The start of it all

“Tell me though, Aiyana, how does it make you feel when you see two lovers kiss or children playing with their mothers? Do you not feel jealous or even the slightest pang of remorse for taking your vows?I am not going to push the subject any farther, but think about it. Are you really truly happy alone? If the answer is yes, then continue on with your lifestyle, but if it is no, then do something to make yourself happy,” Kallias said before standing up. “A curse, hmmm? Why were you not affected by it,” he questioned her.

“I'll show you to your room and then to the library. After that I am headed to bed,” he said as he began to walk, “Come on.” Kallias needed to spread his wings. He was starting to ache, but could not let them be seen with her or Elessar around.

Elessar growled deep in his throat, but looked at Aiyana with fear in his eyes. Clearly, they had a secret.

"Of course, I feel jealousy, but not remorse. I made my decision, and...I can't take it back, even if I wanted to," she answered sharply. She was on edge, and it was showing.

"I was effected by the curse, just not as quickly or severely as everyone else. The Lady Priestess healed me from it," she lied. The leopard growled again. Her emotions were beginning to show, and it was always harder to hide the truth when that happened.

"Come, let us see that library. I want Aiyana to read to me as I fall asleep," Elessar snarled quietly, changing the subject. He glared at Kallias, daring him to ask any further questions.

ooc:// Aiyana will wander from her room at night, and then Kallias will get the whole story out of her. It's a good one too.

“I do not like liars, Aiyana,” Kallias informed the priestess. He would let the subject go for now, but he would figure out what she was hiding before she left his manor.

He lead them up the grand staircase and up another to the third floor. A few feet in front of the landing stood a massive pair of doors that lead to the library. He opened the door for Aiyana and Elessar. It was full of books and had ladders the lead to a second story of shelves full of books, “Here you are. Feel free to read anything you would like. I shall see you in the morning.” After that he walked away and to his room.

Aiyana blushed brightly, but said nothing. She did not even tell him goodnight. As soon as he left, the leopard rounded on her.

"Let's get out of here, now. We can't stay here. He's a blood sucking mind reader!" he snarled, trying to keep quiet. The priestess hid her face in her hands and collapsed in the nearest chair. Elessar snarled again, in frustration, and began to pace back and forth across the room quickly.

"No...I'm too tired, Elessar. I don't have any strength to put up our protective spells. It's best if we stay in a safe place tonight," she answered quietly. The leopard snorted, still pacing.

"We'd be safer outside, than in here...unless, of course, he sends that little snake bitch after us" he snapped. Aiyana thought about this, and Elessar stopped pacing to glare at her.

"You're in over your head this time," he said solemnly. The priestess sighed.

"I know...," she said, sitting up, and walking to a book case, "What would you like to me to read?". The leopard began to walk towards their room.

"Anything but Wuthering Heights," he called over his shoulder. Aiyana smiled, and took her hand off the red leather book her fingers had automatically strayed to. She picked up Dracula with a smirk, and headed to her bedroom.


'I've found you, my little love...'

Aiyana shot up in bed, breathing hard. She gasped quietly, trying not to wake the sleeping leopard. Drenched in sweat, she got out of bed and took off her outer robe. She now wore only a thin lace slip. It was white silk, and cut off just above her knee with spaghetti straps. She grabbed her cloak, and threw it around her haphazardly. It was almost 4:00 am, and she figured no one would be awake, or at least not in the library. She grabbed the book she had borrowed and returned it to the bookshelf where she had gotten it. Still breathing very hard, she found her way out the back door and began to walk along the moon-lit stone path. Nature had always calmed her, but now, she couldn't stop trembling.

'Has he found me already? Impossible. I've put up protection spells every night and...we haven't heard of him for three months...he can't be that close, not already. Has he become more powerful? But how?'

The breeze blew her now unbound brown hair around her face, and her emerald green eyes, filled with fear, sparkled in the dark. She was so caught up in her own thoughts, she never noticed the other presence.

The halfbreed walked through his gardens, keeping his gaze on the moon up above and humming a tune to a old song that angels were known to play on their harps. His steps were slow and graceful and a small smile was upon his face. He was listening in on his guest's thoughts. ~She is hiding from someone,~ he thought to himself. Perhaps he could use the information to his advantage.

