Crimson
Chapter 8
By
Grevin Hades
The meal had been very satisfying and now Jaune felt the familiar sensation of a full stomach as he slowly walked behind Nora who had led him away from the kitchen to a door he had not seen before. She gave him a warm smile before opening it revealing it to be a doorway to the outside of the manor. A cold breeze blew against his face as she threw a coat onto him and then took him by the hand pulling him with her across the threshold.
He blinked in disbelief as he felt the cold air surround him, he was outside…she had taken him outside. He looked up at the sky to see large trees overhear and just past the branches he could see clouds, starts…moonlight. He took a slow breath and exhaled barely believing the sight of his breath showing visibly in front of him in the cool air. Nora giggled and gave his hand a small squeeze. "It's a beautiful night Jauney, I thought you could use some fresh air."
He dumbly nodded as his mind began to race. He could run, he could try to make it back to civilization. He could get back to the farm and his family. His mind was so distracted that he nearly tripped a few times only for Nora to catch him, wrapping her arms around his middle, her warmth easily enveloping him. "Easy there Jaune. I know you're doing better but you still need to watch your step."
"Er…yeah, sure…"
She smiled up at him her blue eyes seeming to shimmer in the dim light of the moon. "Good. I don't want you hurt, you're still recovering after all."
Jaune felt a blush come to his cheeks at her close proximity which only made her smile grow before she moved to his side and locked her arm with his. "Come on, there is a beautiful clearing not far from here, I be the moonlight looks beautiful there as it glistens off the wet grass."
He followed her lead letting her guide him along all while his mind continued to think of ways to escape, his eyes darting around looking for a path of some kind which he could use to find his way out. "So…just how deep in the forest in the manor?"
She nuzzled against his shoulder taking a long slow sniff of his shirt, a happy little smile coming over her. "Really deep. Ruby did her best to make sure we stay out of the way of society. She said something once that it has a strong protective spell on it. We don't get many visitors because of that but I'm sure glad you stumbled your way to us."
Jaune visibly tensed at the name of Ruby but did his best to shake it off and continue moving. He needed to get away from Nora…he needed to either distract her or make perhaps knock her out. The question was though, how? The other question that bothered him was the persistent thought in the back of his mind that everything he is watching right now is fake and he is still stuck under the spell of that witch. "Ah…yeah…I'm lucky like that I guess."
Nora froze mid step and raised her head to look at him, her eyes wide with a sadness to them. "Jauney…I have a question."
He blinked caught in her gaze, the sadness showing enough to make the strongest person crumble under it's gaze. "Uh…w…what is it Nora?"
She turned to face him fully and reached up with one hand to caress his cheek. "Well…I was wondering something. Now that you know the mindscape was an illusion…and that what we did was an illusion too…I wanted to know, what do you think about me? What do you see when you look at me?"
He blinked as he stared down at her, his face turning into her palm, her touch comforting despite initially wanting to pull away from her. "Nora…I…what...what happened in that mindscape…that was unique. I'd never…done that before and it feels like a haze to me now…but what I do know and clearly remember was the fact that you're a beautiful, kind girl. I thought that then and I still think that now. You're very much like the happy girl next door."
She said nothing for a moment before a small tear appeared from the corner of her eye and she moved forward wrapping both arms around him and pulling him down to her height allowing her to press her lips against his in a fierce, yet soft loving kiss.
It wasn't fervent, it wasn't heavy, but a simple loving kiss. Slowly she pulled back and continued to smile up at him which sent another blush through his form. She practically beamed at him now and he couldn't help but be stunned by how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. "Jaune…do you mean that?"
He lightly cleared his throat and sheepishly nodded. "Ah..yeah…"
She smirked and leaned up giving him a light peck on the lips once more before turning away and pulling him along with her once more. "Come on…We still need to see the clearing."
Moving behind her Jaune couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt in his stomach every time he glanced over at the enthusiastic red-head. She fit the girl next door type perfectly. She was sweet, she was kind…and she made it clear that she had feelings for him right away. It almost felt…wrong to want to escape. "Nora…"
She smiled over her shoulder at him. "Yes?"
'Don't stare at her eyes, don't stare at her eyes, don't stare at her-Damnit!' "I…um…I had a question."
She seemed to smile brighter as she turned to face him and continued to pull him forward even as she walked backward through the brush and trees as if she knew it by heart. "Alright, what is it?"
He tried to avert his gaze but she held him there with an unknown power. "I…well…If what she said was true, then I know why Yang does what she does…but what about you? Why do you like me so much? What is driving you to do…this, with me? I guess what I mean is that I want to get to know you better."
Her smile faltered slightly as he pace slowed but she still held his hand. "…why I like you?"
