Finally getting to something resembling normality. Honest. Whatever normality is.
Here is a reward for all the patience *flings out bat biscuits*
-YD-
When Ingrid suggested (and by suggested, Vlad meant she sort of turned up at the castle) they talk vampire stuff, even with the fact she kissed him a lot given almost any chance they were alone, he was still surprised.
Mostly because usually, when she pinned him to his bed like that, she wanted to bite him. So far, the only teeth he'd felt were quick nips at his mouth, making his lips more sensitive to the cool, insistent pressure of hers. Vlad could only assume he'd improved his technique some how, as Ingrid kept making the most maddening, tempting sounds in the back of her throat, those fingers buried in his hair flexing against his scalp when she pulled back to breathe. He could barely draw air himself, dizzy with the feel and taste and scent of her already.
Her dropping temperature left him covered in goosebumps, but Vlad wouldn't have cared if it was like being pressed against a block of ice when said ice was Ingrid, tongue pushing between his lips to taste his mouth. She retreated, frowning.
"What have you been eating?"
"Uh, chocolate? But your taste buds will be changing. You'll go off some stuff for a bit, but they'll settle after... after."
As though reminded of what she'd actually come over for - or said she had, anyway - she slid from her position looming over him, both to Vlad's disappointment and relief as he was finally about to breathe again, but, well, Ingrid was no longer pressed against him.
"I asked my mother."
"And?"
"Whitby Goth Festival."
Vlad frowned, having very little idea what that even was. He thought Robin might have mentioned it once. At least he knew where Whitby was. That was a start.
"That helps. All I have to do is find out which were here between fifteen and twenty years ago."
"Oh, is that all?"
He tried not to take her biting, harsh tone personally. Ingrid was actually remarkably calm and chilled out for a pending-transformation vampire. He wasn't sure if that was a half-human thing or not.
"It won't be that hard. Like I said, limited population and obsessive Slayers Guild, plus eternal boredom means vampires keep meticulous records just for something to do."
Shoving him aside to lie more comfortably on his bed, Ingrid stared up at the cobweb-coated ceiling of the tower, frowning.
"I sort of forgot about that part. What do you even do for all eternity?"
Sitting cross-legged to take up less space and hopefully not fall off the bed entirely, Vlad tapped his fingers on his knees.
"Mostly start fights with other vampires, kill humans and try not to get staked. Figure out who to marry your kids off too for the best political gain. It's only the last fifty years or so vampires have actually started to even edge towards intergration within the human world. Living like... this" he gestured broadly at the castle, sunlight pouring through the window "is not done in Transylvania, but the VHC don't concern themselves much with what someones doing elsewhere unless they break a lot of laws or one big one."
"VHC?"
"Vampire High Council. Our government, and the corruption there would put any breather politicians to shame. But they keep an eye out. Make sure accidents don't happen..."
"Like me?"
Vlad nodded, watching Ingrid actually laugh to herself a little bit.
"Well, it's nice to know I can flout the rules of two worlds now. What happens to me if I'm... found out?"
"Depends on who finds out, and ultimately who your father is. There are some the VHC are chomping to have an excuse to ash, but there are more... creative punishments. You're an abomination by our laws" Vlad picked at a loose thread on his bedspread, chewing on his words thoughtfully "so the punishment ranges from imprisonment and studying the abnormality, to torture and the like, all the way to death. At the barest minimum, exiled forever and a local Slayer tipped off to deal with you. But that's not an option I've ever heard being chosen. The entire family of the vampire who fathered you would probably be slain too."
Ingrid raised an eyebrow.
"Cheery."
"Actually, it sort of works in our favour."
"How?"
Ingrid sat up again, intrigued.
"Because the biggest hurdle after figuring out which Mirror you need is gaining access. The Blood Mirror is the heart of a clan, smash that and every transformed vampire is turned to ash. Every untransformed turned human. It binds the clan, it's the source of our powers. Takes a dozen vampires a month to layer the necessary alchemy into it, and it has to be bound to a family by blood. So, the clan in question will probably be protective of it."
"This doesn't sound promising."
"Yes, but the threat of being outed is far greater to them. Contractually oblige them to let you transform before getting out of their unlife, nobody has to find out. Self-preservation is the driving instinct for a vampire."
Ingrid nodded, their talks of her future living-dead status about the only time she was ever so quiet and contemplative. The only time Vlad really felt like he was actually in his league, knew what he was talking about. He unfolded his legs, planning to go show Ingrid what he meant about meticulous records.
"Dad's visiting his brother, and Renfield leaves if I tell him to. So the only one who'll know what we're reading."
Vlad didn't mention that his dad had specifically left with 'encouragement' to Vlad to 'seduce more breather girls'. His father could easily give him an eternal phobia of sex with such enormous cringe-factors. Ingrid eyed him oddly, then all but lunged at him and hauled Vlad back down, somehow seamlessly moving them so she was on top again. He got the feeling that would always be the case.
"I've been here over an hour and not once have you mentioned your father wasn't home."
"In my defence, you didn't give me much time. And dad only left last night."
"Hm."
Was her short reply before Vlad was being kissed to incoherence yet again, embarrassingly hard and using what little brainpower he had left to remember not to rut against her like a needy beast. Ingrid normally left her hands to tugging his top out of the way to bite him, or sometimes twisting through his hair, but this time they moved down, nimble fingers undoing his belt and Vlad was utterly certain he never wanted to wake up from such a dream.
She groped him through his underwear, still more powerful than any time Vlad had ever touched himself. Ingrid watched his face, undoubtedly twisting into all sorts of embarrassing shapes and expressions as he panted, unable to stop from squirming and pushing against Ingrid's grip. Her eyes slid to his throat, undoubtedly drawn in by the rapid pace his blood was rushing through his body, and Vlad tipped his head in offering on instinct. Ingrid took the offer, the scrape of developing fang on still-tender skin combining with the feel of her hand squeezing, stroking, all but demanding Vlad fall to pieces beneath her.
He wasn't sure if it was that he got off on pain, or simply that he got off on Ingrid, but either way the joint pressure of her teeth on his neck and her hand on his cock undid him completely, stamina a faded imagination and shame in its place as he came in his pants like the overexcited teenager he frankly was. She withdrew her hand when the fabric beneath grew wet, but her mouth kept sucking a harsh bruise on his throat until Vlad was shaking, jelly-like and unable to keep from whimpering as Ingrid finally let go.
"Go clean yourself up."
Her tone was unreadable, but Vlad got up to comply anyway, grabbing fresh pants from his drawer and shuffling off to the bathroom to wipe down and change, half-expecting Ingrid to have bailed on him again. So it was a pleasant surprise to see her still sat on his bed, looking up at him expectantly.
"Well, are we going reading or what?"
Shaking his head a little - he would never understand this girl, even with eternity to try, Vlad was convinced of it - Vlad stepped into slippers and gestured to the stairs.
"Let's go."
-YD-
I know the story is moving slowly but I am trying not to rush into a whole EVERYTHING AT ONCE thing. So hopefully, you forgive me.