Shadis had a lot of questions. If Lancaster were a stubborn man he’d probably have tried not to laugh – but he wasn’t particularly stubborn, and nor was a particularly private individual. If he was going to wear his emotions on his sleeve and do nothing about hiding them, then he would have to answer questions. And he’d prefer to answer her questions then let them go; he had nothing to hide. Besides which, to ignore them completely would be rude, and he had to tell the truth if he was going to answer them.
He did laugh. Even after Shadis commented on his lack of a smile, he laughed. When was the last time he’d been asked so many questions? He imagined that Shadis had to be a selfless kind of person, to be so concerned about him rather than her own dilemma. Rather than asking questions about her new immortality and the things that she would have to do to survive, she seemed more interested in Lancaster. He didn’t know whether to be flattered or concerned. In the end, he was neither. He was proud, and relieved.
He nodded as she said she wanted to go home; he turned around – they had to backtrack for a block or two before they could turn down the street that led to a few of the riverside establishments. There was a way into the Den from the Sanctuary apartments, which stood just beside the Quarantine Zone. As he walked, he tugged off one arm of his jacked and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a gleaming, antique looking armband underneath.
”It’s a rare relic. Sometimes they pop up on the auction – I’ll show you how to access the auctions, they’re kind of like ebay for vampires. I paid an arm and a leg for it, but it has magical properties. I don’t have to feed from anyone anymore. I’m fucked if I get injured or lose too much blood, but we’ll just hope that doesn’t happen,” he said. Though, he shrugged his shoulders as he rolled the sleeve down and pulled the jacket back on properly.
”Though, I have been around long enough to have developed the ability to … well, heal myself. They call it blood heal. I can feed myself without having to touch anyone. It’s something you could develop, too – there are wraiths you can talk to…” he said, then shook his head. He was getting onto a tangent; talking business, rather than answering the questions that had been put to him. He still figured he’d be fucked. Healing oneself required a certain amount of magical energy, and he never had any of that. He preferred to use it to boost other people; to inspire them. Which he would have to explain to Shadis later – it was an ability that she, too, would soon learn how to master.
”As for the rest of it – if I can remember everything you asked – to begin with, I can’t drink human blood because it was a choice I made. As Allurists we tend to… feel more than the other paths. That’s our curse. Our emotions are like physical ailments, sometimes. I hated what I was. I hated how unnatural it felt to feed from humans, to take their blood. She came to me at a time I was at my worst, when I thought I wasn’t any good to anyone, and she offered me herself. Her own blood. There was something… intimate in it, and it was better for me,” he explained. He didn’t mind explaining his reasons. If she wanted to know more about him, she had asked the right questions. They got to the core of him; the reasons for his existence.
”As for how she turned me – I saw something I shouldn’t have. I witnessed her, as a vampire. She wasn’t the one who killed me. That was a redhead by the name of Phoenix. She sucked me dry and left me for dead, and Pi brought me back to life. Guilt, I suppose,” he said. Oh, how often he’d wondered how different his life would be if he had just picked any other pub. If he hadn’t ever ordered that ******* steak sandwich, he could be anywhere else but here by now. The smile that he gave Shadis, now, was fleeting. A sad smile. He shook his head.
”And for what makes me happy – good company. Travel. And music. Except I’ve had writer’s block for months and can’t get a single song out. As I said – we allurists have a greater capacity for feeling. Too much,” he said, the frown settling back in its place. He didn’t want to admit to his depression. It would become too real. It was better if he tried to ignore it. He turned to Shadis – they were well on their way to the apartment complex.
”Was that all of them?” he asked. He wasn’t irritated – he was genuinely concerned that he’d missed a question, in the fray.
He did laugh. Even after Shadis commented on his lack of a smile, he laughed. When was the last time he’d been asked so many questions? He imagined that Shadis had to be a selfless kind of person, to be so concerned about him rather than her own dilemma. Rather than asking questions about her new immortality and the things that she would have to do to survive, she seemed more interested in Lancaster. He didn’t know whether to be flattered or concerned. In the end, he was neither. He was proud, and relieved.
He nodded as she said she wanted to go home; he turned around – they had to backtrack for a block or two before they could turn down the street that led to a few of the riverside establishments. There was a way into the Den from the Sanctuary apartments, which stood just beside the Quarantine Zone. As he walked, he tugged off one arm of his jacked and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a gleaming, antique looking armband underneath.
”It’s a rare relic. Sometimes they pop up on the auction – I’ll show you how to access the auctions, they’re kind of like ebay for vampires. I paid an arm and a leg for it, but it has magical properties. I don’t have to feed from anyone anymore. I’m fucked if I get injured or lose too much blood, but we’ll just hope that doesn’t happen,” he said. Though, he shrugged his shoulders as he rolled the sleeve down and pulled the jacket back on properly.
”Though, I have been around long enough to have developed the ability to … well, heal myself. They call it blood heal. I can feed myself without having to touch anyone. It’s something you could develop, too – there are wraiths you can talk to…” he said, then shook his head. He was getting onto a tangent; talking business, rather than answering the questions that had been put to him. He still figured he’d be fucked. Healing oneself required a certain amount of magical energy, and he never had any of that. He preferred to use it to boost other people; to inspire them. Which he would have to explain to Shadis later – it was an ability that she, too, would soon learn how to master.
”As for the rest of it – if I can remember everything you asked – to begin with, I can’t drink human blood because it was a choice I made. As Allurists we tend to… feel more than the other paths. That’s our curse. Our emotions are like physical ailments, sometimes. I hated what I was. I hated how unnatural it felt to feed from humans, to take their blood. She came to me at a time I was at my worst, when I thought I wasn’t any good to anyone, and she offered me herself. Her own blood. There was something… intimate in it, and it was better for me,” he explained. He didn’t mind explaining his reasons. If she wanted to know more about him, she had asked the right questions. They got to the core of him; the reasons for his existence.
”As for how she turned me – I saw something I shouldn’t have. I witnessed her, as a vampire. She wasn’t the one who killed me. That was a redhead by the name of Phoenix. She sucked me dry and left me for dead, and Pi brought me back to life. Guilt, I suppose,” he said. Oh, how often he’d wondered how different his life would be if he had just picked any other pub. If he hadn’t ever ordered that ******* steak sandwich, he could be anywhere else but here by now. The smile that he gave Shadis, now, was fleeting. A sad smile. He shook his head.
”And for what makes me happy – good company. Travel. And music. Except I’ve had writer’s block for months and can’t get a single song out. As I said – we allurists have a greater capacity for feeling. Too much,” he said, the frown settling back in its place. He didn’t want to admit to his depression. It would become too real. It was better if he tried to ignore it. He turned to Shadis – they were well on their way to the apartment complex.
”Was that all of them?” he asked. He wasn’t irritated – he was genuinely concerned that he’d missed a question, in the fray.
