“One needs to just open their eyes...”
Blaze sat bolt upright with sharp intake of breath as if she’d just surfaced from underwater. Her awareness and supernatural senses quickly roused though it took a few moments for the room to focus properly around her, to tune in to the peaceful sounds of sleeping babes and Alastair laying beside her in dreams of his own, one arm wrapped loosely over her waist. Hearing her heart thud in her chest she slowly looked about the room, shadows played on the walls yet a glimmer of moonlight streamed through the window as the curtain still lay partly open.
She let out the breath she held, feeling it ripple cool over her lips. It was the early hours still, or so she guessed and she felt...unsettled and in some ways touched by something she could not quite comprehend. Into the relative quiet hushed the repeat of those words, whispered into her dreams yet echoing here. Closing her eyes she heard them flatter at her ears almost as if the breath that spoke them could be felt upon the nape of her neck.
She shuddered with a cringe, brushing off the blankets as she slipped gently free of Alastair’s sleeping embrace to step barefooted to the window. The distant sounds of the fountain in the village square disturbed the nights silence yet the streets were deserted, only her pale reflection looked back at her from the slightly frosted glass. She touched at the skin between her breasts sliding upwards to that ugly scar, delicately and with fascinated frown she traced along with careful fingertip.
Slowly she sunk down to sit in the window seat, curling her feet beneath her and drawing blanket up towards her chin, she hid the scar away with a passing flash of resentment for the one who caused it. Dilemma played on her mind. She hadn’t enjoyed going to the Giljaar pit for the tournament but in ways she had needed to for her own pride, to show she would not be left afraid or backed into a corner. She may have suffered an axe to the throat but in no way did it leave her unable to stand up for herself, to defend her family, it was an unfortunate incident suffered in the line of duty. Still she hated seeing Alastair so concerned, worry etched so deeply in his brow last few days amidst his careful care of her and a deeper guilt she knew that lingered, guilt that he had not kept her safe, a guilt she wished he’d be rid of for he was the best guardian she could ever hope for. Only one other had come close...yet in the end he’d betrayed and continued to do so ever since.
She glanced back to Alastair, his position moved slightly, sprawled out more, eyes hidden behind his endearing mess of dark hair. The elven inked markings along his arms and back glowed softly in the moonlight compelling her to return to him, to press snug against his back, sweep along her palm over warmed ashen skin and rouse him to turn, to reconnect and find that alluring familiar taste. Her eyes misted over emotionally as she thought on his recent request. So eager to find way to make his desperate wish a reality, complete the circle of their supernatural bond. If she could make him feel whole then she knew she could always protect him as she so desperately wished and maybe he would feel more secure in his own protective ways. She would go to the ends of the earth and beyond for him.
Closing her eyes she fell to still contemplation on the possibilities, methods and ways to achieve their shared desire. The workings of the mind, the manipulation of bonding could be complicated and dangerous when in the wrong hands or with the wrong intentions, she had wealth of experience in dealing with the darker kind and usually to her suffering and betrayal. Yes this would be different, it would be entered into with complete trust and embracing even if dealt with the realms of dominance and ownership, she knew it would strengthen their connection on a whole new level.
Gradually the cogs of her mind slowed, tiredness claimed her once more as her head lolled against the cushions propped against the wall, moonlight slowly drifting over her eyelids and making the raven sheen of her hair glisten and the milky splendour of her skin gleam in iridescent radiance. The world faded to dark as tired and healing body gave into temptation of much needed rest.
“Screams of delight are not unheard of here my dear. But things work out in the end all the time. Do then not?”
Her lashes flickered open again. That voice...that deceitful, sly and cunning familiar voice. Voice that made her hackles rise, stirred an anger and yet a resentful intimidation deep in pit of her stomach. Was a voice that belonged to a ghost, for that was how she viewed him, demon ghost that haunted her ever since she succumbed to the temptation of offered blood. Once, just the once but it had been the start of a love hate relationship that never seemed to be laid to rest.
She made to stand in defensive stance but found she was not in her bedroom. The cosy warmth of her Ravenscraig home was now far away. She stood in the dark, knowing exactly which dark so was irritably curious rather than unnerved or afraid. “Kain...” she hissed softly “Why are you here?! You should not be here!” she spat darkly, appalled that he should squirm way into her inner mental retreat. This was the place she came to for comfort and reflection, to reminisce and escape...not to be pulled into some new game of his making. Was long since he had hold on her that way, her mind and will was her own...for only Alastair did she bring here!
Stepping forward she touched at a luxurious curtain, heavy and ornate she did not recognise it. With frown she drew it to one side, candle light illuminating a figure standing in centre of a vast and deserted room. She knew it was him, just as she had known it was him the night of the Bellmont Ball. He gave an arrogant bow, his head never quite lowering enough to not continue staring her way, for she knew he was, behind that dark mocking mask he wore. She felt the same repulsion all over again for the man that tormented her and her husband so. He straightened and extended his hand to her as if to dance, but she would not dance again, she would not dance to his tune... She let the curtain fall behind her yet refused to move closer, eyes narrowed with growing wild blue sheen.
