merchantofwhispers

[merchantofwhispers]

[ .... Like this for a positive, happy all smiles starter. Mina is alive and.. Joyful? Wild. ]

#;ooc

[merchantofwhispers]

@darkhearthorns

#Maverick x Gemina #v; Niffier

[merchantofwhispers]

Once she could see the full extent of his injuries Gemina understood why she had been able to smell them from across the home. She lingered for a moment, staring at his bloodied body as though the viscera could whisper the names of those that had inflicted it. Whatever remnants of whoever had attacked Devlin were long gone, masked by his own pungent aroma, but it didn't stop her from pulling the scent to the palette of her mouth -- letting it fester in her senses as she gathered the first aid kit and returned to his side mere minutes later.

Gemina took her place on her knees beside the tub, sleeves of her shirt rolled up as she soaked a rag in the water. As she did so she considered his question - his entire statement without once looking towards him. Silence lingered between them while she reached out to gently start blotting away the blood, careful not to drag the rag over any cuts to further agitate them.

"Warriors also die to this, Devlin." She stopped to look at the handiwork, nostrils flaring at the myriad of wounds that decorated his upper body. Gemina could hardly believe that lowly street thieves could have done damage quite like this to Devlin of all people.

"I was a Brothel Madame once.." She said while reaching for the kit. Inside it was two extra things she'd shoved in on her way back to the bathroom; a needle and a lighter. Pulling them out she heated the needle under the flame, holding it there to sterilize it the only way she knew how. "Then of course I was involved with the American Mafia for quite some time.. Then the vampiric councils, if you even want to call them that.. American politicians, then global businessmen.. Yet before it all I was just a young woman." There was method to her monologue; to distract and to keep him awake.

She pulled the needle away and let it cool, the lighter discarded back into the box. Once the needle was threaded she used her spare hand to unplug the water, letting it drain until all his deepest wounds were above and visible. "Breathe.." She whispered and leaned forward, steady hands beginning to guide the needle through chilled skin. "I learned how to clean blood from cloth, how to tend fever, how to make soups from burnt breads in order to feed it to those too weak to swallow.."

Steadily, she closed the largest wound and then leaned back to let him breathe. Had he not already lost so much blood she might have offered her venom to him in the hopes it might have helped his agony. Gemina set the needle aside and leaned down on the side of the tub to watch him, her frown deep and heavy as she reached out to wipe a bit of blood from his collar with her bare thumb.

"I could say that it is simply in my nature despite all the violence I've committed to care, that my truest state is when I have a brood to fuss over like a mother hen." She withdrew and reached for the rag again, wanting to clean more of the blood she'd left behind so that her eyes would be anywhere except meeting his.

"The reality is that I-.." Gemina shook her head and sighed. Now was not the time for confessions; Devlin needed care, rest, and healing. Not to ponder whatever convoluted feelings she had in that moment. "Could I leave you suffering alone in this bath? After all you've done for me? No." She finally looked back towards him and reached for his hand. "Come. Whenever you feel you can move, let's get you out of the water. I think I can pack and bandage the rest. If you need I can pick you up." A small smile pulled at the corner of her lips at that little reminder.

@pyrokineticwarrior

Devlin winced as Gemina's cold hand touched his injured ribs, but he welcomed the contact nonetheless. Her concern and anger were palpable, and he knew she would do whatever it took to take care of him.

"It was just a random encounter on my way home," he replied, his voice tinged with pain and hoped that was enough to cover up his blatant lies. "Some thugs thought they could take advantage of a lone man. They were wrong." He clenched his fists, remembering the actual fight with no group- but one stabby vampire that had left him battered and bruised. Devlin was no stranger to violence, but he couldn't shake off the frustration of being caught off guard.

The actual stranger... unnerved him. Especially because he was looking for Gemina, and all those things that were just too overwhelming to think about right now. Especially when the demigod was in deep, searing pain that was making it hard to not see colors every time he closed his eyes too long.

