Oh, my God! I did it! The next chapter is finished and I really enjoyed writing 😊. Since the university is closed due to the Corona crisis and everything is only done online, it was quite a change for me. But slowly I get into the new everyday life and start with my hobbies again 3
How are you? I hope you are/stay healthy and the story manages to put you on more pleasant thoughts.
About feedback of any kind I would be very happy ! :)
Best regards
Your Salaka_chan 3
Something ends, something begins
Livia's body shook with excitement when she felt the vampire's surprisingly warm hand at the back of her head. His fingers gently stroked her delicate scalp and curled hair before he wrapped her hair around his fist and with a firm pull made the young woman throw her head backwards.
Confusion spread throughout her as she could no longer feel the presence of the fangs on her neck. The fact that she felt fingers instead of claws did the rest. But before the blonde could react to these changes, she noticed his cool breath against her ear.
"I'm sorry. I almost did something unforgivable."
His deep voice was muffled and it seemed difficult for him to withdraw from her. Although the vampire was now back in his human form in front of the young alchemist, his eyes still had their white hue, while his hands almost painfully embraced her upper arms. With astonishment Livia was struck by the realization that instead of a liberating relief, an inexplicable disappointment spread through her mind, making her blush in shame.
With a tensed jaw, Dettlaff continued:
"If Regis hadn't appeared in time, I would have accepted your offer without hesitation. Your blood, it...", he struggled visibly for words.
Livia took advantage of this interruption and probably shook her head.
"I wanted to help you and I'd offer it again anytime!"
Dettlaff made an agonizing sound and his facial features hardened before he released his grip from her and rose from the bed. With a few big steps he put a certain distance between himself and the young woman while he grabbed his chin.
"You cannot even slightly imagine what effect your blood on the open wound had on me. It's not just its smell, it has something... It makes me want to taste it and possess it. It's beguiling and makes me forget everything. I become the monster that I am and I want to forget all further thoughts of restraint."
It took Livia a moment to process that statement. Was he trying to justify himself to her for being a vampire? It sounded extreme. As the next question popped into her head, her fingers began to shake. Uncertain, she looked at the vampire.
"Is my presence for you," she paused briefly before continuing, "unpleasant? Were you uncomfortable in my presence the whole time?"
The vampire drove off like she was scolding him.
"No! It's," the vampire turned his back to her and drove helplessly through his hair. It was obvious he was struggling for the right words and was desperately trying to describe his problem. He paced restlessly up and down before he stopped and looked at Livia.
"Your blood smells special. But its smell at the open wound was much more extreme than in everyday life. I do not understand. Even now, at this moment, the scent is extremely restrained and is only subliminally noticeable at close proximity. Up to now I have never met any being that had such an effect on me. I... I don't know how to handle it." Resigned, the vampire averted his gaze.
Livia had to resist the strong urge to put her own hand under her nose. It was obvious that she would not notice anything conspicuous. Usually you can only smell yourself if you haven't washed yourself for a long time and even then, this scent does not describe your own body odor as others absorb it. When the vampire stepped towards her again, she was torn from her thoughts and looked up at him.
"Your presence is not unpleasant to me. You are just... different."
The young woman blinked.
"However, I can understand if my behavior and that last statement repulsed you. I will keep my distance from you in the future, if that is your wish."
Although Dettlaff's voice had a neutral tone, his eyes reflected fear and sadness. Livia noticed that she had never seen the vampire in a relaxed state so far. He was always emotional and always seemed to be on guard, having to hide his true self from everyone else. The events in Beauclair and the betrayal of his partner seemed to have hit him extremely severely and did not help to improve these behavioral traits. Was he able to have fun with Syanna in the past? A détente full of joie de vivre seemed extremely strange to her, as she knew him only by his always vigilant expression. Only his eyes revealed what was going on inside him.
An oppressive silence filled the room. Livia was visibly overwhelmed by this unpredictable situation and struggled for the right words, while her mind still had to process the previous physical closeness. She convulsively tried to form a believable and expressive answer, which would guarantee to convince Dettlaff that she would not find him repulsive, but the impulsive vampire seemed to consider her longer silence already as an answer. The corners of his mouth suggested the hint of a joyless smile before he closed his eyes and turned away from her.
"I see."
