The World Will Stain Us

Feldmann

It was moments like these that made CC crave the liquid courage of alcohol that he'd now been missing for months while he tried to adjust to being a vampire, and only a few weeks ago, Andy had finally relented and decided to let CC drink again―much to Jinxx's disapproval. He tried to be careful about it given his lack of control yet of his powers, but it didn't always work―and it was hard, especially when the place they'd ended up in was packed with humans, to keep a leash on his insatiable hunger.

They'd finished recording the final product of "I Am Bulletproof" earlier that night, and had, predictably, gone hunting for a party to celebrate. Jinxx had stayed behind; CC was disappointed, but not surprised, since he knew Jinxx was trying to stay sober. Jake had appeared to debate staying behind with him for ten minutes before Jinxx gave him a kiss and a murmured "go on, I'll be fine;" even still, the last time he'd seen the guitarist tonight, he'd looked a little forlorn and kept glancing out the windows as if he could see all the way back to Jinxx's house.

CC himself hadn't had much to drink―in that regard, at least, he'd decided to be careful until he had more control. He lingered near a wall, content to watch the party more than be a part of it for once―and trying to keep his hunger at bay, for in the presence of so many humans it had awakened again.

CC didn't like that feeling. It was hunger such as he'd never felt as a human―gnawing, relentless hunger that clawed and dragged at his bones, his blood, his very being. A craving so strong it could obliterate every other sense, every other desire. It was dizzying, overwhelming, and terrifying―terrifying, because of what he knew he could do if he let it go unchecked.

His boyfriends made it seem so easy, to keep it leashed, to keep themselves satiated. CC knew it wasn't, not always―they'd forget to feed and issues would arise, but it wasn't the same thing. They had had centuries to adjust, to adapt, to figure it all out―some nights, CC wondered even as he curled up in their arms if he'd ever catch up.

It was the scent more than anything that made it hard, particularly in a crowd like this. Even with his senses dulled, the scent still broke through―metallic, sweet, infuriatingly enticing. It tended to take over everything―so many individual scents overlapping and blurring into one overwhelmingly powerful pull that almost begged him to find the nearest human and sink his fangs in for a taste.

Which was currently CC's problem.

Because his focus was slipping.

And all those humans were far, far too enticing.

Fight it, CC, he scolded himself, fighting to keep from slipping into hunter mode. He took a long drink of the tainted blood in his hands, hoping it would help mitigate the hunger gnawing at his bones, but it seemed the more he drank the less effect the blood had on him. He'd have to remember to ask someone about why that happened―if he managed to survive the night.

Somewhat unconsciously, CC began casting his senses around, his vampire instincts ignoring his attempts to smother them and going on autopilot searching for a suitable candidate. It wasn't long before he noticed something different about a particular scent that had gotten lost in the throng. It seemed cleaner, somehow, more elegant―and, after a few more seconds of investigation, CC identified the sweet tang of magic. Almost woody―so the owner must be...

Fae.

Oh, what a dangerous prospect. Fae were notorious for quick reaction time and crafty ways to trap and torture―as far as CC knew, no vampire had ever managed to drink faerie blood before, at least not without said faerie's permission. What a thrill it would be to be the first to do so―if he could just find―

Dimly, somewhere beneath the predator's haze that had now fallen over him despite all attempts to stop it, CC knew this was a very, very bad idea. But hunger and instinct drove him to keep searching, following the scent and scanning the room, searching for the creeping tattoos or pointed ears, hoping they weren't glamoured away.