''Not everything is as it seems, sometimes people are not who they used to be. One needs to just open their eyes'' he gave one of his trademark smirks, even unseen she could hear it in his tone as he chuckled “But sometimes in one’s eyes, they betray that person.”
She growled lowly in her throat, feeling the pain of her injuries bristle causing her to wince. Still in centre of the room he tilted his head in what seemed like concern though she would not believe he felt. He had betrayed again and again and never once, ever had she returned the favour when for so long he had deserved it. He was going to do it again! Fool her into believing he cared! Well she would not have it. Not again, no delusions this time. She snapped and strode forward with purpose, twitching for the itch to shift and tear into him, spit his demon blood in his face...fingers reaching to rip away that which hid him...
"I only like games of my own making" she seethed in dangerous whisper feeling her heart pound in her chest "And certain people never change whom they are on the inside, even if the outside they evolve from one beast to another!" feeling a growing anxiety she suddenly curled fingers to the edge of his mask "do I dare to peek? I am not sure I shall like what I find"
She felt frozen in that moment; his hand gripped her wrist tightly making her want to rip into his flesh with her nails. She had a mask too, an invisible one that held back a darkness that had never been fully exploited, never fully embraced but so much better understood...waiting, coiled ready, accepted finally to use to protect those she loved. Protect from the likes of him. Her eyes burned up at his towering form in frustration and then she heard it...
“Eleni?”
Her heart skipped a beat. It was Alastair’s voice, full of self doubt and confusion. It sounded close and yet she could not see him. Pulling away from the demon she backed away with wild sweep of her arms, pacing him in urgency as pupils flickered wildly into the darkened space.
“Brego? Brego?” she called with rising anxiety before she spun back to Kain, voice laden with venom “Where is he?!” her chest heaving with deepening breaths, suspecting something wicked. “You cannot have him; I told him he was a fool! We do not need your help! Stay away you hear me? Stay away...he is safe with me, we do not need you!!” she screamed feeling her throat tear with the effort yet he stayed still and composed and she felt that smirk again, hidden yet unyielding.
“He is already here...one of us” he held his hand to her "Welcome to the family"
Blaze sat bolt upright with sharp intake of breath as if she’d just surfaced from underwater. Her awareness and supernatural senses quickly roused though it took a few moments for the room to focus properly around her, to tune in to the peaceful sounds of sleeping babes and Alastair laying beside her in dreams of his own, one arm wrapped loosely over her waist. Hearing her heart thud in her chest she slowly looked about the room, shadows played on the walls yet a glimmer of moonlight streamed through the window as the curtain still lay partly open.
She let out the breath she held, feeling it ripple cool over her lips. It was the early hours still, or so she guessed and she felt...unsettled and in some ways touched by something she could not quite comprehend. Into the relative quiet hushed the repeat of those words, whispered into her dreams yet echoing here. Closing her eyes she heard them flatter at her ears almost as if the breath that spoke them could be felt upon the nape of her neck.
She shuddered with a cringe, brushing off the blankets as she slipped gently free of Alastair’s sleeping embrace to step barefooted to the window. The distant sounds of the fountain in the village square disturbed the nights silence yet the streets were deserted, only her pale reflection looked back at her from the slightly frosted glass. She touched at the skin between her breasts sliding upwards to that ugly scar, delicately and with fascinated frown she traced along with careful fingertip.
Slowly she sunk down to sit in the window seat, curling her feet beneath her and drawing blanket up towards her chin, she hid the scar away with a passing flash of resentment for the one who caused it. Dilemma played on her mind. She hadn’t enjoyed going to the Giljaar pit for the tournament but in ways she had needed to for her own pride, to show she would not be left afraid or backed into a corner. She may have suffered an axe to the throat but in no way did it leave her unable to stand up for herself, to defend her family, it was an unfortunate incident suffered in the line of duty. Still she hated seeing Alastair so concerned, worry etched so deeply in his brow last few days amidst his careful care of her and a deeper guilt she knew that lingered, guilt that he had not kept her safe, a guilt she wished he’d be rid of for he was the best guardian she could ever hope for. Only one other had come close...yet in the end he’d betrayed and continued to do so ever since.
She glanced back to Alastair, his position moved slightly, sprawled out more, eyes hidden behind his endearing mess of dark hair. The elven inked markings along his arms and back glowed softly in the moonlight compelling her to return to him, to press snug against his back, sweep along her palm over warmed ashen skin and rouse him to turn, to reconnect and find that alluring familiar taste. Her eyes misted over emotionally as she thought on his recent request. So eager to find way to make his desperate wish a reality, complete the circle of their supernatural bond. If she could make him feel whole then she knew she could always protect him as she so desperately wished and maybe he would feel more secure in his own protective ways. She would go to the ends of the earth and beyond for him.