With horror Livia watched Dettlaff's transformation into the all-too-familiar reddish mist that swept through the open window into the outside world. Stunned by the impatience of this man, she shook her head before she rose angrily and made her way to Regis. He was standing brooding in front of a cauldron full of a blue-broiling liquid, studying passages from an aging tome with drawn-up eyebrows. Scattered swaths rose from the cauldron and filled the room with a pleasantly sweetish scent. If he had noticed her presence, he did not show it.
The young woman crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked reproachfully at Regis: "Why is he so quick-tempered and impatient? He should take a lesson from you!"
Still absorbed into the book, Regis gave a gurgling laugh.
Livia's posture became noticeably tense. "Regis! It's not funny! Every time, really EVERY TIME we meet, it ends like this! I'm going crazy with him, differences or not!
With a barely audible sigh and a fluid movement, the addressed person slammed the book and placed it on the table next to the fireplace. Regis looked at her with an empathic look. "I can understand your frustration, my dear. Dettlaff can't be quite", the vampire hesitated briefly, "simple under certain circumstances.
The young woman snorted audibly. "Simple wouldn't be the first word that comes to my mind. I have never met anyone whose patience is so short. In conversations he doesn't even give me the chance to think. He expects an immediate answer and rashly interprets small gestures into something."
Regis slowly stepped towards her. "He hasn't had a very good experience with conversation in the recent past. Please keep in mind that Dettlaff is still a long way from socialization and it will take some practice to understand the behavior of you people. You are, at least on a psychological level, extremely complex, which brings with it a certain attraction to strive to understand you better. But only curiosity is not enough and our friend must learn this. To understand the spoken words are not sufficient in this case. Gestures, facial expressions and the quick assessment of certain character traits must be added."
Livia blinked confused. "That sounds extremely... complicated."
He was now standing in front of her when an understanding smile formed on his lips.
"So it is. For you this process is natural and you solve such interactions subconsciously without having to waste another thought on it. But for us this is completely foreign. Our natural behavior is quite different from yours, and in addition there is the permanent fear of revealing oneself with unconscious expressions and behaviors. You can never let yourself be carried away, the fear of the consequences is too great.
"But you have friends! Before them you can act the way you really are."
The smile on his lips remained, but in the black eyes a deep sadness appeared.
"My dear Livia. I appreciate your naive statement, but you should be aware that it is not true. If I were to turn into the blood-drinking monster I hide behind that facade in front of you, you would most likely back away from me."
The young woman wanted to contradict him, but Regis stopped her with a decisive gesture and continued speaking forcefully. "And justifiably so! It's natural to be afraid of beings that are much more powerful than you yourself are, and I must confess that our appearance doesn't contribute much to a better impression."
Livia looked at the worn floorboards for a short time before she turned her gaze back to Regis. "Yes, I am afraid of your vampire form, BUT I trust you! You have both saved me. From HUMANS! I don't know if I will ever be able to act without worries in the presence of your true form, but I will do my best to at least try. So if you prefer to stand in my workshop with slightly longer fingernails and teeth, feel free."
The eyes of the vampire widened before he grinned, revealing his unusually sharp teeth. "Thank you. However, potion-brewing requires a certain dexterity, which is why I prefer this shape for now."
A while passed, during which both stood opposite each other and smiled in silence. In the background, the fire crackled under the heavy cast-iron boiler, while the steam gradually faded away. The sweetish scent had an extremely calming effect and the soft candlelight immersed the room in a pleasantly warm, yellowish tone.
Livia sighed inevitably as the gentle wings of fatigue surrounded her. Out of the corner of her eye, in the flickering candlelight, she noticed Regis' letter on the table and slowly walked towards it. She skimmed the lines again before fixing the vampire. With a brief movement she pointed to the letter. "How did you come up with this idea?"
"May I answer with a question in return?"
Livia nodded and carelessly dropped the letter on the table.
"How did it feel to make the regeneration potion for Dettlaff?"
She hesitated because she had not expected such a question. "Well," she thoughtfully tapped her chin with a finger, "I think I was quite surprised at first. There is no doubt that your knowledge of alchemy is clearly superior to mine. I felt very insecure and was afraid to make mistakes in the preparation. The consequences could be disastrous for a mortal."
The older one nodded sympathetically. "Now that you knew in advance that this potion was meant for an higher vampire,"
" I could be a little more experimental." The young woman finished the sentence. "I certainly enjoyed rummaging through my father's scientific papers in his books. You always find something new. The variety of ingredients, instruments and working methods is almost overwhelming. But I fear that a single life will not be enough to internalize and apply it all."
