-+Requiem+-

-+Chapter Four+-

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Arkaia awoke me when the sun was setting in the sky and I was a little annoyed that he had kept me asleep the whole day. It also frightened me a bit since there hadn’t been a thing I could do about it. I couldn’t even protest and that meant that I was at their mercy, perhaps without even the option of fighting, as superfluous as it may be.

I asked where we were he told me we were near a town called Drowry. I had never heard of the town before and had no idea where I was other than that we were on our way to the capital. It was a long journey there, or so I had heard, so we could really be anywhere at the moment. I didn’t particularly want to ask about it either.

The nightmares, I found, were extremely fast and we were passing things by so quickly that they blended together in a giant blur. And if that wasn’t strange enough, I also found that if I focused in on those blurs I could actually tell what they were and see them as clearly as if we were stationary. I shouldn’t have been able to, at least not as a human, and that only added on to the growing evidence that I had been changed.

No matter how much magic you saw, or even engaged in, it was hard to accept that you had changed species; that you were no longer human. I had obsessed over and licked the blood off of Infirite’s finger and now my senses were greatly enhanced from what they once were. It was hard to deny that I wasn’t the same person but I didn’t want to accept it either. I had no choice about it though and if I ever wanted to move foreword then I had to accept it; I had to accept that I was a vampire.

Arkaia slowed the nightmare down and I was finally able to relax my grip on the saddle horn, something I hadn’t even noticed I was doing, and un-plastered myself from the golden man’s chest. I could smell people in the distance and wondered why we were slowing down to a stop before we even got to them and asked.

“You gave off a rather impressive display of magic before we got to you. It’s only natural that people would be after you and we’re trying to avoid any suspicion.” How could I be the suspicious one amongst a group of vampires riding on nightmares? Oh yeah, I’m the ‘Blood Count’ or whatever…

I wasn’t ready to discredit Arkaia’s claim about that just yet, because I couldn’t, but I would eventually. They had to see that I wasn’t a religious icon or whatever they were making me out to be. I was no one special and I didn’t see how a change in my eye and hair color made that much of a difference to them.

“Magic?” I didn’t remember what had happened to me but I do know that there was magic involved, though how it had come from me I couldn’t understand. Were they mistaken in their assumption? I don’t have any magic, do I?

“The fire that destroyed your home came from you. You did not hurt anyone that wasn’t a threat to you, but you had no control. Even Infirite could not put it out.” I was the one who started the fire…? I tightened my grip on the saddle until I was crushing it, but I didn’t care. Did I kill my family?

“Your family was already dead before we arrived, before the house was consumed by flames. You did not kill them.” He pressed in close to me and I felt like lashing out at him though I wasn’t sure why. I was greatly relieved that I wasn’t responsible, at least not in that way, but I still wanted to know what had happened.

“How did they die?” I didn’t want to think about it but I had to know. Was it somehow my fault? Was my father to blame for it?

“Let’s start from the beginning.” We started walking off of the path and into the brush and trees surrounding it. I was more interested in Arkaia’s explanation than figuring out where we were going though.

“We were drawn to you by your display of magic; you’re more powerful than you realize.” He paused as the nightmare protested his lead. “There were a group of witches outside when we arrive and knew that they would not let you go without a fight. After dealing with them Infirite held off your flames and we were able to get to you. The smell of humans, hellhounds, a witch, and two demons were present; all dead save for you and the demons.”

“A witch?” I interrupted him, not caring that I was being rude. No one in my family was a witch, unless you included my father, but I had assumed he was included in with the ‘humans’ as I was.

“There was a witch in the basement, probably sent to eliminate the threat your father posed by summoning the demons. They were nothing more than ashes when we got there. Your father, though mutilated by the demons, was un-charred.” I wasn’t the one to kill my family then, and if my father had been killed by the demons then he hadn’t had time to kill my mother and little brother. Who killed them then? Was it the witch or the demons?

