❝A Love Older Than Death❞
↪ 𝓢ynopsis: It was forbidden for Vampires and Vampire hunters to be in relations. They were sworn Enemies from the beginning of time, yet when you ran into the daughter of the Avanzini clan, Daniela Avanzini, you couldn't bring yourself to kill her and every time you did, you made excuses not to kill her until those encounters became intentional and the two of you fell in love. The consequences of that relationship was death, which had come in a very unexpected way.
↪ 𝓦arnings: angst, deaths, lots of blood, gore, themes of reincarnation, blood drinking, suggestive themes, murder, massacre.
↪𝓟airings: Vampire Daniela Avanzini x Vampire Hunter Reader
↪ 𝓕eaturing: @meiyokstarr "Jana", @lostrysts "Hana", @mayzini "May" & @meganswhxre "Charlotte".
↪ 𝓐uthor's 𝓝ote: Hello skiendielific nation, this took quite a few days to write. Its my first time writing a vampire themed fiction, and also, I know nothing about Manchac and Louisiana, everything in here is based off of what Google said. I am a bit insecure and unsure about this so a little feed back would be nice. And maybe a part 2 is on the way :)
You stepped on the lawn, boots crunching the dirt underneath. The air was cold, almost too cold and it felt like someone was watching you because someone was. On the balcony stood a pale woman, her eyes glowing in the dark. She was wrapped in silk and sin, emitting a dark aura that had you gripping your knife. “You came alone, hunter.”
“Who are you? Show yourself!”
“Always so quick with violence,” the woman tsk'd right behind you. The dagger was immediately set on her throat and she slowly walked you back until you reached the moonlight and there you saw her.
Pale. Cold. Iris is as red as wine. She looked hauntingly beautiful and suddenly you felt uneasy. The kind that knew something was about to happen. “You shouldn't have strayed away so far from your pack, hunter,” her voice came out as sweet as honey, and she circled you, silk dragging behind her.
“You don't tell me what to do.”
“Oh but I'm telling you what you should do. How did you find this place?”
How did you find it? Well you were a vampire hunter and the woman before you was a vampire. It was only natural that you found it. Yet, a part of you was being pulled into her charm. Charms she hasn't even used yet. “You're a vampire hunter.”
You lowered the knife and took a step back. “You're not scared of me?”
“Why would I be?” She laughed, biting her lips as her gaze raked you up and down. “You're a measly vampire hunter. A mere human.”
You scoffed. “Do you see any other vampires around here, woman? That's because I killed them all.”
The woman went quiet. A loud whistle snapped your attention away for a brief moment. “You're lucky I have to go,” you muttered as you retreated back to your clan. She watched with a bite of her lip as you disappeared then she did too.
The second meeting happened unexpectedly, or rather, it was planned. You had been injured after hunting for food and somehow the deer put up a much harder fight than usual. The dagger that was supposed to be inside the deer was lodged in your sides. You had stumbled on a vine and landed on top of it, crushing a rib and injuring yourself. Which is how you were sitting up against the tree, trying to stop the bleeding before you went back. The scent of blood would cause the vampires to find the cabin that the hunters were in and you didn't want to take that risk. The bleeding had somehow stopped but the pain was making it hard for you to move.
“Well well well, look what I stumbled upon,” a voice purred from the shadows. Your breathing quickened and you instinctively gripped your dagger. The woman scoffed and stepped out, you instantly recognized her as the vampire you met some nights ago. “It's no use trying to fight me. You're as good as dead.”
“What are you doing here?” You asked through gritted teeth. The woman held up the head of the deer you had been hunting earlier. Coincidentally, you both had been hunting the same animals. “It's pathetic, no? An infamous vampire hunter such as yourself lost to a mere helpless animal. You humans are such ridiculous creatures.”
You tried to stand up but the pain shot through your entire body, causing you to let out a cry of pain. “Let me see.”
