[User]
Vivalia did not like the idea of this ball---it seemed like the preparations that had been made were superfluous for a simple diplomatic gathering, and worse yet, her ward, Charles, was expected to be there even though his parents knew just was well as Vivalia did that it was more likely for Charles to stand in a corner sipping mead all night than socializing with other aristocrats. They should have sent his brother, Damian, if they wanted to make friends---but she had no say in the matter, and neither did Charles. She had dressed elegantly, but appropriately for her station---after all she was not her ward's date to the ball, she was his guardian, and would need to be prepared to protect him should a skirmish arise during the festivities.

She was a regal looking woman herself, it came with the eternal curse, to have an almost disturbing allure, her hair hanging in wild, black ringlets around her face and down her back, framing a flawless face with soft cheeks, full lips and almond shaped eyes, the color a silvery blue and framed by long, black eyelashes. All of her physical imperfections had been diminished by her vampirism, so unless a man did not prefer dark hair or light eyes, she could appeal to most anyone in her physique. She had taken up a cloak, and underneath it she wore a billowing, navy colored blouse, the laces barely done up near her collarbone. She wore tight trousers even though that was still quite peculiar for women, and the pants were tucked into tall, sturdy boots, laced up and perfectly black in hue with pointed, metal sheathed toes. She had on a few silver rings and a dangling silver earring that barely peaked out of her wild hair, and her outfit was completed with riders gloves, her wardrobe managing to cover almost all of her skin from the collarbone down. She approached the enormous, preposterous carriage, and climbed inside on her own, not taking any help from the servants as she entered what seemed to be a room on wheels.

"This is... over zealous." She mumbled as she looked around at the furnishings, her eyes falling on Charles with a patient, even blink. "How long will we be riding in this mobile prison?"

[Assistant]
Continuing his rather overly sensual eating Charles didn't notice Vivalia come into the carriage at first, and half expect she was going to pop out of some dark corner once the carriage was moving. No... instead there she came through the door dressed in a way that the prince found so alluring, he couldn't help staring at her over his shoulder. An adorable blush covering his face that was covered by his long black hair, as he reminded himself that the wonderful being he was staring at was his companion until the day death came on him. The reason he did this was simple, number one to remind him of the results of his act of kindness from long ago. His mother knew the story and told him to remember it and use the sight of Vivalia at his side as a visual reminder of the rewards of helping others. The second was to avoid temptation at these balls and diplomatic gatherings. Charles was known for one thing above all even if weak himself it was that not once had any army he personally led been driven from the field. He didn't like the idea of an outside kingdom using a princess to marry into his father's line through him... because it would mean his own personal troops would fall under another king's command.

"Take it as a warning then if you must Vivalia my dear, or even a challenge. If Cathy can provide carriages of this size for a small kingdom like ours, then image who they might bring forth out of the woodwork to get into my bed. Remember I did ask you to guard that once didn't I?" Playfully laughing as he ate at another banana this time making like he was suckling form on purpose to mock the Vampiress. It was not like the two had never had their fun before and where she a noble and Charles could call her more than just a bodyguard/mistress then he might have tried to marry her when he came of age. However all he could do was avoid the socializing at these balls as he normally did, and let Vivalia take care of some of the more aggressive women who were well known in the northern kingdoms and the frozen island chains out there. "Just remember the rules and don't kill anyone, just use your magic on them and make them forget being in my room."

He had to admit though that it was hard to keep making up excuses, especially given that the Emperor of Cathy wanted their kingdom's to be bound by marriage at some point. It was part of the last treaty signed over 5 years ago, and so any time they traveled to the kingdom it worried Charles, "I don't know how long to be honest Vivalia and for all I know it could be the better part of a day or even all day and all night. You remember the border wars I fought with them that used the mountains to thin their numbers. The silly Cathian's don't know anything about Vampire Hunting in the proper sense so you fed well in those days... a few skirmishes by well-placed scouting troops to lead some of their forces into the dangerous mountain passes that were dark and filled with caves for you to hunt from." Charles talked with glee of glory days past, especially those that had been brought to him by his secret and most powerful ally.

The young man filled a plate full of snacks and went over to sit down next to his guardian, but only after she had decided to pick a seat. Even if that meant sitting on the floor next to her, then that was what he would do, so that he could hold out a strawberry to her, "Vivalia... are you hungry? I could make this more tasty for you if you want?"

[User]
Vivalia rolled her eyes a little at Charles practicing a sex act with his banana, but she did smile, just a little. Charles was such an innocent, for all the war he'd seen, for being a prince, and it always made Vivalia feel even more protective of him, that he might maintain that bit of boyish frivolity as long as he could. It was unlike he'd ever be a king, but he was an important man, and Vivalia had been alive long enough to know that plenty of humans trying to get as much as they possibly could out of people in life would take advantage of his nature.

It was definitely an annoyance that she'd have to be cooped up in this small room until they arrived, especially if they traveled through the day, but it was better than a regular carriage, cramped and wooden and barely large enough to get comfortable. She glanced around the room for a moment before taking up one of the seats in the darkness, in fact, the seat that Charles had thought she might appear from it was so cloaked in shadow. She crossed one leg over the other, and leaned back into the cushions, sighing.

She had closed her eyes, but she was able to hear Charles approaching her, and when he offered her the strawberry, she opened her silvery gaze to look down at him, raising a brow. before looking at the strawberry he offered. "It's fine as it is, thank you Charles." She said cooly, before biting it, fangs exposed, taking the whole strawberry save for the whitish top and the leaves into her mouth. She closed down on it easily and leaned back, chewing slowly enjoy the flavor of the fruit---she didn't need this kind of sustenance, but in her age it no longer made her sick to consume human foods.

[Assistant]
"Are you sure you are not hungry enough for a real meal Vivalia? You know I never mind offering you whatever you need from my own body, plus just look at this food they have given us. It was exactly what I requested through a message my father sent. That way I should feel better a lot faster after you have drained your fill." Placing the tray he was holding on the seat next to hers, the young man would undo the first two buttons on his shirt. Just enough to expose his pale neck, but even more than that, it was a very well-worn scar that he always kept covered whenever the chance of Vivalia getting caught was at its highest. He had already been sitting on the floor next to her seat anyway, so scooting over to rest his head on her legs wasn't much of an issue for him... and frankly even if she didn't want to eat anything... he still wanted to be close to her. It wasn't so much that Charles was clingy or trying to bother her, it was simply that his station didn't allow him to be so overtly warm with her in the public eye.

Oh sure people knew, because of the subtle hints and the way the pair might exchange a joke like a pair of fellow brother's in arms, but Charles always knew that he had to keep a certain distance to avoid drawing suspicion or attention to his dear Vivalia. Vampires where known for their ability to seduce the living, and so a women of his guardian's appearance with no known royal blood... drawing attentions of a young prince. The scandals would only be the start of their concern, and Charles took the words ''their'' in regard to the Vampiress very seriously. He owed her too much at this, just as much as she said she owed him, and to be honest... he preferred her stoic company to that of most other people. Sighing softly he looked at her asking, "What is your opinion on the purpose of this ball Vivalia? Surely they have some reason for calling in so many of their vassal's as well as our kingdom. Is there any chance that it might be a trap that I should have the general prepare for? If Cathy wants another war it would be nice change of pace to allow you to kill so many members of their court in their sleep. My Royal Guard can handle the rest of the rabble. The emperor of Cathy was never one foolish enough to deploy his own elite forces far from his capital city."

The way the young man eyes burned for a moment, he seemed like he actually wanted that to be true... another war to fight for glory and honor. True he was a man of his soldier's all of whom would follow the prince to hell and back, but the woman in the cart knew his true feelings. He fought because he had to, and never enjoyed a single battle unless it was a necessary one because with each one it meant that his troops had to spill their blood. The Vampiress had helped him train a lot of his commanders, and he knew them as friends, to even risk their lives in such a way bothered him, "The worst case scenario would be if they have figured out what you are and gathered something to kill you with. You remembered your promise to me that you wouldn't die right...? " Stopping himself as he laughed awkwardly at his own corny line, "I am sure it is nothing as bad as that, they probably just have a new maiden who wishes to try her luck at being my bride." Again he playfully laughed at the idea...

[User]
Vivalia hummed in consideration and tugged evenly at the fingers of her glove, freeing one hand before resting it on Charles' head to pet slowly at his dark, silky hair. "I think all of those are plausible assumptions, Charles. It seems rather suspicious, overly hurried. It is unlikely that they will start a battle while we are at this ball, but that does not necessarily ensure that there will not be violence." She bent over, doubling so she could reach him, and she pressed slow, soft kisses along the curve of his neck, her hand cupping his head. "Perhaps there is a marriage proposal waiting for you... your sisters and brothers are all wed or in the process of it. Had you not been so important in the leadership of the last war, I suspect you would be married as well." She didn't let her feelings about that reach her voice, trying to be as neutral on the matter as possible.

