|
Post by orinocoflow on May 11, 2010 23:05:37 GMT -5
Deidre crossed the street, eager to meet Paul again. She had first done so a few days ago at the local town fair, and the two had hit it off immediately, talking about several things. She was surprised to find a man who shared so many interests with her, and she liked him for that and much more. When he spoke, his rich voice had a melodic timbre beneath, hypnotizing her. Those sparkling blue eyes of his glowed while he talked to her, watching her every movement. He was obviously educated; it showed in his speech and manners, which were impeccably cultured. She had never seen anyone even slightly similar to him, and his wit was sharper than she had expected; he challenged her in the calmest situations, daring her to be unable to answer. So naturally, how could she resist when he requested to see her again. As the clock struck two in the afternoon, she quickened her step to reach the town square in time. Arriving as the last bell sounded, she looked around, hoping to spot him. When she did not, she simply sat on a nearby bench to wait, knowing that he was most likely just a few minutes late. But a long time afterward, the clock sounded again. She counted the beats—five in the afternoon. She looked around at the darkening courtyard, dread filled her. He wasn’t coming. With a sigh, she stood up, looked around once more, but then, resigned, she headed back home. It was too good to be true, for a handsome man like that to want to talk to her again. After all, he appeared to be of a high rank, whereas she was but a middle-class lady. It must have shown in her manner, and he had decided that, for his own reputation, it would be better if he simply “forgot” about the meeting. With a final glance over her shoulder, she turned the corner and went home. * * * A few days later, Deidre was coming back from the market laden with purchases. The sun was below the horizon already, and it was cold in the crisp spring air. She heard something behind her, and, fearing it could be a thief or of the sort, she hurried along. At that moment, however, out of a shadowy alley came barreling a huge form. Unable to turn away from the charging man, she was knocked down. Hearing a scream, she froze, afraid of what she had gotten herself into. This was a neighborhood where it was dangerous to be in after dark, and that was exactly the situation she was in. The man let out a strange laugh that echoed in the silent street, and she realized that he was dragging her into the alley. Numb with fear, she was helpless against the man. Just then, she heard a familiar voice yell, “LET HER GO!!!” * * *
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on May 12, 2010 20:12:39 GMT -5
She stiffened, but not from fear this time. Although she knew that the owner of that voice was a gentleman, there was something fearsome in that tone, something that belonged to a monster, not an aristocrat. Paul ran up behind, and she closed her eyes when she heard the first punch land. Raising her hands to her ears, she did her best to shut out the sounds of fighting, and completely blocked out the world. A few moments later, however, she felt a gentle, yet strong, hand touch her arm. Opening her eyes a little, she realized that she was staring into the face of Paul, the man she had been supposed to meet a few days before. There was something different about him, but she could not place it. She sat up, looking up at the tall man. He was kneeling, but still had a good head or two on her. His blue eyes were concerned, but she smirked and stood up, ignoring the outstretched hand he offered. “Thank you, sir, but I should be on my way now,” she muttered. Stooping to gather her bags, she heard him shift around behind her. “Don’t you recognize me, Deidre?” he asked, that Dublin accent of his tugging at her heart. “Of course I do, Lord Byrom, there is hardly a way for me to forget that meeting last Tuesday. But I assume you had more pressing engagements with those your own rank.” She glanced back at him, but then realized what she had just said to someone who could make her life miserable with only a few words to a noted official. “I’m sorry, my lord, I did not mean tha—“ “No worries, no worries. It was entirely my fault I did not appear that day. I…was…” he hesitated, discomfort in his expressive face. “Well, it would be easier to…” he stopped, raising his face to meet hers. “It is hard to explain, but were it not for that, I would have been there, believe me.” As she looked at his earnest expression, she did believe him. “I do not blame you, my lord. I trust you to do what is right.” With that, she thanked him once more and was about to walk away when she realized that there was a growing red stain on his sleeve. Just as she pointed it out, he snapped out of his reverie and shook his head. Wishing her a safe way back, he turned and left with a speed that surprised her. * * *
