Author: Jakobi, Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:56 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

He arched an eyebrow, a low chuckle weaving from his lips when she turned away from him in a huff. There was the fire. He sat back against the trunk and watched her, listened to hear heart beating. It changed so often that he wondered if she’d ever be predictable. And then he reminded himself that everyone was in the end. For a moment he let the silence linger between them, until finally he leaned forward; resting his hands on her shoulders but not forcing her to turn around.

“Hm,” he mused, his head turning up in faux thought, “A realm of monsters. I guess I never thought of it like that before.” He brought his eyes back down and looked down the arch of her neck, the line of her spine as it ran down her back only to disappear under her clothing. With her like this in front of him, the lines of her anatomy so prevalent, she reminded him of a baby bird: fragile, weightless, in constant danger.

“Of course where we are right now isn’t much better,” he said, casting his eyes down to the forest floor below. “You’ll be sad to find that this entire world is a realm of monsters,” he said. His eyes remained focused on the ground, but his fingers gripped tighter at her arms. It would be easy, so easy to push her from the branch. Not that he would, but sometimes impulsive thoughts invaded him. Sometimes he ignored them, and other times…

He pulled his hands back from her shoulders, not trusting them right now. “In any case,” he sighed, “I won’t force you to go there, even if I think it would do you some good.” A smirk cracked across his face as his eyes drifted back up to that taunting dip in her neck. His lips remembered what her skin felt like beneath them; his tongue still yearned for her taste, and if he still had a pulse it would be racing with anticipation. “Where would you want to go then?” he asked, his voice soft as rustling leaves.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:34 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Aurelia frowned at the thought. She didn't want to see those monsters though. Why did she need to? It seemed so…so…it seemed like too much. The brutality of life was not for her. If she had to go through her whole life innocent but happy she would be fine with that. Nature was her life, and creatures like Jakobi weren't part of that. They were…different. They were something new. Why couldn't she just…live like she had before. She didn't want to need fire in her life. She just wanted to be one with the light and live to embrace it. She glared at Jakobi, "You act as if I'll come with you to this…realm of monsters or whatever it is. I'm perfectly fine here in nature, thank you very much!" With a huff, she turned her back on him. She wasn't his. According to what he had said he would feed on her for a week, but that didn't mean she was his slave. She refused to be anything of the sort. Although if he really wanted to he could likely just pick her up and throw her over his shoulder. She sighed. If there was one thing she hated about herself it would be how fragile she could be. She was many times lighter than she should be, perhaps as a reflection of light itself? She didn't know. All Aurelia knew was that she sometimes wished there was actual weight to her steps. It had made her frantic sprint away from Jakobi earlier interesting. She had felt…Almost human. Of course, she had been running many times faster than a human could, but that strain after the feeding had indeed made her feel like a different being. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she supposed she didn't know just yet. Turning to him reluctantly, she grumbled, "How long am I going to be…weak like this…?"

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:37 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

He sighed, shaking his head in light disappointment. True that the gods had given her life, but he couldn’t imagine being so eternally bound to someone. No. No, he knew exactly what that felt like, and hated it. So more, he couldn’t imagine being bound and actually liking it. Maybe she wasn’t just naïve but young as well. Perhaps one day she’d grow out of it. Or maybe her makers were just much kinder than his had been. Either way, he listened as she spoke, though kept his eyes comfortably closed.

Ah, so she had seen darker things. Good, as much as he delighted in her understanding of the danger he brought, he wouldn’t have liked if he’d been the very first wickedness she’d encountered. He exhaled slowly through his lips and shook his head again, “It might do you some good to get there in time to see the beasts that make minced meat of men.” For someone like him it was normal, natural even, to deal with gruesomeness day in and day out: it’s how he survived after all. For him to live, it meant taking a force of life from someone else in the form of blood.

“You showed some fire in the cave,” he mused, remembering all too well the fleeting sting of her hand against his cheek. “So you aren’t completely inept, just too green to the world.” He opened his eyes and stretched his arms over his head until he felt and heard a satisfying crack. The glow of his eyes had dimmed some now that he was no longer in survival mode, or preying on someone. From this height he hoped it wouldn’t be a giveaway of where they were.

“Have you ever been to Kurayo?” he asked with genuine curiosity, a grin breaking across his lips the way glass spiderwebs from impact: too quick and all together frightening. “Oh…” his eyelids drooped with pleasure, remembering how her blood had tasted, imagining a frenzy with it, “They’d want to eat you up.” He sighed, “But they wouldn’t. They have rules and their own government and all that,” he said with a light wrinkling of his nose. He wasn’t for all of that; whenever he put on airs it was for show to get what he wanted.

“Even so,” he remarked, “It’s so stark in comparison to what you’ve experienced thus far that I think it might do you some good. Tough love,” he smirked, the expression not unkind for a rare moment. “Just make sure they see your fire. You have the sunset in you, do you not? That means you can burn. Show them,” he said, leaning towards her with widening eyes.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:18 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

She carefully extracted from herself, sitting close to him still. Not because she necessarily wanted to, of course. The branch just happened to be thicker there, and being closer to the trunk kept the breeze off her bare arms. She blushed a bit at his comment, looking off into the distance, replying softly, "I cannot say whether it is good or bad, just that the gods have blessed me with life and thus I serve them." She looked up at the moons, wondering what this vampire had seen to make him so…him…She doubted he was always this way when he was supposedly was a human. She took one of her hands and began absent-mindedly moving it through her hair, trying to make it at least a little bit more respectable out of habit.

At his question, she looked at him, expecting some sort of cocky expression, but oddly enough, Jakobi seemed to not be focused at her at all. With his eyes closed, she looked him over. She'd never really looked at him without those eyes open. Those stupidly alluring eyes. She supposed he looked…not ugly as well, for someone who was likely an older being as well from the way he spoke. "Personally, I've been kept safe from monsters like you…" Aurelia replied, a frown on her face, "But some of the travelers I've come across in the night aren't so lucky. I've seen some very…gruesome scenes over the…time I've been around. Usually the creature has left by the time I arrive though." She sighed, looking back away. She really was naive to the world, wasn't she? More so than she had thought.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:42 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His eyes opened a sliver before he nodded and moved her from his arms so that she could sit safely on the branch herself. She hadn’t answered his question and he didn’t bother to ask it again. With a slow exhale he closed his eyes again and rested his arms behind his head to pillow against the bark of the tree. “I guess that’s luck in its own way,” he shrugged, “To be kept from ugliness as long as you have. Well, this level at least.” She’d thought him to be a human which meant she had to have had her fair share of run ins with them. They weren’t all kind and good, maybe she just hadn’t seen that yet. Lucky for her.

