Vampire Americana
Author: AzardBrazul
Rating: M
Pairing: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Summary: On June 26th 1925 fledgling actress Rachel Berry dies. But that is only the start of her story. A tragic tale of Revenge, Hate, Despair, and Love. Explores the life and times of Rachel, from the roaring 1920's LA to 2017 Lima Ohio. America through vampire eyes.
Disclaimer: Glee or American Vampire do not belong to me. This work is a non-profit production.
AN: The first arc of this story will have some heavy similarities to the first arc of the American Vampire comic. Those situations are not mine. Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque deserve credit for them. I simply have taken those situations and elaborated on them. After the first arc, this fic, 'Vampire Americana' will deviate from the comic and will contain mostly original situations. While the comic is loath to explore the Skinner-Pearl dynamic in its first stages, this fic is based on a Skinner-Pearl relationship (because of Faberry). So expect for dialogue and some situations and choices to be very different to accommodate for the new cast of character's personalities. Chapters will tend to be long and will be posted when they are done.
I hope y'all enjoy and have a very good time.
Story Arc 1: Icarus
Previously on Vampire Americana...
"...But I couldn't look back, not now, because the rocket, it was taking off! Flying!"
A corpse laying on the very top twitches, as if reacting to the weight of the blonde. Her deep chocolate brown eyes shifting first to the right and then to the left before settling to stare upwards at the crescent moon hanging midway on the sequined velvet sky.
Her jaw moves jerkily and a thin whisper creeps from within it, a pale, stretched sound that nobody hears...
"...Please..."
Her eyelids close as if to blink, and the mocha brown makeup on her eyelids meshes perfectly with its long chocolate brown hair. When she opens again a lone teardrop falls from her left eye and slithers down her cheek, before pooling and dripping from the tip of her chin.
Her eyes dilate as they stare up into the sky, stars dotting their glossy irises.
"...I'm alive..."
"It's going higher and higher... All the way to the moon..."
Chapter 2: Icarus Rising
July 23, 1925 - Los Angeles.
"...And I guess that there, when the rocket landed, smack-dab right in the middle of its eye, Tina, was frankly, the beginning of the end."
Rachel berry sighed as she pulled on the studio issued Medusa wig. They were seated in front of her vanity, in the communal dressing room the supporting cast shared. They constituting of Rachel and Her makeup artist/best friend, Tina Cohen-Chang, who dabbled at her eyes, making sure that she had enough eye shadow to make her eyes pop for the cameras .Tina frowned at Rachel's face before darting her eyes to Rachel's vanity mirror to consider a different angle.
"The Trip To The Moon short?"
Tina, like many members of the cast, was an immigrant. She originally had been a Korean housewife, who had migrated to the States following her husband's dreams of making it big in America. They had arrived at Ellis Island Fifteen years ago, during one of the busiest intake years.
The harassment her family had endured there had broken her husband's visions of grandeur and left her with a persisting stutter and pregnant with a child that wasn't her husband's.
A year later, after months of growing colder and abusive and depressed, he had run afoul of the mob. Something about missing gambling cuts.
Tina's daughter Akiko , wind blowing her ginger hair in her face as she took her first triumphant steps to freedom through an open front door had come across his body first, laying broken and battered and bloody with crows feasting on his eyes.
Rachel had briefly wondered if her Daddy had been involved.
Tina had found them there, her daughter, cuddled into her dead husband's chest, a content smile on her chubby little face, even as the blood seeping from his empty left eye socket matted her hair into a hard red mass.
Tina hadn't wanted to talk more after that point. But going by what Rachel knew, Tina had sold her house in Queens and moved to Los Angeles, where she learnt all about makeup artistry.
Tina was one of the first people Rachel met when she left home three years ago after her Daddy died in a raid. Tina had offered her an apartment at minimum rent if she would babysit Akiko when she could. Rachel had lived there ever since.
"Mmmm... What? Don't laugh! It's beautiful and breathtaking and a classic! Tina!" Rachel huffed indignantly, her cheeks reddening as Tina giggled.
Rachel heard Tina muttering something that sounded like "Boring!" into her fist as she tried to stifle her growing laughter.
"Hey!" She swatted Tina's arm playfully and broke into a smile herself.
"Okay! Okay Ms Cohen-Chang! What was your first movie?"
Tina looked thoughtful, biting absently on the handle of her pencil as she mulled it over.
"Frankly?" Tina asked and Rachel nodded her head, eager to find out more about her friend. "I think it was Romeo and Juliet, with that Vitagraph girl... I forget her name."
Rachel barked out a gasp, before covering her mouth as she giggled into her hand. "Florence Turner!" She wheezed out, swatting at Tina's shoulder even as Tina giggled along with her. "God! I can't believe anyone still calls her that!"
Tina swatted her arm as a megaphone announcement rang outside the door of Rachel's dressing room.
"Medusa? Medusa, please return to the set immediately! Shooting will resume shortly!"
They both sighed deep as Tina began packing her things into the red hand case she always carried around with her. Rachel smiled wanly.
"I guess that's my call." Rachel whispered apologetically. "I'm sorry I dragged you down here today, I know how much you..."
