Perhaps it was the night that was making him distant, or even his hunger getting him distracted, but it took him a while to register that someone or something was playing with his bells. His green eyes blinked a few times as he wondered just who was out here with him that he hadn't noticed. To be honest, his thoughts were often elsewhere due to his constant look into the past. He couldn't let go of his anger over how such a petulant child named Elsie could tear his coven apart and tear his heart out in the process when she killed his master. Kristoff... Erik murmured in his heart as the image of a man with kind and tired ice blue eyes looked back at him with the same smile he would always give him. He felt his hunger more so now that he allowed himself a moments rest to let the thought of blood come into it. He didn't mean to let it get this bad, but he was sure he had more time before the beast within demanded its payment.

Sighing, Erik looked down silently to peer slightly at the figure that seemed to be under the bench. He felt his long braid swing with his smack put to the hair bells. While he normally wouldn't mind such antics on a normal day, this was not normal nor was it a day. Like anybody else, he got cranky when he was hungry. however, he would put on a brave face so as to not scare off the person. Who knows, this could be his dinner he could be talking to. Sitting up and then standing, he crouched in front of the bench to look down at the form beneath it. He sniffed quietly, trying to figure out what it was; supernatural or otherwise. It smelled off, though he couldn't place the scent. He had met a variety of supernaturals before, but that didn't mean he remembered all of them by race. He remembered faces not names, though if he hated you enough or loved you enough Erik could do just that for someone. "Excuse me," His British accent clear and curious as he spoke down to the form beneath the bench. His emerald green eyes sharpened to see who or what it was. It looked to be a boy, though not that young by human standards. Erik's long blond braid fell over his shoulder and in front of him when he crouched, the bells ringing again. The ringing calmed the burning in his throat if only for a small moment. "What are you doing sleeping under the bench?" Thinking about it for a moment, Erik considered the possiblity that he was perhaps homeless. "1)Bonsior, erm...do you perhaps need a place to stay?" Erik blinked at the boy, but otherwise didn't move other than that.

Erik blinked at the boy, knowing that if he felt he was comfortable, who was the vampire to tell him otherwise? The vampire merely smiled down at the boy with his masked pleasant attitude. He really was hungry, so his mood was steadily dropping. However, he would be a gentleman and allow for himself to hide away his feelings for just a moment longer while he talked with the boy. The boy seemed strange, but Erik had met stranger people still. He had once met one of those fox creatures of an old man with 11 tails. He was so old that he was pretty out of his mind with Alzheimers gained from his old old age. He had drank and talked with Erik at length about absolutely nothing. Perhaps it was the company provided, but that was one of the best 12 hours he ever had since his coven was mercilessly slaughtered and his days went dark. "I can see you are certainly comfortable," He chuckled, standing up so that the boy could no longer bat at his hair bells. The boy had not taken his offer for shelter. This did not bother the man, he merely wanted to help as much as he could. The vampire felt the burning in the back of his throat again. The beast was hungry and it was merciless. If Erik wasn't careful he would be swallowed up by it and it would be let loose upon the whole Central Park. "Well alright then." Erik chuckled as he swept the boy a small bow in his old traditional politeness. "Might I share the bench with you and give you some company if you'd like? Two strangers pass in the night and just a simple greeting will not do." Part of that was the monster within wanting to sweet talk to boy into staying by him longer, but really Erik did want some company. He has been rather lonely for over 300 years, surely he might find someone to talk to him. "My name is Erik Knight, but my friends call me "Joker". Pleased to meet you."

Erik's hand absently went to the bells at the end of his braid. They were given to him by his master; the first gift he ever received from his master. His mind flashed back to the image of a tall man with short black hair and ice blue eyes smiling at him. His heart, if it was really working after all these years of having it ripped out over and over again, gave a small thump at the memory. Erik's thumb went over the cold silver metal slowly, keeping them well out of the way of this boy. It was strange to see someone so engrossed in tapping his bells, normally he was used to others just looking at him. He could give off that air that he was a dangerous person, but most of the time he gave off the air of a subdued lazy person. A mask was everything to a hunter who's prey was hidden behind other bodies. Erik chuckled at hearing the boy say that the vampire could sit down on the bench if he could touch the bells again.

Part of Erik was hesitant to let anyone touch them, let alone this boy do it again. He had very few mementos of his master. It couldn't hurt, right? It couldn't hurt to let someone who seemed rather innocent to touch the one thing he kept on his person at all times. His hand curled at his side for a moment when he remembered the last person who looked innocent and had touched something that he kept on his person at all times. Elsie killed his master, Kristoff, and she looked and (somewhat) acted the part of a child. Almost like a wave, the burning in the back of his throat came back full force. His fangs ached to bite into flesh, to tear it and drink the red river that was below it. Forcefully, he calmly uncurled his hand slowly in an effort to keep the beast within in check. However, on the surface, his eyes and face never gave away his hunger. "I...I suppose it couldn't hurt, but don't break them. They were the first gift I ever received from someone dear to me." Erik sat down on the bench, on the side that wasn't occupied by the boy. He crossed his right leg over his left and left his hand resting his right knee while the other hand grabbed the end of his braid and held it out a bit to the boy. "It is nice to meet you, Monsieur Iriel." Even with a British accent his french was consistent in his speech.