“Well we have some time here, you and I,” he smirked, the last of the tired feeling in his muscles dispersing. “So I’m curious, what’s the worst thing you’ve ever faced?” He peaked just one eye open to look at her, “Aside from me,” he clarified. His eyes closed again and he focused on the sound of the wind through the leaves, the too sweet scent of the sap and rot of so much foliage. Intermingled with it all was her, as much as he would have liked to ignore that fact.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:26 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

She knew. Aurelia definitely knew how easy he could abandon her right there, so she shut her mouth. She was soon brought in almost too tightly, her body pressed uncomfortably against Jakobi as he began to lift them up. She looked down as they went up and immediately felt a bit off. It wasn't fear, per say, she had just normally stuck to the ground. The trees she did climb were usually of the easy variety, not gigantic trees such as this one. She was impressed by his strength though. She didn't weigh much, but pulling them both up with a single arm was still an impressive accomplishment. 

She reluctantly followed his orders, wrapping herself around him like a pack. It was a little humiliating, having to so thoroughly depend on this man, but she supposed she'd have to live with it. At least he was a semi-useful monster to have around. She rested her head against the back of his neck as he climbed, his scent washing over her. It still didn't seem like something natural to her, as if something was missing with him. Did he really used to be human? This really was a sad corruption if that was the case. She closed her eyes, not wanting to have to look down until they were on steady ground.

Aurelia looked up at him once he had brought her back into his arms. It wasn't unpleasant, but why? "Can I sit here please…?" She murmured, wondering why he seemed so seemingly happy. Weren't they in some sort of mortal danger? She realized then that her hair was quite ruffled, a site she wasn't used to seeing. What was that back there that had made such a person as Jakobi so wary? She'd heard stories of witches, but none as powerful as it seemed this thing chasing them was.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:09 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

He looked down at her, arching an eyebrow at her lack of input, “I do hope you realize how easily I could drop you and leave you for whatever that is,” he nodded behind him towards the direction he’d run from. This was stupid, probably the stupidest thing he’d done, keeping someone so weak with him. Why wasn’t he taking his own advice and leaving her here at the base of a tree? Soon enough that thing would catch up and she’d be enough of a distraction for him to have cleared more distance.

Tempting as the idea was, he instead tucked her closer; holding her with one arm as he took a step back to find the closest branch. It wasn’t too far and he prepared himself before crouching and jumping up. His free hand gripped tightly to the branch, the bark instantly scratching his hand raw. It was an odd thing to feel his own blood. What a waste, right after he’d fed. His jaw locked as he pulled them up and straddled the branch. “It’s a good thing you’re not a boulder nymph,” he said in jest. Really it was a good thing she was so light or this would be much worse.

When he was ready he stood up again, able to find much easier hand holds, “Wrap your legs about my waist; your arms around my neck.” He shifted her around so that she was on his back, and once her arms and legs were around him properly he used his hands and legs to climb them higher; it was much easier this way, but he wasn’t used to his center of gravity being so thrown off by someone perched on his back.

“G-Grip as hard as you need to,” he said as he jumped to a branch much too far, “Sadly it takes a lot to cause pain.” he said through a bitter smile. No one ever expects to miss the easiness of pain once they’re sired…until the first half century turns and you start to wonder if lack of senses equates to lack of morality. When finally they were high enough for his liking, he moved her off his back and held her in his arms like he had before. His sat, draping his legs around the thick branch as he leaned back against the trunk. They were a good fifty feet up, not a pleasant drop, but surely high enough to be out of reach of whatever it was below. His head thudded back against the tree and a weathered smile spread across his face. Fatigue, he wasn’t used to fatigue. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or if it was just nostalgia for humanity.

“So,” he said, eyes closing for a moment, “What happens when the sun comes up for you?” By that time he’d have to be back on the ground and sheltered, but the night was young enough that he’d be safe for a while.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:43 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Aurelia was surprised by how…disturbed Jakobi seemed to be. Not long ago he was entirely cocky, now he seemed wary. She opened her mouth in surprised as he scooped her up, but it certainly wasn't the worst feeling being cradled in his arms, even if he was a monster. She settled her head into the bend of his arm, still utterly exhausted. She couldn't fall asleep though. She wished she could, but the sun itself decided on her sleep schedule. At least it never meant she was ever deprived of sleep. She rolled her eyes as he bragged about his strength. Even in his apparent fear, the cockiness was back. She didn't need to worry. He was right that it was likely due to her nature that she was so…unusually untouched by the evils of the land, but she wasn't fazed by that. The gods would keep her safe. They always had. She thought with an inward cringe that perhaps Jakobi himself was sent by the gods to save her but she dismissed the thought. No savior would intrude on her like he had. Regardless, he was her only hope for safety right now. She looked up at him for the first time once they got back from the tree, murmuring, "You know more about these things than I do apparently, you tell me." She hoped this wasn't some elaborate trick or something. It would have been an impressively complex trick, but her trust in Jakobi was gone, so she wouldn't put it past him.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:29 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His eyes stayed focused past her; searching the blackened trees for any sign of movement. There was none that could be immediately seen, but he was able to just barely feel a tremor in the ground. Despite how far this thing was, it was still making that big of an impact. His eyes darted back down to her, irritation flitting across his face before looking out again. She really couldn’t walk? He didn’t think he’d drained her that far. Then again, she’d never once been fed on. The first time was always the worst.

“I don’t know what it is,” he admitted quietly, red eyes glowing brighter before casting them back down to her. “I told you,” he said with a rueful smile, “I’m not the worst thing here.” His arms moved under her; scooping her up bridal style to hold against his chest with much gentler hands than one might have expected.

“It’s large. Being sired has made me strong, but I’d rather not test that strength against a mystery enemy,” And then he darted off, keeping her curled protectively against his chest despite himself. Meal or not, he couldn’t really just leave her there. “The Virens aren’t a safe place, your connection to nature has probably shielded you no matter what wood you’re in, but might I suggest only staying here if absolutely necessary,” his voice called down to her over the wind as he dashed them through; weaving expertly between the trees.

