Vampire's Kiss

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Oblivion, its characters or places or ideas. Nor am I making a single Septim from this. Sniff

Author's Note: First of all, I would like to apologize for being silent so long. My muse was willing and pestering me, but I simply had more important deadlines that I had to keep. And as I had predicted, my professor had me change a crap load of stuff in my Thesis. But I can happily say that it's submitted and quasi accepted. All I have left are exams in September and I'll be an MA of Arts with major in English Literature. =) That also means I have a wee bit more time to dedicate to this. I can't promise a daily update, but I'm pretty sure I can manage a weekly one, at worst one every two weeks.

Again, I apologize for the long wait. But don't worry... I'm not through with Tessa yet. =)

Chapter 8

The forest was silent as the black clad figure slipped past trees and bushes underneath a moonless sky. Masser had long since set, and Secundus was only now rising behind the cover of dark storm clouds. Tessa stopped as the whisper of voices floated to her. Her hair tied back into a simple braid, but the customary yellow tie missing, replaced by a black one matching the mundane black of her hair. She'd died a piece of leather armor black to replace the cuirass she'd left with Kita. A twinge of regret slithered through her as she thought about her younger Dark sister. Of all those she had met in these current times, Kita was the one she had felt the most for. It was the young Breton who's eyes followed her in her sleep, condemning her for some of those things she had done. But it was for the good of the Brotherhood. Wasn't it?

Ahead she could see the flicker of a camp fire gleaming weakly in the moonless sky. Distantly, her eyes traced the rune of her strongest chameleon spell, drawing the semi-invisibility over her like a cloak. The cool band of her Ring of Crawling settled onto her finger, and the forest around her pulsed with an eerie blue light. Many small animals slithered through the area surrounding her, and ahead she picked out four life signs. The strong beat of a mortal heart calling out to the dark place within herself. A small part of her mind could still remember the coppery taste of blood, as if it had once been a part of who and what she was. Another life. Another time.

One of the four around the camp rested several paces from the others, on the other side of where she was. She had approached the camp coming down from the mountains, and not coming up from Skingrad. It wouldn't do for them to see her before she even got close. Only the one standing guard would have his detect life spell activated. The others would be resting instead of wasting energy. Carefully, she stepped into the clearing, and smiled as she spotted the three Dunmer sleeping, trusting their companion to warn them should something come.

With a swipe of her blade blood began to soak into the bedroll of the mer closest to her. It was a simple apprentice. No use to her. The next one suffered the same fate. Perhaps not an apprentice, but useless to her plans. The third she breathed a burden spell to keep him in place before she went to take care of the sloppy guard. Just because you enemy is likelier to approach from the south, doesn't mean he wouldn't come from the north.

With slow movements, she reached out to grab him... her by the back of her neck, and rammed her blade up into the ribcage where her dunmer heart would be beating. She knew the the exact moment in which the tip of her blade had penetrated the heart. The precise instant in which the large muscle stopped its regular contractions. The moment in which the life essence fled from the frail body. She released her hold on it, and watched in amusement as it collapsed into a boneless heap at her feet.

"Such respect for me, sister. I hadn't expected it." Her voice held a tone of boredom, and of something darker. That quality which made every assassin what he was. The dangerous part that had to be chained and locked into a room, lest it break out when it shouldn't and cause mayhem death and destruction when it is not wanted or needed.

Leaning down, she wiped the dagger's blade on the fallen woman's cloak, before leisurely walking back towards the camp and her last victim. She scanned the surrounding forest once, before focusing on the man, his eyes still closed.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Not very wise, to sleep so soundly in enemy territory." The man's eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice, and had his glare been a dagger, Tessa would have been dead and buried.

"Release me now."

"mmmm let me think.... no." She watched, amused, as he struggled against the weight of the spell she had hit him with.

"Tessa..." his growl could very well have been described as menacing, yet Tessa only smiled at him darkly.

"Tell me Puppet Master, how does it feel to be the puppet for once, and not the Master?"

"I command you to release me." The slap rung out through the clearing, underlaid with a low snarl.

"You will do no such thing. Fool. You ruined my standing. Had you had patience, the Lachance would lie dead before long. But now. Now you've destroyed all my plans, forced me to move into shadows. No longer can I access any of the Brotherhood sanctuary because of your impatience."

