(first let me apologize for not updating sooner, father had surgery and I am helping him take it easy while he is recovering then my laptop broke and I had to wait to get a new one. Thank you for sticking around reading my fanfiction works!)

Chapter thirteen

Pale woman

It'd been a week since the graduation exam that Kiko had passed and most of her bruised had vanished while her cuts were healing away nicely. She'd at least been well rested enough to make the trip to Vengerberg and since Geralt down right refused to enter a portal they were forced to go on horse back there. Yet the journey was worth it as it allowed the young sorceress to see new lands she'd not yet seen before and now had made a mental photo of each piece of the beautiful untouched landscape.

When they arrived in the city where Yennefer called home it was full of people, so many were walking around talking, laughing and even shopping within the markets. Merchants were calling out about their products while shoppers lingered around the stands looking over what they could buy whether it be for dinner that night or some new rug for their living room. Everything was there for them and it all looked inviting. Yet the market certainly was not their stop as Yennefer took lead on her mare and led the way to a lovely looking shop that had several women coming in and out of.

A worker ran out and took care of each horse taking them one by one to the stables before greeting Yennefer with the utmost respect, bowing his head and smiling brightly.

"Lady Yennefer, so lovely to see you again! We've been wondering when you'd drop by,"

"It's good to be home, how's the shop been?" The man brushed back his dark hair before he responded.

"It's been going very well, then again what woman doesn't want your magic creams and oils to make themselves look youthful?" So that's what Yennefer sold in her shop. Kiko seemed amazed not only by the store but by the city in general enough so that she just started walking and finding everything about the city to be amazing.

She'd find a lovely fountain soon enough that was home to a few bards playing music and artist painting lovely captures of the gardens in the valley below. The sound of water soothingly flowing paired with the music was a delightfully peaceful mix that let the young woman sit on the edge of the fountain and just escape into her thoughts. She didn't even notice that one artist was suddenly painting her sitting there because the woman found her pose just perfect to capture.

Though back at the shop, Yen had noticed the young girl vanished and was looking around to try and spot her. "Geralt did you see where Kiko went?" she asked curiously.

"I think she wandered off to explore the city,"

"A city she doesn't even know that well, she'll get lost,"

"I'll go find her, you two just go settle in," Cirilla quickly cut in before jogging off to find her sister who'd most likely just be admiring all the city had to offer. Yennefer shook her head with a chuckle.

"Seems Vengerberg is already captured Kiko's eye,"

"She did want to come see it for herself," Geralt walked up beside Yen and set his hand on her lower back. "But with those two gone it leaves just us," a grin grew on Yennefer's lips as she poked her way into his mind to find just what he was suggesting.

"I knew you were having filthy thoughts," She said turning to him with a raised brow.

"Yen, I hate when you read my mind,"

"But you've nothing to hide from me,"

"I know, but at least you know what I mean now,"

"I do, so let's move to my estate and quickly," she spun him around and nudged him off towards her home not far from the shop. The home was just how he remembered, minus the clutter she often had of clothing and plates all over; things left for her servants to clean up. Instead everything was clean and dusted recently. There was no stockings slung over the corner of a chair back and the paintings were actually straight instead of nearly knocked off the wall.

Even the bed within her master bedroom was made up but they both knew that wouldn't last very long once Yen slammed the door shut locking it when they were both inside the room. She smirked pressing her back to the dark wood door before motioning to Geralt with her finger. Like he'd ever ignore that call into action? Never. He quickly stepped towards her, hands falling to her hips as her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. Their lips met in a burning lustful passion that was just like the first time they'd made love.

The Witcher easily picked the smaller sorceress up; she was so light being she was the average woman in height and weight. Geralt; with one hand swept away the pesky things on the nearby dresser where he'd sit her at when he heard the click of her fingers and saw not only her clothing but his own vanish away appearing on a chair nearby neatly folded and well just out of the way entirely.

"Well that takes care of that," Geralt leaned over starting to pepper small nips and kisses over Yennefer's neck, especially under her ear where he knew it was a 'tickle spot' of hers. Her nails ran through his hair which was at least kept shorter being Geralt kept getting what they called the 'elven rebel' cut. His arms hugged around her smaller frame as he pulled the sorceress closer, lifted and carried her to the bed. Soon the neatly made furniture wouldn't be so neat after they were finished...