“That cave we were staying in, I’d bet my name that it leads to the witch tunnels. I’ve never seen them before but,” he laughed, the sound like breaking glass, “Well let’s just hope we don’t meet with any of them.” Where could he even take them? Night was upon them, it belonged to the evils of this place now. Alone he would be fine, but taking on another person’s safety? The smart thing to do would be to drop her. He was selfish: not evil.

His fingers kept a safe grip on her, all the way up to a particularly large oak; its bark woven with blood red sap. His head slowly tilted back as he looked up it, his chest rose and fell heavily as he fought to catch his breathing. It was a long way up, which meant a long drop back down, “Do you think whatever it is can climb?”

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 1:44 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

As Aurelia heard footsteps coming her way, her blood felt ice-cold. She began tearing up, knowing that this was the end of the line for her. She'd been caught. She'd be stuck as Jakobi's…plaything for a week, if not more. She didn't trust him to not keep her longer than that. She froze as she could feel his presence beside her, tears streaming down her face as she waited, as silent as possible. She let out a short gasp as he lifted her head up, feeling entirely defeated. His stroking along her shoulder would have made her shy away at first, but now she let it happen, the tears continuing. This man was truly a monster. If she had seen that, she would have ran away long before he crippled her spirit. She would have avoided him at all costs. She stiffened as he gripped her shoulder, resigned to her fate. However, with his sudden change in tone, fear began to creep back in. "What is it?" She murmured, panic in her eyes, "I can't run anymore like this…" Would he leave her to whatever was following them? It wouldn't surprise her one bit, but she held out hope that he'd be at least somewhat sensible.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:11 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Her fearful breaths echoed back to him as she ran from the cave and he chuckled. This would be way too easy. The counting continued in his head as he opened his eyes and slowly walked around the cave. The day before he’d made it inside just in the nick of time to escape the sun, but now he was able to take a good look at it. The walls were damp and cold; when he brushed his fingers along a few sections he felt slick moss. His eyebrows furrowed, noticing something.

Leaning in, he saw that some of the moss had been scraped away expertly: leaving no fragments behind and taking up the green in a skillful mat to leave a perfect section taken off. For a moment he forgot about the nymph, knowing he’d be able to find her easily no matter how much of a lead he gave her. Instead he walked just a little ways deeper into the cave. He inclined his head, sniffing out the air and catching a light fragrance of smoke from deep within the bowels. Well, that couldn’t be good. A mental note was taken: don’t rest in this cave again.

Now his attention had returned and he sprinted from the mouth of the cave. The black trees blurred around him as he wove expertly through them. Her scent was easy enough to pick up and her heavy footfalls had left obvious trails to follow. This was much too simple, it didn’t seem fair. Should he catch up to her immediately and drink from her again now? Or draw it out? She wasn’t far.

Suddenly he heard a large crack in the distance that stopped him in his tracks. His lips parted and his eyes widened as he looked out; trying to make out any shapes or forms in the tangle of trees. Something was in the distance, something large. The Virens weren’t known for their infinite safety after all. Best for him to find her before something else did: she was his and no one else’s. He reminded himself of that fact as he took off, leaving a flurry of damp leaves in his wake.

He saw her and locked his jaw in anticipation before stopping short just at her head. “Tsk tsk…” he shook his head in mock solemnity and moved his fingers under his chin to raise her head up to look at him. “Now now Aurelia, I thought I said to run your fastest. What are we going to do with you?” He chuckled, “Should I do it here…? Under the stars…? Lock you into night eternally? Or suffer through a morning in shelter to feed from you just before you drift away again?” He ran his fingers along her shoulder before gripping. Again he heard the noise and dropped his taunting tone to quickly shush her, “Hold on…” the playful mock of his voice faded to a serious edge.

“We need to move.”

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:55 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

She perked up a little bit at the revelation that he was actually going to let her go, but was immediately frozen by his teeth brushing against her skin. Horror quickly flashed through her, and she began to freeze up. It took her an extra moment to realize that he had just backed away from her when he did. Oh no! She had already lost precious seconds. She picked up the front of her dress so that she wouldn't trip over it and then began to run out of the cave. What Aurelia immediately found was that while she seemed to be running as fast as normal for her, it felt as if she was running with iron weights attached to every limb. Her arms, which were holding up the fabric of her dress, were burning as if she were carrying giant rocks instead. She was soon sweating at the effort as she moved swiftly through the trees, something that almost never happened to her. Running was something effortless to her, but now it was as if the draining had hurt her physically more than it had seemed to. She had to press on though. She knew little of how fast vampires were, but from how confident Jakobi seemed it wasn't likely that they were slow. 

However, even as she moved across great distances, the weights bringing her down seemed to grow. Her sweaty hands were losing their grip on her dress, and soon the fabric dropped down. She let out a cry of pain as she tripped and fell to the ground, utterly exhausted. She had never been this physically tired before. What had he done to her? Tears began to well up in her eyes as she knew that she wouldn't be able to get back up without help. Unless the man couldn't track her, she was as good as caught.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:41 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

He arched an eyebrow, taken aback by how wilting her speech was now. Was she really this afraid? Well, really, he couldn’t be too surprised. And if anything motivated speed: it was fear. His lips pressed to her neck, his fangs touching but not actually piercing before he pulled back from her and released her wrist only to move his hands against the wall on either side of her. “All right then,” he said, “I’m going to give you a half minute’s head start.”

His eyes travelled down her face to her neck, down along her collar, to the dip that started just at her breasts. He’d fed from there before and wondered momentarily if he would do that with her when he undoubtedly won this little footrace. “In that time, I do hope that you run just as fast as you possibly can…” His eyes glinted brighter, casting crimson shadows on her face and neck, “I know I will.” he promised.

And then, in a flash, he had stepped back from her completely: leaving at least three feet between them with hands clasped behind his back. “I’d start running if I were you,” he spoke with light threat, all the while his lips spread into a wide smile. He closed his eyes and slowly began to count, letting his head tilt from side to side with each number. How far would she get? Would her fear be enough to save her? They’d know in less than a minute’s time.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:31 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

It was almost stunning to think about. Before this physical intimacy, this man pressing himself up against her, had sunk her into a trance. Now? Now she felt as if she was going to throw up as he grabbed her and propped her up against the wall. She felt like she was just being used. It wasn't something she was used to, and she really didn't want to get used to it. She was almost forced to look up at him as her shifted her, but she avoided his eyes, knowing the power they held. She again had to try hard not to make some sort of pathetic noise as the vampire neared where he had sunk his teeth earlier. The feeling of that initial puncture still disturbed her greatly.

