Take My Hand

Post by **Sushi** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:40 pm

Ephriam didn't say anything for a very long time. When he did it was extremely soft spoken at her ear.

"I will make you a promise. You will never have to miss the sun. I would only turn you during the daytime." He shifted slightly, his fingertips swirling over where he pulse beat strongest.

"And... I honestly am unsure, but I think that you might be able to dream. I have never asked a daywalker, but their biologics are different from the nightcrawlers."

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:34 pm

Marina smiled, ever so slightly, letting her brain process what he was telling her, moving to kiss him softly, snuggling down tighter as her thoughts tried to form around all of this new information.

" You didn't answer if you missed those things."

She pointed out, looking up at him as she kept the rest of her curiosity to herself.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:40 pm

Ephriam smiled gently against her skin.

"Dreaming seems very estranged to me now. I cannot say it is missed." His fingers drifted along the folds in her clothes.

"And the sun... I never long for it anymore. Not since I found that I could hold it if I pleased."

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:43 pm

Marina smiled at him, moving to kiss him once more, eyes wondering his as she laid next to him.

" Is it hard to think of life never ending?"

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:50 pm

Ephriam thought about this one for a minute, brushing hair away from her comely face.

"Not exactly. It kind of feels like life ended when I was blooded. This is somewhat like an addendum of sorts." He bent down to kiss her forehead as the door opened.

"Do you want to eat the rabbits or should I just dispose..." Jethro looked up, holding a box with a pair of rubber kitchen gloves on. "Uh... I'll just... un-interrupt... erm... don't kill her." And he began to sidle back towards the door.

And there went the moment.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:55 pm

Marina looked up as Jethro came in, and sighed as the door shut.

" Who needs children with him around."

she complained softly under her breath as she moved closer to him.

" Has it really been that long since you've gone out for that?"

She asked, looking up at him now, her questions nothing of importance next to the concern about his well being she was now facing.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:59 pm

Ephriam looked down at her, actually leaning back slightly as she edged closer.

"No. Um... You do not necessarily drink wine because you wish to get drunk. And it still has an appeal even if drank it yesterday. If you understand my meaning?"

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:02 pm

Marina nodded, nestling down on his chest, not understanding his issue with backing away, following his logic easily enough.

" He must be a very lonely person...."

She purred softly, looking up at Ephriam.

" How did you entertain yourself prior to company?"

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:07 pm

Ephriam actually laughed at the prospect of Jethro's being lonely. That would be the very last word on the face of the planet he would have chosen to describe man.

"Mmm... I spent a lot of time doing the same things I do now. The only thing that I did then that I do not do now is that I would go out and I would watch the world. I would weed through all the people."

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:11 pm

" You? social?"

She asked, not menaing to be rude, merely very surprised.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:13 pm

Ephriam pressed his hand to his chest.

"S...so...social? What is this word you speak of? I never used it, certainly!" He was only half joking, but he still cast a grin at her.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:15 pm

Marina smiled, shaking her head.

" You just seem to disdain company, of any kind."

she pointed out simply.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:21 pm

Ephriam nodded, allowing it this time.

"I will agree that entertaining is not so much a pleasure as it once was." His eyes were resting on a little discolored area on her shoulder, and he was trying to decide if it was a bruise or dirt. He gently prodded it.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:22 pm

Wincing, she looking at Ephriam as if he were crazy.

" I don't know if you guys get bruises... considering how they form, but that hurts those of use that do get them."

she said, rubbing her shoulder ever so lightly.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:31 pm

Ephriam looked at her, guilt lingering in his eyes.

"I apologize. I thought it might be dirt." The man shifted slightly.

"And we do. Jethro likely has some very colorful ones right now, actually."

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:33 pm

Marina suddenly made an odd face as thoughts of the other night came to her.

" Um..."

And now she flushed, not sure she had the courage to ask the question now burning at the tip of her tongue.... and on the surface of her cheeks too.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:38 pm

Ephriam watched her blush, the red rising in her face. Slowly his eyebrows rose and the edge of his mouth turned upwards.

"Mmm?" His fingers brushed under her chin.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:40 pm

Marina's mouth worked, but what she was asking never formed.

So much for finding the answer to all her questions in asking.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:45 pm

Ephriam just looked at her for a minute and then smiled.

"M'lady, after my third language I found it very difficult to read lips." He gave her a quick peck and then stood up off of the bed.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:09 pm

Marina looked him over and just couldn't bring herself to ask him this question, and silently decided to ask Jethro later, nodding as she kissed him back as he moved from her.

" Nevermind, where are you going?"

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:09 pm

Marina looked him over and just couldn't bring herself to ask him this question, and silently decided to ask Jethro later, nodding as she kissed him back as he moved from her.

" Nevermind, where are you going?"

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:20 pm

Ephriam opened his mouth and then closed it, appearing to have thought of something. The man extended a hand to her with a small smile.

"I have something."

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:30 pm

Marina nodded slowly, reaching for his hand as she rose, lacing her fingers with his, ready to follow him where he wished, now curious.

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:38 pm

Ephriam took Marina's hand, gently guiding her down into the complete darkness of the stairwell to his room. That was the one benefit to never seeing the sun. Those vampires like himself that were bound entirely to night could see even in those situations were there was no light at all. The man was thoughtful, however, and he released the woman's hand so that he could light a candle for her.

