For you are the darkness, you are my love [Ayana]

Why so serious?

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

He wasn’t the one to stick on a spot and roll with it, but he didn’t really had another choice now. How much he triumphed in his win, the deal he made … that monster grew bored. D'Auvignon would be his, he would get that king, he would suppress the successor, the next one in line. How much he looked forward on seeing Faylice again, the waiting made him hungry, annoyed and that was never a good sign on a person like him. Aside that one guard he send out to get the princess the whole castle didn’t know about a thing. They didn’t know what would happen to their king, they only felt that slight shiver run down their spine as Avanti moved in the darkness. Did he love the whispered, the feelings they exchanged about the certain darkness that lingered through the castle.

That balcony was his new favorite place, looking out of a kingdom that wasn’t his but he so much liked to overpower. His sparkling purple eyes sneaked over his shoulder, looking to a king he had in his power. Thriumph was just as anxious as Avanti was getting. Both waiting on Faylice and a full moon. It was tradition of Avanti, to hunt a village on the full moon, to burn the victims in a big fire. Now it would be even prettier, better. The soft smile tugged on his lips, a dead empty smile that creeped around his face before his eyes traveled back to the city, a deep sign releasing out of his chest as he recognized that specific sent, that deadly elegance. Even from this distant he could feel her. ‘Finally.’ He muttered, his voice bored and annoyed before he left the king behind with that promesing look in his black purple eyes. It was like a magnet, he and Ayana. Finding her was just as easy as finding the closed person with good smelling blood. With an almost full moon shining down on his he walked in all his elegance and deadliness over the broken streets. It was rather silence, what didn’t put any effort in keeping him entertained. He would love to scare some summons through the streets, just have a little fun but it was key nobody knew he was here, not until he had Thriumph precisely where he wanted it. ‘You took your time.’ He snapped as soon as he felt her close by. It was already for days that he was like this, impatience. He took a deep breath, standing still in the middle of the street while his senses locked on her. He missed that, her. He breathed out, feeling his body adapt on the fact he wasn’t alone anymore. ‘Did I miss you.’ It was just a whisper, a longing, a desire for her company. His voice was drenched in it, in the evil and darkness that surrounded them both while he looked for those distinct green eyes of her.

Ayana 

You're just a mere mortal,

Stuck in a world ruled by immortality.

She had known there was a plan, that she would be called back to Navarre eventually and that she needed to head there without delay. Some details were left unknown, but she trusted Avanti to handle the first part of the grand plan successfully. Ayana could not remember a specific instance where he had let her and Achilles down, especially if it was as important as this. Her personal hunts could wait. Although she did not dislike hunting alone, going back to Avanti had her thrilled. After days of haunting the woods in Vanaheim, she made her way back to Navarre, ready to offer her help where needed.

Hooves thudded the damp ground underneath as she followed the roads to D'auvignon on her buckskin mare. The horse seemed as tireless as Ayana herself, racing past other travellers making use of the road. No one was in such a hurry, no one suspected anything of what was going on amidst the royalty of the city ahead. People darted out of her way as she sped through the gates, halting her horse outside of the stables. She left the mare there, after giving the owner a few coins to take care of the animal. The streets in the higher part of town were often too narrow and the stairs to steep to travel on horseback. She made her way through town on foot, in the direction of the giant towers that stood tall as mountains against the horizon. No doubt Avanti would be at the centre of everything, she could feel his presence becoming stronger with each step that she took.

The moon had claimed its spot in the night sky, providing additional light to the poorly lit streets. Ayana walked in the shadows, something she had grown accustomed to through the many years that she had been a vampire. She felt her breath shudder as the dark aura almost became tangible, moments later she heard his voice telling her she took her time coming here. The dark haired woman could not resist the small grin creeping up her face as she walked towards the lonely figure standing in the middle of the road. "I was not the one locking myself up in a castle," she said mockingly, referring to the fact that whatever he had planned had him tied to D'auvignon and its royal family for the time being. He whispered a confession of having missed her, the sound of it telling her more than the words did. Her gaze locked with his as she closed the distance between them, her steps calm even though it felt like he was pulling her towards him with an invisible force. "How long has it been? Hunting is not the same without you," she said while reaching out to his face and brushing a few strands of hair away from his eyes. Most men were boring, but touching him never seemed to lose its spark. "What are you up to, Avanti?"

NOTES  ©️️

Why so serious?

