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Post by Jashin on Feb 11, 2015 5:50:06 GMT
Oct 3, 2007
It was not but moments after she ran that he followed behind her. His body was stronger now than it had been in quite a long while. He could feel the speed in his stride as he pursued her path. He could still smell the scent of blood she left behind, mixed with that honey-sweet scent she normally reminded him of. It was not difficult to find her route. When he heard the screams of panic, he ran even faster. Neither of them had taken the time to dress, but it mattered not to him. He was as confident fighting without a stitch of clothing as he was in full armor. Before he even came into line of sight with the garden, he started the shifting in his body... his blood boiled in his veins, hot with fury that they would invade his Keep -Again-.
With the grace of many practiced centuries, he formed a pair of blades made of bone, by expanding the matter from his own forearm which jutted wickedly sharp from the back of his wrist making a Katar that was part of himself. “Touch her again, and I swear they will find nothing left of you but ash...”
"ADIR! NO!" Lyssa shouted and slashed at Morn again, her own claws drawing blood even if it wasn't a lot. "RUN!" She had tears pouring down her face and as Morn turned to Adir, he grabbed hold of the woman using her as s shield. "Go ahead, try and kill me. You will slice thru her." Lyssa began to murmur softly as her hands, out of Morn's sight, began to glow a soft white.
His stance dropped into a low crouch almost like a hunting animal as he watched his opponent for an opening. In his mind he could feel the Beast raging to be let loose to Frenzy on his enemy. “What is the problem? Not confident in your abilities to face me one on one?... Need yourself a shield since you know you would be defeated?” All he could do was wait until he gave an opening.
Mornelith laughed, his hand caressing her bare body in places Adir had caressed less than an hour before. "No no, not at all. Something just tells me that as long as she is between us, you have a weakness." She mouthed the words a bit faster, but suddenly Morn's hand was between her thighs and her magic flared erratically as the power burst bright in both hands in time with her cry of pleasure and pain at the touch of the vampire. "AAAADDIIRRR" Her cry was one of pain and pleading. But she pleaded for two reasons, one was for release... and one was for him to run. "Leave... please... let me die... RUNNNNAAAAAHHHHH" She shuddered as the frenzy nails of Morn's cut small lines in the flesh around her nether lips taunting Adir.
The blast had been bright enough to turn Morn's head a moment, eyes closed, as he waited for the flash to dissipate.
The presumption of this man, laying his hands on her like that... it infuriated him. He waited further, to make his move at the opportune moment. There it was! A flash... the moment was all he needed. The muscles in his legs were set for the spring he executed in the blink of an eye. Diving at the assassin with those vicious bone-blades he had anchored to his wrists, to plunge them into the man's ribs. As if the punctures weren't enough, the position of the blades allowed his fists to drive into him with all the power he could manage as well, lifting him clean off the ground and holding him airborne. Lyssa's pleas were lost on him, the Beast was practically snarling with rage at this point.
Lyssa cried out as Adir lunged. It served her right to die with Morn. They had been in it together. But suddenly Morn was gasping and his grip on her tightened a moment. She found herself pressed between the two and as Morn gripped her she screamed. Suddenly the grip was gone and she found herself falling between the bodies towards the ground. Morn growled once as she fell and managed to rip her skin over her shoulder and neck on the right side as she fell. The pain was so searing hot, she couldn't even gasp. Crumpled at the feet of the two, she clutched her neck with one hand in instinct as she slowly closed her eyes. It seemed right, to die this way...
Morn cried out in rage and pain as Adir lunged at him. His initial reaction had been to rip the girl to shreds, but he couldn't move his arms for some reason. The pain was enough to blind him a moment and release his grip enough that she began to slip. "You won't have her either... bastard angel" was all Morn managed to growl out before one hand grabbed and slashed viciously on Lyssa's neck. His other hand rose in hopes of cutting thru Adir's throat as well. If he killed them both, his reward would be twice as great. "Now die for me too, pretty little bastard." He snarled.
