A Very After School Special

Repost from Erikos:

"Where then ? Paris ? Or the quiet street-corner cafe that's open at any hour just around the corner ? We could go to Ireland and find a green hill-top to sit upon and watch the stars before they fall. Really though , wouldn't you be ruining your dinner by having dessert first ? Or do you believe in breaking the rules with that as well , small and insignificant as it may be ?"

Another movement , this time to step forward , no sudden burst of speed , but rather a slow , languorous glide that bespoke me having in my possession all of the time in the world. Gloved hand dipped down , oh so casually brushing a wind blown strand of corn-silk back from your eyes before slipping further to lift a pastry from the box. The sweet treats in the box never met my eyes , though I seemed to pick with precision before moving to take a position in the swing beside you.

It looked odd I knew it , the two of us sitting there far enough after dark that some people would call us creepers. Weirdos and odd-balls for sitting there with our two dozen doughnuts and nothing but the silence now between us. Silence though was something I knew , something that made things easier , especially when even I the big bad Erikos was unsure of what to say. Things had been far from simple , far from easy , far from the cut and dried route that I so much preferred. Lifting my chosen sweet to my lips , the scents and tastes of cinnamon and sugar , vanilla and the faintest hint of honey exploded across my tongue. And yes , before you ask , I was one of those unique little flower Kindred who could still absorb human food though it never really did any good sustenance wise.

Cornflower blue orbs lifted at the soft touch, taking in his features as if she was striving to memorize them. HEr right hand moved from where it had been grasping the swings chain, fingertips brushing the arm that picked out the doughnut as he moved out of reach to sit beside her. Her head dipped at the symbolism, and for a moment she hated everything else in the world but that lonely vampire who was so close...

...and yet so far.

Getting up he walked over and set the box down on the climbing equipment that the swings attached to, keeping her back to him as she attempted to school her expression. Not quite sure she could manage, she spoke without turning around. "You should always eat desert first." Her faint smile was evident in her words. There progress. "What are you doing here E?"

"What am I doing here ? I'm bringing a beautiful woman the sweet treats that rumor bespeaks her loving so much. I'm sitting here conversing over nothing at all with a woman that I should have killed the moment I met her. What I'm doing here is breaking every rule I've ever set for myself."

Well now look at that. I'd just been more honest with her, a woman that I barely knew than I'd been with anyone, save for Akina. The touch she had given me, as slight as my own to her. That had to be it. Get a grip on yourself man before you loose everything you've worked so hard for. It's not like she's going to stay. They never do. Even your little Firefly vanished, didn't she ? Karma was finally coming back to hit me hard enough to send me into the afterlife, if Kindred even had something such as that. Every wrong thing I had ever done was now hitting me a thousand fold and more.

I had answered her, without really answering her because if I admitted it, if only to myself, I didn't have a real reason. Not one that I wanted to give her at least. The fact that I wanted to go to her and take her to all of those places showed just how wrong things were. I didn't do comfort. What in the world was happening ?

She frowned as she listened to him, the expression hard in order to keep at bay the smile that wanted to form despite herself. How could it not, she remembered their meeting clearly, she also remembered her silver tongued lies that left her and the rest of them exactly where they needed to be. He was right, he probably should have killed her, not that it would have been nearly so easy as it seemed, even if she had been tied to a chair. Breaking every rule he's ever had, that seemed to happen a great deal to people when she was around. Then again, she was sort of leading by stunning example. No one lied more sweetly then Coyotes favorite daughter.

Perhaps he was just infatuated with her. The thought came without the narcissistic vanity one might expect. She wasn't proud of herself for it, it simply was. HE was not the first to look at he the way he did, he was just the first to come looking. The first that had found her after her trademark silent departure. She hadn't said goodbye, not to him and not to any of the rest of them. "Erikos..." His name was a whisper as it left her lips, and she turned around to lean back against the jumgle-gym. Bright eyes turning back to him.

Her heart caught for a moment, it always did when she fist laid eyes on him. It wasn't that he was beautiful in the truest sense of the word. He was one of those rare creatures that was more then just a sum of his parts. More then the vampire, and the assassin. More then the boy-and the guardian. What in the world was she going to do?

I'd already stayed over long, the coiled tension in my muscles relaying that fact quite clearly to my usually over analytical mind. I could hear her heart beat. Feel the warmth that poured off of her and drew to me. Come warm yourself, it whispered. For just a moment of heat, for just a moment of touch. HER touch, you would hand over the world. Sadly, all of it was true. Every single little seductive whisper and more. My eyes were closed behind the shades, blocking out, or trying to what their darkened lenses could not. Sadly, it was not meant to be that simple. Yet I'd never done anything in my life, now un-life that wasn't a challenge. With her though it was more than that. It had to be, otherwise I would have killed her that first night. Wouldn't I ?

