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Post by Thea on Sept 22, 2022 1:56:26 GMT -5
The night air was cool against Patience's face, a welcome change from the afternoon's unforgiving sunshine. The moon's full face smiled blissfully unaware down onto the forest, casting her surroundings with beams of ethereal light. Every once in a while, a woodland creature would scurry beneath one of those beams, urgency in its steps. As if it knew that there was evil lurking among the trees.
That was why she was out there tonight. Dressed in hunting leathers imprinted with her seal of a thorned rose in a dragon's claw, she was perched on a chestnut tree, crouched with an arrow knocked in her bow. She was cloaked with invisibility, her knack for glamour handy in situations like these. When she was approached a few nights ago while on a hunting trip with her dad and brother, she knew that it was going to be more or less a waiting game than a full-frontal assault against the creature who "killed a portion of the forest with just a touch".
An exaggeration, she thought, but the thing about the Fair Folk was that they couldn't lie. The terrified looks on the spriggans' and treefolk's faces were not false. And when she went to check out the part of the forest that was rotted, she had felt a sense of anger and desire for justice against the culprit. The only thing that she could compare it to was Osmosis Jones when everything that Thrax touched diseased Frank's body. The only reason she didn't burn the area in hopes to cleanse the earth was that she needed to track the monster.
According to her petitioners, it had been upwards of seven feet tall, gaunt and reeking of the undead. Not much else, as they had been too busy fleeing, mourning the loss of their homes and loved ones. She figured that it wouldn't be difficult to pick out a seven-foot-tall being that didn't look like it belonged in a forest. And "gaunt" was a trait she's seen before. Patience's sense of smell wasn't on par with that of, say, a shifter, but she was familiar with the smell of death. Not only that, but she had her faithful companion with her.
Nemus was a ci annwn, one half of a "gift" given to her and her twin brother by their biological father on their thirteenth birthday. They had become inseperable the moment they met, and as time wore on their bond grew deeper than just "girl and dog". While Nemus didn't have the ability to speak, they had grown a telepathic bond - something that was a surprise to her and him both, but had come in handy in many a life-saving situation. Tonight, they used it to keep each other informed on what they saw.
Which ... wasn't much.
Patience shifted slightly, her heterochromatic eyes doing a sweep of the treetops as Nemus's white paws carried him past her below. This had been his third sweep, also under the cloak of invisibility, with little to show for his efforts save for the scent of death that led to nowhere.
Were it not for the obvious, Nemus's growling voice rumbled through her mind, I would have guessed they have us following a specter.
So you've found nothing? Patience asked, irritation welling within her like a balloon.
No. I am ready to go home for the night.
Patience was about to argue that they'd only been out here for a few hours and if they went home luck would have it that another portion of the forest could be decimated when there was movement out of the corner of her eye.
Nemus must have felt her attention moving to something else because his attitude shifted from exasperated to attentive, and Patience knew that Nemus was focused on her and what her next order for him would be. At first, she didn't say anything, eyes going to the shadowed figure walking toward their direction. Patience regretfully didn't have night vision, so all she saw was a decidedly male form, easily seven feet tall like what had been described. I think we may have found our specter, Nemus. Her words were neutral, lacking any excitement that her brother Wade would have had if it was him in her place tonight. She was taking no enjoyment from this hunt, but was glad that it was almost coming to an end.
Upon Patience's command, Nemus circled around the tree, giving the being a wide berth to come up behind it while also staying downwind in case it had a heightened sense of smell. (While Patience's glamour ability was better than most other Fae, she wasn't able to disguise scents.) Patience stayed where she was, having a clear view of her target as he moved. With steady hands, she lifted her bow and pulled the string back, comfortable and confident that she never missed once.
An exhale later, she let the arrow loose as soon as the being stepped into one of the moon's beams.
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Post by Eliora on Nov 13, 2022 23:36:00 GMT -5
Meandering through the wooded forested areas nearby, a deadly predator searched for its prey. He’d recently fed on the offered blood of a woman who had a vampire fetish. The pull to drain her raged as her blood filled him, revitalizing each one of his cells. Pulling himself away, he took a deep breath that was filled with the sweet fragrance of the woman’s blood in the crisp cool night air. He whispered sweet words in her ear and put her in a suggestive rest as he laid her to rest in the park on a bench.
The tall and pale otherworldly being held an ethereal beauty as the looming moon’s white light spilled upon him. His movements were smooth and fluid as he put the woman down. The way he touched her may have seen gently and considerate, but he couldn’t care one way or another. He looked at the people that were walking past with knowing smiles and making comments about how sweet his actions were. he blatantly ignored them because it wasn’t possible for him to feel anything.
He hadn’t been in this era long and was still in the early stages of figuring it out. He and his blood brother Zander had to go to ground after a crucial battle with the vampires that were destroying mated pairs. Their species didn’t need more help to bring them closer to extinction, especially only to boost the vampire numbers. The attacks had ramped up when it became widely known that men and women of different species could become potential mates if they had strong psychic abilities.
Many of their species had dispersed to many different places looking for safe space and extending their search for suitable mates. Given the nature of how the vampires come about, there was no possible way to get away from them. It was akin to having two sides of the same coin. Before going to ground he and Zander managed to do quite a bit of damage to the enemies’ numbers alongside many other warriors. They were even able to rescue some females and send them to safety.
They had been under ground for centuries as the earth healed their wounds. He couldn’t imagine the trouble caused by the Carpathian vampires, but it was still his duty and responsibility to take care of them. It was the case for all Carpathian warriors and an honor. Zander had awakened ahead of him always scoping, learning and hunting. He seemed to fit in this era easily. Cian sighed as he headed further into the woods.
He wore a black sleeveless gilet vest with a long sleeve collared shirt that was left unbuttoned at the top and rolled up sleeves. He wore a pair of blue jeans, brown suede penny loafers and a grey Stetson fedora with a solid black band. It wasn’t a look that he had been used to but Zander had told him he’d needed to change his clothing to fit in more with the people of this time. If that wily wolf were to see him now, Cian knew he wouldn’t hear the end of it.
He felt he looked presentable and it had an air of classy to it that he felt some of the other clothing didn’t. he appreciated those small moments when his mind would allow a small peace from the constant voices in his mind urging him to take the lives of the humans he fed from. The voices were sickening whispers that kept him company for many centuries. The need to serve his people and meet the sun battled within him constantly, making his colorless world even more dreary and depressing.
He heaved a sigh when he took notice of his thoughts and continued his walk through the woods. His deep sapphire blue eyes shown brightly in the moon’s light as his long raven black hair swayed softly in the slight breeze caused by his long strides. He and Zander had been on the process of tracking a cluster of Carpathian vampires that started to gather in this region. ‘Heads up sleeping beauty, seems like you’re getting closer to the hotspot. I can feel the earth’s pain through you. Can you handle it on your own?’ Zander asked along their shared mind link. Although he asked the question, it seemed more of a reflex rather than concern.
