* BLOOD / LUST !

Blake stumbled back. The man that had been attacking her was unrecognizable and a figure was in front of her. She was a calm person, had seen quite a few bloody injuries on the ice and was doing her best to deal with her anger issues. But being grabbed as she was walking back to her apartment and pinned against the wall with a hand over her mouth? It was so much worse than she had ever expected. Blake took a slow step back as she tried to get air into her lungs. “I–” She looked them as tears began to roll down her cheeks. “What’s going on?”

It didn’t take much to satisfy her in this age. Women, partying, earsplitting EDM; all of it served an integral part in her crusade of living forever. But there was a distinct high she got from taking the lives she deemed unworthy. Call it whatever you’d like——perhaps a god complex——but to Acacia it didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to stop any time soon. Hence her current situation. One moment she was walking home and the next she was paralyzed by the scent of bad blood. Like a shark she made a beeline towards the smell, allowing it to consume every ounce of her rationality.

A large part of Danika was wanting to chalk this whole experience up to being a nightmare — that she was actually tucked up in bed and not standing there in real life facing the mistake she had made. How could she have gotten it wrong? She had studied anatomy for years and she had the experience too, there was no way she could have missed the vampire’s actual heart…until she did. There was no denying the woman facing her was the one she had intended to kill. Vampires tended to have an otherworldly beauty to them it was almost unsettling, like nobody should or could ever look that flawless unless they had been reborn with their edges smoothed out. 

With a huff Danika eyed the foot that pushed the glass toward the side of the counter, oh her manager was going to be pissed. “I…I really don’t think that’s the same”, she remarked with a bemused expression. It wasn’t wise to verbally spar with a vampire while at work or around innocent people and Danika didn’t bring any weapons to work with her. “I mean, yeah I’m not a vegan or anything but I don’t eat humans…it’s different.” She spoke slowly, almost as if she was speaking to a kid and her shoulders shrugged while doing so. A slam on the counter made her jump, attention flickering to the left and down toward the brush and pan that had been left there for her to use. Great. 

“Listen”, a hand reached out to grab the brush and Danika knelt down to get to work — it was entirely demeaning to be doing something so mundane in front of the vampire but she needed this job. Slaying did not pay well. “If you’re here to get back at me can it wait until I’m done my shift? I have like…fifteen minutes left?” The clinking of glass as it was pushed into the pan oddly calmed her nerves a little. If she could politely ask the woman to wait outside they could fight for their lives later. “I still don’t know how you’re alive, I never miss”, the redhead grumbled, standing and tossing the glass into the spill bin. 

In a way, Natasha felt bad. No doubt that the woman in front of her had to be spooked out of her mind by this. The dead she thought that she actually put to rest was still alive. Not breathing of course, but alive nonetheless. She probably expected jaws around her throat and claws ripping through her chest, witnesses or none. But that wasn’t what this was about. None of this was. Truthfully, if it wasn’t for her fulfilling this IOU, she would have never found the vampire hunter turned waitress. There really wasn’t that much of a need. Natasha had to recover from a lot worse than the attempt on her life a few days ago. Fate worked in a funny way like that.

"You know, I think you may be right. Humans separate animals from their families, encage them, abuse them, and then send them to slaughter after all that trauma.” Leaning forward, Natasha folded her arms against the countertop. Drumming her fingernails on the flat surface, she peeked up at the waitress. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “If I needed to eat, the only thing I would do to you is snap your neck.” Straightening her shoulders, she then shrugged. “But of course, the life of a human is just... worth more. Right?” The signature human egoism wasn’t surprising anymore. They always believed they were on top of everything: life, advancement, the food chain. Maybe Natasha should let them keep that narrative. Sometimes, it just makes it easier.

       Leaving her old behind wasn’t easy — even if some people didn’t believe it. Getting to her dream college where she got a full scholarship was a chance she didn’t want to miss out of; her hard-working parents would be so disappoint to see her give up such an amazing opportunity. Back then she truly thought she was making the best possible decision; looking at this now — she wasn’t so sure. After all those years she wasn’t very happy with how her life went. Something was missing. Someone important was missing. At first she waited, prayed that maybe that special someone will take actions in their hands, call her, maybe visit her, but none of this happened. Every day it hurt less and then pain became bearable, the fact that she started dating also helped. Suddenly Maggie wasn’t so alone anymore, she had someone to spend time with. Soon after Oliver proposed and it seemed like a good idea to let go of hope for something that was never going to happen. That’s how she spend years away from her home, from Caleb.

