[ToxicShadow]

Some may have seen it illogical to hunt for victims in such a small port-city. If someone went missing, surely it would be noticed, wouldn't it? It may have seemed that way, but Sadriel was a vampire that had been around the block a time or two. This particular city, though it reeked with the scent of the salty ocean and the creatures harvested from it, made for wonderful hunting grounds. Anyone's death or disappearance could easily be blamed on the sea. It was a perfect cover. It was also well for hunting because the women were often attracted toward travelers, rather than sticking with the same old men they knew all their lives. It was easy to find a meal, sway her into coming with him and, in the end, making a meal out of her.

He wasn't all that hungry, not yet. Now was simply the time for socializing, making some small ties with women that would be possible victims. Sadriel was sitting calmly at the bar in a local tavern, slowly mixing the wine he'd ordered but never intended to drink. His eyes were on a women a few seats down from him. She had dark hair, a few brown shades lighter than black and deep, wide eyes; the were a lovely green shade. She still had an innocence about her even though she was in her early twenties. He was rather fond of the innocent ones, since their blood was untainted. Still, would he ever find a victim who's blood was as delicious as hers? Ah, now was not the time to be thinking that. He'd chosen to turn that meal of his into one of his own, only he then left her, a fledgling, to fend for herself.

He found himself licking his lips and, when he did, he stopped himself with haste and then chuckled. He should have known better to think about that meal. If this one wasn't as good as that, he would then be disappointed.

Time...time... Just a little more observation before he would move in.

[Flame]

Patience…
The clear amber liquid swirled gently in the glass tumbler as the raven-haired woman toyed with her drink, half contemplating whether or not she actually wanted to taste the bitter, scorching liquid. It was more of a prop than anything else: no one, not even a woman as young as herself, could hope to even create the semblance of being a regular around here if they didn’t drink. Not that she was young, or at least as young as people mistook her to be…not by a long shot. It was true, she may have appeared to be your average 22-year-old, but it was only thanks to the frozen youthfulness of immortality that she hadn’t aged a day in appearance since…No, she wasn’t going to dwell on that now. There hadn’t been a single day that she hadn’t thought about that event, the one that had come to dictate the past 33 years of her life. One day couldn't make that much of a difference.

Juliette paused to reflect on that: had it already been 33 whole years? 33 years of her life (immortality aside) wasted, years that had amounted to nothing. Today though, that was all going to change.
Patience…
Piercing eyes lifted from the glass of spirits, and Juliette was glad for the poor lighting in this slightly ramshackle tavern. Everything in this town seemed to be a little…run down. At least the dim, yellowish light somewhat hid the startlingly (and unnaturally) brilliant shade of gold of her eyes and allowed her to observe her surroundings more casually than she might normally have. If anyone had been watching her though, they would have found that her gaze had consistently been drawn to the same spot, across the room from her shadowy table. Indeed, her attention was drawn by a man, an attractive man, in his own right, but while any onlooker might have passed the unusual attentiveness off as a side-effect of mere infatuation, there was not a single person in this room who could even guess at her motives. Oh yes, she’d had her eyes on this man for a long, long time. Her goal tonight? To kill him.

He was currently hunting the pitifully ignorant and innocent young women here at the bar, yet little did he know that he himself was currently being watched by an equally unrelenting gaze. Juliette knew that he was bound to make his move, sooner or later, and when he did, she would be ready for him. She would have done this a long time ago, but even she knew her own boundaries and limitations well enough to know that any attempt prior to now would have been…suicidal, to say the least. So, she’d bided her time, watching, waiting for the right moment to make her move.
Patience…
33 years ago, he’d turned her life into a living hell. Now, she was more than ready to return the favor.

[ToxicShadow]

"Not to y'er liking, eh?"

The gruff bartender's words wiggled into his mind, snapping the unsuspected vampire's mind away from his personal thoughts. Piercing red eyes lifted to meet the gaze of the tender, but it was a friendly smile that warmed Sadriel's face. When he had first taken his seat at the bar, the large man behind the counter had stumbled over himself at the sight of his eyes, but was composed now, drying a freshly washed glass with a rag. The new man was strange, the tender had decided, but his smile seemed genuine. Accusing customers was not good for business in the least.

"Just amused with my own thoughts, is all. Don't worry, your drink is fine one, indeed," Sadriel reassured the tender, taking a small sip in doing so. The liquid didn't quench his thirst, nor did it bring him any joy in drinking it. It somewhat burned as it slipped down his throat, but he remained perfectly composed, as if he were enjoying it.