More vitae pounded through his veins as he held the man upright. It took but a few seconds to activate the powers he sought. Potent blood soaked into every muscle in his figure, making them harder, stronger more Potent. That was not all, however, he was also faster now... much faster he had the Celerity to act much swifter than before. With his supernatural speed and strength called into effect, he withdrew the blades and drove them home again, this time he brought the edge of his hands together and drove them both into the vampire's heart. He knew it would not kill him, but it may buy them some time.... time he needed to heal Lyssa. He let the enemy drop to the ground after his last assault, hoping the serious wound he had inflicted was enough to make him think twice.
Morn growled as his eyes fluttered. He would live, others waited on the edge of the trees to fetch him back. But for now... His seemingly lifeless body fell backwards as he passed out.
Silence would fill the garden as Adir stood there half lost still in the rage. Lyssa's hand would reach once to lightly caress the tip of the nearest wing as she whispered, doubting he would hear. "Forgive me... I wished you had taken my life..." She closed her eyes and if he listened, the mad beating of her heart would slowly become a little erratic before beginning a soft slow cadence that was beginning to fade as her hand fell to the ground, too weak to keep in touch with him.
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Post by Jashin on Feb 11, 2015 5:50:11 GMT
He knelt immediately to Lyssa, as he watched his would-be assassin fall into a heap. He had indeed heard the whispers, and was not about to let her pass away, let alone kill her. The bone blades seemed to melt back into his arms as he released his concentration on keeping them. His hands laid to the wounds Lyssa had as he, yet again used the potent vitae to his aid. In a few moments, the rends in her arteries, veins, muscles and flesh (in that order) sealed up as his fingers swept along the surface of her skin, imparting his touch as he had just minutes ago, to her.
Lyssa was still as death as Adir knelt to heal her. His power was enough to heal the flesh but the blood loss had been great. With her vitae no longer flowing freely, she soon had the strength to open her eyes and smile almost sleepily at him. "Is he dead?" She managed to roll her head to the side. The body wasn't far from her and one hand reached to touch Morn's leg. He was mending but it was slow. She could feel the magical energy that made vampires immortal, flowing under her finger tips. She let go and let her hand drop back down, careful not to touch him. Looking up at Adir, "I want you to be the one to take my life. Please... don't let Marcus or his Pet be the one... please..." She lifted a hand to her neck and brushed the hair back. It was all in slow motion as her body seemed to reject being used. She breathed as she lay there, but it was slow and shallow. Her eyes looking up filled with sadness. "I wish I could have flown...." She closed her eyes in hopes he would feed and be done with her. She had caused him so much pain, he deserved to be the one to take her life.
No matter what, he could not let her die... not like this. Not because he had failed to protect her in his own Keep... not by the hands of that sociopath. Leaning down, he seemed as it he would acquiesce to her request, beginning to pull the blood from her as if he would drain her. It was his intent, in a fashion.. but as he felt her body start to wilt in his touch, the heart slowing to almost nothing... the true cusp of death. He tore a gash across his wrist and pressed the flowing crimson wound to her lips, inevitably a bit would make it down her throat no matter what, initializing the change.. but few knew the truth of this exchange.
Either the subject was willing, or they were not... No amount of his vitae could force her to become Kindred, she had to have the desire to grasp it... the blood was just a conduit. If she truly wished to die by his hand, she would let her chance slip away into the abyss, lost forever. Either way, she got what she wanted, Immortality, or some semblance of peace.
She felt him dine on her as if a last meal. To redeem her once more so she could die in peace. Her hands gripped his arm in reflex as she felt her body begin to die. The soft whimper as her mind tried to reason it was fine, but the flutter of her heart filled her with panic. She had never gotten to truly make love to him, to fly, to be with him without pretense... As he pulled away, she opened her eyes just enough to see his face and realized he wasn't wiping his lips, he was biting his wrist. As it came down towards her and a few drops fell over her tongue, she realized what it was he was offering. Another chance.