“Who killed them?” I was interested in how they got me out of there as well but not as much so as this. If someone else killed them then I could do something about it. I could find out why and how it had happened. Then maybe I could forgive my self and not be haunted by all of my mistakes.

“The witch, most likely, since the hellhounds would not have attacked without being commanded. The demon’s scent was only present in the basement.” Why would they kill my family? Why my mother and little brother? They had done nothing wrong!

“When eliminating a threat it required that the whole family be killed so there is no one left to seek revenge. That is the job of a hunter or assassin.” So they were killed because my father was a threat? I understood the ‘logic’ behind their methods but still I hated them for it. Because of them my family was killed. If not for that ‘logic’ then my mother and my little brother would still be alive!

Arkaia took my hands in his and gently pried them from the nearly destroyed saddle horn. There were cuts on my fingers from gripping the crushed and torn leather but I felt nothing. There was no pain, only anger.

“Your magic was reacting to the pain and danger you were in. The only way to stop you was to stop the pain. I’ve blocked your pain receptors until you and your magic have healed. You must be careful not to hurt yourself.” That explained a few things but did nothing to calm me down. I didn’t know what I’d do when I found the people responsible for my family’s death, but I knew I needed to be stronger. And the only way to become stronger was to listen to these people and learn all I could from them.

“How do you use that telepathy?” I could tell Arkaia was thrown off by my question from the way he shifted behind me but I didn’t care. I knew that I realistically couldn’t learn everything I needed to know without a lot of time and work but if I was a vampire then I had all the time I needed. That didn’t mean I shouldn’t learn what I could as soon as possible, that is.

“It’s a projection of your thoughts into someone else’s mind. Focus on the person you wish to speak to, but only those who are willing to listen will hear you. Though, if you’re strong enough, you can force your thoughts in.” I assumed that that also went the other way, that if I was strong enough I could forcefully read others thoughts as well. That could come in handy.

I tried projecting my thoughts as Arkaia had told me but there was no response to it. Obviously that meant it didn’t work but it’s not like I expected it to on the first try. Maybe I was trying too hard or something.

I tried thinking about it logically and realized that thinking about it in the human way probably wasn’t the best way to go. As a human I wanted to forcefully try and push my thoughts away from me but as a vampire…I didn’t know what to think. A vampire wouldn’t have any trouble with this, at least not a born one, and that gave me an idea. A vampire wouldn’t have any trouble with this because it’s natural to them. They wouldn’t have to try because it occurs naturally.

Using that theory I stopped trying so hard and spoke to Arkaia in my mind as though I speaking to him out loud. It was easier than I thought it would be.

“I want to find the people who had my family killed. I don’t care how long it takes.” I took my hands out of his and licked away the blood but it didn’t taste as good as Infirite’s. The wounds were already healed. “I need to be stronger.”

“Then we will help you, but you must not do anything rash. It will only get you killed and I will not allow you to put yourself in such a situation.” He wanted to control me then. It made sense if I was a Blood Count and could be usable to him. I didn’t like the thought of being controlled or used but if it allowed me to get what I wanted then I could tolerate it.

I didn’t respond to him and Arkaia didn’t comment on it, though I had a suspicion that he wouldn’t tolerate this for long. It made me a bit apprehensive about it but I wasn’t going to give in. Not now at least.

After a minute or two of traveling off of the road we stopped as soon as we were hidden by the brush and trees and Arkaia and Infirite dismounted. Arkaia’s expression was hard to read and I couldn’t tell if he was upset with me or not. I suppose I would be if the person I had saved made me think they were going to run off and get themselves killed by doing something stupid.

I was a little guilty about that but the knowledge that Arkaia had turned me without my permission cancelled it out. I wasn’t equipped to survive in a world inhabited by vampires as a human, hell I was barely able to handle the hellhounds, but that didn’t give them the right to kill me and change my species.

