Don't Kill Me, But...

[Alton (DELETED 7665)]

<Alton> “Really, I’m okay. You don’t have to worry so much. Yeah, seriously.” The tall, powerful build of the man sagged under the weight of the voice on the other end of the line. He couldn’t help but smile as his cousin’s sharp, lecturing words cracked through the speaker like a whip against his conscience. “Seriously, listen, I know, okay? I took a huge risk, but look at things now. They paid off, didn’t they? What was your plan, to leave the rest of us behind? You know I wasn’t going to let you leave me in the dust. None of you.” A long pause followed as the voice on the other end grew much softer.

“No. No, not him either. And yeah, she’s with me. We had a bit of a… running in. She’s fine, I’m not letting anything happen to her, not ever. No, I haven’t told her girlfriend yet.” He turned his powerful, friendly green gaze to the heavyset woman sitting across from him in the booth. She just smiled, and kept quiet. She was always so polite, it was unnerving sometimes. He returned her smile as he lifted a hand to flag down their waitress.

“No, you’re right, she doesn’t need to know. The less the others know the better. Listen, I need to go before she tries to order another cheesecake.” The voice on the other end laughed, before slowly fading into a final question. “No, I really do need to go. I’ll talk to her soon, I promise.” His cousin’s voice ramped up into lecture mode again just as the phone clicked, disconnecting the call. He looked back to the woman across from him as she gave him the cruelest smile she could summon.

“You’re fortunate I like you, Monsieur LeBlanc. Talk about me like that again and I’ll have half a mind to hurt you.” He couldn’t help but smile, her own smile growing softer at that. “Come on, Triste. I need to get you home. I should probably do what the Tyrant Kitten tells me. I haven’t talked to Charisma yet about all of this.”

She had only half stood, her curvy frame still bent over the table as she stopped, her soft, fleshy figure froze in place. Her one hand gripped the edge of the table, the other holding her handbag aloft, the heavy, dangerous looking accessory looking more and more like a weapon with each second she remained locked in that position. Gentle, brown eyes went wide with a kind of horror or shock, he wasn’t sure which, that he doubted he had ever seen on the woman’s face. “Just what the hell, Alton?” She asked, her eyes still wide with what he had decided was pure horror at his confession. She immediately launched into a tirade of words from more languages than he cared to try to follow. He knew it to be the three she spoke with easy fluency; English, which he picked up right away, French, which gave him only slightly more trouble, and Spanish, which he was only to catch snatches of, when the words were similar to the ones he knew in French.

He held up his hand and the woman finally slid from the booth. “I had to know that nothing would happen to me before I went to her. I think I’m safe, now.” She let loose an angry huff as she shook her bag, his body ready to duck from her swing any second. “Fine. But you are telling her. Now.” He smiled at that, and pushed himself up from the table. “Of course, Femme. Just after we get you home.”

It was her turn to hold up her hand, and tossed her head. Silky brown strands tossed over her shoulder as she stuck her nose into the air. “I can walk myself just fine, Monsieur LeBlanc. You have much more pressing business than walking the likes of me a block in the dark. I can handle myself fine. You go to her.”

He smiled, defeated, and let her go. She sauntered from the diner, and turned to walk down the street, passing along the length of the restaurant to stare at him through the plate glass window. Her hand lifted, pressing her fingers beneath her eyes, then pointed to him. He lifted his phone and wiggled it at her in the air, before tucking it into his hand to send the text, leaving a stack of bills on the table.

COMPOSED TEXT:
TO: CHARISMA

Hey, we need to talk.
Really important.
Meet me at the docks.
Do whatever you
need to do to come
in a good mood.
I’ve got all night.
Don’t come
hungry.



<Charisma> Running her fingers through her thick hair, she forced the blonde curls from her eyes as she squinted into the burning embers of the forge. The metal in her hand burned orange, and she carefully began to meld the pieces together until the material began to resemble something akin to a blade. She had been at it for hours, and she still was not entirely satisfied with the craftsmanship. It was sharp, but it felt too light in her hands, as if it would snap in two at the first delivered blow. However, as she pulled it from the flames, she realized that while it rested easily in her hand, it did seem to hold a quiet strength to it that she had missed while examining it during its creation. With practiced ease, she rested it on the table at her side and settled back onto her heels, her arms aching from the strain she had applied to the muscles during the night. “It will have to do,” she spoke to no one in particular before moving to her feet.