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on May 12, 2010 20:26:12 GMT -5
She saw him a few more times after that night, but always in the evenings. He occasionally raised his hand in casual greeting, but then would disappear into what seemed like thin air. One night, however, she was walking down a deserted street lit only by a small light at the far side. She walked quickly, but stopped when she heard a crash, a thud, and a loud snarl coming from a side street. The crime rate had risen noticeably in the past couple weeks, and none of the new cases were even close to being deciphered. Not wanting an encore of the other night, she tried to walk away but did not get far. A person ran out of the alley, clutching his throat, but an arm in a black coat grabbed him and pulled him back with incredible strength. Deidre could only stand still, too scared to move as strange sounds came out of the alley. After a minute, however, a man dressed in a black coat that hung just below his knees stalked out, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. But he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her standing there, frozen with fear, staring at him. “Paul?” she whispered, her voice gone. Paul stepped forward, advancing cautiously while he put the handkerchief back into his pocket. But as soon as he came close, she saw something white sparkle on his face. Squinting, she gasped when she realized what it was. FANGS.With a muffled scream, she turned to run, but he was there, grabbing her and putting a sweet-smelling cloth to her nose. As she began to lose consciousness, she heard, faintly, “Please forgive me, Deidre, it’s for your own good.” * * *
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on May 12, 2010 20:36:37 GMT -5
When she awoke, she realized that she was in a dark room in a deep, soft bed. The covers were of a material she had only seen in expensive stores, and she knew that wherever she was, it was owned by a very rich person. PAUL. As memory flooded back to her, she realized where she must be. Frantically turning her head, she spotted him a moment before a shattering headache lanced her skull. Groaning, she lay back down. Even with her eyes closed, she could sense him stand up and lightly walk over to her, his tall figure somehow almost soundlessly cross the stretch of polished wooden floor. “How are you, Deidre?” he murmured, but his soothing voice was no longer interesting in the way it had been before. She turned her head slowly this time, careful not to let the pain come back. His face was concerned as it had been that first night, but now she knew what was different. There was a leanness to it that had not been there; his skin was noticeably paler; his eyes were still blue, but they were more…neon blue, eerily glowing in the dark. Before, his hair had been combed back in a way that a few unruly locks fell onto his forehead and the wavy hair at the back curled over his collar and partially covered his ears, yet still appeared neat and classy. Now, however, it was long in the front, falling almost down into his eyes, and short in the back, well above the collar. It was also a different color, before a rich brown, now a beautiful, sandy golden with darker streaks scattered freely throughout. The new look was gorgeous, but those eyes of his, which before had been gentle and casual, were now focused and dangerous. His collar was open, revealing a scar consisting of two knots a little more than an inch apart. “What are you?” she asked, although, with all the stories she had heard, she already knew. He sighed, but then pulled his lips back in a smile that exposed a pair of razor-sharp fangs. The two teeth extended further than the rest of the teeth, and were curved curiously. She reached a hand out, touching the incisors, but jerked her hand back when Paul growled deep in his throat and the daggers lowered another inch. Regardless how scared she was, this turned her gaze into a questioning one. “Retractable fangs?” she asked, giggling. Paul cocked his head to the side, surprised that she was laughing at a time like this, but flicked his tongue over the teeth to pull them in before nodding. “So, can you explain how it happened?” “Well, to put it quickly, I was returning from our talk that first day when something jumped out of the shadows at me. I fought back, but he overpowered me before I could do him much damage. He had incredible strength, I’m telling you. Well, after he turned me into…a vampire, I guess, he cut my arm with a knife he had in his belt. It stung like something I could never say to a lady’s ears, and he said it would hurt that much if I ever tried fighting, and bleed, too. As it turned out, that