daphne-blackwood

[daphne-blackwood]

The young woman merely shrugged her shoulders. As real as this all felt, it was the past. There was nothing that could be done to change it. Even in the illusion, it would be a lie to soothe her. Perhaps one day when she was older, she'd revisit this scene. She'd look for what the police might have missed or twist the vision to something happier. It was only Elijah that grounded her. It was Elijah that reminded her that this was not happening again. "She picked me up from the station. Then we went on a plane. I didn't even get to pack my things. She had someone else do it for us."

Elijah closed his eyes with a grimace as Daphne described how the police had found her. "I'm so sorry, Daphne." Even without an illusion to illustrate it, the image of her with her parents was painfully easy to imagine. There were a lot more questions he had to ask, but wanted to calm her down first. "How did you get to your aunt's after that? Did she get you at the station or when you were still at your house?"

#c: elijah #/yeah probably best not to trigger emotional magic lol #past

[daphne-blackwood]

Uneasy was certainly one way to put it. Half of her did fear what might happen should the experiment go horribly wrong, while the other half worried that Teddy would withdraw his help if he knew the truth. "It will. I've got all the data that they are going to require and more." It was simply finding the correct mixture that eluded her. "You can ever review my notes and journal on the experiments." She gestured vaguely towards the desk littered with handwritten pages. She smiled, attaching the pulse oximeter and making herself comfortable on the couch. She shivered slightly as he traced the mark, the machine betraying the brief spike in heartrate as she blushed. "I'm ready."

"I'm sure my questions make you uneasy, Daphne, but..I want to make sure this has real standing." After all, he wouldn't want this to cause her any harm, lest of all be the one to have to answer to her people. People who would blame him immediately and not consider that she might have done this of her own accord. Casting his gaze to the momentary biting of her lip, Byrne nodded slowly and moved into her personal space. "Yes." he said..and his fangs emerged. The Rosu vampire rose his hand, using the back of his index finger to trace the old bite marks there. "Are you?"

#c: teddy

[daphne-blackwood]

Daphne certainly would keep his offer in mind. She trusted Chris and Teddy, but if both parties were occupied, she would need someone trustworthy to help her. While the results were well worth the risk in her opinion, things could certainly become dangerous with the wrong people. Caleb was an utter sweetheart who, while deserving better, would help save Daphne from her own foolishness.

"It would be better to have someone I know. Besides I doubt that your pack would wish to play babysitter to a witch."

"It's alright. I really don't mind," Caleb answered with a shrug and a small smile of his own. His protectiveness was not immediately apparent about him and tended to come out in spurts and this seemed like one of those times.

"I could send one of my pack to accompany you too, but I imagine you'd be more comfortable with me since I wouldn't be a stranger..."

#c: caleb

[daphne-blackwood]

Daphne briefly glanced at the crowd, attempting to spot the man in the painting. It was a fruitless endeavor with the size of the crowd, yet somehow she knew that the muse would eventually see the painting. The witch only hoped that he would understand the love behind the gesture. "I'm sure he will be. And the words were sincere. I've probably kept you long enough. Everyone here is going to be clamoring for your attention by the end of the night. It would be rude of me to hog it."

"I think so," they replied, though they did wonder. The demon was known for having an ego, but it wouldn't surprise them if he brushed off the similarities instead. "I'll keep that in mind if he isn't as flattered as we hope," they replied, though there was a light chuckle to his voice. "Thank you, for all your wonderfully kind words."

#c: judas

[daphne-blackwood]

She nodded her head, eyes still glued to the yellow tape. "The police." But they had been human or at least human to Daphne's understanding. They thought it a robbery gone wrong: her parents cooking an afternoon snack for when their daughter came home from school only to be interrupted in the middle. Everything sounded so logical when the presented her aunt with the police report, but in her gut Daphne knew it was all wrong. "I was sitting next to mom and dad trying to wake them up until the paramedics said that they would take over."

That was... bizarre, but he wasn't here to investigate her parents' death - though he did take note of her description to look into later. "And did you call for someone?" He asked gently, trying to subtly turn the two of them so his body was blocking her view of the house. "How did an adult find you?" It wasn't clear exactly how young Daphne had been when this happened, but the backpack and few photos he'd glimpsed suggested that she hadn't yet been a teenager.

