Immortal Lovers

It seems like she is resisting the urge to pet me, she takes a small cloth from her pack and wraps it tightly around her wrist to give me some purchase. Reaching the home of the Oracle she leans against the wall near the doorway, letting the others tell the tale. As they discuss the task with the Oracle she excuses herself, letting Mara know she'll be back in just a few minutes. She moves around to the side of the home and behind a tree. "It's time you feed. We may be off soon and I'm not sure when we'll have a better time."

I fly off her arm and hover in front of Cageri and transform back into my usual form and I straighten the cuffs of my clothes and I look at her "I believe we have a little while they take so long to explain things I've noticed. Are you hungry my lady? I can hunt quickly if need be" I step closer to her form as I say this and look up to the sky and chuckle "you do not need to shade me while I am on this continent or in bat form" I pull my hood down to expose my face to the slight rays of sun the clouds allow through enjoy the tiny bit of warmth. "Vasilvok magic on this island" I say as way of explanation.

"I would rather it become habit to shield you, there will be places you will need it." She smiles at me again and I can feel something skip inside me, "I ate well only a few hours ago." She pulls the arm guards off and folds back her chain sleeve, "Would you prefer more privacy? I understand this is an intimate action for you."

When I hear the word'intimate' leave her mouth I can feel my cheeks somehow grow red and I begin to rub the back of my neck a little embarrassed "I...uh...I..Hmm didn't expect you to realise that about... This." As I finish the sentence I gesture to the two holes on her perfect skin from my last feeding.Cegari shakes her head, "When I asked you earlier and you gestured to wait I figured it out. She takes his hand and walks with him to the forest, finding privacy among the trees and vines and flowers. Taking a few minutes she removes her plate and chain. She then removes her loose flowing tunic, beneath a tightly wrapped shift that leaves her sleeves bare and I feel anything I'm about to say just catch in my throat and disappear. She unwraps her arm and offers it to him, "My gift. My honour."

I take the wrap that was around her wrist from her hand and I place it in my cloak as I guide her down so we are both on our knees in front of each other, I position myself over the original marks and I look up and lock onto her eyes with a look of appreciation and without meaning to I can feel an awakened sense of passion well up inside me as I repeat the reply I used before "And I accept with an open heart for my soul is not mine to give" and I sink my teeth into the marks again this time I force myself to drink slower, savour this immortals blood willingly given, only taking a small amount with every drain this time but taking enough to restore me.

Cegari touches my hair gently and smiles as I feed our eyes lock. I see a small look of confusion pass over her face passes confusion briefly before she returns her smile to her beautiful face and awaits me to finish. She visibly looks stronger than the last feeding which pleases me, and if I'm not mistaken a sense of... enjoyment? I stop and withdraw my fangs, and I purposefully allow her to watch the process of my fangs receding for the first time, I place my thumb over the two holes to stem the flow and pull a handkerchief from my pocket, dabbing any excess blood off I pull a larger deep wine red, quite fancy handkerchief and begin to wrap her wound myself, being gentle with her wrists careful not to tie too tight to agitate the marks. When I finish I turn her wrist and look up at her eyes again. "Again My lady I thank you from the deepest region of my heart for this. Words cannot convey my appreciation" I bow my head with a soft smile. Cegari seems to rest a moment, closing her eye. Once she's gathered herself she reaches for her Armour, redressing carefully. Her tunic wrapping loosely around her form, her chain follows and acts as a barrier between her flesh and her plate. Her plate takes the longest, each piece precisely placed. She looks back at me every few moments, and a small fast look of realisation passes over her features, and as it does her lighter life bands blush a bit and her breath catches. She smiles and tries to hide her hesitation but I notice. "Did you take enough?"

"Yes I took enough, I've gone on very little blood before and I took more than that from you I would never want to weaken you My Lady" I say maybe too quickly. I stay knelt for a little while before sitting down properly and tapping the soft earth beside me. "Please the party can wait some more, besides they are probably eating anyway. I wanted to explain a few things to you."