Closing her eyes she fell to still contemplation on the possibilities, methods and ways to achieve their shared desire. The workings of the mind, the manipulation of bonding could be complicated and dangerous when in the wrong hands or with the wrong intentions, she had wealth of experience in dealing with the darker kind and usually to her suffering and betrayal. Yes this would be different, it would be entered into with complete trust and embracing even if dealt with the realms of dominance and ownership, she knew it would strengthen their connection on a whole new level.
Gradually the cogs of her mind slowed, tiredness claimed her once more as her head lolled against the cushions propped against the wall, moonlight slowly drifting over her eyelids and making the raven sheen of her hair glisten and the milky splendour of her skin gleam in iridescent radiance. The world faded to dark as tired and healing body gave into temptation of much needed rest.
“Screams of delight are not unheard of here my dear. But things work out in the end all the time. Do then not?”
Her lashes flickered open again. That voice...that deceitful, sly and cunning familiar voice. Voice that made her hackles rise, stirred an anger and yet a resentful intimidation deep in pit of her stomach. Was a voice that belonged to a ghost, for that was how she viewed him, demon ghost that haunted her ever since she succumbed to the temptation of offered blood. Once, just the once but it had been the start of a love hate relationship that never seemed to be laid to rest.
She made to stand in defensive stance but found she was not in her bedroom. The cosy warmth of her Ravenscraig home was now far away. She stood in the dark, knowing exactly which dark so was irritably curious rather than unnerved or afraid. “Kain...” she hissed softly “Why are you here?! You should not be here!” she spat darkly, appalled that he should squirm way into her inner mental retreat. This was the place she came to for comfort and reflection, to reminisce and escape...not to be pulled into some new game of his making. Was long since he had hold on her that way, her mind and will was her own...for only Alastair did she bring here!
Stepping forward she touched at a luxurious curtain, heavy and ornate she did not recognise it. With frown she drew it to one side, candle light illuminating a figure standing in centre of a vast and deserted room. She knew it was him, just as she had known it was him the night of the Bellmont Ball. He gave an arrogant bow, his head never quite lowering enough to not continue staring her way, for she knew he was, behind that dark mocking mask he wore. She felt the same repulsion all over again for the man that tormented her and her husband so. He straightened and extended his hand to her as if to dance, but she would not dance again, she would not dance to his tune... She let the curtain fall behind her yet refused to move closer, eyes narrowed with growing wild blue sheen.
''Not everything is as it seems, sometimes people are not who they used to be. One needs to just open their eyes'' he gave one of his trademark smirks, even unseen she could hear it in his tone as he chuckled “But sometimes in one’s eyes, they betray that person.”
She growled lowly in her throat, feeling the pain of her injuries bristle causing her to wince. Still in centre of the room he tilted his head in what seemed like concern though she would not believe he felt. He had betrayed again and again and never once, ever had she returned the favour when for so long he had deserved it. He was going to do it again! Fool her into believing he cared! Well she would not have it. Not again, no delusions this time. She snapped and strode forward with purpose, twitching for the itch to shift and tear into him, spit his demon blood in his face...fingers reaching to rip away that which hid him...
"I only like games of my own making" she seethed in dangerous whisper feeling her heart pound in her chest "And certain people never change whom they are on the inside, even if the outside they evolve from one beast to another!" feeling a growing anxiety she suddenly curled fingers to the edge of his mask "do I dare to peek? I am not sure I shall like what I find"
She felt frozen in that moment; his hand gripped her wrist tightly making her want to rip into his flesh with her nails. She had a mask too, an invisible one that held back a darkness that had never been fully exploited, never fully embraced but so much better understood...waiting, coiled ready, accepted finally to use to protect those she loved. Protect from the likes of him. Her eyes burned up at his towering form in frustration and then she heard it...
“Eleni?”
Her heart skipped a beat. It was Alastair’s voice, full of self doubt and confusion. It sounded close and yet she could not see him. Pulling away from the demon she backed away with wild sweep of her arms, pacing him in urgency as pupils flickered wildly into the darkened space.
“Brego? Brego?” she called with rising anxiety before she spun back to Kain, voice laden with venom “Where is he?!” her chest heaving with deepening breaths, suspecting something wicked. “You cannot have him; I told him he was a fool! We do not need your help! Stay away you hear me? Stay away...he is safe with me, we do not need you!!” she screamed feeling her throat tear with the effort yet he stayed still and composed and she felt that smirk again, hidden yet unyielding.
“He is already here...one of us” he held his hand to her "Welcome to the family"
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