[MillietheWarrior]

There was no semblance of the real Miriam left inside her mind; it seemed to have fled the coop after the first, fateful swallow of blood. The growls and moans of pain above her didn’t seem to register, although some thought on a primal level told her she should pull away, lest she suffer reprimand from the vampire above her. She didn’t seem concerned anymore with what she was doing; the blood she’d drawn from him didn’t taste like blood should. It was sweet, rich, spicy, and it sent her hunger spiraling out of control. Her fangs dug in deeper, holding on for dear life, though she no longer drew sustenance from him. Her eyes had darkened nearly to a dull blue, almost black in color around the iris. He crushed her to the bed, and the fact that she could barely breathe didn’t seem to bother her as she growled against his neck, unwilling to let go as the animalistic side took hold completely. When he jerked his head away, her grip on him was torn free, fangs slicing through his skin as her body dropped back to the bed, unable to regain her hold. She whimpered and snarled beneath him, bearing her fangs in a growl as she narrowed her eyes at him, teeth gnashing once, then twice as if desiring to sink themselves back into his neck.

Then he was beside her, his breath whispering across her ear, his neck within reach, and Miriam still completely, heart hammering and breathing uneven as she instinctually froze, canting her head to the side slightly to allow better access to the great vein at her throat. The side that was running purely on primal energy now was prepared for what he was about to do, but when his fangs sank deep, and the venom pumped through her system, the primal side faded, and Miriam’s sanity and self returned. Her eyes widened, suddenly realizing she had a man latched onto her throat, holding her in place as he took great pulls of her life blood. She gasped, whining softly, and tried to jerk her head away from him, to free herself and escape the pain that had started to burn it’s way down her neck and shoulder. A muffled squeak escaped her lips, followed by a soft, breathless denial of what she knew was happening. “No!” Her hands strained against her human bond, legs pinned but still jerking and kicking beneath him as the venom slowly worked it’s way through her system. The pain started as a slow crawling beneath her skin, like the soft warmth of a flame. But the fire soon started to spread, and her body jerked as it hit her heart.

The pain was no longer a slight tingle, but instead, a consuming twisting and burning that was possibly the worst agony Miriam had ever felt in her entire life and ever would again. She jerked violently against Raven’s hold and his fangs in her neck, a sharp, high-pitched, pain filled scream escaping her lips. “No, no, no,” she chanted, her chest heaving as the pain consumed her, fingers curling into claws as she thrashed beneath him. “C-can’t…too much…hurts,” she whimpered, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes as she squeezed them shut. “Make it stop,” she cried, and then, just like that, the pain disappeared. Miriam panted heavily, heart racing, lips parted to let her uneven, pained breaths escape. Her body felt like she’d just run four marathons in a row, and everything felt dull and cold, as though her muscles had been overworked and then remolded to fit a different purpose. Her stomach clenched painfully, and a sudden, overwhelming hunger hit her full force. She felt more tears leak from her eyes, opening them painfully to stare at the back of Raven’s head where he still held her. He was so close, Miriam was overwhelmed by the scent of his blood. Her stomach clenched again, and she keened softly, trying to reach his neck, or any part of him that was close enough.

His bite was strong, and it sent a million different feelings coursing through her, making her neck feel like it was made only of nerve endings as he lit every single one on fire. She whined, whimpered, and writhed against his grip, her hunger and thirst overcoming any semblance of the pain she’d just been through, and taking over. Her eyes darkened, heart hammering. “Raven,” she murmured, still partially in control of her own mind and sanity. The thirst was all consuming, but she fought to keep control, not to let it get the best of her. “Raven, please. I-I need…” What did she need? Freedom? Humanity? Blood? Oh yes, that last one sounded right. And it also sounded delicious. “I’m thirsty…hungry…Please…” She tired to crane her head to reach him, tried to sink her fangs in and feast, but he held her still, his fangs latched onto her neck, the pleasure filled pain nearly drowning her senses. After the pain that had just consumed her, she hadn’t imagined that the bite could feel that good, could make her toes curl and her heart race pleasantly. But it did, and Miriam wanted more, struggling to free her hands and crush him to her, though she didn’t understand why exactly.

----

Sole could see the dark shape of the rogue leaping ahead of his wife. He followed along at a slower pace; Astraea was small and light and built for speed. Sole was big, and broad, and built for fighting and killing. They balanced each other out perfectly, and after the many years they’d had to perfect their fighting and hunting technique, they worked together effortlessly, each seeming to know exactly what the other was thinking. With his enhanced vision and sight, Sole was able to tell when Astraea took a shortcut to cut off the rogue’s escape route. They’d spent many years roaming this city, the one they’d made their home, and neither had any problem cutting off the trespasser’s escape. They had the advantage here. No only in intelligence and numbers, but in strength and age as well. Vampires tended to be a bit like fine wine, Sole had discovered. The older, the better. The younger ones were easily to disposes of, to dispatch when they got out of control.

He and his wife tended to allow the young ones to pass through their territory, so long as they did not kill their victims or harm needlessly, and moved on quickly. Most, if not all, got the message quickly, and were smart enough not to stick around in a city where a coven, if only a small one, had already been established. Sole landed on the roof just behind the rogue, listening with a dark smile curling his lips as Astraea verbally herded the interloper towards her husband. Sole remained still and silent, almost a shadow in the darkness, had it not been for the slow rise and fall of his chest. As the rogue backed towards him, and in range, Sole’s body coiled like a well oiled machine, and then he sprung, like a creature onto it’s prey. He grabbed the rogue’s head in his hands, though he did not pull as the trespasser nearly screamed beneath his hold. Sole’s hands tightened imperceptibly, holding him in place. “I don‘t think he‘s all too thrilled to meet either of us, cyar’ika,” Sole chuckled, his voice dark and deadly.

