Chapter sixteen:

Silver for Monsters

-Demose-

"She seems to be getting pretty close to the human mage girl, Demose," The alp said, as her fingers brushed over his arm that rested on the chair arm. The higher vampire's hand gripped the arm of the chair so tightly the stone could be heard cracking and pieces crumbled off of it. She was growing closer to some... human?! How dare she; she was his and his alone. He would never share his Bruxa with anyone. Not another Vampire and certainly no human woman. He wrenched his arm away from the Alp before shooing her away harshly.

Once she'd left him be, Demose grabbed an apple from the golden bowl nearby his seat and just stared at it for several moments. He knew that fruit was always her favorite and she could never get enough of them. The glossy surface shined in the candle light flickering behind his seat before his hand gripped the fruit so tight it exploded into a glob of apple mush and destroyed fruit skin.

"Siusan, what did I tell you...? I am your mate, you are mine. I don't share what is mine, I'll kill that little friend of yours and you if I have to. I'll use you like an example why the others should never leave nor why they should remember that I AM their only mate and friend," He growled as his long claws started to sprout. "I know where you are, I can smell you, track you, find you and that little bitch..." He stood walking hastily towards the door smashing it open with a fist before turning himself into mist and floating off with the sky darkening...

-Ida/Francesca-

"Do you truly think Kiko can change the minds and hearts of many, Philippa?" Ida said seated before her megascope speaking to her fellow sorceress.

"And why wouldn't she? She shows great talent for magic and determination. Plus she's young, unheard of by most of the world,"

"Unburdened by actions like we have committed while the Lodge was still together," Francesca stated as she entered the room walking over before the megascope image. "She's untainted as well with the blood of kings on her hands unlike you, Phil,"

"Killing Radovid was the best thing I could have done honestly,"

"That's just it Philippa, your hands are the deepest stained while Kiko is untainted and carries no burdens. We must all be her mentors and teach her what we know so she can grow and be the sorceress we can see her being,"

"What does Yennefer say about all this?"

"From what she said, she wants us to leave the option open for Kiko to accept or not but if we force her then Yen will most likely put her foot down," Francesca said, tapping her chin slightly. "It's reasonable really,"

"Indeed, which is exactly what we have been doing. We wouldn't want to be forced into something so why do so to a young mage like her?" Philippa crossed her arms looking to her right as Triss poked her head over and waved to the two Elven women.

"If I might say something... are you all planning to reestate the Lodge and want her to be part of it?" The women all fell silent. "You're kidding me... the Lodge is very risky to bring back. Kings don't trust us,"

"Kiko could change that if she learns all she can then leads it," Philippa quickly responded.

"You really plan to step back, Phil? You love being leader,"

"I can't lead all the time, that I've come to understand,"

-Kiko-

When the morning came, bright rays of sunlight came cascading through the window and over the carpetted floor until it reached the bed where Kiko lay but she was not alone. Beside her curled up with her back to Kiko's was Siusan. The young sorceress sat up rubbing her eyes before peering over to find her companion curled up there having fallen asleep during her little night watch. The sight of the Bruxa sleeping soundly made Kiko smile, turn over and poke Siusan's cheek.

"Hey, wake up, it's morning," She got something of a response but it came in the form of a grumbling mumble that didn't sound like actual words but it did at least sound like she was protesting getting up. It was more evidenced when she just curled up tighter. Kiko scrunched her lips to the side and bent over her more to try and see her face. When she did, she found the Bruxa was only half awake with her eyes barely open. When Siusan saw Kiko lean over her she opened her eyes more looking back at her. "C'mon time to get up,"

"Do you humans always get up this early?"

"Not always but I do want to know why you are sleeping here when you had your own bed," She smiled poking the Bruxa's cheek again. "Now c'mon up," Siusan's reached up pushing Kiko's head away before she sat up with a wide yawn that showed some of her sharp teeth before she'd stand from the bed.

"I will admit the beds are comfy. Better than the one I have at home,"

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's as hard as sleeping on the floor, and no we do not all sleep upside down. That's... mostly the Unseen Elder One,"

"Elder one?"

"A very powerful older vampire... none seek his aid unless very dire, every vampire bows low to him and obeys anything he says,"

"So he's like... a vampire king or god?"

