A/N: This is a
vampire story and has some violence attached, though it's not graphic. It's my
first AU so be kind if the characters aren't quite right (I do believe that's
the point to AU.) And no this wasn't inspired by Twilight. I started writing it
before I saw the movie, if anything it's inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer
and Angel the Series.
========================================
Disclaimer: I didn't make up the bit about Romanian being a romantic language.
All of the Romanian spoken in this story wasn't made up either and as I don't
actually speak the language I used an online translator which may not be very
precise.
Destined
by Barnaby
My daughters are fans of the cinema. They
like attending premiers of movies and then having the soundtracks when they’re
available. Caroline has the soundtrack from the movie ‘Eragon’.
There is one particular song on this soundtrack that always strikes me. 'Once
In Every Lifetime'.
I have seen the movie, Cassidy asked me
one evening to sit with them while they watched it. It is an enchanting movie
and I did not fail to notice the symbolism. Destiny.
That one word strikes fear in someone
like me, for it is my destiny to live as I am. To be something that I no longer
recognise as being me.
244 years ago I was born. 44 years later
I was reborn.
I was born Mezianic
Preznio of
For 15 years I was a gypsy maiden but
that would change. I married my very first husband at the then tender age. He
was a no good farmer's boy, but I needed to be wed. No-one else would accept an
unmarried gypsy girl past the age of 16 and my birthday was fast approaching.
By the age of 20 I'd already had four children. My life between the age of 20
and 44 is not worth re-telling.
In 1809 about 10 days after my 44th
birthday I was turned. I had no idea by what until I met that, what did that
stupid imbecile call himself, ah yes a Watcher. Shortly after was when I
changed my name.
I am what's termed a Vampyr,
Vampire if you prefer the simplistic label.
There are so many misconceptions about
vampires, such as we are 'allergic' to sunlight. That simply isn't true, if it
was I wouldn't be able to control my empire. It is you know, Runway, it is my
empire, I built it up to what it is today. Once again I digress.
I had accepted that for 195 years I was a
beast, something to be feared. I worked as anything possible, sometimes I just
stole my wealth, until 25 years ago. I got my opportunity to live as a wealthy
woman and actually get paid for it and I was happy with that.
In 200 years I have had many loves though
I had never truly loved them. 5 years ago that all changed, thanks to her.
Andrea.
I had changed my name in the late 1900's,
around the 1970's, to something a little less known, Mary Sî nge was a well known woman. Miranda Priestly was the name I
chose, I don't know how I come up with these names, but I came to
I still fed, I occasionally hunted, and
rarely tormented but that was all to survive. A vampire needs to survive,
especially the elders. With so many younglings running around, thinking they
own the streets, living up to the misconceptions of living in darkness and all
the rest; someone has to teach the ways of the old to the new generation.
In 2004 I no longer cared if I survived.
I had given up. My twin girls, who aren't of course mine, again it's true
vampire's can't reproduce, weren't enough to keep me going. 1 year later she
walked into my office. I looked at her, in that tan skirt and horrible white
sweater, and in that moment I had found my reason to keep 'living'.
I know that I was downright horrible to her
but after spending almost 200 years feeling alone, it was hard to accept that I
may have a chance to let this young girl in and find someone to spend my days
with for the rest of her life.
I refuse to let my selfish desires get
the best of me, I would not turn her just to have her stay by my side because
if given an eternity what would happen if she chose someone else? In a way I
guess that is still selfish.
It would kill me, if I weren't already
dead.
But then again I am already 'dying'.
Someone I thought I could depend upon, someone I trusted, had left me. She left
after just under a year in my employ, she obviously could not stand to be in
the company of a 'grumpy old bitch'. If only she knew how old.
Andrea.
She has, and possibly will for the
foreseeable future, occupied my thoughts and my senses. It was very hard for me
in the beginning, perhaps that was why I treated her as I did. It was hard to
resist the sound of her blood pumping through her veins, her sweet yet musky
scent. It was even hard to resist her babbling.
I have never before felt myself losing
control around a mortal until she came into my life.
