E

Elflady

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The shadows slowly grew longer as the sun was edging ever closer to the horizon, colouring the sky with fire, red and orange mixed with a darker blue further up in the sky. It was still too soon for stars to shine, and while the moon was on the rise it still were just a faint shape against the pale sky. Tall grass bowed and danced in a cool breeze that blew in from the west, carrying with it the clear, fresh scent of evening.

The forest rustled behind Imre, a dark shape already losing focus with the waning light and he already missed it’s sheltering boughs. The sun, however weak it had become, still irked him however, his charm may shield him from the worst of it but he still preferred the night and the cool moon to the sun.

Shielding his eyes Imre scanned the area up ahead, sticking up from behind some smooth, rolling hills he noticed rooftops. A small smile escaped him in triumph, glad that his memory had served him well Imre lengthened his steps, his sights set on the town. After some good twenty minutes of walking, and the crossing of a field he reached a dirt road leading into town.]

In a town this size it was not hard to find lodgings, on a large, wooden building a worn sign hung above the door, dangling slightly in the breeze, announced that this was the Hazelwood Tavern & Inn. Imre pushed the door open and stepped inside, walking to the counter as all eyes fell on him. He guessed it was a mix of curiosity and suspicion, but nobody bothered him as he sat down by an empty table.

People soon forgot about him, maybe judging the tall stranger clad in slightly worn travellers clothes as non threatening, especially since his build was all else but imposing. Scanning the crowd with dark eyes, a look of indifference on his face. He was more interested in finding some non expecting human so he could get an evening meal, not overly fond of the thought of silencing his stomach with meat. He knew what he wanted but he couldn’t just order a pint of blood.

He also knew he had to be careful, he may be stronger than most, if not all people here but he was just a single person, or vampire rather, and that was not a favourable equation for him. Especially not if there were hunters nearby. So he settled on waiting until it was night and most humans had turned in for the night, maybe he’d find a straggler somewhere on the small streets or perhaps even someone from the tavern.

As a sat there waiting for time to pass his eyes fell on a woman, thick black hair framing an attractive face. He wasn’t sure if she had been there all along or if she had entered later, but she certainly caught his eye now. The woman didn’t quite look like she belonged in this town either, she looked more like a traveller which was a good thing since she would most likely not be missed as quickly if he went too far.

When she looked over his way he turned on his charm and flashed a smile at her, as always careful of not showing his fangs too much even if normal people rarely noticed them at once. Luring away her to a quiet spot would maybe be a safe choice. Hopefully it would be easy as well, he did not want a struggle that would lead to a mob coming for him, or worse hunters being sent after him, he’d had enough problems for awhile now.
 
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Pana was the first town Sorcha had seen in nearly a week. She had been wandering along the edge of human settled territory, hopping from hamlet to hamlet and surviving off the meager food she could forage from the forest. While her intentions had been to snoop on a vampire settlement or two, several days of foul weather had driven her from homestead to homestead, working hard just to buy herself a bed for the night. She’d arrived in Pana earlier that day hungry, covered in mud, and exhausted. She wasted no time renting a room, taking the time to eat the remainder of her road rations and take a cold bath to rinse off the filth from the road.

She’d sat alone at a table in the tavern for most of the night, eating a small dinner and taking a count of her remaining funds. The situation was not promising.

She ran through the numbers again, confirming what she already knew. Her purse had nearly dried up. She cursed her own foolishness. “A fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into,” she muttered under her breath, “You handed out too many free jobs on the road and now we barely have enough money for another night here.” She sighed miserably, dropping her head into her hands. She needed to find some work and fast, or tomorrow would be a choice between eating and the room.

