Prompt: vampire AU
Since this isn't the main universe, a little background info/premise; Four young ninja - Kai, Cole, Jay, and Zane - have been recruited as the masters of the Elements of Creation by the mysterious and wise Master Wu. Though they have progressed quickly in their training and mastery of their Golden Weapons, they've been unable to prevent war from breaking out. The five serpentine tribes have been released upon Ninjago, and the valiant ninja have been caught in a war for Ninjago City for some time now. Recently, the war of ninja vs. serpentine has been overshadowed by a new syndicate rising on the streets of Ninjago. After an encounter where the ninja barely escaped with their lives followed by some research through Wu's ancient tomes, it has become clear that a second ancient evil has returned; vampires. Caught in a three way stalemate war for their home, the ninja struggle to maintain morale. None of them have yet unlocked their True Potential, and the famed green ninja has yet to be found. At this point, their competition for the title has died down under the pressure of war. ~
Jay breathed deeply, relaxing as the cool forest air entered his lungs. Even with serpentine and vampires on the loose, a walk through the forest at night always calmed Jay. The endless green of the dense forest masked by fog soothed Jay. If he was lost in the woods, nobody could find him, either. Besides, he wasn't defenseless even if the forest did turn out to be a dangerous place. He was dressed like a civilian, but his Nunchucks of Lightning were strapped to his shirt, hidden behind his blue jacket. If any vampires, serpentine, or woodland beasts approached him he could call his Storm Fighter and blast back to the city in record time.
He broke into a run, the cool night air lightly stinging his face. Jay's smiled turned downward at the continuous buzzing of his phone. Determined not to let his friends put a damper on his 'me' time, he kept running while he pulled his phone out to type a quick response.
Kai: Where are you, dude? Haven't heard from you in hours
Zane: If you are out, please buy more cheese
Cole: What, not enough fanged bad guys out there to scare you? It's after dark, where'd you go?
Just flew out of the city for a run in th- Jay ran into something and his phone went flying.
"Sorry, I really need to start watching where I'm going. Let me help you up" a soft, mesmerizing voice offered Jay. He looked up and was dumbstruck by the sight of the most gorgeous woman he'd ever laid eyes on.
"Please, it's the least I can do" she wiggled her outstretched hand, indicating for Jay to take it. He let her help him stand, struggling to find the right thing to say.
"Here, is this your phone?" She knelt down to pick up his device. "It's cracked down the side, did I break it? How can you tell?" she fumbled with the phone before finally getting the screen to light up. Satisfied with her investigation, she pressed the fully functional device into his hand.
"May I ask what you're doing running in the woods so late?"
"What do you mean?" Jay asked, still trying to work up the courage to meet her eyes for more than two seconds before looking away. His cheeks felt warm. He really hoped they weren't red...
"Well, you're either going for a night jog or being chased by something terrible."
"Uh-night jog."
"Figures. The worst thing anyone's ever seen in these woods is an angry raccoon stealing someone's garbage. Oh- you're bleeding, on your knee. Let me look at it" she stooped down and inspected the tear in his jeans. Jay stood rigid, completely still while his brain desperately turned its gears, attempting to determine how he should react.
"Does it sting?" she looked at the wound intently.
"Not.. really" Jay said slowly.
"It's scraped up pretty bad" she wobbled on her toes slightly.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, I just have a thing about blood... I can take care of it at my home," she offered, "a scrape like that deserves immediate medical care. Or maybe, I'm just trying to get you alone so I can murder you" she giggled at his dumbfounded expression. "Is that what you're thinking right now?"
"Ha," Jay laughed nervously, "no, not really my main concern." I'm the Blue Ninja, you have no idea how much I'm not concerned about that. Not even the serpentine generals could put me down.
"Look at me, I couldn't hurt you if I wanted to" she made a show of flexing her arms. "I have the upper body strength of a ten year old. Unless I happened to have some kind of weapon on me, but I don't. But feel free to pat me down and find out for yourself" she added flirtatiously.
"Uh- I don't- y-uh, you-you live around here, you mentioned?" Jay finally managed a full sentence, evading her last comment.
"I live in a trailer, I guess you could call it, not far from here. Come on."
~
"You didn't answer my question, you know" the mysterious woman broke the silence as she led Jay through the woods.
"What question is that?"
"Why you're out here."
"I'm on a jog, I did answer that question."
"Yes, but why you're going out this late. People only go on a job this late at night for one of three reasons. One, they're unhappy with their body. I can't imagine that being you" she turned to eye him up and down. "Two, they need fresh air to clear their heads, or three, they just really enjoy exercise."
"Ah, two, then. I had a lot on my mind."
"Did you, then? Clear your head?"
"Eh, not really."
"I guess that's my fault, I interrupted you. Feel free to continue your run now if you want."
"Hmm.. I'm good, too tired now" Jay came up with an excuse to keep walking with her.
"Come on, now, all you need is a surge of adrenaline. You know, I could always give you something to run from..."
"What, you?" Jay's brain finally allowed him a modicum of confidence.
"What, I'm not scary enough? Hmm. If you won't run from me, how about to me?"
"You wanna play tag all of the sudden? Alright, why not then..." Jay agreed, confused by her change in attitude.
"You're it" she whispered in his ear. He whirled around to tag her back. "Ah - not so fast. You've gotta count to three. Now.. close your eyes" she whispered in his other ear.
Jay complied and counted to three. He started off in one direction but turned as her voice sounded out from the trees.
"Over here!"
"Nope, too slow" her voice came from behind him now, opposite of where the had been.