"Why do you insist upon doing this to me ? I could kill you right now. Should kill you and make everything simple again. Take my sanity back and return everything to what it was."

She likely hadn't expected me to move. Pouring every ounce of speed and dexterity I possessed into one action, I had her pinned by the throat up against the climbing contraption that she had so recently been leaning against. Pressing into her, words were a careful, calculated whisper against the curve of her ear, my fingers flexing tighter, than loose, before tightening again, as if even they weren't sure what to do with her. I could smell her skin. Smell the very vital life that oozed out of her every pore. I was a killer. Trained and honed to revoke the very breath that she and her kind counted upon for their continued survival. It was so much of what I was that I wasn't sure I had room, nor the ability for anything else. So why hadn't I just snapped that tempting neck of hers and been over with it ?

How could she have forgotten how fast he was? His long fingers, so capable of being gentle that somehow the sudden violence shocked her. His words, his questions were legitimate. That however was not enough to keep her from striking out at him. At that secondary flexing of his fingers her arms found his shoulders and shoved him backward away from her. Leaving enough space for her to prove her dexterity, her foot came up and planted itself in the center of his sternum. The kick was fast, and powerful. Unlikely to steal his feet from beneath him, but with the help of a little gnosis it would increase the space between them by about ten feet.

Cornflower blue eyes flashed in her anger, hard and glittering as they stared at him. Her throat bore five light marks from his nails, a small thing that probably would never have happened if she had just stood still. "Go then!" She spat at him. Convincing herself that it was better to be angry then wilted and confused. Or to give away how afraid she was, fear that had nothing to do with her physical safety gripped her heart. "Or take my life and be done with it. Vampire." There was venom in her words, they were meant to sting.

It was a good thing that those shades covered my eyes, or she would have seen the murder that flashed through my gaze for a moment. I knew I never should have laid a hand upon her, but damn her if she didn't push me to levels of insanity that made me think of worse. My longest rule I was teetering on the edge of breaking and I didn't know what would happen if I broke it with her. Didn't even know if I could. It was a good thing that I didn't require breath to live, otherwise it would have been hissed through teeth clenched tightly as I found that center. Fought to keep the calm that I was so revered for. The blankness of emotions that my clan required, at least my caste did to do the jobs that we were so acclaimed for. I would have let that kick go, more impressed with her dexterity until she threw those verbal barbs at me. I would have eaten my pride and tried to find some way to apologize, me seek forgiveness, until she jabbed that knife in, ever so deftly.

Vampire. Fine. If she wanted to remind me of exactly what I was and she was not, then we could play that game. Not holding back any of the speed I possessed, nor the strength, I was there one moment and gone the next. Hands grabbed her up, arms banding tightly enough around her that to escape would be near impossible without pulling some sort of Ace out of her sleeve. Stopping us within a copse of trees that hid us far better from sight than just the shadows of night had, I pinned her to a tree. Keeping her hands barred, I positioned our bodies close enough so that there would be no chance for her to use those damned legs of hers again. Finding the heady pulse that rode along her throat, drinking in the tempestuous heat that she was, I let my words carry on a quiet hiss of sound as my tongue stole a taste of her skin along the vein that left it more than clear what my thoughts quite likely were.

"Yes, I am a leech. Thank you for reminding me, Trickster. I think though rather than just steal your life, I'll do one better. Let's see if we can't take your life and give you one back in turn."

She braced herself, knowing that whatever his response it was likely to be violent. To expect anything else was to pour excelerant on a fire, and then be surprised when you got burned. She shouldn't have pushed him, but he just seemed to spark the rage in her. Even Coyote's favorite daughter wasn't always reasonable, especially where this single vampire was concerned. Not that any part of her was willing to admit why.

His speed pulled a gasp from her, teeth clicking together as her back pressed into the unyielding trunk. He was learning, struggle as she might in those first few seconds she could not get free. Her thoughts too distracted to realize she didn't hit it nearly so hard as she could have. He had enough strength in those hands that he could have snapped several of her ribs in that single action.

When his tongue caressed her throat she went still, the feel of it twisting things low in her body despite the jeopardy she was suddenly in. She did have breath to hiss at him through her teeth, it could have been called a grin if there was any humor in it. There was not.

His throat hit home, but it was hard to fear for her life when a deep part of her wanted to close what little distance was left between them. That more then anything, the want of him, forged a tempest within her heart against being reasonable. "What then Erikos? You'll leave me to my fate?" With his breath still on her skin she tossed her head back and laughed. "You would forge your own personal scourge with the action, and I would dance in your ashes before I fell away to death."

Her words rang true, it was one of many skills she possessed. Lying with more ease then most told the truth.