As Gemina turned on the bathwater, Devlin gingerly removed his torn shirt, revealing the full extent of his injuries. Gashes crisscrossed his torso, some shallow but others deep enough to require stitches. That stupid vampire. Battles always came with a cost, and this was something he usually did on his own, but now her gaze made him a little too self-aware. Blood stained his skin, a stark contrast against his tanned complexion. His blood was no stranger to Gemina, that's for sure. He wondered if vampires are even capable of wincing at the sight of blood.

No matter. He eased himself into the bath, the cold water sending a shock through his body. It stung, but he knew it would help numb the pain and prevent any potential infection. Devlin leaned back, closing his eyes, and took a deep breath, attempting to calm his racing thoughts enough to mumble: "why are you doing this, Gemina? You don't have to take care of me. Taking care is... my job. We warriors are made so we can tolerate this." He didn't even know when she started stitching him, his eyes closing longer than usual.

@merchantofwhispers

#pyrokineticwarrior #c; Gemina #v; main #tw wounds #tw needles #tw long post #tw historical sexism

[merchantofwhispers]

If Nikolai noticed the fear in the guard he cared little. He was trapped in his own mind; the woman's eyes seared into his brain, her voice, the way her nostrils flared and her hands pressed into her abdomen. That was her; the missing royal, the crowned princess of the Niffier.

Without input, without answer he had decided they were guilty. Long had he heard story of the Fae's abilities to warp minds, to whittle away at a person and steal their very identities. Had this been her fate? Had they twisted her mind so much that she was now a mere "special woman" to the would-be-king?

Yet even with his determination he knew he must bide his time, that he must hold his fangs until he was certain. Assaulting the prince would only bring about ruin for himself; another victim at the hands of such a ruinous, treacherous creature. For a moment as he entered the chambers he wondered then if what they said was true; were fae truly the most delicious blood to spill?

He would find out when they came to bathe this kingdom in viscera once he'd heard what he knew to be truth.

"I've met your Gemina." Nikolai said with a tone as venomous as his bite. "How fortunate for a fae prince to have a concubine so-.. Exotic." Dark circles had formed under his eyes as he turned his gaze away from Maverick, glancing around the room to gauge just how he should approach this topic safely.

As confident as he was in himself, he knew Maverick to be a vicious beast all his own - nevermind his loyal guards. If he wanted revenge he would need to be able to leave that castle alive.

"It was a meeting by accident, short and brief. The guard came to her aid before much could be done." Immediately he put his hands up, long claws visibly peeking over his fingertips as he dragged his gaze back to Maverick. "Not to imply I tried anything, of course. Only polite conversation."

Lowering them back, he pressed one against his midsection - a mirrored image of the way Gemina might have stood in anger at Maverick - staring down the tip of their noses at him with those same piercing grey eyes.

Except Nikolai's was colder. Darker. Hateful.

"She reminds me of a Niffieri. Such beautiful whitening hair and dagger-teeth.." Nikolai took a few steps closer, body language rapidly tightening as he kept his gaze - unblinking - on Maverick.

Then the next moment his voice lowered, a quite rumble from his chest.

"I'm afraid I must insist on hearing how she came to be within your care."

@darkhearthorns

Nikolai's demand caught the guard off guard, but he quickly composed himself and nodded, recognizing the urgency in Nikolai's tone. "Right away, Your Highness," the guard replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and respect. He led Nikolai through the private halls, moving swiftly to find Prince Maverick.

The guard's heart pounded in his chest, and his hands trembled ever so slightly. Finally, they arrived at a grand chamber adorned with intricate fae craftsmanship. Prince Maverick stood near a vibrant tapestry depicting a dragon engulfing a man with it's flames. He was engrossed in conversation with a few members of his council. The guard approached Maverick and whispered into his ear, causing the prince to turn his attention towards Nikolai. As Maverick turned his attention back to the guard, the man could feel his throat go dry. He cleared his throat nervously before speaking.

"Prince Maverick, I... I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but... Prince Nikolai insisted that I bring him to you immediately. He seemed quite urgent."

Maverick's gaze shifted to the guard, and for a moment, a flicker of annoyance passed over his features. The guard braced himself for reprimand, fearing that he had overstepped his boundaries. But then Maverick's expression softened, and he sighed, understanding the guard's apprehension.