He smiled brightly as he spotted Aiyana and stopped humming, “So, who is after you,” he questioned the priestess as he walked over to her, “Is it the demon who set the curse on your village? Why does he want you?”

"So, who is after you?"

Aiyana started at the sound of his voice, and as he spoke, she frowned, but did not try to deny anything.


"Yes, he is the demon who cursed my village," she said slowly. Her eyes had narrowed, but they still shone brilliantly. She did not sit down next to him.

"His name is Shuten. I do not know all the details. When...I was only an infant, my parents were forced to travel into town. On the way to our village, they were attacked by a demon. My...my father offered me as a sacrifice. The demon was amused, and said that he would spare their lives if they would give me to him when I turned eighteen. But when I was barely more than a toddler, my mother tried to flee with me, and the demon cursed the village. If I had not been saved by the Lady Priestess...I'm sure I would have been lucky if he had killed me. I...shudder to think what he had planned for me...and what he still plans now," she explained. She turned around.

"I will not bring this curse down upon your household. Elessar and I will leave town tomorrow. We've stayed here too long as it is," she said. She took a step towards the house, but stopped when he spoke.

Kallias listened attentively as Aiyana spoke then he repeated her words over in his head.


"Yes, he is the demon who cursed my village," she said slowly. Her eyes had narrowed, but they still shone brilliantly. She did not sit down next to him.

"His name is Shuten. I do not know all the details. When...I was only an infant, my parents were forced to travel into town. On the way to our village, they were attacked by a demon. My...my father offered me as a sacrifice. The demon was amused, and said that he would spare their lives if they would give me to him when I turned eighteen. But when I was barely more than a toddler, my mother tried to flee with me, and the demon cursed the village. If I had not been saved by the Lady Priestess...I'm sure I would have been lucky if he had killed me. I...shudder to think what he had planned for me...and what he still plans now," she explained. She turned around.


Aiyana's father promised her to a demon to save his own life. The demon accepted the offer and so her parents were spared. It did not take long for Aiyana's mother to try to save her from her fate, though. In return the demon killed her parents. Talk about a screwed up past.

The worse part about the whole thing was that the demon still wanted her, or perhaps it was not to bad after all. Maybe the vampire mix had just found his way to gain Aiyana and Elessar's trust. They would stay with him. Aiyana would give him blood when need be and do whatever else he pleased and in return he would keep them safe. It was a fair trade in his opinion.

“You two are staying here with me. My people and I shall protect you form Shuten,” Kallias informed Aiyana as he walked to her, “You will be secure. ”

"You see, I am in need of blood and with most humans hiding I am going hungry. I would not hurt you, I promise. If you agree to let me take blood when need be both you and Elessar may stay under my roof. You will be protected from Shuten, as well as always have your needs met," the halfbreed said. "Now, let's get you to bed."

"A blood doll?"

She hadn't been able to stop herself from saying the word. Her cheeks flushed, and she turned her back on Kallias. Her heart was racing, but not as fast as her thoughts.

'A blood doll...surely that's against my vows...no...any emotional attachment. This would be a mutual contract of aid, not emotional attachment. But can I trust myself? Can I live with him and remain emotionally detached? I'm not sure...but...I care for Elessar, and that is allowed...'

She turned back around and sat down on the bench next to him.

"Shuten is a powerful demon, Kallias. I understand that you are no trifle either, but...Kallias, what if someone was harmed? I am a priestess. My life's purpose is to help those around me. If I were to cause harm it would be to break my most sacred vow," she reasoned. Although that was genuinely her deepest concern, it was not the only one. She had been educated, and knew that blood dolls often had extremely intimate relationships with their host, some willing, some unwillingly. She blushed, knowing he would have read her thoughts, and turned her emerald eyes away.

“That is a way to simplify it,” Kall whispered. The words were more to himself then they were to her. Aiyana's mind was not the only one full of thoughts. The halfbreed was thinking over what exactly he was doing here. He could easily gain her trust if she stayed with him and let him take her blood. There were downsides to the situation, though. Vampires and their blood dolls often grew strongly attached. If he did develop any sort of feelings for her other then the want to take her life, would he be able to do what he currently desired oh so much to do?