Meanwhile...

Kiko was still wandering around Vengerberg, taking in the sites like some sort of average tourist but she was so into looking around that she bumped right into a hooded woman. The woman stumbled forward from the sudden collision before whirling around to face Kiko.

"Watch where you are going!" she hissed. Kiko held her hands up in a surrendering manner towards the woman.

"Pardon me, ma'am. I-I didn't mean to run into you like that, I swear," The woman narrowed her eyes clearly studying the young sorceress up and down. Then her face calmed and she let out a sigh. "I'm sorry... I'm Kiko of Vengerberg, daughter of-,"

"The Lady Yennefer?"

"You know her?"

"Of her," she corrected. "She's very well known in Vengerberg, everyone refers to her as 'The Lady of Vengerberg' but she's well known for her beauty," Kiko smiled proudly.

"Yeah that's my mother,"

"I though sorceresses were sterile,"

"I'm adopted by her but she's been my mother since I was young," The hooded woman lifted her hands to drop the hood back letting her dark red hair free, running a hand through it to shake it out.

"I'm Siusan, and you're forgiven for running into me," She extended a hand. One that had long nails that looked to have curved claw like shape to them. When Kiko took hold of Siusan's hand she noticed how cold and clamy it was as well as how pale she appeared.

"You've... cold hands,"

"Yes that is from walking around in this chilly air..." she pulled her hand away almost quickly as if to hide the fact of how cold they were. They didn't even seem to grow warm from grasping Kiko's. "You seem new to Vengerberg yet your title claims you live here,"

"Well now I do, I chose the name when I became a full fledged sorceress,"

"A sorceress? How amazing,"

"Yeah but I'm a newly graduated sorceress so I'm still learning under my mother's teaching," Kiko smiled brightly which made Siusan tilt her head a bit. It wasn't often the pale woman had met such a lively person and one like Kiko. The magic around her was thick and made Siusan's head a bit fuzzy.

"Do forgive me but I have to be off,"

"It was nice to have met you Siusan, hope we run into one another again,"

"I hope so too," Siusan lifted her hood back onto her head before she turned and left down an alleyway towards the city centeral square. Kiko turned and sat herself on the nearby small staircase watching two birds; both bold blue in color with flicks of white on the tips of their feathered tails. She kept thinking how the woman she just met was a bit strange. She thought back to how cold the woman's grasp was and how pale she appeared.

Perhaps she was sickly or maybe something else entirely. But the young sorceress had decided then not to ask her about it so she wouldn't step over her boundaries and make Siusan upset. She still was curious about the woman though.

"Kiko!" the young sorceress's head jolted up from her thoughts to see Cirilla walking over after a light jogging. It seemed that the ashen haired witcheress had been looking for her for a bit now.

"Damn girl I was looking all over for you,"

"Sorry, I do tend to wander off a bit,"

"Yeah but trust me we can take our time heading back,"

"Mom and dad?"

"Oh yeah,"

"Typical of them," The two laughed knowing full well when Geralt was alone with Yennefer what almost always happened. So it would be best if they'd take their time heading back to let the pair finish up there business...

Back at Yen's...

Geralt and Yennefer were snuggled together mixed with the messy sheets covering their intimate parts and both had their hair a bit messy; especially yennefer's. The sorceress was running her slim fingers over Geralt's scarred chest, tracing several of the old wounds. Scarred skin always felt smoother than the other skin. While Geralt was running a hand over Yen's dark hair and nuzzling her head slightly so he'd get lost in that familiar perfume scent she wore.

"Yen," he said lightly muffled by her hair.

"Yes?" She turned her head up so she'd seen his cat like eyes stare back at her. He lightly kissed her soft lips with a smile.

"No reading my mind but I have something to ask you,"

"Then you best to tell me before curiosity makes me prod,"

"Since we've been back together for a long time again I wanted to ask you to marry me...well again I suppose," He watched as Yen's eyes jolted wide then softened before she reached up cupping his cheek.