is true. That night when I helped you out, and you saw that I had a bloody sleeve? Well, that came from it. I can't do anything about it, either. And if that isn’t bad enough, my eyes glow in the dark because of him. Turns out he was a special breed of vampire, and that I should be honored to become one like him.” Paul snorted in disgust, his eyes flashing sapphire. “Anyway, after he let me go, I was too weak to move for a long time. Just before dawn he came back, dragging one of my servants, Damian, behind him. He ordered the lad to get me back here, and so I survived. He stayed nearby that first day, helping me get used to life as a vampire and aiding me through my change. That was why I was unable to come meet you,” he added. “After he left, however, I needed to feed, and Damian, how understanding that lad is, he let me…well…you get the idea…anyway, after a few days I was able to walk, and that was the night you saw me. And from then on, you know pretty much everything.” Deidre had lain silently that whole time, and now looked up at him. “What happened to your hair?” “I have no idea. One night it was dark, but then the next morning I looked in the mirror and saw that it was streaky blond and was this style. Not that I mind, it actually looks great, but it was unusual.” As she opened her mouth to ask a question, he answered her. “And yes, I can see my reflection, unlike other vampires.” “What can you do that is not what other vampires can?” she asked. “So far, I know I can run faster, I am stronger, I hit harder—that man that attacked you that first night was a vampire—I have this cursed cut, my eyes glow and change color, my voice can change, I can become invisible, and I can change into animals and other mythological creatures. You’ll be amazed by how many different creatures are out there that were thought to be legends, you know. I can time travel without changing anything, go through walls, mentally transport objects, freeze time, and control minds. I can read minds, fly, and I am immortal, as far as I know. As soon as I became this, I suddenly know all there is to know about the world, even what will be discovered in the future, and can solve practically anything that would seem challenging to others, such as mathematical problems. There are other things I can do, he said, but I haven’t found them out yet. But so far, this is a life I love. I know that I can also change human form as long as I have come in physical contact with a person, but I haven’t tried that yet because I’m not sure if I can change myself back. I can see and communicate with ghosts, too, which is a bit scary, considering how many are walking out there every day. All other vampires recognize and respect me, allowing me to travel in their highest circles, and treat me as a kind of leader. Very nice, by the way. I can control anything at all mentally, which is awesome, to say the least. Okay, I think that that’s it. Oh, I can see the future if I come in contact with a person. And on a gruesome note, I can see how they will die, too, just not when, so I cannot tell them.” He gazed at her sadly, but quickly recovered. He wasn’t fast enough, though. “How will I…” Deidre trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. He took her hand in his, squeezing gently. “You I do not know. I honestly cannot see your death, which makes me hopeful.” “Hopeful? Why…” then she realized what he meant. “Are you going to change me, too?” she whispered, hope flowering in her heart. She wanted to be able to do all of those things he had talked about, although she was a bit afraid of seeing how a person died. “Do you want to?” he asked, watching her carefully. “The change hurt a lot, and it was not easy in the least. And you’ll never age, never be able to have a family. I know a lot of ladies want a family more than anything,” he murmured. “I did, too, but with this immortality comes a price—I cannot have a family.” She hesitated for a moment, thinking about how she wanted a daughter more than anything, but she knew that this was the chance of a lifetime. With his new powers, Paul would most likely leave to explore them while she stayed behind. If she was like him, he might allow her to stay with him. He might even— “I would come back if you wanted to have child. The only thing, the father of that child would not appreciate you running off mysteriously with that kid and just disappearing. Remember, that child cannot be mine by blood,” he finished softly. Looking him in the eye, she made up her mind and prepared to tell him her decision. * * * Ok, readers, I want to know what you think she should do. Leave now with Paul and never have her own child? Or Find a husband, have a child, and then leave with Paul when he comes back for her? Or Something else? Please pm me if you choose this one!
