in the darkness, there is solace [nikolina/open]

[mattie amherst?]

And I lost the taste for judging right from wrong
For my flesh had turned to fur
And my thoughts, they surely were
Turned to instinct and obedience to God.

Mathew strode down the dungeon stairs with a sly smirk plastered on his face. His boots thumping against the stone passage and echoing along the empty walls. With a swift right turn, he scurried further into the depths of his ancient home ensuring that he was not be followed. This was no leisurely stroll through the castle. This was a young man with a purpose. He winded his way through the maze of castle pathways until he reached the doors of the catacombs. He had to admit, the stacks and stacks of dusty skulls was never as off putting to him as it should have been. In fact, he welcomed the macabre like an old friend. The small ash door was just large enough for him to lower himself down into the floor below. It was in his third year that he discovered the trap door leading to the catacombs and it had been many a times that he used the door to escape from his pursuers. The darkness shrouded the bulky figure as he padded down the winding chamber, kicking a spare bone from his way. The bone made a hollow ticking as it bumped along the cobblestone, a healthy reminder that in the end they were all just rattling corpses.

Mathew slicked back his mangled locks as he knelt to the floor. Withdrawing his wand from leg holster, he firmly gripped the adorned Hawthorne stick at his side. This was not his first rendezvous in the deepest parts of the castle. The worst kind of people lurked in the shadows; what did that have to say about the Cossu? Continuing on his journey, he straightened his red button up and adjusted his leather jacket on his thick frame. He always had to maintain his pristine image even if no one was watching.

With one final quick right turn, a devilish smile twinged at his cupid bow lips. He halted at a small alcove among the rubble. Entering into the small room, his footsteps were muffled by the dirt covered floor. The walls were erected with femurs and the fixtures were adorned with skulls. It was like a home away from home for Mathew. His little paradise. There was a makeshift chair, discarded notebook pages, and a few scattered fruit cores that comprised all of the contents of the room and that was enough for him. Taking a place at his throne, he slouched in his chair and let out a harsh rumbling laugh. His fingers twisted his wand back and forth, a small spark emitted from the end as it danced in the darkness.

And now my fur has turned to skin
And I've been quickly ushered in
To a world that I confess I do not know
But I still dream of running careless through the snow
An' through the howlin' winds that blow.

tagged nikolina/open muse Furr by Blitzen Trapper
noteslike a virgin, typing for the very first time

[Rachele Mistrot♥]

Rachele had not been particularly interested in leaving the castle or being in the light. This left her only a handful of places to go, and that is how she had come to the catacombs. Admittedly it was a little morbid and creepy to most people, but she didn’t really care. The skulls and other bones never bothered her. Besides, it was one of the darkest and most quiet parts of Beauxbatons, and one did tend to run into interesting people in the shadows. Today was one of her darker feeling days.

Thus, she had pulled on her flowy black and red dress, fastened her wand on her belt and made her way towards the entrance to the catacombs. She had been unsure of what it was she would do once down there, but she often let her feelings dictate that once she was in the moment. Though she did not brief greetings to people she saw in the halls, she did not stop to chat with them. Pretty soon, she was enveloped in the quiet of the catacombs. They were quite expansive, and though she had been at Beauxbatons for many years, she had yet to explore all of the passages.

That was how she had come to find herself roaming about the silent maze of the catacombs. Something deep within her came alive when she was down there. She was unsure what that said about her, but she pushed the thought from her mind as her eyes picked up the light of something. Immediately, she pulled her wand from her belt and held it at the ready. She was not afraid, but she also knew that sometimes not all were friends who ventured down here.

[mattie amherst?]

And I lost the taste for judging right from wrong
For my flesh had turned to fur
And my thoughts, they surely were
Turned to instinct and obedience to God.

Recently, Mathew's personality had taken a turn for the worse. He had been irritable and mopey. He no longer sheepishly grinned at first year girls. He didn't gather his Cossu friends around for nights filled with mischief. Instead, Mathew avoided people at all costs. He had turned his jesting humor into cruel jeering. He would never admit it to himself but, he loathed what he became. He became the monster he was so desperately trying to avoid. He had been warned about this. His cousin cautioned him on not letting the beast triumph over who he truly was. He had failed. Miserably failed.