He was then asked by the boy why he was out so late. He was also asked if he was taking a flight too. Erik blinked for a moment at the boy. Another piece to the puzzle that was his supernatural night companion. Though, honestly, Erik couldn't help but grin a bit and laugh lightly. If I could fly, I would be able to do a great many things. Some of them a bit explicit. "I'm out at night to get a...bite, to eat, so to speak. I've been very busy the past few days and couldn't get much. Though I found myself wandering the park in the meantime." A lie, he couldn't get any blood for the past few days. Amusement flicked through his eyes over the small window with which he just almost gave away his race. He was once told to not fear or hate what he was, but cherish it. However, that was before his master died. Now that he was gone, Erik thought himself a monster after he went berserk 300 or so years ago. Better to leave those bloody memories till another time. "I take nightly walks. I cannot fly like some people I happen to know." Erik smiled in that roguish fashion of his. The vampire couldn't quite contain his interest in finding out what the boy was. The boy had mentioned flying so he must be a being with wings or the ability to fly. "Pardon if this is a bit personal, but what exactly are you? Your scent is familiar, yet I cannot register it."

This night was certainly getting interesting. Had he not ran into this odd young man he would have probably found a willing participant and been on his way. This, however, was far more interesting for the Aristocrat. In all of his years he found all sorts of people. And in those years he learned on very important lesson: don't let a moment pass you by that is interesting, you may not get the same moment again. Erik wasn't excited about letting Iriel touch his bells, but he would do what he must to appease his late-night companion. Surely he could get a bite to eat sometime soon, right? Erik had glanced over at Iriel as the boy seemed to have an odd look about himself while touching the bells. Erik couldn't place it, but his interest in the boy was somewhere between suspicious and amused. Erik rubbed at his throat, willing it to stop burning while he talked with Iriel. I fear the worst if I don't get some relief soon.

Erik glanced up again, his green eyes flicking again towards Iriel when he mentioned seeing something happy. He blinked. What did this boy mean when he said he saw something happy? Something was up, but Erik didn't know what. Absently Erik's hand went to rub against his forearm lightly in a calming gesture. Ever since his master died he's had to find comfort in some of the most weird, yet interesting places. Due to him having to hide what he is, he hadn't quite found that person he could openly tell about his vampire disease. He had no problem telling others he liked to sleep with both men and women, taking in anyone and everyone who needed a bit of comfort too, but when it came to his race, he was always juuuust a bit hesitant. "...and pray-tell what did you see, monsieur Iriel?" Erik's voice was quiet, but curious. He hadn't noticed much when the boy was holding the bells, but the assessment the boy gleamed from them made him interested. What exactly did he find happy? The only happy memories of his life started when he was 13 and ended when he was 250; all of them involved his master.

Erik sighed, hearing the boys answer to him previous statement. He couldn't help but be amused at the statement told by the boy. His throat burned still; his hand absently rubbing it as his green eyes darkened with his hunger. Surely there was something else to sate his thirst other than human blood. Animal? He'd never go hunting for game in this city. All he could find would be dogs and cats, if he was lucky. Humans, they were everywhere. He was told by his master to cherish the life of a human, to give them the fighting chance and watch them grow. He was called a fool by some of their kind, but to Erik and their coven, he was their fearless leader who had the best interests of everyone at heart. To Erik he was his world. "Walks are nice, agreed, but surely there is something here that can sate my hunger..." Erik couldn't help but mutter that last part, still rubbing his burning throat. Someone stop this inferno hell within him. He could feel the beast within claw at his throat and wish for release. Erik couldn't give quarter; no mercy for the devil. However, Erik's thoughts were soon interrupted when he heard the boys answer to his question on what he was. A bird. Bird. A bird? A supernatural being who is a bird... Due to his hunger, he was a bit slow, but soon the answer came to him. His green eyes turned fully around to the boy as the race in question came to his lips. "OH! A pheonix." It was a simple answer, and one that Erik had encountered only twice in his life. "Well, since you told me what you are, it's only polite to tell you what I am." He was hesitant, but tried to put as much positive spin on it as possible. "I'm a vampire, an aristocrat one, but a vampire nonetheless." Erik chuckled elegantly, his accent curling up on the end due to the slight grin on his face. "It's nice to meet you fully, Iriel the Pheonix."

