Hello Readers, welcome to my story, I haven't written a detailed summary because why ruin the plot? This is an "OC" story which follows the general storyline of the TV show as framework, but it is only used to stem creativity in my writing off. The world I have created considers you are somewhat familiar with the show but it is not something that is necessary to enjoy the story. This story will not follow the exact storyline of the show, but the characters will retain their personalities and traits.
The rating will change from T to M, when the first chapter containing M rated material is published. I am an adult, and my main characters are adults, and sex is part of being an adult so it will be an aspect of this story. I can give warnings if that is something enough readers want, but I feel like that takes away from the flow of the story.
I have written very far out, this story has been in the works for about a year and has 200,000+ words written so far. I will update frequently, for the first two seasons of the story, as I am not sure where the third season will take me. If I get the rest of the story what I have written edited sooner, I will post the entire thing. I was going to wait until I had this story finished to post, but I want to see the suggestions and criticisms or ideas that the readers have, and be able to edit chapters based on that before I post. I am not one of those writers who will beg for reviews as validation, I can see how many people are actually viewing the story. Letting me know what the story made you feel or the thoughts it provoked is something that I would love to hear though, even a quick love it or hate it, either through a review or through a private message. That being said, I wrote this story strictly for me, so as much as I want to hear everything my readers have to say, good and bad, I won't be changing any of the plot line regarding the dynamic of character's relationships, romantic and platonic.
Review any comments, questions, or concerns you have about the story I love to hear anything. I hope you like reading the story as much as I liked writing it!
-C
Allison sat at the bar of Rousseau's frowning at the glass she had just emptied. Her mind focused on the hours of studying she had just done, and the amount of work she still needed to get done before class the following day. Sighing, the young woman looked up at her friend and roommate who was helping another customer across the bar. She lifted up her glass and met the blonde's gaze. "Pour me up another one Cami." She rolled her eyes at her slightly drunk friend and moved to do as she requested.
"Don't you think you should slow down Aliie, you have that torts exam tomorrow right?" Cami scolded her college friend with a tone of humor, while pouring her drink.
"Why do you think I'm here? I've studied for the past 12 hours and I've simply accepted that I will fail this exam, probably the class." Allison stated as she downed the drink Cami had just placed in front of her and motioned for the blonde to keep pouring her another until the glass was almost full with the light brown liquid.
Cami rolled her eyes and laughed slightly at her intoxicated friend. The bell above the front door of the bar rang as the door opened, causing the girl's attention to be diverted. The man that walked in made Allison do a double take, and watch him out of the corner of her eye as he made his way to the bar. She had never seen him in this bar, let alone New Orleans before.
He was tall, reaching about six foot and wore a suit that looked like it cost him a few thousand dollars at least. He had short brown hair, high cheekbones, and a strong jawline. The man looked to be in his mid twenties and had a muscular build. He was refined to a tee, and Allison could practically sense the powerful and dangerous vibe that emitted from him.
Allison caught his brown-hazel eyes for half a second before she looked away, embarrassed and slightly blushing because he had caught her so shamelessly looking at him from over her shoulder. The dark haired man gave the woman sitting at the bar a small smile that she didn't see as she had turned her head away so quickly. He sat at the bar a few seats down from Allison causing her to smile slightly at his choice of seat. She sipped on her drink and scrolled through her phone trying and failing to no not let her eyes travel to the very attractive man that had just entered the bar.
Cami stepped over so that she was in front of the man and gave her usual greeting and asked what he needed to drink. After ordering a dry martini, Cami began to make small talk with the man as she prepared the drink. Allison instinctively listened to her friend's conversation trying to distract herself from the impending stress of her post secondary education. "So what brings you to the big easy?" The bartender asked casually, placing the finished drink in front of him.
"I used to live here" A smooth and deep old american accented voice responded. Of course his voice is like velvet. She couldn't imagine that the man could be any more perfect and there it was, every time he opened his mouth that deep accented voice would be caressing each word. She briefly wondered how her name would sound coming out of his mouth. Being in her carefree drunken manner she took the opportunity to observe him closer up. His perfectly styled dark brown hair, incredibly square jaw line, and a smile that would make any girls' panties drop. She scoffed lightly at her thoughts and rolled her eyes at herself before looking back to her Instagram feed.
