Clare wandered down the dark streets of Rabona lost in her own thoughts, earlier that day she had found out that Raki was still alive and was searching for her. However she had also found out that he was traveling with some little girl. Lost in thought Clare didn't notice the black figure jumping from building to building following her closely. Suddenly the moon broke out from behind the clouds and Clare froze as she saw a shadow pass above her. Hand snapping up to her shoulder where her sword was or should have been, or at least where it should have been. Had she not been in Robana it would have been there. Even though she and the others had been excepted they were still not allowed to carry their swords. Then Clare spun and looked up and gasped, above her stood a black clad figure. The figure was standing in mid air and its cape billowing in the wind. Then slowly the figure began to sink threw the air toward her. As Clare watched him slowly coming closer toward her she felt a deep chill run up her spine as the figure touched the ground Clare dropped into a fighting stance. Glaring at the figure Clare realized that it was in fact a man. Suddenly the mans cape opened and Clare cot a glance of his under close, all of them were of the fine silk that nobles wore. However it was a design that she had never seen before. Then the man's had rose up and pushed the hood of his cape off revealing a face that caused Clare's heart to skip a beat. His was a face that even the stares themselves would hid themselves to that they wouldn't have to be compared to his face. Then she saw his eyes and she started to tremble she had seen hunters eyes when she had faced yoma and awakened beings however even Reful of the west didn't have a look like his. Slowly he smiled revealing fangs, then he bowed to her crossing one of his arms across his chest and said in a silky voice.
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Grimacing Clare took a firm fighting stance and grated out.
"What do you want?" Smiling almost innocently the man said.
"Why I want your blood." Charging forward at full speed Clare swung a punch that should have cut threw his chest and burst out the other side. However all she managed to hit was air as the man vanished. Spinning around sharply Clare cut her hand threw the air almost like a blade or at least it would have been like one to anyone that was unfortunate enough to get caught by it. However when she completed her turn her hand was strait out like a blade however this man casually stopped her blow with a single finger. Gasping Clare jumped back skidding for several feet and dropped back into a fighting stance. Smiling slightly the man reached up and let his shoulder length wight hair run threw his finally manicured fingers. Catching a single strand of his hair he fiddled with it for a moment and finally said.
"I find your spirit most amusing." Quickly letting one of her hand snap out and grab a nearby stone from a wall and hurled it at him with blinding force. As the rock blazed forward leaving a trail of rock dust behind it. Then just as the rock was about to crash into him it shattered off a strange barrier. The shards of rock flouted in the air and then dropped to the ground, staring in shock Clare whispered.
"What was that?" Grinning darkly he whispered darkly.
"Its called the Hide Hand." Suddenly his eyes flashed and Clare felt her arms drop to her sides and her body froze in place. Clare watched in frozen horror as the man began to walk toward her then he said. "That little trick is called eye raid." Stepping up in front of her he reached out and ran his fingers over her cheek and bent forward whispering in her ear. "It has all sorts of little uses." Then Clare felt him unbutton the top of her black outfit and slowly sink his fangs deep into her neck. His arms wrapped around her pulling her into his unnatural embrace, eyes rolled back into her head. Opening her mouth to scream Clare was confused when a moan of pleasure escaped instead. Waves of pleasure filled her entire body despite what she might want her body was responding with desire. Clare had known only pain in her life the womanly pleasures of the flesh denied to her and now she was experiencing something akin to that pleasure. With each passing moment Clare could feel herself growing weaker yet despite that fact she didn't want it to stop, she wanted this thing to consume her until there was nothing left of her. Suddenly Clare felt his fangs withdraw from her neck and he whispered in her ear with a voice filled with relish. "You are truly wonderful my dear, I can't drink you dry." groaning Clare felt herself sliding toward the ground as her world was turning dark the last sound she heard was the man's voice. "My name is Strauss, remember it for you now belong to me."
Miria pushed open the door to Clare's room and hissed. Clare was nowhere in sight and Miria had a sinking feeling that Clare wasn't anywhere in the city. However just in case she called out.
"Clare are you hear?" Looking around the room again Miria noticed the small cot in the corner of the room. As she was turning away from the bed she noticed Clare's claymore leaning in the corner. Slowly turning back to Clare's room, Miria slowly walked back in. Looking around she mentally kicked herself as she noticed that Clare's bed was missing its blankets. The sheet was draped over the edge of the bed and Miria could see the corner of one of the quilts sticking out from behind the sheet. Slowly walking over to the bed Miria pulled the sheet off and looked under the bed. There she found Clare lying curled up in the blankets almost they way a child would, slowly Miria reached out and touched Clare's shoulder to wake her. As Miria rolled Clare toward her the blanket fell from around Clare's neck and face and Miria gasped in horror. Clare was a pasty white from what Miria would guess was blood lose, however there was no outward sign that she had been hurt. Quickly dropping to her knees Miria reached out again and grabbed Clare by the shoulder and this time she shook her gently. Letting out a low moan Clare rolled over and slowly opened her eyes and giving Miria a look filled with hate and whispered hoarsely.
