Jefferson always thought the village people were idiots. Garlic won't save you from an ancient being. It just seemed too ridicules, made up by a madman. Then again, people called him mad too. Mad that he wanted to visit the dark castle near the lake.
Mad to enter.
Mad to be curious.
Yet after the old oak door creaked open he wished he had taken some garlic with him. Shadows owned this place, emptiness ruled beside it. Carefully he looked into the large hall. He could make out dark shapes but his eyes weren't used to darkness. Maybe if they were, they would be able to spot the shadow creeping along the staircase.
Stepping inside he pulled his coat closer to him. The coldness surprised him. Outside autumn had just started, in here was everlasting winter. That was odd but still he carried on, he had something to prove. There were no such things as vampires.
A creature that feeds of others and bursts into flames when in contact with sunlight? Fairy tales, made to keep children of the streets at night.
The villagers were stupider then he thought. There was no sign of life in the castle. Dust covered nearly every surface and spiders had made mansions in the corners. The only thing he needed to do was to spend the night here and return to the village in the morning, then they would believe him.
If he so fiercely believed then why did he feel as if eyes were following him through the room? He looked around the room again, his eyes adjusted to darkness now. Shapes turned into furniture and could make out two grand staircases leading to the floor above. Did something just shoot up them? No, his mind must be playing tricks.
He marched up the right staircase, wincing at the dust the covered the railings. From up here he could overlook the hall a bit better. He concluded that nothing of interest was to be found, perhaps on the upper floor.
When he moved up the staircase a cold gust of wind flew past him, he couldn't stop the shudder that went down his spine. Once he reached the top he saw that he had reached a crossroad of sorts.
One long dark hallway ahead of him and two at his side. With a deep sigh he started to walk ahead.
That was his original plan when a noise from his right made him jump. Every single hair on his body stood up.
Everything in him screamed run, but he is a stubborn man.
With a deep breath he moved down the other hallway towards the noise. It had been to loud to be a rat, a cat perhaps? He was shaken from his thoughts when he heard the creak of a door.
Did that door close of its own? No there must be a draft or something.
Now that he was standing on front of it he somehow knew this was the moment. He could turn back know, with his tail between his legs to the villagers who would laugh at him.
Yeah not going to happen.
A deep breath and he placed his hands upon the door. Quickly he swung it open, what he found was a bedroom. He was surprised to find a fire roaring inside. Slowly he made his way over to it, hoping it would provide him some warmth in this cold place.
He knew he screwed up when the door closed behind him with a loud bang. His heart nearly beating out of his chest.
Before he knew it there was a hand on his shoulder. Slowly he turned to look at it. Long sharp nails and it had a sickly white sheen, as if it had no life at all.
Shit.
In his other ear a voice whispered. "And who must I thank to send me such a delicious meal?"
The voice send a shudder of …something down his spine. Whatever stood behind him snaked its other arm around his waist. He couldn't hold in the gasp as it pulled him flush against him.
He felt air against his neck, it was sniffing him? He tried to turn but the creature had a strong grip in him.
"Get off me!"
He trashed his whole body around, managing to free him but in his attempt he also lost his balance. This caused him to fall backwards, on his back with his face towards the other. When he opened his eyes to face it he felt all colour drain from his face.
Before him stood a man, as stunning as the night himself. A long cape draped around him, blue that brought out his eyes. The shirt that he wore underneath hung open a bit, exposing a toned chest.
But his face is what did Jefferson in him. He looked like an angel send from heaven. Absolutely perfect. Eyes drawn to the others lips he nearly imagined how those would feel against him when he saw them.
Fangs.
This caused his eyes to widen in surprise, looks like the villagers were right after all. Maybe they should have included that vampires were absolutely gorgeous.
The other man chuckled and the sound went straight to his nether regions.
Really Jeff? You looking into the face of death and you feel like.. like.. this? Get a grip!
He stood up and grabbed the arm of the chair that stood before the fire. Facing whatever stood in front of him. Looking it in the eyes.
"So you are what the tales are made of? You don't look like a child of the night to me."
"I don't, well I'm sorry to disappoint…"
Ice cold blue studied Jefferson as he stood there, he could smell the other man and he smelled delicious. Normally he didn't play with his food, he hated how they would look at him. No this would just be another quick kill, just another meal.
"I expected you to be uglier."
That threw him off. Uglier? Did the other think he was.. pretty? His eyes widened at the remark, the shock clear on his face.
He moved to the other chair that stood in front of the fire. Not taking his eyes of the other he sat himself down. Didn't look like a hunter to him, he was too handsome for that. Hunters were big and ugly things. Stupid and uncalculated.
He pointed towards the other chair and spoke one word.
"Sit"
"Why"
Jefferson wasn't stupid, mad but not stupid.
With a sigh the undead spoke up again.
"Sit, please"
A huff escaped the dark haired man. "Well since you asked so nicely…" But he did move to the chair, there was a small layer of dust upon it. When he sat down some of it flew up and he watched as the particles danced in the light of the fire. For a second he forgot the other.
"What do you desire?"
"What?"
