Never of Belle

You left rather promptly from your aunt's house, there were no words exchanged as You waddled oddly out of her door.

It felt... odd, extremely odd, on the walk home, you felt lighter, thoughtless compared to your usually overthinking self.

It allowed for you to observe your surroundings of the Morning activity in the city as You strolled casually back to the mansion. And damn was there... activity.

As far back as you could remember (bearing in mind that was just under a week) the streets had been deserted, on account of the lockdown. Thanks, Jormungandr.

But today the Highstreet was bustling with people, chock full of folks that practically pranced around in joy of being out in the fresh air... Hmmm, the Lockdown must have ended? You hadn't exactly been keeping track of things, then again, Jormungandr hadn't been seen for weeks now, and a month of Jormungandr-free activity must have been enough to let people go and grab a coffee from Starbucks... or whatever the fuck people did nowadays.

You wondered how Belle would feel about this? Business in her club: the Rattle, was booming mid-lockdown, let alone when off it. She was just around the corner... Maybe you should visit her? out of all the weird shit, Belle was a stabilizing **** in your life, she was simple and beautiful, and loving... you needed that right now, compared to your blankness.

It was a 4-minute walk, along the arcade through to the 'Rich Quarter' before ducking into an alley. You pushed through the Yellow doors in that obscure alley, moving into the reception room, where a Pale man half asleep lay on the desk "You even work during the day, Crass?" You asked, making the man jump awake as he sniffed.

"By the Bl-... Oh... Mr Drake... Hello." He said groggily, rubbing his bagged eyes. "Uhhh no, Rattled is open 24 hours, The Queen bee thought it would be good for business since people try and sneak in at all hours of the day... yo, you come to see the boss? She's out in the manager's suite backstage." He said helpfully.

You nodded "Thanks, Crass. Hey, are you alright there, you look exhausted. You ain't done an all-nighter have you?"

At that moment, you reached over and tapped his shoulder, it was a playful gesture, you'd only really spoken to this man twice before, the first time Diana did most of the talking... but that sense of deep familial dread that filled you as your thump brushed his ice-cold skin, was utterly unmistakable.

Crass looked up at you, puzzling at your lingering hand and wide-eyed stare "Are you alright, Dude?" He asked lightly.

Snatching your hand back, you nodded quietly. "I'll just... head-on in..."

He nodded, looking at you like you were the one acting weird. "Okay, bud... try not to ride her too hard." He gave a wink but you did not see it, you were already moving into the club's main floor, grimacing deeply... He was a Vampire. He was unmistakably a Vampire, Hilde was not lying, now that You knew what they were, what the warning signs were... it was like a siren was going off in your head "Danger Danger, High voltage." Screaming in your ears.

Luckily the dancefloor and bar were nearly empty, without all the lights the place just looked like a classy bar, and yet as you rushed towards that glossy bar, leaning your elbows on the side and rubbing your eyes, Velka looked back at you, staring with a quiet irritation as You tried to expel the unnerving feeling in your bones.

"Drinking in the middle of the day? Classy." She hissed.

You grinned at her "Your ass must hurt like hell, riding that high horse all the time." she frowned at your dramatic flair and mockery.

"My Ass is none of your concern, Cocky bastard." She grumbled, her one Ivory loose hair from her tightly wound bun flaring as Velka fetched a bottle of Scotch, flipping its nose between her finger and rapidly twisting a tumbler before you, the bottle glugging as the rich brown liquid poured smoothly into the glass.

You looked on in awe at this woman's raw skill as she also poured herself a glass, tossing in a ball of cracked ice and clinking it against the body of your drink in silent cheers. She sunk that drink between her pale lips.

"For a sour apple, You're incredibly skilled." You noted, raising your glass light and sipping the whisky that warmed you inside as it rolled down your throat.

"Hmm." She hummed giving you a distasteful scowl despite the compliment.

Eyeing her carefully, You beheld her snowy skin, her pink lips, the sharp almost skaldic nature of her features.

She was like a glacier, cold and rigid her rippling locks of platinum blonde like fluttering snowflakes. Her form was sleek and thin like a needle, and though she appeared to be delicate, you had the distinct impression that she could cut through a man like a blade if it were her will.

"...." You had decided to make your move, swallowing your scotch and pushing the glass along the smooth bar towards her "Another if you please." Your voice was low and curious, She was too busy glowering to notice.

"Whatever." Once again she put on her subtle display flipping the bottle expertly, you kept your eyes on her wrist _"Eyes on the target." _it whirled and moved, until finally settling on the full glass, and just as she slid it over to you--

You gripped at her hand, feeling the ice-cold of her glacier skin, the rippling emptiness where the blood did not flow, and the deep darkness of her shadowy aura. Goosepimples flushed across your arm, the wave of dread spelling out your suspicions.

She shivered, grimacing as she casually snatched her hand away "S-Stop touching me." She warned darkly "I hate people touching... hmm, me." And yet she made a weird kind of face, her eyes becoming glazed over as she rubbed her shoulder. of course, she snapped out of it eventually, gazing at You, nodding to yourself.

"I was blind but now I see." You muttered.

"What?"

