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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 22, 2009 2:23:36 GMT 1
Cassie felt herself lean back as Dacian advanced, but she stood her ground trying not to let him know he was intimidating her. Her eyes were fixed on his mouth, on the long sharp fangs which were more obvious now than ever and the way his lips moved to conceal them as he spoke. She had to suppress a flinch at every emphasised word, the only sign that they were affecting her was the slightest tightening around the eyes. The barest flicker of a wince.
”I'm not lying!” She protested sharply. Everything she'd done sounded so much worse coming from Dacian, the way he spat the words, sounding utterly disgusted. If she'd thought what Dacian was saying hurt it was nothing compared to the icy glare fixed and unwavering on his face. Cassie had been hoping for a glimpse of forgiveness in those dark eyes, anything other than the apparent hatred that seemed to bristle off of him.
Cassie's gaze finally dropped away from his, fixing on her boots and the way the dirty grey slush had iced over the ground beneath them. She felt a blush heating her cheeks and hoped against hope that her hair had fallen forward enough to hide it from Dacian. ”It wasn't like that.” She said quietly, feeling like another denial would be pointless. ”I wanted to tell you, but...” What reason did she really have? She should have made it clear she was going to see Ed again, even if she hadn't had the courage to broach the subject with him before a note would have been better than nothing when she left that day. Anything would be better than Dacian finding out by smelling Ed on her. [/font]
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 22, 2009 2:27:38 GMT 1
The sound of her heart consumed all other sounds around them, not that he would have paid attention to anything but her. The guilt in her voice sounded deceptively real, but Dacian would not fall for it. “Oh really? What was it like then?” His hand lifted, his fingers curling over her pulse while his thumb lifted her jaw. It wasn’t vicious, but it was not his usual gentle touch. He ducked his head sharply and tried to catch her gaze, refusing to let her eyes leave his face.
“What exactly were you going to tell me, hmm?” He continued harshly, “That this was all some sort of game? Did you and Edward have a good laugh?” Admittedly this had started out as a game for him too, but somewhere along the line he’d lost the instructions and had been making the rules up as he went along. For all intents and purposes, whatever he had shared with Cassie had stopped being a game for him. “You played me, Cassandra.” He spat, ignoring the niggling voice that wanted to take her inside where it was warm. The poor girl was shivering. She deserved it, the other part of him said, justifying she deserved to feel as cold as he did right now.
The use of her full name made it easier to pretend she was someone else, even if all his senses were overjoyed by her proximity. His eyes couldn't lie. Neither could his ears, his nose, his fingers. Seeing her, hearing her, smelling her, feeling her soft cheek under his hand. This was Cassie, and she had betrayed him. “Don’t look away from me, Cassandra. Look me in the eye and tell me you meant it. Tell me it wasn't some joke. Tell me.” He hissed, fingertips pressing closer just a little. He couldn’t hurt her. He had promised not to. He had promised not to lie too. He should have made her make the same promises. “Tell me that when we kissed, you didn’t want me. Lie to me some more, Cassandra, because that’s all there is between us, you don’t have anything but lies to tell me.”
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 22, 2009 2:30:02 GMT 1
She didn't want to look at him. Cassie couldn't think when she knew he was looking at her like that. Couldn't breathe when he was standing so close. The cold was setting in, biting at her skin and settling into her very bones. Conflicting emotions coursed through her, she wanted to step closer, he would be cold, but not as cold as the air around them. At the same she couldn't think of anything she wanted to do more than back away, retreat to the Hog and forget she'd ever met Dacian.
Cassie's eyes flicked back to his face as he caught her chin. The touch was firm, not painful, but it didn't give her any room to move or any escape from the way his dark eyes bore into her. ”It was... Ed is my friend. I care about him.” Possibly the truest thing she'd said in the whole exchange and Ed wasn't even here to hear it. Not that she'd wish for his company at this moment in time, things were complicated enough without the two men literally butting heads.
”No,” Another accusation, another denial. Cassie squeezed her eyes shut, trying to blink back tears so Dacian wouldn't see how much it hurt that he thought any of this had been a deliberate attempt to hurt him. ”It wasn't a game. I didn't plan any of this.” Her eyes flew open again at the use of her proper name. Nobody ever called her Cassandra. It felt like Dacian was talking to a different person, somebody he was completely detached from. Somebody he didn't give a damn about.