For the first time, in my un-dead
existence, I was losing control and when she walked out of my life, that
fateful day in
Another of the myths, by the way, is that
vampires don't love or cannot love. This I must confess is not the case for I
am deeply in love with Andrea Sachs and I am a 244 year old vampire.
It started early during Andrea's tenure
at Runway. I noticed the girl that did not want to be noticed. It was why I
picked on that hideous cerulean sweater that she insisted on wearing. I then
had no choice but to notice her when that makeover happened. She was the most
beautiful creature, and I had seen my fair share, that I had ever seen.
I am yabbering.
Miranda Priestly does not yabber.
The point is, I am a Vampire and I have
been for 200 years. There is one other point which is that I am in love with
Andrea Sachs.
_ _
v-v
Andy was worried.
She couldn't tell you why or what for or
anything like that but she was worried.
Lily was supposed to pick her up from the
Mirror over an hour ago, they were going to dinner at some swanky new
restaurant that Lily had heard of. When she'd tried to call Lily's cell phone
she got nothing, when she tried calling the gallery she was told that Lily had
already left for the night and when she called Lily's home phone, she got
zilch.
It was so unlike Lily. When she swore to
you she'd be there to pick you up at
When Lily hadn't been waiting for her in
the lobby of the Mirror she'd waited for her to show, just in case she was
running a bit late. When Lily still hadn't shown at
Turning a corner Andy tried sending Lily
a text. Knowing how futile it was since Lily wasn't answering her phone.
Being busy with sending the text message
she hadn't realized that she'd turned into an alley until it was too late.
Hearing muffled cries coming from the end of the alley, Andy crept forward
hoping to see what was going on. There was a dark shadow standing with their
back to her with a young woman in their arms, that much she could see.
Creeping even further towards the two
figures she heard the muffled cries getting slightly louder. At first she had
thought they were making out, it was easy to think so while they were in a
position that looked intimate, but as she got closer she could see the dark
figure squeezing the woman to him, she could now tell the dark figure was male.
It was almost as if he were draining the life out of her.
The cries from the woman had now stopped
and now she was laying lifelessly in his arms. The man dropped the body and
turned towards Andy. "Tîmpit fată, tu trebiue nu
a fi afară aici by tu însuti (stupid girl, you
should not be out here by yourself.)" He spoke fluently in a language she
couldn't understand.
"I... ah... um" Andy stammered,
too shocked by the blood dripping from his chin to do anything.
"I vill
kill you" he said in heavily accented English.
"Um..." Andy stuttered, trying
to walk backwards.
Sure she'd heard the urban legends of
Vampires, never for one minute believing them, knowing that just as ghosts
weren't real, neither were vampires. Obviously they were true.
The Vampire in front of her came closer
and again said "I vill kill you."
"Spate sus,
Benezito (Back up, Benezito)"
A female voice demanded in what Andy guessed was the same language the man had
used. "I said back up Benezito, leave!" She
growled in English as she jumped down in front of Andy.
"Mezianic,
este bun la spre a vedea tu iar
(Mezianic, it is good to see you again)"
"I abil întoarcere art.hot. expresie (I cannot return the expression)" She spoke
to the man then turned her head slightly to the side and spoke to Andy
"Leave, now!"
Andy couldn't see the female's face but
from the back and the hair she could have sworn that Miranda Priestly was
standing in front of her. She could have sworn that was the voice that had said
'that's all' to her a little over four years ago, the same voice that whispered
the drawn out version of her name in her dreams while Andy drove her to the
brink of ecstasy.
The same voice that was urging her to run
for her life. "Miranda?" she whispered without knowing that her mouth
had formed any words.
"Leave Andrea, NOW!"
And without a second thought or doubt in
her mind Andy knew that it was Miranda standing in front of her.
"How?"
"I will explain if we are both alive
at the end of this."
"Miranda, he's..."
Miranda interrupted her "I know what
he is, Andrea, leave" she growled when the girl still wouldn't move.
"Benezito, de ce eşti
tu aici? (why are you
here?)" Andy heard as she was running out of the alley.
_ _
v-v
"Can I not come to see my vife?" He replied in English.
"I am not your wife, I haven't been
since 1809." Miranda replied, almost snarling at the man.
