Hunters in the night [Delaney]

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

His fingers dragged along the cold walls of another treacherous kingdom. Like a lost boy on the edge of a plain field. But he was all but lost, he was all but forgotten. Just as every city also this one had a certain depth to pay. But he wasn’t here to collect, no, he rather had them scared on the edges of their beds praying to whoever they believed in. Avanti didn’t believe, not in any god, not in anything, not even in himself. All of his acts came out of instinct, a keen eye and a clever mind. For all the years he had stolen from others, he collected it already enough for his own. So seeing him walking there wasn’t out patience, or waiting, he was here for the first time back after some years … and ooh, did he missed the last events this kingdom had to over. An almost invisible grin stroke his lips, the sound of stone against fingers brushing into the night. No, he wasn’t here to collect, he was here to hunt.

Vampires needed food as much as anybody else. His diet was just a little different and the thoughts of it just grazed his tongue over the sharp edges of his teeth. While he walked there, just outside the walls, the light purple sparkle in his blue eyes shut he listened … he smelled. He could feel the lives of the dead cursing through his veins, he could taste their fear for the darkness for he was just that. He rather played the invisible demon rather than knocking on doors. Avanti lived on fear, if they wouldn’t fear him, he wouldn’t even be here. The Sharpe recognizable smell of blood turned his head to the left. He opened his dark eyes and gazed at the trees of a long forest. He turned his head, hearing the light footsteps making ground and before he even could find out that devilish smile crossed his face. Outside, all by herself and he just has to be this hunger. How could he even resist a face he saw already before, how could he resist beauty as that to bite in.

Avanti left the walls surrounding safety and melted into the darkness of the forest. You would think people would learn to not be out after dark, clearly they didn’t. So he had to remind them of it. He didn’t need eyes of ears to follow her through the forest, only that tasting smell leaded him the way. His footsteps light, not even to hear, his body slim, adapting to every single detail. He sneaked up to her like a predator on its prey. Whatever she was hunting it ran away for him, the true monsters of the night. ‘Such a shame,’ his voice was nothing more than a whispering calling out to her, his body moving without the change for her to see it. ‘sweet Delaney.’ He followed, standing still, smiling from out of the darkness. ‘Don’t hunt when the monsters are around.’ He advised her in that same sweet voice. Oh, did he love to play with his pray before devouring it.

DELANEY 

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

It had been a while since he last sat foot on this land, its citizens and souls. Avanti didn’t came with an agenda, he just did what he loved to do and for over two years this wasn’t appealing enough to him. Why he was back now? Who would know, whatever spooked in his head was only for him to hear. Maybe it was a simple longing, maybe he was bored, maybe he had a goal, maybe he was just here to finish the job. Nobody would probably notice him being here, except if he wanted you to know. She would know … it would only need that certain tone in his voice for her to know it was him. And that just brought the hardly recognizable grin on his pale lips. After all those years, all those moments “together” she should know better then to hunt in the dark.

She had to know, as soon as the deer left, that maybe she wasn’t all that alone. Or did he left such a poor impression on her the last time they encountered. The horse she was sitting on snorted and the arrow she used made him almost laugh, would she really think it would save her? Whatever monsters where out here, she couldn’t take them, not with an arrow, not with the speed of that horse, not if the monsters wanted her. At her words he chuckled lightly, airy. ‘I am,’ Avanti started, pushing himself away from out of the darkness, looking at the arrow she so firmly pointed at him. He was dead, technically. ‘maybe I’m just a longing thought in the back of your head, wishing for me.’ He whispered amused, tilting his head as he slowly revealed himself out of the darkness. ‘You missed me?’ It wasn’t a question and maybe it was. He hadn’t seen Delaney for over two years and here she was, already so alone with him. In a way it felt familiar, this and yet there was so much changed, she was probably changed.

As she got on his body slowly stepped closer, slowly releasing the black strands of his messy hair, the hint of purple between the blue, the arrogance, the amusement lingering on his lips. As she said she would hunt tomorrow, as her horse stepped back his body was fast enough to grab the reins. All of the sudden he wasn’t that far away anymore. He looked up to her, smelling the blood that was so familiar rushing through her veins. ‘What about my hunt?’ He asked innocent, clenching his fingers a little tighter around the reins as the horse panicked under his presents. ‘I didn’t see you for two years, surly I missed a lot, so,’ his words lingered away as he petted the horse, seeing how it rolled his eyes back before he looked back up to Delaney. ‘why don’t you come down from there and let me look at you.’ He challenged her with that dreadful look of him.