#c: elijah #past

[daphne-blackwood]

"A few weeks ago with Chris. It went... well let's just say that it could have gone better." No need to worry Teddy with the fact that Daphne had passed out. She didn't wish to discourage anyone's participation. She longed to do something positive for the community, and this could be the perfect thing. There was also no need to bore Teddy with the details of the other times he hadn't been the one generous enough to help her. "The worst..." She bit her lip, attempting to keep the tone conversational. "I suppose that would be a complete failure of everything resulting in the inability to try again." But Teddy was here. She trusted that in the event the potion proved fatal, he would contact the proper authorities in any case short of spontaneous combustion. "So ready to get started?"

Her answer put an abrupt end to Teddy's questioning, his eyes staring at her differently now. "..I see." he exhaled, walking around the trays on the table to be by her side. "When was the last time you tried this, Daphne? And what happened then?" She did not make it sound dangerous but he knew magic. It could fail in the most horrid of ways. It could turn on her. So this time, rather than questioning his own role in all this, he raised a different sort of doubt. "What's the worst that could happen?" The vampire stopped beside her and laid a hand atop of hers so as to cease her movements.

#c: teddy #/no worries

[daphne-blackwood]

Even though she knew that his words were true, it was exceedingly difficult to separate herself from the memory. Never had an illusion felt more real. Elijah had done an excellent job of teaching her, yet she was now trapped inside something of her own making. She wanted to weep. She wanted to fall to her knees and cover her eyes. She wanted it all to go away, yet she was the only one who could make it end. "They were cold on the floor. There was no blood, but there was an unfinished salt circle." Or at least that is what the young witch thought when she saw the salt spread all over the floor.

So she'd been the one to find them. It was hard to imagine much about the situation that could be worse. Elijah furrowed his brows, worried about Daphne becoming immersed in the memory and losing control of her magic. "Daphne. I need you to listen to me; this is one of your memories. You've been here before." There had to be some point in her memory that worked as a way to pull her out of it, but they hadn't reached it yet. "What did you see?"

#c: elijah #past

[daphne-blackwood]

She thought about Edinburgh and the postcards that had been sent. It was on her bucket list of places to visit, but Teddy wasn't talking about the location. "Not when they were there. They do still live in VC though. Three children of their own plus work keeps them busy, but we try to meet when possible." Possible tended to become less and less as the years passed.

She looked up from slipping the cuff on, raising an eyebrow. "These aren't because of you." Did he really think that? She was trusting him with her life. There was no one here supervising. If he weakened her, she doubted she'd be able to use her magic. "They are to test the results of the potion. I can have all the antidotal evidence I want, but I won't test it on another without reviewing the numbers as well. I think I'm going to get a doctor to look over the readouts when I get a result that I'm satisfied with."

Edinburgh. Yet another place he'd been to, even if just in passing. "Did you ever visit? Them, I mean." It did not sound like she had, but this was still a chance to get to know more of her and her past. Not to mention, a way to treat their business in a more casual manner. Differ the tension, so to speak. Though with so many gadgets being put to use one might find that difficult to conceive.

"Are these truly necessary?" He scoffed, looking at them and then her. "Forgive me, Daphne, but I feel somewhat insulted. You did enlist me for this task because you knew I can control myself. Because I can tell when to stop. What's changed since then? Have I done something that has led you to believe otherwise?"

#c: teddy

[daphne-blackwood]

"It is. They were doing a semester at Edinburgh, so they spent Spring Break in Spain." Daphne would have loved to join them, but she'd chosen to pursue her degree closer to home. It helped in the long run when it came to finances, but the witch still envied how much they had traveled in that one semester alone. One day she would see more of the world than her own backyard or the lobbies of various hotels that held conferences.

The witch chuckled, pulling the various devices out of the bag and laying them on the table. "I'm hooking myself up to all these devices. They monitor my oxygen levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, If any fall to below or above a certain threshold, they will start beeping. That's when I need you to stop drinking. Then I take the potion and see what happens." She started sticking the tabs over her chest, connecting it to the machine. "And of course if you need to stop at any point, just let me know."