"Really when?" Allison barely heard Cami respond being lost in her own thoughts of the man. This was by far the best distraction she had the entire evening.
"Oh it feels like a hundred years ago." Allison fully broke out of her trance when she heard him speak again. She mentally scolded her drunk self for being so immersed in this man. The world was full of hot guys, and they usually ended up being cocky jerks. Allison had more than enough experience in that department she should not consider going down that path again. She was done getting stuck in relationships, being walked all over by guys, being pushed around and having to sacrifice her happiness for them. She thought back to her last significant relationship, it had been in high school and lasted two years until she graduated and moved in at college. That had been a hard relationship to end, but it was one she had been wasting all too much of her time on. Allison hadn't had an official boyfriend since then, choosing to simply have flings and focus on her social and educational life of college without the ever present stress and drama that came with relationships.
"What brought you back?" Cami's voice broke Allison out of her thoughts once again. The effects of her alcohol were not as strong as she would like them to be, she finished off her drink so she could quickly order another one.
"My brother seems to be in the city somewhere, I am afraid he might have gotten himself in to a bit of a bind." Allison vaguely picked up what the man said as she contemplated what drinks to order next, deciding to mix it up a little bit before she would eventually walk herself home and pass out until her class in the morning.
"You say that like it's a common occurrence." Cami said to the man. Allison moved her eyes to more blatantly watch her friend and the mystery man in hopes of getting her attention.
"He's complicated, defiant, ill mannered, a little temperamental. See we don't share the same father, and while that's never bothered me, my brother resents it deeply, never felt like he belonged. All told, he has a long history of getting himself in to trouble." The mystery man explained.
Allison took the opportunity to insert herself in to their conversation, in hopes of another beverage from Cami. "Well he sounds like an ass. I'm guessing you have a long history of getting him out of trouble." Elijah's eyes shot to her and his eyes curiously ran over the girl who was clearly listening to their conversation, not that Elijah had minded too much. Allison fidgeted slightly under his gaze. Her long, light brown hair, was pulled to the top of her head in a messy bun with a few strands falling around her face. She hadn't put much, if any, effort in to how she had looked when she came to visit Cami at the bar, and now she wished she had. She had just come from spending all day on campus, at classes and studying in the library. She had on leggings and a plain white tee shirt that was cropped, ending less than an inch above the waistband of her leggings. A simple heart necklace sat around her neck, but other than that there was nothing fancy or appealing about what she was wearing, nothing fancy or appealing enough to live up to the man in a thousand-dollar suit sitting only a few seats away from her.
"Sorry to interrupt, I just need that lovely ray of sunshine to replenish my recently empty drink." Allison pointed to Cami, who rolled her eyes in a playful manner at her friend. "Can you just make me an old fashioned Cami? You know how I like them." The blonde nodded and started preparing the drink. Allison then turned to meet the man's eyes, which he found trained on herself. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop; I was just distracting myself from my stressful life with what seems like an equally stressful life of your own." She laughed, trying to take attention away from the fact she had just rudely interrupted his conversation.
He smiled at her apology and responded to her statement, "You have no idea." Allison couldn't help but sense a double meaning behind that statement but didn't feel that she was in a place to question it. Cami came back shortly with her drink and she took a nice long sip. "You seem like your trying to deal with some issues of your own." The man observed in a passive tone.
"Just school, a very stressful time in one's life. Cami and I know all about it. We're fighting through it together." Allison responded with a bit of humor. "So what kind of bind is your brother in?" Allison directed the conversation away from her and back on to the man, something she knew how to do all to well. Though he didn't miss the subtle attempt she used at deflecting and redirecting.
"He seems to think that there are people in this town conspiring against him." He stated in a slightly disbelieving tone.
"Wow narcissistic and paranoid." Cami threw in her psychological analysis of this man's brother as she leaned in a slightly more comfortable position against the bar, in between the two patrons. Allison chucked at her friend and the man simply folded his hands together and looked at Cami. "Sorry, bartender getting a grad degree in psychology. Total cliché I know."
