I don't like change [cor & ver]

[Deleted]

walking down familiar alleyways, reflections of the flames dance on the walls, there is something ahead and he must discover what, dark streets grow brighter, flames lick out of broken windows, two beautiful women are sobbing on the ground as they hold eachother, stretching out delicate hands, familiar faces entreating his help. sister. mother. the sound of their grief dims but never fully fades when he passes them by. corpses start littering the cobblestones, discarded dolls. a guard sits on a crate off to one side whittling a stake, it is his da as he used to be, micah makes a circle with his thumb and forefinger then points. cori looms over a gurney, he carves a 'y' incision then shoves both hands inside the still struggling body. his blood soaked angel is here too, ver pulls a man close in a lover's embrace and shreds the throat with her teeth. a fresh red wave runs down her dress and she smiles sweetly. his da grabs him by the shoulders and says he must choose. julien asks what he means. they are transported, father and son standing on a stage, a faceless crowd watch and wait. his mentor and his best friend are crouched with their necks stretched across chopping blocks. micah hands julien the axe

And Jule wakes, violently scrambling out of bed to splash cold water on his face. The dream refuses to leave him. Quickly dressed, now he's silent moving down the hall past Ver and Cori's rooms. Cold night air isn't enough to calm him, so he runs circles around their new home place. The exercise is pointless, after lap twenty four he falls to the ground and twists his fingers into his hair. A choice between Coriander and Veranda? Impossible. Jules had tried very hard to numb himself, to ignore emotion and use only cool logic, but Coriander couldn't teach the boy to be a sociopath. Every time Veranda was abused, rage and remorse drove Julien to commit the most viscous of his crimes. To have a chance of fighting off the next assault, she asked for the dark gift and he couldn't refuse. She seemed to be handling it okay enough, considering how screwed up her first night had gone and his ineptitude at being a maker. He needed to know how she felt, what she was thinking, there was an unspoken strangeness between them now and it ate at him. The strain came from his broken promise to protect her, the way she made him promise to never leave her alone again and everything becoming vampire had changed about her. The fluidity of her movements, new strength, speed, her flawless pale skin, glossy fingernails, her eyes intensified: cute before, intimidatingly beautiful now.

Coriander's sudden appearance the day after the fiasco seemed at first a godsend, if anyone would know what to do it would be the boogey king himself. Julien knew the logistics of the change, but, like every teenage parent, he rushed in and after it was done he didn't have a clue what to do. After Veranda killed every human male, from the market to the pub, who walked the streets at three in the morning, Julien expected a mob complete with torches and pickaxes. He couldn't express his gratitude of Cor's return and the mess he made quick enough, every falling leaf in the woods spiked his nervous energy further. The babble was silenced when Cori told them to quickly pack, they were leaving that night. The tone of Coriander's voice was always flat, free of emotion, but after seven years as apprentice Julien realized that he'd made an error. Incapable of anger, Jule wondered how the other made decisions and never have displeased his teacher before, worried what the reaction would be. Apologizing would be pointless, also dishonest because it meant regretting what was done not the consequences that resulted. The trip had been uncomfortable, Jule so wanted everything to magically be as it was before. He wanted to prove to Cor that he hadn't made a mistake in choosing his pupil. He wanted to be able to talk to Ver the easy way he used to without feeling like a guilty, nervous, inept, clueless wreck and without daydreaming about kissing her lips. He wanted the two to like each other, for Cori to see the potential in her, for Veranda to respect the elder and appreciate everything he was willing to do. Shaking his head the boy headed back inside.

[Deleted]

He didn't sleep. He didn't blink so much either. He would feed and then retire to the darkness when the sun presented itself for a new day. And even tonight, he had heard some rustling in Julien's room while his pupil dreampt. His hearing had keened in on Julien and for a moment, he was curious as t what was going on. With no heart beat to really signify how intense such a dream was. Or how horrible. Coriander's eyes narrowed solidly as he sat in the pitch blackness of the living room. He made no noise and sat like a statue while he thought to himself.
Coriander had been used to change. Moving from place to place to get himself out of the fire that he had slowly build up. But the reason for moving this time had nothing to do with him. But the young woman Jules had changed brought on a chain reaction that Coriander wasn't pleased to come home to after a trip away from Merovech at the time. But here they were. After a very long journey on a boat and traveling by night to find a place on the outskirts of the city, Coriander was settling down nicely. He stared at the wall across the darkness, the walls crumbling, the floor boards rotting like the rest of the structure. But it was a suitable home for now. No one would think to find them here.

Then, a sound. Coriander sat as he witnessed Jules walking past the bedrooms and into the living room and out the door. Slightly puzzled, Coriander continued to sit while Jules walking in circles around the house for a bit. The house in this part of the area had no candles. No lights. You couldn't tell there was a house or signs of life except for the chittering bugs outside. Coriander blinked, sitting back in the old chair, comfortable though it felt like it would fall apart any moment. What would he possibly do with his own pupil having changed a girl that he knew Julien loved? It had been a foolish choice and Coriander had not approved. Seeing as she had gone and slaughtered a number of people.

Coriander didn't regret taking Julien under his wing, but this? Well Veranda would need a wake up call one of these days. And Coriander had already been thinking about how to go about getting her to straighten up. He didn't want to risk her going out and killing more. But he was going to see exactly how Julien was going to deal with this. Or Coriander was going to make sure she couldn't feed ever again. The vampire heard Julien coming in again, but his chest didn't move. He never took a breath. It wasn't needed. He reached over and used a tinderbox to light a couple of the candles in the living room just as Julien came walking in.

Julien.. Come, sit... he stated in that monotonous tone of his. He looked at the young man, blinking once and expected him to sit on the dilapidated couch. With the light from the two candles lighting one side of his face, you could still see both of those white pupils staring. His black hair in locks coming down the side of his face. As always, Coriander didn't look amused at all, but he had a slightly curious itch in his voice. With all the years Julien spent around him, he wouldn't be surprised if the young man could tell the difference in that dead tone from time to time.