       “It feels nice to be back. This place still feels like home.” That couldn’t be more true. Magnolia visited many places, a few countries but in any of them she felt like she felt here. “Yes, she mentioned that.” One thing you could tell about her mother was that she couldn’t keep many secrets.  “Believe it or not but she kept my room exactly how it was for all those years. It’s kind kind of weird sleeping in the same bed that I used to…” She didn’t finish her sentence, little smile appeared on her lips at the memory of many sleepless nights in that bed and that room. “I’m not someone to complain, you know that, but…” with a sigh she looked down at her glass tracing the rim with her fingertip. “I’m also not the best liar. Last few years haven’t been easy. Just a few weeks ago I finalized my divorce and… I don’t know. I needed a break. Coming here was the only good idea I had.” Maggie looked back at her companion. He really was here. Just like that, when she expected it the least. “But enough about me. I wanna know how you’ve been.” His eyes looked so sad, but she wasn’t sure if that’s because of her, or just life wasn’t easy on him too.

           It’s relieving to know that even through it all, Maggie still felt at peace here. It seemed like a small solace, but one she deserved. Starting a life for yourself was difficult. Caleb knew that extremely well, especially when there wasn’t anyone to really guide you through it. The closest thing he had to that was his aunt, and she couldn’t be there for him all the time. But he couldn’t imagine just how hard creating that life could be miles away from a place so familiar to you and filled with those who loved you unconditionally. He wasn’t sure his assumption was right, but it sounded like Maggie needed to come back for that familiarity. Maybe it would give her confidence again or at least some sort of clarity. The biggest on his mind then was simple; what could have happened for her to end up like this?

              “I figured she would have.” Maggie’s mother was a character, but in an endearing way. She was the closest thing he had to Maggie after all this time, and he was more than happy to stop there once a month for a restock on passion flowers and news about her. Of course the most effective way to get in contact with her was to reach out, but the anxiety inducing thoughts bubbled inside him like a swirling cauldron. Marrying that with professionally diagnosed depression spoke in on itself. Caleb was ready to laugh at the comment about her room remaining untouched, already trying to formulate some witty remark. But Maggie’s tone grew somber and in turn, he sobered up. Divorce? He blinked, drowning his shock with a douse of Jack Daniels. Divorce? He couldn’t believe it; the last he heard about her husband they seemed... well... happy. Or at least he thought. “You have to do what’s best for you, Maggie. If you need to take a break, you take as long as you need. If you ever need to talk about any of this, I’m here.”

At the ripe old age of 23 Danika held the strong belief that she was good at her job — no, not the waitressing job, but her ‘job job’. Had she been foolish to believe that a vampire she had killed would stay dead for the second time round? Her tactics were solid and her rhythm had been flawless that night so how was the vampire she had stabbed at the weekend standing in the doorway of her diner? It was a question she both didn’t want to face but knew she had to. 

A co-worker buzzed with annoyance beside her but Danika waved her off impatiently, eyes following the woman as she moved toward the counter. The broken glasses would come out of her paycheque but who really cared when an undead was standing right there and you couldn’t stake it? Clearing her throat she came back down to Earth, “Tessa it’s fine, I’ll clean it up. Table 12 is waiting on you.” With a glare she sent the other waitress off and rubbed sweaty palms against her red apron ( yes it clashed awfully with her hair but what could you do? ). The Buffy comparison was ill received and were this not a dire situation she may have rolled her eyes at it. “Obviously not”, she mumbled, keeping her eyes glued on her as she knelt to pick up the fallen tray, fingers staying very clear of the glass scattered around. “I didn’t think vampires had nine lives”, it stung her ego more than she could admit to see a physical manifestation of her failure. She had been doing this for almost 6 years. “You came here for the oreo milkshake?” Danika was very dubious and an eyebrow inching upward was evidence of it.