"Listen," The man began, he looked at her name tag, "Camille. And I apologize, I didn't catch your name." He directed at Allison.
"Allison, people call me Allie though." The brunette shrugged.
"Well, Camille, Allison, I'm looking for someone who might shed some light on this current predicament, Jane Ann Deveraux, any idea where I might find her?" The man asked. Allison couldn't help but smile as her heart picked up hearing Elijah say her name. She couldn't help but want him to say it again, in the accent Allison found incredibly sexy.
"No, I don't" Cami shrugged her shoulders, and turned to an older man sitting at the other end of the bar trying to get her attention. "Sorry." The bartender turned and focused on the other customers in the bar, trying to make what little tips she would that night.
"I know someone who might." Allison spoke up. The man turned more fully to Allison and waited for her to continue. "There's this woman her name is Sabine. She gives tours around the French quarter, she always seems to know a little bit of everything that's happening in the city. I hope that helps" Allison finished sincerely.
"It has very much so, thank you for your help Allison." He then pulled out his wallet and grabbed two crisp hundred dollar bills, setting them on the bar. Great, he has money too, if the expensive suit was anything to go by. Definitely something that Allison didn't need to get involved in, but she had a bit of a habit of getting in to things she shouldn't. "Have your drinks on me and make sure your lovely friend Camille gets a nice tip. It was a pleasure meeting you." Allison couldn't help but blush slightly at the way the word pleasure was an octave lower and more drawn out than his other words. The man then stood up to leave, needing to follow the lead the young woman had given him, but was stopped when Allison spoke again.
"Wait, I didn't get your name." Allison rushed to get her words out, she at least wanted to know the name of this illusive man. She didn't think she would be able to handle the mystery more if she didn't at least know his name.
"Elijah." He answered with the slightest hesitation, not wanting to give the woman too much information about himself. Elijah. Allison fought the urge to say his name out loud. It suited him well.
"Will you be in town long?" She asked out of pure curiosity. It may not be a good idea to get involved with him in any sense, but she couldn't ignore the instant attraction and alluring pull that she felt looking at him.
"As long as I need to be." He answered cryptically, and made his way to leave again. Allison let him go this time. She finished off her drink and waved Cami over to her. The bartender put up a finger indicating she needed a minute, which caused Allison to nod and pull out her phone. Elijah. Allison typed in to her Facebook search bar. She wanted to know more about the man, but she didn't have a last name to go on, so it was like finding a particular needle in a rather large pile of needles.
"So pretty cute huh?" Cami approached her friend, wiping off random spots on the bar.
"You know the hot ones are always the worst Cami. But I have to admit he is some major eye candy." Allison laughed along with her friend. "He even paid for my drinks." She gestured at the two hundred dollar bills that sat on the bar. "Considering you don't make me pay for them, I believe that's your tip." She pushed one of the hundred dollar bills towards her friend. "This? I'm going to give back if I ever see him again."
Cami laughed at her friend. "Want another excuse to talk to him?"
"Maybe." Allison dragged out the word as she put the large bill in to the ID holder attached to her keys that sat in her backpack that hung on the back of the bar chair.
Allison stayed at the bar and chatted with Cami until her shift ended and she started closing up. Normally Allison would be helping her but she decided that she needed to head out for the night. "Alright Cami, as much as I love you, I should get back to reality and at least try to pass this Torts exam."
"You going to be alright getting home?" Cami questioned with a tone of worry in her voice. She had seen the kind of nights that drinking has gotten Allison in to. She then assured Cami that she would be okay and would see her when she got back to their apartment. Saying their goodbyes, Allison swung her backpack on to one shoulder and stepped out of the bar, on to the streets of New Orleans. The night life was still in full force. One of the things Allison truly loved about New Orleans was that the city never seemed to rest and the party never seemed to end. There was always something to do, people walking around the streets, drinking and dancing.