He leaned in a  little closer, and lowered his voice to a whisper. “See, you made the unfortunate mistake of harming what could possibly be our future daughter-in-law. While this unfortunate turn of events has been quite fortuitous for our family, I’m afraid we can’t let pieces of filth like you live. I contemplated allowing my son to kill you, you know. But he wouldn’t be nearly as merciful as me. He has a strange soft spot for that girl, and I’m sure he’s already itching to get his hands on you. Lucky we got here first.” He twisted sharply, nearly renting the man’s head from his body, and eliciting a scream from his victim. “I promised to make it painless if you didn’t run…too bad you ran.” His eyes, dark as night, flickered over the man’s shoulder to land on his wife. “Cyar’ika, if you could do the honors. I’ll make sure the poor boy doesn’t let our desire to talk him to death…go to his head.” He trusted his wife to remove the limbs, and with a sickening crunch and a crack, Sole tore the man’s head from his body, and crushed it into dust.

[Flame]

It took all of his self-control not to simply give in to the tantalizing temptation of Miriam’s blood, a low growl rumbling in his chest as he fought the enticing taste of her lifeblood. At the same time, he could feel his own blood dripping from the wound in his neck, stinging as it hit the open air, a product of forcefully tearing his flesh from the firm, unyielding grip her fangs had on him. The slashes almost mirrored those that the rogue had torn in her skin just hours earlier, raw and bleeding freely, clogging his senses with the thick scent of his own blood. He knew that it would affect Miriam powerfully, but he didn’t have the time or chance to worry about it at the moment. Common sense told him that as soon as the venom began to work its way through her system, Miriam’s mind would be thrown into pain-induced agony, and it was his job to be there for her during the transformation, to assure her that everything would be alright, to make sure that she didn’t hurt herself in the process.

Raven sensed a shift in Miriam’s demeanor as soon as he sank his fangs in, and for a moment, the frenzied, half-starved vampire side of her was gone, leaving behind only a panicking, terrified young woman in its wake. He closed his eyes against her protests, feeling his heartstrings pull painfully in compassion for her, only able to imagine the fear and agony which she was undoubtedly going through. She struggled weakly against him, the frightened pleas in her voice tearing at his thoughts and tormenting his very soul. However, he knew that despite the pain he was causing her, this was the only way to save her life, and that was the only thought which kept his grip strong in spite of the terrible guilt that tortured his mind. He vaguely registered the thought that if he were to ever encounter the rogue that had done this to her again, he would make the worthless, filthy wretch suffer for every moment of agony that he had inflicted upon this innocent woman and for robbing her of her normal life and sentencing her to a life of torment.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her writhing finally stilled to an exhausted panting, and he could feel her chest heaving laboriously beneath him as she struggled to master herself, her new body, and her new desires. As she murmured weakly and almost unintelligibly, he felt something deep within him stir at the sound of her voice speaking his name, and an inexplicable possessiveness took ahold of his instincts, an almost jealous growl bubbling in his throat. He wasn’t sure where these strange new emotions which had arisen so suddenly within him had come from, but he knew that he would never let any harm come to Miriam if he could help it, and that he never wanted to let her out of his sight again. His mind vaguely registered her words; yes, of course she would be thirsty after the exhausting transformation that she had just undergone. He subconsciously knew that at some point, he would have to concede to being her victim instead, to reverse the roles to ensure that she would survive, and the only way to do that was to share his own blood with her.

This time when she strained against his grip, instead of holding her down more tightly, he finally released her, simultaneously withdrawing his fangs as well, a deft, practiced pass of his tongue sealing the wounds which had ultimately turned her into one of his own kind. However, he didn’t seem to like the idea of the separation between his mouth and her skin, and instinct drew his lips to hers, consuming them in an unexpectedly fervent kiss as he hovered over her, bracing himself on his hands to keep from crushing her beneath his weight. He could feel her hands crush him closer against her, and a low rumble of satisfaction resounded deep in his chest. He had no earthly idea what he was doing, but he couldn’t deny the fact that something about this just felt…right. The force within him that had driven him to act as he had seemed to purr in content, clearly satisfied with the result it had attained. However, its victory was only short-lived, as Raven finally seemed to regain control of his thoughts and actions once again, and blinking in surprise, hastily withdrew from the contact, pulling away from Miriam to sit on the edge of the bed, facing away from her, trying to come to terms with what had just happened. Everything, her transformation, her bite, the kiss…it was all too much for him to absorb at the moment. His expression was impassive as he stared at the far wall, his eyes dark and brooding as thoughts that she could only guess at ran through his mind.

---

If one thing was for certain, it was that the rogue had made a fatal mistake in thinking that he could outsmart a pair of older, wiser, and much more powerful vampires on their own grounds, especially considering the fact that they’d spent a good portion of their own lives hunting people just like him and those even more challenging than him. It was the last mistake he would make, that was for sure. A small, lazy smirk adorned her sharp, angular features as she slowly sauntered towards the loner, her lack of concern only seeming to further panic him. “Come, come now, my dear. There’s no need to be afraid. Do I look all that threatening to you?” She chuckled darkly, continuing to usher the young vampire back the way he came, knowing that Sole lay in wait not far behind. “Either way, there’s nowhere left for you to run anyways, so why fight the inevitable?”

As rapidly as striking snake, Sole had launched himself from the shadows behind the intruder and grabbed ahold of him in an unforgiving grip, effectively sealing the unfortunate vampire’s fate. In a second or two, Astraea had closed the distance between them, a satisfied, ‘I told you so’ expression on her features as she glanced down at the ensnared trespasser, her head tilted slightly to one side as she regarded him. “Worry not, my unfortunate friend,” she said mildly, her tone sounding almost amused, although she was far from alright with the havoc this particular intruder had wreaked during his short stay. “If this all works out for the best, we’ll be sure to credit you accordingly. I’m sure Raven and Miriam will want to thank you personally…posthumously though, of course.” A wicked smirk crossed her features as she winked impishly at him. “What a shame, we didn’t even get your name. But I suppose that won’t matter soon anyways. Should have run when you had the chance to, buddy.”