He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. "Well, like you said, you want a family…I was wondering if I could ask you why that in particular?"
She slowed her steps until they stood still next to a large tree that had some boulders near it. She let out a small sigh as she let him go and looked at her hands. "I…I…"
He reached out and placed a soft hand on her shoulder making her head snap up to look at him. "Nora…you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
She looked at his hand then back to him a single moment before she closed the gap between them, wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his collar. She shivered slightly and ran her fingers over his back, her nails lightly scraping over the fabric of his clothing. "I had a family once…a large one…They were so loving, so kind…I never had to be afraid, I never felt sad."
Jaune could already tell by the tone in her voice that something had happened. He returned the embrace and lightly ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to comfort her. "Nora…I-"
She shook her head as she snuggled into him. "No, it's alright. I was just a pup when it happened. We were living peacefully in a village along side humans. We kept unsavory monsters at bay and protected their livestock and in return we were given food and the ability to live out a peaceful existence."
"T…that sounds ideal."
"It was…but it didn't last. One full moon a merchant came to the town and discovered our partnership. Rather than accept it, he fled and like Yangs pack, we were confronted by knights. The village elders attempted to explain the agreement, but they were struck down for "being under the control of the monstrous population.""
She shuddered as she pressed into him further, seeking his comforting warmth. "I was just a child…I was supposed to know nothing but happiness and joy but instead I remember blood, fire, screams and death. I was hidden away in a hidden pantry by one of the pack brothers and I hid there for days. When I ventured out, I found the entire village in shambles. Homes destroyed, bodies everywhere. Human, Werewolf, all dead. I found it ironic that they were killed for being different but the way their blood pooled together, you couldn't see a difference between them."
Jaune gave Nora a small squeeze as he held her tighter his heart going out to her. "Nora…I'm so sorry…"
She shook her head and sniffed a bit as she continued to clutch at him. "It…It's alright. I did what I had to do to survive…I became feral for a time. More wolf than human. Then Ruby found me…I tried to attack her at first but Yang arrived and showed me that I wasn't alone anymore. Ever since then I've been with them. They gave me a home…a place to belong. Now I want to have a family…a pack. I want to watch them grow…to love them…to help them learn to live with others. I want to rebuild that village someday."
It made sense to him. She wanted to replace what was lost…she wanted to reclaim her lost childhood. It would explain her bubbly nature as well. It was a mask…a shell she kept up to hide her true pain. "Nora…I'm…I…Thank you for sharing that with me. I'm so sorry you went through that…"
She pulled back and gave him a soft smile shaking her head. "Don't be…it isn't your fault and now you're here and you can help me…you can give me what I need…"
He blushed as he felt her hands slide under his shirt and over his bare back while at the same time giving him wink. "Look at where we are Jaune…it's the clearing. Isn't it beautiful?"
He followed her gaze to the side which to his surprise he was greeted to a beautiful sight. There before them was a vast clearing filled with flowers and tall crass all of which glistened with drops of moisture in the moonlight. He could even see little flickers of light from lighting bugs in the clearing moving about as if dancing with one another. He felt Nora pull him along, climbing up the boulders so they could both sit and stare out at the field. Together they sat with their legs dangling over the side of the rock, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her middle.
She nuzzled in closer to him, her warmth helping him ignore the chill in the air. "Isn't it beautiful Jaune? The way the moon hits the water, the flowers in the moonlight…it's so…romantic."
Jaune tense slightly when he felt her hand find a resting place on his thigh giving him a small squeeze as she slowly slid it upwards. "Ah, um…y-yes it is. I've never seen anything like it."
She turned herself into him and slide her hand from his thigh to rest behind him now while her free hand moved to replace it, her face moving closer to his collar before taking in a slow breath and exhaling it over his exposed neck. "Hmmm, you smell so nice Jaune."
He tried to slide away a bit only for him to follow him. "O-Oh, I do?"
"Mhmm…A hint of an earthy scent with a bit of sweat to it…" She pressed into him and lightly darted her tongue out over him tasting his sweat. "So good…"
Jaune reached down to push her hand back from his thigh but she held firm. "N-Nora…I…uh…."
She brushed her cheek over his as she began to move over him until she was sitting in his lap doing little to keep any space between them. She slid a hand up his chest to his cheek cupping it before pulling herself in and kissing him deeply. Slowly she pulled back from the kiss and stared at him with half lidded eyes and slightly parted lips. "Jaune…the moonlight…your scent…it's overwhelming…"
Jaune reached up and placed his hands on her shoulders gently pushing her back but she only pushed further into him a wolfish grin came to her lips. "Nora lets just take it easy now…"
She shook her head as she slid her hands under his shirt once more letting her fingertips brush over his abdomen and back, sliding up to his chest exposing him to the cool air. "Jaune…I still want you to be with me. I still want you to help me…will you? Please…just like before. Can you be with me here and now? I won't fight you, you could take me however you like."