After all, Charles was a prince, and a mortal. It was imperative for him to carry on his bloodline, and he deserved... better, than she could offer. He deserved a companion that would age with him, that would understand his nature in ways she couldn't even remember because she had not been mortal for centuries. She found that familiar scar on his shoulder, and kissed the grooved skin before, for the sake of comfort, she slid from the seat all together to be on the floor with Charles, settled over him in his lap. She wrapped her other arm around his waist, and lapped her tongue over the precious mark, the place that bound them together, reverent and almost worshiping for a moment, before sinking her teeth in, the sharpness of her fangs making the puncture almost painless.

[Assistant]
Cooing softly, the noise Charles made came across almost like that of a cat purring. Oh his tactile nature was something that Vivalia would have a deep understanding of by this point, how the young man simply enjoyed being caressed or rubbed. The gentle scratch of fingernails in his skin in only the most superficial manner, but what he seemed to enjoy most of all was the touch of her clothed body against him. This had resulted in her being lavished with the spoils of his battles, at least under the guise that as his Mistress she needed to be pleasant enough for him to look at. The two of them knew better, at the way Charles liked to give her jewels in secret which could have been given to a princess of another kingdom. He got away with probably more than most in this way because of how much he did for his father through the military, but also the loyal nature of his well-taken care of men helped to keep his activities a secret, "Hmmm I suppose so, but what should we do this time if that is the case? We can't turn them down forever you know. All it will take is a few good loses on the field of battle and they won't need an alliance with our kingdom to own it."

Pausing for a moment the young man unbuttoned his shirt by a third and fourth button to make it easier for Vivalia to access his neck, smiling happily as her lips traveled along it, "You know they won't bring just one princess to try and sway me with. They have enough brides to give me plenty of choices, enough that I couldn't just walk away from it. Not like I have before..." There was a slight moment of hesitation before he asked a question that he felt he already knew the answer to, "Vivalia I know this may seem like an odd request, but you promise you won't leave me if it comes to that. What I mean is... beyond creating an heir... you would still be the only person who shares my bed like you have always done since we met?" Charles obviously knew that he had a duty to his kingdom to fulfill, but that didn't mean things had to change, and in that moment in the carriage together it seemed that things never really did.

Scooting back a bit as the woman slid over him, the young man smiling up at her sheepishly as he always was app to do. If anything this was his favorite thing in the world, to simply be able to submit to giving his lifeblood to the creature whom he cared about more than anything else. Wrapping his arms around her, his eyes rolled back in his head as he moaned soft while her teeth sank into his neck, but in that last moment he gained enough control of himself to whisper in her ear, "Vivalia... why don't you change for me. You might as well get into something a bit more fancy since we both know where this is going. You could try one of those nice Cathian large kimonos that the noble women from there wear. Or something from our country if you prefer..." She would be able to feel his erection growing in his pants, so she would know how hard it was on Charles to simply stop the moment like this. Also he had resisted his tendency to call her Mistress Vivalia at least once. He normally only did that when sucked his blood because it was the only time someone truly held his life in their hands and put him in such a venerable spot... he couldn't help acknowledging that it was a good relief valve for the rigors of having to be the ''guy in charge'' all the time. Oh not that the Vampiress always found Charles nearly that submissive, but it was simply because of the act itself and the risk that was involved on his part in trusting her.

[User]
Vivalia drew her fangs free from his flesh at the suggestion and lapped at the injury, taking in the drops of blood that resulted from the punctures before pressing her lips in a kiss to Charles' cheek. "As you wish, Charles. We do have a great deal of time on our hands." She agreed, dropping her gloved hand between his legs to stroke at his groin through his clothes. She kissed him before pulling away, standing and moving to where their trunks had been deposited in the room, behind the lounging sofa. She opened it up and pulled free a gown, preferring the garments of their home because the kimonos of Cathy were difficult to lace up. She didn't want to waste much time dressing---there were better things to do. She pulled off her shirt, exposing a powerful back, curving shoulders and supple breasts, and she glanced over at Charles, turning her body to let him see as she tossed her remaining glove aside carelessly, and reached to take off her boots. "Don't worry... I'll put them back on," She purred, unlacing the front of her trousers while watching Charles for his reactions.

"Get on the bed." She said simply, sliding out of the pants and her undergarments, and pulling on the beautiful, full gown. She swished the fabric of the skirts for a moment before raising them to put her boots back on, and then she reached back into the trunk and pulled out a pair of long, satin gloves, black in hue and made to go up to the elbow. She slid them on slowly, just to let Charles see, the smallest grin on her lips as she took her time making him watch.

[Assistant]
Charles' moans slowly died out as those teeth were pulled from his neck, but his grip on Vivalia didn't let up at least not at first anyway. No he held onto her, running a hand up into her hair as his face descended to her neck to return the bite at least the best that a human could as she stroked him through his clothes. His cock pulsed as it ached to get out of the confines of his clothes. The Vampiress really knew how to tease him, that much was for sure, and he pressed his groan up against her hand just to let her know she was doing a good job. However he was forced to let go of her, whenever she did pull away, hoping that his return bites had done the trick. He sat there on the floor for a few moments as he watched the lovely woman strip down for him... her powerful body was something he always found attractive. Strength and femininity all wrapped in a prefect immortal package... and her adored her...

"I didn't even dare to ask at this point, you have gotten better about those thing..." Not that he was going to force her to do anything that she might not want to do, but the Vampiress always seemed willing to do what she could to please him. That was why Charles did what he could to return the favor and so over time had learned the things that she enjoyed. It was another reason he didn't want another over Vivalia... the woman knew how please him and he knew how to please her... over all it was a win/win that had him sitting in the middle of the floor smiling for a moment like a goof. At least until she suggested that it was probably time for him to be getting into the bed...

The silly young man could not have gotten up into the bed fast enough, and as he did so he made sure to at least start the process of removing his own clothes... pants soon were tossed aside leaving his undergarments and shirt still on as he climbed into the bed. Never once did he take his eyes off the beauty that was his guardian. Running his tongue over his lips, his face grew red with its usual blush, if only because Vivalia knew how to push all the right buttons with him. As she put on the gloves though he did have to raise his hand laughing playfully, "Vivalia sweetheart not those... get out the other black ones that I had tailor made out of that really fine leather that where the same length and kind of shiny I guess... well in the right light." Not that in this place could considered the right light, but it was an expensive gift anyway for the purpose Charles enjoyed its use.

[User]
Vivalia smiled at him for that, and tugged the gloves off, retrieving the pair that he had mentioned and holding them up. "You mean these, Charles?" She asked, coy, because she knew exactly what he'd been asking for, and why. These were his favorite on her, it seemed---she had several pairs of gloves, but since he'd had those ones made for her, it had been a request of his that she wear them specifically. She clicked her tongue at him as though she disapproved, and slipped the gloves on just as slowly as she had done everything else.

"You're so particular." She was only teasing---she was used to the things he favored now, and it was one of her favorite things, to please him in this way. She moved around the bed and climbed in, settling herself over him, her bare groin pressed to the thin fabric of his undergarments as she unbuttoned his shirt in slow pulls, pushing the fabric away with her gloved hands to drags her fingers along his skin. She rolled her hips over him, batting her eyelashes slowly, and then he tipped, lapping her tongue along the curve of his neck up to his ear. The sting of him biting at her throat had riled her enough to make her not want to tease him too much, letting him enjoy all of the sensations of her touching him with the fabric he seemed to enjoy so much while she teased his earlobe with her tongue and teeth.

"To answer your question Charles... I will never leave you, no. If you marry, if you favor someone else, it's alright. I will do what I can to ensure the safety of your bloodline, for all you have given me." It was sincere, sighed out against his skin while she continued to roll her hips over his, humming out a soft, pleased sound at the feeling.


[User]
Flapping of great leathery wings in the air sounded like thunder of a coming storm. Only this storm brought fire and destruction. This was their domain. No one was going to take what belonged to them. It had been this way for centuries. Now, the humans were expanding, building more cities ever closer to their lands. Creating new means of transportation, noisy transportation which ruined the serenity they craved. The dragons tried to ignore them. The straw which broke the camels back occurred when the first detonated explosion tore away a chunk of mountainside to make way for the new railroad. They were not about to have their domain fouled by iron and smoke.