She licked her lips and raised one shaking weak arm towards his wrist but it fell to the dirt of the garden without the strength to make it. She managed to whisper to his mind, though it too was feint... *Please... more...* She licked her lips once more as a few more drops followed then a couple more. She opened her mouth, closed her eyes and waited to see what would happen. She didn't want to die, but couldn't bring herself to ask him to spare her. Yet he had... but why? She swallowed and a small whimper fell into the darkness between them. One hand would raise enough to touch his wing and let him know she wanted to live.
Kneeling beside her cold figure, he pushed his free arm between her and the stone floor, pulling her up close to him as he kept his wrist pressed against her lips, he could feel the pull of her lips as the potent vitae trickled into her system... she had accepted his gift. “Yes, that is good, Lyssa. Keep feeding.. just let it course through you, feel the life you knew before fade and new amazing Immortality fill you. Take enough to get strong.” His words were to encourage her and make her want to live.
She felt the wrist pressed to her as his other arm lifted her from the garden dirt and held her close. His words made her eager for more. He wasn't going to bring her back just so he could exact revenge. She knew that now. She sucked harder on his wrist and soon felt the fire of it flow thru her limbs. She was able to lift her arms and grasp his wrist to hold it to her and suck to gather more vitae. So intoxicating, so powerful. She felt his 'gifts' and felt her own power begin to pulse within her lending an almost moonlight ethereal glow to her body as he held her close. Soon she found herself falling into the taste and not wanting to stop. She sucked harder and faster as if she couldn't get enough. A soft purr turned to a course moan as she indulged in something she wanted never to end.
It was a pleasant experience for him, just as it was for her... the literal exchange of life-force to perpetuate their Immortality. He let her indulge longer than most would, in her first feeding. Taking the power of his vitae into her veins so that she might have the joy of living again. His arm that was around her to keep stability swept up to brush back her tousled hair as he gently, but forcefully pulled his wrist away. The first time always had to be forcefully taken back, or they would not stop. “I am afraid I can not spare more for you at the moment, dear one... but you will learn the joy of the hunt soon enough.” He stood easily, offering his hand down to her, pulling to aid her in standing. “Shall we...?”
She gasped almost whimpering as he pulled the wrist away. She bit her lip and sucked on the coppery lingerings and smiled taking his hand. As she rose she almost fell on legs weak but stronger than she thought. Leaning onto his chest she smiled as her clarity of vision and hearing picked up things she had never realized. The colors of night were not shades of grays and blacks but vivid hues of their own, and the sounds of animals deep in the woods called to her senses almost overwhelming her. She suddenly realized how much bigger the small world around the Keep was and drew closer to him shivering, not from cold, but fear. "Is it always like this? So overwhelming?" Her heart raced as she closed her eyes shaking her head slightly as if to try and calm the heightened sensory perceptions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Please... hold me..." Was all she could say. Somehow, there in his arms, she knew nothing else would matter ever again.
Glancing around as if to notice what she seemed to notice, he listened to her question, then it became more apparent. Heightened senses came with the package, the Embrace had different effects on different people. Apparently she was not used to such things. “It is much to take in at first. You will grasp it soon, I am sure.” His arm as well as his wing wrapped around her smaller figure as he escorted her back inside, leading her away from the garden terrace and all the mess that was there. He was sure the intruder would escape, because he knew the man had not met Final Death, but he would be ready for their return. “Let us go get cleaned up... We could both do with some nice hot water to soak in.”
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Post by Jashin on Feb 11, 2015 5:50:24 GMT
October 4, 2007
She glanced back over her shoulder once more as he led her into the house. Leaning more heavily into him she whispered, still not trusting her voice. "The vials... we have to destroy them." She stopped as they were halfway across the sitting room where they had sat that first time on the couch and talked all night. "Please... I have too... I don't want Marcus to get them." She started to pull from his arms, still a bit shaky, and turned for the balcony murmuring as if in a dream. "I have to destroy them... "
“What vials?... what are you talking about?” His arm let go as she pulled from him, though he turned to follow behind her path, curious as to what she was going on about. “What happens if he gets these vials, and what effect do they produce?” He was not sure she would tell him, but he had to ask.... Marcus.. that name burned in his mind as the silence fell after his question. If that man ever showed his face in this Keep, it would take four armies to ensure the man walked out. Never since his father, Vlad, had Adirian had more hatred in his heart for anyone. He would see to it the man would perish by his hand.