‘I have it under control. Just continue to do whatever it was you were doing.’ Cian replied dryly, wincing as he began to walk into the are where the earth had died. It was obvious the vampire had come this way. He reached his hand out to slightly graze a dead tree as he passed by. “I am sorry you have been hurt in such a way Mother.” He whispered and raised his hand to call forth lightning to set the deadened earth ablaze in the small area.
He could sense the blood of the vampire that was spilled there. He forced the blackened poison to the surface and set it ablaze so that it too was destroyed, allowing room for new life to take root in the ashes of the old. He did this as he slowly walked through on the trail of the vampire. From its pattern, he knew the trail he was following was merely a bread crumb leading to the nest.
Up ahead he could sense a trap set up, so with a sigh he walked to the area to begin undoing the trap, walking through the moon’s light. In his opinion, it was quite a lazy one, which told me that whoever did it was knew the nest and quite frankly stupid. He could hear Zander chuckle deeply in his head. Cian rolled his eyes and continued with the task. The area needed to be cleansed though the trap needed to be disarmed first.
There was sudden silence as he sensed movement around him. From the sound of the movements, he could make out two entities and could tell neither was the vampire he was trailing. ‘Looks like you have been spotted, wise ol’ Owl.’ Zander mocked. Cian had been so wrapped up in trying to cleanse as he went, he’d forgotten the most fundamental rule when hunting. ‘Keep your presence hidden until you’re ready to strike.’ Zander mocked him.
‘You are not helping.’ Cian replied and rolled his eyes as he continued to undo the trap. It wouldn’t be long before it was undone.
‘Maybe it was too soon to let you out to play.’ Zander said seriously causing Cian to growl in warning as he started to become agitated.
‘Enough, I don’t need your coddling.’ Cian said angrily as he continued his task in earnest intending to work off his frustration.
‘We shall see.’ Zander statted sternly and fell quiet as he kept watch over his brother. He didn’t know what entities Cian was about to encounter but Zander would be there to back him, whether he liked it or not. Custom dictates every skilled healer must be accompanied by a skilled hunter that they trusted, since healers tend to be vulnerable when healing. He’d be damned if he’d let anything happen to his Flower Boy.
Cian narrowed his eyes and snarled in the direction of the flying arrow. He’d heard when the arrow was knocked and released. He was already annoyed at Zander and the arrow didn’t make it better. The angrier he became, the louder the voices called to him. With a flick of his hand he brought forth twisted roots to catch the arrow before it could reach him. His nostrils flared and the scent of the nearby female filled his lungs. He was taken aback but shook it off as he manipulated the tree she was in. The branches twisted and warped as the roots shot from the ground towards the second entity that was nearby. Thunder rolled as the skies began to darken with the heavy cloud coverage.
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Post by Thea on Nov 15, 2022 2:38:53 GMT -5
Patience never missed.
It definitely would have hit her target if it hadn't been for the roots. Even so, she was ... taken aback. No single being or object was safe from her arrows. They shot from her bow quick as lightning and no quieter than a mouse. How did her target stop it with such deftness? And how was he able to bring forth roots?
He does not smell like death, her hound's voice cut through her thoughts, sharp as the hunting knife strapped to her belt. It definitely got her to jolt out of her surprise just in time to notice the tree she was sitting in was moving. She shot to the balls of her feet, then slammed her heels back down to the branch and braced a hand against the trunk. She knew that the male couldn't see her because she was invisible. But even if she wasn't, she had chosen the chestnut as her place of observation because of its thick foliage. She could see out, no one could see in. At first, she was angry enough that she could snarl herself. But if he could catch her arrow he could very well estimate the trajectory.
What does he smell like then? she hissed in exasperation, pushing off from the trunk to jump from branch to writhing branch until she landed lithely on the ground, bow in hand. She couldn't smell as well as Nemus, but her nose did catch the scent of ozone. If it wouldn't give her away, she would have cursed. It wasn't in the forecast to rain, much less storm. This meant either the weatherman was wrong or Mr. Not Death was able to control the weather on top of terrain manipulation. What the fuck was he?
He smells like- a yelp rang out, interrupting his thought to her as a root grazed his side. The hound had been so busy trying to catch the target's scent that he didn't get out of the way completely of the roots that shot at him. His cloak of invisibility held steadfastly, but he would definitely feel it tomorrow. Patience called his name through the bond they shared, worried. I will be fine, he assured, redirecting his course to barrel toward him. He smells like the earth.
The earth? she wanted to ask as she took another arrow to knock it and aim at his raised hand. Now that she was closer to him, far enough away to not get thwacked by the knock-off version of The Whomping Willow, she was given another look before the beam he was under was enveloped by the raging clouds.
Something awoke within her. Raised its head in sleepy curiosity.
She shot the arrow but didn't bother to see if it landed as she knocked another one and sidestepped in time with the thunder rumbling above her. Patience could very well have taken the sound away from her footfalls with her impeccable glamour ability. Yet her training held fast; if there were other means to keep her from exhausting herself she was going to take it. The princess did have a feeling that she was going to have to use it for more than camouflage, though. Another shot - that made three so far but these two weren't meant to kill. Just to incapacitate.
It was obvious that, while not her original prey, this being was dangerous.
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Post by Eliora on Jan 2, 2023 19:51:42 GMT -5
Lightning streaked sporadically throughout the cloud coverage he’d created, randomly brightening some areas. The woman’s scent still clung to his nostrils and called to him but he didnt dare allow himself to be lured into some trap. It could very well be a trap set up by those godforsaken vampires. Was he caught the moment he started following the breadcrumbs? That’s most likely the case. He’d wondered why the trail was so easy and sloppy. Were the vampires employing others to do their bidding now?
He’d let down his guard and fell right in their trap and it had him mentally kicking himself. He sighed knowing that he would have to hear Zander’s mouth about how sloppy he’d been on this hunt. Clenching his jaw he tore himself from his thoughts, feeling Zander’s presence in his mind, and leapt into the air on the next lightning flash to dodge the first arrow that was headed straight for him. He landed on a nearby branch and searched the darkness with a deep frown.
He’d tried to dissolve his body into mist to allow the arrow to pass through but found he was unable to use that ability in this realm. He didnt dwell on it, instead he began to think of the best way to capture her so that she could be questioned. The whizzing of the arrow through the air brought him from his thoughts with just a split second to spare for him to launch through the tree branches and just barely missed getting hit by the second arrow. She was a pretty good shot and he knew if he was a lesser being he would have definitely been in trouble.
He shifted midair into his Great Grey owl form as he headed in the direction the arrows seemed to be coming from. Before the second stroke of his wings, he’d gotten clipped by the third arrow , drawing blood. He paid it no mind though a deep guttural and very dangerous snarl carried through the forest and caused the ground to violently shake. ‘Cian!’ Zander snarled at him which in turn merely had Cian sighing.
‘Do not act like a child. I was merely nicked on my arm. I am fine. The ones i am facing are not the vampires.”
‘How can you be so sure that they are not working with them? It wouldnt be the first time the vampires used human hunters to assist them.’
‘I cant. Which is why i want to capture her so that she can be questioned. But I can not do that if you accidentally kill her.” Cian hissed. ‘ Continue to come down from the north quietly.’ Zander was quiet for a moment. ‘Have you had any reaction to her?’ He asked with all seriousness.