"It's alright," Maverick replied, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of wariness. Ever since the equation between himself and Lady Gemina changed, he was being more patient than usual. It was unnerving nonetheless. "You did the right thing. Thank you for bringing Prince Nikolai to me promptly."

Relief washed over the guard, and he nodded gratefully. "Of course, Your Highness. I apologize if I seemed... nervous. It's just... what I witnessed out there, it was quite unexpected. I wasn't sure how you would react."

Now, this made Maverick's eyebrow raise suspiciously, but instead of asking the guard, he gestured for him to leave. Once alone, he faced the guest with politeness in his tone, asking ever-so-innocently:

"Nikolai, what's the matter?"

@merchantofwhispers

#c; Nikolai #v; Niffier #darkhearthorns

[merchantofwhispers]

#;Mina AES

[merchantofwhispers]

[ Exhausted brain ideas that I'll find tomorrow: A traveling show muse but the show is like a supernatural flea market. Chaotic neutral alignment. ]

#;ooc

[merchantofwhispers]

There was that look in his eye again. The same one that meant that playtime was over and whatever followed after was to be taken seriously. She nodded in understanding of what he was saying, but could not deny her curiosity. "A vampire prince?" She questioned softly. "Like those ones from the story books? I-.. I thought-.."

Her brows stitched together before she visibly shook away whatever was happening in her mind. Gemina pulled his hands up to her lips where she placed tender, reverent kisses to his knuckles.

"Of course, my love, I will avoid him unless you are near.. I would not want to add to your stress." Those grey eyes watched him as she continued to adorn his hands with her affections, until those same thoughts she'd shaken away came swiftly back into place.

"Though-.. Perhaps he may be more willing to reveal his intentions to someone so similar.. I am just as alien here as he may be and if his knowledge of fae are as yours is similar to how your people took to my arrival.." It was her turn to tighten her hold on his hands, smiling so gently and encouragingly while waiting to let him piece together what she was implying.

Admittedly, she was being selfish. Curiosity was just as powerful as her loyalty to Maverick was, and what had she to fear? So long as he was near no harm could come to her; she was certain he'd use the bones of anyone who tried as toothpicks. "-But I understand if such a meeting - even planned and choreographed - is too dangerous.. I don't wish to place more stress on your shoulders."

@darkhearthorns

"I'm glad to hear it love." His smile faltered a bit, feeling the urge to tell her something that's been stuck in his thoughts for some time now. "Gemina, my curious kitten, you must have noticed a new visitor, and I haven't introduced you to him, but don't take it the wrong way. The vampire prince is a powerful and enigmatic figure, and I am yet to discern whether his presence in the Moorlands brings danger or not."

Maverick's grip on Gemina's hand tightened slightly as he emphasized his next words. "For your safety, my love, I urge you to stay away from him. I don't want you to be caught up in any potential conflicts or schemes that might surround him. I am still in the process of gathering information and assessing the situation. But, if you want to help me in this fear, I won't stop you either. I won't be able to cease feeling concerned for you and I'll stay close."

@merchantofwhispers

#c; Gemina #v; Niffier #darkhearthorns #/lmao all this just for her to get freaked out when he broke into her garden

[merchantofwhispers]

"No.. No more.."

Gemina whispered soothingly in his ear. Just those few words were stronger than before. She did continue to lick at the wound, suckling gently at it until she had enough. Unfortunately all she could ever take from Will was snacks and tastes, but he'd given her enough needed to garner the strength to heal.

Enough that when she sought out a proper meal she wouldn't be endangering herself.

After a moment she pressed a tender kiss to his cheek and drew back, finding herself smiling adoringly at the expression he was making. "Delicious.. Come now, lets go get that wrapped up.." She let go of his ribs only so she could grip under his chin again, squeezing there while leaning in to rub her nose against his.

"Come on, easy now.."

She opened the drain for the tub and then stood up, water beading off her naked body as she stepped out. Thankfully the robe wasn't to far away and neither was a towel for her to ring out her hair. When she glanced over, she smiled at Will and held her arms out for him to take. "How about we bandage your throat and snuggle for the evening?"