Allison turned down a familiar ally in order to take advantage of a short cut home, but she quickly realized that it might have been a mistake to take this way. There was a group, mostly of men with a few women, standing and talking about half way down the alley. She normally wouldn't think too much of it, but she got a dark feeling coming off of the group. Swallowing any fears, Allison kept her eyes down as she made her way through the ally to walk past them.
Trying to block out their voices and laughs, not even daring to look up at their faces, she walked past them. Just as she passed the last man, she was pushed in to the brick wall of a building. Her backpack stopped her back from impacting with the wall, but didn't stop her head from slamming violently against the side of the building. She groaned as pain erupted in her head.
"Well, well, well a snack." A dark skinned male with afro like hair said in to her ear, his eyes were fixated on her neck as veins appeared under his eyes and they became incredibly bloodshot. Not knowing what to do or think about the situation she was in, Allison swallowed and closed her eyes.
All of a sudden a voice shouted from behind them, coming from the group. "Diego, enough!" The man's hold on her instantly disappeared as he let go of her causing her knees to give out from under her and fall to the ground. Allison breathed out a sigh of relief and coughed a couple times, grabbing her neck she looked up at the group.
"Allie?" Stated deep confused voice. Her brows furrowed as she looked up at her friend who stood above her with a frown on his face.
"Marcel?" Allison managed to gasp out in question. She was instantly relieved when she saw her friend but scared as to what the man that attacked her was. Marcel extended his hand out, wanting to help his human friend to her feet. She grabbed it and he easily pulled her up.
"A, what are you doing here?" She heard the concern in his voice.
"Walking home." Allison shrugged.
"You should know better than to go wandering around alone at night, especially in alleys." He worried for Allison's safety. Marcel and Allison's relationship was a bit difficult to describe, they were more than friends, Marcel looked out for her, cared about her. They met back when Allison first moved to New Orleans. She remembered it all to well, a new place, new people and all that she was trying to escape from overwhelmed her. Most of the time she didn't even know why she was crying all she knew was that she felt this pain in her chest, like someone was squeezing her heart. She had left, transferred schools, running from something or too something, she didn't even really know anymore.
She had left her new two-bedroom apartment she had just moved in to with Cami and went out for a walk, hoping the fresh air would do her some good and ended up on a bench outside of some park crying her eyes out as her reality crashed around her. She was in a new city, and could count the amount of people that she knew on one hand.
Marcel had found her like that. As a vampire he shouldn't have cared about this human girl that he had no connection whatsoever to crying, however his humanity took over in that moment and he went to talk to her. She was still a kid, just a year or two out of high school all alone in a big dangerous city. He always had a weakness for kids, so he sat down next to her. They ended up talking for hours. Allison was grateful for the compassion and the "shoulder to cry on" that Marcel gave. He made sure she got home safe, and after that night, they became friends. Seeing each other at bars, partying together, grabbing coffee and lunch, and simply talking through each others' problems. He helped her deal with her issues and move on in New Orleans and above anything else, he made sure she stayed safe.
Allison knew vampires existed, well she had heard the stories. They were all too well known of an existence, by now most of the population had at least heard some rumor of vampires in the city, but she didn't know that had anything to do with Marcel. In fact, she had never actually come in contact with one that she knew of. She also knew that Marcel was somewhat powerful in this city but she never really paid attention to what exactly went on in the power hierarchy of the city. He would occasionally have people coming up to him when they were hanging out or would recognize police or congressmen in the city. She had been too immersed in her college education and social life to notice what was right in front of her.
Allison was brought out of her thoughts when Marcel touched her arm and noticed a cut along her forearm from being thrown against the wall. She swore slightly under her breath as she lifted her arm to inspect it, causing more blood to exit the shallow wound. All of the vampires standing in the group, excluding Marcel, developed red eyes and veins popped out under them. They barred their teeth at her and she could see the fangs they had. Allison's heart raced as she shrunk back against Marcel. She had heard of the existence of vampires but never thought she would encounter them. She was scared beyond belief and her worried eyes met Marcel.
She watched Marcel's expression go from passive to angry within half a second. He glared at the people surrounding them and yelled, "Control yourselves! Get out of here right now!" The vampires looked confused but knew better than to disobey Marcel's direct orders. They sped away leaving Allison and Marcel alone in the alley.