Still Erik's throat burned. Hell itself wasn't as hot as his throat was. Oh 1)mon dieu! How I wish for some release from this inferno!

This inferno would not stop taking him into its fiery clutches. How he longed to sink his fangs into someone's neck and drink the red wine that was beneath. Blinking quickly to himself, he pulled himself out of his thoughts of hunger. No, Erik, think about something else. Chastising himself, he pulled himself back together on the inside though on the outside he looked as calm and elegant as he usually does. What brought him out of his thoughts was Iriel speaking about what he saw. It was an interesting thing to wrap his head around; seeing pictures when one touched an object. Erik prayed he never developed anything like that for fear that it would eventually drive him even more insane than he was as it is. Just as the aristocrat was moving some of his bangs out of his eyesight, his hand stopped on his brow as he green eyes widened just a bit at the voice of the boy. There is only one man who was ever in my life like that. A wave of sorrow enveloped the vampire again; a feeling that came whenever he thought about his deceased master. "Ah..." Erik started to say, but his voice wouldn't come out just yet. After a few moments, he was able to talk again, the feelings of sorrow buried deep within his heart

"He is--was--someone close to me long long long ago." Erik said quietly, his fist curling slightly on his knee. His eyes here guarded, hiding the sorrow that plagued him still when he thought of the past. "My master was a kind man, perhaps too kind since it was that that got him killed--" Erik tried hard to not let the feelings of bitterness enter his voice, wanting desperately to feel okay again after 400 years had passed by them. In regards to him looking tired, Erik smirked at the memory that accompanied that thought of Kristoff sleeping. Finally, Erik let go his first chuckle when talking about his late master. "He was always tired; he once told me it was because he stayed up all of his eternally long life to find me and love me." Erik was no stranger to saying this types of things out loud, and thus he didn't blush. Erik smiled to himself at the memories that followed that one sentence. "The world was far simpler when it was just him and I..." Erik couldn't help but say out loud, letting his emotions take him back just a bit to a time when he felt happy.

Breaking out of his thoughts, he looked over at the boy when he had pieced together his hunger. "Don't worry, I am the type to ask first before to go biting anyone's neck." Erik laughed lightly, amused with himself. "Besides, if I just ate whoever I wanted whenever I wanted, I would be just as bad as her." A slight bitter and horrible snear came into his voice when he had mentioned Elsie with just a pronoun. She was the bane of his existence and the reason he was who he was now. He wanted to kill her, to avenge his coven and especially his master. The killer urge came so strongly within him nowadays that he wasn't sure he wasn't already like her now. Erik waved off his words when Iriel had addressed him in the proper sense. While he preferred those around him call him properly, he didn't want to be called 'Mr. noble vampire' for the rest of this time. "Please, just call me either by my first name, "Mr. Knight", or "Joker". That's...too much of a mouthful." Erik chuckled despite himself, trailing off with his laughter before it was quickly shut up with Iriel's next question. Stiff. Did he show that much? The burning in his throat flared at the thought of feeding. Grimacing, Erik sighed as his hand curled and uncurled. "I suppose i'm stiff because i'm hungry. I can normally go long days without feeding, but this is the third and final day and as you can see...i'm at the end of it and now the beast within wants its payment." He sighed, tired of feeling the burning in the back of his throat. He could attack Iriel right now, but that would go against what Kristoff had instilled within him when he had first turned him. Human's were worth protecting and keeping around; they were to be treated with respect when necessary. "I have yet to find a willing companion to let me drink from them." Offhandedly he had thought of that boy with the ice blue eyes who looked so delicious in more than one way. Ian. At the thought of the boy, and because he felt some lust towards Ian, his fangs ached with both types of his hunger. His hand went to his throat again as Erik looked down. "I will understand if you want to run away, Iriel. I would to, the beast is not kind." He gave a small humorless laugh before continuing to rub his throat, wishing the burning would go away.

For a moment Erik was lost within his thoughts, remembering the times when things in his life were so simple he didn't need to hide and manipulate and plan excessively all of his days. His emerald green eyes flicked down as a small smile came on his face as another memory floated into his head. He remembered how he'd find his master asleep in his study chair looking elegant and disheveled at the same time. A trait that Erik tried to imitate in his daily life by looking as his master did. It was the little things that Erik did that he tried to keep the memory of Kristoff Knight alive in his heart. "You have nothing to apologize for, it just happened and at least it was a nice memory. I couldn't sit right knowing you saw the darker ones attached to these bells and this body." His voice was soft, but the undercurrent of bitter hatred was there. It wasn't towards Iriel, but Elsie's bloody face and hands made his fangs ache more with wanting to tear her throat out. Calming himself, he went on as if nothing happened within. "He was the best man I have ever had the chance to meet and get to know. If you'd have met him, i'm sure he would have brought you in for a cup of tea and some conversation. That's just the kind of man he was." Erik smiled sadly, but then the subject turned to other things aside from his old master. The wounds were still fresh in his heart, but he nursed them as best as he could to stop them from festering with the revenge he wanted to enact upon Elsie. 