Trying not to look like she was on the verge of crying, Aurelia looked up at him, replying in so soft a voice that it was nearly a whisper, "I just want you to leave…" She didn't know if he was just teasing her or playing with her, and she wouldn't truly trust him, but she had to try. Otherwise, she was going to be stuck as his plaything for sure based on what he was saying. She shivered at the thought of being fed on every day against her will, disturbed. She had to get away. She just had to.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:33 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Her reaction was immediate and he smirked against her wrist before kissing again and taking a short step forward to have her back touch the wall. While he didn’t pin her there like he’d done before, he wanted her to be physically reminded by how very submissive her current situation was. All the while he kept her wrist held; not allowing the space between them grow. If anything, his stomach was nearly touching hers as he tilted his head to watch the down turn of her eyes.

Where had that spunk gone? She really was green to the world, and while her fear was delicious he preferred the feistiness she’d shown. Even if it was brief. The quick trill of her heartbeat flooded his ears and it was all he could do to not bite into her wrist right then and there. “Oh?” he asked in a doubtful tone before dragging this tongue up her palm; keeping his lips close enough to brush as he did so. “You think you can outrun any monster?”

His other hand found her hip again and he pushed his knee between her legs to rest against the wall behind her. Their chests were very nearly touching and he pulled her wrist up more; bringing her arm to drape at his shoulder, “You didn’t seem too eager to run away a few moments ago,” he pointed out with a possessive chuckle. “Do you think you could outrun me?” he asked, not expecting her to honestly answer.

“What if I give you a head start, hmm?” he mused, dipping his head down to brush his lips behind her ear, “If I win,” he said, gently pulling her earlobe between his teeth, “Then I get to drink from you every night for the next week.” He cocked his head to the side, letting his face softly press into the crook of her neck; inhaling the earthiness of her scent from here.

“What would you want as a prize if you were able to win?” Not that he thought she’d be able to, but there was scarcely anything he could think of that would be enough to motivate her to run faster than she’d ever run before. Well, aside from not being fed on that is.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 9:28 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

The immense satisfaction and brief feeling of power she received from the contact of her hand to his face was only short-lived, as she quickly found herself back in his iron grip. She desperately tried to pull away by using his chest to push herself away, but it was no use. With how light she was, he could probably lift her up by her wrist if he tried. She hung almost limp, resigned to her fate. He was probably going to kill her now for her actions. She tried her hardest not to look up at his eyes, staring down at the cave floor intensely. Aurelia had to try hard to not actively whimper as the vampire as he brought his tongue along a finger, before he lingered on her wrist. Jakobi held her life in his hands. Composing herself, she muttered, "I don't worry about monsters. I can outrun them at any time." She wasn't too sure how she'd be now, but surely she could still run, right?

She could almost imagine her sprinting away, leaving this terrible experience behind her. The pleasure she had felt during the act also scared her. Where had it come from? How could a single vampire's teeth cause such a reaction? It was all a mystery to her. For once she actually wished she wasn't a nocturnal nymph. Meeting more humans would likely have prevented a situation like this from ever happening. She sighed, letting her shame wash over her.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 9:11 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His lips pulled in; a weak attempt at holding back a wider smile still. With how she was carrying on he couldn’t help himself. It was nice to see how quickly she got her spark back, and even better to know how much fire there was under that seemingly naïve demeanor of hers. She really didn’t have much experience with deadly night creatures, from what she was saying at least. How odd it was that she had no idea just how lucky she really was, being a creature of the nocturnal as she was. As most deadly beings were.

Suddenly, he felt her hand smack against his cheek. His head went to the side; his black hair splaying across his face as his wide eyes stared downcast to the ground. All sound left his ears and his breathing grew deeper. Had he been slapped before? Well, yes, he’d been worse than slapped and usually deserved it. But for some reason it enraged him more that she had, most likely due to her bringing the gods into this.

Fast as a dropping shadow, he snatched up her wrist and gripped it tightly; all traces of playfulness gone from his face as he straightened to his full height to look down at her with much narrower eyes. The blood hue of his irises glowed dangerously brighter. A shock of fangs showed from under his lips as a corner of his lips curled up into a threatening smirk, “You have fire, I admire that.” He gripped her wrist tighter and pulled her hand up to his lips: the warmth from her hitting him still lingered on her palm.

“Consider putting it to better use than slapping creatures you hardly know anything about,” His tongue moved up the length of one of her fingers and he flirted with the idea of pricking the end of her finger with his teeth. No, not this time. “You haven’t dealt with vampires or other night lurkers which is a little more than a miracle. Head out into The Virens unprepared and you’ll soon come upon them. I’m not the worst thing in this wood tonight,” His lips dragged down to the vulnerable flesh at the underside of her wrist before pressing them there in a soft kiss; teasing himself with the rush of her blood so close under such thin skin.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 8:50 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Aurelia began to feel a bit of strength return to her mentally as Jakobi was clearly not going to act nice. "I am here to commune with nature!" She snapped, glaring at the 'vampire,' "It's not my fault if most of you non-forest creatures don't go around during the time I'm awake!" She knew she wasn't the most in touch with many things, but she wasn't stupid, and she resented how this total stranger was so clearly mocking her. At his next question, she had to think for a moment, sheepishly murmuring, "I've only heard the vaguest of stories from travelers. When you live as long as I have it all somewhat filters out I guess…"

Aurelia stiffened as Jakobi began moving in her direction again. He was really pushing it with what he was saying. She balled up her fists. She didn't look very intimidating, but she was more furious than she'd been in a while. She frowned for a moment, unsure of what to do. Finally, she decided to risk it. She raised her hand and slapped the man, yelling, "How dare you? I am a servant of the gods and you come here and defile me? You're sick!"

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 7:32 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

She pulled back from him, as much of a struggle as it was he didn’t try and bring her back, and instead removed his hands from her. It appeared as though she had enough strength to keep herself held up, but despite the feeding coming to an end his eyes still had their hunter’s edge as he watched her. Bringing one hand up, he used the back of his wrist to wipe away any remnants of her blood from his lips and then proceeded to lick the traces away, “I’m not a human.” That much was obvious.

“Just how much experience do you have with the outside world?” he asked with an arch of an eyebrow. Was it possible that she’d yet to encounter a vampire? And then there was a new question all together: did she even know what a vampire was to begin with? What a dangerous way to learn of the species.