"Don't worry about it!" Tina cuts her off with a firm wave of hand. "Frankly, I'm happy to be here however I can... Being on a set, it feels..." She breathes in deeply, her eyes shut tightly, before exhaling out in a long sigh "...Invigorating."
Rachel smirks, a mischievous spark lighting in her eyes. "Sure it does, especially since Mike is gonna be on set today!"
Tina huffs, throwing her handbag at Rachel before grabbing the handle of her makeup case and exits the dressing room along with Rachel, who'd caught the handbag midair and was now swinging it at Tina playfully, the snakes in her Medusa wig swinging wildly as she giggled.
Another megaphone announcement blared out loudly as Rachel turned to lock the door.
"Mr. Chang is on the set"
Beside her, Tina visibly stiffened, her eyes glued to two plainclothes figure walking across the far side of the set, a frown between her eyes. Rachel heard her mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like "...the audacity of that bitch..."
Rachel's hand is on Tina's shoulder and she squeezes consolingly. "For what it's worth, I think he's too pretty for her."
Tina just huffs, eyes downcast before walking away towards the exit.
Rachel's hand falls limply to her side as she sighs yet again.
"Rachel Berry, return on set immediately, medusa battle take one in five minutes."
Later...
Pulling on its black ribbon, Rachel tipped her orange cloche hat slightly to the left, letting her silky brown hair fall down comfortably in waves to hang behind her neck. She was walking down the sidewalk of Fifth Avenue, heading towards Tina's house, her scuffed pair of Mary Janes clip-clopping on the dusty pavement as she walked. The wind was picking up, her tight black skirt whipped round just below her knees, even as the lapels of her cotton jacket fought their buttons in a manic bid for freedom. She sighed, pulling her jacket tighter around her slight frame.
Her calves ached, everything ached. She needed to rest before she went to the gentleman's club tonight. They didn't pay her enough to die on her feet.
Sighing in happiness as the familiar whitewashed house came into view, she rushed towards the small iron worked gate, walking as fast as her feet could take her.
"Careful there dolly." Rachel's head whipped round at the languid, breathy voice. "Don't want you to trip right in front of your house, now would we?"
Across the lane, sitting on a lawn chair on the far side of her neighbor's pool was the most beautiful woman Rachel had ever set eyes on.
Well, the most beautiful and most uncouth.
She sat slouching in her chair wearing only a man's vest and pair of those new red latex shorts that professional boxers wore. Thin, leanly muscled legs spread apart lewdly, a pair of brown cowboy boots with the sides untied. Her arms clasped behind her head, back arching forward, her chest straining against the tight vest. She looked amused, short dirty blonde hair shining around her head like a taunting halo.
Rachel felt like the woman's hazel eyes were boring deep into the well of her soul.
"Cat got your tongue, dolly?"
Rachel winced as if she was slapped, snapping her head away from the sight of this entrancing woman. When she looked back at her a twinge of something curled in Rachel's stomach.
The woman was smirking.
Clearing her throat, and fighting the urge to stare at the woman's chest, Rachel turned, primly dusting her skirt before bounding into Tina's house and slamming the door behind her.
As she crumpled, sliding down with her back to the door, the sides of her lips twitched upwards.
She could swear she heard laughter.
That Night...
Rachel knocks twice on the iron door to the gentleman's club she worked her night shifts, whenever she could get them.
Pulling her worn emerald wool coat tighter around herself she looks around. She can hear the faint sound of music wafting out from inside, Akiko must have got here earlier than her, or she herself must be late. Rachel bites her lower lip as she curses and screamed mentally, Either way would look bad on her.
The thick, iron door groans open halfway and the silhouette of a hat-clad thickset man stands behind the opening, staring out warily. Rachel's mind conjures up an image of the Cerberus guarding the gates to hell. His gold eyes shift over her head, peering first to the left and then to the right, before finally stopping in between to focus on Rachel.
She can't blame him for being paranoid, only last week Luciano's gangsters had laid siege to Babett's Parlor just across town. That had been one hell of a mess, Rachel had read in the papers the next day. Babett's guards and bartender had replied in kind, spraying bullets everywhere with new 1923 army issue Thompsons. It had been a bloodbath.
Rachel prays everyday for that to never happen when she's working. She is so grateful for Bob's vigilance that she ignores the revolver clutched tightly in his huge hand.
"Hello Bob." Rachel gives him a little smile and winks.
Bob flashes her a lopsided grin and nods his head, before stepping back and pulling the door wider even as he flicks its safety back and stuffs his revolver into the band of his trousers.
"Busy crowd tonight, Rachie. Gonna be a late one." He whispers apologetically as Rachel slips in and elects to stand a few feet away, under the soft orange light cast by a glittering crystal pearl chandelier that hung directly over her. The soft sound of a subdued piano arrangement caresses her ears as she waits and observes Bob pushing the heavy door shut.
"You going to catch my song today Bob?" Rachel asks, grinning. "Oh! I almost forgot, is Aki here yet?"
