Disclaimer: I do not own the Fable universe. Characters you do not recognize were created by me for the purposes of this story – they are mine. Rated M for a reason, dear readers, do not continue if adult topics (sex, violence, etc) could upset you. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! - Fallon.

Chapter Eleven

"A sin for him
Desire within, Desire within
A burning veil
For the bride too dear for him
A sin for him
Desire within, Desire within
Fall in love with your deep dark sin"

- "She Is My Sin" by Nightwish

Maya surveyed the ball room, hoping to spot Page amongst the dancing bodies.

She saw the rebel leader across the room, trying to deflect the advances of the man who had allowed them into the manor - Barry Hatch. He didn't seem to recognize Maya, but she suspected his memory was shaky from Reaver`s beatings and, of course, vast amounts of ale.

The room was dreadfully hot and she slipped out a side door and into a small garden so she could catch her breath. It was a misty night, and the cool, damp air felt heavenly on her skin. She had been looking over her shoulder from the first moment she stepped into the manor with Page, waiting for Reaver to pop out of no where and seize her. She feared he would see past her revealing outfit and mask and realize who she was.

She hoped Ben was right, that her...assets were distracting enough. There was a lot riding on her identity remaining secret.

"Fair maiden in the mist," a voice whispered seductively from the shadows behind her, "you are too...beautiful to be alone tonight."

She turned quickly and found him, "Master Reaver," she bowed, "you flatter me."

He stepped forward, his cane tapping the stone floor, "Hmm, "Carina", wasn't it?" His lips twisted into a wicked smirk.

Her heart sank, but she should have known no mask could hide her from him, "Couldn't tear myself away from you, I guess."

"You flatter me," he offered her his arm, "let us rejoin my guests...you owe me a dance, dear princess."

"I owe you nothing, Reaver." Except maybe a slug or two to the heart, she thought bitterly, if he had one that is.

He chuckled, "You infiltrated my party, my dear, I could have you slapped in irons...but I would rather see how light on your feet you really are."

She reluctantly took his arm and he lead her back into the ball room. His other guests were still dancing, but Maya sensed their eyes on her and she felt naked under their stares. She didn't see Page in the group, and she hoped the resistance leader was already on her way to freeing the prisoners. The night needed to end quickly, that much she knew.

"Someone on your mind, your highness?" Reaver teased as he pulled her into his arms.

She swallowed hard as his grip around her tightened, her breasts pressed wantonly against his chest, "You never are, that's for sure, Reaver."

His fingers ran up and down the laces on the back of her bodice, "I could change that, just come with me to my...private quarters. I could open your eyes."

Maya cringed, "I'd rather bed a hobbe!"

"Or a balverine?" Reaver teased, leaning in to whisper into her ear, "How is that special friend of yours, my dear?"

"I'd never touch him, and I would certainly never touch you!"

He gave a short, amused chuckle, "You are now..." His hand began to slip from her back, daring to venture downwards.

She tensed and quickly shot him a lethal glare, "Watch it, Reaver!"

Maya wanted to get away from him...and take a hot bath to rid her skin of his filthy touch. She had never met someone so determined in their sexual pursuits before and, though he was rather handsome, she could not believe any level-headed person would fall for his charms and hollow promises. But that had to be it, she supposed, Reaver attracted Albion`s desperate - men and woman alike.

"Hmm," he purred, "I would rather touch it..."

"You couldn't handle it, Reaver..." She whispered, trying to look over his shoulder to find Page.

Reaver leaned down and kissed her exposed neck, "You talk big for a virgin, Princess..."

She resisted the urge to push him away, knowing she had to hold his attention a little longer, "You don't know me."

But he was right of course. She had been trying to convince Elliot to consummate their love before he was killed, but all that came from her begging was heated kissing and heavy petting. It had left her feeling rather frustrated and unsatisfied, but in her nativity she was contented in knowing someday they would marry and he would finally love her completely. Of course, those hopes were now in tatters, and she was left holding the remainders of a complicated life. A life without her Elliot.

"I can tell, Princess," he licked her pale skin, "I've been around long enough to know when a young lady is...untouched."

"Pig -"

Reaver dipped her down, smiling as strands of her hair slipped free, "I could lavish so much on you, your highness..."

"Go to hell -"

He pulled her back up and held her flush to his body, "There is so much fight in you, so much spunk...we could have so much fun together!"

He was solid and warm against her, and she wanted far away from it. Over his shoulder, she saw Page, Kidd and a few other men sprinting down the twisting staircase. Guards hurried after them, weapons drawn, and Maya quickly pushed Reaver away - her job done.

Reaver didn't glance behind him to see what had caught her attention, as he already knew her reason for coming, "Despite my feelings for you, my dear, I'm afraid I can not make this daring escape easy for you."

She lifted her skirt and pulled her hidden dagger from the strap on her thigh, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Reaver."

Von stood outside one of the windows looking down on the tense situation the princess had gotten herself into.

He knew what Reaver`s other guests were, and was fairly certain Maya had no idea she was in a room with over two dozen balverines. He was sure that if she did know, she would not be as confident as she appeared to be.

"Stupid girl," he muttered.

If he didn't require answers from her, he would have left her to her fate. She was stubborn in her hate and he was tired of trying to earn some degree of trust from a woman so unwilling to bestow it. But the strange blue scar across his cheek still throbbed with energy, and he demanded answers - no matter what the cost.

The guests began to change into their true forms, and Von watched as Maya and the rebels jumped in surprise and hurried to take a defensive stance.

They had no chance, that he knew with some degree of certainty, and if he left, they would all surely die. And a part of him did want to leave, if only to punish her for striking him in the resistance headquarters. Perhaps a severe beating would provide her with the lesson she was in dire need of...