With that, she watched as Sole neatly dispatched the intruder, exercising the practiced technique which they’d developed just for the purpose of killing other vampires. As soon as the head was taken care of, she cleanly separated his limbs from his torso with an almost mechanical efficiency, making short work of destroying each so that there was no chance of this particular intruder causing any trouble here again. Or anywhere else, for that matter. “Thank you for not making a huge mess of it this time, love,” she commented mildly as she turned to glance at Sole, amusement glimmering in her eyes. “Saves me from having to spend the next week or so trying to get the stains out of your clothes,” she chuckled. She seemed satisfied; it had been a while since they had been on a proper hunt, and although this one had been almost disappointingly short, it still felt fulfilling to get back on the track of the familiar again for a while. After all, it provided a good break from parenting, if nothing else. She delicately nudged what was left of the vampire’s torso with a toe, then dusted her hands off. “All in a good night’s work. Just like old days, isn’t it?” Her grin was affectionate as she wrapped an arm around Sole’s waist to cuddle against him for a moment, taking a second to reflect on just how far they had come since they had first met, all that time ago. “Guess we won’t be hearing from him again anytime soon, huh?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Miriam craned her neck, stretching, stretching, only a little further, towards Raven. She was almost there, almost made it, almost sank her fangs into his waiting flesh,  when he suddenly pulled away from her. Miriam’s body jolted, the sudden loss of his grip and the pressure of his body making her whine instinctually as she sought to get it back. Her neck felt like it had been on fire, a heady, pleasant, pleasure filled sensation as his fangs had remained firmly lodged in her skin. With his departure, she felt lost, confused, and overwhelmingly hungry. Before she could make a move, however, Raven did something that jolted her out of her primal urges, and startled her just as much as the revelation that she was now a vampire. His lips pressed to hers in a hungry, passionate kiss, and Miriam’s eyes flew open to stare at him in shock and wonder, confused and worried that Raven’s brain was as broken as hers was now. But instinct drove her still, and she nipped at his lip, fangs, sharp and dangerous, ghosting feather light bites across them. Something held her back from biting him deeply, told her it would break the spell of the moment cast over the two of them.

But perhaps it was also instinct, and it seemed that instinct drove both of the vampires in the dark of the night. Her hands cradled his head, unwilling to let him go, to let him leave, but she wasn’t strong enough to keep him from pulling away and darting across the bed. Miriam was left blinking hazily up at the ceiling, her eyes cloudy and her mind foggy. Her lips parted, and she ran a tongue over the sharpened points of her fangs, a slow look of confusion spreading across her face. She made a low sound in the back of her throat, one of distress and wonder, and with a great amount of effort, she levered herself up on her elbows. Her body still ached from the pain of the transformation, and sitting up was harder than she imagined it would be. She stared down at her shirt, silently, the shadows and the darkness of the room suddenly feeling stuffy and small. The dark spots of blood stood out starkly against the pale blue of her borrowed garment, and Miriam folded her hands in her lap, wringing them nervously as her stomach clenched in pain and protest. She groaned softly, and slowly angled her body to face Raven; her maker, her creator…and something more. Her body recognized him as hers, even while she imprinted his scent in the back of her mind permanently.

Miriam stared at him, barely believing what had just happened; she was in shock, and the momentousness of what had just occurred would hit her in due time, but for now, it took a back seat to the hunger, the thirst, and the desire to be closer to her creator. Miriam crawled forward on the bed until she had plastered herself against Raven’s side, face only inches from his own, breath fanning across his skin as she wrapped her arms around it and nuzzled her face into the crook between neck and shoulder. His scent was overwhelmingly comforting, and Miriam didn’t even know why; something on an instinctual level drew her to him. She repeated what she’d done earlier, catching the blood seeping from the wound she’d torn in his neck and cleaning it carefully, swiping her tongue over the wound to close it instantly. Hunger drove her, but Miriam clamped an iron fist over her desires, and asserted her willpower over her instincts, body trembling with the effort to hold herself back. “Raven,” she murmured quietly, her eyes flickering up to stare into his, a smoky, deep blue, filled with hunger and desire and a spark of confusion and fear. “I don’t understand…how could this happen? Why did this happen? What-what did I do to deserve it? I-I…”

Tears sprang to her eyes, trailing down her cheeks and soaking into his shirt. “I’m scared…I don’t know how to be…to be this. You could’ve…you should’ve just let me die…maybe it would’ve been better than this…” She whimpered against his neck, her mind unable to process everything that was happening. “What do I do now, Raven?” In the back of her mind, she knew exactly what she was going to do. Her body craved it, needed it, and she could no longer hold back the tidal wave of hunger. The scent of his blood and his proximity drove her on, and Miriam opened her mouth and sank her fangs into Raven’s neck, arms winding around his shoulders and pulling herself against him until she was half in his lap and half on the bed. With the first, deep pulls of blood, Miriam’s body responded with a clench of hunger and her heart roared to life, pounding heavily in her chest. The blood filled and nourished her, alleviating the ache of the transformation, bringing color to her now pale skin, flowing through her and giving her muscles and body new life. It tasted sweet and spicy, and wholly Raven, and Miriam’s hunger driven mind did not register the need to stop; as all fledglings, she could not control the desire to feed, could not control the blood lust or the fog that overcame her during her first feeding. Even Sole, an ARC trooper with years of training in self-control and mastery over his own mind, had been unable to break the blood-lust spell that was woven over him in the first few moments he was turned. Miriam was no different, but she had neither the experience nor the training to reign her desires in. her eyes flickered up to Raven, no longer blue, but now completely black, consumed by hunger as her nails dug sharply into his shoulders through his shirt, tearing small, crescent shaped gashes in the soft fabric.

-------

Sole dusted off his hands, his dispassionate gaze flickering down to the headless, limbless torso below him. With one booted foot, he crushed that into dust as well, watching as it floated away on the breeze. Sole nodded, self-satisfied; the rogue would never be able to harm another innocent again. When a vampire hunted, there was no need for death or violence. It was easy enough to subdue their prey in a manner that left the victim alive, and confused about a few minutes of wasted time, in which they had no idea how they ended in a dark crevice or alleyway. Sole had perfected his technique of hunting and feeding with practice and patient instruction from Astraea. He lifted his head and smiled at his wife, his eyes brightening to their usual, cheerful red. She was ever at his side, always there when he had a question, or when he needed her gentle, soft presence, always there when he needed help, or when he missed his brothers. She knew how to soothe the hurt with a simple word and a smile, and Sole was certain she knew him better than even he did.