"You turned me Mezianic,
vhat vill you do vhen I turn her?" Benezito
changed the subject and asked as if he knew something she didn't.
"What are you talking about?"
"You are in love vith
her. Do not deny the truth Mezianic."
"I am not. She was my
assistant." Miranda denied everything and she would continue to deny
everything until she took her last breath, which was pretty much never going to
happen.
"I know that the vay
you showed up here tonight could only mean you haf
been vatching her or that you haf
your senses attuned to her. I know you Mezianic, I
hunted vith you in the beginning, I vatched you fall in love vith
humans and Vampires alike. This is like you I tink."
He spoke in his fragmented English.
"Acesta este nu adevărat (it is
not true)" Miranda spoke again in their native tongue.
"Acesta este foarte adevărat, Mezianic, I know you better than you know yourself (it is
very true, Mezianic)" he said half in Romanian
and English.
"You know nothing about me any
longer Benezito. Leave this place and do not
return."
"I cannot do as you ask. She is very
enticing Mezianic. I see now vhy
you are in love vith her."
"I am not. I will make you leave Benezito, you know I will, I am giving you the option of
walking away with your un-dead life." Miranda threatened as she moved
closer to the male vampire.
"Then you vill
haf to kill me. Again."
Miranda didn't even consider it twice and
before you could attempt to say “go for it Miranda” she’d attacked. With lightning
speed Miranda had Benezito pinned against the wall
behind him. “I gave you fair warning Benezito.”
“That you did Mezianic,
but I cannot leave.” He laughed at the expression on her face. Before he could
process what had happened Miranda had hit him in the jaw. “Vhat
are you going to do? You cannot kill me.”
“I can do anything I like.” She growled
as she landed punch after punch to his person.
He’d had enough and started hitting her
back knowing that he could not harm her but wanting to at least bruise the
pristine skin of the woman that had turned him into a monster. Pushing her away
from him he followed and started his own attack landing blow after blow to her
body that lay sprawled on the ground. “You are pathetic, Mezianic,
vhere is the voman that I haf known to be vicious?”
Standing so suddenly that it actually
surprised Benezito Miranda shoved him in the chest
and smiled when he landed with a heavy thud. Snarling she stalked to the man.
“I am still here Benezito, I am not as you knew me
but I am still here. I am going to offer you one last chance to leave and never
come back.” Though she knew he wouldn’t leave.
“I vill not go.
You vill haf to kill me to
make me leave.”
“Done.” She exclaimed as she hit him
again. There was nothing like a fight between two preternaturally strong
people. She would try and draw this fight out as long as she could.
After a while of trading blows Miranda
had finally grown weary and could feel herself weakening. Landing a final blow
to his torso she reached behind her where she lay against some old crates and
pulled out a pointed piece of wood before Benezito
had the chance to register the move. Pulling her arm back beside her she waited
until he pulled back and drove the piece of wood through his chest.
“Mezianic?” he
said in the few moments before his life would end forever.
“Bun, Benezito
(Goodbye, Benezito)” She whispered as he turned to
dust all over her.
_ _
v-v
“Andrea, are you here?” Miranda called
from her position at the back of the alley though she knew the girl was still
there, she could smell her. She was proven right as the girl stepped into the
mouth of the alley.
“Miranda?” Andy asked coming forward
cautiously.
“I will not bite Andrea. You can come
closer.”
Andy came closer and knelt beside her
still a little cautious. “You… you’re like…” she stammered unable to form any
kind of coherent sentence.
“Yes Andrea, now you know.” Miranda
interrupted the pitiful girl.
“You’re a… um…”
“A vampire? Yes and you know that you can
say it without becoming one, don’t you?”
“He kept calling you Mezianic,
I think, I couldn’t really hear much.”
“Yes. Help me up and call Roy, I will
explain as soon as we are alone.”
“My apartment is closer then your house.
Would you be able to handle that?” Andy asked with a slight teasing to her
voice.
“Yes I suppose. Call Roy, tell him where
we are and that he is not to get out of the car when he arrives.”
“He doesn’t know?”
“Of course he does, just do it Andrea, he
will know why I said it.” Miranda snapped at her.
