MaeB

Bloodbound & Broken

There it was, the door into Lyselle’s being, a small wooden door with a heavy set black iron knocker. Renaissance stood outside, waiting patiently for it to swing open and let her in. She wanted so desperately to feel out the human’s inner workings, to understand each and every dark corner of her mind. To be able to hold candlelight to the darkened thoughts, the hidden memories, the secrets she kept. Ren gently caressed the back of her Huntresses head, grabbing fistfuls of her thick hair and tugging ever-so-gently, continuing to plant little seeds of kisses along the length of her neck. The vampire’s razor sharp fangs were still grazing Lyselle’s skin, adding sharp points of pressure whilst Ren waited for the door to her soul to open wide.

“Please… come in…”

With a groaning creak, that wooden door swung open. Ren sped over the threshold and began to touch all she could find. As if in a museum, with ancient artefacts on display podiums, the ancient vampire handled each and every one. These were Lyselle’s deepest fantasy’s, her darkest facets hidden from the world. Protected here, locked away, for just Ren’s eyes. The human emotions were so fragile, so easily shattered if the appropriate care was not taken.

Here in this room, Ren would find Lyselle’s struggle to feel accepted. Her desperation to be protected. The pressures of the Vigil, the incessant push of her abilities. Her desire to be restrained, to worship, to submit. It was a feast for the ancient vampire. A veritable buffet of Lyselle’s subconscious and conscious mind! She continued to graze from the spread, indulging in all this knowing, all this knowledge. The touch of a vampire in your soul was a chilling feeling. Humans knew when their minds had been entered, like when they knew they’d picked up a germ and gotten sick. If you’ve ever heard a bump in the night from downstairs when you’ve been tucked up in bed, that horror of contemplating whether your house had been broken into, that is what it is to have a Vampire enter inwardly.

Just as she felt she could be sick with all she had consumed, Ren ground to a halt mid inspection of Lyselle’s emotions. Something was horribly wrong. A chill shot down Ren’s spine and she froze in place, awaiting the next indication of danger. The hair on her arms prickled and stood to attention as she closed her eyes to concentrate on the niggle that came from her gut. There it was, the tingle of her palms, the warning that a fledgling was attempting to make contact. Renaissance glanced round at all of Lys, strewn across this room for inspection, and made a mental note to return here soon. She still had so much to lean, so much to explore within her Huntress.

But something was tugging at her, calling for her attention. Somewhat begrudgingly, the vampire returned to her body and stepped back from Lyselle’s slowly. Her body language was that of someone who was being followed down a dark alleyway. Her gut stung with the knowledge that something was unfolding that required her intervention. Prying herself from Lyselle’s body took all her will and she sombrely eyed the beautiful human with a warning gaze which she hoped served as some sort of explanation.

Palms still tingling, Renaissance quickly decided the easiest way to get to the bottom of this sudden intrusion of danger was to cast some Blood magic. She didn’t have the time nor the headspace for hypothesis. After all, she’d just been in the pits of Lyselle’s soul, enjoying indulging in her innermost workings. How dare this come at such an inappropriate time!

“Something’s wrong, Lys” Ren said hoarsely, unsheathing her talon and pressing it into her fingertip. “I can receive messaging from my fledglings, some of them, if they’re in danger. Like some kind of motherly instinct…” Trailing off, the vampire held out the bleeding digit and began hurriedly whispering incantations. A singular droplet of blood detached from Ren’s finger and plummeted to the floor, making a little splash as it met the floorboards.
“And whatever this is, whatever’s putting this fledgling in danger, is a bigger threat than she can handle herself- I just need to find out what that is.”

Blood magic flowed through her, the spell beginning to make shape. As it formed, became whole, the ancient vampire closed her eyes to focus her energy on the incantation. She compelled for her power to show her, show her the reason for the cry of help. Palms still tingling, the only giveaway of Ren’s concern was a short, sharp intake of breath. The image of her fledgling, middle aged, crouched in a woodland about 20 minutes flight from Belle View blasted into view. Eyes rolling back, Ren scanned the vision for more information.

Thick woodland. Greyed skies. Misty landscape. Panicked breaths. Cold ground. Dirtied hands. Aching feet. Sweat beading. A dark figure. Another. Looming. Chasing. Pursuit. Hunter and prey. Snarling. Snapping jaws. Thick fur. Beady eyes. Howling.

Two werewolves had hunted her fledgling for hours through the woods and they’d finally caught her up. They were within reach and the young vampire could no longer go on. They’d wounded her already and she didn’t have the strength to push past the pain. So, in a bid of desperation, the fledgling had cried out for her mother, her sire. She’d begged her for safety. And Renaissance Le Sang had been forced to exit the soul of her bonded human to hear the cries.

Explaining what she’d seen, Ren eyed Lyselle carefully. She watched for signs of understanding, signs of encouragement. Not every sire had the same guilty conscience as Ren. She couldn’t just leave her young fledgling to fight off not just one, but two werewolves. Plus, the mutts were Ren’s favourite beast to slay.

Looking for Story tellers!