He looked away doing his best to push down the sensations washing over him as she continued to coo in his ear, grind down against him and slide her hands over his chest. "Nora…wait…I don't even know if this is reality. How do I know this isn't another sick game from Ruby? How do you know?"
The she-wolf reached up to his shoulders and pushed him back until he was lying flat against the boulder with her writhing form atop him, the moon light being cast through the treetops casting her in what he would call an angelic light. She pulled one hand back and took hold of her shirt and began to raise it up allowing him to see her flawless stomach inch by inch. "I know you're confused Jaune but I'll show you just how real this is…how real I am. Just tell me what you'd like me to do, tell me what you want and I promise you that I'll show you just how a werewolf worships the moon with her mate."
She leaned down allowing herself to press fully into him as she ran her hands over his shoulder and neck before kissing his chest and slowly moving her way up to his lips. "The moon may be in the sky above us, but I'll make sure you see stars brighter than any in the sky."
Jaune instinctively moved his hands to her waist doing his best to hold her still even as she continued to try and coax him into action. "Nora…I…I can't…not yet…not after everything that's been done…."
She let out a small whimper and began to lightly peck at his chin and jawline. "Awww…please…let me show you how real this is. It'll be better than in the mindscape. We won't have to stop for Yang or anyone else. You could wear me out and sleep here with me till dawn."
He again shook his head earning another whimper from her as she began to sit up to rest on his lap a sad look in her eyes. "I…I get it…I understand…I am a monster after all…"
Jaune reached up to gently touch her shoulder only for her to smack his hand away as she frowned down at him with teary eyes. "Don't…"
He frowned and tried to sit up on her elbows. "Nora, it isn't like that. I meant what I said before, I think you're a good person and very beautiful. I'm just…uncertain…it isn't you…its me…"
She glared down at him a moment a small growl coming from her throat. "I hate that phrase. Do you know how much I've heard that? I'd be in a village with a nice boy when he found out about what I am. It's always 'oh, it's not you Nora, it isn't your claws or sharp teeth nooooo. I'm just…tired. Or I hear someone calling for me…or some other lame excuse like I'm bleeding out.' I don't believe a word of it."
Jaune frowned as he saw her eyes begin to change and her arms become a bit more muscled. "Nora…no, it's not like that. I do think you're very sweet. I just don't know if I can mentally handle everything-GAH!"
The she-wolf slammed her hands down beside him and scraped them back, her nails now more like claws, leaving deep scratches in the stone, another deep growl escaping her as she fixed her eyes on him and licked her lips, her canines more pronounced than before. "No! I want you…I connected with you! I've never been as close to someone as I am with you Jaune. I'm. Going. To. Have. You."
Jaune could feel his adrenaline surge as he watched her face twist and change a muzzle beginning to form while at the same time her muscles grew to the point that they began to rip at the seams of her clothing. "Nora! Nora! Calm down, you don't need to-"
She let out a painful howl that hurt his ears causing him to bring his hands to cover them while she reared back looking up at the moon lifting herself off of him for a moment. Not wasting the chance he had, Jaune pulled himself out from under her writhing form and rolled off the side of the boulder landing in a heap on the ground a sharp pain shooting through his side. Groaning as he felt the fiery pain in his side he moved to his feet and broke into a run, no direction in mind, just moving away from her.
He could hear her thrashing and growling in the distance behind him followed by a bone chilling howl. "JAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!"
He felt a cold shiver run through him as he managed to push himself harder. He had to run, he had to get away. Despite the circumstances, this was a chance for him to escape. If he could find another person, if he could find a road, a trail, something that he could use to find his way back home.
"AAAWWWWOOOOOO!" He felt another shiver wash over him. It was distant, but it clearly sounded like a wolf…a very big wolf. He pushed through brush and slipped by trees ignoring the sting of the branches whipping past his face scratching his cheeks and arms. If he kept going in a straight line he would get out, he would escape. He could find his way home from there.
In the distance he heard a faint laugh. "I'm coming for you Jauney! Come out come out where ever you are! I won't bite!"
Ignoring a growing pain in his side Jaune darted left making a bee-line for a line of trees which he hoped would give him more cover. He raised his arms above his head as he all but dove into the brush stumbling into a roll and landing awkwardly on his back. He snapped his eyes open and he quickly rolled over onto his knees and jumped back to his feet ignoring the pain he was feeling.