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Jun 12, 2010 23:59:03 GMT -5
Suddenly, the door splintered and came crashing down into the room. Before it even hit the ground, however, Paul was up and away in a heartbeat, snarling and baring his fangs, which now were fully extended in fury. His eyes glowed a bright blue as he veered around in the air, landing lightly on his feet. “Easy, Black, it’s just me,” came a rich voice through the broken doorway. As Paul relaxed, a tall man strolled in casually into the room, glancing around the dark area. “You should seriously move out of here, Black; it’s not fitting, considering who you are in our world.” His gold eyes shifted to Deidre, taking her in with an easy sweeping up-and-down. “Hey, you brought a snack!” As Deidre felt cold rush down her spine, Paul immediately flashed over to her side, his fangs out again. But the stranger raised a palm, laughing. “I’m kidding, Black, I’m kidding.” “You’d better be, Luc,” growled Paul, sitting back down by her side. “And I like this place just fine, thank you very much. You could, however, fix that door on your way out,” he added, glancing at the man. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” came the half-interested reply. The main focus of the stranger, however, was Deidre. As she lay still, watching carefully, afraid, the man walked around the room slowly, coming to stand in front of the window. His eyebrow lifted, and the lights came on in the room, lighting it in a soft glow not unlike his own eyes. “So…if that isn’t dinner, then what is she doing here?” “She is a friend, Luc,” growled Paul. “What do you want?” “Why don’t we step into the other room, Black, and we’ll talk.” With a last backward glance at her, Paul dematerialized with the mysterious stranger into a different room. Deidre sat there, not sure what she had just seen. While she mulled over those thoughts, she began to realize that the man called Paul “Black.” Why? His hair wasn’t black, nor were his eyes, so why else? His clothes? That didn’t make any sense. Suddenly, a thud echoed through the house, followed by a VERY familiar snarl and a string of curses. Then, silence. A few moments later, a gentle touch came to rest on her shoulder. She yelped, jumping, and veered around to face an amused expression on…Luc’s face. Two white fangs peaked out from under the curved lip, glistening in the candlelight, as a quiet chuckle slid out of the vampire’s throat. * * *
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Jun 15, 2010 0:07:54 GMT -5
“Luc! Behave yourself, lad.” His gold eyes widening, Luc turned around, watching the new character standing in the doorway. As Deidre followed his gaze, she felt another chill run up her spine. This new man was taller than either Paul or Luc, with long black hair that was gathered in a ponytail that reached down to the small of his back. You could see the natural lethal grace about him. His light grey eyes almost disappeared in his pale face. When she reached his mouth, however, she saw that he was smiling slightly, and although his fangs were not extended, the canines were just a tad longer than the others, and sharper. At the moment, that deathly smile was aimed at the vampire crouching by the bed next to her, who looked as though he had just seen a ghost. Which, given what Paul said he could do, was maybe not far from the truth after all. “Where is Black, by the way?” asked the new vampire, his low baritone carrying a surprising lilt to it. Meanwhile, his pale eyes bored into Luc’s golden ones. “He’s in the other room, Marcus,” answered the latter, as though hypnotized. “Took a fall, I guess.” Marcus floated an eyebrow, but said nothing for a few minutes. As the silence stretched, Deirdre shifted uncomfortably, not sure about where this was going. Finally, they all heard a rustle in the room where the two had gone, and then Paul materialized next to Deidre, his fangs bared in readiness for a fight. Blood stained his sleeve again, so she knew that he had been fighting already. When he saw Marcus, however, his jaw dropped. “What is this, Grand Central Station?” he exclaimed. When Deidre looked at him strangely, he muttered, “It’s something that will be built in the future.” Turning back to the intruder, “What brings you out here?” “Oh, not much, Black, just the fact that you were due for the international meeting that was last night but you never showed up. And since you are a new Brother, well, it’s only fair that you head out and join the rest of the world.” Paul blinked at the information, and when he spoke, his voice was a bit strained. “An international meeting…of VAMPIRES?” “Well, yes, lad, what did you expect? Werewolves? Those things can hardly think, never mind meet to discuss events!” Marcus’ incredulous expression was absolutely serious. (Sorry Jacob fans, I just HAD to put that in! lol) “Anyway, you should also be expecting a visit from three other fellows. Jaeger will be tall, with black eyes, fangs that never hide, and black hair. From what I hear, he always wears black. He will probably show around midnight since he likes dramatic entrances, and will claim that you are related to him in one way or another simply because of your calling. “Dullahan is German, far as I know. He is immortal, like you, and can even survive being beheaded. No wonder he will be used as the Headless Horseman in the years to come.” Turning to Deidre, he said, “If you live a few more centuries, you will see what I mean.” Back to Paul, “He will just welcome you into the pack, see how you do, maybe attack you to see how you fight.” He opened his mouth to continue, but