“If I walk the marketplace tomorrow, I may find a job,” she told herself, “People injury themselves all the time. I suppose I could try to find odd jobs as well.” She leaned back in her chair, her braided hair slipping from her shoulder to hang behind her as she stared at the ceiling. Wistful images of weathered stone halls passed through her mind. Torches lit the walls leading from the small cell she shared with Aine to the dining hall. On the walls hung relics of their family’s glorious past, reminding each and every child in the compound of their duty to their family. She walked the halls imprinted in her mind, finding the healing quarters at the other end of the facility. The many windows made it the brightest part of the compound. Or had that only been the warm smiles of the healers? Her hands found her arms, suddenly chilly sitting alone in this quiet tavern. She frowned, leaning forward to return her coin purse to her belt. She hated nights like these.

She returned to the mug of mead she’d been nursing, gulping down the last mouthful. That was the end of her funds for the night. It would be best if she turned in for the night, to avoid further temptation to spend her remaining coins. Wait... She looked up, becoming aware of a pair of eyes on her. Across the room, a man sat staring her way with an easy smile on his lips. She knew that smile well. On another night, she might have walked away.

But tonight she'd barely managed to fill her belly and her cold room was all that awaited her. She found herself returning his smile slyly, challenging him to approach her. He was handsome enough with his dark hair and eyes. She’d seen worse men during her travels. Trading a few kisses for another round did not seem a bad idea tonight. The company would be a welcome change.
 
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In the dimly lit tavern the air stood mostly still except when someone opened the door and the warm still air easily held scents, Imre could feel his stomach rumble slightly as the smell of blood vaguely hung in the air. Not as strong as if someone was bleeding profusely but maybe one of the men in here had a small wound of some sort, perhaps injured during the days work. It may not have been a strong scent but it just teased Imre more, his throat drying up slightly, almost to the point that he ordered some food now instead of waiting until later.

But he didn't, he was tired of eating meat. The last two towns he'd been passing through had both housed a small group of hunters. It didn't seem like they were on the hunt or suspected him at all, they were probably just passing through on the way to their home or a waiting job but it meant that Imre didn't dare hunt, he was not really a fighter and he was not prepared to fight a group of hunters if they found him out. So he had bitten in the sour apple so to speak and eaten food in a tavern like a normal human and held back his real cravings. But here he had so far not spotted a hunter, or heard of one so he felt safe for now.

As the woman smiled back Imre rose up and slowly walked over to her table, his thin build more apparent when he stood to his full height. Getting closer to her Imre fully took in her looks, her long hair kept in a braid and her eyes that he now saw were a nice shade of light grey. It'd almost be a shame to drain her, he was certainly hungry but he would perhaps only take a bit. Vampire or not Imre was still a man who appreciated beauty. Despite how different the two races were, they at least shared that much.

"Evening beautiful," he said smoothly. Pulling out the chair opposite her and sat down. "Can I get you another round perhaps? It's a slow night, might as well move it along faster." He waved over a barmaid and ordered for them both. It didn't take long for the mugs to arrive, in a small town like this the tavern was not exactly filled with people.

His own mug didn't tempt him that much, he could drink it of course but he didn't really experience any of the effects that humans seemed to get from drinking a lot. Maybe his body treated it differently, he wasn't sure but he knew he didn't much like the taste, it was far inferior to blood in his mind but if it would lead him to just that then he didn't mind it so much.

"If I may ask, you don't look like you're from around here, are you passing through town?" he asked curiously, looking into her eyes. Resting an elbow on the table, his moss green shirt was open a bit past his collar bone and the sleeves for once were not being rolled up to the elbows.
 
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My, a tall fellow, isn’t he? Sorcha liked this plan more and more. Though his slender frame was not her usual type, it suited his features and gave him a unique attraction that few other men could boast. She liked unique. Perhaps tonight would be more than an excuse to get another drink. It had been a while since she’d spent time with any one person on the road. There could be a chance that they went the same way for a time, until the situation grew tense or awkward. Perhaps it never will, she mused idly as the man crossed the room, I wouldn’t object to finding something more permeant. She’d never give up her life on the road, but he hardly looked like the settled sort. Two lovers traveling the roads till time tears them apart. Sounds like the sort of story noblewomen might read.