DELANEY 

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

Such a disappointment in his eyes. Did she really thought he would leave her alone, after everything? Did she really thought this would be the end of everything, that she would be free. He wanted to wrap his hands around her cheeks and give her the compelling look of his purple eyes, the words, the promise she would never forget. But the fun, that in the two years he was gone had thought if she would be free … it was to amusing. And now he was standing here, on the night she was out, taunting her with his return back. He rather had surprised her in her sleep, he had such a lovely voice in the night. If she thought this deal could be easily broken she was wrong, she belonged to him and in return he didn’t do her family wrong. The marks of his teeth were still there against her pale skin, nothing more then lonely dots, almost faded but he saw, he would always see the changes. She had grown so much over the past two years, she seemed stronger, more in control and yet his arrival shattered all of that right there on the spot.

She didn’t answer his question and his eyes got cloudy. He wasn’t always that good for her, yet the darkness could be like a soft blanket … if she let it. ‘Delaney,’ he tilted his head, giving her a long determined look of his purple eyes. ‘did you miss me?’ He repeated the question again, with a tone she couldn’t ignore. He could feel her body adapt to his presence, her heart rate raising, her breath skipping, the shivers down her spine. It taste all so sweet on his tongue, seeing he still left the expression right how he wanted it.

She pushed herself out of the saddle, sliding down until she stood right before him and he could look down to her. So close, he lifted his hands, finger intiching to touch her but all they did was folding together as he restrained himself in the matter. He let his hands drop as soon as she talked. ‘That can be hardly true.’ He reacted on the fact that he didn’t miss much. For two years? And he didn’t miss a thing? He hated liars, it was written on his face as he listened on. He started chuckling on her words. His body leaned forward, lips almost touching her ear. ‘I already caught my prey.’ He whispered, pulling a little back to look into her bright eyes. He looked down over her body stepping aside to walk to the back of her. ‘You seem stronger, tell me, how has life treated you in all the time I was away?’ He asked, way to sweet, way to tempting. His finger scoured over her almost white hair. ‘I for sure missed you.’ He confessed, almost pulled back in his own thoughts by her beauty, her smell, all the temptations she carried with her.

Delaney

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

He missed her pretty little face, that white hair, the blood running over her neck down after he bite her. The idea drawn his eyes back to her neck, gazing to that spot he could see almost pulse under her heart rate. He had from those moments, it weren’t weak moments, it was just … he cared to put an interest. Investing time and certain care, clinging to a person … always coming back. Somebody he openly talked against, maybe more then he would to Ayana. Every few years somebody like that popped up after an encounter. Delaney was somebody like that, manipulated to the core, submissive to his rule. He had his tender moments, when he had a good mood and those were even fake ones. But most of the time he was the devil behind a charming smile.

Her words, how soft those may have been, he took a deep breath while closing his eyes. Humming on the enjoyment of her telling that she missed him. ‘Good to hear.’ He smiled, opening his purple eyes back to her. ‘I thought about you,’ his smile grew a little more compelling as he looked over his shoulder up to the moon. ‘every time I had a spare moment I looked up, thinking about you. How would Delaney do? Would she miss me? Would she already disobeying me?’ He opened his mouth slightly, running his tongue over his teeth. ‘Always thinking which one of the familie I would kill first if I got message from your realm.’ He whispered, sunk down in his own thoughts. ‘But I never got any message.’ He followed, releasing himself out of his gaze to the moon before his eyes float back to her. ‘So tell me,’ he licked his lips quickly, giving her a quick look. ‘Where did I missed out on?’ It was not really a question.

His nose, his teeth, his lips almost found there way to her throat, so badly he desired what ran underneath. But just as easy it was to starve with his age, so easy it was to withstand her. See, he still had some manors, not much but some. When she told she had been training harder he took a step back to look at her, from head to toes. His arms reached back behind his back as he nodded in approving. ‘I see that, it’s suits you. You look more mature.’ He confessed, like given her this compliment would cheer her night.

