Trash Panda

Bravely Into the Night

Even though it was early, the mess hall was already alive with loud voices and laughter of the other men and women who’d come out to eat their breakfast together. It definitely wasn’t the kind of scene Skye had expected to face the day after a battle against bloodthirsty aliens, but he wasn’t about to complain. This was way better than dealing with dozens of mourning soldiers who’d just lost their buddies and brothers to the enemy’s gunfire. He had a suspicion that he knew why they were all in such a good mood though.

On the flight to join the battalion, he’d heard rumors that the space fleet had some sort of new technology that kept the troops from dying in battle. Something about clones and “downloading” consciousness to a computer. He wasn’t the most tech savvy guy—at best, he knew to turn electronics off and on again if they stopped working—so he wasn’t really sure how the process worked. It was something he was curious about though. The idea of being semi-immortal was kind of badass in his opinion. He wanted to find out if the whispers were true.

“Check it out. Looks like the Serge sent us some fresh meat,” one of the soldiers, a burly man who looked more like a talking brick than a person, gibed as Skye approached their table. Not even a minute in, and it seemed he was already going to have to hold his ground. So much for having a cup of coffee first.

“That’s right,” he shrugged, settling down across from the other two and popping a bite of shitty eggs into his mouth. “Heard you dickheads haven’t been able to finish the job, so here I am.”

The first soldier broke into a toothy grin. “Think you’re a tough guy, huh? Just wait ‘til you see the fuckers we’re supposed to kill. You’re going to wish you’d never been shipped into this hellhole.”

“I think I’ll be just fine,” Skye sneered. “After all, I’m already putting up with your ugly mug. How much worse could they be?”

The second soldier, a younger guy with a gruesome scar on the side of his face and neck, snorted into his tray. “Shit,” he shook his head, eyeing the new arrival with interest. “What’s your name, rookie?”

“Skye Dayholt,” he answered through another mouthful of mediocre food. The more he ate of this mystery meat, the more he was starting to think the best part about returning home would be getting to taste real bacon again.

“Dayholt, huh?” the scarred solder mused. “Which squad are you in?”

“Dunno. None of us have been assigned to anything as far as I’ve been told.”

“Well, if you’re lucky, you’ll get Sergeant Valk,” scar-face asserted. “He’s our squad leader.” The brick made a face, and his friend elbowed him in the ribs. “Valk’s the best strategist on this whole damn ship and the god of flying by the seat of his pants. If you go into battle with his voice in your ear, you know you’re about to have one hell of a time.”

“You’ll probably get your fuckin’ innards ripped out by aliens too,” the first guy added optimistically. “Our squad’s got the most creative maneuvers, but we’re always blowing ourselves up with that hellspawn.”

That got Skye’s attention.

“Speaking of blowing yourselves up,” he led. “I heard you guys have some sort of cloning tech around here. What’s that about?”

“Shit, they didn’t brief you rookies about anything, did they?” scar-face scoffed. “Yeah, the science geeks make clones of everyone before the battles and have your consciousness saved to their fancy system, so if you do get your innards ripped out, we’ve got another one of you ready and waiting to do it all over again in the next fight.”

“So… it’s like respawning in a video game,” Skye connected.

“That’s exactly what it is,” brick jabbed his fork at him.

“Fucking fantastic,” he laughed. Even though he’d already heard talk about the cloning program before he’d arrived at the base, it was exciting to hear two guys confirm its existence in their own words. Part of him was even morbidly curious to find out what it was like to die in battle and wake up in a laboratory like nothing happened. Knowing he could never be killed as long as he served in the fleet made him feel powerful.

But not quite as powerful as the caffeine he had yet to find.

“By the way, where can a guy get a cup of coffee around here?” he asked, shoveling another forkful of fake eggs into his mouth.

“Table in the back, dumbass,” brick answered, pointing at something past his shoulder. “How do you expect to shoot an alien if you can’t even find a fuckin’ coffee bar?”