Cian was quiet and shrugged it off. ‘No ,not really. Didnt get close enough seeing as how she is shooting at me.’ Cian replied a bit disgruntled. He turned his attention back to the female and the other creature that was some sort of hound coming his way. He was able to discern as much from the yelp that met his ears. A lone female and a hound? The creature was no ordinary hound that he’d ever come across before. On silent wings , he flew toward the woman’s direction.
Despite the hound being in the vicinity, his instincts turned solely to the woman and urged him to find her. In his mind he rationalized it as her being of more importance and a danger due to the information she possibly held. The faint scent that he’d caught from the arrows began to get stronger. It was a strong scent of combined spices with cinnamon being the strongest among them. It was similar to one of his favorite teas. There was another scent though that one was much harder to pinpoint but it reminded him of the scent of dawn.
He began to come into a clearing and saw the silhouette of a female. He shifted and did a dead drop to the ground. He mentally reached out within a five mile radius to see if there was anyone else nearby. His sapphire blue eyes stared at the woman as he stood glued in that spot. His body seemed to want to respond but he quelled it.
“Who are you and why are you attacking me?” He demanded in a deeply accented voice that caused the very air to vibrate. He held his hands behind his back to portray a visage of calm but the longer he stood there the less calm he became. ‘Mine!’ ‘Kill her!’ The two sentiments battled for supremacy in his mind and he dared not listen to either as he gently swayed his fingers in a rhythmic hypnotizing motion.
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Post by Thea on Jan 2, 2023 22:44:30 GMT -5
With every passing moment, Patience was getting increasingly more irritated.
Yes, the first arrow she loosed she didn't bother to see land, but when there was no grunt or otherwise to let her know she hit her target the fire within her was stoked. The second one had the same result as he dodged. The third? Well, she knew better than to celebrate.
Or allow herself to be surprised when he shifted into an owl.
Nemus - she started to speak through their bond, but was cut off when the ground started to shake violently. Coupled with the freak storm rumbling above her head the split second assumption of him being a shifter was scratched from her mind. As she worked to keep her footing she worked through her mental codex of beings she has met through her lifetime. Was he someone the gods sent to her? Surely not, as not even Apollo has made himself known to her. What about her father Kheelan? Though Nemus would have let her know by now if this was a surprise training session from one of the generals of the Seelie army.
She needed to get away from the trees. If the ground shook for much longer or harder they would fall and potentially kill her. Patience couldn't have that - she had a deal to fulfill.
Patience, your glamour!
Coming back to the present from the working gears of her mind, she noticed that the control of her glamour had slipped from her grasp. Her heart leaped into her throat, and the fires within her raged once more as she looked at Nemus, and then the owl that was the target of her last few arrows.
This night was not going according to plan. This being was unlike any foe she has faced before, and he wasn't even her original target. Patience was not one to dwell on the unknown variables of her life because she, herself, was one. Being part faerie, part muse, part alien dragon, she was a walking science experiment. Though try as she might not think it, she worried she bit off more than she could chew.
She will best this man. And she will find out who and what he is.
Quickly, she and Nemus slipped under the cloak of invisibility once more. Though with her not knowing if he saw her slip-up, she worked to recover her advantage by sending an illusion of herself onward. Her not-self was blurred, hinting at what she wore currently with a bow and quiver strapped to her back. If he looked any harder, however, he would see the visage to be human-like, with rounded ears, dark hair and eyes, and tanned skin. Maybe, even, smaller than she actually was. That was the image she created when she was out and about in the human world. She dared not give her shadow her actual features, because then she would lose an element of surprise.
You spilled blood, Nemus's words filtered through, this time calmer, more alert. He was officially in tracking mode - his natural instincts were taking over. Patience knew without even being able to see him that his blood red ears were pinned back, eyes locked onto the male's backside, nose moving as he sniffed out his target. The earthen scent is stronger now. But there is something else. Like your mother's altar.
Was he a demigod, then? But Patience felt that wasn't quite right either. The princess held back a sigh, a ping of pain lancing behind her left eyebrow. Better to ask him, seeing as how he wanted to ask her questions.
Satisfaction had her quirking her lips as she slowed her pace to a soft walk. Her focus was maintained on the illusion the man was looking at, which was definitely an ego booster she had to admit. What she also had to admit was that he had such a commanding voice. She felt the force of it against what skin was bare. And that same something that raised its head a little bit ago was roused again. The urge to purr hit her with the weight of a dump truck, which forced her to do a double-take.
All her life she never had so much as a crush on someone. She figured it was because she was supposed to be a physical representation of Artemis, the virgin goddess that begged her father Zeus never to marry. She made peace that she might not have a True One because of it, and that one day she'd be forced into a relationship yet again for the sake of political gain anyway. Yet, as she caught glimpses of the tall man, foreign and dressed in clothing not of this decade or last, she felt a part of her appreciating the view.
Which definitely was not the time to do so.
"Matters not who I am," she returned, her glamour causing her voice to come from all different directions as her clone moved its mouth in time with her own. He was not the only one with such a power, she thought. "What matters is who you are. And why you are here."
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Post by Eliora on Jan 3, 2023 21:16:29 GMT -5
Zander growled once more at how casually Cian was being about his well being. He was the only healer he had and his only remaining reason for still being alive. He’d vowed to protect his childhood friend for as long as breath was drawn in his body. He was not his biological kin but he was kin nonetheless.
He stretched his wolf form fully with each leap as he headed in the direction he knew Cian to be in. He snapped his jaws in irritation as the poison in his veins burned throughout his body causing the whispers to rise almost deafening him. He caught a familiar scent and growled only to have it swallowed by the loud thunder. He wasnt so keen on the idea of capturing the female, especially if she was connected to the vampires in any way.
They’d been successful in their hunts thus far and didnt need the help. The familiar vampire scent didnt sit well either as it was heading in the same direction he was going. It was a very young male, not even 200 years old yet. For the briefest of moments he wondered what could have possibly caused someone so young and full of potential to choose that route.
He was brought from his thoughts when the scent of a bigger group of vampires were lazily trailing it. The young vampire seemed to be the scout and needed to be taken care of. There was no longer a need for his life on this earth so Zander had made up his mind to cleanse him from it.
‘Cian, you must be careful. They have found you.’ Zander said and sent the information he had to Cian using their blood bond. He’d noticed the change in Cian’s mental barriers and knew it could only mean one thing and that compelled him to run even faster.
~*~
Cian sighed when Zander calmed the surrounding earth but never took his eyes from the silhouette that was ahead of him. He lifted a brow as he continued to move his hand methodically behind his back, creating a barrier for the area they were in. He didnt trust the woman and although hurting females went against his very being, he was ready to kill her if he must. He followed behind her with measured long strides, knowing he could catch up to her at any point now that she was within eyesight.
He felt a canine presence behind him and figured it was the hound that accompanied the female. He gave no indication he was aware and continued as he was. He’d felt another disturbance nearby though it soon disappeared, leaving him to solely focus on the woman several feet away. He took in her appearance and lifted a brow as she stopped and stood to face him.
