Two moon's crossing was a small village, mostly dealing in the trade of flesh and rations, but occasionally the thieves would barter their goods and make their money that way. Soldiers would come through and get the relief on a regular basis, the High Crest wars were still in high swing, the leading Werewolf and Vampire clans fighting for land, and so far, the wolves were losing badly to their would be masters, the vampires. This little village was on the fine line between the two sections of lands, the neutral ground where the werewolves ignored the vampires and the vampires the wolves in order to have some piece and have a bit of flesh to feed their needs... The night was just beginning, and tonight was one of the slowest nights available, the whores lingering out by their doors of the houses and watching for men to get their pay.

it was in this town that I first met Daemon he was a boy no older than 15 and I caught him with his hand in my satchel it was his scent that gave him away there were too few hybrids for him not to be recognizable my first instinct was to kill him on the spot but this town had rules and I wasn’t about to risk my entire operation on a boy

The fifteen year old boy had been in Two moon's for about a week, starving and working his hand to try and attempt getting some cash in order to get food, or at least get something to trade for food... pockets were a little scarce, but as it were, there was a man with a full looking money satchel, and he decided that it was time to try again... and went to undoing the satchel tie, and reached his hand in... Though to his dismay, the man caught him, snatching his wrist from the satchel and taking a long breath, eyes narrowing as he stared hard at the boy. "Well... A pick pocket with bad hands... What to do with a little thief aye?" The boys eyes got wide, not only had he been caught, but he was currently staring at a werewolf... his life was now on the line, not just his fingers of his hand.

the man knelt down beside the boy " if I were you boy I’d run" the man was looking in the direction of the guards and quickly added " if u survive meet me outside of the town tonight and I'll show you how to not get caught." and with that he hollered to the guards and the boy was off like a bolt

The whore who had been watching laughed and settled alluringly against her doorway and watched the man. "You got an awful kind heart there mister..." to which his reply was "not a kind heart but an eye for talent." and with that the man swiftly vanished into the crowd

The whore laughed and smiled in a sultry curve of her lips. "You looking for a hot meal and some relief there?"

"Not tonight madam I have an appointment to keep"

"Well you ought to bring your appointment here; I have a lovely woman who can quiet any man's thirst." She said in a purr of a tone and winked at him, on hand lifting her skirt a bit to bare a lovely thigh and calf...

"Tempting luv but I don't mix business with pleasure, but I most defiantly will be back."

"I look forward to it lover... Hurry back." She mused to him with a sultry smirk and turned to head back into the house, and thus left him on the empty street, with more whores watching him and flaunting their lovely things.

Just as promised the man was waiting outside the town waiting to see if the boy actually had what it took to survive.

my heart was pounding in my chest the adrenaline was pumping through my system I've never felt so alive the guards on my heels I was playing with certain death and I knew it " come on boys is that seriously all you got?" as I started diving in and out of alleys it didn’t take me long to lose them I found a good hiding spot outside the walls of the city and waited to see if the old man was on the level

The guards had been hard to get rid of, but when he did and was able to get his things together and be safe.

I watched as the man walked out of the gate. I had to sit perfectly still I was so excited but I knew that I couldn’t show myself until I knew he was by himself and no guards were around. After I felt it was safe I slowly approached the man he was tall and lanky with salt and pepper hair and a long scar that ran from his right eye down to his lip. It was like he knew I was coming before he ever saw me as I approached he turned with a wry smile he said “good you made it, come with me." I fell into step without a word. I knew my future relied heavily on this old man

And sure enough it did. The wars were getting more and more violent, everyone, even the humans were being taken up on both sides, enlisted to fight a war that wasn't theirs, even those who were hybrids, because they had lived with the humans and in the rank for so long, they had almost been forgotten.

The war of the century was happening, of which the old man was a part of, and his young 'son' that he had taken in... Though Daemon had never known he was under a watchful eye, other than his mentor, and as the war raged, that eye was fighting with the men in battle... though no one knew Death had taken a front row seat with the fight.

While under Rangers tutelage I learned many trades thievery being the most fun there was no match to the thrill of almost getting caught. I barely knew of my parents or my lineage all I really knew was that I was different

That difference had cost Daemon a lot, between a broken leg to a fractured skull, mostly to the other person trying to rip him apart, and as they settled in their tent for the night, it was a cold and Rainey evening, no one would be fighting tonight.

The rain was drizzling down and the sound of rain on my tent was peaceful I fell asleep quickly. I woke with a searing pain that felt like it came from my bones, the first time I changed I was 16 I had never felt anything like it in my life.

Ranger had been awake, watching the boy with careful eyes and when the boy changed, he slipped his own skin, shaking out the fluid from his patchy and wiry fur, taking hold of the young male like any other mentor would, the back of his neck, by the scruff, even with how violent he was, there was no way for him to escape that hold, and he hauled him out of the back of the tent, then out of the camp and into the forest.  From there, Ranger got the boy to hunt taste the blood of a deer and calm from the frenzy... and thus began their strange relationship, as well as the other part of Daemon's training.

Ten years had passed, the old man had passed away in the night about three months ago, the newest was between the vampires and wolves was in full swing, so much so that when Daemon was faced with a serious vampire with a katana.

Daemons first instinct was to be to just rip her throat out but he decided to play with her for a while “what’s wrong luv you can't keep up with me?”