When Astraea moved to his side, Sole automatically lifted an arm to encircle her in his embrace, planting a soft, passionate kiss against her lips, and following with a playful nip against her neck with his fangs. “Anything for you, of course,” he chuckled, amusement shining in the dark depths of his eyes as he stared down at the woman who meant the world to him. “I remember how much you griped the last time I got blood all over the place. I heard about it for nearly a month!” He sighed softly, nuzzling his face against her hair, and grumbling quietly. “I miss the old days. Don’t get me wrong; I love our sons, and I can’t wait to have more kids but…I miss just you and me. I hate having to share you with anyone, even family.” He sighed dramatically, shoulders sagging.

“But share I must, for such is the fate of a father who has kids who refuse to leave the kriffing nest. I swear, I’m five minutes from booting their shebs out the door and forcing them to get places of their own. They can call, right? And they have their own accounts set up. Why, oh, why don’t we just buy them each a house and hope that keeps them away for a while?” Laughing, Sole grabbed Astraea around the waist with both arms, crushing her to him and breathing in her cool, crisp scent, so familiar and so welcome. “Come on. We don’t need to be back home anytime soon, and the night’s still  young, to use a clichéd phrase. Let’s spend some time by ourselves.” He turned and trotted towards the ledge, wrapping his hand in Astraea’s and tugging her along with him. “How about that all night café downtown? I’m in the mood for some coffee.” Not that it would nourish him, but Sole was still able to drink human beverages. Some made him sick like of all things, Kool-aid, but coffee, water, tea, lemonade, and a few other choice drinks were still as delicious as ever, even if they did nothing for his systems. Sole turned to smile at his wife, before, with one mighty lunge, he plunged over the ledge, landing six stories down on the sidewalk below and glancing back up. “Come on, slow poke,” he called, waving his hand up at her. “The caffeine calls to me. I must have caffeine.”

(( A little ode to the Flameh. XD))

[Flame]

Miriam likely had no idea of the fact, but Raven had never kissed anyone before in his life (not unless a peck on the cheek for his mother and father back when he was a toddler counted for anything), nor had he ever been kissed. To be honest, he hadn’t particularly wanted or expected it to happen any time in the near future, or ever, for that matter. He’d always thought that he would be perfectly happy with his solitary life as it was and that he’d never need more than what his extensive collection of books could offer him. He knew that his mother and father had always worried about him for that reason; that he’d never find some young woman to settle down with and start his own family, and it was no secret that Rai constantly made it the brunt of many of his jokes regarding his apparent disinterest in those of the female persuasion (or of any persuasion other than the hardcover sort), and how reclusive he always seemed to be. Raven, on the other hand, simply ignored the slights dealt him, and continued living his life the way he wanted to live it, quite to the dismay of the rest of his family.

However, it seemed though that this incident (if it did nothing else) proved that perhaps there was more to him than met the eye, and that even his own stubbornness couldn’t quite fully bury the instincts that had been ingrained in him since birth, whether he knew it or not. As he forced himself away from the woman who had asked for no part in this entire catastrophe which had taken place within the matter of the past few hours, he struggled to come to terms with the strange emotions and desires which now coursed through him, finally released from the bondage he hadn’t realized they’d been held under. If anything, he was just as confused and torn as Miriam was, his thoughts thrown into just as much turmoil as hers were. He seemed troubled, conflicted as his gaze remained unwaveringly fixed anywhere but on her. While on one hand, he wanted nothing more than what was best for her, another part of him whispered that there was more to this situation than just that. Somehow between then and now, something within him had changed, and he knew that he wasn’t the same person he’d been just a few hours ago, although exactly how it was that he was different, he wasn’t entirely sure.

He suddenly felt something warm and solid press against his side, and he glanced down to see Miriam huddled against his side, her expression and body language surprisingly vulnerable. Instinct told him to reach out and pull her against him, to shield her, shelter her, protect her, but he fought his inexplicable impulse, two parts of his mind at war with each other. “I’m sorry,” he murmured softly to her, his words almost inaudible even in the hushed silence that had fallen over the room. This time though, his apology wasn't as much for his act of changing her, but instead, for the unwarranted actions he had pressed upon her afterward, his tone a mixture of confusion and apology. A restrained quiver ran down his spine as her tongue passed gently over his neck, his eyes closing briefly before they flickered open to glance almost hesitantly at her once again. He took in her visage quietly, noticing that her features had taken on a new angularness, making them even more striking and beautiful than they had been before. Her expression though, was drawn, frightened, confused, begging him to give her the answers which she sought.

There was a moment of silence as smoky peach eyes met lost blue ones, as if he were reading her very soul with his gaze alone. “None of this should have happened,” he replied quietly, a hint of pity in his voice as he spoke. “You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time…and you paid the unfortunate price for it.” Raven watched as a tear leaked from the corner of her sapphire eyes, her fear and distress almost tangible in the air between them. Finally, his indifferent demeanor seemed to melt slightly, and he relented to wrapping one arm around her shoulders and drawing her against himself, knowing that she sought the comfort that only he could give her. “You’ll learn…if you want to, that is.” His gaze caught hers once again, serious again. “Do you really want to die? If that is truly your wish, then it can still be done. If anything, turning you was just an opportunity to buy you time so that you could ultimately make that decision for yourself. Unfortunately though, your choices are limited; either death, or living out the rest of your life as one of our kind.”

Raven’s voice was matter-of-fact as he spoke, but there was still an undercurrent of gentleness in his tone as he presented her with the ultimatum. At her question, he merely watched her for a moment, then replied simply. “I think you already know the answer to that question.” He had no doubt that as a newly-converted fledgling, her instincts would soon guide her to the inevitable, a fact which he steeled himself for. Drawing back slightly, he let the collar of his loose shirt drop a little lower, exposing more of the open, inviting skin to her starving hunger. He’d already gotten her this far; there was no sense in simply leaving her to wither away on her own now. The least he could do was share some of his own blood to sustain her, tie her over until he taught her how to properly hunt for herself. For a moment though, he worried that her despair would keep her from doing what was necessary for her survival, and he wondered if he might need to resort to more extreme measures to ensure that she survived.