_ _
v-v
Just over half an hour later Andy opened
the door to her apartment and watched as Miranda moved sluggishly through it.
She could tell the older woman was hurt but was trying not to show it. “Would
you like anything to drink?”
“No Andrea. I require nothing of the
sort.” She snapped again.
“Look” Andy said getting rather
defensive. “Despite my shock I am trying to be nice. Do you think you could at
least attempt to be nice back?”
“I apologise
Andrea. I am a little tense still.” She sighed, she really didn’t want to have
this conversation but she knew they had to. “I am Mezianic
Preznio, I was born in 1765 in Romania. At the age of
15, which was common in that time, I married a no good farmers son. Benezito Alurius” She looked away
from the girl who had sat herself next to her on the couch. “He is… was the man
in the alley tonight. In 1809 I was turned into a vampire and have lived like
this since.”
Andy really didn’t want to believe it and
when Miranda continued she listened carefully. “I turned him about a year after
I myself was turned. We continued to live as a married couple for the sake of
our four children, though they were grown by then. When Benezito
reached the age of 76 though he didn’t look a day over the age of 55 we staged
his death. It was a common age to die and they way he ‘died’ was supposed to be
just as common, Smallpox.”
“What happened to you? I mean how did you
‘die’?”
“Benezito died
in 1830 at the age of ‘76’ I ‘lived’ for 15 more years after him and 'died' at
the age of ‘80’ in 1845, though I too looked no older than 44.” She sighed. “As
to how I passed, it was natural causes. I simply positioned myself in my bed
and closed my eyes as I heard my son come into the house. He found me moments
later, cold and without a pulse though I hadn’t actually had a pulse for 36
years. I regret that he had to find me but he was 64 years old, he should have
been able to handle it.”
“Miranda… I don’t…”
“Will you ever spit out a sentence?”
Miranda asked mockingly. “May I continue with my explanation now?” She watched
as Andy nodded. “Good. I changed my name shortly after being turned and
everyone, including Benezito, knew me by Mary Sî
nge which translated means Mary Bloody. Bloody Mary
was an English matriarch long before I became Mary Bloody. My children still
only knew me as Mezianic Alurius.
I was known by that name because of the way I treated my victims. I will not
tell you anymore than that.”
“So why Miranda Priestly then? Why change
your name again?”
“Because Mary Sî nge was well known as a torturer. I had garnered a lot of
unwanted attention in my time, Andrea, there were many stories floating around.
Tales, legends, myths, ‘Mary Bloody will suck your blood until you are no
longer human, she will torture you until you pass out from the pain’.” She paused
in remembrance “That was one of my favourites. Before
I got the job as an assistant editor at Elias-Clarke in the early 1970’s I
changed my name to Miranda Priestly.”
“Okay.” Andy said after a long pause. “I
don’t get it. You had windows, huge windows, in your office. You went out in
the sunlight. I thought vampires couldn’t go out in the day time.”
“Pure myth.” Miranda dismissed it easily.
“Just like the myth about us not being able to love. There are many myths about
vampires and too many younglings are making them truths. They live under the
cover of darkness, they don’t go out in the sunlight. They ‘play’ with their
food or are just plain violent with it. Feeding off a human does not have to be
a violent act, it can be a very intimate experience at times.” Miranda
explained. “Do you really think that if I couldn’t go out in the day time that
I would be the person I am?”
“No, I guess not.” Andy whispered. “The
whole vampire thing explains a few things about you that I had attributed to
not liking me. It also explains why you’re so pale.”
“Andrea you must understand that I only
behaved like that because I could feel myself loosing control over my carefully
constructed walls. I knew that if I allowed you to see the real me I would lose
all semblance of control.” Miranda looked away from her again. “I cannot lose
control around you.”
Andy looked at Miranda. She could see
that the older woman was keeping a very tight reign on her control even now.
“Why?”
“Because, Andrea, you wormed your way
between my defences and cracks were beginning to
form. I began to tune my senses to you. I knew when you were always in the
building before you even exited the elevator at the Runway office.”
Andy needed to change the subject and
fast. “Going backwards, you said you were born in Romania. Is that the language
you and your husband were speaking in while you were in the alley?”
