It came in the beak of a small songbird. She was on her way home from the brothel all snuggled into her warm cloak when it landed right on her finger as she went to open the door to her home. “What’s this?” Obviously, the bird wouldn’t answer her but she took it anyway and watched as it flew away without a care. Her violet eyes blinked a bit as she turned the knob and made her way inside. “Amorak I’m home finally. I would have been home hours ago but the Drow Lord from one of the higher houses stopped in… Requested me by name. Unfortunately, you just can’t say no to them.” By them, she meant any of the higher houses. They knew what they wanted and they got it not that Jessamyn was complaining as she tossed a large sack full of the coins of the day down in a chair.

“Curious thing happened on my way in though.” She placed the invitation down on the entry table as she took off of her cloak and hung it up by the door. “A songbird flew down from the skies and landed on my finger as I was about to come inside and greet you.” She picked the invitation back up and went to find where he was in the home. She knew he could hear her but she wondered just how much he had heard. “Shall we open it? It looks mighty important with all of the silver ribbon and fancy paper.” She gave him a smile.

She had some bruising today but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. It was on her shoulders as she undid the little ribbon and set it on the side table near by. “We’re invited to a ball in Zets’Ki says that my…” She caught her and cleared her throat. “Sorry, that the gods will be there offering food and entertainment in celebration of Reverie. It is a highly formal occasion and we should dress our best.” She closed the paper and mulled it over. “It would be rather fun to get out of the city…. But there is that matter…” Her mother would be there… “Maybe… we would get lucky…” She was sure she sounded like a mad woman as she chuckled up to Amorak. “We should go it could be fun.”

This whole situation between him and Jessamyn vexed Amorak greatly. He was both a guest of hers as well as the succubus’ plaything. His nights would usually be accompanied by her leading him into her chambers for him to sleep with her. Afterwards, she would curl up to him, a contrast to how she was with him back at the brothel. There was no payment needed other than him agreeing to this little arrangement. Which he had to since it would mean that he could save up money and not have to fend for himself.

Aside from having to feed one way or another, his days were usually boring and he would find some sort of way to entertain himself until she returned home from work. Today, he had been sitting at a window sill, reading when he head the door and head to in fact see her coming in. His eyes darted from her to the bag she threw down, filled with coin. “Well they do pay well…” But as she flung the cloak she was wearing off, his emerald eyes could easily spot some bruising that hadn’t been there when she left this morning. He held a deep frown but said nothing of it as she went to explain the contents of the letter she received. It wasn’t really his place, after all and she was a willing adult, or at least he’d hope so.

Listening to her, he heard her hiccup a bit but again said nothing of it. “We?”, he asked, giving her a questioning look. He had agreed to be her plaything as well as a houseguest, but it wasn’t like they were a couple, right? They did things that he was sure that couples did, but there was no deeper feelings to it other than want, or at least he was sure of that from Jessamyn. But it looked as though her mind was already set up and he groaned a little. “I have a feeling that we are going either way…and what’s with you? You don’t normally stumble on your words…”

At least it meant that he would see what else this world had to offer besides the isle they resided in. He sat down in a chair and leaned back, still trying to figure out what was eating at her.

"Are you worried about your sister? Maybe we will see her there,after all. Whatever it is, it can't be that bad, right?"

He sure as hell hoped he was right.

Jessa saw the look he gave her shoulders and frowned with him. “There’s no point in fighting people like them Amorak. While it is not always violent there are people in this city that are. Like I said you don’t turn down them… and I might have been a bit hasty to leave today.” Her violet eyes looked him up and down and she gave him a smile. “It’ll be alright though. I do heal quite fast and it only hurts a little.”

She shrugged a bit and looked up at him. “You don’t have to go with me but I am going. I need to get out of this city. I suppose I should have asked you to go instead of telling you to.” She was stilling getting used to the whole thing with having him around. Honestly it felt more like she was testing herself. “Nothing is wrong… Just thinking.” That was really all she could say.

She froze up as he asked her again. “My mother is going to be there. That’s all. I’m hoping with everything going on she will ignore me being there. It’s not that we don’t get along or that she is frowns upon what I do. She… Just asks a lot of personal questions more so than most mothers.” Jessa offered a smile again and went up to her room. “I might have some dress clothes up here for you if you want them… That is if you want to go…” She didn’t want to go alone but she didn’t want to say it as she closed her door behind her.

That was almost never done… Which meant the bruising was much worse under the dress. Some of the nobles on the island were terrible after all. The sound of splashing water happened as she sunk down in the tub of the washroom. Her eyes were heavy as she soaked her body in herbal water. The smell managed to make its way throughout the house. Normally she never closed the doors… but she did today. It seemed like even though there was a party going on she wanted to go to she was taking an awful long time in the bath.