"Some might agree to saying God, you see the Unseen Elder is... a very old Vampire who acts sort of like our great leader. While you have kings, queens and so on we have a vampire who has power which is immeasurable. They can be very aggressive because they truly hate to be disturbed by anyone or anything. If any dare to speak to him they better have a damn good reason," Kiko sat there listening to every word of the Bruxa who, while explaining even seemed a bit shaken at just the mention of their god like leader. "Higher vampires are the only ones who can seek out his aid because only they carry a key to where he resides, but like I said there best to be a good reason because if not he'll paralyze any vampire with just a few words,"

"Wow he sounds more like a danger than a leader," Siusan sat down combing a hand through her hair, brushing it back from her face and tucking it behind her ear better. Something though caught Kiko's eyes as she spotted what looked to be claw like scars on Siusan's now exposed ear. She snatched the vampire's hand and looked at the scars. "Who did that to you?"

"My old mate, the one who's actions made me leave the pack. He dragged me with to see the Unseen Elder, and when the elder refused his wishes he lashed out going after me instead. Honestly if not for the elder I would be dead. Higher vampires can only die if another higher vampire strikes the killing blow,"

"So that's how you know a bit about the Elder, or is that just common knowledge of Vampires?"

"It's common, but not many Bruxa have seen him in person like I did and this was a few centuries ago," She lightly brushed Kiko's hand away before laying back on the pillows. "Anyway to change the subject, have you thought about accepting Ida's mentoring or do you plan to reject it instead?"

Kiko fell silent in thought about it, absently even reaching up to rub the spot where her scar was located at. She figured to herself why she actually kept it; a reminder, one to remember all those who'd fallen because of the stigma of being a mage or even a herbalist; be them non human or human. If you were different, you were as good as dead by those hunters as well as the fearful masses of people who hated any who did not look like them or act as they did. Her hand fell back to her lap before she turned her side to the Bruxa and flopped to the side, letting her head rest on Siusan's stomach.

"Maybe it was my fate..."

"What do you mean?"

"To help people see that magic isn't always something to fear, the Lodge of Sorceresses were perhaps wrong in trying to govern the world as they had; slaying kings and whatnot... but now the mages have suffered great losses and now even herbalists are in danger. The Elves, Dwarves, humans are alike in this stupid war of being the superior race when we have seen how people of different races or species can get along just fine. Look at us, we're a human mage and Bruxa Vampire who've become good friends if you ask me,"

"Yet if people ever saw me in my true form they'd scream 'quick get the witcher! slay the monster!',"

"Because people fear what they don't understand, they only understand magic, other races, other species even so they want them wiped out. Sure some monsters are dangerous and some races are more violent in some ways but there are more who are understanding and can think..." She paused for a moment and sighed. "My dad, the witcher, he said he would never kill a monster who could think and had good reason. He's spared a Doppler and even a Succubus, shown mercy to a werewolf, helped the restless spirits move on... he's got more experience than me and he's told me stories ever since I was a young girl able to sit on his lap by the fire listening to the tales,"

"You seem to have a loving bond with that witcher and sorceress,"

"They took me in when I was a kid, just some dirty 'street kid' living on practically nothing but stolen fruits and dirty river water," Siusan frowned, setting a hand on the sorceress's shoulder. "I saw them one day in the market place; well first I smelt Yennefer before I saw her. Yennefer has a very unique perfume,"

"Lilac and Gooseberries?"

"You know?"

"I could smell it off even you,"

"Makes sense, Vampires have better senses. Anyway, I ended up picking up this dropped fruit; think it was an apple, and when the merchant was about to call the guards on me, Yennefer paid for it without hesitation before talking to me. When I told her I had no family, no home she adopted me there and then. I guess also that day the scent of her perfume became something I consider home,"

"You ended up with a loving family at least, better than the pack I thought was my family," Kiko sat up and looked back to the Bruxa who's eyes had saddened and casted away to the side. Siusan rarely spoke about the pack she'd once been in and it made the young sorceress interested in hearing her past so she'd better understand her new vampiric friend. The bruxa started to explain that she was far older than even Kiko imagined and that her old mate wasn't even the first leader of the pack but the second only after he refused to help the first leader which led to his death and Demose's rise to the pack leader spot.

Demose was a higher vampire who was full of himself and loved to have control over his Bruxa women as well as endulge in the intimate flesh of seduced human women or even the Elven ones as he loved their slender exotic figures. Yet he ultimately chose the youngest bruxa of the group to be his main mate, Siusan was that bruxa. Demose though was more in love with controlling her and keeping a leash around her so she'd not stray too far. Even though vampires prided themselves on being better than humans, Demose was no better than a drunken human beating his wife. Siusan bore not only the physical scars like the ones on her right ear but the emotional ones he loved to inflict the most.