"This better be good Miria." Grimacing Miria stood up and said.
"Clare what's wrong with you?" Closing her eyes weakly Clare whispered.
"I don't know Miria…. I feel so week." Closing her eyes Clare turned away from her and whispered. "I just need some sleep. Miria opened her mouth to protest but before she could Miria noticed that Clare had already drifted off to sleep. Quickly standing up Miria dropped the sheet back into place and walked from the room. Quickly storming into the room where Helen, Deneve, Cynthia, Tabitha and Uma were waiting for her as well as Sid and Glak. Storming over to Deneve Miria hissed dangerously.
"What the hell happened last night?!" Looking at her Deneve blinked and asked.
"What are you talking about Miria?" Grimacing Miria snapped.
"Than explain to me why Clare is half dead in her room.?" Everyone jumped up with a look of shock on their faces and Deneve said.
"what are you talking about Miria when Clare left the bar she was fine." Grimacing Miria slumped back against the wall and said.
"Right now Clare is curled up under her bed white as a sheet from blood loses." Shaking her head Deneve said.
"I don't know how it could have happened after all any one strong enough to take out Clare would be someone that we could sense."
Slowly opening her eyes Clare groaned and slowly pushing the sheet aside she grimaced as she saw Helen and Deneve sitting by the door to her room. Shaking her head Clare pulled the sheet back down and closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. As she woke again Clare slowly raised her hand in front of her face and looked at it, it was no longer that bright white that it had been before. Slowly reaching out Clare gently pushed aside the sheet that had been draped over her bed and looked out. Like the last time she had looked out both Helen and Deneve were sitting on the floor watching her. However this time they noticed that she was awake and Helen smiled and said.
"So your awake Clare." Showing no expression Clare asked.
"What are you two doing in here Helen?" Losing her smile for a second Helen snapped.
"What are you talking about Clare, you're the one that has been sleeping for two days straight." Grimacing Clare slowly slipped out from under the bed and stood up quickly. Slowly walking over to her cloths that had been folded nicely on the side of her bed Clare quickly began to changed. Then she stopped as she was half dressed when she saw Helen staring at her. Grimacing Clare turned to Helen and snapped.
"What is it Helen?!" smiling wanly Helen pointed at her neck and said.
"Clare what happened to your neck?" Quickly reaching up Clare ran her hand over her neck and winced as she touched a sore spot. In that instant Clare remembered what had happened, the blinding pleasure and the creatures last words. Noticing that Helen was watching her closely Clare shrugged and quickly finished dressing. Suddenly Clare felt a pinch on her neck that sent a wave of pain threw her body as Helen closed her fist over the wounds on her neck. Eyes bulging with pain Clare flinched away snapping her hand up to her neck to clap it over her wound. Staring at her Helen whispered.
"Clare what happened to you that night?" Shrugging Clare said.
"Nothing Helen." And before ether Helen or Deneve could respond Clare had stormed out of the room. Hurrying quickly down the hall Clare worked her way through the halls of the great Cathedral and its out buildings finally coming out to her destination. Stepping from the covered hall Clare walked out into the green garden that stretched for a almost half of the Cathedral's length. The garden had both fountains and streams keeping it perpetually filled with a low babble. Slowly walking to the center most fountain Clare sat down with her back against the bass and let the mist from the water cool the back of her neck well she lost herself in thought. She could vagly remember the events of the night two days ago. However what frightened her was that she wanted it to happen again, in her whole life she had never felt so good as when that man was sucking the blood from her even though she had felt fear that she would die. Slowly reaching up Clare placed a hand over the bight marks on her neck and grimaced. She couldn't let herself be controlled by pleaser she had to stop that creature, however she had to admit that would be easier said than done. The powers that creature had were very different than any that she had encountered before and the damage done by just drinking her blood was astronomical she had lost far more blood in fights with yoma and had more damage done to her body and recovered far faster. However hear she was contemplating what she would need to fight it yet she couldn't bring herself to tell her companions. Looking up at the sky Clare noticed that the sun was beginning to set and deep in her stomach she felt the beginnings of anticipation. Slowly touching her stomach Clare grimaced as she felt the stirrings of enough felling that of hunger, she had eaten only two days before yet now her she was felling a hunger greater then she had felt in years. Slowly standing Clare began to walk toward the mess hall ware Sid and the other Guards took their meals. However right as she was leaving the garden Miria stepped out from behind a pillar and said.