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

Behind every door there was something that sparked his hunger. The little boy restless in his bed, the husband arguing with his wife, the young woman cutting her finger over blade. His eyes dragged over the door, resisting the urge to represent the immortals with his cruelty. How much he wanted to become the monster he was, he couldn’t and he didn’t know what was more frustrating, that or the fact he hadn’t seen Ayana or Achilles for over days, maybe weeks. He often lost count of the days, all wrapped up in his own hunt he forgot that people actually cared about time. But he, he had time forever, so why counting? The one thing indicating a new month was the full moon, a night where all monsters let themselves lose. He pressed his tongue against his sharp teeth, ignoring the soft murmuring of a young woman in pain for what was more important, Ayana.

Feeling her around was like a soft summer breeze after a day off heat for those simple mortals. His long slim body almost eased in on the feeling as he stopped, senses looking for her, grabbing a hold of her. But just as easily he got freed from his irritation she opened her mouth to mock him. He rolled his jaw to resist himself from saying something utterly stupid as he turned around his own body, looking for her. ‘Be careful with your words, or you will be the one locked up.’ He reacted with that slight dominance. Yet the amusement was somewhere there and she would know it. At least he wasn’t alone anymore. ‘It’s worth the irritation.’ He formulated it so that you could easily hear the frustration he had over the past days.

But all that hate, that dominance and frustration in his previous words slipped away in his confession of missing her. That and the fact he caught her green sharp eyes brought his body in a state of ease, forgetting the hunger, his plans as she slowly walked closer. His eyes scouted her body, looking for the slightest change or differences. His eyes traveled back up on her words. ‘Weeks, I don’t keep track.’ He reacted. Not that they both needed to know the answer, it has been to long. He kept his eyes on her, not even following her finger before the touch. ‘We have a lot of ground to cover,’ he lifted his hands, wrapping his long pale fingers around the hand that was touching him. ‘But let's keep together, stay,’ he lowered her hand, his nose softly stroking her skin as he took in her smell. It would be always her choice. His eyes traveled back up. ‘Achilles can do the dirty work for now.’ He said, with a slight amusement somewhere dragging in his voice. Still, he had to thank Achilles, if it wasn’t for him the king would never reached his purpose. His eyes went slowly to the left, to a man a little further who was watching them both as he had seen ghost. Avanti tilted his head slightly but Ayana pulled his attention away with her question. The empty smile, what could have been charming, lifted back up as moved his body, slowly, almost tenderly, laying his hands on her shoulders from behind, turning her so she would look over to the castle. ‘What if,’ his voice was so low and promising as his head rested against the side of her head from behind. ‘I have a king into the game.’ he whispered, his sharp purple eyes gazing over the castle. ‘An immortal king to command.’ He pulled his head a little loose to look from the side to her face. ‘That is why I’m locking myself up, why I’m so hungry and pleasant to be around.’ He confessed, nodding towards the castle. ‘The word can’t get out, keep your teeth for yourself while you’re here.’ He instructed, almost as cold and commanding as the first words he had spoken to her. He let his hands fall back from her shoulders while he stood still beside her, still looking to the castle. ‘We have to keep this silent, if Larethian finds out before,’ he didn’t even have to finish his sentence. There was a lot at stake here ...

Ayana 

You're just a mere mortal,

Stuck in a world ruled by immortality.

Empty threats left his mouth after she had mocked him, which made her grin widen. A while back he would have meant it, she had seen the wrath of his fury before and had been the target of said fury, but right now she could sense the amusement in his tone. He hated being confined to this place, unable to do what he loved to do, as much as she would have. She could sense his irritation, but he told her that it was all worth it. "I trust you wouldn't have done it if it wasn't worth it," she told him in response. Avanti would not play games like this if the reward was not high enough. They would have far better things to do otherwise. She knew there was a lot at stake here, enough to make him endure this irritation.

Both were more at ease around each other than around anyone that walked this earth. Still sharp to her surroundings, but her focus lay on him as he reacted to her question of how long it had been. "Neither do I," she chuckled. Being immortal seemed to strip you of your sense of time. Only those full moons were important to keep track off, it was almost time. As she touched his face she felt his fingers wrap around her hand, moving it a bit, but not away from him. They did have a lot of ground to cover. She still needed the details to this plan of his and maybe some things had changed while carrying out the first steps. At least he did not seem in a hurry to move along and split up again, which is was grateful for. The time they spend together was irregular and it could sometimes take weeks until they all met up again. He was suggesting her to stay with him, she gladly accepted such offer. It was crazy how the devil seemed more of a gentleman than the mortal beings that had made her who she was today. "I'm not going anywhere after rushing through half of the continent to get to you," she told him. Achilles was perfectly capable of handling things himself.

