A/N: Hope that last chapter got you interested in this story because if it didn't I'm doomed. I'd also like to say I hope all my stories have their own unique feel to them because if all I do is rewrite the same story in different words, all I'm doing is getting better at copying me. No more rambling, I hope you all enjoy the next chapter.
I own nothing, good day Sir! Or Miss.
Title: Dancing With the Fool of Death
Chapter Four: Burning
(Wilderness near Solitude)
Sin woke first his instincts kicking in hard. Opening his rusted steel eyes, he eyed the sinking sun and drew a deep breath; it was nearly an hour before dawn. Looking down at the sleeping face of his mate Sin found a small bit of strength.
"Wake up my Keeper, we must go now." Sin whispers gently shaking the jester awake. Cicero opens his amber eyes in confusion when he sees the day has not ended.
"But Listener…" Cicero begins his voice low with worry; Sin just presses a finger against his lips shaking his head.
"Cicero, my old Master has found me, we need to get to the sanctuary, and we need to get there now. The extra hour this would give us will be useful. I'll be carrying you and we'll be sprinting over the wilds toward the black door. It's slightly longer, but well worth the pain since the escape route from the sanctuary has no way to seal, it would best stay hidden. I don't want any more of my family destroyed. If they get to the black door I'll meet them and they'll regret the day they decided to turn me." Sin's eyes had bleed glowing crimson, his fangs lengthened and his body screamed with primal energy and ripples of old magical power washed over him. Cicero felt awe bloom through him, he could practically see the power Sin held in his hands, and it was vast.
"Listener you'll get hurt." Cicero couldn't help the small whine, and Sin just let a chuckle rumble from deep within him. He kissed his Keeper with heated passion. He stood and pulled Cicero with him. He crouched and swept Cicero up into his arms bridle style. Cicero had let out a squeak and Sin was now laughing full heartedly. Cicero relaxed and reveled in the sound, loving the feel of the rumble in Sin's chest.
"It would be a small price to pay in order to keep you and the rest of the Brotherhood safe." Sin whispered to his Keeper, kissing him one last time Sin took a deep breath kept his head down and ran into the light of the day. He had to bite his tongue to keep his scream of pain silent. Sin knew his choice would suck but he didn't realize how badly it would hurt.
"Whult!" Sin shouted the word for sprint his body shooting forward at an amazing speed. Cicero sucked in a breath of surprise, and Sin chuckled. The hour before sun set seemed to last an eternity for the Vampire, but for Cicero it felt like the blink of an eye.
Sin stumbled to a stop leaning against a tree, they were nearly there a few more miles, but he wasn't sure he could make it; his whole body felt as if it were still burning. He'd been using Whirlwind Sprint every chance he got but still he felt like hadn't gotten far enough; it felt like the Coven was right on their heels. Cicero leaned close to him, worry clearly shown in the way the Jester flinted about.
"Listener, oh Listener…." Cicero muttered as he danced about his nerves not allowing him a moment of stillness. Sin reached out and grabbed the dancing Jester forcing him to be still. He kissed his mate trying to ease the concern and fear rolling off the other man.
"I'm fine, see? I've healed myself the damage isn't gone but it's eased." Sin whispered scooping up his Keeper before running on into the night using his shouting ability to move faster over the snowy tundra. They couldn't reach the Dwawnstar sanctuary soon enough for Sin. Shadowmere, neighed and trotted up to them as they approached. Sin put his Jester down on his feet gently, reaching out and stroking the velvet muzzle of the black beauty.
"Shadowmere, you need to go, there are people coming they would cause this place harm, and that would include you." Sin murmured to the horse. Shadowmere snorted and shook his massive head, his red eyes meeting Sin's with no fear.
"Fine, come into the sanctuary then." Sin muttered taking the massive horse's reigns, guiding him to the door Cicero following the Vampire and horse. Sin whispered the answer to the door's riddle and guided the mountain of a horse down into the torture room. Other assassins poured into the room, Nazier at their head having seen the scorched skin on Sin's face and the Jester flittering nervously around the Vampire.