"How.." Jay spun around.
"Now, where could I be?" her voice from a third direction.
"I bet you're wondering-" he could hear her in another place again .
Jay twisted and spun, desperately trying to keep up with her.
"How I'm going from here-" another new location.
"To here so quickly?" she had moved again.
It dawned on him at last that he'd been played. There wasn't much they'd been able to find on them, what they could do, but Jay knew that at this speed she could only be a vampire.
"Where is she now?" her voice echoed, seemingly from above him.
He stumbled backward a few steps, beating himself up for playing right into her hands. A pretty girl wanted his attention, and he'd unquestioningly followed her deep into the dark forest.
"I'm right here, silly" she was directly in front of him, her face an inch away from his. Jay let out a startled cry, pulling his nunchucks out in a second. But he didn't get another second to raise them and swing before she was behind him.
"Sorry about this" she murmured into his ear. Two small, sharp blades pierced his neck. Not blades, he realized. Jay frantically swung his nunchaku behind him, missing her by a mile. One moment she was behind him, the next she was pinning him to a tree.
"Stop screaming," she cooed, "I can think of many great ways to wake the neighbors, but this isn't one." His grip on his weapon weakened and she slapped them out of his hand. "Shush, and stop struggling. It won't hurt that much if you sit still. Now don't mind me, I'll just.." Jay groaned weakly as her fangs pierced his skin.
"My my, what luck to find not just a ninja walking straight to me through my woods, but it's the cute one." she grinned at her incredible luck.
Jay's beginning attempts at a response were cut short as the beautiful vampire who had so easily tricked him bit into his neck a third time. She pulled away a moment later, and he slumped against the tree, his legs shaking.
"Okay, I'm done this time for real. Thank you for your cooperation. Is it cooperation if you're held down against your will?" she asked herself quizzically.
"I'd have to say a resounding no to that... lack of consent and all.." Jay muttered quietly.
"I didn't plan on having more than a taste, but you... are irresistible. If you didn't know, elemental masters have the best blood. And of them all, a master of one of the Elements of Creation... there's nothing better."
"How did you know I was-"
"Oh, really now" she cut him off. "I could smell the lightning in your blood before I could even hear you."
"Well played," Jay congratulated her deceit, "now make it quick, if you don't mind."
"You didn't think I was going to kill you?" she asked incredulously. "Do you truly think so lowly of me?" she shook her head. "Kill you.. and waste a perfectly good human being, a delicacy at that, absolutely not. You're scared though, I get it. Right now you probably have a million questions, you're trying to remember everything you know about vampires."
She leaned in close to whisper, "Maybe how to kill one. That's okay. I'll tell you right now... you drive a stake through their heart."
Why would you tell me how to kill you? That's a pretty obvious trick, stakes must not work. He made a mental note to tell the others not to bother with stakes.
"But you wouldn't actually do that, would you? I can trust.. you can't I?"
"Huh.. umm..."
"Because if I can't, I would actually have to kill you. And I really, really don't want to. I like you, and I think if you took the time to get to know me, you'd like me too."
Jay huffed disbelievingly. The vampire that almost killed him wanted to be friends now? Or was she just looking for her most delicious bloodbag to not fight back the next time she was hungry? At least she knew he was dangerous. It made him feel a tiny bit better about himself that she was trying to avoid a fight in the future.
"You liked me five minutes ago" she called him out on his attraction to her. "Why else would you have followed me into the woods? We both know that knee didn't need urgent medical treatment."
Jay remained silent, though he could feel his reddening cheeks give him away. It was a wonder he even had enough blood for that to happen. Seriously, who designed the human body? I can hardly stand, but this happens to me anyway. Jay mentally shook his fist at whatever god created Ninjago. The First Spinjitzu Master, Wojira, whoever. Curse them for making it so that he couldn't hide anything of his feelings from her.
"But no," she continued, smugly making a note of his blush, "you followed me here. Which means at least a part of you wants to know me, or did five minutes ago."
"You know who I am. You know I don't deal with vampires except to beat 'em up."
"What? Do you not want to know me? Because I see that look in your eye. You're scared, angry, sure.. but also intrigued.
Jay looked down. As much as he wanted to deny her, call her a liar, he couldn't. He knew he should hate her, try to keep fighting, but all he felt was fascination. Even before he was drained of blood, he got a lightheaded, fuzzy feeling in his stomach when he looked at her.
"Tell you what," she licked her lips, relishing the electric tang of his blood, "you keep doing these little... favors for me, and I'll lighten up the attacks on Ninjago. Yes, I have the authority to make that happen. And I'll answer any questions you have about vampires."
"Don't hurt anyone else. If you promise not to feed on any other innocent people, I'll agree to your terms. Oh and when you do attack Ninjago, I'm not holding back on your goons."
"Hmmm" she hummed, considering his additions to the deal. "Fair enough. It's hard to go back to the basic stuff after you've had a taste of the good life, anyway."
"Alright, now questions... well to start with, what's your name?"
"Nya," she replied, "my name is Nya."
~ This one was a lot of fun, and a great excuse to research a bunch of vampire stories lol. I found a particular favorite a lot of this is inspired by (bonus points if anyone happens to guess!)
Vampire Jaya is honestly a goldmine so I've been really excited to get to this one! It's the longest story I've done yet by quite a bit, so here's hoping that in this instance quantity = quality.
Not sure where I'd go with the larger plot of the three way war and the other characters, but there's more to be done with the Jaya part for sure, if anyone's interested...