Funnily enough, there was no ill will to harbor. Although humans and their rationality seemed to change every decade, one thing remained constant. They are always out for themselves. It seemed obvious that the attack was fueled by self perseverance, money, or fear: the three most prominent emotions that dictated how humans reacted. And in a way, Natasha was envious of this trait. To live for yourself and truly put yourself at the center of what you did? Even with the title of immortality and all the abilities that came with it, she would trade it all for the true fulfillment of being human.

“I think we have as many lives as we’re supposed to.” It’s not said  as a threat, but more as an acute observation. If she didn’t think to pull her phone out and tell her brother that she was bleeding out behind a dumpster, she wouldn’t be in the position she was now. Natasha was definitely breaking double digits with the amount of lives she was supposed to have. Eyeing the waitress carefully, she could feel the tension on her side. It was understandable; humans had a knack for fearing what they didn’t understand. Or was it fearing power they could never possess? She’d have to ask her mother next time she saw her...

         coming back to the place she grew up in felt…  like a breath a fresh air. not only she realized how cozy this town was, but also how many amazing memories were made here. in all those years she’s been here only a few times. the last one - a few years back when her dad passed away. it was heartbreaking to know she lost so much time with him. but it wasn’t something she could change. life went on, she couldn’t wonder what if so much. magnolia used to do that all the time; think, wonder, make up scenarios in her head. what if things went differently, what if she didn’t leave? at the beginning it was something she was thinking about on daily basis, when she met her husband it went away for a little bit. with each little tragedy, with every bump on the road — she would always come back to the best time of her life that she had here, in this town. 

      it was so strange. caleb maybe got a little older, but she couldn’t stop looking at his eyes. they were all the same. it took her just a moment to feel like a blissful teenager again. “i’m staying for a while, so… i have plenty of time.” magnolia smiled at the idea of staying in her old room. she wanted to get a hotel but her mom didn’t let her. after all those years her room stayed almost untouched. “my mom is doing all right, still a florist, still as fierce as she has always been. and dad… you know, he passed away a  few years ago.” to be completely honest she wasn’t sure about which family he asks. at that moment the only family she had was her mom. “yeah, it’s just me & my mom.” it was hard to admit it. at this point in her life she expected to be not only a happy wife, but also a mom. she was neither.

          Truthfully, he wasn’t sure of exactly how Magnolia was doing. Perhaps it was his shit communication skills or atropic touch on relationships that was to blame. Caleb found himself in the perpetual loop of building and adoring his relationships to falling out of touch with them when everything seem to just... go wrong. He had convinced himself long ago it was just a coping mechanism to keep him steady. Realistically, it was an eject button he jabbed his finger on until his bones ached and he needed a splint for his hand. There was so much he found himself missing out on and so much more to life that he had evaded for more than a decade. Just like this. He hoped she was doing well; last time he checked she was hundreds of miles away doing... he wasn’t sure. How embarrassing. “It’s nice to have you back.” And for once, he meant that.

Her job was shit. Danika knew it the moment she started her first shift and two years later she still believed it. It paid the bills ( barely ) but there was only so much one woman could take. Saturday was probably the worst day of the week and as luck would have it she was working the full day and boy, what a day it had been. A kid had actually thrown up on her foot and a customer had complained about a salad being too cold. With a sigh to rattle the heavens she pushed a stubborn strand of hair back from her sweaty forehead and looked around her section —7:45pm come on, only 15 minutes and you’re done Dan. The mantra was repeated like a prayer as she balanced a tray full of sodas on her right arm, until her attention was snagged to the doors and her tray was no longer on her arm. No, as she stared at the patron who walked in Danika stood amongst a sea of watered down soda and cracked glasses. “Fuck.” 

