Live for the Night, P for Noah

[Zalika Dantoni]

Putting on the finishing touches to her flawless makeup, Zalika painted her eyelids a crimson red with black eyeliner. This vampire queen was hungry, and tonight she was planning to feast. Her matching blood red lipstick was flawless as she practiced her pout. Giving herself a little smile in the antique dresser mirror, she inspected her revealing outfit. The red dress clung to her body, the plunging neckline showing off the rounds of her breasts and just stopping before the neckline became more slut than elegance. The shimmering expensive dress moved down over her body with a sensuality to the jagged hem on an angle that showed more thigh of her right leg than of the left. The fully fashioned hard-to-get nylon stockings added to the effect, making her legs shimmer as the light hit them. Her shoes matched the dress, the deep red stilletoes high and sexual. Her dark hair fell in soft gentle waves with the long diamond sparkle earrings glistening beneath and her eyes sparkled with hints of red.

�What do you think Lucien?� The Italian accent a lot softer than it was hundreds of years ago, more matching someone of English descent. The Arctic Fox was sat on the bed, his ears pricked as he listened to his beloved. You look wonderful Zalika, he said approvingly to her ego. He knew that she was after a few other things more than just the essence of someone�s life pouring into her bloodstream. �Thanks,� she said to him smiling genuinely, her slightly oversized fangs showing in the mirror. She smoothed down her dress and picked up her clutchbag before walking out of her house in the dark night and down to the nightclub.

Her heels clacked on the pavement as she approached the doorman who didn�t even make her queue up with the rest of the punters. He just winked at her as she passed with Lucien and into the loud, thumping and moving mass that was the nightclub. There was bodies everywhere writhing and dancing to the music, sweat pouring over their bodies as the smell of the blood everywhere filled Zalika�s nostrils. �Gonna have fun tonight!� Zalika said to her beloved with a smirk as they made their way to the bar and ordered a tequila and she sat down with it in her usual VIP spot in a luxurious leather seat, protected from the drunken mass as she looked for a victim or two.

[Noah Tallentyne]

Noah and Rhiandra were already sitting at the bar in the club when Zalika made her entrance. The man sniffed a little derisively, knowing that she wouldn�t be able to see him yet. Maybe in a couple of minutes, but not quite yet. As he watched her smirk, finding a seat at the other, high class end of the bar, Noah ordered another couple of shots of whiskey. Five hundred plus years created a strong barrier to drunkenness, even if Noah would never be immune to it. Sighing, he knocked the first back, cracking the bottom of the glass as he slammed it back down in time with the thumping music. The barman was about to complain before Noah flashed his overgrown incisors. Human fear. What fun.

Idiot. Other daemons would have scolded their other half for being so blatant about their vampirism, but Rhiandra was just as hateful towards humanity as Noah was. They were there, in it together. There was no �good� and �evil� side. After their eventful lives, there was no way that the pair could have turned out any differently. Not that Noah was an idiot enough to broadcast that: no, he feigned being a happy vampire that abided peacefully to human rules. He wasn�t above lying.

The maned wolf daemon�s patch of black fur stoof on end as humans moved past, out of their heads as they tried to order drinks. Soft growls were drowned out by the music. Noah at least enjoyed himself with a cleavage shoved in his face as a brunette stumbled over her own shoes. With a sharp mental tug, the vampire realised that he needed to move. But to see Zalika out, well, that was a treat. Noah was a member of the Coven and had been since Berryn Falls had been properly established. That didn�t mean that he was one of the �favoured� members, though. He ticked over, his silence on certain things probably just enough to keep him under the protective wing of the Coven. He was old, but old didn�t equal �I can totally cope on my own�.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Noah stood at the edge of the VIP barrier. He wasn�t going to get in there without Zalika�s input. �Long time no see, old friend.� Rhiandra glared at Lucien, spiteful as ever. If he was going to get ignored, Noah was going to make the Mistress at least a little uncomfortable. �Nice night for, well� whatever you�re doing.�

[Zalika Dantoni]

The aged vampire licked her teeth out of habit, feeling the sharp incisors as the muscled object moved around the calcium formed pearls. Her sharp eyes zoned in on people, looking for the perfect person. It was then she saw him and the hiss escaped her mouth before she could stop it. Luckily it was drowned out by the thumping modern music. Sat at the bar, one of the coven. One she knew was a bit �shady� as she put it, and a risk to the coven as a whole. But maybe, if he approached (because she never did the approaching unless it was for food or sexual tension release) she could change his mind. Or at least be more submissive with her. Yes, this one needed putting into place if he wanted to rise in place.