The sun set a few hours ago.. We'll wait for your pupil before we go hunting. he stated, folding his hands in his lap patiently.

[Veranda Kingsford]

Veranda stirred, then opened her eyes to a pitch black room. Despite the darkness she saw just fine. And after a moment or two she sat up slowly, stretching. She sat on her bed for a long time, clad in her favorite clothing she liked to wear to bed, a shirt that belonged to Julien, which she had promptly taken as her own, whether he liked it or not. She mused over the last few events of her life as of late. An interesting twist of things. Julien saves her from a third rape in her life, changes her at her request, she slaughters a good number of people in the town, and Cori had to come and save them, much to his disapproval. But when did Cori ever really approve of her? Hell, she supposed she should be flattered she was even on his mind now.

She thought back to that night as she dressed, pulling on a pair of pants, a simply cotton shirt, boots, and a long coat, black. She remembered waking, feeling so very hungry. She had left Julien lying where he was and ventured into town. She had meant to simply see the world with her new eyes, but a drunk man stumbled up to her and tried to take advantage of her. It was all that it took to set her into an unstable rage, and she tore the man apart. Drenched in his blood, his friends came to see what the commotion was about, and they too died by her hands. She drank a large amount of the intoxicated blood, and the effects of her mind made matters worse than better. She was no longer in a rage, but drunk on the power she had to kill any man who wanted to touch her against her will, and soon found herself laughing as she slaughtered everyone in her favorite pub. She was still laughing when Julien found her, soaked with blood and gore, and pulled her away into the night before the guards could come.

Since then Veranda had been very quiet, simply sitting by and thinking. She didn’t look troubled, because she wasn’t. She felt no regret in killing so many. She was interested in the fact that she had actually enjoyed it, in some sick way. Was that the vampire in her, or was she always so twisted, and never had the opportunity to do these things before? She didn’t care to voice her thoughts to Julien, simply because Cori was around now. She supposed she shouldn’t care for his thoughts, like before, but now she was stuck with the man, and like it or not, he was the master here. She’d have to consider him too. She didn’t like it because she was sure he didn’t like her. She supposed she’d have to wait and see what happens.

Veranda finished by strapping her daggers and sword to her person and stepped from her room. She glanced at Cori, sitting by in an old, crumbling chair, and Julien. She spoke to neither of them. Instead she stepped in front of them, clasping her hands behind her back, taking on an innocent figure. Though it’d be a mistake to think she was innocent, even before she was turned. She assumed this position and eyed the two men before her curiously, wondering what they planned to do tonight. More importantly, what they’d do with her.

[Deleted]

It was too much to ask, he knew it was. Veranda had never spoken outright against his teacher but he always sensed a negative air about her when Cori was mentioned which he couldn't comprehend. Thinking of how far he'd come in just seven years of study, the powers other vampires would kill to obtain and the skills their kind needed to survive. The fact that he'd managed to keep a reborn human alive on a cross sea voyage spoke volumes alone considering the large amount of blood she needed to keep from starvation. Julien could go a full week between feeds before the hunger started to drain his power, he tested himself on the boat trip, seeing how far he could push himself. After the second week he couldn't boogey or shift anything except his eye and hair colors, on day sixteen he couldn't shift at all, day eighteen brought a hollowed look to his cheeks and abdomen. He made it to twenty when he barely had strength to wake up from the daily slumber, bizarre thoughts started popping into his head and the ship's vermin looked like the tastiest of treats. Rather than find himself sucking the marrow from the bones of a rat, he fed and waited another full two weeks before doing so again. Human food no longer satisfied, he experimented with that as well, it could keep him alive and shifting but not strong enough to boogey or take away the bloodlust.

Stilling his body, Julien began his silent movement through the house, this was apparently what he did now, spend time tip-toeing past his friends not wanting to disturb them in any way. The parting of Cori's lips as he prepared to speak alerted the youth of his presence, though startled he contained any outward reflection of it and turned to face the boogeyman. If he hadn't spoke Jule wouldn't have known he was there, clouded mind clouded judgement, he'd entered the room without checking it first. Irritated at himself, he obeyed without hesitation and took a seat on the couch. It was easy to understand why so many feared this creature, Julien was fearless but had the highest of respect. Remembering that Cori could've killed Veranda and him many times over, but hadn't, gave the boy a glimmer of hope that forgiveness wasn't out of the question. Eyebrows raise at the offer to hunt together, he exhales softly and his voice expresses too much. "Thank you, sir, I am more so in your debt. I haven't had the chance yet to explain my reasoning or offer my desire to make amends, but I will not forget how you have saved me yet again and saved her as well." Never before had he been so formal, it was all he could do not to throw himself to the ground at Cori's boots and beg forgiveness. Instead he tried to hold himself in check, remember his lessons and try to express the remorse he felt at disappointing him.

"No matter how I try I can't seem to stop myself from acting on impulse when dealing with matters concerning my family, yourself or... Veranda. It troubles me, I should have come to you first, I know that, but in all honesty if you ordered me not to do so I probably would have disobeyed the next time I saw her suffering. I made the mistake of giving her far too much blood which I assume is the reason for the drowsiness I felt and her loss of control. She is..." Well she was loud for one thing. Julien fell silent when he heard her wake and move about in her room, an apologetic look is given for their conversation to end abruptly. She silently entered the room, standing before them like a prisoner waiting for sentencing. Julien again felt like a guilty, selfish, nervous idiot. "Veranda." Everything he wanted to say was stuck in his throat and he wouldn't want to say it infront of Cori anyhow. "Coriander invited us to hunt with him." Damn, he was wretched at this.

