After an amazing night and a much restful sleep, Nyx had officially decided to stay with this merry band of freaks. Despite a few hiccups since she first came to the camp days ago, Nyx could really feel like she was finally safe.
However, she had this inkling feeling deep within her that knew her troubles were far from over: Her sire was still out there, and it was only a matter of time that that monster would find her again.
After waking up in Evra's tent, having to spend the night there with her trailer being now in total disarray and had a quick bite to eat, everyone was seen packing up everything. Tents were coming down, the lights were being pulled, boxes were moving about.
What is everyone doing? Nyx thought as she finished her sausage
Evra seen the confusion on her face as she stared at the workers.
"Finish up, we have to pack." Evra said. "We're leaving here to go to our next destination."
Leaving??
Her little concept thought that the circus stayed in this one place. But the more she let that information stew, the more ready she seemed to leave too. If they move around constantly, less chances her monster would find her.
Everyone was quick to pack their things up and putting them in back of the trucks. Nyx helped out with what she could.
She grabbed a crate, before Evra could turn to help her, she lifts what seemed to be a heavy crate like it was nothing. Nearly lost her balance lifting but she regained it.
"Yeah, totally didn't forget that you have vampire strength." Evra chuckled in sarcasm, watching what looked like an eight year old lifting something others may find difficult to lift so easily. "You good?"
Nyx nodded before the two carried the stuff. Since consuming blood and actually doing some physical work, she did noticed that she felt much stronger than when she first came here.
After passing off crates, Nyx sniffed the air, catching a familiar scent - pickled onions and something else. She tapped Evra's arm and pointed at the direction where it was coming from.
Evra turned and soon enough, Sam came to view. He gave the blonde haired boy a look, and in tow was the large man that scared Nyx. The man's arm was bandage from getting sliced.
"Wow, Nyx you look pretty!" Sam greeted, seeing her wearing the dress from last night.
Before the big man spoke, Nyx hid behind Evra and whimpered softly.
"Sam, what are you doing here?" Evra grunted.
"Just coming to apologize, I didn't mean to scare you before, little one." The big man said. "Sam told me what happened to ya and I didn't know."
"Nyx, Evra, this is R.V, he's…. Wait are you guys leaving??" Sam asked, now seeing everyone packing up.
"Yeah, we are." Evra said. "So I guess this is goodbye then." He then motioned Nyx to follow him and she did.
"W-wait, where will you guys be going?" Sam asked, following them.
"Don't really know, Sam." The snakeboy responded, he was still a little annoyed with Sam after what happened the other day.
Then Sam asked this.
"Can I come with you guys??" Sam asked then.
Evra stopped walking, having Nyx collided with him, giving him an apologetic look before looking at Sam.
Is he coming?? Nyx thought, turning to look at Sam curiously.
"Um, what now?" Evra looked at Sam with a raised brow.
"Can I come with you guys? I'm a hard worker, I can learn a lot from you guys and also help teach Nyx things too." Sam said with a smile as he lists what he could contribute to the Cirque Du Freak.
Evra held a hand up to get Sam's train to stop on its tracks. "Hold up, Sam you can't join us."
Sam looked like he just witnessed a puppy getting kicked. "What do you mean I can't join??"
Evra sighed, lowering his hand. He hoped they would be gone before Sam would even ask this.
Time to break his bubble.
"You can't, Sam. This traveling lifestyle isn't meant for everyone and I know for a fact it isn't for you. You're just a kid-"
"You're a kid too, and so is Nyx!" Sam shouted in defense. "Lemme talk to Mr. Tall, I'll show him that I can do!"
"Sam, the only way you can stay is if one of the adults takes guardianship over you. And we're leaving so you asking anyone at this time will only result in them saying no. I'm old enough to where I can take care myself."
"What about her??" He points at her.
"Nyx is already being taken care of. Don't use her as an excuse to join us." Evra grunted. "Go home."
Sam had tears swelled in his eyes. "We found her together, I gave Nyx her name. W-we-"
"Stop it, Sam!" Evra snapped, Nyx and Sam jumped at that. "Go home. You can't join us. End of dis-"
"W-what are you doing back here!?" He was cut off when someone started shouting.
Evra looks around and now notices that Sam's new friend wasn't with them.
The shouting sounds sounded like they were close, also hearing the oh so familiar snarls and growls of the Wolfman.
"Oh no." Evra whispered. "Nyx, stay here!" He said before he took off running towards the sound.
Sam followed.
Nyx whimpered, feeling more contempt in staying clear away from the Wolfman and let the others deal with that ferocious beast.
However, as seconds ticked by, Nyx noticed the shouts weren't stopping. Curiosity getting the better of her, she follows the shouting.
Nyx was starting to pick up what the shouts were about.
"You're nuts! If he's not in that cage, he'll kill us all and everyone that comes to him!" She believed it was Evra's voice.
"If that's nature's way, then too bad!" It sounded like Sam's new burly friend.
Nyx turned a corner behind one of the trucks and gasped.
She saw R.V was swinging an iron rod at the workers and Evra as he tried to get to the wolfman's cage.