Once she did get out she dried herself and walked the halls. It seemed her mind was a bit absent. The bruising the more prominent along her ribs and her hips. Visibly signs of hands and fingers about her but she wasn’t thinking for a moment that he might see. Instead she went into her room and sat at her vanity. Dropping the towel she picked up a brush and opened the make up box. Gently she rubbed powder across the bruises until it didn’t look like they were there anymore.

It took her a while but she changed into a deep purple gown. It’s bodice covered the length of her shoulders and swooped down into a sweetheart pattern along her neck. The back was almost completely open but on the sides all the way to where the skirt started. The bodice and the skirt was separated by a similar colored bow. The bodice was completely made of purple lace. While the flowing skirt of the bottom was made of silk except for at the bottom where there was a large elegant lace pattern. She pulled her hair up and put amethyst pins in it while coupling it with matching jewelry.

She needed to get out and once she was done she opened the door of her bedroom and went downstairs. “I’ll be back at some point…” Her voice sounded rather sad but it would get better she was sure.

Amorak softly nodded when she went into further about how some of her clients operated. Still, it didn’t settle well much with him but like before, it wasn’t his place to speak of it. Not when she went in willingly and knew the risks. Perhaps if it hadn’t been that case, then he would have voiced his opinion or do something more drastic. “Was it because of the letter you were in a rush?”, he simply asked before closing his book.

The vampire had glanced over to her strangely; she hadn’t ordered him to attend the ball with her. If anything, he was simply taken back but before he could say anything of the sort, the conversation changed and he didn’t want to backpedal quite yet. Her mother was the reason for her slight hesitation and yet that didn’t seem to break Jessamyn’s determination to get off the island. To be honest, he could see the pros outweighing the cons as well. A few hours out of Kurayo could be relaxing to say the least.

He quietly watched her depart for the washroom, silently scolding himself for his own hesitation. She seemed to really wish to go and through it all, she may have been a little bossy but she wasn’t terrible. And he hadn’t wished to dampen her mood over miscommunication. Softly, he sneaked into her room and searched through the wares, of which he didn’t know how she got them nor would he question it.

Once he found what he was looking for, he took the clothes into his own room and got prepared. Fortunately it took her a great while to bathe and get dressed while he finished up in good time. A simple cream colored shirt and dark pants were somewhat covered by a crimson cloak with golden trimmings was what bore on his form, complete with white gloves and knee high boots. It felt a bit out of place for the normally simple dressed vampire, but he had to look the part for the ball and for her. Hearing her door open, Amorak turned away from the mirror he was using to make sure his appearance was good before trailing out and opening his door.

“You can’t forget about me, right?”, he said, stepping through into the hallway and looked to her with a small smile. “I was…taken back by you including me in such an affair earlier…didn’t mean I didn’t want to come with you… “

Jessamyn opened her lips for a moment and shook her head with a smile. “No, I didn’t get the letter until I got home.”

Once she was dressed and calling out to him she waited to hear what he had to say. His appearance caught her off guard and she chuckled at him softly. “I guess not.” She slipped over to him and nodded a bit. “My mind was on a dozen other things Amorak.”

For a few moments, she was quiet before her lips parted, “I was rushing home to tell you something I heard. Rumors about someone who sounded vaguely like your sister but once everything was done… On my way home I realized it wasn’t her at all… I had just been excited to help you. In my excitement, I was rude and tried to dash out to tell you. That’s why he was angry.” There was a smile now as she shrugged. “It was just me being silly and I should have known better.”

She leaned up and pressed her colored lips to his cheek. “Also… I should have asked before I assumed you would go with me. I didn’t want to go by myself… After all, everyone needs a date for these things right?” She took his arm in hers and a portal opened up. She stepped through into the cathedral and she looked around in awe. “Wow, this is a lot better than what they were telling me… amazing.” She snuggled her head into his shoulder as they found the ballroom. “Keep walking… don’t look.” Jessamyn was now in a hurry as she escorted him full force across the floor.

“Jessa!” A mature voice yelled towards her and Jessamyn froze a faint shit left the half succubus's mouth.

“Mother!” Jessamyn let out a nervous laugh as the redhead made her way over the pair. “I wasn’t expecting you to be free enough to chitchat with me.”

“Nonsense, I don’t see you enough.” Angela’s green eyes looked over Amorak with interest. “My name is Angela Rose, my dear… You should introduce me to your friend Jessa.” Her voice was playful as Jessamyn gripped his arm a bit more.

“This is my mother Angela and my date is Amorak. He’s new to Kurayo.”

“Kurayo is a dangerous place but it is beneficial to people of the night world like yourself. I won’t keep you both long… I have many children to visit… Dozens of your siblings are here and I must say hello to them at least.” Angela leaned down and kissed her daughter’s cheek. “I don’t make problems everywhere I go… I promise. But I do hope that Amorak takes good care of you while you both are here. A ball is artwork after all. Also if I meet the man who put all those bruises all over your body I'll dice him," Angela said it with a smile and Jessamyn shivered a bit.