Bob turns back round after securing all the latches that reside above and below the handle. He nods empathetically "Wouldn't miss it Rachie, Rob's gonna take over from me in a few and I'll be taking over the bar for the rest of the night." he winks at her playfully. "Oh, and yeah, Little A told me to tell you that you'll have to walk her back home, something about her mother feeling out of sorts."
Rachel's brow furrows. "Hmmm... Didn't seem that way in the morning, unless she got too put off by that dog that Chang had in his arms the whole day! I could have smelled the envy if I'd tried." She smiles coyly "And how come you still call Aki 'little'? She resents that, you know, now that she's almost sixteen and, Y'know works here on occasion."
Bob guffaws loudly, his booming laugh ricocheting off the walls, floor and ceiling and echoes, amplified, back to their ears. "Well can you blame me? I've known that spitfire since she was twelve and you used to drag her here along with you, when you came to sing. She was 'Little A' to me then and she's 'Little A' to me now. Hell! She'll still be 'Little A' to me in ten years time. Her working here don't have anything to do with it Rachy."
Rachel smiles. "Well I should be off Bob, be sure to catch the song today, you'll probably love it, what with your hip flask and all." Rachel says, her grin wide.
"Bob waves her away with a smile of his own. "Sure, sure. Now save the naughty girl act for the stage and get over to Little A already, Berry."
Rachel presses a kiss to his rough cheek and turns round to walk down the purple-suede carpeted marble corridor that leads to the changing room.
As she rounds the corner, she sees Aki, chestnut hair done up in a wavy bob, clad in a green sundress, guitar case slung behind her back, standing in front of the door, tapping her left foot in tune to the now upbeat piano music coming down from the main floor.
her shoulders slump in relief when she notices Rachel making her way over to her. A small smile forming on her thin lips. her left hand automatically going to the doorknob.
"About time Rach." she smiles as her wrist twists and pushes, throwing the door open for Rachel.
Rachel grins conspiratorially, "Later Little A, we've got a song to smash!"
Dawn - June 24, 1925 - Los Angeles.
"I work at the Palace ballroom, but gee that palace is cheap
When I get back to my chilly hallroom, I'm much too tired to sleep"
Rachel rubs her eyes tiredly, arching her back tentatively, groaning as bones she doesn't even know she had, popping with aching noises like tin soldiers banging on their metal drums to report in for duty. The words to the song she sang earlier, "Ten Cents a Dance" echoed in the cavernous space between her ears as she stared up at the fading stars.
"I'm one of those lady teachers, a beautiful hostess you know;
One that the palace features, at exactly a dime a throw."
Her mind wanders back to the song as she stared up at the unmerciful pale yellow light snuffing out stars like those Japanese clowns... samu.. samuri... well, something that sounded like that! She imagined them, in their despondent looking armor scrabbling about up there in the heavens, slashing stars in half, left and right with their dirty big swords as they invaded the sky.
Her eyes closed, her mind focuses on the feeling of her already windswept hair lulling against the exposed skin of her neck, even as soft breezes that smelled like apples and pears tickle her nose.
Why had she chosen that song?
" Ten cents a dance, that's what they pay me
Gosh how they weigh me down."
She'd rehearsed singing something like "Until the Town Wet Dry", a 'screw prohibition' song for the crowd, but as soon as she got onstage, she'd told Aki this was what she'd be singing.
Was it because of Her?
Rachel sighs, wiping her face with cupped hands before resuming to stare, this time at the Chanty's building across the street. Red brick and grey plaster stare ominously down at her.
"Ten cents a dance, pansies and rough guys, tough guys who tear my gown.
Seven to midnight I hear drums, loudly the saxophone blows,
Trumpets are tearing my ear-drums, customers crush my toes."
It couldn't be Her! She'd met her only a few hours prior for gods sakes! And a few hours was entirely too little a time to formulate an adequate thesis on the topic of attraction. Besides, the woman looked like a vagrant... or a sex fiend.
Rachel sighs, wiping her face, before sighing again.
Hell, She would like it if the woman was a sex fiend
Aki was going to kill her when she found out. The last thing they needed was for Rachel's tendencies getting out... yet again.
" Sometimes I think, I've found my hero
But it's a queer romance;"
Rachel was already halfway to 'The Happy Egg' where she'd scrounged up a regular morning shift, when Akiko finally caught up to her.
Clutching her guitar case tight with one arm, the other firmly on her left knee, she stood almost crouched, right behind Rachel, panting her lungs out like a gazelle who'd run a million miles.
Smiling softly, Rachel rubbed her mitten encased palms, soothingly along Akiko's heaving back.
"God! Rach, run faster why don't you?"
Giggling, Rachel stepped a few steps back as Aki straightened up. "Can't keep up Little A?"
Righting the strap of her guitar case Aki glared at the woman who was, for all intents and purposes a second mother to her.
"we didn't all have huge cornfields to run around in like demented ponies when we were young, now did we?"
Rachel lightly elbowed her in the ribs before offering her arm.
Smiling brightly when Akiko slipped hers through and locked arms, they walked in companionable silence along the narrow sidewalk.
"No you didn't Akiko, but you do get enough exercise when Tina inevitably finds your newest conquests in your bedroom."