A quick glance at the clock signaled that she had spent far too much time mulling over the forge, and she quickly shook her head. She had meant it to only be a minimal distraction from her studies, and yet, more than four hours had passed since she had left her apartment to come to her family’s hotel. I am going to fail this course. Shaking her head, she ran a clean white cloth over her forehead, the habit natural after a hard night’s work. She doubted that there was even the hint of sweat glistening on her skin, and yet, the cloth cooled the pinkened skin before she tucked it back into the pocket of her faded jeans. Her attire, though expensive, was nothing compared to what she normally wore. The jeans hung low on her hips and flared out over a pair of worn black Uggs, and the red lace top she wore clung tightly to her torso like a second skin. It was fashionable, but it was also breathable enough for her to have spent hours crafting comfortably.

No sooner had she straightened to stretch out the muscles of her back than her phone started to go off, the tone familiar - and yet one that she had not heard in over a week. With hurried movements, she lifted the device from the counter and brought up the message, her brows furrowing the moment she read the words. Brushing her thumb over her painted lower lip, she hesitated as she thought over her response. He had left her worried sick, and yet, now he seemed to think he could command her over something as simple as a text message? Shaking her head, she typed out a simple ‘give me five minutes’ before tucking the phone into her jean pocket before gathering up her things. Carefully, she wrapped up her materials and tucked them into the heavy metal locker she had brought with her before sliding the lock in place and snapping it closed. When she was certain it was secure, she pocketed the key and concentrated on the location he had invited her to, and as the world blurred around her, she contemplated what she would say to him.

As her vision cleared, she straightened out her messy curls and glanced out at the water. It didn’t take long for her to spot him, and she crossed her arms over her chest as she traced her tongue over her lower lip. “You needed to see me, cher?” Her voice, much to her relief, was as soft as it was impassive, and she dropped her pack to the ground at her feet as she offered him a ghost of a smile.






<Alton> “Amour.” He gave her a nervous smile, turning to her at the sound of her voice. He was seated neatly on the hood of the tremendous big block ’69 Charger. The black paint was polished to a shine, the moon flashing off its surface as he shifted his weight against the hood to stand. “Miss me much?” He gave a light, half sure chuckle as he pushed away from the car, moving closer to where she stood.

His broad chest and heavy hands flexed, ready for her to notice without his having to tell her a thing. He was expecting a similar response to the ones he had already received, though a much more physical form of thrashing than the verbal lashes he had taken to date. He gave her a wide grin and opened his hands. “I know I missed you. I’m sorry it’s been so long. I’ve just been dealing with a few things.” He stepped closer to her again, almost into her, his arm lifting to slowly circle around her waist.

“There’s something I have to tell you. It’s not going to be the easiest thing to hear, but it’s really not so bad, when you really think about it. Just promise you won’t get mad.”

He knew that would be an empty promise.

He didn’t honestly expect her to keep it; or to really make it in the first place.



<Charisma> It took her two seconds to notice the change.

As he turned to face her, her muscles began to tense, and all of the fight drained out of her. He had always held a dark attractiveness to him, but now, he seemed downright deadly. Every muscle was outlined by the t-shirt he wore, but it wasn’t the bulk of his figure that had caught her eye, but the color of his skin. He had once held a tan to him that she admired, and now, he was as pale as the moon. His words were lost on her as he made his way slowly to her, as if he were afraid of her. Clenching her jaw, she narrowed her eyes on him as he finally stood within inches of her, one heavy arm embracing her carefully. It was then, the moment she felt his skin through the thin material of her shirt, that he confirmed what her mind had been refusing to accept. “Alton…”

His name escaped her in an octave barely above a whisper, and she slowly lifted her hands to press to his chest. At first, her mind refused to acknowledge the temperature in his skin, but as she splayed her fingers across the hard muscle and felt the ice that met her palms, she knew she could no longer deny the truth. That, mixed with the knowledge that he did not seem terrified or even upset about what he had become, caused her anger to spread like a wildfire through her veins. Before she could control it, she shoved him away from her, uncaring that he was still no match for her strength. “What have you done?” Her words were harsh, her accent heavy with anger as she shoved her fingers through her hair. She was not aware of how she knew, but there was no doubt in her mind that he had done this to himself. “What in hell were you thinking?”






