James ‘Erik’ Jackson

Runa watched the battle going on within the other’s mind and felt for him, truly. She knew what it was like to try to live as a vampire and not a murderer; but that he would refuse a potentially infinite source that would enjoy feeding him seemed a bit overboard. It wasn’t until he was about to admit the trouble of his efforts she stepped off the throne.

All at once she moved smoothly into his personal space to try and focus him. “You are stronger than I had thought; but you don’t have to be. Not here.” She took his hand and placed it against her wrist. “No pulse. You can’t put me in any danger. And I won’t let you put yourself in any.”

There were times that she cursed ever becoming a mother. The need to protect and nurture never left her and coupled with having been ruler for so long she was not good at being refused. All she wanted was to help the vampire; let him feel some kind of peace from the hunger he had to fight. it wasn’t right that he had to deal with this curse; and it was in her power to sooth it. Why wouldn’t he just take it?

“Please…I want to give you this. I doubt you’ll get the chance to satisfy the hunger otherwise.”

She was right, no matter what he did, no matter how much he tried; the hunger would always be there. If he controlled it, there would be no risk to others, but at the same time? He knew it was harder than not to simply leave it be. 

If anything, his mistake had managed to make him indifferent to many things, but the hunger was something he couldn’t exactly escape from. No matter what, he would have it ( it never faded ), and Erik knew fully well of the risks of simply taking her offer.

At least her usual routine had been easy and FUN; as well as a very good distraction from everything else - including how lonely she really was, considering she had no one. Nowadays she was exhausted with no time to do what she wanted. With the job she was planning to take would only make things even worse. All Lia wanted was to stop time and live in the moment; where she could have all the fun she wanted for as long as she wanted. Yet that luxury was slipping through her fingers.

It was thoughts like these that drove her to drugs in the first place. Living in the moment now meant balancing her red cup as she lit her cigarette and took a puff from it, blowing it into the night air. After this she’d probably have a smoke of marijuana to calm her nerves before hitting the hard stuff that she would no doubt find inside the frat house. 

The voice behind her made her turn her head back to look at who was speaking. It was a boy she didn’t recognize, he had short dark hair and electric blue eyes that seemed to be x-raying her. Perhaps it was the way that he looked that peaked her interest, even the tone of his voice was like silk. Lia took a sip of her drink before she spoke, giving the motion that he could sit down beside her if he’d like.

Either way, he gave a slight shrug to the other, “Yeah, the music is a bit loud, but as long as the drinks keep coming? Everyone is fine.” Or, so he always believed, “Personally, I was thinking of finding a spot to relax in. That and I can’t exactly leave for a few hours ---- you can say that I sorta was bribed to come here.”

Pleased was a VERYwrong way of putting the specifics of the situation. If Erik would have been DECENT , there  wouldn’t have been any real PROBLEMSto this situation they were in, but as per-usual, the much YOUNGER Vampire was always seemed to SPARK the ire of everyone. It didn’t matter who it was, but Elijah was trying to at least be half-way   DECENT, but that FAILED the moment that the other seemed to show MASSIVE amounts  of DISRESPECT to the Original. 

“I don’t exactly know the correct way to show respect.” He mused out lowly, “Personally, I never thought of you to be one for the classics. You know, respect is earned, and so far? You don’t have any of it; sorry to burst your bubble.”

“You know, sometimes I overshare and crap I think that might have been that moment. I’m going to say it’s from the lack of blood. Yeah that’s it.”  

She looked up at him, her eyes widening.  Okay so next time, she would just rip the bottom off her shirt or just bleed because now, she didn’t know what to say. “Yeah— doctor would be nice.” 

“--- Right.” A faint chuckle escaped his lips, “Lets just get you to a doctor and I will stop somewhere while your there.” Robbing a blood bank never hurt anyone, “Also, I would have thought you wanted to see me like this ---- I might be a Vampire, but at least i’m half-way decent.” Rather, he thought as much as he shrugged.

“Does that matter to you Erik? I mean, they don’t talk to me much about you.  Damon always just mumbles about it and ignores my questions.  Stefan says to stay away from you.” She smiled, “ sometimes I feel like you’re the most real of both of them.”

She could feel his breath on her neck and knew what was coming next.  Taking a deep breath as his teeth pierced her skin, she clutched at him as his lips connected to her neck.  Closing her eyes, she could feel the rush of being fed on.  Her mind was racing with all the thoughts of him being next to her, his body against hers and without expecting it, she let out a small moan.

He knew he should have stopped, but it was the first drink he had in what managed to feel like weeks. It was, in essence, one of the few times he actually managed to feel alive, but he NEEDED to stop ---- if he didn’t it would cause more complications than he thought and that... would never be a good sign.

However, a few moments after the words, he managed to stop as he pulled away from her neck. Erik knew this would change things; Damon could never find out. It was quite clear he would be killed or worse if he ever did, but.... that was honestly besides the point for the time being.

“Well— I understand what it’s like to enjoy things that others don’t.  I’m the same way.  This is my bar so I’ve got a place above it, it’s nice to hear the music, feel the lively music and laughter but not have to be around people.  People make me nervous most of the time.”

Erik simply shrugged, they might end up being good friends, but for him? That meant possibly being food. Either way, it would be half-way decent in the long run; Erik would get what he wanted and that would be quite honestly the best thing over-all for him. He loved getting what he wanted.