As he walked around her, fingers scouring her white hair he felt her heart rate skip a beat, on which he knew she was gonna say something that would cause a reaction. As soon as the words came over her lips he pulled back, frozen on the spot while his purple eyes grew darker as she went on. ‘What?’ He hissed. He grabbed her shoulder, turning her around, not caring about that horse anymore she tried to hold on to. ‘I don’t know where I need to get more angry about, the fact that you go raiding,’ he pointed more into the woods towards her coming destiny. ‘or the fact you are saying that I need to back of, that is what you saying right? You need you strength?’ His eyes flamed, yet his words were suppressed and rather calm. His hand flew out, grabbing her under his chin as he leaded her head closer, dark eyes punching into hers. ‘Do you have a good reason to go or do I need to go visit your father give him a little gift? Hmmm?’ His grip tightened a little, feeling her soft skin under his fingers he let slightly go, stroking his fingers lightly as feathers down to her neck. ‘Oh, Delaney, why are you always doing this to yourself.’ He muttered, following her veins with his finger, anger that completely got forgotten under the touch he gave her.

Delaney

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

He knew what hang here between them was only a facade, he pretending to be friendly, she believing he was speaking honestly. They both know what they have on one another. It was a very long time ago he could let her forget, get a real smile. And that all because he already damaged her so much. She never believed a word, not even while he only spoke the truth, he not once lied to her. He was made out of a long living fire, you couldn’t contain that evil, for that he wasn’t capable on giving anything good back. So yes, it was all his charm keeping her in wraps, his threats, his hatred. She was scared and there was nothing he wanted to change with that. She had to be scared, only the scared people seem to obey.

His words, his underlying threat had tensed her, he could smell the fear, it tasted so incredibly good. ‘I know,’ he forced a smile on his face, studying her as he tilted his head again. ‘you know the rules.’ He followed, bringing his hand up to touch her nose with a soft pad of his finger like he was a boy in love. But while doing that his face kept the same threat on the surface, constantly reminding her he was in power, he was the boss. ‘You obey.’ He signed lightly, looking down to his long pale fingers before he his arm fall back in the position aside his body.

But just as he started to love his reunion with Delaney after two long years she seemed to break it right away, by telling she would go raiding. She had courage, saying this here out in the open. She could decide to not tell but what then … if he found out she would be away when he returned the house would be to little for his rage. So in a way she was honest, honesty he admired. But all that admiration for her honesty, her beauty got pushed down for that certain anger. He grabbed her chin, eyes shortly going to the white mare running, guess he had to bring her home after all. His one free hand stretched out to the ground as a black cloud of fog started sipping out of it, forming a beast not worth to name. A black stallion rose out of the fog, gaping wounds of his body, long sharp teeth. Avanti clenched his teeth together, giving her a long look before he looked to that shade he summoned. ‘Get it.’ He hissed and the horse galloped away. Her mare probably wouldn’t survive the night, depending on how hungry his summon was at least. She struggled with the words and Avanti pulled her even closer, his nose almost touching hers as he bend a little over. ‘Then what did you mean by it then Delaney.’ He asked heavy voiced, trying to control his anger and with that also the hunger. But as soon as she started to talk he lost the interest in her words as his fingers loosened, stroking down to her neck. But what she said was right and his teeth snapped on the words. She was right, if he wanted to have her man she had to prove herself. ‘I want you,’ he wrapped both his hands around her neck, scouring the veins lying underneath her skin. ‘You are mine, mine only.’ He hissed on such a soft voice. ‘If I get word that you are dead, I’m gonna kill them, your brothers, your father, for all I care Achilles can have his way. So,’ he felt silent, his face against so close to hers. ‘let it be an extra motivation for you to keep alive. Hmmm?’ He tapped his two fingers against her cheek. His tongue scour over his teeth, looking down on her he could smell her even closer, her fear, he opened his lips. ‘I do appreciate your honesty Delaney but you don’t want to do that again. I have to restrain myself already so much around you,’ he pulled his hands back, stepping away as his fingers twirled through his dark blonde hair, stroking his hair backwards as he kept his hands there and walked around. ‘and now you tell me I can’t have you.’ He stood still, releasing his hands out of his hair to give her a long look. ‘Such a bad thing to say.’ He followed dangerously low. He didn’t want to understand the fact that she needed to be strong, not while her veins where whispering to him like that.

Delaney

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

Years of investment … that was the only thing Delaney meant to him, another poor soul caught in his claws. Years of investing in her fears, her personality and her goals. That all with the benefits of having her blood, it was a nice extra. His survival didn’t came without games and certain reassurances. He knew that every time he came to these parts of the world Delaney would be here to tend his every need, and that were only to things, her information and her blood. Again, the entertainment was a plus to all of it. One day he would let her go, if she wasn’t of any value anymore, then he would give her her happy life right back, if there were a change on happiness if Avanti entered your life to begin with. He could be impulsive some days but sure as hell he knew what he was doing with everybody's lives. So yes, Delaney would serve her purpose, with or without cooperation.