"It's not a problem at all Mother barely hurts at all."

"That's not the point and you know it. Just because they are lords of high status does not give them the right to tough MY children. If they do they are nothing more than lowly scum," Angela sighed a bit and waved her hand. "I really do hate some people of the night world but most are rather fascinating."

Amorak wasn’t too surprised when he heard Jessamyn’s reason for having gotten excited earlier had turned up to be a dead end. His sister could be very elusive at times, especially after her turning. Still he smiled a bit wider towards, “It’s alright, it wasn’t your fault. Alexis has always been an enigma, especially these days. Finding her will be a real pain, but I’m sure she is safe. Our connection as twins gives me that feeling. But even if that guy’s a lord, he shouldn’t have laid his hand on you like that…” He had originally thought that she was bruised up out of some rough play, but the vampire’s eyes narrowed darkly for a moment when the truth came out as to how she received before he let the anger go.

They had a party to get to, and it would help her forget the events of the day.

Amorak watched as she kissed his cheek and gave up his arm to her. “Well I think that you’d want me to escort you as your date, I guess. This whole situation is still new and weird to me. But it’s the least I can do as your guest.” And her plaything. He walked alongside her as they crossed over and ventured into the Cradle. The place was absolutely amazing, and that was coming from a man that had hardly explored this new world. Hell, even back home, he had only been used to villages and maybe some of the big cities. But this was in a league of its own. “It is so beautiful…”

His words trailed off before he was pulled all of a sudden. Jessamyn was in a rush for some reason and he tried to keep up with the woman, but then he nearly fell on his face from tripping up when she stopped abruptly. He turned to the direction of the voice that stopped her and looked to the fairly young woman with wide eyes. She was Jessa’s mother?

The moment her eyes gazed on him, he looked down to the floor and scratched the back of his head. If the vampire was capable of blushing, his face would have been a tomato right there and now. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” He rose his eyes up a little higher to be mannerly and looked to her. The succubus’ own nervousness was felt from her grasp on his arm. Damn, she was much stronger than he realized. They weren’t kept too long and before he knew it, they were alone again.

“She’s right, you know. You aren’t their plaything, no matter much how they buy your services. There is a line, but I also know that drow are known for ignoring such things.” He dropped the subject and lead her to the dance floor. “But right now, I have to do as your mother wish and make sure you have a good time here, no?”

“That’s the first time you told me her name.” She gave a smile as she told herself to remember it for when she was looking for information. Jessa lightly blushed a bit and shook her head. “It happens Amorak. It is part of the job.” She saw his anger but she also knew that there would be hell to pay if someone tried to retaliate. That was the type of city that Kurayo was.

Even Jessa had never been to the Cradle before. “Yes, it is…” She whispered softly in response to his words. Her eyes took everything in and it all seemed so big compared to her. The style of the buildings was just massive compared to Kurayo. Massive and beautiful all the same.

Then she was in a rush not to get noticed. She felt bad for almost causing Amorak to fall. “Sorry…” Attempting to get away from that woman was insane. Though Jessa should have known better. She just didn’t want to be lectured or her mother thinking Amorak was something more than what he was.

“And it is a pleasure to meet you,” Angela chimed in before she left them.

Jessa finally let go of her death grip on him as Angela left. Putting her forehead on his arm she took a breather. “Kurayo is a dangerous place… You don’t just tell someone like that no. You and your family… You could all get killed if you talk back to the wrong person. It is a deadly city.” He dropped it though as he led her out to dance. She let him see a smile as they danced to the music.

“I suppose so.” She put her hands on him the best she could for the dance. His arms were nestled around her waist. She was so small compared to him but they already knew that. “Amorak?” Her purple eyes looked up at him curiously. “Are you happy living with me? You’ve been with me for a while now and I haven’t asked you if there’s anything I can do to make it better. You’ve been putting up with my needs but I haven’t asked you about yours… What can I do for you?”

“I’d probably end up getting myself killed then”, he sighed, “I’ve seen plenty of injustice in my life. It’s things like that that allowed for my home to get destroyed, my father getting killed in the attack and my sister kidnapped by them and later be traded to a vampire lord.” Amorak’s glaze lowered to the floor and took a deep sigh, “And then be turned into his plaything only for her to escape. I’m not afraid to speak my mind and I can’t just let someone commit selfish acts if I see it happen. I’m aware that the city is vastly different, but it’s still something you shouldn’t deal with. But I…also know that you have to play by their rules due to your situation. I, on the other hand, I'm unknown and have no ties. I do something to them, they’d have a hard time figuring out who it was.” Honestly, if it became too much for him to stomach, then he’d leave. But that would mean leaving Jessamyn by herself to deal with those wolves.