She laughed as she did indeed keep up, swaying and arching and avoiding his hits easily, her own blade matching his as he moved, dark hair pulled into a tight braid that moved with her, and she finally settled and was waiting for her opening. "You move erratic there lover, you think you can make it more obvious for me? Where's the next open spot on your body is going to be?" She purred at him in a dangerous tone and slid her sword up his calf to his knee, clean to the bone.

The cold steel bit cleanly through the meat it hurt so much there was pleasure in the pain and Daemon fell to his knees he could already feel the wound closing he had to buy some time so with his good leg he lunged forward grabbed the vampires in his arms and drew her into a long slow kiss... But he failed to realize the katana as it was plunged through his stomach

And that was when he felt the bit of the steel again, this time it was just above his hip, and she purred into the kiss, but bit into his tongue hard, piercing it and her then drew the blade up at an angle from his hip, towards his heart. The kiss was slow, but she drank from him that way sucking on his tongue and twisting the blade down towards his groin this time, pulling away and smiling in a purr even though his blood spilled from her mouth. "You can sweet talk a girl as long as you please... but the first kiss is always the one that burns the most." She said darkly, and she drove her blade into the ground while it was still in his body... his wounds were more than he had the ability to heal...

As daemons eyes began to close all he could think of is “maybe I will see that beautiful woman again..."

"You flatter me young man... but seeing me is not a blessing." A smooth voice purred in his ear, and his wounds were healing a lot faster than it should have.

“I’ve been dying to know your name since the first time I saw you."

"They call me Death." She purred and his vision swam it slowly started to come to, and the battle ground was quiet, and he was faced with a woman with a full body, hips and bust to make any man cry, brilliant molten silver eyes with no pupil and hair that was bound back in a loose French braid, white with black and blood red streaks. She wore a battle armor set that was intricate and dark, the metal unknown to his eyes, and she arched a brow at him as she pulled the blade from his body. "The battle has ended... though the war has not... You are known as dead to this world, though we are here... you are going to wake up in a startling view... you have a long life ahead of you... Your curse is your own blood, to carry in your body for more than just one lifetime... Good luck." She mused to him absently, hand resting on her hip but she presented the katana to him. "This blade will be your only refuge, keep it with you always, or be left to forget and fall into the years with nothing to cling to."

“You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." I will search for you until the end of my days

"That's going to be a long time... and I'm not easy to find." She purred softly and winked, then his vision swam to black... and his nostrils filled with smoke... what was burning?

Daemon awoke to his house burning to the ground around him he fumbled with the burial cloths that were loosely wrapped around him as he fell from his bed dazed and confused he made it through the smoke to the blinding light of morning searching for anyone who could help but there was no one to be found he finally gave up and sat on the goat path and watched as his house burned to the ground grief stricken he picked through the rubble and found 100 gold coins, a few pieces of clothing that hadn't been too severely burned and the katana that had been his demise and his only connection to the beautiful creature he only knew as death

IT was midafternoon when someone did come by his hut, it was a woman with long blonde hair bound up in a high ponytail, her horse robust and made for long journeys, and she was in battle garb, but more of the thieving. Her dark honey brown eyes and her lovely sun kissed skin. She looked at him with curious eyes but kept a good distance from him, she was only human. "Well... That is a rather poor ordeal for you isn't it?"

“You have no idea luv. Today I have lost everything and have taken up the life of a rogue either u can join me or you can leave off it’s your choice human."

She frowned, arching a brow at him. "Look here, I have no reason to join a burned body on any venture... But unfortunately I need a companion... So either you can get on a horse that's in that field there or you can sit here and rot..." She said softly.

“You have courage I'll give you that." he said "but I think I will walk." so with his katana sword witch he had decided to name Shi no tens or death angel, strapped to his back he started to follow this wandering thief wherever she might take him

She arched an eyebrow but nodded and started her horse down the path. "You can call me Ruby." She murmured, there was a thief around the places, known as the Ruby Blade, skilled, not known to be a man or a woman... but one of the best now that Ranger was gone.

"Ruby is it? I've heard of a bandit by that name quite skilled with a sword before we get too far into this r u truly the only one who has ever beat ranger in a duel?"

"When I asked him about his scar he told me it was given to me by the ruby blade."

She had glanced over her shoulder and smirked. "Ranger was a strong man... but yes, I beat him only once just last year." She said softly, stopping to look at him and then gave him a skeptical look. "You are one of his aren't you?"

“I am... I was he passed going on four months next week."

"I heard... my condolences." She mused and was paying attention to the road again, reigns in one hand as she rode. "The nearest town is about ten miles isn't it?"

"Yes but it's in the opposite direction the nearest town this way is four days by horse." The whole time he can't stop thinking of that beautiful woman who calls herself death so daemon does something stupid and attacks ruby sword drawn his only intention was to die.

She had ducked his swing and went after him as he did her, she had fought hard and well, but every wound that should have taken him didn't Daemon wore the woman out and struck her down before he was even able to break a sweat... His wounds healed so rapidly, enough to register the pain and be crippled for what seemed a mere moment before he was able to use whatever had been damaged again.

