Darkened Skye

[Ash]

The door bursts open, and in is shoved an Istan woman. She stood about 5’4” although she was barely standing tall as she was shoved inside, long blue hair which fell out of her hood and around her face, and sea green eyes that were wide with fear and carried worry in the form of dark circles under them. She crashed into the side of a large wooden crate and quickly righted herself before backing around its corner. “H-hey guys... What's with the rough treatment?” She asked a false ignorance made her voice waver. They had taken her daggers, but she grabbed for the left one still. “I still have a few days to get the money I owe your boss.”

At this point, a man almost as short as her came in through the foggy dim light. He was a man that enjoyed frequently eating, and showed it. Between his excessive weight and the stains ever present on his clothes. His fat fingers were adorned with gaudy rings, but in the right was a cobra head cane. “Indeed, you do Skye. But I know how difficult it would be to come up with 50,000 gold pieces in such a short time frame.” He came closer, the oak wood tapping the hard ground of the warehouse. “That’s why I wanted to give you an option B. See, there’s a man in town that I need you to retrieve and bring here to me.” He lifts up his staff and points the hissing cobra head towards a wagon-sized cage. It looked like the things you moved animals with. “Specifically to that.”

She stared at the two big men, then braved the action of pulling herself around the corner to see what he was pointing at. The sun came through the cracks in the roof, making the cage look like a cell. She swallowed hard and pushed back into her cubby hole. “That's it? He gets in the cage and I'm debt free?”

The smile on his face looked a little like the face his cane was making. “Absolutely. As free as a canary.”

[Ash]

Barsig sat at the bar in the Limping Lenny tavern, the day was young and his only company was the barkeep and the drunk in the back booth. He was nursing a glass of bourbon and staring deeply into the space between the present and the past. He’s been there all night, drinking deeply and thinking slowly, but while he was indeed distracted, he stayed just sober enough to keep his wits about him.

“Another one?” The familiar but gruff voice of a large and heavily scarred man asked again, probably the fifth time since he sat down. He had the bottle at the ready, already uncorked and prepared to pour. However, with a glance behind him at the light breaking through the dark wood doors, Barsig finally raised his hand as a sign of ‘no more’ and fished out some money. “Aye, as well as you did.” The man pushed the cork back into the bottle and then pushed it aside. “You looked like you were in a trance most of the night.”

He placed several silver coins down on the table, then pushed his coin purse back into his deep dark cloak. It was made of heavy material, the kind that doesn’t let the sun in. “I tend to do that, when I don’t have anyone keeping me company.” He explained, with a smile that seemed impossible to muster a minute ago. His cool blue eyes shining with a clarity that also seemed out of character from just a moment ago. “It’s good stuff, old man.” He said, pushing over the amount for his night, and a tip. “See ya around..” He said, sliding his gloved hand back and into the shadows of his cloak. The bartender gave him a nod, and Barsig pulled himself off the stool.

In the bright light of day, he pulled the hood over his dirty blond hair, it was shoulder length but he left it in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He took a moment to recalculate his day’s agenda, and then slowly begins his way north. His boots leaving slight prints in the hardened earth, overlapping several that were already there.

As he began his travels, only a few seemed to care that he was even there. The hood tended to make people suspicious, but as someone who used his fingers to get in and out of trouble, Barsig has always been looked upon with caution. That said, he was just making his way through town. He merely needed to stop for a rest. He had intended to sleep, but he’d gotten lost in his own thoughts and therefore couldn’t make good on those intentions. He would sleep later it would seem.

-

Among the people in the crowd, was another cloaked figure, pressing her body against the side of the building and watching him leave the tavern and head north. They had told her where to find him, told her that it was to save her time and trouble. Apparently whoever this guy was, he was super valuable to these people. Enough to put research and resources into it, and to enlist someone who owed them a lot to bring him in. They did almost everything for her, and yet they skipped on a precious piece of information. How on Volta was she supposed to get him to follow her?

Skye let out a sad sigh before she began to follow her target. She was smart, at least that’s what Alton told her, she’d think of something. Hopefully before he reached the edge of town..

The woman moved through the streets, pressing her body into building after building, pausing to watch where he was going, and trying to come up with something clever. Which on the fly was a little hard. The idea of seducing the attractive man would be a valuable option, until she found herself face to face with a mirror. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a week, and she honestly couldn’t remember when her last bath was. She could go jump in a river, but how long would that take? Besides, she was dressed to kill, but not in a sexual way.

Threatening him might have been another great option, but they kept her daggers. If she got close enough to him, maybe she could use whatever weapon he had on him, but she’d have to search his body before she could make a plan that elaborate.

She considered a combination of both as she passed a few blocks rather quickly. Get up and close to him, before he realized she was three days from looking haggish she could get a quick pat down. That was a reasonable plan, one that made sense even to her sleep deprived mind, but she wasn’t used to shaking a man down in the bright sun in the end of morning. She liked to do those things at night, as did anyone who was a little roguish in nature. If she was going to do it, she had to lead him. As it is, he was leading her.

And worse, leading her right into the busy bustling world of the marketplace. This left her with so much more dread than she had been in moments before. Where would she strike in a place like that? Maybe he was only going in for breakfast? She should wait for that.. She hasn’t eaten all night, maybe even the night before. Actually, she couldn’t remember the last time that happened either. In fact, she chose to stay a little further behind than normal when tailing someone, in order to keep her stomach from giving her away. She really needed this.. As soon as she got him into the cage she could spend what little bit of money she did scrounge up for a good meal and a way out of this place.

There was a point when she realized he wasn’t just passing through the place, it was about the time the sun was high and the place quickly started to get more crowded. As the sweat began to roll down her back, she bit her lip and headed into the waves of people just to keep him in sights.

Maybe that was the point. Maybe she should have known he was onto her, but even as he kept inside the larger crowds and forced her to swim after him it never occurred to her that she’d been found out.

Suddenly he darted the opposite way he’d been traveling, and she struggled to follow before losing complete sight of him. Her heart began to leap against her chest as she spun around in place to look for him. Her hood eventually even fell off her head with how hard she was whipping it around to find any sign of that dark cloak.


Skye panted heavily as the natural heat and the combined bodies around her suffocated her, she felt the world moving without her as the busy people knocked her around lightly. Some part of her must have been calm, though, because as soon as she realized he could have taken the hood off to talk to a merchant she could see his dust blond ponytail bobbing behind him as he was walking away from her and east. “Shit.” Skye cursed, and then in a blind panic began to run after him.

Her panicked dash was cut short as a the ocean of people blocked her path and made it difficult to make any progress. Despite this, she kept her eyes locked onto her target. He stopped at some point, probably to buy something off a merchant, and then continued moving. Her heart calmed as she was lead to believe he was just going about normally and hadn’t actually seen her. When she finally had some room to move, she ran as fast as she could after him, trying not to let him leave the market without her.

There was a high pitched whistle behind her that she might have thought was odd, but was too focused on him to even care.

She saw him turn a corner slowly, and realized this was her chance. That this alleyway he entered had an exit, but if she could get there fast enough she could rob him of his weapons. Or even of his gold.

Actually, in hindsight, that's a better plan. If she took all of his money, then he has no option but to chase her! Yeah, that’s the plan, and threatening him would be a solid plan B. Except none of it would matter if he got away. She scanned the place, seeing a wagon full of crated goods, she shoved through the last of the crowd on the edge of the bazaar, then ran right at the cart. She had to jump off the face of a wall to reach the crate’s height, then bounced from lower crate to higher before she reached the very wall she had used to get up there.

Very near the alley, she dropped down and into a roll, where she pushed back onto her feet and then slapped her body into the wall. Gasping for air she tried to catch some breath before holding it and scanning the alley way. It was empty!! Her eyes widened! She rushed in, knowing the alley took two sharp turns. This mattered not for she knew he could get away, so she rushed around the next corner as fast as she could.