She stopped short at Morn's body then side stepped around him. Heading for th garden where she knelt back down, she sighed as a tear, crimson red now, fell down her cheek into the soil. "How I kept you needing me." She cried as she held the last two vials, one in each hand. She couldn't look up into his eyes as she closed her hands around the glass vials. "It weakened my blood... masked my magic... made you weaker rather than stronger..." She closed her eyes and began to squeeze. *One pound of pressure to break flesh* echoed in her mind. The bottles would break and then her skin would. She would bleed there as she should have twice over before.
As he watched on, his breath expelled in a short sigh before he stepped over to stand before Lyssa again, bringing his hands up to take hold of hers. He turned her palms upward and brushed the glass away, her wounds from breaking the containers already beginning to re-close. “We will speak of these things at a later time. Now, are you ready to follow?” His arm crooked out to offer as an escort to an event would. “I really would like to wash all this drying blood away tonight, and while we do so I shall undertake the explanations needed for your new lifestyle.”
She rose and linked arms with him almost in a daze. So much, so little time. Her head was reeling still and she was soon leaning heavily on him as she whispered. "I am so hungry. I hadn't eaten because of what I was going to do to you. I had to be empty. Now I ache." Her voice wavered. But it feels different. Why..." She asked why because claiming she was scared seemed childish. She leaned on him and let him lead her deep into the manor once more towards the tubs they had sat in before. It all seemed so very long ago now.
The pair made their way down the halls at an even pace, not in any particular hurry. It gave him plenty of time to explain the why of her inquiry. “Well, you see... we no longer require mortal foods or drink any longer. While we can consume them, they provide no benefit or detriment to us. Alcohol will not blur our minds, nor will a feast sate our hunger, or water slake our thirst.”
His speech paused for a few moments, letting her take this in one piece at a time. “Look again, see if that ache is really in your stomach? No? Look in the back of your mind for the hunger that lurks there. That is your Beast.” Emphasis was put on the word, she would recognize as some intangible figure rather than a common beast. “It will try to convince you to let it free of it's chain any time you catch a hint of blood in your senses... It's hunger truly knows no bounds.” It was then they reached the doors, he gently disengaged his arm from her own and pushed the twin doors open for her before entering behind her to shut them once more. “Excuse me for just a moment... Wait for me in that smaller pool to the left please?” He motioned to one of the hot-tub sized pools made just big enough for three or four at the very most.
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Post by Jashin on Feb 11, 2015 5:50:35 GMT
He moved into the adjacent room and began the machinery going to heat the waters. In a few moments they would have a nice hot pool to soak in. After just a minute or so he would join her in the pool, awaiting her next inquiry.
She nodded almost like an errant child and stepped to the pool. Sinking in she shuddered as it began to heat up. She clasped her hands in her lap, still covered in blood and sat on the ledge. The 'beast' within seemed to be like a pacing self within her. She could taste copper on the back of her tongue like she used to taste chocolate when she wanted it. Maybe this is what it meant to feel the hunger. To know you want something with enough desire to taste it already. She had her back to him as he returned, half dazed still and not paying attention.
Since he had just started the mechanism that would heat their water, it only held a slight bit of heat, but would get much hotter soon. He dropped down into the water to his shoulders, letting himself soak in the pool as he sat beside Lyssa, glancing over to her. “I know it is a bit much to take in... Do you have any other questions to start with?”
She shook her head in silence. After nearly five minutes she looked at him. "Am I dead? Have I lost everything I was?" She couldn't bring herself to touch him again. Hours ago she could have been his equal. In power, in desire, in want... but now she felt like a child. And a mortal child at that.