She ignored you anyway and knelt before you. Probably the only time the vampire has knelt before a human. Your shirt was yanked up and she hummed before ripping the bandage off. “You didn't tie it properly. This won't heal for a good few days. And I'm sure you're not going back to your cabin like this.”
You stayed quiet, watching as she bit her own hand. A small spurt of black blood leaked out and she pressed it to your lips. “Drink. It has healing properties.”
“You expect me to fucking drink your blood? A vampire?”
And you didn't wanna die. Not now at least. You still had to hunt down the main vampire family; the Avanzinis. With the hesitation, you leaned forward and drank it, immediately coughing. It was strange and had no taste. Soon, you saw your flesh morphing together and the wound closing up. The vampire let out a huff of pride, and stood up, following. “You healed me?”
“If I'm going to be hunted down by you, you'll need all the strength you can get,” she paused, looking you up, “which isn't much.”
You tried to shoot back with a sparky retort but the woman vanished in thin air.
The third meeting was definitely planned. Ever since the vampire healed you, you had not been able to get her out of your mind. Every night, you toss and turn in bed, her glowing eyes, her sharp fangs, and her extremely unforgettable silhouette interfere with your dreams. You knew you had to meet her again, get her name, and possibly, understand her.
But like every other encounter, she found you first. It saved the trouble of hunting her down. “Third meeting in a row. I'm starting to think you like me, hunter,” she purred, circling with a predatory gaze. Yet beneath those glowing irises, you caught a glimpse of intrigue. “Yeah? What makes you think I like you? What if I'm seeking you out in order to kill you?”
She laughed, the sound tingling your insides. “I know you, y/n.”
Your eyes widened. How did she know? Well obviously she would know but it caught you by surprise. “I know a lot about you. You're the child of Lucien Devereaux. You were born into the strongest vampire hunter house, which has been standing for ages. So, Yn Devereaux, I know you're not seeking me out to kill me. Our last encounter left a very significant influence on you.”
You hummed and took off your hat, smoothing back your hair. This was wrong, so damn wrong, you told yourself. She was a vampire, you were supposed to kill her yet standing before her, your body was frozen in place. “Tell me your name.”
“My name? My name is Daniela Avanzini.”
The dagger dropped from your hands at her revelation. Of course she would be Avanzini, the strongest vampire family to exist. “You-you're the daughter of Avanzini?”
She hummed, smiling at your frozen expression. It sent such a very delicious feeling straight to her brain. She wanted to devour you, but also wanted to slowly unravel you until you were left at her mercy. Because Daniela never felt this way about anyone, yet along a human. A vampire hunter.
The meetings became frequent. You and her would “coincidentally” meet which wasn't really what happened. An old tall tree stood out in the forest, and you built a small hut around it. That's where you and Daniela had the meetings. Every time you'd see her, your hands would instinctively clutch your dagger until you let your guard down around her.
She was soft, gentle. Not something a vampire was supposed to be. But you brought out that side in her. She admired your bravery and listened to you recall your stories to her with a fond smile on her face.
Eventually those meetings turned into intense sessions where Daniela would become vulnerable around you. She trusted you. With her life. With her cold heart. But you made it beat once more. The first time you made love was during one of those meetings where she expressed her concerns for you. If her father was to find out about you, he'd kill you in a heart beat. And you reassured her with both words and actions. “We have to stop this yn,” she whispered, tracing your features with her cold finger tips.
“I can't stay away from you, darling. You can't either. Let's not deny this anymore.”
She chuckled and pressed small kisses to your cheek and nose. “Yes. Indeed. You truly have a hold on this vampire, yeah?” You hummed, watching the way her eyes lingered on your neck.
“You're hungry, yes? I assume our little session drained your energy.”
She sat up, your robe fell off her which was previously used to cover her. “I am.”
“Yn no. It's too dangerous.” You shook your head and brought her lips to your neck. “Take from me, my love. Never let yourself go hungry when I'm here.”