He sat next to her, offering her another round before he pulled the barmaid aside to order. “I wouldn’t mind another round,” she answered, if only to keep herself from smirking at his first line. So his opening could use some work. His following offers made up for the beginning.

The drinks appeared within a seconds which Sorcha was grateful for. She took a drink, content to let the sweet flavor warm her from within. She set the mug down and leaned forward onto the table, allowing her eyes to wander back to her companion. Though she’d only intended to win herself a drink, she found herself warming up to the young man’s advance. He’d left his shirt loose at the top, allowing her a glimpse of his pale skin. Her own shirt was loosely laced at the top as well, though not quite so open as his own. The light olive tunic stretched down to her thighs with the sleeves partially covering her hands which she tucked by her elbows. The tanned leather jacket she typically wore over hung over the back of her chair. Tonight she made no attempt to hide behind pretend modesty.

She moved to tuck some loose hair behind her ear, keeping her eyes trained on his own. “That’s right. I’m a traveling healer. I heard they were having some troubles out here and so I decided to see if I could help.” Or see if I could find any vampires. “I’ve been traveling these roads for quite some time now.”

She leaned back and took another slow drink, breathing out slowly as she set the mug down. “What about you?” she inquired with a slow smile, “What brings you to this tavern tonight?”
 
A healer, huh? That didn't sound like much of a threat. Her words allowed Imre to fully relax and work on charming her enough to get her alone. For about a week he seemed to have been followed by misfortune, both towns he had passed through having been occupied by hunters right at the time he was there so he didn't dare hunt and the very sunny weather that had plagued him for most of the week all worked together to make up a pretty crappy week. But now that finally seemed to have turned.

He couldn't really imagine a healer working double as a hunter, of course that must be possible as well but he decided to think of it as less likely, although his interaction with hunters was relatively limited for a vampire. But he held more respect towards healers than a normal, weak human due to their skill, not that he had ever seen that skill for himself since vampires didn't need aid to heal their wounds. However it was still an impressive feat to save people from pain and death with nothing but herbs and a body with no extra healing powers.

"Not something as noble as your own reason," he answered, taking his first sip from his own mug while thinking over his next words. Barely avoiding scrunching his nose in response to the taste of the beer, never getting used to the unique taste and feel of the beverage. "I'm just traveling around for now, preferably to places with some history and interesting architecture." And places with no hunters, he was in no way itching for a fight every other day.

Taking another mouthful, this one going down smoother than the first, maybe his tastebuds were starting to go numb, or more likely he was adjusting to the liquid. "You've been traveling a lot you say?" He continued, steadily meeting her gaze. "Do you always travel alone? There are plenty of dangers around in the world that may prove a danger to lone travelers." Some might have added a line singling women out specifically as being in more danger but Imre was so used to strong females he would not often think of such a thing. In fact many of the women he knew, at least the vampire ones, were stronger than him, or in some cases weaker but far more vicious when fighting.
 
“A traveler seeking history? Not the sort of story I ordinarily hear.” Sorcha lifted her own glass to her lips, taking a sip. This traveler was by far the most interested person she’d met on the road in weeks. Ordinarily, she only spoke with the people of the towns she traveled through. Their stories tended to be more about continuing their family business or raising a family. Humble modest tales that warmed the heart as you sat gathered ‘round a fire in the dark of the night. Sorcha had grown fond on those little lives during her travels, but she always longed for some variety.

The traveler’s following question pulled her back from her delusions. Her features remained unchanged, but caution began to creeping into the back of her mind. Some habits are hard to break. “I manage well enough alone. I like to explore the world unfettered as it were. Without the bother of other people,” she said with a playful smirk, idly swirling the liquid in her mug, “Too often they have their own agendas that can ruin a perfectly good adventure. Traveling alone allows me enough freedom to satisfy my curiosity whenever an opportunity arises.” She leaned her chin onto her upraised hand, keeping her eyes trained on her drinking companion. “Such as when I meet an interesting stranger. You would never have approached me had there been someone sitting at my side.”

