after hours, midnight showers {corinthia!}

[Dorian Wilde]

For Manhattan, it was a slow night. But for Club Silver, the nightclub was busier than usual. Not only was it the weekly Ladies night, where women got in for half the usual cover price, but it was pouring. Other establishments suffered from the weather, but for some reason Club Silver was the place everyone flocked to. After seeing how empty the other bars were, the loud bass thrumming through the streets along with the bright neon sign attracted bar stars looking for a crowd.

However busy they were, they closed a 4am, as usual, and Dorian helped with clean-up till 5. He hung up the striped bartender jacket in his locker and decided to walk home in the rain instead of calling a cab. One would think he'd be a little more wary of catching a cold, seeing as how he'd just recently recovered from a mysterious flu (his first since developing Cellular Regeneration), but he was determined to create a new experience for himself. After all, when you were doomed to live forever, repetition would drive you insane. Without an imagination, and without the willingness to take some risks, life meant nothing if it was wasted.

So he said goodbye to his co-workers, discreetly handed his share of the tips for the evening to Kenneth, then left through the front doors. As the heavy door locked behind him, he stood under the awning and listened to the rain trying to puncture the large metallic umbrella overhead. It was warm out tonight, despite the downpour, and he tested the temperature with his hand. He withdrew his arm and examined the drops wetting his sleeve and dotting his palm. A private smile so distant from his usual aloof smirk curled his lip to the dark heavens, and he took his first step into the rain.

It was only a matter of moments before he was soaked. The heat and the moisture in the late summer air clung to his cologne and made it heavy. When he took another step forward, he could feel the rain begin to wash his scent away. He was well aware of how ridiculous he looked, standing in front of a nightclub at 5 in the morning with his eyes closed and face raised. He was usually so cautious of giving off a sophisticated varnish, but it was just one of those rare moments he allowed his guard to slip and reveal that he wasn't always the ass he pretended to be.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Satisfaction. That was all Corey felt as she savored the blood of the mortal she found. It was not by chance that just an hour ago she was passing through the dark streets of the city. She was a predator, and she was out searching for prey. And she got what she was searching for.

Just one hour ago, she had given up on picking up some fresh dinner outside of the grungy strip club where she found her last meal. It was however, that she found what she was looking for as she cut through an alley. She saw a man, probably in his late forties, making a line of what could only be assumed to be cocaine along the rim of a dumpster. His inhalation of the substance slightly repulsed her, but she wasn't picky. After he finished, she faked a fall to the ground. She gasped in faux pain, "help me, please." The sinister soul did nothing of the sorts. Instead he grabbed her by the back of her shirt, and lifted her up, then shoved her against the cold brick wall. She had to admit, it was a bit shocking, but she faced him with a devilish smirk.

Immediately after she delivered her radiant smile, she planted a firm kick straight into his chest, causing him to stagger back several feet. He wasn't really hurt physically, but his ego was shaken up enough for him to fight irrationally. The dark stranger cocked his fist and charged towards her, preparing to hook her in the face. Instead of dodging, Corey stepped in towards him, grabbing his arm in one hand, and his throat with the other. She twisted his arm in such a way that he gasped out in pain. After that, he was fully submissive, and she was able to have her fill. Corey left him with some left, he surely wouldn't be himself for much longer, but she wasn't planning on sticking around to find out.

Corey brushed herself off, and headed out of the alley, in the direction of a club where she could possibly avoid the coming sunlight. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw someone still outside.

[Dorian Wilde]

Through the sound of water striking pavement over and over, the young man could hear something... a scuffle?... a small distance away. Now that the clubs had shut off their music, the streets were much quieter, their secondary noises just low enough to differentiate from the primary.

Dorian heard the tell-tale sound of footsteps in the rain. He lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the rain, and gave a sidelong glance in the newcomer's direction. She wasn't what he expected at all. He took a moment to ask himself what exactly he assumed he would see upon opening his eyes, but to be honest there was no answer. All he knew was that this woman was a surprise, though he was wise enough not to judge whether it was pleasant or not.