The laughter faded from her lips but not her eyes, a trickster to the last. He had named her truly enough. "You couldn't break me when you had me helpless and tied to a chair. You were fool enough to by every single lie I ever told you. I've already beaten you, I beat you days ago."

Dropped as quickly as she had been lifted up, I was already far enough away from her that she'd hear my words, but she'd have to actually listen for them. I'd given enough space that whatever came next... I usually wasn't the first to give up, and in fact I was never really known to give up at all. Retreat. To rebuild and reform. To find some semblance of myself again that didn't involve confusion or disorder. That's what this was. I wasn't being a coward, I was being wise. Maybe if I told myself that enough times I'd be able to convince myself of it and make it become a reality.

"I think you know more of fate than any of us ever will, Nuisha. You also know that such as that is not yours. As much as I'm sure it will displease you, you're not going to get that option, not toady at least. Not from me. As to being beat, you're right. Congratulations."

The words were spoken wryly, and surprisingly without any amount of malice to flavor them. I was likely the world's greatest fool for this, but if she killed me, maybe it was Fate. Letting my words sit with her for but a second, I turned on my heel and began to fade from her sight. There was no speed set into them, almost as if I wanted her to try to stop me. Give me a reason to throttle some type of sense into her when it should be myself that it was getting put back into. It would never work. A Shifter and a Leech. I wasn't even sure what I was looking for to make work to begin with. Like oil to fire, we each set the other off, no matter how much either of us tried to deny it. Those were the pairings that burned out the fastest, was the assurance I used. My excuse for walking away.

Pairings ? The mocking voice suddenly appeared in my head without invitation. It's not like you were looking for happily ever after with her or something. Just fuck her a couple of times and get her out of your system. It's worked before when things got too bad. I wanted more than that though. I wanted my arm to be numb and tingly from tip to base when I woke up because she had been asleep on it for so long, those crazy corn silk tresses splayed about my chest as she lay curled into me. I wanted to bring her doughnuts every day until one of us grew tired of them, only to find something else. Damn Eri, you're waxing poetic. When did you become a sap ? That was just it. The thoughts had hit me now, the realization springing up to slap me in the face like a massive right hook that rocked me for a moment.

Shaking my head, I paused for a moment and looked up in the direction of the quickly approaching dawn. It wasn't here quite yet, but to stay out too much longer was to be foolhardy. The distant sky had not yet sprung to life with the riot of morning shades, but the darkness was rapidly fading, the Beast within me reminding me that I still required sustenance before I turned in for the day or I'd wake...It didn't matter. Rueful Erikos was rueful as I finally let my body fade from sight completely. If she had something important to say, she'd either spill it, hoping I was still close enough to hear it or not. Or so some not so distant part of me hoped was the case.

Self destructive.

In her youth the words had almost been a mantra for her very existence. Willing to set herself ablaze just to spite the world. Deceit had always been her bread and butter, so why was it so difficult to lie now? The lie in question being her continued silence. It was her greatest to date, this silence. When the only thing in the world she wanted as she listened to his words, as he walked away, was to call him back.

Then he just, faded away. Like he had never been anything more then a briefly lived delusion. Gone to the on coming light of dawn, as only a dream could be. Taking with him possibilities she had never considered wanting before his appearance only a few days ago.

She gave him the time she estimated he would need to get out of hearing range at the pace he had been walking. The soft voice of her raven, the spirit that was her companion made a sad noise from the branches overhead. "Skyler, this is probab..." Her soft voice was cut off by a growl out of the slender blonde girl that would put an ahroun to shame. "Don't you dare." Cornflower eyes snapped upward toward it's pale outline. "Don't you dare tell me it's for the best. All I do is break the laws to accomplish the tasks set before me. I put myself in danger over and over again and I never ask for anything, not one motherfucking thing..."

The raven cocked her head to the side, peering down at the ravaged coyote that stood at the base of the tree, who was looking after the vampire. "...And what exactly is it you want Sky?"

Now her voice lowered, because the truth always hurts more to speak aloud. "Him. I want him." The ivory raven winced. "You know it can't happen, he's a vampire you said it yourself." Skyler clenched her jaw, fighting against the hot tears that scorched twin lines down her cheeks. "I...I have defied everything else, why not this? Why not?"

"He's gone Sky... Whatever your feelings, he's gone." A sob escaped the coyote then, quiet, almost muted in her desolation.

I stayed longer than I knew to be wise, my mind a tumult of chaos as I waited. Having never been a man lent towards prayer, I sent the silent words out into the Nether. Hoping that someone, something would hear me. I wanted. Emotionless, balls and will of steel wanted a living, breathing woman. A Shifter at that. Wanted her enough to throw away everything, including his life should the dawn come before she chose to move. She made everything pale in comparison to how I felt when I was with her, even things I had felt in my mortal life. As a Kindred weren't we supposed to embrace the ability to feel things more deeply ? To take what we wanted, when we wanted it ? I would want, but I would not take. In this it had to be her choice. To force something from her...Come on Skyler, you're running out of time here.

