Armand / Daniel VC fanfiction Part Two Author's Note; I'm writing in this world that's mostly not cannon, but sometimes tries to be cannon. I tend to want to fit my stories in between cannon events so they *could* have happened. So if this were in a timeline, it's before Armand tells Daniel he loves him, but after he's been chasing him around the globe for a couple years. I really hope you like it.
Fandom; Vampire Chronicles Pairing; Armand and Daniel Rating; R *not my characters, I don't own them, not making money, just writing for fun* Daniel ambled slowly down the alley, courting disaster, believing this would bring Armand to him. Armand who had left him suddenly, with no explanation, and no expectations of when or if he would return to Daniel again. It is was disaster Daniel wanted, and it would be disaster that came to him, in the form of a hulking drunk man, bent on robbery. Daniel was too busy wallowing, and a little drunk himself, and did not notice that the danger he’d beckoned had come. The man was on Daniel in an instant, shoving him roughly to the ground, demanding money, valuables, credit cards. Upon discovering that Daniel had none of these things, that all he had, in fact, were four crumpled up dollar bills and some miscellaneous receipts crammed into his jacket pocket, the mugger became enraged, unleashing a lethal looking blade the sent Daniel backing away quickly, his hands in the air in the universal gesture of surrender as panic hit him in a frenzy. Perhaps he should have thought through this plan better, as it didn’t seem so brilliant now that he was pressed against a dirty brick wall awaiting a stabbing. Even if Armand would have wanted to help him, even if he knew Daniel was in danger, what could he do about it from wherever the hell he had run off to? The floodgates opened and adrenaline surged through his veins, if he had a choice between fight or flight, well it was flight he would prefer. He stood no chance against this knife wielding beast. But just when he began to turn to try and run for it, he felt a wave of calm and stopped suddenly in his tracks. He wasn’t sure how he knew it, but he was certain that Armand had arrived after all, and in the nick of time no less, which must mean he had been watching Daniel all night, maybe even all week. Hell, maybe he’d been here for months without gracing Daniel with his presence. Anger broke through the calm, but Daniel was not without fear and chose to remain silently still to see what would happen. Armand stepped out of the shadows, and Daniel experienced a quick and involuntary intake of air at the sight of him. Always beautiful, always exquisite. The thug had stopped in his tracks, and now turned, slow as molasses to look the auburn haired demon in the eye. Armand made a slight gesture with his right hand, and the knife fell spontaneously to the ground with a clatter. The man looked down at the abandoned knife with surprise, but did not attempt to retrieve it. He seemed confused as he began to move forward, ever so slowly, toward death, which awaited him as surely as he would have brought it to Daniel had his efforts not been thus thwarted. One sluggish step after another brought the man ever closer to Armand, both of them having forgotten Daniel for the time being, who stood transfixed, trying to understand what was happening. When he’d envisioned Armand swooping in to rescue him from peril, it was with swift physical violence that the task was accomplished, not this slow, agonizing mind control Armand apparently employed with ease. Surely Armand had hypnotized this one, though Daniel was previously unaware that he was capable of such a feat. What else could he accomplish that he’d never seen fit to reveal? Daniel wondered briefly if Armand could fly, and almost giggled at the mental image this engendered. He squelched this inappropriate behavior in favor of watching the drama unfold free of interruption, despite his longing to boast pridefully in front of this would be bandit who was now certainly to become a vampire’s dinner. Daniel had never seen Armand feed before, never seen him kill, and he was powerfully excited by this prospect. Armand opened his arms to the criminal, this hulking beast of a man who towered over him, Armand looking deliciously enticing. The man stepped into his embrace, turned slowly to face Daniel, his back against Armand’s chest, and the dropped obediently on his knees in front of sweet death. His face was no longer confused. It was resigned. It was the look of defeat, or relief that it was over. But it wasn’t over. Armand bent gracefully over him, lowering his mouth delicately over the flesh of the man’s neck. The man tilted his head to the side, closed his eyes, and sighed. A moment passed. Armand released him from his comfortable mental grasp as he bit viciously into the tender flesh. The man’s eyes flew open, too wide, unnatural! His eyes were crazed and he cried to the heavens, throwing his body into resistance, but it was of no use, he was no match for Armand who kept his hold easily. Then, as suddenly as his efforts at escape began, they ceased, and the man was obviously deep within the swoon, his eyes rolling back into his head, his body so relaxed it was limp in Armand’s arms, who let him sink unceremoniously to the ground. His chest was still, he no longer had breath, and Armand released him. The vampire ran his tongue along his own lips seductively, and raised his eyes toward Daniel. Daniel held Armand’s powerful gaze, drawn to him as always, but with a thousand questions pressing on his brain and no place to begin. He faultered. “You could begin by saying ‘thank you.’ I believe that would be appropriate, considering the dreadful circumstances.” Said Armand in his smooth clear voice, and Daniel realized he’d read his thoughts as if he’d spoken them allowed. Daniel stood silent, baffled. Armand sighed loudly. “You’re welcome, just the same.” He approached Daniel, who was still deciding what to say, took him by the hips, leaned in, and kissed each cheek softly. It was Daniel this time who kissed Armand’s mouth, wondering vaguely if he’d taste the remnants of blood on his lips and discovering that yes, he did, but strangely this did not repel him. Daniel found himself irrepressibly intrigued at this new development, and would have continued his pursuit, but Armand stepped back, smiling faintly at Daniel’s boldness. “So you forgive me then, for leaving you so cruelly? Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not asking for your forgiveness, I left for your own good, but clearly I was mistaken. I had no idea the lengths to which you would go to force me back. He would have killed you, you know.” Daniel gathered his thoughts and replied seriously, “And what do I have to live for, exactly, without you? Any hope I had for a normal life was dashed that night Louis sat down for an interview. There’s no family that I care for, no others that I love, no job that will satisfy me, no life that a holds any interest beyond you.” He paused, and then decided to finish the thought in earnest, “If you decide to leave me again, have the courage this time to kill me yourself.” Armand pursed his lips in quiet contemplation. “Yes, you’re right, I suppose this was inevitable. But I would have been remiss, and greedily selfish had I not given you the opportunity to be free of me, wouldn’t I? Life is no good for you without me, you say, but I am almost certain it will not be good with me either, at least not for long. Oh you may think so, but you’ll come to find out that you’re wrong in time, just remember, I tried to let you go. I did try.” Daniel nodded. “Forgiven then. Not like you asked or anything, just the same.” He grinned. “So smart with me? No respect. Why do I like you so?” Armand posed this question gently, as if he actually expected an answer. “It’s my witty banter, isn’t it?” Daniel joked, smiling now, all seriousness banished once more as was Daniel’s habit whenever possible. “So are you going to tell me how you did that? I mean, that was quite a show you put on!” Armand relented to Daniel’s joyful tone and matched it, his arm outstretched for Daniel to take as he lead them away from the dark alley and onto the brightly lit street instead, “And why should I? What have you done exactly, to earn that confidence?” Daniel took the proffered arm and held it tightly. “Ah, ask not what I have done, but what I am willing to do, Armand!” Daniel willfully thought of himself posed naked and ridiculous, like those dirty postcards you’d be embarrassed to send in the mail. The image was not lost on Armand, nor was the inference that Daniel knew perfectly well that he could read minds when he chose. “Daniel, I did not know you to be a lover of men. This is an unexpected surprise you would grant me. You would have me in that way? Are you certain of what you ask?” That sly smile returned once again to his lips, and Daniel suppressed a shiver. He did not answer, but he couldn’t help but imagine what a sexual relationship with Armand might be like. “I will take that as my answer then, you would have me if I allowed it, but trust me when I tell you that you are not as ready for that development as you might think. I will let you have me, Daniel, when the time is right, but let’s leave that to evolve naturally, shall we?” “Ha! You ask as if I have a say in the matter as well! We all know who is the boss here, and it’s not me. I will wait, but in the meantime, you have cleverly evaded my question, What the hell did you do back there?” They continued walking, arm in arm, down the street to no particular destination. “Mind control, I invaded and took over. A simple thing for me, Daniel, but not for all vampires. It is perhaps my greatest talent, my ability beyond all others, at least among those I know that is.” Daniel wondered if Armand had ever done this to him, without his knowledge, surely it was possible. “No Daniel, I’ve not. Never with you. You surprise me constantly at your complete willingness to engage with me with utterly no persuasion on my part. And besides, you would feel it, you’d know.” “Do it to me! Make me feel something, I want to know!” Daniel demanded rather impatiently, causing Armand to laugh out loud, a rarity. “You cannot be serious! You want me to spellbind you, take away your own will? But why? And do you have no conditions at all on what I would make you do? Perhaps I told you to strip off your cloths, run down the street, climb the nearest tree and shout to the rooftops, ‘I am a monkey, I am a monkey!’” Armand shook his head, “You do not think things through Daniel, and this is a skill I would have you develop.” “You could really make me do that?” Daniel asked, his eyes wide with excitement. “I could,” was the simple reply. “Alright then, something small, don’t turn me into someone crazy, I just want to know what it’s like.” He insisted. “I’ll do it then, for you, but somewhere private, not on this street. Take me to your hotel.” “You do not have to ask me twice, this way monsieur!” Daniel replied gleefully, guiding Armand in a new direction, and at a quick pace. *next part already written, will post asap, must tend to real life :-( *