Akiko frowned, looking down at the wide cement tiling of the passing sidewalk.
"Yeah, mum is such a hypocrite." Glancing up at the sky, she swallowed, as if to control herself before turning to look at Rachel. "How was it for you? Did your fathers make it easy?"
"Are you asking whether having two fathers made it easy for me to pursue women?"
Akiko nodded slowly, her short ginger hair bouncing and shining prettily against the dawn sunlight. Rachel sighed before leaning slightly into her arm.
"No." Rachel inhaled deeply, memories of her daddy flashing before her eyes. "It was surprisingly hard. My fathers were wise to the stigma and didn't want that kind of life for me." Rachel sighed " But I guess even they couldn't deny the truth when I hadn't shown any interest in boys by my 20th birthday."
"What did they do then?" Aki whispered, enraptured by the tale.
"Well, they pulled me aside and told me to be careful. Told me of all the lynching's and the hangings and the humiliation. Told me to keep my head down until I made it. Until I had some power."
Aki smiled at that. "Like Mister Thomason, in charge of the Urban Development Fund."
Rachel winked.
"Exactly"
"Ugh, I really have to coach that girl in some self restraint!" Tina growled out between the spaces of her tightly grit teeth.
They were seated on the marble steps leading to Poseidon's throne room, Tina filling in as an extra as well as a makeup artist. Rachel's Medusa head lay idly on her lap, her fingers playing languidly with the small forest green snake heads. Their cut glass emerald eyes glare at Rachel in reproach.
Behind them, an African elephant trudged around in circles, guided by its master.
Rachel smiles reassuringly. "Tina, It's all right. In fact, I'm glad she spoke with me, I think Aki..."
"Hey you! Medusa!"
Both Rachel's and Tina's faces snap towards an annoyed crew member, clutching a black clipboard and walking slightly to their left.
Rachel's eyebrows rose as she sputtered out an indignant "ME?"
Her hostility seemed to fly right over his ugly, red checkered cap as he stopped and turned to regard her.
"No, your mother! Yes, You! Come with me."
Rachel glared, the depths of her brown eyes hardening into a tumbling molasse of rage. Nobody, took that tone about her mother. Nobody.
The man twitched, clutching his clipboard ever so closer to his chest, finally seeming to get the message.
"W-We need someone to get a light reading.."
"No"
The word cut through the air like a hot knife through butter. A few people even dropping their work to gape at the scene playing out.
The dormant anger, simmering below the surface of her skin for the better part of a year was coming to a head.
"No"
Rachel was on her feet and she could feel Tina's slight hand on her forearm, trying to pull her away. But Rachel would have none of that.
Rachel gets what Rachel wants.
"Look here, you red-nosed cretin! I'm not one of those mentally divested floozies you get to boss around because you think you're god's gift to earth! Guess what imbecile? I am a woman, I am alive, and I will not be trod on!"
Her hand raised, poised to come down in a blinding slap. And then abruptly, stopped. She felt a tight, warm grip on her wrist and reacted on the reflexes her daddy had instilled in her. Wrenching her hand out of its cage she whirled around and brought her knee harshly up between her would be captor's legs.
She stood, breathing heavily, a symphony of gasps and exclamations of shock whirling around her like a tornado, even as the bloodlust left her eyes.
And then she realized who she'd attacked.
And the floor seemed to give way beneath her.
Michael Chang, star of this production, lay crouched in front of her, with his head bowed in pain. All around her, accusing eyes stared back, glinting from the darkness like demented hyenas.
"No.."
The words seemed to burn inside her dry mouth. Even Tina was looking at her disapprovingly, judging her. Her mouth opened and closed, no words coming out.
"...I never meant..."
"Get the fuck out of here you insane bitch!"
Her head snapped around, her long brown hair whirling around with her in a dark halo. The director stood near the back of the crowd that had gathered around. His face set in a cruel slant.
Rachel trembled, the fight having all but left her, tears welling up in her vacant eyes.
Then, without a word, she spun round and rushed out of the exit.
"And never come back!"
Rachel reaps what Rachel sows.
Later That Evening...
Rachel sat on a damp park bench, her hands clutched tightly around her and her eyes trained on her scratched pair of white Mary Janes. She sighed, her breath forming a continuous stream of vapor as it slithered out of her.
God, what she would give for a mug of dark coffee right now.
She felt her heart revving up when the events from the studio. She was still so angry!
She felt as if her life was stuck in some rut that forced her to walk in reverse instead of forwards.
'One step forward, two steps back!' That seemed to be her mantra of late.
Rachel sighed again, closing her eyes and feeling the soft warmth of moistness creep around their edges. Sniffling softly, she wipes it away quickly. She's quite sure she must look a rather horrible sight right about now.
She allows the sadness to well up inside her, if only for a few seconds before clenching her small hands into white-knuckled fists and gritting her teeth and hissing.
She will NOT let this set her back! This... minor inconvenience would NOT ruin the rest of her life. She will not allow it to.
After working herself up into a suitable frenzy she stands up and starts marching in the general direction of home.
She fails to notice the yellow eyes following her every move.