He suddenly waved in a gesture that the man draw nearer and in a hushed voice he asked, "May I venture to ask what the lady's drink of choice happens to be?" To indicate just whom he happened to be referring to, he glanced with just his eyes toward the dark-haired, green-eyed woman those few seats down. The bartender chuckled, "Oh, Layla, there?" He gave his report, with some additional advice claiming that she was a difficult lady to catch, before moving on back to his other customers.

When the tender's eyes off of him, a smirk of a smile twisted onto Sadriel's face. Rather or not she was a difficult woman, it would be impossible for her to say no to him. Her becoming a meal was inevitable.

When he drink ran out, it was his time for action. He stood, taking his drink with him, and moved in just as she was about to request another. He placed a hand on her shoulder only briefly, flashing her a warm and charming smile as he exclaimed, "Please, allow me. Another drink for the lady, on my bill." And took a seat right beside her. The woman, though she had opened her mouth to protest, seemed jumbled in her words after seeing that smile of his.

[Flame]

Juliette appeared to be completely unmoved by her surroundings. If anything, she was simply another person in a world of her own, losing her thoughts at the bottom of a liquor glass. Briefly, she wondered if she ought to at least take a sip, if only for show – someone would eventually notice that her drink had remained untouched for this long. She mentally grimaced at the thought. If she couldn’t drink the blood of an intoxicated person (it made their blood acid and distasteful), she doubted that she’d enjoy consuming alcohol in its unaltered, unfiltered form. Eyeing her glass warily, she decided to hold off on the liquor, instead, allowing her attention to be drawn once more to her target.

So, it seemed that he had made his first move. So far so good. Juliette watched him at his wily tricks, gaze narrowed slightly as she saw him approach a long-haired, pretty young brunette, flashing that disarming smile of his that could charm a snake. Her grip on the tumbler in her hand tightened slightly as she fought down a small wave of anger. She could almost see herself reflected in the innocent face of that naïve young woman, heedless to the danger that she was currently courting, not knowing that nothing lay behind those alluring ruby eyes but lies and deceit. Long, long ago, Juliette herself had fallen for those same captivating eyes and entrancing smile, and in the end, it had turned out to be the biggest mistake of her life. The last mistake of her life.

Gold eyes glittered dangerously in the half-light as the vampiress throttled down the instinct to take the man down there and then: not only would it completely ruin the scheme she had in mind, it would also draw far too much attention to herself for her comfort. It took a considerable measure of self-control to remain in her seat, to do nothing but watch on as the young woman became ensnared in Sadriel’s irresistible web of deception. If Juliette wasn’t mistaken, the wily fiend would draw his prey out of the safety of the crowds before turning on her. Unfortunately for the victim, she would have to serve as collateral damage for Juliette’s plans. Either way, she wasn’t getting out of this mess she’d fallen headfirst into unscathed.

[ToxicShadow]

Much to the luck of Juliette, her creator was far too busy with his lovely little victim to give her notice. Normally a master vampire was commonly aware of when one of it's creations had drawn near or, even more typically, some vampires were simply keenly aware of when others of their kind was about. The difference in this particular situation was one of importance, however.

That fateful night when he had lured the lovely woman into his clutches, his original intentions had only deemed her a worthy meal. In those final moments of drawing her in, all those years ago, he could recall his purpose shifting. She was possibly the most attractive mortal he had ever laid his eyes on in all of his years, which was certainly saying something. Sucking the blood from a small puncture wound he'd inflicted upon her by means of his teeth, she had undergone so much blood loss that her consciousness was slipping. There was a power to her then, even in that anemic state. There was more to her than what she appeared to be. In that realization, he couldn't allow himself to end her life. Instead, he gave her the gift of immortality. And then, he left. He unbound her from his will and mind, giving her the right to think and act on her own without his influence. Never did he know that he would leave her feeling as though she had been damned, sentenced to a horrible and inescapable fate.

The minutes slipped by, the elder vampire never failing in his wooing of the opposite sex. It wasn't very long by his own measures, though it probably seemed like an endless amount of time to Juliette as she tried to contain herself and watch, that he had won over his newest victim.