Centuries upon centuries of life was supposed to bring on wisdom; untapped potential and undiscovered opportunity that could be referred back to when needed. It was perhaps the only enticing part of this whole ‘eternal life’ deal Natasha could think of. But what exactly did she have to show for eight hundred years and more of roaming this earth? A master’s in accounting and a whole lot of allies. The more unruly places you looked in, the more meaningful those connections became. It saved her life. She wasn’t one to act out; there were creatures just like her that were always more violent, more egotisical, more destructive than she could ever want to be. But Natasha caught a nasty case of the ‘wrong time, wrong place’s. One second she was sustaining herself on some B-, and then the next she was spilling B- from the chest. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to recoup. With the help of her brother and a few of his own friends, she was good as new before the next day.

       life was busy. one day you get so focused on trying to grow up that you leave some people behind. that’s what happened for magnolia. after high school she moved away to college where she met her husband & since then time just flew by. it’s been years full of work, house renovating, trying to get pregnant & trying to make her marriage work. none of it really went according to plan. it was pretty devastating to know you just can’t save something you wanted for so long. her marriage was falling apart & somehow on the way maggie lost herself. not only she had to deal with grief over her lost pregnancies but also her own passionate self. to give herself a break she decided to visit her mom, in her hometown. by complete coincidence she bumped into someone from her past & the same evening they decided to have a drink. “you haven’t changed one bit.” magnolia said seeing him pour the whiskey. it’s been such a long time since their last conversation; “so… how’s life?”

              “I hope that’s a good thing.” Change... He could have laughed at the observation. A change in every aspect of his life would be so welcome it was sick. To finally see his mother again, to go back to doing something he loved, to allow himself move on from the empty bitterness that seemed to brew in his heart with each passing day. They would only happen in his wildest dreams. He had support systems in place, but it seemed that even with those tremendous sources of love Caleb still felt incomplete. He was tired. And every tired man’s best friend was Jack Daniels and a small splash of ginger ale. Unlike the maelstrom in his chest his grip on the bottle was firm, trained. As if proportioning out the alcohol to soda rations mentally, Caleb’s eyes remained fixed on the bottle until he was satisfied. Once so, he placed it back upright on the table.

He shook his head silently while Caleb laid his charm on thick with the server, requesting their best performer as if it were Jack’s birthday or something. The girl was so entranced that Jack’s attempts to grab her attention with a finger to his neck and widened eyes completely failed. Waiting until she walked away, Jack didn’t fight it but instead proposed a question with an exasperated sigh. “I mean okay, but why not someone more deserving?” Turning his back toward the bar, Jack politely asked if the bartender could fix him up an old fashioned seeing there was no turning back. There was no way he would feel any better about this if there wasn’t a significant amount of alcohol running through his system. 

It sounded sadistic and quite calculated, but Caleb knew Jack wouldn’t leave. Between the anxiety of how he’d look like a damn crapehanger for leaving and the fact that there wasn’t anyone else for him to scurry off to, he was stuck there for now. His celebratory Dos Equis arrived moments later into that revelation and he accepted it with a grateful thank you. Already tilting back a third of the bottle, he looked at Jack with dopey contentment, practically glowing from the malted barley sloshing in his stomach and the silent victory he has now been granted. He’d thank Caleb later for this. Now would be a good time to order, getting food on the table would quell his cranky friend and hopefully, opening him more up to tonight. So that’s exactly what he did, eagerly requesting a plate of buffalo wings and allowing Jack to get whatever he wanted. He’d treat tonight too like the gentleman he was.

As soon as Jack piped up, he was greeted to a cheeky smile. With a smug tilt of his Dos Equis forward, he rocked it back to his lips. “Your lack of self-confidence is really killing my vibe, Jack.” It was a lighthearted, half-serious remark and with a chuckle, he leaned forward. “What? Why don’t you think you deserve a set of tits shoved into your face right now?” A part of Caleb wanted an answer to that, but he didn’t hold his breath for one. Instead, his grin only broadened as Jack gave in, placing his drink order shortly after his inquiry. The baby was growing up; the dramatics could have brought tears to the witch’s eyes. “Atta boy, start the night off right!”

“Hmm-almost.” He murmured, keeping their faces close so he could conveniently go in for more. Maybe his dick wasn’t erect given the circumstance, but between Val’s touch and the soft tone in her voice, the slight injury didn’t stop Stanley from the insatiable lust he had stored up inside for the woman. Fighting against the stomach ache and hoping it would subside, in a quick distraction Stanley’s lips brushed against Valeria’s again attentively, making for a slow and almost calculated embrace. As they kissed, without much thought he found her hand with closed eyes and gently placed her hand on his thigh, nearing the bulge in his pants. His put-on pout turned into a devious grin “Kiss it better, baby?” 