Ayana sensed the mortal presence, but ignored it as Avanti laid his hands on her shoulders to turn her around and explain his plan to her. She leaned into his touch as her gaze settled upon the high castle towers while she listened to what he told her. King Thriupmh becoming his pawn, that was what this was about. They already had a deal with the king, which is why she was roaming through Navarre most of the time. Their freedom within this kingdom would be set in stone if this all worked out the way he planned it. When he was done speaking, commanding her to keep a low profile while she was here, she shot him a sideward glance and grinned, showing her teeth. "All worth it, though I wouldn't have expected less from you," she told him as he released her and stood beside her. His worries about anyone finding out prematurely were grounded. They could lose everything, or gain a very powerful ally. "My lips are sealed and I'm sure Achilles will keep quiet as well," she spoke calmly. This might have been the biggest risk they had taken so far, but they had not survived and thrived all this time to mess up now.

NOTES  ©️️

Why so serious?

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

The look in his face already replied on her words without giving a voiced reply to it from it’s own. There were other things he rather did that baby sitting a king and it’s castle. When he got the message from Achilles that the king wanted a talk with him he thought it was only business, something he had to do that the king couldn’t do. But this … this was something big, something he put all his attention and effort in. He often lost track from himself if he did something like this. He didn’t remember when he killed the last time, he bite that guard when he sealed the deal but that was already a week ago. Achilles would never make it, for that he was to impatience and to eager to torture a soul wandering around there. Avanti had over years to learn keeping himself together, how tempting it sometimes was.

His eyes rested on her face, dark circles around his eyes from the lack on substance. Aside that he was awake every day to keep an eye out for Thriumph and the people wandering around in that caste. His sense of time was for that even more disturbed. ‘Beside, what are a few weeks when we have eternity.’ It was just a classic, the corner of his mouth came up in an almost charming grin, reassuring her that whatever time apart would only make them stronger. There was nobody he trusted his legacy, his work, more to then Ayana. ‘Rushing,’ he repeated her words with a sharp over to her. ‘I hope you didn’t had to scare away your plans before you came rushing over.’ He put extra pressure on the word “rushing” again, referring to the fact he noticed that she had took her time. ‘What was my most graceful monster doing anyway?’ Now he was just playing her, gracing his eyes back over her in amusement. He was … happy, if that was the word, to see her. And the fact that he started to taunt and tease her just reassured that.

He scouted her face with his deep purple eyes when he confessed her his plan. Was he proud, no, not really. He was more eager, excited to get on with it. But covering all bases he had to wait for Faylice and that was the torture he went through last few days. He couldn’t resist an empty chuckle as she said she didn’t expect less from him. ‘I already feel sorry for the soul I get my hands on first, to hunt it down with you,’ his voice softened, his eyes full of desire to kill, to kill with Ayana at his side, to share the hunt. He took a deep breath, always a sign with Avanti that he needed to contain himself. ‘I’m not afraid for Achilles talking. He wouldn’t dare.’ He started on the matter, his eyes glued to the castle. ‘I’m waiting for,’ he looked around before he started walking, away from prying ears. You had to do your best to understand the conversation, but still, it was a risk he wouldn't’t take. ‘for his daughter, the next in line. If we secure her we secure this land. Larethian will do something when he hears, how much I’m looking forward to that,’ he said with a dreadful look. ‘he can’t get involved now. But at least this all means we are one step closer.’ He felt silence, giving her a promising dark smile. He wanted Larethian, he didn’t let the man go from his service for nothing. Avanti always had an end goal. ‘But we need to be ready.’ He whispered in his own thoughts. Even immortals couldn’t overcome an army if it came. They needed to be careful now, take no risk, don’t pull not to much attention. In the end it would be all worth it, a big feast but for now they would all starve together with him, as long it took for that princess to arrive her.

Ayana 

You're just a mere mortal,

Stuck in a world ruled by immortality.