@worldofsenelfy

Will was not going to accept no for an answer here. In all fairness, he didn't know what was going to happen when Gemina said yes and dug her teeth into him for a second time in one night. His mood was different now than it had been earlier - understandably so. Would her venom still provide the same kind of rush? Could he deal with such an amount of blood drained from him? The human body was capable of a lot, but how much was too much?

These questions might be going around in his head, but that didn't mean he didn't still offer the sensitive flesh of his neck to the woman in the bathtub. Strangely, the thing he was most worried about now was whether she'd leave a scar. His vanity went above all else, it seemed. But that vanity was momentarily forgotten as Mina traced kisses down his jaw to the desired area.

It wasn't her venom that clouded his mind in that moment.

It was a good distraction, though. A distraction of what was to come. The pain was much sharper than the times before. It ran deeper and Will tensed, muscles hardening in the seconds it took for the venom to take effect. He wanted to grunt, but the sound never left his lips. And then he exhaled, slowly, and it came. That flutter in his stomach. That haziness in his head. The drifting. It might've just been as pleasant as the previous times, but he couldn't focus on it completely. He couldn't shut his mind off entirely from what had happened that night. "M--more." He whispered the word, barely audible as his eyes closed and he leaned heavier against the bath's edge. "Take.. more." He couldn't tell if she'd stopped yet or if she was still drinking, or if he was still conscious. He smiled, faintly, because he could not ignore the nice feeling.

Or was that because of her arm wrapped around him so tightly?

@merchantofwhispers

#worldofsenelfy #c; Gemina #v; main

[merchantofwhispers]

#;Mina Carnal #/the rare occassion that she chains a man up is....... good

[merchantofwhispers]

#;Wanted Dynamics #okay but...

[merchantofwhispers]

[ Please keep my mother in your thoughts. She is being admitted to an observation unit as soon as they have a bed available. Until then we're waiting in the ER. I'll be attempting to do drafts to distract myself. ]

#;ooc

[merchantofwhispers]

The fall from bliss was harsh and fast. She felt as though the ground crumbled beneath her as she stared at her empty hands; somehow in her mind it lingered, the weight of the infant's head against her palm and its little hands pulling at her hair. Gemina startled for a second time as Maverick reached to touch her, completely unaware he'd come so close - or perhaps that he was even there.

"I-.." Finally, her hands fell to her midsection where she so often rested them against her diaphragm. "Yes, I'm quite alright. I just-.. I don't-.. I think-.." Her thoughts were a tangled mess as she battled with what she'd just experienced and the idea to shove it all away was tempting.

Instead, she chose painful honesty.

"I don't know.. Truthfully, I don't." Gemina finally brought herself to look directly at Maverick, her torment visible in nearly every feature of her expression. "One moment I was here, resting, and another there was this-.. Heavy green haze. It felt-.. No, it couldn't have been a memory. Those are too ghostly, too broken. This was-.." Her jaw flexed as she tried to force the words from behind her lips.

"Maverick, I was holding a baby and it felt real. It made noise, it weighed like stones in my arms, it had-.. Horns.." As she said it her grey eyes moved up to Maverick's own horns that stood so proudly on his head. "I felt as though I knew the child, but something made a noise and it startled me and when I looked back down the baby was-.. Gone."

Drifting her hands lower over her stomach, she couldn't decide if she was more mournful or confused over the situation. "I-.. I think I'm not sleeping well. All our stress lately, the council and this new arrangement.. I must be neglecting myself somehow." Gemina's voice drifted into a small whisper, speaking more to herself than him. "Perhaps I should see the healers.. They weren't fond of me before, but-.."

@darkhearthorns

Maverick dropped his handkerchief, the very one he kept in his princely pocket and he found himself in the very room Gemina was residing. They have become quieter with one another, as if words held such a weight that they can either be weapons, and the only thing soothing or balming was their touch. In recent events, he was surprised by a certain request by the Vampiress, only adding to her long list of demands, but this one was in bed in an outlandish command.

And what was it? To breed her. The dark fae ruler has unable to focus anywhere else, as he could only think about how Gemina told him she cannot bear children and how much that upsets her, only to say such a thing that was going to go around and hurt her.