Cassie wrapped her arms tighter around herself, shoulders hunching to trying to preserve what little warmth she could. A violent shiver ran up her spine and she had to clench her teeth together to stop them from chattering. She was standing in the snow with no coat just to talk to him, didn't that mean anything? His fingers tightened, still not painful, but uncomfortable. ”Please,” Her voice cracked the slightest amount. Cassie couldn't face much more of this. Did he want to see her cry, drive her away, perhaps cripple her with guilt? ”When we kissed I wanted you. I meant it all.” [/font]
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Post by Vivian Nazarova on Feb 22, 2009 2:43:31 GMT 1
Holy shit.
Just... holy shit.
Wow.
Vivian had absolutely no idea what to think right about now. The two of them were literally almost pouring their hearts out into the snow and Vivian felt like an intruder. It would help if she had absolutely any idea of what this about but she was just as clueless as the lamppost beside her. Maybe she should just go? Go for back to the Hog until they sorted out their issues and come back? If she was in Dacian or Cassie’s position she certainly wouldn’t impressed by someone just standing there like a moron with their mouth open.
That sounded smart. It looked like they would either jump each other’s bones or slaughter each other right then and there. Or, Dacian would do the slaughtering and Cassie would have the unfortunate honour of being slaughteree.
"I’m... I’ll come back," Vivian said quietly, and doubted either of them had heard her. They were too busy facing off to notice. Without waiting for a response she started stalking back to the Hogs Head. So Dacian liked Cassie. She wondered if Ed knew. Most likely. It would explain their hostility. Oh crap. Ed was in the Hog. Vivian was in no mood to explain that Cassie had run after Dacian to apologise.
Instead she cut off into a side street to walk around the block. Easy enough. Take a stroll away from the populated areas, come back in ten minutes.
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 22, 2009 2:59:21 GMT 1
It felt cruel to be holing her jaw like this. He hand slipped back, cupping the back of her head. The feeling of his fingers in her hair was painfully familiar, and he snatched his hand back, grabbing her upper arm instead. His fingers felt too comfortable there, and he gripped tighter. This was taking a dangerous route toward explaining actual emotions, a field in which Dacian was neither happy in nor experienced.
“So what was I then? Practice?” He snapped, leaning in closer, pulling her by the shoulder so she couldn’t back away. The moisture gathering on her lower lashes tugged at dormant heartstrings, and he growled to cover the uncomfortable feeling. A chill that had nothing to do with the cold went though him as he leaned in close enough for their torsos to brush. His body was treacherous, too indulged by the body flaunting itself in jeans and short-sleeved shirt before him to resist. Something moved behind him, but he was too preoccupied with the way Cassie’s heart was beating double time. He had done that, and he was both proud and appalled.
He leaned in as if for a kiss, stopping just short. Unknown to him, Vivian was already making her away hastily back up the lane. “Do you still want me now?” He said lowly, a deeper tone in his voice, “Does Edward satisfy you as well I know I can? I’ve committed my fair share of sins, Cassandra – many many times – and lust is a speciality.” He tilted his head, aiming more for her neck. “After gluttony, of course.” His smile was sly and toothy and he was breathing deeply so he could inhale enough of her scent as possible.
“Was I your friend too?” The voice was mocking as he eyed up the jumping pulse at her throat. “Nearly six-hundred and thirty-six years alone, Cassandra,” That admission had been softer than he had intended. “I don’t want nor need your friendship.” Dacian said with a hiss, leaning in to place a kiss over that madly racing pulse. He wanted to capture it in his mouth, feel the blood vibrate with her fear as it slipped down his throat.
It seemed unfair for him to keep his promises when she had none to adhere to. He’d already succeeded in hurting her emotionally as evidenced by the tears she tried to hide. What was a little nibbling after that? He lingered at her neck, left arm loosely capturing her waist as his right moved to tuck her hair away from her delicious throat.
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 22, 2009 13:58:37 GMT 1
Dacian’s fingers left her chin and Cassie let out a little shaky breath, she could escape that intense stare, go back to the safety of the looking intently at the ground. Before her head ducked lower than about an inch she felt his fingers slipping into her hair, the way it made the little hairs on the back of her neck stand on end only reminding her of all the other times his hand had been there. Pulling her closer so he could kiss her more thoroughly. Cassie’s eyes flicked to his mouth, to the fangs bared there, her heart giving an irregular, frightened leap.