 He was right when he said they had an eternity of time in front of them. A few weeks should not matter, but it still brought a feeling of discomfort and tension to her if they were separated for too long, even if they could make it up being together for centuries. She noticed his voice becoming sharper as he commented on her rushing over, as she had said it. The playful tone returned as soon as he asked her what she had been up to anyway. Ayana exaggerated a roll of her eyes as she answered. "One does not simply cross the continent in a day or two,' she told him, her eyes glittering mischievously at the thought of what she had been doing in Vanaheim. She continued: "I don't suppose the rumours spread as far as Navarre, but I terrorized a forest. You should have been there, they're so scared of the monster that haunts the woods. It would have been fun if he had been there as well, they could have hunted in a team, but she had to save that for later.

Oh what a poor unfortunate soul that would be, the one falling prey to them as soon as they could freely hunt again. Ayana shared his desire to kill with him. They had to restrain it, but as soon as this was done there would be a feast. Her breath shuddered again at the thought of the kill, suddenly becoming aware of the living beings around her, locked up safely in their homes or roaming the streets around them. She let herself focus on Avanti once again, narrowing her senses to the small area around them and nothing more. They would not make a kill tonight, or the night after. He told her he did not worry about Achilles, she did not either.

Ayana followed him down the street as he revealed more of his plan. They had to secure the successor as well as the current king of course, which was why he was waiting for Faylice to come home. If they were to grab this victory, they had to secure their position before anything leaked out to anyone. This news would eventually reach Larethian, but they could increase their odds before it did. "I understand the urgency of us reuniting, although even without causing any trouble, we're likely to attract some attention," she commented. Undoubtedly, there were people here who knew what they were, or at least of one of the three. They had hunted many times in Navarre, so they would have to be cautious not to attract any unnecessary attention, even if it was very small and of no real meaning. "If there is anything you'd have me do, you need just ask whenever you need me," she offered. She did not know if he had any specific tasks for her, but if there would be an instance where he could use her, she would stand at his side without any delay. Everything to make this plan work. It would grand them so much more than any of the deals they had sealed so far.

NOTES  ©️️

Why so serious?

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

His spirits lifted a little while a slow smile appeared on her words. She was probably the only one who could test him, challenging him, speak up without bearing the consequences of it. Despite it was weeks ago he saw her for the last time, standing before her didn’t made a different. It filled a hole in his body. He could be so powerful on his own, so dominant but all that came because she always had his back. ‘One does not simply lock himself up and behave for that long.’ He fired her right back, his smile fading. ‘I wish you came sooner.’ He placed his finger shortly under her chin, only seconds before he narrowed his eyes slightly when she talked about the rumors. She terrorized a forest. His smile widened, with teeth revealing the deadly sharpness of those two. ‘I wish I was there yet the thought of it does already enough.’ He reacted. She was his silent killer, the poison in her enemies veins. ‘Soon the cat gets more reputation than you.’ He stated, knowing part of her was always the jaguar, yet he used the word “cat”, to torment her. He pulled his eyebrows two times up before starting to walk.

His words about his first kill pushed a shiver through her body and his eyes went up to the village. For a moment there he would get tempted, not knowing if he would survive that particular night. If he wouldn’t drink before he could as well kill Thriumph in the whole process of turning. Or Faylice for that matter. He licked his lower lip, over thinking his own plan before he looked slowly over to Ayana, shaking his head slowly to push away the thought. ‘When is the last time you feed yourself?’ He asked, his face neutral, empty and yet so caring towards her.

As they walked on, not hiding, not caring even there was only one person who spotted them, the man. And he just looked at them, following them as they passed. Avanti had to go back to the castle, yet he choice for a path that leaded a little into the woods around. On her words he just practical nodded. ‘I held of on Achilles for that, that brut you recognize everywhere.’ He said. Over the past days Avanti lived in the shadow, nobody saw him, nobody recognized him. ‘Thriumph will have to feed that night, we cover him only so they won’t turn to Larethian with suspicion.’ He looked aside to Ayana. ‘The longer we can keep him a secret, the more we rise in the occasion. We hunt for his hunger, not for ourselves.’ He didn’t looked forward to it, a full moon they always hunted, now they would hunt to cover up the king. For one night they would get the change to feed and after that they needed to be completely silent for the time being. No attention, no torture, that was the price they had to pay to keep Thriumph a secret, long enough until they gained strength and plans for if Larethian would come. ‘Keep your eyes and ears open, other then that,’ he fell silent, giving her a long long. ‘keep me entertained so I won’t kill the first best person walking by.’ He winked, not meaning it and yet … he did.