When she gets home, Tina is sitting stiffly in front of the dining table. Her chair turned towards the front door. Tina looks up when the black mahogany door slowly creaks closed behind her and Rachel hesitantly steps through.
They stay like that for a moment, staring at each other, neither sure of what to say to the other. Tension rising like a bowstring drawn taut. Finally, Tina clears her throat to break the smothering silence before speaking, her voice is halting and unsure.
"I talked to Chang."
Rachel's head droops And her expressive brown eyes fall to stare at the carved feet of the dining table chair Tina is sitting on.
"He's not going to press charges. In fact, he's invited us to a party. A party thrown by Mister Bloch himself."
Rachel's left eyebrow quirks in surprise.
"Why?" Her voice is husky and dry.
Tina looks annoyed. Her eyes fly up to fasten on Rachel's.
"Beats me if I know."
"Tina..."
Instantly like a lit fuse hitting kerosene, Tina flares up. Her shoulders tensing and her fists clenching.
"Don't you dare Tina me, Rachel Berry! That was your first big break! And you had to go screw it up didn't you?"
"It's not as if I run around looking for trouble Tina!
"No of course not! You find trouble and dive in from the deep end don't you? Now go get ready and apologize when you get there! If Chang puts in a good word for us to Mr. Bloch, maybe we can salvage our jobs!"
Wait! What?
"Us?"
"Of course woman, it's always been us against the world. I quit, just after you did. I couldn't go on working there, knowing you were somewhere else."
"Oh Tina!" Rachel sprints towards her and throws her hands tightly around Tina's frame, hugging her tightly, a wide smile on her face. "My savior!"
Sighing Tina disentangles herself from the mess of limbs that is a Rachel berry bear hug before looking at her friend intently. Slowly one of her pale hands dart out and set some of Rachel's wild hair behind her ear.
"You can't do these things to yourself Rachel, you've got to be more alert. don't let people manipulate you like today." She whispers while caressing Rachel's long brown hair.
Rachel 's smile morphs into a dejected frown.
"I know. You can't help get emotional. But imagine what could happen if someone you see every day, someone you know and trust could do something like that? What if they know your secret? You've got to promise me to be more careful Rachel. Don't listen to anybody, Don't trust anybody."
Rachel looks away pensively, staring at the steaming cast iron kettle on the stove.
"I promise." Tina can barely hear her whisper.
'Hmmm... That's my girl. Now go get ready! we've got to be there round eight, so that means you've got only about two and a half to wash yourself and change into something presentable. Oh! And wear that pretty black gown you bought when you first came here! You've not worn that since you bought it, and now's as good a time as any!"
Rachel's grin was back at full power as she kissed Tina's cheek and whispered a hurried thank you before running up the stairs.
Tina's eyes dim and she turns to stare out into the night through the kitchen window.
"Don't thank me, Rachel."
Twilight - June 24 1925 - Cohen-Chang Residence.
"Come on already, Tina! You're gonna make us both late!" Rachel screams through her open front door. Her just-combed hair flying everywhere as she twists and turns impatiently.
Above her pink flares into the dimming blue sky, casting a waning orange pall on her skin. The pool belonging to the house opposite shines and glimmers, bright orange adorning its crests and waves like crowns and robes. The woman is back, sitting on her pool chair, a new cowboy hat pulled down to hide her eyes and a folded newspaper clutched in her left hand. Rachel is pretty sure the woman was staring at her though. Her head was moving as if to follow after Rachel as she flitted about in her mild frenzy.
"You sure do clean up nice"
Rachel is so flustered that she almost misses the woman's breathy voice, but when what the woman said registers, her eyes widen with shock.
The woman is standing right beside her! How did she move so fast? No matter that, why the hell is she herself feeling as if a clump of butterflies dive bombed inside her stomach?
Coaching her face and pulling all her untapped acting prowess from her stingy reserves, Rachel turns round with a calm expression on her face, which almost falls when she meets the woman's piercing hazel eyes. Rachel could drown in them, tracing the slight green flecks that seemed to dot them.
Clearing her throat and discreetly swallowing, Rachel frowns at the woman before speaking.
"Well, creepy cowboy woman, I understand the giant sign in front of this place can be easy to miss, but this place, it's supposed to be private property, tenants only. You comprehend?"
The woman walks towards Rachel, and she starts to take hesitant steps backwards, hoping against hope that by some strike of sheer dumb luck she'd catch hold of the door handle. The look on the woman's eyes is positively predatory and Rachel can't help but feel like a trembling rabbit just seconds before the big bad wolf pounced.
"Oh, you love it."
The woman's throaty voice sounds husky to Rachel's ears. Rachel's back meets the whitewashed wood of Tina's house with a small thud and she squirms against it, trying to find a way, any way out of this situation. But the woman cuts away any route of escape by languidly placing her admittedly soft looking hands on either side of Rachel's flustered head.
"C-come again?"
Rachel blushes, she's never stuttered before, not in front of anyone and when Rachel Berry blushes, she blushes with her whole body.
