Someone Like You (Briana)

He was certainly older than she was, but not nearly as old as her mother. His comment about his sisters made Briana laugh lightly. She could just imagine both of them saying something like that about him. She was glad that Chase never said anything quite like that, however, she wouldn't put it past her. "There are days that the years seem to just fly by, and others that seem to take their ow eternity," she said pausing to think to herself that this year was one of those slow years. "Forgive me for being unable to pick you out right off," she said, feeling what could have been a blush form in her cheeks that only warmed all the further when she let her eyes linger on his handsome face for several moments. Briana would have thought that by now, she would be able to pick one like her out of a croud in a heartbeat...

Levelling her with his charming smile he shrugged "it takes centuries of practice to do you'll figure it out." he released her hand instantly missing how it felt to hold it. A little flustered he looked down at his drink "When you head home may i walk you? i know you can handle yourself but just call me old fashioned"

"Centuries I have," she mused, finishing her drink. When he let her hand go, Briana had a sudden urge to reach to hold it again. She missed the feeling of someone holding her hand. His next question caught her by surprise which shone in her eyes. Taking a moment to actually think about what he had asked her. Nodding, she smiled before looking down into her empty glass. "Sure. If you like," she answered. Why was she shy all of a sudden? This wasn't like her!

He looked up smiling bashfully at her words, he just couldnt stand the idea of her getting hurt. They kept talking for hours and before either of them knew it the bar was closing and it was five o'clock in the morning. As they stepped out into the sharp morning air he stretched his joints cracking with a yawn "i hope we can go do something sometime" he said absent mindedly "you've had a hard couple of months, i'd love to see you care free even if only for an hour." he'd sat there talking about how he spent two years away and how hard it was being alone till he took over raising soraya and cinnia in turn she told him about chase and kieran and hogwarts. He looked at her as the sun hit her face in a way that made her look like a goddess, the shyness was back again as they began to walk but every moment felt natural with her.

Briana couldn't believe how fast the time just seemed to fly by! Corvin and she had been talking for hours about pretty much everything that could possibly come up. As they walked out of the pub, Briana smiled and nodded, "I think I'd like that." She looked away as the smile faded from her features. "It has been a hard few months, but you can't change life. I think Kieran and Chase would want me to let go for a while, even if it's only a short time," she thought out loud. Glancing back up at him, she was suddenly taken by how strikingly handsome he was. As they headed towards Lestrange Manor, Briana was thinking over the entire encounter. Was this some odd twist of fate? "What did you have in mind for a carefree activity?" she asked lightly, trying to keep the shyness form her voice. Even though they just met, it felt like they had known one another for forever. Other than the little touch of being shy, Briana felt like herself with Corvin.

"Not sure yet" he said with a laugh "need to make sure its impressive enough for a gorgeous lady like yourself to find me interesting" he nudged her slightly with his elbow teasingly as they walked he glanced at her hand before grabbing it in his, fingers lacing together. His arm tingled at the contact and he felt positively giddy and foolish. Smiling like a dope he said "muggles are sooo much better at this whole fun things to do thing"

Briana couldn't help but giggle at his statement about what kind of activity it needed to be to keep her interested. Truth be told, she already was. Stopping abruptly when she felt his hand interlock with her own, her bright eyes immediately went to their joined hands before raising to his eyes. Was it too soon? What would her mother and Chase say? Smiling timidly, she bit her bottom lip a little harder then she meant to, bringing a small droplet of red to the surface. "Depends how you look at it," she said softly. "I know plenty of magical people who have done lots of fun things," Briana added, smiling like a school girl that had just finally spoken to her long-time crush.

He smirked at her a bit and with a frown noticed soon they were at the manor. Turning to her he said "I suppose this is goodnight" raising her hand to his lips he said "or goodmorning" his breath ghoested across her hand as he kissed it. "Two days time, i'll come for you at nine in the evening. I'll owl how to dress" he winked then disspaeared.

Looking up, she was saddened slightly by the sight of the manor before them. She had actually been having a good time, and now it had to end. "Good morning," she all but cooed to him in a return greeting. As he raised her hand to his lips, kissing it lightly, Briana smiled tenderly. Nodding her understanding, and watched him vanish from sight. Once he was gone, she slipped inside the manor and up to her room. Closing the door, she leaned heavily against it and, staring at the ceiling, smiled happily.