"What the hell?" Was the only thought Allison could form at the moment. Marcel just stared at her gauging her reaction. "A-A-Are they v-vampires." She could barely manage to get the word out. She didn't know what to think. Why would Marcel be with these people? Why would such powerful creatures just follow what Marcel had to say? Unless… "Are you a vampire?" Allison managed to ask with more conviction.
"Listen Allie, I can explain everything to you." Marcel started, sorting through his mind on what he could possibly say to make the situation better. He couldn't compel her because he had her ingesting vervain so no vampire would compel her or be able to drink from her without causing themselves pain. Allison waited for him to continue, narrowing her watery eyes, "Vampires are real, most of them are kept inside during they day, but they are all out at night. They drink blood but keep from killing when they can. And they are definitely not supposed to go anywhere near the locals."
"You're saying they, does that mean you aren't one?" Allison asked a little less out of fear and more out of curiosity.
She figured if he was going to kill her, he would have done it already. And she could not see how Marcel could be a monster. He had been like an older brother to her, helping her with school, giving advice, showing her around the city. There was no way he could be a vampire. But all of her concerns were justified when he said, "I'm not going to lie to you A, you deserve better than that, so here it goes. Yes, I am a vampire. I am also hundreds of years old." Allison was shocked at this revelation; she would have never thought that he could be a vampire. She was about to say something when Marcel cut her off, "I run New Orleans, like the king of the city. I keep everything and everyone in line, keep the tourism rolling in and everything going smoothly in the quarter specifically." Allison's jaw dropped at that. The king? Keep everyone in line? What did that all mean?
Allison was lost in her thoughts trying to sort everything out, questions firing off in her mind one after the other before she had time to ask just one. Marcel's voice brought her out of her trance. "A, this doesn't change anything. I still look out for you, I'm still here for ya." He took a step closer to her and she instinctively took one back. "Come on Allie, I'm still me, you just know a little more about me now."
Allison suddenly gave in to the anger that spread throughout her body and glared up at Marcel, "What about everything that you told me about your childhood, about growing up in this city and having parents that didn't want you? Was all that a lie because you obviously weren't born in the 1980's. Everything that you ever related to me about your life was obviously a lie!" Allison crossed her arms and continued glaring waiting for a response.
Marcel sighed and continued explaining, "I was a slave for most of my early childhood, whipped, beaten, malnourished, separated from my mother, disowned by my father, hated by my owners and treated as garbage. Eventually I was rescued and raised by a family of vampires and eventually turned in to one. Maybe everything I told you didn't have the right time context but it was all true. I wouldn't lie to ya, A."
Allison didn't say anything, she just looked at him, trying to find a sign that he was lying but came up empty. She needed to get away, there was too much going through her mind right now, she couldn't think straight. She turned and started walking towards her apartment without a word hoping that Marcel would just let her go, but she knew she probably wasn't going to be that lucky.
His hand shot out and grabbed her arm, "Wait Allie, say something, talk to me." He stated desperately.
"I don't have anything to say Marcel, I need to think about this, process. I need you to leave me alone." She was nervous that he wouldn't let her go. She begged him with her eyes, she felt like she might break down if she couldn't get away and process this. "Let me go." She said strongly as she tore her arm away from him. Clearly if he wanted to keep her there, he could but there was too much going on the quarter and if she needed space and time to process this, that's what he would give her.
Allison was surprised and grateful that she was able to make her way to her apartment. Cami hadn't gotten back yet so she decided to take a nice hot shower and wash away all of the day's stresses. She went over everything that Marcel said, trying to piece together what was going on. On one hand many things made a lot more sense now that she knew he was a vampire and that he was the one running the city. But there was a part of her that was terrified of what he and other vampires could do to her, or to Cami or anyone she cared about. It would be best to distance herself from this entire world all together and try to enjoy her life going to college and living it normally without any vampire influence. However, she had a feeling that wouldn't be the case.
Thank you! Review or message any initial reactions you had to the story. I love hearing the thoughts and feelings my writing provokes.