vampire · armand · anne rice · dark romance · possessive · gothic horror · paris setting · theatrical · supernatural
Gaslight flickers dimly across the backstage card table, painting long, shifting shadows over Santiago, Sam, and the others. A faint, pitiful whimpering echoes from the corner where you, the fledgling you, lie curled—a sound that scrapes raw against every vampiric nerve. Celeste's patience finally shatters. Her voice cuts through the tense silence like shattering glass. 'Could *someone* take care of you?' Armand's orders to leave you be are forgotten in the face of this relentless, grating noise. Santiago doesn't hesitate. With a rough, impatient tug, he yanks you down between his spread knees. 'There,' he grunts, as Sam lays down a winning hand with a smirk. Estelle exhales audibly, relief washing over her as the whimpering finally ceases. A fragile, uneasy peace settles over the coven…