Ephriam flicked out the match and took the cylinder in his hands, blowing on it gently until the flame flared to full life. He placed it on his chest of drawers and cast a glance at the blonde woman. The washed out greens of his eyes held the strangest of expressions. It seemed that he was filled with melancholy, but that it was a taste he almost savored.

"Marina... You know how I love to give you gifts. I have another, but it is far more meaningful than the little bobbles and trinkets." The man turned now and paced to his books. His slender fingers removed four books and gently placed them on top of the ones beside it so that he could reach behind the space. When Ephriam turned to face Marina again, he was sheltering something in his hands. The man stood before Marina, candlelight bouncing eeriely against his pale face.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:47 pm

Marina nodded slowly as she listened to him speak, not understanding where this was going, but trusting him none the less... Merely curious as to what was happening... or better yet, why he needed a stool to get what he wanted to show her....

Post by **Sushi** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:52 pm

"I would warn you against submitting to faintheartedness. Yet, you have handled everything so far." Ephriam let out a long sigh and stepped forward again until he was only a foot away from her. The man revealed what he was holding. In his hands was a very old box, a dark marble stone with little brass accents.

"I have thought a great deal over everything - from the near-miss to the little temptations. Before anything can get out of hand, I want you to have this." The man opened the box and the content was just as remarkable. It was a beautiful sort of dagger. The blade was about four inches long, and the handle was crafted incredibly, a pale gold metal encrusted with alexandrite. The man carefully set the box down and took the knife into his hand. He held it carefully as he turned to show it to her.

"You must hold on to your mind in the case that mine fails me." He refused to meet her eyes. "Obviously, it would be all but impossible to kill me with this, but I assure you that being stabbed is a rather jarring sensation - unpleasant enough to bring back a bit of sentience." Ephriam's eyes never raised as he lifted his hand and lightly ran his fingers along the edge of the blade, a slice welling with blood along the pads of three longest. He lowered the dagger, but his hand remained in the air as though to prove a point. The man's eyes connected with Marina's as the miniscule cuts healed right before her eyes in a matter of seconds.

"Marina, I beg you never to forget that I am a monster, a wolf in sheep's clothing." His fingers curled back as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. He wiped the moist blood from his unscathed fingertips and from the edge of the knife before holding the weapon out for her to take. Any lightheartedness he had before was now long gone.

Post by **Tree** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:59 pm

Marina looked to him, and then the way he cut himself, and how the wound was gone in mere moments. However, as her eyes finally found his, she looked as if she wanted to refuse the gift being offered to her.

Gingerly taking the knife as he handed it to her, heart heavy as it knew what she was unable to tell him. She couldn't hurt him, not purposely, not even if she knew it was only going to last a mere moment or two, as it just had. To cause him pain was something she wasn't willingly capable of.... But none the less she took it, looking over the blade.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:04 am

Ephriam sat down on his piano bench, placing his elbows on his knees and leaning forward, eyes watching her.

"You are troubled." The man's eyes drifted down to the dagger and then to the floor. "But do you understand?"

Post by **Tree** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:06 am

" I understand...... but I also know how things would play out."

She said softly, barely holding herself together as she looked at the sharp object in her hands, swallowing hard, moving slowly to set down on the floor, mind lost in rather dark thoughts.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:13 am

Ephriam looked at the girl on the ground with a dull ache in his chest. He looked away for a moment, his fingers brushing over the piano lid. And then he shifted to the ground too, reaching with the intention of taking her hand. He whispered across the air after some silence.

"I can tell you the secret."

Post by **Tree** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:16 am

Marina looked up at him as she took his hand, eyes glazed over with tears she was holding back, unable to help the fact what he was asking of her, hurt. Just the thought was painful. She couldn't harm him anymore then he could hurt her.... willfully, anyway. Willfully, neither would damage the other... But he was determined an unwillful day would come... If it did, she would still be willful.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:23 am

Ephriam didn't continue. He instead took the woman to him.

"I am afraid for you, Sunshine." He hated that she was crying on his behalf.

Post by **Tree** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:27 am

" I couldn't do it... even if I needed to."

She said softly, blade now on the floor as she moved into his arms, still holding back the tears, but it caused her chest to ache worse as she clung to him, breathing very very slow as she was forcing herself to stay away from tears, fingers locked tight in his clothes.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:38 am

Ephriam stroked her hair slowly. The man looked at the beautiful little starter of secrets that lay on the floor.

"Please. I have never asked you for anything, and I know that it is not my place. But, I will beg if need be..." The man reached to take one of her hands if she would let him.

Post by **Tree** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:28 am

" Could you do that to me?"

she asked in response, knowing there was no way she could do it to him.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:37 am

Ephriam looked down at her, his eyes pleading with her.

"Stab you? No. But..." His eyes fell away from her face and his voice dropped to a barely audible level.

"I already have blood on my hands. I do not want yours there too."

Post by **Tree** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:40 am

" It's not that I won't, it's I can't."

She replied simply, looking up at him, searching him, pleading he'd understand.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:48 am

Ephriam's eyes looked down into hers, searching for some common ground.

"Please, take it for my peace of mind. You cannot hurt me really. But you are so fragile."

Post by **Tree** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:50 am

" Your just as fragile as I am, just in mind, not body."

she replied simply, picking up the knife. She'd never use it... but she took it. For him.

Post by **Sushi** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:58 am

Ephriam sighed, still speaking softly.

"I suppose that is what I get deserve then." He looked down at her, eyes studying her.

"Would you like to be let be for a while?"