Ethereal World

[Ophelia Van Koehn]

Ophelia listened to him intently, she could see the pain shooting throughout his body. You poor man...what've you been through? No one should have to endure this pain. It's not fair. Especially having to see someone who resembles someone you lost.

She nodded in agreement, "I did indeed...I'm sure it felt similar. After I died though, I couldn't see them again. For fear of being found out then the city would've gone into riots and rumors and caused a big mess." She tried to make it sound humorous but didn't succeed. "Sometimes, fate has different plans for us. Sometimes it takes everything from you...if it's your family, or your life. I think there might be a reason for everything. We just aren't given the knowlegde of what." Ophelia sounded a tad bit naive. Being so hopeful yet being in such a terrible predicament.

She did, however notice the hand etching towards her. The last tear fall. The retractment of his hand. She didn't mean to be studying his movements so intently, but she understood somewhat. With that, she held out her hand to him and smiled at him again. "Look, I know. I'm incredibly strange for someone of my race. I act more human than bloodsucker. However, I'm not willing to let go of what I used to be." Her voice was filled with a sort of seriousness and understanding. "I won't hurt you, if you won't hurt me. I may be a vampire, but I was still human."

[Galient Latrec Irigatore]

He felt a surge of happiness shoot through him as she held her hand out. He looked at it and slid his hand into her palm. "Thank you..." He said quietly. He felt that her words made some sense. Maybe, after losing his family, he could've gained something. He hadn't gained anythign yet, but he could hope. Maybe he'd find it here in Dawson. Maybe this new friendship was it. He hadn't had a friend since he'd chosen this career. Maybe that's what was keeping people away...

"I...saw their bodies...when they died. I was only a kid...I didn't know how to react, so I hid in my room until the police came...I had nowhere to go...they said that they were murdered, but they didn't know how...I told them what I saw, but since I was a kid, no one believed me...they all thought I made it up...I was alone..." Tears were strewning his face as he confessed everything to Ophelia. This was the first time he had spoken so detailed with someone in 5 years. "When I told the police that they were killed by a man who had bitten them...when I told him I saw my parents and brother looking at me with those eyes--those dead eyes..." He was squeezing Ophelia's hand so tightly now that he thought he could be cutting off her circulation if she had any blood flowing, but he couldn't let go, "When I told him...he said I'd read too many comic books...I tried to tell him it was a vampire...people laughed at me...some cried at what they called insanity...I--I chose this life because I had already been alone...it hadn't bothered me so much before...and now..." He coudn't talk anymore, his voice was too shaky and hoarse. No words would form anymore, just harsh breathing. He would try to stiffle his tears and quiet moans of pain, but he was too far into his memories. Too far into the graphic scenes in which his brother had been laying belly-up with blood all over his chest. Memories in which his mother and father had punctures in their throats that were flowing with blood. The memory of the man that had been feeding on them. The red eyed he'd had, and his sharp, white fangs. He sobbed for his parents, his brother, and his sister who he never saw at the crime scene. Who no one ever found. The sister who had gone 'missing' and no one bothered to look for her because they all assumed she was dead. He sobbed for all the people of the world who had been overcome by the same plague, the same horrifying memories he had been through himself.

[Ophelia Van Koehn]

She listen to him poor out his worst memory to her. This is terryfying. How could a child go through with this without going insane? This poor boy. She let him squeeze has hard as he could. He needed to let it go. Badly. "I know this is no conselation for my kind, but please know I'm deeply sorry for what you've been through. I know...it's insignificant. But it could've been a tad worse. They could've come back, like me." Ophelia reached a gentle hand up and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I wouldn't wish this fate on anyone." She wish she could do more. She hated to see anyone cry, especially people whose hearts have been ripped to shreads. For a moment, she layed her small hand on his cheek and whispered "I'm so sorry..." and pulled her hand away.

In an attempt to make him feel better, she started telling her own story. "Well...I was born in New York City in 1869 under the name Roslyn Katrina Van Koehn. I'd lived there all my life and had built up quite a reputaition for being a musician. My sisters and brother took a bit of an advantage of it, but I didn't mind. I had met someone at a party I was providing entertainment for. The only trouble was I was already married at the time. Unfortunatly, it was to the scum of the earth. An arrogant pig who thought he was entitled to everything." Rushes of guilt surged through her. She hadn't let go of Galient's hand and she didn't really intend to, not even if it set redness on her cheeks.