Ayana 

You're just a mere mortal,

Stuck in a world ruled by immortality.

 She knew now how far she could go with taunting and teasing him. When she had just become a vampire she took great care in what she told him, but those times were far behind them now. He mimicked her words, adding the fact that he was tied to this place and had to behave. Her gaze naturally darted upwards as he placed his finger under her chin and told her he wished she had come back sooner. Just a small hint of regret flashed through her eyes, imagining how hard it must have been for him to survive without food for so long while having to wait on everyone. She did not speak the words out loud, but he was an expert at reading her expressions, so it would not be hard to read the "I'm sorry" off of her face. The atmosphere soon turned lighter as he commented on her forest hauntings, calling her a cat. "Oh they already have legends on evil black jaguars," she told him, feigning irritation when emphasizing the word jaguar. The amused grin on her lips told him otherwise.

Ayana followed his gaze towards the village, knowing he was hungry and it took every bit of self constraint to keep him from breaking into some random house and killing one of its residents. "I've last fed on my way here, at the border of Navarre," she told him. That had been quite a few days ago as well. She had not wanted to attract unnecessary attention to herself, especially while near D'auvignon. Still, she figured it had been a little longer since he'd had his last meal, judging by his hunger. It would not have helped that there had been no one around to keep him distracted from that hunger as well.

They walked in silence for a bit, causing only a few heads to turn on the street while he took her away from the castle, choosing a path that lead to the forest that lay just outside the city walls. At the mention of Achilles and why he was not here yet, she let out a quiet laugh. "If anyone catches the eye it's him," she agreed. Besides his towering height, he also had the tendency to do a bad job at cleaning up after himself when he had made a kill. She would often find a few bloodstains on his clothes, or in his hair. Those were things they did not need right now, it would attract too much attention to them. Avanti told her they would cover up the mess Thriumph would make at his first hunt and that would be the only moment they got to feed for a while. It would be tough, but she was sure they could make it through. She had faced so many harsh months in her life already, a bit more would not faze her. "Got it," she said as to let him know that she had understood the entirety of the plan. As to what was her job in all of this, he told her to keep her eyes open and most of all to entertain him just to keep him from killing anyone. To this she smiled. "I think I can take care of that," she said, winking back at him, the amused grin still visible on her lips.

NOTES  ©️️

Why so serious?

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

He chuckled away the look on her face as he said she had to be here sooner. She was generally sorry and he masked his way of missing her behind that cold distant laugh. After years together she knew him better than anybody else, but that didn’t meant he was so easy on showing. Avanti always wanted to look invincible, even towards her. If there was one person who could sneak into his head it was Ayana and in the beginning he had a hard time accepting the fact she was so close and easy to be around. He didn’t had emotions, and if he had they were only visible for her, because she just knew. His chuckled lightened a little in amusement as she said the stories were already there. ‘And do they have legends about the face behind that cat?’ He refused on correction himself in the matter. ‘Or do we need to go back some day to remind them that cats can be devils to?’ He asked, his head slightly tilted as his smile was daring, challenging, longing for a good long hunt.

He looked shortly aside to her when she said she fed the last time on the border, what was also already a few days ago. He hoped at least Achilles would be drinking enough to go through the coming weeks and days. He and Ayana were used to it, it was in their nature to be the silent hunters. Achilles was way to brutal to be silent. So he wasn’t worried about her, or himself. He gave her a short look, the look that said they would manage. Together they were stronger then apart, they let themselves starve already before, they went through worse, this was all with a good reason, a reason he was dying to get alive.

The thought of Achilles made his grinn heartless. He knew the giant immortal was out for more than his current rank and Avanti always was more the monster around Achilles then around anybody else. Monsters you needed to restrain, not set free, if he would let Achilles free the whole world would tremble in fear. They all had something, Achilles was the worse, rather pulling everything apart that keep it together. In that way he and Ayana were way different, she was a silent killer, a poison, he was a better manipulator, smarter, charming his way into getting what he wanted. But in the end they were all three good in one thing, killing, no better how they got to that. ‘What would Larethian do?’ He asked out loud, looking aside. ‘If he find out the king is an immortal? My immortal?’ He followed, curious. His main goal would always be Larethian but just as hard it was for Larethian to get inside his head it was hard for Avanti to get in his. As the houses pulled more to the background Avanti found a little ease in his hunger, commanding her to keep eyes and ears open and entertain him from doing something stupid. When she said she could take care of that he couldn’t resist the challenging smile as he looked aside to her. ‘You think?’ He repeated. ‘How?’ He asked, pressing his tongue visibly against his sharp teeth, almost taunting her in the matter.