Erik nodded at the use of his name. He was used to the American way of customs by now, calling people by their first names rather than be formal and use the last name. At first it through the aristacrat for a loop, but he soon got a hold of it and let the people around him do as they wished. Erik smiled at Iriel with his rare gentle smile, the ones usually reserved for those Erik had a fondness for. There was something about this boy that Erik liked. Perhaps it was the way the boy seemed innocent yet still held a slight menacing aura about himself without knowing what it was. Whatever the feeling Erik got from the boy, he didn't mind staying parched with thirst till the boy either left or it got unbearable. A slight twitch of his hand was all that was seen when Erik's mind went to the last time he let his thirst go so bad. He had eaten an entire small village in two days; and even then his thirst still consumed him. That's what happens when you rip everything away from someone who had everything. Once you take away what a man has, and he is left with nothing, he is willing to do anything to get it all back. "It's Erik, but if you happen to call me something else, I don't mind." Erik chuckled, dropping his hand from his throat now, keeping everything calm on the outside while the monster raged against it's cage from within. "Just don't call me late for dinner, or whatever that pleasant American saying goes." He laughed now, covering up his discomfort within this throat. His fangs ached with the need, but he withheld for the sake of this boy. I just met him, I don't want to ravage him. Get a hold of yourself, Erik, be a gentleman. "Perhaps I'll gain a new nickname while you and I talk." Erik grinned kindly at the boy, finding himself more at ease around him. How strange for me to feel thus...

He had grimaced once more, feeling the throb get stronger. He wanted blood, and he wanted a lot of it. I wish my contact had kept his end of the bargain. I won't pay him next week as punishment. His human contact was someone that Erik had kept in contact with throughout their family's bloodline. When he had moved to America he had found another family member of the same family and with some talking he had gotten his new contact. They were not slaves, just helpful humans who benefited from having Erik as their family's 'old friend'. Erik felt the boy come closer. No. He shouldn't come closer or else the beast might attack. Erik consciously had to pull himself away and scoot away a bit. No biting the new acquaintances. Blinking suddenly, his emerald green eyes were looking at the exposed arm of Iriel. Was this boy insane? Did he know what he was letting Erik do? In either case, all Erik could think about was blood that he could sense just behind the skin of the boy's arm. Blood. The red elixir that made his body no longer experience suffering and pain at not feeding. Why had he waited for so long? Slowly Erik reached up unconsciously and gripped the boys arm not tightly, but enough to stop it from moving. His green eyes got darker with his hunger now flaring. "....you would...do this for me?" All Erik looked at was that arm, his fangs now exposed fully as the hunger sank its own fangs into Erik's soul. Blood. Drip. Drop. The red river was calling to him like a choir of unholy angels calling to a sinner.

Despite his feelings on feeding directly from humans, he did realize that Iriel was willing. Blinking once, Erik wasted no effort in moving the boys wrist closer to him. The main artry there was the best one aside from the neck. His tongue snaked out to lightly lick the wrist he was about to drink from out of habit. "Forgive me for doing this, Iriel..." That was all Erik said quietly before sinking his fangs deeply into the boy's wrist. It flowed into his mouth quickly, the rush of blood. It was sweet and delicious all at the same time. While a normal person would taste copper, Erik tasted nothing of the sort. It was like the blood formed an aloe to coat his throat to sooth the burning within it. Oh god in heaven, why was he such a beast? Why did he love this so much? Erik's thoughts were focused solely on the blood, so much so that he didn't realize at first he should stop drinking or else he might kill the boy. Or at the very least make him pass out. Either one did not sit well with Erik. Forcing his jaws apart at the last minute, he pulled away Iriel's arm from him and held a hand to his mouth. His eyes looked brighter with the brief feeding, but other than that, this did nothing more than to quench his thirst for now. He wanted more. He wanted to drink from Iriel's neck where he could get more, but he knew that it was wrong to ask such a thing. "T-Thank you...I'm...full." He was breathing hard, but he forced a grin to try to let the boy know that he was fine now. Lies. It was a lie, but one he wasn't going to own up to. If he went further, he would regret it. He wanted more. More blood. Forcefully letting go, Erik pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood at his mouth. A waste. It should be in his mouth. Erik was getting a better control on his hunger now, able to walk further without attacking the nearest hobo or prostitute that made its way into the park. "You are a kind boy, Iriel. Thank you." Despite how better he felt, Erik looked sad in his eyes despite the smile he put on for the boy.