The start of it all

The male stood on one of the balconies of his manor, staring up at the gray clouded sky before brushing a lock of his midnight black hair from his blood colored eyes. He turned on heal and walked back into his home. He needed to get read for the day ahead. Unlike most of the halfbreeds he was not afraid to roam the streets of the land. The war had sent everything out of balance. It was every race against every race and half-breeds did not exactly fit in.

The fact he was not of pure blood had caused problems in his younger days, but after a few hundred years of working he made a name for himself and the fact that he was truly of noble blood came out. His mother was a vampire princess, her father a vampire king, making the half blood royalty and of course royal immortals were much more powerful then those normal ones.

He dressed in a black shirt and a pair of dark jeans then he walked out of the manor he called home. He was thirsty and needed to hunt.

"It's too dangerous!" the leopard snarled. The brown haired, fair skinned young woman payed him no heed, and approached the gasping, writhing form of the wounded vampire. The vampire hissed, and recoiled from her, but she sat down next to him, ignoring the black blood that lay all around him.

"Don't be afraid; I'm going to help heal you," she said softly, reaching for the bloodied stub where his right arm used to be. The vampire smirked, and laughed.

"Why, yes, you are, little priestess," he snarled. He lunged for her but before his fangs could find her throat, he was pinned against the ground.

"Elessar, no! Don't hurt him!"

The leopard stopped, his fangs inches from the vampire's throat. He snarled, and the vampire was smart enough to stay still.

"He was going to kill you, Aiyana," he snapped. The priestess sighed, and began to roll up her pale green shrine robes. She took out her silver dagger, and looked at the leopard.

"Don't hurt him," she said in a low voice. The leopard growled, but turned his golden orbs into the vampire's face.

"If you want to live, don't move," he snarled. The vampire hissed, but kept still, even as Aiyana cut her own forearm, and let the blood drip into a bowl. She held the bowl up to the vampire's lips, and he drank thirstily. The vampire's bleeding stopped, and as soon as Elessar let him up, he jumped up and away from the two. He spit what was left of Aiyana's blood on the ground.

"Bleeding hearts like your's...won't last long in this war, priestess," he hissed. With that, he was gone. Elessar shook his head as she bandaged herself.

"Your Lady Priestess was right. We should have stayed in the wilderness, away from all this," he said. She closed her bright emerald eyes for a moment, and stood up.

"This is the path I have chosen, to help all that I can, for as long as I can," she said slowly. The leopard snorted.

"You'll be killed," he snapped. She looked away.

"Then so be it," she said, almost as though she were talking to herself.

ooc;// So...he should be able to smell her blood, even though she's bandaged.

As the smell of human blood filled the males nose a sadistic smile made way onto his perfect face. She was close. If he ran he would be at the human's side in a matter of minute. Not once did he ask himself why the human was in the area or wonder why she was bleeding. He was not completely focused on the hunt.

The word 'hello' escaped the halfblood as he came upon the wounded human. His voice was soft, velvet like and a all too friendly smile was plastered to his face. He took no notice of the leopard. The girl was his first and utmost priority.

Her wide emerald eyes held no fear in them, not even trepidation. She simply stared back at him, and bowed respectfully as though his sudden appearance had been no surprise at all. The leopard, however, stood closer to her. With the hair on his back standing straight, he snarled, and bared his fangs. She put a hand on his head to quiet him.

"Greetings, sir. Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, her voice just as soft as his had been. The leopard's tail twitched back and forth rabidly in agitation. He knew a vampire when he smelled one. He also knew he wasn't as fast as one. He hated that she wasn't afraid, that she was never afraid. He was always afraid, afraid for her. But she had never feared pain, or death. She was always certain of all things. She did not pretend to believe that all the world was good, only that those she met should be treated as such. Even her Lady Priestess, the woman that had taken her in as a foster child, had told her she was far too kind hearted. She said that someday, it would bring about her death. Elessar prayed she was wrong. She rarely was.

He laughed as the animal snarled at him and took a step closer to both him and his master, still smiling, “Your cat has a bit of a temper,” he said to the female, looking her up and down. He was deciding how to take the kill. He could kill the cat and then drain her dry, he could simply fed from her, or they could play a game of cat and mouse. Messing with his food beforehand always made things more enjoyable. As she spoke he looked at her and flashed her a friendly smile, “I am not sure, exactly, Miss.” He was usually rather cruel, but he had to be nice. Her guard was already down, yes, but her leopard was on full alert. He needed the animal to relax a bit before he took the kill.