Infirite picked Ikuma up off of the saddle and set him down against one of the trees before attending to his nightmare. Ikuma was asleep, which explained the silence, but he wasn’t the one I was interested in anyway. The way Infirite moved, the way his hair shown in the fading light, it was all fascinating to me. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.

“Crimson.” I glanced at Arkaia and let him help me off of the nightmare as my eyes automatically sought out Infirite again. I remembered what Ikuma had told me, that Infirite was a cambion and that I was drawn to him because of it, but I just couldn’t help myself. He was beautiful.

I couldn’t believe I was thinking such things about a guy, but I was. He really was beautiful too. Beautiful in a way that a human could never be and I couldn’t help but imagine him naked as well.

Once I was on the ground Infirite turned to me and stared. I could see the fire in his eyes, quite literally too, and they drew me in. I wanted him.

“Crimson.” Arkaia’s voice distracted me again and turned to him and stumbled back slightly in surprise as a saddle was shoved into my hands. There was a warning look in his eyes and I knew that he knew what I was thinking. I blushed at being caught and ducked my head to avoid his gaze. The sound of equipment being moved let me know that Infirite and gone back to unpacking and I meekly followed Arkaia’s directions as for what to do with the saddle.

Placing it over one of the low hanging branches of the tree Ikuma was placed against, I tried to ignore Infirite and the urges I had for him. It was a bit easier to do once Ikuma started stirring and I could focus my attention on him. He was cute, in a childish way like Scarlett was, and I smiled slightly as he gave off a big yawn and stretched so hard he almost fell over.

“Crimson, help Infirite set up camp. Ikuma and I will take care of the nightmares and firewood.” Arkaia came and picked up Ikuma before placing him back on one of the nightmares, leaving him to cling to its mane so he wouldn’t fall off.

“Hey, I’m an injured man, you know! And yet here you go slinging me around like a piece of meat—and you expect me to do hard labor!” Ikuma wailed and swung around dangerously, much to Arkaia’s annoyance.

“You’ll only be carrying things. Now sit still.” Taking the nightmares, now devoid of saddles and gear, he disappeared back into the brush with Ikuma still complaining. I shifted nervously and glanced at Infirite who was already unpacking one of the tents. Perhaps leaving me alone with Infirite wasn’t the best thing Arkaia could have done.

I couldn’t just stand here though, and do nothing while Infirite did all of the work. The problem was that I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. I had never been camping before and I doubted I’d be able to put a tent or anything else together without constant direction. That meant I’d have to talk to him and be close to him. And to think I used to wonder if I even had a libido…

Infirite turned to me as I got closer and handed me several thin, plastic rods before telling me what to do with them. I’m glad he did otherwise I wouldn’t have known what they were for. Who the heck came up with shoving rods through tiny holes in order to keep a tent up anyway?

In any case, the activity kept me occupied so I wasn’t completely focused on Infirite and the way the moved. He was graceful in an unnatural way, like a vampire I supposed. Arkaia was the same and probably Ikuma as well if he was capable of moving at the moment.

I didn’t think I was graceful at all, at least not anything like them, but then again I was never very good at observing myself. I was always too busy watching my father and trying to figure out what he’d do next. The closest I came to observing myself was when I had to watch what I did and said in order to not set him off.

Once setting up camp started to get easier my mind started to wander again and I wanted to start up a conversation with Infirite if only to get rid of the awkward silence that followed. The only problem was that I didn’t know what to say. I was never very good at keeping up a conversation either.

That problem was solved as I shivered suddenly and my gums started to ache in a weird way. I wasn’t sure why that was but I was pretty certain it wasn’t a good thing. How could it be when I was a vampire?

I tried to ignore it though, but the sensation only increased. It was a slow moving thing but I could still feel it and for some reason I didn’t want Infirite to know about it. The last thing I needed was for him to think there was something else that was wrong with me.