The woman bends lower, her face settling in the soft space between Rachel's shoulder and neck. Rachel can feel her breathing deeply, hell, Rachel can smell her and she smells divine! hints of lavender and rosewood interspersed with just a hint of musk. Rachel was getting dizzy by just smelling her! The woman's next words were whispered into the shell of her sensitive left ear.
"Admit it, you old birds love having a cock in your henhouse."
Rachel's eyes fluttered shut as she inhaled deeply, her knees faltering as her legs grew weak. She could die of the desire pooling in the pit of her stomach. And that slight Irish accent she had, Rachel could drown in it. God, what was happening to her?
The woman was kissing her neck now, her long tongue snaking out to caress Rachel's tan flesh. When her teeth graze her skin, Rachel can't hold in the loud groan that bubbles out from her open mouth. Rachel can feel the woman smile into her skin then, the tips of her lips grazing Rachel's pulse point.
"Don't worry dolly, you'll like me." She husks before whispering the rest into Rachel's ear, "I'm pretty on the inside."
Rachel's whole body is trembling against the woman's as she presses her body into Rachel's before claiming her lips with a fierce kiss. Rachel's hands work on their own accord and tangle on the woman's short blonde hair and pull her close, as she herself deepens the kiss, almost as if she's searching for something, searching for something desperately...
And then, Rachel remembers what happened last summer. And just like that her senses return and she's pushing and clawing and kicking all in a vain attempt at throwing the woman off her. She's surprised when it works and the woman backs off almost immediately, almost regretfully after kissing her one last time. Rachel bends over, huffing as she clutches her knees in an effort to stay upright.
When she looks up the woman is smirking at her from her chair across the pool. Rachel huffs and grits her teeth before standing up and stalking across the road on her still-wobbly feet to the edge of the pool and pointing her index finger and along with it all her anger and venom at the woman.
"If you touch me like that ever again, I'll call the sheriff and she'll run you out of town before you know what hit you."
The woman is chuckling, a hand clutching her ribs as she laughs and it incites Rachel even more. Steam is positively billowing from her ears.
"She'll run me out of town? You know what? You've got spunk, girlie so I'll let you in on a little secret..."
Behind her, she can hear the front door opening and Tina stepping out.
"...B.D. Bloch's parties? They aren't any fun at all! No, I f I were you, I'd rather pass on his little jamboree tonight."
Rachel's nose twitched, she couldn't believe the nerve of this woman.
"And, she eavesdrops too..." Her voice is thick with vitriol as she hissed. "So I take it you and 'B.D' are good friends?"
The woman grinned at Rachel, her lips curling like a panther's at the sight of dinner.
"More like old acquaintances. Actually, I'm just in town to finish a bit of business with the old coot." Her eyes glinting in the pinkish twilight she smirks at Rachel. "And believe me honey, his get-togethers- just a bunch of piddling Europeans sipping tea with their pinkies out. Why don't you stay here? I'll show you a real party!"
Rachel snorts, flipping her hair behind her back almost as if to taunt the other woman with her long mane.
"Thanks, but I rather like drinking with my pinkie out."
Behind her, Tina had just finished locking up the door, turning round, the bottom of her red gown whipping round with her, she called out to Rachel.
"Okay, I'm ready, lets... Oh."
After glancing back, Rachel turns and grabs Tina's hand before pulling her down the empty lane leading out to the main road. "And remember what I said about touching me!" She calls over her back at the woman.
Behind her, the woman sighs as she stares after the dwindling specks that are Rachel and Tina before staring down at her paper again.
"Suit yourself... But you're gonna be biting yourself in the morning."
One Past Midnight - June25 1925 - The Bloch Mansion, East Hollywood.
"It's like a stuffy museum in here!" Rachel whispers to Tina as they walk through yet another burgundy wallpaper clad hallway in pursuit of the illusive main hall.
"Whatever you say about the man, he sure lives like a king, if his home is any indication."
"Stuff it!" Tina hisses as she swats her friend's shoulder, finally getting weary of her offhand remarks. "If you didn't want to come you should have said, instead of dragging me here by the arm."
Rachel giggled, before pulling Tina closer and linking their arms.
Harold Lloyd quirked a smile at them as they stopped by the bar, busy talking to Louise Brooks about something or the other. Both Rachel and Tina walked past sporting hidden smiles and violent blushes.
As they weaved through the crowd, arm in arm, Tina grew contemplative and silent. Noticing this Rachel slowed to a stop near the Ice sculpture behind which someone who looked suspiciously like Lon Chaney was conversing with an unnamed brunette.
"Rachel" Tina whispered looking down into her brunette friend's eyes. "Whatever happens tonight, whether B.D waves his magic wand and makes you a star, or if we remain extras until we're old spinsters, I just wanted to say, thanks."
Rachel's eyes widened staring at her friend in confusion. "Thanks? For what, Tina?"
A small smile curled itself upon Tina's lips as she turned back to the party and surveyed the attendees. "You inspire me Rachel, you really do." Breathing deep as in her peripheral vision Lon Chaney left early brunette in hand, Tina continued. "You've got this power about you Rachel, It's something someone like me would kill to possess. You set a goal and you just plow on, moving heaven and earth to get to it, even with all the drama and anger with your fathers, you just soldier on. Sometimes I envy you so much Rachel, it almost hurts. You're just so tough."