The familiar voice echoing across the room grabbed the vampire's attention instantly and with it, a faint smile..rare but honest. He had wondered how he would feel being in the witch's company again after their last exchange. Would it be violent? Awkward? Or perhaps nice and normal? He was yet to determine it when she offered the story behind that portrait, leaving that hefty bag on the table. "Ibiza, huh? I think I've heard of it. Spain, isn't it?" Teddy had travelled himself, thanks to Isabelle and her love for seeing the world, but he tended to prefer sticking to one place.

The vampire placed the frame back to its original spot and walked up to Daphne. He looked inside of said bag, silently, and trailed his blue eyes up to her soft features. "..you seem very prepared. Care to explain how this is to work?"

#c: teddy

[daphne-blackwood]

Daphne appreciated the sentiment behind his actions. The fact that even one person cared meant the world to her. The problem was that she simply could not quit now. It was far bigger than she was. Even if she bore the scars of the trials, eventually it would lead to success. If Daphne was not the one to be the success, she would be mildly disappointed, but the point was that these tests would eventually mean something.

She smiled softly. "You really don't have to do that. You already have so much that you do for everyone. It would be nice to see you be a bit more selfish with your time. You deserve a break from all the craziness."

Caleb pursed his lips because he was still wary of whatever it was Daphne was trying to prove with this new potion. He was not a magic practitioner and werewolves possessed heightened healing abilities that meant that he rarely needed to concern himself with such inventions.

"I admit that it's a noble endeavour," he said at last. "But like I said, please just make sure someone you trust is with you when you're conducting these experiments. If you need me there to make sure you're alright, I'm only a phone call away."

#c: caleb #potluck

[daphne-blackwood]

She trembled in his grasp. All those years melted away, leaving her the scared child that she once was. "I found them like that. They won't wake up. I think they are sick." Her voice wavered as if she was explaining it to the detective rather than reliving the worse moments of her life. She knew what would happen next. She knew what lay beyond that tape. She didn't want to see it.

Unintentionally, his grip on her shoulders turned bruising for a moment when the illusion shifted completely and he scrambled to keep up with what he saw. "Daphne?" He knew she was taken in by her aunt after her parents deaths, but hadn't known the details. The police tape on the windows didn't bode well though. Elijah shifted to stand beside Daphne, keeping a hand on her shoulder in the hope that it would ground her at least a bit. "What happened here?"

#c: elijah #past #tw: death

[daphne-blackwood]

Magic could do so much harm when wielded by one whose intentions were impure. Her heart ached for Caleb's plight, which was thankfully short-lived. Still it was difficult to imagine becoming a vampire for any period of time. She simply could not fathom Caleb being able to use others to sate his hunger no matter how necessary such actions would be.

"It's not near death..." She toyed with her necklace, avoiding telling him that he wasn't completely wrong either. It was enough of a blood loss to significantly impact Daphne. If it were just a few sips, the witch wouldn't be able to tell the true potency of the potion. "It's not just for vampires though. The vampires are helping with the testing, but I'd like to use it on anyone who suffers significant injury. Once it works well on me, I will test it on other volunteers and hopefully be able to supply it to the community."

"There was a spell going around at that was turning us into different species," Caleb answered with a sigh. "Someone probably thought it would be funny to turn me into a vampire."

The wolf's shoulders drooped slightly as his eyes remained trained on Daphne's face. "I don't get how putting you into a near death state helps them with feeding, but if you trust them then..." he sighed. "I won't say anything else on the matter. Just make sure you have someone with you whenever you do these experiments, alright?"

#c: caleb

[daphne-blackwood]

Daphne could hear her name being called, but it wasn't Elijah's voice she heard. She trembled, losing control of the illusion. No longer were they standing in a coffee shop. Now she was back at home, Strawberry Shortcake backpack dropped carelessly by the front door. Family pictures littered the walls, but none were from beyond 1996. There was glass shattered near the windows and that horrid yellow tape, and the music that continued to play from the other room just beyond their sight.

