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Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Much to Chase’s relief, it looked like his first impression of Alix had been right. As she took his hand in a friendly greeting, he could already feel his previous tenseness start to melt away. He’d been hoping for a laidback partner, one he could get along with easily, like Jake. Now that he knew she wasn’t just some overbearing workaholic, he was confident that he was going to fit into the agency a lot faster than he’d thought. To a socialite like him, coworkers were one of the most important factors of getting a new job, after all.

To make things even better, it seemed that Alix had a sense of humor. At her comment about the woman down at reception, he laughed. “Really? I’ll keep that in mind next time.” He could tell he was going to like working with this detective. However, her age did throw him off. When he was told he’d be partnered with someone who’d been at the agency for a while, he had expected a woman in her mid-thirties at the very least, but this girl couldn’t have been older than he was.

As an added twist, it sounded like the twenty-something detective was in the middle of getting a divorce. Chase eyed her curiously as she and the chief spoke. Even though they were close in age, she seemed to have experienced a lot more of life than he had. Already a seasoned member of the agency and leaving a serious relationship to boot? He only had a roommate and a couple ex-girlfriends who hadn’t lasted more than a few months—and he hadn’t had the best luck when it came to dating either. It wasn’t really his fault though. Working long hours at the police station made it hard to meet people.

Paying attention to the conversation, he discovered he already had a task to do on his first day. He felt a thrill of excitement. A visit to the morgue had to mean he’d been assigned to a case. It also meant no hazing or coffee runs for the newbie. He was glad Chief Martinez and his new partner seemed to trust him enough to get his feet wet right away instead of making him run errands around at the office to start.

“If I couldn’t handle the morgue, I wouldn’t be here,” Chase grinned, deciding to return a little banter with Alix now that he knew she was the type to enjoy it.

He turned to follow the other detective out of the chief’s office, only looking back once when Martinez wished him luck. “Thanks,” he said appreciatively before he stepped into the hallway.

Although he had been nervous before, all his inhibitions were gone after the meeting had gone so well. His new boss seemed like a kind and fair man, and his partner was exactly the type of person he had been hoping to be paired up to. With the addition of the promotion he’d received to get here, it was looking like this career had everything he’d wanted.

“So,” Chase started as he fell in step beside Alix. With the whole length of a walk to the morgue, now was as good a time as any to get to know her better. “I’ve gotta admit, you’re not as old as I was expecting. How long have you been working here?” He turned to her with interest. It was the biggest question on his mind. He’d thought he was young to start working as a detective, but she seemed to have been in the field for a while already. At least, long enough to take on a novice like him as a partner.

In the next moment, another thought crossed his mind. “Oh, and do you mind showing me where my desk is before we hit the morgue?” He held up the briefcase he’d brought along. “I’d rather not drag this around all day if I don’t have to.”

Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Chase lingered outside Chief Martinez’s office, one hand raised in a fist as he worked up the nerve to knock on the door. He knew he was just having first day jitters, but boy, were they hard to fight off. It was the first time he was going to be meeting the head of the agency, and he really wanted to make a good impression. This man was about to be his boss, the head honcho in charge of promotions, raises, and pink slips. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the greatest luck when it came to encounters like these.

When he’d first met the police chief down at the station, he had accidentally spilled the man’s coffee when reaching across the table to shake his hand. Though he had recovered from the blunder after a while, it had taken some time before his old boss stopped looking at him like he was a hazard to the force. The thought of starting off in a similar hole at his new job made him cringe.

It’ll be fine. Just don’t touch the coffee, he thought reassuringly as he rapped his fist against the door. What were the odds that he would ruin his first impression with two separate chiefs, really? He was probably just overthinking it. Damn jitters.

Upon hearing a muffled “come in” from the other side of the door, Chase took a steeling breath and stepped inside.

Having expected a one-on-one with his new boss, he was surprised to find that they weren’t alone. A curly-haired blonde girl around his own age was seated on the edge of the chief’s desk. He paused near the doorway as he looked her over, wondering if he had interrupted something. She didn’t look like a member of the agency to him. Sporting casual street clothes and carrying herself in such a relaxed manner, his natural inclination was to believe she was a relative of Martinez.

His eyes flicked to the Hispanic man.

An adoptive relative, he decided.

“Sorry,” he apologized quickly, fumbling for the door handle. “I thought I was supposed to be here at nine o’ clock.”

“You were,” Martinez stopped him. When Chase’s gaze wandered back to the girl, the chief smiled amusedly. “This is Detective Andrews,” he explained. “I thought it would be good for you two to meet, since you’re going to be working together.”