“Yes. Romanian is a very romantic
language, or so they say. Personally I think French is more romantic.”
“Is this why you speak fluent French?”
“Being a vampire? Yes. I’ve spent a fair
amount of my un-dead life travelling to France. I
have always adored the country.” She sighed wistfully.
“Okay. Where else have you been?”
“I’ve lived in just about every country,
Andrea, but Romania remains the one I’ve lived in for longer. When you are
almost 245 years of age you find that you acquire a vast array of knowledge and
you live in a lot of different places. Especially when someone finds out about
the monsters that hunt humans and a vigilante group begins hunting you instead.
That was not one of my most fun moments.”
Andy gasped when Miranda said how old she
was. “245?”
“You are not that slow, surely when I
said I was born in 1765 you figured I was older than I appear.”
“Oh sure but when you put an actual
number there it really floors a person, you know.”
“I know Andrea. Do you not think I am
reminded of how old I am everyday? I am surrounded by women, girls really, in
their early 20’s. When I was their age I’d already had four children, been
married for five years and was certainly not the socialite I am now. Things
were different in the late 18th century.”
“There’s another thing I just figured
out. Your proper speech pattern, it’s not because you’re trying to be proper, is
it? It’s because English isn’t your first language, am I right?” Andy asked
excited that she’d discovered something.
“Yes Andrea” Miranda rolled her eyes
“never mind the fact that I have had over 200 years to perfect any language I
so choose.”
“Okay sorry. Back to what you were saying
about knowing when I was around. What were you talking about?” Andy asked
finally ready to revisit that topic.
“You were always a person of interest to
me. Right from the first day I met you, that day you walked into my office and
I interviewed you, well if you could call it an interview. It took one sniff of
your scent to intoxicate me for the rest of my un-dead life.” Miranda paused.
“Vampires can smell a human’s blood and just like DNA a scent is unique to a
human. I cannot get your scent out of my head after three years do you really
think it would have been easier while you were in my employ?”
“No, but…”
“I can also smell your fear no matter
where you are and tonight I could smell it a mile away. You were afraid and so
I took action. I came to the alley because I knew you were in danger and I
could feel his presence in the city. As soon as your fear registered I knew he
was the cause of it. There was only one other vampire in my clan that was more
vicious than me.”
“That male vampire, Benezato,
or whatever.”
“Benezito. Yes.
I had hoped he would not come looking for me anymore.”
“I heard him say that you have attuned
your senses to me and you said that you had begun to tune them.”
“When I fall in love with someone, and I
mean real love, I tune my senses to them and only them. It is something I do
subconsciously. Benezito has seen me do that a lot of
times and he couldn’t understand how he wasn’t one of those people.” Miranda
sighed and looked at Andy again. "I do not know how he came to the
conclusion, I haven't seen him for over 60 years."
"Maybe he sensed it." Andy
supplied not so helpfully.
"He couldn't have. Benezito didn't have the senses I do, he never bothered to
hone them. He only used them to hunt."
Andy thought for a moment then said
"I wonder who that woman was. I didn't think to check when you called me
into the alley."
"The police will find her, I'm
sure."
"How can you be?" Miranda
flinched slightly at this. "How can you be so sure Miranda."
"Because they already have. Andrea
enhanced hearing has it's benefits and a very long range. We are not very far
from the crime scene."
"Oh. I guess we'll be reporting on
the death of a poor woman tomorrow."
"Andrea listen to me, under no
circumstances are you to tell anyone about this."
"Like anyone would believe me
anyway."
"Andrea, promise me you will not
tell anyone." Miranda sounded desperate.
She'd never heard Miranda sound
desperate, not even in that Paris motel room when she talked about the twins
losing another father figure. God the twins. "Miranda, I promise. You
should get going, the twins will be worried."
"Preternatural speed Andrea, besides
they're not home."
"Okay. We should take a look at
those cuts and bruises." Andy said only now remembering the beating she'd
heard Miranda take.
"They are fine Andrea. They will
heal a lot faster than any you would receive."
"Are you going to rub the whole
preternatural thing in my face? I'm trying to be nice again."
"There is no need Andrea."
"No need for what?"