[Deleted]

The Boogeyman was calm, quiet, as still as cold air in a coffin six feet under. He didn't say much as Julien came over and sat on the couch. But the old vampire listened carefully as he always did to Julien's apology and excuses. The vampire shifter was still young yet. And he had the protection of his adoptive sire so-to-speak. He had freedom as long as he didn't go too overboard. Coriander did trust Julien to a certain extent, but there were still those little things the young one did to disappoint his master. But Coriander didn't try to correct it. Not when Julien got himself in that mess. Like Coriander had learned years ago, he had to get himself out of it. Which is what he was letting Jules do for himself.

And to hear such formal speak coming from his pupil wasn't the normal sort. He was really trying to apologize for what had happened back in Merovech. But Coriander had heard centuries of excuses in his lifetime. He went to hold a hand up for a moment to pause Julien, but the boy kept speaking. Coriander let him. His pupil talked more, giving a little insight as to how his mind worked. Things Coriander already knew from several years with him. Despite how Coriander acted, he would protect Julien to no end if there was a threat. Veranda on the other hand... She had to really prove her worth to the Boogeyman.

Speaking of which, he was hearing her stir. So Coriander stared at the younger vampire shifter with emotionless ease and lifted his chin slightly. Understand this, Julien. When I came across you, I saw great potential. I offered you a chance to prove your prowess and skill to become a pupil. To be a Boogeyman. You have had your moments where I questioned your thinking, but you had not disappointed me. he stated and saw Veranda come into the room in the corner of his eyes. But he was still staring solely at Julien. What you did for Veranda didn't surprise me. You're young. You still have emotions. You haven't gone centuries.

He sat up a little more and barely glanced at her when Julien spoke to her, telling her his teacher invited them to go on a hunt. Coriander looked back at Julien and spoke as if Veranda wasn't even in the same house. As I explained to you on our way over here on that ship... She is your responsibility. But I will not hesitate to kill her myself if she poses any sort of threat to you or myself. She's young, stupid and has a lot to learn from you. Control. Discipline. Suppressing the hunger. he paused and looked right at her. Coriander had gone through a period of blood lust and killing before in his life. But that was after his sire had gone missing. Julien had his teacher here. And Veranda had Julien. There should be no excuses. As insane as Coriander was, he still had logical thought.

She made it this far, Julien. That's a little bit of progress thus far. Perhaps a patient killing this evening would do well to test her control. A dissection of the human mind and body. Something that you can't just sink your teeth into and suck the life out of. The heart of any human is a terrible thing to waste. Especially when it beats no longer from the fear that made it go still in the first place. he finished, giving clues to the sort of night they were going to have. Coriander still doubted very much that Julien turned her to teach her the Boogeyman ways. After all, Julien still had emotions. And that was what seemed to be running his train of thoughts.

Not surprising.

[Veranda Kingsford]

Veranda stood by as Cori spoke to Jules as if she hardly existed. She wasn’t surprised. But it only solidified her general dislike for the creature. It seemed he was going to disregard her completely, act like she was unimportant. She supposed she was to him, and she very much wanted to think the same of him, but didn’t have that luxury. She knew her situation. She was going to have to play the good little vampire so she didn’t reflect poorly on Julien in front of his beloved master. How annoying that Jules acted in such a way now to her though. How annoying his little communication and nervousness. For the first time since Julien cut her hair, Veranda felt the urge to just slap the boy. But that was her emotions running wild. She’d have to gain control of them again, not that she had much control over them as a human to begin with.

She felt irritation towards Cori at last when he dropped the very obvious hint that he’d kill her if he had to. So it seemed her life as well as Julien’s reputation stood on the line of her playing her part. The idea of submitting to Cori in any form, even through Julien, annoyed her greatly, and it showed on her face. She looked away from the two for a moment, trying to compose herself again. When she returned her gaze Cori was looking straight at her. She looked back, trying hard and actually succeeding to not glare at him. He still spoke as if she weren’t there. Lower than a dog was she? It seems she’d have to climb the ladder. Fine.

She once again turned her gaze away, looking off at her surroundings. So a patient killing? Sounded boring, but she’d have to do it. Maybe Julien would start acting more like himself if he taught her how to do something. Maybe he wouldn’t under the gaze of Cori. She was betting on the latter. After a moment she realized something. She really needed a drink. She couldn’t have alcohol anymore, but she could have drunken blood. The last time she indulged herself on that she slaughtered a roomful of people. She wondered if she was forever banned from drinking intoxicated blood, and wondered how pissed Cori and Jules would be when she slipped up. Alcohol was, after all, her favorite poison.

She looked back at Julien, eying him a moment, before looking to Cori. He could ignore her all he wanted. It just let her observe him without having to look into his eyes. Maybe if she gave the bastard a chance she might like him like Julien did? Giving him a chance wasn’t going to be easy, if she bothered. He did, after all, use his powers on her once upon a time. She wondered if he remembered, and doubted it. She was nothing to him after all. She never bothered to tell Julien. What would be the point? Besides, she never anticipated being under Cori’s rules. Life had a funny way of changing. Oh well. It was never an established rule that the two had to like each other. That was something they could both appreciate. But perhaps they’d be tolerable of each other for Julien’s sake. He was the only thing they seemed to have in common after all, and for him she’d do what Cori said for now.

[Deleted]

Coriander fascinated the teen, always had, from the first chance meeting in the cemetery when the elder spoke Julien listened. So when his mentor continued, despite Veranda's appearance, he tore his eyes away from his beautiful creation and met the dead white eyes. A huge item on his list of worries was lifted from his shoulders, hearing that Cor still thought he had potential, that he hadn't disappointed, that it wasn't a shocking thing. Apparently the time spent fearing the boogeyman's retribution (everything from his death, Veranda's death, sending her away, Coriander disowning him and leaving forever) was time wasted. If this happened a few years ago Julien probably would've throw his arms around him and hugged tightly, now he just smiled, "Thank you. For everything." Blue eyes flick toward the girl, she looks irritated, he succeeds in not grimacing and returns his attention to Cori. Never having been human, he couldn't guess at knowing how she felt but his expectations of the great event were vastly different than the outcome. The warm, generous, lively best friend he'd had crazy adventures with had turned into this cold, dead, beautiful creature who had barely spoken a word to him since the transformation. No, this wasn't what he had expected at all.