Rachel looked at Tina, her smile wan and pale. "Me? Tough?" she looked away, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her satin gloved hand. "I take the train downtown every night to the club..."
In front of them Mike Chang is procuring two flutes of champagne for himself and his date, a blond haired woman with her hair done up and a pearl necklace draped around her neck that was surely worth more than everything Rachel and Tina owned put together. When he catches Rachel's eye he smiles warmly.
"...It passes by the Union Pacific ticket office, and I'm telling you Tina, There Isn't one single night that I don't feel like walking in there and buying a ticket back to New York, back to my dad, back to Broadway..."
Mike makes the smallest of nods to the side, before disentangling himself from his date and making a small excuse before walking down the corridor he motioned towards. Rachel swallows before disentangling herself too, Tina's eyes meet hers before shoving her towards the corridor. Rachel smiles before walking down it. She can see Mike waiting for her where it curves to the left.
"...But every day I get that feeling. Every single day, I try to remember all the small good things that happened already. Meeting you, Tina, for one..."
Mike's hand curls around her lower back and Rachel is steered down the corridor. Her heart is thudding so loudly inside her chest that she's afraid mike would hear it. Banishing such thoughts she clears her throat in an attempt to grant her more courage.
"I-I'm so sorry about earlier today Mr. Chang. I don't know what came over me."
Mike smiles reassuringly before bending down and speaking in a surprisingly gentle voice.
"Oh, that's all water under the bridge Rachel, don't I know how women are when they get riled up! And please, call me Mike." He winked "Beside's we're going to see B.D. right now, I personally made a case against the treatment of extras on set and he would very much like to hear your opinion on the subject too."
Rachel smiled before looking forward again. She was getting slightly uncomfortable, the back of her neck felt cold."
"Besides, I think your fire could be used quite spectacularly to portray an interesting supporting character in one of B.D's new films."
"...The way the sun feels on my skin, That weird, sweet sound the palm trees make outside our balcony, the faces of happy families at the 'Happy Egg', The smell of autumn leaves after they gather on our roof, finding a baby squirrel in our post box... Akiko..."
They are standing in front of a huge oak door adorned with carvings of lions, deer, wolves and dragons. Mike turns to consider Rachel before rapping thrice smartly on the door.
His piercing eyes, igniting from within like cut glass diamonds set over a lit paper lantern, stare into her own brown ones. He suddenly looks very grave. As if all the previous warmth has left his being.
"Tell me Rachel... Are you afraid of God?"
She can feel the hairs on the nape of her neck rise at his tone. Something was very wrong. Even as her confused brain is scrambling for an answer the door in front of her is slowly opening.
"Um... N-No, I don't really..."
His brow furrows in confusion, eyes flickering in doubt for a moment, before reverting back to their earlier hardness.
"Very good, Rachel. There are things on this earth that are more worthy of fearing, after all."
Rachel shakes her head in confusion. she doesn't understand.
"...What?..."
And then the door is open and Rachel can see a man in a black top hat standing up from the loveseat in front of a roaring orange flame which was almost billowing out of its wall-inset fireplace.
"B.D." Mike drawled from the doorway as the man, apparently B.D. Bloch slowly reaches up with both his hands and removes his top hat. "Let me present, Miss Rachel Berry."
With a small push on her lower back, Mike almost shoves her inside before walking out and closing the door behind him with an almost silent click.
"...By force of will I make myself believe that, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day..."
Rachel timidly walks into the room, noticing that she and B.D are not alone only when she's already halfway across. She stops immediately, surveying the interlopers. Several men, walk out of the darkness surrounding them and into the orange pall cast by the fire. Their shadows are long and languid and flit across Rachel as they congregate around B.D.
Rachel is confused, she thought B.D. wanted to talk to her...
"Pleasure to meet... All of you."
The palms of her hands are wet and her throat is dry. She tries hard not to fidget.
"I just want to say what a honor it is t meet you Mr. Bloch. " She rattles out without breathing "I've been a fan of your films for years, ever since I was a little girl."
B.D. chuckles. the sound is dry devoid of any warmth, of any humor, and is echoed by several of the room's occupants while a minority say silent, grinning at Rachel, their eyes glinting with glee.
"Funny, I have stopped paying much attention to them myself."
Rachel starts, staring into the eyes of the man, the paragon of filmmaking who had made so many movies, many movies that Rachel herself cherished.
"Oh, but that can't possibly be..."
B.D. Grins, intercepting her sentence even as he walks toward her. "True? Oh, but it is. Have you perchance, heard about the newest venture in cinema history? These 'Talkies'?"
"Films with synchronized sound?" Rachel's voice is weak to her own ears.
"Yes!" B.D. hisses as he reaches out a hand to brush a strand of brown hair out of Rachel's face. Her eyelids close. The mocha brown makeup on her eyelids meshes perfectly with her hair.
"W-what's going on?" Her voice sounds small and frightened now.
