#redacted vampire

More than two months had gone by since Quinn’s little posse attacked Sam and Darlin’. Had they known what that fight would have come to, they would’ve followed their appointed messenger back to Quinn, called in the Pack and the Clan, and gone after him that night. The Shaw’s and the Solaire’s were on thin ice with each other, the tension high whenever the other was around. The wolves were wary of all vampires, knowing that the same strength Quinn had was possessed by every one of them. The vamps felt even stronger about the wolves, falsely thinking that all this was Darlin’s fault, and being wary of all other wolves because of that. DUMP hadn’t made anyone’s life easier. Their reports and interviews and questionings and paperwork only added to the tension of the situation. 

David and William always did their best to be cordial, knowing full well that a member of their family was in the care of the other. The best word to describe their relationship was polite, but it was hard to go past that. Sam and Darlin’ hoped that the resolution of this would settle the peace and everything could go back to normal.

Thoughts like these were silly to think, of course. Nothing would go back to normal after this, least of all Sam and Darlin’. Hopefully that change could stay: them being together.

Darlin’ bit their lip in thought, their eyes on the tv but their head somewhere else. Sam nudged them with his shoulder to get their attention. “Everything alright Darlin’?”

Their eyes glance over to meet his. “I’m fine.”

Sam doesn’t believe them, but was absolutely not going to push the subject. He turned back to the tv, pulling them in closer.

A moment goes by in silence before Darlin’ takes in a breath, opening their mouth temporarily as if to say something, but still, nothing comes out This happens two more times before Sam inquires again. “Darlin’, if you have something on your mind, you can talk to me. You know that.”

Darlin chuckles, mostly because it wasn’t a shock that Sam could read them like a book, but also because what they were trying to say was so simple, but the words just wouldn’t come out. They face him on the couch.

“I know that fight we had the other week has caused a lot of drama for us, and our families… but…”

Another pause, a deep breath.

“But there were some other things that happened that night that we haven’t really talked about since that night… And I feel like it should be talked about. Again.”

Sam nodded slowly. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

Finding the right words never was Darlin’s strong suit, not like Sam who always seemed to say the right thing at the right time. But the other good thing about Sam was that he always seemed to understand the message even if the words were a bit jumbled. It was a talent of his that he was humble, almost bashful about.

“We talked that first night of the attack about how I had to shift in front of you, which wasn’t something I’d done before, nor have since. It’s not because I don’t want to, because I do! But… Well, I’d always wanted it to be special, sentimental to me and my partner, because it is in shifter culture.”

Sam nods. “I remember you said that you wanted it to be special, and I also said it wasn’t a big deal that you were forced to in that situation. As someone who understands that drastic measures are sometimes taken in those moments of danger, I understand Darlin’, I really do.”

They breathed a sigh of relief. “And I am more than appreciative of that, because it did feel a bit like I wasn’t given a choice, like that bastard took away more of my choices… But you’ve never once held it against me, or made me feel stupid for feeling that way.”

“I get it.” He says simply.

“Well, I think I’d like to show you what I look like as a wolf, this time where I can choose it.”

Sam’s breath hitches. “You… You want to do that? You don’t have to.”

Darlin smiles slowly. “I do. I want to share this part of myself with you. And I want to do it where I can choose. I’ve let Quinn take so much from me already, I don’t want to let him take this too.”

They stand slowly, taking a steadying breath before slowly stripping themselves of their clothes. Sam watches with a playful grin, but doesn’t make any move to do anything about it. Darlin’ only shakes their head, smiling back at him. This was sacred to wolves and their partners.

Another breath. “Okay, I’m going to shift now. Don’t, uhh. Don’t make too much fun of me, okay?”

Sam chuckles. “I would never.”

Darlin’ nods, reassured. The sound of bones popping, magic changing a person into a wolf filled the room, and soon there was a large lycan where Darlin’ had just been. The moonlight filtered in through the windows, brightening their already brilliant fur. It was light, he remembered that from the attack—but here, where they were clean and spotless, it was mesmerizing. He looked into their eyes, and though they were the eyes of an animal, he saw his Darlin’ in them.

“You’re beautiful.” He said before he could stop himself. It’s not like he didn’t want to say it, but he said it without thinking. He didn’t like to not be in control of his words. At least right now he was with the one person who he didn't have to worry about judging him for saying the wrong thing.

