Oriel College

The main site of Oriel College incorporates four medieval halls: Bedel Hall, St Mary Hall, St Martin Hall, and Tackley's Inn, the last being the oldest standing medieval hall in Oxford. The façade of the east range forms a classical E shape comprising the college chapel, hall and undercroft. The exterior and interior of the ranges are topped by an alternating pattern of decorative gables. The gate house has a Perpendicular portal and canted Gothic oriel windows, with fan vaulting in the entrance. The room above has a particularly fine plaster ceiling and chimney piece of stucco caryatids and panelling interlaced with studded bands sprouting into large flowers.

Ten minutes after leaving Baby Love, Liam and Aubrey are in Kim's dorm room, blasting music and downing vodka from the bottle. Liam drops a small plastic bag from his sleeve and two of Kim's housemates rip it open and line the powder along the tables. Another five minutes pass and Kim is sat on Liam's lap his tongue in her ear, a girl is snorting a line from another's belly.and an empty bottle is being spun on the table. Truth be told, these nights are what Liam unlived for, he didn't need the blood, he'd fed earlier, but what he took now as he ran his hand up Kim's thigh and sunk his teeth into her neck let him turn his vitae into feeling more human, turned his flesh warm, sent the blood pumping around his body and brought life to his nerve endings. He licks the wound closed and pushes the girl to her feet. "It's getting hot in here, let's turn things up."

Commanding the presence of the other half of the groupies, Aubrey takes to the afterparty like a shark to water, quickly finding herself entangled in a mess of booze and bodies. The mask is easy enough to wear here, in a world of worshippers and wannabes wont to taste even a touch of their influence and power, but the lack of vitae was continuing to make itself known, and she couldn’t wait any longer. She grabs the hands of one boy and pulls him in close, speaking low into his ear.  “How would you like to feel like a star?”  Her fangs are nearly bared as she breathes across his neck, running a hand over his chest and relishing in the warmth a living body could hold.

Aubrey savours the scent of the boy's sweat, his body hot against hers, just a thin membrane of skin separating his racing pulse from the open air. Perhaps agitated by the competition with Liam, Aubrey's beast rises within her, fighting to seize control and drain the vessel in her arms.

This had been one of the wildest nights of his life, and now he was in a dorm room with the actual Aubrey Knight, glitter in his hair and 3 shots of liquid courage in his system. He nearly melts as the gorgeous woman draws him in and pours intoxicating susurrations into his ear. "I'd do anything to feel you a-feel like you, Aubrey." Closing his eyes and throwing caution to the wind, he turns and moves in to kiss her. 

She can feel her tongue at her lips, her breathing growing heavier as she tightens her grip around him, until they are pressed together, her body moving in sync with his. Resisting the immediate urge to clamp down on his neck, she pulls back just enough to meet his kiss with her own, biting hard down on his lower lip.  "Anything?" Her voice is a purr, velvet and rhythmic and breathed across his cheek. She runs a hand along his shoulder and down his back. "If you want to be a star, h ow about a little roleplay,"  she whispers.  "I'm the vampire, and you're my helpless victim."  

The pain of the bite is a joy to receive, an aggression that he is surprised to find himself irresistibly aroused by. His palms tingle as his heart pounds, and the word falls heavy from his mouth. " Anything. " He's lost to the elation, the alcohol, the enchanting warmth and beauty. Roleplay? He'd tried it once, to embarrassing effect, but this was something else entirely. This was truth. This was sensuality as he had never experienced it, and he wanted it till he was insensate with pleasure. " Yes. Deliver your bite. Fuck me and suck my blood."   He leans in and lays kisses on her neck, his hands gliding up her waist. " Take me. I'm yours."