"What happened?" Nazier asked, staying in the door way keeping the initiates and Babette at bay. Sin looked over at them a cruel smile on his lips. For everything had happened, oh the irony of this whole contract did not escape him.
"The person I was contacted to kill was my old Master," Sin laughed at the look of shock then confusion swam across Nazir's dark face, "Yes and guess who contracted the set up?" Sin asked, suddenly bursting into hysteric laughter, he collapsed to his knees still chuckling as if it were the most amusing thought he'd had in a century. Cicero was flitting about the room whimpering about strange nonsense only he and Sin could understand at the moment. Sin looked up at Nazier, his eyes flashing in a way that screamed anger; he suddenly seemed more animal than they had ever seen him.
"Who smells like her!? Which one of you bastards knew!?" Sin storms up past Nazier already knowing the Redguard did not stink of the Coven. Nazier's scent was sand and sun scorched rocks mingled with the blood of unfortunate fools. He looked at the three initiates; there were twin brothers and an older solitary female. She was the one that reeked of them. Sin felt his rage bubble up and he lunged. Nazier grabbed him before he could tackle the traitor to the ground and rip her to pieces.
"Let me go! She reeks of them, a traitor deserves no protection!" Sin jerked and Nazier fell back away from him, hitting the wall hard, the air rushing from the old warrior's lungs. Cicero dashed forward sliding into the way of Sin.
"Cicero the tenets state nothing of traitors having protection, move." Sin's eyes were blazing crimson, his fangs long, sharp and glistening in the torch light. His crimson eyes were not focused on Cicero but the shaking traitor behind him. Sin wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around the girl's neck and squeeze the life from her. Cicero stood his ground, not letting the traitor leave, but also keeping Sin from killing her.
"Finding her secret is first, then death it will be for her." Cicero stated his body language screaming anxiety and determination. He held his eyes level with Sin's. The vampire's eyes flashed with animalistic rage, but he snarled and turned, his hand flicking back, red tendrils shooting from his fingertips and wrapping around the traitors throat. She began struggling as Sin dragged her into the torture room by his magic.
Nazier stood shakily, Cicero helping him up then slipping into the torture room after the incensed vampire. Nazier stumbled after the jester, almost falling to his knees as power rolled from the vampire and crashed into him as if the power were tangible. Sin had the traitor in a pair of shackles a glowing rod of heated metal in one hand, glowing flames in the other.
"Tell me what you've told them, or I'll make you beg for death before the end." Sin hissed his eyes glowing with a fierce crimson. Shadowmere was on the other side of the room tossing his head as if annoyed by all the commotion. Sin shook with repressed rage and the shadows near him seemed to shift and fold within themselves in anticipation of his anger.
"I told them only that you were our listener, I didn't think it would cause-"Sin took the white hot rod and slammed it into her side causing her to scream. He shook even more the rage flowing off him with the almost solid waves of power.
"Not cause harm!? You fool you lie! You stink of them! The only reason would be if you are one of them!" Sin's rant had spittle fling from his lips as his white knuckle grip on the glowing metal rod tightening further. He pressed it to her side the same one he'd hit, the burning metal burning and warping her armor until it a charred hole appeared and the burning skin met the heat and began to burn and char. She began to scream in earnest, Cicero touched Sin's shoulder, getting the vampire to relent and wretch away the metal, ripping at the charred skin, smiling wickedly as the initiate's voice finally cracked.
"Tell the truth. What do they know?" Sin hissed his voice low as a growl rumbling from the depths of his chest. She just smiled her eyes glowing with a familiar insane glee. Sin snarled and his eyes flared impossibly brighter in his rage.
"They know you're here and how they can get here." She cackled until it was a strange whispery noise. Sin just stood in shock, he blinked and his rage swelled to the surface again. He took the rod and buried it into her chest with a shriek that shocked every one. The life bleed from the traitor's eyes, Sin so close he could tell you exactly how long it took for her last breath to leave her throat, which wasn't long.