Not bothering to look back he turned and continued to run through the brush and foliage knowing he needed to get to water. Despite the chill he would feel crossing any kind of water, the benefit outweighed the consequence. Nora could follow him by scent, he needed to find a way to either mask it or get her to lose it. He just didn't know how strong a werewolf's nose was. If it was anything like the hunting hounds he and his father worked with then he could stand a chance…if he was lucky.
He winced as he felt a twinge of pain in his side forcing him to press his hand against it hoping to stop the pain long enough to let him catch his breath. However instead of feeling the cool fabric of his shirt, he felt warm wetness against his palm. Looking down he saw his side covered in dirt and blood. When had fallen off the boulder, he cut himself on some of the rock below and now he was bleeding heavily. He felt dread in the pit of his stomach as he continued to try and push himself to run. He needed to bandage the cut lest he lose even more blood but he also needed to get away from Nora.
Knowing this, he did the only thing he could think of. He reached out with his bloodied hand and scraped across a tree leaving a dripping smear of blood in his wake. He then reached down and pressed his hand to the wound nearly making him fall from the pain and flung his hand out sending droplets of crimson in various directions hoping that the scent of it would be enough to throw her off his trail.
*Ruby*
She stood out on the balcony of her chambers, silent and unmoving, the only motion the ripple of her dress as it shifted under the gently gusts of the evening wind. Her hair hanging loosely, red tips swaying ever so slightly. Her gaze was fixed out to the forest, her stare intense and unwavering, her silver eyes unblinking.
Behind her the ebony haired beauty Blake phased into view, her maid uniform looking pristine. The succubus gave a small bow before also fixing her eyes out to the forest. "So…he got away from her?"
Ruby glanced over at the other woman for a single moment before looking back out at the vast forest a slight smirk appearing on her lips. "He is interesting…stubborn, nervous, but interesting. Even now he tries to find a way to keep Nora from finding him. He has the spirit of a fighter, even if he doesn't realize it."
"How does he hope to avoid her? She is far faster and stronger than he is. She is almost as good a tracker as Yang."
"He is using his blood. He was injured and instead of falling to the side and whimpering like a lamb, he is using it to his advantage. By spreading out his blood, his scent will begin to envelope an area and confuse her senses. She won't be able to track him as well as before…if he can find a proper way to cover his scent he may be able to lose her."
Blake smiled and shivered slightly as her tail appeared and wrapped around her middle. "Such a crafty boy…when will I get a chance to have him alone?"
Ruby rolled her eyes slightly. "In time, Be patient. He is still fragile. The mindscape provided us an excellent opportunity to see how he would react to certain situations. How he would treat monsters after being put through a horrible incident. His natural mental resistance was too busy dealing with the trauma I generated and allowed me to delve deep into his subconscious. I saw him growing up, I saw him bond with his sisters, his father, his mother. I felt his pain when his favorite pet died and the joy of discovering a present that was gifted to him for a birthday."
"Blake turned to look over at the little Vampire. "So you traumatized him in order to truly learn about who he is? Isn't that a bit extreme? From what I can tell he now hates you."
Ruby's face fell slightly her smirk turning into a saddened smile. "I'm certain he does and I'm not going to say he has no reason too. I put him through something terrible that no one should go through. Doing things to someone's mind can be very invasive and hurtful before including a traumatic event. He should hate me, I would."
"Mistress, don't you think that was unwise? Don't you have hopes like the others do?"
Ruby nodded as her focus snapped back to the forest her pupils narrowing. "I do but my responsibility is to the brood. I saw his inner nature and I know that in time he will be perfect for the needs of you all. If that means he hates me, so be it. I do not care if he does. The needs of the many versus the needs of the few."
Blake frowned and moved close to her mistress wrapping her arms around her from behind giving her a gentle hug and resting her chin on the top of her head. "So, you're going to sacrifice your potential happiness for the others? Some would say that is kind, other tragic…and I think it's rather stupid."
Ruby bristled at her words but the Succubus simply ran her hands up and down the Vampires arms in a calming gesture. "Watch your words Blake. You may be a demon but I'll still kill you. Besides, I don't need to be happy. The brood does. Let him hate me, maybe someday he will forgive me…maybe, but I am prepared if he doesn't."
Blake sighed and placed her hands on Ruby's hips then slid them up her stomach to cup her breasts giving a light squeeze making the Vampire squeak. She jumped back as a pair of razor sharp claws lashed out at her a laugh escaping her lips. "My my, you're quite sensitive mistress. If you like I can lend you my services…or when I have my time with him I can have you join as a surprise guest."