Regis gurgled amused and stepped in front of the cauldron again to assess the condition of the potion. He seemed to be satisfied with the result and went on to Livia. "Well, I can only agree with this statement. The ingenuity of some people is immeasurable. Then wouldn't it be an advantage if extremely capable users of this field would teach you? You'd be able to complete your studies more quickly and satisfy your thirst for knowledge."
Livia's forehead lay in wrinkles as she thoughtfully watched the cauldron. "But you're forgetting a few details. First, I have to keep my parents' place running. Secondly, I don't have enough money in reserve to pay for my studies. Thirdly, I also need a place to stay and regular meals wouldn't be bad either. Last but not least I would have to get to Oxenfurt unharmed. Forgive me Regis, I really appreciate your letter of recommendation, but I'm afraid I'm too attached to this place."
„Would you like to expand your knowledge of alchemy?"
Livia moaned and shook her head. "II take it back. You're as pushy as Dettlaff. He won't let me finish my sentences and you just skip over them. I said I," Livia stopped her sentence when the vampire stood right in front of her and stared at her with a piercing look.
While Dettlaff's blue eyes almost overflowed with emotion and allowed a glimpse into the depths of his soul, Regis' black eyes were purely animalistic. He mastered the knowledge necessary to coexist in human society, but he was much harder to see through than the black-haired man. The thoughts of this man were unfathomable. Were he not her friend, she would truly be afraid of this being.
With a serious face, the vampire asked her again. "Would you like to expand your knowledge of alchemy?"
She swallowed hard. "Yes, but"
"Then it is decided."
With her mouth open she stared at the grey-haired man. He cleared his throat in embarrassment and Livia thought she noticed a slight reddish tinge on Regi's cheeks. "Excuse me. Perhaps I was a bit too pushy for a moment. But I assure you that the concerns you expressed will not be of great consequence regarding this project."
The blonde-haired woman sat down powerlessly on the chair next to Regi's borrowed workplace and stared at the opposite wall. She noticed the cobwebs above the old bookshelves and she clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
"As far as your financial worries are concerned, you can rest easy. Thanks to my letter of recommendation, you'll get a scholarship to the Oxenfurt Academy. In addition to free admission to the lectures, you will also get a room in a student dormitory. Furthermore the witcher recommended me a certain Rudolf de Jonkheer. He is a financier and sells me a real estate in Novigrad for a special price. The distance between the cities can be covered relatively quickly on a horse, so this house would make an excellent weekend residence and study place. With Dettlaff as a companion, you should arrive safely at your destination and he gets the opportunity for more interaction with people. I'd say everyone would benefit."
The mass of information was almost overwhelming for the young woman. She had never before had to discuss problems with Regis. He always seemed to have a very frugal nature. This unforeseen persistence stood in great contrast to her previous impression. However, the last few days everything seemed to be different than she had previously thought.
She started a last weak attempt of resistance. "This still doesn't clarify what to do with my parents' shop. Besides, Dettlaff left as a depressed cloud to happily wallow in his loneliness."
Regis laughed in amusement after her last sentence. "This little cloud already regrets its hasty decision and will probably appear again in the next few hours to apologize for the emotional outburst."
Now Livia also had to laugh out loud. "The connection between blood brothers seems to be really convenient in certain situations."
"I agree with you. Regarding the first point. I would recommend you to send a letter to your parents, in which you simply describe the current situation. A friend has made a recommendation for you and you are moving to Oxenfurt for a period of time for studies. This friend will also provide an adequate replacement for your absence. If there are any financial difficulties, I will be happy to help out."
"You only mentioned Dettlaff. Why don't the three of us travel together?"
"I would like to arrive in Oxenfurt before you, to settle all necessary formalities. When you enter the academy, ask for lecturer Hubert Rejk. I would also like to practice as a doctor at the academy myself."
In disbelief, Livia raised an eyebrow. "You'll be my teacher?"
Regis leaned against the table and crossed his arms. "I guess this case is rather unlikely. I'd rather pursue research than teach. My character traits are not ideal for a teaching position."
Livia could no longer hold back her tears with laughter.
"Thank you, Regis! for everything. You always manage to cheer me up."