She hesitated, tracing your pulse point before leaning in to kiss it. A shuddering breath escaped you when Daniela pressed her fangs against your skin. Slowly, she sunk in, the flesh making a soft ‘woosh’ sound as her fangs took its place. She greedily drank her fill, eyes glowing with hunger and love. “That's it, my darling. Take what you need. I'm here.”
Your words were so tender, so gentle, it brought tears to her eyes. She squeezed them shut and continued drinking until she decided that she had enough. Daniela pulled away and licked the wound. “I should go. The sun's coming up,” she mumbled. You nodded and stood up, offering her a hand. “You ripped my clothes by the way. What am I supposed to wear to go home?” Daniela huffed, a small pout forming on her face and your poor heart couldn't handle it. “Wear my robe. I'll be okay.” She smiled, the thought of taking home a piece of you excited her. She put the robe on, which was quite big for her and gave you a deep kiss. “I love you, yn. “
“Oh Daniela, oh my love, I love you more. So much more.” She disappeared within seconds, and you made your way home.
Daniela arrived back at the castle, it was dark, as it always was. “Where were you?” a voice spoke from the shadows. She froze, turning around to find her dad standing there. “I-I was out hunting, father.”
“You smell like humans. That robe doesn't belong to you.”
Fuck. She was absolutely in trouble. Daniela quickly cooked up a lie, hoping her father wouldn't see through. “I killed a hunter. They put up quite the fight and I ripped my clothes in the process. So I took their robe.”
The older vampire hummed before walking away. Daniela breathed a sigh of relief and walked in the opposite direction, clutching the robe tightly since it seemed like the only thing that brought her comfort.
You arrived back at the cabin when the sun came up, your neck exposed with the two teeth marks. “What's that on your neck?” A voice asked from behind you, making you jump out of your skin. “Oh dear god. Please stop sneaking up on me like that, Jana.”
The woman scoffed, trying to hide back a smile as the reaction you just gave off. Then her eyes landed on your neck and saw the marks. “You were bitten? What happened? Are you okay?”
“I'm fine, sister. I…” you swallowed, sweat beading at your forehead. “I fought a vampire. They managed to escape my grasp.”
“And they bit you? How could you let that happen?” She asked, concern etched onto her face.
“I was taken by surprise.”
“Don't let father find out. You won't heal the end of it.”
You nodded and thanked her before walking to your room. You touched the mark on your neck, biting back a smile. You could still feel the softness of Daniela's lips, the sting of her bite and you smiled to yourself.
Over time, the secret meetings continued for who knows how long. It didn't seem like anyone knew, or they just probably didn't care. But you knew how the Devereaux family stayed. They hated vampires, especially the Avanzinis. One night as you and Daniela sat on a tree branch, staring up at the sky, she leaned her head on your shoulders and intertwined your fingers. “I have a feeling something isn't right, yn.” Her voice was soft, filled with uncertainty and distress. You frowned and looked at her. “What makes you say that, my love?”
“It's just a deep nagging feeling. I can't shake it off. Ever since our last meeting, I've been feeling like this.”
“Hey, nothing is gonna go wrong. And even if they did, I'd rather die before I leave you.”
She smiled and cupped your face, her finger tips caressing your cheek bones. “Promise me, yn, that if anything ever happens, you'll find me in the next life.”
“My love. I promise. I'll search for you in every life time. I don't ever want anyone else but you.” The promise was sealed with a kiss, filled with unspoken promises and a desire to protect her. She was yours and you were hers.
But every good thing must come to an end. No matter the circumstances. When you went home that day, you found your father, Lucien, waiting for you by the doors. He was enraged, eyes tear streaked. “Father. What's going on?”
“The Avanzinis took your brother. They killed Solomon.” Your eyes widened, body freezing up. “How do you know it was them?”
He scoffed and slammed the Avanzini crest into your palms. “There! You and Solomon were supposed to hunt together! Where were you?!”