"Soon, very soon, America's greatest movie stars will be talking, singing, screaming and begging for your attention. I will make these movies for you Miss Rachel Berry, but you see, the bitter Irony of the situation..."
His hand grips her shoulder firmly and pushes her down on to the loveseat. She falls in a limp tumble of limbs, too numb and scared to fight back.
"Please!" she whispers, her voice hoarse. "Please, don't do this!"
B.D. doesn't seem to hear her though, too absorbed in his own being as he towers over her trembling form, the others forming a circle around them, long canines gleaming in the firelight.
"...Is that, I myself, don't want to hear anything that you may have to say."
And then, with an almighty roar, all of them pounce, biting, clawing and tearing at Rachel even as she screams for her father.
Outside, Mike Chang straightens up with a smile, ignoring Rachel's progressively weaker screams and sounds of rending flesh as he dusts off his tuxedo before walking back to the party and offering his arm to his date.
"...We'll get to be part of something special!"
TO BE CONTINUED
AN: Now, in an effort to better emulate the VA comic I've added a little miniseries to this story too. Expect mini chapters after the main chapters.
Without further Ado I present: Sânge Rău Chapter 1: Vampire, meet Vampire
Sânge Rău
Chapter 1: Vampire, meet Vampire
June 26 1930 - Dreamland, Coney Island, New York City.
Anna sat there, on an empty wooden bench, cloaked in the velveteen shadow of twilight. Her magenta eyes trained on the little girl about to fall off the baby blue pony on the carousel in front of her.
The mother stood a way off, conversing animatedly with two men. her hands waving wildly as she gestures about something or the other. The men grin and nod, hanging on to her every word.
Anna had stalked them for the better part of the day. Initially it had been because the thirst had been too much for her to cope. Abstaining in New York was like being a diabetic in a chocolate store. It was beyond impossible. She'd strayed in the past too, once or twice, An Irish immigrant here and an unruly mobster there. She always felt like dirt on the next day though, her grandmother never forgets to put her in her place, screaming at her to "stay on the fucking blood packs" and to "not fucking drain them dry if you want to be fucking greedy." But after following them around, she'd felt a genuine interest in the little girl.
On the carousel the little girl, 'Janet' her mother had called her, was fussing, twisting one way and the other, her free hand reaching out for her mother as the other clutched tightly onto the pole that affixed the pony. She must be tiring.
'Don't move Anna.' she was fighting her instincts now, Gritting her teeth in order to keep her fangs in. 'Don't move. Her mother, will act.'
But, the child's mother, for all intents and purposes was blissfully oblivious, save to pause her socializing to throw a few glances behind her in the general direction of the carousel. Anna felt like walking over to the woman and pummeling her, before munching on her throat. But the thought of little Janet growing up without a parent stilled her thoughts.
The little girl's left foot slipped a little, strands of auburn hair falling over her eyes as her face scrunched up in fear.
She had to grit her teeth and claw her hands into the cheap, treated wood of the bench beneath her, physically willing herself to stay still. Her hands clenched even as the wood crunched within her palms.
The mother grinned nodding her head rapidly at the men, breaking out in a loud boisterous laughter in what seemed to be acquiescence of some sort.
Anna fantasized about having the woman drawn and quartered before she remembered that she had no pull in this world. Her father's court had long since been discontinued. And she was a monster, however human she may look. Deep in those Siberian woods on that fateful December, she'd become something else.
And then sudden as a bolt of lightning, it happened.
The girl slipped, her pale blue sundress catching on the porcelain stirrups, for a heart stopping moment she hung there, her little arms flailing, clutching at the air. And then the cheap cotton tore, and Anna froze.
Her heart was beating against her, railing against her sternum in a vain attempt to break free.
Anna was only half aware that she was standing, almost halfway across to the carousel. Her face contorted in shock, cast into harsh reality by the pale light shone by the rusting streetlamp a few paces in front of her.
Red eyes stared back inquisitively at her.
The little girl sat comfortably in the red eyed woman's arms. Her wide blue eyes staring between her rescuer and Anna.
Setting her gently down, the woman patted her head languidly before pointing her in the direction of her mother. Janet smiled at her rescuer before ambling towards her oblivious mother.
Then, giving Anna her full attention she walked closer, shoes clicking on the stonework underfoot.
"You're new." the woman whispered as she stopped in front of her, eyes latching with Anna's.
Anna tilted her head to the left, by this angle the woman's eyes looked almost brown.
"Akiko Cohen-Chang." Her voice was warm, soothing and for the life of her Anna couldn't figure out why it reminded her of homemade waffles with a dollop of honey on top.
Anna refocused, eyes latching onto the offered hand, a guarded expression seeping into her face.
"Go on, I don't bite... Unless you want me to!" The woman grinned, the corners of her almond shaped eyes crinkling with mirth.
Anna reached her right hand out, tentatively gripping the offered one and shaking it firmly, her name slipping out of her lips almost unconsciously.
"Anastasia Romanova"
TO BE CONTINUED
AN: And that is it for chapter 1 gents and ladypeople! Don't forget to Follow, Favorite and Review. And be sure to tune in next month!
Fun Fact: Sânge Rău means "Bad Blood" in Romanian.