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There are three things in this world of which Aaron Burr was absolutely certain:
One: He was a vampire hunter, the last of a long legacy dedicating to standing against the blood-sucking forces of darkness.
Two: The vampires were merciless, and would stop at nothing to suck the blood of any human they encountered. He had to stay on his guard at all times.
Three: He really, really did not want to be dealing with Alexander right now
"Aaron Burr, sir!" The man said, eyes shining brightly in the street lamps outside Aaron's door. Looking as energetic as he always did, his eyes bright no matter how many shadows gathered beneath them.
Aaron looked much the same. He had been about to turn in, carefully dog-earring the large book on vampire lore he had been reading when his eyelids began to droop. "It's the middle of the night."
"Can we confer, sir?"
Not again. Did Alexander ever sleep? It didn't seem so. "Is this a legal matter?" He asked wearily, wondering how quickly he could get his fellow lawyer to say his piece and leave.
"Yes. And it's important to me." Alexander looked to Aaron, then past him into the house. Aaron tried to suppress a sigh.
"Come in and tell me then."
"Sir!" Alexander grinned, following him into the modest house. He didn't so much as blink in confusion as Aaron tossed a blanket over the chair where he'd been reading: It held a very large book on vampire lore and the wooden stake he had been idly whittling. The things he had been about to put away so he could go to bed.
With a sigh Aaron turned to face his guest. Hospitality dictated he should offer something to eat or drink, inquire after Mrs Hamilton and the children. But hospitality also dictated guests should not arrive in the middle of night on a whim, so he had little problem pulling himself up to full height and saying "Now, what is this about?" With as much condescension as possible.
"The new United States constitution?" Alexander asked hesitantly. "Look, Burr, you're a better lawyer than me and I just think-"
Aaron repressed another sigh. He was going to be here all night. Reluctantly he lit another candle and, when Alexander was still talking, began to recite the methods of identifying a vampire to himself.
Cannot enter a dwelling unless invited
Shies away from garlic
Cannot sleep
Has no reflection in mirrors
Must feed roughly once every three days
Harmed by silver, holy water and wooden stakes. Only a direct hit to the heart will kill
Aaron possessed all of those, of course. Silver bullets, stakes, and a large flask of holy water. He had been learning about vampires since before he could walk. Since before his parents died, the blood drained out of them by one of their foes.
Someone had to stand against the dark.
And there was no one left but him.
He looked over at Alexander, still talking, standing in his living room. Remembers how young he’d looked when they met, scrawny and determined to prove himself worth something. There are worse legacies one could be left I suppose.
He was pulled out of his musings by the fact that Alexander had finally stopped talking. Unfortunately, was looking at Aaron expectantly, waiting for an answer. Well, make your best guess. "No," he said, with as much conviction as he could muster. "No way. Goodnight Alexander."
"Hey!" The man dodged around his gesture towards the door. "Hear me out! If you could write even five, ten essays, James Madison and I can do the rest. I thought we could start with-"
Aaron sighed again, silently giving up on his sleep. "Do you want something to eat or drink, Alexander?"
"Only if you insist!" Alexander scurried over to the kitchen, strands of dark hair falling out of his bun. One piece of hair fell down his face, the ends just brushing the man's lips.
Aaron looked away quickly. Focus. Hosting. "Theodosia made some lovely mince meat pie. Peas, carrot, and garlic all mixed in. But if you're not peckish-"
"Just a glass of wine please, as lovely as your wife's cooking sounds." When Aaron turned around, he found Alexander staring, brow knitted together in contention He raised an eyebrow. Alex only coughed, downing his wine and going right back to constitutional law.
Aaron didn't want to hear it. "Alexander," he said sharply, "I'm not doing this. We don't even know if this Constitution is going to pass! It's a mess! I'm not sticking my neck out for-"
"For anything!" Alexander cut him off, dark eyes blazing. "You have to stand for something Burr, you have to pick a side!"
Aaron pulled away. Turned his back, did not engage, walked slowly and deliberately towards the front hall. "Not in the middle of the night Alexander. Goodnight."
He'd been hoping Alexander would get the hint but no, his companion came after him like a vengeful sprite. Followed him into the hallway, hovering, glowering. Aaron turned away, towards the large mirror on the dresser.
Alexander, furious, tried to get in front of him. Ducked under his arm like they were playing some ridiculous game. Aaron turned his face away again, up to the mirror, and-
Aaron’s blood ran cold.
