after hours, midnight showers {corinthia!}

[Corinthia Debellows]

A wave of relief flooded through her body, he wasn't going to leave her to die after all. For once, she didn't mentally correct herself for using the word "die." As his words sunk in, she pulled her arms over her chest, and jokingly pouted.

"I'm not sensitive," she said with a small smirk, "I'm just kind of freaking out, which isn't a big deal. Everyone's entitled to freak out once in a while. It keeps us sane." Her little rant was a result of the rest of her anxiety fading away. As they kept walking, she nodded in response to him telling her how close his place was. His second question caught her a bit off guard, she had to figure out how to answer it without revealing too much.

"Um, I just started going to school here," she said hesitantly. "So I'm living on campus. I was just reckless and stayed out too late," she spoke casually, shrugging her shoulders as if it was no big deal.

[Dorian Wilde]

Dorian was taken off-guard when Corinthia chose to speak a little more casually. Now that she felt she was out of danger, she seemed to loosen up and be... normal.

"Sanity is overrated," Dorian joked, liking that he was able to be less formal around her. Sure, he'd still be courteous, but he didn't have to pull out all the stops for a complete stranger.

When she spoke of attending school, Dorian raised an eyebrow. Did she attend special night courses? He didn't ask, lest that lead her to surmise he knew her secret, so he chose instead to comment on her recklessness.

"So how does one get reckless if they're not a fan of nightclubs?" He wanted to test her - see how well she could hide in plain sight. But his tone didn't suggest anything of the smug bastard he really was. Instead he sounded genuinely curious, though he could probably take a stab (no pun intended) of the late night activities the woman participated in. He was assuming the vampire had already taken in some sustenance tonight, otherwise she might've greeted him in an entirely different manner. Not that it would have adversely affected him, but it would be extremely unattractive all the same.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Corinthia lightly chuckled at his comment. It was simplistic, yet rung of absolute truth. Sanity was by far overrated. Her brows furrowed together, but only for a moment. She began to wonder if he realized what she was. All humans know about the myths, and the sunlight thing is certainly glamorized by Hollywood. Maybe he pieced it together? Yeah, right. As if the most logical reason for her disdain for sunlight was that she was actually a vampire. Overactive sunburn, is more like something he'd be considering.

His question took her a bit off guard. Of all the things he could question, such as what school she's going to...he chose to ask about her small little "reckless" comment. One that she added in for no logical reason. Crap.

"Well, there's always other recreational activities that a college girl can participate in," she said with a smirk. It took a few seconds for her to realize how unintentionally suggestive that was. She had just meant to be vague. "What I mean is," she blurted out, "nightclubs aren't all the nightlife has to offer."

[Dorian Wilde]

Dorian's eyebrows shot up at her poorly worded sentence. He tried not to laugh as she hurriedly attempted to clarify her intentions, but a short chuckle escaped his guard.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to refrain from judging. And I'll try not to let my imagination get the best of me." Was it too soon to be making such crude conversation with a complete stranger? He didn't even know her name! He was about to ask, when they started around the corner, and he became bathed in early morning sunlight. He reacted quickly, putting his hand out to stop Corinthia from taking a step further, and even went so far as to pull her away. They'd been walking in the shade the entire time heresofar, but upon switching directions, the sun filtered in through the buildings, illuminating the windows, and as luck would have it, his apartment charged even more money for this exact reason. He'd forgotten this fact, and he supposed his subconscious had been hoping the sun would hold off for another hour or two.

"...How sensitive did you say you were to sunlight?" Dorian inquired, trying to sound pleasant instead of panicked. He didn't want to be responsible for the death of some vampire chick. Maybe she belonged to that Breseis coven. He really, really did not want vampire drama right now, not when life was just getting good. "I mean... If I go inside and get an umbrella, would you be able to hide under it?"

[Corinthia Debellows]

Her lips twitched into a small smile at his little remark. It hit her how lucky it was for her that he looked like Kalora. Had she not stopped him, she would have been stuck in the sun without any help. Now, at least she has hope.

Well, she thought she had hope. That is, until the sun began to shine through the clouds, devouring some of the shade that protected them. Panic struck through her, she didn't have time to be coy about her secret anymore.
When she heard his question, she blurted out, "I die. That's how sensitive I am. I will die." Her voice was frazzled, just as someone would expect from a dying girl. When she heard his next inquiry about the umbrella, she just shook her head.

"Look, you're a big enough guy. This is going to sound weird but I need you to just kinda shield me, and I can run us in fast enough. I might get a bit scorched, but If you're up for saving a damsel in distress, I wont die." Her voice was calming a little, but she was still terrified. It was sheer desperation that she used the term 'damsel in distress.' She hated that she found herself in this situation, but what choice did she have. Luckily, she wore cargo pants today instead of her spandex. That would mean minimal damage to her legs. Her arms on the other hand, were almost completely exposed, but she could deal. She just has to keep her face covered, and maybe, just maybe she'll survive this.