With a roll of his shoulders, he’d healed the shallow wound. He’d used it as an opportunity to lure in whatever vampires were nearby. The coverage was both a boon and a bane since the vampires could also use it to their advantage. He reassured Zander that he would move forward accordingly and will be awaiting his return.
He was feeling pulled and repelled by the woman and wondered what magic she had put on him to feel such a way. It was something he’d never felt before and was very certain he didnt like. His fangs itched and ached. His heart raced and he felt his instinct trying to take over. His life mate was here somewhere.
This thought was confirmed when he heard the sound of her voice. Everything overwhelmed him at once. Color burst into his vision and emotion took over him like a tsumani, resulting in gusting winds, rolling earth, and streams of lightning flooding the area around the perimeter he had set. He gave a beastly roar at the intensity of what he was feeling and it reverberated throughout the area, even permeating his safeguards.
The calm facade he’d had was gone completely. In its stead was an intense power about him that seemed barely leash and ready to explode at any moment. Everything in him and around him stilled as her words finally reached him. He took slow deliberate steps towards the female and felt repulsion the closer he became causing him to growl low.
He gave a humorless smile that didnt reach his eyes. “Your identity is of the utmost importance as of this moment. I am hunting. What I am hunting depends on your next words. Are you working for the Vampires?” He demanded as he tried to reign in his bodies need to make some sort of connection with his mate.
“Cian?” Zander called out to hime but he quickly closed down the connection between them. There was no doubt that Zander was aware of the current circumstances but Cian’s focus and concern was on finding his woman. He had the sinking feeling that she wasnt the one he was currently looking at.
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Post by Thea on Jan 3, 2023 23:13:32 GMT -5
Her glamour worked like any other muscle. The more she trained, the easier holding illusions got. Being a natural talent at it, she had her whole life to work on it. The pool of energy she drew from was vast, but she was not without limits. Having her and Nemus invisible for most of the night, she had drained some of it by the time she created a clone (not one of her best, mind, to keep from dispensing more than she had). Add her echoing voice, and the stress headache she had coming on was sure to get worse by the end of the night.
Another component to her glamour was her focus. Having done it for so long, some illusions took a lot less focus than others. The glamour she cast on Nemus and herself when they were out and about took so little effort it was like breathing. Invisibility took a little bit more focus, like driving a vehicle down a familiar road. She knew that she could cast another clone or two if she wanted and give them more definition. But it was difficult enough keeping her focus on maintaining her ability while also riding a literal earthen wave and getting her braid whipped all over the place.
She briefly debated on whether to use the momentum of the rolling earth to leap into the air, yet thought it better to stick close to it in a crouch to get out of the wind as much as possible. The huntress had to admit, he was powerful. Very much so in fact, that she couldn't help the feeling of appreciation welling up within her. Suspicion tempered it - usually she wouldn't pay attention to how powerful an opponent was past sizing him up and hashing out a quick plan to take him down.
There was something about Mister Fedora that brought a sense of foreshadowing to warm her blood. Her stomach flipped once, then twice. Yet she filed her reactions to him for later. Now was not the time to marvel at her newly-awakened attraction to the opposite sex.
Instead, she stayed crouched until she knew for sure his outburst was settled, splitting her attention to her clone - that did not react at all to the intense situation she was just in - and her hound to make sure he was all right.
I am alive, Nemus assured. He is powerful. Unlike any creature we have come across.
A conclusion she had already come to, but was glad she wasn't the only one to be in awe of such intensity.
Patience's clone did not speak for a few minutes, yet looked at Cian as if she were sizing him up. Her facial features, blurred as they were, held little to no emotion other than that. Nor did she look as if she was frightened of him. "Vampires?" she asked, voice less echo-y but Patience was confident he couldn't pinpoint her location. She dared to get closer, walking around to get a closer look at his profile with her bow at the ready. "I do not work for vampires."
Though if her math was correct, the two types of vampires she knew could not kill things by touching them. Those on Drethinov, tentative allies as they were, were expert magic users. The ones that ruled a good portion, if not all, of Europe didn't smell like death as Nemus stated earlier. A few of those were able to do some of what this male did so easily that she's seen before. Yet she didn't think that either race had any connection to what had transpired the night before or to the man that towered over her clone by at least two feet.
If she were a lesser person she would be terrified of him.
"If that is what you call whatever killed a portion of this forest, then you and I are after the same thing. Or am I wrong in this assumption?" She hated to make it, but she was nothing if not observant.
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Post by Eliora on Jan 5, 2023 23:16:52 GMT -5
The sound of her voice was like a soothing balm that seemingly eased his raging newfound emotions but not completely. Given what had just transpired, a normal person would have had some type of reaction to the rolling earth. Cian stopped in his tracks and hissed low. “Something about you seems off.” He said as he looked closely at the female before him. He couldnt put his finger on what it was exactly that made her seem off but it was unsettling to the beast within him.
When he felt the disturbance of the air around him, he clenched his jaw. The scent of Chai was much stronger. He was already past the point of being done with this game of hide and seek. The lightning round them eased up and no longer struck the earth but the heavy clouds didnt disappear. His voice low and held power in each word. “I will give you this one chance to show yourself and maybe then i will consider the truth of your words.”
He could sense the presence moving around him and oddly he felt the need to preen under their gaze. He was conflictedwith the opposing reactions to this individual. “I am no Vampire.” He said calmly. He sent out a strong mental pulse once more within the confines of his safeguards making them more concentrated. For those that come in contact with it , if they didnt have any strong mental barriers, it would feel like heavy pressure in their head.
He gave a lazy yet elegant shrug. He could feel Zander’s presence getting closer as well as the vampires that have been lured to the area with the scent of his blood. “Soon enough the vampires you and I are apparently both hunting, will soon be here. I hope you’re prepared to destroy them.” He said matter of factly as he gave a slow glance in the direction of the presence closest to him.
~*~
Zander battled the whispers in his mind starting from the moment Cian closed off their connection, though not before he was able to get a glimpse of the emotional turmoil that washed over him. He had found his lifemate. His only thought was that he didnt have to kill him, though the opposite cant be said. Cian would still have to kill him eventually, but he would try not to put that burden on him. He’d meet the sun first.
His paws struck the ground with power aimed at the group of vampires quickly making their way to Cian,crumbling the ground beneath them. Some were caught and impaled by the earthen spikes and set ablaze when struck by lightening. Not all of them were caught and those who werent continued on their path without hesitation. The female was in danger and it was their duty to protect her.
He lifted his head and let out a soul chilling howl as he followed suit attacking those he could catch. There were about four that were able to get past him. He reached out to Cian unsure if he would answer him. He was surprised when the line was opened up. “You have four coming your way. Once i finish up here i will be there.” He said and proceeded to destroy the vampires he’d caught, each bite bringing him closer to the darkness that resided in him.
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Post by Thea on Jan 6, 2023 16:22:51 GMT -5
The child within Patience wanted to giggle. The scrutiny of her clone was amusing. It wasn't her best work, but the man was still paying attention to it. If she wanted, she could take advantage of his turned back. Pierce him with an arrow or take her hunting blade to sever his spinal cord. Maybe even breathe fire on him.