"Well looks like I found you." Shaking her head in irritation Clare turned to Miria and said.
"What do you want?" a second latter Clare was staring up at the sky as she was punched back several feet back out into the garden. Quickly flipping Clare landed unsteadily on her feet and dropped into a fighting stance hissing.
"Miria what the hell!?" shaking her head Miria leaned against one of the many pillars that lined the walkway and said.
"Its as I thought even though you are up and about your still weak." Grimacing Clare snapped.
"When the hell did I say that I wasn't." Clare watched as Miria's face went through several changes and she whispered.
"Your much worse than I thought you never admit your weak." Shaking her head Clare dropped out of a fighting stance and said.
"Miria I don't care what you think." Walking past Miria Clare headed toward the mess hall.
Slowly eating her food clare staired up at the stares of then night sky form the top of the cathedral the only place that she could seem to be alone. Sitting in the window of the bell tower Clare watched the city and the humans that inhabited it. The few humans that were out quickly hurried from place to place staying near the light the rest barred themselves in their homes hiding from the world that scared them. Slowly taking a bight from the hunk of bread that she had Clare closed her eyes and wondered what it would be like once all this was over. She had never thought that far ahead before, her entire life had been devoted to finding and killing Pricilla and now to finding Raki. However something about that creature had made her begin to think of what came after, would she take her own life, would she live as human life? Then her musings were interrupted by a voice that sent a chill down her spine the voice of the monster called Strauss. Snapping her head around Clare gasped as she saw him, he was sitting on the great bell of the cathedral. Swallowing Clare felt conflicting feelings running threw her body the one that screamed at her to run and the one that confused her most, the feeling telling her to open her collar and let him take what he wished. Slowly standing Clare watched Strauss closely for any sigh that he might move however he just sat there with a smile on his face. Suddenly Clare worked up the courage to snap.
"What in the name of all that holy are you?" Grinning Strauss said.
"Im far from holy my dear…." Suddenly Strauss's eyes blazed red and he continued. "In fact Im demonic." Slowly shifting her foot she that if had a better suffice Clare hissed.
"what do you want from me?" Smiling slightly Strauss said.
"Why I want you my dear. I have never tasted someone like you before and you are most stunning to look upon." Clare took several seconds to digest what he had said. It was hard for her to grasp it, never before had anyone looked at her as a women. Raki perhaps but he was just a child yet the creature standing before her was speaking to her as if she was a human women. Shaking her head to clear it Clare hissed.
"Leave now." Grinning the monster vanished. However before Clare could even fully grasp what had happened his arms closed around her pinning her two the bell free wall. Grimacing at the situation Clare couldn't help but think how human it was, here she was with her arms pinned above her head. She had seen a pair of lover intertwined like that once. Whispering weakly Clare said.
"Ill scream if you don't let go." Smiling slightly the man looked her in the eyes and said.
"No you wont." Suddenly he let go of her arms letting them fall back to her sides and he continued. "You want this just as much as I." Part of her wanted to scream the other knew that he was right, she did want it. She wanted to be human just for a moment experience what humans did, yet she knew that if he were to see her flesh he would shy away and Clare knew she couldn't bare that. Pulling away from him Clare stepped back out onto the roof and whispered weakly.
"once you see me you wont desire me anymore." Smiling slight Strauss said.
"my dear don't believe it for a moment the scares on your body only serve to highlight your true buity." Clare couldn't help it she blushed for the first time in her life. Suddenly Clare felt herself enfolded in his arms and Strauss whispered in her ear. "Let me show you."
Miria practically threw Clare's door open and stormed into her room, however instead of finding Clare under the bed again she found her sitting bolt up right on the bed holding a blanket close to her chest over her nakedness. Miria watched as Clare's eyes quickly traveled around the room and then back to her. Grimacing Clare hissed.
"Miria ever heard of knocking?" Scowling Miria snapped.
"Clare what the hell is going on with you?" shrugging her shoulders Clare snapped back.
"Living life I guess." Shaking her head Miria said.
"Don't you even care that the more time you spend like this the longer it will take for you to find that kid." Grimacing Clare hissed.
"Miria keep pushing." Opening her mouth to retort Miria saw the look in Clare's eyes it was a look of madness the look of someone caught in something to big for them and looking for someone to lash out at. Sighing Miria said.
"Clare there is a meeting at noon with father Vincent you better be there." Turing Miria stormed from the room a second latter she head Clare slam the door behind her.