He chuckled, his eyes watching her as she attempted to regain even more of her drained strength. It would be a little while before she was back in full force, at least that’s what it had been like with other nymphs. Lucky for her she wasn’t a human or she’d be off her feet for at least another day with hardly anything to do other than crawl to water. “I’m a vampire, you do know what those are, don’t you?” His voice, while still holding the lace of allure, was gradually shifting to a patronizing mock.

“I guess I didn’t technically lie…After all, I never claimed to be human. Though to be honest,” he sighed, irritated at the memory of his former self, “I was human at one time.” He took slow cautious steps towards her, making sure that his palms were easily seen in an attempt to show that he was finished feeding on her. For now. His lips spread into a wide smile, “No offense was meant, but it’s been over a day since I’ve fed, and you came right to me…”

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 6:28 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

The feelings of pleasure abruptly began to slip away as Jakobi removed his fangs from her, but she still shivered one last time as he kissed her behind her ear. What had just happened? She felt…drained…weak…it was almost as if she wasn't…there really. The only reason she didn't collapse to the ground was the wall he had propped her up against. Why had he done this to her? Was this some sort of base need, or something malicious? Even now his red eyes were like a beacon to her, but now she wasn't drawn to them. Were they meant for someone else next? "What…?" She managed to get out, her normally bright hazel eyes almost dimmed, as if the light within her was as well. This couldn't be a human, could it? "What are you?" She finished, using the only bits of strength she had to take a step to the side. She still had a hand on the wall to keep herself propped up, but she was placing most of her weight on her legs without issue, although they still felt as if they were only half-working. She prayed that the gods would give her the strength of her kind back. She did not know how long this feeling would last. 

She hadn't even trusted him, had she? He was just another traveler passing through, right? Why would a simple traveler want to…drain her like he had? In her dazed state she could hardly comprehend anything about the situation. Another thing came to Aurelia's mind though, amd she took another step back. If he could do this to her once, what could stop him from doing it again? He had practically seduced her with a glance and a few kind words. Surely if she wasn't careful it would happen again. Regardless, she wanted answers. Gods know she didn't have enough based on the situation at hand.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 6:15 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

He felt her body slack in his arms, but of course kept her held up against himself to keep her from dropping to the ground. The more he drank from her, the deeper his breathing became until his expression weakened. True that he was feeding from her, making her prey to his predator, but he was such an addict to his bloodlust that his control was starting to dwindle. A soft moan escaped his lips, flooding along her neck to intermingle with the taste of blood.

Suddenly he felt her hand grip at his, that alone was enough to lead him back towards his senses. Any illusions she’d had of him being human were definitely gone now, but he’d had his taste of her and that made it all worth it. The starts of his name passed from her lips, and he kept her pressed between himself, but also pinned her towards the wall. It was time to pull back, he could feel her life draining dangerously fast. Her blood though, it was so powerful, so different from others. He’d been teasing her, but now he really did believe aspects of her were from the gods themselves.

With a light groan of frustration, he pressed his tongue to the marks at her neck: affectively healing them enough that no more of her blood would be lost. His tongue ran along her neck, collecting any stray drops that may have escaped. His fangs were still sharp: the urge to sink them back in still just as strong, but he forced himself not to. That didn’t mean he let her go, and it certainly didn’t mean he’d stepped away from her.

What would be the smartest thing to do? The cave was so dark, while that meant nothing to him since he could see perfectly well in the night, it was a sign that sun was completely set. The red glow of his eyes illuminated the side of her neck up to her jaw. He followed that glow with a trail of his lips before quickly pulling his head back. No. He couldn’t get sucked in, not if he wanted the chance to feed from her again.

“You trust too easily…” he murmured, his lips softly moving against her ear before kissing the delicate skin just under her earlobe. He’d expected his tone to be mocking, as it usually was to prey, but while her blood was quite delectable, it was almost too easy. She was too naïve to the world it seemed, or at least the evils of it. Maybe this would be a kind of lesson.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:58 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Enjoying her skin? How interesting. She did not know that there was anything unusual about her skin other than the color shifting. What was there to enjoy while they were in the dark? She almost came up with the strength to ask him, what he meant, but then a horrifying sensation overcame her as she saw with her own eyes the man sink his teeth into her. An immediate flight response began inside of her, but it was almost as quickly countered by a sudden rush of pleasure and contentedness. It felt…so fulfilling…She could almost forget what he was doing…She let out an unintentional sigh, a lazy smile making its way onto her even as her body tried its hardest to overcome the sensations. It was as if her entire body was being bathed in the pure light of the sun. If Jakobi hadn't been holding her tightly, her knees would have buckled. "Ja…" She gasped, trying but failing to say his name in a sort of minor protest. 

Even as the pleasure coursed through her veins, Aurelia couldn't help but feel small tendrils of pain snaking their way up to her scalp, as he grasped her locks with a sort of savage strength she would never have expected. Even though her resistance felt like it was weakening, she focused on that pain, trying to block out the feelings that were leaving her docile in his arms. After what seemed like eons but may have only been heartbeats, she managed to bring a hand up and weakly clasp onto Jakobi's in her hair. She didn't have the strength to resist any more, but she could at least let him know she was still there. She didn't know if this would do anything, but maybe it would. She could only try. Her vision began to fill up with spots as she could almost feel the light begin to lose its grip on her. She knew if Jakobi didn't stop she'd lose that connection for good. She supposed that would mean her death, a concept she had never really considered before.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:45 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His lips gently pressed to the soft flesh at the crook of her neck, enjoying the warmth of her skin but also the rush just beneath. His lips stayed close, brushing so softly there as he answered her in a tone soft as a butterfly’s wing, “I’m enjoying your skin,” he answered honestly. So, the gods had gifted her this shifting pigment? Was it for her own protection, camouflage maybe? If so, it wasn’t doing much at keeping her very safe.

He chuckled quietly as his fangs slowly elongated, “Well, their gift was very well suited.” And then his fangs slowly sank in, soon his mouth was filled with the warmth of her blood. He gripped her tighter, nearly crushing her body to his as his lips pressed around the puncture marks. Her blood ran down his throat, and he greedily took deep draws. His eyes fluttered closed, the usual euphoria overtaking his senses.

This though, this was different. He’d tasted nymphs in the past, but their homes were grounded here to Revaliir. Aurelia was different: her blood sang with the sun; the feeling was nearly overwhelming. The hand at the other side of her neck slowly slid up until his fingers were deeply woven into the dark locks of hair at the back of her head; forcing her head to tilt and expose herself to him even more.