[Dorian Wilde]

Dorian raised an eyebrow. He was a 'big enough guy'? Maybe if he was Kenneth, he'd be a 'big enough guy', but Dorian was always the lean, tall one of the bunch. Perhaps not as scrawny as Jon, but he was still pretty thin. How on earth did Corinthia think she was going to hide behind him?

"It's your lucky day," The young man muttered, unbuttoning his dress shirt. He peeled the wet article off his body and held it out to Corinthia - she clearly needed it more than he did. His enhanced reflexes might help keep her shaded on the run over, but the shirt was going to have to protect her from the sun's reflection from the windows.

They didn't really have time, but if Corinthia's life wasn't at stake, she might appreciate how fit Dorian was. He didn't work out daily like his best friend, but he certainly knew how to keep his body toned. The world had enough fat millionaires. Dorian preferred to gorge on his money through more productive means.

"Put this over your head," He instructed, "Hide as much as you can. We're going to run all the way through the front hall and straight to the elevators."

Chances were, she'd get burned a little. They'd see how bad the damage was after, and worry then about what to do. Dorian had a solution in mind, but he wasn't quite sure he liked it. But they'd cross that bridge when they got there.

"Ready?"

He held a hand out to her, black eyes searching for her cooperation.

[Corinthia Debellows]

For a mere second, Corey was able to smile. She draped his shirt over her head, holding it in place with one hand, while she grabbed his hand with the other. She hesitated for an instant, before sliding closer to him. She slid her arm around his waist, which barely reached thanks to how small she is. Corey was not trying to be flirtatious, but effortlessly hoisted him a few inches off of the ground.

"This would make the run a whole lot faster," she said as her smile turned into a quick smirk. Rapidly, she recapped the directions to shelter as he had just listed them off. She nodded slightly, and sprinted off. Her speed was faster than anything imaginable, that is, unless you're a vampire. She couldn't risk running at human speed right now, it would be much safer to deal with the outcome of this.

In a few seconds, they were there. The front hall passed as only a blur, and with God-given luck, the elevators emptied out as soon as they rounded the corner. She carried him all the way to the elevator, and once the doors shut tight, she dropped him on his ass. Corey let the shirt fall off of her head, as she sunk to the ground, her knees bent to her chest

"Shit!" she cursed, as she examined the left side of her face in the mirrored elevator. A long burn mark stretched from below her ear to the bottom of her jaw. It was red, and seared. She traced her fingers over it lightly, wincing at the pain.

[Dorian Wilde]

"What the-" Dorian didn't have enough time to protest the undignified way she lifted him up. If he had any doubt concerning her species before, he didn't now. He was able to catch himself with his abnormally quick reflexes when she let go, but he didn't appreciate her lack of concern. Sure, she was understandably fearing for her life, but she was safe now. She didn't have to endanger anyone else's ass.

"Hey, don't complain," He growled, unimpressed. The young man hit the button to his floor, and the elevator started its ascent. He examined the burn to her face, and silently admitted that he would be devastated if such a scar marred his own beautiful jawline. It was obviously tender, judging by her reaction when she touched it. "It could have been a lot worse." Dorian wasn't used to being so optimistic. He opened his mouth to say something more, but thought better of it. He snatched his shirt from the floor and slung it over his shoulder.

He remained silent when the doors slid open again, and lead the way down the hall to his apartment. Dorian pulled his keys from his pocket and opened the door, still questioning the wisdom of inviting a vampire inside.

"Welcome to mi casa," He stepped into the long front hallway and removed his wet shoes. The walls were taupe, lined with an elegant beige boarding. Spotless black marble tiles glistened from the floor, and where the hallway ended a new room carpeted in white opened up, decorated with expensive furniture. It all looked very clean and very rich. The apartment reflected its owner perfectly.

"You hungry?" He removed his socks and padded barefoot to the kitchen that was to their immediate left. It was furnished in marble and sleek mahogany wood. His question might have been innocent enough if he didn't know her not-so-subtle secret...

[Corinthia Debellows]

A brief gleam of regret shone through Corey's eyes as she noticed Dorian picking himself up. Was that really necessary? Maybe there was some other option, some other path where she didn't have to reveal herself as some supernatural freak. But then again, he did ask about the school she's attending. Maybe he's used to this world of full blown freaks, maybe he is one. Whatever. What's done is done.

She pulled her hands away from her scarring jaw. If she were human such a wound would mark her forever, but she wasn't. A good feeding would probably be enough to erase it's mark, but she wouldn't feed for a while.

Corey followed him silently as he strode to his apartment, hesitating briefly before exiting the elevator. Was he really inviting her in? Or was the invitation over now that she was no longer a damsel in distress? Well, if he doesn't want her in, he'd tell her, right?

That whole thing where someone's jaw drops in awe, seems like something that only really happens in cartoons. Meaning, nobody really lets their jaw hang to the floor with little self awareness when they're shocked, right? Wrong. Corey did. That's how stunning his place was, so stunning that she forgot every sense of proper decorum and just stood in the doorway, with her mouth open enough for any old bug to just fly right in (that is, if this place wasn't spotless enough to actually have bugs).