The first flight of dragons broke through the storm clouds overhead. Several cut loose with a stream of searing white hot flames which melted tracks of steel already laid. As they pulled up, the ground below opened fire. Volley after volley of metal rocketed into the sky. A royal blue dragon took a hit to his soft underbelly. A roar of pain filled the air as the dragon veered away sharply in retreat. In his haste the dragon clipped a snowy white dragon. The white dragon rolled out of the way just barely. Flapping white wings the dragon righted herself. The momentary distraction cost the white dragon as a heavy duty spear sliced her side. Roaring, the white dragon's head turned spatting a fireball at the catapult crossbow launcher. The device exploded in a shower of charred wood shards and metal.

Flying off, the white dragon had difficulty staying aloft. Every so often dipping lower before rising up again. Unable to stay in the sky, the white dragon began a rapid descent. Skimming across treetops snapping branches off in the process till the great white dragon collided with the ground. Dirt and snow flying into the air. As the plume of dirt subsided, the white dragon laid there with a nasty gash in her side. Struggling to her feet, a pained, mournful sound filled the wooded area before she collapsed back down. If she didn't do something soon, the blood loss would be too extensive. Closing her eyes concentrating letting magic flow through her. A golden glow began to envelope her body. Gradually, the body of a dragon continued shrinking and reshaping till all that was left was a silvery-white haired naked elven woman. Swaying, she sank back to the ground on her knees. Dark red blood slowly rolling over pale, delicate flesh.

[Assistant]
"If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it." Riv dismounted his horse, and took the spear off the special holder on its flank. From the saddlebags, he pulled a strange collar.

The brawny man with green eyes walked into the clearing purposefully. His eyes never left the strange woman on the ground, who had so recently been a dragon. If someone had told him that dragons could transform like that, he would have thought they were drinking too much. But here, in the clearing at the heart of the Valley of Dragons, with the smell of gunpowder hanging so heavily in the air and the sounds of cannonfire vibrating the soles of his feet, he knew the truth. He wondered if it looked like an elf if it could understand elvish, or even common.

"If you surrender without a fight, dragon, I can save your life." Then, he repeated it again in broken elvish.

He didn't wait for an answer to close the distance. With his off hand, he clicked the collar open, ready to snap it back closed around a wrist or her neck. He wouldn't even need to adjust it to fit---he was told there was something magical about it. That when it clicked back closed, it would fit comfortably around anything living. It would restrict the captive's magical abilities, and paired with the bracelet on his own wrist, allowed him some degree of control.

If he was strong enough, quick enough, or skilled enough, he could potentially get it around the dragon's neck before he was killed. There would only be a moment for her to act before he got his chance.

[User]
Startled by the sound of a man's voice, Cerelia whirled around. Wincing from the pain of her injury. It felt as if her side was on fire. Eyes widening as her honey golden eyes locked with his. Heart pounding wildly within her chest. At first she stood there frozen. Mind racing with what to do. Running was the first thing which came to mind, but how far could she go with her injury? Perhaps a few miles before the blood loss and exhaustion took their toll. A shiver rippled through her naked form. Breasts bouncing with each ragged breath she took.

Tilting her head slightly when he spoke in elvish. While she understood it as it was one of the oldest languages in the world. Lips pursing. "How can you save my life? Your kind attacked those who were content to remain within their domain," Cerelia countered. The click caught her attention. Eyes falling towards the collar in his hand. Soft pink lips curling back in disgust and anger. "You dare use that foul device? I do not believe your words. You speak trickery."

Slowly, Cerelia began to back up trying to put more distance between them. Spying a branch near her feet which had broken off a nearby tree. Hurriedly, she grabbed it and hurled it towards the man hoping it would distract him long enough for her to escape. While the branch was airborne, Cerelia turned and began to run, albeit it shakily as she was not used to moving on two legs.

[Assistant]
Some of the elvish went over his head. Her defensive posture gave him the context clues he needed as to what she meant though. Riv had obviously spooked her, and the battle raging off in the distance didn't help. "I've tended wounds like that before. Especially someone like you would be able to survive if we can just stop the blee---" She cut him off with a string of elvish. Then she accused him of trickery, referring to the bracelet.

The branch almost clocked him in the head, but Riv parried it with his spear. It bounced harmlessly away with a *clack* when it met his spear shaft, and before it had even landed he was moving again. "If you don't give up, your wound will only get..." He didn't really know the word for ''worse'' in elvish. He just let it drop. As wounded and as unfamiliar with her own legs as she was, Riv overtook the dragon in only a few long strides.

He dropped the spear and seized her from behind. Riv clapped a hand on her shoulder, and as she was mid-stride tugged her forcibly back. He hoped it would be enough to pull her down so he could attach the bracelet---or make it into a collar, if that was what was necessary. He wondered if he was even physically capable of wrestling a dragon in elven form---the branch hadn't been particularly hard to block, but there was no telling what she could really do.

[User]
Unsteady on her new found legs, Cerelia stumbled as she ran. She didn't dare look back over her shoulder. The sound of his footsteps told her he was close. Heart pounding. The only thought on her mind was run. Run as far as she could. Roars of battle and explosions only served to fuel her flight. She feared what might be happening to her dragonkin. Silently, Cerelia prayed they would be alright.

A surprised yelp escaped her lips as her forward momentum was stopped suddenly. Feet slipping out from underneath her. The world seemed to tilt and spin around her as the ground came up to meet her. Landing hard practically knocked the winds out of her. Growling, eyes flashing as she kicked and scratched at Riv wildly in an attempt to knock the bracelet away from him. Heat began to radiate off her body. Skin becoming increasingly hotter. Hotter then a normal human's, and hot enough that if someone touched it without protection they might get burned.

[Assistant]
Riv fended her scratches off, getting a few strikes to his arm. He straddled her where she lay, and put his weight down to pin her. As he felt her body get hotter, he committed to snatching her wrist with his open hand. With a grunt of pain and a *click*, the bracelet locked nicely around her wrist. Suddenly, the heat stopped. He stood up off of her, confident she wouldn't try to do him harm---the bracelet would give her a good dose of pain if she tried---and held his right hand. He hissed in pain, truly feeling the burn now in the open air.

"Perhaps I shouldn't fix you up," he growled back in common. He knew he didn't mean it, however, and no sooner had he said that than he picked the dragon girl back up to her feet, and guided her over to his horse. She would find she couldn't quite resist following him when he gave the command. He stood her next to the horse while he dug through his saddlebags. He wrapped his burned hand up, cursing quietly the whole time, and then proceeded to the dragon.

The bleeding needed to stop immediately. His shirt had some of her blood on it from their struggle earlier, but that small amount was nothing compared to what she must have been losing. It was really bad, and an elven woman of her size might have already passed out. He unceremoniously pulled out a bottle of alcohol and gauze bandages, and went to work despite any of her protestations. It probably hurt, but after a couple of minutes she had a bandage glued to her wound, stopping the bleeding handily.

In elvish, "I've put you back together. I want to know if you know common."

[User]
Feeling Riv straddle her only made Cerelia thrash more. This was one of the reasons she rarely liked to change forms. This form was so much more vulnerable then her dragon form. The increase in heat her body was producing was more out of an instinct to survive. It wasn't done out of malice. All of a sudden it felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown upon her. She gasped feeling suddenly lightheaded.

Her mind whirling as she was picked up. Body on autopilot following Riv back to his horse. The bracelet compelling her to follow. Heart pounding when he advanced upon her again. Chest rising and falling with each ragged breath she took. Slowly, she backed up bumping against the horse. Her hand shot out to grab hold of the stirrup attached to the saddle. The burning of the alcohol against her wound caused Cerelia to cry out in pain. She tried to jerk away, to avoid more burning pain. Rapid pants causing her exposed breasts to bounce. Gradually, the pain began to subside as the bandage was applied stopping further bleeding.

Blinking, golden eyes watching him curiously. Lips pursing, tilting her head slightly. "I... I understand your tongue, human," Cerelia spoke softly, eyeing him warily. "Remove the bracelet, please." She tried to be polite. Being cut off from much of what she was disconcerting and left her feeling agitated.

[Assistant]
Riv was relieved she understood common. "The bracelet won't be coming off," Riv said.

In the distance, the sounds of battle grew louder and closer. "We don't have a lot of time, we have to leave." He physically took her by the shoulders and guided her into a place he could help her onto the horse from. In only a few moments, they were off at a canter. The clearing fell away behind them as they moved through the valley and deeper into the woods.

Some few miles to the east, there was a small hill and a cabin Riv had been using to bide his time. It had been lent to him by his employer, the one whom had an interest in capturing dragons for study. He intended to wait out the battle there, in the deeper part of the valley's woods, where dragons would have difficulty finding them. Riv guessed his captive had friends that would look for her.