Lucien was sat by her side and he clocked what Zalika was looking at. Now mine, play nice. He said soothingly. Zalika growled softly at the remark �I always play nice.� She snapped back. Lucien shook his head, why did you turn so mean?
�Don�t start,� she scolded him. Zalika was fed up of that ages old argument. Lucien was always trying to turn her sweet again to others. However, the times and hardships had taken their toll on the once gentle woman.

Zalika watched, the vampire blood sparkling and glittering dangerously in her eyes, as he approached her only stopping at the VIP barrier. Lucien glared back at Rhiandra, meeting the stare with a protectiveness for his beloved. Zalika nodded to the bouncer and he moved aside to let the man and his daemon through, watching carefully. �What brings you and yours here then?� She said in a slight snarl, with her eyes glaring like the daggers she was known to do.

[Noah Tallentyne]

It took a moment before Zalika nodded, allowing Noah and Rhiandra access. Before he could even stop himself, he sniped with a sarcastic comment. �If you keep talking like that, people�ll think you�re not pleased to see me.� Taking the seat beside her, Noah lounged, turning for a moment back to the barman. With a couple of palm-slaps to the wood, the man made up the same drinks that the vampire had had a few moments before. Rhiandra sat on her haunches, ears pricked and ready, staying perfectly on alert. Just in case.

He grinned at Zalika�s question. �What are we doing here? Why, nothing special. Everyone knows to keep clear of me until they�re drunk. They all know who I am. What I am. I�ve already had guys beg that I don�t kill them tonight. Maybe another night, eh?� Laughing, he grabbed the newest tumbler of whiskey and drank half. The liquid happily burned into his stomach, warming him even more. The leather jacket that he had on didn�t heat him up too much, the vampire barely noticing the extra heat from writhing bodies, everyone trying to get laid. Maybe he would a bit later on, after he fed on someone.

With his free hand, Noah leaned down to caress the back of Rhiandra�s neck. Bitch. Thinking she�s better than us. When did women ever start meaning something? As Zalika�s daemon tried to make her return to a quiet Italian girl, Noah�s was probably worse than he was. Back when they had both been human, women�s voices and needs counted for nothing. The only times that they were important were when they were beautiful status symbols, or carrying a son. Even now, it was difficult to have respect for them, especially as his greatest protector was of the female persuasion.

�Now, I can�t keep up. Are you pretending to be a star or does the public�?� Raising those distinguishingly formed eyebrows, Noah let his head crane a little to the side. He wasn�t going to be too blatant, but balancing on the edge between life and death always excited him. �I mean, I haven�t been to a meeting in a couple of months. Been blending in. You know me. You look lovely, by the way.�

[Zalika Dantoni]

Zalika nodded to the barman after she downed her tequila and she was instantly served with another from a pair of shaking hands. Lucien would�ve shook his head at his if these two fools hadn�t just showed up. Zalika whispered in the barman�s young ears, her tongue snaking along his earlobe as she did so. He muttered and stammered before coming back with a bottle of the house red wine (it being symbolic of course) and a bottle of tequila with nibbles.

Mine, I think he�s trying to make you uncomfortable. Lucien suggested in his calm soothing bass voice. Zalika just looked down at her Arctic Fox with a look of defiance and he knew what that meant. She turned back to the vampire subordinate and his, pouring another tequila in her glass. �You are open?� She questioned him carefully, trying to think fast on her feet. �There is one thing striking fear into the hearts of the trash, another outing us all!� There was a snarl in her voice as her red and brown eyes tried to bore a hole in Noah�s body and soul.