Elijah tried to stop the record player but his hand passed straight through it. He stepped away from the counter and walked back to Daphne, nearly tripping as the room shifted dizzyingly around him. "Daphne." He held her shoulders, trying to get her attention. "Daphne listen to me. I need you end the illusion." It would be possible for Elijah to break it himself but not without likely hurting Daphne in the process.

#c: elijah #past

[daphne-blackwood]

"Do you think he will recognize himself?" Her gaze still remained locked on the mystery man forever frozen on the canvas. It could be a number of people from behind, yet it was the loving way that each brushstroke was placed that gave away who it might really be. "Personally, I'd be flattered if it were me. He inspired you. That is powerful."

Perhaps he had painted it too well because she seemed to read the situation and the feelings behind it far more than they'd normally admit. The was the price to play for displaying his art, it seemed. It turned his thoughts on the subjects into a bit of an open book, in a matter of speaking. "I invited him to the gallery tonight, so I'm sure he'll see it at some point if he hasn't already." They still weren't entirely sure if he'd show up, but had invited him regardless.

#c: judas

[daphne-blackwood]

"You did say nothing that you can interact with. If there was a door, I would need to put a matching hall or exterior." She never thought to use an illusion to trap someone. There were indeed many uses for the skill, but not once had the idea of a deception so cruel crossed her mind.

She turned, looking at the yellowed record player. In the cafe, it would have been a vase of sunflowers. She took a step closer, gasping softly. "No... it's not." The vinyl began to spin, music crackling as the music filled the room. La Vie Rose. "No, no, no." She gasped, taking a step back as if the illusion was attacking her.

Elijah looked around at the environment, watching the window for a few moments before turning back to Daphne. "Good job. The lack of a door is a dead giveaway, but that's not always a bed thing if you want someone to know they're trapped." He took a step forward to look across the shop counter, gently tapping various objects to test how they held up.

At one end though, he came to a record player that looked slightly out of place, but given the other decor he wasn't sure if it was something he was meant to notice or not. He rested a hand on the side of it and looked over at Daphne. "Is this here in real life?"

#c: elijah #past

[daphne-blackwood]

The truth was that she didn't. Caleb was absolutely right, but Daphne trusted her gut. She believed that those assisting her in this project understood the importance of getting it right. It might change everything. "I just trust them." She wished her voice sounded stronger or more certain. All she had to go on was Chris's morals and Teddy's word.

"You were a vampire. But how?" She furrowed her brow. She had been gone last Halloween to an auction. She'd heard a tip regarding the collection of a rather curious eccentric who was obsessed with the macabre. By the time she'd returned, everything was as it once was despite the stories. "I can't simply give up on this project. It has so many possible applications beyond helping the vampires with feeding."

"And how do you know that for sure? It would take an immense amount of self-control on their part and a load of trust on yours to ensure that they don't. I was temporarily turned into a vampire last Halloween, a vampire's thirst is all-consuming..." And Caleb hardly trusted himself then nor did he trust the vampires around him.

Caleb instinctively drew in a breath to calm himself and it was then that he properly caught the various scents on Daphne's body. There was her distinct scent and over that, a number of others as well. He shook his head to force himself not to think too much into things. "Look, I know it's not my place to tell you what to do..." he added with a sigh. "But I cannot in good conscience not warn you about this."

#c: caleb #/not at all. he is being a good friends #also sorry idk why my posts keep defaulting to will's blog

[daphne-blackwood]

Daphne grinned. The request was easy enough. She let her mind wander to the cafe she worked at. The lace curtains that hung from each window to make it seem like home along with the smells of coffee and vanilla. The window shimmered, changing to show brick buildings and tree lined streets she passed everyday. Just to showoff, she added the occasional bicycle or car driving past. She purposely made certain that despite every detail of the shop being just as it was in reality, there was neither door nor chair present.

Elijah nodded, considering for a moment before deciding. "Show me then. Try to push yourself a bit though. Sometimes detail can be easier to add when it's somewhere you know well or somewhere mundane. Try to create something where the environment itself might keep someone from interacting."

#c: eli #past