When she did finally begin to speak, it was a damned good thing I didn't need to breath. The fist that felt like it was clenching a heart, long ago removed would have stolen my breath otherwise with no plans of giving it back anywhere in the near future. Each movement so silent, not even the rustle of clothing to give it away, I crept close enough to be able to crouch and observe. It was a good thing that I had moved that bit closer otherwise i would have been unsure as to whether or not I actually heard the words that spilled from her lips. I wanted to strangle whatever it was talking to her, my eyes having no desire for anything but to watch her. Soak her in as if she was the last line to my survival available on earth. Maybe in some way she was. When that sob broke from her, I couldn't take it anymore.

Throwing caution to the wind, I moved back to her. Keeping that invisibility as tightly about me as I knew how, I slid my body between hers and the trunk of the tree. barely enough room to fit even my slender frame, my arms wrapped around her. Loosely enough that sh could move if need be, they began to reappear, bit by bit. First it was the gloved hands, long fingers pressed gently against her abdomen. Then the arms that held the strength to down a Garou or to embrace and never let go what I wanted most in the world. Even before she would see it, she would feel the brush of my cheek against her head. Though my first words were not directed at her, but rather at the voice that came from overhead.

"Obviously, you don't know what you're talking about so why don't you go fuck yourself. Sometimes it takes drastic action to garner an as drastic reaction. I'll leave when I'm damned good and ready so until then, keep your nose out of this."

Half expecting to find myself a pile of ash at any point now, I threw out the words that I hoped would prevent that, at least for a bit. I knew there were ways to off me without my heart being in my chest, and if any could do it, this woman would be the one.

"Skyler, yell at me all you want. Scream and rant, and do those crazy things that every woman does. But before you completely write me off, there are things I think you need to hear."

The touch, his touch, she thought she was imagining it at first. A manifestation, tactile hallucinations, people payed good money for drugs that had that sort of effect. Turning, almost afraid to look her bright blue eyes found his features as they turned up to chastise the translucent raven above them. For her part, the bird just cocked her head to the side, wise enough to keep silent.

Skyler shifted in his arms, forgoing her initial want to wipe the tears from her face. Instead she just buried herself against him, like he was the last solid thing in the world. "I'm sorry, Erikos." There was more, so much more she wanted to say but words failed her. It was enough that he was here.

Maybe whoever that voice belonged to wasn't so dumb after all, being as it remained noticeably silent from that point on. I was prepared and waiting for an out-lash. For anger or violence...Anything but this. I was far from the best at consoling teary eyed females, this situation being so far different from that of my Little Loon, or even Akina. Their tears I could fix with promises of destroying whoever had hurt them. Or a thousand and one other things that usually, or at least semi usually appeased the fairer sex. With the trickster in my arms, I didn't have that option. I wanted to make her sorrow erased and promise her that things would be simple. Easy. That just wasn't in the playbook for either of us though.

A hand removed from her long enough to pull the shades from around my eyes and stuff them, rather half-assed into a pocket. It wasn't like I didn't have a dozen or more other pairs stashed away. Not sure how to go about this, my hand cupped her chin ever so gently and tilted her head up so that I could lock gazes with her. Her tear stained eyes were met with willing bared eyes of flickering green frost. Arctic chill had been replaced by something warmer, yet no less potent. Leaning close enough to gently lick the tears from her cheeks, I finally did nothing more than pull her as close as our physical bodies would allow before wrapping my arms around here, a mental promise forming in my mind to never let this woman go, no matter what it cost me.

If only this was all it took, the unwavering desire to be together. Thousands of people had learned the harsh lesson that, more often then not, it wasn't. Look how things worked out for Romeo and Juliet, though that was mostly do to a priest with terrible timing. Whatever their ninety-nine problems, a priest aint one. The thought caused a cynical smile to replace the significance of the tragedy that was staring them both in the face. Doomed before they started. There were few things in this world she cared about less then the world opinion.

She could have stood here forever, but the one thing that would forever steal him from her was approaching. The golden light that ironically brought life to everything else. Lifting her head from his shoulder, she looked out past the branches of the grove where they stood sheltered. Her blue eyes lifted to the raven overhead, then away again from judgmental black eyes that were full of a sorrow she hadn't yet felt.