Ruby glared at the succubus, eyes narrowed, her entire form ready to lunge in an attack but she still failed to hide the redness on her cheeks. "No…I don't wish to force myself on him and the memory he holds of me would only become more vivid if I attempted to seduce him now."
The lithe Vampire froze and turned shifting her gaze back out to the forest a frown coming to her lips. "Blake, have Pyrrha and Winter go to the forest and retrieve Jaune and Nora right away. If you see Yang, tell her to come see me as soon as possible."
Hearing the serious tone in Ruby's voice Blake straightened up and gave a curt bow. "As you wish…is…everything alright?"
"No."
*Jaune*
His vision was getting dark along the outer edges, his breath was ragged and he was moving along in a light jog or fast walk. He had been running for over two hours now and it was taking a toll on him. He clutched his bleeding side and was hunched over, his feet barely lifting up enough to clear the branches on the ground all as his body began to shiver. He did his best to ignore the sounds of growling and howls behind him as his eyes focused on a tree line in the distance. As he moved a single thought kept running through his mind. Home, home, home, home, home, home.
His memories began to flash before his mind. He saw his sisters all smiling at him as they would on his birthday. He saw friends from the farm as well as animals he had raised. He saw holiday celebrations including several taking place in the winter. He could see his family enjoying hot cider and hog roast in front of a comfortable fire. He could even smell the smoke from the fire wafting through the air...wait…that wasn't a memory.
His eyes snapped back into focus and he took another sniff confirming that he could indeed smell the fresh odor of campfire smoke. There had to be someone nearby, maybe they could help him. He tried to keep up his pace and then he saw it. A flicker of hope, the glow of a campfire in the distance. It was small, it was faint, but it was there. In that moment he felt something that he thought he'd never feel again, hope. He weakly raised one hand and brought it to his mouth while taking a deep, though painful breath, his abdomen reminding him of his injury. "HELP!"
The reaction was instantaneous and terrifying. The moment he called out he heard a howl from behind that sounded too close for comfort. "AAAAAWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Glancing over his shoulder he could see the shadowed form of Nora running after him in the distance, her eyes vivid in the darkness. Unfortunately for him he failed to see a root sticking out of the ground in front of him and he fell hard to the ground. He grunted in pain as he took a face full of dirt and spat particulates of grass from his lips as he rolled onto his back and called out once more. "HELP!"
"Jaune!"
He knew those voices. Slowly raising his gaze upward he saw Pyrrha gliding through the air, her hair whipping about her wildly, green eyes wide with worry. She was coming for him…she was going to take him back. He closed his eyes as fatigue and despair began to fill his being. He would never escape, they wouldn't let him. He was doomed to be their plaything until they decided to kill him or turn him into some kind of nightmarish creature.
"Back off Pyrrha, he's mine! You'll get your chance later!" Nora growled and leapt through the foliage toward her target.
Pyrrha somehow increased her speed and locked her gaze onto the young man. "Nora he's hurt! Let me get him back -Whoa!"
A bright flash caused his eyes to snap open just in time to see a fireball soar through the air narrowly missing Pyrrha forcing her to sharply weave to the side. Followed shortly after that was a thunderous clap of bright electrical energy arcing over his head followed by a deep rumble that shook the ground below him.
"Nora!" Pyrrha cried out as she saw the lighting blast nearly catch her friend making her leap back putting distance between her and Jaune.
"Pyrrha, don't worry about me, take him! Don't let them have him!" Nora cried up at the woman who turned to look at the source of their current frustration.
Moving towards their location were two knights clearly garbed in the garb of Atlas and following just behind them was a robed figure moving their hands in an intricate pattern and a second later a blast of ice and cold shot out at Pyrrha making her back up once more. "I can't! We need to regroup!"
"But what about Jaune!"
"Retreat! Now!"
For a brief second, the she-wolf hesitated but another blast of fire moving past her pulled her from her thoughts and she quickly turned and ran back following her friend's orders. Glancing over her shoulder she took note of the number of knights, their campsite and the one who was slinging spells. They kept her from her mate…they kept her from her family…they were going to pay and she was going to get him back.
Jaune groaned as he felt his vision begin to grow dark, his body still shivering, he tried to raise his hand up but his exhaustion won out and he dropped it limply to his side. He closed his eyes a small smile on his lips. If it was another trick of the mindscape perhaps he would wake up in reality this time and if not at least his nightmare would be over.
*Later*
His head hurt, his body was uncomfortably warm and he ached, it even hurt to breath. He could hear the soft pops and cracks of a nearby fire which was confirmed by the slight scent of smoke in the air. Behind that though he could smell a slightly strange odor, perhaps food, perhaps tea…he couldn't tell. He tried to open his eyes but found them very heavy and difficult to open. He then tried to push the warm blankets on him off but as he started to move a gentle hand caught his arm and pushed it back down. "Wait…don't be stupid. You're hurt, you need rest, don't move."