Only to smack right into a body. His solid chest and precise balance held firm. Like an uban street rat after a guard’s gold and being confronted, she was aware she was in hot water at this point, and so she tried pushing off him to escape.

If only..

-

Barsig reached out with the reaction of a cat, and grabbed her own cloak. Then with a strong yank he pulled it, and her, back and around the corner until her body slammed into the wall with a force that has been mastered over years.

She was wise to try to struggle, and he could practically see what she was thinking as her wild green eyes darted up at him and then straight away from him. Before she could leap off the wall, he planted his hand right on her chest and shoved her back into the wall. “Stop.” He commanded.

She seemed to have understood that he meant it, because she did. Her chest heaved under his hand and her breath painted against the bare spot on his arm, her eyes met his with fear. On top of that, he could hear the voice of panic in her chest. It had been the loudest heartbeat in the crowd for a long time, and it followed him wherever he had gone. If this girl was supposed to be a hardened killer, she was doing a bad job at it.

“Why are you following me?”

“What? Me? Following you?” She said, trying to fake innocence.

“Don’t lie to me.” He said, pushing her a bit harder into the wall. “I don’t know how long you’ve been following me, but I saw you in the market.

She was silent for a long time, apparently deciding on whether to test him or not. He could hear her heart getting ready to lie, but the solid beats of a truth passed through when she finally did speak. “Okay. Fine. I was hired to find you.”

“By whom?”

Again, she debated on lie or truth, but finally settled on something. “By a guy I know. He wants me to bring you to him. That’s all I know.”

Barsig eyed her up with suspicion. Even without his ability to hear her heart, he could tell she wasn’t telling the whole truth. Except she wasn’t lying either. He was about to ask why, but she already told him that’s all she knew. She struggled under his stare and looked away from him. He could only believe her. Whatever the story was, he guessed she needed the prize for this. Probably desperately..

“He could have just sent me a message if it was that important.” He explained, then with her still at his hand’s mercy, grabbed her cloak again and lifted it. He spotted the empty sheaths strapped to her back via belts. She was armored with the basic leather’s, thicker than normal leather clothing, but definitely someone who can fight and has been in some fights. He scanned her over for more insight.

She had a decent body, more built for quickness than strength, her armor pinning the breast down for speed and everything was covered in some layer or another. It implied she needed the protection a lot, or she was hiding. Honestly, if it weren’t for her pounding heart, he might not have noticed her. Perhaps they were cut from the same cloth.

From her blue hair, which seems to darken a bit as it grew, told him she was from Ista - a land in the upper west of the world, where the common people were as tough as the starting out fighters in his own home land. It also seemed to stem from their past as being slave labour for the Marce Kingdom. History lessons aside, between her blood and her evident equipment, he could tell she needed to be watched out for. “You’re unarmed, why?”

“He didn’t want me to kill you.” She lied. But he guessed it was to look tough, not that she needed it when someone as educated as him was around. “If you are done stripping me with your eyes, can we be off?” He wondered why her heart beat was so clear when there was so many people around..

Eventually he let her go, and let the cloak close around his body, but he was very ready to take her out again if she tried to run. “You assume I will go with you.”

“Well.. Do I assume correctly?” She asked, straightening out her own cloak and pushing her hair back into the hood.

He could tell she was just faking confidence. She was scared that he would turn her down, and she’d have to come back empty handed. Maybe it was his past with Seth that made him unable to walk away, but he inhaled deeply and exhaled from the nose before standing up straight and nodding. “Lead the way, Miss.”

[Ash]

Barsig was still attempting to figure out who it was that would want to talk to him in this city of no importance to him. He might have thought it was his old friend, Seth, but there was no signs of his presence in the place. As well, he knew the old dog of a man was in the mountain city of Gaina, where he was headed before this interruption. Even heading to the seedier part of town didn’t strike any familiar chord with him. “You sure you aren’t just trying to shake me down?” He asked his escort, they’ve been walking for about an hour now.

The woman turns around with a frown. “Not unless you have 50,000 gold on you.” She said, then turned back to face the way she was going. She could reasonably see her destination. Her freedom was just a block or two away. “It’s right there. Just a little further.”

He frowned a bit, but kept following.

In the short time they traveled together, they’ve barely said a word to one another. And yet he’s been listening to her this whole time. The path started with concern, worry, that sort of thing. He was throwing her off by just coming along with her. There was a point when her heart beat a little more happily. Only to die down to a serious thump. She must have realized she couldn’t get excited about the mission being a success when they were so very far from the end. At another point, there was a hollow sound of dread, of darker form of concern. He imagined she was worried she got the wrong guy. After all they didn’t even know each other’s names. But now it lifted a little, relief.

The man’s eyes move up ahead. A lone storage unit stood among the hot sun’s rays, that alone was their destination, he was sure of it. He pulled the hood back once more, feeling the heat of the rays and trying not to let it bother him. “That’s such a specific amount..” He commented, more to himself. He wasn’t surprised that she didn’t respond to that.

-

Skye couldn’t believe it. This mission had been so daunting earlier, but now she was actually on top of the warehouse. The fact that she needed to get him into a cage did cross her mind, and for a second she was upset. No, that was a small inconvenience she can worry about when she got to it.

They reached the door, and she pulled it open with a bit more initiative than she meant. Skye took a look around in the place, but saw nothing but dusty floors. She frowned, but showed the man of the hour in. “He should be back in a moment.” She assured him, and closed the door. They had told her they’d be here when she came back, so she had no idea what would have made them leave. She did hoped they were on their way back soon though. She wanted to receive her clear as soon as possible and skip town the moment she had a ride out of here.

As they stepped in, she looked over in the direction of the cage. A cover had been thrown across it, leaving the door and steps exposed. She thought it was strange, but then got an idea. “Maybe we should wait for him in his office.” She said, pointing to the wagon sized lump. “I’m sure he won’t mind at all.”

The man put his attention to the place she was pointing, but remained silent for a long time. It made Skye nervous.. She swore he knew that, because he looked over at her like he did. He took a few steps in that direction before turning around and speaking again. “Did he tell you what he wanted me for? I’ve been trying to figure out who I could know that lives here.”

She was about to make something up when Alton’s voice called out. Suddenly the two from earlier were flanking the both of them. “Ah. Skye.. It is you.” He said, rubbing his hands over the cane’s head while he stood in place. How was he hiding in plain view she may never know. “And you’ve brought the vampire.. Lovely.” He nodded towards the cage. “Okay boys, get him into the cage.”

Eager to get the job done for her own freedom, Skye almost didn’t hear that.. “Vampire?” She asked, turning to the man she had brought. He didn’t even look her way, his eyes were set on Alton. They changed from a very pleasing blue, to ice and was glaring daggers at her employer. “I-Is that true?”

“Oh? Did I forget to mention that little detail?” Alton said, taking a step closer, as did his bodyguards. “It is true. That man right there is a bonafide vampire. A blood sucking monster, and you didn’t even know it, did you?” He paused as if he was waiting for her answer, but he was in fact not. “Of course not. He somehow defies the logic and the rumors we know of the things. Whatever the reason, I bet he will bring a sweet pot of money my way at the auction.” He turned to face her now. “Good job. Now as we discussed, as soon as he’s in there your debt will be forgiven.” He pointed to the cage again with his cane.

“Wait.. Auction?” Skye asked, but no one in the room seemed surprised except her. “What do you mean?”

Alton gives her a glare and snaps the cane against the ground. “What do you mean by what do I mean!? Didn’t you hear me? He’s a fucking monster! If you weren’t bringing him to me, you might be dead in a ditch somewhere, void of all the blood in your damn body!” He yelled, losing his temper. “Now stop asking stupid questions, and get him in the fucking cage!”