"Yes my thrall..."  she moans as she kisses her way down his neck, biting lightly at first, but harder with each progressive peck until she reaches just halfway down it, the scent of his lust for her and the heat from his veins becoming an irresistible urge; not a desire but a command by the beast within her. Her lips embrace his flesh, and her fangs sink in deep, the rush of warmth utterly intoxicating as the kiss takes effect on him. As she feels the vitae surge within her, the beast within screams for more. For a moment, as her mouth lingers on his neck, she considers it. She was oh so  hungry, and he’d already technically told her to drink her fill. It’d be so easy, and his blood was heavenly already. But something held her back. He was a fan, and she couldn’t kill her own fans. Not when they could be so much more useful alive. Pulling back, she licks the bite and her own lips clean, then moves back in to kiss him. When she’s done, she’s already glancing at a young woman not far behind him as she whispers, “Your master thanks you, thrall.” She chuckles.  “Don’t stray too far now…”

He felt the teeth sink into his neck. He braced for pain. What covers his body and obliviates his mind is an ecstasy beyond ecstasy. Everything he had ever feared, wanted, or regretted, was drowning beneath the bliss of Aubrey Knight. He thinks he feels himself have an orgasm, but it's a faint feeling that is engulfed just as quickly as it makes its presence known. Eternity lies on the lips of this beautiful, talented woman, as her kiss stretches one moment into a hundred. He wants this forever. He wants this if it costs him everything. He had lived for too long without knowing this feeling, and he is never going to be without it again.  As Aubrey releases him, a single tear flows down his cheek. Then their lips come together once more, and he must take a deep breath to keep himself upright. She speaks, and the words are gospel. She moves, and the winds change their direction. " Yes, Master. Please don't leave me. I'll whither without you."

Vesh said: Pulling back, she licks the bite and her own lips clean, then moves back in to kiss him. When she’s done, she’s already glancing at a young woman not far behind him as she whispers, “Your master thanks you, thrall.” She chuckles.  “Don’t stray too far now…” The young woman behind him  glances at her phone for the umpteenth time. Claire dragged her to this stupid afterparty, in Oriel of all places. With jazz musicians  of all things. You know how you get a jazz musician off your stoop? she heard her da asking, a twinkle in his eye. You pay for the bloody pizza! No one to send a 999 text to... no one to... oh great. Now the new star of Oxford was making eyes at her.  Still... there was something about those eyes....

The boy’s protestations leave Aubrey rolling her eyes as she pushes past him, parting the sea of sycophants on her way to the young woman she’d spotted. She stops just before her, turning instead to another boy who she bats her lashes at and smiles. “Has anyone ever told you you have like, great  hair? I love that for you. Why don’t you go get me a drink?” As he saunters off excitedly, she turns back to the girl. Unlike everyone else at the after party, she showed little interest in any of the sex, drugs, and booze Liam had sworn by. Even more insultingly, she didn’t look interested in her. ”You were forced to come here, weren’t you,”  she leans back against the wall behind them and brushes her hair out of her face, her piercing stare transfixed upon the girl.

She fumbles and drops her phone. As it clatters to the floor, her face flushes with embarrassment and she kneels down to grab it, trying to do so while retaining some measure of cool. Failing, but the attempt was worth it. "How can you tell?" she says as she stands back up and rolls her eyes at herself. "My friend , who said she wouldn't abandon me..." she gestures towards one of the girls currently being made out with by at least two guys. "I really enjoyed your singing. Are you new to live performing?"

Aubrey glances at the girl in question and clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, but lets out a loud laugh at the question. “God no.  Actually got my start on a stage in the West End. Not my fave thing though.” ”Your friend sounds like a bitch by the way.”  She tilts her head, watching the two young men fawn over the girl like overeager puppies. “You should get back at her.”

"She totally is!" she wails. "I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a way but I don't want to walk back alone... not after... well, you know."

The mention of the murder momentarily quiets the beast's hunger within Aubrey. "Ugh, I heard about that. How terrible. Like, what even happened?"  No, don't go alone, who knows what creeps are out there." Almost as quickly as it had faded though, the hunger returns, her 'thrall' from earlier not quite leaving her full. She takes a glass from the other young man she'd sent off, shooing him away with a hand as he returns before he makes the mistake of thinking he can actually talk to her. "Fuck that, you need to do something here. Hmm," she feigns a moment of deep thought, then nods, "She dragged you here to this party because I'm here right? Oh, and the professor, maybe." The idea formed in her mind, Aubrey pulls her phone out and holds it out before them.  "Well I'm bored—"  She knocks back the wine she'd been handed and flips to the camera app, quickly starting to pose,  "—so let's make her jealous as all bloody hell."