Pushing the last of the stakes into the ground I turned to Infirite and watched as he made a make shift fire pit. My eyes were automatically drawn to his ass as he bent over and I couldn’t help but wish that he was wearing more revealing clothing. I was really becoming obsessed with him.

The sudden scent of blood immediately caught my attention and I took a step towards Infirite before I could stop myself. He had pricked his finger on the sharp edge of a rock and his blood was calling to me like a siren from one of those fables, though maybe they weren’t exactly fables anymore.

A presence in my mind was pressuring me to go after that blood but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to be some kind of monster that couldn’t control himself. It was hard though, very hard.

Infirite brought his hand up to lick off the blood and before I could watch him do it that presence pulled me back and my mind went blank.


-+Nightshade+-


I had Infirite down on the ground on his back before he could react to me. The temperature in the area rose sharply but as soon as Infirite processed that it was only me it dropped just as suddenly as it had risen. I took his hand in mine and licked off the remnants of blood, inhaling the sweet scent it left behind.

I was hungry and if my other half was unwilling to sate our thirst then I would have to do it for us. I would not allow his foolishness to interfere with out health and sanity. There being two of us already, there were enough problems as it was.

“You should have told me you were hungry.” Infirite looked beautiful beneath me, his hair spread out behind him shinning with unnatural flames. He turned his head to the side, keeping his eyes on me and exposing his pale neck.

“Feed from me.” I intended to and he way he invited me turned me on. Leaning over him I inhaled his scent and licked a path down his neck. His skin tasted salty but it only added to his exoticness.

Finally I sunk my fangs in and Infirite moaned quietly in response. The scent he normally carried increased around him until that and his blood were the only things I could smell. It was intoxicating, that scent, and I wanted more of it, more of him, and I intended to get it.

Shifting from my position I moved until I was on all fours above him, my fangs still embedded in his neck as I drained his blood, and moved my hand to the waistband of his pants. He shifted beneath me but couldn’t do much while he was still feeding me.

“Crimson, what are you doing?” He may protest but I knew he liked it. I could already smell the scent of arousal on him and loved that he was so easily turned on. I wanted more of it though and palmed his cock through the fabric of his pants in order to produce more of the scent.

“Crimson.” He was growing hard beneath my touch and I inhaled deeply, sinking my fangs in even more. Infirite writhed beneath me and submitted to my touch as I impatiently unbuttoned his pants and slipped my hand inside. Gasping he clung to me and automatically spread his legs, unashamed.

He was used to submitting then, probably to Arkaia, and I found it intriguing that he was willing to do it for me as well. Just what services had he provided our ‘master’? That didn’t matter at the moment though, and I focused my attention back on what I was doing.

Wrapping my fingers around his cock I stroked him and his fingers tightened the hold they had on the back of my shirt. The little moans he tried to hide turned me on even more and I did my best to pull them out of him. If anything they made his blood taste even sweeter.

“More…Give me more.” I felt the prick of sharp nails on my back as I withdrew my fangs and licked the wounds until they healed. He moved them to the front of my shirt and started unbuttoning it even as hips thrust towards my hand. His nails had turned into claws, black and elongated, and I could see his fangs as he leaned foreword and licked a line up my neck.

I kept stroking him and let him play with my chest as he exposed it. I hadn’t had sex before but I definitely wouldn’t mind having it with Infirite. He was beautiful and with the way he was touching me I could tell he wanted it too.

“Crimson.” I growled at the interruption and turned to glare at Arkaia as he returned the look. Ikuma was wide eyed in arms before he burst out laughing and buried his face in his arms on Arkaia’s shoulder to stifle himself. I couldn’t help but snarl at him for it.

Beneath me Infirite protested at my having stopped and squeezed my hand around him before also snarling at Arkaia in such a way that reminded me of a predator protecting its kill. I suppose I was just that since he was a cambion and therefore fed off of sex.