Alright, here came the dramatics. Valeria knew him awfully well at this stage in their relationship and his ulterior motives slowly wormed their way into her consciousness. There was something else Stanley wanted, more so than her rare tenderness and genuine concern. And guessing something other than continuing what he started would be plain old stupid of her. So when he went in for the kiss, it wasn’t too far off for her to anticipate that he’d try and do much more than that. One hand slid to cup his cheek while the other slid around Stanley’s shoulders. But it wasn’t until she let him guide her hand close to her crotch that she found the time to roll her eyes, allowing them to part from her embrace.

“I can see the benefit in that. Talking to a lot of people can get exhausting, even if you have a big mouth like me.” She agreed, chuckling for a moment. Leia took another sip of wine and then floated her glass over to the table next to the couch. She wanted her other hand free to further burrow into Christopher’s warmth. “Do you wanna see a movie later this week? I have an evening free and I wanted to see something. I feel like I haven’t gone to the movies in ages.” She asked, her hand coming to rest on Christopher’s chest.

The brilliance she beamed up at him with was enough to make Christopher’s heart squeeze, fluttering just like his eyelids did. Even after all this time, he still wasn’t used to the way Leia made him feel. There was a tenderness in every word she said and in every glance she reserved for him. She was beautiful in every right of the word and truthfully, he found it easy to admit that to himself. And that made the treatment she endured all the more painful. Out of every person at that gathering tonight, the Levine siblings deserved what they had to deal with the least. No matter how many times he suggested it, he knew Leia wouldn’t leave this way of life. It was a shame.

With a chuckle, Christopher leaned back against the cushions of his couch, allowing his legs to pop and his body to continue to relax. “Big mouth or none, I don’t know how you keep it up. How do you not rip your hair out when you get home?” It was all so repetitive, all so fake that it was one of the few things that really grated him. Downing the rest of the liquor from his glass, he slid it to the side onto the side table, freeing himself up for Leia. With his chin on top of her head and his arm draped low around her hips, keeping her close. He hummed as if he had to think about his answer. “Of course, Leia. What did you feel like seeing?” There were a few interesting films out now that held Christopher’s interest, but he hadn’t had time to visit a theater for a month now.

Sitting back down and resting her head comfortably on Natasha’s shoulder with their fingers interlocked. She could hear how exhausted the thoughtful woman was, and understandably so, but Frankie didn’t want the night to end. Or at least have her birthday end the way she wanted it to. As the servers started to cut and hand out her champagne cake, the birthday girl made the conscientious decision of opening gifts at her apartment later on. With their hands resting on Frankie’s lap, she moved her grip to Natasha’s thigh, rubbing absentmindedly. “We’ll call it a night after this, yeah?” She murmured, grabbing a fork to take a first bite of her cake. “Even though it’s Friday everyone still had work today,” Staring around the table so she didn’t isolate the rest of her guests, she laughed. “And if I wasn’t turning sixty-five, I’d say let’s keep it going ‘til four in the morning.” Actually, Frankie was officially twenty-five but everyone in her friend group knew she embodied Maude Findlay.

She couldn’t stay narrowed eyed and patronizing for long. Especially when it was still Frankie’s birthday. With a small smile creeping on her face and a wrinkling of her nose, Natasha watched contently as the candles were blown out. That made all of this worth it: all the planning, setting up, and going through the motions of tonight. As long as it kept a smile on Frankie’s face, she’d do all that and more. As the chorus of cheers rang through the restaurant and the cake was served, that was her cue to shut off her brain and allow it to rest. She welcomed the warm pressure of Frankie’s body against her own, entangling their fingers together.