You had me at Breakfast Club…

I’ve got a real craving for a lil slice of life… With a heavy sprinkle of substance!

I’ve got 1 main RP, which I adore, and have enough free time to take on another. Feel free to have a gander if you want a sample of my post lengths/writing style/general vibe.

Tbh, I feel really aligned with your initial post. Let’s strike up conversation and see if we can flesh something exciting out? Drop me a PM if you’re still looking for a new RP partner, I’m a willing volunteer.

Looking to blow off some steam and build writing skills

Welcome to the Guild, Ribeye! Happy to have you.

I’m fairly newly returned to the Guild and I too have a busy RL schedule. My posts are still regular, especially my RP I’m super interested in, but the less pressure the better.

I’d be interested in exploring the ex-warrior / flower shop owner saga. Something about the extraordinary VS the ordinary is interesting… Feel free to PM if you want to discuss further!

Or not, either way… Happy RPing!

Bloodbound & Broken

“I could look at Ren for hours and never tire of the sight…”

Lyselle’s soft, dulcet tones tinkered down the bond, her inner voice coming to life in Renaissance’s mind. The sentiment sent a shiver down the Vampire’s spine as she revelled in Lyselle’s admiration. To be seen, by her, was like light after dark. She was suddenly struck by the realisation that she wanted to be everything this human needed her to be. Whatever that was, she’d simply be it. She felt the gentle caress of reassurance that all of her own paranoia, her worry that seeing her feed was undesirable, was ready to be discarded. She could set aside that passing feeling of weakness, of insecurity that her very essence and instinct that she couldn’t help, may deter this beautiful Human from staying.

“Where else would I be? Where else would I... want... to be?” This time, Lyselle’s reassurance came out loud. A voice as soft as morning dew on glass, it crept up Ren’s arms and left goosebumps in its wake. There was something so beautifully grounding about this humans demure demeanour; The way she spoke softly, hesitantly, as if she was never quite sure what words were going to follow one another. The way she let out little sighs between sentiments, carefully feeling them out like wrapped gifts at Christmas.

Tears rippled in Lyselle’s eyes. There was no trace of sadness in the bond, but it compelled Renaissance nonetheless. She broke their physical silence by placing both hands either side of Lyselle’s dainty face. Cradling her cheeks in each palm, Ren looked on at her bonded human with an almost maternal adoration. To feel so touched by this feeling that it summoned tears was another example of this Huntress’ sweet nature. And it stirred a protective instinct in the vampire that made her want to wrap her up and keep her right behind her rib cage where her heart used to beat.

“I d-didn’t—”

The denial was not of the dream. No, Ren knew that she’d entered Lyselle’s subconscious and played there for a while. She didn’t need to confirm nor deny that… This was a denial of something else, something she couldn’t quite vocalise. As if encouraging her to keep talking, Ren gently caressed Lyselle’s cheekbones with her thumbs. Both of them softly brushing either side of her face, in sync, like soothing a newborn.

And then, it shifted again. Like the strike of a match, a flame of adrenaline lit the bond. And as if it were following a winding trail of fuel, the spark ignited and began travelling down the bond in a hot, desperate plea.

The sting of fangs at her neck.
Wet lips sealing around the wound.
Heat. Breath. Pleasure.
Bodies entwined.
Kisses stained with blood.
A shuddering release shared between them.

An involuntary low, animalistic growl rumbled in Renaissance’s throat. Simultaneously, she heard Lyselle whine at the thought. The bond, by now, was up in flames. They caught the curtains, climbed up to the rooftop and engulfed the Loft in a passionate blaze. The heat that filled them both was enough to relight the fire that had now dulled to smokey ash in the Loft fireplace and Renaissance closed her eyes to submit to it all. She let it wash over her, from head to toe, making her heavy with longing. Her knees felt laden with the responsibility of holding her upright, threatening to give out if she held back much longer. And when Lyselle leant forward, her body also beginning to waiver with the pressures of restraint, that was all the permission Ren needed.

Chin tilted, the Huntress offered her jugular in the most subtle signal. The Ancient, taken by the familiarity of this stance, one that typically ended with blood passing her lips, instead succumbed to a different hunger this time. She craned her neck, leant in, her dark curls falling to frame her face… And pressed her plump, slick lips against Lyselle’s exposed neck. As Ren’s lips connected with the Human’s skin, the bond was ablaze with a ferocious roar. She pressed them harder, deeper into the kiss, inhaling Lyselle’s scent. The smell of her flesh, rosy and floral with residual perfume, flooded the Vampire’s flared nostrils. Another thunderous growl reverberated in the vampire’s throat as she pulled Lyselle’s face closer to her still. Deepening the angle, Ren moved one hand to the back of Lyselle’s head, fingers threading through her feather-soft hair. She pulled her closer again, closing that gap between their bodies.