Chase couldn’t help the look of astonishment that crossed his face. This was Alix Andrews? She looked like a grad school student who went to raves on weekends. He glanced down at the suit he’d chosen to wear for his first day, suddenly wondering if he was overdressed. Though it was a bit shocking, her easygoing appearance also came as a relief to him. After all, anyone who dressed like that to work had to be friendly, right? Maybe he’d gotten lucky and had been paired up with someone like Jake again.

Suddenly, he found himself more eager to get to know her.

“Right, Detective Andrews,” he said knowingly, offering his new partner a smile. “My name’s Chase. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Walking over to the desk, he held out his hand to her in greeting.

~Bonsoir~

Vail nodded wordlessly when Victoria explained that her father hadn’t known what Lord Spencer was, nor had he chosen the Wynter to become her husband. The Lady’s guess that Spencer had used her mother as his way into the Crest family was probably right too. If their kind could use their pheromones to force their prey into submission, his rival could have easily done the same to manipulate Alexander’s widow. It seemed slimy to him that the other vampire would abuse his hunting abilities in such a perverse manner, but knowing the Wynters, he wouldn’t put it past any of them for a moment. They had always been willing to do whatever it took to get their way. If puppeteering humans was a means to their end, they wouldn’t hesitate to try it.

As Victoria went on to say that Spencer might have had something to do with her father’s death, Vail wasn’t sure what to say. Admittedly, he agreed with her. If the Wynters were trying to usurp the head of the Crest household, he wouldn’t have been at all surprised to find out they had murdered Alexander to secure it. It was the same trick they had tried on the Hygrace family over a century ago. However, he didn’t want to further upset her by reaffirming her belief that the man she was engaged to marry was behind her father’s early demise. If it was true, she would surely find out without his help later on.

At last, they arrived at the looming gate in front of the Crest manor. Vail slowed to a stop, lingering a short distance behind the Lady as she approached the barrier. He was relieved that the trip hadn’t been long, since he still had to walk all the way back to his own home before he could get some rest. It wasn’t a terribly far distance away, but he was glad he had managed to feed that night, otherwise he might have had a hard time getting back. His eyes wandered to Victoria’s neck. Despite the discomfort of his recent cravings, her blood had been worth the wait. It was just as satisfying as he had expected, if not more so, and he couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever be so lucky to taste it again.

Suddenly, the Lady turned back to bid him goodbye, and Vail broke out of his thoughts in mild surprise. The amiability in her voice was quite unexpected. He had just attacked her, yet she seemed to be focusing on their conversation instead. The thought nearly drew a laugh out of him. Victoria Crest was an interesting woman for sure.

“I wasn’t expecting so, but it has been enjoyable for me as well,” he agreed with a smile. It still felt strange to him that he had just walked his own victim home and chattered with her along the way, but it hadn’t been bad. He found that he genuinely liked talking with her. Her innocence and curiosity were a breath of fresh air compared to his always-serious family. He was glad they had had the chance to speak before parting ways.

As she regarded him with pity, Vail’s smile faded. His isolated life had become so normal to him that he hadn’t considered it might be thought of as lonely to someone on the outside. He and the rest of his family had been in hiding longer than any human had been alive. Staying away from other people was their method of survival. It was the only way he knew how to live. However, after his discussion with Victoria, he wondered if there was perhaps something more to life that he was missing.

He didn’t get the chance to dwell on the thought for long before the Lady changed the subject. At her determined words about the Wynters, he smiled again, amused this time. He had no doubt that she would try everything in her power to thwart the rival clan. The tenacity she had shown to him thus far was proof enough of that. Whether she would actually be able to stop them was another question though.

As Victoria turned away to go into to her manor, Vail did as well, preparing to head back to his home. However, he didn’t take more than a step before her gentle voice caught his attention once more. Looking back at her, he raised his brow at her offer to uphold the truce that her father had created between the Crests and the Hygraces before his death. He wasn’t sure what power she had to make sure a promise, since she wasn’t part of the Order, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

“Thank you,” he bowed his head courteously. When he rose again, he noticed that the Lady now had an almost melancholic expression on her face. He was just beginning to wonder what was on her mind when she addressed him one more time to apologize for what had happened yesterday.

“Don’t fuss over it,” he shook his head. Though he hadn’t originally planned to reconcile that night, he supposed there was no reason not to talk about it now that she’d brought it up. “I shouldn’t have been as inconsiderate to you as I was. I know you were just looking for answers about your father, right?” He’d made the connection throughout their last talk. “I’m sorry I was so short with you.”

As she asked about his shoulder, he rolled it again in an absent check of the healing process. “Better now,” he mused. “I must admit, feeding on your blood has helped it tremendously. I’m sure I’ll be back to normal before the end of the week.”

Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Finally done! I figured Chase and Alix can meet in the chief's office, since she would be the one in charge of showing him around :)

Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Raindrops rolled down the window of the taxi cab that carried NYPD’s newest homicide detective to his first day on the job. Chase Wolfram drummed his fingers anxiously against his knee, his dark brown eyes flitting over all the businessmen and women outside hustling beneath their umbrellas to get to their own places of work. He had just recently passed his promotional exam, but he hadn’t thought he would get the position this fast. After spending the last five years as a police officer, it felt strange to be heading to an office instead of the station. Of course, it was what he wanted. It had been his ambition from the start to become a detective. To actually do it though… That was going to take some getting used to.

Chase let out his breath in a long exhale, fidgeting absently with the handle of the briefcase at his side. It was mostly empty, filled only with a few papers to prove his credentials and an orange he’d brought along for a snack later. He hoped that over time, those items would be replaced with casework for important jobs. Preferably sooner rather than later. After all the hard work he’d put into his career with the PD to get to this point, it would have been disappointing to be reduced to newbie errand boy to all his senior detectives. He wanted to prove that he was just as qualified to take down killers as they were.

Peering out the cab window, he saw the building come into sight up ahead, the place where he was soon going to be spending every day of his foreseeable future. It was also the place where he would be meeting his new partner, Alix Andrews. He didn’t know anything about her aside from her name—it was all the agency had given him—but he was eager to find out who she was. He hoped she was friendly, at the very least. It would make the more gut-wrenching parts of the job bearable if he had someone around whom he felt comfortable talking to. His former partner and lasting friend, Jake Kelly, had been great for that. The other officer knew exactly how to keep their spirits up whenever they had to handle any brutal or disturbing calls. He already knew he was going to miss having him by his side.

“We’re here, sir.”

Chase blinked, realizing he’d gotten swept up in his thoughts. “Thanks,” he said, passing the driver a ten to cover the ride. “Keep the change.” Grabbing his briefcase, he climbed out of the cab and made a dash for the door. Even though he wasn’t outside for very long, he was still moderately soaked from the heavy downpour before he reached the cover of the lobby. Water dripped from his dark hair onto the white marble floor as he approached the receptionist’s station.

The blonde girl behind the desk looked up at him from her computer, “Are you here to see someone?”

“Sort of,” Chase ran a hand through his hair, attempting to pull out some of the rainwater. “Chief Martinez said I’m starting today. My name is Wolfram.”

“Oh, yes,” the girl turned back to her computer screen, typing something out with rapid precision. “Mr. Wolfram… Mr. Martinez is in his office on the eighth floor.” She unlocked a desk and retrieved a card from inside. “This guest pass will give you clearance in the elevator,” she explained, handing it off to him with a smile. “You’ll be getting your own later today, so just remember to bring it back when you don’t need it anymore.”

“I will,” Chase nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”

Stepping around the reception station, he made his way over to the elevator at the back end of the lobby. There was a small electronic pad on the wall instead of the usual “Up” button, which he waved his pass in front up. A green light turned on, and the steel doors opened, admitting him inside.

As he rode up to the eighth floor, he could feel his heart race with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. He’d been waiting to become a detective for so long, it almost felt like a dream that he was really there. It was a big step up from being a regular officer. Half of him was elated that he had been chosen to replace the man who had recently retired from the agency, while another half of him was worried he wasn’t qualified enough to do the job yet. He was only in his mid-twenties, after all. Solving murder cases was a weighty commitment for someone his age.

I passed the exam, Chase reminded himself as the elevator doors slid open again. By NYPD standards, he was fully prepared to handle the responsibility. He couldn’t let his doubts get the best of him. It was just the jitters that came along with getting a new job. He was sure that in a couple weeks, he would feel right at home in the agency. There was nothing to worry about.

With that thought in mind, he made his way more confidently down the hall that led to Chief Martinez’s office, eager to find out what he would be doing on his first day as a homicide detective.

Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Chase Wolfram
Age: 25
Role: Detective, new to the force
Appearance: Chase stands at about 6'0" and has a fit build, though he isn't overly muscular. At work, he wears suits to be professional, but whenever he's off the clock, he prefers to dress down in comfortable t-shirts and jeans. His most distinguishing features are the two tattoos on his chest (roses) and his right bicep (black bands).

Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Getting started on an intro post in a minute!

