[Nyxia]

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((Didn't know which form you wanted))

The night was warm and pleasant when the monk let Spade enter through the temple doors. He gave the cheerful man a sharp nod as a 'thank you' careful not to jar his sleeping daughter too much as he carried her carefully by the grey fur at the scruff of her neck. For a moment he marveled at the inner of the temple, the warm air ruffling his fur as he walked, it was nice to be welcomed into a place that made him feel so at ease. The monk walking before him was silent as they were led out of the temple chapel and into the courtyard, where the monk laid out a rather nice dark green plush blanket for Spade to lay his daughter on. Spade for the first few moments contented himself with nudging the blanket around the small kit, before he turned back to the man, his mouth now free. "Thank you kindly for welcoming us into you sanctuary of peace." His smile genuine as he looked about the flowering courtyard, not far off he could hear the waterfall and streams burbling. "As I mentioned before, my uh...." His golden eyes flashed for a moment darting back and forth as he struggled for the correct word. "The kit's mother and our other child should be along shortly as well." He hoped, he still wasn't sure his message had gotten to her.

Still this was a good place for Nina's first outing regardless of mix-ups or mishaps, it would at least teach her that some of the living could be trusted. When the monk slipped away from them without a word, Spade turned his full attention back to his daughter; laying beside her on the blanket, he sighed softly, his breath ruffling the kit's fur which caused her to stir. His thoughts though were with her mother, he hadn't meant to leave her on her own so soon, but the vampire in the caves had said she'd be cared for. All he could hope was that she wouldn't be too upset with him. That had been a week ago, and he'd had a hard enough time learning to care for little Nina; that and Lucina's absence from the manor had everyone there in a flustered state. Once he was actually settled on the blanket he turned his eyes to Nina and gave a bit of a huffed sigh, "I guess there are many things that can't be help." This father thing was a lot more than it would have seemed and a bit on the scary side. 'Family...huh' He thought with a bit of a smile as he watched the moon flowers open towards the sky.

(.1 - .1)

[Elektra]

"Aaah!" she screamed, sitting up.  Panting, she looked over at her newborn kit.  It had only been a week or two since it had happened, since they had happened.  She wasn't ready to deal with this, much less to deal with it alone.  But her real question was why Spade left her.  She needed him now more than ever.  And as if he were right there to respond, a letter came from him.  It had said to meet him at the Nusan Temple.  After finally convincing her 'care-taker' to let her go, she packed up and set off.  She was going to find her mate along with her other child, and she was going to give him a good talking to, or her name wasn't Delphi.


After a few days of traveling, the temple finally loomed in front of her.  It was a breathtaking sight, but she couldn't admire it for long.  The sun would rise soon enough, and she needed to find Spade.  Nudging her little kit in the knapsack he was in, Delphi headed toward the entrance.  Right at the front, his scent hit her.  Delighted, she ran toward it, not caring if her speed was abnormal, and attracted attention.  All she cared about was finding him.

[Nyxia]

With her scent of the warm breeze, Spade stood up and started towards the door that lead back to the entrance. "I'll return, Nina." He told his sleeping daughter as he began across the courtyard. His unhurried pace was a much a measure of keeping peace in such a place as it was to let him soak up the calm of atmosphere around him. The chaos and turmoil of the past week had left him tense and on edge, between L's sons trying to run the manor, to lady's cryptic and sudden departure, and his own fear of explaining himself to her. Even in this calm his shoulders felt heavy, and his tension was palpable in the warm air.

In his aimless musings Spade suddenly realized he was at the door, his hand resting on the brass knob. He wasn't sure what faced him on the other side of the wooden frame, but he also couldn't linger here thinking. When he pushed open the door and stepped through to the chapel once more, oddly the monk who'd escorted him earlier that evening was gone, likely to bed. Shrugging to himself Spade glanced about the room only to see Delphi movements through the room.  "It's good to see you again, Delphi." He couldn't help but smile.