<Alton> When she shoved him, he gave her another reassuring smile, his hands lifting defensively as he shook his head. “Honestly, Amour? I was thinking you would hit me for this.” He kept a small distance between them as he kept his hands up, between them. “I just needed to talk to you, okay? Can we do that? This is important. Yes, it’s all connected, and I just need you to listen for a minute and not talk.”

He lowered his hands slowly, before shooting them back up between them again. “And don’t hit me until I’m finished, alright?” He let his hands down again and he gave her a warming smile. He stepped back, and straightened his stature to stand his full six foot one inch height, keeping himself just out of her range. Just in case.

“You know what I did. You can see that, plainly. Let me explain. Every morning I woke up without you, knowing you were gone someplace safer than by my side… it didn’t feel right. Knowing that the safest place in the world for you should have been right there with me. I’d felt that since I met you. You know that, you know how I felt. I didn’t stop to think twice that night, and neither did you. What we were, what we’ve always been meant to be, is what we will always be. Together. I can’t think of any better reason to find a way. I can’t think of a better reason to see things through to the end. I’m in love with you, and one lifetime isn’t enough.

A thousand lifetimes isn’t enough.

Forever, Amour, just isn’t enough.”



<Charisma> “The night is still young, Alton.”

Running her tongue over a sharp canine, she crossed her arms over her chest as he began to saunter back towards her. Her eyes narrowed the closer he got, and he seemed to take the warning shimmering in those icy blue hues, because he stopped just short of touching her, both hands held up in surrender. She could barely contain the anger rippling beneath the surface of her skin, and as the thoughts continued to twist around in her mind, one seemed to scream louder than the rest. He had died, that much was obvious, but who had been the one to save him? The jealousy that single thought spurred caused her to clench her hands against her ribcage, and she barely refrained from lashing out.

She barely felt the wind as it brushed across her skin, the chill doing very little to distract her from the situation at hand. As she brushed her fingers through her hair, she tucked a single curl behind her ear and shook her head. He had did this for them? She had known that he had developed feelings during their time together, and yet, she had never thought twice about it. She had had no choice but to be brutally honest with him from the second they had met, and he had known that there was no chance for the two of them. As long as he was human, she reminded herself, before quickly shaking her head. It had been more than that, and they both knew it. She waited until he finished speaking, knowing that at the very least, she could offer him that much before she unleashed.

The second the last word fell from his lips, she slammed her fist forward, knuckles connecting with his jaw with enough force to snap his head back. “You could have died. Did you think of that? Did you stop for one second to consider the possibility of the curse failing to protect you?” Her words were harsh as she all but spat them at him, her anger coursing through her body. “Did you not listen to anything that I had to say? Did you not hear me when I spoke of how awful it is? I can barely stomach what I have become, and now I have the guilt of what you have done on my conscience, too!” Shaking her head, she spun from him and buried her face in her hands as her shoulders began to shake in uncontrollable, humorless laughter.

“Usually, when one falls in love, they give roses. They do not go out and seek death! This is not a poorly written teen novel, Alton. This is real life.” Her voice was strained by the time she finished, and she spun back around on him and shook her head as she clenched her jaw. “How are you even certain that I return the sentiment? You have known all along that I am not one to feel such emotion, and yet, you brought it upon yourself to die for me.”






<Alton> When she hit him, he didn’t try to stop her. He felt her fist connect with his jaw and he just shook his head. The pain was a quick flash, and it was gone. He was built to endure, that much he had learned over the past few nights. He lifted a hand to rub at his face, to feel the pain ebb away as she launched an assault of words at him, striking at him with her best blows. These had struck much harsher than the physical jab, though still, he found himself undaunted. He sighed, and pushed a hand through the thick crop of dark hair as he looked down at her.