Ayana 

You're just a mere mortal,

Stuck in a world ruled by immortality.

 ”The woman is not as widely known as the black cat, but you got to keep the suspense somehow,” she told him. The people not generally knowing there was another side to the monster that haunted them was a way for her to play around with them. Oh how she loved to see their shocked faces if she shifted after the beast had dragged them away. Sometimes they even showed some relief, even though the woman could be a lot more cruel. Ayana was adept at hunting in the shadows. She could keep a low profile in times of need. It was almost a challenge to make kills when it was key to stay hidden and not raise any attention. She would not jeopardise this mission however. It was not a time to play games. ”They could always use a little reminder though.” She would love to go back with Avanti to add even more ways of catching her prey to the list.

They would manage, they had always managed. She was older now, used to the hunger, as was he. They could suppress themselves long enough. It would not be pleasant, but Ayana was not afraid to make some sacrifices for plans like these. She had been making them all her life anyways. Because they shared their hunger it would be a bit easier. They could keep eachother busy enough to make sure the other would not go on a killing spree. Only Thriumph would be the one to do that this time. The thought brought back memories from when Avanti had turned her ages ago. The pain, how it felt to die, the hunger and the power that had surged through her after she had come back to life. All of it happened so long ago, but the memories never really faded as they had done when she was still a human. It proved how weak a mortal mind really was.

As they both left the city behind, Avanti questioned what Larethian would do if he found out. Ayana caught his gaze, contemplating her answer before she spoke. ”Either he will take measures in one way or another, or he will turn his back for now. I wouldn’t know what the last straw is in his eyes, seeing as he has been quite reluctant in taking action up until this point.” It would be something to think about, to talk about. Speculating about what steps your enemy would take always had been a strategic way to deal with future problems, or at least to foresee them to some degree. Even though she did not have a lot of respect towards Larethian as the king of Valyria, she knew how much trouble he could cause them and she did not underestimate what he could do. It would be foolish to think they were completely harmless in their game. No, they were threading on dangerous grounds at the moment and they would have to be ready to face the consequences. Ayana rolled her eyes as Avanti asked her how she thought to entertain him to keep him from murdering. ” Patience, you’ll notice when you need said distraction,” she told him while letting out an amused chuckle.

NOTES  ©️️

Why so serious?

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

She was right, like always. In some ways Ayana always seemed the more wise one of them all, but that was maybe because she was a woman. Didn’t they say that, that the woman where smarter? Wiser? Not that Avanti was looking for someone to give his knowledge over, he did not had to be wise, he had to be deadly. But at least there was one of them keeping things a little together in this cult, Ayana had a perspective he and Achilles would never have. ‘Better one monster extra then none at all.’ He agreed on her words. As those forest people thought the cat was one monster and Ayana the other, even better. When she stated that they always could use a little reminder he looked aside to her, a gaze so intense, to long before he nodded. ‘After this is finished, yes,’ his finger twirled into her dark hair for a moment. ‘I will follow you in the darkness.’ He agreed. It wasn’t often he said things like this, she was the only equal he would ever has, the only weakness, his precious Ayana.

As they entered the forest, always from all the noise and the distraction Avanti found a way to concentrate a little better. He closed his eyes, shutting out the noises on the background before he focused on the sounds in that forest. He wasn’t an animal hunter but it sounded almost tempting to hunt something down here. But given it was dark animals wouldn’t be the only ones out here, hunters came out to, looking for a wild boar, a deer, hunting was always better in the night. He opened his eyes again and searched through the forest, looking for something to lock his senses on. But every time they leaded back to her, Ayana who was right beside him and that was maybe for the better to.

With his answer he didn’t thought there would be an answer. Ayana never much speculated out loud over things but given they were both alone there was no reason to kept everything locked up. ‘He will take measures.’ Avanti muttered, drawn back in his own thoughts. ‘I saw him two weeks ago, in Vanaheim. After all those years we crossed paths, he was all alone. He was provoking me,’ he signed out the frustration. ‘God Ayana I wanted to kill him right there. But he was to confident.’ He followed in another whisper, looking aside to her while he shook his head. ‘Whatever it is, he has something otherwise he wouldn’t be such a stupid to provoke me.’ He finished the thoughts, clenching his fingers to fist under the memory. His rage for that man grew with the second and for a moment it was all there on his face, no self control but all the frustration and hatred. But as he breathed slowly out his took back control. He would never show anybody this version of him, a version Ayana was the only one to see. Her words made him pull his eyes loose from the forest to look aside to her. ‘It’s better be worth the wait.’ He muttered, looking down to a track of deer prints in the ground, his eyes traveled slowly up. Following in instinctively.