She'd also never felt cared for by her sister Bruxas and cousin Alps. They'd all felt jealous towards her because they for some reason desired to be Demose's mate more than anything. She'd heard their whispers, their giggles each time she sported a new bruise or beating marks saying how she was more his punching bag than his lover. The very thoughts that they were pretty much right made Siusan desire to leave them but where would she go? She couldn't just pack a bag and leave...

Yet when he'd killed all those children within the orphanage she'd had enough and perhaps it was her humanity that took over for that night she left without a word to him or any of the other vampires. But Demose kept finding her, still declaring she was his when she denied it all the time but what she didn't tell Kiko was his threat that he'd hurt anyone she'd class as her new mate, claiming she was always to be his.

Kiko was laying there with her hands behind her head staring at the ceiling when Siusan looked over after telling her everything. The sorceress scrunched her lips to the side and then glanced over to meet her friend's gaze. "He sounds like a dick," The short to the point statement suddenly had Siusan chuckling at how boldly honest and true it was. "He lost out on a great person honestly, shouldn't have taken you for granted," She sat up quickly and leapt from the bed. "C'mon I wanna see if I can find Ida and Francesca,"

"There's no need to find them, they are both outside the door. I can tell from their floral perfumes," Siusan said tapping the side of her nose just as there was something of a fumbling stumble outside the door as if someone had been peering through a keyhole or had their ear to the door. Kiko walked over opening the door quick finding Francesca catching herself with the doorway so she'd keep from falling into the young sorceress.

"Ah-haha... you're awake, wonderful!"

"We're you two eavesdropping?"

"No," Francesca tried to lie.

"Yes," And Ida spoke the truth with the Elven Queen shot her a 'you should have backed me up on that' sort of glare. Ida only shrugged before adding. "You already heard that Siusan knew we were here, no need trying to hide what they already knew. We're not hiding sweets from children," Francesca pushed herself back upright and dusted off her hands.

"Right, anyway I was hoping to take you to see if we can get your megascope made, Kiko. Phil had made mention you didn't have yet and were resorting to using Yennefer's,"

"That sounds good actually, I do need one of my own being a sorceress," Francesca nodded and turned motioning two fingers over her shoulder so that Kiko would follow with. The young sorceress turned to the Bruxa firstly though. "Siusan, you go ahead and rest we'll be back soon alright?"

"Very well, but can the guards bring up a few apples or apple juice?"

"I'll be sure to send my guards with both of those," The elven queen said from part way down the hallway before Kiko bounded after her. Ida went off in her own direction as Francesca made her way from the palace soon accompanied by two guards following close behind her and Kiko as a means to keep the Queen safe from anyone who'd be foolish enough to mess with a powerful sorceress.

Kiko though couldn't help but notice the Queen's lovely outfit she wore. A white gown with red velvet edges adorning several floral patterns among the surface. Around her waist was a golden silk sash tied at the back so the left over would flutter down with the skirt. The upper part of the dress was off the shoulder with her wearing a silver choker around her neck dangling small rubies down from the minor chains.

"Francesca, if I may be as bold to say, you look lovely today in that dress,"

"My dear, in time you will have your own unique style like each Sorceress. Like... take your mother for example. She dons only black and white, then there is Triss who seems to wear more earth colors or colors that will pronounce her bright red hair,"

"Or how Philippa likes to pronounce her tits?" The Elven Queen couldn't help but give a chuckle to the statement. Anyone knew Phil did seem to wear clothing that revealed enough cleavage to make any lesser man stagger and become her pawn without argument or how she just wore things that seemed to present her breasts firstly when a person meets her. Wonder how the dwarves felt having to try to look up at her face pass those boulders...

"Now now, though that is true let's try to be nice hmm?"

"Very well," She suddenly stopped having a shivering feeling dance up her spine and causing the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Francesca, who had walked a few more paces stopped and turned around to ask the young sorceress what was the matter and why she stopped but she saw something that made her eyes grow wide. Kiko noted the look of oncoming horror on the Elven Queen's face and it was as if everything was slow for that moment.

Francesca went to reach out and snatch Kiko away from what was about to happen but before she could the young sorceress turned just in time to see a misty cloud speeding right at her. When it reached her, something grabbed her by the throat unseen from within the cloud and hoisted her up higher and higher into the air. She tried pawing at the cloud hoping whatever it was would reveal itself and when it did she wished she could scream.