Finally with his sword at her throat he stopped and fell back sitting on the ground with his head in his hands "why is this happening to me?" He screamed to the heavens "take me death in your sweet embrace." As he realized that ruby was catching her breath standing up he walked over to her picked her up and set her on her horse he only said "I'm sorry." As he smacked the horse on it flank and sent it running

She had clung heavily to the horse as it ran, though she would likely not last the night... and as Daemon traveled he would find her horse along a trail, still complete with her gear and her sword, but nobody atop him... just her plunder of that day and a map of where to find her safe house... a place to live, a name to take since he had slain her.

Daemon searched until he found her body and gave her a proper burial and took her belongings and headed towards her safe house

The safe house turned out to be an old Dragon's den, seemed the Ruby blade had slain one of the more powerful beings, and along with the dragons gold, three dragon's eggs. they were buried in the riches, one a dark rock color, another looking like it had been spilled from a river, and the third like molten lave, all three hot to the touch though they did not move. She had a hut within the many caverns; easily accessible to him since he had her map, but anyone else would get lost and die quickly... the place was well stocked with rations and weaponry, the means to make more, and enough stock to keep him for months.

Daemon slept soundly that night praying that his temptress would show her in his dreams

But he was unlucky that night, no dream came to him, and when the morning broke, a soft light snuck into the cavern, not much, but enough that the gold flickered and some well-placed mirrors lit up the whole place, made it nearly daylight in the place... and Daemon would smell food cooking, as well as a soft, bell tone singing coming from what was considered the yard out front.

Cautiously he stirred from his bed and gathered his meager belongings sword in hand he set out to find where this beautiful sound was coming from...

He would find a woman in a very simple dress, handmade from likely hand woven cotton, leaning over the fire and stirring a stew pot, one hand holding her dark brown mass of waving brown hair to the side and away from the flame, though she looked to be maybe sixteen, but she had eyes to match the woman he had fought only a night before... She sang softly to herself and sipped a hand carved cup of sorts... And upon hearing unfamiliar footsteps she turned and gasped, her eyes wide as they settled on him, the cup clattering to the ground as it left her hand.

“I mean u no harm, please don't..." A blood curtailing scream escaped her lips before he could finish. Before she could breathe to scream again daemon was beside her with his hand over her mouth. “Scream... I was saying please don't scream. I am going to take my hand away now as long as you promise not to scream. It won't do you much good in here anyways. When I take my hand away I want you to tell me who you are and why you are here. Ok?" She slowly nods her head in agreement. Daemon slowly removes his hand...

She was trembling softly and swallowed hard, not letting another scream pass her lips but she moved back a few steps, tripping over her own feet with a soft gasp and landing hard on her backside and elbows, tears stinging her eyes as she stared up at him. "I-I... I-I live here... Ruby... Th-the bandit... she kept me here..." She said in a soft whimper, though her voice was soft, almost as pleasant as her singing had been. "She calls... me Taelyn..." She had tears falling down her cheeks. "Where is she? She never brings anyone else with her!" She cried softly, staring at him with fear lingering in her eyes.

“Taelyn I'm sorry to tell you this luv but ruby is dead, and it's my fault.”

She nodded slowly, shifting slightly as she rose from the ground, wringing her hands. "That... Seems befitting to have someone come here... that she would be dead... bu-but... what... What will you do now that you are here?" She asked softly eyes still fearful as she stared at him.

“I have no idea what I will do from here but if what you have been cooking tastes as good as it smells you are more than welcome to stay here with me. I don't bite too hard." He said with a wolfish grin

She swallowed and flinched slightly, lightly gripping her forearm but she went to the pot and got a bowl, filling it and shakily holding it to him. "Ever since Ruby came here... I have been... a treat to her..." She mused; the word 'treat' meaning so very many things just by her tone... seemed the old thief had taken her pleasure in the young girl, not only in her cooking but in her body as well.

“You are free to do as you please." Daemon said a little flushed never in his life had he been accepted as openly as Taelyn. “I will... have to know if you will try to kill me in my sleep... Because I need more rest." He said as he finished his portion of the food and leaving a healthy portion for Taelyn he went back in and lay on the cot that was now his bed. He thought to himself “where is Taelyn's bed??”

Taelyn had shaken her head quickly, she had no intent to kill him... the hut was just for one person, and one person alone. The bed was plush, well made, very comfortable, and he didn't hear Taelyn singing again until it was nearly night, her singing a soft but also sad song as she tended to the stock and brought water from somewhere in the caverns in order to water them and get a drink herself.

Daemon could hear Taelyn's voice from inside where he had been looking over some of ruby's plunder maps and went out to meet her. "Taelyn, where do you sleep?" And at that point the smell of her cooking hit him like a brick wall. “And what's for dinner that smells amazing."

She had been startled when he came to her and asked such a question, her eyes having gotten big and a blush hitting her face in a red wave and she shook her head rapidly, "I-I sleep where ever I manage to find a place warm enough..." She said softly, having finished with some strange meal that was very foreign to him, handing him the slab of stone that was a plate... She had learned many things, but not from Ruby... that was for sure because the woman had been barely Daemon's age. She had done something with chicken’s eggs, cut a piece of meat and seasoned it with herbs and a handful of other things instead of drying it and using it in a stew again.

In between mouth fulls of food daemon managed to say. “From now ...On...You will... Sleep in the... Hut... And take this." He gave her 50 gold coins "buy what you need for food and buy yourself something special."