"Um, no. I just ate," she answered half entranced. She finally shook off the astonishment, and tried to make conversation. "So, I never did get your name," she said with what was supposed to be a confident smirk, but looked more like an awkward attempt to smile.

[Dorian Wilde]

"I never got yours either," He retaliated, a playful mockery of her own tone reflected by his voice. The sound of the fridge opening could be heard from where she stood in the front hallway, and soon the hum of a microwave took over. He reappeared in the doorway.

"Let me draw the curtains in the living room, and we can sit down there," He motioned down the hall to the sitting room were the light poured in from the big floor-to-ceiling windows. Dorian often came home at ridiculously early hours when the sun was just waking, and found that its bright light wasn't very welcome when he was trying to sleep. So he invested in heavy floor-to-ceiling black curtains that when pulled across the expanse of window, completely blocked out the light.

He turned on the overhead light and yanked the curtains closed, so the light above was the only light source. He assumed electrical light wouldn't hurt the vampire, and when the microwave beeped he appeared again.

"All set," Dorian assured her, moving to the kitchen where he could extract his meal. The scent of cheese and marinara sauce and meat and spices wafted through the air when he shut the microwave door, and he joined Corinthia, fork in hand.

"I'm Dorian," He offered at last, using the fork to cut into the leftover lasagna. His eyes slid from his food to the girl in his apartment, "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

[Corinthia Debellows]

She significantly relaxed once Dorian was able to get the last trace of sunlight out of his apartment. Corey flashed him a warm smile, one she rarely ever gets to show. It was one that expressed all of her joy that she gets to keep her life, as well as all of the appreciation she felt towards Dorian.

"I'm Corinthia," she said softly, "But my friends call me Corey, and I guess you can too seeing as you saved my life and all." Her smile faded as he offered her food once more. "I'm sure, thanks" she said casually. Her expression suddenly shifted dramatically. It had hit her the situation she found herself in, that she might not be out of danger yet. Corey took a deep breath, preparing herself for what is about to come.

"So," she choked out quietly, "let's hear it. I'm sure you are probably freaking out over everything that happened and wants to know what my deal is."

[Dorian Wilde]

When she smiled, it was as though the sunlight returned. Dorian looked away, uncomfortable with the admirable thoughts popping into his head. Thankfully her smile subsided and he was able to look at her again, but the insecurity that now plagued her expression troubled him. What was she so worried about?

"Oh. No, actually, I don't really give a damn," He admitted. The young man usually tried not to cuss in front of ladies, but he was trying a little too hard to be casual. Dorian popped a forkful of lasagna into his mouth and chewed to stall for time, then said, "I just figure you're a very creative gold-digger," he dragged his tongue across his teeth to make sure there was nothing there before he gave her a joking grin.

"But seriously, if you don't want to tell me, I won't ask," because I already know, Dorian added silently, "I respect your privacy, et cetera et cetera," he waved the fork around in the air before using it again for its intended purpose, "Just... don't come onto me or anything," like biting, he grimaced, then realized how offensive that might be, "I'm ah... I'm not on the market," it was the furthest thing from the truth, but he'd prefer she thought of him as an arrogant boy in a relationship than an astute single young man. Relationships tended to blossom from expressing the latter, and Dorian was in no way looking for anything like that. He set to devouring his leftovers, giving Corey the opportunity to chat and spare him from the undignified practice of blabbering.

[Corinthia Debellows]

Her brows furrowed together at his disturbing reply. Her flirtation with him had been nothing more than a playful banter. Did he seriously believe that she was interested in him romantically. She just fucking almost died!

"Don't worry, you're not my type," Corey said as her lips twitched into a small smirk. Sure the blood reference went over his head, but it gave her a small sense of satisfaction.
"And as much as I appreciate your respect for my privacy, when it looked like I was gonna croak I did say I'd explain it all to you if you helped, and I'm a girl of my word."

[Zenharu Matsuda]

She stared at him intently with fire in her eyes. Zen guessed he had said something wrong, but that was usually the norm.

"I'll tell you what, I don't share details about my life with people I'm not close to. I get close to people by sparring them." she said, walking over to her bag and taking out some gloves. "for every point you score on me, you get one question...deal?"

Zen was confused. Did she not say before that she didn't like to spar? What was this about? He didn't like this at all, and by the looks of things she was a good fighter. He was not one to underestimate people. This girl has had years of training and is a vampire, Zen has had years of training and was a gifted. This would be an even match.

Zen stepped into the ring. "Okay, Ill take your deal, but you should expect a lot of questions. Im not going to hold back on you. Also, I cant remeber but have i gotten your name already?"
Zen stared at her with a smile, but there was more behind what he said. He wasn't going to hold back at all on her, he was in the mood for a down and very dirty fight.

[Corinthia Debellows]

OOC: Um, Zen...you posted in the wrong topic.