Demose in an enraged state had her by the neck and she could feel his long claws just over the back of her neck. He hovered in the air letting out a roar into Kiko's face. She could barely get any air from his hand at her throat. "So you're the one my mate's been around; you stole her from me!" He growled and launched the young sorceress to the ground below with a hard crash.

Something loud snapped and with the renewed intake of air, Kiko let out a bloodcurdling scream. When the dust cleared enough for her to see, she looked down to her arm where the snap came from realizing her arm was broken and possibly in several places from such an impact. She couldn't feel it enough to try and move it but the feeling from her skin was hot from the break. The fingers couldn't even twitch without a spark of pain shooting up her arm so she tried her best to keep it pinned to her body as a way to stablize it and keep it from moving around too much.

Her attention then moved back to Demose landing just a few feet away, slowly walking towards her flexing his claws as if he was readying for another attack. There was no way Kiko could defend herself with a broken arm. A sorceress relied heavily upon her hands to cast magic spells due to the finger and hand gestures needed to cast them. With her arm broken and uselessly dangling there in pain she was powerless; it felt like when she was a child unable to fight her own battles. She used her legs to peddle herself back from him, holding her broken arm to her stomach as beads of pained sweat matted her bangs to her brow.

"I'll not share Siusan... especially not with some human!" Demose lunged at her then with his claws ready to slice her in two. Kiko couldn't escape; no way to teleport with one hand and she wasn't like Ciri so she couldn't just think it. She threw her good arm over her eyes to hopefully lessen her traumatic soon to be death at the hands of an angered vampire wishing her dead so he could take Siusan back.

When she wasn't yet dead and she heard the sounds of snarling, growling and monsterous screeches, Kiko looked up to see Siusan in her true Bruxa form standing before her but her hands had grasped Demose's to halt his advance. Siusan opened her mouth wide with a sharp inhale before a scream started to grow from her gapping maw until the blast from the sonic boom kicked up dirt, rocks and even shot Demose back several feet from her with blood trickling down his ears.

So that was the Bruxa's infamous scream ability... Geralt had told Kiko about that power and how it could knock a grown man off his feet and back tumbling like a runaway weed. She knew that vampires had super strength and speed but the fact Bruxas could blast a person away with just a scream was amazing honestly. What amazed Kiko the most though was that Siusan had come to her aid. She'd put herself in harms way to protect some human. It said wonders about how a Bruxa; though monster, could come to care about a friend enough to risk themselves.

Siusan peered back over her shoulder to see Kiko having lowered her arm to see why she'd not perished yet. The young sorceress sat up, having to craddle her broken arm with a hiss of agony. The Bruxa kept herself planted where she was acting like some protective wall between her former mate Demose and her current friend and ally. She'd only turn her attention back to Demose when he spoke, lowering the growl tone of his voice to try and be softer around her.

"Ugh... Stand aside Siusan! I will not share you with her," he said upon standing up checking his ears finding the blood there.

"I am no longer yours, and I will not let you hurt the only human friend who's accepted me knowing what I am..."

"Enough of this, that girl dies!" He lunged again and just as Siusan was about to let out another sonic blast, his hand clasped over her mouth halting the incoming boom before his other hand came to backhand her aside. Kiko watched as her companion was hit aside only to use her claws to slow herself down then launch herself back towards him as he advanced upon the young sorceress. Kiko's good hand moved to something on her back and as Demose shot his left hand forward she pulled something free.

There was a spraying of blood that made even the Bruxa halt in her tracks when she noticed what'd happened. Demose missed only grazing over Kiko's right shoulder because she'd moved at the possible last second. It was amazing though because most humans could never do such a thing but then again she wasn't just some human. What truly shocked the Bruxa is what Kiko had plunged into Demose's chest. It appeared to be a dagger of atleast sixteen inches in length but it was made of Silver from the pained look upon Demose's face.

With a quick motion, the higher vampire shoved the sorceress off quickly which made her lose grip of the dagger leaving it in his chest. Kiko stumbled back due to him shoving off on her broken arm's shoulder, landing on her rear upon the ground with a growl of pain hissing through her teeth.

"I should... have expected... you'd have silver on you... Daughter to a Witcher..." He groaned trying to reach for the blade but the burning from the silver studded handle made him regret the attempt. He could not take the pain of the dagger in his chest, reverting to the misty cloud. The dagger fell with a metal clatter to the ground as the mist went about escaping into the air and out of sight. Siusan returned to her human like state before running over to Kiko's side carefully helping her stand up.