She blinked at the gold and looked at him shaking her head. "I will never set foot in that hut again now that Ruby is dead... I have no reason to be there..." She said boldly her brow furrowed as she set the gold aside. "I have never left this place..." She murmured "Nor do I have the desire." she ate her food, but got up and set her plate aside getting one of the pigs, wrapping a rope around its neck and starting to lead it into the caverns, singing softly as she went...

Daemons mouth dropped open. “feisty " he thought to himself so the next day he started to demolish the hut tore it apart piece by piece and he went out and would bring in great timbers and he went to work building a new hut bigger than the previous one with a hearth for cooking and two large bedrooms and on one of his trips out he bought a large four post bed with canopy and sheets of the finest fabrics he could find and he carved Taelyn's name into the headboard. But he wouldn't let her see what he was working on. Finally one night at dinner he scooped her up and carried her inside the new hut and walked her straight to her new room and promptly dropped her on her new bed “this is all yours to do with as you like. There is a place to cook meals in the common room and there is a table for us to sit at to eat." And with that he walked out of her room and went to take care of

She had been completely startled and cried out when he lifted her, fighting him the whole way and when dropped had scrambled over the bed, tears streaming down her face and she was panting softly and stared at him fearfully, but as his words found her ears she fell into awe, shaking softly from her adrenaline rush and fear, looking around the room and to the head board, looking through the new room and was completely shocked... There was only one other being that had treated her with such gifts... and what Daemon didn't know was the Dragon that had collected the gold around the cavern was still alive... weak, but still very alive... and as he had gone about Taelyn's chores he heard movement from one of the many tunnels... along with a creeping smoke that from three of them... She was still so shocked she hadn't even noticed that her teacher and protector had heard her fuss and was indeed coming to her rescue...

As daemon was going about doing Taelyn's chores he felt the ground start to rumble and noticed the cavern was beginning to fill with the acrid stench of rotting meat and smoke the first thing to pop into his head was DRAGON!!! Daemons next thought was he had to get Taelyn out of there so he rushed back to the hut and burst into her room a little panicked and again scooped her up and started to run. "I’ll explain later but we got to go I think that dragon that ruby was supposed to have killed is not really dead and I think it's pissed off."

She had looked at him and squeaked when she was lifted again and caught him in the jaw with an awkward hit, but with full power behind it, kicking her legs out and when she was finally dropped she had given a soft cry, which was answered with a loud growl, and she gasped getting up in a hurry and shoving past Daemon. "She tried to kill him but he was able to escape her stupidity!" She cried out and went into the cavern facing the tunnels. "Soulidade! Please! Hear me my Mighty one! Calm yourself I am safe!" She cried out, looking between the three tunnels as smoke still rolled,

Daemon resisting every urge to grab her and run stood fast by her side and drew shi no tenshi and got ready for a battle in which he may catch a glimpse of death herself.

The rumbling did not stop, but sure enough The Dragon came forth, he was one of the far eastern dragons, his head broad, horns curling back in a fashion back from his forehead, his scales in deep colors of greens and blues, but his belly scales were stark white and pearly colored, and she held her hands up to him, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gave a soft sob. "No... Please Mighty one... rest before you cannot... “She cried to the large beast, who stared down at them both, eyes intent on Daemon and all too intelligent, one clawed hands settling near them both, the other carefully curled close to what could be considered his chest, smoke rolling from his nostrils. The Dragon was well demised, he didn't have much time left alive from the wounds that Ruby had dealt him, blood spilling from open wounds and hissing against the cool rock that it pooled on, and he ended up half collapsing and falling to one side, Taelyn's side and she cried out softly, going to his muzzle. "No... Please no..."

Daemon dropped shi no tenshi and ran up to the dragon the majority of the wounds were minor daemon found a few of the larger ones and did something he had seen a vampire do to save a human he bit through the artery in his wrist and without thinking placed his blood against the dragons wound willing it to heal after seeing Taelyn's tears for this beast he could not let it die without at least trying

"Your attempt is in vain..." Daemon heard, and Taelyn shook her head as she sobbed softly, though the voice was not her own, the dragon's eye watching him with a slowly draining gleam. The voice was soft, warm, tired and deep. "I have given you all I have dear Princess... But I was unable to save you from the cruelties of your fellow man... Forgive me for this..." "HUSH!" She cried and rubbed her hands over his muzzle. "Let him try... Please Soulidade, let him try..." "A hybrids blood will do nothing to me... I am unable to heal from that beast of a woman's wounds... I have served my purpose here... grant me rest sweet flower, and let another guide you..." "I want no one else Soulidade! Please don't leave me alone..." The dragon's gave had fallen to Daemon again, though the life still drained away. "Watch over her... another will rise from the ashes... guide you both to a new era... but be warned... cross the new dawn and the night will be unyielding..." He growled out before the life finally dimmed completely, Taelyn crying hard over his muzzle, but it his scales soon began to glow and fade, leaving behind a gold powder of sorts that collapsed, her settling on her knees in it until a wind blew through the caverns, sending the fine dust everywhere, and through the tunnels again.

