The next evening fell with little notice, and the girl awoke to an empty
room, her dark eyes scanning for any sign of life, the repeat of a scene
from earlier in time, when she had only begun to realize that the world was
far larger and far scarier than she would have ever known.
She knew more now, knew enough to make this just another day.
It simply - didn't feel like another.
Brianna rose to her feet, threw her clothes on haphazardly, watching herself in the mirror as she dressed, watching the folds of fabric slowly dance over her attractive frame, watching the way her dark hair played in the echoes of streetlight that came from the window across the room.
Last night, she knew something had happened.
She had almost died at the hands of one of his kind.
Had almost become her beloved's own prey.
Brianna couldn't shake the image of his face, of Edge's dried blood tears and fascinated hunger; she couldn't help but know that it was for her. For her blood.
Blood that trickled with shimmering magic, forces that made vines hum and tremble from the window box, spilling over onto the floor. A sense of spirit that let the once-timid girl reach out and touch minds around her -
She was still fearful of that, but knew it happened.
She'd felt his thoughts last night.
His hunger. His fascination. Fear. Guilt.
In that fleeting moment, she had felt a whirlwind, but hadn't felt what she had been told so many times.
There was no feeling for her. Simply of her. As if he'd done this before, as if she were simply another face in a timeless crowd, a face that could be washed away with the rain, another who could simply be picked off and replaced.
She knew it not to be so.
But she hadn't felt it.
After dressing, Brianna simply took her keys, nothing more. The darkness welcomed her as she emerged from the door, shadows curling around her with the night air. It seemed...chilly.
Damp.
Rain was on the horizon.
Brianna didn't seem to notice as the clouds opened above her, as the first drops of a storm pattered onto the concrete below her feet, though she could certainly feel the explosion that sent the clouds exploding into a thousand crystalline tears.
She felt it, for it was in tune with her soul.
The sky's tears were her own.
Footsteps carried her away from the apartment, carried her away from the safe haven. Carried her away from his haven. Theirs.
She knew she would return.
She knew this life of peril, and like a fool, she wanted it.
She had no desire to be of his blood, of Kindred's fate -
But for now - she couldn't...let...go.
A voice rang from behind her as thunder rolled above, a sound being lost in the dim cacaphony -
She knew it to be his.
A glance over her shoulder, a small reaching out with her mind, with her soul...pleading...
"Tell me you wouldn't."
She says nothing more. He doesn't reply.
For the moment, there is rain, and there is silence.
She knew more now, knew enough to make this just another day.
It simply - didn't feel like another.
Brianna rose to her feet, threw her clothes on haphazardly, watching herself in the mirror as she dressed, watching the folds of fabric slowly dance over her attractive frame, watching the way her dark hair played in the echoes of streetlight that came from the window across the room.
Last night, she knew something had happened.
She had almost died at the hands of one of his kind.
Had almost become her beloved's own prey.
Brianna couldn't shake the image of his face, of Edge's dried blood tears and fascinated hunger; she couldn't help but know that it was for her. For her blood.
Blood that trickled with shimmering magic, forces that made vines hum and tremble from the window box, spilling over onto the floor. A sense of spirit that let the once-timid girl reach out and touch minds around her -
She was still fearful of that, but knew it happened.
She'd felt his thoughts last night.
His hunger. His fascination. Fear. Guilt.
In that fleeting moment, she had felt a whirlwind, but hadn't felt what she had been told so many times.
There was no feeling for her. Simply of her. As if he'd done this before, as if she were simply another face in a timeless crowd, a face that could be washed away with the rain, another who could simply be picked off and replaced.
She knew it not to be so.
But she hadn't felt it.
After dressing, Brianna simply took her keys, nothing more. The darkness welcomed her as she emerged from the door, shadows curling around her with the night air. It seemed...chilly.
Damp.
Rain was on the horizon.
Brianna didn't seem to notice as the clouds opened above her, as the first drops of a storm pattered onto the concrete below her feet, though she could certainly feel the explosion that sent the clouds exploding into a thousand crystalline tears.
She felt it, for it was in tune with her soul.
The sky's tears were her own.
Footsteps carried her away from the apartment, carried her away from the safe haven. Carried her away from his haven. Theirs.
She knew she would return.
She knew this life of peril, and like a fool, she wanted it.
She had no desire to be of his blood, of Kindred's fate -
But for now - she couldn't...let...go.
A voice rang from behind her as thunder rolled above, a sound being lost in the dim cacaphony -
She knew it to be his.
A glance over her shoulder, a small reaching out with her mind, with her soul...pleading...
"Tell me you wouldn't."
She says nothing more. He doesn't reply.
For the moment, there is rain, and there is silence.