Skye stiffened under the voice of the man she owed so much to. Then bit back the bitter words she wanted to say. And yet, she looked upon the man with a hint of sadness. She hadn’t known he was going to be forced into slavery.. She hadn’t known anything about this ridiculous claim of vampiric nature.. She was trying to imagine the very patient man before her as a creature from nightmares... Barsig glared at Alton with so much distaste she could feel the sand in her own mouth.

That is when Alton beat the ground again. Skye jumped at the sound, and when she glanced back his lackeys weren’t at all in a good mood. They would gladly make her do as Alton said.

As she moved to grab the man’s arm, sure he’d slap her away, part of her felt bad for the guy. Vampire or not, it didn’t seem right to cage him and sell him into slavery.. Then again.. Now she didn’t know what else the cage had been for. She felt so foolish for not connecting the signs at the time. She reached for his arm weakly.

Although he initially pulled away he complied after Alton nodded to the guys in the back. Very slowly, he allowed her to turn him away from them, and then pull him towards the cage. She let her head hang low as she did Alton’s bidding. No part of her wanted to do this at this point...

Skye lead him up the steps and through the door, and as she was about to ask what to do with him next, they both heard the door slam shut and the locks engage. Panic leaped through her as she twisted around and threw herself at the door. “HEY! Wait! I’m still in here!!” She said, knocking on the door. The bottom of the cage was covered in a thick layer of straw, and the fabric clearly cut out most of the light from the outside, but it wasn’t quite dark. She heard laughter, and her heart stopped for a moment.

A panel in the door slid open so she was face to face with one of the burly men, who stepped aside to let her see Alton. He looked calm and rather pleased with himself. “Actually, I’ve thought a great deal about it, Skye, and you see.. I don’t think a simple task like this is enough to actually wave away your debt. But I did give you my word. So you are free. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can open the door without the beast getting out. Pity.. If you survive the journey, then perhaps you can convince the auctioneers that you aren’t for sale.” He explained, using every fiber of his being to not crack a smile until the very end. The panel closed and he began to laugh again.

Skye watched in horror, a glimpse of hope appearing before it was snuffed out just as fast, and when the door was slammed in her face she realized there was no escape..

-

Barsig’s eyes narrow when they heard the door slam shut, and if he was not one hundred percent sure of the status of this woman, the mocking and crushing of her spirit made it very clear. She had been duped just as much as he had been. It was one thing to trick him, but she seemed human and innocent enough. She even gave off the feeling that she hadn’t wanted to escort him into the cage. Only to be captured as well..

He watched as the woman, Skye, dropped to her knees into the hay as she realized she was trapped. He merely stared. He knew he could eventually get out of this mess, but for now he had to accept his fate. Which apparently was that of a slave, an exotic pet to whoever paid the most gold. The vampire was unsure how long she would last, if she would indeed last at all. Part of him didn’t care that she was trapped in here with him, as it served her right. The rest of him pitied her..

The sheet pulled back just enough for the darkness to be pushed into a corner for a moment, and with the sudden change of light he was drawn to it. He looked over and into the same face as before. “Oh.. And you. Vampire. It will be an awfully long journey, so don’t use her up too fast, but feel free to use the girl however you wish. I doubt I’ll get much for a useless and broken Istan woman. If she’s not sucked dry by the end of it, maybe some rich man will get a few uses out of her before adding her to his harem.” He then let out another smug chuckle, and began to round the cart, letting the tarp cover them back up.

Barsig glared at the shadows as he understood what he was implying, but as they worked on getting the cart out and on the road, he came to a chilling realization. Despite what the man was trying to force him to do, it has in fact been a while since the last time he fed on a human. His eyes ran back to Skye, and eyed her up. Her heart thundered against his ear drums, but he realized he was going to have to convince her to donate before he turned ravenous and took what he needed from her.

With that, he bit his lip and moved to the opposite side of the cage, sitting in the corner and watching his company deal with her situation..

[Ash]

Skye was pressed against the door, but sleeping. She’d beaten on it weakly for about an hour, and eventually hopelessness settled in. Now she was sleeping heavily in an uncomfortable position. Barsig, however, left her alone. He remained in his corner, looking out at the shadows of trees passing over the sheet. He had also fallen asleep, due to the lack of any stimulation of the sorts, and was now debating on another nap.. Captivity tends to be boring.

He pulled out a coin and began moving it swiftly through his fingers, watching it as he drifted off to his own thoughts. Her face hasn’t haunted him in a while, but being captured like she has been time after time made him think of Hope. He wondered what the chances of her being caught in a mess as big as this, or if she would have been more thoughtful about the situation. He had all but blindly gone along with it, and for the girl’s sake he didn’t fight it. Now she was in here with him.

He knew that Skye wasn’t to be blamed, she clearly had no idea what he was truly planning. Yet, he couldn’t help but blame himself for trusting her.

-

Hours and hours past before Skye finally woke. She was still propped up on the door where she’d fallen asleep after banging on the door uselessly. She pushed her face off the wood, feeling the ingrained swirls of the door pressed into her cheek. Then on her knees, she just looked down at her hands. How powerless they were at this moment..

Eventually she twisted to take in her surroundings, what little there was, and found herself still as captured as before. Her company was the man she had lead to this fate, and a bunch of empty space. The cage was ten foot long, about, and six foot wide - ish, and another eight or so feet high. The straw seemed fresh, implying they put it in there for him - and at some point in time her - so it was still thick and much like a carpet. Other than the two walls of bars, the front solid wooden wall, and the wall she was leaning on with the door, there wasn’t much at all here. She noticed the sheet that was now covering the wagon was so thick that she could barely tell there was light out still.

Her eyes turned to him from the corners of her face, over her shoulder. He was fiddling with something in his hand, it was too small to be a dagger, but very quickly she took in his stuff now that his cloak didn’t cover him completely.

There was a dagger in each boot, on on his right thigh, and it looked like something at his back. His leather armor was clearly a higher quality than her own, and he work sleeves that covered three-quarters of his arms before tightening around his forearms. His right hand, the one he was using to fiddle with the object in hand, had on a fingerless glove, the one he’d been holding her to the wall with. The other hand was a full rider's glove, his boots came to his knees and his face was touched by a hint of beard.

Speaking of his face, he was handsome and then some. The longer she stared the warmer her face got, the faster her heart raced.. She was just starting to think she wouldn't hate the idea of him biting her neck or anything else that might peak his interest when he looked up and straight into her face. She froze.

“Please calm down, it's hard to think with your heart beating so fast.” He said, then went back to his coin in his hand.

Skye stiffened at his words and felt suddenly guilty and embarrassed by what she’d been thinking. She sank back into herself, sitting more into the ground and letting her legs push away from her. With him out of her sight it was easier to do as he asked. Then she rolled over to put her left side against the door. “So it is true.. You’re really a vampire?” She asked, keeping her voice down.

Prompted for conversation, the man let the coin slow to a stop across his fingers before it disappeared. “No use in hiding it, so yes. I’m a pureblood, if we reach this auction and they find out, that man out there will be filthy and rich. I hope to avoid that at all costs.” He righted himself up, then nodded in her direction. “You aren’t scared of me though. More curious.”

Skye felt her face flush. “So it's true that you can read my mind?”

He smiled, but she couldn't see any fangs. “That’s ridiculous, as much as its false. Your heart beats a little differently through certain emotions. If you were scared it wouldn't have been that easy to calm yourself.” He leaned his head back. “As well.. I’ve been at this a long time. Reading people was always a natural talent of mine.”

Skye glanced away as she thought about what a relief that was. She couldn’t help but think it would be an embarrassment if he knew what she’d been thinking moments ago. Then again, the way he looks, he must get a lot of women staring at him and thinking the same thing she had. A lot more attractive ones, for sure. “I see.” She said to herself.