"Would you care to go for a walk with me?" He inquired of her, as he stood and offered the young lady his hand. She had at least hesitating in placing her hand in his but, as soon as she did, he lifted it to his lips and tenderly kissed the back of her hand. As usual of his victims, she was too preoccupied to notice his hands were slightly cooler than his own.

He paid the bartender for all the drinks they had racked up or, rather, all that she had managed to rack up, before he lead her out of the tavern. Then, he unleashed some simple small talk, things such as, "It's a beautiful night, isn't it? It doesn't quite stand up to your sheer beauty, but is still quite charming." He aimed to lead her to the beach or, rather, a cove he knew of. It was a romantic and secluded place. It was the perfect location for his act of feeding.

[Flame]

In an attempt to keep her head level and her temper in check, Juliette removed her gaze from Sadriel and his unfortunate lady-friend, letting her focus drift back to the liquid which she continued to swirl ceaselessly in its glass. She kept them at the periphery of her vision though, far enough so that she didn’t actually have to watch, but she would know if they moved from their current location. She counted slowly in her mind, stilling her unruly furies as she waited for the tide of anger to subside. Absentmindedly, her free hand fingered the object hidden in the folds of her clothes, the smooth, polished hilt of a silver dagger. Having it this close to her own body felt a little uncomfortable, as if every cell in her body was trying to repel the seemingly innocent knife. The feeling elicited a small shudder of discomfort, but she pushed the sensation away: it would all have been worth it by the end of tonight.

A sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she casually turned her head back up to scan the crowd, seeing two semi-familiar faces making a beeline for the door. Seemingly unconcerned, she lingered for a minute or two longer, giving them something of a “head start”, then, after producing a coin and placing it on the tabletop next to her untouched glass of liquor, finally rose and followed them out the door. The cool night air was a welcome relief as she walked out of the tavern, and she could almost feel the moonlight on her skin. Being amidst crowds of people was a little too warm for her taste, and she was glad to escape the noisy mass of bodies still inside. She’d fed just last night, so that, coupled with her dislike for the taste of alcohol, whether by itself or dissolved in blood, was sufficient to turn off her appetite. In the open, she glanced around, feeling more than looking for her targets. Then, as if by some imperceptible cue, she took off down the street in the direction that Sadriel had gone, all but melting into the shadows as she consciously made an effort to remain undetected.

It was a short walk from the tavern to the seaside, and it took only a minute or two for Juliette to catch up with the pair. She followed them at a safe distance until they came to a secluded cove. The vampiress paused in the shadows, watching. It seemed that Sadriel was currently too caught up in his victim to pay much attention to his surroundings, or at least that was what she was banking on. Overconfidence would always meet its downfall, and tonight, it was his. Taking a steadying breath, she abandoned the shadows, slipping over the soft sand with the silent, fluid agility of a feline. As she approached from behind, she knew that eventually, the older vampire would sense her presence, especially at this close proximity. She would have to move fast, if she was to get the job done successfully. With a burst of speed, she closed the distance between her and her target, careful to remain out of both his and the woman’s line of sight. As soon as she was close enough, she let her left arm snake over his shoulder, as if caressing his chest, before pulling back to try and put him in a headlock. Her right arm followed, and by all means, it looked as if she were embracing him from behind, but clutched in her right hand was the silver dagger which she pressed against his throat, hidden from the other woman’s view. Sadriel would feel it though, Juliette knew.

”How…romantic,” she hissed softly in his ear, her head on his shoulder, a small, triumphant smirk evident in her silky voice. When she turned to look at his potential victim though, her expression had instantly changed to one that was completely pleasant, adorned with a small smile. ”If you’ll excuse us,” she said to the young woman, ”I’d like a word in private with your friend here.”

[ToxicShadow]

Upon their arrival, the mortal woman had flashed a smile toward her newest company. It didn't even dawn on her that she hadn't asked for the man's name, too far entranced by him and his actions. Everything about him drew her in. His looks, having a somewhat muscular build while still retaining sharp features, was only just the beginning of it. His shoulder length hair, though a silvery white, was breath-taking. The clothes he wore, while still modern enough, still reminded her of medieval times when women were rescued by the fair Prince Charming. He moved fluidly with an admirable grace, spoke in such a charming manner; she was doomed. Before she had even known it, here she was beside him. Never before had she given into a man but she couldn't help herself  this time. He was unusually fascinating.

