Let's Play!

Ephriam gave a sigh and drew away his hand. Again with the secrets. It wasn't like he was completely unjustified. Ephriam rubbed the bridge of his nose before turning and prodding at his food as he sat down. He suddenly wasn't so hungry.



"If secrets are your biggest issue with the whole ordeal... I am a little unsure if you fully comprehend what I am telling you, Marina. I am a vampire." He spat out the word, the first time he had ever actually said it to her.



"Such a nasty word, but it is a nasty thing too so I suppose it fits. Fang-bearing, blood-sucking monster: that is who I am." As he kept talking, he hunched forward further and further until he was inches from the food he was now stabbing mercilessly with his fork.

" Do you plan to do anything to me without my consent?"



Marina asked simply, light air disappearing and a very rare seriousness taking place as she looked him over, moving to force him to look at her. Eyes locking with his once more, she sighed softly, Kissing him lightly on the nose, then cheek, lips barely brushing over his lips as she pulled back into her seat.



" I know what you are. I'm not running away, I'm not scared because I do like you, and you've never physically hurt me."

Ephriam just sighed and looked away again, eyes resting on the mutilated pancakes. There was so much that he could say, but (being the man he was) didn't.



"No, that is not my plan." The only thing is that you never can be quite sure what will happen.

Marina picked up on the underlining statement and sighed softly inwardly.



" and if something happened on accident, are you saying you'd leave me with no guidance and instruction on how to handle it all? Or worse, do you really think I want to live to old age when my looks have been what I am for so long in my life? I'm okay with the risks... if I get hurt, I doubt it would be intentional... and it something happens t o me, I know later, if not then, you'll do what is needed... If I loose life or limb, it's not like I didn't think about that..... I have no one, and nothing left to go back to. It's been too long since I was away from all that to enjoy it again. I like the simpler life I have here..... What's so wrong with that?..." Marina glanced to his plate, smiling slightly. " Aside from how your pancakes look?"

Ephriam sat absolutely still for a moment, his head tilted downward and his arms resting on the bar in a hunched posture. Then, slowly a huge smirk worked its way over his face.



"You remember. 'You will soon join me in eternity.' Still..." He just trailed off and laughed.

Marina smiled and moved to kiss his cheek softly, and then took on the task of eating her pancakes, leaving him to think for a little bit before speaking once more.



" You know, their are worse things then being a vampire that has at least modest self control.... you could be like... some killer ant from the amazon that's the same size as I am, trying to eat me.... Those things scare me..."

Ephriam watched her and then smiled faintly.



"Of course, M'lady." He nodded slightly, tossing his 'pancakes' into the garbage and putting the dish into the sink. He walked over to the window, opening the shade and looking out across the moonlit world thoughtfully. As Jethro could often prove, humor only went so far with Ephriam. His brain was stuck on the before.



"I... apologize."

Marina now crossed her arms a moment before stalking over to Ephriam, turning him to face her.



" Ephriam Timothi Dimmura. Either you listen to me, and trust that I'm okay with all this, and stop thinking about it, or I'm going to have to run off and invite Jethro over to straighten you up, since I'm obviously not getting the point across."

Ephriam looked at her and then gave a wide grin, poking her nose.



"You forgot the 'Lord'. I am titled." His eyes took her in for a moment before he spoke.



"And that is not what I am apologizing." The man glanced out the window.



"Do you want to go out tonight?"

" Your not titled in my eyes, your simply my Ephriam, however, yes, going out would be nice.. You know I enjoy going out with you."



Marina replied, smiling and nuzzling his shoulder a second to get his attention back on her.



" What are you thinking about?"

Ephriam looked down at her with a mischievous smile.



"I was thinking that we could just go out. Look at the scenery and such." Slowly his arms wrapped around her waist. "What do you think of that?"

Slowly she nodded and smiled, letting him hold her as he was, relaxing a bit as she thought about a nice walking in this gorgeous night's weather...



" sounds very nice."

Ephriam's grin widened even further.



