Willow And Kirian: Bloody Meetings

[Willow]

[glow=red,2,300]Five Years Prior Present Day[/glow]

Willow. Age, 14.

There was so much blood. Willow gagged, using one hand to support herself on the brick wall. Her eyes were focused on the boy, a figure only a few years older than herself, and his were on her, gleaming red with hunger. The alley spun and she sank to her knees, putting one hand to her neck. Her attacker lay dead, his own throat ripped out, laying in a pool of the crimson fluid. The vampire's face was streaked with blood, and the scratches the man had managed to inflict were already healing over, she could practically see the skin closing up.

He was so close, in seconds, the half-elf hadn't even seen him move, his face close to her, scrutining her. The vampire rested on one knee, his head tilted at an angle. One hand, like a feral claw, reached out and traced a scratch on her left cheek, and the finger came away wet with blood. Willow flinched.

"Get away from me," she whispered, eyes flashing. Her silver hair was streaked with blood and dirt, laying in clumps around her scratched face. His eyes flashed brilliant crimson and he grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Be still."

God, he was so close. His lips were parted, and she could see the tips of pearly-white fangs there, edged with fresh blood. He shifted, rocked back to sit on his heels, and pulled a hand towards his face. She knew what he was going to do a second before it happened, and then his fangs were buried in her upturned palm. Willow shut her eyes and started to pull away, but he wouldn't let go, his iron grip kept her from moving.

"Let go," she said firmly. "Now."

Surprisingly, he did, and his eyes flicked up; He was amused, a shadow of a smile played on her lips. She hated being so terrified, but he was a monster, he was enjoying making her uncomfortable, scaring her.

"You're very welcome," he murmured, glancing behind him at the dead man. "Although you would have ended up dead if he hadn't shown up."

So that had been him, before. She thought it was her original attacker, but no, the shadow had been too lean for the corpse. He'd been stalking her, ready for a meal; And there was a large chance that now, having already caught her, he would kill her anyway. Willow scooted a few feet away, eyes narrowed. "Leave me alone."

[Willow]

"Quit moving," he snapped. "I'm not here to hurt you. If I wanted you dead now, you would be."

"Then what do you want?"

"Give me a second." He tilted his head back, eyes shut, still enough to be a statue. Willow watched him carefully, and when he jerked his head down to look at her, she jumped. His eyes weren't red anymore, they were grey, just a few shades darker than her hair. The vampire's face no longer had a gaunt, pallid look; He almost looked human. Almost.

"What are you doing here?" he asked finally, and she noted that his fangs had retracted enough to appear normal.

"Just traveling."

"To where?"

"What do you care?" Willow retorted, getting to her feet. He did likewise, never taking his silver eyes off her. "None of your business."

"If you're looking for a place to stay, I can offer one," he replied, eyes flashing. Willow snorted, still shaky from the attack. Her hand had already stopped bleeding, and she examined it for a moment before looking back up at him.

"Yeah, take me in, then use me as a snack for later," the half-elf said, taking half a step back. Then he was behind her, both hands wrapped around her neck.

"Mortals," he murmured, his voice a breath in her ear, "Are so fragile. I could snap your neck, rip your heart out of your chest, break your arm with two fingers. Should I prove it?"

"N-no..." Willow swallowed. "No, y...you're fine."

"Cute," he said with a sneer. "At least you aren't sucking up."

"Should I be?"

The vampire laughed, and his hands removed themselves from her throat. She rubbed the base of her neck, but he hadn't even left a bruise, not even a sore spot. "Cute," he repeated.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Kirian." He rocked back onto his heels, staring up at the sky. "Your name is Willow, you are half-elf, a thief, and in deep, deep trouble. You're also dying."

"What?!

[Willow]

Willow stared at him, horrified. How could he know something like that? He stared back, his face carved stone, his eyes empty. Those twin silver orbs were almost luminescent, glowing softly in the dark. The red had faded from them, now only a faint glint when he blinked, or spoke. There was no remains of the monster that had stood there a moment before.

"But I can offer you an escape," he said softly, eyes flickering with a brief emotion; Pity. Willow curled her upper lip, not wanting sympathy from a bloodsucker, even one who had saved her life. She eyed him suspiciously, still shaking from the encounter.

She let her hand drop down to her side, almost numbly. Dying. That would make sense. The constant headaches, the sudden spells of weakness. "How long?"

"Five, maybe six years," Kirian replied coolly, as if uncaring of the half-elf's plight. The vampire shifted his weight, as if unable to stand still.

"What kind of escape?" she asked carefully, studying him as he did her. Her heart was still pounding, her blood racing.

"Immortality." Kirian tilted his head to one side, watching her curiously. She registered what he meant almost instantly. Willow choked out an answer.

"You want to turn me into a vampire," she managed, eyes widening.