~Bonsoir~

Victoria’s reaction to his age was humorous to Vail. He supposed that, to a human, living over two centuries would have been quite a feat. It was hard for him not to take his immortality for granted though. After a while, life grew mundane; repetitive, even. Every day was the same with just enough variation here and there to keep things from becoming too unbearably dull. Though it was true that he had seen humanity advance in leaps and bounds as their technology grew more complex, he had always watched from a distance, never participating in the accomplishments or becoming invested enough to care. It was the way he had to live. After all, what she said about his appearance was true. While humanity aged and died, his youth was everlasting. He couldn’t integrate in society without eventually standing out or becoming ostracized or—since the inception of the Order—being killed for what he was. It was the curse attached to the gift that was eternal life.

That was why he had to hide. Isolation was the only safe place for a vampire in London. As long as he didn’t show his face in public often enough to be remembered, he wouldn’t be hunted by the Saints, nor would he be attacked by the Wynters. His eyes flickered involuntarily to another shadow-filled alley at the thought of the rival clan. Though he was confident that the other family was working on a different plan at the moment, they were the only members of his kind who would have been willing to ambush him that night. The Wynters didn’t respect or fear the Hygraces like the other vampire clans. If they saw an opportunity to murder the next heir of the ruling dynasty, he didn’t doubt that they would take it.

They were the reason why he had learned how to handle a pistol.

When Victoria answered his question about Lord Spencer, Vail wasn’t at all surprised by her response. Everything she said lined up with what he knew to be true about the Wynters. The rival vampires looked down on humans as merely a food source, believing they were inferior because of their design. It was an opinion the Hygraces didn’t share. While it was accurate that humans were the natural prey of their kind, it didn’t mean they had to trod on them or “put them in their place,” as he had heard some Wynters hatefully spit. To him, there was plenty to be impressed by when it came to human beings, particularly in the way of their creativity.

Vampires were physically superior, undoubtedly, but they were hindered by their bloodlust. In fact, in Vail’s experience, hunting seemed to be their only purpose. There was no time to be innovative when one had to focus on constantly staving off withdrawals. The strength and speed their bodies could handle were just designed to help them become more efficient killers too. No matter what anyone thought, his kind were predators through and through, and there were downsides to that fact.

At Victoria’s final comment, Vail averted his gaze. He was certain now that the Lady had no idea Spencer was a Wynter. She would have said so if she did. However, this left him with the dilemma of whether he should tell her or not. As much as he wanted to stay out of the couple’s business, it felt unfair of him to knowingly keep her in the dark. From what he could gather from the encounters they’d had so far, she wasn’t a bad person—perhaps a little rough around the edges, but who would expect more from a girl who had just lost her father? She deserved to be made aware of what she was getting into.

“Yes, well, that’s usually what happens when I cross paths with people like him,” he sighed. “The Wynters have despised my family for over a century, and they won’t soon let us forget it.” Turning back to her, he frowned. “Though I must admit, I was surprised to find out he was chosen to be your husband. Did your father not know which clan he was a part of?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow got on board right away xD

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

It didn’t take long for the rest of the tension in the room to die off. Crow glanced away from Penelope when Letitia offered him a small compliment, glad that the servant was at least somewhat supportive of them. He couldn’t tell if she was still suspicious of him, but she was polite enough that he felt at ease with her around. The smile on her face was a welcomed change from the disapproving looks they usually got too. Absently, he found it interesting that, aside from his sister, the only people who seemed to be happy for them were peasant servants. He wasn’t at all surprised though. Nobles were so judgmental; it was hard to imagine them supporting anything outside of their definition of what they deemed acceptable.

As Penelope explained to Letitia what they were really doing in Bellmare, Crow let his gaze wander to the nearest window, through which he could see the stables where the Vermillions kept their horses. Distracted, his mind wandered to the remaining lessons he needed to complete before his father could send him to Gorm. Riding was on that list. He watched the animals curiously as the stable boys tended to them. The only experience he had with the beasts was when he had tried to control the stallion he and the knight had stolen in Younis. The attempt had gone rather miserably, and he hadn’t taken up any reins since. It was strange to him that he was going to be taught how to do it now.

Suddenly, the viceroy blinked as he realized Letitia was including him in the conversation once more. Turning back to her, he smirked, amused by her excitement to show him around the house. In a way, the servant reminded him of a proud mother, and he wondered just how close she had gotten to Penelope when the knight had been young. Perhaps that was why Penelope had more of a heart for peasants than most other nobles too? It made sense to him. If she had been raised by someone of Letitia’s status, then of course she would have been able to see the value in commoners like them.

He glanced at the knight as she grew flustered by the old woman’s suggestion. Seeing an opportunity to tease her, he nudged her with his shoulder, “Why not? It sounds like fun to me. I’d like to hear all about what you were like as a little girl.”