Instead, he perused through the Catacombs and the darkest depths of the forest searching for something to fill the empty feeling that plagued him. Room that he had founded took days for him to empty out even with the use of magic. It had been filled with outdated texts and broken school desks. It was the bony light fixtures and the bone constructed wall that had lured the young wolf to the room. It was almost calming to be surrounded by relics of the past. Now it served as his oasis. Mathew's bunk mates always occupied his room. When he first arrived to the castle there were enough rooms for the small male population that each boy was housed alone. It was his own escape. That was until the wizard enrollment numbers soared and he was shoved with strangers. They invaded his home and made it feel like a strange experience. Thus the catacombs were his only solace.

His ears twitched at the sound of shoes tapping along the path. His head flinched in the direction. Mathew stopped twirling the sparking wand. Gripping the stick firmly, he pointed it in the direction of the door. He was not going to let this home get invaded like his last. Standing from the broken chair, he slowly slinked to the door. Peeping his head out the door followed by his arm wand, he immediately lowered his arm. His shoulders sank and he let out a breathy sigh. "Rachele...." his voice slowly groaned out. How did she find him here? He had been trying to avoid any kind of disagreement with her. He knew if anyone was going to call him out on his s**t it was going to be her. "What are you doing down here? he asked exasperatedly. "I could have blown your head right off." he paused and then grinned at the young raven. "And we wouldn't want that now would we. Too pretty to waste."

And now my fur has turned to skin
And I've been quickly ushered in
To a world that I confess I do not know
But I still dream of running careless through the snow
An' through the howlin' winds that blow.

tagged nikolina/open muse Furr by Blitzen Trapper
noteslike a virgin, typing for the very first time

[Rachele Mistrot♥]

Rachele's muscles were tensed as she walked towards the light. She did not know what it was that she expected, but she was ready to shoot a spell and duck if needed. Fortunately, she was faster than most students around the school. With any luck, it would be nothing or at least a friendly person. Suddenly, an arm with a wand stuck out of a doorway. Immediately, Rachele recognized the scent and the voice. "Mathew," she breathed.

It was not as though she had been searching for him; they just seemed to always find one another. Her only intent had been to find some quiet for herself and her thoughts. She arched a brow at his tone. What did she think she was, a stalker? "Oh dear Mathew, we both know you wouldn't have," she said with a slow smirk. "As for what I am doing down here, I believe I could ask you the same question. There are darker things than me down here you know." She knew that he had never really seen her as dark, but in certain ways she definitely was just that. Like Mathew, she was a little different from a regular student.

She and Mathew were a strong couple; of this Rachele was very sure. However, she knew that they also carried things with them. He had not been himself lately, and she did want to know why. At the same time, she did not want it to be a confrontation between the two of them. Still, she cared so much for him that she could not simply ignore it, but perhaps now was not the right time to do it. Her eyes drifted briefly behind him and saw his living space or what she guessed to be his. "Come here often?" she asked lightly

[mattie amherst?]

And I lost the taste for judging right from wrong
For my flesh had turned to fur
And my thoughts, they surely were
Turned to instinct and obedience to God.

Mathew flipped his wand in his hand and slid it back into the holster strapped to his leg. He smirked at her when she breathed out his name. The familiar call of his name always seemed to calm his jittery nerves. He didn't want to admit it to anyone, especially Rachele, but, he needed her. He needed her to ground him. Without her, he grew antagonistic and arrogant. Mathew's eyes scaled up and down the girl. She looked like he was all dressed up. Perhaps she too had a date with the dead.

Mattie braced his arms against the door frame. He let out a throaty chuckle at her, "Darker things than you? Rachele wouldn't even swat a fly. She was capable of a lot more than she would act on. Mathew sometimes wished that Rachele wasn't so controlled. If she wasn't then he wouldn't feel so bad when lost control or when he was weak. She was a lot stronger than he would ever be. He could not help but let out another laugh "Rachele, you're about as dark as a rainbow."

Dropping his arms from the doorway, he motioned for her to enter into his habitat. He kicked a few pieces of parchment into the corner of his room in an attempt to clean the mess. He roughed his hands against the back of his head. He shook his head at her "Only to escape..." he trailed off. If anyone knew what it was like to be choking on crowds, it was Rachele. She never pestered him for details. It was like the young woman just knew. She always knew what he needed and when he needed her to push him.