Zalika took another swig of her drink, downing it in one. She cooled her temper a bit, she had such a violent temper. Turning back to him, she listened with keen ears to his comments. She snorted, �I�m a patron. I pay them a small amount of money, people disappear and they deny involvement.� Zalika poured herself another drink and filled Noah�s glass with tequila. �You know, I�m not sure if that�s a compliment or not.� She said to him smirking as she eyed him up and down, thinking carefully.

[Noah Tallentyne]

Noah smiled, nodding at Zalika�s question. He had to admit, though, he was rather annoyed at the thought that she believed he would ruin things for everyone. �Come on. I don�t give names. You should know me better than that. The ones that ask seem to� leave town. I�m tired of hiding in the shadows. You can, if you want, but I don�t see why I shouldn�t.� Sniffing boldly, Noah paused to take another good swig of his whiskey. Zalika made another comment about herself, looking at him up and down like he was only a piece of meat. Rhiandra suppressed a growl, but her black mane stiffened against the burnt red that made up the rest of her coat. The maned wolf daemon�s ears flattened against her skull, just as defiant as her vampire half. Her side warmed the side of Noah�s left leg.

�Good,� Noah uttered, ignoring the �compliment� spiel. Instead, he decided to return to his own thoughts. �I still don�t know what your problem is. I�m not messy. You have plenty of those under you that cock everything up on a daily basis. I disappear for a while, pick a few off and come back. I don�t think you�d know what to do without me.� It wasn�t exactly a challenge, but that was definitely a decent step out of line.

Leaning more heavily on the bar, another drink finished the latest tumbler of whiskey. Noah always lamented an empty glass. If he could, he�d have it disappear just after he had finished using it, so he didn�t get tempted by another. If he became too drunk, then he would make mistakes. If he made mistakes, he would get caught. Being staked wasn�t on his top list of priorities to do before the night was over.

[Zalika Dantoni]

Zalika shifted in her seat, recrossing her long legs the other way. She�d made him annoyed, she could tell in his manner and that made her fill with glee inside. �Sometimes Noah, you surprise me. That�s when I don�t know you. I don�t hide in the shadows, I�m just careful.� She looked at the writhing mass of bodies on the dance floor grinding away at each other, a burning deep within her to satisfy her vampire urges of desire and blood.

Zalika poured another tequila and picked up one of the ham sandwiches that the barman had made in a attempt to impress. Nibbling it, she turned back to Noah �you may not be messy and you are right about several who cock up things and get themselves staked. But,� she had finished the sandwich and reapplied her bright red lipstick using a gold hand mirror. She finished and looked at him, snapping the portable mirror shut. �your arrogance is dispicable. You need to show more at the Coven. Some would say you�re not appreciative of the Coven, or your Mistress...� Zalika eyed him with a look of superiority.

Lucien could�ve hit Zalika, she just wasn�t that tactful when she was like this. He knew she wanted to drink and get laid. And that�s all that really remained in her focus right now. But he could feel that Zalika was considering Noah for the second matter. That seriously annoyed him. Would that really be a good idea?

[Noah Tallentyne]

�Oh, I�m glad that I entertain you,� he said, no light in his eyes, voice flat. Really, Noah had fed the day before, but he would rather take as much as he could instead of leaving it too long. That meant that he could ignore a lot of urges without too much trouble. He didn�t need to try as hard, either. If he didn�t find something, then that wasn�t a problem. Not for the moment, anyway. Still, he snorted at Zalika�s reprimand about his arrogance. �Despicable? I think you�ll find that I just know what I�m good at. Just because I don�t bend and scrape and say �I�m not worthy� every two minutes doesn�t mean I�m not appreciative.� He downed some more whiskey. �What you talk about in the meetings doesn�t concern me, does it? It�s all about not being seen, not getting caught. I�m doing a damned good job at those things, as you�ve noticed.�

His hand kept stroking the top of Rhiandra�s head. Barely blinking, she kept golden russet eyes on the artic fox daemon. After all those years, she was still used to army training, when they had gone to the Western Front, feeding on dying soldiers. It wasn�t evil; it was a matter of opportunity. Why waste all that death, all that free blood? Even now, she sat rigid, silent, ready to strike. It was fun. Although it wouldn�t work on Zalika and Lucien, the maned wolf enjoyed making ordinary humans even more uncomfortable with her frozen body.