He stared at her for a moment. “If it bothers you that much, you can pretend that I can.” He turned to look at the sheet again. His internal clock told him it was close to dusk, and the dying light encouraged that idea. “I have a much easier time guessing what you are thinking than most people.”

Skye looked up to see he wasn’t looking at her, it only added to the doubt she had about herself. “It-” Before she could get a coherent thought out, the wagon came to a stop. She looked around expecting to see something, then felt frustration for the sheet. She crawled towards the edge of their prison and was about to grab the sheet, when a hand ripped it away with such force the woman pulled back enough to disturb the hay carpet even more so. This made thug number one grin, before he moved on with his work. He began pulling the cover aside and expose them to the elements.

-

Barsig felt the shift in movement as well, and glanced over at the opposite side, watching the girl scramble to the side. Then with a surprise, the sheet pulled back. It was the smaller of the two thugs, but smaller still meant muscle bound. He was probably six foot, giver or take an inch or two, thick brown hair, short but still flowing. The other one had to be pushing seven feet, and wore a beard. Both of them could probably snap them in half if they really wanted to, or were allowed to. As the thug pushed past the sheet, the master walked up to admire his goods.

“I hope the trip has been comfortable so far.” The man said, not at any one in particular, but then set his eyes on the girl. “Ah, Skye. Alive and well.” He seemed mildly surprised, and a bit disappointed. His cane came up, the head was a hissing cobra, and just as fast it was pressing into her jaw and forcing Skye to expose her neck to him. Barsig could hear the panic spring to her chest but she dared not move. He inspected her neck carefully, before pulled the cane back and turning his gaze on the vampire. “Not hungry?”

Barsig already guessed what he was looking for. “Does that mean you are skeptical?” He put on a friendly smile. “Are you doubting your intel?”

The master scoffed. “Not at all, I was merely expecting the girl to be dead.” He said, ignoring Skye completely. “But I’ve been informed that you blood suckers don’t need it everyday, and that if I leave you alone with someone long enough you will take the bait. Regardless, I’ll make more money off the two of you than I could ever ring out of her. So do your best to keep this human facade up, you won’t hurt my chances at all.” He then turned away from them, and started barking orders to the two goons.

Barsig was pleased to know the guy was oblivious to his status. In reality though, he shouldn’t be surprised. There were only a few ways to determine his importance, and the easiest way was to have a human turned vampire in the same area. The more dominate the better, it makes it easier to see the changes in their personality. But as it stands, the only person who knows his secret is Skye.

He looked back at her, she was rubbing her neck. He hadn’t planned on telling her the truth, and in reality, it was probably putting a lot of pressure on the woman. If she really wanted freedom, she could offer up the truth. That 50,000 gold debt would pale in comparison to how much he was worth. He wondered now what possessed him to confide in her his truth..

[Ash]

Hours later, after the sun had burned away and the only light they had was the fire the three had made for their camp, Skye was dealing with the pain that has only been growing inside her. They were having some kind of stew, and the smell that wafted over clenched her stomach in the grip of the gods. She was crippled by it, and her mouth watered uncontrollably. She stared at the fire.. But no one seemed to mind her. That is until her stomach let out a painful wail of hunger. So loud that even the laughing men could hear, and even stopped to look her way. She sank back into herself and tried not to look as desperate as she was.

After a moment, the shorter of the two came over, in his hand a bowl with a lump of bread floating in something. Skye couldn’t suppress her basic nature anymore, she slammed her body into the bars and reached out with her left hand. She even whimpered like a dog, what shame she ever had fell away as she practically begged like the caged animal she was.

Barsig watched, and he’d never felt so sorry for a creature than the way he felt for her.

“Ah-ah..” The man said, pulling it back from her, a grin on his face. “Not so fast. You can’t get something for nothing, you know.” He explained, and the woman’s heart broke, but he could hear it pick up. She would be willing to do almost anything, still, she remained silent and like a stone, staring at the food like it was life. The guy looked her over like she was a feast for him to pick apart, but still had his manners about him. “You’re cloak.”

“M-My cloak?” She asked, confused. Breaking the spell just long enough to think about it. But then she stood up and the cloak couldn’t have come off any faster. Barsig took in her image. Her leather was a corset, that clung to her starving body. She had on leather bands on her arms, but he couldn't tell what they were for. Her pants were as skin tight as they got, and padded on the thighs and knees. She had on flat boots, they reached up to her thighs, but they were untied at the knees and the extra boot fell over her calves.

The thug also looked her over, and licked his lips. He then stepped a bit closer. “And your pants?” He asked, baiting her with the bowl.

Skye’s eyes returned to the bowl, but upon his words, she looked up and at his face. There was some clarity in her mind, but it fought hard with the desperation of life. She looked away at him completely, and looked down at the floor. She was motionless for a long moment, but then came to terms with it, and reached for her pants. Only to be stopped by Barsig’s words.

“Don’t bother, Skye.” He said it before he could control it, but he couldn’t stand by and let them take advantage of her. “You can strip down to nothing, and that scumbag won’t give you anything but the crumbs the dog doesn’t eat.”

“No one asked you!” The thug said, stepping up and throwing the roll straight at the man, wishing it was a whole tomato or another harder throwing item.

Barsig sensed he’d have an outburst as soon as the man’s heart picked up from anger and frustration. So he was ready. He lifted the cloak up, a curtain of black fabric wooshed around, and apparently that was enough to deflect the pitiful attack. When it settled, the vampire was glaring at the man. “How utterly disgusting you are. First you come over to lie to a desperate woman, and then you attack me with the very food you are trying to bribe her with for warning her of your lying heart. You call me a monster?”

The thug huffed with anger, but then brought his eyes on the woman. He pushed the bowl towards the girl. But when she grabbed for it, he pulled it back still. “Your cloak.” He said, then reached out his empty hand.

Skye had a hard time believing him, but had a harder time arguing. She gathered the cloak up, wrapping it in a ball, and then pushed it through the bars with her right, and her left reached for the bowl.

He took the cloak, and let it unravel in his hand, bringing the fabric to his face and inhaling deeply the scent of the woman. Seemingly satisfied with his trade, he put the bowl in her reach, but only barely. Grinning from behind the cloak, he allowed her to reach her fingers under it and barely touch the lip on the bottom, before he let go. Then he watched her horror as the full bowl crashed to the ground, with a hollow thunk and the stew slosh across the ground. Skye even fell to her belly and was shaking as she reached for the bowl. No matter how simply out of her reach it was, she tried. “Oops.” He said, then laughed as he left the cage’s side, his prize still in hand.

-

Skye was still stretching out for the ruined meal when she felt the heat of tears stinging her eyes, her body was shaking, and she would have given up all of her clothes if she could just reach the bowl. Something might have clung to it, and even so, she’d have licked the ground clean if she could. Finally she gave up her fight for it when she felt the tears roll down her cheek. Her body went limp, and she did everything she could to hold back the child inside.

She laid there for a long time, just staring at it. Even when another figure showed up, she remained motionless and vulnerable to whatever was to come.

It was Alton. He picked up the bowl and shook out the remaining soup. “There’s where he left it.” He said, but he knew what had happened, his grin told it all.

“That’s not a very smart business choice.” A voice came out from the darkness, the vampire. Coming again to save her..

Alton glared up at him. “What isn’t, pray tell.”

“If you really have left her in here to protect your investment, it’s foolish to let her die of starvation.” The man in the dark spoke. “If I were a vampire like you say I am, and I were to drink from her, my guess is she would die no matter how little I took. And if this journey takes too long, then you would have to put up one of your men for the donation part. Or else lose your vampire entirely.”

Alton only smiled. “Is that so? Well I guess we will come to that problem when we do.” He explained, and then carried himself away. Leaving the two to deal with it.