She pauses in putting on her plate and ties the pieces to her pack, wearing just her chain. She sits next to me resting against the trunk of the tree, "What is it?"

I can't help but hesitate before beginning "I wanted to explain why I didn't tell you about the intimacy of what you were offering me." I can imagine I look like a fool but I cannot look away from her face and I change my tongue to supernal to a language which flows and is just easier for the ear to understand "I didn't tell you in case you backed out of the offer you were giving me, it was wrong perhaps to do so, but... Well I was afraid you would withdraw the offer and what you offered me was the closest I had come to a living being in over 400 years My Lady"

I reach forward and take the hand that I feed from in my own turning it to face the sky.

"Someone cared about me in a genuine way it seemed, and well I was truly surprised by this, so I tried to separate the intimacy from the action in my mind. And I did so by treating this as a gift offered by a friend and from taking from your wrist not the... The usual place"

In understanding Cegari curls her fingers around my on. "It certainly didn't take me long to care for you, we had a connection from our first meeting, but if its more comfortable for you..." She ties her hair up and removes her chain again. "I am strong, and can handle to feed you."

I sit up straight as if electricity has struck me for the second time today after those animals we fought. I have to place a hand on her shoulder, "please, think about this. If you offer this I cannot pretend this is anything else except what I described, I will treat you... Well the feeding will feel different to you, especially for you because of your ability to feel out emotions and memories." I look into her eyes almost searching for something.

Cegari seems to understand...and a look of longing seems to cross her face. She moves, quickly, gracefully as always, she kneels over me, straddling my lap as her hands take my face and kisses me lightly. I initially don't kiss back I'm like a stunned teenager but then with a mind of its own my left hand comes up and goes to her hair and my other wraps around and I reply the kiss in kind, searching her face to see if this is really happening.

She leans back a bit, resting her forehead against my own..."I fear I misunderstood you..."

I look at her a little curiously as she breaks the kiss, I lean forward and place one against her lips "how so my lady?" I can't help but hold onto her tightly. "You seemed hesitant...I did not want you to feel as if you must be polite...you always have been a gentleman to me." Cegari touches the ends of my hair and smiles, her eyes searching my face.

"It was how I was raised to treat a lady. Old habits don't leave easy." I lean my head back so I can look at her proper and still in supernal I say "never in my years of undeath in this world have I ever met a being as thought, majestic and beautiful as you Cegari. And I do not lie to people I care about"

She blushes, her white lines turn bright red a moment, "Perhaps your curse was our fate? It is early, we have not known each other long..." She runs a soft hand over my jaw line, studying my face not just with her eyes it seems, but with her hands too. She leans forward, looking a little inexperienced, she kisses me again, leaning against me, holding me tightly. After a few moments she says, "Feed...feed from me. As you were meant to."

"Then we will explore together it seems. Whenever you deem yourself ready you come to me. I will forever be the gentleman... Well most the time" I chuckle slightly. When she willingly says to feed from her neck. I lean my head back and extend my fangs longer than before, they even look sharper and in a raspier voice than usual I say. "The gift I accept freely for I now cannot give my heart, it is already with you" I offer her my free right hand to take to share my emotions and memories if she wanted to take it.

And in one fluid motion the hand in her hair deftly but gently pulls her head back so she's looking up exposing her neck to me and looking up at the early night stars as I plunges my head down towards her neck quickly and drive my fangs into her neck, the motion looks like a predator taking out an animals throat but it causes no pain to her, I feed slowly, intimately on her neck pressing my body against hers as I drain from her neck for almost a minute, the effect I know will leave her very light headed but not substantially weakened. She sighs softly as I feed, her free hand strokes my hair as she breathes slowly. I withdraw my fangs covered in blood and I shorten them again as a small trickle leaves her neck as I prepare my arms in case the effect is a bit much for the Deva as it usually has been before on even the most hardy of people.

She allows herself to be held by me placing more of her weight into my arms as she takes some time to steady herself and regain her grace again. I hold her close "I think you may somewhat understand why it is more intimate than it seems from the outside My Lady. Are you ok? It has been sometime since anyone has allowed me to do that. Especially not one as beautiful as you... My lady" I keep hold of her hand rubbing my thumb over the top of it as I hold her body to me.