“I’d thought about that. Of course. I didn’t do this without thinking it through to the very end, Charisma. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not stupid.” He lifted a hand before she could fling another useless insult at him, and continued. “If I were to die, well, that would have been much better than to go on growing older, more feeble, withering away into nothing while you only grew stronger, faster, more beautiful with every passing day. That pain would have been worse than death. What I did took strength, but I don’t expect you to see that; to worry about that.”

He shook his head again and pushed his palm across his scalp. “You return something for me. I can’t say that it’s the same, but it could be. It might be. I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t give this a chance, if I didn’t do everything in my power to make this happen. This was in my power, this was a gamble I could make, without putting anyone else at risk. What happened to me was exactly what I had hoped to happen. What I’ve become… it’s dark, it’s hard, it’s gruesome… life is dark. Life is hard. Life is gruesome. At least now, when I rip the lungs from someone’s chest, I at least know I have a reason.”



<Charisma> “I did not bring into question your intelligence,” she sighed as the fight seemed to drain out of her. How could she fault him when he seemed so utterly sure of his choice? There was no doubt in his eyes, and she found herself caving to him. She hated it, of course, she still could not believe that he had been so foolish as to risk himself, but she could no longer question is certainty in his choice. “You should have come to me first,” she whispered as she lifted her hand to brush her fingertips across his jaw. Her touch was light, steady, and she realized that she no longer had to worry about hurting him. She no longer had to live in fear that she would be the end of him, that she would shatter every bone in his body with a simple touch.

Dropping her hand back to her side, she shook her head and gave him a gentle smile. “Death does become you, amour, but I must know. How did it happen? Who did this to you?” The question was quiet, and she bit into her lower lip as she awaited to hear his answer. Something stirred in the pit of her stomach, something dark and foreign as she thought of the possibility of it being a woman. For some reason, that bothered her far more than his admission of his reasons had, and she narrowed her eyes. “It was not a woman, was it?”




<Alton> As she transitioned from killer to woman again, his shoulders sagged with relief. He gave her a smile, though he waited to approach.

This could all be a ruse.
It’s a trap.

He shook his head and watched her closely as she lifted her hand toward his face. He was ready this time, and was prepared to duck away from a second blow to his face. Her touch, however, came soft and gentle. He smiled at that. It was a good sign that she was finally starting to see reason. His hand lifted to tenderly touch hers and he shook his head. “Put that beast back in its cage, Amour. There was only a handful of women in that bar, and not a one of them caught my eye, try as they might have. I look back now, and sincerely doubt that any of them were vampires at all. One, possibly, but no more. No, I doubt you know the man that took pity on a fool picking a fight.”

He smirked, and took a hold of his shirt, lifting it over his toned abdomen to show her the jagged scar that ran along his ribs where the knife had found its way into his lung. “So maybe that part might have been a little stupid, but you should see the other guy.”



<Charisma> Shaking her head once more, she narrowed her eyes on the wound that marred his once perfect flesh. “Why does it remain? We are able to heal far more quickly than mortals.” She knew that the question was the last thing that she should have asked, but her curiosity refused to go unsated. Dropping her hand to his chest, she brushed her fingertips over the scar before crossing her arms once again before offering him a gentle smile. “I do not doubt your ability to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting, amour, I merely wish you had allowed me…” She trailed off, then, as she shook her head.

Allowed her to what?

She would not have killed him herself. She would have told him to go home and to not think twice about it. She would have done everything in her power to talk him out of his disastrous plan, even if it would have lead to breaking his heart. She would not have bestowed this painful gift on him - or perhaps she would have. She had to admit to herself that his plan had merit, and she could not deny that she did feel something for him. She had yet to decipher exactly what it was that he had awoken inside of her, but now, with no longer having to worry about risking his life on a nightly basis, she had eternity to figure it out. Of course, that was only if he was willing to wait. Shaking her head, she relented with a sigh and brushed her fingers once more through her hair.