He knew well that his breed of vampire elicited a pleasurable experience for the victim, but that didn’t mean that fear would stay eradicated: even if she found physical satisfaction from being fed on, there was still a very real risk that fear would outweigh that. That meant he had to drink as much of her as he could…but wouldn’t kill her. He knew he’d have to pull away from her soon, yet his lips kept their lock at her neck as his fingers twisted deeper into her hair.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:13 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Aurelia let out a gasp as Jakobi pulled her closer, but she couldn't work up the strength of mind to resist. The embrace felt inevitable, as if this entire encounter was leading to this one moment. She shivered as he brushed her hair back, as if he was looking for something. She could barely understand what was happening. What were these sudden feelings washing over her? Why did she feel so comfortable in this stranger's arms? She felt limp, and yet there was some sort of powerful force within her telling her to stay up and keep the embrace going. 

The nymph's mind cleared a bit as she questioned it all. Why was she standing here? She needed to be out with nature! How had she gotten to the point where this man almost seemed to have trapped her? "Jakobi…?" She murmured, now only half in the trance, "What are you doing…?" However, as she heard what he said, feeling his lips lightly graze her skin, she shivered again, falling back into the trance, replying, "A gift from the gods…" She almost sank into his arms. Her legs were shaking a little, as if she was growing tired…Would it be so wrong to just relax here? Surely it wouldn't hurt…

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:01 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His bottom lip slowly pulled under his teeth, having to literally bite himself to keep from doing so against her. The lock of hair was forgotten, he instead moved that hand down to her hip and slowly slid it around to hold her lower back and pull her closer. She was being taken in, that was obvious, but he never knew when her survival instincts might kick in and wanted to at least have a grasp on her. Playful banter or not, nymphs were very fast and agile. He himself was also light on his feet, but if he got too caught up in that type of hunt, he might lose himself to animal instincts. What good would she be to him later if he ripped her to shreds? No, he wanted her whole, he wanted her accessible should he desire her taste again.

Sunlight in the veins? It was so dangerous he couldn’t help but be intrigued. If her blood didn’t harm him then he could only imagine the energy and strength she would give him. His other hand moved to the nape of her neck, gently brushing her hair back to better expose it before softly gripping there and smiling, “Yes,” he nodded slowly, “Enemies.” Her skin had shifted, becoming much darker than it had been when they were at the mouth of the cave, and he couldn’t help himself as he dipped his head and let the tip of his nose run down the crook of her neck to her shoulder. Her scent was heady, and despite himself his fingers curled on her as if she were about to mist away from his grip.

“How does your skin do that Aurelia?” he asked, letting his lips just barely brush against her now darkened flesh. It would be so easy, right now, to force her head back and sink into her. She wasn’t even fighting him, had she never been around a vampire before? How lucky for him and so terribly unfortunate for her. There was still that chance that her blood could harm him, but rather than chase him off it compelled him to try: like standing on the edge of a cliff knowing full well you could plummet to your death, but being addicted that euphoric rush.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 2:44 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Those eyes…Even though her instincts were trying to urge her to run, she found herself almost lost in Jakobi's lovely red irises. She'd never met any human like him before. If this was what humans were now maybe they weren't so bad? As he spoke, kissing the lock of hair, she could almost feel the world slowing down around her. Was she in a hurry to leave? No, she could wait, just a little longer…She hardly even noticed that they were slowly moving farther and farther into the darkness. As he continued to speak, she murmured, "…Through my veins…yes…" Aurelia could hardly understand what she was saying, and although deep down she was panicking, she was now in a calm trance, stuck in the man's intense gaze. 

"Enemies…" She echoed, lightly pondering what he could mean. What enemies could someone like him have? She could almost feel his presence wrapping itself around her, pulling her in, but she wasn't resisting. She had never run into anyone like Jakobi before, and she was wholly unprepared. With a slight pang of confusion, she realized that they were much further in the cave than before. When had that happened? Her dark brown, almost black skin showed her that there wasn't much light here at all. Her body was confused, as normally she would be out basking in the rays of the setting sun. The confusion was apparent in her expression, and she barely even registered that the vampire was also closer to her. How odd!

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:03 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His eyes glowed brighter as her words began to stammer. The effects of preying were beginning to take hold of her. Just another minute or two and she’d be his. Would he drag it out? Tasting her skin and enjoying it that way? Or get straight to that lovely rush just beneath the surface? The tips of his canines were already getting sharper at the anticipation of a feeding, but they hadn’t started to elongate just yet.

He chuckled when she took a step back and he made sure not to follow her, though he didn’t let the strand of her hair go. It extended, showing the lengthened distance between them, and he could no longer help himself as he brought it up to his lips. “Quick you say? That almost sounds like a challenge,” he said in a teasing tone before kissing the lock of hair at his lips. His fingers trailed up it as he took a few slow steps towards her.

“To always carry the sun with you, is that to say it’s a part of you? Down to your bones? Flowing through your veins…?” His muscles began to tense, wanting nothing more than to spring upon her, hear and feel that pop of flesh. But no, he was so close, so close! The hunt was a thrill on its own to be sure, but this masochistic slowness had its own benefits. Her taste would be all the sweeter for drawing it out.

“Yes, humans are able to go out in the day,” he admitted, chancing another step towards her even if it meant leading her deeper within the cave. From the shadows the glow of his eyes was that much more prominent. “I came here to hide from an enemy…” he answered, which wasn’t entirely untrue. The sun was one of, if not his greatest, enemies after all. How ironic that shortly he’d be feeding from one of its guardians.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:52 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

It was odd, Aurelia almost felt as if Jakobi shushing her had some sort of…force behind it…Was there something persuasive there? It had to be just him. Humans weren't inherently magical unless they wore those wacky robes. What were they called….Wizards! That was it. Regardless, she could feel herself calming down. Jakobi meant her no harm. He was just a lovely, nice traveler. She was almost shivering as he stepped closer. He seemed to hold a lot of power for such a simple species. "No…" She breathed dreamily, almost as if in a trance, "The light is always with me, even as I sleep. I am no human; I cannot hide from the embrace of the sun…" She quickly added, smiling, "No creature of these woods would dare attack a nymph such as I. If I need to I can be quite quick and agile."

