A drop till Death

[Nagi]

Arianna sat in her office chewing on the end of a pencil annoyed. "Jaqu! Get in here!" she called, knowing the man would hear her wherever he was.
Jaqu slid his way into her office closing the door behind him and plopping down in a chair. "Hmmm you seem grouchy, what do you need? A chew toy?" he motioned to her pencil
She glared at him and motioned for him to sit. "No.... Shut up." she said with a smile. "I have a job for you."
"Oooo a job? And what a great honor." he laughed watching her closely. "Alright, lay it on me" he smiled a toothy grin at her
She tossed him a file, and lounged back in her chair. "The orbs are coming back alive.... we need to watch the vamps, theirs coming back could make them more viscous. Keep an eye on them, be in contact. And if need be.... kill."
He looked over the file as he listened to her, noting which orbs were confirmed activated, he even noted that a few had already been deactivated. "Hmmm.... you want me to kill the vamps if the orb is active? Looks like someone is deactivating them, wonder if it's Chris." he said looking back up at her
"Most likely," she replied. "But no, only kill them if the orb starts altering their behavior... makes them attack without needing to actually feed.” She stood up, facing her window. "Jasper is your link to the vamps, and besides that she is a hybrid.... one who should not exist... keep an eye on her"
"You afraid that she may have issues dealing with both sides activating due to the 2 orbs her beasts’ link too? And what about you? Don’t you have an in with Mr. Head vamp?" he teased ever so slightly knowing he was already treading thin water with her
"Mr. Head vamp... as you so call him is not head vamp truly. Spyro was handed that duty long ago...." she twirled around and sat down again. "Just keep an eye on the vamps... you hate them... they are your territory to handle. Don't f it up."
He smiled at her and stood up. "Well I promise I won’t f it up, can’t say I won’t f something ....up." he winked reaching for the door, file tucked under his arm
She waved him off, turning back to her comp to work. In the club downtown, Jasper sat with Sam the bartender, organizing the drink roster for the pending night right around the corner. "Zae wants you to add more Bloodwyne, vamps have been getting hungry,” she said, swiveling in her bar stool.
"More Bloodwyne, got it, I’ll have one of the young boys run out and get more." Sam said jotting a note down in a book.......... "Well well aren’t we looking pretty as ever?" Jaqu whispered gently into Jasper’s ear as he snuck in behind her and into the seat next to her
Jasper smiled softly, turning around. "Why thank you kind sir." She said in a mockery of their past speaking style. "What’s up? Haven’t seen you in a while"
"Oh not too much, you know the random rogue vampire off doing things they shouldn’t against the laws, just my job ya know." he smiled motioning for just a glass of water from Sam
Sam passed the water down, and returned to his work, giving the two some space. "Hmmm still in a bad mood like you always seem to be in?" she asked, rising to move them away to the downstairs sparring room.
"nah not really in a bad mood, just a bit worn out with work, the same thing over and over after a few hundred years gets, well boring." he said as he laughed following her
"Don’t bitch now... you ARE the one who signed up for it... what with your deep hatred of vamps after all." She teased, settling down on the mats with her drink. "Why are you here though....really?"
"do I have to have a reason every time?" he asked a bit of a chill behind his words as he stripped his shirt off laying it by the door and did some stretching before sitting down to join her
"Of course you do." She replied just as icily. "You know you show up again in my life, tell me how much you can’t stand me, kiss me and make my boyfriend raging jealous then tell me you may kill me after all is said and done anyway.... yeah.... I always ask."
"Well that definitely sums up our current relationship." he chuckled watching her with a wary eye as he sipped his water. "Perhaps I’m turning a new leaf." he winked at her still watching her closely. He had learned not to let his guard down a long time ago, but he could feel his body wanting to be more normal with her like they had been when they were kids and he was fighting it tooth and nail
She smiled a bit and relaxed at his change of tone. "Jaqu.... it’s just.... seeing you still throws me off..." she said, looking down and sighing. "I thought about you a lot when I was taken and even after I had changed.... I thought I wouldn't see you again and... It’s just still weird." She said, smiling again. "It makes me think back to being a kid... even though I know I can’t be her again." With that she rose and cracked her neck. "Well since you are here, want to spar?"