Her mother was right, but their way of thinking was different from what Kurayo was all about. Didn’t mean that he would just stand there and let them have their way. If he had to do it secretly, then so be it but he wouldn’t let it get traced back to her. But then Amorak led her to the dance floor where several couples were already lost in the music.

Their height difference was a sizeable problem at first; the positioning of their bodies relative to one another made it slightly awkward. His arms wrapped around her and she took hold of him herself as the steps came slowly but surely. As they got used to the other’s motions and how fluid their bodies were, the dance grew more confident and quickened. His concentration had been on trying not to step on her toes when it was broken by her question. “Happy? I mean I’m content with our arrangement. I have no complaints aside from how it all came to be in the first place. Though, I doubted that you would have offered to take me in. Why, are you not happy?” Amorak really couldn’t think of why she was asking this now of all things. Was she worried that he felt stuck? It was strange but he was growing accustomed to it. “I’m a simple man, Jessamyn. I don’t really need much.” He twirled her a little before his hand fell back to her hips, “My needs have been getting fulfilled, but I do have a request. Just…be careful, you know. Profession or not, you don’t need to put yourself through that. It does pain me seeing you harmed. Selfish, I know but that's really all I can ask, at least.”

With wide eyes, she listened to Amorak for a while before she calmed down. It saddened her almost to hear him talk like that. “I just don’t want you to get hurt Amorak… Even if you did do something to them if they found out it was you it would hurt me deeply.” Her words were sincere as she thought about the worst possible outcome if he tried. “I do not let just anyone put their hands on me like that… but there are a few in the city that not even I speak my mind to. That is just the way Kurayo is… However, that doesn’t mean that I like it either. It’s my profession Amorak and there isn’t much else that I am good at in this world… There will always be bad clients. But there are just as many good ones if not more.”

He took her out to the dance floor and she followed him just as easily as he had followed her his first day in Kurayo. After a bit of slightly work getting their bodies less awkward for the dance they began. It took a few minutes for them to get comfortable but eventually, they were fluid together. “No, I am very happy.” She answered quietly as she listened to his next few words. She spun and felt his hands take her.

“It’s not selfish Amorak… It just means you care.” Violet eyes flickered up to him as she tried to figure out what his thoughts were. “As I said before there are more good clients than bad. It doesn’t happen as much as you think it does. I promise.” She gave him the best confident smile she had as she got close to him. “Someday maybe I will quit doing what I do… but for now, I will continue until I find something worth my time.” It was the way she looked at him and the way the words flowed that gave her pause. Perhaps she thought he was worth it but she didn’t know how he felt. She didn’t want him stuck or him to feel obligated to her.

“If you should ever have a request that you know I can fulfill just ask me. As long as it is far I will do my best to fill it. You are one of the few people that I wish to take care of and I would be pained if I lost you. That’s why I want to make sure you are happy… because it matters to me. And I would be sad if you were not well taken care of, happy, and safe. Which is why I was apprehensive about you trying to deal with the situation back home. I messed up because I lost sight of what I was supposed to be doing… and I know that shouldn’t mean punishment for me but for you, I dealt with it. I just wish I had more to show for it than what I had.” She gave him a nervous smile.

Her answer didn’t help to settle his nerves on that matter. He didn’t care who her clients were- they were the elite alright, but to him, they were just other people. Still, it seemed like they were going to have a fight over this and she seemed really concerned for him if he did something. He sighed deeply and was ready to leave it be- it wasn’t an argument that he was going to win. “I won’t do anything to jeopardize me or you”, he spoke begrudgingly. “Still, I disagree with you on one thing- that you aren’t good at anything else. You have far more going for you than merely being a bed warmer. It didn’t take me too long to see that from when we met. Just don’t put yourself down like that.”

Amorak wouldn’t let Jess think less of herself and they went to spend some time on the dance floor, temporarily forgetting their woes as the two attempted to flow together in their dancing. After a little bit, they got into a good rhythm and were getting accustomed to one another. His emerald eyes watched her with care as their steps quickened to the beat of the music. Perhaps he was getting too…invested emotionally into her and their arrangement. Hearing her speak of that situation like it was nothing just…it made his blood boil a bit. But Amorak had to constantly remind himself that she was her own woman, capable of making her own decisions. “Well, I pray that you do find another calling in the future, Jess.” He gave her a small smile as they continued to dance.

Amorak stopped moving and simply held onto Jessamyn. Gods knew that he hadn’t planned on them becoming this personal. “You can’t blame yourself for it; I’m just happy that you felt that you needed to tell me even if you didn't have to. It really means a lot to me, Jessamyn.” His smile grew wider as he started to dance with her again, this time in a more slower and intimate pace. “You are a great hostess, that’s for sure. I won’t worry you about Kurayo but you don’t have to put yourself into a compromising situation for my sake.”