She looked up at him, again staring into his eyes. They weren't looking at her eyes, but she could still almost feel his gaze upon her. "I…" Aurelia stammered, faltering, "Wait, um…" She was beginning to feel a bit more lucid again when the question came to her mind. "Why do you need to come here to sleep at daybreak? Aren't humans day-walkers?" That little prickle of wariness was beginning to creep back in, and she took a small step back, uncertain.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:40 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

She flinched when he took the look of her hair and he instinctively shushed her softly. He kept the lock of hair between them, a temporary tether, and let it drape to its full length as he moved it between his fingers. The strands were so soft, comparable only to a newborn’s. He slowly twirled the lock around his fingers though his eyes never moved from hers. There was a brief connection of kinship: she was restricted to the night, just like he was. The similarities were startling, but not enough to keep him from wanting to taste her.

“Trapped in the night to wander? That has to be a dreary existence, doesn’t it? Aren’t you ever worried about the types of people and creatures that walk around in the dark?” he asked with a quizzical arch of an eyebrow. He tested the waters and brought himself closer to her by just another step. Only then did he drop his eyes to the ethereal hair held between his fingers. It was a deep brown, starkly contrasted against his marble pale skin. He wanted to bring it to his nose, to inhale her even though it would only tease him: to have her taste so close yet so bitingly far.

His eyes opened again and he quickly moved them to hers, though his head stayed tilted down, “I think it’s funny: you dart to a cave for shelter, and that’s exactly what I did yesterday at dawn’s break. Do you find it cruel to be a creature meant for the sunset, while never being able to bask under the fullness of that same sun’s light?” His head tilted to the side and he allowed his eyes to trace down the curve of her cheek to the fullness of her lips, the line of her neck, the hollow of her throat.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:16 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

"Jakobi…" The nymph echoed. The name was amazingly foreign upon her tongue. It was something new, and yet she felt as if she'd certainly heard names such as these before. She'd been around a long time. Surely there had been another human with a similar name prior to now. She blinked as he stepped closer to her. What was this human trying to do? He certainly seemed very pleasant, but she had just met him. Usually humans were at least a little freaked out by her presence, likely due to her special skin pigmentation. Aurelia nodded as he asked his question, replying, "I wake up to the sunset every night and fall asleep to the sunrise every morning. I usually just wander nature under the light of the moon, then slip into a cave around sun-up." She flinched as he grasped a lock of her hair, confused. This certainly wasn't a situation she was used to. She didn't pull herself away from Jakobi though, naively curious as to what he was attempting to do. Her hair happened to be one of the other parts of her that was "reborn" every day, always smooth and basically impossible to cut. Thankfully though, her hair had never grown past where it rested by the small of her back. She'd hate to have to deal with this hair if it never stopped growing.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:04 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

A sunset nymph? He’d never heard of one and wondered briefly just how many different kinds there were if there was one for something as specific as a sunset. What exactly did that entail, he wondered. Connected to the light, the light of the sun no less. Would it even be safe for him drink from her? Well, he was always up for trying new things, and besides, looking at her was doing no harm to him, so that had to be a good start. Right? Only time would tell.

“Aurelia,” he spoke her name softly, slowly, letting it linger on the tip of his tongue; tasting it this way before he’d feel the warmth of her blood. His tongue ran over the edges of his teeth, though he kept his lips closed. His canines were itching to elongate, to sink into the soft vulnerable flesh of her neck; his hands yearned to feel the slope of her body as they all did when first bitten. But he was getting ahead of himself.

“My name’s Jakobi,” he answered her with a disarming smile. “In all my years I’ve never heard of a sunset nymph before. Color me intrigued,” he said, raising his eyebrows once. He stepped closer to her, but kept a safe enough distance to not seem like an immediate threat. “So is that to say that you’re more active at night than during the day?” he inquired with genuine curiosity. He outstretched one hand, extending his fingers to take a lock of her lengthy hair while still keeping that distance.

The sun was dipping lower now, soon it would be completely gone and he’d be able to move freely. When that time came he wasn’t sure which he’d prefer: the pounce, or letting it play out slowly. He was known to play with his food, especially when the meal was as lovely as her.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:48 AM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Aurelia smiled as the man replied. She was glad that they weren't forgotten. She'd hate to have to go to the trouble of explaining what nymphs were, especially as she didn't even know what her purpose was. She knew other nymphs protected various parts of nature, but how would one protect the sunset? Anything that could affect something as large as that would likely be beyond her level. All she knew was that she was connected with the light of the world to her very core, and that was usually good enough for her. The man was certainly larger than her, that was for sure. she couldn't exactly place why, but something didn't feel right about him. She felt a bit wary but she shoved the feeling away. Humans were no harm to her. They could try, for sure, but she wasn't an easy catch for something as weak as a human. 

"Well…" Aurelia mused, "I'm not really your typical nature nymph. I'm what you humans call a sunset nymph. I am connected to the light of this world, rather than some plain old tree or river." That little feeling of nervousness was still hanging around in the back of her mind, and as he seemed to inspect her she found herself unconsciously playing with the fabric of her lightly colored dress with a hand. It was wonderfully pleasant to wear, and like her, it seemed to be entirely new every time she rose up. Regardless, she forced herself to stop, feeling a bit childish. She knew little of human customs, but she didn't remember this one. It wasn't a favorite of hers. "I'm…Aurelia…" She murmured, "What are you called?"

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:09 AM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

His eyebrows furrowed, his expression growing more puzzled from her exclamation. Here? As in from the cave? Did she live here? True that it led down into an intricate tunnel system, but rumors spoke about dark witches that inhabited those trails. He wasn’t one to judge based on appearance, but nothing about her seemed akin to what came to mind when one envisioned a dark witch. And then she revealed that she was a nymph.

He slowly nodded, his features settling back out as a smile replaced the smirk. He’d tasted nymph and it was like consuming nature itself. Though he wasn’t able to tell just what type she was. She smelled of damp and dirt, but that was all superficial from being in the cave. His eyes glinted, she thought he was a human, well that would just make all of this easier. Well, until the time to bite came. He shook his head, “No, nymphs haven’t been forgotten,” he said, pushing away from the wall and approaching her slowly.