The fae council were more secretive. They glanced at Maverick and would silence their murmurs, and that made him even more bothered but he did not want to seem erratic. At least nowadays, with the Spring festivities much on its way.

He noticed her hands in the air, in an odd position. Gemina looked so distant in her demeanor. Her face seemed more pale than usual, and therefore Maverick strode towards her and reached for her hands, touching it.

"Did you recall another memory, Gemina?"

@merchantofwhispers

#c; Gemina #v; Niffier #darkhearthorns

[merchantofwhispers]

It was so easy to lose herself to Maverick. With every thrust and twist of his fingers she felt herself relaxing further, slipping blissfully into the wonderful dizzying world of pleasure. His voice - no, his questions - jolted her back into reality.

Gemina couldn't hold back the soft moan she left out at the idea, bottom lip pulled into her teeth after as her body betray her excitement and tightened around his fingers at the idea of being at his total mercy. More than that was the realization that what he was offering was something she'd silently wanted for so long. Something she could do to him, but he could not share in for long.

How had she not considered that a piercing would be the perfect way for him to mark her just as she does him?

"Please, please do all of that.. Pierce me with gold so that everytime I see myself naked I know with who I belong." Gemina muttered back to him while shifting her hips and collapsing back on the desk so that he could see how desperate she was. How excited she was. "-And by all means, Maverick.. Tie me and use me however you please. After all, how powerful a man you must be to leash such a dangerous creature as I."

Her smirk returned, as did the way she stared at him from beneath her lashes.

"I wonder if those piercings you speak of would be visible to other through my clothes.."

@darkhearthorns

Maverick's body tensed as Gemina's hand tangled in his hair, scratching at his scalp. The hold made him anticipate pain, and he learned easily that he loved receiving her pain. It made him wanton and restless, for the sensation sent a shiver down his spine fueling his desire even further. He continued his ministrations on her breast, alternating between gentle sucking and flicking his tongue against her sensitive nipple.

Feeling her grip tighten in his scalp, Maverick groaned softly, the sound vibrating against her skin as he continued to explore her with his thrusting, slippery fingers. The way she angled her hips and pressed her beautiful chest towards him only heightened his desire, his own need growing more urgent with each passing moment.

Her whispered words sent a surge of satisfaction through him, knowing that he had the power to drive her to such heights of pleasure. Maverick's movements became more deliberate, his fingers curling and exploring deeper within her steaming cunt, seeking out the spots that would make her lose control.

As Gemina let out a breathy laugh, he started sucking harder, twisting his fingers in and out of her in the same pace that he was rolling a moistened nipple around his fingers. Suddenly, an idea struck his head, and he wanted to inquire with her before he performed it.

"What would my darling vampire think- if I tied her up? I'd love to tease you, without mercy, and... I am thinking of something special for these," he flicked both her nipples at the same time. "Perhaps a piece of jewelry...? Any precious metals you have in mind? Gold?" He licked her ear, before whispering conspiratorially, "would you like that? Let me experience how it feels to pierce, too."

@merchantofwhispers

#darkhearthorns #c; Gemina #v; Niffier #NSFT

[merchantofwhispers]

Her grey eyes flicked between the two men before she acquiesced with a small nod of her head. "Very well. It has been quite some time since I've been able to have a little chat with her. You two have fun now. Don't make any deals neither of you can get out of." She patted Ulysses on the arm and slipped between the two men, elbowing Nikolai quickly on the way.

Immediately the taller of the twins hunched, sneering playfully before rising to his full height again -- albeit that was hardly anything compared to Ulysses hulking size.

"What a breath of fresh air to have someone new around. You might not believe it but these little affairs are just so-.. Repetitive. Mina going missing for months was the most exciting thing to happen since a hunter once got locked in a freezer last year. We all took turns opening and closing the door on him until he got tired of yelling his dumb little catch phrases.."

He hardly noticed Ulysses wasn't paying attention until the very end, arching a brow at the seemingly temporarily confused man. "Oh that's alright, you've likely plenty on your mind, but uh-.. Yea, lets talk deals. Maybe not the type you'd prefer, but-..." Waving him off, Nikolai moved to gesture to the table he'd previously been sitting at and retook his position while waiting for Ulysses.

