Damascus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He turned and glared at Kyrian. His eyes were entirely red from the blood hunger. His throat ached. Cyris turned towards them as well. her eyes were pure ice blue with tinges of red here and there. She was hungry to, but not as much as Damascus. "What now?" her growled. Cyris cocked her head, gazing at Kyrian. She turned to Damascus. "Can I play with him?" She asked in a completely 4 year old innocent voice. A smile touched Damascus's lips. "Sure sweetheart." he said, stepping back. Cyris turned back to Kyrian and sauntered into a crouch, grinning, revealing pure white fangs.

Feeling movement beside him Kyrian held his palm up in a halt motion, effectively stopping Adrik from doing whatever he had planned. His pale, pale blue eyes took in every crisp detail; Adrik’s clenching fists, Damascus’s slight tremble, and Cyri’s emotionless stare. Kyrian cocked his head to the side; his indigo braid fell over his shoulder, as he studied who he thought was his lover.

Her skin seemed paler than before in the setting sun. The fading hues of crimson and gold cast flaming red, orange streaks threw her silky hair. Lazily, Kyrian’s Siberian blue eyes looked from her delicate toes, up to her slender waist, and finally into the sweet heart shaped face. Nothing there seemed the same. Brooding lips replaced Cyri’s half-smirking smile, narrow eyebrows pulled together in an angry line, and her once expressive eyes were cold as ice.

Kyrian realized that he was slowly shutting down. He hadn’t noticed that during his scrutiny of Cyri that his skin had began to run cold. But now that it had his attention, Kyrian knew what he looked like; death. Limbs became numb, mind refused to accept, and his soul left.

Do not give up just yet! Gritting his teeth, Kyrian steeled his gaze onto Cyri’s. He felt his skin itch where his knew tattoo lie on his should, arm, and chest. I can call my power, he thought in wonder. The knowledge had come to him so simply it astounded him. I will save you Cyri. And he prayed to a long forgotten God that he could. That he would.

“I am not a plaything,” Kyrian finally growled. “I will not hold you attention for a short while, and be tossed aside like a trashed, broken toy, Cyri.” Her name whispered from his lips; it was an order, it was a symbol. His nostrils flared as an unknown beast stirred deep inside of him. It demanded ownership of this female in such a primal way that Kyrian couldn’t comprehend. But he did know that Cyri would come back to him, not Cyris.

OoC: Lol, Mare!~ I'll have Zephyra come and break them out of their little time problem.

Cursing herself a fool the whole way back to the horse, Zephyra slapped at leaves, broke branches, and kicked pebbles. As her bare foot hit a sharp, large rock she let out a cry of pain and lifted the leg to cradle the hurt toe while she bounced on her other leg. Hitting a patch of mud, Zephyra’s foot slipped out from under her and with no arms to catch her fall, her tender bottom hit the ground. “Uff!” she squeaked, as she quickly got up and dusted off her rump. Grumbling, “Way to go,” she continued down the disturbed undergrowth with a little more respect, as in no more hitting or kicking.

The forest seemed to breathe around her: owls hooting, mice scampering, insects humming. Even the breeze that always found its way to the forest whispered in her ears, singing songs of delight that made her toes curl and crooning doom that had her skin crawling. As she turned in another bend, her feet aching, Zephyra wanted to whimper but stopped herself short. Finally! The little, dank cabin was in sight and she could rest at last.

Brilliant rays of pure gold, startling orange, and deep reds filled the sky like a mourning battle field, yet it was so beautiful. A soft whicker came from behind the cabin and Zephyra couldn’t stop the sweet, childlike smile from spreading across her face. Gracefully jogging around the corner, she peeked like a timid infant only to be greeted by a gorgeous mare bobbing her head in delight. “Oh, Alell, how are you?” Zephyra coed as she rubbed underneath the wealth of Alell’s thick forelock. The mare closed her eyes and nickered again, obviously enjoying the attention. Placing a loving kiss on Alell’s velvet soft nose, Zephyra untied the tether that she that held her to the cabin.

Leading her around the cabin two times, Zephyra finally found where the tack was stashed. Even though she didn’t need the tack to ride, she wanted them incase of another emergency. Using her hands as a brush, as she often did, Zephyra groomed Alell’s hide until it shown with health. Dusting the blanket off, Zephyra gently placed it on the ebony mare. Next came the saddle, which she had to tickle Alell’s tummy to get the girth tightened. Contemplating the bridle, Zephyra toyed with the heavy bit. Gazing fondly up at Alell, she whispered, “I don’t think you need this, do you girl?” Slinging it over her back, Zephyra put her left foot in the cold stirrup, and artfully swung onto Alell’s back. Bracing her right hand on the pommel so that she wouldn’t plunk on Alell’s back, Zephyra patted her when she didn’t ever swish her tail. “Wonderful!” She praised with affection. Gently pressing her calf against Alell’s sides Zephyra cued her forward.

A few minutes later, too soon for Zephyra, the barn was in full view. It was really something else for having no repairs in over fifty years, if she were to judge its age. But what do I know about barns, she thought, it could be older. I have no clue. Leaning back, deep into the seat of the saddle, Alell halted. Absentmindedly, Zephyra patted Alell’s sleek neck. “Thank you for the safe ride,” she murmured tenderly. “I love you.” Deep in her heart Zephyra knew it was true. She loved Alell like she did Kyrian. Animals were just that much easier to handle than humans or vampires.