And now my fur has turned to skin
And I've been quickly ushered in
To a world that I confess I do not know
But I still dream of running careless through the snow
An' through the howlin' winds that blow.

tagged nikolina/open muse Furr by Blitzen Trapper
noteslike a virgin, typing for the very first time

[Rachele Mistrot♥]

Rachele arched a brow as she watched Mathew’s eyes move over her. She couldn’t believe that he still looked her over the way he did. Of course, she often found herself looking him over as if it were the first time she’d seen him. Back then, she had definitely seen him as attractive, but she never would have guessed how far they would end up going together. Yes, many things in their lives and about them had changed, but they had somehow always managed to come back together. The truth was that she was entirely connected to him, and it wasn’t just from having him as a milkshake. It was beyond words or explanation. However, this meeting did seem a bit different. They were both down with the dead. Of course, she was rather dead herself.

Now she found herself pouting at his chuckle. “Yes. I am a vampire after all. Your vampire I might add.” She knew that he knew what she was capable of. He also knew how much lighter she was now than she had been before. He had helped call her back from a much different path. He had also seen her at her most vulnerable. She was honestly amazed that he could see her as a rainbow. “When did they change the colors of a rainbow?” she asked with a dramatic gasp before sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

Slowly she entered his place. She almost felt that she was trespassing here. At the same time, she also felt like she was being allowed some place special. A light laugh escaped her as he kicked the parchment. The last thing she cared about was the mess. The thing she really cared about was the well-being of the person she was standing with. Her face remained neutral at his words, but inside she could feel herself clench. She knew what he meant. Rachele desperately wanted to know what was wrong, but she also did not want to bully him into telling her. That was not her style. Instead, she simply reached up and stroked his face gently before letting her hand drop. He would do what he would do at his own pace.

[mattie amherst?]

Despite the fights, transformations and years that past, the duo seemed inseparable since the beginning. He remembered the cute little first year that trolloped around the grounds wearing bright dresses and a smile from cheek to cheek. The first time they met their friendship was started with the tiny female prancing right up to the Cossu, jutting out her hand and announcing herself "My name's Rachele Mistrot, and I was wondering if you might like some company?". Many times Mathew wondered what his life would be without Rachele. He went over all the possibilities. Without Rachele, he probably would have had a few girlfriends, no one he particularly liked, just some girl to fill the void. He might have never dated again since Rachele was the one who brought him out of his Axelle caused depression. When he truly thought about it, there was no way he would have chosen never to have met this girl. No matter how often they fought or disagreed. No matter how many times Rachele was starving herself or Mathew was denying who he was. It didn't really matter because in the end they had each other.

Mathew smirked at how she called herelf his vampire. He was proud to call her his. He hated sounding over protective but in a way it made it alright for him to call her his. "My vampire who refuses to feed..." he added, his voice almost pleading with her. Rachele would rather take care of every single person around her before caring a bit for herself. It was beyond frustrating. "Ohhh..." he drolled on "My apologies, princess of darkness." he bowed lowly at her, jeering at her comment. He peered up at her through his mop of chestnut hair, his eyes glistened as she stuck her tongue out. He was glad that they could still play and joke with one another.

He ran his meaty fingers through his mess of hair. He had to admit, he needed a hair cut. He had be avoiding the subject entirely. Just like he had been avoiding Rachele's pestering looks. Mattie knew he owed her an explanation for his recent disappearance and his behavior but, he didn't have a good excuse. He owed her at least a good excuse rather than he had just been out of it lately and needed to escape. Feeling her icy skin press against his tanned warmed face made him smile. He reached up and met her hand with his. When her hand dropped to her side, his hand scooped her hand up and pulled her close to him. There was no way that he was letting her go until he got her kiss.

[Rachele Mistrot♥]

Rachele raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh, so you would rather I snag a student to feed on then?” she asked. The thought was absolutely out of the question, but apparently he needed a bit of a reminder about why she chose the diet she did. She knew he was partly kidding, but she couldn’t let him get off that easily. They were too used to giving one another a hard time. “I don’t refuse to feed. I just refuse to be what others might expect. Besides, hunting has been very good to me.” At his second comment, Rachele let her fangs show for a moment. “I guess you are forgiven. Although, I wouldn’t call me that around my family,” she said in a light tone.