Darlin clicked their teeth together in satisfaction, laying themselves on the floor. Sam slid off the couch and onto his knees at their front, reaching slowly for their head. Darlin leaned into him, letting the coarse fur come into contact with his hand. He was surprised at first, mainly because they were softer than he imagined, but also because he couldn’t believe that this beautiful creature was his Darlin’s wolf.

Darlin mewled at his touch, and Sam smiled while scratching their ears. He’d already seen them in action, fighting enemies and tearing them to shreds. Sam remembers with a blush about how he thought they were so hot for tearing those vamps to shreds, covered in blood and close to feral. But this was different. This was soft, gentle. It reminded him of the way Darlin only ever was with him—how they kept the shades of themselves hidden to everyone but him.

In a flash of realization, Sam understood what Darlin’ had been so hesitant about before, the reason they’d been so sheepish about sharing this with him when he’d already seen them shifted. He wasn’t just lookin at them, he was seeing them, for quite possibly the first time in their life. Darlin’ was letting him in.

The exchange became more beautiful then, knowing what this meant for them—for him. 

Darlin’ licked at his hand, not wanting him to stop scratching at their ears. He rested back against the couch, legs sprawled out, and Darlin’ climbed over them, resting their paws over his thighs and leaning against him. They were a solid creature, pure muscle and heavy bone. But they were beautiful.

“You know, I meant what I said before.” He went on, his drawl elongating his words. “You really are beautiful.”

Darlin’ only nuzzled against his chest, their way of being embarrassed. Sam only chuckled, and scratched at their fluff. They stayed there for a time, Sam watching them rest with the occasional glance at the TV, and Darlin’ breathing steadily in his lap. He wondered then if their heightened wolf senses could detect his breathing, or his heartbeat, or the flush that seemed to remain permanently on his cheeks. He wondered if they could feel him in the way he was so accustomed to feeling them. The sound of their heartbeat was like the lull of a lullaby to him, comforting him and reassuring him of their presence. Did his wolf feel that now? Was the sound of his heartbeat reassuring for them too?

Darlin’ huffed, as if to reaffirm. He chuckled again, before moving his hand lower towards their chin, getting the underside of their snout with his fingertips. Darlin’ tipped their head back to grant him access, mewling at the feeling. Sam had to bite back a laugh at the sight. Human Darlin’ would never react like that to being touched like this. That was another thing he was grateful to learn—they were a bit more playful as a wolf than they were as a person.

Sam stood then, leaving a prone Darlin’ to wonder what he was up to. “What do you say we go for a run, yeah?”

Darlin’s ears perked at him, their tongue licking at their maw at the idea. They rose from the floor then, wagging their tail at him as a way to say yes to that idea. A run with Sam? Who could say no to that?

Sam moved to the door with vampire speed, a streak of color before he opened the door for them to exit, and without hesitation, Darlin’ was out his door and into the woods surrounding his house. Sam smiled fully before following them, chasing them into the line of trees. Darlin’ leaped over tree roots and rocks, racing Sam with his vampire speed. He was definitely faster, but Darlin’ was never far behind him.

The overcast weather gave Sam the tiny opportunity to be outside during the daytime, having just poured rain not an hour ago. The sun was nearly set anyway, but it still felt amazing to be out in the warmth of the day, to smell the rain and feel the dewey humidity of the air. Amazing how spending time with his Darlin’ always made him feel more alive than he’d felt in a long, long time.

Sam darted between trees, getting his wolf to follow him as they made their way further into the familiar forest. He couldn’t help but be in awe that they could do this, chasing after him and keeping pace, even as he made the path not so easy. Darlin’ let out short barks of a howl to let him know they were behind him, even as he made sure not to trip himself. Sam turned to watch them run at full speed, but they weren’t behind him anymore. In the two milliseconds it took for him to whip his head around to look for them, Darlin’s massive wolf collided into him, sending the two of them flying into a small clearing of trees, somewhere the grass was soft enough to catch them, and high enough to hide them.

When they stopped rolling, Darlin’ was standing on all fours over Sam, who was lying on his back against the grass. They made eye contact, Darlin’s human eyes showing so prominently through their wolf ones. In an instant, they shifted back to skin, laughing heartily as they collapsed against him, grabbing at his shirt for support. Sam was taken back by the sound. Their genuine laughter was earth-shaking, a sound that rivaled the most beautiful of music, and with a rarity that rivaled diamonds. It warmed Sam’s soul, if he even had one, and he couldn’t help but laugh with them. They clung to each other then, sharing in the joy of that laughter that seemed to rack Darlin’s body, losing themselves in this perfect, everlasting moment.

