|
Post by Ark on Aug 19, 2008 20:10:16 GMT -5
Ark regarded her quizzically. “I’m supposed to expect something more?” he said quietly. “Oh, right, mortals like material possessions.” he continued, apparently mentally chastising himself. “Sorry, it’s been a really long time since I’ve talked to someone.”
Ark searched for something, anything that he could benefit from this deal he proposed. Granted, it was a bit hasty, but he did want to help… He sighed dejectedly. “Well, uh, I guess I’ll think of something; at least you’re not going to try to kill me anymore, I guess. Oh, I know, can you tell me when I’ve got bounties on my head or something? That’d be much easier than waiting for someone to already get information on me or something.” He rambled, feeling excessively annoyed. He hated disorganization, and this woman had just thrown him into a mental frenzy that he was struggling to subdue.
“I… really don’t know. I’m surprisingly short sighted sometimes for an immortal. I mean, it’s not like blood is fantastic or something, I’ve just been told in the past that my unique body chemistry makes my blood taste different than others, ‘earthy with a bit of sharp spiciness without the tanginess of metal’, to quote a former client.” He added. “You might not like the taste… so I’m sorry if I’m not properly seasoned?” he asked, a nervous smile on his face. “I’m not good at this, sorry.” He stated apologetically. “I guess the fact that you seem like the kind of person that would give me the time of day will have to suffice; if I’m, uh, feeding a good person, I’m satisfied.” Ark stated earnestly.
“My name’s Ark, miss.” He added quickly but quietly. “Before you comment, I’ve heard every joke about my penchant for life saving in relation to my name.”
|
|
|
Post by Meluivan Indil on Aug 19, 2008 20:33:52 GMT -5
She watched his eyes and the way he held his body, the nervous little movements that told of something she did not expect. For an immortal, who’d lived through the ages and done despicable things, by his own admission mind you, he honestly did not know how to interact with another being. Not in a casual manner at least. When they had been sparring a moment before he’d been full of confidence, and his words were flippant and brash, but now when they were trying to form some sort of way to coexist he was on edge and a nervous wreck. How curious that was.
But if anything he was honest and forthright. She could hear it in the timber of his voice, see it in the shift of his eyes and that at least meant more to her than the impressions she’d gotten of most humans she’d dealt with. And that fact was very important to her.
First things first, he needed to loosen up. “I’m sure your blood is seasoned just fine. Just whatever you do, don’t go adding garlic to it.” She had meant it as a joke. Vampires seriously did not have a problem with garlic but if it took making a joke at her own expense to get this arrangement moving, then why not? “The name’s Atavus by the way, or Ata if you wish. I’ll answer either way.
|
|
|
Post by Ark on Aug 19, 2008 22:36:07 GMT -5
Ark smiled softly. "Right, no garlic, of course." he muttered, looking up at the sky, seemingly transfixed by the moon. "You're far more personable than many bounty hunters I've faced. I appreciate being treated like a life-form rather than an asset." he added quietly.
But suddenly his disposition changed to one of cheerfulness again. "Oh forget all this seriousness, are you thirsty or something? I mean, I don't need to drink, but some guy knocked my tea out of my hands without prompting earlier. Honestly, if I didn't come here because someone said this city would accept me, I'd marvel at its dying society." he stated, a childlike look of wonder on his face as he observed the moon again.
He hummed to himself lightly for a second before abruptly snagging Ata's arm and starting off. "Well then, I want peppermint tea. Do you like peppermint? You should, good for the respiratory system, keeps it open and clear." he rambled, lightly dragging the woman. "That coffee shop was twenty four hours, I think, and this late it should be empty. You can have yourself a 'drink' if you like while I have mine. Besides, it's got air conditioning: thank the divines for mortal ingenuity!" he giggled, thrusting his free hand into the air triumphantly before dragging her lightly around the corner, his tail wagging about happily as his ears raised in a merry manner.