Eating, of course, wasn’t necessary, but she had done so for Frankie’s sake. Her more than bloated belly couldn’t handle cake, no matter how delicious it looked. Instead, she nudged the slice over to Frankie, silently urging her to go for seconds. She was the birthday girl after all. With an absentminded hum and the farce of trying to keep up with socializing, she glanced down at Frankie before nodding her head in comprehension. “Okay.” She didn’t want to cut the festivities short if Frankie still wanted them to go on however. That wouldn’t be fair, but that worry faded just as quickly as it came once she spoke again. No matter how young they all were, work wore them down. Being on your feet so long, whether it be slinging plates or tearing up the stage for eight hours would be enough for anyone to want to crawl back into bed as soon as they got home. “There is always next year,” Natasha piped up after Frankie, offering a lackadaisical grin in response.

    Making her way back to the shore, she greeted a soaking Oliver and dug her board into the sand. She brushed back her wet hair that clung to her skin before walking over to the belongings to see the little cooler she had brought along. Chey plopped down in the sand and smiled over as Heather made her way back to the shore. 

   That morning while Heather was sleeping, Chey had already prepared sandwiches for their lunch along with some snacks. Eyeing a beer, she scrunched her nose and looked over as Heather grew closer. “Be honest… Is it too early for a beer?”

      Getting out of the water left Heather with an ache she’d grown familiar to feeling. It still hurt all the same, no matter which coast she was on. But Chey was right, they had to eat sooner or later. They’d be back in the water before they knew it. So she directed herself back to shore, getting off the board so she could paddle on back the rest of the way. Once she touched back down on the shore, she gave an adoring pat onto Oliver’s soppy head before shoving her board into the sand.

       Unceremoniously, Heather plopped down on the sand next to Chey. She should have set some blankets down, but in all earnest, she didn’t think that far out. She was too interested in eating and spending as much time as she could with the blonde. It sounded so sappy and silly, but it was the truth. It was half of the reason she agreed to all this; a reason that most likely wouldn’t see the light of day throughout the trip. That alone grated her. 

       Already reaching for her sandwich, Heather peeked over curiously at her beach mate, a brow raised curiously as Chey spoke. “You’re joking, right? It’s never too early for a beer.” Taking normal sized bites in comparison to her void like hunger, a playful smile grew across her lips. “If you have one I’ll have one too.” Crack one open with the girls; that seemed like just what they needed to end their day in California.

Allowing herself to be backed up against the wall, Gretchen’s hips instinctually rolled around Sabrina’s leg between her own. She could have melted into the floor right then and there, but the sudden pain in her lip charged something else in her. Meekness turned sharp, and Gretchen’s own hand dug a firm grip into Sabrina’s hip, thumb kneading roughly as hazel eyes opened to narrow, meeting the other’s. Short, rapid breaths caught Gretchen in contemplative silence, momentarily debating on if she was going to allow herself to take commands. Needless to say, desire won out.

Releasing her hand from Sabrina’s hip, Gretchen did as she was bade, turning around to press one hand flush against the wall, using the other to pull her hair over her shoulder. Underneath her dress was a matching set of pale yellow and lace lingerie – vintage in nature with a high waisted panty and push-up bra. She was minus the garter belt and stockings for the night, but best believe she had the complete set.

That moan could have made Nimue’s eyes to roll back into her head. It was the exact push she needed——or rather the verbal confirmation she wanted——to continue. And at this rate, a part of her knew she wouldn’t stop. She couldn’t, not when the raw, sexual energy flooded her senses in the same, familiar way alcohol seemed to burn down into her belly. The warmth was welcoming. A sudden gush of wetness grazed against Nimue’s thigh as it remained planted between Gretchen’s legs, an unmoving pillar that found pleasure in the way her hips swayed and writhed against it. 

It wasn’t until Gretchen reached out to grab her that she elicited an emotion other than contentment from her. Her brows arched inquisitively, almost playfully at the sign of a potential power struggle. Nimue could humor her. Instantaneously, her hips jutted forward, meeting the other woman’s rough touch and undulated slowly. Their gazes met and as Gretchen’s turned, she missed the sly smirk that stretched across the demon’s face. Dark eyes wandered aimlessly down the slopes and curves of Gretchen’s body, transfixed by the way the dress she had on accentuated each dip and valley. Leaning forward with a delicate lick of her lips, Nimue buried her face against the back of her neck, gnawing at the flesh there. Her fingers went for the zipper, pulling it down slowly until she could slip it off Gretchen’s body.