Chapter Text
Prom night at A Lucard Academy. Vampire teens all dressed to impress gathered in the halls and headed into the large gymnasium. Black, white and grey decorations transformed the school into an elegant environment, complete with refreshments along the walls. The music was orchestral for the time being to further the illusion of being in a nice event hall at the country club. After the bombing, it was decided that the safest place for the students to have their prom was in the newly reinforced school complete with scanners at all the entrances-but instead of metal detectors they possessed a new technology that scanned for vampire DNA.
Lina entered the building with butterflies in her stomach. She’d never attended a social event before, much less dressed up for one-and she wasn’t used to people turning to look at her, much less with a bit of surprise or even admiration. A few people gave her small smiles and nods everyone was mildly surprised to see Evangeline Bell at prom looking like an angel.
Her long formal gown was light blue with a silvery grey organza over it, featuring an A-line cut with a boat neck boddice that was decorated with embroidered flowers dotted with small pearls, the design dotted the rest of the gown after nipping in at the waist with a light blue ribbon. The back featured a deep V to the small of her back, showing some skin but in a decently modest way. She got some simple three inch silver heels, pearl earrings and got her first manicure, white. She even went to a local salon and got her light blonde tresses done up in an elegant low bun dotted with little pearl pins to tie it all together and did some cat eye liner, mascara and a natural lip. She’d never experimented with eye shadow before and didn’t want to start on prom night!
She wrung her hands while she waited in line, blue eyes flickering around at her school mates and for once not feeling like she didn’t measure up. She couldn’t match their beauty naturally, but when done up like this she almost felt like she belonged.
Almost-but not quite.
For the first time, her peers seemed to acknowledge her. A few cute boys said hi to her. A girl complemented her hair, another her dress…people were being nice to her, and it felt good. After a resigned exhale, she relaxed her arms to her sides as she approached the scanner.
As soon as she stepped through, a big X appeared on the screen and the siren light on top began to spin. Immediately her arms were seized by the large pure security guards. They dragged her to the side despite her whimpering and fruitless struggling.
“I-I’m a halfy! I swear! I’ve gone to this school for y-years! P-Please let me go!” tears stung her eyes as they began to pull her away from the main entrance, ignoring her pleas.
Nausea rose in her throat as she blubbered about her innocence. Their grips on her arms tightened as the guards got annoyed with her resistance, even as weak as it was.
They stopped suddenly, she could feel fury in the air and ducked her chin submissively. “What are you doing? She’s not a human!” Lina’s head snapped up at the sound of Brendon’s voice that dripped with venom.
“The system didn’t detect any vamp DNA in her, kid. She’s gotta be detained for questioning.”
“The system can only detect as low as twenty percent, is that right?”
No response.
“She’s only ten percent vampire, but she has every right to attend her senior prom. Now let go of her NOW.”
She flinched at the tone, even when used in her defense it scared her. One of the guards whispered to the other so softly she couldn’t make out the words.
“We’ll trust you on this ‘cause your parents are big shots. Anything goes wrong, we’re holding you responsible.”
“Fine.” He spat.
In a blink, the guards were gone. The blonde rubbed her sore arms and turned to face her savior who looked taken back as his muddy red eyes flicked up and down her form, softening when they met her icy ones-turning full brown once again. A couple of months ago, her tears had no affect on him. But now they extinguished the flames of his anger at once and tugged at his chest. He watched shoulders quake in time with her choppy breaths and offered a reassuring smile-hoping what he was about to do would be alright given the circumstances.
“You’re safe now, Lina.” He opened his arms and stepped a little closer-ultimately leaving it up to her. To his surprise and relief, she stepped into his arms and wrapped her own around his back; letting him gently rub her exposed back. Not wanting to ruin his suit with her tears and still determined to have a good night, the halfy took deep breaths-now finding comfort in the cinnamon and mint scent that used to incite panic.
Part of Brendon wanted to press a kiss into her hair but he dared not go too far and ruin the moment. He was just looking to be her friend…why did he want to do that? Must be some kind of paternal protectiveness, since she often emulated a childlike kindness like no other.
Yeah, must be.
--
Brendon held Lina like that for a while, feeling a weird flutter in his heart when she nuzzled his chest and took a deep inhale a few minuets before letting go of him-prompting him to do the same. Thankfully, her makeup was waterproof and mostly on the top of her eyes so it was unchanged by the ordeal. The red, puffiness of her face had gone away and she looked regal once again.
“Do you still want to go in?” he asked. After a second of hesitation, she nodded and accepted his arm-returning his smile with a slightly smaller one.
“You look angelic by the way, ethereal even.” He looked down at her warmly as the headed toward the gymnasium.
“T-thank you.” Her eyes dropped as her cheeks grew warm, seeing this he smiled a little as he returned his gaze front.
The night wasn’t turning out just as planed-and Lina never would have expected Brendon of all people to come to her rescue but…actually…how did he know? She wasn’t loud enough for him to have heard her over the rest of prom-at least without him listening for her.
“H-hey Brendon?”
He looked down at her curiously.
“How did you…how did you know…?” the words died in her throat but he understood.
His eyes looked around to make sure no one was looking at them, “I…I just did. I felt something weird like…it was fear but not my own. I knew it was yours and I knew exactly where you were.”
“Do you think it’s from…that day?”
Dark circles had formed under his eyes, fangs so elongated they were touching his lower lip. He was covered in ash and his skin tone nearly matched it, he was ice cold to the touch. She took a deep breath and straddled his waist, pushing her hair over her shoulder and pulling his head into her neck.
“Brendon you have to drink.” She pressed his cracking lips against her skin. “Come on. It’s okay. It’s okay Brendon, you can bite me. You have to.” Her tone morphed into a begging one.
She pushed his lips harder against her and tilted her head more. “It’s okay Brendon. It’s okay. It’s okay.”
His eyes fluttered open a little, bright crimson and he felt her warm flesh against his mouth. “It’s okay…it’s okay Brendon. Bite me.” He immediately knew who it was. Though he could barely hear her, her consent was clear. He sank his fangs into her throat.
She was feeding him.
She was saving him.
All those months ago? No. Her blood had long since left his system – but the abilities he’d gained pertaining to her whereabouts and apparently strong negative emotions never fully abandoned him. But that felt like something to keep to himself. Being a halfy, Lina didn’t know much if anything about the side effects of what happened.
“Yeah, probably.” He couldn’t look at her as he lied.