"I'll admit that I'm not much of a politician. A liar, a gambler, a charleton, a thief-.. Sure, but I've never been one to hold up appearances. That's unfortunately a talent only Minny is cursed with." He admitted with a small shrug of his shoulders. "So allow me to be the most honest I can be with you."

Someone with a tray walked by and he playfully plucked two glasses off the top, winking at the server as he cast him a stunned scowl. Nikolai placed one of the golden liquid glasses down in front of his new companion and held up his own as if he were going to toast, but the motion never came.

"Everyone in this party is going to stare at you like you're the latest inconvenience. Something standing between them and perceived glory. Little motivates my sister more than emotions and a fully motivated Minny is a dangerous weapon to have at your side, especially for some worked up white collar scumbag looking to make a legacy."

He stopped to take a small swig of his own glass.

"Yet-.. You're not that. You're something else." He took another glance out over at the party, located Gemina, and then continued talking. "You've already said youre the kraken and given that I can smell the magic practically radiating off you-.. I'm inclined to believe you're at least half honest." Slowly, his eyes drifted back to Ulysses. His lips started to curl back into a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Don't take this as an attempt at intimidation, I'm just curious how you two came to be a couple.. I've only heard little bits here and there, nothing substantial. She's been awfully secretive regarding you."

@deepseawarlock

Ulysses observed the exchange between Gemina and Nikolai, sensing the tension beneath their playful banter. Even he understood that certain topics were best avoided, and he didn't want to jeopardize the delicate balance between them. He had two brothers of his own, and knew sibling relationships could be complicated at times and its best not to interfere. As Nikolai gestured toward the table and proposed some private time, Ulysses considered the gracious request.

A sly smile curved on his lips as he looked at Nikolai. "Man to man, you say? Well, who am I to decline such an invitation?" Ulysses glanced at Gemina, his eyes conveying reassurance. "Go on, dear Gemina, enjoy your time with Lydia. Nikolai and I shall have our own little discussion."

Seconds after his response, the warlock's mind drifted back to a vivid memory—a clash with his long-time pirate foe, Cinead. Ulysses found himself transported to a different time and place, reliving the exhilarating battle where the salty sea air whipped through Ulysses' hair as he stood firmly on the deck of his ship. Across from him was his opponent, and they mirrored each other's seething hatred. Ulysses wanted to keep the fight quick yet personal. With a flash of inspiration, Ulysses disengaged from Cinead, seizing a frying pan with a swift motion. His adversaries' eyes widened in surprise and amusement, perhaps thinking it a foolish move.

The metallic impact reverberated through the air as the pirate captain stumbled backward, disarmed and dazed. It was the clinking of a glass in that party that yanked him from the memory and brought him to the present. Ulysses blinked a few times to regain his composure and then returned his role as a polite guest.

"Apologies, dear Nikolai," Ulysses spoke, embarrassment coloring his tone. "My mind sometimes wanders to past adventures. But where were we? Ah, yes, the trade. Let us return to that discussion, shall we?"

@merchantofwhispers

#deepseawarlock #c; Gemina #c; Nikolai #v; main

[merchantofwhispers]

As soon as he offered to feed her Gemina's eyes softened. She kept her touch against his cheek, finding herself drawn further towards that possessive desire. "Yes.." She muttered in agreement as he tilted his chin to expose that beautiful neck of his. The marks she'd made earlier were still visible and beyond just the need to feed to heal -- Gemina wanted desperately to leave more marks.

It was a monsterous need, primal and instinctive. To mark, to feed, to own.

Were she in a clearer mindset she might have opted to place them in a more comfortable position, but that infernal need mixed horribly with the instinctive desire to heal, and who was she to deny them both as he placed himself on display?

Gemina shifted, leaning over the edge of the tub as water beaded off her shoulders and dripped from her hands while they cradled his face. "Breathe deep.." She reminded him in a tender whisper. "Breathe deep and relax.." Even in her questionable state she still moved slowly, lips leaving that distinctive trail they'd taken both times she'd bitten him before -- ghosting from his mouth down to a tender spot near his collar.