“Though I have to admit, I’ve never seen one like you before,” again his eyes trailed her, trying to figure out what her realm was. He slowly circled her, nodding to himself as he did so when he saw things he liked and wavering his head back in forth when he took in areas for improvement. As he did this he made sure not to leave the shelter of the cave; the sun was setting but it wasn’t completely down. He stopped in front of her, his eyebrows raising in question,

“Tell me, what type are you? What should I call you?” His voice came out in a silken tone, it was good that for now she thought he was something as weak as a human. He’d been one at some point, but that was so long ago it barely held any standing with him now.

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:37 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

The first thing that the nymph was struck by was the intensity of the man's eyes. They were some shade of red. She had never seen anything like it before. She decided that she liked it. Red reminded Aurelia of the sunset. It was pleasant. She looked him over some more. This was certainly not a nature spirit, she knew now for sure. There was no…sense of nature coming from this man. In fact, she could hardly sense much of anything at all. She ignored it though. Surely it was just her senses failing her. This was likely just some sort of human. Perhaps they'd changed since she last saw one. She'd heard whispers of areas where the human and human-like creatures would congregate, but she'd never visited any place like that before. She supposed that she likely could though. The light sustained her, not the forest like many of her fellow nymphs. 

"I came from here!" Aurelia replied simply, blinking at the man, "Where else would I come from? Do humans not know of nymphs anymore?" She had decided that this must be a human of some kind, and crossed her arms, being somewhat playfully cross with the stranger. She wondered why he was waking up so late though. Normally all the human creatures were asleep when she wandered the forest. She looked at his eyes again, wondering if they really were brighter or if her mind was just playing tricks on her. She really did enjoy the new human trait of red eyes. She wondered if others had orange or yellow eyes. Those would be beautiful as well. She was biased though. Aurelia would defend the colors of the sun-stained sky for as long as she had to. They were part of the time of day that gave rise to her every day after all.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:24 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

It was only a few more moments before he suddenly smelled something. No, not something, someone. His eyebrows rose and he turned to the side in time to see a young woman walk forward from the cave. His lips parted, unable to ignore the fact that she was strikingly lovely. Especially her neck, but for once he was distracted by more than the possibility of a good feeding. As the fading sun hit her, her skin shifted and changed unlike anything he’d seen before. What was she? More importantly, how had she come upon him so easily without him realizing it until she was so close?

He arched an eyebrow, turning so that his back was leaning against the wall with one ankle crossing lazily against the other. His arms rested across his chest and he tilted his head to the side; allowing the silence to linger for a nearly uncomfortable amount of time. Well, he’d been expecting to have to go out and hunt, but maybe fate was playing in his favor and had delivered him something. An easy smirk flitted across his lips as his eyes move along her appraisingly one more time, “Hello indeed,” he said in a voice much softer than the harsh hunger of his eyes.

“Where did you come from?” If he still had a heartbeat it’d be racing right about now from anticipation. Her scent was intoxicating, especially with his hunger so strong, but so far, he was managing to keep that from being obvious on his features. Though, his eyes did glow brighter as he spoke again, “I’m pretty sure I would have remembered coming across someone like you when I’d found this place earlier.”

Author: Sunset Nymph, Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:12 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

Aurelia's dreams as usual were fleeting, quick, and unusually abstract. She'd never been able to truly lucid dream as she'd heard some species could. What she did know is that when she slept, she could still very vividly feel the loving embrace of the sun itself. It was like a warm blanket draped over her, lulling her to sleep. She knew little of how long she had existed, but she knew that she had never been able to resist the lovely embrace. What was truly memorable was the feeling of waking up from this solar slumber. It was always a feeling of rebirth, of optimism, of hope. Her eyes opened, blinking away any last vestiges of sleep. She sighed in satisfaction as she could feel the sun setting. It was truly a wonder. She praised the gods everyday for their allowance of her existence. It was truly a blessing.

Rising from the darkness of the back of the cave, she was immediately assaulted by a feeling of intrusion. Was someone there? Her eyes flicked over to the entrance, and they widened as she saw the figure. It didn't seem to be another nature spirit; it was too ruffled for that. This was a traveler. She took a deep breath, unused to the presence of others. Stepping into the fading light, her skin color quickly lightened to match the rays of the sun, but didn't hesitate to darken again as the sun lowered. "Hello?" She murmured softly, cautiously making sure not to trip over her dress as she stepped forward towards the figure.

Author: Jakobi, Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 10:54 PM, Post Subject: Nevermore [P][R]

As night crept over the light of day, he finally felt it safe to come out of his temporary homestead. True that he’d ended up here entirely on accident, but one did what one needed to in order to survive. For Jakobi that was getting out of direct sunlight as fast as possible, and at the time diving into The Virens seemed the best bet. Even at midday, sunlight barely managed to pour through the canopy. Few people found themselves wandering randomly through the dark wood, which meant he’d at least be afforded some security by proxy.

There was a shallow but promising cave that led into a more expansive underground working of tunnels, but he of course had no interest in those: he just wanted somewhere safe to rest the day away. When he awoke it was to the cool dampness of the cave, better accentuated by the drop in temperature as the blocked-out sun began to set. His body’s internal clock always felt when the sun was going down, so when his eyes slowly opened he was relieved to know that he could finally get a move on.

However, there was his thirst to deal with. He slowly pushed his hair back: black as midnight and barely feathering past his chin. The way it fell framed his angular and near feminine features. His eyes, a dull red, glowed faintly through the darkness of the cave, casting shadows along his pale cheekbones and the rose tinted fullness of his lips. His clothing was rumpled from the fitful sleep that normally accompanied him when he was resting in unknown territory. Not that he could do anything about it now, but it motivated him more to get back to civilization. That and the thirst that abruptly made itself known. He hadn’t fed since the previous night, and already he was feeling the chills of withdrawal.

Deep down he knew it was all mental: he’d survive easily for at least three days without blood before things started to take a dangerous turn. Blood for him was likened more to a drug than actual sustenance, and his nose wrinkled in irritation to know that it could be another night before his fangs would sink into a vulnerable neck.

True that this forest had its own share of wildlife, but their blood was nothing in comparison to the life force of a truly sentient being. The trees didn’t help either, what with their red sap tempting him with its visualization being so close to that of the blood he craved. He sighed and pushed up from the cold dirt of the cave, stretching his arms over his head until he felt a satisfying crack: it echoed throughout, being carried easily by the acoustics.

As he came around from the grogginess of first waking up, he walked to the mouth of the cave and leaned against the side; watching as the sunlight filtering through the leaves deepened into a rich orange, and then a blood red. Soon it would be down completely, and at that time he’d be able to get back on the prowl.