"Besides, that fountain smelled like chlorine, ick."
|
|
|
Post by Meluivan Indil on Aug 20, 2008 8:22:47 GMT -5
Now it was her turn to be flustered. Where exactly had this complete turnaround in attitude come from? She had to admit, though disconcerting, it felt nice to do something completely normal, like going for tea in the middle of the night. Well not completely normal but close enough.
She rankled up her nose at the chlorine smell they were leaving behind and had to admit it was ick. Wait peppermint. It wasn’t her normal flavor of choice and tea… “Well I sort of prefer hazelnut coffee but I can do tea, especially if you add a little seasoning of your own to it.” Peppermint tea laced with immortal blood. That would certainly be a new flavor combination she’d never thought of and at least the workers at the coffee shop wouldn’t think to question it, like they would a blood encrusted coffee cup. She really needed to get over needing to do that. It had always bothered her to drink from her victims. It seemed brutal and monstrous. But maybe that was the answer. He wasn’t a victim was he? He was volunteering his blood, not being deprived of it forcibly. Maybe that would eventually make the difference. But not this evening. She’d be taking her blood with a side of tea.
She allowed him to drag her through the streets without any complaint but found herself glancing at him from time to time. She wondered at his penchant to stare at the moon. She had always enjoyed the moon herself, even back when she was human. It seemed softer and more welcoming than the sun with its white light and simple glow. Not harsh and unbending, like the sun with its scorching yellow rays.
It was hard to believe but she found herself looking forward to more times like these, when she didn’t have to hide what she was, and she could honestly have a real conversation with someone who used his mind. But wait, he’d said something curious. “Who told you that you’d be accepted in this city anyway? I’m afraid most of what I’ve seen since coming here has been the exact opposite. Humans, unless they want something from you, can be the most closed minded things I’ve ever seen. Come to think of it, you are the first being I’ve ever met that offered something without demanding something in return. It’s sort of refreshing.”
|
|
|
Post by Ark on Aug 21, 2008 10:33:02 GMT -5
“Please don’t start treating me like a salt shaker.” Ark stated in a sing song voice, stopping at an intersection before starting off across the street to the door of the coffee shop. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t told that, I heard it in passing in a port; that guy has obviously been gone a while.” He added, drifting off a bit as they rapidly approached the counter.
The attendant perked up a little despite her sleepiness. “Oh, weren’t you here earlier? I wouldn’t forget a face like that!” she laughed, prompting Ark to regard her quizzically.
“Uh, don’t you sleep? I mean I get that you’re trying to work your way through college but how many hours do you work, really? Unacceptable, you’re far too young for this sort of thing.” He rambled, rummaging in his pockets before withdrawing a rather large gold coin and sliding it across the counter. “Uh, that should cover two cups of tea without any questions, I should hope.”
The girl stared, fairly flabbergasted at the size of the coin. “Oh of course! Give me a second!” in a flash, she was back with two steaming cups of mint tea which he took merrily, thrusting one lightly into Ata’s vaguely unprepared hands before sitting down at a table, staring intensely at his forearm, his fingers tracing up and down the tender skin. “Right, the nerve would run under this muscle, so if I cut here I can minimize the pain…” he muttered, a thin needle seen sticking between his fingers as its glass form reflected the light.
With a quick jab, the aforementioned needle was imbedded in his forearm, drawing a small trickle of blood. Ark sighed a bit after he’d actually managed to draw blood before wriggling the needle around, keeping the blood flowing. “How much will you actually need, huh?” he asked wearily, he was still a bit nervous despite the fact that he didn’t need to be.
|
|
|
Post by Meluivan Indil on Aug 22, 2008 22:10:58 GMT -5
"You don't look much like a salt shaker, but then again the whole sand thing reminds me of salt to an extent," she answered as he led her through the streets and into the coffee shop.
She wasn't at all surprised by the large coin he offered the worker but was a little surprised as a cup of tea was shoved into her hands. She had to admit that it did have a pleasant smell.