“If I’m the Princess of Darkness, what does that make you?” she asked innocently. Of course, they had once joked about him being the King of the Forest, but she wasn’t about to admit that she remembered. He was sure to remember all on his own. Besides, teasing him was so much fun. “You know you spoil me with kind words, right?” she asked him turning serious for a moment. Even though he often said things in a joking manner, she was still aware how often he said wonderful things to her. He along with her friends definitely helped make up for other people who did not understand.

The contrast of their skin temperatures always surprised Rachele. It was such a pleasant feeling, and it was different from any other she knew. She could still remember the first time she felt it. That feeling had offered her so much comfort especially the time he had found her under a tree in the rain. There were times that she wondered what might have happened if he hadn’t noticed her there, but thankfully her mind always turned back to how wonderful it had felt to have his warmth next to her at that moment. She had been about to turn to look at the space some more when he pulled her in close to him. Her eyes searched his for a moment and asked silently if he really did want a kiss from her.

[mattie amherst?]

Mathew was having a hard time keeping his facial expressions serious. He use to be this tall brooding man. Rachele had turned him as soft and jiggly as a pudding cup. Her comment about snagging a student made him roll his eyes at her. In all seriousness, he didn't care what she fed on. He did, however, have a preference which was not the closest Sournois that made her pissy. Mathew closed the distance between him and his little vampire. He chest pressed against hers and his arm snaked behind her "No, but you could snag me anyday."

Hunting had been good for her? Last time they went hunting she practically was killed. He jabbed gently at her ribs "I don't know, you look like you are getting pretty skinny on me. You might need the King of the Forest to show you how its done again." He answered two of her questions with one simple reply. He liked how they interacted with each other. Never having to take the other too serious made all the serious bits of their life manageable. They were good for each other no matter how much Mathew denied it. He couldn't let her win all the battles.

Rachele's family had always been problematic in their relationship. She cared so much about what they thought of her. Of who she was or better yet what she was. It had a big impact on her and it disheartened Mattie to see her so affected by their words."Oh yeah? What are they going to do about it if I did?" At her remarks he pulled her tighter against him. "You deserve those kind words, don't let anyone tell you different." Mattie's index finger hooked under her chin. His mixmatched orbs scanned her face. She was always beautiful and graceful in his eyes. The way she walked and moved about a room was entrancing. Heck, the way she closed her eyes and her lips parted could keep him mesmerized for hours.

He pressed his cupid bow lips against hers only for a moment. Her icy lips froze his, the sensation numbing his lips. He pulled away he gave her a cheeky smile. "Didn't think I'd let you get away that easily did you?"

[Rachele Mistrot♥]

The eye roll did not escape Rachele's notice. She knew that she had the option of feeding on people in a way that would not leave bodies lying about the place. However, the idea of taking that route was not one that appealed to her. She found feeding to be a particularly intimate thing when shared with another person. She was unsure if other vampires felt this way or if it was simply because the first time that she was actually aware that she was feeding on a person it had been with Mathew. She had fed on them when she was first turned, but she could not remember that time. The frenzy had been upon her then. Her mind was preoccupied with the thought, that she almost jumped when Mathew closed the distance between them. "You better be careful who you are trying to tempt," she told him lightly. However, the temptation was a very real thing for her.

Rachele's dark eyes flashed for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I am perfectly capable, thank you," she told him. "Hunting has been good to me. Perhaps I appear skinny because it has been a while since you've seen me. Maybe I saw one of your least favorite people and was not allowed to hunt." She made a face briefly at him. She knew that he was aware she could hunt. It was just a little unfortunate that she had been in a couple of tight spots when he was around.

Family was definitely a difficult subject for Rachele. There were members who were very supportive, but others not so much. She let herself go almost limp in Mathew's arms. Sometimes she just needed to feel his strength. "Are you sure you want to know, love?" she asked with a slightly sad tone in her voice. His words of encouragement sent a warm feeling into her heart, and yet again she had to marvel that she had managed to find such an amazing person like him. As he lifted her chin up to look at him, her eyes slowly rose to meet his. "I could live 1,000 years and not deserve all your words, Mathew." She let her eyes look deep into his. He had no idea how entranced she was by him. He was more than anything she could have dreamed of.

The warm feeling of his lips against her cold ones took over her senses for a moment. She loved their kisses. Though, she sometimes wondered if he missed the warmth she used to have. "And suppose I did get away. Would you chase after me?" she asked teasingly as she stepped away ready to spring.