But she didn't want that. In fact, the thought of his death had her stomach reacting as if she ate bad sushi. Patience wasn't like her twin brother, always looking for an excuse to kill any perceived enemies. No, she usually tried to take the less ... murderous route. Yet this was something altogether different. Like she would be devastated if he were to die. Her throat closed involuntarily, causing her breath to shorten. She tightened her hold on her bow, white-knuckling it to keep her centered. She took a step back, then another.
Could he be...? No. Surely not. There was only one way to know for sure. Even if he was her True One, though, this didn't explain how she was feeling. After all, female dragons had every right to kill their mates if they felt like they could not be adequate lovers and sires for their offspring. The thought of killing him shouldn't be so offensive to her.
What was he to have her feeling this way about him?
His words cut through her inner monologue, releasing the vise grip on her throat and easing the hold on her bow. She considered them - a part of her wanted to release the glamour just to see him take her in. What would he think of her, with her patches of sky-colored dragon skin, pointed ears, and mismatched eyes? A mixed breed - the awkward evolution experiment. Her logic won over in the end, causing her to scoff and turn away. No, she wouldn't reveal herself until she could trust the male and herself. Besides, it was a stupid move to reveal her position to someone she wasn't sure was an ally. Her trainers would have had a cow.
The clone of herself faded away before Cian's eyes, Patience having no need for it anymore. It had no expression when it did, nor any inclination of what was happening. At first, it was opaque, then translucent, then a mere outline before it disappeared completely. Patience transferred her focus from that to a perfect place to perch. "Is that so?" she asked, amused, voice still carrying the echo-like quality. "How do I know you aren't lying to me?" He was no faerie, so she couldn't bank on the inability to do so. But before she could speak further, something stopped her in her tracks.
It's been so long since someone has tried to mess with her mind. The pressure she felt was strong, as if a grown man was pressing down on her head with all of his force. The headache she was getting started to pulse behind her eyebrow. She grunted in response, then straightened to continue to her perch. What was his goal in that?
Was he trying to read our minds? Nemus demanded.
It didn't feel like it, Patience replied.
The howl stopped both Nemus and Patience in their tracks, and with a quick command from the huntress had the hound raising his head to scent the air. The same smell from the dead part of the forest, Nemus confirmed Mr. Fedora's words. Along with another similar to this one.
A thrill of anticipation and worry raced down Patience's back, and with an inaudible sigh she jumped to the lowest branch of another chestnut. A few more feet up and she was comfortable with her vantage point. This was not the first time she had to fight an unknown enemy. But how many was she going to have to fight herself? In a crouch, she reached behind her chest plate and into her shirt. Between her breasts nestled a vial of amber-colored liquid, used both as a protectant for her throat and accelerant for her flames. She hated to use it, since Dragon Snot (as Wade so affectionately called it) was difficult to make. Her gut told her there was no way around it. Besides, she was getting the main ingredient soon.
"Just don't get in the way of my arrows," she replied evenly. "Oh, by the way? Don't try that again."
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Post by Eliora on Jan 7, 2023 17:46:12 GMT -5
Cian watched with a bored expression as the female in front of him slowly faded away in phases. ‘Well that explains the repulsion I felt towards her.’ He thought to himself in mild interest before once again turning his gaze to the presence that had been close but moved further away. His female was here and she was close but also keeping herself hidden from him. The thought angered him a little though given the circumstances he would applaud her survival instincts.
“Yes indeed it is.” He softly as he waited for a response to his ‘feeler’. He sighed and stopped the pulse he’d sent out so that the pressure could ease up on her mind. Part of him was ecstatic to note that he’d gotten a response from his female, but the other part was a bit disappointed. She needed to work on her mental barriers, it’d keep her safer.
“You do not. Just as I do not know if you had lied to me.” He said in response to her question. He coudlnt bring himself to harm a female since that would mean taking away a possible lifemate from one of his brethren and condemning them to a fate worse than death.
“When the dust settles, I intend to settle this little matter, csitri.” He said unable to keep out the gentle caress of his words as he addressed her. “I make no promises, kont csitri (little warrior). Happy hunting.” He said and took off high in the sky on silent wings to get a better view of the incoming scourge. He was sure not to go too far away from the female but far enough.
He noticed there were swarms of bugs marching around the barrier of his safe guards and set fire to them. They were an irritant but not a real problem, yet though their numbers were increasing. Cian saw movement in the shadows and headed back there was a larger swarm of rodents coming who were accompanied by rabid bats.
‘The swarms arrived first. I will take care of them.’ Cian said along the link to Zander. He could feel the darkness that filled his brother, though his presence helped to push it at bay.
“Zander?” Cian called out to him until his voice registered with the other male.
‘ I am here.” Zander said softly.
‘ Ekä kutnisz ainaak, (long may you endure,brother)’ Cian greeted Zander and sent soothing energy to him.
‘You should not waste your energy on me. I will be there soon. There are two among the four who are given orders by the master vampire Mikuláš Kováč. His hold isnt as strong here as it was in Begral a couple centuries ago. We should be able to stop him from growing too much here.”
Cian bit his tongue to hold his retort. He would always be there for Zander when he was needed. He refused to lose another brother if it was withing his power to stop it. He listened quietly as Zander said what he needed to say. “Do not push yourself too much or become reckless.” Zander’s dry laughter filled his mind.
“This coming from the man who left his sword-which i grabbed for you by the way, revealed his presence and location to a possible enemy-luckily she turned out to be your päläfertiil ,and signal to his actual enemies his whereabouts with a pretty light show.” Cian growled at him and Zander smiled sadly. “It is I who should be protecting you. It is my sworn duty, do not lessen my efforts with such pathetic sentiment.” Zander huffed and shook his head as he tore a vampire’s head off and proceeded to claw its chest to get to its heart.
Cian sighed. ‘I meant no disrespect brother. Many thanks for your unyielding help and support.”
“Oh get on with it and protect that woman of yours.” Zander replied and closed off their link.
Cian sighed again and worked on releasing the energy from the safeguards letting the swarms in. for the briefest of moments he wondered if she would be ok. ‘Hope those arrows of her doesnt run out.’ he muttered to himself. He plucked two of his feathers and held them in his beak as he scoured the area for his targets. Once they were spotted he head to them striking the area nearest to them with lightning.
A few words were shared between the vampires before they continued in split groups. He knew they would follow the blood that fell on the earth while the others looked for the one who attacked them. Flew over the two nearest his current position and shifted mid air as he took the feathers from his mouth. He reinforced them with stone and iron as soon as his feet touched the ground. He went after the vampires intending to get rid of some of the frustration and annoyance that he’d accumulated in the last hour.
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Post by Thea on Jan 8, 2023 21:21:26 GMT -5
Patience had stopped mid-step at his words. She knew that he was not from around here - she couldn't pinpoint his accent, even if it was beautiful. And she did, indeed, find it that way. His voice had a deep resonance, too. This time especially it washed over her like warm ocean waves. What made her pause was the foreign word tacked on at the end. With the tone he held, she guessed it was a term of endearment.