I kept eye contact with Arkaia as I went back to pleasuring Infirite and his eyes narrowed. I needed him in order to make myself stronger but that didn’t mean I would ever forget or forgive what he had done to me. One of his conditions was basically my submission but I would not be so easily dominated. I’d make work for it if he wanted me and if molesting Infirite was one way to piss him off then I’d gladly keep doing it.

Infirite moaned and his hips thrust upward. Hell, I’d keep doing it even if it was exactly what Arkaia wanted. Infirite was hot and I’d be damned if I gave him up willingly.

There was tattoo on Infirite’s neck, a ring of barbed wire that wrapped around it, and without knowing why I licked it. It felt like the right thing to do in order to spite Arkaia and it sent Infirite arching off the ground. His hands tightened and gripped my upper arms and as I bit down on that tattoo he shuddered and came.

The sticky fluid covered my hand and the smell of his cum intoxicated my senses. Before I could do anything more I was lifted off of him and set on the ground a few feet away from him and wasn’t even able to strike out at Arkaia before he moved away. Infirite was helped up onto shaking feet and soon after pulled away from Arkaia and darted off though the trees toward the river I could hear nearby.

My Sire turned back to me and I met his eyes, unashamed, as I licked Infirite’s cum off of my fingers. I was hard from Infirite’s scent and his groping and I didn’t try to hide it. Let them see how he had affected me, I didn’t care.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone with him. Not while you obviously lack self control.” I glared at him in annoyance. I didn’t fuck Infirite like I wanted to and to me that was a definite show of control. His scent made it hard to think and how anyone could deny him for long was beyond me.

“Infirite has no control over his cambion instincts while he’s in heat. He’ll fuck anyone who can get him in the mood and he hates it. Taking advantage of him will win you no affection.” It wasn’t affection I was looking for, it had been food, but I did realize upsetting my food source and potential lover wasn’t the best idea either. It seemed I would have sweeten him up when I had the chance, though Arkaia seemed to be out to thwart me on that.

“You have a lot to learn and your insubordination will not be tolerated.” I didn’t like being threatened by him but I wasn’t strong enough to take him on. My magic and my body had yet to fully heal.

“And you call me the untrustworthy one.” Ikuma was sitting a few feet away from me, attempting to break the mood by joking and Arkaia stared at him for a moment before allowing it to happen.

I crossed my legs and stayed where I was. I swear that I will have my revenge on him as well as those who killed my family. No matter how long it takes.

“I will never consider you my Master.” Arkaia narrowed his eyes at me again and I grew tired of dealing with him. I had served my purpose by keeping my body fed and now my other half could deal with this bastard before I lost my patience with him.


-+Crimson+-


The next thing I knew I was sitting on the ground before the golden man with Ikuma beside me. Infirite was nowhere in sight but his scent was everywhere and I blushed when I discovered that I was covered in it and that I was hard.

“W-what happened?” Arkaia had his eyes narrowed at me like I had done something wrong and I was confused as hell as to what was going on. How did I get here? When the hell they get back—and where is Infirite?

Arkaia’s expression softened slightly and I shifted uncomfortably under their stares and with the fact that they knew I was hard. The golden man came closer and knelt down beside me as if preparing me for something and I grew apprehensive. Nothing they had told me thus far had been good news so whatever he was about to say now couldn’t be much better.

“Crimson, you have multiple personalities. There is another persona that takes control at times. We call him Nightshade and he is why you are in the state you’re in.” Multiple personalities? How the hell could I have multiple personalities?!

“What happened?” I repeated, not yet capable of processing what he had told me. It was conceivable since I had moved without remembering how or when I had done it, but it was still hard to grasp.

“Nightshade fed off of Infirite and molested him.” I molested him? Nightshade molested him? My head was spinning and I didn’t know what to think anymore. I wanted to say I couldn’t possibly have done it but I couldn’t remember and therefore couldn’t truthfully deny it.