“Easy,” Skye said as he stood up. “When I aim to shoot those bastards, I’ll have already had my coffee.” He made a finger gun with his hand and mimed shooting brick between the eyes before he stepped back from the table. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with java.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned and made his way across the mess hall to get his much-needed caffeine fix, hoping the drinks were at least a little better than the food on this ship.

~Bonsoir~

Traveling on foot, Vail knew he was cutting the time a bit close as he headed back through the streets that led to the Hygrace manor. He walked at a brisk pace to attempt to make up some of the distance without drawing too much attention to himself. He wasn’t sure how long the Saints patrolled the city at night, but he didn’t let his guard down, just in case there were still one or two stalking about. Tired with the approach of dawn, the last thing he wanted to do was fend off an attack. So, he proceeded cautiously and made a point not to hurry in any manner that might make him look suspicious.

Fortunately, the return journey was uneventful, and he arrived home just as the sun began to peek over the eastern horizon. He slipped quietly past the front gates and then into the manor, stretching his jaw in a yawn. To his relief, the parlor was still dark, which meant he had made it before anyone else had woken up. Good. His father had known he was visiting with the Crest heiress tonight, so he would likely have questioned him about his late return. He didn’t want to lie to Peter any more than he already had. As close as he had become to Victoria in the past few weeks, there was a bond of kinship between himself and his family that had grown strong over the course of centuries. He found it difficult not to align with their wishes and seek their approval—which was why he could never confess to any of them what he had done with Lady Crest.

Never before had he felt so conflicted. His loyalties had always laid with the Hygraces. Even when his personal interests hadn’t lined up with Peter’s, they would discuss the issue and come to a compromise. This was the first time he was intentionally keeping his family in the dark, knowing he had crossed a line he should never have even come close to and then burying it in the shadows. There was no undoing that intimate moment at the inn though. He had slept with a human, joined his body with hers in a way that was forbidden among his kind. Yet he wouldn’t have taken it back, even if he could. The only guilt he felt was for his family’s sake. There was nothing about the night that he regretted aside from the consequences they might face because of his actions.

Carefully, Vail snuck up the staircase and crept back to his room, making sure to avoid the floorboards he knew would creak beneath his weight in the corridor. On the way, he saw the glow of a lantern flickering beneath his parents’ door, so he made sure to stay well clear of that. He just hoped they were only waking up now.

When he made it back to the safety of his bedroom, the first thing he did was undress and give himself a sponge bath. For the sake of covering his tracks, he didn’t want to risk Peter’s equally sharp nose catching a hint of the remnant of Victoria’s scent on his body. That and the few marks she had left on his shoulders and neck were the only evidence that remained of their passionate encounter. With any luck, his father would notice neither.

Finished cleaning himself as well as he could, Vail put on a set of nightclothes to cover up the scratches she had dug into his back and laid down in bed. After such a busy night, he was exhausted, but it took some time for him to fall asleep. His thoughts continued to wander back to that sultry moment at the inn when they had crossed the line from predator and prey to something more. The imagining excited him, but he also wondered with some worry about what was going to happen next. Where could a vampire and a human go as lovers? Even if their relationship didn’t extend past physical lust, it was surely going to be dangerous. He shuddered to think what might happen if someone else caught them. They would have to tread carefully if they were going to continue to keep their deviant meetings a secret.

This was the last thought on his mind as he finally gave in to his weariness and drifted off into a deep slumber.

~Bonsoir~

No problem. Mondays are my busiest days every week, so I don't have a lot of time to write anyway. Take your time!

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow got a little emotional cx
He's not good at handling his feelings lol

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

When Penelope seemed to be optimistic about his progress too, Crow was pleased. Even if the dreams didn’t go away completely, getting a few good nights of sleep here and there was better than getting none at all. He could feel a big difference in his alertness already. It was good to be fully awake without battling the tug of perpetual weariness every day, making it difficult for him to focus on conversations and lessons with his tutors. If he could even be this energetic every other day, it would make his life a lot easier.