“You are well, then? You do not ache? Are you hungry?”

[Charisma]

<Alton> Shaking his head, he slowly lowered his shirt down over the toned, hard set of abs to drop the fabric around his waist again. “I am well taken care of, Amour. I have a reliable source, and the man that killed me, his name is Enver, he is more than adequate at seeing that I am satisfied. He’s quite the card player.” He chuckled, and finally let his arm fall around her, loosely circling her hips as he held her lightly in a slack embrace.

He smiled, glad to be through the worst of things. He had known, deep down, that she had cared, and that she would see the truth, the good in what he had done, in what he had to say. He bowed his head and kissed at her forehead, a chaste touch of his lips to her skin. “I have been learning a lot about all of this. Some of it taught to me, some of it I learned by simply practicing… and some, I’ve learned entirely by accident.” He grinned at that, and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose sometimes, you have to stumble across something to really see it clearly.”

He ran his hand along her side as he turned to look at the water. He was content with this. This night. This moment. He could stay like this forever.

Time? Yeah. You can stop any second now. I’m finally alright with the moment. This one can be forever.

He knew it wouldn’t last. Dawn had to come eventually.



<Charisma> Moving so that she was standing in front of him, she rested her back against his chest and watched as the wind rippled against the water. Her mind, usually quiet, was filled with doubt as she tried to sort through everything that had happened during the night. She wanted to remain angry with him, to help him to see the failed logic in his actions, and yet, she had managed to succumb to his every whim. Listen to your heart, Melody, he loves you. He did this for you. The apparition had been quiet for most of the evening, as if waiting for her to be willing to see the truth. Now it danced in and out of her line of vision, a shimmering silver light that had begun to take shape of someone that she recognized. Shaking her head, she rested her weight into him and released a quiet, reserved sigh.

“Who is this reliable source?” She knew the moment that she posed the question, she was not going to enjoy the answer. There was a warning in the back of her mind, one louder than all the rest as she traced her fingers along his arm. Is this what love was to feel like? She hadn’t the slightest clue, and yet, he had anticipated that she would. As the guilt began to gnaw at her again, she bit into her lower lip and focused on a single spot in the lake, hoping to find her answers in the serenity the water had to offer.





<Alton> Wrapping his arms around her, he circled his powerful grasp about her waist, holding her close to his chest as she turned to watch the river as it eased past the docks. He dipped his head, chin resting in a mass of soft blonde curls, his strong hands splayed across her abdomen as he shook his head at her question. He hugged her close, then. “I don’t know if you remember Triste. One of my cousin’s drivers. Really good. Drives that Three Thousand GT?” He hugged her tighter, then, and kept her close.

“That was one of the things I discovered completely by accident… I had dropped by the garage for my car. She was there, and before I had a chance to skirt around her and leave, she saw me. It’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. I can all but control her with just my thoughts. I’ve kept my distance for the most part, out of respect for you, and for Celeste, but for when I absolutely have to eat.” He shook his head again and buried his face in her hair. “It’s better than the risks I have to take with strangers. Safer. And I know I don’t have to worry about her telling anyone, or trying anything with me, which I know would upset you.”



<Charisma> She was once again taken aback by how small she was compared to him. His hand alone was large enough to take over most of her stomach, and the weight of it soothed her as she listened to the water lightly splash against the wood of the dock. However, the comfort was short lived. The moment he uttered the name of his source, something inside of her seemed to snap. Her fingers bent until her manicured nails bit into his flesh, and the feeling inside of her had her a mere second from reaching back to rip his head from his shoulders. She had no idea how she managed to calm herself, but after a few deep breaths of the cold air, she was able to speak without that dangerous, animalistic growl to her voice.

“I understand,” she whispered, “You have been rebirthed as an allurist. It is fitting for you. It comes with the ability to bind humans to your will, especially if they are weak-minded. My lineage is not fond of those that can manipulate so easily.” She carefully stepped from his embrace, and turned to face him. As she did, she brought her hand up to his jaw and studied his features, her eyes quietly contemplating before she smiled. “You are still hungry, amour. I can see it in your eyes,” she chuckled, before dropping her hand to his shoulder. Warmth flooded her veins, and she focused on transferring it to him. It took only a second, and she could tell that his strength had been returned to him. “I do not have to feed much anymore, which you are lucky for. If I had not learned this power, I would have been very much… how does your cousin like to word it? Screwed?”