He smiled listening to her. He knew how weird it must be for her, he had always known she was still around just never seeked her out fully, but her to think he had been a simple human and long gone to time must have really thrown her off her game. "Sure why not" he said smiling as he too stood up the glass of water vanishing
"No tricks, no kissing groping or grabbing. This is pure ass kicking only." She said grinning, throwing her hair into a high ponytail on the back of her head, before getting into a fighting stance.
"Mmm I can’t promise anything." he said smiling. He bounced on the balls of his feet loosening up his muscles before he too dropped into a fighting stance. He brought his hands up slightly and beckoned her on
"You can’t promise anything? What did we talk about last time?" She asked still crouched as she walked a circle around him. "I promised Zae that I wouldn't do anything with you ever again." She finished, diving for his feet suddenly.
"well I don't like to promise anything I...." he paused as he danced out her grip doing a back hand flip landing on her back with both feet.”...can’t be sure I can keep." he chuckled slightly
"and with our history...had I been you I wouldn't have promised a damned...." paused again as he lunged at her before phasing out and coming up behind her wrapping his arm around her neck and the other around her head twisting.”....thing."
She growled in annoyance as he easily out maneuvered her, and turned to attack him again, only finding her head painfully in his grip. She bit down hard on his arm and mentally said "Well I DID promise... and I won’t break it... unlike you who apparently doesn't think promises are worth a dam....“ After removing her fangs she slinked out of his head grip and spun around, hitting him square on the back of his neck with the flat of her hand.
as he watched the floor go flying under him as he flew across the room from the force of her hit he forced himself to roll over and ever so expertly touched his toes to the ground, in the same instance he lunged himself back at her catching the side of her head in his hand as he slammed it into the wall. "I do believe in promises, they mean everything to me, but I will not make one to simply make others happy or that I can't be sure I’ll be able to keep. When it comes to emotions I never make promises, because they can defy your intentions when you least expect and you have no control over when, where or how that occurs. best to keep my ass out of hot water." he said as he flung himself off of the wall flipping back and gently, effortlessly landing back on his toes
Blood dripped from his arm where she had bit him, pooling on the floor below his hand. He made no attempt to heal it, clean it or do anything about it. He could smell it but was too into the events taking place
Jasper reeled from the force of her head connecting with the ground, and slowly stood up shaking herself. "Emotions ARE unpredictable... there is no doubt,” She began eyeing his arm which was dripping. She stopped in midsentence and focused on it, her pupils dilating ever so slightly. She turned around suddenly, holding a hand to her head. "You should heal that..." she whispered, trying to not imagine the red blood dripping invitingly to her.
"In battle there is no time for such minor cuts. Now come on!" he called to her. Knowing she would probably not move on her own he attacked again. He positioned his knee in the center of her back forcing her once again into the wall before rebounding back again. "Besides you bit me, deal with it. To be able to fight you must be able to resist your urges for other things. Concentrate on the fight!!"
Jasper narrowed her eyes and growled again, digging her nails into the wall as he kneed her in the back. What was wrong with her? She never had issues with blood like this before.... She could feel her body responding to its call, and whirled around, golden eyes glowing intensely. Ignoring his shouts she dove for him, easily grabbing him be his left arm, bringing his wrist to her mouth and biting deeply on pressure points, drinking greedily. She kept screaming mentally at herself to stop... but it was futile... she couldn't....especially with his blood pouring into her, she knew he would resist, so she bit deeper, mixing in pleasure to distract him form the shock of suddenly being bitten by her.