He looked down at the letter she passed to him, suddenly reminded of the other reason why he was excited to sit with her this morning. After going over two weeks without seeing his companions, he was eager to hear back from them. A bright smile crossed his lips. It still fascinated him that since he learned to read and write, he could communicate with other people without physically speaking to them. This was also the first time he would read something that had been written specifically for him. He couldn’t wait to find out what it said.

“I really am,” he chuckled as he accepted the letter from Penelope. “Things are finally starting to look up around here.” Between everything that had happened today and yesterday, he was beginning to feel a little more at home in the inner kingdom. The newfound comfort left him hopeful that he would be able to adapt to noble life if given enough time.

Too curious to wait any longer, he unfolded the torn parchment to see what was inside. His heart raced excitedly as he recognized the yellowed paper as part of Hazel’s old journal. He had watched her scrawl gibberish in it for years. Now, he would finally be able to understand the symbols she’d been writing the whole time. His eyes followed the letters carefully as he read:

Dear, Collin:

You’ve only been studying for a week, and you can already write? As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m impressed. It sounds like you’re already well on your way to becoming a skilled viceroy. Just don’t let those other noble rats get inside your head while you’re staying at the castle, alright? We’re all counting on you to be the voice for the rest of us in the inner kingdom. Keep Simon’s dream alive and use your power to make the outer villages a better place for the rest of us who still live here.

In regard to your change of name, I’m glad you finally got rid of that stupid alias. Collin fits you much better than Crow ever did, and I appreciate your willingness to finally tell us who you are. Olivia didn’t tell us before she gave us your letter either. She did open it first, but I think she cared more about spending time with Alistair than she did about ruining your secret. I’m sure that must come as a relief to you.

I speak for all of us when I say I’m happy that you and Penelope have been doing well since we last saw you. We weren’t sure how you would adjust to being a noble, since you’ve always been a troublemaker as a peasant—

Crow laughed to himself at that.

—but I hope things have gotten easier since you wrote this letter to us. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll make a great viceroy that the people will respect once they get to know you better. Just give them time.

Life in the outer villages hasn’t changed much since you left. Rikki and Alistair still join in the battles when they’re able to figure out where the fighting is happening, and I’ve finally started procuring all the ingredients I need to cure the villages in Myrefall of their illness. We’ve all been keeping busy, and luckily, we haven’t had any more trouble from the knights. I think they’ve finally decided to ignore us and focus on the war, as they should have been doing all along.

Anyway, it was good to hear from you, Collin. I would include more, but I’m running out of room on this page. Keep writing back to us whenever you have the chance. I don’t think a day goes by when you don’t cross our minds, and getting your last letter was an encouragement to all of us. Rikki, Alistair, and I miss you greatly and hope you’re getting everything you wanted out of the decision you made to become a nobleman.

Best regards,
Hazel

Setting the parchment back down on the table, Crow ran his hand over his face with a slow exhale. He hadn’t expected to get emotional over a letter, but after reading about Hazel and the other thieves and hearing about their concern for his wellbeing, his throat felt tight. “Gods, I didn’t realize how much I miss them,” he chuckled bashfully, looking up at Penelope with a half-smile. His eyes felt a little moist, so he rubbed at them with the heel of his palm.

“You got some letters from your comrades too, right?” he asked, changing the subject in an attempt to draw focus away from his own unexpected reaction. “What did they say?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Everyone is but Liz xD

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow was glad that Elizabeth seemed to finally be backing down in her attempts to win him over. He much preferred spending the morning in conversation with Penelope than fending off the persistent noblewoman’s flirting. Now that they were alone, he wouldn’t have to worry about putting on an act either. There was no one else around who was near enough to overhear them speak, so he didn’t have to pretend he wasn’t close to her. It would be nice to continue the old habits they’d fallen back into yesterday.