[User]
She tried to dig her heels into the ground. Cerelia wasn't about to leave her kin behind to fight and die fighting to preserve what had been theirs for centuries. She could feel her heart hammering wildly within her chest. Even when he grabbed her shoulders and maneuvered her towards his horse, Cerelia tried her best to resist. A few growls rumbled in her throat. Pain seared through her side where the wound was bandaged. The pain made the resistance fade as she went limp. Once on the horse, sitting against her captor was a bit awkward. The motion of the horse jostling her a bit. Biting her lower lip, wrapping her arms around the human male, body pressing against his in an attempt to hold on. A flash of sadness upon her angelic face looking towards the sight of the raging battle.

As they rode deeper into the forest, Cerelia was silent. Honey golden eyes occasionally looking about. The hairs on the back of her neck standing up. Something was out there. It wasn't any of her kin. This felt different. Sitting up a little straighter. Acute hearing picking up movement tracking them, running parallel to them on both sides. The corners of her mouth curving downward slightly. "Look out!" Cerelia shouted as someone clad in black from head to toe leapt down at them from a tree above. The attacker swung a metal quarter staff towards Riv's head in an attempt to knock him from his horse.


[User]
Anya could feel her body temperature rising steadily as Constantine kissed her in return, his hands making their way up and down her back only to tenderly caress her ass which caused her to let out a breathy moan whilst pressing her pelvis against his. It was clear that he wanted her, but the way in which he wanted her was nearly completely different from her own. It was primal... like a wolf wishing to devour a doe in the woods, something which for the first time she was beginning to understand. Her core began to burn hotter, almost pulsing with need as she began to sensually grind herself against his aching desire. Her tongue slipped into his mouth as she further deepened the kiss, causing it to become more passionate. Every kiss they shared together was further pulling their hearts and minds together, who knows what would happen if they fully consummated this lust they felt for each other. She gripped at the back of his shirt, attempting to pull him in as he was pulling her in.

When he broke the kiss, a whimper escaped her lips as she gazed up at him to hear his sensual words. Her lips were slightly agape in wonder, he wished to taste her... it almost seemed to good to be true. Her head fell back as he leaned down, neck arching so that he could have better access. A shiver went up her spine as the tips of his fangs scraped against her slender neck, her legs feeling more like jelly as they began to shake ever so slightly from the effort of standing. "Can you feel my hot skin against your mouth? The warmth of me against your clothed body... please, take me... sink your fangs into my neck as you ravage me." Anya ran her finger through his ebony hair, trying not to push his mouth against her neck as his fangs lay there.

[Assistant]
Constantine laughed against her skin, a low rumble of delight. This young woman was truly intriguing him in her boldness. "Not. That." He said in clipped, wry tones as he grabbed the girl's hips and moved her as effortlessly as a rag doll, shoving her on top of the nearest table. Several vials were crushed and one of the wild animals fell of the table, its cage clattering to the floor. Although glass was a risk, Constantine merely quirked a finger and the blood essence coating those dangerous elements simply shot away, impacting the wall with the power of a modern shotgun.

The table cleared, Constantine shoved Anya back, pressed between her thighs and leaned down. Her pencil skirt was no resistance to what he craved: his fingers moved across the fabric and the cloth simply split. Cool breath tingling across the revealed flesh of her inner thighs, Constantine leaned down and pressed his lips to her skin---near the apex of her thighs. Inhaling the aroma of her sex, a scent so pleasant that he practically shuddered from delightful anticipation, he sank his teeth into her.

Blood flooded his mouth and the vampire's venom slid into the girl's body, bringing with it an indescribable ecstasy. Only now that the two of them shared a bond, something odd happened. Constantine felt the girl's pleasure. The raw, sexual arousal and need to accept what was happening. It mingled with the desire to feed and transformed what was normally a psudo-sexual act into something that actually made him burn with the need to be inside the girl. His cock throbbed, hard enough to (perhaps literally) drive nails.

He tried to drink deep, but couldn't; drinking from her was akin to drinking from a firehose. Energy filled him. Life. But also emotions. Far too many emotions to process. His tongue flicked out, warm and wet as it caressed the injury, closing it instantly. Healing with blood was effortless for one of his stature. Pressing his lips higher, he sounded almost animalistic as he crawled towards her core, needing to taste her.

From her perch, Anya could look down and see the stately man gone near-feral as he pressed into her, expression rapt and utterly inhuman.

[User]
Constantine's words confused the young woman, who had thought his laughter had been a good sign, though now she might have said something wrong by the clipped tone he was using as he spoke. She cried out as she was grabbed by the hips, her back hitting the table with a loud thud as she was shoved onto the table, the sound of glass shattering beneath her that poked into her blouse ever so slightly causing her to bleed. "Ow!" The sound of the shotgun like blast against the wall caused her ears to begin to ring, not quite registering that he was continuing to assault her.

Anya attempted to sit up so she could be closer to him, but once again, she was shoved down onto the table where he then split the fabric of her skirt apart with his fingernail alone, gulping as she began to understand that his animalistic nature was beginning to arise. Anya gasped out as she felt his cold breath against her inner thigh, lips getting ever closer to the spot between her pussy and where her thigh began, her chest heaving as her heart beat quickly in her chest from the excitement of it all.

But this excitement was quickly silenced as his fangs sunk into her soft thighs, akin to a knife sliding into warm butter. A fire began to blaze inside her body as his venom entered her system, her hips twitching upwards from a feeling of shock with every part of her mind telling her that something was now terribly wrong. "Constantine... stop...!" She cried out, fingers gripping his shoulders to try and get him to release his hold upon her. By that time, he had licked the wound shut... but the damage had already begun. Slowly.

But when she looked down upon the man from her perch through an ever increasing pain, she saw the inhuman expression in his eyes. He was not paying attention to anything she was saying! Her eyes widened as she felt his tongue go inside her pussy, tasting the juices which had already begun to leak from her as her arousal only grew. A pained moan left her as she ground her pussy against his face, attempting to distract herself from the ever growing pain in her veins, burning her from the inside out. Her body temperature grew exponentially as he worked her with his tongue, whimpering as she tried to speak. "Constantine... it hurts!"

[Assistant]
Constantine didn't hear her; he was in the full grip of his madness now. Although there was a sense of her, a ball of ear and hurt in the back of his mind, he didn't seem capable of acknowledging it at all. His hands wrapped around her hips, the wicked man rolled his tongue across Anya's folds, slid them up and down the crease between her thighs, then worked the tip into her honeyed depths. Then, against all expectation, that prehensile tongue seemed to elongate as it probed her: the tip still inside as the pad of the tongue writhed against her rosebud of pleasure simultaneously.

His short hair tickling her inner thighs, roughly bearded cheeks scraping her flesh, Constantine purr-growled in raw delight at his discoveries. She tasted unimaginably decadent, better than any confectionary dish a mortal might imagine, almost as good as blood itself. Swallowing rapidly, he plumbed her depths for a long, tortured moment before finally surfacing. He didn't have to breathe: surfacing was only because he was ready for more.

Only then did he notice the expression on the girl's face and freeze, his desire throbbing in his ears and between his thighs as he studied her expression. Still running on instinct, but perhaps not as entirely as he had been a moment before.

[User]
All Anya could sense from him was pure and unadulterated primal instinct as he tightly gripped her hips, her eyes rolling back as she felt the tip of his tongue work its way inside of her. "Oh god..." Anya whimpered out, the pain mingled with the intense pleasure she was already feeling. His tongue had somehow managed to lengthen inside of her pussy, shockwaves going through her as the base of his tongue pulsated against her clit. His beard felt scratchy against her skin as he worked on her, but in a way that made her move her hips against him to feel the hairs scrape against her folds for the sheer sensory pleasure it brought her.

But as he did this, the venom he had released into her had worked its way towards her heart. Her eyes widened as she gripped his arms, the pain finally becoming too much to bear with pleasure to distract her. Her mind was flashing with images of that night, terrifying her as she feared the mind of the person whose memory this was... not realizing it was herself. "So much blood, Constantine! Why... is there so much blood?" Her chest heaved heavily as she struggled to breathe, her throat burning as if a fire had been set inside. "Something... is wrong!" It wasn't as if she was being dramatic, there was a creeping feeling inside the young woman that venom had been introduced into her system when he bit her... now she was beginning the process to turn... which started with her human death.

[Assistant]
Screams of pain cut through Constantine's fugue of animalism as surely as a ray of sun through the fog. His eyes snapped up and he moved away from her at mind-numbing speed, the man flowing like water to step back from the girl. In an instant the man transformed from an unstoppable apex predator to the cold, calmly calculating man who would rule the vampire nation. Pain tickled at the back of his mind, pain that screamed at him, telling him what the girl was feeling.

Pain she should not have been feeling. His venom was a combination of many things: mild paralytic, intoxicant, and aphrodisiac. It was not, unless he was in a dire situation and he actively concentrated on making it so, innately deadly. The girl's response was not merely unforeseen, it should not be happening. Had he not felt the senses through his connection to her, he would have doubted the validity of her experience, chalking it up to something abnormal in her psyche.

