dark as day (Astrid)

You would've thought Blackrock was one of the worst places for a vampire to visit: the all-Summer-all-year-around getaway location was more for the benefit of humans, surely. And yet, there was Aramis Lestoat. Of course, he'd waited until sundown to emerge, and now it was night time, nearing nine o'clock. The thing was, this place was just as good as it was in the evening than it was during the day.

He thought he'd go to a few of the bars later on, but for now he was sitting on one of the sun loungers around the poolside at the inn he was staying at. He was reading a book, and seemed to be enjoying it, but probably in an ironic way.

The title of the book was Love and Vampires, and it was hilarious. It wasn't supposed to be, but it was. He was chuckling to himself as he stretched backwards, hanging his arm off the back of his lounger.

@Astrid Eriksson

Astrid had spent much of her day pouting in her room. She had had such grand plans for their holidays out of school! She and her brother were going to go on a fun vacation and they would have the time of their lives! Only, their father had ruined that. He had made the decision that Vidar would be working with him for part of the break and that left Astrid just sitting around the house looking pretty. Her father didn't like her going very far without Vidar looking over her so she couldn't even take the vacation on her own! Though, she had finally talked him into at least letting her go to Blackrock. It was far below the type of place she would normally go but at least there was a beach and she could have a little fun. Her father and Vidar hadn't liked it but she had gotten her way as she always did.

It was later in the evening when she arrived and secured her room. To say that the lodging here was quaint would be an understatement but she was just looking forward to the beach the next day. She had to focus on the sun, the sand, and the ocean breeze that she craved so much even when it was already near dark when she arrived. She decided that she wasn't going to just sit around her room at the inn either, she wanted some fun, some adventure! This was her first vacation without her twin since they were usually together but she was going to make the best of this even if she was alone.

She had changed into her bikini and decided to give the pool a try. At least she could get in some night swimming. That could be fun, right? She walked along the side of the pool, searching for somewhere to put her towel and such when she saw an empty lounge chair. The only problem... It was beside someone she would much rather not see. Why did he seem to be everywhere? But she wouldn't let him chase her off! She moved over to the chair and began to drag it further from him without a word. Maybe if she didn't acknowledge him, he wouldn't acknowledge her.

@Aramis Lestoat

While he was reading, he came to a sudden halt and tilted his head up, facing skyward. He could already detect her scent before she was present. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in this slightly floral, delicate, yet unbearably decadent scent he had been craving for a while now.

When he opened his eyes, he resumed his position as an innocent poolside reader. The scent was still pummelling at his senses and stirring his instincts, but he also knew how to fight back against those sorts of urges. Humans didn't realise just how much he did hold himself back.

She wasn't saying anything, but she was taking the chair next to him. Aramis smirked to himself.

"Don't you pay attention in classes?" he asked, lifting his eyes lazily to look at her. She was very skinny in her swimwear. "Even if you are as quiet as a field mouse, I'd still be able to detect you."

His fangs bared as his grin spread wider.

@Astrid Eriksson

Astrid could do no more than roll her eyes at his statement. It wasn't like she didn't know that he could hear her. He could probably hear a pin drop a mile away! It was just that she hadn't expected him to actually be paying attention to all of the people moving around the pool. Granted, it wasn't nearly as busy at this point in the evening as she assumed it probably was during the day. Still! She hadn't counted on him being so obsessed with her that he would hone in on her as she moved the chair away so that she didn't have to be near him. How naive of her. "I pay attention. I was just hoping that if I didn't acknowledge you that you would just go away. Or at least not look up from your silly little book." She said in a slightly snarky way. Why did she always have to run into him? And when she was supposed to be here to relax and enjoy herself!

She turned her nose up in the air in a taught gesture as she turned slightly away from him. Never fully, she would never fully turn her back on a vampire. She wasn't that stupid. But she turned enough that she hoped it might appear she had completely dismissed him as she picked up the chair and moved it another few feet away from where his sat.

@Aramis Lestoat

"'Terribly sorry," he said, although it was quite insincere, "But I haven't mastered turning into a bat and flying away quite yet."

He rather liked her snootiness. There were probably a lot of men who liked her, but would be put off by it. He wasn't like a lot of men, because he wasn't really a man at all. She moved her chair far away from him, rather pointedly, and seemed determined to ignore his existence. He was watching her though, and wasn't trying to hide it. Humans were always at their best when they felt threatened: anything that had their blood pressure up and their adrenaline start to soar.