"I'm an Eco Warrior! It's my sole mission to fight for the poor innocent animals in the world! I'm setting this creature free!" R.V snapped.
"R.V no, you can't!" Sam shouted, going up to grab the iron from him." He's too-"
Whack!
R.V took a hard back swing with his large hands across the boy's face, sending him to the ground.
Something in Nyx snapped. Seeing a kid like her getting hit seemed to awaken her, going from scared and nervous to having this dark expression on her face, and boiling rage spilling over.
She flitted over to them and using her tiny body, sheer raw untamed strength Nyx hasn't been able to use until now, rams herself against R.V's right leg. Body checks this large thick man and he goes flying into one of the moving vans away from Sam and the Wolfman with such force the van itself tilted on two wheels before it settled back on four wheels.
There was a collection of gasps as the tiny vampire stood in guard in front of Sam. Both of her eyes were glowing red with black sclera. She was crouching on all fours glaring menacing at R.V. When she hissed at him, it didn't sound human at all.
"Nyx..?" Sam murmured, his right cheek was red from getting smacked and had wide eyes, seeming how different the girl looked.
R.V shook his head, disoriented from hitting it against the van. It took him a moment to register this severe pain enveloping his right leg. He tried to get up, he let out a howl in agony before looking down at his leg.
From his knee down, he could see his heel facing forward while his toes were facing the other way. Nyx had managed to twist his leg around, shattering the kneecap to smithereens and broken other bones.
"My leg! My leg! It's broken!" R.V shouts. He then looked at the child and saw how she was. He points a shaking finger at her. "S-she's the monster! She destroyed my leg!" He tried to scramble away but he could not move due to his broken leg.
Nyx has now determined that man was not a good man and sees him as a threat. This thing what ever she was feeling felt like it was testing out the waters before it recided back. Nyx blinked her eyes as they returned to normal, causing her to shake her head and rubbed her eyes as if she was just waking up.
What… what was that?? Nyx thought. Never felt like that before.
"And you are trespassing." Mr. Tall then showed up. And it was clear that he had no ounce of sympathy for the Eco Warrior.
And he does not like that someone was threaten the troupe. And endangering all of them by trying to release the Wolfman.
R.V stammered as the leader approached him, he tried to crawl away but he didn't get far.
Mr. Tall stopped the warrior by grabbing the back of his neck with his large hand and pulled him off the ground. R.V struggled and failed but to no prevail.
"D-don't hurt him!" Sam shouted, concerned that this was getting too much. Even for him to bare.
"All of you are the animals, monsters you all!" R.V shouted frantically.
"You see Sam, if someone is threatening the cirque, it has to be dealt with accordingly." Evra grunted, watching Mr. Tall acted. He looked at Sam. "He killed my last master to free me, what lengths do you think he'll go to protect all of us and you?"
Nyx watched with wide eyes, seeing Mr. Tall easily lifted him up.
Yeah her decision to stay was not swayed at all.
"L-let me go!" R.V cried out.
"L-let him go so we can take him to a hospital." Sam begged.
"And if I do, Samuel, what makes you think Reggie here will come back and exact revenge?" Mr. Tall asked in a low tone. And something else.
Like he knew something was up and was being vague about it.
"H-he won't, won't you, R.V?" Sam looked to his friend desperately to corroborate.
Nyx looked to Sam as if he was the freak here. The big man hit Sam and yet Sam wants to defend him? She would never understand that logic.
R.V grunted, but he was smart enough at least that if he didn't, his death will happen. He nodded. "I-I won't. Put me down!" He begged the taller man.
Mr. Tall paused a moment, taking into consideration before her unceremoniously drops R.V.. Unfortunately he dropped him on his bad leg as he fell and was in a new wave in agony. Causing him to babbling scream and holler. "I'll hold you to it. Next time you come to my circus, I will not be so merciful." He uttered a dangerous warning to the man before turning back to his mates.
He looked down at Nyx as if he thought of something but quickly push that aside." Let's go everyone, we've overstayed our welcome here. " He said, clapping his hands. "That's enough entertainment for the day."
Sam scrambled up to his feet, moving past Nyx as he went to tend to his friend.
She watched him before Evra approached her. "Are you alright?" He asked her concerned.
He wasn't expecting Nyx to charge in as she did, nor seeing the change of hers.
He knew vampires were strong but not like that.
Nyx nodded but she didn't know herself. She pushed herself up on her feet, dusted the dirt off of her pretty dress and then looked back at Sam.
Sam was being nice and tried to calm the burly man. Causing the child to shake her head.
"Let's get to it then." Evra said, coaxing Nyx to leave with him. "Goodbye, Sam." Evra said before leading the girl out.
What Sam didn't know, that he was extremely lucky to be breathing right then and there. If it went down differently, he would not even be alive.
His destiny has changed all for the better.
It wasn't long before everything was packed up and left. Nyx had never been in a moving vehicle before so she was weary climbing in the back of one with Evra and they traveled down the road.
It was not long on the road before they stopped at their next destination. Stopping at an abandoned summer camp.
A lot of the cabins that were there were in rather poor conditions being out in the elements and not being managed but it was enough to store the performers and other members. The set up of the cirque was swift and before Nyx knew it, it was like the Cirque Du Freak has been there for years.