Dellen checked the clock as she heard her daughter preparing to go out. Walking into the bathroom as she bathed she sat on a stool a glass of wine in hand "I'm glad your going out tonight my love, you've been smiling since saturday and i am so pleased to see you happy" she aid

Corvin fixed his hair in the mirror, pulling on a form fitting black t-shirt he picked out his favorite jeans and grabbed his leather jacket. His nerves were going crazy as he thought about the fact he was finally taking out a girl who meant something to him. All week he'd been checking on chase, accidentally catching the girl's eye as she woke.

Soaking in the hot water and blue and green bubbles, Briana simply relaxed after washing as she prepared prepared for the evening with Corvin. Chase had told her that a mysterious man kept coming to check on her but never said anything. She made a mental note to ask him if he was this man. Hearing the door open, Briana looked up and smiled at her mother as she sat on the stool next to the claw-foot tub. Nodding she agreed. "Me, too. It feels right. Like, it's times to start to live again, to let go. Even if it's just for tonight..." she mused, getting some soap in her hands and blowing a few bubbles. "He seems like a good man, mother. He saved Chase. He's.....he's like us," she said looking back up at the woman who had blessed her with this new life.

Dellen nodded with a knowing smile "i did some digging after you told me about him my sweet daughter, i had forgettn a member of the auror's force was a vampire. its been a century since i saw Corvin, last we came face to face was during a dragon conflict in germany" she sipped at her drink thoughtfully. "I know you will fret over it being to soon since we lost Kieran my love, to go on dates to let your heart love again, but he would want you to try. you have centuries to live yes but without love those centuries can be tiresome and lonely. Take it from a old woman who knows"

"You know him?" she asked, shifting in the tub, to lean her arms on the edge so she could listen as her mother told her about when they last were together. Small world... That will be a surprise to tell him... As she mentioned that she knew Briana would be worrying about whether or not this was alright, to begin the process of moving on from the love she had with Kieran. Flexing her jaw several times, she set her chin on her arms and thought about what her mother was saying. Briana knew Kieran would want her to be happy. Raising her blue eyes to her, Briana nodded and managed a smile. "I just hope Chase will understand. Even if this is just a date and nothing more.... I hope she will understand," she commented grabbing the white towel from the floor and wrapping it around herself as she got out of the tub. "Mother, why did you never take a lover?" she asked as she dried. It was something she never thought about until this moment.

"I once loved Amelia Grindewald, but she turned me away...for a time I had a lover a husband, we had adopted children and cared for them we were happy...in love..he was a vampire we should have had forever" she said lowering her eyes. "Amelia grew jealous and killed him, the children we were raising died as well in the attack. One morning i woke up happy then the woman i once loved more then life itself took it all away.."

Turning, Briana's face filled with the pain of understanding at losing one you love, though not to the extent that her mother had. "Why have you not spoken of it before?" she said going to her, and kneeling at her feet. Putting a hand on Dellen's knee, she searched her mother's face for why she had never mentioned it after all this time. Then again, she could understand why...

"centuries ago my love, i never wanted you to be afraid to fall in love. " she said running a finger through her wet hair "I wanted you to be fearless and fall in love, i know losing kieran has harmed you but dont make my mistake, dont spend eternity alone. Chase will understand, she knows what it means to be alone all her life. If you feel something for corvinus if you begin to have a little crush" she said with a small boop on briana's nose "then fall in love, fall in love fearlessly and fully"

Just as Briana had suspected, her mother hadn't mentioned it to protect her. She knew that the idea of falling in love as an immortal came with risks, and she didn't want Briana to be afraid to take them. Feeling a lump form in her throat as her mother told her that it was going to be ok, that Chase would understand, and that if....if.... she began to fall of Corvin, then it's ok, Briana managed a smile. The last tears she had shed were when Kieran asked her to be his at the Halloween Ball, and while she felt the sting of them, none formed. Just like at the service for the man she lost, no tears fell, but she felt them. Getting to her feet quickly, Briana hugged her mother tightly. "I promise.... I won't be afraid to try. I will let things happen as they will," she said, kissing her mother's cheek.

Dellen hugged her daughter tightly "you are the best thing that ever happened to me my love" she said "i could not have asked the gods for a better daughter" she kissed her forehead and smiled at her "Alright hurry up that boy will be here soon to pick you up and if memory serves he is painfully punctual" she said with a smile. "The owl said to wear jeans and a light shirt so remember that" turning she left her to get dressed. While she was so happy for her daughter she couldnt ignore the ache in her heart where love had once been.