I couldn't help but let my fingers move to wander through her hair, brushing it back in an attempt to keep her at ease. That and the fact that I found even with the gloves, I wanted to touch her. I wanted to protect her. Thinking about the marks I'd left on her, however slight they may be, really went to disprove that now didn't they ? A dark look crossed my features for a moment, thankfully hidden by the positioning of our two bodies. I didn't want her seeing it, thinking it was about her, though while it was too many people tended to make the wrong assumptions, jump to the wrong conclusions, myself included. Letting my eyes follow hers towards whatever was up there, I couldn't bite back the sigh as my chin rested lightly atop her forehead. There was no choice. Unless I wanted to be a brisket in not that long a time, we needed to leave.

"Much as I would pull the sun from the sky that we could stay here together forever like this, I can't Skyler. You can come with me, though the house wasn't quite ready yet for guests, or you can go...Well where ever it is that you go. I'd like you to come with me, but before too long I'll be more than useless to you for the day."

Leaning back long enough to put the protective lenses back into place, I shifted once more so that our bodies were turned. Still held as closely as before, but ready to leave at a moments notice, more like the moment she made her decision. Pressing a kiss to the tender skin just behind her ear, my hands began a distracted tracing once more along the base of her spine as I realized just how much I disliked the idea of her not coming back with me. Get a grip on it man, you're not her keeper, you're not even her anything. Yet. That was what I was sticking to, the yet. I was too damned stubborn to give up on something, on someone that I wanted as badly as I did her, but I couldn't force her hand. Wouldn't. Anyone else I would, but not her. And that thought alone was terrifying.

Her fingers slid up along the hard curves of his chest, over his shoulders and into his hair at the back of his neck. She tucked her head under his chin, smiling when he kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear like he knew how much she would like it. Quietly she listened to him, knowing all to well the time limit he faced. They faced. The last of it caused her to press her finger to his unreasonably soft lips. "Trite as it sounds Erikos, you'll never be useless to me."

Turning around in his arms, leaning against him she put her supernatural dexterity to use. "E." Her hands moved down along his forearms, brushing the light leather that made up his gloves. "We need to get you out of the sunlight." Gnosis was such a simple thing to call upon, especially in times like these, even if it did seem like a gross misuse of power. Her nails dipped beneath the almost paper thin leather. "Why do you wear these? You don't leave fingerprints."

There was no warning about their transition, just one moment they were beneath the trees with the sun rising. The next the sky was back to being dark and full of stars again. The small collection of trees was no different in the umbra. Leaning her head back against him she didn't look up, attention remaining on his hands.

This had to be Heaven, or as close as a lost soul like I was ever got. It was the only explanation for how right, how good it felt, not to mention why it hurt so much to know that I'd be dying again soon. I hadn't even kissed her, not in so long that if I had a choice I'd stand here in the growing light and simply hold her in my arms, lips pressed to hers until I went up in a pillar of flame. Blinking at my thoughts, I almost couldn't believe it. I wasn't suicidal. There was one before who I had thought to care for, and even she had never held a candle to this. So when her finger pressed to my lips, it was but simple secondary reaction to press a kiss to it just as softly as the one behind her ear had been. Even with the violence I'd shown her tonight, she still could speak words that cut me so quick and to the core.

She's playing you man. Don't you see ? She's already called you as the fool you are once tonight. Are you really going to let a few tears turn you into a pansy ? The mental snarl had my eyes going a more violent shade behind the glasses, the softness they'd held so briefly before gone as quick as it had come. Sense and rationality had been my guidelines, my life's rules for so long. To ignore them so blatantly was almost freakish, but if I didn't, it would mean leaving her. Walking away and staying away from the woman who could make me feel no matter how much some integral part of me wanted to fight it. She spoke truth with those newest words though, a truth that I had been holding off on acting upon for as long as I dared. Just to steal another moment with her. If I was loosing my edge already, who was to say what would happen after a month if we still felt this madness for one another ?

Lips curved, though wry smile did not rise to meet my eyes. She was right I didn't leave fingerprints. Then again she'd never seen my bare hands to understand a reasoning. Not knowing what I'd see in her eyes, but refusing to accept pity from anyone, even her, I was slipping one of the gloves off when she pulled us across the veil. I knew that even with the return to darkness that her closeness as well as her Shifter's preternatural sight would allow her to see just why they were worn. From wrist to fingertips, my hands were covered by scars. Ones that would have destroyed the hands of a mere human, stolen their full use, they merely made mine look exactly what they were. The hands of a Monster. Yet, I was okay with that. I embraced what I was. Accepted and indulged it. Where she was involved though... I was almost as scared of touching her with them as I was of her leaving while I died for the day. Remaining utterly silent, I let her make her own decisions about them. It would be here words or none at all that came next.