He winced and relaxed allowing himself to be pushed back, the voice sounding a bit snippy but gentle at the same time. He tried to open his eyes, though his eyelids were slow to respond. Slowly they raised and through his blurred vision he could see that he was in a tent of sorts. He couldn't see very well, his vision was blurry at best, mostly just colors and shapes. He tried to speak but his voice was nothing more than a whisper due to his throat being so dry. "W…W…"
A blurred face rose up into his vision, another hand placing gently on his chest. "Shhh, it's alright. You've been hurt but you'll be alright. We saved you. Don't try to speak, rest for now and let my medicines help you recover."
He felt her move away only to return a moment later and then felt something cool touch his lips. "Here, take a sip of this. It's a special elixir of my own making that will aid in your healing. Pay no mind to the taste."
He opened his lips and what was poured in was something he would akin to death itself. He felt the liquid, if it could be considered that, perhaps sludge was a better term, slide past his lips and as it washed over his tongue he could feel it seem to "shiver". The taste reminded him of the smell he would endure when cleaning out the hog pens on the farm except worse. He felt himself begin to retch but a hand on his forehead reminded him that he needed to swallow. Cursing the foul liquid, he did what had to be done and he could feel it slide down his gullet and settle in his stomach.
Despite the terrible taste he could feel the elixir wash over his vocal chords removing the sensation of sandpaper from his throat. He took a gasping breath as he coughed, his entire form aching from the action. "Oh by the gods that was vile!"
*Smack!*
He winced as he felt an impact hit across the top of his head making him wince. "I said pay no mind to the taste. It's a work in progress. I could have just let you heal the long way."
"Sorry…" He blinked a few times as he felt his eyes begin to adjust to the light allowing him to better see his surroundings. He was indeed in a tent with a small fire close by, just enough to provide warmth. There were chests open with different vials of various liquids, powders and herbs. Finally, his eyes moved to the person next to him. The first thing he noticed were the robes, a very light shade of grey with generous amounts of fabric which flowed down to the ground and covered her arms. Next were her hands. They were delicate and well kept, like those of a celestial being.
His eyes moved upwards where he saw a large hat made of matching fabric of her robe, a blue band around it giving it some hint of pattern and peaking out from under it were strands of white hair. He followed the strands down to a long ponytail which went down her back and then back to her face which made him pause.
She was beautiful, fair skinned and pristine. Her nose was delicate as were her lips but her eyes, they were the most stunning of all. They were a vivid ice blue which captured him in their gaze. He had only seen eyes like that once before. It was at that moment the elixirs second side effect came to fruition and a wave of exhaustion washed over him causing him to pass out.
Weiss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't have time to deal with this. She had been allowed to command this mission in order to locate her sister. They had left the last area they had received correspondence from her a few days prior and after settling down for a good night's rest she had been woken by a sharp howl and a loud cry for help. Low and behold, there was man being pursued by not only what looked like a Werewolf, but also a Vampire of all things. Normally those two kinds of creatures would fight over who got to claim the prey but it seemed like they were working in tandem.
Thankfully they had managed to drive off the two vile creatures and were able to recover the man before more harm could be done. She recalled how two knights carried him in and ripped his shirt from him so they could better address his bleeding wound. Thankfully she was able to get the bleeding stopped without too much trouble, but then she saw the bite marks on his neck confirming her concerns. He had been the victim of a vampire and as such she needed to purge any disease from him lest he turn and kill them all. That is why she made the elixir she did.
It was a special one, specifically designed for a situation such as his. It was a concoction created by the great wizard Ozpin, and dabbled with by her on her own time, which would do one of two things. If a person was bitten and too far gone the elixir would kill them the moment it entered their stomach…it is said that when it takes hold, a vampire thrall would screech out in pain and writhe around until finally breaking its own spine. A normal human would simply fall asleep as any sickness was purged from their system. The fact that the man didn't die in spectacular fashion spoke well to her. Hopefully she'll be able to find out where this man came from and see that he is returned home safely. For now, he would rest on a spare cot and recover while the elixir continued its work.
She turned and looked over her shoulder looking out at the camp. "Knight Adel, are you there?"
The cloth doorway was brushed open and in stepped a young woman with slightly mussed brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. She had a few smudges of dirt on her face but that did nothing to diminish her smile. "Aye m'lady, what do you require?"
"Has there been any signs of the devils that were chasing this man Coco?"