<Alton> Blinking at the power that flooded through him, he stepped back and pushed a hand over his abdomen. The pang of hunger, only now starting to cause him to feel the effects of his rush with Triste, had vanished with a simple touch. He knit his brows, knowing, understanding that this was something she had done, some kind of power that she herself had learned, some kind of ability that she possessed. Surely, something so strong came with some kind of a price, some amount of her strength… some amount of difficulty. He took her hand in his own and gave her a soft chuckle.

“I would dare say that I don’t try to manipulate anyone at all, merely influence them with my own points and way of thinking. Though, I suppose that doesn’t really make a very strong case. I’m afraid I don’t know any of this…. What did you call them?” His eyes moved over hers, seeing them in earnest for the first time. At least, that was how this felt. They were so much sharper than before. So much clearer. Like some kind of haze had been lifted from his vision. They were such a clean blue, pure, and thoughtful. So very deep and worrisome. He smiled, and pushed a kiss to her palm. “You needn’t spend your strength on me, Amour, and you needn’t worry about me with any other. Don’t deny it, I can see it in you. Triste is… how do you say…”

He paused, thinking for a moment before giving a shrug of his huge shoulders. “She is very much not my type. Nothing like you. Too dark, skin and hair and eyes. Too curvy. More places than she needs. Not like you, with the perfect curves in the perfect places, Amour. None are like you, after all. I have no need to look at anyone else.” he smiled, and placed another kiss to the heel of her palm.




<Charisma> The moment she dropped her hand, she felt her strength as it began to wane. She has pushed herself far too far with her craft, only to send herself over the edge in an effort to take care of him. Even now, when she knew that he no longer needed her protection, she was attempting to find a way to help him. Shaking her head, she pressed her hand to his chest for balance, her lips quirking into a hint of a smile before her features became that impassive mask once again. She had spoke of his path, and yet, she had done little to inform him of her own. She had felt the changes in herself the moment she had met him, though, the ice that had formed around her heart thawing. It made no sense to her, and she filed it away to analyze at a later date.

“That only makes you appear more guilty to those that have such a strong dislike for your kind,” she agreed, though she smiled. “You will learn how to control it with practice and time, I am certain. Until then, you must be careful in who you choose to charm. You could end up in a very dangerous situation otherwise.” Tracing her tongue over her lower lip, she gave a shake of her head and kept her gaze locked with his, the blue of her eyes clouding with confusion the longer he stared at her. She hadn’t the slightest clue as to what he could possibly be looking for, and she counted the seconds until he began to speak again in her mind. He cannot get enough of you, Melody. You will learn in time. Ignoring the voice that piped up, she curled her fingers into a loose fist against his chest and chuckled softly.

“You are meaning to say that she is overweight.” She knew that the words were blunt, and had the woman been in front of her, she would have flinched. Yet, she could no more stop from speaking the truth than stop the sun from rising.





<Alton> Laughing lightly, he lifted his hand to her cheek and gave a gentle nod. “Yes, that’s what I mean. I was simply being nice about it. She’s well aware, and she’s quite happy with her body. More power to her. Just not my Charisma.” He said with a sly smirk, his hand moving along her side, tracing the shape of her body with his palm. He watched her closely, then, and knit his brows as he looked her over.

“And what about you, exactly? Two fold question. You mentioned that I was an Allurist, that much is true. I know about my powers, at least a little, at least what they will pertain to. What about yours? What sort of creature are you, really?” He eyed her closer, then, his hand moving to take a hold of hers, squeezing her fingers. “And what about your strength? You look hungrier than even I had felt just a moment ago. Should we maybe get you something?”



