So close. The smell of the blood was making his senses sharpen to the point of pain, filling him with an intense sort of energy, a rush of adrenaline that wouldn't fade easily. Not to kill something would be a travesty. He forced himself to take a deep breath, but the smell of that blood was so maddening. He knew that most of the other revelers could sense it, the way he was tensing up, the barely repressed desire, right underneath the surface, close enough to break free if someone didn't know to stay away.
He had been sent to deliver a message to Nicnevin, but that could wait. Everything could wait at this point. He didn't get like this often, but when he did it was almost incapacitating. He bit his own tongue to relieve just a little of the need that was overwhelming him, shivering as the taste of his own blood seemed to calm the fire just enough to make it tolerable, but the pain only seemed to intensify his senses.
His body tensed reflexively as another intentionally brushed against it, He felt hands stroke his hair, his neck. He moaned softly. The contact was unbearable. Everything was spinning by now. No time for games tonight.
He had her down before she knew he had moved. He straddled her, his long, powerful legs strong enough to pin her to the ground, to keep her from moving. He jerked her head back, revealing her throat.
"Now you must give me what you offered."
He took her quickly, not bothering to tease her first. Slick, hot, wet, pounding. Then that silence, relief, exhaustion settling in, like a fever breaking.
He left her body where it was. He smirked as he realized how messy he hadn't been; even in his state, he had managed not to get a drop on him. Such an efficient killing machine. But he had been sated for the night.
That message...What had it been again? He couldn't think; the relief that had come from the kill had made his thoughts start to run more slowly. But outwardly, no one would know that he had been affected. He seemed his usual cold, calm self.
Gradually the haze diminished, and by the time he reached Nicnevin, his head was clear. She was speaking to her plaything just then, teasing him about some mortal he was acquainted with, encouraging him to use her for the Tithe. Little did she know, the girl was no mortal: She was the changeling Nephamael had spoken to Silarial about, and to top it all off, she was the poor fool's new interest! All the more amusing to watch him conduct her to her own sacrifice. All this was just too enjoyable, really.
In fact, there she was now, watching with a kind of rapt fascination. So she had discovered it for herself, that she was not what she seemed. It was a bit annoying, actually, to find that she had already removed the human glamour. He would have to put another one on her soon enough. He might as well go and talk to her now. Just as he was about to do so, a voice came from behind him.
"Ah, Nephamael, just where I expected to find you."
He turned to find that the voice addressing him came from Mabry, a woman from the Seelie Court he had been conspiring with. Silarial had been greatly interested by his proposal, and had wished to use the opportunity to rule the Unseelie Court through him. Perhaps she meant to get him out of the way when the job was done, but he would not allow that to happen. He could kill her so easily, and once he managed to get the throne from Nicnevin, he would be sure to do so while he had the chance.
Mabry was loyal to Silarial, or at least she appeared to be. It was far more likely that she had her own motives. He knew not to trust her, and she would have been very unwise to trust him, but for now their alliance was working out quite nicely.
"I come with a message from Silarial, although I am under the impression that she simply wants me away from her. Not that I mind. Not in the least."
"I came to speak to you. There is--" She barely got the chance to speak before she was cut off.
"Nephamael" It seemed that Nicnevin was done with her toy for now, and had turned her attention to him.
"Later," he said to Mabry, and approached Nicnevin, kneeling to kiss the hem of her gown.
"Rise, Nephamael. I understand that you are here with a message for me."
Nephamael rose to his feet, unable to repress the grin that leapt onto his face at the thought of his private joke on the Queen of the Night Court. He hoped she wouldn't take notice of his unusually high spirits.
"This is the message my Lady would have you hear. My Lady said that although there is a truce in the matter of war, she wonders at the matter of mortal influence. She has some favorites that cross your borders and seeks a means of giving them safe passage through your lands. I am told to await your reply. She did not seem to think I need hurry back. I must confess it is good to be home in time for the Tithe."
"Is that all she said?" Was that suspicion he detected in her tone? Was it really that obvious he was keeping something from her?
"Indeed," he replied smoothly, "although one of the Queen's courtiers begged me to ask after her brother. It seems that she hasn't had any news from him since he joined your court. A sweet thing, that girl. Very long white hair--one could almost wind a leash of it if one was so inclined. She looks very like the knight you just spoke with,' he purred, smiling again predatorily as he thought of Ethine and the pleasure her sweet fear had brought. "She wants to know why you never use him as a messenger."
"It is good to have you home, Nephamael." She too smiled, and the warmth, even fondness in her tone surprised and pleased him. "Perhaps you can help my knight acquire our sacrifice."
"It would be my honor. In fact, I think I have heard of a very suitable candidate indeed. She is already acquainted with a member of your court." His gaze flickered to Roiben, who was in some corner threatening that pixie girl, or at least appearing to. There was nothing truly threatening about him, really. Just a pawn in the games of a sadistic queen.
"Listening in on our conversation, were you? Yes, he seems to be very interested in that girl. Did you hear the way he spoke of her? You know how I love to torment him. It makes her all the more suitable, don't you think?"
Nephamael nodded, but his attention was already elsewhere. He spotted a human boy, who looked as if he had been drinking things a human body shouldn't be digesting. He was even somewhat pretty, in a vulnerable sort of way that most humans couldn't see. A way that made Nephamael want to play with him a bit. Perhaps he would, once Nicnevin was done with him...