“If anyone is going to be harmed it will be Shuten, dear. There is much more to me then what meets the eyes,” he informed her. “My followers first and utmost priority from here on out shall be to protect you. Everyone will know not to touch you. I am not someone they want to mess with.”

“I promise that non of your vows will be broken throughout your stay with me. I have no interest in being with you either romantically or sexually, even though you may me, which is not good. I thought that priestess were supposed to have pure minds.” He pulled her onto his lap and touched his lips to her neck to sooth her. He needed the human to be completely calm before he bit her. If she struggled she was dead.

He sucked on the spot he had kissed, making the flesh tender and sensitive so that the experience of being bitten would be more pleasurable to Aiyana. Once the spot was red he sunk his fangs into her neck and let her warm blood slowly run down his throat.

She tried to resist, tried to argue that she wasn't interested. In her mind, she recoiled against the touch of his lips, but that part of her remained latent. Instead, it seemed as if someone else had taken control of her. As he kissed her neck, she wrapped her arms around him, and curled into his embrace. As he bit down, she moaned softly. Something like cold fire seemed to fill her veins, and she hardly noticed the pain. Her emerald eyes rolled in the back of her head, and with a sigh, she fainted, limp in his arms.

Kall had just stood up, ready to carry the priestess back to her room, when the snarling roar broke the silence of the night. Two golden orbs burned with fury in the darkness and every bronze hair stood straight on the leopard's arched back. He had been ready to spring, but halted at the sight of Aiyana in his arms.

"You unbelievable leech, I'll kill you. I'll rip your throat out and eat your shriveled heart myself! Get your hands off her, now!" he yowled. He was so tense, his claws dug into the soft earth, and his bared fangs glittered in the dark. He had woken only a few minutes ago, and had followed the priestess' smell. At the smell of her blood, he had run at a dead sprint until he stood before them, and was still panting, more with fury than with weariness.

“Calm down, Elessar. Aiyana is fine. She is just resting,” the halfbreed said calmly, looking at the angry leopard and then down to the passed out human. Her blood had been sweet, almost too sweet. He was glad that she passed out when she did. If not he would have drained her. “I am just going to put her in her room, kitty,” he hissed. “You both will be staying with me from here on out. I am going to protect your master and in return she shall do a few favors for me. Now, calm.”

For a moment, Elessar lost his composure. He glanced at Aiyana's sleeping form, and then back at the vampire in confusion.

"No..she never would have agreed to...you, you hypnotized her or..."

He stopped. He knew Aiyana had charms to protect against that kind of magic, and furthermore, Elessar would have sensed a power strong enough to take over her mind. He took a few steps backward, shaking his powerful head.

"We'll talk later. Just get her into bed, her bed, specifically," he snarled. He had let it drop for now, but Kallias could tell this little discussion wasn't over.

“She agreed by her own will,” Kallias informed Elessar, “Well, with a little persuading first of course, but I did not force her to do anything. She wants to be projected and I need blood. It is a fair deal on both of our parts. I have the power, the forces, and the means to keep her safe, and she has what I need to live. It is that perfectly simple.

He touched his lips to Aiyana's forehead and then looked back at the leopard, “She is such a pretty little thing. I can understand why the demon wants her,” he said to the animal. “She is oddly captivating. Unique, and interesting, to say the least. I will be working tomorrow. Perhaps both of you could tag along. It would give you an idea as to who and what I truly am.” He looked at the angered cat once more before leaving to put Aiyana to bed.

Elessar muttered something about his method of persuasion, but he clearly did not wish to speak to the vampire about the matter any longer. He followed in silence, and leaped up on the bed to nestle next to the sleeping priestess protectively. He had one giant paw around her when Kallias left, but both golden orbs wide open, burning with that same familiar hatred.

OOC: I figured that was a good opportunity to end the scene. What do you want to do with the following scene?

~ooc:~ Hmmm, that is a good question. I am not sure what we should do in their next scene.