A chunk of time was missing from my mind and I had apparently done things I had absolutely no memory of. The way my body was reacting and the scents that were around me let me know it was truth and I couldn’t deny the strange things that were and had happened. It scared me and I wanted nothing more that for someone to fix it—to fix me.

“How do I fix this…?” If things such as vampires existed while hellhounds and demons could be summoned by a crazy man, then certainly they could fix me, couldn’t they?

“I do not know, but there may be someone who can help you at the capital. My brother will know what to do.” It was a relief to know that there was someone who might be able to fix me but it was still a lot to take in. There’s another person in my mind that can take over at any time?

I remember the presence that was there but I didn’t think it was an actual person or persona. It was protective of me, I could feel that, but I thought that it was a weird manifestation of vampire instinct or something like that. I didn’t know anything about vampires but it had seemed possible that that was the case.

Knowing that there actually was something wrong with me…I didn’t know what to think. Having multiple personalities makes me a crazy person, doesn’t it? How am I supposed to deal with this when I have no control over when this other persona takes over or what he does? He already molested Infirite and drank his blood…

I felt guilty for what my other persona had done, even though I had been thinking of doing the same thing just before he took over, and knew I had to apologize to him as soon as he returned. I—Nightshade—had almost raped him and I couldn’t forgive myself for that. I would never normally do such a thing and my lack of control scared me. What will he do the next time they’re alone together?

“Infirite will understand. He’s not as fragile as you think.” How he knew what I was thinking about I didn’t know but it made me suddenly paranoid that he was intruding into my thoughts and reading my mind. I was hopeful about Infirite though, that he’d forgive me, but I wasn’t sure that I even deserved his forgiveness. Nightshade is me, isn’t he? I’m responsible for what he does.

How was I supposed to view this? Nightshade is another persona of mine which makes him a part of me, doesn’t it? Doesn’t that mean that he’s doing the things I’d do—or at least the things I wanted to do? A side of me that isn’t restricted by the same things I am…I didn’t know what he—or I—were capable of. What will he do next?

“Neither are you.” I looked up and watched his hand as he petted my cheek and hair. I felt hostile towards him but the emotion wasn’t coming from me—it was coming from Nightshade. Does he know something I don’t?

“Arky, when are you going to change my bandages?” Ikuma whined and Arkaia turned to take care of him, first placing the firewood they had brought back into the fireplace that hadn’t been there before. I tried to ignore that fact and looked around for where the nightmares were. I found them nearby, their halters tied to a tree, and stared at them as I tried to get my thoughts organized.

Ikuma’s whining soon distracted me though and I couldn’t help but watch as Arkaia removed the last of his bandages. His legs were worse off than I had thought they were and I winced in sympathy at the pain I imagined he must in. He didn’t show it though, letting me know in a subtle way that he wasn’t as young and helpless as he looked. It was a bit strange that he still looked like a child though and I was curious as to why that was, but I didn’t ask since I didn’t know them that well and asking it might seem insulting and intrusive.

He got those wounds in the fire I created, didn’t he? Then really, this is my fault as well. I wanted to do something to help him but there was nothing I could do. I didn’t know enough about being a vampire to even think of a way to help him other than giving him blood and I was sure he was taking care of that on his own. Or at least with Arkaia’s help.

Kneeling in front of Ikuma, Arkaia gently took his leg and licked a portion of the burns. Ikuma winced at the feel of his tongue and I wondered just what he heck he was doing. Was this some weird sort of healing ritual? Ikuma caught me staring and answered that question for me.

“Vampire’s saliva contains healing properties, though I should have been able to heal on my own…” Staring at his legs I had the strange urge to do the same as Arkaia was doing and wondered if it was my vampire instinct. It didn’t feel like Nightshade as far as I knew and this instinct, just like the other one, was hard to ignore. The problem was that it would be weird if I just went and joined them, but I just couldn’t risk Nightshade taking over again.