At every point, they were touching. Knee to knee, hips to hips, stomach to stomach, chest to chest. So close they became one, curved together like the letter “S.” Ren’s lips gently worked into another kiss on the Huntress’ neck, this time further towards her angular jaw. She enjoyed the differing textures of Lyselle’s skin, thinner and more vulnerable here than her fleshy neck. That tempting scent of blood pulsing just beneath the surface made Ren’s tongue gently slide from between her lips. She placed it against the humans skin, tastebuds erupting with Lyselle’s signature scent and a hint of salt from sweat. Trailing her tongue up, up to the Huntress’ ear lobe, her fangs shot from her gums. The sharp points of her fangs dragged along the skin’s surface, not enough to break through, but enough to leave a trail of pressure in their wake. Suckling gently, slowly on Lyselle’s lobe, Renaissance let out a desperate moan of pleasure.

“You must tell me when it’s time for me to stop,” she growled, her voice muffled and husked against Lyselle’s skin. Frankly, she wondered if that were even possible. Stopping now, dousing this raging fire that consumed them, seemed like an impossible task. But if they didn’t put an end to this here and now, what did that mean for them? Though they felt far from it, they were strangers to one another. Despite their bodies seeming to know each other already, the touches feeling hauntingly familiar, Ren knew this was fast heading into different territory. As soon as the vampires lips pressed into a kiss right here on Lyselle’s neck, their relationship had shifted once again. She lifted her mouth a breath away from the human’s skin, hovering it just out of reach. Her ragged breaths brushed against Lyselle’s ear, quicker and more desperate than before.

“Everything in me wants to know you, Lyselle,” Renaissance Le Sang whispered, her lips tickling the edges of the Huntress’ outer ear. And then, like she’d asked so many times at the entryway of her victims doors, she hissed… “Let me in…”

Bloodbound & Broken

The front door of the Loft clicked open at Renaissance’s return. As if a porter were on the other side, the door swung open and the ancient vampire returned to her lair. The incense had long since stopped burning, but that oud fragrance greeted her with open arms. The logs on the fire had dulled to glowing embers. But before she barely took a breath, Ren’s eyes searched for Lyselle. Despite knowing the Huntress would be perfectly safe in the Loft, she had to be sure.

There she was.

Ren was again met with the astonishment that there was a human, a Huntress, in her home. And it felt completely and utterly unnaturally natural. A whole concoction of contractions; Comfortable but unconventional. Lyselle’s understated beautiful smile greeted her and the Ancient Vampire gently kicked the door shut behind her.

The bond vibrated with tension, that golden warm feeling coursing down the thread like liquid gold. Their eyes locked and Renaissance let out a bracing sigh. She rolled her shoulders, readying to be reinitiated into the bottomless pool of emotion that the two of them dived into when in each others company.

The vampire stayed at the door for a moment, allowing the sofa to act as a physical barrier between them. A feeble attempt to somewhat dilute the bonds power, the sofa did nothing to put a break in the energy flowing between them.

Freshly fed and now operating at her peak, Ren mentally took hold of the bond and tried to slow the fusing power. It hummed like a live electric current, trying to push imagery into Ren’s minds eye. Curious, she allowed the current to flow once again, and was presented with Lyselle’s thoughts whilst she’d been out hunting. Lyselle had been asleep, but whilst she was sleeping the bond had granted her access to Ren’s viewpoint. How was that even possible? Neither of them had clairvoyance or anything similar… The only explanation could be the bond itself. At the realisation that Lyselle may have witnessed Ren feeding, part of her twinged with something similar to shame.

‘How had that made Lys feel, witnessing Ren feeding on a human? On her own kind?’
‘Did this change the way she felt? Had it dawned on her that perhaps it was safer for her to leave?’
‘Did she know the human was still alive? That Ren had obeyed her wishes?’
‘Had her Hunter instinct kicked in? Had she decided to put an end to the Ancient Vampire?’

The bond went quiet, ironically unanswering when faced with Ren’s questions. She turned her gaze back to Lyselle, fixing her face with a welcoming smile.

“Huntress,” Ren greeted, bowing mockingly with a mischievous smile. ”You’re still here…”
She reached up a hand and untied her hair, letting it fall freely around her shoulders. Massaging her head, enjoying the sensation of her hair being out of a bun, Ren realised now that she had fed… All she wanted to do was consume Lyselle.

No, not in that way. Not actually. Emotionally.

She wanted to pick her brains, tell her to lay her life out on the floor of the Loft and let them rifle through it all together. She wanted to know about her most embarrassing moment, the last time she’d cried, her opinion on capitalism… All of it. How long would it take Renaissance to devour all of Lyselle’s very being, inside out? Would it be days? Weeks? Months? She didn’t care. The vampire had time… Plenty of it. For all the years Ren had wasted not knowing this feeling, all the time she’d lived without someone bonded to her… It all felt half-lived, half-imagined. What had love been all this time if it wasn’t this? Because surely there could be no feeling more powerful than love? Ren had felt love before. A version of it pale in comparison to what she shared with Lyselle, but love nonetheless! Could that even be possible if this is what it was supposed to be like?