A shadow of a bitter smile passed across her pink lips, but it was quickly gone. She scratched Elessar behind the ears.

"My friend is always rather bad tempered when we meet someone who means me ill," she replied. Her voice was soft, but cutting. Her emerald eyes sparkled. She was young, yes, but not naive. She laughed, the sound of a playful brook, as he lied. She shook her head, and turned her back on him.

"Sir, if you mean to kill me, either do so, or find another prey. There are those who need my help, and I have no time to waste playing games," she said. The leopard snarled in warning as she turned, but she payed him no heed. She continued to walk away from both of them at a regular, relaxed pace.

"Kill her, and I swear my fangs will find you before I die," the cat roared. Clearly, he was more frightened now. He knew he couldn't kill the vampire, not even protect Aiyana, but he was determined to do draw blood before they both met their deaths.

“Go ahead, have at me, kitty. Even if you try you could never hurt me. I have the advantage in this whole ordeal, just as I do in all. A cat and a human are no match for a almost one thousand year old immortal,” the male said with a smirk before he began to trail after his prey. His steps were different then the graceful ones he held earlier. Now they were rough, looking as if he was ready to strike at a moments notice.

Elessar ran after Aiyana, and began to pace back and forth behind her, when he caught up. She continued walking as if nothing were happening.

"You aren't going to defend yourself?" he snarled in fury. She sighed, and shook her head.

"No. He's right. Neither of us would be able to injure him enough to get away, so then why should I harm him? I will never bring harm upon another unless it is to save a life. We cannot save our's if he wishes to take them. Therefore, it makes no sense to harm him," she replied calmly. The leopard stopped, and his jaw fell open.

"You'd...you'd have mercy on your own murderer!" he roared in disbelief. She stopped as well and turned to stare down into his golden eyes.

"Yes, Elessar. I would. This world needs more mercy," she answered solemnly. She turned her penetrating emerald gaze onto the vampire that was now almost within striking distance of her.

"Wouldn't you agree?" she asked. She did not blink as she held his gaze. A bow and quiver of silver arrows was on her back, but he knew she wouldn't reach for them. Not even for the silver dagger under her robes. She wasn't going to harm him, no matter what he did to her. She didn't want to. The leopard had positioned himself between the two again, but now, his eyes looked desperate. He had lost hope.

He listened to their conversation with no apparent interest written on his face, but in all truth the conversation had caught his attention. It was odd for a human to act like the when who stood before him now did. She would not protect herself from being killed, but would protect another being. He muttered something under his breath before turning his gaze to the leopard, “I never said that I wanted to kill her, Kitty. I was simply curious. No human with a mind travels into these parts.”

“I never said that I wanted to kill her, Kitty. I was simply curious. No human with a mind travels into these parts.”

Aiyana laughed, and smiled, warmly, at him. If he was shocked by her, she couldn't tell. Elessar stood next to her, quieted, but fur still on end.

"Yes, my Lady Priestess did tell me to stay at our shrine. It is a hidden, protected place, but...well, perhaps I am foolish. I could hear the cries of the dying in my sleep every night. When I could stand it no longer, I came here. Elessar and I have been wanderers ever since, and we have saved many lives," she replied. The leopard growled.

"Yes, and never been re-payed with so much as a kind word," he snapped. Aiyana frowned at him.

"I do not help those in need in search for something in return. I do it because it is right. How can I stand idly by while a life that I could save slips away?" she chided. He snorted again.

"Easily, by staying out of harm's way. The prophecy-"

"I don't care what the prophecy said. They can be misread," she snapped. It was the first time she had cut him off, and the first time her temper had peeked out from the surface.

"I think this prophecy was pretty clear," he answered in a low growl. She sighed, and shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't shape who I am, or how I make my decisions,".

"No, but maybe it should?" he snarled. She appeared to have no answer for this, and took back to staring at the vampire.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced, have we? I am the priestess Aiyana, and my companion, and guardian is Elessar," she said.

"Charmed," the leopard growled sarcastically.

“You should have listened to her,” he informed the priestess, voice was soft and silky, just as it had been when he first said hello to her. He eyed her for a second and then gazed back at her ever so annoying animal. He was going to kill Aiyana first, making Elessar watch and then take the cat's life as.