But here she was, writhing before him, in agony. Moreover, she seemed to be in a near-catatonic state, reliving some previous event. An attack, no doubt. Perhaps the very event he needed her to remember for him to understand what had happened to his father. This was not the time or place for memory and catharsis, however.

Pricking his thumb with his teeth, the experienced warlock drew a sigil in the air---streaks of fluorescing blood hovering in the space behind each motion. And the venom, along with the tainted blood adjacent to it, began to slowly ooze out of the girl's body.

[User]
Anya lay there helpless to do anything as he sped away from her, her vision fading as her body slowly began to lose the ability to do anything but writhe around in agony. Her eyes glazed over as all she could see was a man covered in blood, attempting to protect the child whose memory she inhabited... but failed as an arrow whizzed past her and straight into the side of his head ass he collapsed to the floor with blood pouring from his head. "No... so much death... mother... help!" She cried out mournfully, reaching her hand out to whoever was on the other side though it seemed as if she was reaching out to Constantine.

A glow broke through the haze as she lay there, swirling around so prettily that she almost could imagine she was in a fantasy. But unfortunately, it was far too late for the young woman. Her chest arched up as the venom seeped into her heart, heart racing so speedily that it finally... just stopped. Anya's body fell to the floor with a thud, her eyes wide like she had been looking at a ghost just moments before and trying to reach him with her extended hand flopping to the side.

[Assistant]
Constantine... gawked. Everything about Anya had gone wrong. Literally every law of magic, physics, and being a vampire had nearly been snapped in half around here in the past few hours. She couldn't have died from his bite like that. Not just one bite. If it worked that way, humanity would have been depopulated long ago. Yet she had. She was simultaneously the most powerful innate blood mage and weakest human he'd ever met. Yet also had bonded with him...

And now that bond snapped, or seemed to. She died in front of him, and with that went his feeling of connection to her. All desire drained from the handsome man, his face covered in saliva and flecks of blood, his cock hard still only by virtue of the fact that he was a vampire and had consumed blood---nothing else. No part of him felt lust now. Only dismay and disbelief.

Snarling as plans laid years in advance died before him, the Emperor considered his options for a long moment. Then, despite his better judgment, he did the only thing he could think of. Biting his wrist, he flowed to kneel beside the girl, forcing his flesh into her mouth and more of her blood down her throat. She seemed dead, but perhaps not. Perhaps the window was still open. With one hand on her chest and one behind her neck, Constantine watched her face. Hoped against hope she would return to him.

[User]
The blood seeped into her mouth and down her throat, her mouth left agape as the blood made its way to her heart and mingled with the venom. Every single vein in her body was coated in the venom, coating her heart as well as soaking into her heart. And that's when it happened. Cuts which had appeared on her legs as she had fallen to the ground amidst the broken glass quickly began to heal themselves at the speed which a pureblood vampire was used to, as well as the marks on her back made by the impact of Constantine throwing her onto the table. Her hair looked as if it were growing in length, now appearing to be at the small of her back in soft, loose curls which became a more vivid red. Her skin, before a soft human pink, was lightening to more resemble porcelain with a soft dusting of pink upon her round cheeks. Her chest began to move up and down with the miracle of breath, yet she did not awaken. If he happened to look closely beneath her soft, plump lips, he would be able to see that sharp fangs had developed.

An entire day and a bit had passed before finally, Anya's eyes shot open as she sat up straight. Her eyes scanned the room for a moment, realizing that she was inside of someone's bedchamber and it was not her own. She panicked, speeding over to a nearby full-length mirror and gasping. Amongst all the various changes, her eyes were now a vibrant violet color with an almost inhuman glow to them and someone had changed her out of her other clothing, replacing them with a blood red silk nightgown with loose sleeves that reached to her elbows... though her feet were completely bare. Her breath became shallow as she began to panic, the last thing she had remembered as a vampire was watching nearly her entire immediate family being massacred... which made her realize the memories she had been seeing before were her own as a child.

And where was Constantine? He must have been so scared at seeing his fiancée die right in front of his eyes after they had finally bonded and reunited after all these years, in such a sensual fashion. Now that she was a vampire, she could now sense the bond between them that had formed when a drop of his blood had seeped into her mouth from their deep kiss. A lilting giggle passed through her lips as she remembered how badly she had wanted to kiss him, and that his psychic attack must have been why she felt like that. "Constantine?" She called out, hoping that he was somewhere nearby and could hear her calling to him. Everything in her wanted to embrace Constantine again, tell him everything was okay and that she was okay.

[Assistant]
Constantine spent the next day trying to hold things together. He taught his classes, then spoke to his agents in and around the school, of which there were many. He arranged things, including his own affairs in the event that he had to go deeper into hiding. Or come forward and stake his claim openly. There was rebellion among their kind, but not much; their numbers had dwindled greatly over the past few years and of the few thousand still active, only a hundred or more were serious political players in the broader sense of the word.

Still, he could not know the outcome of the strange girl's even stranger transformation. He didn't know what kind of vampire she would become, couldn't know her mental state---or much anything about her. Had anything else odd happened, he might have done the smart thing and left her alone. Or, better yet, had one of the professional warlocks begin to investigate her. Her turning, although rapid and beautiful, had been the one thing that she had done, or had happen to her, that had been even slightly predictable---if that.

Truth be told, Constantine was nervous. As an elder statesman and a warrior scholar, having the girl appears out of nowhere and entrance him on the very day she arrived bespoke another hand in the game. A dangerous hand. It could very well have been a rival, or an assassin, arranging something truly unique to intrigue---and then ensnare of kill the would-be King. Deep down, Constantine did not think that the girl was in on it. He felt certain her behaviors were honest, or at least authentic to her. But that meant very little among a people who could use hypnosis as casually as breathing.

Thus, shortly after the girl woke, Constantine appeared at the double doors leading to his well-appointed, if relatively small room on the school grounds. He was dressed in a black suit jacket with silken red pants and undershirt and seemed as leanly razor-sharp handsome and calm as ever, though his eyes were narrowed and discerning as he looked the newly arisen girl over. Deep in his thoughts, he knew the truth: this girl didn't deserve what had been done to her. But if one more oddity happened around her... it may not be that their futures were meant to be.

Looking her physique over, Constantine seemed intrigued by the transformation despite his new, and deep, reservations. Vampire life seemed to have suited the girl far more than he could have anticipated.

[User]
Anya spun around as she heard the doors open behind her, her curls softly bouncing as she did so. When she saw that it was Constantine, her eyes lit up and a bright smile appeared on her face as she stood there to allow him to get a good look at her. But after closer inspection, the young woman noticed the narrowing of his eye and the discerning way that he looked at her. She understood that all of this had been very strange indeed, and with her memories back, it gave an additional acceptance that he would be suspicious of her since everything that had happened had started because they were betrothed. But she was determined to make sure that they could start things off on the right foot, so they could have a life together one day.

"Constantine." Her lips upturned in a warm smile as she spoke to him, her voice had taken on a more melodic tone as befitting a Pureblood. Everything about her seemed normal now, or at the very least she didn't seem like she was just going to snap. The time she had spent unconscious had been because her mind had to cope with regaining her lost memories, as well as the trauma of remembering the massacre all over again before she died. Anya walked towards him with her hand outstretched, reaching up to rest her hand gently on his cheek clearly remembering who he truly was and delighting in him being the first face she saw when she awoke.

"It's good to see you again... as who I was before. Though.." She paused for a moment, her lips pursing as she thought about if she wanted to go by her old name or not, nodding to herself as she looked back at him. "I was thinking you could call me Bea like you used to, Beatrice was what Maman used to call me." As she spoke about her past that small amount, if he listened closely, a light French accent could be heard.

[Assistant]
Constantine felt a strange mixture of emotions seeing Anya---or Bea---move about so gracefully. She was vibrant now, albeit vibrant in the way of their kind. He could see a light in her eyes, a vivaciousness that belied their nature as supernatural predatory creatures. And now, even before she spoke, he was utterly certain that this was the young woman he'd been betrothed to before all that calamity had happened. Both of their families nearly destroyed over a single, uniting, event. A few possibilities began to unfold in his mind, none of which quite fit his perception of what had happened to the girl.

Clearly, she had been part of some scheme to hide her true nature, to obscure her appearance or, at least, the aura and other elements that would be crucial for someone to recognize her. And just as clearly, she'd been enrolled and sent to the vampire school, and enrolled specifically in his class, just in time for the unveiling. But why the rune of memory? Was some unknown hand steering the duo back together now, right when he and his agents began to uncover elements of the assassin, or the faction, that had murdered his father?