Jefferson shook his head as he was pulled from his thoughts. It took a second to register what the other had said. When it did he had to think about it. Chewing on his lip he thought of something. He got what he wanted, that was a real vampire sitting there. So he got what he wanted, right?
Well he had a few questions now, and there is no time like the present.
"So you're a vampire? Like the bloodsucking, turn into a bat and scared of garlic kind?"
The other huffed but decided to humour him, it's not like he had better things to do.
"Yes , very much a vampire." Resting his chin upon his hand he studied the dark haired stranger. "And you are?"
"Well I'm a human but my name is Jefferson." His eyebrow couldn't help but creep upwards at the answer.
"Victor"
"Victor? That's kind off an odd name for a vampire…" Jefferson scratched behind his ear in thought as he repeated the name in his mind. "I expected something like Alucard or Dracula."
The hard laugh that came from the other spooked him a bit.
"Really ? Well I'm sorry to disappoint you."
"Listen, thirty minutes ago I didn't believe you existed so cut me some slack. "
He felt the hand on his knee before he heard the creak of old floorboards. Jefferson saw that the other had stood up and was now leaning over him, watching him intently.
The blonde leaned forward until his lips brushed over Jefferson's ear.
"Do you believe now?"
Oh yes he did, but he wasn't about to give himself so easy. Death would come for him, but not tonight.
Shoving the other man off him he swiftly stood up and put distance between them. Looking back at the creature there was no doubt he was beautiful but Jefferson was stubborn. If he wanted him Victor would have to work for it.
"Listen here, I'm sure you can easily take me but then you be alone again. The villagers are too scared to come here."
Victor stalked across the room, surprise and amused at the other. This could be fun. Yet at the same time the words hurt him. He was lonely and the villagers were right to not come near him.
"So what do you propose?"
The hatter straightened up and looked him in the eye. Victor had to admit he admired the others courage.
"I propose you let me learn about you and your kind. Write it down so that perhaps people will understand. They fear what they do not know. So we give them that knowledge."
Victor cocked his head to the side in thought, clicking his tong before he spoke.
"Fair enough but what will you give me in return?"
That was something Jefferson hadn't thought about. What did he have to offer?
"Umm…"
"I know!"
Oh god, he said that way to happy. Worry pooled in Jefferson's stomach. This could not end well for him…
"You'll keep me company. Never to leave the grounds and to stay. Right. Here."
Yup, there it was. Let's deal with the devil, that can't go wrong. But to be honest, it sounded very alluring to Jefferson. Spend the rest of his days with a handsome man? Yes he was a vampire but he could do much worse to be honest…
"Deal"
"I knew you were too scared to- Wait what?"
Now it was Jefferson turn to laugh.
"I said deal, to spend the rest of my life with a handsome man in a grand castle? Could do much worse."
With a few large steps he had crossed the room and stood before the creature. Leaning forward till their nose were nearly touching.
"And who knows," He looked into ice blue eyes and saw not a monster but a man staring back at him. Pain loomed around the edges of the vampires eyes, had he said something wrong? No, perhaps the other wasn't used to others wanting to be around him. Jefferson was going to change that.
He was going to be such a good person to him he would want Jefferson to leave.
"Maybe we could help each other."
"I'm a monster." Pain laced his voice as Victor spoke. "No one wants to be around me. You're mad!"
The dark haired man winced when he heard the pain in the others voice. Clearly he had been through a lot.
"Listen," He said softly to the other as he placed his hands upon the others arms. Feeling the muscle tense up beneath them. Was that because he was scared or because this was the first time someone touched him in a long time? "We both are in need in off a … friend," With a shrug of his shoulders he continued "and who knows, maybe we can change people's mind?"
For the first time in decades someone looked at Victor as a man. He felt a small flutter of hope in his chest. Slowly he relaxed and wrapped his arms around the other man. Squeezing him tight, making sure he was real.
His angel.
His saviour.
Jefferson hugged him back, after a few moments he leaned back so they could look at each other.
"Does that mean that we have a deal?"
After a few seconds of thought Victor responded.
"I guess it does."
"So do we shake hands or something?" A smile crept up on him. "Normally people shake hands right?"
Victor huffed out a laugh. the other couldn't help furrowing his brow, had he said something funny?
"Well, we vampires seal deals a little differently…" That may have been a lie but Victor didn't care. He just wanted to keep the other man close to him
"Indulge me"
Well he did ask, so who was Victor to deny him. Truth be told, Victor didn't think he could deny Jefferson anything.
All caution thrown away he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the others. Letting out a man when he realised how soft and warm they were.
It took Jefferson a second to realise what was happening but when he did he kissed back. When he felt the tip of the others tong swipe across his bottom lip, asking for permission he granted it willingly. Deepening the kiss he snaked his arms up Victor's chest and placed them were his heart would be, he felt no heartbeat.
Victor let his arms wrap around the other mans waist and pulled him closer to him. Not planning on letting go anytime soon.
Deciding he could get used to this he kissed back with a passion he hadn't felt in a long time. Jefferson decided he could get used to this.
Although he would have to get used to the fangs.