Coriander continued on without any hesitation when she came into the room, reminding the youth of his responsibilities being her sire. It was a pipe dream to expect the boogeyman to willingly take on another apprentice, especially one he had no part in selecting. Julien hadn't expected his teacher to adopt his child and take care of her for him, had he? Yes, actually, a part of him had wished for it. Things had been easier when she was human, he always knew what she was feeling by the speed of her heartbeat, the temperature of her body; now she was a stranger, someone he used to know. There was an absence without her, he missed the human Ver like he would miss a limb being removed. That she stood right here infront of him somehow made it worse, he was constantly reminded of what they had before and what was missing now. It was all his fault, selfishness led him to accept her request and hurriedly fulfill it. If he had tried to reason with her, promised to fully watch over her and make sure no one ever touched her again, would she still have wanted it? Wanted him forever?

The gravity of what Coriander said sunk in and Julien was struck with the question of what he would do if she screwed up so badly that it became a reality. Try to stop the most powerful vampire he'd ever come across? Let him do it? Both options seemed too horrible to comprehend. Julien supposed he would ask for his existence to be ended first, so he wouldn't have to live even a second with the misery it would cause. Trying, failing, to keep a stricken expression off his face, poor Julien viewed the two creatures he loved more than his own soul staring each other down and felt sure that his dream would become reality. A choice would have to be made and it disturbed him more than anything else had before in his entire life.

Jule felt a touch of relief when her progress was mentioned and a full wave of it as Cori continued. A slow, methodical kill: the first lesson he received in his training. The ten year old child had been fascinated and fearful, reverence had taken over with each slice of the blade and the heart in his hands at the end was more precious than the holy grail. Removing the eyes after, Julien had preserved the trophy with formaldehyde and the jar, hidden in a tied leather pouch, was one of the few mementos brought to their new home. He didn't know how she would feel about it, but it was a step forward to determining how this mess would play out. "I'm jealous. Ah, to live my first lesson over again. If instructing is half as thrilling, it'll be good times all 'round. After being cooped up so long on that boat we could all use some fun." Smiling now, Julien stood eagerly. "Can we go now? And you have to make a kill yourself tonight as well. It's bloody brilliant, Ver, watching Cor at work is better than any opera or ballet." Jule was speaking more like himself already, but after the words came out the awkwardness returned and his eyes darted at her, back to Cori, to the floor.

[Deleted]

Veranda had a lot to prove to him. Because at this current place and time, she was nothing more than a run-of-the-mill vampire with the cognitive skills of a toddler and the instincts of a drunken man. She had no place or respect in Coriander's mind. It was like trying to get your father to approve the woman you were dating was good news or bad news. And to know that Julien was going to try and teach her the Boogeyman ways? Well Coriander was less than pleased. If anything, she might just drive herself to insanity or just not be able to get the darker powers of vampirism learned as they should be.

Julien had been a great pupil. He had grasped the powers that Cori had taught him far quicker than he expected. But he was still young and still learning just exactly how to harness everything. It had taken Coriander nearly two to three hundred years to really master what he could. And in seven years, he had a great student. And that student had created a pupil because he loved her. Coriander still wasn't convinced that she was good to keep around. Women were a messy bunch with their emotions and their fusses. But she wasn't his concern unless she was trying to kill the two men that stood in the same room with her.

Julien thanked him for everything. It was a simple fact that Coriander spoke his mind. He spoke the truth and he wasn't afraid to say anything. He meant what he said about Jules being a vampire of great potential and that Veranda would die permanently if she so much as pulled a knife or stake on either one of them. His eyes were hard and cruel, but he had killed other vampires before. He had never really sired anyone either. Ever. Jules was merely a student too. He blinked once before he pulled himself up and out of the chair, standing just an inch or two shorter than Julien.

Listening to Jules describing Coriander's technique and comparing it to be better than any ballet. That was almost amusing enough to the Boogeyman to say something. But he didn't. Instead, he looked at the both of them carefully. Yes. We're leaving now. We'll hunt a farm house and stay away from the city until we explore a little more. He looked at Veranda for a couple moments and mentioned. You need but only one small knife to carry with you. The other weapons will make you loud, noisy... Lose them and be swift. Silent. No complaints. He looked at Julien and gave a nod. The moment we step out of this house, she is your pupil for tonight. he instructed and moved to the door, leaving with barely a sound following him.

[Veranda Kingsford]

Veranda glanced at Julien when he spoke of his first lesson, then it seemed to dawn on her. First lesson in…what? Was she supposed to learn their craft? After a moment she figured it must be so. Julien never had to learn to be a vampire in general, and she doubted Cori was up to teaching her. Whatever lesson number one was Julien had to learn it to. She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. Could she even learn their magic? She never tried it ever, and wasn’t sure if she was good enough…no. No, they were probably teaching her to be swift killers like themselves and they’d leave it at that. That’s all.

She said nothing when Julien compared Coriander’s kills to ballet’s or operas. Neither event she ever attended before. She was a simply street urchin almost her whole life. The finer things reserved for nobles hadn’t been tasted since her young childhood, and frankly she found the taste bitter anyhow. Her eyes were drawn to Cori as he stood, a tad short than Julien, and she only now realized how damn tall both men before her were. She tilted her head, comparing the two. She thought of the laughing, bubbly Julien who ran into her once, a long time ago, and thought of him trying to become this emotionless black clad monster. A few years ago she’d have laughed at the idea, but now it didn’t seem such a far throw. At least she had one of them on her side. And the other didn’t outright want to kill her yet, so that was always good.