[Elektra]

Delphi froze when she heard his voice.  It was like silk, but she forced herself not to look at him.  With tears brimming in her eyes, she looked up at him.  She bared her fangs slightly, her eyebrows bent.  "Why?  Why would you leave me like that!  You could've told me dammit.  You could've take me with you!  I wouldn't have cared if anyone stared at me, made jokes, nothing as long as I was with you.  But nooo, you had to leave me with some random vamp.  Not to mention my kit!  She won't stop crying, even when I give her milk!  What am I supposed to do?  I...  I almost did go out in the sun.  Because I wanted to just get it over with if I wasn't ever going to see you again."  Panting, she pulled her kit out, licking his fur the wrong way in an attempt to warm him up.  He was extremely thin, and the minute he woke up, he began to weakly cry.  "See..." she said weakly.  Forgetting how mad she was supposed to be at her so called 'mate', Delphi walked over and collapsed, resting her head on his broad shoulder.

[Nyxia]

Spade stood holding open the door for her, the tear stung his heart more than her words. Slowly he picked up the little one and brought her to his eye level. Inspecting her once over he nodded to himself, "My dear, milk will do her no more than make her sick. She's like us, and like her sister." Letting his fang slice the tip of his finger, he fed her from that watching her lap furiously at the blood. His attention when back to Delphi as the kit fed, his eyes filled with a strange glimmer of sadness. "Yes, I know my departure was sudden, there are many things I should have done about that." His eyes wandered her over as he tried to choose the best way to explain himself. "Come, let's discuss this outside so that the girls can be together again." He finally told her, hoping to avoid an unnecessary audience. This was expected and not, but at the same time he would have to explain a lot to her as well, and he could feel the weight of all that had come to pass in the last weeks baring down on him still.

Once the two were outside in the courtyard and he heard the door fall shut with it's gentle clunk he was satisfied. "I can guess by the use of 'random vamp' I assume Ella was maybe not my best choice to leave you with." In retrospect he could imagine it probably wasn't, Ella was a bit, outspoken as it was. He shook his head about the thought of it, Nina was curled quietly on the blanket that wasn't far from them. "I didn't have a choice about leaving you, Delphi. I have to explain myself to the lady before we can just bring you in, there are rituals that must be done..." He trailed off, how could he even begin to put this in a way that would make sense to her, that would open her eyes to the ways and laws of his kind. As he thought about it his face tightened, the kindness of his normal self was conceal  in a cold mask.

[Elektra]

Allowing Spade to lead her into the courtyard, she noticed that he had said 'daughters'.  "You know that Zulo is a male, don't you?"  Giving him a puzzling look, she went over to her other daughter.  Ignoring the hot fur, she nuzzled against her.  At first, the kit was reluctant, but after realizing that the Kuhna beside her was her mother, she snuggled right into her, purring softly.  Smiling, she settled down, waiting for some explanation of why her so called 'mate' had left her.  No mate would leave his own mate, especially not in their situation, if he truly loved her.  So why had he?

[Nyxia]

Blinking he realized how little attention he'd paid the child, "I'm sorry." He sighed, standing at the edge of the blanket. He watched as Nina snuggled to her mother, and his smile slightly returned through the cold worry which gripped his mind. He knew she was waiting for an explanation, and he knew one was owed, but he didn't want to shatter the fragile peace that was before him. When he realized that he couldn't just stand there til sun rise, Spade reluctantly took a breath, a strange and almost foreign movement now. "As I said, I have to explain all this to the lady before you can be brought into the clan's home. And as of late no one knows where the lady is." He stopped looking over at her and their children, this had been one of the hardest time for him, in all his years of unlife he'd never thought he'd face this a second time.

Without notice he began to pace the edge of the blanket, looking down at the grass beneath him as he shook his head, raking his brain for the right words. "Without Lucina, the manor has turned to chaos while her two sons fight over who's now in charge and who's rules will be law until her return. All the residents are upset, but that is not why I left." He breathed his words hurried and more tense than he'd been in the last hundred years. With that much out he sat down on the blanket, looking dead at her. "Delphi, I was called back by the lady herself. That is why I left. She gave me no reason, and when I returned to speak with her on the matter of us, she was gone without more than a cryptic message to her son." His gold eyes pleaded with her to understand his plight, and how dangerous it was. Even in the peace of this place he held a touch of fear, and he let it show in his eyes. "He sons are both powerful, but one has a darker nature. I can offer you no protection inside the manor, that is why I left you in the care of Ella. She, like myself, is trying to stay out of this mess." "And it would keep anyone for suffering." He so badly wanted to add that, but he kept it to himself as he sat there wondering what more he could say. She wanted him to protect her, and that was what he'd done.