Had it been my sister, you would never have had the chance. Human or monster, it never matter to Sorcha’s twin. She saw enemies everywhere outside of the folds of the family. Sorcha had never understood that reasoning. She preferred the outside world; so much more variety. She took a drink and set her mug down, “My turn for a question? I could ask why you have chosen to travel alone, but I’m far more curious about your goals. Why travel to study history? Are you a scholar? A bored nobleman’s son?” A nobleman bored of court life traveling the roads, perhaps through studying his books and thirsting for real world knowledge. A part of her doubted either options could be her companion’s whole story. He had an air of wisdom about him, an old soul reflected in his dark gaze. She could loss herself in those eyes. The stories he could tell, but will he let me hear them?
 
Imre nodded as she explained her travelling preferences, placing his own mug on the table as he leaned back against the chair. "You have a sound view on travelling. Too often can a companion be a hinderance rather than an aid." He agreed, that was actually one of his own reasons for continuing to travel alone even when he probably wouldn't have such a hard time to find someone willing to stay with him.

"Ah, you wound me," he said, quickly dropping his recent serious tone as he tried to sound appropriately wounded, placing his left hand over his chest with a touch of drama to his movement, barely holding back an amused smirk from breaking out. Pretending to be hurt over her suggestion he had only come over for shallow reasons, which in reality could be said to be true depending on one's view. "That would have entirely depended on who your supposed companion would have been." His dark eyes glittering, holding a mix of mirth and mischievousness. He had to admit she was by far the most interesting as well as beautiful human woman he had met for quite awhile, maybe because he had only passed through smaller towns and villages recently, and the more interesting people were more easily encountered in cities.

A scholar? Him? The notion was amusing despite it not being so farfetched, with all he had learned through his years he probably could get by as a human scholar although he would probably not be able to keep that job for long. "I am no scholar," he chuckled. He was no noble either, at least not in human measurements, but perhaps that was a good ruse, it would give him a nice cover if she for some reason would get suspicious. "You next guess is closer, or perhaps a mix of the two. I wouldn't call myself a noble really but I guess that's what my family makes me. My family is old and with so much history around me I took a liking to it so that's what I prefer to focus on while travelling." To him lying wasn't a big deal unless he knew the person he was lying to, and while he avoided it in that case he was still very skilled at it.

"My turn again it seems. Hmm, what to ask..." He wondered out loud as if it was an important choice, resting two fingers against his chin as he thought. Lowering his arm as he came to a decision. "Would you give me your name? Or do you prefer to be a mysterious fair maiden travelling after her own mind leaving broken hearts behind?" Maybe Imre's profession actually lay in theater, his flair for the dramatic and tendency to add some theatrical movements to accompany his words certainly fit in well with that notion.
 
A nobleman then. The mystery continues to deepen. Sorcha had no reason to doubt his word, only a nagging suspicion in the back of her mind that continued to whisper words of caution into her ear. While her companion’s intentions seemed straight forward, something about his appearance and mannerisms kept her on edge mentally. Years of training were hard to break. He phrased his answer oddly, she knew, he purposefully kept his description vague. Not out of fear or discomfort, not from what his appearance suggested at least. His relaxed posture and continued flirtation was far too causal. Something hidden from view.

His next question came with more theatrics, yet she perceived a challenge behind his question. Sorcha sensed the night progressing from the innocent game she thought it to be. But where are we going and just which one of us is leading? To give her name would be to show her hand, an action she could come to regret. An intelligent person would stand up and leave. A smirk curled her lips. She’d never claimed any sort of brains, “A tempting offer…however tonight I have it in my heart to be generous. It’s Sorcha.” Bait taken, now to follow the trail and see where it led. Don’t disappoint me now. She tilted her head curiously, shifting a hair closer to her companion, “What might I call you, my lord? Or would you rather remain the mysterious prince from a far off land?”