"You need medical care and quickly before the injury worsens," Kiko moved away from her Bruxa friend over to the fallen dagger before reaching back to place it back into the sheathe on her back. Siusan found herself baffled as to how she didn't notice a dagger upon Kiko's lower back when they rode on a single horse here and she'd carried her when she'd fallen asleep. Amazingly she didn't notice it nor did she touch it which could have hurt her a bit being silver always hurt monsters and could rip a doppler from his or her hidden forms.

"Will he remain a danger?" Kiko's words made the bruxa snap out of her thoughts.

"He... could but for now he might hide away to lick his wounds. You can't kill him... only another higher vampire can..."

"I might have to find my dad's old friend Regis then..."

"The witcher knows Regis? I've only met that man a few times in the past and he's very nice, even gentlemanly. He could help us being he is a higher vampire..."

"Kiko!" The pair looked up to see Francesca rushing over with several of her guards. Seems she'd run off before to most likely save herself but to also get help from her men. She noticed the mangled look to the young sorceress's arm and looked horrified. "We must see this mended at once,"

"I'll need to contact my mother and father,"

"The megascope we were supposed to get is finished, I can have them bring it to the palace but first your arm needs medical attention at once. A sorceress is nothing without the use of both her hands,"

"Fine, let's head back. The sooner I'm healed the better,"

-Yennefer-

High heel boots paced back and forth within the living room as the sorceress was seen biting on her gloved thumb as a show of anxiety. The witcher walked in to find his beloved in such a way raising a white brow in thought.

"Yen, stop pacing. You're bound to put a hole in the floor,"

"I cannot help it Geralt. Kiko's yet to try and contact me so I'm worried, what if something-"

"Yen... you're overthinking again," The sorceress sighed sitting in her nearby chair rubbing her brow on the right side. "What do you think could have happened? She's probably busy talking to Ida and Francesca,"

"Geralt, I woke with a shiver of dread; like something has happened and you know not to brush off such feelings,"

"If anything happens she knows to get in touch,"

"I hope so, Geralt," Just as she gave an exhausted sigh her attention was caught by something to which she stood and ventured upstairs to where her megascope sat in the room finding someone was trying to contact her.

"Mom?" Once she heard the familiar voice, Yennefer's heart felt like a weight was lifted until she looked at Kiko within the megascope image seeing Francesca seemingly using a healing spell upon her daughter's arm that looked... badly injured. The only reason she knew what spell it was, was from the way Francesca's fingers were moving. Spells were never just about words, each twitch of a sorceress's fingers or her muscles up the arm were like the unspoken words of the spell in play.

"Kiko what happened?" there was an obvious sound of worry in the sorceress's voice. The young mage glanced to her arm as it was in process of being healed then back to Yennefer.

"Well to be blunt... a higher vampire decided to see if I could bounce off the ground from high up,"

"What?!" The horrified look that caught Yen's features made Kiko hold up a hand as if to physically calm her even for a moment.

"It could have been worse if Siusan didn't intervene like she did,"

"Siusan? The Bruxa?"

"Yeah, basically a higher vampire she happens to know attacked me; well grabbed me high into the air then tossed me towards the ground where I broke my arm on impact. When he was about to attack again, Siusan stepped in and blasted him back with that very loud scream the Bruxa's use. Also tell dad that silver dagger I got was a pretty useful item too,"

"Get back as quickly as you can, please Kiko..."

"Mom, I'm fine but I've decided to undertake Ida's lessons as well. Seems every sorceress has some sort of plan for me but I'm learning from the best,"

"You're learning from most of the former Lodge of Sorceress. Though I was never one,"

"Why?"

"A story for another time, just hurry home alright?"

"Fine, I'll do that just try not to pace around so much? I know you do that when you worry,"

"You sound like Geralt,"

"Well you know it's true. Love you mom, see you when I get back," with that the call ended leaving Yen to not only feel a bit worried but also in a way relieved that Kiko was alright even though her arm had been broken by the looks of it.

"You okay?" the sudden break of silence, snapped Yen from her thoughts and made her jump turning around to see Geralt there giving her a questioning look. Surely she was used to him popping up like that. He was a witcher so he moved quietly like how he was trained for years but there she was jumping like he'd jumped out from around a corner to scare her. She placed a hand to her chest to calm her now racing heart before she'd speak.

"I'm fine, Kiko got hurt but that Bruxa she told us about saved her from what she told me,"

"How'd she get hurt?"