The shade came out of nowhere, made out the dark fog from his fingers. It was a big massive beast with the same kind of look Avanti had, empty, hollow, without a form of life. How that shade would come back he didn’t know but it would find its way to that mare of her. A white mare like that, it would be stained with red, that at least Avanti was sure. He was looking forward how that mare would come back, still alive or shred to pieces?

After those two years this was what she dropped on him, that she would have to go raiding with her father and for that endangering herself. He wasn’t looking out for her, he just wanted things from her. And yet it this situation it almost looked like he was looking out for her best interests. He had to keep his calm, a long deep breath and a long terrow look full of hate and treats. That was Avanti keeping his “cool”. When she started stumbling out her words he looked right back to her, shaking his head. ‘I hope it for you Delaney, or your strength isn’t the only thing I steal from you then.’ It was such a soft warning, under such a calm voice. ‘Yes!’ He hissed when she stated that it wasn’t her time yet. In a fraction of a second he stood back before her, eyes burning with a fire he couldn’t restrain. ‘It’s not your time yet,’ his finger pushed under her chin. ‘I will decide when it’s your time to go. Right?’ And that last word, that question, it sounded almost like a joke. His anger jumping to amusement from one moment to the other. It was hard to follow something, a wicked mind with no control, she knew how unpredictable he was, it was what kept her in place partly of the time.

With his fingers weaved through his hair he was walking around like he stumbled upon one of the biggest problems. It wasn’t … but he know she was right. He needed her alive, for that she needed her strength, for that he couldn’t drink her half empty like he did once before … it wasn’t his finest moment, but she just tasted so good. But those four words, four words she didn’t wanted to say but said anyway. He slowly turned around to her, his lips pressed together in one hard line. He was like a frozen statue while he listened to what she had to say. And when she fell silent he still didn’t move. ‘I sincerely hope you do know your own body and recovery time better than I do.’ He whispered, eyes traveling down to her neck. And in a flash he stood before her, one hand forced against the side of her neck while the locked her on her place on her lower back before his teeth pushed through her sensitive skin. No asking, no gentleness, just a hungry monster that missed his precious pray for over two years.

Delaney

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

He couldn’t demand that from her, keep on breathing during a battle. He of all people knew you didn’t controlled the outcome of a battle. He had fought a few, got wounded but his immortal ass got up every time again. That was when he learned that battling on a field with armies was hardly the outcome to any problem. Delaney wouldn’t fight like that, she would raid, what was in some ways even worse. She would invaded houses, kill innocent people maybe … only to gather their belongings, that was the viking trill. He should in fact be rather proud of her, she at least would learn how to kill. Killing was the start of all free life.

In that enlightening thought he looked back to her, his swirling rage stepping backwards on his own thoughts as she said she understood everything he had just commanded. He just nodded, looking at her, imagining her on a battlefield. He squeezed his eyes a little together, still looking at her before he shook his head, shaking the thoughts from his body to get back into his rather angry state. ‘Offcourse you understand.’ He whispered, a short empty smile enlightening his face as he pushed both his hands down in the pockets of his jacket. ‘Maybe I let you fight me one day.’ He pulled his brows two times up, challenging her in an amusement way. ‘If you survive at least.’ He added, tilting his head lightly, a chuckle leaving his lips. ‘Otherwise I will have to fight your father, who would have no clue who I am and what I came to do. He wouldn’t be that proud would he?’ He asked it more for himself and yet his eyes went back to her. ‘If he found out.’ He pointed in between them. If she kept her to the rules nobody would know and given the fact nobody came after him he knew she did.

It wasn’t that he was hungry, Avanti could sustain days without drinking on his age, it was more the desire that drove him over to her, locking her, biting her on the spot he knew all to fell. He fell her nails dig into his sleeves what only resulted in tightening his own grip. She always protested before she calmed down, it was only a matter of time. Her blood taste the same, a sweet sensation curling to his veins, so innocent, so pure. He felt her arm curl around his neck and he relaxed his grip a little to, knowing she was in that state of relaxation he was so fond of. Blood slipped over his lips staining her pale skin as he sunk his teeth a little deeper.