Leaning into the picture awkwardly, the wallflower tries to avoid invading Aubrey's personal space while getting close enough to smile for the camera...

Aubrey almost rolls her eyes watching the girl stand like a stick in the background. "This is gonna be plastered across tabloids in an hour, pose like you don't give a fuck."  She grabs her arm and yanks her into the frame, such that they're against each other. Holding her hand up in a horned gesture, she sticks her tongue out and takes the pic. Turning to the girl suddenly, she kisses her on the cheek and snaps another. The sea of partying around them was a mess of debauchery: half orgy, half drug-fueled chaos. "Pretend you don't hate this party for a second, what's the one thing you'd want to do if you could get them all to do anything for you?"

Her heart leaps into her throat and races as Aubrey pulls her close. "I want... I want them to SEE me - to see ME!" She wraps her arms around Aubrey and smiles all the way from her heart into the camera.

A wicked laugh escapes Aubrey's lips as she embraces the girl. "Then let's make them." She grabs her hand and pulls her through the crowd, making sure to brusquely shoulder her friend on the way and loudly telling people to move as she maneuvers them to the center of the room, where the booming of the music off each wall crescedoed in an ecstatic rumble.  Once they're there, she spins around to the girl and starts to move, dancing to the beat with her eyes locked only on her. She didn't need to scan the room to make sure all eyes were landing on them — there was nowhere else they could be.  "Wish granted," she smirks, "Your move."

Claire stares in annoyance before trying to steal back some attention. "Who wants to do a shot off my stomach?" She shoves the idiot guys away, pulls up her top and lies down on the table, sending a glass crashing to the floor. &nbsp;Liam, just turning around from putting a new cd in the player, grins as he swoops over, brushing another guy aside. He pours the vodka and does a shot from her belly button. Whether on purpose or not, most of it he spills back down her skirt and leg. "Ah, drat, I'm sure we can get that out." He leans down and sucks the vodka from the skirt, licking the line from her knee back up. She giggles, grabbing his hair and he sinks his teeth deep into her thigh. The giggles turn quickly to moans of pleasure and her grip tightens around his hair, squeezing his head in closer. Liam's cd spins to a new track in the player. <a href="https://youtu.be/6HHFNOrAyQI" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/6HHFNOrAyQI</a> In the corner another couple have ripped off their clothes, and on the seat beside them someone else snorts a line if coke from a stranger's cleavage&nbsp;

The girl does her desperate best to keep up with Aubrey. Their eyes are locked as the pair shake twist gyrate to the power of the music thrumming through them. Sweating, she begins to peel off layers until she's dancing in matching red bra and knickers. She shrieks with glee and grabs for Aubrey. "What now??"

Aubrey allows herself to be pulled close, and, stilly gyrating against her, pulls her in close.&nbsp; "Now," &nbsp;she moans into her ear,&nbsp; "they watch."&nbsp; She nibbles lightly on her ear, her hands sliding lower down her plaything's back as she continues to gently kiss and nibble her way to her neck. In an instant her fangs have sunk in, and in another she's licking the spot clean, trailing a line from her neck to her chest with her lips. The taste of the girl's blood drives Aubrey wild, its sweetness intoxicating and pure.&nbsp; She forces her hand up under her shirt and onto her own chest, while leaning back in for another kiss. The pair continue for several more minutes before Aubrey pulls away, panting, and grins. "You're truly the most interesting person here. What's your name."

Liam lifts his face out of Claire's thigh, licking a drop of blood from his lip and wiping something from his eyebrow. He whispers in her ear and slips a card into her pocket. Kim meanwhile is walking purposefully towards him, a jealous look in her eye. Two boys across the room are starting to square up to each other. The coke is outstripping the booze and the party is beginning to spiral.&nbsp; "Hey, where'd you get to, don't worry, there's enough o' me fer th' both of you. Y' ready fer round 2?" He grins at Kim and Claire in turn. "Come find me t'morrow. This party's bin a blast but I gotta shoot."&nbsp;&nbsp; He slips another card into Kim's bra, kisses her firmly on the mouth before geabbing his jacket off the back of a chair. He looks over to Aubrey and points at the door.