However, her will to survive seemed to overcome her initial hopelessness, and almost before he could register the sudden movement, she had latched her fangs into his neck to draw from him what would ultimately keep her alive. There was an initial jolt of pain as her fangs stabbed deep into the flesh of his neck and he winced, but didn’t pull away. However, that pain was just as quickly wiped from his thoughts as a flood of other sensations crashed down on his senses, nearly overwhelming him with their sheer magnitude and force. He’d anticipated her lack of control while she feasted, but what he hadn’t been expecting was the effect her bite had on him. A warm, euphoric bliss seemed to race through his veins as her fangs worked their newfound wiles upon his body, his breathing ragged as his heart raced at what seemed like an almost dangerous pace, one hand fisting in her long, silky hair to pull her closer. A low, husky growl rumbled deep in his chest as a mixture of pleasure and possessive jealousy surged through his system, and hesitation momentarily forgotten, he wrapped his other arm around her to crush her slight form against his own, reveling in the contact between their bodies. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he subconsciously knew that he would have to stop her at some point so that she didn’t drain him dry, but not now. He wasn’t prepared to end this just yet.

---

Astraea happily surrendered herself to the encompassing circle of Sole’s arms as he drew her close, meeting his kiss with equal tenderness and ardor. Under the gentle encouragement of his tireless love and dedication, she had blossomed into more than she had ever been before with his endless patience, opening up and embracing him and the rest of the world. His unfaltering devotion to her had washed away the grief, anger, and sorrow that had once colored and dictated her life in shades of meaningless violence. Where no one else had ever been able to reach her, he’d drawn her out of her shell of apathy and hostility and showed her that there were indeed things in life worth living for. She’d come to see him as her very reason for existence; just as she lived for him, she was willing to die for him should the need arise, for she saw no point in living in a world without him in it.

She chuckled, wriggling lightly against him as she playfully shoved his face and nipping fangs away with a hand, although she only pressed herself more tightly against him with her other arm. “That was entirely your own fault. You should have known better than to squeeze his head that tightly while it was still attached to his body. You underestimate your own strength sometimes.” She snorted lightly in amusement as she recalled that particular episode. Needless to say, he hadn’t made that same mistake again…at least, not after she threatened him with laundry duty for a month afterwards. She chuckled lightly, placing another teasing kiss on his lips as she responded to his good-natured griping. “Says the one who wanted kids so badly in the first place.” Her blue eyes glittered impishly as she glanced up at him, a grin adorning her features. “I guess they never taught you that ‘sharing is caring’ in the army, huh? But I suppose I do know how you feel though.”

At Sole’s suggestion that they get away for a little while, Astraea nodded lightly in assent, a small, content smile pulling at the corners of her lips. “I like the sound of that. We never really get to spend any quality time alone together anymore, what with the kids and all.” She chuckled lightly, obediently allowing herself to be towed along by the hand. “After all, I’m sure they can’t grudge us one night away.” She watched as Sole dropped off the roof of the building to land a fair distance below, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. “Nah…more like you’re in the mood for sugar, perhaps laced with a hint of caffeine. That, my dear, doesn’t count as ‘coffee’.” She laughed, and at his teasing baiting, hopped off after him, landing lightly by his side, as if she had merely drop a few feet, not six stories. “So, shall we?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Raven’s growl didn’t serve to frighten her off; it merely served to add fuel to the already raging fire inside her mind and body. A low, softer and more feminine growl of her own passed from beneath her lips as her fangs dug in tighter, harder, pressing possessively against him. Her hands clung desperately, body pressed flush against his as she sought to draw herself closer and away at the same time. A part of her rational mind rebelled, told her she needed to stop before she hurt him deeply, or drained him dry. But the beast inside of her raged and roared and demanded she hang on for dear life, draw his blood as her own. The arms wrapped tightly around her elicited a low, contented purr, and Miriam shifted her fangs a little lower, pulling them from his skin to drag them along the crook between his neck and shoulder, before they dug in again.. She could feel her heart racing as she took great pulls of the blood, gasping, panting breaths fanning across his skin. She released her hold, and drew her tongue along the wound, closing it instantly.

Then she moved back along his neck, resealing the first wound she’d made. With strength she didn’t know she possessed, Miriam broke his hold on her, shoving his arms away, only to grab one wrist and sink her fangs in there as well. Her instincts raged at her to drink, to pull life from him and into her. But it also screamed that she could not drain him dry; this powerful vampire, this man,. This creator of hers. She must not harm him. But she was finding it harder and harder to hold herself back, and with every pull of blood, her self-control threatened to snap. Her eyes flickered back up to Raven, now dark as night and rimmed only with the red color of the thirst. She withdrew her fangs from his wrist, and sealed the holes, before she finally pounced. As a human, and as a woman, Miriam had never been self-confident, would never in a million years have dreamed of doing any of this. She’d never imagined she’d be a vampire either, not at the age of twenty-three and in the prime of life. She supposed every reality had to be skewed sometime, and she’d been long overdue.

Her body slammed into Raven’s with delicate force, just enough to send him tumbling backwards onto the bed. She crawled up his body, until she was eye to eye with him. Her gaze was still dark, still fogged with desire and blood-lust and hunger, but there was something else in the nearly empty gaze; fear, confusion, trust and…some unfathomable emotion that could possibly resemble…love? No, there wasn’t any way that could be in the gaze of a beast. Miriam shook her head subtly, blinking her dark eyes and flashing the man beneath her a wicked smile. This time, their positions were reversed, and Miriam’s subconscious didn’t waste time taking advantage of the power she felt. Her hands found his wrists, and drew them up beside his head, pressing them into the mattress and holding them in place. He was strong enough to break her grip, and the instinctual side of her knew that, but the irrational side of her didn’t care. Miriam leaned down until their faces were inches apart, breath fanning across his face in soft, exhausted pants.

Her fangs nipped his chin, his jaw, and trailed down along his neck, before she drew herself back up to his lips and pressed her own to his in a dark, possessively hungry kiss. Her fangs ghosted across his own, nipping softly before she quickly drew back. Miriam stared down at him, her gaze momentarily flickering to blue, before the red haze of hunger overtook her once more, and she lowered her neck to sink her fangs into his. Her grip on his wrists tightened, nails digging in sharply against his skin, and her grip on his neck tightened with her hold, driving her fangs deeper into his skin as she took long, slow pulls of precious lifeblood, filling her body with the nutrients it needed to live and taking form him everything he could give her.