then stopped, glancing down at the bleeding arm. “And given your curse, he might not be too pleased. However, if you fight even with that arm bleeding, he might like you more for it. “Lastly, you have Dunkan. He is an old vampire, a Celtic one at that. Back in the days of the Druids, he was legendary for his ruthlessness, his agility and skill in fight, and worst of all, his cunning. When he appears, you will have to be on your guard. He will not just walk up to you or, like some—“ with a meaningful glare at Luc—“break down the door, but rather materialize inside your house somewhere. Before you ask, he cannot simply pop in and out like you can, but he travels as a shadow that can go through anything as long as there is a tiny space somewhere. He prefers dark spaces—hence he is called “The Dark One” in Celtic lore—and can fight or move objects in that form. You can see him in the light, and especially in the daylight, when he casts a shadow. Now, also—“ “Whoa, whoa, hold it!” Paul interrupted. “He can walk during the day?” There was a pause. “So can you, Black, so can you. What, Amarande never told you?” He was referring to Paul’s sire, Deidre assumed. Paul shook his head. “No, he just said that there were other powers I had that he would not tell me of. Do you know all that I can do? And can you teach me those I need help with? I want to be able to control all of them completely.” Deidre stared at the young man, fear beginning to dawn on her. Paul had changed in more than just appearance and mortality. Now, he was also…ambitious? How else could she describe the gleam in his eye that she had ignored before as he had told her of his powers, of his individuality, and now, did he want to conquer the world or something? What did he want to do? At her last thought, Paul glanced towards her, his brow furrowed, his blue gaze confused. She suddenly remembered that he could read minds… “Maybe. Anyway, as I was saying, Dunkan will show up in the darkest corner most likely, and may try to attack you. Again, probably only to see how well you fight. Nothing serious, but he will not hold back from cutting you a few times, if you know what I mean. Unlike other vampires that prefer to fight with modern technology, he will take advantage of his fangs, speed, and strength as a vampire. He excels at any form of contact combat, so be prepared. Lastly, before leaving, he is going to test that wit of yours. I’m not sure how, he always changes the style, but maybe…never mind, I honestly do not know. “So anyway, good luck with those lads, and especially Dunkan. There will be another meeting in a few weeks, so come to that one.” He got up, gathering his cloak closer about himself against the cool breeze. “And Black…get a tan, will ye? If you can, don’t give away that power. There are many vampires out there that would give their fangs to be able to walk in the sun. Also, move to a bigger house. This one’s tiny and about to fall down. There was a nice castle on that mountain over there that has been empty for a while now, and it just has your name written all over it.” He glanced at Deidre and smiled, flashing those controlled fangs of his. “And use your most precious power on her, lad. That is, when you find out what it is.” With a last grin, he disappeared. * * *
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Jun 17, 2010 20:17:28 GMT -5
okay, gonna take a break on this one to work on first date.
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Aug 29, 2010 21:11:07 GMT -5
Paul stood there, obviously turning all of the new information in his head, judging by that concentrated furrow on his brow. Suddenly, he looked at her. “I am not going to take over the human world, Deidre,” he said softly, watching her. “Vampire world…I’ll hold my breath on that one, but humans? Naw, not on my agenda.” He looked out the window. “I can't wait for daylight,” he murmured dreamily, his eyes glazed over as he considered all that he could do, according to Marcus. Deidre stared at him, wondering what to do now. Did she want to be with Paul, now that he was…a vampire? And one with incredible powers, to boot. When he looked over at her again, she got angry. “Will you stop reading my mind?!” He seemed taken aback. “Um, I would if I knew how to, but I read thoughts automatically; it’s not like I choose to.” “In that case, we need to figure out how to do that, because it creeps me out.” “If I had a CD player or iPod or something, I would put on hard rock or rap and crank up the volume. So far, I have found that rap is better because it completely makes you ignore any other thoughts in your head with how horrible it is,” he finished, scrunching up his face at the memory of the modern music he had heard while time traveling. Deidre looked at him blankly. “CD? iPod? Rock? Rap? What volume?” Paul stared back for a second before starting to laugh hard. “Sorry, 21st century experience here,” he said, holding his side as he got a stitch. Catching his breath, he composed himself, still grinning. As she continued staring without comprehension at him, he clarified, “I can time-travel.” “Oh,” she said stiffly, curious. After a pause, “Can you tell me about it?” Smiling, Paul nodded and sat down beside her on the bed, telling her what he remembered and what the few hours before dawn permitted him to. * * *
|
|
|
Post by celticbear on Aug 29, 2010 23:14:02 GMT -5
Ira I love this story! then again I love vampire stories, I'm in the middle of reading the "Sookie Stackhouse Vampire series" So my vote is for Deidre to become like Paul, so that they can be together forever, plus Vampires can always adopt.