�And, what has the Coven done for me, lately? If you need me, you can ask and I�ll do it. I�m doing as I�m told, though, so what�s the problem?�

If it was down to me, you�d be the Master, Rhiandra said telepathically to Noah. You deserve it. You�re strong. Respected. If she had an accident�

No. Everyone would know. Anyway, she�s harmless enough, I think. It suits us fine for now. Finishing off his drink, he put the glass down on the bar. Without asking, he picked one of the sandwiches made especially for Zalika. As he ate it, he watched the vampire and smiled.

[Zalika Dantoni]

�Entertain me?� She thought about this, swirling the drink in her glass. �Yes, you do in certain ways. And I can think of more ways you could too,� she said with a smile. The smile remained as he defended himself. �Ah, you do a good job. So much so that if I need you, you�re difficult to find.� Zalika smiled, giving the other VIPs a view of her fangs as one came too near. �The meetings of late are mainly about the vampire becoming mayor. The beginning of the master plan, that�s why you should�ve been there.� Zalika poured another tequila, finishing the bottle. �You should be at the next one,� it was more like an order but said like a suggestion. She had plans for him, big plans.

Lucien met the vampire�s daemon�s stare with one of his own, not trusting the creature or the vampire at all. His white fur was smooth and Zalika had a hand on it, stroking his head softly as his snow white ears were pricked and listening carefully. He was extremely suspicious.

Zalika watched as he helped himself to a sandwich, she just let him. She�d just wanted a nice night hunting. Zalika smiled back to his, and poured a fresh drink after downing the last tequila, the glass filling with the blood red wine that tasted just as generic as the next wine. �Would you like to hunt with me tonight?� Zalika said coolly. All things aside, she rather admired this one, he was good at what he did.

[Noah Tallentyne]

More ways? Rhiandra would have frowned if she had the ability. Noah wasn�t exactly sure what Zalika meant either, but he didn�t want to be caught on the back foot. Rather let her think that nothing fazed him, nothing bothered him, and then do whatever he wanted later. More than likely, he would think of better ways to behave, better quips to pull and other things that would have made him look even better. Considering that he wasn�t ridiculously far away from Zalika�s own age � he guessed, he wasn�t quite sure exactly how old the other vampire was � they were almost like peers. She had her much more important role on her side, though, whilst Noah didn�t wield any real power. Maybe that would change one day. For now, he was happy enough to be carefree, not worrying about what other vamps were doing all the time. Politics wasn�t one of his greatest strengths, especially as he was only really concerned with what he wanted out of everything.

�Fine.� He didn�t say �I�ll be there,� like he was bending to her straight away, but that single word alluded to the fact. Yes, Noah would be at the next Coven meeting, like a good little member. After all, he wasn�t a complete fool. Every member had to pull their weight, and just because he was stubborn in his ways, that didn�t mean that he would be able to get away with absolutely everything. Although he never said it, belonging to the Coven meant more to him than possibly anything else. At least he belonged, even if he only appeared to dip his toes in every so often. It was just the way that he operated.

The fact that Zalika invited him out on a hunt was unexpected, though, and the surprise wasn�t concealed as well as he had hoped. No one was perfect. �Hunt?� He paused, regaining more of his composure as he glanced at his empty glass on the wooden counter. �If you insist. It�s been a while since I�ve hunted with anyone else,� Noah admitted. �I take it you have a plan all set out?�

[Zalika Dantoni]

Zalika downed the red wine, the feeling warming her stomach. Whereas with most vampires they could still get drunk, Zalika found that she wouldn�t become legless and more that she was merry. She drank to look good in these social situations. It was rare she was in the public eye, except to feed, and she made use of the situations when she did. Zalika was an old vampire, probably the oldest around here being 873 years old. She adored the powers being a vampire gave her, and the power she had as lead of the Coven. If anyone dared to remove her from that position or even try, they�d regret it.