Sadriel's fresh meal was taking it all in, even asking him in an amused manner, "How did you know about this place? You're a stranger here, aren't you?" and he replied, "I've visited once or twice. This lovely place always brings me back to it. It's my pleasure to share it with you." All the while, even as he answered to her questions, something gnawed at the back of his mind. The sudden realization that another vampire was near came to him too late. Just as he went over his options, depending on rather or not said vampire would be friend or foe, Juliette gave him the answer. She wasn't friendly, that was for sure.

He remained well composed, even in feeling the edge of the silver blade against the cool flesh of his neck. Had he not had so many years to him, if this happened when he wasn't aged as he was, then he may very well have been taken back in this situation. He may have even trembled with the blade so close. Here and now was a different time, though, and he had spent years enough fighting off lycans and enemy blood-suckers alike. He was trapped, but he could only smile as the vampiress whispered into his ear. Something about her felt familiar but he couldn't manage to place it. Either way, she presented him with a challenge, one that he would accept without batting an eyelash.

"My dear," he began, as his gaze turned to his lady-friend, "Would you find it in your heart to give my old friend and I a few moments? She and I have a few things to talk about. You must understand." His voice didn't portray any of the ill happenings. He wasn't strained.

The woman was startled by another woman coming in and hanging over him, her expression was clearly confused. She opened her mouth to question him, getting shot down before she could speak. His intense gaze shut her down. She nodded, taking her leave in a hurry. She only looked back once before leaving all sight.

Sadriel lifted his own left hand to gain a tight grip on the vampiress' left wrist. This was done only when the mortal had turned her back to them. "You caused me my meal." His hushed voice was agitated. He waited long enough for her to be out of sight before clasping Juliette's right wrist in his hand. More pressure was applied, close to enough to snap her wrists then and there. In a battle of brute strength, it only seemed plausible that the elder vampire would win. In such, he attempted to yank her loose from her grasp on him and flip her in front of him on her back. She was certainly messing with the wrong man.

[Flame]

She was close, so close to finally achieving what she had intended to do for so long. Hunting her creator had become Juliette’s life, and now, she could almost taste the sweet victory that hovered so near. For a moment, she wondered what she was to do with the rest of her miserable existence once he was dead and gone: in truth, killing Sadriel had been the only purpose for enduring this grim immortality of hers, and once she’d accomplished what she had set out to do, all those decades ago, what would she do with herself? She decided to let the topic go, pushing it to the back of her mind for later. Now, she had to finish what she’d come to do first before worrying about the future.

Juliette waited patiently, watching the young brunette’s face change almost instantly from rapture to confusion. Yeah, you’re welcome. You have no idea what I just saved you from. The poor, innocent little fool. She’d gotten off a lot luckier than she'd had the right to, considering all of the other young women who had doubtless fallen under the spell of this monster, hidden under the guise of Prince Charming. Nonetheless, Sadriel’s apparent lack of concern for the fact that he currently had a blade pressed to his throat was a little…disconcerting. He played along flawlessly, seeming completely undaunted by the fact that the vampiress could easily (or so she thought) behead him on the spot. That threw Juliette off for a moment as she watched the unsuspecting prey turn around and hurry away, back in the direction she had come from, and it was during that split second of hesitation that the tables turned on her.

”You cost me my meal.”
Her breath escaped in a sharp hiss of pain as she felt hands clamp down on her wrists with a crushing strength that would have broken the bones of any mortal. She lunged for the kill, but by this point, Sadriel already had her well in his grasp, and her attempts were futile. ”My apologies,” she replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice, which had taken on a venomous tone. ”That ought to settle our score then, shouldn’t it? You take a meal from me, and I, in turn, deprive you of yours.” She fought his handhold, but to her alarm, found that he was considerably stronger than herself, and that she couldn’t budge her ensnared arms. ”Unfortunately, I’m not satisfied with robbing you of your meal alone.”

In a split second, she felt her whole weight bodily lifted from the ground as Sadriel yanked her up and over his head. Acting reflexively, she curled her legs in close to her chest, then, as she began to arc back down towards a heavy landing on her back, uncoiled like a spring in a feat of incredible flexibility, feet punching into his chest as she powered herself forward, wrenching her arms free (painfully) as she hit the ground and rolled, only to regain her feet once more a few feet away. The dagger still remained clutched in her hand as it glinted in the moonlight, her long black hair slightly tousled as it cascaded around her shoulders. She eyed the older vampire warily, and for the first time, she felt a degree of fear settle in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps she had underestimated Sadriel’s strength: she knew that this mistake could very well cost her her life, but it was only of trivial concern to her, since her existence revolved solely around destroying him. Either she would kill him tonight, or she would die trying. There was no middle ground. She stood in a half-crouch, prepared for anything that he might throw at her. She’d give him the opportunity to make the first move, so that she could assess his fighting style, but if he didn’t grab the chance, then she would not hesitate to take the initiative. ”Remember me?” Gold eyes glittered dangerously in the soft moonlight, a small smirk decorating her striking features. ”It’s nice to see you again…father.”