“I-I…I was-” “Save it. Jana found the Avanzinis hideout. We go tonight.” You nodded dumbfoundedly, the only thoughts in your mind was to warn Daniela. But how could you? There was no time. Atleast none to warn her yourself. You ran to your room and scribbled a note before typing it to the messenger bird, your companion and it flew away. “Fuck fuck how could this happen?” You whispered, arming yourself. Maybe if you went ahead and took Daniela away, she'd be safe.
“Come on. There's no time!” Jana burst through your room. “I-I know! I'm coming!”
The entire clan was raging, their eyes blazing with hatred. Ascending the glorious stallions, your father took the Devereaux army and marched onwards to the Avanzinis castle. The moon was high, the forest was bright, yet an impending war was steadily approaching. “Break the doors down!” Lucien roared. The guys took a big log and broke the front doors open, revealing the big man himself along with the other vampires. Your eyes caught Daniela's and she gave you a frightened look.
“You took my son!” Lucien roared.
“His death was inevitable,” Rafael spoke, bats flying around him, “Your daughters are next.”
“You won't touch my daughter!” Lucien hissed, descending his horse and so did the others. Everyone pulled out their weapons, aiming them at the vampires. “This is war, Rafael.”
The vampire laughed before charging at your father. A war broke out, blood shedding, vampires biting into the flesh of humans. Both Daniela and you stood frozen, not wanting to engage but the loyalty to your families fought an internal war. In the midst of the chaos, while Daniela was distracted. One of your members took the chance and ran up to her with a wooden stake, aiming for her heart that belonged to you. She had no time to react, and you didn't either. Before he could reach Daniela, a sword pierced through his body and he screamed. You stood there, watching him flatter until he stopped breathing. You had killed your own family, just to protect her.
But alas, your father along with a few others were left standing above the bodies of the vampires. Daniela was the only survivor. “I always knew you'd betray us. The black sheep of this family,” Lucien breathed out, catching his breath. “You protect our enemy. They took your brother! They killed our clan! All this for love.”
You swallowed the lump in your throat and stood infront of Daniela. “Move out of the way. I will deal with you later, yn.”
“No father. I won't let you do this. We love each other. Daniela is my everything.”
“Daniela? A vampire? The same ones that took your mother. The same ones that has been killing innocents for blood.”
“They kill for survival! It is the right of every creature! Don't we kill innocent animals for survival too, father?”
He scowled and through gritted teeth, he replied, “That's different. We are humans. They are monsters.”
“The only monster here, is you, father.”
“I had hoped that I would have atleast you after this war. But it seems you want to join your siblings early. Then so be it.”
Daniela shook her head, gripping onto your arms. “Daniela run please!”
“No I'm not leaving you!”
“Just go!” A choked sob escaped her when you pushed her away. When your father charged at you, she took off running but she didn't run far. She hid at a distance, watching as you single handedly took down the other survivors of your clan. However, you were no match for your father. He struck the dagger in your ribs, digging and twisting to hear you scream out in pain. Blood flowed like a waterfall yet his eyes were locked on Daniela I the distsnce. “I'll kill you you fucking vampire bitch!”
With what little energy you had left, you grabbed onto his foot and dragged him down. He knocked down the candles which fell onto the curtains, and the fire spread like crazy.
Lucien struggled under neath you, but the injuries he had sustained from the vampires were now acting up, causing his energy to drain. “I'm sorry father…but I love Daniela…and I can't let you kill her.”
“You…you betrayed me…your own father-aggkk!”
Blood spurred from his mouth as you pierced his heart with the dagger. His eyes were wide open and he stopped breathing. At the same time, the fire had spread throughout the castle, the ceiling, the pillars and everything came crashing down. And somehow, you felt yourself get pulled out of the castle and into the forest. “D-dani…?”
“Shhh. Don't speak. J-just try to save your energy okay! Please you can't die!” But even as Daniela held your body in her arms, she knew it was too late. You lost enough blood that couldn't be given back to you. “I'm sorry…Daniela… I love you.”