Slamming the door to her room behind Miria Clare turned and slumped back against it and closed her eyes remembering the night before. She know understood al the things that she had been missing in life and longed to experience them all. Looking around the room she could see no trace of Strauss yet somehow that didn't surprise or worry her she knew that come dusk he would return for her. Slowly walking over to her window she cracked the shutter opened and gasped. The sun was almost half way to its zenith making it around 9 in the morning she had very rarely slept that late. Slowly closing the shutters Clare walked over two where she kept her close and slipped into them.
Helen looked up as Clare walked into the meeting room, looking Clare over from head to toe Helen couldn't help but notice that something was different about her. Clare seemed to carry herself like she was completely different like she had experienced something completely new. Sighing Helen looked over at Miria and saw that Miria hadn't missed it ether and that whatever it was Miria wasn't happy about it. Helen guessed because Miria didn't' know and nothing irritated Miria more then not knowing something especial if she thought that it could be important and something that effected the mental state of one of her comrades would be something that she would consider important. As Miria called the meeting to order Helen watched Clare's body language Clare had always been tight highly on guard and secretive. Though Clare was still clearly on guard it was much less personal then it was before, now it seemed to be just the general guard of a warrior. Throughout the hole meeting Helen watched Clare and couldn't figure out what had changed with her. When they reached the end of the meeting Miria turned toward Clare and said.
"Clare it you intend to find Raki then You will have to prove that your good enough to go out on your own." Helen watched Clare expecting her to explode instead Clare just smiled and said.
"What's the point I know that you were going to send Cynthia and Uma with me no matter what I do." Smiling slightly Miria said.
"Well let me rephrased then if you can't show me that your back on track, Im not sending you any ware." Smiling almost like she was having fun Clare slowly walked by Miria and whispered in her ear, "you cant control me anymore." Spinning around in shock Miria watched Clare stride from the room, with a defiant air about her. Helen couldn't help it she laughed and when everyone looked at her Helen smiled and said.
"Looks like we have a completely new Clare on our hands!" Grimacing Miria pulled out a chair and slumped down into it saying.
"And that is what is worrying me Helen. The old Clare was predictable I knew where her motivation was yet now I just don't know."
Slowly closing the door to her room behind her Clare leaned against it and exhaled in frustration. Miria irritated her so much, no matter what she did Clare knew that she wouldn't be able to do things her own way. For 7 years she had done what Miria had said when she said it and know Miria was going to screw with her again. Then a familiar and gentle voice said.
"What's wrong Clare you seem about ready to burst." Looking over toward the corner and smiled as she saw Strauss, he was sitting in the only chair in the room. He had it slightly tilted back and against the wall and had a slight smile on his face. Sighing Clare walked over to him and slowly straddled him and leaned her head against his chest saying.
"It Miria she wants a fight to prove that Im back up to a point where she can trust me to not be under her thumb." Chuckling Strauss said.
"Yet its pointless because you cant beat her and unless you do she wont let you go." Slowly reaching up he ran a hand threw her hair and continued. "On top of that even if you win she will always be the team leader and no one will go against her." Sighing Clare nodded and said.
"Yay that's right." Closing her eyes Clare moaned as Strauss slowly slide his hand up her spine and then gently traced her jaw line and then her lips. Slowly opening her eyes Clare looked into Strauss's deep purple eyes and he whispered.
"I can give you the power do crush Miria." Eyes going wide in shock Clare whispered.
"What are you talking about.." Suddenly the first night that they met Clare continued in shock. "Are you talking about eye Raid?!" smiling slightly Strauss said.
"Im afraid not, that ability is reserved for my kind alone. Even if I taught it to you, you would never be able to use it." Smiling slightly Clare said.
"Pity that would have been a very useful ability to have after all." Grinning slightly Strauss said.
"Yes my love it is very useful to have." Then he kissed her lips and Clare moaned with joy at the feeling, after a minute he broke the kiss and continued. "However I think I know just the right skill for you."
The next day dawned cool and gray with hints in the sky that once the sun rose higher and burned off the mist it would be a bright and butifull day. Slowly Miria and the others walked out onto the training field when Miria cot a glimpse of Clare threw the mist she couldn't help but smile. She had known that Clare would beat them all there. However what she hadn't expected was the change in Clare's fighting style, she had always relied upon brute strength and speed. However the forms that she was going through now looked much more calm and gentle almost if her blade was flowing on the very air around her. Grimacing as she watched Clare warming up Miria could help but wonder when she had developed that blade form. As they closed the distance between them Miria became even more confused Clare was still going threw her sword forms and yet her face was split by a faint smile.