Alone, Skye finally picked herself up. “He doesn’t care that I die.. He hopes I will.” She explained, rolling over so she was leaning on the bars, they were spaced just enough to only allow body parts through. “He probably doesn’t even care how.” She added, letting her head roll over and her eyes land on him.

The instant she did, her green eyes widen. In his hand was the soup soaked roll. She could see the wet texture in what little light they had. Suddenly she had energy again, and hope. She got back on her knees and crawled over to him. She was just in touching range when she reached out her hand, or started to. Almost as soon as she did, she looked defeated and dragged her hand back.

“What’s wrong, Skye?” He asked, not at all moving his hand.

Her heart began to sink in her chest. “What’s the catch?” She asked, her voice quiet, and her eyes still on the food. “What cruel thing, are you going to ask for?”

The vampire looked over at her neck, but shook his head. “Nothing.. There’s no catch. As soon as I caught it, I knew I’d be giving it to you. Besides.. I’m not like them. Vampire or not, I’ve always been a good guy.” He offered it to her again, and a smile.

Skye felt the tears push past her eyes, and hope filled her heart as she reached out again. Her fingers trembled when she touched the bread, and like it was the most precious thing in the world, she carefully grasped it and pulled it closer. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks as slowly began to eat it.

[Ash]

Over the next day or two, Skye could feel the cold creeping in, but refused to say anything. Mostly because she doubt she’d get her cloak back even if she begged, but partly because she didn't want anyone to know it bothered her; especially the vampire, who she still didn't have a name to call him by. She was also not sure how to ask him his name and therefore remained clueless as well as cold.

She sat in the shadows of the prison, out of the sight of the thugs and Alton, apparently not eager to repeat the first night. She hugged her knees trying not to shiver or let her teeth chatter too loudly as she watched them from afar. She remained hungry but unwilling to belittle herself to sexual entertainment for the dogs of her former debt holder. At least for the moment.

“We must be on our way up north.” The other person in the cage said unprovoked. Skye looked over at the man who outside of taking care of nature's call didn't move from his spot in the corner. He was obscured by his own layer of shadows, but she could just make out his body. “Your breath is showing.” He added and she became aware of it herself.

Skye felt her face heat up as she worried she was found out but attempted to keep calm. “We were already on the cusp of mountainous country.” She said idly.

“Indeed.” He commented. There was a long pause before he spoke again. “I know Istans are one of the toughest people in Volta, but aren't you cold?”

Skye looked up with curiosity when he began to speak, only to feel red again. “No, not really.” She lied.

Her cellmate started at her for a long time, long enough to make Skye feel uncomfortable under his gaze. “You know I can tell when you are lying.”

Skye bit back her lip. “Okay.. Yes.” She admitted and then curled tighter. “I don't want to ask for my cloak back.” Who knows what that pervert did with it while it was in his possession.

-

Barsig watched her, thinking about the same thing she was, that it was probably best that she not request it back. Not just because of the implications but because the price would be to high. However, he couldn't help the pity he felt for her. Every moment so far has only assured him that she had very much desperately needed whatever deal she'd been presented. “How did you get in all of this any ways?”

Skye frowned but submitted to the circumstances. “I got scammed, twice. I got tricked into a game, Then before I knew what was happening, I owed more than I could ever hope to own.. Then they suggested I talk to Alton.” She gestured to the master. “I'm sure you can only guess the rest.”

Barsig guessed it was still bigger than she was aware. “So that’s what he meant.” He said, but was only talking now. He wasn’t immune to the cold, but as a gentlemen and the dominate species here, he felt required to at least offer his cloak. He lifted his hands to remove the clips at his shoulders, stopping when he heard her voice pipe up.

“No.” She said simply, but then shivered as the cold sunk into her armor. “I can’t accept that..”

Barsig frowned, thinking she was being awfully stubborn for someone who might freeze tonight. He slipped his hands back into the warmth of his cloak. “I hope that you will at least wake me up before you die, so that I can know what a stubborn Istan tastes like first.” He said, looking away from her, and looking back at the dying embers that was the other’s fire.

There was a long pause in the conversation, but he could hear that his comment bothered her in some way. If he looked over, he might be able to figure it out, but for now it was a mystery. A moment later she spoke up, except in a very hushed voice. “Are.. Are you in need of it? Of.. Of blood?”

She still didn’t sound scared, despite her speech pattern. Curious.. Maybe even concerned. Perhaps even thinking about offering herself to him. His own needs, clenched its grip around his heart, but he remained in control. For now. “Pretty soon here I will be.” He said honestly, then looked at her face. It was half hidden behind her knees. “I wasn’t lying though, I could kill you. And that chance gets higher and higher with each passing day, and not only because you aren’t eating.” He matched her volume, but turned away from her to keep watch over the humans outside the bar. “Ironically, if he fed you as well as he fed the big lugs, I’d be more inclined to indulge. Of course, he’d have no evidence either way, you wouldn’t have any marks on you by the time he checks you over.”

“Why’s that?”

“Our saliva has a healing factor, so that it seals the wounds about as fast as we make it. Even as I did feed, your body would be healing the wound.” Barsig paused, to appreciate something he didn’t normally think about. In hindsight, it actually made the act much more enjoyable, because it makes the flesh tighten around his fangs, which was delightful in its own right. “The only evidence left behind would be a droplet of blood, which can easily be wiped away.”

“I know you said you were a good guy.. But if you need it, take it.” Skye said, making his head turn. “If you are waiting for him to break down, because human compassion dictates he would, don’t. You said it yourself.. I could strip down to nothing, I’d still get nothing worth my dignity.”

The silence between them was deafening, and could make someone go insane from the wait. Barsig wondered if she was being stubborn, or if she was honestly willing to throw her life away for him. Or perhaps, she was dealing with the cold truth in her own way. It felt like a combination of things. “Are you sure you don’t want my cloak? I can use magic to warm myself.”

Skye just stared in his direction, as if she was having a hard time thinking about it. “You’ve already done a lot for me.. I don’t think I should keep taking when I have nothing to offer..” She struggled inside herself for a minute. “What I meant is, I have nothing to offer that won’t leave your own offer pointless.”

He understood what she meant, and she had a point.. He decided to leave it at that. Waiting for her to fall asleep before he moved over and threw his cloak over her. From the corner of the cage he used his magic to stay warm, knowing full well that it was a bad idea to do so while he should be restraining himself. He knew if he didn’t feed within the next few days that she would die by his hands, but the hardest part was he couldn’t do anything about it.

She will end up being a sacrifice.

-

Skye woke up under a blanket, or more accurately the cloak she’d declined twice last night. At first she was frustrated, but when she tried to rip it off, the bitter cold forced her back into the warmth of it. She wanted to cry.. But when she pushed her face into it all she could do was smell his scent. She only knew it was his because it was his cloak. She breathed it in deeply three times before she felt guilty and partially disgusted with herself for being as bad as the man who took her’s.

Between it and the warmth, she felt safe. The woman knew this thick fabric could do nothing to save her, and with the rising sun reaching through the bars she couldn’t help but think she should give the cloak back. She hugged it tightly, then rolled over on top of it, and dragged herself to her feet. She found the vampire asleep, and so she returned the favor and tossed the blanket over him, half-heartedly tucking him inside. Unbeknownst to her, she was being watched the whole time.

[Ash]

“Skye.” Alton’s voice called out in a pleasant way, for once addressing her instead of the main prize. As soon as she looked over, his cane was pressing into her jaw so he could examine her neck like every morning. He clicked his tongue, pulling the cane aside. “I don’t understand why he’s not taking the bait.” He said, out loud. Which Skye thought was odd, but he has been talking like she wasn’t even there for days now.

“Not that it’s my place, sir.” Said the thug with the beard, and Alton looked over with an over exaggerated look of shock, but didn’t stop the man. “But if I were to guess the problem, I think it might be the smell.” He suggested.