Life is just one drama after another, isn’t it? Getting on my knees I fidgeted for a moment before I finally forced myself to crawl closer. I could feel their attention turn onto me but I kept focused on his legs and before I could even think about what I was doing I was taking his leg from Arkaia and licking it like some sort of deranged cat.

What the hell’s wrong with me? …No, what the hell isn’t wrong with me?! It was as though I feel every blood cell in his body. No, maybe feel wasn’t the right word for it. I could sense them as though they were a part of me and they called out to me just as something in me called out to them.

The burns on Ikuma’s legs had unhealthy cells in them, destroyed, and they needed new blood in order to heal but something was blocking them. Looking deeper I saw the blockage as a manifestation in my mind; a manifestation of fire and that fire was deeply familiar to me. It was my fire and reaching in I called it back to me.

Now with the blockage gone I called the blood foreword to heal the wounds and a part of me went to join it. The burns were now healing before my very eyes and when they were done I pulled myself back and broke off my connection with Ikuma’s blood.

Sitting back I continued to stare and wondered what the hell I had just done. I had healed Ikuma who wasn’t able to heal on his own and I had no idea how or even why I had done it. How…?

I let go of Ikuma’s leg and back away from him. Just what the hell is happening with me?

“Awesome!” Ikuma felt all over his legs and moved them experimentally. When no pain evidentially occurred he turned to me and grinned.

“You can lick me anytime, man.” Winking at me he tried to stand up and walk around, ignoring Arkaia’s concerned protests. I was glad that I had been able to help him and had made up for the pain I had caused him but I was still confused as hell as to how I had done it.

“How did I…?” Arkaia turned to look at me, halfway keeping an eye on Ikuma as he ran around like a little kid. I wasn’t sure if I could handle having something else being wrong with me at the moment.

“You are a Blood Count, it’s only natural for you to be able to control blood, though I must admit I didn’t expect for you to be able to do so this soon. Thank you, for healing Ikuma.” It was more than controlling blood but I didn’t tell him that. I wasn’t even sure if I believed it myself and since I couldn’t put into words what had happened then how was I supposed to tell him about it? I can’t be a Blood Count.

It was too much too soon and I didn’t want to accept it as the truth. I couldn’t handle being a vampire, a Blood Count, and having multiple personalities all at the same time. And being a religious figure head apparently comes with being a Blood Count…

Just what else would I have to deal with because of my hair and eyes? What feats would they expect me to perform? And I still didn’t understand how they had changed in the first place…

The slight rustling of the bushes caught my attention just as Infirite walked through them. He looked calm and collected like he had always been and it was a bit strange for me to see him like that. I had expected him to…well I wasn’t sure what I had expected, but it wasn’t this.

I looked away from him when he caught my eye, ashamed of what Nightshade had done. I could hear Arkaia walk over to him as Ikuma continued to run around and assumed they were having a telepathic communication of some sort. Before I could even think of saying something or apologizing I was attacked from behind and nearly jumped out of my skin as Ikuma threw his arms around my neck, giggling madly.

“He’s not mad at you, you know; he’d have set you on fire if he was. He can’t help the scent his gives off but he also knows that those who react to it can’t help themselves either.” I put my hand automatically on the arms around my neck so he wouldn’t choke me and leaned away as he weirdly licked my ear.

“Don’t think on it.” That was Infirite’s voice and I jerked my head up to look at him but he wasn’t looking at me. Instead he was staring at the fire pit a few feet away and I jumped a bit when it suddenly burst into flames. Ikuma’s comment made sense now; Infirite could control fire.

“Get some sleep, tomorrow will be a long day.” Arkaia was speaking to all of us but he was looking at me. What will the morning bring? Ikuma giggled in my ear and I knew it couldn’t be good.

Just how much longer until we reach the capital?

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Talltree-san: Thanks for the review!