<Charisma> Shaking her head as he laughed off her insult, she ran her fingers through her hair to secure the blonde curls behind her ear. “It is unhealthy to be large, but she is not as large as most. She is still quite capable of walking. We only need to be concerned when she can no longer exercise.” Lifting her shoulder in a shrug, she offered him another warm smile as she controlled the physical reaction that his touch brought out in her. “You do not own me, amour.” she reminded him, before grabbing his hand and bringing it to her back, instead of her hip, where he was beginning to travel.

“I am afraid I was not reborn into something as charming as you were,” she admitted reluctantly, before biting into her lower lip. If she could deny him his answer she would, but the need to tell him the truth twisted in her stomach until she began to feel ill. “I am what is known as a killer. From what I have assessed, we fit our name quite beautifully. Many are emotionless, while some are rather temperamental. No matter what emotional route we take, we all end up the same. Murderers.” Her voice was quiet by the time she finished, and despite the desire to look away from him, she kept her gaze locked with his as if to ascern what he thought before he spoke.

Trailing her tongue over her lower lip, she shrugged off his concern and chuckled quietly. “I had very little strength left in me, and I used it to take care of you. It is a habit, I suppose. I will find someone to feed on when I head home. I think there is a fraternity party over at the college tonight. They should be far easier than normal, sober men.”






<Alton> Chuckling, he spread his fingers across the curve of her back, feeling her shape as he smirked, the devilish twist of his lips both sly and amused. “You? Not so charming? Why, I feel that I have been deceived. You are quite the charmer, Amour. Your way with words is astounding. Like a glass blower with a sledgehammer.” He smiled, listening to her as his other hand pushed lightly through her hair, brushing the stray strands from her face as she talked.

A Killer, you say?

So very strange that the beauty becomes the beast, while the beast becomes a smooth talker. It’s all very peculiar.

He leaned down and pushed his lips to her brow again. “I can see it in your eyes, you know. The darkness there, inside of you. I think it suits you rather nicely. It makes a fine contrast to your radiance. It makes you quite the complexity, if I do say so myself.” He shook his head, and pulled her close, hugging her frame. “If it helps, it changes nothing about how I feel about you.” he heard her plans for later that evening, then. The other half of his question.

He lifted a brow, then, and shook his head. “Triste can be of service for you just as well as she can for me, you know. Since you spent your strength on me, it is only fair that I share with you, also. She won’t mind you dropping by early, either. A party sounds too… busy. Won’t there be a lot of people there to bump into you?”



<Charisma> With another quiet laugh, she pressed her hands to his chest and gently pried herself from his grasp. “And now, it has become even more evident of what you have become. It takes a true wordsmith to be able to charm someone like me.” Her voice was teasing for the first time that evening, and she found herself slowly beginning to relax the longer she was in his presence. It was strange, to not have to worry about harming him or revealing far too much that he needed to know. Now, she could tell him everything. She no longer had to wither in pain until she blurted out the truth, because there was no longer a reason to hide who and what she really was from him. He had risked everything to ensure that it would be possible, and she had all but condemned him for it. Guilt gnawed at her stomach, and she quickly turned from him and began to walk towards the river.

“I am glad you think so, amour, but you have yet to see the worst of me. I am nothing more than a rabid animal. I was able to control myself when I was with you, and I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I did - and do - feel something for you. However, anyone else that is to come near me during my hunger is not as lucky.” Trailing off, then, she rubbed her hands against her thighs before spinning to face him. “I cannot and will not feed from Triste. Not only do I refuse to, your cousin has forbidden me to sustain myself on anyone in her crew, and I do not blame her. We kept much from you when you were my donor.” Offering him a weak smile, she ran her fingers through her hair and pulled the golden curls over her shoulder.

“I am not certain why, but I seem to be unable to control my thirst. One drop of blood, one whiff of it on the air, and I turn into a monster. Once I begin to feed, I cannot stop until they are drained, and more times than not, I leave them in pieces.” Despite the urge to hide her face, she remained still, her spine straight and her eyes locked on his. Though ashamed of her weakness, she knew that there was nothing she could do to change what she had become. It was a curse passed down from her maker, she was more than certain, though it had never been revealed to her. It was the only thing that she could find that explained her inability to control herself. “Do not worry about me, amour, as I have learned how to satisfy my needs in peace.”