"Beautiful weather, isn't it?" Dorian drawled, but his words hinted at an alternate meaning. Did he know what she was? What she'd just done? Not really, but she didn't have to know that. His playful, subdued taunting was meant to receive a reaction, so he continued, "You weren't one of our customers tonight..." He mused quietly, more to himself than for anyone else's benefit. But he felt inclined to start a conversation, or a confrontation, for no other reason than a rush. "Something better to do...?"

His eyes shifted to the alley she'd obviously just emerged from. He wondered what he might find there, if he decided to take a peek. The curiosity swirled around her. Something about her stance screamed stand-offish. It was only in his nature to provoke someone so defensive. He might be wrong about the mystery - she could be some drunk unable to find a proper toilet at this time of night - but the steady level of her gaze suggested otherwise.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Boy, was it a mistake for her to feed off of that drug dealer. The second hand effects of his recreational activities just hit her. It wasn't necessarily the same effects as it would have had on him, but it just made her feel messed up. As if up and down have reversed. She gently rubbed her temple, and swiftly wiped away the remnants of some dried blood.

She then became aware that this new stranger was speaking to her. "I'm not one for rain," she replied coldly. Her eyes were shifting around in the dark so much that she had not yet focused on him. She answered once more with her head in the clouds, "and I'm not one for nightclubs either." As she replied her eyes locked in on him. She would have gasped aloud if she was not struck silent in shock. The man before her resembled Kalora remarkably. They both had the same hair style, and shared the same strong features. The only difference was that this man's eyes did not register in her soul as Kalora's would. That was at least some relief.

She instinctively rubbed her eyes, making sure this was not an illusion before her. When she looked back at him, the same resemblance was there. "May I ask your name?" she asked. She had meant it to come out loud and confident, but it instead came out in a soft whisper.

[Dorian Wilde]

She was... intriguing...? She wouldn't look at him, or couldn't as her eyes drifted around their neon-illuminated setting. He watched her curiously as she spoke, as though to no one, because she refused to make eye-contact. No, rain wasn't usually the proffered cup of tea in a city like New York. Though the streets constantly needed cleansing, no one rejoiced at the heavenly shower's arrival when it upset their day plans.

But his thoughts were interrupted by the shock of her eyes finally connecting with his. Whatever his mind was thinking before was lost, and the exotic curve of her lashes made his brain whirl for some earthly explanation. While Corinthia's mind linked Dorian to something familiar, Dorian was at a loss as he tried to put a finger on Corinthia's foreign person. She looked like no one he'd ever met before, and because of this uniqueness, he was thrilling in the discovery of a new enigma. She looked Eurasian... but not human. For some reason, his recent encounter with a crazed vampire on school grounds came to mind, but this woman was far too civilized to resemble something so primal.

At her question, his signature smirk appeared. It wasn't unkind, however it wasn't exactly the friendliest expression.

"You may ask, but I might not be feeling very generous tonight," This was an unusual introduction, that was for sure. As she said herself, she was no bar fly. He had no hope of meeting someone like her at the club. This would appear to be his only chance to get to know such a strange and exotic woman, so why was he playing games?

"Perhaps if you offer me something in return...?" He couldn't help himself. Dorian Wilde would never be a forthright person. His world was his playground, and Corinthia was now the unfortunate recipient of his searching eyes.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Corey furrowed her delicate brows together at his remarks. Why wouldn't he just tell me his name? she thought to herself. She really wasn't in the mood for this. Kalora had powers she had not yet seen, if this was by any chance some sort of disguise...no. She would not let herself consider that possibility.

"Look, I'm not up for games right now. Just tell me your name, and I'll give you whatever you'd like," she snarled through a tightly clenched jaw. Okay, that was a lie. As soon as she got the name, she'd swiftly return into the alley to dispose of her victim, who was probably still going through the transformation. The initial shock of his presence was fading, and she was returning to normal, or whatever normal was for Corey. "I'm sorry, you just resemble someone I know. Someone I don't want to see right now."

[Dorian Wilde]

He was being a jackass, he knew it, and the stranger had every right to be annoyed with his presumption.