[ToxicShadow]

"You take a meal from me, and I, in turn, deprive you of yours."

The retaliating words had the gears of the elder vampire's mind turning. Within those few seconds, his mind flipped through past events, all throughout the many years of his existence. Never could he think of a time where he'd interfered with this opposing vampire, not while she was feeding or was preparing to. He remained unable to shake the feeling of familiarity toward her, but he couldn't quite place her yet. That was, until she managed to free herself from his grasp.

As Juliette pushed herself off from his chest, he took a single step back to balance out himself. The fighting instinct instructed him to chase right after her rather than allowing her to stand and having a better chance of defending herself against him. He caught himself crouching down and preparing to lunge for her. He forced himself upright once more, breaking his tense appearance to brush off his shirt. It was less than a second that he was done and his red gaze had turned to her. His red eyes rose and fell as he examined every inch of her. A fond smile touched his lips.

"You're even more beautiful than I remember," he commented causally. The unnerving part for the vampiress was that his voice wasn't taunting nor sarcastic, he actually spoke with admiration toward her. "Oh, yes, I do remember you. How ever could I forget? You were the most lovely mortal I had ever set my eyes upon, and even the most delicious to this very day. Please spare me the title, Juliette. It makes me feel old." He chuckled in amusement, taking a step closer to her. "I never imagined that a wonderfully innocent woman, such as yourself, would ever hunt me down. You're not half bad. I knew you were going to be a special one."

[Flame]

Despite the fact that Juliette had just tried to kill him, Sadriel still maintained that unwaveringly serene demeanor as he addressed her, which only served to both further infuriate, yet at the same time, confuse the younger vampiress. She would have expected him to react somehow, whether that would be a retaliation or a move to subdue her. He did neither. Instead, he simply stood once again to regard her from head to toe, not a single hint of animosity in his gaze. As she met his ruby red eyes, she suddenly felt her heart freeze, a faint chill running down her spine. There was a beat of silence before she gave herself a violent mental shake, cursing herself silently. How could that wicked, lying smile still take her breath away? She’d endured over three decades of pure, untainted hatred for this man, and yet here she was prepared to kill him, only to be held almost immobile with a simple, casual glance.

Thoroughly unsettled by that brief fraction of a second’s weakness, she nonetheless shook the unwelcome sensation off, focusing once more on why she had sought him out in the first place. ”Oh, I’m flattered, I’m sure, but how many times have you already used that cliché line before? How many women have you wooed with those exact words?” Her tone was dry and cynical, her gold eyes hard as she fixed him with an unyielding gaze. ”I may have been naïve enough to believe you once, a long, long time ago, but never again.”

Juliette fingered the blade which still rested in her hand, her eyes calculating as she deliberated on the best approach to making a second attack, now that her cover of surprise had been blown. ”That innocence was gone when the rest of me died…when you took what was human from me.” There was a bitter note of resentment in her voice as she spoke, thinking back on the painful first days of her transformation and the thirst…the terrible thirst. She’d been turned into a demon, a parasite that drew its life by draining it from others. How many had died to sate her desire for blood? The memories were painful, and she wanted retribution for all of the suffering she had endured and grief she had caused. ”You haven’t seen the half of it yet,” she growled at him, her eyes narrowed. ”Shall I demonstrate for you the full product of your creation?” There was a snarl in her voice as she launched herself at Sadriel once more, set on a collision course with him. There was no point in trying to dance around and wait for an opportunity to lend itself to her: he would simply outmaneuver her, no matter what she tried.