"Geralt, I'd love to marry you. You've always made me happy truly," She leaned up and lightly pressed her lips to his as her fingers felt the short stubble of his beard when she let her hand drift down from his cheek to rest upon his scarred chest. Their kiss did not break until Yennefer could clearly hear Kiko singing outside the front door. The sorceress quickly sprang from the bed and tossed Geralt's clothing at him while she hurried to dress.

"MOM! DAD! Stop shagging already!" The young sorceress blantantly shouted as her and Cirilla walked through the door. Ciri gave her younger sister a quick punch to the shoulder making Kiko yip a small 'ow' and rub her arm. After a moment, Yennfer quickly came down the stairs still fixing her hair a touch. "Hey mom,"

"Ah good Ciri found you, I prefer you'd have told us before wandering off like that," Yennefer said, wiping at Kiko's cheek as if she was brushing away some pesky dirt as well as brushing back a few hairs of Kiko's bangs. The young sorceress shooed her mother's hands away by taking a step back shaking her head a bit and brushing the pestering hands away from her.

"You worry too much mom, I was fine out there. Just walking around taking in some nice scenary,"

"Still you could have gotten lost or hurt or-"

"Yen, you're being overprotective again," Geralt said walking down stairs wearing only his pants and typical medallion. Yennefer turned to look at him and rubbed her brow.

"I can't help it, you know I worry for my girls,"

"We know, you worry yourself a lot, but Kiko's a sorceress now. You gotta let her release her hold on your apron strings," Geralt said crossing his arms. Yen knew he was right, Kiko was a grown girl and she'd become a sorceress recently meaning she shouldn't be babied anymore but it wasn't that easy for Yennefer to just let go. Hell, she was still that overprotective mother towards Cirilla as well. So long as they condidered her mom she'd just never change.

"Right, so how did you find the city so far?" Yen asked turning her attention back to the young sorcerss.

"It's vibrant and lively, but I accidentally bumped into this pale woman who wore a cloak... she had a cold touch too, but she was nice after I apologized for almost knocking her over..."

"You're supposed to watch where you're walking,"

"I know mom, I was obviously looking like a tourist around here," Geralt raised a brow before he'd cut in.

"You said a cloaked woman with pale skin and a cold touch?" Kiko glanced up at her father who seemed to be in thought.

"I wonder if that woman you ran into was a bruxa; a vampire who takes the form of a somewhat sick looking woman but are usually rarely seen in the day time. What were her hands like? Did they have claws?"

"Well her nails were long and kinda came to a point with a slight doward curve..."

"Geralt...?" Yennefer frowned looking back to the witcher. "Are you saying Kiko could have run into an actual bruxa but why didn't it harm her?"

"They typically don't want to attack in plain sight, Yen. They value their own safety and if she was found out it could have spelled disaster for her as she'd have to flee or be hunted down by a witcher," He looked over to his young daughter. "You're not to go out again with Ciri with you or one of us Kiko,"

"I can handle myself,"

"Not against a bruxa, they move faster than you can react. Even witchers can find it hard to keep up with them. Their blows are powerful, their nails are long enough to slice you open and you'd end up being their bloody meal if she catches you by the neck with her teeth,"

"Can't some of them be civil though?"

"Rarely, Vampires are highly intelligent if you talk about bruxa and higher vampires. They also get more deadly. Lower level vampires are easier to deal with but they still hit hard, move fast but they also don't really think. Bruxa are one of the higher intelligence ones, some can speak common tongues and act like normal people. A good way to know you found one is watching her speed, even in a human form or disguise she moves unlike anyone; unlike even a witcher,"

"She seemed nicer though, and she knew about who mom was. She also seemed fearful,"

"You were speaking to her in the day time, bruxa prefer attacking at night and can turn invisible," Geralt sighed rubbing his face. "You're honestly lucky you didn't meet her at night, you might have ended up dead long before Ciri found you,"

"Right... I'll be more careful," she said glancing out the window seeing it darken as the sun was setting...