But why? And why wasn't she disturbed like she ought to be?
Another endearment later, she was having trouble settling the butterflies that erupted in her stomach. Scowling at herself, she popped the cork of the crystalline vial. Ten seconds later, she grimaced at the taste of the Dragon Snot and watched the man take form of the owl once more and taking to the sky. A form of jealousy cropped up, as it always did when she watched beings that could fly do so. It had to have been her dragon heritage to make her feel this way. It was often that she dreamed she was soaring through the skies along side her grandfather. Breaking through clouds and watching the landscape change underneath her with every blink. In those dreams she felt so free.
But it was not in the cards for her to be born with wings, so with another sigh she settled into her crouch, still as stone watching for the enemies below.
It didn't take long.
Bugs, rodents, bats, Nemus reported. I had taken the liberty to do a check of the surrounding area but was stopped by a barrier. It was keeping them separated from us. But I think it's being taken down. They're starting to swarm in.
I saw fire a little bit ago. Do you think that was from him?
I would not doubt it. It did take out a portion of the swarm.
Elemental manipulation. Shape-shifting. Some form of telekinesis and magic. With her instantaneous attraction to him, she figured that he was her True One. But what kind of being had she been paired with if so? She couldn't fathom it. Her eyes trailed back to the object of her interest of their own accord once he touched the earth again. In her mind's eye she saw something tense with anticipation, paying attention just as much as she was to the male fighting off what she could only assume was the vampires.
Gods, they were ugly creatures.
They looked like animated corpses. Zombies with more movement and bloodlust than the walkers from The Walking Dead. Patience grimaced with repulsion. She could believe they could kill the earth with a single touch because they were abominations.
He killed one with lightning. Did you see, Patience?
Yes, she saw. How could she not when she could barely keep her eyes off him? Fuck. His prowess in battle was impressive.
We have more incoming. To the west.
She was thankful she had Nemus. He was an asset in times like this. Neither one of them can see the other with their invisibility, yet they both knew their cardinal directions. Sure enough, when Patience turned her head there were two zombie creatures there. She didn't give too much thought as to how or why they were. Instead, she seized the opportunity she had and shot two arrows in succession into the chest and neck of her targets.
What would you have me do, Patience? Nemus asked. We have the swarms surrounding us on all sides as well as these two.
Help me dispatch these two - she started. She was interrupted by the inhuman hissing as her targets, unfazed, turned their heads toward her. Their eyes, filled with malice and hunger, revealed that they couldn't see through her invisibility. Though with their tensing up they were preparing to move her way.
And then one of them was tackled by an unseen force - Nemus. It was clear the vampire wasn't sure what to do at first, having no way of seeing who his attacker was. Snarls were met with snarls, and flesh flew as Nemus clamped his teeth over the throat. Usually a surefire way to kill anything but it seems not with this.
That still left the other vamp. It had no care for its comrade being torn to shreds. It was still coming at her. Patience waited until the last possible second, getting a good whiff of that death stench Nemus described earlier in the night as she jumped to the next closest branch on the other tree.
"I smmmmmell you," the thing hissed, then cackled as it circled around. "I bet you taste ... delicious."
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Post by Eliora on Jan 9, 2023 23:54:52 GMT -5
Cian had called down a bolt of lightning for the Vampire that tried to take off away from its partner. The foul smell of burnt decayed flesh perfumed the air stinging his nose as its screeching grated on his nerves. The lightning had missed its heart by a mere few inches. Cian frowned as he looked at the appendage through the hole in the creature’s chest as it tried to pat out the small embers.
The image it wore flickered and became skewed. Its skin,grey in color, looked as if it stretched tight over one side though sloughing in some areas. Its hair was spotty and falling out in constant shedding. One of his eyes looked normal while the other looked deeply sunken into its skull with sharpened black bloody teeth filling its mouth as it continued to howl in pain. The vampire wasn't as powerful as it was trying to make itself seem, which was a relief for Cian because he felt it was at a level that his female could handle. Those particular vampires weren't Carpathian born, making them less troublesome.
He turned his gaze to the other vampire that stood on guard as he watched Cian. Unlike his companion, this vampire was carpathian born and wore a visage of a semi-normal human though the blackened teeth and sunken eyes gave him away. For a moment the two stared at each other in silence, though each time the other vampire tried to move away, Cian would strike it with lightning.
“Mahzun…” Cian said almost quietly. “What have you done?”
The man across from him angrily hissed at him. “Dont judge me. I was never going to find my mate. Do you know how many females have been killed or turned? Most of the time its not even by Carpathian vampires.” He scoffed and bared his dirty fangs at Cian as he lifted a hand called down to strike Cian.
Cian lept out of the way of the bolt and in the direction of the lesser vampire as he put his blades in his mouth. He decided to put the poor creature out of its misery, Mahzun’s lightning bolts following his every step. Before it could strike him, Cian tossed the vampire into the bolt. He sent his own bolt at Mahzun to back him up when he started to move towards him. Cian planted his feet on the upper arms of the vampire to hold it down as he plunged his fist into its chest firmly grasping its heart in his large hand. The Vampire fought and struggled to get his heart back clawing Cians arm and leg in the process. Cian paid no mind to its struggles as he tossed the appendage towards Mahzun and sent a Lightning bolt straight at it. The heart burst into flames at the same time a bolt struck the downed vampire in the head before it too went up in flames.
“Are you done playing around?” Mahzun asked dryly.
“It’s truly sad when I care about your companion more than you do.” Cian replied after he took the blades from his mouth and dusted his hands off.
“I do not consider those things nothing more than pests. Be that as it may, you have made this more painful than it needed to be.”
Cian raised a brow at him and Mahzun continued. “It would have been a much smoother transition for you if you hadnt run into that female. General Mikuláš Kováč was hoping to bring you and Zander into their ranks. Zander has practically joined already.” Mahzin cackled and Cian threw one of his feather blades dead center in the vampire’s forehead knocking him off of his feet. “Watch your tongue when speaking of my brother.” Cian hissed.
The area was filled with dead silence for a few moments before the rattling cackle of Mahzun filled the air. He took his time getting back to his feet and made a show of dusting himself off before he reached up and pulled the blade from his head. He threw it back at Cian,covered in his blackened blood and gave an evil dirty fanged smile.
“Is the truth too painful for our dear healer?” He mocked as Cian automatically caught the blade, sickened by the blood that dripped from it he set it on fire. “Do not be so bent out of shape. We all make our own decisions. You act more like a female than a warrior. The generals were all happily surprised at how long Zander lasted with so much of those parasites in his veins.
Its gotta be a painfully dull and lonely existence he is living right now. Now that you have found your woman, where does that leave him? Ah but that doesnt matter to you right? They still have a use for you though, your woman will need to die in order to have you in the right frame of mind for your transition.” Mahzun asked with a snicker.
In the blink of an eye Cian dispelled his unsullied blade and lunged at him. A clawed hand buried deep in Mahzun’s guts as he reached upwards to his blackened heart before the vampire could take another breath. Cian slammed the vampire back into a nearby tree and snarled in his face. He called forth vines to snare and wrap his arms and legs backwards around the tree trunk.