Vesh said: The pair continue for several more minutes before Aubrey pulls away, panting, and grins. "You're truly the most interesting person here. What's your name." "Nora," she replies, gasping to catch her breath. "I'm Nora."

Pulling back, Aubrey notices Liam signaling to her from across the room and throws him a small nod. She wasn't quite full, but she'd had her fill of these two, and there had been a more important reason for coming here than this wanton deviancy. With a small kiss planted on Nora's lips, she smiles, like a wolf with the keys to the coop. "Let's do this again sometime luv. Maybe more privately, too." With a wink, she backs away and flits through the drug-addled crowd to the door.&nbsp; "I've little experience with formal schooling," &nbsp;she starts as she reaches her host, her tone playfully teasing. &nbsp;"Do professors often do shots from their student's stomachs? If so I definitely regret missing out all these years."

Liam laughs. "You're alright really." He pulls his jacket up around himself as he leads her outside. "Gettin' a bit lairy in there though, that's what the professor's don't want to be involved in. Now "&nbsp; He stops around the corner. "Much as we all enjoy a nice feed, you could have got that from any club, so you must need something else than my fans from me."

“Can I not’ve just wanted to get to know a fellow artist?” She tilts her head innocently to the side, then snickers. Coming&nbsp;to a stop as he does, Aubrey leans back against the wall of the building, eyes drifting up into the night sky. “I wasn’t kidding about that tour. I only just arrived here and know next to no one, something I’m not accustomed to. Then just the other day a grisly murder takes place practically right outside my door.” &nbsp;Her gaze returns to him, but lowers, searching. When she speaks again it’s softer; wavering between a nervous laughter and pure nerves. “Maybe it sounds silly for a kindred to say but it left me a bit shaken, you know?”

Liam laughs. "Of course, perhaps I was overly suspicious. If we can perform like that I would like us to be friends. I can take you around, show you the best feeding grounds and where to avoid, politically speaking." His eyes narrow. "As for the murder, why would you worry? Someone got carried away and killed a mortal by my understanding. Nothing to panic about, just don't do the same and you'll be fine. Your site never teach you not to let yourself get hungry?"

Her eyes light up again as he speaks, "Name a time and place and I'd like that, though perhaps something a tad more low-key next time. Perhaps close fans and groupies only," she winks. "And, is that truly all it was?" &nbsp;Sighing, she pushes off the wall and starts to pace in front of him. "Here I'd had it in my head that like, one us was killed. But... it was just some mortal or whatever?" She frowns. "Yeah, my sire did teach me that, which is why I was eager to come tonight, but she also taught me about, y'know, the masquerade.&nbsp; Who would be so stupid and careless as to risk that?"

Liam shrugs. "It happens sometimes, young vampire, hungry, can't help themselves, then they panic and don't clean up. The college's here are quick though, whoever it was is probably dust already. The party was pretty wild, lots of fresh vamps not used to this place too, they can get caught up in the heat if they're used to a quiet town." He turns down the street. "Here, I'll give you the rundown now. You'll have your college map, so you'll know the three college's here, and you've already seen Baby Love. On the left there's an old building, looks like nothing, but underneath it there's Paul's. That's a place no mortal knows about, stay away unless you have dealings with another vampire and you need to go there, it's kind of neutral territory. The colleges always have parties going, join all the social clubs you can and get their emails, that way you know where the drunk students are for hunting." He walks down a few more streets around the centre of Oxford, showing off where the best bars and clubs are and which feeding grounds are claimed by certain clans.