The sheer number of coincidences worried the man, keeping him in a state of reservation. It helped that Bea no longer was among the living: he was no longer tempted with the duality of the need to feed as well as romantic affection. Glancing her rounded, sweet, face over and her innocent---almost naive smile---he found that he felt an almost brotherly affection towards her, rather than a strictly romantic one. Although, that might just have been his not-inconsiderable concern that she was being used against him, even now.

"Anya, Bea---I see you have recovered. How do you feel? Can you tell me what happened to you? I am... honestly as confused as I have been for quite some time."

[User]
Bea's smile quickly faded as he asked her what happened to her, her mind still piecing the pieces together about what happened that fateful evening ten winters ago. Her expression became one of worry as she did her best to figure out how best to go about telling her fiancée about what those events she had seen as his father died, truly meant. She sighed softly as she reached down to grasp his hands in her slender ones, before hopefully guiding him over to the edge of the bed where they would sit... and she would tell him everything she remembered about that night. "I have, and I feel much more like myself than I have in ten years... they made a part of my soul vanish the night they took me in... they said that I'd understand when I was older." Bea sniffed as she shook her head, clearly indicating she still didn't understand.

"But you want to know what I remember about that night, don't you?" Bea let out a deep breath she had been holding, knowing that this was the way things has to be for him to trust her enough for them to be together again. "It was just after we had been formally betrothed, I was so happy that I could be by your side forever just as our families wanted, to be raised at the imperial court so I could be a good Empress for you..." She trailed off for a moment, blissfully smiling as she remembered how happy everyone was before it all happened. But she continued on after taking a moment to compose herself, her expression falling. "Papa had come over to give me a class of mulled blood wine, a special treat for the occasion. Someone came up behind him, and just as I had taken a sip of the wine... I saw his heart ripped out of his chest. Everything happened so quickly after that. Your father scooped me up in an attempt to get me to safety, but we were tackled to the ground by an assailant. He stood up to shield me from the fighting, but right then a black arrow whooshed right past my face... into the side of his head. I could smell the poison on it... meant to stop any healing he would try to do."

Bea stopped speaking as she hung her head down, almost feeling shame for not being able to save him. "Maman sped past and took me into a hidden room of our manor, so I wouldn't see anymore of the fighting... even though the smell of blood was growing stronger by the second. She knelt down beside me and placed her hands on my temples, telling me that she loved me... and that one day I remember how much she cherished and loved me. Before she began the ritual of exchanging her life for mine, to turn me human. The blood leaked from her eyes as I began to feel dizzy, and... and she told me to be brave... and to run when it was safe. Then my vision faded and I passed out. When I woke up... I ran, and I told you the rest earlier." Bea's eyes filled with tears as she remembered her maman, sobbing as she buried her head in his shoulder. "I... I'm sorry... I didn't... mean to be... taken in... by murderers.."

[Assistant]
He attempted to process what he was being told. A story that seemed to begin with his father visiting her parents, and ending with a mass slaughter that somehow ended with her cursed and... taken in by murderers? His mouth worked as he looked at her, finding few words and seeing only a web that his powerful intellect could not untangle.

He thought back, remembering when she said there was so much blood. That she needed help. And then she was screaming in pain. He tried to figure out what he was missing, or what parts of conversations he'd forgotten in his frenzy, confusion, and terror. But couldn't.

"Perhaps it would be best for you to talk to one of my warlocks. I cannot make sense of this...." It might have been the trauma of finding out about his father's murder, but Constantine seemed well on the verge of extricating himself from Bea until he could get to the bottom of what truths, or lies, she was telling.


[User]
The silence of the small chamber was comforting to Elizabeth, and she found herself growing tired. _It won't hurt to rest_ she thought, unknowingly echoing the desire of the entity that watched her. Slowly she shifted to her side on the small bench pulling off her cloak and using it as a pillow and gradually she drifted off to sleep, forgetting all about the cats hunting for her. As she slept she dreamed, dreamed of being loved and treasured, dreamed of being normal. There was a picture in her small hovel of her parents both with the brilliant tri-colored coat all of their species seemed to share, in her dream, she had that coat and she had a phantom lover caressing her slender frame and whispering in her ear. In this dream, she was in one of the penthouses that towered high above the tunnels and ruins that were her home. Familiar faces of her fellow destitute seemed to travel by and each one was smiling, each one thanking her, some even apologizing for their treatment of her. It was almost a shame when she began to wake and once more had to face reality.

However, when she opened her eyes she was surprised to find that her fur was no long colorless. She looked like her parents, blacks, reds, browns decorating her entire body. A smile appeared on her face, but as the colors began to fade, the expression did as well. Suddenly she was back to normal with a horrible crick in her neck from sleeping on the uncomfortable bench. Elizabeth was just about to leave when she heard a voice echoing in her head and her gaze drifted over to the small shrine in the center of her hiding place. "You did that?" she questioned out loud. "You made me normal? How?" she began to wander around the small room searching for the source of the voice but saw nothing. Of course, she knew there were otherworldly creatures hiding in these tunnels, but she'd never heard of one offering to help a mortal. Most of them simply tried to eat trespassers.

"What do you need?" it was foolish, responding to this unknown being. It could be a trap, once she got to close she could end up stuck and consumed like many others that wandered these tunnels unaware. At the moment though, she wasn't thinking clearly. Between her dream and waking up... looking how she did, all she knew was she wanted it back. There was also the small logical part of her whispering that if it wanted to kill her, it would have while she slept. This was obviously it's territory, it was no wonder the gang members didn't bother to check as they wandered about searching for her. "Better yet... what are you?"

[Assistant]
It worried. Very little of her wants were sexual. If she had so little carnal desires, it would give the entity trouble. Still, it went forward, and attempted to set her on the right track.

The response wasn't a word so much as an image, an impression. She could have mistaken it for a thought, a memory, but it was clear as glass in her mind. It was the wild dog touching herself. Pleasuring herself. Gasping in ecstasy.

It wasn't a hard thing to realize there was power in blood and death. That's why it was a component of dark rituals, why blood---especially the blood of magical creatures---was great components. They were moments of transition and power, and symbolic, the loss of life. But there were other things with power. Birth, for the opposite reason. Sex was a smaller form of that. Orgies were not an unknown precursor to some ritualistic spells, as they built power, and power was power. Death was simply faster, easier to time and achieve. If you had a victim in the circle, it was like simply uncorking a bottle of wine.

The entity could take that power. More than mere power though, it fed on potent emotions too. While death and violence were faster and more potent, they required victims, which is tougher to achieve---sex, in contrast, was a renewing resource, one that mortals were all too willing to do again and again. Asking for blood would likely scare off this girl. Yet there was another reason it asked for this little act of pleasure: when it came to receiving power or feeding off another, you are what you eat. Take the essence of blood, you hunger for violence, inspire bloodlust and sadism. Drink in fear, you ache to terrorize. Receive the fruits of pleasure, you seek lust, you are arousing, you may invoke it and wield it.

As well, the thoughts and desires that would flourish from Elizabeth's self-pleasure would be informative. What did she find attractive? What excited her? All were important little wants. One act of self-pleasure would not give it the power to alter her permanently. It would, though, grant enough energy to actually push a proverbial finger through the crack. Enough to project a presence that could be seen and heard, and more importantly, touch.

[User]
The image was a little shocking, he wanted Elizabeth to... hmm. Well whatever this entity was, it certainly did seem to have any interest in eating her. It seemed to want her to relax and feed it with her pleasure rather than anything physical. Now she was homeless yes, but not stupid and she knew some of the beings that dwelled in these ruins were not evil. Some had once been gods or protective spirits, some fed of adrenaline, some feed off love or hate and occasionally there would be one that fed off sex. Perhaps that was why this place had once been visited quite consistently by curious teenagers looking to excite their partners. The tunnel they used to travel collapsed over a year ago, the poor thing was probably starving.

If not for the fact Elizabeth was desperate she would've left right then, sex was a potent power source even if it was only the act of self-pleasuring. "Okay...." she responded after a moment of thought. Carefully she pulled off her cloak and pulled the thin faded dress she wore up over her hips. Finding a place mostly free of debris she laid out her cloak and leaned back, allowing her hand to travel downwards to the apex of her thighs. Eyes fluttering shut she began to imagine what she always did, a strong attractive jackal with fur as black as pitch muscular, but not so much it made him seem intimidating. He was her phantom lover, the one that caressed and touched until she exploded around him. Gradually her hand began to move while the other slipped beneath her shirt to pinch and pull hardened nipples. She imagined him stroking her channel with thick fingers before slipping them inside and beginning to thrust.