He growled loudly at the pressure, at the pain, and at the pleasure. He was a bit shocked at how greedy she was being. His eyes began to glow ever so faintly a mixture of gold and silver as he felt his own life force giving into her. He couldn’t let her drain him. She had fed on him once and wasn’t sure why she suddenly wanted nothing but to drain him. Then he remembered Arianna's words and the file, 'has to be the orb' he thought to himself. He pushed every feeling outside of himself and reached down digging his nails into her neck ripping at her veins and pulled a chunk of her skin out. He gasped from the excursion, without his full energy he felt the busies, the pain, everything from the fight. He yanked his hand back as hard as he could, crying out as he felt her fangs tear his skin and his wrist break from the force. He placed a well-placed kick into her face sending them both sprawling back on the ground
She felt nothing except the life flowing into her, and disregarded the sudden bought of pain at the back of her neck as her prey clawed frantically at her to get her to release him. She bit harder until she felt a snap, and was flying through the air as a foot hit her square in the jaw. She remained on the ground, eyes slowly fading to their normal gold, a bit of his blood remaining on the corner of her mouth. After a moment she sat up and held her head "Jesus... that hurt... what the hell are you -" She stopped mid-sentence and covered her mouth, eyes wide. 'Oh my God... Jaqu! I-I I'm so sorry!" She said, standing up to face him. "I...I'm so sorry..." She whispered, kneeling back on the ground. "I don't know what came over me... are...are you ok?" She asked, glancing nervously towards him.
When his body hit the floor he had instinctively curled into a ball holding his broken wrist to him. He faintly heard her as he opened his eyes. He could hear nothing but his heart pounding in his ears. He felt his own blood draining from the wound covering his chest and the floor. He couldn’t hear her words but he knew what she had to be saying. He nodded a simple yes as he attempted to push himself up from the ground. His body ached everywhere and his wrist screamed at him, fire coursing through his wrist. He didn’t have the energy to heal it let alone close up his now profusely bleeding wound. He softly growled at himself as he found his body too weak to push himself up. He was overwhelmed at the smell of his own blood, now realizing what had probably set her off with the power of the orb backing her. His chest was warm from the constant flow. He gave into it all, the pain the fatigue and just let himself collapse back on the ground. His vision slowly fading at the edges to blackness.
"JAQU!!" She cried, seeing an image of the young boy for a moment as he fell back, slowly fading into unconsciousness. She ran to his side, ignoring the ample amount of blood and cradled him. "Jaqu! Jaqu!" She yelled, shaking him gently. She couldn't lose him....again...She had taken too much blood from him... he wasn't able to heal and his body was shutting down in order to function. Gritting her teeth against the pull of desire in her belly to drink and instead bit her tongue and leaned forward, kissing him deeply to send some of her life saving blood into his body. She knew he wouldn't want it, but it wouldn't be enough to turn him, just enough to heal the wounds close and to wake him up from his slumber.
He vaguely saw her move to him, vaguely felt her lift him. He saw her mouth move but couldn’t make out the words. Then she kissed him, he was shocked at first then realized she was desperately trying to save him. He tried to force himself to drink nothing of her, it wouldn’t be the first and he had a sinking feeling not the last either. His body didn’t respond to him at all and naturally his body accepted the life force she was giving. He felt the wound sealing up and cried out in pain as shattered wrist popped, cracked, and distorted back into place. At the last pop from his wrist he could take no more and gave into the darkness that surrounded him. He closed his eyes and let the sleep wash over him.
Jasper heard the sound of his bones moving, his aching body shuddered with pain as he began to heal, as predicted he resisted, but she kept her mouth thoroughly over his own until he had no choice but to drink. As he fell limp in her arms she pulled away and picked him up, easily holding his weight as she disappeared and appeared at her home she shared with Zae. Ignoring Zae, she passed him, holding Jaqu and entered their room, laying him in the coffin they both shared, running a soothing hand over his sweat covered forehead. "Sleep well, Jaqu... you will feel better in a bit..." She whispered with a soft smile, standing and gazing at him in the coffin as he rested.
Zae followed her slowly in their room. "Bringing home strays now?" he asked, venom hung on every word.
Jasper jumped slightly as she heard his voice... she had almost forgotten he was there. "No... I- I bit him... almost killed him I have to make sure he heals up again I couldn't just leave him to die." She said, narrowing her eyes in defiance of Zae’s voice which had put a chill in the already cool air.