"And you're the best mother a daughter could ever ask for," she said happily. Glancing at the clock over the sink, Briana realized she only had about 30 minutes to get ready. "Love you, mother," Briana told her as she scurried out of the bathroom and into her main room to dress. Throwing on dark wash, booth-cut jeans, a sky blue light, cotton tee, and her brown boots, Briana made easy work of her blonde hair, curling it slightly, and putting half of it up, pinned in place by two of her white jade hair sticks. The rest fell elegantly against her shoulders and upper back. Looking in the full body mirror, she smiled, pleased at how she looked. She could only hope Corvin would be pleased as well.

Corvin knocked on the door and slowly it creeked open, Dellen looked at him coldly, "Corvinus", corvin bowed low "lady lestrange" they looked at each other in stony silence before Corvin's loud laugh filled the hall. Stepping over the threshold he embraced Dellen "Dellen! its so good to see you m'lady!" he said loudly, dellen's laugh join his as she returned his hug. "good to see you as well" she said warmly "look after my briana you understand?" Corvin nodded seriously "of course m'lady i'd not let harm come to her" satisfied dellen turned and called for her daughter.

Briana paused when she heard laughter from downstairs and then beamed when her mother called for her. Picking up a box from her dresser, she grabbed her light jacket and hurried down the stairs, slowing as she got closer to the main floor. Looking over at Corvin, Briana smiled like she used to, like she hadn't done in so long. "Mother, this is for you," she said, going to Dellen and handing her the box she had picked up. Briana didn't know how to tell Dellen just how much she has meant to her all this time, but especially the past few months, but this was enough.

Turning to Corvin, she said shyly, "Good evening, Corvin."

As Dellen opened the box, Corvin bowed and kissed Briana's hand "my lady of the night" he said with a silly grin. Dellen looked at the necklace and bit her lip her eyes filled with emotion "Baby girl..thank you so much" she said looking at the younger vampires "Alright out of my house go have fun" she said shooing them out the door.

Corvin slid a arm around Briana's waist and pulled her snuggled against his chest and apparated them from the manor in a flash. Appearing next to a stables he said "I hope you like animals"

Beaming proudly at her mother, Briana couldn't help but laugh as she shooed them from the manor. Giving her a small wave, Briana looked up as Corvin pulled her to him. Nestled against his chest, she caught his scent and let it fill her. Suddenly, something triggered in her mind. Did she know this scent? Before she could think on it much, Corvin vanished them with a pop.

When they reappeared, Briana found they were near some stables. Looking at him, she smiled and nodded. "I do, very much," she answered him, walking over to the wooden rail that ran along the perimeter. "Where are we?" Briana asked, glancing back at him. He was very handsome. Even more than the first day they met in the pub.

"A farm my blood line owns" he said "i come here to ride when i need to think" he walked into the stables and led two black stallions out both beautiful and majestic filled with grace and power. "This is Reya and Silas" he introduced the horses to her "they are very happy to be with us tonight"he girnned at her

"They are fantastic!" she exclaimed happily. Reaching out to gently touch the great horses he introduced, Briana got a chill of deja-vue at hearing their names. Her smile flickered for only a moment, before it returned as the feeling past. "I'm glad they are happy to be with us. I'm glad they can join you and me," she said, giving them each a gentle pat. "It's a pleasure to meet you both," she said in a soothing voice to both the horses. "I hope you will be gentle with me. I've never ridden before," she all but whispered to them, trying to keep Corvin from hearing her.

Corvin laughed as he began to saddle the horses. "This place was once home to me" he explained "over the hills is a small castle belonging to my family, when I married this became my place too" walking over to Reya he picked Briana up like she was a toy and sat her in the saddle. "Dont be scared, use your legs to keep balance the reigns to steer, trust in reya she'll do the rest" he explained before walking over to Silas and mounting his horse he urdged him into a walk and reya moved behind him.

"It's beautiful," she said looking around as he told how it became his. When he mentioned being married before, Briana looked over at him. "I'm sorry, Corvin..." she said just as he lifted her like she was nothing and set her in the saddle of Reya. Taking the reigns gently in her hands, she nodded at his instruction of how to control the horse. "I'm not scared," she said, scrunching her nose at him as he mounted Silas and began their ride, Reya falling in behind him. Being on this horse, oddly enough, felt natural. But, she had never ridden before. Going with this feeling that she had done this before, somehow, she tapped Reya's sides gently, urging her forward and coming up alongside Corvin. "I had no idea you knew my mother, Corvin," she said as Reya matched Silus' speed as they rode.