"A higher vampire attacked her, lifted her high up and tossed her to the ground. She's lucky she only had a broken arm but that silver dagger apparently came in handy for her," Geralt run a hand over his beard in thought before sighing. "Geralt, she'll be home in a few days,"

"I don't get why a higher vampire would attack her though,"

"I don't know either aside from that the Bruxa knew the vampire who attacked and she stepped in to save Kiko," Yennefer sat down, crossing her legs and resting one arm over her lap and the elbow of the other upon her knee so her fist held up her chin resting upon it. "It seems she's done something even you've done,"

"Befriended a monster? You mean like Regis?"

"Exactly what I mean and having powerful friends who are more experienced in certain areas could be good for her," She paused for a moment as her mind suddenly went back to realizing how Kiko was learning from every powerful sorceress who'd been part of the Lodge excluding herself but from her time as a young girl until now it made her wonder as to why they'd all taken such interest in her. What worried her then was what if Philippa most of all was trying to in a way groom Kiko to founding a new Lodge?

No, Rita would never let Phil do that without her catching on and stepping in but one could never put anything pass the blind sorceress. She was very cunning and as Geralt would put it 'Always aimed for two irons in the fire'.

"Yen,"

"Sorry, my mind wandered," She stood up and looked at the window watching the setting sun drifting away behind the forest trees and distance mountains peeking just barely over the misty clouds setting in. "Do you ever think fate picked us for a reason?"

"You mean about how both girls we've cared for have special powers?"

"Yes that's what I mean. Ciri and now Kiko... makes me wonder why us,"

"Maybe because you're a good mother and teacher to them both?" Yen's lips caught a smile as she peered over at the witcher. "What?"

"I do love those awkward compliments,"

"I know you do, which is why I'll always say them. Now try not to worry so much, if Kiko's like you she's tough as a dragon,"

"At times I think she's tougher than me," Her head turned back to the window. "At least I hope she is..."

-Demose-

"Damn that girl!" He roared in pain, the burn of silver still strong in the wound upon his chest. He gripped his chair arm tight, hearing the wood crack under his fingers. "If not for Siusan she would have been dead," His other hand slammed the opposite arm before he took a deep shaky breath to try and ease through the silvery pain. He looked up snatching a goblet from one of the other bruxa in his pack, guzzling down the fresh blood of some poor farmer peasant who'd wandered perhaps too close to the domain of one pack bruxa.

The corner of his mouth stained red from crimson droplets seeping out as he greedily drank the blood before tossing the goblet aside with a ringing metal 'ping' when it his the stone floor of the hideout. He harshly waved the older Bruxa away with a snarl before inclining his head back feeling the wound begin to seal itself shut once the blood burned with a lively fire within every inch of his body.

"Demose," An Alp had stepped into the room and kept something out of his view in the doorway. His gaze saw the shadow behind her but then there was that scent... so familiar. He stood and made his way over just as the Alp put her hands up as if she wished to stop him from approaching only for him to shove her aside and peer out the doorway, through the dim flickering light of the candle lit hallway. A figure stood there cloaked in a black cloth with the hood drawn over the head which was tilted slightly down so the face was hidden from view.

"You returned..." he said to the figure there, reaching into the hood to grasp the person's chin. Lifting it the person reached up brushing back the hood. "...Siusan,"

"Not that I wanted to..." It was true... the Bruxa didn't want to be there; she hated him and wished only that the silver dagger could have killed him but only higher vampires can kill one another. All he got was something like a really bad paper cut. But after what had happened; seeing her friend being hurt by him she made a choice she had to so she could protect Kiko from another round of Demose's brutal anger which next time could result in her death.

Now she stood there, forcing herself to be just so Kiko's life would not be in danger. She only left though once the young mage had returned to the city of Vengerberg safely. Siusan couldn't even tell her where she was going for she dared not to. But if this was the torment she had to endure for the safety of a new and valued friend than so be it; she would do it...

Demose gained a victorious smirk on his face that Siusan wished so much to slap off as his hand curled around the back of her head drawing her closer to his face just before his smirk turned into a warning snarl. "If you ever leave me again, I will not hesitate to kill you and that witch you call a 'friend'," Siusan's clenched fists were so tight she felt like her disguised human like nails would soon pierce her skin. Demose wrenched her head back harshly with a growl. "Am I understood?!"

"Yes, I understand..." She relented, letting her fists unclench slowly as she forced herself to calm down. Demose's lips returned to the smirk again as he turned, hand still upon the back of her head entangled within her hair pulling her with before he'd toss her into his quarters. He pulled his shirt off tossing it aside just as he'd laugh, slamming the door shut behind him...