When their laughter finally died down, and Darlin’ was able to look Sam in the eyes again, they smiled—a toothy smile that reminded him of the rarity of their laughter. That same warm, lovely feeling filled his chest at the sight, and he knew then that he loved this wolf. Even if they didn’t share his feelings, even if this ended in blood and pain for him, he loved them. He loved their beautiful laugh and smile, sure; but even those spaces between were worth it if he got to stay by his wolf’s side. 

The dew of the grass made Darlin’ shiver, realizing instantly that they were naked in this field, and attempting to huddle closer—even if he didn’t give off heat. Sam chuckled, and sat up to pull his flannel off his shoulders to place it softly around theirs.

Darlin’ smiled back, huddling closer to him and wrapping the flannel tighter around their shoulders. “Thank you. It’s a bit colder in skin.”

Sam chuckled. “I can imagine. Fur seems like it’d keep ya warm.” 

Darlin laughed at that, the warm feeling fizzing in his chest again. Would he ever get used to that sound? He hoped not, if it had this effect.

“That was really fun,” Darlin’ admitted quietly, looking up into his silvery eyes. He loved it when they did that. “I didn’t realize how much I’d enjoy getting to chase you as a wolf.”

Sam smiled, a toothy grin that lit up Darlin’s face. “Yeah, it was. I thought you were gonna catch me a couple o’ times there.”

Darlin’ raises an eyebrow. “Uhm, I kinda did?”

Sam laughs then, a warm sound that seemed to linger in the air, as if the atmosphere itself refused to let the sound disappear. “I meant before that, troublemaker.”

Darlin’ let their mouth fall open in mock shock. “Me? A troublemaker? Why I could never…”

Sam let out another laugh, this time pulling his Darlin’ into him and pressing a kiss to their temple. “Yeah, yeah. I know Darlin’. The epitome of righteousness.”

Darlin’ is the one to laugh this time, though it’s feistier. “Why you little—”

Darlin’ tackled Sam again, throwing his body to the ground and kissing his cheek quick, before pushing off him and running further into the field. Sam rolled over onto his elbows, watching Darlin’ run away, taking a quick glance at their ass showing through beneath the fabric of his flannel, before getting up and taking off after them, human speed this time. Darlin’ laughed loud, trying to run from him and not trip over a stray rock or bush, but Sam caught them anyway. Held them in his arms for a moment, before Darlin’ tripped and they both went tumbling, laughing the whole way. 

Somehow, Darlin’ ended up on his chest, protected from the fall. Sam heaved, staring back at them, wracked with the most intense desire to tell them that—

“I love you.”

Sam blinked, reeling momentarily at how Darlin’ had read his mind. “You— You do?”

Darlin’ smiled again, radiant as ever. “I do. I love you Sam. You make me happier than I’ve been in a long time. And I thought it was time that you knew.”

Sam sputtered, unsure how to even begin to form words, if there were any that could convey the depth of his love for them. So he stuck with the easiest ones.

“I love you too, Darlin’.”

Their smile widened, before leaning in to kiss him, which he met with eager lips. God, that was another thing he hoped to never get tired of.

“Now, race ya home?” Darlin’ quipped, pushing off him and throwing his flannel over his face, and shifting to take off into the forest.

Taking into consideration Gavin's help in telling us [listener meta heh] that things like bridging and rifts are plane-bourne specific, and Sam's retelling that vampires can't feed on Da/emons due to "biological incompatibility," Vampires should have no issues feeding from a Shifter.

I think the main reason, other than being from other planes, that Vampires can't feed on Da/emon's is that they are literally Made Of Magic. From a feeding standpoint, there would be no nutrients to gain from it, as feeding on empowereds are just like... Premium Blood. It's blood with a lil bit of magic for a lil extra Jazzy Jazz.

Da/emon blood would just be Straight Magic and no Blood therefore, unuseful. Now back to my previous wording, “nutrients” and “useful.” What exactly do they get from blood? Now, Erik mentions in his 7 hour long 25K Q&A, that Vampires in the “redactverse” (redactverse and dactverse are synonymous when speaking to me) have working systems, just like normal humans. [chadam and i searched for a while but i honest to god could not find it so you’re just gonna have to trust me (when i transcribe the megalith i’ll edit this and add the timestamp)]

Vampires are people who have died, and reincarnated in their own bodies, gaining a magical core.

[#theories, Redacted Records Discord, January 9th, 2021] Now, given that. What exactly do they get from feeding off of blood?