Ayana 

You're just a mere mortal,

Stuck in a world ruled by immortality.

 She agreed with a "hmm" when he told her one monster was better than none at all. Being able to shapeshift it meant she could embody two faces of a monster, two faces that weren't always as easily connected in the minds of common folk and thus gave her a lot more freedom. If she made something seem like just an animal attack, she could get away with murder raising no suspicion at all. Wild cats sometimes attacked men that wandered too far into the woods, there was nothing special about a beast killing a person of no importance. Not that she would do anything of the sorts here at this moment. Too much risk when comparing it to the goal they were aiming for. As Avanti told her they would leave a reminder after this was done and twirled her hair around his finger for a moment, she would have purred in agreement if she were a jaguar at the moment. There was a lot to look out for after the whole turning ordeal was done with. "It's a shame we'll have to wait a little longer.

The woods were alive, but their attention was often caught by the other's presence, which was a good thing if they were not to cause any commotion. Commenting on her speculations about Larethian, Avanti told her he would not leave them be this time. Her attention fully snapped back to him, listening to what he told her about his encounter with the king of Fallen Skies. She could hear his frustration, something that was rare, but she was not really surprised because of the subject of their conversation. Ayana gritted her teeth, feeling a hint of his annoyance herself. "Of course he has some tricks up his sleeve, he rules the bloody country after all," she hissed, shaking her head as to shake off the shared frustration. It seeped away as he turned their conversation back to her entertaining him had better be worth the wait. The corners of her mouth shot up again in a grin. "Trust me, it will be," she assured him. It was her being here with him through this ordeal after all, not some random girl or some random vampire. She noticed they were now following the tracks left by a deer, ever so subtle to the untrained eye, but standing out to creatures like them.

NOTES  ©️️

Why so serious?

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

shame … yes it was a shame. Normally Avanti didn’t held back on things like that, especially if it gave him extra time with Ayana. The last time he hunt with her was under another full moon and it seemed like ages ago. So in a way this was hard for him to resist, to not tell her to drop everything to scare out some forest people. But this was just bigger, more important and how much a monster he could be, he was very responsible in his own little “projects”. That is why they had to stay and stay low, to much at stake, even to go hunting with her. His eyes wandered away to the castle he came from. ‘Time isn’t important for us.’ He reacted on her words, giving her a promising look. They would hunt, sooner then later, if it wasn’t there in the woods it was here on the people of Navarre.

Thinking about Larethian made his temper always flare up. Normally he could hide it pretty easy but it wasn’t on this moment, when he was alone with Ayana. Her words made him clench his teeth, looking into the forest with that overgrowing frustration. ‘He could have killed me.’ He looked aside to her. ‘He did so hard his best to get me to attack him, I’m wondering which tricks he has.’ He was mostly muttering to himself, thinking back on the meeting while the slide string of black fog swirled down over his hand. He looked down to it, smiling softly. ‘Nothing we can’t handle.’ He whispered, looking aside to her with that look full of mischief.

Avanti his eyes followed the tracks, not that he was much of a animal killer, he at least had to set his mind off from doing worse. ‘You saw Achilles lately?’ He asked, not trusting that giant hundred percent of the time, yet Achilles was there most brutal killer. Asking about him was merly something to get her to talk, to listen to the voice that always pulled him away from things he wanted to think about, like the other hunters maybe out here. He stopped all of the sudden, purple eyes scouting around before they rested on a group of deer. But it wasn’t the deer that caught his attention, it were the hunters. He looked aside to Ayana. ‘How much you want to play a little game?’ He whispered, leaning closer to her. ‘They don’t even need to know it was uss.’ He followed, resting his fingertips shortly under her chin, looking her in those sharp green eyes. ‘Don’t cats just love to play with their pray before,’ he didn’t finish the sentence, he just snapped his jaws together in a promising gesture. Pulling up his brows twice before turning his senses back to the hunters and those poor deer caught in the middle of a little game.

Ayana