"To rub it in but there is also no
need to check my wounds, most of them are healing already."
"Would you humour
me? You saved my life" Miranda went to interrupt her "no, hey, no
interrupting 'the I'm grateful you saved my life' speech. You may not think you
did but well if you hadn't jumped down in front of me he would have killed
me."
Miranda looked at her seriously, giving
in to her feelings. When Andy wouldn't look at her she grabbed the girls chin.
"I wouldn't have let him hurt you, I will never let anyone hurt you."
Andy had no choice but to look into
impossibly blue, yes they were blue, eyes. Searching the eyes that she had
dreamt about often she saw nothing but sincerity.
"I believe you Miranda. Now will you
let me check your bruises?"
"I am not sure what you hope to gain
from the experience, I cannot go to a hospital nor can I die from internal
injuries." She said while standing and unbuttoning her shirt. "Well
this shirt is ruined" she grumbled as she caught sight of the dirt and
slime covering it.
"I have one that would probably fit
you so that you can wear it home. If you want that is."
Sliding the shirt from her shoulders
Miranda stared Andy in the eyes "perhaps. We shall see."
As the dark purple bruises were revealed
to her Andy gasped, rather loudly. "My God Miranda."
"I told you they will heal."
"Still, they're there because of
me." Andy reached out to touch a brown and yellow bruise already beginning
to heal on Miranda's hip but stopped herself.
"Andrea, look at me." Andy
shook her head "Andrea, please look at me." Andy lifted her eyes.
"These bruises are here because of you but there is no need to feel guilty
about them. These bruises are here because I saved the life of the woman that
means more to me than anything. You are here with me now because of these
bruises." Miranda let her hand rest on Andy's cheek "I will be
grateful to these bruises because it means that I have a second chance."
"Miranda" Andy breathed out in
a whisper. "I have a confession of my own to make. I have felt things for
you that an assistant should not feel for their ungrateful boss."
"Believe what you will about me
Andrea, but do not believe that I was ungrateful."
"Right because you always seemed
grateful especially after Harry Potter." Andy laughed lightly.
"That was a punishment, for going
into parts of my house that you should not have entered, for witnessing the end
of my marriage. A loveless marriage, I'll admit."
"Huh." Andy said taking a step
back and turning toward the window.
"I regret every moment, I was trying
to come up with ways to keep you at bay. Remember the crumbling of carefully
built walls." Miranda stepped up behind Andy and slipped her arms around
the younger woman in front of her. "You are so very warm." Miranda
whispered close to Andy's ear.
"I didn't notice it before but you
are pretty cold. I guess that comes with being dead."
"You would guess right. Andrea
please do not be angry. It was a measure to ensure self preservation."
"I can't actually be angry about it
considering that not a few days later I realised that
scene in the townhouse was the opening I needed. Of course I never actually did
take my opportunity."
"What are you talking about
Andrea?"
"I have been trying to come up with
ways to get back into your life for three years and I never thought that
discovering that you were a vampire was going to do just that." Andy
sighed. "I'm not explaining this real well. I have been in love with you
for close to four years and I haven't been able to get those feelings out of my
head or heart."
Miranda sighed and rested her chin on
Andy's shoulder. "Then this is mutual. Are you afraid of being with a
vampire Andrea?"
Andy shook her head enough to give her
answer but not enough to dislodge Miranda's head. "No, I don't care about
that. It may take me a while to get used to the coldness and the no heartbeat
thing but I'm sure I'll get used to it."
"I dragoste
tu, meu dragă (I love
you, my dearest)"
"What did you just say?"
"I said 'I love you, my
dearest'."
"And that would be in?" Andy
turned in Miranda's arms.
"Romanian. I really only speak three
languages now days, Romanian, English and French." Miranda leaned her
forehead against Andy's leaving Andrea to close the rest of the distance.
"You're going to have to teach me some
phrases so I know what you're saying when you speak in Romanian" Andy
closed the distance between their lips until they were almost touching.
"I will do anything you ask Andrea.
Please do not leave me again."
"I wont and for the record, I love
you too Miranda." Andy closed the remaining distance between their lips.
_ _
v-v
The End
_ _
v-v
¬ Return to DWP home