She blinked when Cori turned to her and actually talked to her directly. It actually surprised her so much it even dissolved some of her unexplainable (even to herself) anger towards the two. She gave a pout as Cori instructed she carry only one knife, a pout that’d probably drive human men crazy for her. One knife? She might as well be naked. However she couldn’t argue his logic, and watching him drift over to the door like a ghost made her realize indeed how loud she really was. But she carried knives her whole life! Maybe she could pick them back up when she was better trained. She started by unbuckling her dagger belt, setting it to the floor. After a thought or two she flicked her wrist and a small knife appeared in her hand. She placed this knife between her teeth and unloosened the knife holders that were strapped to her arms, then pulled out the ones hidden in her boots. She thought a minute, knife still in mouth, then lifted her shirt almost to her bust-line and unstrapped the belt of small knives that was strapped just below her breasts. This was a new trick she had, ever since the demon who raped her before had torn her clothes to shreds from her body so he wouldn’t get anymore sharp surprises. Once rid of all her blades, minus the two embedded in her boot tips, which she could do nothing about, and the one in her mouth, she fixed her shirt and pocketed the little blade. She turned to Cori, meaning to follow before pausing.

“Oh…” She said, reaching back to touch the biggest blade of her stock, the sword Julien got her. She had almost forgotten about it. She slipped out of the harness with a little sigh, seeming pained to part with that one the most, and she set it down on top of the pile of blades. She gave it a longing look before turning back to the boys, now stripped of almost all her weapons.

[Deleted]

A little disheartened that Veranda wouldn't even respond to anything he said to her, Julien combed his fingers through his hair and shifted his weight from foot to foot. He would have to wait until Coriander ventured out alone and force a conversation out of her. After hearing the boogey's threat surely survival instinct alone would cause a change in this distant manner, they would have to work together to keep her alive, she would have to listen and work for it. Making an enemy of her maker wouldn't help her situation. And if she wanted to leave, he would let her go, but there were some things she would have to learn first in order to protect herself. Brought out of his inner turmoil by Cori's first words spoken to his progeny, Julien glanced at Ver to see how she would take the command. Lower lip sticking out, eyes growing sullen: the most enchanting creature and he is glad she has asked nothing from him because anything she wanted he would kill to hand over. Pouting would have no effect whatsoever on the elder vampire, but a spark of jealousy flared that she responded to Cor and didn't even look in his direction.

Giving Julien the reins , the boogeyman exited the room, the teen stuck around to watch Ver strip herself of the arsenal she carried. Bright blue eyes widened as the fabric was pulled up, the exposed flesh of her stomach set the vampire aflame and he nearly dashed out of the door after the less confusing of his companions. If he would've stayed perhaps the way in which she removed the short sword, as if she hated to part with it, would have given him some comfort; instead he soaked in the cold night air and tried his damnedest to get ahold of himself. The change in his feelings toward her was driving him to madness, he had no one to talk about it with, and no matter how hard he tried it wouldn't go away. All he could think of anymore was Veranda, Veranda, Veranda.

When she exited the house, Julien tried to do as instructed, it was easier than he thought and gave him something else to think about beside a curving belly rounding out to form hips. "Can you sense which way Cor went? Vampires have a distinct scent, like cold blood and death, humans don't pick it up but it's how we identify each other. And here, you can see the bent blades of grass, disturbed fallen leaves where he stepped. Follow him, I'll be right behind. When you run it will be much much faster, you have to watch out for trees, rocks, anything you might trip over or run into at such speeds and being so young it will hurt. We aren't immune to pain, only far more tolerant of it. Oh and be cautious when jumping, you won't be used to how far and high up you'll go." Clearly enjoying his new role, Julien smiled brightly at her. "Try not to be seduced by the woods, everything will be the same and different, you'll be assaulted by all your senses: sights never seen, noises never heard, smells, feelings...Focus on finding Cori." They ran through the forest to the farmhouse the boogeyman had picked out and though it wasn't as exhilarating as his first lesson, it was thrilling none the less.

[Deleted]

Coriander had voiced his opinion bout what she should only bring. Just one small blade. She was dressed to kill a small village or fight a group of soldiers. Definitely not necessary. Tonight would only prove to him how much Julien had learned and if he was capable of teaching someone who could also be such a distraction to him. Perhaps she wouldn't be able to harness the power of being a Boogeyman, but she sure as hell should learn to be a vampire at least. A very controlled vampire for their sake. Because Coriander didn't want to see her going around in plain view and killing people.

He had nothing against killing masses of humans. Just so long as she wasn't seen. So the people would believe it was the work of some demon or other horrible creature. Not someone who looked so human. Acted so controlled. It was all about the illusion and that's another trait the Boogeyman had and wanted to show off. Not display a dark proudness in public because he was powerful. These thoughts rummaged through his head as he slipped out of the dark house and into the pitch black of the night. He was swift on his feet and could hear the two in the house until he was too far away and his hearing was drowned out by the some chirping bugs.

There was no moon out tonight. No light. Shadows and a gut-wrenching silence that who have any other normal person looking around and freaking out immediately. You just could barely make out any trees or buildings if you were lucky. But Coriander was a child of such pure darkness. A creature that would admire living in a world where no light overcame such a wonderful surrounding like this. Coriander felt he had picked a prime spot to occupy. Soon, word would spread to the city about farmers getting slaughtered. To make a legend start here and continue on through the generations. The city would be another target once he really settled down.

The Boogeyman continued on to the small farm house clear across the large fields, coming upon the little two-room structure. He had passed a barn on the way, taking heed of the heartbeats of the livestock and the working animals in there. He had no interest in them. The real prize were the four other individuals inside. A farmer, his wife and young son and daughter. The children were old enough to fend for themselves. Nineteen and sixteen perhaps. They were all asleep, warm in the large bed they shared to keep from the cold winter air this night. Coriander didn't feel such cold. He was mostly dead after all. He lifted his chin, peeking in through the small crack between the wooden window shutters, waiting for the other two to get here. Then, the fun would begin. This family would not see life the next morning. Like Coriander, their lives would disappear before the sun came up.