She crossed her ankles beneath the table, assuring herself that her hidden dagger remained in her boot. She’d tucked it down into the boot to keep it from being detected. She ran the risk of it taking time to retrieve in an emergency, but she found a surprise blade to be better than a quick one on the road.
 
At first he didn't think she would give her real name but in the end she complied and he took it as a good sign, it usually meant people, if not trusted, so at least didn't fear or mistrust you. Sorcha. It wasn't a name common among his people but after awhile he decided he liked it. He didn't know if it had a meaning or not but for some reason it brought the impression of fire to his mind. And if that indicated her personality then even better, although relying on names to tell a person's character wasn't exactly a common thing for his kind.

However, despite offering her name he sensed something from her side. At least he thought so, his instincts had never been one of the sharpest in his family so he didn't dare say what exactly the feeling was. If it was from her at all or from someone else even, or maybe just his imagination.

"While a mysterious nickname would be quite entertaining," he replied with a smirk of his own, giving up on trying to figure out that vague feeling. "You gave me yours so it would be only fair to return the gesture. My name is Imre." Her slight shuffle closer didn't pass him by and it ensured him that he was close to getting what he wanted without hassle. Besides he didn't imagine she would pose any sort of problems for him, unaware of her hidden talents. And perhaps a tad overconfident as a result of his luck so far.

"So, Sorcha." He said slowly. "What made you decide on such a profession? I don't know many healers, none in fact, but those I see rarely travel alone or pass through poor, rural areas like this." In his experience at least, far too many people were quite attached to money, that and their own safety. Sure vampires might have something to do with the latter but humans had quite a history of war between themselves. Those things together were more than enough to warrant such degree of safety thinking. So no matter your gender, it wasn't all that many who traveled alone now a days.
 
“Imre,” Sorcha repeated to get the feel of his name on her lips. A smile followed; both actions feigned signals to encourage her companion onward. Well, partial feigned. Were it not for her annoying doubts that kept her on edge, she might have honestly given him such a go-ahead. Something about him intrigued her, perhaps the same something that kept her alert. She’d always had a terrible taste in men.

She bit her tongue to prevent herself from laughing at his next question; not due to anything he’d said. If he knew the full extent of what he had just asked, she suspected he would regret his choice. However for her ploy to continue working, she would need to keep her answer minimal. It’s his lucky day. She sipped her drink to give herself a moment to composure her answer. “I suppose I chose to be a healer because I have some skill at it. I was an accident prone child so I saw many healers in action growing up. After I had grown, it seemed as good a way as any to earn a living. I travel because having a stationary practice in a city would be dull. This way I can offer my services to a wider variety of people and see the world.” She hoped the shade of truth would mask the deception behind her words. Perhaps she would tell this young man the whole story someday, provided their acquaintanceship went beyond this night.

Speaking of which, Sorcha decided it was time to see how far Imre intended to go this evening. She glanced back into his eyes, manufacturing earnest pain that turned her smile into frown, “Though I will admit traveling alone does have its draw backs. It get pretty lonely. When you’ve been on the road alone for a few weeks, you start to desire some companionship. Small conversations with strangers can only go so far.” She tilted her head slightly, allowing herself a brief smile, “You know what I mean, surely.”
 
Imre sensed something hidden when she spoke of her reasons, but it could just as well be that she was not prepared to share her entire story with a stranger. He himself kept most of his past hidden for several reasons. So he was not about to judge her for that, although in hindsight he would probably come to regret his easy going mindset. Maybe a combination of hunger and a long, tiring journey made him more reckless.

Imre was pleasantly surprised when she took the first move, he had still tried to gauge her mood, perhaps hindered a bit by the same feeling that had confused him since the beginning. But it was a nice change that she took the first step and Imre smiled slowly in return, his dark eyes filling with a mix of sympathy and understanding. "A traveler's life is hard indeed, a lonely journey and a cold bed is the price we pay for being free to move and do as we please."

As the conversation had moved from the curious and more light hearted beginning to a more suggestive tone Imre dropped a lot of his theatrics, straightening from his relaxed pose in the chair so he had and arm leaning against the table, his voice a tad lower than earlier when he said: "So yes, I know exactly what you mean."