"I'm not sure what he meant but I do swear this I will protect you with my life." And with that he picked up the sobbing mess of a woman and carried her back to the hut and gently placed her on her bed while she wept he covers her up and sat at the end of her bed waiting for some idea of what to do

She cried until she slept, face tear stained and dirty, she hadn't seen a bath in who knew how long, and what Daemon did know was winter was going to be coming soon... he had to buy more stock, see about making sure there was wood for a fire, other supplies... when he next came from the hut while she slept he would find that the stock was bustling, disturbed and afraid, but not exactly what was disturbing them

As daemon went to check on the animals he picked up shi no tenshi the ivory handle and the feel of cold steel in his hands a comfort to the nerves that were agitated by the unusual bustle of the livestock

It was only a few moments before he caught a very soft shimmer, barely a ripple of movement that dashed just outside his vision, the livestock making a bit more noise and rustling around. What he didn't know yet was one of the dragon's eggs had hatched, as Soulidade had said, another Dragon had come from a slumber of sorts in order to guide them, though the female was much smaller, more suitable for the two... She had easily slipped past him and went to where she could smell Taelyn, settling bedside the bed to watch her as she slept.

Daemon saw the flash out of the corner of his eye and saw as it bolted toward the hut like a flash he was after it he wasn't going to let anything happen to Taelyn when he reached the hut he saw the dragon and relief filled his entire being

The dragon eyed him with deep blue eyes, almost like staring into a pool of water before they went back to Taelyn, long whiskers moving like snakes of their own accord and settling softly against her forehead, the dragon resting her head on the bed near her.

Daemon gently woke Taelyn “Taelyn we have a visitor."

Her arm flailed out at him slightly, her eyes slowly falling open and she stared blearily at the new dragon, slowly sitting up and rubbing her eyes as the dragon lifted her head and looked between the two of them, and Taelyn sighed. "You're so small..." She said softly, reaching her hand out and the dragon pulled back slightly, and Taelyn giggled softly. She looked at Daemon and thought a moment, then seemed to suddenly bristle with anger and she had hot eyes on him. "YOU! You're the reason he rose up because he thought you were hurting me!" She cried and lunged at him, going about knocking the wind out of him and nailing his chest with her fists, though her hits weren't what he would have expected, she had some training, and it HURT like a another man was hitting him.

The dragon had gotten wide eyes and drew back from the assault, tail curling as she moved to see what was happening, and tilted her head to the side much like a child would.

Daemon grabbed Taelyn into a hug and held her there while she feverishly pounded on his chest as her blows slowed the tears began to well up in her eyes daemon drew her in closer and just held her and let her cry " I'm sorry things happened the way they did." He slowly looked over to the dragon and he asked Taelyn "what should we call her?"

Taelyn as still hot with anger, being so close to him she was also blushing brightly and she finally caught him in the right spot, her knee connecting between his thighs. "I won’t know what to call her until I can touch her." She said in a huff, getting out of his grasp and shoving herself up and off him, the dragon had huffed slightly, raising her head as Taelyn stood and turned to her. Taelyn huffed and took three slow breaths calming herself and she held her hands out to the dragon that shifted and stared at her, paws shifting on the ground and her body curling and arching.

Daemon slowly raised himself from the floor "You really need to work on that I would have let u go if you had only asked." As he walked over to the dragon that was looking ready to strike, Daemon spoke a single word "peace" and the dragon relaxed something in his voice changed there was in under tone that soothed the beast so that Taelyn could get close enough to lay her hand on the dragon’s snout.

Taelyn eyed him and she sighed softly. "She's a hatchling... She doesn't know the spoken word yet." She said softly, looking back to the young female who shifted on her feet again but she was curious, her whiskers traveling out and lightly brushing over Taelyn's hands, and Taelyn gave a small smile. "That's it... Go get me some of the jerky, I don't know where it is since you moved it." She said softly eyeing daemon and then settling back to looking at the dragon, who still just barely touched her arms with her whiskers but she was running out of whisker, having to move forward just slightly.

[9/25/2012 11:26:30 Daemon left the room and found the jerky slightly muttering to himself. “Seriously ... I've put things in order I it would be easier to find and all she can do is complain... Now I see why ranger said it’s better to just leave them to their own vices." As he walked back into the room with about 20 lbs. of the jerky he had recently picked up

[9/25/2012 11:30:51  She had paused and stared at the bag, blinking slightly, but getting a piece and taking a bit to chew on herself and offering it to the young Dragon, who nose flared and she was now intent of Taelyn, moving towards her and bumping her nose against her hand, Taelyn giving a soft laugh. "Well at least we know your nose works..." She said softly, gently laying her hand on the dragon's forehead and letting her have the jerky, which a long tongue wrapped around and brought it into her mouth, chewing happily as Taelyn's hand softly glowed and the dragon stilled slowly, easing and settling into a relaxed posture in front of her, and Taelyn lightly rubbed her now free hand under her muzzle. "Nephrete... An interesting name..." She said softly, smiling at the dragon who purred softly at her.

"Nephrete, interesting indeed." was all Daemon said as he sat on the corner of Taelyn's bed.

She slowly drew from the dragon that looked at Daemon for a long moment before going out the door and into the depths of the caverns, and Taelyn hugged her arms slightly, blushing faintly as she stared at the floor. "Thank you... a-and... I'm sorry..." She said softly, moving and adjusting the bedclothes a bit before heading out of the room to see how the livestock was doing.