Before Skye could fully feel insulted, Alton was reacting. “AH!” He gasped, then turned back to the girl. “Is that what that stench is?” He looked her over, or at least faked it. “No.. I think you are onto something. I’ve never seen a lady look so worn out and filthy!” He used the cane to half turn away from her. “Do we have some soap and water?”

“Of course, sir.” The man said, holding up a large wooden bucket, on cue of course.

“Excellent.” Alton said, sounding pleased. Then with that same grin as before, he pulled back out of the way. “Clean her up.”

“Happily, sir.” The huge man said politely, then grabbed the bottom of the bucket and with a strong arm and as much aim as you needed for water, he heaved the contents through the bars and at Skye.

She had no time to react, distracted momentarily by the idea of them actually allowing her to clean up. Then she saw what he was doing, and she barely got a word out before freezing cold water rushed over her. She went to scream, but the other man had a full bucket as well. She caught a big gulp of the disgusting tasting water as she was knocked down. She rolled over, coughing violently and trying to get the taste out of her mouth with a third and fourth bucket full was thrown over her. Knocking her into the floor of the cage.

It seeped into her armor, soaking most of her body through. It was cold, as cold as ice, and it only got colder by the moment. She picked herself, gasping and choking as she watched the water roll off her and caused part of the hay to spread. Just as she was thinking they were done, she felt someone grab her leg.

-

Before anything could happen, the water under her moved on its own. Two bucket’s worth of the water gravitated quickly towards the bars, and solidified instantly into ice. All three men were forced to jump away, Alton even fell to the earth below him with an unpleasant sound of pain to avoid three foot wide spikes of ice from spearing through them. When they all looked up to see what happened, including Skye, they saw the vampire standing next to the girl. His eyes were glowing, focused, and as sharp and cold as the ice he’d created. He clenched his fists tightly to restrain himself from saying anything, but the message was clear.

Alton saw the defiance in the man’s face, and his own face grew dark. “So.. You have taken a liking to her.. Is that why you haven’t killed her?” He was met with silence. Silence that only amplified the friction between them. “Alright boys, let’s move out.” He said, then allowed the two to help him back up before the left.

Eventually they weren’t in sight anymore, and almost as soon, the ice fell against the ground as water and Skye was helped up. “Those bastards don’t know when to quit.” He said, checking her out. “Are you okay?”

Skye was shivering uncontrollably and looked like she’d just been pulled out of a lake, she was coughing and spitting up soapy water, but she nodded. She managed to cough up a thanks. He sighed.

About that time the sheet that protected him from the sun fell into place. “Come on, get out of these.” He instructed, and began to help her out of her armor and clothes. He noticed she didn’t argue, either didn’t have the breath, the will, or the mind to. When she was in just her panties he lead her over to the corner he’d taken up as his own and wrapped the cloak around her. He left her side long enough to do some remodeling.

Skye watched Barsig as he pushed half of the hay into the corner she was in, laid her belongings on the wood to dry, and then returned to her side. “I’m sorry..” She said when he approached, still shivering, still standing.

“For what?” He asked, adjusting the bedding to make a makeshift bed. He didn’t have a real plan, but he knew now he couldn’t leave her by herself. He finally looked back up at her, she was still trying to answer his question, looking more like a mermaid with her mouth trying to form some words. He looked her over again, her hair was still dripping, what little had been soaked completely. His hand reached up, and stopped when she flinched. He wasn’t surprised.. He picked up a lock that was wet, squeezing the water of her blue hair.

Barsig squeezed the water out of her hair and then laid her down in the bed of hay. Next, he laid with her, his back to the rest of the cage, his arm pulling her into his chest and holding her there. She tried to pull away, but his grip was solid. “Relax.. I’m not going to do anything. But you’ll dry faster if we share body heat.” He waited until she finally relaxed, and pulled her in closer, his hand rubbing her upper back. “We can keep warm like this, too.”

-

Skye would be lying if she said she didn’t like being pressed up against the man’s body. Her body eventually stopped trembling despite only being in just a blanket, combined with his scent with every breath, she could probably have fallen asleep. Especially with him holding her like this..
He had pushed her face into his neck, and she has been very aware of her heart beat since.

“I’m sorry..” She repeated, finally

“You never answered me when I asked about what..” He said, his voice was gentle, but loud in her ear. His breath hot.

“For dragging you into this..” She admitted, slowly. “For not just running away when I had the chance..”

She felt his hand start to rub her back. “I know what it feels like to be desperate. You probably felt trapped for a long time. I don’t blame you.” He said honestly.

Skye pulled her head back, to look him in they eye. She was searching for something, as to what was lost even on her. She looked away. “He called you a monster.. But I can’t help but laugh at how funny it is that the kindest person I’ve met is a vampire..” He chuckled at that. She smiled, then let it fade, her eyes come back to him. They were like emeralds. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Barsig.” He said, plainly. “Barsig Crimson.” He met her gaze.

Skye stared at him for a long time, able to see the hints of her own reflection in his eyes; they were pools of crystal blue water. She looked him in the eyes until she couldn’t any more, be it guilt or lack of confidence that was bold enough to match his.. She lowered her eyes to his mouth. The first thing that came to her mind was nothing, she was just averting her eyes. But then she noticed what she was looking at, and part of her was curious if he really was a vampire, did he have fangs? But as the seconds ticked by, her imagination turned to kissing him. It was only natural, to think about that while being so close, but it felt wrong. It felt more wrong the longer she did.

Barsig smiled, she could almost see his teeth. She felt heat explode against her face, and she lowered her eyes. He grinned a bit harder, showing off his the fangs unconsciously. “We’re you just thinking about kissing me?” He teased.

Skye stiffened up, and then instantly hated herself for it. Now he was going to know she was. “Not at all.” She lied, hoping if she lied so good he wouldn’t know she really was. “I was just curious about your fangs is all.” She added, her heart rapidly beating against her rib cage, announcing to him she was lying through her teeth.

Still, his voice was gentle. “Is that so?” He reached his arm from around her, and grabbed her by the chin gently, lifting her to face him. “You can’t see them while you are looking at my chest.” He explained. Skye’s cheeks bloomed with a hot pink. “Ready?” He prompted her, but before she responded, he opened his mouth for her. He tilted his head back and opened just wide enough that when she looked, she could see the two elongated fangs. Skye let out a soft gasp, but then leaned in a little. Without realizing it, her hand moved up and she pressed a finger to the flat side of his fang. He pulled back with another chuckle and took her finger. “Careful. That’s how you lose a finger.”

Skye blushed harder and retreated, she started to pull her hand back, but he held firmly. He adjusted his grasp to hold her forearm, and then pressed her wrist to his mouth. His lips pressed into it, before they pulled back and left his fangs against her exposed skin. She watched, mesmerized. She heard him sigh longingly, and that made her realize he was hurting.. “Are you going to bit me?”

-

Barsig could hear her heart racing, it was a symphony of excitement. He didn’t even mind that she lied to him. It soothed him, strangely. But when he was bold enough to press his fangs against her skin, he regretted it. Her pulse pounded against them, instinct told him there was never a better time to do it, she was in the perfect condition to sink his fangs in, and it was painful to deny his body what he craved. What he needed..

“No.” He said, with a hint of sadness as he pulled her hand away and then let it go. “At least..” He said, remember the rations. He could give her half now, and half afterwards. Maybe that would be enough.. Or maybe he was falling into the madness already, trying to rationalizing attacking her to make it okay to do so.

Luckily for them the debate would be cut short. Unfortunately.. It was abrupt and painful.

During this all neither noticed that the cage has stopped, neither of them noticed the large shadow on the side the sun was rising on, and no one was going to notice the large figure on the opposite side. But when both large men grabbed the sheet and wrenched it off, Barsig was the first to notice.