[Veranda Kingsford]

Veranda stepped out of the house and walked up to Julien, hardly noticing his distress as she looked around. The forest seemed so alive to her new senses! She felt like she could hear everything, sense everything. It was so interesting. She could wander all night and explore, but Julien spoke up, drawing her attention to the matter at hand. She walked over to him as he spoke of the scent in the air. She eyed the grass he pointed out, and took a moment to sniff the air, trying to find the scent Jules spoke about. She picked it up, and brightened herself at finding it. She smiled a bit to herself, then stood and began to follow after the trail Cori left behind.

The going was a bit rough for her, and frustrating for a girl who was naturally graceful. She stumbled many times, adjusting to the new speed in which she ran. She almost ran into a tree once, and when she went to jump over a log she startled an owl that screamed in her ear. For a moment she thought it deafened her. Veranda felt herself getting more and more irritated with herself at not being able to so easily adjust to the body of a vampire. It was like relearning her original grace all over again. But halfway to the farmhouse she seemed to get the hang of it and ran with better grace and speed.

For a long time she wondered if she was even going in the right direction. But finally they arrived at the farmhouse. She paused when they left the forest, seeing the farm. She looked it over before spotting the dark figure of Cori hovering over by a window. She looked at Julien, seeming uncertain.

“I’m not as quiet as you or Cori. I might wake them.” She said softly, unsure if she should continue leading the way to the house or not. She would hate to wake the household and screw up the first and easiest lesson of all.

(OOC: Bleh, sorry its so short. I was a tad distracted with an awesome movie.)

[Deleted]

The proud smile lit the girl up in a way that fueled Julien onward through the woods. Running never got boring for the young vampire, at speeds not perceivable to the human eye he dodges every obstacle, jumping a log he soars a quarter mile before touching ground. Senses so sharp they can pick up the designs on the leaves as he flashes past the trees, what would it be like to see it all for the first time, he wished Ver would tell him. A protective instinct was suppressed when he saw her almost run into the tree, he managed to keep from stopping her run and have her simply walk the rest of the way. Racing a bit ahead the boy leapt atop a tree branch and crouching there studied the farmhouse Coriander had selected. Separated from other nearby settlements by acres of plots meant none would hear the screams, winter climates assured there wouldn't be migrant farmhands sleeping in the barn, and inside the home four hearts were beating but not for long: It was perfect for Veranda's first lesson.

Maybe she didn't desire to or couldn't learn the boogey, maybe Cor wouldn't want his secrets passed on to a third party; this was about being a vampire, finding pleasure in the killing that she would need to keep herself alive. Some words of concern about waking their dinner left her lips and he scoffed, he smirked crookedly. "Don't fret about that, they might as well be deaf and blind, remember all those times I snuck up on you, I was just a boy. You sound much louder to your own ears, they are sensitive now, in actuality you are moving quite graceful. And waking them up would only make a better sport of it anyhow." Showing no hesitation, Julien wrapped his fingers around hers and tugged her closer to the window the boogeyman stood outside of. Lowering his voice to a whisper that was carried away by the whistling wind, he let go of her hand and peered inside at the sleeping forms. "Smell them, sense them, all snugged up in bed. We are the fox outside of the henhouse."

Unsure of what should happen next, the teen glances at his teacher and nips at his bottom lip. It had been several years since his first lesson, but it seemed he'd lived a lifetime in that time; Julien remembered the cemetery, the woman paralyzed as he slowly cut into her, Cor's flat voice instructing in the background. Should the two boogies do their work over the family to keep the peace or use more physical restraint to single one out for Veranda? Would Coriander want his pick first?

[Deleted]

He looked into the window once more before looking back to see Julien and Veranda approaching. Good thing they were able to keep up. He'd hate to start without them. Well, he wouldn't care either way, but he wanted to see what Veranda could do. Afterall, he knew she could kill people in a lust for blood. But she was in the company of the Boogeyman and Boogeyboy. So she'd have to control herself a bit more.

Coriander was also willing to see how much Julien could keep up with teaching someone. So he stood there until they both had gotten there. Julien spoke to her and Coriander listened quietly. He had his pick already. He felt Julien's eyes on him and he spoke up finally without looking at the other two. I'll take the father and the boy. The mother and daughter are both yours to do with as you both please. he stated.

Should the father and son wake up, Coriander didn't want either of these two to get harmed in any way. Especially not Julien. He'd be busy protecting Veranda perhaps. Coriander stood up and walked around to the front door, easing his way in. Such a simple home. No lock. Not out here where no one would ever dare to wander in this absolute darkness. He was almost soundless as he came into their bedroom, pale eyes surveying the family cluster. The man of the house slept right between his wife and children.

It wasn't going to be easy taking him and the son out without waking them all up. But... there was a way. The only little bit of light was coming from the small fire in the fireplace. Coriander looked out the window, hoping the other two would have followed him. He leaned down and grabbed the blankets covering the family and with one hard yank, pulled it right off. It was a heavy thing. Coriander wasted no time throwing it right at the fireplace.

The weight of it landing on the fire choked out the burning wood and the darkness completely engulfed the house. The family woke up immediately and shrieked. They didn't know what had happened or what was going on.

"Who's there?" yelled the husband, putting himself between Coriander and his family. Coriander didn't answer immediately, but came closer instead, crouching until his eyes were just level with the man, making eye contact. That was all Coriander needed, for now he was getting into the man's mind, finding out those fears. The biggest ones. And boy did he find a good one. He whispered so close to the man's face that it spooked the hell out of him and the rest of his family.

I'll close your eyes so you can't see. This very hour, come and go with me. In death I come to take the soul... Leave the body, leave it cold. he whispered softer by the end. A play with words that caused the man to start the Lord's prayer as he clutched his family tightly. The smell of fear from the four of them came hard unto Coriander, but he possessed the man's fear first. The illusion, which only the man could see, caused him to curl up into a ball and scream out in fear.