The Bruxa

She couldn't stop thinking about that young sorceress. Maybe it was that delicious smell of her blood, if only she could take just a taste. She had no desire to kill her for she seemed just too interesting and kind to do that to. Siusan had made her way back home which was not more than an abandoned old cabin outside the town hidden away behind thick trees and the building itself was covered in overgrown vines and bushes giving it a camaflouged appearance. Most would never make such a place home but she had to being she prefer not being so close to humans since she left her pack; since she left him.

Siusan tossed off her cloak as she entered the abandoned home finding some foolish hunter had stubbled upon her cabin and taken to using her bed as he slept. Seems she didn't need to go out hunting tonight as her thirst for blood was making her clench and unclench her jaw repeatedly as she starred at the man's back. Her tongue glanced over her dried lips while she approached him slowly changing into her true form. One of a very thin but muscular female with many sharp teeth and long razor sharp flesh ripping claws.

She approached slowly, her feet never making a sound and stood by the bedside staring down at him with a bloodlust gaze in her eyes. The hunter turned over and was now facing her when his eyes opened to find the bruxa standing over him. He inhaled ready to scream but before a sound could be heard passing his lips, claws slashed his neck almost decapitating him. The gurgling sound of him choking on his blood; gaining no air could be heard before the Bruxa attacked his neck with her sharp teeth.

He couldn't fight, he was dying and his last sight was the top of a head with dark red tresses with the feeling of teeth cutting into his flesh and drinking his gushing blood until there was nothing... darkness; cold empty darkness...

When she finished feeding, she drew back with her lower face; around her mouth and down to her chest was stained red with blood. She reverted back to that humanly disguise before grabbing a rag and wiping at her face to clean away the victim's staining.

"Seems you were pretty hungry, Siusan..." She froze hearing that familiar voice hinted with a slight accent. Turning her head slightly she saw him standing there by the door, leaning back against the wall. He never knew when to leave her alone did he?

"Why are you here Demose?" she hissed turning her head away again to finish cleaning off her face then tossing the rag aside. She could feel his gaze on her bare naked back, whenever she did change to her true form she always ended up that way. "Stop staring,"

"Forgive me you know it is hard for me not to, my love,"

"I am not yours anymore,"

"Why did you leave? Hmm? Did I not give you everything?" He said pushing himself off the wall and approaching her from behind, running his fingers up along her right forearm to her shoulder. He leaned his face into the other side of her neck taking a delighted smell of her hair. "You had anything you wanted, you were the pack queen..."

"I am not part of your pack," she pulled away and turned to him. "I cannot accept what you did to that orphanage..."

"They had no families; none to miss them why are you so upset over human children?"

"They were kids, Demose. Would you want a witcher to slay your offsprings from Juana and Lima; your two little strumpets?" She crossed her arms.

"Young blood is sweeter, untainted by the damned alcohol their parents chug down on a daily basis. Those children were abandoned anyway, and were not of our concern other than being an easy meal who'd struggle less,"

"Get out of my home," Siusan growled. She shoved at Demose's chest steering him back towards the door until his intense grip snatched her upper arms making her tense up and try to pull away but he was stronger than even she was. He was the pack leader after all; an alpha and she was a deserting mate of his. He spun pinning her to a wall, moving one hand to her throat and squeezing enough to keep her from trying to fight back.

"When do you get to tell me what to do? Never, I am the hurt party here. Left by my mate, deserted by the bruxa I loved." He leaned in brushing his lips to hers, pressing his body into her while keeping his hand on her throat. "I will make you return to me one day, you will be my mate once more. Standing by my side and gracing my bed once more," His other hand; freed from her arm slowly glided down her side to her hip.

"I will never be your mate again," she choked out. Demose turned and tossed her into the opposite wall. She hit hard, cracking the wood before she landed on the ground coughing and holding her throat.

"Then I will force you to return if I must, my love. Do not dare to find a new mate because I will kill him without hesitation. You are mine and I do not share my bruxas," He then left out the door slamming it behind him. Siusan sat up on her knees and sighed. Oh how she wished she'd never been part of his pack, he was took cruel for her tastes and perhaps that why when he murdered 20 children she'd had enough of his ways and left him. Maybe... she just had too much humanity in her...

(okay thanks for reading this! Again sorry it was SOOOOO LONG since I updated)