“Shut up! Shut up! Don't you dare say you love me when you're gonna end up leaving me! Please please I can't live without you…” she sobbed, holding your body. Her hands were shaking badly as they tried to stop the bleeding and she knew by the time she got help, you'd bleed to death.
“Hey…look at me..” you cupped her face with your own shaky hands. “I'll find you again…I promise…”
“Baby no! No no no! NOOOOOOO!!!”
Daniela wailed in agony as she held your lifeless body. Her screams erupted through the forest yet all that was heard in response was silence. She could only sit there, holding onto your body for hours and days.
Daniela Avanzini never loved again. She waited for over a century for you, yet you never came. Or atleast, that's what she thought.
The streets were bustling with activities. In the midst of it all stood a young adult with her three friends. They were coming back from college, on their way back to their shared apartment. The rent these days was out of the world, so it took more than one person to pay it.
You walked behind Jana and Hana, alongside May. The two women in front were busy giggling to themselves, chatting away without a worry. “Your mind is far, honey. What's up?” May asked, snapping you out of your trance. You shook your head, shrugging. “Nah I'm okay. I'm just worried about finding a job, you know. I've sent in tons of applications everywhere I can think of.”
May hummed as you arrived at the apartment. Jana opened the door and led you all inside. “Oh home sweet home. God my back is killing me,” Hana groaned and complained. May went straight into the kitchen and began making everyone food. “You old,” you teased, making Hana hit you with a pillow from the couch. “Stop fighting you two!” May shouted from the kitchen. Once everyone was changed into more comfortable clothes, you all gathered in the living room, eating what May made. “Dude I'm so glad it's the weekend. I can't do college anymore. It's tiring.”
“Right and the assignments aren't doing us any justice,” Jana groaned, stealing food off Hana's plate. “Hey! That's mine!” “It's mine now hehe!”
“What are your plans for the weekend, yn?” May asked, glancing at you.
You shrugged, pushing around the food. “Probably sleep. Or go job hunting. Maybe both.” May hummed. “Good luck with that. At this point, you've applied to every single vacancy available.”
You let out a loud sigh and continued eating. After that, the four of you played uno. And it was as chaotic as ever. May made Hana pick up twelve cards in one sitting, causing the poor girl to almost flip the table, if it wasn't for Jana calming her. Meanwhile Jana won almost every game, calm and collected, as she normally would be. You on the other hand, got distracted, by god knows what. “Okay! That's it! I'm gonna kill May!”
“WAIT HANA NO-” Hana jumped over the table and playfully strangled May who was fake coughing and gasping. “You guys are so silly. I'm heading up.” A chorus of ‘good night yn’ was heard as you went up to your room.
The tiredness now settled in your bones and you let out a loud yawn before falling asleep.
Blood shed. Death. Loud yelling and screaming. Fire. You jolted up from your sleep, sweat dripping down your forehead. Was it a nightmare? You couldn't tell, not with the way your head was pounding, your heart was racing. It felt too real. Like you lived those moments but you didn't. There were so many things going on at once and it sent shocks through your brain. You took deep breaths, trying to calm down and when you decided you were sleepy again, you fell asleep. This time, your dreams were much more calm. You dreamt of a woman. Pale. Irises glowing in the dark. She was calling your name, crying out. But how could she know your name? It didn't make sense at that moment. And probably never will. After all, it's just a dream right?
The following morning, you woke up and made breakfast for everyone. It was quiet, the kind of quiet you hadn't realised you missed until now. Jana was the first to come down, rubbing sleep off her eyes. “Good morning,” she gave you a hug. “You okay? You look like you've slept rough.”
“Yeah I'm alright. I had some weird dreams but that's about it.”
She hummed and poured herself some coffee. “Wanna talk about it?”
“Nah. It's fine. Listen, I'm gonna head out. Gonna go hunt for some jobs.”
“You want me to come with you?”