"An affair went over for a couple months behind my husband's back. One night, while I had snuck out of the house and walking to my beloved's home, some creature drug me into an alley and knocked me out. I don't know how long it was...but when I regained conciousness, I was standing on the edge of a very tall peer over-looking the Hudson river. Someone shoved me from behind and I plummeted in. I couldn't swim of course and I began to drown. What felt like an eternity later, someone dragged me to shore." She was very uneasy talking about her past, so she paused for thought and memory. "He placed my head in his lap and whispered "Roslyn, was it? Huh. You look more like an 'Opehlia' to me." And took my life. I was only nineteen. Now, I'll be nineteen forever. It was a hundred and thirty-years ago when I last saw my family. I still have the letters they sent me and photos as well, but it's no replacement. I'll have you know, I've only killed two people in my whole 'life'. My husband and my lover. Just to make sure, that it wasn't them. I still don't know who could've done this to me...or who knows how many others."

[Galient Latrec Irigatore]

He listened to her story, shaking from the emotion that had just spilled out from his body. He was still holding her hand and felt no need to let go. He stared at her, listening intently. He could feel his emotions growing weaker with each second. This was a good thing, he hadn't been well equipped to handle emotions such as this. He'd never had a time when his feelings pured out like this since he was 10. Now that he let emotions run freely, they were coming out like vomit. Like he had an illness that couldn't be cured with another feeling, or a medicine. But it had to be cured with love and friendsip.

When Ophelia stopped her story, he leaned over to her and lay his head on her shoulder. He felt the need to, they were friends now and she was coming over her most horrible memory just as he was a moment ago.

"I never knew that vampires could be like you. So emotional, friendly...it didin't seem possible to me. Are you sure you're even a pure vampire, Ophelia?" He felt tingles run up his spine when he said her name. He felt that same sensation when she said his own name. He stared up at the sky with his head on her cold shoulder and admired the stars and the moon. They sent light over him and Ophelia, instead of the darkness that he knew and dread.

[Ophelia Van Koehn]

She felt herself tremble on the spot as he rested her head on her. What was it about this situation that left her feeling so vulnerable, yet so comforted. How strange. To be alone, yet not so alone. When did this all happen? How? The last encounter left her in question and a slight sense of dread. Now she felt like she was a small child making a new friend. I guess I'll never understand how you work, fate.

Ophelia smiled and rested her cheek against his head. Her stomach twisted into knots has he said her name. "We all have the will to remain as we once were or become a monster entirely. I just might have a stronger will than most. A strong moral standing I suppose. I didn't want to become like the creature who killed me. A bloodthirsty demon, bent on destroying lives. I could barely whisper a rumor about anyone when I was alive, not even when I was angry. It's not in my nature." Surprisingly, she had no trouble telling him about herself. Like a companion she'd been longing for, yet never had the nerve to go and find. Certainly, she had acquaintances back in New York, but never a friend. She never let anyone get too close to her for some unknown fear of hurting them in some manner. I just hope this will last, she thought, even though, you will grow old and have something more important than a friend that will never age.

[Galient Latrec Irigatore]

Galient sighed as her cheek rested upon his head. He finally felt full since his parents had been dead, like he had found another home. He felt like his family had come back, as humans, not vampires, and they were all together again. It felt...like he'd found someone who cared for him as much as he did them. He'd found a solid friendship that would last. Not one that would crumble because of his troubling past and horrifying, to humans, job. He felt like stroking her hair, and unlike the other times, he did. Her soft, blonde hair was like liquid white gold in his hands. It shown in the moonlight as he stroked his hands through it. Then he thought of their earlier session in the park.

"It's almost...funny." He said, laughing humorlessly, "It seemed like we hated each other at the park. Now," He paused to make his words seemed to intend on the situation they were in at that moment, "this. I could probably laugh. A hunter...friends with a vampire." He took a deep breath slowly and let it out, "Amazing."

He could feel the dirt that was on his face, although he didn't do anything to remove it. He looked back down at Ophelia and smiled to himself. He had finally made a long-term friend. Or that's what he expected it to be. He wanted to keep this. He had no intentions to let go of this feeling. He wanted this forever. He could sit here forever with her if he wanted.