He was close he knew it, now it was just to see if she would ¨finish what she started with that simple sentence, if this would be easy or get complicated. "What do you say we move to a more private area? Less crowded..."
 
Sorcha had never had the patience for word games. She’d play along for a time, long enough to access the other person, but it never took long for her to grow bored. It seemed Imre agreed with her intentions or so she assumed based on his reply. Sympathetic desire reflected in his eyes as he reiterated her point. Or perhaps she’d imagined it. She told herself not to lose her head, but his smile made her heart beat shamefully fast. Pleasant on the surface with the savage edge of a mountain cat hidden beneath. No matter what happened, tonight would be exciting.

He sealed their unspoken deal with his question. Her smile grew wider as she raised an eyebrow in response, “What did you have in mind?”

The voice of caution in the back of her mind continued clamor for her attention. She ignored it in favor of compromise. Her companion, whether dangerous or benign seemed intent on their meeting. If he was dangerous, she would be prepared for him, more so than any other hapless soul he might stumble across tonight. If he had no ulterior motives, she could have a nice evening. The only person who had something to lose was Imre. Last time you said that you nearly ended up in a ditch, her caution reminded her, soundly oddly like her sister. It had a point as well. Sorcha preferred not to think about last time. Though she’d escaped with her life and dignity intact, it had been a narrow escape. But today would be different. Now she carried her dagger at all times.
 
Imre could no longer deny that this encounter was just another ploy to still his hunger. He was far more involved this time, something about Sorcha intrigued him. She seemed to hide something interesting from him, he could glimpse some of it in her grey eyes, a strength and fierceness he wouldn't have suspected by just looking at her. What hid behind those beautiful eyes? Was she just as fascinating beneath the surface? These questions needed answers and Imre was always up for finding them.

But he had only tonight to find out since drinking someone's blood usually destroyed any chance of continued relations. Even when the person survived. And considering how much he longed for a real meal right now he was not going to give up on this oppurtunity, even though it was tempting.

"I do have the most delightful little room booked on the second floor, there's almost no dust and it's probably big enough for two. Maybe not the most romantic setting ever but I can light a few candles." He offered, losing some of his seriousness as a teasing smile tugged at his lips.
 
“No dust and they’ll be candles? Quite the tempting offer,” Sorcha smirked as she picked up her glass. She lifted it to her lips and slowly drained it, taking the time to savor the flavor. One last little game because she had no reason not to. With the last drop drained, she set the empty mug onto the table and returned his smile with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “How could I ever refuse such generosity?”

The logical voice in her head made one last appeal as it dredged up some of her family’s favorite words of wisdom. Better to be cautious than unprepared. A midnight rendezvous could hardly equated to a battle field and she had come prepared. She had a dagger and the element of surprise. Few expected a healer to be capable of defending themselves, a fact which had always baffled her. She could put a person back together given the proper equipment so it stood to reason that she could also take them apart again. She wouldn’t do so with provocation, but she had the ability none the less. She shut the voice out of her mind. Tonight was about enjoying herself after weeks of nearly nonstop work.

After sliding her meager purse back onto her belt, she got to her feet, purposefully brushing against Imre’s arm as she did so. She took her jacket from the back of the chair and draped it over her right arm. She returned her attention to Imre and gave him a playful wink, “Lead the way.”
 
Imre stood up as well, leaving his mug half emptied, he didn't exactly enjoy the taste over all and now it seemed something much more tempting waited so he didn't care to finish it. He was almost there, no fighting or running needed, and if something against all odds would happen then he could escape out the window, not the most dignified exit perhaps but better than having to fight. He doubted anyone in the village right now could kill him but you never knew.

"As you wish My Lady," he said with a teasing grin, bowing and offering his arm to her as if she was a noble lady waiting to be excorted. Whether she took him up on his offer or not he guided her up the stairs and down the hallway, it was sparcely lit so in the late hour it was quite dim.