She nestled her shoulders back against his chest as he peeled away the thin leather. What he revealed caused her chest to tighten for reasons she didn't bother trying to discern in that moment. The scars overlapped, like whatever had caused them had happened on more then one occasion. Pale corn silk brows furrowed, blue eyes grew darker in color rolling into a midnight cerulean. Most of them looked like they had been left from rope, the marks thick, and banded if one were to look close enough.

Someday someone would pay dearly for causing those. If her instinct was right, and it usually was, a few of those thin scars were caused by compound fractures. Hands were strange versatile things, able to heal from almost anything. Still, the idea of him suffering that kind of pain made her want to protect him. A silly idea, that he would need that kind of help. Let alone from her.

Reaching out she ran her fingers over the skin of his hands, tentatively, making sure it didn't cause him any pain before she went forward with what she was going to do. If he didn't seem to be in any pain, she caught up the both of them in her own, lifting them to her lips so that she could lay a kiss to each palm. "That which doesn't kill me..." She breathed the words along his skin, trying to show him that she didn't care that he was marked so dramatically. "If you ever want to tell me what happened, I'd be happy to listen."

Now there was more to that statement, oh she wanted to kno what had happened. She also wanted to deal out punishment to whoever it was. The sort of punishment that one was unlikely to forget at any point in the near future. Something told her that anyone that moved against either of them would find a fierce shadow to contend with for their trouble.

I hadn't stopped holding her while I awaited her judgement. I wouldn't release her until she made it perfectly clear that it was what she wanted. So I kept my stance as neutral as possible, shielding with an impressive amount of will the concern, the curiosity over what her response would be. All women ever saw was my face. The magnetic, unique eyes that were something no contact could ever properly replicate. The shock of lion's mane gold that tussled around my eyes, half rebel, half playboy with a cause. The full, sensual lips that left them panting in a hidden corners as they tried to imagine what a kiss would feel like, only to come up far short of reality. Yet for the rare few, the brave few, it was my hands that drew them. The allure of the mystery caused by the gloves. Whispers among their little gaggle as they tried to guess both why I wore them and what pleasure my hands could give them without any other part of my body touching them. She wasn't one of them. Skylar was different. Or so I hoped.

Pain was quite the opposite of what her cautious touches were evoking. I don't think I'd ever had anyone touch me quite like this. Even the affections I'd shared with Akina and Rei had been so very, very different. Exquisite. The sensation was so potent, ran so deep as to be just shy of torment. When her lips laid that kiss to the very center of each palm, the very pinnacle of where the scars seemed to grow thicker, I didn't know how to fight back the shudder that rode through me. I don't know that even an army of wild mustangs could have held it back, that tenderness something so very foreign to me.

"Only makes me stronger."

The words weren't even a whisper, more an exhalation of breath so quiet as to almost cause her to wonder if she'd ever actually heard them spoken aloud or if it was her mind playing tricks on her. The laughter that came then was wry, as well as quiet. Something shared just between the two of them, it ended far after it had begun, the secret echoing out into the night, like a solitary lost balloon floating high to the umbra sky. Arms would band about her tighter then, tugging her as close as physically possible before nuzzling in against her ear, half playful half something...Half something that even I couldn't define myself as I was doing it. It couldn't hurt to tell her what she so seemed to want to know. The ones who had caused it were dead, the ones who had ordered too far out of anyone person's reach, even her own. Or at least I hoped they were.

"Come back to my residence with me ? I can stave off my coming slumber a bit longer there. Not by much of course, but enough that I can at least begin your answer."

"Your residence?" The smile that he had forged to life with that embrace lingered as she turned again within the circle of his arms. A place she wanted to find herself in as often as possible. Her eyes, still a darker shade of blue then usual, found his. "Not your home?" She wasn't really surprised, he didn't strike her as the sort of person that stayed long in one place.

Anymore then she was.

Leaning in, because she wanted to and in these moments even if they didn't last she could. Her lips caressed the edge of his ear, the line of his jaw, his cheek which she nuzzled against a moment later. "I would love to accompany you to your residence." The inflection of her voice was teasing, even as her arms slipped about his waist and she pressed the long line of her frame against his. "Travel here is faster anyway, it will buy us a little more time."

"I call it what it is, no more and no less. To call it a home, my heart would need to be there and well politely put, my heart is both very far and very near to here. I won't speak aloud the exact location as you never quite know just who might be listening. To even call it a house, it would require more than just myself in it as it's rather...You might say it's rather large and empty."

Taking note of the changed shade of her eyes, I found that I liked them however they were as long as they were focused on me. Back to good old egotistical, arrogant Erikos. You had us worried for a second there, buddy. Flipping that little devil on my shoulder the mental bird, I realized that it wasn't what that nagging little companion of mine believed it to be but rather because when she looked at me, even angrily, it made me want to be something more. Something less as well. To be just a simple human Male able to hold her and not have the distance that lay between us because of what we both were. Or to even have the kindness of whatever Gods or higher powers existed and have there be a way to be changed like Akina had been.