He then also felt something else deep within his emotions. He wanted to protect Ophelia. The story of what had happened to her a few moments ago had made him protective. He wanted no harm to come to his new friend. Of course, that could just be because he'd been alone so long, he didn't want that feeling to come back. Galient didn't know how to react to this feeling. Protect her from everything, like a body-guard, he thought, or let this feeling go where it took him. Wait for something absolutely hazardous to her to come and he would, so to speak, leap into action. Being Galient, he chose choice number 2.

Galient realized then that he was still playing with her hair. He didn't want to stop, but he felt that she did. He kept thinking that she felt awkward with a hunter playing with her hair. Maybe she was still a little apprehensive. She certainly wasn't an open person at all, but he thought he would know when she would be ready to include 'hair-touching' and things like that in this friendship.

[Ophelia Van Koehn]

Ophelia's smile shone through again. When anyone played with her hair, she always got shivers. It could be worse, it could be Bianca playing with my hair...again. The thought of her cat chewing on her hair made her giggle. Whenever Ophelia dangled it before the cat, she always batted it enthusiasticly. How silly...but at least he doesn't chew on it, unlike someone else.

"Well, I wasn't sure what to think. I wasn't sure if you were the manic hunter killing off vampires and werewolves left and right and followed me up here after my last vist or what." It was true, she had no clue if he ment her harm or not. Sure, he didn't have a weapon at the time but he could've gotten one easily.

"I'm rather happy that I have a friend now, it's hell going day in and day out just talking to your cat." She shook her slivery mane and gave a small laugh. "And opposites, usually do attract." There was no doubt in her mind, she had found a true companion. I'll protect you with what life I have left. Although...if a situation comes where I cannot and you are near death, I'll leave that choice to you.

There was suddenly a brisk howl just west of them. Ophelia's head turned sharply to the side and peered into the darkness. "I don't think it would be wise to linger much longer, besides, aren't you cold?" This wasn't good. Ophelia knew werewolves in New York, but they had been acustomed to living amoung other night creatures. She only knew one werewolf, and where there is one, there are many. "I think it's time we better move...I don't think this is very safe."

[Galient Latrec Irigatore]

He nodded as he sat up, looking at her in the eyes. "I've only seen one werewolf, but I don't think either are stupid enough to think that she's the only one. And I've only seen two vampires, you and the one I had been searching for. And I don't know if they're might be others who don't approve of us." He shrugged, still unsure of the number of the amount of vampires here in Dawson. He'd only seen two, as he had said to Ophelia, the blonde vampire and herself, and he had planned to meet more, to slay more, but not tonight. Tonight was his night. His and Ophelia's.

He stood, brushing off his knees and his face, finally, and held out a pleasant hand to Ophelia. He had always been a gentleman, even to strangers, unless they were vampires, but Ophelia was the one exception. He smiled in encouragement. "We could either go to your house, my house or a resturaunt of some sort. But, I suggest we stay together," He suggested this because he didn't feel like fighting alone tonight, and he didn't want Ophelia to walk home by herself. She was capable of handling herself, he knew that, but he just wanted to make sure. Like he had told himself before, he was over-protective. He hand, the one he held out for Ophelia, shivered from the cold, but he endured it so he could help her up. His smile stayed on his face, as if it were plastered onto it. Like he was made of marble, a statue of everlasting friendliness.

[Ophelia Van Koehn]

"My house, it's much closer." She said taking hold of his hand and standing. She could tell he was cold. We better hurry, I'd hate for you to catch a cold or worse. With that, Ophelia held his hand and led him through the dark of the woods. Stepping over branches and roots that might get in their way. A few branches caught her velvet dress and pulled it slightly. Ophelia pursed her lips in annoyance and shooed it away and continued on, seeing the light of the cottage through the trees ahead of them.

"Well, now that I think about it, that was rather ironic." She randomly said. She was refering about the fact that she was sitting under a willow tree. Ophelia in the willow tree. The Ophelia she was named after was the Shakesperian character in the play Hamlet. Ophelia was a girl who was in love with the main character, but he didn't express his love to her. So she either committed suicide or was pushed off her pearch in a willow tree and plummeted into the river below it. Ophelia smiled as they reached the clearing where her cottage sat. The pourch light was on and Bianca, the tabby-siamese mix was sitting at the window at the corner of the house. "Here we are." It was rather small, but quaint. Painted white with a thatched roof and small victorian details on the shingles. It suited Ophelia rather well, or at least she liked to think so.