An army of large spiders poured into the room and came at him. He believed he was swinging at them to keep them away, but he was more or less petrified right where he was. Coriander knew he had this man in his grasp and pulled him away from the family. The boy cried out for his father, crawling off the bed and searching blindly for him. But Coriander took hold of him instead and shoved him down to the floor.

His father was screaming bloody murder, which set the rest of the family to panic. The mother and daughter were huddled on the bed, scared for their lives for what was in the dark.

[Veranda Kingsford]

Veranda listened quietly as Julien dismissed her fears as unnecessary worries on her part. She did seem awfully loud to her own ears, and it’d be good enough for now that those people in the farmhouse couldn’t hear her, but she would have to do some more running around in the woods or something until she was silent to her own ears. A small smile touched the corners of her mouth when Julien took her hand and pulled her forward. She felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety. It was exciting to be hunting, to stalk prey, to actually have a method to the killing, and not some blind slashing at a human body. There was logic applied to this, not bloodlust, and Veranda already demonstrated she could kill anything by simply tearing it apart. This was more challenging. She felt nervous though because she greatly feared messing up. She didn’t think she could afford another screw up at this point. Julien would forgive her; Cori, maybe, for Jule’s sake, but Veranda didn’t know if she could forgive herself. Not when she felt so deep in the red already.

Veranda approached the window, her ears, new to all that the world offered, seemed assaulted with many sounds. Heartbeats from livestock, the wind shifting what remained of the leaves in the trees, rustling of some creature nearby, the sounds of the sleeping family within. She took a moment to single out the farmhouse, the family, and, shutting her eyes, counted out four separate heartbeats. She peeked through the shutters and counted four people in bed. She sat in silence, slowly inhaling the smells of the house. How keen she felt her nose was! She could probably tell everything they had for dinner, and label what spices they used! She paused though. How odd for a family to live way out here among their livestock and have no dog of some sort. If not for use in herding, then perhaps in use for protection, when dangerous things like the three vampires came creeping in the night. But perhaps that was just another factor in what made Coriander pick this house out of others.

She glanced at Cori when he spoke, stating he’d take the males, leaving the women for Julien and herself. She had no problem with that. She turned her gaze back to the window before feeling Cori leave it. She looked up, seeing him work his way to the front door and slip in. She followed, keeping Julien behind her. She didn’t know why, but it was nice to have him behind her, as if to catch her should she fall. She slipped in quietly, as much as she could anyhow, wanting to achieve that near silence Cori seemed to possess so easily.

She paused behind Cori as he suddenly yanked the blanket off the sleeping figures and threw it into the fireplace, extinguishing any light the family could use. She had no problem seeing though. And it was nice to think she’d never be thrown into darkness to stumble and crawl around blindly. She watched as the family roused, already frightened, but also quite confused. She watched as Coriander approached, kneeling, and looked into the man’s eyes and seemed to be picking at his soul, finding the weak points where he could make it break. She tilted her head, watching him. Could she do that? Could she ever learn to peer into a person and bring forth their greatest nightmare? The idea was rather attractive. To be the thing that went bump in the night. To no longer be like these people, crouching in terror, trembling, and wishing that Julien was nearby to pull her out of the fire again and again. She felt a little shiver as Cori whispered his words, and nearly jumped when the man curled up and shrieked in terror of something only he could see. One pale hand stretched back and gently touched Julien on the chest, as if she had to verify he was still with her, and oh how she wished she could see what that man saw! She wanted to see what it was that made a man into a howling, terrified creature like this!

Cori dragged the father away, the son crawling after him like some lost puppy, leaving the women alone on the bed. Veranda stepped slowly up to the bed, watching the two as they sobbed against each other. She tilted her head and reached out, gently brushing her finger tips against the daughter’s hair, almost like a lover would, and the girl gave a sharp shriek and clung closer to her mother. Veranda had to suppress a giggle. She became serious though and turned to Julien. She could see how this procedure worked. You come in, you frighten, break them, and kill them, in short. But she didn’t possess the powers Julien and Coriander possessed, so what was she to do to frighten them? This was a question she’d have to direct to Julien, who was not only her best friend, but now her teacher. What was the next step for them?

[Deleted]

Uncertainty starts to fade when the boogeyman states his claim and is colored by excitement fettered with the detachment that always came along for the kill. When everything seems to change such comfort is brought by the familiar; this he knew, this he could do. Entering the home something changes in the awkward boy and he becomes another Julien, one Veranda had never witnessed. A true creature of darkness, he sinks into the shadows, a ghost of murder and chaos. Violence, doom, ah god the terror that coursed through his veins as Coriander rips away the family's security and puts out the light. A snake, tongue flickering out to taste the air and watching Cor at work was the pinnacle. Jule sighs like a lover as the father's mind is ripped open and exploited, the screams resonated through his form better than any drug. No notice was paid to the hand that pressed against his chest. Fully under the boogey now, Daddy would be no help to anyone and though the apt pupil would've loved to watch the show, something was escaping Veranda's attention as she approached the bed. Enraptured his beautiful creation brushes her fingers against the child's head, laughs at her screams and turns away from the danger that lay in wait. Never underestimate the power of a mother in the presence of her screaming children, the knife seemed to appear in her hand and she lunges like a bear at the closest attacker.

Lacking the skill of his teacher, Julien finds what he seeks and the illusions cripple her before she has time to sink the blade home in the back of Veranda. Horrified, the mother moans, beginning to rock back and forth as she sees flames eating the flesh from her children, her husband, creeping slowly forward to engulf her. Perhaps she would feel the heat, though Julien doubted it, for the time she was no threat. "Mustn't forget to always pay attention to your surroundings. Quick, tell me, is the hunger too strong to resist? Once the blood starts to flow it will increase tenfold. Take one of them quick so you can linger with the other. I'd suggest the mother, she's already primed." Julien gathers the elder woman against him, sniffing her neck and smiling coldly as she begins to scream. "Can you see it Ver? That's the first step, you know; can you see what she sees?" Waving his fingers around the woman where the illusionary flames danced ever closer. He was getting better at it, the proof was in her belief and the surge the mutt gained from it.