Cassie shook her head in denial, his hand leaving her head to grip her arm, tightening to the point of discomfort. Every move Dacian made seemed to bring him closer to her, making her heart thud wildly in her chest. ”You were…” Cassie had never thought about what Dacian meant to her, settling into an easy routine with him without an consideration for her feelings, his feelings or the consequences. ”I care about you too.” She managed, his tight grip holding her close. Too close.
Cassie couldn’t focus on anything but Dacian. Vivian was completely forgotten. The young vampire could have dressed in a sparkly silver cat suit and started tap-dancing and Cassie wouldn’t have noticed. He was leaning in. What he going to kiss her? She was ashamed to realise that the shiver that ran down the length of her spine was as much a thrill of delight as a reaction of fear. She wanted him to kiss her. It would be so easy for him to take this from her.
”Yes,” She whispered, feeling shame consume her. Cassie had come straight from Ed’s bed and she already found herself wanting to sink into Dacian’s arms. It was definitely fear that shuddered through her this time. The way his lips hovered over her throat could only mean one thing and Cassie froze, her breath uneven with fear. Was he going to? She felt the first flutterings of panic, she was getting deeper and deeper into this and there was no escape.
Her eyes widened as Dacian admitted his age to her. She’d suspected, but had never imagined he’d lived that long. The bitter rejection overrode any surprise though, she meant nothing to him? The unshed tears were back again, blurring her vision, but these ones couldn’t be blinked away. ”I need your friendship.” She said, voice wavering, an inch away from begging. How could he have come to her when he was injured if she meant nothing.
Cassie felt his lips on her neck, her heart leaping at the touch. Her eyes fluttered closed, expecting the press of sharp fangs to follow at any second. She lifted a hand, resting it on his chest and giving the slightest of pushes. It was useless to struggle, what hope did she have against Dacian’s preternatural strength? ”No!” She choked out, a protestation this time, but even as she said it she felt her head tilting to expose her throat further. Anything to be close to him again. [/font]
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 22, 2009 15:13:31 GMT 1
The embrace was starting to falter. He could physically hold her to him for eternity, but his resolve could not hold on forever. He’d frightened her, intentionally, and he suppressed the guilt with the jealousy that commanded him. How did it feel so right yet so wrong to hold her? Even before her resistance, he should have let her go but he was unwilling. Distance between them now would give him opportunity to run, to get away. He walked a fine line between never letting Cassie out of his sight again and abandoning her forever.
He nuzzled his face closer into the curve of her neck but the movement dislodged his hat and it fell to the ground. He might have caught it, but it seemed his hands did not want to leave Cassie. It was he was holding onto something he didn’t want to lose. The anger returned then to override the sentimentalities. His grip tightened, and he lifted her head from her neck at her attempt at struggling.
“Such deceit, Cassandra. Am I supposed to believe you actually care for me? Does Edward believe your lies?” Teeth gritted, he pulled her so close it was just shy of crushing her ribs. “Caring for someone means you do not go out of your way to hurt them. I promised not to hurt you.” He looked repulsed at what he said next, “You do not care. I cared.”
He loosened his hold just a little, allowing her to at least breathe. “I know you want me. I can see it, smell it, hear it. You want me, but you do not need me.” He growled, shifting his hold on her. His right arm maintained a stead hold, but his injured hand lifted. The burnt thumb rasped against her cheek, catching a salty tear. Dacian couldn’t help but lean in and taste her tearstained cheeks with a kiss. He thought he could taste her sorrow in them, and he was almost about to believe her. He might have been tender if not for his hateful words. His body was adamant on contradicting his voice.
The vampire returned his mouth to her neck, his lips skimming her goose-pimpled flesh. He whispered something, not wanting to say it at all. He hoped after it slipped out she didn’t hear it over the chattering of her teeth. “Does he love you?”
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 22, 2009 21:25:26 GMT 1
Cassie couldn’t help but respond to the brush of his lips over her skin as Dacian leaned in closed to her throat, her pulse jumping erratically with short, sharp breaths to match. She had two reasons to run; her own safety and the feeling that she was betraying Ed all over again, but only one to stay; Dacian. Her desperation to be close to him seemed to override any sensible, self-preserving reaction to the situation. Her hand on his chest curled into a fist, clutching at the fabric as though that would keep him near her.
She could be forgiven for thinking he didn’t want to let her go either, as his hat fell from his head, laying discarded in the snow. If that was the case why were his words so cruel? They cut into her, like a knife to the gut. As he spoke his grip on her tightened, finally spilling over from discomfort to pain as he crushed her against him. Cassie couldn’t move, couldn’t struggle, couldn’t even breathe. The tears in her eyes finally spilled over her lower lids to trickle down her face.