"You're very slight, aren't you? A skinny little thing, really..."

@Astrid Eriksson

”A terrible pity, really. It must be nearly as difficult to turn into a bat and flutter off as it is to just keep your comments to yourself. she said with one delicate brow raised in his direction as if he might challenge her statement. Of course, he couldn’t really challenge her logic in any way, could he? Not in her mind, he couldn’t.

She could feel the weight of his stare as she continued to move the chair to a more comfortable distance from him. Then again, she was used to men staring at her. Why wouldn’t they? What came next was a bit of a surprise to her. Was he really commenting on her weight now? Oh, that’s right… maybe he liked them bigger. Then why did he seem so obsessed with her? ”yes, if you must know, I do watch my figure.” well, between that and her naturally fast metabolism.

@Aramis Lestoat

His shoulders shook slightly as he uttered a low, jarring chuckle. Then he started checking his nails by curling his fingers over. It may have seemed effeminate, but vampires could tell a lot of their nutritional balance by the state of their nails. At best they were thicker, almost glassy. His were looking a little on the thin side...

"And whose benefit is that for, other than a man's?"

She could kid herself and say it was for her own benefit, but he wouldn't believe her. Vanity always seemed to come from a place of being concerned by others' judgement.

His eyes swept up to her again, as he put his hand down to rest on the bed again.

@Astrid Eriksson

Astrid was finally satisfied that she had the chair far enough away from him that he might leave her alone. After all, he seemed to be studying his fingernails instead of continuing to talk so that was a good sign at least. She took that as her opportunity to sit down on the lounge chair and enjoy the view for a bit. It was still rather beautiful here even if it was lower class than she was used to.

Then he just had to open his mouth once more and speak. Apparently she hadn’t moved far enough away after all. [”why would it have to be for some man? All of you make types are the same. Everything a woman does has to be to please you. I watch my figure so I don’t have to constantly buy a new wardrobe. My personal stylist wouldn’t be happy if she had to get all new measurements every time we turned around because I just let myself go.” Why she was actually explaining this was beyond her but she just couldn’t seem to hold her tongue when he rattled on. Even when she knew that she should.

@Aramis Lestoat

"That's very considerate of you to be concerned about an assistant's feelings," he jibed loftily, smirking. "I'm not really sure where you get my type from. Looks are of very little value to me, really. It's usually about how a human responds, how intoxicating their scent is... or just how convenient it is to get a good meal."

He put the book down and sat at the edge of his lounger, staring at her from beneath his brows.

"Sometimes circumstances can be very convenient. Like when it's the middle of the night, and there's no one around, and I'm not under the scrutiny of Hogwarts Professors..."

His smile vanished, but he maintained an unblinking watch on her.

"And a human is feeling tired, sleepy, the vigour they have to get away has diminished..."

@Astrid Eriksson

Astrid shrugged her slender shoulders as he spoke of her assistant. "I'm not completely heartless, you know." She said with a humph. She rolled her eyes at him when he tried to sound like he wasn't a typical male in at least some ways. "Oh, so you just care how easy a girl is then? Good to know." She just hoped that maybe her scent wasn't intoxicating to him. After all, she knew that she was in a precarious position right then but her pride wouldn't let her just run screaming to her room. Sure, it would have been smarter to do so but her pride almost always won out over her good sense.

A chill went down her spine when he reminded her that the conditions were definitely in his favor. She was practically defenseless. She was sure that she couldn't fight him off if he were to attack her... She had put herself into a horrible position, indeed. Her whole body tensed as his smile faded and he gave her that piercing stare. She knew that she should look away, she shouldn't listen to him... She had heard about vamps having hypnotic abilities but she thought she was above that! Though, his words were all too true. She was rather sleepy... She had had a busy day. And would it really be that horrible to just let him bite her? Then she realized what she was saying and shook her head to try to rid herself of the tired feeling that wouldn't go away. "Stop it." She tried to sound sure, commanding but it came out more slumberous, a purred whisper as she fought off a yawn.

@Aramis Lestoat

Blood tasted better when there was lots of adrenaline in the blood stream, but he couldn't be too choosey in this circumstance. He felt himself salivating as her head lulled, and he stood up from the lounger quietly. Moving over to hers, he sat just on the edge and faced her, smiling languidly. He brushed her through her hair with the tips of his fingers, then allowed her stands to fall back, fluid like, over his hand. A low, affectionate growl purred as the back of his finger traced down to her neck gently, slowly, feeling her slowing pulse ripple over his skin.