That was where the gentleness stopped, however. The moment her teeth met flesh they sank in deeper than before. Even her duller teeth might have left imprints from how harshly she bit down. Blood rushed to the surface to meet her tongue as she greedily drank from the wound. One of her hands moved into his hair and tangled in, ensuring he couldn't have easily broken her hold.

Then -- suddenly -- as she felt her chest begin to stitch itself together from the inside, she released her bite.

"Fuck.."

Gemina muttered between presses of her tongue to the bleeding wound. Though her grasp on him did not yield, she made a point to slip one of her arms under his shoulder to hug him tight.

@worldofsenelfy

Was this truly such a special moment? Was this not just Will being a decent host and helping someone in need? It was his job. It was what he did for a living, so how was this different? These thoughts roamed through his mind as he rid Gemina's skin of any red. He noticed the change of color. He watched it. He knew much about the human body, but he'd never seen it do what hers had done tonight. He was fascinated, but just as much shaken. Luckily, Mina's comment distracted him before he got too lost in those thoughts.

"Don't tell me what to do." There was the lightest hint of a tease, not in his voice, but in his eyes. He didn't look at her, though, kept focusing on getting her clean and warm. He wasn't even sure if that helped her, getting warm. She wasn't human, after all. Maybe the stuff that worked on humans didn't work on her. Maybe.. maybe they ought to talk about that.

Mina did. Mina brought it up, what had happened earlier. For someone who was usually so talkative, Will was awfully quiet. It could've just been him being tired too. It'd been a lot. It could've been due to something else too, he realized, but he swiftly pushed that to the back of his mind. No. He wasn't going down that road again. No feelings. Nothing beyond the lust and the need. That, he could deal with. That was easy. That was safe. Finally, with all the red gone from her skin, the water now slightly colored, he lifted his gaze and met her eyes, just as she stated she was going to bleed the town dry if she had to. His lips curled. "Kinky." He felt his chest tighten, but not in an unpleasant way. It was strange, yes, but not unpleasant. "How about--" He reached, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "--before you do all that and more, you just focus on getting back to your feet?" Cause as much as that fire was burning in her eyes again, her body looked weak. It lacked its usual color, those dark spidery veins shining through. Somehow Will knew that wasn't good.

He held her gaze longer then. Even though he wasn't an expert on the subject, he had a hunch what would help. "You need to feed," he stated plainly, as if it was a most normal thing. Strangely, he'd become more accustomed to it by now. He leaned in some more, tilted his chin for easier access. "Do it." They could talk after.

@merchantofwhispers

#worldofsenelfy #c; Gemina #v; main

[merchantofwhispers]

All was quiet in the private halls he'd managed to sneak himself into. It was no easy task slipping past all of the Fae royals guards, harder yet to remain undetected in such an unfamiliar place, but Nikolai was determined -- and skilled. He'd been there for several days already, partaking in what little exchanges he could with Prince Maverick and members of his council, but what he desired to know required more than what he was being allowed to see.

He scoured open doors, relying on his hearing and sense of smell to detect when someone was near, and even found himself ducking into closets to avoid the stray servants and guards that roamed through the halls with him.

It was that very course of action that saw him silently open an external door and step out, holding the door steady just before it shut as a guard moved down the hall. Immediately the overwhelming scent of flowers and dirt flooded his senses, their bright colors catching his attention from the corner of his eye, but there was something else that made his hair stand on end.

Suddenly spinning around he found himself staring across at a woman almost his height, a basket of flowers on one arm and the other visibly tensed at her side. Immediately Nikolai breathed out a nervous sigh, his charming smile pulling at the corners of his lips as his hands moved in front of himself. There was something familiar about the woman that he couldn't quite place, but perhaps that was simply that she wasn't visibly fae. Too tall and wingless, to sharp and simultaneously plain.

No, she looked like his sister. Though he knew and had known that her essence was long in the void, swallowed by the eternal dark.

"Madame, my sincerest apologies, I-.. I appear to have gotten lost." He said while trying to relax himself. "Yes. It would appear you have." Gemina said sternly back to him, her grey eyes hard as she stared daggers through him. "Who are you?"