[ToxicShadow]

Such a tragedy that his words were wasted. It was the truth that he had said many similar lines to women he had lured into his clutches, though his words held more honesty in them in speaking to his fledgling vampire. He sighed softly between his teeth, but his fixated gaze never left her figure. "Only to you do I have the ability to I speak of your mortality in such a fond manner," he assured her smoothly. She wanted him dead, though, no matter what sort of words left his mouth. He couldn't force her to believe any of them, truth or lie. What he didn't want to do was put a perfectly good fledgling to waste. With selective as Sadriel was, Juliette was one of the few vampires he had brought into this world. He created her because he decided she deserved to live. If she was determined to kill him, than he would have no choice but to shut her down.

When she launched herself at him, the elder was ready for her. He acted in the same manner, charging forward at her. He went for her arm in which we wielded her weapon, putting his full force into knocking her off balance and pinning her to the ground. One hand was tight around her forearm, forcing her arm down and her own blade toward her neck. The other arm was used to hold her down, as was one of his legs as he knelt, it pressed down against both of her thighs to render her legs useless. His eyes lit up in a fiery rage, a growl ripping from his throat. "You should know better than to turn on your elder. I should kill you here and now." But it would be such a waste. She was an attractive woman and had quite the potential as a vampire, if only she could focus herself properly.

"I'll permit you one of two choices. Sound fair? Your first option: I can end your life now and you will never have to face another inhuman day. Your second option: You agree to accompany me, knowing that stepping out of line means your death, and I'll show you how to really use your powers. Take your pick, dear Juliette."


[I hope you don't mind me jumping so quickly into that part. I was anxious and couldn't help myself. If you'd like me to change it, I will. o3o;]

[Flame]

Juliette was doomed to fail in this endeavor: she could tell even before she came into close proximity to her target. There was hardly enough time to brace for the impact before it hit, let alone evade his counter-attack. Unsurprisingly, sheer body weight and inertia won out in this scenario, and literally in the blink of an eye, the smaller of the pair (which was, obviously, Juliette, due to her considerably slighter build) was promptly slammed forcefully into the sand and pinned with practiced speed and precision. While she was still winded, Sadriel made quick work of immobilizing her limbs, rendering the young vampiress essentially defenseless against him.

Juliette writhed under the man’s considerably heavier weight, but to no avail. The soft sand under her body provided no purchase, and all she managed to do was half-bury herself in the grit, even more effectively pinning herself. She was keenly aware of the blade which now quivered precariously close to her own throat, and it took all of her strength to hold it off, even as Sadriel pressed down on the arm wielding it. For another moment or two, she continued to squirm, trying fruitlessly to free herself. Finally, she gave in to the inevitable: that even now, the older vampire was much more powerful than herself. She lay still, panting softly from the futile exertion, eyes narrowed to glittering golden slits as she glared hatred at the man who was her creator.

”Well, maybe you should just kill me here and now to resolve the problem,” she replied between her quick gasps for air. ”If that’s the case, then what’s stopping you?” Despite the fact that she was clearly conquered, the challenging note in her voice still remained as she fired her retaliation back at her subjugator. ”Go ahead, stop dawdling and just do it…I dare you.” It seemed that even though Sadriel had her physically incapacitated, there was nothing he could do that could break her brazen defiance. Her mind though, was two steps ahead of her mouth: although this battle was clearly lost, the war was far from over. If she chose to subject herself to the elder vampire’s teachings, not only would he equip her with the powers necessary to overwhelm him, it would also give her the perfect opportunity to be close enough to him to make her move when she was ready. Perhaps this was still a salvageable situation.


{It’s fine ^^ Juliette’s just exploiting her role as the cheeky, difficult problem child x3}

[ToxicShadow]

Sadriel was physically relentless. Despite Juliette's early efforts to fend him off, the elder vampire never did budge. He even exacted the same amount of strength all throughout their exchanging of words. He couldn't take it easy on her, an AWOL vampire out to kill him, her creator. Such a thing wasn't often heard of. If he let up, she would only become more and more cocky. There was no chance in hell, nor this world or any other, that he would allow such a thing to happen.

Helpless or no, the female still shot blows at him with her words. She wasn't one to admit defeat, something both idiotic and admirable. Sadriel was smiling again as he stared down into her marvalous golden eyes, pride bubbling gently within him for the wonderous creation of his. "Killing you would be a waste. You have potential. Any creator would be mad to throw away someone as valueable as you, unless they held absolutely no other choice." That was the logic of it. It wasn't entirely the answer, but the vampire was wise enough to know that she would never believe anything more than that. He couldn't tell  her much of the truth, not now. It would be wasted as well. His only choice was to bide his time. Maybe she would gain more sense and find some form of trust in him, then he could explain. "The way I see it, there is another choice: the one that I gave you. Don't you want to see what you are really capable of? Besides..." For a breif moment, his eyes closed, his mind farther away. When they opened, it appeared as though he was remembering something from a fonder time. "If I didn't want to kill you that night thirty-three years ago, why would I want to now?"