Whoever it was is probably dust already . She clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. Not at this rate. Aubrey follows along with his quick tour of campus, taking in what she can and filing it all away in her mind for later. She'd definitely need to know as much as she could to keep up with her feeding, lest she end up in the same boat as the quarry she was after. But she had come to Liam hoping for more than he was offering, and she had to keep that frustration from showing as she the tour started to wind down. "Somehow I'd thought a stuffy fossil of a school like this wouldn't be so party-happy. Color me happily surprised. I'll make sure to hit each one up." &nbsp;She comes to a halt a few feet back from him as she looks about the old buildings and colleges around them. "Save for the one the murder happened in, I suppose. To be safe, right?" &nbsp;A beat passes as she considers who she could &nbsp;talk to to get more info. The unfortunate truth was she knew no one on campus yet, save for Liam and her lovely new thralls from his after-party. "Oh, one more teensy tiny question before I let you go: I was enrolled in some... whatever course, yeah? Archaepology or a nthro-anthrax-something or another..." she mutters, lazily gesturing about with her hand. &nbsp; "Oh! &nbsp;Stones and Bones! I think. Anyway that's not what you teach is it? Guessing not. You don't know anyone in that course I could like, politely &nbsp;encourage to share their notes, do you?"

Liam laughs, "You said you were at Brasennose? Going to be hard to avoid the murder spot when you live in it. I teach Sociology at Somerville, I probably have some fans somewhere, who study most things though, ask around on my Facebook page and I'm sure they'll all be glad to jump on you, just to have you in their friends list."

"Ugh," &nbsp;Aubrey scoffs, "Like I need them messaging me incessantly all day. No, they can stick to the fan page my PR team runs. And yeah, Brasenose, so point taken I guess. That kind of shit doesn't happen often here though, innit?"&nbsp;

Liam raises an eyebrow and half laughs. "Not often, but this is a busy place, not a film studio with security everywhere. Seriously though, why are you worried about it? Not like it could have been you that were killed, that happened already."

She scowls and turns away from him. "Like you say, it's no film set. Murders don't happen often on film sets." Often being the key word there. &nbsp;For a moment her mind flits back to a time they very nearly did &nbsp;happen. A time before requiems and masked rituals. A time she didn't want to remember right now. "Call it morbid curiosity, but I'd be interested to know which bloody fool did it nonetheless. Assuming they haven't &nbsp;already been 'dusted', I'd like to see it done. Would at least provide some entertainment aside from all the fucking and drinking—" &nbsp;She tilts her head back towards him with a shrug. "—No offense, of course, professor."

Liam laughs. "None taken. If you really want to play amateur sleuth, have a look through the videos on my fan page. I started a party there that night, you could see who was around. Careful though, not everyone likes questions and I'd rather not be dragged into it all."

"Well I did play Watson once in a theatre production of Sherlock Holmes as a kid," &nbsp;she laughs. "Alright I have one more question for you then, Mr. — Doctor? —" &nbsp;she shakes her head, "Liam... do you have any ideas of a name for this cat? I was leaning towards either Pumpkin Spice Latte, Cinnamon Buns, or Meowlando Bloom, but I'm open to suggestions." &nbsp;She bends down to reach for the cat once more, holding her hand out for it to come as she calls out to it with a quick pspspsps &nbsp;sound.

The cat purrs and sidles up to Aubrey, rubbing its neck against her hand.

Liam smirks. "Of course you were. I just call mine pain." He looks at her. "You want to investigate a mortal death, but all these cats stalking everyone has you feeling safe and secure and like you want to be affectionate to it? You ask me, that thing is more likely putting you in danger than some carried away fresher."

Aubrey frowns as she runs her hand over the cat’s head. “What are you talking about?” &nbsp;She looks up from her kneeling position at him with a curious, narrowed look. “Doesn’t everyone get one? They’re like familiars or whatever, no?”

Mehdi didn't exactly need Daxon's help with the recording equipment but he was more than grateful for the company, and in no time the pair is making their way down the hallway towards the barely concealed hum of a dorm room party. "Uhm, hey Daxon, look" he says, slowing down his gait. "I feel like I should probably give you a heads up in case you didn't already catch it but... Liam and Aubrey are vampires." He pauses and turns to try and read his new friend's face at this revelation, forgetting that there's no face to read. "Liam treats his groupies like a herd, Aubrey seems to do the same. All that considered, these parties can get a bit messy. Usually fine though. Usually... anyway it's also a good opportunity to Harvest, if you're so inclined. Totally get it if that's not your style though, not too late to turn back."