"Good." And then he tightened his grip just slightly, his body pulling apart, though this time it was a bit slower - even a bit more pleasant. It was a strange sensation to one not used to it. One could feel their own body, but it was lighter and not as compacted to itself. Ephriam still held Marina.



"Breathe." His voice was everywhere, all of his molecules vibrating to make the noise as he drifted towards the window.

Marina swallowed slowly, shaking and looking about, hesitantly, not sure she liked this form of transportation, however she relaxed slowly and took a steadying breath as her body felt weird.

Ephriam smiled, though it wasn't apparent.



"I know. Teleportation is not what it is said to be." He drifted closer to the window, and passed though it, the molecules of his body sliding in the space between the molecules of the glass.



"Faring well?" As he spoke, they were drifting higher and higher.

" I think so, I'm not sure... This feels weird to me."



Marina replied honestly, moving slightly in his arms as she tried to figure out what she was at the moment.



" This isn't right. I don't think my body was meant to do this.."

Ephriam didn't say anything at first. Then he began to move downwards again, towards the forest that pushed up against the castle. He hovered inbetween the trees for a moment. And then he released her.



"Better?"

Feet returning to the ground, Marina looked about, swallowing slowly.



" I don't want you to leave me here by myself, the point of going out with you, was to spend time with you."



Marina reason, reaching up for him, remembering where he'd released her.

Ephriam spiraled back together, turning his hands to catch hers at the wrists.



"I wasn't going to leave." He looked at her, the washed out eyes once again drained of color and rimmed in red. The man stared down at her with a sort of intensity.

Marina smiled slightly, moving a bit closer to him, nestling tight to him.



" You've not looked at me like that before, you alright?"



she asked softly, Looking him over, looking about the forest surrounding them.

Ephriam blinked rapidly, his mouth twitching as though it wanted to smile.



"You would be surprised what you have never seen." The man didn't look away, at least for a moment. But when he did, pressed his lips tight together and held up one finger.



"Sorry."

" I'm not complaining, I just want to understand, Ephriam.... I wasn't one of those people who thought vampires were so interesting and hoped they were real, and knew everything, and such... I was one of those people who knew of their possible existence, and left it at that... i don't know how you work.."

Ephriam cast a glance at her out of the corner of his eye.



"Oh. I see." He turned. Ephriam was considerably moody tonight apparently. He turned his eyes away, watching a small rabbit as it hopped into sight.

" ephriam... Talk to me. What's wrong?"



Marina asked, confused as her eyes wondered to the small creature hopping in the distance.

Ephriam's eyes trailed after the creature, scanning after each and every detail of movement.



"I am talking. Nothing is wrong." Ephriam's brow furrowed. Whereas he had been in a playful minutes just minutes ago in the kitchen, now that had spoiled somewhat. Ephriam never looked away from the creature.



"Do not believe anything I say." He shook his head slowly though his eyes were still glued to the creature. Talk about a confusing thing.

Growling, Marina got slightly frustrated.



" Ephriam. Stop it. There is something wrong, have you not eaten or something?"



She asked curiously, as he was reminding her of a hungry little boy.... Moody.

Ephriam squinted his eyes at the creature as it stood straight as though alarmed by something.



"I do not have to eat." He seemed to tense slightly as though something about her words were agitating him. And they were.

Marina looked him over a moment and then crossed her arms. Where was Jethro when she would actually appreciate his company? Frustrated with him being such a Man about things, she glowered at him, keeping all further comments to herself.

Ephriam frowned deeply too. And then, perfectly on cue:



"You called?" Jethro stepped through the trees, his hands shoved in his pockets. Actually, he was looking kind of funky. His hair was gelled back and he was sporting the ever popular trench coat. The man took a glance at Ephriam and his brows raised.



"Oh look at that. I think he likes you."

" Make him stop acting like a little kid, I can handle one immortal, perpetual immaturity, but two, I refuse. I'll slit my own throat first."



Marina openly complained, finger accusingly jabbed at Ephriam. Stopping her foot and looking read to storm back to the house and find the first sharp object she could.

Jethro just blinked, staring at her blankly for a moment.