But the memory of her in the Bowerstone tavern, naked and wide-eyed in the bath, prompted him to stay.

Not because he desired her, but because in all the time he had known her that was the one time she appeared truly vulnerable. Stripped of her clothes and weapons, she looked nothing like the loud-mouthed princess he knew her to be. Instead, she appeared fragile and...soft.

Below, a few of the young, eager balverines leapt forward, jumping over Reaver with their claws spread.

Page drew her pistol and pumped off a few rounds while her men struggled to repel those nearest them. Maya was perhaps the most vulnerable, as he did not see a sword or rifle on her and was fairly certain she wasn't wearing her gauntlets. All she had was a dagger, not the best weapon for taking on a balverine.

He sighed, convinced now more than ever that she was out of her mind.

Having seen enough, and anxious to get his answers, Von stomped down hard on the window, shattering it with ease.

He drew his sword and stepped off the ledge, falling through the open window and entering the fray.

Maya grunted as a balverine tackled her and pinned her to the ground. It snarled and licked her face, its drool covering her neck. She scrambled to find her dagger, which she had foolishly dropped, and found it far from her reach.

She heard glass shatter from somewhere above and Page scream, but she could not make out what the woman said. Reaver was yelling too, but his voice just blended in with the rest of the commotion.

Panicked, Maya struggled to free herself, but the balverine had her pinned down firmly by the shoulders. It was so heavy that she feared its very weight would crush her.

She wished she hadn't hit Von, wished she hadn't yelled at Walter, wished...wished that she had saved Elliot when she had had the chance. There were so many things she wished she could change, but now she was going to die and it was going to be at the hands of a balverine.

The balverine leaned back and opened its jaw wide, readying itself to rip of her head with a single bite.

Maya closed her eyes and screamed.

Von reached her then, having sliced his way through the chaos, and leapt on the balverine`s back. His eyes wild with fury, Von punched his clawed fist through the balverine`s chest, sending a massive gush of blood onto Maya`s stomach. He growled and pulled it off of her with a jerk, tossing the limp beast to the side.

The other balverines in the room stopped their attacks and watched him, knowing exactly what and who he was. The Family was well known within the balverine community, and all knew of their leader Ezra, and his brother, Von. They knew the consequences of fighting him.

His arm coated in dark, thick blood, Von turned to them, teeth bared and eyes glowing. A primal bark rumbled from the back of his throat and the balverines fled the ball room in a mad dash to get far from the Kaiser brother.

The room emptied of balverines save himself, Von turned to face Reaver. He was trying to keep his true form at bay, but the presence of the deviant was making it especially difficult. The lashes from their last encounter were still healing, and Von wanted nothing more than to inflict some of his own.

Reaver laughed, "Come to save the day, Kaiser?"

Maya remained on the ground, her stomach covered in balverine blood, shocked beyond words that Von was standing before her.

He ignored the rebels and Maya, turning all of his rage toward Reaver, "I came to kill you, Reaver!" His shirt split down his back as his muscles twisted and grew, his balverine self threatening to break free.

Reaver drew his Dragonstomper, "I'd like to see you try," he taunted, "many have over the years, and none have even come close."

"You are a cockroach," Von snarled, "I will stomp you, Reaver, and enjoy every moment of it!"

His shirt in tatters, Von`s skin darkened and his bones snapped and mutated. His mohawk grew down his back and patches of hair spread across his shoulders.

Reaver fired and a bullet tore through the air.

Battered and bruised, Maya tried to stand, "Von!"

The blue scar across his cheek flared as the bullet touched his skin. It sent out a pulse of magical lightning that destroyed the bullet before it pierced his flesh. The lightning created a shock wave that sent Reaver flying. The deviant landed hard on his side and slid across the polished floor, ending up far away from them near the staircase.

Page and the rebels looked on in shock, having witnessed real damage be inflicted on the seemingly invincible man.

Von tentatively touched his cheek and looked back at Maya, "W-What have you done?"

Behind him, Reaver managed to stand and was trying to make his leave. Page led her men after them, leaving Maya and Von alone in the ball room.

"W-What have you done to me?" He asked, still startled from the blast of energy that had come from him.

"I-I really -"

He closed the distance between them and grabbed her arms, "Tell me!"

"I don't know! I swear I didn't intend for my gauntlet to be active when I struck you!" She was still in shock and didn't even seem to register that he was touching her. She looked into his eyes, and saw real fear there, "I-I'm sorry."

He shook his head and looked away from her, "H-How...how did this happen?"

She could tell he wasn't really asking her, that he was still in shock, but she needed to speak before she lost her nerve, "I'm sorry for hitting you and for -"

He let go of her arms and ran his fingers through his hair, "Stop!"

"W-What?"

He shook his hands, "Stop talking! You should be dead! Why would you come to Reaver`s manor without any weapons?"

"And you shouldn't be here."

Von backed away from her.

"Where you following me, Von?" Her tone wasn't angry, and it surprised him more than her actual question.

"If I didn't you'd be dead," he swallowed hard, "I needed answers." He gestured to his scar.

"I really don't know what happened -"

Running out of patience, his face contorted in anger, "Think! You have to know what this is!"

Page and the others returned, without Reaver, and eyed them strangely, having heard their raised voices.

Maya stepped forward, telling herself to forget he was a balverine, and touched his bloody arm, trying to offer some comfort.

And her touch was comforting, the tension in his body was lessening. The scar pulsed and he looked deep into her eyes.

Stop, he told himself, she's using her magic against you! That had to be it! The bizarre feelings, the scar...she was using some spell to control him.

He pulled away, not wanting to be subjected to her magic any longer.

He looked her up and down, the anger returning to him, "You look like a whore." He pushed past her and fled the manor, leaving her dumbfounded in the ball room.