Close to the end of the hallway he stopped and opened a door. "Welcome to my humble abode," he said as he gestured inside with a slight bow. He waited until she had walked in before he followed, closing the door behind him, not bothering with the old, uncooperative lock. He had been pondering on the way up if he should wait to feed until later, but while it was tempting he did not intend to wait. Sure, she was very interesting for a human and easy on the eye, but he was hungry and when you lived as long as he did you encountered many interesting people.

His mind made up Imre put an arm around her waist, another twirled a strand of her hair until it came to rest on her neck. "I'm sorry for this, it's nothing personal just nature." He said quietly, almost in a whisper, before his grip changed from gentle to hard like steel, his expression having lost it's charming playfullness. Now he was a hunter, back in the familiar role for the first time in weeks, his mind set on one thing only. But he was getting too sure of himself and didn't pay attention to any attempts she might make to fight back, certain he had already won.
 
Sorcha took the arm he offered, though she did not lean against him. Despite her attempts to shut out her inner nagging voice, some instinct deep within her kept her on edge. She couldn’t put words to what that something was, just some deep sense of wrong. Rumors of the Tierney clan said they all possessed a six sense for sensing criminals and monsters. Needless to say, her family did little to deny the rumors but none were true. Sorcha had never believed in them. Her penchant for getting into unsavory situations provided more than enough evidence against the idea. She only wanted a quiet evening to relax, perhaps her instincts could be wrong this one time. She allowed Imre to lead the way up the stairs.

They entered his room and he closed the door behind them. It looked the same as her own, perhaps with one less layer of dust. Did he have to pay for that or was luck on his side? He came in close again, an arm going around her waist as his other hand played with a lock of her hair idly. Sorcha found herself caught between pleasant sensation of Imre’s causal caress as his hand slide down to her neck and her tense muscles that kept her prepared for…something. Her hands moved to his chest. Several heartbeats of silence passed between the pair as she waited for his next move.

He showed his hand by tightening his grip and whispering his intention to her. She knew that grip, that stance, those eyes. She’d walked into a trap. Damned instincts win again. Even as a healer, she’d never lost her ability to attract vampires. If only he hadn’t been a hungry one. She had a limited time to stop the attack. One shot. She tensed her muscles. Don’t miss.

“I understand.” She smashed her forehead into his chin. His grip loosened just enough. She used the momentum to slide down and under his arm. Freed, she rolled back to gain distance between herself and the vampire. Her hand went to her boot and retrieved her dagger. The blade glistened with its silver coating, polished to a shine to make its properties unmistakable. “But I prefer to keep my bodily fluids where they are, thank you.”

She held out the blade, ignoring the trickle of blood running down her face. Sloppy even by my standards. She smiled despite that. “That conversation is beginning to make a little more sense. You’re one of the purebloods, aren’t you? Lucky me.” She would need some luck if that were true. The purebloods were among the strongest. She stood up, standing between Imre and the window. “I suggest you keep your distance unless you fancy being stabbed by a silver blade.”
 
Just when he thought he had won the woman slammed her head into his chin, the force snapped Imre's head backwards and he cursed loudly, of course it didn't hurt him as it might have done a human, it was merely a inconvenience. But the action took him by surprise and he felt his prey escape his grasp. Stroking his chin were she had hit he looked at her and immediately his eyes were drawn to her glimmering blade. Of all the things it could be, of course it had to be silver.

Heaving a sigh Imre relaxed, loosing the predatory posture as he sent an askew smile at Sorcha. "Take it easy, no need to get aggressive I wasn't going to kill you." There was no apologies in his voice however. Outwardly he looked calm and in control, but beneath that he was on guard, she blocked the window, his safe way out, and he could see now in her movements that she could indeed hold her own in a fight. And when she held a silver blade he didn't want to take any risks. He could retreat back the way they came and get away like that but there was the chance that she would alert everyone if he ran and that would just get messy.