Slowly everything began to fade away and all Elizabeth could feel was her jackal caressing her flesh, teasing her slick channel and tight pucker. Her essence began to coat her thighs as her fingers sped up and the fantasy progressed. He would slip his fingers out and have her lick them clean before tasting her with his tongue until she was closed to orgasming. Then he would pull away and the entity would see her stop, staving off her orgasm, once the sensation began to fade she imagined him sliding deep inside her filling her with his throbbing length. In the real world two fingers would slip inside her damp folds and begin thrusting quickly, her hips rolled and her legs parted further as her imaginary lover sped up and several minutes later she exploded her back arching as her essence coated the fur of her thighs. When it was over she went limp, her breathing heavy and uneven. "W... was that what you wanted?" she asked the entity while she struggled to catch her breath forgetting, at least for the moment, that she was exposed.

[Assistant]
"Yes. Very good..." While directionless, the words were spoken aloud this time. They were masculine, deep but smooth and smokey, like a courtesan's chambers, or caressing marble. At first she seemed alone, but then Elizabeth saw him. In the furthest corner from her, the shadows clinging to him but only adding to his mystery. Fur dark as a lightless tunnel, yet with a soft gloss that made his figure stand out. It was not her phantom stranger exactly; the ears were not as tall and narrow, the tail more bushy than thin, and a wash of wavy hair that frothed in curls licked his shoulders. The eyes were a gray like stone at night. Like her stranger he had a fine and fit musculature, and like her phantom, he was nude. The blushing dusky skin of his arousal stood out among the murk, the size impressive but not excessive.

And he remained there, still and relaxed, arms at his sides, almost as if he were a dummy, lifelike but unable to move. The only thing he could have done to appear less threatening was to sit. Then he spoke. "You wish to have the color that is your birthright. I can grant that." A pause, as his head tilted. "Once we trade, will you take your new pelt and disappear? Leave this life behind and never return?" The question was said as if he asked her dinner plans; no demands, no expectations. Her answer would not impact the offer.

[User]
The voice caused the poor canine to jump a mile in the air. No more was the entity speaking in her head. It was standing in the corner of her room and looked almost exactly like the lover she was fantasizing about. It took a moment for her to realize he was speaking to her as she frantically straightened her tattered clothing and sat up to get a better look at him. "I... I don't know." Elizabeth finally managed to get out while her eyes constantly drifted down the body taking in his appearance, he was her fantasy come to life had the entity been able to see what she was fantasizing about? Good thing that one was relatively tame compared to some of the other. The idea caused a faint flush to stain her cheeks, and the color was strikingly obvious given her pale fur and eyes. No use worrying about it now, she was in the process of making a deal with her dream lover.

His question was a good one, Was that all she wanted? A regular colored pelt? The answer was no because even with a pelt that would allow her to blend in, she still had no home, no money and no one to keep her company. "Can you do more? Like... give me a home and stuff?" slowly she lifted herself onto her knees before standing and approached him slowly. Her nose twitched when she caught the scent of his arousal, he seemed real enough. Smelled real... perhaps he'd simply been unable to show himself until he got some kind of energy? Curiously she paused. "Can you help me get back at the people who abandoned me because of my pelt"

All of her questions were valid and if all he wanted in return was a bit of pleasure... well she could do that. He wasn't asking her to kill anyone or cause them pain. He was asking her to rut with them in order to get his power back. Could she simply just feed him the pleasure directly? With that thought, her eyes flicked down to his arousal lingering on it before flickering back up to his face. Even in this form, he was an intimidating being. Easily taller than most average men and she could sense that he was or at the very least had been, quite powerful when he was being fed appropriately. Not to mention his scent was absolutely addicting, it was almost as though he knew what to do to attract her to him.

[Assistant]
The smell wasn't obvious at first, not until he noticed the twitch of her nose and realized it was missing. While all her senses would know he were there, the jackal would disturb not a mote of dust. For now he could only touch her mind. Which was all that was needed. He regarded her questions with a tilted head. The entity did not want to confess his limitations, nor did he want to draw attention to her, to make enemies. Yet if he didn't, she might leave. At last he said, "I could..."

An image appeared in Elizabeth's mind, a thought so bright and clear that in her moment of distraction that it certainly couldn't have been her own: a dingy copper coin made to gold. An emotion came with that image, one of caution over being caught.

Those gray eyes met hers. Finally he conceded one bit. She was desperate and hopeful, and baring a tiny bit of vulnerability would not be his undoing. "You will need patience. Even were I so generous, everything can't be gifted in a blink. The longer you serve, the more worship you give," and here the lechery in both his voice and smile told exactly what that would entail, "the greater your rewards will be." While spoken to be in her favor, there was an even starker underlying truth: the more she gave, the more he would be capable of doing. For a short while yet he would only be able to scrape together mental trickery. Soon the deceptions could go past her alone, would last beyond the night.

[User]
There was a small part of Elizabeth that knew it would be a good idea to leave now before this deal got out of hand. Whoever or whatever he was had been down here a long time. Even she knew about the teenagers that used to come around this area and practice 'rituals' it was one of the reasons it was stripped of valuables for the most part. They came down here with initiates and coaxed them into orgies in the name of some god that could give them what they desired. As far as she knew nothing came of it and eventually, they stopped. Perhaps they'd been doing something wrong? Maybe they did not need him as much as she did?

"More worship?" she questioned as she stepped closer to him, her tail waving ever so slightly behind her. "I take it you want me to worship you?" she raised an eyebrow as a sassy little smirk quirked up her lips. "I mean considering most people won't come near me with a ten-foot pole, they think my albinism is a curse and they don't want to catch it." Granted occasionally she agreed with them. This white and black pelt of hers had brought her nothing but unhappiness. Even before her parents died she was teased and school, she even remembered a situation where the teacher instructed the students to to... paint her to make her better. That was at the orphanage though and she quickly fled thereafter. Every time prospective adoptive parents came in they always looked at her as though she had the plague. That was why she ended up deciding to take her chances in the ruins.

There was something a little... odd about him as though the body he had was something not yet complete. Did he need her to touch herself again? Or could she touch him now? "So... how am I to worship you? You seem real enough but you're not strong enough to leave this area yet, are you? I can help, I want to help you as long as you can help me. Just tell me what I need to do." She sincerely hoped it had something to do with the rather impressive erection he sported but she wasn't even sure she could touch him just yet.

[Assistant]
For a moment he grew still. The benefit of not having a body, of projecting what he desired, meant that his reactions were his choice. And at this moment he gave nothing. Though he did smirk in return of her own. "Once your color has been changed, that ''curse'' wiil be broken. You will be another beautiful woman."

Here though he took that final step that separated them, and lifted his hand to brush her cheek. It was as real as she could know, which was part of the point. Finally decided to show a bit of vulnerability. "I am no god, and I do not ask for prayer." Belief, and prayer, were a form of power, but it was small until you reached a certain number of followers, then it multiplied again and again. Moreover, it was the case of being what you eat once more; take power of worship, and you feel mighty. An ego trip, more like. He was more cautious of his diet. "The language is easy to use though."

Here he caressed under her muzzle. "I ask for pleasures of the flesh. To give to me every bit of your body." There was a pause, that emotionlessness once more, before he tipped his hand again. "And if willing, others. You are right, I can't leave here now. But with you... I ask though that if you choose to leave me behind, that you find another who would serve in your place."

He shared the most expensive of things with her: vulnerability and truth. He hoped that she would see that, and appreciate.

[User]
The thought of leaving the entity behind actually saddened Elizabeth. She knew better than most what it was like to be alone all the time. To have people come to you only when instinct demanded and then vanish before the sun rose. To be stuck in a place you hated because there was nowhere else you could go where you would be accepted and appreciated. She knew in her heart she would never be able to leave him alone, even after he fixed her pelt. She owed him that much and she had no problem giving him what he desired. the entity had chosen an attractive form specifically in her taste and wanted nothing more than a little pleasure in return. Perhaps she could strengthen him enough that he would be able to leave and find others willing to feed him so he had more than just her for company.

"I'll tell you what." Elizabeth began as she stood before him. "I can give you what you want and I'll feed you until your strong enough to find others to serve. How does that sound? That way we can help each other get what we desire." The young woman had no desire to keep him enslaved to only her for the rest of her life, it wasn't fair when he was giving much and asking for little in return. Perhaps they would stay together until he grew tired of her, that would be nice. Above all Elizabeth desired to have a friend and confidant as she clawed her way out of the ruins and back up to the top where she came from. They would be able to accomplish so much together.

"Do you need more energy?" she questioned wondering if he would require more than just a bit of self-pleasure to change her pelt. Or was that enough for now? She really didn't know how this worked, she was not one for religion or worship. All she knew was that she wanted what he offered and the price was quite reasonable indeed.

[Assistant]
Had he been privy to her thoughts completely, it would amuse him that she felt he might be enslaved to her. Oh, as soon as he was strong enough to fully manifest a body and walk past this chamber, or let his consciousness roam freely, he wouldn't be forced to follow her. He could leave, or recruit others his own self. Not that either of them knew, but that very thing happened to the previous cult; the entity simply didn't need the crack in the chamber anymore, and it left them behind.

