When morning came, Varine and Gale ate in silence and set back out onto the road. Gale sat at the back of the wagon, keeping all of her attention on their surroundings as she continued to avoid Varine. And that continued until they had reached the next town.

Gale helped unload the wagon and waited off to the side as Varine took care of the transaction, then helped her get the wagon and her gelding to the stables before getting directions to the inn. Once the gelding was settled in a stall and the wagon was secure, they made their way to the inn a few blocks away. When they reached the inn, they procured the only available room left. It was a single bed room, but it did have a couch near the hearth that Gale fully intended on claiming for the night.

It had been a long day, so they took the opportunity to just relax a bit. And still no word was said between them for the remainder of the day, but once night had begun to fall, Varine let her curiosity get the better of her and she looked at Gale.

"Gale, what are you?"

Gale sighed and looked out the window she was standing by, knowing that this was coming- especially after what happened the night before. 'Should I tell her..?'

'She does not seem to be afraid, even knowing you are different.' Galeria pointed out.

Gale watched the stars as she continued. "I'm a vampire..."

Varine sat there quietly, wide eyed. 'A vampire..?' she thought.

"Nearly six months ago, I was attacked by the host of a hunger demon. When the host's body was slain, the demon was pulled into my body. I was unconscious for a few days and when I woke... I was changed..." Gale sighed and looked at Varine. "I need to feed on either blood or mana to satiate the hunger that comes with being a vampire. I drink animals' blood, but it only gets me so far."

"And your eyes..?"

"They turn crimson red when my hunger starts to get out of control or when Galeria takes over."

"Galeria is..."

"I am the one who changed Gale."

Varine started a bit, Gale's entire demeanor changing. She felt a sense of danger, like when prey is backed into a corner by predator, as crimson eyes advanced on her.

"Are you scared, girl?" Galeria asked, grasping her chin and lifting it up as she looked her over. "You're trembling, how cute."

"Is Gale alright..?" Varine asked with a shaky voice.

"She is fine. I do not take control unless necessary; usually only in times when Gale is in grave danger." Galeria explained, her fingers tracing Varine's cheek and to her lips. "I relinquish control when I am no longer needed in the spotlight." She traced Varine's jawline, down to her neck, chuckling when she felt her shudder. "Mmm, appears that you respond positively to this kind of attention."

Varine's body was running hot and she shuddered under Galeria's touch. Her heart was pounding, her mind racing.

"You know, you have a similar effect on Gale as her dear friend Samuel did. Perhaps your blood could sustain her just as his did." Galeria noted as her hand rested against Varine's neck. "Animal blood and a mage's mana will only sustain her for so long. She must feed on a person's blood soon, before the hunger overtakes us both." Her hand slid under the collar of Varine's dress, pushing the fabric aside to expose her shoulder. "Mmmm, you have a sweet scent. I wonder if your blood is just as sweet."

Varine felt powerless against Galeria as she kissed her shoulder. She was feeling the same thing as the night before and just as before, she knew she should be terrified but was finding that she wasn't. She felt herself giving into Galeria, but suddenly Galeria pulled back and stepped away from her. When she looked back at her, she saw the crimson red had faded into sandy beige.

"I'm so sorry..." Gale said, turning away from Varine.

Varine forced herself to stand, despite feeling weak kneed, and made her way over to Gale. She took her hands in hers and stroked them with her thumbs. "Gale, I'm not afraid of you..." she started.

Gale looked down at her. "You should be..."

Varine looked up at her, standing just a few inches shorter than her, and offered her a smile. "I know I should be, but somehow, I know that you wouldn't hurt me." She heard the clink of Gale's bottle and looked down at it, remembering what Galeria had said. "How much blood do you have left?"

Gale sighed. "It doesn't matter, I'll manage."

Varine shook her head and looked up at Gale. "Galeria said you need to feed on someone's blood soon, otherwise the hunger would overtake you both."

Gale stepped away from her, shaking her head. "Rinnie, I can't... why do you think I left the people I cared about? I had to protect them from this... I travelled alone and tried to keep my distance from you to avoid hurting someone... or worse..."

Varine reached forward and grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Gale, I'm not afraid of you and I know you wouldn't hurt me." She looked down for a moment. "I don't know what it is about you, but somehow I know that I can trust you. You've already done so much just to keep me safe."

Gale watched her for a moment. "Rinnie..."

Varine met her gaze once more and offered her a smile. "Gale, I need to repay you somehow."

Gale sighed, reaching up and touching her cheek. "You're something else, Rinnie. Do you know how hard it is to resist you?"

"Then why resist?" Varine asked, offering a sheepish smile.

Gale looked between pools of sky blue, her hand still resting against a soft cheek as the other slid around to Varine's back to draw her in even closer. "Rinnie..."

"It's OK, Gale, I promise." Varine replied, then drew her hair aside and exposed her shoulder to Gale. She closed her eyes, waiting for that prick of fang against delicate skin, but instead she was met with a tender kiss.

Seeing Varine bare her neck for her made the hunger spike a bit, but Gale tried to quell it and leaned in instead to kiss her. She felt Varine tense slightly with surprise, but she relaxed into Gale's embrace and her hands came to rest against her chest. After a few moments, Gale pushed her to the bed and slid her hand under Varine's skirt- letting her more primal urges take control.

Varine gasped when Gale pinned her to the bed, shuddering ever so slightly as her hand slid up her thigh to her loins. When she gasped again as Gale's fingers started stroking her clit, Gale took advantage and deepened the kiss. Varine moaned as her tongue met with Gale's, her fingers sliding in and out of her. When she pulled away for a moment to catch her breath, Gale began kissing from her cheeks down her neck to her chest. Gale pulled loose the ties of her blouse with her teeth, exposing her breasts. Varine moaned and gripped the covers as Gale suckled her breast, biting ever so slightly on her nipple.

As Gale brought Varine close to her climax, her hunger was beginning to become unbearable in the moment and she moved her lips from Varine's breast back up to her neck. She felt her fangs begin to protrude from her gums and she kissed along Varine's neck to her shoulder, whispering an apology before sinking her fangs in.

Varine was reaching her climax quickly, but when Gale bit down it pushed her over the edge. She didn't expect it to feel so... euphoric. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Gale stroked her clit as she drank, slipping her fingers into her as she pushed Varine to her climax. She smirked around Varine's shoulder as she felt her cum, her pussy twitching and tensing around her fingers. When Varine's body relaxed, Gale pulled away and looked down at her.

Varine, panting, looked up at her and smiled. "No need to look so smug..." she managed.

Gale chuckled and pulled her hand out from beneath her skirt. "You're cute while in a state of ecstacy."

Varine blushed and looked away for a moment. "That's so mean and you know it."

Gale turned her chin back towards her and leaned in a bit. "Oh, but that's part of the fun, sweet Rinnie."

Varine smiled as Gale kissed her, then looked at her a bit worried. "What about you?"

Gale's smile faded a bit. "I drank enough to sustain me for awhile."

Varine reached up and touched her cheek. "That's good, but that's not what I meant."

Gale chuckled. "Ah, I see." She kissed her hand. "Don't worry about me. Seeing you like this is more than enough."

Varine playfully swatted her as Gale winked. "You're such a brat after you feed."