Daemon sat dumbfounded. Thinking to himself " all this trouble for a feeling I can't describe and it all seems worth it just to see her happy." And with that he set out to prepare for winter

She was actually in the midst of moving the stock as he came out, there was another pen farther into the cavern, and she had shied away from him slightly as she moved, pulling the two horses with her. The prep for winter was fairly easy, moving the stock farther into the cavern and then Daemon would get to watch and if he chose join her building a blind for the front of the cavern, weaving long bendable branches together and making it look as though the cavern wasn't there at all save for one spot for them to enter and exit.

As Daemon was walking by he saw Taelyn flinch and decided not to pester her he figured he would let her take it easy today and he got to work on the blind for the cavern once he was finished he decided to try his hand at cooking...

Taelyn was still moving stock but as she spotted him cooking she was curious, having gotten finished and rubbing her hands together, chilled as the evening temperature dropping as the grounds around them began to get ready for the long winter. She was watching him attempt cooking, though she hugged her arms and tilted her head to the side.

Daemon was attempting to make a stew he started putting water into a small cauldron added a few root vegetables and added some meat but for some reason no matter what he did he couldn't get the flavor right he saw Taelyn out of the corner of his eye and noticed she was watching him " Taelyn come over here, what did I do wrong with this?"

She came to him and took a little salt and added it to the stew, letting him stir it and let it simmer a moment... then added a few more herbs and then held the spoon out to him, letting him taste it again, which it should have tasted better at this point. "You were on the right track..."

"Thank you Taelyn." What he didn't mention was that part of his previous training was in cooking because a man who can cook had easier access to his targets. Assassins training 101, He offered her a seat next to him by the hearth fire hoping that she might stay just a little bit longer.

She had settled and had a bowl, eating slowly and lifting her head as she heard Nephrete coming from the tunnels, a soft padding sound that soon presented the slim oriental, her eyes bright with knowledge, and Taelyn stood smiling. "You found what you needed in his archives?" "I did." He voice was smooth, silken and elegant though her lips didn't move, the words projected to both theirs minds, and she settled around the two of them, watching Daemon with a serious gaze.

"Good evening Nephrete would you care to join us for some stew?" As he got up to retrieve a bowl large enough for her to join them

"I've eaten." She stated simply, and Taelyn gently pet along Nephrete's soft blue mane that traveled down from the crown of her head and down to the end of her tail, which languidly twitched side to side and then curling over, but she was still staring hard at him. "Why are you here, Daemon?" She asked seriously.

“I am here because I have slain the previous tenant. And I have seen my share of misery. “What he didn't say is that in the short time he had been around Taelyn he had taken a shining to her and wouldn't leave her alone for the world.

Nephrete's eyes had narrowed, almost as though she could read his mind, but she settled in her spot and looked towards the blind. "The winter will be a harsh one... you both should consider getting some warmer clothes, and I will gather more trees for wood so that you both will stay warm... I will be unaffected, as I am in tune with the water around me, the cold won’t affect me." She murmured and Taelyn lightly ran her hands over the dragon's more leathery hide.

"Thank you." He knew the dragon knew his feelings and was great full that she kept his secret. He was afraid of such feelings knowing that he could not die by natural means meant he was doomed to walk alone and watch those he loved grow old and die. "I'll clear an area in the morning to place all the new timber."

Taelyn looked at him. "There's already a place to stack timber, and another one to store it just a little bit farther in the caverns to keep it dry." She said softly, and Nephrete nodded. "I will show you where I saw some of the remnants of last year’s storage." She mused and stood slowly, stretching her body out and flicking her tail

"Taelyn, would you mind cleaning up while Nephrete shows me where everything is."

She nodded and went about getting things cleaned up and Nephrete started walking towards the tunnels, her movements fluid and smooth. "Once they were out of earshot and sight though she had hard eyes on him, her tail thrashing out. “What are your intentions, hybrid? Such a gaze does not mean subtle things, but more intentions then most men will give value." She growled out softly, her mane standing on end like an irritated cat.

"My intentions... As far as what?"

She hissed and bared fangs at him thrashing her tail out and it nearly hit him. "The Princess, don't play stupid I can smell your arousal around her, not to mention your gaze as she moves to you, your coy attempt and being so hampered to not make your own food correctly when you know well how to be a functioning male." She snarled out, her body puffing up as she inhaled air.

“Princess??... What r u talking about? "

She snapped her jaws at him. "Taelyn, you joke of a man." She snarled out and hissed again, whipping her tail out and watching him, her eyes having fallen dark like staring into a deep pool.

“As far as my intentions they are none of your concern. I know what I feel and I also know that after winter she will never see me again unless the fates so choose. I know I'm doomed to walk alone forever, watching those I care for grow old and die, that is why she will never know."

And with that he started to walk away from the dragon back towards the house, he knew where the wood was his original intention was to thank the dragon for not telling his secret

Nephrete watched him, and then tilted her head slightly. "You are doomed to be immortal... She is ageless... but she can be killed." She said in a smooth voice, her anger quelling quiet quickly as she watched him. "She was born of a human king and a Fairy queen, a child that neither race would keep, and chose to give her a solitary life... Soulidade had found her abandoned in a forest far north of here, and brought her to this place, having been trapped by sickness himself... he would have died of his age within two years... but that women before you... she wounded him so gravely, and though Taelyn tried so very hard to save him... When she cried in fear for whatever reason, it took everything he had to get up from his resting place to attempt saving her."