You kicked off of the bar, strolling away and leaving both Velka and Your drink behind. Her blue eyes watching closely as You tracked backstage.

"Going back there is a terrible idea." She cried out, but you did not hear her.

It was dark back there, and cold too, very cold. and as You reached the door to Belle's suite, You felt an especially strong sense of dread.

You closed your eyes, taking in the cold air and with one little push, you entered the pitch black of Belle's room.

Dead silence, it was dark and quiet. There was danger in the air, You could feel it, smell it, you were not alone. "Belle..." You waited, for a sound, a voice, something, but there was only silence, however, Your eyes picked something up in the darkness, two orbs, shining like red hot coins against the fire, unblinking, never once leaving you. "Belle?"

"Y-You... need to leave." Her voice echoed in the darkness as if distanced.

"What's wrong, Belle? I just wanted to check-in, the lockdown ended, that's gotta be good for business?" Despite you trying to lighten the mood, Belle said nothing, she only stared with those crimson eyes. "Listen, I... I understand now, I couldn't even comprehend it before, the cold skin, the weird feeling, it was like I couldn't see it, I refused to see it, You're a Vampire, Belle... but I still love you, I will always love you-" Your hand went to flick on the lights, but a colder much stronger hand stopped you.

Those orbs of red were now only inches away from your face. "No light." She whispered, though she was sniffing, inhaling deeply, her murderous aura growing further and further, it was like staring into the face of a crocodile in the dark. "...oh god, you smell sooo good." she muttered "Like buttered pancakes and pumpkin pies, you're just so... irresistibly sweet, My love... Hmmmmm."

You lent back, trying to calm your storming heart, the blood in your veins boiling as You looked around, You had to get away, you had to get the hell out of here, she was going to fucking eat you, every atom in your body screamed as much, the response of prey. "Anchor, anchor, anchor, come on! come on!! just calm down and think, think! we need to run!"

She was getting closer. and closer, and closer...

_"Come on, Charlie, blood of my blood, think dammit, I don't have any silver, My sword is at Hilde's, fuck fuck!! I AM GOING TO DIE! SHIT-" _Wait... Overactive senses... THE LIGHT!

As her arms wrapped around you, locking you in tight, and just as Her lips went to touch at Your neck, BAM! LET THERE BE LIGHT!!

BEGONE THOT!

Light bathed the suite and your terror climaxed at the look of your lover's face... my god her face... it was unlike anything you had ever seen, the beauty had been twisted into a monsterous visage, the usually smooth cheeks were wrinkled over five times in almost white ridges, the eyes were blazing like the fires of hell, sunken in their black sockets, the nose folded in on itself, almost like a bat's, and the jaw... christ her jaw was unhinged, lips drawn tight like piano wires, each canine sharp and white as she screeched like a dying seagull, grasping her eyes with her claws before flying backwards at the overstimulation.

You needed to go. It was time to get the hell out of here... why the fuck weren't you running!? your feet were planted firmly on the ground, watching as she reeled screaming in pain, Belle, Your Belle.

As if I would let a Prince of the mighty Dracul turn tail and run again. Buckle up bitch boy, we're kicking it into OVERDRIVE!

Gasping as your entire body tensed, a whirlwind of air blasting out of your lungs and power flowing through your fingers as they crushed into the light switch.

Belle grimaced monstrously, getting her bearings, claws flexing as she rushed at you... and yet, you just watched, tilting your head curiously... because it appeared that not only were you completely unafraid, but... you were moving, completely without any input.

Vampire Belle took a swing at you at monsterous speed. You casually stepped out of the way, staring at her as she snarled, swiping and grasping at you, though she caught nothing but air, as you slipped away like a snake, moving just as fast... no, even faster than she was, ducking, diving, stepping back, accidentally knocking into a drawer and displacing the lamp that You replaced rather quickly as she tried to lunge. Her teeth flashing towards you.

Forevermore.

It was as if she were moving underwater, or in putty... things were slow, and you could see her afterimage or... Beforeimage moving forth, sinking its teeth into your neck... it was oddly peaceful like this, being able to see into the future gave an odd reassurance if you could even call this, seeing into the future, or a premonition or whatever... She must have been in a lot of pain, starving by the looks of her, why would she not be feeding, didn't she know what would happen if she neglected herself? Your loving, Loyal Belle...

You shot forward, flashing your arm towards her, tensing harshly as you met your mark.

She paused, as her teeth slipped into your bicep, placed there by you, as You wrapped your arms around her, guiding her to the ground

_"Drink." _You whispered.

She moaned deeply, her tongue lapping your skin as she began to suck out your blood with all of her might, making you wince and then relax. It was an oddly satisfying feeling, and she was relentless, groaning as she grasped your arm tightly

_"Slow down... Slow down... easy... nice and easy." _You whispered, her drunkenness fading, speaking out as red tears began to fall down her face.

"Ohm... Ihm... Ihm so sorry... I'm sorry." She whispered, finally letting you go as You rubbed her forehead gently, resting your head on hers.

"Shhhh, it's alright." You cuddled her close, and You smiled... You weren't afraid, not of Belle, never of Belle.