Alexander had no reflection.
Vampire! his mind screamed, even as he told himself it was ridiculous. He'd.... He'd known Alexander for years. Had let him into his home, his space-
"Burr?" Alexander asked, his fury momentarily abated by confusion.
"You... You...." He was staring at the mirror, at his horrified reflection standing alone in the mirror.
Alexander looked over his shoulder. "Oh," he said conversationally, "that's awkward."
Aaron reeled, trying to control his breathing. Vampire! his mind screamed, vampire vampire vampire. Agent of darkness. Murderous, soulless-
He bolted for the living room. There! Under the blanket on the couch, a stake-
Alexander had followed him. “Aaron,” he said placatingly, both hands held up, “We can talk about this-”
“You’re a vampire,” He said, putting the thought into words. And then, with more vehemence “A vampire. I let you into my house! Near Theodosia! I trusted you!”
“Honestly? I thought you knew.” Alex tried to shrug, but his eyes were fixed on the stake in Aaron’s hand. Like the predator he was.
“How long,” Aaron said. It wasn't a question. Alexander shifted. “How long, Hamilton?”
Alexander closed his eyes. “As long as you’ve known me.”
And that’s when Aaron struck. Lunged forward with the stake, aimed right for the heart.
He felt the solid thump as he crashed into Alexander, sharpened wood slicing deep into the man’s chest as they both went down. But no dust, no dissolving body as his stake touched the creature’s heart.
A miss, he had time to think, and then it was on. Alexander kicked out with surprising strength, twisting his hips to throw Aaron off of him. Lord, he was stronger than Aaron had been expecting. He tried again with the stake only to be blocked and thrown aside.
Alexander leaped after him with a hiss of anger, pinning Aaron’s hips with his thighs and snarling as they grappled. But even with his brow furrowed in anger and- Aaron realised with sweep of nausea there were small fangs poking out of Alexander’s mouth- even then,
I don’t want to kill him.
But what choice did he have? He shoved at Alex’s chest, keeping the jagged teeth at bay before the vampire could snap at him, and considered his options. Or lack of them. Kill or be killed.
He stabbed upwards with the stake again.
Alex got a hand around his wrist, applying pressure until he dropped the stake reflexively. And then he was breathing hard as both of his hands were forced to the ground on either side of his head. Alexander, crouched over him, bared his teeth.
“If you’re going to kill me get it over with,” Aaron snapped, furious at being beaten.
Alexander had the nerve to wrinkle his nose. “You were the one getting stabby. I just want you to listen.”
“Vampire” Aaron spat. “That’s all I need to know.
He flinched as teeth snapped an inch from his nose, fangs glinting in the candlelight.
“Vampire.” Alex agreed. “Who could have bitten you but didn’t. For years. So you can listen.” He met Aaron’s gaze for a long, long moment. Then, slowly, he released Aaron’s hands and scrambled off him - grabbing the stake on the way.
“Does being a vampire give you superior fighting skills?” Aaron asked. He had never read anything to suggest such, but the boy had thrown him off far too easily for someone which such a small, skinny frame.
Alexander snorted dismissively. “Growing up as an orphan on St Croix gave me superior fighting skills. They don’t teach you that stuff in English boarding school.”
“St. Croix.” Aaron mused. “You were changed when you were there?” As long as you’ve known me, Alexander had said. All those years, and Aaron had never even guessed his friends secret.
There was silence for a moment, and then Alexander began to speak. “I've been this way.... a while. I was twelve when I was bitten. I was dying of yellow fever. It saved my life.”
Dying of yellow fever. He remembered hearing that Alexander’s mother had died of such. Someone must have taken her son, convulsing in sickness, and brought him to those who could save him at the cost of his soul. And then he had traveled to America, where-
“Mrs Hamilton!” Aaron burst out, unable to contain himself. Gentle Eliza, who would not have known the creature she had married. Sweet Jesus….
“What of her?”
“Your wife, you can’t expect me…. To allow you to feed-” He stopped, because Alexander was laughing.
After a moment the man had choked back his mirth enough to say “Burr. Aaron, my friend. She is a vampire. All of the Schuylers are. You thought…”
Aaron sniffed. “I don’t think it was all that unlikely. Vampires need humans to bite.”
“I haven’t been biting anyone regularly since John Laurens left for South Carolina” Alexander laughed again then winced, looking down at his chest. Being a vampire, he couldn’t bleed, but they could both see the large gash there from Aaron’s stake. “If you have decided not to stab me, I would appreciate another glass of wine. Your rashness is understandable but,” he winced again, fingers probing the wound, “painful.”