Compelled by her thoughts, Ren sped across the room to face her Huntress. Thanks to her recent feed, her movement speed was back to its normal rate. Vampires moved quickly, swiftly. Lyselle would’ve seen a blur for a brief moment before being faced, closely, by her Ancient Vampire. The bond sung at their proximity, but Renaissance kept a hold of it like the reigns of a stallion. With a little more control over it, she stopped it consuming them both as it had earlier. Turns out it can be handled, somewhat, if Ren’s at her usual strength. Her chest was rising and falling at a quickened pace, her breaths narrow and short. Standing around a head or so taller than Lyselle, Ren angled her head downward to bring their noses almost tip to tip.

Ren was so close to Lyselle, their breath became one. Once again, she marvelled at the Huntress’ beauty. She couldn’t believe how meticulously the human had been put together. So much so, she wanted to thank the parents. Ren’s thick, feathered lashes fluttered as she blinked slowly, her lids lowered slightly in a smouldering look that said exactly what Ren wished to do. The bond pulsed again and she let it, let it fill them both with the feelings ignited by their reunion.

“Did you dream of me whilst I was gone?” Ren whispered with an edge of mischief, her voice thick with desire as she arched an eyebrow knowingly. She clicked her tongue, shaking her head flirtatiously. “I can’t decide if this bond is the best thing to happen to us or the worst exposure of all our supposedly private thoughts…” The sudden appearance of an image took Ren by surprise. It was a mental image of the two of them, bodies intertwined, locked in a passionate embrace. The image lit up in Ren’s mind like a beacon, engulfing every thought around it. That image flew down the bond and the Vampire ran her tongue over her bottom lip, whetting the surface. This was her, metaphorically, buckling in.

Bloodbound & Broken

Renaissance’s wings beat in beautiful synergy through the midnight blue sky. She flew, with predatory accuracy, through the shrouds of clouds. Black hair pulled back into a bun for practicality, Ren squinted as wisps of escapee locks whipped in her face. She was moving fast, Belle View far behind her. Flight always served as a great way to clear the mind. It brought perspective, being so far above ground. Flying normally brought Ren a peaceful mental clarity. But now, every thought lead back to Lyselle. The huntress, like water, seeped into every mental gap and filled it to the brim. The residual electricity from their chemistry buzzed through her every fibre, humming gently as a reminder of what she’d left behind.

_______________________________

Hunting was art with a practical theme. It was essential, for survival, to feed. But there was something artful about the expert kill of a vampire. Renaissance had done this dance many times. So many times, in fact, that it had all become second nature. Often subconscious. Tonight was no different, the ancient vampires thirst had firmly taken ahold by now and it drove her hungrily onward. Once she’d surpassed a few towns, putting a healthy distance between herself and Belle View, Ren brought her wings inward to guide herself towards the town below. Roofs of buildings came clearer and clearer into view, tree lines fast approaching and the scent of fresh, warm blood was riding the breeze. Flaring her nostrils, Ren picked through the varying streams of scent, mentally filtering each one to decide which appealed to her most. Younger vampires lacked the restraint to be so choosy. They would simply smell, kill. But Renaissance had a taste acquired from many years of feeding on humans. She knew what fulfilled her most. It was the honeyed profile of a healthy, young woman. They tasted the best. Ren let out a low growl as a scent passed her by with a tempting golden bouquet.

Innocent humans lay sleeping in the surrounding houses; Families, elderly, students… All unsuspecting that an ancient evil being circled above their rooftops. Following the trail, Ren hovered above the house where the scent had lead her back to. Analysing the red brick house, the hungry predator assessed her entry points. She tapped into her supernatural intuition, establishing that her desired victim was fast asleep. She also could feel that this particular woman’s mind was easily manipulated. This was essential. Vampires required permission to pass thresholds and not even the most idiotic human would willingly let her in without a little coercion. Reassured that she could enter mostly discreetly, Ren approached the bedroom window. The woman had butter yellow curtains, only half drawn, and a double bed atop a fluffy rug. The bedroom looked cosy, well decorated and tidy. Save for presumably yesterday’s clothes at the foot of the bed, the room was clean. This bodes well. It implies the human takes care of herself. Must be why her blood has such a clarity to its scent. A swift knock awoke the sleeping woman, whose face was angelically beautiful in slumber. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately observed Ren’s flying frame in her window. They widened in disbelief, clearly debating whether the floating winged creature just outside her bedroom was real or a nightmare. Renaissance tapped into her manipulation and infiltrated the woman’s mind. It was, as predicted, worryingly easy to gain access to her thoughts. She was open, kind. It took a simple gentle push and Ren imbedded herself within the humans psyche, quickly eradicating any fear or surprise. Cortisol polluted the bloodstream, made them taste sour. She watched the human’s facial expressions neutralise, as if brain washed. And she slowly left her bed, padding bare foot to the bedroom window. The night was silent save for the beat of Ren’s wings as she remained stationary, awaiting her invite.

Lauren…

Her victims name entered her mind as she continued to manipulate the humans control board. Like a complicated control room to a space ship, meddling with minds is a series of buttons, gages, switches and dials. With speed, Ren worked her way through Lauren’s mind until she had her Will gripped tightly in a mental stronghold.