"You know you are allowed the occasional time to not be perfectly graceful" I say and she can positively hear the smile on my voice. Cegari blinks at me, then in a very unladylike moment sticks her tongue out at me before resting her eyes again. "I will be fine shortly...but this is my gift and my honour still."

"I like this side of you as well" I laugh heartily this time as I continue to hold her head to my shoulder allowing her the respite. "I know, you are an exceptionally strong lady Cegari. And as I said I have nothing left to give you in return, you already have the last things I could give you, my heart, protection and my power."

"Then we will be unstoppable, for in me you have the same." She says in return.

"One day. After I have redeemed myself in the eyes of my god and have retrieved my soul from her. Then you will be presented with that as well My Lady" When she has recovered enough to stand and walk this time I help her don her armour doing her clasps and placing the pieces around her body.

Cegari leans back to look at me and smiles, dabbing the red of her blood from my lips, "I shall not rest until that goal is completed and you are as you would choose to be, but how you present yourself to me matters not. It will not change my acceptance or my heart."

I look at her, blink at her a few times and before I can stop myself I suddenly utters a few words in the most clearest and emotion filled voice she has heard me say. And since she is still holding my hand I know she can search and see that I means every word, every syllable and there are no lies only truth and raw, pure, powerful emotion behind it.

"You truly are perfect Cegari."

She shakes her head, "I am flawed, but I have chosen you, however you may come, unconditionally." She almost giggled, but catches herself and lightens the moment with a jest, "Besides...I have had a few lifetimes to smooth out the rough edges."

"To me, that is what I see." I say and laugh at her little joke, as I am placing the breastplate on I point at her new bite marks, "even with this on, one of those marks will show, it is up to you to hide or show them My Lady."

She touches my hand and it causes me to pause, "I am not ashamed of my choice, I care not if they see it. They probably assume such anyway...this is the 3rd time in fewer days we have disappeared together for a time." She helps me with her armour, and gathers her pack, shield and scabbard. "I should return to eat something sweet...fruit often helps me regather my strength."

My smile grows again for maybe the hundredth time in the last hour. "I am glad of your choice, so... you enjoy sweet fruits then? I shall have to remember this information for next time." As we turn to leave I offer my arm to her and stride back to the coven with her in arm.

Back at the coven they spend that night again with the Oracles blessing, but are asked to leave the morning after. As they leave the building they see a dark shadow sneak in the house. Making sure the Oracle is ok, they follow, and after a brief confrontation they find the man is brother to Aurivel and they speak. The vampires rudeness is not well received by Alucard, who hates the family to begin with, but despises self-important nobles who believe they have rights over all others. After no more than half an hour later they begin their trek back to the ship they arrived in...it would be nearly a week's walk to get back, and Alucard was not in any mood to talk with the others, and as such turned to his bat form and rode along on Cegari's armor, as he had the night prior.

A WEEK'S TRAVEL LATER: UPON THE SILVER SERPEANT

Cegari stands at larboard railing, looking out to sea as they set off. She glances at Alucard's form in the 'Bat's Nest' and sighs softly. So much rage built up. She had thought about it during their long trek from the Oracle back to the port, her friend, and intimate companion often riding on her arm in his bat form. She wondered at what could cause so much anger, knowing only part of his history, but didn't want to bother him with asking, not until he seemed calmer. She wasn't frightened, he would never harm her, she knew that, but he'd seemed distant, having kept to his bat form for the trip, except to sleep and hunt. She'd actually joined in the drinking game in hopes of the alcohol pushing her into a deeper sleep. It had been at 4 nights since she'd had decent rest, worried about him.

Alone in the crow's nest he had time to think. She knew he'd come to her soon. Daedalus breaks her internal reverie with his barked orders. She moves quickly to comply, more fluid without her armor plating or chain. She's dressed in loose pants, tied at the knees and ankles to prevent snags, and a tightly wrapped top that keeps her bound, so her natural assets won't be in the way of her work. Her arms and midriff are bare during the day, showing off her many varied colors of lifelines, her shorter hair is kept tied and out of her way. When she is on deck working she is forced to focus, she is not familiar with ships. She glances often at Alucard when she can, she misses his words when he is silent, but she waits, patiently.