Coco took a moment to look at the unconscious man a smirk coming to her lips. "Passed out already? Don't tell me you wore him out so quickly? First you go charging after him, then have us deposit him in your tent and now he's asleep under your blankets?"
"Coco!"
The woman laughed and waved a hand dismissively. "I'm only teasing. No, there haven't been any sightings. Thankfully it will soon be morning and we will be able to travel safely. I'm a bit surprised to find him out here…there aren't typically any travelers on this road, just military caravans usually and he doesn't look like he's military to me…even though he is built strong."
"He's most likely a farmer or some kind of laborer. He isn't agile looking like a fighter but more like someone who is used to a day's hard work."
"So the question would be, why is he all the way out here? The nearest village is days away and the nearest farming communities are even farther."
Weiss frowned as she looked over at the man once before leaning down and adding a few sticks to the warming fire making sure it was just enough to keep him warm but not spark up and catch the tent on fire. She then moved to the tent flap brushing past Coco who held it open for her. "So…that means he was being held captive. Most likely by the Vampire based on his bite wound…although…it's all very curious."
Coco moved to stand next to the mage taking a relaxed stance. "So are you thinking that he is someone important enough for them to come for him? Perhaps it would be wise for us to pack up camp now and get a head start down the road before sunrise."
Weiss shook her head. "No…we won't be able to do that for a while. I don't want to risk moving him while he is still recovering."
Coco frowned and crossed her arms. "Wait a second…you're not suggesting that we stay are you?"
Weiss sighed. "I don't see much of a choice Coco. If we move him it could make his wound reopen and he could end up in worse shape than he currently is. If we leave him, he's as good as dead. The vampires would find him and finish the job."
Coco moved around to stand in front of the grey mage her brown eyes locking onto ice blue. "Look, Weiss, I'm all for fighting the good fight but three knights and a trained mage versus a brood all over a single person does not add up. Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or in this case, the one."
Weiss narrowed her eyes, her temper beginning to show. "To even think of leaving him to die is enough to make me deem you unworthy to be a proper knight Adel. We were able to hold off that Vampire and Werewolf earlier."
"I understand that but think for a moment. When a Vampire wants something…someone, they will send their entire brood after it if they want it badly enough. We can handle one or two…but any more and we'll be in worse shape than him. Is a stranger we don't know worth putting all of our lives at risk? It's a tough decision to even consider but it must be considered."
Weiss frowned as she looked back behind her at the tent where her patient lay and then back over Coco's shoulder to the other two knights there. One a tall man with short red hair and a War Mace at his hip with a cocky smirk on his lips and brashness in his eyes. The other a young woman who had a pair of long rabbit ears poking out from the long brown locks of hair atop her head. Cardin and Velvet. Both well trained, both capable fighters…one a cocky asshole and the other a nimble scout.
She turned to look back at Coco then the rest. "No…we'll stay for one day. We'll give him time to heal during the day and we'll fortify ourselves for the night. Perhaps we can get some answers from him once he awakens. In the mean time I advise we set up a watch rotation so you all can get some sleep. If you like, I'll take first watch."
Coco sighed a bit but nodded as she approached the other two who sat by the fire. "Alright you two, we're going to be sticking around for a bit. It's been decided that we can't move our guest until he has had more time to heal. I don't anticipate any trouble though since we have Ms. Schnee and three well trained knights here. Ms. Schnee even volunteered to take first watch so we can get some shut eye. "
Velvet was the first to respond, standing up and giving a small nod. "Alright, I'll get some rest then. I'm glad we're helping him, he looked like he has been through quite a bit."
Cardin scoffed as he rose to his feet and kicked some dirt into the fire making the flame die down slightly before recovering. "Why should we bother. He was a weakling who was going to end up and vampire food. Our mission is clear, find Winter Schnee and confirm her wellbeing. Stopping to help this guy just slows down our progress."
Velvet frowned "Cardin we have a duty to help those who are hurt or in danger. It's what we became knights for."
He shook his head as he gave her a dismissive wave. "Bah, it's a waste of our time. Let him be vamp chow for all I care, or better yet just slit his throat and end his pain now."
Coco frowned and stepped forward. "Cardin that's a terrible thing to say, you swore an oath to help those who couldn't help themselves."
The tall soldier gave another dismissive wave as he rolled his eyes and tromped off to his tent where he disappeared behind the cloth flaps as he made his way inside. Coco waited for the flap to stop moving before raising her middle finger in his general direction causing Velvet to let out a small giggle as she held a fist to her lips in an attempt to stifle it.
*At the manor*
Screams of rage were what greeted Rubys ears as she descended down the stairs to the basement level of the manor, the emotional weight of the anger strong enough to make her feel as though it were physically weighing down her shoulders.