"It cannot be traced to you." The dunmer's voice held a quietness which belied his anger at the situation.

"No? It doesn't matter. Even without proof they will blame me for the Silencer's death. And for every death caused by the Traitor." The mer's eyes flickered in surprise. "What? You, the mighty master, are unaware of a Traitor in your worst enemy's ranks? How sad that the knowledge won't bring you anything."

Slowly, she pranced closer again. The black edge of her blade glowed dully in the weak firelight, and the dunmer seemed almost hypnotized by the swaying of the weapon. The first scream escaped him when she neutered him. The second when she began to tear his stomach to shreds with a careful application of the blunted edge of her blade. She stopped counting the screams beyond that. Relishing only in the feel of the sound as little drops of blood splattered against her exposed skin.

The silence which had accompanied her to the clearing, followed her out again. The creatures of the forest would destroy the evidence of her murders. And if they were found before, none but her Masters would ever suspect her involvement. It mattered not.

~V~

She stood in the hills above Cheydinhal, her eyes fixed on the spot where the abandoned house marked the Sanctuary's location. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she looked upon a place she would never again be welcomed at. By not answering Lucien's summons, she had marked herself a traitor as surely as if she'd killed Alval Uvani herself. The Brotherhood's machinery would be grinding into action to seek her out. And Vicente would hate her, as surely as if she'd betrayed the brotherhood.

"Vee?" Her voice was tentative as the door opened and closed again behind the ever present screen. Perhaps she had dreamed the movement of the door? No sound answered her as she struggled into a sitting position. She felt so weak. After long moments, she finally gave up again, collapsing back onto the soft pillows, beads of sweat marring her pale brow. Finally the silent figure stepped from around the screen and settled on the bed besides her.

"Why do you avoid me?" She asked softly of the vampire now sitting besides her. The only answer was a soft sigh. With one hand, she struggled to reach out to him. Almost too weak to lift the appendage from the bed and cover the short distance between herself and the vampire.

"When I was taken in by the brotherhood," he finally spoke, "I swore never to harm a member of this new family, regardless of the circumstances. I almost killed you. Incapacitated you for weeks."

"You weren't exactly given a choice." came the prompt retort. "Vee? Look at me..." Slowly, agonizingly slowly for Tessa, he finally turned to look at her. The red eyes shone with an interior light which made her breath catch and her heart beat madly in her chest. It was of such intensity that she almost felt burned. "I gave myself willingly, so you may live, releasing your from your vows just this once."

"You don't understand the ramifications of your actions." He shook his head, breaking the eye contact with her.

"Then make me understand."

"It is not so simple."

"Make it simple." They remained immobile for long seconds as the age old vampire attempted to organize his thoughts.

"I cannot help but crave the taste of your blood. It is intoxicating to me now. Freely given blood is a drug without comparison for a vampire. The risk will always remain that I might claim more from you."

"But never too much?"

"I should at least be able to do that." Satisfied, Tessa nodded, and allowed tense muscles to relax, her hand having finally found his.

"Then... it would not be harming me." She spoke with a confidence she didn't not truly feel. A confidence she needed to maintain for his sake more than hers. He would, after all, have to spend eternity with his actions, while she could count on the blissful oblivion of death to release her. How many secrets did he carry in his heart, which made him regret his immortality? Probably far too many. Weakly, she tugged at his hand, asking him to come closer.

"My life is but a candle. Once burned down, it cannot be replenished with new life. It is but the passing wind rustling the leaves of an age old tree. Give me the honor, of making my own decision on how I spend these few instants."

Without further words, Vicente leaned down and captured her lips with his own. He would consider the ramifications of his actions in the morning.

~V~

"She is to be killed on sight." Vicente nodded grimly as Lucien brought the news. Why he had not seen it coming, he didn't know. In silence he stood, and left the room, leaving the rest of the Sanctuary sitting around the formal dinning room table.

"V..." Antoinetta began to speak, but Lucien just held up a hand, demanding silence. In silence he looked after the departing vampire, wondering what thoughts coursed through the old mer's mind.

"Should you have any news of her, tell me at once." All those assembled nodded grimly. As the words were spoken and acknowledgments given, Kita slipped from the room. She had much to do, and little time to do it in.

Author's Note: Sorry it's so short and confused. Not to mention about as unproofread as it gets. It'll get better again soon. I promise. =)