"Whatever I like, hmm?" Dorian's laugh was a light bark contrasting with the liquid setting they were currently inhabiting, "That's quite the promise." Though he was an ass, he wasn't a pervert. Though some interesting ideas did come to mind at her unintentionally provocative words, he'd never voice them. But when she admitted the reason behind her annoyance with him, his lips turned downward.

"That's a bit prejudiced, don't you think? For all you know, I could be a long lost brother. Or the man of your dreams. Hmmph," He crossed his arms, though his expression didn't appear as offended as his stance might initially suggest. He did raise an eyebrow at her impatience. What was so important she had to do at 5am?

Throughout their exchange, he hardly noticed the rain lightening around them. Was this some sort of sign? Despite Dorian's eternal curiosity, he wasn't a suspicious young man. He didn't believe in ghosts and afterlives. He didn't believe in destiny or fate. He brushed away the silly notion of the weather changing, and instead focused on the current puzzle.

He should go home. Get some rest. Corintha would probably encourage that thought if she could read his mind. But he was far too determined to see this through, whatever 'this' was, to give up.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Corey shook her head in frustration. All she needed was his name. Kalora enjoyed her reaction to his presence far too much to use an unknown alias. She closed her eyes for a bit longer than the standard blink in order to compose herself before continuing.

"Like I said, whatever you'd like. All I need is you're naa..." She cut the last word off as she noticed the sun's rays peeking through the clouds. It would be out in a matter of minutes. She did not feel like dying today. This also, could not be Kalora. He needed her too much to trap her in the sunlight, so this was definitely not him.

Her voice became frantic and scared as she spoke, "shit! Is there anyway you could get me inside. If you do I promise to consider your theories on being the man of my dreams. Please." It was not typical for Corey to beg, in fact it never happened. But she had never been this stupid before.

[Dorian Wilde]

So the sun was the reason for the clouds thinning. It was far too early to be searching for rainbows, but the combination of dim light illuminating the scattered raindrops was quite pretty. But Corinthia didn't seem to share his observation, and instead was now asking him, a complete stranger, for a favour he couldn't grant her.

"Ah... it's locked," He gestured to the door he'd exited from. He did however, find it very entertaining that she was now asking him to reconsider. "But my apartment is just a couple blocks away..." Why was he offering this information? Was he actually inviting her up? Maybe she was just cold from the rain. There might be a breakfast place opening soon nearby.

"Do you need to make a phone call?" Dorian thought about the cell phone, likely soaking wet, in his pant pocket. There was no guarantee it would function, but he was meaning to buy the new iPhone anyway. It would only be inconvenient to Corinthia should it choose now to break.

[Corinthia Debellows]

His last question was the first one she answered, "no, I don't need a phone. I just need somewhere that's not outside." She wrapped her arms around her waist, now getting frantically fearful for her life, or whatever she now has. An afterlife? An existence? Whatever it was, it wouldn't matter for much longer.

"Your apartment would be...fine," she choked out, expecting to feel the burning rays any second now. She looked up at him with yes that screamed for sympathy. The look a sick puppy gives to its master, or a spoiled child gives to her father. "I'm literally begging you at this point. I'll explain everything to you, if you just help me."

[Dorian Wilde]

Geez, she was really desperate. Did he want this girl in his apartment? Maybe he should ditch her in the lobby... but even if his friends called him an ass, they also knew him as a gentleman. Or as close as modern man could come to being considered a 'gentleman'.

"You better not be crazy," Dorian muttered, leading the way. He couldn't leave a damsel in distress, even if he'd hung up his armour and parked his white horse around back. He wasn't even entirely sure why he was doing this. She was a complete stranger, possibly a complete nut case. But his mind answered the question before he could fully comprehend it.

The excitement. The risk. The unknown was calling him. He was pretty much invincible. So what could go wrong?

