for isnt_the_same

[chesstotem]

The night Ariadne met Aubrey, things didn't turn out as they were supposed to. It started out just fine - they met in the bar they'd agreed on, chatted inside for a while about nonsense like the weather, then stepped outside to talk business.

It was as though the dark figure had been waiting for them - Aubrey was right in the middle of a sentence when suddenly a tall figure swooped in out of nowhere and descended on her like a rabid dog. Ariadne screamed as the person - thing - whatever it was - ripped her throat out, and the next thing she knew she was running blindly back towards the street, something warm trickling down her temple. The time that followed was fuzzy - she knew she must've ran for a while, because she was out of breath, but then she was in a cab (the cabbie was giving her a funny look, maybe to do with that warm trickle), and then she was at a hotel, getting more funny looks as she stumbled into the elevator.

Then she was pounding on Arthur's door, praying to whatever gods might be listening that he was inside.

Comments

[isnt_the_same]

"That's it," he said.

[chesstotem]

"And some people like that? Like, in a sexual way?"

[isnt_the_same]

"From what I've seen and heard, yes."

[chesstotem]

"Do you... Ever actually have sex with them? Is that possible?"

[isnt_the_same]

"It's possible. But I haven't had sex in a long time," he admitted.

[chesstotem]

"Why not?" she asked, that same curious tone of voice.

[isnt_the_same]

He shrugged. "I don't want to risk anything."

[chesstotem]

"What kind of risk would there be?"

[isnt_the_same]

"What if I lose control?"

[chesstotem]

"What, because you're so strong? Would you... Feed while having sex?"

[isnt_the_same]

Arthur laughed. "Why are we even discussing this?"

[chesstotem]

She shrugged, glancing away from him. "Do I... Smell 'sweet'?" she asked quietly. That's how Malcolm had worded it.

[isnt_the_same]

"Yes, you do," he admitted.

[chesstotem]

She laughed nervously. "Is that good or bad?"

[isnt_the_same]

"Bad for you, I'd say."

[chesstotem]

"Why? Is it that difficult to stay in control around me?"

[isnt_the_same]

"I can control myself, it's others I'm worried about."

[chesstotem]

"Other vampires? What, am I some sort of vampire magnet?"

[isnt_the_same]

"Most humans are unless you're diseased or take recreational drugs. We can smell it on you."

[chesstotem]

"So I smell more or less the same as any human does to you? What if you fed from me? Would that change anything?"

[isnt_the_same]

"No it wouldn't."

[chesstotem]

"But don't you have, I dunno... rules about that sort of thing?"

[isnt_the_same]

"There are," he said with a shrug.

[chesstotem]

"Like what?"

[isnt_the_same]

"If you blab, we kill you."