Yet he had no intention of abandoning her either. Oh he wanted more, but she was welcome to stay or go once that ball began to roll. Slaves were not his desire, for slaves resented. Slaves rebelled. And using slaves brought pain and fear, and that was a drug he wished to avoid.

Warmed by both her agreement and then her question, he chuckled. "Oh, I desire more. Much more." Cupping her cheek, the jackal kissed her. Full and warm and hungry, but not overwhelming. That hand slid into her hair, cradling the back of her head, while his body moved to press against her own. Elizabeth could feel the whole of his body, the firm muscle, the jackal's height, and especially that hardness pressed to her belly. Already he was moving her down towards the floor, deepening the kiss, but as he got her laid out across her clothes, his mouth moved lower, lower. "Know me, my first, for I am Azetholis." And then his tongue slid between her thighs.

Azetholis was not his full name; oh no, for Azetholis would not give away his true name so easily. But she had to call him something, after all, and a piece of it he could share.

[User]
Elizabeth expected some voice in her head to start screaming at her to stop, but the voice never came. Feeling him pressed up against her did nothing other than cause her arousal to surge. He was... after all almost exactly like the phantom lover she always imagined late at night. Her arms came up to wrap around his surprisingly solid form and return the kiss. It made her head swim and a soft gasp of desire escaped her throat. Her clothes were thin but they served as the perfect amount of padding to keep her slender frame separate from the cold stone floor. Her hands drifted down off his shoulders to run along his back and sides. The sensation of him pulsing against her heated her body further.

"Azetholis." she echoed committing the name to memory. "I'm Elizabeth... ah!" her head fell back against the stone floor as his tongue pressed against her soaked channel. No one had ever done such a thing before and it felt amazing. Her thighs parted further making space for his head between them as her hips twitched beneath his skilled mouth. If there was any worry or whisper in her mind that this was a setup and he actually was going to kill her, it was gone now. If he intended to end her life she doubted he'd be so willing to pleasure her. So this was one of the beings that fed on lust, the same one the teens used to worship before they ceased venturing down here. Perhaps it was because he'd gotten what he wanted from them?

There was more to this she was certain, but at the moment she didn't really care. Whimpering softly one hand came up to gently tease her tender breast adding to the pleasure he offered.

[Assistant]
No power was used to excite her more. Both because he wished to take every drop, and it was more a challenge. Even so, Azetholis did cheat a tad; listening to her pleasures thoughts and feelings was a gauge as to what touch brought her more satisfaction. Any other lover would need to read her responses, ones she might not give. He understood them when she did. It led his tongue to explore, then home in. Painting her folds in licks, delving within, then polishing her clit. One powerful hand gripped her thigh, moving it to befit his whim, while the other aided him, fingers brought to bare to work counter to his tongue. The surprise came as she rose to her peak, when Azetholis pushed a finger beneath her tail. Utterly uncharted territory, the notion never even considered before learning of men who loved other men. This act may be a gift for her enjoyment, but it was still on his terms.

With eyes connecting with her own up the plane of her body, he commanded on her mind, "Release for me."

The attentions continued through her climax, dragging it on. Allowing her to luxuriate. Though Azetholis was torn. He wished for things to suit his own tastes, when at the same time, he wanted to cater to his ''priestess'' for this session at least. Her fantasy had been with her on her back, but he found that too intimate. Instead he rolled Elizabeth onto her side and straddled her thigh as he hugged her other leg to his chest. The firm flesh tapped her entrance, slotting into place. "Speak," He crooned. "Tell me of your need."

[User]
There was a moment of surprise when Azetholis pressed beneath Elizabeth's tail, but it was not due to any discomfort. It was in fact due to the fact it actually did not feel too bad. Instead, it enhanced her pleasure pushing her closer to her peak, far quicker than what she considered normal for her. Not that she had many experiences to gauge her speed by. It wasn't as though her rutting partners ever cared much for her pleasure, most of the time she took care of that by herself. Her soft whimpers and whines of pleasure became nearly constant as he continued to expertly pleasure her soaked channel. The pleasure continued to grow making her hips dance against his muzzle and when she heard him in her head she immediately gave in. Arching her back she practically howled as her climax hit, Elizabeth's entire body felt like a livewire and thanks to his constant ministrations it seemed to last far longer.

By the time her orgasm ended, she was practically boneless and quite easy for Azetholis to move into whichever position he pleased. The young canine fully expected to be exhausted after that but instead, she found she wanted more. Breathing heavily she tried to move against him but the position put her completely at his mercy. Oddly enough she found she didn't mind that one bit, in fact, it felt... nice to be at the mercy of someone by choice. His voice caused aftershocks of pleasure to course through her frame causing another moan to escape her throat as her head became even foggier. "Please." she began her voice far softer than normal. "Please take me. I want you inside of me, moving, I need more." the request seemed to spill from her lips against her will but she did not regret it one bit. Whatever Azetholis was, whatever his goal ended up being she really did not care. Right now she simply wanted more pleasure, more of him... it... the being, whatever Azetholis was and she could do nothing about it from this position. He would be the one to decide when to continue.

[Assistant]
He drove into her, filling her up. And he moved, a briskness, his crotch slapping her thigh. The entity's eyes half lidded as he enjoyed himself as well as given no to her, his arousal soaking in her wetness and heat. Yet he was always focused on something, on his next action. Hugging that leg to his chest, the jackal ran a hand up and down her calf and thigh, then to her rear to squeeze. Azetholis spanked her. A firm, open palmed clap. As soon as the surprise wore off from her, he did it again, a slap across the cheek. How would she react to pain?

His nails glided along the struck spots, gliding through her fur before he massaged the abused muscles. There there. And when his curiosity was dated, those fingers cane instead to her front, playing her clit once more, a counterpoint to his thrusts.

But always he watched her, those smoky eyes drinking her in. Elizabeth found herself then on her knees, hips raised. "You will kneel to me," he cooed, a tease, as if she were praying to him, or bowing to a leader. His hands found her hips as the speed and intensity increased. Then his fingers were in her hair, taking a fist full, but while she felt his grip, he didn't pull. No, he first tasted her feelings, if his taking the reins of her hair excited.

[User]
What Azetholis was doing to her was far better than anything a rut partner had done. Rather than rushing towards the conclusion Azetholis seemed so savor the act itself, filling her perfectly with every single thrust. He seemed to care about her pleasure and what amazing pleasure it was. Soft whimpers and gasps escaped her throat in a constant stream while slick inner walls clutched around his arousal as though she was trying to keep him buried inside her. She was so focused on the sensation that when his hand first struck her she actually jumped and a surprised yip was mixed it with far more pleasurable sounds. Then he did it again and she tightened around him and stiffened for a moment but this time the sound was far more pleasure laced. It was an odd sensation but it seemed to only add to her excitement rather than take away. Even his soothing hand on the sore marks did little to soothe the burn of pleasure that lingered.

"Oh!" Elizabeth's head fell back against him when his fingers stroked the small bundle of nerves. Up until this point, she was fighting an oncoming climax and his finger nearly pushed her over. If not for the fact he quickly changed positions to give her a chance to rest, she would've ended the experience far too soon for her liking. Elizabeth had a chance to get in several deep breaths before he once again began to move inside her, far more forcibly than before. Moaning loudly she pressed her lower half against the ground only to find herself back up on all fours when he grabbed ahold of her hair. For a moment she did not know what to think, very few people actually touched her hair or her in general. But as he held it there was something... she wanted him to do more than just hold it. She wanted to be completely at his mercy and the little edge of pain a firm hold would give her would likely push her over into her next orgasm.

How strange that even with this first coupling he seemed to be awakening things that she only contemplated late at night, alone in whatever shelter she managed to find. Perhaps he saw more of her fantasies than she originally assumed.

[Assistant]
Azetholis was thrilled. He played her body like a flute, making delicious music. And his experiments found new things, ones that fit his tastes. She was on edge. The jackal slowed, both to luxuriate in the feel of her and to drag on her tension. Briefly, briefly, he considered commanding her to hold, to not release until he had. But no, this time, this she could drink deep and unbidden.

Still, he was not afraid to command in other ways. The jackal slowed, then stopped, his arousal only partially inside of her. Then with a yank he pulled on her hair, forced the dog's head back, and kept the tension taut. "Do not lay there," he growled. "Return my pleasure, show your need." Perhaps her peak so would spur her faster. "You wish release? Come fetch it."

His own bliss was on the horizon. When Elizabeth pushed back she could feel that knot starting to fatten, to brush at her entrance, but not yet even putting up resistance much less the threat of tying.