"I've never seen such cruelty from you…" Sin blinked and his head twitched toward the voice meeting the sane eyes of his jester, who seemed intrigued, Sin suddenly felt sick. Looking away Sin pulled away dropping the now almost cool enough to touch rod, the smell of burnt flesh invading his nose and burning itself into his senses.
"I… I have no idea what that was…" Sin murmured his whole body shaking with the mix of strange emotion slamming into his mind from a million different directions. Cicero walked up, looped his arms around Sin's chest and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder.
"Yes you do, Sin." Cicero whispered his voice a low and quite purr, causing the vampire to shiver he nipped at the pale skin of Sin's neck before going on, "You just have to reach within yourself to see it, now command the ones still loyal to you. You are the Listener; guide the ones without ears." Cicero slipped back looking at the now completely still Listener. When Sin turned around one eyes was a mix of crimson and steely grey, the other had bleed to a beautiful amethyst.
"Listen all of you!" Sin's voice seemed amplified by strange power, the shadows that had writhed in the corner now snaked out and hovered about the Vampire, again appearing like wings fashioned out of a sliver of midnight, or maybe even a part of Sithis himself. Nazier straightened from the pained slouch he'd taken since being slammed into the wall as everyone else poured into the room eager to listen.
"The Coven I come from is coming. I know they seek nothing but blood and chaos. All of you go about the Sanctuary and prepare it for a siege. However, whatever you do, DO NOT leave this sanctuary's walls." Sin's mix colored eyes pierced every gaze and held it sending a signal about how important what he said was.
"What are you going to do Listener?" One of the twins asked, noticing the Listener's absence in the orders. Sin smiled having hoped someone would ask. The twin who'd asked seemed a bit hesitant now that Sin was smiling wickedly.
"I'm going to give them what they want. Blood. Their blood." Sin began laughing, a low deep rumble that resembled more a saber cat's purr. Sin's eyes blazed with a gleeful rage and excitement that bordered insanity. He suddenly felt a wave of his vampieric power wash through him and couldn't help the sudden chuckles that quickly escalated; he threw his head back and began laughing hysterically.
"I want to go with you." Cicero stated his arms crossed across his chest, hips cocked and eyes narrowed and meeting Sin's unflinching as the Vampire whipped around.
"No." Sin stated his black heart lurching in a painful way. His eyes pinned Cicero's who looked at Sin with a determined light flaring there like a flame. Sin's eyes only held a strange panic and pain. Sin felt his blood freeze, as thoughts of his Master getting hold of his Keeper filled his mind.
"Yes." Cicero hissed his eyes narrowing and flaming brighter, Sin felt his stomach twist. His breath quickened and he remembered the sick snap from his dream and his sanity plummeted. He wouldn't allow it!
"No! If he got a hold of you! Never! I won't let him!" Sin shrieked his eyes bleeding crimson. Sin's whole frame shook with violent shudders he was barely containing the animalistic instincts to grab Cicero and snarl at everything else. Cicero's eyes softened and he walked to his Listener.
"You know as well as I Sin that I will not let you face that darkness on your own. He's broken you once, I'll not allow that to happen again, and Sithis be damned if you think you can stop me." Cicero said looking the Vampire in his panicked crimson eyes not flinching from the insanity that clouded the surface, looking deeper at the man he knew hid within.
"He'll kill you, or worse!" Sin hissed his eyes darting about the room, as if expecting the old man to step from any of the shadows. The shadows that still clung to Sin writhed and whipped about as if in pain. Cicero looked Sin in the eyes and nodded.
"I know, but what would be worse? Me dyeing knowing I did my best to protect my Listener, or knowing I willingly let him die while I hid within walls of stone?" Cicero let the pain that caused him fill his eyes, his voice wavering near the end as the thought of losing his Sin hit him hard. Sin blinked seeing his Jester's pain, one eye clearing and slowly bleeding to a mix of deep purple, steel grey and crimson, one remaining pure purple.