"So why do you have to be inside all of a sudden?" Dorian pressed while they walked. Though the sun was rising, there were still clouds, and New York was also famous for its skyscrapers blocking the rays. They had plenty of shade to navigate around, and Dorian's initial suspicion for what Corinthia was began to rise. He wasn't panicked, per se, but he wasn't ready to trust her completely.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Corey couldn't help but chuckle. She flashed him a warm smile, "I swear I'm not crazy." She kept walking by his side, her arms still tightened around her waist. The initial fear of the sun was wearing off, she was no longer expecting to die. Or whatever it was vampires do when their existence ceases.

It took her a few moments for her to realize he asked another question. This one wouldn't be easy to answer. Well, it wouldn't be incredibly difficult for her to say, 'oh hey, I'm a vampire. I burn to death if I'm in the sunlight. No biggie.' However, she chose the harder way, lying. "And I just have this really bad reaction if I get caught in the sun. Kinda like a sun burn," she answered coldly, all humor drained from her voice.

[Dorian Wilde]

Wow, this girl sure had moodswings. One moment she was practically throwing herself at him in desperation, the next she was giggling and smiling. If she was looking for a hook-up, she'd be disappointed tonight. Dorian liked the thrill of a challenge, and this stranger seemed... easy? There was something about her that made him not want to pursue her. Oh, she was pretty, beautiful even, but just like her background, it was hard to put his finger on it. He didn't want to take advantage of her, and he was pompous enough to think she wanted him to.

Her reply to his question brought with it another swing to her mood. From flirty to dull, what an abrupt switch! He pitied the poor bastard that wound up marrying her - she was quite the handful. But he ignored the tone, and focused on the words, and Dorian at last allowed himself to accept his own suspicions. This woman was a vampire, but she wasn't aware he knew. Yet another reason not to get involved.

However, despite knowing the power of a vampire, he sensed a fragility in her. Sure, she was a lethal monster, but there was something inexplicably human about her. He kept his observations to himself, and instead looked away, allowing a small smirk to pull at his mouth.

"The sun might be nice, after tonight's weather," Cruel, perhaps, but it wasn't as though he was suggesting she stand outside to dry off. The air was warm, but still moist, and the aroma of wet pavement was rising to meet them with the sun.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Did he really just say that? Just prior to his last comment, she couldn't believe how hospitable this stranger was, even though something about him ticked her off. Yeah, something about him just got under her skin. She loved to flirt as much as the next girl, but it was as if he turned her dire situation into a joke. She was beginning to regret ever asking him for help in the first place. It was way more like her to die a gruesome and horrible death then ask for help, anyway. So, why did she? She found now explicit value in her life, except as a toy for Kalora to play with. Why was she so desperate to keep it up?

She was certainly not in the mood to sift through all these mental questions she had. Corey probably was just not as strong as she thought she was. Oh, great, what a positive thought.

"Look, if you don't want to help me, fine. I'll go figure something else out," her voice was stern, with a false sense of confidence. However, internally she was screaming for him to reach out and help her. If he didn't, then there was no way she could get inside in time.

[Dorian Wilde]

Dorian raised an eyebrow at her unyielding stubbornness. He half-doubted his conclusion of her species, but something about her words rang false within him. Her bravado was either admirable or so, so stupid, but he respected it nevertheless. Dorian was often described as cold and distant, but that was because he tended to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Right now he was laid-back and fairly calm - nothing was bothering him save this nagging thought that he was the only thing standing between her and eternal night.

"It was merely an errant thought," The young man waved off her protest, "I didn't realize how sensitive you were at the topic. It won't be mentioned again."

For some reason he noticed that he adopted a sophisticated speech around this woman. Everyone he surrounded himself with received different answers from him. If he was with his best friend, Kenneth would ask 'What's up?' and Dorian would respond 'Not much'. The other boy could pull him into casual tones and modern gestures, whereas with Corinthia he would respond with 'Nothing at the moment. And you?'. He tucked this observation away in his memory to study later.

"We're almost there - I'm just around the corner," Dorian added conversationally. "I suppose you live quite a ways away, then." He wondered how, and why, the girl let herself get into this situation. Weren't vampires a bit more savvy than that? One would think that they'd be aware of their instant demise if it was a daily occurrence, but Dorian would refrain from judging for the time being.