“It takes a good person to help someone and expect nothing in return, kitty,” the male said before going silent and listening to their argument. He smiled as the human snapped at the leopard, but he did not say anything. It was nice to know that she was able to show a emotion. If he hit the right nerve perhaps he would be able to make the kill interesting.

“It is nice to meet the both of you,” he said with a nasty glance at Elessar. “I'm, ” the halfbreed started as he stepped closer to Aiyana. He gently stroked one of her cheek, his touch warm instead of icy like most people anticipated vampire's touch to be. He smiled at her, showing of his fangs and then began to speak again, “I will tell you my name over dinner. How does that sound? I will cook for you. You may come along too, kitty.”

Elessar snarled and snapped at the vampire's hand, but it was pulled away too quickly. Aiyana's green eyes grew wide, perhaps with fear, but it soon turned to uncertainty.

'Why...why is he warm? Vampires are not warm...but...I saw his fangs...'

"Aiyana! You can't be serious! You're not actually considering his offer!" the leopard roared, breaking off her thoughts. She jumped, and seemed to come out of her trance. She looked at Elessar's furious glare once, and then back at this strange man. She met his gaze for a long time before she spoke.

"Why not? Elessar and I have no money. We only barely scrape by. It would be nice to have a meal for a change," she said. She smiled, shyly this time, at him, and nodded.

"Yes, I would like that very much. I'm afraid I'm terribly hungry, and I'm sure Elessar is too," she said.

"I'll starve first!" he roared his disapproval. She glared at him.

"Then go back home," she snapped. For the first time, his ears dropped and he was unable to meet her gaze. She had struck his very heart. He couldn't leave her. He would never leave her. She was the only reason he was alive. She had never made him swear a life debt to her, but he owed her one, and he meant to pay it. Muttering something about stubborn priestesses, he turned to the vampire.

"I'll kill you if you harm her," he snarled. He knew it was an idle threat, but he wanted the wretch to know that he would try. His fangs had found more than one vampire before. Aiyana sighed in frustration.

"Very well, Elessar. Sir, please lead the way," she asked quietly. She blushed a little. She was not really allowed into men's houses. She had taken many vows, one of them being a life of solitude, and her vows had very strict guidelines. Still...she and Elessar were practically starving. Surely her Lady Priestess wouldn't begrudge her this? Then again, he probably would kill her after dessert, but at least she wouldn't die on an empty stomach.

“I was born a vampire. We get warm when we need to feed,” the halfbreed informed Aiyana, having read her thoughts. He gestured to his now almost black eyes as if to prove to her his hunger, “I also have a heartbeat,” he said placing her fingers on his neck so she could feel his pulse.

“Do not worry, Kitty. I am not going to harm either of you. I simply want to talk over a nice meal,” the male said to Aiyana's guardian with a slight smirk, suggesting that he had much more in mind. He returned the human's shy smile with one of his own. “I am glad that you will be coming along. I have not had any welcome guests in awhile.” He eyed Elessar as the animal growled at him, “Shut it, Kitty.”

“Follow me,” he ordered rather firmly as he began to walk off, his steps slower then usual, yes just as graceful as always. The smug smile on his face made it evident that everything was working as planned, “Is there anything is particular you would like me to make, Miss?”

Aiyana blushed and tried to pull her hands away from his grasp, but he was too strong. He felt his pulse, but she didn't appear startled by his black eyes. She had seen more than one thirsty vampire, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising was she had lived to remember it. He knew she must have some skill with the bow and the dagger, even if she was no match for a vampire his age.

She ignored his rude statements to Elessar. The leopard glared at her, but she shot him a 'you deserve it' glance, and he said nothing more. She walked a few feet behind him, staring at his back. Her Lady Priestess would definitely not approve. This vampire...he wasn't being completely honest. She was no mind reader, though apparently he was, but she could at least tell when she was being lied to. His question seemed to startle her, and her eyes dropped to watch Elessar's paws beside her own.

"I...I really don't have a preference. I'm used to the very basics...it doesn't really matter," she mumbled very quietly.

"I'll have steak, rare," Elessar snarled. She glared at him, but he didn't seem to mind.

He smiled slightly at her blush. It meant that she was interested in her. He looked back at her, taking notice of her startled reaction to his question, but he did not speak a word at first. He thought about what to cook for a minute and then looked back at the two again, “A t-bone for you, Kitty and some filet mignon for you, Aiyana.”