Once they were seated she watched as he chose a place to pierce his skin and then as the blood rose to the surface she could feel her pupils enlarge and was sure the red tint they had held earlier was back. She licked her lips and then felt her fangs begin to jut down into the soft skin of her lip. She made certain to keep her back to the shop worker, not wishing to frighten the girl with her appearance, but she couldn't hold back the sharp toothed grin as she saw his nervousness. She knew it was a frightening sight at times to see her in full on bloodlust mode and she hoped it wouldn't bother him too much.
"I fed recently so a small amount should be enough to hold me over till tomorrow evening. Honestly, I really am not in need of it now, but I'm afraid at this point, after smelling that, I don't think I could turn back if I wanted to." And it was true. Even if she didn't crave blood at all times and at times was even able to resist its temptation, there were times when just the scent of it would send the bloodlust thrumming through her entire body. Now was one of those times. After all, he was unique, along with his blood.
She knew she should feel despicable. She was thinking of him as a blood source at the moment, not a living being. And normally she wouldn't think that way. She knew she wouldn't. She truly was curious about him, about the years upon end he had traveled the land, even about his darker days, but at that moment his blood was too much of a distraction. So she had to prioritize her needs. Blood now, and then they could talk once the craving was past.
|
|
|
Post by Ark on Aug 24, 2008 10:50:08 GMT -5
Ark gingerly tilted his arm downwards to allow the blood to run into the cup, using his fair flesh as a medium of transportation. He regarded her silently, emotion gone from his eyes; he was well aware of the implications of his deeds though his new companion would never be.
His desire to give up responsibility for his actions and just do what he was told had grown to the level of an addiction; he no longer wished to bear the burden that his immense power bestowed upon him, yet he could never fully be free of it. So it was, and so it had always been. A being with the power to transcend time and draw power from the very Earth itself risked severe consequences if he were to use his abilities for any gain for any possible party; now was a probable example, for if this vampiress became addicted to his blood like a drug then he’d be forced to kill her at some point in the future simply to undo the wrong that he had wrought.
He sighed, glimpsing the moon outside the window. To him, it embodied everything he could possibly represent; its detachment and isolation from its fellow celestial beings mirrored his own inability to mingle with those who, while not his peers, were most similar to him. Furthermore, it was bound to serve the Earth by drawing on the tides endlessly, mocking his need to do for others in order to distract himself from his responsibility. An immortal should not have a conscience, should not feel emotion, should not shake with sobs at the death of close loved ones; an immortal should be resilient, steadfast in his preservation of balance and truth in a universe so rapidly deteriorating into chaos on all possible levels, where mortals killed one another for resources they could live without…
He believed his right to criticize had died more and more with each person he’d killed, and equally so with each he saved; neutrality was the key, but for now, the world would have to suffer in order to prolong its existence. He could not, would not, sacrifice a universe to end it all and start it all over again correctly, without the commonality of his existence; he could not watch over them yet, but instead, had to act to protect them.
And that suited him perfectly for now.
He quietly rubbed his eyes as the blood stopped flowing by his own will and the wound grotesquely seared shut, leaving no trace of a scar in the slightest. It would take a short while to recover such a small ‘donation’, but he still felt the biting cold of minor blood loss, and pulled his legs up onto the chair while putting his hood up.
His mind danced with light and sound as he tried to fight off the madness that constantly tried to consume him since he’d come back, as he always did. But this light, this sound, wasn’t the beautiful melody he was used to; it was harsh and cacophonous, grating and terrorizing all in an instant.
Something was coming; something dark and deadly with fire in its heart and hate in its eyes. Something death itself feared and life shamefully acknowledged for millennia. These mortals were unaware that their hate and prejudice attracted only further evil to their city, but would sound learn the price of evil thoughts and deeds when the beast came to reap what they had sown; corrupted souls grown meticulously in the perfect environment for discord hidden behind the mask of understanding and unity.
No, blood would be spilled tonight, and it would not only be his.
|
|