The stars winked mischievously from the midnight-blue sky overhead and the sound of a far away engine made Renaissance Le Sang, Ancient Vampire, eye the distance with alerted eyes. Her more human-like form resurfaced; Pupils shrinking, talon and fangs retracting, cheeks gaining a natural brush of blush. It was incredible how well-evolved the Vampires had become over the years. There was a time where blending in with humans was impossible, those distinguishable features a constant as opposed to disguisable. Nothing discreet about canines of a wolf and pupils of a blood-thirsty shark. 

Lyselle struggled to find the words, the reality of what had just passed finally dawning on her. A twang of empathy played on the strings of Ren’s still heart. She watched the woman fumble with the many words she wanted to articulate, none of them coming to fruition. 

“[i]Lyselle…[/i]” Ren coaxed, her voice like a warm mug of cocoa on a cold day. She folded her arms across her corseted body, stroking her chin pensively with elegant digits. Her green and lilac eyes scanned the Huntress quizzically, trying to read every micro expression that passed over that beautiful face. 

“[b]He… must’ve… come looking for me when he realized I had left — looking for him[/b],” she managed.
“[b]I–… I didn’t mean for… this… whatever… this is… gods…”[/b]

Emotional turmoil came firing down their bond and Ren reeled at the IV of human emotion that was administered to her veins. As Lyselle began stammering about death and her mannerisms depicted real worry, Ren held up a hand abruptly. Signalling her to stop, the Ancient Vampiress used the last droplet of her blood magic and a quick murmur of an incantation to eradicate the last of the Repulsion Ward she’d cast earlier. With imperceptible speed, she closed the distance between the two of them.

Suddenly, their surroundings melted away and it was just them. Stood so close Ren could smell her blood type. She stared into her warm eyes, taking in every freckle, every crease in her skin. Each mark etched a story, a moment in time. The Ancient Vampire shook her head as if dismissing any more of Lyselle’s paranoid ramblings. This, she couldn’t abide. Still, the tether between them was flooded with anxiety. A rush of frantic concerns filled Ren’s mind and she imagined taking them all into the palm of her hand and squeezing them tight, crumbling them to dust. For a moment, which felt like an eternity, the vampire let the Huntress clog the bond with her fears. As if she were hearing them out, Ren let them come. 

[b]“the admiration,
the jealousy of her peers,
the quiet pride of being someone special,
the crushing weight of becoming a legend,
the lonely rooftops at sunrise and sunset —“[/b]

And then, after all of it had poured into her, Ren used her supernatural powers to envisage washing them all away like a spiritual cleanse.

[i]“They will not kill you,”[/i] Ren said firmly, stating it as an absolute made it sound final. [i]“And nor will I.”[/i] That second part came softer. The vampire let her reassurance caress Lyselle’s cheek, pinch the tip of her chin and lift it up. Slowly, like handling a mistreated animal, Ren lifted her hand and placed it on Lyselle’s toned shoulder.

[i]“Come with me,”[/i] Ren whispered gently. [i]“Let’s go someplace safe, just until we figure this ordeal out.”[/i]
Then, she reached out a hand down the mental bond and grasped at Lyselle the other end. This added layer of communication that had formed between them was like having a window into one another’s souls. Magical. Otherworldly. Fantastical. Like nothing the aged vampire had ever experienced before. Like nothing she’d ever seen, read or felt. And she’d been in love, once or twice. This was different. This was deeper than love, more consuming than hate. It was a need. A lifeline. Ren felt resurrected.