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Sept 1, 2010 22:01:01 GMT -5
readers,
dont expect any updates soon. school is in overload, and i have tests coming up, plus weekend is full.
i have ideas in shorthand notes, and have another story planned out, but dont have time to type them up. will do when i have time!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2010 23:51:34 GMT -5
Well, I can't wait for this, OR your new story! ;D
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Sept 6, 2010 23:41:17 GMT -5
A few months later…“Paul?” “Yes?” he answered, coming into the room. They had moved into that castle as Marcus had recommended, and in a few weeks’ time it was now wonderful to live in, complete with just about anything you could ask for. Also, thanks to Paul’s time-traveling, it had technology from several centuries; computers, anything that played music because Paul simply adored it, books, artifacts, coins, a state-of-the-art security system from the twenty-third century. After his “meeting” with the three, Paul had cloned them with the help of some course he had taken in the future, and had tested Dunkan’s powers against the system, satisfied only when the shadow form set off any sensor, so that no one could appear on the grounds without warning. Also, no vampires or magic-wielders could materialize on the property—they would set off another type of sensor that would paralyze them until Paul had time to check out who had intruded. Overall, no one could go into the castle grounds without Paul knowing about it, and it would detect if a clone was being used to get in; for example, Paul cloned himself and tested it until the system sensed when it was him and when it was a clone, so that no one else could clone him and try to get in. One thing that had confused her at first was how Paul could step out of the room for a moment, and then when he came back, he would know a new language or have something from a different century. What he did was travel to whichever century or country he wanted to, stay there as long as necessary, and then come back to the exact time he left, so that it seemed as if he had never gone. Also, with all of this new happening, she had had to learn the new geography, and he had insisted she learn new languages. Unfortunately, unlike him, she could do a maximum of six before it became too much. Paul, on the other hand, already knew fifty-nine. Now, he walked into the room, wearing a loose black shirt and black pants, having just come back from the late nineteenth-century America. He looked exhausted, his tan face and blue eyes paler. In fact, he looked pale all around, not at all like he was ten minutes ago, before he had gone. Rushing to her side, he sat by her side and pulled her against him. After a few moments, he let go, looking at her intensely. “Are you all right? Is there something wrong?” he asked urgently. She sat back slightly, surprised by his reaction. Nodding distractedly, she replied, “Um, Paul? Remember when you said vampires could not father any children?” He sat back as well, blinking. “Yes…” he said, dragging out the word. She swallowed. “Are you absolutely sure about that? I mean, could you be an exception?” Paul stared back at her, thinking. Is this what Marcus meant when he said to save my greatest power for her? But then, how can I do this but not save her from the future? This is a curse, not a gift!Instead, he shrugged nonchalantly. “I have no idea what I could be right now, honestly. We’ll wait a bit, see what happens. In the meantime, do you want to try mental communication again right now? It might help in case of…anything.” Deidre stared at him, amazed and yet horrified at the same time. How could he react, or rather, not react at all to her question, as if he got asked this every day? And then she stopped, noticing his guarded, wary look in his eyes. “What are you hiding?” she queried, searching his blue gaze. Paul blinked again, focusing on her face. “Nothing, love, nothing at all,” he replied quickly, all innocence. She frowned. She knew better, but did not press. There would be time for that later. * * *
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2010 9:47:17 GMT -5
great update
|
|
|
Post by celticbear on Sept 8, 2010 23:46:11 GMT -5
Ori! Paul is hidding something from her! I hope as this story progresses you let us know what that secret is. I look forward to the next update.
|
|
|
Post by orinocoflow on Sept 10, 2010 18:13:59 GMT -5
you'll find out---at the end of the story! ...and i have hit a dead end , so i need to figure out how to connect to what i want from what i have.
|
|