----

Sole offered his arm, feeling the chill of the wind against his somewhat cold skin. He knew he was paler than he’d been before; with dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin, he’d adapted to the looks of a vampire with relative ease. He was certainly not a bad sight to look at (Something which caused Astraea a lot of grief when they passed nightclubs or women of looser morals on the shadier streets). With sharp, angular features chiseled and hardened by years at war and the grim sight of death on an almost daily basis, Sole’s cheery demeanor was a wonder. But his smile never failed him, nor did it fail his wife. Sole was always there to make sure she laughed when she needed to, and was a shoulder to cry on if ever the moment arose. He was everything to his wife, and she was his absolute world. If something happened to Astraea, there would be no life without her, and there would be no Sole. Sole leaned down to kiss her cheek affectionately, and chuckled, a slight note of jealousy and possessiveness creeping into his playful words.

“I don’t share, thank you very much. Not with anyone. I’d like to see the idiot who tried to make me. When I said you were stuck with me forever, I really meant it.” He snorted dryly, looking faintly amused. “Considering what I’m sure they’re getting up to, they can’t begrudge anything just about now. I just hope Raven doesn’t go overboard; you know how he can get when he sets his mind to something. Nothing can sway that kid.” He rolled his eyes heavenward, and sighed heavily. “By the Manda, neither of our kids are normal. Why can’t they be normal?” The dim lights of the café came into view, the rich, warm gold spilling out into the streets as the soft sound of the few patrons who braved the café at night filtered into the air. Sole took a quick whiff, sniffing much like a dog on a scent trail, and grinned. “Delicious, amazing, sweet coffee.” he turned to flash his wife a hurt look. “Oh come on. I take coffee in my sugar…from time to time. Sorry if I have a sweet tooth.”

He leaned down and nipped her neck lightly, breath fanning across her skin, warm and gentle against the cold bite of the wind. “Remember? I did fall for you, didn’t I?” Sole tightened his arms around Astraea, stopping just short of the light that spilled from the café, hidden in the shadows. He pulled her against him, sharing his body heat with her in the cool of the winter night. “Hmmm…maybe coffee could wait?” he murmured softly, nipping at her neck, and then trailing light kisses up and along her jaw until her reached her lips. “You taste much better.” He growled softly, and pressed his lips to hers in a  kiss that was familiar and both demanding and possessive at the same time; his heart still leapt into his throat every time she was near. Even after so many years together, Sole still loved Astraea more than anyone or anything else on earth. Just as he always would.

[Flame]

Raven wasn’t sure if his mind would ever function properly again; the endless flood of new, overwhelming senses battered him unforgivingly, threatening to consume his every rational thought, and he had to fight to maintain any semblance of control over his own actions. However, something told him that if the woman latched at his throat kept this up, whatever control he had left would snap, and if that happened…well, even he wasn’t entirely sure what would take place after that. As he was soon to find though – to his chagrin, and yet at the same time, his unexpected delight – that she not only persisted with her current course of action, but kicked her ‘game’ up a notch (which he hadn’t known was possible), to his breathless, mind-numbing astonishment.

Although he knew that the bloodloss would soon begin to affect him, he reveled in the sensation of her warm, pliant body crushed tightly against his, feeling every inch of her skin press against him through the restricting layers of clothing. A soft, somewhat annoyed growl sounded from his throat at the thought of the irritating, completely unnecessary barriers the cloth put between them, a thought which might otherwise have caused him to turn as red as a beet at any time other than now. He hadn’t known that any sort of physical contact could be this satisfying and make him feel so…alive. His heart pounded heavily in his chest, and he could feel it, hear it as the blood roared through his mind, combining with the deliciously heady sensation that Miriam’s fangs drew out of him. Ironically, it was while she was sapping the very life out of him that he felt the most alive and the most aroused he had ever been in his otherwise unexciting and otherwise monotonous life. So, this was what his father had been hinting at all along; Raven had always been so disinclined to believe him, especially when it came to women, but this…this was real, undeniable. Living, breathing, tangible proof that something else outside of his own small, sheltered world existed.

A soft growl rippled through his throat as Miriam broke away from the crushingly tight embrace that he’d locked around her slight form, but he didn’t resist, allowing her to assert her dominance for a moment while he basked in the unconventional blend of pleasure and pain that held him enthralled. That growl quickly evolved into a low snarl as she barreled into him, her momentum carrying them both back down onto the bed, this time with him beneath her. However, the guttural sound that tore from his throat was more challenging than threatening, and his darkened eyes flashed dangerously up at her, daring her to test her strength and will against his. For a moment, his willpower clashed against hers as he stared her down, her face close enough to his that he could feel the warm, feathery touch of her breath against his skin, her sweet scent tinted with the spicy fragrance of his own blood. His eyes were dark, filled with the heat of lust and fiery desire that hadn’t been there before as he studied her, drank in every flawless detail of her features, now sculpted into a new, more predatory visage. The face of a huntress.

His breath came heavily in ragged pants, a result of both the tension coiled within him, just waiting to be unleashed, and the rapidly decreasing amount of blood in his system as Miriam took freely from him what he didn’t hesitate to grant her. As she trailed a line of fire down his neck with her fangs, she elicited a soft, almost tortured moan from his throat, tempting him, teasing him, and he was powerless to resist. As her lips returned to press against his, he returned the gesture with a near-carnal hunger, his fangs pricking lightly against her skin, but not hard enough to pierce. The rumble of displeasure as she drew away from him once again was just as abruptly cut off when the now-familiar sensation of her fangs sinking deep into his neck hit him again, and he was assaulted by yet another wave of numbing, mind-halting pleasure, his body writhing lightly beneath hers, every inch of skin suddenly super-sensitive to her every touch, from the pleasant burning of her fangs to the sharp bite of her nails as they dug into his flesh.