“Invite me in,” came the instructional hiss. Using the Voice was always used in tandem with mental manipulation. It was to be used sparingly, as it consumed so much energy, but it was potent in power. Ren, still camping in Lauren’s mind, felt her instruction enter the humans brain. Quickly, she disparaged any doubt or confusion as to why she might do this, then pushed Lauren to obey. This part didn’t always go to plan, some human minds were less susceptible to influence. Manipulation didn’t work on everyone and the Voice couldn’t be used in isolation. It’s the combination of both mental corrosion and the Voice that really bends a human to a vampires will.

Lauren, dressed in her silk pyjamas and bed hair, unlatched the window with a satisfying “CLICK.”
She pushed it open, the window swinging to accept her unwanted guest. Lauren’s neutral, gormless expression remained over her face as she said,
“Come in.”

___________________________

The humans bed was warm and soft, her body heat still haunting the mattress where she’d once laid sleeping moments ago. Renaissance Le Sang was careful not to spill a single drop as she gently parted Lauren’s blonde hair from her neck, exposing that beautiful, soft, penetrable neck. The ancient vampire’s rumble of a growl broke the silence in the bedroom as she lifted that singular lethal talon into the air before sliding it across the jugular held in her arm. The talon grazed the skin like a figure skater on ice, slicing and sliding in an elegant singular movement. As soon as the skin parted and blood began to ooze from the wound, Ren pressed her lips to the humans neck and drank hungrily. The warmth of that honeyed blood filled her mouth, careered down her throat and filled her stomach. Metallic but sweet, the blood whetted her appetite quickly and she watched Lauren slip gently back into sleep as her blood was drained by the Ancient Vampire. The quench of thirst was a satisfaction unknown to anyone but a vampire. It was the kind of relief that a warm shower gives you after a long, hard winters day. Or perhaps the after-glow of multiple orgasms. That is the serenity and release that feeding gives a vampire. It quietens the hungry frenzy that busies the vampire brain and instantly unwinds the tightly knotted pangs that plague their muscles. Ren let out a quivering moan as the continued to swallow down mouthful after mouthful of Lauren’s warming blood. Then, a voice pierced through her mind like an electric shock:

“Try not to… kill. I know it’s asking a lot and—if you do, it’s… fine… just—try… please…”

As Renaissance Le Sang, Ancient Vampire, exited the still open bedroom window of her latest victim, she looked back over her shoulder. There lay Lauren, her body crumpled and hair splayed out around her like a floral arrangement. The humans limbs hung at awkward angles, one of her arms drooping over the edge of the bed. But Ren could see the humans chest rising and falling with every inhale exhale.

Bloodbound & Broken

“I d-didn’t plan on leaving.”

Renaissance was experiencing somewhat of a sensory overload; Lyselle’s heart was beating at such a pace and with such ferocity that it created a bass-heavy backing track to their synchronised unravelling. Her veins, rising to the surface to cool her body that was steadily increasing in temperature, were exuding her signature perfumed blood scent that Ren found hypnotic. The Huntress’ velvet skin gave way beneath Ren’s entrancing, caressing thumb. The peppering of rosiness across Lyselle’s cheeks triggered an involuntary smile of hunger from the vampire. Indeed, this was an all-consuming experience for the senses.

Whilst the humans blood incited no real thirst in the ancient vampire, the same could not be said for her weakness for Lyselle’s desire. It swarmed the bond, filling Ren with both her own overwhelming needs and Lyselle’s. The combination of both their emotions was almost too much to bear. She reeled from the all-consuming tidal wave the two of them were creating. It was a perfect storm; Clouding their judgment, thunderous yearning, lightning igniting, a downpour of realisation… They’d, unbeknownst to the pair of them, created something that was utter emotional chaos. And Ren, always a pillar of strength, was succumbing to all of it.

“Well, that’s good to know…” Ren breathed, her voice sounding somehow far away.

“... S-sorry… for making you w-worry… I was only… thinking… processing… everything… but I’m… not going anywhere. H-how could I? E-even as nervous as I am about this… being so new and foreign… I c-can’t walk away any more than you can… Miss Ren…”

Renaissance found the humans loss for words endearing. She cocked her head, lifted her perfectly preened brows, and felt her pupils dilate fully.

This was unbearable.

Feeling forced to do something, anything, to get off this emotional rollercoaster, Renaissance Le Sang stood suddenly. She let Lyselle’s hand gently fall from her grasp and separating herself physically from Lys seemed to dampen the bond’s aggressive channelling of blood-curdling desire. She hated to turn her back on this feeling, albeit briefly, but the ancient vampire hadn’t fed in far too long and it made her feel weak. Come to think of it, she could barely remember when she last filled herself with the red elixir she needed so badly to “live.”

“Lyselle,” Ren purred, loving the way her name tasted in her mouth. ”First of all, enough with the ‘Miss Ren’ - It makes me feel old” She chuckled at her own joke, punctuating it with a gentle lift of Lyselle’s delicate chin. Stood over the Huntress now, Ren let her waterfall of thick, black hair fall forward over her angular face. She was looking down at Lys, enjoying this feeling of towering over her for a moment. But she wanted to explain her sudden detachment.