"Uh..." His eyes shifted towards Ephriam who now actually seemed to be fuming from the ears. However, the other man was still watching the rabbit.



"Well... seeing as I would be concerned about him ripping it out for you - and I really mean that literally without any sort of sarcasm - I think I would like to find out what he did?" Ephriam suddenly looked up at Marina.



"Nothing! I didn't do anything! At all! I was just trying to be nice and a gentleman and..." And suddenly it seemed like he might start crying. "She hates me. Why did I do this? Why did I let you convince me that we can get away with - with PEOPLE?!" Geesh.

Marina's jaw dropped slightly, looking to ephriam and smacked him. Yep. Smacked him clear across the face, hand print still clear as the silence settled upon the scene, arms crossed, and her temper officially set off.



" No. I don't hate you, god damn it, if I hated you, I'd have tried to flee with all the opportunities you've given me. No, I fucking give a loli pops about you, and am looking past what the hell you are, and your over here being a mellow dramatic, tampon boat making freak on me!!!"

Snap. The rubber band bounced back. As the hand print decorated his cheek, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.



"Freak? Do not insult me. I am a nightmare." The man's intensity seemed like it could swallow whatever his gaze settled on. He curled back his lips in an almost animal like snarl. His eye teeth had elongated and now shone in the glinting moonlight. Jethro was there.



"Get a grip, idiot." It was kind of funny but yet somehow nearing overkill as Jethro took his friend by the shoulders and shoved him backward until he fell into the roots of a tree. Ephriam sucked in several rapid breaths.



"I... can... not..." Jethro turned to Marina with a sigh.



"You wanna kick 'em, Babe?"

" I want him to act like Ephriam again."



Marina pouted, looking at Jethro like a little girl who's favorite dollie had turned into a GI Joe, completely crushed. Looking over Ephriam, clearly still dissatisfied with him, she looked at her wrist, rubbing it gently, Ephriam's finger marks beyond clear upon her skin.

Jethro looked down at the man on the ground.



"Yeah. It is kind of pathetic. Like PMS except on a dude." Jethro nudged Ephriam with the toe of his shoe, the other vampire not responding. "On the bright side, he hasn't killed you yet. That's always a plus." Ephriam's shoulders quivered slightly.



"I am s...sorry." He lifted his head just slightly, peering at Marina over his arms. Blood was running as tears from the corners of his eyes. Jethro's brows shot up as he crouched down.



"Look at this. Interesting..." He reached out and tapped the tear trail with his forefinger and Ephriam shrunk away as Jethro touched it to his mouth. "Huh." Jethro looked up at Marina. "Congrats. In all my years I've never seen this guy cry. Or even one of us in general. That's bonefied blood right there." Ephriam ducked his head again, leaning away from both of them with a simple sentence for Jethro.



"I hate you."

Marina looked confused and moved over to Ephriam again, nuzzling his shoulder softly.



" I don't understand what's wrong with you. Help me here. I want you being you again...Ephriaaaaaaaam."

Jethro watched her, his brows shooting up as he started to reach out.



"You might not want to..." Ephriam scrambled backward from her, his sleeve catching on the briers and ripping a huge tear. "...do that." Jethro sighed slightly as Ephriam's attention was suddenly diverted to something not quite apparent. "Good boy."

Crushed. Marina was crushed, and looked on the verge of tears her own self, looking up at Jethro and moving to hug him, not understanding at all, hating how confusing this all was, pouting and trying not to cry.

Jethro embraced the girl, stroking her hair in that same manner as he had used to guide her back. He sighed slightly and watched as Ephriam scooted back away further and further. The man leaned down and whispered softly in the young woman's ear.



"Remember not to be too hard on him. I told you he wouldn't go to with me because he liked you. He's acting partly the way he is because he likes you so much, you know." Jethro sighed. "Sweetheart, he likes the way you smell. Especially right now." Ephriam was scrambling, trying to find his feet.

" He Is hungry."



She replied simply, looking to him, confused and concerned for him, both obvious on her face as she looked back to Jethro.



" Help him, he won't let me..."





She reasoned softly, still looking as if she might cry, but for his sake now.