“I am done listening to this nonsense. My transition? Zander joined you? You have been drinking too much bad blood. Zander would greet the sun before joining you, no matter how painful his waking moments are. I see you’re still hunting females and mated pairs. Is your Master’s Master still holding on to that centuries old grudge? He has no one to blame but himself for what happened to his lifemate.” Cian snapped as he pushed his hand further into the vampire’s ribs.
Mahzun grimaced while struggling as Cian pressed his blade to his throat ignoring the scent burning rotted flesh.. “His plans will never come to fruition and we will destroy each and every last one of you, wiping you from the face of this earth. It’s funny you said your companion had no real value when you dont have much more yourself. You hold no importance other than to make sure the lessers go where needed. Your leader knows I'm here, yet sent no one to help you. He has already cut you off like a rotted limb.
And these are the ones you gave up your beloved light for? You will never reunite with them and would have forever walked this place searching for her. But you threatened the lives of those I care about so you can no longer exist.” Cian growled low and pushed his arm upward further into his abdominal cavitiy, perforating any visceral barriers that got in his way.
He closed his clawed hand around Mahzun’s heart and the vampire went berserk with his attempts to get free becoming more erratic. The loud sounds of bones breaking and dislocating could easily be heard along with the sound of flesh tearing. “I really dont understand how your kind can cling so hard to life when you essentially already gave it up. It makes no sense.” Cian stated almost conversationally.
“They will kill all of you and make you pay.”Mahzun squeezed out and Cian dug the flaming blade even further into his neck until it reached his spine.
“They’ve been trying for centuries and still havent done so yet.” Cian said in an uninterested tone as he watched the vampire’s head fall forward as it glared up at him. “Any last words?” He asked sardonically with a lifted brow. A wet noise could be heard where Mahzun tried to speak but was unable to.
“I’ll be sure to pass that along.” Cian stated and ripped his heart from his chest. He allowed the flames from the blade to consume the vampire as he slowly crushed his heart in his hand and called forth flames to burn it as well. As the fire burned he gave a quick thanks before he set forth cleansing the area blackened blood and healing the surrounding earth that could still be healed.
For a moment he thought about Zander but his mind went to his woman and the direction he knew her to be. His movements were painful, thanks to the blackened blood that had entered his wounds earlier. He was able to ignore them for the most part because there werent many though it would need to be cleansed before they could multiply too rapidly.
Without further thought he took off to the area he’d been in early. He reached for the swarms that were sent after his woman and his blood. They were under a compulsion , which he quickly undid as he searched for the vampires that had gone this way. He saw blood trails and signs of fighting and he followed it knowing it would lead him to his woman.
~*~ Before Zander could take off he had to cleanse his body of some of the parasites in his body. He’d taken care of the main battle party that was headed towards Cian and cleansed the area of the black blood. He couldnt cleanse the earth quite as thoroughly as Cian but he did what he could. He could sense Cian in battle and knew he could handle himself just fine. He took a moment to conceal his presence completely before he continued forward at full speed, knowing Cian’s lifemate would be the target for the vampires that he smelled.
He clung to the shadows, allowing his black pelt to blend with them. He could hear the sounds of fighting and moved closer. He stopped in his tracks as he watched the vampire's odd behavior. They were acting as if they were fighting something though he couldnt see anything aside from them. He took a moment to pull in a calming breath as he allowed his senses to search for the woman. He caught only wisps of two separate scents from the vampires’ overpowering scent.
From what he could make out the vampires were being handled and were on the ropes, or at least one of them was since the other one seemed to be circling a nearby tree. He figured the woman and whatever else was there with her were doing a decent job holding them off. He kept his presence concealed as he transformed to his human form ,black clothing appeared on his body as he leaned against a nearby tree and looked on. He had raven black shoulder length hair and piercing cobalt blue eyes that watched the unfolding scene closely in case he needed to interfere.
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Post by Thea on Jan 10, 2023 13:14:37 GMT -5
It wasn't the first time Patience was threatened with being eaten. That didn't mean that she liked it though. Grimacing at the stench, she worked to create distance between her and her target. One thing she found out quickly was that their speed was impeccable. And so was their sense of smell. Every passing second she was getting frustrated with this cat-and-mouse game.
She had to think. And fast. There was only so many trees she could jump to.
Their blood is acidic, Nemus's voice filtered in through her raging thoughts. He sounded in pain. Patience took a chance and looked briefly to where Nemus should have been. Instead, the vampire her hound was fighting was getting up, her arrow broken and laying useless. Its neck was ravaged, a clear indication that a beast had gotten to it.
Nemus if you need to, get Ora. Tell him to get you out of here.
I will not leave you.
Patience could command him to do so. But she knew that he wouldn't speak to her if she did. Nemus was her hound. Not just a cute little companion that she could tote around in her purse. His breed was well known, an integral part of the Wild Hunt. They were scary in their own right - according to myth if one were to see a ci annwn their death was imminent. Her sire has scolded her many a time for treating Nemus like a pet and not the fearsome animal he was. It was Nemus's sole duty to protect and serve her in any way. If she forced him to run, it was a dishonor to who he was.
Then keep fighting. Remember that you have claws.
With a fearsome, low-reverberating growl, he attacked the vampire once more. And she went back to thinking how best to kill her enemy.
She didn't want to use her flames just yet. That was a last resort. With its temperature reaching insane heights it kills her throat if she didn't have the Dragon Snot. Even with it, though, she had to be careful not to go overboard. One too many bursts and she could effectively ruin her throat and mouth. It was an ace in the hole she wasn't ready to give up yet, true, but it was one that had dangerous side effects. With the vamp baring down on her, she felt those flames stoking, the smell of the smoke heady in her nostrils.
A thought occurred to her then. And there was only one way to see if it would work.
With her glamour, the Seelie princess created an illusion of herself. If it worked on Mister Fedora she was sure that it would on this abomination, surely. This time, though, the illusion was more faerie-like. Long and lithe, with flowers and diamonds woven in her hair. She had vibrant purple eyes and sharp cheekbones, ears elven-like. The look of terror was plainly etched on her face as she ran in Patience's place, hyperventilating as she did so.
Meanwhile Patience landed onto the forest floor, tucking and rolling until she stood. She wasn't sure how long the illusion would last since the vampire had a good grasp of her scent. So she had to make this quick. And make it count, too. With practiced movements, she took an arrow from her quiver and spit a small amount of her Dragon's Snot onto the head. After that she breathed a small flame to catch the head on fire. Her flames were impervious to her invisibility, which was always a bummer. But it didn't look like either vampires paid attention so she made quick work in taking aim, and then firing.
One, two...
The vampire that had been chasing her caught fire immediately. From her spot on the forest floor she felt the heat of her flames. The inhuman screams from her target echoed through the trees and banged around in her head. Still, Patience couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. She was confident that if it didn't die immediately it would be eventually. She would have to stop the flames from traveling any farther, sure, but until then she would wait until she knew without a doubt that the vampire no longer moved.