“Seondly, it’s simply impossible for me to endure these feelings I have towards you on an empty stomach…” Ren sighed, her eyes lifting to the Loft windows as if a meal would suddenly present itself before her. That would save her having to leave, save her having to be away from Lyselle for any longer than a few moments. “Do you know what feelings I’m referring to?” she asked hungrily, angling her gaze back to the Huntress. “Every fibre of my being is telling me I need to be close to you. And even then, I doubt that would be close enough. My body is screaming at me, begging me to cave in…” Another short sigh, followed by the unsheathing of her talon as if to accentuate her hunger. “But I need to feed. Pretty imminently.”

The cold early hours of the morning were calling her name. In a couple hours, the sun would begin to rise and Renaissance wouldn’t risk feeding in daylight. She knew she didn’t have to travel far, but far enough so as not to leave a trail of any kind back to the Loft. Feeding would be more complicated, now that a merciless Hunter was not only aware of her existence but had been sleeping worryingly close to her home.
So, she’d have to be calculated about where she sourced her next meal. At the thought of quenching her thirst, Ren’s fangs protruded. Her talon was at her side, readied. Her pupils already consuming her once bright green eyes.

“You’ll be safe here whilst I deal with my urges, Lyselle” Ren’s voice changed when in this hunting state, it had a hissed accent to it. Almost serpentine. “And then I’ll be back to deal with my other urges.”

Bloodbound & Broken

The Loft’s fireplace glowed amber with rich, orange flames licking at the firewood. The charcoal grey smoke slinked up the narrow chimney, out into the sky above them. Wafts of smouldering wood filled the Loft, mixing with the fading smell of fresh mint and that background smell of Ren’s favourite incense. She always lit the same one; Oud top notes with a baseline of leather. That earthy yet floral scent resided in the Loft even when the incense remained unlit.

Surrounding the Huntress and the ancient vampiress were the shelves upon shelves of literature Ren had collected. Undoubtedly, in many of them, there would be documentation stating exactly why the two of them being sat opposite, calmly on leather sofas, was exactly the opposite of their written destiny. But the Universe had other plans. And despite it all, despite all the books who watched on doubtfully, still they continued to gaze at one another curiously.

“I guess we’re bound by some sort of fate—to figure this out. I… I appreciate you sparing his life. It’s true I haven’t ever seen a vampire spare… anyone… b-but I’m young still… and not even a fully ordained hunter.”

Ren arched a brow at Lyselle’s honesty. She marvelled at the girls openness, her willingness to be vulnerable. Human nature, when faced with a Vampire, was to be guarded, alert and wary. Known for their manipulative tactics, vampires were approached with caution. But it was true, Ren disregarded her well-developed abilities to coerce and influence. With Lys, similar to her thirst, the desire had simply evaporated. That wired-in tendency to mould a humans’ mind, to mentally bribe them in whichever direction she so pleased, was dormant in Ren when faced with this particular human. Hunters were resistant to it, granted, but there were ways to dodge past the mental blockades the Hunters mark installed. For the vast majority of Vampires, that was enough to deter them. But with Ren’s years of experience, it was possible to barrage past the mental shield and infiltrate like an army anyway.

“Probably won’t ever be, now. I’m… a heretic, maybe? Heh.” Lyselle continued, her half-hearted chuckle made Ren echo the sentiment. Letting out a raspy chortle to match Lyselle’s, the vampire drained the cup of the fresh mint tea and set it to one side. Caressing her tongue over her pillowed lips, moistening them thoughtfully, Renaissance eyed Lyselle in contemplation.

“It can’t be anything but destiny,” she mused “This goes against everything we’ve both ever known… And yet neither of us have any intention to kill-“ Ren paused, shooting Lyselle a mischievous glance. “Unless I’m sat opposite an extremely powerful master manipulator, and you plan on running me a bubble bath of holy water?”
Ren’s purple-flecked piercing green eyes danced with challenge, that playful smirk still tugging at her lips. She watched as Lyselle ran a hand through her jet black hair and Ren resisted the urge that flowed through her to do the same. To reach out and intertwine her fingers in Lyselle’s flowing dark locks and discover how she felt between her fingers.

”Even if I left…” The Huntress trailed off pensively and Ren’s face reset. That mischievous half-smile had been replaced with a frown of concern. Their eyes locked, like a gun on its target, and for a beat or 2 they remained just like that: Opposite one another, each respectively diving into the pool of the others eyes. Ren would swim in them if she could, drown in them, even. The more time trickled by, the bond grew ever stronger. And now, there was something else that hummed beneath the thread that tied them. Something that was the most human Ren had felt in centuries.

“If I had the willpower to leave… my whole worldview has been shifted. I probably wouldn’t last long in the Vigil without pretending—or burying this feeling deep inside…”

Ren contemplated that sentiment for a moment. However distressing she found the idea of Lys leaving, straining that tie that now connected them both, they had to debate all options. Looking at a subject matter from all angles was an important academic prospect and one that Ren wholeheartedly believed it. In order to arrive at the “right” conclusion, you first had to ensure that all other possibilities were “wrong.” And at the mention of Lyselle returning to the Vigil, suppressing all they’d experienced in just a flicker of time, was not an outcome much desired by the vampire. Responding to the inner disdain of this possibility, Ren shuffled forward on her leather sofa.