Pyrrha had reported back about their altercation with the knights and how they had recovered Jaune. The red headed Vampire made it quite clear she was willing to go out and slaughter them in order to return Jaune to his rightful place. Nora was even more adamant.
*CRASH*
"How dare they! He's ours, mine! I will not lose my love to those, those, those bastards! Let me go back, I'll break their legs, their arms, their spines then their necks!"
Ruby quirked an eyebrow as she approached Blake to stood just in the doorway of the she-wolfs room her face expressing a single question. How is she holding up?
Blake sighed and shook her head. "She went out with him to see the moon clearing and she forgot to take into account just how powerful the light of the moon during this current lunar phase. His scent combined with her natural instincts caused her to become overly aggressive. Now that Jaune is captured she's been ranting about storming the camp, killing those there and claiming what is rightfully hers. I've tried to calm her down but it isn't working well at all."
Ruby sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "She's slipped into a semi feral state…its like when we first found her."
Ruby brushed past Blake and stepped into the torn-up room pausing when she saw how Nora had managed to rip her bed to shreds, scratched deep marks into the walls and strewn about various bits of clothing. On the far side of the room was Nora who was pacing back and forth, her eyes reddened, claws out. "Nora…" The voice as just a whisper but it was enough to make the woman stop in place before turning to face her.
"Ruby…they took him! They took my Jauney…those bastards took my mate! He was going to give me my family! Please…. Let me kill them! Please, I'll make them suffer!" She reached out and took the girl by the shoulders giving her a small shake as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Ruby reached up and placed a soft hand on the girls cheek. "Shhh, it's alright Nora. You need to calm yourself now. You let your instincts get the better of you. Breath now."
Nora closed her eyes and shuddered as she took a slow inhale and a shaky exhale. She slowly opened his eyes, their natural blue color returning to them. "O-Oh no…I let him get taken…This is all my fault…I'm sorry…please don't punish me…"
Ruby gave her a sad smile and lightly brushed her hand over the girls cheek taking note that she was beginning to return to her human form. "Shhh, relax now. We haven't lost him. Even as I speak Yang is watching them. We won't let them take him away."
Nora closed her eyes as she finally reverted to her human form. "I feel so stupid…I pushed him too hard. I was so engrossed in the moment I didn't even realize I had lost control. He must hate me now."
Ruby shook her head and lightly scratched the top of the girls head making her shiver slightly. "No, I can assure you he doesn't hate you. He saw a chance to run for home and tried to take it…we'll just have to keep him indoors with us for a time longer until he realizes there is no leaving us."
Nora slowly sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around the Vampire nuzzling against her. "Will you be getting him back personally?"
Ruby smirked a bit and nodded. "Yes…I think I will."
Blake perked up at hearing this and looked over at the manors owner. "No…you haven't been out like that in years…at least fifty. Are you certain that is wise?"
Ruby smirked as she turned to face the succubus and then broke into a sickeningly innocent smile her eyes wide. "Awww, you're worried about me…"
Blake frowned and blinked. "…That is so wrong…"
Ruby smirked showing her fangs. "Have Winter get dressed…we're going to have a superior officer visit those knights along with two apprentices in training."
Blake quirked an eyebrow. "So, will you kill them all…or will you end up bringing us more guests? Making up guest rooms is so boring. Oh, I know, if they're cute can they stay in my room? I promise I'll be nice to them."
Ruby smiled but said nothing as she stepped away leaving the room leaving both Blake and Nora alone. The Succubus walked over to the depressed she-wolf and placed a hand on her shoulder before enveloping her in a hug. "Don't worry, he won't hate you and we won't lose him. Just be ready to welcome him back…you can borrow my lingerie if you like. I bet he'll be very surprised."
Nora blushed but nodded a small smile coming to her lips. "I hope you're right…"
-To be continued
Authors Notes:
Hey guys, thanks for taking time to read my work. I truly appreciate it.
I know this one went on for a while but I just kept wanting to add to it and add to it. I still couldn't get the forest chase scene where I wanted it…perhaps I'll do some post editing to improve it.
I want to have some feedback. What shall happen to Weiss, Coco, Velvet and Cardin? Let the readers decide. I was thinking about what could happen if they let Blake do something a bit demonic…or some sort of dark ritual…so like what if they were undead but not vampires? Let me know your thoughts everyone. Your ideas might make it into the story! Do they live? Do they die? Do they get changed?
Does Jaune get saved and escape the manor despite their plans? What if he makes it home? Would they follow him? What about his family, his mother, his sisters, his father…his pet cat?
Let me know what you think and what your predictions are. I thrive off your feedback.
-Grev