“No Jan, it's okay. I need you here to stop Hana from killing May.” Jana huffed out a laugh, watching as you ascended the stairs to your room. Half an hour later you left the house, inhaling the fresh morning air. People were now leaving their houses to go about their days and as you passed by, you greeted them with a wave and a smile. The job hunt took almost the entire day and you were back in the evening. Somehow, a flyer flew at your feet and you picked it up. There was a job vacancy for a bartender and a live-in maid. It paid really well too, enough for you to pay out your debt.
“Guys! Guys! I found a job!” You ran into the house excitedly, knocking over the vase. “Hey, be careful!” May shouted.
“What's gotten into you? And where have you been?” Hana questioned with hands on her hips. “I found a job! Well technically I just saw a flyer!” Jana took the flyer and inspected it, her brows furrowing in concentration. “Manchac? That place is practically deserted, yn. How are you gonna go there?”
“Honestly, it pays really well. Plus it's only an hour away by train.”
“Yeah but it's a live-in job. Are you gonna be okay?”
You shrugged. The money was all you cared about so it didn't matter what kind of job you wound up with. “Wait, isn't Manchac where vampires used to live long ago?” May inquired. “You believe in vampires? Those are just myths. They're not real.”
“How sure are you that they're not?”
“Well May, have you ever seen one? Exactly.”
“There's this news about a vampire massacre that happened back in…1897,” Jana chimed in, pulling out the phone to search for the article. You rolled your eyes and laid your head on Hana's lap, as the girl began combing her fingers through. For once she wasn't trying to kill anyone. “Maybe I should call the number there.”
You took the flyer and went to your room, dialing the number. A sudden wave of dread washed over you as you kept repeatedly reading the requirements. ‘Must be human.’
“Thank you for calling! How may I help you?” A cheerful bubbly voice snapped you out of your trance. Your throat felt tight, the words getting stuck. “Are you calling about the job vacancy?” The same voice asked, a little more quiet and curious now.
“Y-yes! My name is Yn and I saw a flyer about a job vacancy being available for a live-in maid and bartender?”
“Yes! Are you interested?”
“Yes I am. But I'm asking if I can do it part time. I'm a college student about to go on a two months break.”
The woman paused, then replied, “I'll have to ask madame. Here's what you can do. I'll send an online application, just fill it out and send it back to me this afternoon.”
“Charlotte. Call me Charlotte.” Charlotte hung up the phone and within a few minutes the document was sent to you.
Using your computer, you filled it up quickly. It even asked for a picture of yourself. It seemed like the owner cared about looks rather than skills. Either way, you knew you were good looking so you selected a picture and pasted it. At the very bottom were some additional details about the place. It was a large building situated in a forest-like area. It looked eery and dark. At the bottom section was a club Labelled ‘Noctorune’. Somehow the name sounded familiar and the place looked familiar as well. If you hadn't paid close attention, you'd think it was a mansion of some sort. Once the application was filled, you sent it back and went to sleep, awaiting a response from Charlotte.
The club was packed to the brim with people. It sounded quite ridiculous since it was situated in a rural area but all the rich people with dark pasts go there to conduct business or just to have fun. Strippers were dancing on stage, a DJ was playing music, and at the bar, worked Charlotte. When she saw the notification from you, she left the bar unattended and went ahead to print the document. No one took a chance to mess around with the club since they heard that the owner was quite scary, and they haven't even met her yet.
The printer beeped signalling that it was done. Charlotte took the documents and headed upstairs into the office. “Madame, I have the application here for the person interested. However she wishes to work part time.”
A glass of red liquid was in Charlotte's view, held by a hand, long fingers, sharp nails that were all natural. “Leave it there.” Charlotte nodded and placed the document on the table before leaving. The chair spun around and the woman picked the document up, her eyes immediately drawing to the picture. She traced it, her eyes filled with softness and sorrow. “You came back, didn't you? Now you just have to find me, yn. I won't let you go this time. That is my promise to you,” she whispered and placed the document down on the table