Daemon slowed “I was there Nephrete I watched him pass from this world to the next and I know who took him I have met death herself and lived to talk about it." A feat not many could claim. “Even if she is a changeling it makes no difference me cannot stay she would be safer if I left trouble finds me wherever I go."

“Give me your word dragon that she will never hear any of what has been spoken here tonight."

She shifted and settled on the ground, "You did watch him pass... and no, she will hear none of it... but I do ask that you stay... She is a strong heart and an even stronger fighter... but I am not Soulidade, I cannot keep her strength up, but you, you can... until I finish with Soulidade's archives I am only able to give her so much." She said in a soft murmur.

“I... Cannot stay I'm afraid if I do I will never be able to leave, as it is I'm too close to her. “Daemon’s head sagged he couldn't believe that he actually cared for this young woman as much as he did.

She had a gleam in her knowing eyes, and stood moving to him and gently nudging her muzzle against his shoulder. "This place is so far out of reach that even if trouble follows you, I will not let anything happen to the both of you... Please... Stay with us until you can no longer..."

“And as far as these feelings go what should I do? I cannot keep pretending that there is nothing there she will see through my guise soon enough... We will see where the winter takes us. You have my word. I won't leave before then"

"I have thankful for your honesty... and as to your feelings... start slowly... She has only ever known Soulidade's company... as well as the abuse she face from Ruby... Be gentle... and let it blossom from there." She said softly.

“You know it would have been easier just to run." He said with a smirk " why do I get the feeling you know more than you are sharing, child of the fates? And what is my role in this Devine comedy/tragedy that humans call life?"

She watched him and then seemed to come to a conclusion. "Come with me... Not many get to see what you are about too, I do not predict the future, and I only recognize the past and what could come... what happens beside that I have no knowledge." She said softly, heading deeper into the caverns in the twisting and multiple tunnels... a person could get lost.

Daemon followed Nephrete careful not to lose sight of her as the tunnels grew darker he shifted his eyes so he could see better.

She was glowing softly in the darkness, making sure that she wasn't too far ahead of him, and the tunnel began to glow with some kind of hidden light, and the tunnel opened into a room that was more than just huge, it was littered in jewels and gold beyond his dreams, there was no way for anything to run out, and then scrolls cradled in dug out holes in the wall... all the way back to past where his eyes could see.

“Amazing this must be the collective knowledge of the dragons before you I take it?" Daemon spun around in a slow circle to take in the splendor of the cavern

"This is Soulidade's era... He lived for a much longer time then most dragons’ do, between his moving around in life and never keeping to one place, to not being found by knights or a hunter... life this way is very hard." She said softly, settling on some of the gold and looking like the amazing creature she was. "This is however his collected knowledge, his ledgers of the times and what was happening through his eyes, along with his time with Taelyn... though it was only sixteen years, she brought him a great deal of joy, but as she grew older he worried that she would become lonely, and when Ruby showed up He was worried for her life."

" I felt sorry for ruby when I had slain her but when I came here and found out that she as a human was more of a monster than even I could be I would have wrestled her from death herself and killed her again."

She nodded. "Well, either way you have in a big way come to her rescue..." She said softly, and then went after one of the scrolls, pulling it down in her hands/paws and unrolling it, reading and then putting it away. "She is young, and has heard plenty of stories... But I do think that you have smitten Taelyn in one way or another." She mused and looked at him as she settled on the gold again.

“You jest Nephrete as far as I can see she just barely tolerates me." As he too found a place to sit among the dragons horde

"You misread her." She said her tail reaching up and pulling another scroll, settling it in front of her, and he didn't know the language that was on the scroll but she read it slowly, and then spoke out softly. "I do not know this feeling, though I am frightened, the more I seem to spend near him, the less my fear rides me, and the more this lightness fills my stomach, the heat of my face makes me feel as though I am betraying myself, giving away this... what I can only call attraction, though I cannot be sure. Soulidade has told me so many stories of love, such feelings I do not know of." She quoted.

Daemon sat in shock he wasn't sure what to make of what he just heard. “All over an accidental death... Truly the fates have smiled upon me... Thank you Nephrete if there is nothing else you need me for I should get back to the hut." As he turned to walk away he asked “have I passed your test?"

She had put the scroll away and watched him with calm eyes. "You passed it when you did not flinch from my aggression... I will lead you back, the tunnels can turn even Taelyn around, and she has lived in them since she was a child." She said softly, moving to follow him. "Plus this place does not track scent nor will it have regular ways to retrace yourself." She said softly.

Daemon just bowed his head in thanks and allowed her to lead on

She started walking with him and lead him back to the hut, Taelyn had cleaned everything and her voice carried through the rebuilt hut, Nephrete settling near the front door and watching the blind with calm eyes, and Taelyn was organizing some of the kitchen supplies, making it easier for both her and Daemon to know where things were, including the heavy bag of jerky.

Daemon hurried in to relieve her of the bag of jerky "Taelyn I know you can do this by yourself but please allow me to help. “After the chores were done, Daemon decided to go to bed early because he had a plan for the following day. The next morning Daemon set off to the nearest town and found a young woman about Taelyn's size as close as he could find anyways... And he promptly took her to the nearest tailor and had three dresses made of the finest materials he could find one crimson, one of sky blue with god trim. And the third he bought for the young lady he had used as a proxy. While on his way home that night he thought he caught a familiar scent in the air... Sniff, sniff, there was the distinct smell of Vanilla with a slight undertone of death it was that vampires that had killed him he decided to hunt her down and try his luck again...