"That's it..." he murmured, "Just lie back, close your eyes, and listen to the sounds of the night..."

Tracing his hand down, feather-like, to her slender shoulders, he eased her back gently. He stroked through her hair like a nurturing lover, making light circles with his fingers over her scalp and behind her ears.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to take care of you, Astrid." Although his voice was low, sultry and had a hint of wickedness marring the tone, it was very gentle. Reassuring. Soothing.

@Astrid Eriksson

How did he know she was getting so sleepy? It seemed like he was just telling her things that her body already knew... Even if she had thought she had plenty of energy when she had come out here. She couldn't help the way her head sort of lolled as if she were nodding off. She would never nod off like this in front of someone like him! But she was doing just that and there was no way she could stop it. She blinked her eyes, each time it became harder and harder to open them again. When she reopened them this time, he was no longer on the lounge chair a little ways away from hers. Now he was sitting on the edge of hers. She hadn't even seen him move. It was like she was in some sort of fog and trying to fight her way out of it.

Then his hands were in her hair and it felt nice. She didn't let anyone touch her like this. No one was worthy of touching her this way. He was no exception... But she just couldn't bring herself to object as he spoke to her again. The night did sound rather lovely now that he mentioned it. The crickets chirped in harmony as the waves crashed against the shore. It was a beautiful soundtrack that she had never once noticed. She didn't even realize that she was doing just as he suggested as she listened to the night. She slowly leaned back against the lounge chair, taking a little nap right here wouldn't be so bad, would it?

His tone, it was something else... Reassuring, soothing, but there was something just a little bit off about it that kind of reminded her where she was, what he was. Her body couldn't fight the effects of his enthrallment but her mind tried so hard to pull herself from the fog. She couldn't even open her eyes as he continued to gently move his fingers through her hair but she barely had enough of her consciousness left to speak in a bedroom tone. "You don't want to take care of me. You just want a meal." There was no snootiness in the tone as there had been each time she had spoken before. She couldn't pull up the energy for that.

@Aramis Lestoat

"Shhh... don't fight it. Just let your body ease into slumber... that's right..."

He continued to caress her, seeing her body slowly sink down, her pretty lashes turning heavy as her eyes drooped sweetly. It was nice to see her in this state, although he couldn't nearly perform as well as his Father when it came to sending his victims off to sleep. Perhaps he could only muster this sort of entrancement with humans he was physically attracted to, and he was physically attracted to her, no matter what he had said. It wasn't her body so much, but her skin. It was soft and supple, and wonderfully smooth to the touch.

When he was fairly positive she had little fight left within her, Aramis placed his palms either side of her shoulders, and leaned over her. He drew breath somewhere near her ear, taking a lungful of her sweet, sweet scent. He exhaled in content, then brushed his lips against her neck. He left a trail of small, light kisses, although there was a strained groan of yearning that he uttered as soon as his mouth made contact with her skin.

"Give yourself over to me... just a small taste. It will all feel like a wonderful dream..."

@Astrid Eriksson

Astrid knew what was coming. She feared the pain and the humiliation of it all. Sure, he told her it was euphoric rather than painful but she trusted no one. He had to be lying to her. But she couldn't find it in herself to care. It was like she was under the control of some sort of drug and she just couldn't surface from its effect. She could hear his voice but it seemed so far away. She wanted to do what he asked of her... She knew that she should fight him. She should find some way to run screaming away from him but instead, she found herself falling into some sort of twilight zone between slumber and consciousness. It was an odd feeling but not one that was unpleasant.

She felt her muscles relaxing as she more or less melted into the chair while his hands sent little caresses over her skin. She prided herself on her skin, making sure it was always properly moisturized and exfoliated. She didn't want wrinkles when she was older if she could avoid it. Little did she know that was one of her downfalls in this moment. Little did she really care as she drifted just that little bit more. He was over her, his hands on either side of her shoulders, she felt it rather than saw him since her eyes had since drifted closed, and she knew she should have felt trapped. Her mind registered it but not with enough urgency to rile her from his enthrallment. His lips played at the skin along the column of her neck and her lips parted a bit as her breath hitched. It felt nice... Very nice. Then he spoke once more. "Are you going to kill me?" Her voice was a whisper, her fears coming out when she would never voice them in any other state. She had given him trouble, given him sass at every turn... Now she was at his mercy and she couldn't believe that he would just take a small amount from her. Or even worse... What if he didn't kill her and she came to crave this?

@Aramis Lestoat