“In a sense, yes.. but also no at the same time. Dead as in, unless you will it your heart will not beat, your lungs will not draw breath and your veins will not circulate. You must will all these things. Now some things are different for individuals... You seem to have inherited the Blush of Health meaning that as opposed to myself, who appears very pale of skin tone, you have retained the Blush of mortality.” His gaze kept notice of how dejected she seemed, perhaps she was in shock of the situation, it was not unheard of... she certainly did not seek this outcome for herself. “Certain ways you were, are no longer... No doubt you feel the absence of your Avatar, and you will never again draw Quintessence into yourself for magic. Vitae is now your link to the universe, it is your Power and your Life Force. It is your fuel for magic, it will strengthen your muscles, and it will sate your Beast. The more potent vitae you get, the more your Beast will be satiated... but it may grow accustomed to potency and lesser vessels may no longer quench it.” He was babbling now, in a sense... but these were all lessons of value, in their own way.
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Post by Jashin on Feb 11, 2015 5:50:42 GMT
October 4, 2007
No longer able to draw Quintessence. How would she survive? He seemed to do fine, but she wasn't an angel. She had had magic as long as she could move. She nodded and began to move now. Her hands moving back and forth in the water then rubbing the blood off. She noticed the scars on her hands from the vials, that should have been there, weren't now. Lifting a hand to her neck, she realized the marks there as well as her inner thighs were gone. She didn't dare touch other places. She assumed there would be healed as well. But she doubted any would caress it for lust's sake anymore. She finally relaxed a bit. She sighed, but it took effort and she remembered his words. *Your lungs will not draw breath unless you will it*. The sigh turned into a body shudder that left her wondering how she would learn all she needed to. Looking at him she began to smile as if trying to make a joke, but it fell short in her speaking. "So feeding from you is bad, cause I might get spoiled?" She tried to laugh, but it, too was forced and almost ached. She bit her lip and looked back into the water as it was swirled out and became clean once more from the pumps n draining system that recycled and cleaned it. Not looking up she smiled a bit more. "I can almost taste copper on the back of my tongue. The taste of your kisses after you fed from me." As she mentioned the vitae, her body ached and she bent over almost double once again growling. "How do I stop it." She whimpered softly. <e>
Well, you stop it by feeding more. Your Beast is telling you it wants more vitae, which... I am not currently able to give right now. I'll have to go out in the countryside Hunting and over-feed to bring you back more to feed. Though we'll have to skip some nights... Which brings us to my next topic. Blood Bond. *This time it was his turn to expell a big sigh of his own* With the power of life so entwined in our blood, we are able to bind others to us in the course of three nights of successive feeding. You should not feed from any one three nights in a row, including myself... and I may no longer feed from you successive nights.
She looked up as he said this. "What is a blood bond? What happens if I do feed from you three nights in a row?" She wanted to know. She wanted to be with him and if this would do it... but perhaps he didn't want her. She wouldn't voice her reasons. She was learning. It never hurt to know. "And how will you 'over feed' and bring it back for me if I can't feed from you?" She rested her hand on the edge of the tub and let her fingers absently caress his wing. She had done it so often on purpose, that this time it wasn't. She wasn't even truly aware she was doing it. But somewhere deep inside, the contact comforted her.
"It will work for a night or two, then you skip a night. It becomes easier to deal with not feeding if you are close to the full supply you can hold." Shaking his head softly, he glanced down into the water, himself, now. "A Blood bond will Enthrall someone to you... they would love you without recourse.. but it would not be their own mind, only the power of the Bond. Someone bonded to you would gladly cut each of their fingers off if only it would please you..."
"Oh..." She murmured as he looked down. Was that why he never fed from her while she was mortal? She loved him anyway. She knew that now. Was it a 'thrall' or her own mind? He fed from her, but how many times? She rose and stroked the top of his wing and released it before sliding into the larger of the tanks. Sinking down to cover her head, she rose up, face towards the tiled ceiling and then looked at him. Her hair plastered to her head and nothing covering her body anymore. The jewels torn by Mornelith's slashings and the bracelet lost in the garden someplace during the struggles. She rose to stand hip deep in the water. The level barely higher than the sweet regions he had once explored. She stood there and looked at him. "And was it the thrall that brought us together this night when my magic failed and love flowed between us? It wasn't all faked Adir. It wasn't all planned. I came to kill you only to find I loved you." She didn't dare ask if he loved her. She knew he wouldn't. But that didn't mean he couldn't still crave her. She closed her eyes and felt the power within her sleeping. It was deep inside and something told her she would have to relearn how to call upon it. Opening her eyes she looked at him again, her voice low and calm as her eyes locked to his. Raising her arms to show she was harmless and unarmed, "I have no magic to call, no thrall to envoke. Tell me now and I shall leave and find another to teach me. But I have to know. Do you..." she almost stammered... "... wish me to stay?"