It was only when a sudden surge of vertigo struck him that the concept that if she continued, she would ultimately kill him struck him with startling clarity, giving his mind a moment of lucidity as he came to grips with the grim facts of the situation. If he didn’t stop her now…she never would, and soon enough, he wouldn’t have the strength left to resist her. With a great effort, he managed to somehow drag his body out of the haze of mindless bliss that had captured him, and in a deft motion, broke Miriam’s grip to grab her and roll, grimacing as he felt the flesh and muscles of his neck tear beneath her fangs but ignoring the pain for the moment, and in a matter of seconds, the tables had been turned once again, with her pinned tightly beneath him as he stared her down with a gaze that brooked no argument. “Enough,” he growled roughly, his voice soft but firm as he made it clear that he wouldn’t tolerate anything other than what he commanded of her. Even with the bloodloss, he still had the advantage of strength, age, and experience over Miriam, and right now, he used that to his advantage.

“Enough,” he repeated, although this time, his tone was gentler, less harsh. Enough blood-drinking, enough of her dominating the situation and dominating him. But everything else? He couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever get enough. His instincts protested his actions, screamed at him to continue, to kiss her senseless, that it was only fair that he took what he wanted from her, now that he had given her his share of himself and his own blood. But the rational side of his mind told him that it would be reckless to persist…at least, not right now. As a newborn, he knew that Miriam was still highly volatile, and that he couldn’t be entirely sure what she would do next. For that reason, he couldn’t tempt her the way he so badly wanted to, although he would never admit that to himself, not until he knew that she had control over herself, at least. There was a moment of silence as he simply held her gaze with his, as if trying to read her thoughts, trying to convey his own to her. His breath still came in pants from his exertion, but it was gradually slowing once again, along with his pulse. Seemingly out of the blue, the realization of just how beautiful Miriam really was struck him, especially now that she had taken on some of the more charming features of his kind. The fog of lust had cleared from his eyes for the most part, leaving behind what seemed like an oddly gentle expression on his face as he studied her. Finally, after a long, drawn-out moment, he finally spoke, his words a question. “So…what’ll it be?”

---

With a dainty smile, Astraea took the proffered arm, falling naturally into step beside him, as if they’d been doing this forever (which was somewhat true). They knew each other’s habits and quirks inside out, and knew each other so well that it would seem that they were capable of reading their very thoughts. If any such thing existed in the world, then they were indeed the much spoken-of (yet at the same time, extremely rare to come across) ‘perfect couple’. Never, in her whole, limitless, immortal life would Astraea have imagined that something, or someone, as perfect for her as Sole would ever come along, and even to this day, she couldn’t explain just how it was that she had gotten so lucky. Well, they’d certainly gone through hell and come back again together before they had ever come close to reaching what they had now, but when she looked back on those days, even with all the hardships, pain, and suffering they’d gone through, she wouldn’t have changed a single minute of it. She regretted none of her choices, not even – or perhaps especially – the one to convert Sole. It killed her now, just to imagine how different her life might have been had her resolve not to change him held strong. It seemed like he’d always had a way of breaking her down, but when he did, in the end, it always turned out to be for the best.

As they made their way unhurriedly towards the café – they’d visited the place once or twice before in the past – Astraea couldn’t help but smile to think of how jealous the few people that they did pass must be. Being a vampire did have its perks every so often, the two main ones being having an unlimited lifespan and the fact that they also happened to be the epitome of physical perfection. She knew that they were the envy of any person who chanced a passing glimpse at them, and sometimes (of course, being the woman that she was), it was nice to…well, flaunt that fact a little bit. But if anything, this was the happiest she had ever been in her entire life, and she would be the first to say that she was probably the happiest woman in the world, mostly thanks to her husband.

Astraea didn’t miss the hint of possessiveness in Sole’s tone as he replied to her quip, and that alone brought a small, amused, and decidedly satisfied grin to her face. After all, it was nice to hear every once in a while that she was wanted that much, even if she knew it well at heart. “And I’d have it no other way. You know that.” She chuckled lightly, cuddling closely against his arm in an affectionate gesture, resting her head against his broad, muscular shoulder. At his comment about Raven and Miriam, she laughed, and knowing Sole, she chanced a guess that he probably envied their position about now. “Well, it’s probably good for the boy. Maybe he is his father’s son after all.” She grinned mischievously up at him, her blue eyes twinkling in amusement as she lightly teased him. “Plus, how normal can you expect a kid to be when both of his parents happen to be vampires? I’m sure he’s fairly normal…for a vampire-child, at least. Right?” Even she sounded just a bit dubious about the fact though; after all, vampire or not, a man of Raven’s age should have been much more interested in women than he was in books, but it seemed that her son seemed determined to defy the norm. However, if tonight went the way she and Sole hoped, then perhaps there was hope for him yet. Only time would tell, and they would find out when they finally returned home.

She grinned lightly in amusement at Sole’s affront. “Don’t deny what you know is true,” she chuckled, tapping him teasingly on the nose with one delicate finger. Astraea couldn’t help grinning wickedly at his question, wriggling slightly as he nipped at the sensitive skin on her neck. “Fell? More like ‘stumbled, tripped, then face-planted’, if you ask me.” Laughing, she allowed him to draw her against him, standing on her toes for a moment to reach up and plant a teasing kiss on his lips, glad for his warmth in the chill of the night air and the comfort and protection in his embrace. An involuntary shiver of delight made its way up her spine as he exploited her neck, years of time spent together telling him exactly what elicited the strongest reactions from her. A low, almost feline purr sounded contently from her chest as she tipped her head back lightly, baring even more of her pale, elegant neck to his attentions.

“Mmm,” she murmured noncommittally to his question, although she sounded amused. As his lips pressed hungrily against hers, she tilted her chin up slightly so that she could kiss him back, but she knew that her resolve would vanish if she let him continue the way he clearly wanted to. To be entirely honest, she wasn’t particularly opposed to the idea herself…but a dark alleyway by the café just didn’t seem all that…romantic (even though Sole seemed to have the ability to turn even the most unlikely places into good places for romance). Still, resisting him was, as always, a challenge for her. He was just so very…convincing when it came to asking things of her. However, she smiled, her lips quirking in a lazy, teasing gesture beneath his as she pulled away from him, her expression coy. “You “need caffeine”, don’t you remember? Plus, how many times do I have to tell you that you ought to save dessert for last?” Her grin was both coquettish and mischievous as she pecked him playfully on the lips once again before drawing away from him, grabbing his hand to lead him into the warmth of the café.