I shuddered then, again. Damn the woman and the way the simplest of touches from her affected me. I was going to have to do something about it, and soon at that note. Gladdened enough by her capitulation to join me that I was able to use it as a focus point, I simply lifted her up right then and there. Refusing to let her go any further away from me at the moment than was absolutely needed, I quickly calculated the time needed to travel. Even here it would be close, but I wouldn't give up a moment of the time spent to save my life. Well un-life were you to desire technicalities. Ignoring every frantic word that my subconscious was spewing at me, I quickened my steps, starting to move to begin with as we'd been standing there for a few moments now.

The silver paths were treacherous, but Skyler had spent almost as much time here as the corax. Her collection of umbral maps was extensive, and ever growing. Since the Umbra, being what it was, constantly shifted. City's though, they were a little easier, the weaver was thick here, and her webs liked to leave traces for keen eyes to follow. Being in his arms seemed right somehow, so she nestled against him, lifting a hand to occasionally point out which fork to take.

"Erikos." Her lips formed his name languidly, as if she was simply saying it to feel it's shape. The corner of her mouth curved upward almost sheepishly, especially if the speaking of it drew his attention. Even covered she could make out the silhouette of his lashes, enough to be able to tell when he was looking her way. This close cornflower blue could almost make out arctic green, behind the dark veil of those damnable shades.

"So who do you think will come after us first? Your people or mine?" She'd meant for it to come out light-hearted, but it was a bigger concern then she had given it credit for. Causing the slightest quiver in her voice, and she wrinkled her nose ay how weak she had sounded. "Not that we can't take them of course. It's more, what do we do when our orders send us in opposite directions?" Now that she was here, she feared losing the gentle pressure of his arms around her. Pushing away the silent question of why she cared so deeply, she glanced around for anything else to talk about.

Conveniently, they were almost to their destination. Leading him to a still shadowy spot, she called again on Gaia to transition them across the veil and back into Mortalis. "See, I told you this was faster."

"Fuck orders. I've sent Were back to the cycle and went Highlander on enough of my own people for reasons far less than this."

If there was anything I needed more than her, it was a gag. Thankfully I had several of varying shape and size back at the residence in which I was taking her to. Still unopened, the heavy plastic casings as perfectly sealed as the day they had been shipped from their place of creation, their presence would likely raise questions I had no intentions of answering. At least tonight. Damn it all though if her uncertainty hadn't drawn forth an answer, one that was not only far less than tactical, but one that also revealed secrets that weren't exactly wise to just be brandied about. Thankfully the travel had been as quick as she had promised and by the time I had just blundered the thoughtless words out like some lovesick swain, I could see the grated entrance in the distance.

Not even bothering to put her down, I stepped from shadow to shadow, making more than sure that no eyes watched as I crouched. Shifting her in my arms, gloved hand found the various latches before flipping and twisting. Raising the wall of metal far easier and far more silently than one might have expected, I pulled her closer before simply stepping forward into the darkness and dropping. The grate closed behind us with a noticeable thud that echoed around us and above us. Eyes taking the needed moments to get used to the darkness before moving forward, she would notice the lack of sewer stench that should have been prevalent. Long legs ate up the distance as I made a rather swift decision of where to take her for the evening. As if it would have been all that difficult to make to begin with. I had no intentions of allowing her to be alone, especially down here when those that you might call my landlords had yet to be informed of my having a guest.

Many doors were passed, some obvious, others not so. When we finally reached the one I had decided upon, gloved hand was pulled off by fang, the same of which nicked the pad of my thumb enough to allow a few drops of blood to spill free. Raising the bloodied digit to a pad beside the door, the mechanism scanned the essence, a small green light appearing even as I punched in a series of numbers long enough to make even my head hurt on occasion. Finally the door clicked, then swung inwards as if it possessed a mind of it's own. Padding inside with her, a hand came up to shut the door behind us, security measures already slipping and bolting into place. Finally allowing her to slither down along my body, but not letting her free of the circumference of my arms,

"Stay here for a moment. I need to go set things up and no offence but I'd rather you not trip over something and damage yourself. I won't go far, my word to you on my honor. Whatever is currently left of it."

Lips couldn't help the softest, swiftest brush they claimed against hers before I moved into the pitch black room. I didn't bother with the switches but instead found the closest of the remotes. Making sure that there was nothing that she would stumble over, I went by memory, pointing the device at the far right corner of the room, more specifically the second floor, lights began to flare, trio by trio of them into soft glow. Candles yes, the tall and thick version, but at closer glance, there was no wax but instead an electrical flame that seemed to dance all the same. Much of the room was still swathed by dark even by the time all had been lit, but such it was as this was where I took my death at every dawning. She didn't know that just yet though.