Daxon starts to reply, gets half a word out, then stops. Starts again, stops again. A breeze that might have come from a nearby vent carries a few red-gold leaves past the pair, and Daxon reaches up and catches one and rubs it between his fingers until he finds his voice. "Flummoxed, Mehdi. That's the word. Flummoxed. Those aren't words I've ever heard outside the cinema. What a world we live in... so is it like a herd of cattle or a herd of sheep? What I mean to say is... fleecing or slaughtering?"

Mehdi breathes a sigh of relief, it smells sweet like plum wine. “Flummoxed is a good word for it. For all of this really.” He says, cracking a smile. “Liam doesn’t slaughter though, he craves their adoration as much as their blood. Dead fans aren’t worth much. There’s actually specific breeds of both sheep and cattle just for milking, I guess it’s like that. As I understand it the Court and the Kindred have something of a… mutual understanding.” He pauses, studying Daxon once more, now paying more attention to the temperature and breeze as he does so. “There’s quite a lot of vampires here at Oxford. Whole bunch of mages too. The other courtiers didn’t warn you?”

Vesh said: Aubrey frowns as she runs her hand over the cat’s head. “What are you talking about?” &nbsp;She looks up from her kneeling position at him with a curious, narrowed look. “Doesn’t everyone get one? They’re like familiars or whatever, no?” Aubrey's cat scoffs at her and puts its tail up, sauntering around to sniff at Liam's white cat, who meows back in return.

"You had the cat before last week?" Liam raises an eyebrow. He hadn't considered this aspect, it would be useful to know if vampires who already owned a cat just got a lot more attention from them or whether a new cat had muscled into their lives. "Because I certainly didn't, there was some weird moment and then we all got these stalkers. I think they're spying on us for someone or something powerful. Luckily I'm noone important and don't hear any big plans so I'm hoping having this witness to that might save me from whoever sent them. At least long enough to know it's coming." &nbsp;He eyes the young vampire up. "Now how does that rank against your mortal being murdered?"

"I've only had him for a few hours, since I..."&nbsp; Aubrey pulls her hand back and watches the calico cavort with its companion, an growing frown creeping over her face as she listens to Liam talk. Shaking her head, she stands back up and turns to him for understanding, "Well what the hell? Who would use cats to spy on people? That's... ick , no thank you. But why would someone spy on you if you're unimportant? I'm me , so like, I get it in a way? But also, the fuck?" She folds her arms over her chest and hardens her gaze. "Maybe you're just being paranoid. &nbsp;You and... who exactly is 'we' anyway?"

Liam laughs, as he looks over his shoulder he realises they have circled right back and are stood at the gate to Oriel once again. "You have some hard lessons to learn, you think people here are going to care about your movies? I'm unusual in how much I care about such mortal things here, and even I have played with better known people, no offence, you're a lot of fun and a blast. But here, the politics are different. As for we? Have you seen one of our kindred without a cat since you've been here? There wasn't an offer on at the blood donation centre, get a free car with a pint of type o."

"Well stick around, luv, I'll change that," she smiles. "But no, I suppose I haven't seen anyone without one... when did they appear exactly?"

Change in a thousand years when we're old enough to matter maybe. Just let her have the illusion for now. Liam leans in "Not long before the murder, at least, that's when I noticed. "

Her eyes widen as she also starts to lean in reflexively. "Wait so like, right before a murder happened a bunch of super sus spy cats showed up to watch&nbsp; every &nbsp;kindred at the uni?" &nbsp;She pauses, looking at him expectantly for a second. "Like, you see how that sounds wild, right? Are you sure the murder doesn't have something to do with..." &nbsp;Aubrey gestures her hands about towards the cats, "...this?"

Liam shakes his head. "The cats came first, definitely, then the wolf howling. Then, I'd tried to shut mine outside of the library, and leave through another tunnel. It was waiting when I came out though, I was hungry so I organised the party, then the body was found. So unless one of these is the murderer, I don't think it's related."