[MillietheWarrior]

Miriam’s foggy mind didn’t even have time to register what happened. Raven’s movements were too quick for her to catch, and she was so absorbed in her task that she didn’t realize what he’d done until she was flipped over and slammed into the mattress. The breath was knocked out of her, and for a moment, the desire to feed took a backseat to the need for air. She gasped like a fish out of water, trying to draw in a much needed breath wit the weight of the larger vampire above her crushing her down into the mattress; it wasn’t very easy. Miriam finally managed it, and she panted heavily, both from the lack of air and the exertion of a few minutes before. Now that she could breathe, she wanted to go back to feeding. She whimpered softly, writhing beneath him, trying desperately to break his grip. But his growled command stilled her body instantly, and Miriam froze against him, halfway back to his neck as she stared up at him with wide eyes.

“Let me…” she started, her voice rough and dry, desperate to get close to him again. She arched her neck up and lifted her upper half, swiping her tongue over the gash in his neck and healing it instantly. With a grunt, she fell back against the bed, her eyes slowly bleeding back to a pale blue. With each shade lighter they became, another emotion crept into them; fear, confusion, helplessness, desire. Miriam was too confused to know exactly what she was feeling. All she knew was that her hunger had been sated (if only for the moment) and Raven had commanded her to stop. She couldn’t, wouldn’t defy his commands, not if she could help it. She wriggled her hands, turning her head to stare at his hands clamped around her wrists. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, a tear leaking from the corner, before they refocused on Raven, now bright, full and clear, though there was a lingering sadness and confusion there. “I’m sorry,” she murmured quietly, her voice sounding loud to her ears in the silence of the room. “I didn’t mean…I didn’t know what I was…Oh god,” she choked, looking suddenly mortified.

“I am so, so sorry, Raven. I couldn’t help myself, and I didn’t mean to…to do that! I could’ve hurt you!” Raven could’ve crushed her with his thumb, and Miriam was worried that she’d somehow harmed him in her blood-lust fogged haze. She closed her eyes, unable to meet his strong, steady gaze as he studied her from above, his face now sharply outlined in the dark. Miriam found that she could not only smell better, but hear and see much better as well. Everything was sharper, brighter, more defined than it had been before. Her voice was quiet when she spoke, lost and tired. “Thank you, Raven. That was…an experience I won’t forget, and may not be likely to ever try to repeat. But I don’t feel hungry anymore…I don’t feel sick…I feel better.” Her eyes shifted to stare up at him in the dark, and she forced a smile on her face. “I’m not sure what that was all about. Was…was that…normal? It didn’t feel normal…Will that…happen every time I…” She gulped. “-every time I…feed? B-because, I don’t think I’d like to pounce on random men in that manner. It-it wouldn’t be…dignified…or-or right. At all.”

She squeaked and flushed a deep red at the very thought of it; just the fact that she could blush at all meant she’d fed well. Raven’s blood had been rich and powerful enough to fill her hunger. She wouldn’t need to hunt again for a day or so, but as a fledgling, she’d require more sustenance than either Raven or his parents. She was still too new to go long without blood. She closed her eyes, taking a long, deep breath and letting it out slowly, chest rising and falling with the effort. His question cut her, and her eyes flashed open and darkened momentarily as she rumbled softly at him, in the manner of a contented housecat. “’What’ll it be?’” she repeated, blinking slowly. “You mean…what…what do I choose?” It took a long moment for her mind to fully catch up with everything that was going on. It was a lot to take in, in the span of thirty minutes. “I choose…to be what I am…but I don’t want to be alone…” Her gaze locked onto his meaningfully, pale eyes shining with emotion in the dark, dark room.

-------------


“Awwwwww!” Sole whined, dragging out the word until he sounded like a three year old who’d just been told that no, he could NOT have a puppy. “You make things so un-fun,” he snorted, perpetuating the three year old a;pearance as he trailed after her with a dark pout, scowling behind her back and sticking his tongue out at her. No problem, he decided. He could just get even with her later. He allowed himself to be towed inside the café, frightening a woman dressed in dark clothing with the look on his face as he entered. But his troubles were soon forgotten when the sweet, sweet smell of caffeine hit him head on. With his sensitive nose, the smell was amplified ten times for Sole, and he couldn’t help but breath in deeply as he practically skipped to the counter. It was just…all kinds of disturbing, where he was concerned. “Hey there,” he said as he reached the counter, flashing the young woman behind it a charming, melt-on-the-spot smile.

The woman blushed deeply, and it was obvious that she didn’t get a lot of attention from her late night customers. From the way she giggled and practically swooned on the spot, Sole was betting he could get his coffee half price…or maybe he could go for free. “Strongest stuff you got. Lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of sugar, please.” He flashed her another smile. “Although if you make the coffee, I don’t think I’ll need TOO much sugar. You look sweet enough to satisfy that particular craving.” Yeah, little did the twittering girl know that when Sole said she was ‘sweet’ he was most likely referring to her blood. Of course, he’d never dream of hunting after the woman who gave him coffee. “How much do I owe you, sweet stuff?” He fished in his pocket for his wallet, and the girl twittered again, her face practically the same color as a beet; Sole thought he was pretty darn awesome at that point.

“Oh, no charge, not for you,” the woman giggled, pushing his hand away when he held out a five dollar bill and winking at him. “I’ll have it ready in just a second!” Sole crooked another charming smile her way, and turned to stride back to Astraea, taking her hand and leading her to one of the tables near the back. “I’m awesome,” he muttered, holding out her seat for her and then sliding into his own. “I don’t get to do that often. But yay for getting things free, right?” It wasn’t more than a minute before the counter girl was bouncing towards them, making sure to put on her best smile as she reached their table. She didn’t even spare Astraea a second glance. “Here you go, sir,” she purred, setting his coffee down. Sole grinned up at her, handing her the five dollar bill he had been meaning to pay with. “Thanks, sweetie. Keep all the change.” He winked, and the girl tittered and blushed, sparing Astraea only a withering glance before she flounced back behind her counter to swoon as Sole behind his back. The cheeky vampire leaned forward, and sniffed his coffee. “Want some?” he asked, tilting his head at his wife and offered her the cup first. “I warn you, it’s mostly sugar, from the smell of it. Not that I mind.”