"There was no thrall between us or it would still stand... You never tasted my blood until tonight, and a Mortal no matter how magical, can not bond a Vampire. This is just a thing to be wary of now that we are both Kindred...." There was a pause in his speech as he looked to her over in the other pool, no whispers entered his mind except his own. She was, if anything... extremely beautiful right now. "I did feel love for you Lyssa... and I do want you to stay. I enjoy your company, and I do need to teach you... someone must."
She considered who else could teach her. Adir said he DID feel love... not that he still did. She dropped her arms and slid into the water up to her neck and watched him in the other tub. "I will remember about the bond, I promise. And I will learn as you wish me too. I need to learn my magic again as well." She looked down as her hands went back and forth just under the surface making ripples expand out past her body. She whispered softly forgetting how good his hearing was. "I want to fly...." The sadness and longing in her voice was all to evident. She had made love to him that night wanting him to soar with her. To love her enough to want too and be able to. Now she would never know. He would never soar with her in his arms now. She hated Marcus. She hated him for what he had done to her... and to Adir...
"Magic you will learn... and if you wish to fly, I can teach you that as well. Even though you do not have wings. It is a form of magic that will execute it. I am certain you will be very good at it." He had addressed her quiet musing as if she had said it in the course of her normal convorsation. The heat of the water was getting to be wonderful now, his own figure holding little in the way of heat most times. It was quite a relaxing way to go about teaching. "I am not certain if the same holds true for yourself, but I am cold most times, so I tend to like the hotness of this water. But for yourself.. it may not hold true. There are many different ways the Embrace effects people... just be glad you did not take on the Smell of the Grave as some do. You still smell pleasantly of honey."
She smiled and looked back up at him. "Thank you. I am glad I do not smell of death. And I am a bit chilled, but as to the cause, I cannot say. So much has happened." She looked down. "You said you had to love... to fly I mean. There is no need to say you can teach me. It's not something I need to learn, is it?" She scooted a bit away from him. "This pool is warm too..." She smiled and this time, for the first time since being in his loving embrace hours ago, it reached her eyes. "... if you want too, that is..."
Catching her smile, he rose from his steaming hot bath, climing out to step across the tiles and into the other pool to join her. "Of course.." He moved closer to Lyssa. Smiling back at the smile that she showed finally... maybe she did not think this such a terrible curse after all. "I have to love, to fly... My wings do not work otherwise. I can show you how to use magic to fly, though. It is not hard at all... just a bit of practice will let you levitate yourself." He stopped just a few inches from her, it was almost as it had been before, except she was no longer taking sword lessons... but Kindred protocol and lifestyle lessons now.
She turned slightly and her legs closed the gap between them. "Flying can wait... I am in no hurry." Her knes would brush his as she smiled softly. "Why won't I have wings? Is it something that comes later, or you had them before you were a vampire?" She wanted to know, wanted to learn. And when he flew, she wanted it to be because of her. At least she could dream it was cause of her. "I want to...uhhhh." She doubled over wrapping her arms around herself. When she looked up at him, her eyes would shine with that moonlit glow the frenzy gave. Her face already taunt as the 'beast' came forward wanting more. "Adir... what is wrong?" She shook slightly and as another pain gripped her, she grabbed his arm to anchor herself. Closing her eyes she tried to will the beast back. She was gasping for air as if trying to force herself to breathe. But the trick was still new and as her frenzy lengthened her nails, they dug into his skin as she whimpered helplessly. "Aaadddiiiiirrr...."
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