"My love I meant you no pain, but if I lost you…" Sin trailed off shaking his head, the shadows seemed to wave like living water. They were responding to the Vampire's mood, and his overwhelming sadness made them drift like water and swirl around his feet instead of staying high and proud about his shoulders. Cicero let a hand come up to hold the side of Sin's face trying to coax the Vampire to look at him.
"My child I would not have guided you to her if I did not see you capable of defeating him, let your mate fully stand by your side. My dear Cicero deserves better than lurking in catacombs any longer." A voice rasped into Sin's mind, Sin eyes unfocused, cocking his head he listened as The Night Mother spoke to him. Sin's eyes closed he drew in a deep breath before he opened his eyes and wrapped his mates hand in his own.
"I'll let you join me. But love, please promise me one thing." Sin ignored all the others in the room drawing Cicero closer, he leaned closer, almost kissing his Jester but keeping a small distance, "That no matter what you'll retreat back into the sanctuary if I die." Sin looked into Cicero's eyes pleading desperately for the much younger and smaller man to agree.
"You know I'll fight by your side until a bitter end. If you die I'm dyeing with you, Sithis as my witness." Cicero answered his eyes showing a fierce protective light. Sin sighed nodding. He leaned down and kissed his mate, enjoying the familiar scent and taste he found in the gesture.
"As you wish it be. Just don't let them take you alive. I'd rather see death take you then those bustards." Sin whispered losing his grip around his mate, who nodded a grim look settling over his features. Sin slowly looked up and over at the other assassins in the room.
"You all know what to do. Oh, Nazier forgive me for throwing you into the wall, my rage was too thick to see through." Sin turned to the Redguard who shrugged but nodded. Babbette was studying him like some kind of experiment. Sin chose to ignore the little Vampire.
"Nothing to apologize for, you could have done worse in a state like that." Nazier states shrugging then wincing at the twang that emanated from his shoulder. Sin walked over his hands glowing gold as he mutters incantations under his breath to heal the ache and bruise he'd put on the warrior's shoulder.
"How is it now?" Sin asks pulling away from Nazier, still letting the gold glow swirl around his palm just incase the damage was worse than he'd guessed. Nazier rolled his shoulder grinning in satisfaction as the former pain doesn't reappear.
"Good as new." He states giving Sin a pat on the shoulder; he looked at the assassin twins who hung at the door in an unsure way, "Well? What are you waiting for? Get moving we have a Sanctuary to defend!" Nazier bellows shocking the initiates into action they quickly scrambled to go about fortifying the exits and grabbing weapons for the defense.
Sin takes a deep breath trying to strengthen his resolve to face the coven. Earlier the only reason he'd fought was because Cicero had been in danger. Now that they were safe in the sanctuary he wasn't feeling the same fight he had. In fact he felt the opposite, fear; he felt a great fear for his family, and himself. Cicero walked to his lover moving around to stand in front of him, he raised his hands to cup the vampires face.
"Why be so grim, love? You have the strength to do this, and more than enough power, I've seen it, and so have the others. Our Unholy Matron would not have chosen you if she did not think you could handle a coven of vampires." Cicero stated leaning up and kissing Sin, who responded immediately, wrapping his arms around the lithe man. They stayed that way a few moments taking comfort in each other's presence before Sin pulled back a little, a look of pain on his features.
"Maybe I could, if I knew to use my power better, and besides I couldn't even save my own Sister Cicero. Ralla was my light and life before I was turned. She was as pure as the mountain springs, as fair as any flower, and her voice was like that of what you'd expect from a being of the fae. She was the only family I had left after my mother and father were gone, and I failed her." Sin paused a moment Cicero felling a pang of jealousy, after all he didn't know Sin half as well as his sister had.
All Cicero knew had been painstakingly researched and slowly pried from the beautiful vampire who had been silent most of the time as an Assassin of the Brotherhood. Cicero looked into his lover's eyes, one still a shining amethyst the other a strange mix of grey, red and gem purple, were filled with a heart breaking pain and longing.