The woman was looming in a saloon in her own dress, acting as one of the whore in lovely satin black garb that hugged her every potent curve and white lace that decorated her, she was laughing with a few men at the bar, one man's hand lingering on her naked thigh as she smoothed her foot up his calf and laughed at whatever he told her.

Daemon walked straight up and threw the man across the room and grabbed the woman by the waist and started to drag her upstairs “don’t make a scene darling you wouldn't want your hunting grounds compromised because you lost control." He said in a hushed tone as he smiled and led her to the room at the farthest end of the saloon.

She had seen Daemon coming and was a little taken aback until she was grabbed, hand settling on his chest and the other settling on her own hip, making look a good show as they moved, growling faintly at him through a smile. "What do you want mutt?" She asked in a murmur, her eyes intent and dark.

"Only to return the favor...” As he bit her neck, she had fed recently so the blood was thick and warm her body hadn't had a chance to metabolize it yet daemon knew full well his bite would kill her now it was time to play

She had gotten wide eyes and gasped grabbing at his hair and pulling hard, kicking at the wall and giving a loud cry, though being as it was, she was screwed and knew it, snarling at him and clawing down his side leaving deep wounds to heal as she choked.

"I am the punishment of the gods, if you had not commuted great sins, they would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."

He whispered in her ear as he watched the light fade from her eyes and in that instant he saw death take her.

Well, he saw her soul drain from her eyes, and felt an eerie coldness fill the room, a soft laugh finding his ears before the vampires' body turned to dust, and then everything was fine again.

And with that he walked away the packaging the dresses were in was covered in blood mostly his so he carefully opened them to make sure the dresses were fine and they were so he wrapped them back up and set out for home

When he got there Nephrete was outside the hut and she was singing softly, Taelyn asleep leaning against her body, and Nephrete gave him a nod, keeping her song solid and it was in another language but it was soft and calming.

Daemon gently picked Taelyn up and carried her into her room and he placed her under the covers and he took the packaging back out with him opened them up and hung the dresses in an area where Taelyn wouldn't be able to miss them " Nephrete what do you think... Will she like them? "

Taelyn had grunted softly in her sleep, clinging to him as he moved her then settling into her bed, and Nephrete looked the dressed over and nodded. "I think she will enjoy them greatly, since she rarely gets to have something so colorful, if ever she ventured with Soulidade to the nearby town she would choose the cheapest and the blandest colors, just out of her own disbelief of being attractive."

“Someday I hope she can see what I do. I'm sorry it took so long for me to get back but a... Personal matter had to be resolved."

"She was unsure of if you would return I assured her you would, and that you were going for some supplies... which were an assumption." She mused and settled in her spot.

“Ohh shit I forgot the supplies! I was too focused on the dresses, god I'm such s fool"

She laughed, her mouth actually falling open this time and she purred faintly. "Well, you will just have to do it tomorrow and take her and the horse to make up for it." She said with a chuckle shaking her head and standing to stretch her body out. "I have more reading to do... get some rest, and try making breakfast for her in the morning."

“What does she like?”

Nephrete looked at him with a slightly shocked look. "Hum... I wouldn't know... I eat pigs and chickens... I can't say what you two eat." She mused and shifted her tail, rubbing her body out over a rock to scratch an itch.

“You are a great help" daemon said in a slightly mocking tone." And with that he went to bed but sleep evaded him that night he tossed and turned visions of heinous crimes against men and lycans alike flooded his dreams, the blood memories of the vampires he killed. He arose early to make breakfast for Taelyn he gathered some eggs and fried them up with a couple of strips of salted pork belly and a few quick bread biscuits and when he had it all finished he knocked on Taelyn's portal to her room and as she stirred from her sleep he brought her the breakfast in bed

She had slowly stirred and lifted her head, "Mmm?" She mused, running a hand into her tussled braid; she needed to redo it, also needed to just have a bath. She eyed breakfast and her eyes got wide "What is this?" She asked softly.

"A little fairy told me today was your birthday so I decided to do something special and make you breakfast and have you ride into town with me today so we can get the rest of the supplies for winter”

She blushed, because what he didn't know was it was true, the day was her birthday, and she shifted slightly. "B-but... Nephrete doesn't... know... What fairy?" She asked looking a little worried, and took a biscuit to start nibbling at what he had made.

“Actually it was just a lucky guess." He blushed a little bit, he looked away so she couldn't see as he set the trey on her lap he said when you’re done there's a fresh set of clothes by the hot spring for you so you can get ready to go to town.

"Oh... Alright..." She said softly, still blushing brightly and eating to her content, then grabbing her washing things, and taking the shoulder bag towards the hot spring, and Nephrete followed her, the two talking quietly to one another.

Daemon busied himself with cleaning up around the hut he hoped she liked the crimson dress he put down by the hot spring but instead of thinking about something he couldn’t control he decided to work on his swordsman ship he took off his shirt and coat to give him a broader range of motion and started by running through the basics and slowly worked his way up to the more advanced forms

He was busy with that and heard a soft cry from the hot spring, though it sounded as though something had happened.