Zalika smiled and nodded to him as he simply said the one word response to her order request. After all, being part of the Coven was security, and not all vampires could deal with living alone with their �disease.� Therefore, they were more likely to obey Zalika, not only because of her foul temper, but because they did not want to be without the security that came with the Coven. �Good,� she said to him smiling, gesturing to the barman to fill Noah�s glass up pronto, which he did with shaking hands before scuttering away.

�A plan, of course. First, go pick two females or males if you like. Or even a male and female. We�re going to have fun with them, the pathetic creatures. I�ll pick two as well,� Zalika licked her lips, her fangs seeming larger than usual. Her eyes flashed blood red, the irises completely changed from the chocolate brown. Lucien could feel her hunger and he knew she wanted several tonight. The picked probably wouldn�t be the only four..

[Noah Tallentyne]

It stung to have to basically bow to Zalika�s thinly veiled demands. Noah had hoped that she wouldn�t like the fact that he was so short with her, but he hadn�t really thought about it. Despite whatever else, he was still doing as she wanted. He wasn�t the best vampire at taking orders just for the sake of them. If Zalika asked him to kill someone, to follow someone or perform some other task important to the Coven, then he would be able to hide behind his hatred of humans, or wanting the Coven to be as powerful as possible. This, though, this was on a much more personal level. This was literally just Zalika snapping her fingers, and Noah didn�t like feeling like a common lap-dog. There were enough sycophants around her to do that without him toadying around her.

Still, he had to be seen as at least partially willing. Zalika ordered the barman to fill up Noah�s glass without a word. The human knew to do exactly as she said. Nodding his own silent thanks � as he had to � the vampire took the glass and drank a third of it with a gulp. She outlined her plan, and Noah was actually a little surprised that she wanted so many humans. Was this another test, to see if he could seduce two humans at once for her? Zalika�s eyes shone red. Noah knew that he would have to bow down to her in another way, too. Like lions, wolves or any predator that travelled in groups, any kill had to be taken first to the leader. Zalika would have to get the first blood of all four victims, and it irked him. It irked Rhiandra more, though, her telepathic growl enough to make Noah glance down at her, his touch the only thing that could help to calm her. If he was vicious and cold, then Rhiandra was much, much worse.

�It�s good that there are outsiders here, then,� he muttered. If too many people went missing at once, it was definitely a bad thing. The papers would lap it up. Standing up, Noah kept a good hold of his glass. Gesturing to the dance floor, he then invited Zalika to make her move. �Ladies first, I imagine.�

[Zalika Dantoni]

Zalika smiled, her fangs glistening in the dim lights of all colours. She was taking immense pleasure at Noah�s expense of his lap-dogness. She knew he didn�t like it, she could sense it. She was only doing it to make him uncomfortable, she knew she could be a little bit more, well non-Mistress. Zalika watched as he nodded thanks and drank the whisky. Lucien also recognised the other vampire noticing that Zalika wanted not just blood tonight. It wasn�t that Zalika wanted to use Noah as a playtoy, it was more a burning urge deep inside her that she simply had to have him. She had other otherwise useless wannabe all-powerful vampires she could use as playthings.

Lucien watched the maned wolf carefully. He knew she was worse than Noah himself, and a shady character she was too. It made you wonder why she was so evil in the first place. Was Noah a sunday school kid going to Mass everyday and every Sunday? Confessing all his sins in the Confession Box? Who knew, for Noah certainly didn�t disclose anything about his early days.
Mine, why four? Lucien asked tentatively, for even four in one night was a bit much. � Because dear heart, I�m starving and I need the energy for later. Busy times ahead.� The implication of what she meant was obvious and Lucien would�ve shook his head if he dared tear his gaze from Rhiandra.