[Flame]

Juliette had given up her futile struggles, knowing full well that no matter how strong her will was, her creator was, by far, much more powerful and experienced than herself. Her few decades of familiarity with her body’s new form were nothing, mere brief, fleeting years in comparison to the strength he had accrued over his centuries. Even now, after all these years, the blistering light of the sun still felt as if it set her skin on fire, and resisting the call of blood could be…difficult, at times. She was well aware of the fact that the older a vampire became, the more power they had. Perhaps she would never be strong enough to vanquish her creator. Nonetheless, she was determined not to simply give up now, having come this far already. Her cutting gaze still emanated open, unhidden defiance as she glared back up into those alluring red eyes, conscious of, and unsettled by, the fact that it was only her fiery anger and desire for vengeance keeping her from falling into that same trap that he’d set for the young brunette.

”Indeed? Well in that case, what makes me so much more valuable than that young woman that was fortunate enough to get away with her life tonight? As a matter of fact, what makes me any different from all of the countless women that you’ve ensnared in the past?” The suspicion in her voice was almost tangible as she stared unblinkingly back up at Sadriel, although the tautness in her muscles had relaxed a little, yielding slightly to her oppressor. ”And as to why you’d want to kill me? Well, maybe because of the fact that I just tried to kill you.” What got her though, was the fact that he too, remembered the exact number of years it had been since he’d changed her. That seemed a little out of place: she would have expected that he’d used her, left her, and completely forgotten about her existence. Apparently, he hadn’t, for whatever reason or another. ”But even so,” she continued, sounding a little less hostile than she had a few moments ago, ”let’s say that I do want to see what my full potential is. Would you willingly subject yourself to teaching me? Plus, what do you get out of this bargain?” If he was truly willing to instruct her, then he would be doing so to speed his own demise…but he didn’t need to know that.

[ToxicShadow]

Sadriel knew fully well that Juliette had her right to hold a grudge against him, though he could not help but to want that grudge to dissipate. Perhaps, within his hands, it would. It was somewhat out of character for the more experienced vampire to take action within any of his fledgling's lives, that much was true. To him, however, this case was very much different. It seemed that this woman never managed to get over what was done to her. She never took advantage of the life she could have formed with her newfound agelessness. His changing her was a gift, one that she seemed to have never been able to appreciate such as he did. He did anything and everything he wanted. Yes, the rarely subsiding thirst was a consequence to his lifestyle, but it didn't hinder him in comparison to the freedom that he retained.

Juliette's first question managed to land a surely unexpected reaction. Sadriel's red eyes darkened a few shades, not in anger, but in a mild kind of sadness. Rather or not she even believed he was capable of such a thing may have determined how she viewed it. "Even if I told you every fact in the exact truth, you would not believe me." He paused there for a moment, shaking his head just slightly. Light filled back into his eyes, they regaining their vivid ruby shade. "It should be enough to tell you this: after my years in this state of life, drinking in the life of mortal creatures can, at times, give me sight into their souls. Everyone has their secrets, some that are awfully horrible. Many mortals are very weak, ill-minded creatures with very little substance. I couldn't take the entity of your life away. How can I explain...? I just happened to know that you were a different one and, by all means, you were not perpared to die that night that I lured you in. Your body fought to it's last as your blood ran dry. You were a fighter then, and even more now. That headstrong quality has made you a wonderful vampire. My perdiction was correct."

"As for my teaching you: if I offered, than I am willing. All those years ago, I made you and I left you to fend for yourself before you had even opened your eyes. As your creator, it wasn't right of me to do. You can consider my offer as a way of repenting for that sin. Even I have some morals, Juliette."

"Now," His hand slid down her forearm and to her wrist, inching closer and closer to the blade she held in her hand. He wrapped his hand around her own so that she would remain unable to use it. "How about you let the blade go? It doesn't do either of us any good, and I'm getting rather tired of forcing you into the ground." His voice was serious, but he was at ease. He held no intention of using the weapon against her, that much was obvious. At least, he figured so. Part of him seriously doubted that would stop her from being suspicious though.