Now, she was poised on the very edge, closing even more of the space between them. Elbows on her knees, Ren leant forward, arching her intricate spine. The vampire was now so close she could see very clearly the most minute of details on Lyselle’s face. The lines of laughter etched in her skin, the slightly darkened under eyes, hints of barely-visible peach-like hair on her cheeks. She was so close that the heart beating in Lyselle’s chest was like a sturdy baseline in Ren’s ears. She could hear the heart working to pump all that blood around the body, quickening at their proximity.

“Lyselle,” Ren began softly, letting her tongue embrace the lettering of the name, voice cracking with her vocal fry. “You will never be my prisoner- In any sense of the word. This means you are, unconditionally, free to leave. I won’t stop you. I won’t pursue you. I will simply let you go back to your own life, as it is or as it was, without a fight.” The ancient vampire, after analysing Lyselle’s face whilst she spoke, slowly raised her slender hand. She moved it, carefully, towards Lyselle. Then, like handling a precious stone, she took Lyselle’s hand in hers. As their skin collided, the warmth of human flesh pressed against the cool, smooth skin of a vampire, Ren’s eyes fluttered in bliss. She held up Lyselle’s hand, inspecting it with softened eyes, taking in every detail. The rough palms from combat training, the threat of callouses on her fingers, the beautifully silky skin on the exterior… The bond filled to the brim with a warm, glowing energy. It was responding to their physical touch. Opening the door, letting that warm feeling flood in, Ren fixated her gaze back to Lyselle.

“But I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be disappointed to watch you go…” she half-whispered. Bond pulsating with excitement at their touch, Ren began gently circling Lyselle’s palm with her thumb. In slow, calming movements, her thumb went round and round as she opened her mouth to say, “Just stay, for now, and let us figure out why you’ve become my destiny.”

Bloodbound & Broken

“This… feeling — connection? I’ve never heard of anything like it. Even on the best of days, both of us should be… extremely alert of one another… but we both—… it feels like—… like we’ve met before. H-Have we?”

Ren watched the Huntress struggle to find the words, clearly just as bewildered by the unlikely bond formulating between the two of them. In her many years on the planet, Ren knew better than most that the universe had plans that weren’t always expected. These unforeseeable plot twists were like the Universes’ idea of a funny joke and Ren liked to imagine her sat somewhere secluded, laughing as she watched her plans unfold. The Universe would write in destinies that her subjects did not predict. They were her favourite plans. And there was no way this union was predictable nor common! The two of them, pitched against each other by their very nature of being, could never have predicted this. But Lyselle was right… What was this? A spiritual entanglement? A chink in the armour? A shooting star? Either way, it was utterly unprecedented and the ancient vampire shared Lyselle’s confusion. She was certain they hadn’t met before… Had they? How could they possibly? The only capacity in which they’d have crossed paths would be in a Vigil VS Vampire scenario, and Ren was adamant she wouldn’t have forgotten this astounding young slayer. So, the bond was responsible for this feeling, surely? A serendipitous sensation that tricked them into thinking they’d met before, in this life or another. Although Ren hadn’t experienced a deep connection in hundreds of years, she imagined this feeling is what humans would describe with wonder. They wrote songs about this feeling, they dreamt of this feeling. But what did it mean for Lyselle and Ren? Could their differences become their strengths? Could they find a way to discover exactly what was happening? Ren’s thoughts raced at a rate that she pressed a single digit to her temple and massaged gently. She exhaled slowly, letting the worrisome angle of her inner monologue flow from her. She needed to remain as clear minded as she could, and hypothesising wasn’t helping.

“New beginning… I’m not even sure what that would look like… I grew up in the Vigil — was taught and trained since I was little. It’s all I’ve ever known and I just…” Lyselle sighed, and Ren smelt the fresh mint on her breath as it crossed the small distance between the two leather sofas they were sat upon.
”It’s funny how little I regret it too, if it meant you staying alive — though I’ve no idea where that urge comes from.”

Renaissance nodded pensively. She’d held Lyselle’s intense gaze the entire time, watching her carefully. Not cautiously, but more as if she were viewing a work of art. Mounted proudly in a gold hilted frame in front of her, the art begged to be admired. Ren scanned her for every detail, every brush stroke, every varying shade. She admired the care with which her maker had taken to put Lyselle together. She had a soft, unassuming beauty that left Ren wishing for more time to analyse and adore. Like artwork, the huntress remained out of reach, just being. All those micro expressions; The bite of a lip, the furrow of a brow, the breathy barely-formed sentences that fell from her mouth… Ren noticed all of them. She smiled knowingly at Lys, continuing to nod in encouragement as she shared her honesty. At the mention of the Vigil, Ren let out a gentle “Mmmm” of empathy.