“Hopefully we won’t even have to worry about that for much longer,” Crow added when Penelope said it was getting easier to shake Liz off. “She wasn’t dumb when I knew her before. She has to take the hint that I’m not going to change my mind about her at some point.” The only thing keeping the noblewoman around this long was her stubbornness, he guessed. She had always been determined to get her way, no matter the risks. It had been the entire reason why she’d wanted to sleep with him seven years ago. By crossing that line with a known criminal, she had gotten back at her controlling father, who never let her do or learn the things she wanted.

It seemed that rebellious streak of hers hadn’t faded in the time since then.

Crow casted the thought aside when Penelope asked him about his dreams. He brightened at the change in topic, eager to share his thoughts with her and find out if she agreed with his theory. “I don’t know,” he shook his head at her follow up question. “They didn’t disappear all at once the last time I had this problem, but the fact that I made it through one night without any nightmares is progress to me.”

He fell quiet for a moment, glancing up as Preston and another castle servant walked over with their food. As soon as they were gone, he continued, “I’m not really certain why it went away last night either, but I have an idea. I think it was all that running around we did in Bellmare. You said your captain told you that training could help, right? That trick might actually work for me.”

He tore off a piece of bread from his plate and popped it into his mouth, “I think I want to start running in the evenings whenever I can find the time. If that was what helped last night, it could be what I need to get rid of these dreams again.”

~Bonsoir~

Vail nodded contemplatively when Victoria explained that it might be difficult for her to contact him again while she was being watched. To some degree, he understood that she was right, but it was difficult for him to imagine what would prevent her from reaching out to him. He hadn’t seen the measures the Order had taken for himself. He didn’t know how many guards were stationed at the Crest manor nor the kind of steps they had taken to keep Alexander’s daughter safe. All he could do was guess based on the way she had described her situation to him earlier, trapped in her room against her will.

As she added that he shouldn’t come to find her if he didn’t hear back, he said nothing. Even though she spoke wisdom in advising him to keep his distance, he knew it was too late for that. He hadn’t even been able to stay away from her for a week the first time he’d tasted her blood. Now that he had grown accustomed to feeding on it regularly, he had a feeling his cravings would only become worse if he lost access again.

Additionally, after tonight, he was invested in her even more than just through his physical addiction. He disliked the thought of abandoning her to the Saints and the Wynters. If either of those groups laid claim to her, he was sure he would be unable to see her again. He wouldn’t get to drink her blood, nor would he be able to touch her or even talk to her. The thought of suddenly losing all of that made him tense. He wanted her all to himself, even if it meant he would have to put in a little more effort to hold onto what they had.

As she sat next to him on the edge of the bed, he wrapped his arm around her waist, enjoying the feeling of her soft, bare skin beneath his fingertips for a moment longer. It was relieving to him that she seemed to want to see him again just as much as he longed to see her. At least he could be sure his new feelings weren’t one sided. He just wished their desire to reunite was enough to make it happen. Unfortunately, as long as the Order was determined to prevent them from closing the distance, he had a hunch that sneaking off to be with her again was going to be nothing short of a nightmare.

He nodded again when Victoria announced that she no longer held him to his end of the bargain. Though he had fought her on the decision last time, he was coming to the realization that there probably was no easy way for him to follow through with killing Spencer for her. The consequences to both himself and the rest of his family were too great to ignore. He would have liked to keep his word to her and help her anyway, but it was better for him to relinquish the deal and keep out of the Wynter’s affairs, as the Hygraces had done for the last century.

Her gentle lips warmed his shoulder before he felt her stand up beside him to get dressed. He followed her with his eyes, taking in his final view of her hypnotic figure until she was covered. “I would have done it for you if I could,” he assured her as he rose to put on his clothes as well. “Unfortunately, with so many Saints around, it doesn’t look like I’ll have the opportunity.” He truly did think it was unfortunate. He wanted Spencer out of her life perhaps even more than she did now that he had such a strong possessiveness over her body. The thought of backing down and letting a Wynter have his way made him taste bile. Even if he couldn’t murder the other vampire outright, he wasn’t done trying to think of other ways to steal the Crest heiress out from under Spencer’s nose if it was still possible.