Zalika downed the rest of the bottle, straight out of the glass object and then stood as Noah made a quite gentlemanly move. �Thank you, you�ll understand why four when we�ve got them.� She whispered in his ear, giving the lobe of skin a lick teasingly before her heels clacked in time with the thumping bass line. Zalika weaved through the crowd, looking for victims. She wanted one male, and one female. Or two males. Either would satisfy her very much.

[Noah Tallentyne]

Noah really didn�t like where this was all going. It could all be an elaborate plot to do something else to prove a point with him, knowing Zalika. Or it could just be an ordinary hunt. Unfortunately, with that particular Mistress, she was an enigma at the best of times. As soon as you thought that you knew who she was and what she wanted, she did something else entirely. She had three hundred years of experience that Noah didn�t have, plus the rule of an entire Coven of vampires for hundreds of years, too. Zalika knew how to charm and kill much better than even the highly experienced Noah, and he didn�t like that at all. He put a lot of it down to �feminine wiles,� something that he had a lot of problems with to begin with.

She stood, finishing her drink. Rhiandra looked right up at Noah, watching what he wanted to do next. Zalika then moved towards him, leaving a wet trail along his ear with her tongue. She wasn�t honestly suggesting�? She can suggest all she wants, Noah telepathically said to Rhiandra. She�ll have to come out and ask me first.

Rhiandra left pleased, Noah just nodded at her words. He would have to take Zalika at face value for now. It was pointless trying to second-guess her all of the time, especially when he knew it wouldn�t work. Noah simply didn�t want to waste the energy. Following her out, he travelled to another set of people, beginning to sway to the music. Noah didn�t go all out, but it was enough to smile at the other revellers to prove that he was out for a good time.

Dancing along with everyone, Noah moved from group to group, scenting the air with Rhiandra. Whilst he made eye contact with the humans, the maned wolf often brushed against the other daemons that were on floor level. It was a two-fold flirtation. But to get two humans? Maybe he would have to do something a bit different. Female friends wouldn�t go for him, but maybe� seeing a pair dancing closely together, away from any other groups, Noah decided to join in. Resting a hand on each of their shoulders, he glanced back towards Zalika before introducing himself.

[Zalika Dantoni]

Zalika knew she was unpredictable. And she loved it, if the other vampires couldn�t gauge what she was going to do or if a sentence was a loaded one, they were more scared. Zalika had always been unpredictable with her wild temper and loaded questions to family and friends. It had calmed down a bit in her youth thanks to Lucien but she soon reverted back when the vampire had infected her blood. She wasn�t bitter, in fact it had given her a better life. Who wanted to work as a tanner then die of old age? No, Zalika had become a vampire at just the right time, frozen in time before age got to her.

As she wound around on the dance floor, she rubbed her body against males and females alike as Lucien sniffed them out. The daemon, although not liking how Zalika had changed, helped her in this search for the perfect meal. Even though even he didn�t know what game she had planned for them this time. The club was filled with all sorts of people; the classy, the council estate rejects in their tracksuits and spotless trainers, the goths and emos. The list could go on. Zalika and Lucien rejected the �rejects� and the goths and emos- you just couldn�t be sure what was in their blood. Alcohol was one thing, but a drug could leave you feeling weak for months after one mouthful of blood.

Keeping an eye on Noah, she continued through the crowd before spotting a likely couple. The girl was natural strawberry blonde, no older than 25, with bright blue eyes and wearing little. Her green sparkly halter neck barely covered her form and revealed a smooth stomach with a sparkly butterfly belly piercing. The green skirt was short, and the material shimmered slightly in the dark and led down to perfectly formed toned tan stocking clad legs with dark green stilettos. The male was clean shaven, in a purple shirt with tailored black trousers and shiny patent black shoes with dazzling green eyes. Zalika smiled as she approached the couple, vampire charm attracting to her instantly. She touched the man�s arm in a flirting gesture and talked with them a while, her Italian-English accent charming and seductive. It was then she kisses the female, with the guy�s hand caressing Zalika�s round buttocks.