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


In the glow of moon light a young man stepped from the rainforest's final tree line, his ghostly white hair stuck to his forehead and face in places from the humidity in the forest. The gleam of his red eyes the only sign of his nature as they raise to the temple, it was all he'd heard it to be, and it was where Lochesh had gone. Lifting his head, Nuada could smell his mother's scout on the air, oddly he found the scent of other vampires as well. "Hope this isn't another dark gathering." He mused aloud with a bit of a smirk. He wasn't interested in a fight, rather the opposite he wished to speak with Lochesh. He wasn't in any hurry either he decided as he began to walk the path that lead up to the back gate of the temple, whistling an odd old tune as he walked.

[Elektra]

Listening, Delphi began to soften.  His cause seemed fair enough, and it wasn't that Ella had been bad to her.  Quite the opposite.  But still, he could have at least warned her.  Suddenly something tainted the air.  Jumping up, she pulled Nina and Zulo up by their scruffs, tossing them both onto her back.  Hissing and baring her fangs, she stood there, her hackles raised, ready to defend her kits.  "Another vampire."

[Nyxia]

Nuada wasn't worried about Lochesh, vampires were like cats in their own way, they came and went as they pleased. Those of his mother's house were no exception to this little rule, but he couldn't understand why their mother's closest confidant had so quickly vanished. Nuada had hoped maybe this was were his mother had gone to, hoped Lochesh could give him some answer. Pushing open the iron gate that led into the courtyard, he was surprised by the female and Lochesh sitting on a blanket. Her fur was raised and her fangs showing directly at him, quickly the swordsman threw his hands up to his chest, palms open. "Whoa...hey now." His voice cool without a trace of fear as he looked over to his old care taker. "So this is where you vanished to, Lochesh. Guess you didn't find mum after all..." He sighed, a wasted trip this was indeed.

When Spade seen Delphi react, he too came on guard putting himself between her and the gate where he sensed the familiar aura. But once he put a face to the aura with Nuada standing there looking more like a wet pup than the manor's guard he couldn't help but laugh to himself. "It's ok Delphi." He soothed, still not moving from his place. With Nuada's purpose stated he only shook his head at the young lucain, turning to sit down. "No Near, I don't know where the lady has gone to either." He gave the lucain a sharp look from his place beside Delphi, one that indicated to the lucain that he was intruding. "I came here to attend to "other" things..." He never got to finish that statement though because Nuada had seen Nina on Delphi's back and at lightning speed had picked the kit up and proceeded to cuddle and fawn over her.  Much to Spade's shock at the pup he'd cared for he moved between his mate and Lucina's son. "Delphi, might I introduce you to Nuada. Lucina's eldest son and the guard of Ilztirahn Manor."His voice more amused that concerned.

Near tipped his head back towards them with a smile, "If your Lochesh mate you can call me Near, pleased to meet ya." He snuggled Nina in the riders cloak he wore since the heat of her fur did little to him, "So this is your child." He teased to Spade, "Here I thought Runa had off and found someone insane." His soft laughed was swallowed by the breeze as he sat down in the moon flower vines that hid the brick wall from view, Nina now resting on his leg as he watched Spade and the female, who had another kit, curiously. "He's actually harmless." Spade muttered to Delphi as he thought about a more private talk with her, at Near's expense since he seemed to like the children.