It were her words that pulled him out of the trance, pulling his teeth loose his body supported her in all ways. His forehead rested for a second against her shoulder before he lifted his head up and started chuckling. ‘Do you really think I’m gonna let you go home all alone in the dark?’ He asked, his voice almost concerned and compassionate. He looked down to her neck, his finger stroking away a stripe of blood with his thumb. He looked to his finger before he pushed it over his own lips and took it in. ‘Besides,’ he stopped, wiping a part of his blooded lips before he studied her expression. ‘you can borrow mine.’ He followed rather sarcastic, gazing shortly in the woods looking for that soulless creature. 'If he didn't join your mare to paradise." It was such a stupid joke. He felt enlightened, his mood supreme by the fact he had just fed. His purple eyes almost sparkled as he looked back to her. ‘You alright?’ He asked, the first normal and serious question he asked her since they saw each other back. He still supported her as he turned around on the sound of a heavy steps. And there it was, covered in blood, same as Avanti partly was. ‘Guess you will have to use mine.’ He muttered to himself, not that this creature ever carried something else then Avanti himself. He looked aside to Delaney with a sign, rolling his eyes. ‘If you can’t walk I can carry you, just don’t expect that I get all prince Charming over it.’ He said sarcastically, touching her cheek for moment. ‘And smile a little in your life Delaney, it would do you some good.’ He followed like she didn’t just was bitten by one of the biggest monsters walking around on this earth. But at least she was rather sure that she was safe, safe with one of the biggest monsters walking around.

Delaney

Why so serious?

I'm not the monster, I'm just ahead of the curve

It was like some holy goodness poured into his body, the taste of her blood … it had a certain sweetness he loved tasting over and over again. It was a dangerous taste, that would keep him locked on her skin just to long if she didn’t come in between. But it wasn’t only her taste, it was also the feeling, how she relaxed, wanted this as bad as he wanted it. She could be so scared, in this moment she never was, she loved it, he could tell. But it wasn’t his doing, it was the venom that gave her this pleasure. Still he enjoyed, feeling the warmth of her blood slipping down his throat as he held her body almost tenderly locked in his grip. It would stay a little, the feeling and it was a moment in which could Avanti push her even deeper, but it was also a moment in which he himself was way more pleasant to be around.

The broad smile on her lips brought one of his own up, not that meaningful but still. He wouldn’t let her go all alone, why even, he was just back, didn’t see her for two years, he needed this twisted sick quality time with her. On her words he couldn’t hold back on rolling his eyes. ‘What am I then?’ He asked, tilting his head as he studied her pale face getting paler on the blood loss he had caused her. Maybe he had drink a little to much, but hey, she wasn’t dropping dead yet. She was looking at him and he could swear he could see something of slight disappointment, causing his expressions to be intrigued. ‘You just have to ask Delaney and you can have it.’ He whispered, loving the looking on her face, like she was asking somewhere in the corner of her mind for more. After all those years he knew the blood flow in her body to well, he knew what would kill her, he knew where to stop, so she wasn’t in any danger in the end, it would just take a lot of rest to get above his mistreating again. Not that she minded that in a moment as now.

Avanti looked almost uninterested over his shoulder to the horse you couldn’t even call a horse. Blood still dripping from his long sharp teeth he turned his eyes back to Delaney, seeing it cost her everything to keep in control of her own feelings. He wanted her to cave, to cry, only so he could sting his poison in a little deeper. That was what it was all about, not her love, her friendship, he wanted her fear on the surface, so it was better for him to reach deeper. But she didn’t cave, she became stronger and Avanti knew there would be a day he had to step up his came to get her obedience again. Looking at her he noticed that she could smile a little more, her answer didn’t please him but he didn’t showed it. ‘If I’m not around you mean. Is it that bad what I do, don’t you feel,’ he silenced himself, letting out a long sign. ‘elevated right now.’ Pointing to the venom he had pushed through her system, how little it may have been. He wanted to carry her and his partly joke got bounced back by her words. ‘Avanti.’ He corrected her rather flat, releasing her so she could stand on her own. But she stumbled back, right to that summon of him. That beast never took something positive so his ears flew flat the moment Delaney touched him, teeth wide open. Two seconds and Avanti was between her and those teeth, causing the summon to not bite her but him. A vampire could feel pain, it flashed just for a second through his eyes as he grabbed that one long sharp teeth of the horse and snapped it in all his anger right of. The summon released a sharp scream into the open before it vanished into the blake smoke again. No clue if Delaney was still standing after this but when Avanti turned around, blood dripping out of his sleeves his eyes were all lighting and thunder. ‘Look what you did.’ It came so soft over lips, so dangerously low as his own blood dripped slowly down to the ground. Just great.

Delaney