He didn’t feel the cold air filling the smaller space, actually the opposite. He felt a burning sensation like he hasn’t felt in a long time. The sun’s beams were like acid on his skin and his reaction was to rip himself away from Skye and to the safety of the shadows. He yelled out when he didn’t mean to, but with his back pressed into the bars she grabbed his right arm with his left. There were three large sized blistered patches on his exposed skin, where the sun - in a matter of minutes - ripped open the flesh and began to burn into the raw skin below it. It took but a moment to do the same damage it would take two days in the Titan Desert during the summer. He dug his nails into his shirt sleeve as he tried to cope with the crippling pain, breathing heavily now.

“So the big man does feel pain.” The shorter of the two said from his position in the sun. “Interesting burns though, I think the boss will enjoy learning about that.” He taunted, but when there was more movement in the hay, he glanced over. His eyes landed on Skye, sitting up quickly and adjusting what looked like a blanket around her naked figure, pulling her arms out to fold over the top. He looked very upset to see this, then took assessments of the rest of the cage’s contents. He quickly came to the conclusion that she was either naked under that, or very close to it. He grabbed the bars, and tried to shove the whole cage against the mountain face behind them. “YOU FUCKING WHORE!!” He screamed.

This got Skye’s attention, but she was already getting to her feet. The man felt rage reach up into his throat and make him scream again. She moved between him and the vampire.

“You bitch!” He shoved the cage out of anger, and it moved. His friend with the beard yelled out a warning. “You’ll lie with a mother fucking vampire, after rejecting me!” He screamed, clearly butt hurt. “I’ll rip out your tongue right out of your lying whore mouth, and I’ll feed force feed it to that bastard!”

Skye took the verbal abuse a lot better than you’d think a woman who’s been physically abused over the past week would. She stood a bit taller, and made sure so back up a bit closer to Barsig.

“You think he can fucking save you!?”

“No.” Alton said, the cane’s tapping apparently drowned out by the fit and the yelling.

His thug turned around as if he was ready to punch the master in the face, but when he saw who it was he hesitated long enough to stop himself. “But if you touch my vampire, I’ll do far worse than ripping your tongue out.” He assured the man, who backed away, but still mad he glared into the cage and walked away to cool down. Alton followed him with his eyes before turning to the two. “So the sun does hurt you.” He said, looking past Skye at the heavily breathing male. “I’ve also heard that a vampire heals through consumption of blood. I doubt a little burn will convince you to turn on your..” He cleared his throat, “Your whore.” Then he motioned to the sky. “But if I take away your protection, and tell you that you have 2 hours before we reach the top of the mountain where there’s no place to hide from it, maybe then you won’t be so picky.” He nodded across the way at his other employee who just chuckles and walks off. “Two hours.” And then he also walked off, happy as can be.

[Ash]

Barsig sat in the corner, pushed all the way inside, as best he could, still gripping his arm. He was watching the mountain they were on drift by, the sun peaking through the cracks of the rock. His arm was still a mess, and it seemed he couldn’t muster up enough energy to heal it.. He just sat there, considering his options. A whole two of them. He lashed out in anger, throwing his left fist into the back wall of the cage, then winced and pulled it back.

Across from him, on the opposite side the the wagon sat Skye, still in just the cloak. Suddenly her clothing situation didn’t seem all that bad. She was watching him, and feeling helpless once more. Except.. She wasn’t. She knew exactly what she needed to do.

Skye lifted her body up on her feet again, feeling a hundred times heavier than she ever has.. She crossed the space between them casually, and then when she was in front of him, she kneeled so her knees were touching his leg. She reached out and touched the hand on the blistered arm, grabbing it gently. “Do it.”

“You’ll die.” He said, no patience.

“Better than both of us dying.” She tossed back, confidence in her voice. Only for it to fade. Silence on both sides. “Do it.”

Barsig’s hand was already pretty limp in her hand, but it went dead as she convinced him. He didn’t see defeat in her, nor did he see pity. He heard a hint of guilt, probably trying to make up for putting him in this situation. Which would have been enough for him to say no, except she was so willing and seemed genuine about wanting to save him. He wanted to argue, because the last thing he wanted was for someone else to sacrifice themselves for his sake. But he could argue with her until he was blue in the face, it wouldn’t change her mind.

He weakly took her by the left shoulder, and pulled her into his lap. “It's going to hurt, and it's going to be difficult to, but relax.” He said, but if he broke a fang on this one, he felt it would be appropriate. He cradled her with his right arm, so her feet dangled off his left leg. His hand comes up and brushes her hair off the right side of her neck, he pulled and tucked under his arm. “I’ll try to take as little as I can..” He said, as if it was for her, but he felt like it was for him.

His fingers traced her neck, she had really nice collar structure. He wrapped his left arm around her and pulled her in while he leaned in, his lips touched her neck and he followed his senses to her pulse point, where he opened his mouth and slowly sank his fangs thought her neck’s flesh. The moment he did he felt her blood burst into his mouth; it was hot, hot enough to burn his tongue.

Skye tensed up as soon as she felt his fangs penetrate her, and she immediately reached for his chest to brace herself. That’s when she heard him moan, it resonated so clearly with the feeling of relief that it hurt her heart.. She remembered his words at that time, and did her best to relax in his arms; her hand that went to brace herself fell to her belly instead. Skye closed her eyes and focused on breathing.

As he sucked on her neck, she tried to compare it to a hickie, but she had never actually experienced that, she just knew what it was. She also knew there would be no mark left on her, despite what it felt like. As well, these could very well be her last breaths. She had one really big regret, and that was leading him into the trap, and after that..

Well, as she sat there, counting down the minutes, she considered telling him she was actually thinking about kissing him after all. She couldn’t bring herself to, though, and not just because she was afraid to talk while he fed. But also because she couldn’t see the point of it. He’s probably already forgotten about it, and did she really want that confession to be the last thing she said?

Skye’s head was tilted back all the way, so that her throat was fully exposed. So when she opened her eyes for one more look, she saw over the cliff and down it. She recognized a town in the distance. She mumbled the name as she closed her eyes again, feeling really drained now; really, really tired..


Skye Jenkin has never had a harder time opening her eyes, but after swimming between life and death for 20 minutes, she finally peeled one lid back to look through a very foggy and blurry window. Everything felt heavy..

She struggled to move her arms, they felt like they no longer were hers to manipulate; heavy and numb. When she finally focused her vision she recognized Barsig’s shirt. Skye then realized why it was so difficult to move or even stay fully conscious, he was holding her like before. Every breath she was inhaling his warm scent, and with his arms around her it she was surrounded in his scented body heat further. She didn’t want it to end..

It took so much of her to move her arms, but she reached up to the middle of his back and gripped his shirt as tightly as she could, and pulled. “Bar...Sig..” Her voice whispered.

He pulled back to look at her, his eyes concerned and searching. “You're alive..” It was wasn't a question so much as it was him stating a truth. He sounded relieved.

Skye nodded weakly, then mouthed some words before finding the bars with her feet and began rocking the cage. Barsig pulled slightly away to look at what she was doing, but she pulled him back with as much force as she could.

She couldn't feel her muscles or the reaction of her actions but at some point between the moments of complete conscious and the unknown blackness and shadows off her mind, she managed to achieve her goal. The wagon, while intimidating and large, was unbalanced and frail. Either time of use or disuse it achieved a state just perfect enough to abuse. It merely rocked at first then it began to tilt, the edge eventually caught the cliff’s face and smacked it with enough force to tilt it further the other way. Using that momentum, the cage threw itself into the cliff again with such force that this time when it bounced back it finally tipped over completely, and then over the edge.

-

Barsig felt gravity vanish for a moment before it changed directions countless times. He was thrown from her, or she was torn from him, either way he felt her one minute and then nothing the next. The world spun around, he bounced off the floor - or was that the fee ceiling? - but the moment he touched the bars he held on for life.