“I could say the same to you,” Vail glanced up from buttoning his shirt as Victoria told him to stay safe. The members of the Order may have been claiming to protect her, but he didn’t trust that brood of vipers for one second. After Gerald had risked her life in the basement the other night, he was sure any one of them wouldn’t hesitate to put her life in danger if they thought they could benefit from doing so. She was a sacrificial lamb to them, to be used and thrown away the instant she was no longer valuable.

When they were both finished getting dressed, Vail lingered near the door. He wasn’t sure how to part from her now that their relationship was changing. Leaving with just a simple ‘goodbye’ would surely offend her, but he was hesitant to push for anything more, since he was still getting used to the idea of being so close to a human. He shifted his weight. Even though it was strange to him, this was the path he’d chosen to take. He would have been fooling himself if he believed otherwise. There was no reason to keep pushing back against where that path was leading them.

Having made up his mind, he stepped over to Victoria and rested one hand on her hip while using the other to coax her to lift her chin to him. He held her gaze for a brief moment before leaning in to press one more tender kiss to her lips, savoring the feeling of her mouth moving against his. “Goodnight, Victoria,” he breathed when he pulled back from her again. “I’ll be awaiting your correspondence.” With that, he turned and headed out the door, leaving her to return to her family manor alone.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Liz is starting to lose resolve cx

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Luckily for Crow, the first person he spotted when he arrived at the Great Hall was Penelope. Better yet, she was sitting alone. He smiled to himself and walked over to join her, noticing that she was waving a piece of paper at him. At first, he wasn’t sure what it was, but after a moment, he recalled the letters they had written to their friends in the outer villages a while ago. The others must have finally written them back. He hastened his pace, eager to find out what they had to say.

“Well, this day just keep getting better,” he grinned when he reached her, sliding onto the bench on the other side of the table. “A little alone time with you, word from our friends, and,” he leaned forward with a slight pause for dramatic effect. “I got a whole night of sleep for the first time in almost a week.” Even though he usually kept to himself, he found that he wanted to tell her that he hadn’t had a nightmare this time. The news would lessen whatever worries she held about his condition, he was sure, but besides that, he wanted to share his excitement about the progress with her. If it really had been the exercise he’d gotten in Bellmare that had helped him, then he might finally have a lead to get rid of the dreams completely.

He opened his mouth to explain his theory to her, but didn’t get a chance before he was interrupted by a less than welcome voice.

“Morning.” Crow cringed as Elizabeth stepped up from behind him. The noblewoman had a friendly smile on her face, but surprisingly, she didn’t move to sit beside him at the table.

He glanced over his shoulder at her briefly and then turned away again without replying, hoping she would get the message that he still didn’t want to talk to her.

“I heard you left the castle yesterday,” Liz went on, ignoring his hostility. “Did you do anything fun?”

Crow rolled his eyes. The stubborn woman wasn’t going anywhere yet, but he wasn’t about to let her win in a battle of wills. “So, any word from the warfront?” he asked Penelope, pointedly disregarding the noblewoman beside him. If she was going to try to stay, he would just make her feel as unwelcomed as he could. She hadn’t listened when he’d told her directly to leave before, so this was the next best option.

Liz crossed her arms. “I don’t know why you’re still treating me so poorly. I’m just trying to catch up.”

“How is your battalion doing?” Crow added mercilessly, pretending not to hear her.

Fortunately, that seemed to be enough to convince her to give up for now. The noblewoman huffed indignantly and walked away, and the viceroy leaned into the table with relief. “Thank the gods,” he sighed. “I thought she was going to try to sit with us again.”