"Why didn’t you drain him Jasper? It’s not like you to hold back. Especially with how enticing his blood smells. he is covered in it." his eyes gave way to a slight hint of desire but faded away quickly as he looked from the boy, who looked too perfect laying in the coffin, his skin pale like theirs, sleeping like the dead, back up to meet Jasper's eyes
Those eyes he met glared directly at him. "I stopped myself." She began "Because he is my friend... I won't kill Jaqu!" She cried, balling her hands into a fist. "I don't even know why I attacked him... and YOU won’t attack him either. He is not to be touched." She continued to glare at him; one hand balled in a fist, the other had reached out protectively to run over the boy's forehead.
Zae laughed at her. "Fine Jasper, I won’t touch you precious feeble friend. You may not kill him or want to kill him, but are you so sure he feels the same way? He is a Vampire Hunter Jasper, I promise you he is not what he appears as to you." he watched her closely, he knew exactly how she felt about the boy, and he honestly couldn’t blame her. "Perhaps you should just get it all out of your system. Go fuck him!" he called out to her as he turned walking out of the room
She stared at the retreating figure of Zae after he had screamed at her, and followed him in shock, reaching out to grab him with the hand she had used to touch Jaqu. "Zae... I... I don't want to sleep with him!" She said heatedly, gripping his arm so he couldn't retreat any further. "He is my friend is all... and if he tries to kill me... I told you... that will be it. It will be over. But he hasn't hurt me." She said softly, biting her lower lip. “I hurt him... there is nothing for you to be so angry about!!"
"I don’t even care anymore how you see him or what you want with or out of him. I just don’t care. Just don’t bring IT home with you!" he pointed towards the room where Jaqu lay
"Jaqu is not an IT! I brought him here to heal him, nothing else.... he is half dead! He won’t do anything here except lie there!" She screamed, gripping his arm again. "Zae... please... just... let me help him and I will take him away... I promise." She said, lowering her gaze. She was so emotional over Jaqu, she knew it... but it was her fault he had almost died... she had to make things right... even if Zae would be angry with her again.
"You should be more concerned about your own wellbeing!! And you can’t say he didn’t hurt you, have you even taken a moment to heal the gapping bleeding wound on your neck?!?! There are things stirring out there, bigger things than you or me or even HIM!! I can feel it, the pull, the orbs are waking up things are about to change" he glared at her flinging her hand off of him
She gaped at him and put a hand on the back of her neck, not having realized how hurt she was. "I know something is wrong.... I never attack like that... especially people I care about." She whispered, her golden eyes flashing once as her body healed itself. "But there is no need for you to get angry and yell at me! It was my fault and I am fixing it, a little gaping wound here or there is just fine for punishment after hurting an innocent" He added, glaring at him. "Stop being jealous and angry over nothing!!"
"I am not jealous Jasper; I really just don’t care anymore what you do with your time. We have both been around for a long time. There really is nothing to be jealous about, if things happen between you two then it happens, I really don’t honestly care. And he is no innocent, he is covered in bruises and I know you better than that, you would never....tenderize...your meals beforehand. You two must have been beating the shit out of each other. Look just do what you will." he walked away from her again. The tone in his voice had changed and was actually sincere. "I’m going to get myself dinner." and with that he disappeared
Jasper stared at the empty space in front of her, the hand which had held his arm holding nothing but air and sighed. He was much older than she, and there were times it showed.... this was one of them. Knowing he would return when he would, she went back to her room, approaching the coffin which she had put Jaqu in earlier. "Jaqu? Are you awake yet?"
Jaqu had curled up onto his side. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up her, his eyes glowed intensely a strange gold and silver mixture, she could tell he was still a bit groggy, and that his body hadn’t completely healed, his wrist was still a tiny bit purple. The bruises were gone though and the cut had sealed up nicely. "I....I appreciate the care, but the next time I want to find myself in a coffin I as sure as hell better be dead." he said as he sat up

[Kamryn]

ah they were so fun in the beginning. Jaqu has got his hand in everything.. a bit of Lark.. a bit of Jasper.. a bit of Arianna.. what;s next? LOL