Cicero felt panicked thinking Sin might cry, Sin bilked the tears and pain away kissing his Keeper trying to show how much he cared through the one touch. Sin pulled back and continued pulling away from his mate slowly as if in a trance. His eyes were distant his eyes began to flicker about the room as if following a dancing phantom, his lips twitched up in a smile before he continued.
"She was always singing, laughing and dancing as if the world was still young and darkness was an unknown force. I'll never hear her sing again, never see her glide over grass barefoot like it was a lavish ballroom floor. I've missed her terribly since I saw the farm burnt down. Now it's like a hole has been rent in my heart and the ache refuses to leave, and it only seems to worsen. I miss her Cicero." Sin finished his eyes looking straight into the Jesters amber gaze, locking it in an unbreakable stare.
Cicero felt his breath leave him as he saw overwhelming loss and unimaginable anguish filled the tri colored eyes, the amethyst seemed to be glowing along with the crimson. As if responding to his inner turmoil the shadows fluttered around him like a starteled birds wings. Cicero crossed over to Sin who now stood directly in front of the door leading out of the torture room. He looked at Sin's breath taking eyes took a hand and guided to rest over his heart.
"I vow to you Sin that I will serve you, not like a Dark brother would his Listener, but as one would serve his lover." Cicero held Sin's trembling hand to his chest knowing full well the Vampire could easily sense the steady rhythm of his beating heart. Sin's eyes were wide in wonder, and a painfully obvious adoration and love shone from them as well, Cicero knew his face flushed slightly at seeing the love so clearly from his immortal lover, and then he slowly moved closer, pressing Sin back into the wall right of the door until only inches separated them.
"I vow as long as I am me, no matter if my heart beats or is frozen, I'll love you. I can't tell you when or if the pain of your sister's loss will lessen since I never had a true family but the Brotherhood and that is distinctly different, but I can promise I'll always do my best to help at least ease the pain in your heart so long as I'm allowed. I swear I'll do this because the only thing that could stop me is death himself." Cicero stopped his speech and kissed his Vampire melting into the now steady arms that wound around his wait, and shivering at feeling the pulsing shadows brush against him.
When Cicero pulled back for air Sin stood leaning into the wall a dazed look in his eyes, he looked at Cicero as if trying to find a fault that would make what had just happen less real, Cicero pouted and crossed his arms over his chest his gloved fingers twitching when Sin immediately responded with a slightly flustered low groan. Cicero grinned slyly having gotten the desired effect. Sin playfully lunged and grabbed his mate pulling the falsely struggling jester closer.
Kissing the man on the neck, where he so desperately wished he could leave a claim mark, the juncture of the shoulder and neck. This appeared to be a sensitive spot for the younger assassins as each time Sin played with the spot the Jester reasponded with soft moans or pleads for more, now though his Jester was trying to muffle the sounds and that just wouldn't do.
Without truly knowing how Sin pulled at the shadows around them and when the pulsing tendrils of inky blackness withdrew he stood in his room, right next to his fur pile that served as his bed. He didn't think; Sin was too focused on Cicero's lack of pleading to care much about the specifics of his shadows. Suddenly just as Sin had began straddling the blushing Jester in order to get at the bruising neck, which was so intoxicatingly close. a shrill scream echoed through the room, only slightly muffled by the shut door.
"Babbette." Sin whispered knowing the Vampire child's voice immediately, soon after Sin had pulled himself and his mate to their feet a bellow that was unmistakably from Nazier rang out, it was a battle cry. Sin responded more out of instinct than thought he slammed the door open drawing his twin enchanted ebony blades from their place on a weapons rack next to the door. Cicero drew his own two ebony daggers, feeling a dread settle in the pit of is stomach as he ran after his Listener.
A/N: You must all hate me with he cliff hangers… But hey most likely the next chapter will be up, since my net is still down I'll probably have it done by the time my net is restored so… I guess I'll be posting the next chap soon after this one or at the same time so I leave you all with hugs and cookies and all that fluff!
Emerald Out!
P.S: The text that was bold and italicized (Like this) was the Night Mother if you weren't sure.