Hunger wasn't an issue right now, but he wanted to take her anyway, perhaps just a sip while Veranda fed. Pulling the woman's hair back, her neck was offered to his pupil. Lowering his tone under the perception of human ears he whispers seductively, "You don't need the boogey to scare them, look at the girl and tell her you're here to kill her. But first you want her to watch you kill her mother. Then I'll show you how far you can take them before their bodies give, I think you'll be surprised." The moment before Ver bit in, Julien surged the mind until it broke: the flames took her, charing the flesh, melting the fat from her bones. God the scent, he couldn't resist sinking fangs into the tender wrist. Willpower broke his hold on her, otherwise the two vampires could've drained her in seconds, instead he rubbed his face against the wound and lapped softly at it like a dog. After, he shuddered softly and smiled "Now the real fun begins."

[Deleted]

Coriander looked at the two. One of which he was holding. The other was merely laying on the ground, still living in his own little nightmare. He wouldn't get out of it unless he was dead. Which would be rather soon. The boy however, he'd have the pleasure of feeling what would soon happen to his father. Coriander wanted to make this young man suffer as much as possible. He glared at the human, standing there quietly.

The boy was freaking out, yelling at his mother and sister to stay put and he wasn't getting any answer out of his father. And whatever had him now couldn't be shaken loose. Coriander's voice still plagued his mind and made him more scared to know what was really in all of this darkness. Coriander narrowed his gaze as his other hand crept into his pocket and pulled out a small blade.

He knew what he wanted to do to the boy, but it was what Veranda and Julien were going to do with the other two that interested him the most. Still, he stared at the boy and placed the blade right against his neck sharply. Shh... Don't interrupt.. Be still and quiet. Learn to play dead. Because you won't be playing it in a few minutes. he warned. The boy listened and wanted to beg for his life and the life of his family, but he was frozen in fear.

Coriander watched in the dark, catching sight of Veranda touching the girl and Julien stopping the mother from stabbing the young vampire in the back. And as Julien began teaching her, Coriander turned his attention back to the young lad. The father was no concern. In his mind, he was flailing at the large spiders crawling all over him and trying to bite at him with their fangs. But he was only still as a corpse close by the elder.

The boy... He had some good fears to be used against him. But Coriander wanted to mess with his mind verbally. Maybe he would consider leaving him only partially alive to tell the tale that resulted in the death of his entire family. Only then would Coriander haunt the boy and kill him later on. And with no real visual of the people attacking his family, there could be no way of convicting them.

A dark age has saturated mankind. Believing not, your own demise.. he started, bringing his other hand to the boy's chin, grasping it gently. We demons have the power..plaguing this diseased land. Systematically removing the weak and laughing as you crawl like maggots in the barren waste you call Utopia. Your mind is severed. We poison your thoughts. Together, you obey. he paused and let the knife cut only slightly into the boy's skin.

The terror he smelled from the boy was fantastic. Coriander continued. There is no turning back. There is no sanctuary... Because when the hooks pull apart your flesh... We see what you really are. Nothing but a broken toy. The boy was shivering as he listened to the dead tone of the vampire, feeling the cold breath on him. He was terrified.

[Veranda Kingsford]

Veranda turned as she heard movement behind her, only to see the mother sink, rocking back in forth in horror. She glanced back at Julien as he told her to always pay attention to her surroundings. She eyed the knife the mother held, before giving a nod to her teacher. He asked about her hunger, and was surprised in herself that she hadn’t noticed it. It was strong in fact. She was still new to being a vampire, and on the boat she still lacked a certain amount of self control, and now it showed. Her hunger was practically clouding her mind. She shook her head to clear it before stepping closer to Julien as he took the woman in his arms, asking if Veranda could see what the woman saw. If she could see the illusion. She peered into the woman’s eyes as they rolled about in her head, filled with terror, so wide, tears swimming in them. But…

“No.” Veranda said finally, with a bit of a disappointed frown on her face. Not even a flicker of what the woman saw could she herself see. It was a shame because Veranda wanted to know what it was that crippled this woman’s mind like this. Same with the father. What did he fear so much? She couldn’t see their fears nor see what illusions the males vampires conjured up for them, and she briefly wondered if she ever would. She hadn’t ever tested magic before in her life. She never had the interest and doubted she had the skill. Julien would have a long way to go with her.

The tender neck was offered, and Veranda once more felt the hunger cry out. She decided best to give in now, while it was offered. Once properly fed could focus on the task at hand with the girl, who was currently sobbing out the names of her family. Veranda leaned in, taking in the older woman’s scent, and the blood that pumped right beneath the flesh. She opened her mouth, exposing her sharp fangs, and sank them into the tender flesh. Blood pulsed into her mouth, hitting her tongue, and Veranda gave a soft sigh before she drank. The blood tasted so sweet, thick and warm. The hunger began to fade, satisfied with the blood. It also brought up a surprising memory. For some reason the blood reminded her of the elderly man she had lived with for a few years after she was disowned. He was the one who kept her alive, feeding her, teaching her some of the ways of the harsh life. He had been a mercenary in his youth, and had several tricks to teach the girl, and several blades for her to earn. He had died when she turned eleven, and she had taken his newly broken colt for her own, the black horse being the one that she lost in Merovech. Though the loss of Roger pained her too much and so she dismissed the memory. Let her dwell on that later. Tonight she was busy with her first lesson.

She pulled back, her hunger now pushed away, and she reached up to wipe her lips delicately, a minor showing of her feminine side. The woman was not yet dead, and Veranda once again peered at her, hoping to see the illusion, but nothing. She looked to Julien as he spoke. The real fun begins? Excitement flashed in her eyes, and she turned to look at the girl, who still sat cowering on the bed. Amazing she hadn’t yet thought to try running yet.