them, making their vulnerability level soar... Besides, Nic hadn't the slightest clue whether or not this different one could actually do anything to him. Though slowly, as he watched Larry somewhat flick his wand to and fro in the air, Nic's danger level seemed to steadily being to decrease, he was beginning to feel the harmless vibe radiating from this very confused teen before him. "Kid, you're a Vampire!... now put it away..." Nic wasn't trying to be funny, he just did what he usually did, he got to the point, sweet and simple as it was and delivered the facts, boy did he not know what he was in for...
LARRY:
Whooo, it was getting hot in here. Larry was still feeling a bit ... crazy after what had just happened to him, and continued to try and talk over his attacker as Nic stepped closer and closer. With each step he came towards the rather confused teenager, the teenager took a step backwards so that Larry could be as far away from Nic as possible. His heart was beating like crazy. Larry continued to jab his wand at the vampire in what he could only hope was a somewhat intimidating fashion, but anyone could see that it wasn't doing any good and that the young Hogwarts dropout didn't have any idea what he was doing.
And then suddenly, his heart wasn't beating that fast any more. Why, it didn't even feel like it was beating hardly at all... and that's when the pain decided to rear its ugly head. His rather hyperactive actions before seemed to have at least distracted him from the vampire venom that was shooting through his veins, but now that he took just a moment to calm down it was too late. It felt like every vein in his body was on fire- it was searing molten lava spreading to the ends of his fingers and the tips of his toes and everywhere else in his body that once carried blood.
Cooper was on the ground in an instant with a shout, just sort of laying there as his brain tried to process about a dozen things at once- which included what on earth he was supposed to grab in pain when everything, including his arms, were in pain. What he had heard last was Mercer's explanation of why he had been biting him. He was a vampire? Well, wasn't that peachy! He hadn't really thought there were any active ones around London... but then again, he wasn't really too concerned about thinking at the moment. He was more concerned about the fact that his BODY WAS ON FIRE.
His lip felt odd (other than the fact that it, with the rest of his body, seemed to be jabbed with a thousand swords). There was something poking them- he ventured to poke out his tongue and run it along his teeth and was horrified to find that his lovely eyeteeth had lengthened into fierce some blood-sucking fangs. His writhed around on the dirty ground and continued to shout and scream. He caught sight of his hands; they were really pale. Gah, what happened to the tan he had worked all summer for?! Oooh, this was really painful. He never thought being a vampire would be this...
...hard. And then the pain started to ebb away as his heartbeat did the same. He lay there on his back, staring up at the dark sky with a rather blank look on his face. Wooah. He felt all. Sooooulless. Actually, he felt pretty tired. The pain, heartbeat... and his consciousness... were alllll driiiifting awaaaaay.