[Elektra]

Delphi had a feeling Spade had stepped between them to stop her from trying to rip the Lucain's throat out.  Of course, the chances of that actually happening weren't very good, she would still try for her kit.  After a few minutes, she was able to calm down, and analyze the newcomer.  He was cocky, sure, but he had a reason for such.  His body was well built, with strength that showed.  "So, Near.  If you don't mind, we're going to go talk.  Perhaps you could hold on to Zulo for me?" she asked.  Before leaving though, she turned her head.  "But if there is a hair missing from him, I will personally try to kill you in the worst way possible." she said with the sweetest smile and tone she had ever mustered before.  


"So wait, Lucina has children?" Delphi inquired as she and Spade walked through another gate.  Beyond the small courtyard where they were originally, it was much more private.  The chanting of the monks had died down, and all that was heard was the breeze which ruffled the small trees around them.  Going up to Spade, she kissed him, which was extremely out of character.  "So where did you go anyway?"

[Nyxia]

Spade could have laughed at the look on Near's face when Delphi threatened him, the lucain saluted her before scooping up the other kit and laying out on the blanket beside them. His thoughts were leery only if to wonder who was watching the manor, but he guessed that the fiery dragon that was Near's brother probably had vacated the manor for a while as well. Without another glance back he followed Delphi, grateful for the private time. Once they were through the gate he returned her kiss, "Yes, Lucina had three children. Near who is her eldest, Tatsuya who is the middle son and the one I worry the most on. Are both vampires, and were both devilish to watch as pups."He paused to look at her, "And her youngest, Yiska is an oddity of our kind. He was born living, an elf like his father, whom he has always lived with." He told her thoughtfully.

He smiled as he wandered in this new area which reminded him of a forest he'd known long ago. "I returned to the manor for a while, then tried to look for the lady." He sighed shaking his head a bit to shake off the thoughts. "When I could not find her, I returned to the manor to wait and see. But since she has not returned in a week's time, I wanted to see you again." He looked up at the clear night sky a bit of his usual smile playing on his lips. "I wanted to know you were alright." He spoke quietly. Looking back at her he closed the small gap to nuzzle her neck, enjoying the feeling of her against him.

[Elektra]

She couldn't stop herself, she purred loudly.  What in the world was happening to her?  Since when was she so nice and loving?  Being away from all the dirt and crime in the Slums was making her soft.  But nonetheless, she liked it.  Nuzzling him back, she couldn't help but wonder more about this Lucina.  


"If...  If she isn't back, and you go searching, I want you to promise me something.  You'll take me with you.  I don't want to have to deal with all this alone."  Looking him in the eyes, she felt herself get lost in them, but she dragged herself out.  "Please Spade.  Please."

[Nyxia]

Spade sighed aloud, that honestly was a question he didn't want to think about any more. "The lady will return when she's ready, she strong enough to care for herself. Don't worry Delphi I'm not going anywhere again." He cooed, wishing he knew what to make of it all. Shaking his head a bit Spade focused on the world he was in, his eyes pinned the moon. "When was the last time you fed well, my dear?" He never brought his eyes down from the moon when he asked.

[Elektra]

"A month or two." Delphi sighed.  She was surprised he hadn't noticed how weak she was before though.  "There were some pesky little ones who ended up scaring off a lot of the natural game, and I don't exactly want to feed of, well, you know..."  It wasn't that she didn't like that, but she didn't know how.  What was she supposed to do?  Just go up and tell them she was going to drink they're blood?  This was all so confusing.  It was so much easier in the Slums, when all you had to do was keep to your part of town, and life was good.  Perhaps she could convince Spade to come to her old hideout.  It was certainly able to accommodate them all.  And with all the loot, they would live the good life once more.

[Nyxia]

His unblinking eyes turned to her, surprise not showing on his face as he watched her. In his heart he knew it was his own fault, never should he have thought Ella would teach her, that after all was his job. But the night was slowly beginning to wane and he knew there wasn't enough time to teach her. The process alone would take him two maybe three nights before she was able to fully use her renewed body. With a heavy shake of his head Spade turned to her, "I know, it isn't easy to understand at first. That is my fault." He sighed upturning his arm to her, allowing her to see the steady beat of his pulsing veins. "Take from me tonight, my dear." He told her in a cool voice. The breeze was cooling and the wind had stilled as he waited for her to sink her fangs in.