There was masculine elegance to the room though, enough so that it was obvious that it had not seen a woman's touch. Arching, twisting stairs on both the left and the right lead up to the second tier of the room, the first being claimed by a semi circle of chairs as well as an l shaped pairing of couches that put many actual beds to shame with their lushness. The far wall was dominated by a bar that was lit up by soft under glow. Should she care for a drink, well in that department she would not find herself lacking. Coffee and end tables dotted here and there, much of the floor covered by a carpet that was lush enough that even her slight frame would surely sink into it upon first step. Moving back towards her, gloves were removed and tossed carelessly aside. Stopping in front of her, I knew my actions would likely surprise her, almost as much as this place itself. Long fingers would extend as my head lifted to let my lens covered gaze meet hers.

"If you would allow me ? I don't believe in wearing shoes of any form in this room."

All this space, her gaze swept the room as it ignited in electric lights that sang like candles. Taking to standing on her feet again, after being carried to far, she had done as he bid. Standing quietly while he padded away into the dark, mutely paying the toll of his absence with a feather soft kiss. It was a lovely place, appreciate for him, simple but elegant. The veritable height of comfort, however all that ran through her head in those moments was what a crime it was that he remained forever tucked away in shadow.

Her hand reached for his, the tow of one foot catching the heel of the other to pull of her flat soled skater shoes, first one then the other. "Old school, I approve." The lack of shoes, revealed her striped toe socks, a cheeky grin was flashed if they earned her an odd look. He was not the first to think she might be a little mad. The distance between them was closed, and she wrapped her free arm around his narrow waist. Pressing herself against him, enjoying the secure touch of his own from shoulder to hip. "Let them rot." She finally agreed to his original statement.

"Lets spend tonight in Paris, I'm sure there is a great deal of trouble we could get into in the city." Cornflower blue lifted to his cloaked eyes, and she offered something much closer to a real smile, though lightly touched with sorrow.

Why it mattered I didn't know, but her understanding and appreciation of my humble abode pleased me far more than even I had expected it to. Taking her shoes up in my free hand before rising once more to my full height, I stepped to the side long enough to place them in one of the cubbyholes, something akin to what one might expect to see at the outside of one of those massive ball filled nets that human children seemed so fond of. Returning as quickly, if not more so to her side, it was with heavily concealed relish that I allowed her to take that place pressed along my body. She fit there, feminine strength to my lean masculinity as if Coyote himself had created her for my body and my body alone. Whatever, whoever had come before me, they were unimportant. I could and would be what erased them from her mind with images, with touches of my own flesh, my own voice in place of theirs. If ever before I had been determined of something this surpassed it. As did the dedication to there being no one after.

Shades would again be removed as here in my Haven, I would allow her to look upon me however she wished. I was removing my armor for this woman, this Nuisha who some part of me, some very integral part screamed would be my downfall. Yet there was something other. A voice that I don't ever remember hearing before that whispered to me. A Siren's seductive call. What if she wasn't ? What if she was something else entirely ? Those thoughts were my own private ones though her words of response to my previous did earn her a Cheshire's flash of fang. A certain exceptional coldness to my already arctic eyes only clarified the seriousness that had been to my words.

Her words of Paris though did earn her more of a reaction than her rather unique choice of socks. I wasn't put off by them as some might be, far from it in fact. What would have been unappealing on anyone else was perfection for her own unique brand of Woman.There was silence for a long span though, the only hints of sound her own breathing, the thrum of her heart, and last but not least the quiet song of the electricity that powered this place. When I saw the sorrow tarnish her gaze, however faintly, I made my mission at least for the now to remove it. Even if it meant that I drained my rather extensive will to remain awake throughout the entirety of the day to simply hold her, or whatever it was that she wished. When we would finally come to a true stop, it was on the second floor, in the largest of the alcoves.

Still keeping her affixed to my side as she seemed to appreciate seeing as she had chosen to place herself there, I lowered the two of our bodies down to the largest of the couches offered. The moment that our weight barely caressed it, we seemed to sink, our forms being enveloped by a delightful sense of warmth, far from what one might expect from one of my kind. A arm would extract from her long enough to reach over the back and dredge up a rather massive, heather soft blanket. Even with her Shifter's heat, it would grow cool down here for her, especially if or when I faded for the day. Draping it over our bodies, though more so hers than mine, I waited for her to shift accordingly until she was content with her level of comfort-ability. Only then did I finally speak, a fission of amusement tinkling through my voice.

"Paris is your choice then. One of the oldest cities of romance. Do you think to use it to seduce me, Little Trickster ?"