Context for the following post can be found here
Have you read that post? Good! Now enjoy my blurb about a bookish vampire and a bookish human on Halloween in a Library YES HE IS NAMED AFTER LYSANDER FROM A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM SHUDUP
Vampire X OC: Reading is Fundamental 🧛📚🎃
As I walked through the Halloween festival I was overtaken by the scent of pumpkin and apple as children in costumes ran past me squealing, teenagers snapped selfies posing in their risqué outfits despite the frigid weather and parents stood around sipping hot punch. The stalls were so enticing but as I stepped away from the noise I saw a building welcoming me to enter just across from the park. A library, decked in string lights and bunting, fittingly next to the cemetery, with a sign outside that says "Enter if you dare, you're in for a scare!"
Oh I dare alright. I hadn't brought nearly enough books with me from home and the library was perfect for finding my next good read. I walked through the door, not sure what to expect as I wandered into what looked like a deserted library. "Hello?" I said, looking for a light or a staff member when suddenly someone tapped my shoulder. I whirled around to be greeted by a man in costume, dressed as a vampire, teeth and all! He had long dirty blonde hair, was dressed in your classic vampire style attire with a frilled shirt and a large overcoat, and had red contacts in. I jumped a little, yelping as his eyes widened and I started laughing.
"Oh heavens I'm so sorry! I thought you were one of the children," He stammered as I kept laughing, trying to pull myself together. "No no, you're good I just- Oh wow you look incredible!" I remarked admiring his costume as he shied away, getting a little bashful. "Oh uh thanks?" He said, returning to the desk. "My deepest apologies but this town insists that if you wish to be open on All Hallow's Eve, you must provide something for the children. Apparently books aren't entertaining enough so...boo?" He said as I grinned. "Hey, it scared me so, there's something to brag about," I offered as he took a seat at the desk.
"Let me start over. My name is Lysander, welcome to the Library. I...are you new to town?" He asked suddenly as I nodded. "Yeah just moved here, I used to live in the city and needed a bit of peace and quiet." I admit, but he smiles knowingly. "But of course, the cities can be so stifling and crowded these days, I avoid them whenever possible." He nods as I eye his display of books titled 'Books that go bump in the night'. He notices me looking and immediately gets up to show me the display. "I see you're admiring my Halloween themed picks for October reads?" Lysander asks as I step towards the shelf display.
"Yes see I could do with some fresh literature and well, I saw a library and figured I'd see what you have." I shrug as he smiles, his impressive fake fangs gleaming as he does. "Well then, might I interest you in the Gothic Literature of times gone by? We have Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," He starts but he sees my gaze landing on a book that looks newer. "What about this one?" I ask as he picks it. "These Shallow Graves, yes a crime thriller set in the Victorian Age but in North America, it has a bit of a Sherlock Holmes feel to it. Are you interested?" He asks as he hands me the book and I notice how cold his hand is.
His eyes widen and he pulls his hand into his coat. "Damned Council, don't pay nearly enough for me to turn on the heating here." He says quickly, as I notice the room is much colder than I thought. "So do you own this library?" I ask as he runs a hand through his hair. "Well my family did, privately, but the council bought it up and now its funded by local authorities. It is not fun, believe me." He sighed, leaning on the display. "I never got your name, how rude of me," He remarks as I smile and reply. "It's Genevive, but most insist on calling me Gen, I guess cause the whole thing is too much hassle." I mutter as Lysander smiles softly. "Genevive, it's a pleasure," He replies, shaking my hand.
"So uh just this book?" He asks, suddenly remembering what we were doing in the first place. "Uh I'll take Frankenstein too, I haven't read that one since GCSE English and...what would you recommend?" I ask as Lysander's eyes light up and he immediately reaches for the shelf. "Okay, I would suggest Jane Eyre, a good dark read for the season and....Wuthering Heights." He smiles, handing me the books. "If you finish them by this time next week you can return them, if not then I can renew the ones you still want."
I rifle through the books happily but realise that I might not be able to take them. Lysander notices my face fall and immediately approaches me. "What's wrong?" He asks as I sigh. "Nothing it's just..I don't have a library card for this local authority yet." But he smiles, again flashing those startlingly convincing fangs. "Well I'm a little old fashioned so I can have it in writing until you do. I still have a physical card catalogue here." He says, heading back to the desk and producing a card of book titles and people's names. "Here just put down which books you're taking, then your name and number and if they're late I can contact you." He smiles, handing me a pen.
I take the pen and write on the card my information and the books, bundling them into my wicker basket as he nods at my costume. "Ah Red Riding Hood, the cloak should've been obvious," He chuckles as I tug on the hood. "Yes, I didn't really plan to dress up but I had this winter cloak and the dress and my basket.." I began as he nodded with a smile. "Practicality trumps originality, but of course." He replied, admiring the cloak a little. "I will say its certainly an uncommon garment in this day and age but should an item be judged based on it's commonality alone? I think not," he states as I chuckle. Maybe he was in theatre, or perhaps was Southern, that would explain the accent.
"Thank you for these, Lysander, and I hope you have a good night." I replied, heading for the door as he raised a hand to wave me off as I noticed he had also gone to the trouble of wearing fake nails too? "And if there's any kind of costume contest in this town, you've won by a mile." I grinned as I saw his cheeks warm a little. "I thank you, but I wouldn't enter one of those. I'm certain someone more scantily clad would beat me, not that I disapprove but unfortunately the judges would have an eye for that sort of thing." He added, a little sheepishly.
"Oh well, you won in my books," I shrug as I lift up my hood over my head. "Goodnight Lysander." I smiled as he watched me leaving. "Goodnight to you too, Genevive." He smiled back, his really accurate fangs gleaming as I left. I think I'm going to like it here, I thought as I crossed the square, smiling to myself before I headed home.
There! I started writing this literally over a year ago and abandoned it till now so fellow vampire appreciators, enjoy! Bc dammit I want my vamps to have substance!
Tagging my mains: @jackiequick @gcthvile @blueboirick @bobshunbun