Seeing another Vasilvok in the coven had angered Alucard, it wasn't because he was a Vasilvok it was more because the Vasilvok they met was an almost total embodiment of why he hated the family and most nobility, the snobbish attitude and the feeling to entitlement they all have disgusts him. But what brought his blood to boil even more than that is Aureval, his insistence that Rauviel will protect him. He's savvier than people expect but at the same time parts of him are being used for gain and he just...

Alucard sighs as he grips the top of the mast tighter as he breaks out of his own thoughts not realizing his nails were digging into the mast and marking it. He looks down at the small forms of everyone running around the deck searching for one in particular as his gaze then focuses on Cegari. It's interesting to see her out of her armor and in basic clothing; her form is even more pleasing to him than it was before. He places his foot up on the railing to lean against his knee as he watches her work. Occasionally he sees her look up at him as he watches.

He's still not sure about what to do; he sees glimpses of the person underneath all that duty and stoic attitude when they are alone, but not enough for him. He wants to explain how he feels, to truly find the words for her but... he doesn't want to draw it out too fast for her. He doesn't want to push her away by trying to know her.

His head snaps up as he notices the wind die down and the sails drop as they droop loose and he hears Daedalus ask for everyone to man the oars. He grabs a rope and slides down to the deck and takes an oar slightly in front of Cegari and begins to funnel his frustrations into the rowing. Unlike the others he remains in his normal clothing, because he has too.

Cegari sees the sails die, and helps to get them furled properly before heading below decks. As she ties off the ropes she sees Alucard swing down the lines to the deck and is in silent awe of his grace and capability. She moves with him down the stairs to the low deck and lifts an oar, she is strong, but cannot manage a rhythm that aids them. Alucard seems chased with demons and far surer of his movements as he begins to row them towards their goal. Once away from the land and out to deep sea the wind howls with strength again and they stow the oars and rush to top deck to release the sails and gather speed. With Daedalus's sure commands they are moving quickly and fluidly. As Cegari moves about, securing the ropes and sails she misses the coiled ropes near the rail and stumbles backwards, not as steady on the sea as she would like to be.

Alucard stows away the oar as the wind returns and begins to prepare to fly back up to his perch and take his place again when he sees the small stumble from Cegari using his slightly unnatural speed, he steadies her and makes sure she stays on her feet. "Be careful My Lady, the seas can be hard and I can't imagine this is something you're used to."

She bites her lip to stop her smile, and glances about. With everyone busy getting the ship ready she gives him a wink and before he turns to go she falters purposely. When he pauses to steady her as she knew he would she presses into him and places a whisper of a kiss against his ear, "I am here should you need me." As she pulls away she gives him the briefest smile and turns to go back about her work

He smiles when she kisses his ear and when she turns he grabs her by the wrist to stop her, not her injured one, and says "Come see me tonight, I would... talk with you" there's the briefest of pauses between the two words but it is there. He begins to pull his hood forward, the shade of his hood darkening his face from the nose up; you see his lips curl up in a sly smile

"You should dress like this more often My Lady, it suits you and... compliments you more" and in a haze of shadows he turns into his bat form and flies back to his nest. He doesn't want to test her reaction to his cheekiness

Her look is one of shy curiosity. She saw him tease and flirt with the Oracle before their first encounter, and would hate to think him using her for his comfort. She shakes these thoughts away, her past lives, though helpful, could often make her over think the simple. She goes back about her work until her shift is over. When she goes below decks to the cabin she was given she changes into her robes. Tightly cinched at her waist, bare shoulders, the sleeves tight on her bicep, but loose down to her wrist, the straight skirts part in multiple panels when she walks. She rests for a few hours before sunset, and when the sky darkens, and only the moon and stars guide their eyes, Cegari goes to search for Alucard, her slippered feet making the barest whisper of sound.