“I’m just as confused as you when it comes to ‘this’-“ Ren mentally tugged at the bond, demonstrating that the tether between their souls could be held, gripped and acknowledged in a different way to verbally. “In all my years of studying, I’ve not come across any documentation of this kind of connection. I’m sure it’s the Universe playing some sort of sick joke…” Ren laughed melodically, shaking her head and raising her shoulders as a sign of bafflement. The image of the Universe flashed before her again, sat at a writers desk, giggling as she wrote out their stories thinking to herself how very clever she was to unite a Vampire and Slayer by bond.

“I wish I could explain it. But all I can tell you is that I’ve never experienced anything like it-“ For this, Ren had leant forward to deepen their gaze. She set her elbows on her knees and placed her chin daintily in her upturned hands.

“Although I have no family to turn their back on me, I too have betrayed my very essence in inviting you here. Letting that Hunter live took everything within me, I had to exercise a self control I would never normally let in… And yet, I did, for you.” The ancient vampire accentuated that final sentence, determined to convey the intention behind her failure to kill. Did Lyselle have any idea how few victims had crossed her and lived? How even fewer had been allowed to live through Ren’s choice?

Ren wanted to align them both, to show Lys they were truly in this together. Whilst their lives were far apart, they seemingly shared the same destiny now and whatever differences they had before would have to be set aside to survive. There was no going back, not anymore. Ren would never know the peace of knowing the Loft was completely unknown to another soul, she couldn’t erase the glimmering stream of energy threading the two of them together and she certainly couldn’t undo laying eyes on the Huntress. She wouldn’t want to, either. This bond was the only feeling she’d experienced that could surpass her thirst. As that beating, vice grip of a connection tied them together, Ren felt no desire to sink her fangs into Lyselle’s throat. She didn’t wonder what her blood would taste like, filling her mouth with scarlet. Ren’s primal instincts were totally suppressed by Lyselle. Another astounding concept. A human whose blood had absolutely no appeal? Blood without desire? Another layer of uncharted territory, another unfamiliar landscape to be faced with. But Renaissance Le Sang was not someone to turn away from the possibility for new knowledge. She was determined to get to the bottom of this.

Bloodbound & Broken

The huntress accepted the fresh mint tea and cradled the steaming cup in her hands. Ren could feel Lyselle’s apprehension. The bond was suddenly buzzing with questions, no doubt regarding her fate with the Vigil since she’d just performed the ultimate betrayal. Ren felt like she wanted to hash out these concerns with the Huntress, to cradle her woes like a newborn and soothe them gently.

“U-um… may I… ask your name?”

Renaissance blinked, realising that despite knowing the vampire slayers name, she hadn’t shared her own. The ancient vampiress took her own warming tea from the side table nestled next to the opposing leather sofa. She breathed a sigh of satisfaction as the comforting smell of warm mint filled her flared nostrils. Whilst eating and drinking didn’t have the same effect as when she was human, Ren still indulged in the habit now and again. Especially when blending in amongst human company, they often felt uneasy with the blatant absence of consuming food or liquid. Draping herself over the leather sofa, enjoying the way the worn cushions enveloped her and squeaked slightly beneath her weight, Ren folded her legs and gave Lyselle a warm smile.

“Renaissance Le Sang” Ren offered, punctuating her answer with a gentle sip of the tea. She let the warm, aromatic liquid slide down her throat and fill her insides. That soothing herbal remedy coaxed away the residual adrenaline from their recent battle of wits. Ren still couldn’t believe what scene was unfolding before her: A talented young Vampire Huntress, murderer of Ren’s fledgling, taking shelter in her loft. Why were her survival instincts not warning her of what was happening? The vampire expected that inner protective gut feeling to twinge in warning of welcoming her natural born enemy into her home. Yet, nothing. In fact, there was an ease to Lyselle’s company. A natural flow of energies only corrupted by the external stresses that plagued them both. Now that the pair had each made their official introductions, the serene silence of the Loft filled the space between them. The bond was quiet again and Ren thought to herself that this connection that had formed was much like that of twins. She was, in fact, not a twin. But twin telepathy had been widely documented and this union of energies was as if they were now continually wired up to one another. Plugged in, like a emotional hard drive. If they took hold of the bond, asked it to let in from the other side, there’d be emotional indicators as to how the other were feeling. Not as powerful as mind reading, more like a looking glass for inner energy.

Conscious that Lyselle must be in somewhat of an inner turmoil, Ren used the bond as she had earlier; To send soothing energy to alleviate some of the Hunter’s concerns.

“I imagine you’re quite nervous of the Vigil’s reaction when that Hunter awakes and tells them all,” Renaissance said gently, arching a brow inquisitively. She sipped from the steaming cup once again and blissfully sighed, closing her eyes for a moment.
“And whilst your worries are not unfounded,” Ren continued “This doesn’t mean the end for you, by any stretch. Perhaps this is a new beginning for you?”
Then, the vampire gestured elegantly with outstretched dainty hands and porcelain skin. She was gesturing to the Loft.
“You can stay here for as long as you’d like, whilst you establish a plan-“ A corrective clear of her throat and then, “Whilst we establish a plan.”