"And there!" Evra announced, putting one of his caged snakes up on one shelves in Cabin 13 before plopping down on one of the bunk beds.
There were times if places have beds already there, Evra will use them instead of using a hammock.
Nyx giggled softly, jumping on one of the other beds.
Evra chuckled, watching her. Evra took up the mantle to watch over her during the day until it was figured out what her duties were. At the moment, he just wanted her to enjoy herself before being thrown into work. "Hey, after we get settled, how about we go and explore?" He suggested her. "It'll be a few days before the show so we got time."
They have to put up advertisement to attract others.
She stops jumping and nodded her head before flopping on her butt and scooted off of the bed.
Nyx walked up to the window, stepping on her tippy toes to look out. She could see already the main camp ground was full of life. Even having the large fire pit lit up.
She smiled in sight of them before her ears detected something and that smile fell.
It was sounds of hearts beating, sounds of blood pumping echoed in her ears. She gazed outside, though she was behind walls, the sound was loud to her. She watched people walk by and if she had spoke, she could have sworn she could actually see their veins visibly on everyone she sees walking by.
A familiar ping hits her stomach. She knew what was happening, she was far too familiar with what she was feeling. She had been deprived too many times to know that it was time.
It was time for her to feed.
Nyx whimpered softly before retreating away from the window and sat back on the bed, hugging herself close. She doesn't want to hurt these people because she needs blood, but she knew that she really can't survive without it. Nyx was in a bind.
Evra sees her change of mood before approaching her. "Nyx? What's wrong?" He asked her. He'll have to think of something for her to use to communicate but it was easy to read her body language.
Nyx grunted before scooting back to where her back touched the wall. She knows she can't feed off of Evra. Snake blood being poisonous to her. Not that she wanted to any way.
Not after everything Evra had did for her. No way.
"Nyx, it's okay, what is it?" He asked. "Are you hungry?"
She gave him a nod, then giving a soft look.
Evra had to think, cause he has seen signs that she's hungry for regular food. But that look she was giving him was different. "Is it blood you need?" He guessed.
Nyx nodded again.
"O-oh." He said, thinking that's what it was.
Evra looks outside, seeing how it was dark out. "Uh… I think Mr. Crepsley is up by now." He said. This was bound to happen sooner or later. He looked back at the girl. "He'll help take care of that."
He doesn't know what else he could do. This was entering more vampire territory and there's only one other vampire that can help Nyx.
Nyx was still a bit hesitant having to go near Larten, but she knew if she wants to survive, she'll have to face her fears head on.
She just hope it won't backfire on her.
Nyx crawls off of the bed and follows Evra out.
It took a moment before finding the vampire next to his own little fire going. Cooking up what he hunted in the woods.
When he went to check to see if it was done, he notice Evra bringing Nyx with him.
"Evening Evra, Nyx." He greeted them.
Nyx poked her head up from behind the snakeboy, giving the vampire a small wave.
"Hey, Mr. Crepsley, uh if you don't mind, Nyx needs to… uh feed?"
Evra didn't mind being a medium for Nyx but it was a little hard having to explain what a mute wants.
Larten gave them a look before quickly realizing what he meant. "I see." He said.
With his stored blood deplenished he has yet to get them refilled.
He himself has not fed in awhile, not since he had but a small taste of Nyx's blood. To Larten, it was a bit concerning to say the least.
He sighed softly, putting a lid on his pot and removed it from the fire and setting it aside for later. "I do not have any blood on hand, so I will have to get more." He puts the fire out with the dirt before looking at Nyx. "Care to join me?"
If he has to ultimately take care of her, it would unofficially make her his assistant. It is not the first time he has taken a half vampire he had not turned. Gavner Purl was the first.
But Nyx is not only the youngest vampire he had encountered, but she was a new kind of creature of the night.
With what he had learned with her dealing with that large man days ago, it could be a way for him to study her and see what Nyx can actually do. Help Larten prepare for when he eventually takes her to Vampire Mountain and presents her to the Princes.
"You wanna go with him?" Evra reiterated to Nyx.
Nyx bit her lower lip. She had fed on humans - whenever that monster of her sire brought back to the Grove - and on bottles she mainly fed on, she had never really hunted for blood.
Hunting what animals she found in the Grove was one thing, but she never hunted for human blood.
She hopes this feeding would be different than how her sire feeds her. She gave Evra a nod before moving away from the snake boy and slowly approached Larten.
It was easy to tell she was nervous still around him, but at least this was progress.
Larten grabbed his red cloak and threw it on him before kneeling down to her height. "Get on my back. I will take us where we need to go." He instructed her.
Nyx blinked in confusion when he said that. But not wanting to waste any more time, she hopped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Never had to piggyback anyone before so this was one of the many first for her.
"You'll be fine, Nyx." Evra said, watching Larten standing up. She was so small clinging to him. "I'll be right here when you guys get back." He said to assume the child.
"Ready?" Larten asked her. She responded with a silent nod. "Hang on tight and do not let go." He instructed her before he flits away with her.
On the way to their first hunt together.