Now onto the next one.
Patience commanded with urgency for Nemus to move, releasing the faerie illusion of herself. Nemus complied with groggy movements, and the vampire he was facing got up with a snarl. On top of his neck wound were various claw marks on his body, courtesy of Nemus. "Where are you?! Fucking bitch!"
Spit, breathe, knock, aim.
Patience released her invisibility, then.
"Right here."
And then she fired.
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Post by Eliora on Jan 12, 2023 0:17:36 GMT -5
Cian cleansed himself with a thought so that his clothes were clean and whole once again. The draw in her direction became a compulsion of his soul and stronger with each passing second. He felt he was racing to the light of his darkness and savior of his soul. His fangs ached and the overpowering need to ensure her safety had its claws deep inside of him urging him forward. It seemed like he was running in place while using his blurring speed to get to his mate.
He heard the screeching of a wounded vampire and couldnt help the grin that touched his lips nor the pride knowing that his woman was most likely the cause,though he questioned her ability to properly handle them. Was this her first time encountering them? He came to the clearing where he felt her presence and scent the strongest. He saw a woman who couldnt be mistaken for anything other than a bonafide hunter.
She stood as a fierce warrior facing down a lesser vampire. He couldn’t do anything in that moment but admire her regal fierceness. What really held him ensnared was her otherworldly beauty. He was being reacquainted with the multitude of colors trying to overwhelm him, though he was grateful to be able to see her fully. She was tall dressed in hunting leathers, even so he could tell she had a petite-athletic figure. Her beautiful chestnut brown hair was braided and swayed lightly as stands of loose hair fell around her face.
It drew attention to the blue skin that covered a good portion of her golden features, from her to her cheekbone. Was that dragon skin and a dragon eye? He wondered incredulously. He continued to look her over and took note of her somewhat button nose and angled ears, finding them quite adorable. She was definitely not human and wasnt Dragonseeker yet it was apparent that the other scent he’d had a hard time pinning was that of a dragon. Her entire existence puzzled him even more than it had before. Pushing his renewed emotions back down and composed himself as he watched her work.
‘Hey loverboy, the other one isnt dead. It doesnt seem as though she knows how to kill ‘em. Want me to?’ Zander stated in a neutral tone along their link as he sent the image of the writhing vampire to him. It wasnt too far away and was shakily getting to its feet as its black blood spilled all over the place.
‘Dont kill it but contain it to one spot.’ Cian replied along their shared link. Zander shrugged, the movement causing a great deal of pain. It was a harsh reminder that he needed to cleanse himself soon. Zander put up a barrier to prevent the vampire from going anywhere no matter what form it took. Zander sigh knowing what Cian had in mind to do with the vampires. He would use them for the woman to kill so that she knew how to do so properly. No better time to learn than the present.
He’d been witness to something quite bizarre though now that he saw the woman appear out of nowhere he figured her companion could do the same and was the one who ripped the lesser vampire apart. The work was sloppy and not nearly efficient enough to truly work but it was bad for a first attempt. All of their people and those associated with them knew the only way to truly kill any vampire was to separate the heart from the body then set both ablaze so the vampire didnt have a chance to regenerate. Simply setting them on fire would only torture them slow but wouldnt kill them. His first instinct was to immediately kill the vampire the female had left alive but saw that it posed no immediate threat to her so he left it where it lay.
Ensuring her safety and life ensured Cian’s. For a brief moment he wondered what sort of creature she was and if she was going to be a threat to Cian. The woman could breathe fire yet wasnt Dragonseeker. He’d never seen anything like her before. When he’d noticed Cian come to the area he relaxed a bit. He probably should have told him the other vampire was Mahzin, a young Carpathian that Cian helped bring into the world a few centuries ago. Zander merely saw him as yet another Vampire scourge that needed to be cleaned, though he could only imagine the shock it must have been for Cian. Just from the brief mental interaction he’d had with Cian , he knew that he hadnt fully dealt with it yet nor any of the other things that they’d been blessed not to feel over the centuries. Zander didnt envy Cian that emotional mountain in the least. His hand brushed against the hilt of Cians sword that was sheathed on his belt and hissed at the resulting burn. Cian was lucky to have been gifted such a treasure.
Zander turned his eyes to the woman and Cian once more then spared a moment to see if he could see the woman’s companion. If he’d really wanted he could have easily spread his senses across the area and found them but he figured it wasnt necessary. So instead he began to cleanse his blood as he waited to see what they were going to do next.
Cian caught the last wisps of Zander’s thoughts before he shut himself off from him. His brother was in no danger as of now. He turned his attention to the woman and felt the corners of his mouth lift. “Just so you know, simply burning them will not kill them. It’ll hurt them but not kill them. You have to separate the heart from the body first then set them on fire and let them burn to ash. Would you like me to show you how?.” Cian asked as he slowly walked from behind the nearby brush towards her.
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Post by Thea on Jan 12, 2023 19:24:03 GMT -5
The sweet taste of victory was overshadowed by her worry for Nemus. The hound’s pain was felt in the back of her mind, leaving the bitter feeling of shame curdling in her stomach. As if to ease his mistress’s guilt, Nemus pressed the top of his head to the small of Patience’s back.
I need to know how bad your injuries are, Patience said to him, urgency fueling her words. I’m going to drop the glamour.
Not yet, Nemus returned, his near-plea strained. We do not know yet if they are friend or foe.
Nemus was right. No matter her attraction to the first Not-Vampire and his own attacks against their common enemy, it did not mean much in the grand scheme of things. She was taught from a young age that the adage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” did not hold the value as one may think. Yes, there were such things as common goals. But the reasons behind those goals could vary greatly.
The princess shouldn’t have dropped her glamour in the first place. But her ego didn’t like being called a bitch, especially from an undead creature. She wanted to make sure that, as it was dying, it saw the person behind its demise. There was no point in replacing it. Besides she didn’t want to have her headache grow. So she stood tall, her rune-etched bow in her left hand while her right wrapped itself around the handle of her enchanted silver hunting knife, waiting for either her targets to die or the Not-Vampires to show themselves.
One of them is close-by. Though I do not know where exactly. It seems they have a glamour of their own.
Is it the same one we encountered already?
No. A pause, then, He’s coming though.
Sure enough, Nemus’s words seemed to have conjured the man from thin air, his sonorous voice so very pleasant to hear. Even if his revelation wasn’t.
Still, she couldn’t help but notice his appearance again. He looked like … well, from another time, so say his clothes. But his physique? A broad chest that tapered to a narrow waist, with aristocratic features framing a set of sapphire-colored eyes. She would have fainted if she were a woman with delicate sensibilities. There was something that told her she would dream about those eyes for years to come. And his hair … why did she have the sudden urge to run her fingers through it?
And why was she even thinking this now? She was acting like a school girl, fawning over her first crush. And she needed to finish her bargain; despite the way her stomach did a funny little flip at his smile, she did not return it. Instead, grateful that he walked to her slowly, she narrowed her two different eyes, equal amounts of suspicion in each. “Why would you show me?” she asked instead, her voice no longer carrying that echo quality but harder than stone.
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