As soon as he released her a little she sucked in a great gasp of air, shaking her head over and over to try and deny it all. ”I’m so sorry.” Cassie whispered, trying to stop herself from trembling and failing miserably. ”I do care. I do need you.” She tried again. If he hadn’t believed her before why would when she repeated herself? She felt so helpless, fighting a losing battle against the anger coursing through him.
Everything about him was a contradiction, his arm still pressing tightly across her back even has his other hand came up to almost tenderly wipe away her tears. She sniffed, trying not to think about the way Ed had done the same thing to her only a few ours before. ”Please.” Cassie didn’t even know what she was asking for any more. For Dacian to let her go? Forgiveness? A kiss? She got the latter, his lips brushing across her cheek.
Dacian buried his head back into the crook of her neck, but she was too focused on losing him to manage more than the slightest flutter of fear. His mumbled words were almost lost to Cassie’s ears, but she stiffened at the question. He was asking about Edward and the answer would only damn her further. ”He said does.” She answered anyway, clinging to a pathetic hope that the truth might save her. ”And I believe him.” [/font]
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Dacian
Vampire (A)
Creature of the Night
Posts: 330
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Post by Dacian on Feb 22, 2009 22:01:49 GMT 1
He wanted to hold onto the anger and resentment. Those were emotions he could deal with. Whatever was tearing him up now, ignoring all logic, was hurting and he had no idea how to fight it. Distance would help, space to think, but letting go of Cassie? She would run, of that he was sure. She would run right back to Edward and he would be a monster in the dark to her as well. She had ignored any and all warning about what he was, and even if it had all been a joke, she had to have trusted him enough to get so close.
The vampire growled low in his throat, becoming increasingly annoyed with himself. She was just a mortal; nothing special. He should be able to discard her as easily as any other human woman. Cassie had done something, some magic perhaps that had him clamouring for more. His arm loosened on her back a little more, lowering to his hand rested closer to her waist. He was still holding on to her, but he was closer to being able to let go.
The man took a sharp intake of breath at her answer. He had been expecting it, but it stung nonetheless. Edward had every right to love Cassie; it would be more of a surprise if he didn’t. Cassie was a kind and compassionate girl with a healthy appetite for carnal pleasures. Every modern man’s dream. Dacian had found himself obsessively attracted to her, and he wondered if he had the capability, if he would grow to love her too.
But that was the problem here. Eternal life had its price, and his immortal soul was one of them. He could not love without a soul to harbour it. He could love her no more than he could walk in the sun with her or father a child of her. It was impossible. The most he could do was protect her and be loyal to her, but it seemed loyalty was one hurdle she just could not jump. Thoughts of what he could be for her were redundant now though, she had made her choice. She shivered violently, and it brought his mind back to what was rather than what might have been.
“Of course he does.” He said bitterly, finally letting his arm drop. His eyes would not meet hers now and with difficulty, he moved away. “You don’t need me, Cassie, not in any way shape or form. Not now, not ever. I warned you, you should have feared me from the beginning, it would have saved us from this.” His voice had lost that biting edge, and he seemed simply defeated. His hand ran frustrated over his head, pushing back a few escaped whisps of hair from the short braid away from his face.
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Post by Cassie Vimes on Feb 23, 2009 0:13:48 GMT 1
Dacian’s grip on her was loosening and Cassie found herself wanting that crushing hold back. Breathing wasn’t all that important, she could do without it to keep from losing him. Nothing she was saying was working and the cold realisation that once this painful conversation was over with she might never see Dacian again. She would never wake with him beside her, never get to spend hours kissing him, never catch him sneaking another of Viv’s blood lollypops.
His arm dropped free of her waist and she had to bite back a sob, her fingers tightening on his shirt for a moment before she released her hold too. If she’d thought she was cold before now she was standing a little way from him she felt freezing. Cassie hunched over, shivering, her cheeks tinged pink with the cold. ”I don’t want to be saved.” She said stubbornly, trying to meet his eyes. This wasn’t goodbye, it couldn’t be.
He wouldn’t look at her. She wanted to reach out, copy his move and make him. Her hands were trembling too much , her fingers numb and clumsy. Cassie wrapped her arms around herself instead, feeling no comfort or added warmth from the move. ”I can’t…” The words died on her lips, another useless plea that wouldn’t work. ”What can I do?” She asked desperately, if he would only tell her she would do it. ”To make it hurt less.” [/font]
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