"I have some linen bandages if you’d like-”
“Doesn’t bleed, and I can’t get any infections,” Alexander shook his head. “But thank you.”
Aaron poured two more glasses of wine and downed his in a go, trying not to reflect too much on the strangeness of his current situation. “Is there nothing I can do?” It was his hand that caused the wound. Stabbing a friend. Stabbing a vampire, no, he wouldn’t think about that. Though Alexander’s next words made it hard.
“I need to feed to heal.”
“Oh.” Aaron swallowed hard. His thoughts were racing. “And would you, if you fed, change….”
“No!” In fact, he seemed insulted by the very idea. “Feeding doesn’t change you, nor does it kill unless I take a lot of blood. Actually, I’m told, it’s quite the rush,” and he had the nerve to lick his lips, drawing Aaron’s focus up, up to the softness of Alexander’s mouth and the sharp teeth it contained. “Though I am not able to offer my own opinions, I was not conscious at the time of my bite.”
The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, “I’ll do it.”
“Hm?” Alexander looked up
“I’ll do it. So you can heal from the wound I inflicted. You may… feed,” he forced the word out, grimacing, “from me if you wish.”
When he looked up Alexander’s breathing had gone uneven. His pupils had dilated, turning his dark eyes black. “Aaron. Are you sure?”
“Don’t make me say it twice Hamilton.” Aaron was having trouble breathing himself. It seemed as though all the air had been sucked from the room, making it overly warm. “Yes.”
Alexander approached, his eyes roaming freely over Aaron’s body now. “Only a little. And I’ll be careful, just hold still.” One long finger came up to brush Aaron’s neck and the man shuddered.
“It won’t hurt?”
“Don’t you trust me?” Alexander whispered against his skin. The fingers on Aaron’s neck applied gentle pressure, tilting his head to the side and exposing the long line of his neck.
“Yes.” Aaron said automatically. “No. I-” But it was too late. Alexander hummed, fangs emerging, and with a smooth motion pierced the skin of Aaron’s neck.
It was like a bolt of lightning struck him. Aaron keened, the sound ripped out of him by Alexander, Alexander with his hands on Aaron’s shoulders holding him still, Alexander with his two pinpricks of teeth that had become the center of the universe. It felt like thunder, like light, like the moment of breakthrough understanding after which nothing is ever the same. The moment at the very top of a crescendo, every muscle pulled taunt and waiting for explosion.
Alexander held him all the way through it, pressed Aaron tight against his body as he shuddered and gasped and lost himself. And then he felt himself being slowly lowered to the floor, vision swimming and pulse rushing in his ears.
“Aaron? Aaron?” Alexander was shaking him, just slightly.
“Yes?” He managed to say. He blinked, blinked again, trying to clear his vision.
Alexander pulled away for a moment and then there was a strip of fabric being pressed over his neck. “Shh. Give it a minute. The feeling fades.”
Aaron tried to focus his thoughts. “You’re healed?” That was the important thing.
“Give it a few moments.” But he nodded back down at his chest, where the tan skin was already knitting back together. “How did it feel?”
“Like… like lightning.” Like everything.
“Lightning.” Alexander smiled softly, his fingers brushing up and down the panes of Aaron’s neck, his face. They stayed there for several long moments. Until Alexander, ever restless, started shifting. “And what happens now, Aaron? Are you going to change your mind tomorrow and try and stab me again?”
If it means I get to heal you again… No. He would not. He was a vampire hunter. He should not have let Alexander into his home, should not have let him live, should not have allowed himself to be bitten, standing passively like a lamb at the slaughter. And most certainly he should not be still sitting here, in Alexander’s arms, with a pronounced hardness between his legs that said exactly how much he had enjoyed their encounter.
“You go home.” He said slowly. “Back to your wife, to your law practice. I tell no one… what you are, and you say nothing to my Theodosia.” God, if she knew….
“As you say.” Alexander leaned forward to press a kiss to Aaron’s temple. There was the barest graze of teeth, the fangs that had not yet been retracted, and Aaron repressed another shudder and a wave of pleasure ripped through him. “I’ll see you in court tomorrow. Aaron Burr, sir.”
And with a tip of his hat at the door, he was gone. Aaron was left sitting on the floor, pressing a makeshift bandage to his neck, wondering where he had gone so wrong.