Seconds must have passed but it felt like forever as they rolled down the mountain. He heard cracking wood and her body bouncing around, he would always look but every time he did up would change. In that moment he realized he was afraid. Not of dying, not for himself, for her safety. She was already on the brink of death, her heart beat was so weak.. Yet, he could still hear the faint thump among the shattering sounds of the giant cage breaking against the mountain and eventually the world below.

He was flung away as they landed, but by some twisted chance he was relatively unharmed. Scrapes and bruises. He was also on top of some debris he'd been clinging to. He felt the sun trying to burn him again, but with Skye's blood he was safe. His sense of smell jarred him from his gasping rest. He smelt blood. Lots of it.

He dragged himself to his feet, with fear in his eyes he looked around the crash site. How did he survive? And how was she ever supposed to? But he still whipped his neck around looking for her. Or what remained of her.

His own heart raced as he did, and picked up especially fast when he saw an arm clutching his cloak. He didn't even care about the piece of clothing he just wanted to get to her. He yanked away the pieces of wall that was on her, only to find the man that had threaten to rip out her tongue. His body wasn't moving, it was twisted all to hell with breaks and blood washed over him. Barsig couldn't help but think it smelt awful. He dropped the walls back onto the man, let this be his grave.

Barsig then heard the quickening beat of someone dying, of someone on the verge of tears.. His own heart stopped.

-

When he found her, Skye was starting at the bright blue atmosphere trying not to think about the setting pain in her chest or how breathing was the hardest thing to do at that moment. She gasped for air but could not inhale. She barely managed to exhale. She felt tears slip past her eyes despite what she had to say about it.

When she noticed him she panicked. She could hardly move, but her sights quickly turn to the mountain they had fallen from. She wheezed her words. “What are you… doing here still?” He looked as dumbfounded as she did at that moment. She looked back, thought she saw shadows moving up so high. “S-Save yourself.”

She didn't know it but those words haunted him on his worst days, and today was a pretty bad day as it were.. He dropped to his knees beside her, even as she was trying so hard to make him see that he had to leave.

“Hurry..” She pleaded reaching up with a blood covered hand, what little of it he'd left her now drained into her lungs and from large gashes in her body, so large that she was numb to them by now. Tears ran from her eyes as she tried to push him away, her hand had no strength, but she continued.

Until he took her hand in his. “Skye.. It's okay. They won't be able to make it down here in time to stop me. You've saved me.” He choked up a bit, then swallowed hard.

Skye watched him, and mimicked his emotions. Her worry melted into happiness, her throat tightened, and she started to cry. Her chest hurt even more and she grabbed her left side. She quickly found the metal bar that had broken during the crash only to impale her. It pierced her lung enough to kill her but slowly. It barely missed her heart. The gruesome discovery was apparent on her face as she groped the wound.

But Skye had come to terms with dying a while ago. “I'm sorry!” The words burst from her mouth, along with a mouth full of blood. He was quick to wipe it away. “I’m so sorry.. Please forgive me even though I know I don't deserve it.” She cringed, pain shooting through her. Her throat constricted around her words. “Please..”

Barsig was amazed that she still thought she needed his forgiveness after she saved him twice. He laughed at her before his smile faded. “You already had my forgiveness..”

Skye’s eyes remained in tears, but she laid her head back on the ground when she had an answer, her eyes staring at something in the far distance. When her mind cleared again, she felt the need to confess again. She weakly tried to argue with it, but seeing how she was most certainly going to die here among the rubble of her cage, she decided she had nothing better to say. “I lied to you..” She said, still fighting her throat for air and the ability to talk. “I was curious about your fangs.. But I was thinking about what it would be like to kiss you, also.” She admitted, her blood too busy spilling out to rush to her face. She felt colder, actually. “You’re very attractive, I couldn’t help it.. I did lie, though.”

The sudden confession confused Barsig, and more so when she began to admit her lies. When he remembered it, he couldn’t contain the chuckle that passed through his frown. He rubbed the hand, not bothered at all by the blood that had poured over it; nor was he affected by it at all. “Is that so?” He asked, slowly coming to terms with what he was about to do. “I have a question for you Skye.. What if there was a way to live, would you?”

Skye could just make out his touch, but only barely. She had no strength to move her fingers, and she was having a hard time finding motivation as well. She was having a hard time with a lot of things at the moment. She took as big of a breath as her lung would allow, she turned to his now murky form. She couldn’t see him, either because of so many tears in her eyes or because she was dying.. But she could still picture his handsome face. She tried to speak, but only coughed up more blood. She nodded instead, and kept nodding. Laying her head against the ground, and stopping for a moment.

Barsig could hear her heart slowing down, the end was near enough. Still holding her hand, he moved over her, to hover. He let her hand go to pick up her chin again. Her green eyes appeared once more, confused but soon focused. He knew she could see him. “I think I can finally make an exception.” He said, more to himself, and then leaned in and gave her that kiss she had wanted. He gave her his most passionate kiss, the deepest kiss he could, which was achieved fairly easily as he felt the blood in her mouth surround his fangs.

As he fulfilled her wish, he grabbed the iron beam that had pierced her chest, and with all the strength he could call upon, he ripped the spearing object from her. He heard her cry out in pain into his mouth, but he held her firmly in bliss. When he pulled his mouth from her’s she exhaled her last breath, and he felt the magic in her blood seep through his body and heal the most minor wounds. He stared at her for a moment before he picked himself up and got started. But first.. His cloak.

[Ash]

Normally this ritual is done within an hour after death, the book suggests having the components prepared before killing the new vampire. Barsig didn’t have this luxury, and most of the two days he’d spent preparing had to be wasted on escaping. Skye wasn’t abnormally light, but thankfully she wasn’t all that heavy. The lack of armor on the body helped the process as well. He took the the distressed act rather well, screaming for a doctor the moment he was within earshot of the open landed village, he hoped he sounded desperate enough while he carried the dead body of a girl. There had been a lot of looks, all of them of horror. He managed to freak one guy out so badly he confessed there was nothing any of them could do but he should try the village of Yan.

He stashed her body in a cold cave, using magic he gained from her own blood to raise a platform through the earth to lay her own. He wondered if she’d been aware of her potential.. As the magic was so thick his wounds healed on their own without him having to do much. Then it was a race to find all the herbs and nicknacks the spell called for. There was an alchemist like the man had said, and without the blood covered body he had entered Yan and began to work on his shopping list of things. The old scientist even gave him some advice in choosing one of the herbs called for. He was a pleasant meeting.

But now Barsig returned to the cave, feeling a bit relieved that she hasn’t rotted away. He knew the process was much longer than that, but the book expressed in bold ink that time was the enemy. Luckily the book also contained a spell for healing, as the author voiced how important it was to bring back a whole body and not one that looked like it was falling apart. Reading it as he traveled, he already knew that a body that was too old could not be affected, and a body that was destroyed beyond repair would als not be affected. However, a fresh cadaver that did take a beating can still be brought back, but if one did not heal it before the transformation would have to pay for it in blood.

He held off on the spell until he had his space prepared. This was his first time doing any of this, and he promised himself it would be the last and only time. As it were, Hope had been the last Crimson, and he took her last name because he loved her, but since her death that left him as the only person in the world with Crimson blood. This spell would change that, and he hoped she didn’t think ill of him for it. Barsig thought it was worth it, Skye had saved him twice, and he couldn’t just leave her there, where the crows would have picked her clean.

With her wounds healed and hopefully some of the damage that time may have done, Barsig laid the girl in the center of the circle. Her hair was still vibrant, but the rest of her had the color washed right out of her. She looked the typical part of a vampire, pale but beautiful. He held her hand for a moment, careful not to hurt her. He then pulled back to the raised rock and opened his book once more. He studied the incantation, as he has for the past hour, before clearing his throat and starting, casting the biggest spell of his life.