A mischievous grin lay on the lips of the grey-haired man. "And luckily, this time without alcohol. I'd advise you to keep your hands off the bottle when you travel with Dettlaff. Surely you wouldn't want to leave the wrong impression."
Livia's mouth formed an O-shape as she stared at the vampire with an incredulous look. " Regis! I knew it! What did I do at the cemetery?"
"Nothing to worry about."
She felt an uncomfortable warmth rising in her cheeks and bit her lower lip.
Regis then continued in a neutral tone, clearing her throat. "Besides, your story made me wonder. I think I should use the Academy library to research Sebastion Morel. There must be a connection between Sebastion's past and the current one. Unlike Dettlaff, I doubt that you killed him. It's not usual for people to crumble to dust. I'd like to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. You have already seen it, but I would like to emphasize at this point that Dettlaff is an extremely capable opponent. Not many can match him. All the less likely you have faced no ordinary man. And then there's your newfound ability."
Livia glanced up. "Dettlaff, he mentioned before that my blood", she faltered and did not know how to continue.
Regis' black eyes pierced her. Did she deceive herself or did his iris enlarge.
"Yes. Your blood is remarkable. Forgive me, I had no intention of eavesdropping."
Livia just shook her head to signal to him that she didn't mind.
"Still, unlike Dettlaff, I noticed something else. I'd like to check it out, if you'd allow me."
"Of course. What exactly do you want to check?"
Regis approached her and gently grabbed her wrist. He turned the underside of her hand upwards and cut into the uppermost layers of her skin with his thumbnail and precise accuracy. Isolated drops of blood collected along the cut and beaded down onto the floorboard. Livia's gaze lay as if hypnotized on Regi's face, while his eyes were now completely black and his features tense. He closed his eyes, audibly drawing in the air and paused for what felt like an eternity. When he opened them again, his eyes possessed their human look again and he dabbed the blood with a cloth.
"As I had already suspected. Your blood shows no abnormalities except for a slightly more distinctive smell. However, when I joined you shortly after the battle it was different. It seems that your blood changes when you use this, let's call it ability."
Pensive, he let go of the woman and threw the cloth into the fire under the cauldron. It flared up brightly for a moment before it faded again and crackled softly. "Dettlaff has already tried to describe this circumstance in more detail. An unbelievable attraction emanates from it. Once you give in to this desire, it is over. Now that you know at least one attribute of your ability, I would ask you not to offer your blood recklessly."
Indignation spread in Livia over this scolding. "It was and is not reckless! Dettlaff was hurt because of me. If there is a way to help him, I will do everything in my power."
Regi's voice took on a warning undertone and he articulated each of the following words very precisely. "So you would help an immortal to a faster regeneration and accept that he despises himself for the rest of his existence?"
Livia took a few steps back with big eyes. Her, "No." came hesitantly and she looked at her conversation partner uncertainly.
"But that is exactly what would be the consequence of this act. There is no guarantee that Dettlaff would have the strength to stop drinking in time. No human can even vaguely understand the thirst of a vampire. If he killed you, he could never forgive himself. I told you at the cemetery that Dettlaff has no use for drinking per se. He doesn't need it to survive and prefers not to hurt weaker creatures. He never even tasted Syanna's blood, despite the supposedly close bond. Trust me and do as I ask."
"I'm sorry. I guess I must have said something very rash in that case."
Regis placed a hand on her shoulder. "As you have already stated, we belong to different cultures. In this case, language is an extremely useful tool. You can educate the ignorant about their mistakes and hope they don't make the same mistake again."
Livia looked up at Regis and a shy smile lay on her lips. "Thank you."
On her bed piled up potential clothes for the upcoming journey. On the one hand, she wanted to have something suitable for every weather and on the other, she was simply a young woman after all. While packing, she hummed along cheerfully and occasionally left sentences like, "'Here in Novigrad, the capital of the world, the centre and cradle of culture. Here a bright head can breathe from a full chest!'".
On the stool next to her bed, in a tiny bag, Dettlaff's tools from the toy shop were stored.
She continued humming happily as she went to the shoe selection.
Furthermore, the corner of a new drawing block flashed treacherously out of the already mentioned bag for the vampire.
As Regis had announced, there was already a knock at the door the following evening. When Livia opened it, she looked into the man's familiar blue eyes, and a warm smile was drawn to her lips.
"Hello Dettlaff. Let's go on a journey together!"
She extended her hand to him, which he hesitantly took and entered the house together with her.