"You know what I am, what an honor." He bowed his head slightly in feigned appreciation. "But enough of me, what about you. I can see you are not a normal travelling healer. Oh wait, don't tell me you are a hunter." He said with a frustrated sigh. The thought just hit him, he hadn't even considered it before, she was a healer and that didn't mix with a hunter in his mind. But the feeling he got from her now was almost unmistakable. Of all the luck. "How about we just part ways, pretend nothing happened, you continue going around helping people and I can get back to what I was doing?" If there was a chance for him to avoid fighting he would take it, hopefully Sorcha was more a healer than a hunter. Not that his luck had been great lately.
 
Damn it. Sorcha smirked to hide that trickle of sweat that slide down her cheek. “Dear me, have I ruined your evening? Such a shame.” She hated being right, especially when the answer could kill her. Keep calm, she reminded herself, take a moment to examine what you know. He had to be weakened for her trick to have worked; a full-power pureblood would never have let her escape his grasp at that range. That meant he was likely hungry and desperate, a dangerous but potential useful combination. He would have strength to call on, but with a higher margin of error. She breathed through her nose as she had in training to maintain her focus.

She scoffed at his suggestion, “You think I’d let you go find some helpless villager to snack on? I must have hit your head harder than I thought.” Then what am I going to do? She had not been prepared for this. Killing him seemed obvious but she hadn’t killed a vampire in ages. She’d never managed to kill a pureblood. Innocents could get involved in the fight if she made a wrong move. Or she could end up dead. Either option sounded unpleasant. If I keep him distracted, maybe something will come to me.

She shifted her stance some to a more relaxed pose while maintaining her smirk. “You must be pretty desperate for blood if you’re willing to jump a target this fast. First time hunting on your own?”
 
Imre scoffed at her, the only response he could think of. But looking at her it was obvious she was nervous, he didn't have to be a pure blood to notice that, but he guessed she would be far more bold if she knew that the vampire in front of her was not much interested in fighting, and much less skilled with using weapons than her. "Lucky me indeed," he muttered.

"I could promise not to kill them," he offered. "But I imagine you wouldn't trust me on that." Humans could be so stingy sometimes, after all it was just blood. That it was kind of vital for them to continue living he didn't think much as it was just how things worked. But there was actually humans who willingly gave blood, and sometimes their lives, to vampires. Some just had a death wish but hadn't the guts to kill themselves, while others had more puzzling motives. It was an endless mystery of the human race that Imre couldn't figure out, one of the many.

Her remark about his age made him laugh despite the tension, such a ridiculous thought. Him? A young one? "Desperate? I guess that's almost true. But not desperate enough that I can't think. After all, do you believe a young vampire would go through all this just to eat? I know I didn't make any elaborate plans to get my prey alone when I was on my first hunt, but it's been awhile since then so maybe my memory is fuzzy. But enough about me, how about you my sweet? I'm curious, are you a healer because you prefer that or are you a healer because you fail at hunting?" His innocent expression and sweet smile, did little to hide his pointed words.
 
Sorcha stood her ground despite the many, valid points Imre made. He had the air of experience which in retrospect made far more sense, though she would hardly call luring someone into a private room an elaborate plan. Still young vampires had difficulties managing their hunts: some overhunted and left behind bloody trails of carnage, while others died after being discovered by hunters. Imre had proven he had the will to wait, and patience in a vampire could be far deadlier than strength. This just keeps getting better.

His follow-up question ripped through her outer layer of confidence straight into the heart of her fears. “I-I’ll have you know healers are widely respected among hunters,” she fired back, her voice both indignant and unsettled. Stupid bloody vampire, she cursed internally as she shifting herself into a more effective fighting stance. “And don’t forget I still have the means to kill you.” She flipped her dagger in the air and caught it again to demonstrate her prowess. Her successful stunt brought a smirk to her face as she concluded, “Unless you’ve managed to gain a magical immunity to silver.” She could make this work. If she could wounded him, perhaps she could track him if he escaped.