"Hello?" a familiar voice awoke Trinity from her daydreaming. She immediately stood up and dropped the piece of hay that she had been absently toying with. As it fell softly to the ground, Trinity saw who the voice belonged to. 

"Zephyra!" she exclaimed.

OOC: Brainfail. xD Oh well.  

Feeling skittish about the warming welcome, Zephyra looked down at her feet with a small, shy smile. Tugging on Alell’s reins, just a bit, the little mare followed her happily into the barn. Choosing the stall where she had slumbered, Zephyra tied Alell up, loosened her girth, and patted her on the neck before exiting the stall, so Alell could cool off. Her stomach ached with hunger but regret was just behind. Why did I think it would be better to leave them, she wondered bitterly. Looking into Silent’s crimson, expecting eyes her gut threatened to be sick. I’m such a selfish coward. Her deep sapphire eyes shone with remorse, so she looked at her bare toes. “I left them to find Cyri,” Zephyra blurted out pointedly. No reason to beat around the bush. “Lyora stayed with Adrik and Kyrian.” With the only hopeful news that she bared, Zephyra swiftly added, “I left when they had a trail, though. They headed straight for them.” Zephyra knew she would have been extra baggage that would have just added to the risk of casualty. Maybe it wasn’t so bad for me to leave, but she also knew that was her minds defense for being a whelp.

::Meanwhile::

Hands loosely hanging at his sides, back ramrod straight, Kyrian looked like a gentleman waiting at a door, but the situation was entirely different. His broad shoulders held strength that only comes with long years of manual labor, and his arms were not bulky, bulging decorations but corded, lethal weapons. Kyrian’s chest tapered into a lean waist, down to strong legs. His feet shoulder width apart, perfect for bracing, looked relaxed but easily agile.

As Cyri lunged for him, he waited her out. When her soft skin hit him like a steel rod in the side, which he knew all too well, and Kyrian grunted. He stumbled back two strides, but refused to go down as she nimbly danced away. Watching her with his calculating crystal blue hawk eyes, Kyrian adjusted his stance, and waited her out again. His need to possess her raging within more fiercely than before. 

He watched her calmly, though, as her eyes flickered with forgotten emotions, and she cried out in frustration, rage, and pain. The pain Cyri held in her body language concerned Kyrian, but he didn’t dare *censored*ess it too much because, in the wild, that was a sign of weakness. And she is thinking in a beastly form. He knew this for fact. Cyri was always continually calculating like he, but this new version relied heavily on instinct. She is learning that this will not work with me, he thought smugly. Though, one look at Damascus riled Kyrian up like an adolescent wolf.

The hair on the back of his neck rose, he clenched his fists, bared his teeth, and growled deep in his throat. His stance completely dominate, Kyrian took a step toward Damascus before it fazed him that he was acting foolishly. He would wait out the other male, just as he had with Cyri. I won’t was my energy striking first. Kyrian had learned as a slave that being the first one hit was not always so bad; in most cases, it had saved his life. So Kyrian decided he wouldn’t goad Cyri but taunt Damascus instead. “What’s wrong, Damascus, you can’t hit as well as Cyri?” He sneered with a foul curl of his lips, “I don’t think you can even fight. You wanted Cyri because she would protect you. What a sick leech, he can’t even show his fangs.” His eyes narrowed to slits as wrinkled his nose distastefully.

What Damascus said was true, but Kyrian knew that Cyri wasn’t in herself, something was terribly wrong with her. Kyrian couldn’t even understand what was happening, really. Everything was moving too quickly, and a new understanding only caused more confusion. Thoughts muddled his mind. If I hurt Damascus, will Cyri hurt as well? Will she become herself again if I kill him? Can I commit an ultimate evil and kill the vampire, even if it’s for the better? Kyrian prided himself with his control, but even it was slipping steadily away.

He couldn’t understand his feelings. As a slave he had been beaten, belittled, and thought of as filth. So never had Kyrian tried for trust and companionship, but with Cyri things just fit together. They began small, little excursions and hunting trips, and he couldn’t even remember when it had become a necessity for him to have her by his side. With his collected ways, Kyrian had held her at bay, but lately she had opened doors in his heart that had never been there before. She touched him in places that were cold and frozen, and Cyri had made them yielding and warm. At first he had fought tooth and nail to keep those tidal waves at arms length, but she was so persistent and gentle that he knew he was becoming tame.

Tame? He chuckled with malice, not caring that no one knew his inner thoughts. Like a leopard could become a house cat, like I would ever be predictable. Suddenly, it hit him. What if Cyri wasn’t the same anymore, or ever again? Had he lost her? As the body of his once friend keened in wanton, Kyrian hated that she had become what they most feared. But to die and have a new heart beat your life blood through your veins, are you really the same person? Whole and complete, unchanged. If Cyris holds Cyri’s memories, body, and tired soul, does that make her the same?

OoC: Oh, fyi, Kyrian isn't giving up. Just having a little bit of issues. I don't really understand what's going on with Cyri so I'm at a bump in the road. I don't really know what to do, so I'm just chilling with Adrik. ::gives a wicked smile::