<Alton> Frowning, he stepped into her, putting his arms around her and holding her tight. His grasp squeezed her about the middle, nearly hoisting her off her feet in the embrace. He pressed his cheek to hers, speaking softly into her ear when he did. “You are incredibly strong, Charisma. I understand that you cannot take from anyone we know. I know why, and I’m thankful that you haven’t. They are all my friends, my family, and to remain so calm as you have, while in the middle of them all… it must have taken a tremendous amount of effort.”

Slowly, he settled her back down onto her feet, his hands moving to push her hair from her face. He smiled into those deep, thoughtful blue eyes, and pressed yet another kiss to her brow. “I cannot begin to imagine the pains you must go through to keep yourself satisfied, to remain hidden with such a terrible burden. Now that I know, I will not, I cannot allow you to use your strength on me, again. I am safe with my own method. I can feed in privacy, in my own home if I must. The garage, the apartment, wherever I need to keep myself safe. You, however…” He shook his head and gently cupped her face in either of his hands.

“Practiced as you might be, what if you slipped? What if something unexpected happened, and you were caught? Would that not be worse for the both of us?” He sighed lightly, and ran the pad of his thumb along her cheekbone. “I understand that it is a necessity tonight, that you haven’t the strength to feed yourself as you have for me… another sacrifice that I can’t seem to repay. Just please, make me the promise that you will do everything right, that you will be safe, that there will be no mistakes…”

He put his arms around her again, and held her tight. He felt like he was going to lose her. He felt foolish. He knew she would be fine. Deep down, he knew that she had done this very thing a thousand times, and that she had arisen the next evening unscathed. A part of him loathed the thought of her feeding, the same as she had for him. He understood the surge of possession, of jealousy, but he understood, far greater, the need for safety, for assurance. He squeezed her tightly, powerful arms threatening to lift her from the floor again.




<Charisma> As he wound his arms back around her, she fought the urge to pull from his hold once more. She couldn’t comprehend why she suddenly felt as if she were inadequate in his embrace, yet the feeling pulsed through her with each second that he pulled her against his chest. Shaking her head, she moved her hands along his form until they were cupped behind his neck, her mind still torn between fleeing and relinquishing all control him. She had never felt something so confusing, so frightening in her life, and she found herself growing wary. Was this a part of the powers that he possessed? Was he able to manipulate her mind as easily as he could a human? Perhaps it is simply you changing, Melody. You cannot remain lost forever.

Running her tongue over her canine, she slowly pried herself from his grasp once more, this time so she could smooth out her top. “Even if she had not demanded that I keep my distance, I would have never have risked it. If it were not for Couer, I would have never found my way to your crew - or to you, amour. I had barely managed to control myself when Cendre was around, and I refused to risk an innocent.” Her voice was quiet as she spoke, and she moved her gaze past him, to the deserted road as she sighed. “I cannot promise you that I will not risk myself to protect you, as I know that if the time were to ever arise, you would do the same. You need not to worry, however, as it is engrained in my very being to be careful. My creator, she is a very powerful woman in the city, and many fear her wrath. I am one of them.”

Laughing, then, she held her arms out at her sides. “After all, she did kill me for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What is to stop her from taking my life once again for merely trying to survive?” She knew that her words would offer him little comfort, but she could not lie to him and tell him that there was nothing to fear. Instead, she leaned up on her toes to press her lips to his cheek, her touch lingering for a moment longer than normal before she resumed her natural position. “If you rather, you could accompany me, or you could wait for me at the garage until I am finished. The choice is yours, but dawn is coming soon, and while I can last in the sunlight, it still weakens me. It is not safe for either of us.” She didn’t bother to fight him when he pulled her back in, and instead, she wound her arms back around his shoulders. She didn’t need to possess the power of empathy to understand that he was concerned, she could feel it in the way his muscles bunched when he embraced her. He was still so young, and she wished that she could ease his worry. However, he had wished for this life - and now, now he would truly understand why she had protected him as long as she could.