Nikolai huffed and shrugged, starting to slowly approach her to offer his hand before she took a sudden step backwards. He took note of the way her nostrils flared and the smallest noise left her throat - she was nervous. "Right, I-.. Nikolai. Prince Nikolai Demetrovich Torav Volarious. Crowned Prince of Niffelheim and heir to the Dead Throne." He rattled off his credentials in hopes it would soothe her and much to his surprise, she seemed to relax somewhat. "-And you are?"

There was a short pause as she looked him over, nostrils continuing to flair as she let his scent drift over the rest of the garden. It was familiar, but made her stomach churn in despair. "Maverick told me of your visit." She stated while slowly offering her free hand out. Before she even said her name Nikolai took notice of her nails - sharpened and curved like cats claws. Yet as she said her name, so calm and dignified, his chest seized.

"Gemina." "Gemina?" He repeated back in a quiet whisper. Maverick had said the name when they'd first met, mentioning his special woman, and had taken it simply as a favorable sign of things to come. Yet now that he was standing in front of her, her hand clasped in his, he found himself staring at a ghost.

"Are you-.. Alright?" She questioned while starting to pull back. Nikolai let her go, but he didn't back off and give her more space. Instead he leaned in closer, peaking around her as if looking for something as she began leaning further away from him in nervous confusion.

Maverick had warned her he might be dangerous.

She was beginning to believe he was right.

Just as she opened her mouth to scream for a guard, he returned his pale grey eyes to hers and whispered quietly, "does anyone call you Minny?"

The question felt she'd been struck in the gut. It echoed in her head like a rung bell, drawing forth faces without features and voices without mouths. "No, no one calls me-.... No one calls me Minny.."

After a short pause Nikolai apologized, his chest practically burning from the manic emotions now contained within. Something inside of him was screaming that this was her. That she was alive and standing before him and that insanity was only further solidified by how shell shocked she looked at the mention of an old childhood nickname.

Why though, he wondered, would she lie? Was he wrong? Was this a horrible dream or the cruelest coincidence?

"I-.. I see. Well, Lady Gemina, it seems you're not from here.. Same as I." Nikolai commented with a nervous chuckle. "How did you come to be in the fae-realm? Do you have family?" His eyes narrowed in on her lips as she sneered at his questioning, catching the glint of sharp teeth.

"No, and quite frankly I don't believe I should be speaking to you without Maverick present." Gemina said hastily, cutting off his quiet and quick attempts to silence her as she called for a guard. Nikolai's jaw clenched; this was her. He knew it was. Even with her hair down and dirt smeared across her neck and arms, even drowned in the scent of fae-blood and strange alien plants.. It was her.

This was his sister. Somehow.

"My apologies, Lady Gemina.." He muttered as the door swung open and a guard hastily grabbed at his arm, ushering him into the hall. As soon as they were out of sight of the woman in the garden he yanked his arm away.

"Spare me your speeches and take me Prince Maverick immediately." He demanded, sharp teeth on full display.

@darkhearthorns

#darkhearthorns #c; Gemina #v; Niffier #c; Nikolai

[merchantofwhispers]

It was always pleasant to find someone just idling admiring her store. So much of her time and energy had gone into it, how could she not take pride in the passing looks it got? "You're quite alright." She said sweetly while offering a tight lipped smile. Nearly every inch of her was covered, from the glasses over her eyes to the brimmed hat rested neatly on the top of her head, down to the lacy cardigan that covered her arms. "Mina. Just Mina."

Her gloved hand extended out for a shake while her other fished to the belt at her waist, jingling the little keyring that hung there. "Would you care to come inside? I'm just opening up for the evening."

@bloodyxballet

@merchantofwhispers asked for a starter

Dylan was looking in the window of the antique store when he sees a shape in the window behind him "This stuff is beautiful makes me think of my grandmother. She went to antique stores on a regular basis." He smiles brightly as he turns and introduces himself to the woman behind him "i'm Dylan, Dylan Mercer and i'm blocking your veiw of the window. i'm being very rude."

#bloodyxballet #c; Gemina #v; main